Eclectic Vibes - September 2013
by Andrew Frey
Summer Decelerations
With all the awesome summer festivals, it is impossible to make them all. Plus a few new ones popped up, too. Like the First Annual Shenk’s Corners Block Party. This is one of the smaller festivals, but one with the essentials of beer, food, and music. I arrived just in time to catch some of DJ Trichrome slinging reggae via actual vinyl. Too bad he was relegated to a side tent as he is an entertaining DJ and certainly worth actually watching.? Just after the beer ran out outside, the Mustache stormed the stage and owned the evening. They were tight and right for the night! Their nasty funk with deep grooves and happening horns infected all in earshot and sweet gyrations were had. The day boasted optimal temperatures, which created a great, easygoing crowd. Sure to be more. schenksblockparty.com
Time to Clone?
The weekend of 9/19-9/22 simply couldn’t get much busier. In addition to the ever-amazing and musically dense Madison World Music Festival and Willy St Fair (simply too many bands to list!), blues legend Buddy Guy will appear at the Overture Center for The Arts on 9/21 and The Black Crowes will be at the Orpheum Theater on 9/22. UGH! If you have the option, this would indeed be a good time to clone yourself. uniontheater.wisc.edu www.cwd.org/community/events/willy-street-fair
Finding The Orb
The seminal electronic outfit, The Orb, has been around for 25 years now, and over the years, several of their ambient electronic masterpieces have seen heavy rotations in my music players. Most recently, they teamed up with legendary award-winning reggae producer Lee Scratch Perry on their most recent release, More Tales from the Observatory. This, in turn, added a famed voice and reggae aptitude to their flowing electronica. I can’t wait to see them on 9/26 at the Majestic Theater in Madison, WI.
MICRO REVIEWS:
This Month's Rating Scale is from 1 is Quiescent 10 is Efficacious
Legendary Pink Dots - The Gethsemane Option
Legendary Pink Dots
Album title: The Gethsemane Option
Record Label: Metropolis
Rating: 7
Dark numbing droning rhythms intersect warbling dissonances and copulate with the soured Jesus thematics of the release. After 32 studio albums in 33 years the LPDs still retain the reins on unsettling minimalism that draws listeners in via some creepy beauty and psychological titillations.
(2150) Page Views
The Legendary Pink Dots online:
• Website • Facebook • Wiki
• Purchase The Gethsemane Option on Amazon
Shpongle - Museum of Consciousness
Shpongle
Album title: Museum of Consciousness
Record Label: Twisted Records Ltd
Rating: 10
Consciousness is what our lives are all about and this heartily psychedelic and pro DMT group certainly has allowed a grand consciousness perception to evolve in their music and performances. Tribal dance grooves are flooded with mystical ambiance and quirky electronic infiltrations are met with space warbles of mind jarring ascent. Invitations are sent out to pierce the veil of reality and get a glimpse of what else is out there (and in there). Are you experienced?
(2114) Page Views
Shpongle online:
• Website • Facebook • Wiki
• Download Museum of Consciousness from Amazon
• Purchase Museum of Consciousness on Amazon
Snoop Lion - Reincarnated
Snoop Lion
Album title: Reincarnated
Record Label: RCA/Red
Rating: 8
“The only way to get love is to give love,” states Snoop Lion (the reggae version of rap icon Snoop Dogg) at the beginning of Reincarnated, his chart-topping first musical venture into reggae. Embracing a change of perspective in addition to lifestyle, he traveled to Jamaica to immerse himself in the Rasta of it all. In conjunction with the album, Snoop released an acclaimed feature-length documentary of his journey and career, explaining his change of perspective as well as how the songs on this release came into being. Maybe not be best reggae or dancehall album ever, but this release contains some big name guest appearances and a couple unbelievably catchy songs that will be retained in your brain for many days to come. But with 1.7 billion views on YouTube alone, this may be nothing new to you.
(2281) Page Views
Snoop Lion online:
• Website • Facebook • Wiki
• Download Reincarnated from Amazon
• Purchase Reincarnated on Amazon