history major records

Hip Hop Playlist - Fall 2009

2009-11-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

“Rapping for Money”, Themselves w/ Why
“Moving Truck”, Radioinactive & Antimc
“Seraphim Revolver”, NMS
“Moonshine”, Kill the Vultures
“Florida Ki’s”, Super Chron Flight Brothers
“Superunfrontable”, Antipop Consortium
“Long Socks”, Charles Hamilton
“Different Animal”, OptimisGFN
“Nonthreatening Patriarch”, V8 & Shortrock
“Fallen Soldiers”, Cormega
“How to Serve a Man”, El-P
“Bad Jokes”, Ceschi
“When You’re Going Down”, Camu Tao (rest in peace)

peace and happy listening,
ReCaaLL the Albatross

8/8 Esoteric, Top Choice, ReCaaLL & X-product

2009-07-29T08:36:00.001-07:00

come through and party!
peace,
ReCaaLL

Live Hip Hop Benefit show

2009-06-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

The simplest and best human action: people helping people in a tough time.

Recaall reviews the new DOOM

2009-04-01T12:39:00.000-07:00

Recaall, or at the kids call him, metalface woolf, has reviewed the new MF DOOM record. Enjoy:

“Born Like This” – DOOM

First off, the cd artwork is ridiculous. It’s not only very dope stylistically, it’s textured. So, buying the cd was an experience in itself, I was like –‘whoa, this is something new’.
I think the album can be looked at best by taking on the lyrics and production separately.

Lyrically, this may be my favorite DOOM release. He’s extra crass and braggadocios. But, he’s also conceptual. Take tracks like Cellz, with its foreboding take on the future, or Angels, even though it already appeared on the Ghostface project. Both are on some next level shit from DOOM, where he actually talks about something other than street skuz and shitty emcees. His wordplay overall is as good as anything on Doomsday and thereafter. However, aside from the Wu members, all the guest appearances are pretty lackluster. “Still Dope” with Empress The Stahh, think “Guinesses” from MM Food, almost ruined the album for me. Ok, you’re a girl and you can rhyme, great…no-one cares. A lot of females can rip, and even about something other than being a woman. “Supervillanz” looked like an allstar cut on the tracklistings, given the line-up, but it comes off sloppy and unnatural- although the faux vocoder is pretty hilarious, and DOOM kills it. The message from Bumpy Knuckles seems to be some weird attempt at gaining some street cred; and most of the interludes are pointless and not even humorous.

The production, aside from DOOM’s own, is boring. Luckily, he produces most of the album. Ok, he did just jack that ESG track for “Yessir”, but cuts like “Cellz” and “Supervillanz” remind me a lot of the gritty production on the Geedorah project. It’s choppy and gritty. It’s tough to say this, but the Dilla joints seem boring, though the lightworks vocal sample is unique, and JakeOne’s typical classic hip-hop, ie. new york-ish premier-like, production seem too unenthusiastic for DOOM. Probably the two most “ear-friendly”, ie. something you can put your overground friends onto are both DOOM products, “That’s that” and “Microwave”; the loops are simple but reminiscent of Doomsday.

To sum it up, DOOM is still on his game, but maybe he needs to simply stick with doing everything on his own. The work from others is where the album lacks, aside from Rae and Ghost. It’s worth picking up and it’s good for kicking back and drinking a 40 to, as I did. DOOM still presents us with a bunch of quote-ables that you’ll probably overhear me mumbling if you follow me on my weekly orange line trek to ughh.

a simple death, a written war

2009-03-05T11:31:00.000-08:00

Deaf on Mondegreen (Recaall, HMR's AM, Sir Sodium) have a new mixtape coming out that combines the ancient art of misanthropy with the new convenience of electronic musical equipment. It is, in the words of the late Ernest Hemingway, "11-tracks that go from korg-infused faux euro dancepop snips to gritty, acoustic hip hop explorations on the worst day ever." Check them out, now, before they get all skinny and joyous.

Also, you can meet Recaall live and in person:
Mar 5 2009 Brickhouse Dover, New Hampshire
Mar 6 2009 Sammy’s Patio Revere, Massachusetts
Mar 28 2009 No. 9 Ale House - BENEFIT SHOW Malden, Massachusetts
Apr 17 2009 Geno’s Rock Club Portland, Maine

Speaking of March 28:

I want you to breathe easy

2009-02-26T09:11:00.000-08:00

OptimisGFN and Recaall in Brooklyn:

Recaall in the greatest's birthplace

2009-02-17T08:06:00.000-08:00

In my last installment, which (shamefully) was all the way before Recaall's trip to the westcoast, I asked:

Will the R.E.C.'s eternal urban stress and perpetual aggression melt under the forgiving sun of NorCal?

The answer---sad for him, good for the listening public---is no. He's as cold and prematurely old as ever. Katie Couric checked his myspace and was depressed for a long weekend.

Brooklyn, we go hard? It must be a sign that Recaall's getting some cred because out-of-town folks are spelling his name right.

Recaall in California???

2008-12-17T13:11:00.000-08:00

Will the R.E.C.'s eternal urban stress and perpetual aggression melt under the forgiving sun of NorCal? (click for the full, dope flyer)

The relevant authorities have been alerted.

Release of Sir Salty's long-awaited "Tobacco Road"

2008-11-13T09:53:00.000-08:00

This Saturday! At the No. 9 Ale House, 118 Ferry, Malden, Mass. Mister Salty, Jawn P, Shortrock, the whole crew.

FREE WITH DONATION OF CANNED, NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS.

Click to view the whole image:

It's the same everywhere

2008-10-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

Detroit blogger fivethree dialtone has a great post about going to shows where it's all girlfriends and little brothers:

A local music scene is the epitome of a grassroots movement. If the people directly involved aren’t offering up support, then how do you expect it of anyone else? People like to be where other people are. Everyone has caught on to the fact that they aren’t missing a fucking thing by staying home. You know when the last time someone from a band handed me a flyer for their next show while they attended another show we were both at?

YES, read the thing.

A paid endorsement from Zach

2008-10-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

Nothing says Michigan like cheap beer and HMR merch:

Sole, Mister Salty, Shortrock - Oct. 19

2008-10-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

Come check out HMR friends Shortrock and Mister Salty as they open for Sole and the Skyrider Band of Anticon. Should be a blast! Scroll & Shortrock were unreal last week at the western front and Salty has promised to rock some new jams off Tobacco Road.
peace,
Albatroid Loser ReCaaLL

C.R.A.C. knucklez

2008-10-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

yea, C.R.A.C. (pronounced crass) is certified dopeness. The Detroit/NY collaboration between Ta'raach and Blu rash on the rampid commericialism and preoccupation with violence and threats so prevailent in urban music of today. The album is reminscient of those mid-90s (think OC's Jewels) hip hop bangers. As stated on their page, they sound like "the asshole inside of us all". Check em out.

peacekill,
ReCaaLL Albatross

New Metallica, Reviewed

2008-09-18T10:10:00.001-07:00

My brother:

the new metallica album: deliberate attempt to sound terrible.

End of Summer Hip Hop Playlist

2008-09-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, boys and girls- im not dead, just dead tired. Been basically "touring" U KILL U and the Grind Steeze discs around metro Boston and greater New England, but I felt I should leave our readership, limited as it may be, with a few goodies for the end of the summer. This is basically a list of stuff I've personally been feeling during the past few months. Most of which new, a few old favs mixed in for good measure. Hope you enjoy.

“Break”, Saul Williams off ‘Niggytardust’
“The Area”, Eliot Lipp off ‘The Outside’
“Futurama”, Invizzibl Men off ‘The Unveiling’
“Love Don’t”, C.R.A.C. off ‘The Piece Talks’
“Good Old Smokey”, Factor f/ Myka 9 off ‘Chandelier’
“Typical Workday”, Mister Salty off ‘Tobacco Road’
“Blood on the Cats Skin”, Michael Nhat off ‘Microwave
“Hold the Floor”, Camu Tao (RIP)
“Dervishes”, Persephone
“Public Defenders”, Super Chron Flight Brothers
“Psycho Gunpowder”, Orko Eloheim off ‘Forbidden Physics”
“Deathful”, Subtle off ‘Yell & Ice’
“I Love You”, MF Grimm off ‘American Hunger’
“Right Place, Wrong Time”, Soul Position off ‘8 Million Stories’
“Walk with Me Princess”, K-the-i??? off ‘Broken Love Lettter
“Star Killer”, Beans
“Crown of the 12 Stars”, Sir Menelik off ‘The Einstein Rosen Bridge”
“Shinkansen”, Daedelus off ‘Of Snowdonia’

Peacekill,
ReCaaLL the UnKillable Albatroid

The Chinese musical underground

2008-09-15T06:04:00.000-07:00

K-the-i in the bean!

2008-09-05T05:01:00.001-07:00

K-the-i???---Boston's best and most innovative emcee---has been in self-exile out west. He is, however, back for the weekend and doing two all ages performances that you shouldn't miss:

Today, Friday: 9/5/2008 - 6:00PM: K-The-I???, Thavius Beck (of Lab Waste) in-store at Underground Hip-Hop. FREE, 234 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA (near Symphony Hall)

Tomorrow, Saturday: 9/6/2008 - 4:00PM: K-The-I???, BOS Skwad, Thavius Beck, Onepersun, and more, at the Ale House. $10, 118 Ferry Street, Malden, MA.

Protect the sanctity of the air guitar

2008-08-31T15:50:00.000-07:00

Here at HMR, we try not to take overtly political stands, let alone campaign against the individual's most sacred personal act---how to translate their love of rock and roll into consumer purchasing. But we can't stand for this!

It's takes a hipster website to remind me

2008-08-26T11:45:00.001-07:00

Happy 20th birthday to one of the greatest and most important albums of all-time: Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.

The songs are as strong and relevant as they were two decades ago, when I was four, the Reagan Revolution was eight, and the Soviet Union was 70 and collapsing. This generation could two or three thousand artists and writers as powerful as Chuck D.

Portlandia, you've got plans tomorrow

2008-08-22T07:16:00.000-07:00

If you're in the vicinity of Portland, Maine (the way life should be) you need to head out to this hip-hop Darfur benefit.

Saturday, 8-23-2008, "B-Boys in Arms Presents… A Hip-Hop Jam for Justice." 6:00pm, $6, 18+ at the Space Gallery on Congress Street.

Inspiring fellow

2008-08-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

Merch is SOLD OUT

2008-08-09T19:52:00.000-07:00

Kind of a sad day. Music is overrated--we should have just gone into t-shirt sales.

From time to time I have hustled

2008-07-30T16:45:00.001-07:00

Rick Ross: corrections officer?

G.O.A.T.

2008-07-29T17:09:00.001-07:00

Finally, finally, FINALLY. Our culture's finest hip-hop minds come together for one special session.

Via Joe Spurr.

Your friends say hardcore kids don't buy records

2008-07-18T10:04:00.000-07:00

According to an industry source (actually just NickHMR), Have Heart's new record is number 197 on the Billboard Hot 200 pop chart. That's an amazing thing, especially when they're channeling a thoroughly non-commercial force like our comrade Recaall for their single (is it a single?) "Bostons":

There's the absolutely flawless "Bostons," where Flynn trades off with fellow would-be poet, Shipwreck A.D.'s J.D., barking lines about how "sometimes a man breaks" and "sometimes he can't bend," leading to an invigorating, building bridge that begins to hit detonation point with Flynn announcing "[so] I could be the boy you couldn't be" and an unraveling, mind-shattering, catchy explosion to finish. (link)

"Utica is Burning" - FREE DOWNLOAD!

2008-07-14T06:55:00.000-07:00

want some free prog-hop? Check out the Tour Ep by 11:00AM f/ Eleven, V8, ReCaaLL, and a.m. breakups production.

GET IT NOW!!! FREE!!!

"DNA" by Saul Williams

2008-07-10T07:28:00.001-07:00

live in Boston

peace,
ReCaaLL the Albatroid

Songs to scream at the dining hall of your college

2008-07-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

Have Heart's new album came out today. I haven't heard it in full yet, but the infallibility of their musical taste is revealed in their borrowing from Recaall on this new jam:

I'm about to go buy the album from Bridge 9, and you should do the same.

(Also, when did New Found Glory get with B9?)

Some of your friends are already this signed

2008-07-03T12:06:00.000-07:00

Unedited footage of Starling Electric accepting their record deal:

July 9----Mister Salty Takes Over Jamaica Plain

2008-07-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

Click the fragment of a giant image for full details on how good this show will be.

A Deathwish Inc. Truck?

2008-06-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

They must be moving a lot of copies of Shipwreck's Abyss to necessitate such a thing.

A live performance of the opening track from Madrid:

I'm not going to lie

2008-06-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

I got the new Girl Talk release. And it's good.

See this movie

2008-06-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my brother for telling me about it and Netflix for delivering.

The R.E.C. is busy, busy, busy

2008-06-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

I don't know if next week I'll feel worse for the Los Angeles Lakers or Recaall's liver. Both are on the verge of extinction.

Wednesday, 6/18 Portland, Maine: Recaall and Sylence Dogood with Brzowski @ Geno's
Thursday, 6/19 Malden, Mass: Hip-hop open mic @ the Ale house
Friday, 6/20 Revere Beach, Mass: Recaall/BOS @ Sammy’s Patio
Saturday, 6/21 Malden, Mass: Usual Suspecktz @ the Ale house
Sunday, 6/22 Allston, Mass: Recaall and AM @ O'Briens

Check out his myspace for more.

U Kill U is out! Summer dates!

2008-06-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

big thanks to everyone that helped out with "U Kill U". If you have yet to recieve a copy, please contact us, either via email or myspace, and we will make sure to get one in your hands. Also, a list of dates that I or my repsective groups, B.O.S. and Stabross & the Albatross, will be playing. Hope to see you and personally show my gratitude with a KILLER performance.

Upcoming Shows:

Jun 7 2008 4:00P
No. 9 Ale House- SUPRALIMINAL RELEASE SHOW Malden, Massachusetts

Jun 7 2008 8:00P
No. 9 Ale House - Sylence DoGood Bday FREE!!!!!! Malden, Massachusetts

Jun 18 2008 9:00P
Geno’s Portland, Maine

Jun 20 2008 9:00P
Sammy’s Patio Revere, Massachusetts

Jun 22 2008 9:00P
O’Briens Allston, Massachusetts

Jul 8 2008 8:00P
The Red Door Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Jul 9 2008 6:00P
The Midway Cafe Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

Peacers and well wishes,
ReCaaLL the Albatroid

This seems to be working!

2008-05-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

Sorry for all the website issues, we should be back at our normal (substandard) capacity.

Wed Nite in Allston - Return of the Underground

2008-04-25T08:52:00.001-07:00

Did you miss underground hip hop? yea, we thought you did. Come out to O'Briens Pub in beautiful Allston to catch some of the dopest sounds from the depths of hip hop. Hope to see ya there. Unkel Jerry has promised booze and beats for all on a school night!!!
onelove,
ReCaaLL the Albatroid

The blogger wont let me post the flier, but its here...rockin will be Shurm, Wigsplit, The WID, Nobody Cares, Shortrock, and yours truly. Peacekill.

U Kill U - May 24th!

2008-04-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

big thx to unkel jerry for the vid and getting the site back up. peace to my sister val, x-product, the city of chelsea, and some ill soft tacos for making guest appearances.

one,
ReCaaLL the Last Albatroid

2008-04-15T19:02:00.001-07:00

testing testing

Franz Isn't the Only One Who Posts

2008-04-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

hey kids!!!

remember me?? it's you're ol' unkie adamHMR. been awhile hasn't it? well that's because we've been busting our asses off trying to create and distribute some quality music for you and yours. right now the lyrical legacy, ReCaalL is putting the finishing touches on UkillU, his sophomore release, which will be out May 24th and will kick your ass. in all seriousness, this album is certified ill. to support this release Leo, Salty and i are putting together a live act that should either blow your minds or make you think even less of me. either way it's entertainment. we're also working on a collab project that will be unlike anything you've heard thus far. i'm hoping to record some of my own shit too. a new dawn is rising after the cold of winter and History Major Records is coming out of hibernation in full force. get ready.

Laws and Flaws

2008-04-15T12:07:00.000-07:00

Rarely are hip hop albums both critical and insightful. I picked up "Laws and Flaws" from cali-native Gel Roc after a very provactive set on Sunday night at the middle east upstairs. Needless to say, I'm impressed. Give it a listen.

All I ever wanted was to pick apart the day...

2008-04-15T06:50:00.000-07:00

...and put the pieces back together my way!!!

peace,
Albatroid ReC

Hardcore saved my life

2008-04-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

National Geographic did an hour long documentary look at Straight Edge. It probably won't be news to anyone who's familiar with the movement going in ("straight edge kids don't drink--parents like that!" "some straight edge kids are violent--parents don't like that!")

Still, it was cool seeing footage of our homey Pat Flynn from Have Heart a few times. And one of the key scenes features a guy wearing a Shipwreck jacket.

The author of the sociological work Straight Edge: Clean-Living Youth, Hardcore Punk, And Social Change gets a lot of attention in the film/show (I assume he grew up in the SXE movement himself.) And if you haven't seen it already, the cover of that book is Pat Flynn. The guy is an icon. And a history major.

AWOL ONE and Brzowski - Sunday Night

2008-04-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

"Splitsville"- DJ Moves f/ Josh Martinez & AWOL ONE

Who said Sunday night had to be an evening of mourning the weekend-gone-by? Come out to the Middle East this Sunday to check out the homie Brzowski as he opens for AWOL ONE. The B.O.S/HMR fam will be in full-effect.

peace,
ReCaaLL

Big HMR thank you

2008-04-07T08:15:00.001-07:00

...to everyone that came out to support on Saturday. The no.9 Ale House was packed. Luau completely destroyed, despite noise restrictions. B.O.S. was in full-effect. Green Monsta, Diatribe, Shurm, and Supraliminal definitely held down the mic. Thanks to the ale house staff, B.O.S. Skwad Records, and all the artists. So yes, now I return to my virtual coma- after the 10+ hrs of hip hop, rock, and booze on saturday.

Peacekillnonsenserap,
ReCaaLL the Albatroid

oh, and for those that missed the evening show- I promise to do my Britney Spears dance on April 30th at O'Briens (w/ the likes of Nobody Cares, Shurm, The WID, and Wipsplitta).

Epic HMR show this SATURDAY! ALL AGES!

2008-04-01T10:05:00.000-07:00

Along with our friends at B.O.S. Skwad Records, we will be putting on an epic All Ages Hip Hop & Rock show at the No. 9 Ale House in Malden. The bill features two of our HMR brethren ReCaaLL, as 1/4 of the B.O.S. Skwad, and Charlie (think ex-flood), with his band Luau. Also playing: The Big Big Bucks (of Allston), Green Monsta, and Supraliminal. Shortrock will be killing wax for your ears. Again, I say EPIC! AdamHMR and Unkel Jerry will also be in the building, so come out and support!

Why?...well just listen!

2008-03-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

"A Sky For Shoeing Horses Under",

Mister Salty and I listened to the entire new album, "Alopecia", the other night. Was unreal. It's amazingly cynical, ambient, and the one-liners cut like knives! Honestly its alot darker and alot more cohesive than I expected!

Check it out!

peace,
ReCaaLL the Albatroid

Hipster culture has reached its apex

2008-03-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

Aesop Rock collaborates on a line of sneakers.

defenders of the faith: part one

2008-03-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

recently someone came to me to inquire about apprenticing in metallurgy. however, the first driblet of word vomit out of this aspiring pupil's spout was "tony iommi is not a good guitar player."

...and the curtain was torn in two. anyway, this got my retractable horns all in a twitter. how could anyone have suffered these neophytes before? bearing this in mind, here is my basic primer for metal...or at least how i got into it. it is not recommended for everybody, and assuredly will be exhausting for me to compile and you to peruse. let us begin.

metallica. if there was an alpha, this is it. it is for everyone. you get such a broad overview of what makes metal so enticing, and what could be added to the broth to reach more satisfying and varied results. kill em all, ride the lightning, master of puppets are all undisputed classics...and justice for all (which i dig) is an acquired taste, i guess. what kind of things were missing from metallica? let's explore this in detail.

quality guitar solos = testament
humor = anthrax
good drumming = slayer
harsh vocal stylings = sucks (rescinded...eventually)
tough guy posturing, downtuned guitars, racial parity (st. anger would resolve these as well)

see? you've pretty much got the big four right there. i suppose megadeth should be included somewhere, perhaps under "spent almost entire first album budget on drugs." it's true. dave mustaine was very candid about his self destruction then, and highly repentant about it today. sure dave found god, but this song proves he doesn't exist. did i mention they covered the duke nukem theme? alright, that is kind of awesome i guess.

so now you've listened to metallica, you've probably thought "i don't ever need to hear any other band or style of music ever again. all is false." but the truth is, after ...and justice for all, to borrow a phrase, metallica was no one's friend. if metallica were an ice cream flavor, they'd be pralines...and dick. movie tie-ins? napster saber rattling? pedal steel guitars? talk about a de-rection.

what is the burgeoning metalloid to do? listen to bands that can safely be traced back to metallica, or bear enough semblance to keep some of that sense of abandonment at bay. at any rate, this is how you get into pantera. not because you are legitimately interested in them, but rather you ascribe to the belief that all the rock that was missing from metallica's black album was magically transposed into cowboys from hell. all the grit, passion, and skill from its members were assumed into their texas counterparts' corporeal forms. lars ulrich was not effected.

and pantera used to sound like this. just so we are clear. oh well. cowboys from hell was awesome...just ask this guy, performing the last 15 seconds of cemetery gates where phil actually manages to get on pitch with dimebag's whammy bar siren songs. without the proper accoutrement however, it is sadly lacking. dragon ball z makes everything more metal.

well, that's enough for now. next time we will explore why i didn't start listening to black sabbath before metallica. in the meantime, here is a rockuspective (that's trademarked) of their career.

kill em all:

ride the lightning:

master of puppets:

...and justice for all

1000 Apes in a Room

2008-03-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

Dope avantgarde Hip hop from the West coast. K-the-i and Michael Nhat are 1000 Apes in a Room. You should def give em a listen. I just copped the tour cd "Attack of the Apes" and it is fresh and all funk!

"House"

peace,
ReCaaLL the Albatross

Someone go see Bantam Rooster, take video

2008-03-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

I had heard vaguely that Motor City blues rock/punk rock legends Bantam Rooster were reunited, and now there's news that they're doing a show (shows?) with a French band called Jettators (who play classic Detroit-style garage rock and are coming to the D to record.)

A video of Bantam Rooster from 1999:

The Jettators/Bantam Rooster shows are apparently going to happen in May. Southeast Michigan people (read: my brother) should try to get there.

A show that I'm happy is happening but won't be attending

2008-03-20T13:51:00.001-07:00

You know who's coming to Boston? The mothercharming Proclaimers.

If that song wasn't jammed into your domepiece for most of 1993, then... I don't know, you probably didn't know me around then.

The Inevitable Rise And Liberation Of NiggyTardust

2008-03-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

Saul Williams/Trent Reznor...nuff said. GET IT!

Large and small updates

2008-03-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

Here's a big update on what our friends the BOS Skwad are up to.

In HMR news, I just had a Nutrigrain bar.

PS: I know I've posted about Allston's Eli "Paperboy" Reed here before, but this video deserves its own mention:

Charlie Flood is looking for Boston heads...

2008-03-13T12:38:00.001-07:00

Hey all. I'm looking to get something moving in Boston. I posted a Craig's List ad. Check it out, let's make noise!

To our NYC Friends - TONITE!

2008-03-11T10:53:00.000-07:00

Big week from the homie Karniege - beginning with his release in NYC this evening and capping with his appearance at SXSW later this week. So, if you're in the area, come out and support!!!

from Karniege's myspace:
Uncommon will be throwing a release party for Karniege's "From the Left" LP. It will be held tomorrow night on the release date which is Tuesday, March 11th at Kabin Bar which is at 92 2nd Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets in the East Village in Manhattan at 7PM. It will be open to the public and free and everyone that shows up will receive a FREE copy of "The New Art Underground" Mix CD which features exclusively Uncommon artists. Happy Hour is 7-8, you get one free drink for every drink you buy no matter what it is during that hour. We'll be hanging there peeping the brand new album for the first time until 11. All that are able to reach NYC are encouraged to come by and hang with us. The lounge in the back, complete with it's own private bar is reserved, just head to the back of the bar!

peacekill,
ReCaaLL

Starling Electric signs to Bar/None

2008-03-07T19:23:00.001-08:00

I couldn't be happier for these people. I know absolutely nothing about the label, but they've put out stuff by Yo La Tengo, Evan Dando, Of Montreal, etc. etc.

Regardless, I couldn't be happier that they're getting so much attention, and they deserve everything. Caleb is a genius, John singlehandedly introduced me to indie music, Jason was a great neighbor and friend. I've never met their bassist but I'm sure he's a nice fellow. Plus, as just a fan of music, it's cool to see a band that you've loved for years get bigger and bigger.

Congratulations to them and to all the people who are going to get to hear their music because of this. You're in for a treat.

All ages venue in the Back Bay? Please let this be cool

2008-03-07T07:18:00.000-08:00

I REALLY don't want to link to the Phoenix's On the Download blog, because it has the single most annoying advertisement of any website I visit on a regular basis. I don't even know what exactly is being advertised, but when you open the page it plays a loud, ten second sound clip that always pisses me off, especially when I'm wearing headphones.

Anyway, I'm going to link to them anyway because it's almost certainly not the writer's fault that the page has such an alienating ad, and yesterday they posted the very interesting news that Berklee is opening an all ages, student-run music venue. I'm picturing a much more mainstream Che Cafe, but I'm probably dreaming. I just hope they allow punk shows.

Cherry Zero is my steez

2008-03-04T12:23:00.000-08:00

My brother told me about a website that does good music reviews, and I finally checked it out. It's called Cokemachineglow, and maybe it's a little too cool for it's own good but they say some really smart stuff and they've got new Subtle.

Recaall is rejoicing in his cubicle somewhere.

Lo-fi video at its lowest fidelity

2008-03-04T10:13:00.000-08:00

I recently bought a really cheap digital video camera. The results have been fun, the quality mixed.

I hadn't heard of this band Evangelicals, though I guess they get a lot of love from the internet-indie industrial complex. I enjoyed them--it was gleefully over-the-top psychedelic Bowie rock. I had fun:

Nick introduced Headlights to me and about ten thousand others. Here's one song by them:

Finally, I can't remember if I posted this or not, but here's Bedford Academy playing at Bill Bar's for a ton of kids. I got about 20 minutes of their set, until the batteries on the thing died:

even sloans are big in japan

2008-03-03T18:24:00.000-08:00

well so it has come to this, my first actually worded contribution to the HMR blog. but you too would need to find some sense of rationale when you stumbled across this particular headline:

PIG DESTROYER and INTO ETERNITY have been added to the previously announced Japanese tour featuring AT THE GATES, MAYHEM, and THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN.

see what i mean? if you are remotely a fan of any kind of heavy music of the past 25 years you are probably thinking "what the hell kind of lineup is that?" and you are absolutely right. but for those not in the know, a quick wikipediation will suffice:

Pig Destroyer: the band chose their name motivated by a strong socio-political consciousness. Believing that naming themselves "Cop Killer" or "Cop Destroyer" would be tactless, they eventually settled on "Pig Destroyer" ("pig" being a pejorative American slang term for the police)

into eternity: i actually don't know who these guys are, and neither do you. forget about it.

At the Gates: The band's legacy is far reaching, because of their influence on the metalcore and melodic death metal genres. Many bands, such as Darkest Hour, The Black Dahlia Murder, Now Until the Hour, and Killswitch Engage were influenced by their sound.

Mayhem: much controversy has followed the various murders, suicides and other forms of violence that surrounded the band in the early years. Mayhem is considered one of the most controversial bands in modern musical history, especially due to the vast number of urban legends and myths surrounding their early years.

what controversies you ask? let's do a rundown:

notable band member occurrences
dead (suicide)
euronymous (murdered)
varg vikernes (imprisoned...for the death of euronymous)
maniac (institutionalized)

yup. they play music too! probably wouldn't think that though. actually, these guys are probably one of the most renowned artists in all of black metal. i know next to nothing about this genre, but i can appreciate their utmost importance to the scene. and their lead singer's real name is attila, and he's hungarian. that rules.

dillinger escape plan: the band gained notoriety in the hardcore scene for the intensity of their performances, which have incorporated light shows, fireworks, fire breathing, and other special effects.
my note: they also gained notoriety for kicking a lot of ass, and making meshuggah's approach to songwriting essential for every single guitar player who wants to be taken seriously today. bridging the gap between hardcore's ethos, metal's intent to bludgeon, and progressive rock's progressive...ness.

so basically what you have here are three bands who pretty much are the pinnacle of their respective genres, including a band that has been out of commission for over ten years. and if you live in japan, where promoters go out of their way to blow your mind, you can see them all on one bill.

i ask you, dear readership: are you tired of safe tours with bands that are interchangeable with their headliners? tell me about any strange combinations on a bill that you think worked. for a counter example see: wutang + apollo sunshine...right jer?

3/3 Hip Hop Playlist

2008-03-03T09:08:00.000-08:00

this one is for riding dirty, dope sushi, and my DJ!

“Waiting for the World to End”, Rakim
“Fortified Live”, Mos Def and Talib Kweli
“Passin’ Me By”, The Pharcyde
“Sundown”, Daedelus
“Beast Mode”, Akrobatik f/ Mr. Lif
“History Next”, Nato Caliph
“Foot Down” (Blockhead rmx), Del the Funky Homosapien
“Thiller Mano”, Vyle
“Sunrise Over Bklyn”, El-P
“My Melody”, Tame One

peacekill,
ReC the Lost and Shortrock the Engaged

We Were Scientists

2008-03-02T20:37:00.000-08:00

so, i just downloaded the new We Are Scientists record "Brain Thrust Mastery" which leaked. and, well, it's kind of disappointing. i'm a little upset. also, apparently they got rid of their drummer. maybe it will grow on me, but it doesn't jump right into my brain like "With Love And Squalor" did.
anyway, just check it out for yourself: Get it on the Leakage Channel!

also, i decided to put my record, "The Ground Running", in all its unmastered glory, available to be downloaded. why? well i don't know. why not? go to my blog and download that jam there if you want. i hope you enjoy it.

I saw the Best Laptop Set Ever...

2008-02-28T08:47:00.000-08:00

...by Telephone Jim Jesus when he came to Boston on the 15th with Sole & Skyrider. I bought his latest cd, Anywhere out of the Everything, and was very impressed! It's a delicious blend of deep amibence and grinding dissonance. The transitions are dope, making it very listenable. Aside from my collection of Subtle discs, Jus' black mamba serums, and ISWYD, it's probably the only CD that I'm currently bangin' and don't skip through tracks. It's dope, plainly! Check it out!

2/26 Hip Hop Playlist

2008-02-26T09:11:00.000-08:00

Certified DOPE!!!! CHECK EM OUT!

“Get a Hold”, A Tribe Called Quest
“Hurry Up”, Jacques LaROQ f/ K-the-i???
“Baknaffek”, Das EFX
“’93 Til Infinity”, Souls of Mischief
“Did You Hear?”, Telephone Jim Jesus
“Terror in the Water”, Sole
“Strange Gods” Stache
“Accordion”, Madvillain
“Propaganda”, Dead Prez
“Right Place, Wrong Time”, Soul Position

starting to get warm out, get yo'self a 40 and chill on the stoop while you peep the playlist.

onelifetokill,
ReCaaLL the Albatross

Did we mention we have merch?

2008-02-26T04:00:00.000-08:00

The great Mark Baard gave us a shout-out today in an otherwise unrelated paragraph from his column in the Boston Globe:

I'm no Beau Brummell. But I'd much rather see my raggedy self, with my History Major Records hoodie, in Second Life rather than a cheesy Linden Labs avatar.

We'd like to see that too.

Youtube killed my baby

2008-02-26T03:21:00.000-08:00

Brohan alerts me to a website called Stage6, which offers some of the highest defintion video I've ever seen on the internet. Apparently there's not a huge market for this kind of thing, because the company is shutting down on Thursday. Anyway, go check it out while you still can. And here's a cool White Stripes show:

a bold step for music criticism

2008-02-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

purveyors of all things oily and scantily clad maxim magazine decided to review an album....without actually listening to it!
http://gawker.com/359843/maxim-reviews-black-crowes-album-without-listening-to-it

to be fair, it is the black crowes. i don't know if their reunion tour was heralded, but i don't really recall people being too broken up about them calling it quits either.

Walking the Cow

2008-02-21T10:44:00.000-08:00

wednesday night i saw one of my favorite artists of all time, Daniel Johnston and it was amazing. in my opinion, his music transcends reason. he has written more songs than the Beatles, his idols, and has done so virtually alone (Jad Fair probably the only person who worked with him way back). seeing him live almost made me cry. he was just so happy to be performing and that people loved him. he joked about his illness coming on stage for an encore holding a Mountain Dew being a highlight. he was so nervous, but just had such presence.

i was lucky enough to chat with Daniel before the show. i was there an hour early and he was just standing outside the Roxy smoking a butt. he was incredibly friendly and open. he was speaking about how he couldn't remember his ABC's let alone his songs (he performs with two white binders with his lyrics and arrangements). just such amazing person.

although the evening was all around wonderful, one thing really bugged me. i've been following Daniel since i was young, probably since Kurt Cobain wore the Hi, How Are You shirt in Rolling Stone. i will admit that at first i couldn't fully appreciate Daniel's music, but as i grew it grew on me more and more. i know i come across as an arrogant bastard, it's just an act i'm very self-loathing, but i was really angered by at least two-thirds of the crowd. most of them were too young to even have even like Nirvana when they were first around let alone know Daniel Johnston way back. not that there is anything wrong with finding a new artist, but these people were faux-artistas who probably found out about Daniel from the recent documentary about him. i felt that the majority of the crowd was there not to see a musical genius, but to see a train wreck or because it's cool to like outsider music. i personally feel we live in such a disposable immediate gratifying society that people are mindless automatons being fed what is cool and it makes me sick.

i am sorry to rant, but this is something that has really been getting me down lately. people really don't care about anything anymore. no one has beliefs. no one is concrete anymore.
i know tastes change, mine certainly have, and people change with age, but i feel like an disturbing amount of people don't even have core values anymore. no one cares about world politics. look at the Obama-craze. i support Obama, but it's not because he is the cool candidate beloved by the hipster community. i'm going completely off topic, and i apologize. i am just really upset with the state of the world, especially the US where more people watch TMZ than the news and even if they watched the news it's all "if it bleeds it leads" bullshit. we live in a country where dake0news shows like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report are actually better than the nightly news on NBC ect. i could go on forever but this is not my blog. i just want to say one last thing. it really upsets me that we live in Boston, the epitome of a college city, and people are so narrow minded and lazy that they can't come out to shows and look for new music. they'll listen to Pandora instead of reading a magazine or go out to a show that they know nothing about just on a whim. i'm sorry to bitch so much but like i said, this is really been bugging me lately.

on a lighter note, Helms played some new stuff and it's incredible. it even highlights Tina as the amazing bassist she is. Sean doesn't come in for like a minute and a half. i'm so incredibly excited to be back and be in closer touch with them. Leo's new album is incredible, we just need to get Jerry to listen to it. Shortrock's in the Herald and his cuts on UkillU are incredible. the people we are playing with are incredible and BOS/HMR are going to redefine hip hop. we just hope Boston will stop being lame and come out and see a significant movement.

I really hope you can swim

2008-02-18T17:56:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Recaall/BOS and Helms shows.

And here's Luau's set from their first show:

A Historically Significant Weekend

2008-02-15T10:58:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY:

It's been, what... several months since Charlie played his last show with This Flood Covers the Earth. So we're certain he's rested and ready to deliver more of his EVHian guitar heroics. I actually have no idea what his new band Luau sounds like, but they also consist of guys from Bravo Fucking Bravo and Pretty Faces and they're doing a show in New Hampshire with Daniel Striped Tiger. At a burrito place in Dover at 7 (I think.)

SATURDAY:

In hip-hop terms, a Saturday begins roughly at 3 p.m., when you're finally awake and eating left-over pizza and trying to clean up after your funky ass self.

So, in those terms, Recaall will be running an all-day hip-hop show in Jamaica Plain on Saturday.

At 4 p.m., in what I think is only Recaall's second all-ages performance, there's a matinee show at the Midway featuring his group BOS Skwad, plus Stache, Supraliminal, and others. At 9 p.m., still at the Midway, there'll be at 21+ show featuring Brzowski, the U.S., OptimisGFN, LaROQ, Waltah S. Parks, and a special ReCaaLL group making its North American debut.

In equally exciting news, Helms will be playing at Great Scott (21+) in Allston as Neptune releases a new something.

Thankfully Monday is a holiday.

nothing special

2008-02-15T08:34:00.000-08:00

just glen danzig getting knocked out by some schlub from the "north side kings."

talk about your ego bruisings.

Phil Elvrum and a Bit About Thurston

2008-02-14T22:57:00.000-08:00

i recently bought a ridiculously overpriced limited edition Mount Eerie EP/Photobook and i don't regret it. why is this? because i think that Phil Elvrum is my favorite living artist (RIP elliott smith) . drive out in central MA or anyplace that has a lot of woods and listen to the Microphones: The Glow Pt. 2 and tell me it's not the an incredibly haunting experience. i honestly believe if Thoreau were alive today, he would listen to the music of Phil Elvrum. this is a man who lives in the upper northwest, i envision in a cabin in the woods, and is able to create and capture some of the most amazing sound and textures. he uses all analog equipment and has the same delicate whisper that made me fall in love with elliott smith. if i could, i would move to Olympia and just hang out with this guy for like a year. i own virtually everything he has had his hand in, Mirah, Treepeople, Thanksgiving, et al and he's just an incredible producer. As Steve Albini is an analog hero to indie scene, Elvrum is the unsung analog hero.

i also want to throw out the notion that Thurston Moore is probably my favorite indie rock deity. i recently spent some time in South Hadley, MA visiting my cousin. we went out to dinner in Northampton and apparently, even though Thurston has just put out one of my favorite albums of 2007 with Trees From the Academy, he spends his time in Western MA reading poetry in coffee shops and DJing these South African Samba music nights. Crazy. You're married to Kim Gordon and you leave the house? not to mention you've gained some notoriety for that little noise outfit you form. maybe you've heard of them? Sonic Youth? oh yeah, and when asked what is better: cd or vinyl? he responses: cassette.

2/12 HIP HOP PLAYLIST

2008-02-12T10:58:00.001-08:00

just some of the dope stuff im been bangin' in my ipod and at work this week.

“Love it to Death”, Sleep
“Diseased”, DoxBoogie f/ Kovice
“Stole My Heart”, Onepersun
“Hunger aka The Feast”, Marq Speckt
“In the Tree Top”, Boom Bip
“Rhymes Like Dime”, MF DOOM
“Cue Bueno”, Perseph One
“Fallen Love”, Daedelus
“This is About the City”, cLOUDDEAD
“Dracula”, Michael Nhat

def check some of these tunes out. certified ill.

peacekill,
ReCaaLL the Godless Albatroid

It's HERBIE Hancock

2008-02-11T09:33:00.000-08:00

I don't care about the Grammys whatsoever (I didn't even know they were happening), and I think Kanye West will survive (it can only make him stronger.)

Still, it feels weirdly pretentious that they would gave their album of the year award to a Herbie Hancock collection of Joni Mitchell covers. I like Herbie as much as the next guy, but I had no idea that album existed.

Or maybe it was a tribute to the late Chris Farley's classic film Tommy Boy.

To Our Friends in the Great White North:

2008-02-10T11:43:00.000-08:00

Living in California for 15+ years makes watching snow fall less poetic than you'd think, actually.

My galpal and I live in Boston now, Brighton to be a little more precise. It's nice. HMR crew becoming centralized becomes more and more of a reality and less and less of a dream every day. Jerry and Leo have said hello. The rest of the jerks that post here have not. Bummer.

Oh. Yeah. The reason I'm posting here. There is an actual reason, I promise:

I'm playing with a new band called Luau, with some of the kids from Bravo Fucking Bravo. We have nothing recorded yet, but if you consider their last band and my last band, and then set it to a d-beat, you should have a general idea of what it sounds like. We're playing our first show Friday Feb 15 at Dos Amigos burrito shop in Dover NH. If any of you New England heads want to have your ears bleed, you're encouraged to come out and say hello. Check our Myspace for the details.

Chris Walla's "Field Manual"and a Bigfoot blog.

2008-02-07T21:37:00.000-08:00

I very rarely ever agree with what the pompous pricks over at Pitchfork think. Probably about as often as the city of Boston is actually prepared for a snow storm. But their review of Chris Walla's new album Field Manual is just about on par with how i felt about it.

"Just about every track on Field Manual would fit comfortably somewhere in Death Cab for Cutie's catalog, and Walla's singing voice even turns out to be cut from the same cloth as Ben Gibbard's... Too often, though, Walla takes the easy way out. Obviously, a host of issues-- from downtime to headlines-- compelled Walla to make this record, and his effort shows. What's missing is a compelling reason to listen."

If anything, i think pitchfork is being a little too nice. I expected a lot more from this record. And it didn't really deliver. Oh well.

Also, i found a blog about Bigfoot by this guy:

His name is Thunderhawk, 33 from Oregon, and he has "been involved in the Bigfoot search off and on for 16 years." As a fellow Bigfoot comrade i just had to plug him in here. Go check out his blog for yourself. It's fucking great.

From the Chi

2008-02-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

New V8 tracks on his myspace. Certified dope!

peacekill,
Albatross

I'm your pusher

2008-02-04T13:50:00.001-08:00

You can stream the new Clipse mixtape at their blog. If you're into that kind of thing.

I am an expert on all things hardcore

2008-02-01T10:52:00.001-08:00

I'm not a musician, and I'm usually presented with music in album form---neatly assembled for my listening pleasure. So I don't often think much about sequencing or song order or whatever. I rarely question how albums are put together or how they are thought out.

All that being said, one of the best things about Have Heart's The Things We Carry is that they were ballsy enough to put two incredible songs (complete SXE anthems) as the ninth and tenth songs on the album. Getting to the end of that disc and still having "Something More Than Ink" and "The Machinist" rules. It's like the Red Sox batting Manny and Ortiz seventh and eighth.

you know, i don't really like rachael ray that much

2008-01-31T15:46:00.000-08:00

but even i find it difficult to disagree with her inviting battles to play at some kind of music + food party for SXSW
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/48406-rachael-ray-asks-battles-holy-fuck-to-play-sxsw-party
also, it must always be amusing when promoters try to get that band on the phone:

promoter:"holy fuck?"

band member: "yes?"

it's just gotta be weird. also revealed (at least to my unknowing self:) rachael ray likes twee indie pop. just another reason why i don't recycle my triscuit boxes plastered with her mug.

Experimental Electronica from Waterville

2008-01-29T13:14:00.000-08:00

Years ago, James Bannen and I used to manipulate samples and bang drums into the early hours in a crowded dorm room, surrounded by 40 bottles and the finest of herbs. He always had a thing for tweaking and re-tweaking until he got things just right. Lately, James has been cranking out some of the freshest electronic music I've heard in a while. Check it out!

My box turns bus stops into the Apollo

2008-01-28T06:40:00.000-08:00

For some reason I spent last week completely obsessed with Nas' Illmatic. Recaall, trying to get me to listen to something else, told me to check out Blueprint's song "Boom Box" which is him completely destroying a track built around a classic sample from "NY State of Mind." Now I'm in the same situation, except repeating the same song over and over instead of a whole album. Good times.

Hip Hop Playlist 1/25

2008-01-25T10:49:00.000-08:00

to celebrate my grandfather's bday, we have a new playlist for you!

“Red, White, and Blonde”, Subtle
“Seraphim Revolver”, NMS
“Waterworld”, Encore
“Kill or Die”, Centri
“The World Is Yours”, Nas
“The Beginning of the End”, Boogiemonsters
“The Cool”, Lupe Fiasco
“Scars and Memories”, M.F. Grimm
“American Bonus 8”, Odd Nosdam

The Belarusians are going to love Mobb Deep

2008-01-25T08:15:00.001-08:00

Wired has a really interesting piece about a software product that is going to translate Prodigy's new solo disc into 1500 languages---in Prodigy's voice. It sounds crazy, but I guess it's plausible:

After translating the lyrics by hand, the text is rerecorded by a professional speaker in the selected language. Proprietary software is used to extract phonemes, or basic sounds, from Prodigy's original recording to create a voice model. The model is then applied to the spoken translation to produce the new lyrics in Prodigy's voice.

It's always been fascinating to me how foreign audiences (even those who don't speak English) can be so attracted to American music. I mean, when has a non-English song been an American hit?

(Besides that little French kid.)

i don't have much to say really

2008-01-21T20:08:00.000-08:00

but i think this video deserves to be seen. mick barr, i hope you continue to make excellent music like that of orthrelm, ocrilim, and any other projects you may be doing.
enjoy this more easily digestable display of guitar genius.

and then sample some prime riffage.

zach hill would be the indie rock version of hellhammer. unfortunately, that reference is lost on pretty much everyone.

i've Been Cloverfielded

2008-01-21T17:07:00.000-08:00

so i just saw Cloverfield. i won't give anything away, but i have to say it meets the hype if you're an old school creature feature nut or a Hitcockian terror type of guy/ gal. it really does add a new spin on classics like Godzilla and just like a stripper it teases you throughout with only small glimpses of the monster for about 99.9% of the movie. what's scarier than the unknown right? to run with the stripper simile, i think when it's released on DVD and it you spend more money on her she'll bring you in back for a lap dance and show even more of the monster. when the time comes, i'll be ready to shell out the extra cash even though i know there's no sex in the champagne room.

History Majorian-Like Sales Numbers

2008-01-21T08:29:00.000-08:00

I'm old and senile, and I have absolutely no idea what Clap Your Hands Say Yeah sound like. But the record label douchebag trapped deep inside me is impressed by this: that band put out a

self-released album that moved over 45,000 copies in six months, all distributed out of Sargent’s Park Slope apartment.

I never see music sales figures (and I wouldn't even know where to find indie sales numbers), but I remember reading in a Pitchfork interview with Aesop Rock that his last two records had sold 80,000. Which amazed me. But Ace is the biggest thing in underground hip-hop, and he's on the genre's biggest label, and he's still selling roughly what one indie rock band was able to sell out of their house.

My only point, and a near meaningless one at that, is that indie rock has grown an incredible amount over the last several years. It's decidedly mainstream now.

And the big question here---was 45,000 self-record sales enough to pay rent in Park Slope?

Wu-Tang did Wooster

2008-01-18T09:04:00.001-08:00

Chris Faraone---the talented Boston-based hip-hop writer---has a piece in the Dig that recounts Wu-Tang's memorable 2006 show in Worcester. Adam and I were there, and it was a very tense evening until they finally got on stage. I wonder if Apollo Sunshine fired their booking agent after that one.

From that show:

Recaall, on life

2008-01-18T08:23:00.000-08:00

Earmuffs, kids--

"yo im mad fuckin tired, shit."

Prepare for the Outburst

2008-01-17T11:51:00.000-08:00

I can't explain my obsession with "New York Surprise."

The Phoenix makes an attempt at chronicling the true wonder that the song is (and the buzz it's generating), but they're apparently a lot less skeptical than I am about whether this a real band or not.

I don't know either way, and I guess I don't really care. And I'm not even going to continue typing this because I have to go listen to the song 20 or 30 more times.

UPDATE: Here's a video:

Peace from the depths of Hip Hop hell

2008-01-16T07:18:00.001-08:00

"U KILL U", my next project is nearly complete. Word.
keep tuned in,
ReCaaLL the Godless
peace to our HMR love, Kristen, for the pix...and a happy bday to her and all my fellow capricorns!

Obama gets the Arcade Fire endorsement

2008-01-14T18:40:00.000-08:00

The full story (because you need the full story.) No need to campaign in Brooklyn anymore.

The best song off that record?

2008-01-10T07:38:00.001-08:00

"Pigs" (music video)

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Forget Pitchfork, Here's My Top 50 of 2007

2008-01-08T07:25:00.001-08:00

if you know me then you know i have trouble picking which socks to wear, so picking 50 of my favorite albums from 2007 was a painful task. although after i post this, i'm sure i'm going to want to change it, i am content with my list right now and if i wait any longer it will be 2009.

i choose these 50 albums from a group of about 125 and i made four rules to help me narrow my search. 1) i cannot be affiliated in any with the artist or album in anyway. if i didn't do this i would have Helms - Secret Doors as numbers 1-25, then everything else from our label and friends. 2) i have to had listened to and own the entire album. this was really tough because i desperately wanted to add Ólöf Arnalds - Vid Og Vid, but my friend at 12 Tonar hasn't sent it to me yet. 3) it had to be a LP. in some cases i added some EPs with the full length releases on the list, but it is the Top 50 Albums. 4) it had to be an album consisting of mostly new material. elliott smith's New Moon is obviously one of my favorite albums, but as a die-hard fan i already owned the material that was on the release.

so here they are. love them, hate them, or never heard of them. let me know what you think and if you want add your own lists. oh yeah, they are in alphabetical order.

adamHMR's Top 50 of 2007

1) Aesop Rock – None Shall Pass
2) Amiina – Kurr
3) Amon Tobin – Foley Room
4) Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam

5) Arcade Fire – Neon Bible

6) Band of Horses – Cease to Begin

7) Bat For Lashes – Fur and Gold

8) Battles –Mirrored

9) Bill Callahan – Woke On A Whaleheart

10) Burial – Untrue

11) Caribou – Andorra

12) Cornelius – Sensuous

13) Deerhoof – Friend Opportunity

14) Deerhunter – Cryptograms/Fluorescent EP

15) Dinosaur Jr. – Beyond

16) Dirty Projectors – Rise Above

17) Efterklang – Parades/ Under Giant Trees EP

18) El-P – I’ll Sleep When Your Dead

19) Eluvium – Copia

20) Elvis Perkins – Ash Wednesday

21) Fiest – The Reminder

22) Health – Health

23) Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala

24) Justice – Cross

25) K-the i??? – Broken Love Letter

26) LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver

27) Les Savy Fav – Lets Stay Friends

28) Liars – Liars

29) M.I.A. – Kala

30) Menomena – Friend or Foe

31) Modern Life Is War – Midnight In America

32) Mount Eerie – Mount Eerie Pts. 6 & 7

33) No Age – Weirdo Rippers

34) Okkervil River – The Stage Names

35) Panda Bear – Person Pitch

36) Radiohead – In Rainbows

37) Robert Wyatt – Comicopa

38) Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

39) St. Vincent – Marry Me

40) Stars of the Lid – And Their Refinement and Decline

41) Subtle – Yell & Ice

42) The Bowerbirds – Hymns for a Dark Horse

43) The Field – From Here We Go Sublime

44) The National – The Boxer

45) The Postmarks – The Postmarks

46) The Shins – Wincing the Night Away

47) Thurston Moore – Trees Outside the Academy

48) Trap Them – Sleepwell Deconstructor/Séance Prime EP

49) Vampire Weekend – Blue CDR

50) Yeasayer – All Hour Cymbals

first post of the year (last post?)

2008-01-07T11:57:00.000-08:00

i rarely have anything to offer this blog in forms of redeeming social commentary, but i think that this particular item is applicable for two reasons: for one, i think we can all agree that the confluence of metal and hardcore has yielded many interesting bands and results. but as is often the case, a hybrid that no one asked for has emerged, blessed with one of the most cringe inducing monikers i've heard in a long time (even from this genre.)

and actually, i couldn't think of a second reason. maybe my halfhearted critique is merely emblematic of this entire band's existence. who knows.

anyway, enjoy this cultural landmark from the makers of dragonforce, megaman, and atreyu. heaven (or xenu) help us. also, try to spot how many lyrics were willfully cribbed from any number of 90's pop songs.

Important note

2008-01-04T07:50:00.000-08:00

History Major Records made the difficult, but we think prescient, decision not to formally endorse any candidate in yesterday's caucuses. Our voice in Iowa is unified, unfiltered, unecumbered by partisan bickering. While we certainly came close to mobilizing our 850,000 customer soldiers (and that's just in Dubuque!) to the Mike Gravel camp, we ultimately decided that we should save our political capital for the most important cause of all: getting one non-country radio station built within the state's borders.

To sum up: We would never dream of doing something to jeopardize such a true test of the wonder of American democracy as the Iowa caucus. Whenever roughly three dozen white people can get together to influence the fate of America's 300 million, HMR will be cheering you on. From as far away as possible.

New Years Eve

2008-01-03T13:18:00.000-08:00

Deep Freeze in the Bean

2008-01-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

As tonight promises to be one of the coldest nights of the year, I ask that we not forget our fellow Bostonians that don't have anywhere warm to sleep. Please, it is our duty to help. If you see someone in need toss a few bucks tonight- being left out in the cold sucks.

I'd wager this band smokes cigarettes

2008-01-02T14:52:00.000-08:00

Despite universal/breathless praise, I keep forgetting to buy the Drug Rug album. But at least I have this video to tide me over: