Addendum: Tom Tom Club

Props to my genius cohort on the Tom Tom Club track. Coincidentally, I was recently reading a little about Talking Heads and discovered Tom Tom Club was an offshoot of the band. Am I the only one who didn’t know this? That shit blew my mind. I guess that’s why it made sense that they played the song during “Stop Making Sense.” (That awful pun was unintentional.) I couldn’t find a video of the song, but enjoy “Girlfriend is Better” below for the hell of it.

Speaking of Talking Heads, there’s a cool exhibit at MoMA right now with archival audio/video/history about seminal punk and new/no wave bands. It’s a continuation of the “Looking at Music” series. Cool stuff from Blondie, Sonic Youth and other usual suspects. Go check it out. Beitch.

Theophilus London

Fact: You will hear a lot more from Theophilus London next year.

“Always”

“TNT”

 

36 Chambers of Chambers St.

It was on Chambers St. of all places, the street that I call home, on which my Wu-Tang knowledge was tested. I had seen this day coming for a while now, I just hadn’t expected it to come in such a drunken verbal delivery. I own a Wu-Tang t-shirt, you see, and given the warm weather last Saturday, I decided to wear it to brunch. I am, it should also be noted, by virtue of my dear mom and dad, a skinny, pasty white dude. On the way home, as me and my group of friends stopped obediently at the crosswalk on Church & Chambers, I overheard someone say, “Watchuknowaboutwutang?” Naturally assuming I was being called out, I searched the crowd for my inquisitor. Standing in front of me was a guy who looked to be in pretty rough shape. He held a brown-bagged brew and as my buddy later noted, the film on his teeth made it look as though he had one big horizontal tooth. He had those funky ass finger nails too.

“What?” I said.

“Watchuknowaboutwutang? Namefivemembasfuhmerighnow.”

The funny thing is, I welcomed the challenge to my fandom. I wanted to prove that despite by goofy white-ness, I have every right to be a fan and wear a sweet t-shirt as the next dude.

So I said, “RZA, GZA, ODB, Masta Killah and U-God. Want me to keep going?” I surprised myself with Masta Killah and even second guessed that he was, in fact, a member. Not just some affiliate like Cappadonna or Killah Priest. But it didn’t matter. Dude was immediately taken aback, looking like he even sobered up for a second.

“Hahathasscoolman. Thasscool. You from the Isle?”

“Nah, not from Staten man, just a fan.”

He then proceeded to tell me that ODB has a new record of unreleased material coming out soon. Which appears to be true. Turns out A Son Unique, which was supposed to be released in 2005, is now set for release next week. I traded info about the new ODB doc that screens in Harlem next Tuesday.

As we neared my apartment, I could tell he wanted to keep talking. But I had to go.

“Okman. MaybeIseeyouaround.”

“Yea man,” I said. “Maybe.”

Then we gave each other dap and went on our separate ways. Wu-Tang forever.

Raekwon – House of Flying Daggers

The Wu is back on September 8th, led by Raekwon, on the forthcoming album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II. It’s about time this new generation is reminded of how hip hop was and should be. Below is a track from the album.

Sick video, sick song, going be a sick album.

“House of Flying Daggers”

Au Revoir Simone

I’d always been interested in Au Revoir Simone. Maybe it was the sexy sounding name. Maybe it was the sultry, endearingly heartfelt vocals I heard on several tracks. Whatever the magnetism, it wasn’t until today that I actually spent time with an entire record of their material. I gotta say, I’m into it. Yea, it might be subdued, or even, dare I say girlie at times, but shit if the music isn’t incredibly listenable. The subtle electronic textures that accompany the melancholy vocal accents (even if the lyrics aren’t meant to be so), remind me of the Postal Service. Yea, I went there. I honestly have no idea what these girls look like, but I can see them craned over their Moogs, hair cascading over their domes, clad in plaid shirts and tights. That may not even be cool garb for chicks, but it sounds hot to me. So do the two songs below from their latest album “Still Night, Still Light”:

“Knight of Wands”

“Shadows”

Roooooofs

I typically shy away from making guarantees, but I can promise you this: my next apartment in New York, wherever that might be, will damn sure have roof access. Rooftops in NYC are like adult pacifiers. For real. If you have access to your roof at your place or if you have a buddy that does, go up there, shut the fuck up and look around. Pretty isn’t it? Taking in the New York skyline from several stories up is an experience that can’t be paralleled and it’s one that has an uncanny calming effect, particularly at night. I don’t care how long you’ve been in the city or how jaded and cold New York has made you, the skyline never gets old. Whatever issues or problems that have worked your brain into a knot will dissipate. You know why? Because you’re on a rooftop in New York City goddammit and that’s pretty special.

It’s been a peculiar summer. June basically didn’t exist due to awful weather and I’ve been out of town essentially every weekend since for one reason or another. That just means one thing—much of the time I have left before the summer turns to vapor will be spent on a blanket on my roof with a boombox and a Modelo. Beeleeee dat.

100% American…Apparel

So I walked by my local American Apparel (AA) today on the way to work, and noticed a sign outside saying “Made in the USA.” I think it’s been there for awhile, but today was the first day I noticed. At first I cringed, then chuckled, and finally walked away shaking my head. To me, that sign together with American Apparel epitomes the current set of American values.

Cut corners to make $: American Apparel mass produces low quality clothing for pennies, but in neon colors and see-thru thin fabric, and label and sell them as fashionable and overpriced. I own one white shirt that looked and fit fine before I washed it. Now it looks and feels like a baby’s cloth diaper. If you gave a homeless person American Apparel to stay warm, he/she should probably spit in your face. The thing is, I can’t be the only who realizes this, but people still wait outside the door for these stores to open.

SEX SEX SEX, got your attention now: American Apparel either has the most brilliant marketing strategists or the laziest. All their advertisements consists of young, innocent looking girls barely wearing their wispy clothing posing provocatively. It’s genius. And these girls aren’t your Penthouse, Hustler looking pornstars, but the brown-eyed cute girls living next door who are secretly wearing see-thru bra and panties. Then American Apparel provides an easy way for girls, and guys, to look and feel sexy like their ads. Brilliant or lazy?

Tell me how to dress, how to think: Every few weeks American Apparel updates their window front with new combinations of clothing based on the latest fashion trends. And walking down the street in NYC is basically an imitation of last week’s mannequins. Why put thought into what you’re wearing when they do it completely for you. At AA, you can buy the latest fashionable jeans, jackets, shirts, pants, skirts, socks, shoes, belts, hats, panties, bras, shorts, accessories…I can go on. You can even buy baby clothing. How lazy does a parent have to be to buy baby clothes at AA? This behavior parallel’s the average American’s desire to be spoon-fed everything. Why think about what to wear when someone will do it for you? Why read books when people rehash the facts for you? Why do research on important discussion topics, such as global warming, foreign affairs, economics, health care, when the internet, TV, and newspapers will do it for you?

Anyways, I’m exhausted. This post might be my longest yet. Don’t worry, we’ll hit back with some more of the usual music, art, and culture posts in the future.

BNE

A little late to the game, but I recently noticed the prevalence of BNE stickers around the city. Apparently these stickers have covered major cities around the world including Hong Kong, San Fran, and Tokyo. For a better explanation, let’s turn to ABC’s Nancy Weiner:

And I always find Japanese television hilarious, so:

The xx – Basic Space (Remix by Pariah)

Stealing some thunder from my co-conspirator by posting first, but I’ve been loving the track by the xx. The remix is just as sick. Definitely going to catch one of the shows in the city.

And yeah, it’s been a while since we posted. We suck.

Anyway, enjoy the vid.

Basic Space (Remix by Pariah)

Handsome Furs – Talking Hotel Arbat Blues

Been liking the Handsome Furs album, especially Talking Hotel Arbat Blues. Enjoy.