Red Light! Green Light!

July 8th, 2006

I’m sure most of you, or at least all the hip-hop fans, out there know all about Stones Throw. It’s the indie hip-hop label started and run by Peanut Butter Wolf. But how much do you know bout the Wolf’s origins and how Stones Throw started? Maybe you know it all, or maybe you’re not aware that back in the early 90s Peanut Butter Wolf was hanging around with Wildchild and also a young fella by the name of Charizma. Peanut Butter Wolf, or PBW, spotted Charizma’s talent early - he was a gifted emcee and showed much promise. Very quickly they signed to Hollywood Basic (a division of Disney), they even recorded an album full of material, although it didn’t get released till many years later and the pair were quickly dropped from the label before anything was released. The guys put it down to experience, but before they could move on, Charizma was tragically killed in 93. The details are hazy but it is said he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was shot at the scene of a burglary.

Charizma’s death effected PBW greatly, although he continued to work without an emcee and released a track called The Chronicles, which was on one of the now legendary Return of The DJ compilations. Then in 96 PBW created Stones Throw Records, and in honour of Charizma, the first release on the label was Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf’s My World Premiere…

Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf - My World Premiere
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This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 15th July.

PBW went on to release his own solo album on Stones Throw in 98; My Vinyl Weighs a Ton. Then Madlib’s group, Lootpack, signed to Stones Throw the same year. The rest as they say… is history. But many a thought still lay on the minds of the fans of the old skool. Many wonder what may have come of Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf. I remember reading a few articles last year about Charizma and if he would be king of the hill today in the weird and wonderful world of hip-hop lyricists. Back in the early to mid 90s he was definitely seen as a shining diamond of the underground, although his creative and flowing styles of back then would not perhaps cut the mustard in this day and age. But things change, and you could argue that with the changing of the scenes, Charizma would too have changed - but quite how much we will never know. I’ll leave you with a track that remains one of the biggest head-nodders ever, as such it is also one of my most played tracks ever…

Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf - Red Light Green Light
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This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 15th July.

In homage to his friend, PBW many years later created a video with the help of a few others, for Red Light Green Light. It used various pieces of footage; from live shows, recording sessions, and just messing about. You can watch it here on IFILM. As of 2003 the previously unreleased Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf LP, Big Shots, has been available to purchase, so if you like the old skool west coast sounds of Charizma & PBW, get it bought!

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What The Fook Happened to…

June 28th, 2006

…White Town?!

Your Woman was the one-hit-wonder in 1997 for pop outfit White Town. I remember hearing the track on the radio and thinking “I like this!”, but alas, it was one of those situations where I continually failed to grab the name of the artist and the track’s name. But eventually I did get those precious nuggets of info, and 13-year-old me strolled into the record shop to buy the CD single. The track went to number one in the UK charts on 7th January and received seriously heavy doses of radio airplay. But, whatever happened to White Town? Who were they?

White Town was (and still is!) Jyoti Mishra, Born in India, but raised in the UK since he was just three years old. White Town was an electro-pop act playing out of Derby since the late 80s, but a chance discovery by then Radio One DJ Mark Radcliffe, suddenly turned low-key to over-night fame. One thing led to another and then White Town signed to EMI/Chrysalis in late 96 and the track was released at the beginning of 97.

The track Your Woman seemed to have the right components for the charts, at the right time. Read Jyoti’s interesting FAQ with regards to the track here. Perhaps it was chance, or perhaps it was a stroke of genius, but the mixture of electro samples and catchy vocals really paid dividends. Check out the track for yourself here…

White Town - Your Woman
 >> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 5th July.

You can also view the video here on youtube.

Thinking back I can see where perhaps history has repeated itself. Remember that Levi’s jeans advert on the moon about a spaceman? That went on to be a serious one hit wonder for Babylon Zoo. The track Spaceman was ALSO an electro pop affair. Sadly for Babylon Zoo, the ultra catchy high pitched chorus (as heard on the advert) was the only catchy thing to come from them. And, as we all know, a key element to succesful pop music is creating catchy tunes.

But, as stated on his blog, Jyoti isn’t bitter about the way things went. Seemingly not too long after his album release it all turned a bit sour and EMI were eager to part company with him, but even that short lived success then enabled Jyoti to create his own ‘proper’ studio and continue working where he left off before his stint with fame. A classic quote from Jyoti, which really relates to how often the pop industry can be fooled; This song is also a minute too long for radio (according to major label A&R rules), not well-produced (according to Warners) and “too clever” for “average pop buyers.” - The full written article about White Town’s falling out with the pop industry (from 97) can be found here.

Anyway, as for the present and future, a new White Town album has been completed, although none of the finer details are available yet. You can catch Jyoti on last.fm as well as the White Town blog and his own personal blog.

So, anyone remember this track?!

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Nitin Sawhney

June 26th, 2006

Today I want to tell you about Nitin Sawhney, and it's such a colourful story to tell. Nitin Sawhney; born and raised in Rochester, Kent. Studied law at Liverpool University. Created popular sitcom Goodness Gracious Me. Then joined the James Taylor Quartet and later worked with Talvin Singh, before finally launching himself as a solo artist. All of this by 1993. So there's Nitin's roots for you in an extremely condensed fashion! Now about his music…

Nitin Sawhney is a pioneer of the Asian Underground sound, but asides from his cultural backgrounds his sound is both diverse and eclectic. He's a producer, a DJ, and even a composer. To date he has scored over 25 films, not to mention music for adverts and television programmes. He is both a flamenco guitarist and a classical/jazz pianist, and to date has released eight albums…

  • Philtre (2005)
  • All Mixed Up (2004)
  • Human (2003)
  • Prophesy (2001)
  • Beyond Skin (1999)
  • Displacing The Priest (1996)
  • Migration (1995)
  • Spirit Dance (1994)

Words cannot really describe the sounds of Nitin Sawhney. To hear his music is to experience it. Nitin merges sounds from many cultures in both classical and cinematic terms. One minute you can be listening to a drum 'n' bass breakdown, and the next a classical piece. His songs tell stories and are usually bearing a very political emphasis. Nitin has been very outspoken with his views towards culture, community, and in particular immigration and awareness - all of this shows through his musical work. One would expect that Nitin's music wouldn't seem half as powerful if it was not driven by his passions and morals.

I can return to each of the aforementioned albums time and again, they are all beautiful, but I do have some favourite tracks, such as; Falling Angels, Nadia, Immigrant, Serpents, and Say Hello. Give Falling Angels (taken from Human) a taster here..

Nitin Sawhney - Falling Angels
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This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 3rd July.

I don't think there will ever be a time when the track Falling Angels doesn't make the hair on my arms and the back of my neck stand on end. It truly is a beautiful track. The classical strings, the acoustic guitar, the chilling vocals, and the steady drums. Just listen to it.

The thing with an artist like Nitin Sawhney is that in a world obsessed with pigeon-holing people, he just cant be pigeon-holed that easily. But, that doesn't mean people haven't tried, and he has gone on record as saying he really does not appreciate the tag world-music. And I agree - it seems like a cop-out, it's almost a form of prejudice. To suggest that an artist not making familiar music, but using eastern samples and creative arrangements, would deem it world-music, is either ignorant or desperate - but to be fair, probably a mixture of the two. Brings us back to the discussion of the relative need for genres and tags. Of course it is very helpful to know my hip-hop from my rock by sections and files, but sometimes, in certain cases, I think a bit more effort is needed to 'label' music. So, what would I say it was? Progressive orchestral electronica? Maybe sometimes. The conundrum remains.

Nitin has had his work remixed by many very highly acclaimed artists over the years, some of which are; 4hero, MJ Cole, and Talvin Singh. But, as a producer and DJ, he has also remixed or produced other peoples' work, like; Jeff Beck, Lamb, Robert Miles, and Sinead O'Connor. The 2004 album All Mixed Up was actually a compilation of Nitin Sawhney tracks that were remixed by other artists.

For me the ultimate attraction to Nitin's music is the cinematic element and the raw passion felt through his music. It truly does feel like a journey, an experience. Everyone, regardless of tastes, should listen to at least one Nitin Sawhney album all the way through. Check out the fantastic track Homelands (from Beyond Skin)…

Nitin Sawhney - Homelands
 >> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 3rd July.

Like I said before, it's difficult to pigeon-hole an artist such as Nitin Sawhney, but as far as comparisons go, I guess you could find hints of the following in his music; The Cinematic Orchestra, Massive Attack, Nightmares On Wax, and 4hero - but just think along quite an orchestral line, although Nitin's sound does tend to vary from track to track, so you'll be bound to hear lots of different influences for yourself.

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Badly Drawn Boy

June 20th, 2006

Time for another showcase of an artist I've listed to tonnes, according to last.fm. Today it is Badly Drawn Boy - last.fm states that I've listened to him 477 times since 8th February 2005. But what can I tell you bout this English singer/songwriter? I can tell you this…

Badly Drawn Boy is the alter-ego of Damon Gough, a 36 year old singer/songwriter from Manchester. Essentially his music is indie rock, and somewhere along the line I became to really like it. I'm a fussy bastard when it comes to any form of rock music, but there are certain artists and bands I like - but Badly Drawn Boy… I like a lot.

Some time in the mid-to-late '90s BDB happened to meet Andy Votel at a bar in Manchester, Votel was DJing, one thing led to another and now they are married and have two kids. Actually they didn't and they don't, but they did start the label Twisted Nerve and quickly released two EPs, imaginatively named; EP1 and EP2. These EPs went on to become a sort of underground legend and only 500 copies were pressed. Apparently if they are seen on eBay, they go for quite a bit of money.

To date BDB has released four full albums, these are;

  • The Hour of Bewilderbeast (2000)
  • About a Boy (2002)
  • Have You Fed the Fish? (2002)
  • One Plus One Is One (2004)

The first time I heard a BDB track was when I was given the compilation CD to the 2000 Mercury Prize competition. BDB had been nominated, and actually won, for his album The Hour of Bewilderbeast. The track on the compilation CD was The Shining. I think it was the cello samples and brass that really grabbed me - it's a pretty long song with a big old intro, but it instantly grabbed my attention. Then the vocals came in. Damon's voice is both smooth and husky at the same time. It's not the best voice, technically, that you're ever gonna hear, but it has such character - not to mention that his lyrics are pretty good too. Anyway, hear the track for yourself…

Badly Drawn Boy - The Shining
 >> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 27th June.

I think all of BDB's albums are fantastic in their own little way, but for one reason or another, I still to this day rank The Hour of Bewilderbeast as my favourite. 2002's About a Boy was actually the soundtrack to the film that starred Hugh Grant. Only every single track was by BDB, so in turn he just released it as his own album. If The Hour of Bewilderbeast was perhaps a more cinematic album, then About a Boy was on a slightly more poppy, or upbeat, tip. The highlights from About a Boy, for me, are; Something to Talk About, Silent Sigh, and Above You, Below Me.

Have You Fed the Fish? saw BDB return to a more rocky path. Tracks like Born Again showed he still wanted to belt out a rock track - although this album did contain its fair share of upbeat pop-rock tracks like; All Possibilities, You Were Right, How, and Tickets To What You Need. His style sits finely on the border line of alternative indie rock and pop. It's almost too pop for rock and too rock for pop. Hence he also tends to be one of these artists you either love or… well not hate, but if you don't love him, you probably just feel quite indifferent.

BDB's latest album was 2004's One Plus One Is One. Of all of his albums, this one was the one I found most difficult to get into. But it turned out to be a bit of a grower, and now tracks like Another Devil Dies and Year Of The Rat are easily two of my favourite BDB tracks. If anything, this album is most similar to his debut; The Hour of Bewilderbeast - very alternative and experimental, from a rock point of view anyway. It's quite folky in some sense, and I'd imagine that the majority of people that like this album were already big BDB fans. Here's a taster of Another Devil Dies…

Badly Drawn Boy - Another Devil Dies
 >> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 27th June.

I'd say that BDB's sound is pretty unique, not in some revolutionary sense, but more just in his style. The methods and manners he incorporates into his music. He loves using a broad range of instruments, and does so to such an extent that in different tracks you can experience totally different sounds and styles. I guess the constant in his music would be his vocals. But basically if you like alternative rock in more of a mild manner, that features many instruments, then by all means give BDB a go. Try to be patient, I mean you might instantly love him, but I would say to really appreciate his music takes a bit more time and dedication. So, if you have an ounce or two of patience, give all four albums a listen. Oh and Damon, if you're reading (yeah, very likely!), where's the fifth album? I've waited long enough!!!

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The Cinematic Orchestra

June 15th, 2006

Previously I have showcased artists that are (or have been) in my top ten most played artists, as recorded by last.fm, those were; The Herbaliser and Roots Manuva. Well, today I present to you The Cinematic Orchestra. Since February 2005 I have listened to them over 300 times on my laptop - so I'd say they're definitely worth a paragpraph or two.

The Cinematic Orchestra are made up of six members; Jason Swinscoe, Patrick Carpenter, Tom Chant, Luke Flowers, John Ellis, and Phil France. Swinscoe is the 'conductor', if you like - the man that makes sure the magic comes together as it should. Carpenter is the DJ and producer, Chant is the sax man, Flowers is the drummer, Ellis is the keyboard dude, and France is the bass player. Essentially, Cinematic Orchestra are a jazz/electronica group, signed to Ninja Tune and have been in existence since 1999.

The Cinematic Orchestra sound is the epitimy of the term 'cinematic'. Their music is so many things, in so many ways - it's funky, soothing, chilling, aggressive, emotional, their records truly provide a journey through music. You're not likely to find a track by them in the chart top 40, but that was and is never their intention, their music is so much more than that. To date they have released four LP's…

  • Motion (1999)
  • Remixes 1998-2000 (2000)
  • Every Day (2002)
  • Man with a Movie Camera (2003)

Taking note of the last LP on that list, Man with a Movie Camera - it was actually a score to the classic 1929 Dziga Vertov Polish film. The story goes that they were originally asked to perform a live score for it at a film festival in Portugal, but it went down so well that they decided to record it. The film was actually a piece of communist propaganda, but for it's time had quite advanced production techniques that such allowed the score to be split into six main sections, and in turn corresponded with six main themes. You have to hear this LP to believe it, it's nothing short of breath-takingly beautiful.

Their live shows are said to be amazing, and over the years the Orchestra have visited countries both far and wide, including more recently; Germany, Japan, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Holland, France, and Switzerland. Their respective appearances tend to sell out quite quickly and the guys have a certain reputation for putting on fantastic live shows, both in concert and at festivals.

Obviously as an Orchestra they don't have a singer as such, but, they have worked with many vocalists that include; Roots Manuva, Niara Scarlett, Fontella Bass, and Ricky Rankin. They've each added something valuable to the tracks they contributed to, and it was a particularly interesting collaboration with Roots Manuva (an emcee) for the track All Things To All Men, I mean naturally Roots Manuva is a pretty diverse emcee at the best of times, but it really did seem to work well - listen for yourself…

Cinematic Orchestra - All Things To All Men
 >> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 22nd June.

Rumour has it that the guys have finished recording a new album that is due out this month. I'm not sure of the finer details, but no doubt it will be as fantastic as every other Cinematic Orchestra release. I've exhausted the internet trying to find details on the new album, but to no avail. Either it's delayed, or they are just simply keeping their cards very close to their chests. If anyone has any details, please let me know. I'd also be interested to hear from anyone that has seen them live.

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