FATHER YOD - Contraction + Kahoutek Pt. 1

Much has been written and even more could be said about Father Yod and the Source Family community. A little research will yield some fascinating information about this new age cult and their devotion to Yo Ho Wah, who comes about as close to a "God" as they probably ever did. Yod's teachings were typical esoteric fare, scrambled up and made more palatable for a modern audience. He considered music to be an extension of their beliefs, and hoped to use it in bringing new converts into the fold. He assembled several different ensembles, each maintaining it's own particular "style". Father Yod & the Spirit of 76, Yodship, Fire Water & Air were a few but the one that stood the test of time was Yo Ho Wah 13. I'm not positive but I think Yo Ho Wah 13 was the incarnation which featured Sky Saxon, formerly of the Seeds, a late 60s psychedelic rock band who scored a huge hit with "Pushin' Too Hard". Apparently Saxon had taken up with the Source group and as would be expected he was utilized in their music ministry. A natural extension, perhaps, seeing as how Father Yod's performances took on a similar, if not much stranger, psychedelic vibe. The album I'm posting, "Kahoutek", is representative of the band's long form pieces (such as "Expansion", "Contraction" and "Penetration"). Well worth sitting through, even though Yod is lacking in the vocal department.

File under: Father Yod

KING DUDE - Love

Despite how it might seem at times, I didn't create this blog to showcase artists of questionable talent exalting them with some sort of musical relativism to the level of the more professional, perhaps slightly more "talented" acts. I do enjoy everything I post here, for one reason or another, and I do think that one man's trash is another man's treasure. When I was a kid the only music I could afford were records in the budget/clearance bin so I developed a, how to say, "taste" for this sort of fare. It wasn't that everything in those bins was slightly amateuristic, a lot, if not most, were there because "normal" people wouldn't buy them. What is normal? Unfortunately it usually means "people who like what someone else tells them it's OK to like". An album like "A Cassette Tape Culture (Phase 1)" would not stand a chance in all but the most hip records stores. Sure, an initial limited pressing sold out immediately, but I suspect that had more to do with Sasha Gray's association than anything else. That said, aTelecine is fascinating. It's an engaging listen that puts me in mind of the best sound collages. So that's the deal. If it's in the dime bin it's going to straddle the line between laughable and genius.

All of this to say that King Dude baffles me. He describes his music as "gothic folk". His facebook page says "He brandishes many varied influences in his songwriting. Everything from British Folk, Americana, Country and Blues can be heard in his songs. Even the heavier sounds of Heavy Metal tend to sneak and slither it's way into the King Dude canon. The resulting songs are much more of a modern day hymn then your average pop song." To which I say, MODERN DAY HYMN??? There is a strong religious element to much of his music, but I can't tell from where it's coming from. In one performance video he introduces as song as "Christian" while in another he can be seen throwing darts at a painting of Jesus. He has songs named "Lucifer's the Light of the World", "Satan's Ghost", and "Sorrow and It's Companions", so I can't figure it out. On the other hand his profile goes on to say "King Dude's music beg's the soul to lift itself up from the darkness of ignorance, towards the ever shining glorious "Light" that exists outside of all of us yet that which we are eternally connected to and at once connects everyone on Earth" and lists it's genre as "Luciferian", which is all fine and good, I guess, but that video where he says "This is a Christian song" confuses me. Unless he's just pullin' our leg.

At any rate I think his stuff is intriguing. Definitely worthy of investigation and even discussion amongst philosophical friends. His voice sometimes resembles a less tuneful Leonard Cohen and even Nick Cave at times. I don't think his singing is the paramount consideration, though. Those lyrics are what really get you. Bleak as they come. It's interesting fare.

By the way, King Dude is the pseudonym of TJ Cowgill. It would be TOO good if his real name was King Dude.

File Under: King Dude

VIPER - Bad B*tches Stayin' On Me

I've been listening to Viper all morning and I've decided that out of his 100+ releases my favorite song is "Do U No How Sick I'll Have U in a Hoop Game?" from Break Bad...and I'll Have You Sick in a Full Court Hoop Game" from Bad B*tches All On Me...and "2 Have Ur Click Sick in a Whole-Court Game" from I'm the Greater 1...and "Dis Young Killa Will Have U Sick in a Hoop Game" from Str8 Stuntin' Stupid...and "Holdin' Top-Choice Cash" from Rapcore...and "U'll Be so Sick in a Hoop Game" from "Dead Man Walkin'...and "I'll Have U and Ur Man Sick in a Hoop Game" from Got a Wicked Pistol Game...and "An All Day Stacka" from Just Put up or Shet Up...and "To Have You Totally Sick in a Hoop" from Neva Eva a Foul-Calla...and "I'll Have U Cryin' 2 Ur Mama in a Hoop" from Murder Me...and "U Will Be Dead in a Hoop Game" from I Am Superior...and "Have U Passed Ot (sp) in a Hoop Game" from I'm So Much Smarter Than U...and "U'll Be Throwin' Up in a Whole-Court Hoop Game" from I'm Greater Than U...and "U Will Throw Up Sweat in a Hoop Game" from F#ck U Bastards...and "Viper Will Have You Sick in a Hoop Game" from U Ugly Big Nose Dude...and "I Know Why U Men Lookin' Towards My Death" from Everyday Vacation...and "U Takin' Ur Life as a Joke?" from Will U Ever Know My Name?...and "Yo Record Label Is Hopeless" from U Are Beneath Me... Wait, didn't I say "favorite SONG", singular? Here lies the genius of Viper. He has literally over 100 releases on Spotify but there is a lot of repetition with the songs. Which would not be so odd, except that he gives them different names almost every time he does it. I don't know if it's a result of genius or incompetence but a good deal of his material, ostensibly in the rap genre, sounds very little like rap and more closely resembles interesting studio experimentation. The album titles are a hoot and the song titles are even more hilarious. Hell, even the cover art is charming, tough as Vipe wants to make himself out to be. All in all an artist worth keeping an eye on. His musical universe is ominous, like a never ending sickening hoop game, but don't let that intimidate you. I have a feeling Viper's bark is bigger than his bite. Still, I don't want to find that out myself.

File Under: Viper

GLADEZEMEN - Big Ol' Monster (in the Badluck Woods)

Gladezmen are, according to their website, "the originators of the "Swamp-a-billy" sound...A south Florida based band of hellraisin', story-tellin, life-livin', rockin-rollin', knuckle-draggin friends". Indeed that's exactly what they sound like, and that's a good thing. It didn't take too long for GatorNate and his bayou buddies to convince me that I had no business even being NEAR the swamp. Their cover art is awesome, too.

I don't think the song in this video is repesentative of the Gladezmen's style but it's sort of amusing, even if I'd just as soon not have to see those Duck Dynasty goofballs...I mean, I get enough of their dirty mugs staring at me from practically every aisle at WalMart.

File under:bGladezmen

GOLDEN BOY (FOSPASSIN) - "Let Us Crunk"

I wish I had heard of Golden Boy (Fospassin) a long time ago so I could have properly digested his prolific catalogue of no less than 16 long players and even more singles. I hate it that I don't know what particular genre Golden Boy works in. Reggaeton, maybe? It's a hybrid of hip hop, reggae and cheaply produced beats. He boasts a thick Jamaican accent that renders much of what he says indecipherable (at least to my ears, accustomed as they are to heartland English). Moreover he has that knowing, boisterous Rastafarian laugh that likely means "Ha Haaah! No worries, mate. I've got ganja! You're in on it, right? Ha haah!" He whips out that laugh so often you can't help but like the guy. One of his many albums is called "32 NFL Team Songs". It's one of my favorites and makes a strong case that Golden Boy could well be the Wesley Willis of this genre I am unable to classify. In fact, I'm left totally speechless by the entire project. Hear for yourself why I'm baffled with these three representative samples: "San Francisco 49'ers", "Buffalo Bills" & "Chicago Bears". Golden Boy (Fospassin) is worth your attention if only for football team record (he also has albums lauding soccer and NBA basketball teams), but there is so much more he has to offer that I just don't have the time to write about it all.

File under: Golden Boy (Fospassin)

aTELECINE - A Cassette Tape Culture (Phase 1)

Place this in the "I had no idea" file. aTelecine is Sasha Gray's side project. What's her main gig? Well, if you don't recognize the name you might not care to know. Not that it matters. This mash-up of field recordings, found sounds and generally weird ambiance is pretty awesome, if you're into that kind of thing. Which I am. A multifaceted young woman, to be sure.

(Update...alas, all of the aTelecine material on Spotify has been made unavailable as of September, 2014. Hopefully the albums will be back soon because the project deserves attention.)

File under: aTelecine

SM - Lick Your Wounds (and Beg For More)

Slightly menacing. Slightly tuneful. Slightly more abrasive. "I'm here to lick your wounds/your there to beg for more".
File under: SM

JAY MITCHELL - Love Streams

Jaye Mitchell. He is the reason I listen to this stuff. I first read of him in a blog called The Best of the Worst of Spotify. The author described his album "Love Streams" as "Possibly the worst thing I've ever heard." How can I let such a glowing review pass without checking it out? When I first heard it I understood why the Best of the Worst guy thought it was so terrible. But then I started thinking about late-70s post punk duo Suicide and I couldn't help but draw some connections, tenuous as they may have been. I think Jaye has a Lou Reed swagger to his voice at times. I'll probably get some grief for saying that but it's true. Not always, but enough times that I noticed. "Love Streams" is a catchy record that sticks in your head, whether you want it to or not (and most people would probably be in "or not" category). In his own unique way Jaye Mitchell has created something innovative and original. Something that sounds, for better or worse, like nothing else on the planet. Personally I think that's a great thing.

Words cannot describe the overwhelming glee I felt when I learned that Jaye Mitchell has a music video available. It's exactly what you'd expect from him. The only other bit of trivia I could glean from the Internet about Jaye is that he has authored 3 books, "The Kilo Connection", "Missing Angel" and "88 Ways to Die", all of which are available at Amazon.

File under: Mitchell, Jaye

RAJ SHANKAR - Sing Dance & Sweat (for Holiday Mood)

I think it's safe to assume that Raj is not Ravi Shankar's long lost son. He doesn't look like such a party animal in the photo on the CD cover, but this is one case where looks can deceive. But seriously, this is the kind of disc that, when I first listen to it, sounds like the work of someone who had some money to throw away and decided to cut some tracks, no matter that no talent is involved. But the more I hear it the more I'm certain that Shankar is a genius and the music really grows on me. I doubt there are many out there who would stand by me in this sentiment, but I am sincere. I know this: I'll take Raj Shankar over Skrillex any day.

File under: Shankar, Raj

FLAIRS - Sweat Symphony

A repetitive recitation of what the singer (and bassist, I suppose) of Flairs can do better than Prince. Prince who? Prince Harry? Prince Albert? Surely he doesn't mean Prince, as in Prince, as in The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, as in The Artist Once Again Letting Us Call Him Prince? Well, the dude's a halfway decent bass player but turns up lacking in every other boast.

You know the video itself isn't all that bad in a goofy way.

File under: Flairs

TOMMY G - MoneyStrong-Stay on that Cash Cow

As of 11:37 AM on Thursday, February 20, 2014 this is my favorite hip hop album. I'm dead serious. Kanye West? Jay-Z? Lil' Wayne? None of 'em sling fat stacks like T to the ommy Gizee. A veritable dictionary of Hip Hop hashtags, a few new entries for the Urban Dictionary and yet another creative sampling of Europe's "The Final Countdown". (Note - Actually it's a generous sample of Asia's "Only Time Will Tell"...don't know how I could have got the two songs mixed up)"I'm on it like old man Fred Flintstone." TOMMY!

File under: Tommy G