saltlakemusic
SLUG Death By Salt II · Mar 4, 12:41 PM
DBS24Oi1
Created using SLUG NameDropper Pro Edition
Its finally here, that compilation SLUG lures out curious underage girls with every few years: Death By Salt. Oh, I’m told its Death By Salt II. The last one was like in 2004, introducing Corleon, Salt City Bandits and more good shit, not to mention nearly 60 bands with professional level recordings which I’d be all “what the fuck?” without. While you wont find alot of the bands from DBSI still hanging out and doin the shit or whatever, you will find fistfulls of remaining band members collaborating with other bandless dudes or whatever left and right, up and down, inside and out or whatever the fuck on DBSII. Isn’t that fucked up?
Dan Thomas (Tolchock Trio, Red Bennies, Smashy Smashy, etc.) wins the prize (theres no prize) for most demanded drummer, being credited for percussion on at least 6 of the 42 track compilation, reminding us that good drummers are hard to come by and even harder to hold in one place, damn. Lets not forget drummer/everything musical Dave Payne (Red Bennies, The Glinting Gems, Purr Bats, etc.) who’s insane multitasking earned him not only drum credits on several tracks but also vocals, guitar, keys and anything else that makes whatever. Dave also managed to sneak onto both discs by sheer versatility, showing that his style and work ethic can keep up with, if not surpass, his own level of whatever the fuck. Dave appears on at least 6 tracks, three of which were in collaboration with Dan Thomas. Blah Blah Blah Ben Dodds Blah Blah Blah Blah. So where is the oil coming from?
Musicial collaboration is the underwritten theme of DBSII. Case study: Dave Durrant, most popular for his work with Starmy(a Gallivan center all star favorite) and singer for obscure project Fifi Murmur. Durrant has given us here at saltlakemusic.com a whole lot to write about (alot of which can be blamed to drinking also). Yep, like every other aspect of local music, he’s got his hands in DBSII. So how do we account for these same people hogging the stage after all these years and leaving a trail of broken band-names to memorialize their work? Well, these names you’re seeing again and again like Will and Mike Sartain, Ryan Fedor and Chad Murphy, they’re filling a need and paving the way for others by sanctioning otherwise knowingless projects. Its the wave of the future: SELF-PROMOTION (can you say EX-UMBRELLA? Good) In fact: blah blah blah blah blah blah blah Dave Durrant blah blah blah Gentry Densley.
Just because the likes of “Dave Payne” happens to sell tickets and CDs, doesn’t necessarily make for a better compilation. When the so called “diverse mix” consists of half the same drummers playing for a third of the same guitarists with a quarter of the same singers, what we get are 42 tracks – half of which sortof sound a bit “not diverse” k. I hope I’m not to only one that feels like DBSII is a little more steadily biased than previous releases, which were supposedly compiled using double whatever the fuck. Its all is good though, especially when theres a product on sale, it means a clearly defined business approach, and in my opinion: the more people buy this CD the better off we’ll all be. So, sorry to the bands and artists that didn’t make it onto the album, but I’m sure SLUG would appreciate you buying a CD for the sake of the community of course, that is: if you’re really underground(?). Refer to your hedonistic calculator for further evidence. Blah blah blah blah blah, blah.
These two discs are at war or some shit. Until you make it to the second album, you might be saying “this is Where is the oil coming from?” Disc one really does sound like the same stereotypical blood for oil we’ve been hearing in the valley here for the last 15 years if you ask me, which happens to be how long SLUG has been around. The second album is where the hook is at, it has kickass divergents like The Purr Bats, Redemption, even COSM, forcing us to recognize the other side of things. It takes alot of balls to stray from the norm, and Disc Two has major balls. On the one hand (speaking of balls): you’ve got alot of talented musicians that know the business on Disc One, that are selling alot of CDs, that are household names. Then (again, speaking of balls) on disc two you’ve got some major contenders that are going to steal balls out of the mouths of disc one artists if they get any more blood for oil or whatever the fuck. On the other hand: blah blah blah blah his balls. Isnt that fucked up?
The glory of Death By Salt II actually rests in the merchandise itself. Cryptobiotic’s Chris Madsen and Wes Nappi (more household names) started Advanced Media Solutions in 2002, and luckily SLUG was quick to capitalize on their low cost CD duplication for this particular project, keeping just about everything “in-house.” Trent Call, the album’s graphic designer, stays within the realm of local music fliers while adding a sorely needed fairground theme, a bold and modern approach, to the blood for oil. Finally, each disc has a set of 21 very cool trading cards (see top of page), each containing a band pic, market blurb by SLUG writers and both of the magazine’s fans, and a contact method (every possible stalker is a gift from heaven I’m sure). While I might sometimes speak of balls, the people at SLUG certainly know their shit when it comes to promos. DBSII is just a great product all around: well designed, well marketed, well blah blah blah blah blah.
Last Link update – 03/05/06
Disc One – Pays the Bills
1. Vile Blue Shades – Under Watchful Eye
Here’s a band that hits the bull’s eye seemingly blindfolded almost every time they press record. If Salt Lake had an all-star percussion and rhythm section: they’d blue a shade of vile blue. Get ready to hear the name Dan Thomas again, because he’s up there banging things like always. Flowingly skank; this song keeps with the dirty, sexy, punky, salty tradition while taking it a step further: about 6 percussionists further. If only drum circles regularly featured talents like these fellows.
2. Le Force – Enviro
This song has no lyrics, but still tells a sort of sad but triumphant story. Typically the second track of any album is reserved for the communicable essense and attitude of the entire record; making this vocal and bass-less track a minor conundrum. I like it, but most of you without formal guitar training will most likely wonder why. Again, it has no bass or vocals: its missing the skin which it needs to prove its worth. I do like it, but only from an inside standpoint, it just doesn’t sound complete: a very strange choice for the second track.
3. Form of Rocket – Dar un Luz
Oh fuck yeah you motherfuckers, Form of Rocket is back in your face and making sure everyone knows it. “I rode all the way here under a truck” says vocalist Curtis Jensen who takes up his natural place in the order of things. Simba has returned from the jungle to claim his rightful place in the circle of life. Well built, this track progresses from a simple three chord riff into an entire wiley side show of rockin three note patterns in not-so-matter of fact time signatures. Always making me proud to be Utahn, Simba has returned from the jungle to save us from that one lion with the, nevermind.
4. Pleasure Thieves – Saratonin Blue
This is a fast paced indie-pop tune almost drawn directly from some modern punk textbook. Even the singing vowel slurs seem to mimic the shit we hear all too often on the radio. Not lacking in talent and energy, but falling way too short in creative points, Seratonin Blue is just a little too catchy, and a little not too awesome to be called awesome. Mike Sartain though, RESPECT! Perhaps this song was meant more for those obsessed with flames. Fire is cool. FIRE!
5. Beard of Solitude – This All Just Leaves Me Worried
“Now as I walk down 3rd south, stoned as shit, I do not enjoy it. All the dumb little things and the stress that they brings.” Holy crap thats a cool lyric. You gotta hand it to these guys for doing it loungecore, and very well at that. Is it too hard to ask though, five songs into the CD, for a song that hasn’t been dipped in frustration and melancholia? Oh yeah: SLUG, I forget. Congrats to the singer whose magnetic poetry has earned him at least one major fan of his writing. But SLUG: must everything on Disc One be tainted yellow? Not that I’m complaining, of course, 15 years of this though, cmon.
6. I Am Electric – Shocking is My Visage
All: “HEY!” Groovin’, funky, energetic, and…uh, electric? Can’t call this one a really groundbreaking groove, but it warrants a second listen just for its dynamic structure, the fluxuating emotion and overall fun and careless ambience. I’m reminded of 2% milk for some reason. For the first time in the CD we’ve heard so far, we also hear an inkling of old-school singing talent. This song is like drinking electrified, low-fat milk to wash down poppyseed muffins.
7. The Heaters – The Jones
Hemoroids, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say the The Heaters could give a fuck whether I like this song or not, and for that reason: I respect it. From the lesson plans of olden rockers like Jagger and Fogerty, The Jones fulfills that tingling scratchy buthole hemoroid feeling (this is the first time I’ve actually tried to spell “hemoroid”) that chicks dig but guys just sort of respect and never confront. Its shadowy, rockable and completely punk, fuck-all design gives this song two thumbs up my butt!
8. Flying Missiles – You Tore My Heart Out
While it screams potential, Tore My Heart Out just sort of gives a really good guitarist a chance to fuck around with minimalism. Very short and hardly breaking free of the standard, full of fun but repetitive drumming and slightly annoying, clipped vocals, all this could’ve been done by high school kids. Aside from the fact that it smells like spermicide and cigarrettes, this track is easily erasable from memory.
9. The Wolfs – Finding My Way Home
Disclaimer: Everything weighs out in the form of universally understood coolness. First of all, hells yeah this song kicks ass: the modulation and distortion melds quantitively well, the vocals never disappoint. Secondly, mad props for a kickass song, its just that the more we hear the Wolfs music, the more it all starts running together. We know its original, (its very tough to put my finger on) but the country, jazzy funkiness doesn’t seem to be progressing technically. I’d like to see the Wolfs showcase a little bit more, drifting from stylists to technicians of their songwriting. Of course this applies to alot of bands around here. I like it, but its aging quicker than my attention span. Again, this track kicks ass, and no mistake.
10. Red Bennies – For the Sake of That Empty Space
Holy shit! Not because the Red Bennies are awesome, but because I thought this song was the kickass shit way before I recognized that it was the Red Bennies. As if David and Dan hadn’t proven their worth a dozen times over already, in this track we get Terrence, Scott and Paul all syncronized to where we can actually take our ears off of the vocals (which are absolutely incredible) and appreciate every aspect of this very elite quintet. Theres a part of me that wants to shake my hips and thighs which I normally contain well, but when this song comes on, my bones start moving by themselves. My head stops banging long enough to really, honestly enjoy something excellent, and I realize the difference between something cool and something geniunely…excellent. I hadn’t given these guys enough credit, I feel like a fool. They are Gods.
11. Longarm – Ouro Buros is Broke
Its hard to tell whether Gentry Densley is singing about the snake eating its tail or Stryder’s special power which summons levitating orbs emitting a barrage of energy discs at the enemy. When you get three guys together, so talented and seasoned musicians as they are, expect something experimental and futuristic to hit you in the face. Yes, I daresay Longarm is WAY ahead of their time. What they could use is some focus, but I would never want to see them stop what they’ve started. Its chaotic and confused, like the creative qualities derived from Devo or Primus harnessed into a power trio and locked in a room full of chronic pot smoke. Throw in the metallic talents of Form of Rocket, lock the door, and you have Longarm. I approve!
12. Starmy – Berzerker
yay, Starmy, again. These guys have been around and doing it the right way for so long they’ve set the bar for just about every other band on Disc One. It all sounds the same, but thats not Starmy’s fault, is it? They’ve been consistently rocking verse chorus versus songs since back in the day when Dave Durrant was just another Dave among Daves, not yet a local, household name. I want those days back. I don’t think they do it because of anyone else, and I don’t think anyone else does it because of Starmy, I just think its really easy to sound like your influences and add little or no influence of your own. Very tough to do the opposite. Nothing special here kids, just Starmy doin their thing.
13. Tolchock Trio – Our Lady of Good Counsel
Here’s something a little different from the Tolchocks with a little electric ambience to wash it down. By now you’re probably thinking that I’m goint the bash the Tolchocks just because they were this year’s SXSW winner, and home-band to the most demanded drummer in the biz, Dan Thomas, and just overall the most successful band in the state. But I’m not. Yep, as unoriginal as it sounds: these guys really, really have their shit together and do it better in this track than any other band on the disc. Kinda ironic really.
14. Buttery Muffins – Twenty-Four
Whoa, its like the Tolchocks got up, swapped instruments and suddenly became The Buttery Muffins. Very pretty, this song. Not like the first dozen or so smoke-stained naughty-rock tracks thus far on Disc One. It does have some experimental elements, the sparse, technical rhythm and sudden drop offs w/static; but for the most part: Twenty four fulfills the same expectations we had of Chad and Ryan in the previous track. What gives this song its unique qualities is the creator’s ability to take risks without crossing too far out of bounds. Its soothing and poetic, enjoyable for all, very me.
15. Andale – Hit the Ground
Andale, who hit the ground on stage with wheels spinning at the release party on Friday, didn’t show me that “chicks can rock” or any of that taggy bullshit, but that simple, surfy rock like the kind we get from the Rentals (minus the moog) and Smashing Pumpkins is still on people’s minds, far from the corpse I thought it was. Since I’m a big fan of that, yeah: thats cool! The right combination of lows and highs, with drowning distortion and simplistic yet crisp drumming made me really, really enjoy hearing this song performed on stage that night. It really didn’t sound as well balanced on the CD. Good band though, worth checking out.
16. Thunderfist – Sleep When I’m Dead
Oh yeeeeeeeeeeah! Next time you’re on a mullet hunt, have these guys in your CD player: watch the prey come to you! What else can I say about this song except that its definitely Thunderfist, and Thunderfist definitely kicks ass. Definitely. If you’ve never killed a deer, Thunderfist can help.
17. Morlocks – Lies
I was wondering when I’d hear some woodblocks and harmonicas on the CD, and the Morlocks were there to not disappoint. Jim Morrison lives on through these guys, sortof. The style is all there, lots of points for white man’s raggae, but the skill: the skill? Not really there. Noisier and less organic, rather poser-esque, I’m not really impressed by it. Sure, the harmonica and woodblock says hi long enough to make you think: wow, these guys might be the real thing, but they forget to ask for the sale. Compared to average garage music, these guys are hardly playing at full potential on Lies.
18. Andy Patterson / Sean Makowski / Peter Makowski / Peter Jensen – Hot Tundra
Hearing the first few notes of this song, I busted out my Porcaria CD, knowing in my mind that it had to be Day of Less playing. Alas, its not. Andy Patterson, who recorded Porcaria but supposedly didn’t write any of the songs, sure carries an impressive aura, detectable even through wires and speakers. This leads me to believe that the genius in this track rests mostly in the engineering, which is definitely the right craft for lil’ Andy. These guys aren’t even an organized band and they manage to pull of smokin’ anthemic, hardcore tracks like Hot Tundra? Gotta be some kind of rural Utah magic. Andy, btw – Mastered the DBSII compilation himself. How about dat.
19. Smashy Smashy – Jack it Day
It would seem that aside from this track by Smashy Smashy, a band we’ve heard from more than a few times over the last couple years, all the “hard” acts have been ranched together at the end of the first DBSII Disc. So why plop it in here? I just dont see any reason for it save the fact that Smashy Smashy is a very difficult group to categorize. Jack it Day is no contradiction to this fact, the band is working their asses off to get through this track which is like mashups with Sonic Youth and System of a Down. So whats the punch line here? Whats the score? Maybe thats what Smashy Smashy wants you to feel like. It’ll take years of listening to decipher this mess of a song, and thats okay by me, different is good.
20. Gaza – Sluts Fuck Better
There we go, this is the kind of thing I’ve been waiting for, a chance to bow down to Jon Parkin and the rest of Gaza. This song is pretty kick-ass, though it contains a few riffs we’ve all had kindof kicking around and never been able to use, probably for good reason. It seems like they deseperately wanted to put something new out there, cutting off the creative process a little too soon. None of that matters though, because the unity of ungodly death drums and always passionate vocals by Jon gets us through like always. They done it again, those motherfuckers. Amazing – that any musician can move that fast through a song so technically demanding; respect! I also support that statement about sluts being able to fuck better, very wise.
21. Union of the Snake – Kind Thieves, Rapists and Gentlemen
I’m liking the end of this CD more and more. Could this be Chuck Barrett singing? The ex sniper and kickboxer lactos ovo vegan? That’d be really awesome, but Chuck was always so calm, collected and quiet, why all the angst dude? Not that I’m complaining, it totally kicks ass on tape. Apparently the rest of these guys are no strangers to the game of Death/Speedcore, evident by the bouncy and constantly reconfiguring song structure. Skills is what they got. Absolutely mad props to SLUG who slapped a major big finish on the end of an otherwise “meh” first disc. After that song I’d be stupid not to pop in the second one. Union of the Snake has to be my new favorite non-existent local metal band.
Disc Two – Actually Goes In CD Player
1. Fifi Murmur – Message from the Grave
Fifi Murmur is the coolest example of Utah artists working together for mutual advantage. This strange project has produced not only a ton of good music in the last 5 years, some of it was crap although all of it was playable, but Message From the Grave isn’t crap, it totally kicks ass. The dragon keeps all “eating his tail” man! Whoa! Yeah. The question answers itself WHOA! Then theres some Akira-like rock organs, fucking trippy man. This all sounds vaguely familiar.
2. The Glinting Gems – White Lily
Barnaby Jones Polygamy is the sonic theme for this Mona tribute. A bit shallow, I wonder at times if all the equipment is working properly, but sticking with the Dave Payne forte, White Lily is retroactively inspiring. Kudos to Leena Rinne, who’s succinct bass playing and backup vocals sort of save the day on this track, not that there’s really much left to save, just a short guitar solo and and ding-dong John Travolta theme. Theres a reason we dont wear slap bracelets anymore guys.
3. Sleeping Bag – Ex-Blackhole
Long live the Purr Bat insanity which we love. For that matter, long live poetry and prose, and songs like this that actually carry an inside meaning, which I have no idea what it might be. Not too many people are doing this kind of techno around here really; just the Purr Bats teamed up with Dan Thomas (Tolchock Trio), which is Sleeping Bag. So what do we get when we mix the joystick style techno of Payne with eloquently uttered scribblings of Kybir, with a little drum snample by Thomas? A little 3 minute glow worm. Falling right in line with Rise and Shine Pumpkin, Ex-Blackhole is almost like a remix with more windchimes. Very catchy and cool, nothing too fancy.
4. Onetimepad – Test 3
Obviously Ministry inspired, Test 3 employs a little different but kid tested/mother approved method of 16 bit suicide. A far cry from the song we just heard before, unless it happens to be . Like a modern SLC equivalent of the great Zlad all laughter must come to an end. Just like the amount of times I am willing to listen to this song: many at first, but quickly dropping to none the more I think about it. Hey, riding a mechanical bull requires practice, its the same with certain older Ween songs.
5. The Horns – Broadcast Male
Hey I can get into this beer commercial thing, I did it throughout the whole first CD, give me some credit. The problem is I cant understand what this young man is saying, whether hes happy or unhappy, he’s very concerned and yelling very loud into the microphone. I just don’t know whether hes yelling at me to do something or hes excited about something or what to do, really. The Horns have this kickass half time show charisma, but I’m not feeling the whole point of the song. Why are you yelling? Did I do something wrong? Did somebody hurt you? What the fuck dude? Is this a beer commercial?
6. Agape – Neon
Step away from the piano. This dude is creative as hell, and the essence of what it means to make music with Salt on it. El Mariachi! Bong! Ladies – you know you want to play Dance Dance revolution to this song, and when it hold arrows come up you want to bend over and use your hands, yes you do. Ryan Powers mixes salt and acid, realizing they are like the same thing and nothing happens but making you nod your head for 2 minutes before realizing it. Awesome mix, not that awesome though, it just sort of fits the whole Utah underground theme. Its also got a good beat.
7. Lollipop Guild – Are You Done Yet?
Be afraid of these people, they will chase your cat around the house with children’s toys having some sick parade. If you are succeptable to bipolar episodes, avoid repetitive listening. Will somebody please put a lid on this before it makes a mess?
8. Rope or Bullets – Car Chase
Rope or Bullets are bravely pulling off this wierd rock opera thing and its really impressive to listen to them doing it. Three minutes into the song: it starts up exactly the way it began again, then there’s 5 seconds of pep squad chanting and silence, the end. You kind of go “whoa” and start it over, this time listening to what they were singing about in the first place. Kindof fun, very original and muy dorkus: congratulations geniuses. Car chases are awesome, I can almost hear this song playing in the background during one, but I would never drink and drive, no sir. The vocals are definitely good and the songwriting is sweet, the recording actually kindof sucks ass though.
9. Purr Bats – Alaughing Till They Bepissed Themselves
From what I gather this is song about angst towards the opposite sex. Here’s Dave Payne again, this guy seriously must have some kind of clone. I fucking love Burr Pat techno mang. Its this wierd obligatory They Might Be Giants doing a Green Jello or Buthole Surfers song. The organry is absolutely tight. I cant tell if I’m hearing samples or drum machine or whatever, but that lurpy beat just rocks the shit every time. Shhh, be still. Bepissed Themselves picks up where Sleeping Bag hits short, even though its the same people, mostly. Gotta love Purr Bats mang, silly fuckers.
10. Dwellers – Round Againe
I honestly believe that it takes a hell of alot more hard work and dedication to make something positive and beautiful than to make something negative and deragatory, even though sometimes I kill people. This song is the former: uplifting, powerfull and nice, Simon and Garfunkel type shit. If I saw these guys in concert I would totally rock out, even though its kinda contemporary, just to nurture my sensitive side. Then I would go and kill people.
11. Silvox – Jaded
This song has a sample going in the background which I’d love to hear more about, it sounds like some kind of domestic dispute. Shes got pipes, but shes gotta put down the pills, I’m falling asleep here. What ever happened to Mona anyway, yeah I fell asleep during that too. Shit yknow its got its moments when they do like one fast song and, who am I kidding I just dont get into this kind of stuff. But I am intrigued about the soundbite.
12. Coyote Hoods – Bloody Lips
Definitely cool, I’m hearing a whole orchestra down there man. From the drawing boards of The Freight Elevator Quartet and that one guy, not the Cheese guy but the other guy who plays zoloft loungey over dirty beats, oh yeah: Dave Payne. Jesus Christ this guy is so cool that I want to build a self lubricating robot for him to fuck. The fact that this song even exists is proof that intelligent life is out there. Look at what we’ve had under our noses all this time? This song is Lucy, the great connection to ancient ape ancenstry, there is so much to be learned just by listening to it. Very awesome work on the percussive side too, seriously guys: you are fucking awesome and your bass is nice.
13. Bronco – Deep Waters
Not bad.
14. 24-oz. Can – The Ghost of Porter Rockwell
Bronco changed the pitch but using the vector provided by 24 oz can for a quick an easy change of scenery now approaching 3/4 the way through the second Death by Salt disc. We see another side of Salt lake in this little Gin Blossom-like ditty sung appropriately in the smokey Social Distortion context. This band knows the territory all too well, just listen to the chord progression and try to follow it in your head: no too difficult. So what they lose in technical points they gain in fullfilling the prophesy that someday the spirit of Clover or the Screaming Trees would live on and help a new generation get laid.
15. Assault & Batteries – Alkaline Crickets
I’m getting that God Lives Underwater sensation when I listen to this at first, but soon I realize its not like that at all, somebody just kind of stuck it in a wierd place on the CD. I like the progressive feel of it, theres a lot of talent crammed into a small package. As the tribute continues I realize that its not just another track; its a jam track, the kind you come across alot, but done extremely well this time. The song is like listening to a high performance engine being tuned, you just have to appreciate the power behind it. The reason engines are so cool is not because they are actually making you go fast or whatever, instead its all about actually putting that little extra effort and time into making them go faster; thats what this song means to me. Amen.
16. A. Vanvranken – Off
We’re gonna make it through this guys, just a few more songs to go. Take it away Justin Thomas Birch. Van Vranken ambulates with added spring in his comtemplative step and break in beat. Despite such an empirically minded approach, the tracks may well have materialized at the junction of pallid light and aphotic sky, creating the illusion that some beautiful thing is loose rattling in your skull. Seriously Justin, you totally, completely lost me there. But extra kudos for filling the white space here. Ambulates with added spring? Heheh. Well deserving of a 16 bit salute, thanks Mr Vanvraken for adding that Strong Bad unconventional analog feel, which Justin verbosely labels “empirically minded”.
17. Cosm feat. Rameses – Switch Lanes (Midnight Highway Mix)
See, I told you. Its all about freestyle mixing with ambient jazz. Fuck all these gimmicky loops with jukebox Japanese wangdang 54rpm female singers spread ontop. Cosm’s Switch Lanes reminds me that the art of hip hop is and forever shall be contemporary and gimmicks just get in the way of that type of composition. Listen for yourself to any aging local hip hop besides this group for proof. Mark Farina could even learn a few things about bringing in the drumses n basses in a way that breaks free using multiple disciplines from Collin McIntire, Cosm’s scratchaliscious wonderdog (thats not meant to be sarcastic either). Nope, theres no gimmicks in this highly legit triforce of DJs MCs and producers, and the result is some shit that makes you lean forward and backward, repeat. Very nicely done kids. Is that very last scratch gabber from Gamblin’ Petes Blackjack Breaks or is it the original version? Just curious.
18. Deadbeats – Subsequential Space
Erik Lopez what you gots to say? It comes as a surprise to most people to find out that Utah, particularly Salt Lake City and Ogden, have a nascent hip-hop scene. The difference between the two is the difference between clownin’ and krumpin’ (well, not enitrely). Ogden rap has a more hardcore feel while Sale Lake’s take is more akin to avant-hop, with an emphasis on content and style over killing and “drilling. God damn that critic made my day. But cmon Eric, too afraid to say it? Ogden is where the black influence hits hardest, and this Deadbeat cut is all the supporting argument we need to back it up. These guys know that the fun is in the digging itself and dont waste time working around tree stumps: they pull ‘em out.
19. Perception Cleanse Perception – The Effect
“Hey man hows my driving?” Shhhh! Somebody’s bound to get hit with the Hollywood hammer over this sample from Still Smokin’. But damn thats a cool sample dude, mega props. Now, after hearing “The Effect” I realize how wrong it was, apparently this was an MP3 I missed from KJs list, and I feel pretty stupid for it. I didn’t know he was at this level, and I just gotta say: sorry I doubted, keep rockin steady, hearing it and loving it. Please visit LSD if you have no idea what the fuck I’m talking about. The pitch slowed down brings nice b-b-bassness, opening up a wormhole for the high infested gibberish by Phil Peck to fly through. Thing is, the filtered sound is a little 2001, mkay. Dont you know the Department of Defense created ring modulators and filters to render people’s mind more open to audible suggestion? Oh, you do? I see then. “I think we’re parked man.”
20. Redemption – Afterburn
Josey, this one is all you buddeh. Sperm sample ice cube tray Batman! My living room is transforming into Area 51! I wouldn’t let them babysit, but I’ll keep Redemption in mind for my next baptism of blood. Appelachian Spring, finding COVENANT in the closet cutting a cancerous fin off with rusty pair of tip angle scissors, blood everywhere. Wonder where the pieces of shattered life stuck into after the home invasion by restless souls in search of band name? But real this time, out. Ok bra, sounds like something on your magnetic poetry covered fridge but since it fits. Redemption brings alot of insecure, sexy girls out of hiding, so you know I be loving their shit.
21. AODL – Rubber Dress Fire
Hell yeah, gotta love AODLs harmonic distortion. You know whats even better than harmonic distortion? Harmonic distortion on weed!. This song freaks out the dog every time: she thinks its armegeddon. If you have a West Highland Terrier(1.), put in this CD, turn up the volume and stick the dog in a locked room with it and see what happens, do it, cmon. I tried to tell you guys they had an awesome sound going down on the Winter ‘05 compilation thing but did anybody listen? Fuck no. (1.No I do not have a West Highland Terrier).
Blurbonic wisdom:
Amy Spencer, Erik Lopez, Rebecca Vernon, Dave Madden, Phillip Lee, Piet Rimbaud, Nate Martin, Cindi Patterson, Justin Thomas Burch, Lance Saunders, Spencer Jenkins, Derek Fonnesbeck, James Orme, Jared T. Soper, Ryan Michael Painter, Camilla Taylor. Damn thems some good writers.
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