Culture Greyhound

Today I continue a series of posts dedicated to the best albums of the last decade, posting analysis of one album at a time.

35. Clipse – Hell Hath No Fury

Most people prefer Lord Willing. I don’t blame them. After all, it was minimalist coke rap like “Grindin'” that made the Neptunes so famous. And four years later, when they finally dropped this follow up, that sound was less fresh. “Mr. Me Too” isn’t as sharp. No argument here. I guess I just like this one better because it was the first I heard. I came to the debut late, and while I can’t deny how great it is, nostalgia has the edge on this one; I spent more time with Hell Hath No Fury, and I still do.

But let’s get one thing straight: this album is a worthy contender, it’s excellent. Every song is a banger. How can you hate on the unpredictable percussion alongside Slim Thug’s guest chorus on “Wamp Wamp?” Pusha T’s wit is in high gear throughout, he makes peddling cocaine sound like an articulate profession. Fan favorite “Ride Around Shining” bumps (“the black Martha Stewart, let me show ya how to do it!”), “Dirty Money” is still hilarious, and I’ll never forget when I learned what the word “trill” meant. There’s no getting around it; Clipse’s second LP, probably their last great one, is an album for the popped trunks, or, in my case, the blown-out factory tweeters.

Listen to Hell Hath No Fury on Spotify.

PAPA: “I Am The Lion King” from Hit City U.S.A. on Vimeo.

Every Saturday, I post a 15-20 minute podcast featuring some tracks I’ve been jamming the previous week, as well as some commentary and random musings from yours truly. Enjoy!

Tracklist:

G-Side – Impossible (Javelin Remix)
Boris – Spoon
Kendrick Lamar – Cloud 10
M83 – Wait

A friend of mine and I were discussing the awesome awesome lineup for Fun Fun Fun Fest this year, and recently, they announced their schedule for our viewing pleasure. My friend was excited, but admitted he knew only a few bands. Where, he wondered aloud, could he find a comprehensive rundown of each band, a sampling of their musical chops, so he could further educate himself before the finest weekend of his year? I assume the Fun Fun Fun website has such a playlist, and they do, and it’s cool, but I wanted to make my own. So every Friday, from now until the fest (that’s nine weeks), I will be posting a playlist for your educational purposes for each stage and day, excluding the Yellow stage, which is mostly comedy.

This week’s playlist covers the bands playing on the Orange (Indie) stage on Sunday – Lenuria, Le Butcherettes, Asobi Seksu, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Mates of State, The Budos Band, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Architecture In Helsinki, Hum, and Blonde Redhead.

Listen to the playlist on Spotify.

Missing From Playlist (not on Spotify yet): Crooks

My Stage Pick: Hum

Take a listen to You’d Prefer An Astronaut, the classic breakthrough album for this underrated shoegaze 90’s band, and you’ll hear why I’m so excited these guys are reunited. Hearing “Stars” live is one life-long ambition I can cross off my list after November.

Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan has been talking to AV Club this week about Season 4, analyzing the progression of characters and themes on an episode-by-episode basis. They just released the third part of a four-part series, and it’s completely in depth and awesome. The interview is ridden with spoilers; you’ve been warned.

As far as musical depravity and sheer idiocy goes, Insane Clown Posse take the crown. We all think Jack White might be a little too collao-happy these days. We all know who they are, we all love to hate them. Except those who love them. And those people? They love them a LOT. Those people, in case you haven’t heard, are called Juggalos. They’re usually uneducated, working class, low income, Midwestern. And even if they’re perfect strangers, the Juggalos all consider themselves “family.” And for one weekend out of the year they all gather together to absorb the enormous marketing campaign the band has created, featuring bands, wrestling, a mini-fairground atmosphere, and all the drugs and sex with homely-looking people you can handle. This mini-doc didn’t really change my perception of the Juggalos; these are the people that throw shit at bands they don’t like, bands that their “heroes” booked for them. But if there’s one thing you can take away, it’s that these people are misunderstood. It’s the underbelly, the service industry, the America that’s all around you, but you don’t hear about. It’s like a Fight Club or something. And for four days, they have their own little Woodstock. In many ways, it resembles Woodstock. Perfect strangers treat each other like brothers and sisters, free love reigns, nudity abounds, drugs are abundant. Is aspires to be Woodstock, but like the Hatchet Man logo itself, there is that underlying violent theme, the theme that made ICP one of the best-selling shock rap groups ever – if you don’t like something, fucking tear it apart.

American Juggalo from Sean Dunne on Vimeo.

Trailers for upcoming movies. Some are good, some not as much.

In what can easily be qualified as one of the busiest weeks of my year (finals week), it’s nice to take a break from education for….more education? Humor. Let’s call it humor. Because Lil Wayne ranting and raving about his legacy for half an hour in the wake of the death of Steve Jobs is pretty funny. I mean, I know rap music DNA is about bragging and stuntin’ and all that, but comparing yourself to one of the greatest modern creative minds for half an hour while giving a tour of your Cribs-worthy house…..it’s a bit over the top. And then posting your obvious weed-influenced stream-of-consciousness lunacy on the Web for the world to see, like what you’re saying is a new idea, or even a complete one….well, that’s the funny part. I mean, if you wanna make a skateboard video, just make one, man.

WEEZY F BABY PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT from DERICK G on Vimeo.

Drake ~ Headlines (Official Video) from OctobersVeryOwn on Vimeo.

Every Saturday, I post a 15-20 minute podcast featuring some tracks I’ve been jamming the previous week, as well as some commentary and random musings from yours truly. Enjoy!

Tracklist:

Dum Dum Girls – Bedroom Eyes
Rustie – All Nite
Phantogram – Don’t Move
DJ Khaled – I’m On One (feat. Drake, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne)