KJPLAY
This disc is pure old-school hip-hop goodness, straight out of the early 90s. Big Shots, which was produced and pressed in 2003, is a compilation of rhymes by Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf. The songs were originally created between 1991 and 1993, and they have the same flavor as tracks of the same era by classic hip-hop artists such as A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. Remaining true to their roots, tracks on Big Shots have traditional hip-hop beats and lyrics that are a mix of social commentary and life experience. This disc is a refreshing change from today's hip-hop. It's a quality listen.
Grade: A
— Elizabeth Marvel, Jayplay writer and KJHK DJ
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.Sundays
What's a band to do when its guitar player dies due to an overdose? Regroup three years later with an additional twentysome members and release an amazingly uplifting gospel-pop album. That's what the remaining members of Tripping Daisy did after guitarist Wes Berggren died. Say hello to The Polyphonic Spree!
Boasting a ten-member choir, a pair of keyboardists, as well as a percussionist, bassist, guitarist, flautist, trumpeter, trombonist, violist, a French horn player, a theremin player and an electronic effects wizard, the band presents itself as a jubilee of stacked sound that would bring a tear to Brian Wilson's eye. Ten compositions fill the disc with such spiritual exuberance, it's sure to bring a smile to anyone who listens.
The light orchestral rhythms and climactic pop melodies prove to be infectious. You'll be prancing around the room as if you were a cast member of Jesus Christ Superstar, or better yet, as if you were a costumed extra on stage with the Flaming Lips. Undoubtedly you've heard their first single "Light & Day" from the Volkswagen Beetle and iPod commercial. In short, The Polyphonic Spree delivers a much-needed holy rock revival amidst today's dime pop radio singles.
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Grade: A
— Nick Ray, Host of "Cultural Coitus" Midnight to 2 a.m. Wednesdays
Savath & Savalas Apropa't
There must be a grotto in a closed-off alleyway not too far away where all the Type-A musicians get together to drink and let their less attractive incarnations take hold. And in a cloud of smoke, grasping a tumbler of sangria and mumbling nonsensically between the languages of Catalan and computer sits Scott Herren.
He's having the crisis, feeling the walls. "I know," smirks he. "I'll make an album where all the melodies are more or less indistinguishable from each other, yet relentlessly and sharply cool." (Traces a finger on the dusty table: "Need female vocals.") He sighs then, and knows that sometimes even left turns can't be praised for their aims. And Apropa't, an enigma wrapped in indifference wrapped in Fort Knox, does little to change this. It's the perfect soundtrack to a party where most people are talking too loud for music to matter.
Grade: C
- Phil Torpey, Host of "Breakfast for Beatlovers"
9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays
18
Kid 606 Kill Sound Before Sound Kills You
This album is hardcore. It's like the hangover from a really crazy rave. In saying that, does it mean it is good, or bad? The Venezuelan-born Miguel Depedro, Kid 606, has done amazing things in the past. His crazy, experimental beats are anywhere from confusing to bad to beautiful. But, like everyone, he has some guilty pleasures. This album is one of them.
Kill Sound Before Sound Kills You is all of these things and more. Some of the tracks are pulse-pounding jungle mixes that would fit right into a local mainstream dance club or rave, while others show the more abstract side of Kid 606 still hardcore, but not so "clubber" friendly. Those club aspects are things like relentlessly pounding bass, the sound of handclaps and, of course, the distorted sample of the person in the background ordering the DJ to turn up the beat.
In the end, the album is fun and interesting, but not mainstream enough to be enjoyed by everyone, unless hardcore club music or experimental jungle/house is your thing.
Grade: C+
— Collin LaJoie, KJHK DJ
2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays