Mixtape Monday #8: '90s Dance Party Vol. 1 (Canadian Hits)

1. B4-4 – Get Down
I got mad love for this Canadian version of a boyband – it's even a tangible, viewable love.

2. Sugar Jones – Days Like That
Mrs. Remy Shand and co. were collectively known as Sugar Jones, the winners of the first season of the strange reality TV show Popstars. I mean, who really paid attention to it? Does anyone really remember Velvet Empire? No? Bueller? Bueller?

3. Bass Is Base – I Cry
I'm probably the only person I know who owns Memories of the Soul Shack Survivors. I often refer to the group as a proto Black Eyed Peas who could've been way bigger had they come along a few years later when the public was more accepting of genre-fucking such as this.

4. Kim Stockwood – You Jerk
I loved being able to sing the chorus as a kid and not get in trouble. Thank you, Mix 96... And thank you Kim Stockwood, you probably won't remember this.

5. Ashley MacIsaac – Sleepy Maggie
Who doesn't like a fiddle in their pop hits? Epic deliciousness by a crazed Maritimer... And I'm not talking about Buck 65.

Zip file with all of the songs

Mixtape Monday #7: Let's Goddamn Dance

1. Love Inc. - Broken Bones
O

2. La Roux - In For The Kill (Skrillex remix)
LET'S

3. Ke$ha - Cannibal
GET

4. Duck Sauce - Barbara Streisand
THE

5. David Guetta - Sexy Bitch (feat. Akon)
PARTY

6. Bloc Party - Flux (12" version)
STARTED

Zip file with all of the tracks

Mixtape Monday #6: 5 Songs With The Word 'Fuck' In The Title

Sometimes I just feel angry. The infamous F-word, used as a point of exclamation or as an exclamation, is one of the strongest words one can use in the English language. So without further ado, here's a list of a few songs that typify the word's usage.

1. Superjoint Ritual - Fuck Your Enemy
This defunct Phil Anselmo project surprised many when it came out earlier on in the decade – the throat behind the ultimate groove metal delivers quick bursts of thrashy goodness that harken back to an earlier time, before bros took the fun out of thrash. The establishing shot for this single (yes, it was a single)'s video still sticks out in my mind whenever this song comes on.

2. Bring Me The Horizon - Fuck
British metalcore outfit Bring Me The Horizon hold no punches with this snappily-named track, an exercise in economy considering that the band's recently-released album is titled There Is A Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is A Heaven, Let's Keep It A Secret. Throw some horns up, get an insight into what the kids are lisening to.

3. Ice Cube - Fuck Dying (feat. KoRn)
"Fuck Dying", the infamous double-negative, is such a great posi life message that I could not resist adding it. Also, the addition of nu-metal lords KoRn cannot hurt.... Or can it? Unlike Superjoint Riual's video, though, this one actually makes the song sound worse.

4. N.W.A. - Fuck Tha Police
Oh yeah. As if you didn't see this one coming. As a bonus, though, here's Rage Against The Machine covering the track.

5. Bass Of The Union - Fuck You, Pay Me
SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION. (Airhorn sounds.) Probably the biggest hit the rap duo I was a part of (n)ever had. My mom is so proud whenever I play this. A tale about monetary woes.

Zip file with all of the tracks

Mixtape Monday #5: Hearting Rick Ross

Alright, alright. So I know I'm late. I apologize. The holidays are a crazy time where you often forget what you're doing. Also, my sister was moving and I helped her do that. So can someone hand me that late pass?

Anyways, this week's installment of MM focuses on a controversial rap figure – one Richard Ross. In honour of his forthcoming show here in Montreal in mid-January

1. T.I. - Pledge Allegiance To The Swag (feat. Rick Ross)
This marathon-length track serves as a proper introduction to the rapper known as the husky-voiced Richard Ross. Released as a promo single to T.I.'s recent outing No Mercy, the song's infectious chorus as well as Ross's verse make it a mandatory repeat play entry.

2. DJ Khaled - Fed Up (feat. Usher, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross and Drake)
Usher on the hook, Jeezy, Drizzy and Ricky doing their thing. Solid contributions all-around, even though Khaled grates on my nerves in a way others wish they could. What's funny about this one is that 6 months after this track dropped (so just around last summer), Jeezy and Ross ended up beefin' over perceived shots fired on Ross' Teflon Don's "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)". Joke's on Jeezy, though, as Ross saw Teflon Don go gold while Jeezy's Thug Motivation 103 album has been stuck in limbo as Jeezy's recent string of flop singles have forced him to rethink things out.

3. Chris Brown - Deuces (remix) (feat. Drake, T.I., Kanye West, Fabulous, Rick Ross and Andre 3000)
This Grammy-nominated hit (from Brown and Tyga's Fan Of A Fan mixtape) gets the extended treatment, as well as an all-too-rare verse from 3 Stacks and a solid contribution from both Ross and Kanye West, who's punchline-heavy delivery is a winner. Ross also means business. If they'd drop Fabulous off of this track then it'd be one of the best collabos in recent history.

4. Drake - Find Your Love (remix) (feat. Rick Ross)
Drake. Rick Ross. Rapping about designer bags and finding your heart. Beat is hot. So are the verses. The video for the original? Not so hot.

5. Bugatti Boyz (Diddy and Rick Ross) - Another One
The collaboration inbetween P. Diddy The Third and Correctional Officer Ricky that begun on the Teflon Don track "No. 1" is going to be turned into an EP sometime in 2011 under the Bugatti Boyz moniker (which has inspired me to start a rap outfit called The Yugo-Lada Menz), and this banging track serves as a proper introduction. It's too bad they shot a video for this and it looks so terrible.

6. Kanye West - Devil In A New Dress (feat. Rick Ross)
Magic happens when Yeezy and Ross hang out. They managed to bang out one of the best tracks off of this year's Teflon Don (the sublime "Live Fast, Die Young") as well as this slow-burning highlight from Kanye's MBDTF album. Originally released as a solo track as part of Kanye's G.O.O.D. Friday series, The Bink!-produced beat has a great cinematic quality to it, complete with record scratches and (artificial) degradation. The addition of Offier Rick to the album version completes this track and his voice matches the mood created by the instrumentation perfectly.

7. Diddy-Dirty Money - Angels (remix) (feat. Rick Ross)
Forget the autotune Diddy on the chorus, this is all about Ross and his blazing hot first verse ("Rick the ruler/my moolah produce the carats" etc.). The beat screams late-night chill-out and the Notorious BIG-less version of the song (Diddy continues to milk his dead best friend a decade-and-a-half later with this recycled verse from BIG's "My Downfall") is the superior version.

8. Rick Ross - B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast) (feat. Styles P)
Through a series of strange decisions, I ended up in NYC this summer for a week, and this track (along with Drake's "Miss Me") was blaring from every single car stereo near the Harlem hostel I was staying at. A true banger (with production from new-kid-on-the-block Lex Luger, who also produced WACKA FLACKA "I'm Not In The Booth Trying To Goddamn Rap Big Words" FLAME's "Hard In Da Paint"), Ross tries to distance himself from his correctional officer past by claiming allegiance to the incarcerated scarfaces in the chorus. Ross subsequently claimed that people were misunderstanding the meaning of the song and it was a cautionary tale, but eh. I don't even think he knows what he's talking about. Go ahead, I dare you to listen and not feel propelled to bob your head.

FILES REMOVED DUE TO DMCA TAKEDOWN NOTIFICATION
Ah ha ha ha.

Mixtape Monday #4: Songs Under 2 Minutes

I was inspired to do this week's MM after listening to this week's #5 and realizing how many songs I loved are under 2 minutes long. Short, sweet, to the point. I could have gone on (I wanted to add at least 4 Misfits tracks on here) but felt like 10 was a good number, and I tried to keep it varied. Apologies to Pig Destroyer, their absence from this list is largely due to me being angry that they still haven't released a proper follow-up to Phantom Limb. GET IT TOGETHER, GUYS.

1. The Theme Song From "Homicide: Life On The Street"
When I used to DJ events on a regular basis, I always used to open up sets using this theme song. Cinematic, with a decent amount of bass to please the kids, this is what I think a good theme song should be – it stands apart from the television show as a fine piece of cinematic music, driving yet thoughtful. Pensive yet it carries a slight sense of urgency (thanks in no small part to the

2. Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Dick To Mouth Resuscitation
When compiling this list, I tried not to pick grindcore songs that sounded like they were recorded in someone's asshole (sry old Napalm Death), and this track, from last year's excellent Agorapocalypse, fit the bill. I tried not to go into the jokey side of grindcore (a la Anal Cunt/some SOD), but the opening lines of "I don't want to fuck your face / I want to wrap my dick / Around your throat and choke you" are simply absurd and make me laugh. Truly great musical performances from Scott Hull and co. too, so you can't beat this track. Or else it might try to rape you.

3. Brutal Truth - Fist In Mouth
Much in the same vein as AN, Brutal Truth's 2009 comeback album Evolution Through Revolution had amazing guitar tones, clean-sounding drums and even had tons of Kevin Sharp's guttural utterings to boot. A great track from a fantastic album that I resivisit often. I even enjoy that weird breakdown that happens in the middle, complete with broken glass samples.

4. Blacklisted - Tourist
I could probably devote the entire post to my love of this Philadelphia hardcore band, whose last few records have strayed from the path of the tough-guy hardcore they set up with their earlier releases. The lead-off track to 2005's The Beat Goes On (a tour-de-force when it comes to angry white dudes) might be the most complex minute of blast-beated mayhem you ever hear. The breakdown, which includes the lyrics "I put my on a shelf while everyone around me found happiness and wealth", displays vocalist George Hirsch's anguish at the touring lifestyle his band has undertaken, as well as hinting at the idea of missed opportunities. An attractive musical package: muscly music, with heartfelt lyrics, conveniently wrapped up in a one-minute timeframe.... Can't be beat.

5. Graf Orlock - Father Maggot
This track, culled from their excellent '04 EP, showcases what the Orlock are all about – metallic hardcore that borders on grindcore intensity, with barked vocals. Their prominent use of samples (such as the one located at the end of this song) has given them the joking tag of "Cinemagrind", which has apparently become a legit subgenre. Either way, the band's new EP Doombox slays and the gang continues to roll around and trounce their contemporaries without even being sued for uncleared sample. A+ work, guys.

6. System Of A Down - Shimmy
I remember the summer that Toxicity leaked online, months ahead of its street date. After hearing an advanced sampler (that contained 'Needles', 'Deer Dance' and the title track), my appetite was whetted. Sure, their first album was something special, but could they reclaim some of the magic from their original album? The answer was a very blunt yes. 'Shimmy', one of the many stand-out tracks from one of my favourite albums of the decade, definitely kept the frenetic energy up during its 1:51 runtime. And just listen to the way the bass bounces in during the intro! Goddamn. I'm just a sucker for interesting musical directions, methinks.

7. The Notorious BIG - Who Shot Ya? (Demo)
Shortened demo version of a track from BIG's debut Life After Death, contains the prerequisite Puff Daddy laff ('hah HAH'). The mix on this is a bit rough but that's part of the attraction. Peace to Christopher Wallace.

8. DMX - ATF
This track is a textbook example of being able to fool the listener through intro misdirection - it opens with some shitty generic synth lines but then as soon as X starts, the track picks up steam and makes itself distinctive. DMX barks his way through a paranoid tale (complete with church bells!) about snitches and the cops chasing him without relenting (and without a proper chorus, too). 2 minutes of cinematic rap. Too bad X is living the jail life a little too often.

9. Bruce Haack - Electric To Me Turn
Early electronic innovator Haack has albums full of quirky little numbers such as 'Electric To Me Turn'. This otherwordly track, involving some bleeps and bloops as well as a strange vocal line aided by a proto-vocoder, appears on the album The Electric Lucifer, which strangely enough appeared on Columbia Records in the late '60s. It remains his only album to make an appearance on a major label, and certainly one of the odder offerings from this time period. Haack's work is intriguing to those wishing to learn a bit about electronic music's history, as well as get some insight into a strange genius at work.

10. Terrance And Phillip - Uncle Fucka
True story: After watching 1999's South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut in theaters, I ran right next door to Future Shop and promptly picked up the soundtrack. My friend Evan and I learned every nuance to each track and eventually wrote out all of the lyrics in a Notepad file that's now located on some destroyed hard drive in my basement. This track is the epitome of annoying but goddamn, still mildly entertaining.

Zip file of all of the tracks

Mixtape Monday #3: 2010 Hipster Dance Party (Bonus Edition!)

Working at a student radio station has allowed me to immerse myself in a lot of music that I would otherwise dismiss. Although at the very core of my being I don't particularly care about 90% of the indie hipster crap I hear, this list of 10 (yeah that's right, I got into the holiday spirit) songs have been major exceptions to the rule. DANCE AWAY, EVERYONE.

1. LCD Soundsystem - Dance Yrself Clean
James Murphy and co. crafted the most epic of opening tracks, an eight-and-a-half minute journey that forces you to strap in and wait it out. It starts out quiet, and builds, and then when the massive synths hit your feet give up the ghost and you find yourself unable to control your feelings and soon you're kicking your chair down and demanding that everyone around you respects your dance authority.

2. Surfer Blood - Swim
It's really a shame that the rest of Surfer Blood's debut album isn't as great as this ode to carefree attitudes. The shimmering echoes of John Paul Pitts' vocals hit you like the warm sun and suddenly you're somewhere with the sand under your feet as you stare down massive waves winking at you. Ahh, summer. (Note: Although this single was released in '09, it was rerelased early on this year so I'm still counting it as a '10 single)

3. Sleigh Bells - Infinity Guitars
Over-driven production, a 4-on-the-floor beat and a catchy guitar lick are no match for anyone's ears. I've argued that this duo is better in a singles format than on their first full-length (the aptly-named Treats) as their music should be digested in tiny bits and pieces in order to be fully enjoyed, and this song is exhibit A.

4. M.I.A. - XXXO
Harkening back to the best parts of her first two albums, M.I.A. brings the backbeat and ultra-catchy chorus back to the yard where the boys are so she can offer up her sonic milkshake for all to enjoy.

5. Crystal Castles - Celestica
This Canadian duo may try to look like it's all Black Sabbath's self-titled record on their new cover but the contents of said album (and lead-off single "Celestica") suggests an affinity for darker Britpop (think Pet Shop Boys) that's way beyond whatever stylistic images they're aiming for.

6. Hot Chip - I Feel Better
The haunting synth lines make it feel all Depeche Mode-y in the intro, and then the vocals kick in and it's like listening to Mae being backed by an army of digital instruments. delicious.

7. Kele - Tenderoni
It's like Bloc Party met mid-'90s Faithless at a swap meet. "Tenderoni" is an ode to nihilistic dance music that's partly an extension of Bloc Party's more techno-orientated efforts (like the excellent non-album "Flux" single that I obsessively listened to for weeks). Check it out at your own discretion.

8. Chromeo - Night By Night
This Montreal duo has once again knocked shit out of the park with their third album, the awesomely-titled Business Casual. This track, which was given a month and a half ahead of the album's release, showcased more of the same dancey throwback that they displayed on their prior efforts. This song is no reinvention of the wheel, but goddamn it feels good to move to.

9. Vampire Weekend - Giving Up The Gun
Even though I often deride this band for sounding like Lion King: The Hipster Collective, they still manage to crank out twee-ish anthems for the young at heart. This song is no different, and although it runs a bit long at almost 5 minutes, the time passes infinitely quickly as the guitar line and percussion invade the senses.

10. Caribou - Odessa
Break-ups and scornful lyrics never sounded so otherworldly. It's as if The Creature From The Black Lagoon was throwing a Friday night bong party and everyone was invited. Except Frankenstein, 'cause that motherfucker just ruins door frames.

Zip file with all of the tracks

Note: Next week's MM is going to be a bit more br00tal in nature, that much is for sure.

Mixtape Monday #2: 4 Songs I've Seen Live (And A Bonus)

I've been quite busy on the concert front this week, managed to squeeze in 4 shows in 6 nights, something I hadn't done since Pop Montreal (one of my favourite experiences of the year). And so I've compiled some studio versions of songs that I've heard over the past week that I've enjoyed in some way.

1. The Acacia Strain – Beast
Night one of Despised Icon's two-night farewell stand at Club Soda held a great line-up –
ABACABB (who themselves are soon to be no more), mychilden mybride, Montreal techgrind maestros Beneath The Massacre and direct support The Acacia Strain set the tone for the Montreal sextet's exit. The opening song from the TAC's set (and also the first track off of their 2010 release Wormwood) got the crowd moving like no one had done prior, and the refrains of "my life... is a shooting range" reverberated off of the venue's walls with a guttural desire that demanded attention, as if the band had tried to hypnotize the crowd into two-stepping like it was the last thing they'd ever do on earth. The Mass. band did well.

2. Despised Icon – All For Nothing
Montreal. Deathcore. Nothing more to be said about a band I've seen live more times than I can count. Sad to see them go, but they went out in style. Cameras were there Sunday night which definitely means they were shooting for a DVD. They opened their set up with this song (and closed with Guitar Hero anthem "MVP" too) and the stage-dives demonstrated their style. Thanks, guys.

3. The Sainte Catherines – We Used To Be In Love
It's Friday night/Saturday morning. The bar is packed, it's nearing one a.m. My trusty punk punter friend Alex Manley and I give the doorman our 5 bucks and get into the low-ceiling venue, anxiously awaiting the band of the hour. The Sainte Catherines had announced the last-minute show on Twitter and spread the word to friends, and it was by a stroke of luck that I read that shit on the internet and promptly got dressed and headed out, but not before calling Manley up for some good ol' Montreal punk action. The dancing was furious, the walls of L'Esco (on Saint-Denis) were covered in steam, so much so that Sainte Cats/Dig It Up! drummer Andrea Silver was drawing shit in the windows near her stool in-between songs. The band was tight, the mood was light, singer Hugo Mudie was talkative and the music was sublime: gang vocals, hoarse plaintive remarks from Mudie and even a surprise vocals from Mike of Dig It Up! (as it was also his birthday, natch). Their 45-minute set was a perfect kick-off to a great weekend.

4. P.O.S. – Low Light Low Life (feat. Dessa / Cecil Otter/ Sims)
I could spend all day talking about my love of Doomtree Records. The Minneapolis collective has been putting out quality productive for the last half-decade and turned a growing number of ears and eyes their way with their brand of heart-on-sleeve rap music that also boasts great production. Their Tuesday night marathon at Il Motore proved that the collective's got it going on – it's the first time they've toured nationally and the road warriors showed up. DJs Paper Tiger and Lazerbeak set the tone early on (with Tiger opening the night with a DJ set, kicking things off with LCD Soundsystem's "Dance Yrself Clean", one of my favourite tracks of the year) and then 2 1/2 hours later it was all said and done. Members Dessa, Cecil Otter, P.O.S. and Sims held down the fort while an absent Mike Mictlan remained stationed in the States, presumably unable to enter the country due to... past transgressions. "Low Light Low Life" closed the group's set off and had everyone chiming in. After that there was no encore bullshit, just a straight-up thank you from the group to the audience, and vice-versa. A class act until the end.

5. Beck – Debra (Live On West 54th)
I picked this bonus cut because of the fact that I wish I could have seen this live. Recorded in September 1997 during his Odelay tour, Beck was at his James Brown-esque finest: an undeniable bandleader who gathered an amazing menagerie of musicians in order to create the dirtiest of funk. The hour-long set starts off with an updated re-envisioning of Keith Mansfield's "Soul Thing" (complete with some tasteful DJ scratches) and from there we're off to the races. Although Beck went on to release the stripped-down, bossa nova and tropicalia-tinged Mutations a year later, he was clearly already prepping 1999's Midnite Vultures with the inclusion of show-stopper "Debra" (labelled as "I Wanna Get With You" on the bootleg). Check out the intro adlibs to see why this piece is godly. It's been a decade since I first heard it and I still scream out "YEAH YA'LL LIKE THE SLOW JAMS" with frightening regularity.


Zip file with all of the tracks.

Mixtape Monday #1: A Cold Day In MTL

A quick preface:
I've conceived Mixtape Mondays as a way to share a wide variety of styles of music in a quick, easy-to-digest format that hopefully explores a theme or a mindstate I'm currently inhabiting, so the links in-between songs can sometimes be tenuous. The idea is that I'm going to offer 5 songs up and sort of explain away whatever mental connection they have to each other for me or to the theme at hand.

---

The first edition of MM is one borne out of a few factors. I've recently started a Big Boy™ job that has me getting up earlier than ever regularly (barring that one summer I worked in a warehouse and 6:15 was my normal rising time), and sometimes I find myself slightly depressed, especially when the realization seeps in that it's only Monday morning and I have to repeat the routine another four days straight. I tend to gravitate towards downtempo, introspective songs as I wake up, and this is a sampling of some of those tunes on that particular playlist, especially as the water on the ground starts freezing over and the inevitable first lasting snowfall comes in. With that in mind, I picked 5 tracks that summed up how I feel as I look outside and see this unfolding tableau.

A Cold Day In MTL

1. Common - Geto Heaven Part Two (instrumental)
I've always been drawn to Common's Like Water For Chocolate above all of his other work. Although I admire the taughtness and production of his Be record (executive produced by Kanye West), I think the largest single reason why I pick LWFC above all others is its lush production (thanks to executive producer ?uestlove and J. Dilla) and the live instrumentation located on almost every track. His subsequent record Electric Circus went off the deep end, binging on trippy start-and-stops and other explored musical tangents that are kept in check on this record.

The piano lick for "Geto Heaven Part Two" is wistful and bare, the snare hits soulful and the windchimes add a melancholic feel to this. I chose the instrumental version because I wanted to showcase how uncommon it is for a rap album to stand up on its own musically as an entire piece of work. Sure, beats come and go, but when's the last time you sat down and went "I'm gonna pop this instrumental record on?"

2. Anthony Hamilton - Charlene
Crooner Anthony Hamilton first caught my attention as a featured musical guest on The Chappelle Show, performing the titular "Comin' From Where I'm From" from his 2003 album. Intrigued, I picked up the record and was entranced. A dozen cuts filled with a certain amount of angst and regret are the perfect companion to the Monday morning blues, especially on when it starts snowing and the sky is a mixture of dark blue and foreboding grey. The longing refrain of "Come on home to me, Charlene" struck a melancholic chord in me that I cannot fully explain.

3. Grieves - War For The Cripples feat. P.O.S.
Anyone who knows me knows I'm a huge fan of the whole Doomtree crew and this P.O.S.-assisted track continues the crew's impeccable batting average. The sparse beat that sounds like wooden spoons being banged together had me hooked, and then the female chorus vocals and the way that P.O.S. sounds wounded as he spits his verse won me over completely. I must have replayed this song at least a dozen times in a row the first time I heard it.

4. Drake - Fall For Your Type
I'm a sucker for cathartic narratives, and this song really hits it out of the park, both in lyrical intensity as well as an intriguing instrumentation that fits the theme well. The final product has Jamie Foxx featuring Drake, but the original version (probably a reference track for Foxx) was subsequently leaked and I much prefer the Drake-only version. With 40 on the boards, Wheelchair Jimmy once again explores a laundry list of his own personal fuck-ups and foibles, much as he did for a large portion of his So Far Gone mixtape.

5. D-Sisive - First Winter
Check the title. Listen to the lyrical content. Rinse and repeat. Do I need to say more? One of Canada's best kills it.

Zip file of all of the tracks.

I will promise that next Monday's edition will have 100% more guitars. Check back here and peep it.