L.E. Flaco

This is cross-posted at The Joy of Daily Living.


Photo from myspace.com

I figure after last week, why not continue with the foreign language theme? L.E. Flaco is a hip-hop artist I found back when I was in school and trying to learn Spanish. I figured I could find songs I like, memorize the lyrics, translate them, and then magically be fluent in Spanish.

It didn't work. Still, L.E. Flaco was super cool when I sent him myspace messages (in broken Spanish, I'm sure) and we corresponded the best we could for a bit. He lives in Madrid, Spain with a beautiful girlfriend and really cool dog. I know this because they were mentioned in just about the only lyrics I could translate!

L.E. Flaco's flows are tight and fast over quality production. Click here for his myspace. Here is one of his videos. I love when he throws in some English ("hurry up," "don't worry").





Here's another of his newer videos.





When I corresponded with him I asked what his lyrics are about, but since he isn't fluent in English it was hard to grasp. Many have social and political themes (or at least did in 2006). Because I'm so used to Mexican Spanish, it's really hard for me to pick up words with his Spanish accent. I just here "th, th, th" and then one or two words I can catch.

The Walkmen

The Walkmen have a new album out, and it looks like they have the whole thing available streaming from their myspace!  It doesn't sound too different from past albums, but that's not a bad thing.  I've liked pretty much everything I've heard from them.  They have a very unique style that sounds kind of like Bob Dylan except with everything driving and distorted, and then some latin influence thrown in every once in awhile.  Not that there aren't sparse moments; the overall arrangements in addition to the vocals can have quite a range in expression.

Here's a recent performance from Conan O'Brien

Somos Nós a Justiça

This is cross-posted at The Joy of Daily Living.

This is one of my favorite SNJ songs. I'm so happy to find it has a video! Two years ago there was no trace of this song online.

In 2006 I spent two months living in Brazil. I checked out many music stores and attended a few concerts, but could not for the life of me find the underground & Brazilian hip-hop scene. Everyone I asked led me to Will I. Am and Wyclef. (Note: Neither Brazilian, nor underground.) (It probably didn't help that I don't speak the language.)

My final week there I found a music store that seemed to carry more titles by independent artists. They had a little boom box there and would allow customers to pop in CDs. I spent a couple of hours there listening to crappy song after crappy song, then I came across Somos Nós a Justiça. I immediately snapped up both CDs available. Their sound is chill, their flows are tight, and although I cannot understand every word, it's clear the lyrics are meaningful. If I could find SNJ music reviews, I'm guessing reviewers would throw them into the "enlightened" or "conscious" hip-hop category.

Somos Nós a Justiça have no Myspace, but one album is on Amazon for purchase and small song "samples" are available for listening. Another site shows the same album available for free download, but of course I cannot endorse that. (If you're still interested, click here.) You can also find their sounds at lastfm.

SNJ's story is available here, but it is in Portuguese. My gleaning is that they came from northern Sao Paulo and started making music in the 1990s. Their members have changed a lot over the years due to various problems. They put out a simple CD-R that hugely impacted hip-hop. They defend respect, honesty, personality, dignity, and humanity. They have taken part in events defending workers and the Black movement. They have exploded on the radio and in shows.

Albert Hammond, Jr.

After discovering Little Joy a little while ago, I thought to myself, "isn't there another side project of a Strokes member?"  Albert Hammond Jr.  is the rhythm guitarist of the Strokes and he has a couple albums out under his name.  I've only heard the most recent one, Como Te Llama? but it wasn't too bad.  There is a definite Strokes influence, but maybe a little more poppy?  Allmusic says that his first album, Yours to Keep, was better and a little more original, so I'll have to check it out.  Here's a live, acoustic (minus the bass) performance of a song from that album:

"In Transit"

Gypsy Jazz: Biréli Lagrène with Angelo Debarre and Stochelo Rosenberg

I had never heard of any of these guys, but man do they have chops!  Enjoy.

Monomes

I want one of these so badly. Too bad the smallest model is $500, not to mention they are somewhat scarce and sell out every time they introduce a new batch. I would love to create and perform something with samples like this. The minimalist design is pretty cool, too. There a ton of videos of people using this if you're interested, this was just the only one I saw that incorporated a little bit of actual instrument playing. You can go to their website for more info and videos.

People Under the Stairs

This is cross-posted at The Joy of Daily Living.


from rapreviews.com

People Under the Stairs (who often go by PUTS) are a hip-hop duo from LA who have been kickin it since the late nineties. Click here for their myspace, and here for their website (which mysteriously ends in .uk.)

They have about a million CDs (okay, their website says 39), but my favorites are The Next Step, O.S.T, and ...Or Stay Tuned. That might just be because those are the ones I've listened to the most, however.

I adore People Under the Stairs for a few reasons. Their beats are super chill and sometimes funky and jazzy. Also they can rhyme well and have a sense of humor. On of my favorite lines ever from them is "I shoot the gift like NRA members on Christmas." It's from the song "Time to Rock Our Shit," shown in this Youtube video:





Enjoy!