06/17:

The Clash, Give 'Em Enough Rope

The second Clash album. I can never say if I like this one or the first one the best. But it’s definitely one of them. I know I’m supposed to like London Calling the best, but I like the no frills punk energy of the first two albums more than the serious social commentary and first steps into world music of the most famous album. Not that I don’t like London Calling, I certainly do, but I tend to gravitate toward the high energy stuff when given a choice in almost any case.

The Clash, “Cheapskates”


Eternia & MoSS, At Last

Eternia is white, female and Canadian, so the deck is stacked pretty heavily against her in the hip hop world, but she doesn’t seem to know it. She attacks every track with vigor and style, and more than holds her own alongside formidable guests like Termanology and Joell Ortiz (The latter being one of my favorite writers and performers in hip hop today, so to say she fits right in in a song with him is high praise from me). Eternia’s songs run the gamut from powerful and emotional to pure hip hop bravado, and it all sounds awesome. MoSS’s production is spectacular throughout.

Eternia & MoSS, “Good-bye”


Booker T. Jones, The Road From Memphis

The Booker T. of the mythic Booker T. & The MGs is back with his first album in years. When last we heard from him, he’d left his signature organ behind to do an album of electric guitar-based music, which was pretty surprising, but here he gloriously returns to his instrument and his first love, Memphis. The material on display here is varied and exciting, from original instrumental funk workouts to instrumental covers of popular songs (Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” and Lauryn Hill’s “Everything Is Everything”), and well as vocal songs with indie darlings Jim James of My Morning Jacket and Matt Berninger of The National, the inimitable voice of Sharon Jones, the legendary Lou Reed, and Jones himself even takes a turn at the mic. With The Roots for a backing band, this is a fantastic collection of talent, and they produce an album worthy of their abilities.

Booker T. Jones with Sharon Jones & Matt Berninger, “Representing Memphis”



Converge, Axe To Fall

Without fail, no matter how many times I hear it, when Axe To Fall’s opening track, “Dark Horse,” comes on the Kool Keith lyric, “Man, I could throw a 100,000 pound walrus through the wall!” always comes to mind. The unbridled fury and energy pouring out of the speakers on this album provides enough adrenaline to make it possible. Impossibly, this album (their 8th) feels even more insane and intense than the material that preceded it. It’s better than coffee.

Converge, “Dark Horse”

Slaughterhouse, Slaughterhouse EP

The hip hop supergroup comprised of Royce Da 5’9”, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz & Crooked I put out an EP early this year, a little primer before they sign to Shady. Good stuff.

Slaughterhouse, “Move On”


Amanda Diva, Madame Monochrome EP

The multi-talented Amanda Diva is back with her strongest body of work to date as a rapper & singer. You can download it on a “pay what you want” basis from this link.

Amanda Diva, “Catch Me”

Hail Mary Mallon, Are You Gonna Eat That?

Hail Mary Mallon is Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz. This is quite a record. Aes and Rob trade typically complex, engaging verses over some unique and inventive production. the three seem to inspire each other to keep upping the ante, and the album crackles with energy throughout.

Hail Mary Mallon, “Meter Feeder”


Das Racist, Unreleased, Rare & Remixed

An exhaustive, fan-made collection of... well, unreleased, rare & remixed songs by Das Racist, it’s right there in the title. Some of these have turned out to be some of my favorite songs by the group. A good thing to have on hand while waiting for the release of their first proper album, Relax. You can get it for free here.

Das Racist featuring Homeboy Sandman, “I’m Up On That”


In Flames, Colony

All told, probably my favorite album by the Gotheburg death metal stalwarts. A little more polished than their earliest work, without having gone completely off the rails like their later work.

In Flames, “Ordinary Story”

Yup.

--D