On December 8, Stones Throw Records will release the second album by Northwest eccentric James Pants, Seven Seals. Judging by the cover artwork on the label site, Mr. Pants has turned his gaze from the electro and New Wave stylings of his 2008 debut, Welcome, in favor of psych-soul (which, coincidentally, Stones Throw has been reissuing lately). A first single, “Thin Moon,” came out last month.
Need an explanation? I sure do. “The album was made while reading mystical books and the book of Revelations, and inspired by being in the mood to start a cult. This is the cult’s soundtrack,” reads a blurb on the Stones Throw site. Thanks, that helps.
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I’m sure everyone’s aware that Mayer Hawthorne’s highly anticipated A Strange Arrangement drops on September 8. (It’s already on sale via the Stones Throw website.) The original release date, October 6, was changed ostensibly due to demand (and to the album leaking months in advance). Nevertheless, everyone will soon be able to enjoy the dulcet tones of this former DJ turned loverman.
To promote A Strange Arrangement, Mayer Hawthorne will embark on a national tour the Lonely Hearts Club Tour with his live band, the County, and fellow members from his Detroit-based A-Side Worldwide crew, Buff 1 and 14KT. Track listing and concert itinerary is below.
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Scott Herren has unveiled the final installment in his spring trilogy of albums. Ironically, however, it has gone on sale before the two previously-announced projects by Prefuse 73 and Diamond Watch Wrists.
Savath y Savalas’ fourth album, La Llama is already on sale in digital form at Stones Throw’s website. The CD and vinyl versions hit retailers on May 19. La Llama features the return of former girlfriend Eva Puyuelo Muns, the vocalist who inspired the group’s second and most popular album Aprop’at. Electronic beatmaker Roberto Carlos Lange (Rom, Epstein), the third and newest member of what now appears to be a trio, co-wrote most of the songs with Herren.
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On February 10, Stones Throw will release the latest chapter(s) in Madlib’s Beat Konducta saga. Unlike the prior two editions, Vols. 1 & 2 (Movie Scenes) and Vols. 3 &4 (In India), Vols. 5 & 6 doesn’t have a cinematic theme. Instead, Beat Konducta Vol. 5-6: A Tribute To… pays homage to his late musical comrade in Jaylib, James “J Dilla” Yancey.
Here’s a bit from the press release:
When Madlib followed J Dilla’s now-classic Donuts with an instrumental concept-album of his own, a series was born. “Beat Konducta,” the alias he often scribbled on the beat CDs he handed to friends and potential collaborators, left the realm of the unknown and entered the record-buying public’s conscious as Madlib’s latest nom de plume. His unedited CDs often wove quirky narratives, served as obsessive listening material to those lucky enough to hear them, and became raw working material for Madvillain, Jaylib, Ghostface, De La Soul, Talib Kweli and Erykah Badu.
The concept of the Beat Konducta series was simple: put Madlib’s raw beat tapes into album form – one by one on vinyl, with two volumes at a time appearing on sporadically released CDs. …
Beat Konducta Vol. 5-6: A Tribute to… is a 42-track piece dedicated to the late J Dilla. Madlib and J. Rocc – arguably Dilla’s closest musical compatriots during his time spent in Los Angeles – lovingly remember their friend and reflect on his boundless influence. As was the case with Donuts and in keeping with the Beat Konducta’s all-embracing musical bent, this album does not settle into one groove for too long. The result is a transfixing, sometimes jarring, and always soulful homage to the man Madlib crowned “King Of The Beats.”
Vols. 5 & 6 were issued on vinyl separately last year. This upcoming album combines both, and adds a new track, “Dil Cosby Interlude.”
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This week’s hip-hop news, both relevant and irrelevant:
Grammy crap: Nominations for Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, M.I.A., Nas, et cetera (grammy.com)
Kid Cudi claims new video of his “Day N’ Nite (Crookers Remix)” was posted without his permission. Anyone know who the production company was? (myspace.com)
EPMD releases new album We Mean Business on Tuesday (allhiphop.com)
New podcast: Stones Throw 40 – Hawthorne Radio (stonesthrow.com)
RIP Arthur “Party Arty” Sheridan from Ghetto Dwellas (hiphopdx.com) (unkut.com)
Kanye West’s 808s & Heartbreak tops Billboard album charts (billboard.com)
Internet-only ish: Beatnick & K-Salaam’s S.T.O.R.Y. (Stories Told Over Remixed Years) (myspace.com), Colin Munroe + a gang of hipster rappers’ Colin Munroe Is The Unsung Hero (onsmash.com), Clipse’s Road To Till The Casket Drops (complex.com)
Photo by The Binh.
Next year, Stones Throw promises to offer its most exciting slate of artists since 2006. Like that groundbreaking season, which brought classic recordings from Oh No, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Aloe Blacc and the late J Dilla, 2009 will find the L.A. label mixing forward-thinking hip-hop with ecletic, genre-bending sounds. So far, Stones Throw’s upcoming projects include albums from Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Savath y Savalas, Mayer Hawthorne & The County and Dam-Funk.
First up will be Omar Rodriguez Lopez’s Old Money. A few years ago, the lead guitarist for the Mars Volta might have issued this album on his now-defunct label, Gold Standard Laboratories (GSL). Instead, Old Money is coming out on Stones Throw. The label issued a digital version on November 10; the CD and vinyl version will reach stores on January 27.
Here’s a description from the press release:
The album fits comfortably between the guitarist’s monumental work with The Mars Volta, and his prior rock-based solo releases such as 2007’s The Apocalypse Inside Of An Orange. Loosely based on the concept of exploitative industrialists and, well, their old money, the album presents a 10-track collection of concise rock compositions, which range from progressive to psychedelic to downright funky. Many of these sounds could easily be at home on a Volta record proper had they meshed with Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s vocals; Rodriguez Lopez has hinted that this record was a potential follow up to the 2006 Volta release Amputechture until he changed his musical direction.
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As one of the later additions to the late James “J Dilla” Yancey’s cast of collaborators, Detroit rapper Guilty Simpson has been a near-constant presence on Stones Throw’s hip-hop projects, from its myriad compilations to the reissue of J Dilla’s Ruff Draft EP. Now he’s finally getting his solo shot.
Ode to the Ghetto drops March 25. Producers on the project include the ever-present Madlib, Denaun Porter from D-12, Oh No, Black Milk, Babu from Dilated Peoples and, of course, J Dilla. Though MED, Sean Price, and Black Milk contribute guest vocals, Guilty Simpson handles most of the 15 tracks himself.
Stones Throw has had a mixed history with hardcore rap albums. From MED and Roc C’s uneven efforts to Percee P’s solid-if-underwhelming Perseverance, these albums have often sounded creatively restrained, and lacking the weird, loopy humor and offbeat innovations that the label best known for. But if the press bio for Guilty Simpson is any indication, that won’t be the case with Ode to the Ghetto. The track listing is below.
“Ode to the Ghetto marks an evolution, incorporating a more topical and thought-provoking persona in addition to the extra-savage braggadocio Simpson is known for,” reads a press bio on the Stones Throw website. “Guilty’s testosterone-charged, inner city themes possess of a sense of humor at times so side-splitting, it only proves how serious he really is. This rapper was raised on the field of battle and he has more to say than just how fresh he is and how fresh ‘they’ are not. As a matter of fact, he’s found that he’s here to remind the hip-hop world – currently captivated with that manufactured freshness – that life in the ghetto is real.”
- 1. “American Dream”
- 2. “Robbery”
- 3. “She Won’t Stay at Home”
- 4. “Footwork”
- 5. “Ode to the Ghetto”
- 6. “Getting Bitches”
- 7. “I Must Love You”
- 8. “The Future” (feat. MED)
- 9. “Pigs”
- 10. “My Moment”
- 11. “Run” (feat. Sean Price & Black Milk)
- 12. “Kinda Live”
- 13. “Yikes”
- 14. “The Real Me”
- 15. “Kill Em”
- 16. “Almighty Dreadnaughtz” (feat. Super MC, Krizsteel & Konnie Ross)
www.myspace.com/guiltysimpson
Photo by Doug Coombe.
Bronx rhyme inspector Percee P may have only released one official album in over 15 years, this year’s Perseverance. But he’s making up for lost time.
Earlier this fall, Percee P joined the 2K Sports Bounce tour headlined by kufi expert Common. And this month, he jumped on the Stones Throw “Holiday edition” of the 2K Sports Bounce tour, too. Now, he’s jumping on the December edition of Scion’s Live Metro tour. It’s just a brief excursion that only encompasses four cities: Houston, Austin, Atlanta and Carrboro. But lucky attendees will get to see Percee with the mighty Slick Rick, both backed by the funky soul of Connie Price & the Keystones.
Meanwhile, kids who have been raiding the Stones Throw merch table have noticed one exclusive, a disc of Perseverance remixes by Madlib, that currently isn’t available anywhere else. The CD, however, will go on sale at retail outlets on January 29. The highlight is an original track, “Real Talk.”
The track listing for Perseverance: The Madlib Remix and the Live Metro itinerary is below.
- 1. “Put It on the Line (remix)”
- 2. “2 Brothers from the Gutter (remix)” (feat. Diamond D)
- 3. “The Hand That Leads You (remix)”
- 4. “Who With Me? (remix)”
- 5. “NY (Interlude)”
- 6. “The Dirt and Filth (remix)” (feat. Aesop Rock)
- 7. “Ghetto Rhyme Stories (remix)”
- 8. “Legendary Lyricist (remix)” (feat. Madlib)
- 9. “OX (Interlude)”
- 10. “Real Talk”
- 11. “Throwback Drum Attack (remix)” (feat. Karriem Riggins)
- 12. “No Time for Jokes (remix)” (feat. Chali 2na)
- 13. “Last of the Greats (remix)” (feat. Prince Po)
- 14. “The Woman Behind Me (remix)”
And here’s the Live Metro schedule:
- 12/16: The Parish, Austin, TX
- 12/18: Warehouse Live, Houston, TX
- 12/19: The Loft, Atlanta, GA
- 12/20: Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC
12/16-12/20: w/Slick Rick, Connie Price & the Keystones, DJ Haul
www.myspace.com/perceep
Unlike many of their indie brethren, the Stones Throw crew isn’t known for doing shows. They’re mostly content to lamp in the studio and maybe rock a DJ date in L.A., New York, London or some other major international city. Sitting in a hot-ass van and plowing through 50+ cities? That shit is for the birds.
So consider yourself lucky if they come to your town on the upcoming 2K8 Sports Bounce Tour “Holiday Edition” (also known as the B-Ball Zombie War tour). Just like last year’s Chrome Children package tour, it won’t be very comprehensive, and only encompass a baker’s dozen of shows. Featured artists will be the mighty Madlib, Peanut Butter Wolf, Madlib’s Supreme Team partner Karriem Riggins, onetime Beat Junkie J. Rocc, and rhyme inspector Percee P.
How rare is this tour? It’s so rare that the lineup for some recently added shows (ATL and Baltimore) hasn’t even been confirmed yet. Check out the itinerary below; as usual, I’ll update as more details become available.
- 11/08: El Rey Theater, Los Angeles, CA
- 11/16: The Independent, San Francisco, CA
- 11/17: Berbatis Pan, Portland, OR
- 11/18: Neumo’s, Seattle, WA
- 11/19: Richards on Richards, Vancouver, BC
- 11/29: Foundation, Minneapolis, MN
- 11/30: Abbey Pub, Chicago, IL
- 12/01: Opera House, Toronto, ON
- 12/02: Highline Ballroom, New York, NY
- 12/03: Starlight Ballroom, Philadelphia, PA
- 12/04: Paradise Lounge, Boston, MA
- 12/06: Black Cat, Washington, D.C.
- 12/07: Sonar, Baltimore, MD
www.stonesthrow.com
2K Sports sure likes hip-hop. For the past few years, the video game company has teamed with Decon Records to organize a series of rap-themed projects and promote its latest video games. This year alone, as previously reported, 2K Sports has sponsored a DJ Z-Trip-helmed compilation, All Pro, and an upcoming tour featuring Common and Q-Tip. Now, fan favorite Stones Throw is getting involved, too.
On October 2, Stones Throw will release 2K8: B-Ball Zombie War, an album compiled by the mighty Peanut Butter Wolf himself. It will feature the usual Stones Throw cast members, from the late James “J Dilla” Yancey, MF Doom, Oh No and Madlib’s many guises (Beat Konducta, Quasimoto) to Talib Kweli and Q-Tip. Enticingly, it will also feature the official premiere of Supreme Team, a touted collaboration between Madlib and J Dilla confidante Karriem Riggins.
Stones Throw will promote its latest all-star comp with a label showcase tour featuring PB Wolf, Madlib, J-Rocc and others. Dates for the tour, which takes place at the end of the year, will be announced soon. Meanwhile Percee P, whose long-awaited debut Perseverance drops on September 25, is jumping on the 2K Sports Bounce Tour with Common. (The earlier post with those dates has been updated to reflect Percee’s involvement.)
The track listing for 2K8: B-Ball Zombie War is below.
- 1. Supreme Team, “See (Suite)”
- 2. MED, “Break It Down”
- 3. Guilty Simpson, “Make It Fast”
- 4. J Dilla feat. Q-Tip & Talib Kweli, “Lightworking”
- 5. Percee P feat. J-Rocc, “Legendary Lyricist Pt. 2″
- 6. J-Rocc, “Super Sound”
- 7. Madlib, “The Wigflip”
- 8. J Dilla feat. MF Doom & Guilty Simpson, “Mash’s Revenge”
- 9. Oh No, “Action (Rap Version)”
- 10. Beat Konducta, “Trouble”
- 11. Quasimoto, “Hydrant Game (Jaylib Remix)”
- 12. Aloe Blacc, “Find A Way”
- 13. Dam-Funk, “Sidewayz”
- 14. Baron Zen, “Electronic (Koushik Remix)”
- 15. James Pants, “Ka$h (Peanut Butter Wolf Remix)”
- 16. Niko & DJ Babu, “Now You Know”
- 17. Koushik, “Basketball Beat”
- 18. Arabian Prince, “Professor X Saga”
- 19. Jonathon Brown, “Bass Creator’s Groove”
- 20. CX Kidtronik feat. Tchaka Diallo, “Big Girl, Skinny Girl”
www.stonesthrow.com
www.myspace.com/stonesthrow
www.myspace.com/pbwolf
