Miscellany links from/about Africa

How to Write About Africa - genius!

An excerpt - "Among your characters you must always include The Starving African, who wanders the refugee camp nearly naked, and waits for the benevolence of the West. Her children have flies on their eyelids and pot bellies, and her breasts are flat and empty. She must look utterly helpless. She can have no past, no history; such diversions ruin the dramatic moment. Moans are good. She must never say anything about herself in the dialogue except to speak of her (unspeakable) suffering. Also be sure to include a warm and motherly woman who has a rolling laugh and who is concerned for your well-being. Just call her Mama. Her children are all delinquent. These characters should buzz around your main hero, making him look good. Your hero can teach them, bathe them, feed them; he carries lots of babies and has seen Death. Your hero is you (if reportage), or a beautiful, tragic international celebrity/aristocrat who now cares for animals (if fiction)."

Go read it it all, it's masterful.

The Economist on the chances of a fair election in Ethiopia (slim to none). Not only that, the current Zenawi government is propped up by US aid (one of the largest recipients) and Zenawi is championed among the "new breed" of democratic leaders in Africa. Uh huh.

Last election was also marred with violence and arrests, tampering, etc... In my time in Ethiopia I never met a single person in the city who had voted for Zenawi and many of my students had stories about older brothers being arrested, etc... A friend of ours remembers being quarantined to their compound and listening as gunshots echoed through the city. Most people are thinking/predicting this next election will be even more unfair and violent...

Musical Break! Malian Rokia Traore. Not sure if I love the video but I love her music.

I'm a big fan of South African Desmond Tutu, the man is not afraid to criticize just about anybody if they're messing up. That includes Africans who discriminate against gay and lesbians ("Hate has no place in the house of God") and South Africa's ally the U.S., calling the war in Iraq an "immoral war". Speak it brother!

Africa's entry in the "Uncyclopedia" - more genius!

'The only thing positive about Africa is HIV."

African exports include: Ebola, Madagascar (the movie) and "Apos'trophes t'hat s'erve no' purpo'se".


Musical Break #2! Do you know where Mauritius is? Most people don't and would never have heard music from there - but this last summer at Toronto's AfroFest, Menwar wowed me and here's a clip of him playing at Montreal's International Jazz Fest. We're already stoked about this summer's AfroFest!

Finally, I would be remiss not to mention one of the best blogs about the continent, as well as where I found some of the articles, Texas in Africa. Go check it out.

Thumbs Out

My friend Matt over at Bing Dynasty often does his quick summaries as thumbs up/ thumbs down so I am ripping him off (imitation is a form of flattery) and here are mine:

Thumbs up (a.k.a. Aaaahnold approved):

- Apple smoked old cheddar from St. Lawrence Market - so good.

- Daija cuddling with me when she wakes up.

- Organic, fair trade, dark roast espresso - more than one shot, please and thank-you.

- My momma coming out here again to visit. And by visit I mean coming out here to babysit so Nolana and I can go out

- Building towers with Daija's Mega blocks

- This, one of the freshest new music videos in a while. From Nigerian born Afrikan Boy. H/T: Africa is a Country

Afrikan Boy - Lagos Town from afrikanboy on Vimeo.

Thumbs down (a.k.a. Joaquin says you fail):

- not sleeping well. Life is just that much harder with less sleep....

- soft, stinky poo. Not mine, Daija's.

- PCs that start to crap out on you after 2 years. If only I could afford a Mac...

- Feeling behind at school and never having the time to catch up, or even better, get ahead.

- The Flames struggling just to make the playoffs with a GM who thinks getting Matt Stajan is the answer. Ha.

- Tim Hortons. I don't get the national obsession.

- Nolana and Daija going to Victoria without me again. Victoria is such a great place...

Top 10 of the past 10: Songs

What makes a good song? A lot of this lies in personal taste and in choosing this list each of these songs seem to connect with me in some sort of way. I dig songs with meaningful lyrics and some on this list mirror that. I dig songs that convey a particular emotion especially well, some of the songs on the list reflect that. I also dig songs with a groovy guitar rhythm or layered, dense instrumentation and some of the songs reflect that. Pretty hard to pick 10 songs from 10 years of music listening (my online music stats tell me I've listened to over 50,000 tracks in 3 years....) There's no rhyme or reason but here's my top 10 songs released in the past 10 years.

If you click the link you can hear the song over at Grooveshark! Except for #8 :( Sorry.

1. Sufjan Stevens - John Wayne Gacy, Jr. - Illinoise (2005)

Lyrical snippet: "He dressed up like a clown for them/ With his face paint white and red/ And on his best behavior/ In a dark room on the bed he kissed them all/ He'd kill ten thousand people/ With a sleight of his hand"

Sounds Like: Poetry, meet history. History, meet song. Song, meet greatness.

Off the award winning disc Illinoise, this track is based on the life of Chicago's 1970s serial killer John Wayne Gacy Jr. He killed a couple dozen young men/boys and buried them under the floorboards of his house. When he was discovered the neighbors were in shock because they all loved him and thought he was a swell chap because of the great block parties he would throw where he would dress up as a clown for the kids. This track is powerful in its sparse storytelling poetry detailing the serial killer's exploits but the whole song hinges on the last lines which state: "And in my best behavior/ I am really just like him/ Look beneath the floorboards/ For the secrets I have hid". The song speaks to the inherent evil of man, how we sensationalize certain crimes, and how we all have things hidden which we don't want exposed. The way he weaves the storytelling, the music, and the message is masterful and is hands down my favorite song of the decade.

2. Iron & Wine - Such Great Heights - Such Great Heights EP (2003)

Lyrical snippet: "I am thinking it's a sign/ that the freckles in our eyes are mirror images/ and when we kiss they're perfectly alligned/ And I have to speculate/ that God himself did make us into corresponding shapes/ like puzzle pieces from the clay"

Sounds Like: Heartbreakingly sparse guitar meets deep whispery vocals that hit all the right notes.

It's not even Sam Beam's (the man behind Iron & Wine) song but it's the perfect fit. It's a remake of the Postal Service song and appeared on the same disc and ended up blowing the original out of the water. It's the equivalent of Johnny Cash taking NIN's "Hurt" and owning it; Sam does the same. It has a soft, aching feel that emphasizes the beautiful (though slightly cheesy) writing. Sam has a ton of other good songs but this one just seems to be one I keep coming back to and listening to over and over again.

3. Josh Ritter - Girl in the War - The Animal Years (2006)

Lyrical snippet: "You gotta rock yourself a little harder/ Pretend the dove above is a dragon and your feet are on fire"

Sounds like: Anti-war protest song mixed with biblical and romantic imagery

What the heck is this song about? Is it about the guy who has a girl in the war who has "eyes like champagne" and who he wants back? Who are these Pete and Paul guys who are talking back and forth to each other? Who is the dove above and why does we need to pretend he's a dragon?

Can't say I am sure but I love this song! I see it as a call to action: from the beginning where the biblical "rules" are the firs to go to the call to "rock yourself a little harder" it seems to call for action rather than simple faith, and I dig that. Besides, who wants lyrics that simply tell you what the message is. Beyond the lyrics the music is simple yet elegant, it seems more like a love song than a protest chant.

4. Sufjan Stevens - You are the Blood - Dark was the Night (2009)

Lyrical snippet: "You are electricity and you're light/ You are sound itself and you are flight"

Sounds like: Pure, unadultered epicness.

I know, when I started I thought to myself that I wasn't going to put two tracks from one artist on the list but I couldn't help it. In fact, I struggled to not put more of my Sufjan favorites on the list! But this one is different from the others. First, it's new. Sufjan hasn't released a regular full-length album since Illisnoise in 2005. This song off the "multiple artists" album is the newest release from him. It's also different in that there's not many lyrics - it's mostly music.

And it's the music that brings it to this list. It's an epic 10 minutes and 14 seconds that soars and then drops, rises and then falls. It explodes in a cacophony of sound to work down to the bare piano. It mixes folk, indie pop and symphony music with a background electronica beat. Every time you listen to it something else comes out. It's brand new so it hasn't stood the test of time that the others on the list have but I'm just digging it so much right now that it had to make the list - It's brilliant.

5. U2 - Yahweh - How to Dismantle and Atomic Bomb (2004)

Lyrical snippet: "Take these hands, teach them what to carry/ Take these hands, don't make a fist/ Take this mouth so quick to criticize/ Take this mouth, give it a kiss/ Yahweh, Yahweh/ Always pain before a child is born/ Yahweh, Yahweh/ Still I'm waiting for the dawn"

Sounds like: A song all church worship teams should learn.

It's one of U2's most explicitly faith-based songs and normally I prefer a little more guesswork and artistry but, lucky for me there's that too. It's a call to action but it's also the call of a questioning soul who looks to the pain and the dark and asks 'Why?' with the knowledge that the answer is not there but will be revealed in due time - the pain before the child is born. We sang it at our past church in Victoria and I loved it because even though it's more explicit and didactic than most of what I listen to it still has nothing on your average church song!

6. Bright Eyes - Land Locked Blues - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning (2005)

Lyrical snippet: "And there's kids playing guns in the street/ And one's pointing his tree branch at me/ So I put my hands up and say/ "Enough is enough/ If you walk away I'll walk away/ (and he shot me dead)"

Sounds like: A long winded, rambling lament abou the state of the world.

I've been told you either love or hate Conor Oberst (the man behind Bright Eyes) and his slightly whining, wavering voice but I think I'm somewhere in the middle - though this song I love! It's the images that he pens that draw me. The image of kids playing and mimicking grown-ups, the image of what he calls a "televised war", playing "musical graves", etc... It's a protest song for GWB's "televised war" and a cry for some sense to made of the world. As Oberst states though, there's no sense to be made. I often feel that way and this song taps into that.

7. Wilco - Jesus, etc... - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)

Lyrical snippet: "Tall buildings shake/ voices escape singing sad sad songs/ tuned to chords strung down your cheeks/ bitter melodies turning your world around"

Sounds like: Private musings penned at night while in a particularly introspective mood.

Another song that I don't or can't pin a particular meaning to but every time I hear it the images and words strike me. It's both sad and soft and speaks of longing to me. I can dig that. I guess you just have to hear it to understand...

8. Jeremy Fisher - Lay Down (The Ballad of Rigoberto Alpizar) - Goodbye Blue Monday (2007)

Lyrical snippet: "Let my eye be the jury and the judgement/ Let my gun be the one to set the score"

Sounds like: News report meets ballad.

Another song that tells a story, this time the one of Rigoberto Alpizar, a Costa Rican American who was shot down in Miami airport because security thought he had a bomb. Turns out he didn't. It's a bit of a protest song against the powers given to people to identify certain bodies as threats and has a more modern, practical tie-in in light of the recent taser death in the Vancouver airport. Ironic because is Jeremy Fisher lives in Vancouver and the song was released right before the Vancouver incident.

9. M. Ward - Sad, Sad Song - The Transfiguration of Vincent (2003)

Lyrical snippet: "Oh I went to the whale, I said killer whale please/ what do you do when your true love leaves?/ He said, I only have but one trick up my sleeve/ I sing [a sad song] over and over 'til she comes back to me"

Sounds like: A lilting, shuffling sad, sad song.

No real lyrical significance to this one but I love the shuffling groove that this song has. It follows a pattern as the singer asks various figures how to deal with losing his true love. It just progresses nicely, feels so sad and almost feels like a modern take on a sort of ancient chant.

10. Dave Barnes - Love in the Remains - Three then Four (2002)

Lyrical snippet: "I can't tell you how this hurts me so/ See, without you I'm half of me/ So with the same mouth I used to put you down/ I offer up this apology"

Sound like: A boy at home trying to say sorry with just his guitar and his raw emotion.

Just Dave and his guitar. Nothing else. Nothing too fancy here but I relate to the emotion, the realization that you screwed up and there's simply nothing you can say to make it right in that moment. Yet, there's love in the remains and the song ends saying "It takes two to rebuild". Yep, been there.

So that's my top ten songs released in the past 10 years. Honorable mention goes to:

Ryan Adams - Desire; Belle & Sebastian - The Blues are Still Blue; Monsters of Folk - Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.); and at least a half dozen other Sufjan songs.

Run, Don't Walk

5 tracks you should probably check out now. As in drop what you're doing (unless it's holding a baby) and go to iTunes now to preview (and don't pretend you're one of those people without iTunes either...)

1. Sufjan Stevens - You are the Blood - Dark Was the Night

2. Andrew Bird - Not a Robot, But a Ghost - Noble Beast

3. Fionn Regan - Hunters Map - The End of History

4. Fleet Foxes - Mykonos - Sun Giant EP

5. The Decemberists - The Bachelor and the Bride - Her Majesty, The Decemberists


Consider this my good deed for the day.

Edit: My good deed has been trumped by Matt over at Bing Dynasty who recommends Grooveshark for full song previews. I checked it out: easy to use, full downloads - go listen there!

Wilco @ Massey Hall

This past Thursday I had the chance to attend a concert at the venerable Massey Hall in Toronto. For those not in the know, Massey Hall was the first theater in Canada built specifically for music performances in 1894, has held and had recorded some of the greatest shows in Canadian history (Bob Dylan, Dizzie Gillespie, Gordon Lightfoot, Oscar Peterson, etc..) as I learned by browsing the plaques/posters in their lounge. It also clued into me that this is the home of the Massey Lectures, of which I am a big fan of Stephen Lewis's 2005 lecture, Race Against Time.

It's quite an impressive venue, high vaulted ceilings with a real classic feel to it.


One of the posters from the 1940's I believe talked about how Massey Hall was THE place to be seen and last year's ballgown was just not good enough!

Now it holds a more modern audience and more modern shows and I was there in my jeans to see one of my favorite groups, Wilco. If I had a list of Top 5 concerts to see they would likely be on it - and it did not disapoint. I had a sweet seat as well, center 1st balcony half way up.

There's a good write up of the show, pictures, and video here at BlogTO - livewire opening act of Liam Finn from Australia, all the favorites from Wilco who rocked out (man, when they get all 3 axes going there is some serious rockin' going on!), special guest appearance by TO native Feist to perform her duet of You & I - it lived up to my expectations.

I had read a review of Wilco's first show the night before and it mentioned something along the lines that Wilco was now "dad-rock", which slightly shocked me seeing as I don't view myself as quite that aniquated. At the show I took the time to look around and realize I was certainly in the younger half of the audience and much to my chagrin there certainly were a good number of dads there. I guess I am no teenage rocker any more, no college rocker any more, just a lover of good ol' "dad-rock"!

What Matters More?

Love or being straight?

Warning: This post might be slightly offensive to certain people. Proceed with caution.

There are few Christian artists who I support these days (and by few I mean one) and that one artist is Derek Webb, formerly of the band Caedmon's call. His first album created a stir with the song "Wedding Dress" and the lyrics,

"i am a whore i do confess
but i put you on just like a wedding dress
and i run down the aisle
i’m a prodigal with no way home
but i put you on just like a ring of gold
and i run down the aisle to you

so could you love this bastard child

though i don’t trust you to provide
with one hand in a pot of gold
and with the other in your side
i am so easily satisfied
by the call of lovers less wild
that i would take a little cash
over your very flesh and blood"

The "naughty" words in the song got the album pulled from a number of sellers despite the message's clarity and honesty.

With future releases he kept at it with the messages but kept the albums toned down language wise. Until now.

Derek has just released the new album "Stockholm Syndrome" on his website. Well, the explicit version of the album. His record label refused to distribute it without some changes so a "clean" version will release in fall minus the song, "What Matters More". I promptly went and bought the version off of Derek's site.

Here's the lyrics to "What Matters More":

"You say you always treat people like you like to be
I guess you love being hated for your sexuality
You love when people put words in your mouth
'Bout what you believe, make you sound like a freak

'Cause if you really believe what you say you believe
You wouldn't be so damn reckless with the words you speak
Wouldn't silently conceal when the liars speak
Denyin' all the dyin' of the remedy

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

If I can tell what's in your heart by what comes out of your mouth
Then it sure looks to me like being straight is all it's about
It looks like being hated for all the wrong things
Like chasin' the wind while the pendulum swings

'Cause we can talk and debate until we're blue in the face
About the language and tradition that he's comin' to save
Meanwhile we sit just like we don't give a shit
About 50,000 people who are dyin' today

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you? "

And a link to hear it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5pBXY2AkeY

I find it telling that the album is named after a confusion syndrome, where people don't know where their true feelings should lie, aligning themselves with those that hurt them.

As for the song, I can see why the label thought it a little controversial and yet love it that there is someone like Derek bringing issues to the table, issues that no one else in Christian arts would dare to do. He uses his medium to add to the dialogue. I'm not going to discuss my stance on homosexuality because that's not what Derek's doing either. He's not advocating for homosexuality but for an increased love for everybody by Christians. That's a message that is dead on Christ-center.

As for the language, I'm pretty sure that you and I and every Christian artist out there has said worse so why judge? Love matters more.

Jazz in the Park

Last night we celebrated Canada Day by going to check out Jazz in the Park, a weekly free performance in a park not too far from us. This first week was a little Indo-Jazz as we learned about the tabla drums of Northern India. Pretty funky sounds.



It was a nice cool evening and Daija enjoyed the tunes. I think we'll be back to check it out on a weekly basis as they focus on different styles of Jazz. Because it was put on by a local business association it's not affected by the strike.



As we were about to leave I spotted a small commotion caused by the arrival of local MP Jack Layton. I was tempted to join the crowd and shake his hand, pull him aside for a quick word, etc... but what would I say? "I voted for you!" sounds kind of lame, "But I don't think you'd make a great Prime Minister" sounds perhaps a little too harsh... every time I've seen him though he comes across as very down-to-earth.

On the topic of parks, we went for an evening walk in the ravine right next to us and it's quite a nice walking/bike path down there (aside from the slight sewer smell) that can take you meandering through the city right into the heart.

We're slowly getting out and exploring our new city and all it has to offer.

Aman Iman (Water is Life)

Just sharing a short documentary on one of the most impressive African groups around, Tinariwen. They are made of Touareg nomads and have melded an electric American blues style with traditional Touareg rhythms. They bring real life events to their music: rebellions, human rights issues, etc... and still sing in the traditional Touareg language. They are certainly not mainstream but, for those who are into great music, they hold some serious cred (Chris Martin of Coldplay acknowledged their influence on Viva la Vida). Their most recent release is Aman Iman (Water is Life) and is a great album.

The clip is 17 minutes long, but well worth the watch. Enjoy.

Best Albums of 2008

Being the music aficionado that I believe myself to be, I admire those who can look through their reams of music and rank them in some haphazardous fashion which makes them look so adept. So this year I am attempting the join the rank of true music lovers and share with you my favorite albums released in 2008. Feel free to agree or disagree in the comments.

1. The Acorn - Glory Hope Mountain

This has got to be the breakout album for this Ottawa based band. Folksy guitars and vocals mix with mad Honduran drum beats (two drummers!) and a laid back, chill style that morphs into a slightly more frenetic live performance. Got to see their show in Victoria which was a plus and made them a little cooler in my mind. And is probably the reason that they're first. Some good Canadian content.

Track to check out: Crooked Legs






2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

First album for this Seattle based band and it was a success gauged by placing 1st on the indie-prestigious and slightly obnoxious Pitchfork top album of 2008. It actually made most top 10 lists but what kind of music reviewer would I be without some sort of Pitchfork shout-out. And by calling it obnoxious I place myself slightly above such fare.

As for Fleet Foxes, they are defined by their incredibly tight vocal harmonies (even live) and they describe themselves as "baroque harmonic pop jams". Definitely a hint of jam band, way harmonic, slightly pop-py... but who knows what the heck baroque is... I mean, besides the first name of the next President of the United States.

Track to check out: White Winter Hymnal

3. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Lie Down in the Light

I think I have to rate this album third simply for how much it took me by surprise. Who would have thought that a guy who chose to name himself Bonnie "Prince" Billy could actually make a great album. I mean, I would have expected fairy tinkling or Scottish highland music or Prince covers or some outlandish mix of all three(and the cover certainly doesn't help). Instead, you get breathy, stripped down acoustic gems which drive you deep into that land called Introspection.

Track to check out: For Every Field There's a Mole


4. Coldplay - Viva la Vida

Um, really, who doesn't know Coldplay? Piano based ballads, whiny Chris Martin vocals, and glorious, glorious anthemic rock. Pretty much the biggest band since... U2? Their new album doesn't disapoint. It's not simply a rehashing of past formulaic successes but it still has that "Coldplay-ness" that is so distinctive (again, it might just be Chris's whiny voice - seriously, I still can't get Yellow out of my head, and not in a good way).

Track to check out: Violet Hill


5. Mother Mother - O My Heart

Some more Canadian content in this Vancouver based band. CBC called them "pure ear candy" and I would have to say, mmmm candy. They could be called indie pop-rock but, sticking with the candy analogy I think I will just call them Pop-rocks. I see they're going to be touring through the States with Sam Roberts - now that would be a super fun, high energy show totally worth driving to Chicago for.

Track to check out: Body of Years




6. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely

Led by the irascible JackWhite of White Stripes fame and toned down by the silky Brenden Benson this is a collaboration of musician's musicians and they make some gritty, grungy rock n' roll worth pouring yourself a glass of whiskey and drinking to. Unique in all ways and even each song carries a unique flavor.

Track to check out: Consoler of the Lonely







7. Calexico - Carried to Dust

While I have trouble saying what is so stand-out about this album, every time I listen to it I am sucked in by their blend of Spanish/South-western guitars, folksy blues and bad-ass ways. I also love their use of horns. Horns are good.

Track to check out: Victor Jara's Hands









8. Jakob Dylan - Seeing Things

Being the son of the legendary Bob Dylan is a hard cross to bear because, really, how do you measure up to that kind of success? Formerly of The Wallflowers, Dylan is off on his solo journey and all he remembered to pack was his acoustic guitar. I like people who know how to pack light. This is straight-up coffee shop material and while it lacks the writing insight that ol' Bobbo had, it's not too shabby in the writing department as well.

Track to check out: Evil is Alive and Well



9. Sam Roberts - Love at the End of the World

Forget Nickleback or whatever other lame-o band you think is the best Canadian band out there - it's Sam Roberts. And this could be his best album yet. Actually, as I sit here and think about all the good things to say about Sam Roberts, I realize I probably should have ranked this album a little higher. This is also the point where I wish I was Matt Bingham who went to his show in Victoria this last week. Rock at its finest (and Sam isn't too bad either).

Track to check out: Love at the End of the World


10. Ray Lamontagne - Gossip in the Grain

Soulful, silvery, shuffling - all 'S' words I would use to describe the album. This album restores my faith in Ray to create a masterful album that sails (another 'S' word) from start to finish. My only complaint is the track dedicated to White Stripes drummer Meg White. While she is as cool as all get out and deserves a song in her name, I am stuck thinking she deserves a little better.

Track to check out: You are the Best Thing




Honorable mention goes to the following:

The Watson Twins - Fire Songs
Asa (Asha) - Asa
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
Amos Lee - Last Days at the Lodge
Joshua Radin - Simple Times


Well, there is 2008. On to 2009.

African Artists

For most people, you'll never get a chance to dig into the amazing myriads of music that comes out of Africa. If you have it's likely been some of the classics like Fela Kuti or Ali Farxe Toure, or perhaps some of the more accessible South African bands and choirs like Ladysmith Black Mombaza or Soweto Gospel Choir.

Today on Eric's wanderings I present a few samplings of modern African music from a variety of genres to make you smile, make you tap your foot, and just maybe, make you go check out some more. Most of them are not very well known in North America or maybe even outside of their countries. But all way cool.

First off, some Nigerian folk/pop in the vein of Tracey Chapman or even a little Jack Johnson type rhythm. Asa (Asha) is a fairly new artist and this is her song, "Fire on the Mountain."




The next selection is from a famous Senegalese/Moroccan drummer, Mokhatar Samaba off his new album Dounia, which is also the title of the song. It starts off with a recording of the famous Archbishop Tutu. Check him out.



Next up is something very different and way cool. The band is Tinariwen and they are a Tuareg protest group recording in their native Tamasheq. They play in their local styles and rhythms, mixed with some blues. The Tuareg are the bedouins of the Sahara and this group formed in a refugee camp and has started making the world take notice of their culture and their people's plight. Check out the song, "Chet Boghassa".



This one makes me just want to smile and bob my head every time I hear it. A collaboration between 113 from Algeria and Magic System from Cote d'Ivoire. It's hip-hop with a fun, African twist. The part around 1:54 always makes me laugh! Check it out, "Un Gaou Oran".



Lastly, some very cool cats from South Africa. If reincarnation could be real I would probably choose to be one of these guys. BLK JKS from Johannesburg, some psychedelic, African inspired rock. Taking a look at this video, some day I want to be at a show like this... Check out "Summertime" here.



Well, that;s it for now - maybe at some point I'll do it again. Tell me if you enjoyed it, if you skipped through it because there were no pictures of my baby, or if you want recommendations. Peace all.

Musical Bits

For lack of engaging things to blog about I shall update you on my musical wandering and you shall pretend like you are interested.

Last week I went down to Element to check out Fleet Foxes live! I was stoked. The hour and a half waiting to get in made me less stoked. The jackasses who stood in front of me the whole time made me even less stoked.

And then Fleet Foxes came on. And they blew my mind away.

Their CD is one of those that makes you wonder if they can replicate it live. They can. Super tight harmonies, funky jams, and a more driving drum beat than their album made them one of the coolest bands I've seen live. Overall show experience: 6/10; Fleet Foxes: 10/10

I love going to shows but unfortunately Nolana doesn't share the same passion so I have been to few shows in the past many years... being away didn't help either. But I think I might try and squeeze one more in before le' babie arrives - The Acorn is coming in October which should be cool.

As for CD listenings and goings on... Been listening to Calexico's new one "Carried to Dust" which has some nice acoustic indie folk/latin rhythm stuff going on, bringing the steel guitar back into it. The Acorn's "Glory Hope Mountain" has some great Fleet Foxes meets Honduras vibes going on. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's CD "Lie Down in the Light" has been grabbing me for its simplistic, stripped down genius-ness.

Good tunes = good times.

Latest Listenings

I fancy myself something of a music buff. I have a website that keeps my listening stats which makes me something of a music nerd. The site tells me I currently have 1,156 musicians in my library. From those I am bringing you what I am really digging lately.

Fleet Foxes - "Fleet Foxes" - Think of these fellows as a love child of a crazy three-some: Simon & Garfunkel, The Shins and Sufjan Stevens. Easy melodies and voices of S&G with the fun complexity of The Shins and the songwriting quirkiness of Sufjan Stevens. And if you believe in the gospel of Pitchfork this album is the biggest thing to drop since Sufjan Steven's "Illinois." How can you go wrong?

The Raconteurs - "Consolers of the Lonely" - Do you like guitars? Do you like rock and roll? Then you must listen to this album! If you ask iTunes to direct you to "guitar-driven rock" you might end up with something like Nickelback which is fine... if you're a fourteen year old boy. If you want real meat-and-potatoes rock and nasty guitar riffs with a mean innovative streak - this is it. Jack White of The White Stripes is the push behind the Raconteurs but this project is tempered by his partner in crime Brendan Benson - something you don't see when he's in White Stripes mode. This is a great album!

Jakob Dylan - "Seeing Things" - Of Wallflowers fame, Jakob Dylan is moving solo. He's stripped down the music so it's essentially him and his guitar and while the album is not earth shattering it is effective. His songwriting is reminiscent of his old man (aka Bob Dylan) and his delivery draws you to the lyrics. Soothing acoustic melodies, deep soothing voice = excellent coffee shop material.

Hawksley Workman - "Between the Beautifuls" - This is a Canadian artist that few have heard of

and that everyone should know. Innovative piano driven rock that grabs and never lets go. This album is less rock and maybe more power pop but it only makes it more palatable to the casual listener. If you aren't convinced, listen to the single "Piano Blink" and, like they say, the rest will be history.