The Rashida Jones Beatbox Manifesto (September 2012)

Side A
01. 1970 by The Stooges
02. Dying for It by The Vaselines
03. Feed Me with Your Kiss by My Bloody Valentine
04. The Mirror by Mary Timony
05. The Fire by Television

Side B
01. Vomit Ascot by Skeleton Key
02. Run Right Back by The Black Keys
03. Keep on Runnin' (Crawlin' Black Spider) by Cat Power
04. The Diamond Sea by Sonic Youth

Back To School Means Back To A Record Store This September

It is September which means summer is coming to an end as the kids pile into school. You, however, can enjoy heading into the fall season with an endless assortment of new albums and deluxe edition reissues. With  releases ranging from Cat Power to The Killers to No Doubt to Pink and everything in between, there is not any reason for you to add new sounds to your collection this month

A Failed Attempt At Charming Coloring Books (August 2012)

Side 1
01. Set Your Arms Down by Warpaint
02. Hunter by Portishead
03. Bear by The Frogs
04. Magic Dance by David Bowie
05. New Moon on Monday by Duran Duran
06. Guiding Light by Television

Side 2
01. Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple
02. Velouria by Pixies
03. Editions of You by Roxy Music
04. Racehorse by Wild Flag
05. Film Music by Electrelane
06. You're Wondering Now by The Specials

In My Time Of Absence...

So it has been awhile since my last post and/or confession. The reason for this is due to spending time working on various art projects, some finished and others really need completion, and meeting and networking with new people which is crazy in its own right. Nonetheless, I have not abandoned H&J.  As such, I shall do a quick summary of everything I have wanted to talk about but have not found the time to do so.

The Last Days Before A Western Sunset (July 2012)

Side A
01. The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie by The Joy Formidable
02. Casualty by Snake River Conspiracy
03. I'm a Monster by Ours
04. We Had it Bad Today by The Softlightes
05. A Song for Europe by Roxy Music

Side B
01. The Alien Song (For Those Who Listen) by Milla
02. Don't Look Back by Luscious Jackson
03. Troublemaker by Beach House
04. Blacked Out and Blue by Cake Like
05. Roses by Skeleton Key

Interview: Mark Meatto

Recently, I spoke with filmmaker Mark Meatto to discuss How to Grow a Band, a documentary on progressive bluegrass quintet, Punch Brothers. Currently, the film is being screened in various theaters across the U.S. with distribution from International Film Circuit and possible fall release for home and retail purchase. Thanks to Mark Meatto for granting this interview on such short notice and thanks to the Gene Siskel Film Center for allowing me to film there. This interview took place on July 14, 2012. Here is also a link to upcoming screening dates and further information on the film.

Playlist: Pitchfork Music Festival Edition

I have not been around much to do this so what better day than now to do this. This weekend, if you can manage through the heat and possible rain, is the Pitchfork Music Festival. This year's lineup features Feist, Sleigh Bells, A$AP Rocky, Japandroids, Wild Flag, Danny Brown, Beach House and plenty more acts over the weekend. Here is a small selection of what you can expect to see over the next three days.

El-P (Bottom Lounge - July 6, 2012)

Building upon two critically acclaimed albums, rapper/producer El-P delivered a set inside Bottom Lounge that truly rivaled the 103-degree weather earlier on Friday. In his second appearance this year (the first being with his mid-late 90's collective, Company Flow in June), El-P treated the audience to a full performance of his recent album, Cancer 4 Cure, along with a few classics and bringing with him three impressive supporting acts.

El-P Brings Critically Acclaimed Sounds To Bottom Lounge Tonight

A little over a decade ago, rapper/producer El-P delivered a solid, apocalyptic one-two punch in the form of his production duties on Cannibal Ox's debut album, The Cold Vein, and his debut solo album, Fantastic Damage. These albums introduced to anyone listening to the world of Definitive Jux, the New York indie hip hop label ran by El-P and home to uniquely talented artists such as Mr. Lif, RJD2, Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic, Cage and S.A. Smash to name a small few. Throughout the aughts, Def Jux became the underground face of NYC hip hop just as Black Moon, Mobb Deep and Wu Tang Clan's sounds were plastered throughout the city through their tales of street life and inner city workings in the 90's. For awhile, Def Jux was unstoppable.

Celebrate Your Independence With These July Releases

July is filled with killer new releases from Baroness, Aesop Rock, JEFF the Brotherhood, Frank Ocean Blood Red Shoes, Hellyeah and Toadies. There are also excellent reissues from Sugar and The English Beat coming within the weeks to follow. With such great music coming out this month, you owe it to yourself to treat your ears and loved ones to any of the excellent selections hitting store shelves this month.

From the Land of Sky Blue Waters (June 2012)

Side A
01. I Melt With You by Modern English
02. Dots and Dashes (Enough Already) by Silversun Pickups
03. Pumpin' for Jill by Iggy Pop
04. Because I Do by X
05. Ain't That Nothin' by Television
06. Stop Your Foolin by Nervous Norvus

Side B
07. DNA by The Kills
08. Black Milk by Massive Attack
09. Dry Bone Valley by Mastodon
10. The Mob Rules by Black Sabbath
11. Beautiful World by Devo
12. Good Feeling by Violent Femmes

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion Debuts Black Mold

It has been eight years since The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion shortened their name (Blues Explosion) and released their last album, Damage. In 2010, the band returned for a series of dates to promote a best-of (Dirty Shirt Rock 'n' Roll) and a reissuing of their 90's Matador output. It is two years later and the trio are now preparing for the release of a new album, Meat and Bone, and a North American tour to follow this fall with a European festival tour proceeding both. Along with this is the debut of JSBX's lead-off track from Meat and Bone, the dirty, lo-fi rocker, "Black Mold." The new single is a more updated take on the band's classic sound complete with Spencer's trademark, howling vocals. A tracklist for Meat and Bone, tour dates and a download for "Black Mold" can be found below. Meat and Bone will be in stores on September 18 on Boombox/Mom + Pop.

Pick Of The Week: Faith No More and Bone & Bell

These picks could not be any further apart from each other. One recently celebrated its 20th anniversary and is still one of the most brilliantly unusual albums released by a hard rock band on a major label while the other is a stellar sophomore EP that adds another layer of beauty and artistry to an artist on the rise. The picks of the week are Angel Dust by Faith No More and Organ Fantasies by Bone & Bell.

Killer Mike On The Eric Andre Show

In the vein of Fernwood Tonight, Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show is a parody of late night talk shows. Unlike Barth Gimble and his humorous assortment of guests and crew members, Eric Andre and his co-host, Hannibal Buress, offer a manic hodgepodge of humor, confused guests, strange segueways and promos and overall random, cable access quality weirdness which is I love this show so much. To give you a good example, here is a segment that featured rapper Killer Mike as a hypeman for an opera singer. Really, that is all that I have to say about this clip and that The Eric Andre Show airs Sunday night at 11:30 p.m. CST on Adult Swim  and Killer Mike's latest LP, R.A.P. Music, is in stores now.

Never Too June For New Releases

June is filled with some impressive new releases and reissues (and judging by the title of this post, bad puns) from the likes of The Beach Boys, Melvins, Jukebox the Ghost, Nelly Furtado, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Japandroids and plenty more. There is even a four-disc Heart box set to begin the month alongside Fiona Apple's first release in seven years. This is an amazing month loaded with great releases to enjoy those summer days (and nights if you are drifting away). So buy yourself some music and play it loud. 

One Hit Wonder Or One Hit Blunder

Today Subject: "I Got a Man" by Positive K

When I was 10, I learned two extremely valuable lessons in regards to women. One was to never trust a big butt and a smile and the other was if you see a fine girl, just bust a move. It was not until I was 12 that I learned the power of persistence from the Pepe LePew of hip hop, Positive K. With one question, he summed up talking to and hooking up with attached women by asking "what's your man got to do with me" on his hit single, "I Got a Man."

In Your Honor... (May 2012)

Side A

01. Angel in the Snow by Elliott Smith

02. Judy is a Punk by Ramones

03. Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing by Minutemen

04. Don't Lie to Me by Big Star

05. Twenty Four Hours by Joy Division

06. Sky Diver by Eyedea & Abilities

07. Free Form Guitar by Chicago

08. Cosmic Slop by Funkadelic

09. The Update by Beastie Boys

10. How Can You Fix a Broken Heart? by The Bee Gees

Side B

01. Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy by Queen

02. Eazy-er Said than Dunn by Eazy-E

03. Brooklyn Zoo by Ol' Dirty Bastard

04. Rain When I Die by Alice in Chains

05. Man of Golden Words by Mother Love Bone

06. Parasite by Nick Drake

07. (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth by Metallica

08. The Mob Rules by Black Sabbath

09. KRS-One by Sublime

10. Jet Boy by New York Dolls

Two Minutes of OFF! Live at the Whiskey a Go Go

One of the highlights of the last few years has been the emergence of OFF!, the Californian hardcore quartet lead by former Black Flag/Circle Jerks frontman, Keith Morris. The band's debut, First Four EP's, was a more than welcomed injection into the arm of what the kids call punk and hardcore these days. The pop hooks and emo styled hair of modern bands has been replaced with guitar solos and short 1-2 minute bursts of pure American 80's hardcore.

Mayer Hawthorne Debuts Henny & Gingerale

It was Humpty Hump who once sang "I'll drink all the Hennessey you got on the shelf" but it is Mayer Hawthorne that wants to take the same drink, fill your cup with it and throw a party as he does in the video for "Henny & Gingerale." In the clip, Hawthorne becomes a younger, modern Hugh Hefner as he sings about his favorite drink before proceeding to fill the cups of any of the attractive partygoers, If there was ever song built to sell Hennessey and the bachelor life, this is it. After this video, if Hennessey should be sending Hawthorne free bottles or hiring him as a spokesman. It is the perfect combination of baby making music and a baby making drink. (Note: if this happens, can I have my 10%?)

Adam Yauch aka MCA of Beastie Boys (1964-2012)

It is with great regret and great remembrance that H & J honors the life and art of Adam Yauch, better known as MCA of Beastie Boys, who passed away earlier today at the age of 47 after a three year battle with cancer.