Apart from Malcolm's email, yesterday's post received 0 comments. Which suggests to me that you are all either a) extremely anti-french; b) extremely anti-scottish; or c) extremely good at making the most of your Memorial Day holidays. I'll hope it's the latter option, and that I've not alienated everyone. Welcome back?
Mase - "Welcome Back". I mentioned this song here, and first read about it here. Indeed, Mase is back - the story goes that he found God and gave up the thug-stuff... as he puts it here, he's a "bad boy gone clean." This might elicit indifference from some of you (or even uneasy memories of MC Hammer), but please understand: "Welcome Back" is easily the warmest, friendliest hip-hop track of the year, with cheers and hugs all round, and what Mark P rightly called a "loping, smily-faced beat." The crowd gathers close, yellow light glances from the walls, there's slow bump dancing and earnest pats on the back. A demure piano taps simply at the bottom, strings eke out a theme (from Welcome Back Kotter? Maybe. I've never seen Welcome Back Kotter.), and everyone else seems to be shouting hellos, singing the hook, setting the table. "I make my money, man, without the coca / livin la vida without the loca." Laid back but jubilant.
Hedningarna - "Räven (Foxwoman)". And since I hate to be predictable, here's dark-weird nordic alt-folk to complement the goofy rap. It starts off with breathing, rapid and spooky, soon joined by a brute, drumming bass-line. Something like a didjeridoo drones in the background; a baritone voice begins to intone; then - glance to the side - and it's a lulling woman's voice, a lute playing alongside. Whip back to hear the saw of strange strings, overlapping wails. The Finnish language is perfectly suited to this between-worlds music, like the language of goblins, of elves, of foxes. Like a lot of the music from the neo-folk movement in northern Europe, Hedningarna has an incredible ability to set a scene, to evoke terrifying/wondrous imagery, scenes and faces and eyes that you'll never see. Early morning music to nightmare by - Rammstein at Odin's hoedown. [buy]
gmailswap update: was interviewed twice, Monday, for the BBC World Service.
a reminder: i'm taking tomorrow off as i go to montreal and graduate. huzzah. see you thursday!
Posted by Sean at June 1, 2004 12:35 AMEagerly awaiting the "fresh" Okkervil River... I've been a fan for a while, and I'm stoked hearing about their new EP. Moonshiner is one of my favorite songs of all time, and I'm floored to hear they decided to cover it. Too bad they won't be on tour out here on the West Coast though :/
Posted by rojazz at June 1, 2004 1:21 AMOf course Mase's new image wouldn't have anything to do with the success of Kanye West, would it? Excuse me while I'm skeptical over his sudden "conversion."
Posted by sludge at June 1, 2004 9:18 AMthe conversion isn't sudden-- he got out of the game back in the late 90s BECAUSE he found god.
Posted by robot mark at June 1, 2004 10:51 AMmase was never all that HARD anyway..he did hang with puffy, i mean c'mon...anyway he always made me chuckle, i am glad to have him back..
it was the latter....
Posted by mike at June 1, 2004 12:37 PMOh, and this song is mostly based on the theme song from "Welcome Back Kotter." The chorus/post-chorus are all "interpolations" of the theme. It was actually written/performed by John Sebastian of the Lovin' Spoonful. That's him singing on that "welcome back" sample.
I'm surprised someone didn't do this sooner.
And Mase's delivery hasn't changed one tiny iota. Funny.
Posted by music robot mark at June 1, 2004 12:39 PMThe Mase song is great.
I don't think the strings are from Welcome Back Kotter, but obviously the hook/vocals are, and I believe the Piano is as well. Never seen it? Man, you are missing out. Oh well, you can make up for it with Degrassi Jr. High.
Congrats on graduating--enjoy.
Posted by Scott at June 1, 2004 12:40 PMI really liked both of the tracks yesterday, for one (am in Montreal, so the Jean Leloup was familiar). And everything I've heard so far by Hedningarna has been ace...
Posted by Sabina at June 1, 2004 12:49 PMI really wanted to hate the Mase song. Really. But damn, it's catchy.
Posted by Tim at June 1, 2004 1:34 PMI've been wanting to hear that Mase song for forever now, thanks. I like it. And I used to hate Mase. You wouldn't believe how hard it was to find without P2P.
caley
-"Livin La Vida without the Loca"
LOOOOVE the mase song. er, excuse, me - the ma$e song. support literacy and read his biography! great stuff.
Posted by tried and true attention-getting tactics at June 1, 2004 1:55 PMneither anti-french nor anti-scottish, just anti-effort (my own anyway). liked it all tho "all i want" was *truly* an unexpected pleasure. thx.
Posted by jr at June 1, 2004 6:24 PMCongratulations on graduation, Sean!
Posted by Elliott at June 1, 2004 8:09 PMi am anti-scottish...sorry...
congrats on graduating!
Posted by lusitania dupree at June 2, 2004 1:34 AMLessee - how about 'Graduation Day' by Chris Isaak as a celebration? I'll post you an mp3 if you don't have it: congrats, Sean.
Posted by Dymbel at June 2, 2004 6:14 AMcongrats Sean!
its all down hill now!
Posted by bw at June 2, 2004 4:15 PMMase, I never missed you. Really I wish Power 99 would stop spinning your crap. Sean, you've posted many better tracks than this one. Sorry, this is not the most constructive comment.
Posted by jc at June 2, 2004 10:36 PMI'm surprised no one commented on the Hedningarna. I love this song.
Posted by Ieinz at June 3, 2004 6:34 PMI'm glad I can watch MTV and say that there are some great role models. I want to be like Mase & Kanye West walking the walk and talkin the talk about my Christian Life!!!!!!
Posted by KC at July 14, 2004 9:33 PM
and it will begin playing. All songs are also available to download: just right-click the link and choose 'Save as...'
