I've Made This For You #3
Presenting "I've Made This For You," an ongoing feature where one of our staff curates a playlist for another. Here, Zach continues his quest to break Luke's psyche with a haphazard mix of genres, from film scores to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Enter: Luke.
When we last left off, he had curated an "insanity" playlist of his favorite shades of metal for me. I enjoyed most of it, but the styles I disliked were certainly stinkers. And while I could have continued in the tradition of exposing each other to new styles, I just wanted to fuck with him a la Joe Exotic. Needless to say: nothing is sacred.
When we last left off, he had curated an "insanity" playlist of his favorite shades of metal for me. I enjoyed most of it, but the styles I disliked were certainly stinkers. And while I could have continued in the tradition of exposing each other to new styles, I just wanted to fuck with him a la Joe Exotic. Needless to say: nothing is sacred.
As always, normal font is Luke, italics is Zach.
oH nO, hE's UpPiNg ThE atNtE, iSn'T hE...
1. "Murder She Wrote" - Tairrie B.
I found out about Tairrie B. after watching an extended interview Nardwuar did with Ice-T. I can only describe her as the proto-Kreayshawn. Fun fact: Eazy E was her musical mentor.
Holy shit this is so fucking sick. This is just dated ass 90’s dance-beat hip hop and I LOVE IT. This particularly sounds like MC Hammer gambling in the Tron spaceship. I’m very into how weird this sounds, but it's still grounded in early 90’s pop-rap. The song also has a strong influence from Afrika Bambaataa, which you can see in the synths. The lyrics are Corn City but that’s all I want, it’s just about grooving and moving. Zach, YOU AIN’T STOPPIN' ME BRAH.
2. "Ramblin' Man From Gramblin'" - Sam Spence
Because NFL Films!
Some amazing big band jazz right here. Almost sounds like the score to a spy film. I wouldn’t typically listen to this style of jazz, I prefer weird fusion like Brecker Brothers or Billy Cobham, but this is phenomenally written. The melodies are so clear and sticky and the production is so warm. I love the drum breaks and how well the instruments work together. There are no masturbatory solos to be found and the sax line really hits. I do wish it was more artsy with experimentation and space, but for some clean ass big band jazz, this will always do the trick.
3. "Orions Belt" - Kitty Pryde & Riff Raff
Confession: I used to love Riff Raff. He was the first meme rapper I enjoyed, before I knew how to define what a meme rapper is. I saw him in concert, owned a copy of Neon Icon, and made some DIY tank top merch to wear during the summer of '14. But with time, maturity, and the accrual of sexual assault allegations, I've stepped away from the White Gucci Mane with the spray tan. Until now, when I forced Luke to listen to him.
Oh fuck, my boy Riff. I used to be obsessed with him like back in the TKO Capone days (home boy literally sampled Opeth and NO ONE talks about it). In fact, I can definitely still rap all of “Cookie Crisp.” I saw him live at the Middle East in 2012 and he came out 2 hours late, absolutely coked up. Terrible performance and I just kinda stopped listening to him, but he was a staple in my early college years.
Any who...once I hear the first rapper, I realize I know this song! I remember the video and I probably haven’t heard it in close to 8 years. I think her name was like Kitty or something? Where did she go?? Anyways, the beat is goofy and chill and Riff Raff has some of the funniest lyrics ever. I'm standing here laughing my ass off as this song plays. He literally “your girlfriend's vagina smells like Bumblebee Tuna.” I love how jumbled every bar is because he just needs to hit you over the head again and again with ostentatious statements. What a fuckin’ gem.
4. "Flameout" - Jerry Goldsmith
This score piece comes from the film "Logan's Run," which is an influential albeit dated sci-fi film from the 1970s. It was also used for a Family Guy gag parodying 70s sci-fi films. Either way, it's a brilliantly warped piece of music which I think Luke will enjoy. Gotta throw an occasional bone.
Loving this sci-fi ambience in the beginning honestly. I do have to say the main synth is very dated and wearing its welcome, but the background echoing feedback is a really nice touch. I don’t typically go for electronica that sounds like this and I can tell it’s old as fuck. This sounds like this was a very innovative piece of electronic music. As it progresses, it becomes way more insane and I’m starting to get with it again. I don’t think I would go back to this, but I have a shit ton of respect for it.
5. "Paralyzed" - The Legendary Stardust Cowboy
The Legendary Stardust Cowboy is one of the first true artists of the "outsider" tradition - although he did appear on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. He also was influential in the creation of psychobilly (see: The Cramps). Another fun fact: T Bone Burnett plays drums in the video and recording.
This is fun, the singer sounds trashed off of Tito’s. It’s very unnecessary and the vocals are mixed so fucking high, I can’t help but laugh. I don’t really know what is going on though, it’s not really a song, it's just some dude screaming. The band is really hanging on by a thread. The rhythm section has a pocket like leggings. By the end of the song, it kinda wears itself out, it’s just a non song and ridiculous noises for the sake of being...funny…I hope. Not into it, but wicked interesting.
6. "Roundball Rock" - John Tesh
BA BA BA BA BA BASKETBALL GIMME GIMME GIMME THE BALL BECAUSE IM GONNA DUNK IT!
Damn, this is the shit. I laughed so hard when this came on. The cowbell in the middle and the honky distorted guitars, this style of music never stood a chance.
7. "General Sherman" - Invalids
I can usually depend on twinkly emo and math rock being something that Luke despises. Considering that I find this song to be both overbearing and run of the mill Midwest worship, I have a good feeling Luke's gonna hate this.
Ugh. This is fucking atrocious. Especially when the tapping goes double time. This is sloppy and masturbatory with the worst creaky emo vocals. None of this writing has any compassion or humanity in it, it’s all to show off triplet tapping runs for basement dwelling loser audiences. This is boneless TTNG and a reminder to me why this modern era of math rock is fucking trash.
Once it stopped being about worshipping King Crimson’s 80’s material and more so about following American Football’s twinkly arpeggios, they lost me (college age Luke would disagree with this, but I’ve evolved). The middle section could have a nice chord progression, like the root notes are definitely there, but the guitars never give way for any space. They are always just hammering away fast fills and the vocals are so half assed. They are really trying to be Stuart from TTNG, but you can tell vocals are far less than an afterthought.
8. "Thief" - Ookay
This song is the most "let's worship the 1980s in an EDM banger" I could find. Eat shit, Luke.
Not into it. The quiet sections are really generic and lame. The vocals sound like if Passion Pit was from Connecticut and not Boston. Just vapid and soulless. The drop isn’t half bad with the sax, I was surprised. It is not as annoying as most dubstep drops are. However, this style of EDM is almost always annoying as shit, I am not with it. I hate the cookie cutter formula of underwritten verses and a full section that is a build up of snares just to lead to a drop. Like every piece of a song should be amazing. It just reminds me of every hardcore band that sounds like trash right up until the breakdown.
9. "Mommy Where's Daddy" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Fate has bestowed upon me a love of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, something that Luke loves to give me shit over. But I'm not blind in my adoration - and if their 1983 debut demonstrates anything, its that they had a loooooooooong way to climb...
Lol.
But for real. This is a slower tempo for the Silly Peppers, and actually sounds like a different band to what they have sadly become. It’s P-Funk worship with quirky vocals and weird rapping, but it’s a nice vibe. I actually don’t hate this - until Anthony Keidis says “give daddy a kiss GURRRRLLLLLLL.” Like, this man admitted to having a relationship with a 14 year old Catholic school girl, stop being a fucking creep.
The bass line is so much more tame than Flea’s typical affair (keep in mind his work on the Mars Volta’s Deloused in the Comatorium is some of my favorite bass playing ever). I love a tame Flea, and I love how the guitars aren’t trying to bust out into lame solos. I love the horn sections too, the drums do feel sloppy but their mix is very warm and round. Definitely one of the more enjoyable RHCP songs I’ve heard.
10. "SPLASH" - Lil Debbie ft. OGAQUAFINA
Ending where we began: with a song that I wish didn't exist.
Dude, what has she been up to? I fucking loved her, she had that tape BayTL...OH FUCK, that was V Nasty. Never mind.
Lil Debbie is alright. Beat is fun and Bay Area as fuck. Her vocals need more of a commanding presence. Like V Nasty is really about what she is saying even though she got a lot of flack for that when she came out. But yeah, this is okay.
FINAL VERDICT
Much better than the first time around! It was really weird seeing a lot of video game music and a lot of weird rap from my college days that is definitely going to be forgotten about. It was enjoyable overall besides a few songs, although I don’t think I will listen to too much besides Riff Raff.
I am definitely going to get back into Riff Raff.
