Best Albums of 2010 – through the first quarter – Part Three

4. The Souljazz Orchestra – Rising Sun (Strut)
A largely acoustic album, the sounds on this brilliant release are rooted in African rhythms, gorgeous jazz and varying styles. The musicianship is where it’s at with musicians that easily travel into different modes and keys before always finding their way back home – even when it isn’t exactly to the tonic. And that’s just the thing, even when they’re all over the place, there is still a richly warm tone to their sound and in every sense of the word, this is an outstanding album.

3. Gil Scott-Heron – I’m New Here (XL Recordings)
A true legend, Gil Scott-Heron took fifteen years off before returning to present a poignant and stirring album. Call me crazy but being able to make superb music so late in the game is one amazing accomplishment and one that not only places Scott-Heron back into his classic status but it leaves you wondering just how many people still don’t know about him. Everything about I’m New Here is downright flawless, that it should be vitally remembered for years and years to come.


2. Hot Chip – One Life Stand (Astralwerks)
In making amends for a previous album that left you stale and cold – wanting more songs as good as “Ready for the Floor” – the electronic group returned with what is easily their most accomplished work to date. The best treat in any kind of music following is when a band who’s been dabbling in greatness for a while finally comes to the plate and smashes a home run over the fences. It’s sincerely deserving of praise because Hot Chip has presented an unstoppable force of exceptional music to behold.

1. Titus Andronicus – The Monitor (XL Recordings)
The New Jersey band has created something both masterful and brilliant with their second release. A concept album that is loosely based on the Civil War, it still holds the amazing music that has made Titus Andronicus such a beloved band. And while its subject matter was devoted from lead-man Patrick Stickles’ studying of the war, the band fills the album with exciting music that is always out with one mission in mind: thrill and stun. And with The Monitor, mission accomplished.

The final songs for this batch are a double bill courtesy of Mr. Scott-Heron and the guys from Hot Chip. The latter is first with their fantastic song, “One Life Stand.” The video is the promotional one for the song and thus, it is shortened but let those lovely synths, corresponding rhythms and the terrific wordplay take you over.


And then there is the video for “Me and the Devil.” The music is stormy and dark, allowing Scott-Heron take over with his matured and distinct voice. It’s an incredible entryway into what the album is about and for all of its mystique, it’s an undeniably outstanding piece of art. – Bryan

Best Albums of 2010 – through the first quarter – Part Two

8. Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me (Drag City)
After dazzling with Ys, an album that was filled with five of the most engaging songs of the past decade, Joanna Newsom took some definite time off to plan her next move. Quietly and secretly, she’s amassed eighteen songs of music that are all about focusing on her songwriting strength and beautiful voice. A voice that is enchanting and beguiling, Newsom has again created something tangibly spectacular; only this time she’s far more direct and that much more in control.

7. Gonjasufi – A Sufi and a Killer (Warp)
Resting on top of a resilient establishment where influences from Middle-Eastern sounds, to re-imagined hip-hop, to bustling old-sounding records lay, is an enigmatic singer/rapper, Gonjasufi. Taking cues from three gifted producers, there is never any denying that it’s Gonjasufi’s terrific voice that is the star of the show. The music is so diverse and free-moving that in reality, it’s a viscerally charged representation of what this album is: sincere and downright remarkable, it’s truly a special album.

6. Pantha Du Prince – Black Noise (Rough Trade)
An incomparable musician, Pantha Du Prince makes the kind of electronic that should be played at clubs around town. His mesmerizing take on what is usually deemed a ‘repetitive genre’ proves that he knows exactly what he is doing when he combines elements of classical into his electronic music. This is absolutely enriching and marvelous music that should never be ignored. It’s unlike what you’re used to hearing and probably a bit more challenging but give it time and reap its rewards.

5. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Virgin)
What else can we really say about this excellent set of music that Gorillaz created? Not only did it silence all the doubters and haters but it resoundingly showcases a band that is gelling and hitting on all cylinders. The music is captivatingly stunning with new beats and styles forming underneath a colorful umbrella of music and just for diversity, throw in Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, De La Soul, Little Dragon, Mos Def and Mark E. Smith, to name a few, and you have the wonderful album that Plastic Beach is.

For one of my favorite songs of 2010, I went with Yeasayer’s “O.N.E.” I know that “Ambling Alp” gets a ton of exposure but I love the free-spirit and entirely joyful music of the former. Their new album, Odd Blood, is filled with great moments and I can’t help but smile and sing along with the band as they sing, “No, you don't move me anymore. And I'm glad that you don't, 'cause I can't have you anymore.” And I think I figured out how to get individual media to play here, so check it out! – Bryan
Yeasayer – “O.N.E.”

Best Albums of 2010 – through the first quarter – Part One

With the first quarter coming to an end, I thought it’d be cool to do a 2010 list of the top albums through this part of the year. I’ve said it before and it’s true, it’s been a massive year for music. Today, I'll release albums #12-9 and I will do some more tomorrow. All great albums, in my opinion.

12. Spoon – Transference (Merge)
The Austin-based rockers have always been criminally overlooked for lazy reasons. Their consistent brand of solid rock with hook-laden riffs is so unbelievably consistent that if we’re not careful, we may just take them for granted. You see, Spoon aren’t just an awesome band but they’re one of the finest acts in the last ten years and with Transference, everything is again, solidified and proven. The music is brilliant and it even hones in on what they perfected before: strikingly good rock music that can be loved by all.

11. Beach House – Teen Dream (Sub Pop)
Beach House’s duo has always been able to create music to pair with feelings of nostalgia but they’ve somewhat, in a way, perfected their dream pop with Teen Dream – an album that flows like the beach and cascades with lush melodies, harmonies and fantastic gentleness. And while their craftiness starts and ends with Victoria Legrand’s magnetic singing, it reaches farther than you’d expect. It’s a step up and justifiably so, its expressional devotion towards good music shines all around like a radiant day at the beach.

10. Four Tet – There is Love in You (Domino)
Regarded by the likes of Radiohead as a musician we should all be on the look out for, Four Tet’s Kieran Hebden constructed something magical with There is Love in You. In a day and age where more and more music is being dumbed down for the masses, Hebden contrasts that notion with music that is both intelligent and soaked with gripping melodies and harmonies. Electronic music is still on a high note and it’s because of forward-thinking musicians like Hebden that we can even say that.

9. Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté – Ali and Toumani (Nonesuch)
The second and seemingly last album for these two guitarists as Touré passed away and is sadly, no longer around, is a collection of fascinating music. Not only do they weave their way around their guitar-based instruments with splendid ease but their strong sense of melody and harmonics is astounding. It’s refreshing to see them attempt slower, gentle tunes and then rip into highly-energetic jubilant songs: bottom line is that Ali and Toumani is a startlingly beautiful album, rich with poise and craft.

The song for today comes from the aforementioned Beach House album. It’s the first song, “Zebra,” and it’s pretty awesome; just let it wash over you. – Bryan

New Music & 2010 Songs, Pt. 3

I’m gonna leave Nice Nice for Nick to write about since he has some special goodies to share but I will introduce them with this great quote that can be found by checking out Titus Andronicus’ website. I wish I could state just how good the former was but let me borrow a quote from their frontman, Patrick Stickles, on the band:

If I had to pick one moment of this tour where I really achieved transcendence, though, it would have to be a few nights ago in El Paso, where we found ourselves playing second on a four band bill, after our pals Let's Wrestle, but before this band called Nice Nice (not named after the club from the Lifter Puller mythology, I found out), who I had never heard of before. Long story short, THEY ARE FUCKING AMAZING.

Truly a remarkable duo, they’re precise, flawless and even their ‘mistakes’ sound like part of the music, this is what they look like:


Closing out the night was UK-based but from Australia band, Pivot. The trio has been known for having a strong love for Talking Heads so there was some urge that maybe they’d rip into a live show of their music but alas, no dice. Nonetheless, their music is layered with sounds of shimmering guitar on top of the band’s intensified drumming. While electronics play a small role, their sound is obviously influenced by the romanticism of the 80s but with a much larger current riding throughout. The crowd was smaller for these guys and that was truly unfortunate; they put on an impressively musical live show – just enough to remind you that shows like these shouldn’t be so far apart.

Another song from 2010 that is absolutely outstanding is Spoon’s “I Saw the Light.” It’s a tour de force that changes tempos, styles and even meters throughout it’s magnetic music. It’s on their new album, Transference, which is as usual, another solid album from Spoon. The video isn’t the best but it is the best I could find and check out that ending coda, it’s amazing. There’s no reason why it should be ignored and with a song as good as this nestled in the heart of the album, why would you want to ignore them anyways? – Bryan

Jamie Lidell

I remember seeing him at the Austin City Limits Festival two years ago, Jamie Lidell is one of the many all-stars on Warp’s tremendous label. The outfit is home to awesomeness like Grizzzly Bear, Flying Lotus (new album May 3), Nice Nice (new album April 5), Autechre (new album out now) and the aforementioned Gonjasufi (new album out now), amongst other skillful acts. Lidell fits in nicely with his soaring vocals, tremendous instrumentation and his soulful drive and has a new album, Compass, out on May 17. He’s delivered a video where we can look into the making of the album and it’s pretty fun, check it out here. – Bryan

New Music & 2010 Songs, Pt. 2

On that same night, Lets’s Wrestle was touring with Titus Andronicus and although the latter could have been the night’s own headlining act, they played second with their exceptional musical ability. Before the show, a few of the member sat around some of the couches at their merchandise table and humored me as I hovered over all of their music. They had both of their albums – including their latest triumph, The Monitor – available, as well as a few 7” and one special, tour-only 12”. Amy Klein would sit on one of the couches and cutely smile when someone approached her and asked about an album but even though I was there to hear everyone, lead singer Patrick Stickles showed up to deliver wonderful comedy interspersed between asking for a drink, speaking to fans or even, checking out Let’s Wrestle.

If you go to their site, you can read Stickles’ entire thoughts on the first phase of their tour and you can read about how much he loved Nice Nice (more on that later) but as for his band’s own show, let’s just say that they owned it. Musicianship is always a top priority for me and this band has multitudes of it. It was amazing hearing their studio songs come to life underneath the band’s rolling energy. And everything is done with such emotion and passion that even just as a member of the audience you feel the need to jump in. Highlight of the show: singing, “You will always be a loser” about forty times straight, as loud as possible, with the band. Below is the opening song to that aforementioned album, there’s a reason why they’re one of Rolling Stone’s “Top 10 Bands of 2010.”



And here is a taste of what Gorillaz conquered with their newest album, Plastic Beach. One of the best songs of 2010 is their song “Empire Ants” that features Little Dragon. Starting off tranquil but with a cloud of foreshadowing, Damon Albarn softly sings before leading into an explosion of synths. It manifests into a towering electronic display of tremendous strength with Yukimi Nagano’s fantastic voice riding on top of everything. - Bryan

New Music & 2010 Songs, Pt.1

I’ve been away for the past few days trying to set certain things in motion and adjusting to countless changes at work left and right (it now looks like my weekends off will no longer be come May.) Regardless, I wish this not to be a journal but rather, a focus on the magic of music. I mean, it is magical right? But I’ve also been busy attending some tremendous shows filled with astounding music. I look forward to making posts about each band’s talents and skills and also, I offer up some of 2010’s best songs of the year. I’ll try to do this each night but I can’t make any promises and in the meantime, I’ll get some kind of “Best albums of the first quarter” post ready for next week.

U.K. rockers Let’s Wrestle took to the ‘stage’ first at Sunday night’s show for Surreal Week. Fresh off signing a major deal with Merge, the garage rockers opted for water with tons of lemon to soothe their aching voices. Their music was an amazing effort: energetic, blasting through the speakers and ridiculously raucous. Singer Wesley Gonzalez did his best at reaching for the high vocals but even though his voice was cracking left and right, their bassist and drummer are rocks of solid rhythm. Fresh-faced and young in every aspect, their music swelled with an intense amount of volatile vocals and explosive guitar riffs. Their new album, In the Court of the Wrestling Let’s is out as of Tuesday, I got my hands on two home-made CD-Rs and I suggest all of their music; the whole album is streaming here for a limited time at Merge’s site.

And here is Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s “Half-State,” a face melting slice of psychedelic blues rock that shakes and rattles with an impressive amount of flair. Check out the seven-minute mark where the top of the roof comes blasting off, it’s euphoria. – Bryan

Frontera Bugalú

I’ve got to give it up to Nick guys, he’s shown me so much good local music that I am seriously in debt to him in that department. If I ever come across a local band that is amazing, I will show it to him and everyone else for that matter but I’m pretty sure he’d probably say, truthfully, “I’ve heard of them” and then properly call me a hater for being negative for so long. There is too much, GOOD, local music to seek and pursue, if you haven’t gotten into the local scene in your town, please rectify that – it will be well worth your time.

The DA is a local band, an indie band with great musicians, on the opposite side of the spectrum is another local band that delves in Latin roots with cumbias, salsa and even some jazz, Frontera Bugalú. Their music is contagiously memorable and has the ability of making your entire body move to its grooves and beats. All of the members are outstanding musicians with the lone female member being a lovely thing to view on stage, let alone to hear her sing or play whatever instrument she has recently mastered. They’re all genuine people who are all about making soulfully good music (soul as in it comes from the deepest cavern inside of you) and representing and making their roots, their traditions proud.

They play tonight at the County Coliseum but the big show is next Saturday, March 27 at Bombardier’s with Radio La Chusma – a can’t-miss event. Here is a video I found of them performing “La Murga” at El Paso’s Mercado Mayapan from last year. It’s a little older than I’d like but it captures their ability at making very good, extended, musical music that is filled with heart and soul. – Bryan

Johan de Meij – Symphony No. 1 (The Lord of the Rings)

I think our blog might be a little too sprawling but then again, I don’t necessarily consider that to be a bad thing either. But I feel entirely out of place if I don’t start bringing up classical music and jazz too – can’t ever forget about jazz. (If you ever meet anyone who tells you jazz is unimportant or inferior to classical music, please punch them in the face. Tell them I said it was OK too because they are way off base. And believe me, you will meet such purists who speak such horrible claims.)

Anyway, one of my favorite classical compositions for a band, or wind ensemble if you will, is Johan de Meij’s Symphony No.1, which is also known as The Lord of the Rings Symphony. Long before the massive films took to the silver screen, de Meij would compose five movements based on the novels and scored it for a wind ensemble. They aren’t the most difficult pieces of music to perform but they are infectiously gripping. And they color the books with magnificent music that is equally melodic and harmonic, with trumpets being at the frontline, there is everything from “Gandalf”’s fierce horses to the ominous cave found in “Gollum,” to the simply titled, “Hobbits.”

If I’m not mistaken, I think all three of us were in high school when we played “Hobbits” and it was a great feeling. I remember campaigning for us to play the first movement, “Gandalf,” but it would have been too much music. Either way, the entire suite is fantastic and below is a video for that aforementioned fifth movement, “Hobbits,” check it out. – Bryan

Let the Sunshine in

Today marks the first day of Spring, and for some reason its cooler and cloudier than it has been in a week or two here in the sun city. And since our banner at the current moment here at ODDGILA is a picture of my fair city El Paso aka The Sun City aka EL Chuco... I find it doubly appropriate for a “SUN” inspired post. With an average of over 300 days a year of sunshine, El Chuco residents are well accustomed to the bright yellow rays of our celestial power house. That’s why when I go a few days with out the warmth of sunshine in my life I start going a little crazy. With that said, some of my favorite songs about the SUN...
Bill Withers “Ain’t no Sunshine”
Sunshine=Girl=warmth=happiness


Bobby Hebb “Sunny”

Disco version anybody...Boney M “Sunny”

Lou Rawls "In the Evening When the Sun Goes Down"
When the sun goes down, you realize you're girl is gone.


Stevie wonder "You are the Sunshine of My Life"

5th Dimension "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"

Buena Vista Social Club

I’m pretty sure I’ve said it before but we spend so much of our lives in a confusing haze: hardly living. Some of us are so severely entangled with bad decisions that each subsequent choice is another step in the wrong direction; other times we’re so heavily depressed that we move with lax undertone, as if nothing else matters. I can speak on both behalves and attest that neither is a way to live, especially when there is 1) So much to grasp and attain and 2) Things could always be so much worse.

But before I get too sentimental in my foolish statements, I can honestly say that if you continue to live life with that aforementioned, apathetic, outlook you will miss out on the greatest of greats. Music is still what unites as people: it’s the sole aesthetic art that can have a close family of twenty people sobbing and crying to “God Bless America” at a funeral and on the opposite side of the spectrum, have hundreds of strangers jumping for joy to “Lost Coastlines.”

When I first came across Buena Vista Social Club’s album, I was floored – to say the least. I remember just entering high school and hearing about this so called ‘special’ album that was recorded and made in Cuba. These musicians gave their entire lives to creating music that would only be heard by those in the Cuban clubs and streets. And they were talented musicians, gifted artists, that played piano, guitars, mandolins and that had voices so gorgeous they felt as if it was heaven speaking directly to you.

An American musician, Ry Cooder, found them and asked them to record their songs with him, on an album that would suit them justice. They would have done it for free but he gladly paid them and the ensuing result was not just the best album of 1997 (yes, the BEST album of 1997, better than Radiohead’s OK Computer) but arguably, one of the finest sets of music in the last decade. You see, these musicians poured their hearts and souls into their music; they gave absolutely everything to create breathtaking music. It covers everything from Cuban son, to soul, to samba, to jazz, to bossa nova, to whatever else they mastered – with a piano solo here and there. It’s a landmark album, one that is exceptionally above all else and as most members of this club have now passed (R.I.P.) they can rest assured that their legacy is set in stone with this prestigious club, the Buena Vista Social Club, don’t let it pass you by. – Bryan

UTEP Basketball Update/Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté – Ali and Toumani

First off, the UTEP basketball team ended up losing the C-USA tournament and Houston went on to pull off an upset to gain the automatic bid. I’d like to say that I had a feeling this would happen since we had one conference loss the whole season and it was against…wait for it…yep, Houston. But hindsight is 20-20 or something or other.

Either way, we got the shaft from the tournament committee. We received a #12 seed and play Butler in the first round; in fact, us and Utah State were the last at-large teams to get in the tournament. But not only is Butler a very good team but they were in the top 25 for most of the season and had quality wins against Ohio State, Xavier and Siena, to name a few. But hey, one of their four losses was against UAB, a team we beat twice during the year, except from the loss to Houston we were riding a hot streak and it’s the NCAA tournament and anything can happen. The game is this Thursday, March 18 at 2:55 PM our time – I smell a chance of leaving early from work this day?


Now onto music: please check out the new album by Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté, simply titled, Ali and Toumani. It’s the second and seemingly last album for these two guitarists as Touré passed away and is sadly, no longer around. Not only do they weave their way around these guitar-based instruments with superb ease but their strong sense of melody and harmonics is astounding. It’s refreshing to see them attempt slower, gentle tunes and then rip into highly-energetic jubilant songs: bottom line is that it is an amazingly beautiful album. Below is the digital single, “Kala Djula,” that World Circuit offered for the aforementioned new album. R.I.P. Ali Farka Touré

We missed the beginning of Surreal Week today but I should be there tomorrow to watch some shows but for those that were there for The DA’s show at The Garage on Saturday, was that awesome or what?

Surreal Week

One of the things about El Paso that I can’t stand is the shoddy promoters who do a terrible job of promoting shows. Usually, they fall way behind and don’t get enough support or exposure to get a good crowd and often, they simply slack off. It’s the biggest confusion as to why a concert for a local band like The Royalty can get a packed Take II and then a show for Abe Vigoda and No Age gets like 40 people at an old Club 101 venue. The same attendees, these cool hipsters, should be at all the indie shows and yet, they show up in tiny margins. Personally and I hate to admit it but I’ve missed shows by bands Neon Indian and the first time Deerhunter came around because I didn’t even know about them.

So you wonder, “Then why don’t you promote shows?” Trust me, I think that if I had $10,000 in spare money to lure bands and connections with clubs and bars, I’d be doing that. Fortunately, every now and then, we get some decent shows to come by and a local promoter has put together Surreal Week. A spin off the South by Southwest ceremonies in Austin, they plan on having over 20 bands play at three different venues: The Black Market, Hideaway Lounge and The Percolator between March 14 – March 22.


Some of the bands I plan on seeing for sure are local band The DA (Nick mentioned them in a previous post) on Sunday, March 14; the St. Patty’s free show with Ty Segall which I have heard a lot about; and the March 21st show where Nice Nice, Pivot and Titus Andronicus will play. I think that, in my head, I might head out every night just to get some new music in my blood and to hear these great bands but that seems like a daunting task because I still work all week. But for those three shows, they will be for sure RSVPs.

If it’s anything like previous SXSW-inspired gigs then the stages will be set up to allow for bands to play simultaneously and that would be great. Titus Andronicus alone is a great band to check out because they are riding the tails of a successful sophomore album and are an awesome band – here is the review I wrote on DOA for their album and below is the ‘trailer’ for the new album, The Monitor. The flyers are there (click on them to see full size), check it out and support the music if you can go. – Bryan

I ♥ Brazil

So I had this post I never got around to putting up accompanied by an ill mix I made for Carnival. It had some amazing Brazilian cuts on it that, well you just can’t miss out on. Instead of getting into a lengthy discussion of how amazing the beaches are in Brazil, or how the beautiful game is played with more beauty then anywhere else in the world, or how the women are gorgeous …. I mean I’m not even gonna mention how the next world cup is gonna be in Brazil, or how the world’s lungs are located within its borders, or how delicious caiperinhas are, or how the women, oh the women….I’ll just let the Brazil’s music speak for itself.
First up we got Sergio Mendes and the Brasil ‘66 with the classic tune entitled “Mas Que Nada” which translates roughly into, “What’s with that”. The song is basically about a dude trying to get to the dance floor cause some real live ass shit is playing and everybody’s in his way. So he’s like “Mas que nada, Sai da minha frente, eu quero passer, Pois o samba esta animado ,O que eu quero e sambar” which translates roughly to “ What’s with that, Get out of my way, I need to pass, Cause the samba is moving me, I want you and I wanna samba!!”

Sergio Mendes made “Mas Que Nada” famous, however it was actually written by Jorge Ben in 1963. Another tune of Ben’s that I absolutely love is “Eu Vou Torcer”. It appears on one of my favorite Brazilian albums of all time, “A Tábua De Esmeralda”, which is one of those special albums you can play beginning to end with out wanting to remotely skip a track.

If Isaac Hayes, Barry White or any of the other American soul brothers of the 70’s had a contemporary in Brazil it was dude right here. Tim Maia started his musical career in ’70 and kept making records up into the late 90’s. The emotion he put in his voice and funky soulful compositions he sang on are an amazing example of how soul and funk reached almost every corner of the globe. This is Brazilian Soul-Funk at its absolute best!

So like all great musical styles there are magnificent occurrences when great minds come together and make amazing records. For the neo-soul there’s the SOULQUARIANS and for Brazilian music aficionados there is Clube da Esquina. Basically a creative musical outfit headed by Milton Nascimento, it’s also the title of Nascimento’s 10th studio album. On the album there is a track that has to be one of my all time favorite songs. I’m grown man, a father, whatever, but every time I hear this song, my eyes start welling up, it’s that powerful. It’s even more powerful after learning the meaning, which is basically about not giving up on your dreams, not looking back and knowing what you were really capable of.

The Souljazz Orchestra – Rising Sun

Label Strut Records has been putting out some consistently amazing music for the past few years. Last year, they really rocked my socks off with their third edition in the Inspiration Information series, an album by the legendary Mulatu Astatke and The Heliocentrics. They’ve got a new Astatke album (his first studio album in over 20 years) coming out at the end of March which will be great but they also have a fantastic new album by The Souljazz Orchestra, out now, entitled Rising Sun.

A largely acoustic album, the sounds on this brilliant release are rooted in African rhythms, gorgeous jazz and varying styles. The musicianship is where it’s at with musicians that easily travel into different modes and keys before always finding their way back home – even when it isn’t exactly to the tonic. And that’s just the thing, even when they’re all over the place, there is still a richly warm tone to their sound and in every sense of the word, this is an exceptional album.

The artwork is astounding as well and the label took to it so much that they decided to make a video inspired by it. Here is that video for the song “Agbara,” off that aforementioned album – Bryan

March 9: Amazing Release Date & Two Cool Videos

2010 has already gotten off to a tremendous start in terms of music. For many, including yours truly, it has already surpassed all of what 2009 had to offer. I’m working on a list that covers the best releases for the first quarter and that should be up around the beginning of April. But now, March 9 features a slew of albums that are all very deserving of listens.

The cream of the crop (and the crop is immense) is Gonjasufi’s A Sufi and a Killer. An electronic feel with hip-hop beats and roots, the singer’s voice is an unbelievably enigmatic presence. The beats are fuzzy and cracked out with Sumach Ecks’ mesmerizing vocals; think of Flying Lotus’ work (he also produces some of the stuff here) with otherworldly vocals and this is it. The full album (personal favorite so far is “She Gone”) is streaming for free here.

Here is a small list of what comes out tomorrow:
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
Liars – Sisterworld
The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes are the Roaring Night
Titus Andronicus – The Monitor
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Beat the Devil’s Tattoo
Broken Bells (Shins frontman James Mercer and Danger Mouse) – Broken Bells
Frightened Rabbit – The Winter of Mixed Drinks
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – The Brutalist Bricks

Here is the excellent video (in HD!) to the superb opening song off the new Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach. It’s gripping, moving and sets the album up perfectly.



I’ve been meaning to bring up Joanna Newsom for quite some time now. She’s a beautiful harpist that combines classical music with the experimental side of pop, along with exceptionally written stories. Her first two albums were easily two of the finest releases of the entire last decade and her new one, Have One on Me, is a triple album featuring eighteen songs of sublime music.

I’d encourage you to check it out and to take it all in sections, starting with one disc/record and then slowly moving on to the other ones. Her voice is as gorgeous as ever but the arrangements are tighter with everything retaining a far more focused sound. She’s always shied away from exposure and the limelight but she actually took the stage for Jimmy Fallon’s show, here is that performance. – Bryan

2010 Oscars: Bryan's Side

The Oscars always bring everyone out of the woodworks. Casual movie followers become film connoisseurs and everyone has an opinion but the only one that matters is the people that vote for them. It's cliché when admitting that the best films rarely win but even more, some of the best aren't even nominated (don't get me started on how Finding Nemo wasn't nominated for Best Picture its year.) And I feel so behind because for a few years, I followed film with a fervent passion. Not only did I see all of my favorite actors' and directors' films but I'd follow the critically-acclaimed stuff too. It's where I came to love smaller known films (at the time) like Life is Beautiful, City of God, and Quiz Show, just to name a few. But somewhere along the way, I haven't kept up, I haven't had that drive I used to have and it's been a struggle. I was able to watch some stuff from last year, a few notes: Mickey Rourke was robbed and Wall-E should've at least been nominated for Best Picture, if not THE best film last year. Maybe I can do better this year, maybe not.

This year's awards were, as usual, filled with great surprises and rather than filling this with too much long-winded babbling, here are my thoughts. What was up with George Clooney and Alec Baldwin tonight? I'm a huge Clooney fan though so it's all good. I'm not sure how Quentin Tarantino didn't win best original screenplay but then again, I'm still peeved he didn't win Best Picture for Pulp Fiction. And oh, not even a Best Pic. Nomination for Reservoir Dogs? Shameful. The dancing theme for the Original Score nominees was golden. A great combination of fluid movement with impeccable music makes for a terrific performance. And it set up nicely for Up to open it up for the huge drums of Avatar – fortunately the former, far more deserving score, won. And mentioning the latter, it's funny seeing just how much The Hurt Locker and Avatar camps hate each other. This is already on top of the producer's emails and the fact that they sat ex-husband (James Cameron) and wife (Kathryn Bigelow), competing against each other, right in front of each other. I'd still say Up was the best movie from last year, in my opinion.

DJ Donna Summer - Raw EP

This is a new EP by Nightshifters lablehead Jason Forrest who goes by DJ Donna Summer. His first release in 2 years, the music on this EP ranges with everything from house, IDM, dubstep and straight up electronic music. But what makes it all the more engaging are his transitions and ear for layering.

There are songs ("Fighter") that are built around an addition of instruments and tones before exploding all over the canvas and then there are others like the title track that very simply, burst at the seems with intensity. The undertones are subtle and enticing and the atmospherics lend a blissful amount of style. When hearing something as good as this, I can’t help but wonder why it will never make it to the dancefloors – where it belongs.

Nonetheless, getting the word out is needed. Below is a video to that aforementioned title track, all of the songs on the EP can be heard on his myspace page and hopefully, we see a physical release soon. – Bryan

Dj Donna Summer - Raw from Nightshifters on Vimeo.

The DA

This passed thursday I was able to check out THE DA for the second time in less then a week over at Cincinnati Bar, and they did not disappoint. With the release of their latest 4 song EP entitled “Thank God for Aluminum” and their SXSW showcase coming up very soon it seems that their set was tighter then ever. One thing I loved the most were the subtle transitions between songs. Party didn’t stop for a breather. There were times that infectious dance floor rhythms seamlessly blended into another sublime beat.
For those who are just getting turned onto this band its safe to say their music is flat out fun. Spanning too many genres to even try and name, these guys make good ol’ fashion danceable rock music. To me the biggest thing that should stand out in their sound to first time listeners of THE DA is the texture added by their trumpet player. After hooking into a number of effects, the sounds that come from the trumpet are eerie and beautiful all at once. Add some mean synthesizer , disco friendly guitar rhythms and pumping beats and you got some shit you can move your ass to!!! If you don’t believe me check out this clip from THE DA playing at the SUNSET HEGHTS BLOCK PARTY, one of Chuco’s flat out hippest and coolest events. (be there or be square for the 3rd installment summer 2010 coming soon)


These are my 2 favorite tracks off their new EP

http://www.mediafire.com/?amadxjdjiqe
http://www.mediafire.com/?miynomwzy4n
and be sure to check them out before they blow up at SXSW.They’ll be at The Garage March 13 and Black Market March 14.

Name/New Contributor

So much to post about and so little time in a day. We've had a great week here at Odd Gila. we're probably going with that name as our permanent one. Hope you all like it.

In the meantime we have a new contributor and he is a great friend of ours. His input will be wide ranging and believe me, very well written. He should be coming on here soon so I wanted to offer a proper welcome: welcome Darcy!

This will be awesome. Please excuse any typos, this post is from work, hurried, from my cell phone. Have a great day! - Bryan

Local News: UTEP Basketball and The Royalty

An update: the UTEP men’s basketball team is now 22-5, with an impressive 13-1 record in conference. But bigger than that news is that they are now #21 (ahead of Baylor, Maryland, Texas A&M and Texas) in the coaches poll and #24 in the AP poll!

We play a resurging Marshall (22-7 [10-4]) team that is fighting for a good spot in the conference tournament, on Wednesday night and that game is away. Then we close with a home game against second-place UAB (23-5 [11-3]) and like I mentioned earlier, we beat them in a thriller at their home court so they will be seeking revenge. It will be testing and surely, a huge challenge but we can do it!

Nick and I were at Take II on Saturday night to attend The Royalty’s CD release show. If you haven’t heard them yet, they are an awesome band that hails from our very own El Paso, Texas. They’re definitely channeling some kind of doo-wop/Motown style but with a crisp pop/rock vibe. If anything, they’ve completely taken over my car stereo with their terrific album.

The show was an astounding experience – they sound tight and honed in one their strengths but even more impressing, their chemistry seems to pour into the music with stunning ease. A band that has some pure potential, The DA, opened and their experimental style was excellent as well. And both deserve plenty of myspace hits, recognition and support, so check them out. Below is their official video for "Chinese Fire Drill", above are pictures I took of the show from this past Saturday, their CD is only $10 (hope they vinyl is coming out soon) and their next show is March 13 at the Percolator @ 9PM – Bryan

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

I’m not sure if he did this intentionally or not but it’s fitting of a Gorillaz post during this time. Their new album is less than a weak away and it should be awesome. I was a big fan of their last album, Demon Days and always considered it a far better album than their debut. Then again, I really enjoyed Danger Mouse’s production on it as well.

With that said, Gorillaz have defeated the system and were, somehow, able to get their album out there on their own terms. The album is set for a release next week, March 9th, and they were able to avoid a leak of the album entirely. NPR is proudly streaming the album for free and it can be heard in entirety by clicking here.

I’m only halfway through but it sounds especially great, so far. By the way, the “Orchestral Intro” is gorgeous and its segue into the funky bass and keyboard with a proper introduction from Snoop Dogg is fantastic. And the third song features music from The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music, nice! - Bryan