Remembering Kobe

When speaking about Kobe this past year, I've always felt the need to mention that I was far from being a fan most of his career. But I'd also have to mention that I've never cried more about someone's passing of whom I did not personally know. And for me, thats what makes the life and times of Kobe Bean Bryant such an amazing story. He came into the league as a brash young player straight outta high school, only the fourth player to ever do so. He was arrogant and a ball hog to say the least. I don't think there was any other player I could stand less than the lil fro Kobe of the early 2000s. He was just so damn cocky in those days, but you couldn't deny that he was hands down one of the most dynamic players at the time. Then there was the sexual assault case, and it felt like it might be the downfall of a great athlete due to scandal. I vividly remember his press conferences during those times and the way he would repeatedly lick his lips when answering questions. He was 24 at the time, a very young man, going thru unimaginable turmoil right when his career was truly taking off. But he faced the music like a man and admitted his infidelity publicly, and even acknowledged the difficult reality of the encounter between him and the woman in Colorado, saying, "I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter". Looking back at his statement, it feels so ahead of its time now living in the post "Me Too" reckoning. It might have been at this moment, things changed for Kobe. Slowly, he became more thoughtful, a better teammate, and became a father for the 2nd time. The years to fallow, Kobe became one of the hardest working players. His grit, perseverance and clutch performances made him the NBA icon of the era. For so many, he is the greatest to ever play the game. And as much as I hate having the argument, sports fans will always love debate, and Kobe has so many that will fight for his honor forever. His last game, will always be a memory I treasure. It was the end of the 15-16 season, and the Golden State Warriors were on the cusp of making NBA history by surpassing The Chicago Bulls with the most wins in an NBA regular season. I was at a bar looking forward to watch this momentous occasion while simultaneously watching Kobes last game. As it became clear down the stretch that Kobe was having a hell of a game, it almost started to feel as if time stood still. The entire bar was absolutely glued to the Kobe game, and hung on every shot he took. All of a sudden, The Warriors game was thoroughly irrelevant as everyone watched the NBA veteran showed tf out! 60 points later, a totally in awe crowd got to hear a beautiful farewell speech, and the unforgettable mic drop moment that is, "MAMBA OUT"! As he left basketball in the capacity of player, he became one of the sports greatest ambassadors. Having 4 daughters, he was especially outspoken about gender equity in sports and the importance of the WNBA. Then, he began to coach his daughter Giana, and the next chapter of his life was truly starting to begin. Unfortunately for so many, that chapter didn't get a chance to be fully written, and lived, by both him and his beautiful daughter, Giana. He was so well spoke, he literally was trilingual (english, spanish, italian), so thoughtful and funny. He wanted to teach the game to anyone that wanted to listen, he was passionate about pursuing other endeavors, including writing. He would’ve been great at that too. Actually he already was, he won an Oscar for, "Dear Basketball”, the best animated short film featuring the poem he wrote to announce his retirement from basketball. He was such a larger than life figure, there was no doubt that the greatness he showed on the court would translate even further off. As a father myself, the thing i like to take away the most from his life; the fierceness he showed as a girl dad. Our legacies as parents is truly with the children we raise. The love he showed for his 4 daughters was so apart of who he was as human being, and that will always transcend the heartbreak of loosing him, his beautiful daughter Giana, and the 7 other beautiful souls we lost a year ago today. I’ll always miss you Kobe.

Bryan's top albums of 2020

 Welcome to 2021 everyone. A new pod is recorded and will be uploaded soon! In the meantime here are my personal top albums of the last year. 

2020 was a crap year for everyone that really tried. But somehow, music was a thriving, beautiful escape that continued to churn out gem, after gem. Some artists even put out several albums of quality music (Born Ruffians, Bad Bunny, Drive-By Truckers, SAULT to name a few) in the last year alone. Anyway, good music is out there. We might have to work extra hard to find it but it is out there. 2021 is already off to a good start, or so i heard....let me know what you like or hate and PLEASE let me know what i missed. I promise we will have more than a handful of posts this year.

Jeff Tweedy - Love is the King

Moses Sumney - Græ

Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - Alfredo

Destroyer - Have We Met

Caribou - Suddenly

Microphones - Microphones in 2020

Run the Jewels - RTJ4

Jessie Ware - What's Your Pleasure?  

Westside Gunn - Pray for Paris

Soccer Mommy  - Color Theory

Tennis - Swimmer

Yelle - L'Ère du Verseau

Thundercat - It Is What It Is

Chloe x Halle - Ungodly Hour

Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song

Fleet Foxes - Shore

Protomartyr - Ultimate Success Today

Drive-By Truckers - The New OK

KeiyaA - Forever, Ya Girl

Andy Shauf - The Neon Skyline

 

Don Bryant - You Make Me Feel  

Hum - Inlet

Steve Arrington - Down to the Lowest Terms: The Soul Sessions

Little Dragon - New Me, Same Us

Lianne La Havas - Lianne La Havas

Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela - Rejoice

Pa Salieu - Send Them to Coventry 

Widowspeak - Plum

Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud

Perfume Genius - Set My Heart on Fire Immediately

 

Mint Field - Sentimiento Mundial 
Born Ruffians - SQUEEZE 
Drakeo the Ruler and Joogszn - Thank You for Using GTL 
Disq - Collector
Childish Gambino - 3.15.20
Roisin Murphy - Róisín Machine
Sault - Untitled (Rise)
Burna Boy - Twice as Tall
Bad Bunny - Las Que no Iban a Salir 
Laura Marling - Song for Our Daughter  

 
Alina Baraz - It Was Divine

Kate NV - Room for the Moon 

Born Ruffians - JUICE 

Armani Caesar - The Liz 

The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You 

Austra - Hirudin

Paul McCartney - McCartney 3

Deerhoof - Future Teenage Cave Artists  

Jaga Jazzist - Pyramid 

Stephen Malkmus - Traditional Techniques

Want a 6-pack??

Welcome to episode 6 of the midnight genius hour! Your resident homies dissect a sextet of books and a sixer of albums for all the geniusheads out there. Let us know what you think and leave us some hate mail.

Will Nick keep his MGH scout promise!!??

Episode 5

We are back genius heads!! Episode 5 is now up and available for listening. "The intersection of running and music."

Reckoning by R.E.M.

I really love strong bookends on albums. Any of the classics are further solidified - strengthened by a gilded bond to its shielded core - whenever they possess a KILLER starter and closer. Off the top of my head: Vespertine, Swordfishtrombones, To Pimp a Butterfly, Z, Kid A, The Low End Theory, Funeral are vastly sublime because of the way they open and close. (more on a few of those sprinkled around somewhere on this blog I'm sure).

Reckoning is like that to me. The songs sound like they recorded them in one or two takes and they bleed with raw intensity. The way Michael Stipe and Mike Mills blend their voices is superb because they sound equal but entirely different. And Mills' bass is a captivating force - there have been plenty of times I've heard this song only just to follow the bass line. The middle section cacophony, the way the music shakes and rattles throughout - and the way i can't stay still while it's playing - all very special to me.


On "Little America" the frenetic energy is still on full display with Stipe's menacing lyrics. He spits out verse after verse, diving even into some colloquial dialogue at times. The music is unapologetic and this theme of seeking comfort, or trying to be comfortable in a shifting land, or trying to be comfortable at being uncomfortable, or just what exactly is comfort? is a continuous theme. Whereas on "Harborcoat" they're needing their favorite coat to brave the cruel outside world, on the closer they're trying to run away from the massive and ever-changing world around them. And the music is equally brimming with that same kind of fervor; asking questions that sometimes will never be answered. One's thing for sure, these are the original freaking geniuses in my book.

Episode 004

Welcome to episode 004 of the MIDNIGHT GENIUS HOUR!! We've moved on from soundcloud (16 bucks a month to have unlimited uploads) onto Anchor! Soon you will find our podcast on Spotify, Apple Music, Stitcher and more!!

On this episode we dive into Nick's illness, the note department's lack of drive, our best films of the year, the late great KOBE BRYANT and as always, new musical gems. Let us know what you think and see you next week with another pod.

CHECK US OUT.

Daniel Johnston

"Don't be sad/I know you will"

Even though my general disdain for social media is constantly focused, it shouldn't deter me from keeping up with musical news. Too often I'm buried under my rock - alone in my little corner of the world - that I lose sight of so much. A couple of Sundays ago seeing bits and pieces of the grammys despicable show, their "in memoriam" feature slapped me with the realization that Daniel Johnston passed away last September. He, too, loved to live beneath his shell, burrowed in the hallows of his spiraling thoughts. At least he crafted honest gripping music with all of that desolate time.

I think they called his brand outsider music but I first heard of Johnston while attending ACL in 2008. The festival's official poster was created by Johnston and I was intrigued to listen to more from this curious artist. He was even there for a brief period signing posters but ignorant on his music and mired in a high frenzy of festival hysteria (read: weak excuses) I didnt get his signature on it.

For me, I really enjoy the innocent rawlike qualities to his music. I gravitate towards that type of pensive, longing style and Johnston's lyrics were beyond poignant -- his recordings always had the ability to have me shedding tears. His world was broken but he was sincerely yearning to spread peace and love through his humble soul. Outsider for life.