two.one.five mag is a real stickler when it comes to reviews. So, when I saw that they reviewed a song by a group called Parken 10 out of 10, I had to look into it. Supposedly produced by “the Swedish Timbaland” Rigas, At Helvete Med Himlen (translated: At Hell With the Sky) is a pretty catchy euro-electro-pop-thing. The beginning kinda sounds like The Knife’s Heartbeats… a little? (an incredible song itself).
two.one.five also has pics up of Mojito on the Moshulu, which is basically a big ‘ol boat on the river that hosts awesome parties on the weekend. The Kanye after-party next week and MMP over memorial day weekend? Anyone? Anyone?
Last week The Roots held a listening party for their upcoming album Rising Down. (As a nerdy aside, I might be one of the only people on the planet who not only caught the reference to William T. Vollman’s 7-volume Rising Up, Rising Down, I also own it… sigh…). Anyway, so they had this listening party the other night for the album and I hear it was pretty awesome. One of their released singles off the album, Rising Up, features WALE, this DC rapper who I never thought would take off, even though everyone and their mother is like, yo, this guy is about to explode… we’ll see friends… we’ll see… But seriously, this is definitely a huge boost to a guy who has only released a (n albeit well-received) mix-tape of his stuff and has done a (great) D.A.N.C.E. remix.
Also, if you are in the Philly area - hell, if you are on the east coast - The Roots Picnic is on June 7th. $50. A little steep. But if you have a look at the line-up - The Roots, Gnarls Barkley, Sharon Jones + The Dap Kings, Santogold!, Diplo, Cool Kids… y mas - you can’t go wrong. Starts at 2 and should be a lot of fun.
So, check out the video below. The album drops April 29th, so we’ve got a few weeks.
Nice the Inquirer is getting in on the downtown dance-party thing with this Paperstreet/Tommy Up article. Paperstreet stuff is always fun but I knew next to nothing about Paperstreet-the-business and Tommy Up before reading this. Get on their list-serve to keep up with happenin’ goings on.
Was accepted into the Spring 2008 Starting Bloc fellowship program in NYC today. I applied a little while back and then forgot about the whole thing. So it was surprising to get an e-mail today telling me I was in. Anyway, I’m pretty siked. I am big into social enterprise and hope to get an MBA some day in the not too distant future… I always saw myself as a grizzled old physician in some medical outpost in an obscure corner of Africa trying to get by without enough resources; maybe this way I can run a business that will get more done than I would ever have been able to as a Doc… We’ll see…
yo, I love the video. And the Beastie Boys cameo? Niiiiice. M.I.A.s situation is so weird though; you ask any random music loving fanboy on the street about her and for the most part people are pretty aloof. While at the same time she is making Time Magazine’s top 10 albums of the year. Sure, its a kind of indie/hipster-cred boosting pick, but it also goes to show how she exists in this strange very mainstream/very obscure limbo. Quite frankly, I am really surprised that Time chose M.I.A.s Kala for their top 10. Not to mention LCD Soundsystem… anyway…
Git the Paper Planes Remix feat. Bun B and Rich Boy HEREEEEEE. (via maddecent.com)
Went dancin’ at The (”New”) Barbary in Fishtown (that’s Philly for you out-of-towners) and caught sight of M.I.A.s former-beau Diplo helping out with the turn-tables (read macbooks) with White Ts, White Belts. Its a pretty cool venue for people looking for new haunts. Cheap at hell, and kinda’ right around the corner from The Arts Garage if you are up for after-hours.
It seems every 6 years or some some ‘investigative reporter’ heads south of their respective country and reveals the human rights abuses behind so-and-so industry. Though, oddly I guess, more often than not it’s in reference to the clothing industry. Apparently one of the official Gap subcontractors subcontracted work out to another group that Gap had not approved. This unapproved group hired kids. But, this gets to the main issue with moving production from the 1st to the 3rd world; Where does blame fall?/Who’s responsibility is it to make sure these abuses don’t occur?/And who in a 3rd world country, where people are worrying about not getting killed and where to get their next meal, is going to be responsible for making sure everything is Kosher?
And then there was this whole Victoria’s Secret thing…
Tasty Treats at Fluid is one of the best parties in the city. Resident DJ Mike Nyce (and occasionally ?uestlove) is (are) always throwing down something crazy. Tomorrow night; Biz Markie guest DJs. Uuummmmm, get there early.
(pictured is Robin’s on 13th, just so there is no confusion)
Quite frankly, I am surprised that small bookstores in any proximity to larger retailers like B&N (as is the case of Robin’s on 18th) or Borders (as is the case of Robin’s on 13th) stay in business. I am all about the small, family owned… yadda, yadda. But the word today is browsing. And though I love Robin’s on 13th the selection is poor, if only because of the limitations imposed by a physically small store. (Their magazine section also sucks, but that’s a whole other story.) The whole lecture series that they host, among other events, is really smart, and it will be stuff like that that in the end will keep them rooted as a mainstay of the neighborhood or send them the way of the 18th st. store. I think the key is setting up shop away from competition from the big guys. Ever been to Bookhaven on Fairmount? Hands down the best bookstore in the city. But, because its in this residential area it is geographically buffeted from any competetion from B&N or Borders. Quality and location I think are key. The real question is when is Philly gonna get a larger independent bookstore, like the strand, that can go head to head with these bastards?
Oh, and everything is 60-80% off at Robin’s at 18th over the next 3 weeks or so.
