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Monday, October 26, 2009
Videos / Mike McCray / News Christianity + cocaine rap = dope results
Posted By Mike McCray on Mon, Oct 26, 2009 at 3:09 PM
By now, you've probably seen Mary Mary make their gospel music crossover to urban radio and somehow seep into clubs. Most recently, (like all summer) their track, "God In Me," has permeated nightlife spots and unlike hearing Marvin Sapp's "Never Would Have Made It" when the lights turn on at the end of the night, you can still kinda get it poppin' to this track, until Christian guilt overcomes you for having someone grind on you to this song.
Insert Malice from the hip-hop duo Clipse, who's notorious for their cocaine-themed flow, to make this just secular enough to not feel bad. Once again, polar opposites can create great results. Gonna miss having this song stuck in my head when Power 98 stops playing it at 6 a.m. every morning. Haha, what if God spoke in auto-tune?
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Audiofloss / News Audiofloss — Vol. 3, No. 9: New music from Russell Taylor and more
Posted By Carlton Hargro on Fri, Oct 23, 2009 at 4:58 PM
This week on Creative Loafing's long-running urban music podcast, Audiofloss, we're playing tunes from:
• Angela Johnson (featuring Eric Roberson)
• And Choklate
(To listen, click on the MP3 icon or link below.)
For more Audiofloss episodes, visit www.audiofloss.com.
10-in-10 CD Reviews / News 10-in-10 CD reviews
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Fri, Oct 23, 2009 at 11:48 AM
Each Friday, we bring you 10 CD reviews done in 10 words each:
Kristina Train Spilt Milk — Strong vocals from soulful, bluesy singer on her debut CD.
Neil Diamond A Cherry Cherry Christmas — ‘Tis the season for holiday albums…and it’s still October.
Tiny Tim I’ve Never Seen a Straight Banana — Soaked in falsetto, this one’s almost painful to listen to.
David Maxwell & Louisiana Red You Got to Move — Duo gets together to explore Red’s old-school blues songs.
The Mag Seven Cotton Needle Sessions — Band’s fifth album full of instrumental jazz with surf hints.
Toby Keith American Ride — Patriotism-infused country from the right wing, with cheesy humor.
Keynoc Soundmind — 27-year-old hip-hop artist incorporates some r&b, autotune.
Dave Keys Roots in the Blues — Sideman to the famous releases his fourth solo blues album.
Built to Spill There is No Enemy — Interesting Americana/rock conglomerate that will deserve a second listen.
Matt Morris When Everything Breaks Open — Co-produced by Justin Timberlake, music combines rock, folk, r&b, pop.
Photos / Live Reviews / setlist / News Live review: The Mars Volta
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Fri, Oct 23, 2009 at 10:53 AM
The Mars Volta
Oct. 22, 2009
The Fillmore
The Deal: Progressive rockers perform energetic hour-and-45-minute set for a crowd of roughly 700.
The Good: The band hit the stage and opened with "Inertiatic" and what seemed to be one never-ending song for nearly two hours after that. The music was fast, furious and non-stop for the duration as guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López picked, strummed and riffed his ass off.
Singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala hit every note and danced his ass off — kicking the microphone around, flipping the stand in the air, giving James Brown's footwork a run for its money and simply being one of the most entertaining frontmen in music these days.
The band seemed to hit its peak with the mellow "The Widow" toward the end of its set, as most in the crowd sang along. Bixler-Zavala only addressed the crowd once, mentioning the band's origins in At the Drive-In. "A lot of people weren't happy when we started this band," he told the crowd. "But life is about creating visions between the faithful and the morons."
The Bad: The small crowd. Though I might blame some of that on a strict photo policy that makes it difficult to show people what they're missing.
The Verdict: A visual and sonic experience that's hard to describe, and a definite "must see."
Setlist
Inertiatic
Goliath
Cotopaxi
Roulette
Viscera
Halo
Eunuchs
Ilvana
Teflon
Drunkship
Luciforms
The Widow
Wax Simulacra
Opinion / Mike McCray / News Self-snitching in the club
Posted By Mike McCray on Fri, Oct 23, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Imagine a packed club.
Music thumping, drinks flowing (probably getting spilled on you) and if it's a good one, lots of people will be dancing.
The beautiful thing about this scene isn't just the beautiful people but those beautiful people's reactions to the music. Here lies the true answer to everything you need to know about a woman in the club.
More than what she has on, more than what she's drinking or who she's with, I'm almost convinced that a woman's reaction to certain songs can tell you exactly what she's all about.
This, is the best kind of self-snitching.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Opinion / Mike McCray / News NASCAR surprisingly hip
Posted By Mike McCray on Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Maybe it was when I heard "Swag Surfing" blaring from someone's speakers as I pulled into the infield at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Or maybe it was seeing my alma mater's marching band performing hits from Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross and Luke on the Start/Finish Line before the race.
Whatever the case, NASCAR on Saturday presented something different from what general perception would be. NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr. put it best during our interview a few hours before the race started: "Times are changing, man."
Don't get me wrong, Confederate flags, camo hats and shirts and some signs of dental neglect were plentiful, but I couldn't help but feel like one of the few sports yet to have a black star was making an effort to reach out.
The Bank of America 500 was hyped as NASCAR's Homecoming, and after wandering the infield, from the garages to "Redneck Hill" for hours, I realized it really wasn't that different from the Homecoming celebrations I know and love from college.
People were surprisingly cool and really. Imagine one of the largest tailgates you've ever seen, that just so happens to have dozens of cars whizzing by at crazy speeds. Once you master the whole, "'hold your thought until all the cars pass by then resume your conversation" thing, it's dope.
News / Concert Announcement Blue October cancels
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 2:28 PM
The Pick Up The Phone Tour 2009, has been cancelled due to the hospitalization of Justin Furstenfeld, lead singer of the tour’s headlining band Blue October. The tour had a scheduled stop at The Fillmore on Oct. 23.
Furstenfeld is being treated for suffering from an extreme mental anxiety attack. His doctors have ordered that the tour — which was committed to reducing the stigma associated with mental health, depression, and suicide — be cancelled to allow for his recovery.
Tickets purchased for the Oct. 23 concert at The Fillmore Charlotte can be refunded at point of purchase starting Friday, Oct. 23. Tickets purchased via phone or online will be refunded automatically.
“Mental health diseases are unpredictable,” says Furstenfeld. “And on the eve of this tour in support of a cause that means the world to me, I am in need of time to heal from a setback in my own personal life, which is severe enough for me to seek hospitalization. I hope that my action to seek the strength and safety of treatment will inspire others that are suffering to do the same.”
Concert Announcement / News Concert announcement: Bon Jovi
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Bon Jovi will perform at Time Warner Cable Arena on April 22, 2010, it was announced today.
No word on when tickets will go on sale.
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Rain doesn't dampen the party with Kesha and Macklemore
Both sets cut short as storms roll through Charlotte, N.C.
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Live review: Fiona Apple, The Fillmore (9/26/2012) 16
Fans ate it up, but it was a trainwreck of tragic and frustrating proportions.
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Frank Ocean tops Village Voice Pazz & Jop poll
Annual critics list creates requisite buzz
