Mr. Holland's Viagra Opus

I almost feel ashamed not having posted anything since late February...three months go by and no show from your blog host...very unprofessional. Hopefully the quality of the content will at keep you coming back :)

The dark opening of Ladyman’s Viagra Opus twists around slowly like a good build-up in a horror film. Think horrific dub reggae that is confused between being either completely smoked or glitched out. We really enjoyed “Steppin’ Lady Style” with the tongue on roof of mouth samples that flow in between light percussion and reverb aplenty!

The wobbly bassline on “Womanizer Dub” gets a little punchy while a tantalizing rhythmic percussion gives the listener access to the highest levels of enjoyment…without taking five or six minutes to do so.

All but two of the tracks on Viagra Opus are under three minutes in length and with gems like “Poppy God” and “Crust,” this 45 minute journey into the darker, more experimental, “softcore IDM meets dub reggae.”

Get ready for an experience that will shake the coconuts off your trees and bring you to your knees on the dancefloor…you’ll beg for more of this hardcore Viagra Opus.

"Steppin' Lady Style" [MediaFire]

"Womanizer Dub" [MediaFire]

"Poppy God" [MediaFire]

"Crust" [MediaFire]

Neckthruster Mike the One Mix Master

Are you ready? Say Yeah! You Want Some of This? The classic mixtape, Neckthrust One (circa 1996) is probably the most tangible form of dj art that Mix Master Mike has offered to the world since his step up to the decks. This 2-part mix showcases some of the finest turntabilism, breaks, sfx, samples and classic joints in genres of hip-hop, rap, psychedelic rock, 60’s/70’s rock and jazz as well as a plethora of vintage commercials, sound bytes and beat-driven misc. findings. It is no wonder this man was selected by the Beastie Boys to be their DJ!

Side A [MediaFire]

Side B [MediaFire]

The Call of a "Nostalgic" 777 Nation Army

"I couldn't fight them off. . ."

I have to be honest in letting you know that I was caught a little off guard the first time hearing Nostalgia 77's cover of the White Stripes' song, "7 Nation Army."

Nostalgia 77’s version of this classic Stripes’ tune takes the perfect amount of time in laying down a thick n heavy groove in preparation of Alice Russell’s sopping-wet, soulful voice which gets the sweat dripping at approx. thirty seconds into this funked-out trip.

As remixes and cover songs must if they wish to get noticed, this diamond in the rough whole-heartedly confirms that it seeks not to mimic to the original, but rather to outwardly display the fact that it is an amazing funk song that just-so-happens to be masterfully produced and diabolically schemed by its creators.

In making this a standout track, It also helps to have prominent UK vocalist, Alice Russell's vocals bubbling all over a warm, vintage sounding percussion section that is lavishly complimented by bluesy-sounding horns and the familiar, hyperballein guitar line of “7 Nation Army.”

If you need more proof, please use the evaluation link below [look down] and then pick up a legit copy by clicking here [click here]

(it’s only $.99 for the highest quality MP3, which is well worth the loose change in my opinion)

Nostalgia 77 - "7 Nation Army" (White Stripes Cover) [MediaFire]

East Flatbush Edo: Tried By 12 Primate Kings?

What a joy it has been to re-discover this (16^th century?) traditional Japanese lullaby (!!) that was not only used as a sample by the East Flatbush Project on their seminal 1996 single “Tried By 12,” but more recently (2005) gave way for inspiration to a conceptual ‘Ambient DJ Mix,’ Primate King’s Ambient Treetop Escape.

I originally found this song on Soulseek circa 2005 as a sample source for “Tried By 12” and am proud to bring it to you in 2009 via Smokeland California!

If you'd like a little more background, here’s an excerpt about Edo from Wikipedia:

Edo (江戸, Edo?), literally: bay-door, "estuary", pronounced [edo]), once also spelled Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868. During this period it grew to become one of the largest cities in the world and the site of a vibrant urban culture centered on notions of the "floating world".[1]

“Edo Lullaby” [MediaFire]

Work for Love?

"The hand model absolutely kills me," I think to myself as I notice exactly how similar the covers to Ministry's 1983 albums Work for Love and With Sympathy are! And the roses... oh the roses!

My second Ministry post this month focuses more on the disco-influenced synth-pop prequel to Ministry's harder-edged sound found throughout the 80's/90's, and is highlighted on such tracks as the dance-rock number titled, "Revenge." Also, some funky pop sounds worth checking out are found on "Here We Go" and general Jourgenson pop star status is found on "I Wanted to Tell Her."

It has been quite the discovery for me to learn Ministry's 'dirty little secret' on these 1983 releases, however it definitely puts their music into perspective, as they have undoubtedly helped pioneer and evolve the darker sounds of electronically influenced dark rock/metal into that which we may label 'industrial' or 'edm.'

You can pick up a copy of Work for Love (which is actually an imported, slightly different version of With Sympathy) by visiting the Smokeland California store!

Ministry - "Work for Love"

Ministry - "I Wanted to Tell Her"

Ministry - "Here We Go"

Ministry - "Revenge"

Sympathy For the Devil and His Ministry

It feels great to be back in the swing of things! Although I was traveling over the Holidays (from Oakland to Wisconsin to Reno to Las Vegas and back) I did have a couple moments to catch up on the tunez that have been flooding my inbox and toss a couple on the iPhone as well!

This is not one of them... This is Ministry's With Sympathy album from 1983 and it kicks a lot of butt!

The tracks I've selected for you below should give you an accurate depiction of how their style was much different then, as you could easily compare this 1983 release to some familiar bands as Pet Shop Boys, Tears For Fears, Pink Floyd and Phil Collins.

You'll have no problem warming up to the Jazzy, 80's-flavored Synth-Pop of "Say You're Sorry," which does lean slightly more towards the dark side than towards true pop music... It is however in contrast a little more Knots Landing than it is Dallas...

You can listen to a couple selections below, and can pick up the MP3 album for $8.99 on Amazon by clicking here.

Ministry - "Effigy (I'm Not An)"

Ministry - "Say You're Sorry"

Ministry - "Should Have Known Better"