Back to Mine

First off, Happy Valentines Day, you lovestruck consumer whores!

Alright, now that that's out of the way, we can continue. Post number two. So far, so good. A few updates, I added a hit counter to this site, just to see if people will actually visit. I also added what I have affectionately dubbed 'The Tonic Tone Trifecta' (It's over there, to the left). The name simply stems from the fact that I love alliteration, and the number three is involved. Anyways, it is my current top 3 artists, albums, and tracks, updated as frequently as my tastes change.

In response to Yutaro's comment on my last post, I gave Lupe's 'The Cool' a listen through, and was disappointed to find the arrogance that permeates rap music, yet Food and Liquor seemed to lack. For example, let us look at a few lines from the chorus of the ominously named 'Gold Watch':
'Got my gold watch
And my gold chain
With my fancy car
And my diamond ring'

Great, a rapper telling us how awesome and rich he is, how novel and inspiring. Some interesting sampling of some vocals tries to save the song, but it sounds like everything on the radio to me. Perhaps I will listen through again, and try and come up with some highpoints to tell you about as well. So I guess I will refine my request: Please comment with rap music that won't just tell me how awesome/famous/rich/smooth the rapper in question is. Hopefully that isn't asking too much.

With that bit of disappointment out of the way, I'm here to tell you of an album that won't let you down: Adam Freeland's 'Back to Mine.' For those of you that don't know, Back to Mine (clicky for even more info) is a series of albums by different DJ's and Electronic music composers indicating music that they might listen to on their own after a night out. Adam Freeland is a well known breakbeat DJ from the UK that my roommate introduced me to earlier this year. To get an idea of what Freeland is about, here is an interesting track of his, coupled with a quite strange music video. Anyways, back to the topic at hand. Freeland's version of Back to Mine is, simply put, phenomenal. A sort of ambient rock mix, featuring what are now 2 of my top 3 tracks, as well as many other top notch songs. All mixed together in a continuous flow, it took me several listen throughs to realize the genius behind this album. Actaully, several consecutive listen throughs during my 5 hour stint at jury duty earlier this week. A few of my favorite tracks of the album are Jape's Floating, TV on the Radio's Staring at the Sun, and Funkadelic's Maggot Brain. Take a listen through those songs, and if you like what you hear there is plenty more like it on the album. I wish I could find better quality videos for all of these songs, but alas I cannot. Rest assured that these 3 examples are not the only highpoints of the album, and hearing them all as one continuous work is downright powerful. If you enjoyed those tracks I urge you to obtain a copy of this album.

After hearing Freeland's great success with Back to Mine I took it upon myself to try at least one other, and have a copy of Underworld's Back to Mine waiting to be listened to. I have also mused over the idea of creating my own 'Back to Mine' album, and will keep you posted if that materializes.

That's it for post #2, more to come!