As part of our ongoing quest to bring you relevant and creative content in addition to hot jamz and the like, we’ve decided to start posting the Jam of the Day feature in a different way. This means that only some of the JOTDs will be linked to a news story. Some postings, such as this single from Young Money featuring Lil Wayne, Lloyd, Gudda, and Nicki Minaj (among others), will just feature a short introduction and then the jam. Hopefully this will free us up to focus more on some other aspects of the site, such as videos, interviews, reviews, and all sorts of other fun stuff. Keep it locked.
In any case, this song might not score as high on the “dope” scale as “Every Girl,” but I have been singing it on repeat in my head for the past week. Sorry for the ads… VEVO may just destroy all the joys of YouTube.
For today’s Jam, we wanted to bring you a little preview of a band set to play two shows next week, one in the EV/ Lower East Side and one in BK. The Hot Rats, a British band formed by vocalist and guitarist Gaz Coombes and drummer Danny Goffey, are a self-proclaimed “psychedelic punk” band. They will be playing their first show in BK at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on January 12th and their second at the Bowery Ballroom on January 14th. Coombes and Goffey, who are two-thirds of the nineties British pop-rock group Supergrass, most likely took their band name from Hot Rats, the second solo album by Frank Zappa. They are currently working with mega-producer Nigel Godrich, who has produced albums for Beck and Radiohead, on their upcoming album of cover versions of songs by various iconic artists– including The Velvet Underground, The Beatles, the Beastie Boys, and the Sex Pistols. If their adrenaline-fueled cover of The Velvet Underground‘s “Can’t Stand It” is any indication, they are being pretty clever with their reinterpretations of these songs. Their cover of “Drive My Car” by the Beatles is also worth a listen. If you like what you hear, check them out live next week.
First, I’d like to welcome you to 2010 (I know it’s not our first post this year, but still)! We hope that everyone had a great New Year’s celebration and is settling back into work without too much dread and anxiety. And get ready for some big things from EV2BK.com.
To start the year off on the right foot, today I would like to post an open letter to R. Kelly, the king of the remix, regarding a song that I heard on Hot 93.7 while riding around near the Heartbeat a.k.a. Hot-ford a.k.a. Hartford, CT, over the holidays.
As you may or may not know, yesterday Trey Songz released the offical video for “Say Aah,” the latest single from his third record, Ready, which was released last August. Have you heard it by any chance? At first, I thought that this was a new R. Kelly track that I just hadn’t even heard about. Not that such an oversight would be very likely on my part, since I listen to all of your records, but it could happen. And yet there was Fabolous, and there was the DJ saying that in fact this was a Trey Songz joint.
Here’s the video, check it out for yourself.
Trey Songz – Say Aah (ft. Fabolous):
Trey Songz recently told MTV that “with records like ‘Say Aah,’ conceptually I wanna think outside the box. You think about a record like ‘LOL :-),’ it’s something real simple, but when you look at the title or listen to the record, you’re like, ‘Wow.’ That’s something great from a songwriter’s perspective. I’m just trying to make hits and classic records that people can vibe to and live their life.” Now, I’m not trying to hate especially hard on Trey and Fab (I made their record the Jam of the Day, didn’t I?), but let’s look at that statement for a second. Most importantly: HOW IS THIS THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX? You INVENTED that particular box that he’s talking about, Kells! Rip it back from his grimy little hands! The kid essentially stole your entire steez right thurr. Like, he read the instructions on how to build an R. Kelly slow-jam box. And then built it with no changes. And then tried to sell it as his own!
And now we arrive at the point. R. Kelly, I am writing this letter to humbly request that you, the King of R&B, take back what its rightfully yours. To quote someone very dear to your heart (that would be you): “You can’t do the remix without putting some R up in it.” Lay down a verse and show these youngins how it’s done. That is all. I thank you for your time and your oeuvre, which is so dear to my heart.
Well it looks like the elephants will remain in the circus, at least for the time being. A federal judge has ruled that the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals does not have the legal standing to sue the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus under the Endangered Species Act. The lawsuit, originally brought by the ASPCA nine years ago, culminated in a six-week trial held without a jury. Tom Rider, the group’s star witness, was a former animal trainer who cared for elephants in one of the circus’s traveling units from 1997 to 1999. According to a report on Bloomberg, “Rider accused Ringling of causing physical, psychological, and behavioral injuries to the elephants by using rods with metal hooks and points to control their movement and chains to keep them in place on hard surfaces for extended periods.” The judge ultimately ruled that Rider’s testimony was not credible, as he was repeatedly impeached on the stand and had lied about payments he received from various animal-rights groups beginning in 2000. During the trial, Feld Entertainment, which owns Ringling Brothers, said that these things didn’t hurt the elephants, and that they were necessary measures to control them and ensure public safety. Not knowing all the facts of the case, I can’t accurately judge all the legality of what did and what didn’t go down with these pachyderms, but prodding at them with sharp metal hooks and keeping them in chains just doesn’t sound right. These animals have amazing memories and, if they are left alone and are healthy, they can live for between 50 and 70 years. Chaining them for human entertainment in this day and age isn’t necessary. Don’t go to the circus, go watch the Discovery Channel people!
Or, better yet, listen to the new single “Elephants” by LA-band Warpaint. Warpaint, founded in 2007, just released their first EP, Exquisite Corpse through Manimal Vinyl in October, 2009. Exquisite Corpse, mixed by John Frusciante (formerly of the Red Hot Chili Peppers), highlights the band’s sonic textures, jagged rhythms, and ethereal voices. Shortly after performing at the 2009 CMJ Festival, Warpaint wad signed to Rough Trade Records. The band has temporarily moved to Portland, Oregon, for the recording of their new album to be released by Rough Trade in late Spring, 2010.
Warpaint – Elephants:
-Melissa
P.S. Thanks to Matt at The Music Slut for the link to the new video, which just dropped today!
Well friends, we’re heading off soon for various Christmas activities (much love to the other tribes/non-believers/etc. – we just happen to love Christmas jams!). Make no mistake – EV2BK hopes that you have yourselves some merry celebrations and good cheer this holiday season!
“But what about my present?” you might ask. We couldn’t agree on which version to post, so it looks like it’s got to be a CHRISTMAS BONUS DOUBLE JAM, with two versions of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” The first jam is from John Denver and The Muppets, where Rowlf the dog(g) really belts it out with a gritty yet emotionally evocative sound that contrasts nicely with John Denver’s smooth stylings. The second take is the more classic (and arguably better), with Frank Sinatra holding it down solo on the track. Watch out for the tear-inducing tendency of this song; there’s a reason why your grandmother loves this record.
John Denver and Rowlf – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas:
Frank Sinatra – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas:
Today’s Holiday Jam of the Day goes out to all the people who can’t be with the ones that they love this year. Although a myriad of artists have covered it since, including Bon Jovi, Billy Idol, Celine Dion, The Beach Boys, The Pretenders, and even Bright Eyes, Elvis sang it best back in 1957.
East Village to Brooklyn 