For the last week or so we here at EV2BK have been seriously getting down to “Second Chance” the new single from the forthcoming Peter Bjorn & John album, Gimmie Some. “This time around we had the clear idea of going back to basics–guitar, bass, drums,” Peter (Moren) recently told SPIN. To promote their sixth LP, set to be released in late March, the Swedish trio played their first US show last week for a crowd of 150 people in the tiny basement venue at Santos Party House. PB & J performed the song last night on Conan and you can watch the live performance here, but the recorded version is even more rocking.
After playing their first NYC show last night at Santos Party House, London’s own Wolf Gang is hitting the stage again tonight at Glasslands. Front man Max McElligott was playing acoustic solo gigs as Wolf Gang for a while before forming the band a little over a year ago. McElligott describes their sound as “70s pop” with references to everyone from Talking Heads to David Bowie. Wolf Gang plays regularly around London and are touring here in the states in advance of the forthcoming debut full-length. It’s out November 22nd on Atlantic, and you can check out the first single “Lions in Cages” here. If you like what you hear, we’ll see you at the show tonight.
Today Raekwon finally dropped his long-delayed and much-anticipated record Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II, the follow up to his classic 1995 hit. And really, it feels like these tracks are taking us back to another era, when the Chef and the rest of the Wu breathren dominated over dope, rugged beats. It’s really good. I’m kind of excited to listen to it again.
Tonight, a few lucky ticket holders are heading to Santos Party House to check out the “Ice Water Inc & Littles present: RAEKWON, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II” release party, hosted by Diddy and Hot 97’s Peter Rosenberg, with music by DJ Kid Capri. Basically everyone who is on the record is performing live tonight:
GHOSTFACE KILLAH
METHOD MAN
BEANIE SIGEL
TALIB KWELI
SLICK RICK
BUSTA RHYMES
LYFE JENNINGS
Somehow Raekwon managed to keep this from leaking until it dropped today, which is a pretty shocking and impressive feat these days. So if you want to listen to the record in full before buying it, check it out here. Help the Chef eat! But in the meantime, if you can’t make it tonight for the live show, here’s one of my favorite tracks off the album, with an old school beat from Dr. Dre and featuring Lyfe Jennings.
During the fierce storms that hit NYC this past Sunday, a man was struck by lightning at Marine Park in Brooklyn where his cricket game was just getting underway. Apparently the strike was really intense, and it sent him up into the air and shredded the pants and hat that he was wearing (one team member, as an aside, proudly noted that his team shirt was intact). The man, a construction worker from East Flatbush named Patrick Gibson, 41, went into cardiac arrest from the shock. Luckily, paramedics were able to resuscitate him and he is now listed in critical condition at Beth Israel Hospital. As worst fear scenarios go, this one is up there, and I hope that he pulls through.
By a strange coincidence, over the weekend I started to read a new book by Joseph O’Neill, Netherland, part of which is about the subculture of cricket players in New York and the sense of community that they find with each other despite their many cultural differences. It is a great read so far and it has been widelycritically praised (even Obama is reading it). Judging by the different people on the scene when this incident occurred, it seems that the cultural melting pot portrayed in the book is true to life.
A fitting Jam when talking about lighting bolts (in no way intended to make light of the tragic incident), is the hot first single from the upcoming, self-titled full length from The Entrance Band, entitled “Lookout!”. The power-folk trio based in LA headlined the amazing-sounding (((folkYeah!))) Festival in the Forest in Big Sur, CA in September of last year. They are on tour now and will be in NYC and playing at Santos Party House on August 22nd. We’ll be on the “lookout” for it!
The Entrance Band – Lookout!:
The sound quality of this video is not the best so if you want to watch the video on mute and listen to the song below, that’s probably best.
East Village to Brooklyn 