The Animal Show » Spank Rock

A Reintroduction

Edward — Sat, 30 May 2009 20:34:57 +0000

New suits in space!

Once upon a bible, Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness. I could tell you why, but I’m too lazy to ask my dad (getting told bible stories is the worst). I’m not going to call myself Jesus because we all remember why John Lennon was shot, but I will say this: I have returned from my own 22 days in the wilderness (or 317 blogdays), and, as I remember Jesus did, I’ve returned bearing a domain name. Yes, as you may have noticed when you clicked your old animalshow.wordpress.com bookmark, we’ve set up shop over at theanimalshow.org. And though my absence may have led you to frequent tears and repeated questioning of whether life is worth continuing, rest assured I’m back and badder than ever.

If your continual frantic facebook messages, emails, and drunken tweets are any indication, you haven’t taken the absence well. You want to know why it is I’ve abandoned you. Well, folks, there’s a joke answer and a real one. One is that I’ve been busy building an Uncle Fumerous entirely out of purple, green, and orange Play-Doh.

The other is that I’d simply burned out on mp3 blogs. For a little while now, I’d been feeling oversaturated with new music. The dozen odd requests for listens and mp3s I get sent daily don’t help, but I felt like it was time for me to take a step back and reevaluate what it was I wanted to do as a blogger, or whether I wanted to continue at all. It was becoming very clear that the need I felt to post 6-sentence blurbs daily to maintain my position on hype machine was sucking most of the fun out of this, and I ended up posting the sort of stuff I would normally sit on in order to keep a new post on the front page. The hours I spent on the top 100 songs charts on hype machine waiting for my songs rank among the time I spent playing one-suit spider solitaire as the time I consider most uselessly wasted. And they provided less entertainment at the time than spider solitaire.

Guess which answer was the joke!

Anyway, I’ve decided that, from now on, I’m only posting material I’m really excited about. I won’t put stuff up in order to have stuff up. And I’m not going to try to be on the verge of something hot and new. If I like it, I’ll post it. Old, new, obscure, mainstream, remixed, original — who cares. Just good material, and just when it speaks to me.

That said, I think I’ve got enough stuff from the past weeks to continue posting regularly for some time, so don’t take this as a “yeah, I’m back, but only when I want to be.” I’m still here for you, and I still want feedback, as always. Besides, we’ve got a number of pretty cool additions we’ll be sending your way. Longtime spiritual advisor Louis Weeks will be joining the staff to provide live reviews of up-and-coming bands he finds in the scene this summer, and that super-secret surprise Marquis Meowmers alluded to some time ago is still on the way. Keep your mouses pointing here, dudes. This is the summer of the Show.

Until we meet again (and it will be soon, I promise), here are some sweet summer songs for you to scarf down, including the song I listened to 57 times since we last spoke: Nickel Creek/Chris Thile’s phenomenal “If You’re Gonna Leave Me (Set Me Up With One of Your Friends).”

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If You’re Gonna Leave Me (Set Me Up With One of Your Friends) – Nickel Creek (mega) (YSI)

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Blame It (feat. T-Pain) – Jamie Foxx (mega) (YSI)

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Forgot About Coke & 11th (Starters Remix) – Eminem & Spank Rock (mega) (YSI)

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The Reeling (Calvin Harris Remix) – Passion Pit (mega) (YSI)

Another Reintroduction (and more Thile)

HEY! LINK! HEY! OVER HERE! LINK! HEY!

icebergxc — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:37:42 +0000

This post’s album is called Ocarina of Rhyme, which means that some of you are ready to knock down your own grandma to get to it! I know I am!

If you know how to get the Goron sword and what song to play in the middle of a circle of rocks (especially if you know the button sequence), then prepare to crap your pants with giddy joy like it’s 1999. This is rap and Ocarina of Time tunes together, one of those mashup concept albums that is just SUCH a good idea. As a bonus, this doesn’t sound like it was thrown together in that half an hour between the final bell and when your mom picks you up. It’s great to be able to say that: the internet nowadays has almost as many talentless mashup “artists” as the entire Zelda canon has Stalfos. You’d think this album would be kitschy as Bombchu Bowling, and you might be right, but a couple of the tracks just have a certain quality of flow that makes the album more than a one-and-done investment, so permit me to be your Lens of Truth in this treasure chest game/album. MF Doom and Slim Thug with Mike Jones in particular sound like they were made for Horse Race at Lon Lon Ranch and Great Fairy’s Fountain. I already made a ringtone out of “Knockin’ Doorz Down (Hyrule Field).” “I Used to Love H.E.R (Hyrule Market)” is slick too, but watch out for “Still D.R.E (Getting Treasure),” as that will grate on the nerves of all but the most tone deaf. So you know, Team Teamwork is the outfit with their name on this, but I can’t seem to find anything about them, which makes me like them more.

It really is amazing what can be done with well designed instrumentals, a drum kit or two, and some tested lyrics. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time got a lot of attention for its score, and building on top of that puts you in a high place to start. This sort of project wouldn’t have happened back in the late 90’s when the game was released, but the world is ready now for just this sort of project. I for one am hoping for many more projects like this one.

Check the tags for artists.

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Knockin’ Doorz Down (Hyrule Field) – Team Teamwork

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I Used to Love H.E.R. (Hyrule Market – Team Teamwork

Ocarina of Rhyme – full album (.zip)

N.A.S.A Blasts Off

Edward — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:43:51 +0000

OR SOME OTHER SPACE-RELATED PUN

Oh, to be young and at space camp! But look out, child, because your mind is about to get totally melted by musical spirits, which look and act a lot like those weird God-ghosts at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

You may remember way back in my Kanyeezy for Diversity post that I posted a track from N.A.S.A.’s upcoming album, The Spirit of Apollo, and then I went completely nuts about the artists featured on that track (re-posted below). I told you that the album was going to hold you prisoner and put you in a weird human-zoo where other hip-hop artists would come and pay exorbitant prices to throw cheerios into your cage or, if you’re sufficiently tame, come into your confine and pet you. And I mean that in the coolest way possible, because this zoo is going to rock. Like, chocolate waterfalls and perpetual rainbows and maybe a bush made of pretzels or something, I don’t know, I haven’t really completely planned it. In case you didn’t believe me, here are a couple new songs off the album, which should get you sufficiently riled up.

Whachadoin’ (feat. Spank Rock, M.I.A., Nick Zinner and Santogold) – N.A.S.A.

Remember how happy I was about Santi, Lykke Li + Kanye? This is a close 2nd for glee-some threesomes. M.I.A. + Santi is always good, and then Spank Rock icing is my favorite kind. Nick Zinner is the lead guitarist of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, whom I’ve never listened to, so if you have some tracks I should check out, plz point me to them. (PS sorry for the DJ drops in this — it’s the price you have to pay for sweet leaks…)

Money (feat. David Byrne, Chuck D, Ras Congo, Seu Jorge & Z-Trip) – N.A.S.A.

Criminy! David Byrne and Chuck D on the same track? This is amazing. I love Talking Heads, and feel like they’re a band who should be mashed up more frequently. 163 blogpoints to each person who can hook me up with a good Talking Heads mash. 13823 Blogpoints for each Talking Heads/Public Enemy mash-up I receive.

Gifted (feat. Kanye West, Lykke Li & Santogold) – N.A.S.A.

Still amazing.

Spirit of Apollo hits stores Feb 17th. Prepare yourself.

N.A.S.A.’s Myspace.

Whachadoin’ via Nashville Nights

The Animal Show Rocks You Into 2009: Part VI

Edward — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:58:07 +0000

If only every New Year's Eve could be Europe-awesome.

Jeez, d00ds, can you believe it’s already New Year’s Eve? This stuff really sneaks up on you. Especially when you’re making a countdown to it on your blog.

Let it be known that 2009 will be the year of The Animal Show. I made a jpeg to prove it:

Say hello to Frosted Miniguns, the mascot of the Animal Show. He'll help me stampede into 20-09.

To finish the year off, I’m going to give you the gift of music. Wowzers, right? This should complete your New Year’s Playlist (and don’t forget to add my top 5 songs of 2008 to that mix!!!!!!).

D.A.N.C.E. (Benny Blanco mix feat. Spank Rock and Mos Def) – Justice

Yes, this song has been ubiquitous the past couple years, but this remix puts a pretty awesome spin on it, and Spank Rock makes a party go.

Live Your Life (feat. Rihanna) – T.I.

An also-ran for my top 5 of 2008, throw another gratuitous log on your party fire with this. If you haven’t heard it yet, I’m not sure I want you as a reader.

The Final Countdown – Europe

By this late in the party/morning, there is no reward for creativity. Your guests want to hear something everyone can sing along to, and you’d better deliver. Hopefully you have a sweet dance choreographed to this, or something.

Have a safe and embarassing New Year’s, and make sure all your friends’ New Year’s resolutions are to set animalshow.wordpress.com as their homepage!

The Animal Show Rocks You Into 2009: Part V

Edward — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:43:34 +0000

Yup, we've devolved into clip art.

I know, I know. “Why did you think Janet Jackson was acceptable for this New Year’s playlist?! I mean, I added it anyway, because you are the faraway internet god of music taste, but I was perplexed!” I hear you, faithful readers. I recieve the meaning of your death threat e-mails and teary texts: you need more indie cred. Your playlist needs to melt the puny little non-hipster brains of your fellow party-goers. Fear not, I gotcha. But don’t for a second believe I’m reconsidering that Janet track. It’s a gem, and everyone at your New Year’s gathering will urinate on themselves upon recognizing it. It will be simultaneously disgusting and awesome.

But you need cred! That’s why you look to blogs for support, I understand. I’m like you, only more self-involved. But I am a generous blogger, and will share with you one gem of a jam I guarantee noone at your party will have heard, and one that they may have, but is still fan-freakin-tastic.

Keep My Composure – Chemical Brothers feat. Spank Rock

This may be my favorite party darkhorse. It’s a shame more people haven’t heard it before. Help me change that.

Hearts on Fire – Cut Copy

though this probably ranks #3 of my favorite Cut Copy songs (#1 can be found on the top albums page. Guess what #2 is!), it’s still party-tastic. It’s got that Cut Copy build which they do so so well, and which sets them above the hordes of similar-sounding bands.