Tha WiKiD onE - Cause and Infect

Tha WiKiD onE. 

Another mic killer from the 602. Moved. Motivated. Driven. 
With names like Bizarre from D12 reppin his Cause and Infect LP this kid should be going somewhere. 

I follow him, cyber stalking his moves from PA to Cali. Watching and waiting for his next move. With his Death of an Emcee video his words speak clearly on how he feels. Beats thump in my ears as I listen to his LP, mixed and dubbed, shaken not stirred. Smooth like a Mission Impossible agent can only be, he infects your brain with his words, his beats, his presence. 

I don't know what his purpose is. I don't know who his heroes are. I don't know his next move. I do know you will be sick with words from his mouth to your ears. Is Mission Infect Mission Impossible? You decide. 


Infect your brain. Infect your ears. Spread it. Infect


http://www.facebook.com/thawikidone
Http://www.thawikidone.net

SUPPORT LOCAL AZ HIP HOP!!!!!

Canyon Lake Music and Arts Festival 2012 - 80 Proof

Spending time with these cats was insanity! From the campfire acoustic sessions, to their onstage presence. They are truly a Reggae/Punk band....they are the bastard children of the Sublime movement, this is the kind of band you listen to when you're surrounded by those you love the most, bbq'ing, sitting around the campfire, making love to your old lady (Better than the Lovage album I cherish so much!)

The ingredients that make up this amazing dish of reggae/punk/Sublime like dessert: 

Evan Manriquez - Vocals
Daniel Cooper - Vocals/Guitar
Joel Catello - Guitar
Aubrey Rivera - Bass
Sean Fleming - Drums
Alex Williamson - Keys/Percussion

It can only be described as being reborn. Music that makes your feet move, your heart beat to the sounds, the blood flowing through your body keeping perfect rhythm, hips moving, sensuality, nothing compares to this band. 

Yeah they sound like Sublime, maybe 311........but I think one of these cats was spawned from the loins of Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, Bradley Nowell and Rita Marley. Goosebumps spread over my flesh sitting here in this swank coffee shop. I can't get enough, I'm hooked. They are the heroin I am the junkie. And I am OK with this.

Favorite tracks? #2 Vixen #4 Got UR # #5 Medicine and  #6 Joe Rogan

Inspiring. Relaxing. Addictive. I love the reggae beats, the true nature of their sound and their overall personalities. Sitting around the campfire on a cool Saturday night, Alex joined us for an acoustic jam session with Riley from Raina- Fire on guitar he flowed out an unforgettable song. These kids enjoy what they do. 

After 13 hours on the road from LA to get to Canyon Lake Campgrounds, they were in good spirits. After being ass tagged by a drunk driver, they were still in good humor. I had the honor of being a part of this weekend festival, so much talent, cute guys and a few cute girls. Evan, Alex and the rest of the crew proved to be the sound of the future.

If you ever had a reason to buy a CD this would be it. I can't wait until I hear their music on the radio, crank it up and dance shoeless in the grass. Thoughts, memories of those 2 days making me smile. I am forever addicted. Dont ever stop doing what you love! 

80 Proof! Be my heroin. Worth traveling for. 

http://www.facebook.com/80proofmusic

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1744594270/80-proof-full-length-album

Canyon Lake Music and Arts Festival 2012 - BirdCity

Two words come to mind when I think of BirdCity....

FUCKING RAD. 

Like a rare vintage wine, BirdCity brings a little Me First and the Gimme Gimme's to the table, and for those of you who know local band Carolines Spine, Loki brings that sound, the one you dream about. The one that makes you feel like you're in a scene from a Midsummers Night. THIS is the soundtrack for your dreams.

Forget Rick Flair and Nature boy, BirdCity is the only Flair that matters. Proud of their hometown, Phoenix, AZ, Birdcity represents everything that is RIGHT with local music. Fresh. 

I love the way they pull off the classic rock songs, hitting notes and beats that would make Jim Morrison tap his foot. You can't label their sound. They aren't punk, adult alternative, they aren't even rock. They will go down in history as being in a genre all their own. Legends in their own right.

Standing in the grass at the Canyon Lake Music and Arts fest, I realized that my feet were planted firmly, eyes closed, letting the sounds seep into my soul washing away my worries and giving me a chance to be a part of something much bigger. 

The sounds from Bird City gently stroking my ear drums, Loki singing his rendition of Awolnations Sail, I was transformed. Music feeds the soul, and I have a fat kid soul. Beautiful. Fresh. Heart thumping. Unbridled. 

Worth a listen. But only because Bird City is FUCKING RAD. 

 

Canyon Lake Music and Arts Fesitval 2012 - Libertine Social

When I listen to a band, I won't be like the anal retentive Driver's License dude checking you off for drifting around a corner. No. You will get my experience, how the music made me feel and if I felt it was worthy of actually writing about. 

Libertine Social, I had the pleasure of doing an acoustic jam the night before they played the Team Trick Canyon Music Fest, with these cats. A voice to serenade you on a cool night in October, the water lapping as they started playing. Eric started singing....and the rest just fell into place. The peaceful night was softly filled with the melodies of an amazing acoustic guitar, and a Bougarabou or better known as the conga...there is an enigmatic sense of being serenaded. Exuding a genuine vibe, they guys are just as down to earth as their music. 

Eric's voice is beautiful. Caressing your ears....playfully teasing you....

Don't believe me? You can become entranced by checking out their ReverbNation or Facebook pages.....You will thank me later.

http://www.reverbnation.com/libertinesocial

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Libertine-Social/292024154237821

Canyon Lake Music and Arts Festival 2012 - Radio Box

The collab on this band is insane. There are really only a few words I can use to define who they are, what they sounded like and well lets be honest, the talent in this group....

6 String bass? Check. 

Fearless sound? Check. 

Lets take a minute and do some Sci-fi low fi DNA mixing. Take 7 Mary 3, The Ramones, The  NY Dolls, The Misfits, with a sprinkle of Five Finger Death punch and bake at 500 degrees, serve with a side of toe tingling, finger gripping sounds and you get Radiobox. 

I enjoyed the sound, the stage presence but most importantly the sound and of course the 6 string bass (seriously fucking awesome!) the ambiance of the entire experience was worth listening to. My fave song out of the set? Someone Else Than me. 

You can cop their tunes on their ReverbNation site http://www.reverbnation.com/radiobox

Or check them out on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/radioboxband

The after hours acoustic jam was even better. I was able to spend time getting to know Mike, feel his personality out, and enjoy his voice. 

Mike Engelhardt - Lead Vocals

Alfred Trujillo - Lead Guitar

Hans Homberg - Drums

Bruce Goode - Bass

Throb Zombie - Nameless

Sitting in the passenger seat on my way to Flagstaff for a mini vacation I decide I was tired of listening to the hip hop I had been listening to. I pull out the Throb Zombie Cd and giggle....."Insert Here" Is the only wording on the CD label.....with cute heart shaped buttons and a hole for the zombies belly button. 

OK, I think I can handle this I mutter to my roommate who is driving. "They better not let me down....."

My first impression was that of intrigue.....the opening riff resonating in my inner cortex. Making my medulla oblongata shiver with excitement. I could tell that this was going to be a good LP, something worth listening to on my way to work, something I would play over and over until I knew every inch of that CD. 

I pick up the small envelope like case the CD came in....flipping it back and forth in my hands. Trying to remember how I came across their CD in the first place.....and then it hits me like the man boobs the night I discovered Throb Zombie. I was with a friend at a local dive called Hollywood Alley, there was a drag show and we had just come from watching my favorite band Stitch Hopeless and the Sealegs. There were men everywhere dressed in drag. It was spectacular yet scary. but I liked it. I wanted more. 

Doctor Bones gets on stage....and like always I find a nice out of the way spot to watch the "show" from the sidelines.....and I look over there is this greenish eery light creepily displaying this CD wrapped in plastic, glimmering like Edward from Twilight. I look for others similar to it, wondering if it belongs to someone. It didn't. At this point I'm mumbling to myself.....getting interesting looks from the other drunks and drag kings and queens around me....but I don't care, my precious....

I quietly and discretely tuck it away in my back pocket. I can feel the CD calling me. Throbbing in my pocket. I get home that night, toss is on my stack of backlogged CD's for review and fall face first into my bed. Little did I know months later I would Consider Throb Zombie one of my FAVORITE punk bands to date. 

The CD has songs like: 

War on Religion

The Cage

First in Line

Bring it Back

Peace of Mind

Harold

Let Go

Neverwalk

Occupy

Throb Zombie

Body of Lies

God Loves Everyone

Down

Better than the Skankin Pickle, Mustard Plug and San Diego punk bands I grew up with. This is the epitome of what punk/ska punk/steam punk should be. This is the type of punk I know my son would listen to, the kind he would secretly put on his iPod. This is what Punk should be. I feel like I'm in Punk heaven. 

Throb Zombie......don't let me down. I need more of you. Please. Like a junkie that needs her fix, I need your music to soothe the savage beast laying in the dark. 

Make it so.....

Far From Finished - DoneOne

Maryvale, AZ. The back alleys, abandoned buildings. The wasteland. DoneOne calls this home. Classic beats ring through your ears as you listen to the words flow.

You get the feeling of personal experience when you listen. There are some pros and cons to this album....But im not here to tear this album apart. I want to sell you on the words, the man. The way he presents himself in public and the sounds he creates. 

Tracks on this LP include:

Intro

Far From Finished

Anyone There

Why Do I

Here To Stay

Interlude

Broken Words

The Crack Era

Cant Take It

Nothing I Can Do 

Addict in the Attic

Same Old Game

The Meaning

The American Skeem

Whats Done is Done

The Wasteland

Never Lose

Outro

Part of a bigger conspiracy, T.S.O.I., DoneOne represents everything that is right with the underground hip hop scene in this city in the desert. He is an alias with no name, words revolved around the meaning of HIS life and the type of music you need to fulfill your desire for true words. 

When I close my eyes I picture the images he is presenting, dark worlds, littered alleys. T.S.O.I. is  just that....The Society Of Invisibles. Underground scene, creating beats to pump the soul. There is no comparison. There is no equal. 

There is just DoneOne.

The Company We Keep - Gods And Monsters

Who, Feast, Mad Men, Catch Us, A Gentleman’s Bet, Team Grizzly II, HCMF, Heavyweights.

The Company We Keep is littered with Dela, Done One, Ruste Juxx,  Judgement, Joey Baggs, Blaze Rock, and Grey Fox.

After listening to this EP about 7 times in the last 2 days, I decided that the words I needed to formulate, scratch that….the words I needed weren’t going to come to me easily. Heavy hitters featured on almost every track this shit is the 602’s rawest underground talent throwing their 2 cents at your face.  An old friend once told me he worked in the belly of the beast; he must have been talking about Gods and Monsters.  Streets and The Ginger are the beast. 

I struggled, how I would describe these boys, these boys who have become men over the years. The only thing I can come up with, they are the modern day code talkers. Translating rhymes and words into something more than music with some beats behind it, these aren’t the old school pro-tools beats I messed with in school 15 years ago; these beats come from another planet. 

When I listen to G N M I have to pull out my Dangerdoom, Proof, Grimm, and Old School Eminem (circa 1997) I close my eyes and I’m drug through the hot sweaty nights of downtown Phoenix, destination 1145 E Roosevelt, crowds getting restless, hands shaking, hugs being tossed, Streets and The Ginger on the porch. The music starts. The crowd moves as one. We are the snakes they are the charmers. They are the puppet masters we are the puppets.

Nas, I suggest you get your daughters ready, Slaughterhouse 5 I suggest you make room for these Gods and Monsters. The mistress you thought was hip hop, well let’s just say she upped her game and like preachers at the podium you will feel the vibrations through your bones listening to these men.

I will be your judge, I will be your jury, I will not be your executioner. I will put these words on paper and let the crowd decide. I find you guilty of taking the souls of the lost who wander the streets slicing their throats from ear to ear and letting the beats flow like blood from their veins. Condemned to roam the earth hip hop whispering in your ear, your beats stalking the shadows.

The Company We Keep

The Second Coming

**I would like to thank Damien Streets, Brent William, Sarai Phi and all you other muggs for allowing me to be a part of your family. The Pics are from Sarai Phi from the 08/11/2012 FREEP party of The Company We Keep at Push Art Gallery in downtown Phoenix. 

The Second Coming - Gods and Monsters

Gods and Monsters

http://www.facebook.com/godsandmonstersaz

http://godsandmonstersaz.com/

The Second Coming

The Company You Keep

Damien Streets

Brent William

Who are they? Brent William + Damien Streets = Gods and Monsters. Just a couple of rappers who probably need psychiatric help, that and some money to pay bills and buy Jordans. 

This is not your old school new school hip hop. This isn’t your big brothers homemade mix tape. Flared with real world experience and dreams, a pumpkin spice coffee and avocado rolls, streets and “the ginger” roll through words and ideas, dreams and failures, heaven and hell. Never leaving you behind, tagging a picture of what ifs and could bes.

They don’t sound like House of Pain, and they aren’t a part of the Young Money Cash Money Millionaires. They are a part of the AZ underground hip hop scene, which seems to be getting bigger and bigger. Don’t look for DMX in this crowd, but rather young and old who can see the bigger picture, who want to be a part of this movement and are willing to march to a different beat.

Comparing them to other well-known groups is unjustifiable. But If I had to create a mash up I would say they have the stylings of slaughterhouse, some D12, and the powerful words of NaS. But to add a label to who they are would toss them into the pond of wannabe “rappers” and “Juggalos”.

Download their album, not because you’re a ‘hip hop’ follower, but because you want to support the AZ hip hop scene, you want to think outside the box, you don’t want to be a follower but a leader. Don’t be the sheep. Be the wolf.

Gods and Monsters……..lyrical serial killers. 

The Creepshow- They All Fall Down-2010

The Creepshow
Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Current 3 Albums:
Sell your soul (2006)
Run for your life (2008)
They all fall down (2010)

With
Sarah “Sin” Blackwood on vocals
Sean “Sickboy” McNabb on upright Bass/backup vocals
The Reverend McGinty on keys
Sandro Sanchioni on drums

 If you could mix Creepsville 666, a little Stitch Hopeless, maybe some Devil Doll with the voice of Joan Jett you would get The Creepshow. Sarah Blackwood is an amazing female vocalist and adds a certain artistic flair to this breed of psychobilly/punkabilly sound. It’s not often you run into women who can compete with the agro sounds of some of the hardest psychobilly out there, however when you hear Sarah’s voice you get thrown into the harmonic values her voice holds. Sarah took over lead vocals when her older sister Hellcat became pregnant. Giving new meaning to the term good girl gone bad, Sarah has also performed with “Walk off the Earth” a Canadian Indie band, whose eclectic use of instruments has given them a unique and identifiable sound. You can view any one of their amazing and talented songs on YouTube. The Creepshow has a set of unique lyrics, mirrored after horror films which are written by the band. So here’s the good the bad and the ugly of their latest album? The Good? They hold true to their psychobilly roots, with the amazing sounds of the upright bass, guitar and backup vocals. The Bad? While Sarah is musically amazing and extremely talented, her vocals don’t quite follow through causing you to strain to hear her over the rest of the bad, I would blame it on bad audio production (I’m partial to her vocals myself!) The Ugly? Well, the only ugly were the actors in the video from “They All Fall Down” With a great sound, a beautiful woman to sing you to sleep with dreams of horror and undead eyes you can’t go wrong with The Creepshow.