MiS | Moving in Stereo

Nostalgia comes in many forms.  I’ve often thought my love for music is entrenched in a belief that any familiar  song at any given time can instantaneously shuttle me back to a time/place/event wherein I first listened to said song.  These moments equally trigger all kinds of emotion for obvious reasons.  Mindless formative relationships.  Countless hours playing home run derby on a summer day.  The death of a close one.  Regardless of the setting, a soundtrack was likely formed during any of those situations.

The 1990s brought forth a copious amount of change in my life.  I started the decade in 8th Grade at 13 years old.  I ended it as a college grad with a full time job at 22.  Throughout my teens and early twenties, I began to entrench myself in music with each passing year.  Throwaway dance tracks like “Speed Racer” and “Dangerous On the Dancefloor” were discovered on Z95 and B96.  West Coast Gangsta Rap anchored by Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg followed closely behind.  Next up: Grunge & Alternative, complete with scratchy guitar feedback and angst-ridden lyrics.  The decade seemingly ended with all those genres combined; a melting pot of beats, clicks, samples and instrumentation.

This is the way I remember the decade.  And perhaps that evolution is a reflection of my own maturation from a boy to a young man.  Sorry for the digression.

Here we have the second installment of a ’90s-influenced mix created by NYC scensters Nick Catchdubs and Mr. Ducker called Radio Friendly Unit Shifter, Volume 2.  Although Nirvana is prominently represented in both mixes, the title track does not make an appearance oddly enough.   In any case, many fine songs (mostly rock) are documented in various lengths within the 36-track sequence.  Ducker aptly describes the mix like this:

From Seattle fuzz to Judgement Night gems, we present all the angst and nonsense of the alternative nation as seamlessly mixed party music, with plenty of movie samples and in-jokes thrown in for good measure.

So start the weekend with a little ’90s era Q101 nostalgia, huh?  Download the zip here.  Complete tracklisting after the j-u-m-p. Continue reading ‘Radio Friendly Unit Shifter’

Credit must be given when credit is due.  The other day, I was passed a link from a friend who respectfully introduced me to the best saki bomb Chicago has to offer.  I haphazardly clicked the link at the end of the work day and listened while I gathered my things.  I was quickly hooked when I looked up at the screen to see these unbelievable sounds being created by one person. A female version of the one man jam?

Theresa Andersson was born in Sweden but moved to New Orleans at age 18 in 1990.  Primarily a skilled violinist, Andersson bounced around as a session/touring musician with local southern U.S. bands before recording her first solo album in 1994.  She began to experiment with various instruments, and in the process, discovered the magic of working with loop pedals as a way to play each instrument in a given recording by herself.  The result captures an unending talent of musicianship and showmanship as she strums, drums, claps, and sings her way through a song with the tap of her foot to a pedal.

After having met fellow Swedish artist Tobias Froberg, Andersson sent him a video demo she recorded in the kitchen of her house.  Froberg was so taken with what he heard, he flew to the U.S. and encouraged her to record the full length with the same set up – in the comforts of her kitchen.  The demos found their way onto youtube last year where Theresa Andersson became somewhat of an overnight internet sensation.

These songs are featured on her most recent album, Hummingbird Go! Although she was forced to move out of Louisiana and into Texas as a result of Hurricane Katrina, the LP is a direct reflection of the influence brought forth from living in New Orleans.  It’s easy to get lost in the magic that’s created when one person is responsible for each instrument heard on a recording, especially in a live setting.  But, perhaps ironically,  the instrument that truly rises above all others is her voice.  She multitasks with it as she does with the other instruments, whether keeping a beat or harmonizing.  But she also let’s it fly on occasion, sounding like a cardinal overheard at dawn on an early morning walk in the spring.  Did I just write that?  My apologies for any douche-chills induced…

Catch her on the road, if you can, where she stays true to her talents and performs by herself just as she does in the videos below.  I assume she keeps the fridge at home though.

My mp3 device was boosted on Christmas Day.  A sour way to end the year, no doubt.  Certainly, things could be worse.  And overall, the year was very good to me.  But in the moment, I pouted  like a little boy who had his favorite toy taken away.  Music is a lifeline to me.  It travels with me wherever I go.  In a world with instant portability and access to information, I was suddenly left in the cold without any clothes.

In the meantime, I’ve resorted to using a portable CD player on my daily walks with the dog.  The antiquated process has given me an opportunity to listen to complete albums from start to finish; something that rarely happens with an iPod when it’s all too easy to simply hit shuffle or create a playlist.  I quickly devised a list of my favorite releases of 2008 and made a point of listening to each album in full.  Sure, it wasn’t as convenient, but it definitely helped me appreciate what turned out to be a fine year in music.

Continue reading ‘2008 Albums :: Year In Review’