been holding on to these for a while. first off, check this book review on a tome that will certainly make black power heads shudder...or maybe not. seriously, you can play this game on a number of different levels...white distribution, black recording artists, white coaches, black basketball players, et cetera, ad infinitum, ad nauseum.

...and then there's this little gem. this is a great example of how necessary it is for people of different walks of life and experiences to talk with one another...

for any podcasters on the check-in, please download my promo and play it on your show. anybody else who wants to check it, by all means, cop it. pretty happy with how it turned out...

okay, so while this isn't my show, i am featured within this show. i recorded a clip for Podshow Music Rewind and it was included in show #28, which just premiered two days ago. it will also be featured on Sirius Satellite Radio tonight at 9pm Eastern Standard time. much thanks to Marcus Couch for featuring my clip. show notes are below...

PODCAST FILE

Podshow Music Rewind is hosted by Marcus Couch. Presented by Podshow.com.

• MUSIC: Supersuckers - "Some People Say"

Get Jacked, hosted by Jack Elias.
• MUSIC: Martha Redbone - "Future Street"

Radio BSOTS, hosted by Macedonia.
• MUSIC: Hired Gun - "What Makes The Man"

Build The Church with Mark Linder.
• MUSIC: Jack in the Pulpit - "Life Goes On"

Podshow Radio, hosted by Brent.
• MUSIC: Smeer - "Digging"

The Riverbend, hosted by Mike Wills.
• MUSIC: Jake Coco - "Daddy's Eyes"

The Digivegas Podcast, hosted by Paulie Podcaster.
• MUSIC: Futon - "Guessing Game"

Zero Gravity Radio, hosted by Mark Ries.
• MUSIC: Miss Sad UK - "Headspin"

The Scene Zine, hosted by Marcus Couch.
• MUSIC: Eight Stops Seven - "Doubt"

squeezing this one out at the end of the month after a necessary week away from it all. good thing i waited, though - i was able to score some great tunes for this two-part series focusing on music from the podsafe sisterhood. here's how the first one shapes up...

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uncle seth*double-double - a waltz for voice
theory*woman II woman
cling*abandoned
full*push it down (buy it at cdbaby.com)
georgia anne muldrow*larva
alice smith*dream (visit her myspace page)
si*se*(morerain) more shine (dj center & l.e. mix)

background music:
claudia bonarelli*a2 (download the entire ep here)

other key info: R.E.A.C.Hip-hop, Octavia Butler article

i used to see the "stop snitching" t-shirts every now and again, but never knew what that was all about. so serious thanks go out to Marc Lamont Hill for breaking down the science (and then some) in this article. as with all things Marc Lamont Hill, some stuff i agree with, some i don't.

so, here's the story: a radio show host from WFMU, easily my favorite station, requested for his listeners to submit cover versions of a poem/rant that he plays often: "Cake" by Todd Colby. haven't heard this show in the longest, but i was familiar with the piece and thought it was a great idea. i got inspired and submitted a version of my own, which Kenny (the host) told me was both "fantastic" and "incredible..." i say it's rather silly and that it gets the job done.

my version - along with Todd Colby's original and countless others - has been posted to the WFMU blog. just look for the one listed as "cake by listener macedonia." make sure to download the original version as well, if you haven't heard it already. it will also be featured along with the rest of the covers on Kenny's show, Intelligent Design this Wednesday, March 29, 2006 from 3-6 p.m. eastern standard time. if you miss it, show archives will be available soon afterwards.

gotta start downloading those other versions...i'm rather curious...

i love Matthew Dear's work. this EP is a testament to his brilliance. experimental pop goodness, i tell you what.

MATTHEW DEAR
Backstroke
Record label: Spectral Sound
Format: mini-LP/CD
Release date: July 2004

(Review originally posted to BSOTS website september of 2004)

You really have to admire Matthew Dear’s work ethic: he seems to have been releasing music consistently since the start of last year. What I don’t understand is how the quality has been able to match up with the quantity of his output. The tone was set with a pair of EPs in 2003 that focused on his minimal techno sessions. He was already getting recognition as one to watch; then he dropped “Dog Days” (the leadoff single for his debut album) and that’s when things really got interesting. A summer dance floor anthem if there ever was one, Dear held the ship steady while maneuvering through house and techno waters, riding the current of a catchy chorus. This would bring his vocal side to the forefront. The mini-album Backstroke picks up where Leave Luck to Heaven left off, albeit a heavier focus on Matthew’s vocal-led material. With a knack for creating unconventional pop tunes, the payoff is big, establishing him as possibly the next superstar in techno.

The music’s accessibility is due to its winning combination of new wave/synthpop song structures, unbridled dance floor energy, and Matthew’s capable vocal ability. Both “Tide” and “Grut Wall” sound as if they were crafted to be the blueprints for underground chart toppers. There’s nothing that these songs don’t possess: memorable and catchy lyrics, infectious grooves, and 100% genuine in its presentation. “Huggy’s Parade” plays with the formula a little bit, keeping the music minimal yet bouncy as Dear’s vocals sound like they were phoned in from another planet. “I Know Howser” slows things down to great effect, its somber and melancholy tone being a natural platform for Matthew’s chops to shine (techno’s first balladeer, maybe?). The showstopper comes in the form of “And In The Night” as Dear switches gears to deliver some midtempo disco from an alternate universe. Latin percussion loops and the repeated phrase “sometimes I think about you” get stirred into a wonderfully messy stew. Vocals bubble over the top of this mutant pop cauldron, somewhat disembodied yet still passionate. This track contains more twists and turns than San Francisco’s Lombard Street, making for a great closer to this release. Absolutely fantastic.

{steve crognale}

you can purchase this release at emusic.com or at bleep.com (see media player below).

"the number that you have reached, holy war in the mental, has been changed. the new number is...welcome to camp lo-fi... please make a note of it..."

it's high time, really. holy war in the mental has worked as a blog title for the past two years and change, but if you listen to my podcasts, you know that i've been using the tag line welcome to camp lo-fi as part of my introduction ever since they started. so that's the new title of the blog. the time was right for the change: i want the podcast and blog to compliment each other. at the same time, i'll be moving several years of rants and music reviews over here, a little bit at a time.

this is lifeblood for me, and i hope it holds some interest for you.

signed, macedonia (your friendly neighborhood camp counselor).

p.s. you can bookmark this url for the blog and podcast: http://www.bsots.com/restless/

as of now, anyone who wants to listen to the podcasts online can do so through my podsafe music network page. just go there and click on the "play show" button: a separate window will open up with its own media player. the most recent podcast will immediately start playing.

show #15 led me to search the site for some reviews on Delsin releases. here's one for a great compilation of theirs that came out in 2002. be sure to check the media player to hear selections from this comp...

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Day By Day
Record label: Delsin (The Netherlands)
Format: CD
Release date: 5 September 2002

(Review originally posted to BSOTS website September of 2002)

The last two years have been very good to the Delsin label. This small Dutch upstart has consistently put out quality releases focusing primarily on deep house and warm, soothing techno, but ultimately on electronic music with heart and soul. As a result, worldwide accolades have been pouring in, including the likes of Laurent Garnier, Kirk Degiorgio, and Carl Craig singing their praises. Their first CD compilation, …Going Thru Life, established an attitude of making music for the body, mind, and spirit, be it for the dance floor or the chill-out section. This follow-up collection of singles is sure to make all the Delsin fans without record players very happy. Just like the previous compilation, most if not all of these tracks were only previously available on vinyl.

Day By Day features artists from the UK, the Netherlands, and the United States. Matthew Puffett's contribution as Future Beat Alliance is very "Sweet" indeed, romantic techno that's also rhythmically engaging. Aardvarck, a mainstay of the Dutch techno scene, has made a name for himself with his breakbeat jazz compositions. "Doeda" is a great example of his production wizardry. Back home in the States is Delsin newcomer $tinkworx, whose "Todas Las Noches" is a downtempo house pleaser - perfect for the lounges. Underwater deep house grooves float to the surface courtesy of New World Aquarium ("Trespassers") and Peel Seamus a.k.a. Marsel Van der Wielsen (owner and founder of Delsin) is responsible for one of the most hypnotic and seductive tracks on this compilation ("Artemis"). Throw in a pair of songs from Detroit veteran Keith Tucker (appearing as Optic Nerve) as well as others from the label roster and it's another satisfying listen from this Dutch imprint. Let's hope that this label stays active for a long time - Delsin knows how to do it right.

{steve crognale}