Thicked

Quick thoughts: Hold Steady on Dec. 4 at Sticky Fingerz, yo. Anticipate. "Leaning on You" is a perfect song. Re: "Oh, Shooter," which BTW is based on a true story and supposedly contains an anti-gun message (WTF?), I can't think of any example, beyond "Walk This Way" (sadly, the inspiration for the tepid video for "Shooter"), where the remaker and the appropriated participated together and benefited--artistically and in credibility--so equally. Weezy F. please-say-the Baby advanced his claim to the hearts of everyone who wants their favorite rapper outfitted in genre-stretching arrangements, while Thicke proved that he was more than weird celebrity trivia, exposing himself to thousands of rap kids who'd otherwise probably be pretty suspicious of a blue-eyed soulman. Consider other prominent examples in the genre (does this happen elsewhere?): Eminem plucks Dido from relative obscurity. Puffy coaxes Jimmy Page onto his abysmal song for the Godzilla soundtrack that borrows heavily from "Kashmir." We suspect Led Zepp. residuals weren't quit covering Jimmy P.'s botox/occult trinket habit. I think T.I.'s re-do of "Front, Back, and Side-to-Side" came from a DJ Drama mixtape. T.I.'s clearly loves and respects of UGK, and maybe the song will inspire teeny-boppers to check out Port Arthur's finest, but damn if this isn't disposable. What a weird phenomenon. Need to think on it more.

8/15/06

1. The Hold Steady- Modesto Is Not That Sweet (live on the Current)
2. The Hold Steady- Stuck Between Stations (live on the Current)
3. Duane Eddy- Night Train to Memphis
4. The Swingin' Yo-Yos- Leaning on You
5. Waylon Jennings- When Sin Stops
6. Willie Colon- La Murga
7. Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings- Switchblade
8. Thicke- Oh Shooter
9. Ratatat- Wildcat (E*vax Remix)
10. Hot Chip- Colours (DFA remix)
11. Yo La Tengo- Tom Courtenay (Acoustic)
12. The Mountain Goats- Moon Over Goldsboro
13. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy- Cursed Sleep

The Return

I know, I know, we're slacking. The online arm of Plague Industries has been inactive for a long minute or three. But we've been having some meetings, and all the principals have agreed to step it up. So look for us to first play a little catch-up (there are several shows from weeks or months ago that are on a server ready to be shared), and then start steady posting.

In the meantime, you can now listen to KABF 24/7 via the web. Check it.

Dose 1

"This is the weirdest mix of music you ever put together," said one listener, who begrudingly tunes in regularly.

That sounds kinda like a challenge, but we'll take it for a compliment.

Blue Cheer plays Downtown Music next Wed., July 12. If you deem that too loud, tune in to Localist Radio, from 10-12, and hear gubentorial candidate Rod Bryan talk about the issues, and, fingers crossed, mix up some Arkancentric jams.

Tracks 7 and 8. Quite possibly the best two-track combo in the history of The Plague.

7.5.06

1. The Mountain Goats- The Plague (theme)
2. Johnny Cash- God's Gonna Cut You Down
3. Blue Cheer- Second Time Around
4. Youngblood Brass Band- Nate McCavish Handbills for No Man
5. Curumin- Tudo Bem Malandro
6. Copperpot- Dreams feat. Longshot, Diverse, and Profound
7. Jackie Lee- White Horses
8. Belle Epoque- Miss Broadway
9. Sleater-Kinney- Milkshake 'n' Honey
10. Gun Club- Promise Me
11. Guided by Voices- I Am a Scientist
12. The Fantastic Four- If This World Were Mine
13. Pixies- Evil Hearted You
14. Wire- Map Ref. 41 n 93 w
15. Ray Cash- Bumpin' My Music feat. Scarface

Dose 2

7.5.06 b

1. Dengue Fever- Ethanopium
2. T. Rex- Ride a White Swan
3. Richard X- Finest Dreams feat. Kelis
4. Tom Zé- Elaeu
5. Comets on Fire- The Antlers of the Midnight Sun
6. Joey Ramone and General Johnson- Rockaway Beach
7. The Jam- Mr. Clean
8. Destoyer- Rubies (Live @ Middle East, 2006)
9. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy- The Signifying Wolf
10. Richard Buckner- 22
11. Centromatic- Now That Have Blown Away Your Cards
12. Bobby Bare Jr.- Flat Chested Girl
13. Hot Water Music- Not For Anyone
14. The Mountain Goats- Song for Cleomenes
15. Garnet Mimms- As Long As I Have You

Fade In

The diddling about is over. We were trying to streamline the podcasting, but our efforts were for naught. So we've come back, resigned to the grind, but committed to course. So stay tuned.

For those of you whose Plague fades and festers with the podcast, we'll offer a confession: we're getting a touch formulaic. Beta Band and its descendents + Southern rap futura remixes + saucy girl singers over dance beats + saucy British girl rappers who sometimes sing + South American blip-folk + the church of Elvis Costello + Frank Black's Spanish-horns-in-Memphis remixes + the church of Craig Finn + token local band = each and every Plague.

Hope it sounds fresh!

The Return.

1. The Mountain Goats- The Plague
2. The Aliens- Robot Man
3. Project Pat- Good Googly Moogly (Josh Console Remix)
4. Nelly Furtado- Maneater
5. Lily Allen- Friday Night
6. Juana Molina- Salvese Quien Pueda (Four Tet Remix)
7. King Biscuit Time- Impossible Ride
8. Elvis Costello and Allen Touissaint- The River in Reverse
9. Elvis Costello- Human Hands
10. Frank Black Francis and Two Pale Boys- Holiday Song
11. The Hold Steady- Multitude of Casualties
12. The American Princes- Baby Blue

RIPs

Billy Preston, Grant McLennan, Big H.A.W.K, and Desmond Dekker all passed away in the last little bit. To be honest, we here at Plague Enterprises don't know a whole hell of a lot about any of these artists. Here's the extent: Billy Preston was the 5th Beatle. McLennan co-founded The Go-Betweens. Big H.A.W.K. was Fat Pat's (RIP) brother, Screwed Up Click affliated, and probably about to be really famous. Desmond Dekker was the king of ska.

And Prince turned 48 last week.

Tribute hour.

1. Prince- Black Sweat
2. Desmond Dekker- Bongo Gal
3. Billy Preston- Outta Space
4. The Beatles- Get Back
5. The Go-Betweens- Cassanova's Last Words
6. Billy Preston- Sunday Morning
7. Desmond Dekker- Pickney Girl
8. Billy Preston- That's The Way God Planned It
9. The Go-Betweens- Near the Chimney
10. Trae feat. Fat Pat and Big H.A.W.K- Swang
11. Desmond Dekker- Fu Manchu
12. Billy Preston- The Same Thing Again
13. Desmond Dekker- Intensfied Festival
14. The Go-Betweens- Cattle and Cane

Hip-hop violinist is...

...my favorite musical descriptor of the year. That's me and Miri Ben-Ari, the Israeli violin sensation who just put out this album which includes a veritable who's who of today's top rappers. And they all say something about the violin in every song. It's sort of genius.

Another amazing development in hip-hop this year that we document below: our favorite Dade County rapper, Trick Daddy, samples the Talking Heads.

Also: we're LOVING "Mathematics" from Nashville power-pop sensation Jetpack (which features Searcy native Sean Williams on vocals; White County, ho!). Jetpack plays Whitewater this coming Friday, Dec. 2 with Grand Serenade and Johnny Mac and the Reds.

Part 1

1. The Mountain Goats- The Plague (theme)
2. Miri Ben-Ari feat. E-40 and Lil Flip- Sick With Da Flip
3. Trick Daddy feat. Ludacris and Cee-Lo- Sugar (Gimme Some)
4. The Talking Heads- Sugar (On My Tongue)
5. A.C. Newman- Most of Us Prizefighters
6. Jetpack- Mathematics
7. Johnny Mac- Hey... Hey...
8. Pinback- B

RIP Link Wray (2)

Rumble on.

The Exploding Hearts have long been a Plague favorite. Contemporary garage-rock at its pinnacle. Tragically, three-fourths of the band died in a bus accident in 2003, so the album below is all you'll ever hear of the Exploding Hearts. Holler at your local record shop and get a copy if you don't already have one.



Part 2

1. The Exploding Hearts- Rumors in Town
2. The Reigning Sound- She's Bored with You
3. Big Silver- Pictures of You
4. Ike and Tina Turner and the Ikettes- Contact High
5. Little Jimmy Dickens- May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose
6. Link Wray- Caroline

Three (6)

Thanks to the new Fader, I know that Willie Hutch deserves A LOT of the credit for my favorite song of the year.

Here ya go:

Three.

1. Lil Flip- This Is the Way We Ball
2. Willie Hutch- Tell Me Why Our Love Has Turned Cold
3. Betty Wright- Secretary
4. Fabulous Souls- Take Me
5. Barry White- Me and Mrs. Jones
6. Arthur Alexander- Soldier of Love
7. Booker T. and the MGs- Sunny
8. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings- Switchblade
9. Johnny Dowd- Sleep in the Grass

4

Not much.

Here.

1. Chris Denny-?
2. Andrew Bird- MX Missles
3. The Avalanches- Tonight May Have to Last Me All My Life
4. Robert Wyatt- Born Again Cretin

Catchin' Up (11.16.05)

Chris Denny at White Water (photo courtesy of the very talented Laura Grenard)

Technical difficulties, other projects, and Thanksgiving conspired to delay the delivery of that aural crack you know as "The Plague."

Here's the show from Nov. 16.

Check it.

1. Chris Denny- Time
2. Wilco- Misunderstood (live)
3. My Morning Jacket- The Way That He Sings
4. Neil Young- Revolution Blues
5. Alexander "Skip" Spence- Margaret/Tiger Rag
6. The Delta Rhythm Boys- What Would It Take

The Holy Ghost (or Number 2)

Dear Santa: I need more 9 cd box sets.

Just realized these will play out of order. I'm sure few of you share my compulsion over such things, so I'm gonna let it slide.

Number 2

1. X-Ray Spex- Obsessed with You
2. Artic Monkeys- (I Bet You) Look Good on the Dancefloor
3. Frank Black- (I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain
4. The Libertines- Can't Stand Me Now
5. Big Silver- Berryhill Park
6. The Mountain Goats- Your Belgian Things
7. Kingsbury Manx- ?
8. Rogue Wave- Bird on a Wire
9. Dengue Fever- Ethaniopium
10. Mulatu Astetke- ?
11. Albert Ayler- Our Prayer

Time to whistle at it (part 3)

Juelz Santana is clearly the most patriotic man in these United States.

Tre.

1. Stars- Ageless Beauty (The Most Serene Republic remix)
2. The Fiery Furnaces- Spaniolated
3. Lady Sovereign- Hoodie (Basement Jaxx remix)
4. Juelz Santana- There It Go (The Whistle Song)
5. Epiphany- Clarification
6. Franz Ferdinand- The Fallen (Justice edit)
7. Kings of New England- Space Is the New Seattle

Don't Sleep on Conduit

This Saturday, occassional venue Pizza D hosts Conduit Entertainment, arguably the A-state's tightest rap collective. Within the crew is Suga City (Arkansas Bo and Goines), DK, and Ephiphany (pictured above). All the dudes bring it something good, but Big Piph is on some other-level-shit. Check him out for yourself, here.

The Autumnal Soul Spectacular

It's dark at 5, the leaves are changing and falling, and it's 80 degrees. What's all that mean? Well, clearly that it's time for the Autumnal Soul Spectacular, a seasonal offering.

Soul is one of our passions at Plague HQ. We hope it shows.

(For the geeks: only the Ebony Rhythmn Band and Sharon Jones covers correspond with the songs we feature. The other two just look cool.)

Download part 1 here.

1. The Mountain Goats- The Plague (theme)
2. Messengers Incorporated- Soulful Proclamation
3. Ebony Rhythm Band- Drugs Ain't Cool
4. Sir Mack Rice- Muhammad Ali
5. Wanda Robinson- A Possibility Back Home
6. Jean Knight- Do Me
7. Bohannon- Save Our Souls

Part 2

Get it.

1. The Staple Singers- Long Walk to DC
2. The O'Jays- There's Someone (Waiting Back Home)
3. Jean, Shirley & the Relations- People Make the World a Better Place
4. The Impressions- (Man, Oh Man) I Want to Go Back
5. William Bell- I Forgot to Be Your Lover
6. The Invincibles- Heart Full of Love
7. Irma Thomas- Wish Someone Would Care
8. Roebuck "Pop" Staples- Black Boy
9. Yumyums- Gonna Be a Big Thing

Part 3

Here.

1. The Bar-Kays- Sang and Dance
2. The Sylvers- Stay Away From Me
3. The Fascinations- Girls Are Out to Get You
4. The T.S.U. Tornadoes- Play the Music Tornadoes
5. Nostalgia 77- Seven Nations Army
6. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings- Your Thing is a Drag
7. Quincy Jones and Bill Cosby- Hickey-Burr
8. The Mad Lads- No Strings Attached

Part 4

Check it.

1. Shuggie Otis- Inspiration Information
2. Sly and the Family Stone- Trip to Your Heart
3. Ohio Players- Fopp
4. Booker T. & the MG's- Soul Limbo
5. Howard Tate- My Soul's Got a Hole in It
6. Charlie Rich- Big Time Operator
7. Al Green- Feels Like Summer
8. Bessie Banks- Go Now
9. Clarence Carter- I'd Rather Go Blind
10. Sam Cooke- A Change Is Gonna Come