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@prettygoodmusic
Hi everyone,
we've officially moved from this Tumblr to a new website over at
http://prettygoodmusicblog.com/
It feels like home and we're incredibly pleased with how it turned out.
Bookmark us and stay tuned for new content.
- Tanner, Grant, and Justin
Josh Jacobson is Treehaus, a combination of classicly trained Jazz chops, soulful vocals, and funky, electronic percussion. Following several years of work, his album, Afterglow, officially drops tomorrow. Get an exclusive stream of House infused banger "Running" below:
Justin: When did you start piano? Is that something you’ve been pursuing for a long time?
Josh: I started piano when I was five, and I come from a musical family so my mom really pushed me to keep with classical piano for a long time, just about as long as I could handle it. After about eight years of classical I was about ready to quit and then I started playing jazz. I loved how instead of drilling on the same thing over and over I could create something different each time. It was a lot less tedious and it felt more creative to me. And that’s pretty much what I’ve been focusing on since as far as piano. When I came to Northwestern I studied computer science, but I was a minor in the jazz program for piano. I played a bunch of other instruments along the way and started singing seriously during college as well.
Justin: You have a definite electronic element too. Is that a newer direction?
Josh: All the electronic stuff came about last year when I decided after I’d written a bunch of songs and was constantly practicing stuff and working and playing shows but I’d never in my whole life created a finished product. So I wanted to create a full album by the time I graduated. And that’s how Treehaus came about. As I got increasingly into electronic music over the past year the project became super electronic, but it’s got this huge jazz influence as well. It’s kind of a mix. You’ve got these house tracks with a jazz keyboard solo right in the middle of it.
photos by Justin Enoch
Can you elaborate on starting a band?
One of my best friends [Andrew], the guy who actually brought me to Northwestern. He is a drummer. I’d kinda been playing with him for a long time and when I started putting together this project we just started jamming on these songs and hooking up some gigs in Chicago as a duo. That’s really been the core of it. He also plays in Why So White? Do you know them?
Not really.
They’re this band in Chicago that went to Northwestern and they won Dillo Battle of the Bands a couple years ago. They’ve played a bunch of cool shows and done really well - they played Northcoast last year and opened for Parliament. He plays with them. Basically, our first show was opening for them and that helped us a lot. We grabbed a bass player and started playing as a trio. He’s graduating now from a masters at U Chicago so he’s kinda moving on. We’re both moving to Brooklyn in a few weeks. We’ll find a new bass player there. I wanna find a horn section and make this thing like more of a snarky puppy huge live band experience.
So at one point you were putting out individual tracks on SoundCloud and then you just decided it wasn’t making the impact you wanted?
Yeah I was putting out tracks before then under my own name, but I really decided with this project that the goal was to create a full album. And I think you need to do both, and that’s what’s so weird, like during this project I haven’t posted as much on SoundCloud as I want to keep people engaged because you hold everything for the one big release. And honestly I think albums are the way of the past. I think the future is that you get the music as it’s created and there’s no delay. But there is something nice about being able to make a CD and hand it to someone rather than just share a link. SoundCloud is so noisy, like I could spend a whole day just sifting through what’s been released in that day.
Treehaus is pretty minimal and electronic. Are you gonna be playing through Ableton live at the CD release show?
I try to keep in organic and musical. It's kind of a balance, but that's inherent to the genre. My goal is to bring the impact of the sounds of electronic music that everyone loves so much, and then bring the more immediate emotional context of soul and jazz music into that. I like songwriting at the piano with no technology involved, that’s where songwriting starts. Once I get in front of a computer, I can find that to be very restricting.
This is kind of the start right now, of creating an album to work with rather than something random on Soundcloud like here’s an actual finished product I produced. Andrew is really instrumental in helping me create the live sound and that’ll only be more so when we move to New York. I’m just so excited for what it can become when we have electronic soundscapes with horns and all this other live instrumentation on top with that energy. I love DJ sets, but it just doesn’t have the energy of a live show.
Horns, something about them just elevates everything to the next level. It’s so easy to get hyped with Horns.
Exactly, even drums alone, just me and Andrew, the drums make such a difference. He plays a lot of electronic beats, but then mixes in this gospel chops drumming and every electronic drop becomes this great gospel breakdown.
As far as the album goes, do you have a favorite song or something that combines all the elements you want and most successfully represents your mission statement?
I feel like "Afterglow," the title track, really brings it all together. That's why I named the album after that because it sums up what I'm trying to create with the project. It's got all the elements: it's a house track, and it's got all these banging drops. There's even a dubstep-y wobble bass in the middle, but there's also an extended jazz keyboard solo in the middle with all these rich vocal harmonies. It's an encapsulation of all the elements featured on the album.
I wouldn't call it a concept album, but it does have a flow. It has this intro that goes into a track called "Clouds" and moves through all these different moods until ending up in "Sunset" and "Afterglow." The outro brings in "Afterglow" combined with the main vocal line from the beginning of the album. So, it all comes full circle.
Come celebrate the release of Afterglow with an evening of outdoor music by the lake on the beautiful Norris east lawn starting at 7:30.
Adam Slater is one half of Appomattox Traphouse. His laid back, old skool flow is a perfect compliment to bandmate Gideon Resnick's intense delivery. During the recording of their most recent album, Potluck, we talked about Adam's relationship with early hip-hop and he graciously volunteered this playlist:
This list of ten hip-hop throwbacks are by no means the essential list of classic hip hop tunes, it is just an assemblage of great tracks from artists whose importance in hip-hop is often understated. We all know what Biggie, 2pac, and Jay mean to hip-hop, but these guys are legends that are equal in their own right. And thus I present the list...
1. Kurtis Blow - The Breaks
Kurtis Blow is the OG hip-hop star. He was the first rapper to be signed by a major label, the first rapper to go on a major tour, and the first rapper to have a gold record. Thanks to this cultural figure, artists such as Run DMC and golden-age MCs had an inspirational individual to listen to and further develop the hip-hop culture. You can thank this man for establishing hip-hop as a national phenomenon. You can also thank him for this sensational funkadelic track.
2. Brand Nubian - Brand Nubian
If you've never heard of Lord Jamar, Sadat X, or Grand Puba, it's time to familiarize yourself. These men, who fronted Brand Nubian, were one of the first alternative hip-hop groups along with De La Soul. Their debut album, which this track is found, is both critically acclaimed and groundbreaking in subject matter. Tackling afrocentric and islamic themes of the five-percenter nation, Brand Nubian effortlessly weaved such topics into smooth rhymes and flavorful instrumentals. Their style was impeccable as well, check the album cover for One For All if you don't believe me. These guys made discussing socio-political issues cool.
3. Too $hort - I'm a Player
Hip-hop's west coast staple Too $hort is too large a figure to ignore. As the first west coast hip-hop artist, Too $hort helped establish a lot of the g-funk sounds that are associated with west coast gangster rap. This track in particular demonstrates both how incredible g-funk was, and how dope it was to talk about your sexual pursuits, which Too $hort does with expertise.
4. Kool G Rap - It's a Shame
If I had the chance, I'd talk to you for hours about the importance of Kool G Rap. He helped discover Nas, his lyrical style and image was jacked by both Biggie and Jay-Z, and he has arguably the greatest flow in all of hip-hop history. With excellent breath control, innovative multi-syllabic rhymes, and his mafioso rap themes, he might be one of the most enjoyable artists to listen to for any aspiring MC. Often referred to as "your favorite rapper's favorite rapper," Kool G's influence can't be overstated. Enjoy his lyrical prowess on this track.
5. KRS-ONE - MC's Act Like They Don't Know
You want to get a crowd up? Play this shit. Nobody has been more of an outspoken advocate for hip-hop culture than KRS has been. Starting his career in the 80s with the group Boogie Down Productions, KRS went on to be an underground hip-hop hero, calling out the imitators in tracks like this and clearly stating the cultural importance of hip-hop. Thanks to him, the UN recognizes hip-hop as a religion, which KRS has written the bible for! (Don't believe me? Check Amazon.com) Furthermore, he may be the greatest live MC ever. You'd have to be crazy to try to battle this guy with a microphone.
6. O.C. - Time's Up
O.C. is and underground hip-hop legend, but not in the same vein as KRS. Far more under the radar, O.C. was a well-respected MC responsible with one of the most overlooked hip-hop albums of the 90s. "Word...Life" has some of the realest themes and tracks you can hear in the genre, headlined by the ultimate call-out track, "Time's Up." If you get a chance, listen to this whole album.
7. Organized Konfusion - Stress
Genius lyricism and delivery. That's the only way you can describe Pharoahe Monch, who exists as half of Organized Konfusion with Prince Poetry. One of the most well-respected artists in hip-hop, Monch has one of the most easily identifiable voices in hip-hop. With impeccable vocal deliveries featuring menacing inflections and mind-flipping flows, Monch can be considered one of the greatest MCs of all time. Enjoy this raw track and listen to a few others if you get the chance, you won't regret it.
8. Big Pun - Twinz
R.I.P Big Pun. The man was 400 pounds at the time of his death, which is shocking to know considering his impressive breath control demonstrated on a track like this. His flow was also one of the greatest of all time (inspired by Kool G Rap of course, who Big Pun knelt down for and kissed the ring when they had first met) If you don't believe that Big Pun is one of the greatest of all time, then try this line out, "Dead in the middle of Little italy, Little did we know that we riddled some middlemen who didn't do diddly." Damn. And the other dude on this track? Fat Joe. Turns out he's got skills.
9. The Pharcyde - Runnin'
One of the greatest indie rap pack crews to achieve commercial success, The Pharcyde followed an unconventional approach to hip-hop. With albums like "Bizarre Ride II," The Pharcyde established themselves as an alternative and silly rap group that could tackle real issues without sounding contrived, and did so flawlessly. It's all good when you listen to the Pharcyde, Los Angeles' premier hip-hop 90s hipsters.
10. Big L - Put It On
R.I.P. Big L. This legend is one of hip-hops most creative lyricist. He could insult you in an endless number of ways and use that same ability to elevate himself to places other MCs have never been. Hands down considered an all-time great, Big L deserves multiple listens because his unique flow has never been matched by anyone else.
St. Louis based duo Franco-Hill, a collaboration between guitarist/producer Michael Franco and drummer Jeffery Hill, just released an extremely smooth, soulful nocturnal cut from their upcoming sophomore album. Though details are fairly sparse, the album should drop sometime this summer. For the time being, bump "Reunion." It's perfect cruising music.
Signed to: Komorebi Records
Still reeling from that warehouse show we hosted a month ago? No? Perfect, in your sound and sober state of mind take a minute to closely examine the insane talent that volunteered to play. Sadly, we don't have any recorded material from The Flaccids or the Lost and Found Collective at the moment, but we'll update the playlist when that changes! Stream above or click here to listen.
photo credit: tonje thilesen
Producer/Canadian/Cutie RYAN HEMSWORTH IS COMING TO DILLO DAY! Following some high profile remixes, a slew of EPs, and one fantastic full length, he's definitely ready to destroy. 2 Chainz, Chance the Rapper, and Ryan Hemsworth already make up a fantastic lineup and there are still two unnamed bands!
Yassss bitch YASSS:
Vic Mensa’s newest single ,“Down on my Luck,” is a huge change of pace for the the Chicago rapper. Throwing up what seemed to be a one-off freestyle over Disclosure’s “When a Fire Starts to Burn” a couple months ago, Mensa’s incorporation of UK House aesthetics into his songwriting have given him a pretty substantial second wind. It’s a definite break with the Jazz and Soul influenced Innanetape, one that greatly improves the prospects of him breaking out of Chance the Rapper’s huge shadow. Though it was pretty much inevitable that his relationship with Chance would invite comparisons between the two, it’s a shame that Acid Rap’s success basically buried Innanetape. 2013 was certainly Chance’s year; is 2014 shaping up to be Vic Mensa’s launchpad? Though we’re almost halfway through the year, “Down on my Luck’s” new video garnered a quarter of a million views in a span of a couple days, and a new mixtape released behind a single as catchy as this one would have a great chance ( :( ) of making an impact.
Modern Diet is an indie R&B band based in New York City that just dropped their second EP, “Chemicals” this past Tuesday. The project shows impressive maturation from their 2013 “Commuter” EP which was also strong, if less cohesive. Closer “Umbrella Gun” is a particular highlight, but the whole project is well worth your time.
Pretty Good Music and Niteskool collaborated to throw a warehouse show last night. Here is the first batch of picture featuring Neatly Knotted, The Lost and Found Collective, and the Flaccids.
RIP DJ Rashad
This has already made its way around the internet, but DJ Rashad, pioneer within the Chicago music scene, has passed away from an apparent drug overdose. We at PGM are huge fans of his work, which invented the genre of footwork, a type of dance music. Rashad had close ties to the Northwestern community, performing on several occasions for WNUR's Streetbeat program. Getting to see him open for Chance The Rapper in November was one of the more memorable concert experiences I've had, and I'm very thankful I had that opportunity before his unexpected passing. RIP.
photo credit: tonje thilesen
Hundred Waters, the Florida based OWSLA signees, released a beautiful, often amazing debut album a couple years ago. Based on their most recent singles, they've distilled themselves into an even more pop-oriented band; "xtalk" is a spacey, RnB influenced new single. The stellar lyrics bluntly address the struggles of communication and identity during a relationship, with extra strain from a lifestyle of touring and musicianship. The Moon Rang Like a Bell drops on May 27th. We're hyped! Stream "xtalk" below:
Flashback to the glory days... it's just you, your steed, and your trusty war hammer pillaging villages, wrecking those commoners, and generally dismantling the feudal system. Never put yourself in their shoes, didya? Well, Michael Gira and Co have you covered because the new Swans single, "Oxygen," is the musical equivalent of being smashed in the face with a hammer for 8 minutes. It's brutal and glorious. On a sidenote, we wonder what a Mike Patton and Swans collaboration would sound like? Regardless, stream below:
Heems – Japanese Vitamin Water Commercial
In some of the most delightfully WTF news of 2014, Heems (formerly of Das Racist) has recorded a track for a Japanese Vitamin Water Commercial. It's some madcap brilliance, delivered in Heems's deadpan delivery. This would be a bit disappointing if we weren't expecting more soon, but it seems that Heems has a new album (tentatively titled Eat Pray Thug) coming out soon. If so, this is probably the best teaser that's ever been released.
De La Soul – "Smell The D.A.I.S.Y" Mixtape
They've been teasing it for a while, but hip-hop legends De La Soul finally got around to releasing their new mixtape, "Smell The D.A.I.S.Y." What sets this project apart is the presence of J Dilla, the legendary producer who passed away in 2006. Despite being gone for nearly a decade, the prolific producer still has new beats sitting in the vaults, which De La Soul tapped for their new tape. Most interestingly, the entire project was released as a bundle on Bittorrent, including a documentary made about J Dilla. While the whole project is worth a look, you can download just the mixtape over at De La Soul's website. These guys are 25 years removed from making "My Myself And I," but that doesn't mean this isn't worth a look.
Pictures from the Blank Space Two Year Anniversary (Friday 3/21)
Thou - Heathen
<a href="http://thou.bandcamp.com/album/heathen" data-mce-href="http://thou.bandcamp.com/album/heathen">Heathen by Thou</a>
"Donny, you're out of your element." I generally don't delve into Metal and its multitude of sub-genres that often, but I gave Thou's Heathen a cursory listen only to finish the whole 75 minute album. Something about that bed of overdriven guitars is enticing: the molten riffage of "Into the Marshlands" and the washes of distortion on "Free Will's" first five minutes are monumental. The album is perfectly paced with "Dawn" and "Clarity" brightening the tracklisting only to make the next guitar assault that much more intense. "At the Foot of Mt. Drisskill" dips into post rock guitar heroism, ascending the height of the song's namesake, before vocalist Bryan Funck returns to earth screaming "we are humbled beneath the shadow of true greatness." There is a balance here - between the human world and the natural world, between beautiful reverberant electric and acoustic instrumentation and the crushing wall of distortion that follows. Thou is patient, and Heathen is a more rewarding listen because of it.
The album is currently "pay what you want" on Thou's bandcamp page.
Chance the Rapper just released unexpected freebie in the form of "Home Studio," an unmastered track that sounds more 10 Day than Acid Rap. The song is produced by the Social Experiment, his touring band which includes Nico Segal and Peter Cottontale, and the live instrumentation helps to make up for the songs raw sound. With another verse and some vocal mixing this track could be an absolute banger, and all of us at PGM can't wait to hear what's next from Chano.