For Those Who Sleep: 3 Great New Songs You May Have Missed This Week

You will need an Rdio account to completely listen to these songs. If you don't wanna sign in or register for access, enjoy the 30 second preview.

Torche - Kicking

If you like fuzzy, sludged out rock, this is for you. Hailing from the Sunshine State, this four piece are considered by some to be metal, but I just don't see it on their new release "Harmonicraft". It's pop with a lot of messy guitars. Sweet.

You might dig this if you like: Foo Fighters

Dig On Black Sheep's "A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing"

P&B brings you the "Dig On" Classic Album Series. We'll delve into our vaults to discuss the records that have profoundly impacted our musical tastes. The albums we present are considered essential to anyone's record collection. In the end, you can't understand the present (or future) until you "Dig On" the past.

(photo via theemergingaddiction.blogspot.ca)

"Who's the Black Sheep, what's the Black Sheep?
Don't know who I am, or when I'm coming so you sleep
Wasn't in my room, wasn't in my sphere
Knew not who I was, but listen here"
- Lyrics from Black Sheep's "The Choice Is Yours (Revisited)"

This album holds a special place in my musical upbringing. It was the first hip hop album that I listened to from start to finish in the golden age of the cassette tape. Fast forwarding and rewinding was an art, but I never found a need to do so with this classic. At this point in Paq-history, I was a young teenager trying to break away from my parent's collection of classic rock records to find my identity. 91 was a special year in music and Black Sheep was at the fore front for me. This was the soundtrack for the summer of 92. My neighbours and I built a treehouse to this amazing album and I'm surprised that the tape didn't snap from overplaying. We put so many nails into that poor tree that I'm surprised it's still standing today. We had high hopes for our new floating base of operations, including multiple levels. In retrospect, "A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing" was the first true hip hop building block in my musical foundation.

Paqman's Top 5 J Dilla Produced Cuts

(Photo via listenrecovery.wordpress.com)

It's been said many times, but needs to be said again. J Dilla's influence on hip hop was massive. Up until he passed away, Dilla was pumping out memorable production on some amazing tracks. So, in his honour here are my top 5 fave Jay Dee produced songs without any commentary, because these songs stand on their own and don't need my 2 cents:

Sampling Is Stealing!: 80's Mini-Doc Explores Song Creation In Hip Hop

(Photo via avforums.com)

If you're anything like Turnbull and me, you love samples in hip hop songs and exploring their origins. Digging through liner notes and Wikipedia, tracking down the original cut and finding the part that was used. It's become such a staple in this genre that it would be hard to picture hip hop without it.

Friday Flashback - Bohemian Consciousness Edition

Brand Nubian - "Slow Down"

"Slow Down" was the 4th single released from Brand Nubian's critically acclaimed debut album One for All. This classic joint rode the "alternative" hip hop wave from the early 90s that ushered in a new consciousness to the game along with legendary groups like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and Jungle Brothers. Brand Nubian unfortunately couldn't keep it together and dissolved a few years later (they reunited in the mid 2000s).

"Slow Down" features a bevy of samples but the most recognizable is "What I Am" by Edie Brickell and New Bohemians. Brickell's wailing "What I Am Is What I Am" makes an appearance, while the guitar lick is the driving element for this cut.

-Paqman

Phonte Goes Solo, Takes Care Of His Business

(Photo via mixtapewall.com)

You may recognize the name. You may not. Phonte was a member of Little Brother, who were underground indie darlings (i.e. critical accolades, zero commercial success). The group consisted of MC Rapper Big Pooh, producer 9th Wonder and Phonte. 9th Wonder left the group in 07 citing creative differences. He went on to work with some heavy cats including Jay-Z, De La Soul and Sean Price. Pooh and Phonte unfortunately shut down Little Brother in 2010. One last bit on the now defunct group: the inspiration behind their name came from their influences and mentors. They considered groups like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul as their big brothers. They wanted to carry the movement to the next step so they called themselves Little Brother.