Karriem's Beats Makin' Me Fiendish

The title of this post is taken from a rhyme from the track "Quills" by The Roots, which appeared on their 2002 album Phrenology.  It was the first time I'd ever heard the name of Detroit jazz drummer and producer Karriem Riggins.

I knew he was popular within hip hop production circles, but I never really knew much about him.

But I was recently tipped off on this latest record he has released entitled Alone Together, and I gotta say I'm feelin' it immensely!

This album lives right at the cross-section of hip hop and jazz music, and will bring delight to fans of instrumentals and beats.  The first comparison I drew was to J Dilla's Donuts album.

What I like about this record is the fact that with 34 tracks in total, you'll always discover a new track that you dig, so it always sounds fresh.  This is what you've come to expect from a Stones Throw release.

A super-dope record indeed.

-Turnbull

Dig On Madvillain's "Madvillainy"

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 sweetmelissarecords.com)

"Spot hot tracks like spot a pair of fat asses

Shots of the scotch from out of square shot glasses

And he won't stop 'til he got the masses

An' show 'em what they know now through flows of hot molasses"

- Lyrics from Madvillain's "ALL CAPS"

My introduction to Madvillain came via CMJ, the must read music magazine/bible for college radio stations, which I read when I was Music Director at CKDJ in Ottawa. My curiosity was tweaked thanks to a picture of a dude wearing a metal mask and the other with a do-rag. The reviews on "Madvillainy" were all decidedly positive. So there I was, the music guy who prides on knowing all that is "cool", puzzled as to why I hadn't picked up this album yet.

In Which DOOM and Thom Yorke Will Pwn Your Cerebral Cortex

(Photo via thequietus.com)

There are rumors that Thom Yorke and everyone's favorite villain, DOOM aka Daniel Dumile aka King Geedorah aka the Vaudeville Villain aka MF DOOM, are releasing a full length album in the near future. Yorke remixed Gazillionaire from DOOM's Born Like This album. Looks like they enjoyed working together. For those of you who aren't down with DOOM, the near future means anytime within the next 5 years. Either way, it will be a release we will monitor here at P&B.