Record Review: Oh No-Ohnomite

Oh No-Ohnomite (Brick)

By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

Following two collaborative efforts already this year alongside his fellow beatsmith and emcee The Alchemist as the duo Gangrene—the Vodka & Ayahuasca LP and the Odditorium EP—the West Coast producer and rapper Oh No returns once more for a solo mission with Ohnomite. Oh No—the younger brother of Madlib and son of singer Otis Jackson—was granted unmatched right of entry to the Rudy Ray Moore/Dolemite audio archives—which included legendary material from The Human Tornado, Petey Wheatstraw, the Dolemite Soundtrack and more, plus a multitude of previously unreleased and alternate acapellas and instrumentals. With that access came free rein to sample and manipulate it any way he see fit. The end result is a trunk-rattling chaotic burlesque of witty lyricism and gritty beats assembled from the nastiest fragments of funk, soul and Blaxploitation.  ...continue reading in new window.

HDD Radio #6: Punk Rock 2-4-1s

For this episode we serve up a gigantic helping of punk effin’ rock in the Classic Rock Radio-like format Twofer Tuesdays. That’s right, it’s 2-4-1s—every artist, two songs each! Listen as our fearless DJ rambles on at length, saying virtually nothing of importance, whilst keeping intact all the confusion, factual inaccuracies, and mathematical errors you’ve grown accustomed too. Sets include: New Swedish “epic crust”, ‘90s California punk, and songs from early ‘00s split LPs.
Tracklist:
Anatomi-71 - Mot Morkare Vatten
Wolfbrigade - Slaves of Induction
Wolfbrigade - Hurricane Veins
Martyrdod - Ett Hjarta Av Eld
Martyrdod - Kottberg
Anatomi-71 - Omen
Bad Religion - Eat Your Dog
Bad Religion - Sensory Overload
Social Distortion - 1945
Social Distortion - Playpen
Fear - Disconnected
Fear - Gimme Some Action
The Vandals - Wanna Be Manor
The Vandals - The Legend of Pat Brown
Circle Jerks - Beverly Hills
Circle Jerks - Live Fast Die Young
TSOL - Superficial Love
TSOL - Abolish Government/Silent Majority
What Happens Next? - The Price We Pay For Vegan Convenience
Lifes Halt! - Casa De Herrero, Cuchillo De Palo
From Ashes Rise - So Say the Wise…
From Ashes Rise - Uniforms
Victims - En Galen Drom
Victims - End Up In Pain
Crucial Unit - Scrabble Punx
Crucial Unit - This Machine Kills Buffets
Municipal Waste - Poser Disposer (?)
Municipal Waste - Haunted Junkyard
Phobia - Fallacy of Tomorrow
Phobia - Short Lived
Resist and Exist - Sung Lee’s Reflection
Resist and Exist - Apocalyptic Prison Struggle
Life’s Halt! - No Estoy Loco
What Happens Next? - Mano A Mano

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The Soda Killers #2 reviewed in MRR

TSK #2 got a nice review in the latest Maximum Rock-n-Roll. And made the Top Ten too. Still some left. Holla at the email if you're into it...or if you're wondering why it costs $5, we'd be more than happy to explain that to you. All you big-time frivolous spenders and wealthy folks can just hit the PayPal though, and we won't be mad at it one single bit.  Trades not only welcome, but encouraged.  Peace!

IYSAGL, CM #6 Out Now

If You Stink At Getting Ladies, Call Me--issue #6 out now. A year and half's worth of really bad jokes and some Xeroxed-to-death crusty art steez. Free. Mail Only. Send your snail addy to: bnb@hotdogdayz.com

Record Review: 1982 (Statik Selektah & Termanology)-2012

1982 (Statik Selektah & Termanology)-2012 (Brick/Showoff)
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

In what makes for a numerically confusing artist/album title (and opening sentence,) 2012 is the new record by 1982—the producer/rapper duo Statik Selektah & Termanology.

At just 30 years old, DJ/Producer Statik Selektah has enough projects under the flattened brim of his New Era cap to have earned veteran status—utilizing his turntablism skills and signature Golden Era-influenced boom-bap production, he holds a spot amongst the current ranks of the East Coast’s more pivotal figures. Over the course of a series of mixtapes and albums, he’s provided beats for some of rap’s highly revered MCs (Nas, Q-Tip, etc.) as well as having a hand in shaping the careers of emerging rappers (Saigon, Freddie Gibbs, Reks, etc.) Aside from a handful of EPs with various artists, 2011 saw him releasing a lofty yet superb solo outing Population Control, and teaming with Action Bronson on Well Done.

Similarly, Termanology has been making a name for himself with a number of well-received singles and mixtapes dating back to the early ‘00s. He was pushed into the underground limelight when Gangstarr’s DJ Premier stuck him with one of his reliable, cut-laden beats for the instant hit, “Watch How It Go Down.” The track earned him some much deserved praise; as he went on to appear in rap magazines like The Source and XXL. Since that time he has ran alongside such go-getters as The Alchemist, Pete Rock, Buckwild, Large Professor, and of course, Statik Selektah. In fact, 2012 marks the fourth time Statik Selektah and Termanology have teamed up under the 1982 moniker.  ...read entire review after da jumpoff.

Scene Report: Royal Headache live at the Triple Rock Social Club

Royal Headache, The Arrivals, Condominium live, Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis, MN, 6/9/12
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

It was with some intrigue and, admittedly, mostly trepidation that I made my way to the Triple Rock last night to see Sydney, Australia’s Royal Headache. Originally my curiosity had been piqued because Extreme Noise, the beloved local volunteer-run punk rock record store, was sponsoring the event. Rarely do they attach their name to something that isn’t completely worthwhile. Yet, my apprehension levels had skyrocketed right about the time I read Royal Headache’s press release, which stated “They craft tight, irresistible, R&B-inflected punk songs, and hone a universal message of redemption through passion.” Now I understand a thing or two about drumming up interest in a band, especially when paid to do so, so I was not scared off so much by the “universal message of redemption through passion” part. That’s just one of those puzzling strings of words that press release writers craft in hopes that it will give their product some attention. No, what made me cringe was the “R&B-inflected punk songs” part. Other than hip-hop or the increasingly rare musical side of Justin Timberlake, I don’t really get into “R&B-inflected” anything, let alone punk. In the early ‘00s when everyone was in front of the stage shaking their hips to the Bellrays or the Dirtbombs, I was at the bar irritably ordering more drinks, wondering how I got duped into believing this was punk. So, despite the chances being high that Royal Headache would be something I ultimately wasn’t going to enjoy, I begrudgingly drug myself off the couch and out the door to see what all the hubbub was about anyway. Besides, Condominium was one of the opening acts, and passing up an opportunity to see them would be foolish.  ...continue reading entire review right here.

HDD Radio #5: Beastie Boys and more

After a lengthy break, HotDogDayz Radio is back! Taking to the airwaves in the middle of the night, this episode pays homage to the late great Adam "MCA" Yauch and the Beastie Boys! Listen as our DJ goes off-topic with relative ease; mispronounces words; talks about all the things he is "obsessed with"; describes records as "really good", "really great", and "really awesome" a whole bunch of times; tries to remember things from his rapidly vanishing youth; repeatedly says the wrong release date for Ill Communication; and then goes off-topic again. Sets include: '80s and '90s rap, '80s and '90s hardcore, and some of the best rap from 2012 so far.

Tracklist:
Beastie Boys - Slow and Low
Ultramagnetic MCs - Give the Drummer Some
Gang Starr - Step in the Arena
Eric B. & Rakim - The R
Main Source - Looking at the Front Door
Beastie Boys - Brass Monkey
Beastie Boys - Tough Guy
DFL - Minus Adam
Void - Organized Sports/Annoyed
Void - Black, Jewish and Poor
Flipper - Living for the Depression
Black Flag - Beat My Head
7 Seconds - Regress, No Way
DFL - Action Everybody
Beastie Boys - Heart Attack Man
Beastie Boys - OK
Killer Mike - GO!
El-P - Full On Retard
I Self Devine - Cycles
Apollo Brown & OC - People's Champ
Beastie Boys - Non Stop Disco Power Pack
Beastie Boys - Dr. Lee PHD.

Thanks for listening!  Subscribe in iTunes here.

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Record Review: Martyrdöd-Paranoia

Martyrdöd-Paranoia (Southern Lord)
By Nathan G. O'Brien on Scene Point Blank

Swedish ragers Martyrdöd, along with Acephalix and fellow countrymen Wolfbrigade, are the latest to be chosen in the great Southern Lord crust roundup. Featuring former and current members of Skitsystem, Agrmonia and others, Martyrdöd have been unleashing their brand of blackened everything to the crust-consuming masses for over a decade now. Their latest offering Paranoia was recorded at Göteborg’s famed Studio Fredman, the studio run by producer Fredrik Nordström and recording home to mediocre metal acts Dimmu Borgir, Arch Enemy, the increasingly less-relevant Opeth, and former luminaries like In Flames and Amon Amarth. Not surprising then, the record has a richer-sounding production value than Martyrdöd’s back catalog of stench on smaller labels like Havoc and Plague Bearer. That is not to say that fans of their mid-century masterwork In Extremis, will feel alienated by this; perhaps just a bit startled at first.

The most notable difference is how the guitars come across really clean. There is still the full-on power and blunt straightforwardness indicative of D-beat but it’s been polished up enough that listeners are allowed to hear the multitude of layers created by skilled axemen Pontus Redig and Mikael Kjellman—incorporating, among other things, aspects of punk, hardcore and classic Swedish death metal. In that same regard, the partition of instrumentation lets the rhythm section make its mark on the overall sound as well. Bassist Anton Grönholm and drummer Jens Bäckelin plod and pound their way through a thunderous Dis-laden low end backdrop. While the guitar work hints at it, it’s really the hateful and tortured vitriol of Kjellman’s vocal styling that adds a heavy dose of black metal to the mix. He furiously spews a poisonous snarl that sounds like he’s been gargling with ammonia and bleach—a distinction that longtime fans will recognize and appreciate. It all makes for a very dark and toxic landscape, in which Martyrdöd ascends the lordship.

Crust, and all that it infects—D-beat, grind, doom, etc.—is often times the amalgamating factor that unites metal heads and punk rockers. By that same token, it’s the quality of the production that can create the dividing line where crust becomes either too metal or too punk. Punk is best served by a raw inflammation of unharnessed potential and noise, whereas metal benefits from attention to detail, subtle nuance and skilful craftsmanship…or something. All that being said, what side of the fence this album lands on is a non sequitur because it has all those effects functioning in accordance—it’s metal, it’s punk, and it’s really fucking good. These Swedes are glistening a little more than usual; but far from being fully sanitized. With Paranoia Martyrdöd makes small strides towards large audience exposure, all the while keeping intact venom and unrefined sonic muscle that placed them atop of the indie crust heap years ago.  ...Continue reading right about here.