Friday, May 28, 2010

Things I learned today

1. After finally listening to Can's "Ege Bamyasi," the band is more accessible than I predicted, but I'm still not blown away.

2. The first leaked track from Kanye West's upcoming album (to be released some time near September, 2010) is pretty good: http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=80884

3. The Specials are really fun.

5 comments:

Brendan said...

Whenever I listen to Vampire Weekend in the car, my mom always says, "Exactly like the Specials!" I wondered if you've noted the similarities?

Warped Coasters said...

I never explicitly noted the Specials, but in previous blog entries I have said of how Vampire Weekend often just sound like ska (though without the brass section), which is what none of the hipsters ever want to admit to because of ska's unfashionable reputation. The Specials never played any straight-up African rhythms, that I know of, so there's that difference, and what sets Vampire Weekend apart.

The Specials were the original "second wave" ska band — the first wave being the actual Jamaican musicians in the 60s, the second wave being the punk influenced Brits in the late '70s. (You likely know this already but for the sake of anyone else reading this) The third wave were the American bands in the '90s that sucked and ruined ska's reputation.

Brendan said...

What do you think about UB40? In eighth grade I was all over Labour of Love (mostly repeating Red Red Wine over and over).

Warped Coasters said...

haha i still love "Red Red Wine" but I've never heard anything else

Amber said...

The Specials are awesome.