XLR8R

An announcement from the organizers arrived today, explaining that the event could possibly be delayed due to the "heavy rains and gusty winds expected for New York City throughout Saturday." Apparently the trouble is all the fault of tropical storm Hanna, currently moving up the East Coast.

The festival is slated to happen on Saturday, September 6 from 1 to 9 p.m., but it may be moved to Sunday, September 7, from 1 to 9 p.m. Organizers will evaluate the weather conditions and make a decision soon. An announcement will be posted on the festival's site.

There goes nature again, trying to swoop in over our good times.

DJ Sneak, Phil Weeks, and Chris Carrier, all members of the France-based label Robsoul, went to town on these versions of the original, and it's nice to finally see how Dear's famous track can be interpreted. Expect to wander up and down Collins Avenue at WMC 2009 hearing these tracks blasted from every roof party on the block.

Dog Days: The Robsoul Remixes
01 Dog Days (DJ Sneak's 420 Dog Mix)
02 Dog Days (Phil Weeks Remix)
03 Dog Days (Chris Carrier's Proplan Remix)
04 Dog Days (Chris Carrier's Proplan Dub Remix)

Photo By Doug Coombe.

“This is how the business relationship started between my father and Creator, with the song ‘Independent Jamaica’–that was a huge hit,” he says. “And the first flagship single that Chris Blackwell of Island Records put out in Britain was ‘Indpendent Jamaica’.”

That anecdote aptly conveys the influence that a small record mart and recording studio, founded in 1958 in downtown Kingston, had on the history of Jamaican music. Randy’s Records store would eventually spawn Randy’s studio and label; a later move to New York, which established reggae mega-label VP.

Released on VP’s recently launched historical reissue imprint, 17 North Parade, Reggae Anthology: Randy’s 50th Anniversary collection is a dual CD and DVD collection that highlights both hits and rare cuts from this influential label and studio. Featuring Bob Marley & The Wailers, Dennis Brown, Peter Tosh, Alton Ellis, John Holt, and other greats, Disc One, 1960-1971, includes the early politically charged ska tunes, such as the aforementioned “Independent Jamaica” and the Skatalites “Malcolm X,” plus a youthful Toots & The Maytals’ hit, “John And James.” Disc Two, which covers studio works from 1971-1976, includes Horace Andy, Gregory Isaacs, and the great Dennis Brown.

The collection is rounded out by noted reggae authors Steve Barrow and David Katz’s liner notes and a complementary 40-minute DVD loaded with interviews, making Randy’s 50th Anniversary an in-depth audio/visual look at reggae during its most creative period.

Randy’s 50th Anniversary
Disc One–1960 to 1971
01 Lord Creator "Independent Jamaica"
02 Alton & Eddie "Like A Dream"
03 Roy & Paulette "Since You’re Gone"
04 Rico Rodriquez "Rico Special"
05 Lord Creator & Norma Fraser "We Will Be Lovers"
06 Lord Creator "Don’t Stay Out Late"
07 Basil Gabbidon "Goodbye Pretty Darling"
08 Cornell Campbell "Make Hay"
09 Charlie Organaire "Royal Charlie"
10 Joanne Gordon & Roland Alphonso "Blow Roland Blow"
11 Baba Brooks "Portrait Of My Love"
12 The Skatalites "Malcolm X"
13 Alton Ellis "Mouth A Massy"
14 John & Alton "Rum Bumpers"
15 The Maytals "John And James"
16 Delroy Byfield "Yagga Yagga"
17 Don Drummand "Machine Shop"
18 Stranger & Ken "Home Home Home"
19 Lord Creator "Such Is Life"
20 Bob Marley & The Wailers "Sugar Sugar"
21 Peter Tosh "You Can’t Fool Me Again"
22 The Gaylads "Wha She Do Now"
23 Count Machukie "Warfare"
24 Randy’s All Stars "End Dust"
25 Ethiopians "True Man"

Disc Two–1971 to 1976
01 Augustus Pablo "Java"
02 I-Roy "Hospital Trolley"
03 Junior Byles "King Of Babylon"
04 Horace Andy "Don’t Go"
05 Jimmy London "A Little Love"
06 Dennis Brown "Cheater"
07 John Holt "For The Love Of You"
08 Alton Ellis "Too Late To Turn Back Now"
09 Donovan Carless "Be Thankful"
10 Hortense Ellis "Woman Of The Ghetto"
11 Senya "Children Of The Ghetto"
12 Gregory Isaacs "Lonely Soldier"
13 Black Uhuru "Going To Zion"
14 Lloyd Parks "Ordinary Man"
15 Impact All-Stars "Ordinary Man Version 3"
16 1 African Brothers "Hold Tight"
17 Keith Popin "Righteous Man"
18 Errol Dunkley "Created By The Father"
19 The Gladiators "The Race"
20 The Heptones "My Guiding Star"
21 Hubert Lee "Something On Your Mind"
22 Charlie Ace & Dirty Harry "Country Boy"
23 Carl Malcolm "No Jestering"
24 Knotty No Jester "Big Youth"
25 Carl Malcolm "Fattie Bum Bum"

Pictured: Randy and Clive Chin. Photo by David Corio

Releases will be exclusively available on the Get Digital site for about four weeks, before they're sold through other digital download sites (ie: Beatport, iTunes, etc.).

First up in the release queue is "Kaskazi," a collaborative effort from U.K.-based producers Simon Baker and Jamie Jones. The label is offering 1,000 copies of the inaugural release as a free download. Stay tuned for future tracks from M.A.N.D.Y., Booka Shade, and DJ T.

Dutton will blend both worlds on his new album, While Van Music, out in October on respected indie imprint Rhymesayers–home to Brother Ali, Atmosphere, and Pslam One. The entirely self-produced new album features guest verses from MF Doom, Young Buck, Slug, M.O.P., Busta Rhymes, Little Brother, Prodigy, Keak Da Sneak, and more.

The results should surprise hip-hop fans that believe radio-driven artists only rhyme well over predictable canned beats. For White Van Music, Dutton has cooked up a set of soul-drenched and innovativly programmed backing tracks that draw on his extensive beat-digging library, as well as influences such as Pete Rock Dr. Dre, and others.

Other artists and collaborators signed on for the album include producer/MC Alchemist, Hiero crew’s Casual, Dilated Peoples MC Evidence, Detroit’s eLZhi, Royce Da 5'9", De La Soul’s Posdnuos, and Ish (a.k.a. Butterfly of Digable Planets).

White Van Music
Track List
01 I’m Coming feat. Black Milk & Nottz
02 Gangsta Boy feat. M.O.P.
03 The Truth feat. Freeway & Brother Ali
04 Turn It Down
05 God Like feat. D. Black
06 Bless The Child feat. Little Brother
07 Oh Really feat. Posdnuos & Slug
08 Hi
09 Trap Door feat. MF DOOM
10 Dead Wrong feat. Young Buck
11 Kissin' The Curb feat. Bishop Lamont & Busta Rhymes
12 How We Ride feat. Freeway
13 White Van feat. Alchemist, Evidence & Prodigy
14 Big Homie Style feat. J. Pinder, GMK & Spaceman
15 Scared feat. Blueprint
16 Great Sound
17 Get 'Er Done feat. MF DOOM
18 Feelin' My Shit feat. Casual
19 Soil Raps feat. Keak Da Sneak
20 Glow feat. eLZhi & Royce Da 5'9"
21 R.I.P.
22 Home feat. Vitamin D, C Note, Maine & Ish

09/05 Tempe, AZ: The Clubhouse*
09/06 Tucson, AZ: Solar Culture*
09/08 Austin, TX: Mohawk**
09/09 Dallas, TX: Granada Theater**
09/11 Pensacola, FL: Sluggo's**
09/12 Gainseville, FL: Common Grounds**
09/13 Miami, FL: White Room**
09/14 Orlando, FL: The Social**
09/16 Asheville, NC: Grey Eagle**
09/17 Philadelphia, PA: First Unitarian Church**
09/18 New York, NY: Bowery Ballroom%
09/19 Boston, MA: Museum of Fine Arts%
09/20 Portland, ME: Space Gallery+
09/21 Providence, RI: Club Hell
09/22 Montreal, QC: La Sala Rossa
09/25 Cincinnati, OH: Midpoint Music Festival
09/26 Chicago, IL: Bottom Lounge#
09/27 Minneapolis, MN: Triple Rock#
09/29 Denver, CO: Hi-Dive^
09/30 Salt Lake City, UT: Kilby Court (early)^
09/30 Salt Lake City, UT: UT Urban Lounge (late)
10/02 Vancouver, BC: Richards on Richards^&
10/03 Seattle, WA: Vera Project^
10/04 Portland, OR: Wonder Ballroom^&

* = w/ Rafter
** = w/ Mount Eerie
% = w/ Alina Simone
+ = w/ Alias
# = w/ Tobacco
^ = w/ Restiform Bodies
& = w/ Tender Forever

Photo by Jacob Hand.

The word "Koori" is a term for the word "indigenous," with some spiritual undertones. All proceeds from the track, which is available now via iTunes, will go towards the Heaps Decent mission.

Instead the three-man, one-woman outfit from Portland snagged labelmates No Kids, as well as Seattle's The Dead Science, and commissioned the bands to perform remix duties for "This Regrettable End" and "Young Eucharists," respectively.

Additionally, the band has a few tour dates planned for the month of September, beginning next week, just before the September 9 release of Engtanglements. Check them in one of these cities:

09/07 Portland, OR: The Leftbank
09/16 Brooklyn, NY: Music Hall of Williamsburg
09/18 Philadelphia, PA: First Unitarian Church
09/19 Washington, DC: Black Cat
09/20 Columbus, OH: Skully's Muisc Diner

Photo by Patrick Kehoe.

Both playful and poignant, the ninth studio album from Kevin Barnes and Co. finds the band on-point as ever, turning pop music on its head and experimenting with rhythms and keyboards, synths and saxophones, and endless energy. In short, it's catchy without resorting to musical clichés, but then, you'd expect nothing less from a band that rose out of this place. JM

dan le sac vs. Scroobius Pip
Angles
Strange Famous
Release Date: Out Now

dan le sac raps about lost love, the ethics of suicide, and various politics within the music world here, but don't go thinking this is an album just for the sad kids. le sac's got a witty, tongue-in-cheek delivery that, when paired with Scroobius Pip's dirty electro rhythms, leaves you smiling, and occasionally dancing. MN

Deastro
Keeper's
Download Here
Release Date: Out Now

This debut album from Detroit-based musician Randolph Chabot will have your inner nerd dancing in no time. While there are a few low-key tracks, most cuts are filled with dance-worthy rhythms that foster a desire for '80s videogame-influenced dance tunes. Standout tracks include "Light Power" and "Michael, The Lone Archer of the North Shore." JF

Madlib
WLIB: AM: King of the Wigflip
BBE
Release Date: September 30

Madlib's all over the place. Let's just accept that fact and move on. This release, the last one of BBE's Beat Generation series, showcases his many sides, tastes, and tendencies, with a mix of beats from the likes of J-Rocc, Prince Po, Frank N Dank, Stacy Epps, and Guilty Simpson, with samples and vocal snippits interlaced throughout. But what, exactly, is a wigflip? MN

Larytta
Difficult Fun
Creaked
Release Date: October 3

Speaking of all over the map, this Switzerland-based duo just yanked the phrase "genre-bending" from everyone else and is harboring it greedily in their studio. Part pop and part experimental rock, with everything from African rhythms to found sounds woven through the tracks, this album doesn't stay in one place for long, darting instead between the various styles with impressive speed and smoothness. JM

Soft Targets
Heavy Rainbow
Self-Released
Release Date: September 9

A distinctly gentle sound and great attention to lyrics fill the second full-length from this Tallahassee, FL-based three-piece band. It's the sort of album that makes one relax and tap their toes while still remaining emotionally wrought. JF

Starfucker
Starfucker
Badman
Release Date: September 23

Josh Hodges’ release is a playful, someone abstract trip through a range of musical styles that utilizes drums, guitars, keyboards, turntables, drum machines, and many other instruments. MN

Pacific
Reveries
Caroline
Release Date: Out Now

Still in heavy rotation on our speakers is this past summer's full-length from Swedish duo Pacific. Don't be afraid to let yourself go and enjoy the electro-pop beats that transport you to a beautiful sunny beach where dancing is not only welcome but mandatory. JF

Broken Social Scene
You Forgot it in People
Arts&Crafts
Release Date: Out Now

I found my copy of this disc while cleaning out the closet for a move, threw it into the computer and it sounds as good as it did when the album was released in 2002. This band's brand of indie-rock simply does not go out of style, particularly on this album. JM

From the Readers
Various
Modeselektor's Jetlag Mix
Download

This one has been caned over the last several days. The boys prepped this mix–which features Kode9, Mr. Oizo, British Murderboys, and more–exclusively for the XLR8R Podcast, and readers are going nuts for it. Photo By Birgit Kaulfuss. JM

Text by Jennifer Marston, Maverick Newberry, and Jason Furie. Photo of Of Montreal by Renee Solis.

For the film, Randall trained the camera lens on the Altamont skate team as they traveled abroad, capturing life on the road for the team. The DVD, which also comes packaged with the No Age song "Eraser," will be free with any Altamont purchase at local stores that sell the brand.

View the DVD trailer here.