The Very Good Agency

Sweatshop Union – Water Street

After rocking crowds across North-America on tour for months, award winning Canadian Hip hop collective Sweatshop Union are about to release their fourth album ‘Water Street’. The group’s socially conscious, politically infused lyrics cover topics from the “War on Terror” to the plight of the economically disadvantaged, combined with sweet sounding mellow highly musical beats. Formed in 2000 when four politically-minded Vancouver based rap acts (including Innocent Bystanders) and a solo artist pooled resources, they put out their debut album “Local 604” in late 2002. Since then they have gone on to sell tens of thousands of albums worldwide, and win many Canadian and International hip hop awards and tour extensively with acts like Swollen Members and Jurassic 5. The band states on their website that they intend to “delivery a deeper more meaningful sound into the conscious of the masses” in a time when “hip hop music remains soulless and simplistic in the eyes of the mainstream”.

Sweatshop Union – Try

The groups official website with its looped sounds, odd sheep logos and animations is worth a look, you can listen to two tracks off the new album, including “Itchy Rock” an instrumental scratch track and the infectious new single “Gold Rush” which rallies against aspects of our consumer culture that encourages obsessions with expensive name brand clothing. So not only can you listen to some really nice melodic tunes and smooth independent beats; you can think about how the world is controlled by economic interests that use commercial hip hop to promote unnecessary consumption. But you don’t have to.

New Sweatshop album dropping soon!

You can check out more from Sweatshop Union at:

www.sweatshopunion.com
www.myspace.com/mysweatshopunion
…Yossarian

Tags: hip hop

Sam Sparro

I first saw Sam Sparro on Rove a couple of weeks ago wearing some rather swanky, shiny, purple shoes and I superficially thought someone with such taste must be worth a listen. I was therefore not surprised or disappointed to learn his music is indeed as funky as his fashion sense. Sam Sparro’s debut self-titled album is a naughty, neon explosion of new wave, pop, electro and funk held together by one of the best voices I’ve heard belonging to a white guy. Let’s be honest, this album is not exactly profound; the kind of album to get drunk to and perhaps do a bit of glow-stick dancing (not a common pursuit for me of course, but music is about self expression, right?) Sparro set out to create an album of pure escapism and has achieved just that showing shades of Prince, Jamiraquoi, Stevie Wonder and Daft Punk along the way.

Sam Sparro – Cottonmouth
If you’re unlucky enough to have been listening to the radio in the last couple of months you’ve probably already heard Sam Sparro. The mainstream friendly single ‘Black and Gold’ has been receiving huge air-time and provides a welcome blip on an otherwise barren pop landscape. Not since Robyn’s self-titled album reached our airwaves last year, have I so enjoyed such mainstream fodder. Unfortunately, ‘Black and Gold’ will likely be chewed up and repeatedly regurgitated until your ears bleed, but hey, the nature of the beast. On the surface the track appears to be your standard love song, but is actually an ode to the man upstairs and when you learn that Sparro plied his trade by accompanying his father, an accomplished gospel singer, on tour, it’s easy to see where this huge, soulful voice was honed.

Sam Sparro 21st Century Life

Born in Australia, he moved to Los Angeles when he was ten and has drifted between there and England
ever since (no doubt there will be various claims staked on him because of this.) He writes, performs (you’d hope so) produces and arranges all his own music and even goes so far as to contribute his own artwork and the odd, funny behind-the-scenes video to YouTube. Sam Sparro obviously has a very fluorescent future ahead of him but this album is not perfect, there are a couple of tracks that are just too small for his big voice. ‘Waiting for Time’ has tried to take a darker tone, but ends up just dreary in comparison and I couldn’t suppress a snigger on the track ‘Clingwrap’ which actually says “you must have thought I was your snack, cos’ you’re sticking to me like clingwrap”?! That’s not to say he isn’t afraid to tackle the tough issues. Anyone ever afflicted with the dry-horrors will appreciate the concerns of the mock-rap track ‘Cottonmouth.’ In all seriousness though, when Sam Sparro gets it right you won’t be able to turn it off. I have been humming songs like the opening track ‘Too Many Questions’ and second single ‘21st Century Life’ so incessantly that I’ve been getting funny looks on the tram. “I want my music to take people out of their own life and make them feel happy and feel that they are more than they think they are, whatever that is. The world is not as ordinary as people want you to think it is. If the music can make you forget about your stupid job and your bills and your relationship problems for half an hour, I’m happy with that.” Well said Sam, where will you and your shiny shoes take us next…

You can check out more of Sam Sparro at:

www.myspace.com/samsparro

www.samsparro.com

…Alesha

Soul Brothers – Martin Luther & Cody Chesnutt

There isn’t an enormous amount of soul musicians around these days, thankfully though, if you dig around for a while you will find artists like Martin Luther, and Cody Chesnutt.

Martin Luther of Rebel Soul Records plays a sweet mix-up of soul, rock, blues and funk, also often collaborating with underground hip hop artists like The Roots & Questlove. He explains of himself “My music is just soul music, but I attach “rebel” to it because my music is revolutionary. I want you to evolve from your day to day thinking that most music being played on the radio doesn’t encourage or inspire you to do. Therefore my music has some sort of rebellious attitude about it”

Martin Luther – Daily Bread

Cody Chesnutt first came to recognition with suitably titled debut album “The Headphone Masterpiece”. Probably the most refreshing element of his music is his ability to cross so many styles, era’s, and topics , from sweet gospel to modern pop, and everything in between including his alter ego; the voice of male bravado. With at times deliberately simplistic music, Cody’s poetry always manages to carry any tune he creates solidly. Speaking on where he is today “Cody has been living life in its momentary expression as a husband, a father, and a student of God. Life has been his muse, his wife; his child, the earth, wind, and the sun are his text book”.

King of the Game
Cody Chesnutt – Directed by Michel Gondry

You can check out more of Martin Luther at:

www.rebelsoulmusic.com

and Cody Chesnutt at:

www.myspace.com/codychesnuttmusic

Tags: Gospel, hip hop, Soul

Roots Manuva – Slime and Reason

Get ready to witness the fitness, as the man of style and substance brings us more of his razor sharp wit and musical mastery. News has just come out that UKhip hop artist Roots Manuva will be releasing his fifth album early September 2008. The man from South London, otherwise known as Rodney Smith, responsible for such gems as “Run come save me” and “Colossal Insight”, has been quiet on the musical front since his last album came out in 2005, “Awfully Deep”.

Roots Manuva – Again and Again

Roots Manuva is an MC with great lyrical skills and abilities, who also produces much of his own material. You can hear new tracks from the album “Slime and Reason” on his official website and watch the new singles “Again and Again’ and “Buff Nuff”, already avaliable on youtube. Both songs have interesting videos that should appeal to fans of both cricket and ice cream.

You can check out more of Roots Manuva at:

www.rootsmanuva.co.uk

www.myspace.com/rootsmanuva

…Yossarian

Tags: hip hop, Roots

Lyrics Born – Everywhere at Once

Callin’ Out to all fans, that tireless tourer Lyrics Born (who averages 150 shows a year!) is once again gracing Australian shores with his own brand of infectious, funky fun. The road to hip-hop success has obviously not always been an easy one for LB, how many other half Japanese- American, half Italian-American rappers do you know of? But it is this unique perspective that has allowed Lyrics, born Tom Shimura, to come up with the genre-splicing, energy jolt that is his latest solo submission ‘Everywhere at Once.’

The doubters and nay-sayers have only fueled the fires on an album that is well, everywhere at once. Seemlessly shifting from our favourite dance floor bangers such as the opening track ‘Differences’ and the first single ‘I Like It, I Love It,’ to the Rick Jamesish ‘I’m A Phreak,’ to the reggae inspired ‘Top Shelf,’ with sprinklings of sultry R’n’B thrown in for good measure. Here is an album where the production finally lives up to the energy of his stage shows through the use of a live funk band as opposed to his heavily sampled earlier offerings such as his first solo album ‘Later That Day,’ that had glimpses of brilliance but not enough to carry the whole album.

Lyrics Born – I like it, I love it

Lyrics Born is at his best laying his husky growl over smooth, soulful grooves, hence ‘Is It The Skin I’m In,’ and ‘Whispers,’ are major highlights for me. With subject material ranging from his dealings with racism, the grief of losing his best friend to staying true to yourself as in ‘Don’t Change,’ the albums themes are as diverse as the sounds it makes. The album is also well served with back-up vocal talent with appearances from his wife Joyo Velarde and everyone’s favourite cameo man, Chali 2na also supplying the deepest voice in town on the track ‘Hott 2 Deff.’ My only real criticism is the inclusion of a couple of skits that I always find a little self-indulgent and only serve to disrupt what is an otherwise awesome offering. Nevertheless this album is sure to get plenty of air-time at summer social events and will be enjoyed by male and female fans alike.

With shows starting in Byron Bay on the 3rd of August, on to Hobart, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne then wrapping up in Sydney on the 9th, there is ample opportunity to catch Lyrics Born in full-flight, and with tickets around $40 it should be an affordable blast.

For more information on Lyrics Born and official tour dates check out:

www.lyricsborn.com

www.oztix.com.au

Alesha…

Tags: Funk, hip hop