Santi vomits gold glitter! And people are either waiting in line to scoop it up, or too busy polishing the “I believe in Santogold” bandwagon to notice. Before joining the masses or skipping the train, one must first get some answers…
Five Questions for Santogold
1. If you had to classify your music under a “Sounds Like” category, where exactly would you put it?
That one popular song L.E.S. (Lower East Side) Aristes* sounds a lot like Tegan and Sara, but then most of your songs like Creator sound a lot like M.I.A.. I’m going to guess M.I.A., since you had the same producer and that’s what most of your stuff sounds like. Wikipedia says you may opt for an eighties icon instead.
“White’s style has been compared often to that of M.I.A.. Santogold said of the comparison: ‘We’ve worked with some of the same people and have similar influences. But the way we go around implementing those influences are very different, and I am in no way influenced by what the press are saying.’ Additionally, some of Santogold’s material has been compared to that of the Pixies, which Santogold agrees with.”
2. How do you, and eight other people, write a Lily Allen song?
(See Lily Allen-LDN)
This is what I’m imagining…[Setting: Conference room, bright fluorescent lights]
“Ok, from the top people”…When you look with your eyes *dry erase marker squeaks* everything seems nice, but if you look twice…*Santi raises hand*..”You can see it’s all lies?” That’s it people! We’ve got ourselves a pop radio hit! Starbucks anyone?…
3. How much does Joe Simpson, owner of “Papa Joe Records”, pay a songwriter these days?
(See Ashlee Simpson-Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya))
I’m asking because in this PopJustice article you talked about Ashlee Simpson eating cookies from a silver platter while you wrote for her, and how you can’t turn down things like that because it’s business. Quote: “Come on. It’s just money“. But then there’s this WorshipWorthy article from 2007 where you said, “I’m too broke to shop.” Please explain. Are clothes in Brooklyn just that damn expensive?
4. Are you an Indie artist, or a Major Label artist?
Your Santogold MySpace page says Indie, and every Indie blogger and their paid advertisers are calling you “the next big Indie thang”. Yet in this article by The Phoenix the author writes “an artist emerges out of nowhere with a major-label debut that is exceedingly polished, yet with a foot in a burgeoning underground scene”. Then in this PopJustice article when asked, “Are you enjoying the privileges of being signed to a major label?” your retort was, “It’s a machine. You get in and they are ready to go. It was easier for me because I didn’t have to make the record, it was pretty much done and they already loved it.” You did go on to say that if you had to change anything you’d say “f**k it”, so that part was okay. Anyways, so what is it, Indie or Major?
5. Did you get free Bud Light Lime for doing that commercial? And if so, what did you use it for?
I won’t get too into the indie artists commercial thing, what with many others doing the same (see: Mates of State- AT&T, Hum-Cadillac, Of Montreal-Outback, etc. etc.). But Bud Light…with a splash of 100 percent lime flavor? Ewwww.
*Disclaimer- This song, and its video and lyrics are pretty tight.
Santogold - L.E.S. Aristes
from Santogold, 2008
Politics and religion: the two no-no conversation starters that quickly create varying paths for our words and beliefs to go down. These paths are usually bumpy and narrow, with forks in the road that people aren’t willing to follow, and stop signs that are ignored from the slow lane with no turn signal. There are trust issues that continue to grow in regards to facts and opinions created by world and religious leaders and our over-used, commercialized tv sets. On that note, this song’s message and video imagery has raised some eyebrows. They can either go up, or down.
Excerpt taken from the video entry: “The son of international school teachers, Elemental Zazen was born in the US and raised in Al Taif (Saudi Arabia) and Beijing (China). Despite growing up in vastly different countries, Zazen saw a similar pattern of injustice everywhere he called home. Unwilling to accept a system that produces inhumane poverty and opulent wealth side-by-side, Elemental Zazen focused his fury into his 2008 album “The Glass Should Be Full”.
Elemental Zazen - Handcuffs Lyrics
Sick children on television wishing
someone would just give them some money
so they don’t have to be the victim
Behind them Christian televangelists
make it the mission
deny the aid unless they kneel and pray submission Jesus saves,
as long as you pay the bishop for permission.
Repent the fact that you’re abused
by the human condition
There’s room for addiction
in every lower class tradition
Masking friction between
so called “masters” and the “wicked”
Poverty’s fingers reaching everyone
without forgiveness
At least if you’re not white
or in line to inherit riches
Everyone witnesses what is and isn’t fiction
And goes home at night denying
that they contributed to the sickness
White people act like they’re not racist
cause they have a friend that’s black
Or cause they’ve struggled
with their economic situation
Blaming minorities for what they call “complacence”
Facing openly racist conversations by administrations
The expectation that the jail is always waiting
breeds hatred
making reparations the logical compensation First step is equalizing education,
so the concentration camps we call the ghetto
are home to more than desperation.
Throw your motherf***ing hands up!
If you wanna see the president in handcuffs.
If you think television has no answers.
If you’ll never be a slave to the cancer.
The elected are puppets, figurines,
speakers for the invisible leaders of the regime
Felons who live on selling the american dream
Scaring the people with evil extremes till they scream
I’ve seen armies of human machines
march in green fatigues
Fight for the love of the blood
and their obscene beliefs
Ignoring others that grieve
brother and mothers receive
A punishment that exceeds all
but the wickedest greed
Never a choice to concede
we’d rather struggle to breathe
Fight till we drown and recede
than sit around and mislead
I’ll spit a round in the seed
of who’s not down to defeat
delete clowns and the sheep
till we surround the elites Show them the aftereffects
of all the taxes and debts.
All the iraq’s that reflect,
the way their facts are suspect.
I’ll be unmasking the threat the everlasting regret
Those little bastards will get
when we start blasting the set
Throw your motherf***ing hands up!
If you wanna see the president in handcuffs. If you think television has no answers.
If you’ll never be a slave to the cancer.
Playing Club Deville July 25th in Austin, Black Tie Dynasty with The Always Already.
With most indie bands these days taking a trip back to the seventies (no pun intended with the word “trip”), this band’s going to the eighties and I like it. Black Tie Dynasty has been listed under “sounds like” categories with classics such as Depeche Mode, The Cure and Echo and the Bunnymen. The Dallas natives are, however, from the text happy thousands…what with being too busy to add the y and the o to the “u” in the song title below.
Ratatat, the guitar/synthesizer duo out of New York City, just released their single for “Mirando” off their new album LP3 due out on July 8th. The (unofficial?) video for Mirando also came out today. I’m digging this video, a lot. Of course, I’m also a big fan of explosions, slow motion, old war movies…oh, and seeing governor schWARzenegger in the jungle.
Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead Lyrics
God that was strange to see you again,
introduced by a friend of a friend.
Smiled and said ‘yes I think we’ve met before’,
in that instant it started to pour.
Captured a taxi, despite all the rain.
We drove in silence across Pont Champlain.
And all of the time you thought I was sad…
I was trying to remember your name.
This scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin, tried to reach deep, but you couldn’t get in.
Now you’re outside me,
you see all the beauty,
repent all your sin.
It’s nothing but time and a face that you lose,
I chose to feel it and you couldn’t choose. I’ll write you a postcard,
I’ll send you the news,
From a house down the road from real love.
Live through this, and you won’t look back…
Live through this, and you won’t look back…
Live through this, and you won’t look back…
There’s one thing I want to say, so I’ll be brave,
you were what I wanted,
I gave what I gave.
I’m not sorry I met you,
I’m not sorry it’s over,
I’m not sorry there’s nothing to save.
Playing Emo’s May 23rd in Austin, Clinic with BBQ (Mark Sultan from The King Khan and BBQ Show).
Clinic was formed in 1997 and despite the widespread critical acclaim received throughout the years, the band has remained true to their Indie roots. Free from the restrictions of mainstream music, Clinic has an untainted, unique sound that has been more important then the dollar signs that follow pleasing the masses by going major. Clinic described their 2004 album, Winchester Cathedral, as, “a dense mass of psyche and senseless music hall, it was Clinic doing what they do best - ignoring the tenets and trends of the music industry.” In 2007, the band played with such acclaimed acts as Roky Erickson, and also toured with the ever-so-awesome Arcade Fire. What to expect during a 2008 concert? For their US tour, they’ve asked fans to pick the setlist, which often includes obscure songs that the band wouldn’t normally play. They’ll likely play all of the new album songs during the first set, and then the older songs in the second. They’ve also mentioned a tropical theme for the new tour, which from what I’ve gathered (see new video below) includes using the steel guitar a bit more, while wearing Hawaiian shirts with their trademark surgical masks.
“Be safe” you say, whatever the mess you are, you mind okay. That is the custom,
on down.
The New Pornographers – Challengers
from Challengers, 2007
The New Pornographers – Challengers Lyrics
Yes I know it was late,
we were greeting the sun,
before long.
And you live with someone,
I live with somebody too.
Leave it there,
for safe keeping.
One of the west village in plains,
that was the custom
come dawn.
On the walls of the day,
in the shade of the sun,
we wrote down.
Another vision of us,
we were the challengers of
the unknown.
“Be safe” you say,
whatever the mess you are, you mind okay.
That is the custom,
on down.
Until I see you around,
until we clear the accounts. Leave it there.
Leave it to us.
We are the challengers of,
the unknown.
Robots in Disguise - Turn It Up Lyrics I woke up weak today and needing your voice.
Crawled into the speakers and turned up the volume.
Felt so sick today, but cured by your noise.
My head in the speakers is drowning out volumes.
In ‘Ashes To Ashes’ I’m falling falling.
In ‘Ashes To Ashes’ I’m losing losing.
In ‘Curl’ and ‘Grazes’ I’m feeling feeling.
In ‘Curl’ and ‘Grazes’ I’m losing losing.
Turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up.
Turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up.
Turn me on.
I dress up bright tonight and needing the beat.
Dance into the speakers, and max up the volume.
Feel so high tonight and moved by my feet.
My heart in the speakers, is loving the volume.
In ‘Pretty Vacant’ I’m jumping jumping.
In ‘Pretty Vacant’ I’m moving moving.
In ‘Teaches Of Peaches’ I’m speeding speeding.
In ‘Teaches Of Peaches’ I’m moving moving.
Turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up.
Turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up.
Turn me on.
In ‘Delia’s Gone’ ‘I’ll Keep It With Mine’ ‘Birdland’ ‘Clouds’
In ‘Sous Le Soleil Exactement’ ‘Sunshine Superman’ ‘I Want You’ ‘Ghosts’
In ‘Some Velvet Morning’ ‘Paper Wings’ ‘Virginia Avenue’ ‘Laura’
In ‘Summer’s Almost Over’ ‘I Walk the Line’ ‘A Night Like This’ ‘Strange Fruit’
In ‘Hatful Of Hollow’ I’m diving diving.
In ‘Hatful Of Hollow’ I’m screaming screaming.
In ‘Boys’ and ‘Voodoo’ I’m living living.
In ‘Boys’ and ‘Voodoo’ I’m screaming screaming.
Turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up.
Turn it up turn it up turn it up turn it up.
Turn me on!
Songs Referenced:
In ‘Ashes To Ashes’ I’m falling falling.
In ‘Ashes To Ashes’ I’m losing losing. David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes
Playing Stubb’s May 14th in Austin, Northern State with American Princes and Lady Pterodactyl. I do have a soft spot for all female white-girl hip-hop groups, I do. Northern State hails from New York with members Hesta Prynn, Spero and Sprout. It’s nice to give your mind a complete break by listening to easy, self-promoting lyrics “I believe in Northern State and the golden rule, now Sprout’s gonna take y’all back to school”, with a few songs that loosely tie in politicized issues, “got the kids in the back and you’re sipping on a Coors, with your pro-life sticker like the choice is yours” (see: Sucka Mofo). For their recent album, Can I Keep This Pen?, they collaborated with producer Chuck Brody of Shitake Monkey, and Adrock from The Beastie Boys. Might this show be unsatisfying for one that thrives on getting their poetry fix through well written lyrics? Perhaps, but I’m going to check-ch-check-check-check, ch-check it out anyways.
A lime to a lemon, said a lemon to a lime. I spend my time riding MTA, so get off your high horse- Don Quixote.
Northern State - Mother May I? (Featuring Chuck Brody)
from Can I Keep This Pen?, 2007
