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(07/30/15 11:52pm)
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="244"] Fat Tony performing at Forecastle on July 19, 2015. Photo by Olivia Graham.[/caption]
It’s hotter than two rats getting busy in a wool sock in Louisville, Kentucky, on the third day of Forecastle Music Festival. After watching Fat Tony’s powerful set, we all chug a few plastic water bottles before heading backstage to talk with the Houston rapper who just traveled from Atlanta the night before and would soon be on his way to Chicago. Somehow he still maintains an excited energy despite the mugginess. Fat Tony’s second album, Smart Ass Black Boy, came out mid-2013, and he’s about as witty and slyly cocky in person as his album title suggests. The passion pours out of the musician like the sweat pouring out of strange crevices on all of our bodies when Fat Tony talks about his artistry. “Being a performer has always been a big aspect of me as an artist, so I give a lot of myself when it comes to a live show,” he says.
The energy he brings to a performance parallels that of some of the musicians he respects the most-- from Miles Davis and The 13th Floor Elevators to UGK and Lil B. This appreciation for diversity of musical styles undoubtedly influenced his performance at Forecastle, where he dedicated almost every song to a different type of person and passed the mic numerous times to fans in the front row. “When I step on stage, I think of myself as a hip-hopper and a punk-rocker and just like y’all. I’m a musician, I’m a fan of music and I’m a man. We’re all the same.” One thing that frustrates him is that people sometimes forget their similarities because of their musical elitism. “Music is about sharing,” Fat Tony says. “When I meet people that are more familiar with an artist than I am, I want them to teach me about it.” He believes that regardless of genre and popularity, music can be life-changing. “It’s important to explore the most underground music because you never know what you’ll find, but don’t shit on somebody because all they’ve known in their life is popular music.”
Even in popular music, IU’s cozy region of the Midwest doesn’t have many representatives on the charts-- the only notable artists that come to mind (or a quick Google search) are Big Sean and Kanye West. Some hip-hop heads wonder if the Midwest has a future in the genre. Freddie Gibbs and Danny Brown are often revered as the prides of Midwest hip-hop, yet both still are mostly prominent only in the indie-rap realm, with a majority of their fan-bases being White twenty-somethings. However, Fat Tony strongly refutes the possibility of no musical future for the No Coast. “Michael Jackson is from Gary, Indiana, from the Midwest. Let that sink in before you have to wonder if the Midwest has a future in music. He is probably worldwide the most important music artist of all time.” He further argues that the Midwest is currently on the vanguard of hip-hop thanks to artists like Chief Keef. “A lot of people think that drill and Chief Keef is mindless, ‘stupid’ music, but I know it as being honest and vulnerable in the same way that I’m trying to approach music.” In midst of heated internet beef about ghostwriting and even beat production, Fat Tony tips his hat to Chief Keef for doing it all on his own. “It’s even more impressive now that Chief Keef makes his own beats in a really avant-garde way, close to a punk-rock mentality.”
https://play.spotify.com/track/3A80PCs3bSqIoovni9392v
Fat Tony's newest track featuring Asher Roth
Growing up with a classical singer as a mother and a Nigerian soldier as a father in the proclaimed musical melting pot of Texas, Fat Tony cites punk-rock and hip-hop as two of the biggest influences in his work, which, according to him, are much more similar than often realized, mainly for their DIY mindset and bare-bones approach to music. “(In punk and hip-hop) it’s like, ‘yo, we’re coming out here to be honest, to express ourselves, to give the audience something that’s different than what they normally get, to remind them of what it means to be a real human trying to communicate via music.’”
The ethics and intentionality of music are incredibly vital to the rapper. “Music is always a representation of where the people and their communities are,” Fat Tony says, and because of this, music can act as a tool in not only combating the struggles of existence but also in communicating those struggles to others. But appreciation can enter into dangerous territory when one enjoys a type of music (or other cultural artifacts) but not the culture from which it’s derived. Fat Tony argues that consumption of historical Black culture, like backpack rap or jazz, without noting the current necessities of the Black community, is a big point of White supremacy. “It makes it easier to scapegoat modern Black people as being a problem because (the historical part of Black culture that White people may be into) is closer to a time where Black people were less privileged and more under the dictation of White supremacy.”
And as a young White person living in the liberal utopia of Bloomington IN, it can be exasperating realizing that the 1990s dictation of living in a color blind, post-racial society is not only false but also dangerous. Fat Tony, now 27, identifies with this frustration, but because his mom went to a segregated school, he remained strongly critical of those who preached the end of racism when he came of age. “(Racial violence and oppression) has been happening for a long time in this country, and is probably going to continue to happen,” he says, “but at this point it’s really interesting because a new generation is starting to see that, and the young people now grew up feeling like maybe all this was behind them.” But for those who may feel disheartened by the news of People of Color appearing dead in jail cells or who may want to live in blissful ignorance of the continued struggles of gender and sexual minorities or the disabled in this country, Fat Tony urges you to continue engaging with the uncomfortable and to keep fighting hate. “Young people are misled all the time on both sides of the fence… but (they) need to listen to their hearts, ride with that feeling and make some new shit go down in this country.”
(07/14/15 5:05am)
We are in the humid midst of festival season, and our southern neighbors have a strong contender with Forecastle, hosted from Louisville, Kentucky. Louisville is a really cool town, kind of in the same vein as Bloomington-- but a little larger and with a lot more booze. Forecastle is celebrating its 13th anniversary this weekend. This fest provides a similar feel to larger establishments like Pitchfork and Coachella but is characterized by that Southern hospitality and great food and drink that keeps people coming back to Louisville. And if you’re trying to justify spending the cash for another music festival this summer, Forecastle originally started as a fundraising effort to rehabilitate hotspots across the globe, so you can feel like an environmental hero while simultaneously getting the kind of hammered that only Maker’s Mark can provide. Here are some of the most exciting sets this weekend at Forecastle:
Speedy Ortiz
When: Friday, 8 p.m.
Where: WFPK Port Stage
Sometimes reminiscent of Angel Olsen or Waxahatchee songs on songs like "No Below," Speedy Ortiz excels in more noisy tracks. Their first release, 2013's Major Arcana, earned the group accolades like Best New Music from Pitchfork. The success of this group may lay in singer and brainchild Sadie Dupuis' painful lyrical honesty, at times simultaneously conjuring the worst memories of childhood torment and the sweet moments of friendship. The group's sound combines the best of rock queens like Liz Phair and PJ Harvey with the upbeat college-alt sound of Archers of Loaf. And hopefully, Speedy Ortiz's show might alleviate that ever-present pain of 90s nostalgia.
Speedy Ortiz performing "Raising the Skate" off their newest album, Foil Deer
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEnRa6veSQc[/embed]
My Morning Jacket
When: Saturday, 9:15 p.m.
Where: Mast Stage
Louisville legend My Morning Jacket are headlining Forecastle on Saturday. You may know of the group from the American Dad episode where Stan becomes a groupie for My Morning Jacket, irrefutably the best episode of the show (or maybe I’m just hipster trash). The group has been nominated for two Grammys and combine the best of the psychedelic rock sounds your inner dad loves with the unique genre-bending that's kept them relevant for over a decade. I saw them at Millennium Park in Chicago in 2012, and I’m still unsure how singer Jim James produces such a cherubic sound. If you're feeling spiritually depleted, you can't miss their set on Saturday.
Here’s a video of the group performing “Big Decisions” from their recent release The Waterfall on The Ellen Show of all places
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rKV-8VvzdU[/embed]
Fat Tony
When: Sunday, 1:15 p.m.
Where: Ocean Stage
Houston rapper Fat Tony is probably one of the sets I'm most excited for. With a misnomer that pays homage to The Simpsons, Fat Tony is a noteworthy newcomer. He's been featured on tracks with Das Racist, A$AP Rocky, and Asher Roth. His brand of rap is formed by cited seeking inspiration from such a different array of artists, from Bikini Kill and Bad Brains to Lil B and E-40. He's the best of quirky stoner rap, influenced by the relaxed beats and snappy one-liners of Southern rap.
If you're a fan of the after parties of festivals, you can catch Fat Tony opening for legendary Talib Kweli. This duo will perform midnight on Friday.
The video for "Hood Party" by Fat Tony
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEB7qVcX48c[/embed]
Gabriel Garzón-Montano
When: Sunday, 2:30 p.m.
Where: Ocean Stage
Garzón-Montano has recently come into a larger spotlight when fan favorite Drake sampled "6 8" on 2015's “Jungle”, a solid track in its own right. Garzón-Montano released his first EP "Bishouné: Alma del Huila" last year, a consistently solid effort that oscillates between mournful downbeat tracks and funky jams. He sounds sometimes like James Blake and sometimes like D'Angelo, but what's always consistent is the intricacies in his music. And after opening up for Lenny Kravitz's European tour last year, he's sure to put on a solid show.
Garzón-Montano performing "6 8" in late 2014
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83IwXxk_sZQ[/embed]
Diarrhea Planet
When: Sunday, 4:30 p.m.
Where: WFPK Port Stage
The chaotic six-piece punk group Diarrhea Planet should provide a midday revitalization. Fortunately for the weak-stomached, the group's poppy, abrasive sound is less repulsive than their name. The Nashville natives have a similar pop-punk-meets-garage-rock sound to fellow Nashvillers JEFF the Brotherhood, who perform at Forecastle on Friday. The set's atmosphere promises a familiar, high-energy atmosphere to that of the punk house shows here in Bloomington.
Diarrhea Planet performing "Yeah Buddy" in 2014
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMX_Ukwlqqs[/embed]
If Sam Smith, pulled pork sandwiches, and a two-hour drive from Bloomington sounds like a winning combination, Forecastle may be the fest for you. Fortunately it’s not too late to attend. Weekend, day, and late night show tickets are still available.
(10/09/14 4:01pm)
6/7 stars
I'll admit that I was never the biggest fan of iceage, that when I had the opportunity to see them live for free, I passed it up. Back in 2011, their first album had a bunch of hype, and I wasn't into it. It felt too visceral, cynical, without any interesting breaks from the aggressive Nordic sound. Plowing Into the Field of Love, the band's newest release, has dramatically altered my opinion of the group. Now I feel like an idiot for not having gotten into iceage sooner.
This album is a bloody-knuckled wall punch; it's aggressive but doesn't make me angry for the rest of the day (see: Minor Threat, Reagan Youth). Field of Love has been very apropos for this dreary Denmark-esque weather that Bloomington has been having.
One thing I really judge music, especially rap and rock-related genres, on is lyrical content (unapologetic in my English major-ness). In a genre of simplistic, terse messages, the content expectation is fairly low. Fortunately iceage breaks from the lyrical black hole that is punk music, and tracks like Stay epitomize this height of punk's lyrical content:
(09/16/14 4:26pm)
Released: 9/8/2014
4/7 stars
Since the advent of the post-punk-revival era, catapulting groups like The Strokes and Franz Ferdinand to mega commercial fame, Interpol has never done anything to differentiate themselves from the stereotype of this genre being inherently shallow. Interpol has always been one of those bands that writes really catchy yet incredibly, almost comically shallow songs. But sometimes that's what listeners want-- the dreary, dismal sound of post-punk without the substance.
Without having to slump into the depths of egocentric Top 40 hits, lyrics about new brand names that I can't even begin to pronounce, listeners can have the same feeling by listening to lead singer Paul Banks' croon about his hetero-male problems. "El Pintor," Interpol's newest release and the first in four years, feels no different, no more intellectually stimulating or surprising than their preceding four albums, and maybe that's ok.
Although they're not pushing themselves in remotely any interesting or new direction, "El Pintor" does make good filler music, e.g. when eating a lackluster sandwich in Wright, getting pushed into the grass by three people walking shoulder-to-shoulder on the Ballantine sidewalks, etc., and I mean this genuinely. Interpol has always been, and will continue to be, one of those bands that if you don't think about their lyrics too much, their aesthetic and riff borrowing from much stronger groups, and overall banality and repetitiveness, then the group, and their newest album, makes for a good listen.
"All The Rage Back Home," the opening track, is upbeat and has that typical early Interpol sound that makes for an enjoyable listen. Strong too is the following track, "My Desire," again revisiting the successful, Joy Division-lite sound they created on "Turn On The Bright Lights" that made the group such an instant hit, and which remains the worthwhile focal point their discography.
After these two songs, the album quickly plummets into either uninteresting or just relatively sub-par territory. Specifically the lowest point of this album exists in "Tidal Wave," the ninth track which features an oddly falsetto Banks, cumbersome repetition and some weird synth-y sounds that are entirely out-of-place, feeling like an appeal to listeners of today rather than their original fanbase, listeners of 2004.
The only new direction the group appears to exploring besides that which was previously mentioned is using the unmistakable font of all Vampire Weekend's releases on this album cover. Other than that, the album is fairly repetitive, utilizing sounds and tropes that other albums and other groups have done more effectively. "El Pintor" is one of those releases that exists as a good starter to finding more interesting, somewhat-related groups to listen to.
Must listens:
All The Rage Back Home
My Desire