Listen.

Even though Lucas Dix’s dictations are the focal point of Diving Lessons, it is imperative that a great deal of credit is given to the Great Mundane; without his melodic measures, this album would not be anywhere near as notable. His bold and brazen beats aren’t what you’d normally expect to hear on a  Hip-Hop record, but his sounds skew multiple moods and give Dix the ink needed to dauntlessly draft his moving manifesto.

If you’ve ever talked to Lucas Dix, you know that he’s dead serious about what he does, but he’s also one hell of a laid back dude that truly loves Hip-Hop; the track “Man the Riverboat” paints this picture perfectly. Throughout the course of the track, Dix has fun declaring that he’s just another traveler trying to find himself on life’s journey, and he’s going to go wherever the river takes him:

“I’m about as spiritual as the next man/finger painting a Rembrandt/practicing my head stands/shortened laps on the cycle of Siddhartha/doin’ to others brother/shit is vital for the karma/I ain’t gonna front, I’d love to be rich and famous/just so I could leave it and fold into the nameless/knowledge of the mental, pledges of the physical/wielding wooden oars rowin’ in my rusty riverboat”

I can say first hand that I really do miss being a kid; every day was a new adventure, and there was never a dull moment. Whether it was going out and playing baseball, or hanging out at the pool, there was always something to wake up excited about every day; as an adult, it’s a lot harder to find things to be excited about. Dix knows exactly what this feels like, and on “Astronauts and Pirates to the Rescue” he directly discloses the thoughts that a lot of us in the Generation Y cohort regularly consider:

“I need something that I can want/something that I can follow/something worth getting out of bed tomorrow/even if I never touch it/as long as it exists/it’ll be the reason why I can handle this shit”

It’s not just fun and games on Diving Lessons – at all. The two most sentimental and candid tracks on the album – “In the Green Grass” and “Willow Seed Serenade” – show Dix handling heavy hitting situations just as well as the light ones; in doing this, he adds a great deal of complexity to his character.

On “In the Green Grass”, Dix comes to terms with the tragic loses in his life, but he declares that he’s grateful for the experiences that he has had, and he wouldn’t change it for anything. Lucas also gives a great piece of advice that everyone can learn from: don’t waste your life chasing the other side of the fence because the grass isn’t always greener; be happy with what you have.

“Willow Seed Serenade” is one of the most beautiful tracks I’ve heard in a long time. The Great Mundane’s pleasant piano keys and staccato drums provide the perfect soundscape for Dix to reminisce about falling in love. Lucas distinctly describes the day he fell in love;  coincidentally, it’s the same day that he learned to dive. Even though the story is quite literal, the message about diving is a great metaphor that can be applied to real-life situations that everyone faces.

Dix has a line on the album that states he takes solace in the heavy moss surroundings and the city lights; it truly does say a lot about his character, and Diving Lessons shows the world all of his idiosyncrasies. At the young age of 29, Lucas Dix has a long way to go in living his life, but this album shows that he’s beginning to learn the most important lessons that life can give.

For those of you that don’t know, Dix is a teacher by profession, so it’s no surprise that throughout Diving Lessons he’s giving the world a pronounced piece of advice that we can all learn from: when it comes to life, sometimes we all need to take diving lessons and learn to jump into the unknown.

9/10

Sonny played for some time, and then the show was over. The crowd was pleased. I exited the stage at about the same time in hopes of having a one-on-one conversation with the artist. I ran around back as he was being mobbed by fans and snapped at with cameras. He took time for the adoration and with a broad smile he vanished. Sonny was something; to me, he seemed like a classic soul singer from the distant past, yet he was thriving in 2014. I wondered where his time machine was parked. Searching, I found nothing…

For the full story coming soon, check: www.dirtyterry.com

As I give my creaking knuckles calisthenics, I’m reminded of how great 2013 was for music. There were a lot of great releases, and I think that a few of my selections might shock a few people this year, but it’s necessary to give credit where it’s due. Leave your comments in the C-Section below, and let me know how you feel.

Top 15 Albums of the Year (Listed 15-1)

Nametag & Nameless – For Namesake: Prior to hearing this album, I had really only heard of Nametag. Tag has been on a few tracks with other Detroit artists that I love, and for that fact alone I checked out this album. Not knowing who Nameless was, I found myself pleasantly surprised by his board work; it looks like Michigan has yet another top-notch producer to add to its roster. Like the lead single “Hookless” shows, Nametag & Nameless have an undeniable chemistry as a duo, and throughout the entirety of For Namesake that becomes crystal clear.

Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City: Judging by how much I love Hip-Hop, most people wouldn’t know that I fucking love Vampire Weekend. I was a huge fan of their first album, and I liked the Contra, but it just didn’t feel the same. I was hesitant to give Modern Vampires of the City a true listen, but I’m really glad that I did. On Modern Vampires of the City, it seems like Ezra Koenig and his band mates returned to the same formula that made them great on their self-titled debut.

Ghostface Killah & Apollo Brown – Twelve Reasons to Die: The Brown Tape: To be honest, I wasn’t really a huge fan of the first Twelve Reasons to Die album produced by Adrien Younge; I mean it was good, but it wasn’t great. Then I started to hear about a version of the album that was produced by Apollo Brown called The Brown Tape, and I knew I had to get my hands on it. I’ve been following Apollo Brown for a minute now, and hearing Ghostface spit over his beats is nothing short of an experience. As soon as this album was available on CD, I picked it up right away.

Pearl Jam – Lightning Bolt: Pearl Jam is a group that has had a long and lustrous career, but since their album Vitalogy in 1994, there really hasn’t been a highly cohesive album in their catalog; sure, there have been quite a few albums with great songs, but nothing worthy of front-to-back play like their first three albums. I had the opportunity to see Pearl Jam this year at Wrigley Field, and they played their usual set of fan favorites, but they also debuted new material off of Lightning Bolt; after hearing “Mind Your Manners”, “Lightning Bolt” and “Let the Records Play”, I was assured that Pearl Jam is stronger than ever.

Ka – The Night’s Gambit: There’s not enough good things to say about Ka. He’s got incredible rhymes that seem so effortless he might as well be breathing them, and as a producer he knows what sounds will accent his rhymes the best. The Night’s Gambit is a great follow-up to Ka’s 2012 release Grief Pedigree, and it acts as another statement in proving that he’s right next to Roc Marciano as one of the best emcees in New York. On gritty tracks like “Jungle” you can close your eyes and envision the picture Ka is painting over his canvas.

Ugly Heroes – Ugly Heroes: Usually I’m pretty privy to the material that Apollo Brown releases, but this one flew under my radar for a little bit. Ugly Heroes is comprised of Apollo Brown, Verbal Kent and Red Pill; these dudes are incredible as a group. For the first time in a while, I feel like I can actually relate to the lyrics on an album because these guys know what it’s like to work a 9-5 job every day. This album is real blue-collar rap, and unlike the industry’s obsession with material possessions and decadence, Ugly Heroes is an album full of rap that people can relate to.

Shad – Flying Colours: Shad is the type of artist that literally doesn’t know how to drop a bad record – period. I’ve been a huge fan of everything he’s dropped prior to Flying Colours, and I can say the same thing for this album. In my opinion, he’s been one of the most slept-on emcees in the game since he dropped The Old Prince back in 2007; furthermore, I consider him to be one of the best lyricists in the game. After giving Flying Colours a few short listens, I knew that it was one of the best albums of the year. If you’ve been a fan of Shad K’s material in the past, then you will love Flying Colours.

Rjd2 – More is Than isn’t: I’ve been a huge fan of Rjd2 since Deadringer hit back in 2003, but over the last few years some of his material just wasn’t sticking with me. The Third Hand wasn’t really up my alley, and The Colossus was good, but it still left something to be desired. I’m glad that RJ returned to his Hip-Hop roots with More is Than isn’t because the album is beautiful. The album is broken up into three different suites, and RJ’s boom-bap beats give fans like me the gratification that we’ve been waiting for since he released Since We Last Spoke.

Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels: I’m gonna catch an infinite amount of denunciation, but when Run the Jewels came out, I didn’t even listen to it for the first couple months. I am a massive El-P fan, and I know that Killer Mike is a Southern Hip-Hop legend, but I really didn’t feel R.A.P. Music as much as everyone else, and I couldn’t tell you why. I recently saw El-P & Killer Mike kill a set at Prof Outdoors in Minneapolis as Run the Jewels, and the experience was unbelievable; I felt like a complete moron because I was sleeping heavily on one of the best projects of the year. There is so much raw energy and chemistry displayed on Run the Jewels that it would be foolish to not consider it one of the year’s best.

Deltron 3030 – Event II: I still remember the first time that I heard the original Deltron 3030 album, and I had no idea how to feel about what I was listening to; Deltron 3030 was a brilliant concept album done the right way. Dan the Automator‘s futuristic and gritty production was the perfect match for Del the Funkee Homosapien’s unabashed and unorthodox rhymes. I knew I was going to give this album a listen, but all I could think to myself was, “How do you follow up a classic like Deltron 3030?” In the case of Dan, Del & Kid Koala, you take thirteen years off and follow it up with an album equally as good – if not better. Yes, I said it, maybe even better. From front to back, Event II contains everything that made Deltron 3030 a classic.

Classified – Classified: There’s really not much I can say here that I haven’t already said about Classified. He’s arguably one of my favorite artists overall, and he is one of the hardest working cats in the Hip-Hop game. Like Shad, Classified is from Canada, and as we all know, the only hardcore hyped Canadian emcee is the Kitten Whisperer – Also known as Drake. Classified produces and writes all if his own music, and dude has a major talent for making beats. Classified is the follow-up to 2011’s Handshakes and Middle Fingers, and it is nothing short of a stellar record. Filled with incredible cuts like “What I Do”, “Anything Goes”, “I Only Say it Cause it’s True” and “Familiar”, Classified is one of the best front-to-back albums of the year – not a single miss.

Pusha T – My Name is My Name: This was arguably my most hyped album of the year – and for good reasons. I’ve been a Pusha T fan since Lord Willin’ came out back in 2002; I’m a diehard Clipse fan – even after the mediocrity that was Til’ the Casket Drops. I knew that being on G.O.O.D. Music, Pusha was going to have the avenue and backing that he needed to drop an incredible solo album, and he did just that. Pusha T doesn’t get too flashy with the rhymes on My Name is My Name, but he does stick to the one thing that he knows the best – the coke and street narrative. By the name itself, I would put My Name is My Name in the best albums of the year (For those that don’t know, My Name is My Name is a reference to the phrase uttered by Marlo Stanfield in the 5th season of The Wire), but Pusha T definitely met expectations and delivered a great album.

Black Milk – No Poison, No Paradise: Black Milk is no stranger to making a great record; all four of his previous albums have been nothing short of spectacular, and No Poison, No Paradise continues Black Milk’s tried and true track record of excellence. Throughout the years, Black Milk has experimented with a variety of different sounds, and he brings them all together on No Poison, No Paradise. No matter what era of Black Milk production is your favorite, No Poison, No Paradise has them all. Black Milk is an artist that continually hones his craft – on the boards and the microphone; No Poison, No Paradise shows just how far he’s come.

Oddisee – Tangible Dream: This is a “grey area” project, because it was technically billed as a mixtape; furthermore, it was a “name your price” album, so people could have copped it for free. Anyway that I look at it, it’s still one of the best projects released this year. Anyone who’s followed Oddisee since the early beginnings of Diamond District knows that he has a vast amount of talent. His 2012 release People See What They Hear was my personal favorite of 2012, and Tangible Dream is equally as good of an effort. Oddisee is an emcee that is inspired by the world around him; he rides the train and observes people in their natural surroundings. That’s the real inspiration for his music. If there’s one word that I could use to summate my feelings about Tangible Dream, it would be genuine. Oddisee is a genuine artist that puts out genuine music.

Tyler Keyes & M.i – Pushing Keyes: Here we are folks; the leader of the pack for 2013. In my opinion (some may call me crazy), I don’t think any album released this year came close to the quality of Pushing Keyes. M.i and Tyler Keyes have been making great music for a few years now (Prep Time, Coldplay Sessions), but this album soars above everything else. As I mentioned in the review for Pushing Keyes, Tyler took a big leap of faith and moved to Texas so that he could form a more contiguous working relationship with M.i; in my opinion, the outcome was incredible. On the production side, Keyes builds beautiful beats based around sly samples and organic studio instrumentation, and M.i laces his bars with vivid and veracious rhymes. There are only a few tracks with guest appearances on the album, but they are placed perfectly; hearing M.i spit alongside Chamillionaire and Blu is something to smile about. I’ve been listening to his music since The Jack Johnson Sessions, and his evolution as an artist has truly come to fruition. Pushing Keyes is filled with prodigious production and lively lyrics – everything I look for in a quality Hip-Hop album.

Top 5 EPs/Mixtapes (5-1)

The top part of my review took me so long to complete that I decided against a full-blown explanation of my top five free releases/mixtapes; however, I have decided to include a few words why I chose the selected projects.

Father Focus Confucius – The Adventures of Dominate Wilkins EP: To say I’ve been sleeping on Father Focus‘ music would be a drastic understatement. I had heard the song “Guard Your Grill” earlier this year, and I loved it; other than that though, I didn’t really actively seek out his music. Being an artist in my city, you’d think that I would make more of a conscious effort. After listening to The Adventures of Dominate Wilkins EP, I will definitely be putting my ear to the streets from now on to actively seek out his music. This EP is 6 tracks of straight heart and soul; Father Focus shows that he’s capable of killing beats just as hard as he murders the mic. Definitely check this one out.

Download: Father Focus Confucius – The Adventures of Dominate Wilkins EP

Koncept & DeeJay Element – Malt Disney EP: I’ve been messing with Koncept’s music for a minute now. His album Awaken was one of my favorite albums last year, and I’ve been a fan of the Brown Bag AllStars since I first heard their Brown Label EP. Malt Disney is a free six track EP, and it’s definitely worthy of a download in my opinion. Brown Bag always brings the first boom bap Hip-Hop; Malt Disney is no different.

Download: Koncept & DeeJay Element – Malt Disney EP

Pusha T – Wrath of Caine: Pusha T had one hell of a year; he released one of the best albums of the year, and Wrath of Caine was arguably one of the best mixtapes of the year. It seems like 2013 was the year that King Push solidified his position as one of the dopest emcees in the game.

Download: Pusha T – Wrath of Caine

Homeless & The Van Gobots – Twenty Dirt: I had the chance to meet Homeless at the Prof Outdoors show back in September, and let me tell you, he’s one cool ass dude that truly loves Hip-Hop music. He put out a track with Big Cats earlier this year, and I loved it, so when I heard that he had an EP out, I had to give it a listen. It kind of hit me in a different way; The Van Gobots are more of an indie rock band, so the project doesn’t have the usual soundscapes that I am used to, but Homeless owns the sound, and despite not being conventional Hip-Hop, Twenty Dirt is a fantastic project. I would definitely say that this is an album worthy project.

Download: Homeless & The Van Gobots – Twenty Dirt

Skyzoo & Antman Wonder – An Ode to Reasonable Doubt: To me, Skyzoo is already one of the greatest emcees of his generation; hell, he’s one of the best emcees I’ve ever heard. When I heard that he was going to be doing a re-interpretation of Reasonable Doubt, I immediately became ecstatic. Elzhi had already done Illmatic, and he did a remarkable job, so why not have Skyzoo give his best effort? This project is incredible, and it definitely merits being at the top spot of the EP and mixtape realm. The orchestral production throughout An Ode to Reasonable Doubt is nothing short of amazing (Antman Wonder is a composer), and Skyzoo spits the stunning lyrical frisbees that he’s known for. This is an album quality release – without a doubt.

Download: Skyzoo & Antman Wonder – An Ode to Reasonable Doubt

Top 20 Tracks (No Particular Order)

“Guard Your Grill” – Father Focus Confucius (Prod. By Macapella)

“Numbers on the Boards” – Pusha T (Prod. By Kanye West & Don Cannon)

“Run The Jewels” – Run The Jewels (Prod. By El-P)

“No Money” – M.i & Tyler Keyes (Prod. By Tyler Keyes)

“Sunday’s Best” – Black Milk (Prod. By Black Milk)

“Be There” – Oddisee (Prod. By Oddisee)

“Hookless” – Nameless & Nametag (Feat. Mahd) (Prod. By Nameless)

“Stardate” – Deltron 3030

Side Note* This is the only intro on my list, but I had to add it because it is one of the most brilliant introductions I’ve ever heard to an album.

“The Dangerous Three” – R.A. The Rugged Man (Feat. Masta Ace & Brother Ali) (Prod. By Mr. Green)

“Future Days” – Pearl Jam

“Long Drive Home” – Ugly Heroes (Prod. By Apollo Brown)

“Off the Record” – Ka (Prod. By Ka)

“Remember to Remember” – Shad (Feat. Lights) (Prod. By Mike Tompkins)

“Write it Down” – M.i & Tyler Keyes (Feat. On Cue) (Prod. By Tyler Keyes)

“That’s What I Do” – Classified (Prod. By Classified)

“Finger Back” – Vampire Weekend

“D.C. Sound Attack” – Clutch

“Tempermental” – Rjd2 (Feat. Phonte Coleman)

“The Food Chain” – Homeless & Big Cats (Prod. By Big Cats)

“An Unexpected Call” – Ghostface Killah (Prod. By Apollo Brown)

Emcee of the Year

Pusha T

There’s no doubt about it in my mind, Pusha T was the top emcee in 2013. He released two top tier projects, and he gave fans everywhere a reason to rejoice. I’ve been a huge fan of Pusha T since the early days of Clipse, and I was a little apprehensive to hear him without Malice by his side, but he proved that he’s just as strong as a solo artist. Usually I’m not one to give Kanye West credit these days, but he definitely made a wise move in taking stock in Pusha T.

Producer of the Year

Apollo Brown

I’ve never given Apollo Brown the producer of the year award, but to be 100% honest, he deserves it year-after-year. Last year he produced Dice Game with Guilty Simpson and Trophies with O.C.; this year he produced The Brown Tape for Ghostface Killah and the Ugly Heroes album. Every beat that Apollo Brown touches turns to gold. I haven’t heard a miss from this man yet, and my bet is that I won’t anywhere in the near future. In my opinion, Apollo Brown is the best producer in the game.

Biggest Disappointment of 2013

Pusha T – My Name is My Name

A lot of you are probably thinking: “Wait a minute… dude has Pusha as the best emcee of 2013, and he ranked his album among the best. Is this guy crazy?” The answer is no. I think that My Name is My Name could have been a great deal better. Kanye was executive producer of the album, and I feel like a lot of his choices for beats were complete trash. Pusha T could have worked with a lot of great producers on this album, but in the end, it was only limited to a handful of producers and a few great beats. Even though I liked this album a ton, I still think it could have been better.

Most Anticipated Releases of 2014

Step Brothers – Lord Steppington

For those of you that know me, I don’t really need to talk much about Step Brothers. I’ve been waiting on this album for the last 6 years, and I finally get to hear it in late January. Even though it releases early in the year, I can assure you this one will be in constant rotation throughout the entire year.

Whatever Lucas Dix Releases

For real though. I’ve been waiting on the new Jellyfish Brigade material for a minute. In addition to the new Jellyfish Brigade album, Lucas has also told me that he’s working on a new Hives Inquiry Squad project. This could be an interesting year for Mr. Dix.

Alt-J, By Terry Scott Niebeling

Alt-J blew people away at the First Ave venue last night, expectedly.  So what I will tell you is, if you can see them live, and you don’t take the opportunity, you are missing out.  Not to be presumptuous, but it’s factual-sorry.  

And that is about all I can say.  I mean I could tell you it was spiritual, it was enlightening, and it was something of a great act to witness, but you already know that.  I could really, but who is going to believe me?  It was all of those things and more.  They simply put on a great show, there is no doubt in my mind as to the reason why Alt-J sold out the Main Room both nights; not to mention the latter added date of Sept. 8th, it’s because they are truly amazing artists.  They take a simple yet classical sound and make it new, heavy, complex, and refreshing.  Seeing Alt-J makes me think of, if it were somehow possible, seeing Led Zeppelin, or Radiohead, maybe even Pink Floyd, before they became über famous/timeless, and impossible to see live. The crowd at First Ave got a stand up treat from this band on the rise.  Take the time to listen, and check them out in person.  It is something I won’t soon forget.

***

(Take in my words and the mediocre photos my Windows Phone could afford, and enjoy. That’s all you need to know.  There are more amateur camera phone photos and words below about time leading up to the show, thoughts, and lucky people getting in.)

Lord Huron opened to much delight.  Starting slow and eventually garnering enough energy to bring the lion’s share of the crowd into their set, and possibly into their loins.  I tweeted, before LH started getting a bit flashy, the tweet read something along the lines of “opening bands are like commercials while you wait for your favorite show to start.”  I could give a shit less about an opener band, especially at an Alt-J show; however, I was almost eating my words 10 minute later.  Hit me up at on Twitter:  @sirterryscott.  

How I came to love Alt-J:  

The story goes I went to smoke some with a friend after work and she would play An Awesome Wave over and over again.  One night I caught on, I said, “Play that song again.”  She did, then I inquired as to who and what they were.  I was amazed.  She had ripped the song from a torrent and sent me a downloaded copy.  I never actually used what she had sent me, I was occupied with pressing play and repeat play on Youtube, of Breezeblocks.  In turn I had found out the meaning to the song, and I had become entranced by the harmony, wave of sound, and sonic power of Alt-J.  89.3 The Current started playing one, then two, then three of their songs.  Now they play most of the album.  A friend later Facebook messaged me and gave me the scoop on the First Ave show.  Knowing they would sellout the venue I waited til the moment they became available, and then I made my purchase.  I should have bought 6, the limit, but I bought 3 instead.  I could have doubled my money.  I didn’t have enough dough that day though.  A few hours later all of the tickets were gone and I sat in satisfaction at my quick choice.  And that is how I got into the show.

Putting up the Triangles, By Terry Scott Niebeling

Standing outside in line people came up to me asking for tickets.  The interesting thing was there weren’t really any scalpers, but there were people asking for tickets.  A show so coveted that people bought the tickets for themselves and actually went to see good music.  Wow, some tickets online were as much as $200.  It must have been 5 people walked up and inquired.  By this time I had already bummed two cigarettes and a RedBull from some complete strangers ahead of me in line.  I was feeling great waiting in line at 7:30 pm, plenty of time to take in the hot night.  At home earlier while indulging in homework and horror films I sat on the couch sweating in our AC lacking one bedroom apt.  The fan blew its best, but it didn’t really help.  Sweat beaded and crawled down my face.  I changed my shirt a few times.  I took a shower and brushed my teeth.  I spoke German.  And then I went to wait in line.

With the extra two tickets I felt almost over prepared, which by my standards is almost impossible.  I waited until the day before to start the bidding.  Three people in all contacted me.  The tickets went to the most passionate.  Also, a few people whom I spoke with were too intimidated to bid on them, so I figured they must not have wanted to go really.

The lucky guests I brought drove two hours to get here on word of a promise to get tickets.  I thought of them as I waited in line.  I asked those who inquired about extra tickets how much they would pay.  They wouldn’t say, I am not sure if they got in.  I was about 15ft from the door when my guests arrived.  They were in disbelief, literally exalted at the idea they would see a band they loved.  Having been burned twice before T. was so happy.  I think as we came closer to actually getting in her spirits piqued.  She handed me the money the moment she arrived.  I enjoyed this.  The sky was pink, the line was long, and the day was cooling off.  Heat became a friend of every nook, cranny, and crevasse throughout the city proper.  The bike ride and the light material of my black button up were comforting.  The sunset stood aglow over the Hennepin Ave Bridge as I crossed 3^rd Ave, over the Mississippi, past pedestrians, and aside cars.  A glacier like cloud hung over the sun; a sort of arrowhead array of bright lights contrasting with deep purple clouds shadowing certain parts for quiet a large puppet show etched across the darkening horizon.  A line of clouds, directly above, shown soft and full, as they slipped through the sky.  Planes took off going in two different directions.  I biked South-ish to First Ave. to wait in line.  I watched the ground below slide past; rocks and broken glass reflected on how they had come to where they lie.  They watched all appreciatively as I went by.  

I was just biking to see a band I had wanted to see since I first heard a song.  

“This 1” succinctly serves as the intro to Pushing Keyes, and in four short minutes, M.i spits a narrative that brings listeners up to speed on the events that led to the creation of the album:

“A little bit of Prep Time/and the rest of it is history/I’m just trying to get mine/get ahead and split that shit with T”

One theme that becomes clear on Pushing Keyes is great production, and “For the Win” is the perfect exhibit in proving the validity of that statement; Tyler’s boastful beat is built around victorious horns and defectless drums. It’s the perfect backdrop for M.i to explain why these two are the perfect partners in crime, and while doing so, he lists enough 90’s duos to make anyone my age smile with a sense of nostalgia.

“We go together like lamb and tuna fish/and maybe you would prefer a better analogy/well this is some other shit I thought of while ya’ll wasn’t listenin’/Starsky up on this microphone/Hutch up on this drum kit/so what you know about the team?/Joey on the beats/Jerry Rice up on the 16s/we like Jerry and George/Keenan and Kel/if you can’t believe it/you can see for yourself.”

We live in a country where it seems like the book 1984 is always a reality: big brother is always watching, and little brother is always listening. M.i knows this, but on the jam “Soulcial Security”, he uses Tyler’s superb and soulful soundscape to let people know that he’s not oblivious to what’s going on around him – nor is he going to let it keep him down. On the track “Church West Texas”, the West Coast phenom Blu joins the tandem for a sensational song that features both emcees confessing their doubts and beliefs about religion and the existence of God in their lives.

I’ve listened to Pushing Keyes a lot over the last month, and one song still sticks out to me as the sure standout – “No Money”. The economic situation in our nation has been less than lustrous for a better half of the last decade, and it affects people all over from many different backgrounds; furthermore, it’s likely to have an impact on ourselves and our immediate surroundings. In what I would consider the best produced song of the year, Keyes drops a melancholy beat filled with down-tempo drums and somber strings that is sure the evince emotion from the listener, and M.i airs his grievances about a country obsessed with debt and decadence:

“If you wanna be real we need to end the Fed/they’ve been fuckin’ up shit since 1913/we ain’t seen benefits/and there ain’t no reason a guy at Goldman should be makin’ more than my moms/when she been teaching in the public system/and the system is so far gone/so undone/no one does nothing to show us we ain’t just customers/working for this corporate structure/just to buy more shit from another/fuck em”

I had high expectations for Pushing Keyes, and it’s safe to say that the album lived up to every one of them; whether it’s sampling or making original beats, Tyler Keyes shows that he’s capable of concocting pristine production in any situation, and M.i’s lyrics are stronger than ever. In my opinion, there’s nothing negative to say about this record. These two rarely utilize guest appearances, and when they do, it only compliments the track. I can say with confident conviction that Pushing Keyes is my favorite album so far this year.

9.5/10

For those of you who don’t know, Tyler Keyes is a producer from the Midwest who relocated to Austin, Texas so that he could make music with his partner in crime – M.i. He left everything behind in the hopes for a bright future in the music industry, and judging by the sounds on Pushing Keyes, he’s well on his way. From living with and interning for the mad man MPC deity Exile, to hooking up beats for Chamillionaire, he’s writing chapters for a book that’s already impressive to say the least. Fresh off the heels of releasing Pushing Keyes, Tyler sat down with me to answer a few questions about the album but also his experiences and influences.

Tim Althaus: Hey Tyler, how’s it going?

Tyler Keyes: It’s going well, how about you?

TA: I’m doing well man. First and foremost, I wanted to congratulate you and thank you at the same time; I know the release of the album is an exciting time for you and M.i, and I’m sure that you’ve had your hands full with promoting the album.

TK: Of course. Your site has been a long time supporter, so it’s a pleasure.

TA: We appreciate that here at Mind Inversion. First off, you know how important production is to me when it comes to determining the overall quality of a record. On Pushing Keyes, you’ve definitely pulled out all of the stops, and your drum game sounds stronger than ever. Ever since Prep Time came out, I’ve known you’re a fan of sampling, but on Pushing Keyes, it seems as though you’ve taken some cues from Ryan Lewis – in terms of an organic instrumentation feel. With that being said, how much studio instrumentation did you use on the album?

TK: Yeah, there’s a lot of live instrumentation on this project; more than I’ve ever used before. We had live recordings for tuba, violin, cello, trombone, bass, trumpet, guitar and percussion. I think that live instrumentation adds a certain dynamic that keyboard production just can’t emulate. But I also did a lot of work off of my keyboard as well.

TA: Everything just seems to have an organic feel to it. From M.i’s rhymes to the beats on the album – even the sampled tracks – everything feels very natural, and I really like that. I’m sure a large part of the feel has to do with the chemistry that you and M.i share as a producer emcee duo. That kind of leads me to my next question: You and M.i have been working together for the last year in Texas, and a year prior as well, but didn’t you start collaborating when you were living in Minneapolis? How did that working relationship start and progress?

TK: Yeah, we’ve been tag teaming it for a little while now. The Prep Time project was completed entirely through email and phone calls. When we started discussing the idea of making Pushing Keyes, I guess I was the paper, rock, scissors loser. I already had a couple of the beats made for the album, so I moved down to Austin after being in town for SXSW.

TA: Even though M.i is a great emcee, he’s also a very talented producer and jack-of-all-trades. How did you two determine that you were only going to use beats from yourself for the album?

TK: There’s an unreleased version where I handle all of the rapping and M is on the beats. Look for us to be interchanging our clothes along with the microphone for the live performance. (laughs) Nah, I leave the vocals to the professionals. We have a good chemistry when it comes to working together. A one producer and one emcee album is rare to come by, but when you do, it’s something special because the work can be so much more cohesive. You’re right about M.i being a great producer in his own respect – so him trusting me to handle all of the duties is awesome.

TA: You couldn’t be more right man. One emcee, one producer combinations are my favorite instances in Hip-Hop. When you think about duos like Gangstarr, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, and even newer cats like Blu & Exile, it’s obvious that they were meant to work together, and they were able to draw things out of each other that no one else could.

TK: You said it. Blu & Exile’s album Below the Heavens kinda laid out the blueprint in our case.

TA: Speaking of Blu, you guys were able to work with him on “Church West Texas” – which is one of my favorite songs on the album. He hasn’t been in the game for a very long time, but he’s got a strong following, and to many, Below the Heavens is a modern day classic. How does it feel for you guys to have him on the album, and how did that collaboration come about?

TK: We had Blu picked out for that song right away. A few years back I was living with his producer – Exile –  in L.A. while he was completing Fashawn’s album – Boy Meets World. I got to learn from him and see how he approached sessions. He is notorious for producing full albums, and watching it taught me not to over-control and keep trust in your writer/collaborator. Coincidentally, our video director Aaron had struck up a working relationship with Blu, so bridging the talents naturally came together.

TA: To me, Boy Meets World is a classic album, and one of the best debut albums in recent memory right alongside Below the Heavens; I can’t even imagine what it was like to watch Fashawn & Exile collaborate on that project.

TK: Yeah, it’s a great album. They were in the final stages of it when I arrived. Then the focus shifted to DagSav – the joint project with Johaz. Did you ever hear that one?

TA: Nah, I can’t say I’ve heard it

TK: Tonight

TA: (laughs) I’ll definitely check it out tonight.

TA: You guys were also able to link up with Chamillionaire for the project, and you’ve produced tracks for him a couple of different times. He’s a Grammy Award winner, and he has an extensive following in Texas. What led to you two collaborating, and ultimately ending up on the album?

TK: Yeah, he’s the man. The first beat I produced for him  – “Never Enough“-  was set aside for M.i in the early stages, but Pushing Keyes didn’t go in that direction. Cham heard it right before Ammunition was released; he scrapped the original outro he had, and he cut the new record in a couple of days. As time went on I started sliding him some of the material I was recording with M.i., and when I asked him what he thought about hopping on “Nothing You Can Do”, he was all about it.

TA: That’s awesome that you were able to make that connection man. You guys have definitely have good relationships with other emcees, but I’ve also noticed that you guys maintain good relationships and get some serious love from some of the biggest Hip-Hop blogs on the internet (i.e 2Dopeboyz, The Smoking Section, Okayplayer, Kevin Nottingham). How does that feel for you guys as artists?

TK: It’s an honor, and it reassures us that we’re doing something right. The internet is the main highway for modern day music, and those sites are some of the most heavily trafficked out there; I’ve been visiting some personally for years because of their good consistent musical content, so it’s dope that they consider our material in that same category.

TA: My personal favorite from the album is “No Money”, and you mentioned that the other day that it has been the Twitter favorite as well. M.i’s lyrics are heartfelt and ridiculously on-point, your beat is insane, and to top it all off, you got the kids from the “Hot Cheetos and Takis” video to lay down some vocals (that I absolutely love). What is your favorite track on the album? and why?

TK: My #1 song changes with the days. “Comes & Goes” and “Throwing Stones” are two of my favorites though; they both have some personal meaning to me in the lyrics. I think the beat for “Throwing Stones” is my favorite overall.

TA: “Throwing Stones” is a great song, me and Steve (mutual friend) were talking about how M.i shouts out La Crosse on that song the other day. Upon my initial listen, I didn’t even realize that he spit a verse from your point of view, and I thought that was really interesting. Did you actually write the lyrics for that or provide guidance? Or did M.i just craft those words himself?

TK: That’s actually something that we thought to do towards the end of recording, and I wish we could have done more. I had a notebook of written bars and jump off points that M could run with. He took it, and he wrote everything in his own words.

TA: It’s amazing that M.i was able to convey your thoughts so well on “Throwing Stones”, and as the song mentions, you moved from La Crosse to Minneapolis to Austin, Texas. Was leaving your comfort zone and family in the Midwest for a certain level of uncertainty a hard thing for you to do? Or was it something you were dead set on?

TK: Definitely not an easy move. I not only separated myself from my family, but also my friends and my people I came up doing music with. Austin was something that I wanted to do for myself and my career. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of the people from back home fly down for visits at least once. The city is incredible which makes for an easy transition too.

TA: Without risk, there’s no reward.

TK: There’s a lot of truth behind that.

TA: You’ve told me before that you’re heavily influenced by cats like Just Blaze, Mike Shinoda and Classified, but I’m curious, what producers are you into right now that make you want to elevate your production game?

TK: If anyone pushes my sound right now its No I.D.; his recent work with Common, Nas and Mikkey Halsted has me on my game. I also like what Soundwave is doing for Kendrick Lamar and them. Always I’m paying attention to what Kanye and Pharrell are doing musically as well.

TA: I forgot to mention Ye because I know you’re a huge fan of his, but I can’t agree more with No I.D.; everything he has been doing lately is absolutely genius.

TK: No I.D.’s got the crown right now in my opinion.

TA: Mind Inversion is a Midwest minded blog, and you’ve been a resident of both Minnesota and Wisconsin. Besides your family and friends, what’s one thing that you really miss from each state?

TK: I miss being able to say “pop” instead of soda and not catch a weird look from someone. Also, there’s nobody down here that can compare to a Wisconsinite when it comes to drinking; ya’ll can wear that title belt proudly.

TA: They definitely don’t generalize Wisconsinites as strong drinkers for nothing.

TK: It really all comes out during Oktoberfest week in my experiences; I need to go to another one of those. I’ll be the guy singing off key to Asher Roth “I Love College”.

TA: (laughs) oh man…. Are you guys going to be heading to the Midwest for any tour dates to support Pushing Keyes?

TK: For sure. I can’t wait to do a show up there; plus, M has never been properly acquainted to my mom’s strawberry rhubarb pie, so that in itself is worth a trip up north.

TA: I’m definitely looking forward to catching you guys live, so you’ll have to let me know when you’re making it this way. As a last question I have to ask, if you could work with any emcee in the game right now, who would it be?

TK: Will Smith! I think he’s still got something left in the tank, and I think I could set him up on a nice Fresh Prince type stage. That would be legendary (laughs).

TA: It sounds like the 90’s all over again. I would play the shit out of that!

TK: I just saw him performing “Summertime” on Letterman the other day – still sounding like the illest.

TA: Him and Jazzy Jeff were ahead of their time without a doubt.

TK: Pioneer status.

TA: Agreed. Well, I want to thank you for your time man, it’s much appreciated, and I hope that Pushing Keyes continues to gain momentum because it’s an incredible project. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

TK: Thanks for having me. I also want to say thank you to you and the other people out there who have been taking the music in and responding to it. We put it all out there for free so as many ears as possible would hear it and let it be their life’s soundtrack for a little while. That’s what its all about.

TA: I appreciate it Tyler, and thank you again.

Pushing Keyes is out now, and you can download it for free here.

This story starts out with a band and a dream. The Boulder, CO based band, The Amends, has aspirations to gain popularity by way of self-promotion. Recently they reached out to see if I would check out their second studio album that was released earlier this year. Fortunately for them, I just started writing again and fortunately for me, I took that chance and gave the album a listen. The Amends consisting of band members Drew Weikart (Lead Vocals and Guitar), Tyler Taylor (Vocals, Keys and Rhythm Guitar), Chris Childress (Bass) and Shay Byington (Drums) caught me off guard with an album that touches base with classic rock and blues while adding that hint of Indie rock.

What We Could Be starts straight out with an edginess that says we have arrived and we have come to kick your door in. “Second Take” makes me think back to when the Arctic Monkeys first came out of the gate. You can really hear the direct message from a band that just wants to jam and make people have fun. The second track, “A Certain Speed”, keeps the party vibe going. They start out the album with a kick and you think that is what you have turned yourself on to but you better think again.

As soon as the keys hit in a “Big City Way” you get more of a blues sound to their rock music. This tells you that this band is not a one-dimensional rock group. The guitar solos in this song scream to the masses of blues fans. They follow it up with “More To Give” and this song hits more on the pop side of the spectrum with a really catchy line of lyrics. Again, this shows the diversification of a truly talented group who doesn’t want its listeners to get bored over the course of an album. They keep the pop vibe going with “Make It So”. This is another catchy track with an aura that is high on happiness and has me thinking about reggae music.

“Time Goes On” gives the band a chance to showcase their ability to slow it down as they deliver their first ballad of the album. I really like how they use a higher pitched guitar to deliver a retro feel to their music. Most albums take a turn for the worse at their halfway point but I feel like The Amends get stronger from here on out. “Tick Tock” comes back with that initial edginess that they started the album with. I really am in love with the high-pitched chords that they use throughout this song and continue to use throughout What We Could Be.

“It’d Be Nice” makes me feel like I just stepped into the Double Deuce (the bar in the movie Roadhouse). That is a compliment meaning that they just nailed the blues in this track in the best way possible. “Dreamer” brings back the softer side of The Amends sound of rock n’ roll. Drew Weikart has this way of using his voice to take you back generations to a sound of the past. The next track, “When She’s Gone”, features the keys of Tyler Taylor and is the second ballad of the album. It has a great message of losing out on love and the case of realizing what you had after it is gone.

“Desperate Times” has the sound of a band that has been around for a lot longer time hence the harmonica at the end. It strikes me as if they are reminiscing about the past and reflecting on a long career. Hopefully, this folk-like song is foreshadowing things to come because the final track, “Come & See” tells me that they will be around for a long time. This song starts off reminding me of a band by the name of Bright Eyes when it is slowed down with the keys. Then when the guitar solos hit it reminds me of Jack White. I never thought I would make that last statement and for that reason, it is my favorite song on the album. Being a perfect example of saving your best for last.

Overall, a highly versatile album that had me comparing this band to the Arctic Monkeys, Bright Eyes and Jack White while mentioning almost every genre in the book. If you want an album that is a little bi-polar from start to finish look no further than What We Could Be by The Amends. Its mood swings are just songs and they are much easier to handle than moods.

Release Date: January 8^th, 2013

One of the greatest music festivals in the world recently returned as a championship contender when they released their lineup for 2013. Lately, the festival seemed to rely mainly on its prestige alone. After all, it is a festival that spans over 11 days and has more than 800 acts performing on 11 different stages. The festival is a vision of the great late mayor of Milwaukee, Henry Maier, who wanted a massively relative festival that would compare to the joyous Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. He started the tradition that became Summerfest in 1968.

The lineup has been lacking the innovative music that the youth and many more have gravitated towards in recent years. This year after they released their headliners at the Marcus Amphitheater I had mixed feelings. So I was a little skeptical when I received the E-mail that their complete lineup was out but said, “What the hell” and clicked the link. To my astonishment, I was really impressed. One thing that stuck out in my mind was that they got some major electronic, Indie rock and alternative rock acts. All whom are currently relevant in their respected industries. This list includes Pretty Lights, Diplo, Empire of the Sun, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yeasayer and MGMT. They did this while still including a lot of the older talent (Alice Cooper, 311, Foreigner and Billy Idol) and mixing in many more talented up and comers.

Another thing you have to appreciate about Summerfest is the variety of music that they bring to the many ears attending the festival. They have done a great job blending country, pop, blue grass, electronic, rock and even a little bit of hip hop into the lineup. A few other artists that would be worth seeing are: Capital Cities, Atmosphere, Trampled by Turtles, Robert Delong, Matt & Kim, AWOLNATION, Imagine Dragons, Taliban Kweli and Cake. If you are the least bit interested after reading this head over to summerfest.com/lineup for a complete listing of this year’s lineup.