Albums Loop Guru - The Fountains of Paradise
Quannum - Live on British Radio
Atom and His Package - "Redefining Music"
Source (purchased/given/borrowed/the wife's): purchased/ purchased/ purchased
Date Purchased: February 2003/200?/200?
Original Review (s): - n/a
Thoughts/Memories/ Remembrances: The Fountains of Paradise -- I have four Loop Guru albums, two of which contain some spectacular Indian/African world music and western dance music blends and another which features soundscapes moving along the Brian Eno or John Cage in nature. As with so much of my music, I first heard Loop Guru on CBC's lamented Brave New Waves, an epic 8-minute song which is at once both meditative and danceable. This album was the last of Loop Guru's I purchased, and to be honest I don't remember it at all. The psychedelic front cover and the atrociously laid out back cover (featuring a photo of the band, looking like sophomoric art school students) are beyond uninspiring, Perhaps I was too overwhelmed with other sounds when I purchased this (used, and likely with a half dozen other cds) or perhaps it was just a bitter disappointment when compared to their more engaging past efforts.
Quannum - Live on British Radio -- If it wasn't Brave New Waves then it was probably GAK who introduced me to most of the music I have in my collection, and it was certainly GAK who introduced me to the Quannum collective of hip-hop artists. Hailing from, primarily, Southern California, Quannum is a collective that has rejected the aggressive, socially-destructive, ego-driven nature of modern rap and instead seeks out positivity, seeking to inspire and elevate, with intellectual and challenging lyrics, as well as a general sense of enjoyment. Featuring such artists as Blackalicious, DJ Shadow and Latyrx, the collective formed from a love of crate-digging, and sampling still plays a large role in what they do. Steadily moving forward but still embracing the roots of hip-hop and DJ culture, Quannum appeared as the last bastion of hope for hip-hop when Eminem and company made it seem most dire. This album either came at the recommendation of GAK or was purchased as a "look what I got" object. Ultimately, though, compared to the brilliant 2-disc SoulSides retrospective, or the bulk of Quannum's studio output, I've barely given this "Live on British Radio" compilation much time at all. Just looking at the track listing, though, makes me excited.
"Redefining Music" -- back in 2002, unemployed and bored and just starting this whole blogging thing, I was searching searching searching for new music on the internet all the time. One of my favourite places to troll through for hours was Epitonic, where I found a lot of new music and legal mp3s to boot. It was awesome. Before there were music bloggers, tastemakers, podcasts and the mighty Pitchfork, Epitonic allowed people to find their own music, instead of having stuff thrust at them. Most of the hundreds of songs I found there didn't hold up to repeated listening, but a couple dozen artists kept my interest, one man army Atom and His Package was near the top. His nerd-punk music, topics ranging from inane to insane, was a shot in the ass and predated nerdcore hiphop popularized by MC Chris and Paul Barman by mere days. Atom's schtick was that he was a one-man act, plugging his guitar into an amp and playing along with his sequenced drumbeats and electronic fidgets. So very punk, so very nerdy. Atom's day has passed, he hung up his ballcap and glasses a few years back, but we will always have three albums full of memories.
Quannum - Live on British Radio
Atom and His Package - "Redefining Music"
Source (purchased/given/borrowed/the wife's): purchased/ purchased/ purchased
Date Purchased: February 2003/200?/200?
Original Review (s): - n/a
Thoughts/Memories/ Remembrances: The Fountains of Paradise -- I have four Loop Guru albums, two of which contain some spectacular Indian/African world music and western dance music blends and another which features soundscapes moving along the Brian Eno or John Cage in nature. As with so much of my music, I first heard Loop Guru on CBC's lamented Brave New Waves, an epic 8-minute song which is at once both meditative and danceable. This album was the last of Loop Guru's I purchased, and to be honest I don't remember it at all. The psychedelic front cover and the atrociously laid out back cover (featuring a photo of the band, looking like sophomoric art school students) are beyond uninspiring, Perhaps I was too overwhelmed with other sounds when I purchased this (used, and likely with a half dozen other cds) or perhaps it was just a bitter disappointment when compared to their more engaging past efforts.
Quannum - Live on British Radio -- If it wasn't Brave New Waves then it was probably GAK who introduced me to most of the music I have in my collection, and it was certainly GAK who introduced me to the Quannum collective of hip-hop artists. Hailing from, primarily, Southern California, Quannum is a collective that has rejected the aggressive, socially-destructive, ego-driven nature of modern rap and instead seeks out positivity, seeking to inspire and elevate, with intellectual and challenging lyrics, as well as a general sense of enjoyment. Featuring such artists as Blackalicious, DJ Shadow and Latyrx, the collective formed from a love of crate-digging, and sampling still plays a large role in what they do. Steadily moving forward but still embracing the roots of hip-hop and DJ culture, Quannum appeared as the last bastion of hope for hip-hop when Eminem and company made it seem most dire. This album either came at the recommendation of GAK or was purchased as a "look what I got" object. Ultimately, though, compared to the brilliant 2-disc SoulSides retrospective, or the bulk of Quannum's studio output, I've barely given this "Live on British Radio" compilation much time at all. Just looking at the track listing, though, makes me excited.
"Redefining Music" -- back in 2002, unemployed and bored and just starting this whole blogging thing, I was searching searching searching for new music on the internet all the time. One of my favourite places to troll through for hours was Epitonic, where I found a lot of new music and legal mp3s to boot. It was awesome. Before there were music bloggers, tastemakers, podcasts and the mighty Pitchfork, Epitonic allowed people to find their own music, instead of having stuff thrust at them. Most of the hundreds of songs I found there didn't hold up to repeated listening, but a couple dozen artists kept my interest, one man army Atom and His Package was near the top. His nerd-punk music, topics ranging from inane to insane, was a shot in the ass and predated nerdcore hiphop popularized by MC Chris and Paul Barman by mere days. Atom's schtick was that he was a one-man act, plugging his guitar into an amp and playing along with his sequenced drumbeats and electronic fidgets. So very punk, so very nerdy. Atom's day has passed, he hung up his ballcap and glasses a few years back, but we will always have three albums full of memories.
Re-Review: The Fountains of Paradise -- as I thought, this album delves more into sonic landscape than anything resembling their super-engaging, trance-like dance tracks. But unlike the previous album to this, the underwhelming Loop Bites Dog, the more ambient drones are at times captivating and other times calming. Where past albums have felt like a collection of tracks, this album has a specific flow that it doesn't break up by attempting to overstimulate the listener. In fact, the six major tracks are accompanied by another eight segue tracks that bridge them perhaps not seamlessly but certainly make this more of a conceptual whole than individual parts. It's very cinematic in nature the way it progresses and flows, swirling around textures and working its way in and out of beats They've found an excellent combination of sequenced rhythms, live instrumentation and meditative chants, something they've always hit on in the past, and have managed to extend it across the album with a specific methodology in mind. Though not exactly memorable, The Fountains of Paradise provides an equally stimulating and serene journey through unabrasive sounds both natural and manufactured. I sense it's not something I'm going to revisit often, but is there possibility I'll revisit it?
Re-Review: Quannum: Live on British Radio -- hip-hop has rarely bred quality live acts, primarily because the need for DJ's as back-up, providing the sounds over which the rhymes flow, cannot produce with records the same sensation of live instruments. Invariably the bass is too heavy, the vocals muffled, and the entire mix of the performance making it generally inaudible. I've been to a dozen (more likely two dozen) hip-hop concerts and have felt the energy elicited from the stage but usually left the show disappointed. If you've ever seen a live recording of a hip-hop act on TV then you've also heard what it's like to be there. This record is live, but not a concert record. It's live in-studio, presenting the Quannum (formerly Soul Sides) crew consisting of Lateef, Chief Xcel, Gift of Gab, Lyrics Born and DJ Shadow on the BBC and the Breezeblock programmes. The mix isn't nearly as off as it would be were it a live concert recording, but there's still a distinct lack of integration between the turntables and the rappers. That said, it does feel full of life and energy, the Quannum crew reuniting for two jam sessions, backing each other up and redefining their own songs. The banter between songs isn't particularly insightful, but it does actually feel quite intimate, which isn't something you get much out of from usual live hip-hop performances (whether "intimate" is really something you want out of hip-hop is another thing, but if it were ever to work it would be through Quannum). The collection itself isn't as memorable or stimulating as a studio release or even a concert, but it does present a unique performance from these exceptionally creative and talented artists. It's more of a fan-friendly album, but then, I am a fan.
Re-Review: "Redefining Music" -- Atom (Adam Goren) and his Package (a QY700 music sequencer) was the Dead Milkmen of Y2K. With a staunch DiY aesthetic and an irreverent sense of humour, Atom sings songs about his own nerdy life and observations. The opening track, "Undercover Funny" is about his record label partner who seems to be a really entertaining guy except when he has to deal with him. "Anarchy Means That I Litter" is about suburban poseur punks. "Mission 1: Avoid Job Working With Assholes" is about the lingering resentment towards former classmates that someone who was a nerd in high school retains. "If You Own The Washington Redskins, You're A Cock" finds Adam rant about the horrendous cultural stereotyping of sports teams for commercial incentive. "Open Your Heart"... well, it's just a cover of a Madonna song. There's a similar sense of snark and sincerity in the songs here, the lyrics for the most part are entertaining, and the sequences are more often than not quite catchy. Adam has a great sense of pop construction and his melding of punk and heavy metal influences is bang on. The most surprising thing is that amidst all the Blink 182's and other fluffier pop-punk bands of the 90's that Adam's authenticity didn't push him further into the spotlight.
Rating (keep/sell/undecided): The Fountains of Paradise - undecided
Quannum - Live on British Radio - keep
"Redefining Music" - keep
Loop Guru's last album was released in 2006. They have a myspace page
Quannum has added more artists to its roster, including Pigeon John, Lifesavas, Tommy Guerrero, Honeycut and more.
Adam Goren quit "The Package" in 2003 after a series of life changes. With a degree in neuroscience, he's now a teacher and plays for the Philly-centered punk/metal band Armalite
Loop Guru - Fumsbow (from 2003's Bathtime with Loop Guru album)
Quannum World Tour 2004
Atom and His Package - "Undercover Funny"
Re-Review: Quannum: Live on British Radio -- hip-hop has rarely bred quality live acts, primarily because the need for DJ's as back-up, providing the sounds over which the rhymes flow, cannot produce with records the same sensation of live instruments. Invariably the bass is too heavy, the vocals muffled, and the entire mix of the performance making it generally inaudible. I've been to a dozen (more likely two dozen) hip-hop concerts and have felt the energy elicited from the stage but usually left the show disappointed. If you've ever seen a live recording of a hip-hop act on TV then you've also heard what it's like to be there. This record is live, but not a concert record. It's live in-studio, presenting the Quannum (formerly Soul Sides) crew consisting of Lateef, Chief Xcel, Gift of Gab, Lyrics Born and DJ Shadow on the BBC and the Breezeblock programmes. The mix isn't nearly as off as it would be were it a live concert recording, but there's still a distinct lack of integration between the turntables and the rappers. That said, it does feel full of life and energy, the Quannum crew reuniting for two jam sessions, backing each other up and redefining their own songs. The banter between songs isn't particularly insightful, but it does actually feel quite intimate, which isn't something you get much out of from usual live hip-hop performances (whether "intimate" is really something you want out of hip-hop is another thing, but if it were ever to work it would be through Quannum). The collection itself isn't as memorable or stimulating as a studio release or even a concert, but it does present a unique performance from these exceptionally creative and talented artists. It's more of a fan-friendly album, but then, I am a fan.
Re-Review: "Redefining Music" -- Atom (Adam Goren) and his Package (a QY700 music sequencer) was the Dead Milkmen of Y2K. With a staunch DiY aesthetic and an irreverent sense of humour, Atom sings songs about his own nerdy life and observations. The opening track, "Undercover Funny" is about his record label partner who seems to be a really entertaining guy except when he has to deal with him. "Anarchy Means That I Litter" is about suburban poseur punks. "Mission 1: Avoid Job Working With Assholes" is about the lingering resentment towards former classmates that someone who was a nerd in high school retains. "If You Own The Washington Redskins, You're A Cock" finds Adam rant about the horrendous cultural stereotyping of sports teams for commercial incentive. "Open Your Heart"... well, it's just a cover of a Madonna song. There's a similar sense of snark and sincerity in the songs here, the lyrics for the most part are entertaining, and the sequences are more often than not quite catchy. Adam has a great sense of pop construction and his melding of punk and heavy metal influences is bang on. The most surprising thing is that amidst all the Blink 182's and other fluffier pop-punk bands of the 90's that Adam's authenticity didn't push him further into the spotlight.
Rating (keep/sell/undecided): The Fountains of Paradise - undecided
Quannum - Live on British Radio - keep
"Redefining Music" - keep
Loop Guru's last album was released in 2006. They have a myspace page
Quannum has added more artists to its roster, including Pigeon John, Lifesavas, Tommy Guerrero, Honeycut and more.
Adam Goren quit "The Package" in 2003 after a series of life changes. With a degree in neuroscience, he's now a teacher and plays for the Philly-centered punk/metal band Armalite
Loop Guru - Fumsbow (from 2003's Bathtime with Loop Guru album)
Quannum World Tour 2004
Atom and His Package - "Undercover Funny"