Last year, Governors Ball brought a full day’s worth of great music to the small island off the coast of Manhattan known as Governors Island. While the festival has expanded to an extra day and a new location up the East River on Randall’s Island, the name and the spirit remain intact. Governor’s Ball 2012 – which occurs June 23rd and 24th – is sure to provide something for everybody, with two solid days of over a dozen bands each. To maximize the musical intake, none of the sets will overlap and be spread across multiple stages.

Santigold’s Disparate Youth

The lineup is full of heavy hitters and crowd-pleasers for both days. Saturday’s (June 23rd) acts are much more electronically and rhythmically driven with Passion Pit, Kid Cudi, Duck Sauce (A-Trak & Armand Van Helden), Chromeo, Atmosphere, Major Lazer, Santigold, Special Disco Version (LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy & Pat Mahoney), Big Gigantic, Penguin Prison, and more. Sunday (June 24th) on the other hand, relies much more on nostalgia with a rock heavy lineup featuring Beck, Modest Mouse, Explosions in the Sky, Fiona Apple, Devendra Banhart, Cage the Elephant, Built to Spill, Cults, Phantogram, Freelance Whales, Alberta Cross, the Jezabels, and Turf War. It has been a while since many of the notable names listed here have played the New York City area and additionally several of these artists will have new material to showcase.

Some of New York’s best restaurants and food trucks will give you your fill in between sets – staples such as Luke’s Lobster, Wafels & Dinges, Asia Dog, Coolhaus, and Hill Country will all be present.  Like last year, there will also be several activities fit for a nice summer’s day with lawn games such as cornhole, bocce ball, and croquet along with ping pong, beer pong, and a silent disco.

Phantogram’s When I’m Small

The inaugural event from 2011 proved to be one of the best days of summer, with names like Big Boi, Pretty Lights, and Girl Talk drawing over 20,000 people (you can view some more pictures here). With this year poised to be even bigger; do you really want to miss the ball? Tickets are still available  - get them while they still last and stay tuned for more coverage. . .

Written by Jesse Zryb

OurVinyl | Senior Writer

To hear Jesse’s Governor’s Ball Spotify mix, click here!

Montreal, Canada’s The Planet Smashers have been on the scene for a while. While many bands have tried and failed to take ska and make it their own, The Planet Smashers have been able to brand their own style that has long outlived the “third wave” of the late nineties, that brief blip in popular music that saw groups like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Reel Big Fish become household names, only to fall back to obscurity a few years later.

The Planet Smashers released Decent into the Valley of the Planet Smashers” in mid 2011, their 7th studio album. The band still tours occasionally, most often near their hometown, but for the most part fans have to make do with the next best thing — their back catalog of releases. Check out “Hey Hey” below, from their 2001 release, No Self Control.

Written by:
Dean Goranites | Associate Editor
dean.goranites@ourvinyl.com
@unleash_this

Planet Smashers – Hey Hey by MNL

Natalie Prass brings the one-two punch that many artists seek — talented musicianship and a knockout voice. While she knows how to use it for her country based tracks — most likely a product of her lengthy stay in Nashville, Tennessee — it’s her indie-folk side that could turn the Grinch’s heart into sunbeams and butterflies.

Check out “Good Faith” below, then peek outside your window and see if the sun hasn’t come out from behind the clouds. Natalie has shows planned in Iowa, Kansas, and Georgia this July, and tracks off of her newest album can be found on her website, here.

Written by:
Dean Goranites | Associate Editor
dean.goranites@ourvinyl.com
@unleash_this

Good Faith by NataliePrass

Tokimonsta is part of the ever growing Brainfeeder collective, the record company headed by beat producer Flying Lotus, which touts some of the biggest names in electronic hip hop and other genre bending categories, inlcuding Nosaj Thing, The Gaslamp Killer, and Thundercat.

Releasing her first album in 2010, Tokimonsta (Toki is Korean for rabbit) fuses her training in classical piano with drum machines and samples to create her signature sound. The track featured below, “Time To,” showcases Tokimonsta’s work with fellow artist Suzi Analog. The two are promising a collaborative album release sometime in the near future.

Written by:
Dean Goranites | Associate Editor
dean.goranites@ourvinyl.com
@unleash_this

[NEW PROJECT] ANALOGUE MONSTA Time To by TOKiMONSTA

Googa Mooga (a phrase chosen from New Orleans music lexicon in a similar manner as Bonnaroo) is the new 2 day festival in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park which, this past weekend, brought together 75 of the best food vendors around New York City (as well as some amazing staples found elsewhere in the United States, scores of brewers and wine makers, and topped that off with over 20 live performances across 2 stages. And to top it off and help attract the masses, entry was free. When you combine all of these elements, along with two cloudless summery days, there should be very little to gripe about; right?

In an introductory press conference held on the festival grounds; Superfly Presents co-founder Jonathan Mayers spoke about the motivation for Googa Mooga as well as the evolution of the place of food at music festivals. The company’s roots promoting in the New Orleans music scene was rather clear throughout the weekend; and that city provides a great starting point for understanding the deep relation between music, food, and community. As Preservation Hall Jazz Band leader Ben Jaffe, who was sitting beside Mayers, put it: “Food feeds the body; while music nourishes the soul.” Events such as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, serve as great models for this kind of venture, due to the quality of the local delicacies and that feeling of satiation that is attained in conjunction with the top notch music acts all around you. Simply put, there is something for everyone regardless of age or tastes.

By placing this festival in the middle of Prospect Park, we are provided with a literal retreat from the hustle of Manhattan to some of the forgotten greenery of New York City. The simple pleasure of having grass under your feet is undeniable, yet too often neglected in many urban settings. And although there are still acres of green space at the Central Park as well, having giant skyscrapers hovering in the distance would not provide the same sense of retreat that is attainable in Brooklyn.

Fitz and the Tantrums’ MoneyGrabber

To help create a sense of wonder, Superfly turned to Rockwell Group for the design of the festival site. I had the opportunity to go on a walk-through with ceo David Rockwell and Jonathan Mayers early on Saturday as well which you can read more about here. To summarize, the grounds were laid out in a manner to promote interactions and put the food vendors in the spotlight. Each experience on the site was unique and borrowed from the diversity found in the streets of New York City. Whimsical structures were scattered throughout the site serving as both navigational landmarks and photo opportunities and helped produce a sense of spectacle that can be attained at Googa Mooga.

Everybody in Prospect Park had to have been pretty thrilled with the more than ideal forecast going into Saturday; and where better to spend a nice day? The gates opened at around 11 am and people slowly trickled in and plotted their plan of attack. With delicious treats such as lobster rolls, pork bell tacos, soft-shelled crab sandwiches, umami burgers, and flights of bacon; a plan was of the utmost importance. It also helped tremendously to have friends who are willing to share in order to cover as much ground as possible. Lines were still extremely tolerable in the wee hours of this festival. The first tastings were accompanied by extremely enjoyable music on the main stage from the likes of Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens and then the Pedrito Martinez Group. The ambiance was that of one great lawn party; allowing people to dance barefoot to latin rhythms should they desire, or huddle around tables asking their neighbors where they got what they were eating.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band came on to the main stage around 3 pm. By this time the grounds had begun to swell with people and food and drink lines were growing by the minute. Fortunately, I was able to grab some Crawfish Monica and secure a great spot on the lawn prior to this performance. If any moment of the weekend evoked the New Orleans Jazz Fest the most it was without a doubt this. Spirits were high for this ensemble of talented musicians and the best way to describe this set would be fun. Towards the end of their set, they exited the stage while still playing all of their instruments and formed a second line that wove its way through the entire crowd with member audiences jumping in, marching and dancing right behind them.

By the time the impromptu jazz parade was over; the crowd had grown so much that it was difficult to even figure out what each line was for. Furthermore, there were some problems with the Extra Moula debit card system which was intended to use for the purchase of beer and wine, resulting in back ups for over an hour in some cases just for a beer. A lot of the popular food choices were also beginning to disappear. Combined with the intensifying heat, and difficult access to water, frustrations for some began to grow. Apparently there was a fist fight that broke out over fried chicken, as well as a few death threats (that amounted to nothing more than threats) aimed at people cutting lines. I feel bad for those who were unable to enjoy themselves, because some great music and great food was around them the whole time. So what if you couldn’t get a grilled lobster; there were several other top rated foods EVERYWHERE around you; make adjustments.

Over on the other side of the Nethermeads, was a stage and corresponding food stations that were called Hamageddon; which can best be described as a heavy metal tribute to pig. Pigs were roasting inside of a gigantic steel pig that breathed fire. Yea, pretty awesome. On the stage next to it; conveniently called the Hamageddon Stage, a slew of tribute bands, air guitar summits, and cooking/bbq sessions took place. This was perhaps one of the most fun areas of the entire festival as you saw people kicking back the entire time. Unchained, who describe their act as “the Mighty Van Halen Tribute,” simply couldn’t have been better on this warm Saturday afternoon. The selection of cover bands to belt out some tunes for the crowd to just rock out to was superb by seeing fake Van Halen performing “Jump” with an entire cast of air guitarist in viking outfits in front of them.

By the end of the first day, it seemed as if many of the foodies had given up on their hopes of sampling every vendor and much of the crowd was more focused on the main stage. The Roots performed a stellar set with Questlove’s rhythmic drumming bringing everyone to their feet. As the sun set on the first day of Googa Mooga, all different kinds of opinions were floating around. Most of the people who stayed to the end left with smiles on their faces even if they didn’t have as much food in their bellies as they had hoped. Twitter and elsewhere on the internet, negativity swirled (as it usually does) citing that many absurdly high expectations had not been met and this event was only for those who like to be suckered into waiting on lines. To each their own.

Perhaps it was because some expectations were lowered, or because better management with food quantities and drink ticketing had occurred, or simply because those naysayers chose not to return to Prospect Park; but Sunday was a completely different story in how efficiently run this festival was. In short, Superfly stepped up their game, listened to the criticisms and made many of the necessary adjustments that they had the power to.

In general, Sunday felt much more relaxed and people came in with an attitude that they just want to have a good time. Food vendors seemed much more prepared for the masses and the crowd knew that if they really wanted to try something; they’d have to do so early.  Having received the final duck foie gras doughnut on that day was certainly a high point; and if this had happened on Saturday I may have had a murderous bunch behind me but communication between vendors and crowd seemed much improved as they were assisted by ‘line-talkers.’ These were Googa Mooga volunteers who held adjustable signs indicating the length of lines in time as well as other uplifting messages and helped manage expectations. While it seems like a silly approach to handle this situation it humanized the process much more and helped everybody just relax.

Music Sunday was all pretty uplifting to add to the mood. Fitz and the Tantrums were a special mid-day treat. It was hard to resist staying still during their set; and the 6 members on stage produced a verg big sound; fusing together soul, funk, and rock. The energy of tracks such as “Moneygrabber” and “L.O.V.” were perfect for a hot Sunday afternoon after throwing back a a Googa Doc Pomus (1940’s style American Lager brewed at the nearby Brooklyn Brewery for the festival). An especially funky cover of the Raconteurs “Steady As She Goes” left a great taste on everybody’s mouths and this band definitely had a few more fans after their performance.

Like the day before, a cover band was completely winning over a crowd at the Hamageddon Stage prior to the main act. Lez Zeppelin; an all female Led Zeppelin tribute band, were perhaps one of the most difficult acts to get close up to see the entire weekend. The crowd backed up all the way to a small hill that bounded the festival site; fortunately there was plenty of shaded area to stake out where you can still hear hits like “Whole Lotta Love” and “Stairway to Heaven.” As much of the Googa Moula system was abandoned in favor of cash, the central area was now a lot more free from lines and this was a popular spot for groups to comfortably sprawl out and take a breather with music from both stages (but no overlapping sets) still audible. This also became a popular area for young children and babies who were welcomed with open arms and seemed to be having as good a time as anybody. With tons of shade, snacks, and plenty of bright and shiny objects around; even hipster babies can have a good time.

 
With only Hall & Oates left to perform at the inaugural Googa Mooga; everybody flocked to the main stage. The level of excitement for this act was tremendous. They were by far the act that the most people came out exclusively for and it was impressive to see how far of a reach the had. People from all generations and backgrounds were dancing away compulsively to each song. The ‘rock and soul’ was the perfect choice to close the festival and leave a smile on everybody’s face. People simply did not want them to leave the stage; they were summoned back for not one but two encores as all of the hits were touched upon.

Most of the minor mishaps of the previous day were forgotten as people left Prospect Park. Googa Mooga has every intention of returning in 2013, and for a pretty ambitious first year festival, it did a damn good job of creating an ideal weekend getaway. There is no reason why food and drink can’t be as celebrated as music and this kind of model has the ability to exist and thrive in many different locations.There is a lot to look forward to at the next Great Googa Mooga and Superfly has the determination to continue to make this festival better.

You can view our gallery from Googa Mooga here 

Words and photos by Jesse Zryb

It’s not too often you hear of instrumental albums going platnium, but Jeff Beck’s “Wired” did just that in 1976. Working with keyboardist Jan Hammer, Beck’s eighth studio release relied heavily on synthetic sounds, blazing a new trail in the guitarist’s career.

“Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” was originally composed by Charles Mingus for his most influential and well known release, “Mingus Ah Um.” Substituting saxophone for electric guitar, Beck is able to infuse his own emotions into the song, creating a focal point on an album already saturated with what would later become classic tracks.

What’s your favorite Jeff Beck album? What do you think of his take on this jazz staple? Let us know in the comments below.

Written by:
Dean Goranites | Associate Editor
dean.goranites@ourvinyl.com
@unleash_this

In the same way that film-making was changed in 1999 when the Wachowskis brought the world the first “The Matrix” movie, earlier this year at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival, a tech company called AV Concepts changed the way we see, or can see live performances of once dead artists.

AV Concepts, the company responsible for the Tupac hologram that performed with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, uses an updated version of a stage trick that has been around since the 1800’s. According to an article published in the Washington Post, a 1999 patent that was uncovered by the International Business Times, explains that the trick used by the company employs an angled piece of glass placed on the stage to reflect a projector image onto a screen that looks invisible to the audience, but gives the illusion of a three dimensional image when view from a distance.  The trick all together cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 to $400 thousand dollars to create and the latest reports say that the computer generated Tupac is going on tour with Dre and Dogg possibly later this year.

In addition to AV Concepts creating the tech for the Coachella performance, it has recently been announced that British rockers, Queen will be employing the same technology to “perform” with their lead singer, the late Freddie Mercury, for the 10^th Anniversary celebration of the “We Will Rock You” musical.

Prior to the Tupac performance at Coachella, the AV Concepts company had used the technology to company to digitally resurrect some deceased executives for larger companies, but they have declined to say who.  But now that’s two performing artists that have been resurrected from the dead to play live in concert to paying fans. But you have to begin to wonder, where should the line get drawn?

CEO of AV Solutions has said in a recent interview with the Huffington Post that positive response to the Tupac illusion has opened the door to other players in the “digital resurrection game”.  Since the debut of Tupac, rumors have swirled about the Jackson family possibly looking into the technology as a way to carry on the legacy of Michael Jackson. So does this mean that Elvis Presley will perform again? Could a full fledged Beatles reunion with John Lennon and George Harrison be in the works? What about the resurrection of Kurt Cobain? Janis Joplin? Jimi Hendrix? Does this mean that INXS won’t have to go on another reality television show to find a new lead singer? After all, now they can just digitize Michael Hutchence back to life? But where does the game stop? Where is the line drawn? And at what point does it all become too much? Is it respect for the deceased musicians and their music, or does it become just a morbid fascination to see what a performing “ghost” is like?

In essence, all the “performance” itself really is nothing more than cobbled together footage from previously recorded performances, blended with motion capture and a bit of CGI to make it the new image more fluid, but can this technology recapture or mimic the true performance.

The “hologram” technology could be used in many interesting ways, but in a more educational setting versus an entertainment based setting. A place like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame could rebroadcast important performances in Rock and Roll history, like Jimi Hendrix’s performance at Woodstock, The Beatles on Ed Sullivan, or Elvis Presley’s 1968 Comeback Special.

Other places that could benefit from the technology would be the Smithsonian Institute or other museums that could use the technology to resurrect great leaders throughout time and allow them to speak in their own words.  Students could witness Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech, or Kennedy’s 1961 Inaugural speech in a presence that would be as close to recreating that exact moment in time.

Using the “holograms” as a means of rebroadcasting moments in time that have happened and were recorded are one thing, those are fixed moments that aren’t being manipulated. For the newer performances, they could use the tech to basically turn any dead rock star into a computer programmer’s personal puppet and rewrite and recreate an entirely new performance.

And does anyone want to pay money to see that in concert? The “Hologram” technology as an updated way to remember what was could be viewed as a good thing, but at some point, someone has to decide, when does it cross the line between respect and just flat out making a buck off of the dead. When does it seem like technology is doing nothing more than to resurrect the dead to sell concert tickets?

And once it reaches that point, you have to really ask yourself what makes a live concert with a “hologram” better than watching it in the comfort of your living room? At least in your living room you aren’t jammed into a venue with 20,000 other people, paying for overpriced beer and watching a digital puppet perform while their estate and old band members and managers rake in the cash.

By Christina Lawler

OurVinyl | Contributor

Animal Collective is starting to making the blog rounds again, with both the release of two new tracks, and the announcement of a new album coming out this September. After the wildly successful “Merriweather Post Pavilion,” the band took a few years off, as both Avey Tare and Noah Lennox worked on solo albums, and the band recovered from the massive tour schedule that coincided with the album release.

A few years before the band’s successful rise with “Post Pavilion,” Animal Collective released “Feels,” a more acoustically driven album that pushed things forward from the almost exclusively acoustic “Sung Tongs.” “Purple Bottle,” featured below, now comes across as almost a bridge from the older band’s style to their newer, more electronic-infused material. Check it out below, and let us know what you think. Are you excited for the new Animal Collective album this year? Why or why not? Tell us in the comments!

Written by:
Dean Goranites | Associate Editor
dean.goranites@ourvinyl.com
@unleash_this

When Frederick Law Olmstead designed Prospect Park in the 19th Century, it’s hard to imagine that he envisioned metallic flame-throwing pigs, 30’ tall wedding cakes, or a Big Gay Ice Cream Party; but alas, this was the sight at the first ever Great Googa Mooga 2012 this past weekend. Located in the rolling green meadows of the Nethermead in the center of the park, this festival offered an escape from the city unlike any other. It was produced by the very people who brought the entire landscape of music festivals to what we know today.

Superfly Presents is the team responsible for Bonnaroo and Outside Lands as well as the JazzFest late night shows in New Orleans, which propelled them forward and helped establish them in the music scene. They are in a large part responsible for the growth of music festivals as a platform to seeing all of your favorite artists.  With Googa Mooga, they are hoping to do to food and drink what they did with music – make it the star and main attraction. That’s not to say that music is being thrown to the curb here; the servings are just being reshuffled and offered in a new way.

To help bring this vision to life; Superfly turned to architecture and design firm Rockwell Group and their years of experience in the restaurant industry and other hospitality and entertainment ventures. Rockwell Group’s fascination with immersive environments and creating human connections made them the leading candidate for this kind of role with the green pastures of Olmstead ripe for a drastic makeover. In their 2006 publication Spectacle, Rockwell Group documented temporary gatherings of all kinds such as the Olympics, Worlds Fairs, Burning Man, and circuses identifying some of the major attributes (Big, Bold, Brief, Connections, Transformations, Immersion) which led to the lasting memories and impacts that such events have. With Googa Mooga, there was an opportunity to apply these principles to a new festival and to identify and establish the brand that is to be for years.

I had the opportunity to go on a guided tour of the Googa Mooga site with founder and CEO, David Rockwell along with a few members of his design team.  Jonathan Mayers, one of the founders of Superfly Presents was also present and we heard what they had to say regarding the impact of design on festivals and their inspirations and expectations for their first of potentially many collaborations.

What was described as “one big art project” by Rockwell, consisted of several different “experiences (beer, wine, green, pizza, pig, burger, coffee, and chocolate)” that were positioned throughout the Nethermeads in a way to promote as much human interaction as possible. Each experience was curated by its own guru, which included figures such as Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garret Oliver and iconic chef and television personality Anthony Bourdain as well as several other notable personalities.

With each experience, there were certain details that helped distinguish one from another. A major inspiration for the Beer Experience was the great halls of Oktoberfest. Large swooping fabrics covered the entire ceiling in this area, lowering the height and creating a more intimate space. There were chandeliers made entirely from beer bottles, counters dressed in beer caps, and of course great stretches of taps in one long row divided in the middle with 360-degree access. The Wine Experience, on the other hand, had a more rustic, countryside look, with counters and surfaces made of crates and containers.

Some of the other experiences had less of a precedent but added a great touch of fun and playfulness that should be ever-present on a festival site. On the opposite side of the festival site from the main stage was Hamageddon – a heavy metal tribute to pig.  A massive steel fire-breathing pig was a difficult site to miss, and Led Zeppelin and Van Halen tribute bands helped add greatly to the overall ambiance of this area.

In addition to giant pigs, the festival site also featured several other landmarks to help distinguish it from others. A giant neon orange cake marked the central point and, in addition to providing colorful eye candy and photo ops, it also gave festival goers designated meeting areas. “Iconic structures come to symbolize (festivals)” said Jonathan Mayers, who should be one to know, as Bonnaroo and Outside Lands have grown to include tremendous art and sculpture components of their own as they have evolved.

Another challenge presented to the design team was how to treat over 75 vendors that would be spread throughout the site. The solution for this lay no further than the streets of Manhattan, just across the East River. Areas such as the Lower East Side were a major inspiration and the facade of each vendor was treated separately in order to distinguish themselves from their neighbors. The local vernacular was reflected through use of material as well as signage, with each vendor having their own hand-painted signs.

Although all of these structures are only designed to live on site for just a few days during the festival, the brevity offered an exciting challenge to the design team, one which would inspire them to make the site as impactful as possible. “Temporary does not need to look thrown together,” said Rockwell; much of the built work was made from low-cost, eco-friendly, and often found materials that could be put into storage and made available for reuse for future events. Another key to maximizing the impact on the festival goer was to create spaces conducive to interactions. Long tables were assembled in proximity to vendors and many of the serving stations in areas such as the beer and wine tents and market place were placed in center, allowing access on all sides while still providing vistas to your surroundings.

A major underlying goal in the design of this festival was promoting human connections and a communal spirit. Perhaps an unintentional contributor was the poor phone reception derived from an overload of the signals once the masses showed up. As a result, cell phone batteries were mostly drained leaving many without access to Internet or phone calls for the duration of the festival. Although the Googa Mooga app was extremely resourceful, containing maps of vendors, descriptions of food vendors, schedules, and other tidbits; people now had to rely on communicating with their neighbors for this kind of information which helped contribute to a rather friendly demeanor amongst most people and a communal feel overall. Additionally, there was no swarm of people motionlessly standing with mobile devices recording every second of performance or tweeting their latest meal.

Even the selection of the music acts seemed to go along with the overall vision and identity of Googa Mooga. The acts (Hall and Oates, Fitz and the Tantrums, the Roots, Preservation Hall Jazz Band to name a few) spanned genres and generations and each could be experienced in many ways. Whether lying on a blanket on a lush green lawn, dancing away at the front, or simply listening while chowing down on a soft-shelled crab sandwich – all of the music was very enjoyable. Being that this was billed as a food and drink festival first it was important that none of the music was at all alienating. Whether you were that familiar with the line-up or not, all of the music was accessible and easy to get into.

The endless sunshine and high temperatures that blanketed the park all weekend also played a huge factor in the establishment of Googa Mooga as a rite of passage into summer. Hopefully this is a tradition that can continue to grow. While there were some definite technical snags on Saturday that may have affected some people’s experience, by Sunday it was certainly clear that this was a lot more than just a day in the park.

You can view our gallery from Googa Mooga here 

Words and photos by Jesse Zryb

Though released in 1957, “Birth of the Cool” was comprised of bits and pieces of three 1949 recordings. The original albums featured the crew from Davis’s nonet, a group commonly cited as the first main contributors of the “cool jazz” era.

Davis was changing the face of music, and would do so again and again with his LP’s — including the highly acclaimed releases “Kind of Blue” and “Bitches Brew.” Where as those albums showcase longer compositions, the tracks on “Birth of the Cool” are for the most part around the three minute mark in length. Check out “Rocker” below, and let us know what you think about this era in the Miles Davis catalog.

Written by:
Dean Goranites | Associate Editor
dean.goranites@ourvinyl.com
@unleash_this

Portishead resides in Bristol, a three piece group that’s been together over 20 years. Formed in 1991, Portishead first hit mainstream attention with the release of their debut album “Dummy,” released in 1994. Three years later, their self titled sophomore album was released, with “All Mine” being one of the LP’s hit singles.

After taking a seven year hiatus, Portishead formed again in 2005, and have since released “Third,” their aptly named third studio album. Last year the band played a number of festival shows in Europe, often playing in front of as many as 20,000 fans.

Take a listen to “All Mine” below, and let us know what you think in the comment section. Don’t forget to check out our past Song of the Day posts, right here.

Written by:
Dean Goranites | Associate Editor
dean.goranites@ourvinyl.com
@unleash_this

Portishead – All Mine by shakers

It seemed like some kind of Roger Waters’ tour tradition, he always booked a couple of nights in México City’s Palacio de los Deportes whenever he toured his The Wall or Dark Side Of The Moon album shows. Even though this writer is a fan of both albums, to witness one of those shows in a bigger arena had always been in my bucket list. Luckily, the Foro Sol was the home of one of the biggest shows on Earth this last April.

Usually, this is the part when major forces of nature and weird luck pay me a bad time before or during a concert. Oddly enough, this was the first time nothing felt like it could go wrong. Instead of choosing a ticket in the front zone (where everyone is usually on their feet and in front of the stage), I thought an upper seat would be a better idea. Shows like this have to be fully appreciated from far away, in order to perceive all the gadgets, lightning and production in general.

Roger Waters’ Mother (Live from THIS CONCERT! The song starts about half way through but you can hear his in-Spanish intro first if you would like)

Another odd fact for me was that there would be no opening acts and the concert would start exactly at the time printed in the tickets: a first time for many of us. But big acts need no presentation. And this was going to be a mammoth sized event. As I looked below from my seat, the whole Foro Sol was packed. Seats up on the front in squared areas, a huge stand-up zone in the back and kids with their forever-young parents, wearing the classic “The Wall” crossed hammers patch in their sleeves and jackets, omnipresent marijuana smokers (the good kind, the  that makes others’ eyes turn as red as if you spent an hour under water with your eyes open inside a pool with too much bleach), two freaking building-high towers and a wall that was as wide as the front side of the arena itself were all laying before my eyes.

It’s such an irony that an album about the alienation of a man’s mind from the world – a personal and intimate human experience – has gotent this far and become a milestone and a must-see for anyone with a little knowledge concerning concert standards. The Wall became more than just an album: it meant the destruction of one of the biggest bands in music history, Pink Floyd. It also transformed, with time, into one of the biggest album in history, a movie, the most ambitious show of its era and an standard for concept albums and rock operas from then on (as well as The Who’s Quadrophenia and Tommy). The live show keeps on evolving with each tour, using state of the art technologies and, such as its subject, being relevant nowadays.

Was all of this true? For years, this writer had heard a lot about some of Roger Waters’ previous concerts, their magnificence, theatricality and such. Personally, I always thought of Waters as a business man, laying in the glories of his earlier career with Pink Floyd, thinking of himself as the main man, the band’s leader, providing the same shows over and over again throughout the years, just for the income. Once again, it can be nice to be so wrong.

Having seen the movie and heard the album, the concert felt as it would not bring any kind of surprise. Is just the whole album played from the beginning ‘til the end, right? Wrong again. Compadres, what I witnessed, was the perfect display and mixture of an epic album, a rock opera, a huge scale show, technology and music. It was as if my very own wall had been instantly torn apart just as In The Flesh marked the beginning of the night and Waters made his triumphant entrance and 50,000 people went crazy and a plane crashed into the enormous wall, all at the same time.

This is it. This is the reason of The Wall never-ending displays around the world’s best concert venues and stadiums: the audience. Many attempts and The Wall’s hybrid have emerged over the past decades. A lot are now part of the conscious mind but failed to achieve the greatness of the mother of all live shows (nice try, Kiss and U2). Why? Too much gimmicks and lousy music don’t work (in Kiss’s case) and expensive tours using an excessive amount of technology but making the once-heartbreaking music lose its initial charm (sorry U2) won’t do the trick either.

The Wall became a tradition, an unbeatable beast. The perfect hybrid between: writing, sound, music, show and live concert. An obelisk of what a concert can become if the right amount of talent, effort and heart is put into it: brick by brick.

Just as the album and the movie, the live show takes you in a journey. You can witness a record coming to life, as if you are watching a whole different world, with the help of Roger and the biggest wall-shaped and round-shaped screen you’ll ever see. The few seconds after the plane crashed and the fireworks went off, I began to tear a little, just like the baby at the beginning of Thin Ice. Just as a wonderfully acted play, this golden show has its epic moments.

When a bunch of kids from the Marabunta Organization appeared on-stage to sing along the chorus in Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) and screamed at the professor; when Waters dedicated the show to the victims of the war against the drug cartels and the women killed in Juárez; when he sang Mother and the lyrics Mother, should trust the government? And everyone shouted No! The theatricality earned after all these years by Waters is fully displayed during Nobody Home, as a fraction of the walls pops open and shows him sitting and sitting to the audience from a small living room. Not just singing or acting: but performing magnificently. Brick by brick, the wall was built during these performances, non-stop.

What about the rest of Pink Floyd? Though Gilmour and Mason are absent and Wright left us a while ago, they are missed but not in any way indispensable. The wonderful set of musicians provides the rest of the boost needed to keep this show going. If you close your eyes (don’t, you’ll regret it) and pay attention to the music, you won’t notice the difference.

The icing on the cake was the release of the now famous flying pig, which made a pretty long flight around the Foro Sol and landed just at the hungry back zone with standing fans. Needless to say, after it was deflated above them, the pig was chopped into pieces. Comfortable Numb appeared, with its traditional back and forth between 2 voices and one of the most epic solos ever recorded.

A few songs later, at the roar of Tear down the wall!, it finally came down. A night long effort, another mind-tattooed moment in México City’s concert records and the best concert this writer has even been a part of (tied with AC/DC’s 2010 concert in the same venue) was about to end. With the help of fireworks, a long standing ovation, a trumpet and a final acoustic song, Roger Waters and his band said goodbye with the rests of a wall behind their backs and a thankful public in front of them.

As it has been proven for decades, the mother of all concert operas is a hard beast to take down. The public has been always demanding it for the quality, the emotionalism and symbolism The Wall embraces. It will be performed as long as Waters is able to grab his bass and take the show around the globe. It will always evolve into something better every time. Even though you are not a fan of Roger Waters or Pink Floyd, the beauty of The Wall is that it is for any kind of audience.

If there’s anybody out there willing to overtake this colossus, be warned. Pink Floyd set the bar to standards way up high back in the day, and Roger Waters won’t set it lower. Concerning the level of this living and beating live manifestation of music history:

Roger, did it need to be so high?

Written by:

Jorge A. López Mendicuti | Senior Writer

jorge.mendicuti@ourvinyl.com

@jlopezmendicuti

This past weekend; the first ever Great Googa Mooga took place in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Approximately 40,000 people came out per day to the park’s lush greenery to celebrate the meeting of food, drinks, music and plenty of sun!

View some photos below from the weekend’s festivities below and be sure to check back soon for a more comprehensive recap!

Photos from Jesse Zryb

Manchester Orchestra’s Mighty

But this isn’t the Vietnam era anymore, it’s the Afghanistan and Iraq era. So we present you with a different version for a different time. Enjoy!

Chicago done by David Gilmour, Bob Geldoff, Chrissie Hynde, Gary McKinnon

Starfucker’s Holy Ghost

Rocky Votolato’s Red River

Fitz and the Tantrum’s Tighter

The mission of this festival is to create a “gathering with friends and neighbors to eat, drink, talk, laugh, dance, linger and just . . . be together.” To help facilitate this goal, the event is free to attend (although all of the general admission passes were quickly snatched up following the initial buzz). Expanding upon this free offering is the Extra Mooga (still available!) which gives you access to additional entertainment and performances, themed parties, special viewing areas for the main stages, and most importantly – all the food and drinks that you can handle. Here’s a list of some of the food vendors to make you start salivating:

Baohaus * Big Gay Ice Cream Truck * Blue Ribbon * Brindle Room * Char No. 4 * Co. * Cookin’ With Coolio * Colicchio & Sons * DBGB Kitchen and Bar * Dirty Bird * Do or Dine * Frankies Spuntino 457 * Hill Country Barbecue Market * Joseph Leonard * The Meat Hook * The Lobster Place * Luke’s Lobster * M. Wells * Mile End * Minetta Tavern * Momofuku Milk Bar * Porchetta * Red Rooster * Russ & Daughters * Roberta’s * Simply Chicken by Jean-Georges * The Spotted Pig * Sullivan St Bakery * Third Rail Coffee Shop * Tia Pol * Vinegar Hill House

Another unique aspect of this festival are the different experiences that can all be had from within the gates. One of the leaders in creating immersive environments with a tremendous amount of expertise in hospitality and entertainment; Rockwell Group, was brought in to help enrich these elements and create a festival unlike any others. Some of the different themed areas include: Beer Tasting Pavilion (modeled after Oktoberfest and curated by brewmaster Garrett Oliver (Brooklyn Brewery)), Wine Tasting Pavilion (pretty self-explanatory), Hamageddon (all pig, all the time), the Market (featuring some of the best food trucks from all five boroughs), UrBARN (locally grown and farmed food), The Hamburger Experience, The Pizza Experience, and the Sweet Circus.

If you’re trying to burn off some of the calories you’ve just consumed you’ll have plenty of music to dance it off to. Acts such as the Roots, Hall and Oates, Fitz and the Tantrums, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Holy Ghost!, and more will occupy the two general admission stages (with no overlapping sets!) and Extra Moogaers will have access to even more including DJ sets, disco parties, comedy shows, and a whole slew of panels.

With Googa Mooga, one thing is for sure – there is something for everyone. Expect all of your senses to be in for a treat.

You can begin plotting your plan of attack here -  see you at Prospect Park!

By Jesse Zryb

OurVinyl | Senior Writer

The Tallest Man On Earth’s Graceland

Oh yeah, you might wanna play this one twice!

Radiohead’s Lotus Flower remixed by SBTRKT

Being an earlier festival, Summer Camp has always set the bar for other fests to follow in the later summer months and has become renowned for its killer line-ups. One can always count on three days of Moe. and Umphrey’s McGee… and if that’s not enough to spark your interest, you’ll wiggle in your seat from excitement when you glimpse the wide variety of other headlining acts and beyond. This year, a plethora of pioneers and legends in each respective musical genre will be gathering at Three Sisters Park for a Memorial Day weekend festival that is sure to awe audiences for four whole days of fun.

Late Night Acts in the Redbarn include performances by: The Werks, Quixotic, Future Rock, Les Claypool and The Dead Kenny G’s, Ha Ha The Moose, Brain Damaged Eggmen (an Umphrey’s and Disco Biscuits side project.  This party will include songs of Pink Floyd and The Beatles), Gigantic Underground Conspiracy, Everyone Orchestra, Break Science, Gramatik, and Pretty Lights.

Umphrey’s McGee’s All Night Long

With six stages, and over 100 bands in just four days, Summer Camp has much to discover and unlock. Last year, I was personally surprised by the amount of music that I saw by bands that I hadn’t heard of, leaving the festival a new fan of many incredible acts.

Summer Camp is also renowned for its non-profit involvement, as well as community and environmental efforts. Who doesn’t want to reduce their impact on the ground which they live for a weekend? Especially when they make it so easy to do! Summer Camp has made many great accomplishments in reducing their carbon footprint by recycling, and reusing, as well as supporting local businesses. Here’s a cool fact: “Summer Camp provides biodiesel generators for all our electric needs” (SummerCampFestival.com). Another note… this festival is also held at the Three Sisters State Park, so yes… conscious greening is most definitely encouraged.

With a vast plain for festival camping (not by your car), it’s the perfect space to post up camp for the weekend, with weather usually in the 70’s this time of year. It may rain, and it also may get cold at night, so as always be prepared! At present time, with the festival fast approaching, tickets are almost in the last tier of pricing at $194.60 for a three day pass. Summer Camp also provides VIP ticketing as well as RV passes. For more information regarding tickets, rules, and directions visit the website at SummerCampFestival.com

This is a year not to miss, friends and fellow festival goers! So drive, walk, take a bus, take a plane, however  you can… get to Summer Camp; with a lineup like this, you will certainly not be disappointed.

By Alicyn Lane

OurVinyl | Senior Writer

Below is the full list of acts with links for most so that you can check out some new acts before you get to the fest!

• 3 Days of Moe. And Umphrey’s McGee
• Jane’s Addiction
• Primus
• Pretty Lights
• Weir, Robinson, Greene Acoustic Trio
  • Common
  • Gov’t Mule
  • Tedeschi Trucks Band
  • Gogol Bordello
  • G. Love & Special Sauce
  • Lotus
  • Zeds Dead
  • Michael Franti and Spearhead
  • Gigantic Underground Conspiracy
  • Yonder Mountain String Band
  • Shpongle presents The Masquerade
  • EOTO
  • Keller Williams
  • Rebelution
  • Leftover Salmon
  • Galactic
  • Cornmeal
  • 12th Planet
  • Ozomatli
  • Victor Wooten
  • Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars
  • ALO
  • New Orleans Suspects
  • FIGURE
  • Preservation Hall Jazz Band
  • BoomBox
  • Gaelic Storm
  • Devil Makes Three
  • Dirty Dozen Brass Band
  • Future Rock
  • Greensky Bluegrass
  • Break Science
  • LP
  • Minnesota
  • Wyllys and the New York Hustler Ensemble
  • Lance Herbstrong
  • Kids These Days
  • The Infamous Stringdusters
  • Gramatik
  • VibeSquaD
  • Anders Osborne
  • Orgone
  • Hot Buttered Rum
  • The Dead Kenny G’s
  • Family Groove Company
  • The Ragbirds
  • Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds
  • araabMUZIK
  • The Lumineers
  • Rubblebucket
  • Wick-It The Instigator
  • The Werks
  • Van Ghost
  • DJ SOLO
  • JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound
  • Red Wanting Blue
  • Banyan
  • Quixotic
  • Brother Joscephus & The Love Revival Revolution Orchestra
  • Elephant Revival
  • Positive Vibr8ions
  • Midnight Conspiracy
  • Fareed Haque & MathGames
  • 16bit
  • Jimkata
  • Flinch
  • Twin Cats
  • The Coop
  • Stratus
  • LoBounce
  • Kinetix
  • Chicago Farmer
  • Spankalicious
  • The Giving Tree Band
  • Strange Arrangement
  • Chester Brown
  • Ponderosa
  • Brainchild
  • The Car Thief
  • This Must Be The Band
  • DJ Thibault
  • Tauk
  • David Gans
  • Hogslop String Band
  • Caravan of Thieves
  • Tribal Seeds
  • Elsinore
  • Henhouse Prowlers
  • The Steepwater Band
  • Zoogma
  • Team Bayside High
  • Afternoon Moon
  • Ultraviolet Hippopotamus
  • Zmick
  • Milk N Cookies
  • Old Shoe
  • Jaik Willis
  • Sun Stereo
  • Mathien
  • Dani Jean
  • DJ Tim Williams
  • The Divide
  • Kaboom Fantastik
  • White Rabbit
  • Miss Amphetamine
  • Cirrus Minor
  • IndigoSun
  • Elemental Groove Theory
  • Wook
  • Midwest Hype
  • Sonic Sutra
  • Dead Larry
  • Also featuring a special Make a Difference performance by Everyone Orchestra

Thursday Pre-Party Lineup featuring:

• Cornmeal
• Digital Tape Machine
• Family Groove Company
• The Infamous Stringdusters
• Floodwood
• The Werks
• Future Rock
• Elephant Revival
• Van Ghost
• Quixotic
• DJ SOLO
• Zmick
• The Appleseed Collective
• The Coop
• Sonny Stubble
• Spare Parts
• Infant Tree
• Caravan of Thieves and more!

The band, PHILM, combines the talents of Dave Lombardo, best known as the drummer for Slayer; Gerry Nestler, the lead singer and guitarist of prog metal band Civil Defiance, and Pancho Tomaselli, the long time bass player for the band funk band, WAR.  Combined together, these three men produce a sound that is parts of so many forms and different influences of music and yet when combined together, it makes its own unique and amazing sound.

PHILM’s Vitriolize

The debut album, “Harmonic”, as a whole blends together styles and influences that are parts modern trance, parts old school punk, parts 60’s and 70’s era psychedelic and even parts early 90’s grunge music. According to a press release for the album, Tomaselli has come up with a description he likes to use for PHILM’s sound. “PHILM’s sound is pure and balanced. Hard to describe, but unique. I would call it ‘novo punk.’ We also want to bring the power trio back to life.” And that would be a very accurate description.

From the very first track on the album, “Vitriolize”, you immediately know that, while Dave Lombardo is part of this band, it will sound nothing at all like a Slayer album. The song starts out with a low, ethereal and psychedelic beginning, before escalating into a deep drum beat reminiscent of old school punk rock and a guitar riff that immediately electrifies. Nestler’s vocals complete the deal and join it all together, blending the punk and psychedelic influences with flawless effort.

The album as a whole is an interesting ride, it shifts musically from very intense and driven to almost soft and trance like and switches back and forth, both from song to song and even within each song, creating a sound that is extremely unique and very different from anything these three musicians have put out with their other projects.

On the track, “Held in Light”, those shifts and switches can be heard. With a trance like bass line, and whisper soft mysterious vocals as the song begins, but then switching over to heavy and hard guitar riffs and Nestler’s vocals ranging from that whisper soft into a crescendo of screaming and then back again.

PHILM’s Held In Light

The debut album hits stores on May 15^th and the band is already lining up shows to support the new release. PHILM will also be doing a live webcast for the album release on May 16^th at 7pm PDT, click on http://www.tristudios.com/artists/philm to check out the details on the webcast. For more details on the band and their upcoming shows, find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PHILMOfficial

Written by Christina Lawler

OurVinyl | Contributor

The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s God is my Girlfriend

Honest songwriting stands out with the midwestern five piece, led by songwriter/vocalist Ben Lubeck. Lubeck makes it a point to take an annual trip to his lakeside home for the winter, with the goal of writing as many songs as possible. After his 2009/2010 session, the group spent the Spring whittling down the tracks, molding together what would become “When It Sinks In.”

Farewell Milwaukee has slowly evolved from the somber sounds of “Autumn Rest Easy” to a more joyous, enriched, grateful feel, culminating in tracks such as “Loveable/Kind,” the closing number on “When It Sinks In.” While the band has come to call Minneapolis, Minnesota their hometown, the individual members are proud to bring the roots of their respective midwestern towns to the table when putting together their material.

An Americana soundtrack to road trips and dive bars, Farewell Milwaukee has grown a fan base by making music that reflects their surroundings. It translates well in a live setting, to boot. Midwesterners striving to find a sound representative of their generation’s experiences have embraced the band full heartedly, supporting live events and spreading the word to new listeners. For Farewell Milwaukee, it looks like the fun is just beginning.

We had the pleasure of having a photographer join us at this session. You can check out some behind the scenes photos courtesy of Molly Mantlow of Mantlow Photography. Here’s a link to some of the photos from the session: http://www.facebook.com/ourvinyl/photos

Written by:
Dean Goranites | Associate Editor
dean.goranites@ourvinyl.com
@unleash_this

So enjoy this one on this affectionate day, and remember to let your own momma miss America or you momma miss (insert any country here), how much she is loved.

DJ Eckman’s edit of Paul McCartney’s Momma Miss America

A special thing about The Libertines was their diverse repertoire; some tunes were chaotic bangers perfect for the pit (Horrorshow, I Get Along) and some tunes were beautiful and toned down love songs for everyone’s softer side (What Katie Did, Music When The Lights Go Out). The title track from their 2002 debut, Up The Bracket, is a fitting example consisting of a perfect combination of both the loud side and the soft side of The Libertines.

Electric Six – “Psychic Visions”

From the Metropolis Records release, “Heartbeats and Brainwaves”

Today’s Song of the Day comes to us via the Detroit based band, Electric Six.  A band that almost defies classification and can be called a hodgepodge of Disco, Punk, Rock, New Wave, Metal and who knows what else, their sound is all their own.  And that fact has never been clearer than on the track, “Psychic Visions”.

The track has all the makings of a truly great, truly epic song.  Deep bass, an infectiously catchy beat and the sultry smooth vocals of lead singer, Dick Valentine, it’s nothing short of classic Electric Six.

Written by Christina Lawler

OurVinyl | Contributor

Spiritualized’s I Am What I Am

The album commences with the familiar majestic feeling that is revealed on every Spiritualized album. “Huh?”, the original title of this album, is a violin-induced orchestral introduction that preps the audience for the lead single, “Hey Jane”. Already an early candidate for the music video of the year, Hey Jane is one of the rare moments where Pierce questions on this record instead of already knowing his fate, constantly asking Jane “where you’re going today?”. A noticeable feature on this track is that it is a lot more accessible and perhaps easier to listen to because of the strong notion of early sixties and seventies mainstream pop. There is no denying it is still vintage Spiritualized and that makes its presence felt right away but this is definitely more radio friendly and Pierce has come a long way since Lazer Guided Melodies (the debut Spiritualized album).

There are so many musical styles on this record that it makes it impossible to search for a word beyond “rock” and “pop” that would help classify this band. Soul, shoegaze, early rhythm and blues and even noise are all elements that contribute to Spiritualized’s revolutionary sound. “Headin’ For The Top Now” is guitar driven rock at its best, with touches of old soul and the fuzz aspect of shoegaze. “Get What You Deserve” has the epic and familiar vocal harmonies; ones that Pierce makes sure he brings out the best in his female vocalists. “Headin’ For The Top” is a lengthily, fuzzed-out jam that often dabbles into noise and experimental-styled music.

The album’s purest ballad is “Too Late”; a melancholic arrangement that astonishingly borrows classical elements from centuries ago. “I Am What I Am” is not only an ode to self-figuration but it has that familiar Spiritualized guitar strumming, complete with noisy, high-pitched frequencies that tie in together perfectly with soul, rhythm and blues and even Western influences. “Freedom” is arguably the most beautifully melancholic song on the album where Pierce says: “Freedom is yours if you want it/You just don’t know what you need”. These powerful words stick out to an audience who ask themselves the question of freedom in a real-life scenario; it is the needs and choices people make that must be questioned. At times, these songs sound like those of larger acts and fellow countrymen Coldplay and The Verve.

“Mary”, which is found towards the end, is the first bit of anger and frustration from Pierce. Then emotions go downhill from there. “Life is A Problem” is nearly suicidal, where Pierce admits he is ready to leave and never see his mother again. Not sure if this is a comical approach or an actual summoning of spirits but either way Pierce’s sad and toned-down attitude is quite touching. The song also serves as a perfect intro to the album’s closer, “So Long You Pretty Thing”, where Pierce mentions the Lord and Jesus Christ once more, saying: “Help me Lord, help me Jesus/‘cause I’m lonely and tired”. He also wishes the best for a certain someone: “So long you pretty thing/Save your little soul”. This could be of the most perfect ways of saying goodbye.

This album has a somber connection with the process of departure. It is not as anthem-driven or slow as Songs in A&E, but the self-pity and beauty of this album may not be found anywhere else on the band’s previous material. Stylistically, there is never a dull moment on a Spiritualized album. It is not that the albums cannot be listed under a musical category or genre but it skins the surface of so many categories it just becomes confusing trying to label them. It’s hard not to ask oneself or at least be curious about Pierce’s mindset as a musician, writer and an artist. All these elements fused together are risky and Pierce excels not only by making it work but by making it beautifully arranged and composed. These musical parts found in Spiritualized’s songs are constructed like a puzzle; each piece is broken at first and the goal is to connect everything together. Then when all the pieces are put together, the result equals a song or the finished work that is not exactly the norm but eccentric and undeniably impressive. The album is highly emotional through out; it starts almost as if he is trying to confront something or someone and then he has given up and is ready to walk away.

This may not be as brilliant as prior works but it would be foolish to dismiss this album or pass it by, it has a little bit of something for everyone and it is highly entertaining through out. Comparing it to the album’s that were released prior to Sweet Heart Sweet Light, it may not be considered a masterpiece to most but it is a freakishly good album. This album is worth more than just a listen, even if one is to explore the band for the first time; Sweet Heart Sweet Light is a good opportunity to do so. Who knows for sure if this is Spiritualized’s swan song but what a way to go out if it is.

By Alex Giardini

OurVinyl | Contributor

@giardinia

[Below is the music video for Hey Jane]

Now, for or those who were never able to make it to the Hawaiian Islands to enjoy the Kokua Festival in person, Jack has now brought a small musical slice of the festival to the world with “Best of Kokua Festival”.  And in kind, has also brought a way for more people to help out a worthy cause as well.  A portion of proceeds from the sale of the album go to the foundation, and Jack has dedicated the album to the keiki (or kids) of Hawaii.

The album includes performances that were recorded over the six years the festival was held, and includes Johnson collaborating with artists like Ziggy Marley, Eddie Vedder, Jackson Browne, Ozomatli, G-Love, Dave Matthews and Willie Nelson to name a few.

The album is everything that a live album should be; it transports you to a specific place and time and allows you to have a similar experience as the concert goers.  It’s a fantastic summer album that features stellar performances and makes the listener feel like they are on the Island with their toes in the sand.

A few of the standout tracks on the album include the Jimmy Buffett classic, “A Pirate Looks at Forty”, a song that Johnson has been known to perform on tour and joined on the live track by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds.  It’s an amazing vocal performance by all three of the artists, who seem to be having an intimate jam session than performing in front of a festival sized crowd.

Also included in the album is a performance of Johnson’s song, “Constellations”, which was originally featured on the 2005 release, ‘In Between Dreams’.  This time around Johnson is joined on vocals by Pearl Jam front man, Eddie Vedder, and the match up of their vocals results in something absolutely amazing.

Plenty of great artists join Johnson on the album, and the live performances capture an “island feel” to songs that you wouldn’t expect.  For example, Country singing legend Willie Nelson is joined by Ben Harper and Jack Johnson for an incredible rendition of “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” that has much less of the traditional country feel to it and much more of a Hawaii Islands mellowness to it.

The album on a whole, not just a fantastic representation of six years of the festival, but also a relaxing listen that also supports a very worthy cause as well.

To view more performances, view special messages from Johnson, and for more information on the Kokua Foundation and Festival, log on to http://kokuafestival.com/best/

Written by Christina Lawler

OurVinyl | Contributor

To purchase this album, click here.