With the exception of a few tweets here and a rough demo there, Jay Electronica has remained relatively silent since announcing his signing with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label and then subsequently hitting the studio to begin work on his full-length debut, Act II: Patents Of Nobility (the turn). The New Orleans-bred emcee even chose to forgo a slot at Lollapalooza in order to finish the album, effectively wasting 792 of our precious words. Now, though, Electronica has finally surfaced to drop the first taste of the LP in “Call of Duty”, which you can check out below (via Rap Radar). As per the artwork above, the infamous Mobb Deep guests.

Stay tuned to Consequence of Sound for any further details on that album.

Consequence of Sound turns four years-old today, which in internet years is about seven decades. Quick, without looking, can you name two songs on last week’s Top 10 list? One song? See I barely got two off the top of my head. Things move quick and yesterday’s Lana Del Ray quibbling is tomorrow’s Lana Del Who? I’m always in search for a song that can withstand more than a day, or a week, or maybe the golden song that I can listen to for a year straight. I’m still waiting for that perhaps unattainable 365 day half-life to be ascribed to a tune, but you never know, maybe it’ll be one of these songs here like Thee Oh See’s brilliant new track or that Twin Shadow rearrangement of an early 80′s Italian-disco track. Who’s got a year-long track so far this year, or in internet years, 100 lifetimes?

-Jeremy D. Larson
Content Director 

The Big Pink – “Stay Gold”

“Stay gold, Ponyboy” quoth The Outsiders. The nostalgia that book elicits predates the rock-arena nostalgia you get with The Big Pink, but let’s hope that these guys can stay. -JL

James Blake – “Not Long Now”

Everyone’s (or maybe just my own) post-dub heart-throb James Blake is at it again. Following the annunciation of his upcoming EP Enough Thunder, he dropped this little ditty on us. It could very well have been on his superb self-titled LP, but it does carry a bit of the feelings from his earlier EPs and singles. So, this one ought to appease both audiences – the ones who hate his poppy sound, and the ones who loathe his experimental days.-WR

Curren$y – “N.O. Shit”

Curren$y is like a fine wine; better with age. The 30 year old rapper just keeps on trucking with mixtapes and albums, and this cut from his forthcoming Muscle Car Chronicles is a first rate track from one of independent hip hop’s first rate acts. Can’t ask for much else. -WR

Curren$y – “N.O. Shit”

Jay Electronica – untitled demo

Please bear in mind that this is a demo. This didn’t even make the cut for his forthcoming debut album. That’s how good Jay Electronica is. This is seriously one of the strongest spitting on a single or otherwise in a long time, and it wasn’t even good enough to make the album. With that in mind, Act II: Patents of Nobility should be an absolute masterpiece. -WR

Mr. Muthafucking eXquire – “Huzzah!” (Remix feat. Despot, Das Racist, Danny Brown, El-P)

Want a crash course on who’s on the forefront of the rap scene right now? Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire just dropped a pretty complete and outrageously fun mixtape, and the remix of the previously released “Huzzah!” features underground forerunners Despot, Das Racist, and Danny Brown, as well as hip hop figurehead El-P coming in for a verse, too. This is the 2011 “pass the mic” party of the year. -JL

Mr. Muthafuckin eXquisit – “Huzzah!” (Remix feat. Despot, Das Racist, Danny Brown & El-P)

Quilt – “Penobska Oakwalk”

Quilt are a cross-generational psych-folk outfit that calls as much from younger bands Woods as they do from more historical acts like Nico and Lou, or even Jefferson Airplane. That production and performance style where the power in vocals are twice that of the instrumentation below it gives it this 1968 anti-war vibe that’s both urgent and relaxed. This Boston group has their debut album out on Mexican Summer November 7th. -JL

Quilt – “Penobska Oakwalk”

SE62 – “Dreaming”

It’s not often that we get to write about the music scene in Ukraine. And by not often I mean absolutely never. So, it’s been a sweet couple days with SE62 and their funky soul tunes. Sweeter yet – I get to tell you all about them. Three cheers for Ukraine! -WR

Thee Oh Sees – “Carrion Crawler”

My only qualm with earlier John Dwyer recordings with the Thee Oh Sees is that they seemed a little choked. It’s raw, but Castlemania never really breathed as deep as I wanted to. Dwyer must have gotten my mind letters, because not only is the title track from their forthcoming album a good indication that Thee Oh Sees are taking more time with their instruments, but that their sound is opening up to something just as erratic but on a larger playing field. And no, that’s not a Megadeth album cover. -JL

Thee Oh Sees – “Carrion Crawler”

Twin Shadow – “Changes”

This one is a cover. Kind of. Well is it still a cover if you change the title? That’s a question for a different day. For now, we’ll stick to the task at hand: Twin Shadow’s cover of an Italian disco band from the 80′s, Bargarre. The original is called “Circus Is Gone”, Twin Shadow’s is called “Changes”, which is fitting for obvious reasons. He’s made it all his own – dark, dance-able, and, uh, some other adjective that starts with a “d”. -WR

Twin Shadow – “Changes”

Wavves  feat. Fucked Up – “Destroy”

Two stoners with a penchant for bringing the motherfuckin’ ruckus mustered up all the energy they could and came out with something pretty exciting. I talked with Damian Abraham earlier this year, who said he’s going to try to use his carnal bark in more guest spots in the coming future, and so it begins here. Abraham and Williams are at their rawest they’ve been in years on this track. -JL

Standard music business protocol dictates that when an artist readies a new album, they drop a track or two from said effort to offer fans and critics a preview of what’s to come. Going against the grain yet again, New Orleans rapper Jay Electronica just posted on his Tumblr a demo track that will NOT appear on his Roc Nation-backed debut album, Act II: The Patent of Nobility (The Turn). Unconventional marketing ploys aside, if this is the material that wasn’t quite up to snuff for the record, then the actual LP should be beyond golden. Let’s hope.

Blakroc, the insane collaborative project that combined the rock fury of The Black Keys with the crisp rhymes of Raekwon, RZA, Mos Def, and Q-Tip, among others, appears set for sequel. According to the trailer below, a second Blakroc album is coming soon; this time around, The Black Keys will apparently be joined by hip-hop titans Talib Kweli and Wiz Khalifa, along with buzzworthy emcees Curren$y, Jay Electronica, and The Cool Kids. Not surprisingly, the trailer also confirms that a lot of pot was smoked during the recording sessions.

The Black Keys’ other new album, the Danger Mouse-produced one, is also coming soon. So you Black Keys fans are spoiled rotten.

Once a week, between now and August 5th, Lollapalooza has enlisted the top music blogs from around the country to feature 20th Anniversary artists taking the stage at this year’s festival. Here’s our pick:

Despite his notoriety, the most famous thing about Jay Electronica is his lack of a full-length album; and it’s a shame that the second most famous thing about a man whose brand of intelligent rap is second to none is that he’s a member of Jay Z’s Roc Nation.

But make no mistake: Jay Electronica doesn’t put out your ordinary, run-of-the-mill rap music. His most impressive track, “Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge)”, rocks up at close to 10 minutes and comprises the soundtrack for Michel Gondry’s indie-film hit The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind all spliced up, re-ordered, mashed together, and reconstituted–with a sample of Willa Wonka, plus more, thrown in–according to his own nuanced and refreshingly original vision.

It’s a bold statement, but say it we will: “Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge)” is one of the closest things rap has to a kind of symphony-style music.

It was 2009′s “Exhibit C”, though, which caught most listeners’ attention and gave Jay Electronica his whiff of mainstream success; its sample of Billy Stewart’s “Cross My Heart”–“Oh, Lord, hear me/Lord, please Send her right to me/Cross my heart that I love her/Place no one up above her”–adds further weight to an already emotional and tuneful track, not to mention artist. Think of The Streets with a little more style.

Sounds like a winner! But, how the hell do I find him?

Keeping track of Jay Electronica, even though it’ll get easier now that he’s with Roc Nation, isn’t an easy task. A favorite with web affectionados, he’s a little more Internet savvy than your average musician. His selective repertoire, when it doesn’t consist of a collaboration project, has been released online, generally through two separate Myspace accounts–he’s also had two official sites, one of which is now elusively defunct –and despite only having tweeted 11 times, it’s a testament to the word-of-mouth nature of his growing popularity, not to mention how desperately people are awaiting an announcement of more music from the man, that he still managed to amass more than 150,000 followers.

It’s a fact of which the man and his fans are all too aware: The closest Jay Electronica has come to a full-length album is with the bootleg mixtape What the Fuck is a Jay Electronica?, a sprawling collection of 22 songs that brings together the rapper’s ambitious and epic experiments and the more straight-down-the-line rap songs.

Maybe that’s part of his appeal: He could disappear as quickly as he has surfaced. Could it be that fear–that a man who’s brought something so original to the genre might suddenly vow to silence–which keeps people hooked on Jay Electronica despite the limited output? Or is it just that once you hear a track like “Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge)”, you don’t look back?

It’s almost certainly the latter. In fact, given that Jay Electronica is only likely to gain credibility in the future, we’ll put it out there now: He’s incredibly likely to do some incredible things. Think along these lines:

a) Produce the first (good) rap song over 35 minutes.
b) Confuse everybody by laying down a collection of tight, terse tracks and giving up that pursuit entirely.
c) Disappear in a puff of smoke, never to be seen again.

Okay, perhaps the last is a little less likely now that he’s with Roc Nation–surely an LP is coming?–but it’s testament to the quality of Jay Electronica’s reputation that, even though he’s at a point of fame that he’s not been at before, it’s impossible to tell where he’ll go next. After all, even his live shows are elusive, sporadic at times. Just this month, Jay Electronica popped up with Black Star and De La Soul at a show in London and then promptly disappeared again. And it’s testament to the desperation of his fans to see more that, across the Web, people commented, “drop something already . .” and, perhaps more creatively: ”Mos def = Master Yoda, Talib Kewli = Obi Wan Kenobi, Jay Elec = Luke Skywalker…” Wonder who that’d make Darth Vader?

Interesting… So, where’s the record?

Of course, we’re not sure whether Jay Electronica will ever release that much-sought first LP. We’re even less sure what it’ll sound like, though What the fuck is a Jay Electronica? gives us a few hints. We’re pretty sure he’ll keep popping up all over the place, causing a scene, then going rogue again.

And we’re very certain that his set at Lollapalooza this year might be the best place to answer these questions. So, make sure you get yourself down there!

Lil B‘s non-stop onslaught of happy music continues today with “5150″. The track is the latest offering off the Based God’s forthcoming Bitch Mob mixtape, following the trio of “My Life”, “Hancho”, and “Loyalty”. Give it a listen below.

In other news, Lil B recently revealed to MTV that he’s be teaming up with fellow up-and-coming MC Jay Electronica on a collaborative EP. “This project with Jay is gonna be very spiritual, very uplifting, very deep,” the rapper said. “It will be historical.”

Lil B didn’t offer much in the way of specifics regarding the EP, so stay tuned for more details.

So, it’s out. The third entry in The Big Four – that is, Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits – is here for our reading pleasure. Some of you have already raced to Facebook, the comments section here, the Lolla board, or your wilted notebook resting on your nightstand to gripe, complain, and tear it apart. That’s only natural of any raging internet fanatic – we’ve been there, you can tell. But, as with anything that tugs at the emotional heartstrings, you need to take some time out, smother yourself in ice cubes, and/or go through a pack of Camel Lights. Just relax. Then, take a look at it again.

As usual, it’s a pretty solid lineup. ::avoids the rotten tomatoes:: No, no, no. Be fair, be fair. Look at it closely: There’s an impressive undercard to flirt with, a sparkly group of headliners that won’t disappoint (regardless if they’re repeats or unsurprising), and the expansion to Perry’s Stage can only add to the already drunken, dreamy weekend for many a festivalgoer. Just a quick scan through the lineup hints at a thrifty three-day extravaganza. It’s hard to believe with so many hot mid-day acts (i.e. The Mountain Goats, Lykke Li, Explosions in the Sky) and a series of highly requested reunions (e.g. Big Audio Dynamite, The Cars, Death From Above 1979) that anyone would be bored or wandering around sad. Plus, and here’s something everyone seems to be forgetting, you’re still in one of the best goddamn cities in the world – the gem next to the lake. Yeah.

Still, there are things left to be said…

-Michael Roffman
President/Editor-in-Chief

Best Gets:

Coldplay

“You know how I know you’re gay?” Expect to hear that quote all weekend in Grant Park. But, despite your unoriginal friends, Coldplay happens to be one of the biggest acts in the world today, and for C3, this is a huge get. Hello! They’re playing Glastonbury? Fuji Rock? Rock in Rio? Ever heard of those? For Chris Martin & Co. to touchdown in Grant Park, it’s a landmark headliner for the always expanding festival. Plus, it’s the only North American gig to date, and in typical Lolla fashion, the British quartet will be just ahead of a new album  – their fifth, in fact, which is currently penciled in for a late autumn release. New material? Perhaps, but even if they don’t perform some, you’ll probably be the first souls to catch ‘em before the endless sweeping tours ensue. Mark our words now, this will be another Coachella reissue next year. -Michael Roffman

Deftones

Deftones’ appearance on Lollapalooza’s 2011 bill could also be put in the “Biggest Surprises” category of this post, but their presence is a lot less shocking than The Cars AND Big Audio Dynamite. After all, the acclaimed metal heads are fresh off an appearance at Lollapalooza Chile and you had to figure there’d be at least some cross over. Still, props on the pull: The spot marks Deftones’ only major North American festival appearance of 2011 — which is a rarity these days. -Alex Young

A Perfect Circle

With their chilly shoulders turned away from Coachella and Bonnaroo, APC’s spot at Lolla is a rather exclusive opportunity to see their show. Unless you caught Maynard James Keenan at their brief residencies out west in 2010, you’re in need to hear one of the best voices in hard rock. And while the often detached Keenan may not be the best host for a festival party, APC and their fans will be loud and proud in Chicago. Who knows, maybe they worked up “Bohemian Rhapsody” over the winter. -Jeremy Larson

The Cars

Two words: Ric Ocasek. Since reuniting with his brethren – a.k.a. The Cars – the anticipation has been sizzling like hotcakes in an Atlanta diner on an August morning. What? Never mind. With a new album in tow, next month’s Move Like This, it’s safe to say this is a legit reunion and one to really get behind. Sure, they’re coming to Chicago next month, but seeing them outside in the summer air, amidst a festival setting, and three months out on touring is so much better. Outside of the nostalgic factor, this is an hour that will no doubt please anyone – especially for lovers wishing to embrace during “Drive”. Two orders of timeless pop-rock? Over here, sir. -Michael Roffman

Modeselektor

The German electronic duo is one of those unique acts you’d typically associate with Coachella. A personal favorite of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, the group has been one of the genre’s more popular forces over the last decade and boasts collaborative records with Yorke, UK rockers Maxïmo Park, and German hip hop outfit Puppetmastaz. Modeselektor also teamed up with fellow German DJ Sascha Ring (Apparat) to form Moderat and their 2009 self-titled effort was released to universal acclaim. -Alex Young

Biggest Surprises:

Patrick Stump

Um, what?

Big Audio Dynamite AND The Cars

To the Reagan adolescence, this one’s for you. There’s little to argue here: Mick Jones and Rick Ocasek in Grant Park. C3 hit two birds with one stone – or, rather four birds with one stone, actually – by nailing not only a legacy and reunion act, but two legacy/reunion acts. Quadruple the effort. Admittedly, most of you probably don’t listen to Big Audio Dynamite every day, every week, or even every month, but it’s a unique grab and one that looked impressive on Coachella’s line-up earlier this year. It still shines here, some three to four months later. As for The Cars, that’s just impressive booking – especially, as we mentioned, they’re performing in Chicago next month. KO! -Michael Roffman

The Mountain Goats

With a critically-acclaimed new effort and given their cult-like status, The Mountain Goats seem more primed for the likes of Pitchfork Music Festival – especially for this year. That’s why it’s almost jarring to see them on Lollapalooza’s lineup. In a way, it sort of negates the whole Pitchfork then Lolla routine that seems to occur with indie darlings year after year. Then again, these California natives aren’t new to the scene at all, so in a way, perhaps it’s Lolla’s way of saying, “Okay, we should have had this working relationship years ago.” Judging from their recent Chicago stint, this should be a great late afternoon set. -Michael Roffman

Death From Above 1979

There’s gonna be a riot. Hardy-har-har. These truly crazy Canucks have a passion for creating chaos, and if there was anything to be learned from either set at SXSW or Coachella, it’s that Death From Above 1979 needs a lot of room. Similar to The Mountain Goats, this was another act that was all but destined for Pitchfork Music Festival, but P4K must have been satiated with one reunion act (i.e. Dismemberment Plan) to try and squeeze these boys in. All the better. As intimate of a place Union Park may be, it’s unlikely they’d support this much energy – well, that’s a tad of an overstatement. For now, though, it makes a slightly reliable argument. Regardless, Lollapalooza snagged something wild here. A festival repeat, sure, but we’ll take seconds, thirds, or fourths of DFA1979 any day. -Michael Roffman

Cults

Last year before Pavement performed at Pitchfork Music Festival, Drag City dude Rian Murphy hyper-sarcastically called P4k Fest “the minor leagues for Lollapalooza.” Ironically, it’s kind of true — Lollapalooza has a continued history of drafting bands that P4k Fest had just one year previous (this year’s picks being Titus Andronicus and Best Coast). But like LeBron James before them, Cults turned pro right out of school. Can they hack it up against some seasoned vets? Probably so. Expect to see them on a side stage in the afternoon just winning over thousands of new fans. -Jeremy Larson

Biggest Misses:

Death Cab for Cutie

Death Cab for Cutie is the most confusing omission of ‘em all just because they seemed all but a shoe-in. Case in point: a new album, summer tour dates with the Foo Fighters, and an intimate Chicago show scheduled for May. Hell, they just announced a late summer tour and there’s not a Chi-city date to be found. Maybe they’re playing North Coast, but c’mon Perry! At least bring us Zooey! -Alex Young

The Cure

It’s a little gluttonous to complain about the lack of ’80s icons, what with Ric Ocasek and Mick Jones involved, but when rumors surfaced that Robert Smith and his gothic wagoners might saddle on up to Grant Park, there was a little spark in the soul that quickly turned nuclear. Similar to past gets like Lou Reed or Depeche Mode, this grab would have no doubt added some luster to the lineup. Plus, with that ridiculous Sean Penn film coming out, everyone’s nostalgia will be running rampant. Really, who wouldn’t want to wear all black and eye liner in 90+ degree weather? Duh. -Michael Roffman

Justice

“Justice! Non!” Lolla didn’t pick up Daft Punk, and ignored France’s second banana electronic duo as well. Justice purportedly have a new album in the works, and closing out Perry’s stage would seem to be a great spot for these guys, or even as a headliner. In Justice’s stead we have festival mainstays Girl Talk and Deadmau5, whom many of us have experienced before. Not that Girl Talk closing Perry’s larger stage won’t be a party to remember, nor will Deadmau5′s headlining spot not be a huge spectacle, but Justice would have added an alluring spice to the electronic lineup at Lolla. “Quel dommage!” -Jeremy Larson

Queens of the Stone Age

They hammered through a set at SXSW back in March, they’re hitting up the late-night circuitry, and they’re performing across the nation. So, why haven’t they been booked for a U.S. festival yet? They might only have a reissue to plug, and there’s probably plenty of recording to be had for their next studio outing, but would a one hour performance kill them? Not likely. Most die-hard fanatics probably caught them on tour already this year, but for the rest of us, Queens of the Stone Age would have looked nice next to The Kills on our schedules. Very nice. Oh well. -Michael Roffman

Surfer Blood

…And sometimes you don’t get drafted at all. This is kind of disappointing, in that Surfer Blood toured their asses off last year and grew from out of the beachy lo-fi fields of the last couple years into somewhat of a mainstream success, due in no small part to their touring tenacity. Why are they absent here? They played to a supremely packed crowd at Pitchfork Music Festival last year, the jabronies love ‘em, the indies love ‘em, the chicks love ‘em. Who knows? Maybe the kids need a break. -Jeremy Larson

Get to know:

Ellie Goulding

She’s gorgeous. She’s discovering more and more poppy sensibilities. She’s amassing dozens of fans each week. We’ve all heard folks digress on how they saw Gaga or Katy Perry at the smaller stages of yesteryear…well, here’s another prospective starlet. For this year, she’ll no doubt perform on a smaller stage, but years later? Probably not. Catch her now before she’s gone. It’s okay if you go alone and you don’t tell your friends about it, too. Just lose the mustache. You don’t want to be that creepy guy. -Michael Roffman

Jay Electronica

Few things validate an up and coming rapper more than being taken under the wing by one Sean Carter. (Just ask Kanye West.) The 34-year-old Jay Electronica recently signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label and is readying his long-awaited full-length debut. Plus, with Nas being a past collaborator, there’s a possibility that the New Orleans-based rapper may have a few surprises in store when he takes the stage at Perry’s Place. -Alex Young

Fences

Chris Mansfield knows about the importance of being earnest. He leads Fences heart first with a shaky voice and a sturdy band, producing some of the most wonderfully honest songs. Live, the band turns it up and stretches it out, adding just a tinge of psych rock to the mix which, when washed over you out the PA, tugs at all those pesky feelings you work so hard to forget about. Stop by midday and they’ll beguile the hell out of you. -Jeremy Larson

Ximena Sariñana

Ximena Sariñana may be a relative unknown in the stages, but in her native Mexico, the 25-year-old singer-songwriter is a full-blown superstar. Her 2008 debut Mediocre earned two Latin Grammy nominations and she spent 2009 touring Europe with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group. Now, Sariñana is gearing up for a summer full of festival appearances plus the August 2nd release of her self-titled sophomore LP. -Alex Young

Young the Giant

Early last year, our own Phillip Roffman called this California quintet “a bottle rocket ready to explode.” Since then, they’ve done just that. From supporting Minus the Bear to appearing at Billboard’s SXSW Party to nabbing slots at half a dozen music festivals across the country, suffice it to say, this band’s growing at a rapid pace. Their late 2010 eponymous debut isn’t exactly a sparkling critical darling, but it’s brought the band quite a fanbase. Needless to say, if you’re strolling by and they’re playing, you might want to check them out and come to a conclusion – that is, if you can wade through the tides of fans surrounding the stage. -Michael Roffman

Other heavyweights include A Perfect Circle, Bright Eyes, The Cars, Big Audio Dynamite, Ween, Arctic Monkeys, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Nas, Explosions in the Sky, Death From Above 1979, Deftones, Cee-Lo Green, Beirut, Flogging Molly, OK Go, The Kills, and Cold War Kids.

A number of indie favorites are confirmed, including The Mountain Goats, Atmosphere, Titus Andronicus, Ratatat, Best Coast, Crystal Castles, White Lies, Lykke Li, Local Natives, Black Lips, Delta Spirit, Sleigh Bells, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Wye Oak, The Drums, Smith Westerns, The Naked and Famous, Phantogram, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., The Joy Formidable, Young the Giant, and Cults.

If that weren’t enough, Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump, Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Cage the Elephant, Rival Schools, The Chain Gang of 1974, Friendly Fires, Portugal. The Man, Manchester Orchestra, Two Door Cinema Club, Noah & The Whale, Lissie, Foster the People, Mayer Hawthorne & the County, Fences, City and Colour, and Gold Motel are also confirmed.

This year’s edition will also feature an expansion of Perry’s Place, the festival’s electronic-oriented stage. Designed to accommodate a crowd of 15,000, the area will host the likes of Girl Talk, Kid Cudi, Pretty Lights, Skrillex, The Glitch Mob, Jay Electronica, Modeselektor, Daedulus, Feed Me, Busy P, and Joachim Garraud.

Find a complete list of confirmed acts at our Festival Outlook.

Three day and VIP passes are priced at $215.00 and $850.00, respectively, and are now available via the festival’s website.

The release is actually made up of a few new-ish tracks as well as some older ones. Opener “Shiny Suit Pt. 2″ is a version of the same track by Jay Electronica, where Estelle delivers a few verses while Legend does his soulful singing thing.  Next up is “You Are” from Estelle’s 2008 LP Shine and then “Freedom”, which is a remix version of “Free” from Estelle’s debut, The 18th Day, with a newly added verse by Talib Kweli. After that, it’s another The 18th Day track in “Hey Girl” and a cut from Legend’s 2008 Evolver, “No Other Love”. Wrapping up the album is “Come Over”, once more from Shine, before the album ends on a new track from Estelle’s upcoming LP, All Of Me, in the form of “Fall In Love”.

Download the entire EP here. We’re pretty sure this is a better deal than that $200 TV you woke up at 4 a.m. to get.

Sing And Flow: The Duets Tracklist:
01. Shiny Suit pt.2
02. You Are
03. Freedom f. Talib Kweli
04. Hey Girl (Original)
05. No Other Love
06. Come Over f. Sean Paul
07. Fall In Love

The story goes that Jay-Z enticed Jay Electronica to sign with Roc Nation by sending him the following song in an email. With their deal now official, Jay Electronica has added his own verse to the track and thanks to Rap Radar, we can now check it out for ourselves below. And if you’re wondering, yes, that’s French singer/songwriter Charlotte Gainsbourg you hear near the end.

“Shiny Suit Theory” (feat. Jay-Z & The-Dream)

Though he has yet to release an official studio album, Electronica has gained a strong underground following thanks to the release of several well-received singles — stream the track “Exhibit C” below — and mixtapes. His resume also includes a tour with Nas and an appearance at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in 2010.

In recent months, there were rumors Electronica had signed to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label. It’s unclear what the rapper’s first endeavor will be as a member of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, but we’ll surely keep you updated.

Update: Jay Electronica has just dropped a new track titled “The Announcement” and yes, it features a sampling of President John F. Kennedy.

“The Announcement” (feat. John F. Kennedy)

Luckily, Bumbershoot ended up being one of the most efficient and organized festivals I’d ever been to, which made my job a hell of a lot easier. The festival is located at Seattle Center, a large inner city area consisting of Key Arena, Experience Music Project, Memorial Stadium and the Space Needle, which made it easy to use the festival’s gracious in-and-out privileges to take the Monorail back into the CBD, get outside food or ride the Duck Bus. That said, you really didn’t have any reason to leave the festival site.

The portable toilets (affectionately called “Honey Buckets”) were well spread out, usually quite clean and never had too long of a line. The grounds were free of garbage with an ingenious recycling program, there were various vendors hawking everything from bamboo clothing to wines, and the food was tasty and reasonably priced (halibut fish tacos FTW). There seemed to be beer gardens at every stage and if Shock Top wasn’t your cup of tea, there were several Starbucks’ scattered throughout (it’s Seattle, what did you expect?).

The crowd was an eclectic mix of city punks, teenagers letting loose on the last weekend before school, families with apple-cheeked children, young thugs, grunge hipsters and hip grungesters. Those last two were responsible for the most flannel I have ever seen in my life. It was like a Magic Eye painting; once you spotted plaid or flannel, that’s all you ever saw. But considering all of the above accounted for 150,000 people over the weekend, it was amazing that the place never felt too crowded. Aside from the will call line on the first day, you could just breeze right in.

I never saw anyone get too drunk or stupid either, even though security was quite lax and it was more than easy to smuggle a six-pack inside (but I feel sorry for the Wisconsin man who had his Pabst poured out by the police… “I’m from Wisconsin, this is sacrilegious.” ). Maybe the lack of douchebaggery at Bumbershoot was because there was so much to do. Aside from the music, there were comedy shows (The Nerdist, Patton Oswalt), actual art exhibitions, film screenings and theater shows, not to mention entertainment such as Cyclecide’s bike rodeo and Circus Una’s gravity-defying, burlesque babes on a tightrope show.

But with all that awesomeness filling out the sides, I was there for the music. So let’s get on with it!

Saturday, Sept 4th: Lots of folk from fun folks

The Constellations
State Farm Stage, 2:00 p.m.

The first band I started off with was Atlanta’s own, The Constellations, whose rave reviews from Spin Magazine caught my attention. The self-proclaimed supergroup was indeed funky and fresh and a groovy way to ease into the festival. Vocalist Elijah Jones has that 70’s funk swagger down to tee and the backing singers (and hipster eye candy) were a sweet throwback to a bygone era. But the sound wasn’t all harmonies and tambourines. The Constellations have got some serious beats to move to and an eclectic mix of sounds, bringing forth comparisons to the Gorillaz (one of their influences) – albeit if the Gorillaz moved to the South and spent lazy afternoons on the porch. Despite the early afternoon set-time, the sizable crowd at the State Farm Stage was into it and began to bop as a collective whole when Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” was covered with spunk.

Atlas Sound
Broad Street Stage, 4:00 p.m.

Talk about going from one extreme to the other. After I left the upbeat Constellations I ran over to the Broad Street Stage to see Atlas Sound. All I knew about it was that it was “that dude from Deerhunter’s solo project” so I wasn’t sure what to expect. For fans of that “dude,” Bradford Cox, I’m sure they knew what they were getting into: sleepily enthralling music. Cox has a shy stage presence but the fact that he was able to layer sounds and build up the illusion of a full band when it was just him up there with a guitar was mesmerizing. The Space Needle provided an equally hypnotic backdrop to this intricate set.

Civil Twilight
Center Square Stage, 4:45 p.m.

Next up on my list was the South African band Civil Twilight. Now based in the USA, the band has been compared to Radiohead and Coldplay and after seeing them play the Center Square Stage (aka The Loud Stage) I can definitely see how Coldplay fits into their sound. Radiohead, though? They wish. I didn’t find Civil Twilight to be anything special, but they were a harmless, unmemorable listen. There is obviously some talent there and they had a good way of artfully building their songs, but as a live act they were a bit of a snooze, even with the speakers blaring at deafening levels. They must be doing something right though, as there was a large crowd full of enthusiastic youngsters hanging on to their every note.

Jamie Lidell
Broad Street Stage, 5:45 p.m.

Fun. That’s a simple way to describe the melodic, soul-tinged, beat-boxing singer that is Jamie Lidell. The talented Brit had an energetic and engaging way about him, whether accomplishing vocal trickery by layering tracks and sounds or being supported by his talented and enthusiastic band. He was all about audience interaction, making charming chit chat or checking in with the crowd. Highlights included “I Wanna Be Your Telephone” which had people dancing on the spot to the electronic Motown mix and “Another Day” a happy, soulful number that coincided delightfully with the sun coming out to play.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Broad Street Stage, 7:30 p.m.

Everyone at Consequence of Sound has always waxed on about this band and how darn great they are live, so I finally had to check them out to see what the fuss was about. Walking through the backstage area to get to the photo pit I saw a homeless Jesus kicking about at imaginary things in the air. Oh wait, that was just singer Alex Ebert, who brings “Hobo Chic” to a whole new level. But hey, if it works for him and his “hippie commune in the 70’s” type band, then it works for all of us.

Edward Sharpe actually lived up to all the glorious hype that their debut album Up From Below has garnered since its release last year. Ebert climbed off the stage and said hi to the massive, uncontainable crowd more than a few times, making everyone in the twilight set feel like they were part of his eclectic entourage.

“Janglin” brought about ecstatic crowd surfers and a euphoric sing along with their messiah, but it wasn’t until “Home” was played that I saw the Broad Street Stage explode and the audience reach an epic frenzy. The adjacent beer garden was literally shut down for an hour as it was filled to capacity. Whether you like hype or not, this is a band to see live… just to see it for yourself.

Bob Dylan
Bumbershoot Mainstage, 9:00 p.m.

And then Edward Sharpe finished up and the same crowd made a mass exodus to Bumbershoot’s Main Stage (Memorial Stadium) to see the one and only Bob Dylan. Oh man, where do I begin here? First of all, I must point out that I’m not a big Dylan fan. I appreciate him for what he is and what he has done, but his music has always been a bit too folksy for me. Or maybe it’s his voice. But I’m not alone – as it was, his voice was an issue for everyone at Bumbershoot. It was like we were all watching Adam Sandler do a Bob Dylan impression (“shaba daba da”). To say he mumbled was an understatement. Occasionally you might hear an actual word like “stoned” or “woman” thrown in there, but everything else was incoherent mumbo jumbo. If you looked around at the crowd, everyone’s faces were scrunched up in pure concentration trying to decipher just what the hell he was saying and what damn song was playing. You see, Dylan didn’t just slur onwards, he made tweaks to each and every song, almost changing the melody at times so that you didn’t actually realize what song you were listening to until half-way through.

This isn’t me ripping him apart, though. This was just the truth and what you get when you see Bob Dylan. But as confused and frustrated as it was to listen to, it was exciting – even enthralling – at the same time. Because it was Bob Dylan, man. The man who first plugged in that guitar. He’s still around, up there, doing his thing. Ignoring the lack of pronunciation (by the way I’m sure the American Sign Language interpreter they had was having a great time – what’s ASL for “question mark?”), Dylan seemed to be having a great time and played his guitar and keyboards (and, of course, that harmonica) with enthusiasm. His band too, was fast, tight, and cohesive – the drummer was really something, taking “Highway 61” to a whole new level. And though his classics like “Tangled Up in Blue” and “Just Like a Woman” almost became different songs in his hands, they were still a wonder to listen to, the genius is still there. I actually preferred these new versions to the old ones, it was like they were evolving before your eyes (and ears). I guess the moral here is, he’s Bob Dylan and he can do whatever the fuck he wants to do, but he did it with a smile on his face, which in turn, kept the packed to the rafters stadium crowd smiling too.

Gallery by Karina Halle

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Sunday, Sept 5th: Reliving my teenage 90′s years

Crash Kings
Center Square Stage, 3:00 p.m.

Unlike Saturday, which twittered between ominous clouds and teasing peeks of sunshine, Sunday was warm, sunny and full-on fabulous. What better way to harness that energy of the festival’s most rock-centric day, then to start with a crash course on the Crash Kings? I hadn’t heard much about the band aside from their single, but was told they might be worth checking out. And yeah, totally worth it. Composed of just a drummer, bassist, and lead singer on keyboards (with whammy bar), this LA trio put on an extremely high-energy and flawless show.

Sometimes it’s hard to really connect with a singer who spends most of his time behind a keyboard, but vocalist Tony Beliveau was a moving, crooning machine who got their young crowd in high spirits. And by high, I mean literally up there. The first crowd surfer appeared and then was quickly escorted by security out of the Center Square Stage area. But you can’t keep the kids down – soon surfer after surfer was being carried towards the stage, giving this Crash King set an infectious vibe that spread throughout out the grounds and caused people to wonder just which band was playing. As a fellow writer said to me, the show made him want to buy their record and that rarely happens.

The Redwood Plan
EMP Sky Church, 3:30 p.m.

A homegrown favourite, the poppy, punky Redwood Plan has been gathering a strong following in the Seattle area for their raucous live shows and danceable, rock pop beats. This was the first band I’d seen in the EMP Sky Church, a dark, trippy stage located in the Experience Music Project (right next to the gift shop, actually) and was the perfect venue for this band that had a bit of darkness to its lively riffs.

The riveting singer Lesli Wood played guitar, keyboards, and high-kicked her gym-shorts clad booty to the eventually-riled up crowd, whipping her shock of neon red hair around to the energetic swirl. The band’s moto is “We’re a party and you’re invited” – I suggest you all RVSP.

The Bouncing Souls
Center Square Stage, 4:45 p.m.

Wasn’t sure what to expect from these Jersey boys in 2010. In the 90′s I had some of their CDs in my wannabe punk collection and I know I must have seen a few of their shows, but that all kind of goes out the window when it’s been so long. At least that’s what I thought until I heard their opening song “Here We Go” when it all came back to me with poppy punk nostalgia. Yes, the guys are a lot older, but just as the tireless punk of Bad Religion carries on decades later, The Bouncing Souls do too. Singer Greg Attonito looked relaxed and affable as he jumped off the stage to greet fans in the crowd, a gentlemanly contrast to his fellow bandmates with their East Coast swagger, shredding riffs and decades worth of tattoos. The band played a lot of their classics, which the crowd seemed to know by heart, as well as a few new ones like the Rock Band featured “Gasoline,” which showcased a more pop-based Souls for the new decade.

Jay Electronica
State Farm Stage, 5:45 p.m.

After I was punked out from The Bouncing Souls, I checked out Jay Electronica at the State Farm Stage. I’m not big into hip-hop, especially live, but I figured I should try and add a little variety into my musical weekend. I probably could have picked a better hip hop artist to see. While Jay Electronica is a stunning wordsmith with personable delivery, his frequent excursions into a capella territory left me feeling all out of sorts. Where was the beat? Where was the rhythm? The rhyme was in his microphone but it wasn’t enough to keep the energy moving. And then there was the fact that he cut his performance short by 20 minutes. To tell you the truth, I stopped listening long before then. That said, it was highly entertaining to see him thwart the security guards by inviting half the crowd on stage with him. Maybe I need more than just clever rapping to keep me engaged but he sure as hell won over the audience with that move, not to mention the outstandingly talented kid Jahyaire he ended up freestyling with.

Hole
Bumbershoot Main Stage, 7:30 p.m.

Last time Courtney Love was in the Seattle Center, it was two days after Kurt Cobain’s death and she read his suicide note to the candlelit fans who had gathered there. Fast forward 16 years and she’s just as controversial as before. Love her or hate her, everyone in Seattle was talking about Courtney Love – she even made the cover of Seattle Weekly where her illustrated face had her injecting Botox into her lips using the Space Needle. A lot of Hole fans were there, judging by their 90′s era babydoll shirts, but most people wanted to see Love in order to witness the trainwreck first hand. I must admit, I was one of the latter.

Yet, that trainwreck didn’t happen. She took to the Main Stage at Memorial Stadium looking rather good, with a tiara on her head and a sleek black dress. She wasn’t as deathly skinny as she has been in recent years and her face looked pretty normal (then again, I wasn’t that up close). Of course, she was as loopy as ever (one only needs to hear about her unplugged media pre-show) but she performed surprisingly well. Hole is no longer the band it used to be – all of the original lineup is gone – but that didn’t stop Love from playing a rather tight set that spanned the spectrum of Hole’s career. “Violet” and “Malibu” sounded on-par and Love showed she could still scream and screech like a banshee, but at least it was in-tune, and at times sounded better than it had back in the day. Even if you didn’t think you knew a song, you’d find yourself screaming along to it anyway.

And she was personable, funny too. She put a lot of effort in getting the crowd to sing along, even during parts where there were no words (yeah, I’m not sure how that worked). During “Skinny Bitch”, Love ad-libbed “But I’m not (a Skinny Bitch). OK, well kind of. But I’m not the worst!”

There were some downfalls… I don’t have to go into the details of why her cover of Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy” was terrible. But Love did warn us “We suck at it. It’s awkward, charming at best.” Well, it was shoddy, brave at best – taking on a hometown hero probably didn’t put her in Seattle’s good books. On that note, the fact that she kept on referring to Seattle as “my hometown” did not go down well either with the audience. Every time the LA-based Love mentioned it, it prompted a flurry of “Oh, shut up. This ain’t your hometown. This is MY hometown” from people around me.

So, in a way Hole was disappointing in that you didn’t really get your trainwreck. On the plus side, it made for a fun and enjoyable set. I’m gonna steal a line from Ms. Love herself and say Hole was awkward, charming at best.

Weezer
Bumbershoot Main Stage, 9:15 p.m.

With Hole done, the Main Stage crowd that had amassed for her suddenly multiplied and pushed on forward. I was carried all the way to the rail, a prime spot for Weezer. I had heard from various people that Weezer didn’t put on the best live shows, but that didn’t really matter to me. I’d never seen them live before, despite being a big fan in high school, and they were probably the only band at Bumbershoot that were a “must see” in my eyes. So I didn’t really care if they sucked live or not, I figured it would be a good time anyway.

And a good time it was. Actually, it was a great time. In fact, it was the most fun I had at a concert in a very long time. Let’s first start with the crowd, shall we? There were a lot of folks there who, like me, had been into Weezer in the 90′s but to my surprise, the majority of the crowd were teenagers. Enthusiastic, hardcore teenage Weezer fans. If Rivers Cuomo was the MC, these kids definitely made the show a party. They were jumping up and down, singing along to every single word in every single song, they were crowd surfing like crazy – just waves and waves of them plopping over the barrier, then running past the stage with a huge smile on their face (and usually with just one shoe in hand). There was even a crowd surfer who couldn’t have been more than 11-years old – he got major props and high-faves from the security guards who plucked him out of the crowd. This audience gave me hope for today’s young people – they weren’t going to watch the band with crossed arms, talking on their phones or gazing at their shoes. They knew that concerts were supposed to be FUN.

Naturally, it helped that it was a Weezer concert, and contrary to all things I had been told, they did not suck live whatsoever. Cuomo was an energetic, tireless nerd machine who set the tone of the evening from the rocking energy of the first song “Hashpipe” all the way to the encore of “Buddy Holly”, which had the entire band joining Josh Freese on a drum solo. In the middle, they played just about every song I knew… “Pork and Beans”, “Beverly Hills”, “My Name is Jonas”, “Undone”, “Island in the Sun”, “Say it ain’t so”, “El Scorcho”, “Dope Nose”, “Troublemaker” and their new song “Memories” (well-received, by the way). Let’s not forget a surreal cover of MGMT’s “Kids” complete with an interjection of Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face”, which brought out the best sight of the evening: Rivers Cuomo in a blond wig.

And when he wasn’t dressed in drag, Cuomo could be found scaling the stage scaffolding, playing hide and seek with the giant banners, leaping into the crowd to shake people’s hands, climbing on top of a portable toilet and giving fans high fives, bringing a child on stage to sing, hugging his various bandmates (bassist Scott Shriner and guitarist/drummer Patrick Wilson got most of the bro love) and dodging the rolls of toilet paper, giant beach balls and rubber chickens (yes, rubber chickens) that were thrown on stage. All while sounding on top of his game and looking like he was having the time of his life.

I don’t know if these means a new direction for Weezer’s live shows or not since I only have this to base it on, but whatever they are doing, it’s working. It’s been a few days now and I’m still smiling while I type this.

Gallery by Karina Halle

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Monday, Sept 6th: Soggy and Subdued

The Whigs
Center Square Stage, 3:00 p.m.

Monday brought cold temperatures, wind and rain to the Seattle area, something that is usually expected but never welcomed. It definitely gave the last day of Bumbershoot a subdued, sad kind of feeling, though that probably had to do more with the fact that it was back to school for most kids the next day and that the onslaught of rain seemed to signal the official end of summer.

That said, there were still quite a few brave folks out there who weren’t going to miss out on their music and for me, I started with the Georgia band, The Whigs. They had been described as scrappy, Southern rock with an electrifying live show. I wouldn’t go as far as that, but they were fun to watch. The trio kept the soaked crowd moving and grooving, and they showed off their musical prowess by including a lot of piano-based songs like “Half the World Away”. There was nothing about them that stuck out in my mind, a lot of the guitar work was reminiscent of Better Then Ezra-era fuzz, but they were talented enough to garner your attention for the whole set, even in the rain.

Baroness
Center Square Stage, 4:45 p.m.

Swampy. Sludgy. Shoegazing. Aside from genre alliteration, Baroness are all these things and more. To put it simply, they rock. As a fan, I knew this going into their soggy set and as usual, they didn’t disappoint. There were some sound problems thanks to the rain shorting out a lot of the system, but they powered through with their tireless, raging mix of flying locks, intricate guitar riffs, madcap drumming and booming vocals.

The crowd wasn’t moving so much due to the weather and the fact that a lot of the time with Baroness, you just want to listen to the complex patterns and soaring crescendos. But by the end of their set, a sizable audience had gathered, many of them just passerbys who were intrigued by their progressive metal sound. Yes, I am probably biased with my admiration for this band but a lot of the journalists I had talked to about Baroness, ended up thanking me for my recommendation. These boys are going far.

Japandroids
Broad Street Stage, 5:45 p.m.

Japandroids are Vancouver’s hometown heroes, even though the band doesn’t actually get that much play in our fair city. Whatever the reasons though, they are getting more than enough hype elsewhere and the hype is pretty much all warranted.

They had been described to me as “a two-piece Sonic Youth” but I would beg to differ. Sure there was noise, but Japandroids had bounce and melody splashed all over the distorted angst and fuzz. These unassuming guys, singer/guitarist Brian King and drummer David Prowse, were stereotypically Canadian in their apparent humbleness and shy banter (“We’re from Vancouver. We’re really sorry we brought this weather with us”), but still rocked out the wet crowd with an interesting and varied set. They weren’t boring, they weren’t typical (though “Here’s Your Money Back” had the catchiest, pop-type tune) – they were welcome addition to Bumbershoot.

Plus, they were the only set I saw that had people flinging spinning tortillas into the crowd onto the stage.

Jenny & Johnny (ft. Jenny Lewis and Jonathan Rice)
Starbucks Stage, 6:45 p.m.

I caught a bit of Jenny & Johnny as I made my way out of Flatstock 2010 (the music poster expo that had tons of artists with their original work) and joined them at the Starbucks Stage. I hadn’t caught an act at this stage before and as you can tell by the name, this is the stage that sounds like you’re sitting in a coffee house, listening to soft cooing, warm vibes and a touch of spice.

Jenny & Johnny is compromised of real life couple Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiley) and Jonathan Rice . The duo’s collaboration is called I’m Having Fun Now and while I don’t know if anyone was having that much fun in the constant drizzle, it was pleasing set that attracted a variety of people from dance circle hippies to a guy dressed as a faded copper statue (I actually thought he was until I leaned against him). Lewis was a coy, charming personality that spread a little bit of light and joy across the huddled, pensive crowd.

Surfer Blood
Broad Street Stage, 7:30 p.m.

I had heard a lot about Surfer Blood. I was not expecting to see a bunch of 12-year olds on stage. I was also not expecting to be impressed by this band, and yet it happened. Now, I know they aren’t twelve but they do have that naive, youthful look about them that helps sell their Weezer-esque rock songs. They’ve said that the name Surfer Blood isn’t to be taken too literally in terms of their sound but at this show, I found it to be quite fitting. They had that happy, surf rock feel with a touch dark (and at times, wise) lyrics. Sounds like blood on a surfboard to me.

Wild Orchid Children
EMP Sky Church, 7:45 p.m.

As had been happening with a lot of bands this weekend, I was running again on recommendations. Someone told me to check out Wild Orchid Children, a Seattle-based band who apparently sounded  a lot like the Mars Volta. Now, maybe I could see that in the various percussionists the band seemed to posses, but that’s where all comparisons end. And I know it’s lazy to make comparisons to other bands, but for this band I can’t help it. During the whole set, I couldn’t help but think this was Rage Against the Machine meets Portugal The Man or something akin to that. The Rage bit comes from vocalist Kirk Huffman with an artfully draped American Flag on his stand, and biting vocals a la Zach de la Rocha. The Portugal bit comes from the psychedelic rock flavorings that the eight-piece band brought forth with a mix of funk and thump.

I think the show might have been more enjoyable had the crowd inside the EMP Sky Church not been so thin (it was raining outside, so you would have thought there would have been more people inside the only indoor venue) and so dead. But it was Monday night and though the Children tried their best to be Wild, the audience could only handle so much. I’d like to see this band in another setting, on another day and see how my perspective changes.

The Thermals
Broad Street Stage, 9:15 p.m.

The piece de resistance for Bumbershoot was Portland indie band, The Thermals. Their name sounds warm and fuzzy but this trio knows how to rock. No-fi, neo-grunge, post-power-pop, alternative punk – whatever you want to call it, it probably falls into The Thermals repertoire. You would have thought that being one of the last bands to close out Bumbershoot, or at least the Broad Street Stage, in the rain would have equaled a sparse crowd, but people were here to see them and say goodbye to the festival in style. The band was cynical, catchy and smart. There was a dance party in the crowd, an encore of “My Name is Jonas” and a feeling of never wanting the set to end.

But like all festivals, Bumbershoot did have to come to an end. And even though it ended on a soggy note, the relaxed, friendly festival brought a bit sunshine to everyone’s ears.

Gallery by Karina Halle

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Oddly, part of the festival’s success may be related to North Coast finding a niche as a festival that is easy to hate. I had the following conversation with a friend while listening to Pretty Lights on Friday night.

Mike Denslow: “Do you think the festival will be back next year?”

Friend: “No.”

Mike Denslow: “Really?  Look how many people are here!”

Friend: “Yeah…but….fuck this.”

North Coast made its name by raiding the marginalized genres that people love to hate and other festivals love to avoid; the lineup was packed with noodling jam bands, untzy DJ’s, and everyone’s favorite red-headed stepdaughter, rap. With Pitchfork completely out of the jam band scene and Lollapalooza’s bizarre hip-hop phobia, North Coast had free reign to pick a lineup made of these genres. The beauty for North Coast is that music that inspires such feelings of hatred tends to inspire equally strong feelings in those who love it. Plus, the eccentric lineup drew people such as my aforementioned friend who weren’t crazy about the lineup as a whole, but were able to find just enough appealing acts to justify purchasing a ticket.

So gather your glowsticks, your face paint, and your moccasins, kids, because after a weekend of weird and wild sound waves (not to mention the people-watching), we’d like to hope that North Coast will be back for round two.

Friday, September 3rd

Paul Kalkbrenner
Groupon Stage, 5:30 p.m.

Photo by Graham Sher

Paul Kalkbrenner, as one of the first acts of the weekend, was an appropriate opening soundtrack to North Coast. People were still filtering in as Kalkbrenner started his set, and his mix of mellow electronica provided a comfortable background for low key dancing and high quality people-watching. His light show colored the smoke machine’s output yellow and pink before both the smoke and the music were carried away by the brisk Chicago wind. The highlights of Kalkbrenner’s set came when he began ad-libbing to kill time while waiting for a delayed Paul Van Dyk. Kalkbrenner mixed a flute-driven track with a call-back number, and later set Gary Jules’ “Mad World” to a club beat, much to the delight of the audience. -Megan Ritt

Paul Van Dyk
North Stage, 6:30 p.m.

The first glitch of the festival occurred when German DJ Paul Van Dyk’s set began half an hour late. After apologizing to the crowd – apparently there were some problems at immigration – he did not waste any time making use of the half hour he had left, working off some high energy that kept the crowd moving. Success. -Michael Denslow

Photo by Brad Bretz

Pretty Lights
Groupon Stage, 7:30 p.m.

After Van Dyk’s abbreviated set, the audience was ready for something more substantial, and they got it when Pretty Lights took the stage. Playing with a live drummer, which added considerable energy to the set, Pretty Lights’ Derek Vincent Smith laid down a set of quick and fun party jams that had the crowd climbing on top of equipment and flailing inflatable animals in the air. There wasn’t a lot of tempo contrast in this set, but let it be said: Pretty Lights never slowed down. As they played, the initial crowd rush attracted more and more people until by the end, it was too packed to move. And living up to their name, pink and blue spotlights flooded the whole main stage area with color. There’s nothing like a compulsive dance party to really get things going. -Megan Ritt

The Chemical Brothers
North Stage, 8:30 p.m.

The Pretty Lights crowd rushed to the right-hand stage as that band finished their set; the Chemical Brothers were that night’s headliner, and they launched their sensory assault right on time. A slow bass beat filled the air, gradually increasing in tempo and driving the crowd into a near frenzy, and when the beat opened up into popular single “Galvanize”, the whole place reached fever pitch. Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons lived up to their billing by playing one of the best sets of the weekend, mixing old favorites with new songs off their latest effort, Further. The sun set completely during their set, but the light show came up to take its place. Their custom screen backdrop displayed marching robots, swirling humans finding and losing one another again and again, and psychedelic green swirls that reached out long laser lines over the heads of the audience, involving even those farthest from the stage.

Photo by Brad Bretz

Highlights of the set included new songs “Horse Power” (with accompanying horse visuals, naturally), “Swoon”, and “Escape Velocity”. The crowd proved themselves devoted fans and were well pleased by older favorites “Hey Boy Hey Girl” and “Out of Control”. People danced almost involuntarily, as the deafening music and dazzling lights took over control duty from the nervous system. The Brothers Chemical closed things down by reminding us why they were headliners: They rock at dance music, but they also do transcendent beauty like no one else in their game. Towards the end, they brought in “K+D+B” and its floating, ethereal layers. As the lyrics built “higher, and higher, and higher…”, a beautiful visualization like one thousand white birds or like flurries of snow against a stark black background filled the screen, floating higher and higher itself, up into the night sky, disappearing somewhere over the Chicago skyline. -Megan Ritt

Saturday, September 4th

Laidback Luke
Coast Stage, 3:45 p.m.

Photo by Graham Sher

Laidback Luke was the surprise star of the weekend; I honestly caught his set only because I wanted to find the Coast Stage. But the DJ threw down an amazingly fun, easily accessible afternoon set in the welcome shade of a leafy corner of the park. He might not have had a unique sound, but he hand-mixed a lot of his set and clearly had a great time doing it. Just listen to this guy mix in samples ranging from Daft Punk to The White Stripes to Guns N’ Roses, and try not to dance — I dare you. -Megan Ritt

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
North Stage, 4:30 p.m.

After a lot of dance party, people were ready to take a breather, and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals provided just such an opportunity. They had a great summery sound, colored a whiskey hue by plenty of guitar, and perfect for sprawling out on a blanket and sipping beer, which the audience did with abandon. Grace Potter’s got a fearless, throaty voice, best displayed on their cover of Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit”. -Megan Ritt

Photo by Brad Bretz

Future Rock
Coast Stage, 6:30 p.m.

Future Rock… not so much futuristic, not so much rock. The local band played decent electronic music, including one piece featuring a lot of high-pitched synth runs, and the crowd seemed to enjoy themselves a fair amount. Nevertheless, Future Rock somehow managed to be interesting but not particularly exciting. A bit more energy would’ve helped them out of the late-afternoon slump. -Megan Ritt

Jay Electronica
North Stage, 6:30 p.m.

One of the big stories floating around the festival Saturday was that up-and-coming New Orleans MC Jay Electronica came into the crowd and got in a fight with a fan while opening for the Disco Biscuits at a Friday after show. If there were any hard feelings between Jay and the festival crowd though, nobody let on Saturday evening. The rapper opened his stage to dozens of fans (mostly twenty-something white males) and then shielded them from the security guards trying to pull them off. He alternated between socially conscious rhetoric and crass jokes about choking during sex. He covered a verse of Nas’ “The World is Yours”. He turned the mic over to eager wannabe MC’s. As usual, Jay Electronica’s set was light on his own material, but he’s positioning himself nicely as rap’s royal goofus. And that’s not a bad thing for a genre that used to be fun. -Michael Denslow

De La Soul
Groupon Stage, 7:30 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

The shelf life of a rap group is generally a fraction of that of other genres. Don’t tell that to De La Soul. One of the legendary cornerstones of the Native Tongues crew, they have somehow managed to find ways to stay fresh over the past two decades.  While they may not be making huge commercial waves with their more recent output, they still remain much more relevant than any of their late 80’s contemporaries. Their North Coast performance was an hour-long celebration of everything a great hip-hop show should be: sparkling crowd interaction, big smiles, and hits for days. From classic 3 Feet High and Rising cuts like “Me Myself and I” and “Potholes in My Lawn” to the bafflingly awesome late career highlight “Rock Co.Kane Flow”, De La had their daisy loving fans and curious newcomers in the palm of their hands. The highlight of the set – of the weekend – came when Dres from Black Sheep joined them on stage for a rousing version of “The Choice is Yours”. The crew put the crowd in hysterics, re-starting the “engine, engine, number ninth” verse multiple times, with each false start getting a more rousing reaction until the entire crowd was yelling and jumping in ecstasy.  Bananas. -Michael Denslow

Boys Noize
Coast Stage, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday was a great night to be an electronic fan, and Boys Noize kicked things off in high style. He hid behind his deck at first, raising only a mystery hand to tweak the mixing board, until the music built to a crescendo and he popped to his feet, further igniting the crowd’s enthusiasm. His music was scratchy, technical electronic, a little harder to access than some but straight to the point and better for it. He improvised a lot of effects as he went and kept the crowd in the palm of his hand with the judicious dropping of big, heavy beats. Highlights of his set included “Jeffer”, “Lava Lava”, “Transmission”, and his remix of Feist’s “My Moon My Man”. Boys Noize kept things going steady until 9pm, when he shook hands with Moby and handed off the deck, without so much as a hiccup in the beats. -Megan Ritt

Photo by Brad Bretz

Umphrey’s McGee
North Stage, 8:30 p.m.

Photo by Graham Sher

I’m not going to lie: I wasn’t particularly looking forward to Umphrey’s McGee. All I knew was that they were a major jam band, and I’m definitely over that phase of my life. But I left the Fest that night impressed anyway: Umphrey’s brought their A-game and managed to satisfy both jam fans and the general crowd (those who weren’t over at the Coast Stage having their eardrums rearranged by Moby, anyway). They played the expected spaced-out jam session, sure, but there was enough crunchy, driven guitar in the mix to interest even a cynic like me. Their light show was a truly striking blend of every color imaginable, with spotlights circling all ’round the stage and creating a strong psychedelic effect. Their set ended up being improv jams mixed with good-natured rock ‘n’ roll and surprisingly technical instrumentation. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’d totally see them again. -Megan Ritt

Moby
Coast Stage, 9:00 p.m.

One aspect festival organizers may want to reevaluate going into next year is the stage setup. Four stages and a decidedly top-heavy lineup had tiny acts like The Coop playing to sparse early-afternoon crowds on the main stages while some of the festival’s biggest names were banished to the cramped confines of the Coast Stage. There was a time around the turn-of-the-millennium when Moby was the biggest crossover name of his genre and, while he is no longer the household name he once was, he still packed the area with a mix of hard-core fans, curious attendees familiar with his commercial output, and anti-jammies who just wanted some bass to drown out Umphrey’s McGee.

Photo by Brad Bretz

The result was a large crowd that would probably have been better off at one of the main stages, even for a stripped down DJ set. On the other hand, the diminutive DJ turned the cozy Coast Stage into a glorious wonderland of weird. At one point I looked around and saw a girl in pink fishnets and furry boots attracting a crowd by hula hooping, two boys deep throating lollypops, and people dressed in all variations of Green Man. And while any of these things alone would have gotten half a glance before being written off as a festival cliché, the whole ensemble set to Moby’s soundtrack made for a surreally goofy (and enjoyable) ending to the day. -Michael Denslow

Sunday September 5

The Coop / Prob Cause / D.E.E.
North Stage / Coast Stage / Red Bull Local Stage, not 1:00 p.m.

One of the problems with doing lots of drugs is that sometimes you have a hard time getting up and getting things done in the morning. This could explain the fact that the handful of people who arrived when the gates opened Sunday was greeted by over 90 minutes of eerie silence. Not even a canned recording was heard. And at 1:00 p.m., the time when three stages were set to begin, the silence continued. And continued. Not until about 1:40 was music heard on any of the stages. Two attendees I talked to claimed they spent their first 30 minutes in the park walking circles between the stages looking for any sign of activity on any of them. When the music did finally begin, it was only a slight improvement. Prob Cause – a contest winner awarded a spot on the lineup – delivered a game but sloppy rap set. The Coop awarded their fans patience with a painfully short set. The less said about whatever was going on at the Local Stage the better. -Michael Denslow

Photo by Graham Sher

Phantogram
North Stage, 2:30 p.m.

On a very comfortable weekend of weather, Phantogram just happened to play the one hour that was actually a little hot. It’s nobody’s fault, but they may have been the act on the lineup least ideal for a heat-of-the-day set. (In fact, now that I think about it, they would have been a perfect act to close out the Coast Stage.) That said, the duo made the most of it, delivering a full hour of electronic rock that was both danceable and adorable. -Michael Denslow

Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Groupon Stage, 3:30 p.m.

Photo by Graham Sher

On a lineup heavy on electronic bells and whistles, New Orleans’ Dirty Dozen Brass Band stood out for their raw simplicity.  They didn’t mess around, tearing through classics like “When the Saints Go Marching In” (integrated with chants of “Who Dat?”) and “My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now”. The crowd ate it up. -Michael Denslow

Benny Benassi
Coast Stage, 4:15 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

Benny Benassi had a lot of his set pre-arranged on his computers, but he didn’t let the free time go to waste. He spent it instead taking crowd photos on his own camera and autographing stray beach balls before punting them back out into the masses. What he lacked in improv he made up for in fun, playing his club hit “Satisfaction” and allowing the crowd to fill in vocals on a remix of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Other Side”. He closed his set with a surprisingly ethereal remix of U2′s “Where the Streets Have No Name” before grinning and holding up a laptop screen reading “THANKS YOU ALL CHICAGO.” Benassi is clearly a man with job, ahem– satisfaction. -Megan Ritt

Mayer Hawthorne & The County
Groupon Stage, 5:30 p.m.

Photo by Graham Sher

Mayer Hawthorne & The County was everything that I expected: classy, soulful, dressed in dapper suits. What they also were, though, was just plain cool. It takes a certain panache to wear a full suit on stage at a jam and hip-hop festival, and it earned them a measure of respect from the crowd. They repaid that in spades with an easily danceable, chilled-out big-band sound. Mayer Hawthorne himself swung about a tambourine and smooth-talked the crowd between songs. A little late afternoon Blues Brothers style was the perfect happy hour diversion for the Windy City. -Megan Ritt

Flying Lotus
North Stage, 6:30 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

One of North Coast’s apparent strategies to success in the overpopulated Chicago festival scene was to set itself up as a sort of anti-Pitchfork by avoiding the blog-hyped bands that dominate the other local fests. While this is probably a decent strategy (who wants a third identical festival?) they may want to look at adding at least a few more of these acts next year. Sometime shortly before Flying Lotus took the stage, Union Park decided to get slam packed. The DJ did not disappoint, keeping the party rocking with a full hour of hippie-tested, hipster-approved beats, touching on everything from Portishead to Radiohead. -Michael Denslow

Lupe Fiasco
Groupon Stage, 7:30 p.m.

Photo by Graham Sher

In the short time Lupe Fiasco has been on the national rap radar, his live show has morphed into something of a monster. Four years ago he skated onto the stage at Union Park’s Intonation Festival full of boundless energy and excitement over his upcoming debut album. Since then he has played Chicago countless times, with each show seemingly more gimmicky than the previous one. Sunday’s show was a bloated mess full of pretty lights, roaring guitars, and altogether too much new(ish) material. While there is nothing wrong with any of this, it just all sort of fits Lupe awkwardly. He is a mid-tier rapper whose live show increasingly feels like it is meant for arenas. But perhaps the most striking fact about his show was that it stood in such sharp contrast to De La Soul’s bare bones set the night before. I am no rap purist, but De La’s two turntable, three mic set was a demonstration to the uninitiated festival masses of what pure, raw, live hip-hop sounds and feel likes. Lupe’s set, on the other hand, felt like hip-hop dressed up as something else in order to appeal to the tastes of the uninitiated. And that’s fine…there is certainly a time and place for a big budget, heavily produced rap show. I’m just not certain that Lupe Fiasco is the right person for that gig. -Michael Denslow

Nas/Damian Marley
North Stage, 8:30 p.m.

Speaking of hip-hop dressed up as something it is not…

I’m not opposed to the whole Distant Relatives project. The music is good enough, and Nas should get some credit for finding ways to stay relevant and creative as he approaches 20 years in the game. I’m sure the hippies and the trustafarians had a great time at this set, but for the rest of us – and particularly rap fans – it sort of left the festival on a bit of a fizzle. Bottom line: too much reggae not enough Nas. Illmatic, perhaps the greatest rap album of all time, was a no show on the setlist. So was the emotionally charged live staple “One Mic”. Even the musical high points – “If I Ruled the World”, “Made You Look” – came off swampy and overwhelmed by all the live instrumentation and flag waving. It was all an entertaining visual display, but a bit of a disappointing turn for a rapper who holds down an empty stage better than anyone I have ever seen.

Photo by Graham Sher

It stands to reason that when two artists as disparate as Nas and Damian Marley team up the persona of one will swallow the other. It’s unfortunate that in this case the more musically ambitious and creative mind of Nas is stifled. For what it’s worth, Marley, much more in his element than Nas, came off loose and relaxed. “Welcome to Jam Rock” was a highlight that got the crowd moving more than any of the Nas songs.

The duo closed out the festival performing their original collaboration, “Road to Zion”. -Michael Denslow

Photography by Brad Bretz and Graham Sher. Feature photo by Brad Bretz.
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Gallery by Brad Bretz

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Gallery by Graham Sher

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50 Cent has started a little something with a survivor of that era, the ex-Biggie sidekick formerly known as Puffy. And as usual in 2010, the beef has been launched through Twitter. According to HipHopDX, 50 has begun a petition blasting the Bad Boy CEO over exploiting his fallen friend The Notorious B.I.G. The full text reads:

Enough is enough, Biggie’s name should never have become Diddy’s Black Card. Just check out his latest video “The Ghost of Christopher Wallace” http://www.bit.ly/jay-diddy Let Diddy know to let B.I.G. rest in peace. When was the last time Diddy really was “biggin up his brother,” not biggin up his bank?

The petition is called “R.I.P. Biggie – Stop @iamDiddy” and has garnered 1,204 signatures so far. If that doesn’t seem like a lot, it’s probably because people figured out by 1999 that Diddy was going to milk this for all it was worth. Where’s the petition to stop releasing bastardized versions of 2Pac recordings?

In case you’re curious, Jay Electronica’s song “The Ghost of Christopher Wallace” is streaming below.

As I pointed out in last week’s review, Mos Def has a knack for broadening the horizons of the often insulated hip-hop world, be it through exploring the rock ‘n’ roll roots of the movement, as he did on his first album, or through showcasing the globalization that is about to take the genre by storm, as he did on The Ecstatic. Last week’s commenter proves that Mos can be equally effective at the reverse, introducing hip-hop to a general populace that is often unresponsive to an art form it sees as immoral or crass. He points out that there is more to this genre than a quick scan of Top 40 radio would lead a listener to believe.

The show Mos Def put on at Chicago’s House of Blues on Sunday night almost felt more like a hip-hop history lesson than a concert. While most rap songs are built on samples and elements of a variety of musical genres, Mos took the concept to the next level, letting the original soul and R&B tracks ride out while he sang along or just danced around the stage. At one point he fiddled around with Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” (one of several MJ songs that played over the course of the evening) for what seemed like twenty minutes, transitioning from the line, “She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one”, into “U R the One”, his own high school-poetry sounding track from 2006′s dismal career misstep, Tru3 Magic, before meandering back into “Billie Jean”.

This tour is being billed as The Ecstatic tour, and, true to its name, Mos performed the majority of the album. The songs, challenging as they may be at times, translated well to the live environment. The notably easy-going audience responded positively, even though Mos shied away from most of the older stuff.  Still, he found the time to touch on a couple Black Star songs, “Definition” (see below) and “Respiration”, rapping Talib Kweli’s lines along with his own.

But while the set was intriguing and showcased the artist’s respect for the history of the culture, it also suffered from some very questionable flaws. Mos’ jukebox routine brought to mind another legendary live act, The Roots. But where the latter put on full band jam sessions, Mos elected to simply go with two DJ’s. This is certainly an acceptable format, and is indeed the basis of the genre, but when the artist on stage only works a few of his own songs into the second half of his nearly two hour set — a marathon by rap standards — the audience starts to wonder who exactly they paid to see perform. After what could best be described as an aimless wandering through his diverse record collection — which I feel obligated to report included John Denver’s “Leaving On A Jet Plane” — he kicked it up a notch with fan favorite “Umi Says” off his excellent debut, Black On Both Sides. Unfortunately, this would turn out to be the only time he ventured into that album.  After rambling around for a few more minutes he left without playing staples like “Hip Hop” and “Ms. Fat Booty”.

While his performance was anything but a typical hip-hop show, in an odd sort of way it was one of the more traditional shows I’ve ever seen. Mos Def’s performance recalled a day when the show was about the DJ and the emcee served primarily as a hype man. But what would be fitting in a city park or on a street corner, or even in a modern day club, falls apart a little bit at an expensive concert where the artist holding the microphone, at least judging by what it says on my ticket stub, is the main event. Still, the sold out crowd at the House of Blues didn’t seem to mind, eating up the routine and setting the floor on fire. So who am I to judge?

New Orleans rapper/producer Jay Electronica opened. He talked nearly as much as he rapped, which was okay because he had some of the more entertaining stage banter I’ve heard this summer, from referring to North Siders as suburbanites to the ludicrous claim (that he’ll never have to back up) that he would take Jay-Z and Lil Wayne in a rap battle. I’m starting to see what Erykah Badu sees in the charismatic rapper.

All in all it was an interesting evening. Mos was equal parts enchanting, weird and funny. He was at times brilliant, more often irritating. He carried himself with the swagger of a rapper, the soul of a musician, and the eccentricity of an actor. It was a strange show, but in the end it was not an unpleasant one. If nothing else, rap could use more artists willing to break the mold of a typical rap concert.

Mos Def – “What It Is” (Live @ the House of Blues)