A Trak Presents: “Gangsta Breaks” LP
Ok, ok… for all you electro-blog-addicted people, don’t freak out, A Trak did not just release a new LP that you were not aware of, I know, that would suck not to be up with the times. Anyways, not too long ago I came across this in a record store in Downtown LA and, as you guys can imagine, my first thought was that this was some kind of joke, or at least a very humorous coincidence. Well, I picked up the record and read a couple of times those big golden letters, yeah… the name was spelled exactly the same. Plus, the graphic looked particularly similar to A Trak‘s (the one that I know, the DJ World Champion, Kanye West’s A Trak, Duck Sauce’s A Trak), but still, that wasn’t enough fo1r me, all I could think was “shit…everybody likes gold and flashy diamonds.. again, this must be just a coincidence.” Also, the title just couldn’t do it for me… come on: “Gangsta Breaks”??? Gangsta Breaks”? Really? Yeah, couldn’t be the A Trak I know, he wouldn’t come up with such a title. No, not in a million years. Not even if drunk, or high… or both, at the same time. It’s just too bad, both if taken seriously or as a joke, it doesn’t work. I did not see any physical similarity between the two A Trak’s either, at least not enough to convince me that they were the same person, just, at a different age. No, it was impossible, and, I mean… look at those fucking police cars, the Photoshopped bullet holes, and smoke, and helicopters, and fake tattoos. “No”, i thought, “that’s impossible, this must be Mac Miller’s dad or something, can’t be A Trak, no fucking way it’s A Trak”. There was one last thing though, that I noticed, that confirmed all of my fears: this A Trak was wearing Canadian boxers. “Damn, those boxers….. yeah, it’s him. For sure. Damn”
A Trak’s first LP, “Gangsta Breaks” is a small collection of hip hop inspired beats and, unlike its cover, it did not disappoint. Beats have a 90s vibe along with some funk and techno influences, so, if you’re into that, don’t sleep on this record (even though it’s been 10 years already anyways). Here, have a listen:
You can also buy a physical copy right here.
– LetsKillAndre
Company Flow
The OG Supreme sporters.
Company Flow is a Brooklyn based rap group that started in 1993 consisting of members: EL-P, Mr. Len, and later Bigg Jus. The three signed to Rawkus Records and released their first full album “Funcrusher Plus” in 1997. The group toured for a while until Bigg Jus decided to go off and see where is solo career went. El-P and Mr. Len released an instrumental album later titled: “Little Johnny from the Hospitul”. Afterwards the group pretty much fell apart, however, recently there has been rumors of a reunion and possibly another album. Funcrusher Plus is a fucking revolutionary rap album and Company Flow is a fresh ass rap group and so for those of you that have not heard of them you need to at least listen to these two songs from Funcrusher Plus:
8 Steps to Perfection
Blind
so. fucking. ill.
-Hard Denim Jeans
America in Color: 1939-1943
While bumming around on the internet the other day I came across this great collection of color photos from the early to mid 1900s. While this sounds far from exciting they are actually pretty cool, and they’re also some of the only color photos from that era. There’s a huge collection of them but I narrowed it down to the choice ones for you guys. Enjoy:
Here’s a barker at a fair. Wrestling bears and giant snakes? Sounds much more exciting than the vomit filled Gravitrons and five dollar hotdogs.
Children gathering potatoes. The kid on the right looks like he hates potatoes with a fiery passion. Or he’s just a crybaby.
PBR keeping it real above some train yards.
This is Mrs. Viola Sievers cleaning a massive locomotive with some hot steam. She looks like she would be a worthy opponent of the wrestling bear from the first picture.
A gathering of carnival sluts.
Some more sluts.
A group of people saying grace before a barbeque dinner at a carnival in Pie Town, New Mexico.
Easily the best picture from the collection. This is a worker at a carbon black plant. If his lungs were still functioning after his time at the plant then for sure the unfiltered cigarettes he was smoking finished the job.
If you’re interested in seeing some more, you can find more HERE.
-therapist
NVRMND Old Time Reminiscing: Johnny Cash
I’d like to think that I am pretty open to all genres of music. All genres expect for country. I don’t know what it is about country music, but it just doesn’t hit my ear right. The one exception to my aversion for the genre would have to be Johnny Cash. He is the fucking man. Period. It’s a shame that he’s dead, but at least he had quite a thrill filled life. He’s done everything from being a drug addict to starting a forest fire. In fact, after his truck caught on fire due to an “overheated wheel bearing” the resulting fire ended up burning about 508 acres of the Los Padres National Forest. It also burned and killed 49 out of the refuge’s 53 endangered condors. Cash was pretty cavalier about the whole “killing an endangered species” situation, and is quoted as saying “I don’t care about your damn yellow buzzards.”
He had quite an extensive career. I mean, he started in 1954 and kept playing until he died in 2003. Not as many people can stay in the lime light that long and still produce great music. I mean, look at one of his early songs, like “Cocaine Blues” from his album ‘Love, God, Murder’:
Now compare it to “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” from one of his last albums, ‘America V: A Hundred Highways’:
They are so vastly different, and they showcase Cash’s ability to grow and alter his style while still staying true to his country roots.
Aside from making tons of classics of his own he is also responsible for some excellent covers, such as Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” and Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt”.
“Hurt” has a pretty solid music video accompanying it, displaying Cash’s feelings of regret and dissatisfaction with events from his past. He worked on it for quite a while with record producer and Columbia Records co-president Rick Ruben. Ruben has worked with such names as The Beastie Boys, Run DMC, Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, etc. Without him this song would not have happened, and seriously, it’s a great video and a great song. Check it out:
While we’re on the topic of great covers and Johnny Cash, Wyclef Jean from the legendary rap group ‘The Fugees’ does a great cover Cash’s song “Delia’s Gone”. Real talk, Johnny Cash has been covered many, many, times by multiple people, and this is hands down the best cover out of any Johnny Cash song. If you’re only going to watch only one of the videos I post, let it be this one:
RIP Johnny Cash.
-AK9/11
NVRMND Old Time Reminiscing: Tom Waits
We’ve got another great classic for you guys today; Tom Waits preforming Jockey Full of Bourbon. Now, if you haven’t heard Tom Waits before, be warned, to some he is considered an acquired taste. However, us folks at the NvrMnd blog simply love him. Not only does he have a very unique style of singing and creating music, he’s also a talented actor, appearing in movies like Wristcutters: A Love Story, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, and his work on the ever popular Fight Club. Here’s the song:
-owk
NVRMND Old Time Reminiscing: Bob Dylan – Subterranean Homesick Blues
Here’s one of NVRMND’s agendas. NVRMND Old Time Reminiscing is dedicated to everything that was produced, shot, drawn back in the day, back when are parents were cool (or at least trying), back when they were youngsters and did tons of drugs, back when when MJ was White, back when John Travolta could still rock the dance floor….
Today’s video “Subterranean Homesick Blues” by Bob Dylan. Proof that you can still produce a great music video without the use of technology.
– NvrMndWhoCreatedYou
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