Music Report

In advance of the Music Report’s fact finding mission to the Caribbean, this week’s edition is respectfully submitted with island undertones.

17 North Parade is an imprint of VP Records launched in 2007, its name paying homage to the address of Randy’s Record Mart, Kingston’s music mecca during the 1960’s and 1970’s. 17NP’s offerings consist primarily of anthologies that collect reggae and dancehall classics from artists that extend beyond even the most distant Marley family member e.g. Wayne Wonder, the Mighty Diamonds, Buju Banton and so on.
http://www.17northparade.com

Esau Mwamwaya is not from the Caribbean, he hails from Malawi, but the Music Report ceased the study of geography after the 7th grade. Sometimes called “the African Phil Collins,” Mwamwaya was fortunate enough to be discovered by the production duo Radioclit as his junk shop wasn’t providing the income necessary to purchase the additional vowel he longed to introduce to his last name. Esau’s tunes blend traditional tribal percussion and African vocals with newfangled, yet rudimentary, electronic sounds.
http://www.myspace.com/esaumwamwaya

The Report prefers to include good looking artists each week. Listeners may never see a given singer or tambourinist but I suspect they sleep better knowing they could meet him/her without incident. Unfortunately, Adele doesn’t meet that criterion. On the plus side, she does have a voice reminiscent of Dusty Springfield, and is playing 2 nights at the Highline Ballroom in June after the 1st show sold out. Hailed by some as the next Amy Winehouse after her album 19 rose to #1 in the UK and went platinum in a month, Adele’s sound is truly more Etta James than Motown.
http://adele.tv/

S.O.B.’s on Varick St. stands as a venerable stepping stone for ready-to-break hip hop acts. Continuing that trend is the appearance there of Kidz in the Hall on Saturday for the release of their second album The In Crowd. The University of Pennsylvania-educated duo consists of MC Naledge and DJ/Producer/2004 Olympian Double-0. These Kidz’ sonic resemblance to The Cool Kids may not be coincidental as Naledge likewise grew up on Chicago’s Southside. Kidz in the Hall play NYC again June 4 as part of the Paid Dues tour at Nokia Theater.
http://www.myspace.com/kidzinthehall

Representing the Research Triangle, we’ve got Kooley High. KH is a five-piece hip hop outfit, three MCs and two producers, formed during their stays at NC State University. The music is lighthearted thematically yet soulful in its sound. This is hip hop by and for lovers of hip hop, fame, fortune, posturing and politics aside. Some songs might even be characterized as Pop, à la Black Eyed Peas, if they fit better into the commercial mold for radio play with the addition of an infectious hook. Kooley High has had no small benefit in the mentorship of local-boy-making-good 9th Wonder, whose handiwork can be heard on both The Summer Sessions EP, available on iTunes, and the gratis mixtape Raleigh’s Finest.
http://www.myspace.com/KooleyHigh
http://www.inflowential.com/raleighsfinest/

Let us conclude with a fun video from Madvillian, for the track “All Caps,” which takes the viewer through a living comic book, Sea Monkeys ad and all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewc1hixzYPY