Check it out at Thesoundculture.com or thru iTunes. Grab all the tracks to go below and after the jump!
1.
Timonkey
“Daytime Melts” (mp3)
from “Astral Traveler”
(Muti Music)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album
2.
Easy Star All-Stars
“One Likkle Draw (Feat. Junior Jazz and Daddy Lion Chandell)” (mp3)
from “First Light”
(Easy Star Records)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album
Baba Zula
“Komsu” (mp3)
from “Gecekondu”
(Doublemoon Records)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album
Girls Names
“Bury Me” (mp3)
from “Dead To Me”
(Slumberland Records)
Easy Star All-Stars
“First Light (Ramblin’ Fever)” (mp3)
from “First Light”
(Easy Star Records)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album
This year’s iTunes Rewind lists are out and we’re very happy to report there’s a bunch of our favorite artists from the catalog included. Here’s a list by categories:
iTunes US:
Alternative:
Best New Alternative Artist: Wild Nothing – Gemini [Captured Tracks]
Classical:
-Estonian Philharmonic – Baltic Runes [Harmonia Mundi]
-Boston Modern Orchestra Project: Steven Mackey: Dreamhouse [BMOP/sound]
-Danny Driver – Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Keyboard Sonatas [Hyperion]
-Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 3&4 [RCO Live]
Electronic:
-Matthew Dear – Black City [Ghostly International]
-Gold Panda – Lucky Shiner [Ghostly International]
-Darkstar – North [Hyperdub]
By: Elijah Carroll
In its 15 year history, New York City’s Easy Star Records has produced three of the best-selling and trendsetting reggae albums of the decade – the Easy Star All-Stars’ Dub Side of the Moon, Radiodread and Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band – while building an international brand that has come to signify quality and class. Always embracing the ever-changing musical landscape artistically as well as technologically Easy Star has maximized the digital side of it’s business through embracing these changes and a long standing relationship with IODA.
The independent label has created an impressive body of work that includes those above-mentioned in-house productions, along with progressive recordings from envelope-pushing acts like John Brown’s Body, The Black Seeds, Tommy T and Ticklah; reissues of classic reggae from the vaults of Sugar Minott and Linval Thompson; new music from reggae legends The Meditations and Sister Carol; and collaborations with international reggae stars like Matisyahu, Luciano, Anthony B and Morgan Heritage.
Easy Star has steadily built a scene that extends in many directions, following any path where reggae leads, bringing together young producers and musicians, reggae stars, and even artists outside the genre who have been influenced by Jamaican music, like Citizen Cope and blues musician/musicologist Corey Harris. Now Easy Star moves forward with the newest member of the Easy Star family Cas Haley who’s LP Connection drops September 14th. For Easy Star Connection continues an evolution of the company. “We have been stretching further from being strictly a roots-reggae-only label for a while, with progressive bands and artists like John Brown’s Body, Tommy T and The Black Seeds on the roster,” says Easy Star CEO Eric Smith. “Cas’s sound is unique, accessible, and a great way to keep expanding the Easy Star audience. And it’s not often we come across a singer-songwriter this talented, regardless of genre, so we had to work with Cas.” The label’s musical director, Michael Goldwasser, remixed a version of the single “Better” in a hardcore roots reggae style, which is being included as a bonus track.
I had the good fortune of conducting a brief Q & A session with Eric Smith and Lem Oppenheimer, Easy Star’s CEO & COO respectively.
EC: What was the initial motivation for Easy Star All-Stars covering popular rock albums?
ES & LO: “We had been searching for ways to bring reggae to a larger audience without losing the true sound or essence of the music. In our opinion, the songs and albums that crossed over had tended to water down the music or get lost in translation. At the time, we had those thoughts rattling around our heads as a label, so when we had the idea that Dark Side might translate well into reggae, it all clicked. We felt like Dub Side of the Moon gave us a chance to reach out both to rock fans and to reggae fans and that we could be as hardcore reggae as we wanted and still succeed with the project. Once it worked, we wanted to try it again, because it was a fun project, so we turned to Radiohead and the Beatles.”
EC: Easy-Star All Stars have managed to stay on the Reggae charts for an amazingly long time. How has the Digital music business helped Easy Star maintain a chart presence for so long?
ES & LO: “We always looked at the Digital music business as an important part of our label. We were one of the first reggae labels to have an interactive website back in 1996 when the online music community was very small and we got involved in digital distribution early on, partnering up with IODA back in October of 2004. This digital retail and marketing helped level the playing field for us. Without being held back by many of the financial obstacles indie labels have had in the physical market, we were able to build our brand more effectively. This has been a key factor in helping the Easy Star All-Stars connect to their global audience. Touring for the band in Russia, South America, the Middle East and other places may never have happened without the spread of our music online.”
EC: How has embracing the changing trends in music and the music business helped Easy Star succeed in a time where so many labels are facing trouble?
ES & LO: “From the beginning, it has been about building loyalty from our fans in the Easy Star brand by investing a lot of time and energy into the music we put out. Our preference is to release a small amount of music that has a long shelf life and does not depend on quick sales out of the gate. We have been very careful to sign artists that complement this model. Also, most of our artists are strong touring acts as well, which is critical to marketing right now. All of these factors have allowed us to manage the current challenges in the business.”
Grab some great free tracks after the jump including songs from Cas Haley and the Easy Star All-Stars: (more…)
By: Michael Madavi
Artist: Easy Star All-Stars
Title: Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band
Label: Easy Star Records
Genre: Reggae : Dub
Release Date: 4.4.09
UPC: 657481101827
Territories: World, ex-Japan
As a side project of many reggae giants, the Easy Star All-Stars have tackled material that is considered to be some of the greatest music ever written. Their re-workings of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon and Radiohead’s O.K. Computer not only display the band’s immense talent but also compositional mastery as they tackle music that not only was different from everything around it, but also stands the test of time. After the success of their previous efforts it would seem the band had very little elevation to ascend as Dark Side and Computer are considered to be in many people’s top albums of all time for conceptual, musical, and successful reasons. What was left for the Dub superheroes to tackle? What album could display another side of the band’s musical skill that was also so close to the hearts of the world?
The Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band is easily and undeniable in the top 25 albums ever written, by anyone, ever. Rolling Stone called it the greatest album ever. The album won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, the first rock album to do so, and Best Contemporary Album in 1968. U.S. sales for the album totaled 11 million units, with 30 million worldwide. It is often described as the Opus to a band that turned out earth shaking album after album. Having decided to stop touring in 1966 after their Candlestick Park gig, the Fab Four found they could spend more time in the studio, working intensely on complex and developed recordings with producer-mastermind George Martin. Sgt. Pepper’s was the result of 129 days spent in Abbey Road Studios (compare that with the three days it took to record Please Please Me) and made incredible strides in what could be done during the recording process. It is debatable (and debated it is) what really is the Beatles’ greatest album, but Sgt. Pepper’s always is strong in the running; end of story, it’s nothing short of epic.
Displaying a true versatility, the Easy Star gang moves to a more positive, major scale album and tackles it just as well as their darker previous efforts (check out their “Paranoid Android” cover, awesome). While the idea of a reggae Beatles album might throw some off, the final product reveals how genius the Easy Star album selection was. Riddled with positive vibes, psychedelic subject matter, and instantly recognizable songs, Sgt. Pepper’s serves as a fantastic starting point for reggae, dancehall, and dub numbers.
The Easy Star versions of McCartney and Lennon’s tunes (with Harrison’s “Within You, Without You,” which Matisyahu tackles) are fantastic. “With a Little Help from my Friends” features the legendary Luciano speaking his Jah praise with an added trumpet section that’s as upbeat as Ringo’s disposition. The Dub Band’s bobbing and dipping version of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” makes it much easier to “picture yourself on a boat on a river.” Reggae superstar Frankie Paul’s throaty, nasal vocal style works perfectly in place of Lennon’s. Paul is one of Jamaica’s most popular and loved dancehall artists who has recorded tons of albums for virtually every producer/studio in Jamaica at some time. Moving along, what could lend itself more to the relaxed, positive Rasta lifestyle than “Getting Better” with the harmonies of the Mighty Diamonds (of “Pass The Dutchie” fame)?
McCartney’s melancholy “Fixing a Hole” gets thrown into a reverb tank, which adds to the psychedelic dilemma of trying to decipher “where my mind is wandering” (sung by Max Romero, who’s controversial song, “Wet Dream” is considered a Reggae classic and is also supposedly about a leaky roof!). The English Beat’s Ranking Rodger throws a classic toasting breakdown in the middle of a loyal rendition of “For the Benefit of Mr. Kite.” The playful Sugar Minott does a great justice to the charming “When I’m Sixty-Four.” One of the most venerable and legendary artist featured on the album is the godfather of toasting, U-Roy who pioneered the musical chantings that are often attributed to the beginnings of rap. The DeeJay lends his vocal stylings to Bunny Rug’s “Lovely Rita,” adding lines such as “Say, Miss Rita! Every time I see her she look neater and sweeter!” Also included are reggae greats Steel Pulse and Michael Rose. Overall, the album takes reggae to new, unexplored places by applying it to Sgt. Pepper, which similarly pushed pop and rock music when it was released. Fans of Easy Star, the Beatles, or Reggae music in general should make sure not to miss this fantastic release. F’real bruddah.
Full review posted here. Let’s let this teaser do its job:
Artist: Easy Star All-Stars
Title: Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band
Label: Easy Star Records
Genre: Reggae : Dub
Release Date: 4.4.09
UPC: 657481101827
Territories: World, ex-Japan
IODA’s Marketing team creates opportunities for artists across the digital spectrum, from blogs and podcasts to internet radio and beyond. We also work closely with the programming and editorial departments at all of our digital retail and mobile partners, to achieve maximum exposure and feature placement opportunities.
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