Home again, hoppity hop.

I have finished university! Quite a frightening prospect in fact; I kind of feel rudderless after how many years of education treading a much trod path. Oh well, I'm home. Well, for a week. Time for free cooked dinners, clean sheets and the snuffles of much missed pooches.

It's also my sister's birthday, which brings me onto my first port of call (apart from a happy 25 years of age for Miss Rosemary): Joanna Newsom.



You see, I bought my sister (being an avid vinyl collector) her new album, Have One On Me on triple 12". And it's a bloody great album. I know a lot of people feel let down by the changes in her voice, direction, and less focus on her harp. However, her new(ish) voice is beautiful, at times reminiscent of an early falsetto Joni Mitchell, sometimes she shifts into the powerful ranges of Cat Power and at others she manages to pitch high into the old fairy tale appeal seen in the The Milk-Eyed Mender. It is unfortunate she can't do this often any more, due to the development of vocal chord nodules she suffered from prior to this albums release, but luckily that whimsical charm is there for all to see on two other albums and EP's, especially Ys, often quoted as her most revered work to date.

She is also really hot.

I cannot recommend this album highly enough. In my opinion, at least, it deserves several listen-throughs, don't resort to the nowadays common practice of skipping through or purchasing singular tracks on iTunes. Buy the whole thing, buy it on CD, even better, buy it on vinyl. To give you some idea of the album's quality, here is one of my favourite tracks, 'Good Intentions Paving Company':



And here performing ''81' on Jools Holland:



Other bits of interest now. There's a couple of adverts surfaced recently that caught my attention. Sorry if this is old news, I'm not the biggest watcher of TV...

Firstly, O2 have used Jaylib's (J Dilla and Madlib) first version of 'The Red' in an advert. I say first version, as Jay Dee was sued for the use of a sample he didn't ask permission for, thus the album version differs, and in my opinion suffers. Props there to O2 on two counts. Here's the advert:



Second on the list is the new Nike advert. If you're not excited enough already for the World Cup, this'll do it. I'll be posting more and more footy related bollocks as this we get into June. HD enabled here for its full glory:



My, my, this is a long post. And I've posted next-to-no hip-hop or beats. Well, I'll leave you with some top Brazilian hip-hop from Marcelo D2, featuring his own son, awww. Peas and gravy lovers.

Nearly damn done.

Woah there! One blasted exam left, and it's a doozey. 'Rich and Poor in Roman Society' may sound simple enough, but when faced with an arrogant, useless, post-Mussolini-esque-psuedo hell-wench, well, we get problems.

Anyway, I'm less stressed and blogging is back. On the way: a brand spanking new mix (featuring a remix/mashup by my tender self), my first fully produced tune and extracts from my novel... Maybe. Right now I'll just chat balls and link you some cool stuff ya'know.

MARK DOOLING (lol!) AKA Marshal William Darling, Martial, "The Great Mustache Hope", also my first ever blog follower (check check), though I think Creepy Mr TC is on this shit too (and first). Love you. Anyway, Dooling has a blog too, it's called Viking Massage, god knows why...

Blap blap. Also another universityillayally friend of mine has one too, he goes by the name of Michael, and his is pro. Check out the wonders of Hot Calamari!

None of my other friends are remotely productive, so until they get off their slotherly, sofa burnt backsides they ain't getting no shout out. That's right, not a whiff. Snap.

Treats from me to you:



Who's that fella? Yeah! It's Debruit! Wooh! The genius behind that stomping post hip-hop/electro meets afrofunk badness that only the French do well. Anyway, he's great, and recently had a Fact "download-of-the-day" in the form of the beautiful remix of Grovesnor's Taxi. Unfortunately, due to my tardniess, this way a few weeks ago, so you canee get it off Fact anymore. Help is at hand, however, get the track here!

Check out a snippet from his Heart Beats 4 Haiti EP too! (Old news I know, but what can you do?)

Snippets "heart beats 4 Haiti" produced by débruit by dEbruit

Cracking.



And who's this chap you ask? That's right! It's our old friend, Shafiq Husayn! Recently, I have been playing to death a tune of his latest LP which, admittedly, isn't the greatest record, but this badboy is something else. Chilled vibes with seraphic vocals from the adorable Fatima:



And, that's all folks! I will actually be back soon. Till then, don't eat bloody baked beans!