The Electrospanking of War Babies
Rumpofsteelskin

Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)

Hey Man, Smell My Finger

Do Fries Go With That Shake?

The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein

Free Your Mind.And Your Ass Will Follow

If Anybody Gets Funked up (It’s Gonna Be You)

U.S. Custom Goast Guard Dope Dog

If It Don’t Fit (Don’t Force It)

Give up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)

Flash Light

Up for the Downstoke

Atomic Dog

Bop Gun (Endangered Species)

Maggot Brain

Cosmic Slop

Who Says A Funk Band Can’t Play Rock?!

Loopzilla

The Motor-Booty Affair

The unforgetable chant “Bow-Wow-Wow Yippie-Yo-Yippie-Yay” have graced the mainstream music scene for the last 15 years. Whenever one thinks of the laid-back rap style (and other habits) of Snoop Doggy Dog, these words are often the first that come to mind. But Snoop Dogg’s signature song is not exactly unique. It is one of more than 25 songs that samples from George Clinton’s “Atomic Dog,” a 1982 funk masterpiece that has been used by, among others, Dr. Dre, Ice-T, Ice Cube, Public Enemy, Redman and 2Pac.

The deep funk, better known as P-Funk, pioneered by George Clinton and his various bands, has made him the second most-sampled artist in hip-hop after James Brown. His songs stand on their own as some of the best funk ever produced; his live concerts are freewheeling and extravagant. And this weekend George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic are coming to W.I.L.D. to showcase their greasy and grooving funk.

The saga that is George Clinton began on July 22, 1942 in Kannapolis, N.C. But his musical interests began forming when he was living in New Jersey as a youngster. Clinton originally formed “The Parliaments” as a doo-wop group. They even had a small hit in 1967 with “I Want to Testify.” Then, because of arguments with the record label, George Clinton formed “Funkadelic” which became the main outlet for his musical experimentation. The band released seminal rock albums like “Maggot Brain” and “Free Your Mind.And Your Ass Will Follow.”

Keyboardist Bernie Worrell began playing with Funkadelic in the early 1970s. He soon became one of the most essential components of Funkadelic. Working with George Clinton, they developed the trademark synthesizers and well-orchestrated horn parts of P-Funk sound. Two years after the addition of Bernie Worrell, Bootsy Collins joined Funkadelic. Collins was famous for playing bass with James Brown, and his contributions were essential to Clinton’s ensembles during the ’70s.

Between 1970 and 1974 Funkadelic released five albums including “Cosmic Slop” and “America Eats Its Young.” In 1974 Clinton decided to reform Parliament, which would develop a more mainstream sound. Between 1974 and 1980 Parliament released a slew of albums, definitive examples of the slow, hard-grooving funk for which Clinton is still famous. Albums such as “Mothership Connection,” “Clone of Dr. Funkenstein” and “Moter Booty Affair” have been so consistently sampled by rap-artists that many tunes have become ubiquitous without ever charting as singles. Parliament excelled at producing albums that worked as a single unit and some of their best songs were more than six or seven minutes long, which made them untenable as singles.

Fortunately, Clinton was not content with having Parliament as his only musical outlet. Even though Parliament was producing the more mainstream music that helped him achieve widespread fame, Clinton had not abandoned Funkadelic. The band continued to release albums throughout the 1970s, focusing on less-mainstream funk-rock. They hit their musical peak in the late 1970s, releasing one of the most cohesive and powerful albums of Clinton’s career: “One Nation Under A Groove.” Its powerful funk lines and refusal to conform to the standard notions of funk hit a chord with the American public. It was Clinton’s first album to go platinum and is considered to be a masterpiece of Funk.

Unfortunately, the momentum that was sustained by both Parliament and Funkadelic began to unravel in the early 1980s. Clinton dissolved the Parliament collective in 1980 and Funkadelic recorded its last album in 1984. This did not stop Clinton’s momentum, at least initially. One of his first solo albums, 1982′s “Computer Games” was a huge success. In particular, the song “Atomic Dog,” which featured drum machines and synth lines, helped propel the album into a permanent place in the funk lexicon.

By the mid 1980s Clinton had reunited with many of his former band-mates and began to tour and record as “George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars” (which would eventually evolve into “George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic,” which is the incarnation of the band that is playing at W.I.L.D.).

After “Computer Games,” Clinton’s popularity waned for most of the 1980s. Few of his records made the R&B charts, and he produced little material that was considered noteworthy. It was not until the early 1990s that Clinton began to regain his stature as one of the pioneers of funk. This led to the resurgence in his popularity that still exists today.

Clinton’s second rise in popularity grew from the fact that P-Funk became the basis for a new rap style called G-Funk. Developed by Dr. Dre during the 1990s, G-Funk uses the slow, hard beats from P-Funk. Dr. Dre’s first solo album “The Chronic” is, in essence, a collection of slower, rap-fueled Parliament and Funkadelic samples. The album was a massive success and reintroduced the public to the grooves of George Clinton. Many of Dr. Dre’s disciples, who used his Parliament-based G-Funk, include Snoop Dogg, Warren G, Nate Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound. These artists helped the music of George Clinton reach millions of Americans throughout the 1990s. Hip-hop’s greatest artists pay homage to Clinton by sampling his songs and have earned his music, if not success, then at least recognition with a new generation of listeners.

The saga of George Clinton will continue Friday night on Brookings Quad, where his band is the headliner of W.I.L.D. They play wild and uncontainable live shows that leave audience members mesmerized.

Holtz’s first album “Leaving New York” is, in many ways, an ode to that city. Whether it is capturing the whirlwind pace of the city that never sleeps or reflecting on lost love by ruminating about running away from New York, the city is very much present on the album. And Holtz is able to capture this in a very enjoyable way.

Even though some of their songs fall victim to a formulaic sound, their debut is surprisingly strong for a new band. Holtz already shows strong song-writing ability with songs like “Leaving New York,” “Almost Home” and “Emily” and has the markers of a promising future. He is also able to compose lyrics that are sweet at moments, and full of melancholy at others. Lyrics like “I don’t blame her for crying / We’ve seen better days /If I say sorry / Would anything change?” show a knack for emotive songwriting. And even though at points the lyrics can be a bit raw, there are extremely strong moments.

For a band that is still strongly within the college circuit, Holtz sounds very mature and capable. Their melodic pop-punk has already landed them the ability to play with the likes of The Spin Doctors, Wyclef Jean and Vanessa Carelton. Unfortunately, because they are still a band developing a following, they are not coming to St. Louis anytime soon. But, if you are on the East Coast, it is definitely worth checking them out.

Counting Crows
Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings

Rating: 4.5/5
Tracks to download: “Hanging Tree,” “Los Angeles,” “Indifferent,” “Washington Square,” “You Can’t Count on Me”

“Honey, I’m just trying to make some sense of me,” Adam Duritz sings on “Los Angeles.” The Counting Crows explore that theme in their powerful and emotive new album “Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings.”

Six years after their last studio album, the Counting Crows have returned in force. Adam Duritz sings with conviction and his new set of songs are, for the most part, spectacular. His lyrics are raw and emotive, and the band provides a fantastic musical accompaniment. Even though the album at times does not feel completely cohesive, the strength of the new songs makes for a great new addition to the Counting Crows discography.

“Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings” is actually two concept albums with two different producers. The first is “Saturday Nights,” which is produced by Gil Norton. The second half of the album is entitled “Sunday Mornings,” and as any college student may know, these can be filled with reflection and self-searching (and sometimes a massive headache).

One of Duritz’s most striking moves on this album is taking the theme of “Saturday Night” and completely revamping it. Yes, he does sing about getting drunk and wandering the city streets.

But, instead of falling into a formulaic pattern, he explores the self-inspection and sometimes loneliness that propel our Saturday nights. As he sings in the song “Hanging Tree”, “I am a child of Fire/ I am a lion/ I have desires/ And I was born inside the sun this morning/ This dizzy life of mine keeps hanging me up all the time.” It is not just the lyrics that are powerful on “Saturday Nights,” it is also the music.

Duritz has composed a set of songs that allow his voice to soar. In “Indifferent,” Duritz ‘s voice is able to pleadingly wail over the rest of the band, “I don’t want to feel so different/ I don’t want to be insignificant/I don’t know how to see the same things different now.”

The overall strength and energy of the “Saturday Night” concept album turn into a melancholy and reflective affair in “Sunday Mornings.” This is Duritz and the Counting Crows at their most revealed. Tracks such as “Washington Square” express a sense of searching and longing that is both undeniably painful and human. Honesty and a careful inspection of life also seem to be major themes on “Sunday Mornings.”

Tracks such as “Anyone But You” and the catchy “You Can’t Count on Me” are so truthful and raw that it is impossible not to see how they are in many ways capturing the singer’s true feelings. These tracks make many of the bands that feign emotion on “heartfelt” tracks seem cheap and insincere.

The album’s biggest flaw is in combining two concept albums into a single disc, making it feel a bit disjointed. The careful and melancholy introspection of “Sunday Mornings” clashes with the more upbeat, though still reflective, songs of “Saturday Nights.” This is probably what makes this a 4 « star album.

But it does not detract from the fact that this is another stellar album produced by the Counting Crows and their charismatic frontman Adam Duritz.

Mia Doi Todd
Gea

Rating: 4/5
Tracks to download: “Esperar Es Caro,” “Sleepless Nights,” “Kokoro”
For fans of: Regina Spektor, Joni Mitchell

Mia Doi Todd’s new album “Gea” is a mellow and seductive acoustic album that at its best provides a forum for her distinctive voice to shine. Her deep, sultry voice is able to adapt to the differing moods of the tracks on “Gea.” The best songs really allow her voice to shine through, whether it is a haunting melody or a sad, reflective love song. Unfortunately, not every track is able to do this. Some of the tracks feel indistinct and staid. Luckily, these songs are in the minority and overall Mia Doi Todd’s new album is a strong collection of acoustic music.

The opening track of the album is able to highlight both the strengths and weaknesses that appear throughout “Gea.”

The first song, “River of Life/The Yes Song” is an ambitious, ten-minute long , two-part song. The first part, “River of Life,” is a great introduction to the album. It highlights Doi Todd’s distinct, deep voice and has memorable lyrics. The song loses steam during the transition to the second part of the tune. The “Yes Song” part of the track does not have the power of the first half of the song. The “Yes Song” is somewhat indistinct and lacks the power of the opening half of the song.

It must be noted that the tracks on “Gea” that feel a bit indistinct are not due to Ms. Doi Todd’s voice lacking any power. It is instead due to uninventive music that leaves her no room to display her vocal prowess. Songs such as “Night of a Thousand Kisses” and “Old World/New World” feel a bit languid due to the lack of musical distinctness.

The tracks that tend to drag on are luckily few and far between. Most of the tracks on the album are able to highlight the most distinct aspect of Ms. Doi Todd, her powerful and deep voice. Her ability to make her voice adapt to the lyrics of the song is spectacular. Songs such as “Sleepless Nights” and “Kokoro” are elevated by her vocal abilities. On “Sleepless Nights” she is able to communicate her sense of anguish in a haunting and memorable manner. On “Kokoro” her voice guides the listener through a love song with an impressive amount of feeling. Even when she is not singing in English, as in “Esperar es Cara,” she is able to communicate tons of emotion and expressiveness.

Even though not every track on Mia Doi Todd’s new album “Gea” is a complete grand slam, her beautiful and memorable voice never lets “Gea” become intolerable. On the contrary, many of the songs are elevated by Doi Todd’s vocal prowess. Her best tracks are extremely enjoyable and memorable acoustic music. Also, Mia Doi Todd will be performing on campus this Wednesday. She will be opening for Jose Gonzalez. They will be playing at Graham Chapel. It is definitely worth checking out.

Rating: 3/5
Tracks to download: “Kate,” “Vampire in My Town,” “Cannonballs,” “Twentytwenty”
For fans of: Dispatch, Guster

Elsinore’s new album, “Nothing for Design” is a fun, if at times indistinct, album of folk rock that never shatters boundaries but at times can be undeniably entertaining.

The Champaign, Illinois-based indie-rock band produces fun tunes that can seem to blend together at points. But, the charismatic lead singer Ryan Groff is able to keep most of the tunes fresh enough to avoid producing a completely staid album.

Elsinore’s ability to make songs that are entertaining and vaguely familiar is both a strength and a weakness. The tension between familiarity and monotony is observed throughout the album. “Timid Maggie May” is a perfect example of what is both good and bad about Elsinore. It starts out with a nice acoustic guitar and piano part. Then lead singer Ryan Groff begins narrating a pretty entertaining story about timid Maggie. But, even though the song is enthusiastic and at points fun, it begins to drag toward the end. Within the context of the album, “Timid Maggie May” feels similar to approximately four other tracks, which makes it seem listless. This inability to have songs distinguish themselves hampers the album.

Even though many of the songs blend together, Elsinore has many strengths as a band. One of their greatest assets is lead singer Ryan Groff, who is able to inject energy into all of the songs, even when they are not the best material. On the album’s stronger tracks, Groff is really able to shine.

On “Kate,” Groff passionately details Kate’s desire to get away from everything and search for divine meaning in her life. This is an especially pertinent sentiment at Wash. U. as midterms are fast approaching and many of us may feel a lot of empathy toward Kate.

Elsinore is also able to produce some incredibly fun songs, such as “Vampire in My Town.” The infectious melody is made even more memorable by its ridiculousness. Groff’s ability to sing “Vampire in my town/ Has taken my baby/ And is sucking me dry” with conviction allows the song to evolve into one of the most enjoyable of the album.

Unfortunately, the strength of “Kate” and “Vampire in My Town” cannot redeem the entire album. Many of the songs seem to be stuck in a bland indie/acoustic rock style that is indistinct and a bit monotonous. Tracks such as “The Long Run,” “Cannonballs” and “Carolina” seem to be only differentiated by tempo, and on “The Long Run” a short saxophone cameo. The inability of many of the tracks to be distinguishable causes the entire album to feel a bit bland. Luckily the enthusiasm of Groff and the rest of the band prevents “Nothing for Design” from being a complete disaster.

Elsinore’s new album “Nothing for Design” is an album that borders between excitement and boredom. Its best tracks are invigorating and fun to listen to, while a large number of tracks are unbelievably indistinct. This causes the album to be a mixed bag-a mixture between horribly bland songs and stirring tracks that are very memorable.

If you want to judge for yourself, Elsinore is playing tomorrow night at the Gargoyle as part of KWUR Week.

Rating: 4/5
Tracks to download: “Waving Flags,” “Canvey Island, “Trip Out,” “Atom,” “Open the Door”
For fans of: Joy Division, The Futureheads

British Sea Power has an unusual quirk. They are known for placing large stuffed birds on stage and wearing militaristic uniforms at their concerts. But weird idiosyncrasies aside, they are also known for being an inventive and edgy rock band, who sometimes sound a bit like Joy Division. In their new album, “Do You Like Rock Music?,” the Brighton based band does not disappoint. Even though a few of the songs are real duds, the album is overall a fun and exciting listen.

The album’s opening and closing songs are almost identical. Like many young people, British Sea Power seems to feel a little bit disillusioned about the state of the world right now. On the opener “All In It” they creatively express this through an atmospheric track in which they repeat, “We are all in it/ And we close our eyes.” At the end of the album it takes them eight minutes to state the exact same two lines. This fruitless attempt at trying to express their discontent fails miserably. Their point was made at the beginning of the album, and they say absolutely nothing new with the closing track.

British Sea Power’s ability to dampen a song’s power through excessive length is also demonstrated in, “Lights Out for Darker Skies.” The first three minutes of this song are wonderful, but the last three minutes feel listless and staid. Fortunately, this is not a repeated pattern. Most of the songs on “Do You Like Rock Music?,” are musically creative and display an impressive level of excitement and melody.

British Sea Power’s ability to make political statements is not completely eradicated by “Close Our Eyes.” The song, “Waving Flags” is a great immigration anthem that convincingly expresses its position. But it is also just a great song. It is the strength of the band’s songwriting ability that carries the rest of the album. Tracks such as “Open the Door” and “Canvey Island” display a knack for pop song that few current bands display.

British Sea Power’s ability to surprise the listener and not fall into a formulaic pattern helps strengthen the album. A perfect example is “Atom.” Initially a slow and indistinct tune, about a minute into the song, the band turns the energy up about five notches, and produces a fantastic song. On repeated listens, the slow intro no longer seems mediocre, but becomes a funky introduction. Treats like this that make “Do You Like Rock Music?” a fun and exciting album.

Even though a few of the tracks are complete duds, the majority of British Sea Power’s new album is fresh, melodic and fun. It has already won the hearts of many fans in the UK, and will most likely do so here as well.

Give it a listen and if you agree check them out for free at SLU’s Billiken Club on March 29. Check out http://thebillikenclub.wordpress.com/ for other free shows just a metro ride away.

Pelican with Black Cobra and Unearthly Trance

March 2

Pelican, an instrumental art metal outfit from Chicago, made their debut with a four-song EP in 2003. Since then, they have been extremely productive, releasing three studio albums. In 2007, they released two discs, “City of Echoes” and “After the Ceiling Cracked [Live].” They are influenced by doom metal and post rock, as well as many other genres. Their distinctive sound is most definitively difficult to categorize, but a worthwhile listen.

With a story similar to the Postal Service, Black Cobra is a lesson in hard work. The two-member band started playing together while visiting their parents in Miami and went on to share riffs and demos through the mail. By 2006, they had released an 11-song album, “Bestial,” and haven’t looked back.

Unearthly Trance is a doom/death metal band from Brooklyn. They release their debut album, “Electrocution,” on March 18.

Pelican
For fans of: Isis, Party of Helicopters
Tracks to download: “Bliss in Concrete,” “City of Echoes,” “Winds with Hands”

Black Cobra
For fans of: Acid King, Fu Manchu
Tracks to download: “Five Daggers,” “One Nine”

Unearthly Trance
For fans of: Warhorse, Eyehategod
Tracks to download: “Permanent Ice,” “Decrepitude,” “You Get What You Want”

José González with Mia Doi Todd

March 19 in Graham Chapel

José González, a Swedish indie folk singer, is a superstar in his homeland. His debut album “Veneer” sold over 500,000 copies. Then, his song “Crosses” was introduced on the season-ending episode of “The O.C.” The resulting estrogen-laced outpouring of admiration was inevitable. He is bringing his distinctive brand of sweet, indie folk to Graham Chapel and most probably will find a whole new legion of admirers.

Mia Doi Todd is the perfect opener for González; her earthy, piercing voice has led to praise from critics and fans alike. Alone, her voice is enough to leave the listener pleased, but with a band, her music is somewhat reminiscent of Led Zeppelin but way more mellow, and with a chick singing.

Jose González
For fans of: Sufjan Stevens, Iron and Wine, the Shines
Tracks to download: “Heartbeats,” “Down the Like,” “Crosses”

Mia Doi Todd
For fans of: Cranberries, Cat Power, really mellow rock
Tracks to download: “The Way,” “Kokoro”

Mike Doughty’s Band

March 27

Mike Doughty is most famous for his stint as frontman of Soul Coughing, a unique group that combined fusion, funk and hip-hop. His first two solo albums were completely solo, just Doughty and a guitar, but his newest album, “Haughty Melodic,” features a band which deepens his sound and broadens his appeal. His acoustic-based songs have been featured on shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Veronica Mars.”

Mike Doughty’s Band
For fans of: Soul Coughing, Ben Lee with more mature middle crisis voice
Tracks to download: “Busting Up a Starbucks,” “Rockity Roll,” “Unsignable Name”

Brian Vander Ark

March 31

Do you remember when we were only freshmen? Well, The Verve Pipe sure did, and their depressing song about na’ve relationships features on almost every single 1990s compilation, so you should remember it too if you watch a lot of daytime cable TV. Brian Vander Ark, The Verve Pipe’s lead singer and songwriter, is now on his own, and producing new music about the trials and tribulations for all ages. But he still plays “The Freshman.”

Brian Vander Ark
For fans of: The Verve Pipe, David Mead, white guys with acoustic guitars
Tracks to download: “Lily White Way,” “Evangeline”

Cursive with Capgun Coup and So Many Dynamos

April 6

Since 1995, “Cursive,” a rock group from Omaha, Neb. has been churning out powerful tunes full of jagged guitars and powerful vocals. Throughout their career, they have added new members, including a short cello player, but are now a quartet again. Their original drummer Clint Schnase is no longer in the band, but their music is still fresh and inventive.

Also look for a return of “Capgun Coup,” the newest addition to Conor Oberst Team Love label. The heartfelt lyrics and complicated instrumentation is reminiscent enough of Oberst that his fans will feel right at home listening to “Capgun Coup.”

So Many Dynamos have been a St. Louis scene classic since they were formed. They recently gained nationwide press since the recording of their newest album under the direction of Death Cab’s Chris Walla.

Cursive
For fans of: Death Cab for Cutie, Minus the Bear, Saddle Creek bands
Tracks to download: “The Recluse,” “Art is Hard, Big Bang”

Rogue Wave

April 20

What did you do when the dot-com bubble burst? Well, I sold my house in Bermuda and returned to high school. But, more normal people like Zach Rogue gave up his techy days to form a rock band. Now, five years later, Rogue Wave is still riding strong. Their songs have appeared in enough movies and TV shows that they should sound vaguely familiar. Napoleon Dynamite, Just Friends, Scrubs, Heroes and Friday Night Lights have all been graced with Rogue Wave’s tunes. Soon to be added to this illustrious list, WUTV.

Rogue Wave
For fans of: Spoon, The Shins, bands that were featured on early 2000s TV
Tracks to download: “California,” “Lake Michigan,” “Publish My Love”

Rating: 2/5
Recommended Tracks: Amazing (Thin White Duke), Wedding Song, System, Rolling
For Fans of: D’Angelo, Babyface

Few people can claim to have both been kissed by a rose and by Heidi Klum.

Sealhenry Samuel, a.k.a Seal, is one of the lucky few that can verifiably claim to have accomplished both feats. Having accomplished massive fame during the ’90s for his house/dance music and sappy ballads (“Kissed by a Rose”), Seal fell into semi-obscurity during the 2000s until he married Heidi Klum. After his marriage, many people became more concerned with Seal’s bedroom skills than his musical ones. Seal responded to this by recording his newest album, “System,” a haphazard affair that leaves one more curious about his tantric acumen then the release date of his next record.

In his newest album, the artist returns to his house/dance roots, layering catchy melodies over rhythmic beats. Unfortunately, his skills at combining those two elements, which were demonstrated well on some of his earlier albums, is completely absent this time. One of his most obvious attempts at recalling his past house glories is, “If It’s on my Mind, It’s on my Face.” Unfortunately, this track is not particularly unique or well done. It is at best a mediocre dance song that is a caricature of what Seal could once do.

Many of the other songs are listless and fail to engage the listener. Tracks such as “Just Like Before,” “The Right Life” and “Loaded” are about as exciting and inventive as white toast with mayo. These indistinct and completely unoriginal songs bog the album down.

Fortunately, not every song is a complete disaster. In an impressive feat, one of the best songs on the album continuously totters between complete failure and musical magic. This is “Wedding Day,” which features Seal’s most famous companion, Heidi Klum. One part sincere love song, one part kitsch and one part sappy guest appearance, the ingredients add up to a delicious song that flirts with a bitter aftertaste.

“Amazing (Thin White Duke Edit)” is a fun and catchy song that shows how Seal can combine house/dance music with catchy modern R&B to produce a solid ode to David Bowie’s flirtations with dance. On “System,” Seal impresses with his vocal prowess and incredibly rhythmic musical backing.

If there is one element that continuously prevents “System” from being a complete disaster, it is Seal’s voice. Sweet, with a slight edge, it is a fantastic R&B voice. Even the most generic songs are given a little bit of life by Seal’s voice. This is best demonstrated on “Rolling,” a sweet, semi-acoustic song in which Seal’s vocals are the focal point. The song’s beauty makes the listener yearn for more songs in which Seal is the centerpiece.

Unfortunately, none of the other songs on the album highlight Seal’s voice so well, and none of the songs are as engaging as “Rolling.”

Seal’s return to the music scene after his four-year hiatus is, for the most part, a disappointment. A few of the songs are quite good, especially “Rolling,” but for the most part, the album wallows in mediocrity. Maybe someday Seal will produce an album that highlights his powerful voice in a satisfactory way. Until that happens, it will continue to be more entertaining waiting for the inevitable Seal/Heidi Klum sex tape.