Two tracks for pick of the week this week, seemingly poles apart, one British Punk, the other US Hip Hop/R&B, both dealing with similar subject matter from different angles: Not getting the girl because of having the wrong clothes/car/area code! (we’ve all been there).
First up is a track called ‘Shiny Motorbikes’ by Flicknife Rickshaw on Yassaba Records/Rickshaw Records, released 5/17/2004. This is the second release from the south London 3 piece formed by Flying Medallions front man Alex johnson and guitarist Tom Williams.
Labelled as a Punk release, I was intially worried by the first eight bars that I was to be treated to some ‘Busted’ type crap…Not so. The sounds are nice and raw, the playing feverish and the singer sounds like yer man from Peter and the test tube babies, come the chorus. Raucous ‘not fitting in’ angst. Check it out HERE.
Next we have some really smooth ‘not fitting in’ angst from US producer, emcee, singer and songwriter Jahah (previously pick of the week with ‘Ghetto Philosopher’).
This track is called ‘Confusion’, taken from the album ‘Mamas Only Son’, released 5/5/2004 on BeeZee70 Productions.
Again, from the opening lines I thought it was some typical ‘Bling laden’ rubbish (I’m such a cynic!), the narrator telling us how fine and bling this girl is. Then he’s told not to even bother if he doesn’t have the right bank balance etc…Damn!Realy cool production on this one, tight beats and filtered Jazz/Funk stabs all over. Have a listen HERE and check out www.BZ70.com .