The most ambitious undertaking, however, comes courtesy of do-it-all production virtuoso, OC Notes. His Coffee Beans…The Glamour ReWorks is a complete and utter re-imagining of Fresh Espresso’s now seminal debut. Listening to it is like stumbling down a dimly-lit hallway, where sobriety is possibly compromised and every room you pass is a doorway into trip-hop psychedelia and fuzzed-out experimental music of Fresh Espresso’s original Glamour. It’s worth the trip, readers. And best of all, it’s free. Here are a couple tracks:
Bands
Head Like a Kite
Fresh Espresso
Truckasaurus
and Friends!
DJ Terry Radjaw and Dave Einmo (of Head Like a Kite)
Three bands, one stage, all-in. It was an interesting idea, considering that local bands Truckasaurus, Head Like a Kite, and Fresh Espresso each have unique styles and are well-known on their own accords, but it wasn’t what I was expecting. I don’t mean this in a negative way, but the marketing for the show was a little misleading, making me expect to see all three bands having an all-out jam session for the entire show. Instead, each band took the stage for several of their own songs for a majority of the night, with only a few “all-in” performances, which flowed extremely well and had me eager to see more. There were also more than three bands performing, with guest appearances by Mash Hall, Pearl Dragon of Champagne Champagne, and Tilson.
Fresh Espresso and Truckasaurus
At any rate, Head Like an Espresso Truck went off last Friday night at Neumos, and it was by all accounts a success. Terry Radjaw started the evening off DJing for about an hour before P Smoov and Rik Rude of Fresh Espresso got the motor going, dominating the limited stage space with booming voices and high energy. Head Like a Kite started off with some of their popular songs including “Listen Young Stunners” before debuting new material, and Truckasaurus played in dark lighting with more of an emphasis on the projecting video clips in the background (such as scenes from Ghost Busters and general dadaism). Everyone was well-dressed and performed at their best. Overall, it was an excellent collaboration of local music talent and a clear demonstration of friendliness between Seattle bands. Given the success of Head Like an Espresso Truck, I look forward to seeing another such performance, hopefully with more songs when everyone truly is jamming together in an “all-in” fashion.
Take a peak at the video clips below to see why you shouldn’t miss another night like this the next time it happens!
The Sasquatch Music Festival kicked the springtime festival season off in style last night at the Crocodile with their line up announcement concert featuring Fresh Espresso, Surfer Blood, and Atlas Sound. Sponsored by Esurance, it was definitely a full blown party that peaked with a video announcement of the partial line up for this year’s Sasquatch Music Festival. Partial you say? No need to worry, we have gotten access to the entire line up and are posting it here for your excitement, and enjoyment. Bon appetite!
My Morning Jacket / Massive Attack / Pavement / Ween / Vampire Weekend / MGMT / Band of Horses/ The National / LCD Soundsystem / Tegan & Sara / Broken Social Scene / Passion Pit / Deadmau5 / She & Him / Public Enemy / Nada Surf / The New Pornographers / The Hold Steady / The xx / Dirty Projectors / OK Go / Drive By Truckers / Kid Cudi / The Long Winters / Minus the Bear / The Mountain Goats / Quasi / Camera Obscura / Fruit Bats / Brother Ali / Midlake / Dr. Dog / Caribou / Simian Mobile Disco / City & Colour / No Age / The Temper Trap / Vetiver / Miike Snow / Portugal. The Man / Telekinesis / Mayer Hawthorne / Why? / Girls / Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros / Wale / The Lonely Forest / Japandroids / Boys Noize / Yacht / Freelance Whales / Laura Marling / Patrick Watson / Past Lives / Cymbals Eat Guitars / The Low Anthem / The Very Best / Phantogram / Neon Indian / Nurses / The Tallest Man on Earth / Fresh Espresso / Mumford & Sons / Jets Overhead / tUnE-YarDs / Shabazz Palaces / Fool’s Gold / Morning Teleportation / Z-Trip / Dam-Funk / Hudson Mohawke / The Middle East / Local Natives / Avi Buffalo / Booka Shade / A-Trak / Yes Giantess / Craig Robinson / Rob Riggle / Garfunkel & Oates / Luke Burbank
Exciting news! Instead of industry leaks and blog posts, The 2010 Sasquatch lineup will be announced live at The Crocodile on 02/15! Not only do we get to hear the lineup at a red-carpet event, there is going to be red-carpet entertainment. Live Nation sent over a press release this morning, here are the details!
Seattle, WA – Live Nation and Adam Zacks are pleased to announce The 2010 Sasquatch! Music Festival Launch Party presented by Esurance and sponsored by Jack Daniel’s happening on Monday, February 15, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at the Crocodile.
For the first time in the festival’s history the lineup will be announced LIVE at this very special event featuring performances by Surfer Blood, Atlas Sound and Fresh Espresso and hosted by Luke Burbank. Prize packages from Esurance and Xbox will be given away all night, along with limited-edition festival posters and more.
Free tickets are available courtesy of Esurance by listening to 107.7 The End all week to win, or by stopping by either Easy Street Records locations starting Friday, February 12th at 9:00 a.m. (limit 2 per person).
Surfer Blood calls West Palm Beach home and, while still in their early 20s, pen summery indie songs that even the most hook-laden power pop band would rightfully be jealous of. Called “irresistibly catchy” by Pitchfork, Surfer Blood’s critically acclaimed debut album, Astro Coast, was released on January 19.
Atlas Sound is the solo moniker of Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox, so named since 1994, when a sixth-grade Bradford made recordings on a karaoke cassette machine. Now signed to 4AD, Atlas Sound is those ideas that he “can’t make work with a five piece rock band,” employing stream-of-consciousness writing alongside ambient electronics.
Fresh Espresso, named by local blog SoundOnTheSound as representatives of “the next wave of Seattle hip-hop,” is producer/composer P Smoov (of Mad Rad) and MC Rik Rude.
It’s about that time again people! KEXP is the voice of independent music, and if you ask anyone what their favorite radio station is, they’ll probably say “KEXP.” Well, three times a year KEXP asks their listeners to put their money where their mouths are!
As a listener powered radio station, KEXP has the freedom for it’s DJ’s to play whatever they want! They don’t have to spin the to 40, they don’t have to take commercial breaks every five minutes, and you won’t here the same songs being played every hour.
Are you interested in keeping this radio station free from the man? Do you love finding all sorts of cool interesting music to listen to? DO YOUR PART! Call 206-903-KEXP, 866-903-KEXP to become a member or renew your membership today! Don’t want to call? No problem! You can also visit kexp.org to make your donation!
Here is a clip from the volunteer room on 10/02/2009! (There will be about 5 SSGs in the pledge room 10/04/2009 between 11:45-3:15! Call and donate if you want to talk to us. )
I’m sure the amount of REVERB pre-coverage hasn’t gone unnoticed. However, even with all of the previews, this REVERB week would not be complete if SSG didn’t talk to Mr. REVERB himself, the Music Editor of Seattle Weekly, Jonathan Cunningham.
Most people might know Jonathan by his swagger, rugged good looks, and taste for Champagne, but SSG wanted to get the his thoughts on the upcoming REVERB music festival. “What is this festival all about anyway? Jonathan, who are your favorites? What acts do you recommend for the readers?” Lets scrape the psyche of this oh-so-cunning music editor.
If you haven’t heard about Fresh Espresso (FE), I don’t even know what to say to you. The good news is, on FE’s quest to take over the world, they will be kicking off REVERB at the NY Fashion Academy stage. I’m not just talking about any kick off, FE is going to be kicking this festival with the fire of a thousand suns!
Here are a few things SSG has posted on Fresh Espresso in the past to get your appetite wet for the lusty event.
Psmoov, Rik Rude, and Terry Radjaw were able to rouse quite a crowd to “drink Fresh Espresso“ at Chop Suey. It came as no surprise that these gentlemen were able to draw a crowd; Fresh Espresso (FE) is blowing up this city. Topping local charts from KEXP to Easy Street Records [with their debut album Glamour], FE have cemented their feet firmly in the local hip-hop community; they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. (08/03/2009)
Psmoov and Rick Rude bring the energy to the stage full force. There were times when Psmoov was dancing that if there was a female standing in front of him, she would have been left defiled. Psmoov’s tomfoolery is a necessary additive. Seeing him cut loose gives you a different perspective on his work; thus, giving impetus to come out and be a part of it. Rick Rude brings his manly sophistication to the table… [he] is a strong addition, and the perfect MC to be the second shot in the Fresh Espresso crew. (04/22/2009)
Here is a Fresh Espresso live performance video and an interview for you to enjoy. See you at REVERB! Robots comin’ for your baby…
In Seattle’s up-and-coming hip-hop scene, there are a couple of rising stars that have a little something extra on their faces besides feigned grimaces. I’m talking about none other than our bearded brothers Thomas Gray of Champagne Champagne, and Terry Radjaw of Mad Rad and Fresh Espresso.
In Biblical times, short of being stricken with a flesh eating disease, having your beard shaved was the ultimate sign of dishonor. Well someone is about to be dishonored up in this piece. The challenge has been thrown down! There is only room for one bearded hip-hop star in this town! Who will it be — Terry Radjaw or Thomas Gray?
The stage for these brothers to settle this like men will be laid at The Fun House on August 13th. Sir Thomas Gray and Terry Radjaw will be engaging in hand to hand combat by way of a one-on-one basketball game. The winner walks away with their pride, bragging rights, and most importantly, their beard. The loser backs away with their tail between their legs, shaved, scorned, and humiliated. Who will walk away the victor from this modern day duel? Be there to find out.
In the mean time, please enjoy the trash talk straight from the horse’s mouth about what’s going down at said (air quotes) Beard/Off.
Band Members
Psmoov – Producer, Emcee
Rik Rude – Emcee Featuring
Terry Radjaw – DJ
In the wake of the Capital Hill Block Party, Sunday July 26th was a dead night in the city streets of Seattle. Even though most of the Seattle show-goers were suffering from heat exhaustion and alcohol poisoning, Psmoov, Rik Rude, and Terry Radjaw were able to rouse quite a crowd to “drink Fresh Espresso“ at Chop Suey. It came as no surprise that these gentlemen were able to draw a crowd; Fresh Espresso (FE) is blowing up this city. Topping local charts from KEXP to Easy Street Records, FE have cemented their feet firmly in the local hip-hop community; they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Some might wonder what the hype is all about. Have you heard Fresh Espresso’s debut album Glamour? When I reviewed FE in April, I commented that the live show would be more enjoyable for the audience if the listener were familiar with FE’s recorded material. There are lots of intricate nuances that might get lost when played over a less than ideal sound system; those nuances are the foundation of FE’s appeal. In April, only select tracks from Glamour were available on MySpace, as the full album had not yet been released. If it were known what an understatement my assertion was, all of the shows scheduled prior to the release of Glamour would have been canceled! The experience of Fresh Espresso recorded and Fresh Espresso live are like a New York Steak and a fine Merlot. They are great by themselves, but when you put them together you get a sexy, upper-echelon experience that you can’t quite put into words — you have to experience it yourself. That being said, let’s take a closer look at Glamour.
Glamour starts off with the organic sound of the stand up bass with introduced jazzy additions. With Rik Rude’s strait forward emcee style, the introduction feels like nostalgic New York. In “Diamond Pistols,” Rik Rude emerges as a dominant voice. With Psmoov’s winding samples and creative timing, he emerges as a dominant producer. The album progresses with many different faces. The mood goes from relaxed and swanky to upbeat with some Asian influence. As soon as the listener is hyped up, Psmoov takes the album back down with some old school sounds ironically rapping about wanting “Something New”. With the flow progression in the first half of the album it is clear that FE captured an experimental phase in the creative history.
Glamour has a good mix of up-tempo beat-centric driven songs such as “Girls and Fast Cars” and “Gigantic,” and songs where the production is paradoxically minimalistic such as “We Desire what’s Real.” In the song “We Desire What’s Real,” Rik Rude is passionate, forthcoming, and very seductive. Rik speaks about his relationship to the music industry, hip-hop, and the effective rabbit-hole that he has been in since he gave his life to hip-hop. Speaking to music as the object of his desire, Rik states, “She’s the breath that I breathe, she’s all that I need…” Any woman would bid that they were the music to have Rik speak to them in the same come-hither style.
The only thing about Glamour that is arguably questionable is some lyrical content. For the most part, the album is pretty solid. But, Glamour is speckled with lines such as “That’s what it is, that’s how we live, that’s what I see, I’ve got to piss.” that might come across as if they were free styled and kept as opposed to being well thought out. Hip-hop emerged out of free-verse, so it could be argued that such lyrics as the aforementioned are organic; others might call it lazy lyricism. If you aren’t a nitpicker, the pros strongly outweigh the interpretable cons making Glamour a strong, highly enjoyable album.
Back to the concert – Psmoov and Rik Rude’s synergy is growing with every show. When they first started playing shows, Psmoov’s level of local celebrity, in addition to his booming stage presence, made him the focal point on stage. This was a bit off kilter as Psmoov has never been the lead emcee. With the success of Glamour, Rik Rude has emerged as Seattle’s “Cigar Rock Star”; he is no longer running circles around Psmoov. Their star quality is matched making their live show stronger then ever.
Fresh Espresso played some of their breakout songs on the evening of July 26th; their set started strong and finished even stronger. It’s indisputable that Seattleites look forward to many Fresh Espresso shows to come. Please enjoy an interview captured right before the set to hear thoughts from Psmoov and Rik rude about their place in the city. Then, please enjoy clips from the show.
Upcoming Shows
Aug 4 2009 12:00P KEXP live in studio performance – Seattle, Washington
Aug 7 2009 8:00P Mural Amphitheatre – Seattle, Washington
Aug 13 2009 8:00P FUNHOUSE – Seattle, Washington
Aug 20 2009 8:00P CHOP SUEY – Seattle, Washington
Sep 5 2009 8:00P Lake Tahoe – Lake Tahoe, California
Sep 10 2009 8:00P Last Supper Club – Seattle, Washington
Oct 3 2009 8:00P Seattle Weekly REVERB-FEST – Seattle, Washington
Oct 9 2009 8:00P Comet Tavern – Seattle, Washington
What the jailbirds? I think we’ve got ourselves an occasion for a party!
Looking at the video that I’ve included below of The Staxx Brothers, it appears that there was hamburgler jailbreak! Soon after The Hambugler’s escape, he was then joined buy the orange suits. Just as the armed guards caught up to outed fugitives, they all erupted in song! The Staxx bring the party, and it’s going to be a buck-wild party when they release their new album this Friday a Nectar Lounge.
On the evening of May 8th you will be at no loss for visual stimulus because I counted 8 people on stage singing, dancing, and playing their hearts out to the point of leaving blood on the stage. Well, I don’t know if there was physical blood, but I did see a guy gyrating while playing the harmonica and that is pretty much the same.
The Staxx Brothers have a jazzy, down-home southern jam band thing going on accentuated with a twist of rock. Having a full band gives their show depth of sound; they have a strong foundation to play around in. Just as you think you’ve figured out what their show is all about, DC Staxx -aka The Hamburgler- throws in some free styling to change things up.
If this isn’t enough impetus to get off your lazy buttocks and come to see them live, did I mention that Mad Rad is their supporting band? OH SNAP!!! Things just got EXTRA BUCK! Or, should I say Super Dope? Either way, it’s going to be getting crazy up in Nectar on May 8th and you best be joining the party. I don’t need to say anything else… it’s done… you’re at the show… done.
Be Sure to Get you’re tails over to High Dive that is located just across the street from Nectar Lounge first to check out Psmoov and Rik Rude in Seattle hottest up and coming act Fresh Espresso! After P does his thing over at High Dive, follow the leader over to Nectar Loungebecause he is making is way over there to tear up the stage as one of Seattle’s favorite bad boys that we like to call …Mad Rad…
Check out the vids, and see you at the shows suckas!
Seattle Show Gal is in hot pursuit of undiscovered talent! How many great bands are out there that are slipping through the cracks? Seattle is saturated with so much music, it would be nearly impossible to sift through it all to find the good stuff. The Seattle Show Gal staff is not so proud to think that we can bring you all of it, but we are actively pursuing all different types of acts to give you a pulse on what is going on--right here in Seattle! (See more in "About")
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