MP3: Guided by Voices – Class Clown Spots a UFO

The Nelsonville Music Festival is now upon us, and while I’m excited to check out Kurt Vile and others tonight, Guided by Voices gets me downright giddy. In anticipation of Bob Pollard’s classic GBV lineup hitting the main stage tonight at midnight, here’s new track “Class Clown Spots a UFO” from the album of the same name, out June 12, and 7″ single out May 15. Rolling Stone premiered the track this week and gave this background on the song’s origin, which can be traced back to GBV’s early days:

The earliest version of the tune, called “Crocker’s Favorite Song,” was penned by Robert Pollard back in the late Eighties, and another version ended up on the cutting room floor when the band made their 1994 classic Bee Thousand. Alternate recordings with the newer title appeared on three different GBV compilations. When the mid-Nineties lineup of the band reunited, they revised and re-recorded the song, which now has a polish and harmonic complexity lacking in earlier renditions.

Give it a listen, and see you tonight in Nelsonville…

Columbus triple threat Rashad drops Be True ft. fellow member of the 3rd, P.A. Flex.

Museum is finally coming 5/21

On Saturday night, Los Angeles’ Fool’s Gold (and Columbus ex-pat Brad Caulkins) returns to Columbus to play a show at The Summit.  As discussed upon their previous visit, last year’s Leave No Trace was a quality sophomore effort.  The band recently shot a new video for “The Dive” (above), one of my favorites from the album.  Maza Blaska reprises their opening slot, and upstart locals The Beers are also on the bill.  Cover is $8, show time is 9PM.

Bonus Caulkins video after the jump.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Note: I’ll be trickling out some previews for sets that I’ll be sure to catch at the Nelsonville Music Festival throughout the week.   This is a rough chronological order.

Mucca Pazza isn’t necessarily a band who’s album would end up in my stereo on a Sunday morning, but live… good lord what a treat.   The self-dubbed “circus-punk” clan of 3o or so characters made up of horns and percussion and cheerleaders and who-knows-what else don thrift store band uniforms and make a spectacle of your middle school marching band nightmares.    One part Sousa, one part Klezmer, and at least one part pure funk, these Chicagoans  bring pure unadulterated joyous  fun.  Truly a highlight of the festival.

MP3: Do My Thing

Columbus emcee Trek Manifest is working on his new album “The One Day I Arrived”. In meantime, he is going to drop a series of singles and EP’s while he is working on that. Above is “Do My Thing” which is produced by Trek’s fellow Exec Gang member Sinatra.

Does this mean Comfest is moving to the Alrosa Villa? Does this mean the theme this year is centered around Juggalos?

Nah.

Selah Sue’s self-titled album debuted in the Top 10 in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The Belgium born star’s album will be available in America
August 21 on Columbia Records. The U.S. version will include 3 exclusive songs. Hot 97 premiered this J-Cole featured remix of the album’s first single Ragamuffin  today. Prince likes her music. She works with Wyclef’s dude Jerry Wonka. So take a listen. I swear it’s both beautiful and dope.

Watch the video of the original version of Ragamuffin after the jump.

MP3: FAT TONY ft. BUN B & NICK DIAMONDS “BAD HABITS”
(complex)

Young One Records is a new Brooklyn Hip Hop label whose goal is to highlight the new new.  It’s started by the same people that brought you Main Attractionz and Fat Tony. Above is a song off Fat Tony’s upcoming Double Dragon album out June 1st.

To celebrate it’s label launch, Young One is offering up a limited edition  cassette of a mixtape with new songs by Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire, Cities Aviv, Main Attrakionz, and Fat Tony . The tapes were hand-dubbed by NNA. For more info and to download this tape please head over to Complex.

That flyer is for tonight’s debut show of Connections, a new Columbus band with a noteworthy lineup: Adam Elliott of Times New Viking, Kevin Elliott of 84 Nash, Dave Capaldi of El Jesus de Magico, Philip Kim of Andrew Graham & Swarming Branch and Andy Hampel of 84 Nash. Kevin Elliott posted some Connections songs on SoundCloud awhile back, but those have been taken down because, Elliott says, “They weren’t representative of what we are doing now. Until tonight, it’s somewhat a mystery as to what we sound like.”

Not content with just one debut show, Connections will play three in a row this week:

Wednesday (5/16) @ Kobo
W/ Francis Bacon Band
Something Somethings
Smart Girls

Thursday (5/17) @ Cafe Bourbon t.
W/ Washington Beach Bums
WV White
Live comedy from “Doin’ It Wrong”

Friday (5/18) @ Double Happiness
W/ Psychedelic Horseshit
Psandwich
Jeff Fernengel (Tree of Snakes) in the lounge

You can also catch Connections at Megacity Music Marathon June 9.