Search engines are always “suggesting” music, which results in a daunting, continuous stream of drivel. Combined with the reams of e-mails and special media alerts being foisted upon us, there’s an overload of action from the moment you turn on a device.
All that unwanted data does come in handy on occasion, especially when you are alerted to an online musical gem. Once such example arrived this week in the form of The Timeline, a 500-song megamix which charts West Coast hip hop from its early electro pioneers through to its stars of today.
Though largely California-centric, The Timeline reminded me of the impact hip hop has on West Coast culture, and how deep its roots go around these parts. In recent weeks, there has been an incredible run of shows in Victoria clubs, from stars both out-of-province (Classified, K-os) to those with homegrown roots (Moka Only, Swollen Members, Pigeon Hole). The hits are only going to keep coming on the local front.
It was announced this week that New York rap icons De La Soul and Toronto rapper Buck 65 are playing together as part of the Phillips Backyard Weekender on July 20. Expect similar to follow, setting the stage for a sensational summer.
The Timeline kicks off the week in music news as told through newsmakers’ notable songs.
To hear the music listed below, visit timescolonist.com/arts.
1. DJ R-Tistic
The Timeline
Though it breezes through L.A. rap music’s ground-floor contributors, every key artist — male or female, Chicano or caucasian — is given a few seconds to shine on this 500-song, 80-minute trip. From the earliest recorded appearances of Too $hort, Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, to game-changing cuts from pop-rappers MC Hammer, Young MC and Tone Loc, you’ll be hitting replay regularly. This is Hip-Hop History 101, in chronological order. Canada doesn’t get any love, unfortunately, but our Pacific Northwest pal, Sir Mix-a-Lot, does the upper left coast proud on multiple cuts.
2. The Eagles
Take it To the Limit
Now that hell has indeed frozen over, and bandmates have stopped suing each other, there’s no stopping the money-making machine that is The Eagles. The goup announced additional North American tour dates this week, including a pair of Vancouver stops at Rogers Arena on Sept. 6 and 7. The ticket price? Astronomical. But what you get for your hard-earned dollar is a group bent on giving fans pitch-perfect playing. The Eagles all sound spectacular these days. Take a spin through this Las Vegas live clip from earlier this year, and you’ll hear what I mean.
3. Patty Griffin
Ohio
Fans of roots music will most certainly know the voice of Patty Griffin, either through her work as a solo artist or her collaborations with Emmylou Harris. Griffin toured as a member of Robert Plant’s backing band in 2010, and the reported couple have joined forces again for three songs on Griffin’s new record, American Kid, due Tuesday. The lead single is the duet Ohio, a simmering slow-boiler. Griffin is a world-class songwriter, but Ohio puts the focus on her ethereal voice. Plant is an all-time great, but Griffin holds her own alongside the golden god.
4. Slayer
Raining Blood
The death of Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman on Thursday shook the worldwide metal community to its core. Hanneman, 49, wrote the majority of songs for Slayer, including South of Heaven, Angel of Death, and Raining Blood, and was idolized by an entire generation of young guitarists. He died of liver failure while on a break from the group: Hanneman had spent the past two years dealing with necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease that nearly took his arm. He was absent when Slayer played Victoria in 2011, but his presence was felt in the music.
5. Leo Kottke
Airproofing
Athens, Georgia, native Leo Kottke is an incendiary, much-loved finger-picking maestro whose catalogue inspires wonder among acoustic enthusiasts. Kottke’s final album of original material arrived in 2005, but his reputation and impact continues to make inroads. Here’s the good news for local fans: Kottke is taking time out of his U.S. tour to visit Vancouver Island next week for a trio of shows in Victoria (Friday, Alix Goolden Hall), Courtenay (Saturday, Native Sons Hall), and Salt Spring Island (Sunday, Artspring Theatre). Let the rejoicing begin.
