No need for an intro, I’ve kept ya’ll waiting long enough.

1. the85bears w/ Alex Exile – Belly Down opens the mixtape with a great tune to dance to. thepaintedman would like to take (at least a little) credit for this awesome collaboration, as a TPM RemixThis! contest brought these forces together. The entire album, featuring more collabs with Alex Exile, a few new tracks, and a sweet remix from RemixThis! can be downloaded for FREE. And it’s currently #2 on noisetrade, so I suspect you’ll like it!

2. Enlou – Amphibian is a track from the Lujo Records act’s new EP. They’ll be hitting the road this Fall, so keep your eyes peeled.

3. Milk Plus – Digging Out proves that Nerdcore is alive and kicking in the UK. Check out this killer track.

4. Bodies in the Lake – Ohh… I’m Sorry for the Confusion will rock your face off… quite literally. It will actually hurt. But it will hurt so good… and once you are done hurting, you can listen to a bonus second track by BITL entitled “Visions of Chaos“. Both of these track were record at Atrium Audio in Lancaster by Carson Slovak, great production if I do say so myself.

5. The Fuck Kills – Radio Unts Tiss is a track by Shael Riley and Diotrans. It’s an entry into a cool songwriting contest, where it seemed to fare pretty well. Check it out and see what two talented musicos can do when working together.

6. Little Lords – Make Your Name Known Through Us is yet another Signorelli project. Dude doesn’t stop cranking out tunes. This particular one is of the face melting persuasion.

7. The Glass Gentlemen – Love Story is a crappy cover of a crappy song. The Brads need to stop listening to bad pop! Seriously, though, it’s a fun an enjoyable cover of a song that all of us pretend to hate but secretly dig. Raise your hand if you have a Taylor Swift crush.

8. Jeremy Ritch and the Cowards – Crystal Beth is a track by that dude who wrote some reviews for TPM and pastors an indie church in Harrisburg, PA. Yeah! THAT dude. Did I ever mention to you that this guy is relatively obsessed with old country and is totally in love with Johnny Cash? Guess I did now.

9. Quantum Foundry – Why Do I Make Hip Hop is hip hop. And… you don’t stop… or something. These indie rappers are thoroughly enjoyable. Check them out!

10. Strong Waves Kill Weak Swimmers – Nothing To Write Home About is the closing track of this mix. And it’s incorrectly name, but it’s a pretty damn good track. But, beware they use foul words on this track. If you dig them, check out their website because they give away alot of great free music.

thepaintedman rates this:

Gina Morresi is a friend of mine. I’ll make no attempts at disguising that I’m reviewing an album by one of my high school buddies. To be fair, I’ve only spoke to Gina a few times since that first Summer I was in college, but I’ve always considered Gina good people. Now, with my bias all laid out… I will promise you, my readers, that I am making every effort to set this bias aside.

Besides what I thought of Gina personally, I always was impressed by her talent. Gina was always cast as the lead in our school musicals… her vocals and her acting were always a highlight of the productions at our suburban North Jersey high school. After losing touch outside of an occasional Facebook note, I found out recently that Gina has been putting her talents into new and different avenues. After catching up with her, she sent me her latest endeavor entitled Secret Diaries of the Virgin Whore, an album she recorded in 2009 and performs in NYC clubs with her band, Gina Morresi and the Bella Coola Sound.

The album opens with an upbeat pop rock track called “No Plans” that rocks like what Sheryl Crow would sound like if she didn’t suck. The opener sets the pace, setting the stage for an album of contemplative pop rock that can be a bit brash at times, fun at others, and most often introspective. The tone varies from upbeat tracks like the opener to slower ones like “Three Little Words” or the closing track. There are some elements of classic singer-songwriters and an evident country influence as the albums progresses, culminating in a very radio friendly pop sound that isn’t afraid to be catchy. Whether the song is a rocker or a ballad, what shines through in each one is Gina’s vocals. It is obvious that the songs were written specifically for Gina’s vocals.

The music is quite simple. Simple, however, is not necessarily a bad thing. Simplicity in songwriting, especially from the musical standpoint, allows vocals and lyrics to be the focal point. Thus, what the music lacks in intricacies, it makes up for in painting a perfect backdrop. What is also evident about the music is how well it is produced. In fact, for a self-released album, the production value is top notch. Unafraid of how the NoHo hipster crowd may dismiss Secret Diaries of the Virgin Whore, Gina and the band fully embrace their pop sensibilities. There is nothing here to pick apart, which usually means that there is a mass appeal, in this case it’s just waiting to be found.

Overall, it’s fair to say that I always figured Gina would be on stage somewhere. This isn’t exactly the stage I expected, but it surely suits her. Intelligent lyrics about love and life sung with sweetness and sincerity highlighted by a well-constructed backdrop of pop music is what Secret Diaries of the Virgin Whore is all about. While this isn’t the style I’d usually go out of my way to check out, I’m glad Gina sent this CD my way. Her talent oozes out of every note. Check it out for yourself, especially if you’ve ever wondered what Sheryl Crow might sound like if she didn’t suck.

Pictured below is Beefy w/ his buddies in Optimus Rhyme. Who is Beefy? Let’s find out.

Beefy? What’s up with the name?

I’m a big guy. Someone was trying to make fun of me on a message board once and called me MC Beefy Bee and I liked the Beefy part, so I used it. Then it just kinda morphed into Beef Thompson over the years. I likes it. How about you?

I appreciate that, I am also quite a large fellow… So, besides your name, tell the readers a little bit about you.

I’m a nerdcore hip-hop artist from Southeast Washington. I’m very much into my Xbox and iPhone and have been a comic book nerd for years. I’ve put out 2 full albums and a bunch of free EPs that you can get at my website and I’ve done shows with people like MC Lars and YTCracker in Seattle, Portland, and even Amsterdam. I’m also very sexy. Don’t deny me. You’ll just look foolish.

I have a couple of your albums, personally my favorite song is your cover of Frontalot’s “Nerdcore Hip-Hop”… not sure why exactly, I just dig it a lot. In fact, I like it a lot more than the original. Is Frontalot an influence on you, who else in the Nerdcore scene do you consider an influence on what you do?

Front is definitely an influence. I can’t write like him at all, but he’s cleaver with his concepts and is an amazing performer. I look up to the big acts in Nerdcore like Lars, mc chris, and YTCracker. I’m also a fan SJ the Wordburglar for his wordplay and punchlines. My favorite band and biggest influence is Optimus Rhyme, a Nerdcore Seattle act that sadly broke up recently. It sucks. Hard.

Nerdcore aside, who are some you you favorite hip hop artists?

I grew up on Notorious BIG and Jay-Z so that was my base. I’m a big fan of the first few Gym Class Heroes albums before it got really radio-friendly. Big fan of Lupe Fiasco and early Kanye West and Eminem. That’s honestly about it.

How about other music?

I’m a White Stripes fan. I don’t know if it makes me less manly but I dig Regina Spektor. Tenacious D is the greatest band in the world, but everyone already knows that. I’ve listened to Sublime’s 40oz to Freedom a million times and was in love with the first Gnarls Barkley album. I don’t know if that last one counts as hip-hop or not though.

Good stuff, Sublime is likely my favorite band of all-time and that is their best album, hands down. On the topic of other musical styles, what type of music is the scariest? I just re-read Lords of Chaos, about the Black Metal scene, but I find myself still most afraid of most Country music.

I don’t like music that seems like it’s pissed off at me. I don’t want my music to scream at me. I don’t get that whole scene. If it works for some people that’s cool, just not my cup of tea. I don’t know if I’m really afraid of it since it’s all just a big act when their on stage. I think balls deep Christian music scares me the most. Those people really really believe.

Christian music can indeed be a bit frightening. So let’s move beyond music for a minute, shall we? As a Nerdcore artist, I thinks it’s safe to assume that you are a self-proclaimed nerd (as am I). What are your nerdiest traits and tendencies?

Like a lot of nerds I can carry entire conversations using nothing but movie and TV quotes. It’s like speaking a different language. Besides that I don’t think there’s really one particular thing that is my nerdiest quality. I have a <3 and a Bullet Bill tattoo, so I'm clearly hardcore. Oh, I know, I've made albums worth of songs about things like Street Fighter and board games. That's pretty nerdy.

I actually got a Star Wars Father’s Day card from my 7th month old son, how awesome is that? You have any kids?

My girlfriend has a year and a half old daughter we call Nugget and she gave me a Batman chocolate box for Valentine’s Day. It might have been the greatest day ever. I’ve been involved with the little one since she was 5 months old so I get all the joys of changing diapers and cleaning up after her but lack the ability to make decisions or call her a daughter, so it sucks a little but I loves her so I allow it.

That’s really cool, great V-Day gift… so back to music… or rather, hip hop feuds. I believe the reason Nerdcore isn’t more prominent in the national scene is that there are no publicizedhardcore beefs and feuds like in every other sub-genre of hip hop. I am requesting that you start one now, by dropping me a short freestyle about a Nerdcore artist of your choice.

How out of the loop you are sir. Nerdcore started with nothing but beefs and fighting. I should know because it seems like I started 90% of them. It’s actually just finally calmed down. And I already made a diss song called “Diss Missed” that was on my Private Dick EP. People dug it. Not so much the people dissed in the song though.

Well, I guess I’m a late bloom in the Nerdcore scene… care to start a feud with me?

Fuck you. I hate you! Feud Status: IT’S ON!

Well, that’s just too much for me sir! This interview is over! By the way, take care and keep in touch.

I change my mind. I love you. Let’s be BFFs. Feud Status: BFFs!

thepaintedman rates this:

Fan of James Taylor? Yeah? Me, too… although my mother is a MUCH bigger fan than I. That said, if you like the singer-songwriter thing and are a fan of the folk tradition of storytelling, you’ll love Order’s Up by Jason Mundok & Living Fables. Country, folk, pop, obvious Celtic influences, and a ton of great songwriting… this is what you’ll find when you spend the mere $7.99 on Amazon or order a copy from Jason.

I listened to the CD several times and took notes on every track, but I am just going to highlight a few of my favorites, beginning with the opener, “I Don’t Need Your Lovin’”. A fun and playful breakup song is always a great way to open up an album. In fact, I am always of the belief that sending a strong middle finger to naysayers or exes is always a good way to start a record, ie. Ben Folds’ “One Angry Dwarf”. This track is the first place the listener gets to hear Mundok’s clever wordplay as he sings to his former lover, “There ain’t no more amore.” The song captures the audience with it upbeat sound, catchy hook, and melodic middle finger.

“Vital” is the third track and one of my favorites on the album. It has a the railroad riding type of beat that is prominent in some of my favorite country and alt-country tracks, as well as some great harmonies in the chorus. It’s the type of song that transports me to the train car, looking out the window as the tumbleweeds, blue skies, and playful, animal shaped clouds. “Thinking of the sun and how it has become vital to me, like you.” The song puts the past in its place as Mundok rides into the sunset happily ever after, “Past lives I remember, fading away”.

Another favorite of mine is the upbeat, “Where We Need”, opening with the line “I know a little about a lot, but I don’t know everything about anything at all”, displaying more of Mundok’s clever wordplay. The overall message of the song is about how our minds race and think about all types of things, when we actually have all we need right in front of us.

Another of my favorites, “Bye Bye Bye” is one of the most uplifting songs on the CD. It’s all about saying goodbye to the sadness in our lives. With lyrics about love being stronger than pain and bad thoughts eventually going away, the song has a clear and powerful message of hope. It’s another song that centers around Mundok’s theme of letting the past go and doing what you can to love life. “Everything that matters is happening right now.”

Other tracks impress me greatly, as well. “The Other Side” and “This Old Town” sound like they could come right off a James Taylor album. “Can I Take Your Order?” has guitar parts that could be straight off of a classical Spanish guitarist’s album (think Esteban without the cheese factor). Mundok and company even cover a Pink Floyd track to close out the CD (“Breathe”), and do a great job with it.

Overall a great release, especially for the singer-songwriter crowd. Jason Mundok & Living Fables follow the great indie folk tradition of Dave Bazan, Damien Jurado, and (my personal favorite) Denison Witmer, telling stories with music. Fans of 70’s pop-folk legends like Taylor, modern alt-country, traditional folk, Irish/Scottish singer-songwriters, and everything in between will find something they like on Order’s Up.

thepaintedman rates this:

Like many punk rock warlords before him, Dustin Kensrue, the lead singer and lyricist of the prolific punk/rock/hardcore/alternative act Thrice, decided to strip it all down and lay it on the line in 2007 with Please Come Home, his solo debut. The tradition of punks paying homage to folk, blues, and country roots has produced some really solid results in the past decade. Bad Religion’s Greg Graffin further developed his spiritual side through his Jesus Movement-esque protest folk on Cold as the Clay. Mike Ness explored his love for old time country music including covers of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Merle Haggard, as well as honky tonk versions of Social D songs, during his break from Social Distortion. Mike Park, of seminal ska-punk act Skankin’ Pickle, has spent most of his post-Pickle days play folky acoustic punk in kids’ backyards and living rooms. Now, joining these ranks, Dustin channels the spirit and strength of a young David Gray while playing his own brand Amerciana folk music.

Where Dustin’s influences on this album come from would likely be a long discussion, but a few artists that immediately jump into my mind are Bob Dylan, Jeff Buckley, and Bruce Springsteen. Like these artists, Kensrue’s brand of Americana tells stories and conveys deep thoughts and emotions. Some tracks sound like they were written in the style of Bob Dylan, painting a strong picture and story for the listener. Other tracks almost create a worshipful feeling, which is not a surprise as Dustin Kensrue has never been afraid to share his Christian faith through his lyrics and music. Traditional country musicians, Mississippi Delta bluesmen, modern singer-songwriters, and rock gods should all find something on Please Come Home that they can sink their teeth into.

The opener, “I Knew You Before” demonstrates Dustin’s obvious country influences. The drumming in the track creates a rumbling feeling of a long train ride through the midwestern United States. This drum beat paired with twangy guitar picking and other country/western elements engenders daydreams of riding the rails in a freight car, feeling the breeze from the open hatch… at least for me it does.

Each track thereafter has a soul of its own, but I will highlight a couple that jump out to me as tracks that I’ll listen to over and over.

“Pistol” is the track that immediately brought David Gray to mind. As I like early David Gray material, it’s not a surprise that I like this David Gray-esque folk song. A bluesy element is brought into the track from the start with a harmonica solo at the beginning of the song, which is used during the chorus of the song as well. Kensrue’s croon adds so much emotion to this beautiful love song that could easily have been a wedding song for me if I had heard it 5 years ago.

You’re the girl of my dreams
Darling, please wear this ring
You’re an angel through and through
Time to lay down my life
Honey I’ll do it gladly for you.

Another track that jumps out is “Weary Saints”. It may be the track that sounds most like Thrice in its style and overall structure. Being a huge Thrice fan, it’s no surprise that this is one of my favorite tracks on the album. “Weary Saints” is a pop-oriented acoustic rock song with multiple parts. It reminds me a track like “The Artist in the Ambulance” played acoustically. Being that The Artist in the Ambulance could crack my list of top 10 albums of all time and that “The Artist in the Ambulance” is my favorite track on the album, this comparison is meant as nothing short of praise.

In an effort to spare you from an overly lengthy review (one where I just won’t shut up, even though you are begging me to), I won’t highlight each track, but I certainly could say something about each and every one. This is because the album is solid from its rambling opener to its closing ballad, “Blanket of Ghosts”. I could expand on the faith Dustin displays in “I Believe”, a bouncy pop-folk song in the vein of Jack Johnson… or I could write about the spirit of Johnny Cash displayed in “Blood & Wine”… but I’ll leave it at that. I could go on for pages, but none of my words can do this album justice. Please Come Home is a quality solo debut, but from the voice of Thrice, I’d expect nothing less.

thepaintedman rates this:

Only steers and queers come from Texas (at least that is what I was taught by Full Metal Jacket), but it seems that good independent label pop rock may also be attributed to the state where the Alamo and Nolan Ryan really mean something. West Texas, the debut release by Jim Ward’s newest indie rock outfit, Sleepercar, displays a phenomenal mix many genres and elements.

Prior to listening to this album, my most recent experience with Jim Ward was his solo EP, Quiet. The EP was mundane and unimpressive, as far as I was concerned. I was on a kick where I reviewed music without doing any research into the band or any of the members in order to make a judgment on the music alone. This practice was brief and I returned to my typical business of researching the band before taking in the music. At that time, I listened to the Jim Ward EP and shrugged him off as a generic singer-songwriter that showed some hints of promise but never delivered. This go around, I read up on Ward and realized that he had indeed put out some great music in his past musical life as a member of the seminal post-punk outfit At the Drive In, so I figured giving him another shot would only be fair (as ATDI’s Relationship of Command is easily one of my top 10 albums of all-time).

Giving Ward a chance on this album was the right choice, as West Texas takes on the emergent alt-country style that has continually gained popularity in the indie scene and makes it something all its own. At moments, it reminds me of a time when emo wasn’t a derogatory term and bands like Piebald, The Promise Ring, and The Get Up Kids rocked the local firehalls and skating rinks of my hometown area in northern NJ. At other moments, it brings to mind the pop stylings of The Dandy Warhols. And yet at other moments, it brings to mind a more modern take on a Bob Dylan-esque folk sound. What does this all mean? Simply put, it’s a solid album… a thoroughly enjoyable album… and an album that can and should be embraced by college radio and satellite radio alike.

The opening track, “A Broken Promise”, begins with an ambient feel and a slow buildup before the guitar line comes in with a poppy Strokes vibe. The vocal soon follow and a very smooth and mellow pop tune is the end result. The song bleeds right into the next and the spirit of The Promise Ring is evoked in the lo-fi emo pop of one of the standout tracks on the album, a tune that is sure to be embraced by college radio if it hasn’t been already entitled “Wasting My Time”. Track by track, the album continues to roll on with songs that range in scope from wispy country songs (that sound like what My Morning Jacket and other indie darlings of alt-country SHOULD sound like) to songs that rock a bit harder and remind us of why the emo-rock genres once was before misappropriation of the term, now used to describe bands like Simple Plan and Good Charlotte. Influences seem to vary from classic country to indie contemporaries to 1980’s college rock (ala REM); however, the final product is something that stands on its own as a solid debut that is hopefully just a taste of what is to come.

Overall, an album sure not to disappoint.