Mos Def and Talib Kweli-Black Star

Personally, I am very selective when it comes to hip-hop.  Most of hip-hop is just trash and mind numbing, but there are a few artists I highly respect and dig.  Mos Def and Talib Kweli are both my in my top ten lists of favorite rappers.  Black Star is a must have album if you like creative and intelligent hip-hop.

Download- http://www.mediafire.com/?3q1oirduz22

-Zak

Funkadelic-Maggot Brain

Funkadelic was a funk band originally formed in 1964 by Parliament man George Clinton.  This album is mad funky and worth the download.  The album cover is also absolutely nuts.  There is also a track entitled, "Hit It and Quit It" which is one of the best song names ever.  So download this now my brothas and sistas so you can get down!

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?ml25zhatmmm

-Zak

Friend/Enemy 10 Songs

Tim Kinsella, Todd Mattei, and Jim Becker, were the core members of this post-millenium - jazz - funk - punk collective. Which included a slew of guest musicians..from drum legend Zach Hill, to Chicago favorites including Sam Zurick (cap'n jazz, joan of arc etc.). The commotion of banjos, organs, guitars, and Hill's frantic drumming, might make for a difficult listen at first. But if your listening right, an elegance and finnesse emenates from the bewildering noise.

Friend/Enemy "10 Songs" 2002















Download:http://www.mediafire.com/?zji24eklzra
-Peter

Faraquet - The View From This Tower

Faraquet were an indie band that had some math rock tendencies. Active in the late '90s to the early 2000's, they were signed to Dischord records in Washington D.C. (Fugazi, Minor Threat etc.). Full of abrupt starts and stops and clever songwriting, Faraquet gives us an album that is clever and unique but still holds on to some pop sensibility.

Faraquet - "The View From This Tower" 2000
















Download:http://www.mediafire.com/?2xnpym1wcyc

-Peter

Stars of the Lid - Avec Laudenum

"Avec Laudenum is an album that demands both patience and time. The first three tracks on the album all belong to the “Atomium” series which clocks in just over twenty minutes long. Mostly composed of soothing, orchestrated electronic effects and dark, shadowed guitar drones Stars of the Lid are able to create a mesmerizing atmosphere that has the ability to enthrall the listener. Ethereal keyboard tones fade in and out as dreary guitars drone in the background.'

Stars of the Lid - "Avec Laudenum" 1999

















Download:http://www.mediafire.com/?qztmynmmkkw

-Peter

Don Caballero - What Burns Never Returns

Man i don't know how I went this long without posting any don crabs. This here is where you should start, those of you who havent yet had a formal introduction to the band. Properly rocking, moreso than American Don (the followup), but bears a strange beauty that Don Caballero 2 (it's predecessor) lacked. The reason this album really stands out in my book, is because it was the last album that co-founding member and guitarist Mike Banfield played on, and the guitar dynamics between Ian Williams, and Mike on these 8 flawless tracks are really just something special.

Don Caballero - "What Burns Never
Returns" 1998

Download:http://www.rapidshare.com/files/222917888/What_Burns_Never_Returns_-_1998.rar
-Peter

Fugazi - End Hits

Fugazi's 2nd to last album, and the most experimental effort they put out. Though when i say experimental that doesn't mean they're trading melody and structure for effects and noise, the album is full of melody. If you didn't dig the Fugazi albums I posted earlier, don't give up just yet. This album might change your mind.

Fugazi - "End Hits" 1998

















Download:http://www.mediafire.com/?0rjyxvxlmat

-Peter

Owls - Self Titled

Owls is one of those bands that is difficult to pin a genre tag on. They were somewhat of a reincarnation of Cap'n Jazz, with all of the members on their original instruments, but to say that it was a reunion would be far off. The sound of Owls is comparable to none, Vic V's guitar lines float and sift through the crisp/thumpy rhythms of Sam Zurick on the bass, and Mike Kinsella (Owen, American Football) on the drums. All while Tim Kinsella wales his thought-full banter and tasty melodies. Die hard Kinsella fans such as myself consider this single album to be the best of their entire catalogue, and even those who dislike most of the collectives work, can't deny this album is a masterpiece.

Owls - "Owls" 2001

















Download:http://www.mediafire.com/?u2gaykyc2nz

-Peter

Saetia - A Retrospective

Saetia was an extremely influential post hardcore/screamo band active in the 1990's. Pushing what bands like Cap'n Jazz started in the early 90's, they basically pioneered this sound of angular/dissonant guitars, and shrill screaming. Many acts would follow, trying to replicate Saetia's sound which critics were beginning to call 'screamo'. How it started here and evolved into acts like My Chemical Romance, and Atreyu is totally beyond me. This album is a retrospective (rightly named) of their entire catalogue. I'm pretty sure this is every recording of theirs, from 1997-2000.

Saetia - "A Retrospective" 2001


















Download:http://www.mediafire.com/?whg2jdd2mjd

-Peter

Yesterdays New Quintet - Sound Directions: The Funky Side of Life

Madlib is one of the most prolific producers of our day. With an inhuman amount of releases under his belt, under the many different aliases he uses, which somehow each manage to have a sound of it's own. Here we have Yesterdays New Quintet, which for a long time i thought was madeup of Madlib on beats, and other musicians on the actual instruments. But i came to find out that these other musicians (Otis Jackson Jr, Joe Johnson etc.), were actually fictional musicians that Madlib had thought up for this project. And what's even more insane is that he came out with Solo albums for all of the fictional musicians! So this record is entirely madlib, even though it sounds like a real live jazz quartet. It is very funky and danceable yet smart and hip.

Yesterdays New Quintet - Sound Directions: "The Funky Side of Life" 2005



















Download:http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OJ7IELQG

-Peter

Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted + Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

These are indie rock legends - Pavement, and their groundbreaking first two releases. Pavement set the bar for lo-fi indie rock bands in the 1990's with these D.I.Y. masterpieces. I don't wanna say much more for these guys because the music really speaks for itself.

Pavement - "Slanted & Enchanted" 1992

















Download:http://www.mediafire.com/?edrsdgl0m99
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Pavement - "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain" 1994

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?uwzg2vdmuzy

-Peter

Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup

"Stereolab was poised for a breakthrough release with Emperor Tomato Ketchup, their fourth full-length release, the album is Stereolab's most complex, multi-layered record. Even when Stereolab appears to be creating a one-chord trance, there is a lot going on beneath the surface. Furthermore, the group's love for easy listening and pop melodies means that the music never feels cold or inaccessible. Because of all its textures, Emperor Tomato Ketchup isn't as immediately accessible as Mars Audiac Quintet, but it is a rich, rewarding listen. "

Stereolab - "Emperor Tomato Ketchup" 1996

















Download:http://www.mediafire.com/?dhmqwv1oyom

-Peter

The Appleseed Cast-Sagarmatha

It's the first post of the year and decade Woohoo.  

Here is a fairly solid Appleseed Cast release.  Lots of airy and spacey guitars and filtered vocals. 

http://www.mediafire.com/?d5yk2dzoglq

Zak