Monthly Archives: August 2019

TVD Live Shots: Converge, Cloud Nothings, Djunah at House of Vans, 8/24

The masses came out for the final show of the Vans House Parties at House of Vans this summer, curated by heavy hitters Converge. With the line to get in wrapping around the block, it was easy to recognize that this summer concert series was going to end with a bang.

Djunah was the first to hit the stage, a two-piece rock band hailing from Chicago. The crowd was watching intently, bopping their heads along with the melodies. It was pretty chill during this set, the crowd presumably saving up all their energy for the headliner. This didn’t stop Djunah from delivering an action packed set that felt like the stage was filled with multiple musicians. Their debut album is due to be released in November.

Cloud Nothings, the genre bending rock band from Ohio, came up next. Switching between slower indie rock songs, to amped up punk songs, the crowd bounced along rhythmically. Even the concertgoers sitting on the skate ramps were bopping along to the music. They were successful in getting the crowd ready for Converge.

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TVD Radar: Planned Parenthood launches “Band Together, Bans Off” ad with Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Halsey, more

VIA PRESS RELEASE | A new full-page ad in Billboard features nearly 140 musicians from genres across the industry opposing restrictions to safe, legal abortion and declaring their strong support for reproductive health and rights.

As part of Planned Parenthood’s #BansOffMyBody campaign, the artists signed on to the “Band Together, Bans Off” ad—which appears in the August 24 issue of Billboard—to raise awareness about the harm of sweeping bans on access to safe, legal abortion and affirm that no one is free unless they control their own body. The ad is supported by nearly 140 artists, including LIZZO, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Beck, Billie Eilish, Bon Iver, John Legend, Nicki Minaj, Demi Lovato, G-Eazy, HAIM, Troye Sivan, Macklemore, Hayley Kiyoko, Megan Thee Stallion, Miley Cyrus, Kacey Musgraves, Carole King, Dua Lipa, Meghan Trainor, and more. Those who signed are urging their social media followers to take action against these bans, and learn more about the threat to safe, legal abortion access in communities across the country. Specifically, the artists are asking their supporters to add their name to a national petition calling for an end to the abortion bans, with a goal of collecting 500,000 signatures by the anniversary of Roe v. Wade in January 2020.

Over the next few months, Planned Parenthood will also join music festivals like Made in America in Philadelphia and Music Midtown in Atlanta to educate fans about these harmful abortion bans and drive action to support access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. Planned Parenthood will also be working with a number of artists in new and innovative ways as they tour across the country this year, encouraging their fans to speak out against attacks on reproductive health and rights, including safe, legal abortion.

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TVD Radar: The Lumineers’ III film to debut at TIFF, 9/8

VIA PRESS RELEASE | The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced the world premiere of The Lumineers’ III (pronounced “three”), a visual exploration of the band’s third and latest album, on Sunday, September 8 at 3PM in Cinema 1 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. 

In three chapters corresponding with the album’s 10 tracks, the film explores addiction over three generations of a working-class family in the American Northeast. Initially inspired by The Lumineers’ lead vocalist Wesley Schultz’s own family members, the film is directed by Kevin Phillips (Super Dark Times) from a story by Schultz and The Lumineers’ drummer and pianist Jeremiah Fraites. A Neighborhood Watch production, III stars newcomer Anna Cordell, Nick Stahl (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, In the Bedroom) and Charlie Tahan (Ozark, Super Dark Times) as the matriarch, son and grandson of the Sparks family. All songs were written by Schultz and Fraites. Schultz, Fraites and manager Bernie Cahill serve as executive producers and Traci Carlson and Richard Peete produce.

Shot entirely in Portland, Oregon, the film’s production team also includes Wyatt Garfield (director of photography), Ed Yonaitis (editor), David Storm (production designer) and Elizabeth Warn (costume designer).

The announcement comes in advance of the two-time GRAMMY nominated band’s release of their new album III on September 13 through Dualtone (an Entertainment One Company) in the U.S. and Canada and Decca Records for the rest of the world.

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UK Artist of the Week: Mexican Radio

If you’re a fan of Berlin-based synth punk (and who isn’t?), then you’re in for an almighty treat. The formidable trio Mexican Radio will be releasing their undeniably determined sophomore album Deconstruction / Reconstruction on 20th September and to give you a little taster, they’ve just shared their brilliant new single “Night of Nihilist” with the world.

“Night of The Nihilist” is a wonderfully sharp and meaningful introductory track that showcases Mexican Radio’s potential perfectly. The production is undoubtedly impressive—they’ve recorded everything live to tape in an analogue studio with no overdubs—pretty serious stuff. Fans of The Fall and Atari Teenage Riot will certainly feel at home here.

Talking about the track, the band elaborate, “The song was inspired by the Russian nihilist movement from the 1860s and makes reference to their assassination of Tsar Alexander II. The narrator of the song also takes influence from the nihilist character Bazarov from Ivan Turgenev’s novel Fathers and Sons.

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Graded on a Curve:
Peter Laughner,
Peter Laughner

In the annals of punk rock, Peter Laughner has really been more of a mythic figure than a prime musical influence. While he was a member of two crucial Cleveland punk bands (Rocket from the Tombs and Pere Ubu), his recorded output has been somewhat slight. The key word in that last sentence is output. Smog Veil’s eponymous 5LP/5CD box set makes plain what heavy-duty Laughner heads have long known; he recorded a whole lot, but just had very little commercially released, even posthumously. This enlightening and highly digestible labor of love from a diligently Ohio-focused label expands his output in both size and range. Featuring a 100-pg hardcover book, it’s one of the best multidisc sets of 2019.

Ten years is a long time. Certainly not in the grand sweep of history, but the statement still rings true; we denote blocks of ten years as decades, and a decade is how long Smog Veil has been working on Peter Laughner. Ten years can build up a whole lot of anticipation, and by extension, unsurmountable expectations, but that’s not how it transpired here.

Up to the eve of its release, there seemed to be hardly any hubbub attached to this project, which fits with Laughner’s essentially underground stature. If you know and care about the man’s work, you likely know a lot about early punk, and there’s a good chance you knew this set was in production. Anticipation likely resulted, but in keeping with the circumstances of Laughner’s life, it was probably best to not get too optimistic.

24 years is 14 more than ten, but in demarking the span of a lifetime, it’s not very long at all, at least in modern terms. And 24 years is how long Peter Laughner lived. A big part of his mythic stature stems from his death from acute pancreatitis, a condition that indicates that he drank (and yes indeed, drugged) himself to death. Since then, many have surely romanticized his demise, but he’s just as often simply one more entry in rock ‘n’ roll’s long list of casualties.

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In rotation: 8/27/19

Bengaluru, IN | Where to get vinyl records in Bengaluru: Worldwide, the interest in LP records and players has stayed strong. And it is not just music from a certain era; you can even buy music from artists today such as Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande on vinyl. And if you want to skip the expense of a proper set-up, just take your pick of a portable player. In Bengaluru too, there is a growing interest in vinyl. The owners of Antique Palace, Ram’s Musique and Seetaphone Company are in perfect agreement on four things: many college students land up in their shops; passion is the key word; they will source the record if it is not available; and profits is not their primary motive.

Detroit, MI | 21 Michigan record stores that prove vinyl is still thriving in the digital era: People’s Records: Vinyl has gone in and out of vogue so many times that to say records are back would sound like, well, a broken record. However, in recent years there’s no denying it — records are here to stay. Whether you’re a metro Detroit native with a newfound obsession with records (thanks, Urban Outfitters) or an out-of-towner scouring the country for original pressings and rare finds, these local shops keep our music world spinning… Dearborn Music: Dearborn Music has been serving up miles and piles of vinyl (stocking over 50,000 titles across LPs, CDs, and DVDs) since 1956, and has been voted by Metro Times readers as the best record store in Wayne County year after year. Street Corner Music: From Isaac Hayes to Greta Van Fleet to rare David Bowie promos and Prince picture discs, this humble Oak Park favorite (and neighbor to indie bookstore Book Beat) is suited for vinyl lovers old and new and for anyone looking for that record store experience

San Luis Obispo, CA | Boo Boo Records celebrates 45 years in downtown SLO: Boo Boo Records in downtown San Luis Obispo has managed to stand the test of time and celebrated their 45th anniversary Saturday. “We could not have done it without this amazing community that we live in… loyal fans and costumers… and I’ve been lucky to have the best staff,” said owner of Boo Boo Records Mike White. According to Downtown San Luis Obispo, there have been five businesses this year that have closed their doors, but the Boo Boo records family says they aren’t going anywhere. “You see how rough it is to do business in downtown SLO. The shelf life for a lot of these businesses is six to nine months and they’re gone,” said Boo Boo Records Employee Abe Gibson. “So 45 years I think is a pretty big deal and is something we are really proud of.” Despite all the digital mediums people use to consume music, long time customers said there is something timeless about holding a physical record in your hands.

Buffalo, NY | Grant Street looking sweet with Black Dots on the move: It was June of 2018 that I reported that Black Dots music was supersizing on Grant Street, from a little shopfront down the road. This was a big deal from where the vinyl record business started back in 2013. Now, Black Dots is on the move again – the business has bounced across the street to a newly remodeled building at the corner of Grant and Potomac. While this might not seem like the most exciting news, switching up one renovated storefront for another, it’s actually great news because Black Dots leaves behind a super storefront that should be snapped up in a jiffy. And if you recall, 363 Grant Street was just an empty grass corner lot not long ago.

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TVD Live Shots: Skunk Anansie at the O2 Brixton Academy, 8/17

Skunk Anansie live at the legendary Brixton Academy in London—something that not many Americans can claim that they’ve witnessed.

One of the UK’s most successful and exciting bands of the Britrock movement of the early ’90s, Skunk Anansie are celebrating 25 years and touring in support of their latest release 25Live@25 which features 25 tracks taken from across their six studio albums, all captured live from various performances on their 2017 tour. Even if you are somehow not familiar with the band, you will undoubtedly have heard of their incredibly talented frontwoman Skin. Skin is one of Britain’s more acclaimed rock singers, as well as a fashion icon, a renowned DJ, an actress, and an activist.

The first time I heard Skunk Anansie, I was living in St. Louis and working at a record store in college. The rep from Epic records sent a copy of the advance CD with a note that said, “this is going to be huge.” Epic had one hell of a track record at the time for breaking new artists including Korn, Rage, and Prong just to name a few. So they were definitely on the right label at the right time, so why didn’t they break?

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TVD Radar: Us, deluxe 2LP vinyl soundtrack in stores now

VIA PRESS RELEASE | Waxwork Records is proud to present the Us Original Motion Picture Soundtrack featuring a score by composer Michael Abels. Us, released in March 2019, is an original nightmare written, directed and produced by Academy Award®-winning visionary Jordan Peele (Get Out). Set in present day Santa Cruz on the iconic Northern California coastline, the film, starring Oscar® winner Lupita Nyong’o and Black Panther’s Winston Duke, pits an ordinary American family against a terrifying and uncanny opponent: doppelgängers of themselves.

A blockbuster that earned raves from critics and audiences alike, Us earned more than $250 million at the worldwide box office to become one the highest grossing R-rated horror films of all time, buoyed by an unexpected and innovative soundtrack and by a groundbreaking, terrifying original score by Abels. Us marks the second collaboration between composer Abels and Peele, who first worked together on Peele’s 2017 Oscar-winning horror film, Get Out. For the Us score, Abels explored themes of duality and discord. “Sonically, what defines ‘scary’ is the unfamiliar,” Abels says. “It is the things that we can’t place, and that we don’t expect, that take us to that place of fear. We wanted to really strike terror into the audience.”

Central to the score was the opening track, an anthem for the doppelgängers, known in the film as The Tethered. Abels hit on the idea of using choral elements. “Jordan really loves the sounds of voices, and the human voice is an incredibly expressive instrument that anyone can relate to,” Abels says. “The anthem sounds a little like a march of people preparing for battle, like an uprising maybe, but the sounds are not in a recognizable language. In other parts of the film there are vocal effects, just these strange sounds. They’re designed to really freak people out.”

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Liily,
The TVD First Date

“I was at a friend’s house in 7th grade. It was the first time he had invited me over because he had recently won a contest on KROQ and Grouplove was coming over to play at his house.”

“While we waited for the band to show up I was introducing myself to his house and particularly his room. As I walked around I began to shrink, getting smaller and smaller as I walked. Everything in the room was foreign and unspeakably cool to me. Posters of bands I didn’t know, instruments I’d never seen, and a giant record collection. I had never seen a vinyl record before, but I knew what they were. I couldn’t believe how cool this kid was that he had gone out himself and bought these records—it was a level of commitment to a band and music that meant a lot to me for some reason. (He went on to form Slow Hollows.)

By the time the band had arrived and began to play, I was still in his room sifting through all of these records. I was so infatuated by them that I begged him to let me take one home with me. I persuaded him to give me a Youth Brigade LP even though I didn’t have any way of playing it.

After that, buying records became an obsession. I was also skating everywhere at this time and the two obsessions had a marital effect, skating all day then going to the record store (Freakbeat) and straight to the dollar bin to buy the first name I recognized or the first album cover that peaked my interests. Some of the first in my collection were John Lennon’s Mind Games Devo’s Q: Are We Not Men… and a single pressing of the Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love” and an eBay purchase of Blink 182’s Dude Ranch.

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Graded on a Curve: Whitesnake,
Whitesnake

Everybody knows the rap on Whitesnake–bad Led Zeppelin rip off, dumb songs without a spark of originality, and even dumber vocals by former Deep Perp singer David Coverdale–the guy Robert Plant once playfully renamed David Cover Version.

And you know what? As much as I like to be a contrarian, in this case everybody’s right. Whitesnake’s self-titled 1987 breakthrough is a fearsome display of relentless banality, and almost makes me rethink my hatred for the music of Sammy Hagar. It’s as if both band and producer checked their brains at the studio door, then proceeded to check off the boxes of a rock cliché checklist.

The stupid song titles tell the story; if “Bad Boys” and “Still of the Night” don’t give you the horrors, “Children of the Night” certainly should. They scream “formula” and it’s formula you get–the pair of songs with “love” in the title are trite power ballads (as is the LP’s only listenable tune, “Here I Go Again”); as for the rest of the songs, they seem to be an attempt to prove that Whitesnake isn’t a Led Zep tribute band because, well, they’re happy to rip off just anybody. So on Whitesnake you get cheap facsimiles of Van Halen (“Children of the Night”), Sammy Hagar (“Bad Boys”), “Here I Go Again” (Bon Jovi) and “Is This Love” (Jennifer Warnes and Don Henley).

There’s no denying that the band produces an impressive din. Ansley Dunbar is one helluva drummer, and one can only wonder why he’s slumming with these bozos. And despite his knack for playing solos that go nowhere, John Sykes plays one manly guitar. Whitesnake’s problem is that it doesn’t have a single unique thing to say.

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In rotation: 8/26/19

Pittsburgh, PA | Calling all audiophiles: Pittsburgh’s best record stores: Despite the rise of streaming platforms and other accessible forms of finding music, record collecting has seen a recent resurgence. Peer into any Urban Outfitters and fresh pressings of classic hit records reside alongside vinyls of some of the hottest modern artists of today. Any Pittsburghers who’ve fallen under the spell of the “vinyl revival” have a plethora of places to choose from that sell both new and used records, catering to customers seeking a legendary grail record or just their favorite album. Not everyone collects vinyl, but keep reading — some of these locations host books, CDs and other offline entertainment mediums. Be sure to keep this list handy next time Record Store Day, held the third Saturday of every April, rolls around.

Dallas, TX | Spinster Records to move into heart of Bishop Arts: The Spirited Oak Cliff Record Store And Hi-Fi Shop Will Move Half A Mile Down The Road In October — But Not Before Sending Its First Location Off Proper. Right around New Year’s Eve, Spinster Records owner David Grover had something of an epiphany. He’d been booked to DJ the Bishop Arts District’s outdoor festivities for the calendar-turning holiday — and, all throughout his set, people just kept coming up to him to ask about the Spinster Records sign he’d set up beside the table holding his turntables. The crowds all wanted to know one thing: Where among this neighborhood’s trendy restaurants and adorable boutiques was this record store? A little ways up the road, he sheepishly replied before directing each person who asked to his shop, which has sat about half a mile down the way from the Bishop Arts District at 829 West Davis Street since it opened in 2014. Grover didn’t really expect anything major to come from those polite bits of promotion, but his store’s sales figures proved him pleasingly wrong; that week, Spinster’s sales were three times what he’d anticipated them being. “That,” Grover says now, “was my ‘Aha!’ moment.”

Lansdale, PA | Entertainment industry survivor, Downingtown resident Mark Evans releases debut album at Chaplin’s in Spring City: South Jersey native Mark Evans’ circuitous creative journey through a wide range of acting and musical projects culminates with a vinyl release party Aug. 24 for The Mark Evans Band’s debut album, “Carousel.” “When we started recording these tracks, and the direction it was taking, it was gonna be … vinyl from day one. I miss vinyl. There was only room for … the best of the session. An album is like a Broadway show, a play in two acts. Side one had to take you somewhere, and end on a strong enough note for you to want to pick up that needle, turn the record over, and begin a new journey with side two,” said Evans, who has called Downingtown home the last three years. The album’s cover art even depicts the underside of a carousel roof as a record. Inside are pop/rock songs that sound like they could have been released between 1966 and 1973. “That sound still moves me,” Evans said.

Giving new life to Nepali music (and musicians): Imagine listening to the late music maestro Narayan Gopal’s recordings on high quality stereo vinyl. The sound of the yesteryears cap­tured and reproduced in the most primitive of the formats where the whole ‘analogness’ of the music is preserved. Now imagine not having to scrounge through other peo­ple’s collections or antic shops to buy them. Instead, you could have them with the click of a button or find them at a convenient spot near you. That’s exactly the intent of the Wild Yak Records—an ini­tiative of three friends who connected with each other through their common love for vinyl and music. Sushil Koirala, Kiran Byan­jankar and Neeraj Prasad Gorkhaly are the men behind the Wild Yak Records, its inception made possible by their common love. They are spread across the globe—Koi­rala is a public health pro­fessional based in Bangkok, Byanjankar is a restaurateur in Chicago, and Gorkhaly is a scientific policy advisor in Washington DC. What also brings these men, all in their early 40s, together is their common root as the rebellious “thrash metal” generation of Kathmandu in the early 90s.

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TVD’s The Idelic Hour with Jon Sidel

Greetings from Laurel Canyon!

…And there was one guy there who kept asking me how does it are you sure feel and I / Didn’t even you don’t want to know how to talk about begin to answer what you’re / Experiencing that question and I just said so I just said no I don’t want to talk about it

So there I was, just another shitbag civilian / Afraid of the cops when I was outside, afraid of my friends when I was inside / And I grew tired of the scene / And then my dad showed up / And he was like / “Who are you to go against the word of our fathers?” / “Who are you? the scum of the earth” / No we are just we are just we are just teens of style

Tuesday was our son Jonah’s first day of 6th grade. Middle school here we are. Jonah was pissed that I was shooting pics and video, but I couldn’t help myself. It was too big of a landmark for this Idelic DJ to pass up a couple of snapshots.

I helped Jonah open his new locker, “…one to the left, two to the right…” Do you remember your old school locker? I had the same one for 6 years. Watching Jonah master his combo brought back a few memories… Emptying my locker for the last time and thinking about who would take it over next. How little they would know about me. Would they know about all the cool shit I stashed in there?

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TVD Live Shots: Santana and The Doobie Brothers at Xfinity Center, 8/20

PHOTOS: LAURA KILGUS JENKINS AND CHRIS JENKINS IN MANSFIELD, NH | The air was filled with the scent of incense burning on stage as images of Woodstock illuminated the space, setting the tone for a tour that commemorates the milestone anniversary of Santana’s infamous performance some five decades ago.

Only a few days following the 50th Anniversary of their performance at the Woodstock festival in August 1969, the band named after Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Carlos Santana and the iconic musician himself brought the house down at the Xfinity Center outside of Boston.

Santana’s show is a true bounty of musical stylings. The set featured Latin and African beats, Latin rock, sounds of Jamaica, bluesy vocals, and guitar solos that no-doubt is a check off the Bucket List for long-time fans. Much like a maestro, Santana gestures to bandmates for smooth and subtle arrangement changes all while showcasing the skill of the artists and enriching the overall performance.

Fans were on their feet as the evening began with a hit-filled set from special guests, The Doobie Brothers. “I’d like to hear some funky Dixieland, pretty momma come and take me by the hand…” The Doobie Brothers sang in an engaging sing-a-long with the audience.

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TVD Live Shots: Smashing Pumpkins, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, and AFI
at Merriweather Post Pavilion, 8/17

Smashing Pumpkins singer, Billy Corgan fell ill right before the band’s performance at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Saturday night. Luckily for those in attendance world-famous vampire, Nosferatu was on site to fill in for the ailing singer. If not for his long fingers, sharp teeth, and creamy pale skin, the vampire would’ve been an odd stand-in for Corgan, but things seemed to work out just fine as the crowd were none the wiser to have the doppelgänger center stage.

Buffoonery aside, it was 9:25 when the Smashing Pumpkins took the pavilion stage in the woodlands of Columbia, Maryland. Billy Corgan—the real Billy Corgan—and his re-united Pumpkins, (James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin) must have been eager to play because I can’t recall any artist at the pavilion appearing on stage even one minute early for their set.

Prior to the Pumpkins taking their places on stage, the atmosphere had been set with dramatic stage props put in place; three striking Matryoshka dolls that stretched to the upper ceiling lights of the pavilion.

Reunited with guitar player extraordinaire Iha and drummer Chamberlin for this tour, the band is almost completely reformed. The only missing element is D’arcy Wretzky. the founding bass player, whose relationship with Corgan has been one of a “he-said, she-said” for as long as I can recall.

Opening their set with “Today” from 1993’s Siamese Dream, The Smashing Pumpkins played roughly a 90-minute set that spanned their catalog and of course showcased their many hits—”Solara” and “Zero,” with a sullen version of “Disarm” following. Later the classics “Ava Adore,” “1979,” “Tonight, Tonight” and “Cherub Rock.”

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TVD Radar: Boyz N The Hood OST, 2-LP vinyl debut in stores 9/27

VIA PRESS RELEASE | On September 27, Qwest/UMe is set to release the groundbreaking, multi-genre Boyz N The Hood soundtrack on double vinyl in two different color options: black and translucent blue. This will mark the first time the soundtrack for Boyz N The Hood has been reissued on vinyl since the album’s initial release on July 9, 1991. This special new 2LP edition also honors the indelible legacy of Boyz N The Hood director and soundtrack executive producer John Singleton, who sadly passed away in April 2019.

As the perfect sonic companion piece to Singleton’s incendiary 1991 directorial debut, the Boyz N The Hood soundtrack masterfully stacked cutting-edge of-era gangsta rap alongside a fine selection of R&B, funk, and jazz tracks. From the visceral thrust of Ice Cube’s West Coast gangsta manifesto “How To Survive In South Central” to Tevin Campbell’s New Jack Swing-styled Top 10 R&B hit “Just Ask Me To” (featuring rapper Chubb Rock) to the East Coast boom bap of Main Source’s spitfire take on “Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball (Remix),” the Boyz N The Hood soundtrack encompassed the full scope of Singleton’s singular vision for the film. Two tracks on Side D had been included on the initial 1991 CD release—Quincy Jones’ sultry “Setembro” and Stanley Clarke’s still poignant “Black On Black Crime”—with the latter making its vinyl debut.

Boyz N The Hood, a coming-of-age film starring Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut, and Laurence Fishburne (then billed as Larry Fishburne), followed the trajectory of three friends growing up in early-’90s South Central L.A., and it established Singleton as an insightful chronicler of the then-shifting urban landscape.

At the time, urban film soundtracks were also on the rise, and Boyz N The Hood (which reached No. 12 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart) built on the success of the popular soundtracks for March 1990’s House Party and January 1991’s New Jack City. For his part, Singleton would go on to direct 1993’s Poetic Justice, 1995’s Higher Learning, 2003’s 2 Fast 2 Furious, and 2011’s Abduction (his final film). He also co-created the acclaimed TV crime drama, FX’s Snowfall, which began airing its third season in July 2019.

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  • SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL INDIE SHOPS SINCE 2007


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