Music From Saharan Cellphones is not only the first record I have ever bought comprising of music culled from cellular phones but it's also the first to feature a tracklist what includes bitrate info in the notes.
But that's not the only info packed into the incredibly informative insert, oh no. Included within are detailed explanations pertaining to each individual song along with notes on the instrumentation for each respective track and insightful remarks as to the personal relevance of these oft swapped compositions from both the collectors' and the musicians' points of view. Also, if you feared plunking down your hard earned cash for another mysterious, untold vinyl oddment be aware that the "behind the music" info-throwdown continues on the back of the tracklist wherein the demystification of this record begins and the essentialness of it's inception becomes fully realized and, in a sense, re-mystified. In short: Christopher Kirkley begot his sahelsounds label to capture an amazing collection of contemporary West African jammage that is nothing if not a true adventure in hi-fi for the 21st century. And apparently there's more to come.
The songs that comprise Music From Saharan Cellphones were mp3s culled from memory cards of cellphones in West Africa where trading songs via wireless transfer was common before the word "smartphone" became an everyday term stateside. All of the songs presented on the LP are the spoils of an armchair musicologist, the aforementioned Kirkley. who based his immersion out of the Nothern Malian town of Kidal. While there Kirkley began gathering whole collections of MP3s and later got it together to track down the artists to collaborate on a commercial release (via Mississippi records) with sixty percent of the proceeds going directly to the artists themselves - I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult a task that was. The variance in musical style is curiously wild with traditional instruments mixing-it-up with the likes of Groovebox, Autotune,a myriad of synths and the seemingly compulsory presence of Taureg guitar with influences reminiscent of everything from Jil Jilala to Tupac Shakur, Algerian Rai to Mauritanian Jagwa.

It's Christmas eve eve and whether or not you're reeling in feeling the frenzy of the heightened excitement of the season there's always room for a little plaintive introspection. Local auteur/chanteuse Laura Weinbach and her chamber-pop ensemble Foxtails Brigade are among many who have released a special album for the holidays this year, but no seasonal tribute has ever so sweetly serenaded the ghosts of Christmas past quite like their single "I'm Not Really In The Christmas Mood This Year" from the album Time Is Passed. The song is a beautiful if painfully heart-tugging reminder that the Christmas monster needs taming, a glockenspiel and brush lullaby for the lovers of the true meaning. Plus, it comes perfectly packaged in a ruefully gorgeous, must-see visual medium, do check out the video below!

Right about now some of us here at Amoeba Music are probably experiencing disconcerting flash-backs of last Sunday nights' Amoebapalooza 2011 extravaganza - our annual variety show / collaborative fete wherein we Amoebites take all of our informed musical tastes and influences and toss them in in a blender with extra heaping helping of dysfunctional family sentiments and exhibitionist zeal often resulting in a veritable battle-of-the-bands whodunnit of epic proportions. For those who couldn't make it, and for those who can't remember exactly what happened, I'm here to commit all of my impressions and observations to the interwebs via personal recollection rendered threadbare by copious rum consumption. [photos by Kaitlin Layher]

First up, right on schedule, we had the elusive "powered by crystals" act Liquid Karma. Now, I know what you're probably thinking - "Liquid Karma? The all-natural plant growth stimulant?" No, silly! I'm talking about the signed-up-by-his-no-good-co-worker, one-man, guru-level experimental drone-core laptop wizard that opened Amoebapalooza 2011 - guess you had to be there, man. The only way he could've improved his performance is with the addition of a fog-machine. I really liked his senior shades.

Following Liquid Karma's wall of WTF we had the good fortune to enjoy fifteen delicious minutes of SCHNITZELKLIT - a newlywed duo performing songs like "Blue Moon" and a heart-swelling rendition of David Lynch's and Angelo Badalamenti's Fire Walk With Me slow jam "Sycamore Trees," complete with an on-hand portable tape recorder playing the sax solo to lend a true Twin Peaks air to the affair. Lovely indeed!

After that we had our very own self-styled "Jesus with a bun" Gabi Back strumming out a solid set of poignant acoustic covers what closed with an especially emotional rendition of Radiohead's "Lucky" proving that, within the span of just three brief acts, the spectrum of musical tastes and talents of our Amoeba brethren is as enthusiastic as it is expansive.

The next act in the line up took their love of George Harrison to new heights as Darkhorse: the one man/three women tribute act that featured our resident Jazz-man/Metal dude/Kate Bush enthusiast (every record store should have one) on guitar, steaming up the inside of his GH mask as he shredded his through the acoustic set accompanied by a Kaitlin, our lady of the Darkhorse tattoo on drums and vocals, with further vocal accompanyment provided by Amoeba ladies both dear and fair of voice. Everyone of them in some way sporting a likeness of Mr. Harrison. I know that sounds like kooky fun, and it totally was, but there are unfortunately no pictures the act to make true said observation. [sigh] I hope the images above, them kooky masks and Kait's Darkhorse tat, make up for it even if it's just a little bit.

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This entry of the Los Angeles neighborhood blog series is about Eagle Rock. To vote for other Los Angeles neighborhoods to be featured in the blog, vote here. To vote for Los Angeles County communities, vote here.  To vote for Orange County neighborhoods, vote here.

 

Eagle Rock is a neighborhood situated in Northeast Los Angeles whose neighbors are Pasadena to the east, Garvanza to the southeast, Highland Park and Mount Washington to the south, Glassell Park to the southwest and Glendale to the West.