Never Loved Elvis?

"The fact of the matter is that popular music is one of the industries of the country. It's all Completely tied up with capitalism. It's stupid to seperate it. That's an illusory seperation."
Paul Simon 1975



Last night I was listening to one of my favorite albums of all time and decided to share it. 1991 was an interesting for me. I tried acid for my first time that summer and after doing the usual stuff one would do on acid (watched Pink Floyd The Wall, bugged out on this interesting ashtray, spat out words of wisdom that probably didn't mean crap) I stumbled upon The Wonder Stuff cassette (YES I SAID CASSETTE!!!) for their third album Never Loved Elvis (Thanks for leaving it Bill!).




From beginning to end this album had everything I was looking for at that moment the music was unique and had a feel that wasn't really coming out in music from other English bands I indulged in at the time. Miles Hunt the bands lead singer/guitarist is clever in his choice of words but doesn't go over your head. Backed by Malcolm Treece, Martin Gilks, Rob "The Bass Thing" Jones, and Martin Bell the band created an album perfect for many moments in live and years later it hasn't lost t any of it's energy to me.



Starting with "Mission Drive" all the way to the end this is one of those albums that you can listen to from beginning to end without being annoyed or wanting to switch to the next song. None sound the same and each has its own personality. If you don't find yourself singing along to "Size of a Cow" then check your pulse or go get a q-tip jerky.



At the time The Wonder Stuff was not as well received in the States as other English bands at the time (The Cure, Siouxie and the Banshees, The Charlatans UK, etc.) but had a great reception in their homeland charting at #3 in the UK. After the bands next album "Construction for the Modern Idiot" they split for various reasons and key members Martin Gilkes and Rob "The Bass Thing" Jones died, Gilkes from a motorcycle accident in 2006 and Jones from heart complications in 1993. Later to be reformed with Hunt and Treece being the only original members reformed and began touring and recording again, and I highly recommend picking up any of the new albums and catching them on tour if you get the chance.



Since the 20 anniversary of The Wonder Stuff's second album, the first-rate, HUP I decided to share this album with you as well. If you like these I urge you to pick up the 20th anniversary of their first album, "Eight Legged Groove Machine" and the newer albums. And let's not forget the interesting solo albums created by Miles Hunt as they are all well crafted and do not tread on what is an amazing catalogue. Now I do warn these albums are, for lack of a better term, "British-y" and for me the first time I had ever heard the word "shite".



As I’m writing this I remembered someone I knew in high school stole Miles Hunt's distortion pedal from a show when they came to the states with Siouxie and the Banshees. I would have loved to see the look on his face when the roadies told him about that one. I will just step up and make a formal apology to "Milo" for the behavior of my fellow yanks. Enjoy.

                                                                                          
Never Loved Elvis 1991

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=H5CZRF7E

Hup 1989

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=0QCO88SA

Grown Folks Hip Hop!!!

Okay now when it comes to hip hop music I have one thing to say. DO NOT LISTEN TO THE RADIO!!! Unless you are 11 yrs. old none of it should make any sense to you. Seriously what the heck is with dudes like Gucci Mane, Soldier boy (and if you have ever seen people try and do that stupid dance in clubs you would piss your pants laughing like my friend Jason and I have many times...thanks idiots), Nicki Minaj, Plies, and Hurricane Chris (this is only a few there's plenty more on the shitlist!!!). Not only does these hacks ruin the music but their albums are just boo boo the content is all the same nothing else is being expressed just my chain, my chick, my car. Furthermore what the hell are they saying? Seriously what the hell are the lyrics to that Superman song?

So what makes a good hip hop album? Well plain and simple an album you can actually listen to all the way through and not just the one damn song from the radio, which is crushing alot of other types of music as well (The Killers I’ve got my eye on you!!!). I mean really don't we all miss the days when you didn't just like one song on the record you listened to them all. Granted there is a few new cats that can do the job right but you sure as shit are not gonna see 'em on video channels or the radio. So today I felt I would share three albums that pass the test with flying colors.

First up we have the 1994 album from Extra Prolific "Like it Should Be". Consisting of rapper Snupe and Mike G. (although he didn't rhyme on the album and only produced one beat)these two came from Texas to hook up with Oakland crew Hieroglyphics (known for Del and Souls Of Mischief) to make what was the last of the crews Jive Records series before going independent. This was a slept piece of work from the rhymes to the beats it had a nationwide feel of hip hop at the time. From the Too Short-sounding opener "Brown Sugar" to the Grover Washington Jr. sampling "First Sermon", which definitely has more of a laid back east coast A Tribe Called Quest groove it delivers but don't mistake it Extra Prolific was not biting these styles. Not a single song is wasted and the topics are as diverse as domestic violence, church, and getting ass. Not much was heard from Extra Prolific after this album except a few singles and a shelved album that was later released by Hieroglyphics long after Extra Prolific left the crew. Rumor has it Snupe returned and is now rapping in a Christian -faith rap group he formed. Enjoy.

Extra Prolific "Like It Should Be"

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=V61033BK







Next is the debut from L.A. lyricist extraordinaire RASS KASS "Soul on Ice". Now this great album from 1996 was something to hear and hasn't lost a bit of its power since then. I am not gonna ramble on about it too much cause if you listen to it you'll understand why this is one of my all time favorite rap albums ever. Tracks to not be missed are the opener "On Earth As It Is...", "Nature of the Threat", and the closer "Ordo Abchao (Out of Order Chaos)". Rass Kass is still doing his thing and I highly recommend picking up any of his newer mix tapes, even if it's just to hear him diss L.A. rapper The Game or his second release "Rassassination". Enjoy.

RASS KASS "Soul On Ice" 1996

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5IF18VS0





Last is the second album from Def Squad gunner Keith Murray "Enigma" from 1996 as well. This one is Mr. Keith Murray doing what he does best, being a beast on the microphone. The production was handled by Erick Sermon (EPMD) and The Ummah (Ali Shaheed Muhammad from A Tribe Called Quest and future beatmaster Jay Dee RI.P. of Slum Village) which at the time was like the equalivalent of having Kanye West and Just Blaze produce your album. No one is like him and no one will be look for his new project with Cannibus cause the first single is pure heat and don't sleep on his other masterpiece The Most Beautifulest Thing In this World. Enjoy.

Keith Murray "Enigma"

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7FPHCWKA



"music has mellowed out to the point where most of just bores me, and i'm not a snob either i just can't forget what i know."
-H.Rollins 1994

Welcome to Contrapuntal Compsosition!!! Thank you for your visit...

Welcome. Greetings. Blah blah blah. Well here it is folks Contrapuntal Composition two words that mean one thing...Music. And that's what this is all about all types’ punk, jazz, pop, metal, sludge, doom, hip-hop, and all in between. I have spent my life, and an assload of money, in the pursuit of music that makes me smile and at various times have shared it with others through mix tapes and at one point in my life I even made newsletters with my own time and money. So why a blog? Well its alot easier to share what I’ve bought and found and love with others. Hopefully you will find the music placed here as interesting and fun as I do and support the artists by buying other albums and merch or going to shows.

We're gonna start with two terrific punk albums from bands in my favorite place, the Bay Area!!! First we have the Krupted Peasant Farmers from San Jose California. These guys hung out in the heart of South San Jose right off Henderson Dr., home of a really great half pipe I skated many times, and were one of the first bands from our area that had their shit together and wrote and made albums of great punk with humorous political messages ranging from legalization of weed to teen promiscuity. Here is a great starter for anyone of how awesome KPF is, I believe the album was called Everything Seems Okay, I no longer have the case and the writing wore off the tape a long time ago. The sound quality is a little sub par but hey it was home recorded on a either a four or eight track recorder so bare with me and enjoy. But make no mistake these guys have done alot from European tours to being on many worldwide compilations including a Sesame Street cover comp feat. Barenaked Ladies!!! But do not expect some rinky dinky garage band of pubescent whiny kid suff. Also you may wanna check out another great SJ band PTL (Preachers That Lie) as they did many shows with KPF and shared similar styles. Enjoy.

KPF:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=0FVW2MY8

Next up is Fuel. No not the lame 90's rock band that sang about something in the dudes hands!!! But a great band from San Francisco that many people dubbed "Fuelgazi". This is a little misleading if you ask me they always gave me more of a Samiam-Hot Water Music sound. Very intelligent personal politic lyrics mixed with an aggressive mix of dual vocalists, improvised guitar playing and an extremely tight and complex rhythm section. Check the double bass on "Habit". This album collects their main album "Monuments of Excess" from 1990 as well as several cuts from EP's and Splits done w other bands. The band split up and not much has really been heard from the members since but if you would like to see what a few members are up to check out singer/guitar player Jim Allison's blog at http://thebandformerlyknownasfuel.com/ or Drummer Jeff Stofan at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=47709854 and say hello. Enjoy.

Fuel: Monuments of Excess 1990

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DGMOUFI3