Othello's Clown Despite The Dagger

Othello's Clown Despite The Dagger Track Listing:

    1.    (0:01:25) She & Him YOU REALLY GOTTA HOLD ON ME - Have you seen The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The Happening, or even Elf?  Well, you'd recognize Zooey Deschanel, the actress.  Here, she's singing lead vocals along side indie folk star, M. Ward.  Volume One has received high marks from critics all across the board, and they plan on releasing a Volume Two in the future.  M. Ward is a singer-songwriter and guitarist that straddles country, pop, and folk on a regular basis, and you can find him popping up everywhere from Cat Power to Beth Orton.  
    2.    (0:05:01) Fiona Apple LIMP - This is one of my favorite tracks by this little feisty minx.  From her widely acclaimed When The Pawn... LP, and produced by the great Jon Brion.  Most people would critique her latest LP falling short on the production end after noting Brion's tracks had been reworked by Sony.  Please listen to the opening drum sequence to this track, because her sound on her first two LPs are so brilliant due to the rather outstanding drumming of Matt Chamberlain.  In the opening section, listen to how he uses the hi-hat to dictate the opening verse in a rather melodic way.  Truly amazing.  
    3.    (0:08:30) Ladybug Mecca SEXUAL ALCHEMY - The female-third of the Digable Planets.  This is from Ladybug's solo record Trip The Light Fantastic.  She is arguably one of hip hop's most outstanding female rapper (along with Project Blowed's Medusa, Jean Grae, and old schooler MC Lyte).  On her solo record, which was released nearly a decade after Digable's last appearance in the mainstream, pushes her into more vocal sequences and dabbles in Afro-Brazilian rhythms and reggae influenced beats as well as straight up hip hop.
    4.    (0:11:41) Kings of Leon I WANT YOU - Another brilliant track from their killer breakthrough LP Only By The Night.
    5.    (0:16:33) Danger Mouse & Jemini THE ONLY ONE - A classic hip hop duo that stayed rather under the ground in the hip hop sense of the term.  Jemini never really broke out like Danger Mouse did.  It's rather unfortunate, because this album is great - some of Danger Mouse's better moments pre-Gorillaz.  
    6.    (0:19:31) Black Milk feat. Royce da 5-9 LOSING OUT - Holy clouds in the sky!  This track is absolutely off the hook!  Black Milk is just like a baby Kanye or Puff Daddy, rippin' it up straight out of Detroit, Michigan.  Royce, perhaps one of hip hop's saddest stories, was once claimed to be the next up and coming rappers since Dr. Dre and Eminem.  There was so much hype surrounding this guy that he literally messed himself and his career up royally once he decided to come out and disrespected the Dr.  Dre was busy producing records, and he allowed Royce to write some lyrics for his album, and then came around and said that Dre doesn't write his lyrics.  Come on, now.  Dre quickly retaliated and shot him down, and there went his promising career in the big leagues.  He's still got skill, but no clout, anymore.  Sad.
    7.    (0:24:10) Plaid EYEN - My buddy, Todd, came across this band while loading up his Logic Pro software to his computer, and I was shocked I hadn't heard of them before.  They have been around for years on Warp records, which happens to be one of my favorite labels.  In fact, they go back to 1995, and prior to that, they formed along with Ken Downie as The Black Dog circa 1988 .  These guys dabble in dissonant electronic sounds and even odd time signatures.
    8.    (0:28:14) Present STRYCHNINE FOR CHRISTMAS - Eccentric Belgian guitarist Roger Trigaux formed this group along side his other band, Univers Zero, circa 1979.  Concentrating on polyrhythmic forms, odd time signatures, and dissonant chords, he is known for orchestrating the entire band without truly knowing the music behind it, but rather intuitively creative enough to describe what he's aiming for to each member so they can understand musically.  Most of his compositions are conducted like a symphony in that each movement is a representation of the larger whole with fluctuations in tempo and space.  
    9.    (0:32:07) Souls of Mischief TRILOGY - Oakland, California underground legends off of their 4th LP release by the name Trilogy: Conflict, Climax, Resolution.  This album delved into the darker side of the quartet, outside of the mainstream labels.  Even though I stated 'underground' for Hieroglyphics and SOM, it is not wholly true, since SOM's first release,'93 'til Infinity, was off major label, Jive Records.  Tajai and A-Plus apparently started rhyming together at the age of 8, later met Phesto and Opio in junior high, and released their critically acclaimed debut before graduating high school.
    10.    (0:35:29) Ayatollah DEVIL IS SWEET - In Arabic, means Signs of God, and is the high-ranking title given to religious clerics.  Another underground hip hop producer, following in the same vein as the late great J Dilla.  This is a truly busy man, producing crazy records since 2003, from Mos Def, Masta Ace, Inspectah Deck, Royce da 5-9, Talib Kweli, Ghostface Killah, to Guru.  
    11.    (0:38:20) Vampire Weekend ONE (BLAKE'S GOT A NEW FACE) - New York band that blew up the critic's roundtable last year with their self-titled debut LP.  Their sound incorporates the guitar playing and whining of lead singer, Ezra Koenig, backed by a rhythm section who often utilizes African influences to straddle the rock and pop sound.  This record was a major success in both the US and UK, and were in the top 50 records of 2008 on most critic's lists.  
    12.    (0:41:18) Aphex Twin GIRL # BOY SONG - From the Richard D. James Album LP.  Highly acclaimed LP from the 90s off Warp Records, and was titled in homage to his older brother who died at birth given the same name as he, Richard David James - hence the word 'Twin' in his moniker.  Aphex Twin is arguably the single biggest influence in melodic drum 'n bass and electro music, and though this was released 13 years ago, it still stands that test of time.  
    13.    (0:45:33) Erykah Badu MY PEOPLE - Another wicked, Madlib produced, track off New Amerykah Part One (4th World War).  Madlib treading waters in J Dilla territory as the record truly pays homage to the late great producer.  
    14.    (0:48:42) Marvin Gaye WHOLY HOLY - From the absolutely timeless What's Going On record.  Marvin Gaye was a one-of-a-kind musician and innovator of the 60s and 70s sound.  This record's melancholy jazzy connotations are in response to the death of long-time musical partner and friend, Tammi Terrell, in 1970.  He later stepped into the studio and recorded this album, which has become one of his greatest achievements and stands time on every critic's all-time best list.  Oh, and don't ask me why 'wholly' is misspelled, please...I don't know why.
    15.    (0:51:37) Arctic Monkeys 505 - From the highly acclaimed sophomore release Favourite Worst Nightmare.  Heavier than their debut release, and on the verge of such success as young chaps in the UK, already hearing lines like the next Beatles, etc etc.  That's quite a shoe to fill; better start recording more LPs!  Anyway, the song was apparently written by front man, Alex Turner, on a train ride from Philly to New York to meet his then girlfriend staying in hotel room 505.  
    16.    (0:55:35) Bloc Party SRXT - Another cryptic song title by fellow peers of the  Arctic Monkeys.  Apparently the drug Seroxat is a drug used to overdose/commit suicide quite easily, and the band avoided legal issues by removing the vowels out of the drug.  This track is off their sophomore album, A Weekend In The City, written about a young man who did just that, committed suicide.  What a lovely way to end a mix about Othello, huh?  hehe.