Archive for July, 2007

07.24.07


In the recent profile on, er, me in the Weekly Dig (click above for the large scan, complete with Terrordome make-up), editor/champion Michael Brodeur makes special mention of the old Other Music Cambridge location, a store which spun off of the New York branch in 2000 and was the reason sQuare productions came to Boston in the first place. A lot of folks were surprised or did not know we had anything to do with Other Music.

The shop hosted numerous in-store performances from the Clientele, Aesop Rock, Arab Strap, Ken Vandermark, Simian (pre Mobile Disco) and everyone in-between.

More importanly, the amazing staff included some of Boston’s leading lights: Casey Keenan and Sandra Barrett (now of Major Stars, who’ll have some big news soon!); Dan Hirsch, now music director at the Museum of Fine Arts; Gibby Miller, formerly of START! and owner of makeoutclub.com, resident music genius Tim Haslett; guitar maestro Chris Brokaw; J. Dennis, still with Other Music and still visits to DJ the Enormous Room once a month; Alise Upitis, formerly an unlockedgroove DJ and who’s wedding to friend Ben Macri is coming soon, and many others who helped out.

Ironically the storefront was replaced by a restaurant called “OM,” which looks like it can afford Harvard Square (which, by some accounts, has the most expensive retail real estate in the entire country). What began at Other Music continues at events like this Friday at the Milky Way:

Baltimoroder once recorded as State-Music, a project once carried on consignment (by Nick Follett) at the location, and Brad Rhodes, idol/friend of Morgan Louis (Hearthrob) states it was “one of the best record stores he went to and ‘they always had the coolest sh*t,’” which is true, thanks to Haslett, Follett, Hirsch et al.

Baltimoroder - “Wile Out (VIP Mix)”

Don’t sleep because DJ Chris Devlin of Spank Rock and the BBC DJs opens. Here’s a couple of mixes he grabbed from his hard drive:

Mr. Devlin - “Fabric Free Mix” (.zip)

BBC DJs - “Mix 1″

Hearthrob has long been out of stock of their amazing DVD presentation, but it is still available on Google video in all its 49-minute glory. The video was made live by Louis and Red Foxxx and the mix is Baltimoroder LIVE at the sQuareone studios. Take a listen, and a peek, here:

This is quickly followed by an event Saturday with Basstown’s long-lost father of the beat: DJ /rupture at BOUNCEMENT 2.

One of Other Music’s most popular CDR mixes was from Rupture and his “Gold Teeth Thief” mix, now available for download via his website (right click to download):

DJ/ rupture - “Gold Teeth Thief Part A”

DJ/ rupture - “Gold Teeth Thief Part B”

The other featured DJs:

DJ Flack - “Beyond the Valley of the Smurfs Mix”

Baltimoroder and Daviday - “Live Mix from PanAm Fridays”

Wayne Marshall - “Another Crunk Geneology”

In a town that continues to present itself as a rock ‘n roll bastion, this weekend will be filled with music that makes you sweat, jump, shake and bounce. And here — that will always be other music.

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07.16.07

Tonight, Boston is visited by The Field, an act we’ve been raving about for a few years now, and one that is getting a lot of attention elsewhere these days. In fact, according to the critical catalogue Metacritic, The Field is the best reviewed album of the year. This track is a good example. “Everyday” seems to mire in simplicity, until the 2 minute 38 second mark, when it kind of explodes in glory:

The Field “Everyday”

The Field (aka Alex Willner) will play this and more live Monday, recreating the virtual world where he makes his music and tweaking them ever-so-slightly. Shifts in tempo and time will be prevalent in his set Monday. Here’s a clip of him playing that track live:

Our visuals, being created exclusively for this show, come from the radically talented BloodSugar team from right here in Basstown. I have been assured they are custom-made for the Willner’s music. BloodSugar is, more and more, the visual artdogs behind the visuals at the blockbuster Hearthrob party we have here every-other-week.

Also performing is Matters & Dunaway, the closest thing we have to electronic musicians on the cusp of stardom. The duo play live, but more and more, they keep buying up gear and software. They’re starting to make straight techno, and have a remix in the works from local hero Baltimoroder, too. Their new music is fresh, electronic and human. Here’s a sneak peak at one of them:

Matters & Dunaway - “Shot of Love”

Baltimoroder has always been known as an excellent DJ, but keeps expanding into production with remix after remix (expect fully original tracks soon from him, too). His Hearthrob DVD mix, done live at the old sQuareone studios, must be cherished to the maxx. Request one today.
While our other DJ, DJ Die Young, has been playlisted by DJ Icey, is repped hard locally and has been known to play along side local DJ favorite DJ Baldur Master-Blaster style.

Gonna be a great night. More at the Great Scott website.

Meanwhile, the movie got written about again. This time by Beatportal, the editorial division of dance music store Beatport. Click the screenshot for the interview with director Amy Grill:

All we need now is an executive producer.