Hip hop threesome

My last week was dedicated to hip hop music whichI like a lot but rarely get a chance to listen to some good one. There are not so many hip hop artists that have something interesting to say beyond having sex, geting wasted and hanging out with their "homies". All of these I can get out of reading blogs, but when it comes to music, I need more.

I must say I prefer Balkan hip hop not only because of the juicy language but also because there is a great amount of political in their content and as Bosnian artist Edo Maajka says: Balkan language was just made for rap :) So last week I saw three great concerts with some really cool bits.

Elemental, Croatian hip hop group that exists for ten year already has released four albums so far. The concert was a total knockout and they really put a lot of energy in their performance, not to mention the communication with the audience. Loved them! Will definitely go to see them again live.



The Beat Fleet is another great Croatian hip hop group that flirts with rock, reggae and ska music, unfortunately I was too tired to fully enjoy their concert. They exist for 18 years and have released three albums so far. Guys surely know their beats and were a pleasure to listen to.



The last, but not least was the excellent Bosnian artis Edo Maajka, one of my absolute favorites when it comes to overall impression. He released four studio albums so far and one Soundtrack. Not only is he extremely lovable and positive, he knows how to bring out the best in the audience. We were screaming, whistling, dancing and singing, even the major of Ljubljana went to see his concert. Unfortunately the videos I made have bad audio quality because I was standing too close to the stage. Can you blame me ;)?

In comparison to the previous two concerts this one was not in the sauna held outside which probably brough some points to the great atmosphere. It was definitely one of the best concerts I've been to lately. He's the kind of artist you can't help adoring.





Videos coming up soon.

Garbage

With a gloomy weather like we have today there's only one kind of music I want to listen to: Garbage. One of my all times favorite bands, you know the kind you never get tired listening to. Their music is irresistible and I'm sure charismatic singer Shirley Manson adds quite a lot to that factor. Before joining Garbage Shirley was a singer at Angelfish. Their video "Suffocate Me" was noticed by Steve Marker. Soon she became a lead singer for Garbage.

There were rumors about them splitting up but the official explanation was the band is only taking a break. In summer 2007 they released their "Best off" album so hopefully they'll continue doing the good job. Here's a garbage threesome of my all time favorites - enjoy it.

Push it


I'm only happy when it rains


When I grow up

Amazing blond

I used to thing that celebrity crushes is one of those unexplainable silly things you do in your teens. You know, like having pet insects, listening to Milli Vanilli and wearing that bizarre 80's fashion. Well, thing again.

I still remember when my roommate brought home a special edition of Statues, with all the videos. I know what they say about blonds and all but nothing really gave me that WOW effect (nope, not even Madonna). Until Róisín Murphy, a former singer of Moloko. We were both dazed and amazed by her voice, moves and beats, drooling all over the flat. I couldn't take my eyes of the computer and watching that DVD became our daily ritual.

My huge crush on her resulted in buying off almost everything about the group I could get my hands on. At that time those were considered to be my most valuable possessions. I was quite disappointed too for public to admire only "Sing it Back" and "The time is now" when they had so much more to offer.

I'm almost ashamed to say I missed their concert in Zagreb due to my work. It was one of those: " I'll definitely go to the next one" things. Did the same with Nirvana concert and I guess you don't have to be psychic to know what happened afterwards. So this is for the old times sake - Moloko in all their glory:

Forever more


Flipside


Familiar feeling

Bones

When I was a kid I'd associate bones with dogs and He-man & The Masters of the Universe (loved this cartoon and adored Flash Gordon). Skeletor was excellent antagonist but quite scary too.

My next bigger bones encounter was connected with Clarissa Pincola Estes and her book: Women Who Run with the Wolves. She put skeletons and bones in to completely different perspective: more profound, symbolic and therapeutic. I never finished reading the book though, just couldn't chew on her elaboration of really cruel experiment with dogs. But bones wouldn't go away only to show another, much more sincere, decadent yet melodic side. Not once, not twice but three times. Here's my favorite melodic bones threesome:

1. Depeche mode: Stripped

When I first heard Stripped, I was astonished: "Let me hear you make decisions without your television"... Bones never sounded so sexy before: "Let me see you stripped down to the bones." It's still one of my favorite songs, whether in original or Rammstein remake version.

2. The Killers: Bones

Then there were The Killers- their first album was a blast, a second one was a slight disappointment and the third one - well I guess they ran out of new material so they republished their previous stuff and made some remakes. I still love the band and their work but can't help hoping they'll take more time to make their next album. I'd love to hear more of the new stuff - however this piece still is a pearl: "But I don’t really like you, apologetically dressed, in the best put on the heartbeat line..."

3. The Editors: Bones

The last but not the least are Editors, indie band from Birmingham who managed to live up to the expectations. Most of the bends who make a boom with their first album rarely succeed to repeat that success with the second one.

But they managed that - their second album "An end has a start" is just as good if not even better as their first one: "In the Back Room". I have to see them live and the rumors say they might come to Slovenia in March. Please do, cause I'm dying to hear this live:
"In the end all you can hope for
Is the love you felt to equal the pain you've gone through..."

Oldies goldies

Štrudl successfully managed to awaken my grunge nostalgia and once the door was already open... well I just couldn't resist not to dig into my teen favorites. I love them either because of the music, lyrics or fabulously crazy videos.

Unfortunately they don't make them like this anymore and I'll be more than happy if you remind me of anything similar.

Presenting the nostalgic threesome:

Men at work: Land down under


Paul Simon: Call me Al


Prefab Sprout: The King Of Rock 'N' Roll