A Choice Chef’s Choice, Milwaukee Music and More

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Welcome readers, to another edition of Chef’s Choice. This week’s edition is dedicated to the kid I found sleeping on my couch this morning. I do not know who he is and I wish he would leave. That’s not a joke.

This week I’ve decided to highlight a couple of my favorite tracks that Milwaukee artists have sent me so far (SEND ME YOUR MUSIC jackschleicher@gmail.com), as well as mixing in some of my not-so-old favorites, and maybe even another country track for all of you who liked Gary Stewart.

Decibully -Where in the World

This week we’re kicking it off with Milwaukee’s favorite rock n’ roll band, as voted by all of you in the Shepherd Express; a rare occasion when public opinion and fact are one in the same. Decibully is Milwaukee’s best band, followed closely by Jail and The Trusty Knife.

This is a video from their upcoming (oh how we’ve waited so long) album, “World Travels Fast,” which, after finding no record company suitors, they are releasing on their own Listening Party record label. The album drops on December 2, and if you are in the area, you should stop by the Cactus Club for the release party that same night.

“Where in the World,” is smoother and more poppy than what Decibully fans are used to. The old sense of urgency and unrest in Decibully’s earlier works has been replaced by a more thoughtful and crafted sound, maybe even a little maudlin. This new sound might take some getting used to, but all the intricacies and musicianship are still there, even if some of the guts have been ripped out.

That been said Decibully has the best chance out of any Milwaukee to make it big.

Mp3: Prophetic – Success

I heard this song last Saturday when I was out driving around and the sun was ironically beaming down on a 40 degree day. Throughout this cut I couldn’t decide if I wanted to change the station or not, and in the end the beat and my respect for the Boogie Bang, is what held me.

Certain Milwaukee critics have billed Prophetic as Milwaukee’s greatest lyricist, as well as the city’s only hip-hop icon (what about Coo-Coo-Cal?), but in a freestyle battle I would put my money on any number of the kids I hear on the 21 everyday.

Even though Prophetic needs to work on his flow, this beat is still great. The whistles and cheap chiming keyboard in the mix remind me of any number of early 90s joints.

You can download the entire album for free on Umbrella Music Group, so who cares if it’s not that great, at least it’s free.

Mp3: Sat. Nite Duets – Marlboro Cowboy

This is the best song I’ve had submitted to me, by far. A lot of their other songs have all the trappings of over zealous kids with a 4 track, but “Marlboro Cowboy,” somehow manages to sound like it was produced by a savvy mogul in L.A., and not by a bunch of kids in a basement. This song is too damn cool, two minutes and 11 seconds of neurotic too damn cool.

I like this band and I know that with time they are only going to get better, because they have the intelligence that 90% of any other local band is lacking. They also sound a little like fellow Milwaukeeans, the Violent Femmes on this track.

If you are a local band that would like to PROVE ME WRONG, please send some me your music at jackschleicher@gmail.com

Mp3: Young Republic – Balletesque

The Young Republic are playing tonight at Stonefly, and “Balletesque” should be all the proof you need to get off your ass and go. “Balletesque,” is as brief and tumultuous as the tidal wave in the lyrics. The violin lines lay manically over everyday ho hum guitars, then the music suddenly switches to a punky dance, after which, the score melts into a serene musical pause.

Under two minutes and packed with all the Southern drama of Faulkner.

Mp3: Blakroc ft. Mos Def – On the Vista

Is Mos Def a good rapper? Well, he’s not bad, and the Black Keys are immaculate, so no one even notices how many times Mos can rhyme “on” with “on”, and on and on.

Mos Def seems to live in a world of accepted mediocrity. No matter what Mos Def does Pitchfork and the rest of the indie world will love it because he has a great image. White people love Mos because they know that he probably wouldn’t rob them, and so, because Mos Def gives the white world a door into the hip-hop culture, they will promote and love everything he releases; even 16 Blocks.

Blakroc is not going to be bad, but it’s not going to be good, in the same way that Common, Mos Def and the rest of the consciousness rappers aren’t bad, but they sure as hell aren’t good. I’d rather hear Ghostface say “pussy,” 50,000 times in two minutes than listen to a Jurassic 5 album.