'Philm Harmonic'...get it?

Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo's side-project Philm is defined by its ability to explore new horizons of metal-based soundscapes from a 'less is more' musical philosophy. That experimental ethos even extends to the Cubano's legendary kit which is whittled down to a four-piece set that still blisters with fury. The LA-based power trio rounded out by Gerry Nestler on guitar and vocals with Pancho Tomaselli on bass have carved out full spectrum dominance with today's release of the band's long-awaited debut Harmonic by Ipecac Recordings.
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Last year I introduced you to the wonderful delight that is Jawbreaker Day (if you forgot, click here). More >>

Had he not passed away on Feb. 10, 2006, beloved hip-hop producer J Dilla would have turned 38 years young Tuesday. Although his official cause of death is cardiac arrest, Dilla suffered from a rare blood disorder called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

In honor of J Dilla's birthday, his premature passing and his awesomeness, we are going to post one must-hear track every day until Friday.

Happy birthday, J Dilla, and rest in peace! More >>

​Had he not passed away on Feb. 10, 2006, beloved hip-hop producer J Dilla would have turned 38 years young Tuesday.

In honor of J Dilla's birthday, his passing (Dilla suffered from thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, although is official cause of death is cardiac arrest) and his awesomeness, we are going to post one must-hear track every day until Friday.

Happy birthday J Dilla and rest in peace! More >>

​Had he not passed away on Feb. 10, 2006, beloved hip-hop producer J Dilla would have turned 38 years young yesterday.

In honor of J Dilla's birthday, his passing (Dilla suffered from thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, although is official cause of death is cardiac arrest) and his awesomeness, we are going to post one must-hear track every day until Friday.

Happy birthday J Dilla and rest in peace!


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​Canadian R&B act The Weeknd (fronted by Abel Tesfaye) last night released his third mixtape of 2011 (following the critical acclaim of the last two mixtapes, House of Balloons and Thursday). The latest set, called Echoes of Silence, comes after the Weeknd's Polaris Prize-nomination and a ton of 2011 hype.

It's also the last of what the group calls "The Balloon Trilogy." The band had dropped hints on both Facebook and Twitter that it was coming out today, and fans eagerly waited for it. (As of 3 a.m., there were already more than 25,000 downloads.) The first track is a killer, does-justice-to-Michael version of the classic "Dirty Diana," and the rest of the songs on the album are both slick and sincere at the same time, the way best R&B songs should be.

The band has hinted via Facebook that they're planning to tour once the trilogy was complete. Download Echoes of Silence at the Weeknd's website; the track list after the jump.

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​The word "legend" applies only to a few people on this planet. One of those people is Brian Wilson. The man behind the Beach Boys is a bona fide musical genius and most certainly a legend in my book, which is why everyone reading this should stop what they are doing and go to Fingerprints in Long Beach right now because Wilson will be there Tuesday at 7 p.m. signing copies of the Smile Sessions box set.

Pretty awesome, right? Right.

However -- and it pains me to say this -- don't expect much from Wilson other than his signature on your record. I "met" Wilson once and have done two phone interviews with him and to say he is uncomfortable around people he doesn't know is like saying Pet Sounds is just "some record."

The time I "met" him went like this: I was backstage at a Brian Wilson/Paul Simon show at the Greek Theatre. There was a small room of about 20 people waiting for the post-gig meet and greet, which should have been titled the "Brian Wilson walks into a doorway, sees 20 people waiting for him, makes a face like he caught his parents having sex, then tries to escape before anyone notices but can't because the entire room starts clapping as he is quietly high-tailing it out of there."


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Circa:Now! will be performed, but not by these guys

​Cover songs are a dicey subject. On the one hand, you got your bands that write their own awesome shit and play other people's tunes as either a nod to great music or as a fun escape from their own material. But on the other, you got your bands that get known for playing other people's material. This is fine for bar bands, but--and maybe I'm crazy--I always wince a bit whenever I hear a cover being released as a single. To me, that screams desperation and depression because no one who writes songs wants to be known for a cover.

Luckily, the monthly event known as Album Attack falls into the former. Spearheaded by Jesse Wilder, the idea is simple: Take local musicians and tell their sorry asses to get on stage to perform an entire album by another group. What's really cool is that Wilder doesn't pick active, complete bands to play--he chooses a group of local musicians who he thinks will do the music justice and throws them together. So basically, you're getting to see a unit that has never played before and probably never will again.

This month's Album Attack just so happens to be a performance of Rocket from the Crypt's Circa: Now!, aka one of my favorite records by my all-time favorite band. I was hesitant when I first heard that someone other than San Diego's golden children would be performing the gospel, but Wilder has put together an impressive cast of musicians from groups such as Reel Big Fish (although drummer Carlos de la Garza will always be the guy from F.Y.P to me), Fast Dragon, the Bumpers and Go West Young Man, along with Alex Hernandez, the man who puts the "Alex" in "Alex's Bar."

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​The back story: in the fall of 1977, at the end of a six-month world tour behind Calling Card, the Irish blues-rocker Rory Gallagher flew his band to San Francisco. The intention was to record a new album but within months the project was scrapped and the band dismantled. Gallagher, it is said, did not care for Elliot Mazer's production.

Rory who? Long forgotten by all but the last of his loyal and by now AARP card-carrying followers, Gallagher sold nearly 30 million records before his death in 1995.

Meanwhile, as the story goes, Gallagher had seen the Sex Pistols at the Winterland in 1977, liked their energy, and decided to form a three-piece power trio of his own. As such, he recorded Photo Finish in 1978 in Germany and San Francisco. The trio also recorded a four night stand at the Waldorf in December of the next year.

And why, you may ask, is any of this of interest now? Because those "lost" San Francisco session tapes (plus the Waldorf gig tapes) were brought out of storage, remixed, and released in June, thereby giving the late guitarist voice again as part of Eagle Rock's re-release of Gallagher's catalogue.

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Here's a gratuitous road trip photo, care of whatsisface...

​Summer means barbecues, beaches, sleeping in and wearing next to nothing, but the best part of the season is the annual road trip (although, seeing people wearing next to nothing is a close second) taken by many across the vast country of ours. Even the least experienced road trippers know to pack clothes and munchies, but pulling out of your driveway without the proper soundtrack can make those boring ass drives across Nebraska (think the 5, but with even less to look at) make you wonder what in the hell Kerouac saw in this shit.

Once you've got your tunes in order, it's crucial that you create a playlist that helps set a mood. Take me for example. I'm not a morning person. In fact, I almost punched one of my best friends during a brutal Texas morning for no other reason other than I was awake. To remedy this, I start with something that will wake me up without a bunch of screaming and yelling because, sure, I love Black Sabbath. Just not at nine in the morning.

On the flipside, I always make sure to save my sing-alongs for when the sun goes down. This is important because when you're out there on a two-lane road to nowhere, the only thing preventing you from becoming one of those homemade crosses on the side of the highway and seeing your destination is the ability to stay focused. Again, for me, this is all about singing.

Here's what I'd do if I was hitting the road today. I'd love to know what others have in mind because I'm always up for adding new tunes to my road trip rotation.


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