There is something creepy and missing-kid-on-milk-carton about this photo (left).

Los Angeles's PUPPY DOG; a three piece va-jj band jamming low-fi melodies and crooning little girl agonies is quite charming to the ears.   So underground they are, you can't even download their music off the inter web. Checks their myspace, and curl up with a pack of smokes and a middle finger.  Stay Up!

Posted Ashley Rambo
rambo@greenowl.com

Greg Fox (aka GDFX) is one hard working lad.  Not only does he make rad music and videos like the one above (the music was actually composed for a video game), but he also plays with the bands Liturgy, Teeth Mountain, Dan Deacon.  His work is definitely worth a listen, and a look. 

Posted by Sam Donahue
sam@greenowl.com

We caught up with our friend Alex from LEMONDADE this past weekend at THE VERY BEST show at Le Poisson Rouge.   The next day, he sent me this ridiculously cool video the band did recently with XLR8R.

Posted by Wills Glasspiegel
wills@greenowl.com

In San Fransisco

The Billboard Liberation Front is taking creative action against "visually intrusive" advertisements by rearranging the boards's content.  Basically, the collective uses existing billboards as a means of getting other messagse across, messages of social significance - not to mention that they're "recycling" information, art, paper and public space.  BLF isn't a bunch of menacing kids as you might expect; in fact, they make their work easy to remove -- removal instructions are included (along with a nice bottle of scotch) in respect for the men and woman who have to clean up the "vandalism".

For more information on the Billboard Liberation Front and to see more of the work, check it here.

Posted by Ashley Rambo
rambo@greenowl.com

Posted by Sam and Wills
sam@greenowl.com

Come party with us on Saturday in Wburg with Radioclit + Uproot + Maluca + Janka Nabay
Facebook group with all the info here.  Uproot Andy in the stream.

Posted by Wills Glasspiegel
wills@greenowl.com

Elegant and relevant. 

Posted by Henry Harper
henry@greenowl.com

According to iCasualties.com, there have been 5,074 conformed US military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. It seems other topics have taken precedence over getting our soldiers home like health care and the Death Tax.  As the voice of social change and awareness, art is a way to focus on our current and future concerns.  NYC-based WK is a graffiti artist who has done just that: he makes art that clearly depicts his personal torment and our torment as a country. The Bring Me Back series is a raw creation that definitely get his point across: support our troops by bringing them home. Also check WK's website. Stay up peoples.

Posted by Ashley Rambo
rambo@greenowl.com

Turns out, it's not all flaccid old grumpy men and finger pointing in the world of bureaucracy. Today the good folks of Illinois received a hefty stimulus package to cut back on diesel emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency awarded the state $4.2 million to upgrade 675 state diesel engines in 21 fleets. The state vehicles will use auxiliary power units, diesel oxidation catalysts, diesel multistage filters, direct-fired heaters and engine re-powers (engine replacement with cleaner engines). The goal is to convert current vehicles that do not meet the national air quality standards.

Sounds like a great way to test some of the technology and hopefully, further develop other technologies while setting a standard model for more sustainable practices. Sure, it's not the kind of stimulus you can take to your bank and cash but I am down with breathing in Chi town. Stay Up peoples!

Read more about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act here. 

Posted by Ashley Rambo
rambo@greenowl.com

Man first walked on the moon on July 20th, 1969 - the 40th anniversary of that small step (giant leap) is today.
Michael Jackson, who's iconic moonwalk is perhaps the most popular dance move of all time, died on June 25th, 2009.
Given the proximity of these events, it's compelling to look at how mankind's greatest celestial adventure stacks up against the King of Pop's greatest dance move. While some people contest whether Neil's moonwalk was legit, we all know Michael's is as real as it gets.

See who's moonwalk is more popular:
Google Search
Youtube Search

Posted by Henry Harper
henry@greenowl.com

Benjamin (right) inkin' deals with proper-style in West Africa

This week's mugshot monday lands on Benjamin Lebrave, the founder of Akwaaba Music.   The premise of Akwaaba is simple: release African-produced African artists to the rest of the world.   It sounds basic, but it's actually a rather new story in the history of "world" music.   As Benjamin tells us below, technology has democratized the musical landscape of Africa.  Locals studios across the continent are fueling music movements that can now reach across the world and the web.  So who's the new Paul Simon in this picture??  It just might be the guy on the left -- Rab Bobo, a reggae singer from Burkina Faso.

What was the first piece of African music that inspired you to start a record label?
Hiplife from Ghana: a few years ago I had absolutely no idea about the newer urban scenes sprouting all over Africa.  I first heard hiplife on a tape brought back from Accra by a friend of mine in 2004. Listening to the music and to his description of the outdoor bars blasting it, l got hooked immediately. I also realized at that very moment that there had to be urban / club music scenes in every country of Africa. But that music was hard to come across, hardly anyone was releasing any of it at the time, so I did as a DJ does: I dug deeper.

What's the farthest out you've ever gone to reach an artist?
The last time I was in Accra (Ghana), a friend asked me why I didn't go to Lomé, capital of nearby Togo. I couldn't come up with a reason, so I followed him there. When I got there, our host asked us why we weren't going to Cotonou, capital of nearby Benin? So... I went there too! Unfortunately, the most obvious question remains: why the hell did I go this far, only an hour away from Lagos, but didn't make it to Nigeria?!?!?! Sorry Naijas, I promise to make up for that next time.

What's the most difficult license you've ever had to procure?
Kedjevara. An Ivorian coupé décalé singer and dancer. He hardly ever picked up my calls, then wouldn't show up when we would try to meet. Finally, a couple of days before I left Abidjan, we were able to sit down, sign the agreements, and he even called other coupé décalé cats to tell them about Akwaaba and why they should work with us too.This was great on PAPER, except something was missing... Um... the masters. Which took MONTHS to get, I was back in the US, still in daily touch with artists and contacts in Abidjan, and eventually, I received a CD, with the shiny genuine Ivorian CD hologram on it! The track list was inaccurate, and I never got a better one, but I eventually figured it out myself. I'm happy to say Kedjevara's album is finally coming out in September. 

Tell us about what's happening with kuduro right now.  and please, a little background for those who don't know what it is...
Kuduro is the sound of Angola. Old school cats will tell you it's semba, but the streets will tell you it's kuduro. You hear it all over Luanda, the "candongueiros", minivans criss-crossing the city, bring the distorted, pounding bass to all corners of Luanda, while kids of all ages hum and dance. Kuduro is Angolan techno. Or Angolan hip hop? Or a transe ritual? All of the above?! It started as an adaptation of mid 90s house / techno / dance music. Tony Amado, considered the creator of the genre, was trying to adapt songs like Reel 2 Reel's "I Like to Move It", using traditional Angolan carnival rhythms, such as kilapanga, rebita, kazukuta or kabetula. Along with the music came the dance, inspired by some pretty dorky moves by Jean-Claude Van Damme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOIJtS4gbaY). The moves went a long way since, here's a street scene in Sambizanga, where Os Lambas are kings.

Now kuduro is filled with verses, rhymes, flows, and has truly become the voice of the ghetto. When Os Lambas released their first album in the early 2000s, some people thought they were devils, but most understood that the game had changed again. Kuduro was creeping out of the ghetto, radios were starting to play it. Timidly at first, but then in 2006, the government and national TV gave in, and now, 3 years later, you see kuduro videos on TV, you hear it on the radio, and no concert or festival is complete without kuduro.  It's interesting because the last 3 years have also seen an increasing interest in kuduro outside of Angola. Frédéric Galliano, Buraka Som Sistema have paved the way, however the interest in their music has not translated at all in Angola. The kuduro scene has been disconnected from the world. Toké's blogs on podomatic are literally the only window onto Luanda's music scene.  Blogs I praise, but a lot more can and needs to be done, so I hope we can fill part of that gap.

How is releasing African produced music in "the West" different now than it was say, in the days of Hugh Tracey?
Not only is it different now than in Hugh Tracey's days, it's even different than in Chris Blackwell's, Paul Simon's or Peter Gabriel's time. There are 2 big factors. First, music production in Africa is developing rapidly, with cheaper studios sprouting all over the place. In particular, these cheap studios allow for big city kids to experiment around their roots and the western sounds bombarded on the radio and TV. Without cheap studios there'd be no kuduro, no hiplife or coupé décalé. Second, technology allows for easier and cheaper distribution of the music. Digital distribution is cheap enough, cell phones allow me to stay in touch with the artists at all times, and Western Union allows me to pay them quickly and cheaply. I could not have used these tools together even 10 years ago. The time for Africa is now, I really think these advances in technology could greatly benefit Africa. Skipping the industrial revolution, and straight into the digital age. Not perfect, but a great force for local growth.

Did you see the new film, I Bring What I Love about Youssou N'Dour?  Thoughts? Reactions about how it relates to your work at Akwaaba?
OK, I'll give you my completely honest opinion. Although I recommend the film for anyone with an interest in African music, culture, as well as Islam, I don't think the movie delivers. It doesn't show the softer Islam it claims to show, but even worse, it paints a neo-colonial picture: the album Egypt (Sant) is accepted in Senegal not because clerics decide to give it the green light, but because it receives a GRAMMY.

Now how it relates to Akwaaba's work: in general, the film highlights the old ways: big African stars were picked at home by huge Western producers (Chris Blackwell) and artists (Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon), brought back to Paris, London or New York to record in fancy studios, and made to become the next big thing. So "we" created a handful of big African stars, they've been touring every year for the past 20 years, they are all amazingly talented, but somehow they've eclipsed the avalanche of sounds ready to burst out of Africa. For every Youssou out there, there are hundreds of talented artists waiting to be heard. Akwaaba's mission is to pave a wider way, a more accessible way, for these artists to reach their audience.

Do you play music, if so, tell us about it?
I DJ. DJing is actually instrumental in how Akwaaba got started: I used to DJ a bunch in LA, mostly private parties where I could play for hours, and play everything I love. I've always mixed a lot of different sounds together, anything with more groove than guitar riffs: electro, disco, house, techno, new wave, or downtempo, hip hop, funk, Brazilian, African, Middle Eastern music... when vinyl was the norm, I would dig for stuff wherever I could. But then Serato happened, and with it a lot of music not available on vinyl suddenly became available. So I started digging outside of record bins, and somewhere around that time I went to Ghana!

Where are you from?  How does your background relate to your career in music?
I grew up in Paris, France. My dad's French, my mom's American, I grew up listening to my dad play the piano (classical), while my mom listened to a bunch of 60s hippie oldies, and increasingly, world music. African music, Middle Eastern music, Indian music. I wouldn't have anything to do with it as a kid, I was obsessed with American hip hop, which at the time was still pretty hard to come by in paris. At least for a 12 year old. Through hip hop, I discovered funk, soul and jazz. Then I opened up to newer dance music, drum'n'bass, house, techno, electro, minimal, italo disco, new wave.During this time, I was also listening to Radio Nova (novaplanet.com). Nova always mixes it up completely. Nova was definitely my biggest influence when I started DJing. Sono Mondiale!!! (global sound system)

How does environmentalism play into your business model and into your philosophies about music?
The environment is a factor that should always be taken into consideration. I think growing up in Europe, guilty remnants of WW2 hard times were passed down from the last 2 generations, so we tend to be aware of waste and wasting. So today, when it comes to my work, it's crucial and implicit to conduct business in a durable, sustainable way. That's one great thing about digital music: no CDs, no plastic, no shipping.

Have you heard the band on our label, The Very Best -- what do you think? 
Yes sir, just saw them at Echoplex here in LA. It's great to see guys like Radioclit and Esau experimenting between African roots and electronic music. And it's even more exciting to see people being into it, it's great to see them tour the US, Echoplex had a good turn out, so congrats guys!

What's on repeat?
Lots of Congolese music... which I somehow am STILL able to find once in a while at record stores. Why people are not scooping those up yet is beyond me. Sam Mangwana, "Georgette Eckins", Tchico Tchicaya (I have a different album, but this is nice:

Your club crusher that no one knows about is?
I just received 2 BANGIN remixes. One by my good friend JMV, of lebranche.net. The other one by Jokers of the Scene. Both are ridiculous and coming out in September

Summertime jam?
My summer started 2 years ago when I heard "One gallon" by Bradez, and "One Way" by Okyeame Quophi, both on our comp Move it Chaleh.  Now if you want to know what I'm listening to right now, that would be Number One by Fofandó & Saborosa. Coming up August 4 on Akwaaba Sem Transporte.  Sneak peak here.

Posted by Wills Glasspiegel
wills@greenowl.com

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will temporarily bar a series of uranium mining claims near the Grand Canyon.  A study will be conducted to asses whether or not the land should be permanently protected from mining operations - conservationists argue that mining could cause environmental damage to the canyon.  In the past, pleas to re-asses these uranium mining claims fell on the relatively deaf ears of the Bush administration.  While the Obama administration may not be paying close enough attention to the environment on all fronts, it's good to know that they are, at the very least, watching the backs of our celebrated national parks.

Posted by Henry Harper
henry@greenowl.com

The legal team at WMG is taking down content from youtube regardless of the potential benefits. Keyboard cat with Hall and Oats was taken down the other day because "Warner Music Group didn’t think this was a worthy use of Hall & Oates’ music" says wired magazine. It would be worth while for WMG to discern between infringement and free viral marketing.

Posted by Anonymous

The Very Best at Le Poisson Rouge on Saturday

Also on the front page of Stereogum. Life doesn't get any better than this.

Posted by Sam Donahue
sam@greenowl.com

Directed by: Daniel Wirtberg & Jonas Rudström Production company

Last winter Miike Snow was mythical entity that had people guessing as to their true identities (they are Christian Karlsson, Pontus Winnberg and front man Andrew Wyatt).  Now they're on Downtown Records, and with a few exposing concert dates and an album, the mystery-fascination has grown into sheer appreciation (for me, anyway). The song above, Burial, is off their self-titled debut album.  Although Slumdog Millionaire may come to the critical mind, perhaps it's a good time to just kick back and escape to another part of the world. Checks it and stay up!

Posted by Ashley Rambo
rambo@geenowl.com