The Dusty Footed Philosopher makes tracks in this city…
In these days of unemployment, I’ve reverted to some old ways, specifically those ways are staying up way too late and listening to KROQ out of Los Angelas. I’m comfortable with this because KROQ remains the greatest radio station I’ve ever heard, I can put up with their bizarre acceptance of Linkin Park because they have turned me on to some of my favorite bands of the past 6 or 7 years (Muse, The Killers, The Bravery, Against Me! to name a few).
Lately KROQ have been hyping two songs that I’ve been hooked on for two different reasons, one is smart, lyrically tight and just as good as I remember it…the other is big, dumb, danceable and could melt snow if played loud enough.
A few years ago, K’naan released his first album, The Dusty Footed Philosopher, the album won a Juno (Which means nothing to McNutt) and sparked a lot of hype for Canada’s Somali-Canadian War Poet. The album is full of sick songs that can get asses to shake and brains to think, my favorite of which was called If Rap Gets Jealous, the beat, the lyrics, the message, it’s easily my favorite Canadian hip hop track ever, bottom line.
“I don’t hear verses no more, I hear jerkin off punks with lip glosses and purses”
So imagine my surprise when I heard somebody ripping it off on KROQ. It started with the guitar, it was the same riff, just a little louder, a little heavier. I was angry, well not angry, but it was a weird sensation of feeling like somebody had just stolen something from you. That feeling was quickly replaced by, “wait, what?” This was still K’naan, this was still If Rap Gets Jealous, it was different, but it was the same song, just done entirely different and just as awesome. Does that make any sense?
Turns out he’s re-recorded the track for his new album with a new guitarist in the mix, some young upstart called Kirk Hammett. The lyrics are different but the message is the same and it’s my first must have track of 2009.
Next up, the exact opposite…
Iglu & Hartly are the worst kind of guilty pleasure, they look annoying, they look like they’re having entirely too much fun, the rest of their tunes aren’t that good, but the one song is just so god damned catchy that you can’t deny it.
I think the thing about this track is that it makes me think of how I wish I spent my child hood, mainly surfing in the morning, skating in the day time, drinking at night time and living in California. Did you ever see the Lords Of Dogtown? Think of that.
But it’s cold here in this city, so all I can do is bust this song out and close my eyes. I’m cool with that, every now and then it beats out looking for work… It’s MGMT with a little more hip hop influence, and if it creeps into Canadian playlists around late may/early june, we’re all going to be dancing to it surrounded by people in skinny jeans, bright colors and moustaches, and I’m cool with that.
This song will definitely become annoying eventually, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the must haves of 2009
