Jamie Crewe is Poisonous Relationship, and his excellent new house record is called “Garden of Problems”

Those guys over at Butt Magazine are often on the cusp of great things of all different sorts: fashion, photography, music, writers, etc. They do stellar interviews that, somehow, read like high non-fiction. Yes, sometimes high like they’re done on weed (or poppers), but more like they elevate gay culture and talking about gay culture to a brilliant plateau of intellectual seriousness. And the other day, via Facebook, Poisonous Relationship showed up on my feed. The video (below) for the first track and single, “Men’s Feelings,” is one wild ride of visual imagery.

Jamie Crewe is one fascinating queer. The video’s like a drag Cindy Sherman experiment. While he name-drops neighborhoods of Los Angeles, this peculiar creature hails from London, and he caught up with a Butt writer for a Q&A (where the record’s also streaming in full) last week that is quite illuminating. Very little ink has been spilled on this one, and we’re trying to change that ASAP.

If you love Hercules and Love Affair, this record’s going to tickle you all summer. Let’s be real: Poisonous Relationship is house music, but it’s approachable and doesn’t make you feel like you need to be around strobing lights or on drugs to appreciate it. In the way that records by DJs like DJ Koze or Caribou’s Daphni record did, it blends beats, sparse vocals, weird samples and hypnosis to make rambling, long house tracks go down nice and smooth. “Men’s Feelings” is 10 minutes long on the dot, and after the name-dropping comes in the delightful repetitive chorus: “Men’s feelings / Tell me more about men’s feelings / I wanna know feelings / Tell me more about men’s feelings.” This is entertaining on multiple levels, as a man, because men aren’t supposed to have feelings. Or, the stereotype is that women have more feelings or feel things more potently than men. Which is bullshit. Some women are completely unfeeling, and some men (sure, lots of homosexuals, especially) are brimming and bursting with feelings. And in the video, as he coos this phrase on repeat, shape-shifting from glamorous drag persona to persona, it adds another level. Suddenly, he’s a gay man posing as a straight woman asking honestly for men’s feelings to be explained. It’s a beautiful mind-fuck!

Then, to my delightful surprise, the whole thing’s on Spotify for our listening pleasure. And it’s a great listen. As he says in his Q&A with Zac Bayly:

“What’s with your bongo drum obsession, by the way?

I do have a bit of a bongo obsession, don’t I? On the record, it’s about having this constant throb. The original idea for the record was like, ‘What if I made a house record with no bass frequencies?’ Then bongos and hand-drums were really key in keeping it burbling along, leading you from one song to the next. In the end, I put bass frequencies in because it felt better. But there’s not a proper bassline until like the fifth song or something.”

On the second track, “Nobody,” a delicious sax groove dips its toes into the mix. Then comes “Nite Birds,” one tripped-out chopped vocal that’s brilliantly re-worked, carrying you into the high-pitched percussive groove as eerie sirens waft in the background. Oh yeah, and on “Yellow Poppy,” you can hear Beyonce howling (to Missy) “There ain’t nothin’ out there!” from Missy’s 2002 gem from Under Construction, “Nothing Out There for Me.” BONUS POINTS. He smartly employs elements of tribalism, too; bongos, like he says, are something Crewe’s obsessed with, and we’re not mad. Here’s hoping the Gayborhood DJs start playing and remixing this whole thing pronto; it’ll get em’ major bonus points from Buttheads and house fans alike.

*Photo c/o Butt’s Danny Calvi.

On The Record: Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood, Eve, Pinata Protest, Demi Lovato, Bibio, and Wild Nothing

Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood
Black Pudding
(Ipecac)
Sounds like: The nearly 50-year-old Screaming Trees founder teams with a master composer/producer for darkly beautiful and haunting Americana.
Free association: His dusty sadness is a perfect match for Garwood’s ambient score.
For fans of: Quiet Dinosaur Jr. x Nick Cave, Damien Jurado/Seattle grunge, Waits.

Eve
Lip Lock
(From the Rib/Sony/RED)
Sounds like: The Philly native’s fourth and first in 11 years has seen tons of delays, but now it’s out, and it’s way more bangin’ than anyone’s gonna expect.
Free association: Despite a slew of guests, Eve’s the centerpiece of this hard comeback.
For fans of: Chrisette Michele/Missy Elliot + The Neptunes, Snoop/Pusha T, Philly.

Pinata Protest
El Valiente
(Saustex/Cosmica Records)
Sounds like: Outstanding Mexi punk from San Antonio, with an accordion-fronted take on traditional conjunto, but spiked with edgy, angry rock flavors.
Free association: Nine songs in 20 minutes, and it’s fresher than tableside guac.
For fans of: Dropkick Murphys + the horchata, “Volver, Volver”, “La Cucaracha.”

Demi Lovato
Demi
(Hollywood Records)
Sounds like: Totally mediocre as far as powerhouse pop stars go, with perhaps the most innovation audible in production tricks and vocal manipulation.
Free association: There’s a song called “Made in the USA” about well-built love.
For fans of: Miley Cyrus/Selena Gomez/Hillary Duff, Justin Bieber in a Ford pickup.

Bibio
Silver Wilkinson
(Warp Records)
Sounds like: Deliriously pretty digital folktronica from the Brit producer who’s explored faster and louder, but here pauses for dreamy and pillowy pastiche.
Free association: A stoner’s dream. Something bothering you? Bliss out for a second.
For fans of: Boards of Canada + Koushik, Caribou/Toro Y Moi, chilling extra hard.

Wild Nothing
Empty Estate EP
(Captured Tracks)
Sounds like: His synthiest yet, Jack Tatum’s a Virginian who polishes down synth-soaked indie pop into gems of simultaneously modern and retro import.
Free association: These kids and their synth machines, they’re gettin’ better every day.
For fans of: Real Estate, Twin Shadow + Youth Lagoon x Neon Indian, cool things.

Hot New Jams: Beyonce, Tricky, Kelly Rowland, Daft Punk and Busta

This is a big week! All kinds of fresh new music is getting thrown at us. And to make sure we’re all on the same page, we thought we’d throw some links at ya.

Beyonce – “Grown Woman“

YES! A thousand times yes! It wasn’t too long ago that we were fed this wild card from Bey in the form of “Bow Down/I Been On.” But now we get a proper single from what must be her forthcoming next LP. Word is that she’s been performing this one on her Mrs. Carter World Tour (with a baby in her uterus). But the jangly, house-y production with hiccupy bongos, funny little samples and bouncy beat blips is so damn listenable—as in, over and over and over, beginning to end. Song of the summer contender!

Tricky – False Idols

This man is a genius mixed with a god blended with a madman, and the product is entirely his own—meaning nobody does what Tricky does as well as he does. And this one, out next week but streaming on NPR, is probably his best since Maxinquaye. You read that right. He even riffs on “Makes Me Wanna Die” on the track “Nothing’s Changed.” He employs two lady voices, and the result is tripped-out, sensuous R&B and electronic darkness.

Kelly Rowland – “Dirty Laundry“

Oh, man. This is deep. With little fanfare, Ms. Rowland dropped a Soundcloud link of one sad but honest reflection on some dark times she’s been goin’ through—from the “bittersweet” jealousy she felt over the success of her sister Bey to the domestic abuse she’d been silently enduring. It’s not so often that you get a talented pop star spilling her guts in a less-than-glamorous fashion. When it’s actually a gut-wrenching R&B slow jam, it’s really stunning.

Daft Punk – Random Access Memories

It’s here! The record so many rabid fans have been waiting for, their first since the (some would say) relatively ill-received Human After All (2005). And while we’re willing to throw a little shade on the sorta-boring Panda Bear feature, there’s nothing not fun about the Pharrell spot on “Get Lucky.” It’s on sale today and on Spotify, and we’re really looking forward to settling in with this one.

Busta Rhymes – “#Twerkit“

Yup, I guess this is now officially the thing to do. While it seemed terribly annoying when will.i.am tried to pull this kind of shit, we were converted with the outstanding Miguel guest spot on Mariah’s “#Beautiful.” And hopefully Busta’s back with this one, a pretty hot and weird twisted gem from the Busta camp that harkens back to ol’ school Bus-a-Bus times that’re hard, funky, ‘hood and dance-y. This one’s produced by Pharrell and has a very Major Lazer feel to it. NOT MAD. Let’s do this, summer.

On The Record: Talib Kweli, Fitz & The Tantrums, Little Boots, Lady Antebellum, Classixx, And Mikal Cronin

Talib Kweli
Prisoner of Conscious
(Javotti Media/EMI/Capitol)
Sounds like: A really mixed bag from Kweli’s fifth, and not in a pleasant, mixed-nuts kind of way—all over the place, too many guests, not angry enough.
Free association: Let’s be real: Dude’s almost 40. Maybe his venom’s drying out.
For fans of: Tribe/De La/Nas/Mos Def + Busta/Nelly/Miguel, conscious rap.

Fitz & the Tantrums
More Than Just a Dream
(Elektra)
Sounds like: The L.A.-born retro and soul-inspired vehicle for Michael Fitzpatrick’s Stax and Motown worship’s sophomore doesn’t pop like their debut.
Free association: Did that whole retro soul thing already have its moment?
For fans of: Mark Ronson + Mayer Hawthorne, Hall & Oates on speed, trends.

Little Boots
Nocturnes
(On Repeat)
Sounds like: The British electro diva’s second is a surprisingly sultry and complex dance music affair, despite its big producers, yielding nuance and depth.
Free association: Which song’ll burn up dancefloors all summer? It’s hard to pick.
For fans of: Annie + La Roux x LCD Soundsystem, Madonna/Robyn, ecstatic dancing.

Lady Antebellum
Golden
(Capitol Nashville)
Sounds like: Harmless, listenable country pop from the Nashville trio; their fifth may not win them awards like Need You Now did, but it’s still an easy listen.
Free association: This is radio country that makes us hate Taylor Swift more.
For fans of: Sugarland/Rascal Flatts x Miranda Lambert, FM twang, Tennessee.

Classixx
Hanging Gardens
(Innovative Leisure)
Sounds like: A delicious debut of electronic dance music from L.A. best buds who clearly love some Italo disco, but also R&B, crafty production and beats.
Free association: Blast this on your way to the beach with windows open ASAP.
For fans of: Nico Jaar + Phoenix x Hot Chip, Erasure/Depeche Mode, sick grooves.

Mikal Cronin
MCII
(Merge)
Sounds like: Frickin’ excellent solo Merge debut from the Ty Segall team player full of old-school angst, thoughtful lyrics, a little chaos and plenty of noise.
Free association: Believe the hype! One of the best statements of the year.
For fans of: Weezer x Pearl Jam, Toro y Moi + Nirvana, powerhouse garage noise.

Tom Jones is Coming To South Street Friday Night. Yes, THAT Tom Jones.

Tom Jones is the man on so many levels. His most recent, Spirit in the Room, is a stunning achievement from a 72-year-old stud. His 40th LP of covers—nay, let’s call them interpretations—bears the Welsh superstar turning Leonard Cohen, Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan sings into gut-punching, heart-wrenching exorcisms. It’ll be fascinating to watch this legendary entertainer swagger around the stage on South Street tonight. And Jones has had enough panties thrown at him to stock up a Victoria’s Secret outlet. With good reason: Back in the late ‘60s, when he was giving us “What’s New Pussycat?” and “It’s Not Unusual,” Jones wore tight pants and nearly-unbuttoned shirts. He moved like a maniac, and his ‘fro game was tight, yet felt so natural and effortless.

In the ‘70s, he gave us “She’s a Lady,” and in the ‘80s, he blew Prince’s “Kiss” up into a million pieces. But just about every song he’s ever carried with that smooth, full-throated baritone larynx is compelling. The beauty of that gift he’s carrying around in his neck is that its so capable. You want pop? Bam. A little country? Twang for days. Sad spiritual? Man, that’s dark. Folksy capriciousness? Guess who just bested Joni Mitchell and Donavan.

Jones married his high school sweetheart, but don’t sleep—he’s like the 007 of the British Invasion. He may not tear up the stage like he did on his own TV show or in his endless slew of Vegas shows, but he’s still got that legendary bulge in his throat.

8pm. $50. Theatre of Living Arts, 334 South St. 215.922.1011. tlaphilly.com

Summer 2013: Morgan’s Pier Reopens Tonight

This just popped into our Inbox from the Morgan’s Pier team:

“We can’t believe it’s almost here! Our doors re-open TODAY at 4pm, and the kitchen fires up at 5, with some exciting new additions and some old summer favorites.

Dave P of Making Time will be kicking-off our entertainment season in a BIG way with a FREE DJ set of futuristic sounds for your ears from 10pm-2am! We’ve also got a weekend of incredible DJ’s lined up like Harvard Bass, Liv Spencer + Prince Language. See the full list here and click here to RSVP for FREE admission to this Friday & Saturday’s shows!

Keep the dance vibes going all summer with local DJs every weeknight, and DJs from across the globe every weekend—like Simian Mobile Disco, James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, and Dimitri From Paris.

Throughout the season, our buds over at R5 Productions are pulling out all the stops with FREE shows every Wednesday Night—including some heavy-hitters like Cold Cave, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and We Were Promised Jetpacks—from June 5th-August 28th.

DINING

This year, we’ll have a picnic menu, with all items around $10, that’s foodie, vegan, veggie, kid, omnivore—you name it—friendly. This menu is served in our Picnic Area. Although we won’t be taking reservations for this section, with 300 seats, there should be plenty of room for all.

In addition to the picnic options, there’s also a $30 fixed price menu, served exclusively in the elevated Dining Area. Space is limited so we encourage you to make your reservations here.

You can always find our upcoming events, specials and information at MorgansPier.com and for our nightly dinner specials & updates as they happen keep up with us on Facebook and Twitter. Can’t wait to see you at the Pier!

xoxo,
MP”

Man, oh man. We’d been checking in on the site to see what kind of shows and schedule they were booking, but we weren’t expecting this kind of fullness. Not gonna lie: In reading the hours of operation—and by that, we guess, they mainly mean when the kitchen’s open, not how late they’ll be serving drinks—it’s gonna be a service industry summer at the Pier. The picnic menu’s available from 5 to 11pm Sunday through Thursday and only 5 to 10pm on Friday and Saturday.

Things I can’t wait to put in my mouth from that menu: Smoky Party Wings; honey + chili glaze ($7.50), Blistered Shishito Peppers; ranch dressing + lemon wedge ($7.00), BBQ Pulled Mushroom Buns; house tofu + cucumber salad ($6.50), Really Good Fries; spicy salt + daily aioli (Side $3.00/Basket $7.00), Poached Lobster & Bibb; green goddess + brioche crumbs ($10.00), White Fish Salad Sammie; baby arugula + pickled red onion ($8.00), Slow Roasted Bacon Sammie; pickled cabbage + spicy mustard ($7.50).

Oh, and the talent. A handful of shows that made our eyes bug: a Classixx DJ set on Friday, June 14th ($5.00), a Cold Cave show a few days later on Wednesday, June 19th (free), then a Simian Mobile Disco DJ set on Saturday, the 22nd ($5.00), and OMG a Small Black free show on Wednesday, June 26th, and DAMN a James Murphy DJ set on the weekend of July 4th ($10.00) on Saturday night, the 6th). There’s obviously a ton more booked, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg and the tip that’s closest to May.

Check out this cool lil’ mini-short doc about DFA records to get excited for James Murphy to visit our little pier on Columbus Ave.

On The Record: !!!, Colin Stetson, Daughter, Junip, Neon Neon, And Natalie Maines

!!! (Chk Chk Chk)
THR!!!ER
(Warp Records)
Sounds like: They’re back!!! If you thought they’d lost steam, maybe they did, but it’s returned—and their characteristic funk is danker and tighter than ever.
Free association: Slick production = a headphone masterpiece and party starter.
For fans of: LCD Soundsystem x old-school Stones, the Rapture/Hot Chip, parties.

Colin Stetson
New History Warfare, Vol. 3: To See More Light
(CONSTELLATION)
Sounds like: The seasoned woodwinds master delivers outstandingly out-there avant jazz and freak funk with Justin Vernon vocals and tripped-out noise.
Free association: The bits of bizarre clear out when the sax funk rumbles through.
For fans of: Miles/Coltrane x Brian Eno, Josh Redman + Transmission, jazz noise.

Daughter
If You Leave
(Glassnote)
Sounds like: The gloomy debut of 4AD Brits who began with Elena Tonra, a woman with a stunning voice and devastating lyrics full of dark drama and ethereality.
Free association: Definitely couldn’t handle this all day unless it was January.
For fans of: These New Puritans/Cat Power x the XX, Bat for Lashes, doom and gloom.

Junip
Junip
(Mute/Universal)
Sounds like: Another excellent batch from Argentinean/Swede Jose Gonzalez’s project, and this collection’s got a louder, slightly chaotic rock feel to it.
Free association: Dude can do no wrong. It would’ve been impossible for this to suck.
For fans of: Kings of Convenience/Beirut x Galaxie 500, Lil Pocket Knife, Scandanavian funk.

Neon Neon
Praxis Makes Perfect
(Lex Records)
Sounds like: Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys and Boom Bip’s sophomore is another smash concept LP, this one about a communist Italian publisher.
Free association: Some super-solid, playfully weird electronic sonic storytelling.
For fans of: Handsome Boy Modeling School + Gorillaz x the Drive soundtrack.

Natalie Maines
Mother
(Columbia)
Sounds like: The dixie chick’s collection of covers, from Jeff Buckley to Eddie Vedder to the title track’s Roger Waters; it’s a stunning set of vocal achievements.
Free association: Always loved her; hopefully, this is the start of a solid solo career.
For fans of: Brandi Carlile with Ben Harper, Lucinda Williams, liberal country girls.