Happy damn birthday Minnesota! 152 years of putting sucka states in second place! To celebrate, let's all enjoy Minnesota's typically schizophrenic weather and turn up Minnebasset as loud as it will go.
Flatbasset - Minnebasset (Part III)
01. BK-One - Gititit (w/Slug & Brother Ali)
I’ve already put two other songs from Rádio Do Canibal on the mix (“Mega” & “Call To Arms”), but I’d been sitting on this one for months, just waiting to use it to open Minnebasset.
After When Life Gives You Lemons & Us, it’s nice to hear Slug & Ali rapping just to rap and brag. No story telling here.
Sidenote: We ‘bout to push you angels in the snow! Y’know, in a few months.
02. The Invincible Kids - Rug Burns
A Current song from a few year’s back. I haven’t heard anything else by these guys. Hell, they don’t even have a picture on their Last.fm page. Still they manage to throw a couple of stellar hooks into this one. And you know me, I’m a sucker for a good hook. I’ve listened to this song dozens of times and dance a little bit everytime. In the car, in my dairy cooler, on my futon right now…
Sidenote: If you ever stop at The Wedge and need a good laugh, take a peek past the milk in that cooler. You’ll usually see me going off to something as I put milk on the shelves. Thank god no one ever looks past the dates on the cartons.
03. Dillinger Four - Portrait Of The Artist As A Fucking Asshole
The older I get the more I love D4. For all the punk bands I grew out of, I’m not sure why they’ve endured. You better believe that they’ll have a spot on every Minnebasset mix I ever make.
04. Mike Swoop - Where Do We Go? (w/Kavorkian & Allpurpose)
As I mentioned a few months, Mike Swoop’s New Love albums is almost entirely instrumental. For this track, however, he hooked up with the two MC’s he used to DJ for and they put together a great jam. That chorus will bounce around your head for days.
05. We Are The Willows - A Funeral Dressed As A Birthday
This song was a real grower. I didn’t like it the first couple of times I heard it I didn’t care for it at all. However, my Song Of The Day routine meant that I was going to keep listening to it and eventually the atmospherics and time changes found their way into my brain. The, “Come back to us, in Minneapolis!” line didn’t hurt either. Kinda brought the whole track back home.
06. The 757’s - Atrophy
That’s not a typo. I realize the chorus is about “a trophy,” but hell, I didn’t name the tune. If anything, that stupid little joke contributes to the songs similarity to those old Replacements songs that are clearly this songs forefathers. I love this one because it just sounds so Midwestern. Lines like, “I don’t know about anybody else, everyone’s a little screwed up,” and, “There’s a trophy for everyone, everyone’s a winner” typify the passive aggressiveness and jadedness that comes with too many long winters and always being just a step behind the times.
07. Yoni - Get Up (w/Toki Wright & Mike Mictlan)
What is there to say about this one? Three of the great Minnesota rappers going off about how great the Twin Cities are. I mean, how could I not put this song on the mix?
Sidenote: The beat is by Mux Mool, who also appeared on Minnebasset Pt. I. He’s out of NYC and, since I put in some time there too, I’m claiming the authority to adopt him as an honorary Minnesotan. Whattup, Mux!?!
Sidenote II: Who shouts out St. Louis Park? Ah well, nothing but love.
08. Icollide - Les Masquerade (w/Dessa & P.O.S.)
I picked up this record (Distractions) on my birthday in the local section at Extreme Noise. Good find. This is the only hardcore track I’ve ever heard Dessa on and she absolutely kills it. Add in some great guitar work, a killer hook, and some P.O.S. backup screams… Shiiiit…
09. The Pines - Lonesome Tremelo Blues
This song came out in September of ‘09, right after I moved back to MPLS. Let’s just say timing played a big role in my adoration for this song. That, “I’m a stranger here, I’m a stranger everywhere…” line haunted me for months until I started making some friends back here.
Sidenote: I work with both of the guys in The Pines and they couldn’t be nicer people. I highly suggest you catch one of their shows if you get the chance.
10. Har Mar Superstar - Brand New Day
I put this one on as an olive branch for anyone out of state who might catch the mix. I’m sorry your city can’t touch the quality of music coming out of Sota. It’s probably not your fault. But just so you know, we’ve got love, sweet love, for your cities too.
11. Colder In Moscow - It’s Graphite
I’ve seen these guys a couple of times and, while they’re a good band, they’re just trying so damn hard. They’re a great example of the music that’s coming out of MPLS right now. In the old days, this was a sloppy rock n roll town. These days, the guitars are still there, but it’s becoming an art rock town. Nothing against art rock (I do own 5 Minus The Bear records), but if I saw a Colder In Moscow flyer that promised that everyone in the band was going to do three shots of Jameson before the show started, I wouldn’t miss it. I’d bet you $10 American it would be their best show ever.
12. Dessa - Alibi
Speaking of growers… Remember a couple months back when I put Dessa on a mix and said I was still digesting the album? Well, it’s digested. And it’s genius. It’s easily the second best album to come out of the Doomtree camp (nothing will ever top Never Better. Nothing. Don’t even try.). That’s high praise when you think about how much I love everything that’s come out under the Wings & Teeth banner.
Sidenote: Dessa is still my neighbor although she’s moving soon. I’m not sure what rapper Margo’s going to start trying to sniff. I’m betting on… Toki Wright.
13. Passions - Go On MPLS
“Been a little different now that we’re apart, but the city always mends my heart…”
Amen.
14. Trampled By Turtles - Wait So Long
I love the strings in this song. I would put Trampled By Turtles against any other bluegrass band on earth. If I was Duluth's mayor (and god willing, someday I will be) I’d write “Home Of The Best Bluegrass In The World” under the “Welcome To Duluth” sign. Then I’d start putting on bluegrass festivals with TBT headlining every year (like Soundset w/Banjos) and stake a tourism claim for anyone with a banjo and a car.
15. Cenospecies - Local Anesthetic
What I really love about the lone Cenospecies record is the way it fills in the P.O.S. story for us just the way you’d hope it would. No cornball dancebeats. No bullshit gun talk. The beats are still punkified. The rhymes are still pissed off and complicated.
Sidenote: “Livin’ in the city, Minne-frigid-fuck, maybe they’ll get it when they leave the city limits”
16. Crossing Guards - Pretty Little Problem
Last time I put Crossing Guards on a mix I praised Martin Devaney for continuing the beer drinking, rock n rolling, girl lamenting tradition of The Replacements. He nearly crosses the line on this one. I mean, Westy did have a song called “My Little Problem” with the chorus “Don’t you wanna be my little problem?” Ah well, if you’re gonna steal you may as well steal from the best.
17. The Plastic Constellations - Beats Like You Stole Something
TPC falls under the same category as D4. Their records only sound more unique as time passes. As long as I’m doing this, TPC has a place, mothafucka. Cop a feel or two.
18. Träma - Southside Pride -(w/Freez)
I’ll bet you didn’t think I could get a Kanye beat onto the Minnebasset mix, did ya? Let this be a lesson to ya, I don’t play with these mixes.
I went to Träma’s mixtape release show at Fifth Element a few weeks back and only about 12 people showed up. Now, I know Träma’s not the best rapper in the Twin Cities. He’s probably not even Top 10, but step ya local game up kids! This city is known for supporting its own. The stories find their way into verses from Slug, Ali, DTR, Kanser, BQ… You name it. I know I’m old and crotchety, but you damn kids need to learn that there’s more to TC hip-hop than Rhymesayers. Also, stay off my lawn.
19. The Soviettes - #1 Is Number Two
I’m still pissed off that I missed The Soviettes reunion show over at the Turf Club. How about you just get back together? Play all the time? Hell, you’ve only gotten bigger since you broke up…
20. Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak - Prizefight
The ultimate, “I’m feeling down and need a song to pick me up,” song. Mike and Beak kill it. I’ve completely adopted this song as my Minnesota anthem. I would never give it up.
Sidenote: I know Mike a little bit now from him working at The Wedge. He’s a good dude. He quit a couple of weeks back and I told him he shouldn’t have. I mean, steady paychecks aren’t easy to get. Here’s what he told me.
“It depends. I mean, do you want a new Mike Mictlan album this year or not?”
Keeping his eye on the prize. Good luck.
