DEATH OF LETTERS TO TUM TUM

     Letters is being retired as I'm moving the site over to tumblr, giving it a new name of MachineGun Seahorse. It will still have all the wicked music and writing, just a new updated feel and look! Come by friends - mr_axed


if you missed the link and feel like an idiot peep it here http://machinegunseahorse.tumblr.com/

The Jawbreaker Angle

New Cannibal Ox - Gotham

I was caressing my hangover over at Exlaim! this morning when to my surprise Cannibal Ox is releasing a new album. Fuck it's been a long time, over ten years. I admit i was scared, cause it needs to be in the same vein as the Cold Vein and I'm not sure they could reproduce the tone and atmosphere. So the story goes they started a Kickstarter aiming for 30,000 and they fell about 25,000 short. Why doesn't El-P help these guys out hes gotta be rolling in the dough like Scrooge McDuck right now. Oh well, I guess they're going forward with a single and heres the two drops. Feels like 10 years ago - keep it up Vast.

Autre Ne Veut - Play by Play

Living the in bilingual country of Canada, I'm scared to say his name because my dirty French skater friends will laugh at me and tell me how to pronounce it properly. Usually I try again but continually fuck it up. I'm not even sure if his name supposed to be French.

Autre is coming from the camp of How to Dress Well, with a different take on this urban Rnb revival. Theres a drone sound to it. Maybe its the breakthrough drone of bass, likely not, be he does it well. I dig this shit. Check out the streams.

The Return

Alright it's been awhile! I've been in school and had absolutely no time to inject this blog with sweetness but since so many people are still loving it (honestly thanks all I never thought people would like this shit) I'm getting going again. I'll just post later at night, or earlier in the morning (unlikely), or whenever. I'm starting to hone my writing skills though school. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop or revamp my voice on this blog. I'm going to continue to use shitty amounts of adjectives and cliches that will make you puke. I probably will link my newer shit though.

So what to expect? I know I never followed through on my promises from the summer, and probably won't cause I don't know where half of it is on my computer. Expect good things. I'm going to be adding more rants/opinion pieces. The first one is going to be on plaid, and how plaid never gets a fucking break from criticism. We'll take it from there.

Alright, email or comment on what you love and hate, I started this blog for my own inner release when I was going through a shitty time and now I'm coming back because of you. 

mr_axed

Essential Bootleg - The Replacements - Live @ Grant Park Chicago July 4th 1991

AKA “It Ain’t Over ‘Til The Fat Roadies Play."
AKA The LAST Replacement's Show.

It's one helluva ride providing most of my favorite Replacements material isn't played. Founding member Bob Stinson had been gone for nearly 5 years at this point. This wasn't announced as their last show it just happened to play out that way and honestly what better way than a 4th of July party in Chicago. The recording must be a soundboard master and is top notch. Judging from the crowd extreme levels of debaucherous drunkenness were rampant.

What's great about Hootenanny is the band switches instruments and as they depart from the stage, and one by one, they are replaced by the road crew. Prior this they really show how their last album, All Shook Down, really was an underrated piece of Replacements material. This is a great listen.

1. “I Will Dare”
2. “Bent Out of Shape”
3. “Achin’ to Be”
4. “Merry Go Round”
5. “Happy Town”
6. “Swinging Party”
7. “One Wink at a Time”
8. “Waitress in the Sky”
9. “When It Began”
10. “Someone Take the Wheel”
11. “Talent Show”
12. “Nobody”
13. “Another Girl, Another Planet”
14. “Hey Good Lookin’”
15. “I’ll Be You”
16. “I Don’t Know”
17. “Within Your Reach”
18. “Can’t Hardly Wait”
19. “Hootenanny”

DOWNLOAD

Essential MP3 - Elliott Smith - Angeles (Alternate Version)

Well we're back by popular demand! I hope that everyone has had a killer summer and either you're getting ready for school or sweating your balls off on a construction site. Kill Rock Stars, the label which hosted much of Elliott Smiths work, have been digging in their archives to share alternate takes and demos. Either/Or is a album that is pivotal in my life and Angeles has always been the gem within it. I really like the alternate, the singing is less hushed and you can really hear the lyrics. Go and support this even tho he's dead.

Summer Hiatus

Well friends I appreciate all feedback and interaction that takes place on this blog it's a true pleasure and I regret to inform everyone that I'm just too busy enjoying the mountains beaches friends and family this summer to post so I'll be taking a break until September. Ive got some really good stuff lined up including an exclusive mix by Paul Pheonix, Wilco AM demos, Cro-Mags 1986 Demo, The Replacements last live show, more D.Mekka Jamz, and lots more. Now go enjoy the sun.

Picture - Stadacona Park

Picture - Like Giants

Essential MP3 - Mineral - Slower

Representing the heyday of mid-90's Crank! records, Mineral cause a buzz at the time and often were likened to other 90's indie pioneers as Promise Ring and Sunny Day Real Estate. Originally from Houston, the band relocated to Austin for the 6 day recording of The Power of Failure, released January 1997.This song is powerful one. It used to be one of those songs that got stuck on repeat and I still find lasting value within it.

MP3

Essential Mini Mix - DK - Blockhead Mini Mix

In honor of Blockhead's triumphant new throwback album Interludes After Midnight Solid Steel's DK has set up a powerful minimix that showcases the blendability, gritty city beats, and of the course the piano that highlight one of my favorite albums of the year.

Essential MP3 - Mount Kimbie - Before I Move Off

When I first heard London's duo Mount Kimbie I truly thought that they might liberate the trenches of dubstep or nustep from brostep. Its like a 12 step elimination program. I don't really like dubstep, especially the shit you hear out here on the canadian coast. Shows upon shows of offbeat angry saw bass. I've always been a drum and bass warrior in my heart.

Needless to say I do enjoy some that fall under the dubstep moniker. Mount Kimbie, Jamie XX, Koreless, and Ramanadaman grace that list. Here's a standout track from 2010's magical album Crooks and Lovers.

MP3

UPDATE - Every Song A Revolution - The Hated Compilation - 2011

UPDATE 11.2012 - I've gathered the correct album art for the compilation. It's just a chopped up cover of a old early 20th century pulp novel. Also corrected the track numbers and order. I've noticed a fair bit of activity around this lately which prompted me to take a course of proper action. I also removed the blogged and quartered link as its all shut down.

The Hated's music has hit me deep. This stuff is truly amazing. I had always heard about them often brought up in conversations with Moss Icon, as they two bands were both from Annopolis, they practiced together, partied together, and played shows together. A few years ago Blogged and Quartered put up a three part The Hated Discography. There is so much amazing music lost in space here. So i put together the best starting point ever. This is the definitive The Hated Collection for people who need a good set off point. Grab the .zip below the tracklist. Oh yeah, and be sure to check out some of the old flyers I found scouring the web, especially the one with Fugazi and Shudder to Think. What a good show that would have been.

1- Underground
2- Anonymous Descriptions of Uncontrollable Urges
3- Pride and Confusion
4- Damned Heart
5-Return
6- What Was Behind
7- Promises
8- Someone
9- T.S. Eliot
10- Departure
11- Every Song
12- Miggys Delight
13- No More We Cry
14- Away
15- Echos of Whistle Tree Park
16 - Plastic Boat

compiled by mr_axed


DOWNLOAD HEREhttp://www.mediafire.com/?x2ggvjbm34of9p7

LetterstoTumTum Exclusive - D.Mekca Jamz - Planet Asia Remix + More

D.Mekca Jamz has been a good buddy of mine for years but for over a decade now he has been churning out some of the sickest hip hop instrumentals and remixes on the West Coast. Acting as the lead production and one of the stage bombing emcees in the former (yet sensational) local group Illy Pros the last year has been a year of refocus and direction in more of a solo endeavor. I'm lucky he sends me beats. He's really on an incredible wave.What have here is a bombing cerebral remix of a heavy ass hitting Asia rhyme infestation.

Considering his beats are worth their weight in gold I can't drop MP3s of all the tracks but Mekca has conviently upload some sickness to You Tube which I will now translate to you.

                      Pull Up the People - MIA - D.Mekca Jamz BREAK YO FACE!! Remix

  
                             Tomorrows Another Day - Collie Buds - D.Mekca Jamz Remix

and now for the little gem for all your iphones and androids.....

Planet Asia Definition of Ill D.Mekca Remix MP3

Below is a great Illy Pros jam produced by Mekca from 2010 featuring Genevieve Rainey

Picture - Gorge Waterway and Selkirk Trussel

Essential 7" - 88 Fingers Louie - Wanted

One of the most forgotten and least talked about 'mainstream' punk bands from the 90's is Chicago's 88 Fingers Louie. I use hesitate to use 'mainstream' because it's not like these guys sold out to a major label or anything. I just think of more mainstream 90's punk to be bands signed to the large underground labels like Fat Wreck Chords, Epitaph, Hopeless, etc.

88 Fingers Louie often got tagged in the same group as Lagwagon or Strung Out but for some reason never seemed to empress as much. I find them quite different. Remember two guys from this group went on to form the stadium rock shock and awe of Rise Against. Theres so good hardcore in the veins here, but a some feeling as well.

This is their legendary second EP released in 1993 I believe. Blink is one of my favs for 90s punk in general.

1	Holding Back
2	Honestly
3	Blink
4	Help?

Download

Essential MP3 - Braid - A Dozen Roses

A great song from Braid's (not Braids) third album Frame and Canvas. A Dozen Roses is the song. Been feeling alot of this post-hardcore lately. Long summerish nights... i can't imagine what eternal sun or dark must be like. Glad I don't live that far up north.

MP3

Picture - Painting from the Past

Picture - Gary Oak