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We pay tribute to two legends, one well overdue to J Dilla, who we bump throughout part 1, then on the 40th anniversary of Thelonious Monk's transformation we let him run the show in part 2. Dan Lloyd joins us for our AMPED segment to close things properly!
"The Drop with Danno" on GFN 광주영어방송 98.7FM in Gwangju & 93.7FM in Yeosu, Korea. An eclectic radio curation of all things musical spanning the spectrum every week. Broadcasting 8-10pm KST nightly.
Feb 17, 2022
The Drop with Danno
Busta Rhymes feat Chauncey Black & Q-Tip – You Can’t Hold The Torch
J Dilla – Last Donut of the Night
Slum Village – Fall In Love
Common – Dooinit
Jaylib – The Red
The Roots – Can’t Stop This
Thelonious Monk – Blue Monk
Thelonious Monk – Misterioso
Devon Gilfillian – What A Time
Jordan Rakei – Bruises
Stefan Mahendra feat fika – Tear This Love Apart
Thelonious Monk – In Walked Bud (Live, 1958)
I.
It is 20 hours past midnight after a sunny and clear but quite cold February day, and after the sun has set every night you know it’s time to get down, especially tonight, and this evening is all Dillonious Monked on the calandar as February 17, 2022. This is Danno making sure the levels are just so here on our Sampled funk & soul Thursday night, making sure you have the keep for your keep on from studio 2 GFN HQ right in the heart of downtown Gwangju, how do you do? Thursday night is here, and this evening we pay special tribute to a pair of legends in parts one and two. Now, for those keeping score Dilla Day this year was ten days ago, and I had something extra special planned for the outing. However, I had a covid scare, had to quarantine, and the day slipped past with me changing the formula for Arlo covering the show to our usual Monday format. But it seems the stars have aligned tonight for our funk & soul first hour, with an absolute must being the transformation of Thelonious Monk on this date forty years ago, so for part 1 in its entirety this evening, we pay tribute to the producer of producers and a man who changed hip-hop forever, then we let The Monk open and close part 2. Naturally Dan Lloyd will be throwing all the rocks he could fit into his massive burlap sack for parts 3 & 4 on this evening’s AMPED feature, but for now, let’s go back to 2006 and start with not just a bang but a big one, cuz it’s Dilla Time. THIS is The Drop.
Busta Rhymes feat Chauncey Black & Q-Tip – You Can’t Hold The Torch
Back on The Drop and our Sampled funk & soul first half has officially kicked off for tonight. Glad to have you with us for our J Dilla tribute part 1 tonight, Drop Gangsters and we cannot thank you enough for joining us. This is Danno of course, doing my thing and opening with the history for the entirety of part 1 tonight as we pay tribute to J Dilla for the entirety of our first half hour. That was in our humble opinion one of his most iconic productions in You Can’t Hold The Torch, off Busta Rhymes’ Big Bang LP from 2006.
That tune in particular was produced by James Yancey aka J Dilla or Jay Dee. For those unfamiliar, Dilla was a transformative figure in hip-hop production and way beyond, with his birthday now being celebrated on February 7 every year amongst the heads. I’d planned to do so on that day but had to quarantine, so tonight we’re paying our dues here on The Drop.
Dilla initially emerged in the mid-1990’s in his native Detroit as a member of the Slum Village crew, but his work over the next 10 precious years would go so far beyond genre, with his beats and production work being featured on records by De La Soul, ATCQ, Janet Jackson, The Roots, Erykah Badu, and so many, many more.
Unfortunately, he had a rare disease that he succumbed to aged just 32 in 2006, but his music lives on forever. One interesting thing to note is his production work and unreleased beats continue to trickle out with the blessing of his family even to this day, and if you’d like to learn more there’s a new book called Dilla Time that breaks down how different and special he truly was which is a GREAT read.
J Dilla, James Yancey, rest in power supreme.
#9870, @gfnthedrop, pod.
So let’s continue to showcase J Dilla’s creative prowess after that opener and introduction. Up next we have a joint from his final posthumous and unfinished work Donuts to be followed by Slum Village, Common, and Jaylib, all of which we’ll break down but not off if it can indeed be helped side opposite the sorcerery. THIS is Dilla Night on The Drop for your Sampled funk & soul Thursday.
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The Drop is back after our first triad of tunes here on our Sampled funk & soul first hour. Danno here, keeping the levels just right, and the memory of J Dilla alive (not that it needs me to keep going, but we do our bit). It’s all Jay Dee until the end of part 1 tonight, then a tribute to Thelonious Monk on this 40th anniversary of his transformation to stardust for part 2, with Dan Lloyd brining the new rock to showcase for the 2nd half of the gig. For right now though, a rare quadruplet on this show, so let’s have you know a bit about it if you are not so initiated...
J Dilla – The Last Donut of the Night (…an album that although unfinished was released after J Dilla’s passing in 2006. Donuts was an instant classic to hip-hop heads everywhere and remains so, with the incredible samples used along with cutting techniques still boggling the minds of heads and producers everywhere.)
Slum Village – Fall In Love (…back during these times, Dilla went by Jay Dee on stage, but later changed that to disambiguate with another artist. This tune was off the Detroit group’s 2nd LP Fantastic Vol 2. The group would kind of break up a year later when Dilla decided to go solo, but get back together just a bit later, with their last LP dropping in 2016.)
Common - Dooinit (…a Dilla classic right here and an essential album from Common’s collection. This was off Common’s 4th LP Like Water For Chocolate, which was a smashing commercial and critical success and his major label debut. The album also formally marked the formation of the Soulquarians, a collective composed of Questlove (of The Roots), Jay Dee (formerly of Slum Village), keyboardist James Poyser, soul artist D'Angelo and bassist Pino Palladino, among numerous other collaborators.)
Jaydee – The Red (…the ultra-iconic tune from an album that is absolutely bursting with joint after joint. Champion Sound was a one off collab between Dilla and Madlib, only making the record that much more special, released in 2003.)
So, let’s get to a tribute from The Roots for J Dilla, a nice long player to finish the first half hour. The next tune is Can’t Stop It which we’ll let breathe in full to the end of the first quarter, long live Dilla. THIS is The Drop.
The Roots – Can’t Stop It
II
The Drop returns as we begin the 2nd stanza of our nightly radiological orchestra. Danno here, starting quarter two with a tribute to Thelonious Monk, who on this date passed away 40 years ago. Like J Dilla, a game changer who to the untrained ear almost sounded sloppy in his craft but was anything but, his contributions to jazz and particularly the craft on the keys is something that has often been imitated but never duplicated, a giant of the game. Thus, we started with a couple of tunes from Monk’s prime, that was…
Thelonious Monk – Blue Monk (…the melody is partly borrowed from Charlie Shavers' "Pastel Blue".[16] Versions of the tune appear on Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk,[17] and Monk's Blues. The tune appears on almost every single live album by Monk, including the albums from Carnegie Hall, and it is the tune that Monk recorded the most live in his career. So, we started with the trademark.)
Thelonious Monk - Misterioso (…this one is a tune that initially saw its way onto records on Monk’s live album from 1957, of which this is the title track. This would also vault Monk into stardom by the next year, with critics and fans alike loving the performance overall, but not this tune at the time. However, later critics would point to this tune as another absolute classic from Monk’s vault, may he rest in power.)
#9870, @gfnthedrop, pod.
So, moving onto the next block of cuts, we do have some freshness to delve into this evening with new tunes just out this week from Devon Gilfillian, Jordan Rakei, and Stefan Mahendra, all three of which we’ll talk about before Bud Walks In. This is The Drop on your Sampled funk & soul Thelonious Thursday.
___
Back on The Drop for the final verbal joust of the first half this evening. Danno here, studio 2, GFN HQ and ready on the horse for righteous battle as we continue with our Sampled funk & soul first hour this week. We shall of course be joined shortly after the jump to part 3 by Dan Lloyd for our weekly AMPED rock showcase, but for now, that was…
Devon Gilfillian – What A Time (…the young man originally out of PA has had quite a busy year, and this one came with a big announcement as it is being featured on the Apple TV+ series Lincoln’s Dilemma, which begins streaming tomorrow so do check that out if you’re so inclined.)
Jordan Rakei – Bruises (…after a great collaboration with Bonobo on Shadows, this one kicks off the London-based artist’s 2022 in style and with a big announcement of a new 4 track EP dropping on March 4, of which Bruises is the title cut.)
Stefan Mahndra feat fika – Tear This Love Apart (…a little London collab action right here, with the fika duo on the beats and production. This is the first cut off an upcoming EP that remains nameless and dateless, but we’ll be sure to keep an eye out as details emerge cuz…you know…that’s what we do.)
So, we’re just about tapped out but the only one who takes us through the portal tonight is Monk named Thelonious, so we’ll finish with a live rendition of In Walked Bud and that will take us all the way to Dan Lloyd and getting AMPED. THIS is The Drop and that’s a wrap for the first half.
Thelonious Monk – In Walked Bud (Live, 1958)
III & IV AMPED
Jack White – Fear of the Dawn
The Beths – A Real Thing
Foals – 2AM
Dream Widow – March of the Insane
Chubby and the Gang – Who Loves Ya
THICK – Love You Forever
Big Thief – Flower of Blood
TV Priest – One Easy Thing
Sanchez. - Paranoid
Caracara – Strange Interactions in the Night
Kurt Vile – Like Exploding Stones
Jack White – Fear of the Dawn
Jack White is set to release two new albums in the coming months: a “really hard” rock record called Fear of the Dawn and a “very mellow” acoustic LP titled Entering Heaven Alive. Today, he’s shared a new preview of the former album by revealing its title track.
To accompany the release of “Fear of the Dawn,” he’s shared a self-directed music video. Watch it below.
White previously previewed Fear of the Dawn with “Taking Me Back,” and teased “Love Is Selfish” from Entering Heaven Alive.
Fear of the Dawn will be released on April 8th, with Entering Heaven Alive following on July 22nd. “Fear of the Dawn” and “Love Is Selfish” will be pressed on a limited edition tri-color 7-inch single, exclusively sold at Third Man Records storefronts starting February 19th.
To support both releases, White will head out on an extensive tour beginning in April. Spanning nearly 60 dates in total, the cleverly titled “Supply Chain Issues Tour” will see White play gigs in the US, Canada, the UK, and Europe.
The Beths – A Real Thing
The Beths are back and pining for lasting change with the new song “A Real Thing.”
The New Zealand rockers toggle between dreamy pop-infused guitars and a jarring, fretful chorus. Lead singer Liz Stokes opens with an image of regular people attempting to battle climate change. “Picking up the tires from the side of the road/ Gonna push back the coming tide,” she sings. But the chorus undercuts the sentiment: “Getting rhyme over reason,” she wails, implying that while such actions sound good in theory, they’re not helping in the long run. She continues, “It’s a sinister silly season/ Maybe we can end up meaning a real thing.”
“‘A Real Thing’ is a kind of anxiety dream. It’s a bit muddled, a bit frantic, a bit sinister,” Stokes said in a statement. “‘A Real Thing’ is what came out of my guitar in late 2020, post NZ election (and U.S. election). I was limply reaching for optimism about the future, but was really just marinating in dread. In NZ people sometimes use tyres and cement to build retaining walls by the water, to try to stop the land being eroded away as the sea encroaches. It doesn’t really work.”
Foals – 2AM
Foals keep the party rolling all night on their latest single “2am” from their newly announced seventh album, Life Is Yours. The song scores a never-ending after-hours escapade, with a hypnotic beat that captures the anxiety of a party going off the rails.
In a press statement, Philippakis calls it “one of the poppiest songs we’ve ever written. It’s about repetitive cycles of destructive behavior, which I think lots of people can relate to, and certainly it’s an expression of something that I struggle with,” Philippakis said. “There’s something cathartic about expressing that feeling to this upbeat music that’s got a sense of release and the hope of resolution.”
Thematically, the new track pairs nicely with previous single “Wake Me Up.” If “2am” is the irresistible slip into dangerous patterns, “Wake Me Up” is the catalyst for breaking loose.
Dream Widow – March of the Insane
Foo Fighters have unleashed their inner extreme-metal inner selves on the new song “March of the Insane.” Released under the band moniker Dream Widow, the song conjures up early thrash reminiscent of Venom, Slayer, Celtic Frost, and other likeminded acts.
While Foo Fighters’ new horror movie, Studio 666, doesn’t arrive until February 25th, it’s probably safe to assume that Dream Widow are a fictional band referenced in the film. The movie is centered around the Foos’ attempt to record a new album in a haunted mansion.
The tune, which according to the YouTube description, is from Dream Widow’s “never-released self-titled album.” It’s thrashy as hell, with some very metal vocals from Dave Grohl and spectacular lyrics like, “Sing in a villainous choir / Join in chorus of pain.”
“March of the Insane” isn’t Dave Grohl’s first foray into metal. He previously created the metal side project Probot, and released a self-titled album in 2004 that featured a number of guest singers, including Venom’s Cronos, Soulfly’s Max Cavalera, King Diamond, Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister, and more.
Chubby and the Gang – Who Loves Ya
In the past two years, London punks Chubby And The Gang have released two absolute stomp-ass albums, 2020’s Speed Kills and last year’s The Mutt’s Nuts. Today, Chubby And The Gang are back with a new EP, a three-song ripper called Labour Of Love. They’re describing it as their Valentine’s Day record.
The leadoff track from the Labour Of Love EP is called “Who Loves Ya? (Coup D’État),” and it’s a burly, catchy garage-rocker about how falling in love can feel like the end of the world:
Along with “Who Loves Ya?,” the band has released two more songs, “Twice Shy” and “Ain’t There No One?” Both tracks are quick, direct sprints. All three are a lot of fun. They’ve also made a “Who Loves Ya?” video.
THICK – Love You Forever
Back in 2020, the Brooklyn trio and Band To Watch THICK released their debut album, 5 Years Behind. Today, they’re back with their first song since then, “Love You Forever,” which the band wrote as a gift for a wedding last year. “It’s about unconditional love and getting through the hard times — knowing that love transcends all of life’s chapters,” the band said in a statement. “The song is meant to encapsulate the idea of loving your partners, your friends, and most of all loving yourself.” Seems appropriate for Valentine’s Day!
Big Thief – Flower of Blood
Big Thief have returned with their incredible new album, the sprawling double LP Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You.
Their fifth album in as many years, Adrianne Lenker and company recorded Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You across four different sessions in Upstate New York, Topanga Canyon, the Rocky Mountains, and Tucson, Arizona, with drummer James Krivchenia handling production. After five months, the quartet came out with 45 songs, which they eventually whittled down to 20.
The final package weaves “songs of healing, pain, joy, and self-discovery after one another,” Consequence’s own Abby Jones writes, in an entrancing collage of folksy guitars, bubbling bass, and electronic drums.
TV Priest – One Easy Thing
"Writing ‘One Easy Thing’ was key to unlocking a more direct and personal approach to our songwriting," says TV Priest frontman Charlie Drinkwater. "It’s about dealing with the small things of everyday life; the anxiety, pressures, and battles inside your own headspace - and not being afraid to show this in our songs.” In the song's video, directed by Joe Wheatley, Drinkwater plays a 15th century knight who is prone to expressive dancing. This is an early taste of TV Priest's new album which is due later this year via Sub Pop.
Sanchez. - Paranoid
Hard rocking tune from Gwangju’s own Sanchez., whose debut album Burgundy came out Feburary 16th. Fun facts about this tune:
-I did the drums, bass and practically all of the guitars, which is unusual because I’m a terrible guitarist
-the whispers in the middle of the song are me, reading the script of the “Oh hi Mark” scene from Tommy Wiseau’s The Room
-the scream towards the end of the song is provided by Kamen Ross, who can seemingly do everything, and better than everyone else
-the vocals were recorded in my living room. No police officers were called, despite the manic yelps of an Irishman echoing through the building for a couple of hours
Caracara – Strange Interactions in the Night
Philly emo band Caracara made a long-awaited return with 2021's "Hyacinth," and now they've finally announced their first full-length album since their 2017 debut LP Summer Megalith, New Preoccupations. It includes "Hyacinth," along with ten other new songs including one featuring Circa Survive's Anthony Green. It was produced by Will Yip and it comes out on March 25 via his Memory Music label.
Kurt Vile – Like Exploding Stones
Kurt Vile has announced his ninth studio album, (watch my moves). The record arrives April 15th via Verve Records, but first single “Like Exploding Stones” is out now.
Vile produced (watch my moves) himself alongside longtime collaborator Rob Schnapf (Richard Thompson, Elliott Smith) at OKV Central, his newly created home studio in Mount Airy, Philadelphia. In a statement, the artist said the album allowed him to both channel longtime inspirations and get back to his DIY beginnings.
“When Waylon Jennings became an outlaw country artist, he liked to record at Hillbilly Central, which was Tompall Glaser’s studio,” Vile said. “OKV Central is my version of that in Mount Airy. I’ve come into my own here, and at the same time I’m getting back to my home-recording roots.”
With contributions from Chastity Belt, Cate Le Bon and percussionists Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint, Courtney Barnett) and Sarah Jones (Hot Chip, Harry Styles), (watch my moves) gives Vile another opportunity to create the blissed-out guitar rock he’s perfected over the last several decades — the kind that balances catchiness with being “fried,” as the artist puts it. At seven minutes, “Like Exploding Stones” does this balancing act well, leaning heavy on the crunch while still keeping a lax groove.