Entrance Strategy

This year, we will be greeted as defibrillators.

by A.D. Amorosi

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Published: Dec 31, 2007

MAKE ME CRAZY: Gnarls Barkley's label better sell Spank Rock right. (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

2008 couldn't have started nicer.

The record everybody adored but six of you paid for — the above-average In Rainbows from Radiohead — was released New Year's Day. Thom Yorke's nervous avant-garde tone poems felt fuller. You felt better buying it for a sec, caressing that cardboard sleeve in your fingers. But then bad feelings hit. You vs. the Man. Radiohead vs. the Man. You vs. Radiohead. The Man doesn't look good. He never does. But Radiohead suddenly seemed little more than schemers making a brouhaha about something littler, better bands do all the time: Sell online.

Why am I paying for this CD when I can just steal it? And there you are. In jail on Jan. 1.

2008 couldn't have started worse.

Factor in that Jay-Z just lost his job running Def Jam based on the fact that he couldn't move Philly's Freeway and Beanie Sigel records, let alone his own American Gangster, and now you wouldn't have Hova as a CEO. I don't want to live in a world where H-to-the-Izzo doesn't CEO something. Unless he makes that rumored move to LiveNation like Madonna did. Great for Jay-Z. But Madonna? Every time you call for tix, the hold music is some third-rate "Vogue" rendition, I just know it.

2008 can't end fast enough.

Don't. Despair. I have an idea or three that'll save '08.

The Third Man

In '07, Philly's brand of tiny rawk found itself defined to the planet by Dr. Dog and the Teeth. At'sa nize. You boys deserve to see hacky-sack blowouts selling to out-of-towers. But it's the creepier and the uglier stuff I predict people will want to know Philly for in '08. Though the fuzzier, eerier Espers won't have anything to show us until June, mustachioed Honus Honus and Man Man'll get ugly early. In '07, Man Man made Modest Mouse shows palatable as its opening act, got played on Weeds and got signed with Anti (the house that Tom Waits built and Nick Cave put a roof on). Their new CD, Rabbit Hats, will be out April 1, the day of the fool. Show off our messy side, Man. Make us proud.

Take the Rap. Please.

In a year where hip-hop's died a commercial death due to boring and snoring itself to sleep, DJ Alexxxx and Naeem Juwan — Spank Rock — aren't just rap's great black-n-white hope. They'll hopefully be Philly's shiniest stars, what with the picture of un-posterity painted by Freeway and Beanie. (The Roots? Everyone'll dig Rising Down in April with its possible second MC Peedi Peedi. But it won't sell.) From the sound of the shit Spank's rapping at Barbary's Jang House night, the due-in-May jawn on Downtown/Atlantic will be smelly, weird fun.

Which reminds me: Downtown? Gnarls Barkley's label? Do a better job selling Spank than you did Philly's car sales-kid Kevin Michael. He'll literally be selling cars — big afro bobbing, singing that "Phil-a-del-phi-a" theme — soon.

Plus, we know she lives in Brooklyn. But Santogold will always be Philly's Santi White to me. While some think Santogold's April CD will be Kala-licious (courtesy M.I.A. producer Diplo), I'm saying it'll be like Amy Winehouse without the dope, booze or bad teeth. She's already written stuff with Winehouse wunderkind Mark Ronson, so ...

The Great White Dopes

If SpankRock and Santogold are the serious sexy contenders for the hip-hop crown, the YMD go for being Philly's most royal rap jesters with Excuse Me, This is the Yah Mos Def — the debut CD produced a lot by the Pink Skull — that sounds like Jayson Musson with a cleaner shave and without the art gallery moves. Prediction: Anyone who went to that stifling Beasties gig during the summer and walked out during the instrumentals will adore this due-for-February CD.

Dynasties

Gemini Wolf and Northern Liberties have been around the block, but both will step up their game in 2008. Gemini Wolf's EarSnake label releases CDs by Perpetual Mvmt> Perfect Seconds from Mikronesia + Bilwa in February. Then expect the massive attacking soul and dub-hop acts (like Jalima Shani and Spenser Michaels) to become part of an ongoing Gemini Wolf revue where the band backs up each of its singers and MCs. Stay tuned. (GW play Johnny Brenda's Jan. 5, by the way.)

For Northern Liberties, they've pumped rock-show life into SW Philly by hosting gigs at Justin Duerr's new home base space C.O.D.E. (a church at 48th and Woodland); a late 2007 CD, Ghost Mind Electricity that shot into my CP top 10 (hear it front to back at the Balcony, Jan. 7); and a collaboration album due in '08 with Philly musicians from Kandy Whales, Syzslak and Enid Crow to say nothing of more releases intended for its WorldEater label.

House of House Parties

While Danger Danger House on South 47th found the danger it was looking for and got shut down in 2007 (it'll be a legit gallery in '08), you can head north (the Vacuum on the 1700 block of North Second), south (15th and Mifflin's Creative Karrat/Jill Rabbit hole) and west (Queen of Sheba on the 4500 block of Baltimore Avenue) for roof-and-rug fun.

Plus, never overlook the unforeseen possibilities of the wise-house-party-wonders at Eris Temple. The keepers of Radio Eris/Apogee flame have been making South 52nd Street safe for sacred sanctimonious spoken word/avant jams for a year — a century in house-party terms. And while I'm at it: I predict your fave new place to see a show will be New Alhambra Arena at Seventh and West Ritner. That's where IntrepidJam promotions is hosting the New York Dolls, Feb. 14.

Sweeney Sugg

With the gothically comical Sondheim musical Sweeney Todd displayed in all its bloody best under the stewardship of Tim Burton, why wouldn't others follow in the theater-rocking footsteps? Somebody really cute — like Barrymore Award-winning James Sugg whose Kid A-meets-Moby Dick (Laurie Anderson, not Melville) The Sea rocks out at Old Swedes Church, Jan. 11-19. Give Suggs a streak in his hair and he's all Depped out.

And Now a Word from Art DiFuria

I'm talking to the Photon Band leader about my prediction that his March CD, Back Down to Earth, will be the centerpiece of the 2008 release sked. And he starts to riff. "Since the last two were quiet, and — in my head — I'm leaning toward the loud stuff, let's strike a balance and put out an album that honks and squawks. And if my music has to be a 'centerpiece,' can it be one of those 18th-century soup servers that sits in the center of the table and looks like a bird? Then can I smash it and glue it back together with bubble gum?"

2008 is gonna be all right.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)

 

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