Customer Reviews

Little Bit of Somethin

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I picked up this album a couple of months ago, I confess: it was strictly an impulse buy. Admittedly, only the album cover attracted my attention, and I didn't have a clue what Tommy G. was all about. When I threw it on my cd player, however, boy was I engulfed into a trance-like state of mind that I rarely achieve except while listening to artists like Portishead or Cibo Matto. Upon first listen, the tracks tend to meld into each other, leaving titles almost obsolete. But don't get me wrong, each stands out in its own beautiful way. From somber atmospheric iterations like on "its raining again" to downright funk with an operatic twist on "soul miner", this offering will probably disappoint many who like grandiose production, while those who can appreciate minimalimist tactics will enjoy this CD while studying, doing the dishes, or whatever menial activities we seek to enhance. Not bad for a CD that clocks in at just under 50 minutes.

In this great future you cant forget your past!! So tommy G.. a blast from the sprained ankle past. The disk rocks! Its 1970, you got your ray bans on, the world is a hazy golden brown, you are cool like that... The tracks are Phat, loops are forgiving and represent an envelope of cutting edge artists that really pick up a laid back open sound thats fresh and engulfing, Some of the beats could be a little more complex, but then again there could be more artists attempting to make mucis like this. What i want to see is - Get Dj Shadow - Money Mark - Tommy G - and Beck... all in the same studio together laying down tracks what an outcome.. Buy This CD!!! Soundtrack to the futurefunk millenium pt1...

I purchased the album based solely on my inability to get the song Tiny out of my head. I was pleasantly surprised by the rest of the tracks.

This is one of those albums you listen to over and over. It has a permanent slot on my iPod and is constantly on my playlists. Tommy Geurrero has incredible style to match his chops. This is laid-back at its best. Intellectually engaging and head-boppingly good. Skater turned music phenomenon! Great stuff!

i love tommys music..this is the third album of his i bought..its so soothing and soulful..puts me in a good mood as it will you..get it..you'll thank me.

He may have first come to light as a cult figure in the 80's skateboarding scene, but when he gave up skating to concentrate on music, this was to be a decision that would enable him to produce some wonderfully beautiful Latin (Puerto Rican) referencing music, that uses the elements of his skate-punk pass, to produce an album of delicate Indie Rock, a dash of Post-rock & ever so slight trances of Experimental rock, to deliver a subtle album of magpie influences that features languid grooves, Latin music, Acoustic guitar, electronica-styled beats, "Tortoise" style Post-rock experimentation, with the odd usage of jazz, and even samba are all thrown into a theoretical musical cooking pot, and emerged as an album bristling with downtempo grooves.

Its an album that blends influences from all kinds of unexpected, offbeat places and tires that reinterpret them with a decidedly stripped-down feel. There are no heavy guitar or Big beat diversions here, its resolutely a low-key, Lo-fi feel, that feels remarkably personal, as opposed to being something heavily produced that lacks that intimate connection, and the fact that the majority of the musicians playing the instruments here, are Friends of Tommy Guerrero emphasises that DIY feel.

Tracks like "Azucar" and "So Blue It's Black", hint at some of Tommy's musical influences, and in this case, be it, the passionate Latin rock of "Santana", or the soulful, and reflective grooves of "Bill Withers", will immediately spring to mind, yet both tracks manage to contain enough ideas & impressive performances to stand on their own two feet.

"Blue Masses" is a bluesy number with a decidedly stoner feel to it, with a unrushed percussion and like all the tracks on this albums, that although lack structure, are a collection of beautifully played Lo-Fi tracks. "Tiny" is a piercing horn rhythm, with the simplest of beat laid underneath it, Its
also part of the experimental side of this album, in that nothing like this could feasibly exist outside the confines of this album, such is its quirkiness, and remains very much a 'love it or hate it' track, possibly because it's such a unconventional track. which contrasts oppositely with the light and bouncy "Flux and Meter," and from the hazy, rolling, city-drive soundtrack "Azucar" to the delicate chill-out exercise "Pescadito". Tommy Guerrero's musical heroes which stretch to artists such as: "John Coltrane, The Latin Playboys, Tortoise" really show through in this album, as the blues, border music, experimental studio trickery, and cinematic sound textures & sombre jazz-beat fusion runs consistently throughout the album.

A Little bit of Something isn't for everyone. The Lo-Fi, and rough approach to song structure will repel those used the high production values, and a high level of studio polish. As will the genres jumps, which move from Jazz-fusion coupled with slow hip-hip Beats, one minute. Before jumping into experimental Lo-fi post-rock the next. This is a album for those that are generally eclectic in their music tastes......and can listen to "The Sea and Cake" or "Tortoise" one minute, and then listen to the post-rock of "Slint", "Godspeed you Black Emperor", "Mogwai", "Sigur Ros"....and then stick on "Mile Davis", "Coltrane", "Wayne Shorter", the next minute, without blinking an eyelid. If you think that mostly applies to you, then this is really worthy of some serious consideration.

Tommy Guerrero brings you smooth beats that you can listen to while doing literally anything and it will enhance the experience. Each track flows cleanly into one another and that allows you to be captivated by every sound. Each track is distinct and carries a certain layed back quality you only get from Guerrero. i recommend this album with a fat sack, layed back on sunny evening.

When I picked up this album a couple of months ago, I confess: it was strictly an impulse buy. Admittedly, only the album cover attracted my attention, and I didn't have a clue what Tommy G. was all about. When I threw it on my cd player, however, boy was I engulfed into a trance-like state of mind that I rarely achieve except while listening to artists like Portishead or Cibo Matto. Upon first listen, the tracks tend to meld into each other, leaving titles almost obsolete. But don't get me wrong, each stands out in its own beautiful way. From somber atmospheric iterations like on "its raining again" to downright funk with an operatic twist on "soul miner", this offering will probably disappoint many who like grandiose production, while those who can appreciate minimalimist tactics will enjoy this CD while studying, doing the dishes, or whatever menial activities we seek to enhance. Not bad for a CD that clocks in at just under 50 minutes.