Seeing as how this is merely an average Monday morning in November, I'm guessing many of you weren't overly psyched to greet the day. Well, let us turn that around quick fast: with a simple email to us you could win yourself 6 beautiful vinyl albums from Paper Bag Records. Yes friend, you read that correctly, not 1, not 2, and not even 3, but 6 lovely vinyl albums. And I do mean lovely (and somewhat rare):

All Paper Bag Records vinyl releases are produced in limited quantities on 180 gram vinyl, and feature unique silk screened covers and additional artwork. 300 copies - once they’re gone – they’re gone!





To recap, that's Josh Reichmann Oracle Band - Crazy Power, Little Girls - Concepts, Slim Twig - Contempt!, Winter Gloves - About a Girl, Woodhands - Heart Attack Rock Plaza - Central Are We Not Horses? and YSPWSD - XXXX. That's a whole lot of awesome right there. I mean, we've been fortunate to be able to run quite a few contests on the hill, but I think this one might just take the cake - so huge thanks to the kind folks at Paper Bag for letting us run it (and thanks to Darryl from StageFright for helping to hook it up).

So now, for the important info, how to win this rather excellent prize package. Simply drop us an email (herohill AT gmail DOT COM) with your name, details and the answer to this question: "Name the best thing you could hope to find in a mystery paper bag left on your doorstep" (we had to make you do a little work for a prize this good!). Feel free to leave the pertinent info in the comments as well. What are you waiting for, enter now!

Done! Congrats to Michael Elves and thanks to all who entered.

MP3:: Little Girls - Concepts

MP3:: You Say Party! We Say Die! - Laura Palmer's Prom

MP3:: Woodhands - Electric Ave

MP3:: Winter Gloves - Invisible (ease v Remix)
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/paperbagrecords

Labels: Contest, Little Girls, paper bag, Slim Twig, vinyl, Woodhands, YSPWSD

I hinted at this last week, in my original post for Peanut Butter Wolf's 45 Live box set of hip hop vinyl singles, but the track list for his collection provided too irresistible. So, that's what you're going to get, more songs featured in the set, but first things first, if you haven't heard about 45 Live, go and to check it out.

I said pretty much all I needed to say about the awesomeness of this set in my previous post, but for this one here I just went down the list and picked out some notable songs, and preferably ones I haven't posted before. Rockin' It is just a one of those legendary songs that never sounds old, despite how old school the style it uses is. Earlier this year I posted on Mantronix, but somehow I didn't post Hardcore Hip Hop. Better later than never I suppose. I never managed to get my hands on a JVC Force album back in the day, but it's one of those mythical NY groups I'd always heard about. Because of that, I'd always wanted to post on them, but never got around to it. This is a good enough reason I'd say.

Cash Money & Marvelous is another group I've posted on, but I didn't post Mighty Hard Rocker, and it's a great jam. I realized that I've ever posted The Bridge is Over before. So consider that a wrong now righted.

Some great old school songs from a great collection.

MP3:: Fearless Four - Rockin' It

MP3:: Mantronix - Hardcore Hip-Hop

MP3:: JVC Force - Strong Island

MP3:: Cash Money & Marvelous - The Mighty Hard Rocker

MP3:: Boogie Down Productions - The Bridge is Over

Video:: BDP - The Bridge Is Over

Labels: Hip Hop, Old School Mondays, Peanut Butter Wolf, vinyl

I was going to save this and work it into next week's OSM, but I thought it was too awesome to save (and who knows, it might still be OSM'd), but Stone's Throw head honcho Peanut Butter Wolf has released 45 Live, a set of classic hip hop 45's he re-edited himself. It comes in mp3 and CD format, but the vinyl is the sweetness: ten 7-inch singles, 18 songs in total, all packed up in a snazzy tin (the pic is right up thurr, but check here for the full deets.

If you know anything about PBW and Stone's Throw, you're likely expecting some real classics, and the collection doesn't disappoint. Fearless Four, Spoonie G, Busy B, Dimples D, Just Ice, The Biz, Mantronix, JVC Force, Stezo, Kane, Cash Money & Marvelous, and BDP to name just a few. You should expect nothing else from PB though:

This record is such a great honor for me to be involved with. I’m sure it will hardly sell any units cuz the music industry SUCKS and most people only wanna hear bullshit (just look at which music videos get the most views on youtube or the top 10 sellers on itunes), but regardless, it’s a big deal. I mean, as a kid growing up in San Jose, CA when all this stuff came out, I was hooked and half a lifetime later I still am.

Those of us on the north side of 30 can certainly identify with that, but it doesn't matter your age, if you are into hip hop, I'd be shocked if you weren't as psyched on this as I was. So anyway, let's prove PB wrong and buy some of these bad boys.

MP3:: T La Rock - It's Yours (Radio Mix)

MP3:: Biz Markie - Make The Music With Your Mouth Biz

MP3:: Stezo - It's My Turn
MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/pbwolf

Labels: Hip Hop, Peanut Butter Wolf, Stones Throw, vinyl

I will admit, the first few emails I got from Vagrant about Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros went by unread. I had seen the name too many places to think I would have anything unique to say about the band and the description of a 60's psychedelic troop that plays huge anthems that drove around in a bus with their name scrawled on the side seemed a bit too much.

The thing is... Edward Sharpe (aka Alex Ebert) and his Magnetic Zeroes do a pretty stellar job of channeling the communal sounds from a time often bastardized musically and historically. It's one thing to want to get high and live free, but Up From Below really captures the sound that made the era hum and it's easy to see why the masses agree.

The mix in just enough psychedelic swirls - Desert Song, Brother - to off set the tidal wave of love the 10-piece exists on. Truthfully, I have no idea if this band is serious, or this whole thing is a tongue in cheek gimmick, but I don't care much either. I can let Up From Below repeat, embracing every cosmic colour shift. Surging tracks like 40 Day Dream and Janglin force you to sing-along and put you in a better mood instantly. That may seem cliche or silly, but sometimes you just want a record you can throw on and not get dragged through the mud. Ironically, these earthy hippies do just that.

So, how do you win? Easy. Just send us an email with your contact info (herohill AT gmail DOT COM) or leave a comment below. It's that easy, and trust me... the prize is worth the effort.

Still not sold? Feel the love and smiles when the band tears up Letterman's stage.
Edward Sharpe & the Magentic Zeros - Home (Live on Letterman)

MP3:: Edward Sharpe and the Magentic Zeroes - 40 Day Dream

MP3:: Edward Sharpe and the Magentic Zeroes - 40 Day Dream (Live on Daytrotter)

MYSPACE:: http://www.myspace.com/edwardsharpe
BUY:: BUY vinyl from Insound

Labels: contests, Edward Sharpe, Music, vinyl

It's Friday and Shane is taking another day off so the concert listings post might not be coming. Instead, I'm putting up a terrific contest for locals.

Kestrels - not much else I can say about them really.They were the herohill/Music Nova Scotia band of the month. We invited them to play our herohill showcase last year (sure, Chad rejected us like we asked him to prom, but still... we asked and still recommended you go see them play because we don't hold grudges) and we've gushed about almost every song they've released.

Next week - July 9th to be precise - marks their CD release @ The Paragon and we are giving two lucky winners some sweet schwag. You get a vinyl copy of Primary Colours and guest list (+1) for the show. Throw in the fact that Doug Mason is opening, and that my friends is a fairly solid gift basket. All you have to do is drop us an email (herohill AT gmail DOT COM) or leave a comment with your contact info.

Take a listen to their latest single - Our Velocity - and enjoy.

MP3:: Kestrels - Our Velocity

MYSPACE:: www.myspace.com/kestrelskestrels
BUY:: http://kestrels.ca

Labels: Contest, Halifax, Music, vinyl