Today we have the exclusive premiere
of a brand new leak track from St. Louis vet, Black Spade.
“Spand” finds Stoney Rock himself using the Knxwledge beat by the same name
(from last year’s self-released Komposure.EP)
as the springboard for a lament on the struggle of his upbringing
& how it still effects his everyday life,
as he reflects on the calm before a long summer ahead -
one already “reeking of drama.”

W/ still much to look fwd to before said summer,
Spade promises that “Spand” is the first in a new series of leaks still to come,
intended for fans to be able to compile their own mixtape at the end of the run,
as he is no longer making his own after 2010′s Build & Destroy -
all leading up to Black’s longawaited official sophomore album,
the follow up to the personal classic, 2008′s To Serve With Love.

Given the official thumbs up from Knxwledge for use of the track,
this is just the first in a few very exciting collaborations Knx has in store for 2012.
We’ve been sworn to secrecy regarding the details of his next move,
but stay tuned for some big news on that front in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, you can download “Spand” below -
& as a bonus, you can catch two videos of Black Spade
from his feature in Converse’s Rubber Tracks campaign,
showing him in the same studio which “Spand” was recorded at.

Rap & Vocals by Black Spade
Produced by Knxwledge
Mixed by I, CED
Recorded @ Rubber Tracks Studio by Leon Kelly
Artwork by Nate James for FRSH SLCTS

Keeping things moving fwd, as the homie J-1 would’ve wanted them to -
today we have an exclusive sneak preview into two new, under-the-radar releases
from St. Louis multi-talent Veto Money, better known as Black Spade,
coming in the form of the new full-length LP, The Sweetest Revenge
& the corresponding “N.R.L.” 12″ EP.

The Sweetest Revenge is Spade’s first official retail release
since his solo debut, 2008′s To Serve With Love,
which, on the sly –
was really the St. Louis equivalent to The Chronic or Welcome 2 Detroit -
serving both as a proper introduction of the city’s talent for anyone outside of its scene,
& also, a launching pad for much of the city’s unheralded talents.

…Revenge carries on in that tradition,
but it isn’t exactly a solo album
as Spade teams up w/ STL indie label, F5 Records,
and its founder, DJ Crucial –
who also ended up handling a bulk of the production on the album.
The LP also features an extensive cast, all from The Lou,
including his brother Tef Poe, Rockwell Knuckles,
Crucial’s partner Hi Fidel (who also handled the album’s artwork),
Ill Spitta, Jia Davis,
& Spade’s former partners in Soul Tyde – Kash, Nato Caliph, & more.

Offered up as a free download for the project
is the album’s title track, produced by DJ Crucial,
featuring Black Spade w/ his patented natural voice singing/stream-of-conscious rap styles -
his voice sounding as smooth, & his lyrics as personally lighthearted, as ever.

And tracking backing some…
In between TSWL, and The Sweetest Revenge,
& his group project, the Hawthorne Headhunters -
Veto also released the excellent free release, Build & Destroy, last summer.
For anyone who missed out on that,
after the jump I’ve included the three videos released from the tape, namely -
“I Heart” feat. Simeon Viltz & Vic Spencer, directed by Drew Jordan;
“Running Gunning” w/ Coultrain on backing vocals, directed by Ryan Powell;
& “New African” directed by Thaione Davis.

Released exclusively thru F5′s website,
& available as vinyl-only (w/ a free download card),
along w/ The Sweetest Revenge – they’ve also pressed up
a single EP for “N.R.L.” (listed on Build & Destroy as “N*gga Ray Leonard”).
The EP features 4 tracks in all, including a new one featuring Sadat X,
all pressed on clear blue vinyl.

Links to download the title tracks from both projects
& the link to purchase the respective records can all be found below.

In this day & age where a cumbersome plenitude of artists & their releases
are offered to us at a more rapid, & ultimately disposable,
rate than maybe ever before -
too often some of the more simply stated, or time-demanding,
works can often get overlooked
or lost in the purgatory of an overcrowded iTunes folder.

GodMustBeABoogieMan – a very non-traditional free project
by St. Louis-born singer/songwriter, Coultrain,
while generally well-received & reported in its initial release,
seems to have been a bit half-digested by its recipients,
& still widely unfound by much of its potential audience.

Although originally self-released in August of 2010
(while the FRSH SLCTS site was still on its year-plus long sabbatical),
God… always painted a much more Autumn picture in my mind -
a time of change, break-ups, moves, traveling, etc.
before settling down for the oncoming winter.
But it has, at the same time,
never been more than an arms reach from my own listening rotation
at any given time since then,
& quickly cemented itself as a personal favorite.

Along w/ the more apparent base-appeal of his voice,
the key to Coultrain to me has always been his songwriting.
In a literary sense, Coultrain’s writing style is just as much
that of a novelist, as it of a poet or a traditional songwriter,
w/ his works often times being in a free verse format,
usually tailor-made to the everchanging arrangements of a jazz piece,
but rarely conforming to the standard “three verses w/ a hook in btwn” structure.
Some songs have a chorus that is never repeated, & other songs – none at all.

& as those of us who have been following his career
(outside of his full-length projects w/ Waajeed’s PPP
& alongside Black Spade as the Hawthorne Headhunters) know…
Coultrain the solo artist is, first & foremost, a storyteller.
His character of choice being one, Seymour Liberty
for a grandiose work that thus far spans the entirety of his solo catalog,
including this release in question.

Where Train’s debut solo offering, & this story’s first chapters -
simply titled The Adventures Of Seymour Liberty (self-released in Jan 2008)
introduced us to the character of a young man
looking for love, purpose, & himself
(sometimes in all the wrong places, as we often do…)
goes thru the motions of the ever-demanding city life
while in such a state,
& ends w/ him finally leaving his hometown
to set out on his own…

& his next release, the two-sided single,
“The Wanderer” b/w “Balancing Act”
(released on Record Breakin’ Music in Feb 2010)
picks the story up where it left off,
w/ our anti-hero, Seymour,
now wandering in a baron desert
yet again searching & coming up short,
until he (not so) suddenly encounters
a new mysterious love interest
who offers his some words of wisdom
& advice of balance to set his along his way to the next chapter…

but instead,
GodMustBeABoogieMan actually takes a step back
from the timeline, to fill in the gaps of things left unsaid
between the wander & eventual balance.

One thats intended to be more esoteric than it is literal -
the story of Seymour Liberty, in these chapters of it especially,
can easily seem like one where not much actually happens,
as it all seems to be lived, or at least told from, completely in his own mind -
a memoir of emotions & a dialogue of internal thoughts,
quicky grazing over the details of the story as if they were already understood,
& in this endeavor – the only outside input being from the voice of “HER”
via the two letters she writes Seymour along his way.

Themes of travel, change, the value of experience vs. missteps,
love lost, searching, those who’ve been left behind,
& and ultimately – finding oneself,
swirl around Seymour’s latest tellings,
as he Departs a Prince,
but after going thru some new lows,
& even an out-of-body Xperience upon a Rooftop,
Returns as a Charlatan.

It’s these ambiguities that make BoogieMan
not only that much more relatable to ones own life,
but also infinitely more interesting
& worthy of repeat, intent listens
as you start to understand more of the character,
& thus the story, on each go-round -
Offering a much welcomed breath of fresh air (as heavy as it may be),
when considered amongst the most recent rash
of single entendres & mundanely obvious meanings
provided by the most buzzed-about “songwriters” in modern sung music.

…& that’s just the writing.

The music, at the same time, is a whole nother feat in itself.
Going the “borrowed beats” mixtape route,
but flipping the format on its head
by instead of using well-known beats of the day,
Coultrain chose to craft his parables to jazz tunes
(Patrice Rushen, Dorthy Ashby, Thelonious Monk, Madlib‘s YNQ, among others)
& a few choice psych-inspired, atmospheric works
from electronic acts like Broadcast and TOKiMONSTA,
as well as original productions from frequent collaborators
Black Spade, J1, Teeko and “thedirtylynt” –
making the record as much of a mixtape of Train’s inspirations
as it is a new soundtrack to Seymour’s journey.
All of which were then carefully melded together,
w/ new arrangements & instrumentation added to the borrowed pieces,
& interludes stringing the story together throughout,
by Coultrain & his trusted engineer/collaborator –
Billy Bones of the band Mugpush (to which Train is also a contributing member).

Juxtaposed to this era of Auto-Tuned vocals,
& paint-by-numbers stock synth patches in R&B,
BoogieMan is a welcomingly human effort…
- a warmly imperfect listen, if you will.
Laced w/ vinyl hiss & record noise pops,
the prevalent limits of a vintage microphone,
& accented by audible breaths in between lines -
you’re reminded that this is but a man you’re listening to thru out this tale,
& not merely the options of “the oversexed robot” sound or
“the failed rapper turned non-romantic ladies man/emo life of the party”
images that are so frequently offered to us by the genre today.

All of the aforementioned combine to make GodMustBeABoogieMan
one of the most uniquely interesting,
& I’d even go as far to say important,
releases of the genre in recent years.

…& thus, in my eyes,
worthy of a proper Reprise & re-release,
this time w/ full lyrics & corresponding artwork
(beautifully handled by the one & only Nate James,
using all found source materials to match the album’s concept),
as well as the separated tracks
to go along w/ the project’s original format
of just three long tracks – one for each chapter.

You can listen to the three selections from the project,
before downloading the full Reprise w/ added tracks,
& 21-page .pdf file of lyrics, artwork & more
- all below.

Also included “after the jump”
are some of Coultrain (or technically, his given name, Aaron M. Frison)’s
own writings on the Liberty story,
further hinting at the true meaning(s) behind it all
& what’s still to come.

GodMustBeABoogieMan

I. APrince’sDeparture:
1. 1st Steps
2. Do U Remember Me?
3. Where Is My Heaven? (feat. Jessica “I Am” Neal)
4. Change-A-Thang

II. ARoofTopXperience:
5. Morning Papers (prod. Jason “dirty lynt” Moore)
6. What x It Was (prod. Black Spade aka Stoney Rock)
7. Believe Nothing
8. Parallel Universe
9. God Speaks
10. Parable Of A Shiny Miracle (prod. J1 aka THE DEER)

III. ACharlatan’sReturn:
11. Mutual Possession
12. Goodbye, Hello
13. Jubilation

Lived by Seymour Liberty
Written by Aaron M. Frison
All vocals by Coultrain unless noted
Recorded & Mixed by Billy Bones for Mugpush
except “Goodbye, Hello” mixed by I, CED
All music taken from found source material, except where noted

Artwork by Nate James
Cover Photo by Ryan Powell
Reprise Executive Produced & Art Curated by KNNY FRSH for FRSH SLCTS

Aaron M. Frison re: “The Wanderer” b/w “Balancing Act”…

“This is the story of 1 filled with questions. these are the effects of the evil twenties & how they change a man 4ever. these are the days of 1 perplexed with the ecstasies & sadness of what life & love offers, the innocence it robs u of, & @ the same time rescues u. this is a conquest inside the many levels of humility &arrogance… many of men have faltered 4 the sake of pride & ego. this is a story of fact & fiction. this is the story of yesterday, 2day & 2morrow… Seymour Liberty is a complicated individual 2 say the least. In his never-ending search 4 the “meaning’ of things he’s found it not as easy as it seems. Falling & growing has never been so exhausting. & tho he feels himself growing, nothing seems 2 ease the sting of falling. Therefore he comes 2 the conclusion that the only way 2 find what he’s looking 4, may be 2 just disappear 4 a while from his common existence, thus becoming a “wanderer.” Hoping 2 discover a new insight on the meaning of life, & his purpose in it. What he finds in his search is that thru studying many religions & philosophies, that they only give a unique insight on their own search, leading him back 2 square 1, with a catch. He can no longer hide under an ignorant umbrella. The questions resurface, with the addition of new knowledge & experiences, & the constant reminders of what was & could’ve been. A vivid imagination he has, a gift & a curse. He’s a poet, an artist, so he records his explorations & the questions surrounding them in that form. In the midst of him walking around in the bottom of himself, he encounters a gypsy caravan. ironically enough, he’s invited in their circle, & meets a beautiful lady who’ll never reveal her name, but nonetheless laces him with some things 2 remember her by, physical & metaphysical, influencing him on how 2 walk the tight rope, that life may be, in part anyway, a “ balancing act” ….2 be continued…”

& on GodMustBeABoogieMan…

This is a story with no beginnings and it has no end… this is the continuing story of Seymour Liberty, where once again adventure seduces and reveals herself, throwing Seymour in a circus of whirlwinds… planes, trains and automobiles. Where Seymour landed and ultimately explored,.. well thats 1 part of this story that was never told – quite in usual fashion. Y, u ask? Well, Seymour always fancied exaggerating his climbs and disasters,.. nonetheless, becuz they were fact 2 him,.. word was bond. But the details of this particular ride went unspoken,.. casting a mystery. U see the world had changed & every1 in it,.. yet, “everywhere u go, there U R, peakin thru the mask.” Wandering, trying 2 balance the heart and mind. But something happened out there, perhaps this something would only be riddled with commentary. But indeed something had been altered, shattered even, but put back 2gether oh so romantically. Nevertheless, whatever this something was, it had changed the man they all once knew. And as sad as it is romantic, “SHE” never left his thoughts, like a shadow following him around, probably weighing him down a bit, But remember, “no regrets.” & as he crossed the threshhold back 2 the city, full of temporary answers and fleeting hope, the cold skyscapers bathing in a purple drizzle, an electric thrill filled the air, silent bombs bursting everywhere. And he knew fate had wheeled (willed) him back n2 a corner, maybe bliss awaits, maybe despair,… another test.

Aaron Michael Frison is the author of this story, Coultrain is the medium, or if u like – the voice, interpreting it. It all began with the “adventures of Seymour liberty” & continues with these 2 pieces and again continues with “the great escape”, intrigued?

From Bay Area producer/musician/turntablist extraordinaire, Teeko
comes his latest solo release, Light Up The Darkness –
soon to be available in CD form via the Mellow Orange label,
along with a special limited edition, clear vinyl bonus EP
containing both instrumentals versions of select CD cuts,
+ a few exclusives as well.

Despite LUTD‘s rotating supporting cast of singers & musicians,
the album unfolds as a very focused & unified listen -
combining elements of future funk, Ayers-esque jazz,
& modern day beat elements -
that all come together to form a very consistent style & message throughout,
making for easy full & repeated listens -
something that can be all to rare in albums these days.

Selected here is an exclusive free download of
the album’s opener, “Bridge To Truth” -
which features the mighty Coultrain lighting the way,
over a steady rimshot, jazz shuffle drums & synth-led Teeko setting,
w/ Adam Theis of the Jazz Mafia assisting on the trombone.
The song may sound familiar,
as it was first previewed as an instrumental on
Blind I For The Kids back in 2008.
Train was even nice enough to provide us w/ the lyrics to the piece below.

But before that,
you can stream two other tracks from the project -
the jazzy, EP-exclusive jam, “Free Ya Soul,”
as well as the album’s first single, “Neva Find Anotha (All My Love),”
which features an inspired performance from Black Spade,
w/ Dwight Trible assisting on backing vocals,
& Kenny Brooks on the saxophone.

Also included as a bonus download,
is an instrumental meeting of the minds
btwn Teeko & two of his West Coast production peers,
LA’s Dibiase & PRTLND’s own, devonwho -
aptly titled “Young Funk Lords,”
courtesy of Teeko’s site.

“Bridge To Truth”
written & arranged by Aaron M. Frison

Its all based on fear,
its all based on fear…

La da da…

There r no accidents, just happy accidents
Educated fools couldnt invent laws of attraction
If u dare its pretty mystery, pretty mysteriously mystery,
like violets growin constantly in the coming of spring
Just as the record spins, there’s no coincidence
Angel or demon, whichever side of ur spirit ur feedin’
& it goes as above so below, the portal is never closed
& the man who looks within is wealthier than the president
Cuz then lightnin’ strikes & skylarks sing in the dead of night,
On cue, follow the light 2 the bridge of truth….

A longtime member of the FRSH SLCTS family,
today singer/producer/multi-instrumentalist – I, CED
blesses us with an exclusive mix we like to call Besides My Mind -
to coincide w/ his debut solo album, All In My Mind,
in stores tomorrow on Record Breakin’ Music.

Included in the mix,
are a collection of B-sides (get it?), remixes, outtakes & collaborations –
none of which appear on the actual album,
but all of which feature Ced’s signature style of uniquely familiar melodies,
lush soundscapes & patient structuring.

Also included is an exclusive bonus track,
this time an outtake from the first EP by Hawthorne Headhunters,
(in which Ced was original member).
The song is the original, uncleared version of “Manifest Station,”
which features vocals from HH’s current members, Coultrain & Black Spade,
alongside Karma Stewart and TəLŭv,
which Ced later replayed w/o any samples for the official HVW8 release.

And in that same vein,
also included is the immaculate “Angel (She’s Like Magic),”
a non-album, hypnotic ode
which ATCQ heads & jazz aficionados alike should especially appreciate,
which was recently released thru the Record Breakin’ site.

You can check the Besides tracklisting &
download the mix and both bonus tracks – all below.
All In My Mind is in stores & online everywhere tomorrow.

I, CED – Besides My Mind: B-Sides & Remixes

1. I, CED’s Wake Down (skit)
2. N’Dambi – Nobody Jones (I, CED’s Cowbell Remix)
3. Jay Dee feat. Frank N Dank – Pause (I, CED Remix)
4. I, CED – Craziness
5. Erykah Badu – Honey (I, CED Remix)
6. I, CED feat. Coultrain – Love…Meaning
7. I, CED – The Pain
8. I, CED – The Finale (original instrumental – prod. Kenautis Smith)
9. I, CED feat. Stopha Vasquez & Tiffany Neal – The Finale (original version)
10. I, CED – Angel (She’s Like Magic) (I, CED Remix)
11. I, CED – Craziness Pt. 2
12. Stopha Vasquez – Damn
13. Jada Avenue – Heartbeat
14. John Legend – If You’re Out There (I, CED Sampleless Remix)

All songs produced/remixed by I, CED except where indicated
Selected & Mixed by I, CED
Cover Design & Layout by Noah Deeakili

Just a quick re-post from the HVW8 blog for you guys today – keeping everyone in the loop with the latest from the trifecta conglomerate of synthed-out soul & unquantized bump that are the Hawthorne Headhunters. As if the aligned stars of Black Spade, Ced No and Proh Mic that are the HH constellation weren’t enough – they’ve come together with the new/vintage funk shooting star that is DaM-FunK to form a single song galaxy, known as “PCH.” This is just the very first of HVW8‘s leak campaign of unreleased tracks from the Hawth Heads, dam’s upcoming group Master Blazter (alongside J1 & Computer Jay), and others – so be sure to keep it locked to their site for those and much more.

And if you haven’t already, make sure you get the FRSHCLSV Hawthorne Headhunters Mixtape and also cop the EP out on iTunes now. There’s also limited quantities of vinyl available now at the HVW8 Gallery in LA – with a full vinyl release coming soon. And if you’re in the L.A. area this week – be sure to look out for Hawthorne Headhunters performing as a full band with J1 on the drums and added support from Coultrain & JimiJames on vocals. Full dates and info for those shows plus the free download of “PCH” can both be found below.

Here is the FRSHCLSV premiere of the brand new mixtape from one of my new favorite MC’s, ADaD (pronounced uh-dod). Coming out of Chicago, ADaD has been making a name for himself as part of the All Natural, Inc. crew for years now, releasing both an EP and full-length release as one half of the group, Eulorhythmics, with producer Kenny Keys. Recently, he’s been making a lot of noise as a solo artist with The Unbenounced Mixtape – a free download project where he brings a whole new light to the Music From The Color Purple beat CD (which in itself was a free download, inspired by a certain Minneapolis funk pioneer).

I personally first heard of ADaD from Exile and DJ Day, who both went out of their way to recommend his music to me on separate occasions, coincidentally on the same night. So with my interest officially sparked, I checked him out only to be pleasantly surprised that he lived up to all that they were saying, and then some. ADaD is what I consider to be a total-package MC – he effortlessly flips an array of topics through countless styles and cadences, all matched with catchy, well-written hooks and a choice selection of beats. After immediate and endless replays of his mixtape, he has quickly cemented his place in a very small group of up-and-coming/current MC’s that I’m truly impressed with these days.

So, if you’re like me and are just now catching on to ADaD this late in the game (but yet still so early) – his latest offering, the Intro To ADaD mixtape is the perfect place to start. It serves as a smorgasbord of old, current and upcoming music of his, all mixed by All Natural’s own, DJ Tone B. Nimble. Included are tracks featuring original production from Black Spade and Kenny Keys, as well as ADaD’s fresh takes on familiar instrumentals by Dilla, Madlib, Exile and more. For further listening, I’ve also included a download link to the full Unbenounced Mixtape, courtesy of AllNaturalHipHop.com.

You can preview tracks from Intro To ADaD before downloading both that and Unbenounced below. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Also, special shout to my official Chicago connect, DJ Sean Doe (who also co-hosts Intro) for helping making this all happen and for supporting since day one.

I know its been a minute but here it is – the highly anticipated mixtape from the new hybrid supergroup, Hawthorne Headhunters. For those of you who still don’t know, HH is a three-headed production/vocal beast consisting of Stoney Rock (better known as Black Spade), Ced No (or I, CED when he’s solo) and Proh Mic. The group’s debut project, a five-track EP, drops next week on both vinyl and iTunes as the first release on HVW8 Records.

To go along with the EP, we’ve put together this mixtape, mixed by STL cohort DJ Needles, featuring the best of the group’s unreleased works over the years – both solo and as a unit. Also highlighted in the mix are their solo productions for some of their up-and-coming collaborators, including Coultrain, Jada Avenue, JimiJames, Stopha Vasquez, and TeLuv – most of which appear on the EP.

And even with 18 exclusive tracks – this mixtape is just the beginning of a barrage of material coming from the Hawthorne Headhunters. So stay tuned to right here and HVW8.com for plenty more music coming soon. In the meantime, download the mixtape below and let us know what you think.

Coming back from the holiday weekend with a new exclusive from the Hawthorne Headhunters group for you guys. For those who don’t already know, HH are a trifecta squad made of established solo artists & producers – Black Spade and I, CED (or Ced No) from St. Louis, and Proh Mic from L.A. by way of Seattle.

The song I’ve go for you guys today is the motivating anthem, “Never Give Up,” which co-stars vocals from extended Hawthorne family member, Coultrain. The song is an unreleased outtake from the same 2007 sessions that the group’s forthcoming debut EP was pulled from. The EP will be the first release being put out by LA-based art collective, HVW8, on July 7th.

We’ll have plenty more exclusive outtakes, remixes and leaks from the project, and even an all-exclusive Fresh Selects mixtape from the Hunters before the EP drops, so be on the look out for much more coming soon. But in the meantime, download “Never Give Up” below and leave a comment letting me know what you think.

For this weekend’s selection, we present a full-length beat CD from Proh Mic. The Seattle born, L.A.-based producer/MC is currently making moves as one third of the group, Hawthorne Headhunters, alongside collaborators Black Spade and Ced No. To hold you over till their debut EP drops later this spring, he’s offered up a re-posting of an older beat CD, Nice 2 Beat U Vol. 3.

In Proh’s own words, “I started releasing these beat tapes about a year or so ago. They’re ‘throw away’ beats. Ironically I always end up selling a bunch of beats off these. LOL. I posted this vol a few months ago, thought I’d repost it. Im posting Vol 4 next Fri.” I guess one man’s throwaway’s are someone else’s weekend soundtrack.

I’ll have much more for from the Hawthorne Headhunters coming soon, including a full-length exclusive group mixtape coming in the next month or so. Also included below is a non-album bonus beat, “Gettin Hi” released exclusively on 4/20, as well as a video of Proh & Black Spade performing some songs live at a HVW8 Gallery Bar-BQ in L.A. Get up on it.