MyWifeHatesTrain
Pennywise the Frothy Dancing Clown
I saw Butcher Brown open up for Kamasi, they were pretty damn great.
Needles & Grooves AotM /// Vol. 62 - August 2024 /// Butcher Brown - Solar Music
- Thread starter NewsFedora
- Start date
MyWifeHatesTrain
Pennywise the Frothy Dancing Clown
BUTCHER BROWN - SOLAR MUSIC (2023)
Bandcamp has a nice lil writeup about this album:
Butcher Brown, “Solar Music”
On their new LP, the combo discovers new worlds at the intersection of jazz and hip-hop.daily.bandcamp.com
Stream/buy it on Bandcamp here:
Also available directly from their website and probably other places too.
Butcher Brown is a band that is near and dear to my heart. Much of my life was spent growing up in Virginia and in the early 2000s I went to school at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. It's there that this kid who listened to almost nothing but Smashing Pumpkins and other depressing 90s alt rock discovered the joy and beauty of jazz and hip hop. And the former capital of the Confederacy has a thriving scene of both. I have many fond memories of going to Bogarts to listen to Devil's Workshop Big Band or Cary Street Cafe to catch Modern Groove Syndicate. And who could forget the Oregon Hill Funk All-Stars and Yo Mama's Brass Band amirite?
I'm no musician myself, but I learned to keep an open mind and appreciate new music. And there's no lacking of it in RVA.
I graduated in '04 and not long after moved to Florida where -- don't get me wrong there's some great music to be found -- it just wasn't the same for me. I kept in touch with my old jazz guitarist roommate (Scott Burton who features on my previous N&G AOTM) and tried to come up to visit whenever I could. Around 2009 or so he was telling me about a young up and comer named Devonne Harris, a jazz keyboardist who also spent his weekends making Madlib and Dilla-inspired beat tapes under the moniker DJ Harrison. He was starting a new jazz band called Butcher Brown that wore its fusion roots on its sleeve but also dabbled in other like-minded genres like hip hop and R&B.
I made a point to see them live during a visit and was blown away by how tight the band was. It sounded like they'd been around for decades, and the fun variety of songs got heads bobbing and booties shaking.
An early album of theirs, Grown Folk, sounded like one of DJ Harrison's beat tapes. It was around this time they had a bit of a shake-up in the lineup, bringing in guitarist Morgan Burrs and Marcus Tenney on trumpet/sax. It was also around this time Questlove got wind of Devonne's hip hop production and called him out to LA. When Questlove calls, you answer and not too long afterward, Devonne was signed to Stones Throw for his DJ Harrison projects. His latest album was an AOTM contender.
Butcher Brown, meanwhile, bounced around a bit from label to label (and also self-released the incredible afro-beat AfroKuti: A Tribute to Fela that I wish saw wider release because then that could have seriously been my AOTM) while touring extensively both in the States and over in Europe. They eventually landed on Concord Records, where they've to date released a trio of albums. They continue to be diverse in their presentation, with horn player Tenney now regularly stepping up to the mic as rapper Tennishu.
So what is it about Butcher Brown? It's that in their music you can find everything under the sun.
Welcome back to another Needles & Grooves Album of the Month Thread. I am your host for this month, NewsFedora. We had lots of fun the last time I guided you on an AOTM thread which was... holy cow four years ago? Good lord, what is going on with the fabric of time.
Err... anyways, things seemed to work out pretty swell last go-round, so I'll stick with my format from back then:
I'm still putting together hints but let's just go ahead and make the deadline to submit guesses/figure it out be July 14. I don't think I'll have that many clues to drop but we'll see how it goes.
First clue will drop on Monday but if you're feeling it, go ahead and start guessing now! See if you can ruin my thread without the benefit of a single clue! It'll be funny! Ha ha ha! Yes!
FYI it appears to be sold out at Bandcamp. @Ethos99 does have some here:
Butcher Brown - Solar Music [2LP] | Apocalypse Vinyl - Vinyl Never Dies
Vinyl, Released by Butcher Brown, on 10/06/2023
apocalypsevinyl.com
Direct from band:
Solar Music 2XLP Black Vinyl
The Richmond, VA band Butcher Brown’s new album Solar Music explores a blend of genres including Jazz, Hip-Hop and R&B/Soul. Following the release of Butcher Brown Presents Triple Trey and #KingButch, this forward-thinking band shares 17-tracks (with three additional single edits on digital) and...
thebutcherbrownshop.com
NewsFedora
Well-Known Member
It's also available (currently on sale!) at several big online retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. I also did a quick look at some European retailers and saw it was available there as well, so hopefully it's not too hard to find for anyone looking for it.FYI it appears to be sold out at Bandcamp. @Ethos99 does have some here:
Butcher Brown - Solar Music [2LP] | Apocalypse Vinyl - Vinyl Never Dies
Vinyl, Released by Butcher Brown, on 10/06/2023
Direct from band:
Solar Music 2XLP Black Vinyl
The Richmond, VA band Butcher Brown’s new album Solar Music explores a blend of genres including Jazz, Hip-Hop and R&B/Soul. Following the release of Butcher Brown Presents Triple Trey and #KingButch, this forward-thinking band shares 17-tracks (with three additional single edits on digital) and...thebutcherbrownshop.com
cul8er
Well-Known Member
Found it on sale from the amazon.
Enjoying this with a "brown" drink that I butchered with a little too much cream. Whiterussian Kahlua and vodka. (Not a fan of anything Russia these days...) but the drink is good.
.... Well the first song at 33 rpm was good, but the second, not so much! Hahaha... Hold on a sec.
Much better!
Very nice pick!
Enjoying this with a "brown" drink that I butchered with a little too much cream. White
.... Well the first song at 33 rpm was good, but the second, not so much! Hahaha... Hold on a sec.
Much better!
Very nice pick!
NewsFedora
Well-Known Member
That reminds me, I had this unused clue using one of Richmond's oldest microbrews. Highly recommended if you ever find it on a store shelf, although it's most likely limited to the southeast U.S. I'm not even much of a fan of brown ales, but this one is legit.
NewsFedora
Well-Known Member
I always intended Butcher Brown to be my follow-up AOTM after I did Jneiro Jarel in 2021. Although it's funny that the exact album changed as the years ticked by.
In 2021 their most recent album was #KingButch, which was their first one to really feature Marcus Tenney rapping in addition to playing on a horn. I'd been following them for about 10 years at that point and was a bit mixed on it. I liked the idea of the band blending more jazz with hip-hop style beats (see: 2015's Grown Folk) but I still primarily saw them as an instrumental band first. It didn't quite land for me. If I got selected for another AOTM around this time, I probably would've tried to make the case for their live album Live At Vagabond. They're a fantastic live act but this album can be a bit tricky/expensive to find, especially outside of the UK as it was released by GearBox Records.
Speaking of tricky/expensive to find, I had hoped (and still do hope) that a vinyl reissue will eventually be made of their Fela Kuti-inspired album AfroKuti. It saw a limited pressing run in 2019 that I was lucky enough to stumble upon before it sold out. Cheapest copies for it on discogs are over $100 these days. Bummer. I do have this on my Bandcamp and regularly blast it in my car stereo on my commute to and from work.
While I wasn't entirely feeling #KingButch, their 2022 follow-up album saw a collaboration with bass player Anthony Randazzo's side project big band. It combined the larger ensemble cast of musicians seen in AfroKuti with the more polished, hip hop-driven direction Butcher Brown was taking with #KingButch.
If I had been picked in 2022 or most of 2023 for an AOTM, you most likely would have gotten Butcher Brown Presents Triple Trey featuring Tennishu and R4ND4ZZO BIGB4ND. I found Marcus "Tennishu" Tenney's booming vocals much better suited on this album, with the song Lawd Why probably one of my all-time favorites in the Butcher Brown catalogue.
A few hip hop covers made it on this album, with the standout (and obvious inspiration for Tennishu) being Biggie:
Which leads us to their late-2023 release that is (or hopefully soon will be) in your hands: Solar Music. I didn't pick this simply because it's their most recent album, but because it shows the band at its most finely honed and well-rounded. They don't lean too hard into any one genre or influence but instead offer a sampling of everything they're capable of. They bring some guest artists to complement their varied styles including Pink Siifu and Braxton Cook, and it feels like this is a launching point of a dozen different directions for where the band can go next.
I'm looking forward to continuing to follow them on this journey, and I hope you all will be too.
In 2021 their most recent album was #KingButch, which was their first one to really feature Marcus Tenney rapping in addition to playing on a horn. I'd been following them for about 10 years at that point and was a bit mixed on it. I liked the idea of the band blending more jazz with hip-hop style beats (see: 2015's Grown Folk) but I still primarily saw them as an instrumental band first. It didn't quite land for me. If I got selected for another AOTM around this time, I probably would've tried to make the case for their live album Live At Vagabond. They're a fantastic live act but this album can be a bit tricky/expensive to find, especially outside of the UK as it was released by GearBox Records.
Speaking of tricky/expensive to find, I had hoped (and still do hope) that a vinyl reissue will eventually be made of their Fela Kuti-inspired album AfroKuti. It saw a limited pressing run in 2019 that I was lucky enough to stumble upon before it sold out. Cheapest copies for it on discogs are over $100 these days. Bummer. I do have this on my Bandcamp and regularly blast it in my car stereo on my commute to and from work.
While I wasn't entirely feeling #KingButch, their 2022 follow-up album saw a collaboration with bass player Anthony Randazzo's side project big band. It combined the larger ensemble cast of musicians seen in AfroKuti with the more polished, hip hop-driven direction Butcher Brown was taking with #KingButch.
If I had been picked in 2022 or most of 2023 for an AOTM, you most likely would have gotten Butcher Brown Presents Triple Trey featuring Tennishu and R4ND4ZZO BIGB4ND. I found Marcus "Tennishu" Tenney's booming vocals much better suited on this album, with the song Lawd Why probably one of my all-time favorites in the Butcher Brown catalogue.
A few hip hop covers made it on this album, with the standout (and obvious inspiration for Tennishu) being Biggie:
Which leads us to their late-2023 release that is (or hopefully soon will be) in your hands: Solar Music. I didn't pick this simply because it's their most recent album, but because it shows the band at its most finely honed and well-rounded. They don't lean too hard into any one genre or influence but instead offer a sampling of everything they're capable of. They bring some guest artists to complement their varied styles including Pink Siifu and Braxton Cook, and it feels like this is a launching point of a dozen different directions for where the band can go next.
I'm looking forward to continuing to follow them on this journey, and I hope you all will be too.
Edd
Well-Known Member
Still here.OP is updated with a hastily-written love letter to this band from me, as well as links to stream/buy it and a bonus Youtube video of their recent Tiny Desk appearance. I'll probably post a few more videos of other songs of theirs I really like, but I gotta go grab me some dinner right now.
Oh and btw @Skalap Butcher Brown is playing a few shows in France this week and next! If you ended up liking this album and have a chance, you should really go check them out.You know, I'm gonna tag my Wax Buyers Club BFF @Edd too in case he still lurks here lol
NewsFedora
Well-Known Member
Bandcamp Friday is here! Haven't had one of those in a minute. Butcher Brown has a healthy Bandcamp page of different releases available, although most are currently digital-only. Looks like Gearbox Records in the UK still has some of their albums on vinyl, though.
If you need some tunes on your phone, I'm gonna plug their beat tape album, Grown Folk:
It was released on cassette a few years back, but sadly never on wax.
And I'll again plug their tribute to Fela Kuti. Some great music to blast from your car stereo on a Friday afternoon to start your weekend. This did have a limited vinyl pressing but alas, it's long been sold out and probably costs too much on the second-hand market.
If you need some tunes on your phone, I'm gonna plug their beat tape album, Grown Folk:
It was released on cassette a few years back, but sadly never on wax.
And I'll again plug their tribute to Fela Kuti. Some great music to blast from your car stereo on a Friday afternoon to start your weekend. This did have a limited vinyl pressing but alas, it's long been sold out and probably costs too much on the second-hand market.