I don’t know about you but I for one couldn’t wait for the sophomore album from Speak Easy aka visual artist Sean Fahie. The new album, Coronas, Condoms & Cigarettes: The Musical Guide to Awesome Living is the follow up album from last years album Words Have Power and it continues where the last album left off, giving you that easy living feeling and powerful yet subtle messages that will inspire you throughout your day no matter what walk of life you come from.

If you know Sean, he’s always full of laughs and art but knows how it is to struggle in this thing we call life. From his various points of views from negative to positive, he exploits all of these feelings thorough his words on this new album. Topics range from girls (or should I say youngins), motivation and basic living situations which are all lyrically expressed over jazzy, old school music that will put you at ease.

Art Nouveau got the chance to catch up with Sean Fahie for a quick interview in the midst of the preparations for his album release party.

Art Nouveau: First I have to ask, what led for you to call yourself Speak Easy? Is there any significance?

Speak Easy: There was a needed change happening in my life. [At the time] I was just moving from Savannah,Ga and I had a bunch of craziness going on in my life. One night I was hanging out with my friend, catching up and talking about music and the thought occurred to me. “Words have Power, Choose your words wisely, Speak Easy.” I was like, Yo I’m changing my name to Speak Easy. Done and Done. My homie was like yea roll with that. I also like the thought that it is also the name of the secret night clubs of the 1920′s and 30′s and I kinda hang out a lot in Atlanta.

AN: I know you debut with your album Words Have Power almost one year ago… what was the inspiration to do another one?

SE: Honestly, I just kept writing (After Words Have Power was done) and getting beats from my homies but had no where to record at the time (then my homie Sean Carter came through with his spot and i got to finish the album). I originally wanted to do a mix tape called the Black Dynamite mixtape (based off the movie) , but as the projected evolved it turned into this album that was kind of describing parts of of my summers here in Atlanta. By the by this album is a pseudo concept album. It’s all taking place in one weekend and it ends with Moment of Clarity (when the party finally stops and you have to take a retrospective look at your life). At that point it’s early Sunday morning and you wonder, “What is this all for?” and the bonus track it the process starting all over again.

AN: I also noticed that you have two collaborations on your new album, one song with Lario Emu Iji and another one with Bosco where on your last album you had none… was it a conscious decision to have collaborations on this album?

SE: Yea a little. My last album I had to get a lot of things of my chest and wasn’t even thinking about features or anything. I just wanted to rap and vent. This time around, I’m feeling chill about life and I wasn’t out looking for features but they came. My homie Lario was chillin at the house listening to beats and that beat came on (that he’s on the song for) and he was like, “Yo I gotta get on that track” I was like cool. Done and Done. The collab with Bosco came about, because I was spitting the verse to another friend of mine and he was like, “you need to have a girl singing on that hook, it would really make the song.” I thought it about it, and agreed. I gave Bosco a call and she was down to do it.

AN: You are a true artist and I know as an artist there are no genres… however, if you had to give your music a name or a genre, what would you call it and why?

SE: I’m a purist of this Hip-Hop at times man. If I called it anything it would be Hip-Hop. If I had to name it, I would like to call it “that Friday night chill music to ride to while chilling with people that matter in your life.” lol. That would be the genre.

AN: You have some pretty strong messages in your music that anybody can relate to… what kind of impact do you hope that your album(s) will have on the people that listen?

SE: Something Positive. Being the fact that I’m a Hip-Hop head and how hip hop has affected me. I listen for lyrics heavy (with a blend of an amazing beat). I know what I want my spirit to be feed, and I want to give the listener a little bit of that Goodness for their day. That PMA (Positive Mental Attitude).

AN: Sean, you seem always on the go, doing your art, attending concerts and participating in different shows around Atlanta, and you are also the star in a new documentary called 20 Somethings… how are these projects coming and can we expect anything else from you by the end of the year? Can we expect any shows in support of the new album?

SE: Music shows? I’m so over performing. [laughs] For this album though I may start performing here and there. Me and music have love hate relationship. Art’s my wife and music is my Mistress. If I get asked to do a show, i may or may not do it. But I do have a couple of art shows i’m working on. Curating a show with Eyedrum and one with Mint Gallery, I have some art work in the upcoming City of Ink show. Working with Burnaway (I think I said that right) a non profit. Doing some art work for an up coming project. I don’t know, I’m just trying to stay busy. Trying to prove to myself that it can happen when you love it and work hard for it.

AN: I like asking hypothetical questions so here’s one for you… If you had one whole day to yourself where you could do anything you wanted to do EXCEPT art, what would you do?

SE: I would bring my Grandma back and hang out with her for the day.

AN: One thing that I like about your album is the chill, laid back, freedom vibe that it gives off and it seems to be a trademark for your music… who helps you produce and create the music for your albums and what is the process that you usually take in preparing for an album and actually creating it?

SE: My homie RJM out in Cali has been doing a lot of the production. He did a bulk of it for Words Have Power, and he had like 4 tracks on this album. But also this go around Danny! and Unda really came through with a lot of chill relax bangers that helped to evolve the sound that i’ve been looking for. That summer time in Atlanta feel, you know. I want my music to be a wavy ass woman that changes your life. [laughs]

On a typical evening walking down the streets of Five Points in Atlanta, Georgia, it is usual to see street vendors, the homeless walking around with their usual business, a man playing the harmonica like his life depends on it and travelers from all over rushing to catch the next available train/bus to their destination. Last Friday, August 26, Five Points looked a little bit different than its usual face. On this day, sponsors provided entertainment for all who cared to witness for the debut art extravaganza called Elevate, an art and music event hosted in the middle of Five Points where passersby could participate if they wanted to. There was much to be entertained with as there was an art demonstration that took place as well as a grand performance by Atlanta’s own party band Noot D’ Noot. With all of the festivities and excitement going on, the more interesting perspective of the night was the mix of people that came together to enjoy this exciting event.

As I exited the Five Points train station, I could already tell there was something different about the blustering environment. There was a noise that I’ve never heard before and I found myself slowly gravitating towards it. As the noise got louder, I found myself in the middle of something that I had never seen on the streets of Five Points in my entire 25 years of living in Atlanta. On the top steps towards the entrance of the Five Points station were a group of people dressed in white, anti-bacterial suits standing in front of a raggedly dressed woman rolling around on a black exercise ball with a red ball attached to it by a thin string. The group of people simply watched the woman as she rolled down the stairs and finally stopped at the bottom of the stairs. One member of the group broke away from the rest and approached the woman, pretending to spray her with a sort of anti-bacterial spray. The rest of the group followed and soon the one who broke away wrapped “caution” tape around the group and they began to surround the woman. They soon backed away and allowed the woman to roll to another direction where they again, began to follow her. Onlookers of this demonstration were quite perplexed as to what was going on yet nothing stopped them from pulling out their camera and video devices to make a memory of the event. As the demonstrators left the area, the music died down and the night continued.

I began to walk around to explore what else was going on in this peculiar night and ran into some good friends of mine. The streets were filled with newer vendors selling food and beverages and there were also other art demonstrations going on as well. Atlanta’s well known artist Fahamu Pecou was one of the artists who was hosting a demonstration were people could walk up to what looked like a tree stump and attach random objects to it to create a colorful mix. There was also an artist who created a bicycle out of copper and exhibited that to the audience. Atlanta’s own non profit group, Wonder Root had their own part in the event where the provided chalk for anyone interested in making their mark on the streets of Five Points. My new friend Starletta and I took the liberty to do a couple of drawings and I did my usual “peace sign.” With all the things going on, there was a lot to keep your attention going, but the climax of the night was yet to come.

There was a loud thump in the distance that could only come from a drum kit followed by the blare of a saxophone which could only mean that Atlanta’s popular party band Noot D’ Noot was ready to get the party started. Before they began to play, their mc Dookie Platters urged the crowd to move closer to the stage just before Karima Harrison aka Electro Siren began to sing as they prepared to rock the house down. As the party began, it was just a few people in the audience, but as the night went on, everyone within earshot of the music came over to join the party. As I took a moment between taking footage, I couldn’t help but notice the blend of people that were in the audience. Everyone from all walks of life including black, white and even the local homeless people were all dancing together as if they were the ones hosting the party. It was all laughs and awkward dancing as Noot D’ Noot performed some of their popular songs including “Know That Feeling” and “Fingers Like Steeples.” They even opened up their set with a new song called “Noot Baby” which got the crowd into the set. The night was also the debut of Noot D’ Noot’s new guitarist Ben Coleman aka Kid Pyramid who partied out to the songs as if he had been apart of the band all along. The party died down after an hour of jamming to the tunes of Noot D’ Noot where they ended with a grand finish.

What the sponsors of Elevate have done for Atlanta on that very night had not been seen at least from my eyes in a long time if ever. There’s nothing like having an unexpected good time on the very streets that you walk on a daily basis and the ride was a fun one to be apart of. It’s a great thing if you can bring different people together to enjoy a similar event that all find enjoyment in. Since this was the first successful installment of the event, I’m sure there are many more to come so look out on your local Atlanta newsletters for more on this event.

Talent is an art that only the chosen few possess, whether it’s writing, singing, playing an instrument or being able to bend your legs behind your back. Having a certain talent separates you from others who may or may not possess it in the same way that you do, so when a person decides to capitalize on their ability, it is something to be admired.

However, simply having the talent won’t get you through the door, it takes a lot for a person to muster up whatever courage they possess to decide to use their talent and then to share it with the world with possible scrutiny. Given all of this pressure from the media, an audience and even from the artist themselves, it is a gift and a curse when it comes to an artist attempting to put themselves on the line for the sake of their art and what they believe in. For this, any artist that hits the stage or stands on a platform should be appreciated for at least what they do and not be taken advantage of for doing so.

As being part of the audience and being an artist myself, I’ve come to witness times when I feel either as the artist or watching an artist, that the work or talent that people choose to perform can be slightly unappreciated, especially if you are a local artist. Time after time I’ve seen people constantly perform for free with no reimbursement or get shafted when it comes to a set and it bothers me a great deal. It bothers me because when an artist performs, that is not the only time that they have worked on their craft. They have spent countless hours perfecting what they do for that 15-45min time that they have to show you what they can do.

There is a fashion documentary called 11 Minutes where Project Runway winner Jay McCarroll attempts to host a DIY runway show. The documentary exposes the hard work that he had to go through just for 11 minutes on the runway. This may have been a documentary about fashion, but it brings to light all of the trouble, emotional pain and struggle that an artist has might go through just for the short time that they have to expose it to an audience. If people only knew what physical and emotional work that a true artist has to go through in order to prepare for that big moment, situations like not paying, not compensating or just total negligence of an artist would not occur… unless someone just doesn’t give a fuck. This is not to say that if you paint the Mona Lisa or make a nice jingle that you should be praised and given the utmost attention from any and everybody, but it boils down to simple respect. The same way that people should respect their parents for going through all of the hard work to provide for you is synonymous to the respect one should show an artist for all of the hard work that they go through in order to provide a good show for their audience, meaning you. If you happen to have a conversation with a real artist, I’m sure they’ll have similar “struggle stories” that your grandmother used to tell you when you were little because of the hard work, rejection and good times that they had to endure while trying to do something for themselves and possibly for you.

In this, if you really like an artist, instead of trying to get something for free out of them, give something to them either by buying a cd or even just saying how much you appreciate their time and their talent… you’ll be surprised at how much a little goes a long way and the artist will appreciate you in return for doing so.

Later Days…

When an artist decides to take a break from their career, it’s usually for a good reason, maybe even one that average people could never understand. Sometimes an artist will feel overwhelmed or decide that they need some personal time to themselves to regroup from whatever situation they may be coming out of. For whatever reason it might be, the absence of an artist usually stirs up some kind of anticipation for their return, partially because everyone is waiting to hear what the artist has to say and if they will explain what brought about their temporary departure. What I like most about an artist returning after their exit is the chance to see or hear what improvements they may or may not have made. Artists are ever evolving and when they take a long break, it’s almost certain that they have gone through a big change in their art.

It’s been two years since we last heard from the elegant Brittany Bosco, now going strictly by Bosco. With her last soulful/funky album Spectrum 2.0, she left us with something to look forward to and with her new EP Pacer, the wait was well worth it. With the release of the single “Pacer,” we could already see that the artist had something new in store for us. Those of us who are used to her soulful, jazzy tunes will be quite surprised as her new EP steers clear of that pigeonhole. Think of it as taking a Bosco tour into outer space as her new EP, mostly produced by Washed Out producer DOGBITE, has an ethereal vibe that leaves you feeling as if you are on an extraterrestrial journey through space and time and Bosco is your guide.

The six song EP ranges from soft melodies found on “King of the Land” and the title track to the slightly aggressive “Beauty & The Stone” and “Needled Heart.” Along with the EP is also a video for her song “Baby” which was shot by Simms Media. The video illuminates Bosco’s romantic side as she carries a red paper heart in her back pocket waiting to give it to her love interest. It’s a cute video with a little dance choreograph featuring fashion designer Oni Espada and her close friend Ashley.

Whether you are laying on the beach with the water rushing up against your feet or simply coming home from a long day at work looking to chill out and relax from the problems of your day, you’ll find a good reason to listen to Bosco’s new EP Pacer. It’s good music along with good vocals that no true music connoisseur can deny. After waiting two years, Bosco has given us a taste of her new experiences and new sound beautifully exemplified in her new EP. One can only anticipate what the artist has in store for her next project.

Download: BOSCO – Pacer EP

BOSCO – PACER EP - from supadope on Vimeo.

You ever had a car that didn’t have a CD player installed and the tape player was broken so the only thing you had was the radio to be your DJ? I used to feel like my daily rides would be so horrible constantly flipping through the stations looking for that one song to complete your day. I made a consistent attempt to find that one station and thank the musical gods I did. It was a college radio station in Atlanta called Album 88 (88.5) and they played local, indie bands and other types of non mainstream genres that kept me in for a good music loop everyday.

Earlier today, I was listening to Ga State’s radio station 88.5 and “Dame Lo” by Mexicans With Guns song played in the mix of the other great songs played on their station. The song was called “Dame Lo” and it caught my attention because I have been spending much of my time listening to DJ mixes with some dubstep and this one sounded like one of the good ones. I later found this graphic video featuring the song and it’s just as intense as the song itself. If the video is too much for you, at least you can respect it’s creativity and its Hispanic influence. If you like the song that much download it below.

In addition to this inspiration, I thought about some of my friends who are committed to the same act of always recording when they get the chance. One of those friends is my up and coming band member Ron Smith who takes every chance that he can to record whether it’s music or video. He has done a couple of projects with both audio and video which can all be found at his website at smithcreativ.com.

When I first met Ron he played the drums for the band that we are aspiring to create with other mutual friends and he was insistent on recording our jam session even though it was only our first trial session. At that point he reminded me a bit of myself when I would always record video footage just for memories sake. It wasn’t until I went to his house and shared some of my musical creations with him that he shared his video and musical creations and we got to experience each others talents. When he started sharing, I was blown away at all of his video content as well as his music because it was actually good quality material. What I found was even funnier was the fact that he hadn’t promoted his work because I thought it was well worth people listening to it or seeing his creations.

What I also liked most was the stories behind each creation like for one video he took footage of the classic film Monstrosity and created a video sequence that was aided by his own music soundtrack. I had to ask was that him because it sounded so original and synced so perfectly with the video footage. The movie is simply about an elderly lady who had a surgeon take her brain and put it in a younger woman’s body. The music goes along so well with the concept of the movie that it just almost seems right. In addition to the collection of music he let me listen to, he put me on to this one song that had a feel good vibe to it with words that could give inspiration to anyone who ever felt like an outsider. The main part of the song I like is when he says “we don’t get off this planet alive/ but that’s alright/ it’s been one hell of a ride/ see you on the other side…” because it speaks the truth about our existence yet keeps a very optimistic point of view about it.

Ron’s whole deal on life can be found within his work. He is heavily into graphic design to the point where he can break down each and every aspect of a project that has been done. He is one of those people who are working to perfect their craft and put out as many projects as possible. Make sure you check out some of his recent projects at smithcreativ.com where you can get a glimpse of his work and style and definitely listen to the music because it is all his.

Later Days…

Atlanta jam and funk band Noot D’ Noot has just released a new mixtape entitled Time Release. This mixtape features some mixes of some of their already established songs such as “Know That Feeling” and “The Occasion.” The mixtape also features a track with Atlanta Hip-Hop artists Muffy and Grip Plyaz called “Retail Girls” and also a track created from a freestyle live performance at one of their shows called “Wanton One.”

The mixtape definitely gives fans of Noot D’ Noot a different feel of their music from being funky to more atmospheric. If you haven’t heard of the mixtape or the band itself, here’s a link where you can download a free version of the new mixtape…dig.

The first time I saw Spree Wilson it was at the East Atlanta Bar where he performed at Art Nouveau’s Strawberry Fields event with Corinne Stevie headlining. When he finally went onstage I felt like he had to groups because one minute he would be playing guitar and singing and the next he would be rapping over the music played by his band. I was amazed at his versatility and even more amazed that he was good at them all. It’s good to finally hear a solid album from him which seems to take us on a personal journey of how he went from the southern hospitality vibe Atlanta to the fast paced world of New York City.

The music from this album starts off with a really chill vibe with the first song Intro “The Beauty of Chaos” where Spree spits some nice verses over the old school hip-hop beat. I like the musical layers in the songs where you can hear the strings of the guitar and other instruments. You will also catch Spree singing his heart out on a couple of tracks which gives his album some sort of diversity.

His total sound sometimes gives off the vibe of Andre 3000 from the group Outkast but also has his own style implemented into it at times. Every track gives you something new to offer and it’s a definitely a good album to ride to. You can download the album here to listen for yourself? dig.

Download: Spree Wilson – Never Ending Now

Last week, I was invited to a screening of Scion’s documentary called New Garage Explosion: In Love With These Times. It is a documentary about the different garage bands around the world including the late Jay Reatard and Georgia’s own Black Lips. It’s a pretty kick ass film that shows the sweat and filth these bands endured in maintaining their bands. It’s a pretty decent look into the garage world and definitely will open any and everyone into the garage scene. If you missed it last week, here is a link to the full length version so you can still catch the music known as Garage.

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been meeting some interesting artists in the most inconspicuous ways. Take for instance Monica Ellis. Just the other day, my friend and I were killing some time because we had to wait for the restaurant to buzz us when they were ready for us, so we wandered around because the place was too crowded, and we stumbled upon a local art gathering. I believe the venue was called Salt and it was art featured by Alejandro.

As I looked at the art, I saw there were wine bottles standing ever so nicely on a desk and a girl sitting there. I moseyed
towards the table and spoke with the girl at the table in which she offered me some wine. With my internal mission accomplished, I continued to talk to the girl when I found out her name is Mon (short for Monica) and she was an Art student who recently graduated from SCAD. She gave me one of her business cards and I was interested in the drawing covering one side of the card. It was a picture of Jesus on the cross with a Taco Bell wrap behind it. I asked her the meaning, and she told me it was because of her heritage of being Mexican with a Christian faith. I definitely thought people should see it.

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In the ancient walls of the Masquerade venue in Atlanta, GA came an experience that has only happened once before in the southern state. On a rainy Wednesday night, hipsters, rockers and everyone in between were in attendance to see the LA musical duo J*DaVeY perform and bring their alternative pop sound live and in color to Atliens alike. Although having only released one two sided album to date with another one on the way, followed by four EPs, J*DaVeY has created a loyal following which showed in the attendance for their second debut in Atlanta. People were already crowded around the stage in preparation for a show they would never forget–unless certain toxins prevented them to do so. A night that opened up with notable hip-hoppers such as Atlanta’s own Lyric Jones, KeithCharles and LA rapper Blu ended with a banging performance by J*DaVeY.

As the night began, I approached the murky venue with my dark fedora low as to block the rain from my eyes. I took a quick glance at the billboard sign above that read J*DaVeY and Blu to actualize that I was about to witness something I had never seen. After questioning the ticketer about her iPhone, I took my ticket and walked into the dark hallway that led me to the already live space where the event was to take place. As usual, I walked straight to the bar where I also was able to charge my almost dead phone and start up my tab that wouldn’t close until my phone finished charging. As if the show were waiting for me, the obnoxious host for the night yelled into the mic as soon as the first drop of liquid slid down my esophagus. He loudly introduced Atlanta’s own Lyric Jones to the stage who banged out four songs that had the crowd waving their hands in the air as if a robbery were going down. Her energy was high and everyone in the room could feel it as Lyric gripped the mic and rapped ferociously as the bass shook the floor, almost as if she herself was causing the
eruption.

After DJ Golden’s crew of rapper’s featuring KeithCharles finished their live set, Blu came to the stage in true LA fashion with sagging jeans, a beige coat with a blue cap aiming towards the sky. He had a unique, laid back style of rap delivery that was mixed in with echoes that reverberated across the room. At this point, the alcohol was reaching my system so the sounds felt really cool against my ears as if water had been transformed into sound waves. Blu continued his set with some live songs and some laid back ones which either had you moving your hands or standing in awe.

The moment everyone came for had finally arrived and about 3 and a half drinks down, I made my way to the front to catch a first hand experience. Brook D’Leau, one-half and producer of J*DaVey came to the stage and took his place behind a table filled with midi key boards, beat machines and other firestarter devices. He served as the DJ for Def Sound’s hyped up set.

Soon after, Jack DaVey herself came onto the stage doning a red Where’s Waldo hat on with a draping white shirt just barely hanging on to her body, a pair of tight white shorts and high top white Converse. She began her set in true rockstar fashion with a sweet cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Her voice soared beautifully over the guitar riff made by her illustrious red painted guitar that went perfectly with her outfit. She definitely won me as an official fan after that one. After the song, she put down the guitar and got into her more alternative pop side as she sang songs from her earlier EPs as well as her latest one Evil Christian Cop. From “Quicksand” to “Mama’s Back” the band covered every favorite.

During “Mama’s Back,” she offered for the crowd to join her onstage which of course, no one would pass up. She danced, they danced and it was a party for everyone. In the midst of it all, I stumbled out into the misty air of the outside world to soak in what I had just witnessed. The band ended their set with a new song “Queen of Wonderland.” But fans demanded an encore which prompted Jack straddling atop a speaker to sing a riveting medley of “No More” and “Raincheck.”

The appearance of J*DaVey was a huge success and it diluted anyone in Atlanta who needed to see them live. They really delivered and satisfied all who had high expectations. Atlanta is just one of the many cities that they are to visit as their New World Culture Tour continues until April 14th in Seattle, Washington. If you missed them here in Atlanta, don’t fret we have footage by K.D. Gray and photos by GreatEclectic that’ll make you believe you were there.

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It’s hard going to a Wise Blood show and not feel the intensity that musician Chris Laufman brings to his performances as well as his live band. What more could you expect from a guy whose music is fumed from his ego? The musical creation produced by Laufman, Wise Blood hit up Atlanta recently at the local bar 529 to give the most intense show that one could feel in such close quarters.

Laufman, wearing an all black t-shirt hidden behind his light jean jacket stood front and center wildly thrusting his vocals into the musical madness made by the drummer behind him and his keyboardist/sampler. If you know a little about Wise Blood, you’ll know that he creates music in the most complex way, adding in samples from different artists but transforming it into his own design. It’s interesting to see this being performed live because you will see how musically creative the band is, creating their samples within the electronic drum kit so that every time the drummer hits a pad, it will produce the sample, giving him the will to mix up the samples by parts as he pleases.

The technology and the sound bursting within the small venue gave way to making Wise Blood have quite the performance, once again making it a very good end to a Sunday evening. You can check out Wise Blood’s video for BIG EGO below.