Annapolis-Live-Music-Reviews

MIKE "BAKKTRON" BAKKE: OUTDOOR CAT

1/18/2016

Release Date: November, 2015. (Some explicit content.)
Available for purchase at: CDBaby

COMPLETE VIDEO PLAYLIST:

Album Notes
This is my album Outdoor Cat. I wrote these songs during my travels as a member of the Grilled Lincoln's band. Some were written for the album recently & some are many many years old. Producers EOM & Lack Of Afro also contributed two songs. Its co-produced by Frank Marchand and mastered by Randy Leroy. It features MANY talented musicians who were kind enough to help bring my dream to life and show off those chops on my record. We had a great time making this. Please enjoy!

Love - BakkTron

  Mike Bakke (of The Grilled Lincolns, founded in 2002) comes correct with his debut solo album “Outdoor Cat,” a high-energy, in-your-face blast off of hip-hop, funk, reggae, soul, raw emotion, Muppets, bacon and blunts. If you’re looking for a quiet, cozy companion-album to sip tea to while you watch Downton Abbey, this might not be for you (unless, of course, Miss Patmore is in the kitchen shaking her big-ass booty, cookin' up some bacon.) But if you’re looking for a kick-in-the-pants, amp-you-up, check-your-pulse, full range display of epic musical talents then bring it on!
From being immersed in the organic "soup" of the scene for many years, including those formative ones at the beloved The Whiskey in Annapolis (that was, without exaggeration: The best bar in the history of the universe), Bakke has made some quality connections and he brings a bunch of them along for the ride. The album is truly a showcase of the diverse range of voices and styles that Naptown and Maryland have to offer. In fact, Bakke should get a musical diversity award - for the sheer number of guests he has on the album (over 40 local musicians are featured!) And honestly, isn’t that what’s supposed to be all about? It kinda' reminds us of the many great 90s hip-hop, gangster rap albums that featured their fair share of contributors and guest emcees. Another awesome nod to 90s hip-hop is the mini mid-album sketches aptly entitled “Mid-Album Review,” featuring the one and only,Wax (seen performing here at Rams Head Live) and one clown-assed pseudo-critic named Neil Abromowitz, played by T-REXX. Wax is also featured on "Drowning," along with brother, Herbal T.
   Here at Naptownmusic, our reviewers were never haters - and luckily, none of us have played wood block or triangle, so that’s a plus! But enough with the nostalgia and introduction, let’s get down to the nitty gritty with Mike Bakke:
  “Outdoor Cat” kicks things off with a solid mix of funky guitar riffs, horns, fast paced drums behind Bakke’s bottom banging bass. The combo of Skribe’s soulful singing with Bakke’s rhymes provides a stellar balance of vocal stylings. The song sets a nice tone for the album and features one bad-ass reference to Kermit and Miss Piggy. Mike McHenry provides his exemplary guitar shredding, putting his definitive stamp on the song throughout.
     “Lepers vs Stepfords,” featuring Joey Harkum (of Pasadena) is a fun follow-up with a jovial chorus: “They say heaven’s in the sky, hell is underground, I did a faceplant, shit was upside down, that was in the same day. They say there’s a man up top and one underneath, I’m just in the middle trying to get a little peace, because it’s fading away.” The song has a bouncy melody with some excellent guitar reverb and distortion. The song is filled with some of the album’s best lyrical word play and life truths such as “I’d rather break bread with the lepers than fake a bake sale with the Stepfords...I’d rather be a broke me than a very rich you,” and “Y’all are some weak hipsters, I read scriptures from the biography of Keith Richards.”
  “The Bank Teller” cranks the old-school soul (reminiscent of OutKast) up to full blast with some booty shaking jams and contributions from Jeremy Ragsdale, Soul Khan and Seez Mics. The song has a beautiful uplifting message hidden under being broke and making it to last call: keep trying, do your best and everything will be alright.
      “What She Doin’” is another bad-ass funk romp with Jason "Jay Crawdads" Crawford from Higher Hands dropping some awesome rhyme flow. The chorus “I think you might be out of your mind,” adds some ultra cosmic Bootsy Collins style. “Both Always Right” is a catchy reggae tune featuring Brandon Hardesty (of Bumpin’ Uglies) and the sweet sultry vocals of Miss Sara (Sara Kryscio, seen here with Zach Bellas of Pasadena, Zach Bellas & the Company Band).
“The Breakfast Song” (w. Mike Bakke, Big SLOP, Walt Baby, Raw B) could very well be the crown jewel of the album. It’s certainly not for all tastes (forgive the pun) but it’s clearly an inspired work, well crafted, and produced with its solid hip-hop beat and rhyming from Big Slop (Spittin Lyrics On Point), Bakke and crew. If you love hip-hop, wake ‘n baking, big booties and bacon then this song is your dream come true. (Rumor has it there’s an epic music video on the way for this one and it will be truly exciting to see the final product.)
“Stunt Double” is a tribute to all the crazy beautiful ladies in the world and how they are so irresistible, featuring the full members of The Grilled Lincolns with Viki Nova. “Like You Read About,” is a great follow-up to “Stunt Double” featuring The Grilled Lincolns in full again and providing a further tribute to crazy party girls.
“Startover,” features full-out Bakke and shows that he’s got a softer side and it’s pretty awesome.   “Go On & On,” is another sparkly highlight of the album and further displays the incredible range of Bakke’s musicianship and the cast of Naptown’s finest. This time G-Linx alum, Jeremy Ragsdale, and Julie Cymek (of Sweet Leda) join along for the fun and the outcome is a truly inspiring. The sax, keyboard and acoustic guitar are especially well balanced in this tune. Jeremy kicks off the song perfectly and then, as we've come to expect, Julie blows the roof off the house.
“Have No Shame,” featuring Ray Wroten (of Bond & Bentley) and Ryan Shiner (of 86 The Effort) is a solid, sweet melody compliment to “Go On & On” that’s a little more rough around the edges and proud of it. The song continues the great positivity running throughout the latter part of the album. After one final blowout “Mid-Album Review,” the album closes with “James Lipton” featuring solo Bakke bringing it raw with some solid lyrical hot fire.
All and all “Outdoor Cat” is a must listen for any Naptownmusic fan and it’s an astounding testament to the fine artists and musicians who continue to make our scene shine. Major props to Mike Bakke for putting this one together and producers EOM, Lack Of Afro, Frank Marchand (of Hudson Street Sound), and mastered by Randy Leroy for mixing master craftsmanship.
     You can catch Bakke with The Grilled Lincolns as they perform their farewell concert as the part of the One Koast Entertainment Frozen Harbor Music Festival in Baltimore, Friday, February 19 and Saturday, February 20. Bakke will share the stage with other great local artists including Sweet Leda, Higher Education, Pasadena, Bumpin Uglies, Lovebettie, Bond & Bentley, Skribe, Shawn Owen Band, Gingerwolf, Ms Sara, Jocelyn Faro & the Ragazzi, Troll Tribe, and many others. And oh yeah Redman (aka Reggie Noble) is gonna' headline the whole thing. It will truly be one for the ages!

Check out fun some clips from the "Outdoor Cat" CD Release party:

2 Comments

OUTCALLS; THE CLAY MECHANICAL

1/1/2016

0 Comments

Photo by Britt Olsen-Ecker Photography

In the infinite galaxy of music, where most “original” music is actually not very original at all, there comes a breath of fresh air in the form of the group, Outcalls including Evan Daniel Kornblum, Jeff Bucklew, Melissa Wimbish, Britt Olsen-Ecker, Fiona de Young, Nathan Royer, Jay A Turner.
Their newest album, “The Clay Mechanical,” (artfully recorded and mixed by Evan Daniel Kornblum; released in September 2015) is complex, well thought out and yes, very original. Sure, the band's members have their influences, but any time that an obvious connection to another artist might be made, the group turns around to go in another new direction. Musicians come to mind like Brazilian Girls, Rubblebucket, Thievery Corporation, Stereolab, Lana Del Ray, Feist - but that would be just aimlessly throwing darts and hoping there is a dart board somewhere nearby. The music of Outcalls stands strongly as original and their own.
The album opens with a lovely and brief instrumental introduction before easing into “Looking, She.” The group packs a smooth and snazzy punch with sleek and sultry vocals from Melissa Wimbish and Britt Olsen-Ecker, and a beautifully arranged horn section. Throw in some wonderfully composed violin and solid piano and you’ve got yourself a mini-symphony. Percussion (drums & bass) are restrained, balanced and ever so civilized as in a Burt Bacharach composition. “En Sourdine” (translated: on the quiet, softly, quietly, muted, muffled) lets you know from the clarinet’s first few notes that this is going to be a sexy French jazz jaunt and if vocalists, Melissa Wimbish and Britt Olsen-Ecker, didn’t start singing in French, it would have been shocking. Any diehard Django Reinhardt or “La Vie En Rose” fan will absolutely love this song. It's oh, so very continental and makes you wonder why music can’t always be like this. Either way, we should all be truly thankful for this blissfully complex and beautiful song. It’s absolutely vivid and amazing, a "must hear."
“Lullaby” is a nice follow-up with jazzy trumpets and a very stripped down but strong drum and guitar baseline. A very soft and relaxing tune, it paints a lovely musical picture. There is also a great reference to everyday life in it and how none of it really truly matters: “You start to accept that the price of a Big Mac or plumbing, or the cure for something, is all the same thing.” A delightful little jam at the end leads back to the chorus of “Rest your eyes, I am here to apologize” to close out the song.
The title track “The Clay Mechanical,” like much of their music, is abstract and well composed. One can definitely envision hearing this as a soundtrack in a movie or television show. In “Box of Chocolates” the group channels a little otherworldly Jeff Buckley at times but also, they find a way to turn a seemingly down tempo song into a triumph. Fantastically, the chord progression changes that they pull off are so unexpected and stylistic; it makes you wonder why more musicians can’t spend extra time finding inventive ways to write and perform. Take note: Outcalls put their heart and their soul into their music and it shows. It might sound completely different than the other stuff you’re used to but that’s what makes it so magical.
“Love Story” is another fun and upbeat tune that is delivered almost effortlessly. The bass, violin and drums are completely in sync and the horn section adds a soft accent to the evocative lyrics: “Keep your mouth open, I want to know what you like.” The chorus is out of this world: “I want to be your love story: bloody and glory. I want to die at the end.” Those lyrics will easily get stuck in your head for days, in a notable way.
The album ends with “Gray Train,” a tune that brings some serious energy to close things out. The music and lyrics may knock you off-guard at times but you are so swept away in the song's charm that you just go along with it. “I know they can smell me but no one else can. I wish I was underground, somewhere I won't be found...” A good story must have initially inspired these lyrics. We hope that there will be many more great stories to be told by the Outcalls. In our world of familiar music, they are making unexpected choices, and the outcome is wonderful. The band has been together for quite some time, and we are fortunate that they are now just beginning to play out with select dates. Be sure to look for - and ask for - more near you soon!

0 Comments

MIKE "BAKKTRON" BAKKE: OUTDOOR CAT

OUTCALLS; THE CLAY MECHANICAL

Archives

Categories