An actual music post?! Oh, snap.

Yep. I'm actually serving up a few quick hits of stuff i've been digging on over the past few weeks. I've also got more wack bullshit i'm tinkering with in the lab...the AMBFAD 'Battle Royale'...(finally) the eagerly anticpated follow up to 'Mix Tape Manifesto'...more music, movie and book reviews...for real, son!

So, here we go. It's an El Famous music celebration and your eardrums are invited, bitches...

SOUND TEAM - 'MOVIE MONSTER'

An indie-rock hybrid of everything from Sonic Youth to Spoon to Ride and maybe even the Killers if they weren't so weaksauce. Post-punk new waveishness w/ their own flair about it, it sounds inventive...not at all textbook. Probably one of my favorite things i've listened to so far this year.

ASOBI SEKSU - 'CITRUS'

A take on the whole shoegazing genre w/ generous nods to My Bloody Valentine, Lush and Ride for 2006. However, there's also some sweet tasting power pop bubbling underneath it all, that gives it a fresh perspective. Great production brings out the swirling guitars and gorgeous vocals (sung alternately in Japanese and English). This one is sure to be a grower and take a spot high atop the year-end 'Best-of'.

CUT CHEMIST - 'THE AUDIENCE IS LISTENING'

Former DJ for Jurassic 5 goes solo and dishes out a hot platter full of turntable goodness. A nice mix of influences/sounds ranging from brazillian to funk to rock and all sort of wild shit. Track #8, Storm, also features two of my favorite MC's du jour: Mr. Lif and Edan...fucking tight. Fans of former collaborator DJ Shadow and RJD2 are sure to dig.

Speaking of DJ Shadow, came across 4 tracks from his upcoming release ('The Outsider') and if they are any indication of the rest of the disc, it's going to be some seriously hot shit. Same goes for Illadelphia's Roots crew, who have the most excellent 'Pre-Game' EP out on iTunes to give us a taste of their upcoming 'Game Theory' album. All the tracks sound fantastic and you can DL the first single 'It Don't Feel Right' on their myspace page for free HERE.

Stay classy, Word Wide Web...Uncle El will be back soon. Peace.

I'm sorry...so sorry.

Again, a gajillion years between posts on here. I'd like to show, for the record, that I actually spent some time working on a brand new layout for AMBFAD, but haven't finished it...thus the lame-o back-to-basics dilly you see here. Still trying to figure out some HTML and you know, it's all ball-bearings nowadays (hey!).

I have actually got a bunch of new music to talk about, so i'll post up by week's close w/ some reviews. The boys are doing great...there is cereal, veggies and fruit being eaten (and spit out), some sitting up nearly unassisted, much rolling over and we had studio portraits taken for the first time ever (which, i'll post soon)!

Stay tuned, true believers...fresh goofy crap will be coming your way soon. Peace!

Sitting in the back of a car

or, maybe, keeping w/ the Big Star thematic...'When My Baby's Beside Me'? (Thanks BK)

As this post finds me on the horizon of my very first Father's Day, i'd like to give a shout-out to Dads everywhere...including me own. I credit my Pop for my sense of humor, amongst other things. I only hope I can provide a life for my kids like he provided for us. I still can't comprehend his need to put salt in his beer (don't ask me) or his allegiance to the St. Louis Cardinals, but he's my old man and i'll let him slide.

My plans for the weekend look to consist of a couple of bottles of the inaugural batch of Fat Tire shipped to Chicago, a copy of 'Kung Fu Hustle' fresh from Netflix, Cubs vs. Detroit in the comfort of air conditioning, BBQ ribs on the grill, a possible viewing of 'Nacho Libre' w/ the Mrs. while Grandma watches the boys and a mystery gift (ooh) that will be unveiled on Sunday. While all that adds up to a Father's Day weekend fit for a king, the best part of it will be spending time w/ the two monkeys that have bestowed me w/ the title of 'Dad' and the wonderful woman who blessed me by bringing them into our life.

So, to those of you who are Dads...have a great weekend. To those of you who aren't...be sure to give yours a ring, pat on the back, hug, salt shaker for his beer, whatever. I've said it before, it's the hardest job i've ever done...but it's also the best thing i've ever been given the opportunity to do.

'It's been a long time since I...'

Has it really been almost two months?! Wow. Between being slammed at work and the two even bigger reasons you see above, having even 5 minutes to post up w/ some assemblance of anything anybody would want to read...just hasn't been in the cards.

Anyhow, as you can see, the Brothers Famous have changed sooo much. It's crazy. It's getting harder to call Owen (Left on the B/W and bottom photo) a 'Peanut' and Logan (Right on the B/W and top photo) could be the youngest linebacker in NFL history...if I didn't insist both of them go to college first. Logan is all smiles for the most part, the kid is either sleeping, eating (a lot), dirtying his diaper or grinning from ear to tiny ear. Owen is coming around too, the kid is smiling more every day and will actually giggle on command. Both are holding their own heads up while sitting upright and lifting their necks when on their tummy. Logan has quite the melon on him though, so it's a little tougher for that neck to hold it up. All that and more new tricks every day...Owen has even turned over a few times. Completely by accident, but he'll master it soon enough. They are truly amazing and both have come so far...little fighters through and through. So blessed.

Not much to report outside of the twin-cultivation business. Listened to some decent music here and there...most recent Neko Case is good, still trying to get the big deal over Ganrls Barkley (Cee-Lo and Dangermouse) and getting into Frank Black's back-catalog. New Mats songs have surfaced and will be featured on a 'Best Of' being put out by Rhino. The track selection itself is kind of meh, but i'll end up buying it for completist reasons...and the new tunes really are pretty decent. Again, i'm torn about any sort of reunion tour...but it worked for the Pixies and God knows the Mats deserve a big payday.

Throw in an excellent season finale of 'LOST', the new KFC chicken bowls and too many baseball games sure to educate my sons on the pain you endure being a Cubs fan (seriously, I still bleed Cubbie blue, but how much worse can they get). I'll really try to get back to some legitimate business on here...but, obviously, you should take my threats to do so w/ a grain of salt.

As always, peace.

Speaking of GAS FACE...

Kick 'em in the Grill Pete?

Oh. Snap.

That's right, it's the MC Serch talking alarm clock and it looks pretty badass from where i'm sitting. May have to pick me up one or two of them. Outside of that and babies (who are kicking much ass), I have a lot of music to let everybody know about and promise to get to it soon. Let's just say that between his own album and two of the mixes I can't stop listening to...Edan the DJ has my stereo in a figure-four leglock and is yelling 'WHOO!' as I bob my head to the music. Believe that or get the gas face. BRRRRRUHHHHHHH!!!

It Takes Two

Well, first week back at work under my belt. It was rough. I missed the Wonder Twins and their Mama big time, but they got along fine while I was out. Logan caught the same stomach bug that his Mom and Dad had earlier in the week and we had our first 'sick kid' experience...and a lot of laundry as a result. He's doing good now and (hopefully) Owen won't catch it as well. The pediatric visit at the front part of the week showed both gaining a lot of weight and getting overall favorable marks in everything else. Sleep? Still a commodity, but we're getting better w/ coping w/ the lack of it. Next to disposable diapers...naps are a parent's best pal.

Outside of babies, I have received a lot of insanely good music from people like my man Matt outta' Chi-diggity and my fellow b-boy Charles. Breakastra...J Dilla...Dilated Peoples...Edan...The Roots...reviews/deeper dives to follow. Signed up for Netflix, so some movie posts forthcoming as well. New Dr. Who series from the Beeb started showing on Sci-Fi last nite...but Comcast moved the channel to the digital package and Mrs. El doesn't want to spend the $ to upgrade quite yet. I'm hearing good things and it's got Daleks...can't go wrong there yo. I'm pretty close to having 'Son of Mix Tape Manifesto' under wraps as well. So, until then, be good and PEACE!

Little baby goes...woo! (all night long)

As I still can't quite put the whole fatherhood thing into coherent thought quite yet, here's some more pics...being posted after a whopping 1 hour of sleep. Woo indeed.

I will say this...being a Dad is the hardest job i've ever had, but i'll be damned if it isn't also the most fullfilling. They change a little bit every day, in some of the most amazing ways...more alert, stronger, vocal and (when we're lucky) smiley. So blessed.

Heyyyyyyy, Brother.

Logan Wolf Dunham and Owen Anderson Dunham. Yep, i'm a poppa. More to come...

LIGHTHEADED

'Wrong Way'

For me, made obvious by the numerous shout-outs in previous posts, 2005 was all about Portland, Oregon DJ/MC/Producer OhMega Watts. His solo joint ('The Find') received regular rotation and his work w/ other West Coast indie hip-hop artists (Giant Panda, Time Machine, People Under the Stairs, Etc.), rekindled my love affair w/ the genre in a big way. So, I was stoked to see that TRES Records would be releasing a new album from OhMega's crew: Light Headed.

Light Headed is comprised of MC's OhMega, Othello and Braille w/ a revolving cast of DJ's. I got my first listen to the entire group via the killer tracks 'That Sound' and 'Long Ago' (OhMegha and Othello) on 'The Find'. The trademark OhMega production/composition runs rampant over all but three or four of the tracks, a sound that bobs a head to the Old School/Golden Era where the soul and funk is so thick you could sop it up w/ a biscuit. Additional DJ/production work is provided by DJ Bombay, Rob Swift and Muneshine and holds up as well. Seriously, one listen to the floor-rockers 'Timeless' and 'Soul Power' and you'll see what I mean.

Even more of a pleasant surprise...the lyricism and mic skills on display, especially from Othello and Braille. They flow like liquid and come confident w/out the tired braggadocio most would associate w/ hip hop today. Actually, there may be a little bragging going on, but it's not about their cars or bankrolls...it's about both their skills and faith. Yeah...THAT kind of faith, but they never come off preachy and use it as fuel for positivity. In fact, you may not even realize you're being taken to (Sunday) school until a few listens...but, again, it never polarizes and excludes those who aren't of the same beliefs. Regardless, mad skills all the way around.

Tres Record's less-than-major-label distribtuion may mean you need to order online or head to either your local indie store or Tower Records. You could also wait until it hits iTunes (they do have some albums up in there), but no clue when that'll be. No clips to be found, but you can check the promo vid featuring 'Soul Power' below:

Alive and Kicking

As i've been busy w/ insurance customer service lines, doctor visits, hospital stays, baby showers, housework and regular work...obviously posting up hasn't been a priority. I'll just be Reader's Digest and say that EVERYBODY is doing okay. The closest thing to news would be that Mrs. Famous is home on light bedrest and that we will likely be parents well before the original March 16 due-date they gave us at the beginning. She's chilling out and keeping the boys cooking for as long as she can, but average term for twins is 35-36 weeks...we're at 34. Zoiks! Anyhow, the next post you read may be about us having our babies...if you're the praying type, please put in a good word and if you're not, cross your fingers or chase down a rabbit to rub it's foot. Hopefully, i'll be able to drop the sequel to the last mix before things go all 'goat rodeo' on us...but don't count on it. Gracias!

Friends

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING POST COULD QUALIFY AS THE TYPE OF HEARTFELT BLOGOSPHERE OUTPOURING THAT THE KIDS FROM WHITE CASTLE TO THE NILE ARE CALLING 'EMO'. IF YOU CANNOT READ THE 'EMO' WITHOUT 'TOSSING YOUR COOKIES' OR 'POPPING A CAP IN SOMEBODY'S ASS' (AS THE KIDS ALSO SAY)...PLEASE STOP HERE AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT INANE RAMBLING ABOUT BIG DADDY KANE, THE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT TENNIS SHOES, ROBOTS OR WHY NETFLIX CARRIES NONE OF THE COLLECTED WORKS OF ONE MR. RUSS MEYER.

I've got some of the best a guy could ask for. We've never danced w/ umbrellas around a fountain and nobody ever went out and copied our haircuts (which, if you saw us in high school or college even, would make complete sense). I've known them forever (or at least kindergarten) and we can go for days, months, years with out talking to each other and then...when we do get a chance to get together...it's like no time has passed. It's amazing really and I feel blessed.

I'm blessed to have the type of friends that you don't think twice about hopping on a plane to w/ a day's notice to be with them in a time of need...because you know they'd do the same for you. I'm blessed to have the type of friends that can make taking said journey with a cathartic experience that YOU needed on the cusp of life-changing events. I'm blessed to have the type of friends that can make sitting in a nearly deserted bar in Prescott, AZ...on the eve of one of the toughest days one of them will ever experience...the best 2-3 hours you've all had in a long time, using only the three of you, a couple of pints and a Tesla song on the jukebox to make it happen.

Outside of my wife (truly my best friend in the entire universe), i'm lucky to have a small group of truly amazing people I can all call 'best' friends. All of us very different, but the same in just as many ways. Constantly rooting each other on in whatever race the other has decided to enter and helping to pick the other up when they feel like they can't make it to the end. Full of advice or silence, when you really just want somebody to listen. Most importantly, the ability to make the other laugh...even when they feel it's the last thing on earth they want to do.

To two of the best friends...brothers...one could ask for: Kev, Kory...dudes, god bless you both and thanks for ALWAYS being there. Life will place many challenges ahead of us, but we can face them all (or as Mr. Jovi once said: 'ROCK them all') knowing you always have the others to carry you through them. Muchos...MUCHOS...gracias. Peace.

Hummin'... Comin' atcha...

So, every year for x-mas I make my brother a mix CD and (as mentioned in the previous post) i've really been on a major hip-hop binge over the past few months. Thusly, this year's mix turned into a non-stop hip-hop joint and (honestly) is one my most favorite mixes i've ever done. It's a combination of both old school and some new (albeit more undergound/indie) shit i've some into...the results were actually pretty damn fresh. In other words, you could rock a party w/ it for at least an hour if need be. So, for a limited time, you can DL it right here:

MIX TAPE MANIFESTO

TRACKLIST:

INTRO (These R Sounds) - Mista Rogers

This Is A Recording 4 Living In A Fulltime Era (L.I.F.E.) - De La Soul

Diggin' In The Tapes - Giant Panda

Flava in Ya Ear - Craig Mack

Make Some Noise - Edo G & Masta Ace

How Ya Like Me Now - Kool Moe Dee

That Sound - OhMega Watts (Featuring Lightheaded, The Procussions & Noelle of the Rebirth)

Treat 'em Right - Chubb Rock

Energy Drink - Ugly Duckling

Freak Out - 9:15 & Jaysonic

Jimmy James - The Beastie Boys

Nitty Gritty - KMD

Deep Down and Dirty - Stereo MC's

Don't Believe The Sensorair - DJ Pantshead vs. Cabaret Voltaire vs. Public Enemy vs. Air vs. Pharcyde

Follow the Leader - Eric B & Rakim

Sum Of Us - Jurassic 5

You Gots to Chill - EPMD

Breakfast Club - Z-TRIP

Ogre - Fingathing

Matter Transporter - Time Machine

Hope you enjoy it and if anything grabs you, please support the artists featured by purchasing their album or single from iTunes or whatever. I'm not looking to take food off of people's tables, but I am looking to turn people on to new sounds. Word.

P.S. As i'm on a roll, keep checking in...'SON OF Mix Tape Manifesto' is already almost complete and is proving to be a worthy follow up. Peace.

THE AMBFAD 'BEST OF 2005'

That's right kids, it's time for the inevitable 'Best of' list...encapsulating the best music that 2005 had to offer (or at least what I heard of it anyways). 2005 was a decent year for music, one that found me fall back in love w/ hip hop upon discovering there is still some great shit out there being put on wax (see #1 and #3). The #2 pick on this year's list saw the return of some badass power pop from one of Canada's finest supergroups and new albums from some indie stalwarts made the list as well. So, without further ado, here's my favorite albums of the past year:

1. 'FLY SCHOOL REUNION' - GIANT PANDA

This one came from out of nowhere to grab the top spot w/in the final couple of weeks of 2005. Some righteous hip hop from the Left Coast, GP delivered an album chock full of great beats, fun rhymes and the best ode to the mix tape i've ever heard. Great stuff.

2. 'TWIN CINEMA' - NEW PORNOGRAPHERS

I gave a shout out to this one earlier in the year. Finely crafted power pop from Canadian indie darling Carl Newman, Dan Bejar, Neko Case and crew. Just as solid of an effort as their previous release, 'Electric Version' and sweet sounding from cover to cover.

3. 'THE FIND' - OHMEGA WATTS

This disc didn't leave my car stereo for almost a month and I gave a full download in a previous post. Positive lyrics that take you back to the Golden Era of hip hop, laid down over fresh beats and instrumentals constructed by the Portland-based producer/DJ/MC. Big ups.

4. 'THE GREAT DESTROYER' - LOW

My first introduction to Minnesota's LOW was a doozy. Contrasting styles ranging from stark melencholy to feedback drenched walls of sound...and that's often just within one song. A completely engaging listen, creepy and beautiful in the same breath.

5. 'DESCENDED LIKE VULTURES' - ROGUE WAVE

As I wasn't a huge fan of their debut or the performance I caught when they opened for A.C. Newman last year, this one was a pleasant surprise. Up-tempo rockers and polished balladry coexist in a wonderfully produced shiney package.

6. 'BEFORE THE DAWN HEALS US' - M83

Much like the previous effort, this album played out as a synth-laden soundtrack to a movie that didn't exist...but if it did, would likely be a cool one. Orchestral and layered, sometimes shining and sometimes frantic/frightening. Whatever the mood of each individual track, a cool listen in it's entirety.

7. 'GUERO' - BECK

A return to the multi-genre stew of 'Odelay' and in complete contrast to the folky 'Sea Change', Beck dropped one hell of a fun album on us in 2005. Sample-based upbeat sonic collages that ran the gambit style-wise, a fine return to form. Check out the remix album, 'Guerolito', as well.

8. 'ILLINOIS' - SUFJAN STEVENS

The second submission in his ambitious project to release a musical companion for all 50 states. 'Illinois' is rife w/ wonderful compostions that may not be too in depth lyrically relative to the state it's covering, but tunes like 'Chicago' have a sound steeped in optimism and make for a pleasant audio experience.

9. 'GIMME FICTION' - SPOON

One of my favortie elder statesmen of indie rock, Britt Daniels and company released a critic's favorite that received a lot of music press. Angular and interesting as ever, they released much better...but relative to other releases, still deserved of an appearance in my list.

10. 'DIOS (MALOS)' - DIOS (MALOS)

The purveyors of a sound that brings to mind the bastard son of Brian Wilson and Grandaddy (raised by the Pixies), the boys from Hawthorne, CA released another fantsatic collection of spacey psychadelic folk rock. More uptempo in spots than their debut, this disc was a great sophmore follow-up.

There you are. It should be noted there is a massive list of 'Hornorable Mentions' that deserve your attention as well (Eels, Pernice Brothers, Time Machine, etc.)...but I don't have a Jan Wenner-sized writing staff to do an organized list of 25 ot 50. Just go back through the archives and see if anything hits you. Anyhow, again, Happy New Year...may 2006 bring us audio goodness worthy of another list come next time. PEACE!