Kid Koala presents: THE STEW

This is technically not a CD review but it's so good I couldn't let it go unwritten.
I caught word of it through semi-daily emails I get from Terrorbird (thanks to my other blog Today In Art Class. I'm not sure how many times I'm able to log in and listen to it...but here are the link and password, if you feel so inclined! Which you bloody well should!
Click here!
and type in: XtVz38Om

Kid Koala presents: THE STEW
100%

This is a one off in every sense of the word. A one-time collaboration between Kid Koala, Dynomite D (Dylan J. Frombach) and Chris Ross and Myles Heskett of Wolfmother fame. A one-time tour of a 70 minute set featuring six (!!!) turntables, bass, drums and keys. A one-time, explosive, hard-hitting, all encompassing ride through every genre and instrument at sound-barrier-breaking speed.
But let's start at the beginning. Koala and Dynomite had been asked to score a documentary film and after that project was canned, they played some samples for Ross and Heskett. Next thing you know, the four of them are planning a tour and maybe, if we all pray super hard, an eventual album release.
But thank god there's digital tracks! 100% is way too good to have gone unheard.
Kid Koala has long been known for his incendiary turntable skills and when partnered up with Dynomite D, who has collaborated with the Beastie Boys (among others) and the lo-fi fuzz of the former Wolfmother rhythm section...well....it's like capturing the sound of all hell breaking loose and the devil partying on top of Mount Fuji.
Seriously. This album is badass.
Opening with title track "100%," Koala and Dynomite are audibly all over their turntables, bringing in earth-shattering soul sound bytes and impeccable drops and scratches, while Ross and Heskett layer shred after shred on the guitar.
The notion of the devil making an Earthly appearance for a good ol' volcano-top party becomes even more apparent at the close of the disc with "Battle of Heaven and Hell." The longest track on 100% has the perfect amount of drum-solo build-up, eventually exploding into all out deep and driving turntable warfare complete with records being spun backwards into "satanic subliminal messages."
What in god's name was this documentary about? Maybe one day we'll be able to answer that, but for now, it's the devil rocking out on a volcano.

The tour kicks off in September and while the foursome won't be making it to Calgary, there is a stop in Vancouver on the 23rd.
If you're lucky enough to see it...I hope you can feel my jealousy radiating from here.