HIDDEN GEMS
Crime | San Francisco’s Still Doomed
I’ve come to think of Crime as such classic punk that I forget many people may not know about them…but you should! Crime was a brutal punk band from San Francisco that wore cop outfits and recorded quick abrasive songs like “Piss On Your Dog,” and “I Stupid Anyway.” Johnny Strike, Frankie Fix and the gang released their first single, “Hot Wire My Heart” in 1976, (yes, the one Sonic Youth covered) but never received the same level of attention as their New York contemporaries. Their surface level crudeness was paired with funny lyrics and a discordant take on R&B grease that made so much ’70s punk so satisfying, and it feels more dangerous than, say, The Ramones. If you ever thought the West Coast was too soft, maybe you should check out this footage from Crime’s show at San Quentin Maximum Security Prison. (For video go to “Piss On Your Dog.)
by Erin Sheehy

Toumani Diabate | Kaira
At a jazz concert I once heard someone play the kora, a 21 string Malian harp, and I was so moved by the incredible tone coming from it’s strings, that immediately upon returning home I researched the instrument. That research encouraged me to buy Toumani Diabate’s album, Kaira, the first ever solo recording of the kora. Toumani comes from a lineage of kora playing griots that dates back 71 generations, and while his music may sound traditional, he has cited rock icons like Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin as major influences. This makes complete sense, because the improvisation displayed on this disc is absolutely incredible. Kaira is hands down the most soothing and beautiful album I own. Watch this video for more on Toumani and the kora.
by Matt Moretti
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