Van Hunt played Apache Café Friday and Saturday, July 3 and 4. Reader-shot photo submitted to CL’s You Shoot by one | two aka gudrun. Peep more of her Van Hunt photos on flickr.
CL’s Photos & Video page.
Van Hunt doesn’t sound like himself.
Last year, he admits, he was devastated after Blue Note/EMI decided against releasing his untamed third album, Popular. In hindsight, however, Hunt suggests that given the opportunity to do it over, he would’ve tempered the characteristic defiance that’s come to define his bitches brew.
“I think I would have made a different record,” he says. “I don’t think I understood that they wanted a particular sound. It wasn’t like it was a foreign sound to my artistry. It was just one part of what I do. I think I could have made a record that would have made them more comfortable doing what they do — which is sell records.”
Continue reading “Van Hunt takes the Emergency exit after Blue Note’s blowjob”
(Photo by Big Hassle)
A message simply titled “the new-ness” accompanies six new songs unceremoniously posted on Van Hunt’s MySpace page today — for a limited time only:
While i await the fate of my new record, i decided to let ya’ll hear some things that will not appear on the new record. i like the ideas presented here, but, they will probably not see the light of day for a long time; and i wanted to share them with somebody. it is likely that only musicians will like the sounds. maybe not. either way, they will not be up for long. so, pirates, on your mark, get set, download!
VH
Tracklisting:
1) “War of Northern Aggression”
2) “I Only Want to Conquer You”
3) “Unaffected”
4) “What Comes to Mind”
5) “The Look of Sincere Pleasure”
6) “I Love You, Madly”
All of the songs are very minimalist in structure, with half being instrumental only. Two of the tracks — “War of Northern Aggression,” and “What Comes to Mind,” in particular — almost draw comparisons to jazz pianist/composer Thelonious Monk. While “I Only Want to Conquer You” sounds like the skeleton of a Sly Stone song, circa There’s a Riot Goin’ On or Small Talk.
But mostly, Hunt resembles himself, though these selections sound less like anything he’s previously released. It’s easy to understand why he figures musicians will appreciate the songs most due to the sparseness of the tracks. But perhaps there’s also a hint of modesty hidden in that statement. There’s a purity in these songs that would only be undercut if the bare bones instrumentation was fleshed out further. Still, you can hear the growth and a willingness to explore new turf while remaining true to his center. If this is a sampling of what won’t make the cut, that should signal good things for the final release — for which he offers no proposed dates or details.
If Van Hunt’s e-mail interview with Rodney Carmichael last year was any indication, it seems like there’s no love lost when Van Hunt moved from Atlanta to Los Angeles a few years ago. But many of his fans in the city still have love for him. We were eagerly anticipating the release of his third album, Popular, on Blue Note/EMI today.
It looks like we might have to wait indefinitely. According to a post on Van Hunt’s MySpace page, the album has been shelved. Since he doesn’t currently have rights to the masters, it could potentially never see a legitimate release. It looks like Van Hunt might have to pull a Killer Mike and offer it as a free download — which is a shame, since his work deserves more consideration and respect than an Internet free-for-all bootleg.
Unfortunately, it’s not hard to see why Popular isn’t coming out. EMI just got bought by a private equity firm and is about to lay off 2,000 employees, and it’s suffering defections from its biggest stars. The company increasingly looks like a liquidation/bankruptcy candidate, and isn’t going to waste money on a guy who has never had a hit record. But if anyone deserves Meshell Ndegeocello “favored nation” status — i.e., someone who gets to drop albums despite never going gold or platinum — it’s Van Hunt.
Below is an excerpt from Van Hunt’s MySpace post.
Van Hunt is sorta sly. Not sorta sly as in sorta Sly Stone — though the comparison is often made. Rather, he’s sorta sly as in sorta elusive, sorta intriguing, and very clever.
So I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised a week ago when his label rep said I’d have to settle for an e-mail interview. The plan was to post his responses before his scheduled performance at Sugarhill on Sept. 16. But doing a post-interview gave me the chance to check him out with his new band that night, hear some new material and pinpoint my future wife (his drummer is bad as hell, more on her later).
We also talked, er, e-mailed about his third full-length scheduled for a January release, his switch from Capitol to Blue Note Records and the back story that he sorta regrets revealing in hindsight about his dad formerly being a pimp.
Of all the questions I wish I could’ve followed up with, here’s one I should’ve asked him from jump: Dude, why the e-mail interview?
Look for an expanded Creative Loafing story (no e-mail interviews) on Hunt around January, when his third full-length, Popular, is scheduled for release. In the meantime, you can download his recently released smokin’ digital EP, The Popular Machine from his website, or preview the songs on his MySpace page.
(photo by Clay Patrick McBride)
What other three cities have you played warm-up shows in? Did the Atlanta show at Sugarhill feel like a homecoming since you were based here for so long?
we’ve played 3 other warm up shows. but, all were in santa monica, ca. there’s a longer answer to the second question. uhhh, i did not feel like the show yesterday was a homecoming. the crowd was receptive, generous-as atlanta audiences tend to be. but, i have always been on the outside looking IN to the “atlanta music scene.” i have never felt at home in atlanta.
i’ve tried to. i’ve wanted. i’ve said i do. people assume i do. even my band was nervous about playing atlanta because they felt as though this was home for me. but, the show yesterday was just good fun in front of a warm, familiar crowd. (more…)
