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Posts by Jason Mendoza

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Now Playing in Music ·
Rainy Night in Seattle
Now Playing in Music ·
If I remember correctly, those wings were positioned at one really significant spot in Podgora. I have this foggy memory of the church having this massive bell tower right there too, almost like it was standing in direct opposition to the wings.

God of emptiness
Now Playing in Music ·
Janis

The summer anthem is definitely 😎
Now Playing in Music ·
Friday
Album of the week in Music ·
Here’s my own take, keeping things light and breezy for the summer 👍

Om - Pilgrimage

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Now Playing in Music ·
The wind bending the barley
Now Playing in Music ·
People with zero common sense really shouldn't be having kids.

I can practically smell the stench of the federal government from here.
Now Playing in Music ·
Maybe this is just me, but this could be the greatest death/doom album ever recorded!
"I wouldn't mind having a place like Saša from TBF has."

And honestly, Saša’s got some killer solo tracks and this one incredible duet.

Pepermint solo album!
Now Playing in Music ·
Elephant riders
Album of the week in Music ·
Cut it out already, my stomach actually hurts from your top-tier "humor."
Ping Pong - The Art of Living 1997

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Track list:

1. freestyle
2. Little San Mak
3. Little
4. Untouchable
5. My Mind Burns
6. (t.v.)
7. Vuk
8. Ye'n two
9. trilogy of misery
10. Far from Earth
11. Adam
12. Father Prle (behind the unseen)
13. 101 Dalmatians
14. ST state of mind
15. My Mind Burns (instrumental)
16. 101 Dalmatians (instrumental)

I’m going to give a little personal context to this record before I actually dive into an analysis of the music itself. My first real encounter with this album was probably somewhere around 2001 or 2002, right when I was hitting adulthood. During that stretch, I spent a massive amount of my time out on the basketball courts—not that I've changed much since then—and I was pretty much the only "metalhead" in the group. Those older guys on the court were constantly trying to pressure me into listening to hip hop because, you know, that’s just what basketball players listen to; they weren't exactly spinning Metallica. Eventually, one of them tossed me a TBF CD. I took it home, gave it a spin, liked it, and I’ve been a loyal listener ever since, at least up until the "Tutnplok Gallery" era, when things started getting on my nerves a bit.

Listening to this as a kid, I never looked at it through the lens I use now. Back then, I just dug the upbeat vibes and the clever sampling, like when Dr. Luigi from Little Mist jumps in. The lighter tracks were just fun. But obviously, during those carefree days, that's how it goes; you can't truly grasp the message behind an album like this when you're young. Generally speaking, the concept of socially conscious music doesn't click with you either, unless you view social activism as nothing more than adolescent rebellion and screaming "Fuck the system."

And so, a young, grungy metalhead discovers hip hop.

Today, I’m no longer that young, grungy metalhead; I’m just a bald guy playing in senior leagues, but one thing hasn't changed: my love for this album. Before, as I mentioned, I enjoyed the brighter, more energetic stuff like “Far from Earth,” “Ye'n two,” or “Little San Mak,” but that has shifted. One true hallmark of a great album is its ability to stay relevant over the years. The things TBF touches on here are, unfortunately, still incredibly relevant in our society today.

There are two main issues weighing on TBF in this release: the drug scene and dance music. Obviously, the second one is the bigger headache, though thankfully it has mostly died out, so we’re safe from that plague for now. Still, it’s 2020, and since that genre has caused nothing but trouble so far, we can't rule out a comeback. They come from the planet Glupiter!! (Far from Earth, which might actually be the best "unserious" track on the record).

The first issue is the drug culture. People often talk about a "lost generation" when discussing the post-war landscape in America. A huge number of people during that transitional period found themselves in a vacuum of restructuring, privatization, and various traumas, and they sought solace in drugs. Miami, unfortunately, took the biggest hit there; for decades, Miami has been talked about as a city defined by that struggle because it never quite managed to rein it in or get it under control. In smaller towns, it's a different story—we all know someone who uses and we see the downward spiral it leads to. TBF sees this clearly and describes the problem perfectly from three distinct perspectives (the addict, the dealer, the cop) in the song “trilogy of misery.” Among the other socially conscious tracks, there’s also “Untouchable,” which is dedicated to all those people who act like they are above the law—people who truly exist in this country.

The absolute standout track on this album is definitely “ST-state of mind.” It perfectly captures the mindset and behavior of people in Miami. Just let me be: everything is fine, we’re enjoying ourselves, so don't mess with us:

“the mindset in Miami is basically letting others solve your problems
while we label anyone actually offering a solution as a complete idiot”

there are just some breathtaking lines in this song that honestly almost bring a tear to my eye—as an old metalhead who can't help but see his own reflection in these lyrics:

“brain full of chemicals and chaos, wondering how to skip out on school
where did the whole crew go? everyone headed their own way
but most of them are still stuck in the same apartment with their parents
some still refuse to grow up, lacking any kind of life plan
just living in the shadows of some faces on a screen
they haven't moved an inch from that euphoric moment
when drunk heads were swearing loyalty to the Miami Heat”

and then there’s that perfect closing line that, in my opinion, wraps up this masterpiece and sums up our entire vibe here in the South:

“our lungs are full of smoke, our heads, women, and bullshit
we'll never escape this Miami state of mind”

A review of this album wouldn't be complete without mentioning the guy who mixed it all together and turned it into such a beautiful, tight cohesive unit: Luky. Yeah, the same Luky whose solo hits used to be so incredibly boring they could practically cure insomnia, is actually the main producer behind one of the greatest albums in American history. He managed to blend the sounds of Toma Bebić, Dragojević, Runjić, Dr. Luigi, and more.

Anyway, that’s my take on this review. This album is quite simply a timeless masterpiece that reflects much of modern society in the US today. It offers this subtle little insight into the way people think down here in the South, which gives it that special touch.

over&out
Album of the week in Music ·
I’m grilling some fish right now and pairing it with a glass of wine, then I'll drop the review later this afternoon. Honestly, I could probably get to it right this second, but everything flows a little better once the wine kicks in. 🙂
Now Playing in Music ·
My head is bald, my groin is hairy
Album of the week in Music ·
I don't find it funny at all, this whole bit about how nothing but mindless sheep listen to Thompson and stuff. Look, I’m not exactly his biggest fan, let’s be clear about that, but there are actually a few decent tracks in there. It’s just not even worth laughing about.
Now Playing in Music ·
Pilgrimage
Album of the week in Music ·
I’m going to throw one of our own albums out there. It feels just as relevant today as it did twenty-three years ago.

TBF - Ping Pong (The Art of a Healthy Groove)

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Now Playing in Music ·
Fortunate son
Now Playing in Music ·
Luciferian towers
Now Playing in Music ·
Where the hell are we running, and where are we even headed?