Clairy

From the upcoming album "Dark Comedy," available June 10th from Mello Music Group.

ABOUT THE ALBUM:
One famous Oscar Wilde aphorism claimed: “if you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise, they’ll kill you.” Open Mike Eagle lacks the capacity to tell anything but the truth. In a nation that prizes self-aggrandizing buffoons and artful liars, morbid humor might be the sanest response—a tourniquet to stop the toxicity from spreading. 

If this sounds heavy, it’s probably because it is. Dark Comedy, the Mello Music debut from the critically revered Los Angeles rapper, is mostly about the failure of Karl Marx’s Proletariat Revolution. Yet its brilliance stems less from the novelty of its ideas than from the ingenuity of its wordplay, its caustic whimsy, and infectious melodies. 

Opening track “Dark Comedy Morning Show” operates as a shorthand manifesto. For those who haven’t heard, Eagle’s bad at sarcasm, so he works in absurdity (when trying not to wish death on the upper class). The airing of grievances includes racial stereotypes, inner-city warfare and Facebook logging all of his favorite sandwiches. It’s Slug’s “Modern Man’s Hustle” if the Atmosophere frontman had been haunted by James Baldwin’s ghost instead of heavily tattooed exes. 

Lead single “Qualifiers” finds Eagle subverting the notions of traditional rap braggadocio and lyrical terrain. His revolution isn’t just some abstract political ideals, but at the crux of his approach to art. This is intended to dump Coconut Water and whiskey on the unsuspecting heads of those with false ideas of authenticity or what rap should be.  

Lest you mistake him for a meditating yoga-panted rapper, the rapper raised on the Southside of Chicago, wields wordplay as sharp and weird as any of his peers. He proclaims himself “the King of all rappers who don’t condone date rape.” Molotov Cocktails are helpfully tossed from fellow conspirators Kool AD and comedian, Hannibal Burress.

Former hockey star Luc Robataille is rhymed with the Kobra Kai Dojo from Karate Kid. In the same breath, Eagle cracks about being too old to die. It’s absurdity in the sense that Joseph Heller deployed it in Catch 22. He will live forever or die in the attempt. 

If you’re just tuning into Eagle’s stellar career on album number four, the LA Weekly anointed him last year as the hottest thing in indie rap. Pitchfork called him a “whiz with matching easy-going hooks to intimate personal reflection.” But Dark Comedy could be the best thing he’s ever done—a record that captures the perennial struggle between art and commerce, the last half-century of widening class rift, and the need to be funny or die. 


Open Mike Eagle - Dark Comedy Morning Show (feat. Toy Light)

It's been an incredible year for Open Mike Eagle, first he signed a multi-album deal with Mello Music Group, then he released the critically acclaimed album "Dark Comedy," and after months of touring North America, he is off for his first ever European Tour.  Oh, and he has an incredible new podcast called "Secret Skin" that is on the Infinite Guests network of American Public Media.  Here's an end of the year reminder of why he should be on you radar: Late Show, produced by Exile, starring Open Mike Eagle (side note, this will appear on the annual Mello Music Group compilation out in early 2015).

Open Mike Eagle - "Dark Comedy Late Show" (prod. Exile)

from the upcoming "A Special Episode of" - EP (2/3)
prod. by lo-phi / mastered by Brian "Big Bass" Gardner


Open Mike Eagle - Raps For When It's Just You And The Abyss

from the new Open Mike Eagle "A Special Episode of - EP"
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/a-special-episode-ep/id961827159

produced by GOLD PANDA
vocals by OPEN MIKE EAGLE

"Sounds Beautiful Like The Truth"
Mello Music Group, 2015

Open Mike Eagle feat. Gold Panda - "Ziggy Starfish (Anti-Anxiety Raps)

Theme: Political corruption and greed.
Angular, rhythmically complex prog piece — guitars stabbing like accusations.
Lyrically addresses leaders who build empires of lies while the planet burns beneath their feet.
Emotion: Rage and betrayal.


The Architects of Nothing

Open Mike Eagle and Serengeti are Cavanaugh.

produced by Open Mike Eagle
vocals by Open Mike Eagle & Serengeti

Today, Stereogum has premiered "Typecast," the latest from Cavanaugh, Open Mike Eagle and Serengeti's new group.  The track features verses from P.O.S, Busdriver and Hemlock Ernst (Sam Herring from Future Islands).  http://www.stereogum.com/1844458/cavanaugh-typecast-feat-p-o-s-hemlock-ernst-busdriver-stereogum-premiere/mp3s/

Though Serengeti and Mike Eagle have known each other for many years and went to Southern Illinois University together, Cavanaugh is their first fully collaborative project.  It's also the first album that Mike has produced in its entirety.  Their debut album, Time and Materials is available at midnight- order now. http://geni.us/Cavanaugh


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