Blindsided by brilliance! "No More Bananas" by Infinite Livez (UK Garage I think?)

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Okay, so I'm listening to my 3 CD set of the Project Gotham Racing 2 soundtrack. It's divided into rock, techno, and rap discs. 90 percent of it is crap that sounds like they could license for free from unknown bands (altough Paper Lions were pretty good)....Then....on the final (rap) disc, song six --- BAAAAAMMM!

I am hit whoops upside the head by a tune called "No More Bananas" by Infinite LIvez.

This track is absolutely awesomely bonkers. It's got a repetitive keyboard stab edit, a stutter step (but not in the dirty south or Timbaland way) drumbeat, and a bunch of electronic chitters that sounds like angry Commodore 64 bees swarming. In the chorus, a guy sings in the background that sounds like an acappella ragtime singer 78 being played through a megaphone kinda like the skit on Mr. Show with the guys that sang about inventions threw those cones.

The MC is obviously British, maybe Cockney(?), and is like a wierd, yet unique vers. of off the wall old Redman/Busta Rhymes meets more of a ragga feel....He says stuff like:

"reppin' like a disco biscuit"

"Oh dear/I jump off the stage/backflip inna mosh pit/land on a bloke inna/WHEEL CHAIR!""

"Swoop down like perregrin/FAL-CON – CREST!/you/drama queens/You're not ready for Alex-IS!"

Also, I get alot of pleasure from the chorus, where he says "No more ba-Naaah-nas" mostly for the you say tomahto way he says bananas.

GOOD GOD this is great!! Is this garage (I google and just saw a couple of mentions of some 12 inches from English sites)??

And, Is all UK garage this awesome?? Is this what Dizee Rascal sounds like? If so, I am very excited about garage right now. (Excuse my ignorance but I'm from the midwest US and garage ain't exactly big here)

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 21:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I completely disabled my PGR2 soundtrack except for that one Garmarna song, and replaced it all with Turbonegro and the Strokes and Ludacris. However, I will certainly have to look into this Bananas thing.

Also, whose idea was it to put "Fight Test" on the soundtrack? Midtempo dream-pop Flaming Lips /= powersliding Ferrari music!

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 22:40 (twenty-one years ago)

It appears the Infinite Livez track appears on a Big Dada comp called The Bouncement Revolution. One of the other groups on this comp is called "Killer Appz". I have no idea how to react to that.

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 22:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Hmmm. Garmanara doesn't seem to be on any of the CDs. Neither is Fight Test (prob. too expensive)....It is weird though, the rock CD has a lot of kinda lukewarm midtempo Adult Alternative kinda stuff....not very conducive to going fast down the highway. Also, the techno stuff is pretty boring jazzy MOR stuff.

On the flipside, the Need for Speed Underground soundtrack has Get Low by Lil John, 24s by TI, and a good fast Rancid song....that's more like it!

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 22:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Although, on the rock disc Feel Bad Vibe by Damone reminds me of the Josie and Pussycats soundtrack, which is a good thing.

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 23:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Anyhow, this isn't garage. It's just goofy as fuck. And double-exclamation-point great!!

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Thursday, 4 December 2003 00:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Really? I know zip-zero-stingy-wit-dinero about garage...I guess whenever I hear someone British rapping I think it's garage (or two-step if that's the same thing)....but I suppose there is just regular british rap, wierd in this case.

DIdn't I tell you, though? Man, this song is ruling my life right now!

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Thursday, 4 December 2003 00:04 (twenty-one years ago)

It's British rap Matt, although very dancehall/garage influenced as a lot of the "bouncement" stuff on Big Dada is. The (very good) Big Dada comp it's on is actually called "Extra Yard". It's a fantastic track though! Definitely one of my favourites from that album. I love it when he snarls "I should bloody Coco!!" Does the version you have contain the skit at the beginning with the psycho monkey?

Dizzee Rascal isn't *too* far from this sort of stuff, but closer to the mark are people like Rodney P (check "Trouble") Fallacy (check "The Groundbreaker" or "Big'n'Bashy"), and occasionally New Flesh (check "Lie Low", "More Fire" and "Stick & Move" but avoid their albums).

Another good comp is one Plus One from the Scratch Perverts put together which was one disc UK hip hop and one disc drum & bass, but I can't remember what it was called off the top of my head.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Thursday, 4 December 2003 03:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Check out Dizzee though! "No More Bananas" esp. benefits from being so close to the kind of stuff he does. He's usually darker and angrier, but on his lighter moments like "Jus A Rascal" and "Seems 2 Be" and "Jus' A Rascal" he's similarly effervescent and hilarious.

Kano's another good garage rapper in this regard - see "Boys Luv Girls".

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Thursday, 4 December 2003 03:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey Tim, thanks very much for the info. I must track down that Big Dada comp (this soundtrack vers. of No More Bananas doesn't have the intro and also scratches out the swear words, which is annoying.)

Yes, yes, this is very exciting. I'm going to check out a bunch of stuff you mentioned. Also, I'll probably get Dizee when if comes out here in the US (if it's not already)....I'm now feeling kinda ashamed that I have always been so skeptical of British rap, having only heard one song by Derek B, one song by The Streets (which I don't "get" I guess), and saw a video for So Solid Crew when I was in London that sampled the Knight Rider theme that I thought was kinda boring.....but this stuff sounds super interesting and fun.

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Thursday, 4 December 2003 04:23 (twenty-one years ago)

but on his lighter moments like "Jus A Rascal" and "Seems 2 Be" and "Jus' A Rascal"

Apostrophe = REEEEEEEEEMIIIIIIIIIIIIIX!

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Thursday, 4 December 2003 04:34 (twenty-one years ago)

nate is the group called killer appz or the track? because if its the track from extra yard then that's a muderer!

― fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 4 December 2003 04:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Ha ha sorry one of those tracks was supposed to be "Fix Up Look Sharp"

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Thursday, 4 December 2003 05:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Oops, yeah, that's the name of the track. And the person sharing it is offline. FUKR

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Thursday, 4 December 2003 05:51 (twenty-one years ago)

The Bouncement Revolution = Extra Yard. Hooray!

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Thursday, 4 December 2003 05:52 (twenty-one years ago)

extra yard is killa, esp. killer apps. there's this infinite livez tune where he's fessing his love for my little ponies over trademark big dada bass wibbles - i think it's called pononee girl, worth tracking down.

― nebbesh (nebbesh), Thursday, 4 December 2003 09:43 (twenty-one years ago)

two months pass...

Shameless revival!

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Thursday, 26 February 2004 09:03 (twenty-one years ago)

haha, what are you doing up?

― mullygrubber (gaz), Thursday, 26 February 2004 09:10 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

god i'm getting so tired of getting compared to dizzee......"oh well". still thanks for the big ups, if you got any questions just send me a mail.....

peace mr livez

― infinite livez, Thursday, 1 April 2004 17:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Mr Livez do you have an album coming out any time soon?

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Thursday, 1 April 2004 23:58 (twenty-one years ago)

killer appz is a great track!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 2 April 2004 00:02 (twenty-one years ago)

god i haven't listened to this comp in six months. it is going on now.

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 2 April 2004 00:10 (twenty-one years ago)

me neither! more, even, it feels like more than a year

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 2 April 2004 00:11 (twenty-one years ago)

i remember the one ty track ("we don't care"?) as being crazy fantastic with nice sublow bass.

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 2 April 2004 00:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah it's a shame Ty's never as good as that track makes him out to be.

But more more more Infinite Livez plz!

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 2 April 2004 00:18 (twenty-one years ago)

me album is due out in mid may, it's called "bush meat" and you can find out more info by going to the following sites.

www.infinitelivez.com
www.bigdada.com
www.camshot.co.uk
www.shadowless.com

peace inf'livez a.k.a gandhi warhol a.k.a daley floss a.k.a bill from bow a.k.a not dizzee rascal

― infinite livez, Friday, 2 April 2004 08:26 (twenty-one years ago)

me album is due out in mid may, it's called "bush meat" and you can find out more info by going to the following sites.

www.infinitelivez.com
www.bigdada.com
www.camshot.co.uk
www.shadowless.com

peace inf'livez a.k.a gandhi warhol a.k.a daley floss a.k.a bill from bow a.k.a not dizzee rascal.

― infinite livez, Friday, 2 April 2004 08:27 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

Revive! As mentioned elsewhere, I have a vaguely personal interest (*namedrop alert*) in this record and thus hope for it to do very well. But that said, what do people think of Bush Meat? (and 5t3v3n, if you're reading - check your email).

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Is it out yet?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:47 (twenty-one years ago)

No, next month maybe?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:50 (twenty-one years ago)

i quite like it!

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:53 (twenty-one years ago)

i seem to have a weakness for one keeerazy afro-futurist video game noise melting-tapes rap album every two years or so

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I hope it's good. I was pleasantly suprised with Extra Yard when I finally got around to picking it up. Obv though he will have to compete with Wiley as the next big thing of brit-hop (or whatevah the hell this stuff is called these days.)

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:54 (twenty-one years ago)

2000 - mike ladd
2001 - can oz
2002 - n/a
2003 - n/a
2004 - infinite livez

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I think his delivery is very different to a lot of other grime/hip hop MCs, though. Would it be a stretch to call him the UK Redman?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the Antipop Consortium EP from 2002. I don't think I was into anything from 2003 either though.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:56 (twenty-one years ago)

oh yeah i liked that anti-pop ep too. i liked the album a lot in 2000, too, if i remember correctly, so that's two then.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Are any of the New Flesh LPs any good?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 22:02 (twenty-one years ago)

i've never heard them. too much of this stuff and i start to feel a little too kevin martin/wordsound/dalek/indie guy who only like "noisy" rap

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 22:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Hahaha my favorite bit in The Wire from the past couple of years was Mike Patton talking about how after Bazerk, Bazerk, Bazerk he kind of tuned out rap music until Wordsound came along.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 22:07 (twenty-one years ago)

haha i saw bazerk, bazerk, bazerk in a store a while back and thought it was a mick collins record for a second

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Hahaha that cover is totally misleading. I wonder if anyone was fooled for real (probably not since I think Mike Patton and maybe a dozen other folks actually bought it.)

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:20 (twenty-one years ago)

man Son of Bazerk rules...my experiences with Wordsound went less well.

Did you guys ever hear 2 Hawd Gangxta Rappahs Wid Gahtz?

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Unfortunately, I have.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:31 (twenty-one years ago)

it sux...the only good thing about it is the best parody of college radio DJs I've ever heard (DJ Jesse.com who does the sometimes funny between-songs interview skits), other than that it's pretty grating.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Was Sensational on Wordsound, too? Man I bit on that bullshit as well....

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I have a bunch of random records from Wordsound (which I got mostly for a buck or two) and a lot of them are quite good in that goth-y dubby hip hop claustrophobic kind of way. But unless this is completely your bad, really all anyone needs to hear is the Prince Paul rekkid and maybe one or two of the Crooklyn Dub things.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Sensational was/is Wordsound. I don't know how anyone could tolerate a whole album of that guy.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I have loaded with power...man it is a big incoherant fucking mess....dude's enunciation makes 50 Cent sound like Chino XL or something...

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:46 (twenty-one years ago)

oh man, sensational. god, did the wire (non-peter shapiro division) champion ANY good rap?

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Are you sure Shapiro wasn't the Wire guy who championed Sensational!?!?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:50 (twenty-one years ago)

haha no no

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha I'm not sure I believe you. I know Shapiro was a big Wordsound fan.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:53 (twenty-one years ago)

i heard infinite livez. I was not digging it.

― djdee2005, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:54 (twenty-one years ago)

haha look i'm not gonna hate on shapiro because he went a little tooo indie for me circa puffy

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Gotchya.

What did you not like, dee?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 23:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't bother with the second New Flesh album if you can find a way to get "Stick & Move", "Lie Low" and esp. "More Fire" - the rest is fairly boring. Haven't heard the first one though.

I think there's a remix of "More Fire" on Extra Yard, right? I can't remember b/c someone stole my copy!

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Thursday, 20 May 2004 00:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah there is.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 20 May 2004 00:02 (twenty-one years ago)

What did you not like, dee?

I donno, I only heard the promo once, but it just seemed so over-the-top. I should give it another chance i suppose.

― djdee2005, Thursday, 20 May 2004 00:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Ha ha if you don't like over-the-top then Infinite Livez is definitely not for you!

"I SHOULD BLOODY COCO!!!"

mind you I've still yet to hear anything other than "No More Bananas".

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Thursday, 20 May 2004 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

haha well there's a track about him not being able to stop lactating, so erm, yeah

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 20 May 2004 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Move over Mike Skinner, the "common man" has a new voice.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Thursday, 20 May 2004 01:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Ha ha if you don't like over-the-top then Infinite Livez is definitely not for you!

erm I like over-the-top when it entertains me to listen to i.e. Andrew WK Junior Senior etc. This was just sorta vaguely annoying.

Yeah the lactating song was when i just shut the CD off.

― djdee2005, Thursday, 20 May 2004 07:12 (twenty-one years ago)

inf livez new "lactating man" video

http://www.ninjatune.net/videos/video.php?type=ra&id=68
(real player)

http://www.ninjatune.net/videos/video.php?type=qt&id=68 (quicktime)

― tron, Friday, 21 May 2004 15:09 (twenty-one years ago)

IL made a good record with Blufoot last year, but it wasn't as good as the record Blufoot made with Mystro the year before.

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 21 May 2004 15:13 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm really frustrated. i really like his voice and the sound of this record but the silliness is just irksome and for me, renders the record unlistenable as a whole.

― myke boomnoise (myke boomnoise), Friday, 21 May 2004 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

two weeks pass...

Okay, I've been listening to "Bush Meat" for a week now. The production is inspired, the rapping is cool, the lyrics are mostly good... I can even handle the general silliness of the production work and the tedious interludes, but why oh why does Mr. Livez try to sing on most tracks? It sounds awful, and even if it's meant sound that way, it's still awful. The best tracks on the LP are the ones where he doesn't sing, like "Claati Bros" or "Tek Fi Joke". The only track where the singing is OK is "The Lactating Man". It's a pity, without the singing and the skits this would've been a great record, now it's only half-great.

Also, minus points for the most unnecessary hidden track I've heard in ages. And you have to fast forward 20 minutes to hear it!

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Thursday, 10 June 2004 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

is silly the new good?

― broken twig, Tuesday, 20 July 2004 22:30 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

new album, 'art brut fe de yoot', out soon - a collaboration with Stade. and its very very fine.

― i am not a nugget (stevie), Sunday, 14 January 2007 18:01 (eighteen years ago)

Does he sing on it?

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Sunday, 14 January 2007 23:31 (eighteen years ago)

Oh good. I wondered what had happened to him - Bush Meat is a terrific (though sadly undersold) album.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 15 January 2007 08:03 (eighteen years ago)

tuomas - yes he does, and its GLORIOUS

― i am not a nugget (stevie), Monday, 15 January 2007 10:57 (eighteen years ago)

posted too soon
Marcello - i think you may love it. at the moment it feels like the More Specials to Bush Meat's Specials.

― i am not a nugget (stevie), Monday, 15 January 2007 10:58 (eighteen years ago)

Ah, thanks for the warning. I won't probably be buying this then, unless his singing abilities have magically gotten 10 times better.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 15 January 2007 12:44 (eighteen years ago)

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