The full version of Kanye's "Runaway" is worth a watch. He's working a lot on the new album and this goes to show a lot of work from him.
Even if you're not a Kanye fan, this video should be watch for the first few minutes at least.
Real Life Version by Voxtrot (5028 KB)
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Voxtrot's self-titled is the only album that was released as a full-length and it features some great songs that expand past their EPs, check out the included song to hear what I mean. It's usually not the upbeat-post-punk sound they create on a lot of their tracks.
I never had the chance to review Talib Kweli's album because it's been around for so long but today I was listening to it and I just had to say something about it. The album features so many different artists and it's one that never made it mainstream.
Talib Kweli's amazing at freestyling and his lyrics are just even better when the song's well composed to be on a studio album. The album is somewhat of a conscious hip hop version of a concept album, from topics that most albums skip out on to feature and other aspects of a rapper's life are all included on the album. Eardrum is a reserved insight to the whole world of underground hip hop that's underrated and never played enough.
I've included the song "Listen!!!" which features amazing lyrics, a good beat, and samples that keep you wanting more. Listen!
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The self-titled album really sounds good, this is the last song off the album, check it out.
I don't want to be the source of the downloads but I got some sent to me and I haven't kept up with Kanye's consistent release of friday music but this one's featuring Jay-Z. So holla at that. The leaked album's called The Letter.
Power (Remix) (Feat. Jay - Z) by Kanye West (7279 KB)
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The music I've been listening to lately doesn't really diversify as much as I thought it does. Especially with a whole lot of The Black Keys on my playlists, I've just been too slow to check out the newest album from Kings of Leon. But after listening through it all, I realized one big fat difference, this album takes away a lot of the vocal strength that was present in their previous album, Only By The Night. 
After listening to the whole album, I feel more down about the music than happy to listen to it. It's somewhat disappointing and yet I want to hear it a few more times. Certainly not something I want to do. The energy's stripped out and I can't seem to like it thoroughly. It's somewhat of a mainstream loss, after the big radio and tv exposure that Kings of Leon got, this has suddenly struck them down and they're just in limbo. Come Around Sundown won't be my recommendation for Kings of Leon music, listen to Only By The Night if you want good music, listen to this only if you're ready to think different about their music.
The End by Kings Of Leon (6223 KB)
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Thistle & Weeds by Mumford & Sons (6436 KB)
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Folk rock is a very specific genre if you're a music hungry soul looking for a better song each time. You'll be amazed how many artists suck when they attempt to make their indie band sound a bit folk and more punk. They claim to bring out a new sound, just because of that, I credit them for not learning the basics and attempting something stupid.
In the past whole year, since about August of 2009, I've only heard about three folk albums which are worth listening to. And of course, it includes Fleet Foxes' self-titled album. It's not a common thing to find a great folk rock band and if you think you've found one, they end up being something very short-lived.
Fortunately, the only folk album I've heard this year that's worth getting a positive five stars is Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More. The album is a true folk rock album. The elements are present with debut album excellence. There is a whole thought process that I felt I was going through when I heard the first few songs.
Mumford & Sons' music was recommended to me just a few days ago and when I heard it, I was entertained. I still am listening to the album over and over because of its replay value. A highly well done album that brings sounds of Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, and some more together, the instruments are efficiently balanced.
My favorite and most distinct notice from the whole album is the fact that the vocals sound excruciatingly like Andy Hull's from Manchester Or chestra.
I've included my favorite song from the album. You ought to listen to the whole album and let me know if there's anything you like.
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Rotten Black Root by Andy Hull (8132 KB)
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If you're a fan of Manchester Orchestra's Fourteen Years of Excellence EP, you'll love this song. It has the same tone and of course Andy Hull's solo project Right Away! Great Caption sounds a lot more acoustic and soften up but this is a good demo.
Download it here.
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No Reason by The Band That Doesn't Exist (7700 KB)
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The name of the band is The Band That Doesn't Exist. It's hard to imagine a band that's there but doesn't exist, or not. But their sound is there. It sounds like a complete mix of pop and punk rock. Some times, it slows down, the other it speeds up. The vocals are more understood when you're listening to it through headphones and you're not distracted. Most of them are about traveling, or at least that's how I felt about 'em.
The Open Road is the first album I've heard from the band and it's definitely a good "getting-into-album" for those looking for new music. You don't have to be a fan of punk, pop, rock, or any other genre to like it. It's a solid 3 stars and I can't find it any better for now.
The included song is a bit of everything that's composed together in the album. Consume.
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I've been obsessed with 30 Rock and The Black Keys for the past few days. Yesterday, I just watched 30 Rock's second season on Netflix and the day before I was just listening to The Black Keys. I feel as if my last.fm scrobbles are getting affected by the odd listening patterns I have.
No need to change the subject but the newest/latest record from The Black Keys is just awesome to listen to. There are a few songs I'd like to post but I can't seem to attach more than a few songs on to the post due to posterous. Oh well. Listen to whatever's there.
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Today marks 10 years since Kid A's release. The record has been a favorite of mine for about 2 years so I haven't heard it all this time but I do think it's one of the top 10 from the past decade. Of course, my favorite Radiohead album is In Rainbows, Kid A has some of the best songs I've heard from Radiohead. Including the endlessly amazing song "Treefingers". What's your favorite song from the album?
If you haven't heard most of the album, today would be a great time to listen to it. Radiohead's new album is about to be released as soon as the end of this year, which I highly doubt, most likely around March of 2011 would be the best time-frame.
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I haven't had a chance to listen to a lot of music as of late but I've been pushing a lot of music in my time before sleep and this has come out of necessity to listen so that my old music doesn't drive me crazy. Well, as free music goes, this isn't the first time I've download a full album for free, I've listened a lot of 'em before.
The album is a collection of about 4 different moods or even stages before falling asleep. It's a complete concept album that finishes up by really soft ambience. To experience the full album, you should download it, you don't need to download it you can always stream it as well.
Download it from Bandcame: http://futurerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/13-song-japan-import
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There haven't been many posts posted as of late but I've been listening to a lot of music. To get started, I'll start posting a few good albums which I've heard in the last few weeks. Also, I'm trying out a lot of new genres to stretch out some different points in which I feel comfortable and I think the ability to listen to music using the Hype Machine, 8tracks, last.fm, and even some small blogs, I've been able to accumulate a lot of new "undiscoverable" music because it usually doesn't get much attention on bigger blogs.
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Download it here, free for a limited time:http://www.nullco.com/TSN/
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On 23rd August 2009 a group of Radiohead fans descended on
the Výstavištĕ Holešovice Exhibition Hall in Prague on a mission –
to capture the band playing using as many different angles as possible.
Bringing together the exceptional talents of many contributors,
here is the result.
the Výstavištĕ Holešovice Exhibition Hall in Prague on a mission –
to capture the band playing using as many different angles as possible.
Bringing together the exceptional talents of many contributors,
here is the result.
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Give You More (The Xx Remix) by Sucka Free Cj (6610 KB)
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Check out the song, the instrumental and hook are sampled from the xx.
Find more of his music, here.
Sounds like: wednesday morning.
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Fireman by Lupe Fiasco (3615 KB)
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Since the release of The Cool, Lupe Fiasco has just been building up hype for his next masterpiece, L.A.S.E.R.S which is still due this year. Well, I guess somewhere during this time, he decided to release a mixtape and I just got around to listen to it now. It's insane. For a mixtape it's nothing short of great.
Check out the included song and you can always download it somewhere, here's a link to 2DopeBoyz, go ahead download it. The included song's also called "Yoga Flame."
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Monster Mix 4 (8941 KB)
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After a short hype generated by "Power" Kanye pushes more music to the scene with "Monster."
This one features Jay-Z, Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver), Rick Ross (ew), and Nicki Minaj. It's a pretty balanced song, not the best or the worst song from the album for sure. The others are cool, I'm not sure what Justin's doing on this song. And Nicki Minaj is definitely annoying and so is Rick Ross. So basically, I just dig the song only because of Kanye and Jay.
Download it from Stereogum
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I can't seem to grasp the idea behind local bands only. Something about them just being limited in sound doesn't appeal to me. I often see blogs, sites, and artist groups which are only "local" in the sense that they're similar sounding and are in the same geographical area.
This isn't 1968, you're not limited by distance if you're creating music. If you're looking to collaborate, or even just broadcast your music. With the internet being the primary way for most people to communicate, your music doesn't need anything but a bit of a push for it to go ahead and be stream globally within seconds.
And so this is what puzzles me why I ought to look for only local bands, I do like some local bands but I'd want to stay random in the sense that I don't need to be grounded with one location. And of course, if you're a reader, you can see the genres are also not the same, I'm a fan of a few umbrellas.
Also, being indie and mainstream should not be a factor in your sound, it should just be an illusionary border.
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Stream the mix right here:
It includes Placebo, Nada Surf, Kings of Leon, and some other surprisingly people covering it!
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Most of today, I spent listening to cover songs of the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind". And after at least 25-30 covers, I think I found a good enough cover. Now I can't say any of these covers emulates the original enough to the point where I'd prefer the cover over the original. I'm going to go ahead and collect these covers and make an 8tracks playlist. Check out this cover by Paul Nagi, sounds very good!
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Fuck You by Cee - Lo Green (3531 KB)
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I'm sure everyone's heard this song at least once in the past week. It's a bit of a moody song. I don't like it at all even though Cee-Lo Green's vocals are amazing, the lyrical content isn't what I'm into these days. I mean, if I wanted to hear that many "fucks" in one song, I'd be listening to more rap music. Either the song's just a hype for Lady Killer or Cee-Lo was just bored, this definitely isn't Gnarls Barkley status at all.
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Go To Sleep by Lupe Fiasco (8554 KB)
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Features a sound more like The Cool.
"Go To Sleep" by Lupe Fiasco Posted via email from Usmanity
Just released on MTV. Check it out
http://www.mtv.com/videos/spoon/20120/the-way-we-get-by.jhtml Posted via email from Usmanity
The Rap Map is a mashup of Google Maps and rap history. The history is actually a collaborative effort by users that can submit locations with stories or important rap or rapper related buildings. 
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These guys are fairly new, being a pop-indie band that's been around since mid-2009. I've been listening to some music by them and this song's available as a free download so check it out. I just recently heard their self-titled album The Drums.
Download it from the link below:
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You can download it for free (donations are recommended)
http://omardigital.rodriguezlopezproductions.com/album/omar-rodriguez-lopez-john-frusciante
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This haunting record from Black Sabbath really made Paranoid one of my favorite albums. This is an awesome visualization of the song:
"Planet Caravan" by Black Sabbath
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Rococo by Arcade Fire (9905 KB)
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With their loyal following in the indie music scene, I've been recommended Arcade Fire multiple times. Their music has come up in my radar from time to time. But until now, I never sat down and just listened to a whole album by them.
They certainly aren't a new band and their sound is what I think of when I think of indie music. The Suburbs is an album about just that, the suburbs. It presents a feel that's only present if you're familiar with suburban life. It certainly isn't an album I've been craving or waiting for. There are songs you'll find that are easy to connect with. There is a whole phase in the album that feels like it's your summer soundtrack, but forget that (if you're ready to) they've packed the album with some cool end-of-the-summer music as well.
The album really didn't hit me in any way, it played through smoothly yet didn't ask for replays or I didn't feel like I should be listening to it again. What did you think?
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His self-titled album was released just last year but I haven't heard anyone else talk about him. Personally, I enjoyed his whole album.
"A Community Service Announcement" by Jonathan Boulet
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Jennasea by The Morning Of (7898 KB)
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The best experiences are those that come by surprise and often never expected. The better a band's production, the more likely they will sound like a grown up band and maturity is a sign of knowing the industry in some fashion or another. I've heard all songs released on EPs and full-length albums by The Morning Of since their first EP. They're a pop rock band with piano-esque sound and a saturday morning approach to music.
The Way I Fell In is certainly a result of utter surprise. I wasn't anticipating anything from The Morning Of aside from a national tour, which is still expected. It still doesn't register to me that this band is the same one I heard back in 2007. They have a build up process, they start a song with a slower, mellow sound and built it up with guitars and the bass kicking in precisely to elevate the piano from a backing instrument to an overture toward the chorus. "Cobwebs And Cables" reminisces the quickly passing summer along with an emo touch in the lyrics. Eventually, leading into "The Time It Takes To Grow" and becoming an album that will finish up your summer with a lot of memories. It also brings in an additional instrument (a harmonica) for a further folksy sounding production. And if you're familiar with The Morning Of, their unique two-vocalist lyricism is one thing that's very attractive. If they're not able to pull through with both vocalist, the song doesn't make it. And surprisingly both, male and female, vocals sound trained thus far.
Apart from the lyrics hinting toward a good morning, a great yesterday, and an anticipated tomorrow, The Morning Of make the album a twine of lyrics and sound into a sound that's very rare and original in this overtly hipster-fascinated world. There potential is still more than this but this is of course better than their previous records, and at the end of the album, that's what really matter. If improvement isn't present in the album, than it's usually worthless.
If I had to recommend one album for your summer listening, this album would be it. It contains lyrics, sounds, and a feel for a happy and rememberable summer.
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I wrote about The National's latest album awhile ago. This song is a good song off the album, check it out:
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Where Is My Mind (The Pixies Piano Cover) by Maxence Cyrin (2621 KB)
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This piano cover of the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind" is haunting and original. It gives words to a silent movie and gives life to the haunted genre it comes from.
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Just listen to the song and look at the cover, it will trip you out.
Initially, I didn't enjoy the album but it's one moody album I can't get rid of from my library. The cover's for their latest album, Merriweather Post Pavilion.
In The Flowers by Animal Collective (8372 KB)
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I'm proud to say that I'm not narrow minded when it comes to genres, especially metagenres. I try to keep my ears open for all types of music.
Besides English, I also understand Urdu, Punjabi, and Hindi. This of course opens doors for more music as well. I've grown up around a lot of Hindi music, largely due to films from Bollywood.
Recently, when I went over to Pakistan for 2 weeks, I discovered or actually rediscovered a genre and culture of music that redefines all aspects of music. Qawwali is an intense form of spirituality and expression. It involves more than half a dozen musicians to perform together. Usually the instruments include a harmonium, tabla or something close to that for percussion, claps from backing chorus singers, main vocals, and some times a string instrument. It's insanely beautiful and doesn't lack any art at all.
This is an early attempt at discovering very hidden and distinct music. I have posted about some punjabi music before but now I'm going to push for more music. If you're interested in giving me any suggestions, please go ahead and just comment those!
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I just love instrumentals from all genres. Whether they're slow and piano powered or experimental and haunting, I listen to them if they're good! So because of this and also because there's this microculture of the Fuck Yes blogs on Tumblr that I decided to start my own. It's called Fuck Yes Instrumentals (http://fuckyesinstrumentals.tumblr.com).
It's fairly underdeveloped.
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The music industry is a very dynamic world, it doesn't really matter how much you sell or how popular you are. The only thing that really matter is who owns your music. Check the infographic.
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Ian Curtis is the most popular typical rockstar death but he did overdose and die while Joy Division was on tour. Today's his birthday, he would've been 54 years old.
Check out Joy Division's "She's Lost Control" below:
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Even though he's been on the radio and every hip hop outlet has been keeping their ears open, Drake released his debut just now. Thank Me Later comes after his periodical mixtapes have built up a dedicated following.
As almost all hip hop albums go, a rapper needs to have a few essential elements covered. The first being the production of the final release and also the production of the beats and their instruments. Drake's approach to the instrumentals has been a surprise to me. The mixtapes didn't feature much variety to start with, they were essentially contemporary beats from radio hip hop. Thank Me Later discriminates according to each track.
The record starts slowly with "Fireworks" featuring Alicia Keys. "Fireworks" without a doubt sounds more of an r&b track than anything close to hip hop. And then my favorite verse is contained within "Karaoke" mostly because the track is a personal and emotional feat achieved by Drake. It has an alley-like background sound with a highly produced end product. There's some of a plot when it comes to moods and beats throughout the album, it starts soft and escalates up to a climatic high end beats and eventually ends with the rapper for thanks on "Thank Me Now."
The middle of the album is straight hip hop with well rapped verses. "Light Up" is produced by Kanye West which definitely is different than the rest of the album. It also features Jay Z rapping about his internet dilemmas. At a point, if you pay enough attention to each track, a hint of J Dilla is present. The soft and piano-powered beats remind me (and probably you) of an r&b album. The influence is present. "Fancy" featuring T.I. is über catchy and the hook is perfectly done.
Although I've heard Drake for about 2 years now, the fact that this is his debut is almost unbelievable. It surely paves a strong path for future albums to be even better. Anticipation begins now! Out of surprise, I really recommend this album, it's one to be included for your summer listening.
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Space by M. I. A. (5525 KB)
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Within a couple millions of users on Youtube, you'll probably find M.I.A. looking at some videos along with them. Maybe she's watching a cute cat video or learning about the conspiracies kept secret by George W. Bush. Whatever the videos might be, the newest album really shows that M.I.A. has gotten herself into a lot of Youtubing, social networking, online communities, and become very internet savvy. I mean, look at the cover art, it looks as if it's a Youtube page.
It's not just the album cover that's 21st century-centric, the music is indeed 2010 electronica. It doesn't sound one bit as it did in Kala (2007) and it brings in a new kind of M.I.A. altogether. Softer, more melodic sounds can be found on the album from songs likes "Space" and "Caps Lock." Maya is a new approach, as it doesn't feature a lot of love, money, or strictly contemporary music topics. It does bring the whole genre of electronica a new precedent and fills up a blank between mainstream and underground music scenes.
The darker the sound becomes, the better the album defines itself. It contains some of the weirdest sounds I've heard all year. Oddly, "Teqkilla" brings out a sound that only robots would have sex to, it's something new and the grittiness just gives it more creditability to sound electronic. Of course, out of the half-a-dozen-singles, the most striking and controversial has to be "Born Free" with M.I.A.'s echoing like a 20th century dictatorship's loudspeakers over a city with all its citizens in hiding. The music video (below) surely sparked a lot of interest in her, at the time yet-to-be-released, album.
Some notable music is a part of this album, if you're in for an electronic sound from hip hop then this is your album. The best thing about this album is that there isn't any other album as blunt, hardcore, gritty, and electronic as this. M.I.A. rapped most of her earlier albums but this one contains her mainly singing and producing more polished beats. And she keeps reminding you that she's on the internet, just check out her homepage.
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Between The Lines by Stone Temple Pilots (4664 KB)
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Almost 20 years behind them, Stone Temple Pilots have gone through grunge well into straight hard rock. Most bands, Stone Temple Pilots (STP) included, have changed a lot since the grunge era, and this is just something I've notice that bands go through. The guitar still splits STP from all the others.
The most I've heard from STP is this album. So my opinions will of course be biased and a bit outcasted. The self-titled album reminds me of the newest from Them Crooked Vultures. For some odd reason, "Between the Lines" sounds like a B-side to "Put Your Boots On" by U2.
The album is not going to be on any of my top 10 and it really is a lot less than what I had expected. Maybe here's my que for a discography session or a live performance?
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Political is not what most people look for in a singer-songwriter's genre. Love, happy, emotionally charged songs are oft-looked for when people listen to a matured songwriter singing his own tunes. I actually, myself, look for that as well. Out of complete surprise I hit upon Kevin Devine. He's a singer and songwriter who has a good talent for singing soft songs about rough topics like politics.
What do you think?
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Listen to "The Ghost Inside" by Broken Bells. The song relaxes you, it also just makes you feel better in any kind of mood, even if you're already feeling "better". I know, it might be their magic.
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Robot Keepon developed by Hideki Kozima and programmed by Marek Michalowski dances to "Don't You Evah" by Spoon.
When the scientist is going up the escalator, look right behind him and you'll see Brit Daniels (lead vocals for Spoon).
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I remember it was sophomore year in high school. The music I used to listen to was entirely or at least 90% of it was hip hop, rap, and r&b. A friend of mine introduced me to Brand New, it was nothing magical or life changing. Or well, I thought so at the time. I never had paid much attention to any music that was involved with live instrumentation, except a few hip hop outfits. The concept of indie rock, or even mainstream rock was no friend of mine.
That year, I got introduced to bands like Taking Back Sunday, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Sum 41, Matchbox Twenty, and about 20 other bands. I didn't think of it much but by the time high school had come to an end, I was well indulged with rock, pop, and indie music scenes. I was almost changed as a person because I never had to worry about playing a song with curse words or listen to a full album about just a girl's hips and body or money. Most of the music I discovered was almost pointless, in a way which had a lot of talent behind it.
Today, about 5 years later, I have a music library that's about 80% non-sampled or non-hip hop music, and the rest is a mix of r&b, hip hop, rap, and techno. And whenever I listen to a song such as "The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot" by Brand New, I think back to the early days when I was naively ignorant of so much music and some feelings you couldn't express through the music I had been listening. I don't regret discovering, deserting, or rethinking any music I've listened to in the last 5 years. It has changed my perception of the world and that's what I love about music.
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Imma Be (Danger Olympic Remix) by Black Eyed Peas (6737 KB)
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I hate the original, I can't stand it and I'm not sure how the radio goes through it all day but this remix makes it bearable.
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Today marks ten years since Coldplay's debut album, Parachutes. The album debuted high on charts and today it has sold over 9 million copies worldwide. Here's a track included, the lead single from the album, "Yellow."
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Outkast is not Outkast without Big Boi. But then again, it's also not Outkast without Andre 3000. The rappers really make a great duo and one of my favorite hip hop acts together. Big Boi's release of Sir Lucious Left Foot...The Son of Chico Dusty, his first solo album. This album has been a surprise in a lot of ways. It doesn't contain much of the Outkast sound I'm accustomed to; it's not Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. It invovles elements of DJing, freestyling, dance, and just straight hip hop music.
A great thing about this album is that it features over half a dozen people. Undoubtly, Big Boi's choice of artists featured really is eclectic at the least. From the Bay Area rapper Too Short to the R&B nightingale Janelle Monae. I am particularly not a fan of Gucci Mane so that's a pass. André 3000 is no surprise, he's also a great addition to the album, adds the Outkast sound to it. T.I. on "Tangerine" just makes the song a flagship track. B.o.B. is one of my newest favorite artists and he's a positive on this album.
Big Boi's own skills are not to be overlooked, they bring the second member of Outkast out as a prime leader for an album of the year. His conscious hip hop lyrics, early 90s oriented flow, and assertive beats ripe up the album. They're something that's very rare in today's music. It's definitely not what we hear on the radio these days.
If you're the type of person who needs some good hip hop and you're sick of self proclaimed best rappers, this album will keep your head calm and your ears entertained. To you, it will sound like a 21st century version of 90s Hip Hop.
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Not Afraid by Eminem (9698 KB)
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The music that is anticipated of someone with Eminem's reputation has to be at the least powerful, or some would call it angry. There is nothing wrong with making music that's completely different from a previous album, actually I like that. But because Eminem felt that he had a lot of left over tracks and maybe anger that he can just pump into one album for old times' sake, he came out with Recovery. The album is a "comeback" in the sense that it really brings back his anger, hate, and energy toward things he has talked about.
My opinions of the album don't judge Eminem as a person, only as a rapper. The raps contained in this album are just so powerful. Eminem really still has what he came out with and it will keep him that way. He, like every other rapper, has gone through a couple of personal and cultural shocks. I won't mention the personal stuff here, but for the hip hop culture, I am sick of auto-tune and Eminem's choice to not include one bit of that really shows that he's sticking to the old school hip hop he had rapped to become who he is.
Most rappers of today feel the need to introduce a new technology or catch phrase to get into people's hearts and ears, I don't think so. If you're just a good storyteller, and you can flow, you're going to be on my playlist. A song, album, or music career is supposed to include soul in music, especially in hip hop. If you're not including anything that's thought-worthy or you're just pushing tracks for cash, please, get out of here.
This album is by far, the best I've heard from mainstream hip hop in awhile. I can't compare it to many albums out this year but Thank Me Later is nothing close to this.
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Not Afraid by Eminem (9698 KB)
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The music that is anticipated of someone with Eminem's reputation has to be at the least powerful, or some would call it angry. There is nothing wrong with making music that's completely different from a previous album, actually I like that. But because Eminem felt that he had a lot of left over tracks and maybe anger that he can just pump into one album for old times' sake, he came out with Recovery. The album is a "comeback" in the sense that it really brings back his anger, hate, and energy toward things he has talked about.
My opinions of the album don't judge Eminem as a person, only as a rapper. The raps contained in this album are just so powerful. Eminem really still has what he came out with and it will keep him that way. He, like every other rapper, has gone through a couple of personal and cultural shocks. I won't mention the personal stuff here, but for the hip hop culture, I am sick of auto-tune and Eminem's choice to not include one bit of that really shows that he's sticking to the old school hip hop he had rapped to become who he is.
Most rappers of today feel the need to introduce a new technology or catch phrase to get into people's hearts and ears, I don't think so. If you're just a good storyteller, and you can flow, you're going to be on my playlist. A song, album, or music career is supposed to include soul in music, especially in hip hop. If you're not including anything that's thought-worthy or you're just pushing tracks for cash, please, get out of here.
This album is by far, the best I've heard from mainstream hip hop in awhile. I can't compare it to many albums out this year but Thank Me Later is nothing close to this.
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Dum Mast Qalandar by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (13348 KB)
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I'm proud to say that I'm not narrow minded when it comes to genres, especially metagenres. I try to keep my ears open for all types of music.
Besides English, I also understand Urdu, Punjabi, and Hindi. This of course opens doors for more music as well. I've grown up around a lot of Hindi music, largely due to films from Bollywood.
Recently, when I went over to Pakistan for 2 weeks, I discovered or actually rediscovered a genre and culture of music that redefines all aspects of music. Qawwali is an intense form of spirituality and expression. It involves more than half a dozen musicians to perform together. Usually the instruments include a harmonium, tabla or something close to that for percussion, claps from backing chorus singers, main vocals, and some times a string instrument. It's insanely beautiful and doesn't lack any art at all.
This is an early attempt at discovering very hidden and distinct music. I have posted about some punjabi music before but now I'm going to push for more music. If you're interested in giving me any suggestions, please go ahead and just comment those!
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Kanye West came out with 808s & Heartbreak after a nasty break up which led him to make a nasty auto-tune filled album. I hate auto-tune (besides T-Pain) and so anyone who decides to use it basically hurts their music.
This song completely sounds different than the last album, give it a listen and let me know what you think.
"Power" by Kanye West from his forth coming album, Good Ass Job.
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M. I. A. - Tell Me Why by M. I. A. (3930 KB)
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MIA won a lot of fanfare from her last album and then she got a lot of attention from her recent release of "Born Free." Especially the music video, which made me even think back a bit and just trip out. This track is still a little uncomfortable for me. The samples are somewhat not that great, and I'm pretty sure it might get a few reproductions in the way. I don't like it, to be honest.
Let me know what you think of "Tell Me Why." Maya's coming this summer.
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Bloodbuzz Ohio by The National (7008 KB)
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The National made the front page on the New York Times online because they allowed fans to listen to their whole album on the page. The album was leaked early and after listening to it, I'm not surprised it was.
The album is actually the first I've heard from The National. This being their fifth studio album, it's a great work put together.
The National sounds like a mix of modern post punk revival and experimental rock. The vocals remind me a little of Ian Astbury and Joy Division's Ian Curtis. The release of this album is again a push for a growing range of post punk revival music toward a mainstream audience. This is an album that does a good round in every area, the vocals, instrumentation, and genre definition.
Check out the official single included, "Bloodbuzz Ohio."
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The Roots have been around my library for a really long time. Especially after Game Theory, which brought some of the latest beat productions by the late J Dilla. The hip hop that The Roots make is often not the mainstream. Their live instrumentations, jazz touch, and R&B influenced hooks are something that most contemporary hip hop acts lack.
How I Got Over wasn't on my list to listen to until I saw a few mentions on the interwebs about it. The album is a complete surprise. There often aren't albums that make a great impact on us around the first listen and there are even less that are from bands with an established sound.
After listening to an album with a heavy background in hip hop, the album did surprise me with guest appearances from Monsters of Folk and Dirty Projectors (namely Haley Dekle). This is one album that has to be heard before the end of this year or even before the end of this month. Do it.
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Radiohead are making progress in the studio. The band started recording past Winter and are currently in the studio working on the last bits. Ed O’Brien said it will be a matter of weeks till it’s finished and hopes to see the release before the end of this year. ‘It has got to. I hope so’
Read the full article at ateaseweb.com [link]
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The Only One by The Black Keys (11879 KB)
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When I first heard solo music from Dan Auerbach, it really didn't hit the spot. This past weekend, I drove up from LA and on the way I was introduced to The Black Keys.
Their music isn't the typical garage rock and indie rock I have heard recently which actually makes it more attractive. The blues-rock genre mix up actually goes so well I couldn't stop listening to this album. Today I got to get through the whole album and it really is a good record.
I can't compare it much to any other music so I really am enlightened by it. Check out the song I've included if you're up for some good music.
Day 67 (album 73)
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Time by The Brokenmusicbox (8815 KB)
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Being a huge fan of indie folk music, I was looking forward to listening to The brokenmusicbox's debut album. I got in touch with them because I wasn't able to get a copy of it and it and once they sent it over, I listened through it and seriously, it's really a mellow folk album.
Down to Mars instrumentals with emotional and apathetic lyrics throughout. Waking The Sound features The Brokenmusicbox's personal accounts of life captured in songs. They sound somewhat of what you would hear on music box, good work on combining the band name and music's sound. Of course, I'm sure that's not exactly what you'll hear when you hear it.
One side note, the band's name would be much easier to read and find if it was "The Broken Music Box" instead of it being just one big word.
If you're really into indie folk then this album is for you. To be honest, for non-folk fans, this won't be of much interest unless you're open to it completely. I got through it a few times without any skips or hesitations. You should too, but they're hard to find so here's their myspace: The Brokenmusicbox
The included track is called "Time" which I like a lot.
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Mushrooms & Roses by Janelle Monáe (7854 KB)
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After the EP, Janelle Monáe didn't show any concrete signs of a new album. Of course, the obvious sign that she had 4 suites in her Metropolis concept meant more music. Since her release of the EP in 2007, she has showed up on some random Bad Boy labeled albums.
This album is a strong mix of funk, pop, r&b, and soul. It's not your average r&b or pop album so you will be blown away by the lyrical and instrumental content throughout the album. And as genre hopping goes, this has to be, by far, my favorite mix of them all. She can seriously do music very well.
I strongly recommend listening to this album. It's the best I've heard all year, especially as a secondary/sophomore release. If you dig it at all, check out the EP, Metropolis Suite I of IV: The Chase, now that's what's up.
Day 65 (Album 71)
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Before I start talking about the album or the band, I have to start off by saying that I have a predisposed bias toward these guys. I've been listening to Dave Grohl's drums since Nirvana so I'm pretty sure that will play a big role in the whole review. I also have heard Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age, which of course is a bit different of a sound.
So on with it, Them Crooked Vultures aren't my typical music choice. Hitting towards the hard rock and heavy metal sounds, they don't exactly remind me of any other bands besides Three Days Grace with a softer toned vocalist. Of course, I like the instruments a lot on the album.
This self-titled is the only album from the band so I can't really compare it to their band's own music but they do have a lot of other easily comparable bands. Two being Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age, which of course have their own uniqueness. There is no consistency in Dave Grohl's approach to music and in my opinion, that's my favorite thing about him. From drumming to singing, from Nirvana to Foo Fighters, there's always that Grohl stuck somewhere in his music, even in Them Crooked Vultures, all the songs some how bring him out more than the others.
I don't have a problem with his performance at all, I love his energy and how he mixes it up with different bands. Now for the rest of the band, the trio puts together a really well performance. The dozen+ songs are a hell-of-a-listen dozen+ songs! The song included is the first one on the album and it starts up for the rest to sound somewhat of the same taste. Let me know what you think of it if you're checking it out!
Them Crooked Vultures [album]
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Post-Nothing is Japandroids' debut album. The Vancouver based garage rock band really knows their genre. Without any fancy intros or weird mixes of music, they're album to get through the 35 minutes of music pretty quickly.
Now, I'm not the biggest fan of garage rock so this might be a bit biased and comparative. The band doesn't really sound like a lot of bands I've heard recently, which of course is a refresh. This being their first release, I do think they're very well crafted together. But, together isn't always what I want to hear for half an hour. Maybe a shift of tone or vocals could be better. Their music isn't my absolute favorite but it does do a good job of convincing me to check out more garage rock. Japandroids FTW.
I actually like the album's name and cover. "Post-Nothing" makes me think of the whole past few decades or years (whatever your attention span might be) feel like nothing insanely crazy like world peace or Jesus happened.
Check out the song included. It's the last one on the album. Have you heard the album? If so, what do you think?
Day 63 (Album 68)
I Quit Girls by Japandroids (10496 KB)
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Ablivion by Unkle (6118 KB)
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Their latest album is a dozen+ collective of different vocals with matching instruments on one. The album combines some ambient sounding intros with rougher middle tones which make the songs of the album very conceptual and unique all at once. The uniqueness of course comes from guest appearances and their ranging vocals give an extra lift to the album.
I seriously can say it's one of my favorites by them. Where Did the Night Fall comes out with a good overall feel to it. I don't have any annoyances with it all, just some new edges of music I've never felt with many albums. The album really does do a good job in the electronic genre. I don't judge them for their lyrics, those I believe are each of their guests own choices.
Overall, go ahead and check out the included track, if it's something you're into, you'll enjoy the rest of the album too!
UNKLE - Homepage
Day 62 (Album 67)
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Girl With No Flowers Left To Give by Happy Idiot (5463 KB)
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Grunge sounding, Oakland based, Happy Idiot is mix of jazz, punk, blues, and some bluegrass in the vocals. The three piece band released their EP during September of 2009.
Taking form in 2001, Happy Idiot just released their second EP, Clutch At The Branch. The EP definitely exhibits all their genre hopping skills. From some grunge, punk, garage rock, and some hints of other genres in there. I felt a lot of angst in some songs ("1969") and a push toward a post-punk sound.
This EP has to be one of the more unique and different EPs I've heard in a long while. Not all songs sound the same (even though the bass could use some work), the vocals have a few ups and downs, which is always good for a short-length record. Continuing through the album, there needs to be a full-length LP release after this for it to completely rock.
The trio continues to play live shows around the Bay Area. If you're looking for a good taste of their music, check out their pages: myspace & homepage. I included a song I myself enjoyed.
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Whenever I play the game, I realize that I'm more into this song than the game. Completely random. Good choice for a soundtrack song.
BTW: I don't understand the lyrics.
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Music isn't the most absolute type of media we experience on a daily basis. Videos and photos are often very straight forward, and the more artistic are more often rare to find. Music on the other hand serves multiple purposes and it really isn't a just tool for anyone listening or making it to consume it in the same fashion as it is intended to be.
I usually find myself with a lot of music that often is either brushed away or archived for later listening. I usually hate saying and admitting that I won't be listening to a particular album or artist. I always give everyone a shot before I push 'em away.
A good rule of thumb I live by is to listen to music as a background soundtrack only if I've heard the album or song before. It does help to listen to something new in the morning, late at night, or just doing things when you're less distracted. I've realized that during driving, you're in a mood that isn't always fit for all types of music but some make it easier than others to listen.
If you're looking to consume a lot of new music, I would suggest to listen to it without looking at the album/artist's listen on your computer/iPod/whatever you're playing it on. You will be in better shape for music if you're relaxed or concentrated. I recommend only listening to "liked" music if you're hyper (liked meaning something you've enjoyed before).
What are your favorite times, ways, or methods of listening to music? Any recommendations?
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