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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(9111 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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(4939 KB)
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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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