Category: music

Jay Electronica – “Dear Moleskine”

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This is an elite emcee.  I wish he would quit being so weird and just release some more music.  I once saw him live, opening for Nas and Talib Kweli and he definitely held his own.  He started the show laying on the stage floor soaked in water wearing a tank top(wife beater) and no shoes motionless while a young girl did CPR on him like a drowning Hurricane Katrina victim, then got up and just absolutely killed it.  He has been working on a proper studio release for what seems like 10 years.  Here is the Just Blaze produced,  “Dear Moleskine” off of ?Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn)? .  But, who knows it might not be on anything.  Also, here is my favorite song by him, “(The Pledge) Eternal Sunshine” it’s perfect. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWc4DG1s53g

Cadence Weapon- “Conditioning” and “Sharks”

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Cadence Weapon has been doing this brand of hip hop for a few years.  Canadian hip hop can be very good and is extremely underrated.  I will keep you all up to date about it in the future.  Here is his new single off Hope In Dirt City, “Conditioning”.  The video is comical as he looks horribly unnatural doing athletic things. Also, here is the track that got me interested in CW, “Sharks”. Best hook ever. Enjoy.

The Black Keys Are Sellouts…

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For those of you who have watched any of the NCAA games this year you have notice The Black Keys song “Gold on the Ceiling”.  You have probably thought that the song was good.  Because it is. They make a lot of catchy rock music.  However, something always bothers me about them.  They have sold out.  I often struggle with my stances on selling out.  I sort of hate it.  But, I also sort of understand. Bands need to make money to make music.  Money helps you get popular.  Money is needed.  Money is good.  The Black Keys have done this. Really well. Almost too well. Here is a video of them explaining their reasoning for all of you who are extremely pissed off by this. Don’t judge them too harshly. I understand why they allow everything and everyone to use their music, I suppose I just am now finding it very annoying.  Enjoy.

Here is a list of their deals. Some are really funny.

  • When the Lights Go Out” — In film Black Snake Moan, and also on the soundtrack for that movie.
  • “Set You Free” — In film School of Rock, and also on the soundtrack for that movie.
  • “Lies” — Featured in the conclusion of the February 4, 2009 episode of Lie to Me.
  • “Girl Is on My Mind” — Was used in a 2006 Sony Ericsson advertisement, starring the tennis players Ana Ivanović and Daniela Hantuchová.
  • “Girl Is on My Mind” — Used in a 2006 Victoria’s Secret commercial featuring Heidi Klum.
  • “Girl Is on My Mind” — film Rest Stop and Cashback.
  • “10 am Automatic” — Used in the video game MLB ’06: The Show, The O.C., The Go-Getter, and was also used in a 2007 American Express commercial starring Shaun White.
  • “Your Touch” — Featured in a 2007 Lee’s jeans commercial, and can be heard both in an episode of NBC’s Friday Night Lights and in an episode of “Eastbound and Down”.
  • “Your Touch” can also be heard in the HBO series “Entourage” in the episode ‘Manic Monday’, during the opening scenes.
  • “Your Touch” — In film Zombieland.
  • “Your Touch” — In an episode of “Eastbound and Down” on HBO.
  • “Grown So Ugly” — Heard in the background of the going away party in the 2007 film Cloverfield.
  • “Strange Times” — Used in Grand Theft Auto IV on the in-game radio station Radio Broker.
  • “Strange Times” — Heard during a preview for ABC’s The Mole, and the trailer for season three of the Showtime  series Dexter, as well as a promo for Gossip Girl.
  • “Just Got To Be” — Used on the soundtrack for the video game NHL 08.
  • “Hard Row” — Featured in the premiere episode of the FoX show Sons of Anarchy.
  • “Keep Me” — In both Episodes 6 and 7 of the Fox show Sons of Anarchy.
  • “Busted” _ In episode 7 of the first season.
  • “Lies” — Featured in the advertising campaign for the third season of HBO’s Big Love.
  • “The Breaks” — In film RocknRolla.
  • “Psychotic Girl” — Featured the episode “Messin’ with the Kid” in season 6 of One Tree Hill.
  • “I’ll Be Your Man” — Theme song for the HBO show Hungand was also featured in an episode of the Fox Network show Rescue Me.
  • “The Wicked Messenger” — In film “I’m Not Here”, a Bob Dylan bio-pic

Here is their best song/video they have:  “Tighten Up”

Aesop Rock – Skelethon Release and “Pigs”

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It was announced that Aesop Rock will release his follow up to 2007’s None Shall Pass which was one of the best hip hop albums of the last 5 years. Skelethon will come out July 10th on Rhymesayers.  Aesop Rock definitely has a style not everyone will like.  Production and delivery is always unique and worth listening to.  However, this isn’t for everyone. But for those of you that give him a chance, you will not regret it.  Here is the cover and tracklist for Skelethon, along with his track and video “Pigs” from None Shall Pass. Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skelethon Tracklist:
01. Leisureforce
02. ZZZ Top
03. Cycles to Gehenna
04. Zero Dark Thirty
05. Fryerstarter
06. Ruby ’81
07. Crows 1
08. Crows 2
09. Racing Stripes
10. 1,000 O’Clock
11. Homemade Mummy
12. Grace
13. Saturn Missiles
14. Tetra
15. Gopher Guts

My Take on Lana Del Rey

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Love her or hate her, she is going to be around for a little while longer. I am writing this so you never have to waste your time listening to anything else she had made besides these three tracks.

The first thing you will notice is that she is very pretty.  She seems to have been bitten by something on her lips. But, pretty. She gives off this classic actress/old Hollywood vibe that really works for her.

Secondly, you will find that the videos all put you in a gloomy mood.  Everything is set to be emotional and highly pensive. These videos are sad stories of heartbreak, death, train-wreck-ness, and alligators (or crocodiles I don’t know the difference and if you do, screw you, snob).   The tracks that work on her album are the ones that are about human emotions and actual feelings.  The other tracks that try to be silly or playful absolutely flop and are even less believable than the ones that claim that she “grew up on hip hop”.  Which I find hard to believe.

Finally, you will see that this an image. This seems manufactured. This is the knock on her.  Critics of Lana Del Rey (or Lizzy Grant) say that her persona is fake, her lips are fake, and her songs are overproduced and fake. But, I would argue that this is the case for many many artist. No? Yes? Yes.  So, the bottom line is, who cares? She has few tracks that are extremely catchy and who cares about your moral standing and ultimate “realness”? No one. You need to try and get off of your high horse.

Also, it is ok to find pop music catchy. Listen to a Rihanna song and tell me you hate it. You can’t, unless of course, you are a liar.

Here are the only three songs you should listen to by Lana Del Rey. Enjoy

“Blue Jeans”

“Born To Die”

“Video Games”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO1OV5B_JDw&feature=relmfu