Not gonna lie, iTunes get's another assist on the one below. My bet is you heard @gotye's insanely popular single Somebody That I Used to Know by now, which puts you a little ahead of this guy in terms of keeping up with pop radio. The phrase insanely popular seems about right for the whooping 122 million views that the interesting video has collected since last July. If you've been living under a rock or have a serious blind spot when it comes to pop music like me, feel free and join the masses and add to the growing total of views below...
In an attempt to salvage a little pride by being months late on this one, I felt it only right to provide a little value added with a house remix by @tiesto and a Dubstep flavored mix cooked up by @KDrewMusic. It really depends on what type of mood you're in as far, which one you prefer, but I'd tip the scale toward KDrew's version because it showcases the hook more heavily throughout the track. it's hard to go wrong with either because the original is so unique and eclectic that it reels you in on first listen. I'd be remiss if I didn't give a shout out Gotye's album Making Mirrors, as well as @kimbramusic for her contribution to the unassuming, but potent track.
Keep an eye out for Wouter's performance of the track below on @nbcsnl on April 14th. You can betcherass I'll be including that in my weekly Friday video post...#YouCare
Gotye feat Kimbra - Somebody That I Used to Know (Tiesto Remix)
Gotye feat Kimbra - Somebody That I Used to Know (KDrew Remix)
Embedded in every notable Southern Hip Hop artist is an persistent desire to be the best. At the center of that desire is an a unwavering confidence that @bigkrit puts on full display with his new single I Got The Here off his upcoming album Live From the Underground. In a not so subtle way, the track barrels forward through all adversity like Kobe in the 4th quarter. It's the ultimate, you can't stop me track lyrically that maintains it's Southern roots through an unmistakable Mississippi drawl.
Just last week K.R.I.T. promised that his new album would find a way to hit stores in June. Along with that announcement came a new mixtape, 4eva N a Day, to tide us over until the real studio debut comes through. I haven't been able to narrow down a favorite yet, but I'm a sucker for screwed up samples, so Me and My Old School Guitar is in the lead right now. Man if his studio debut is half as good as all the mixtapes he's released the past two years, we're all in for a treat this summer... #CantWait
With Shock Value 3 on the horizon, it was only a matter of time before @timbaland hit us with a lead single that will challenge any subwoofer you might own. The beat is heavy like a ton of bricks and the synths set a dark scene that is more mysterious than radio friendly. Don't get it twisted though, this will still probably end up in play for Top 40 radio because it's just catchy enough lyrically to hang with the bangin' beat.
I say catchy too because it's synonomous with @devishot who released one of the better albums last year in The Night the Sun Came Up. Feel free to add this to the unconfirmed tracklist with the predecessor single Pass At Me. Word on the streets is that Timbo's new album will be hitting iTunes around June, but that's always subject to change. Shoot I'm just happy that I have a front to back quality full length album to look forward to this summer. Sad that type of assumed quality is more the exception rather than the standard these days, but it makes you appreciate the great ones that much more...#Legendary
All it takes is one big track to make a name for yourself in Hip Hop. Sure, it helps that your one big track features a legendary name like @justblaze. For me, that's what got me to sample it, name brand recognition. It's sad and sometimes I feel like a snob for doing it, but in a world where time is curren$y, folks like me who review music don't have the time to listen to everything. The best advice I can give to an aspiring artist is to get someone on your track that a lot of people know.
A cameo or feature will get your foot in the door enough to kick in wide open if you bring the heat like @MyNameCuey. This track reminds me a lot of one of my favorite hidden gems by @chrisyoungraps called Bottles of Fiji Water & a Beautiful Girl. It's got an infectious hook and a equally upbeat vibe on the beat brought to you by Just Blaze and @XpartysuppliesX. OnCue is everything his name says. He's able to go bar for bar on the verses and isn't doesn't sound out of characters singing his own hook.
For all of you hardcore fans who made it out to SXSW last week, you may have caught him performing throughout the week. Word has it he's got a new Just Blaze produced video for his song Kinda Late faeturing @mikeposner and @eightyocho. You can bet there's plenty more to come from one of BK's finest up and comers. Keep it locked here because this past week I just became a believer in all that is Cuey...#BoutToBlowUp
OnCue - New Religion (prod. by Party Supplies & Just Blaze)
Could @avicii's Levels be the most audibly pleasing dance track of all time? I say that because despite @official_flo's blatant beatjacking of his original instrumental, I'm starting to get the feeling that music fans appreciate his version more. Considering how many more people in the US know Flo Rida compared to Avicii, that's a pretty big deal.
That's only the beginning of why it's such a legendary beat too. As the story goes, @georgemonev put the icing on the cake when he cemented the track's other-worldly status by flipping the synthesizers in reverse. I know what you're thinking, the only time I've heard a track in reverse has been to hear some crazy hidden message. Not the case with this one as the original song maintains it's catchy, dance-worthy sound, but with a completely different sound. I can't say I've heard anything like it before, it's nuts on so many Levels. The folks over at P&P put it best when they said, "It’s like a fucking rainbow captured in audio form."
To the casual listener, Hip Hop and Dubstep sound like two different brands of music that should be kept apart. I say that too because I can count on one hand the amount of Hip Hop/Dubstep collaborations I've heard to date. (I'm not counting Dubstep remixes of Hip Hop songs either, I'm talking a Hip Hop artist collaborates with a Dubstep DJ or group)
Since I'm a fan of both genres you can probably guess how I'm going to react to @cypress_hill's new track with @deadmau5. Most probably think this is an out of left field collabo, but the proof was in the pudding when new of Cypress Hill's new collaboration album with @RUSKOOFFICIAL surfaced. If you're not sure what to picture, look no further than the video below for their lead single together calledRoll It, Light It...
Since @b_real420 and @ogsendog have always been known for having an unrivaled intensity on the mic, branching out into Dubstep seems like a logical progression in my eyes. Their in-your-face, unapologetic delivery blends well with the equally audacious electro rhythms that Dubstep is known for. Hopefully this ends up being one of the first dates in a long relationship between two genres that are taking over more market share of popular music by the day.
Oh and don't sleep on that Cypress X Rusko EP due out in April...#DubHop
Slightly Hip Hop heavy on my weekly video report this Friday. I found myself wondering more than once today why in the hell I wasn't at SXSW with all the other sane minded individuals who enjoy music for a living and don't have an 8 to 5. With the music portion about half way through, there have been videos sprinkling in like @BIGKRIT's performance of The Vent. Surely there will be more to come, but until then there's plenty of other commercial videos to tide you over...#HappyStPattysDay
Wale feat Rick Ross & Meek Mill - Ambition (Video)
On a daily basis, I take a lot of pride in posting music that you otherwise wouldn't hear on mainstream radio. Whether it be due to the track not being formally released or whether it's sole purpose is to stay unreleased, I really don't like following the crowds. Not so much the case with tonight's post.
If you'll notice, I've got a handy widget on the right sidebar showing the current top ten list for most popular iTunes tracks. The track below by @ournameisfun just happens to be holding down that #1 spot with their beyond buzzworthy track We Are Young. The track (subtly) features the lovely and talented @janellemonae and recently surfaced on the group's debut album Some Nights. Before I go into my overly descriptive rant, feel free and take the temperature of the track by watching the video, which does an excellent job of capturing the essence of the track.
On first listen, you can't help but think it has the potential to be a timeless track. I say that because my mind immediately went to Queen because on the track they are able to evoke the same type of unbridled emotion that came out of a track like We Will Rock You. When the calming lead in gives way to the everyone-sing-along chorus at the 49 second mark of the track, I couldn't help but get a little nostalgic and think about all nights out at bars that I could barely remember in college. It's a song that goes beyond accessibility; simply put, it's a shot of youth to the old and a real-life anthem for the young. It's a modern day Piano Man because it's the type of song you'd want to close the bar with. I can picture me and a group of my friends with our arms around each other's shoulders swaying and drunkenly belting out every last word on this track.
By the time a new single cracks the top 10 in iTunes, I've usually written it off as just another great track that was chewed up for days by contemporary radio, only to be spit out months later when it's been milked for every last drop. It's refreshing to know that there are still tracks that fly out of left field and come out of nowhere before exploding like a nuke in our faces. The light is still bright on this one and I've got a good feeling that no matter how much of a beating Top 40 radio gives it, I'm still going to enjoy this one down the road...#Timeless
It seems like every week comes a new @avicii track that I discover and ride until the wheels fall off. Driving back from NYC this weekend, I just so happened to be riding out to Sirius's Channel 51 (BPM) and found myself having a full on dance party in the front seat like this dude...
God bless the crazy Romanian truck driver. And they want us to stop texting and answering calls while driving in the US. #Fuckery
Anyways, the track below is well over a year old, but that isn't going to dissuade me one bit from posting it because in my mind, if I haven't heard it then you damn sure haven't either (#humblebrag). The original track was crafted by a Tom Hangs, which is just another alias for Avicii. The original mix of Blessed isn't all that much different, but since the extended cut is longer, I say why not? As a sidebar, I usually hate the extended drawn out versions of dance tracks, but that hatred seems to disappear quickly when I'm listening to the soothing electro rhythms of Sweden's finest DJ.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention @shermanology in this post because they're a continually slept on group that always finds a way to pop up in music I enjoy. They just released a new Can't Stop Miami mixtape via Soundcloud that you may enjoy if you like their presence on Blessed. Best explanation I have for the mixtape is electro craziness with soulful vocals. Even better, the track below is featured around the 6:40 mark of the mixtape. Just a whole bunch of uptempo dance music, which is a welcome pick me up on a Wednesday...#HumpDay
Tom Hangs feat Shermanology - Blessed (Avicii Extended Edit) |iTunes
Like a lot people, I heard the track below and thought to myself, I know I've heard that somewhere. Turns out, it's an upgraded version of the original track Take My City off @djdrama's latest album Third Power. It will be re-purposed on @therealcrookedi's upcoming mixtape Psalm 82:6. You might be wondering what Psalm 82:6 entails?
"Says the Lord, You are gods and children of the Most High."
That aligns well with his whole Circle of Bosses (COB) movement and seeing that he's one of the few Hip Hop god of the West, the shoe fits.
Crook's new mixtape was supposed to hit the internet on March 8th, but since he's waiting on a few guest spots and cameos, it's looking like the week of the 22nd is more realistic. Shout out to @bobatl on the hook and Grand Hustle's own @NARDANDBNATION for the production. I'd call this a wholesome appetizer for the main course that is set to drop on May 15th when Crook and is clan on witty friends release Welcome to: Our House. I'm interested to hear what Eminem's executive production skills sound like when working with the uber-talented foursome. In the words of @madbacker57, CAN'T WAIT!
Crooked I feat B.O.B. - Every City (prod by Nard & B)
One of the best things about electronic music is that anytime an artist produces a hit single, at least a handful of others remix the track and make it their own. The outcome falls somewhere between symbiotic cannibalism and a show of genuine respect for the other artist. Personally IDGAF what the reason is because when the chips falls, it's the attentive consumers that win through all this cross-pollination.
Take @calvinharris's latest single I'm Not Alone for example. I had the fortunate choice of deciding between the more traditional house version that @tiesto brought to his remix of I'm Not Alone; or, the more progressive house version that @deadmau5 crafted on his version of I'm Not Alone. While both are both very different and very awesome in their own respects, I picked Deadmau5's version because it resonated with my current mood a little more than the former. Simply put I was in the mood for some smooth electro rhythms and it doesn't get much more soothing than Joel Zimmerman's Pure Moods quality synthesizers. If I would have been in more of an energetic, hyped up mood I probably would have posted Tijs Michiel Verwest's version.
Key takeaway, you can't go wrong with either and luckily you can buy them both in one place if you feel so inclined...#LoadedSingle
Suffice to say, any new track that I find is produced by Danja is an automatic post. Simply put, dude knows how to handle his craft and make high energy tracks that suck you in and make you move. This time it's @JOJOISTHEWAY's turn to ride the Danjatrain to success with her new club hit Sexy To Me. Even though I've always caught hell from the fellas for openly supporting her first two albums JoJo and The High Road, which we released when she was 14 and 16 respectively, it hasn't stopped me from writing about her music. You see over 18 women drooling over Bieber, so why is it not ok for me to be a fan of JoJo's music when she's just as talented? #DoubleStandard
Matter of fact I saw an interesting de-motivational poster that touches on this very subject. Don't even get me started on Twilight...
I digress, but what's really important is that you know JoJo has an album coming out titled Jumping Trains due out in April. In case you missed it, back in September she released her lead single from the album titled Disaster, which served as more of a powerfully emotional ballad and showed off her vocals a bit.
If you were to ask me, I'd pick her new single over the lead single, but I'm biased because of the Danja beat. Still with names like @only1darkchild, @boi1da, and @timbaland listed on the production credits for her new album, you better believe I'll eagerly waiting for April to come...#DontSleepOnIt
I used to think that @FAREASTMOVEMENT was relevant solely because of the stupid dope production of @thecataracs, but now I'm starting to think they're simple a living breathing placeholder for upbeat dance music. Think about it, what more do you need to make it in pop music when your group can dance and you have all sorts of legendary beat makers like the aforementioned Cataracs, @RedOne, @MrBangladesh and @davidguetta crafting hits for you? Shoot a @justinbieber cameo is icing on the cake when you continually churn out solid club hits.
The below track, Live My Life, will serve as their lead single off their upcoming album Dirty Bass, which should hit shelves in May. Isn't it fitting too that just as Biebs turned 18 last month and bought a $10.8 milli crib, he happened to provide a hook that's all about livin' your life? Hey play on playa, 18 million Twitter followers and you made about $3 million per follower last year, which makes you officially the most ballin' 18 year old on the planet...#LiveYourLifeSon
Far East Movement feat Justin Bieber - Live My Life (prod by RedOne) |iTunes
Plenty of visual goodness arrived this week in the form of a few official videos and a couple concert videos. Unbeknownst to me, @s_c_ is performing at SXSW and @americanexpress is doing their very best to make you aware of that by releasing some pretty exclusive footage of his concert at Carnegie Hall. Beyond that I was slightly moved by @flo_tweet's new video for her single Never Let Go. Not a big surprise there considering how powerful her music can be. I said it earlier this week, if you're up for an interesting listen, give WZRD's album a chance because it's got a few hidden gems mixed in there. I'm not usually a huge buyer of behind the scenes stuff since I tend to favor posting the end product, but I'm pumped for @thegame's new video for The City with @kendrick_lamar. I loved that song when I first heard it and after a bunch of listens that has not changed, which is strange because I'm quick to fall out of love with even the dopest tracks. Have a good weekend y'all and holla at me if you're in NYC this weekend...
WZRD (Kid Cudi & Dot da Genius) Perform Teleport to Me, Jamie on Conan
Florence and the Machine - Never Let Go (Video)
Jay-Z – Public Service Announcement Live at Carnegie Hall
Robin Thicke feat Lil Wayne - Pretty Little Heart (Video)
Game feat Kendrick Lamar - The City (Behind the Scenes)
Havana Brown feat Pitbull - We Run the Night (Video)
Now that everyone is familiar with Scotish DJ @calvinharris through his work on tracks like @rihanna's We Found Love and his track with @iamkelis, Bounce, it's time he starts to put together a streak of solid singles. It's probably a good thing that his new single with @neyocompound sounds like We Found Love Part 2 because that track is still burning up iTunes as we speak. It's every bit as uptempo and dance-worthy as it's predecessor with enough electronic rhythms to carry a whole club for a solid four minutes.
No word yet on what Calvin's sophomore album will be called, but the lead single below should provide more than enough positive momentum to send him on his way toward another gold album. This will make a fine addition to my newest cardio mix and an equally viable party starter for DJ-ing this weekend...#LetsGO!
If you've read my blog before you know that a lot of the music that I enjoy and end up writing about has more to do with who produced the track rather than who performed it. That may seem backwards to a lot of you who don't attribute the success of your favorite artist to the producer or engineer who put in time behind the boards to craft the instrumental, but you probably already subconsciously think the way I do without knowing it. I say that because obviously the suits who invest a lot of money into artists want them to succeed and they attribute success to selling albums and making music that will appeal to a wide demographic, so that lots of people will buy it. You could argue that train of thought is also what is diluting the hell out of popular music like 40 proof CVS vodka, but that's a whole can of worms I'm not about to get into today.
What I can tell you is that @KANEBEATZ is one of the few producers in the game today that I will ride out with. When I say ride out, I mean that no matter who he works with, there's a pretty damn good chance I'm going to like the finished product. Again, I can say that because I have a lot of respect for the work that producers do in a thankless profession whose job is to make the "talent" look good.
I grouped all these tracks together on one post for two reasons. First, to provide perspective on why I feel like it's more worthwhile to follow the music that your favorite producer is responsible rather than your favorite artist. Second, to give some exposure to two other artists you may not have heard of but may end up liking with the help of a Kane beat. In other words, you may not have heard of @mrdontrip or @LAZEANDROYAL, but you damn sure have heard of @tip, @ludacris, @djdrama and @youngjeezy. Call the first one, We In This Bitch, the gateway drug that gets you hooked on my theory and open to expanding your Hip Hop interests.
Sidebar: smh to Luda for his, "Altoid can of blue pills that's my X-box" line. No matter what anybody says about Luda, nobody can take away his on-some-other-shit type creativity on the mic...#WittyIsAnUnderstatement
DJ Drama ft. Young Jeezy, T.I., Ludacris & Future - We In This Bitch (prod by Kane Beatz)
The biggest takeaway I was left with after taking my first lap around @wizardcud and @dotdagenius's new WZRD album was "I can't believe they covered a legendary Nirvana track." It was one of the biggest mind (f word)s I've been blindsided by in quite a while when reviewing music. Why was it such a big surprise? For starters, shame on me for having absolutely zero familiarity with WZRD's tracklist. As a result, I missed the Nirvana connection completely prior to listening to it. Second, I can't believe Cudi had the audacity to cover a track that is so legendary. I say legendary because anybody who has seen the haunting and distinctly memorable MTV Unplugged session was moved in some way shape or form by watching Kurt Cobain perform acoustic that night with Nirvana. The video below sums up how memorable the show was as Kurt ended the set with an exclamation point in the form of Where Did You Sleep Last Night...
Before I get into the new school version, you'd all be better off knowing how far back the original Bluegrass version of the track goes. Little known fact (thanks to Wikipedia), the song also goes by the name of In the Pines (Bill Monroe) and Black Girl (Huddie Ledbetter). Even better, the song's origins date all the way back to the 1870s when it was first an Appalachian folk song. To me it's crazy how little Leadbelly's version that was produced back in 1940 has evolved from the version that Nirvana popularized. Crazy, but also awesome to see American folklore unfold through the generations and becoming timeless as a result.
Fast forward to the present and you can appreciate how Cudi has some serious balls for trying to tackle such a challenge on his first rock flavored album. I'm not going to try and gas you all up by saying his cover of the track was near as good as the original, but I will say that I found it noteworthy and memorable that he chose to do his own version. What I really wanted was for him to do was absolutely cut loose on the last part of the track like Kurt did by belting out the eerie "MY GIRL, MY GIRL, DON'T LIIIIEE TO ME, TELL ME WHERE DID YOU SLEEP LAST NIGHT?!?!?." Maybe that was part of making it his own, but I feel like if he would have went a little psycho and added a little yelling, I may have gotten a little more hype over it.
In case you missed it WZRD's album just dropped last week and thanks to Cudi's record company, not much effort was made to make the public aware of that. You'd think that would result in the album facing an uphill battle with sales, but 70K sales in the first week is not bad at all. That's right Cudi, you tell Universal what's up. They don't deserve to rake in the profits for being retarded enough to not believe that your rock album would sell. As side note, I hope you take the high road when the dust settles and don't deprive your fans of MOTM 3 in a fit of vindictive rage against your label. Your music speaks louder against authority than any twitter post and if one thing's been made clear through all this, it's that your music is powerful and your fans don't need it shoved down their throat to appreciate it...#PlayOnPlaya
Nirvana - Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Unplugged)
|iTunes
Take note y'all, there's a new international lady of Roc Nation. She was born in Kosovo, grew up in London and goes by the name of of @ritaora. She was discovered by the way of an A&R rep who introduced her to Roc Nation in 2009, which led her to eventually crossing paths with the one and only @s_c_. If you're paying really close attention, you may have noticed her cameo appearances in the Young Forever and Over videos in the past year too, as well as her latest promo commercial with Skull Candy headphones...
I gotta say I've never heard Rita pronounced in such a distinguished British manor that makes it sound like she'd saying Ree-uhh, but that's cool. Anybody else think she bears a striking resemblance to @rihanna in the video above? Ironic doppelganger aside, she's starting to gain a lot of attention with her debut single Hot Right Now. It features the production of fellow Brit @djfreshdnb and is a great combination of fast paced synths with drum and bass and high octane vocals..
Rita's got the voice, she's got the looks and it would appear she's not lacking one bit in charisma either. Kinda helps to have the ear of Sean Carter when it comes to someone investing in you too...#Fortunate
If I were a betting man, I'd say it's a safe bet she's on the rise to super-stardom. I'm not just saying that based on one song and a little financial backing from Roc Nation either. Sure all of the above helps, but I'm a bigger fan of her choice to enlist the help of @chaseandstatus to come through with a finished version of @drake's demo version of I'm Ready For You as her second single. It was cool for me when I first heard Rita's version and was able to sing along word for word because I had put Drake's version on heavy rotation about a year and a half ago. Was I waiting for Drake's "Red lipstick on the wine glass, cameras in my mind fast, black lingerie, white diamonds what a contrast" last verse on Rita's version? You're damn right I was, but unfortunately it didn't come to fruition and instead @TINIETEMPAH chipped in on a verse. Not a fair trade in my book, but you can't always get what you want. Both versions of the track are below, keep an eye out for Rita's debut in the coming months...#StarWatch
Drake - I'm Ready For You (Original Version)
Rita Ora feat Tinie Tempah - R.I.P. (prod by Chase & Status)
It's not everyday you hear an anti-drug anthem from one of the most well known celebrity stoners. I say anti-drug because @RealWizKhalifa makes a very clear distinction in the track that he says capitol N-O! to any drug other than marijuana, which isn't considered a drug to him. Maybe 5-10 years ago saying something like that would be shocking, but with every passing day it seems like more marijuana legislation goes up for vote as a new state pushes toward legalization. Not that it would matter to Wiz whether or not his habit is socially acceptable since he's been outspoken for years about his love for sweet Mary Jane, but it helps that it's less looked down upon.
In my opinion, his new track Mary x 3, off his upcoming mixtape Taylor Alderice due out March 13th, is just as on point as @wizardcud's weed homage anthem. It's every bit as laid back as all of my favorite tracks off Rolling Papers. From the methodical verses and sing along hook, it all works when put over the simple and calm instrumental provided by @CardoGotWings. Fear not Taylors, it doesn't sound like there's any sort of change in the way Wiz is going about making music post-Rolling Papers, especially now that he managed to lock up @darealamberrose this week...#HolyHugeDiamond Wiz Khalifa - Mary Mary Mary (prod by Cardo)
Now that I'm learning the who's who in Dubstep, I'm starting to fully grasp it's appeal. It's a style that's not as fast as techno or house, but the high powered electro-synth rhythms as every bit as high energy and dance-worthy than it's predecessors. The track below, Zoology, is an unreleased collaboration between two of the genre's most recognizable names in @skrillex and @knifepartyinc.
This is now the second Knife Party track I've posted in the last two weeks and you could I've been busy of late trying to catch up on their music. I was never a fan of Pendulum, even though I understood that they had a pretty devoted following, but I can't help but wonder what fans of the rock group think of @rob_swire and Co.'s decision to drift away from drum/bass rock into electo-synth craziness. Between the characteristically quirky synths and the animal noises, there's a whole lot going on in the track below. I'll applaud the fact that the track succeeds in taking the listener to the jungle, Dubstep style, which fits the description. I wouldn't hesitate to put this one on if the party has any inclination of getting out of hand. When I say out of hand, I mean like Project X out of hand. Still not sure what to think of that preview or the mauling it's taken in the press lately, but the presumed craziness and Todd Phillips presence has piqued my interest...#AmericanPieHumor
For one, I've evidently been riding the short bus because I totally missed that @JASONDERULO and @jordinsparks were dating. Put it this way, anyone who didn't realize they were dating, definitely does after watching their new remix duet video for It Girl. Other than that little tidbit of knowledge I gained this week, you may have missed @wizardcud's rant vs his record label as a result of the lack of promotion his new album WZRD received. It sounds like his label undersold the potential of his newest record and the estimated 80K sales that it's projected to get first week may even be a little low as a result. As per the usual, I mixed in the obligatory Drizzy concert video and even snuck in a #kendrick_lamar performance. It only their tour looped around to Philly somehow before going overseas...#Fail
Jason Derulo feat Jordin Sparks - It Girl (Remix)
Drake Performs Crew Love in New Orleans
WZRD Listening Sessions in NYC at W.i.P. Feb 23rd
Kendrick Lamar Performs Hii Power in New Orleans
Young Jeezy feat Ne-Yo - Leave You Alone (Trailer)
Jennifer Hudson feat Rick Ross & Ne-Yo - Think Like a Man (Video)
To this day, I am kicking myself for not at least doing a little bit of background research on @sleighbells before I saw them open for LCD Soundsystem. At first, they seemed a little loud and crazy, but the heavy, high pitched guitar riffs exude so much energy it's hard not to get pumped listening to their music. I say that sort of tongue and cheek because below I'm posting their mellowest song to date.
The track is called End of the Line and a couples weeks ago they performed the track on @nbcsnl (below)...
Maybe it was a little awkward to hear see such a subdued performance, but to their credit they brought some serious intensity on their performance of Comeback Kid. Some would call a lot of their music complete electronic chaos, but I say they do a good job of mixing bubbly synths, with @ratatat quality guitar riffs and pop vocals. Really just a unique brand of noise that I can take in small doses, sort of like my 5 hour energy musically if you will...#YouHeardItHereFirst
Anyways, Sleigh Bells new album, Reign of Terror, recently hit iTunes if you're feeling like adding some electric flavored pop to your music collection.
Not only is @realchiddy one of the most unassuming Hip Hop World Record holders, he and his partner in crime @xaphoonjones are about to serve up a Denny's Grand Slam quality Breakfast in the form on a studio debut album. I'll put it this way, if their "real" debut album, that dropped about a week ago on February 21st, is half as good as both their EPs (The Opposite of Adults EP, Chiddy Bang: The Preview), I'll be satisfied.
Waaay back in July I posted their lead single off Breakfast titled Mind Your Manners. I'm not sure they could have picked a better lead single, but to be honest I haven't heard more than these two tracks and Baby Roulette so I can't really judge yet. As an aside, it's great to see more artists collaborating with @chip216 and allowing him to finally start becoming a household name. I've heard too many @chuckisdope beats where Chip goes in and rips it up to think he's anything but under-appreciated.
The production of Xaphoon Jones is a great thing to bank on for @chiddybang because as a writer and fan of their music, I always know that there's going to be a standard quality level on the instrumentals. If more bands had such a high standard of quality, I'd probably link the hell out of all of their posts too in support. For now I'll stick with Chiddy because they rep my current city to the absolute fullest...#TeamSwelly
Chiddy Bang feat Chip tha Ripper - Extra Well
|iTunes
What a pleasant surprise today coming home to @funkmasterflex leaking @darealslaughter's new single Hammer Dance. Yep you guessed it, it's play on words paying homage to @mchammer's dance, while keeping it gangsta referring to the firearm component. The track will server as the lead single off their upcoming @shadyrecords debut Welcome to: Our House, due out May 15th.
The key takeaway here is the deadly combination of @araabmuzik producing a beat for four of the fiercest lyricists on the planet. His beats have been known to be a grimy as sink mildew and when matched with Slaughterhouse, it's a wrap. Also interesting was @royceda59 chipping in the hook instead of a verse. I say that because I would have loved to hear a full 16 from him on this beat, but what can you do, it's only one track on the album.
All in all, a rock solid start to what should be one of the my most anticipated releases this year...#ShadyAftermath
Slaughterhouse - Hammer Dance (prod by araabMUZIK)
It's been a little over two years since John Mayer pulled together an album, which makes today's release of his new single an even bigger breath of fresh air. Shadow Days is slated to be the lead single off his upcoming album Born and Raised, due out sometime in 2012.
Why reinvent the wheel if you're travelling faster than everyone else who is walking? That's my response to the music critic who says Shadow Days is just like any other, slow, twangy Mayer track. It's got what you'd expect from the lament soaked lyrics, to the bluegrass inspired piano and guitar riffs behind soft vocals. Smart is what I'd call launching a landing page on your site the day that your first single leaks. It's interesting to note, he's shying away from the arenas in favor of more intimate auditorium venues. I've seen John in concert I want to say three times in the past decade and every time, it was a big huge sold out show. I'm intrigued at the thought of him choosing to go a quieter, more reserved route on his upcoming tour.
My only request is FREE DAVID RYAN HARRIS!!! He's on my concert bucket list and when I witnessed Ernie Halter's cover of Pretty Girl, it reminded me of how great of a vocalist he is. I know @drh3 is probably making bank touring with you and playing guitar/providing backup vocals, but he's just as talented as Javier Colon and more people need to know his name rather than recognizing him on stage behind you...#My2Cents
If you've ever been to Glenside, PA, it's probably because you were trying to get to Philly and get swallowed up in the maze of it's northern suburbs. Even though I live near Philly, I still can't say I had ever ventured to Glenside, but when you invite a star with a great voice and put him in an old school theater that is 84 years old (Keswick Theater) and has great acoustics, I'll find a way to make it.
Luckily for me, the concert didn't start until 7:30, which gave me plenty of time to make the trip down to Philly, grab some Chipotle and even check out the Willow Grove Mall. When I arrived to Keswick with my stunning date, I was surprised to see that less than half of the seats were filled. Coming fresh off winning NBC's The Voice, I figured there would be a pretty sizeabale following for @javstwtr. Still, instead of thinking "hmm I wonder if the people who didn't buy tickets know something I don't know", I chalked it up to the event being rescheduled and considered myself lucky that the kind ushers at Keswick were allowing us to move up to the front 10 rows...#Sweet
Coming into the concert I had never heard of the two opening acts, @erniehalter and @kevin___daniel. During both of their sets, I found myself enjoying their music enough to start taking down some song titles to research post-concert. The first act, Kevin Daniel is a spitting image of @GAVINDEGRAW vocally. From the solo keyboard to the smooth, soulful voice, he's got it. Apologies for not at least partially documenting his performance, but below is his best song to date in my opinion, Better Than Gold.
Next up was Ernie Halter, who had a stage presence and sense of humor that kept everyone well in tuned to his solo acoustic set. From his Justin Bieber story to the story of how his now wife loaned him her car to tour the country after they had just met, he was downright entertaining. I liken his voice to Marc Broussard because of the bluesy soul undertones that come from his vocals. He does a pretty damn good Gavin Degraw impression himself, but I still enjoyed his song Lighthouse the most. Below is a clip of him joining Javier onstage to cover Bill Withers's classic Use Me Up...
That brings me to the main event, where Javier was joined onstage by his band of personalities. I say that because it was really difficult to not pay attention to his bassist "Big Sexy" gyrates wildly throughout the show. I'll put it this way, if any of us liked anything half as much as he enjoys music, we'd all wake up on the right side of the bed every morning.
The great thing about seeing Javier isn't just his incredible voice, it's hearing his version of classics like Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper), Man in the Mirror (Michael Jackson) and Fix You (Coldplay). Shame on me for admitting this, but I had yet to hear his entire album prior to the concert. All I knew is that I really liked Stitch by Stitch and I wanted to hear more of his music.
Hear more is exactly what I did when he went through the majority of tracks on his new album Come Through For You. From his new track Stand Up with @ADAMLEVINE to his heartfelt Ok, Here's the Truth, he's got a lot of stuff that most people haven't heard that is awesome. My personal favorite from the concert (hands down) was his cover of Adele's Someone Like You, but a close second was his newest single A Drop in the Ocean featuring @NATASHABDNFIELD...
Even though Javier has been in the music industry for almost 10 years, it's great to see people are now starting to catch on to how talented of an artist he is. All in all, I left feeling like the intimate setting was perfect for the lineup that played and I woulds strongly recommend both Keswick Theater and Javier Colon (and company). Oh yea, did I mention the free parking? #RareTheseDays
All you need to know about the track below is that is is performed by @bobatl and Ryan Tedder wrote and produced it. It's a simple formula that will ultimately end up being successful without fail. To compare, it's a little more pop, sing-alogy compared to Strange Clouds, but the tone of the track sounds like a lot of stuff on his first album like Don't Let Me Fall.
If you remember, I gave his first album a 4.5 headphone out of 5 rating for it's undeniable front to back quality. By my count he's a solid 3 for 3 on single choices for Strange Clouds, but what I'm really looking forward to is the album's lesser known tracks. I say that because tracks like Ghost in the Machine and Lovlier Than You ended up being the tracks I liked most and those were two of the least publicized tracks on the album.
You better believe when his new album drops on May 15th, I will be thoroughly combing metal detector in the sand style for hidden gems. Right now I've got my eye on So Hard to Breathe featuring @iamseangarrett, which is the sequel to Don't Let Me Fall and I'm holding out hope that a finished version of 5 on the Kush will make the final tracklist. Expectations are high after the first album, but from what it's sounding like, there won't be a sophomore slump...#SamBradford
Great mix of different content this week with a classic @nbcsnl skit, some top notch concert videos featuring @kanyewest and @drake, ending with a @jlin7 interview where he shouts out his favorite music types. It's probably a toss up for me for most noteworthy video on this post, but it'd have to be between seeing @chuckisdope and @asherroth in studio working on music together and seeing Drake in concert. It's been too long since I've seen him live and I still haven't gotten out post Thank Me Later, so there's a lot I have to still see. I'm still trying to see @THECOOLKIDS in concert five years later, but hope to catch them opening for your boy @macmiller this spring.
As a little spoiler alert, it's looking like my concert tour this spring is going to be heavy on the electronic/dubstep. Maybe a little @nerouk, possibly some @bassnectar and most likely some @skrillex...#StayTuned
