Kendrick Lamar: good kid, m.A.A.d city Album Review

Ever since he made waves with his last album Section .80; Kendrick Lamar has been quickly climbing my list of rappers who have the potential to be true legends. And with his latest release "good kid, m.A.A.d city", he  earned his spot.

Now it's pretty easy to look at Kendrick on the surface and make some pretty misguided assumptions. First, he's young ( 25 if I'm not mistaken.) Second; he's from Compton, a city who's rappers are notorious for rapping about nothing but weed, violence, and making money, in the most braggadocios way possible. 

But if you let his age and where he's from keep you from listening, you'll miss one of the most potent and cinematic hip-hop albums of the last few years.

The album starts of slow and moody with the tracks "Sherane" and "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe."

But then comes a track that to me, is pure genius; the track "Backseat Freestyle." A track that, again, on the surface, seems like your typical rap track where the mc brags about having money and a big... yeah. But with the help of the skit at the end of "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe", you see the story Kendrick is trying to tell, one about his childhood, and the life's of others, growing up in the hood.

And that sentiment is only furthered on the next track "The Art of Peer Pressure." It shows us that the Kendrick we heard on "Backseat Freestyle" was just trying to fit in with people he considered friends. Until he finds himself in a dire situation later in the track.

The tracks "Money Trees" and "Poetic Justice" are more upbeat, and the beat on "Money Trees" actually samples Beach House of all things. And to my surprise, Drake actually fits in well on the track "Poetic 

Justice."

Then comes the two title tracks "good kid" and "m.A.A.d city." While the former is a great track; it's the latter that really comes hard, with Kendrick rapping in a way that makes him sound like the 16 year old boy he used to be. And the song has a killer beat to boot, with the first half reminding me slightly of "Mercy" of all things.

"Sing about me, I'm dying of thirst" is a twelve minute journey, where Kendrick raps about how his music effects not only the life's of the listener, but of the people he raps about. And while I wasn't too big on the track "Real", I do appreciate it's message and overall place on the album. And finally, "Compton", a perfect closer to the album. Considering how cinematic the entire album has been up until this point; it's only fitting that the last track plays like the song you would hear behind the credits of a movie.

I thought this was an incredible album, through and through. If Kendrick can keep his knack for concept albums and keep his lyrics and flow even close to how it is on this album; I have no doubt that he'll go down as one of the greats.

9.8/10

Band Watch: Pile

Just today, the Post-Hardcore 4-piece Pile have been brought to my attention. And I must say, I like what I'm hearing.

They have a new album out titled "Dripping" which is a mix of hard edged rock guitars and slow, often beautiful melodies. Not to mention the lead singer reminds me ever so slightly of Jeff Mangum at some points here.

Here is a link to the band's bandcamp page, check em' out!
http://pile.bandcamp.com/music 


Also, I want to make note that an album review is in the works. So stay tuned for that!

Kendrick Lamar: "Backseat Freestyle" Track Review

Kendrick Lamar is a rapper from Compton, California. And when he isn't reppin' his city, he's dropping amazing tracks like "Backseat Freestyle",a track that has me really hyped for his next album "Good kid in a m.a.a.d city".

The track starts of with Kendrick comparing himself with Martin Luther King, saying, "Martin had a dream/ Kendrick have a dream", and from that point on the track is one long trail of fire. Kendrick sounds hungry on this track, and for a rapper of 24, that's a grand thing to behold. He's got the game in his hands, I only hope his album has more songs like this one.

Check it out

Death Grips: The Money Store/ NO LOVE DEEP WEB Album review: Double Feature: Electric Boogaloo

Let me just preface this double feature with a little warning. The music that this band produces is very graphic, offensive, and downright frightening at points... So be wary.

That being said; Death Grips is a alternative rap trio from Sacramento California. The group is comprised of rapper Mc Ride, drummer Zach Hill, and beat maker Flatlander. And let me tell you, these guys are doing something utterly amazing and altogether terrifying with the music they create.

But allow me to explain what makes Death Grips such a captivating, yet polarizing group in the world of underground music. First off, the vocals... Good God, the vocals. Mc Ride, at first, seems less like a rapper and more like a crazed hobo who hijacked a studio to scream his utterly insane rants. Ride is equal parts over-the-top and poignant, with his lyrics detailing the exploits of an unlikeable, villain esq person, who is bent on being as cruel as possible and teetering on the brink of insanity. Which is a great concept in this day and age, where gangster rappers like Lil' Wayne and Wakka Flocka are praised for glorifying greed and violence. However, the character that Mc Ride portrays in his songs, is so extreme that nobody could possibly find any reason to praise or idolize him... which to me is utterly brilliant.

Next we have Zach Hill ( of Hella fame ) and Flatlander, the two music makers in the group. And really, they add just as much, if not more chaos to the mix. With Hills's jittery, off-kilter drumming and Flatlander's penchant for creating some of the noisiest beats you'll ever hear,  these guys set the apocalyptic stage on which Mc Ride preaches his dark sermon.

But beneath all of the noise and screaming, Death Grips manages to make music that is surprisingly catchy and, as I've said before, captivating. Especially on their major label debut The Money Store, the first of two albums they released this year under their record label Epic.

The album starts with the track "Get Got", a song about police paranoia with an infectious hook. It also is one of the rare moments when you'll find Ride rapping in a calmer tone of voice. The following track however ( "The Fever") ramps up the intensity tenfold, with a beat that sounds like a siren, and Mc Ride screaming in your face. Tracks like "System Blower" and "The Cage" hark en back to the band's first mix tape Exmilitary, and the track "Double Helix" is another track where Mc Ride is being relatively low-key.

But the two tracks that really stand out on The Money Store are "I've Seen Footage" and "Hacker". The Former sounds eerily similar to Salt N Peppa's "Push it" though with a lot more police brutality and critiques on the Internet age. While "Hacker" is a very jittery song that apparently Lady Gaga can't handle.

Simply put, The Money Store is brilliant. It combines so many different sounds and images together and does it exquisitely. It also happens to be my favorite album of the year... so far.

10/10

Now on to the band's second and far more controversial release, NO LOVE DEEP WEB.
But why all the talk? Well, it was released for free months before the record label was allegedly going to release it, and upon it hitting the Internet on October 1st, the band slapped on a rather graphic album cover; a man's erect penis with the album title written on it in black sharpie... yeah.

But I don't want to linger too long on the context, you have Google for that. Instead, let me tell you about what to expect from this album.

Unlike The Money Store where the beats are noisy and the hooks rather prominent. NLDW is a more subdued album musically, save for moments like the track "No Love" and "Whammy" Zach and Flatlander seem to let Mc Ride take over this album, which is a great move when the lyrics are on point.

That is my only real complaint however; Rides' lyrics on a couple of tracks here are a little shaky. Like the track "Deep Web" or the hook on "World of Dogs". Whereas The Money Store managed to obscure any lyrical flubs with an infectious hook or subtle production move, NLDW puts Mc Ride front-and-center, revealing some inconsistency. But when he's on, HE'S ON. Like my favorite track from the album, the hellish "No Love" or the ear worm "Bass rattle stars out the sky".

NLDW may not be as strong as TMS, but it still has the same appeal and shows how versatile Death Grips is.

8.5/10

Frank Ocean: Channel Orange Album Review

Say what you will about the rap click Odd Future, ( believe me, I have ) but it's hard to deny the impact they've had on underground music in the last couple of years. They've manged to garner a lot of attention ,and for obvious reasons; they can be highly offensive, overly aggressive and sometimes, downright genius.

But out of all of Odd Future's members, it's Frank Ocean who seems to be looking for mainstream success the most. With his smooth R&B sound reminiscent of Marvin Gaye, and the fact that he's the most consistent member of the click in terms of quality. And "Channel Orange" only cements that fact.

The album opens with a short instrumental before going into the first real song "Thinkin' Bout You", a soulful tune with Frank Ocean singing the hook in an ear-splitting falsetto. It's a great way to start things off. Unfortunately, the next song "Sierra Leone" is kind of a dud; which is too bad, because the next track "Sweet Life" is really great. In fact this track, and the track "Super Rich Kids" make a nice pair, since their subject matters are very similar, "Sweet Life" talks about how maybe being rich and having "the beach" isn't all its cracked up to be, while "Super Rich Kids" takes a more juvenile approach with Earl dropping a verse about crashing his fathers car. Not to mention that both of these tracks, and really the entire album, have really stellar hooks.

But my favorite tracks all group themselves in the middle of the album, with "Pyramids", "Lost", and "Pilot Jones". "Pyramids" is by far the most ambitious song on the album; it's a 10 minute epic that goes from the death of Cleopatra, to a stripper working in a club called The Pyramid. But it's the way Frank Ocean transitions from one section to another that makes the track truly memorable. "Pilot Jones" is a hazy song that is either about a girl, or weed... or both. And finally "Lost", which easily has the best hook on the entire album, tells a story about a girl who is lost in the world, cooking dope and just getting caught in the rush without finding a place for herself. 

Overall "Channel Orange" is a really great release from an artist who is sure to make a name for himself not only in the modern day R&B scene, but also surpass his mates in Odd Future. Which, to be fair, isn't that hard of a task lately.

9.0

Black Breath: Razor To Oblivion EP Review

There was a time back in the days of my youth, where the only music I wanted to listen to, was metal.
Sure, my musical pallet has grown more complex over the years, but every now and again I get an itch that can only be scratched by the sound of drums being played at ludicrous speeds and guitars chugging away at some very down-tempo chords. Or, to take the cover of this EP literally, the sound of Death reaping his way across a battlefield... A pretty epic sight, am I right?

Luckily, this EP from Washington band Black Breath; offers up four punked-out thrash songs that don't disappoint in bringing on the heavy riffs and brutal atmosphere that makes metal music just so darn appealing.

It all starts off with the title track, which sounds like an evil mix of Motorhead and early Iron Maiden, while"Beneath the Crust" takes a slower, more Judas Priest kind of tone.

But there's no mistaking these guys for an old school revivalist act or anything. Since the vocals offer only the best in modern day thrash screams. A style I'm usually not big on, but here it works with the harsh tone of... well, everything else.

At 14 minutes, this isn't the most significant release the band has to offer, ( Their latest album will be getting a review at some point ) but it's a great starting point.

8/10

Royal Headache: Self-Titled Album Review

At first, Australian band Royal Headache, seem like your average pop-punk band with a lo-fi sound. That is until you hear the lead singer... who's voice sounds like he should be fronting a fiery soul band from the 60's. It's these vocals, and the overall talent the band has for tight hooks and catchy melodies, that makes this debut such a fun listen.

Take the first track "Never Again" for example: A passionate punk tune with the lead singer's soulful vocal soaring over the mix. Or the track "Surprise" which seems to signify that the band knows the true strength of their frontman; putting together a song that sounds just like the band I imagined the singer to be fronting.

Now I can go on and on about vocals, easily the band's most interesting aspect. But then I'd be leaving out a large chunk of what makes this band enjoyable in the first place. As I mentioned above, these Aussies really know how to put a catchy tune together, ( "Girls" "Never Again") but they also pull out two very well done instrumentals, "2 Kinds of Love" and "Wilson Street". The latter of which is easily one of the strongest tracks on the entire album.

And when it comes to slowing things down, Royal Headache offers again; two very strong tracks, "Down The Lane" and "Honey Joy". 

It's really great to see something unique, catchy and actually kind of joyful come out of the punk scene. With Royal Headaches debut, you get 26 minutes of pure enjoyment, no filler, not a song out of place. A rare thing indeed.

8.6/10

Cloud Nothings: Attack on Memory Album Review

You know, it warms my heart when I hear a solid, straight up, no frills rock'n'roll album.

And luckily, Cloud Nothings have delivered just that, with their latest full length release "Attack on Memory".

Now if you know anything about these guys you'll know that their last two albums were very lo-fi, and more in tune with the indie pop sound. However, thanks to production by the one-and-only Steve Albini, ( Nirvana, The Pixies, Slint) Cloud Nothings are sounding better than ever. With sharp guitar sounds and drums that will leave your ears ringing, Mr. Albini has brought with him a much needed energy boost to the band's music.

The album starts off with the slow burner "No Future/ No Past" an angsty song to say the least. With the lead      

singer repeating in a mantra like fashion "Give up/ Come to know/ That we're through" And in the songs last minute he screams out the title... it's a pretty amazing opening

.

Next we have the track "Wasted Days", a nine-minute jam of sorts that completely justifies it's length. The tracks "Fall In" and "Stay Useless" are more upbeat, but the latter is easily the best song on the album, while the former sounds slightly sterile in comparison to the other tracks on the album.

 "Separation"  is an energetic instrumental with what sounds like a piano playing very sour notes in some spots. "No Sentiment" and "Cut You" are also very solid tracks, but the real star near the end is the song "Our Plans". A song that seems to poke fun at the notion that, just because a band is well loved or well respected, that they can do no wrong. A very easy trap to fall into in this day and age.

In the end, "Attack on Memory" is simply a solid rock album, in a world where solid rock albums are few and far between. 

7.5/10

Beirut: The Rip Tide Album Review

Back in 2006 Zach Condon, ( under the monkier Beirut) released the band's first full length album "Gulag Orkestar." An album that came as a surprise to many western listeners, especially in the world of Indie music. But why? Well, to start, Zach was not playing your average pop music; instead he opted to bring the sounds of Balkan brass into the otherwise jangle-filled apathy-ridden indie scene. And with songs like "Postcards from Italy" and "Rhineland (Heartland)", it was hard to dislike.

Now it's 2012, and Beirut is on their 3rd full length release, "The Rip Tide." An album that signals a rather interesting change for the band. One, the horns found on their previous two albums have been toned down dramatically; replaced with bouncy synths, and more piano than the last two albums. Two, Zach's weary, mournful vocals have become more of focal point.

While some fans may see this as Beirut simplifying their sound, ( and to an extent they are) I see it more as the band pursuing their pop sensibilities. And  the end result is an album full of more memorable songs, from the opener "A Candle's Fire" to the closer "Port of Call" there's not one bad song on this LP.

The first two tracks both feature rich horn swells, and the track "Sante Fe" even has a nice little opener featuring the afore-mentioned synthesizer, giving the track a very upbeat quality. The next track "East Harlem" slows things down a bit with Zach on the pump organ while he sings the line "another rose wilts in east harlem" as he describes the rigors of a long-distance relationship. His lyrics on this album are more upfront then they were on "Gulag" or "Flying Cup Club" and while they aren't always poetry, it's nice to see more confidence from Zach. 

Other highlights are the tracks "Vegabond" with it's bright piano chords and warm horns. And the track "Port  of Call" is the perfect closer, evoking feelings from the bands first album. Especially with the energetic ukulele strumming and Zach's signature croon.

Overall, I feel like Beirut has done something really special here. Sure, it's not as richly detailed as their other two albums. But that's just fine with me, because they've managed to put together what is, to me, their most immediate and catchy album yet. 

8.5/10