Archive for the ‘General’ Category
WZRD — WZRD
Tuesday, February 28th, 2012
WZRD album cover
It seems as though Kid Cudi, the “man on the moon,” truly
can work magic with music, as shown by the alternative rock duo self-titled
album WZRD, released today. Cudi collaborated with Dot Da Genius to
create an album with drums, guitars, keyboards, singing, and no rapping or
swear words.
After being announced over a year ago and having the release
date postponed by a month, the 11-track album debuted at number 1 on iTunes.
The album was recorded on a tour bus at Cudi’s home in Los Angeles.
Dubbing WZRD an alternative rock album surely made
fans expect something extremely different from Cudi’s previous albums and
mixtapes, but the album may have made many realize how prominent instruments
and singing are in all of his work. Although the lack of rapping and profanity
is noticeable, every song on the album is very identifiable as a Kid Cudi song.
The album begins with “The Arrival,” an instrumental song
that very appropriately introduces the music style that Cudi and Da Genius work
with throughout WZRD. Jimi Hendrix-inspired guitar is prominent in the
song, and in most of the other tracks.
Dot Da Genius and Kid Cudi
An energetic song follows the instrumental, “High On Life,”
obviously inspired by Cudi’s decision to stop smoking marijuana last April. The
“lonely stoner” shocked many with his announcement, and said in an interview
with datnewcudi.com that he had writer’s block for five months after deciding
to stay sober. Listeners will be grateful that he broke through the block as
they listen to “High On Life,” a song heavy with guitar riffs and snare drum.
The chorus features Cudi crooning, “I never ever thought it could be/ Never
thought the day would come for me/ When I would be high on life.”
The song is upbeat and can serve as an inspiration for
anybody trying stay sober as well.
Perhaps the most alternative rock-like song on the album,
“Live and Learn,” begins with guitar chords followed by bass and cymbals. Cudi
sings about the lessons life has to offer, and poses the question, “Where did I
come from?/ Is it the moon or a planet I ain’t heard of?” This line suggests
that Cudi views WZRD as being very different from his Man on the Moon
albums.
A track that stands out amongst the upbeat and inspired
tracks on the album is “Efflictim,” which shows the insecure and humble side of
Cudi that his fans are so familiar with. Cudi hums and sings to someone about
the troubling idea of what they would do if he were to die. The chorus goes,
“I’m just trying to say is life is too short/ Though I make mistakes, baby, I’m
trying to make things right/ All I’m trying to say is that life is too short/
All we got is love, baby, and the time to make it right.”
Other notable songs are “Love Hard,” which features guitar
as well as some beats, “Teleport 2 Me, Jamie,” the lead single, and “Where Did
You Sleep Last Night?,” a cover of the blues song by Lead Belly, which is
inspired by Nirvana’s cover of the same song.
As a whole, the lyrics in WZRD express Cudi’s new
perspective on life. Inspired by both his sobriety and his daughter, Cudi seems
to be growing up, and this album shows that. While the music itself isn’t
anything special compared to other alternative rock albums, it’s a very unique
mix of hip-hop techniques and rock rhythms that music listeners have never
heard before.
WZRD certainly isn’t the type of album that most of
Cudi’s fans are used to listening to, but is still a great piece of work from
the talented artist. Fans can appreciate Cudi’s ability to be musically diverse
while awaiting the release of the third Man on the Moon album this fall.
Tags: album review, Dot Da Genius, Kid Cudi, Teleport 2 Me, WZRD
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El Camino — The Black Keys
Tuesday, December 6th, 2011
Over the past ten years blues rock duo The Black Keys has
released seven studio albums, won three Grammy’s, and been featured in a wide
variety of movie and television soundtracks, commercials, and video games. The
duo, consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney
released their seventh album, El Camino, today.
Although El Camino’s sound is very similar to that of
previous Black Keys albums, the album nonetheless shows off the duo’s musical
and lyrical talents.
The Black Keys performed the album’s single, “Lonely Boy,”
and another track, “Gold on the Ceiling,” this past weekend on Saturday Night
Live.
Their performance of “Lonely Boy” was energetic, as the song
is full of hip-swinging guitar riffs and bass- and cymbal-heavy drums. Like
most other Black Keys songs “Lonely Boy” rocks the whole way through, from the
beginning guitar chords to the last beat of the bass drum. The catchy chorus
has Auerbach and background singers chanting, “Oh-woah-oh-oh/I got a love that
keeps me waiting/I’m a lonely boy.”
The fourth track on the album, “Little Black Submarines,” is
reminiscent of 1970s rock such as Eagles’ “Hotel California” in the beginning
of the song. When the first soft notes are played on the guitar and then joined
by Auerbach’s soulful voice, one hears the song fitting well in the background
of a movie in which a beat up Cadillac sails down a desert highway into sunset.
The song is slow, with just the guitar, vocals, a tambourine, and very little
bass drum. Until two minutes in, when the guitar becomes more vibrant, a bass
guitar joins in, and Carney starts in on his usual rhythmic beating of his drum
kit. “Little Black Submarines” is touching and a bit angsty, with lyrics
expressing a feeling of desperation.
Another great song on the album is “Nova Baby,” with bitter,
“just you wait and see,” style lyrics. The message is paired with incredibly
catchy and upbeat guitar, drums, bass, keyboards, and a little tambourine.
“Nova Baby” is very typical of The Black Keys’ style of music: songs that will
get audiences happily singing along to unhappy lyrics.
Other noteworthy tracks are “Dead and Gone” (turn the bass
up on that one), “Sister,” and the somewhat Doors-y “Stop Stop.”
The Black Keys’ sound hasn’t varied much over their ten-year
career, and unlike most artists that isn’t a setback for them. Their music is
unique enough to keep audiences intrigued; it’s blues you can dance to, rock
that tugs at your emotions.
It’s also nice to see that The Black Keys have held their
ground after the massive popularity of 2010’s Brothers. The familiarity
of El Camino is welcome in a world where artists get mainstream notice
and then their music begins to lose integrity. This album is piece of quality
music, and a testament to Auerbach’s and Carney’s immense talent.
Tags: album review, Dan Auerbach, El Camino, Lonely Boy, Patrick Carney, The Black Keys
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Camp — Childish Gambino
Tuesday, November 15th, 2011
Three and a half years after releasing his first album, Sick
Boi, Childish Gambino has released his first official album, Camp.
The alter ego of actor/writer/comedian Donald Glover, Gambino has been making
mixtapes, EPs, and full-length albums on his own and posting them for free on
the Internet since 2008.
Now, despite lyrics in several songs about “keeping [his]
shit free ‘til the last possible second,” Gambino has signed with indie label
Glassnote Records. Camp will be his first album available on iTunes, or
for legal purchase at all. And this album is definitely one worth buying.
Full to the brim with his signature clever rhymes that a
person of below-average intelligence wouldn’t understand, Camp is
expected to launch Gambino into hip-hop stardom.
The single, “Bonfire,” is perhaps a bit more energetic than
the rest of the album, punching you right in the ears in the beginning with
alarms and tribal-like chanting. Gambino’s raps are boastful and almost angry;
it’s as if he’s announcing himself to the world of hip-hop and insulting
anybody who didn’t already know of his presence. It’s certainly the best song
to introduce Gambino into mainstream music as it encompasses both his ability
to make beats that could blow speakers out and rap circles around anybody
currently on the radio.
“Outside,” the first track on the album, is one of the
slower and deeper songs. It starts off upbeat but slows down dramatically just
before the first chorus, in which an actual chorus sings. The song is a lot
like many of Gambino’s more recent songs where he raps/sings about personal
issues. “Outside” is about his experiences growing up and his older cousin, who
has been mentioned in other songs. He raps, “It feels weird that you’re the
person I took sink baths with/Street took you over/I want my cousin back.”
Tracks like this one show Gambino’s serious side, and make it apparent that he
really does use music as an outlet for emotions that he can’t express in his
comedy.
Most of the tracks on Camp are slow and emotional,
including “Letter Home,” “All the Shine,” and “Kids (Keep Up).” Faster, harder
songs are “Backpackers,” “You See Me,” and “Sunrise.”
Another thing that makes this album more personal is the
lack of featured artists. None of the tracks have any other artists listed, which
is very different from Gambino’s past albums. Although there are various female
singers in various songs, the lack of identification shows that Gambino intends
for this album to serve as an introduction.
As a whole Camp is a great lyrical introduction for
Gambino, but for one to know exactly what he’s capable of musically they would
have to listen to his underground work. Lyric-wise, he’s certainly come a long
way since Sick Boi, which he’s described as gimmicky. Camp
contrasts with his I Am Just a Rapper mixtapes musically; most of the
tracks on those are much more hard-hitting than any on this album.
While Camp is certainly a quality album, it rides the
middle ground of Gambino’s musical talents. Perhaps this is so that it’s more
acceptable into the mainstream, and if so then it worked; the album debuted at
#2 on iTunes. This may just be exactly what Gambino needed to get his foot in
the door before he unleashes the beats and use of indie songs in his tracks
that he’s become known for. If that’s the case, then Camp is the perfect
album to do just that.
Tags: bonfire, camp, childish gambino, review
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Firestorm Episode 7
Thursday, October 14th, 2010
This week on Firestorm, Danee Garone, Drew Sexton, Prest Melbourne Weaver and the rest of the Firestorm crew discuss a Federal Judge’s injunction against the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, the end to a moratorium on deep-water offshore drilling, and the Obama administration’s attacks on the US Chamber of Commerce.
Also, commentary from the left with Preston Melbourne-Weaver and Zach Ziebarth with Short Fuse.
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Firestorm Episode 6
Thursday, October 7th, 2010
This week on Firestorm, Danee Garone, Drew Sexton, Prest Melbourne Weaver and the rest of the Firestorm crew discuss possible peace talks in Afghanistan, Tennessee firefighters letting a house burn down because the owner did not pay a fee and the limits of free speech in Supreme Court case regarding the protesting of dead soldiers’ funerals.
Also, commentary from the right with Danee Garone and Zach Ziebarth with Short Fuse.
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