Excellent news! The xx are readying a new album, and they just made a sneak peek available for download. The track, Open Eyes (Demo), is available here. On their webpage, The xx left this note to their fans: "Open eyes is a demo we did whilst creating our new album, we just wanted to share it with you. xx The xx." What champions - check out the video for the track below, then grab it.
... I don't know what is wrong with you. It's just as good as the last two would make you hope. A stellar piece of bleak fantasy music. All the women are scheming, all the men are carrying, and no one ever remembers what they did last night. Download it right here. It's the third record that he has released for free during what might be the most impressive viral publicity campaign to date. Dig it.
Check out Drake's new video. It's got the same stylish, choppy camera work as the Headlines video (check that video out here). Also! Tons of a great cameos throughout. Also, it's important to remember what a great track this is, all on its own. In my opinion, The Motto places second, right behind Superbass by Nicki Minaj, as the bossest bonus track on an album this year. So, commence to digging it.
...then check out this video. Tyler does his signature schizophrenic routine, and The Game keeps pace. What really got me, though, was the Beats by Dre headphone product placement. I mean, they're in some insane dungeon mental hospital, and this filthy, miserable kid is wearing a brand new pair of high end headphones. It has the be the least effective sales pitch I've ever seen.
Check out this Clams Casino Remix of "Moon and Stars" by Big K.R.I.T., or just download it on faith like I did. It's got a Devin the Dude verse on it, and that signature Clams prettiness.
I feel like I was the last person to find out to find out that this record was released. I saw their first video for the movie soundtrack BUT I didn't even know this thing had a release date yet. Still, it is here, and it came out a full week ago. Check out this video for "Young, Wild and Free," then find the whole, glorious album, Mac and Devin Go to High School. It's just great seeing two rap stars distill a profound love and respect for Cheech and Chong into musical form. They sound like they're having a great time, and it's a blast to listen to (even if it might seem so carefree that it's inconsequential). There's a Curren$y feature on there too, so you can't really go wrong.
I've always found Danny Brown a little abrasive. So, even though I dug XXX and really appreciated his verse on the Huzzah! remix, he just didn't catch my attention in a serious way. This collaborative record he did with Black Milk, though? It's stellar. And Black Milk will be coming to Ann Arbor in March. And Danny Brown is a Detroit native. Basically, I think that Danny Brown will show up at the Blind Pig for the Black Milk show, and I think this song is dope. And the rest of the record. Enjoy.
...with this video for "Hotel Plaster" by Nicole Atkins. It's really pretty! And pretty trippy. Overall, I give it grade P. For pleasant. Maybe even a P+. For very, very pleasant. A hazy little Alice in Wonderland shout-out that hits the mark.
This is a new track by Azealia Banks. It's called "Liquorice" and it's wonderful. No download yet, but I'll post a link when I find it. In the meantime, give this a listen and love it.
From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "[Slim] Dunkin, whose real name is Mario Hamilton, 24, was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
[Police] said that Hamilton got into a "verbal altercation" before the video shoot and the person he was arguing with pulled out a pistol and shot Hamilton once in the chest."
Organized by how many times I played them. The only rules: nothing released in the 2011. Compiled by making a smart playlist on iTunes that collected everything added to my library in 2011, then screening out records that have a 2011 publishing date. Multiple tracks from the same record are not included. All videos are studio versions of the song except for the last track. Fortunately, that one is a stellar live performance. Enough shop talk, though. Here's the tunes!
10.) spAce - Magic Fly (1977)
9.) Saint Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart (1992)
8.) Rick Ross - Mafia Music (2009)
7.) The Naked and Famous - The Sun (2010)
6.) Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - West Coast Calamities (2006)
5.) Piero Piccioni - Babylon I'm Coming (1966)
4.) Allman Brothers Band - Midnight Rider (1973)
3.) Neko Case - Look for Me (I'll Be Around) (2002)
2.) Domo Genesis - Supermarket ft. Tyler the Creator (2010)
9th Wonder featuring Mac Miller. How did this come to be? Put this on a list of notable paradoxes. Also, this is the only song with Mac Miller on the record "The Wonder Years" by 9th Wonder. So, everyone should check the less outlandish tracks out. It's classy shit, I promise.
Check out the story, "Hip-Hop Universe, Expanding" here. It's pretty cool to see these guys get some attention, especially Cities Aviv. Also, it's really hilarious to see the writer try to navigate around Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire's name.
Not everything on this tape is new, but there's enough new stuff to warrant adding it to your iTunes. Mike G is one of my favorite rappers from OF. So, I'm glad to have this tape to listen to until Gold drops sometime next year. Same airy, ambient beats. Same smirking, murderous lyrics. I've heard a lot of shit talking about Mike G in the blogosphere lately, saying he's having trouble distinguishing himself from the rest of the crew. That's just nonsense, if you ask me. He's got chops, and this is a good record. Check it out. Download Link
Kills by JJ was a fun, surprisingly badass mixtape that came out about a year ago now (if my memory serves me correctly). Now, there's a Chopped and Screwed version that appears to be officially sanctioned by JJ. So, check it out, if you like. That's what I plan to do. Be warned, if it's straight hip hop you're looking for, this isn't it. They're down-tempo DJs by trade, and really the only thing that separates them from the chill-wave moniker is the violent lyrics on this tape. Download Link: Kills Chopped and Screwed
"I feel like Obama's an Illuminati puppet… it's basically dragged this country down into the worst it's ever been. 'You've built this house of shame' — the White House used to be, everybody looked up at the White House and America and everything, and now I think it's like a house of shame." - Jonathan Davis of Korn speaking to Billboard about the deep meaning behind their new song "Illuminati"
I won't bother with commentary because I'm pretty sure you can figure this out. Besides, it's more fun to read it as an argument.
Bon Iver to the New York Times: I don’t think the Bon Iver record is the kind of record that would get nominated for a Grammy — “I would get up there and be like, ‘This is for my parents, because they supported me,’ ” because I know they would think it would be stupid of me not to go up there. But I kinda felt like going up there and being like: “Everyone should go home, this is ridiculous. You should not be doing this. We should not be gathering in a big room and looking at each other and pretending that this is important.” That’s what I would say.
I really feel that way. Because no matter what . . . I don’t think Arcade Fire was compromised, but 98 percent of the people in that room, their art is compromised by the fact that they’re thinking that, and that they’re hoping to get that award. And who is that award given by? It’s like they think it’s literally handed down by the musical-history gods. And I don’t know who the voters are. Like, I have a friend who’s a voter who was like, “I had to be a voter because I don’t trust the other voters.” And I was like, “Me either!” And it’s just not important and people spend too much time thinking about it.
The Avalanches via twitter: @bonivera musicians 'art is compromised' if he/she desires a grammy ..but endor$ing a product with proven devastating health risks is ok?
a product which kills 100k p/a in the US alone..man kids look up to you. #rememberwhenitwascoolNOTtosellout
[this post came with a link to the following image, from Bon Iver's ad campaign with Bushmills whiskey]
Bon Iver via twitter: @TheAvalanches do u drink whiskey?
The Avalanches via twitter: actually vodka is more my thing, but this aint no rock n roll pissing contest. i have seen alcohol destroy many families ...
Full disclosure: I really prefer the Avalanches to Bon Iver by an enormous margin. Here are the videos for Frontier Psychiatrist and Since I Left You:
I'm completely enamored with this up and coming rapper from Harlem. She's got a great singing voice, a wicked flow, and impressive vocal range. She's also adorably profane and went to theater school. So, I'm psyched for her debut to drop in December, and you should be too. Check out her video for 212 below, and cop a free download of the track right here. Also, while I'm at it, here's a freebie link to a collaboration she did with Lunice called Runnin'. Enjoy!
