Music Spotlight – Favorite Music of 2013: Part 2

Drake – Hold On, We’re Going Home

Hold On, We’re Going Home is off of Drake’s third album Nothing Was the Same. Produced by Nineteen85 and Majid Jordan (who also features on the track), the song sizzles as a great upbeat pop crossover. It is the only song that solely features Drake singing and is also probably the most radio friendly, but it is just so catchy and inviting – you just want to get on the dance floor. Available for download: here

Ellie Goulding – Burn

Burn is off Ellie Goulding’s reissuing of her Halcyon album called Halcyon Days. It is produced by Greg Kurstin. Like all of Goulding’s work, the song succeeds on the strength and uniqueness of her voice. It also features an uplifting message of strength and empowerment when a lot of today’s pop music is just generic nonsense. Available for download: here

Haim – The Wire

The Wire is off Haim’s fantastic debut album Days Are Gone. It is produced by the Haim Sisters and Ariel Rechtshaid. The song capitalizes on the energy and vocal talent of all three sisters (who each have sections of the song, though Danielle is the lead), perfectly balancing both rock and pop ambitions. The track rocks, has an interesting narrative, and is (like the best pop songs) very catchy. Available for download: here

J. Cole – Power Trip

Power Trip, featuring Miguel and produced by J. Cole, is off Cole’s second studio album Born Sinner. It has a raw energy, maybe even bordering on angry. Cole definitely wants to prove that he belongs among the best in hip hop, and Power Trip is does that as one of the year’s best tracks in the genre. Miguel’s part is also really good, elevating the hook. Fans can continue to expect great things from Cole. Available for download: here

John Legend – We Loved It

We Loved It is a bonus track off of John Legend’s Love in the Future. Featuring Seal, it is produced by Kanye West and Jeff Bhasker. With Love in the Future, Legend set out to make a new kind of R&B album. This song accomplishes that. It is compellingly dark, yet soulful. Legend and Seal’s voices accompany each other very well (Seal especially invites the listener into the darkness). West and Bhasker’s beat features a great complexity and grandness, though also held back – as if one were looking at a faded masterpiece painting. Available for download: here

Maybach Music Group – Self Made, Vol. 3 (2013) – Review

Review: Rick Ross’s Maybach Music Group (MMG) has a large lineup to feature on his third posse album, including: Wale, Meek Mill, Gunplay, Rockie Fresh, Stalley, French Montana, and Omarion.

While Self Made Vol 1 and Vol 2 highlight both the talents of MMG’s artists and the sound that the label has cultivated (through the use of their frequently collaborating producers), Vol 3 just has a very bland sound musically – leading some to wonder if the label has peaked. It is a boring album to listen to (which has become a common trend in hip hop in general, and noticeably among MMG releases, particularly Meek Mill’s Dreams & Nightmares and to an even greater extent French Montana’s terrible Excuse My French).

The album is also overstuffed. MMG already has eight artists to showcase – and to this, only Rick Ross, Wale, Meek Mill, and Rockie Fresh really stand out. There are a ton of featured guests, which while a common feature of these Self Made albums it has gotten out of hand. It is easy to just get lost among all the scattered voices, many adding nothing of interest. Only J. Cole and Lupe Fiasco really bring anything to the album (Pusha T’s verse is good too, but way too short and on a bad song). It is too bad that the guests could not have been reduced greatly, leaving room for more from Gunplay and Stalley. Plus, zero French Montana and Omarion would have been better (but that is probably asking too much, since they are on the label).

Really the only positive this album provides, other than a few decent tracks (see Essential Tracks below), is that the album introduces Rockie Fresh, a new MMG signee. He has potential.

Overall, there is really no reason to pick up this album, unless you are a big fan of MMG and their sound. Rather, just cherry pick a couple tracks. 2/5

Essential Tracks:
1) Poor Decisions – Produced by Jake One, featuring Wale, Rick Ross, and Lupe Fiasco

2) God Is Great – Produced by Boi-1da, featuring Rockie Fresh

3) Black Grammys – Produced by Tone P, featuring Wale, Meek Mill, Rockie Fresh, and J. Cole

Available on: Digital Download

J. Cole – Born Sinner (2013) – Review

Review: J. Cole follows up his strong debut Cole World: The Sideline Story with an even better sophomore effort. He is among the best young artists in hip hop, an MC that fans have a lot of hope in (though, Kendrick Lamar has surpassed him as the genre’s ‘future’).

On Born Sinner, Cole’s production is more polished and lush and his lyrics are darker this time (as is the overall tone). He still maintains his great lyricism and ability as a storyteller, but seems to be following in the trend of Kanye West’s early work trying to find his place in mainstream hip hop, ruled by boasting and materialism, while also fighting against it. There is a duality to his message on many of the tracks. He wants to just be himself (a nerdy guy with thoughtful stories and great flow), but feels the pressure to create a persona that appeals to the mainstream (money, women, cars, power, and so on). This struggle is a central theme to the album. Additionally, Cole spends much of the remaining space playfully and emotionally ruminating on his relationships with women – but his lyrics feel less misogynistic than what the genre usually offers (misogyny is so mainstream in hip hop and R&B among male artists that listeners just seem to embrace it – it is not shocking or disgusting; it is just normal, and that is a sad comment on the way we view women). Cole’s faith also plays a role in the lyrics and especially in the overall sound for the album.

Musically, J. Cole’s production is fantastic and striking (and probably the most brilliant aspect of the album). While I was a fan of his beats on his mixtapes and previous LP, he has taken a big step forward with Born Sinner. Every track is musically engaging. I particularly like the darker melodic themes (songs like She Knows especially) that Cole has brought to the album. The full cohesive sound feels both aligned with hip hop in the classical sense (as Cole samples from Notorious B.I.G. and Outkast) and sounds different than everything else on the radio right now, which is a very good thing. This is hands down the most musically interesting album of 2013 so far (a title that Kanye West’s Yeezus is sure to take though, once we get to hear the full album on June 18th).

Another aspect of the album that I like and respect is that Cole is confident enough in himself to not feature any guest verses on the album. This is a personal album and would be lessened by tons of features (like every other hip hop album). However, that is not to say that there are not strong contributions from collaborators. Miguel, Amber Coffman (of Dirty Projectos), and Kendrick Lamar all show up with great choruses. Producer No I.D. also works with Cole on one of the album’s best tracks.

Born Sinner is a great hip hop album, again reminding fans that J. Cole is one of the genre’s real artists (personally, he is in my current top five with West, Lamar, Pusha T, and Drake – they just make the aesthetically most engaging music in the genre right now). 4/5

Essential Tracks:

1)      Power Trip – Produced by J. Cole, featuring Miguel

2)      Rich Niggaz – Produced by J. Cole

3)      Let Nas Down – Produced by No I.D. and J. Cole

Available on: Digital Download

Essential Songs of 2012: Part 7 – Music Spotlight – August 2012

Artist: Dum Dum Girls Song: Lord Knows Producer(s):  N/A Featuring: N/A Album: End of Daze

Artist: Dusted Song: Cut Them Free Producer(s): Leon Taheny Featuring: N/A Album: Total Dust

Artist: Ellie Goulding Song: Anything Could Happen Producer(s): Ellie Goulding and Jim Elliot Featuring: N/A Album: Halcyon

Artist: J. Cole, Big K.R.I.T. and Kendrick Lamar Song: They Ready Producer(s): J. Cole Featuring: N/A Album: DJ Khaled’s Kiss the Ring

Artist: Kendrick Lamar Song: Swimming Pools (Drank) Producer(s): T-Minus Featuring: N/A Album: Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City

Artist: Nas Song: Loco-Motive Producer(s): No I.D. Featuring: Large Professor Album: Life is Good

Artist: Reks Song: The Jones’ Producer(s): Numonics Featuring: N/A Album: Rebelutionary

Artist: Rick Ross Song: Diced Pineapples Producer(s): Cardiak Featuring: Wale and Drake Album: God Forgives, I Don’t

Artist: Talib Kweli Song: Push Thru Producer(s): S1 Featuring: Kendrick Lamar and Curren$y Album: Prisoner of Conscious

Artist: The xx Song: Chained Producer(s): Jamie xx Featuring: N/A Album: Coexist

LeapBackBlog 2011 Music Awards – Part 1: Ten Essential Albums

Music in 2011 saw the further domination of hip hop and indie rock as the principal forms of ‘good’ music. Forms of electronic music have also taken up a much more mainstream appeal in recent years, and there is certainly evidence of this in what was great in music in 2011. Here are my ten favorite albums of the year.

Part 2: Ten Essential Songs (Singles)

Part 3: Ten More Essential Songs (Deep Cuts)

Albums:

Artist: Beyonce Album: 4 Essential Tracks: I Care, I Miss You, Party, Rather Die Young, and Countdown Why It Made the List: Beyonce has been on top of the pop R&B genre since she became a solo artist. 4 feels much more like a personal album, filled with meaningful tracks and not just poppy stuff for the top 40. While it may not have the singles to dominate the charts and radio, it is her most complete and enjoyable effort of her career to date. Plus, the video for Countdown very well might be my favorite of the year. Available: Here

Artist: Childish Gambino Album: Camp Essential Tracks: Outside, Bonfire, All the Shine, Heartbeat, and You See Me Why It Made the List: Childish Gambino announced himself to the world in 2011; both with his EP featuring Freaks and Geeks and his first commercial release Camp. I liked Donald Glover as a rapper coming into the album, but it completely blew me away – both with fantastic production and real lyrics, while still maintaining the humor. Camp is an album you can listen to all the way through and enjoy every track, no matter how many times you have listened to it, which is very rare these days. Available: Here

Artist: Drake Album: Take Care Essential Tracks: Headlines, Crew Love, Marvins Room, Under Ground Kings, and Lord Knows Why It Made the List: Drake has a very unique sound – a good thing in a genre that is filled with artists that sound the same. The album has a lot of features but they all work well with Drake and do not overshadow him. The production on the album by 40 and T-Minus is fantastic as well. Drake is not afraid to gets his emotions across in his music, and Take Care is moody and personal. It is his best release to date. Available: Here

Artist: Jay-Z & Kanye West Album: Watch the Throne Essential Tracks: Niggas in Paris, Otis, Gotta Have It, Murder to Excellence, and Illest Motherfucker Alive Why It Made the List: Coming in to 2011, this was the most anticipated album for a lot of people (me included). It did not disappoint. The production on the album, first off, is brilliant and probably the best of the year (though The Weeknd’s trilogy is right there too). Kanye and Jay-Z cover all their bases lyrically, touching on politics, personal issues, lifestyle, art, having fun, and pretty much everything else. This is the best hip hop album of the year. Plus, the music video of Otis is so much fun. Available: Here

Artist: J. Cole Album: Cole World: The Sideline Story Essential Tracks: Lights Please, In the Morning, Nobody’s Perfect, God’s Gift, and Work Out Why It Made the List: J. Cole has been called the future of hip hop by many fans and pundits. His first commercial release lived up to the hype. It is not as flashy an album as a lot coming out in the genre, but it is solid all the way through and has a great ‘true hip hop’ feel to it –not so much of the pop hip hop sound that we have come to expect from most artists like J. Cole. His production ability also shines on the album. Available: Here

Artist: Kendrick Lamar Album: Section.80 Essential Tracks: Fuck Your Ethnicity, A.D.H.D., Ronald Regan Era (His Evil), Rigamortis, and HiiiPoWer Why It Made the List: Part of the hip hop group Black Hippy (with Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul), Kendrick Lamar had a huge 2011 – killing verses on Tech N9ne, Drake and Game’s albums, making a name for his crew and dropping one of the best albums of the year in Section.80. His flow and lyrics make him very relatable and relevant to today’s youth, while his musical ability endears him to lovers of the genre. Plus, HiiiPoWer is the best hip hop track of 2011. Available: Here

Artist: Pusha T Album: Fear of God II: Let Us Pray Essential Tracks: Changing of the Guards, Amen, Trouble on My Mind, My God, and I Still Wanna Why It Made the List: Pusha T, as a part of the duo Clipse, is already a well-known entity to genre fans, but with his Fear of God Mixtape and Fear of God II: Let Us Pray EP he has put himself in the upper echelon of solo artists as well. Teaming up with Kanye West seems to be a perfect match. His likely solo album in 2012 is among my most anticipated. Plus, Trouble on My Mind with The Neptunes producing and featuring Tyler, The Creator is one of the best collaboration of the year and has a great video. Available: Here

Artist: St. Vincent Album: Strange Mercy Essential Tracks: Cruel, Cheerleader, Strange Mercy, Dilettante, and Year of the Tiger Why It Made the List: There was a lot of great indie rock in 2011, but St. Vincent’s Strange Mercy was a step above the rest. Annie Clark’s art rock has so much substance to it, both musically and lyrically. Her sound is also fantastic. She has found a great balance between experimentalism and accessibility making this her most approachable album for those new to the genre.   Available: Here

Artist: Wale Album: Ambition Essential Tracks: Double M Genius, Miami Nights, Chain Music, Focused, and Ambition Why It Made the List: Wale had somewhat of a comeback year in 2011 (commercially at least, musically he never left) with early releases like 600 Benz and Bad Girls Club. Many of his fans were nervous that he would compromise his sound when he signed to Rick Ross’s MMG, but with the release of Ambition it is clear that Wale still brings the same fire to the mic and has maintained his lyrical integrity, be to a somewhat different style of beat. This is a very fun album with a lot of energy, yet introspective and personal. Available: Here

Artist: The Weeknd Album: House of Balloons Essential Tracks: High for This, House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls, Wicked Games, The Party & The After Party, and The Knowing Why It Made the List: The Weeknd with his 2011 Trilogy (including this album, Thursday and Echoes of Silence) is 2011’s best new artist (and probably the artist of the year). All three albums would have made this list; House of Balloons is just my favorite and the best album of the year. It has some of the best production creating the perfect sound to accompany Abel Tesfaye’s dark lyrics. It is tragic and beautiful. Plus, it is free. I cannot wait for his first commercial release slated for 2012. Available: Here

J. Cole – Cole World: The Sideline Story (2011) – Review

J. Cole – Cole World: The Sideline Story

After Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Thrown, Cole World was my second most anticipated album of the year. Thus, I had high expectations as I sat down to listen to the album a few times (before deciding what to rate it). I like the album a lot. J. Cole’s lyricism and producing ability are both top notch. I also like the fact that for his debut he decided to only have a few features (Jay-Z, Drake, Missy Elliot, and Trey Songz), allowing the listener to really get to know his flow and message. For fans that have followed him for years, the inclusion of the tracks Lights Please (from The Warm Up) and In the Morning (from Friday Night Lights) off his mixtapes seems odd, but these two songs are great (especially Lights Please, still my favorite of his songs) and for those just discovering J. Cole they are musts and warrant being on the album (plus, In the Morning features Drake who will also draw potential fans). As much as I like the album, it is just not quite on the same level as the work of Kanye West (My Dark Twisted Fantasy is on the level everyone else in hip hop is lagging behind for example, and Watch the Throne just has songs on a different level too). But that said, it is close and still a wonderful hip hop record with many great songs (I particularly like, in addition to my song picks, In the Morning, Lost Ones, Nobody’s Perfect, Rise and Shine, God’s Gift, Who Dat, and Daddy’s Little Girl). I recommend every hip hop fan check out J. Cole (this album and his mixtapes), as he is certainly among the best – one album in. 4/5

Editor’s Song Picks:

1)      Lights Please – Produced by J. Cole

2)      Work Out – Produced by J. Cole

3)      Can’t Get Enough – Featuring Trey Songz, produced by Brian Kidd

Available on CD and Digital Download

Kendrick Lamar – Section.80 (2011) – Review

Kendrick Lamar – Section.80

Coming from Compton, Kendrick Lamar has a legacy to live up to as an MC. Section.80 does not disappoint, as it is a really good album. The song HiiiPoWer alone is enough to make this record a classic. It is possibly the best hip hop track to be release this year so far. It groves while unleashing politically and culturally relevant lyrics. J. Cole produced the track, again showing off that he is just about as good a producer as MC. The rest of the album is good too, boasting strong informed lyrics (Kendrick Lamar’s best asset) and great production. As one of XXL Magazine’s 2011 Freshman (as is Lil B), he may not be as high profile as CyHi The Prynce, Yelawolf, Meek Mill, and Big K.R.I.T. but this album certainly puts all the others on notice. For fans of socially aware classic hip hop, this is a must have (and it also has a really cool album cover). 5/5

Editor’s Song Picks:

1)      HiiiPoWer – Produced by J. Cole

2)      Ronald Reagan Era – Featuring RZA, produced by Tae Beast

3)      Rigamortis – Produced by Willie B

Available on Digital Download

Maybach Music Group – Self Made, Vol. 1 (2011) – Review

Maybach Music Group – Self Made, Vol. 1

The group is made up of label head Rick Ross’s three newest high profile signings: Wale, Meek Mill and Pill. Each has had their successes and failures before Ross brought them in (for example Wale released his debut album in 2009 Attention Deficit, which was one of the best hip hop albums of the year, but did not sell very well). This album is essentially a glorified mixtape, a little more polished sonically, but lacking great production throughout (though there are a few fantastic beats on it). That being said, it does serve as a great introduction to these artists and their rhyming skills – each with their own unique sound (personally I am a big fan of Wale, but Meek Mill has caught my interest due to this album). During the first listen-through, the album just sounds like a series of street-bangers in the mold of Ross’s own Lux Luger produced hits B.M.F. and MC Hammer, and certainly Ross played a major role in shaping the sound of this album and lends his voice to most of the songs in some capacity (after all he is the biggest name in MMG). However having gone through the album many times now, it offers a few chill and laidback grooves as well (reminiscent of a number of the track off Ross’s own Deeper Than Rap) that give the album a nice break.  It does not feature too many well-known producers, but Just Blaze and Lux Leger (producing the un-Lex Luger sounding That Way) each laydown a track. It also features a good list of hip hop’s hot MCs like Curren$y, J. Cole and CyHi Da Prynce lending verses. Some complain that Ross is trying too hard to get his MCs to do songs that sound just like his, but this is an MMG album, not a Pill, Meek Mill or Wale solo album (we will have to wait for their solo releases scheduled for 2011/12 to see how much Ross has indeed influenced them sonically). However, lyrically all three MCs touch on the material they are known for. While the album lacks great songs (though an argument can be made for Tupac Back and 600 Benz), it is solid throughout with really no bad songs or moments. For fans of the MCs, it should hold them over until the solo releases drop. 3/5

Editor’s Song Picks:

1)      Tupac Back – Meek Mill featuring Rick Ross, produced by Mike Will of Eardrummers

2)      600 Benz – Wale featuring Rick Ross and Jadakiss, produced by Cardiak

3)      Rise – Pill & Wale featuring Teedra Moses, Cyhi Da Prynce & Curren$y, produced by Cardiak

Available on CD and Digital Download

XV – Zero Heroes Mixtape (2011) – Review

XV – Zero Heroes

XV’s last mixtape Vizzy Zone was a solid entry, but the Kanas MC’s latest Zero Heroes has some great material on it. XV exhibits a wonderful talent for lyrics that appeal to those immersed in pop-culture (at least the geekier side of it) with sharp and playful references to comics, movies, music and so on. XV also continues to have a very fruitful working collaborative relationship with producer Seven – their work continues to produce the strongest songs on his albums and continues to be true with this one, even with better known producers like Just Blaze and Swiff D contributing beats. When XV does drop his first studio album, hopefully Seven will have some great material for him as they work so well together. XV has a number of good features on the mixtape with Pusha T and CyHi Da Prynce standing out (and guest producer J.Cole on the song Smallville, too bad he did not lay down a verse too), but XV is certainly the main attraction and voice of the album. Having listened to a few XV mixtapes now, I can say I am very excited to hear what he has in store for his fans on his upcoming studio album, as Zero Heroes is better than most studio albums I have heard this year. 3/5

Editor’s Song Picks:

1)      Textbook Stuff – Featuring Kendrick Lamar and produced by Seven

2)      U.F.C. – Featuring Kristina Rose and produced by Seven

3)      Awesome – Featuring Pusha T and produced by Seven

Available on Digital Download