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A Review of Jay-Z’s “Blueprint 3″

September 26, 2009 By 1 Comment
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Blueprint 3 bids adieu to the Blueprint series that Jay-Z first erected back in 2001.

Considered one of the most anticipated albums of 2009, Jay-Z’s 11th studio release, Blueprint 3, fails to live up to expectations and satisfy the growing hunger for a return to the framework that made both Blueprint and Reasonable Doubt successful. For the past decade, the Blueprint brand has been Jay-Z’s trademark in dictating the agenda and direction of hip hop. However, the beloved son from Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects, whom we’ve come to admire for his journey from the New York underworld to his ascension as one of the greatest emcees of all time, seems to have reached an impasse in his career.

The first half of the LP starts off strongly, giving the indication that Jay-Z has finally returned to form, reminiscent in the first 2 Blueprint albums and is ready to assert his dominance once again over the industry. In “Thank You”, Jay-Z uses his wealth and demeanor as a means of silencing and deconstructing his emcee rivals and detractors, who have argued that he is no longer worthy of being known as hip-hop’s vanguard. “D.O.A.” is seen as a verbal diatribe against hip hop and its continued dependence of the auto-tuner. Jay-Z laments that the auto-tuner is ruining the quality of music being released and should not have a place in hip hop anymore. The crown jewel of the album belongs to “Empire State of Mind”, a wonderful and elegantl song displaying Jay-Z’s love and appreciation for the city of New York. It features vocals from renowned R & B singer, Alicia Keys, whose voice on the chorus enhances Jay-Z’s message.

In contrast, the second half of the LP seems to brandish an entirely new train of thought, a concept that seems to have backfired badly on Jay-Z. The beat production and guest appearances are the primary culprits. The previous two Blueprint albums employed cuts from Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Timbaland, and Just Blaze. Although Kanye and Timbaland reappear on Blueprint 3, Jay-Z also gives the responsibility of creating beats to Swizz Beatz and The Neptunes, who seemingly have lost their touch behind the boards. On Blueprint, the most notable guest appearance belonged to Eminem on the song, “Renegade”. Yet this time around, Jay-Z decided to feature two up and coming emcees, Drake and Kid Cudi, who are severely underused, being relegated to hook duty on “Off That” and “Already Home”, respectively.

Many artists like to expand upon their craft and delve into something that is completely different than what they are accustomed to. Nevertheless, someone who has reaped millions of dollars and has sold out at every concert he’s ever performed at, shouldn’t even need to put out an album with the sole intention of making money. Jay-Z has accomplished so much in his storied career that a Blueprint album that does not carry the same intensity and energy prevalent in the past two Blueprint albums, just simply isn’t Jay-Z’s M.O.

“Thank You”

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A Review of Kanye West’s “Late Registration”

August 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment
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Knock, knock. Who's there? Kanye. Kanye who? Kanye West. The registration table is on your right Mr. West.

Even with the aid of a dictionary, it would simply be impossible to describe Kanye West with a single word or phrase. We’ve often debated amongst ourselves whether we truly love or hate him, depending entirely if you embrace his skills and talents as a producer/emcee or if you have been overly frustrated with his child-like tantrums he has occasionally thrown at award shows. Since he’s crossed over from producer to record selling artist, Kanye has made himself into a commodity in reference to his own music and fashion sense, as seen with him being labeled as the “Louis Vuitton Don”. He has always been honest with his upbringing as a middle-class child growing up in Chicago and that part of his life has never needed to be altered just to gain street credibility.

Late Registration is another addition to the mighty staple of dominance that Kanye has had over the hip-hop industry and has become my favorite album out of College Dropout and Graduation. It not only has a surplus of  guest appearances highlighted by Jay-Z and Nas but the beats he creates are so brilliant and noteworthy. Every track Kanye lays his hands on is similar to that of Michelangelo and his work on the Sistine Chapel. Although, he would rather be known for rapping than producing, I believe that Kanye belongs in the same category as DJ Premier, Dr. Dre, Pete Rock, J Dilla, and 9th Wonder as one of the best producers of our generation. The material on every album he has released has never been stricken with boundaries and Kanye has never been afraid of speaking his mind especially about the Bush Administration and Hurricane Katrina.

My favorite tracks include: “Touch the Sky”, “Hey Mama”, and “Crack Music”. He has certainly learned how to differentiate himself from the conventional emcee and I have always appreciated the content he’s put forth into each and every one of his albums. He is a perfectionist and that mentality is seen through the passion and fire that he uses to conduct himself every time he enters the recording studio, a sure sign that he will continue making albums that will be mentioned in the same breath as Illmatic and Reasonable Doubt. Music is a craft that only a chosen group of people can really develop and make their own, an art form that Kanye has solidified and single-handedly reformed.

When I first listened to “Jesus Walks”, I was amazed to see religion being used as the forefront in any musical capacity. I never quite knew who Kanye was or what he did to gain so much attention until I listened to Jay-Z’s The Blueprint and The Black Album. I then realized that he was the mastermind behind “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” and “Encore”. However, watching interviews of Kanye in the past few years have given me a different impression about him, especially the way he handled himself during the 2006  European MTV Awards. However, the negativity that he’s faced never seems to faze him, something I must give him much respect and admiration for.

He has definitely become a connoisseur of not only hip-hop/rap but with R & B (808s & Heartbreak) as well and will continue to dazzle critics and listeners with his charm but most importantly, his voice.

“Touch the Sky”

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A Review of The Cunninlynguists’s “Will Rap For Food”

August 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

All you need is food and water to be content in the world.

“Knowledge be the key/To unlock your brain/And set your mindstate free.”

Before Florida MC, Mr. SOS joined the group in 2002 and departed in 2004, followed by the addition of Natti in 2004, the Cunninlynguists was composed of the tandem of Deacon the Villian and DJ Kno. Hailing from Lexington, Kentucky, they have recently started gaining nationwide attention throughout the hip hop community. They are in a long line of successful acts from the south including Outkast and the self-proclaimed king of the south, T.I. Their debut album, Will Rap for Food speaks for itself with the different inner cuts that focus on Deacon and Kno rapping in exchange for them asking people for money to purchase food.

They have fast become one of my favorite groups, even when I have been severely critical of southern hip hop music. Both the “Hyphy” movement in the Bay Area and the Crunk” movement in the south have not always sat well with me because I have always believed in the adage, “quality over quantity”. The Cunninlynguists do not have a hidden agenda and the material on this album in particular will swallow you whole. The fortune and the fame concept that many emcees and groups use as fuel for their music is not even a primary concern for Deacon and Kno who concentrate more heavily about the issues that they have faced while building up their stature and reputation as the Cunninlynguists.

My favorite tracks on the album include: “Mindstate” and “Family Ties”. Personal experiences are seen throughout this album by both artists, most notably Deacon the Villian, who raps about losing his sister and changing his ways in order to help support his family and provide an example and leadership for his younger sister. The cuts produced by Kno on this album combine the usage of hip hop, classical, jazz, and other musical genres. He has also been praised for his remix of Jay-Z’s Black Album, the White Al-bu-lum. Not only have they opened themselves up to hip hop with this album, they have also introduced newcomers who have used Will Rap For Food as an outlet to display their skills, including: Mr. SOS, Tondeff, Cashmere the Pro, Braille, Celph Titled, and etc.

Although this might seem like a stretch, I truly feel that the music that the Cunninlynguists have been releasing for the past 5 or 6 years is really reminiscent of old school Outkast, pre-2004. If you have not already heard or checked out an album by them, I heavily emphasize that you should do so immediately. Even though the south has ruled the hip hop world for quite some time now, the Cunninlynguists stand out on their own because of their continuous efforts to touch upon issues that are not one dimensional, something more artists should be more conscious of.

“Mindstate”

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“Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free” Akron/Family album review by Peter Cho

August 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

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Why you would put a slash in your band’s name is beyond me. Akron/Family. Is it implying you can call them Akron or Family? Akron and Family? Akron divided by Family?

Quibbles with name aside, I have to say that “Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free” is one of the most interesting albums of 2009. “Set ‘Em Wild” is the fourth album by Akron/Family, and is the first album since the departure of founding member Ryan Vanderhoof, who left the group to live in a Buddhist Dharma center in the Midwest. That’s one hell of a way to lose a member.

The first track, “Everyone Is Guilty,” puts the album off to a confusing start, sounding like Battles if they were freak-folk. The song runs long, and is soothing yet jarring, with a hint of shouting tossed in the song. After the first two minutes, things get serious, and you shake your head in amazement at the fact that Akron/Family consists of three members.

The musical ability of Akron/Family could be compared to Manny Pacquiao, pound for pound, they may be one of the fullest sounding musical trios I’ve ever heard. At times you get a vibe sounding a bit like Broken Social Scene, who commands a hefty 19 members.

Standout tracks include “Everyone is Guilty,” which tricks you from the start into thinking you’re listening to something completely different from what you’re actually listening to. If you’re thinking, “that makes no sense,” you now know how I feel about the track. Other songs worth listening to are “Sun Will Shine” and “Creatures,” which sees chanting mixed with electronic sounds and horns.

The end of the album heads into a mellower territory, straying away from the lively introduction, and tends to sound a lot like Fleet Foxes. The entire album manages to sound much more like a playlist than an album, as if the band got together and said, “let’s just make good music, forget what we’re supposed to sound like.” This may just be a luxury of the way their band is arranged, with everyone singing and playing multiple instruments.

Overall, I think “Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free” is continuing a trend of solid spring album releases, and one can hope that this will never end.

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“My Maudlin Career” Camera Obscura album review by Peter Cho

August 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

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Listening to “My Maudlin Career” is like sending your ears into a ghost of a time machine while listening to whispers of the past. Somehow though, you can tell that the music is temporary, and that the siren singing soothing sweet-nothings is none other than Camera Obscura’s Tracyanne Campbell.

Glaswegian band Camera Obscura is often compared to fellow Scots Belle and Sebastian, though they definitely possess their own spirit. For those who aren’t trained etymologists, maudlin means “tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental” (according to dictionary.com). Listening to the album, you can definitely feel the sentimental vibe.

Standout tracks include “French Navy,” “Careless Love” and “Honey in the Sun.” Listening to “French Navy” you can just imagine people smiling and laughing on top of their classic cars wearing their letterman jackets and swaying back and forth to the music. You can imagine most of these songs being played at a prom from the past, baby blue tuxedoes and all.

Even with all the gushing emotion, you can sense a dual aspect to the album that isn’t readily noticeable. With the melancholy drowning out your ears, the heavy instruments and sad vocals, you can still sense an underlying snarkiness. Compared to other recent releases that have been influenced by electronic music, or indie bands who have been trying “too hard” to be different, “My Maudlin Career” is a breath of fresh air.

Although not necessarily heavy in nature, “My Maudlin Career” is a light breeze of an album, relatively short at 46 minutes, and relatively mellow in content. It is melancholic, but strays far from depressing, it is airy, but far from empty. Like last week’s “Swoon,” by Silversun Pickups, Camera Obscura’s latest release is another diversion, something to fill your ears.

If you’re looking to throw a middle school dance anytime in the near future with kids from the past, be sure to grab a copy of “My Maudlin Career” to provide a soundtrack while you watch the boys and girls awkwardly split to opposite sides of the room. Or put it on when you’re driving down the countryside in your baby blue classic convertible wearing a scarf flying in the wind. Both occasions work.

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A Review of Gang Starr’s “Moment of Truth”

July 14, 2009 By 1 Comment
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R.I.P. Guru

“Gang Starr has got to be the sure shot/And its like that”

What makes a group so successful and relevant through the eyes and ears of modern hip-hop listeners? Is it the combination of clever and crafty rhymes mixed with uncanny and unique beats all in one? If that is the case, then that has been the calling card of Gang Starr for almost 2 decades. The duo, consisting of MC Guru and DJ Premier, have collaborated with each other since 1989, the end of an era that featured the likes of Public Enemy and N.W.A. They broke up in 2003 over creative differences but reports have surfaced in the past few years that a return has been mentioned. Both Guru and Premier have gained notoriety as solo artists as witnessed with their continual impact on the industry but their chemistry together as a duo was nothing short of magical.

They have been considered one of the most influential East Coast hip-hop groups and were responsible for jump-starting the careers of such artists such as Afu-Ra, Jeru the Damaja, and Mobb Deep. The music that Gang Starr created was presented in a form that was very intellectual and well-versed. The subject matter found throughout the Moment of Truth is positioned at different angles and directions. Each track on the album is blatantly different from another, which is indicative of Premier’s talents on the board and Guru’s skills on the mic. The album is part of a tradition that Gang Starr has steadily upheld and the music is definitely a reflection of the reputation that Gang Starr has attained.

My favorite tracks on the album include: “What I’m Here 4″ and “Make ‘Em Pay”. My introduction to Gang Starr was prompted by my interest in listening to new artists whose songs were not being played on the radio 25 times a day on the radio. A friend of mine then told me about a group called Gang Starr and for the past 2 years, I have managed to buy every Gang Starr album ever released. A wise investment in my opinion but my parents have often gawked at how much I spend on music. However, what matters to me is music that challenges me to think in a different light and to me, Gang Starr is one of only a few artists that do that for me.

If I could sum up Gang Starr in a sentence: A dynamic duo that sacrificed the evil intentions of the hip-hop industry for the good of making music without selling out or compensating for anyone else.

“Make ‘Em Pay”

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Alexview’s 21st Century Breakdown, Green Day Review

May 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

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Breakdown, indeed. Green Day’s new album has hit the market after the long anticipation from their huge hit American Idiot. . . and its not what I expected out of such a band. Alexview episode 1 covers the first look at the new album and the sequel to the 21st Century sound of Green Day.

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“Keep it Hid” by Dan Auerbach Album Review by Matt Arnold

April 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Akron Ohio may not seem like the coolest music city in America. For years the most successful Akron export was none other than the science fiction riddled music of Devo. Yet as of recently Akron has been put back on the map for a completely different type of music. The garage rock duo The Black Keys have been lighting up the charts for the past ten years with their unique, stripped down style of blistering blues rock. The driving force behind The Black Keys is the guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach. While Jack White grabs most of the headlines for the resurgence of blues rock, Auerbach is his dour, lesser known, and arguably cooler counterpart. The difference is White relies heavily on showmanship, while Auerbach lets his music do the talking. His first solo album “Keep it Hid” should, in essence, be called “Keep it Simple”. For years Auerbach has excelled in taking very similar blues riffs and creating entire albums that never begin to sound stagnate. The album “Keep it Hid” starts with the sparse acoustic “Trouble Weighs a Ton” and ends with the Beatles gone Blues “Goin’ Home”. In between the listener is given both the expected, up tempo,  Black Keys like garage rock in “Street Walkin’ “ , and the unexpected, softer, more nuanced “When the Night Comes”. The album may sound simple at first, yet Auerbach is able to switch sounds more often than on any of his previous work. While Keys fans may miss the thundering percussion of Patrick Carney, they will no doubt be impressed at the expansion of Auerbach’s sound. This album shows that while Auerbach may have made a crossroads deal in Northeast Ohio, he is far from a one trick pony.

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A Review of Black Star’s “Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star”

April 24, 2009 By 1 Comment
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New York's finest! Reporting for duty.

As a fan of both Mos Def and Talib Kweli in regards to their creativity and messages they spread throughout their songs, I was more than excited when I found out they had released an album together. Both of these MC’s exude nothing but the utmost success in association to their individual careers. However, listening to them on this album gave me a greater appreciation of their ability to coexist with each another so beautifully. The lyricism of both these MC’s combined with the beats produced by DJ Hi-Tek pave the way to an album that showcases the talents of two MC’s who share a deep motivation and passion for music.

My favorite tracks from the album include “Definition” and Respiration”. Every song on the album focuses on different topics whether relating to modern-day issues, philosophical ideas, or just every day life. To be honest, I was skeptical when I had first bought this album. I did not know what to expect and the reputation of both Mos Def and Talib Kweli was what drew me into buying this album in the first place. After listening to the whole album, I realized that the $9.99 I had spent had clearly paid off. These two artists are like peanut butter and pickles. You think they will not go well together but they create a delicious sensation as soon as you put them together.

If you asked me to list the top 10 all time hip-hop/rap duos, Milli Vanilli would be #1 and Black Star would come in at a close second.

“Definition”

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“Swoon” Silversun Pickups album review by Peter Cho

April 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Swoon - Silversun Pickups

Apparently I was living under a rock for part of 2006 and most of 2007, as I’ve never heard of Silversun Pickups, and when I mention this fact to anyone that has, they assert the aforementioned hypothesis.

“You haven’t heard them? They’re like the new Smashing Pumpkins!”

“Calm down, I get it, they’re awesome,” I say to them, as I inch further towards the door.

Ever the one to succumb to peer pressure, today I review for you the sophomore effort of Silversun Pickups.

The music of Silversun Pickups, when not being compared to the Smashing Pumpkins, is usually thrown into the classification of shoegaze. While their music is distorted, messy and dreamy at times, it is far from shoegaze. The vocals of Brian Aubert, albeit hazy and a tad feminine, is far too clear and could better be classified as dream pop.

That being said, “Swoon” is dim, not dark, hazy or opaque and generally a half-baked album. Not to say it’s bad, but the music seems to reach somewhere and not quite make it. The album doesn’t seem to be completely cohesive as a whole, similar to an assorted dozen donuts. While the tracks are all tracks that sound similar, some have sprinkles while others have chocolate, and they aren’t connected to each other, besides the fact they’re donuts.

Criticisms aside, the album is enjoyable to listen to and their first single, “Panic Switch,” is a catchy teaser for those new to the ways of Silversun. Standout tracks include the enigmatic “Growing Old is Getting Old,” “Sort Of” and the opening track “There’s No Secrets This Year.” The music maintains a serious nature throughout the album, while also maintaining a sound that feels like wisps of smoke entering your ears into your dreams. Seriously.

“Swoon” is overall a well-constructed album. If it were being scored on the SATs, it’d fall into the 90th percentile. “Swoon” is a nice retro-esque yet refreshing album to listen to on a rainy afternoon. The music isn’t necessarily ground-breaking, but neither is a California burrito. But in the same way that California burritos are a nice way to pass the time, “Swoon” does the same.

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