J. Cole really is something else. You have rappers like 50 Cent, who got big because he got shot, and you have rappers like Eminem, who made it big on the battle scene first, and then you have J. Cole, who got their college educations, had a dream, and went about it the RIGHT way. His story is a classic example of the fact that in life, you can't just wait for things to happen, you have to make them happen.
The kind gentleman who introduced me to J. Cole's fairly new mixtape, Friday Night Lights, introduces it as "one of the best mixtapes [he has] ever heard". Okay, bro, I got you. I was not disappointed.
J. Cole is the new Tupac. It's a bold statement this early, but there's something very special about this dude. Keep an ear out for his debut, Cole World: The Sideline Story. This one's going down in history, I'm calling it. Listen to the lyrics in this one, you'll feel me.
"Villematic" has a hell of a message, too. This one's for you new college freshman, class of 2015. Remember, anything's possible.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
A Word For College Students
J. Cole really is something else. You have rappers like 50 Cent, who got big because he got shot, and you have rappers like Eminem, who made it big on the battle scene first, and then you have J. Cole, who got their college educations, had a dream, and went about it the RIGHT way. His story is a classic example of the fact that in life, you can't just wait for things to happen, you have to make them happen.
The kind gentleman who introduced me to J. Cole's fairly new mixtape, Friday Night Lights, introduces it as "one of the best mixtapes [he has] ever heard". Okay, bro, I got you. I was not disappointed.
J. Cole is the new Tupac. It's a bold statement this early, but there's something very special about this dude. Keep an ear out for his debut, Cole World: The Sideline Story. This one's going down in history, I'm calling it. Listen to the lyrics in this one, you'll feel me.
"Villematic" has a hell of a message, too. This one's for you new college freshman, class of 2015. Remember, anything's possible.
The kind gentleman who introduced me to J. Cole's fairly new mixtape, Friday Night Lights, introduces it as "one of the best mixtapes [he has] ever heard". Okay, bro, I got you. I was not disappointed.
J. Cole is the new Tupac. It's a bold statement this early, but there's something very special about this dude. Keep an ear out for his debut, Cole World: The Sideline Story. This one's going down in history, I'm calling it. Listen to the lyrics in this one, you'll feel me.
"Villematic" has a hell of a message, too. This one's for you new college freshman, class of 2015. Remember, anything's possible.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Super-kickass Covers I
Well, it's been a hectic couple of weeks, but I'm officially moved into college! It feels good to come back and do one of these again.
This is part of a new segment that I'll be doing whenever the hell I feel like it, called Super-kickass Covers, which will be a collection of super-kickass covers of songs that may or may not be good by the original artist.
About five minutes ago, I found a link to this video on my sister's Facebook wall, listened to it, and fell in love with it. Apparently, Katie Melua does quite her fair share of covers. This one surprised me, because, well, I hate The Cure with every fiber of my being. Like, serious. I can SOMETIMES tolerate "Friday, I'm In Love". "Love Song" isn't even good when 311 does it.
This song feels just like Jewel's "You Were Meant For Me", and I love that song. I definitely plan on listening to more Katie Melua throughout the week, and it would behoove you to do the same.
This is part of a new segment that I'll be doing whenever the hell I feel like it, called Super-kickass Covers, which will be a collection of super-kickass covers of songs that may or may not be good by the original artist.
About five minutes ago, I found a link to this video on my sister's Facebook wall, listened to it, and fell in love with it. Apparently, Katie Melua does quite her fair share of covers. This one surprised me, because, well, I hate The Cure with every fiber of my being. Like, serious. I can SOMETIMES tolerate "Friday, I'm In Love". "Love Song" isn't even good when 311 does it.
This song feels just like Jewel's "You Were Meant For Me", and I love that song. I definitely plan on listening to more Katie Melua throughout the week, and it would behoove you to do the same.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Female Singer With A Dude's Name
English electronica duo Lamb hit commercial success with their single "Gorecki", which was featured in an advertisement for Tomb Raider: Underworld. The band has since released a variety of singles in the UK and other countries.
It's really unfortunate that in America, we don't have a chance to hear a lot of this kind of music. Today's feature, "Gabriel", is an outstanding industrial electronica trip-hop song with an even more outstanding vocal performance by singer Lou Rhodes. Lou Rhodes is actually... a female. Her raspy, rangy, incredibly unique voice is always pleasant to hear when you're trying to relax.
The first time I heard this song was a piano cover by Vika Yermolyeva, a Ukrainian concert pianist. The vocal melody was transcribed to the piano, it was really pleasant to listen to, and inspired me to check out the original version. Enjoy!
It's really unfortunate that in America, we don't have a chance to hear a lot of this kind of music. Today's feature, "Gabriel", is an outstanding industrial electronica trip-hop song with an even more outstanding vocal performance by singer Lou Rhodes. Lou Rhodes is actually... a female. Her raspy, rangy, incredibly unique voice is always pleasant to hear when you're trying to relax.
The first time I heard this song was a piano cover by Vika Yermolyeva, a Ukrainian concert pianist. The vocal melody was transcribed to the piano, it was really pleasant to listen to, and inspired me to check out the original version. Enjoy!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Everclear, NOT Everlast
Well, at last, I have time to update this dang thing.
I just got Everclear's CD, So Much For The Afterglow, featuring singles such as "Father Of Mine" and "I Will Buy You A New Life". "Father Of Mine" has always been a favorite of mine, but upon listening to the album, I discovered a hidden gem in "Sunflowers".
When I first got the album, I was thinking it was by the same dude who does "What It's Like". That's EverLAST. They're both nineties' artists with "ever" in their name. How am I NOT supposed to get that confused? They even SOUND alike.
One reason I like Everclear so much is their ability to write memorable vocal hooks. We all know the choruses to the aforementioned songs. "Sunflowers" is no different. The opening guitar riff reminds me much of what Matchbox 20 puts out.
I definitely recommend you check out this album. It's without-a-doubt one of the strongest under-heard alternative rock albums of the 1990s.
I just got Everclear's CD, So Much For The Afterglow, featuring singles such as "Father Of Mine" and "I Will Buy You A New Life". "Father Of Mine" has always been a favorite of mine, but upon listening to the album, I discovered a hidden gem in "Sunflowers".
When I first got the album, I was thinking it was by the same dude who does "What It's Like". That's EverLAST. They're both nineties' artists with "ever" in their name. How am I NOT supposed to get that confused? They even SOUND alike.
One reason I like Everclear so much is their ability to write memorable vocal hooks. We all know the choruses to the aforementioned songs. "Sunflowers" is no different. The opening guitar riff reminds me much of what Matchbox 20 puts out.
I definitely recommend you check out this album. It's without-a-doubt one of the strongest under-heard alternative rock albums of the 1990s.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Another Cheesy Indie-pop Band... Kinda
I honestly thought this was the corniest song AND band when I first heard it/them, but today's feature is "Happily Ever After" by He Is We.
I really don't know too much about the band OR song, unfortunately, but they're fairly new, and coming out with a new album soon, so keep an eye out.
"Happily Ever After", as its name implies, is REALLY cheesy, but it's a really great song, and, well, this band is really charming. Even the video is charming, and I am completely in love with Rachel Taylor's vocal ability. Hear a little Hayley Williams in there?
I really don't know too much about the band OR song, unfortunately, but they're fairly new, and coming out with a new album soon, so keep an eye out.
"Happily Ever After", as its name implies, is REALLY cheesy, but it's a really great song, and, well, this band is really charming. Even the video is charming, and I am completely in love with Rachel Taylor's vocal ability. Hear a little Hayley Williams in there?
Monday, August 1, 2011
The 27 Club
Now, I'm a little late on this, but I had a list of songs that I wanted to just get out of the way, and they're out of the way, so R.I.P., Amy Winehouse. We all know her by her not-so-great "hit" single, "Rehab", or her earlier, more enjoyable single, "You Know I'm No Good".
When I heard that Amy Winehouse died at the age of 27, my first thought was "oh, great, I can see the press headlines now: 'World Loses Another Music Legend'." For those who don't know, musicians like to die at 27.
What do Janis Joplin, The Doors' singer Jim Morrison, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, blues legend Robert Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, and Rolling Stones' co-founder Brian Jones all have in common?
They ALSO died at the age of 27.
Honorable mentions include most of Lynyrd Skynyrd, who died at 28 and 29, Jeff Buckley's father Tim Buckley, who died at 28, and ALSO in at 28, Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell.
What I ACTUALLY heard was "Have you heard the rest of the Back To Black album? It's actually really good."
Why, no, no I have not.
The title track actually blew me away. She reminds me of a cross between Norah Jones, and The Black Keys, and I love both. A few years back, she actually got a bunch of Grammy nods, but if the Grammys were an indication of good music, "Love The Way You Lie" would have beaten "Nothing On You". Enjoy.
When I heard that Amy Winehouse died at the age of 27, my first thought was "oh, great, I can see the press headlines now: 'World Loses Another Music Legend'." For those who don't know, musicians like to die at 27.
What do Janis Joplin, The Doors' singer Jim Morrison, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, blues legend Robert Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, and Rolling Stones' co-founder Brian Jones all have in common?
They ALSO died at the age of 27.
Honorable mentions include most of Lynyrd Skynyrd, who died at 28 and 29, Jeff Buckley's father Tim Buckley, who died at 28, and ALSO in at 28, Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell.
What I ACTUALLY heard was "Have you heard the rest of the Back To Black album? It's actually really good."
Why, no, no I have not.
The title track actually blew me away. She reminds me of a cross between Norah Jones, and The Black Keys, and I love both. A few years back, she actually got a bunch of Grammy nods, but if the Grammys were an indication of good music, "Love The Way You Lie" would have beaten "Nothing On You". Enjoy.
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