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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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?

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.

New Weezy

Well, I'm doing a double-feature in this post, since I've been missing days hardcore. Getting ready for the great move to Texas has been time consuming.

The other day, my buddy played me some leaked Lil Wayne, and I heard a song that blew me away. The song, by Russian electronica group t.A.T.u. Their debut single, "All The Things She Said" seemed like a modern reimagining of Roxette or Cascada, and blew me away, so I bought the album. I was eleven.

On the album, I fell in love with "30 Minutes", the song I had heard in the car. Here it is:



Outstanding song, am I right? So I heard this song from Tha Carter IV, and it completely blew me away. Lil Wayne's sampling of "30 Minutes" is REALLY appealing, particularly because it was a little-known song that was a big part of my childhood, and I was very surpised, to say the least, to hear it. Looks like we can't expect this to be a single from his album, unfortunately, but if the rest of the album looks that good, it'll definitely be worth the buy.

The song is "Dear Anne", and it's a reimagining, apparently, of Eminem's classic, "Stan". This song has a great message, too; Lil Wayne refrains from reminding us all how rich he is, and thanks his fans.



Completely pristine.

Hobos

In honor of missing my first post yesterday, I'm going to feature Ray LaMontagne, because the hobo with Tourette's that I befriended on my transit quest to Phoenix looked like a ginger Ray LaMontagne.

I honestly still can't decide whether I love this guy or hate him, but there's something about "Hold You In My Arms" that has me putting this song on repeat. With nothing but a couple of acoustic guitars, a shaker, and a little clapping, Ray LaMontagne makes something that measures up to folk classic standards.

I really don't have anything else to say about this song. It's a love song, super sweet stuff. Enjoy.

If You Have Emotions, You Will Love This

So, I just found out that Rascal Flatts is from Columbus, Ohio. Kind of unusual, if you think about it, for a contemporary country band to come from Ohio. Since their debut single, every single they've ever put out has done extraordinarily well on the Billboard charts. Today's feature is their lowest-peaking single, "Why".

The real question is "why" it didn't peak higher; this song is an absolute MASTERPIECE, musically, vocally, and lyrically. I'd say the arena-rock guitar solo robs it of its intimacy, but this is without a doubt my favorite Rascal Flatts song.

One of the biggest reasons I don't listen to country music more is that none of them write their own music. Don't get me wrong, I DO like country music, I just feel like the point of country music is its sincerity, and if someone ELSE is writing YOUR music, it AGAIN robs the intimacy of the song.

Anyway, enough bashing, because this song truly is legit. Even if you don't like country, because I didn't when I first heard this song, you will fall in love with it.

And whatever you do, don't walk away in the middle of THIS song.

But-a By The Way, Have You Heard Of Authority Zero?

A good amount of good bands have made it out of my home state of Arizona: the best names we claim are Blessthefall, Eyes Set To Kill, Jimmy Eat World, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Job For A Cowboy, The Maine, The Format, Gin Blossoms, and today's feature, Authority Zero.

Authority Zero is a reggae punk band from my hometown, Mesa, Arizona. They sound like a heavier Sublime, so if you're into them, definitely check more of their stuff out.

Authority Zero's coming out with a new album this year, too! Their last album sold VERY well, so I'm confident this one will, too.

"One More Minute" is outstanding. Jason DeVore shows his ability to sing melodically, and growl like the punk-rock singer he is. This is the acoustic version, which I was really fond of. Check out the original if you like what you hear!

Bade Ol' Noose, I'm Sittin' On The Wild, Babe

There are a few things for certain in this world: death, taxes, and the fact that Bob Dylan can't sing. Nonetheless, something about his illegible, drunken folk-rock drawl is so appealing to us as a listener.

We might be familiar with hits like "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Like A Rolling Stone", but I really hope you haven't missed this gem, "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright".

If you REALLY WANT TO BE SURE that this song is the real deal, bear in mind that Peter, Paul, and Mary, ELVIS, Johnny Cash, ELVIS, John Mayer, and, oh, yeah, ELVIS have covered this song. When ELVIS covers a song of yours, you KNOW it's great.

I had to look up the lyrics, because you're better off trying to figure out the lyrics to "Come On, Eileen" than a Bob Dylan song. It's actually kind of a break-up song. Bob Dylan's all like "I've had enough of your BS, bro, I'm deucing out."

Unfortunately, there isn't a full version of the original on YouTube, so I apologize for that. I recommend checking out the Johnny Cash cover if you want to hear the full version, since his is the only one I've heard that does the original justice. Anyway, enjoy!

Fueled By Awesomeness

Well, I thought I was featuring The Black Keys today, but it looks like the song I wanted to feature is doing just fine on their own, so in conclusion, hi, check out The Black Keys' latest album, Brothers. They finally found their niche sound, and it makes the album VERY much worth a listen. I still plan on featuring them at a later time, though, so stay tuned.

Instead, we're doing The Hush Sound! Speaking of "finding their sound", The Hush Sound had theirs figured out immediately. Like many artists on the Fueled By Ramen label, The Hush Sound has a unique, highly appealing indie-pop sound, and in today's feature, "The Artist", even a few folk-rock elements.

Plus, both singers have super-legit voices. Seriously, you'll love them. Bob Morris doesn't sing too much in this song, so I recommend "Wine Red", if you like what you hear.



See, bands like this are exactly why I started this blog.

G.R.I.N.D.age

Asher Roth first got radio play with his debut single, "I Love College", which SOMEHOW made its way to number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the song, I actually really like the beat. I just wonder how a song whose entire second-half composes of frat-boy chanting could possibly hit the Top 40.

I used to work at a retail store, where I heard "G.R.I.N.D. (Get Ready It's A New Day)", the debut single from his upcoming album, for the first time. Since we had a set of CDs that we would play over and over again, it didn't take too long until I knew all of the lyrics.

Those of you who don't like rap, keep an open mind. There's great music in every genre, and this is great music.

"G.R.I.N.D." reminds me of something I would hear in the opening scene of a movie. It's really "anthem-like", and just really makes you feel good when you listen to it.

Oh, and if you didn't know, Asher Roth is a WHITE rapper. Don't you dare compare him to Eminem, though.



I know he looks like Lois Griffin, but he's actually pretty good, huh?

MJK Loves Peru

Maynard James Keenan confuses the hell out of me.

I actually had to Google some information about today's feature, "Brena" (pronounced "BREH-nyuh") by A Perfect Circle.

Fellow tools for Tool may know that Maynard James Keenan is the frontman for both bands.

A Perfect Circle's debut release, Mer De Noms, debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, making it the highest-ever Billboard debut for a rock band's first album. Unfortunately, I haven't had the luxury of listening to the whole album.

When I first heard "Brena", which was not released as a single, I assumed the band was talking about the city in Peru. I was thinking, "Man, Maynard really loves his Peru...". After a little research this morning, I discovered Brena is actually the name of MJK's baby-momma.

I'm a little biased: Tool is one of my favorite bands, and with this song's reverb-heavy guitar riffs, Keenan's usual haunting vocals, and the band's dynamic, heavy chorus, "Brena" reminds me a lot of Tool's "Vicarious".

I really don't know how to pin APC into a genre... Radio stations like to call them Alternative Rock/Metal, but their unique sound can't be confined into such a broad spectrum.

Punk Cliches Rule

So I decided to try and do these every day, because I like a challenge.

Today's feature is "3,000 Miles Away" by obscure punk band Star Fucking Hipsters. This band is the epitome of a punk band: band members with strange names, anti-cop references, hard-hitting power chords and drum beats, piercings, hair coloring, and so on. They're definitely worth a listen, too, particularly this song.

The music video features Ethan Suplee from My Name Is Earl, Boy Meets World, and The Butterfly Effect as a police officer. Featuring Ethan Suplee in their video incited a lot of criticism with their fans, because apparently, punk bands are too good to have celebrities in their videos. Actually, they're too good for videos at all.

Star Fucking Hipsters is a punk supergroup, composed of members from a bunch of other bands no one's ever heard of, most notably the male singer, Stza's band, Leftover Crack. Yeah, they have two singers, too.

I'm a really big fan of the vocal melody in this song; it reminds me of something I would hear in a Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game.

Jewrap

I discovered Matisyahu in 2006, back when VH1 actually played music videos. I was on my usual insomnia streak, and was blown away by his "King Without A Crown".

Okay, I know I said I wouldn't be featuring much Top 40 music (the song peaked at 28 on the Billboard Hot 100) but I was surprised to find that fans of his latest single, "One Day", haven't heard a single song from his earlier albums.

Matisyahu, particularly in this song, blends rap with reggae rather effectively, while incorporating his Hasidic religious beliefs into his lyrics. There's even a guitar solo and scat singing.

Wait.

Alternative reggae Jewrap?

Don't be alarmed, the song's really good. I'll be featuring the "Live From Stubb's" version, since, well, I like it better.



I'm pretty sure this is what Jesus sounded like.

An Introduction, More or Less

I remember -- at a very young age -- riding in my dad's car, singing along to music no eight-year-old should know: songs like "Riders On The Storm", by The Doors and "Gasoline Alley" by Rod Stewart were, oddly enough, some of my absolute favorite songs.

Music is a journey for all of us, whether we recognize it or not. We always associate certain songs with certain memories, rely on music for meditative, coping, and sometimes even spiritual purposes, and try to remember every word to our favorite songs. For me, this journey starts in my dad's Lexus, and continues with my aspiration of being a part of the music business.

I chose to start the Stereoh Project for a lot of reasons. Primarily, I was thinking maybe there's people out there, like me, who answer that question, "What kind of music do you like?" with "I listen to great music, and there's great music in every genre". I plan on featuring all kinds of songs and artists on here for those kinds of people. It's also a great way for me to record my thoughts on the music that I love.

What is The Stereoh?

Really, it's just a cool name for a collection of thoughts on what I believe is the greatest music out there.

I may as well set a set of principles I'll be following with my posts, so you know what to expect:

1. Obviously, music featured on The Stereoh will be comprehensive, and encompass every genre.
2. The genres featured should be fairly even, with no dominant genre.
3. The goal of this blog is to promote insufficiently-promoted great music. There will be very little Top 40 hits on here.
4. I'm going to aim to update this every other day. We'll see how that goes.
5. Not all posts will be features, but all posts will be related to promoting great music.

I think that's all. Good. I hate introductions.