"Piñata" Review

Look at the image above. Through a chain-link fence we see Freddie Gibbs, smoking a joint by himself on a playground. Unbeknownst to him, matching his slightly zipped open Adidas tracksuit and his ever-visible Rolex, he is encompassed by a zebra print pattern that could easily pass as a section of a Rorschach inkblot. Unmoved, Gibbs sits and observes, despite the radiance that surrounds him. This is the backdrop for Piñata, a meeting between two representatives of independent hip-hop that generally stay on opposite sides of the aisle. A street king with zero interest in gimmicks, Gibbs finds himself rapping exclusively over production by Madlib, the dastardly, devilishly clever beat maker responsible for the now ten year old classic Madvillainy. Unlike Madvillainy, however, Madlib is not creating music for an absurdist, dazed, free flowing lyricist like MF Doom this time around. Throughout Piñata, Madlib is faced with the task of simultaneously matching Gibbs' hungry attitude and also pushing him to crack open his bullet proof shell. It's a balancing act for sure, but Madlib walks the line with brilliance and grace, helping one of rap's greatest lone gunmen reach new, astonishing heights.

Bobbing and weaving through onslaught after onslaught of chimes, synths, and strings, Gibbs takes a strong stance on a different set of issues with each song. Gibbs is a man of principle. Whether he's slandering major rap labels ("Phonies ain't gon' throw me in this Minstrel show") or reciting his lunch order ("Six wings, mild sauce, with all the fries you can give me"), the man's mind is made up. Yet, while ultimately unwavering on most matters, there are some evident shreds of remorse from this man who has gone all in on the gangster lifestyle. Consider "High," one of the more lighthearted moments you'll find on Piñata. Most of the song centers on the luxuries that come with selling drugs, but early on Gibbs admits, "Never finished college like my brother or my sister/ I was in the crib lying on a kush cloud/ Getting zoned out, eyes red/ Mommy and my daddy said my mind dead." On "Thuggin," he cannot deny that refusing to sign a contract comes with its share of setbacks ("Critically acclaimed, but that shit don't mean a thang/ When you rockin mics and still in microwaves cooking 'caine"). These regrets culminate in "Broken," where after reflecting on his grandmother's disapproval and the tension he created with his cop father, he comes clean, confessing, "And honestly I know I'm out here fucking up/ Seven grams of rock I stuff 'em in my nuts/ And seven bucks an hour wasn't good enough/ Cause seven days a week I'm living in a rush." It's big that Gibbs owns up to his mistakes on Piñata, but it's even more crucial that he never seems to abandon his identity or his moral code in doing so.

Interspersed through Gibbs' musings on thug life, Madlib orchestrates a great amount of seamless transitions that link the 17 tracks of Piñata together. These breaks include spacey instrumental interludes, soul samples, bits from Blaxploitation style movies, and recordings of Gibbs screwing around in the studio (one in particular, at the end of "Robes," catches him singing an hysterical rendition of TLC's "Waterfalls"). Guest verses are placed tactically, as Danny Brown ("High"), Odd Future members Earl Sweatshirt and Domo Genesis  ("Robes"), and a cavalcade of other independent up-and-commers ("Piñata") bust out their premium material in hopes of keeping up with Gibbs. Paying respect to legends that have come before him, Gibbs also relinquishes the booth to Raekwon ("Bomb") and Scarface ("Broken"), and neither disappoint. Clocking in at an hour long, the album never loses steam, as both artists allot each other time to work their magic, but never enough to let the other go overboard. I can't say that everyone will flock to this album. Unfortunately, there will probably never be lines out the door to buy an independently made rap album. What I can promise is that true hip-hop heads will have an ear to ear smile on their face after listening through Piñata. And if that small group can do as Gibbs asks and "get on iTunes and buy this shit," he might just live to fight another day.

With "Atlas," Real Estate Soundtrack Your Summer, Again

There is a moment in Real Estate's live performance (streaming for free on NPR) of their new album, Atlas, where some dude yells out, "You guys are awesome!" This wouldn't mean much to your typical indie rock band. Many a musician would ignore the outburst, trying to maintain a certain image. But just like the man who shouted, Real Estate are just a bunch of regular dudes too. They have no image! They don't even do the bare minimum and agree on a unified style of suburban-casual clothing to wear! "Let the camera show that that guy just said we were awesome!" says Alex Bleeker, the group's bassist, who seems quite pleased with himself. Hailing from suburban New Jersey, Real Estate feels like one of the only great acts left that isn't trying to make a statement, that doesn't have that larger than life magnetism that draws you to watch regardless of whether you like the music or not. There is no secret allure here, and if their set is shitty, there's really no reason to stick around. Nothing urgent is forcing you to listen to Real Estate. You can bail at anytime. They aren't going to launch into political protest or throw bags of cocaine into the audience once you walk away. Therefore, they should be proud (and relieved) knowing that they have managed to cook up yet another batch of marvelous songs. How can you leave when the guitar sounds as sweet as it does on "April's Song"?  Real Estate is what the best high school band from your graduating class would have sounded like if they didn't do so many drugs and actually practiced every day. It's like they corralled all of your musically inclined friends' best songs and perfected them in a studio with the proper professional gear and an outstanding ear for detail.

In comparison to their past two albums, any dedicated Real Estate fan will notice a few significant changes in the tone of the songwriting. The group is not as caught up in the nostalgia of beach blankets and bonfires anymore. The lyrical content is a little more mature this time around, as songs like "Had To Hear" and "Crime" are more direct and to the point than anything they have ever written. While there is some great discussion to be had once you put this band under the analytical microscope, the most exciting prospect of a new Real Estate album is that you can add ten more songs to your summer playlist immediately after purchase. If Atlas makes you think a little while you relax, all the better, but more importantly, these ordinary guys have once again won the distinct honor of soundtracking your summer. Good for them. Better for you.

"Oxymoron" Review

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De La Soul Spreads the Love on Valentine's Day by Setting ALL Their Music Free

With an unprecedented act of generosity that makes Radiohead's infamous "pay what you can" plan look criminal by comparison, De La Soul, one of the greatest, most influential hip-hop groups of all time, are making their entire discography free to anyone with access to the internet. The offer is available for the next 24 hours. Simply visit their website, check the different boxes that correspond to the different albums you want (you might as well just click them all), and give them your first name and email address. That's it, no bullshit. Don't believe me? I got mine already, and I got it ALL (I even re-downloaded some of it that I already have for better sound quality, cause WHY NOT).

Today marks the 25th anniversary of their debut, 3 Feet High and Rising, famous for being the first true concept album in rap history, and for simply being an utterly incredible listen. Note that the email above also mentions their plans to release a new album in the near future entitled, You're Welcome. Fitting title. Thank you, De La Soul. Listen to "Eye Know," arguably the greatest love song in hip-hop history, below.

Isaiah Rashad's Cilvia Demo Plants Seeds for TDE World Domination

     

With what might one day be referred to as his own personal Section.80 (get used to the Kendrick Lamar comparisons, buddy), Isaiah Rashad has released Cilvia Demo, a collection of songs that displays the wide range this young lyricist has to offer. Hailing from Tennessee, the addition of Rashad to the Top Dawg Entertainment team is a clear attempt to develop talent outside of the label's four original Los Angeles rappers (Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul). However, this is no mere marketing ploy. Cilvia Demo, while lacking a consistent style or message, is the closest we have to a fully realized Isaiah Rashad project, and at the very least shows us TDE has made a fantastic investment by signing this introspective country boy.

Cilvia's sound is a world away from something like good kid, mA.A.d city, light years from Hollywood and Dr. Dre studio sessions. As the old cliché goes, "You can take the boy out of Chattanooga, but you can't take Chattanooga out of the boy." This is homegrown, organic hip-hop with a twist. The dirty South seen through a kaleidoscope. Songs like "Brad Jordan" are clear, committed tributes to old school rappers like Scarface, but others like "Webbie Flow (U Know)" and "West Savannah" have more experimental production that wanders into dream pop.  Much of Cilvia is spent in a haze, delivered from a boy who spent one too many days "hotboxin' the sauna." A sense of disconnect and skepticism permeates throughout most of the fourteen tracks, especially on "Tranquility"  and "Modest." A complicated relationship with his father is evident, but much of the rest of Rashad's personal life remains mysterious, with more to be unveiled with future releases.  But where are the catchy hooks, you might ask? You'll be chanting right along with Rashad on "R.I.P. Kevin Miller" and "Shot You Down," or your money back guaranteed. With Cilvia Demo, Isaiah Rashad will not bring the music universe to a grinding halt like some of his mentors have already done, but it does stand out as an exciting glimpse into the future of the expanding rap empire that is TDE.

Loose Track Round-Up

No, the first month and a half of the calendar year usually does not contain much new, jaw-dropping music for one to sink their teeth into. We are still a long way from the giant chart-toppers that will neatly coincide with summer, and even farther away from fall, where brooding artists stamp their souls onto wax. But rest assured, something is always brewing in the wide world of music! Here is a list of the choicest bits and pieces from the past month:

Cam'ron & A-Trak: "Humphrey"- Cam'ron yelling, "A-Trak, let's take 'em to church!" is one of those phrases you need to rewind in order for you to truly trust your ears. Good thing that this song is endlessly playable, as the Dipset rapper finds unlikely producers in A-Trak, founder of Fool's Gold records (signees include Danny Brown, Kid Cudi, and Run The Jewels), and Party Supplies. While many a lyricist would probably sprinkle fairy dust on a squeaky sample like this, Cam'ron shines like he did in his prime (see "Hey Ma"). He even drops a Street Fighter reference! It's official: "Cam got the shit to pop."

Speedy Ortiz: "American Horror"- Speedy Ortiz might just be the best act to come out of Massachusetts in years (remember JoJo? Anyone?). They follow up their angst ridden debut, Major Arcana, with the four song EP Real Hair, an awesome bonus if the first ten weren't enough to keep you satisfied. "American Horror" lights the fuse, an anthem about being "strap-down crazy."

Major Lazer featuring Pharrell: "Aerosol Can"- Not even that giant hat can stop Pharrell with all the momentum he built up in 2013. "Aerosol Can, bom bom bom bom/ Monkey outside, bom bom bom bom," goes the hook. Any meaning to be found? Probably not. It doesn't matter though, because Major Lazer know how to get butts moving.

Schoolboy Q: "Break The Bank"- The latest single in preparation for the much anticipated Oxymoron LP has all of the terror and panic of an armed robbery. Faint wailing, echo effects, and a chilling piano part fill this track out. While the rest of Schoolboy's recent output has been mainly comprised of club hits, "Break The Bank" finds Q taking a chainsaw to his past, angry about his upbringing and ready to move on with his life. It's the first song he has put out in a while that really rattles you, and makes you realize that if he does somehow end up drowning in Kendrick Lamar's immense shadow, he won't let it happen without kicking and screaming first.

Thundercat: "Vulnerable People"- Another thick groove from Flying Lotus's favorite bassist. This one sounds like it could play over the end credits of a late 80s flick. Bump this one from that pink Cadillac you probably don't have.

Karen O featuring Ezra Koenig: "Moon Song"- As if Her was not unbelievably heartfelt and perfect enough, this recording has just surfaced of Karen O, the original co-writer (along with director Spike Jonze) of the Oscar nominated "Moon Song," singing a lovely duet with Vampire Weekend's lead singer, Ezra Koenig. Koenig does a great job not taking over or distracting here, pitching in just the right amount. Whether or not you prefer Scarlett Johansen's version from the movie itself, we certainly welcome the star-studded harmonies here.

Disclosure featuring Mary J Blige: "F For You"- Disclosure has followed up their breakout success with a series of collaborations, starring Joey Bada$$, Bishop Nehru, and an upcoming performance with Lorde at this year's BRIT Awards. These all pale in comparison, however, to the vocal stylings of Mary J. Blige that have been added onto the already excellent "F For You." When you set the bar this high, the only question left is who they plan to give their signature face trace to next.

Diving In: Binge Listening to Beck's Discography

"Diving In" is a series where I look at a musician that I have almost zero knowledge of and listen to most or all of their discography. My first installment is on the one of a kind experimental rock/folk artist, Beck.

I usually like to know quite a bit about a musician before I consider going to see them in concert, but because of the infectiously liberal, rogue attitude that comes with the music festival experience, I decided to take a chance one night this August and see Beck, an artist that I had little to no interest in ever listening to (my only exposure to his work thus far being "Loser" and "E-Pro"). My buddy Sam and I somehow slipped by thousands of eager Canadians, racked with excitement, crowding the Osheaga mainstage, all waiting for a glimpse of this folky, rapping, rambling oddity. The plan was to go see a bit of the Beck show, catch part of Angel Haze's set, and then hustle over to the electronic stage to catch the DJ supergroup C2C. Then the sky opened up. Serious downpour. Streaks of lightning lit up the Montreal skyline on the other side of the lake. It was like some higher force didn't want Beck to perform. The gods themselves didn't want me to come into contact with the guy. A half an hour passed from when he was supposed to start the show. Just before we were ready to completely give up on Beck for good and leave a cheery family of Ottawans we had befriended that had made our time waiting in the rain a little less unbearable, a pale, fedora wearing figure emerged.

Over the next 90 minutes Beck proceeded to wash my entire skeptical outlook clean. He shape shifted from genre to genre, a sonic chameleon. He only let up for one minute, and it was to acknowledge how amazing the fireworks and lightning were that shined overhead. Already an established figure in the music industry for years, Beck had nothing to prove that night, especially not to two silly, overly critical teenagers from Newton, Massachusetts. But watching him play his music, you could tell he knew no other way to play than with full determination. Maybe that's because he is a natural showman, or maybe it's because he started his career knowing that no one would give him the time of day, just like we weren't willing to, unless he gave the audience something really special to watch. Beck made me a believer that night, and it was more than enough to convince me to give a few of his studio albums a shot.

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Mellow Gold- With an arsenal that includes slide guitar, a romping, stomping rhythm section, and buckets of feedback, Mellow Gold transformed Beck Hansen, an obscure noise-rock artist, into a sensation. While "Loser" alone put Beck on the radar, it would be criminal to overlook the rest of this album. The very next song after "Loser, "Pay No Mind (Snoozer)," is a slow acoustic strummer that completely rejects all of the commercial success that Beck foresaw receiving from his first hit. Comprised of mostly chaotic compositions like "Soul Suckin Jerk" and "Sweet Sunshine," Mellow Gold sounds like it was belched out of the dingiest, dustiest, chasm of the Southwest. It comes to a close with "Blackhole," a song that rides out peacefully into the sunset, until the very end, where a moment of silence is followed by what sounds like the record trying to self-destruct.

Odelay- In what very well may be one of the better products of artistic risk taking in recent music history, Beck further delves into toying with far-out instrumentation here. If Mellow Gold has a geographic location (Bumfuck, USA), Beck's increased experimentation takes Odelay completely off the map. We're taken on a series of endless left turns, like on "Lord Only Knows," a song that starts with a deathly scream and goes on to sound like a lost track from the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed. The stretch of "Derelict," a sitar infused trip, "Novacane," a hodgepodge of different grooves and noises orbiting Beck's mind, and "Jackass," a beautiful song with a crystal clear melody, might be enough to short circuit your brain. Just when you think super sly "Where It's At" is too cool for its own good, in comes a robotic voice bleeping away, "Two turntables and a microphone!" Fat bass lines layer the circusy organ sampled from Sly and the Family Stone's "Life" on "Sissyneck." He ties everything up perfectly on "Ramshackle," where he tries to hide with someone (who knows who) in the comfort and safety of his music. It's so intimate that it almost feels like he's recording it from his kitchen table, as he sings, "So take off your coat/ Put a song in your throat/ Let the dead-beats pound all around." Pretty mature stuff for a guy who had previously written a song entitled, "Fuckin With My Head (Mountain Dew Rock)."

Midnight Vultures- Beck puts on his dancing shoes on Midnight Vultures. Only Beck would start an album off with a funky horn-filled thrill ride called "Sexx Laws," complete with a banjo break. He does a pretty damn fine Prince impression on "Nicotine and Gravy." He takes a stab at Diddy style production on part of "Hollywood Freaks." Midnight Vultures is Beck leading us on a wild goose chase through urban streets and back alleys. Every song is a dare, testing the limitations of exactly how strange things can get before people stop moving their feet.  It all leads up to "Debra," which now seems like the prototypical Flight of The Concords song. "I went to get with you/ And your sister/ I think her name is Debra," he belts, making him a perfect three for three so far on album closers.

Sea Change- The album cover to Sea Changes is very telling. Beck is a wide eyed observer for much of this album, far more passive here than ever before. He might be stripping down some of the craziness that comes with his earlier works, but that doesn't make Sea Changes any less imaginative. Nothing is soiled or skewed here. Even the twang of the guitar on "Side of The Road" that is so reminiscent of past Beck albums sounds clearer and crisper this time around. As for the lush orchestral arrangements, like the one found on "Paper Tiger," it was only a matter of time. On Sea Changes, Beck shows that he is much more than a young and rowdy twenty something, and that he has the ability to age gracefully. Let the golden age begin.

Guero- What genre of music was left for Beck to conquer going into Guero? The answer is nothing that you would actually want to here from him, as Beck just sort of does Beck and lays down some solid tunes on this one. "E-Pro" and "Go It Alone" are just about as badass as Beck can possibly get. "Que Onda Guero" is one of his most solid attempts at hip-hop to date. If there's anything to say about Guero, it's that it moves. It's a definite head-bobber. The hispanic influence, which is present in much of the Los Angeles native's music, cannot be denied here (see "Earthquake Weather"). But none of what surfaces is a dramatic change in tone for Beck. This particular collection of songs never commits to some sort of bold, new style. While Beck seems to reinvent himself on nearly every album he's made up to this point, Guero takes the good pieces of all of those past experiments and puts them together to make a really diverse, fun listen.

The Information- While clearly serving as a meditation on machinery and computing in modern society, Beck never lets the concept behind The Information get in the way of its music. In other words, the digital age theme only makes appearances when it's convenient, and it's never too distracting. He takes a cerebral approach to the biggest question of all in "Think I'm In Love." "Motorcade" is full of building madness, while "The Information" reeks of an eery acceptance. "New Round" tries to find simplicity, trying to ignore the technological whirling going on in the background. Sprinkled in are a few classic Beck "walkin' down the street" grooves ("Elevator Music", "No Complaints"). Overall, The Information probably isn't anyone's favorite Beck album, but any fan of his will find most or all of its 62 minutes enjoyable.

Being the last of the six selections I chose to listen to, it saddened me to see the last few seconds of The Information tick down to its end. Luckily, less than a month stands between the world and Morning Phase, Beck's first studio album in over five years. Here's hoping that it can live up to all of his other fine work.