Notes: T.I. - T.I. vs. T.I.P.

Maybe it made sense that my cultural rut would keep me from listening to this album for so long. Mr. Harris might be headed for the land of "Premature Ejaculation." Just as an eagerly anticipated movie in which he participated is about to be released, he gets arrested buying machine guns and silencers. After a year that included Grammy wins, hit collaborations, and his second consecutive #1 album, he ends it with this dumb move. What would push a man from Chevrolet commercials to the depths of stupidity?

This album might have been foreshadowing. He split himself into his dueling personas. T.i. represents the streetsmart businessman. T.I.P. is his more grizzled street persona, the trap loyalist he could not let go. The fact that he made a concept album where songs were done embodied in those personas was indicative of the thoughts of a troubled man.

Broken down in acts, T.I.P gets first crack. When I listened, I wondered why people thought this album wasn't that good. He dives into the lead single "Big Sh*t Poppin'" and the energy never lets up. Even on the repetitive "Dopeman", he still manages to engage. Jay-Z offers a rhyme and Busta Rhymes continues his streak of excellent guest appearances on two separate tracks that continue the fury T.I.P. offers as an argument.

But when T.I. gets his turn, he mainly fizzles. It starts off well enough with a Hammond touched beat by Just Blaze. Even here, he doesn't sound all that compelling. The rest really isn't much better. Wyclef labors over a track and Nelly (where has he been exactly?) offers explicit uninteresting tripe on another. The savior (as usual) is an appearance from Eminem on "Touchdown." He manages some sort of energy before the final act, which is the confrontation between the two.

T.I.P.'s reappearance is welcome, but it's not enough. By this time, it's all just a bit too tiring and not worth the effort. But still, in light of his recent actions, it makes sense that his T.I.P. leanings were the more inspired offerings. The intro track leads off with a string of soundbites about his life over the past year. The accolades are mentioned but quickly turn into a string of his misfortunes including his partner's miscarriage and his close friend's murder. At the end, we hear T.I. that he doesn't care about the business side any more. It all sounds like a silly tirade that even includes the names of label executives. But maybe it was all a bit too honest.

Too bad it might be a while till we hear the answer.

Notes: Amy Winehouse

I might be a little late on this one. She already debuted in the top 10 over here in the States. She's booked for Lollapalooza and her date at the new High Line Ballroom venue in New York City is sold out and its in May. Well at least I got the album befre she blew up. I was so sure of her success based solely on e-mails I received that I even made sure I got her first album from the UK. Does it really matter how you found good music? Just how you found it.

Last year, Natasha Bedingfield made it okay to be a British pop star again, something that hasn't been true since five spicey girls wandered their wasy over the Atlantic. Some might say that Robbie Williams and Craig David had their moment, but that's exactly what it was. A moment. They both had huge marketing pushes but once it pulled back, it was like "Who?" Now Tash brings over her "Words" and everyone thinks that cute little accent makes everything bloody wonderful. And the parade has begun. Along with Ms. Bedingfield, you have Lily Allen, Corinne Bailey Rae, and even the former precocious novelty Joss Stone, who brought along allegations of sex for tracks with producers like Raphael Saadiq. Quite the way to shed that child star label and turn into a sexified chanteuse. There's so much love for British females nowadays that we've even welcomed a British female rapper to Def Jam in the form of Lady Sovereign. Even Dizzee Rascal had to go with independent powerhouse Matador. She gets Def Jam?

Amidst the glut of Anglo females, Amy Winehouse has a sound that makes you want to distinguish her. Her voice is her own but it evokes so many memories of other artists that you have to compare, even though you don't want to. So where does one start? Well upon hearing "Rehab" her first single off her second album (and official American debut) Back To Black, you feel transplanted to late 60s pop, the type that had no choice but to be infused with soul. For some reason, I could imagine Petula Clark singing "Downtown"on the track. It's also apparent once you hear her voice that she was immersed in jazz at some point in her life. Her voice has the ability to switch from light and coy to scalding and caustic between singular notes. Its a raspy alto she wields around like a sledgehammer, which betrays her waifish figure. It has the potential to have weight like Sarah Vaughan's when she uses it just so.

The retro style of the music is courtesy of hip-hop impresario Salaam Remi and everyone's favorite celebrity DJ/producer, Mark Ronson, who continues to have a fascination with the music to which he might have been conceived. Along with Remi, famous for his reggae-tinged productions with The Fugees (yeah them) and Nas ("Made You Look"), they create a time capsule of a musical backdrop for Winehouse to showcase not only her vocal prowess, but a lyrical one as well. This is a very self-aware young woman and she doesn't hide it on record. She's critical of everything including herself and she's got the sailor's mouth to match (lyric "What's with all this fuckery?"). If Corinne Bailey Rae went to school and got drunk at local jazz clubs instead of finding a stable marriage, she and Amy would have been best friends.

I actually surveyed the second before the first which is uncharacteristic of me. I actually enjoyed Frank more. While Black has more of a driving feel, Frank has more of an easy feel to it. Her voice, while still commanding, is a bit more soft. On Frank, she sounds more like a soulful Nellie McKay. It's easier to view her serenading patrons at some downtown bistro even as she belts out the word "fucking".

So that's Ms. Winehouse. Once again my love of all things Jewish has one more faggot to the fire (Not politically insensitive since it is a British post and a used the correct definition of the word, so ha). Now I wish I had one of those sold out tickets.

Tracks 2 Check:

Frank - In My Bed; Stronger Than Me; Pumps; You Send Me Flying

Back To Black - Rehab; You Know I'm No Good; He Can Only Hold Her; Addicted

Notes: Repeat Song of The Day

So recently songs have been getting played on repeat for extensive periods of time. Hence why Musiq - Betterman accumulated 41 plays in 4 days or Darien Brockington - Dedication earned about 25 in about 2 days.

This week I've had brief dalliances with rediscovered songs (Dru Hill - These Are The Times & Faith Evans - Mesmerised come to mind). But today is all Rapper big Pooh's day. Kind of overlooked the album since he is the least regarded member of the group. He knows it too. It's the subject of a skit AND a song on their last full length album. Anyway he did a solo and a found a track off there featuring the Repeat Master himself, Darien Brockington.

Is it the introspective character of the song? The seductively simple piano loop? Darien's soulful singing? Answer is D - All of the Above. Whatever it is, it actually has me rethinking life as a whole.

Rapper Big Pooh - My Mind ft. O-Dash & Darien Brockington (Sleepers)

Announcement: Anthology Month Tentative Artists

Although we are still in March, my April Anthology Month idea had me so excited that I had to start thinking of the parameters for such an adventurous expedition. Off the top of my head, I guess its safe for viable candidates to have more than four albums worth of material. And it would also help if I was unfamiliar with most of it, so that's a no go to the Roots and all those Soulquarians & Tongues (but who knows if I'll cheat).


In (first letter) alphabetical order (* indicates super-tentative): 9th Wonder*, Bob Marley, Coheed & Cambria, Coldplay, MF Doom, Madlib, Incognito, Ego Trip Collection, Gang Starr, Jean Grae, Nina Simone, Pink Floyd, Prince, People Under The Stairs, Pink Floyd, Prince, Radiohead, T.I. (surprising right?), The Beatles (yeah might not make it the whole way), The New Pornographers, The White Stripes, Unikone Collection

Yeah we'll see how this one goes.

Update: Murs is now on the list.

Notes: Res - How I Do

This isn't something on my computer. Rather it's something I rediscovered during the forced organization of my room. I've never had a cleaning and organization ritual be so rewarding but this one just keeps delivering.

Thanks goes to Luna for reminding about this amazing artist and thanks also goes to Gnarls Barkley for employing her as a background vocalist for their concerts. I saw the record and realized I had none of it on my computer, so I packed it so I could rip it when I got back to Mass.

So me and Bassline are cruising along, catching up, but we keep hitting this incessant, inexplicable traffic. Finally frustrated with all that's occurring, we both realize there is no music to soothe us. So he goes to me cause he's not exactly feeling his music choices. First I put in a Kelis album that I had brought for the same purpose as Res: songs I didn't have that I wanted to hear. But we only listened to the first track "Young Fresh & New" because it was obvious that it was not conducive to our mood and also because I heard the break in the song that I wanted to.

So next I put in Res. I was nervous. I always get nervous when I play not comercially accepted music that I like for others. But Bassline is a smart cookie and into kitschy kind of stuff so I wasn't that worried. But still.

And heaven rediscovered.

Even the newly musically snobbish Bassline (you take one theory class and you think you know everything) opened my eyes to the genius that was contained though my ear could tell it liked it, even if it didn't know the clinical terms. She rocks out when she wants. She vibes when she wants. And all the writing was pretty much handled by Santi White, who developed this thing around the late 90s of being the queen of women in underground NYC rock and it's pretty excellent.

My favorite track is definitely "Sittin Back", which totally embodies what I think Res was trying to accomplish, which is to say a certain "Man I'm a just take this music where I want it to go" kind of vibe. And it's all good.

Needless to say the album didn't sell all that well. The critics loved her. She even headlined a concert back in the summer after this came out. I mean Raphael Saadiq opened for her and Raphael Saadiq is instrumental in selling a whole lot more records. But ultimately the music is just too weird for mainstream success. Unlike Gnarls Barkley, there's no track on the album that makes you have a reaction a la "Crazy". There's no way you can't reaact to "Crazy" and that's what's given Gnarls its push. While most of the tracks for Res are great and innovative, even I admit nothing really says "man I gotta put that on repeat" and that is so what you need if you're not doing cookie cutter music. She's black but sings rockish hip hoppish soulish type of music. Ain't no radio station automatically adding that to their rotation.

Anyway good record. Glad I found it. Now you find it too.

Notes: The Roots - Game Theory

Music is a very compelling subject. For most, music is the touchstone that conjures memories of where one's been and where one hopes to go. Even the snootiest of music lovers will hear Britney Spears in 25 years and remember where they were and what they were doing when "Toxic" was burning it's way up and down the charts.

The implanting for music I assume happens somewhere around puberty I figure, although considering the kids at my job, the age might be getting younger. Anyhow, music tends to parallel one's life. During youth, the more energetic music tends to dominate but as you mature, the introspective tunes tend to hold more weight. Eventually, and sadly, it seems that music falls out of favor once you're older. It's like an afterthought. I think that part of the reason that the Stones, Springsteen, Dylan, and U2 are still popular is that for the adults that purchase them it presents a nostalgic ticket to their past. The youth they once used to inhabit.

Music has always been a part of my house. I knew how to flip the vinyl and land the needle by kindergarten. I played cassettes so hard that you could hear the tape screaming to be stopped. So when I was rebaptized into music in adolescence it was natural. And a seminal group in that immersion was The Roots.

I can't remember exactly how I found them though it definitely occurred because I became the biggest Tribe Called Quest fan overnight. I did amazing research about my new found love of hip-hop and found the Native Tongues, who the Roots were supposed to be the new purveyors of. So I picked up there most recent album of the time "illadelph halflife." Looking back I remember not really vibing to it as much as the Tribe or De La Soul I had picked up. But I liked it enough to get there preceding album "Do You Want More?" That was it. And now I was dedicated to the Roots. When Tribe announced their departure, and De La disappearing into the sunset, the Roots were my best hope. Since then I've been to so many Roots concerts I lost count and I've never been disappointed.

So what is with this long diatribe before the actual commentary on the album? Well like I said, music parallels life. And I kind of see the Roots as paralleling me. They've always been excellent. The critics always knew. But they've also been ambitious. And they've missed the mark a couple of times. ?uestlove, the band's musical director, has said that he basically mailed in "The Tipping Point" , their last album, and even admits it was a B-. They have had loads of musical ideas that sometimes they shouldn't have touched, or not committed to so hard. And I feel that about myself at times. Ambitious. Maybe overcommitted. Not prioritizing too well.

But "Game Theory" is a masterpiece. When I first got it, I was disappointed it was only 13 tracks. "Tipping" was only 10. They used to pack as much as they could on there. But maybe they realized that simple fact might have been holding them back. These 13 tracks are the most cohesive thing I have had the privilege to listen to ever. Every moment sounds like it was perfectly tied to the next one, even across tracks.

The music is darker, but honestly I don't think I've heard them better. And I noted this when I first heard them during their Radio City Music Hall concerts and even when I saw them in a crappy venue in Boston two months ago. The music is not all the same but they don't overstep their abilities either. Even though, it's a darker tone, your head still snaps. And you want extended breaks just to listen to the music.

Lyrically, I haven't heard Black Thought this good, well, ever. And I'm a Black Thought fan. At one point he rhymes "you're mesmerized by the calm nonchalantness." I'm not sure that nonchalantness is a word but I totally understood what he was saying. Isn't that what an emcee is supposed to do? Jay-Z is so good because he makes even drug dealing so vivid that farmers in Wyoming feel like they've been on the block. Thought does the same damn thing. Over the whole album he seems spry and agile, like there is nothing that will knock him off his game. The return of Malik B must have helped some. Since he left the group due to drug problems, I've missed him a lot. And I didn't realize how much he was missed till I heard his rapid fire flow on the track "Game Theory." Peedi Peedi also is amazing in his guest spot on the track "Long Time." Throughout, even though the content is darker, speaking about the sad state of affairs in the world today, they don't sound bogged down. Thought deals with the government and mourning all with the same aplomb and candor. It's amazing.

This album is indicative of why I even listen to music so hard in the first place. Not only can music take you somewhere, but its quality to perfectly identify with who you are is also ethereal. You may not like hip-hop but this album will be looked back upon on some VH1 special in 25 years as a turning point in music. Yeah I said it, and I meant it.

Notes: Best Fall Back Record Ever

and the award goes to.....Little Brother for "The Minstrel Show"

I feel like I've abused this record. I know that there are probably more cohesive and greater achievements in my library. But something about this record. There are a multitude of bangers that I can always go to in the hopes of revving up. There are introspective songs when the mood is a little slow. And there are countless quotables. Just perfectly built to fall back on.

The prize for best fall back album is the promise that I will purchase all of their albums that are comercially released for eternity.

Notes: LSAT Week (This is a long one)

So before I dashed out of South Lancaster, I had the clever idea to make an MP3 CD of music since I find myself out of my mind when I am home. Why? you ask. Well quite simply there is only so much of the internet a boy can take. The TV is off limits cause the parents control both sets. There are books but how long can those last. And remember people, I do everything with music. Clean. Dress. Sleep. All music based.

Anyway, I mashed something up very haphazardly. I put on some new albums that I got. And the Timberlake and Thicke that I've been bumping. Now for the rest I was just gonna put on my most played playlist. However, I forgot that all those songs amount to about 2 gigs of memory. What to do. Well I just threw a playlist Bassline made for himself and a playlist I had just made for Banana.

And the mix has been amazing. One for the reason that it lifted me from post-LSAT blues. And two cause it helped me remember how awesome music is. I curled myself under a blanket with the express premonition to have myself comatose within minutes. Damn music (coupled with this new book, subject of another posting)

Here are a few notes:
Jon B - Lately: Yeah I know for most it's a throwaway track but man that's my guilty pleasure banger. I still don't know too much about what the hell he's saying. I know he's hollering at some old flame but I mean damn.

Beyonce - Suga Mama: First, Ms. Knowles was a co-conspirator in setting back women about 25 years by being a part of "Cater To You." Even I was appalled at the content of that song. Now on her own album, she takes the role of, well the title of the song, "Suga Mama" and compares herself to a Jolly Rancher and promises to buy her beau anything he wants. But damn that funky 70's bassline. So damn danceable (okay I will cut down on the damns from here on out).

Janet Jackson - Do It To Me: Her voice sounds older, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. For the first time she almost sounds like she could actually sing. Sounds like the older stateswoman even though the song is interchangeable with every other girl singing.

Busta Rhymes - Yeah it seems Bassline put more than one track on here so I'll give a general summation. Busta is underrated. Busta is nicest on New York style beats (heavy bass, piano, hard snares). Though Dre gave him life, the West Coast thing doesn't work. (Also can Stevie Wonder sound bad on anything? He kills "Been Through The Storm")

Gavin DeGraw - I mean I don't listen to mainstream radio that often but this guy was pretty successful and on the right side of tolerable. What happened to him? Bassline (who just might be white even though he looks like Hershey's Dark Chocolate) put both of his popular tracks on there. And the acoustic version of "Chariot" is great plus there was that first song where he just went on "Idonwannabeanythinotherthanwhati'vebeentrynnabebaby." Sad he disappeared

Jay-Z - Yeah he's just nasty. Over a tennis ball beat. "I just take a pen to the wind" Really there's nothing more to say. Kingdom Come is coming out on what day

LL Cool J - For some reason Bassline put a bunch of tracks by him too. I'm praying this was out of curiosity and not real admiration or else me and Bassline need to have a talk. Anyway, the first song was "Preserve The Sexy" with former Def jam chanteuse Teairra Mari or however you spell it. What. The. Fuck. Like LL really shut it down. Then he has a track with Mary Mary?!?!?!?!? The worst part is that it's almost listenable. If it was a Mary Mary track I'd probably be telling y'all to cop the album. Sadly it's not. And LL really compares his early life to picking cotton. Nigga please.

Maroon 5 - Another one of the white superstars from last year that has disappeared. And I really like them. Best New Artist. I mean I know there's a mini-curse on the winners but I was hoping to have them get at least another album.

Jamiroquai - Drifting Along: You can almost smell the weed from this song. I need to go to Jamaica.

Outkast - Morris Brown: Yeah ummm they're nasty. It's a marching band beat. It's a bloody marching band beat. And I don't know what I like about Big Boi's personal vocalist Scar but I just like his voice. Always been a sucka for a falsetto.

Black Thought - Why do people hate on Black Thought? Am I missing it? They say there's a lack of charisma or personality. Still missing it. I wasn't convinced before and even if I was Game Theory would disprove me. I really don't get it. Humorous. Thoughtful. Verbose. Just nasty.

Mos Def - I somewhat understand why he sings and acts so much. Because spitting fire is just too easy for him. It just is. You can hear how naturally the stuff comes to him. If he did an interview and said "I can live my whole life speaking in rhyme form" I would believe him and it wouldn't be boring either. I'd rather hear Mos spit about his breakfast choices than 90% of the music that is out.

Carl Thomas - Totally poised to be our generation's soul singer. Oh wait he was on Bad Boy. Career over.

R. Kelly - Wonderful: Now technically I should be crediting Ja Rule for this song but I hate him. The only reason I ever endured this song was the seven (7) seconds where Kells is uninterrupted singing the hook. "If it wasn't for the money, cars and movies stars and jewels/And all these things I got/I wonder." And once again I must start my petition that R. Kelly should be singing on everything. Commercials. Navigation system directions. Airplane directions. Every bloody thing he can get his hands on.

Yummy Bingham - Come Get It: A certain someone who will remain nameless surreptitiously blocked my attempts to holla at this young lady when she was only inches away from me and honestly amazed at the musical knowledge I displayed. A vision of beauty with a peculiar voice, she finally got her own deal after background vocals for De La Soul (the first time I heard her) and a failed group (Tha Rayne, yeah that was gonna work). But sadly it seems her career has stalled again. And sadly has Rockwilder's her producer on the track, who not so long ago was the producer du jour (Christina Aguilera Dirrrty anyone?). It's a banger though.

Christina Aguilera - Without You: If I was ever going to make writing music my profession I would aim to write a song like this. Pure beauty. And no one can tell me that Christina's not the best voice we got out there. I know about 15 years ago she would have been lost in the shuffle, but let's appreciate what we have. And she's only like 25 or 6. It's really nice.

I would have had more but I hit a button by mistake and now the thing doesn't recognize the MP3's anymore. But wasn't that enough for a while

Notes: 100/90s #1

So I was idly doing jack nothing so I decided what better time to follow through on a goal I set for myself: this bloody blog.

So finally I pressed play on the 100 Most Famous Songs of the 1990s which will heretofore be referred to as 100/90s cause we will be typing that too many times cause this playlis is over 7 hours and that's not gonna be one setting.

So far I have only listened to the first three songs. But it is indicative of the craziness that was the 90s. Nirvana to Madonna to R. Kelly (inspirational R. Kelly no less). I needed to breathe cause I really wasn't that prepared to go through puberty all over again.

First impressions though: they still made some awesome music.

We'll see how I feel come Macarena time

Notes: Randomly

So I got back to making that rock CD for my kid titled Crazy Loud Commotion (I know I'm gifted in the title realm) and then I realized: I have totally been neglecting my music. I mean I knew it was there. I knew it was good but honestly some of this stuff, though not right up my immediate alley, is just straight up good.

It's been random tracks here or there but so far here is what I've discovered.

Sleater-Kinney: Weird wails from some banshee but oddly cool
Bloc Party: Yeah I'm feeling it
Franz Ferdinand: Heard it before but didn't realize how good it was
LCD Soundsystem: They sound like fun
Pavement: I realize why my former college roommate was so into them

And I anticipate more fun tidbits as the night moves along. That is after LSAT study.