This is kinda awesome. Anyone who bugged out on the original Nike's worn by Marty Mcfly in Back to the Future(designed by Tinker Hatfield, inventor of the Air Jordan), would be stoked at the news of a 'inspired-by' design that will be released soon. I would like to say more but Wired say it so much better, and have video footage:
Killer Mike has a new album about to drop called I pledge allegiance to the Grind. The ballistic MC showcased this track on his Myspace as a taste of things to come.
Here's That's Life, the incendiary track that schooled many (including myself) throughout 2006.
I know what you're saying. Mid year 'best of' lists go against the social coda, it's uncool and there's really no need for it. Why can't he hang out till the end of the year and purge then? I agree they are all valid points. The problem I have, is that by the end of the year I've forgotten what I was listening to at the start of the year, and then you topload you best of list with albums that were released in the second half of the year. I ain't letting that happen again.
So, I'm doing this for me.
1. The Hold-Steady: Stay Positive - As descriptive and chaotic as their earlier releases, with a sound that encompasses more of the musical spectrum, America's best bar band comes up with another triumph that delivers lyrically and musically, and show's a group that knows exactly where they are.
2. Cut Copy: In Ghost Colours - This thing just sounds glorious. A throwback to new wave bands of the 80's, it's layers of production and instrumentation give the sound an atmosphere that is rarely heard. Even the squall, which is being compared to My Bloody Valentine, is harmonious and inviting. And while the lyrics won't win any pulitzer's, they capture the intention of the music, adding to the final ghostly product.
3. Lil Wayne: Carter 3 - With Nas and The Game yet to release their album's, and Snoop snoozing through his, this year has been left for Lil Wayne to reap the benefit, and breathe life back into wack MC's. The album is not surprisingly sprawling (Wayne isn't the most focussed dude), but this fact adds to the entertainment. From rapping about being a martian, a doctor, flirting with cops and telling us what it's like to be a millie-an-air, Wayne win and they lose.
4. Girl Talk: Feed the Animals - The Mash-up king takes even more from pop culture, from the cringe-worthy to the creative and slaps them together in the edit-fest to end all. Sometimes it doesn't hit, but given the fact that the tracks change up every 30 seconds, you'll have forgetton the missteps very soon. If you've ever imagined what Jay-Z and Radiohead would sound like together, now's you chance.
5. Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago - Soft and slight, it lifts and pulls, it's trevails put across to you in such a beautiful way that you forget to be sad. About as much as you can get out of a softly strummed acoustic guitar.
6. Hercules and Love Affair: Self-titled - Another DFA produced dance classic (they produced Cut Copy too), and another throwback to an earlier time. Taking disco throbs and chucking Antony's high-pitched wail atop them was a stroke of genius.
7. Nick Cave and the bad seeds: Dig, Lazurus Dig! - Another spectacular outing from the man who may soon have a statue of himself riding a horse, in his hometown of Warracknabeal in Australia.
8. Santogold: Santogold - Sandi White has graduated from ghostwriting to star with flying colours. A great mix of dance, pop and rock.
9. Vampire Weekend: Self-titled - Don't think I forgot about these guys, I'm one of the few that does give a f**k about an Oxford Camera. They bopped their way from their East Coast colleges and into our hearts.
10. Bun B: 2 Trill - Did I say that Lil Wayne had the only good hip hop album this year. I lied.
If you like what you hear, chase up these cd's and do yourself a favour.
Kanye has asked us all to post this download link to Malik Yusef's new track. Malik is an artist on the G.O.O.D. Music label. Am I gonna argue with Mr West?
From time to time I like to deviate from my usual agenda and highlight snippets of pop culture that deserve your attention. Why I've then decided to post a link to a Huey Lewis song is something I will have to think about for some time and possibly regret over the course of the day. Not that I didn't love The Power of Loveback in the day, but that was over 20 years ago.
The song is however, the theme song to the new David Gordon Green-Seth Rogen-Judd Apatow-james Franco comedy Pineapple Express, so save your commentary 'til after you've seen the movie, or at least the trailer. For the purist's, M.I.A's Paper Planes, one of the top tracks of 2007, has featured heavily in the trailer.
A couple of the more impressive performances from an overall average week. As you probably know, Matt and Kourtni were voted out *sigh* , and I was hoping that they would hang around for a couple more weeks at least. Oh well. Mark and Chelsie doin Jazz and Foxtrot. About the only time I'll tolerate a Mandy Moore song.
Will and Jessica do the lyrical jazz thing. The shirtless thing is pimp.
I was kinda hoping that it would make it a few more days before leaking. Hopefully the word gets out and Nas makes a mint from this one. I'm not going to point out where to find it though, but look, it ain't that hard to tell where it is... lol!
She was one of the leading Ballerina's of the 20th century. Baronova was the only survivor of a trio that achieved worldwide fame in the 1930s as "the baby ballerinas".
It was that she displayed such artistry at such a young age that made her one of the most publicised ballerina's of her time.
She died peacefully at her home in Byron Bay, Australia aged 89.
Nas's new release Untitled is due to drop on July 15th. I'm trying not to get caught up in the hyperbole like I usually do with Nas album's, because they never live up to the hype (though they still deliver).
Prejudice's aside, this is another great track, a simple piano loop for Nas to jewel's over, courtesy of Jay Electronica. Also, I've included a New York Magazine article about the man called Nasir Jones. Shout out to Baron Davis.
