Kanye is BACK

    
  In my opinion, when it's all said and done and musical historians are reviewing the music of our generation, Kanye West will go down as one of the greatest musicians of our generation. Throughout his career he's been able to make music that's popular, but still prolific and has constantly pushed at the boundaries of what hip hop is and what it can be. For instance, with "Stronger," he was one of the first to fuse electro and hip hop and even though the song eventually was overplayed, it was unbelievable.
     He lost a lot of people with his last album, "808's and Heartbreaks" because it was too sentimental and slow. Personally, I loved it because I thought the songs were beautiful and honest. With the album, he created a new mini-genre- that of the half-singing, half-rapping angsty musician. I don't know what to call the genre, but Kid Cudi also fall into it.
    In his new album, "My Dark Twisted Fantasy", Kanye is back in full force. He raps with power--literally (see Power), but he still hasn't lost his sentimental touch and so the album is full with a refreshing eclecticism. He has straight hip hop songs where he raps about how "this shit is ridiculous" ("So Appalled"), and then he has a few that were meant to be top 40 ("All of The Lights" which is actually unbelievable but its sure to be overplayed), and then he has sentimental songs like "Lost in The World" which samples Bon Iver (WHAT?) and its beautiful. My personal favorite is "Runaway" which is a nine minute piano ballad where Kanye expresses his dissatisfaction and toasts douchebags and assholes in a slightly pitchy, un-autotuned crone. I've probably listened to this album 15 times in the past week and everytime I hear it I find something new.

You can buy the album here. 



  All Of The Lights by Albou88

  Lost In The World - (With Background ringing sound) by anthonynani

New Benassi Banger

      This new Benny Benassi jam, "House Music," is the most ridiculously amazing banger I've heard in a long time. It hits right away and doesn't quit. It will make you dance, or maybe induce a siezure. Benny is BACK. 

House Music- Benny Benassi by Kodie James

And because I'm in the mood, I give you an amazing remix of Daft Punk's "Derezzed" from the Tron soundtrack.

Daft Punk - Derezzed (Breakdown Remix) by Breakdown

Wompalicious Weekly

   I haven't blogged this week at all. I just realized that. Well, to make up for it, I have compiled a quite dank wompy collection of dubstep songs. If your relatives that are visiting for Thanksgiving want to know what dubstep is, play this and show them and turn them into fellow bass cadets. Enjoy.

  Bassnectar & Datsik - YES by Bassnectar

  Sky Ferreira - One BAR9 Remix by BAR9

  Nosaj Thing - Coat of Arms (Boreta Remix) - Free DL by The Glitch Mob

  Example - Kickstarts BAR9 Remix by BAR9

  Bassnectar - Verbing the Noun (Original Mix) by TheLastShokman

  Empire of the Sun - We Are The People (Stephan Jacobs Remix) by Stephan Jacobs

  M.I.A. Steppin up (stepped up Ruff Hauser mix) by Ruff Hauser

  Datsik - "Retreat" by babymakinmusic

La Blogotheque- Take Away Shows

I recently made an amazing discovery: Take Away Shows by La Blogotheque. This blog in France meets up with a bunch of different artists and films them doing jam sessions. The videos are excellently filmed and all unique. You feel like you are part of this intimate moment with the band. It's amazing and a few of them have given me the chills. It's incredible how a video can really impact the way you appreciate the music. Check em out:







This next one is with an artist I saw in Copenhagen. Gaspar Claus is a celloist that makes very unconventional music. I saw him at the CPH Documentary Film Festival and he played behind a white sheet that had video being projected on to it. The director of the Take Away Shows, Vincent Moon, was there and he was filming him while he playing. So videos of him playing were being projected on to the white sheet at times and then they would shine lights to create effects with shadows. All while this was happening, he was playing music that was schizophrenic. At points it was like terrible sound effects that made you cringe and then it would suddenly break into beautiful music. It was an incredible experience and my description certainly doesn't do it justice.



You can find all of the Take Away Shows here: http://www.youtube.com/user/LaBlogotheque

Kid Cudi- Man on the Moon II

     Kid Cudi is an ex-coke addict and a  perpetually stoned loner. And he's completely honest about it. This honest about Kid Cudi's bleak world is what drives Man on the Moon II. Throughout the album he talks about how he is always high, his struggles with drugs, and his general unsatisfaction with life. It certaintly isn't a cheerful album and you have to be in the right mood to be able to take it all in, but he gives us an honest look into his life and he does so with an impressive diversity of style and an eclectic musical style. He also has some collaborations that enable him to fully express his emotions. In the first track, Cee Lo Green brings us in with poignant soulfulness in Scott Mescudi vs. the World. And in other songs, Mary J. Blige comes in with some more soul, and Kanye West and Chip That Ripper have some epic raps.
     Unlike Kid Cudi's debut, this album doesn't have any stand out singles like Day N' Night, Up, Up, and Away, or Pursuit of Happiness. The only song that comes close is Erase Me (which is a post-punk influenced break up song). What Kid Cudi loses with catchiness, he gains in poignancy and honesty. His honesty is daring. There are plenty of rappers (an artists in general) who in reality are depressed and lonely but still shallowly make music about partying and the good life (ahem, Lil Wayne). Cudi's honesty is refreshing and although it isn't always fun to listen, at least it is real.

You can buy the album here.

Scott Mescudi vs. The World feat. Cee Lo Green
Erase Me feat. Kanye West
These Worries feat. Mary J. Blige
Ashin Kusher
Trapped In My Mind

In Honor of JOOSE

Today is a sad day. Four Loko has decided to take caffeine out of their drinks and the FDA is just steps away from banning all energy drinks. I'm not one to talk about causes on this blog, but this is a cause worth fighting for. For all those in the states, drink a few JOOSE and start rioting. Protest against this injustice! Save JOOSE (and FOUR LOKO)! Save the world!

Some sweet JOOSE theme songs: