Daft Punk - Discovery: classics album review

This album originally came out in 2001 and though Daft Punk, the electronica duo, isn’t as ubiquitous as say Brittany Spears or Jay-Z, whose careers are just as long, you (John Q. Public) probably know of Daft Punk’s work, on this album in particular. For those of you who don’t know this is the duo responsible for “One More Time” (we’re gonna celebrate, music’s got me feeling so free… yeah that song… yes that’s a duo… no, none of them actually are singing). And to be honest, in the past decade, “One More Time” probably has gotten more airplay and club play in such a variety of places, whether it is a Top 40 radio station to the Rap/R&B station DJ’s mixes, than anything Jay-Z, Brittany Spears or anyone else that has been around since the ‘90’s, ever since the single came out. Since the end of last year, while all of the major websites were doing their best albums of the decades, it so happened this album was at the top of most lists, so I decided to investigate. Again, for artists who may not be the most household names in the U.S., a good chunk of this album has been in the consciousness of this country for almost the whole decade. “Digital Love” is a G rated vocoder laden love song, with warm synthesizers, that was made famous in widely popular Gap commercials, at the time. “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” is a song with a simple mantra and distinctive symbols that has had it’s fare share of commercial exposure, as well as being sampl… rapped over by Kanye West in “Stronger”. Not to mention other songs like the “Aerodynamic” and “Veridis Quo” have also been sampled throughout the years. The whole album has a ‘70’s/ ‘80’s disco vibe and, other than the horrifically cheesy “Something About Us”(in an album known and love for its cheesiness), it is danceable the whole way through. However, you would not be missing out on much if you just downloaded the aforementioned songs, but I suggest listening to the whole album. If the whole autotune movement going on today, which probably in a way is a result of this album, or disco and other assorted dance genres aren’t your thing, you probably will not like this album, but the effect it has on pop music today is still very evident.

9/10
Listen to: “Aerodynamic”, “Digital Love”, and “Harder, Better, Faster Stonger”
Avoid: “Something About Us”…honestly that’s it

Throwback: Jim Jones - Summer Wit Miami (Feat. Trey Songz)

I always liked this song and if you live... well anywhere in the US you've just been hit with week after week of snow, so I know you're looking forward to Summer too. Ironically, this is one of my favoite songs, but I cant stand any of Jim Jones' newer music and I now think Try Songz sings like a woman in labor.

We Are The World 25... I Know It's A Good Cause, but WOW...WOW

This really is Horrible. I dont know where to start. Justin Bieber having the audacity to start off the song, Lionel Richie being Celine Dion's personal audience in the vocal booth, the autotuned section of the song (Lil Wayne, Akon, T-Pain... all back to back), then the actual rapping. No wonder Lady Gaga pulled out (pause). If you're going to donate something for Haiti, more power to you, but personally I wouldn't waste hard drive space on this.

Post #101!!!! My Favorite Beats EVER

I think a fun way to celebrate my completion of 100 posts is to share my favorite instrumentals, not songs. 101 & beyond...

5. Nelly Furtado - Do It (Prod. Timbaland)


4. Common - Real People (Prod Kanye West)


3. Common - It's Your World (Prod J Dilla)


2. Kanye West - Last Call (Prod. Kanye West & Evidence)


1. MF DOOM - Coffin Nails (Rapp Snitch Knishes instrumental) (Prod. MF DOOM)

Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt classics review

This is Jay-Z's first album, and is claimed by hip hop heads & hipsters alike as Jay-Z's best cd. It is even seen on the level of Nas' Illmatic FYI: Which is the best rap album EVER (according to those same hipsters & old people). So is Reasonable Doubt that good? In 2009, it still is, honestly. Of course the "Columbian"(probablly Puerto Rican) talking nonsense on the beginning of a lot of the songs is annoying, and some of the production seems dated, being 13 years later. Other than that, Jay is at his best lyrically. "Can't Knock the Hustle", "Aint No Nigga" & "Brooklyn's Finest" (Feat. Biggie) still run respectable radio rotation in NY stations, because those songs still emain lyrical, yet catchy even half a (young black - let's be real)lifespan later. "D'Evils" and "22 Two's" still remain witty and hardhitting lyrically, while "Feeling It" and "Regrets" are laid back riding anthems. I'm not one of those old people (who frankly should have stopped listening to rap, in favor for circa 90's R&B) or hipsters (who should be at some Santigold or Cool Kids or whatever they listen to concert) who tell you IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THIS CD, YOU'RE NOT HIP HOP. However, the cd really is good. It isn't repeatable for casual listeners of 2009, like say Jay's 2001 Blueprint. If you do enjoy 90's rap or raw lyrics, though, you'll love this.

9/10 Listen to: "Brooklyn's Finest", "Feelin' It", "D'Evils" & "Dead Presidents"
Avoid: "Coming Of Age" ...really thats it

RIP Michael Jackson

Being born in 89, I really wasn't part of the MJ phenom. However, being the ubiquitous artist he is, I know the effect he had on music today (via influence & samples) so I felt it was only right to acknowledge.

Sidebar: PYT is one of my favorite summertime songs.

Mr. Spaceman
-N

Kanye West - The College Dropout Classics Review

The "real hip hop heads" can be some of the most obnoxious residents of the internet. Along w/ Southern Rap & Hipsters, they claim you can't be really into hip hop if you haven't heard certain lps; Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt, Nas' Illmatic, Biggie's Ready To Die, etc. However, as time goes by & those lps get older, it means younger listeners have to listen to dated music as their classics. I decided to periodically review old cd's that have been called classic to see if by today's standards they are that good.

One of the few cd's that has come out relatively recently that is claimed classic status is Kanye West's debut The College Dropout. To be honest classic is thrown everywhere these days, but this cd fits that title, but for content more than actual artistic quality. Content-wise, the cd tackles a lot for a 2000's lp. Issues like how important is continued education really is, employment, racism, materialism in hip hop, gold digging women, ethics of providing for family by legal vs illegal means, and more. Not to mention almost every beat on this cd is good, original (as sampled beats get) & actually affected hip hop after the release (sampling, string arrangements & even autotune on a rap cd 5 yrs ago!).

The problem with the cd is Kanye West, at that time was a average rapper (today he really isn't the best, but he's def improved). It kind of feels mixtape-ish when there are so many guests & interludes on a cd. Then when Ye finally raps, he really doesn't even rhyme a lot of the time. (you know when rappers use accents to make thing rhyme like do' (Door) & wo' (Wall)). To sum it up, the cd as a whole is great musically, filled with substance, and was groundbreaking. It's just if it came out today, it would be a hipster/backpacker fav, but that's about it.

8.5/10 Listn to: We Don't Care, All Falls Down, Jesus Walks & Two Words