Where have you been hiding Yachtclub101? In the new sizzling self-titled, 10-track album Oakland’s Yachtclub101 imbue the listener with a sense of awe, a feeling of ecstasy and a listening experience unmatched. The Bay Area has a long underground tradition and Yachtclub101 dares the listener to thrust the music to the masses. At times full of zest and other times more of an emotional anchor, Yachtclub101 manages to escape completely…
donSMITH comes forth with one of the most engrossing and interesting rap efforts that we’ve covered so far this year. The track may start and end before three minutes is up, but the wordplay is knotty and deep. Fans will have to listen to the single multiple times before hearing everything that has been secreted within. The production of Table is integral in making the track stand above similar releases;…
Paul Maged’s new single Culture War has hints of Judas Priest and Tenacious D present within its heavy riffs, solid drum work, and supersonic vocals. With an all-in approach to the song’s instrumental sides, Paul is able to lay down some seriously focused vocals. Multiple vocal layers are utilized here to add a further bit of gravity to the composition. A rapid switch to a killer instrumental section ensures that…
Stars In Their Eyes on SSRIs is a track that seems like a letter explaining bipolar disorder. From the bouncy beginning to the track to the more despondent second half of the track, the narrative component seems to identify some of the issue present with the titular class of medication. The video (presented below) showcases a bit of the quirkiness that is expressed in the lyrical and instrumental side of…
Fuego & Hielo is an inspirational track. Passionate in his delivery, Stokoff is able to reach high registers and rich lows. Thwe dynamics established between Stokoff’s vocals, the country-tinged guitars, and the traditional rock styling of the drums virtually ensures that fans of all stripes will be able to find something to sink their teeth into. The guitar work is the highwater mark for the song’s instrumentation as it does…
WFS is a high-energy track that calls back to the stripped-down rock of the MC5 all while wrapping up the proto-punk style with synths. The song only needs 2 minutes to do everything that it seeks to do. Pointed, political, and with considerable fury, Lesibu Grand is able to insert attitude alongside intense guitar lines and splashy drums. Adding a video to the mix, Lesibu Grand is able to leverage…
Replace Me has Nas coming forth with a crossover track that brings a bit of hard-0edge bars into an R&B track. The keys and twinkling production bouncing in the backdrop calls back to the late nineties. Big Sean’s guest bars act as the yin to Nas’s yang, while the smooth, silky sounds of Don Toliver represent the glue that unites the two big hitters of rap. What results in Replace…
Started has a slow, emotionally-charged plea to one’s lover. The track is stripped-down and bare, mirroring the message espoused in the effort. The members of Final Draft are able to keep this sexual energy high through out. Changing up the track to best bolster the strengths of each performers, Started is able to stay fresh and invigorating from the onset until the last assertive note. It’s not too much of…
Fall has MkX use a hard-hitting synth and drum backdrop to highlight his considerable vocal range. Deftly blending rap, R&B and pop, MkX makes a play for considerable crossover opportunities. The hint of EDM that makes its way into Fall provides further nuance to this effort. No two seconds end up the same on Fall, granting the single ample replay value. The ability of MkX to turn on a dime…
Quarantine Dream is one dreamy track. Hints of surf, indie, and performers as wide-reaching as Rufus Wainwright and Nick Cave can be picked up here. Heck, the beginning of the track shares the same psychic space as “The Joker”. No matter how compelling and radio-friendly Quarantine Dream may be, Papi Shiitake has ensured that the instrumentation that plays behind his vocals is thoughtful and immaculately arranged. Few artists are able…
A Little Bit of Love has Kate Tucker call back to the nineties with nods to both Sheryl Crow and The Breeders. An infectious vocal harmony is boosted up through a clap / snap backing beat. Synths peek through the backdrop at points, adding a bit off 1980s mall to the mix. Funky, fun, and with just enough edge to differentiate itself from the rest of the pop fare on…
Bustle and Flow is some of the most polished music we’ve ever received from The Dead Daisies. With a style this time around that blends together the supersonic vocals of Scott Weiland with confident instrumentation of a Whitesnake or Winger, The Dead Daisies know precisely how to make a perfect rock track. Of particular note during Bustle and Flow have to be the sizzling guitar work, with riffs that act…
We Need You is an assertive track that showcases the need for women to make their voice heard. On this 100th anniversary of women getting their franchise, there is still a sense that the overall representation lags behind women’s proportion of the population. To bolster turnout is a perniciously difficult thing, and this track works under the assertion that a catchy song can change the world. Women Get Out The…
Everybody’s Calling is a hopeful track by The Fortune tellerz that shines with a 1960s / 1970s pop-rock approach. Charismatic vocals blend nicely with bouncy keys and guitars with just the lightest hint of distortion. The lyrical content of Everybody’s Calling is similarly happy, providing listeners with a sense that things will be better. The guitar and synth section that start at around the three-minute mark build up the dramatic…
Playing Both Sides is a wonderful blend of R&B and ethereal, EDM-infused backing beats. The more heavenly backing sysnths are a solid counterpoint for the pointed lyrical flow of the track’s main stanzas. The dreamier vox show considerable collaboration between these voices and the instrumental side if the composition. The most surprising thing about Playing Both Sides here has to be how much matewrial is placed into a 2:30 space.…
Back TO Me has a smooth, compassionate sound that is provided by Will Jordan’s silken vocals. The thick, bassy beat that plays at the bottom of the track is coupled with the lightest trapping of guitar to create something that highlights Will’s voice at all the right points. Back To Me has a timeless feel, bringing in hints of 1990s and early oughts R&B even as Will’s vocals resound perfectly…
Nas is able to keep a consistent sound in his latest effort, Spicy. Where artists sometimes seek to adopt the latest trends, Nas is able to keep walloping people with his timeless approach. The inclusion of Fivio Foreign and A$AP Ferg into the mix has the same effect – expanding his music to a wider population – but Nas is able to keep his inimitable flow at 100% for the…
Phosphenes is an instrumentally complex effort that has some of the same emotive arrangements of early The Police and Cure. Ruby Ryan’s vocals are touching and heartfelt here; anyone that has had to go through the expression of young love will be able to understand the leitmotif of the track. The inclusion of synths to the mix bring in a hint of acts like Walk The Moon and OK Go.…
The sick bass line that begins Disaster will immediately draw in listeners, while the additional layers of guitars and drums makes for an infectious track that builds off of the post-grunge work of acts like Bush and Stabbing Westward. The vocals come forth with equal parts Dave Grohl and Billy Corgan as the lack gradually moves into the wall of fuzz of acts like At The Drive-In and Converge. The…
In his new single and music video “Explode,” Canadian pop singer/songwriter Chris Ning gets as brutally honest as he’s ever been with his lyricism, unleashing what could be one of the more personal tracks of its kind this season. A crushingly intimate ballad that touches on suicide and self-awareness in a raw, unfiltered manner, “Explode” doesn’t attempt to hide the vulnerabilities of its lead singer in any way, shape or…