St Vincent, Strange Mercy - It’s time to face a reality – it’s truly hard to have a love affair without really knowing the person. With that being said, I’m finding it harder and harder to describe my relationship with Annie Clark and her music – obsession seems to oblique, idolized has odd religious undertones, and respect seems to clinical. Needless to say, this will be yet another glowing review of her latest musical installment, Strange Mercy.
Archive for February, 2012
New Issue: St. Vincent
New Issue: SchoolBoy Q
Schoolboy , Habits and Contradictions – Gothic gangster rap at it’s finest. Lyrically a little weak, you can tell his age, but a strong initial concept and effort for an emerging crew of hip hop innovators. Where Section 80 presented consciousness in a mostly well packaged display, Habits exceeds in aurally mapping grit, danger, solitude, machismo, and anything else SchoolBoy wants to address. For a foundationally scary album, it’s a joy to listen to.
New Issue: Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar, Section.80 - I need to be more diligent. For many reasons. But recently, I’ve been sleeping on plenty of music that I’ve 1) heard at SXSW or 2) seen live. Kendrick fits both. And yet somehow I still missed out on this goodness for most of 2011. Well, I guess it’s never too late to say your sorry. Or to enjoy good music, cause this is the realness. Read the rest of this entry »
New Issue: Thao & Mirah, Thao & Mirah
Thao & Mirah, Thao & Mirah - “Singer-songwriter” has never come to sell me on any musician. In fact, it usually signals a chance for me to save my cash for something else. Like gum. Or toothpaste. Anything really. Put two together and it only multiplies my antipathy. Much to my surprise, Thao & Mirah are starting to chip away at my well honed diffidence to the term. It doesn’t hurt that they have enlisted the help of my favorite artist of 2011 to date.
New Issue: tUnE-yArDs, whokill
tUnE-yArDs, whokill – Wow. I sat on this draft for over 6 months. And this is probably my favorite album of last year. Well, here’s to cleaning up that old drafts box.
Eccentricity. What’s not to love?! Sure, anyone can come up with a slightly off hand band name, push further into excess with an even odder presentation of the name, and then a crazy sound to boot. Take this for example. But few can pull this off with ease and grace. And subtlety. I know, not quite what one should expect from an album with “kill” in it. But there it is – choice, intention, space – saddling up to experimentation like they belong. And making a good show of it. Yes, I am spending way too much time to say that this will probably be one of my favorite records of the year. So kill me. Read the rest of this entry »