So I'm looking around at the blog here, its about 21 days into the month of August, we've had six posts. At this point during the last few months you would have almost twenty posts to not read. So I will do my best to write the posts early this week, I've got till Wednesday planned, so you can thank me later. For now just scroll down the page and get ready for some amazing hip hop.
So you all know I have a bit of a week spot for glitchy electro, those of you that know me well know that I have a special place in my heart for Pretty Lights. There's just something about the blend of futuristic glitch hop and retro samples that allow me to float over whatever has me down. I hadn't even considered the fact that every song by Pretty Lights is a rap song waiting to happen, and then it happened. Gabriel Stark, you sir have put yourself in a very precarious position, you've taken some of the best music to wobble around inside my skull and plastered your voice all over it. If you shit on these tracks you're on the list, if you do this the right way you'll make it into my mixes for a very long time. Its a good thing I lost that list, cause Gabriel Stark you're my new hero.
For those of you that don't know the album title is not only a witty joke but there was once upon a time a Pretty Lights album called Glowing In The Darkest Night, just a guess but I think that had something to do with the choice. So, into the actual music, obviously the beats are top notch, we've been through that already. Although relatively unknown Starky lays it down smooth, and does just enough damage to the original tracks to make it his own sound. All in all this five track album is must download, so hit that link above and if you're interested in hearing more Pretty Lights head on over to his website and grab all of the albums for free, that's more music than you can cram into that little head of yours, enjoy.
So today is my first day of orientation for my co-op at GBHS, its been embarrassing so far, showing up late after having trouble finding the room, add on the fact I barely slept last night and I’m a complete wreck. To make it even better being the first day, it would be the day they take my picture for ID cards, at least I shaved part of my face in my rush to get out of the house.
So I really can’t talk of music that’s picking me up today cause I’m deliberately not listening to anything that could cheer me up. That being said I found a nice little dark corner table here in the cafeteria and due to some connection problems I am writing this in word to cut and paste for your viewing pleasure.
A while ago I stumbled onto a song on GMAD, it was an occasion because I usually don’t pull from goodmusicallday unless I know the artist, but there was something about the artwork, about the artists name, or maybe it was the fact that he was Canadian that drew me towards the download link. Either way Grieves quickly worked his way up my list of most played songs, and into my mind. Something reached me under everything else I’ve build up.
“I guess it started when the lights went out, everyone running around trying to figure it out...”
The song starts with a soft piano, a simple collection of rhythms and notes, lows and highs, and then Grieves drops the flow. His rapping is something I can appreciate, low, and meaningful, the lyrics, if you get into them tell a dark story about love lost and wasted, and that is surely something we can all relate to....
"Chill cause now you're livin all alone in a place meant for two..."
If you actually take the time to follow my posts you’ll know my ideal style of rap is more than just some fool’s flow and a low bass beat that shakes the fenders on some a-holes Sunfire. The words have to reach me; they have to make me want to hear them. The beat doesn’t have to be top class but it helps to have more than just a Macbook. If you have the budget, it makes the album to have an orchestra or at least a string section or jazz quartet, hell even throw an acoustic guitar in the background. Rap isn’t a black and white game, there are limits sure buts its the artists that stretch those limits that make it into my itunes, and eventually my heart. Grieves, you’ve made a topnotch album, your lyrics are universal in the way a piano is, and the orchestra, real or not, is worth any money. Thanks for taking the game to the next level.
Many of you that actually took the ten seconds and "liked" the Facebook page will know that I'm off for a couple of days and I plan to attempt to enjoy myself. That being said I doubt I will be able to post, although K will be covering for me it seemed in my best interests to do a post now, and try something new at that. Allow me a brief moment of clarity, I realize now why Elena's posts do so well, we have a completely different outlook on how posting should be done. I like to pick a day with a theme and hit you with whatever I've been hearing that works for that day, Elena works more like a professional would taking her day to post and finding something current to review, and thats the operative word, review. So I'm going to try it on for size, here's something from the last week or so that you should've heard about.
I can't fault Lil' Wayne for what he does, he raps and by todays somewhat questionable standards he's good. He makes money and he looks good doing it and thats what the people want. Now going further than my review of the world today Lil' Wayne dropped a mixtape back the 13th and surprising even myself I downloaded it. I don't usually listen to popular hip hop but something about how the whole deal went down made me think it would be worth it. See Wayne has a new album coming out and no surprise its release date got pushed back, but here's where it gets good. Lil' Wayne took a bunch of freestyles and a couple original songs and dropped a mixtape, for free. Yeah free, I wish this would happen more often, we all know how annoying it can be to be waiting for something long after it was supposed to be in your hands. How awesome would it be if everytime this happened the producer gave you something free to apologize. I mean that new game that you're waiting for, its gonna be about three months late, but heres some DLC codes and the CD for the games score. The movie you want to see is postponed, but hey heres some free tickets cause we want you to enjoy it when it gets here. This will probably never happen cause it would cost the companies money, but artists can do this, because they know we won't buy it if they wait too long, thats the glory of the internet we can get it for free, we can hold them ransom. Kudos to Lil' Wayne for going back to his roots and giving back to his fans, this is how customer service works.
Now we can get past my ranting and into the mixtape. Its a twelve track tape of which only two, Sorry 4 The Wait and Tunechi's Back, aren't freestyles. That being said Lil' Wayne has always had a talent for freestyles, although his flow doesn't move very far from his comfort zone. The tracks are full to the brim with reasons to make sure your kids don't listen to this. Bragging, swearing and rapping about bitches and money seem to be mainstay of Lil' Wayne's money scheme. Don't get me wrong this album is fresh, if you love rap for what it is, dirty, Lil' Wayne knows he doesn't have anything to prove. The beats are thick and low and most of the songs run for longer than three minutes, this is a mixtape through and through. So love it or leave it, hit the Hulkshare link above or read on for the track listing and direct downloads of select songs.
Thanks for stickin around, hopefully you enjoy todays posts and let me know if you would like me to keep up with actual reviews. Head on back to the first paragraph and like us on FB, it means a lot. For those of you with higher class taste when it comes to hip hop head on over to The Burning Ear for "Sounds Of The City" by Luck One. Its a sterling track with a cheery instrumentation and a sophisticated flow, it might be what youre looking for.
