Monday Mixtape, Vol. 145

I’m watching the Nats game, and we just blew the lead in the 6th and are now down 5-2 :(

We need some good music to turn that frown upside down!

There are two sides to this week’s mixtape: Side 1 consists of recent rap tracks I’ve been diggin’, including two tracks from Danny Brown’’ new album, uknowwhatimsayin’?, one, “Dirty Laundry,” is produced by the inimitable Q-Tip and the other has Q-Tip rapping on, so this is all win win. Danny Brown is not for everyone, but I was actually just listening to Beastie Boys, and he reminds me a bit of Mike D, no one really sounds like that voice, some may find annoying, but I think his production and songs are interesting. So that’s that.

On Side 1 is also the rapper with the worst name out there, DaBaby. I mean, really? But he just released a new album, and I am enjoying it. Couple of my fave tracks from his album join this mixtape.

Wait…now it’s 7-2. ;(

Side 2 starts with a jam from Pond, that band I really like from Australia (who is not Tame Impala…and not Silverchair), and then two tracks to mellow you out. The first is from Clairo, whose debut album I keep coming back to listen to. I’m not sure what it is about her music and voice, but it’s bringing me back months and months after it’s release. This is the last track on her album, a beautiful ending to a beautiful album.

And finally to end the mixtape, a live track from Jim James and company. Enjoy!

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 107

There has been some GREAT music I've been blasting the past couple weeks from some highly anticipated albums like Drake's Scorpion and Jim James' Uniform Distortion as well as some newer (at least to me) artists, Teyana Taylor, Mt. Joy, The Academic, and The Undercover Dream Lovers, AND a surprise couple songs from Childish Gambino. 

So let's first talk about Drake. He made a ridiculously long album. Again. Sigh. This time it's a "double album" where side A is rap and Side B is his R&B/Pop thang. There's nothing I hate more than double albums. The results are ALWAYS the same. If you took the best 12 songs from the total fattened and bloated 24 songs, you usually would get one hell of an album. Calling Red Hot Chili Peppers' Stadium Arcadium. How good would that album have been!??

SO ANYWAYS, Drake. He's a very easy target these days on social media and all the music blogospheres because it's pretty easy to make fun of him (he's a walking meme and the majority of his lyrics, particularly on this album), and he gets a ton of clicks for all the sites. Most people have been mainly hating on the album, which is somewhat fair, but I do think that Drake's albums  for one, are an acquired taste, and two, typically take me many listens to appreciate. This one is no different. I really enjoy Side B, and particularly the two tracks on this week's mixtape. "Peak" has a little sound on it that really reminded me of ***NERD GAMER ALERT*** a very specific sound effect from one of - IF NOT THE - greatest video games ever, Final Fantasy VII. Now maybe you'll just say, please stop, you're making too much of this, but GUESS WHAT? There is another song on the album called "FINAL FANTASY." Honestly, I have no idea if that's a coincidence, but I don't really believe in coincidences so it is not and they knew exactly what they were doing. Love it. Also, the hook on "Finesse" is just catchy and suave Drake at his best. So that ends, Drake.

I read a review recently that likened Jim James' new solo album to a My Morning Jacket album made 15 years ago. Pretty on point except certainly not the quality of MMJ at their peak. I know MMJ has an amazing following and is renowned as a phenomenal live band (I've seen them twice and also Jim James once), but I do believe they're underrated. These guys are one of the best five rock bands of the past 20 years. Who else is one there is up to you and yours, but THEY'RE THERE.

Listen to this Mt. Joy album more than once, it will grow on you. I thought they were a little too what's that band that chants and shouts all the time and is a bit folksy? Right, Of Monsters and Men, who I just never could get into. These guys reminded me of them a bit, but additional listens brought some nuance to their lyrics and musical talents. It's good stuff!

Teyana Taylor was the vixen from Kanye's very much watched by all men video, "Fade"

 Her album is pretty good, and I love this song. Hope you do too!

The Academic released an album that will be utterly forgettable in some years, but I utterly enjoy it now. They're like a mix of Two Door Cinema Club and New Found Glory. It's enjoyable and makes me feel good.

Finally, Childish Gambino continues his crazy run of brilliance with the summer jam, "Summertime Magic." Play this on repeat and you'll have a good week. 

Adios! 

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 62

Greetings! It's been a while, my apologies. As it has tended to do, life has been quite busy. Lots of really fun events in the past few weeks coupled with business travels and a brutal cold. But it's been far too long since a Monday Mixtape!

There's been a ton of music released in the past month or so, none bigger than A Tribe Called Quest's final album, We Got It From Here...Thank You 4 Your service. And what an unbelievable final album. You know that Tribe would never dishonor the late great Phife Dawg (who might have seen mortality knocking on the door) by making an album after this, and it's an honor to get something as well done as this album.

I would put this album on par with Beats, Rhymes, and Life. Both Midnight Marauders and The Low End Theory are hip-hop classics located in the upper echelon of rap, so it's silly and impossible to try to compare this to those. But DAMN this first track! My favorite part is when Q-Tip comes back in ("Reputation ain't glowing / Reparations ain't flowing...") in the middle of Jarobi's bars - so sick. Q-tip absolutely annihilates this track, one of my favorites of the year.

Q-Tip produced the entire album himself, pasting one last stamp on his legacy, a man at the highest of heights amongst titans of rap. This man produced some of the best hip-hop albums of all time and was part of the greatest hip-hop group of all time, had one of the most iconic voices, and his influence on rap is monumental.

With all this adoration, I have to include my Best of Tribe playlist which I made when Phife passed away.  

Jim James new solo album is a must hear for any fans of his. "Here in Spirit" is my favorite track on the album, a precious song with James' patented vocals bellowing and bouncing through his mansions of melodies. He bleeds what he sings, I believe it all. 

If you like this track from Horse Thief, 2014's Worst Band Name (says a very well known blog, Layers & Sounds), please check out their debut album from 2014, particularly "Human Geographer" and "Come On."

WHO THE HELL do you compare these guys to?? They sound a little bit like another bit of an unknown band (that I saw open for Radiohead years back) that's also pretty out there, Other Lives. I always like to compare weird and unique bands to Radiohead, but I just don't hear it here. Anyways, I'm excited for a new album as their new track "Another Youth" is pretty badass.

Jai Wolf is some sort of DJ I heard about years ago from my buddy who had a really interesting mixtape. I hadn't really heard from him since (I wasn't really looking around though), but this is a pretty catchy tracks, one consistently on repeat for me. 

And we end with Tribe's "Lost Somebody," a tribute to the Phife, the five foot assassin with the roughneck business. For all that Tribe was and all the success bestowed upon Q-Tip as the mastermind, Tribe would NEVER have been what it was without Phife. RIP