Monday Mixtape, Vol. 190

Did I mention last week that Billie Eilish released an album? Well, the first track on this week’s mixtape is breathtaking, raw, vulnerable, sexy, and unlike any song I’ve ever heard. It’s so unique it’s haunting. She’s an original. And her brother, FINNEAS, producing all these tracks really does show his genius.

Isaiah Rashad is one of the most original voices in rap in a decade. No one sounds like him. You can definitely say he can sounds like Outkast and is influenced by certain sounds or genres, but his production, flows, and changes in vocals from silky smooth to smokey gnarl to in-between is rare. He’s rare, and while he’s on one of the hottest labels around (TDE, same as Kendrick, Schoolboy Q, SZA, and Jay Rock), he’s still underrated and under appreciated. Don’t just listen once to this guy and give up, listen A LOT.

Listen to his flow in RIP Young and how he transitions from a verse in a spitfire of syllables to instantly pumping the brakes in a cooled down chorus (starting 1t 0:35):

Verse
My dog out layin' down the law, ain't breakin' no laws or serving out the rock /
Southside still fuckin' in the car, still flippin' in the car, still shootin' out the car /
Lil' hotbox smokin' our jar, now I'm fuckin' on a star, hold up, I got a call /
My dog out layin' down the law, ain't breakin' no laws or serving out the rock /
Southside still fuckin' in the car, still flippin' in the car, still shootin' out the car /
Lil' hotbox smokin' our jar, now I'm fuckin' on a star, hold up, I got a call /

Chorus
Bitches say that I'm a cool cat, fuck that /
Tell them bitches I'm a Top Dawg, get shot /
Roll the window, let the propane outside /
Bunch of niggas doin' donuts /
Got the money in a headlock, big dog /
Every time we hit the red lights, just shine /
It ain't nothin' but a good day, don't die /
They ain't teach 'em how to pump fake, big shot

In other news, one of my favorite bands of the past five years, Hippo Campus, just released an LP, Good Dog, Bad Dream. Still haven’t decided on my favorite track, but I love how this bass line guides the song the whole way through.

M.A.G.S. continues to impress me with every single he releases. Who the hell is this guy??

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 182

I really think this M.A.G.S. guy is going to be a big deal. There’s something to him. His track on this week’s mixtape is just a taste of his great stuff, so please dig in more.

Starting the mixtape off with some Creedence! What a song. That little riff is the reason music exists.

Morgan Wade, a country rock-ish / songwriter, released her debt album this year. Think she’s got big things ahead of her as well!

A couple oldies but goodies because I’ve been listening to them so much this past week: Post Malone and Hippo Campus. Post Malone really is a pop genius. And Hippo Campus is sneakily one of my favorite 5 bands to come out in the past five years, if not my favorite of new bands over that time. I just bought their entire discography on vinyl, and I can’t wait to absorb all the little nooks and crannies of notes and instruments that vinyl brings out (for example: I bought the 20 year anniversary OK Computer vinyl edition, an album I’ve listened to an unfathomable amount of times, yet the vinyl let me hear some instruments on a couple songs that I had never heard before!)

Enjoy the rest of the tunes and your week. Rock on.

Monday Mixtape, Vol. 179

A few notable musical events this past week:

• Kings of Leon released their eighth album. While after a listen, I thought maybe this one is a mellow release, but no, it’s a snoozer. Caleb Followill is STILL PLAYING THE SAME GUITAR WITH THE SAME TONE AND THE SAME BAR CHORDS THAT HE’S BEEN PLAYING SINCE Only By the Night. WTF.

  • "The Bandit” is a totally regurgitated track in almost every sense and instrument from previous outings, but I can’t deny that chorus.

  • KOL used to be one of my favorite bands. Their first three albums still kick ass and sounded nothing like I had heard before. I will always love those albums (and really, their two albums after that are pretty good too.)

• Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak created a supergroup, Silk Sonic, and all that can be said is DEAR GOD YES.

• M.A.G.S. gives me indie rock Frank Ocean vibes. Really interested in this artist.

• The bass line on the first track, “Slowly” by the young Irish band, NewDad, is a heaping of 90s grunge and a dash of shoegaze. Some Nirvana with a bit Pixies and a smidge of DIIV. Good stuff.

• I can’t hate on Post Malone. I’ve been giving this guy love since 2015 when I had “White Iverson” on Monday Mixtape, Vol. 15! And when he covers Hootie for a Pokemon movie, I mean come on, let’s all just enjoy it.

• I don’t know who she is, but Julia Jacklin is pretty badass.