I really liked the first Lily Allen album, as a bubbly and charming piece of pop that borrowed some elements of ska to add to her confections. Really quite a delightful album. I have largely gotten diminishing returns from each subsequent record, though. This is, to my ears, a pop song that doesn’t really excite me about anything. It might be great, I dunno, it’s just not for me.
[Read More]Freddie Gibbs came off the triumphant Piñata, an album-length collaboration with Madlib, riding high. For his follow-up, Shadow of a Doubt, he worked with a variety of producers, and while the production is solid, it’s really all about Gibbs and his rhymes. I’m not the first to say it, but Gibbs comes across kind of like 2Pac, only with much more variation in his flow. I think this album really kind of demonstrate it, as there is so much focus on his delivery. While I think his work with Madlib is his best work, this is a very good record.
[Read More]The vocal R&B band the Miracles are mostly known for launching the career of Smokey Robinson, but they had a long string of hits in their own right as well. I mean, this is basically irresistable.
Can I just re-iterate how delighted I am that Hammerhead got back together and recorded a bunch of new material? Coming across multiple Hammerhead records that I’d never heard before at once was such a delight. Listen to this! The urgency of the rhythm, the noisy grumbling of all the guitar and bass, the spacey breakdown, I’m just so happy.
[Read More]Huh, there are two Lily Allen albums that I’ve never heard. I should fix that.
Always really enjoyed the chorus on this song.
I guess I’m full of insight today!
The guitar loop immediately makes this recognizable as an Ugly Duckling song. I’m not sure I really needed a 6:24 DJ track from them, though.
OK, now I’m really not going to say much. Wouldn’t be right with this.
[Read More]Happy October! It’s a little ska-ish in here today. Sorry about that.
Magic Hour is Wayne Rogers (Crystalized Movements) and another guitarist along with the rhythm section from Galaxie 500. They lasted a couple of albums, sounding exactly like the combination of their two progenitor bands - alternately dreamy and psychedelic. I was mostly here for the psychedelic guitar, personally.
This track kicks off the Specials’ self-titled debut album, which just to reiterate from last time, is probably the best ska album ever made.
[Read More]Today’s entry is probably the most divided one we’ve ever had. Two songs of pure pop (separated by over 40 years), two disparate slabs of uncompromising noise, and one song of old, yet futuristic sounding hip hop. That’s the stuff.
Lily Allen’s first album, Alright, Still is thoroughly charming, pure pop delivered with wit and tons of catchy songs. One of those albums that’s hard not smile your way all the way through. Her followup album shares at least some of those same attributes, but I never found it as bouncy or memorable as the first record.
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