Take Care, Check it out.

The Weeknd is my favorite new artist this year. Everything that this guy touches shines so bright. With a stellar freshman debut mix-tape (House of Balloons) and a good follow-up in the Thursday mix-tape, The Weeknd started to really take form and run. When I caught wind that The Weeknd was going to work with Drake I became excited, not because of Drake. I don't even really like this guy. However, the thought of new Weeknd material seemed intriguing. I knew it was a no-brainer. Drake & The Weeknd have had this teaser of a collaboration since Weeknd popped. It has been written about in various articles over at pitchfork.

So the collaborative track Crew Love is really what brought me to this album. Not for Drake. To hear how the Weeknd worked with this guy. I can't really seem to mesh with Drake's past work, it all seems too transparent. However, I listened to this album all of the way through. I wouldn't say that I loved this album, but I did enjoy a few tracks. First and foremost Crew Love, which I explained above. His track with fellow Young Money-er Nicki Minaj, titled Make Me Proud. Is a great stand out from the rest of what sounded like a passable attempt at an R-Kelly album. (circa. Trapped in the Closet). That is just due to my love for Minaj. I was mostly disappointed with the wasted collaboration of Lil Wayne, Andre 3000, and Drizzy, The Real Her. Looking at the track listing is appears as if this would be the club song, but it just turned out to be a slow B-Side. Drake makes up for that though with a harsher track featuring Weezy again, HYFR (Hell Yeah Fuckin' Right). That takes us to the end of the album...

Overall this mainstream hip-hop runoff release is pretty decent. With a steady line-up of guests and perfectly produced beats, Drake has picked up a few points. There is still a vast room for improvement. Drake, your still closer to Jimmy Brooks than Kanye West. There is a link to the album on Spotify at the bottom of this post. I am also posting the song Crew Love.

Check it out



S!D

What have we been listening too? Well lets see...

ASAP Rocky's new mix-tape just broke the illustrious' Pitchfork's Album Reviews and it walked away with a simple score, 8.2. Pitchfork also labeled it "Best New Music". After listening to this mixtape, it is official. This mixtape is amazing! Clams Casino's beats are perfect and the timing and lyrics are phenomenal. That being said, this might just be the beginning of the end for this "new on the scene" lyricist. It just seems that rappers that have a strong showing with their mixtapes are usually prone to releasing a less than stellar official release. I say usually because that isn't always the case (i.e. Tyler the Creator's Goblin). If Rocky's mixtape gets a more official release (i.e. Mellowhype's Blackened White), then we might see something really take off. I would like to think that with the right label behind him ASAP Rocky could really show out, to the levels of Wiz Khalifa. I guess that isn't saying much. Swag. Anyway, take this link to DatPiff to download the mixtape.

ASAP Rocky - LiveLoveA$AP

Atlas Sound is Bradford Cox's group. Cox is the lead singer of hipster-cherished group Deerhoof. We here at earbuds are pretty happy to have found an early track from Atlas Sound that we use in our intro and outro on the podcast. Anyway, Atlas Sound is really blowing up. With mentions all over the web, the new album is doing stellar. This write-up may be a little late, but I think it is worth it. You can find the new song Te Amo, by Atlas Sound on our playlist. You can listen to that playlist by clicking the play button at the bottom of the page. If you don't see the play button, then I guess you suck. Have fun leading a mediocre lifestyle. 

Atlas Sound

Also, Happy Veterans Day! Now, sit down and be annoyed by some horrible songs that commemorate our fighting forces. Love those guys, but these songs are so terrible. 

3 Doors Down - Citizen Soldier (If you are in America and you saw a movie in 2008 - 2009 then you are most likely annoyed by even hearing the opening guitar)

Kid Rock - Warrior (This too over-saturated movie going audiences)

Drowning Pool - Let The Bodies Hit The Floor (its national metal day ((11-11-11)) and this is like a commemorative song of the military now right?)

Godsmack - I Stand Alone (Another metal one, I guess this is metal. This is all just really annoying right?)

So veterans rock and this music is junk, we can do better America!

OK now! For the last bit here I would like to plug my top tracks of 2011 play list on spotify, here. So here is the link. 

Best tracks of 2011

Later 

S!D

Now that October is finished... Lets eat some music with our earholes.

So its November 1st (Seven more days until my birthday) and I am raking the internet for music. What do I run right into? Syd The Kyd's new group The Internet has released a music video. The song is called Cocaine and the video is pretty lame, but it's Odd Future so does that automatically give it a pass? The song isn't what I would consider a bad song to be. However, the song has no substance. Listen and let us know what you think. 

The Internet - Cocaine

A few tracks!!! - Yeah whatever!

BLUE JEANS Odd Future's The Internet Remix by P5757575757575

OK there are some awesome songs out there right now. This Lana Del Ray remix is tits.


Dro Carey - Promothug ~ free download by RAMP Recordings / PTN

this has been in my head for a week... now i unleash it to the world.


thats it for now... I am going to a halloween thingie. I might put more later.

A little late... a few tracks (don't judge me!)

 This week has been insane, I have been run ragged, I am emotionally and financially drained. This week has been an asshole. I have however had a few hours to myself this week to watch horror movies and listen to music (two of my favorite past times). In those few hours I dedicated my time to listening to new stuff. This is what I have been loving for the past few days.

M83 - Midnight City

This track is amazing and I have been obsessing over it for the past week. M83 is an amazing electronic heavy Nu-Wave/Indie Pop group that is right up there with bands like Empire of the Sun or Passion Pit. This music video is yet another venture into that medium that works. I am saying it man, if one of the music channels can get their shit together, music videos might have a repeat run with success. This video showcases kids with powers. Its fun as hell to watch. I suggest you do. Very clean and crisp too.

 Rustie - Ultra Thizz

You Tube says that this album is best listened to when taking MDMA (Ecstasy). The beats are clean and the song is just plain fun. Give it a listen and try not to move your head. Its impossible. This is again another electronic kick that really delivers one in the kisser. If you are in search of something really cool, Czech out this album. I wasn't disappointed. 

Lou Reed/Metallica - The View

Lou Reed's voice is not very well accompanied by the gritty corporate metal gods, Metallica. Most tracks on the album feel like holdovers from Death Magnetic. Reed sounds completely separate, like he is just sitting next to you spouting off poetry. Its really bizarre and hard to follow. Go ahead and listen to this, but don't say I didn't warn you. Go to http://www.loureedmetallica.com/listen-to-lulu.php to hear the full album, if you want to. It might be one of the only times that Metallica lets you hear their music without bitching about you paying for it. Fuck Lars. The View is the most popular track on the album. I would have listened to the entire album to give you my favorite track, but i couldn't make it past track 3. 

King Khan - I Got Love
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/reviews/tracks/12644-i-got-love/

So I heard this little ditty by King Khan today and I am thoroughly impressed. I fell in love with his group King Khan & The Shrines at Coachella last year. He had one of the best shows of the festival. This song reminds me of Land of the Freak. I really dig that track and this one as well. Give it a listen and tell me what you think.

S!D

Do You Even Like Music #1

A few months past I was riding shotgun in my friend's truck to the local shop to pick up some alcohol for the upcoming night's festivities (I think we were celebrating the fact that it was Friday evening); the trip was a short one so we skipped the ipod playlist and opted for standard clear channel radio to soundtrack our beer run. We caught the tail end of some interchangeable pop confection before LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" began flooding out of the speakers. My friend started bobbing his head in active enjoyment while I involuntarily sneered. Noticing my obvious discomfort I got a roll of the eyes from the driver seat, "You just don't like it because it's mainstream".

And there it was: the go to accusation against music nerds everywhere.

I don't consider myself a music snob and I'm not going to write something off because it's in the clear channel rotation, at least not initially; I held some affection for Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" but the industry-wide mandate to play it every third song for the last six months has severely soured our relationship. Radio has issued a similar extended quota to "Party Rock Anthem" but over exposure isn't to blame for my lack of enthusiasm for LMFAO; excepting this my friend proposed it was because I "read too much into this type of music. This music is for dumb fun, its not meant to be dissected". This maybe true, I may analyze music a bit more than the average listener but that is because I'm fascinated by what separates a song I genuinely like and one I can't stand. Sometimes its something easy like a singer's voice or the difference between a drum machine and a real person behind the skins, but more often than not the criteria I follow isn't so easily defined even within my own head. I directed my accuser's attention to exhibit B: I like plenty of songs that are conceptually and lyrically "ankle deep". I still listen to CCS's entire self titled album with tracks like "Art Bitch" and "Meeting Paris Hilton" and perhaps even stronger evidence for my case: my inexplicable affection for Katy Perry's "E.T.".

I've tried to follow the trail of my enjoyment for this song down the rabbit hole, but every time I do I end up getting lost. I even listened to "E.T." along with the four other number one singles from Katy Perry's Teenage Dream in an attempt to suss-out the reason her hit average by my ear is only one-in-five. What did my search uncover? Nothing I could take to court. It wasn't the Kanye West feature, I like "E.T." despite his awful verse; the music is more spacey and electronic so it stands out when compared to the other four singles but I don't equate different with better otherwise I might like Animal Collective.

When I think of "Party Rock Anthem" and the five (so far) number one singles from Teenage Dream sand "E.T." the same word consistantly accompanies the music: obnoxious. Obnoxious like the kid who cheated on the big test but still brags about his "A-".

"Whatever. Change the channel then," my friend offered emphasizing his waning patience with my criticizing his music for the duration of the short trip. I crossed my arms in a mocking pout and let the music play on and he didn't say it but I'm sure at that point we were thinking the same thing: obnoxious.

rage against pop music (music occupying Occupy) a few tracks...

So everyone knows about the movement that is happening on the left side of politics lately, that is Occupy Wall Street or just OCCUPY. This group of citizens that is tired of corporations getting rich while the hard-working masses get poorer. They started out by organizing a sit-in of Wall Street and caught the eye of the world as a motivated protest. They also caught the eye of protest rawkers everywhere including Radiohead, Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel), and rapper/poet Talib Kweli. The latter two of the three actually picking up the microphone and playing at the "event" protest. This is important for a number of reasons. It helps get the word out, of course. However, it also serves as a rare opportunity to see Jeff Mangum preform. No pop artist preformed.

Jeff Mangum preforming live @ Occupy Wall Street

Talib Kweli preforming live @ Occupy Wall Street

Radiohead was heavily rumored to make a surprise appearance at Occupy Wall Street. A rumor that they later debunked, however they lent their support to OCCUPY shortly after explaining their stance against corporations on the Colbert Report. This leads me to try to figure out just what Radiohead is doing recently and why they seem to be popping as of late. It has been a few months now since the release of King of Limbs and Radiohead is just now performing songs like Lotus Flower and Giving Up the Ghost on the late night TV show circuit. Well earlier this week Radiohead released a mixtape TKOL RMX 1234567 that features chill-waveish remixes of 19 songs. (I have included a link to listen to the mixtape). It seems to me that Radiohead isn't finished releasing The King of Limbs. I think that they have much more to do with it and they are planning some really big things. The release of the album was just the first. I am expecting really big things in the near future from Radiohead.

 

Radiohead - Lotus Flower (Jaques Greene Remix)

This week a former bassist for Weezer died. Mikey Welsh played with the group during their Green Album period, and toured with them during their re-claiming of success. I personally caught Weezer a number of times during this period and the band looked like they were so happy. I am happy to have seen Mikey Welsh in concert when he still appeared happy. It sucks when things just don't work out for people. Mikey Welsh will be missed.

Weezer (w/ Mikey Welsh) - Don't Let Go, Island in the Sun, American Gigolo, and Crab (Live 2001)

S!D