Album Review: Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010, Def Jam)

Listen:

Grooveshark (kind of a mess)

Purchsase:

Insound

Amazon mp3

iTunes

So... I guess there really isn't much to say about this album that you haven't already heard. Blah blah Kanye meltdown blah blah Taylor Swift. But there is another story to this album. This is the story of Kanye's rebirth from a villain to almost a tragic figure. Through his use of twitter, surprisingly ambitious music video for "Runaway", and releasing of free songs every week on Friday, Kanye has managed to somewhat recover a positive image in the media.

The story of  the creation of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is almost as interesting. Kanye stowed away to Hawaii where he brought in virtually every notable artist at some point to work on either his new album or a track for G.O.O.D. Friday. Everyone from Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, and Mos Def, to producers like Pete Rock and Q-Tip, to oddly enough, Bon Iver's Justin Vernon. Needless to say, Kanye made this album and its creation almost into his own little sandbox, utilizing any toys he could get his hand on.

And it certainly shows. Mr. West's new album is overtly ambitious and contains possibly his best production (which is saying a lot, considering that I believe he is currently the best hip-hop producer on the planet, and has been for years). While there are times when his lyrics fail to match this level as well as some strange features, this album is still one of the best of the year.

Track 1: Dark Fantasy
OK Nikki, what is up with the British accent? Just wondering. Kanye pulls out a classic sample on this one. How many people do you think had even heard of Mike Oldfield before they heard this song (not me)? This is about as classic Kanye beat wise as you can get. He used to be so into samples. I really like how he uses the keys in this song as well. Lyrcism is just fine, maybe not his best effort though. The probably with this album is that Kanye brought it so hard on the beats and production that it's virtually impossible for him to create lyrics that live up to the music.
"So much head I woke up in sleepy hollow" Man does Kanye love rapping about oral sex.
Verdict: 9/10


Track 2: Gorgeous
This beat gets stuck in my head every time I listen to this album. Kid Cudi just kind of does his "I think I can sing" thing on the chorus. The effects on both Kanye and Raekwon's part isn't necessarily needed. Kind of brings the song down a little. It sounds like they are rapping through the phone. I guess it's possible that Raekwon couldn't make it out to Hawaii, so maybe that explains it. In the end, "Gorgeous" has a cool beat and features two of my five current favorite hip-hop artists, so it's still pretty good.
Verdict: 9/10


Track 3 POWER
What can be said about "Power" that hasn't been in the last 6 months? Awesome King Crimson sample. Big time "Fuck You" lyrics. Pretty much an all around package of Kanye being Kanye. If it hadn't been floating around for a long time, this song would probably seem a lot more epic and powerful. Even given that, it is still a masterpiece.
"You got the power to let power go?"
Verdict: 10/10

My 10 Favorite Moments from The New Girl Talk Album

It would be nearly impossible to review the new Girl Talk album, All Day. Not that I couldn't do it. I just feel like it would end up being a bunch of sentences consisting of "This mash up was cool" and "I really like this mash up". So pretty much there is no reason to review it (if you're wondering, I did think it was pretty good, there is a high percentage chance of it ending up in my albums of the year list).

So instead of a review I'm going to go track to track and try to pick out my 10 favorite moments from All Day. In chronological order for ease. Will also post the time of the sample as noted on the wikipedia page for the album.

If you didn't know, the album is free for download on Illegal Art's Site (here's a helpful link).

Here is a link to the Wikipedia page as well, if you want to look at (most of) the samples used.

1. Track 1 "Oh No" @ 2:09
1. "Teach Me How To Dougie/Jane Says 
2. Cali Swag Distric/Jane's Addiction
2. Track 1 "Oh No" @ 4:11
1. "Bleitzkrieg Bop/Waiting For The Sun
2. The Ramones/The Doors
3. Track 3 "That's Right" @ 2:44
1. Single Ladies/Ante Up/Party in the USA
2. Beyonce/M.O.P./Miley Cyrus
1. This one's like 2 minutes long so you kind of have to wait for it
4. Track 4 "Jump on Stage" @ 2:52
1. "Creep/Shimmy Shimmy Ya"
2. Radiohead/Old Dirty Bastard
5. Track 5 "This is the Remix" @ 3:29
1. "Get Low/Cecilia"
2. Lil' Jon/Simon and Garfunkel
6. Track 8 "Down for the Count" @ 3:45
1. "20th Century Boy/Bounce/House of Jealous Lovers"
2. T-Rex/MSTRKRFT/The Rapture
7. Track 9 "Make Me Wanna"  @ 3:39
1. "Wake Up/Money To Blow"
2. Arcade Fire/Birdman
8. Track 10 "Steady Stock" @ 3:20
1. "Over/I Ran"
2. Drake/A Flock of Seagulls
9. Track 11 "Triple Double" @ 0:00
1. "1901/How Low"
2. Phoenix/Ludacris
10. Track 12 "Every Day" @ 1:19
1. Dirt Off Your Should/I Melt With You
2. Jay-Z/Modern English

So There it is. As of me writing this there has been another site that can be used to help you listen to this album. if you go to http://alldaysamples.com/ you can listen to the album while the samples are shown in real time. Pretty cool, huh?

Album Review: The Tallest Man on Earth: Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird EP

The Tallest Man On Earth: Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird (2010, Dead Oceans)

Listen:
Grooveshark

Purchase:
Dead Oceans
Insound
Amazon mp3
iTunes


Kristian Matsson, under the moniker The Tallest Man on Earth, has been putting out possibly the best folk music in the past couple of years. His debut album, 2008's Shallow Graves, sent a breath of fresh, Bob Dylan inspired, air into the singer/songwriter genre. This current year he released an even better album, The Wild Hunt, which in my opinion is in contention for album of the year. To complement The Wild Hunt, Kristian has released a new EP, named Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird. This EP has actually been available on iTunes for some time, but is just now receiving a physical release.

This will probably a quick review. Only 5 tracks.

Track 1: Little River
There is something to be said about simplicity. Especially in folk music. Simplicity is something that Kristian seems to have a knack for. On this song, his guitar work manages to flow to the point where you barely notice it, leaving the listener the ability to listen to his vulnerable lyricism. There is something beautifully seasonal about this song as well. It just makes me feel like I'm sitting in a log cabin during winter. Just an all around great song.
Verdict: 8/10


Track 2: The Dreamer
This song is pretty much unlike anything we have heard from The Tallest Man On Earth so far. He switches to an electric guitar, which I'm pretty sure he has never done. It fits him just as well as acoustic, so the change is not really noticeable, except in sound. This song is also one of my favorite lyrical showings from Kristian. We have seen, more in his later work, points where his vocals get emotional to the point where he is screaming. While this song doesn't have that intensity, it feels like there was a lot of emotion put into the making of this song.
Verdict: 10/10


Track 3: Like The Wheel
"Like The Wheel" is a very vulnerable song. One thing I love about The Tallest Man On Earth is how he conveys strong emotions without losing his edge as a songwriter. He can be lovesick or depressed without getting horribly sappy. I would go as far as saying that he is currently the best songwriter in his given genre. Similar to "The Dreamer" this song conveys a lot of emotion in a constrained manner.
Verdict: 9/10


Track 4: Trampled In The Tangled Wheat
This is another great song. I can't really say much new about it that I haven't said about the previous songs. Simple, elegant, and strong lyrically.
Verdict: 8/10


Track 5: Thrown Right At Me
This is the only song that I didn't really enjoy on this album. It seems direct and forced compared to the other songs. While it isn't bad, it just doesn't reach the standards of its predecessors.
Verdict 6/10


Final Score: 42/50 = 8.4

Album Review: Kid Cudi: Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager

(great album cover, by the way)

Listen:
No good legal places at the time of me writing this review

Purchase
Official Site
Insound
Amazon mp3
iTunes



It may very well be Scott Mescudi vs. The World (Nice reference to Scott Pilgrim, Cudi, you nerd.). I've heard people talk bad on him in so many varied ways since his wonderful debut album was released. His live show sucks (which, honestly, is kind of true). His music is too introspective (which, honestly, I kind of like). He gets in trouble with the cops for possibly assaulting a woman while on liquid cocain (?). Wale (yes, Wale) dissed him in an interview, creating one of the most hilariously weak beefs in rap history.

So what does Kid Cudi have to show for all this? A new album, of course. The first in a series of releases this month on Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label, Kid Cudi's new album is a great start, with Kanye's new album hopefully being a great end. While The Legend of Mr. Rager doesn't reach the heights of Cudi's debut, it is still a strong album in its own right.

And. Here. We. Go.

Act I: The World I Am Ruling

Track 1: Scott Mescudi vs. The World
First off: I love the first sound we hear is a throwback to the first track on The End of Day. Perfect intro track. Kid Cudi really gets the idea of a concept album by now, so it's not all that surprising. Along that note, the beats on this album really flow very well together. While some are better than others, there is a certain thematic quality to the album's beats as a whole, which I thought was pretty neat. On a specific note, I like this beat a lot. The keys could have been brought down an octave, but other than that no complaints. Cee Lo Green (who is apparently the soul machine) also guests on this one for the chorus. I like Cee Lo, but he feels kind of out of place here. Overall and pretty great opening track

Verdict 8/10


Track 2: REVOFEV
This song has been floating around for a long time, which has given us a long time to digest it. I have been a big fan of this song since it was leaked. Strangely optimistic and anthemic for a Kid Cudi song. It also uses such an unorthodox, rock instrument heavy beat that it just stands out, even this early in the album. Definitely one of the stronger tracks on here.
Verdict: 9/10

15 Songs: Modest Mouse

Isaac Brock is a conflicted man. Throughout the years he has been enraged, depressed, happy?, and on and on. But the greatest part of Modest Mouse's output is the great sense of ennui that Isaac feels about the world. God could exists in Isaac's universe, but most likely he doesn't. Isaac could be a genius in his universe, but it's hard for him to believe it.

For the most part, Isaac Brock's, and by proxy Modest Mouse's universe is a ball of clever phrases and surprisingly well thought-out world-views.

Modest Mouse was probably the first band you could say I was obsessed with. Isaac Brock is still my favorite songwriter. So here is my favorite 15 songs by Modest Mouse, in chronological order. Spoiler: it's pretty much all their angriest songs.

Album Review: Avey Tare: Down There

Avey Tare - Down There (2010, Paw Tracks)

Avey Tare has been my favorite member of Animal Collective since he took the lead on Strawberry Jam, my favorite album of theirs. He definitely has more of a pop sensibility to his sound, where Panda Bear is more electronic. He also has a more experimental side to him as well. This is probably why his solo work has always been so hard to listen to. In specific was his last solo album co-created with his former wife, Kria Brekken, Pullhair Rubeye. For some reason he decided to reverse the recording once he released it, making it nearly impossible to listen to the whole way through. Down There is at least a more straight forward effort, and hopefully that means it will be a better showing.

Listen:
Grooveshark

Purchase:
Paw Tracks
Insound
Amazon mp3
iTunes


Track 1: Laughing Hieroglyphic (hell yeah I spelled that right on the first try)
This song pretty much explains what I feel like Avey Tare sounds like without the influence of any other Animal Collective members. Strange downbeat with a mixture of actual lyrics and distorted vocals. The lyrics in this song are actually not horrible when you can make them out. Overall, not a bad start.
Verdict 7/10