Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx

Just a great hip/hop album.

Part 1

Part 2

Bike For Three! - More Heart Than Brains

Bike For Three! is comprised of Buck 65 (Canadian rapper from Anticon) and Belgian producer Joëlle Phuong Minh Lê. The two have never met, the project has been created across the ocean. This transatlantic effort has produced a really fucking good hip/hop album, the music is less "beats" and more atmospheric (not like the group) but the music creates the landscape, the scenery. The music keeps you planted as Buck 65's stories will sweep you into deeply specific and personal times and spaces. Favorites are Lazarus Phenomenon, Always I WIll Miss You. Always You., and The Departure. But this isn't an album that you can just listen to one song, you have to hear the whole thing. Enjoy.

FIRS - I Will Come Back As A Volcano

FIRS is a band featuring friends of mine, the band is comprised of two people. The first is a very good friend of mine Sophia, who also works with Wise Blood and DJ's on Woxy on monday nights starting at 5. Woxy is a free independent internet music radio station. They play a lot of great stuff, so please check out her sets. The other member is Joey who is known most, for fronting the Cincinnati band The Pomegranates. FIRS is technically his side band, but I like it a lot more than the Pomegranates music. I think with FIRS being between two people instead of four, Joey has more overall control of the songwriting and also the direction of the music. The looseness of the songs reminds me of Daniel Johnston or Stephen Malkmus, Joey and Sophia aren't scared to switch up the pace and direction of the song at any point. I like this as for the first few listens you are on your toes wondering where they will take you next. Its certainly a great change from a lot of the bands who seem comfortable just keeping the laissez faire attitude. The sounds of this album range from bits that seem that they would come out of a gameboy to drum tracks to distorted guitars. Also another thing you will notice is Joey's very high pitched voice which I assure you adds to the beautiful insanity of the music. This album I am posting is there first, they are currently signed to Lujo Records and working on their follow up record "Man In Space", until then please enjoy this new favorite band of mine. Favorite songs off this are the opener "Whale In The Night", the great love ballad "For Myself Also", and the bass line of "On Your Side". Please Enjoy responsibly. Part 1, Part 2.

Their Myspace also.

Elephant Stone - The Seven Seas

Elephant Stone is a band from Montreal, although from the sound you would assume they would be from somewhere between California and India. I say this because Rishi Dhir, the bands frontman, also plays the sitar on many of the songs off this album. At first when i heard about the sitar on this album i thought maybe it was just a way that they thought that they could stand out. But I couldn't be more wrong. The songs seem to be crafted very very well, the sitar adds such a beautiful and complex new sound to these light, summer songs. One blogger noticed the similarity between Dhir's voice and George Harrison, yes it is there, and to me quite noticeable. My favorites are I Am Blind, (the jam) Don't You Know, The Seven Seas, and Oh Heartbreaker. Enjoy.

Crocodiles - Summer Of Hate

Found this as per a request a reader made. Thank you whoever you are. Summer Of Hate is the first album from this San Diego band. They have received a lot of buzz both good and bad, I really enjoyed this low-fi shoegaze rock album. This is a really solid album and I have been listening to it for the past couple weeks. My favorites are I Wanna Kill, Young Drugs, and Flash Of Light. Enjoy.

R.I.P. Jay Bennett

Article

Wilco - Wilco (The Album)

It was months ago when Wilco premiered the title track "Wilco the song" on the Colbert report. From then on for me it was a countdown until my favorite band, the band responsible for my musical tastes would come out with a new album. This one was quick Wilco seemed to slow down after A Ghost Is Born, and Sky Blue Sky wasn't what people expected. Some wanted them to keep with the sonic youth type sound experimentation, others wanted a return to the masters of folk who released A.M. and Being There. The result then was in-between. It took me awhile to learn to adopt Sky Blue Sky as a part of the Wilco family, but I am glad I did. This album has created a similar battle, same battle perhaps but new ground. Some say "boring" or "un-inspired" others say "brilliant", "best album this year". I dont have the knowledge or foresight to say either. All I can say is that, i enjoy this album, very much so. To me it seems absurd that Wilco fans would triumph that the band owes their fans anything. If anything we know Wilco as a band whose primary focus is music that they want to play. They are the artists, their job is to create things, songs, and pieces they are proud of and want to share. I am glad they shared this. Another talking point about this album is the total Wilco-ness of it, the album and title track named after the band. All I can say to that is, if you dont see the obvious joking manner of it all then you might want to re-consider your belief that you have a sense of humor. Jeff Tweedy is known for his jokes and also his self deprecation, this is just a manifestation of that. My favorite songs off this album are Bull Black Nova, You and I, Sunny Feeling, and Wilco The Song. Enjoy

Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew - Spirit If

Downloaded this album back when it was new, and forgot to ever give it a listen. But fortunately for me a dear friend had it in his car on a 45 minute drive. Thanks Andrew. Anyways a really sprawling album from one of the many members of Broken Social Scene. From this release you can tell how much input he had into a lot of the band's albums and songs. But Drew isn't alone Feist, Emily Haines (Metric), and Amy Millan (Stars), help out too. Not exactly a true solo album, but Drew has complete corntol of direction and landscape. Judging from this you cant really question his desire to have something to call his own. Other noteable helpers on this album are Dino Jr's J. Mascis (guitar and vocals on "Backed out on the..." and Pavement's Scott Kannberg on "Lucky Ones". Like my friend said "this like most BSS albums, takes a while to grow on you". So this treats repeat listens. Enjoy.

Panda Bear - Young Prayer

Thanks to Lauren from Emerging Thoughts, for introducing me to this great release. Young Prayer was created by Panda Bear shortly after the death of his father. This intensely personal and touching album was also recorded in the same house his father died, there are no track names for a reason. There are none, this helps to keep the album more appealing to anyone. You can essentially put your own words or thoughts into the songs. Somewhat similar to what Sigur Ros is known for. The songs are all comprised of few vocal effects, guitar, and a piano. My favorite is "track 5" This short 30 minute album is very striking and will stay with you. Enjoy.

Check this out.

Really excited to be getting this soon.