what i'm listening to

It has been a busy summer with a lot of new music. While not all of the music I have been into recently is new it is new for my i-pod/record player/cd player. And I thought I would share a few tracks with you.

OLD ONES:

The release of M.I.A's new album /\/\/\Y/\ this summer renewed my interest in M.I.A.'s older body of work. Sunshowers and Galang are two of the best tracks off of her debut album Arular while Boyz is one of my favourite tracks from her sophomore effort Kala .

Dangermouse has continued to be a very prolific producer. The release of Broken Bells and Gorillaz's Plastic Beach album this spring reminded me of Dangermouse's production. His collaboration with one of my favourite mc's MF DOOM is awesome and is one till recently I was unaware of.

NOT THAT OLD:

Last year Mos Def made one of the best comebacks in hip-hop. His return to rap with The Ecstatic was probably the best hip-hop album of the year. Above are a couple of my favourite tracks from the album.

NEW SUMMER TRACKS:

With one of the most critically polarizing albums of the summer M.I.A.'s new album /\/\/\Y/\ is a hard hitting abrasive release from one of hip-hops and electronica's most creative minds. While I feel her earlier work is more enjoyable I did enjoy a few songs from the album. Above are a few of the tracks I have been listening to.

The Roots new album released this summer is as good as ever and features collaborations with many indie artists they met on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

My Love of Broken Social Scene has continued with BSS's new album Forgiveness Rock Record. The album builds on their previous work while stripping down and clarifying their sound and production. Their new album is definitely one of my favourite releases all year.

Return of the Ankh: New Amerykah Part 2

For fans of Erykah Badu it has been a long wait since the release of Part one of her two part New Amerykah series. Contrary to popular opinion both New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War and Part Two: Return of the Ankh were recoded at the same time. Badu has stated that the two parts are meant as a left brain right brain comparison. With part one Badu was in an intellectual state looking out at the world around her however, with part two she turns to her inner emotions and looks at what is going on inside of her. The album was released on March 30th and I picked up the album the day it came out. Now I know that I mentioned in my last post that I am in the midst of a self imposed album buying ban, but I already bought Part two of the New Amerykah series as soon as she announced there would be a Part Two (which she did in Part One).

For my inaugural listen I played part one first and then transitioned into the new album. It felt as if I had jumped into a tiny spaceship, flew into Erykah's head and made a rotation from the left brain to the right where I could see and examine what she was thinking and feeling. The two albums really feel as if they were crafted from the same place, which they were. Part one is extremely layered and busy, but that is what makes it so successful. Part one ends with the emotional Telephone, which acts as a set up for the contrasting minimalism of Part Two. Part Two begins with the surprisingly simple 20 Feet tall which announces the transition into new territory. In a day where downloadable tracks rule album oriented music is less and less common. Return of the Ankh really feels like an album where the sum of the parts are needed to make the whole. Many of the same producers who contributed to Part One are featured on Part Two as well. While I love the whole album I will post some of my favourite tracks. Many of my favourites were produced by Madlib and Shafiq.

This is a track produced by Shafiq. I can't get enough of Shafiq's creativity. The two of them work so well together.

Good Combo Ex-Beatle and Badu. (This track samples a Paul McCartney Track)

This Madlib produced track feels like she is at home alone singing along to the radio. Surprisingly intimate.

Finally to show why I feel Erykah Badu is so far a head of others out there I will compare a Badu track to an Alicia Keys track. Now don't take this as a critique on Alicia Keys (I like a lot of her music) . They both sample the same song but the result is so different.

I know this is a really long post. Sorry, but I really like Erykah Badu and feel that this album is worth the length. To finish here is a short video of Badu talking about her New Amerykah series.

MGMT: Congratulations

MGMT plan to release their follow-up album to their extremely successful debut Oracular Spectacular on April 13th 2010. They are streaming the entire album for free on their website for anyone to listen to. I couldn't decide if I hated it or loved it at first. Like their debut album the music is not easily accessible, but if you give it a chance, you may love it. I can now say I love this album even more than the first. If it were not for a self imposed album buying ban I would buy the vinyl version the day it comes out. There is a Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon-ish), Surf Rock, CCR, psychedelic Beatles feel to much of the album. The album's definitely influenced by 60's and 70's psychedelic music. There are no catchy "Time to Pretend" or "Kids" type songs, which may in turn make them lose some fans. However, they don't seem to be the type of band to care.

3 1/2 WEEKS TILL THE ALBUM DROPS

I am really excited about New Amerykah Part 2! It is scheduled to come out on March 30th 2010 and it looks like it is going to be good.

Here is the album's new single Window Seat (with ?uestlove on drums)

Badu channels Funkadelic with this Web-only bonus track Jump Up in the Air and Stay There. I don't really feel Lil' Wayne but the song will definitely get stuck in your head all day long.

Shafiq in En-A-Free-Ka

I love this new album. I loved Shafiq's work with Badu on New Amerykah Part 1 and his work with The Sa-Ra Creative Partners. En-A-Free-Ka is his new solo project that I just got on vinyl. Love it! I especially like the albums lead single Lil' Girl.

Shafiq Husayn - "Lil' Girl" Feat. Fatima & Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner from gregthedude on Vimeo.

new vampire weekend single

their new album is slated to hit stores on january 12, 2010. looks like it is going to be good!

awesome tracks

here are a few tracks that I have been listening to recently. hope you enjoy them.