Title: Rocket Artist: (Sandy) Alex G Label: Domino Records Release Date: May 19, 2017 Rating: Alex Giannascoli’s real-time maturation has been one of indie rock’s most rewarding and fascinating threads to follow in the last few years. Following the unfortunate setback of a legally-required stage name change – from the paltry simplicity of Alex … Album Review: (Sandy) Alex G: ‘Rocket’
Album: All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ Artist: Joey Bada$$ Label: Cinematic/Pro Era Release: April 7, 2017 Rating: Joey Bada$$ has carved out an enviable niche for himself in hip-hop. The torchbearing figurehead of New York’s boom-bap revival has emerged as one of the genre’s eminent traditionalists, extolling the virtues of “real rap” in the face of hip-hop’s imminent … Album Review: Joey Bada$$ – ‘All-Amerikkkan Bada$$’
Album: DAMN. Artist: Kendrick Lamar Label: Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope Release: April 14, 2017 Score: There was never any second album, and that’s a good thing. The odyssey of DAMN., Kendrick Lamar’s fourth LP and the followup to 2015’s lauded To Pimp a Butterfly, began with the surprise drop of “The Heart Pt. 4” in late … Album Review: Kendrick Lamar – ‘DAMN.’
Title: Pure Comedy Artist: Father John Misty Label: Sub Pop Release Date: April 7, 2017 Rating: There is a very simple way to observe the evolution of Father John Misty since 2015’s I Love You, Honeybear. The first words out of Josh Tillman’s mouth on Honeybear is the musical equivalent of sweet nothings; the titular … Album Review: Father John Misty – ‘Pure Comedy’
The Life of Pablo is one year old. The 365 days it’s existed have been as turbulent, weird and flat-out ugly as the long cycle of hype and disappointment that preceded its release. The Grammys have effectively closed the book on 2016 in music, and the fact that ‘Ye didn’t even attend the ceremony should go … A Year in ‘The Life of Pablo’
Image via Lionsgate Film: La La Land Director: Damien Chazelle Release Date: December 9, 2016 Studio: Summit Entertainment Rating: “Here’s to the fools who dream,” Emma Stone sings on “Audition,” one of the standout numbers from Damien Chazelle’s La La Land. It’s an endearingly doe-eyed, overly saccharine moment; one that captures the half-romantic-half-naive idealism … Movie Review: ‘La La Land’
Album: RTJ3 Artist: Run the Jewels Label: Run the Jewels, Inc. Rating: In the weeks leading up to his legendary bout with George Foreman in Zaire in 1974; the Rumble in the Jungle; Muhammad Ali endeared himself to the Congolese locals. As he jogged through the streets, the native children would call out … Album Review: ‘RTJ3’ by Run the Jewels