50% Hipster: Kweku Collins

Saturday, December 31, 2016

New Music Friday - December 2, 2016

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

John Legend - Darkness and Light

Sonically and thematically, John Legend doesn't stray far from 2013's Love in the Future on this album; many of the songs still read as love letters to his wife. One difference on his fifth album are the range of musicians he worked with. Some aren't too surprising, with other R&B/hip hop impresarios like Chance The Rapper and Miguel. Others I found more unexpected; Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes and Will Oldham (aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy), two artists I wouldn't have expected to be on Legend's radar.

Watch: "Love Me Now"
Listen: "Penthouse Floor" (featuring Chance The Rapper)

Vaults - Caught in Still Life

Vaults formed in 2013 and makes synthpop that feels like the midway point of Poliça and Chvrches. They first caught my ear with their early singles, "Lifespan" and "Vultures." They've released two EPs, 2014's Vultures and Cry No More last year. Caught in Still Life is their debut full-length.

Watch: "Lifespan"
Watch: "Poison"

Other Full-Length Releases

Peter Doherty - The Hamburg Demonstrations

Watch: "I Don’t Love Anyone (But You’re Not Just Anyone)"
Listen: "Kolly Kibbler"

The Rolling Stones - Blue & Lonesome

Watch: "Hate to See You Go"
Watch: "Ride ‘Em on Down"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Bob Dylan - The Real Royal Albert Hall 1966 Concert

Listen: "Tell Me, Momma"

Hamilton Mixtape

Listen: Usher - "Wait for It"
Listen: Nas, Dave East, Lin-Manuel Miranda, & Aloe Blacc - "Wrote My Way Out"

Jean-Michel Jarre -Oxygène 3

Kweku Collins - "jump.i"

Watch: "jump.i"

Lady Lamb - Tender Warriors Club

Listen: "See You"
Listen: "We Are Nobody Else"

The Last Shadow Puppets - The Dream Synopsis EP

Watch: "Le Cactus"
Watch: "Is This What You Wanted"

The Magnetic Fields - The Wayward Bus/Distant Plastic Trees Remastered

Listen: "Lovers from the Moon"
Listen: "The Saddest Story Ever Told"

Nathan Fake - "Degreeless"

Watch: "Degreeless" (featuring Prurient)

Permit - Vol. 1

Listen: "Track #6"
Listen: "Track #5"

Star Slinger - We Could Be More

Listen: "We Could Be More" (featuring D∆WN)
Listen: "Pardon" (featuring Tunji Ige)

Sunday, May 1, 2016

New Music Friday - April 8, 2016

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

DTCV - Confusion Moderne

DTCV was formed by James Greer, formerly of Guided By Voices, and Lola G as Détective in 2012. The duo started out opening for GBV during tours. It's a trans-Atlantic partnership, Greer is American while Lola G hails from France. It's Lola's background that influences the lyrical content of their music most, as all lyrics are sung in her native French. Confusion Moderne is their second album together.

Watch: "Capital Ennui"
Watch: "Bourgeois Pop"

Frightened Rabbit - Painting of a Panic Attack

The initial announcement of Frightened Rabbit's fifth album scared me at first. I am on the band's mailing list and the wording of the first sentence of the email made it sound, to me, like they were announcing a breakup. Thankfully, that was not the case and the band announced this Aaron Dessner-produced album. It follows their 2013 album, Pedestrian Verse, and Scott Hutchinson's 2014 self-titled solo album as Owl John.

Watch: "Get Out"
Watch: "Woke Up Hurting"

Gallant - Ology

It's rare that a cover, no matter how good or interesting, gets me into a new artist. I was highly impressed, however, with Gallant's recent cover of Sufjan Stevens' "Blue Bucket of Gold," recorded with the original artist on piano. His rendition lifted an already-emotional track to even higher levels of intensity. He has such a beautiful voice, I knew I had to check out the debut album from this young artist.

Watch: "Weight in Gold"
Listen: "Bourbon"

Kweku Collins - Nat Love

Kweku Collins is a young rapper from the outskirts of Chicago. There's been an renaissance over the past few years of hip hop from Chi-Town, with growing popularity of artists like Chance The Rapper and Vic Mensa, as well as the continued dominance of Kanye West. He contributes his own unique take on music, with folk, neo-soul, and classical influences. This is his debut album.

Listen: "Ego Killed Romance"
Listen: "Stupid Rose"

Woods - City Sun Eater in the River of Light

Woods have been one of my beloved bands for a long time; I first fell in love with their 2010 album At Echo Lake. They are one of those bands who rarely stray from a distinctive sound, but who manage to make albums that each stand out on their own. Their ninth album finally sees them moving from their standard style. Influenced in part by artists like Mulatu Astatke, they've added African jazz to their repertoire.

Watch: "I See in the Dark"
Listen: "Can’t See At All"

Other Full-Length Releases