Kev Brown – “Hennessy Rap Pt. 3” (Feat. Kenn Starr, Raheem DeVaughn, Eric Roberson & Wayna)
“hennessy rap, pt. 3” is some smooth shit. kev brown rules …this much we know. but check the features… kenn starr on the rhymes? yeah! (tell us more!) raheem devaughn singing the hook? oh yeah!!! (raheem can blow) wayna AND eric roberson singing back-up? fuck yes!! (we are SOLD! sign us on that dotted line.) kev brown’s “random joints” EP is out now on low budget, get familiar.
rating: 7.7
AFTA-1 – “Love Suite 2 (Sit Still)”
afta-1 is one our favorite new producers. “love suite 2” is some straight up amazing shit. we love how the warm tones of this record just kind of of float in the mix and really just sort of elevate up and off the downbeats/upbeats. right so… if you need us, we’ll be up on that neptunian shit. peace, crackers.
rating: 7.7
Johnny Cash – “Cocaine Blues (Live)” buy it here
a blue mustached stranger does some serious bumpage in front of poor ernie (3:10). it’s only downhill from here
Lee Fields & the Expressions – “My World Is Empty Without You”
wow, this absolutely kills. funk journeyman lee fields’s cover of the supremes classic “my world is empty without you” is one the best songs we’ve heard this year. holy shit at the arrangement of this song, the cool backing vocal tones, the simple clean guitar strums, the subtle use of organ, and wow lee fields lead vocal delivery, equal parts bobby womack’s throaty swagger and otis redding’s emotive tailing off the downbeat. lee fields’ “my world” LP is out now on truth & soul records. check it out, the entire record is awesome.
rating: 9.3
Joe Henry – “The Man I Keep Hid”
“The Man I Keep Hid” is new from Blood From The Stars due 8/18 via Anti. Joe’s alt. country, rock, jazz and folk roots add some eclectec tones to the track’s bluesy nature, a theme that is prevalent throughout the record. and while never achieving the same level of popularity that his label and genre partner Tom Waits has, Henry’s artistic consistency has bore him a longevity of career not often accomplished. who cares about popularity when you can continue to inspire? a wise man did once say… “it’s better to burn out than to fade away”. so what burns out for the consistent? i suppose it’s up for discussion..
rating: 8.2
i CANNOT wait to hear this record, holy shit…
excuse us while we mark out over greg cartwright. this is rock and roll, kids. there is so much spirit in this music. this is music that HAS to be played and HAS to be heard. and, oh man, are we psyched to hear it! catch that holy ghost, holla!
rating: 8.2
“Uprising” will be the first single off of Muse’s fifth studio release The Resistance. much more like them and less like the aforementioned, this track is a stadium stomper. and from what’s been heard of the album thus far, Muse should at least be maintaining their arena/festival headlining credentials for some time to come. yeah – it’s an anthem, “SO C’MON”
rating: 7.2
Omar Souleyman – “Lansob Sherek” (I Will Make a Trap)
look up a defintion of “GOES HARD” in your favorite dictionary.
rating: 8.5
Cornershop – “Who Fingered Rock n Roll”
Cornershop’s new single poetically poses an honest question. and a good one it is, who the fuck did finger rock and roll? somebody had to do it.. was it this guy?? WELL to be honest there were many, but that cat definitely got maximum finger bang. either way, Cornershop’s sixth studio effort Judy Sucks A Lemon For Breakfast dropped this week. the single is a sitar flavored straightforward and soulful rocker – which makes its point at the very least..
Cornershop – “Brimful of Asha”
more as promised: off 1997’s When I Was Born for the 7th Time, “Brimful of Asha” became an international hit with a commercial friendly remix done by Norman Cook. here’s the lesser heard original version with all 5 plus minutes of jangly minimal pop goodness. the track was written as a tribute to the prolific Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle and the Indian music industry. “Candyman” gives some serious Band of Gypsies vibes but with an electro twist. the track regained some love in ’08 for being in a Nike commercial featuring King James. man with Shaq attack in c-town there’s no way the Cavs can lose… AGAIN. Cleveland is way due for a title you know?!
rating: 7.3
cleaner than the prior live version, the first single “Circles” offers a glance into As Tall As Lions 3rd Studio LP dropping August 18. the band also has an additional track titled “In Case of Rapture” which explores some great instrumental ideas, only available on their myspace. you can’t take it with you is one of our most anticipated releases of the year, stay tuned..
rating: 8.7
