Quick Hits, Vol 62 (Foo Fighters, T.I., Carson McHone, Masta Ace Incorporated)

I find this move by the Wu Tang to be highly cool.  I know I kind of dissed their inability to get along the other day, but to issue one single copy of a new album, and restrict the purchaser to releasing out to the world for 88 years, is freaking sweet.  I'd like to hear the album (well, maybe, their last disc was kinda jenky) but it is an interesting move to make the art into a true collectible again.
And to add to the fun of this deal, there is apparently a clause in the agreement for sale saying that the Wu Tang Clan and/or Bill Murray are allowed one attempted caper to steal the album back and regain ownership.

Foo Fighters - Songs from the Laundry Room EP.  This EP was released in 2015, and has two demos of songs from the Foo Fighters days ("Big Me," "Alone + Easy Target"), one cover of an 80's empowerment anthem ("Kids in America"), and a previously unreleased track ("Empty Handed"). This was an exclusive record day store release on vinyl that the band decided to make widely available (presumably after a bunch of suckers plunked down $30 for the vinyl).  No thanks on the "Kids in America" cover, yes please to the demos, and I'm OK with the new tune, a 1:47 minute blast of fuzzy early Foos renaissance.  Kind of a cool little EP, but nothing terribly special.

Foo Fighters - St. Cecilia.  Another 2015 EP, recorded during their Austin time for the Sonic Highways cross-country circle-jerk (which bummed me out for its lack of variance, although it was touted as a taking genres from each zone of America).  Again, this EP holds nothing in it that would make you tie to Austin, except the title (a boutique hotel off of South Congress).  

There you've got a radio-ready prime Foos song ("St. Cecilia").  The rest of the EP has my favorite ("Sean"), a propulsive pogo-ing rocker that sounds exactly like 92% of all other Foo music of the past decade, a rough punk rocker ("Savior Breath"), an acoustic alt-country-tinged-rocker probably about some decoration in the yard of the hotel ("Iron Rooster"), and another radio-ready rawk song ("The Neverending Sigh").  You could put any of these on the radio today, and everyone would know who is playing and they'd probably generally like the song. Which is not a terrible thing, and this is a good taste of what else they had going when they cut "God is my Witness" for the Austin track.

T.I. - Da' Nic.  A little 5 song EP released in 2015.  T.I. has definitely become my favorite of the Atlanta area rappers, first because his beats are almost always strong, and second because he is usually telling a story or rapping about something that makes sense.  Paper Trail was a great album.  This one sounds a lot like Paper Trail, especially the opener, "Broadcast Live."  Every song on here is good, making me excited for the new album soon to come out, but the two best tracks on here are "Ain't Gonna See It Coming" and "Peanut Butter Jelly."

Aw jeah.  He is apparently going back to his old stage name - TIP - instead of T.I.  The whole thing is confusing, mainly because of that album he made a few years back that was called T.I. v. T.I.P., and played as though he was two separate people inside himself.  I'm sure Wikipedia has that album listed as Schizophrenic Rap.  

Carson McHone - Goodluck Man.  I heard her open for Jerry Jeff Walker earlier this year, and liked her sound quite a bit.  This album is also good - really pretty voice, solid lyrics, and an overall good sound.  Reminds me a bit of Cowboy Junkies, like here on "Dram Shop Gal."

She did not look like she was 8 year old at the concert, but in that video, I'm not sure if she could go see a PG-13 movie yet.  Although now she is 21.  There is a great write-up of her in the Chronicle, with one amazing line, a quote from the guy who runs the Hole in the Wall: "Blake Shelton can go eat a pile of dicks."  That is some flowery prose right there.  But it sounds like a great story - sure, she's gotten some good breaks from people to help get her to where she is, but I think its because her lyrics and voice are so solid.  I hope she keeps going up and up.  Good album.

Masta Ace Incorporated - Sittin' on Chrome.  With that album title, what age would you put on this album?  Sounds like something the Paul Wall set would call their album from 2014, but this disc was released in freaking 1995!  Masta Ace Inc. is so ahead of their time, yo!  A friend and I were discussing our childhood rap, and he was amazed that I had never heard of or listened to this album. Seriously, no recollection of ever even hearing the name of this group before now.  The sound of this is classic old school, the intro sounds like it could be a Nas track, and the second song ("The I.N.C. Ride") has a laid back Dr. Dre-alike beat going on.  The title track is a keeper, but the big hit from this album (that I apparently should have known) is "Born to Roll."

That is some old school bass knocker action, along with those LL descending bells and then the squidgy sound over the top?  Hell, yes.  And that video!  Look at what those ladies are wearing! I likely won't keep any of this around, but I enjoyed a few listens to the classic mid-90's rap sound.