Oh man, they declared that Lolla isn't going to happen. I'm just about certain that this means no ACL. Gonna go cry myself to sleep on my huge pillow now.
Overall, the album is pretty solid. Seems like something that could have been played on the radio in 1997 without making any waves, right there among the ... huh ... who would have remembered the top song in 1997? I would have guessed Puff Daddy before looking it up just now, but he was down at #5. Instead? The Elton John "Candle in the Wind" remix for Princess Di, and then Jewel's "You Were Meant For Me." Freaking weird. Okay, but the songs that this would have felt at home with on the charts - "Semi-Charmed Life," "The Freshmen," or "Naked Eye." That track above would have worked on alternative radio for sure. I think I'm good without it, but interesting dive into the past.
Mac Miller - K.I.D.S. When I saw this listed on Spotify's new release list, I figured it was yet another posthumous release, maybe posting his old lyrics over new beats or something. Instead, I just found out that its actually his initial, breakout mixtape that came out in 2010. Which makes way more sense, because when I heard it the first five or so times, while believing that it might have been a mashed up album created as a cash grab by his label, I was thinking to myself that this thing sounded freaking awesome. Mac sounds invigorated, smooth, bouncy, positively killing every beat. It sounds like that was actually the issue about getting this one up to stream - they had to clear a bunch of samples before they could stream it. Like, "Don't Mind if I Do," that bites that Owl City song from years back, or "Nikes on My Feet," which was probably something they had to make a deal on because it nabs a slice of Nas saying the title in one of his tracks. That is a good track, which I thought would be the stream king, but it looks like "Knock Knock" is crushing that instead with 101 million streams.
I'm sorry, did you just say that your shoes give you cushion like whoopie? Yeesh. Funny that this would be the top track, I think several of the others on this album are significantly better. I guess this one is a little more pop-friendly? People can do the dance where they act like they are knocking on a door? "Senior Skip Day" also has a pure fun-ness to it that is classic. If I could pop and lock, I would definitely pop and lock to that song. But I can't, so I just shimmy my shoulders a little bit at my desk instead. "Ride Around" uses the beat and sample from "25 Lighters," (which I guess is really an Al B. Sure sample) which is supremely smooth (and reminds me of the classic LL Cool J "Loungin'"). "Kool Aid and Frozen Pizza" is also smooth as can be - makes me want to put that one on rotation and just cruise. This is a fun album. I liked it.
HAIM - Don't Wanna. Sadly, this is just a little EP of three tracks and then three bonus tracks (which is honestly a weird thing, like, if those bonus tracks are part of the EP, then why are they considered a "bonus"? It's not like you can buy this EP on a cassette single somewhere without the "bonus tracks." Anyway...) The title track is a sunny jam that builds on itself up to a big, full ending that must be danced to if you plan to survive a listen. "I Know Alone" has a tinge of Latino 80's pop/breakin' drums in the chorus, but I'll put it at the bottom of the pile for this disc. "The Steps" is a great, pleading rocker - I know that these ladies get Fleetwood comparisons all the time because of The Wire, but this is another that pops into that same slot. A little Sheryl Crow flavor too. Great tune. "Now I'm In It" sounds like one of the Antonoff-produced Taylor Swift tracks. The final track is "Hallelujah," and its a beaut. I love the way that she ends the first hallelujah of the chorus, that lilt down is so nice. But the gem of this whole thing is the fifth track, a laid back classic that sounds like Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side" traded in the dirty streets of New York for the boardwalks of sunny California, smoked a huge doobie, and crawled into a hammock for a nap.
I fuckin' love everything about that tune. And the video cracked me up when they kept noticing the sax player doing his thing, and they seemed surprised each time they saw him, like "woah! Saxy Blake is back!" This is a very good little EP. Hope they turn it into a full-length.
CHIKA - INDUSTRY GAMES. WHY ARE ALL OF THE BAND NAMES SHOUTING RIGHT NOW? This lady has a very sweet flow on her raps. "SONGS ABOUT YOU" starts off really cool, talking about meeting Jay Z and Puff Daddy talking her up, over a laid back, squelchy beat. She just seems genuinely cool. Kind of a No Name vibe in here. She gained some fame a few years back when she called out Kanye's political antics, via freestyle rap, over the "Jesus Walks" beat.
Get 'em! She's only 23, but she says she has been making music since she was 2. I dig it. I thought "DESIGNER" would be the top track, but it's the title track instead. Here is "INDUSTRY GAMES" at 1.8 million streams.
"CROWN" has the feel of a Chance the Rapper Christian-y track.
And a last note here - she fires it up on the NPR Tiny Desk!
Go watch that - she's legit! Also, I find it very impressive that those background singers can make those noises in "Balencies" over and over. I like this stuff.
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