Drake - "Over"

Here it is, the first single from the supremely over-hyped Drake. Over an average beat (by his Canadian buddy Boi-1da of "Forever" and "Best I Ever Had" fame) Drake delivers his average raps and still annoying "singing" on the chorus. With his mixtape last year he was catapulted to the upper tier of rappers and now has a tremendous following and hype around his first album Thank Me Later which is scheduled for a May release (but you know who rap album release dates change). Drake fans will eat this up but if you weren't a fan before, "Over" will probably not convert you.

B.o.B - "Not Love"

Mr. Bobby Ray recently pleased those anticipating the release of his debut album by announcing that the street date would be moved up from May 25th (also the name of his most recent mixtape) to April 27th. Here is a mini-movie from a track off the aforementioned mixtape entitled "Not Love." The story rap of the song weaves nicely with these visuals. More goodness from resident ATLien.

B.o.B - Not Love from Josh Nardo on Vimeo.

XV - 30 Minute Layover

Something new(ish) from arguably the best rapper working right now. 30 Minute Layover is exactly that; just a little something to keep his name circulating at a somewhat important time for up-and-coming rappers thanks to the release of the annual XXL Freshman Class list which boasts the industry's soon-to-be best. Last year boasted the likes of Wale, Drake, and B.o.B who all are working on (or in Wale's case, already dropped) their major label debuts. However, despite an impressive resume of excellent mixtapes, XV went unrecognized by the high powered industry publisher. This here is just XV dropping verses over recognizable instrumentals (Eminem, Lil Wayne, Dr. Dre, Clipse). Regardless of what XXL had to say on the matter, DO NOT sleep on XV.

XV - 30 Minute Layover

Gorillaz - "Stylo"

The world's biggest animated band are back with this single from their upcoming third album Plastic Beach which drops on March 9th. "Stylo" is more genre-bending goodness from Gorillaz who recruited rapper-turned-mediocre-actor Mos Def as well as Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bobby Womack for this track. Cool song. Excellent video that does not edit out the action of the video but rather it seems like the song is just background music for the video itself which also features a cameo from a man who seems to ooze badassness no matter what age he is, Bruce Willis.

Johnny Cash - American VI: Ain't No Grave

The sixth installment in the Cash/Rick Rubin American Recordings series culls tunes from the American V sessions which ended just a few months prior to Cash's 2003 death. The winning formula that the two created continues here with an eerie tone very similar to V. The songs selected (as there is only one Cash original of the bunch, "Corinthians 15:15") give the impression that Cash was more than accepting of his position in life and prepared for the next step. Ain't No Grave is perfectly laid out from the chilling opener "Ain't No Grave" to the epic and perfectly suited closer for not only the album but a immensely legendary career, the Hawaiian classic "Aloha Oe" Each of the ten songs here pack an emotional impact that seems to resonate from another place and ends on a promising note of redemption and the hope of a time when we "will meet again." Funny how even years after his death, Johnny Cash, the artist, still seems to impress.

4.2/5.0

Aziz Ansari & Dave Sitek

So "It" funnyman Aziz Ansari is taking his whole Raaaaaaaandy personality (of Funny People fame) to a whole new level with this upcoming mixtape with producer Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio fame). Initially reported to be released in February, in typical hip-hop fashion (ahem, lastest Lil Wayne) the album will be late. First there is a "track" off the album. I use "track" because it is just Aziz/Raaaaaaaandy bitching at other rappers' inability to turn in their verses for the album. The second item is a little clip telling us to relax, it's coming. The most surprising thing about these two clips is Aziz's turntable skills. Not bad little dude.

Also, if you haven't heard his comedy album Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening, it is hilarious.

Massive Attack - Heligoland

Trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack are back with Heligoland, their fifth album (and first in seven years) but 2010 Massive Attack are a far cry from, say early 90s Massive Attack. And a stretch from late 90s, early 2000s Massive Attack. Their trademark tone is still prevalent here as dread-stricken soundscapes are interlaced with an eerie sense of doom. The problem is the music plays like background tunes to a film (they have produced soundtracks lately, maybe that disrupted their album making abilities); meaning that the music is not where it should be to the listener - at the forefront. Instead the tracks here feel disjointed and, at times, straight up boring. Highlights here come mostly in the form of the song not being completely forgettable (guests spots by TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe and Blur/Gorillaz's Damon Albarn provide peaks). Quite a disappointment from a groundbreaking band.

2.8/5.0

Shearwater - The Golden Archipelago

The sixth full-length from Austin's Shearwater is an ambitious project which looks to conceptualize The Golden Achipelago's music with a sprawling 50+ page book and accompanying photos. A great physical release in a day where things have gone the way of digi-packaging and lyric-less, one page inserts. The Golden Archipelago aims to create a beautiful album but the results seem like too much effort has been put into it. Weird but true. And the result comes off highly pretentious meaning that critics are gobbling this stuff up and praising its beauty while the average listener will hear this and absorb little. As a whole the album is exactly what it sets out to be; a gorgeous listen that details loneliness, nature, and sorrow. But it terms of repeat listens, only a few tracks ("Castaways" is an obvious standout and the production on "Uniforms is pretty remarkable) require multiple listens. Music snobs (aka Animal Collective fans) will eat this release up but others, tread carefully.

3.2/5.0

Shearwater - The Golden Archipelago

Adam Green - Minor Love

Dear Adam Green,

Nice little album. Simple yet great songwriting. But I can do it better.

Sincerely,

1970s Lou Reed

3.6/5.0

Adam Green - Minor Love

RJD2 - "The Glow"

After a hiccup in 2007 with The Third Hand (in which he approached it with a singer/songwriter mentality rather than that of a hip-hop based producer), RJD2 has returned to form with his latest The Colossus. Well, pretty much. With only a few instances of RJD2's 2007 self surfacing, the album remains an enjoyable listen for one of the more talented producers around. "The Glow", the latest single, falls somewhere between the two version of RJD2.

RJD2 - The Colossus

Freeway & Jake One - The Stimulus Package

Freeway's third album (co-headlined with sublime beat maker Jake One) operates under the idea that he is "giving back to his fans." Maybe some have stuck with him over the years as he's jumped from label to label (once a Roc-A-Fella member, now signed with uber-indie Rhymesayers) and for those he has delivered this album for. Well, regardless of who it is for, the results is the best damn rap album thus far in 2010. First off, this album would not be half of what it is without the nearly flawless production from Jake One. With that being said, Freeway himself remains on point from the get-go (even though the album's first verse is from Philly buddy Beanie Sigel) with his aggressive voice/style and general "hardcore" attitude (hate using that label but sorry). Never during the run of the album do things try to go mainstream but instead stay true to a kind of old school hip-hop ethos. Highlights of Freeway's abilities can be found on the short but sweet banger "Know What I Mean" and the album standout "Never Gonna Change" which displays Freeway rhyming over and with (literally he synches with drumrolls) Jake One's mini-masterpiece. Although the album does have its lulls (it is a rap album and by some kind of unwritten law all album must exceed 50 minutes) but that is not to say they kill the work's momentum. In the end, with all it's talk of money, flash, and gangsterdom (?) The Stimulus Package finishes up as a gift to listeners and a standout in the muddled waters that is hip-hop.

4.6/5.0

Freeway & Jake One - The Stimulus Package

Also - This album has a SICK packaging (heh). Proving that, yes people, it is still cool to buy the album.

Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

With his 61st birthday just around the corner, spoken word/proto-rap/soul icon Gil Scott-Heron returns to the recorded music scene over being absent from it for well over a decade. However, this is not the exact Scott-Heron of yesteryear whose musical foundation was that of soul/funk. Instead, on I'm New Here Scott-Heron (with the help of XL Recordings owner Richard Russell) adds his trademark poetry to a new genre: electronica. And the result is a pleasant surprise. Tracks like "Where Did the Night Go" sound like a track off a modern day dubstep album. However, things also get stripped down to bare essentials. The title track is an amazingly gentle, yet gruff, reworking of a Van Morrison song featuring nothing but Scott-Heron and an acoustic guitar. Elsewhere, the best material here is not necessarily the sole responsibility of Scott-Heron's talents; "Me and the Devil" is an interpretation of blues legend Robert Johnson's although the creepy drumbeat and Scott-Heron's tortured voice sound as though Tom Waits decided to rework a track by trip-hop godfather Tricky. Results: awesome. While not an ideal music experience (there are multiple spoken word interludes detailing parenthood, love, and the usual spoken word go-tos), as an album I'm New Here is a refreshing release from a hero to an art form that will no doubt continue to idolize his career (which means it will still be safe for Kanye, Mos Def, Talib, and every other rapper to namedrop him as influences in interviews for the forthcoming years). In fact, Scott-Heron gives a nod to the modern day rap format as the album's intro/outro sample West's "Flashing Lights." Clocking in under the 30-minute barrier, the album runs the gauntlet of sound and thought; and at the end? A reward finish.

4.1/5.0

Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

El Prez - Animal Style!

Cali's El Prez's latest mixtape is pure West Coast rap. From his laidback flow, lyrics of relaxing (including a few weed songs), and funky production, El Prez represents his region well. While still somewhat unknown in a number of hip-hop circles, hopefully this album garners this guy a little more attention as some of these tracks are excellent ("Contact" "Animal Style") and the guest spots don't hurt either as Freddie Gibbs, Donwill and Von Pea (Tanya Morgan), as well as Shawn Chrystopher all receive "featuring" credit here. Excellent mixtape that will fly under the radar of rap fans; both of the East and West Coast variety.

El Prez - Animal Style!

Hot Chip - One Life Stand

Previous Hot Chip recordings focused primarily on creating dance-pop songs whose main focus was to dance. And their creative and party peaks reached an apex with 2008's Made in the Dark. That album was packed with hard beats and an unmistakenable vibe to enjoy the nightlife. Here, on their fourth album, the boys have taken things down a notch. Actually a few notches. One Life Stand is basically a soul album (Alexis Taylor's high pitched voice is no stranger to these slower jams as it has been featured on each of the previous Hot Chip albums) whose main topic is easy: LOVE. Each song features the word multiple times as it appears that the members want to settle down and move away from the dance-inspired electronica of their three earlier albums (the phrase "mature" is regularly used here in describing this transition). One Life Stand offers great tracks (opener "Thieves in the Night," "Alley Cats") but the tone and energy has been decreased more so than ever before in Hot Chip's career all the while pleading for happiness and love. With all that said, Hot Chip still possesses the knack for writing great pop songs but those expecting the toss this album on and be taken to a dance inspired utopia might want to reconsider and opt for Made in the Dark instead.

3.5/5.0

Donwill - Laura's Tape

Rap trio Tanya Morgan last year released Brooklynati to very high praise. One of the joys of that album was it's ability to actually create this fictional town (which, obviously, combined the names of the hometowns of its members Cincinnati and Brooklyn) complete with a radio station, fake DJ, and "legendary" hometown rap group Hardcore Gentlemen. While not a Tanya Morgan release, rapping member Donwill has released this mixtape that plays off the film High Fidelity and all this just in time for Valentine's Day. With the dominating theme of love, the album has it's cheesy love rap moments as well as contrite R & B hooks but Donwill is such an excellent rapper (in the vein of the conscious style) that things run their course nicely. However, the cheesy moments are, in fact, very cheesy and the production sounds muffled and second-rate. But hey, it's free.

Donwill - Laura's Tape

Moonface - Dreamland EP: Marimba and Shit-Drums

Spencer Krug is not one to stay dormant. He seems to always be creating new music with one of his many projects (Sunset Rubdown, Wolf Parade, Swan Lake, Frog Eyes) but now he adds another to the fold with the moniker of Moonface. Spencer tackles things here solo and as the title of this EP (really just one 20 minute long track) tells you there is nothing to be found expect drums and a marimba (possibly the coolest instrument ever). But he makes it work. Within the soundscape he's created using just these instruments, Spencer delivers his great lyrics in his trademark voice all the while making it listenable (and more importantly enjoyable). Fans of Krug will definitely want to sample this as well as those in the search for 20 minute long songs featuring an odd instrument. Shit-Drums is further proof that Krug is not only one of the more proficient artists working today within the indie music scene but at it's forefront.

4.3/5.0

Moonface - Dreamland EP: Marimba and Shit-Drums

Janelle Monae & Big Boi - "Tightrope"

Janelle Monae was "Ms. Thang" about 2 years ago but instead of immediately capitalizing on her newfound status she just kind of remained. Now, there is talks of a debut album (finally) and if this new track featuring legend Big Boi has any indicator of what to expect then expect a great album as this is a great track.

Freddie Gibbs - ThisIsFreddie

As of right now there are few rappers better than Freddie Gibbs (I mean in terms of rising talent). Last year brought the release of two ridiculous mixtapes as well as some national recognition for the Gary, Indiana artist. Until his next offering (hopefully something official and not more thrown together mixtapes compiling his back catalogue like what has happened since his second official tape midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik last fall) fans will have to continue to anticipate the inevitable hotness that will soon come from this guy. This here is just a sick verse that Freddie put together (and the end segment to the video is somewhat comical as it involves, what else, but drugs). Enjoy and go find more Gibbs stuff to spread the word.

Yeasayer - Odd Blood

An experimental/folksy band from Brooklyn? Nowadays, experimental/folksy bands have saturated the music market and a few years back when Yeasayer released their debut, they were at the forefront (and it peaked last year thanks to the overrated Animal Collective). Now, three years later, the boys of Yeasayer have followed up their excellent All Hour Cymbals with something completely different. Instead of the world music rhythms that dominated that album, Odd Blood sounds as though it were produced in the 80s thanks to all the big drum beats that create the backbone to the majority of this release ("Strange Reunions" sounds like an outtake from three-years-ago-Yeasayer). Also gone are the sitars, chimes, and choral harmonies; replaced by coherent (and somewhat uplifting) lyrics. The album's first single "Ambling Alp" exemplifies perfectly the style of Odd Blood as a big, danceable beat drives the track as synths flow in and out, meanwhile, lead singer Chris Keating urges you to "stick up for yourself, son." Now that this new Yeasayer has been desribed, what is to be thought of it? Well, it is a great album from an obviously great band (who did, sorry to say, let all the critical acclaim go to their head which allowed something like this to be created) that can adapt itself to genres while still crafting excellent songs. Although the album starts off badly (on the confusing auto-tune drenched "The Children"), things rebound immediately thanks to the superb "Ambling Alp" and cruise for the course of the nine remaining songs (with highlights including the reggae-ish "O.N.E." (amazing track, actually) as well as the handclapper "Mondegreen"). Those expecting ten more songs of rhythmic chaos ala All Hour Cymbals might be dissapointed but for those with open musical minds (like these boys themselves) will find Odd Blood a great listen.

4.0/5.0

Yeasayer - Odd Blood

Spoon - Written in Reverse

Throughout the 2000s, Austin, Texas' Spoon (most importantly, ubertalented frontman Britt Daniel) has proved themselves to be one of the most consistent bands working today. By that, these guys seem incapable of releasing anything short of "pretty damn good." Their lastest, Transference, is yet another stellar album that pleases from beginning to end. Whereas Gimme Fiction and Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (the group's two previous albums) found the band experimenting more with their polished pop sound, this most recent album brings them back to the simplistic indie songwriting style and recording methods (most of the album sounds as though it were recorded in a small enclosed room) that proved so successful in their early years. And their latest single "Written in Reverse" completely embodies this Spoon (as well as a somewhat angry Spoon) as it stumbles along with a kind of drunken boogie vibe. Excellent track. And cool video as it displays the band performing the track live (I think) for the video's purpose.

Spoon - Transference