May 2012
5 posts
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Download Now: Kane Mayfield, 'Hydrants' →
Finally got around to posting this solid Kane Mayfield song over at Midnight Sun.
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April 2012
9 posts
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Lil Boose, “Smokin’ on Purple (feat....
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“If I wanted to release a “screwed” cover of an Eagles song, I don’t...”
– Jenn Wasner, guitarist/singer for Wye Oak, talked to me about her new solo project, Flock of Dimes, Wye Oak’s future and falling back in love with Baltimore.
By the way, she really did do a screwed cover of the Eagles’ “I Can’t Tell You Why.” It’s the B-side to...
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“Wayne’s been one of my favorites for a while. Wayne’s a beast. I...”
– Mac Miller, on “The Question.” Read the rest of my Q&A with Mac here.
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Future, “Turn on the Lights” (2012,...
March 2012
4 posts
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Cloud Nothings opts for a cleaner, clearer sound →
Truthfully, if you’ve read recent interviews with Dylan Baldi, I’m not sure how enlightening this piece will be. Baldi was a weak interview (or was it my questions?), not offering details in recording Attack on Memory or much of anything really. Unfortunately, that’s just how 10-minute phoners go sometimes.
There was something new (to me at least) that didn’t make it into...
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Q&A: The-Dream on 'Love IV,' writer's block, the... →
This guy. He’s personable, funny and willing to hum the “Love on Top” melody without me asking. Some other interesting tidbits:
•••• Like a star basketball player who has been pissed off with management but likes a new coaching hire, The-Dream sounds skeptical but optimistic about Joie Manda taking over Def Jam. (Picture Melo once Phil Jackson signs on.) He thinks the world of...
February 2012
6 posts
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Los and Mullyman miss XXL's 'Freshman' list. Who... →
A rambling blog post about two Baltimore rappers not making the XXL Freshman list.
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WatchVado, “I See You (Black People)” (2012, Internet)
Just a great song with a great video. Sadly a rare occurrence these days.
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Review: A$AP Rocky at Baltimore Soundstage →
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January 2012
9 posts
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“It’s a family and it’s a long-term commitment,” Iggy tells The Juice. “People...”
– New Interscope signee Iggy Azalea, not realizing how shitty marriage can be.
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“Rack City” could’ve been a Def Jam reduction from that time period....”
– “Tyga’s ‘Rack City’ Is the Best Song on the Radio Right Now: Here Are 10 Reasons Why” by Brandon Soderberg
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Watchallthingsdrake:
40 Talks Drake’s First Single From Take Care ‘Headlines’
40 = honest, smart dude
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On new album, Pianos Become the Teeth deal with... →
It was fun to write about (and thus, listen to) screamo again.
During high school, I gravitated toward pop-punk (Saves the Day, Alkaline Trio, the Get Up Kids) but loved many aspects and many bands from the heavier, harder fringes. In order for my band to get shows, I had to book many of the shows myself, so we brought through bands we liked, including Ampere (ex-Montcalm) and the Saddest...
December 2011
6 posts
Baltimore Sun's top albums and singles of 2011 →
The last thing many of us want to read is another year-end list, but this is my blog, so … take that, take that.
Happy with how this came out. Some obvious choices, some not so. Erik Maza and I picked our Top 5 albums and songs each, and also put together two Spotify playlists clocking in at 50 songs all together.
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2011 Gems: Jackie Chain puts on for Alabama's SLAB... →
December is a slow month. At work, I’m picking out songs that may have been overlooked (more so to the Baltimore Sun’s audience, not my personal Tumblr audience) and posting them. I thought Jackie Chain and K.R.I.T.’s beats killed it all year, so I had to do that first. Bun B, try again next time.
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WatchShort Dawg, “Kush & Codeine” (The Adventures of Drankenstein, 2011)
November 2011
7 posts
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G-Side: Hustle hard for Huntsville →
Any day I get G-Side into the Sun is a good one in my book.
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Backstory: Noah "40" Shebib →
Just what you wanted: More Drake/Take Care talk!
First, props to Sean for this interview and just doing great work over at GQ. Anyway, I really loved this interview (here’s a link to GQ’s Drake interview, too) because it reaffirms what we already know (but sometimes ignore/forget): Drake is and always will be an R&B dude! That’s why all of his albums have that snail’s...
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Review: Jay-Z and Kanye West's 'Watch the Throne'... →
Reviewed the Throne show for the Baltimore Sun last night. See this show*.
* I had that feeling — a bunch of times — like when I first watched Jay’s “Fade to Black.” There were moments throughout the show where I felt really lucky to see this happen. The rap nerd in me had waited too many years to see Kanye and Jay do “Izzo” together.
October 2011
11 posts
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WatchTravis Porter, “Geeked Up” (2011, Differenter 3)
No one is doing swag rap as well as these dudes. A lot of this has to do with charisma and style. And that bounce.
“Most of the rest is just retightened Don’t Fuck It Up competence,...”
– from Rob Harvilla’s excellent A Very She & Him Christmas review.
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Interview: Yelawolf turns the club upside down →
Dude was as chill as you’d expect. Good talk. Rooting for this guy.
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