The other day I was fortunate enough to catch Sin City: A Dame to Kill For with a good buddy of mine. It was okay. Afterwards we went to get wings. The two options that immediately presented themselves were Buffalo Wild Wings and Hooters, and ultimately we picked the latter. We go in, we sit […]
Track Review: Montell Jordan’s “This is How We Do It”
I don’t know what you were doing before taking a few minutes to read this but I’m glad you stopped. After reading this paragraph, go and grab a copy of your favorite LP from the 90s. It can be a CD or a cassette tape, it doesn’t matter, just grab it. Go ahead, I’ll wait. […]
Editorial: “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”
It’s pretty ridiculous how many versions of this song I’ve listened to as of late. It started with a distant memory brought about by the almost forgotten majestic beauty of Barry Harris’ music, then it transferred to the Platters, then it circled back to the original musical that it came from, 1933’s Roberta. In addition […]
album review: Tank – Stronger
Six albums deep and countless songwriting credits to his name, Tank is as established as they come in rhythm and blues. He may, however, be experiencing the musical example of a mid-life crisis with his latest effort, Stronger. Leading off the album is “You’re My Star”, which acted as the album’s first single. Driven by […]
Album Review: @tikemenay “Tenay in Tokyo”
What is it about Japan that brings out the best in a musician? I remember Little Brother merely making a song about their dealings with Japan and it was great. Netherlands-based producer Nicolay took his City Lights series to Shibuya Terminal with the second edition and it was as sonically beautiful as cherry blossoms blowing […]
Track Review: gmcfosho “Comeupoutdawahta”
Let me make something very clear right now: I am great. I can’t put into words JUST how great I am, but I’m so great that the twin sisters of vanity and humility call me on an hourly basis and I never even make an effort to pick up the phone (how did they even […]
Album Review: Mac DeMarco’s “Salad Days”
A person’s twenties are a rough time period. There’s confusion in changing platitudes, frustrations (physical, emotional, sexual, spiritual, etc.), lingering feelings of inadequacy, hatred at the norm, and maybe most of all the nagging feeling that something isn’t right. Nowhere you go, nothing you do, nobody you meet seems right, and you can’t quite place […]
album review: Majid Jordan – A Place Like This EP
With each new signing to Drake’s October’s Very Own brand, his Toronto-rooted sphere of influence continues to expand. Whereas the boss prides himself on the honesty of his music “leaving him too exposed”, the duo of Majid Al Maskati and Jordan Ullman (better known as Majid Jordan) revel in their anonymity and seclusion. Building off […]
Chinks In The Armor – Kendrick Lamar’s Glaring Flaw
Even as elitist hip hop’s golden child, Kendrick Lamar is as imperfect as any other skilled lyricist. Black Thought lacks the ability to be personable while Nas lacks a dependable ear for selecting beats. Lamar has a key chink in his armor that even the most impractical stans fans fail to acknowledge, despite mounting evidence […]
Album Review: Common’s “Nobody’s Smiling”
I don’t know how to start this shit, yo… While this particular review has nothing to do with Nas, that famous line from Illmatic might be the best way for me to actually start this piece. For one, Common has been one of my favorite artists for a long time now; at one point he was […]
Weight in Words: Redux 