The 20/20 Experience (Justin Timberlake)

I’ve decided to write this blog entry live as I listen to The 20/20 Experience and move through track by track. It’s unedited, stream of consciousness as we go…

First track: “Pusher Love Girl”. The album starts off strong with a fantastic clarity to the tracks with a well-produced, well-balanced sound that is warm and precise. Immediately this track starts with a nice groove that has an urban and soulful beat, and distinguishes The 20/20 Experience as a new sound for JT. Very cool. Although admittedly, by the seven-minute marker of the first track, I’m ready for it to be finished. 

“Suit and Tie” is bang on. This track, when it was released, came out of nowhere with some serious momentum behind it. To me, this is the kind of track that advances music to a new sound and sets a new standard for quality of production. It’s distinct, it’s unique, and it has bold style that only Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z could pull of with this kind of success. Its got a creamy smooth sound that oozes out of your speakers with a masterful warmth that makes you want to turn down the lights, grab a drink, and just groove.

As the energy of “Suit and Tie” fades to an abrupt end, I feel like the old-school days of boy band crooning jumps in for a few seconds. But it fooled me. Waiting a little longer reveals a characteristically Timbaland drum track on “Don’t Hold The Wall” that is reminiscent of the track he produced for Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3, “Off That”. This has a different intensity than any of the tracks so far and has a tribal sound – picture an tiger in the jungle, on the prowl. And to add to the diversity of sound, I recognize a sample from “Steel Drum”, on Cirque du Soleil’s soundtrack recording of Quidam. But here’s what I’m noticing so far…all of the tracks on this album are longer than expected. I’m coming up to seven minutes with “Don’t Hold The Wall”. Somehow this track didn’t feel that long, but we’ll see how the rest shape up.

“Strawberry Bubblegum” has an updated sense of nostalgia in the name and the sound, with the warm crackle of an LP overlayed with what turns out to be another very warm track with atmospheric sounds that are grounded with a clean drum beat. For a happy medium, the track is filled out with a soft string riff. I like that sound of this track, and it actually reminds me of some of Michael Jackson’s ballads although I can’t quite place which tracks. That’s just what popped into my head.

I’m not hearing immediate hits right now, aside from “Suit and Tie”, which is interesting. But I don’t think this album needs to make hits. The talent of Justin Timberlake comes across beautifully on this totally unique album. The sounds are unlike I’m hearing on any records in the mainstream right now. Its perfectly produced and seems to keep unveiling layer upon layer as the tracks progress. “Strawberry Bubblegum” has just made a transition into something a little more subdued with more rhythmic vocals that move the track forward instead of relying on the oh-so-prominent drum track earlier in the song. This is smooth…and I don’t want to keep saying that, but honestly, right now, that’s what I’m thinking! (And also, that was an eight minute track.)

So from “Strawberry Bubblegum” we move into “Tunnel Vision” which evokes an image of a party in slow-motion, with a crowd of people and one person walking through the room making his way between conversations in a tuxedo, and making eye contact with an elegantly dressed woman across the room. That’s the kind of tunnel vision I hear in this song, so if you ask me, this track perfectly matches the lyrics and the orchestration into one harmonious and clear story-telling.

And then the album slows down into “Spaceship Coupe” which is the strangest track so far, if you take it literally, as JT describes the “backseat view” from his spaceship coupe and his “space lover cocoon”. Okay. Sure. This track doesn’t sit as well with me. But that’s okay. One out of the lot so far isn’t that bad, right?

From space, we move to Tennessee and a staged live-venue intro to JT, which leads into a super-sexy guitar riff and playful horn line. Awesome. “That Girl” is a great example of the kind of music that only JT can pull off with the confident sound that he does. But can you believe it? This track is only 5 minutes long!

Now, on “Let the Groove Get In”, there is a new feeling fueled by a djembe in the drum line, and more of a latin-influenced sound. Actually the vocals on this track remind me a little bit of “Senorita”, from JT’s first studio album, Justified. But “Let the Groove Get In” definitely inspires a little movement in your hips and makes you want to get on your feet. And around the four minute mark in the song, the vocals drop out in what seems like its shaping up to be a dance break. But as the vocals begin to add back in the track reinvents itself into a new sound with influences of its original self.

Uh oh. “Mirrors” starts with a cheesy movie-moment kind of sound, but luckily it transforms back into the usual JT sound, in fact, it sounds incredibly similar to “Cry Me A River” until the chorus, which (by the way) unfortunately isn’t that great. Honestly, this track I skipped to the end of so that I could move on and experience “Blue Ocean Floor”.

The final track on this album starts with what sounds like a scuba-diving regulator underwater and adds a conclusive feeling to the album, dropping the energy to something more subdued. But it almost leaves this hanging feeling, similar to the feeling of scuba diving and floating through the water. There’s a calmness, and stillness to the end of the album that contrasts the rest of the tracks.

The 20/20 Experience is an aural adventure through new sounds that are absolutely iconic in the current music scene. Although I don’t think many of them will make it to the radio, the album lives up to its name – it is an experience that is unlike any other album out there right now, and I think its well-worth the listen. I’m interested to find out what you think…

Born and Raised (John Mayer)

I’ve always been a huge John Mayer fan, since his first release. I’ve seen him several times in concert and always loved his show. When I listened to this album, I wasn’t too into it right away. In fact, shortly after hearing this album for the first time, I told one of my friends that it sounds like John Mayer is trying to be Neil Young, and that the sound of this album seemed forced to me. My friend wisely pointed out that this could actually be a more honest album. Maybe John actually plays more like this on his own, and we now have the opportunity to see this side of him? Of course, we were just speculating about the difference in sound.

Here’s what I do know: this album could arguably be John’s most honest album to date. He had a few rough years of scandalous comments (such as the infamous comments about sex with Jessica Simpson), and it seemed that he might have lost his way a little bit. He was being incredibly open but it was a little much. On Born and Raised, John is open, too, but this time its more honest and its more heart-felt. It feels like he is actually expressing himself in a softer tone with more perspective and understanding about the past few years of his life.

Born and Raised marks a shift in style for Mayer, although I suppose every album of he has released shows a different style of his musical talents. Still, his latest release is more stripped down and exposed. With the exception of “Something Like Olivia” and “Love Is a Verb”, there aren’t many tracks on this album with his usual guitar solos. Its much more subdued, focusing on some easy drums and beautiful country-inspired keys and harmonica. Once I realized that this album was actually something with a lot more substance than I originally thought, I also learned that Graham Nash and David Crosby provide vocal support for John on the album’s title track, “Born and Raised”. Prior to learning this, I no longer felt like John was trying to be Neil Young. And for some reason, when I heard Nash and Crosby on the album, it actually made the album even more authentic for me. What a great throw-back to those guys! Its like John is telling everyone how much Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young influenced him and this record, and gives them some really well-deserved recognition. I love it.

So yes. I am a huge fan of this album. Its grown on me and now I love the diversity of tracks, from “Queen of California”, which sets the tone of the album with some country-inspired guitar riffs at the start of the album, to the anthem-like track, “The Age of Worry”, to “Something Like Olivia”, a track that feels to me like John is singing a duet with his guitar. Born and Raised shows us humility and maturity that will no doubt drive Mayer’s musical journey and evolution of his craft.

Pick up this album and listen to it a few times with some good headphones or some good speakers with a nice, full sound. I really think you’ll love this album.

Here (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes)

After the critical success and musical authenticity of the self-titled first album by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, I was anxiously waiting to hear how their sound would differ on their follow up album. Their first album had such a simple folk sound that was accessible to so many people and as a result, made people want to sing out in rejoice to anthems like “Home”, which is definitely the most well-known track on that album. One of the things I love about this band is that they have about 10 people playing instruments and singing, yet they’ve perfectly orchestrated themselves in a way that maintains a free-spirited, simple folk sound that connects you to a greater feeling of rural roots.

The second studio album from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, named Here, exudes energy and love as you listen. They have successfully maintained their free-spirited sound that makes you feel like everything is a celebration, but even more, they have gotten better. Their sound is crystallized and refined, which is probably a result of their success on the first album. They also sound more confident on this album. Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that most people love their refreshing sound?

Start to finish, this album is phenomenal. Their album art beautiful captures the kaleidoscope of energy that streams from your speakers as you listen to this album. The first three tracks of the album have the most energy, but every track is a full, unique journey through several emotions and feelings. I love the way every track builds and develops and unravels itself as it progresses, usually before  it reels itself in at the end for a nice finish. “Man on Fire” is a great example of this, with a nice quiet start that builds into a great celebration and an easy ending.

One more thing I want to touch on. The sounds on this album are so unique. There is a diversity of instruments and vocal stylings that you will continue to explore in various depths as you listen to this album more. There are layers on this album that feel like they are just waiting to be discovered.

I am so happy that such talented musicians and artists have created something so beautiful again. I feel so fortunate that music is still being made like it is on this album. On Here, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes have really established themselves as a beautiful force in the music industry and the world. It is so cool, and I am so pleased to see that they are doing what they are. It’s just plain awesome.

Please enjoy this album with your windows open and be ready to feel good.

Locked Down (Dr. John)

I have been reading about this album for a while now, so when I heard it was released I was really excited to pick it up on iTunes. Dr. John’s album Gris-Gris is one of the first albums I listened to on the RS150. I can clearly remember listening to it for the first time, hearing the swampy voodoo sounds that are masterfully intertwined with the melody of every track, and I remember how surprised and interested I was…and to be honest, a little turned off. But once I listened to that album a few more times, my view changed and I gained a new appreciation for Dr. John’s vision.

Locked Down is a beautiful (can I call it that?) re-activation of Dr. John’s creative, bad-ass, New Orleans grunge. What really got me excited for this album in the first place was hearing that Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys was producing the album and leading the band. In fact, Auerbach searched out Dr. John ‘The Nite Tripper’, aka Mac Rebennack, to get his funky-ass groove back in action. And it is a huge success.

The tracks on this album are phenomenal. I am not saying this lightly. I think this is one of my favourite albums to be released in a long time. Its got the voodoo essence of Gris-Gris with even more attitude and in-your-face musical stylings. The first two tracks of the album, “Locked Down” and “Revolution” set the tone for the album with layers and layers of sounds that make me feel like we are walking into a contemporary ceremony of the underworld (and who knows what’s going to happen). But the layers are perfectly mastered, with slightly-off-key choral vocals and some really heavy guitar and keys. To me, this is a historical album.

There’s some serious attitude behind the lyrics and music on this album that make it that much better, too. In the digital booklet of Locked Down, there is a short piece of writing that explains the story of this album, which is one of “tricknology”, is really about the coming together of two brothers, Mac Rebennack and Dr. John, who really is the musical persona created by Rebennack “during a parole exile in 1960s Los Angeles”. I’m not kidding when I say Dr. John is a bad-ass.

And as he says at the end of the writing:

“This is Mac and the good Doctor. Together, they are the last of the great tricknologists and stronger than they could ever be apart.

This is the sound of tricknology, children. Coming up behind you, fading no more.

And tricknology is HEAVY.”

I mean, come on! Who writes things like this anymore? Its phenomenal. The inspiration behind Dr. John is out of this world. This album has so many sounds and stories behind every track. You can keep listening over and over and hear a totally new sound. Even the album insert knows this, too! It perfectly captures all of these aspects as ”an invitation to do a dirty grind in a backroom bar at 3 AM and a call to go to church the next day; it’s a fierce burst of salvation and an apocalyptic warning; it’s a seductive come-on and an initiation; it’s  candle-burning jams rubbing shoulders with ecstatic odes to the great mystery.” Seriously. And its so spot on its crazy.

Every track starts with an entrancing new riff, from the simple and strong guitar on “Ice Age” which gets complimented with some tribal drum sounds, to the heavy-key intro on “Getaway”.

If you are looking for a phenomenal album that is different than your standard rock album, check out Locked Down, pour yourself a drink, turn on the music, and let it take you on a wild ride.

Native Son EP (Harlan)

Harlan is an artist musician with a fresh style that combines genres including some bluesy-rock guitar riff and some electronic beats with a good funky groove.

He is currently finishing up his debut LP, but his six-track EP, Native Son, already has some really great tracks and is an easy listen. He’s got a cool sound. I love that there is an electronic influence on some funk-rock tracks. It provides this kind of updated sound that’s got a bit more of a refined, packaged sound (and I mean that in a good way).

Tracks like “Private Party” and “Dancing On The Bed” make me want to bust a move. Actually, the chorus of “Private Party” reminds me a bit of Prince, which is definitely due to some of the synths in the background and that driving guitar fill that starts a few bars into the song.

I also love “I Never”, which has fantastically simple keyboards and a chorus based on chords that just seem to sit really nicely in the air. There’s a playful determination to the song that I love. Harlan’s voice is smooth, honest, and expressive which is a nice compliment to some of the tracks that have more electronic or synth-based beats.

Harlan is actually playing the 100th show at the LA-NY party, School Night, on Monday, April 30th (which might be tonight, depending on where are you are in the world right now). He also has a residency every Monday night in May at LA Echo – awesome!

You can listen to a stream of the Native Son EP on Harlan’s website and watch his great debut video below. And of course, if you like his tunes, check out his EP on iTunes or stop by LA Echo one Monday in May.

Happy Monday, music fans.

I Ain’t The Same (Alabama Shakes)

Geez, I heard the band Alabama Shakes last week and they have this Southern, sassy-ass rock-soul groove to them that I can’t get out of my head. I love this sort of simple, laid-back kind of rootsy, rock sound, combined with a bit of refinement, and of course, the soulful vocals of lead-singer, Brittany Howard.

The first tune I heard off Boys & Girls, their soon-to-be-released debut album, was “I Ain’t The Same”, and I love the contrasting intensity of the opening riffs with the delicate grunge of Howard’s voice. I love how her voice plays with the lead guitar in the background, and I love the vintage rock sound. It’s authentic, and clearly inspired by a wide range of musical talents, ranging from some good, classic hard-rock like AC/DC, to the soul music of Otis Redding. And its woven into their own fusion sound that totally suits them.

If you like this track, you will love the entire album, because it all has the same amazing sound that gets into  your bones in the best way possible. And Boys & Girls is streaming live on their website! Give it a listen!

I can’t wait for you to hear this track and love them as much as I do.

Related articles

• Interview: The Alabama Shakes (kexp.org)
• Review: Boys & Girls (Alabama Shakes) (headphonetransmissions.wordpress.com)
• Alabama Shakes On World Cafe (npr.org)

You’ve GOT to hear this: Haim’s Forever EP

Three L.A. sisters make up the rhythmic and powerful band, Haim: rhythm guitarist Alana (19), vocalist and guitarist Danielle (22), and Este (24), the bass player. They started as a family band with their parents, as they affectionately call Mama and Papa Haim.

Haim is currently offering their EP, Forever, as a free download on their website, and you should definitely take a minute to checkout these three tracks. The EP starts with beautiful acapella vocals on “Better Off” and compliments it with a simple, tribal-drum track that adds momentum to the overall sound. The sisters shared that they had a lot of classic rock influences from their parents, but as the trio got older, they wanted to listen to more pop music, including R&B. You can hear the cross-breed of some classic rock instrumentation and the foundation of a simple classic rock sound and structure, combined with some of the diversity of that sexy, groovy R&B smoothness. On “Forever” and “Go Slow” you can hear some Donna Lewis pop sounds and Leslie Feist influences in the drum tracks and syncopated lyrics.

These sisters have a cohesive sound that is unique and interesting to listen to. I can hear so many slight similarities to other artists – but not in a copy-cat kind of way. Instead, they have a unique and inspired, authentic sound paired with powerful lyrics and an exciting sense of experimentation and musical curiosity.

They’ve already opened on tour for artists such as Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Ke$ha, Julian Casablancas, and The Bird and The Bee. This month, they’ll also be playing at SXSW in Austin. Check out their YouTube channel and follow them, because I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of them in the next year or two. They’ve got some great live videos YouTube, too.

Enjoy!

Allen Stone’s self-titled debut album

Allen Stone’s self-titled, self-released album from October 2011 is beautifully soulful and expressive. Only 24 years old, Stone has released three albums, including this one, and isn’t even sign to a record label. Allen Stone hit the R&B/Soul charts on iTunes with a bang, topping off at number 2 and subsequently bringing him exposure by major media outlets such as MTV, NPR, CNN, and The New York Times.

Track by track, Allen Stone’s third album has a mix of deep passion and a sense of humour and fun that adds excitement to the listening experience. The first track on the album, “Sleep”, is a great example of this, which has great spoken-word banter back and forth with his band of musicians. Most notable on this album is Stone’s smooth and pitch-perfect vocals, which sound effortless. Combine his groovy vocal talents with the gospel-style rock organs and the rest of his backup, and you have a sound that is reminiscent of James Morrison, Jamie Lidell, and even Stevie Wonder, while remaining unique and distinct.

His lyrics tell stories ranging from sleep problems in the first track, to just plain celebrating life in “Celebrate Tonight”, to the sexy-groovy tune, “Your Eyes”, where Stone and his instruments croon about a not-so-good relationship with problems that seem to become irrelevant when he looks into his lover’s eyes. And the instrumentation on the album is just as diverse as his lyrical abilities. Stone starts the album off with a punchy, poppy gospel-esque tune (“Sleep”), transitions into a slower groovier sound with a bit of dirty bass on “What I’ve Seen”, and then picks it up again with some “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”-era influences on “Say So”.

A friend of mine recommended this album to me, and it was a pleasant surprise. If you want to have a listen before you buy, check out Allen Stone’s website for a live-stream version. And if you dig it, pick up a copy on iTunes and support this unsigned artist (its only $5.99)!

 

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Article first published as Music Review: Allen Stone – Allen Stone on Blogcritics.

tracks to listen to – Valerie (’68 Version) (Amy Winehouse)

Many of you may have heard the Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson release of “Valerie” from a few years ago. On her post-humous album, Lioness: Hidden Treasures, the “’68 version” of this track was released with a more laid back drum track and its got a nice easy sound that I love. If you want to get back in touch with some Amy Winehouse, listen to her new album. There are some great tracks on it, including this one.

Enjoy, and have a great day!

Metals (Feist)

Since Feist released Let It Die in 2004, her music has gained popularity. Now, with the release of her fourth studio album, Metals, Feist might have just released her best record yet.

Metals boasts the same sweet and sultry vocal stylings of Leslie Feist (that we all know and love), but her style matured after licensing her music to Apple. Feist exploded into the mainstream with the infamous “1, 2, 3, 4″ iPod commercial. The success of her second album brought her four Grammy nominations and five Juno awards in 2008.

The album starts with the beautifully pain-fueled “The Bad in Each Other,” which layers Feist’s whispery, powerful vocals with a driving guitar before it relaxes into a playful but resigned chorus. Each track on the album seems to have this diversity.

The next track, “Graveyard,” slows down in a very classic Feist sound – easy, folk-jazz piano and vocals that play with rhythmic timing not commonly heard in the mainstream. The energy and togetherness of Feist and her musicians is captured on Metals, especially on tracks like “No Commotion,” with simple, driving rhythms that errupt into the chorus with choral singing and yelling. Feist and her band also sound honest and sincere on more subdued tracks like “The Circle Married The Line,” which is sweeter and quieter but still powerful.  Even when the sound is stark on “Cicadas & Gulls,” it’s executed with precision and intention that demonstrates the new maturity of sound, which differentiates this album from Feist’s previous releases.

Metals captures the musicianship and sultry vocals that Feist is known for. Her new album is deeply charged with an intensity of emotional vulnerability and powerful music that is harmonious and full of clarity and stillness. Quite simply, it’s a beautiful and diverse record. Enjoy.
As posted on Blogcritics.org.