Oh do I have a special treat for you. As I rolled out of bed this morning, I could have expected nothing more than what has dropped into my Apple “New Music Mix” from the heavens above today. Yellow Days, the artist who released such songs as A Little While and Your Hand Holding Mine, has released a new album titled “A Day in a Yellow Beat.” First of all, let’s start out with the album art. It is incredible. Right in the middle is a classic style seen by this artist, in which he places a picture of him and a guitar with a blurred out face. But looking around you can see he has added an array of instruments situated in a field of hummingbirds and geese. Starting out with the intro, we have a cut from an interview between a talk show host and a musician discussing how young musicians struggle to enjoy successful longevity while blocked by the control of their producers. The whole conversation is underscored by a harmony of instruments which transitions perfectly into the second song, titled Be Free. Counting the intro and a few interludes, the whole album has a riveting 23 songs, but I’d say the best are Be Free, Getting Closer, Come Groove, ! (feat. Bishop Nehru), The Curse (feat. Mac Demarco), and Love is Everywhere. A Day in a Yellow Beat mixes Yellow Day’s unique style and voice with a newer fusion of upbeat, psychedelic funk. This album is meaningful and sounds pretty, but it’s also the kind of music that you could blast in the car with friends. A Day in a Yellow Beat marks a unleashed creative style for Yellow Days, and I am excited to see where it takes us next.
Hope you guys enjoy the album, see you next week. -Chippypants
With being a DJ, I get very excited when my friends hand me the aux chord. I love creating playlists and setting the vibe for a car ride. I usually let my friends have aux because I like listening to new music that I could find because of my friends. But when I get handed that aux… you know it’s on!
Below are the top 10 songs that I play depending on who I am with, the vibes I’m feeling, and something that will make my car ride not feel so long. When I am with my friends who listen to metal, I tend to play more metal songs. Majority of my friends do not listen to metal so it’s a good thing The Saw is diverse in all kinds of music!! I know when I have aux that I can play anything that I want, but I like for everyone in my car to enjoy what they are listening to. It’s the DJ in me!
“Pride and Prejudice” is perhaps my favorite novel ever written. It is the perfect mixture of humor and elegance, and it’s my go-to reread book. It would be embarrassing to say how many times I’ve read it, especially since I’ve lost track at this point. If you haven’t had the opportunity to pick it up, it’s a lovely, satirical story written by Jane Austen about the expectations and pitfalls of upper-class women when it came to marriage in the 18th century. The Bennet’s, a family on the fringes of the English gentry, have five young daughters who their mother is desperate to marry off before money runs out. Elizabeth Bennet, our main character, forms a spiteful (yet enticing) relationship with Mr. Darcy, a member of the most elite family in England. It is a delightfully witty and heartwarming novel and I 10/10 recommend.
Listening to this playlist makes me feel like I’m living a life of luxury on the English countryside in the late 1700s. Now I know this time is crazy romanticized, especially since the vast majority of people were not a part of this elite class, but a girl can dream. I’m normally not a big listener of classical music, but these tracks are just too beautiful.
1. Liz on Top of the World – Jean Yves Thibaudet (Pride and Prejudice 2005 Soundtrack)
Hailing from Akron, Ohio, The Black Keys have had a career that spans almost two decades. In that time they have explored blues rock, garage rock and psych rock, and though some of their efforts have featured more expansive instrumentation, simplicity is a cornerstone of their sound. Their focus has always been on the groove between Dan Auerbach’s guitar and Patrick Carney’s drums, as well as Dan’s strong songwriting skills. For this reason, few artists have been in my rotation longer than The Black Keys. With nine studio albums under their belt, however, it is safe to say that some are better than others. I’ve put together a tier list of their discography from worst to best – here are my thoughts:
F Tier: Car Commercial Music (Let’s Rock)
Let’s Rock, The Black Key’s latest release, is their worst album to date. Maybe it’s because they set the bar so high with some of their other work, but in my opinion this is the boys at their most uninspired. This album marks a return to their roots after the sonic departure known as Turn Blue (more on that in a second), but when compared to their previous albums, this one just sounds watered down. It’s inoffensive, focus-grouped rock music that belongs in a car commercial.
D Tier: Is This Even Canon (Turn Blue)
Released in 2014, Turn Blue is the Black Key’s most adventurous album. Produced by Danger Mouse, this album is much more psych/pop than their other work. While I admire the risks they took with this record, I don’t think they always played out well. Turn Blue never scratched that Black Keys itch for me, but there are a few tracks that I enjoy.
C Tier: It’s OK I Guess (The Big Come Up and Magic Potion)
2002’s The Big Come Up was the Black Key’s debut album, and definitely their roughest. While there is a certain charm about its uncompromising grittiness, I think this approach translated much better on Thickfreakness and Rubber Factory. Meanwhile, 2006’s Magic Potion is The Black Key’s most forgettable effort. None of the material on it is necessarily bad, but the boys had already set the bar very high with 2004’s Rubber Factory. These two are the last of what I consider to be non-essential Black Keys records.
B Tier: Slightly Spicy (Attack & Release and El Camino)
This tier marks the beginning of what I consider to be the essential Black Keys canon. 2008’s Attack and Release and 2011’s El Camino are both classics in their own right, but I have a slight preference for the former. Attack and Release represents a musical risk that paid off for The Black Keys: the instrumental flourishes of flutes, synths, and even banjos sound right at home on the boy’s first album recorded in a professional studio. By comparison, 2011’s El Camino is The Black Keys’ most commercial album. You can tell songs like “Lonely Boy” and “Gold on the Ceiling” were written with the Top 40 in mind. El Camino is everything that Let’s Rock should’ve been – radio friendly, but still retaining that roughness that put the Black Keys on the map in the first place.
A Tier: Hey That’s Pretty Good (Rubber Factory and Thickfreakness)
2003’s Thickfreakness and 2004’s Rubber Factory represent the first Golden Age of Black Keys music. These albums proved that two guys in an Akron basement (or abandoned tire factory) could make compelling rock music with little more than a guitar and a drum set. When making this tier list, I seriously considered putting Rubber Factory in the number 1 spot. These two albums are definitely the Black Key’s most visceral projects.
S Tier: Chef’s Kiss (Brothers)
2010’s Brothers was the The Black Key’s commercial breakthrough and what made them a household name. Perhaps I am biased because it was my first exposure to the band, but I doubt I’m the only one who would say Brothers is the greatest Black Keys record. With it, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney managed to craft an album that not only paid homage to their roots but also diversified their sound, making it appealing to people who aren’t even rock fans. Thanks to tracks like “Tighten Up”, “Ten Cent Pistol”, and “Sinister Kid”, Brothers could be mistaken for a greatest hits record. I am especially fond of Dan’s falsetto on “Everlasting Light” and “The Only One” because it beautifully contrasts his normally rough, bluesy voice. Simply put, there is not a bad song on the album, and that is why it stands as the pinnacle of The Black Key’s discography.
That’s the tier list! Are you a Black Keys fan? If so, how would you rank their albums?
These new releases are sure to have you grooving out until the next installment of my Friday Favorites series. Enjoy these tracks which range from rap to R&B with some genreless surprises added too. Be sure to check out all of my Friday Favorites on Spotify.
Can’t Decide – Amine
Catchy and smooth, this track from Amine’s new release Limbo is my top choice. It’s a great slow jam perfect for dancing or taking a drive through the night.
Afterlife – Flatbush Zombies
This single is captivating and esoteric, from the simple bass line to the haunting piano melody with some creepy, interesting album art to top it off.
Woman – Lianne La Haves and Nao
This track is the first project Nao has released this year, and it does not disappoint. She gives us vocals reminiscent of early Erykah Badu on this funky track that will captivate your full attention, and Lianne La Haves’ clear vocals pair perfectly.
Endorphins – tobi lou
Another new release from tobi lou, this one mirroring Frank Ocean’s style in Blonde but still bringing the classic and immaculate tobi lou energy.
Inhale – Bryston Tiller
Tiller is one of my favorite mainstream R&B rappers, known for his smooth vocals and “trap soul” beats. This track is short and sweet but I can’t get it off my mind; it’s also his first single release of 2020.
Without further ado, here is this week’s installment of my favorite album covers of all time:
1. Midnight Snack – HOMESHAKE
I think I’ve talked about this before in another blog post, but I love how this album art looks like the “Goodnight Moon” book cover, which was one of my favorite books growing up (fun fact: I would cry every time my mom read it to me because it made me so happy). It really fits in with the whole LP’s vibe, which feels very woozy and dreamy. The hand painted look in this piece feels delightfully playful and cozy.
2. Pregnant With Success – Junglepussy
Junglepussy is honestly such a goddess, and this cover really captures her power. This portrait of her is composed so nicely, and I love how she simultaneously blends in with the elevator yet contrasts it with her gorgeous hair. The way the florescent lighting makes her face glow is exquisite.
3. BUSH – Snoop Dogg
This is another mm *chef’s kiss* cover. Produced by Pharrell, “BUSH” has a retro funk feel to it that complements Snoop’s smoothness perfectly. The simple surrealist-like feel this album cover gives off with the perfectly shaped bushes and bright bluedog is so great.
4. Steve Lacy’s Demo – Steve Lacy
Steve Lacy consistently gives us amazing album covers, but this one is my personal favorite. The colors are fantastic and I love how the photo of him is juxtaposed on top of this bright pink mystery material. The way he stands between his bass and guitar is so casual yet speaks so powerfully to his talent on both.
5. blkswn – Smino
Wow! Smino really overdid himself on “blkswn.” Not only is the actual content exquisite, but the cover art is too. The colors are divine and so is the composition. I love the way the album title is written on his comb, and the hands doing his hair seem to have personality and an air of movement to them. Keep it comin’ Smino.
My favorites: I Wanna C U, Birmingham, Benzo, Berlin
Listen if you like: Toro y Moi, UMI, Kendrick Lamar
Angel’s Pulse (2019) is an album produced and performed by Devonté Hynes as Blood Orange. It’s the fifth Blood Orange album and a great addition to his overall discography. The fourteen-track album, delicately titled Angel’s Pulse, features numerous well-known artists including Toro y Moi and Justine Skye. Hynes performs vocals, guitar, bass, and keyboard; he also utilizes synthesizers and samplers to achieve a unique sound in his production.
The album flirts with multiple genres but can’t be tied down by a single one. “I Wanna C U” and “Something To Do” give us ethereal neo-pop vibes, then Hynes switches it up with the gritty, slow melody of “Dark & Handsome.” Yet tracks like “Gold Teeth” are clearly heavily rap influenced, and “Tuesday Feeling (Choose To Stay)” gives an R&B vibe. The utilization of the talents of multiple artists with distinct styles allows the album to feature a unique mix of sound without deviating too far. The album follows no clear narrative and instead captures different emotions between notes of nostalgia. Despite the lack of a story and a variety of sonic influences, the album presents as a cohesive collection.
The album gives us a look into Hynes’ creative, artistic approach to composing his music – and what we get out of that is beautiful. Upon its first release it was given acclaim for the fresh and new sound it brought, but the album has withstood the test of time and continues to be beacon of experimentation and out-of-the-box musicality. Give this album a shot and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
There is a certain levity in listening to sad music during moments that aren’t specifically sad. In my opinion, sad music can be enjoyed regardless of your current emotional state. This is untrue of other kinds of music – try listening to “Happy” by Pharrell while in the midst of a breakup and you’ll see what I mean. Whether you’re on a late night drive or crying in the club, this is the playlist of sad bangers that will help you capture that oddly specific vibe you’re going for:
King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1 by Neutral Milk Hotel: The opening track on In the Aeroplane Over the Sea finds Jeff Mangum juxtaposing playful childhood memories with traumatic ones.
Nowhere2go by Earl Sweatshirt: The release of this song in 2018 marked Earl’s return from a brief musical hiatus. “Nowhere2go” gives us a brief update from him as he touches on his feelings of isolation and despair.
Broken Bones and Pocket Change by St. Paul & The Broken Bones: On this track, singer Paul Janeway bares his soul over sorrowful horn lines from his band. His powerful voice is the perfect vessel for the emotional tone of this song.
Self Control by Frank Ocean: As the king of sad bangers himself, Frank Ocean is known for his ability to convey emotional states in a way few artists can. “Self Control” is a slow burner that deals with a fundamental disconnect between two lovers, and features one of the most transcendent outros of any song I’ve ever heard.
Heavenly Father by Isaiah Rashad: The melodic and upbeat nature of this song definitely betrays its heavy subject matter. “Heavenly Father” finds rapper Isaiah Rashad reflecting on the lack of guidance in his life from his estranged father and God.
Good News by Mac Miller: The lead single from Mac Miller’s posthumous album Circles paints a picture of his tired soul, and describes the pressure he felt to hide his pain. The intimate lyrics combined with the gentle instrumentation make this song a truly bittersweet experience.
Ex-Factor by Lauryn Hill: This classic by Ms. Lauryn Hill describes a toxic relationship that is all too familiar to many of us. The resonant lyrics and beautiful music make this song a certified Sad Banger™.
That’s the playlist! What are your favorite sad bangers?
Cowboys are back in style. Lil Nas X is just one example of the cowboy aesthetic gaining recognition in pop culture, but what about on the indie scene?
Mac DeMarco’s most recent LP, “Here Comes the Cowboy,” is a playful homage to the simplicity of Western living. The album is slow and swoony, filled with the classic DeMarco strums, love songs, and odd humor. You can really just imagine him sitting in a rocking chair in front of a prairie, wearing a flannel shirt and cowboy hat, plucking along to this album as he stares longingly at the blue sky. Maybe even a cigarette between his front teeth gap, who knows.
This has actually been one of my favorite Mac DeMarco albums so far. It’s really nice to play while relaxing or in the background, but it has its own merits for more focused listening as well. The first five songs definitely follow a definitive mellow Western sound, but things start to pick up and diversify with “Choo Choo,” which is a bit more upbeat, and “Heart to Heart,” which includes more synth-bass vibes. “On the Square” also has a bit more of a jazzy feel with the light piano notes. “Skyless Moon” is honestly heavenly with his characteristic crooning. “Hey Cowgirl” holds a very special place in my heart because yours truly is living on a farm right now. The album ends on another cowboy note in “Baby Bye Bye,” a strong finish for one of Mac’s most relaxing collections.
Overall, I really just love how Mac combines Western acoustic, synth-like strums, and prominent bass to make a really unique tone on “Here Comes the Cowboy.”
Artist Record Label 1 BULLY SUGAR EGG Sub Pop 2 LIME CORDIALE 14 Steps To A Better You Chugg/London Cowboys 3 DOUBLE GRAVE Goodbye Nowhere! Forged Artifacts 4 FONTAINES DC A Hero’s Death Partisan 5 LOMELDA Hannah Double Double Whammy 6 BETHS, THE Jump Rope Gazers Carpark 7 ILLUMINATI HOTTIES FREE I.H.: This Is Not The One You’ve Been Waiting For Self-Released 8 GIRL FRIDAY Androgynous Mary Hardly Art 9 HOLY MOTORS Horse [Advance Tracks] Wharf Cat 10 NYALLAH Reflections [EP] Self-Released 11 BARTEES STRANGE Live Forever [Advance Tracks] Memory 12 ADRIANNE LENKER “anything” [Single] 4AD/Beggars Group 13 CAMERON BUTLER Extraterrestial UFO Baby 14 LOX CHATTER BOX How To Live Forever Illuminati Killers 15 RUN THE JEWELS RTJ4 Jewel Runners/RBC/BMG 16 CECILE BELIEVE Made In Heaven Self-Released 17 BELLA BOO Once Upon A Passion Remixes Studio Barnhus 18 FOUR TET Sixteen Oceans Text 19 EARTH TRAX LP1 Shall Not Fade 20 DWY “Latchkey” [Single] Wilder 21 GABRIEL GARZON-MONTANO Agüita [Advance Tracks] Jagjaguwar 22 JENEVIEVE “Baby Powder” [Single] JOYFACE 23 VARSITY Fine Forever Run For Cover 24 MEI “Rudimental” [Single] Self-Released 25 ARCA KiCk i XL/Beggars Group 26 BRAIDS Shadow Offering Secret City 27 PHOENIX DA ICEFIRE Panacea New Dawn 28 SHIVUM SHARMA “Diamond” [Single] Self-Released 29 HALF DREAM “Celia” [Single] Self-Released 30 DISCLOSURE ENERGY Capitol
TOP ADDS
1 TAPEWORMS Funtastic [Advance Tracks] Howlin’ Banana 2 OSEES Protean Threat Castle Face 3 LE COULEUR Concorde Lisbon Lux 4 NAKED GIANTS The Shadow New West 5 ARCHAEAS, THE The Archaeas Goner 6 PEKOE CAT Menace [EP] Light Organ 7 CULTS Host Sinderlyn 8 COUPONS Up And Up Counter Intuitive 9 CHUCK IS A BAND Tender Kid [EP] Wy Guy 10 BIG EASY, THE “It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Gets Hurt” [Single] Forged Artifacts
