Mobile
Opinion
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Opinion / Mike McCray / News The dangers of letting Kobe in the studio
Posted By Mike McCray on Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 10:58 AM
Ever since he joined Twitter a few weeks back, Kanye West has kept writers like myself on the edge of our seats for what he'll say next.
Completely ignoring his back and forth with Justin Bieber, what stood out to me from his feed this weekend was a Twitpic he posted of himself, rapper Mos Def, producer Swizz Beatz and NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, in the studio working on the remix to his latest single, "Power."
Look, I can completely understand why Kobe Bryant's views on power and success may be pertinent to a song about power but has Ye forgetten about Kobe Bryant jeopardizing the careers of Nas and Beanie Sigel with his, thankfully, never released album K.O.B.E.
See, for everything Kobe knows about winning championship, he knows equally as little about making quality music. What could he possibly bring to that scenario? Maybe suggest Kanye rap a verse in Italian like he did. Or maybe suggest Tyra Banks for the hook? Say what you want about Shaquille O'Neal's rap career but he at least went platinum AND had a song with Biggie that was actually dope. And in terms of power, who's more powerful than a 7'3, 300+ pound human being nicknamed The Diesel?
Who doesn't belong?
CD Reviews / New Releases / Opinion / News Mixtape Review: Wale's More About Nothing
Posted By Mike McCray on Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 10:52 AM
The Deal: Buzz for new mixtape from DMV front runner trends World wide on Twitter and gives nod to his previous mixtape, The Mixtape About Nothing.
The Good: Completely obliterated my modest expectations.
Lyrically, Wale is getting stronger and seems to be spitting with a keen understanding of who his original audience and the new people that listen to him now for his punchlines and innuendo.
I'm never against flipping Lenny Kravitz into something more hip-hop like he did on "The Get Away (Fly Away)"
Cleverly integrated Seinfeld quotes to not only move the mixtape along but to set the theme of songs. Nice touch.
"The Soup," "The Friends N Strangers," and "The Black N Gold" are pretty much can't miss.
The Bad: A lot of material to digest, makes me worry about how much of it will end up on his second studio album.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Opinion / Mike McCray / News The name conundrum
Posted By Mike McCray on Wed, Aug 11, 2010 at 3:06 PM
For years, I’ve had to sheepishly admit to past girlfriends (and those awkward ice breaker groups) that my name is a compromise between Malcolm Jamal, like Malcolm-Jamal Warner, then Theo from The Cosby Show, and Michael Jordan. I guess it’s obvious who won.
That pales in comparison to some of my family members names.
I have cousins named after celebrities as well, but their names aren’t nearly as normal as Mike. There’s my cousin Beyoncé, who can’t sing and doesn’t seem destined for a career in show business. Her mom thought the name Beyoncé was cute and ironically, I never knew her real name until I randomly asked one day what Bouncy’s real name was. Needless to say there was a spit-take involved.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Opinion / News The magic of ear buds
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Thu, Jul 29, 2010 at 1:50 PM
As much music as I listen to, I figured there wasn't much difference from one kind of ear bud to another... You put the small speakers in your ears, hear music, what's the big need for fancy ones vs. the basics.
Well, I'm ready to admit that there's a difference. I don't have a problem with the basic JVC set I bought for about $10, but having just tried out the Wicked Empire (list price is $34.99), I can say I quickly heard a difference.
Aside from the noise canceling properties that make me feel like I'm in a tunnel with no distractions but the music at hand, I also noticed that the bass is a little deeper, the vocals a little clearer and the sound quality improved a good bit. The old set had a tinny, treble overload on them.
While the Empires feel a little bass-heavy on first listen, it quickly settled into a more balance aural experience. It wasn't that the bass was heavy, it was just that the old pair didn't offer much low end.
The buds come with three different cushion sizes to make sure they fit comfortably, which also helped. I'll admit I'm indifferent about the eight-ball logos on them, but as far as comfort and sound, I can't imagine going back to the JVC brand unless these break or fail in some way.
Sadly, it now makes me wonder what reviews I've done that might have been different if I had access to better speakers or ear buds that can provide a truer representation of the sound and production quality.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Opinion / News What's the best decade for music?
Posted By Chris Triplett on Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 4:25 PM
It was a little before my time, but I view 1967 through 1976 as the pinnacle of music production in the modern music era. Hippie, psychedelic rock ruled, along with soul and r&b, folk, blues, country and funk. Free love was in the air and people still cared about actually making music and it wasn't solely about money and fame - although it quickly took a turn for the worse. Enter drug overdoses, plane crashes and disco. True, heartfelt music remained triumphant however.
A taste of the best from each year?:
1967 — The Beatles (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band), The Doors (The Doors), The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Axis: Bold As Love), The Monkees (The Monkees), The Temptations (The Temptations in a Mellow Mood).
1968 — Johnny Cash (At Folsom Prison), Aretha Franklin (Aretha Now), Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR), Otis Redding (The Dock Of The Bay), Simon & Garfunkel (The Graduate Soundtrack).
1969 — The Kinks (Arthur Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire), Marvin Gaye (MPG/That's the Way Love Is), Bob Dylan (Nashville Skyline), Led Zeppelin (Led Zeppelin II), Joni Mitchell (Clouds).
Friday, July 9, 2010
Opinion / Jeff Hahne / News Criticism from all angles
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Fri, Jul 9, 2010 at 3:52 PM
It's funny, I've been in this job for three years and yet I still get phone calls and e-mails and other feedback from people that makes me wonder — are people really reading the paper anymore?
One of the first things I did when I started this job back in 2007 was to establish "La Vida Local" — a weekly feature in the paper that has local news, local event previews or local CD reviews. However, rarely does a month go by when someone wants me to know that I'm not doing anything for local music. When I mention La Vida Local, they don't know what I'm talking about. I can mention the three CD compilations we've put out that have now featured a total of 42 local bands, but they usually haven't heard of those either. (We're currently seeking submissions for the fourth one, by the way.)
One of the first stories I wrote for the paper was on a local band, Soulganic. I received a large amount of feedback on that one from people shocked that a local band of any kind was featured in Creative Loafing. It didn't stop there. Since then, I've written major feature articles on more than 15 local bands, in addition to regular columns by "El Diablo" that were constantly sharing information about the local music scene.
But people will still say I'm not doing enough for the local music scene... Well, what are we missing? Let us know. Send an e-mail to me or comment here and let me know about bands I should be checking out. If you're in a band, send me your CD or invite me out to a show.
I'm just one man... a person who believes in the power of diverse coverage. I have been to more than 50 concerts this year in an effort to expose my own ears, and readers, to as much as I possibly can. I've been to see Phish, the Country Throwdown Tour, Jucifer, Levon Helm, Korn, Carolina Chocolate Drops, VV Brown, Alice in Chains, OK Go, Jeff Coffin, Black Lips, George Clinton, Cage the Elephant, Black Eyed Peas and Surfer Blood, among countless others. Not diverse enough for you?
Friday, July 2, 2010
Opinion / Mike McCray / News Mid-2010 All-Star Team
Posted By Mike McCray on Fri, Jul 2, 2010 at 3:13 PM
You know how Major League Baseball and the NBA have All-Star Weekend halfway through the season to honor guys who are really having a good year? I don't see why we can't do the same thing with music. With six months down and six months to go, I present you my mid-2010 All-Star team.
1. Big K.R.I.T. - KRIT Wuz Here
By far the best project I've heard so far this year. It gives the South new hope and new energy with an artist from Meridian, Miss., being able to capture the Southern aesthetic without sacrificing lyricism and spot-on production, which he does himself. For a mixtape, it plays like an album and for those that get past the first three tracks, which are as hood as they come, it's a showcase of what's to come from the recent Def Jam signee.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Opinion / Jason Younger / News Who the hell is Justin Bieber?
Posted By Jason Younger on Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 10:18 AM
“People write to me and say, ‘I’m giving up, you’re not talking to me.’ I just write them a simple message like, ‘Never give up,’ you know? And it changes their life.” — Justin Bieber on responding to Twitter posts.
Beiber fever is rocking America! Now, the only question is – what the hell is Bieber fever?
Usually, I think I’m in tuned with music. Usually, I know what’s going on – I may not like it (see: Hannah Montana, Joe Bros, Lady Ga(g) Ga(g)), but I can honestly say I’ve heard it, know it, and can give an educated guess on it. Not this Bieber kid. I’m lost. No clue. Don’t understand it. So I did what anyone in my position would do... I Googled the dude.
“I think hip-hop artists respect me because I’m real. I think they see where I came from, and they can relate.” Justin Bieber on being accepted by other artists.
Here is what we know:
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Opinion / Eric Mullis / News Pushing beyond normal boundaries
Posted By Eric Mullis on Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 1:54 PM
Let me tell you a quick story...
Back in the '90s, I went to see Morphine play a show at Tremont Music Hall. I had been a fan of the band for some time and was pumped about seeing them play in my hometown. I’d never heard of the opening act that they were touring with, a band from Denver, Colo. — Sixteen Horsepower.
This opening act put on a show that I will never forget. The show was unforgettable — not only because they were talented musicians and performers but because it was one of those shows that you go to and leave a different person. I mean, I couldn’t exactly figure out what I was listening to and the group played with a terrifying kind of intensity that kept me riveted to the floor.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Opinion / Jeff Hahne / News What's your summer anthem?
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 3:18 PM
With today being the first day of summer, we have to ask what's your summer anthem?
For me, I consider a summer anthem to be a song about the summer. It's not just a song that you listen to in the summer, I think it's got to be on topic.
For many, I'd suspect Will Smith's "Summertime" makes the list. Other choices:
"Hot in the City" by Billy Idol
"Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys
"Heat Wave" by Martha and the Vandellas
"California Girls" by David Lee Roth (no, not Katy Perry)
"Summer in the City" by the Lovin' Spoonful
Jane's Addiction's "Summertime Rolls"
Perhaps Alice Cooper's "School's Out"?
What's yours?
-
Live Review: Soweto Gospel Choir
Review of Soweto Gospel Choir's performance in Charlotte.
-
Charlotte singer-songwriter Bart Lattimore releases the ultimate 'dad' video 1
Lattimore and Modern Primitives drummer Phillip Gripper collaborate on "That's What Daddies Do."
