Electronic: Gorillaz- “Stylo” feat Bobby Womack and Mos DefEveryone’s favorite animated band has concocted a new masterpiece in “Stylo,” and this time it’s a shade darker and funky as hell. Gorillaz’ new single is an elegant crescendo of layers, built around the mechanical thump of an electronic bass line. It starts off with a metronomic chant, followed by Damon Albarn’s floating voice crooning “electric is the love,” while the music swells straight into Bobby Womack’s soulful growl. Then, to top it off, somewhere in the midst of the background Mos Def raps “love electric is a shockwave central” in a few, perfect rapid-fire lines to end the track. It’s retro-disco confusion with a Gorillaz twist, so get your iPod ready because you’re going to want that electric love for your next party.
-Lisa Han '13
Pop: Amanda Blank- “Might Like You Better”
Blank opens this dance-pop, bad girl rap anthem with the risque line, "Might like you better/if we slept together." A few seconds later, the song breaks into powerful pump-up track replete with pulsating bass, synths, rhythmic claps, metronome clicks, and hi-hat hits. Even better, the auto-tuned vocals give the song a highly electronic, I-literally-cannot-stop-tapping-my-foot feel. "Might Like You Better" will be stuck in your head all day, and it will be the first thing you want to play at your pre-game on Thursday night. The song is refreshingly uncensored and bold in an era of Miley and Taylor. Just don't play it for your parents.
-Jess Turner '12
Rap: Bun B – “Pants on the Ground”
You’d have thought the death of Pimp C and the subsequent breakup of UGK would have put a dent in Bun B’s work ethic, but the legendary Southern emcee is hungrier than ever. The 37 year old rapper’s spent the last six months flooding the Internet with all sorts of tasty tidbits, from scene-stealing guest spots (beating Drake at his own game on “Mo Milli”) to ferocious freestyles (beating Jay-Z at his own game on a remix of “On to the Next One”). He keeps up the good work on “Pants on the Ground,” which may be the funniest tirade against tight leg wear since Jay-Z proclaimed that he “can’t wear skinny jeans cos my nuts don’t fit.” Bun’s third solo album drops March 2nd, and I’ll be first in line.
-Adam Tanaka '11
Rock: Jason Anderson – “El Paso”
Jason Anderson decides to bike from New Hampshire to New York, and then he does it. He makes sure he has a best friend in all fifty states and sends them personalized post cards every week. And he cried when the horse died in The Neverending Story. You'd be hard-pressed to find a song that better captures the unbearable ache of being young and invincible and terrified, but even if you could, “El Paso” would still rock you harder.
-Dan Abromowitz '13
Rock: Laura Veirs –“Wide-Eyed Legless”
This catchy yet haunting psych-folk tune will leave you chanting “No more looking back / looking back” as you forge ahead into a new semester. The whirlwind of strings that accompanies Veirs’s staccato voice creates a tapestry of sound worthy of multiple listens. In the thoughtful-chick-with-a-guitar-genre, Veirs remains reigning queen.
-Cristina Luzarraga '11
You’d have thought the death of Pimp C and the subsequent breakup of UGK would have put a dent in Bun B’s work ethic, but the legendary Southern emcee is hungrier than ever. The 37 year old rapper’s spent the last six months flooding the Internet with all sorts of tasty tidbits, from scene-stealing guest spots (beating Drake at his own game on “Mo Milli”) to ferocious freestyles (beating Jay-Z at his own game on a remix of “On to the Next One”). He keeps up the good work on “Pants on the Ground,” which may be the funniest tirade against tight leg wear since Jay-Z proclaimed that he “can’t wear skinny jeans cos my nuts don’t fit.” Bun’s third solo album drops March 2nd, and I’ll be first in line.
-Adam Tanaka '11
Rock: Jason Anderson – “El Paso”
Jason Anderson decides to bike from New Hampshire to New York, and then he does it. He makes sure he has a best friend in all fifty states and sends them personalized post cards every week. And he cried when the horse died in The Neverending Story. You'd be hard-pressed to find a song that better captures the unbearable ache of being young and invincible and terrified, but even if you could, “El Paso” would still rock you harder.
-Dan Abromowitz '13
Rock: Laura Veirs –“Wide-Eyed Legless”
This catchy yet haunting psych-folk tune will leave you chanting “No more looking back / looking back” as you forge ahead into a new semester. The whirlwind of strings that accompanies Veirs’s staccato voice creates a tapestry of sound worthy of multiple listens. In the thoughtful-chick-with-a-guitar-genre, Veirs remains reigning queen.
-Cristina Luzarraga '11
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1 comment:
I think Jay-Z said "Can't wear skinny jeans cause my knots don't fit" (like the stacks of cash). Although Adam's version is way funnier.
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