The End Complete....almost

I remember the first time I heard "Second Stage Turbine Blade", Coheed and Cambria's debut CD. That voice, the raging riffs etc. I had never heard anything like it, and i fell in love instantly. When they released "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth:3" They expanded their sound to keep up with their proposed multi album story "The Armory Wars". When the follow up was released, "Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness" their sound (and album title...and concept) was beefed up to a level beyond ridiculousness, but the music was always on point and they put on one hell of a live show. I saw them after the release of each of these three albums, and each time they were absolutely amazing. I've heard of notoriously bad shows by them, but I'll believe it when I see it. They released the second volume of the fourth and final chapter of their story last fall, and for some reason I just got around to getting it. I called my friend to ask him what it sounded like, and I quote "yeah i like it a lot, it kind of sounds like all of their albums mixed together". I couldn't of said it better myself. Since this is Volume 2, the beautiful prelude that plays in one form or another before each of their first three albums isn't their, they start pretty much where they left off on the end of Volume 1. For some reason they decided to start this story by releasing the second part first, so the final album of the Armory Wars will be the first part, and if this final release is any indication it will go back to the more simplified sound of their first album, which is still probably my favorite. They really are taking this whole concept thing seriously, but as long as it makes for great songs and albums I'm not complaining; but I am curious to see what they do once the "complete saga" is released. As for "Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World For Tomorrow", on first couple listens it easily stands up to the rest of their stuff, and as far as I can tell so far is a pretty perfect end to their multi album cycle. Volume One took brief interludes to go into the mind of the "writer" of the story, which makes all of this stuff even more insane, and entertaining. But it's the seriousness with which they deliver this concept that sells it all, and on this final part it seems that Claudio and the rest of the guys are going ahead full speed with telling the "story" and nothing else. Whether intentional or not, this makes this album the most cohesive and fast flowing since their debut, yet they still manage to go all over the place. Like Volume One, this one ends with an epic five song suite, called "The End Complete", and it is appropriately completely over the top. The final song, the Pink Floydish sounding (and titled) "On The Brink" ends the album with a guitar interpretation of that gorgeous aforementioned prelude. They managed to top off their story in a glorious fashion, now I'm waiting to see how they start it.

Lil Wayne...still great, but C3 couldnt come sooner...

At this point I can't even remember when Tha Carter III was actually supposed to come out, but for a very long while it didn't matter. First there was Dedication 2, than Da Drought 3, than all of the leaked Carter III songs that landed on various mixtapes, the vast majority of which were album ready and wouldn't of disappointed. Not to mention countless guest appearances. But here we are, early 2008, and Weezy has got felony charges against him, the Hot Boyz reunion was canceled due to a shooting outside the venue, and the record is definately coming out sometime in February (scratch that), March or April. This shits starting to get to Detox levels of ridiculousness. Fans were getting worried when Da Drought is Ova Pt. 4 was released late last year, and for good reason. Wayne was delving a little bit too far into his T-Pain voice adjustment, with a lame cover of 2Pac's classic "Ambittionz as a Riddah" and several other failed attempts with the vocoder. But throughout that tape were songs that genuinely excited. "I Took Her" has a beat that is so ready made for Wayne's voice and/or expensive speakers that it didn't surprise me at all when I heard it the day it was released blaring out of someones car speakers in front of my dorm. "Need Some Quiet" is one of the best songs Lil Wayne has released in literally months, it sounds like the perfect mix of his classic Mannie Fresh beats and post Carter II mixtape swagger. On "Trouble" he displays some truly touching rhymes, something I fear most people forget he's even capable of. Example "And just the other day my nigga Chris killed himself, I pray to god i never feel the way he felt. Where do we go when theres no help? He figured heaven so he went left, ya'll know that ain't right. Plus he was high as a plane on that same night, shit i probably been on that same flight". Over Christmas weekend he leaked "The Leak", a short EP of his favorite songs, i suppose to prime us for Tha Carter III. There all pretty great songs, but I have a feeling that whenever his magnum opus does arrive it will sound exactly like nothing we're expecting. He knows what he's doing, and if songs off of DJ WhiteOwls New Orleans Nightmare parts 8 and 9 are any indication, he's taken the internet consensus to help him perfect his forays into experimentalism. Where "Rider" was basically a complete failure, Vocoder and all, he has managed to use that same instrument to give himself a slight inflection on recently leaked songs such as "Showtime" that only aids his slippery flow into even more categories. Even more interesting (and successful) are his increasing amount of attempts at some sort of weird Weezy/Reggae combination. On "Pom Pom" he gets assistance from Junior Reid, you may remember him from Game's "One Blood" and absolutely kills it. It rivals "Operate on Me", a song that leaked a couple of months ago with Wyclef Jean. And on "We Don't Play" he just goes it alone, trying out a reggae flow over an infectious beat and doesn't embarrass himself in the least. For a while I was scared, and rightfully so. But right now I am fairly confident that when Tha Carter III is eventually released we will see Wayne with all guns blazing, which at this point means....who the fuck knows? But I sure am excited, again. Thank God.

FLASHING...LIGHTS...LIGHTs...LIGHts...LIGhts...LIghts...Lights...lights....

Heres the link to the new KanYe video, i haven't really been checking on the oh so important internet consensus, but I love it. The second i listened to this song when the CD came out I knew it would be a single eventually, and i was expecting some super expensive glitz and glam video, like "stronger" for the project runway crowd or something like that. But its just a simple Spike Lee and Kanye "co-directed" video with some busty as hell chick walking out of a car in the middle of the desert, taking her fur coat off to reveal just black lingerie, starts a fire, walks up to the trunk and kills 'Ye with a shovel. Awesome. The best part about it is it just cuts off the last minute plus of the song and places a rudimentary red FLASHING LIGHTS title. Going from space age shades and an Akira aping video to post-cool experimentalism. He really is ahead of things, if his ridiculous blog didn't tell you that already. As an added touch, his blog is absent of any explanation, while every other single entry has at least some words to accompany his favorite new light fixtures or whatever.

Best of Last Year and maybe this year a little bit too

Jay-Z & Marvin Gaye: Brooklyn Soul

This is a remix of Jay's American Gangster done by Mick Boogie, don't listen to what anyone else tells you, this is THE DEFINITIVE AG remix, and i personally like it more than the original. Cop it here , also make sure to check out his page a little bit, hes got a ton of badass mixtapes.

Lil' Wayne: Da Drought 3

Wayne's defining statement from one hell of a year, i hope the long delayed "Tha Carter III" is as good as it should be, but if not we've got more than enough music from him in '07 to ask for too much more for a while. This is the best of the bunch, a two disc behemoth with Weezy displaying just about every kind of flow imaginable, this is really, really good shit. He gave it out online for free, and in his own words "if you don't get it for free your stupid." If your a hater, this probably wont change your mind, but this is probably his best stuff besides Dedication 2 and Mixtape Legends. Oh yeah, and Tha Carter 3 Sessions.

Blu & Exile: Below the Heavens

I couldn't find a good d/l for this so, after sampling a few tracks from iTunes, I actually bought an album! I can't remember the last time I did that, but it was worth it. This is the debut full length from Blu, one of the most talented MC's to come around in a LONG time, do not sleep on this dude, you'll be kicking yourself for it down the road. Exile's production is just as good, i haven't heard an MC and DJ gel this well in a minute, a possible future classic; seriously.

Pharoahe Monch: Desire

I just starting listening to Pharoahe but I'm glad I did. This is a great album, if you've heard the hype, its all warranted trust me. This doesn't really sound like anything else, if theirs two albums from '07 that you must listen to, this and Below the Heavens are two very good choices.

UGK: Underground Kingz

A double disc worth it's weight, and its got the single of the year too boot! R.I.P. Pimp C, you probably already have this, but if you don't....change that.

Kanye West: Graduation

You know, I know. Thats 3 for 3 for Mr. West.

The Cool Kids: Totally Flossed Out EP

Find this immediately online, it shouldn't be hard. Their bringing back that "88 Shit", these dudes are the truth. Simple rhymes, but that doesn't mean "Mickey Rocks" isn't talented. Mickey and his DJ Chuck Inglish hail from Chicago and Detroit (holla) respectively, it doesn't get much cooler than that. It's only eight songs, but its eight of the best songs I've heard in a long time.

Common: Finding Forever

The Wal-Mart bargain T-Shirt album cover kinda turned me off at first, but it stands up to it's predecessor "Be", it might be even better. Theirs a track with D'angelo over one of my favorite beats off the late J-Dilla's "Donuts", which kicks a ridiculous amount of ass; but every song is ill as fuck. Just like Be, its almost entirely produced by KanYe, but theirs a Will.I.Am track on there and the aforementioned J-Dilla track. And some guy named Devo Springsteen who i've never heard of but a Wiki search informs me he's pretty hot shit and he works with Ye on the regular, so...yeah.

Ghostface Killah: The Big Dough Rehab

I actually haven't gotten a chance to listen to this too much, but it's Pretty Toney so you know its good. What I have listened to bangs pretty hard, reminds me of Supreme Clientele mixed with More Fish, if that makes any sense.

LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver

Awesome, awesome, awesome, really fucking good punk/dance album. I never really listened to Mr. Murphys previous album, I always kind thought "Daft Punk is Playing at my House" was kind of ridiculous, but i guess if your into that stuff (lord knows i love me some Daft Punk, don't get that twisted) It was pretty fun. Check out this new one though, every track is....like the sound of silver. Oooooh.

M.I.A.: Kala

Probably even better than Arular, her debut, M.I.A. is one of my favorite new artists. I also plan on marrying her some day, but thats a different story entirely. This is the kind of album (like just about every other one on this list) that deserves a lot more space, but since i kind of spaced out on my blog for some reason for a couple months I'm making up for lost time. I can't remember where I read this, but it said that the Timbaland produced track is the least creative on the album. True, if that tells you anything. Get this album.

Panda Bear: Person Pitch

This is the perfect album to listen to if your sitting around stoned with a couple friends....and you don't want to listen to rap.

Radiohead: In Rainbows

Duh.

Wu-Tang Clan: 8 Diagrams

This CD is a fucking masterpiece, don't believe what anyone else tells you. It sounds unlike any other rap album I've ever heard, RZA was out of his mind on this one.

Jay-Z: American Gangster

since jay-z's impromptu decision to record a concept album based off his favorite movie since scarface the internet has been ablaze with every bit of new info available leading up to the albums release. while the album doesn't officially come out until next tuesday, the things been leaked so damn much already that it might as well be out by now. the concept holds together in theory, what with the heavy handed intro and the random (yet tasteful) placement of dialog form the movie throughout, but if we didn't know this was supposed to be a concept album, we probably wouldn't have caught on. this isn't necessarily due to a weak concept, more to due with the fact that this is basically what jay's been rapping about since his classic debut in '96. not that thats a bad thing, jay does this better than anyone else, and the album is pretty much a success, with no real weak songs, only a couple of misguided ideas and jay reaching out of his nearing forty comfort zone (more on that later).

when jay was discussing concept, he must of had the flow of the album in mind, because its track sequencing is pretty much flawless, leading off with a perfect intro to set the tone into "pray", an epic sounding track that starts jay off documenting his urge to deal. the next thirteen tracks play with pretty much the same concept, but it remains interesting by switching to the different mindsets of a hustler; in fact the album is basically exactly what jay described it as: the concept of reasonable doubt mixed with the lyrical prowess of the blueprint. what on paper sounds like a jay-z fan's dream come true (and for the most part it is) the execution sometimes falls flat due to jay not realizing he really is about to turn forty, and while his rhymes and flow are still up to par he makes an occasional mistake that makes you think hes trying to adapt to guest lil' wayne's persona at times. blasphemy you say? maybe im just not used to jay adopting to trendy terms such as "ya dig" and muttering "hot hot hot..." but for a man of his age and a rapper of his status these come ons sound sort of elementary, especially when paired up against his aging voice, which is actually starting to give jay a new feel with his words. while im sure hes still capable of his double speed flow that he nearly abandoned since the late nineties his voice is much more comfortable giving the authoritative flow that jay has always been famous for, now that his voice is sounding older when he works his rhymes to fix with this flow the effect is amazing. jay-z has always had the ability to seem like a legend giving advice to younger men, now that this is actually the truth jay has the ability to truly destroy anyone vying for the throne, its only when he tries to go down to their level that he falters.

now i've spent far too much time talking about the few negatives on the album, as the positives FAR outweigh the negatives. the album flows perfectly, the aformentioned intro and first track segue into "american dreamin" which basically works as a placeholder to hold us off for the lil wayne collaboration hello brooklyn 2.0, i dunno why this has been getting so much bad press, the song is fucking awesome, with jay and weezys personas bouncing off of eachother, a simple pulsating bass with a voice shouting the tittle, it works, both of the rappers are on point, whats not to like? no hook follows which leads into the celebratory second single, roc boys, which, like blue magic, is one of jay's best singles in years; even if neither necessarily "sound" like a jay-z single. the following three tracks, "sweet", "i know", and "party life" all round out the middle of the album perfectly, leading into the revamped "ignorant shit", a leftover (although it really shouldn't have been) from the black album, now complete with a beanie sigel verse and a brilliant new verse by jay dealing with the don imus controversy. "say hello" might be the best track on the cd, or possibly "success" featuring nas, which has the formal rivals trading verses over a beat that only these two could do justice to. the album "closes" with "fallin", with a great hook by bilal, but its a godsend that there are two more bonus tracks, seeing as this track would be a pretty weak closer. its lyrics, which ape reasonable doubts "regrets" to fully demonstrate the downside of the hustler lifestyle, are great, but the tone of the track just doesnt demonstrate closing material. so the first bonus cut is the first single, blue magic, which breaks the flow of the cd completely but by this point its so late in it really works, and the track brings to mind the eighties, while the rest of the cd jay is trying to invoke the seventies, it gives the song a sense of looking back after the "fallin" out of his heyday. the album closes with the celebratory title track, which only makes sense: jay wanted to illustrate the demise of the fictional gangsters throughout his concept, but (in typical jay fashion) he couldn't help to put himself at the forefront of things, and we all know how he turned out....

Just in time for halloween....

...the shining on a two disc remastered adition, along with every single one of kubricks films on a two disc remastered dvd. its about fucking time! this is at the top of my christmas list for sure, i've been wanting a beautiful looking edition of 2001 for a very long time now. its only $70 on amazon too, this is a must buy for any kubrick fan.

"Love will tear us apart"

thank god nip/tuck kicks ass again, their move to l.a. at the end of the fourth season, while a welcome change due to the kinda lame fourth season, seemed like it could have been a last ditch attempt to breath some life into the series. thankfully it was the complete opposite, the shows gotten a pretty substantial facelift. the onetime big shots are finding it difficult to adjust at the beginning of the episode, they even went as far to install a basketball net in their office to pass the time while they wait for a patient to drop into their office, its not until they realize theyre gonna have to make a name for themselves that the show really kicks into action. their attempt to go out to an l.a. nightclub and hit on prospective income stalls once they are informed theyre not in miami anymore by a publicist who hooks them up to appear in a primetime hit show hearts 'n scapels. the show really seems to be moving in a great direction, after christian installs some hairplugs that dont properly heal for their big nationwide appearance the shows producer orders the cameras to focus on sean. as a result christians "big" speech is cut out completely and hes relegated to a quick shot of his hand on seans left shoulder. that asshole "sack" from wedding crashers plays the hot shot actor in the show and hes an instantly likeable character, as well as the dude form scary movie 4 playing a hollywood big wig who is addicted to a dominatrix to put his life in perspective. as he tells sean and christian later in the show to get out of the city before it devours them, the show gives us one of its best moments in its history: both of them looking down, christian with a determined look that tells us hes not turning back, sean with a giddy apprehension due to his newfound fame. jealousy ensues, but we all know these two will work out their friendship, no matter how many hot models they have to fuck throughout the season to come to terms with themselves.