Where was I? Where were YOU?!?!
WAKE UP THE MASSES!!! This is Something Clever.
I don't want to get too serious today, so let's keep it simple. Clever Nation: what are we listening to? I know that most people who read my blog are into the things I'm into, which is mostly Hip Hop and Dance. But someone once told me "Hip Hop is an all-embracing culture. If you think you're hip hop and you only listen to hip hop...you are NOT hip hop." Because of that, I try to be open-minded to other kinds of music. Now, in the last few years, there hasn't been a whole lot to be open-minded about.
Pop music has become over-synthesized, auto-tuned garbage. No one sings anymore and all of the instruments are electronic.
Hip Hop, we're not doing much better. We used to be a genre dominated by stories of the downtrodden, dangerous personas and the triumph of the African-American spirit. Now, most rappers are commercialized, dead or imprisoned, and the hardest, most dangerous, most thuggish rapper in the game is a mixed kid from Canada who used to be on Degrassi.
I strongly believe, however, that good music is still being made and will continue to be made, no matter what. So, here's some people that did a little something in 2010 that you should be on the lookout for. Some are new, some are veterans, but all are worth your time.
MGMT
I admit, MGMT had to grow on me. But that song "Kids" was showing up everywhere. Their 2010 album Congratulations did not disappoint, and is worth checking out. Their music is hard to describe (pop, rock, electronic, neo-soul) but I think that's what makes it great.
David Banner and 9th Wonder
Here's a matchup I never thought I'd see. But I listened to a few tracks from Death of a Popstar, and I was impressed. David Banner has always had an ill, borderline dangerous flow. And 9th Wonder is the mastermind behind tracks for Little Brother, Beyonce and De la Soul. To me, it was two far extremes of the rap world coming together, but it seems to have worked out just fine.
Arcade Fire
Odd. This never seemed like a group I would be into, but my roommate plays this music incessantly. It works, though. Their song "Wake Up" was the theme for the movie Where The Wild Things Are. And I swear, I heard this song at 7am everyday for three weeks. It's not easy to love a band that wake you up against your will, but I don't blame them. I blame my roommate. That being said, pick up their album.
Janelle Monae
Weird. Theatrical. Chic. I'm not sure how to fully describe this girl, but I'm impressed with what she's done so far. She's blowing up into what I thought Chrisette Michelle was going to be. She's got a REAL voice; the kind that isn't relying on studio magic to sound decent. She sings the way I imagine Billie Holliday or Josephine Baker would sing if they were in our era...and produced by OutKast.
Daft Punk
Why in the world are you not listening to Daft Punk? "One More Time" is one of the most addictive songs ever MADE. I have no idea why most people I talk to are sleeping on them. I actually had a conversation with someone that thought Daft Punk had ripped off Kanye West on "Stronger", and they were blown away when I told them that "Harder Better Faster Stronger" was a Daft Punk song first. Anyway, if you have never checked the out before, now is the time. The soundtrack from Tron: Legacy is all original songs by them. Pick it up immediately.
Reflection Eternal
Did you know Reflection Eternal came out with a new album this year? Nobody did! Go buy Revolutions Per Minute, and pray for a BlackStar reunion like a good little hip-hop-head.
Honorable Mention: Metric
Give these Canadians some credit! I had no idea who they were until they donated their song Black Sheep to the movie Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (and you already know how I feel about that). Pretty standard rock with a unique sound. My only issue is that the female lead singer, Emily Haines, constantly looks high when they're on stage. I'm serious. Brie Larson, the actress from Scott Pilgrim that sings the Metric song actually does it slightly better than Haines. I don't think she's a better singer, but I do think Larson was sober. Check out YouTube here if you don't believe me.
A short thought before I'm done: Sportslebrity.
This is a brand new sports journal that I think my readers would love, and the editor is a friend of mine (and contributor to this blog) by the name of Geoff Crawley. Please check them out on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/#!/sportslebrity.
And that will be all. Class dismissed.
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