With way too many questionable tracks between the truly magical gems, Mos Def’s True Magic falls a bit short of his more impressive works like Black Star or Black on Both Sides.
The east coast half of the two-date, bi-coastal festival presented an eclectic lineup of acts from every neck of the musical woods. Featuring artists like Jurassic 5 and the Wailers, all the way to rap/rockers like 311, and Boston’s hometown heroes the Dropkick Murphy’s; the abundance of represented genres was endless.
Toss out all your expectations of what a DJ Shadow album should sound like, as this latest effort is like nothing he has come through with before. With a mix of songs from all ends of the musical spectrum; including hardcore rap, blues guitar, psychedelic folk, Coldplay-tinged ballads, and experimental atmospheric soundscapes, this schizophrenic collage of an album is overwhelmingly eclectic to say the least.
Southern California
The Roots not only demonstrated a dominance over the field of artistically innovative hip-hoppers, but stand as a living testament to why Hip-Hop is seen by many to be the “new rock n’ roll.”
The music itself is a regurgitation of jerky, sampled electronic beats and attempted Eminem-style delivery with absolutely no flow.
This album is a walk down memory lane from the birth and early adolescence of rap and hip-hop, to the modern mind-melting compositions that are quickly becoming staples of my play lists.
On a typically cold November evening, a diverse crowd formed outside the legendary Cleveland Odeon and eagerly stepped inside the spiritual cipher for a night of sermon. By boldly beatboxing off the beaten path, Matisyahu has emerged as a new voice of his generation.
Going strong, five albums deep, Atmosphere
Whether you call it underground, intelligent or backpacker it
