New Wale

I've been busy, sorry I haven't posted lately.  I'll blame the music industry's lack of notable new stuff instead of blaming my overcrowded schedule.  Check it:  DC rapper Wale (pronounced Wah-lay) has just signed on to make a record with producer extrodonaire Mark Ronson (whose solo cover album was one of my favorite albums of last year).  If my math is correct, the combination of Ronson's slick producin' and Wale wit and lyricism should make his forthcoming album Back to the Feature pretty awesome.  This single, Warwick Avenue, features Duffy and is a pretty neat little jam.  Download the mp3 here and check it out for yourself.  

If you've never heard of Wale you should definitely check out two of his mixtapes.  The first, 100 Miles and Running features one of my favorite songs of the year: W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.  The song features the DC rapper spittin' over one of my favorite songs from last year D.A.N.C.E.  I never thought that Justice could be used as a rap beat, but I guess that's just a tribute to Wale's genius. The second mixtape worth checking out is The Mixtape About Nothing.   It's a Seinfeld themed mixtape.  'Nuff said.  Do yourself a favor and download The Mixtape About Nothing and 100 Miles and Running.  If nothing else you MUST hear W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.

Kanye and Coldplay ft. Jay-Z

Two new tracks for your ears:

1.  Kanye had an outragous party, that as far as I can tell from his blog, consisted of nothing but concrete, lights and naked women.  He premired his new album 808s & Heartbreak for the nude crew and released another Auto-Tune filled mp3 of a song called Heartless.  

2. Jay-Z has yet again teamed up with Chris Martin and the Coldplays.  Although billed as a remix with Jay-Z, this version of Lost! is pretty much the same except for the verse Hova adds in the last part of the song.  It's cool, but kinda dissapointing.  Maybe it's just because the quality isn't great, but I'm less than impressed.  Download it for yourself, maybe I'm wrong. 

New Eminem!!!

This morning a song from Eminem's long awaited sixth LP, Relapse, hit the blogosphere. We've been hearing for some time now that the album would be entitled King Mathers, and based on this title alone I assumed that this would be a return to greatness.  Although I wouldn't describe any of his albums as weak, the latest few have failed to capture the extreme controversy and genius present in his first slew of albums.  The new song, titled I'm Having A Relapse, isn't bad.  I haven't had a chance to listen to it enough to disect the lyrics, but after a first listen, I'm definitely a fan.  It's only two minutes, but hey, its two minutes from a dude we've been waiting a long time to hear.  The leak has been surrounded by some unsubstantiated rumors that new albums from 50 Cent, Eminem, and Dr. Dre will all be released in relatively close succession starting late 2008 and continuing into early 2009.  Apparently, Dre has produced most of Relapse (awesome) which has allowed Mr. Mathers to spend most of his time working on lyrics (awesome).  But let's be real, Dretox/Detox is the one that we are all waiting for.  50 Cent's album is set to be released December 9, but neither Relapse, nor Detox have any confirmed release dates.  Enough chit-chat, snag the I'm Having A Relapse mp3 here.

A Milli: Live with The Roots!

Lil Wayne and The Roots.

?uestlove plays drums AND does all of the "A Milli"s.  

Enough said.

Download the mp3.

Fall Out Boy Returns With Yet Another Absurdly Titled Single

Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet is the leatest Fall Out Boy song and it precludes their upcoming album, Folie a Deux set for release on November 4th.  Folie a Deux literally translastes to madness shared by two, and Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet refers to the habitual head-first-slider/gamblin' machine Pete Rose.  Who knew?  I didn't. Luckily, wikipedia did.  Anywho, the song is pretty solid.  If I had to guess the release of this next album will continue the pattern of incredibly fun singles, and relentlessly forgettable album fluff.  However, I should note that the fact that I'm giving them even that much credit shows years of growth and increased tolerance to a band I once dismissed.  Listen via YouTube here. 

Oh No! Oh Yes!

I have a nasty habit of forgetting about how good Andrew Bird is.  His last album Armchair Apocrypha is a beautiful, whistle filled journey that is at worst very fun and at best genius.  Mr. Bird has announced that his next album, titled Noble Beast, will released January 27, 2009.  I know it's a long way off, but luckily we've got a nice little stream of Oh No, a song from the new album.  This song is pretty solid, but do yourself a favor and check out Armchair Apocrypha.