Genres
Mixtape: Hoodie Allen – Leap Year
It’s been quite a year for Long Island-based rapper Hoodie Allen. After releasing Pep Rally to widespread acclaim and accumulating tons of buzz in the blogosphere, Hoodie decided to leave his stable job at Google and pursue his music career full time. To wind up a whirlwind year of touring and recording, the MC released a brand new mixtape, entitled Leap Year, for free download on his website.
Hoodie says that the mixtape is “me growing up on record” and on first listen I’d have to agree with him — for the most part. While the mixtape still features a number of fun and poppy samples intended to draw in first-time listeners on the Hype Machine or just through blogs in general (Fitz and Tantrums on the first track, for instance), Hoodie’s lyricism and delivery has greatly improved since Pep Rally. But the greatest change between this mixtape and the latter is Hoodie’s attempt to open himself up to his audience through slower, more introspective songs. Most of the production is still handled by long-time collaborator RJF and the mixtape still sounds quite similar to his earlier work, but Hoodie attempts to tone himself down, a bold move towards revealing his serious side.
Sure, he hasn’t yet mastered this new style and he’s still finding his comfort zone, but that’s alright — considering his work ethic and dedication to his music career, I’m sure Hoodie will eventually find his place. Until then, here’s to leap year.
Download: Hoodie Allen – Leap Year (Mixtape)
Stream Aficionado’s New Album
Aficionado has officially released the stream for their new self-titled album, which is out today on No Sleep Records. This new release follows the band’s successful debut EP, When It Comes To Creaton. Aficionado was recorded with AJ Mogis, who has also previously worked with Cursive, Bright Eyes, and M. Ward. You can stream the album here. Read more to see if the band is coming to play near you.
Aficionado Track List:
1. The Things You Like
2. Stir Like Hell
3. Everything Was Right
4. Grandfather
5. Confidence Is Intimidating
6. Honesty
7. Falsified Inspiration
8. Permanent
9. Characters
10. Open Doors
Listen: DOOMSTARKS – “Victory Laps”
MF DOOM (all caps when you spell the man’s name…) and Ghostface Killah, known together as DOOMSTARKS, have finally released “Victory Laps”, the first official single from their forthcoming album. While the two masked rappers have yet to announce the album’s release date, Nature Sounds will first be releasing a picture disc vinyl with “Victory Laps”, the Madvillain remix, and the two instrumentals. You can listen to the two trade lines over a grimy piano loop below.
MP3: DOOMSTARKS – “Victory Laps”
You can preorder the Serato 12″ here.
Kanye West and Jay-Z Announce Tour Dates
In preparation for the release of Watch The Throne, Kanye West and Jay-Z have announced that the two have formed a duo called The Throne and will be embarking on a massive North American tour together this fall.
Kanye and Jay-Z also announced that Watch the Throne will be released on iTunes on August 8th. The album will then be available on other physical and digital retailers on August 12th.
The tracklisting and full tour dates are available below. You can listen to “Otis” here.
Childish Gambino Premieres New Song at Comic Con
Donald Glover / Childish Gambino appeared at San Diego’s Comic Con this weekend to promote his show Community, but the actor/rapper also managed to play a show on Friday night, tearing up the House of Blues and premiering a brand new song. Apologizing for his recent disappearance online and lack of tweets, Gambino announced to the energized audience that he has been busy working on new material before launching into the song, our first taste of the new album. While most of the beat is hard to make out, Gambino’s clever punchlines are clear enough to be made out: “Man, why does every black actor have to rap some? I dunno, all I know is I’m the best one.”
Check out the video after the break. Childish Gamino’s new album will be out in September.
Listen: Gold Leaves – “Cruel/Kind” and “The Ornament”
Seattle-based singer-songwriter Grant Olsen, best-known as half of the folk duo Arthur & Yu, is making his return not with the second Arthur & Yu record, but with a new project called Gold Leaves. His debut release The Ornament has been four years in the making, accompanying Olsen through a wide range of new experiences: marriage, traveling through Central and South America, birth, and death. Linking up with producer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist Jason Quever of Papercuts, Olsen created a collection of intimate, heart-warming tracks, blending Americana with ’60s pop influences. You can listen to two songs, “Cruel/Kind” and “The Ornament”, below. The album will be out on August 16 via Hardly Art (tracklisting after the break).
MP3: Gold Leaves – “Cruel/Kind”
MP3: Gold Leaves – “The Ornament”
[Via Stereogum]
The Maine Cover Angus & Julia Stone
I’m a huge fan of Angus & Julia Stone. If you were around for our 2010 year-end list, you’d know that their 2010 release, Down The Way, topped my album of the year list and that the brother-and-sister duo were kind enough to grant us a streamof “Draw Your Swords” from the album.
So when I stumbled upon this cover of the Stones’ “Big Jet Plane”, performed byThe Maine, I was a bit skeptical. However, the band manages to pull off an impressive rendition of the song, complete with harmonies and birds chirping in the background. You can watch John, Kennedy, and Jared of The Maine perform “Big Jet Plane” below.
New Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Music Video
The collaboration of Seattle’s Macklemore and Ryan Lewis has brought us The VS. EP (click here to download the EP for free) in 2009 and now they have a video out for their song “Wings”, which was originally written in 2008. Ben Haggerty, better known as Seattle hip-hop artist Macklemore, soulfully raps about his love of basketball shoes and the game itself. Watch the video below.
Listen + Watch: Hoodie Allen – “The Chase Is On”
Hoodie Allen does not disappoint his fans. With a year’s worth of experience under his belt since releasing Pep Rally, Hoodie’s back and better than ever. He just released a brand new track (and the corresponding music video!) entitled “The Chase Is On”, which serves as the first single from Leap Year. “The Chase Is On” has the same sound and vibe we’ve grown to love, but Hoodie’s lyricism and deliver have certainly improved, with the rapper employing a sing-song flow over a synth-driven beat.
“Pulling a Lil B,” Hoodie gave us a free download of the song, but also posted it on iTunes. You can support him by purchasing the song here. Leap Year will be out on July 26.
Listen: Y Luv – “All Night” (Original and ZHU Remix)
Indie pop/rock meets house in this brand new remix of Y Luv‘s earworm single “All Night”. For the rework, the Los Angeles band decided to team up with producer DJ Zhu, blending their energetic rock/pop sound with Zhu’s dance stylings. It’s an interesting take on the original track, which was slower and features a booming sing-along chorus. Think The Killers meets Neon Trees. You can listen to or download both the remix and the original track below.
MP3: Y Luv – “All Night”
MP3: Y Luv – “All Night (ZHU Remix)”
Y Luv’s newest EP How Chill Can You Let Go was released April 20, 2011. You can download the rest of the EP here for free.
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