Sunday, December 19, 2010

Week Three

When two of the best lyricists in hip hop team up and make an album you know it's going to be great, but great hardly describes the level that Black Star is on. With Mos Def and Talib Kweli as it's members Black Star is one of the smartest groups around. Even though they've only released one album, I would say that they are among the best rap duo in hip hop. On their album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, it's impossible to choose my favorite song, but Redefinition is a classic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr6SrRQnZv4, as is Thieves in The Night http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LQiuQ1xIBM&feature=related but really all of it is amazing. If you have a hard time understanding rap, this is a group that you should look up the lyrics while listening to them because of how incredible they are. This album was released in 1998 under Rawkus Records and pretty much changed the look and sound of under ground hip hop. Keep listening to music and expanding your knowledge. Stephen Kaplan

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Week Two

When it comes to local bands (boulder area) i don't know many, but my friend Chad showed me this one band and ever since  then I've been hooked. Orange Free State is incredible. With powerful lyrics hidden under catchy melodies and chill guitar and piano they have a winning combination that creates an awesome sound. The cool thing about them is that they're local (I went to middle school with Hein and Vian) and they're on itunes. Also, they play a lot of benefit shows. I actually bought both of their albums, rather than file sharing, that's how much I like these guys. Of their two albums, Brighter Days Coming is my favorite, but not by much, and mostly because it has more material on it. With their song that could easily be a single, Was It You? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYVo6NXwdY4 and also probably my favorite On The Short Waves which I can't find a link for, so you should just buy the album and support these guys, their great. Keep listening to music and expanding your knowledge, Stephen.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Week One

Who doesn't like Bossa Nova? A soft jazz guitar with a cool voice singing in Portuguese and a sax solo every now and then through out the songs? I think that it may be the most relaxing music around, only after music that is solely for meditation. Well this week I have for you an album that can serve as background music, meditative music, or just some thing that will just calm you down and chill you out. It's Getz/Gilberto by Saxophonist Stan Getz and Brazilian Guitarist Joao Gilberto with occasional vocals from Astrud Gilberto. With Getz's cool sound and Gilberto's astoundingly smooth voice and guitar it is perfect for chilling. The album was released in 1964 by Verve Records and is about 40 minutes long. My favorite track is The Girl From Ipanema which has Astrud singing on it. You can find it on youtube, here's a link to The Girl From Ipanema http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8VPmtyLqSY Keep on listening to music and expanding your knowledge, Stephen Kaplan