video review: 'TWENTY88' by big sean & jhene aiko

Man, my promotional efforts have been absolute crap these days. Anyway, this record turned out better than expected - not precisely good, but still interesting enough.

Next up... well, you'll see. Stay tuned!

album review: 'metal resistance' by babymetal

Have to be honest, even I am surprised that I'm covering this band, a group that blew up on the Internet and in their native country of Japan a few years back but only now are seeing a real explosion on this side of the Pacific, bound with all of the controversy that one would expect fusing idol j-pop with a hodgepodge of extreme metal.

And really, there shouldn't be a controversy about this. I heard about Babymetal around the time of their debut and really was not all that surprised or impressed by the novelty of the concept. Oh look, a bunch of cute j-pop singers in front of what otherwise would be synth-driven DDR music except with a full metal backing band - cute concept, but on my first few listens that's all it seemed to be: a bit of a gimmick, and not even a new one. Let's face it, as much as some hardcore metalheads will refuse to admit it, heavy metal can work in a pop-leaning context. As much people tend to dump on hair metal or nu metal, both genres have their standouts that can work, and I've always thought symphonic metal with a solid hook can play in the same arena, if only because their power ballads are on a different level compared to most. Hell, I don't even need to point to Nightwish or Within Temptation or - God help us - Evanescence for proof of that, Disturbed is now notching their biggest ever hit on the Hot 100 with a cover of 'The Sound Of Silence'. Now I'll concede the more extreme metal genres have always been a bit different, but I've also heard enough Devin Townsend to know if the melodic hook is strong enough, you can win over most audiences - it's not like the riffs are that much more abrasive than modern EDM synths or a dubstep breakdown.

As such, my issues with Babymetal have always been a little different, because as much as I dig a lot of the heavier riffs fused with pop hooks, there are real problems with that debut album. For one, many of the songs did try to do too much, including genre fusions of hip-hop, reggae, and dubstep that did not fit whatsoever. A more glaring problem came in the lyrics - I get that most people aren't going to bother translating them, but they do come across as a tad too cute to really mesh all the way with a metal sound, which didn't help dispel the image of the band being a gimmick. That said, when I heard their sophomore record was taking things a little more seriously with more cohesion, I figured this was probably worth my time: was I right?

album review: 'twenty88' by big sean & jhene aiko

When I first heard about this project, I thought it was a joke.

And by now you all should know how I feel about these two acts, but in case you don't, Jhene Aiko is probably the one with whom you're a little less familiar. If you do remember her, it's probably for being the best part of that godawful Omarion and Chris Brown track 'Post To Be', although that really isn't saying much given that track landed on my top ten worst hit songs of 2015. And what made it so much worse is that just a year earlier, Jhene Aiko was an R&B star was entirely behind, riding a few pretty songs and EPs to her debut Souled Out, which is one of my favourite R&B albums of the 2010s! Smart, beautifully performed and produced, it had so much goddamn promise - and it did precisely nothing on the charts in terms of singles, even though the record did sell well.

So I understand if Jhene Aiko wanted to network and get a boost for her career... but did it have to be Big Sean of all people? Those of you who saw my Dark Sky Paradise review know that I'm no fan of this guy, who somehow manages to squander the backing and production of Kanye West with some of the corniest and sloppily written bars you'll find in mainstream hip-hop. I'm not going to deny he's made a few songs I like, but the songs I don't like, to quote my buddy Anthony Fantano... (stream of inarticulate 'nos').

So on that note, I shouldn't even be surprised that Jhene Aiko and Big Sean were apparently long time friends, even if it does kind of depress me. It's like remembering that Ariana Grande used to date Big Sean, and that he also dated Naya Rivera from Glee, it just makes me so sad for every woman involved, they can do so much better. But enough tabloid nonsense, apparently they put together a project. And I debated even covering it, given that it was technically considered an EP. But then again, it's a half hour long, Jhene Aiko clearly saw something in this project that's worth while, and Big Sean has been slowly becoming a better rapper, so I decided to check out TWENTY88 - how did it go?

video review: 'lukas graham' by lukas graham

Apparently it's surprising that I chose to cover this album. I was just genuinely curious - for a pop record, it certainly has unique personality, just a little too slick and sanitized for my taste.

Next up... I think I want to keep it as a surprise, if only because how much its existence surprised me. Stay tuned!

album review: 'lukas graham' by lukas graham

I think I've said in the past that music from around the world landing on the US Hot 100 is basically a crapshoot. It happens occasionally, but with the exception of huge established acts from Canada like Drake or Justin Bieber or the UK in Adele, it tends to be very rare that you get a smash hit. And that becomes especially true when you look at the indie scene, as most acts barely have the money to promote themselves within their own country, let alone internationally. However, it becomes a little more likely when you get an act that gets traction stateside and major labels look to hop on the trend and flesh out their respective rosters with whoever they can find. And obviously they're going to opt for Americans first - paradoxically then taking them on international tours before trying to break into the US market - but sometimes they get a little desperate or they find an act that's been quietly doing well and prime the pump for a real push.

So when 'Stressed Out' by twenty one pilots got big, I knew it was only a matter of time before indie pop-leaning acts with borderline emo lyrics would start to creep towards the mainstream pop music to provide the 'smarter' counterbalance to Justin Bieber's whiny narcissism - hence we have Lukas Graham. Now they released a self-titled debut in their native Denmark back in 2012 that got huge reception there... and pretty much nowhere else. And while I wouldn't say I was blown away by it - the writing definitely showed the signs of being a debut, the pop soul blend seemed a little too polished for my taste - it did catch the attention of Warner Bros, which put some backing behind their second self-titled album, otherwise known as the 'blue album', where '7 Years' actually wasn't the lead-off single. It was the third single from that sophomore release... and then thanks partially to the success of twenty one pilots opening the way, the song is now absolutely huge and everywhere, propelling Lukas Graham into the spotlight and Warner Bros to desperately repackage an album for mainstream consumption. So on that promising note, how's the album?

billboard BREAKDOWN - hot 100 - april 16, 2016 (VIDEO)

Well, this happened and has already sparked up furious debate. Billboard BREAKDOWN, folks.

Okay, Lukas Graham next, so stay tuned!

billboard BREAKDOWN - hot 100 - april 16, 2016

So as I predicted, this week is indeed busier than last week, with not just more activity within the charts but a slew of new arrivals... and yet my predictions why this happened seem to have mostly gone unanswered. Sure, Zayn's debut album Mind of Mine made an impact, but not with any new arrivals. Instead... well, let's just say that I'd prefer Zayn had gotten traction than Young Thug.

video review: 'weezer (white album)' by weezer

So I can only imagine how this review will be received... eh, whatever, it happens.

Next up, hopefully a more busy episode of Billboard BREAKDOWN, followed by plenty of new projects on my list, so stay tuned!

album review: 'weezer (the white album)' by weezer

I don't normally talk about artistic legacy on this show, mostly because it'd be unbelievably arrogant of me to assume that I could ever dictate the course of history with one of these reviews. At the end of the day, history is going to proceed as it may, and how much any critic's singular opinion might matter is a complex question. Maybe in the years where singular critical voices had more power and were more recognizable - which paradoxically in the age of YouTube personalities might become a 'thing' again - but when most people read Rolling Stone or Pitchfork, they consider the review a reflection of the outlet's opinion, not of the individual critic who wrote it, and those outlets have more clout than I can see myself having for several years, at the very least.

That said, when you consider the artistic legacy of an act like Weezer, how can you best describe it? A few solid to excellent albums in the 90s, a return to form in the 2010s with Everything Will Be Alright In The End, and between them a wasteland of records that at best were okay and at worst were asinine and insufferable. Because make no mistake, Weezer's been around now for over twenty years, and that length of time becomes significant when you realize how much of their discography doesn't hold up as strongly as you'd hope, especially in comparison with their best. And sure, I can appreciate the relief that Weezer fans must have felt with that record in 2014 actually being good... but at the same time, I have not had any urge to go back and relisten to it in the same way I might Pinkerton or The Blue Album.

And as such I had a lot of mixed feelings about their upcoming newest self-titled record, otherwise known as the 'White Album' - ha, ha, very clever. And yet I had a lot of reservations about covering this, the first being that they pitched long-time collaborating producer Ric Ocasek for Jake Sinclair, the producer you might recognize behind 5 Seconds Of Summer or Taylor Swift. It also didn't help matters that the buzz was suggesting that not only was this record a concept album, but Rivers Cuomo had once again descended down the lyrical rabbit hole - or up his own ass, it's really interchangeable at this point - and I can't be the only one who has long ago ran out of patience for that. I mean, I like eccentric, out-there lyricism that can be tough to decode, but I have a line, and Rivers Cuomo frequently steps over it. So with all of those reservations, how did the 'white album' turn out?

video review: 'hella personal film festival' by open mike eagle & paul white

So this album is fantastic. Again, bit of a hot streak with pretty damn solid records to make up for how slow this year started. I'm enthused, so let's check out that Cobalt record next - stay tuned!

album review: 'hella personal film festival' by open mike eagle & paul white

Well, this is a bit awkward.

See, those who have followed me for the past few years know that I covered Open Mike Eagle's Dark Comedy in 2014 - so much so that it landed on my year end list of my favourite records of that years at #3. And really, that record gets better every single time I hear it: a glitchy, frequently funny, often heartbreaking hip-hop record with so much unique wordplay and thought-provoking ideas that it showed Open Mike Eagle at the top of his game.

And yet even though I really loved that project, I kind of missed both of the projects he dropped in 2015. The first is a little more explainable - A Special Episode Of was an EP, I don't normally cover EPs, and while I did hear it and thought it was really solid, it wasn't really something that captured my attention in the same way Dark Comedy did, and I've always felt that Open Mike Eagle's thoughts are best expressed on fully formed albums rather than short form. The second project is a little less explicable - a collaboration with Serengeti under the name Cavanaugh, something that just slid through the cracks at the end of the year with mostly positive reviews.

But I'm not missing out this time and even though this is also a collaboration project, it strikes me as a little more of a traditional Open Mike Eagle project, as Paul White is a UK-based producer known for working with Danny Brown that handles the majority of the production here. And considering the sound was reportedly more sample driven and soulful - and yet of course still containing that glitchiness you'd expect from Open Mike Eagle that seems to characterize his anxious neuroses - I wondered how well a greater focus on melody would complement Open Mike Eagle's occasionally sing-song rapping cadence. Either way, a blend of old-school sounds and progressive hip-hop is right up my alley, so I dug deep into Hella Personal Film Festival - what did I get?

billboard BREAKDOWN - hot 100 - april 9, 2016 (VIDEO)

Well, that was a quick week. Next up, Open Mike Eagle - got a lot to say here, so stay tuned!

billboard BREAKDOWN - hot 100 - april 9, 2016

So one thing I've noticed is that Billboard BREAKDOWN has tended to attract the most conversation and arguments of my material, mostly because it refers to the mainstream and songs that everyone knows and hears day by day. So when I looked at the the majority of our new arrivals and our new top ten entries, I almost threw up my hands. I mean, Meghan Trainor is back in the top ten and Iggy Azalea has returned to the charts, I should tell you all to have fun, keep it as civil as possible, get up, and walk away, especially considering I've had... let's say controversial opinions about both artists that'll leave nobody happy.

video review: 'mind of mine' by zayn

Well, this was a fascinating listen. Took a little longer to get out than I wanted, but Easter happened, you know.

Next up, Open Mike Eagle, but first we got Billboard BREAKDOWN, so stay tuned!

album review: 'mind of mine' by zayn

Kind of amazing how history repeats itself, isn't it?

Well, not directly, of course, but we've been down this road before, nearly fifteen years ago. The boy band now facing the difficult shift of the pop culture landscape away from pop and towards R&B, with a clear stand out talent looking to go solo and thus achieve a level of fame and success the rest of the band could only dream about. It'd be a choice made with the reassurances that the boy band wasn't really dead and they'd pull things together again... only deep down, you knew that if the solo album was a smash, there was no going back.

But there are a few fairly important differences between the story of Justin Timberlake and Zayn Malik, the first being that while N'Sync folded very quickly after JT's departure, One Direction managed to push out one more release that actually didn't show a huge dropoff in quality. Furthermore, if you had asked anyone two years ago who the breakout star from One Direction was going to be, I don't think anyone would have said Zayn. Everyone's eyes were on Harry Styles, the guy who had dated Taylor Swift and who was the most immediately recognizable face of the group. Hell, even if you dug through the liner notes Zayn would still not be the easy choice - it wasn't like he was the prolific songwriter like JT was, quietly cowriting most of the band's biggest hits, that honour would probably go to Liam.

And yet of the inevitable stream of solo albums, Zayn was the first to the punch - and not only that, he beat out his bandmates with a #1 single, something they didn't even manage to achieve. Like Justin before him, he was remaking his image into something sleek and openly sexual - and believe it or not, I'm planning on taking this seriously. Even though Zayn is a very different performer than JT was - and I'm honestly not convinced he's better - this project doesn't immediately strike me as a studio cash grab. For one, there was reportedly a track where Zayn sang in Urdu, referencing his Pakistani heritage and spirituality for a defiantly unique move in modern pop/R&B, especially in the mainstream. His only guest star is Kehlani, a R&B singer you might recognize from one of her critically acclaimed mixtapes or the last Pusha T album, but again, not really a commercial move. At the very least, this promised to be an interesting listen, so I dug into Mind Of Mine - what did we get?

video review: 'southern family' by dave cobb & various artists

You know, if I don't find another record that matches this, it'll be a compilation record that'll be my album of the year. Weird, but I'm kind of down with that - mostly because it quite literally is that goddamn amazing. Chills everytime, man.

Next up... well, might as well deal with Zayn, so stay tuned!

album review: 'southern family' by dave cobb & various artists

This has easily been my most anticipated record of 2016. And to explain why, we need to go back to 1978 and an independent country release called White Mansions. Written by singer-songwriter Paul Kennerley, it was the rarest sort of release in country music: a narrative-driven concept album containing multiple artists each playing a distinctive part. This was in the height of the outlaw movement, and as such recruited artists like John Dillon, Steve Cash, Jessi Colter, and Waylon Jennings himself, even pulling on Eric Clapton to play guitar on a few tracks. And while the tighter budget definitely shows at a few points, the ambition was unmistakable: this was the story of the Civil War from the South's point-of-view, but pulled zero punches about the roots of the conflict and the deep, lingering scars left on the American psyche, especially in the South. I can say bluntly that the political fallout would make such a record impossible to make today - and I can say without hyperbole that it is a classic country album, and if you're lucky enough to find a copy, I can't recommend it highly enough.

So why is any of this relevant? Well, if you've been watching the resurgence of outlaw country around the edges of Nashville, you shouldn't even be surprised. Over the past two to three years and the increasingly sterile and meat-headed modern country scene, the independent country scene has expanded like never before. Part of this is the rise of the Internet allowing local acts to gain groundswell, but at the epicenter is one incredibly gifted producer whose hands have touched most of the best country records of the past several years: Dave Cobb. Now I've raved about this guy a number of times on my channel - and if you know his production background you'll understand why - but what you probably don't know is his work behind the scenes, becoming the new caretaker of the legendary Studio A in Nashville and establishing his own publishing imprint, which gives him the ability to foster greater talent. Of course, it's also helped matters that he's produced some of the biggest indie country albums of the past few years, from Sturgill Simpson to Jason Isbell, from Lindi Ortega to the Grammy-winning debut album from Chris Stapleton.

And all of this has given him the clout and budget to pursue the sort of passion project country fans don't dare to dream about: a concept record inspired by White Mansions with the sort of line-up that would seem impossible. Let's run through the list: Jason Isbell, Chris and Morgane Stapleton, Jamey Johnson, Brandy Clark, Holly Williams, Brent Cobb, Anderson East, Shooter Jennings, John Paul White formerly of the Civil Wars, Rich Roberson of the Black Crowes, and not to completely exclude the mainstream, Zac Brown and Miranda Lambert. This is an Ayreon project for country music from one of the best producers in the industry, which meant that while this is my most anticipated project of 2016, it was also the one where I had the highest of expectations - could Dave Cobb pull this off?

video review: 'imperial' by denzel curry

Man, this turned out pretty solid. Really dug it, just hope it's going to stick with me.

Next up... okay, I think I'm ready for Southern Family, so stay tuned!

album review: 'imperial' by denzel curry

You know, if I go back through my hip-hop reviews over the past few years, I've tended to notice a trend of which I'm certain many of you find exasperating: that even when the flows are good and can connect, if the actual lyrical content doesn't come through in the same way I tend to be a little more harsh. A$AP Rocky, The Game, Logic, Future, Drake, you get the general picture - these guys can flow, but if the content gets recycled or doesn't stand out, I don't tend to connect as strongly. Hell, even though I liked the Flatbush Zombies debut, I'm well-aware that without stronger, unique content, I might not come back to it in the same way. And for once I know exactly why that is: for one, while I like a good hook, when you hear so much music throughout the course of a year, the hooks really have to have strong melodic backdrop or real punch to really stick with me long term. Same with flows: I've heard so many cadences and methods of delivery that only the most distinctive and impressive stick with me - and yet when we come to content, it's not just reliant on pure technical craftsmanship to impress me and taps into a different part of my focus. To put it another way, if you give me a rap song with creative metaphors or really makes me think, I'll probably remember it a lot more than just the newest banger.

This takes us to Denzel Curry, a Miami rapper who is known for some insane, well-constructed flows and some weird, borderline-chiptune inspired hardcore production, but always grabbed me were his blend of raw and visceral gangsta storytelling and a reference pool that could dip into geekier subjects without sounding all that corny. And while I didn't love his debut album Nostalgic 64 - I thought it dropped off in quality on the final third despite having some potent tracks - when I heard his follow-up Imperial this year was going to be tighter, more concise, and even more hard-hitting, I prepared myself for an aggressively potent experience - did I get it?

billboard BREAKDOWN - hot 100 - april 2, 2016 (VIDEO)

This week... yeah, I had more fun than usual making this, definitely a good week.

Next up, I need more time for Southern Family, so might as well cover Denzel Curry first, so stay tuned!