Music
Review: NIcky Minaj, Pink Friday
I was pretty much destined to have a complicated relationship with Nicki Minaj. On the one hand I just want her to succeed; one, because she is trying to revive the sadly lapsed tradition of fierce female rappers, and two — my more visceral reason — because she, like me, is a woman of Caribbean descent trying to do big things.
Guilty Pleasures: Peter Frampton, “Frampton Comes Alive!”
I wasn’t always ashamed of Frampton Comes Alive! I disowned it only in my mid–adolescent hipster years, after the following words, encountered in a magazine, dealt my innocence a cruel blow: “Frampton Comes Alive! is a fixture of record store bargain bins.” I hadn’t known that five–minute talk–box solos, exclamation–pointed album titles and cover art showing Frampton doing his best impersonation of Christ were not cool.
One Track Mind: “Doncamite,” Gorillaz
If you thought Gorillaz were satisfied with this year’s Plastic Beach, their epic, critically–acclaimed third album, you’d be wrong.
Review: Girl Talk, All Day
All Day is, by its very nature, an extremely difficult album to review. There aren’t really “songs” to highlight, themes to pick up on, lyrics to quote.
One Track Mind: “Together Baby,” Ghostface Killah
One of Wu Tang’s most active members in the current music scene, Ghostface Killah shows no sign of slowing down, following up last year’s misguidedly R&B–centered Ghostdini: The Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City with The Apollo Kids, set for release Dec.
One Track Mind: “Car Crash,” Telekinesis
After a first listen, “Car Crash” seems like a major contradiction: the song’s airy, unmistakably happy hook draws us in while the morose opening lyrics question this upbeat nature.
Review: Kanye West, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”
Kanye West has a lot of haters. With his type of personality, it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t.
Defibrillator: Belle & Sebastian, “If You’re Feeling Sinister,” (1996)
Though I was only five at the time of its 1996 release, my awkward adolescence was in full bloom by the time I discovered Belle and Sebastian’s If You’re Feeling Sinister in high school.
Review: Rihanna, Loud
Rihanna’s fifth album, Loud, celebrates sex, love, and having a good time — a stark contrast with the anger emanating from her previous album, Rated R.
Beats On The Streets
While we generally feel pretty good about our music choices, we often seek the opinions of our musically–inclined co–editors and friends to round out our iTunes libraries.
Pump Up The Volume
If you’ve read the Music section, well, ever, you know how much we love to keep you in the loop about our favorite new releases.
Review: Matt & Kim
With their third album, Sidewalks, Matt & Kim seem to have captured the pulse of our generation.
Review: Cee–Lo Green, The Lady Killer
When “Fuck You” hit YouTube this August, it took the music world by storm. Now, with the long–awaited release of his third solo LP, The Lady Killer, Cee–Lo Green returns to the spotlight with a fresh batch of neo–soul goodies.
Review: Kid Cudi, Man On The Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
In a world where the Top 40 consistently includes hip–hop, Kid Cudi is increasingly becoming an anomaly.
Defibrillator: Outkast, "ATLiens" (1996)
In the past two years, I have taken no fewer than three road trips through the South. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the greatest part of the country: fantastic food (Paula Deen is from Savannah), warm climate and, of course, OutKast.
Review: "The Fool," Warpaint
With haunting melodies and hypnotic guitar riffs the women of Warpaint bring a sexy spookiness to their particular brand of art rock.
One Track Mind: "Get Some", Lykke Li
Given that her last single was a moody contribution to the Twilight soundtrack, Lykke Li’s latest — the aptly titled “Get Some” — is nothing if not a breath of fresh air.
One Track Mind: "Crime Pays", Bear Hands
If you’re at all nostalgic for Oracular Spectacular, MGMT’s crazy electro–funk debut album, then you’ve received an awesome, neon–wrapped gift in the form of Bear Hands.
REVIEW: Avey Tare, Down There
On the cover of Avey Tare’s first solo effort is a crocodile skull, rippling with sharp green details that vaguely resemble a sort of digital swamp grass.
