Leonland - Leon Barnard
Music > Songs I've been into
"6b Panorama"
Song: "6b Panorama"Artist: Aesop Rock
Album: Float
Track No.: 11
Notes: This track is not much more spectacular than any of the other songs on 'Float', but it really shows off his ability to tell a story, not to mention flow like a champ. It's amazing how much content he packs into a 2-minute long song. Compare this to a typical top 40 hip-hop track which usually has a 30-second intro of mumbling, a minute of "unh, yeah"'s, and lots of chorus, leaving about 45 seconds of actual verse, most of which is stale and/or unintelligible. I love Aesop Rock; go out and buy 'Float' and 'Labor Days'!
"Degobrah"
Song: "Degobrah"Artist: Butter 08
Album: Butter 08
Track No.: 10
Notes: This song took a while to grow on me since it's mostly made up of non-sensical screaming, but I came to love the freedom and craziness of it. Best line: "you cant f**k with me, I've got the force on my side!"
"Get Ta Steppin'"
Song: "Get Ta Steppin'"Artist: Hi-Tek (feat. Mos Def & Vinia Mojica)
Album: Hi-Teknology
Track No.: 9
Notes: It may seem at first that Mos Def really makes this track, but what I discovered as I listened to this song on repeat is that Hi-Tek's beat is so infectious and dynamic that it wouldn't really matter who was be-bopping over it. The separate pushing forward, then pulling back of the drum and organ leaves you wanting more, yet getting just enough to bob your head and feel the groove. That being said, however, Mos Def and Vinia Mojica do a very good job of matching their vocals to the flow of the music, rather than just trying to sing or rap "over" it.
"I Still Feel"
Song: "I Still Feel"Artist: Martina Topley-Bird
Album: Anything
Track No.: 6
Notes:
"Raw Addict, Pt. 2"
Song: "Raw Addict, Pt. 2"Artist: Quasimoto
Album: The Further Adventures of Lord Quas
Track No.: 24
Notes: This song didn't jump out at me at first. It took a few listens before I really came to appreciate the freshness and tightness of the beat. The lyrics don't detract from the song, but it's the beat that really shines on this track. I can't get it out of my head, but that's OK for now.
"Robot Rock"
Song: "Robot Rock"Artist: Daft Punk
Album: Human After All
Track No.: 3
Notes: This song is a retro-futuristic, all-knobs-to-eleven, techno-rock celebration. It gets redundant pretty quickly, but, man, does it rock hard. The song title describes it perfectly.
"Sagg Shootin' His Arrow"
Song: "Sagg Shootin' His Arrow"Artist: Jimmy Smith
Album: Root Down
Track No.: 1
Notes: If I had discovered this song when I was 17, I'd be a lot cooler now. It really jumps and the groove is so infectious.
"Since I've Been Loving You"
Song: "Since I've Been Loving You"Artist: Led Zeppelin
Album: Led Zeppelin III
Track No.: 4
Notes: Rockin' blues at it's best. And I love that it's over 7 minutes long, which gives it enough time to really take hold of you.
"The Girl I Can't Forget"
Song: "The Girl I Can't Forget"Artist: Fountains of Wayne
Album: Out-Of-State Plates [Disc 2]
Track No.: 2
Notes: You would be hard-pressed to find a catchier tune than this pop-rock ditty. It's tempting to dislike it because it's so head-bobbingly pop, but it's genuine-ness is disarming enough to make you say "oh, what the hell" and totally get into it.
"The Hop"
Song: "The Hop"Artist: Radio City
Album: Music Is My Art
Track No.: 2
Notes: I heard this song on KCRW the other day and thought it was pretty darn fresh. They said that the album won't be out until next year, but I found an mp3 of this song on the Net. I've been playing it a few times a day all week.
"The Sermon"
Song: "The Sermon"Artist: Jimmy Smith
Album: The Sermon!
Track No.: 1
Notes: This song is over 20 minutes long, and it's totally enjoyable from start to finish.
"Tuxedo Rap"
Song: "Tuxedo Rap"Artist: People Under the Stairs
Album: Stepfather
Track No.: 6
Notes: Man, the way they capture the old school hip-hop sound without mocking or using it as a gimmick it is great. The beat is so nice, but this track is solid all-around. It just makes me feel good each time I hear it.