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James Bagshaw recommended track Rainbow Chaser by Nirvana UK in All of Us by Nirvana UK in Music (curated)

 
All of Us by Nirvana UK
All of Us by Nirvana UK
1968 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

Rainbow Chaser by Nirvana UK

(0 Ratings)

Track

"This is another one that really stuck out when I got into psychedelic music. It’s got all the elements. It’s got the distorted, orchestral thing, you’ve got flangers, tape phase and various other production techniques. Again, the vocal is just slightly twee and whimsical, but the rhythm section is like hip-hop. It’s got all of these weird elements, even though, being the late ‘60s, it was way before all of that. There’s stuff in the ‘50s that has phasing and flanging unintentionally, with tape speeds and certainly when they started multi-tracking there was definitely some cases of accidental phasing. But there’s a lot of talk about ‘Rainbow Chaser’ being one of the first examples of a phaser being intentionally used throughout a song. I don’t think there’s a definitive answer to that though. As much as I like this song, I didn’t delve too far down the rabbit hole with Nirvana. It’s very hard with stuff that’s on compilations, because you will go down avenues, but you can’t go down all of them, especially if you’ve got a boxset like the Rubble one, where you’ve got something like six CDs with twenty-odd tracks. I don’t have enough time in the day to do it, and some of it you just can’t get hold of. There probably are pressings of that single with a B-side, or maybe they didn’t do an album that was released. Because, believe it or not, not everything is on Spotify or Apple Music!"

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A New Perspective by Donald Byrd
A New Perspective by Donald Byrd
1964 | Jazz
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

Cristo Redentor by Donald Byrd

(0 Ratings)

Track

"This was on the soundtrack of Luke Cage, which me and my missus watched quite a lot, it’s a cool series and there’s great music on that show. I first heard this track years ago, but when I heard it again on Luke Cage it reminded me to go and root out the record. “It’s a beautiful snippet of a sort of souly… actually ‘souly’ is the wrong word, I don’t like the word souly, it gives me the wrong image! It’s a beautiful little instrumental moment with these wonderful female vocals doing their thing, they’re almost like Disney vocals. ‘Cristo Redentor’ is a really cool bit of music, I hear something like this and I get inspired and think ‘I want to have a female vocal that does that kind of thing’ or ‘I want that air and space to the bass guitar’, where it sounds like it’s not just DI’ed in but it’s got this roominess to it. It’s quite often sonic things that I hear; where I’ll hear something and think it’s right up my street sonically or it’s the combination of instruments. “There’s such a great tone and vibe to this. I was listening to stuff like this when I was making the record, these sort of moments, like how Hip Hop uses old moments from soul records, that kind of approach. I think production-wise a lot of that stuff is amazing, there’s instruments like glockenspiels and it’s quite orchestral but with this great undertone - it’s different, there’s a dirty rawness about it."

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Gaz Coombes recommended track Nights by Frank Ocean in Blond by Frank Ocean in Music (curated)

 
Blond by Frank Ocean
Blond by Frank Ocean
2016 | Alternative, Pop, Soul

Nights by Frank Ocean

(0 Ratings)

Track Watch

"I think initially I almost had a resistance to wanting to like Blonde because of how hyped it was, but when I finally heard it I could see through all the hype about Frank Ocean, it was just refreshing to hear. Me and my wife listened to it on a long drive home and we loved it, it was the first time I’d heard him and I thought it was a really cool, really experimental record. I haven’t grown up listening to Hip Hop, I’m kind of rooted in other things, but Blonde really spoke to me and I could really hook onto it stylistically. “It was similar with Beyoncé’s Lemonade, that was really hyped as well, but she did this quite odd record. From what I understand the way it was constructed was editing lots of bits together and that’s how I made my record, from a solo artists point of view it’s a lot more about piecing things together. I found both Blonde and Lemonade really inspiring even though on paper they’re not my genre. “‘Nights’ is a really good song. I really like his subtlety, the way he doesn’t overcook it and I thought that was really different. Blonde is an inspiration for how to make and approach a record. He’s not just relying on a single or four big hits to sell the album or to get the point across. It’s a complete record, it’s got weird little segue-ways and tracks that aren’t particularly commercial, they’re a bit weird and that really spoke to me.”"

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Dope (2015)
Dope (2015)
2015 | Comedy, Drama
8
6.8 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Dope

A drug taken illegally for recreational purposes, especially marijuana or heroin.
A stupid person
A slang term meaning very good or awesome.
 

That is exactly what this movie is about. All three of those definitions apply equally to this brilliant film. It tells you right up front with definitions very similar to these right on the screen. Though, the application of each definition may surprise you.

Dope centers around Malcom (Shameik Moore) who, along with his friends Jib (Tony Revolori) and Diggy (Kiersey Clemons), found himself in a difficult situation after attending the birthday party for a local drug dealer. You see the trio are your typical geeks, into computers, math, science, games, have their own band (not as glamorous as you would think)… oh, and obsessed with the nineties hip-hop culture. But they live in a not so friendly neighborhood in Inglewood known as “The Bottoms”. Forced to take an alternate route home from school one afternoon, he unwittingly gets invited to a birthday party for Dom (Rakim Mayers, aka A$ap Rocky), but he is really going because of a girl, Nakia (Zoe Kravitz). While at the party, things start to go south, and Dom hides all of the “Molly” he was in the middle of selling in Malcom’s bag, unbeknownst to him. Once he finds it, Dom tells him to deliver it to a man named AJ, and that’s where all the hijinks begin.

I really don’t want to give away any more than this. The trailer only really tells half the story, and I believe that it will have more impact if you discover it yourself. Needless to say, though, it was really a fantastic movie. With Pharrell in charge of music, and Forest Whitaker and Sean Combs on board as well, the film does a great job at keeping things very original. There were many times where I could not hear the next few lines of dialogue, I was laughing so hard. And the soundtrack was incredible.

If I had to give you a frame of reference, though, think of it like this: Friday meets The Girl Next Door, with a little bit of Superbad mixed in. But the film delivers in so many great ways, and was very excellently cast. Moore did a great job of portraying that awkward geek who just got caught up in some very interesting situations. I should know, because I was there once, too. But the film has a powerful message. Showing off his love of nineties hip-hop, the film begins with Malcolm trying to get his Harvard admittance essay past his guidance counselor, but the essay is about the research to find that good day that Ice Cube talks about in his song. He was asked to write something more personal, and boy did he deliver after everything he went through following that birthday party.

I can’t truthfully say that you absolutely need to see this on the big screen. There’s nothing to really promote seeing it in theaters over at home. But, if you are looking for a good date night movie, this might be the one to see this weekend. While there were a few slow parts, the movie did keep up a good pace and was lighthearted enough to be enjoyable by all. Definitely worth checking out, but when is up to you. Know that I would definitely recommend it though, and will absolutely be picking it up for my home collection when it releases in stores.
  
Home To You - Single by CADE
Home To You - Single by CADE
2019
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
CADE is an LA-based singer-songwriter and producer from Tampa, Florida. Not too long ago, he released an urban pop tune, entitled, “Home to You”, featuring Brooklyn rapper Desiigner.

“Different time, far from home. Hate having to fly here without you. Worrying, don’t know where you are. Hoping that you go to your bed alone ’cause I know you’re quite the dime. Shawty, gems like you are hard to find. You stay on my mind.” – lyrics

‘Home to You’ tells an interesting tale of a young artist who is out on the road, on tour with 12 more shows to go.

Even though he’s living his life-long dream and getting money, he can’t wait to get home to spend some romantic time with his significant other.

‘Home to You’ contains a relevant storyline, harmonious vocals, and twitchy instrumentation flavored with urban pop, hip-hop, and trap elements.

Also, the likable tune follows CADE’s “Strip Club” single featuring Lil Aaron.

‘Home to You’ highlights why CADE is one of the most in-demand artists in the United States.

So far, he has achieved over half a billion streams via Spotify alone, with a sound which fluctuates between future R&B and dance.

Also, he has amassed over 4.5M monthly Spotify listeners and continues to widen his fanbase by supporting artists such as Cheat Codes, Jeremih, Ke$ha, and Mike Posner.

Desiigner rose to prominence in 2016 after the release of his debut single, entitled, “Panda”, which topped the US Billboard Hot 100.

Later that same year, Kanye West sampled “Panda” for his seventh album, entitled, “The Life of Pablo”.

https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/cade-home-to-you-desiigner/
  
Original Pirate Material by The Streets
Original Pirate Material by The Streets
2002 | Rock
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I liked the intro really, it was so inspiring. ""I'm forty-fifth generation Roman,"" where did he come up with that?! Hip hop is massive in Nottingham. There's a massive black community, it's a multicultural city and people just mingle, you know, and share ideas. People were not sure about this idea of a white guy rapping. Even white guys were not sure about it. He's not rapping really - well he is, but he isn't. But you couldn't deny it really, it's all great. The second track, 'Has It Come To This', that kind of dubstep, garage thing. I never even listened to the second album. White people rapping, it needs to be done well. No offense to the guy, but I wouldn't view Professor Green as the same thing, it's more Americanised. Jake Bugg tried to do it on his last album and it just sounded terrible, what was he doing? I can understand him being inspired by stuff, but he needs to check himself. I liked the dry high street observations on this album, the stuff about eating a fry up in a greasy spoon. The stuff that would warm you to him straight away - fried tomatoes, scrambled eggs. That conversation he has with his dad: ""Hold it down son…"" We all do it, ""No, I'm going to be alright, it will work out."" I listened to this when it came out. I was still doing folky and acoustic stuff at this time, it wasn't very good. It took years for me to think about doing something like this. For a long time I thought it was out of my reach, I thought I couldn't do it."

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Fame (2009)
Fame (2009)
2009 | Drama, Musical, Romance
5
6.5 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
I love musicals so whenever the big guys at the studios decide to remake a classic like “Fame”(1982), I get, well, nervous. How could there be a remake of a film that is so well associated with the 1980s without mocking current audience’s film going standards? Would a new “Fame” be possible without the time period that created it in the first place?

“Fame” follows the year-by-year story of a group of kids who apply to and later attend the New York Academy of Performing Arts. The story follows their growth as performers and as people in the never forgiving streets of New York City. The film has the expected music, dancing, and moral tales about the harsh realities of people in search of that ever-elusive “Fame”.

Littered in guest stars ranging from “Frasier’s” Kelsey Grammer to “Will and Grace’s” Megan Mullally, “Fame” seemed less like the remake of a musical and more like a star studded Ellen show.

Still, there are some exceptional performances from less seasoned stars like Anna Maria Perez de Tagle who plays young aspiring actress Joy and Natuari Naughton as Denise a classical pianist who dreams of singing.

While the film is good, it lacks the heart of a truly engrossing musical. The acting is decent and the choreography is excellent but this modernized version of “Fame” complete with Barenaked Ladies song jokes is no “Chicago”. Moreover, the new version of “Fame” varies significantly from the classic, with hip-hop tracks and a rhythm heavy version of the classic theme song. For many the biggest downside to this musical is sure to be the less than engrossing musical numbers.

Like a darker “High School Musical” for a slightly older audience, “Fame” is a decent film worth a watch, but it will not have you singing a medley in your living room.
  
FRiENDS - Single by Derek Simpson
FRiENDS - Single by Derek Simpson
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
Derek Simpson is an artist, producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Long Beach, CA. Not too long ago, he released a DIY music video for his camaraderie tune, entitled, “FRiENDS”.

“Smoke a doobie, have a groovy night. I’m gettin’ loopy have a movie night. Some Bud heavy and a Miller High Life! ‘Cause that’s the only sh*t I need in my life! I ain’t goin’ out, I’m feelin’ chill. Some Harry Potter and a sleepin’ pill. They said that I was just too much to deal. But Seb and Kristie said they love me still. Too many joyrides to help a buddy out. Too many talks, I don’t recall what they’re about.” – lyrics by Jack O’Brien

‘FRiENDS’ is a fun-loving ode to friendship and unbridled adult indulgence.

The likable tune features Derek Simpson alongside his closest friends and roommates—Zac Hartwell, Jack O’Brien, Sebastian Hibbert, and Linden Crumrine.

‘FRiENDS’ contains a relatable storyline and introspective rap vocals. Also, the song possesses mellow instrumentation flavored with hazy lo-fi hip-hop, bits psychedelia, and experimental pop elements.

“‘FRiENDS’ is a love letter to the first support system I was introduced to outside of my hometown. I like to believe that at that age many of us are finding people we actually connect with for the first time. So we excitedly get together regularly and begin to build our tribes on the foundation of celebration. During the close of our time together in Allston, MA, a few of my buddies luckily jumped at the opportunity to take part in this musical mirror of our lifestyle. The reflection shows us something honest, sweaty, hilarious and sweet as we look back years later from three separate corners of the United States, together.” – Derek Simpson
  
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Baxter Dury recommended Loaded by The Velvet Underground in Music (curated)

 
Loaded by The Velvet Underground
Loaded by The Velvet Underground
1970 | Compilation
7.0 (4 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"This was the point where I did start to accept there were other kinds of music than the stuff I’d grown up with. Because I’d listened to so much hip hop and soul, I was very dismissive, even of Bowie. I never began to negotiate with that until I was much older. A real Velvet underground obsessive is less favourable to this album because it’s less pure in their eyes than the cold, earlier stuff, but it’s the first one that got me and drew me into that kind of music. It’s soulful as well. Lou Reed is brilliant. He’s a cunt, but he’s brilliant. I met him once, I did a TV show with him, Metallica and Lana Del Rey in France. It was the most awful panel of people I’d ever had to sit with. The only person that was nice was Lars from Metallica. They lined us all up and we had to stand and look as if we were all bonding. Lou Reed was like a melted mannequin, he had about four breaths left in him, while Lana Del Rey looked like someone had kidnapped everyone she knew. Lars had been to so many AA meetings he was all ‘Oh hey! So nice to meet you!’ Weirdly enough Lou and dad had a bit of a history, because dad’s only tour of America was with Lou Reed and they really hated each other. Lou hated everybody arbitrarily, and dad just hated America. I think that tour ended because dad knew Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood and they met them in LA. He complained about Lou Reed, so Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood went and de-tuned all of Lou Reed’s guitars."

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Caribou recommended Donuts by J Dilla in Music (curated)

 
Donuts by J Dilla
Donuts by J Dilla
2006 | Hip-hop, Rhythm And Blues
4.3 (3 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I'm pretty good friends with Egon who was the A&R guy for Stones Throw. Maybe it's no wonder the albums leaked in unfinished form because he'd send me beat tapes that J Dilla and Madlib would make. You'd get his CD with hundreds of tracks from J Dilla - they're all online now - and the same kind of thing for Madlib. You got the sense that those guys were always making beats. And when Donuts got released, it basically had all the best stuff from those beat tapes. But it's amazing to me how coherent they are and how well they work as an album - from what were seemingly unrelated two-minute snippets of instrumental hip-hop loops. It resonates with me as an album. It's turned me on to so much of the music that he sampled. At the time I was really into finding records with drum breaks and records with samples - that's how I made a lot of my music back then, was out of those records. He got me into that Dionne Warwick track 'You're Gonna Need Me' that he samples on Donuts. That's such an amazing track and he turned me on to that. He turned me on to the Eddie Kendricks record, People… Hold On, which is another one of my absolutely favourite records. He got me back into 10cc. It's also that aspect, of being a doorway into other things. We were on tour loads that year and we never, ever listened to music as a band. There was either silence, or people working on their own music on headphones or listening to stuff or doing whatever. But those two records [Donuts and Madvillainy] we could agree upon, and we'd listen to them over and over."

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