TAG: Michael Jackson

Feb17

Georgia Anne Muldrow: Everything Coming Up Roses

Los Angeles’ prolific, free-spirited musician combines African history with organic themes to make her own brand of soulful hip-hop music. 

Producer and singer Georgia Anne Muldrow is on a mission to liberate the world from Eurocentrism. Her purpose is evident in the bold, imaginative songs she creates with people like Mos Def, SA-RA and Erykah Badu and the intensity displayed in her latest self-produced solo album, King’s Ballad. Released February 9 by Ubiquity Records, the album’s hip-hop, progressive soul, funk, jazz and African rhythms invokes both ancient and futuristic themes.

“I’m actively engaging in the battle for opening minds,” she says on the phone from her home in Los Angeles.

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Feb01

Wknd Video Roundup: The Roots Jam Session and Grammys (Video)

This is why I barely watch TV 

We can’t all be A-listers and it’s pretty hard for me to watch three hours of TV, so I gathered the clips that mattered to me. If you need water cooler talk, I gotcha covered.

THE EXCELLENT: With all the hoopla surrounding The Grammys, The Roots Jam Session is the hands-down winner for high-quality and a star-studded turnout. As one of the best house bands and true aficionados capable of bringing down the house, this was one of the night’s highlights. Read the full recap and photos to come soon.

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Jan29

Lindstrøm & Christabelle – Real Life Is No Cool (Review)

Lindstrøm & Christabelle

Real Life Is No Cool

Released by Smalltown Supersound / Feedelity


The Norwegian maestro of disco, Hans-Peter Lindstrøm, teams up again with Christabelle (also known as Solale), and together they craft a masterful 10-song pop album. They have worked together since 2001, and begun working on the album before 2008’s epic Where You Go I Go To. Even though Lindstrøm is famous for his retro futuristic space disco, it never sounds like he’s working within a format. Real Life Is No Cool lacks the long masturbatory jams, and is tighter and more formal than his last few releases. The album is filled with new-wave pop melodies and piano house keys. It's sharp and chunky with heavy stomping basslines and wobbly arpeggiated synths. Wrapped in a warm and organic analog production, it's as dreamy as its title suggests.

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Dec31

Spike Lee’s Posthumous Video for Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” (Video)

One of the downsides to 2009 was the amount of amazing musicians we lost.  Even if you only counted the last 6 months we have lost too many good people from our hearts and stereos, the most high profile of these being The King of Pop – Michael Jackson.  The event will most likely go down in our minds ranked up there with the falling of the Berlin Wall or the Twin Towers, the day the King of Pop fell.  Despite any feelings you had for the man, good or bad, you will have to answer questions about it in the future.  Five years from now you could be around a dinner table discussing what you where doing when these events happened.  15 years from now your children or grand children will ask you who he was or what it …

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Dec28

Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Heads Will Roll” (Video)

The latest video from the YYYs is like a condensed version of Michael J. Fox’s after-school special Teen Wolf with a Michael Jackson tribute starting with the werewolf donning the iconic white-socks-suit look and a light-up dance floor. Karen O is in fine form and attire–theatric without bordering on parody (cause that’s Lady Gaga)–and when the werewolf attacks, we get a shower of red confetti.

[elitaste]

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Dec23

Best of ‘09 : A Soul Centric Review (URB writer David Ma)

The best part of what I do is all the music I get to listen to; the worst part is all the music I have to listen to.  And yes, there were plentiful letdowns this year.   Sure, you have your Phoenix, your Jay-Z, your Yeah Yeah Yeahs, your Gaga– all huge artists whose work was really really solid.  But they, and a few more, were largely in the minority in ‘09.

Besides all the boring,  trend-chasing releases, there were moments of triumph and originality.  These projects, perhaps niche or weird, do show that smarts and musicianship can still prove successful.  These artists lacked MTV airplay, features in Rolling Stone, and major radio support, but  the actual music, unlike this year’s trite hits, will likely age well in the coming years.

As I sink deeper in age (and curmudgeonism), I find myself sucker-punched by music with one commonality: Soul.  Heartfelt songs that get you in the gut can’t be denied.  Here are solid releases that, for one reason or for many, struck me hard in ‘09.   …MORE

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