Sunday Service Choir: Jesus Is Born While the lack of West’s voice on Jesus is Born is refreshing, the lack of his fingerprints is disappointing. Read More
Kanye West: Jesus is King At least Kanye’s given us something more interesting to talk about than himself. Read More
Kanye West/Kid Cudi: Kids See Ghosts No one may be more responsible for introducing a dark mood to mainstream hip-hop than Kanye West and Kid Cudi. Read More
Kanye West: The Life of Pablo The Life of Pablo doesn’t ask us to reconsider Kanye the artist in the wake of Kanye the person. Read More
Five Years Later: The Best Albums of 2010!! Five years is an eternity in the life of a record. Read More
Top 25 Songs of 2013 25. Janelle Monáe – “Dance Apocalyptic” [Bad Boy/Wondaland] On her stellar sophomore album, The Electric Lady, Janelle Monáe calls in the musical royalty. The likes of Prince, Miguel, Solange, Esperanza Spalding and Erykah Badu lend their talents to an album that’s a start to finish listen and a triumphant breakthrough for Monáe—nowadays it’s difficult to buy a cup of coffee … Read More
Monthly Mixtape: September 2013 1. Janelle Monáe – “Dance Apocalyptic” (Bad Boy/Wondaland) “Dance Apocalyptic,” the second single from Janelle Monáe’s The Electric Lady, has been kicking around for a couple months now, but hearing it in the context of the full-length release makes its soaring pop and beautifully repurposed future-funk sound even better. That’s in part because it’s one of the first tracks that … Read More
Monthly Mixtape: August 2013 1. Kanye West – “Black Skinhead” (Def Jam) “Kanyeezy you did it again, you a genius nigga!” Pushing harder and dirtier on Yeezus, West has created a song that can finally relieve “Rock and Roll” at the arena, one worthy of jumbotronic stadium sound. “I keep it 300, like the Romans;” indeed. 2. Pond – “Xanman” (Modular People) Pond’s shambling, … Read More