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for once its nice weather, here is a perfect chilled playlist to go with the sun!!


Jay-Z-Feelin' It feat. Mecca
The Roots-Episodes
OutKast-West Savannah
Notorious B.I.G.-Big Poppa
De La Soul-Eye Know
A Tribe Called Quest-Luck of Lucien
Q-Tip-Life is Better feat. Norah Jones
Nas-Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park)

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2009 has been slightly underwhelming music wise so far. The rest of the year (especially September!) promise a huge amount though....all the releases I can think of that I'm excited for, with release dates and info for all.

August
Amanda Blank-I Love You (August 4th)
After collaborating with Spank Rock, Ghostface Killah, Santigold, M.I.A. and a fair few more, Amanda Blank is ready to release her debut. Expect production from Diplo, Dave Sitek, XXXChange and more (most likely Switch, Sinden etc).
Sample Track: Might like you better
Excitedness rating: 6/10

Simian Mobile Disco-Temporary Pleasure (August 17th)
Their first album was excellent, although overshadowed by Justice's superior effort, and after first single Audacity of Huge I have high hopes for their 2nd record. Tracklisting has been released already;the album is set to feature Chris Keating, Beth Ditto, Gruff Rhys, Jamie Lidell, Alexis Taylor, Young Fathers and Telepathe.
Sample Track: Simian Mobile Disco-Cruel Intentions (feat. Beth Ditto)
Excitedness Rating: 7/10

Arctic Monkeys-Humbug (August 24th)
Arctic Monkeys release their third studio album the monday before they headline Reading and Leeds, with a change of sound again. After the brilliance of their first 2 albums, Humbug has alot to live up to, but with the songwriting talents of Alex Turner and the exciting production offered by Josh Homme and James Ford, this could well be another album of the decade. A US tour has already been announced for the autumn, I can't wait for some UK dates! tracklisting already released, titles include Dance Little Liar, potion Approaching and Dangerous Animals.
Sample Track: Album now leaked
Excitedness Rating: 10/10

Noah and the Whale-The First Days of Spring (August 31st)
I was not a fan of their first album but, only 1 year later, they have already created at least one song that is better than the whole of their debut put together. The title track is outstanding, and gives me great hope that NatW will step up significantly for their second effort. Tracklisitng here. Blue Skies is the new single, and is also very good!
Sample track: Noah and the Whale-The First Days of Spring
Excitedness rating: 7/10

Nas and Damian Marley-Distant Relatives (unknown date)
The 2009 Rock the Bells headliners combine hip-hop and reggae on this Africa inspired album. Guests are set to include K'Naan, Young Jeezy (wtf?!?!?), Stephen Marley and Stevie Wonder and predicted track titles "Africa Must Wake Up", and "Count Your Blessings". I look forward to K'Naan (Somalia) showing Nas (Queens) and Damian Marley (Kingston, Jamaica) how to rap about Africa.
Sample Track: As We Enter-sample on myspace
Excitedness Rating: 8/10

September coming soon!!


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"i never die, coz death is the cousin of sleep" ah awesome.dload below

Beastie Boys-Too many rappers ft. Nas (mp3)

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its possibly a little hip-hop biased...and i decided to only include one song per artist otherwise it would pretty much have been the tracklisting of Ready to Die...

Top songs:
Aim-Good Disease feat. Stephen Jones
Its all about those soft trumpets and his awesome voice, brilliant chillout music.
Amy Winehouse-I heard Love is Blind
Winehouse at her lyrical peak, this song makes me laugh every time. The light guitar works perfectly with her voice and delivery.
Death Cab For Cutie-The New Year
It's taken me maybe 100 listens and 6 years to work out how good this song is. Amazing
Fleet Foxes-Meadowlarks
Its all about the voice on this. They will own Glastonbury
Jack Johnson-Banana Pancakes
In Between Dreams is pretty much essential beach music...and he has the knack of writing simple but quite beautiful lyrics.
Jay-Z-22 Two's
Ridiclously good.
Justin Timberlake-Take it from here
Is it sad that this is one of my all time favourite songs? He needs some Neptunes production on his third album because thats what made Justified what it is, a classic pop/r&b album. Take it from here combines chilled, brilliant guitar with Tmberlakes soft, smooth voice. Brilliant
Kanye West-Diamonds from Sierra Leone (remix) feat. Jay-Z
Both merk this song. Late Registration is an amazing album.
Mos Def-Do it now feat. Busta Rhymes
The only track on Black on Both Sides to rival Mathematics. The sparring between them is like a more militant version of Q-Tip/Phife Dawg, great prodcution by Mr. Khaliylas well.
Nas-The World Is Yours
My current favourite on Illmatic.
Notorious B.I.G.-Machine Gun Funk
The best rapper of all time. Only Jay-Z and Nas can come close.
A Tribe Called Quest-Electric Relaxation
Q-Tip might be playing glasto!!!
Zero 7-Destiny
Amazing song. Amazing lyrics. Brilliant.

Top albums:
The Notorious B.I.G.-Ready to die
Jay-Z-Reasonable Doubt
Zero 7-Simple Things
Kanye West-Late Registration
Frank Turner-Love, Ire and Song

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defintely a demo, seeing as there is no dre verse on this and this is apparently gonna be on detox...pretty sure t.i.'s verse is gonna be dre's...dre famously doesnt write all his own lyrics, so maybe t.i. wrote the first verse for him?seems a bit of a strange decision when the best lyricist in rap is right there on the 2nd verse (nas btw). Love the beat anyway...tbh i wouldnt be surprised if detox wasnt out til 2010 :(
Dr Dre.-Topless feat. T.I. and Nas



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Obama won!
reposted after removal

1. Kanye West-808s and Heartbreaks
I wont write alot here, because it will end up turning into a rant ( a postive one), so if your interested, here are my initial thoughts on Kanyes 4th.
I now admit this isnt a hip-hop album, it is almost undefinable. Its a pop album i suppose, but nothing like any pop albums before it.
Best track: Kanye West-Welcome to Heartbreak feat. Kid cudi (no link im afraid)
Bonus: Young Jeezy-Put On (feat. Kanye West) his verse on this is ridiculous, and a brilliant set up for 808s...
2. Q-Tip-The Renaissance
2008 was a year of hip-hop discovery for me, a year of A Tribe Called Quest discovery and in turn Q-Tip's awesomeness. This album is fantastic. Its such a positive record, both lyrically and musically. Gettin Up (one of the 2 Dilla productions) is so chilled and upbeat its brilliant. Other highlights include Move (the other Dilla production, Jackson 5 sampling), and Believe (my favourite) and a classic chillout hip-hop song. It was so lovely to have an uplifting hip-hop album this month after being depressed by 808s darkness haha! After 9 years away from releasing his own music, Q-Tip is firmly back on top of hip-hop.
Best track: Q-Tip-Believe (feat. D'Angelo)
Bonus: A Tribe Called Quest-Luck of Lucien
Aparently he will be on one of the 3 new Prince albums this year!
Metacritic (81)
3. The Killers-Day and Age
Another disappointing album, and now my overexcitement has died down probably their worst so far. I was so excited for this album, but its a dud. The first 3 tracks are awesome, electronic classic Killers, but after that the album falls flat. With the excpetion of I Cant Stay, the remainding tracks blend into obscurity. Bloody hell that was negative.
Best track: The Killers-Losing Touch
4. Beyonce-I Am...Sasha Fierce
Beyonce also released her worst album to date, with a double album to represent herself (I Am...with big ballads a la If I were A Boy but much worse and boring!) and her alter ego (Sasha Fierce, upbeat tunes a la Single Ladies). The first half of the album may as well be chucked away, Beyonce has made much better slow songs (Irreplaceable for one), but it has always been her upbeat tunes that I have liked. Sasha Fierce provides 2 awesome examples of this in Single Ladies and Diva. Although im not quite sure of the lyrical gist of single ladies, its a big tune. And Diva I probably just like because the beat is as close to A Milli you can get without actually sampling it. Bangladesh produced A Milli and Diva surprisingly enough. Her vocals are actually brilliant on it. Anyway, it has nothing on her first 2 albums in terms of consistency, and it is lacking a BIG guest appearance from Jay-Z! I am hoping for a Diva remix with him sparring with her about being a hustler or some shit.
Best track: Beyonce-Diva
Metacritic (62)
5. T.I.-Paper Trail (UK release)
Not listened to this enough yet to make a full judgement, but not a huge fan on first couple of listens. Live your life is a ridiculously good song though, and Whatever You Like although badly written and generally silly is also great. Not quite sure of the moral message of Live your life, but its so infectiously good I cant complain.
Best track: Live your life feat. Rihanna
Metacritic (73)

Ludacris also released a feature saturated album this month. T.I, T-Pain, The Game, Rick Ross, Chris Rock, Chris Brown, Jamie Foxx, Lil Wayne, Nas, Jay-Z and common are just a few of the artists on the album. Its still pretty rubbish. The Nas/Jay-Z featured track is by far the best song, the Nas verse is brilliant.
Ludacris-I Do It For Hip-Hop (co-starring Nas and Jay-Z)
"They say I’m so low key, I’m socially awkward
Only those that really know me are the ones that I talk with
They smile in the light, hate in the dark,
you call it beef, to me its's just a fuckin’ walk in the park
Because you are who you are when nobody is looking
That's who you are so when the cash and cars is gone, the day after tomorrow
Don’t be askin’ to borrow, ski maskin’ it hard, like the way you rap in your bars
I could ride on you and whoever, devise new endeavors
I’m as live as hive full of predators
Twenty thousands different species of bees
Some half poisonous sting, some just pollinating their leafs
It's just like rap, some will buzz some will attack, compromising their own life in fact
Sixteen years since my first sixteen, pardon the rest of my niggas
But I’m the best whoever did it" Nas
I bought Illmatic for £3.60 from zavvi yesterday, good times.


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The Dark Knight is released to huge universal acclaim and box office takings.

1. Nas-Untitled
"Im over their head like a bulimic on a seesaw"
Originally entitled N*gger, Nas' 9th album was renamed Untitled. But not without a fight (see "You Cant Stop Us Now"). Nas still has the lyrical power and drive he had 14 years ago. He covers a wide range of topics on the album, including the hypocrisy and unfairness in the music biz (Hero, "If Nas can't say it, think about these talented kids
With new ideas being told what they can and can't spit"), and of course Fox News (Sly Fox, "What's a Fox characteristic?
Slick shit
Sensin'
Misinformation
Pimp the station
Over stimulation
Reception
Deception").
Queens get the money is probably my favourite, a breathless rap over a sweet piano loop. Although this is only the 3rd Nas album i've heard, I can onyl say good things about it. Nas is a true hip-hop great.
Best track(s): Nas-Queens Get The money
Nas-Hero (feat. Keri Hilson)
Metacritic (71)
2. The Hold Steady-Stay Positive
"Brooklyn based band The Hold Steady release their 4th album in 4 years, and the progression from 2006's Boys & Girls In America is huge.
Lyrically it's front man Craig Finn's strongest work, taking the tales of girls, booze and drugs ever present in their first 3 albums and contorting them into dark tales of murder and sleeping around. These clash perfectly with the (few) upbeat tracks, the likes of Yeah Sapphire and Sequestered In Memphis.
The Hold Steady have produced the most epically grim and also brilliantly upbeat album in years. It's hard to grasp Finn's real attitude towards life, there's moments of despair followed quickly by moments of immense positivity. His attacks on "the scene' in Slapped Actress are canceled out by the genius Stay Positive, where Finn essentially lists all the issues and then says "it'll be alright though".
This band deserves so much more press than they get, and this album proves that. With Kings Of Leon going stadium rock and The Killers going...well...jazz and disco, The Hold Steady are the band to save American rock music in the UK, "we gotta Stay Positive". thanks to Sean over at There's Affection To Rent
Best track: The Hold Steady-Stay Positive

Dishonourable Mention
JME's album was awful. Severely disappointing.
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