Electric Relaxation: What I'm Listening To

It's been a while since let's bring back Electric Relaxation to hip you to what I'm listening to.

M83 “Midnight City”

I stumbled on this song by accident, thanks to Lupe Fiasco’s last mixtape. Lupe created a song that not only was a perfect ending calling for justice and shouting out Occupy Wall Street, but gave you optimism that change could happen if we seek it. I had to hear the original just to make sure, I got the same feeling.

I’m a fan of big sounding songs and electro music that captures a grand feeling like MGMT “Electric Feel” or LCD Soundsystem “Dance Yrself Clean”. I loved this song right away and I still can’t get enough. Anthony Gonzalez was inspired to make this song being in Los Angeles and I totally could imagine hearing this song driving down the streets late at night.

It sounds like pure energy and when you hear Gonzalez’ haunting vocals, it lulls you into a sense of calm before the music just overwhelms you. And what’s better than a sax solo? Something straight out of the 80’s yet it doesn’t feel cheesy. It just makes you feel good.

This quickly became one of my favorite songs of 2011 right before the gun (similar to how Dance Yrself Clean became one of my 2010 faves in the last month) and it’s still a fave in 2012 as folks catch up. I'm so glad 

(I did listen to Hurry Up, I’m Dreaming yesterday. It’s gonna take a few more listens cause on first glance, it didn’t have enough oomph and was too dream-like and indie without the groove. Funny thing is Gonzalez wanted that).

B.O.B. “Play the Guitar” f. Andre 3000

First time I heard this, I was curious to hear how B.O.B. would sound since he said he was going back to rapping harder, not the poppier stuff on his debut album. Well I don’t know because I was too busy replaying Andre’s verse.

The song gets high marks for sampling Bo Diddley’s classic self-titled track with his famous beats. It’s natural that Bobby Ray and 3 Stacks would fit on here since both play the guitar and have the light-hearted flows to match it.

B.O.B. does have some ill lines and his usual razor sharp cadence fits the beat perfectly without being overwhelmed. But this all about Andre stealing the show, no surprise. The minute he starts his verse, he runs away with the track literally with lines, double entendres and good advice to show why he’s “Silverback Stacks” – going gorillas and killing this beat.

Every time I hear this, I feel like dancing a jig and covering my face at what Bobby and Dre did on this. So far, it’s my favorite hip hop track of 2012 and shouts to Salaam Remi doing wonders on the beat.

The Fray “Heartbeat”

Full disclosure, I’m not a big fan of the Fray’s lighthearted music. I wasn’t fond of “How to Save a Life” or “Over My Head” cause it sounded like Coldplay-lite yet they did do an amazing cover of Kanye’s “Heartless” that I thought captured the soul and bleakness Kanye hinted at.

But this song got my attention. Maybe it’s the driving music that sounds more rock-oriented than the piano-driven earlier music. Maybe it’s the repeating of “You gotta love somebody, love them all the same.” It didn’t sound like The Fray I remember and I like it.

If their latest album is more of a rocking direction like this, I can dig it. Plus the lead singer said this song was inspired by his time in Africa and meeting somebody who survived the Rwandan genocide. It’s powerful and that urgency comes across in him singing this.

Kendrick Lamar “Cartoons and Cereal” f. Gunplay

I’m a Kendrick fan and dude deserves his own space on here to explain his greatness. If you haven’t heard Section.80, you’re missing out big time. We’re already moving on to his latest gem right here.

This song could’ve been a B-Side on that album cause it fits with his themes of criticizing modern society and how the youth are being suckered into it.  Over a spaced-out beat, Kendrick’s preaching some truth about waking up to reality while reliving memories watching cartoons – something I can relate to in my former life.

“Things we will never learn soon. In this era where we wanna earn soon, That’s an error, you can smell it in the air and everybody’s doomed”

Gunplay also has a powerful, soul-bearing 3rd verse that I’ve come to expect and gladly appreciate from a Southern rapper. If Kendrick is Andre 3000 on this beat (in terms of being spaced out), Gunplay brings it home with talking about living the street life but not glamorizing it.

It’s an excellent song and Kendrick’s hot streak isn’t cooling off.

Let's Do It Again: My Grammy Reaction

I didn't want to do it because it felt like I'm stating the obvious. I didn't want to do it because it might be a waste of energy throwing more dirt on a dirty game. But it's tradition. Some stuff can't be avoided so here it is, my take on the Grammy Award nominations.

Album of the Year: Oh boy, where do I start. Katy Perry????? Really???? Come on, who in their right mind thinks is a good album, let alone a quality one? It's no secret I think Katy is cute but as a musical artist, she's an average vocalist live benefiting from overproduction. This is the 2nd thing this year she earned that she didn't deserve.

And Lady Gaga getting a nomination for an EP? Just stop. Even if it's well reviewed, an EP better be the "Thriller" of EP's to get nominated over full albums. Whatever man. Props to the Arcade Fire getting deserved AOTY love. As for Eminem, I'm happy for him but can't say this album deserves that slot.

I love "Recovery" as a great comeback album. Eminem's inspired with some of the best songs he's released in years. But to be simple, there were better hip-hop albums, let alone other albums.

Who I'm happy for:

- Cee-Lo for one of the best songs of the year. People keep forgetting his career in Goodie Mob and his 2 solo albums before Gnarls Barkley but this time, he gets to stand alone with Record/Song of the Year noms. "F You" - hilarious!

- I became a fan of Bruno Mars watching him on Saturday Night Live. I clowned him on Twitter for getting busted for coke but his vocal chops, musicianship and stage presence won me over. He helped produced "F You" and got love for "Nothin on You" with B.O.B. Kudos for 7 overall noms, including Producer of the Year but no Best New Artist?

- Earlier comments aside, I'm happy for Eminem. He deserves (fair) praise for a great album and leads the pack with 10 nods. I wouldn't be shocked if the Grammys used this to make up for 10 years ago when he should've won for Marshall Mathers LP instead of Steely Dan. Hip hop deserves a good win even if it's not the best one.

- B.O.B. = 5 nods, The Black Keys = 4 nods, John Legend + The Roots = 4 nods. Love this. Black Keys made one of the best rock albums of the year and deserve to get as much shine as Arcade Fire.

- Lecrae getting love for Best Christan Rock/Rap Album. "Rehab" hit me and my crew pretty well.

- Producer of the Year. Always usually excellent.

- California Gurlz NOT getting any major nominations. Chicks love it but for a Cali anthem, I couldn't embrace it.

- Treme nominated for Best Soundtrack. The music added to the great New Orleans vibe of the show and this is WELL deserved.

- Best Movie Score: Avatar and Inception - the music added to the great moods. Brilliance.

What I hate

- How did Janelle Monae and Big Boi only get TWO nominations? Take away both sharing one for "Tightrope" and they only ONE a piece! Two of the best albums of the year, folks.

- Best Rap Album - I wish The Roots could win this but that overrated trash Blueprint 3 will probably win.

- Thanks to Grammy eligibility rules, Jay-Z is gonna get plenty of love for "Empire State of Mind". Even though I'm sick of it.

- Jay-Z and Eminem dominating 4 out of 5 slots for Best Rap Song. Doesn't speak well for diversity of the genre.

- Drake nominated for Best New Artist. Didn't he get nominated 3 times last year?? Then again Silversun Pickups got nominated last year despite that being their 2nd album. (Sidenote, this New Artist category is interesting. Bieber, Drake, the impressive Florence + The Machine, then who???)

- Rock was kinda weak this year so no surprise the nominees are iffy. I love seeing recognizable names such as Alice in Chains, Korn and the return of Soundgarden. But I wish I found more rock CD's like Black Keys that made me wanna rush to support it.

- Barely any love for Sade. Great comeback single and it's almost like she didn't even return. Wait til her tour next year.

?uestlove tweeted that 4 out of 5 nods for Record of the Year were hip hop or R&B affiliated. I'd be happier if that were Song of the Year because that gives credit for songwriting. Our music deserves Grammy approval  for being exceptionally written among all genres. Doesn't matter, can't anyone tell me that.

I remember in 2005, the Grammys nominated Kanye's debut, Usher's Confessions, Alicia Keys' 2nd album, and Green Day's American Idiot for AOTY. All great albums that still stand timeless. Even though Ray Charles would win for his final album, you can't argue enough for how great those 4 were.

The year before, it was Speakerboxxx/Love Below, Elephant (White Stripes), Missy Elliot's Under Construction among the group. See ya'll, Album of the Year at least nominated some worthy albums in the past. This year has to be the weakest in recent memory and make last year's look even better.

Oh, and the Grammy eligibility continues to suck (August to August) and that's why we see 2009 songs/albums nominated here instead of outstanding 4th quarter songs/albums. Kanye's album is probably better than all these yet we gotta wait 12 months for him to get love.

I wish I ran the Grammys. I'd scale back the eligibility window from January 1 to November 27th-December 1st, do the nominations in January, hold the ceremony in February. Oh, and ask my voters to please consider Metacritic, Pitchfork, rap critics and other sources besides who has hits. Just my 2 cents. See you in February