i wanna believe but i'm outta control

After gaining some buzz last summer with its first DFA produced tracks, Free Energy's debut, Stuck On Nothing, dropped on 3/9 via Astralwerks.
The album is an ode to the big 70s guitars and catchy choruses of T. Rex and Cheap Trick. The band has crafted a debut, which is in debt to these groups but sounds super fresh and perfectly timed for the sunshiney weather around the corner.
James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem had a hand in producing some of the album and the man's supreme pop chops can be felt throughout the record.

Give a listen below...

when the cafe doors exploded

Always get excited about new Ted Leo material.
The man's most recent album, The Brutalist Bricks, is more immediate than his last outing and overall much stronger.
The songs take a beefier, punk leaning with Leo taking it down a few notches here and there as well.
I was lucky enough to be standing about three feet in front of him the other week as he played a couple of the new tracks. Even hearing them stripped down to just acoustic guitar, the songs soared as Leo's voice sounds as good as ever.
He just seems like the coolest dude as well.

i feel just like a man

I know I've written about this record here before. It's just so good.
Adams had to come out of the gate with a near perfect record, always chasing the greatness of the debut.

ima put your lights out

Let's do a quick RnB round up. None of this is really new, just some real nice jams you need in your life these days.
I know at least a few people will be interested (adamp4, Luda) but in the last year and the last couple of months some real good stuff has been coming out in the genre.

First up, Lloyd's the Like Me: The Young Goldie ep can be grabbed for free from here
This ep is solid throughout and Lloyd has one of the most infectious voices in pop music today. The vid below is a song that requires constant jamming.


Pleasure P, formerly of Pretty Ricky, dropped The Introduction of Marcus Cooper last year and it's on par if not better than Trey Songz's '09 release.
P's record is a notable for not stretching over 18 tracks or something. He keeps it nice and clean at a 12 track pace with radio ready, heat rock and knows how to craft a serious slow jam.


Last year The Dream, Ryan Leslie, Trey Songz, Electrik Red, there was a slew of nice RnB releases.
If you want anything drop me a line and something can be arranged.

i want you back

I've had this on my computer for a while and have just gave it a proper listen.
Local Natives' Gorilla Manor plays like Copeland attempting to reach the Stereogum crowd.
The percussion is full of the floor tom strikes like so much indie rock since "Purple Bottle" dropped, but the band's drums are less immediate.
The band grabs from a number of modern influences (All Hour Cymbals,a beefier Fleet Foxes) but explores them further in crafting a stand out record all its own.

tramps like us, baby we were born to die

The posts have been mad slow because of a big move I've undertaken.
For the next few months I will be living in NYC as I have received an internship with SPIN Magazine.
The past month or so has been a whirlwind of getting everything ready for me to make this relocation. My dad and I flew out to the city last Friday without a spot for me to live, only the prospect of crashing on my cousin's couch for at most a week's time. We struck gold on Saturday, finding an apartment in Greenwich Village, about a 20 minute walk away from the SPIN offices. I'm not able to move in until the first of February so the cousin couch crashing is in full swing right now.
I start my internship this Friday and in the meantime I'm hustling applications around Manhattan trying to find a separate part time job (why do most retail stores need a cover letter for me to apply?).
I'm super jacked to start with this new chapter in my life and can't wait to share the events of the upcoming months.
None of this would have been possible without my amazing family. I am truly blessed and cannot even begin to thank you all.

Until the next time here's a hot jam

i use my cajones

Introducing...
The "On to the Next One" dancers!!!

Hov went and made himself a My Chemical Romance video,
Jay and Swizz dropped the video for their BP3 jam last week and it's pretty gnarly.

stand up

Dizzee is so playing my New Year's party this year.

don't ever turn it down

I'm on winter break, just on chillmode for the past couple of weeks back at my parent's house.
I'll be back at school come Monday with a whole lot of time on my hands and I'll get back on here then.
Until my departure from Central Illinois, here's something splendid to tide you over.