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Joey Bada$$ – “Christ Conscious”

October 1, 2014

The hype is building for the debut album from young Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$. Cleverly titled B4.DA.$$ (Before Da Money/BADASS), the album hopes to continue the streak of very strong records from Joey. 2012 saw the then 17-year-old release 1999, a mixtape of boom bap beats and a laid back flow of monotony. Joey appeared wise beyond his years as he narrated life on the street as well as life with the homies of Pro Era, and the project garnered critical acclaim (it remains one of my favorite mixtapes ever). Last year, Bada$$ released Summer Knights, again well-received, but with somewhat of a change stylistically. A characteristic of pre-Summer Knights Joey was his consistently smooth, easy flow. The new project saw him go in a direction aimed towards aggression. “95 Til Infinity,” “Amethyst Rockstar,” and even the rasta-flavored “My Yout” featured a harder, raspier voice from Joey, distinctly removed from his old[...]

Yung Lean – “Ghosttown”

September 19, 2014

On the heels of news that debut album Unknown Memory has leaked (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), Lean has blessed his emotional disciples with “Ghosttown,” the album’s second single. With a seriously good feature from GOOD Music’s Travis Scott, “Ghosttown” is likely Lean’s greatest achievement in music. By collaborating with his signee, Yung Lean is literally one degree of separation from Kanye West. Think about that. Will Yung Lean appear on a Kanye album in the future? Probably not, but I’m just happy to be able to ask that question. This track is seriously excellent. Lean attacks it in his usual autotuned droning sing, and it’s as surprisingly refreshing as ever. Travi$ Scott is currently dominating the autotune singing game, something that he probably learned from Ye. “Ghosttown” is a true collaboration between the artists, somewhat surprising due to the disparity in their fame. After exchanging verses, the two serenade each other as the track[...]

Sea Oleena – “Island Cottage”

September 16, 2014

It’s rare that a song I’m blindly listening to can be so capture that I just stare at a motionless video but, Sea Oleena’s “Island Cottage” does just that. The song is a little dated, close to a year and a half old, but luckily music has no expiration date. It is beautifully somber, encompassing, and gorgeous. Fans of Beach House, Youth Lagoon, or even Iron and Wine would dig it. Check out “Island Cottage” below.

Mac Miller – “Diablo”

September 5, 2014

Four years has done a lot from the kid from Pittsburg. Initially dismissed as one of the frat rap archetypes, Mac Miller has grown to become contemporaries with the best names in rap. Faces, the latest, and perhaps most acclaimed project from Mac, is a slew of depression, insanity, and humor in a genre usually consistent in a masculinity. “Diablo” was the first song we heard from the project, and it was a raw preview of what was to come on Faces. It also showcased Miller’s growing production skills, which I raved about in my review of the tape way back when.The video juxtaposes Miller’s goofy image with the serious, hard-hitting lyrics that can sometimes get lost in the shuffle. There are rumors that the video is one of several that are to be released soon from the tape. It’s a reasonable fear that Miller will forever be taken as a joke, an[...]

The Weeknd – “King of the Fall

August 29, 2014

Weeknd season is here! The often-mysterious new age crooner is back with another X-rated RnB jam, now complete with a truly Weeknd-esque video. Abel walks without emotion through the streets of Toronto, likely in pursuit of the drugged out models that are featured in nearly every video of his. Being that it’s his second new video in a week, the Weeknd seems to be scheming towards some kind of release before the year concludes. He made waves with his hilariously vulgar feature on Ty Dolla’s “Or Nah,” and right now his relevancy may be even higher than when he dropped his solid, but disappointing studio album Kiss Land around this time last year. “King of the Fall” hopefully hints that the Weeknd will own the season’s sound waves in a manner that he did in 2011, back when his whole aura was still a mystery. That’s one of the things that’s interesting[...]

M83 – “Lower Your Eyelids To Die With The Sun”

August 28, 2014

You have to love how these things work out. Just as Mute Records and M83 are getting ready to reissue M83’s out of print first three albums, a frankly spectacular video has been “unearthed” for “Lower Your Eyes To Die With The Sun.” Directed by Yoonha Park, the 8+ minute clip is epic, cinematic, tragic, sensual, and a shoegaze classic; in other words an essential M83 music video that’s somehow not been available on YouTube for us to drool over previously. The physical reissues for M83, Dead Cities, Read Seas & Lost Ghosts, and Before The Dawn Heals Us are in stores now, with 2 EPs of B-sides and remixes available digitally on September 9t.

The Receiver – “All Burn”

August 27, 2014

I’ve been a fan of The Receiver ever since they stopped by my college radio station at St. Bonaventure University in October 2006. The duo was set to play a show in Buffalo and was just doing some “filler” tour spots in support of their debut full-length, Decades.  After doing an in-studio at WSBU, the band packed up their gear only to find out their Buffalo gig had been canceled due to a freak snowstorm that paralyzed the city for close to a week. A long way from home,  keyboardist/singer/bassist Casey Cooper and brother Jesse Cooper (drums) found themselves trapped and without another gig for four days in Olean, NY. So they stayed with me. This week, The Receiver’s set was captured by The Mug and Brush Sessions, a live video series that apparently takes place in a barbershop. The first song released from the session,”All Burn,” continues with the band’s[...]

Action Bronson – “Easy Rider”

August 22, 2014

Always one to impress with music videos (see “The Symbol” and “Strictly 4 My Jeeps“), Bronsolino dropped a video of the year candidate this week. It’s a perfect ridiculousness, as the humor that Bronson displays in his rhymes transports to the video. Ironically modeled after something like a Tarantino film, Bronson rides through the desert on his motorcycle, fighting bikers, evading the coppers, and rocking out the closing guitar solo. The song also features the diss of the year, “I hear your bitch still wear Etnies.” Watch Bronson ride into the sunset below.

Taylor Swift – “Shake It Off”

August 19, 2014

The popular image of pathetic-failure-chic is tired as hell. See: He’s Just Not That Into You, Girl Most Likely, and other movies in which potentially capable women get sucked into very cute, very milquetoast humiliations and histrionics. Taylor Swift can often be the aural embodiment of perpetuating those stereotypes. Girls! It’s Victimhood lite! Now in adorable and sassy flavors. The Bechdel Test is just based on a little conversation between two characters in a 1985 comic strip, Dykes to Watch Out For by Allison Bechdel. It is usually applied to film, but it works for other media. All the film/album/novel/what-have-you needs is a) at least two women who b) have conversations c) about something other than a man. The heteronormativity and the perfect image of a relationship, the super sublime womanhood and manhood we’re supposed to aspire to, really does run so deep that the art which rewards this complex[...]

Rustie & Danny Brown – “Attak”

August 11, 2014

Rustie and Danny Brown collabed on a song together, which isn’t the first time. With Danny’s lyrical flow and Rustie’s electronic masterpiece, “Attak” is a complimenting blend of high energy. The official video was released today. As URL increasingly seeps into the IRL world, this video uses superimposed text, suggestive emojis and rolling lyrics that are reminiscent of having fun with 3D word art in the early days of Microsoft Word. It’s perfect. Rustie – Attak ft Danny Brown (Official Music Video) from Music on Vimeo.

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – “Harold’s”

August 6, 2014

Simplicity is one of the characteristics that turned Piñata (AKA Cocaine Piñata) into one of the consensus, best rap releases of the year. Freddie Gibbs’ raps were simple, hard gangsta talk. Madlib’s beats were usually no more than a simple, buttery loop on repeat. One element was destructive, and the other beautiful. The contrast of the two formed an album that was easy to appreciate. “Harold’s,” the latest song to get the music video treatment, is simply an ode to the chicken place Gibbs refuels at when he’s taking a break from the hood life. “A plate of chicken with the bread stuck to the bottom/Fuck my enemies what you looking for bitch I got ’em.” The video continues the straight-up theme of everything Gibbs’ does. It’s at a Harold’s, and Gibbs raps. We see the Kanye’s and the Kendrick’s, where every lyrics means something deeper. We see the Drake’s where a lot of emotion[...]

Janelle Monae – “Electric Lady”

July 31, 2014

This fine new clip for “Electric Lady” from Atlanta r&b and soul starlet, Janelle Monae, is so great I even forgive the sorority/fraternity theme. An homage to School Daze, Cooley High, and 80’s Janet Jackson videos, “Electric Lady” features step dancing, an affirming Afrocentric vibe (NOT a reference to her fly new hairstyle), and cameos from Erykah Badu, T-Boz, Kimbra, and Esperanza Spaulding. The product placing effort is a true dance party sure to advance Janelle Monae’s quest for global domination.

Have Mercy – “Let’s Talk About Your Hair”

July 28, 2014

Normally we try to feature brand new music videos, but some unfortunate events happened in Buffalo this weekend and we felt like an exception should be made. Topshelf Records band Have Mercy was robbed Saturday night while they were staying in Buffalo. Although they have since recovered most of their gear (the man who stole their gear was caught trying to sell it to a Guitar Center in Rochester), they are still missing two guitars and some drum gear. We here at buffaBLOG thought it was only right to spread the word to show that Buffalo really is The City of Good Neighbors. Anyone who is a fan of music knows how detrimental this is to the well-being of a hard-working touring band. If you want to help Have Mercy, you can order some merch or donate to their PayPal account – HaveMercyOfficial@gmail.com. We’re sure they’d appreciate some new Buffalonian fans[...]

GOH vs. Sugarstarr feat. Redman and Method Man – “I Used To Be”

July 16, 2014

Hip hop’s favorite stoner emcee duo is back on a track together, and it’s a body mover. Meth and Red dropped the platinum Blackout album in 1999, starred alongside each other in cult stoner flick How High in 2004, and then released a sequel to their first album in 2009. The two have stayed relatively active in the rap game for the last 20 or so years, but it’s always special when they get behind the mic as a duo. They’ve given us the GOAT high school basketball warm-up track in “Da Rockwilder” and had a couple high charting singles with “How High” and that song with Toni Braxton. Besides their musical talent, they’re also two of the most entertaining figures in rap. Anything new by them is worth a check out. The dance-y beat crafted by the German DJs listed in the title turns this into something to casually enjoy as well.[...]

The Papers – Anyway

July 15, 2014

Chicago-based orchestral folk trio, The Papers (featuring former Buffalo ex-pat Matt Script), recently released their latest EP, titled Anyway, a few weeks back. In what has become a bit of a tradition for the band, the members have asked friends to film bike excursions through various cities for submission to be soundtracked by the Papers’ music. The latest installment, which includes three of the four tracks from Anyway, follows the biker through the streets of Lubeck, Germany. Past bike series clips have been filmed in Chicago and Kansas City. Watch the full Lubeck bike installment from the Papers below.