I Hope Your Ears Bleed » Brady

Q-Tip - The Renaissance

Brady — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:55:11 +0000

The master of minimalist hip-hop is back, still spitting fire after nearly a decade of record label exile. Q-Tip’s second official solo release (his last two records were axed by unsatisfied label bigwigs), The Renaissance, finds the industry veteran flowing and crooning atop restrained R&B compositions, a modern twist on A Tribe Called Quest’s jazzy grooves. Lead single “Gettin’ Up,” which has been in circulation for a few months now, embodies everything the record stands for, from its serene piano line to its decidedly romantic lyricism.

If The Renaissance is anything, it’s a love record. “Man and women get down,” the Abstract Poetic commands on the pulsing, disco-inflected “ManWomanBoogie”. Witness Q-Tip duet with Norah Jones (uh, what?) aside a charming stand-up bass on “Life Is Better”. But the talented MC never submits to idealism; “WeFight/WeLove,” a pause in the album’s incredible pacing, sees Q-Tip weighing the bliss of true love against loss of personal identity. Clarity in audio format.

The Renaissance somehow straddles nostalgia and innovation. For every old school splash of a cappella (”Dance on Glass,” “Johnny Is Dead”) comes the snap, crackle, pop of a drum machine or squawking synth. Stylistic flourishes aside, Q-Tip is still producing the most refreshing hip-hop in the genre. He’s still the same musical genius he was 20 years ago, and he probably always will be.

Q-Tip - Life Is Better (feat. Norah Jones)

ACL Preview - Beck

Brady — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:06:06 +0000

Beck, everyone’s favorite beat-dropping Scientologist, is all set for his headlining gig on the second night of ACL Fest this year. Hot off the heels of the critically acclaimed Modern Guilt, which showcased a more somber, decidedly sparse soundscape, the musical chameleon will visit Austin before meandering his way through a string of shows in the chilly Northeast. It seems likely that Beck’s live act will very much resemble his new aesthetic; in a recent Pitchfork interview, when asked if the stage puppets from last tour would make a reappearance, Beck answered gravely that the new tour wouldn’t feature “anything [he] felt was a gimmick”. Bummer! But puppets or no, Beck’s performance promises plenty of great tunes, new and old.

Since his smash hit “Loser” in 1994, Beck has explored nearly every persona known to popular music, and this artistic schizophrenia makes him one of the most exciting musicians of our time. A conscious effort to invent, to avoid creative complacency, drives Beck’s career, and I urge anyone attending the festival this year to grab the closest piece of lawn around. It will be arguably the best show of the weekend. Have fun!

Here is one of our favorites off of the new album.

Beck - Walls

And here is a fun cover of the late great Daniel Johnston that I just recently stumbled upon. Hope your ears bleed.

Beck - True Love Will Find You in the End

Girl Talk

Brady — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 11:06:43 +0000

If Greg Gillis insists on dodging the title of “DJ,” he should likewise be spared the abominable title of “mash up artist”. Girl Talk (Gillis’ moniker) is pop art experimentation at heart, even if Feed the Animals suggests otherwise. Yeah, Girl Talk uses a computer and a mixer and nods his head to the beat during live performances. He plays the Top 40 hits that folks love to dance to. Believe me, I’m shaking my booty just thinking about this record. But even Feed the Animals, undoubtedly Gillis’ most club-friendly release to date, is more original than the tired circle of DJ’s and “mash up artists” Girl Talk is unfairly pooled with. If the doomed mash up genre ever had a future, it lies in the patient, intentional hands of Gillis. (Danger Mouse is on to bigger game) In truth, Gillis is Andy Warhol. He’s a pop purveyor who collects widely accepted images, phrases, and sounds and explores their potential in another context, sometimes with hilarious results. But where Girl Talk’s contemporaries recombine songs just for the novelty of it, Gillis creates subtle polyrhythms, unexpected mood changes, and moments of sheer beauty. Sometimes the experiments fall flat on their face, especially as the momentum grinds to painful stop as the album closes with the unfortunate union of Journey’s “Faithfully” and Huey’s “Pop, Lock & Drop It”. But almost without fail, Girl Talk produces sincere, enjoyable art, and that’s a lot to ask of a summer dance record like this. Feed the Animals is the perfect reflection of a generation almost devoid of attention span. But we do love to dance.

Girl Talk - In Step

Girl Talk - Don’t Stop

[ED.]-Although he may have different motivations, what with his albums being “a lawsuit waiting to happen,” I felt it important to point out that he has also chosen to go with the whole “pay what you want” tactic to get his album out. I also felt it important to make the readers aware that as creative and entertaining as this music is, due to the explicit nature of the lyrics, a fair amount of Girl Talk’s songs are not suitable for children, or anyone in some cases.