Album Review: Lupe Fiasco - Lasers

Chicago native Lupe Fiasco’s third studio album dropped last week after three years of tweaking, much to fans’ dismay. The album collectively deviates from Fiasco’s previously perfected easygoing repertoire, however has moments of notable greatness.

There’s something nostalgic about “Till I Get There” that reminds me of early Fiasco from the “Kick Push” days. If there’s one thing he’s perfected in his career, it’s the ability to combine simple beats with seemingly effortless lyrics for an unmistakeable personalized sound. Where were more tracks like this, Lupe?

The second single released (after “The Show Goes On” released in October and brilliantly sampling Modest Mouse’s “Float On”), “Words I Never Said” features up and comer Skylar Grey, who has been featured on other recent hits like Diddy-Dirty Money’s “Coming Home” and Eminem’s “I Need a Doctor”. This track, while containing overwhelming political undertones, has an undeniably catchy chorus. Whether or not it should have been such an early single is questionable, but Grey’s recently acquired fan base should help launch its popularity.

In my opinion, “I Don’t Wanna Care Right Now” should be released as the next single. It has definite mass appeal including a fantastic hook from MDMA. The beat has Timbaland-like qualities, which alone would be an indicator of instant radio hype for those unable to appreciate Fiasco’s more understated songs. 

Personally, I found the album to stray a little too far from what Fiasco’s signature laid back sound and veer into the overly-mainstream zone, but overall found the album enjoyable. Fiasco experimented with a variety of different sounds and a exhibited collection of impressive collaborations making the album likable, but hopefully Fiasco returns to his roots in Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album scheduled to be released later this year.

The Thursday Thirteen

The 13 songs I can’t get enough of right now.

1.       Laughing by Hooded Fang

2.       Aberdeen by Cage the Elephant

3.       Erasing Me by Alpha Leonis

4.       Skinny Love (Das Kapital Rerub) by Bon Iver

5.       Here I Come by Nicki Minaj

6.       Nyquil by Ground Up

7.       Sister Wife by Alex Winston

8.       The Calendar by The Do

9.       You Be Killin’ ‘Em by Fabolous

10.   Road to Nowhere (Talking Heads Cover) by Coolrunnings

11.   Romans Revenge Pt. 2 by Nicki Minaj feat. Lil Wayne

12.   I Know Places by Lykke Li

13.   Belong by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Album Review: Alexander - Alexander

Alex Ebert continues playing his part in the retro-folk revival right where his work in Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ Up from Below left off. His effort in this debut album is aided through an unstoppable combination of simple acoustic guitar riffs, epic vocals, story-telling lyrics, and the occasional tambourine. Fans of Up from Below’s hits like “Home”, “Janglin’” and “40 Day Dream” will be more than appreciative of Ebert’s ability to maintain the same laid-back-makes-you-want-to-drive-cross-country-in-a-VW-van sound while making it his own. The term "folk" has a tendency to turn off people from exploring further, but this will hopefully change soon with Ebert's, as well as his recently turned mainstream industry peers, Mumford and Sons', contributions. 

“Glimpses” especially stands out from the rest of the tracks on this album because of its mo-town sounding vocals and simple accompanying instrumentals. Ebert’s normally passionate vocals are even more heartfelt. The nostalgic sound continues with “Remember Our Heart” which could have easily been a top selling single of the 50’s. My favorite track from the album is “Truth”. Easily the darkest sounding track, Ebert channels aspects of blues and hip hop for this powerful ballad. My favorite element is the juxtaposition of quick and fluctuating vocals in contrast to the slower drums and backup vocals.

Overall, this seemingly simplistic album is riddled with nuances that Ebert has proven himself a master of. And as long as his quest for a retro revolution continues, my hopes for humanity won’t be completely diminished.

Similar Recommendations:
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Mumford & Sons, Jens Lenkman, and Bon Iver

Album Review: Peter, Bjorn & John - Gimme Some

Frequently, I find myself being completely infatuated with a band based on their first (or another early) album, but am instantly turned off by any subsequent releases. This is because of a trend I notice that after a band’s debut album, any future albums have a tendency to go one of 2 ways:

1. Complete style 180, where the band reinvents their sound. Generally this occurs during the second or third album. Rarely are bands able to pull this off without sounding like they’re trying to hard, probably because they’re attempting to experiment with a genre they’re typically not as familiar with. One of the few examples of this working was Panic! at the Disco’s sophomore album “Pretty Odd” (although the first single from their new album, “The Ballad of Mona Lisa” sounds like an unreleased track from 2005’s “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out”).

2. The second is the band sticking only to what they know. Although this seems like it would be a foolproof hit method, it often results in a collection of sounds that are redundant and mediocre at best. However, it’s arguably the best system for bands with extraordinarily unique sounds, definitely a contributing factor to the success of Vampire Weekend’s “Contra”. 

January 2011’s Peter, Bjorn & John album “Gimme Some” is a refreshing example of the latter trend. The swedish trio’s third album, “Writer’s Block” put them on the map with their indie pop anthem, Young Folks. Five years and three albums later, we’re reminded why everyone with access to an alternative radio station went around whistling PB&J. Tracks like Black Book, Second Chance, and (Don’t Let Them) Cool Off maintain the quintessential indie pop sound that PB&J have seemed to perfect with darker undertones than they’ve previously released. The upbeat sounds reminiscent of past PB&J are still found, however, with ironically pessimistically named tracks like Lies, Dig a Little Deeper and Down Like Me. One of my favorite features of this group is the diverse talent of all three members, who add vocals as well as a myriad of instruments throughout the album. I haven’t been able to differentiate between Peter, Bjorn and John’s voices, but one day aspire to reach that level of expertise. 

Similar Recommendations:

Fun, Phoenix, Matt & Kim

Album Review: Tennis - Camp Dory

Nearing the end of their stint as undergrad philosophy students, husband and wife duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley decided to sell their belongings and set out on their own and sail the Eastern seaboard. "Camp Dory" lives up to its intended purpose as musical documentation of the couple's seven month trip in a way photos or postcards couldn't do justice. Track titles like Baltimore, South Carolina and Bimini Bay offer geographic pinpoints, adding to some of the best thematic usage I've ever seen in an album (among the ranks of teen angst in "The Suburbs", loving and losing in The Antlers' "Hospice" and the high school undertones of "Treats" by Sleigh Bells.) The simple yet elegant lyrics invite you to a world where the tide is your only enemy and your only worry is deciding between SPF 15 and 30. All of this makes me think that the winter release was a conscious decision to provide a mental vacation to those of us unfortunate enough to be in the Midwest. 


Favorite Tracks:
• Tales of high-tide-induced-near-death-experiences have never been so bubbly as they are in Marathon. The tale of misjudging the weather at Coconut Cove is told in this flawless pop ballad.
• I don't know how else to explain how intoxicatingly cheery and addicting Long Boat Pass is than by mentioning that I've had it on repeat since last Monday. If that's not enough to encourage you to set it on repeat for a couple hours, then Moore's fluctuating vocals and Beach Boy reminiscent guitar reps should do it.
• The title track, Camp Dory, is an fantastically effortless combination of beach-y sounds and nostalgic "oh oh oh"-ing that pretty much sums up Tennis' mission: to make you wish you were living as an extra in a 1960's surfing movie, monkeying your way to success. 


Similar Recommendations:
Little Joy, The Drums, Surfer Blood