Review: Big Boi, Sir Lucious Left Foot

Big Boi
Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
9.5/10

I’m going to cut straight to the chase: Big Boi’s debut solo album, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, is dope! No questions asked. I must admit that over the last few years I have pretty much been a hater of most new music released under the ‘hip-hop’ genre. This is due in part to my love-hate relationships with both T-Pain (it’s hard for me to continuously hate his music after he joined forces with Andy Samberg for “I'm On a Boat”) and Lil Wayne, coupled with my complete and utter dislike of artists such as Gucci Mane and Bangs. Over the course of these past few summer months, I have tried to mentally accept that the music industry is changing; genre roles are changing and therefore, hip-hop must also change. And, although I do miss the innovative styles of such artists as Eric B. & Rakim and De La Soul, not all of the hip-hop artists today are complete crap. Actually, some of them are pretty damn amazing.

I first heard Big Boi rapping on Southerplayalisticadillacmuzik as part of the duo OutKast. This album dropped in 1994 and I distinctly remember little ol’ me sitting in the back seat of the car as my older cousin drove around Chicago with this album on full blast. By the time Stankonia dropped in 2000 I was finally old enough to seek out the album myself and sing along to the lyrics whenever I was clear of adults. At this time I knew very little about production quality or lyrical flow and judged music solely based on the beat. It’s now 2010, I’m older, wiser and I have become a hell of a lot better at distinguishing albums that I will blast for a season then quickly forget from those that I believe represent true artistry.

I can’t get enough of Sir Lucious Left Foot. Big Boi has definitely been able to hold his own both as part of Outkast and as a solo artist. Despite doubts as to his potential success releasing a full solo album not accompanied by Andre 3000 (Speakerboxx was released with Andre 3000’s The Love Below so it doesn’t count in this instance) Big Boi has proven to be a definite innovator in the music industry. Maintaining the oh-so-precise calculations of production Outkast was so well-known for, Big Boi serves listeners with back to back dope tracks. He spits ill rhymes that had me continuously saying to myself, “Oh snap, he said that”. My top four tracks off the fifteen-track album are “Follow Us ft. Vonnegut”, “Shutterbug ft. Cutty”, “Hustle Blood ft. Jamie Foxx,” and “Fo Yo Sorrows ft. George Clinton, Too Short and Sam Chris”. Some of the tracks are slow jams while others remind me of summer parties back home but all fit together so perfectly that I enjoy listening straight through the album. If you have not yet listened to Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty I highly, highly, highly, recommend you do so. And soon. I for one will definitely be rocking this album for seasons to come.

Disclaimer: I would have given the album 10/10 but I had to deduct points for Gucci Mane’s presence on the track “Shine Blockas” (Gucci’s voice is a drone but the track otherwise is pretty awesome).

-- Dominique Barron

Review: Francis and the Lights, It'll Be Better - AND full album stream!

Francis and the Lights

It’ll Be Better

B

The 80s are back. Well, kind of, and minus the embarrassing outfits. Since the calendar says it is technically 2010 you might find it a little difficult to understand how we have traveled back to the decade when dressing like this was socially acceptable. I am listening to It’ll Be Better, Francis and the Lights’ newly released, fourth studio album and Back to the Future seems a little more appropriate right now. Often described as a mix between Prince and Phil Collins, Francis and the Lights incorporates everything that was great about 80s pop music while still remaining musically in touch with modern day culture.

Musically, It’ll Be Better is a solid album. None of the lyrics on the album are profound but lead vocalist Francis Farewell Starlite sings with such a relaxed voice that I cannot help but to sing along. My favorite track off the album, “In a Limousine” is one of the more upbeat tracks ones and has the catchiest hook (“it doesn’t matter, save it for a rainy day...it doesn’t matter just put it in your pocket” --> such optimism!). The first released single off the album, “For Days,” makes me imagine myself in a room with low lights, a disco ball and a pair of bright pink hot pants.

I wouldn’t call this the best album of the summer but there are definitely a few songs off the album that I plan on using for late night, summer dance party playlists.



-- Dominique Barron

Concert Review: Quadron at Liv Nightclub (DC)

Quadron @ Liv Nightclub

23 June, 2010

Quadron! Where do I begin? There are very few musicians that have surprised me in such a pleasant way. This past Wednesday I had the opportunity to head out to U Street's Liv Night Club to see Quadron in concert. This was a pretty random event given that I hadn't heard of Quadron until the day before. Because of work, I didn't have much time to check out their music in the twenty-four hours before the concert. Pretty much all I knew was that they are a pop duo from Denmark. I also hadn't heard of Liv beforehand so I was going into this whole excursion completely blind. I persuaded a friend to come along and when we arrived at the venue both of us where pretty shocked by the scene. I for one was expecting to see a bunch of high school students with dyed hair. I don't know what made me anticipate this particular scene but this is a clear example as to why you shouldn't, and actually can't, judge a band by its genre. When we arrived, Quadron had already started their set and the audience actually consisted of jazzed-up adults. The atmosphere of the venue was very relaxed: the dance floor was not overly packed and Coco, Quadron's sole lady and lead vocalist, was talking directly to people in the audience.

If you were to ask me now, I would describe Quadron as a funky R&B-jazz duo. Coco's voice reminded me of a mix between Alice Russell and Janelle Monae. One website describes them as the "musical baby" from the union of electro-duo Dirty Projectors and Neo-soul star Jill Scott. This description is exactly on point! Coco sings with such a soulful voice, full of emotion. On stage, the duo is joined by a bassist and a multi-instrumentalist on flute and saxophone. In every song each instrument is explicitly defined but the the harmony of each individual's talent creates a beautifully unique sound. The flute, sax, keyboard and bass along with Coco's dynamic voice creates amazing song after amazing song.

My favorite tracks from the night were "Slippin" and "Jeans", two of the more upbeat tracks from their self-titled debut. If you have not already checked out Quadron I highly recommend you do so soon! With so much talent they are bound, and totally deserve, to blow up big!

-- Dominique Barron

Concert Review: Afro-Punk Festival (Brooklyn, NY)

Afro-Punk Festival
Commodore Barry Park, Brooklyn, NY

June 25-27, 2010

I had the great opportunity to escape the D.C. humidity last weekend and head up to Brooklyn, New York for the sixth annual Afro-Punk Festival. The creators of the Afro-Punk Festival describe Afro-Punk as a movement geared towards crossing cultural boundaries and embracing individuality and this uniqueness was clearly evident throughout the weekend. The festival began Friday with BMX and Skate competitions for interested participants. The music portion of the festival started Saturday with acts such as P.O.S., The Bots, Ninjasonik, and others all opening for the evening's headliner, Bad Brains. Fitting with the whole point of the Afro-Punk Festival, there was a wide range of music genres represented throughout the weekend but each set was connected in that they all required tons of dancing (or jumping) and lots of sweat. The Bots were probably my favorite performance Saturday night. They haven't even graduated from high school yet (the drummer is actually only 12), and the duo behind The Bots, brothers Mikaiah and Anaiah Lei, seem to have already amassed a strong following of fans. Their music ranges from punk to reggae and everything in between. Both boys are really talented musicians and by the time they actually do finish high school they're going to be pretty much unstoppable. They are eagerly anticipating the July 25th release of their debut album Self-Titled Album and I'm excited to hear what they're bringing. As for the most anticipated set of the night, often named the originators of the Punk genre, Bad Brains were amazing. They performed songs from their 1982 self-titled album (including the infamous "Banned in D.C.") to tracks off their latest 2007 release, Build A Nation. Even if you're like me and not the biggest fan of punk rock, watching lead vocalist H.R. on stage is an adventure in itself. Just standing in front of the mic he displays this spiritual aurora as if he's going to perform some voodoo on you just from eye contact. His essence combined with the rest of the band's playing created a crazy connection between those on stage and everyone watching in the audience.

Sunday was longer and hotter but still amazing. The lineup included Martin Luther, J*Davey, The Cool Kids, and the legendary Mos Def. Kid-Cudi also made a guest appearance during The Cool Kids' set which pretty much sent the crowd off into frantic screaming. All of the artists played great sets but the highlight of the night was definitely Mos Def. If you have not yet had the chance to see Mos Def live I highly recommend you do so asap! He is such an amazing live performer: completely confident on stage but still humble enough to read and play off the vibe from the crowd. Majority of the songs performed during his set were from his 2009 album The Ecstatic but he took it back a few times for the fans to play select songs from his debut album Black On Both Sides. Mos Def was hands-down my favorite performance from the whole festival but I was introduced to a bunch of awesome new bands and played witness to some great performances. Overall, Afro-Punk is definitely a unique festival and I'm excited to add this to my regular list of annual summer concerts.

-- Dominique Barron

Check out the photos below:

Review: Sage Francis, Li(f)e

Sage Francis

Li(f)e
B-

If all you knew about Sage Francis was that he is a hip hop artist you might be a little confused when you first start listening to his latest album release, Li(f)e. The intro to the opening track, "Little Houdini," sounds as if it belongs in a folk song, far away from the thought-provoking lyrics of a heartfelt rapper. I am a big fan of artists who aren't afraid to create music that bends genre expectations and Sage Francis does just this. If you were to separate the instrumentals from the lyrics it would sound like two completely unrelated albums. Sage Francis' extremely conscious lyrics, paired with folk-ish melodies, make Li(f)e seem darker and much more heartfelt than most hip-hop albums currently out today. There are very few notable white rappers aside from Eminem, Aesop Rock and the duo Atmosphere but Sage Francis is definitely capable of holding his own in the genre. Li(f)e is Sage Francis' fourth studio album and, as does his previous releases, relies heavily on metaphors to create vivid images through his lyrics. Sage Francis is more concerned with creating a conscious story rather than rapping about his money, cars and women, a concept many rappers today lack. Individually each track on Li(f)e is unique and each serves as an example of how hip-hop has evolved since the early 1980s. Despite this, as a whole the album seems scattered with no coherent, universal concept. The tracks, although great on their own, do not flow well throughout the course of the album which prevents me from thinking of Li(f)e as some sort of masterpiece, or even as something deserving an "A" grade. I probably won't listen to Li(f)e as an album too often but the individual tracks are great for future "chill" mixtapes to accompany long, D.C. summer nights.

-- Dominique Barron

Review: Janelle Monae, The ArchAndroid

Janelle Monae
The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III)

A+

I generally like to call myself a music enthusiast of sorts; someone up-to-date on a wide variety of artists, genres and random happenings in the world of music. Well, my mind has been blown away; I’ve been put into check by a single album and I’ve been forced to realize that I actually know very little. Yes, I originally learned of Janelle Monae about a year ago but I didn’t take any time to listen to her work before now. Big Mistake. Her sophomore album, The ArchAndroid, was released last week under Wondaland Arts Society and Bad Boy Records. It’s been quite a while now since I’ve listened to an album and loved every bit of it. Yeah, there have been random songs or artists that have caught my attention over the years but Janelle Monae’s originality definitely sets her apart from the average artist. I’m trying to think of the last time I’ve been completely at a lost for words describing what I think of an album in its entirety. The only phrase that might even come close to portraying what I think of The ArchAndroid is that it’s “freaking amazing” but even that doesn’t fully describe how much I love this album. The ArchAndroid serves as a continuation to her mixtape, Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase) and tells the story of Monae’s alter ego, Cindi Mayweather. In The ArchAndroid Cindi Mayweather dominates android society and her experience and lessons learned as this leading lady are described throughout each track on the album. This celestial story is very evident in the trippy instrumentals Janelle Monae sings over. While listening to the album I imagine myself in a flying saucer weaving through paper stars in a low-budget animated clip (somewhat like this). I’m trying to decide which song I think is best but I can’t, so I’m just going to tell you my favorite set of songs. These songs (tracks 2-4) made me immediately want to fall in love with a woman I’ve never even met. These three tracks (“Dance or Die (featuring Saul Williams),” “Faster,” and “Locked Inside” respectively) are all so different and so great individually but work together in a way that happens so rarely with most albums. The ArchAndroid can’t simply be described as a pop album, a funk album, a soul album or anything else so limiting because it’s all of those and so much more. From the funky beats, awesome production quality, Janelle Monae’s beautiful voice and catchy lyrics (see I’m shaking like a schizo taken from the song “Faster”), The ArchAndroid is quickly topping my list of favorite albums from 2010 and we’re barely six months into the year yet. As everyone slowly begins to forget their “Best of the decade” lists so carefully put together this past winter, I think Janelle Monae is exactly what we need to start off this new decade and revive the creativity and originality of the music industry.

-- Dominique Barron

Concert Review: Amanda Blank and Spank Rock at Rock & Roll Hotel

Amanda Blank and Spank Rock

Rock & Roll Hotel, Washington DC

April 24, 2010

It’s 12 am on a rainy Saturday night in D.C. and I’m watching two of my favorite MCs in the music business perform about 5 inches from my face. I’ve bonded with the girl standing next to me over the fact that we both know every lyric to every song (and even got to show our skills by singing into the mic). I’m convinced this night can’t get any better then all of a sudden I’m being pulled on stage by none other than Spank “[insert explicit]” Rock! This is the part where I think I’m going to wake up and my awesome night will be over except, that doesn’t happen. Apparently it’s not a dream and I’m actually dancing on stage with two of the biggest bad-asses ever.

I’ll back up a bit and start from the beginning: I arrive at the Rock and Roll Hotel at the beginning of Ninjasonik’s performance. An intense dance party is already underway and I push my way to the front of the crowd to join the fun. I must admit that this isn’t my first time seeing Ninjasonik and I pretty much know what to expect (although there are a few surprises, one being me getting serenaded on stage). About forty-five minutes of ass-shaking later, Amanda Blank is ready to take center stage as the show’s headliner. She steps onto the stage in a cape and super sexy leopard print leotard. Total BAMF. The crowd goes berserk and she’s loving the hype. Amanda Blank’s performance is vulgar, raunchy and absolutely amazing. (more after the jump- and pictures!)

Review: Gil Scott-Heron, I'm New Here

Gil Scott Heron

I'm New Here

Gil Scott-Heron is back after almost two decades on hiatus. His latest album, I'm New Here, is a good indication of how Scott-Heron's musical ability has evolved but also, how he has matured as a person. Unlike his previous, heavily political albums, I'm New Here tells more of his life experiences and personal revelations rather than making a blatant political call (listen to the opening track, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," off his 1970 debut album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox for reference for his previous work). The intro and outro, "On Coming From a Broken Home (Parts 1 & 2)," are spoken over a sample of Kanye West's "Flashing Lights" and are the most message-sending tracks, telling of his home life and encouraging people to focus more on family. I'm New Here is definitely a spoken word album with Scott-Heron's personal poetry spoken, not sung or rapped, over nicely produced beats. I don't think I'm New Here is one of Gil Scott-Heron's best works, especially given how influential his previous albums have been on society and the music industry. I do, however, think the production on these, often extremely short, tracks is well done and Scott-Heron's talent as a poet is clearly visible throughout.
Recommended Track: "Me and the Devil"

-- Dominique Barron
Host, "Amurikah = Apple Pie & Fried Chicken," Tuesdays, 6-8PM on WGTB