Tyler, the Creator

Assumed posting the Rick Ross cover track this week made me look hard. 7minutes and 18seconds of Tyler, the Creator and I'm milquetoast.
All you, d.a.


Ahhhhh, a hip-hop album to review. Don't want to get all into the hype here, but this was an obvious must-listen of 2011. "Yonkers" and "Sandwitches" live on Fallon had us all heralding the Second Coming of Wu-Tang. The last legitimate hip-hop album in my collection is Madvillainy from 2004, so yeah, this was big.

Controversial lyrics aside (because too much has already been said, and by 2011 who really cares except those Fox News pettifoggers?), musically the album is largely forgettable. I love that Tyler is out there being him, "dropping xanies and dancing around in print panties to some Maaarvin." Moments like on "Her" when his twin guards of hyper-vigilant self-awareness and brash over-compensating bravado have been lowered, we get a glimpse of something intimately relatable. "… Her name is my password…(fuck) …" The album will have seminal importance because Tyler as a person feels real while the players of his industry do not.

But 'The Creator' needs to learn to edit, and that 'not giving a fuck' works in terms of lyrical content but not in terms of beat production. His argument, of course, would be that he's catering to HIS audience, not the mainstream, but leaving out hooks and innovating sonically doesn't necessitate sacrificing quality or, worse, sounding cheap. See Latyrx's "The Album." Tyler's only 20, so as long as fame doesn't crack his (presumably) fragile psyche, we'll be good. Glad you're here buddy. SWAG SWAG WOLF HALEY GOLF WANG OFWGKTA.

Been wanting to do that.

-da

Tyler, the Creator // Radicals

**Beef!**

Wildbirds & Peacedrums

This wasn't a first listen in love experience for me. Mariam Wallentin's deep, almost asexual vocals - peppered with yelps, keens and scatting - weirded me out. Husband Andreas Werliin's spooky, roiling percussion made me paranoid. Add the backing vocals of the Schola Cantorum Reyjavik Chamber Choir and I'm practically walking up the stairs of the Bates mansion.

Then I told myself to be cool for once in my life and got in the campfire circle of Swedish husband and wife's August release, Rivers.

The University of Gothenburg music school dropouts have an incredible talent for maintaining tension in their music. Experimental, native rhythms, abstract storytelling and, clearly, jazz press the record in to being. Attention is easily drawn to the lyrical imagery sung by Wallentin, who's classically trained voice
morphs to whatever shape the song calls for. And Werliin's barely tethered kit is the binding agent, only occasionally allowed to crash down the steep grade. Incoming.

Wildbirds & Peacedrums // Fight for Me

Zombie Zombie - Driving this road until death sets you free (again)

Yeah, yeah, Mary Claire posted this before, but I'm posting it again. 'Cause it’s the best thing that’s ever happened in the world of stop motion and music. Not watching it is a hate crime.