Filed under: Reviews | Tags: A Star is Born, Alicia Keys, Billboard, Blueprint 3, BP3, D.O.A., Death of Auto-Tune, Drake, Elvis Presley, Empire State of Mind, Hip-, J. Cole, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Luke Steele, Mr. Hudson, MTV, No I.D., On to the Next One, Pharrell, rap, Rihanna, Rolling Stone, Rolling Stones, Run This Town, Swizz Beats, Thank You, The Blueprint 3, Timbaland, Young Jeezy
As one of the most influential rappers of his time Jay-Z seeks to make what he told MTV was “a new classic,” in the The Blueprint 3. With The Blueprint 3 being his 11th number one album, according to Rolling Stone, Jay-Z exceeds music legend Elvis Presley to become the solo artist with the most number one albums of all time.
There are many elements that have contributed to the success of The Blueprint 3. Jay-Z’s extensive list of collaborators for The Blueprint 3 includes Luke Steele, Rihanna, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Young Jeezy, Drake, J. Cole, Kid Cudi, Pharrell, and Mr. Hudson. Jay-Z also utilizes a wide range of producers such as Swizz Beatz, Kanye West, Timbaland, and No I.D. The great diversity of this album assists Jay-Z significantly in capturing the essence of the “new classic” sound that he was attempting to grasp.
In a recent interview with Billboard Jay-Z talks about his track “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)” as an attempt to stir things up. Jay-Z states that the track was intended to go against the grain and challenge the rapid evolution of hip-hop. Ironically enough the track was not only produced but also encouraged by rapper Kanye West, who not too long ago developed an album completely dependent on the voice enhancing software. As the first single released from The Blueprint 3, “D.O.A” set the tone for the album as one that opposed the nature of contemporary hip-hop.
Not only is The Blueprint 3 appealing to the ears, but it also carries significant potential to progress hip-hop into a genre where established artists can propel their incipient colleagues into successful careers. In “A Star is Born” Jay-Z promulgates his hip-hop colleagues and gives panegyrics to those who he sees as nascent.
The Blueprint 3 is a diverse album that varies in subject matter, music, and style. There are jazzy tracks such as “Thank You”, “ poppy tracks such as “Empire State of Mind”, hip-hoppy tracks such as “One To The Next One”, and tracks that have their own unique style such as “D.O.A.”
The amalgamation of what Jay-Z calls “the forgotten pieces of hip-hop” are what has made The Blueprint 3 such a great success. As he told MTV, he attempts to deviate from the newly developed superficial standards that listeners have for hip-hop. He wants his music to reflect that, “It’s not about radio, it’s not about making gimmicks, it’s still about making music.”
Filed under: News | Tags: A Weekend at Pete Rose's, Blueprint 3, Drake, Eminem, Fall Out Boy, Forever, Ghetto Techno, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Successful, Swagger Like Us, Trey Songz
A unreleased “Swagger Like Us” verse by T.I. check it out here.
A new song “Forever” by Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Eminem listen to and download the song here.
Another Blueprint 3 leak “Ghetto Techno” download “Ghetto Techno” here.
New Fall Out Boy video for the song “A Weekend at Pete Rose’s” you can watch the video here.
Sneak Preview at the music video for Drake’s “Successful” ft. Trey Songz. You can watch the clip here.
Filed under: Previews & Reviews | Tags: Don't Believe a Word, Semi Charmed Life, Third Eye Blind, Ursa Major
This particular post is dedicated to al those who long for their favorite forgotten poppy alt. rock bands of the late 90’s. The bands much of our generation heard a constant cycle of on the radio throughout their youth. Arguably the most memorable bands of this era have re-emerged: Third Eye Blind. Their newest release, Ursa Major is their first since 2003’s Out of the Vein, and offers drastic changes from their earlier style as well as a handful of songs that wouldn’t sound out of place on their self-titled debut. Overall, Ursa major is a solid effort from the group, and certainly a welcomed return.
In the late 90’s, Third Eye Blind saw a rapid rise from an underground sensations to chart-topping, Charlize Theron-dating, bonafide rock stars. This was mostly attributed to the driving singles from their first album, most notably the infectiously catchy ” Semi-Charmed Life”. The song not only had to appeal to fans of alternative rock, but somehow managed to simultaneously become a household name among fans of popular music. With infectious guitar riffs and thinly veiled obscene lyrics (most notably lines like “she comes ’round and she goes down on me’ and “doing crystal meth will lift you up until you break”) “Semi-Charmed Life” established Third Eye Blind’s place in alt rock history. Their debut was an incredibly youthful, melodic, and energetic record with clever lyrics and an incredibly diverse lineup of guitar riffage. Overall, it was an incredible debut, a solid alt rock record that grows on you with each listen.
Throughout the 90’s and early milennium, 3EB had a handful of other hit singles, ranging from the guitar-driven pop rocker “Never Let You Go” to the criminally underrated “Crystal Baller” off of Out of the Vein. However, in terms of success, none of the hits measured up to songs like “Semi-Charmed Life” or “jumper” from their first album. Gradually, Third Eye Blind nearly faded from memory.
However, that could all very well change with their new release Ursa Major. The album had been hyped in various mediums before it’s actually release, most notably through a series of videos on the band’s webpage chronicling the writing and recording of the album. After being postponed several times, the album finally dropped earlier this month.
However, many wondered if Third Eye Blind would try to appeal to the current alternative scene or their early fans more on their new record. The answer, interestingly enough, is both. The entire album has a much cleaner production than their previous albums, making it come across as a very poppy album. However, the style that many Third Eye Blind fans know and love is still present on Ursa Major.
The opening track, “Can You Take Me” is true to form for Third Eye Blind. It begins with a loud, driving chord progression, a catchy melody, and a generally anthemic feel to it. However, the next track and first single off of the album, “Don’t Believe a Word” is unlike anything the group has ever recorded. The track begins with guitar feedback, but kicks in with an explosive opening chord progression that almost echoes “Baba O’Riley”. From there, the song evolves ranges from fast paced electronic-infused pop rock during the verses and an almost classic rock feel during the verses and bridge. Once again, Third Eye Blind has made an astounding first single. The album’s next track “Bonfire” is a much more mellow number, beginning with acoustics, vocals, and what sounds like hand percussion. As the song progresses, it becomes sort of a melodic ballad. The song wouldn’t seem out of place on popular radio due to it’s clean, glossy production, which could alienate many fans of 3EB who lead more to alternative rock style, but it’s overall a solid song.
Ursa Major seems to be the most ballad-heavy 3EB record to date. Because of this, the album lacks the overall youthful energy of their debut, which was part of what made that particular album their most by fans. The energy of the album somewhat peaks within the first 3 tracks, with the exception of the almost irritatingly poppy “Summer Town”. Not to suggest that many of the following songs aren’t good. “One in Ten” is a great acoustic number, with spot on vocal harmonies and some interesting instrumentation (i.e. a horn section). “Why Can’t You Be” which plays out like a dialogue between a couple that’s grown tired of one another, is 3EB’s signature mix of balladry and tongue in cheek humor. (yes, he does say “sometimes a blowjob’s not enough, you heard correctly.) “Dao of St. Paul” picks up the pace towards the end of the album, but only slightly.
The Verdict? Ursa Major, while filled with beautifuly written slower songs, sort of loses it’s energy very early in the album. Fans looking for the youthful exuberance of songs like “Graduate”, “Crystal Baller” or “London” will probably be initially disappointed. Still, over time, the songs do begin to grow on you, although my musical A.D.D. made it difficult to sit through many songs all the way through. Overall, Third Eye Blind have made a good comeback album that doesn’t quite stack up to their incredible debut. 
Filed under: News | Tags: Amy Winehouse, Asher Roth, Asleep in the Bread Aisle, Blu, Blueprint 3, Bow Wow, Jay-Z, Keri Hilson, Kid Cudi, Oasis, Radiohead, She Don't Wanna Man, The Greenlight Mixtape, The Specials, Twisted Words, V Festival
Asher Roth’s new video from his album, Asleep in the Bread Aisle, “She Don’t Wanna Man” ft. Keri Hilson.You can watch the video here
Radiohead did their first live performance of their new song “Twisted Words”
Jay-Z is going to have a benefit concert on September 11 (the date that Blueprint 3 is released) at Madison Square Garden
Another song, “Reminder,” was leaked from the Blueprint 3 you can listen to and download it here
Amy Winehouse performed at the V festival with The Specials. This was her first performance in the UK since last years V festival.
A little bit of a new Kid Cudi song, “Cudi Zone,” was released. You can download “Cudi Zone” here
Bow Wow has released his new mixtape, The Greenlight Mixtape, you can download the mixtape here
Legendary British alt-rockers Oasis seem to be on the verge of a breakup (quite possibly for the 100th time). Rumors that the band may call it quits at the end of this tour after over a decade together began when they opted out of the headlining slot at the V music festival yesterday. Also, frontman Liam Gallagher, has alluded to a great deal of tension betwenn him and his brother, guitarist/ songwriter Noel Gallagher, saying simply “He doesn’t like me and I don’t like him, that’s it.” Similarly, Liam recently told NME magazine If doing a solo album makes [Noel] happy, yeah, it makes him happy. It would sound very civilised I reckon – that’s a f***ing awful thing – but maybe it’s a good thing for him.“ While this could be just one of the many Gallagher family feuds that have happened over the years, Oasis parting ways does seem to be a possibility. Still, this shouldn’t come as a surprise from a band that’s broken up over the Gallagher brothers fighting more than once in the past.
Filed under: News | Tags: Blueprint 3, Drake, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Nas, Off That, Rihanna
What’s the word is a new segment added to keep our readers up to date on music news. Any suggestions on how to improve this section would be appreciated.
A new Jay-Z track was just released called “Off That” and it features Drake. You can listen to and download it here. On Jay-Z’s upcoming album, Blueprint 3, you can also expect to hear songs featuring artists such as Kid Cudi, Rihanna, Kanye West and Nas. Blueprint 3 is expected to be released on Friday, September 11th.
Filed under: Features
Art lives on the corner of Baum and South Highland, at Shadow Lounge, where local artists congregate to express themselves. Though this venue offers a way for artists to grow collectively, some say many Pittsburgh artists are looking out for solely themselves. Many artists say selfishness, arrogance, and pride keep Pittsburgh artists from prominence.
In a glance around Pittsburgh’s hip-hop scene, one is exposed to a dismal reality. Hip-hop appears to be a dying movement, illustrated through voiceless emcees, mere remnants of old graffiti art, gig-less D.J.s, and b-boys out of shape from inactivity waiting for hip-hop’s reincarnation.
The hip-hop music industry is dried up and an under-accomplished enterprise suggests E. Dan, the owner and operator of I.D Labs Studio, in Lawrenceville. He says there is not a much of a hip-hop scene in Pittsburgh, and that past years have shown there are little means for expression and production. He says the music industry was better a few years ago, but has declined as time progressed.
Over the last few years, Pittsburgh has shown that it has the capability to produce big name artists such as Wiz Khalifa and Pittsburgh Slim. The recent news of the closing of WAMO radio station is no help either. “WAMO closing is sort of like the nail on the coffin to me,” E. Dan says with a slight chuckle. He adds that WAMO is the only radio station that is dedicated to hip-hop and R&B.
With the lack of active establishments and means of promotion to local listeners, the status of the Pittsburgh music industry might be deterrent for young talent. Other underground hip-hop enthusiasts see WAMO as a station that fails to adequately support its local artists. Though it is the only black-owned radio station in Pittsburgh, local artists such as Tim “SMI” Guthrie feels that the loss of the station is nothing to fret over.
To remedy this problem, what are local hip-hop artists doing to aid local talent and build a stronger hip-hop industry in Pittsburgh? E. Dan said that to build the industry, Pittsburgh artists must take chances on venues that will showcase hip-hop music and elements of hip-hop culture. He adds that there are very few establishments that are bent on showcasing and recording. Two notable exceptions were the Shadow Lounge located in East Liberty and I.D. Labs. E. Dan calls his studio a place where local artists can record, collaborate with one another and market their products.
The Shadow Lounge attracts a diverse group of people who share a common interest in local music. Guthrie, a local artist and co-founder of the Shadow Lounge, believes that the lack of success among local artists has little to do with talent. Guthrie sees a lack of marketing and production. He also believes that success is relative. In the words of Guthrie, it “depends on what you’re in it for.” Guthrie describes that the Shadow Lounge is an establishment that showcases local talent and gives local artists the means of expression.
Loran Boksenbaum, a Shadow Lounge attendee, felt the reason for the limited success of local artists was their passivity. Boksenbaum thinks local artists need to be more proactive in promoting their music.
Local poet Luqmon Abdus-salaam has an optimistic attitude. Abdus-salaam said that talent is not hindering local artists but selfishness amongst local hip-hop artists is. He adds that many artists are looking for their prosperity for themselves but not their fellow artists. Instead of working together to achieve success they conflict with each other, Abdus-Salaam said.
Another local hip-hop figure is Armstead Brown, the co-founder of a hip-hop competition called Rhyme Calisthenics, which is held at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theatre in East Liberty. Brown calls it an emcee competition that challenges the diversity, skill, style, and endurance of 16 local rappers.
“We wanted young rappers to be more expressive and more versatile with their music, ” Brown explained. Established in 2007, the competition has continuously grown in popularity and funding. Now with corporate sponsors such as Nakturnal and community support, the competition is gaining influence in the Pittsburgh area.
“Pittsburgh has a lot of great talent,” Brown says in agreement. He said that young artists have to learn to embrace the hip-hop culture, and to create an individual and creative voice in their music.
Aside from establishing venues and programs, E. Dan believes that the responsibility rests on the hip-hop community. “It’s up to the artists,” he says.
Filed under: Features
A few days ago I started a Pandora station in search of, what I consider to be, Contemporary Jazz. I figured that adding elements of both Amy Winehouse (jazzy pop) and A Tribe Called Quest (jazzy hip-hop) would help me to reach a happy medium. I feared finding the top 40 pop artists that are too often worshiped in the modern music culture. On the pop end I found myself listening to Sara Bareilles and Norah Jones both who use jazzy elements in their music more often than one would think. On the hip-hop end I found myself listening to more Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, Black Star, and the Fugees (with some of Lauryn Hill’s solo work). On the Jazz end I heard, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Sam Cooke, and even Frank Sinatra.
One of the artists that really stood out to me was Adele. Her influences, Etta James and Jill Scott, add a soulful element to her music which iTunes classifies as pop. She is not the first British pop artist with a soulful voice; in fact her voice is reminiscent of Joss Stone’s but they differ in their musical styles. Adele does an amazing cover of Sam Cooke’s “That’s It, I Quit, I’m Movin On,” through which she shows her outstanding abilities as an artist. After listening to this I thought to myself that this is the Contemporary Jazz that I was searching for because of its ability to be representative of both modern music and the soulful music of Sam Cooke’s time.
“That’s It, I Quit, I’m Movin On” – Sam Cooke
“That’s It, I Quit, I’m Movin On” – Adele’s Cover
While listening to my music, I noticed that some of today’s pop artists have in fact made attempts to connect with the music of the past. I knew that all music is a result of music in a prior era and that music has evolved. Regardless, I thought that the majority of today’s pop artists had lost touch with the past and therefore the quality of their music had deteriorated. Through my listening experience the last few days I discovered that not all pop music has deviated too far from its roots. Songs like Norah Jones’ “Don’t Know Why” and Corine Bailey Rae’s “Til it Happens to You” show a logical progression or evolution from one era to another. Finally, I discovered that Jazz of yesterday has evolved into the Pop & R&B of today, and that the artists of today still appreciate the music of their predecessors.
Filed under: Features | Tags: Andre 3000, Don't You Worry Bout' A Thing, Each Day Gets Better, Everybody Knows, Evolver, Get Lifted, Grammy, Green Light, Heaven, Higher Ground, Hitch, iTunes, John Legend, Kanye West, King and Queen, Let's Get Lifted, Once Again, Ordinary People, Save Room, Show Me, Stevie Wonder, Youtube
Over the past few years, the artist John Legend has crashed into my musical vision. I discovered this artist on the soundtrack of the Will Smith movie Hitch, the track a soulful take on the Stevie Wonder classic, “Don’t You Worry Bout’ A Thing.” Legend has a soulful voice, and an amazing mastery of the piano. In many ways, you could say that he is much like Stevie Wonder. In fact, the two have played together on a few occasions, usually performing Wonder’s standard, “Higher Ground”. Legend is great artist, and I’m clearly not the only one who thinks so because the guy has six Grammys under his belt.
Legend’s most popular song right now on iTunes™ is “Green Light” with Andre 3000, and although the track shows significant musical talent, it is not completely representative of his ability. Many of Legend’s songs have uplifting lyrics, though some rely more heavily on melody than poeticism. Regardless, you will be hard pressed to find a meaningless Legend lyric, whether they are about love, peace, or just dreams.
Legend’s first album, Get Lifted, was a great start to his musical career. Before this album however, he did participate in a few collaborations with other notable artists such as Kanye West, but still put off recording any of his original creations until this album. Personally, I think the best songs on the album are “Ordinary People”, and the title track, “Let’s Get Lifted”. Some say that “Let’s Get Lifted” is about an experience he had while high (on drugs), while others suggest that it just discusses a feeling of happiness and love. This second theory is backed by the fact that the song is a duet with a notable female singer.
“Ordinary People” has a truly awesome meaning behind it, and it’s put into beautiful words. (I suggest that you listen to the lyrics when you listen to any song instead of listening to just the music or the beat) Before the first chorus of the song, Legend sings, “I know I’ve misbehaved,/ and you’ve made your mistakes,/ and we both still got room left to grow./ And though love sometimes hurts,/ I still put you first,/ and we’ll make this thing work,/ but I think we should take it slow/ We’re just ordinary people…” Legend is stressing his thoughts on the necessity of taking things slow in love, and not rushing into things. Legend goes on to describe how deep love can run, and how fragile love is. On top of all this, it’s a beautiful song, especially when the 20 seat orchestra chimes in to his explosive last chorus.
These songs make Legend’s first album a hit, earning it multi-platinum status.
His second album, Once Again was another great album to follow up his debut album just two short years after. The first single from this album was a song called “Save Room“, which had a very nice feel to it. This song discusses the complexities of life, and how easy it is to get caught up and miss things along the way. Legend tells us to “chill” and “save room”. Legend sings, “Say that you’ll stay a little,/ don’t say bye bye tonight./ Say you’ll be mine, just a little bit of love is worth a moment of your time./…Save room for my love./ Save room for a moment to be with me.”
Another great track on the Once Again is a song called “Heaven” which again talks about another love related topic. Other great songs on this album include “Show Me”, “King and Queen”, and (my personal favorite from this album) a song called “Each Day Gets Better.”
Legend’s most recent album, Evolver, has some really meaningful songs. A song called “Everybody Knows” is about how truly clueless we really are on some things. In “Everybody Knows“, Legend sings, “Everybody knows that,/ nobody really knows,/ how to make it work,/ or how to ease the hurt./ We’ve heard it all before, and/ everybody knows,/ just how to make it right./ I wish we gave it one more try.” This song is about the word “if”. We all use this word. We all wish we could do some things differently now that we know something that could have helped back then. This album also features a really cool remix of “Green Light”, that has a more reggae feel to it.
Check John Legend out on iTunes, or just youtube him.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: changes, DIY, header, new, old-school, opinions, revamp, tape
Creatively Boundless gets a makeover
As we try to find our niche at Creatively Boundless, we thought it important to give our blog a modern, DIY touch that defines our writing style as a whole. Feel free to sound off, the header is still very much in its “beta” stage, as is the rest of the site. It’s our readers that keep our site running, so why not give them a say in our ultimate design. Thanks for your support.
Filed under: Previews & Reviews | Tags: Boys and Girls in America, Chicago, Live Album, Massive Nights, Stuck Between Stations, The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady have enraptured me since I first hear the scratchy lyrics of Craig Finn on 2006’s Boys and Girls in America. Their most recent album, A Positive Rage (released April 7), is a live album that contains songs mostly from Boys and Girls, but brings in tunes from Almost Killed Me, Separation Sunday, and Stay Positive (the most recent original album). Recorded in Chicago on Halloween at the end of the Boys and Girls in America Tour, A Positive Rage is an unmixed, unpolished, virtually perfect Hold Steady.
The distorted guitar grabs our attention, and the piano jumps over it. “Stuck Between Stations” (off of Boys and Girls) starts. The almost unfinished feel to the song makes it seem like it was recorded on that barroom night, the night John Berryman could fly; it adds a certain in-the-moment quality to the song. “The Swish,” off of Almost Killed Me, has the same unmixed quality; the piano and the bass flow into the guitar so perfectly that you imagine being Craig Finn, hearing your band, and grinning as you rush into the lyrics.
The accidentals on the album similarly make it better; it shows a bit of the process that the band goes through (as the drummer stops tapping the symbol a few beats into one of the songs). There are very few of these mistakes, but they make it a live album at its core; just like the altered fills and the drunken voice, accidentals change the nature of the song oh so slightly.
My personal favorite track off of this album? I love the version of “Massive Nights”—it’s particularly improved by the live nature; there’s an urgency in Finn’s voice (matched by the bassline) that just isn’t on the track on Boys and Girls. I imagine Finn collapsing to his knees on “down on my knees” and looking into the audience while two kids in the upper balcony screamed the lyrics at each other. This track is also the epitome of the unmixed quality of the album, and the accidentals, especially shown at the end, where the guitar runs out and Finn brings us to the end.
Overall, the album is a worthy addition to the Hold Steady’s already impressive body of work; as a lover of the band, I recommend it without question. It’s like a little packaged concert.
NOTE: The songs linked to here are slightly different from the songs on A Positive Rage, being mixed more and not having the same raw quality. To listen to A Positive Rage (as of now), one must buy it or get it from a friend. Amazon link.
