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Now I like to think that I listen to a wide variety of music... but I haven't really been into commercial rap in a while. I always kind of bunched The Game in with the whole G-Unit/Lil Wayne style of trying to be hardcore and gangster when they arent and their music isn't all that good anyways. I downloaded the "Dope Boys" music video because I like Travis Barker, who is featured on the track, and I thought the track was catchy and actually sounded pretty good. So when I was bored the other day, I downloaded the new album from The Game, LAX. I was wrong about him. I'm listening to the album as I type this right now for probably the fourth or fifth time in two days.
It's definitely a great album. I mean, I don't think its like revolutionary or classic or anything, and it probably wont make my top 10 albums of the year because its not really my style, but seriously it was good. I didn't skip any tracks like I thought I would end up doing. The production is all perfect, the features are awesome (Common, Nas, Ice Cube, Raekwon, etc), and the album has that tied-together feel that I love about good albums. I might actually go back and get The Game's first 2 albums and see if they're more of the same. I think he's really the closest thing I've heard to "gangsta rap" in a long time... it was really refreshing to hear music that gritty and raw again, NWA style. I love NWA, and wouldn't put Game anywhere near their level, but he's better than anyone else trying to make gangsta rap right now.
To be honest, I think my favorite song on the album, at least one of them, is "My Life" featuring Lil Wayne. That's right, Lil Wayne. I HATE that guy... like with an undying passion... but somehow he fits the song. It works. Not to mention that he does the chorus, not an actual verse (thank god). "Dope Boys" is great and is going to help Travis Barker become the next big feature on a lot of rap songs. Overall, I was just really surprised by how much I liked the album. Its definitely worth checking out if you miss the NWA gangsta rap days.
Wow... there really are no words to describe what happened at the Comcast Center in Mansfield last night. I'm still going crazy just thinking about it and replaying it in my head.
I've decided that it was the second best concert I have ever been to, and if you know me at all, you'll know that that's a huge deal, haha. It really helped that we got into the Pit right in front, so we were dead center about 12 people back from the stage. The openers, Grizzly Bear, sounded like they were probably pretty good, but we were walking around for most of their set and the part I was in the pit for I was busy staring at the light rigs that they were about to bring out for Radiohead.
So about 10 minutes before 9pm, it happened. Radiohead came onstage. It was amazing being literally 25 feet away from Thom Yorke on stage. We were close enough that it felt like an intimate club show which was amazing, but far away enough that we got the full experience with the amazing light show that they put on. (The front row is WAY overrated.) The light show was unmatched by anything I have ever seen, as you can see.
I've never really been able to consider myself a huge Radiohead fan. I've only listened to 3 albums (In Rainbows, OK Computer, Kid A) and I don't really know the words to most of the songs. But I enjoy the music and saw pictures of the light show and wanted to go. I had no idea it was going to melt my face off the way it did. Thom Yorke is insane. Seriously, he might be one of the weirdest people I've ever seen. But he LOVES what he does every night on stage and it shows. He gets so into the music and really feels every song, rather than just reciting the lyrics. That was one huge part of the show that made it so much better to me, was that every single member of the band was visibly enjoying his time on stage. They love playing music and making people happy and it really translates to the crowd and makes the show more enjoyable. The show was amazing. Every song sounded perfect, it was the perfect balance/mix of old and new... I have NO complaints whatsoever. Oh, and then there were 2 encores... yes, TWO. The one thing I kinda wished would happen was more crowd interaction. I like it when bands talk to the audience a little in between songs here or there. Thom Yorke said one thing to us outside of a few "thank you"s, and I dont even know what it was because you can never freaking understand him anyways. But it didnt matter, theyre Radiohead. No words needed, just music. It was like an out of body experience. I got lost in it.
They NEED to release a DVD from this tour in Blu-Ray. The NEED to.
So I just got home from seeing the Flobots and People Under the Stairs at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA...
I purposely went late because i didnt care about the first opener (Busdriver) and didnt really know enough about PUTS to really care about them. So I showed up about halfway into PUTS and they made me wish I had been there the whole time. They were AWESOME... and i feel like its really difficult for a rap act to be good live when you dont know their material. But the energy that they had really made the show. Theyve been around forever and didnt mind at all that they were opening for a relatively new group. They were just there to kick it and have a blast. I am gonna get all their stuff now and would totally go see them again. Their new album, Fun DMC, is out Sept 30th.
Flobots were also wayyy better than I expected. I really really liked their whole cd, I'm not some stupid "Handlebars" fan. (To be honest, it's one of the worst songs on the album.) They have so much energy, and it really gives you a big advantage to be playing with a live band, which is what they are. Everyone of them (there are 6 people) contributes equally, they had awesome solos... not to mention the violinist was cute (yes, shes a girl) and played amazingly. They through in a cool remix/cover of "So Happy Together" with rap verses, and the encore song was a remix/cover of "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar that the violinist girl sung, and they added rap verses. It was a great time.
