Ty Listens to "GNX"

Kendrick Lamar released a surprise album last week. I didn't know about this until this weekend. I was driving to a race Saturday morning and my Spotify account recommended the record for me. It's called "GNX". Since Saturday I have listened to it all the way through once, and have kind of hen and picked my way through the second time.

I like this record. Right now it isn't on the level of "Mr Morale" or "To Pimp a Butterfly" or "Damn", but those records are classics. This record probably just needs more of my time I think. With Kendrick Lamar's music, it usually takes me a few full listens of each song before I really start to get it and love it. But make no mistake, "GNX" is pretty damn wonderful. Lamar is on a heater right now with his music. He put out the record of the year last year with "Mr Morale". "TPABF" may be one of the greatest records ever made. That record is going to be studied in music classics for generations. "Damn" is what made me the big fan of his I am today. "GNX" is going to be at that level in a few weeks, if it isn't already.

Kendrick Lamar does his damn thing on this album. He is the best rapper alive, full stop. He shows that tenfold here. The way he uses words and strings them together so coherently is such an achievement. He is the best of any rappers out there right now. He's so good that he makes others, artists I've never heard of, sound great when he has them come and do a feature. There's an artist named Dody on one of his songs, and because of his one verse with Lamar, I'm going to check out Dody's other music. He has a Mexican singer intro a few songs and she knocks it out of the damn park. His collaborations with SZA have become some of my favorite songs of his. The two that they do together on this record are my favorite songs by a mile. Her voice is a perfect blend with Lamar's rap skills. He's so good now, that when he gets on a track and screams, "MUSTARDDDDDDDDDDD!", I find myself doing that on a daily basis. It's so unnecessary, but Kendrick Lamar makes it palatable and listenable. He can do no wrong for me. When he puts out new music I'm so thrilled to hear it that I carve out time for myself so I can really dive into it and hear everything he has to say. I love how he changes his voice on the new record from song to song too. Sometimes he sounds old and gruff, in a good way. Then he sounds like himself. Then he will do something totally different and I'm amazed at how well it all works. He has a 1,000 batting average right now. There's no songs that I want to skip when I go and listen. On the way to my race yesterday morning I was vibing out so hard I'm sure people in other cars thought I was nuts, and I'm fully okay with that. "GNX" is awesome. It may end up on my personal list of his classic records in due time.

I definitely recommend giving “GNX” a listen because there's no one that is on his level at the moment. No one. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "Chromakopia"

Tyler, the Creator's eight studio album, "Chromakopia", was released at 6am this morning. I waited until 10am to listen to it. My daughter had a doctor's appointment this morning, and since she was a little nervous, I let her pick the music, which was Taylor Swift of course, whom I adore. But after I dropped her off at school it was my time to shine. I was by myself, so that let me really listen to the record with zero distractions, which I prefer when new music from an artist I love is released. I had also listened to "Noid" since he released that a little early. I love that track, so I was all keyed up to hear what else he was going to give us.

I'm here to say that this record is amazing. Tyler, the Creator has a knack for music, and he is one of the best out there with his craft right now. He continues to grow with each new release. He seemingly gets better and better while still maintaining his super unique, super cool rap voice. I love how gruff and grimy it sounds. But make no mistake, he has grown up and matured. He isn't the same guy from Odd Future. He is his own person now, and he more than shows that on "Chromakopia". This record is one solid song after the next. There's straight up hip hop, there's pop, there's R&B, he kind of gives the listeners a few different genres to chew on, which I love. I also appreciate how each song flows right into the next song. There's no long pauses in between the tracks. When one song ends, it feels like the ending of said song has a line or lyric that gets you in the right headspace for what is coming next. I like when records move at that type of pace. And this isn't a quick 10 song, 30 minute record. The album is almost an hour long, clocking in at 53 minutes with 14 songs. And, as I said before, there's not one on the listing that is worth a skip. You need to hear them all when you turn on this album. There's a clear theme, which is Tyler, the Creator dealing with his newfound stardom and massive fame. Make no mistake, he is a massive, massive artist. He sells out arenas now. He is going on a world tour to support this record, and I wouldn't be shocked if shows sell out in record time. This record kind of gives the listener a glimpse into how he feels and how he is dealing with all of this. I like when artists talk about real life stuff like that. I don't know what it is like to be famous. I've never been asked for an autograph or been tailed on the street so someone can meet me. I don't have bodyguards. I can go places with freedom. Some people, like Tyler, the Creator, don't have that luxury. And on "Chromakopia", he lets us know how bizarre that is. He lets us know how messed up it can be when a person is obsessed with you. He really lays bare each and every feeling he has toward his fame and stardom and I love this record for that. I also love the beats, the lyrics and the way they are put across throughout the album. So far my favorite track is "Sticky". I also really enjoy "Rah Tah Tah". And "Noid" is a bonafide hit. I wish he were coming closer, or even to Saint Louis on this tour because I'd love to see him perform these tracks live.

Tyler, the Creator is on fire right now. He has been on fire for a good long while now and I don't see him slowing down one bit. Go listen to "Chromakopia". It is another in a long line of stellar records from Tyler, the Creator. He is a master at his craft. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "Bando Stone & the New World"

Supposedly Childish Gambino, Donald Glover, released his final album. The record is called "Bando Stone & the New World". It has been out for over a week now, but I have finally fully listened to it through its entirety twice now. I wanted to give it some time before writing a review. Let’s discuss.

On first listen I was let down a bit. My problem is I compare all of his records to "Awaken, My Love". That is unfair to him as an artist, and unfair to me as a listener. That album is one of a kind. It is, in the music industry, a masterpiece. For me it is one of the best records to ever come out. I shouldn't compare his other work to that record. I did it with "Atavista" recently too. While I like "Atavista", it doesn't hit me like "Awaken, My Love" hits me. So, instead of writing a first reaction review of "Bando Stone", I decided to give it another full listen.

On this second go round I found myself enjoying it a bit more. I found some of the songs more fitting to what I like to vibe to when I listen to music. "Lithonia" is a true hit. That song has a great hook, Glover crushes his vocals and it is an upbeat sounding tune. "Steps Beach" is a nice and mellow reprieve from the other songs on the album. It has a nice guitar groove as well. "Yoshinoya" is one of his better straight forward rap songs. It reminds me a ton of the stuff on "Because the Internet". That album is dope, and "Yoshinoya" would fit in quite nicely, although I'm stoked it is on "Bando Stone". I really like the lyrics to "Dadvocate". The beat on the song is what brought me in the first time. But the second listen I focused more on the lyrics, and they made me like the song even more. And I really adore the closer, "A Place Where Love Goes". It feels like a finale to not only the record, but to Glover's musical career.

These tracks make this record very solid. But, there are some songs that are just not for me. I am not a fan of "No Excuses". I like that he is giving his often collaborator Ludwig Goransson some credit, but the song is just a meandering mess for me. It is ambient sounds with Glover sometimes singing a verse here and there. I want more lyrically from Glover. The album opener, "Hearts Were Meant to Fly", has its moments, but it falls just a little flat to my ears. "Happy Survival" features a band I really like, Khruangbin, but it feels more like one of their tunes featuring Glover. I want it to be the other way around when listening to his music. As for some of the other features on the record, I'm too old now to know who some of these artists even are. My son knows who they are, but I'm at a loss. I don't know who Chloe or Yeat or Foushee is. I should remedy this, and maybe I will, but for now they are anomalies.

All in all this record is hit or miss, but the hits are really staying with me. The songs I really enjoy will be staying with me for a long, long time. Songs like "Lithonia" and "Yoshinoya" will be getting a ton of spins when I decide to listen to Childish Gambino. I definitely recommend checking the record out. Glover really goes for it. He tries a bunch of different genres all within seventeen songs and one hour of music. And if this is truly it for him as Childish Gambino, he has given us plenty of great music to listen to for the rest of our lives. Glover is a true genius and I will check out all of his further ventures. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to Courtney Barnett

My dad is always on the lookout for new music. Ever since I can remember, he searches, finds stuff and passes it along to his kids. He has introduced me to a bunch of artists I currently listen to. I have always said that he influenced me on my taste, and that rings true to this day. So, when he gives me a suggestion, I listen.

Recently he told me about an artist he found on YouTube named Courtney Barnett. My dad will sit around and watch tons of different artists on the internet and whittle it down to the few he wants to listen to and tell us about. Courtney Barnett must have stuck in his head for a bit, because he brought her up until I listened.

I am glad that he kept mentioning her. She is a pretty dope artist. She is unique and different from current musicians. She has this folk lean to her music, but her singing is akin to Lou Reed. She is monotone, but in a very cool, very listenable way for me. Her instrument of choice is the guitar, and she can play. She goes both electric and acoustic. I prefer her acoustic stuff, but that is only because I like acoustic music more, especially when listening to folk music. She can play. She is no virtuoso, but she can strum it well enough to help carry her song. She also has features sometimes, and when she does that, she tends to let the other musician shine on guitar. She does the majority of the singing, and I like her written lyrics. She is not the best singer in the world, but she can carry a tune. Her voice is different too. She does the monotone stuff, the Lou Reed stuff, but she has these really deep and introspective lyrics. I listen to her more for what she is saying than how she is saying it. She goes into detail in songs. It takes me a few extra listens to get what she is saying, but when I do, it is a very nice payoff. I like how she blends words and melody. She has a real knack for writing a really good folk song. I like what she has to say. That is what has drawn me in most with her so far.

She also has a ton of music. After my first listen, I headed over to my Spotify account and was floored at the amount of music she has on there.  There's a whole lot. And it is all pretty damn good. She has multiple albums, a bunch of singles, she is featured on other records and she is putting in the work. I also like that not everything sounds exactly the same. They have a folk/lo-fi quality, but that is her preferred genre. She can go in different directions within the genre, and she does that very well. She is young too, like in her 20's. That means she has a long, long time to make more and more music. I get hyped with stuff like that. She is still young, so she hasn't reached her music writing prime yet. I get amped to think of what she will write after she lives a little more. I'm sure it is going to be epic.

I'm glad my dad kept at it with Courtney Barnett. I don't know if I would've jumped so deep if he hadn't. And I'm glad that her music is in my life now. She is a very good, very unique artist that more people need to check out. And she has a long career ahead of her. Go check out her music. You won't be disappointed. I think I'm going to go listen to some more of her music now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to Jalen Ngonda

I have recently come across the music of Jalen Ngonda. While looking at reels on Instagram, I watched a video of him performing live. I was blown away. His voice is soulful. It is as old school as it gets. The moment I heard his voice I thought of the old soul artists that my folks listened to in the house growing up. His voice can get high like Otis Redding's. He has some Al Green in there. I got Bobby Womack vibes from him. And to top it off, he plays guitar as well. He is an old school soul musician in the modern era.

I watched the first video, and like I wanted it to do, my Instagram algorithm kept giving me more and more of his work. I loved every new video I saw. I started to follow him on Instagram and started to listen to his music on Spotify. I'm all in now. I was hoping to be the first person to notice him, but he is getting more and more famous by the second. Since I first saw that video, which was about a month ago, he has been on a headlining tour. He has played festivals. He has made more videos. And to top it all off, he was recently hanging out with Elton John, posting a picture online for proof. It was amazing to see. I'm thrilled for him.

I want more artists like this to get their moment. They deserve their time to shine. We too often opt for bubble gum music fed to us by what I have to assume is AI. No one wants to go all out anymore. We want an earworm that we can hum along to while we go about our day. Jalen Ngonda is different. He is doing something cool. He is bringing back a sound that we all need right now. His music has a vibe. I dance along in my car when a song of his comes on. My kids have taken notice, and he is one of the few artists that they don't ask me to skip. He is damn good at his craft.

He reminds me most of early Leon Bridges. When Bridges first came out I had the exact same feel. He was a young dude who had an old soul. His first record is so great and so cool and so soulful. I ate that album up. He also dressed the part. He had a whole thing going on. I saw him on his tour for his first record, and it was everything I wanted it to be. Jalen Ngonda is giving me the same feeling. He wears old school t-shirts. He will sometimes be sporting a bucket hat while he plays. In the videos I have watched, he wears jeans. He dresses comfortably and sings like an angel.

I am curious to see where his career goes from here. I will most definitely see him live if/when he comes to Saint Louis. As I said above, I want him to get bigger and bigger because he is doing some cool music in an age where most people spit out dribble. Go check out Jalen Ngonda if you want to hear some old school, very well played soul music. He may be doing it better than any modern artist. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "Ohio Players"

The Black Keys new album "Ohio Players" was released this morning. Let’s discuss.

I'm a big time fan of The Black Keys. I have been for over 20 years now. So, any time they put out a new record, I get pretty psyched. Today was no different. I've been pretty pumped about this album for a few months now. They released three songs prior to putting the record out, and I liked all three of them. I also read some early reviews, and they were very, very solid. I liked their past couple of albums, but it wasn't like the first time I listened to them. I used to block out hours to listen to their new albums. I would dedicate full days just to listen. But I got older and had kids and couldn't find the time to do that. It has kind of become a listen to the new music whenever I find some free time. Today, with my kids being in school and my wife working, I had ample time to listen to the record.

I have listened from start to finish twice now, and I have got to say, I am finding myself getting more and more into the album with each listen. This is good stuff. I was listening to it with my dad in the car on our way to coffee this morning and he asked why I seemed more into this new record as opposed to some of their other recent albums. I told him that this record is grimy like their earlier records. That is what I grew to love about this band from the start. The first time I heard them I was taken aback at how grimy and dingy they sounded, in the best possible way. The reverb and distortion is what instantly drew me to them. That is back on this record. But it isn't all grimy, they have their newfound refinement here as well. The Black Keys have grown and gotten better at what they do. So, when they meld their old style with the new style, I am going to be all in. I told my dad that the reason I am so into the record is the grimy refinement. That is my go to description of this new record.

The album starts off like an old school record, with a distorted, reverb heavy grungey blues song, but Auerbach has grown so much as a singer, and that makes it all the more better. The moment I put this song on this morning, I was instantly bobbing my head and vibing out in my car. The record only got better from there. There is so much on the album for me to like with my musical taste. They have grunge, blues, and rock. They also have hip hop, keyboards, and slower, love adjacent songs. It kind of runs the gamut for a band like The Black Keys and I'm here for it. Two separate songs feature hip hop artists, one of which is Juicy J. When I saw his name on the tracklist I was stoked. And boy did he deliver with his verse. The other rapper, Lil Noid, is new to me, but his track reminds me of a Blakroc song, a great Black Keys side project. I enjoy the love songs. It is nice to hear them slow it down a bit and sing some sweeter stuff. And their original sound, the thing that made me want to hear them, it is here tenfold and it is awesome.

There is something so perfect when it is Dan and Pat doing the heavy lifting. They are what makes this band work. I know they have added some band members when they tour, but when the push comes from those two it is near perfection. The guestlist is pretty solid outside of Juicy J and Lil Noid. Beck, Noel Gallagher and Dan the Automator are featured on the record as well. This is a nice return to form with their newfound refinement.

I really like this record. I recommend giving it a listen. It is fun and really, really good. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "Penith"

Last week Lil Dicky put out his latest album "Penith". For all intents and purposes it is a soundtrack to his show, which I love also. I have been excited about this album coming out. I mentioned it on the podcast. So, the day it came out, I listened as soon as I could. I went to run at the gym, it was dangerously cold in Saint Louis last week, and turned the record on. I had planned on only doing about four miles that day. But, after turning the record on, I decided to keep going until the record was done. I was so into what I was hearing, I was vibing along and I forgot about my plans and felt good. I ended up doing seven miles that day.

This record is pretty excellent. I have been a fan of Lil Dicky's for a few years now, but he has never really put out a full record. He has songs here and there, he releases them every now and again, but never a full on record. "Penith" is a full on record. There are over twenty songs if you listen to the bonus tracks. What makes this record work so much for me is the space each song puts me in when I listen. I sit back and think about the show and the scene that has each song in it. It lets me reminisce. Again, I love that show, so going back without having to binge it for the millionth time, that is nice. I get to use my imagination. I especially like listening to "Harrison Ave". That song is awesome. It has a very good beat over it, and Lil Dicky's rapping is pretty phenomenal on this track. That episode is also one of the best episodes that I have ever seen on tv. "Brand New", which opens the record, brings me right back to Dave changing things around in his life and career. "Mr McAdams" is pretty fun and a good track. I also really like that episode of "Dave" due to the joke they play on the Met Gala. "Ally's Song" is gut wrenching and sad. And it brings me right back to the heartbreak you feel for Ally. "No Fruits or Vegetables" takes us back to season 1 and the wedding episode. That is where I felt this show got pretty great. This was where I was watching and thought, this has some serious legs. "Hi, I'm Dave" is the theme song to the first season of the show. I would listen to this track on Itunes a ton when it first dropped. To hear it again on this record was pretty cool. The album closes with "We Good", which is one of the more uplifting songs on the album. It also gives us GaTa doing his thing for the first time on the record.

I am loving the album so far. I have listened to it from start to finish three times so far and am not even close to being bored with it or skipping songs. I turn it on and just let myself sit back and listen. I was driving home from the vet today and on the way home my dog and I had a good time dancing to the record. This record is not just a soundtrack either, this is a good hip hop album. Lil Dicky can rap. He has good guest spots, but this record is pretty much all him, with GaTa dropping in here and there. He has good flow and is pretty damn good as a rapper. The beats are pretty solid as well.

I hope he doesn't stop here. I want to hear more music from him. And I hope the tv show comes back as well. But for now, I have "Penith" to listen to until a new Lil Dicky record comes out, and I'm totally fine with that. Check this record out. It is good. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Tries to Listen to Andre 3000's Flute Record

After a long, long time away, Andre 3000 released a new album today, "New Blue Sun". I was very excited when I heard that he was putting out new music. He hasn't done this in forever. He has shown up on some other songs here and there, but not anything in the way of it all being him. I think the last full length record he put out was "Idlewild", which is better than I remembered it being. So when the news was announced, I let myself get excited.

Then I saw people talking about their experience with the new record. I also have seen many pictures of him in China and Japan. These are the same pictures that show him carrying around flutes. I just assumed he was trying this instrument out for fun.

He was not.

This new record is not a rap record. It is not a rock record. It is not like what he did on "The Love Below". This is experimental, weird and jazzy. This record, I have only heard two songs so far, is totally out of left field. There are eight tracks on this album, but the runtime is nearly 90 minutes. I put on the record on my way to the store today thinking I could listen to a few of the new tracks. I didn't even finish the first song before I got home. The first track is over 12 minutes long. The second song is over 13 minutes long. I finished that one while prepping some kimchi. I will say, there were moments within these first two songs that I was vibing out to. Andre 3000 can really play the flute. But when I was listening I felt like Milhouse and the fireworks factory. I kept waiting for something to kick in. I was hoping that he would maybe sing a bit, and maybe he will when I go back and finish the album. But so far it is an instrumental jazz flute record.

Look, Andre 3000 is a genius. I love his work with Outkast and his features. I have come to the realization that he may be the greatest emcee to ever do it. He is an amazing musical artist. But I'm really struggling with this record two songs in. It is ambient. It is experimental. It's jazz. These are genres and musical styles that have never really been for me. I get that some people genuinely love these styles, and this album is definitely for them. But right now, for me, this just isn't my thing. I am going to keep listening to try and almost force myself to understand what Andre 3000 was trying to accomplish. I feel like he did this album for himself and decided he wanted to see what other people thought of it. And that is totally fine and Andre 3000 has earned the right to do whatever he wants to do. But this is just not my thing. I'm not into jazz. I like the fact that he is trying something different, something way out there. But so far it is not for me. Maybe it will be one day when I get smarter when I listen to music. But right now it is a tough, grueling listen. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to Prof

I wrote the other day about how I am trying out new music and new artists. My brother Seth has always been a reliable source when it comes to artists doing music I already like, but do not know. Seth is very much into hip hop as well, and he knows about many artists who are about to pop off, or just do some dope stuff. He was the first person to introduce me to Tribe Called Quest when I was a teen. He told me about RTJ before they blew up. He let me know about "Good Kid Maad City" before it became a chart topping smash. As I said, he always comes with the heat. So when he told me to check out Prof a while back I knew I was going to like his stuff. But I also kind of forgot about him for a bit.

Seth told me about Prof months ago, but I did not remember until I was scrolling through Instagram the other night and saw his stuff. I sent the video to my brother and asked him if this was the guy he told me about. He responded very quickly with a resounding yes. He also told me he saw him live a few days before this video was sent to him and he was even better in person. Yesterday after dropping my daughter off at school I decided it was time to dig into Prof's music. I went to Spotify and just let it play. I listened to the most played list. I like doing that first to get a taste of what his fans like most.

I was immediately into his music. The beats are super rad. They are slowed a bit and then have some heavy bass drops. And when he does speed up the beat it sounds even better over his rapping. His rapping is pretty awesome as well. He has a very cool style he uses to rhyme and I'm into it. He can be jokey at times. He can be serious. When he has a feature on a track he can go verse for verse with almost anyone. He also has a few tracks that he sings on and I dig that as well. There was a song I heard yesterday that was less than two minutes long, with an incredible beat, that Prof sang over the whole time. The song is called "Vulnerable God", and to this point it is my favorite song I have heard so far. I played it a few times in the twenty minute drive to my folks.

I mentioned the features earlier. One such feature was Redman from Wu Tang Clan. I am a very big Wu Tang fan and if a member is on another artists' song, they are the star. And while Redman crushed on this one song, Prof was right there with him the whole time. They traded verses and it was seamless. Redman also seemed to be having a blast recording with Prof as well. That came off on the recording. And one last thing that I really dig about Prof, that is a little out of left field, the artwork on his records is funny as hell. He has one where he is drinking a cocktail in a booth by himself and he looks very serious. It is hilarious to me. There is another one where he is a cartoon drawn as a mascot. The smile on his face is wild. There is his newest record where he is dressed to the nines, chain and all, and he has this very menacing look on his face. Again, it is wildly funny.

I'm in on Prof. I like his music. I dig his album artwork choices and I am definitely going to listen to more of his stuff. Thank you Seth for the recommendation. This is an absolute home run. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "LSD"

I've been trying new genres of music lately. I've been in a rut with music lately, so I wanted to see if I liked something I never really gave a full go to just yet. I still do not like modern country, too twangy and misogynistic, and jazz is simply unbearable for me. But I have been checking out DJ's, and some of their side projects with other artists. In doing this I stumbled upon an album titled "LSD". Let’s discuss.

This record has three artists on it, Sia, Labrinth and Diplo. I heard of Diplo through my wife who reads gossip magazines. I guess he has dated a lot of famous people. But I also heard of him through "The Eric Andre Show". There is a great street bit they do in an early season where he goes out and talks about scientology. While speaking into a microphone he starts to play music with it and says, "this sounds like a Diplo song". I figured if Eric Andre liked him I'd give him a try. Sia is a massive pop star. I know she made a pretty insensitive movie recently, but she is a good singer. I enjoy her big hits. Labrinth I was not familiar with at all. Doing some research I found out he is an established rap and R&B artist in the UK. I also really enjoy his voice. I decided to give the album a listen because I knew 2/3 of the people, I like some of the stuff they do and the cover is rad.

I really like this record a lot. I'm glad that I gave it a go. This album kind of bounces all over the place genre wise, but that is a good thing. I feel like they let the artists use their strengths on the record. Sia doesn't rap, Labrinth can do that. Diplo picks out the beats. When they need a nice chorus or hook, they let Sia run with it. The songs flow very nicely on the record too. There is no real wasted space here. I have come to realize that the song "Thunderclouds" was a minor hit. I get it. They put it right in the middle of the album and it is an excellent bridge from the start to a wonderful finish. They have some bangers on the front half. Besides "Thunderclouds", the song "Genius" is awesome. It has a nice hip hop feel to it. Labrinth really shines on this song. They also did a remix with Lil Wayne and that version may be better than the original. The song "Audio" has a back and forth from Sia and Labrinth and it works. They both showcase their talents. The second half of the record shines. This is the part that made me love this album. The song "Mountains" is a perfect pop song. From the chorus to the time signature to the beat to the lyrics, it is electric. I also love the stuff Diplo does on this song, making it really, truly feel like this was his baby on the album. "No New Friends" is a fast, almost jarring song on the record, but it works. They then follow that up with "Heaven Can Wait". This is my personal favorite on the album. It bends from hip hop to dance to pop and a little R&B. They wrote a nearly perfect song with this one. The album finishes off with a sweet, slower song, "It's Time". This is a nice closer. It wraps everything up on the album.

I adore this record. I keep going back and finding more and more things I genuinely like with each new listen. Check this album out. It is very, very good. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "Expo Expose"

Recently Earwolf started to do little side podcasts. They are like mini series. I have been an Earwolf guy for a good while now. Ever since I found podcasts, Earwolf was the first company I really followed. They do the best comedy podcasts, so it was a natural transition for me.

I am a CBB World subscriber, and through that I have found a ton of lesser known actors and comedians and writers doing podcasts or appearing on podcasts that I have become a fan of. Two of those people are Jacob Wysocki and Matt Apodaca. These two crack me up on every "CBB" appearance. They also co host their own podcasts. I am a fan. So when they announced they were doing a four part miniseries for Earwolf I was intrigued. I then did some research and found out they were going to go to some expos and talk about their experience. I have never been to an expo, but the whole idea of an expo fascinates me. Expos are big gatherings of people who have a similar fascination with a person, place or thing. So when all these like minded people come together for one common cause, that interests me. Add on the fact that Wysocki was going to host and Apodaca would be his cohort, I was in.

The show is called "Expo Expose". That is a great name by the way. I have already listened to all four episodes. I love this show. I want more of this from these two dudes. The whole concept for the show is that Apodaca and Wysocki go to the expos, talk about their experience, interview people who are attending and then do a final summation of the day. They went to four very different expos too. They attended a reptile expo, a tattoo expo, a boat expo and an anime expo. Three of these things are foreign to me. I do have two tattoos, but the tattoo culture is foreign to me as well. But, even though this was all very new to me, I was instantly interested in hearing Wysocki talk about his day and give his thoughts.

They started off the series with the reptile expo. I have never been a reptile guy, but I also understand why people like them. But hearing him talk to these people that have dedicated their lives, that was awesome. They were so passionate about the reptiles. They legitimately love their scaly pets. They also gave good advice on dealing with people who may have preconceived notions on reptiles. They followed that up with the anime expo. That was a very fun listen. I have never gotten into the whole anime thing, but I do know that people who have, they love it. That was very apparent listening to this episode. These fans are fanatical about the anime they love. It was really cool to hear the fans speak. The boating expo was the third episode, and there were a lot of people that I did not like. They were all about their possessions and their stuff. It drove me nuts. But Wysocki never let that show during his interviews. He was a pro and it was very cool to hear him speak about his whole day being in a place he felt very much the odd man out. The final episode was the tattoo one and that was very fun. Tattoo culture is a whole vibe and that came across tenfold. It was great to hear from people about their tattoos and to hear from the artists. I was all in with this episode.

What set "Expo Expose" aside was hearing from Wysocki and Apodaca afterward. They would give their full impression of the expo and they were very honest. They would point out the good and the bad. They would make it funny, but you could tell they were also taking it seriously. I was most interested in Wysocki's thoughts on the boating expo and they were about as honest as any interviewer could be.

I highly recommend this miniseries for anyone who has any kind of interest in expos. Expos are a wild and fascinating world. This show gives you that impression, but there is so much more to it. Check it out. It is a very good, short podcast series. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to Killer Mike's "Michael"

Killer Mike put out a new record a couple weeks ago. I finally got around to digging deep into it a few days ago. Let’s discuss.

The album is called “MICHAEL” and it is as good as I hoped. Killer Mike’s skills are not new to people who have listened to him since he was part of The Dungeon Family. He has this incredible ability to flip his cadence while rhyming. He can start slow and finish fast. Each song on this record shows that off. Killer Mike jumps from all speeds throughout the record. He is one of the best in the game right now. He also has something to say in his songs. He is telling truths. He is calling out the system. He is talking about family, relationships and the good and the bad of both. He calls out the government, the police and everyone else he feels is not up to snuff. The guest appearances on this album are wonderful. Andre 3000 is on this album. I haven’t heard new music from him in forever. It’s great to hear him, hear how excellent he still sounds and how effortless it comes for him. El-P is on a song here and it’s a great RTJ style song he guests on. These two have incredible chemistry and it constantly shows, especially on this track. 6lack is here, and he’s new to me, but I like his voice. He’s a rapper with a silky delivery. He’s like a young Pusha T. 2 Chainz pops up and this dude is underrated. I feel like people don’t take him seriously. They need to start now. He’s awesome. I could say the same about myself and doubting Ty $Ollar Sign. He’s dope. He can flow. This record starts strong, the middle is solid and finishes with a bang.

Killer Mike is at the top of his game. He had really put it all together and it really shows. I wish he was coming closer to STL on his upcoming tour. I’d love to see him perform these songs live. Until then, at least I have this record. It’s pretty awesome.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to Lil Yachty's "Let's Start Here"

I've always been on the fence when it comes to Lil Yachty. He will make stuff I really like, then he will make some stuff that is too mainstream. He has this ebb and flow deal with me. Sometimes it hits, other times it doesn't.

I have this deal with a lot of artists. I'm sure other people do too. But I have had lots of people I know, people whose opinion I respect, tell me I have to listen to his new record. I was putting it off for a while. I just didn't think I was ready for it. I also heard it wasn't a rap record, but more of a psychedelic record. I have an odd history with psychedelic music. But I had some time by myself Saturday. I took my daughter to a birthday party, my son was over at his grandparents house and my wife was going out with a friend. So I went on a run and decided to give the record a shot.

I love this album, everyone. I have already gone through the record fully two times. I started to listen to it again this morning on the way to take my kids to school. My son seemed to dig it. My daughter said it sounded weird, but it wasn't bad weird. This was another feather in its cap. The record is called "Let's Start Here". The cover is also wild and I love it. It has all these presumably business people with faces that look like they are melting. They also have these odd permanent smiles on their faces. It is fascinating to look at people. It was scary at first, but now I am all about it. And the songs, these are works of art. I truly did not know that Lil Yachty had this in him.

This record is nothing like he has ever done before. It is so out there and different. He took a big swing and boy did he connect. From start to finish this record hits on every level. The music on this album is dope too. There are big guitars playing some good stuff. It sounds like something from the 70's but modernized. The drums have this rock groove, but also it skews very hip hop. It has the tempo and groove of hip hop. There is bass all over this record and it is great. Some songs are straight psychedelic. Lil Yachty will do some old school singing on these songs and it rules. He crushes the vocals. It is very impressive. There are a few songs where he slips back into hip hop, and it works with the music in the background. He even does some stuff where he is just speaking over instruments and I love it. I'm fully in on this album. I have loved every second of it to this point. I have been telling friends about it. I'm going to tell my dad about it tomorrow, and he is my barometer for how well new music translates to older generations. He is also the one who introduced me to psychedelic music, so I am very interested in his thoughts. But I adore this album. I'm all in. I think it is one of the better records I have heard in a very long time.

My hat is off to Lil Yachty. He has done something highly impressive and innovative here. I am hoping to see him live here in Saint Louis in October because I want to see these songs performed live. I definitely recommend checking this album out. It is great. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to Codefendants

I mentioned that I was going to write about two new musical artists I have been listening to recently. The second one I will talk about is happening today.

My buddy Kirk, sometimes a contributor to the site and podcast, go running together pretty much every weekend. I look forward to these runs for a myriad of reasons. It is one of the best times of the week for me when we meet up and go outside. We talk about a bunch of stuff when we are out there. It is a great space to vent, catch up and talk about new stuff, or even old stuff, that we are into at the time. One subject that comes up a ton is music. Kirk and I are both music lovers, and the genres we listen to, we are very passionate about. We have some similar interests, but he is more of a punk rock fan and I am more of a hip hop fan. Last weekend when we were out he told me about a new group that he was listening to who he thought I might dig. When I asked him why he thought I'd enjoy it he told me that it was hip hop adjacent. I was intrigued.

Kirk is a NOFX fan. We have talked about the band a good amount. I knew of them when I was younger, but I've grown to know more due to these conversations we have had. He mentioned to me that Fat Mike, a NOFX member, had started a new genre of music called "crime wave". The genre name is rad, and after some research I found out that Fat Mike came up with the term. Kirk also let me know that there was a hip hop artist involved with the new band, and that the other members were pretty good instrumentalists. My family went downtown to watch my son sing the anthem with his school choir and on the way I decided I was going to listen to the band Codefendants.

I was instantly struck by the music. The first song I listened to is called "Fast Ones". It does not start as a punk or hip hop song. Someone is reading poetry over a drum beat. Then it gets more hip hop. A bass comes in and the drum beat gets more rap like. Then the whole group comes in and the song sounds full. It worked. I was hooked. I found myself nodding along like I had heard the song a million times. I was ready for whatever Codefendants had for me.

What I have found that I like most about this band is how different each song sounds. "Fast Ones" is pretty much straight forward hip hop, with a few distinct changes. But the other songs I have heard fluctuate. They have strings in their music. They have a song that has an orchestra playing behind them. They play acoustic music. There is punk. There is rock. They expand genres and that makes them great. The mere fact that they are not handcuffing themselves to one genre is what makes them so intriguing to me. Most artists I listen to stick to their genre. The Black Keys are rock. Kendrick Lamar is hip hop. Gary Clark Jr is blues/rock. But Codefendants can do all of that, and more. This is a talented group of vocalists and musicians. I have been endlessly fascinated by how different each song sounds with each listen. It almost feels like I am hearing new music each time. It amazes me how I can find something new and different I like each time.

These new artists I have been introduced to have been great for me personally. It is getting me out of this music rut I am in. I am forever grateful for advice on new artists to listen to. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go listen to Tobe Nwigwe and The Codefendants for a while longer. You should do the same. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to Tobe Nwigwe

At the start of the year I made it a point to find new music to listen to. I have been stuck in a rut and I want to get out of it. So far it has been kind of at an impasse, but the past week there has been a change. Thanks to a friend of mine and watching Instagram reels, I have been listening to two new artists that I am really into and I will be spending the next two days talking about each of them. The first one is Tobe Nwigwe.

I was watching Instagram reels the other night, my wife is on a work trip and I have trouble sleeping and watching videos helps me doze off, and I stumbled upon Tobe Nwigwe. The song I heard was called "BRAVO" and it struck me immediately. The video was a tight closeup of his face and he was rapping. I was struck by his voice and the way he flowed. It hit me right off the bat. I dug it right away. I followed him right away and started listening to his catalog on Spotify the very next day. I have been primarily listening to his music, and the artist I will talk about tomorrow, exclusively.

I am really into Nwigwe. He is a Houston born rapper and he has that Houston style, but sped up. You can tell he has the drawl, but the way he raps is really good. His lyrics are packed with words and the words mean something. He isn't rapping about money and chains and cars. Nwigwe is really talking about something. He is putting himself out there and he is nailing it. I took to doing some internet research on him and was very pleased to find out he seems like a very good dude. He was a former football player who had to stop playing after college due to an injury. Instead of letting this sidetrack him he started a non-profit. He worked at that for a long while and then met and started dating his now wife. They decided to do music and they kind of blew up during the height of the pandemic. Now that I know who he is I can remember people sharing a video of him early on in the pandemic that struck me but I never followed up on it. I regret that now. I have since listened to almost his entire catalog and I cannot get enough of it. I mentioned his rap style and that is what makes it so easy to listen to. He is a master at what he does. The beats are an added bonus. The beats are awesome. They are easy to vibe to. They make you want to nod along. I have found myself exclaiming how dope the beats are when I am listening alone in my car. And that is a big deal to me. When I can talk to no one about how great the music I am listening to, that is the best compliment I can give an artist I have just discovered. I find myself, when listening to Nwigwe, having the same feelings as I did when I first heard Run the Jewels. I find myself craving it. I find myself humming the music during the day. My son and I were driving home from his baseball game last night and he was vibing along with me. I love that. I want him to listen to better hip hop and him vibing to Tobe Nwigwe is a good sign. I also read that Michelle Obama is a big fan, which is a humongous feather in his hat.

Go check out Tobe Nwigwe. He is doing something really cool that is also pretty important. I am going to go listen to some more of his music now. I suggest you do the same. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to T-Pain's "On Top of the Covers"

T-Pain rules. I am a fan. I liked his persona and how he carried himself a long time ago, but this dude is super talented. There is a reason he is a professional musician and I have now found it.

His new record, "On Top of the Covers" is amazing. I never really listened to his music prior to this record, but I have heard him on songs where he is featured. I also loved the episode he was featured in on the Netflix show "I Love Pop". He also made autotune what it is today and he has a place in music history. What was so great about his episode of "I Love Pop" was that it let him tell his story. He was also able to show off his singing ability. This was my first inkling that I liked his voice. I heard him singing without any help and it was damn good. Then I was listening to "CBB" recently and Scott Aukerman mentioned T Pain's new covers record. I thought it was a joke because they did a runner about it and then never mentioned it again. But then I was watching Instagram reels the other day, because I'm a hundred years old, and someone shared part of his cover of "War Pigs". I thought it was a one off, or maybe just something he did for fun, but hearing this made me seek out if there was an actual record. And much to my glee there it was. I found it on Spotify and started playing it right away.

I have been blown away by every listen. This record is an achievement. T Pain has some pipes and he showcases that on each and every song, except for the one instrumental, which I do not know if he is playing the instruments, or if he has a backing band. The record starts off with Sam Cooke's "A Change Gonna Come". This is one of the greatest songs to ever be recorded, and to try and cover it has been quite the process. T Pain does an excellent job. When I saw this was the first song I was skeptical, but then I listened and it took my breath away. T Pain nails it. It is one of the better covers of this song. Sam Cooke himself would be proud. T Pain does it justice and then some. He follows that up with "Don't Stop Believing". I am not a fan of Journey, or this song, but T Pain makes me like it. I really enjoy his take on this rock song. From there we get songs like "Stay With Me", "Tennessee Whiskey", "Sharing the Night Together" and the aforementioned "War Pigs". Each song is different and very well done. "Stay With Me" rivals Sam Smith's version. T Pain sings it the same, but brings maybe even more soul. I love this song and I love T Pain's take on it. "Tennessee Whiskey", according to my wife, is like a gospel version of one of her favorite country songs. I was nervous to play it for her, but she said she really liked it. She was humming T Pain's version of it the rest of the day. "Sharing the Night Together" is way more soulful and way more fun that the original. The original is usually the best version, but I prefer T Pain here. And "War Pigs" is rad. I like Black Sabbath. I enjoy their music. But it can be a bit much sometimes. T Pain does this classic song, one of my all time favorites in fact, justice. He crushes the vocals. You can tell he really wanted to show off on this tune. He puts his voice out there for all of us to hear and he is absolutely incredible. I feel like this is a song I can hear over and over again and never get tired of it at all.

I really, really enjoy this album. I'm usually critical of a covers record, but not here. This record rules. This is one of the best albums of 2023, and may go down as one of my favorites of the year. It is number one with a bullet right now. T Pain has done something amazing here and I applaud him for his effort. He hit a homerun here. Go listen to this album right now. It will blow you away. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Listens to The Gorillaz "Cracker Island"

The Gorillaz put out a new record last Friday, "Cracker Island". I am a fan and was very excited to hear some new music from them. I have listened to the album from start to finish two full times already and started a third today. Usually when a new album comes out from a band I enjoy I tend to listen to what I consider the hits after one full listen.

The good thing about "Cracker Island" is all the tracks are really, really good. I have not found a song that I want to skip or feel I can just breeze through. I am a Damon Albarn fan as well, and I especially like the work he does with the Gorillaz. This record feels like it is a mix of what made them great when they started in 2001 and what has help them sustain that all the way through to today. From their self titled album, which was all I played when I went to college, to "Demon Days" which showed this band exploring new genres, to "Plastic Beach", which was recorded completely on an iPad to this new one, it has all come together to form something close to a perfect dance pop record.

Like other Gorillaz’s ablum’s, this is not short on big time cameos. Thundercat plays the bass on the opening track and adds some vocals. Thundercat is awesome and anytime he is on a track from an artist I like I get very stoked. Stevie Nicks is on the second track, "Oil". She sounds as great as ever and adds some real rock star vibes. An artist I have never heard of, Adeleye Omotayo, appears on "Silent Running" and I instantly became a fan. Tame Impala and Bootie Brown add a great layer of alternative rock and hip hop on "New Gold". It is currently my favorite track on the album. Bad Bunny, one of the most streamed artists ever, shows up on "Tormenta" and it is the first time I have heard his music and I am dig it. I will be checking out more. The record closes with a feature from Beck, and it is amazing to hear him and Albarn trade vocals back and forth. The music that accompanies the song is really rad too.

The Gorillaz also do songs just the four of them, and there is some very good stuff here. "Tired Influencer" is nice and soft. It has a very cool and calming vibe to it. "Baby Queen" and "Tarantula" are very cool and remind me of old school Gorillaz. And "Skinny Ape" is a very fun very well played song.

Basically, the whole record works on every level. Albarn is a genius and has gotten genius people to work with him on all of their records. I was listening earlier today with my dad and told him that I was never able to get into Blur, try as I might, but I really like Albarn's solo work, but I truly love what he has done with Gorillaz. This whole concept seems odd and pretentious, but it is neither of those things. Instead, this band works. They make great music. Albarn put a gimmick to Gorillaz, maybe to sell the idea, but it has gone beyond any expectations I could have ever had. The gimmick works and does not feel gimmicky at all anymore. I see the videos of the band and I relate the cartoon characters to the music, knowing good and well that it is Albarn and one of the most talented group of musicians I have ever listened to.

"Cracker Island" is an achievement. It is one of the best Gorillaz records to date and one of the better records I have heard in some time. Now excuse me, I am going to listen to the record another time, and then a few more. I suggest you do the same. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to 'Who Me? An Extremely True Crime Podcast"

I subscribe to CBB World. For those that may not know, CBB World is a Patreon level of "Comedy Bang! Bang!". I have listened to "CBB" from the start, so subscribing to this was almost a no brainer for me. I have found a ton of new pods off this too. I mentioned "Hey Randy" and "Scott Hasn't Seen" on my best of lists last week. Shaun Diston is also a big part of CBB World. But there is one pod that has caught my attention of late.

This is a new pod. The host is Bobby Moniyhan, who I happen to be a big, big fan of. The podcast is called, and this is a big title, "Who Me? An Extremely True Crime Podcast". Moniyhan plays, as he puts it, The Batman. This is a Batman style podcast but it is all comedy and improvisation. This is one of my new favorite podcasts. I was listening to it earlier today on my run and I was cracking up. I find myself laughing harder with every listen. I find something new within each episode that makes me cackle. Moniyhan has this incredible control over the show and it works on every level.

To date they have had three episodes and each one has been better than the one before it. The basic story line of each episode is The Batman is trying to find who killed his parents. He will invite a guest and just start asking them questions without any warning. From there on out it is pure madness in the best way possible. Moniyhan is totally owning this show. He is so funny. His Batman voice is riotous. The way he complains about it makes it even better. The connection between him and whoever plays Alfred is just great. They are never in sync. Batman is always yelling at him. Alfred is always missing music cues. He is never ready. They have this great love hate relationship. It is perfect. In each episode the guests have been such a wonderful addition. The pilot ep featured Taran Killam as himself. This is great because of the friendship Killam and Moniyhan have. They worked together on "SNL" and they play so well off one another. The back and forth was tremendous. Killam's willingness to play and improv is second to none. I was so happy when I heard this episode because it grabbed me right away. I was in because of Moniyhan, and to hear him and Killam together hooked me even more. The second ep featured Ben Rodgers as Superman. Rodgers take on Superman was interesting and unique. He played him as a jock from NYC. His voice work sounded like Slyvester Stallone, and I am here for it. This was great because they kept bringing up the movies that the two of them have been in together. They kept making jokes. The questioning was hilarious. Moniyhan could barely get word one out without Rodgers making him crack up. I was in awe of the comedy I was listening to during that hour. I did not think it could get any better, but then we had the new episode that came out today. Nicole Parker was the guest and she was playing Gal Gadot. This was improv comedy at its best. I had to stop running a few times to catch my breath because I was laughing so hard. Parker was amazing. I do not know much about her, but damn was she cracking me up. Her take on Gadot/Wonder Woman was a thing of beauty. They brought up the "Imagine" thing she did at the start of the pandemic. This thread was wonderful. It was so funny. The jokes being made, man they were top notch. She busted out a Sarah Silverman impression and that was a home run. I loved that The Batman stopped down to tell her how great her impression was. When Parker as Wonder Woman kept asking him which question they were on, that is an old bit, but when it is done right it can beautiful. This was one of those beautiful moments.

I love this show. I find myself wanting more and more. That is a good thing. If you have the means and want, go get CBB World and listen to "Who Me?" ASAP. It is one of the best comedy podcasts in the game. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "Cheat Codes"

I've been in a bit of a personal music rut lately. The only new album that I have been super into is the new Kendrick Lamar. I have been going back to old classics a lot more lately. I feel like, as I get older, newer music just doesn't appeal to me. I feel like I have reached that age where new music sounds different and bad to me. There are some new artists I like, but the stuff my kids listen to, I am not a fan of. But I do have a buddy that lets me know when there is new music from artists I used to listen to all the time is coming out. One such record is "Cheat Codes" by Danger Mouse and Black Thought.

I adore Danger Mouse. Next to Rick Rubin he is the best producer in the game in my opinion. He works with so many different artists and each time a record comes out that he has produced and worked on, I love it. The work he did with Norah Jones is amazing. It is my favorite Norah Jones record. The stuff he did with The Black Keys is great. His work as one half of Gnarls Barkley is timeless. The stuff he did on his own, taking "The Black Album" and "The White Album" and making it work was a true bit of magic.

Black Thought is one of the best emcees to ever do it. The Roots are an all time hip hop group. Part of that is due to the way he rhymes and writes. I feel like Black Thought is a tad underrated which is nuts because he has been doing this at such a high level for a very long time. Black Thought is a true genius and everything he touches seems to work. So put the two of them together on a record, it is bound to work. And boy oh boy does it work.

As I said, I was late to listen, but I feel like I haven't stopped since my buddy brought it to my attention. I listened to the album three times just yesterday and was nodding along each time like it was the first listen. This album works on every level. The production is incredible, as one would expect when seeing Danger Mouse as the producer. The beats are clean, the way it is composed is pure hip hop, the songs mesh so well and the record runs like a well oiled machine. Then you put Black Thought on there as the main rapper, beautiful. His voice is so unique and pure. He sounds like an old head in the new age. He cruises through each song and takes over on some tracks. He is a genius. Then you add on the guest list and that takes this album from great to classic. This is the last record to feature MF Doom, that I know of to this point. It was so nice to hear his voice on an album nearly two years after he passed away. There is a song that features ASAP Rocky and Run the Jewels. That feels like they put this on the record specifically for me. It is my favorite song. Michael Kiwanuka, who is by no means a rapper, shows up and brings a different sound to his song. Raekwon is on a track. I love hearing from him. He seems to be everywhere lately. It also helps that I just saw Wu Tang Clan live and he was there. This record works on every level. It is near perfection. It is one of my favorite albums to come out in the last decade. I knew I was going to dig it, I just did not think it would become this big in my rotation.

While I have my doubts about the current state of music, while I am getting older and what's new is hip and I don't get it, it is nice to have something like this. I love hearing artists I have been following for more than a decade still doing their thing and doing it phenomenally. "Cheat Codes" is rad. Seek this album out for sure. It is definitely worth your time.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "The Mars Volta"

Today I decided that I was going to listen to the new Mars Volta record. I had been putting it off for a bit. I really like Mars Volta. I enjoy their music. I have seen them live before and it was a great show. But their older music used to meander a lot. They would put out an album that would be over an hour long but only have eight songs. I liked parts of each song but there would be other parts that felt superfluous. I would find myself skipping to the parts I liked and going over the stuff that felt unnecessary. So I had reservations about the new album. I also decided to not read much about it because I knew I would listen to it one day. And as I said, that day was today. It was this morning in fact, when I was bringing my kids to school.

I am here to say that this new record is my favorite. It is very, very good. The very first thing I noticed was the song length. No song goes over four minutes. The record has fourteen tracks and it clocks in forty-four minutes and some seconds. I feel like the time off really let them hone their craft. The band sounds awesome. Cedric Bixlar-Zavala's voice is as great as it has ever been. He has a very unique, very distinct sound. He may be an acquired taste, but I like the band's music and I especially like Bixlar-Zavala's voice. He sounds great. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is back and better than ever. He is one of the greatest guitar players that has ever walked the Earth. He is wildly underrated too. No one ever talks about him when they talk about the best current guitar players. He sounds incredible on this new record too. I feel like he does a bunch of extra stuff here too. He is multi-talented. He is like Johnny Greenwood. I started listening to this band because of him. He is awesome. The rest of the band is up to the task. The bass sounds phenomenal. The drums are the perfect prog rock sound. The keys and horns are pretty dope. It all works to perfection. They compliment Bixlar-Zavala and Rodriguez-Lopez masterfully.

Back to the song length. As I stated before, they really tighten it all up on this new album, which is called "The Mars Volta". I turned it on and was waiting to see how long the first song was going to be. When it was less than three minutes I thought, oh, one short song and the rest will be six plus minutes long. But then the next song was a shade over three minutes long. Then another three minute long song. Then a two minute long song. Needless to say, the longest song on the record is four minutes and thirteen seconds long. That is perfect. I like my music to be nice and short. Four minutes long is right at that edge, and The Mars Volta ride the line to perfection here. It is such a great revelation for me as a fan. Now they just do all the great stuff without the unnecessary jamming. It is the way it should be.

If you are a fan, as I am, I definitely suggest checking out this new record. It is tremendous. It is quite an accomplishment.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.