DMX Gave Us All a Big Gift with His Version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

Last weekend my wife and I went to Memphis. Memphis is our favorite getaway. It is close, there is a ton of cool stuff to do, good food and it is relatively cheap. There are a ton of historical landmarks. On this visit we went to a Grizzlies game, hit up Silky O'Sullivan's, had BBQ and pizza and had a very nice brunch.

In the spirit of the holidays, we did a carriage ride and that is always a good time. We did a longer one this year, an hour, and the driver let us pick the music. He had a bluetooth speaker setup and told us we could play music or have him give us a tour. We have had the tour proper before, so we opted for music. Most of the music being played was Xmas music. My wife loves Xmas music and I find some of it tolerable. There was some hip hop and classic rock in there, but for the most part it was Xmas music.

At one point we listened to DMX, who I have a complicated past with, but I love his music. We did his famous stuff and it was kind of hilarious to listen to this hard core hip hop with a ton of people walking around Beale Street listening to every word. But, like a breath of fresh air, DMX's version of "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer" came on.

I had never heard this before. I have heard a ton of hip hop artists do Xmas versions of songs. Run DMC is classic. I have heard a ton of others. But hearing someone like DMX, whose voice was so iconic and unique, do this particular Xmas song was incredible. It was also one of the funniest things I have ever heard. First off, hearing that DMX did this song as a dare essentially is amazing. The fact that someone said it would be funny to hear him do this, and then he did it, that makes me happy. Then, when you hear this version of the song sung by DMX, it is stunning. It is typical DMX. He has that gruff, grinding and hard core edge to his voice. But then the words start to come out of his mouth and it is jarring. When he starts to sing it, hearing him say stuff like, "all of the other reindeer/used to laugh and call him names", or "rudolph the red nosed reindeer/had a very shiny nose/", it is simply amazing. It sounds like one of his songs done by the world's best soundalike. It is all DMX, but there are no swear words. There are no dog barking noises. There is no reference to demean anyone. It is non-existent. It is just DMX doing a clean DMX version of this classic kids Xmas song. I did not stop laughing the whole time. I was literally doubled over when it was playing.

After we left the carriage ride and got back to the Air Bnb, I did a ton of research. I found out a ton about DMX recording this song. I watched videos of him doing this song. I read articles about the recording. I was amazed to see how seriously DMX took this insane situation.

I think this may be my new favorite Xmas song. I have listened to it a ton since we got home. I do not listen to a lot of Xmas music when I am home doing stuff, but this version of this song has shown up on a few of my holiday playlists since Saturday. I implore you all to go check this out. You do not have to be a hip hop fan or a fan of Xmas music to enjoy this whole process. I guarantee you will find something to love about DMX doing this type of song. And you will find something to love about his full process. Just putting this in front of your face or ears will bring the most Grinch like person some kind of joy. Go, go check this out now. I know you will love it.

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

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RIP Coolio

Coolio passed away at the age of 59 last night. I was picking my son up from football practice and RD texted me to let me know. I did not believe him at first. I texted him a few times back asking too many questions. While my kid was eating his dinner I did a little internet research, and sure enough, RD was right. I found myself stunned. This is happening far too much lately. Ever since 2020 it seems like people I like, or liked as a kid, are passing away. Biz Markie, Sharon Jones, Phife Dawg, too many to name. And now we have Coolio.

I am a big time hip hop fan. It is my favorite genre of music. I have been listening to hip hop since I was a pre teen. My brothers would have me listen to A Tribe Called Quest, Public Enemy, Kurtis Blow, Erik B and Rakim, a whole slew of legends. When I started to branch out on my own I found a bunch of other rappers I liked. Timbaland and Magoo were big for me. I loved Mase and Puff Daddy. The Notorious BIG is the greatest rapper of all time in my opinion. But when I reached back in the recess of my brain, Coolio was one of the first rappers that really grabbed my full attention. First off he had that wild hair. It was braided, but the braids stayed airborne and he would even fit them through hats when he wore them. But, like most other people, it was the song "Gangsta's Paradise" that really pulled me in. This song was amazing. First off, the beat is a Stevie Wonder song, "Pastime Paradise". My folks listened to a good amount of Stevie Wonder, so I was able to recognize the beat pretty quickly. But it was Coolio's voice that really pulled me in. He was rough, but not DMX, another rapper we lost too soon, rough. He was smooth, but not Biggie smooth. Coolio had his own voice. It was different and unique and cool. I was instantly in. I went out and bought the single. I saw the movie "Dangerous Minds" simply because "Gangsta's Paradise" was the main song in every trailer. I learned every word so as not to mess it up when I would sing it.

I was all in on Coolio after this song's release. I even got mad at Weird Al when Coolio got inexplicably mad at him for doing "Amish Paradise". But they squashed whatever fake beef they had, so it was cool for me to listen to Weird Al again. But it wasn't just "Gangsta's Paradise". Take a song like "Fantastic Voyage". He samples the song with the same name from 1981, but Coolio made it hip. He made it fun. It was a hit. There is the song "1,2,3,4 (Sumpin New)". This song is dope and he has what I perceive to be a Michigan football jersey on in the videos. That makes it so easy for me to be a fan. "C U When U Get There" came out when all rappers were doing ballads, but Coolio did it the best. He had a way about him. He was like a good Biz Markie. And that isn't to say that Biz Markie was bad, he was kind of corny. Coolio could do goofy raps but get away with it because he was wildly talented. I understand that these are his biggest hits, and it sounds cheesy to remark on them, but they were hits for a reason, especially considering my age at the time of their release. He also did the theme song for "Kenan and Kel", which was required viewing for me.

Coolio also acted. He was in "Batman and Robin", which is too perfect. He appeared as himself in "Leprechaun in the Hood". Again, perfect. He did spoof movies. He did "Daredevil", so superhero movies as well. He was in cheesy sci-fi movies. It seems like he knew what he was good at, what would sell tickets, so he went with it. He also did TV. He was in "Martin", "Kenan and Kel", "The Nanny", "Fear Factor", "Futurama" and "Black Jesus". He also had his own cooking show. Again, he knew what he was the best at, so he went for it. Coolio also won a Grammy, American Music Award and three MTV VMA's. The guy had a long and successful career. It is a shame that he has passed away.

This one hurts. Coolio was a big part of my growing love for hip hop. He was one of the first artists that really pulled me in and it stuck. Coolio will be severely missed. Rest In Peace.

Ty

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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.

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A Night With Nas and Wu-Tang Clan

Last night I got to see Wu Tang Clan and Nas on their New York State of Mind tour. Saint Louis was their first stop and a buddy of mine wanted to go. He asked if I was interested, and you better believe I was fully in. Nas and Wu Tang are two artists that I have always wanted to see live but never had a real chance. The last time Nas was in Saint Louis was in the 90's. As for Wu Tang, who knows when they were last playing live shows in STL. But they were here last night. In fact this was the first stop on their tour. They opened the whole thing here in Saint Louis. I was champing at the bit to see what this whole show would entail.

When we got there, the show was at Riverport, or as it is now known, Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, where there was a DJ playing. I have been to shows where the DJ is the headliner and also the opening act. This DJ, DJ Scratch, was very good at his craft. He was great at scratching, kept the crowd involved, played great tunes and did some wild stuff on the turntables. He has also produced records for members of Wu Tang, so you know he has credentials. He got on stage for 45 minutes and rocked the crowd the whole time. I did not know what to expect next. I have now been to three concerts since the start of the pandemic and each one has started right on time. And like clockwork, Wu Tang walked on the stage right at 9pm. I was impressed at the impeccable timing. They proceeded to play for 25 minutes, and it was one hit after another. I was impressed at how good they still sounded. They kept the crowd involved. They talked in between songs. Each of the emcees got their own chance to shine. The RZA did his verse from "Bring the Ruckus", and I was in heaven. It was a thing of beauty. The RZA is my favorite member. I did not know who I would see, but I was pleased. The only two original members that are still alive that were not there last night were Method Man and Redman. Every other living member was on that stage. Even ODB's son, YDB, joined the band on stage. I was hyped to watch them perform. Nas joined them after 25 minutes to perform a song. This ruled. He came on stage and crushed. I figured he was going to walk off stage and let Wu Tang finish their set. He did not. Wu Tang left the stage and then Nas performed for 25 minutes. He was amazing. I was more on the Wu Tang side as to who I wanted to see most, but Nas ended up impressing me the most last night. He went from song to song like the pro he is. The screen in the background was showing old music videos of his. It was very cool to see him perform and then look at a much younger version of himself. Nas was incredible. I could not have been more impressed watching him perform. Then, after the first 25 minutes, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah came back on stage and did a few songs together. Then the rest of the Wu Tang clan, minus the RZA, got back on stage and did another 25 minutes. Again, it was hit after hit. I was amazed at how they kept the show going and how each performer did their thing. After Wu Tang did a second 25 minutes, Nas came back out. He proceeded to do all his hits. It was amazing. He was simply wonderful. I could not have been vibing more. Nas did 25 more minutes and then thanked the crowd for coming out. I loved that each headliner did their thing for two seperate 25 minutes or so sets. I also loved that each group had a wardrobe change between each set. Most of the guys had a totally different outfit on for their second set. The night seemed to be over. The stage went dark, but I figured it was done. Then Busta Rhymes came out and did a few songs. It felt like I was in eighth grade again, listening to some of the first hip hop artists I discovered. It was a tremendous open to their tour and a great, great show.

I am so happy I got to see these legends perform live. What a great night of live hip hop.

Ty

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

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Kendrick Lamar is Great. Kendrick Lamar Live is the Greatest

I need to catch you all up on some stuff I have seen live and watched streaming for the past two weeks. I have been so focused on football that all this stuff had to wait. But I'm back to tell you about all the cool shit I have been doing for the past couple weeks.

Last Sunday I went to Kansas City to see Kendrick Lamar live in concert. This is an artist I have always wanted to see. Kendrick is the best rapper alive, in my opinion. He is at the top of the game, doing it better than anyone else and may go down as the greatest emcee to ever do it. He is a wonderful, introspective rapper who talks about real life stuff. His new album, "Mr Morale and the Big Steppers" is a massive achievement on every single level. So the opportunity to see him tour that album, and play older stuff, this was a can't miss thing for me.

I was utterly blown away by what I saw. He had two openers, Tanna Leone and Baby Keem. I know of Baby Keem because he is on the new Kendrick album. I had never heard of Tanna Leone, except for the one track he is on Kendrick's new record. He does well on that song, and his 15 minute set was solid. He did about five songs and each had its own charm. When Baby Keem came out, the crowd went nuts. He played for about 30 minutes, and it was hit after hit. He is a very, very solid rapper. I found myself bobbing my head along and vibing with the crowd. I have since listened to some of his stuff at home and found myself really enjoying it. But the reason we were all there, the guy who we all wanted to see, got on stage around 9 and proceeded to crush for the next 90 minutes. Kendrick Lamar is a genius. He is such a great performer, writer and, now, an instrumentalist. He opened his set playing the piano. I looked at my brother and said, "I didn't know he played!". We were both hyped. He also had a ventriloquist doll on stage that looked like him. He performed the song to the doll, then to the crowd. It was wild and I loved every second of it.

From there on out it was one of the greatest shows I have ever witnessed. I don’t know if it was because I hadn't seen a live show in over two years, or if it was just his genius. It was probably both. Kendrick Lamar did hit after hit. He sprinkled in tracks from older records and a bunch of his new songs. He brought, both Baby Keem and Tanna Leone on stage with him. He did hits like "DNA", "HUMBLE", "backseat freestyle", "Money Trees" and "swimming pools (drank)". I have always wanted to hear those songs live, and I finally did. They were amazing, He had dancers with him, and when they all danced to "HUMBLE", that was a once in a lifetime thing for me to see. The songs off the new record, I mean, he is such a pro they sounded like classics already. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand all night. We were singing along. When he asked just the crowd to sing, we knew every word. He put on a show too. This was not just about the music. I mentioned the doll, but there was so much more. He had a medical tent that was used for a few songs. There was fire and fake explosions on stage. The stage was humongous and went into the crowd. At one point a part of the stage lifted up about 15 feet into the air. The dancers were incredible. He did songs as if he were speaking to a therapist. He had a bed on stage for a track. He would disappear into the floor of the venue from time to time. The images displayed on the video screen were in perfect sync with whatever song he was performing. When we left the venue my brother and his buddy said it was more like a play than a concert. I couldn't have agreed more. It was truly a show.

I have been to a good amount of live shows before but I have never seen anything like this. There is a reason he is so great at what he does and why he can sell out these big venues. The place was packed and we all had a great time. And I didn't even get COVID. This whole evening was everything I wanted it to be, but it was so much more too. I highly, highly recommend seeing Kendrick is you are a fan and you have the means and he is coming near your hometown. I drove four hours to see him and I'd happily do it again. This show was amazing and I will never forget it. Kendrick Lamar is the man.

Ty

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

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Let's Make Movie Soundtracks Great Again

Over the last few years I have taken an interest in collecting physical media. It started with vinyl records, moved into Blu-Rays and 4K DVDs and now includes comic books. I have a running list at a local comic shop and a local record store for things I am looking for. The comics are easy, it is mostly stuff I read as a kid in the 1980s. The DVDs I collect are a mix of new and classic movies. The vinyl records, my most prized collection, are made mostly up of movie soundtracks, and I am finding that almost all of my wants come from films prior to 1990s.

What happened to the movie soundtrack? Now I know some of you are out there are saying, '“All movies have soundtrack, they have an Oscar for film score.” Yes, I know, but I am not talking about score, I’m talking about songs. The only current director I can see doing a proper playlist for his movies is James Gunn. Both “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies and “The Suicide Squad” have killer soundtracks that help tell the story of those movies. I also own all three of those records. All the other modern movies, and I am using the word modern to represent the entirety of the 21st century, have a score and one song that usually plays over the end credits. We can do better than that.

Back in the 1980s every movie had a soundtrack with songs, and many of these songs became instant classics. Try to imagine “Rocky III” without “Eye of the Tiger”. I bet you are humming the beat right now. There is no “Top Gun” without Loggins explaining a highway that leads to the “Danger Zone”. “The Karate Kid” is not only one of the greatest love stories ever, but it also reminds you that “You’re the Best” around and ain’t nobody gonna take you down. We learned in the mid eighties that “The Power of Love” is our key to getting “Back to the Future”. Before Optimus Prime fell in battle, he had “The Touch”. Not all of these movies are great, actually yes they are all great, but these songs are timeless bangers.

The movie soundtracks were not always populated with original music. The aforementioned “Harold and Maude” used music that was already popular. “The Lost Boys” used music from The Doors. “Vacation” used a Lindsey Buckingham B-side. Weird Al leant “Dare to Be Stupid” to a particularly stupid part of “Transformers: The Movie”. Even today, James Gunn uses classic songs from a bygone era to back his superhero spectacles much like the iconic soundtrack to “Dirty Dancing” and “The Big Chill. All these movies owe part of their legacy to the music supervisors who crafted these iconic albums.

Many of the movie soundtracks from the past are as important, if not more important, than the films they back. “Purple Rain” the album is “Purple Rain” the movie. The collection of Cat Stevens songs that accompany “Harold and Maude” bring an extra melancholy and quirkiness to another one of our greatest love stories. The Blondiesqu and rockabilly in “Streets of Fire” is one of the few redeeming spots in a mess of a movie. Many of these movies may have been lost to time if it was not for their epic soundtracks.

We need to bring back the classic movie soundtrack. Scores are great, but remembering my favorite movie scenes through songs with lyrics is a piece of heaven. Let me know if I’m just an old man yelling at a cloud, or let me know what other classic movie soundtracks need to be remembered. As Stan Bush tells Daniel and Hot Rod, we need to “Dare” to champion the reemergence of the movie soundtrack.

RD

RD is the founder and Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to Kendrick Lamar's "Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers"

The other new record that I was looking forward to last week was the new Kendrick Lamar. It is called "Mr Morale and the Big Steppers".

I, like all his other fans, have been waiting for this record for five years. "DAMN" came out then, it was great, I believe that he won a Pulitzer for it and I listened to it on repeat for months. This record is a wonderful, ambitious, eye opening album. I literally cannot stop listening to the record. Every time I have some free time or down time, I put the album on and vibe out. The album has 18 songs on it and I wish there were more. The selfish side of me wants this album to go on forever and ever. It is so, so good. It is also deep. Kendrick Lamar has clearly been going through some things for the past five years and he lets it all out on this album. He is an open book. He reveals all. It is like the greatest hip hop therapy session ever recorded.

From start to finish this album is a hit. There is not a bad song on the record. The production value is second to none. The way the album flows from song to song is perfect. There is not a single wasted moment on it. Everything works. And it works so very well. I read a headline the other day that made me kind of scoff, but the more I listen the more the headline comes true. It simply read "Kendrick Lamar is Here to Save Hip Hop", and they are 100 percent correct. Modern hip hop, in my opinion, is not very good. There are a few good artists, but for the most part it is not great. I do not like Drake. I think he is very overrated. Kanye West needs therapy. He needs real help. Dababy is homophobic and transphobic. And not very good. Post Malone is trash. There are few exceptions, like Pusha T, but that is few and far between. What Kendrick Lamar does on "Mr Morale and the Big Steppers" gives me faith in modern hip hop.

Everyone who listens to this record has liked it. Artists galore are out here singing its praises. Not one of them has a bad thing to say about it. The same can be said for journalists and bloggers. We all love the record. It is so good. It is perfect. Kendrick crushes everything he does on here, and with him still out there doing his thing, maybe it will help energize some new up and coming young rappers. Maybe the artists that have hit will listen to this and realize that they too can make quality hip hop music. Take an artist like Baby Keem. I never listened to him before seeing he was on this record, and by checking him out now, you can hear the influence. There is hope, and Kendrick is here to push the younger artists in the right direction.

Getting back to the songs now, there is so much good on here and Kendrick is an open book. The opener, "United in Grief", hits. "Father Time" has him coming face to face with fatherhood. "We Cry Together" is what being in a toxic relationship has to be like in real life. "Purple Hearts" has a Ghostfast Killah feature, and the song rips. "Count Me Out" is Kendrick begging people to come for his crown. "Crown" is a great song about being the GOAT. "Savior" is another great song about Kendrick not being your savior, how he is just a dude. "Auntie Diaries" is a revelation. It is the best song on the record in my opinion. "Mr Morale" is perfect. And "Mother", followed by "Mirror" is the best way he could have ended this masterpiece.

This album is wonderful. It is one of the best records I have heard in quite some time. It will most likely be my number one album of 2022. But it is so much more than that. This is going to go down as a classic. Kendrick Lamar has cemented his place. He is one of the best of all time. "Mr Morale and the Big Steppers" further hammers that home. The wait was more than worth it. I love this record.

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 Black Keys "Dropout Boogie"

A few new albums I have been anticipating came out last Friday. I will be taking the next two days to write about each one. The first one I want to talk about is "Dropout Boogie" from The Black Keys. I waited an entire weekend before writing about the albums because I wanted multiple listens before writing down my thoughts. So, let's get to

"Dropout Boogie". This is a return to form. I adore this album. I have listened to it fully four times now. It is short and sweet and to the point. There are 10 songs, it is a stripped down band, the focus is solely on Carney and Auerbach's talent, it is 34 minutes long and it packs a punch. It reminds me a lot of their last record, "Delta Kream". That was a covers album, but it was just the guys with a few other, older blues musicians on the album. "Dropout Boogie" is like a rock version of that. I like The Black Keys' other stuff, their previous stuff. But I was the typical, "I like their older stuff better" fan. I enjoy "El Camino", "Brothers", "Let's Rock" and "Turn Blue". But I was way more in the bag for "Attack and Release", "Magic Potion", "The Big Come Up", and most of all, "Rubber Factory" and my all time favorite, "Thickfreakness". Those albums are raw and have the feel of a band finding a totally unique sound unto them. That is not to say those other albums don't have that feel. They do, but The Black Keys were clearly trying some other, newer stuff. And it worked. Those are good records. But they never lived up to a record like "Thickfreakness", at least not for me. Then "Delta Kream" came out a year ago. I devoured that album. I loved the direction. I loved the idea. I am drawn to old blues music with a new sound, and the boys nailed it. I wish I could have seen them perform that album live. I bet those shows ruled. And now we get another very good, older sounding record from them in "Dropout Boogie".

Everything seems right on this album. The guitar is crunchy and grimy and filled with reverb. It is like going back in time. The guitar on this album reminds me of a more refined "Rubber Factory". There is no denying Auerbach's greatness on a record like this. He is a one of a kind guitar player. He will go down as one of the greatest. Carney's drumming is just as ferocious and wild and awesome as it has ever been. I feel like he has never really strayed from the original sound they were going for back in the early 2000's. He has stayed true all the way to today. I adore that about him. I also like his manic drum playing, and that is on full display here. He gets to hammer away at his unusual kit and he does a bang up job. His fills and solos and everything work so well. I think when he and Auerbach decided to make a record like this he just smiled and was instantly on board. He feels like the type of guy that never wanted to stray from the main reason they got into this business. And add on the fact that this album comes at you fast, only slows down once and sounds like they are having a hell of a time making it, and it all works. They are cohesive. They have the same idea. They clearly wanted to make an album like this. I think they missed doing music mostly just the two of them. I am now contemplating seeing them this summer in STL. The show is outdoors and the lawn seats are cheap. And I want to see them perform these particular songs.

I like this record a lot. I highly recommend people give “Dropout Boogie” a 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 Listen's the Pusha T's "It's Almost Dry"

I have now listened to Pusha T's new record "It's Almost Dry" about three times now. I enjoy it. I do not like it as much as his last record, but with each new listen I find something new that I enjoy about it.

I'm a Pusha T fan. I have been since the first time I heard Clipse in 2001. He just has this very cool flow about him when he raps. It comes out smooth. I think that is why it has taken me multiple listens to really get into "It's Almost Dry". I wasn't ready for it when it first came out. I have been in a pretty deep soul, R&B and heavier rock groove lately. There has been tons of Black Keys, Etta James, Leon Bridges and, I know this is a little out of left field, Bo Brunham on my playlists. So I just was not ready to receive what Pusha T was putting out there. But the more I've heard the better it has become. I truly do like every song on the album. I also appreciate that it is a tight 35 minutes long.

The record starts off strong, has some great stuff in the in between and has a perfect ending, with him reuniting with the other member of Clipse. Pusha T has a way of rapping over a beat that is like no other. He is one of the few rappers I have heard who do not really wait for a beat to kick in. When he is ready he goes. And he is good. The flow is so good that it doesn't need him waiting. I love how he just gets to it. He has something to say and he refuses to wait.

The record is produced by Kanye and Pharrell. I do not like Kanye at all. He needs real therapy. He needs true help. He has some mental stuff going on that only a doctor can fix. But the dude can make a beat. He has that skill. That has not left him yet. And the fact that he doesn't rap on this record, save for a few weak bars during some hooks, makes it all the better. The beats are his, you can tell, and Pusha T makes them work. Pharrell, on the other hand, is a true musical genius. He does things with hip hop that have just further pushed the genre to a whole new world. He makes complicated beats sound simple. He knows how to get the best out of his performers. He doesn't dip his toes too far into the water. He lets the talent do what they do best. Sure there are tweaks here and there, but for the most part Pharrell just refines it all in the end. He rules. There is a version of the record on Spotify right now titled "It's Almost Dry: Kanye vs Pharrell", and it is astounding to hear the two producers on the same record and how different they are. And how much better Pharrell is at his job.

I think what I like most about the album, and I mentioned this for a second a minute ago, is how there are now real hooks on the songs. It is all Pusha T's line of thought being put on wax. He has his verses and his bars and he rolls with it. He puts it all out there. He doesn't need a hook. He doesn't need a chorus. He can just go from verse to verse and not miss a beat. Sometimes hooks help, but in this case, I do not miss it at all. It almost seems like a hook would hinder the greatness that is Pusha T.

I am a fan of this record. I have most definitely come around after three listens. I will continue to listen. Pusha T is very famous, but I think he should be talked about far more than he already is by the media. This record is a great appetizer to the new Kendrick Lamar coming out in a day. I will for sure have both albums on repeat for a bit.

Ty

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

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Ty Watches Leon Bridges Live in Concert

Last night I went to a live concert for the first time since January of 2020. I had been staying away because I was nervous about getting sick. A large group of people in an enclosed area just seemed like not a good fit. But the show I went to last night was outdoors, in a smaller venue, and even though COVID is still very, very real, the numbers have not been as high as they have been before. I felt okay going to the show last night.

It was a total blast. I went to see Leon Bridges at St Louis Music Park. I am a fan of Bridges' music. I know he has not been doing the straight forward soul music on the last two records. But I still find myself enjoying the music on said records. And he still played some stuff off his first record. Bridges was wonderful. That dude can sing. I was blown away by how good his voice sounded. I do not know why I was on the fence about hearing him live because he is so good at what he does. His band was on point too. I went with a buddy of mine and we had seats. When the bass would kick in, you could feel it in the seats and hear it reverberating in the stands. It was rad. The guitar player was on point too. That guy was doing some great things last night. The keyboard player was not only on top of his game on the keyboard, he also shredded the saxophone. He was playing the hell out of that thing. The backup singers were great as well. When they would trade vocals with Bridges, it was a thing of beauty. I especially loved it when they got the crowd involved. And when Bridges closed the show he brought one of them out to sing with him and her voice was outstanding. I was blown away. It was a great show.

The venue was also really cool. It was an outdoor stage with a roof over the top. It is like a dome with an opening. The enclosed part really let the acoustics sing through the whole crowd. You could hear almost every note. I also liked the way the venue was laid out. They had the floor area, which was open and easy to spread out. The seating was comfortable and open and easy to find your spot. It was also very clean. I know that sounds weird, but the venue just had a clean feel to it. It looked nice and just felt good. I really like this spot. I will definitely be seeing more shows there.

I also had a blast with the person I went with. My wife has lots of friends from work, and she told me that one of them is a concert goer who's wife also does not like concerts. I have gotten to know him the past couple years and I thought he was going to be the perfect person to invite. I was right. He was great. I had a very good time hanging out with a new friend last night. It was awesome.

Finally, it was really, really cool to see a live show with a group of strangers. I was nervous beforehand. But when the music started, I just let all that slip away. I would look out over the crowd and see people vibing to the music and I was just happy. I had a smile on my face the whole time. The crowd ranged in age and it was just comfortable to see a group of people crowded together to see some live music. But, there was also enough space to spread out during the show. Besides the person I went with I do not think I was within six feet of anyone else for the majority of the night. This was also a perfect show to ease myself back into the world of live shows.

Leon Bridges is cool and calm, his crowd is respectable and everyone there was having a good time. There was one person that passed out and Bridges stopped the show to make sure the person got the proper help. I have never seen that before, and to see Bridges and his band take the time to make sure that person was okay was tremendous. I had a blast last night. Everything about the evening was awesome. It has made me excited to return to live shows, especially ones that are held outdoors. What a fun night. It was a blast.

Ty

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

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Ty Listen's to The Black Key's Latest Song "Wild Child"

One of my favorite bands, The Black Keys, have a new album coming out in May. I am very happy to hear this as I am anytime they release new music. I have been listening to them ever since I heard them on MTV2 back when they used to play music videos and have awards shows with live bands. I have seen them live multiple times, own every piece of music they have made, owned and watched many concert DVD's and will tell anyone that will listen to me how great they are. They announced the new album and the release of the new single last week, and I have since listened to "Wild Child" about a dozen times.

I really, really enjoy the song. I like the sound, Dan Auerbach's singing and Patrick Carney's drumming. It gives me vibes of some of their older music mixed with some of their newer music. I too like their last record, "Delta Kream", which I have noticed a lot of other people did not like, but this new song has a different feel to it. It is very distorted, which is great. The vocals are clear and easy to listen to. The drumming is as hard and fast, yet clean as it has ever been. The backing band is tight and loud, but not too loud that they drown out the main components. It is a very nice mixture of all the things Carney and Auerbach have learned and honed since they became a professional band. I will keep listening to this song until more are released because I enjoy it so very much. Then I will listen even more when the record comes out in May.

With all that being said, I do have a few little quibbles. I know it is stupid, especially when I love the song as much as I do, but hey, this is the society we live in. "Wild Child" is amazing, but it does feel a little too produced. The distortion is not like it was on albums like "Rubber Factory" or "Thickfreakness". It is a clean distortion. I understand they are a better band now, but I like the gruff sound on the older records. Auerbach's singing is so good and so clean. That is a good thing, but again, I miss the older sound. What I adored so much about them when I first heard was how scraggly and rough Auerbach's voice used to be. When I first heard him sing on "The Big Come Up", I hadn't heard anyone at the time that sounded like him. He sounded like he was, at the same time from the 40's and the 70's. He had that old bluesy sound, but could throw in some old Zeppelin style rock in his voice. Again, it is a great thing that he upped his game, I just prefer the old sound.

My final little critique is that Carney sounds over produced. What makes Carney so awesome is how wild and maniacal he can get when he drums. Seeing him live is amazing because it is such a joy to behold. And, again with the older stuff, he is just hammering away at his odd drum kit. You can hear the drum sticks practically breaking when he plays. He is still hammering away on this song, it is just tighter. And that is not bad at all. I just miss the old sound. And I fully get that they have moved on, and I need to move on. It is all on me. I understand that. Also, if I have not said it enough, I really love the new song. I played it for my dad today, who is also a fan, and he had no problems with it at all. These are just some weird, stupid little things that are all on me, but in the end, I am a fan of "Wild Child", and I cannot wait to hear the rest of the new record.

Finally, I want to say thank you to The Black Keys for continuing to make awesome music, and giving the fans something new every 3-5 years. That is what makes them so great.

Ty

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

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SeedSing Classic: Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 24 - Snoopy's Christmas

ed note: This article was first published on December 24th, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we are looking back at the great holiday music, movies, television episodes, and food of this great season. Enjoy

Day 24: Snoopy's Christmas by The Royal Guardsman

Opened doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten,

 Eleven Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen,Sixteen,Seventeen,Eighteen,

Nineteen, Twenty, Twenty One, Twenty Two, Twenty Three

The Christmas season can feel like a battle. There are large crowds and everyone seems to have their own agenda. People are constantly fighting each other for parking, space in line, and the hot holiday gift. We move through the malls and hardly acknowledge one another. On Christmas Eve, the holiday season reaches its peak while everyone rushes past one another to complete their individual goals. Christmas Eve is the final struggle we face on the battlefield of the holiday season.

"Snoopy's Christmas" is the 1967 follow up to The Royal Guardsman hit "Snoopy vs The Red Baron". The band made their name by incorporating in their songs the Peanuts character of Snoopy, and his exploits of aerial dog fighting against The Red Baron. "Snoopy's Christmas" reads like a classic tale from Charles Schultz's Peanuts comic strips. The Red Baron is terrorizing the skies, and Snoopy with his trusty Sopwith Camel (his doghouse) must engage in  battle high in the sky. While Snoopy valiantly tries to defeat the German ace, disaster strikes. The Red Baron shoots down the pup in German territory. Snoopy lands and believes that the end is here, then suddenly the bells ring out over the countryside marking the beginning of Christmas. Being inspired by the spirit of the season, the Red Baron offers Snoopy a drink and wishes him a Merry Christmas. The brotherhood of Christmas Day causes the foes to befriend, and they then go on their separate ways. Christmas Eve saw bloodshed, Christmas Day is about peace.

The exciting tale being told in "Snoopy's Christmas" is based on a true event, the 1914 Christmas Truce of World War I. British and German troops were shelling each other on December 24th, suddenly the firing stopped when both sides heard the bells from the countryside ring out for the beginning of Christmas Day. The Germans invited the British troops to cross no man's land and have a peaceful celebration. The enemies shared food and drink, showed pictures of their families, and even played games together. The magic of Christmas stopped sworn enemies from killing each other. The feeling of brotherhood trumps the anger of war. It is a magnificent piece of human history.

Christmas Eve can be a tough day. Many people are frantically trying to get that last must have gift. We have no time to be kind and courteous to our fellow man. If you are not relentless, you will lose the battle of the Christmas Season. Once midnight hits and the bells of the village rings out for Christmas Day, a new feeling takes hold. Our disagreements on religion, geopolitics, and philosophy take a day off. Christmas makes us one family. Enjoy your holiday, and thank you for your eyes this Advent Season. As the Red Baron would say, "Merry Christmas my Friend".

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man podcast. No matter who you are, or what you believe, the bells at midnight will make you the editor's new friend. Join our circle of joy by liking SeedSing on Facebook.  

2021 Top Five - Albums

This week starts my Best of 2021. I will do my top five for most of my lists. I will do music, movies, television, podcasts and sports. That is also the order I will proceed with starting today. Some of my lists were easy to get to five, others, not so much. Let's get to it.

Today I am going to do my top albums of 2021. This is one of my lists where I do not have five picks. Part of that is my lack of listening to new music and the other part is I do not know many of these new artists. I used to be cool and hip. I used to know a ton about new and underground music. I used to listen to all different kinds of music. But as I have gotten older plenty has changed. I am kind of stuck in my ways now. I like what I like. I have been introduced to "new" music for me, but it is older bands or musicians I have never really given thought to before. That is my "new" music. I have recently gotten into Prince, more Talking Heads, an indie band called Whitney and more old school hip hop. But I did find three albums that I really enjoyed that came out this year. They are three new albums too. They are by artists that I like, but again, these records did come out this year.

At number three I have Har Mar Superstar's "Roseville". I love this record. It is like a throwback to older soul and R&B. There are horns and back up singers and cool, retro guitar and all along the way we get Har Mar's great voice. I like this new direction Har Mar is going in with his music too. It is very fitting for his voice and his range. You can really tell on this record that he is in his pocket. I also feel like as he is getting older he is starting to pain gratitude to artists he grew up listening to. This record is like an homage to older soul music. And I am a sucker for horns. I just lose myself to the music whenever I hear a good horn section. Lyrically, this album is very poignant and timely. He talks about COVID and other things that are going on in and around his life. It is a good snapshot of what this past year has been like. "Roseville" is very solid and I'm kind of stunned that some of the bigger publications and websites have kind of just pushed this record to the side and do not talk about it.

At two I have Tyler, the Creator's "Call Me if You Get Lost". This record is like older Tyler with his new vibe attached. It is straightforward hip hop. Tyler's rapping is impeccable. He has gotten better and better every year. He is on the Mount Rushmore of current hip hop artists right now. I also love how most of the songs are less than three minutes long. Even the songs that go six to nine minutes have like three different songs built in. They don't linger too long. There is enough change that it feels different. Tyler, much like Har Mar, also touches on the pandemic, but does it his way. I also love the addition of a hype man on the record. It adds so much to hip hop albums. I also really enjoy the production on the record. It may be his second best production, behind only "IGOR". Tyler, the Creator is aging like a fine wine. He is consistently trying new things and it has all been really great as of late. Tyler is getting to that echelon of always doing wonderful and innovative things in music. He is the man.

My number one album of the year is "Inside". Get used to seeing this on my best of lists. This album is amazing. The fact that it was made in a year is astounding. Talk about being timely, this album is all about the pandemic, loneliness, anxiety and loss during COVID. It is truly a masterpiece. Bo Burnham has done something amazing and memorable. To make music like this, at this time in history, to make it this well and this astounding, I'm floored. The way the whole album kind of shifts after "30" is a real feat. It goes from kind of dark to super dark, in all the right ways. There are songs on this album that I feel like school kids should study. There is stuff on this album that will be talked about for decades. This is a true work of art. I adore songs like "How the World Works" or "Welcome to the Internet" that are instant classics. I mentioned "30", that is an exceptional song about growing old. "Problematic" is a great look at his past and how he has grown. "All Eyes on Me" is so twisted and dark and perfect. "That Funny Feeling" may be the best folk song of the year. "Content" is a perfect album starter. I could go on and on and on, and I will on some of my other lists, believe me. "Inside" is amazing. It is the best album of the year, and when we get to 2030, it may end up being the best album of the decade. It is really that good. You can go look at my year in review on Spotify and see how much I have devoured this album. "Inside" is, hands down, the best album of 2021.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for my top five movies of the year.

Ty

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

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"Squid Game" is Tops in the Music Department

I have now watched "Squid Game" twice. And I still love it as much as I did the first time. It is truly one of the best shows to come out in quite some time. A few weeks back I wrote about the set design, namely the humongous piggy bank. That is still firmly in my head each and every time I think or talk about the show. Today I want to talk about the music.

Recently I have been listening to the music from the show on Spotify, and today it hit me as hard as the piggy bank did. The music from the show is all instrumental, so much like my review of "The Green Knight", it may not be for everyone. But I love it. I was listening to it when I took my kids to school today, no worries, they do not talk about what happens on the show at all, and even they were into it. We have been listening to it in the house at night time as a wind down. But this morning, after the kids left and I really got to take it in, the music just adds a whole other layer to this great show. The music cues made me think back to some of my favorite, and not so favorite moments from the first season. When they play the song that plays over the opening credits on the first episode, and then that song keeps reappearing throughout the season, I had so many visions of the show pop back into my head. I thought about the young kids playing squid game for fun. Then I thought about the hell they go through when they are in the warehouse. When the song "I Remember My Name" plays I was instantly taken back to the episode "Gnnabu", better known as "Marbles" to most now, and it wrecked me yet again. When they played the song that plays during "Dalgona" I was instantly nervous and anxious and thinking about what I would do during that game. They have a song when the soldiers are introduced and it builds to this amazing crescendo that had me totally remembering their introduction. The song that plays near the end of the season finale, no spoilers coming I promise, I got fired up like I used to when coaches would be riling us up before any football, baseball or basketball games. The music was giving me visceral reactions. I was feeling feelings that I had during the show, but it was also bringing up new feelings. To me that is the sign of great music, well made music. When you get a real reaction, that means it played a part. Another example is the song that plays when they show all the contestants the money in the piggy bank after playing red light green light. When the piggy bank keeps adding more and more money there is this almost video game like music playing. It made me feel like I was playing a game on my Nintendo when I was a kid.

Also the instruments they use are truly awesome. There are typical classical instruments being played, like pretty much any stringed instrument. But they also have guitars and keyboards and drums and synthesizers. It is updated classical music.

I have not listened to an instrumental album, outside of anything Ratatat does, since I listened to the "Jurassic Park" soundtrack as a kid. The "Squid Game" soundtrack has changed that, and it is better than the music from "Jurassic Park". No question about it. "Squid Game" is great for so many reasons, and the music is another in a long line. This show rules.

Ty

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

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The Latest Rolling Stone Top 100 Song List is Stupid

As I was strolling the internet today I came across Rolling Stone and they put out a new article ranking the best 500 songs of all time. Rolling Stone does this from time to time. They put out these lists, they get people talking, they get people arguing and they make arbitrary picks for what their writers believe are the best songs or albums or movies or whatever they feel like talking about that day. I will say, I am talking about it on the internet today, so they did pull me in, but I want to talk about how absurd and pointless it is to make lists like this.

I do my top five lists at the end of every year, but I make it very clear that it is my personal opinion. My picks have no reference base for anyone else. I think my picks are solid, but if people disagree with me, that is okay. I truly do not mind. I actually like it because, sometimes, less than I would hope, I get some good recommendations. But Rolling Stone doing these lists are all about getting clicks and getting likes. They cater to a younger audience. Some of the songs on the list I have never heard of, and I listen to a ton of different music. They also leave off very good artists because they are not well known enough for the majority of Rolling Stone's reading audience.

Personally, I do not think songs should be on an "all time" list unless they have been out for at least a decade. Songs need time to sit and grow. Songs on all time lists need to be around for a while before they make a best of all time list. I do think an artist like Lil Nas X is very important, I love how he markets himself and his music, but "Old Town Road" came out two years ago. And the song is very short and a very cliché country song. I bet when Rolling Stone does this list again ten years from now "Old Town Road" will not be on the list. I do think "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo is a tremendous song, but she has better songs. She has also barely been on the scene. Give her time. Hell, her new song with Cardi B, "Rumors", is better than "Truth Hurts". So is "Better in Color" or "Juice" or "Like a Girl". I also do not know that a Solange Knowles song should be on there before Beyonce. Solange is another very talented artist, but her older sister is so much better. Also, we need to retcon everything we know about Kanye, so his songs should not be here. I'm also not a fan of throwing a dozen Taylor Swift songs on the list. She is a fine artist, but come on. She needs to be in the game for a bit longer. I also do not like the fact that they put Coldplay songs on this list. Everyone makes fun of that band. Everyone. They write cheeky, goofy pop songs. Or how is a song like "Wonderwall" in the top 100. Sure, it is a solid song, but not one of the 100 greatest songs of all time. Not even close. Kelly Clarkson is a great artist as well, but "Since You've Been Gone" is the top 90? There are way better break up songs way further down on this list. No LCD Soundsystem song should be in the top 100. This has to have been from the hipster group of writers. And again, I adore LCD Soundsystem. I also do not know what the deal is with Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", but how that song makes all these lists is so far beyond me. Having MIA's "Paper Planes" in the top 50 must be a joke. No way is "Seven Nation Army" a better song than "When Doves Cry". "Royals" is not even Lorde's best song, and they have that at 30. A song by synth pop star Robyn is in the top 20, and I have never heard it before. No way does "Smells Like Teen Spirit" belong in the top 50, and they have it at five. It is so funny to me that the highest ranked Bob Dylan song is "Like a Rolling Stone". Total promotional pick.

This list is rife with hipster/company people picking what they want their bosses to be happy with. There is no joy or fun in this. It is all very common or ridiculous. There is no middle ground. But again, this is only a handful of people at Rolling Stone picks. This is who they were either told to put on here, or decided they had to have these songs on the list. If I did a top 500 songs of all time list it would greatly differ, but I am not going to do it for a myriad of reasons, number one being how arbitrary making a list like this truly is. This is all about opinion. If they sat down with real musicians, or people that have worked their whole life using science to figure out what are truly the best songs ever, scientifically, maybe I would take it a little more seriously. But this is typical Rolling Stone nonsense.

Read the very long list if you want to, but try not to let it make you too angry. That would be a waste of 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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Better Late than Never on Blind Melon

During the pandemic and my running I have been rediscovering bands, or giving bands I liked, but never gave a real shot, a chance. One such band that I have recently found myself getting into heavily is Blind Melon. Lets discuss.

My older brother Seth has been telling me for years that I need to really listen to Blind Melon. Like most people I know the song "No Rain". I also really enjoyed their take on "Three is the Magic Number". I knew the big hits. But I never really gave them much of a thought outside of those songs. Seth tried and tried for years too. He would give me multiple albums. He would play songs he thought I would like, but it never hit me right at the time. I remember him wanting me to listen to their record called "Soup" so badly that he would play it in my car constantly when he would come home for a visit. Back then, to me, they sounded too jammy. I liked jam bands too, but there was just something in the way they played that felt a little different. I actually lumped them in with Phish, and spoiler alert, I have tried time and again with Phish and I do not like them at all. That was unfair of me to do that.

I have been in a music rut lately, which helped push me towards Blind Melon. I was listening to RTJ, Bo Burnham, Talking Heads, Lorde and Tyler, the Creator a little too much. Those are all great, wonderful, some of my favorite artists of all time, but you need a break every now and then. It makes you appreciate them even more when you go back. So when I was running yesterday I decided I was going to give Blind Melon a real shot. This was their time to shine for me. And I was totally blown away by how much I was vibing and grooving to their music. The singer has this incredibly distinct voice, and you know it is him the moment he opens his mouth to sing the words he wrote. He has long since passed away, a drug overdose I believe, but this dude was so far ahead of his time. Listening to him now, if Blind Melon came out today, they would be headlining folk festivals and touring with big acts. He is a better singer, in my opinion, than someone like Nathaniel Rateliff, who I adore. He has this cool, scratchy, growly voice that is so fun to listen to. I love hearing him sing the songs. The band is top notch. I cannot believe that I ever lumped them into the jam band category. That is not to say that jam bands are not good, they are great, but Blind Melon is so much better. Jam bands tend to meander and try to find a way out when performing a song. That is why the songs clock in at over six minutes for every one.

Blind Melon was, technically speaking, a great band. The guitarist was/is a phenom. I do not know if he is still alive, but I sure hope so. I was listening to some of their early work and the way he plucks an acoustic guitar is virtuosic. When the band would go electric he sounded just as clean, which is a feat that not a lot of very talented musicians can accomplish. The drummer was always on time, had great fills, did some cool solo stuff and fit in nicely. The bassist provided that clean bass tone that I have come to really love in folk/rock music. The band was so well put together and played like the pros they were. It is such a shame that drugs tore this band apart and cost the lead singer his life. They could still be out there doing it, and doing it well. They clearly had the chops. They all knew what they excelled at, and they ran with it. Blind Melon made great music, but there could have been so much more. I think that is what bums me out the most. I think they only made three records with the original crew, but those three records are dynamite.

I am done doubting Seth and his musical taste. He has always been there for me, and now that I am actually listening to Blind Melon, this is another debate that he wins. Blind Melon is great you guys. Go listen to all their other music besides the two hits I mentioned and see for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

Ty

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

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Ty Listen's to Lizzo's "Rumors"

The other day I finally got around to listening to the new Lizzo Song "Rumors" featuring Cardi B.

This song rules.

Lizzo has been rocketing up the stardom chain for about three years now. And this new song is only going to make her even more famous. She is coming off a ton of Grammy nominations and some wins. "Cause I Love You" was a smash hit that featured a plethora of top singles. Prior to the pandemic she was selling out pretty much every live show within a day or two. I know the show in Saint Louis was moved to a bigger venue due to how fast she sold it out. She was climbing the ranks. This new song further hammers home that she is the queen of pop and rap music at the moment. She is doing it better than anyone out there right now.

“Rumors” is dirty and fun and has a great beat and Lizzo's vocals are a thing of beauty. The way she can switch from rapping to singing is a sight to behold with your ears. She is not equaled by anyone right now. She raps better than Cardi B does on this song, and Cardi B is good. Lizzo is simply better. I love the beat of the song too. It comes in hard. It is stanky, which is a very good thing. And when Lizzo comes in with the first couple of lines, I was hooked. I love the way she says "God damn" in between each lyric in the song. It immediately grabs you. If you are a fan, you want more. If you have never heard her, but like rap music, it will grab you too. And if you like modern pop music, Lizzo is the best in the game. As I said earlier, the way she vacillates between rap and pop singing is so good. She starts the song with some sing songy lyrics, where she intersplices the "God damn" parts, and when the verse hits, she belts it the hell out of the park. She then switches into rap mode and absolutely crushes it. The chorus is very catchy and very fun, with both ladies showcasing their talents. Then Cardi B gets to let loose on her verse, and she crushes. It is a very good rap verse from a rapper I have never really listened to before. I will be checking out some of her other music now. I think what I like most about the song is how much fun the two of them are having. You can tell they had a blast making this song. It comes across so well. When the people making the music are having fun, that is usually the sign of a song that is going to be a big hit. I am kind of surprised it did not come out sooner this summer, it could have owned the charts. But the fact that we are getting new music from Lizzo is great. I would much rather listen to her than a lot of other pop musicians out there right now.

I hope this single means she is working on a new record. That would rule. For the time being though, I will continue to listen to "Rumors". 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 "Solar Power"

Ten days ago Lorde put out her long awaited third album, "Solar Power". I had heard the two singles she released early, I am a fan and like so many others I was pretty excited to listen to the record. I listened the morning it came out, listened again right after that and have gone back here and there in the last week plus to get my ears on it some more.

“Solar Power” is different from Lorde’s first two records. She exploded on the scene with "Pure Heroine" and "Melodrama" is a masterpiece. I was curious to see what direction she would go in with this album, and it is a whole new direction. And I enjoy it. I have seen some people giving it tepid reviews, but I have enjoyed every listen to this point.

The record is very stripped down. It is very acoustic. It is very sleepy in a good way. Putting the record out in late August was perfect because the album has the feeling of the end of summer. Jack Antonoff produced it and the more records I hear that he produces I am finding that I like them. I am not a huge fan of his bands. Fun is okay, Bleachers is fine, but I do not dig the music he plays. His producing for pop stars is top notch though. He has a gift and the ear to produce pop music. I also like how he has the artists kind of go bare bones with the albums he helps them make. Doing with this Lorde could have been a misstep, but both of them found a way to make it work and make it great.

Like I said, the album is slower and way stripped down from her first two. It is a nice change of pace. I love listening to the record when I am cleaning the house or going for a drive. My daughter really enjoys the record. She is growing to like slower, more folky music as she gets older. I love it. I think what I love most about the album is it lets Lorde's vocals totally shine. Her voice is the main, and most important instrument on this record. Lorde is a great singer, with a powerful voice and "Solar Power" really lets that shine. That is not to say that the first two records don't do that, but there is a ton of instruments and music backing her vocals. "Solar Power" is light piano, some drums and acoustic guitars backing Lorde's vocals. It is perfect. I also like how quick the album moves. No song is longer than five minutes, except the closer which is like two songs melded together. The middle of the album meanders for a bit, maybe two songs, but even the meandering works on the record. There is one song where she talks at the end as if she is an announcer in the airport, and I love that song. After the two slower tunes though she rips through three or four songs that are super short, but super good. Those songs are all about the lyrics and Lorde shines through singing the words she wrote. I especially love the song "Dominoes".

I do not get the backlash that this record is receiving from some, but there will always be critics for everything. All I know is I really like the record. Lorde is as reliable a musician as we have right now. When she puts out new music it will be good. It will have people talking. Fans will be delighted and she will make new fans. As I always say, I like when artists take chances, try something new, and that is what Lorde has done with "Solar Power". I really enjoy this record and I definitely recommend you give it a 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 Watches "Summer of Soul"

I finally got around to watching "Summer of Soul" on Hulu, and it was awesome. I really wish I hadn't waited so long to watch it.

For those that don't know, "Summer of Soul" is a documentary that was the equivalent of Woodstock with R&B and soul acts. It was dubbed "black Woodstock". I never knew about this, and many other people didn’t as well, because they never released the footage of the festival until now. Questlove of The Roots directed the movie, and he did one hell of a job. The people he got to talk about it ranged from super famous musicians to festival goers to political workers to fans of the music. It was an excellent array of people that really knew their stuff.

My favorite interviews were from the people that attended the show. To see their faces now, to see them reflect and remember, to hear them talk about the joy that this brought, it was magnetic. I have been to many shows and a few festivals, and that experience is something I will never forget. Even at bad shows or festivals, which I am not a fan of, I always have a snapshot in my mind of the day. So to hear these people talk about something as amazing as this festival must have been, those are the memories worth keeping and sharing with anyone that will listen. I adored listening to these people talk.

I loved the music as well. The people that played this were some of the best to do it. Mahalia Jackson could sing. Even when she was ill she was out there belting away like no one else could at the time. Mavis Staples hung right there with her though. When those two sang Dr Martin Luther King's favorite song, after an emotional and powerful speech from Jesse Jackson, I teared up. Those two are amazing. A 19 year old Stevie Wonder kicked off and ended the movie, and holy cow is he incredible. I am already a fan, but seeing this made me love him and his music even more. I also got a good sense of his early activism. BB King slayed guitar like I always expect him too. Even some of the acts I didn’t know or haven't listened to, I really dug their music. I do like Gladys Knight and the Pips, and seeing her in a 60's outfit dancing and having a great time made me like her more. Nina Simone gave a very strong and impassioned performance that I will always think about every time this movie is brought up in conversation.

Besides the music and listening to the people that were there talk about their memories, what I loved most was how comforting and jovial and happy and peaceful everything was during the four weekends this went on. There were no fights or problems. Nothing was destroyed or burned. Everyone was treating others with respect. That doesn't happen nowadays, and it sure as hell hasn't happened since they tried to do Woodstock in 1999. People back in the 60's, with everything that was going on back then, knew how to act responsibly. I appreciated that aspect. I like that Questlove showed everyone having a good time. Even when they did the whole section on the moon landing, I sided with the festival goers. They did things the responsible and correct way.

I loved this movie. I think that is obvious. I wish I knew about this festival sooner, but better late than never. I recommend "Summer of Soul" very much. It is top notch.

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.

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