"Awaken, My Love!" - Childish Gambino

I was hoping to do this for the second review of the new year, and I pulled it off. This is the new album by Childish Gambino. He is a writer/comedian/rapper and I guess now singer known as Donald Glover. I loved Community while it was on TV and I did see some Derrick Comedy while it was on the Internet. But I do know over the summer I actually saw his stand up special the day I broke up with my ex. I feel really dumb bringing it up but it has to do with this. I thought the stand up special was good but I also didn't expect to even think this was good. It wasn't until after this dropped and I heard Redbone I was like.... Let's peep this out.

1. Me and Your Mama: The track opens with a sort of feeling of uncertainty. I was unsure if I would like this as much as I liked Redbone when the song started. There is a sort of waiting for something to happen. Once it does happen its sort of worth the wait, but I still wonder if the wait was shorter would the pay off be the same I guess. There are chimes and kind of a music box playing before this beat comes in and vocals and it's building up the song until the lead vocals come in. The beginning has some interesting textures and cool sounds and I think it sounds pretty damn good. I mean I don't think this is the highlight of the song, but it's still solid. My only complaint is the song takes a whole 2 minutes to start. If this introduction was an intro track I could just skip it, but I love that guitar and the fucking fuzz on it. The choir makes this feel so big and gives it that punch I need it to have. Then that scream, it reminds me so much of the scream in the beginning of (Don't Worry) If There Is a Hell Below, Were All Gonna Go. Which also happens to be one of my favorite songs off all times, so positive points there. I fucking love the keyboards that play towards the ending, the rhodes and the moog and Hammond organ all sound so good. I'm fucking jealous that he got to get his hands on those, really, the lucky bastard.
2. Have Some Love: This track's choir has a very overy Parliment/Sly & The Family Stone vibe. The group vocal thing is something George Clinton would do all over a later record from the group. I like the way he's kind of rap singing. That organ sound is also great. I don't really know what to call it but I like it. I also like the acoustic guitar that comes in the second chorus, gives it a nice twang. I appreciate how it sort of goes into a different section after the second chrous that could be like a solo but it's got a lot of weird sort of psychedelic sounds going one. There are what sounds like hits on triangles and electronics and then it has this sort of spacy vibe. After that it goes to a group vocal of before going back to the intro and ending the song off. This is a very well put together songs. And the message is great
3. Boogieman: The intro has a sort of Jimi Hendrix feeling and the first vocal part remind me of Parliment again. The thing though is I can kind of picture Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey when I hear that intro. It's a bit of a stretch, but I can kind of almost say it as it was said in the original song. I don't know, maybe I just has Sly on the mind. I like the sort of weird vocals on this and I trippin' feeling of the song. The best part is the chorus, the rest of the song is just kind of okay. I like the rhythm guitar that comes in during that also, adds a nice texture. It's not as good as the last two, but I do still jive with it.
4. Zombies: This opens with some effects before giving us the guitar and the funky track. There is a weird perverted sort of Isley Brothers vibe I'm getting from this track. I really dig the harpsichord and the backing vocals the most on the track. I also really like that second where he holds the note and they use auto tune. Nice little details like that, that also happen to work, are what makes an album so much better. I also appreciate that organ part that plays before the song changes and quiets down. That woman on this track, fuck she is something else. I'm really jiving with what she's doing. I mean it's kinda sexy, but it also adds to this song. I also love that now there is a piano and then it gets a Rhodes. This is a very well constructed song that takes a number of listens to even pick everything out.
5. Riot: This track is based on Good to Your Earhole by Funkadelic, and it isn't that bad. To be honest I think that was a good basis to use for the track. This is a very fun track but the deatils I love are because of the direct sample. I love that clavinet though, but it is more of a rocker to shake things up from the last and the next track.
6. Redbone: I'ma be honest, I love this track.
   I know this is an interpolation of I'd Rather Be With You by Bootsy, but I'm be honest.... he fucking out does Bootsy. It is such a good track and kind of transforms it into something different and the vocals work so fucking good. This is a much more memorable and fun and sexy song that the original. In my opinion at least. I would bone to this, I think. I am also aware of the similarities to the one Isaac Hayes song too, but this songs trumps both of them. This kind of takes the best of both worlds and makes them better. I love the details and the little chimes and just how this works so fucking well. I am actually kind of wordless to describe the song, I just love this song much. I like how there isn't a solo at the ending of the song to the outro. I think it might work better that way, though I guess there kind of is.... in the lower guitar that could almost pass as a bass. It could also be a keyboard. I don't know this thing is so layered, it's fucking great.
7. California: This is honestly a great tune. Its weird and fun and kind of a great diddy to be had. I love weird little things like this, Masoko Tango, Wild Honey Pie, EXP, New York Telephone Conversation, Tomorrow Never Knows, The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet and I kind of guess the intro to Pena. There are tons more but just weird things that kind of don't exactly fit or seem odd you know. They add some personality you know, rather than being a one trick pony, and can kind of show a sense of humor a bit. And the more I hear this the more I hear how much time was actually spent on this. There are these bottles and these voice pops and it's got a lot more work put into the track then you might initially think. I was so glad when I heard he did stuff with his voice on this to make the percussion, I knew it when I heard it :). I also love that soul jazz organ, and the vocals that soul like woodwinds. And that guitar on the track too. The amount of effort spent on this alone should make people happy.
8. Terrified: This is another solid tune that kind of reminds me of The Weeknd. Like his early stuff, but maybe a bit more clear and not so drowned in reverb or the effects. I like the space on this though, and when the track starts I go this is a solid ass song. I also like those chimes, and the la las. The guitar again has a great tone, and I like all these section changes thought the album. The vocals at the end though kind of make me think of Great Gig in the Sky. And it also make me think of the potential. Like I guess it could be copying, but imagine if the next song was a sort of extended version of that chill ending and it just gets bigger and the vocals fucking orgasm as they do on that track.
9. Baby Boy: If you know me, it's hard to hate a clavinet. It sounds so fucking good, and the rhythm section works very well and I love Gambino's vocals here. The lead to the chorus has some nice textures added and then it goes into a soulful group vocal vibe in the chorus. The only complaint is during the verses it could almost be a copy and past of the last one. This is still a solid tune though. The keyboards solo in pretty solid, but I wish it was better. The organ coming in makes the solo much better but it still doesn't really fix it you know.
10. The Night Me and Your Mama Met: Now I gotta be honest, outside of tracks and the first two records I'm not a Funkadelic fan. In fact they tighter and more together the songs got, the less I like them. But this kind of has a sort of Maggot Brain feeling that isn't so loose, but it's chill and funky and has a well enough wah/phased guitar and solo. I don't know if its better or worse that the solo isn't like a fucking mind blow. The reason being there's no way this guy can compete with Eddie Hazel so if he tried he might fall flat. But then again if he tried it might just be a "rip off". But I guess since he didn't go nuts it keeps the chill vibe rather than the emotional breakout vibe. I still dig this, don't get me wrong, just a nugget that popped in my head while listening. I love the choir in this and it adds a nice tough. I can very easily see myself making love, or see in a movie people making love, to this song. 
11. Stand Tall: This is honestly a very strong way to end the album. I love the track and think its a touching message. It makes me hope I can pull something like this, something touching, off if I ever have a son.I really like the Rhodes and the guitar in the beginning and he does a solid job of singing. I also love the sort of use of Strawberry Letter 23 for the refrain and I love how it seems very sincere. It's not like Picasso Baby, if memory serves correctly on the title. I also think this is a solid ending to the album, because it ends on a soft note where the album opens with a fucking bang. The woodwinds, and clarinet/flute sound great and I like the autotune he uses. I'm not sure how I feel about the synth patch that plays over the backing vocals, I like it but I'm not sure it's necessary. Though it does transition into the next section of the song, but it's comes up kind of abrupt. I do think that last section of the song where he's just singing and it feels like a party, I feel like could use a clean lead guitar soloing and going crazy you know. But the ending of the song is fine the way it is.

Overall I have to give this a 8/10. The more time I spend with this the more i appreciate it and like it. While it can never be a 9 or a 10, it was originally a high 7. This is one of the contemporary albums in pop music where I would totally want to jam along with, or play a session on. Given I need to be better, but you know what I mean. I recently listened to that Bruno Mars album, and I was like.... "it's okay and kind of fun. But I have heard things that sound like this and can get more out of those albums than this". While this emulates those older styles of music quite a bit, I think it's more in line with RAM than it is with say just a rehash. Like the more I revisit these songs the more I find that I like and find this is a pretty damn good record. Probably one of my favorites of the year, if I'm being completely honest. Needless to say I'll eventually pick up a Cd and maybe vinyl of this album.

Sound & Color - Alabama Shakes

Let's get another one done, get er dun. This is the second album by Alabama Shakes. I reviewed their debut, didn't like it, but when I heard the first sing to drop it wasn't so bad. So I decided to review this album, the thing is I didn't hear the entire thing until December. Well.... let' just say I made a mistake. Sort of, not entirely but kind of.

1. Sound & Color: This intro is miles away from that boring last record. I love that xylophone in the beginning, it reminds me a bit of Bill Withers. While once the song comes in, singing, the xylophone isn't as useful I still like the textures. I don't love this song, but I do like it enough to say it's like a 7. I think the strings add to this nice texture that is heard here. This track reminds me of Weight of Love. It sounds great, though that track is a bit superior to this, but after that the rest of the songs may not be so great.
2. Don't Wanna Fight: I do like this song too, but only to a certain extent. This is the definition of what I like to listen to if I have to listen to the radio. And interesting song that is cool and sounds nice, like the Black Keys or White Stripes. But the sad part is I usually forget it once it's over, except in the case of The Stripes. But easy come easy go. This really does sound like a Keys track. Prior to that track I didn't check, so this is a serious hunch, I wouldn't be surprised if Dan produced it. Also they have that repeating the title to the point of annoyance in common.
3. Dunes: Okay, all I can say is this sounds like a cover of a Beatles track. Listen to the track and just tell me if you can pick up what I'm saying. There are at least five songs, maybe, I can pick certain parts and instruments out from. Most of them from Rubber Soul/Revolver albums and era. With the ending maybe being like I Am The Walrus.
4. Future People: Four tracks in and I'm already giving up. I was seriously going to type, I don't care at this point. I mean I came back when I wasn't in such a bad mood, and still didn't like it. Why listen to this when I can hear this in other places done better. Take The Kids off Broadway.
5. Gimme All Your Love: I listened to a track from that other album before listening to this, maybe a bit of a break will help. While I like the jazzy feeling to this keys, not feeling anything else. Why can't I enjoy this band. I'm not saying this is bad, I'm saying I don't like it.
6. This Feeling: Not only am I okay to check out, this song is boring. I can't say there is anything about it I care to dig into.
7. Guess Who: I mean this track may not be interesting, but it isn't terrible. I could totally see myself listening to this as background music. That or radio music, while I do something else and don't focus on this.
8. The Greatest: This isn't that bad, but that's because it reminds me of The Strokes. I'll probably relisten to this track in the future.
9. Shoegaze: This song literally, I seriously couldn't tell the last song ended. This starts off okay, but I mean again this isn't anything special. It's just kind of similar to the rest of the album. Sersiously I need to start listen to these things before I start a review.
10. Miss You: Ah a cover my favorite Stones track, you know the one that never gets annoying. This song is kind of nice, but to be honest I could get this a bit more tailored to my tastes elsewhere. There is a song I love, and it's just about the same exact composition, maybe not notes but sections and changes, as this one. There's even a piano that is arpeggiated and it's very similar to this. I can't quite think of it, I'll add it in once I do, but this also reminds me a bit of New York I Love You, But Your Bringing Me Down. Like the piano part, and there was a part that vaguley reminded me of Last Time by The Stones.
11. Gemini: This track, seriously, sounds like it's slowed down. Like it's making fun of me for wanting this to be over. Also this is a pretty boring song, even when I listen to it by it's self.
12. Over My Head: Closing the album, finally, is a track that just feels like I want it to be over. I got nothing here to add.

Overall I have to give this album a 4/10. There isn't anything here I care about, I mean I wanted to do this, I thought it sounded cool when I first heard track back last April, but it hasn't really aged well. It's not like it was over played, I just lost interest in it. I don't think this is bad, it just bores me. I can't focus because there isn't anything that I find worth focusing on for me. I should do a Foxygen review.

channel ORANGE - Frank Ocean

SHIT, I wasn't home at all Sunday until about 8:30pm and I got home from a weekend. So that's why I didn't have a review go up. Well today I'm going to do one, and I will do one everyday until the 22nd, because I missed that on day. This is a review of the debut album by Frank Ocean of OFWGKTA. He recently came out as bisexual, which I don't think ends the world, but I am curious to what Tyler has to say about it. Anyway, this is was released by Def Jam Recordings, and it has a few features on it. John Mayer, Andrè  3000. It also features Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler, The Creator both from OFWGKTA. Frank also collaborated with a couple producers on this, and also songwriters. In the songwriting credits the name that appears most is Frank's but the second most is James Ryan Ho, better known as Malay. He helped write 11 of the 18 tracks on this album. I was actually surprised to see that 1 or 2 of the tracks didn't even feature Frank's name in the songwriting credits.Well anyway, I was excited to hear this, until I forgot about it, then I heard about it again and lost track of time and tada its on iTunes. And honestly I didn't care for it first time through. But I heard it twice so yeah.

1. Start: This is the intro, it kind of gives me a vibe of Nostalgia, Ultra. Like the intro to that.
2. Thinkin Bout You: This song isn't that bad of a song, and a good start. I think that this is a pretty cool song to. I honestly think that this beat and the vibe of it is smooth. The high pitch vocals kind of remind me of Marvin Gaye, but he can't sing as good as Marvin.
3. Fertilizer: This is just an interlude. This is only 40 seconds long. The concept about it reminds me a little of The Who's 1967 third album The Who Sell Out. The way they had like "commercials" in the album.
4. Sierra Leone: This song is ok. I don't think that it's that amazing. This reminds me of the atmosphere on Echoes of Silence and Houses of Balloons. When the strings come in it kind of sounds like Marvin Gaye's 1971 Whats Going On's title track.
5. Sweet Life: I could care less for the lyrics in the song. The music in it is pretty and kind of jazzy, but I don't care for the lyrics. I like the concept, again, but not some of them. I think that it would be more accurate to say certain lyrics. But that's how I felt with American Wedding off his mixtape. This is really a R&B song though. There is this piano sounds on it that reminds me of part of the song Bitches Brew off the 1970 album of the same name by Miles Davis.
6. Not Just Money: This song sets up the theme of the next song. It has people talking
7. Super Rich Kids: Though Earl is on this song, I think that this song is pretty solid. I like the concept and idea, but I don't like parts of the song. The chorus of this song just irritated me. I was pretty turned off first listen. But second time though it grew on me. I like Earl's verse to. This is a slow, stomping, beated song. I feel like it is perfect where it is. I honestly feel like Tyler, The Creator produced this song.
8. Pilot Jones: This song reminds me a little of Houses of Balloons. But not as good as the mix tape.
9. Crack Rock: I don't care for this song that much either. I think it's ok, but it doesn't keep my intrest. I don't like the chorus.  I kind of feel like BADBADNOTGOOD might of helped with the beat on this song.
10. Pyramids: This is a really cool song. Probably my favorite song on the album. I think that the instrumentation on this is really cool. The lyrics talk about Egypt, Cleopatra, prostitution and other stuff to. I love the feeling I get when I hear this song This song starts out with this feeling of "epicness". Kind of like this is going to be a long trip. When Frank's voice comes in I think that is is pretty. I think that the song doesn't necessarily have to be so long, but what ever. The first instrumental break is very pretty and cool sounding. It sounds like synths engulf the song. The synths kind of reminds me a little of the final section of MGMT's 12:10 epic Siberian Breaks, off 2010's Congratulations. A part of the keys to remind me a little of I Found A Whistle, which is on the same MGMT album as Siberian Breaks. I do really like this song, but I kind of think that around 5:30 is where the song gets kind of old. I don't think it has to be a 9:54. If the song wasn't kind of boring in the middle of it, then it would be different. But I do think that this is still a really good song. I couldn't though, picture it shorter than 10 minutes. I feel like the song kind of goes into too much repetition, like seiously. The ending also kind of reminds me of the Siberian Breaks. Actually I'd be shocked if they didn't sample that song.
11. Lost: This song is ok, but it's not as good as the last song. Usually, for me, after an epic it's hard to live up to the greatness of the big song. Well I think it's fine, but its not that mind blowing.
12. White: I like this song, it's an instrumental, but it's a good break form the album.
13. Monks: I feel like the title Monks gives a prelude, though it's over 3 minutes long, to the next idea on the album. I like that this also starts out with a church organ intro to it. This is kind of a song that I could be seen being played, with different lyrics, at a church of African Americans. But not the entire song, just certain parts.
14. Bad Religion: I liked this song. I think that the intro to this song fits the song and idea. The whole religious feeling that is going on fits perfect. This really is a very good religious song about his true feelings about religion and beliefs. I respect that he does that, and that he is willing to share it. After listening to this, I don't know how many times, I finally understand the song. It mentions he has problems with religion because it forbids him from loving his "man". Though, from what I understand, he isn't in a relationship with. Like if he wanted to it couldn't happen.
15. Pink Matter: This song has Andrè 3000 on it, and first time through, it was one of my favorite tracks on it. This song is ok for Ocean's part, but Andre makes it. I think that this kind of reminds me a little of The Weeknd. Specifically more of a The Birds Part 2 off his 2nd mixtape Thursday. Then when Andre comes in it kind of reminds me a little of the way Same Old Song off Echoes of Silence ends with the guys voice at the ending. But it also sounds pretty cool.
16. Forrest Gump: Honestly, the way this song starts out, I could see this being more Bad Religion. This is a pretty sounding song. I honestly don't know if this is about him loving another man, or about the character, or a tribute to him. This is a pretty song though. I actually like this song. I think that it's a better song on this, and one of my favorite songs on this.
17. End: I wish that Forrest Gump and End flowed together better. This is a cool sounding song. But I am not huge on the underwater feeling. I do kind of like it, but I wish it wasn't that way. I could care less about the sounds around it. This song kind of reminds me of Nostalgia, Ultra. in the way that is kind of has sounds

Overall I give this a 8/10. I couldn't say what I thought first time through. I kind of got a feeling of The Weeknd's third mixtape Echoes of Silence. Which bugs me because I feel like he is trying to be more like him. Just the way some of the beats on some of the songs are. Like Sierra Leone and Thinkin Bout You. There is other stuff going on, but The main beat. I do think that this is kind of like Whats Going On, in way of this is his. It's a sweet thing and I think that you may enjoy it. I feel like my feeling contridict at times, but like his last mixtape, some tracks grow on me, some don't.