WAIT, YOU CAN RAP?!?!
Posted by andyleclair | Filed under Music
It’s said that the best things in life are free. My fellow Northeastern brother proves that proverb to be right on the money. Jelani has just released his first full album, a free download, on his website. What does your $0.00 get you? A damn fine rap album, that’s what. Damn fine.
I’m not going to go into Jelani’s backstory of how he came up in Harlem, or about his dad, Dapper Dan, I’ll leave that to him. I wanna focus on what’s important here - a fucking fantastic rap record. Wait, You Can Rap?!?! is dripping with sincerity, and what I mean by sincerity is that you can tell that this record is really the culmination of a life’s effort devoted to making something wonderful. He says it better than I can, so instead of trying to paraphrase and losing the meaning, just take a look at the first lyrics of this record:
There’s nothing anyone can say or do to me to stop the music, the product that I’m gonna put out, and at the end of the day, the talent will overcome anything. To have the right to talk about what I want, to have the right to give my opinion, because I back everything up. You all thought I was talking !$#? when I first came out? Now y’all see I back everything up. Back to back to back to back to back. So, basically, shut the #$&! up. Stop talking to me. And I’m not coming on some ‘Do you want me to do music? Do you want me to not do music? ‘ I want to do music, because I know people need my music.
Speaking of music, let’s talk about that. This album has some decidedly tight beats, from the simple piano and drums of “The Proposal” to the sample of “Stand on the Word” by Celestial Choir playing in the background of “Pain.” I particularly like the “Stand on the Word” sample. Listen to what the song is about, and tell me that a chorus of “That’s how the good Lord works” isn’t perfect.
Now, I’ve got to be honest, Jelani’s style isn’t my usual thing. I’m more of an Aesop Rock/MF DOOM kind of hip-hop guy, but I’ll make an exception for this album. I’ve already recommended it to all of my friends, and really, it’s a great album, and it’s free! Go download it now! If you dig it, leave Jelani some love on his MySpace, and tell him Andy sent you.
Tags: Jelani, Northeastern, Rap, Wait You Can Rap?!?!
A BRIEF INTERLUDE
Posted by andyleclair | Filed under Music
I’m working on a couple of major posts - album reviews for Jelani and Eroica - but I’m still working on them. These are good guys making good music, and I want to give them the best review I can put together (unbiased, of course).
Downside: No review now.
Upside: Random tracks!
These two tracks are a summery couple that I like to hear on a sunny afternoon. First, I’ve got a track from a new band from Seattle II, DANANANANAYKROYD. Is that name completely ridiculous? Yes. Is it fun to say? Even more yes. This track is from their super fun EP, Some Dresses.
DANANANANAYKROYD - Some Dresses
Secondly, this one is a classic At The Drive-In track from one of their earliest albums, Acrobatic Tenement.
At The Drive-In - Star Slight
Tags: At The Drive-In, DANANANANAYKROYD, Eroica, Jelani, Procrastinating
NORTHEASTERN BROTHER LOVE
Posted by andyleclair | Filed under Music
As some people might know, I’m a student at Northeastern University (Huskies represent!). As not only a Northeastern student, but also a member of WRBB, Northeastern’s radio station, one of the things that I hear fairly often is “Bands from Northeastern (usually) suck.” I’ve heard many of my friends say things like “If you think of where good bands come from, you don’t think Northeastern.”
I think that’s bullshit. And I have proof.
Exhibit A: Jelani Day.
I’ve been blown away by Jelani ever since I saw him perform at WRBB’s annual block party. He’s got a smooth flow that I can tell comes straight from the soul. The soul of a complex man with a lot to say. I’ve only heard the one track up on his myspace and the “leak” of the intro track to his new album (which is going to be released next Tuesday (the 24th). I’ve got the leaked track here for your listening pleasure. If you like it, head over to Jelani’s myspace and drop him a comment. Tell him Andy sent you.
Jelani Day - Wait, You Can Rap?!?! (Intro)
Exhibit B: Eroica
I’ll admit I’m a little biased towards Eroica. They’ve got what I like, and they’ve got it in spades. Fun with time? Check. Proggy solos? Check. Headbanging awesomeness? Check and check. I also went to high school and lived with with their bassist, Zivi, who is a pretty pretty good guy. Biases aside, Eroica reminds me of The Mars Volta, and I mean that in the best way possible. All the things that I liked about The Mars Volta’s first album (De-loused in the Comatorium, if you’re not savvy), Eroica seems to have taken, stripped off the drug-induced wankery, and infused a sort of 65daysofstatic post-rock-metal-epic-ness. They don’t have any tracks for download yet, but you can stream their new EP in its entirety over at their MySpace. Check ‘em out, I love it!
Eroica - Hisen the Architect @ MySpace
