I need new music.

Even though I have a very expansive music collection I need something new to listen to. I am not sure what I am looking for though and that makes finding something new hard. I just want something fun, mellow-ish, and generally entertaining. Something I could sing along with and puts me in a good mood. I have that kind of music but I have been listening to it too much lately. And the last set of music I got was great but it wasn’t particularly new. It is just that my music collecting is lazy and I just take my time getting around to it.

On my last collecting spree I got the album “Shine” by Estelle. I was surprised how good the overall album was and the fact I can still stand to listen to “American Boy”. I must have heard that song ever 30 mins on the radio when it was popular. You would think that would make it rage inducing but no, I still have a fondness for it.

But that still doesn’t make it the best song on the album. That title goes to “Come Over” featuring Sean Paul. He really wasn’t necessary to make the song, he actual came close to ruining it. But the rhythm, the lyrics, and her voice make the song pleasantly seductive. The whole album is worth noting but songs like “No Substitute Love” and “You Are” need particular mention.

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My brother also introduced me to a rapper named Talib Kweli. Apparently he has been around for some time but I had never heard of him before. I love his song “Gun Music”. It is lyrically deep and somewhat gangsta and the beat is just killer. And by the chorus you know he is having a good time with the music as well. And when I hit it I gotta sing it myself. Po poi poi poi poi, Cla Clak clak clak clak, Gun man music never take shot back (oh!). Even though I looked up the lyrics and this is what they came up with, Co Coi Coi Clak Clak Clak Clak Clak. Coi? I don’t think so. It is off his 2002 album “Quality”. I have listened to some of the other songs and they are good but none have grabbed me as this one has.

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K-os is also getting into my playlist. Yeah his released songs like “Crabbukit” and “Heaven only knows” have been ok, and song like “1, 2, 3, 4” and “Sunday Morning” have been good he just doesn’t stay registered with me. But a couple of unreleased songs off his “Exit” album have piqued my interest. One called “Freeze” and the other “Neutroniks”. It makes me think I should start paying more attention to him.

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Everything else I have been listening to is a random mix of old favourites, oddities and random new-to-me stuff. There is Bjork, LL Cool J, House of Pain, Jack Johnson, Black Sheep, Pharcyde, Stevie Wonder, Amy Winehouse, Fatboy Slim, Kanye West, Outkast, ICP (that “I Stab People” song is messed up but I seem to find some sort of sadistic pleasure in listening to it. I know that song has been around for some time but I never paid attention to it before) and more. There are also songs by some unknown people that my brother gave me. But he isn’t known for properly labelling his music files. But they are cool.

This all stems from my brother giving me his Cowan S9 without clearing off the music. There are tons of songs and many of them I already have but as you can see quite a few I don’t. He has the same eclectic love for music that I have except he takes the time to go look for it. It is fun to listen to the Gregorian chant that come after the Busta Rhymes or the Sonata followed by some Drum and Bass. It keeps the listening interesting.

Even with all this I am still looking for more. I love music and I can never get enough. Any suggestions?

Tra

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Tra

2 Comments

Some Trinidadian

Something fun, mellow-ish, and generally entertaining? No idea, but for fun, totally un-mellow, and generally entertaining try some Soca music.
What is Soca music?
Glad you asked.
Now most people would be familiar with Calypso music and by that i mean Hot Hot Hot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrhf_zgtmAg).
That garbage is not a good example of Calypso but if you can imagine DUMBING THAT DOWN you end up with Soca music. Don’t see how that’s possible? Here’s Russel Peters talking about Jamaicans at first and how Soca is made afterwards (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXe8BLZb5H8). This guy has definitely visited Trinidad, the home of Soca music.
I know by now I at least peaked your interest in soca so here’s an example (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVOPcfP4pPw). I chose this one because i get to say that i know the guy in the video and he’s an even a bigger douche than he looks.
Anyway, Soca is like Techno; it sounds like crap until you are intoxicated but once you are, it’s perfect.
So for a truly new musical experience get semi-drunk and log into this stream of a radio station from Trinidad (http://www.triniradio.net/941rhythmcity.html). It doesn’t matter if you can’t understand the accent, the lyrics aren’t worth the effort. Do, however, log on any time between now and Carnival’s end on February 16 because after that the station sucks even when drunk.

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