Saturday, February 4th, 2012


Devil’s Playground was produced by NOTAR, Grammy winner, Ken Lewis (Kayne West, Beastie Boys, Usher), hip-hop producer MGeezy (Wyclef Jean, T-Pain), and Kevin Augsburg, an up and comer out of Brooklyn, New York.

Every once in a while an album comes along that gives you the confidence to withstand any adversity the world throws your way. Whether its being unemployed, ending a relationship, or losing a loved one The Hours’ It’s Not How You Start It’s How You Finish has the power to make you feel better.

Talib Kweli is on a roll. Just six months after the release of his much anticipated Reflection Eternal sequel Kweli is back banging on your eardrum with a new solo record titled Gutter Rainbows. It’s a breath of fresh air hearing Kweli rap in an age where mediocre pop rappers saturate the market with average sounding albums.

As a founding member and primary singer/songwriter of The Jayhawks, Mark Olson often sang behind the beat, letting the music dictate which direction his voice would travel, but on his newest album to date, Many Colored Kite his voice leads the inspiring sounds that create this beautiful collection of songs.

Playing birthday shows for kids may be a great way to meet hot moms and start a new prepubescent fan base, but get a record deal? Seems a bit far fetched if you ask me, but Z02 members Joey Cassata and brothers Paulie and David Zablidowsky (otherwise known as Joey, Paulie Z, and David Z) have been doing pretty well by this formula.

Rap music in the late 80’s and early 90’s was raw, violent, and eye opening to listeners around the world. Artists like EPMD, Ice Cube, N.W.A., and Snoop Dogg were at the forefront of a music revolution now known as “Gangsta Rap”, and the record label that gave their voices a mainstream audience was Priority Records.

With stellar songs like “Bad Jesus,” “Red Rats,” and my personal favorite, “Dirty Sexy Pig,” the album should have been titled kick your ass and leave you begging for more because that is exactly what it does. In the age of poppy crap rock Sweet Cyanide has written the blueprint for a modern rock music masterpiece.

When Justin Currie performed at New York City’s famed Joe’s Pub in mid-June the place was packed with people of all ages expecting to hear tunes from the group he co-founded in Scotland during the mid 80’s called Del Amitri. Songs like “Kiss This Thing Goodbye,” “Just Like A Man,” and “Always The Last To Know” gained notoriety because of Currie’s ability to combine uplifting tunes and darker lyrical themes

Linfinity are a New York City based group of musicians who helped form a band around enigmatic front man Dylan Von Wagner. The initial impetus behind the endeavor could best be described as a spark, or the clicking on of a light bulb.

Although “Bad Things” is the song that took off, Red Revelations is filled with heavy music that grabs at the soul with unbelievable precision. “Burn For You,” is a riveting song that emphasizes how hot the feeling can be when two people are madly in love.

New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) incorporates sampling and live instrumentation, while its more personal lyrics focus on themes of romance and relationships. Badu has described its sound as “very analog”. Recording during 2006 to 2009, a portion of the album was recorded at New York City’s Electric Lady Studios.

Head First is Goldfrapp’s most powerful trip to date, a speedy rush of synth optimism, euphoria, fantasy and romance. With life affirming lyrics and stellar production it lifts off at full tilt and takes us on a journey to the heart of 2010.

The year was 1990, and the location was Hertfordshire, England, the same location where some of rock’s most historic events took place: Led Zeppelin’s final British show & Queen’s final performance headed by Freddie Mercury. Approximately 120,000 people descended upon Knebworth Park for the massive all-star concert benefiting the Nordof-Robbins Music Charity Centre and the Brit School for Performing Arts.

Music of Ireland traces the origins of Irish music, and features exclusive interviews with U2′s Bono and Adam Clayton, Michael Flatley and Bill Whelan of Riverdance, Live Aid and Band Aid founder Bob Geldof of The Boomtown Rats, Sinéad O’Connor, Pete Seeger, The Chieftains’ Paddy Moloney, former Celtic Woman Órla Fallon, Black 47′s Larry Kirwan, six-time Academy Award-nominated director Jim Sheridan, the late Liam Clancy in his final U.S.

Taken from a storming 2 hour set at [Burning Man's] Opulent Temple in the Black Rock Desert this past summer, Carl Cox released his debut Global Underground mix album, ‘Black Rock Desert,’ on January 25th, 2010.