// J. Cole - Lost Ones //
When it comes to rap, it's a shame how infrequently we as listeners are treated to (socially) conscious material from a name big enough to actually matter. No disrespect to the lesser names speaking the street gospel or tackling hard political issues, but the name is all the difference between Bono and any other dude with a guitar and an opinion. With "Lost Ones," J. Cole may have created his first true classic. As the title would indicate, the song deals with unplanned pregnancies and the morality of abortion. Alternating between male and female perspectives, Cole expertly combines storytelling, lyricism and raw emotion. This style of perspective-taking is done often enough, but not since "Stan" have I felt so affected by the delivery. Even if you don't like rap, this is too real and too powerful to ignore. (On the conscious tip, I strongly recommend J. Cole - "See World")
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I was music hounding aimlessly for hours when I came across this on some obscure blog, and I instantly felt better about all the time I had previously wasted. I was curious to find that BALAM ACAB was loosely categorized as healing/experimental music, but "Oh, Why" seems to fit right into that description. I must stress that listening to this on regular computer speakers or crappy earbuds simply won't do it justice. "Oh, Why" instantly struck me as a song that would pair perfectly with a short film about making a life-changing decision or overcoming a major obstacle. I love everything about this song, from the angelic vocals to that amazing crumbling rock(?) sample. In some weird way, it is therapeutic and uplifting. Find yourself a decent set of headphones and repeat, repeat, repeat. It still rocks me every time.
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Although Coldplay seems primed to continue their foray into stadium rock on their coming album, they still drop reminders of the Coldplay of yesteryear every now and then. Though "Moving to Mars" may be a bit of an afterthought on the shiny "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" EP, I would take it over the aforementioned single or guitar-happy "Major Minus" any day of the week. How ready were Coldplay fans for a new piano ballad? Within hours of the release of the song, YouTube was already packed with polished piano covers. Not too bad for a B-side, eh? These guys are so, so good at this, it's almost scary.
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Brooklyn-based electro-pop quintet Milagres put "Glowing Mouth" out a few months ago, but its slow burn is finally making its way through the blogosphere. Though you won't be adding this to your summer workout playlist, you can throw this on at your next bbq or cool people party and rest assured that it will have some heads doing a little bob-along. Between the pulsing synths and lead singer Kyle Wilson's smooth falsetto, the band strikes a nice balance of power and finesse. I'm not sure what else Milagres has to offer, but we'll find out when the album drops this September. Keep an eye out for these guys!
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I found this a while ago while checking up on John Mayer's tumblr. Mayer, who spent a year at Berklee College of Music, visited his old stomping grounds to provide a "masters" class for a lucky student. That lucky guy would turn out to be Ken Yates, a singer-songwriter out of London, Ontario. Yates was given a chance to work with Mayer for a day and perform a song for him. After hearing Yates' "I Don't Wanna Fall In Love," Mayer promoted the song as "a really great song." He added that the song continues to move him to this day. There is nothing complicated about this song, and I think that lends to its beauty. Any reasonable person should be able to admit that falling in love is scary. This song hits the nail on the head and reminds us that maybe it's normal to shy away and guard yourself. Yates should be commended for finding a way to convey that sense of young love anxiety.
// BALAM ACAB - Oh, Why //
Download
I was music hounding aimlessly for hours when I came across this on some obscure blog, and I instantly felt better about all the time I had previously wasted. I was curious to find that BALAM ACAB was loosely categorized as healing/experimental music, but "Oh, Why" seems to fit right into that description. I must stress that listening to this on regular computer speakers or crappy earbuds simply won't do it justice. "Oh, Why" instantly struck me as a song that would pair perfectly with a short film about making a life-changing decision or overcoming a major obstacle. I love everything about this song, from the angelic vocals to that amazing crumbling rock(?) sample. In some weird way, it is therapeutic and uplifting. Find yourself a decent set of headphones and repeat, repeat, repeat. It still rocks me every time.
// Coldplay - Moving to Mars //
Download
Although Coldplay seems primed to continue their foray into stadium rock on their coming album, they still drop reminders of the Coldplay of yesteryear every now and then. Though "Moving to Mars" may be a bit of an afterthought on the shiny "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" EP, I would take it over the aforementioned single or guitar-happy "Major Minus" any day of the week. How ready were Coldplay fans for a new piano ballad? Within hours of the release of the song, YouTube was already packed with polished piano covers. Not too bad for a B-side, eh? These guys are so, so good at this, it's almost scary.
// Milagres - Glowing Mouth //
Download
Brooklyn-based electro-pop quintet Milagres put "Glowing Mouth" out a few months ago, but its slow burn is finally making its way through the blogosphere. Though you won't be adding this to your summer workout playlist, you can throw this on at your next bbq or cool people party and rest assured that it will have some heads doing a little bob-along. Between the pulsing synths and lead singer Kyle Wilson's smooth falsetto, the band strikes a nice balance of power and finesse. I'm not sure what else Milagres has to offer, but we'll find out when the album drops this September. Keep an eye out for these guys!
// Ken Yates - I Don't Wanna Fall In Love //
Download
I found this a while ago while checking up on John Mayer's tumblr. Mayer, who spent a year at Berklee College of Music, visited his old stomping grounds to provide a "masters" class for a lucky student. That lucky guy would turn out to be Ken Yates, a singer-songwriter out of London, Ontario. Yates was given a chance to work with Mayer for a day and perform a song for him. After hearing Yates' "I Don't Wanna Fall In Love," Mayer promoted the song as "a really great song." He added that the song continues to move him to this day. There is nothing complicated about this song, and I think that lends to its beauty. Any reasonable person should be able to admit that falling in love is scary. This song hits the nail on the head and reminds us that maybe it's normal to shy away and guard yourself. Yates should be commended for finding a way to convey that sense of young love anxiety.
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