Bon Iver - Blood Bank EP

Let it be known that I am a huge Bon Iver fan. Justin Vernon is my profile pick for goodness sake cause that picture is awesome. For Emma Forever Ago is easily one of my biggest inspirations as a musician. I wasn't sure I'd like Justin Vernon writing with a whole band but boy were my skepticism's batted down. I should have known better though after having heard the band's many rendition's of all the For Emma songs.
Needless to say this EP is brilliant. It's just 4 songs but each one is magnificant. The title track, Blood Bank, may be one of the best songs Justin has wrote yet. When played live it is extremely drum driven but here on the EP it is toned down in that respect and the guitar takes that role but in a less dominant way. Nothing is lost however, the song stands out both in lyrics and overall musicianship.
"That secret that we know
That we don't know how to tell
I'm in love with your honor
I'm in love with your cheeeks
what's that noise up the stairs babe
Is that Christmas morning?"

The second song, Beach Baby, lets Vernon bust out his guitar slide. This is a great song with lyrics rooted deep in a past relationship. It sounds as if he is sitting on a couch singing lines like "When you're out, tell your lucky one to know that you'll leave" as a girlfriend who may be cheating on him is leaving the apartment. Then he says "But don't you lock when you're fleeing, I'd like not to hear keys..". Its a short song and after the verses a nice slide guitar solo finishes off the track.

The third song Babys(yes spelled incorectly) , is about well.. just that! Babies! Better yet, making them.
"summer comes
to multiply,
to multiply!

and I...
I'm the Carnival of Peace
I'll probably start a fleet
with no apologies

and the Carnival of Scenes...
it grows more and more appealing
but my woman and I...
my woman and I know what we're for"

Last but certainly not least is Woods. It's the longest song on the EP and it's entirely sung by Vernon with autotune. This is the entire song:
"I'm up in the woods
I'm down on my mind
I'm building a still
to slow down the time"
It is magnificent and the buildup is phenomenal.

http://www.boniver.org/

Dumhi - Flowers EP

Dumhi - Flowers EP

She Is Leaving
DoWhatYouDo
In the Beginning
I Want to Follow Rainbows
Ain't Goin Back
Sunny Day
I Don't Believe
Coming to Terms
My Part of Town
Come Away With Me
He Is Leaving
(Bonus) Boba Fett

I've got to start by saying this is an excellent work of music. This EP was released Valentine's Day and fittingly is about a relationship and it's ultimate demise. As a guitar player, I was quite pleased with the guitar instrumentals In the Beginning and Coming to Terms. I think those two intrumental tracks really capture the essence and mood of the EP. It's dark and reflective, depressing almost. This is not however a detriment to the work. The track I Want to Follow Rainbows sounds like something you'd hear coming out of a phonograph, meanwhile a barkeep tells you that after you finish that last glass of whiskey you need to head home. DoWhatYouDo, Ain't Goin Back, My Part of Town, Sunny Day, Come Away With Me and Boba Fett are all hip hop tracks. The entire EP is beautifully produced. She is Leaving and He is Leaving are wonderful bookends to the story. Pop in it the ipod, head out start walking down your block and listen to it from start to finish all the way through, you won't regret.

some more pictures of the album art:
























You can download Flowers for free from the Official Home of Dumhi
http://www.dumhi.com/

Drake - Room for Improvement, Comeback Season, So Far Gone

So unless you've been living under a rock, or you are one of the few who don't listen to everything Lil Wayne has to stay, there is a good chance you've heard of up and coming Toronto based rapper Drake. Most probably know him as Aubrey Graham or better yet Jimmy from Degrassi.

These days though Aubrey goes by Drake. And he's shed himself of that Degrassi good boy image and donned the role as hip hop extraordinaire. So far he has three mixtapes to his name ; Room for Improvement, Comeback Season and his latest So Far Gone. He was also recently signed to Interscope so an album should be on the horizon.

Room for Improvement

1. Intro
2. Pianist Hands (Skit #1)
3. Special Featuring Voyce
4. Do What You Do
5. Money (Remix) Featuring Nickelus F.
6. A.M. 2 P.M. Featuring Nickelus F.
7. City Is Mine
8. Drake's Voice (Skit #2)
9. Bad Meanin' Good Featuring Slakah the Beatchild
10.Thrill Is Gone
11.Make Things Right
12.Video Girl Featuring Sean G.
13.Drake's Voice (Skit #3)
14.Come Winter
15.Extra Special
16.About The Game (Remix) Featuring Trey Songz
17.All This Love Featuring Voyce
18.Drake's Voice (Skit #4)
19.A Scorpio's Mind Featuring Nickelus F.
20.S.T.R.E.S.S.
21.Try Harder
22.Kick, Push (Remix) Featuring Lupe Fiasco
23.U.P.A. Outro

His first mixtape, Room for Improvement (RFI), is an excellent blend of hard rap and mellow hip hop. Thrill is Gone, Bad Meaning Good, and Come Winter all highlight Drake's smooth, easy going, free flowing lyricism. On the contrast tracks like AM 2 PM, City is Mine and Money (Remix) all show that the man is serious and he can come just as hard as any other, and his clever, witty lyricism doesn't suffer a bit.

Comeback Season
1. Intro
2. The Presentation
3. Comeback Seaon
4. Closer (ft. Andreena Mill)
5. Replacement Girl (ft. Trey Songz)
6. City Is Mine
7. Barry Bonds Freestyle
8. Going In For Life
9. Where To Now (Prod. By J Dilla)
10. Share
11. Give Ya (ft. Trey Songz)
12. Dont U Have A Man (ft. Little Brother & Dwele)
13. Bitch Is Crazy
14. The Last Hope (ft. Kardinal Offishall & Andreena Mill)
15. Must Hate Money (ft. Rich Boy)
16. Asthma Team
17. Do What U Do (RMX) (ft. Clipse)
18. Easy To Please (ft. Richie Sosa)
19. Faded
20. Underdog (ft. Trey Songz)
21. Think Good Thoughts (Prod. By 9th Wonder)
22. Teach U A Lesson
23. Missin You (RMX)
24. Man Of The Year (ft. Lil’ Wayne)

Comeback Season is Drake's second effort in the mixtape scene. Bunch of great tracks on this one. The Presentation, Closer, Going in for Life, The Last Hope, Teach U A Lesson, Man of the Year(Remix) and of course the single Replacement Girl w/ Trey Songs. check out the video:

So Far Gone

1. Lust For Life
2. Houstatlantavegas
3. Successful feat. Trey Songz & Lil' Wayne.
4. Lets Call It Off feat. Peter Bjorn & John
5. November 18th Produced by DJ Screw
6. Ignant Shit feat. Lil' Wayne Produced by Just Blaze
7. A Night Off feat. Lloyd
8. Say What's Real Produced by Kanye West
9. Little Bit feat. Lykke Li
10. Best I Ever Had Produced by Boi-1da
11. Unstoppable feat. Santogold & Lil' Wayne Produced by Diplo
12. Uptown feat Bun B & Lil' Wayne Produced by Boi-1da, Northern Profit
13. Sooner Than Later Produced by D10
14. Bria's Interlude feat. Omarion
15. The Calm
16. Outro

*Brand New
*Congratulations
*some versions also include these tracks

Drake's latest mixtape and quite possibly his most polished and most versatile. There seems to be a conscious effort here to sway into the R&B realm and quite honestly he does it almost flawlessly, proving his versatility. Tracks Brand New and Sooner than Later highlight his excellent ability to sing as well as rap. The Calm, Lust for Life, and Say Whats Real however remind us that he's a legit rapper who can stand toe to toe with about anyone out right now.

"i quit school n is not because im lazy
im juss not the social type and campus
life is crazy
understand i cud get money wid my
eyes closed
lost some of my hottest versus down
at cabo
so if u find a blackberry wid a side
scroll
send dat mothafucka to any rapper
dat i know
coz dey need it much more than i
ever will "

Now while Drake is proving to be taking the hip hop scene by storm, he does have his flaws. If you really listen, he doesnt have much to say. At this point really all he does is boast when he raps, or sing about exes when he does r&b. He's no storyteller. However take into account that all he's done so far is mixtapes. Up until recently he was unsigned and unknown. I think when time comes to push out an album he'll show legitimate focus and produce meaningful tracks that hopefully stack up against what the rest of the rap world has to offer.