Rant #3: "DJ B SIDE!!!"

Time for what I'll call rant number 3. And let me give you a little set up here:

I'm a big rap fan. I don't know if I'd call it my 'favorite' genre, but it's certainly what I listen to most often. I love everything about hip hop...I love the beats, rattling the trunk of the car. I love the flow, Twista rapping so fast you have to rewind the track just to catch two words out of 20. I love the lyrics, 2Pac rapping about wanting a life better than what he knows. I love putting that whole package together, and coming up with music that not only makes you want to get up and move, but also makes you think a little. That's what hip hop means to me.

A second paragraph of background for you folks, hip hop is a tough nut to crack. The way it works, unless you've had incredible commercial success - you release a mixtape. These get played regionally typically, until someone big hears it and gains radio airtime. For example, Mike Jones released 'Still Tippin' over a year before it came out on the radio. And he didn't have a record deal when you may have first heard it. But that's the way it is. Even if you're Lil Wayne, you toss a ton of mixtapes out there because if people love it, you'll put stuff on your next album like that. It's basically either a great way for an artist to get noticed, or an artist to realize how good his stuff is before it goes out to the masses.

Okay...enough background. I LOVE getting new mixtapes. The Game just put one out 6-8 months ago I listen to all the time. You can get the lowdown on beefs in mixtapes, you get just straight up raw freestyling a lot. They can be awesome. Here's what I don't like...stupid DJ's who can't keep their own name off the track for more than 10 seconds. REALLY? I need to know every 2nd word that DJ JackAss produced the track? Go f**k yourself MC Get Busy, I want to hear the actual music, not your stupid voiceover on what could have been a good song. Serious here, there are some that are so bad, you can't even understand the music. I remember when DMX put one out back in early 2000's. 'X Gon Give It To Ya' was completely unlistenable, because some douche kept yelling his name in the background. Ugh. Don't artists not want this to happen too? Why is this still going on? I understand the DJ needs a little pub for mixing the record, but at what cost? The cost to the listener not caring and then not enjoying the music and buying it when it hits store shelves. Kick this practice to the curb fellas, and give me my music from the booth, not from the DJ's over-volumed microphone.

Led Zeppelin - IV

Some call it IV, some call it ZoSo, some call it untitled...whatever it is, it's a masterpiece. Probably the crowning jewel in an amazing collection of albums created by Zeppelin. You might even think that something that's only 8 tracks can't be that amazing, but my friend, you'd be wrong. Stairway To Heaven is probably one of the most recognized songs in music history and I might struggle to put that in my top 3. Seems to me that this is one of those albums that you know exactly when the first time you heard it was, and you remember how quickly you went out and bought it, or for some - downloaded it illegally. I had Dark Side in my top 5 albums of all time, and this is right there. I'd probably have it down as number one, and I'm not sure how many others can really challenge it. For the love of Robert Plant, if you haven't heard this, go out and buy it. Immediately - go. Right now.

TRACK LISTING:
1. Black Dog
2. Rock And Roll
3. Battle Of Evermore, The
4. Stairway to Heaven
5. Misty Mountain Hop
6. Four Sticks
7. Going To California
8. When The Levee Breaks

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Tracks:
1. When The Levee Breaks
2. Stairway To Heaven
3. The Battle Of Evermore

FINAL RATING:
5+ out of 5 stars

Fatboy Slim - You've Come A Long Way, Baby

Wow...so I'm going to tell you straight up, flat out - I LOVE THIS RECORD! I honestly could listen to this over and over and over. It's not like I go out of my way to listen to dance/techno type stuff often, but I can be in any mood and this gets my toes tapping. When I profiled Daft Punk before, I credited them to turning me on to techno type music, but I might have to overwrite that by saying Fatboy really started the process. 'Rockafeller Skank' was the big song at the time, but I don't think that's even going to make the illustrious top 3 list. I think I own every album Fatboy has ever produced, and this one is far and away my favorite. Don't be afraid to pick up other stuff by him though, especially the Normal Cook Collection. He really has a lot of great stuff out there. Right about now, the funk soul brotha check it out now!

TRACK LISTING:
1. Right Here, Right Now
2. Rockafeller Skank, The
3. In Heaven
4. Gangster Tripping
5. Build It Up - Tear It Down
6. Kalifornia
7. Soul Surfing
8. You're Not From Brighton
9. Praise You
10. Love Island
11. Acid 8000

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Listing:
1. Right Here, Right Now
2. Praise You
3. Love Island

**Very close number 4. Gangster Tripping**

FINAL RATING:
4.75 out of 5 stars

Trio - Da Da Da

If I updated the poll to read, "How many people have listened to Trio other than Da Da Da", I'd bet maybe two other people in all the US have. Well, I'm here to tell you about a pretty solid record here. Sure, I bought this when I was in 8th grade, and sure it was just for Da Da Da (it was featured on VW commercials at the time). But hey, it's actually really good. The German background makes some of these tracks really strange, yet very entertaining at the same time. I wouldn't go as far as to call it great tuneage, but the cd really hits the spot every now and again. When there are days I just can't decide what to listen to, a little Trio goes a long way in my musical satisfaction. Admittedly, I don't know much about German music, but I feel as this is probably considered popish for natives and would probably have an 'indie' type feel listening to it in the states. Regardless, listen to the samples, and if you like them, you can probably buy this for a dollar or two at a second hand reseller. Enjoy!

TRACK LISTING:
1. Da Da Da
2. Boom Boom
3. Hearts Are Trump
4. Out In The Streets
5. Bye Bye
6. Anna - Letmeinletmeout
7. Drei Mann im Doppelbett
8. Ich lieb den Rock n Roll
9. Tutti Frutti
10. Tooralooralooraloo - Is It Old & Is It New
11. Girl Girl Girl
12. W.W.W.
13. Sunday You Need Love Monday Be Alone
14. Da Da Da (Extended Version)

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Tracks:
1. Da Da Da (Extended Version)
2. Out In The Streets
3. Girl Girl Girl

FINAL RATING:
4 out of 5 stars

The Killers - Hot Fuss

Ahh, The Killers. What ever happened to them? It's not like they stopped making really good, really original music - yet, people seemed to forget they exist. Hot Fuss is an outstanding album, and Sam's Town is either right next to it, or maybe even a little better. I got through Day and Age and it was a'ight, and I've never got to Sawdust. I'll get to all those reviews in time, but for now - one of the classics. It put the Killers on the map, has to be their best selling and most popular record in their semi brief history. Even to this day, you're more than likely going to hear one of these tracks on the radio, just because they have that much staying power. They seemed to be one of the bands that started this new wave, punkish type revolution along with bands like Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco etc... I know there are a couple fans of that out there, has that died down yet? The only stuff I hear nowadays is Muse, some Modest Mouse and a little MGMT. I'm getting off topic, The Killers are outstanding, this record is outstanding - go get it and play it till it breaks.

TRACK LISTING:
1. Jenny Was a Friend of Mine
2. Mr. Brightside
3. Smile Like You Mean It
4. Somebody Told Me
5. All These Things That I've Done
6. Andy, You're a Star
7. On Top
8. Change Your Mind
9. Believe Me Natalie
10. Midnight Show
11. Everything Will Be Alright

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Tracks:
1. All These Things That I've Done **Note that this is one of the best songs in music history**

Distant 2. Mr. Brightside
3. Somebody Told Me

FINAL RATING:
4.25 out of 5 stars

Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power

Mama always said don't try to be anything you're not, and I'll admit, I'm not the biggest metal fan in the world. But on the occasion, I do like to pop in something harder like Pantera. I'd put System, Slipknot, Megadeath, Static X and Union Underground in metal-ish bands that I'll review in the future. For now, this album came to me when I was probably 14 or 15. There are some really good hard hitting tracks here, but probably not something for the kids out there. (are kids allowed to follow blogs?) Anyway, this is a classic in its own right. I think for non-metal fans, this is probably the only Pantera album they might know. There are a couple Pantera songs that I really like not on this record, but the other albums I've heard don't seem to match up to what this one offers. The only way to listen to this is very loud, and very obnoxious. Try not to start a mosh pit in your living room.

TRACK LISTING:
1. Mouth for War
2. New Level, A
3. Walk
4. F**king Hostile
5. This Love
6. Rise
7. No Good (Attack the Radical)
8. Live in a Hole
9. Regular People (Conceit)
10. By Demons Be Driven
11. Hollow

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Tracks:
1. Walk
2. F**king Hostile
3. This Love

FINAL RATING:
4 out of 5 stars

Lady Gaga - The Fame

Devotees may recall my distaste for one Lady Gaga...and more or less, I was challenged that I'd never actually listened to her album. So I did, and here goes my review. To put it nicely, this really isn't my kind of music. Now on the poll, it looks like a few of you do enjoy pop music, so I'll post some reviews on the blog. I may not give them very favorable reviews, or it could just be Gaga. The songs are catchy, and they surely get stuck in your head for hours. But there is really no lyrical content, and the beats are easily surpassed by those in any average hip hop record. I'm sure there are pop artists that have more to say, and I look forward to hearing who those artists are that I can review. I'm probably going to give Beyonce a whirl in the near future. "I'ma let you finish..."...oh nevermind. Anyway, for those pop lovers - this one's for you. For me, this was just a bad romance. HA!

TRACK LISTING:
1. Just Dance - (featuring Colby O'Donis)
2. LoveGame
3. Paparazzi
4. Poker Face
5. Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)
6. Beautiful, Dirty, Rich
7. Fame, The
8. Money Honey
9. Starstruck - (featuring Flo Rida/Space Cowboy)
10. Boys Boys Boys
11. Paper Gangsta
12. Brown Eyes
13. I Like It Rough
14. Summerboy

Listen To Samples

Top 3 Tracks:
1. Paparazzi
2. Money Honey
3. Poker Face

FINAL RATING:
2.5 out of 5 stars