by Lily Goldberg, staff writer In 2015, Spotify changed the game by releasing a feature called “Discover Weekly.” For those of you unfamiliar with “Discover Weekly,” it’s a personalized playlist compiled of tracks that are similar to ones you’ve played. For those of you who are familiar with “Discover Weekly,” it’s pretty clear that it’s a hit or miss kind of deal. Here’s a playlist compiled of my Top 10 Discover Weekly Hits! 1. “Danger” by Lijadu Sisters – This funky song is the first track from the Lijadu Sister’s 1976 album of the same name. The Lijadu Sisters, identical twins from Nigeria, achieved fame in their home country for their signature blend of Afrobeat, jazz, disco, and reggae styles. 2. “Sharpness” by Jamie Woon – London-based recording artist Jamie Woon hasn’t caught on in America yet, but this song’s fantastic synth and percussion paired with Woon’s sWoonworthy vocals had me breathless. (Plus: the live version is even better; listen for the break at 1:58) 3. “Lupita” by Fashawn – I cheated – this song wasn’t actually from my Discover Weekly. “Stars,” the fourth track on Fashawn’s album Boy Meets World, was the song on my Discover Weekly that led me to listen to the rest of this album and stumble on “Lupita.” Other honorable mention is “Samsonite Man (feat. Blu).” 4. “Alaska” by Maggie Rogers – The story behind this song is actually pretty funny - Maggie Rogers is a student at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and she attended a Masterclass where Pharrell Williams came in to offer critique on songwriting. When Maggie played her song for Pharrell, he just sat stunned, shook his head, and then compared her to Wu Tang Clan. And then cries. (video of Pharrell here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyimCGEkiUc ) 5. “Smoke” by Luke Levenson and Abbey Smith – This stripped down song only features a guitar and a drum yet still manages to feel multi-layered and interesting. Abbey Smith’s inspired riffs and runs pack punch into this track. 6. “So Damn Fast” by Lawrence – Brother/Sister duo Gracie and Clyde Lawrence are not what you’d call a typical “family band.” Their incredibly inspired soul mixes synth sounds with big band. Also, the live version is 10x better than the recorded, because sister Gracie’s absurd pipes are featured much more. 7. “No Room For Doubt" (feat. Willy Mason) by Lianne La Havas – This song is perfect for your seasonal depression. I fell asleep at 6 p.m. the other night just listening to it on repeat. The combination of La Havas and Mason’s voices together is simply angelic, and the lyrics are gorgeous. 8. “Things Are Changin’ - Live [Solo Acoustic]” by Gary Clark Jr. – While Gary Clark Jr.’s rollicking blues guitar helped him gain titles of “Hendrix Reincarnated” in other songs, this stripped down track highlights his incredible voice and soulful vibe. 9. “Freaky Feedback Blues” by Benji Hughes – Benji Hughes literally looks like he could drop the song of the season about rednecks with beers and pigs and terriers in trucks, so I genuinely wasn’t expecting to like this song at all. Actually, I didn’t think it would be anything but country, which it is not. 10. “Miss Right” by Anderson .Paak (Live from Spotify Sessions) – The live version of this track from Venice popped up in Discover Weekly, and it showcases two of my favorite features of live recordings – audience reactions and the band’s solos and riffs. .Paak himself barely even sings on this recording, as it is mainly taken up by the band just jamming out after 2:00.
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by Brendan Sullivan, editor It’s fair to say that J. Cole and Young Thug are currently two of the most talked about artists, at least online. J. Cole was the subject of the absurdly overused “double platinum with no features” meme, and Young Thug--well, Young Thug is a meme. We’ve seen an uptick of these with the release of J. Cole’s latest work, 4 Your Eyez Only. Memes usually label an artist either trash or good, but there's never a consensus; an artist can be hailed as Jesus in one meme and complete garbage in the next. However, J. Cole is almost always seen as the more legitimate rapper. There’s something about Young Thug, whatever it is, that makes him often be taken as a joke by fans and haters alike. Despite this, Young Thug is just a flat out better artist. The two are polar opposites, ends of the same spectrum; where Thugger is bold, creative, interesting, J Cole is typical, safe, and boring. Young Thug breaks molds with his androgyny and sexual ambiguity, dabbling heavily in women’s clothing, posting instagrams with painted nails, tweeting about “smoking penises,” and sparking debates over his sexuality. Thugger is arguably the most fashion-forward male musician since Prince, and he’s doing it while still earning respect from his peers in the hyper-masculine Atlanta scene. It’s hard to compare J. Cole, just because we have so little to work with. We know he’s from North Carolina, he’s married, and...what else? His fashion sense is boring, especially considering he’s rich enough to afford whatever he wants. He showed up to a full-body cover photo shoot in some decent J’s, a conservative, stereotypically hip-hop choice. Young Thug showed up to his photo op in a designer dress. You could spend all day talking about the contrast of images, but instead, let’s get to the music. 4 Your Eyez Only starts off well with “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” a quiet and smooth intro track that seems to be promising. By the next track, “Immortal,” Cole is back to his old tricks. He starts off with this: Now I was barely seventeen with a pocket full of hope Screamin', dollar and a dream with my closet lookin' broke And my n***a's lookin' clean, gettin' caught up with that dope Have you ever served a fiend with a pocket full of soap? N***a I can tell you things that you probably shouldn't know Have you ever heard the screams when the body hit the floor? Flashbacks to the pain, wakin' up, cold sweats Six o'clock in the mornin', gotta hit the BoFlex Get my weight up on the block, keep watch for the cops God they love to serve a n***a three hots and a cot This is a pretty good example of J. Cole’s lyricism. It’s hard to knock it--his rhymes are solid, he’s flowing pretty well, and I get why he has so many fans, why this album will go platinum. But at the same time, is it anything special? Is he telling us anything we haven’t heard before, not only from his previous work, but also from every single other rapper? Growing up in a tough place, hustling to get by, keeping an eye out for the police: this is hip hop’s bread and butter. But a restaurant needs more than bread and butter to earn a Michelin Star. Hip Hop’s transcendent artists, its legends, are those who find new ways to talk about it. “Immortal” is a solid song, but disappointingly, it turns out to be one of the best songs on the whole album, an honor it does not deserve to hold. “Deja Vu” basically copies a beat from Bryson Tiller’s “Exchange,” with no recognition, and fails to improve on the original track. It continues similarly from there, the production being solid throughout, but none of the beats are gems. “Neighbors” is a standout track, but the album overall feels like a step back for Cole. 2014 Forest Hills Drive wasn’t the best album, but it had higher highs, more energy, and more personality. Young Thug’s Jeffery, on the other hand, is alive with passion and personality. Although it’s his latest drop, it’s not quite new, so I’ll keep the review short. However, suffice it to say that Thugger expertly plays to his strengths. It’s no secret that his lyrics aren’t particularly profound, but unless you’re trying to hate, you really won’t notice or care. His sense of melody and ability to switch up flows quickly and smoothly remain unmatched, and his production is tight as ever. The album is bookended strongly, starting with the incredibly catchy “Wycelf Jean,” a good track with a great hook. The last song, “pick up the phone,” is simply one of the best pop-rap songs of the year. Throughout, the album stays vibrant, with an excellent selection of features. Features, actually, are something 4 Your Eyez Only could’ve used (Isaiah Rashad, Kendrick, so many people could’ve killed it). But I can’t bring myself to criticize Cole for something so many of his fans apparently consider a strength. The point of the comparison here is ultimately that Thugger and Cole are taking two very different approaches. J. Cole plays it safe, and for the most part it seems to be working for him. But taking risks is the very essence of art! No matter how many people disagree with Young Thug’s artistic choices, his personality will always shine through on anything he touches. With 4 Your Eyez Only, J. Cole seems content to, as the memes say, put us to sleep. |
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