NMT 5/26 - 6/09

“Good morning good morning everybody in the news this morning, good morning” – Anne “Crack-Smoker” Curry

…and welcome back to NMT. I’m not going to apologize any more for the missing updates for a number of reasons: 1) the delay just makes the new posts THAT much more exciting and 2) nobody really cares

UPWARD AND ONWARD!

I am bringing this week’s edition to you from a coffee shop down the street from the new apartment in San Francisco or as my Dad calls it, “The Godless hole” (which is probably a hipster bar around here somewhere)

But enough about me, lets hear more about what I think…

Instead of breaking the past few weeks music down by release date, I think it’s best to divide and conquer by genre, that way you can get in where you fit in without the hassle of reaching for the remote control under your regular blanket…Wait a minute, I just got sidetracked trying to sell you a Snuggie (they’re so convenient! You can even take them to the big ball game if you want your child to have no friends!) Sorry focusing…SHAMWOW! Damn it! FOCUS!


R & B Junkies

• Elektric Red – Look what we have here, another female R&B group. What sets these girls apart from the rest? An edge sharp enough to make you bleed AND give you herpes. (a rare combo) Not to mention a debut album produced almost entirely by hitmaker The Dream (if you’ve been following you know his impressive resume) E.R. comes to the scene at a time when girl groups have for the most part fizzled out, and the ones that remain typically take the safe radio friendly route. These girls, not so much…Just take a look at their debut single titled W.F.Y. (We BEEP You) I’m not gonna argue here, these bitches put the crazy in crazy bitches. The good news- these girls are all hot, and have tons of swagger largely due to the skilled production on most of their tracks, the bad news? Vocally they don’t hold a lite-brite to past groups like En Vogue. After waiting a while to hear this debut I will say I’m glad to have them on the scene (mainly due to Dream’s writing skills) Current single “So Good” will get stuck in your head having you cussing “Ooh $#it Damn” for no real reason. But it’s shocking right?
o So Good
o Bed Rest
o W.F.Y.
o Go Shawty

• Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D. – As many of you know, I am by no means a fan of the BEP. Not only are their songs usually repetitive and annoying, their lyrics are among the worst out there (my humps?) THAT being said, their new album The E.N.D. (standing for The Energy Never Dies – as Ashely would say, can someone get some ketchup? Cuz that is corndog) is a surprise success…At least the first half. Opening off with the once great Boom Boom Pow (believe it or not, the Peas 1st single to reach #1) The E.N.D. pumps out another trance like dance track in Rock that Body, followed by a slu of 80’s inspired pop (heavy 80’s on Meet me Half Way). Aside from “Imma Be” which fails harder than an obese kid trying to put together the shrine of the silver monkey (Legends of the Hidden Temple reference for those of you who had a miserable childhood); the first 7 songs are really a great change of pace for the peas. While this album strays far from their rap roots, instead relying largely on Fergie’s mainstream success to carry some really throwback sounding songs, she pulls them off for the most part. The latter half of the album (with the exception of 2 highlights “Showdown” and “One Tribe”) gets too 3000 and 8, trying to be too futuristic, too funky, just plain trying too hard.
o Rock That Body
o Meet Me Halfway
o I Gotta Feeling
o Missing You
o Showdown
o One Tribe

• Pleasure P – The Introduction of Marcus Cooper – It was truly a sad day when the news was announced that the freaky slow-grinding powerhouse R&B group known as Pretty Ricky had split. But while we have all shed our tears for Pretty Ricky (future music hall-of-famers no doubt) Ricky has survived, although his name isn’t Ricky, it’s Pleasure P, well actually his name isn’t Pleasure P either, it is in fact Marcus Cooper. Confused? Who the hell was pretty ricky? Don’t worry, just check out these new songs off Pleasure Cooper P’s solo effort, you should recognize Boyfriend # 2 fresh off some heavy radio rotation. Not quite as classic, but a tad classier…
o Boyfriend #2 - Just one qualm here… “Step right out the shower into the Jacuzzi” Why would one do such a thing? Doesn’t Mr. P know we’re in a water crisis?
o I’m A Beast (ft. Young Joc)
o Let Me

• Rhea - Choreographer – Really undecided how I feel about this one, part of me really likes it, and part of me thinks it is a total miss. What do you think?

• Le Toya – She Ain’t Got – Ex Destiny’s Child member Le Toya Luckett’s latest F YOU BEYONCE single. Hah well probably not, but I like to imagine every song she makes is somewhat directed at the girl who kicked her out of a group that sold millions…

• Nina Sky - On Some Bullshit – I’m a big fan of this Duo. Waiting for their sophomore effort to be released, and after the extremely underrated single Curtain Call, On Some Bullshit is a good uptempo second offer. Check it ouuuuttttt


REEEEMIXIN the NIGHT AWAY

• Katy Perry – I’m not a huge fan of Katy Perry; She just simply isn’t attractive enough to pull off having a terrible live performance. BUT her latest single Waking up in Vegas caught me by surprise. Great chorus to a really catchy song, and what’s even better? A release of more than a few remixes all of which may be even better than the original…
o Waking Up In Vegas (The Original)
o Calvin Harris Extended Remix
o Jason Nevins Electrotec Club Remix
o Manhattan Clique Bellagio Remix

• Flo-Rida ft. Wynter
o Sugar Disco Fries Underground Club Remix
o Sugar Mondotek Remix Edit


REEEELAXIN the NIGHT AWAY

• Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King – Such a big fan of DMB, and after hearing about the Death of LeRoi Moore (Sax player) I was really worried about what was going to happen to the group. People either love or hate DMB and I think I figured out the reason: you hate them until you listen to them and then you love them. It is like my hatred of livestrong bracelets, why? Not really sure, but I just do. Get over it. What was I talking about again? Oh yeah…GrooGrux King, dedicated to late bandmate Moore, drops some of the more production heavy sounds which their previous album Stand Up experimented with, in favor of their more traditional almost folk sound. Unlike a pop group or artist, this music is truly difficult to grasp off of a 30 second clip due to the complexity of the music and instrumentation, but give the following tracks a chance. And as for you DMB fans, while Big Whiskey is no Under the Table and Dreaming or Crash, it is another great chapter in the bands long career, and reason for yet another amazing tour!
o Funny the Way it is
o Lying in the Hands of God
o Dive in
o Seven
o You & Me

• Sophie Milman – I Can’t Make You Love Me – Jazz vocalist Sophie Milan covers one of the best songs of all time, a Bonnie Rait classic. While no one does it quite like Bonnie (except for Ashley of course) Sophie Milman gives a really smooth version here, trading some of Rait’s bluesy sound for a bit more of a Jazz vibe.

• David Nail – Red Light – Itunes free song of the week comes through this time around, and get this… IT’S COUNTRY! And you say I never put Country in here…


EURO & HIPSTER INVASION

• The Sounds – Similar sound to CSS, they have a very ipod commercial feel to them.
o No One Sleeps When I’m Awake
o 4 Songs & a Fight
o Dorchester Hotel

• Yelle – French Group with a really cool electronic sound, no idea what they’re saying but I like the music.
o Who’s That Girl ( Qui est cette fille?)
o Ce Jeu
o Tu Es Beau - never lived in the 70s but i imagine sundays back then to feel like this...internet whaaaat?

• Little Boots – The latest Euro import who is supposed to be the next coolest thing, for some reason I haven’t quite jumped on the bandwagon yet. Boots might be just a bit too Euro for success in the States, but the following songs has grown on me…
o Stuck on Repeat


DARNED KIDS & THEIR ROCK ‘N ROLL MUUUZAC

• Dance Gavin Dance – Happiness – While I rarely enjoy bands who combine singing with screaming (sorry Tanner), there is something behind DGD’s music that catches the proverbial ear (sorry Tanner). Their genre jumping sound is truly unique blending a harder edge (for the rest of us Tanner) with what at times sounds like a 311 type guitar arrangement and melody.
o Happiness
o NASA
o Strawberry Swisher, Pt. 2

• Dredg – The Parriah, The Parrot, the Delusion – Aside from an album title that is so lame it is actually, well still extremely lame (I bet they eat basil too click here to find out more on this matter! trust me you want to see this), Dredg has a sound I can’t really place which may be what I like about them. Not that they bring anything incredibly new to the table, but for whatever reason they stuck out to me. At least the following 3 songs did…
o Information
o Saviour
o Mouring This Morning


AND NOW FOR A SEGMENT I”D LIKE TO CALL…WTF!!!!

• Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band – The Sun is Down (Cornelius Mix) – hahaha whaaaaat? 1st you break up The Beatles and now this?