It’s now time for my spring jams & this spring has been a good one for new music so get ready to get hype!

Singles

Paramore: Hard Times–

• This is the first single off of Paramore’s 5th studio album After Laughter which comes out in early May. It is AMAZING! Now yes I am a huge Paramore fan ever since Riot! so I would love this song no matter what but even if I wasn’t, this song is so good. This is the popist song the band has ever put out but also keeps that rock element in it as well. It has the greatest base groove ever and Taylor brings it with the guitar and Zac’s drum beats are very present. Of course Hayley’s vocals tie the whole song together with her and Taylor’s lyrics which are kind of dark yet go well with the upbeat nature of the song. We even get Taylor who is basically the savor of the band vocal’s in the background of the song. The lyrics are basically that we all go through hard times but can get through them and if you know the history you know they have gone through a their fair share of hard times the past 7 years.

Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley: Chained to the Rhythm– 

• Now I am so hit or miss when it comes to Katy Perry as I feel some type of way about her personally but that’s another story. Musically though I do like a few songs by her but after a while they get boring as she usually has like 10 songs out at once like in 2011. This song though is one of her most catchy yet with a good message. It’s dancable, synthy and Skip Marley Bob’s grandson has a great guest verse on the song. I think what Katy is talking about in the song is about not living in a glass bubble where everything is perfect and living in a climate where you recognize the real issues going on in the world.

TLC ft. Snoop Dogg: Way Back-

• TLC is back! The ’90s are here and their not going way. While every artist on planet Earth is getting their inspiration from the ’80s the best girl group of the ’90s has made a comeback. This song is a fun track that takes you back to simpler times. Back when MJ, Prince, Marvin Gay and others were the main staples in your life and you and your girls where getting ready for the local house party. This comes off of TLC’s upcoming album coming out in June. It features Snoop Dogg as their rapper to keep that hip-hop element to their songs and he fits the vibe of the song well. Everything about this song is just fun and light hearten which is something we could all use right now with all the craziness going on in the world.

Blink-182: 6/8-

• This song & Blink in general lately have been surprising me with how much I have started to actually like their music aside from just their singles. This song is a more mature harder song then most of their music in the past. Still very much pop-punk it has a more aggressive sound to it and just shows the growth of the band as a whole. This comes off their deluxe album of California coming out this year and I like it.

HAIM: Right Now (live)-

• I love this all female band that is just so badass. They give me the vibes of a band like the Runaways yet with a more modern sound. They are coming out with an album this year and this song won’t be on it but it is just so good. It’s a live video of the sisters playing this song and it shows one sister playing the piano & singing, one sister is playing guitar and drums and the other is playing bass and doing backing vocals. Honestly the fact that they still play live instruments in such a manufactured music scene is beautiful. It shows us how much classic rock plays a role in their music.

AMY LEE: Speak to Me–

• Amy Lee is a goddess when it comes to lyrics, her classical piano skills and that voice. As the lead singer of the alt-metal band Evanescence she from time to time will do her own solo thing even with in the band with her dark ballets. This ballet comes from a film she wrote it for and is an ode to motherhood as she became a mother two years ago. Her songs are like poetry to my ears as her lyrics are just so beautiful and the way she sings them and plays the piano is just amazing. Plus the way she sings to her son in the video is just too much.

IBIBIO Sound Machine: The Pot Is On Fire-

• So I watch a lot of Youtube music reviewers and usually I don’t actually take their options seriously but I watch just to learn about new music. I was watching the Needle Drops review of this album just because I was curious. It didn’t actually think I was going to listen to them but I was scrolling down my Cymbl and Anthony just happened to post this song. I listened to it and fell in love. I love the fact that it is so catchy, dancable and just a lot of fun. They are a British group whose members are originally from Africa so you get a lot of Afro-beat in there. It’s synthy, house inspired and will just make you wanna get up and dance.

PRVIS: Heaven-

• Take Evanescence & Paramore and say they had a baby well that baby would be PRVIS. They are a good mix of alt-eleco pop-punk mixed with dark vibes. This song is no different with Lynn’s voice and screaming being just so strong. I only just got into this group a couple of years ago and have only heard a few singles but I definitely recommend you check them out and this song off their upcoming album.

Mixtapes

Noname: Telefone–

Favorite Songs:

Whole Mixtape + favorites being Diddy Bop & Reality Check

• She is a new up and coming rapper who has been featured on a few Chicago MCs albums and mixtapes like Change the Rapper and Mick Jenkins. I just recently got into her and I love her. Her rapping style is very autobiographical with a jazzy instrumentation and singing on her tracks. For this mixtape Noname has a live band that she works with which you can see in her Tiny Desk Concert. I consider this project to be a millennial mixtape as it is very relatable to our generation.

Albums

Incubus: 8–

Favorite Songs:

Nimble Bastard, Glitterbomb, Undefeated, Familiar Faces, Love In A Time Of Surveillance, Make No Sound In The Digital Forest, Throw Out The Map

• This is Incubus’s 8th studio album and after being around for over 26 years as band and one of my favorite bands this one is not as grand as I thought it would be. Not to say I don’t like it but it lacks that punch that they used to have. With their first single Nimble Bastard I got excited as it was a rockin track and the album does have its moments to it that I like a lot. Throw Out The Map is a more heavy track along with Love In A Time Of Surveillance. Make No Sound In The Digital Forest is their instrumental more experimental track on the album and one of my favorites. Glitterbomb, Undefeated, & Familiar Faces are the slower rock songs where you can definitely hear the guitars feedback very heavy. Over all the album is not bad by any means but not my favorite by them either.

SYD: Fin–

Favorite Songs:

Know, Nothin to Somethin, Smile More, Got Her Own, Body, Insecurities

• This album is the first solo project for Syd the Kid from the Internet and it’s more of those sleepy vocals that are great for falling asleep to and other things but mixed with trap beats. My favorite song on the album is Know which has all the Aaliyah vibes and I love the backing vocals too. Got Her Own is about wanting a chick who is independent and basically can take care of herself. Smile More was a song released a while ago on Soundcloud which I’m glad made it to the album. Body and Nothin to Somethin gives me some ’90s R&B vibes which I love. If you like the Internet then you most likely will like this album too.

The xx: I See You-

Favorite Songs:

Say Something Loving, Dangerous, Lips, Replica, I Dare You, Test Me, Hold On

• Say Something Loving and Dangerous are my two favorite songs off this project. Jamie xx really brought it this time and this album in general just sounds so much more airy due to his production bringing more funkiness to the group. Lips, I Dare You, and Replica all have a darker vibe to them like most of the xx’s music but with a more light sound. Test Me is more of a sad song about a break up which is a contrast to most of the xx’s music which lyrically are about intimacy and relationships. Over all another dark and moody but light and airy release from the xx.

Jidenna: The Chief–

Favorite Songs:

Some Kind of Way, White N***as, Little Bit More, Bully of the Earth, Helicopters/Beware, Long Live the Chief

• A dance-able fun yet political and socially aware album. Jidenna is a half Nigerian and so you see that influence on this album a lot with afro-beats but also the Western influence of Trap music and R&B. Some Kind of Way and Little Bit More are the more dancy fun tracks that make you wanna dance. On the other hand Bully of the Earth, Helicopters/Beware, Long Live the Chief and White N words are the more social and political songs that paint a picture of how living in America feels for black people and just people in general. White N words tells the story of black people in this country but flips it on its head to make that the experience of white people which I found to be very clever. Over all if you are looking to dance but also stay woke this is the album for you.

Kaleo: A/B–

Favorite Songs:

Way Down We Go, No Good, Broken Bones, Glass House, Hot Blood, All The Pretty Girls, Vor i Vaglaskogi, Save Yourself, I Can’t Go On Without You,

• This is my new favorite band of 2017! Kaleo are a band from Iceland but sound like they could be from down south. This debut album gives you a southern rock punch mixed with some indie rock/folkness and I love it. Way Down We Go was the first song I heard from them and it intrigued me to check out more and I’m glad I did. Lead vocalist JJ Julius Son gives it to you with the raspy vocals if your into that and the instrumentation is on point. If you like the Black Keys you’ll like this band. No Good, Glass House, Hot Blood, Way Down We Go, and Broken Bones are all the faster more heavy songs. All The Pretty Girls, Vor i Vaglaskogi which is sung all in Icelandic and a very beautiful song, Save Yourself, I Can’t Go On Without You are the more slow indie rock, folk songs.

Joey Bada$$: All AmeriKKKan Bada$$–

Favorite Songs:

LAND OF THE FREE, AMERIKKKAN IDOL, GOOD MORNING AMERIKKA, TEMPTATION, DEVASTATED, Y U DON’T LOVE ME?, ROCKABYE BABY, RING THE ALARM, BABYLON

• Joey Bada$$ is incredible! I loved his last album B.4.the.$ and thought it was a very strong album. His sophomore LP is no different and with the political and social commentary added in it gives it an added punch. Songs like Temptation and Y U Don’t Love Me? where he talks about how America treats black people in this country and doesn’t trust us and mistreats us. Land of the Free and Rockabye Baby were the first two singles to come out from this album and their both just fire 16s. On many songs on this album you will hear Joey sing on the hook which has become a thing in modern hip-hop. Ring the Alarm is also a fire 16 and of course you have Babylon ft. Chronixx which is a nod to his island roots. My favorite song off the whole album is AmeriKKKan Idol which is a real testament to how us a black people & this country could and should treat us. He asks the questions of what should we do? Over all a fiery and passion filled album which is perfect for the country and the many things we are going through.

Tokio Hotel: Dream Machine–

Favorite Songs:

What If, Something New, Boy Don’t Cry, Dream Machine, Cotton Candy Sky, Better, As Young As We Are, Stop Babe

• Continuing the path they laid out on their last studio album KOS Tokio Hotel take us for a ’80s synth pop trip going deeper down the pop rabbit hole. For the past album and this one Tom the guitarist of the band has had a hand in the production of the albums. His production in my book is always so smooth and dancable and really brings the tracks to life. On the other hand lyrically the songs seem generic and bland and don’t bring much to the songs. To be honest they start to lose the vibe of a band and it starts to sound more like a solo project. Gustave the drummer doesn’t really get to play the drums anymore and George and Tom don’t really get to play the guitar or bass that much. For the most part like I said it’s the production that really draws me into this group anymore in the first place and I still think Tom should just produce an album that is just his production and call it a day. Anyway What If is my favorite song off this album with the lyrics being bland but the production being pretty amazing with the ’80 synths and pop beats. Take this band and album for what it is and if you’re a huge TH fan then you will probable like it and support it but if not it’s not too worth listening to just saying.

Albums I Haven’t Listened to Fully Yet:

Gorillaz: Humanz

Kendrick Lamar: DAMN

Nelly Furtado: The Ride

Podcast Episode:

Youtube Video:

Well Till Next Time…Pump Up The Volume! ♥♥♥