Music
Top 5 Pop Releases: November
by Aaron Zorgel
November 30, 2011
Each month, tons of new music from many taste-spanning genres is released into a fast-consuming, unforgiving market; it can be tough to get a handle on what’s new before it’s on to the next. In an attempt to highlight the standout releases, at the end of each month, AUX staff re-cap the month in Punk, Metal, Indie/Pop/Rock, Hip Hop, Electronic, and Pop with the top five releases in each. Consider it your cheat sheet for year-end lists.
Top 5 Pop Tracks:
December
Rihanna – Cockiness (Love It)From Talk That Talk. Producer: Mr. Bangladesh. |
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If pop music is on your radar, I’m sure that you’ve read a review or two shitting all over the new Rihanna record. Pitchfork called it “a stitched-together collection of club bangers, sleaze-pop missteps, and mid-tempo inspirational ballads,” and NME suggests that “Rihanna has spread herself so thinly that she doesn’t have time to record a cohesive album.” It’s fickle, hyper-critical-for-the-sake-of-it music journalism like this that gets me all riled-up and makes me want to toss hot coffee in the faces of every blog-toting a-hole who decides that they’re above pop music on a whim. The bottom line is this: if there’s no chance of you liking the new Rihanna record, don’t bother reviewing the new Rihanna record. These club bangers, inspirational ballads and “sleaze-pop missteps” deserve a place in my musical canon, and if there’s no room for Talk That Talk on your it’s-cool-to-like-this-even-though-it’s-popular playlist because you already gave the Drake record an 8.6, then just keep that shit to yourself, man.
Talk That Talk is a collection of ballads, club bangers, and dirty pop songs, and “Cockiness (Love It)” is most assuredly the latter. Bangladesh employs his signature “chop & loop” editing to a Billy Stewart sample, while Rihanna applies a firm level of filth, repeating “Suck my cockiness, lick my persuasion.” Booming 808s, bizarre layered backing vocals, an atonal sound effects-laden bridge, and lyrics that make “Rude Boy” seem like a hymn make this song an easy favourite of mine for the latter half of 2011. If you’re a sincere fan of pop radio and cutting-edge music production, Talk That Talk deserves your attention. Bloggers gon’ blog.
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Drake – Take Care feat. RihannaFrom Take Care. Producer: Jamie xx, 40. |
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At least something involving Rhi-Rhi is Pitchfork approved this month. Her vulnerable, low-register makes a rare appearance on the title track for Drake’s critically heralded sophomore album. The song originates from Jamie xx’s “I’ll Take Care of U,” a song that appeared on his Gil Scott-Heron remix album We’re New Here. The fact that the lyrics, melody, and instrumental were essentially borrowed & tweaked by Drake & 40 makes “Take Care” one of the more distinct sounding songs on the record. It’s anthemic while remaining subtle, and it’s a sensual and sentimental duet between two pop-star exes who, despite the superficiality that surrounds them, actually seem like they’re good friends. Go ahead, let this tune cut through your cynical core and have an “awww” moment. It feels good. It was even given a vote of confidence by Florence & her machine, if you’re into that.
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A$AP Rocky – PesoFrom LIVELOVEA$AP. Producer: A$AP Ty Beats. |
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Born and raised in Harlem, A$AP Rocky received a lot of buzz when he personally announced the details of his 3 million dollar signing with Sony/RCA. When we got bored of the bratty antics of Odd Future, A$AP Worldwide arrived just in time to exist as the even newer buzzworthy hip-hop collective. Their de facto leader is A$AP Rocky, though he doesn’t stake any claim to being the Creator. According to Rocky, A$AP is “a cult– they even have codes… They recruited A$AP people from Vancouver, Arizona, Utah. It’s a secret society.” Having a weird mythology like that doesn’t hurt, but the cult of A$AP owe much of their “cool-factor” to producers Clams Casino, Spaceghost Purrp and A$AP Ty Beats, who produced the lead single “Peso” from A$AP Rocky’s new mixtape LIVELOVEA$AP. Abstract and experimental soundtracks underneath his lazy, laid-back flow about drugs, girls, and the spoils of the street define A$AP Rocky’s sound, and “Peso” is one of the first songs to break through to a larger audience. Signing a deal like that almost ensures that we’re going to be seeing a lot of A$AP Rocky and his crew, and that isn’t a bad thing. The sound is every bit as cool and refreshing as Odd Future, but somehow far less uncomfortable to listen to. So basically, songs about rape & dismemberment: bad. Songs about drugs and irresponsible promiscuity: AWESOME.
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Wale – Ambition feat. Meek Mill & Rick RossFrom Ambition. Producer: T-Minus. |
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T-Minus is one of my favourite young producers in hip-hop right now. He did “Moment 4 Life” by Nicki Minaj, “I’m On One” by DJ Khaled, and “She Will” by Lil Wayne, while rounding out 2011 with a handful of production credits on Drake’s Take Care. The title track from Ambition might be T-Minus’ best beat yet. His signature sound can be broken down into 3 key components: 1) layers on layers of warm, swirling synths 2) reverbed out piano runs, with a slap delay. 3) intricate drum programming with ever-changing hi-hats, and an oh-so crisp snare. It sounds huge like Trap Music, but it packs an intellectual punch that Lex Luger and Jahlil Beats lack. This is an introspective thinking man’s Trap Music. When you take a beat like this and toss it to one of the best lyricists in the game right now, you’ve landed on something special. “Ambition” is one of my favourite hip-hop songs of 2011.
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Mac Miller – One Last ThingFrom Blue Slide Park. Producer: Clams Casino. |
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Clams Casino, a.k.a. Mike Volpe, rose to prominence in the electronic music world by posting his beats to Youtube. The 23 year-old New Jersey-based physical therapy student got a lot of recognition from the instrumental he produced for Lil B’s “I’m God.” Now an integral member of the A$AP Worldwide production contingent, Clams is known for his bizarre and beautiful soundscapes that nicely offset the brash nature of MCs like Lil B, Soulja Boy, and A$AP Rocky. Clams produced “One Last Thing,” the final track on Mac Miller’s Blue Slide Park, and in my opinion it’s one of the best on the album. The song has no prominent hook or chorus, and features Miller spitting bar after bar detailing his meteoric rise, and ultimately arriving at a bittersweet realization — how badly he wants to go home. That weird longing feeling in your gut is perfectly complemented by Clams’ hauntingly glorious beat. Mac Miller has proven that he can turn out an upbeat hit (“Donald Trump”, “Frick Park Market”), but it turns out the kid has some depth.
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Surprises, disappointments and tracks/albums to watch for next month
Surprise of the month: My guilty pleasure of the month comes courtesy of Canadian pop-rock outfit Mariana’s Trench. The lead-off single from Ever After (released November 21st, 2011) is called “Haven’t Had Enough,” and it’s one of those sugary mind-melting pop gems that will get overlooked by non-tweens because of their irritating Muchmusic-bolstered media presence. Anyone who appreciates strange things happening in otherwise formulaic pop-music should check this out. The phrasing in the chorus challenges my brain way more than a Dillinger Escape Plan record. Not really, but you get the idea.
Disappointments: Childish Gambino’s Camp came out this month, and for whatever reason, I just can’t get into it. His mixtapes and EPs showed promise, and Camp comes highly recommended from a few trusted sources, but I’m not feeling it after my first listen. I might need to revisit it, but I found it a bit too Blah-Blah-I-wanna-be Kanye-pop-culture reference-y. Meh. At least he’s got something to fall back on when Community gets shit-canned.
Out in December: Most pop heavyweights are taking a break for the holiday season, but hip-hop still hustles hard — records from Waka Flocka Flame, Tyga, Snoop Dogg x Wiz Khalifa are all out in December. Also on my radar: KoRn’s dubstep record, The Path of Totality. Will Fieldy drop the bass???
Tags: Music, Lists, News, A$AP Rocky, Drake, Mac Miller, Rihanna
