First Impressions: Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot...

So glad that Big Boi is still making music. I honestly believe there is not too much cooler in this world then Outkast. Talk about a group that did their way. Big Boi's latest solo project is no different.

I have always been more of a fan of Andre over Big Boi due to my quirky nature in general, but the beats in Sir Lucious are quite amazing and funky and Big Boi hasn't lost a step with his rhyming, like many rappers that have been in the game as long as he has. He also has continued with a lot of the same themes: gangsta talk, women and weed. There are some awesome cameos as well including the legends Too Short and George Clinton, but Big Boi is absolutely the best person on album and still one of the best rappers working today.

If you are a fan of any of his previous work as a solo artist or Outkast it is definitely worth picking up. I would say, only if you don't like rap would I avoid this album. Then again, if you don't like rap, what is your problem? Especially Outkast, they have written some of the most positive, enlightening hip hop ever written. Though this album doesn't have a track like Elevators or Da Art of Storytelling. If you haven't heard the before mentioned Outkasts songs, drop everything you are doing, and do it now!

On another note, where did skits in Hip Hop albums come from? I would love to make a whole documentary on this. I have always noticed it is more of a 90s southern rap thing, but then again that is a majority of the hip hop I listened to in the 90s. They are rarely entertaining. I would like to put it out there that they are not needed and I would like to buy album versions that don't have them. It was the worst part of the Kid Cudi album and this one as well.

PHOTOS: Rotary Downs at Brooklyn Bowl

Just got these photos off my phone. Don't remember when this was but I remember having a good time seeing some old friends. Brooklyn Bowl is a great venue and I loved hearing some of the new material from Rotary Downs. Love if someone sent it to me so I could review it *wink wink nod nod*

My man Michael from Big Rock Candy Mountain...he also makes guest appearances in a million bands

PHOTOS: Twin Tigers & Deluka at Pianos

Thanks to my friends at Red Music and Razor and Tie for getting me into this show. Never heard of Deluka, but I was blown away by them. They really rocked and their lead singer is cute to boot. Also, Twin Tigers has been a band I have been wanting to see for a while and now is a good time before they hit the road with Interpol this Summer. Enjoy the pictures more are on our Flickr page.

DELUKA

TWIN TIGERS

RANDOM BASKETBALL NOTE:

Saw this on the wall at Pianos and made me think about this off season in Basketball. As some of you may know I am obsessed with basketball. This off season has seen my game take a change to where the players will have more power then ever, which I don't see as a problem, though I think Lebron made the wrong decision. Chicago was clearly the best team that had a great young talent pool with a 21 year old that plays Dwayne Wyade's game and a center that plays better defense then Chris Bosh. Lebron was a free agent and was able to do whatever he liked. The thing I hate to see is someone like Chris Paul, who plays for my team, the Hornets, trying to get traded before his contract is up. From a person who has built a reputation of being the upstanding person and doing the right thing, this is totally the move I did not expect. I think the Hornets dropped the ball in not trading Chris to Portland earlier in the summer, but it is totally inappropriate for his agents to already talking to perspective teams. We already went through this with Baron Davis. Superstars should make their team better and elevate players to levels they never thought possible. Look at Tim Duncan and Drew Brees for that matter. Ok enough of that. Saints season is coming up and regardless this will be an awesome season in Basketball.

First Impressions: Wolf Parade - Expo 86

Wolf Parade has created an album that will blow your mind; it will make you ask why so many other bands just don't get it these days. This piece of work will take you on a musical journey that you will wish would never end, and you will play it over and over again. You will tell your grand kids on how epic the album was and how these damn new rock stars can never create anything similar to it. Unfortunately, that is their first album. Their latest work comes very close though.

The World Expo 1986 was ironically enough in Vancouver, which is the same country that Wolf Parade is from and it was 2 years after the New Orleans expo that began the revitalization of downtown New Orleans. Any correlation between this and the album? Maybe...World Expos typically bring money and life back to areas of cities that were on the decline due to White Flight and I will justify that At Mount Zoomer may have been seen as the decline of a band that many thought were heading toward great things after their first album, Apologies to the Queen Mary. There was reported internal drama between the two main front men at the time of their Sophomore album, which was obviously present in Zoomer's scattered, disconnected feel. Their third album on Sub Pop, Expo 86 has re-established Wolf Parade as one of the best bands of the last decade and has created one of the best records of the year.

Wolf Parade has returned to their lyrical roots on their latest album. Spencer Krug to me is like a Jedi. He can sing to me on why it is justifiable that he is taking my girlfriend and I would truly believe he is right. You just feel the passion in every song. This former Frog Eyes member is definitely the reason both Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown are so great. Expo 86 will easily be on repeat on your mobile device for some time and will be part of the soundtrack for this summer. BUY THIS ALBUM!

The single here isn't my favorite on the album, but the best I can do on the shitty internet I am on. The song will definitely show you haw great they are at crafting songs and in a weird way make you want to dance.

MP3: Wolf Parade - Ghost Pressure

PS. How awesome is that album cover?

First Impressions: Here We Go Magic - Pigeons

Why should I care? I mean really? This album is boring. I really like the possibilities that faced them after their premiere album, but they really dropped the ball on this one. You can't get Sophomore albums back, ask Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! I only have 350 gigs on my MacBook. They need to find the magic that inspired their first album.

Here is their first single, Collector. It is a decent pop song, but I am giving it the single test. If this is the best song you have on the album, do I really think it will get much better?

MP3: Here We Go Magic - Collector