The Cardinals “Sinking Ship” and “The Color of Pain” (Live)
Ryan Adams is a little more than crazy, but the good kind of crazy – one that leads to reinvention and a prolific output. The Cardinals – Adams doesn’t want to be billed anymore – premiered two new songs on Sept. 7 in Boston, “Sinking Ship” and “The Color of Pain.” They’re actually very similar, both showing The Cardinals’ psych-country explorations, almost like a marriage of Crazy Horse-era Neil Young and late-’60s Grateful Dead. Both are balls-to-the-wall rockers with a hint of pedal steel and both are equally awesome.
Q-Tip “Gettin’ Up”
From the funky bass and bright piano to the sepia-toned video, Q-Tip’s “Gettin’ Up” screams nostalgia. It’s the kind of simple and fun hip-hop song that reminds you of the ’80s or early ’90s; appropriate, because it’s the former A Tribe Called Quest rapper’s first solo effort since 1999. And did we mention how sweet the video is – Q-Tip wears a red Michael Jackson jacket and a Davey Crockett hat. Nice.
T.I. feat. Rihanna “Livin’ My Life”
Apparently, it’s finally OK to sample a song more famous for a YouTube clip than its original release. “Livin’ My Life,” off T.I.’s Paper Trail (due Sept. 30), opens with the hook from O-Zone’s “Dragostea Din Tei,” better known as the “Numa Numa” song in the viral video world. Rihanna’s hook builds around the sample’s melody, while T.I. raps about, well, living his life. If anything, all the song does is get “Dragostea Din Tei” stuck in your head. No thanks, we’ve been through that too many times already.
Kanye West “Love Lockdown”
Mr. West, are you there Mr. West? You used to be a rapper, remember, Mr. West? “Love Lockdown” is the first single off West’s newly announced 808’s & Heartbreak (due Dec. 16), and is surprisingly sparse for the college dropout. There’s subtle piano and bass that eventually builds into a percussive onslaught – a pretty nice production job, but there’s a problem: West sings the entire song in autotone. West is a rapper for a reason, and attempting to sing for the entirety of a lead single isn’t exactly the best move.
