Well, the essential components of a Coldplay single have all been addressed. Although Coldplay have become one of the world’s biggest bands by following a tried and true formula, not much different than U2. Hours after this single hit the online universe, accusations of plagiarism abounded. Chris Martin addressed these claims and said that they were inspired by Mystic’s dance hit, “Ritmo de la Noche”, which sampled Allen and Anderson‘s 1976 tune, “I Go to Rio.” Mystic’s song was used in a scene from Javier Bardem’s Oscar-nominated performance, Biutiful. In the film, Bardem’s character goes through many a challenging phase in life, but in essence, he is seeking redemption past ways to pave the way for his kids and others in the future. It’s a sad movie with an uplifting theme. This only makes it natural that Chris Martin and Co. would resonate with this type of song/movie.
What kind of challenging music has Coldplay done in their past few albums? Every single is extremely grand and would sound great as festival-closers. They are quite comfortable moseying around in this territory, but is this what we deserve? A grand band making grand songs that would sound right at home on an adult contemporary station nestled between Sting’s latest and Sheryl Crow’s latter era material? Do we need another “Clocks”? No. Please go back to the drawing board and start over.
Upon my first listen to “Miscalculations”, my initial reaction was that this is a good song to be coming out as summer approaches. With the purchasing public has fickle as they are, a lot of the success of a song is based on timing. When something is released plays a large part in whether or not that song, or record has a chance to be heard by a mass quantity of people. The summer is a perfect time for the release of a song such as “Miscalculations”.
It’s one of those songs where if you are running on the treadmill, iPod shuffle hard at work, and it comes on, you will immediately lower the pace to a walk, and not even a brisk walk, a slow, plodding saunter, where you wish you were outside so you can dig your surroundings, notice a patch of flowers you might not have noticed on a path you hurriedly scurry by every day. It’s one of those songs where if you have your music playing on the beach and are in the middle of an intensely friendly game of beach volleyball, when it comes on would be the perfect time for a break in the action so you can lay on the beach and just enjoy the waves crashing into the sand.
Basically, it’s a good chill out, ice cold beer in hand, summer song. No great piece of art, nothing that when you hear it will make you clamor for more by Miracle Fortress, just something to appreciate for what it is. It’s nothing that will excite you. You will not find new musical twists that will make you repeating the track over and over again wondering just how something so original was thought up. You will not find serenely poetic lyrics that you will want to read in print just so you can grasp every word said and somehow find the meaning behind such literary genius.
This song will do none of that to you. What it will do is facilitate some summer lounging, letting your mind wander down its unique path with “Miscalculations” being the soundtrack to your thoughts as you sit back, hang out, partake in your vice, and enjoy the warm, blissful summer months. And isn’t that something we all need?
Vinyl @ Center Stage – Atlanta, GA – April 14, 2011 - The stage was set – 3 empty seats awaited one of the most buzzed about production team’s arrival, as iStandard Co-Founder J Hatch hyped up the anxious ATL audience. “Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Kenny, Rook, and Colione, known to most as The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League y’all!”. As the group walked up on stage, they all gave me a pound, as I blasted my personal favourite of their vast catalogue, “Maybach Music” by Rick Ross feat. Jay-Z. Hatch asked them a myriad of questions, from their formation in Tampa, FL, to working with such artists as Ross, Fabolous, Drake, Bun B, Lil Wayne, Keri Hilson…the list goes on, as well as future projects. Then Rook said, “We’re working on a project with our artist LAWS, and it’s a Paul McCartney mash-up album.”
To be honest, my immediate reaction was “Great, another mash-up album, ala The Grey Album (Danger Mouse’s 2003 combination of Jay-Z’s The Black Album and The Beatles The White Album), that spawned countless substandard remix projects. Then Kenny said, “and we have Paul McCartney’s blessing on this…” I immediately stepped out from behind the DJ booth and asked them “What, you got his approval?!?”
The League just nodded and smiled.
As the months went by, I started to download some more LAWS music, and fell in love with joints like “Flashback”, “Honor”, “Run Away”, and more… The anticipation for this Macca / LAWS collabo grew. Kelly “Kels” Williams (TN2 Productions / iStandard) told me “Wait til you hear this Don, it’s incredible.”
Finally, this week, on June 7, 2011, Yesterday’s Future, was released.
Being a fan of Paul McCartney since childhood, my ears skeptically pushed play, and there was Paul from his 1970 self-titled post-Beatles debut album, counting off “Momma Miss America”. “Me and Paul like a lit match made in heaven…flow so poetic, this is for the ages”, the Tampa raised MC spits on the groovy Macca instrumental. I remember having a conversation with Rook about the project, and he told me that I’m not going to know what’s a sample or which songs they recreated with live musicians. I am going to say “MMA” is a loop of the original tune, after listening back-to-back with the original. But well done, smooth, and natural.
Hearing the “Knocking At The Door (Intro)“, LAWS is not just an MC. He possesses a keen sense of tone, melody, and pitch. His singing over the piano intro to Wings’ 1976 Album Speed Of Sound, sounds as if it were..a lit match made in heaven. He descriptively tells the story of his signing to Rawkus Records (shouts to SlopFunkDust), how they promoted 50 cats, and didn’t pay him for his shows. He still sounds like a kid in a candy store when he got a “message from Rook of The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League said he heard that “Horns” track and he loved it…Maaaaan!” This was the beginning of a transition of a local MC being ignored by his newly signed label to signing on with one of the most revered production teams of the new millennium. As things progress throughout “Knocking at the Door”, the clever wordsmith plays off of Paul’s sultry vocals – “And now suit and ties’ like – Let em in!”
Throughout the mixtape, there are various press conferences, in which somewhat stuffy British broadcasters question why Paul McCartney would do such a project with a fairly unknown MC? Are these press conferences real? It doesn’t really matter here, as they are intertwined perfectly and compliment the project’s “mash-up theme”.
“Fly” is a track in which I could not locate the original Macca composition – had to do a bit of googling, and discovered that “I Want You To Fly” was an outtake from 2005′s Nigel Godrich (Radiohead producer…Must I say more?) produced Chaos And Creation In The Backyard – shows Laws, Rook, Kenny, and Colione aren’t just doing this project for novelty – they’re genuine McCartney fans.
“Say Say Say” is a beautifully replayed instrumental version of the original 1983 collaboration, with the King of Pop, the late Michael Jackson – from Pipes of Peace.
“Homeland” is LAWS ode to Tampa, as the Macca sample from the 1975 cut “Love Is Song” – from Venus and Mars – weaves throughout the highly musical J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League instrumental. “Happiness in my homeland” – Paul “I been long gone, need to find my way home, but I didn’t forget you, I’ll never forget that I been around the world and I, I let you know my hometown, I didn’t forget you” - Laws.
Beautifully put, Mr. Laws.
One of Paul McCartney’s recent releases (2007′s Memory Almost Full) features an epic song called “Mr. Bellamy”, which in my opinion ranks up there with some of Sir Paul’s best work. Laws and The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League take this modern classic to a new level, as they sectionalize the composition into three parts – “Not Coming Down”, “Delusionary State”, and “Yesterday’s Future” – where Laws taps into the rough time McCartney was going through – Heather Mills’ divorce, George Harrison’s death, and more…and relates his own life struggles.
All in all, this release is one of the most well put together, emotional, and eloquent, projects I have heard in years. A new respect level has been established by this writer, to Laws, Rook, Kenny, and Colione. Salute gentlemen, you’re reaching heights only seen by greats.
Feel like there’s some Miles Davis-type fusion jazz going on in this track somewhere. It’s more heavily slow and psychedelic than Clams’ collabos, groovy, even. But there’s also a high level of carving and molding that makes it almost a super sad song. Sculpted to be sad, intentionally emotional the same way Harvey Weinstein manipulates movies to be heart-wrenching, tear-jerking Oscar Bait. Clams is like, How can I make the most heartsick track? He loves the bleakness so much he even includes moments where the track breathes and feels lighter only to highlight how it then builds, comes to push itself down. Clams Casino’s Rainforest EP is out June 27th.
Original Post by Alex Frank and Naomi Zeichner on TheFader.com HERE
I love women singers. The sensuality, emotion, and sultriness all rolled into one. In a year that’s been lacking hard-hitting female albums, one stands out five full months into the new year. PJ Harvey’s “Let England Shake”.
No need for me to go into an album review here. Just turn on your electric device and scroll down to Track 2, “The Last Living Rose”. In a short 2 minutes, you’ll feel and know that she’s a force to be reckoned with. When you hear the first stroke of that guitar, you’ll be able to see Ms. Polly Jean Harvey strutting down the street to her own beat and not taking any prisoners. A great song, indeed, to lead the way into (hopefully), a better second half of music this year for women singers.
Check out the video below to see Ms. Harvey in all her brilliance
