Wait, You Don’t Own This Album?!

Five for the collection—the hip-hop edition

By Jake Corbin

When it comes to writing about music, the “top 10 list” is a recipe for failure.

With a plethora of albums to pick from spanning multiple genres, how can one human—one brain—possibly narrow down any “best of” list? The task seems virtually impossible. There will always be a deserving band or song left off the list.

Die-hard music critics, however, don’t let insurmountable odds get in the way of categorizing music. Sometimes people need to be told what albums are supposed to be in their collection.

With that thought in mind, here are five albums every hip-hop fan should burn, download or buy as soon as possible.

A Tribe Called Quest “People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm”

From the moment you hit play to the time the album ends, Tribe’s debut album is full of jazzy samples and head nodding beats that every DJ has spun to get bodies moving on the dance floor.

Although the album dropped in 1990, “People’s Instinctive Travels…” outshines most hip-hop albums coming out today. Jams like “Bonita Applebum,” “I Left My Wallet in El Segundo” and “Can I Kick It?” will always be party-starters.

Everything A Tribe Called Quest has put out is worth owning (multiple copies, in fact). Start with this album and buy in order. You won’t be disappointed.

De La Soul “De La Soul is Dead”

Another group whose entire catalog is hip-hop gold; De La Soul’s popularity started in 1989 with the release of “3 Feet High and Rising.” It was the first single on that album, “Me, Myself and I,” that sparked people’s interest, including “Yo MTV Raps.”

Although De La Soul’s debut is a classic, it was the group’s second album that let people know they weren’t fooling around.

“De La Soul is Dead” is packed with lyrical content ranging from silly to thought provoking—one moment the trio will talk about working at Burger King, the next about falling prey to illicit drug use.

Regardless of what De La is rapping about, every song is filled with danceable, sample-heavy beats.

Producer Prince Paul’s work on this album could never be done today with the current sample laws. Listen to this album and rejoice in what hip-hop sounded like before the government stepped in and tried to ruin it.

Beastie Boys “Ill Communication”

The Beastie Boys don’t get enough credit.

The trio from New York has been holding it down since the ‘80s (when they toured with other notable Def Jam artists Run DMC and Public Enemy).

Whether fighting for their right to party or getting funky as a three-piece band, the Beasties have always been an eclectic group of rap-rockers whose sole purpose was to have a good time.

It’s hard to pick a best Beastie Boys album, but the group’s fourth studio release “Ill Communication” might be it. Why? Because this album embraces all sides of the Beastie’s: It’s a three-way split between hip-hop, funk and punk.

There will be no complaints of “all the songs sound the same” with this album.

Jurassic 5 “Quality Control”

Hip-hop is the art of storytelling set to a beat. Sometimes that story is about spreading a “feel good” vibe, engulfing everyone within earshot. Other times, it’s all about the message.

Jurassic 5 understands this wholeheartedly.

After gaining a large fan base from the strength of their self-titled E.P., J5 put out “Quality Control”—an album melding clever wordplay with the funkiest beats heard in years.

The group’s gang vocals and tag-team rhyming are reminiscent of the Cold Crush Brothers, but the excellent production of DJs Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark give J5 a sound all their own.

Play this album and your ears will thank you.

Public Enemy “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back”

Public Enemy may be the most important hip-hop group ever.

Others may argue there have been greater MCs than Chuck D and Flavor Flav, but no one group has had such an impact musically.

Public Enemy birthed hip-hop as protest music. Songs on this album like “Bring the Noise,” “Rebel Without a Pause” and “Don’t Believe the Hype” have a power in the lyrics that make you want to stand up and join the struggle.

This album should be listened to at full blast before going to the polls Nov. 4.

[Photo courtesy of Sabine01 on Flickr]

Mixed Feelings

Mainstream and underground forces unite, but at what cost?


By Jake Corbin

As an independent musician, you do what it takes to get your music out there.

This usually translates into taking petty jobs for cash by day and playing every art house, coffee shop and small venue that will let you plug in by night.

Those days may soon be over.

CMJ.com reported over the summer that Best Buy—in tandem with RegionalCD.net—has launched a new program aimed at stocking its shelves and online stores with local, unsigned artists.

Approved musicians are considered based on their fan base, local performances and MySpace and Facebook pages (because, as we all know, the mark of a true professional is how many internet friends they have). Radio play is nice, but not required.

Although there is no mention of it on RegionalCD.net, one would hope “quality of music” would be a deciding factor as well.

After the proper paperwork is filled out and three copies of a professionally produced CD are submitted (UPC codes must be present), the waiting game for a decision begins.

The “chosen ones” are billed an initial set-up cost of $250. Bands are paid for every CD sold—$5.15 for full-length albums and $3.65 for EPs.

Sounds pretty good, right?

Don’t be so quick to say “yes.”

If Best Buy starts carrying albums from independent musicians in its stores, what long-term effects will it have on local record shops?

Part of the thrill of combing through dusty records and stacks of CDs at independent stores is the hope of discovering one of these “hard to find” artists; that’s the indie record shop’s niche.

Now Best Buy could take away from that.

Nearly 900 independent record stores have shut their doors according to the New York Times—and that figure is from 2003. With the economy the way it is and downloading at an all-time high, those numbers probably aren’t getting any better.

Simply put, Best Buy’s new program may spell disaster for independent record stores.

An emphasis should be placed on “may spell disaster,” though.

In order for a program like this to have a negative affect on indie music stores, people will have to start turning to Best Buy for all of their music needs.

Best Buy may see a swing in sales as audiophiles peruse the music aisle (probably in between picking up blank CDs to illegally burn music at home), find a local artist’s album and decide to make the purchase.

Those same people, however, are not going to rely on Best Buy to find an original press of the Velvet Underground record they’ve been looking for or the live Green Day import from 1998. Music fans like this will always rely on independent record shops.

The catch to all of this is, supporting the artists with CDs at Best Buy may be the best thing for those independent musicians. At $5 a pop, if sales are strong, the money coming back to the bands could add up quickly.

Still, what amounts to a good decision for the artist may ultimately be bad for music fans. As if the music industry needed another quandary.

For those not already struggling with the moral dilemma of “should I download or not,” now you can worry about the consequences of where you buy your music.

Ah… decisions, decisions.


[Photo courtesy of Swansea Photographer on Flickr]

Kings of Leon

Review: Only by the Night (RCA)
3.5/5 Stars (Good, but not classic)

“Progression” and “matured” are two words music fans most often hate to hear when reading reviews of their favorite bands upcoming album.

“Their old sound is the reason I liked the band in the first place,” they say, “not this new mature experiment.”

On the other hand, some bands grow with each record and move in extraordinary directions; just look at the Beatles career.

Kings of Leon, however, fit in neither one of these categories. Think of this band more as the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of rock ‘n’ roll.

With their fourth album, Only by the Night, the boys from Nashville are simply expressing an alter ego. The first two albums (Youth and Young Manhood, Aha Shake Heartbreak) were an outlet for their love of the sex, drugs and cowbell era of bands like Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Creedence Clearwater Revival. With this album, just like the last (Because of the Times), the band has moved away from the bygone era of rock and roll and focused on its other love—arena rock anthems that would make U2 proud.

“After three records and touring for five years straight, we knew what we were capable of," said drummer Nathan Followill on the band’s website. "We just had to put our money where our mouths were. We had to take it to the next level.”

And to the next level they have gone, drifting even further from the whiskey-fueled tunes the band originally released.

Take the album’s second track, “Crawl.” With its head-nodding beat and heavily distorted bass line, the song sounds more like a B-side remix than an actual Kings of Leon song.

“Use Somebody” is a perfect example of the band’s new attempt at arena rock, complete with “woah oh” background vocals. That’s not to say it’s a bad song, but it seems like a clear attempt by the band to bring some of its popularity from overseas here to the States. Maybe songs like this will turn the band into the Kings of Coldplay, something the record company would surely love.

There are, however, at least a few songs on the album that seem to nod towards the Kings of old.

The album’s first single, “Sex on Fire,” is a nice mid-tempo jam that incorporates the eclectic influences of the band. The choppy guitars and bouncy drumbeat lead up to a great chorus, perfectly blending the “southern sass-meets-NY hipster” style the critics pushed on the band from the beginning.

“Revelry,” despite its new-school Kings of Leon sound, falls right in line with slow-burners like “Trani” from the first album and “Rememo” from the second. The drumming at the beginning of the song sounds machine-like, but it works; lighters will definitely be raised when this song is played at the live shows.

The only disappointment of the album, really, comes in the form of track nine, “I Want You.” The track itself isn’t a bad one, but it never lives up to its potential.

The song marks the return of the cowbell in a Kings song, patching together a syncopated, catchy beat. The bass thumps perfectly over the top as cut and paste-like guitar chords and vocals complete the song.

“I Want You” is the type of song that catches the listener from the opening notes, gets the toes tapping and builds up and up to what should be a great payoff—the chorus.

Unfortunately, it never happens.

The song could have been, with it’s quirky beat, a hit in the vein of Weezer’s “El Scorcho”—albeit, with much more serious lyrics—but the same beat continues right into the chorus, leaving the listener a bit let down.

All in all, Kings of Leon have put out another great product. The album has its flaws, and might disappoint early fans of the band, but it sounds much better than the current crop of mainstream rock bands filling the radio airwaves.

The real question now is: What’s next?

The band has put out two albums of pure rock and roll and two arena rockers. What should we expect from the fifth?

If only the foursome from Tennessee could figure out a way to meld the two styles together, the listening masses may have a new classic on their hands (and in their iPod’s).

(Old) Kings of Leon—“Four Kicks”


(New) Kings of Leon—“Sex on Fire”

Still (A)live in New York

SNL taken off life support this week

By Jake Corbin

We’ve heard the jokes before.

“Saturday Night Dead.” “Saturday Night NOT Live.” “‘Saturday Night Live’ should be shot and killed and put out of its misery and quit disgracing the ghost of John Belushi.”

So, the last one isn’t really a joke, but it does tend to mirror many fans’ current feelings towards the show. For many, what was once a late night comedy ritual filled with fun and laughter has morphed into a quiet Saturday night occasionally peppered with a half-hearted chuckle.

This week’s “SNL,” however—hosted by actress Anne Hathaway and featuring musical guests the Killers—gave those who watched a glimpse of the good old days.

The reason? Because the “not ready for prime-time players” have gone back to doing what they do best: Poking fun at politics.

It also doesn’t hurt that Tina Fey does a spot on impression of Gov. Sarah Palin.

To the delight of many, Fey returned as the Republican vice presidential hopeful in the night’s (hilarious!) cold open that made light of the recent VP debate. With every “maverick,” “Joe Six-pack” and “you know” that came out of Fey’s mouth, it was hard not to reminisce about “SNL”s send-up of government figures past.

Fey’s impersonation of Palin is the best the show has offered since Will Ferrell captured George W. so well.

Hilarity aside, “SNL” also returned to making a statement.

As PBS journalist and debate moderator, Gwen Ifill—played wonderfully by guest star Queen Latifah—explained the rules of the debate to the contestants; she took a moment to explain that expectations were so low for Gov. Palin should she not “cry, faint or vomit” during the debate, everyone should “just consider it a tie.”

Once again, “SNL” had captured what was on the minds of many of its viewers and did so in a very public manner.

Chevy Chase would be proud.

And this was all just in the opening skit. Admittedly, that is a hard act to follow, but the show pulled it off.

Stand out skits included Hathaway as Mary Poppins explaining to the young children in her care that “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” is actually an STD, a laugh-out-loud “Weekend Update” and the “Sister Act” skit.

“Sister Act” featured fourth season vet, Kristen Wiig, playing the ugly sister of a singing group performing on the “Lawrence Welk Show.” Providing an accurate description of what took place is futile (the musical number includes talk of eating a dead cat); this is one of those skits you just have to see.

Andy Samberg—a seemingly unused talent on the show—also showed off his latest “SNL Digital Short.” The show’s only pre-taped skit featured Samberg and Wiig in an “Extreme Activities Competition,” battling it out, for instance, to see who was best at acting casual.

Quirky? Definitely.

Funny? Yes.

Samberg is “SNL”s next Adam Sandler. If he were to make a digital short every week, his videos would rival “Weekend Update” as the most-anticipated skit of the night.

Although it has been touch-and-go this season (Michael Phelps, the season’s opening host, may have something to do with that), this week’s performance was enough to bump SNL out of comedy critical condition.

(Cue Sarah Palin voice now)

And maybe, with your help, it can become the “maverick” of late night TV that “Joe Six-packs” and “hockey moms” everywhere enjoyed during its inaugural year in 1975 under the great Republican president, Gerald Ford.

Here’s for hoping the show stays true to form and off its deathbed.

Today Was a Good Day

By Jake Corbin

My alarm clock shrieked, jolting me awake at 6:21 a.m. today. No one likes to start their day like this.

It was still dark outside as I slapped the “snooze” button—eight more minutes of rest. With the covers pulled up to my eyelids, and the air raid-like noises of my alarm clock silenced, visions of calling in sick suddenly danced through my head.

“Stay home! You can write your column and get to bed on time. Nobody will miss you.”

Doing the right thing, I begrudgingly kicked back the sheets and got out of bed.

It was a good thing I did.

The day started like all the rest…

Just like every other morning, I was running late. Long, sleepy showers will do this to a person. After a quick check of the weather on the morning news, I hightailed it to light rail, barely catching the train.

Next stop—work.

With just enough time to grab a coffee (caffeine is a must!), I strolled into my cubicle at 8 a.m. Tossing my bag aside and slumping into my chair; I saddled up to the computer and logged in.

While sipping my mocha and sifting through e-mail, one particular message jumped out from the rest. Sandwiched between the latest SEIU rant and a notice for the upcoming “rummage sale,” sat an e-mail from Elaine Benes [ * ]—a supervisor on the third floor—with “PLEASE CALL ME” written in the subject line.

For most, this message may have caused bouts of paranoia and a fair amount of indigestion. For me, however, I felt nothing but excitement.

Nearly two weeks ago I interviewed for a position in Benes’ unit. I was the top-ranking candidate for the position, and I killed the interview. They were smiling and writing down everything I had to say.

There was only one problem: I was interviewing for a full-time position, and I’m working part-time until I graduate in December.

A little nervous at this point, I decided to e-mail Benes back instead of calling. After what seemed like an eternity, she replied, stating she wanted to meet.

This was it; do or die time. It was out of my hands at this point. I was confident about my interview, but was it enough to persuade them to work around my schedule?

I walked into the conference room, sitting down in a chair near the round table, and awaited the “judgment.”

“We would like to offer you the position of…”

I didn’t have to hear the rest.

Finally, after years of dealing with customer complaints, taking long vacations and extended weekends, my hard work had been recognized. It was quite a feeling, and it wasn’t even noon yet.

Unfortunately, the rest of the day had nowhere to go but down. My promotion is official, but I won’t switch to the new unit for at least a week or two.

The daily grind continues.

Tomorrow…

I might have taken another step up the “corporate ladder,” but I’m still the same person. Jake Corbin doesn’t change that easy.

Tomorrow, same as workdays past, my alarm clock will ring (and scare the bejesus out of me) at 6:21 a.m. It will still be dark out, and I still won’t want to get up.

But knowing I’m going to have that extra cash flowing in, maybe I’ll stop thinking about calling in sick.

Nah! Who am I kidding?


[ * ] My new supervisor’s name has been changed, because I didn’t get permission to include it in this particular piece. I have to protect my new job!

For Those About to Rock

The music industry salutes you


By Jake Corbin

They say rock ‘n’ roll will never die, but, boy, it seems like it’s getting old.

With cookie-cutter radio stations playing the same songs over and over and record sales dipping drastically, the music industry is in a slump. If only there was a way to get the kids excited about rock music again.

Enter “Guitar Hero.”

The riff happy, rhythm video game franchise has demolished industry records over the past two years, surpassing $1 billion in North American retail sales alone. “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock” was No. 1 in both units and sales for 2007, making it the best-selling video game of all-time, according to TeamXbox.com.

This news is great for Activision, the game’s publisher, but why are the record labels smiling?

It turns out “Guitar Hero’s” set-list—which focuses on classic rock gems from decades past—is opening up a new world of musical taste for the game’s younger generation of players.

The music might be old, but it’s new to them.

As a result, the industry has seen and increase in sales of many of its older acts.

“When the game featuring Aerosmith ['Guitar Hero: Aerosmith'] came out, there was more than a 40 percent increase in their catalog sales,” said Geoff Mayfield, senior analyst and director of charts for Billboard magazine, on CNN.com.

Mayfield sees a direct cause-and-effect for some artists who have licensed their songs to “Guitar Hero,” something we can expect to see more of with the release of new games and new set-lists.

Aerosmith isn’t the only band that has benefited from licensing music to the guitar game. Nielsen SoundScan data for a dozen “Guitar Hero II” songs found 11 out of 12 had increased sales in 2007, according to a report from USA Today. Cheap Trick’s “Surrender” nearly tripled in digital sales from 2006 to 2007, while Kiss’ “Strutter” went from 11,000 downloads to 63,000.

Whether trying to break new songs or sustain the old, “Guitar Hero” has become a proven method for the record labels to get fans interested in their products.

“These games are something for record labels, publishers and artists to add life to songs they've already recorded or songs they're trying to launch,” said Alex Hackford, Sony Entertainment America A&R manager, to Fox News. “With radio playlists locked into 30 songs a day, it's hard to get a foot in the door. Video games are a huge way to make an impression to an important demographic.”

The times, they are a changin’

As the fourth full-length installment of “Guitar Hero”—“Guitar Hero: World Tour”—readies to hit the market this October, gamers should be ready for a major overhaul of the series.

The most obvious change is the addition of percussion and vocals to the mix, matching the game play of rival “Rock Band.”

The drum kit for “World Tour” differs from “Rock Band” in that it has two freestanding cymbals, giving the set a more realistic drumming experience. And with an 86-song track list, ranging in tunes from NOFX to Jimmy Hendrix, the vocalists in the “band” will be very happy, as well.

The most notable change in the “Guitar Hero” series, however, is the new function: World Tour Music Studio. Using the “studio,” players will actually be able to create, record and mix original songs with their “band” and use them during game play.

It’s too soon to tell if “Guitar Hero” is the savior the music industry has been looking for, but with the way technology is progressing—and the continued eclecticism of the game’s set-lists—it sure won’t hurt.

The Further Decline of Western Civilization

By Jake Corbin

When it comes to your average graduate school applicant, “hooker” is not something you would expect to read in the experience section of their resume.

Natalie Dylan may soon change that.

Dylan, a pseudonym for the 22-year-old alleged Sacramento State graduate [ * ], announced the open auction of her virginity on the Howard Stern show Sept. 9. Not only will the top bidder get to unwrap her package for the first time, but they may also be able to send her through grad school with the money she “earns.”

Now, let’s not even get started on how many moral standards are being crushed—much like the dreams Dylan’s mom and dad had of being good parents—in the process of this young woman “capitalizing” on her virginity.

That would be too easy.

Instead, let’s talk about a part of the story nobody else is: The real victims suffering at the hands of this flash in the pan floozy.

The Bidders

Bidding has reached up to $250,000, according to CBS13 in Sacramento. Talk about a bad investment.

This isn’t brain surgery here—virgins do not know what they are doing in bed. Why in God’s name would you pay so much money for a sexual experience that will ultimately disappoint?

The Nevada brothel hosting the “event,” Dennis Hof’s Bunny Ranch, employs a bevy of experienced beauties that are just as willing to give up the goods, but at a fraction of the cost.

In fact, it wasn’t long ago the Bunny Ranch was offering a two-for-one deal, according to Nerve.com. The first 100 customers who showed up with their $600 stimulus check got the “George Bush” special – three girls and a bottle of champagne.

Sounds like someone is getting ripped off—buyer beware!

The Graduate School

Dylan graduated from Sac State with a bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies, according to several media outlets.

Ironic? Just a little bit.

Making matters worse, she wants to use the money she gets from her harlotry to pay for graduate studies in marriage and family therapy, according to the State Hornet.

Come on, really?

Imagine the scene when a couple, rife with relationship issues, discovers their marriage counselor—the one giving them advice!—sold her virginity away to a complete stranger in conjunction with a Nevada whorehouse.

Not the confidence builder they were looking for.

At this point, any college that accepts her application for grad school, especially a program as sensitive as marriage and family therapy, runs the risk of becoming a laughingstock among its educational peers.

Dylan’s Family

It seems as if “hookin’ it” runs in the family: The State Hornet reports Dylan’s sister, Avia, worked for three weeks at the Bunny Ranch two years ago.

After living through the horror of one daughter’s choice to turn tricks, Dylan’s parents must have been happy at least one of their little girls was leading a normal life.

POOF. That’s all gone now.

Dylan said in an interview with the Insider that her mom is a “conservative fourth grade teacher” who “is not going to give her full approval.” You think? Conservative or not, what parent has ever been proud of their child’s choice to knowingly enter the world of prostitution?

Needless to say, I don’t think Dylan’s mother will be sharing any of this during the next class show-and-tell.

FAIL

Most women would like to forget their first sexual experience, but Natalie Dylan will forever be one Google search away from her controversial past.

As some would say: Decision FAIL.

School is an important investment—and an expensive one, at that—but where does a person draw the line?

Drastic situations can call for drastic measures, but becoming a hooker does not usually fall into the category. For most, prostitution is not only crossing the line, but completely out of bounds.


[ * ] There has been no proof offered that Natalie Dylan actually graduated from Sacramento State. Many fingers remain crossed, hoping it isn’t true.