Songs Of The Week #81: TCDroogsma & MinneSarah

Thumpers, Elizabeth & The Catapult, Angel Olsen, & Lizzo...

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #81!
 
For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

As per tradition TCDroogsma and MinneSarah have not read each other's reviews prior to posting

So... Droogsy, Sarah... thoughts?

01. Thumpers - Sound Of Screams (from the album Galore)

 
TCDroogsma:

     Before I get into the reviews this week I'd like to take a moment to point out that we were only given four songs to review this week.  Why?  Because Monday was President's Day.  That's right, MPR takes President's Day off!  What are you, the fucking Post Office?  Rough gig.

     Anyway, on to the songs.  Thumpers.  They're a duo, they're British, and they like everything at once.  "Sound Of Screams" takes massive drums, skewed keyboard blips, fuzzed out bass guitar, shouted vocals, oohs & aahs, and some handclaps and just plays them all at the same time.  Believe it or not, this leaves "Sound Of Screams" a little murky.  I know that there's a hook in there somewhere, but I'll be damned if the boys of Thumpers don't do everything in their power to hide it.

MinneSarah:

     "Sound of Screams" skews more summer than I'm really able to handle this time of year.  The lyrics are nostalgic, so much so that the thought passed my mind more than once that this could be the end of summer "Camp song" for hipster summer camp.  In addition to drums, they sample handclaps and footstomps and run them on a loop.  While the title, "Sound of Screams" could be macabre, it appears here to be the reaction the band had to the Postal Service reunion.  I guarantee you I'd be feeling this song more, were it not -13 F as I write this review, but as far as circumstance goes, this one is coming off my iPod. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3/5
                     MinneSarah: 2.5/5

02. Elizabeth & The Catapult - Shoelaces (from the album Like It Never Happened)

TCDroogsma:

     The "Elizabeth" of Elizabeth & The Catapult is Elizabeth Ziman, a classically-trained musician from Greenwich Village.  Somehow knowing that little bit of information helped me make sense of "Shoelaces."

     "Shoelaces" is a lament about a woman who resists falling in love because she can't get her own shit together (an admirable sentiment, but really, you're a music major from Greenwich Village, nobody expects you to have your shit together).  The song is meticulously executed, riding a bouncing bass line and a twin acoustic/electric guitar attack through the verses and into a chorus that's half-lyrics, half-"do dum do."  If Neko Case tried to write a Fountains Of Wayne song it would turn out like "Shoelaces."

MinneSarah:

     The singer, who I can only imagine is the marqueeing Elizabeth, has a powerful voice.  It skews a little Country, with planned breaks and extended enunciation, but the song itself is surprisingly poppy.  The lyrics are about how she can't invest in a relationship because of a litany of metaphors relating to housekeeping, songwriting, and gardening.  While it's my personal opinion that relationships aren't worth getting into unless you go head first - it must be nice to have that foresight to take it slow.  While all the examples make me wonder who would want to date anyone racked with such self-doubt, the song turns it around and makes perfect sense.  It has elements of happy-go-lucky pop and moody intervals of singer/songwriter reflection, making it more listenable than just one of those genres.  

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3/5
                     MinneSarah: 3/5

03. Angel Olsen - High And Wild (from the album Burn Your Fire For No Witness)

TCDroogsma:

     Angel Olsen has been kind of blowing up the indie music blog world over the last week, so when I saw that we'd be reviewing "High And Wild" this week I was looking forward to finding out what all the hype was about.

     Turns out, not much.  "High And Wild" shows up in a haze of fuzzy guitars, old-timey piano and spoke-sung lyrics and proceeds to just sit their nearly four minutes.  Angel Olsen comes off like Courtney Barnett minus the Dylan infatuation, which, I realize, seems like a compliment, but Barnett was such a blank slate that copping Dylan's style was the only thing noteworthy about her song.  Lyrically Olsen comes off like the id to Elizabeth Ziman's ego.  She's struggling to find love too, but it's definitely somebody else's fault.  When she delivers lines as cringe-inducing as, "I'm neither innocent or wise when you look me in the eyes, you might as well be blind, 'cause you don't see me anymore!" it leaves me wondering why anybody would want to see her anymore.  "High And Wild" comes off like a Tumblr post that should probably should have been taken down once the hangover wore off.

MinneSarah:

     "High and Wild" is a roller coaster of a song with a sixties feel to it. While I'm not interested at all of the talking-toned singing at the beginning, listener take note - Angel Olson has an emotion-filled voice when she wants to use it!  At those moments, this song takes on another level of feeling that is more than the you may have thought you've gotten into from the beginning.  The lyrics are relate-able - relationship problems and emotionally charged miscommunications are always familiar fodder.  The way the song picks up towards the end, is extended a little longer than it needs be, as the last 40 second sounds like a 60's drug-fueled jam band session.  

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 1/5
                     MinneSarah: 3/5

04. Lizzo - Paris (New Single)

TCDroogsma:

     My distaste for Lizzo was pretty well-established over the last year.  Between The Chalice, GRRRL Party, and the singles off LizzoBangers, I was sure I'd seen every side of Lizzo and even more sure that I didn't like any of them.

     That said, "Paris" is not bad enough to push my distaste for Lizzo any further, and that's the nicest thing I have to say about it.  This time out we find Lizzo putting style over substance yet again, rapping about how Prince & Jay-Z are fans (dubious), how she can't by liquor on a Sunday (confusing, evidently), and how she's "like a muslim and you a piece of ham, I will never touch you, rather you will never touch me..." (about as poorly crafted a boast as I think I've ever heard in a hip-hop song).  Like most Lizzo songs, it's about absolutely nothing whatsoever.  Even the well-crafted chorus that asks if, "you've ever been to Paris at night?" loses its luster when she claims that, if you say yes, she probably won't believe you (the implication being that nobody is higher up the food chain than Lizzo, so if she hasn't been there, clearly, you haven't either).  If I got paid to try to promote songs this bad I'd need to take President's Day off too.

MinneSarah:

     Last month, I saw Lizzo perform this song at First Avenue.  While I love her energy, I often don't identify with lyrical content, which can seem base and non-sensical.  While listening to this song in person, it was one of the few unifying moments of the evening - I can relate with the chorus - I, too, have never been to Paris...at night (or otherwise).  However, the rest of the song is slower and doesn't showcase what fans really go crazy over - her lightning fast rapping ability.  Part of the song actually sounds like it is modeled after Dave Chapelle's Tupac song - she references a cousin who you'll probably never meet.  While I'm not averse to any possible insight in Lizzo's lyrics,  I'm not seeing them in this song - "You a piece of ham," really?  

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 0/5
                     MinneSarah: 2.5/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah).  In addition to  filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column she occasionally joins TCDroogsma as co-host of the Flatbasset Radio podcast.







For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Songs Of The Week #65: TCDroogsma & MinneSarah

Luke Temple, Lissie, Cass McCombs, Noah & The Whale, & Lizzo...

Well hello again, MP3 junkies!  Welcome to Songs Of The Week #65!

For those of you who are new to the SOTW column, here's the story:  TCDroogsma and MinneSarah are both fans of The Current's Song Of The Day podcast.  They're also both opinionated and have access to computers.  Seeing an opportunity to let them indulge in their MP3 habit and put them to work writing reviews we created the Songs Of The Week column.  Over a year later later and here we are.

As always, we strongly suggest that you follow this link and subscribe to the podcast yourself.  It's free and it's fun for the whole family!

To that end, once you've given each song a spin or two, feel free to cast a vote for your favorite song of the week in the poll to the right side of the page.  The artist who accrues the most votes wins the validation that comes from winning an anonymous internet poll, arguably the loftiest height to which a modern musician can aspire.

As per tradition TCDroogsma and MinneSarah have not read each other's reviews prior to posting

So... Droogsy, Sarah... thoughts?

01. Luke Temple - Florida (from the album Good Mood Fool)

TCDroogsma:

     Spending the last week with "Florida" as the first song I heard was kind of a trip.  The weather kept getting cooler while Luke Temple reaffirming my Upper Midwest moxy by reminding whoever Florida is that, "You won't do to good in the cold you know..."  Yeah, Florida. You ain't built for this.

     That first verse left me afraid that I'd be spending the week with some dreary folk music, but oh, that chorus.  Temple comes off like Justin Vernon if he'd had grown up on Steely Dan records.  I don't know what this Florida person is struggling with, but when Temple sings, "If it's a line you understand then cross it, baby, and move on..." sounds less like advice and more like reassurance.  The strings & synths wrap the whole song up in a kind of warmth that makes the cold seem bearable.

MinneSarah:

     I'd never heard of Luke Temple before this song - maybe I'm behind the curve.  Instead of all this soul revival we've been hearing, why not encourage a soulful yet confidently relaxed answer to Jeff Buckley?

     Maybe it's the age I'm at, but this sounds pretty darn good. Laid back bass, drums, and yes...bongo open "Florida", and it slips into a comfortable groove early on.  Temple's vocals are on the high end of the range, but do give me that Buckley fix I've been searching high and low to find for years.  The sentiment of the lyrics is bittersweet, but places make great stand ins for people or opportunities so I didn't read to far into them. I would certainly check out his other work based on this song.
 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 3.5/5
                     MinneSarah: 4/5

02. Lissie - Shameless (from the album Back To Forever)

TCDroogsma:

     "Shameless" sounds like it came out of a time warp from the 90's.  "I saw your magazine, the one with the beauty queen on the front, I see her look at me, I swear that it is bugging me, what the fuck?"  What the fuck, indeed, Lissie.

     Lissie paints "Shameless" as a call-to-arms against airbrushed beauty, but fails on multiple fronts.  In the chorus she claims that, "I don't know what this game is, 'cause I'm not even playing it," which is obviously not true considering she's just crafted a whole song hating the game.  She then plays one of the most tried-and-true pop star cards ever, claiming "I don't want to be famous, if I have to be shameless!" clumsily aiming for the sort of indifferent cool that can only be achieved if you don't, y'know, actually mention it. When Lissie goes on the least threatening rant ever at the end of this song ("I read your magazine, I'd maybe change a couple of things!) I half expected her to yell, "Courtney Love & Marilyn Manson, your all fake run to your mansions! Come round here we'll kick your ass in!"

     Which brings me to the real fault of "Shameless," which is timing.  It's 2013!  We live in an age where we, the consumer, control exactly what media we want to indulge in.  Nothing is forced down our throats.  Honestly, who the fuck even buys magazines anymore?  In a world of Spotify, Twitter, YouTube, & Instagram the artist can control nearly every aspect of their own public presentation.  Hell, just look at the way I discovered Lissie (right here, via this podcast).  "Shameless" sounds far more like a play for the hearts, minds, and dollars of teenagers who feel insecure when they watch Katy Perry videos than an actual shot across the bow of the publicity machine.

MinneSarah:

     This song can't be very new - it's emblazoned on my brain from the Current, which I haven't even listened to since the member drive.  While most people turn their dials away from the incessant member drive, I mark my calendar and only listen during that wonderful time.  The Current plays the best of the best music and gives the listener constant affirmation for being an intelligent elite for listening - the rest of the year sounds downright boring in comparison!

     So I've established that this song is quite catchy as I remember it through the past couple months and that it was showcased during a time that the Current really wanted to keep you on the station.  Well, "Shameless" is a catchy song.  The singer's delivery is passionately enraged, and the lyrics channel a pay-per-view of Bust magazine vs. Elle magazine. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 1/5
                     MinneSarah: 4/5

03.  Cass McCombs - There Can Only Be One (from the album Big Wheels And Others)

TCDroogsma:

    When I saw that I'd be listening to a song from Cass McCombs titled "There Can Be Only One" my first thought was, "Yes!  Finally somebody has written a prog-folk epic about The Highlander!"  Sadly, my hopes were dashed almost immediately.

     Honestly, I don't know what the fuck McCombs is talking about for a majority of this song.  "Blackened master's baptism of fire, I know you have your ways, and two masters at once, no man can acquire, it set my heart ablaze..."  Oh, for real?  Nah, that sounds like an actual problem and not, y'know, hyper-literate lyrics for their own sake.  I honestly have no idea if McCombs is struggling with two lovers or if the devil & god are raging inside of him.  I do know that, after spending a week with "There Can Be Only One,"  I have no interest in ever hearing about it again.

MinneSarah:

     I hereby name the bongo as the MVP of 2013 music.  This instrument is prominently showcased in "There Can Be Only One," along with many of the other songs that have been part of this feature this year.  How did music sound without bongos, and do we need to thank Matthew McConaughey?  The temp of this song is sleepy, small town country-folk, and the lyrics are delivered very slowly as well.  A small tangent - I can't keep these neo-country folk acts straight.  I feel as confused as I was in high school when it was impossible to tell the difference between the boy bands - are you sure that's not NSYNC?  I'll try and remember, Cass McCombs - the bongos...wait, that could be any of these songs. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 2/5
                     MinneSarah: 2/5

04.  Noah & The Whale - All Through The Night (from the album Heart Of The Night)

TCDroogsma:

     It's appropriate that the subject matter of "All Through The Night" hinges on the idea of pretending to lives somebody else's life because your life is "only dead end."  Noah And The Whale spend the entirety of "All Through The Night" trying on different indie rock hates.  That opening guitar riff sounds like somebody trying to figure out how to play "Achin' To Be."  The nonsensical chorus of "Oh, you didn't think so honey..." comes off like the worst Hamilton Leithauser impression ever, delivered far too kindly to carry any real bite.  There's a hint of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah in there.  A dash of Nada Surf.  Just a pinch of Alt-J (which is still more Alt-J than anybody needs)... Sadly, Noah & The Whale's Frankenstein experiment yields nothing more than a very, very average pop song.

MinneSarah:

     The band members of Noah And The Whale must be young,  I know this because they have the audacity to combine 80's guitar riffs with indie folk rock. Also, the lyrics are footloose and fancy free.   While the past fifty years of decades are coming back in their own revival, I haven't heard anything that has so pulled from an after school special and then squarely landed in 2013.  It's pretty amazing.

     For being an indie folk band, this group relies heavily on electric guitars and is on the fringe of the genre - this may have been what Franz Ferdinand may have sounded like if it got its start in the late 2000's/early 2010's.  "All Through the Night" sounds upbeat and familiar, and I give them credit for mixing it up with other elements they love. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 2/5
                     MinneSarah: 3/5

05.  Lizzo - Bus Passes And Happy Meals (from the album Lizzobangers)

TCDroogsma:

     I've been trying to figure out what the hype surrounding Lizzo is all about for a minute now.  I understood her role as the Left Eye to The Chalice's TLC.  That role seemed to be wearing thin with Grrl Party's "Wegula."  By the time she dropped "Batches And Cookies" (the brutal lead single from Lizzobangers), the buzz around Lizzo seemed inverse to the quality of work she was putting out.

    Unfortunately, "Bus Passes And Happy Meals" leaves me no closer to an answer.  Over an indifferent Lazerbeak beat Lizzo proceeds to drop couplets that range from cringe worthy ("I picketh thee off like a bug betwixt my shoe") to nonsensical ("Sudafed! Pop that. A hooligan! Step back") before spending the chorus letting us (them?) know that she's, "Burying ya'll alive."  She even fires a few shots at "haters," despite the fact that, as far as I can tell, she has nearly universal support in the Twin Cities.  Even her hypeman sounds bored by the proceedings.

     Perhap Lizzo's rise to is due to being an outsized personality in a hip-hop scene that was built around rappers who prided themselves on being "everyman" (the punk rock model) or maybe she's just the product of a city who will support anybody who calls the Twin Cities home (the insecure, Minnesota Nice model).  It's still kind of a mystery to me.

MinneSarah:

     Lizzo seems to have a lot of fun making music and performing it.  Her stage presence cannot be underestimated and that is clear in this song, even though we're just listening to it.  The beats are outstanding - Laerbeak does a great job showcasing, but not overpowering Lizzo's vocals.  "Bus Passes and Happy Meals" starts out with a spooky Western theremin which comes back for the chorus and the beats are steady throughout.  Lizzo's lyrics aren't serious - the subjects vary widely during the two and half minute song and every once in a while you can nod your head in solidarity over a particular gem of a statement.  As a newer introduction into the Twin Cities hip hop scene, Lizzo is making her place known - the rest of this new album will likely further cement her contribution to the hip hop scene. 

Final Score - TCDroogsma: 1.5/5
                     MinneSarah: 3.5/5

Well there you have it, MP3 junkies!  Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, & filed away!

As always, please keep in mind that neither Newest Industry nor our contributors are in any way affiliated with the artists above, The Current, or MPR.  We're just music fans with laptops and a bit too much time on our hands.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter (@MinneSarah).  She can also be found right here on Newest Industry filing reports out of St. Paul for our Big Day Out column







For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Songs Of The Week #21: MinneSarah & TCDroogsma

Tracey Thorn, Mogwai, Thao & The Get Down, Stay Down, & Greg Grease...

Happy New Year, mp3 junkies! Welcome to the 21^st edition of Songs Of The Week!

For those of you who are still unfamiliar with SOTW, here's what you're looking at: Each week we ask two of our regular contributors to download the Current's Song Of The Day podcast, listen to the tracks, and give us their thoughts on the song. This week we asked MinneSarah & TCDroogsma to do the honors.

Three quick things about this week's (and every week's) Songs Of The Week Post:

01. You can subscribe to the podcast yourself here. It's new, free music. What could be better?

02. MinneSarah & TCDroogsma have not seen each other's reviews prior to posting.

03. There's a poll to the right side of the page. Be sure to vote for whichever of these songs was your favorite.

And that's that. Kids, what'd you think?

Tracey Thorn – The Joy (from the album from the album Tinsel And Lights)

MinneSarah:

     Now you will read this after Christmas is over - so I'm guessing your tolerance for Christmas songs is about as low as it can get.  How about just one more from Everything But The Girl's Tracey Thorn?

     This song is pretty barebones, with Tracey's vocals, piano, and acoustic guitar.  The lyrics talk about fear driving you back to the sense of comfort that you got from Christmas and that bringing out a sense of joy, even in the now soulless facades of most adults.  If you can find meaning in any of that sentiment, then you should check this song.  Plus, I'm sure she still misses you like the deserts miss the rain, so check it out.

TCDroogsma:

     This is a Christmas song, right?  I sure hope so, because the bar for Christmas songs is set comfortably at "tolerable," which is right where Tracy Thorn lands with "The Joy."

     It's an agreeable enough song.  The melody is charmingly childlike.  The lyrics are pretty damn stupid, but, again, if it's a Christmas song then that's pretty much to be expected.  It's nice that Thorn is transported back to her youth each time the holidays arrive, but her focus solely on herself leaves me wondering why I'm listening to this?  These lyrics would be better served as a diary entry or a Christmas card.  Thoroughly inessential for anybody who's not part of Tracey Thorn's immediate family.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 2/5

                   TCDroogsma - 2/5

Mogwai – George Square Thatcher Death Party (Justin K. Broadrick Reshape) (from the album A Wrenched Virile Lore)

MinneSarah:

     I know I've said it before about other songs, but this is surely in my top five song titles of the year.  George Square is located in Scotland and hosted the original Black Friday worker's protest in 1919.  I can only imagine that everyone in Scotland hates Margaret Thatcher like hardcore kids hated Reagan, so the imagination is rife with death party antics.  However, this song is way too mellow for a death party - unless we are talking about winter.

     It is extremely meta having a DJ remix a band like Mogwai, which is already pretty electronic, but we all know it can be done.  I listened to the original for reference, and Justin cut all the post-rock guitars and drums out. The vocals sound very computerized and the guitars are distorted beyond recognition.  After listening to a few times, it does sound like it all comes together, a trait that I can appreciate in Mogwai and that continues with this remix. 

TCDroogsma:

     I would say that I've been a serious music fan since about 1998.  In that time I've come to hate things I used to love.  I've come to love things I used to hate.  I've learned to keep a very open mind about music and realized that my opinion of a song sometimes has absolutely nothing to do with the song.

     You'd think, at some point over those 15 years, I would have had a phase where I thought Mogwai was great.  At the very least you'd think I would have formed some opinion on them other than, "Mogwai, eh?"  This "reshape" of "George Thatcher Death Party" does nothing to move the needle of my opinion one way or the other.  It's broad and sweeping.  The drums are pretty great, I guess.  It's kind of atmospheric.  In short, it's every Mogwai song ever.  Maybe if I knew the original version I'd feel different, but this is nothing special.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 2.5/5

                   TCDroogsma - 2.5/5

Thao & The Get Down, Stay Down – Holy Roller (from the album We The Common)

MinneSarah:

     Is that a mandolin?  This song is perfectly cute and adorable, as signified by Thao's perky vocals.  I'm not sure about the lyrics, she's not exactly selling this holy roller, but we all know that love hurts.  However, the tone of the song is upbeat and fun and I don't even mind the hipster twang that much!  If you're contemplating 2013, the lyrics, "I've got words to keep and lies to make true," will help you set those pesky resolutions. 

TCDroogsma:

     Have you ever been so thoroughly attracted to an artist that you're opinion of their relentlessly average music is clouded by lust?  (Cut to every David Bowie fan nodding).  This is the cross I bear when it comes to Thao & The Get Down, Stay Down.  Watch this and you'll understand.

     Now, if I trick myself into thinking that this song is coming from an artist without a hint of sex appeal (say, St. Vincent), I can admit that this isn't anything special.  A little bit of banjo, an OK hook... rabble, rabble, rabble...  Still, knowing that it's Thao who just wants "love in the aftermath..." sigh... I get all fuzzy inside.  Thao, I'm here for you, honey.  We'll get through this.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 3/5

                   TCDroogsma - 3.5/5

Greg Grease (w/Lizzo) – I Still Love H.E.R. (from the album Cornbread, Pearl and G)

MinneSarah:

     These streets have been hard, but at least we've got music now, right?  Greg Grease shares the old-school hip hop lyrical credo, with just about every production tool at his disposal in 2012.   Despite playing around with some cool electronic toys on this track, the background is quite simple, with a guitar hook and slow drums. It's a very pleasant sounding jam.  I love Lizzo's Kanye-esque "hayyyh?" Plus I heard that she is vegan - Minneapolis represent! 

TCDroogsma:

     Damn, you know you're getting old when you're reviewing a song where I rapper reminisces about his dad listening to Busta Rhymes.

     I didn't know much about Greg Grease until I reviewed "C.R.E.A.M. Dreams" for our Singles Mixer column.  I thoroughly enjoyed the laid back vibe and modest ambition of that song.  "I Still Love H.E.R." brings that same type of energy.  The beat is the perfect soundtrack for sifting through 12" vinyl  in a record store.  Grease, in the tradition of every rapper since about 1992, looks back on where hip-hop is and where it brought him.  With his album Cornbread, Pearl And G, Greg has positioned himself to take the baton from the last generation of Twin Cities rappers.  "I Still Love H.E.R." stakes his claim that he's aware exactly where hip-hop's been and where he'd like to take it.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 3.5/5

                   TCDroogsma - 4/5

There you have it, everybody! Another week of songs downloaded, reviewed, and filed away.

As always, let us remind you that Newest Industry and its contributors are in no way affiliated with any of the artists, The Current, or Minnesota Public Radio. We're just music fans with keyboards and too much time on our hands.

For more the always charming MinneSarah, be sure to give her a follow Twitter (@MinneSarah). 2013 is going to be a big year for her.

For more of the seldom charming TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma). He can also be found here on Newest Industry hosting our weekly podcast or prattling away on his personal blog Flatbasset. He's still hungover from New Year's Eve.

Of course Newest Industry has a home on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1), which you should follow to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors. More importantly, we have a Facebook page here. Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a “Like” is the legitimate, free way to support the blog. You'd be fulfilling your New Year's resolution of supporting local businesses.