Music Reviews
Companion Column
Murdergram Deux – LL Cool J and Eminem
In a nostalgic throwback to their early days, LL Cool J, 56, and Eminem, 51, release "Murdergram Deux", a sequel to LL’s 1990 album "Mama Said Knock You Out". The track boasts crisp rhymes, wordplay, and threats set to a jaunty track produced by Eminem and Q-Tip. With LL getting the last word, it’s a cheerful callback to his commercial peak.
Sophie – Exhilarate
The late Sophie’s brother and collaborators have completed her album "Sophie", due in September. "Exhilarate" takes the conventions of big-room trance anthems and warps them from the bottom up. The track features euphoric harmonies, a stately beat, and a slow-motion collapse into entropy. A true tribute to Sophie’s vision.
Kim Deal – Crystal Breath
Kim Deal, from the Breeders and Pixies, ventures into unexpected territory with "Crystal Breath". This echoey, electronics-dominated drone and stomp urges, "Let’s start a new life", and the cheerful vocals and guitar hooks support a near-constant drone and a programmed beat. A new album is due in November, promising more surprises.
Shemekia Copeland – Blame It on Eve
Shemekia Copeland’s new album "Blame It on Eve" tackles the devil, loneliness, wine, and politics with a clarion voice and a vociferous band. "Blame It on Eve" is a sax-honking feminist blues that reaches back to the Bible and into the post-Dobbs present. A powerful and timely album.
Mustafa – Old Life
A modal web of picked string instruments, high and low, hints at both jazz and Arabic music in "Old Life". The Sudanese-Canadian songwriter Mustafa sings of a former confidant who’s grown distant, "I’m not yours but there’s a part of your life that is mine". A reckoning with an unsettled past that stays unresolved.
Paris Paloma – Boys, Bugs and Men
Paris Paloma’s debut album "Cacophony" delves into scenarios from domestic squabbles to deep-space journeys. The folk-rock of "Boys, Bugs and Men" connects the idle violence of boys killing bugs for fun to men oppressing women. A striking and thought-provoking album.
Kate Bollinger – Lonely
Kate Bollinger’s piano ballad "Lonely" is a melancholy but ultimately hopeful track from her upcoming debut album "Songs From a Thousand Frames of Mind". Her sweet voice sounds muffled, as if enveloped in a gray cloud that, by the end of the song, has begun to dissipate.
Kehlani – Did I
Kehlani asks an occasional lover, "Girl, does he know you’re yearning, yearning for me?" As an occasional lover, Lucky Daye joins in, making things complicated. All the intrigue plays out over gauzy synthesizer chords, beckoning toward the next liaison.
Tommy Richman – Thought You Were the One
Tommy Richman’s electro-R&B style reveals another side on "Thought You Were the One", a keyboard-driven slow jam from his forthcoming debut album "Coyote". Channeling Prince and Weeknd, Richman harnesses the power of his falsetto to narrate a tale of lingering heartbreak.
Immanuel Wilkins – Afterlife Residence Time
Immanuel Wilkins’ concept double album "Blues Blood" is due in October. "Afterlife Residence Time" is a nine-minute track that morphs from brisk to contemplative, envisioning a long road ahead. A suitelike and harmonically mobile track.
Conclusion
These music reviews highlight a diverse range of artists and styles, from old-school hip-hop to experimental electronics, and from blues to electro-R&B. Each track offers a unique listening experience, showcasing the talents of the artists and the creativity of their genres.
FAQs
Q: What is the significance of "Murdergram Deux"?
A: The track is a nostalgic throwback to the early days of LL Cool J and Eminem, showcasing their crisp rhymes and wordplay.
Q: What is the theme of Shemekia Copeland’s album "Blame It on Eve"?
A: The album tackles themes of loneliness, wine, and politics, with a powerful and timely feminist blues message.
Q: Who is Paris Paloma and what is her debut album "Cacophony" about?
A: Paris Paloma is a new artist, and her debut album "Cacophony" delves into scenarios from domestic squabbles to deep-space journeys, exploring the power differential between men and women.
Q: What is Immanuel Wilkins’ concept double album "Blues Blood" about?
A: The album is a concept album that explores the theme of love, parenthood, and the fate of the next generations.
Q: Who is Tommy Richman and what is his debut album "Coyote" about?
A: Tommy Richman is an electro-R&B artist, and his debut album "Coyote" showcases his smooth vocals and falsetto, narrating a tale of lingering heartbreak.
