Devonté Hynes recently put out Cupid Deluxe ($12), an album of 80’s and 90’s R&B, funk and disco-inspired collection of songs. Press play on these songs and let the baby making begin.
Hynes has recorded songs for the Chemical Brothers, Florence and the Machine, Sky Ferreira and Beyonce’s sister, Solange Knowles. Jay-Z’s Rocawear also hired him as a consultant, so he’s got some cred.
Those going to Coachella 2014 make sure to catch an engaging performer with equally impressive songs.
Bey-Bey is back! Beyonce shocked and awed the world at midnight with a surprise new release. The self-titled album features 14 songs with 14 accompanying videos, and three additional videos on top of that. Why the number 14? Hello, it’s the sign of the Illuminati. For the disc, ‘Yonce hooked up with various guests including Frank Ocean, Drake and Jay-Z.
iTunes temporarily crashed due to all the downloads. All songs can only be purchased through iTunes and must be purchased as one complete album. Your move, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Rihanna. See the video for a playlist of all the songs.
Daft Punk’s big album this year, Random Access Memories, is about to get even bigger with this behemoth of a box set. Drop $275 on this baby and you’ll score a treasure trove of both media and memorabilia including: a 56 page hardcover photo book of images from the RAM recording sessions and film shoots; special edition 180 gram double vinyl of RAM with gold and silver foil labels; 10” collector’s vinyl containing an extended interview with Giorgio Moroder taken from the original session recordings for the song, “Giorgio by Moroder”; two sets of robot helmet design schematics; and yes, much more.
Ever since that Radiohead/Meatloaf/Eric B. & Rakim mix tape won me the love of Lucy Fillmore in the 10th grade, I’ve had a soft spot for the art form. But try to hand your crush an actual cassette these days and you’ll be dumped faster than Adele hits the 99-cent buffet. Sharetapes represent the 21st century version of mix tapes, as they use physical cards that contain NFC (Near Field Communication) chips and QR codes to let you play back the hand-selected gems on smartphones and tablets. Just bump phones with your girl she’ll get the coolest (in your eyes) and cheapest (in hers) gift a guy can give to his lady.
Sure, they’re not as “zombiesque” as The Rolling Stones, but Led Zeppelin didn’t die in 1980, despite the loss of drummer John Bonham . As evidenced by this extensive collection of the band’s spectacular performance in December 2007 at London’s O2 Arena, the legend grows. Celebration Day ($32) includes two CDs, one Blu-ray, and one DVD of that concert, capturing classics like “Whole Lotta Love,” “Rock And Roll,” “Kashmir,” and “Stairway To Heaven,” with Jason Bonham hitting the skins like his old man would’ve.
Consider yourself lucky if you grew up in the era of the Fat Boys. The Human Beat Box, Kool Rock Ski, and Prince Markie Dee had more fun with their beats & rhymes than all other rappers combined from the years 2000-20012. They were never shy about their love of food (trans fats hadn’t been invented yet), so it’s only fitting that a reissue of the Fat Boys debut album is released on vinyl–inside a pizza box. This chunky set comes with a 20-page liner notes booklet and a download card for bonus materials.
While I’ve had moments where I was pretty pissed with the dishwasher, no one can hold a candle to Rage Against the Machine. While we may never know the exact machine this hard-charging rock/rap band was vexed at (my money’s on a Maytag dryer), we do know Rage Against the Machine – XX ($136) is a 20th Anniversary Edition Deluxe Boxed Set that contains two CDs, two DVDs, one 12″ vinyl LP, one 40 page booklet and a two-sided poster. The messages of political and social activism, Zack de la Rocha’s fiery vocals, and Tom Morello’s piercing guitar–it’s all here. Your microwave just got put on notice.
Vinyl, the Jason Voorhees of music formats, is getting is getting a massive injection of life-juice next month as the Beatles original studio album remasters, previously released on CD and iTunes, will make their LP debuts in the Beatles Stereo Vinyl Box Set ($400). The Fab Four’s 12 original U.K. studio albums, as well as the U.S. version of “Magical Mystery Tour,” and “Past Masters, Volumes One & Two” will be included. This marks the first time the Beatles’ first four albums – “Please Please Me,” “With the Beatles,” “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Beatles for Sale” – will see a North American release in stereo on vinyl. A 252-page hardcover book also is yours to enjoy.