Jack White is the biggest chameleon in modern day rock and world. He has a higher catalog of side projects than most bands have actual albums. With the disbandment of The White Stripes, White’s true identity is a bit of a mystery. Will he carry on as a nomad jumping from band to band or will he stick with one of the bands that he created. Whatever he decides to do, what won’t be lost is Jack White’s blues-y soul.
Don’t you hate it when they fall threw the cracks? You discovered them through your most visited music website, listened to their album only to have multiple eargasms and was then forced to listen to their back catalogue to explore more. At this point, you had to let everyone know. You created tweets dedicated to your favorite line, became a fan on FaceBook for all of your friends to see, constantly talked to everyone about how “it will change your life” and was excited when they in turn shared your enthusiasm after only one listen. It was just a matter of time until they would break big and the whole world could enjoy this pungent music experience, but it never happened.
Theophilus London sits behind an aging wooden table eagerly munching on the vegetable platter that was brought out for him. His long and lanky arms engulf the table as he grabs another baby carrot from the vegetable platter. His eyes are hidden behind his signature dark shades and a cap, he designed to coincide with the release of his first EP Lovers Holiday, covers his head.
Since releasing This Charming Mixtape in 2009, the Brooklyn raised performer, has garnered a lot of attention for his electro-pop driven music. Theophilus came to Atlanta to perform exclusively for Art Nouveau Magazine’s 3rd Year Anniversary Party at Deefor Centre. He sat down with Art Nouveau before soundcheck to discuss his musical influences (including Garth Brooks), his rise to fame, and what female body part gives his music the most inspiration.
Ever wonder what would happen if cats ruled the world? Yeah neither have I, but apparently Best Coast has. Apparently, there are a lot of misspellings in cat-utopia or maybe it us humans who do not know how to spellz wellz. Watch the official video for Best Coast’s single “Crazy For You” below.
The first single off of Dr. Dre’s much-anticipated/delayed album, Detox, is quite a shocker. Newcomer, Skylar Grey, who has helped pen Eminem and Rihanna’s “Love the Way You Lie,” as well as Diddy-Dirty Money’s “Coming Home,” sings the hook with such passion that you’d think she was laying on her death bed with only a few seconds left to live. “I’m about to lose my mind. You’ve been gone for so long. I’m running out of time. I need a doctor. Call me a doctor. I need a doctor, doctor, to bring me back to life.”
We live in a world where celebrity occupations are blurred. A person may enter the industry as one entity, but will end his or her career as another. Take Jennifer Lopez for example, she began her career as a dancer for In Living Color and since then has become a pop star, started an actor career, created her on clothing brand and started a line of perfume. These alternative accomplishments did not spur from talent, but from a passion: either to achieve these goals or for monetary purposes. Since then, this has spurred an explosion of “jack-of-all-trades” celebrities and artist. In hip-hop, there’s been a growth of producer turned rappers penetrating the airwaves. Kanye West has been the most successful and credible figure in this current metamorphosis, but there has also been Pharrell and Dr. Dre. Bay Area producer turned rapper, Trackademicks, hopes to emulate these success stories with his new album, State of the Arts.
In the rap universe, it is difficult being a duo because ego is the force driving most lyrics. “I am the best”, “I am the greatest” are phrases often caroled by performers. Hardly do you ever hear a “We are a team and that is why we excel! Teamwork!” One of the few duos, that were able to transcend self-centeredness and become greats in their own right, have been in an undetermined hiatus since their last album Idlewild. The idea of Outkast, in itself, is another reason why it is difficult to be a rap duo. Any new group’s music and identity will be forever compared to the work of the Atlanta artists until one finally surpasses them. This is where California artists U-N-I currently find themselves.
Kanye West has had more than enough time alone, with his own thoughts. This case is proven by the onslaught of music he has released since coming out of his hiatus. He produced tracks for Drake, Rick Ross, and other hip-hop heavyweights, dropped his weekly installments of G.O.O.D. music, and not too long ago, released his fifth studio album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Yet and still, there are apparently more ideas floating around in the mind of the Chicago rapper, which explains the release of his collaborative album with Jay-Z: Watch The Throne.
You wake up at 3 in the morning and trek through the frigid cold in search for the perfect token of gratitude for your loved one. Later, you plan a date to the ice skating rink even though you’ve never trusted the idea of gliding with knives underneath your feet. To end the night, the two of you snuggle in your matching Snuggies and watch another showing of A Christmas Story. All for what? Love.
The Go! Team depicts the frustration of creating anything “new” in the 21st Century. The age of the original idea is over. What humans create now is a culmination of old and used ideas that are funneled through a newer pipeline, much like the music from Ian Parton’s six-piece British band. “Buy Nothing Day” is the result of when this overload of ideas transforms into a lovely chaos.
Rather these are topics that live and breathe throughout the hip-hop group —hold your breath — Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. Odd Future, consisting of 11 teenagers from LA with a wide range of talent.
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