product review
Product reviews and how-to's of rising music merchandise, CDs, albums, concerts, and more.
#OverloadMondays: New Releases From Big Boi, DJ Khaled, 2 Chainz and More
Okay so here's some of what happened last week (6/12-18). DJ Khaled is known for bringing together some major heat, or “major key(s),” in music. This week he brought together Rihanna and Bryson Tiller for his new joint “Wild Thoughts” - watch the video above. This is the latest taste for the upcoming album Grateful, to which his son Asahd is the executive producer for. Asahd doesn’t talk yet, but he's producing albums. This kid is good, I wish I were him. Produced by Khaled and Nasty Beatmakers, as well as co-written by PARTYNEXTDOOR - watch the video below. Khaled is taking over this summer for sure.
By Sadé Sanchez9 years ago in Beat
Amazon Music vs. Pandora
Many have heard of and interacted with Pandora's internet radio sensation, but just last January, Amazon has attempted to enter into the internet radio craze itself with Amazon Music Unlimited, which they are offering free 30 day trials here right now. So, which one is better? Well, I started my own free trial to see what the big deal was.
By Daniel Johnson9 years ago in Beat
Rhonda & Daryle Go 'Above And Beyond' - Duet Album "American Grandstand" Out In July
Late August last year, "Queen of Bluegrass" Rhonda Vincent announced on her Facebook page that she's recording a duet album with 90's traditionalist Daryle Singletary and posted the above picture of them both in the recording studio.
By A. Michael Uhlmann9 years ago in Beat
What Are You Listening To?
Music has the power to lift our spirits when we are feeling down. If you are looking for something to make your hips move and your feet groove, or you want to boost your mood, look no further. I have found music to be very therapeutic, when it comes to helping with stress management. I have compiled a playlist, of my personal favorites for coping with a serious case of the blues.
By Nicole (Nikki) M.9 years ago in Beat
Review of Bryson Tiller's 'True to Self'
I’m randomly listening to Bryson Tiller’s debut album TRAPSOUL, thinking, "Damn, just one more month.” Then with a simple tweet notification, my wishes were granted. We’ve been waiting for this for what seems like forever, and I have a few things to say about True to Self.
By Sadé Sanchez9 years ago in Beat
Fender Toronado: Not to Be Confused With Grandma's GM Oldsmobile
This is not to be confused with your Grandma’s old boat of a car, the GM Oldsmobile Toronado! This is a guitar folks. This is one breed of guitar that has both confused and interested me at the same time. When it first came out a few years ago, it caught my eye because it, at first glance, looked like an alternate version of the Jazz Master. But let me say straight up that a Jazz Master it is not... and to be fair, nor was it intended to be.
By Mark Darnell9 years ago in Beat
Review of Rob Sheffield's Dreaming The Beatles: 6 of X
Rob Sheffield makes the case for Ringo in the next chapter of his stellar Dreaming the Beatles, putting the question regarding Ringo as whether he was an all-time genius drummer who made the Beatles possible, or "a clod who got lucky, the biggest fool who ever hit the big time". Sheffield puts his chips on the genius.
By Paul Levinson9 years ago in Beat
The Worst Song to Ever be Created
Sometimes, bad music happens to good bands. Elvis Presley infamously sang "Confidence" as part of a children's movie he filmed in the late 60s. Chuck Berry's song, "My Ding-A-Ling," was his only solo hit - and also happened to be a several minute long joke about his ding-a-ling. Even Paul Simon had a gaffe or two under his belt.
By Skunk Uzeki9 years ago in Beat
Review of Rob Sheffield's Dreaming The Beatles: 5 of X
Rob Sheffield's short chapter in his Dreaming the Beatles (actually, they're all short, which is good) is about "It Won't Be Long," and is about as fine a piece of music journalism, or rock 'n' roll analysis, or whatever you want to call it, as you can find. It's a holographic sample of why the book as a whole is so enjoyable and important.
By Paul Levinson9 years ago in Beat
Review of Rob Sheffield's Dreaming The Beatles: 4 of X
I don't want to get too far into Rob Sheffield's addictive book without posting another review, so I thought I'd check in here after finishing a chapter on George, which comes after discussions of Ringo (which I talk about in my last review) and Paul and John, which are of course a part of every chapter.
By Paul Levinson9 years ago in Beat
Review of Rob Sheffield's Dreaming the Beatles: 3 of X
In the next chapter of Rob Sheffield's Dreaming the Beatles -- I just realized that the chapters are not numbered, which means that each chapter is a piece of a hologram, a snapshot of the whole, like a verse in many a song -- we get a deconstruction of "Dear Prudence," which Sheffield holds to be one of The Beatles' best, and I agree (though they have so many bests the term hasn't the usual meaning for me).
By Paul Levinson9 years ago in Beat
