roman's revenge

Today's been a hip-hop sort of day.

Favorite new duo: Chiddy Bang. These two have been likened to "a hipster's wet dream," which I find hilarious...because I think it's kind of true. Chidera "Chiddy" Anamege provides the ryhmes and Noah "Xaphoon Jones" Beresin lays down the beats. But they aren't just any beats...oh no. Chiddy raps over samples of popular songs, often of the indie persuasion. Opposite of Adults, a single off their album samples MGMT's Kids. He even raps over Sufjan's Chicago on the track All Things Go. It's definitely an eclectic sound/style, but they're not really the first one's to come up with it. Still it's a fresh take on this type of genre and it's definitely a good place to start if you are just getting into hip-hop (i.e. it's easier to swallow that say, gangsta rap).

Next up: Nicki Minaj. I have recently discovered that I LOVE Miss Minaj. I really can't put my finger on what I love so much about her, but I'll try. She just has this kind of larger-than-life persona and all of her songs are performances. They're stories. Her parents fought a lot when she was younger and so she used to make up alter egos to forget about it. Now she has put them to good use and uses them throughout her lyrics. She has put out mixed tapes and demos for years, but her first full-length studio album came out just recently. I think it's pretty great. It's not my favorite type of music but it's fun to jam to.

There is so much great music coming out this spring...I'm so excited! But I'm also a little sad because that means my wallet's going to take a hit. Oh well. Keep a look out for new stuff from: Panda Bear, TV on the Radio, and Fleet Foxes. Oh my.

white rabbit

So, I thought that I would just post some videos that I've been into lately. The first is the Jefferson Airplane cover, White Rabbit, from Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. I really love her soulful voice. It's classic rock n' roll.



Second, we have Wanda Jackson, rockabilly legend. She has this interesting voice that sounds a little worse for the wear, but hey, she's 73 and still going at it. She was kind of a big deal during the height of the original rock n' roll. This latest collaboration with Jack White is pretty neat.



Finally, Lady Gaga's Born this way. Ok, here's my take on LG: I think it's great that she loves being completely out there and pushing boundaries, etc etc. I really do. And I think she has/is doing great work for gay rights. And I love her songs...they are catchy, upbeat, and fun to dance to. But something about her videos gets on my nerves. I think she seems to take them so seriously that it's a little comic. This one's a doozy. The constellation uterus in the beginning and the weird/gross birth scenes freak me out. I do like the song though. Also...get your science right..."mitosis of the future" doesn't make sense.



In case you were wondering, the first two of these artists will be at Bonnaroo. And I. Can't. Wait.

Also, in academic news, I have decided on the lab(s) for my Ph.D. Sa-weet.