Spring is here, and with it comes so many great things to look forward to. Romance, frisbee action, and of course, bumpin’ those tunes outdoors. Whether you’re sitting around on Foss Hill with a stereo, or you’re in someone’s ride with the windows down and the volume up, the choice is clear: some fresh music is needed to compliment the new season. Just think; the end of school is around the corner. What are you gonna listen to on the ride home?
Thankfully, various artists have been working around the clock, crafting some worthwhile albums for your consumption. There are many LPs with different themes and styles for every occasion.
One such album, which arrived at the end of January, is Pete Rock’s new instrumental album. “The Surviving Elements” is a collection of new tracks composed by the “soul brother number one” himself, and easily fulfills expectations that you should have of such a classic, consistent producer. Entirely comprised of hip hop instrumentals, “The Surviving Elements” is composed of beats that did not appear on the “Soul Survivor II” album, released last year, but is from the same sessions. Although some consider instrumental hip hop albums an acquired taste, I would beg to differ. Cruisin’ in the vehicle or finishing up a paper is always enhanced by the reliable rhythms that Pete Rock so generously provides. And with no lyrics to distract you from the music, you can rock out to the superbly sampled soul. Or get your freestyle on. Either way, look out for this LP when you go into town; folks who can get down with the funk beats will definitely be pleased. You can find this album on BBE records.
To contrast the bass-heavy vibes, some acoustic instrumentation is necessary for mellowing out. Daby Touré is a multi-faceted musician from Mali and Senegal whose album “Diam” was released late last year on Real World Records, a well-established world music label. The album is a mix of unique melodies and traditional vibes from his local community styles, general Pan-African awareness and western-cultured flavor, enabling the album to be accessible to many people and places. Daby Touré displays competence on various musical instruments, playing many of the instruments himself on each song. Mostly guitar-based, each track exhibits a depth of instrumentation, with lots of percussion and rhythmic handiwork, as well as expressive vocals in his native language. His style is reminiscent of Baaba Maal, another Senegal superstar. Whether you’re a fan of folk music, world music, or just looking for some Ben Harper-level ambience, Daby Touré’s “Diam” will satisfy.
Last, but not least, is a brand new three-disc anthology by Yo La Tengo entitled “Prisoners of Love.” If you’re a diehard fan or even a newbie to the all-important band, it would serve you well to peep this collection. The first two CDs are a retrospective of Yo La Tengo’s past albums on and off their current label, Matador Records. The crafters of this compilation included the hot hits and noteworthy picks from the back catalogue, and did a fair job of mixing things up. Excellent material for that special someone who wants to get more familiar with the band. The third disc is reserved for the usual array of rarities, b-sides, covers, and funky stuff; goods for the disciples. All this in some sexy packaging with ‘extensive liner notes’ so now there’s no question why this new release shouldn’t be on your shelf. By the way, the name “Yo La Tengo,” when translated into Spanish means “extra mayo, please.”
And on that note, I encourage everyone to find some new tunes with which to rock the airwaves this season. By the time summer hits you’d better have some crisp new joints ready to pop in the CD player, so check these releases. Bump that shit outside the campus center so I can hear it. A little louder… yeah that’s good.
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