Bonnaroo 2014 lineup thoughts, impressions, and general excitement

With the Bonnaroo lineup dropping a couple of days ago, here are my thoughts on a range of artists playing the festival:

KANYE WEST - Pretty much everyone I know hates Kanye. Well I say haters can hate, cause this will easily be one of the best sets of the weekend.  College Dropout, Late Registration, and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy are all legitimately great albums, along with plenty of great tracks spread out through the rest of his discography. Folks who come out to Bonnaroo come to see a show, and Kanye has one of the biggest and baddest stage productions of any touring act today. This is his chance at a redemption show, and it will be intriguing to see what he does with it. His setlists are massive, and possible collaborations with Frank Ocean and Pusha T make this into a possible set for the ages. If I am at Bonnaroo this year, I am at this set.

JACK WHITE - very excited for Mr. White. I was hoping he was going to be Mumford's replacement last year; Jack headlining the night after Macca would have been an unbelievable one-two punch. The White Stripes stuff is awesome, Blunderbuss is awesome, I'm not as familiar with Raconteurs and Dead Weather material but can brush up on that rather easily.

ELTON JOHN - I only know four songs from Elton John, but I'm no dummy. I know this set has potential. Elton is one of the legendary artists of his era, this year's answer to Paul McCartney, who has a veritable back catalog of his own. If I end up making the trip this year, I'll make a concerted effort to learn his setlist.

LIONEL RICHIE - not much positive I can say here, so I'll keep it short. Lionel is obviously one of the greats and I respect that, but his brand of schmaltzy, cheesy 70s/80s love ballads does nothing for me. I'll probably have to sit through his set if I want a close spot for Jack, and I will not be thrilled.

SKRILLEX/SKRILLEX SUPER JAM/EDM IN GENERAL - I don't have the greatest impression of Skrillex as an artist, but seeing some of the things on the linuep this year may honestly be the year I give EDM a shot. I'm glad to see Roo is pushing themselves by putting on an electronic superjam; I'm curious to see how it turns out even if I probably won't know most of the guests that drop in. Not to mention this year is the year that Disclosoure and Chromeo are on the lineup. And hell, even Kaskade is sounding pretty sweet based on what I've listened to so far.

THE REST - Vampire Weekend and Arctic Monkeys are near the top of my list. Wanted to catch each when they hit Nashville, but was unable to due to various conflicts. Excited to check out The Flaming Lips extravaganza for the first time, and also looking forward to what madness Die Antwoord has in store for us. Also really pumped that Frank Ocean is coming nearby; didn't think I'd get the chance to see him. I'm really enjoying what I've listened to from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill; she seems like an artist I should give a chance to.

And of course, I've got to dig into some roots/folk music. First Aid Kit, Shovels and Rope, and Carolina Chocolate Drops should all be a blast. Last but not least, if you know me, you know I've got to get my metal fix. I'm glad to see Mastodon on the lineup. I was planning on heading down to Atlanta to see them with Josh; now hopefully we'll get to see them a lot closer (for me, anyway). And I also can't wait for the grinding intensity of a Meshuggah set. Should be an awesome time and I hope to see you  all there!

Totally Unauthorized 2013 1st Quarter Playlist: January - March

The work of compiling a list of the year's best is never a simple feat, so it necessitates an early start. As we end March, the 2013 music year has come in like a lion, and has promised incredible potential as we look forward to the summer months. Here are 12 can't miss tracks so far:

A$AP ROCKY FEAT. SKRILLEX - WILD FOR THE NIGHT

When the tracklist for A$AP Rocky's debut album was announced, Skrillex's presence was a major eyebrow raising moment. Many questioned whether two artists from such divergent scenes could successfully come together. But the union worked like a charm, in part because neither artist takes themselves too seriously, though they are serious about making sure people have a good time. Skrillex's over the top synth blasts provide a perfect foil to Rocky's spitfire rhyming.

BAD RELIGION - MY HEAD IS FULL OF GHOSTS

Legendary punk rockers Bad Religion are 16 albums into their career, and their attack is still as blistering as ever. On "My Head is Full of Ghosts," they come across as eminently melodic and dignified as ever, while singer Greg Graffin provides some witty wordplay, and the exuberant harmony section is hitting on all cylinders.

TORO Y MOI - HARM IN CHANGE

Experimental electronic musician Chaz Bundick is quickly becoming one of the best at producing sleek, urban and sophisticated pop music. "Harm in Change" unfolds gradually like a warm summer night, with a slight sensuality present in Bundick's lyrics. But most impressive is his production work, as he mixes and weaves layers to create a sweet danceable mix.

MY BLOODY VALENTINE - IN ANOTHER WAY

Here, captured in a solitary five and a half minute track, is everything that makes My Bloody Valentine great. There's still the mind warping sense of fuzziness, drone, and distortion but they also pack a bit of pep in their step as well. Fast paced, energetic drums set the mood, while a lovely synthesizer line comes in over the top and carries the song to its conclusion.

WAYNE SHORTER - PLAZA REAL

Jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter and his quartet express a vast variety of moods. This remake of a Weather Report song shows off his versatility in being able to sculpt old classics to fit with his current sound. He loves to experiment, even veering into modal territory when the situation calls for it, and "Plaza Real" is one of his greatest showoff pieces from the new album, Without a Net.

RIVERSIDE - CELEBRITY TOUCH

Riverside is a somewhat overlooked Polish band that does a great job of mixing prog with hard/heavy metal. There is a bit of Porcupine Tree influence,  but they also take cues from Rush and Pain of Salvation among others. Packed full of swaggering solos, headbanging riffs, and clean melodic sections, "Celebrity Touch" proves these boys know how to mix it up.

STEVEN WILSON - THE HOLY DRINKER

The final 1:30 of this song alone is awesome enough to put this song on the list. Those doomsday scales backed by Marco Minneman's manic drumming is one of the greatest musical passages ever blogged about on this site. But the rest of the song is no pushover either, as a healthy serving of flute, organ and guitar solos complement Wilson's story about a religious thinker gone astray.

DARKTHRONE - VALKYRIE

Longstanding prodigies Darkthrone may no longer practice black metal on a daily basis, but there's still plenty to love. This old school blast of metal is impressive instrumentally, but even more absorbing is the classic fists raised attitude that is mostly missing from modern metal. And it's also tough to argue with the haunting acoustic intro. 

HOW TO DESTROY ANGELS - AND THE SKY BEGAN TO SCREAM

Dissonant and anguished soundscapes have never been new territory for Nine Inch Nails's Trent Reznor, but his new side project How to Destroy Angels does give him a chance to manifest his downbeat vision in new ways. Muted ambiance and creeping electronica replace the loud drums and guitars of NiN, while Marquieen Maandig steps into the spotlight with her smooth, sensual voice.

YOUTH LAGOON - PELICAN MAN

Trevor Powers draws influences from all over the map, and it's hard to think of music that's been this honest and down to earth in quite awhile. "Pelican Man" combines the humbleness of Animal Collective, the confessional nature of Tune Yards, and the playfulness of Sufjan Steven's The Age of Adz. All the while, the warped, wacky nature of the track suggests Powers might not quite be in the right frame of mind.

DAVID BOWIE - THE STARS (ARE OUT TONIGHT)

Bowie's re-entry into the field was sudden and dramatic, following the surprise announcement of the English rocker's excellent 24th album, The Next Day. The guitar crackles and the rhythm section is smooth, but if there was any question if Bowie is still capable of capturing your attention then it's time to put it to rest. He's still every bit as charismatic and enrapturing as ever, comfortably taking his place as one of rock's elder statesmen. 

KVELERTAK - BRUANE BREN

Norwegian hardcore/metal outfit Kvelertak sound like they would be a hell of a fun group to hang with. At least, their music does a great job of giving off that vibe. Lead vocalist Erlend Hjelvik's voice bears similarity to Anders Frieden and Speed from Soilwork, but his band knows how to let their hair down better than almost anyone else. With an abundance of bluesy solos and a shoutalong chorus,  Kvelertak have delivered your next soundtrack for getting shitfaced.

A$AP Rocky shows he's not to be trifled with on major label debut

Anyone who considers themselves a rap enthusiast must be encouraged by the influx of new talent streaming in. Harlem rapper Rakim Mayers, better known as A$AP Rocky, is making a strong push toward the front of the line. He's establishing himself in the industry the way many of his brethren are: with mixtapes. Kendrick Lamar and Frank Ocean, most notably, have presaged highly successful albums with independently released mixtapes. Most notable is Rocky's $3 million record deal with Sony/RCA subdivision Polo Grounds Music, the fruit of which is his full length debut, LongLiveA$AP.

One thing this album does not do is try to be intellectual. In strong contrast to recent albums predicated delivering sociopolitical messages, like Killer Mike's R.A.P. Music, or albums with strong thematic elements like Kendrick Lamar's Good kid m.A.A.D. city, Rocky's record doesn't make an effort to be lyrically deep. Rocky himself puts it best on album closer "Suddenly," declaring "don't view me as no conscious cat, this ain't no conscious rap/Fuck the conscious crap, my mac'll push your conscious back."

What LongLiveA$AP does do is display Rocky's boundless skill as a rapper. His delivery is loud, forceful and clear; he is able to spit rhymes with great rhythm and flow. It also serves as a great showcase piece for the youth rap movement. LongLiveA$AP rounds up most of the key names being shouted now within the indie community (with the obvious exception of the Odd Future collective).

But it doesn't take long to find Odd Future parallels. Album opener "Long Live A$AP" is an ominous and foreboding track that shows off Rocky's sense of paranoia. He asks, "who's that looking in my window with a pistol to my curtain?" With its stripped back beat and its introspective nature, it is reminiscent of Tyler, the Creator's "Yonkers." It features a surreal falsetto chorus that gets downright creepy near the end when a chorus of children's voices join in.

Lead single "Goldie" was a great choice as a teaser, as it highlights many of Rocky's critical strengths. The lyrics are not the most inventive of all time; it's mostly just him bragging. But the track succeeds not due to the subject matter, but because of how Rocky presents himself. He comes across as very focused, determined, and charismatic.It's not hard to believe he deserves the lavish praise, even though he's the one heaping it on himself. The flute beat is also great;  it gets out of the way and lets Rocky do his job but is distinctive enough to give a tangible coloring to the track. It makes Rocky feel outside the box and inventive, something many people disillusioned with the current state of rap are looking for.

Unfortunately, his penchant for unmemorable lyrics continues on the next track, "PMW (All I Really Need), which stands for pussy, money, weed. This is one of the most blatant, sexually explicit rap tracks since Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The verses have that sort of loud, in your face club quality that was best captured by Sean Paul. Schoolboy Q's guest appearance here is very effective,  as both rappers prove themselves as talented emcees. But lyrically however, there is no debating that this is one downright vulgar track.

One of the album's biggest strengths is that very few songs sound the same. On "Lvl" he mellows out considerably, slowing things down with a beat not unlike Aphex Twin's "Xtal," while "Hell" features Santigold sounding a bit like M.I.A. on the chorus hook. The song has a ravey beat, but it's slowed down and subdued to the point you wouldn't notice if you're not paying attention.It's like the record label wanted him to have a dancey club beat on a song, but he was embarrassed so he slowed it down and spliced it around hoping you wouldn't notice.

The seventh track, "Fuckin' Problems" is one of the most star studded on the album. 2 Chainz powers what is most certainly the catchiest hook on the album, while superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar join Rocky in putting on a solid but not stellar performance  All three have dropped better verses in their career, and given the collection of talent one must wonder if they were more concerned with trying to wow their audience with name brand than they were with constructing the caliber of verses that won them name recognition in the first place. Yet even despite this, the song is still an easy album highlight.

Yet no track is more star studded than "1train," an effort that features so many guest rappers it would be too much to even list them all here. There is no hook, just six minutes highlighting the best up and coming talent in indie hip hop. The piece does an outstanding job of establishing the personality of each individual rapper, and in that regard it bears great similarity to Eminem's D12 pieces such as "Purple Hills" or "Under the Influence." All parties involved do a fantastic job, but honors for best verses go to Kendrick Lamar, Danny Brown, and Big K.R.I.T.

"Wild for the Night," featuring the always sensational Skrillex, is about as subtle as dropping a dishwasher on the listener's head. The real highlight, though, is Rocky's blistering spitfire verses. "Fasion Killa" is easily the lowlight of the album. His penchant for being fashion conscious  a common theme in many of his interviews, comes to full fruition here. He spends the entire time name dropping top shelf designers that no one outside of the Hamptons cares about or is impressed by. The lame hook doesn't help either.

Album closer "Suddenly" is the album's most startling song. It is very surreal, reflecting on how he went from living in the hood to all of a sudden being famous. The beat is almost nonexistent. In the background you have what sounds like TV cartoons from the 1950s playing, along with a chorus of singers from the the big band era. The first verse is slow and meandering but on the second verse he starts spitting faster and the effect, contrasted with the first verse, is pretty clever. Rocky has managed to bookend the album with two very mystifying, unsettling tracks.

Thinking back to the kids in high school who listened to Lil' John and Ludacris, it isn't hard to think their seventeen-year-old selves would be into something like this. However, to blanket lump him into this category would be selling Rocky short. LongLiveA$AP often sounds like it could be played at a club, without sounding specifically tailor made for that type of environment. He shows a great deal of creative potential, demonstrating that he can spit fast while mixing it up with a slew of mid-tempo tunes, and he often intersperses mellow R&B hooks throughout. He possess great command of his flow, while doing a supreme job of establishing a sense of personality.

But there is room for improvement. His lyrics could use some work, as the best of them do little to move rap forward and the worst are downright silly and sophomoric. He also has a tendency to rely on downpitched vocals too often, and some of the album drags. Ultimately, LongLiveA$AP  does not place him at the head of the young hip hop class, but does demonstrate he's a force to be reckoned with.

Score: 74/100