If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Erik Bardin When Kassa Overall announced his upcoming hip hop covers album, the song I was most excited for was his cover of Wu-Tang Clan's iconic "C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)." I no longer have to wait, since the jazz visionary just released his reworking of the song. Overall's cover is everything I hoped it would be. It's a laid back jazz song with some flourishes that are reminiscent of free jazz. Somehow he makes the classic hip hop track sound even cooler, and if you weren't paying attention you might not even pick up on the fact that it's a cover. The iconic sample of The Charmels "As Long as I've Got You" is the main thing that will jump out at you that screams "C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)," and Overall has recreated the song in his own mind-blowing way. Kassa Overall says of Wu-Tang Clan: “ Their whole energy was an alternative to the get-the-money-shiny-suit mentality. For me, the ...

Artist : Viagra Boys Album : viagr aboys Quick Thoughts : I'm a big fan of Viagra Boys, I've loved "Man Made of Meat" since it first hit streaming, and given that Cave World was a favorite of 2023 for me, I was looking forward to this one quite a bit. There are definitely some sonic tonal shifts with this one that might rub people the wrong way, but the truly skewed lyrical approach that sets them apart is here and it's delightful. Songs of Note : "Man Made of Meat," "Uno II," "Pyramid of Health," "Store Policy," "You N33D Me" Artist : Leslie Jordan Album : The Agonist Quick Thoughts : Inspired by letters from her late grandfather, this debut solo record from All Sons & Daughters singer / songwriter Leslie Jordan is a beautiful folky listen with a lot going for it. The title track alone won be over, but if you like the more thoughtful, contemplative side of Americana, check this out. Songs of Note : ...

Skyzoo is one of those wildly underrated rappers out there today. Every time I hear him release new music, it's a solid track. For "The Workload," he teams with legendary Wu-Tang Clan MC Method Man. If Skyzoo teaming with Method Man sounds great to you, you are correct. Skyzoo obviously (and rightfully) holds Method Man in high esteem, and the song sounds like late 90's Wu-Tang. This is a perfect song for those of us obsessed with the early to mid 90's era of hip hop, before producers just took a pop song in full and had people rap over it. "The Workload" is just simply a great old school style hip hop song. Skyzoo says of his latest single: "The idea for 'The Workload' came after Method Man & Redman’s festival performance this past summer, with the iconic duo putting on a masterclass of hip-hop, but feeling disconnected from the younger generation; due to them not understanding the greatness they were witnessing.  When Meth said he was ...

Czarface, the hip hop supergroup comprised of Inspectah Deck, Esoteric, and 7L, have a new album due out Friday, but for those of us who can't wait that long, there's a new single out now. "Czarchimedes' Death Ray" isn't just one of the best song titles in recent memory. Czarface has always explored the worlds where hip hop and nerd culture meet, and this song is no exception. They're one of the few groups that truly doesn't sound quite like anyone else. This is a fun and clever hip hop song that proves hip hop with skills can exist, and not just be a novelty act. Czarface are going to be blowing up a lot of journalists' pre-made year end lists this week. Esoteric says of the new single: “We’re back with that off-kilter no filter.  Czar never resorts to conventional weaponry, thus the illustrious Death Ray – a sonic homage to the Greek mathematician Archimedes.”  You can watch the lyric video for "Czarchimedes' Death Ray" below. Czart...

Photo by Bill X Czarface, the hip hop supergroup featuring Inspectah Deck, 7L, and Esoteric, is back with an upcoming album. For the first single off the album, the group brought in New York based MC Nems. While most other Wu-Tang Clan projects sound like Wu-Tang, Czarface has never quite sounded as much like the hip hop icons. Maybe it's because Czarface is more comic book inspired than kung-fu film inspired, but "You Know My Style" sounds like its very own thing. These days December is usually a wasteland of musical new releases, but Czarface are going to make sure music journalists don't pre-write their year end lists until well into December this year. Esoteric says of the collaboration with Nems: "Having known Nems for years, this collaboration was way overdue, and we knew he'd deliver what we've all cut our teeth on, that East Coast raw shit.  We're excited about sharing it with the masses. ”  You can watch the video for "You Know My Style...

Next year will see the release of a collaborative album from NEMS and Scram Jones, and the new single also features Wu-Tang Clan legend Ghostface Killa. If you're a classic Wu-Tang Clan fan, chances are you're going to get into "Don't Ever Disrespect Me." It has that classic hip hop feel while having a modern sheen, and almost a space age vibe to it. It's the kind of sound that reminds me of what people in the 1960's and 1970's thought the future (aka now) would sound like. As you probably know, modern hip hop that hearkens back to classic hip hop is kind of a sweet spot for me. I should mention that some lyrics in "Don't Ever Disrespect Me" will seem misogynistic through 2022 eyes, so keep that in mind while listening. You can listen to "Don't Ever Disrespect Me" below. Rise of the Silverback is due out in early 2023. For more on NEMS, check out his Twitter . For Scram Jones, you can also find him on Twitter .

I know, I know. Mash-ups are very early 2000s, and entire albums of rap/rock mash-ups peaked with The Grey Album in 2004 no so self-respecting music journalist would ever cover them. However, I still unashamedly love them, and I stumbled on The Wu-Tang Zeppelin earlier this week and could not resist bringing this to you all. Put together by Beats Rhymes and Remixes out of the UK, The Wu-Tang Zeppelin obviously combines the legendary classic rock of Led Zeppelin with the groundbreaking hip hop of Wu-Tang Clan. You'll know if this is for you right from the album opener which mashes "Whole Lotta Love" with "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'" entitled "Whole lotta chessboxin.'" For me it's a interesting mix since Wu-Tang are one of my favorites dating back to high school, and Zeppelin are a band I rejected as an indie rock snob and have only started accepting the last few years. But, if you still have a love for mash-ups, you'll want to check this ...

If you're a long time Wu-Tang Clan fan, it's going to be impossible to not like the latest from Remedy. The Wu-Tang affiliated rapper's latest single, "Crazy 8's," sounds like late 90's Wu-Tang, plus it features a cast of seven guest MCs that include Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, and Cappadonna. This literally sounds like a lost song from Wu-Tang Forever. It has that same gigantic cinematic feel with the classic kung fu samples from Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). All that being said, "Crazy 8's" doesn't feel like a nostalgia fest or a throwback. Something about it still feels current and modern. You can watch the video for "Crazy 8's" below. Remedy Meets Wu-Tang  is due out November 26. For more on Remedy, check out the artist's Facebook and Twitter .

The latest single from Wu-Tang affiliated rapper Remedy is going to sound especially like Wu-Tang Clan since it features both Ghostface Killah and Cappadonna. "The Pulpit" sounds like it could have been taken straight off 1997's Wu-Tang Forever. It doesn't quite have the grit of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Instead it's that huge cinematic sound that later albums had. It's a gritty beat over a moody string section that sets an edgy atmosphere for the four MCs. If you're a fan of classic 90's hip hop or Wu-Tang (and, really, who loves 90's hip hop without being a huge Wu-Tang fan?), you're going to love this latest song from Remedy. You can listen to "The Pulpit" below. Remedy Meets Wu-Tang is due out November 26. You can pre-order/pre-save the album here . For more on Remedy, check out the artist on Facebook and Twitter .

Photo via Facebook Remedy has been a Wu-Tang affiliated rapper since 1998's Wu-Tang Killa Bees: The Swarm , contributing "Never Again" to the album. Since then he's produced albums from Inspectah Deck and Cappadonna and released his own album The Genuine Article in 2001. He's set to release a new solo album, and "Death Defying" is the first single from that album. It features Inspectah Deck, and it is exactly what we want and expect from anything Wu-Tang related in 2021. It has a huge classic hip hop sound that is going to make middle aged Wu-Tang fans very happy without sounding like a throwback jam.  You can watch the video for "Death Defying" below. Remedy Meets Wu-Tang will be out November 26 and features guest spots from Method Man, Ghostface Killah, RZA, Cappadonna, and more. You can pre-order/pre-save the album here . For more on Remedy, check out the artist on Facebook and Twitter .

Photo via Facebook We haven't heard from Bobby Digital for thirteen years, but it appears that RZA is resurrecting his alter ego for a new album. "Pugilism" is the first single from that album, and if you're a fan of his previous work as Bobby Digital, RZA, or Wu-Tang Clan, chances are you're gonna be into this one. As with anything Wu-Tang related, the song marches along at a steady pace with a sense of foreboding walking just behind. RZA always seems to be at his best when he doesn't need to accept other's input. "Pugilism" is just pure vintage RZA. Classic hip hop fans are going to adore this song. You can listen to "Pugilism" below. Bobby Digital: Digital Potions does not currently have a release date. For more on RZA, check out the artist's Twitter .

We're fully in the holiday doldrums for new releases, everyone. She & Him - Classics : The problem with Classics is not that it's boring, as Ken had warned me, but, for me, rather that the album is so traditional and so married to the sound it's covering throughout. I don't have much of any soft spot for these songs being covered, and the album's timing and tone comes across more as that modern album you buy a relative who wants something new but still comfortable. I know I would have bought this album for my mother to play at work in a different time, it's one of those. It's blandly inoffensive and ultimately isn't really for me, but I don't think it's meant for me, either. Keith McEachern - Double Down : Keith McEachern, best known locally for his work with The Wandas, branches out solo for an album that's actually pretty good from start to finish, but suffers from one flaw in that I feel as if it's holding back. The entire...