Yung Pinch (from H.B., if you can believe it)

When I think of street cred, Huntington Beach (H.B.) does not come to mind. Playing pretentious little brother to its older, grittier sibling, just to its north - Long Beach (a.k.a. the LBC), H.B. lacks anything approximating the culture that gave birth to "Two One and Lewis". However, with any publicity, the Bluntington Beach native, Yung Pinch, may change my mind about his home town and join In-N-Out Burger as one of among a handful of culturally relevant Orange County exports. 

"Rock With Us" spares us the pretense of hood. It's a self-aware approach to capturing the party-and -full-time-at-play lifestyle of Huntington Beach. Yung Pinch qua Yung Pinch displays no signs of wealth, or envy for the ornaments of the rap life. His media is free of Ferraris and Lambos. In fact, at least one promotional photo has Yung Pinch perched without shame or tongue and cheek, on the trunk of an aged Toyota Tercel. He tells us he's just a 20-something sipping beer, smoking blunts and soaking up the sun - and by his words and Instagram shall we believe him.

"Rock With Us" appeared on Spotify's "Rap, Most Necessary" playlist (although, I can't find it now). Yung Pinch could make H.B. cool again - and by again, I mean for the first time.

Yung Pinch

Yung Pinch

Melody's Echo Chamber

Melody's Echo Chamber appears to have channeled illustrious British band, Broadcast. With their  Quand Vas Tu Rentrer (When Will You Return en francais) sounds as if its the title track of Broadcast's comeback album, if such an album existed. The comparison of Melody's work to Broadcast's isn't an accusation of loyalty or lazy derivation. It's just to say that Melody's Echo Chamber is good enough to remind me of the best of Broadcast, an observation that ought to flatter. But the similarity to the best Broadcast has to offer holds true of only one track. Prior to wearing out Quand Vas Tu Rentrer, I had I Follow You on repeat, which bears scant resemblance to any other group’s best, let alone Broadcast's. 

Melody Prochet

Melody Prochet

Gucci remixes

From: Why I Listen to Gucci

Before Diplo's Free Gucci (The Best of Cold War Mixetapes), I thought of Gucci Mane in terms of "just another" artist from the Dirty South. My opinion wasn't based on anything I'd heard from Gucci but on a flashy-sounding name that I associated with a flash-in-the-pan rapper from Atlanta. But all that changed after Diplo. Or, more precisely, Diplo's rendition of Gucci, in Diplo's Free Gucci: Best of Cold War Mixtapes.

Not every one of the 10+ tracks is a smash, but there's enough here to baptize neophytes into the worlds of Dirty South and whatever genre you place Diplo. Gucci's intellect and Diplo's skill as a producer are evident in standouts tracks, "Excuse Me" and "Dope Boys". 

I'll spare you a description of the how the music sounds - in the case of any music, a hopeless endeavor. All I can do is prepare you for the extra measure of street cred you'll enjoy after bumping these remixes. (You may also make a few Uggs tap and yoga pants sway - but not enough to spill that pumpkin spice).  

This album can be found here (or on our blog).

Radiohead - Decks Dark

So far I haven't listened to much of Radiohead's latest album, A Moon Shaped Pool; in fact, I've been rather flippant about giving the entire work a fighting chance. My reluctance to hear the album in its entirety - a few times, as is needed for an accurate assessment - has as much to do with my being impatient as it does my being hopelessly smitten by Decks Dark, or, track three. Choral singing, fluttering keys of the piano, and a brilliant piece of bass-work in the supporting role cement this song as a Radiohead favorite. If I were a sailor in Greek mythology, this would be the Sirens' song that leads me to shipwreck. Unlike those sailors, however, there'd be no beeswax, no rope. What are shoals compared to the sweetest sound? (btw: you can stream the song on the blog).

Band's page

Decks Dark - Radiohead

Decks Dark - Radiohead

Sales - Getting It On

Attending their show, I learned the band of two met in a high school Latin class; from their music, I reconfirmed my love-affair with females lyrisicts whose vocal range dips a few touches lower than the highest. Listeners will discover lyrics intellectually satisfying and true to the heart, even if enigmatic. The most salient features of Sales' sound are the guitar and drums - the latter, I discovered at their show, had been done in a studio (perhaps on a computer). Most of the burden of guitar is carried gracefully by lead singer, Lauren Morgan, who layers guitar solos atop a voice salted with a pinch of rasp. I have to guess that Justin Shih - adding virtually no vocals but rhythm guitar - creates samples (whose complexity belies a depth of understanding of both beats and the tools that create them). Heard on Spotify, the band sounds as if comprised of at least three members; standing before them, I was pleasantly surprised to see it was just the two of them, on stage strumming and singing. Sales hails from Orlando, FL. 

Sales - Jamz

Sales - Jamz

Frankie Cosmos - Young

Frankie Cosmos had me at 10sec in. Their ear for the simple and idealistic helps them capture a sound reminiscent of summer vacation, that reckless phenomenon of youth. However they may have formed the band, I like imagine this band began in a room strewn with clothes, posters and recording gear, a few friends and co-conspirators collaborating, up to no good.

Band's page

Greta Kline