Can You Judge a Song By Its Cover?
Previously, I posted a list of my favorite “guilty pleasure” songs. Today, I want to talk about covers. Sometimes they’re good; other times… not so much. Some are more popular than the originals. Then there are some songs, like Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” that are so great they get covered over and over.
Get familiar with Jazmine Sullivan
When it comes to the current state of rhythm & blues, the two names most people mention are Beyoncé and Rihanna. Both of whom I love, but there are a lot of other Black women out there making great music. One in particular is Jazmine Sullivan. I first heard Sullivan’s music when I saw the music video for her debut single “Need U Bad” on BET (back when they actually played music videos). She immediately captivated me with her voice.
Sing!
Singing with your child is a wonderful bonding experience. Did you know it also helps them get ready to read?
Donald Glover, the Triple Threat
Recently, actor Donald Glover won two Golden Globes for his new TV show Atlanta, which is one of my favorite TV shows that debuted last fall. Glover is a man of many talents. In addition to acting, he’s also a rapper and goes by the moniker, Childish Gambino. Back in December, Glover released his third album called Awaken, My Love. This album is vastly different from his previous albums, Camp and Because The Internet. Glover is known primarily as a rapper who sometimes sings but on this album he doesn’t rap at all. It was a surprising change, but it works.
Whispers of a Good Friend
This past Christmas, the world lost George Michael, which capped off the list of great musicians who left this Earth in 2016. As a kid, I grew up listening to George Michael because my father is a fan of him. I heard “Father Figure,” “One More Try” and “Praying For Time” a lot over the years. I know that Michael had his share of personal issues, but I don’t want to focus on that. I want to focus on his music and how it made me feel.
Gotta Have Faith
“Wham!” said the headline, “star George Michael dies.” And that’s how I read it. If you pretend for a moment that Wham! isn’t the name of a band, the statement … Continued
Eleventh Stack’s Best of 2016
Well, it’s been quite a year. Many of us have suffered great losses, from family members and friends to celebrity muses like David Bowie and Prince. But we’ve also been gifted with wonderful new art in the form of books, films and music. Here’s a brief roundup of the Eleventh Stack Team’s favorites from 2016.
4 Your Earz Only
Rapper J.Cole is back with a new album. His fourth studio album 4 Your Eyez Only was released a week ago. It follows up his critically acclaimed third album 2014 Forest Hills Drive. That album is my favorite from him, though I did enjoy this new album. Cole has always been known as a storyteller, and I always enjoyed his music because most of it is relatable to 20-somethings like myself.
Innovation Week: What’s a Synthesizer?
Good news for lovers of electronic music: starting in mid-January, library users will be able to check out a number of music gadgets from the Music, Film & Audio Department at CLP – Main. Included in this new pilot collection will be synthesizers (both analog and digital), effects pedals, sequencers, portable recording devices and more. Our ultimate goal is to lower barriers to musical exploration by placing electronic music gadgets and gear into the hands of anyone who would like to innovate, create, invent and learn.
Holiday Music from eCLP
It can be a drag trying to find music to spice up your holiday party or family gathering. So many compilations seem like they have either been overdone or don’t … Continued