RS #393: M.I.A., Kala

#393

M.I.A., Kala

Release Date: 2007 Previously Owned: No First Time Listen: Yes
"M.I.A., Kala" by Source. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia.
Impressions: Intriguing hip-hop British/Indian multicultural mash up. Opening songs like "Bamboo Banga" are fragmented, percussive, cool but can get a bit numbing, "Jimmy"opens up into a disco cover. "Hussel" sounds of 2007 with big throwback keyboards and tribal drums, yet still unique. Sometime M.I.A.'s rapping veers dangerously close toward Debbie Harry "Rapture" style, but generally she gets by pretty … Continue Reading ››

RS #394: Randy Newman, Good Old Boys

#394

Randy Newman, Good Old Boys

Release Date: 1974 Previously Owned: No First Time Listen: Yes
"Randy Newman, Good Old Boys" by Source. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia.
Impressions: Woah, Mr. Newman comes out firing with "Rednecks.," which sports some quite provocative lyrics about institutional racism over a jaunty country/rag. Seems to be that was his '70s modus operandi. Odd to think a guy who'd sing stuff like "we don't know our ass from a hole in the ground/we're rednecks!/We're keepin … Continue Reading ››