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jmsn | jmsn | the blue album

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jmsn | jmsn | the blue album

 
Detroit-birthed, LA-based producer and singer-songwriter JMSN hangs his proverbial hat astutely on gravitas: Mr. Berishaj respects the legacy of what Soul music is and ought to be. What else can one say? And with his debut tour de force The Blue Album, well, it awaits in the green room for an introduction. And yes, you’ll become very well acquainted.

This one has a mind of it’s own. It will push up on you like aggressive honeyed kisses, leaving bruises in all the right places and your breath will be nowhere to be found. But the erogenous zones it is most adept at satisfying are the yearning curlicues of your ears. And, as we all know the ears are the windows to the soulverse. Yep, I said it. So, Whatever you do don’t you dare sleep on this one. Trust. Peace. Continue reading “jmsn | jmsn | the blue album”

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nathan k. | methodist girls

You won’t get to third base with these songs unless you’ve lived life, not unafraid, but unafraid to live.

 
A few hours ago my friend Nathan emailed to me gifts. Gifts of new music are always welcome around here (Thanks Mr. K). And as I ride eastward from Chicago aboard a bustling Amtrak train towards East Lansing Nathan’s latest release Methodist Girls is the perfect traveling companion.

Methodist Girls opens with Sloppy Love. For me this doleful beauty elicits a poignant depiction of our human hearts. How emotions get jostled from lover to lover. Eventually we grow jaded, lovelorn and even cynical. But we plod on hoping and searching for love, and at times we find it no matter how fleeting or lopsided. Continue reading “nathan k. | methodist girls”

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protomartyr | come & see


 
Protomartyr is more than a Detroit-based band. This is a band which embodies all the good and bad of a troubled city on the cusp of deliverance or economic irrelevancy. Their songs are raw and a bit schizophrenic to the opposite of anything resembling a fault. Yet, there exists beauty of an austere sort of nature. This is post-punk angst revitalized and resurrected from obscurity. Frontman Joe Casey’s dry ice vocals set the tone for the achingly raucous songs which occupy their forthcoming album Under Color of Official Right via Hardly Art Records. These are fast paced odes of pain wrapped with dirty bandages, and the fact that they don’t heal right only lends authenticity of character to an album that is an apt catharsis for despair. This album is an up-all-nighter for damn sure. Look for Under Color of Official Right to drop April 8th. Peace. Continue reading “protomartyr | come & see”

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things we like: tracing skylines

Tracing Skylines.

 
Tracing Skylines is a mini-documentary showcasing off the beaten path adventures of five professional skiers and their respective journeys to find interesting and challenging locals to plow powder.

Watch Sean Pettit rediscovering his home turf in British Columbia. Logan Pehota gets dropped into remote Alaska and uses a lighthouse as a home base, there he launches a helicopter expedition and finds fresh terrain to attack. Continue reading “things we like: tracing skylines”

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the st. jerome’s laneway festival detroit 2013

The end of Summer can’t get here soon enough!

My head is literally spinning. No, not from overindulgence of the mind altering sort. But, from the total euphoria which comes from good news. The year is 2013 and what a year it will be. This the inaugural year of the St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival Detroit. Yeah, Detroit! Like right down the street from me. I’m excited. The Motor City is finally getting it’s groove back, and with an international music line-up it’s sure to be one of the nation’s premiere music venues to take in this summer. Laneway Festival Detroit takes place on Sept. 14th at Meadow Brook Music Festival in Rochester Hills, Mich. Ticket info HERE. After the jump, check out one of the highlights that’ll be bringin’ it this year. Peace. Continue reading “the st. jerome’s laneway festival detroit 2013”

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Black Milk and Danny Brown // Black And Brown EP

What you get when you conjoin nasty beats by Black Milk with gorgeously pornographic lyrics by Danny Brown? Well, you get a pretty good time vibing out not really giving two good GOTDAMNS! But that’s just me spouting off about my Detroit homies.  But you really can’t blame me ’cause the EP is just that dope! So, if you’re the type to get your head into raps alternate universe madman on the mic then give this a few spins on Ouija board planchette. Although this joint dropped back in November via Fat Beats Records. But, don’t use tardiness as an excuse not to wild tha fuck out. Peace. Continue reading “Black Milk and Danny Brown // Black And Brown EP”

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Scolla // Tell Me If You Down



“When love is not madness, it is not love.” — Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Yes, it is Week 5 of The ScollasWebTour Series and someone is in a romantic mood (You?). And with the young up and coming Detroit R&B crooner Scolla playing softly in the background the energy is pure seduction. But this isn’t puppy love nor is it trite infatuation. This is a bonafide grown-ups scenario. You know, where a man has been checking out a woman (or vice versa) and decides it’s the perfect time make a move. Words will be spoken, digits will be exchanged, and time will be spent lavishly. In the end, if all goes well, some slow and smouldering lovemaking will ensue. And it’s no coincidence that this song drops just in time for Valentine’s Day (Mark your calendar Bro), so make your next move your best move: clean up the crib, get some new sheets, purchase some new cologne (I suggest Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight in Paris), make reservations at no less than a 3 star restaurant, and most importantly, introduce your would-be lover to the wet and warm vocals of Scolla. Peace. Continue reading “Scolla // Tell Me If You Down”

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Scolla – Even & Odds (Ft. Quest // D. Julien

Don’t write off Detroit and more importantly one wouldn’t be wise to take its native son Scolla lightly. There is an old mantra, “Work hard. Play Harder.” But in the case of Scolla and what he has accomplished it would seem as if he has changed the mantra into, “Work Hard. Work Harder!” No question Scolla is on a come up and he’s bringing cats with him. On the J. Parker produced Even & Odds track we have more than able-bodied riders in Floridian emcee, Quest and Brooklyn’s own D. Julien to lace this one up with raw truth and beauty galore. And check the Swag bag for your free Even & Odds download via HulkShare or Mediafire. Scolla is finishing up his currently untitled R&B EP so stay tuned I’ll keep you posted. Peace. Continue reading “Scolla – Even & Odds (Ft. Quest // D. Julien”