morning babble / Friday 11-22-24
DISCLAIMER:
This is the scribble that leads to the babble.
Sometimes, it gets tidied up; other times, not so much.
When all else fails: there’s video!
(“King Kunta” Song)
At this musical time of year – the end – when everything “new” appears to be live, greatest hits, reissue, or Christmas . . . thankfully, we have Kendrick Lamar.
(“King Kunta” Song)
(Morning Babble Intro)
Happy Weekend! Today is a day where you’re getting the new music before the new music (Friday clip) I had everything written and ready to go. Then, Kendrick Lamar dropped a 12 song project titled: GNX. So what did I do? Jumped in my car with no where to go and drove around listening to it. (clip) It’s really good. I’m still trying to get a feel for it but as with any Kendrick album or just a song – there are many layers to it (“Not Like Us” clip) Just days ago, there were rumors of Miss Taylor Swift being on this album (“Bad Blood”) but she’s not. One of her best buds though – Jack Antonoff of the Bleachers has a producer line credit for every track except for the “Peekaboo” song (clip) So, Taylor Swift rumors were wrong, but you do get SZA on a couple of the tracks like this one – “Gloria” (clip) After listening a couple rounds to the album, track 2 jumped out to me – called “Squabble Up” (clip) By the way, on track #1, Kendrick does address the feud with Drake as well as the disappointment that Lil Wayne expressed at not receiving Super Bowl Halftime honors (clip). That’s going to be an interesting time in New Orleans for that Super Bowl Halftime show from yes . . . Kendrick Lamar
(Countdown Video)
New Music Friday:
Again the new Kendrick Lamar album is called GNX – I think I only added the 4 that I talked about to this list.
I put together a Spotify playlist of the songs that I talked about and thought about today for New Music Friday. Click here for that!
- This is the album that I was initially the most excited to hear. (“Mahashmashana” clip) Title track there. I wasn’t too excited about saying the album’s name though: Mahashmashana – that’s a mouthful (clip) I actually heard this album last month during a Father John Misty Spotify Listening Party. It was great! Josh Tillman aka Father John Misty DJ’d the entire new album (clip) That song there is the one being pushed on Spotify called “Josh Tillman and the Accidental Dose.” Now this album has over 50 minutes of new music, but only has 8 songs – they’re long. Don’t worry – they’ll edit some down for the radio airwaves. (clip) Just a clip there of an 8 minute song called “I Guess Time Makes Fools of Us All”. It was actually the 1st release for this album – which is rumored to be the final one as “Father John Misty”. Just reporting on what I hear whispers of. (clip) By far, that’s my favorite song so far has got to be “She Cleans Up” which he himself made fun of how there was a Black Keys vibe to it (clip)
- In November 20-19, Michael Kiwanuka (key – wa – new-ka) released his third album titled Kiwanuka (clip) The end of 2019 felt like the edge of the world. Decade coming to an end, Pandemic right around the corner. That album feels like ages ago. Today, we have his 4th album: Small Changes (“Small Changes” clip) Title track there. But the first song released off this album was back in July called “Floating Parade.” (clip) I was reading a review and thoroughly enjoyed this explanation of the album- “it replenishes your being like the aroma of a freshly boiled pot of coffee on a Sunday morning.” via Arun Starkey of Far Out Magazine. All in on listening to that Sunday morning and everyday with some fresh java. Here’s the newest song being pushed – “One and Only” (clip)
- Several quick hits of new music: A release date has been announced for Mac Miller’s unreleased album called Balloonerism – bring on 2025. Album drops on January 17th – the same date that his Circles album was released // I held up this album last week talking about switching lead singers – this is The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis – it was the last album that featured Peter Gabriel on lead vocals. Well, it turned 50 and there’s a The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition coming out next year on March 28th // Wicked – part 1 – is in theatres now. Wicked – part 2 – next year at this time. We do get a soundtrack of course. Lots of Arianna Grande // After being away from the music for over a decade, Clay Aiken has his first studio project called: Christmas Bells Are Ringing. Bunch of classics, the Paul McCartney song “Wonderful Christmastime”, a rendition of “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. I’m going with my favorite Christmas song and see what he does with it (clip)
Thank you to Spotify, Rolling Stone, Apple Music, uDiscoverMusic, Pigeons & Planes, Pitchfork, Louder, Spill Magazine, Dan Deluca of the Philly Inquirer & I know there’s more.
Be sure to check out the playlist on Spotify. As I mentioned in the beginning, it’s a playlist of songs that I’ve talked about and thought about: so, you’ll see some new music there from Lil Nas X, Black Pumas – new live album (clip) Wilco, and anything that I really messed up and missed – well, that’s why I’ll be doing Missed Music Monday on Monday.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“The message I’m sending to myself – I can’t change the world until I change myself first.” – by Kendrick Lamar