Posts Tagged ‘Kanye West’
Jay-Z’s War On Auto-Tune
Despite delayed release dates and his split from Def Jam, one upside to HOVA’s much-anticipated Blueprint 3 (follow-up to Blueprints 1 and 2) is that the album promises to be free of Auto-Tune–the software responsible for T-Pain and Paris Hilton’s musical careers. Kanye West, one of the album’s many producers, told MTV News, “We actually removed all the songs with Auto-Tune off of his album to make the point that this is an anti-Auto-Tune album, even though I released an album that has all Auto-Tune.”
Chester French’s Love the Future: Apathetic Pop With a Brit-Invasion Complex
It was hard to cop a buzz from most of the northeast collegiate bands in the early oughts; the music was by and large unexceptional, and most of the musicians spent as much time in front of an easel—or wrapped around a bong—as they did practicing. But then there were the rumors coming out of Harvard: the college’s most convincing band had a retro, jammy thing going on; they performed cheeky pop songs while wearing Bermuda tuxedos; their lead guitarist had a Trey-worthy tone but played with his back to the audience, Miles Davis-style, too aloof or too shy to give a proper rock ‘n’ roll performance.
A year later, I saw Chester French play a stuffed, sweaty Harvard venue known as the Fishbowl, and the guitarist had transformed. He gamboled about the stage, wagging his tongue at the audience and coining a curious update of the Chuck Berry duck-walk. Shredded, too. Their songs were generally OK, their stage presence above average, their ODB cover insolently upper-crust and a total slam-dunk.
The bow-tie, white-boy hooks were enough to catch the attention of rhythmic prepster Kanye West, who called during the spring of their senior year to offer them a record deal. Smart-alecks that they were, they turned him down, opting to become the first white guys ever produced by Pharrell Williams. Two years in L.A. and one trendily short-lived debutante marriage ensued (that shy freshman guitarist? He grew up fast!). And now we have Love the Future, the first full-length from the two remaining members of the undergrad lineup.
Read More “Chester French’s Love the Future: Apathetic Pop With a Brit-Invasion Complex” »
Interview: Benjy Ferree
Don’t call Benjy Ferree’s latest release, Come Back to the Five and Dime, Bobby Dee, Bobby Dee, a concept album. A tribute to Bobby Driscoll (the child actor who inspired Disney’s animated Peter Pan) Ferree’s new album celebrates life, reflects on death, and creates a brilliant sophomore LP in the process.
Black Plastic Bag had a chance to talk to Ferree (now touring) before he returns to D.C. this Saturday, Feb. 28, for his record release show at the Black Cat.
Death Cab vs. Kanye
Why were Ben Gibbard and his fellow Death Cabbers donning electric blue ribbons on their lapels at Sunday’s Grammy Awards? To launch a campaign against Kanye West’s darling studio trick, of course.
