Pick Of The Week: New
Blur, Parklive
When Blur played London’s Hyde Park earlier this year, the buzz was that it was the group’s final show ever. While that assertion turned out to not actually be true, it scared some fans enough to make them fly in for the show, which probably wasn’t a bad decision, considering how good it supposedly was. Now non-travelers can revel in the joy that is live Blur with Parklive, a five-disc set of both the Hyde Park show and a show recorded at London’s 100 Club around that same time. The whole thing comes packaged in a hardcover book with exclusive photos. Buy it now to listen to when the band actually does call it quits.
Do Not Break The Seal:
Chief Keef, Finally Rich
A whole bunch of long-delayed hip-hop records are getting dumped on the public this week, and Chief Keef’s Finally Rich is arguably the most anticipated among them. The 17-year-old Chicago rapper has gotten famous this year by being a fuck-up. First, he ran his mouth on his big, bratty hit “I Don’t Like,” and later he made headlines by holding a gun during a video shoot while on probation. All that noise doesn’t mean the kid’s much of a rapper, though, and while people like 50 Cent and Wiz Khalifa seem to be on Team Keef, that doesn’t mean the rest of the world should buy his record and encourage him. After all, He’s rich already, right?
What Else?
Jenni Rivera, La Misma Gran Señora
The recent death of Banda singer and reality TV star Jenni Rivera has introduced her music to a whole new audience. That’s a bittersweet notion, but could prove to be a boon for the record company that’s rushing her final original album out. The title track, “La Misma Gran Señora,” is a triumphant break-up anthem inspired by Rivera’s recent divorce from baseball player Esteban Loaiza.
T.I., Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head
T.I. just got out of prison in August 2011, but that hasn’t stopped him from recording 120 different tracks, the best 16 of which he’s made into Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head. Guests on the record include R. Kelly, André 3000, Lil Wayne, and Pink. Given Chief Keef’s recent troubles, the drawing of him holding a gun on the cover probably isn’t the best idea.
The-Dream, Terius Nash: 1977
First released digitally over a year ago, Terius Nash: 1977 is only coming out on CD now because The-Dream says his fans demanded it. The record is a dark turn from The-Dream, who wrote it while was going through a divorce from singer Christina Milian.
Tiga, Non Stop
Tiga’s first official mixtape in five years, Non Stop finds the Canadian electronic musician blending tracks from a diverse mix of musicians including Panda Bear, AFX, and Factory Floor. The 28-track mix also features “Plush,” an exclusive track Tiga produced with Matthew Dear.