Tag Archives: album artwork

Kanye West finally releases new album, but it’s a Tidal-exclusive (for now)

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At last, Kanye West has dropped his seventh studio album, now officially titled The Life of Pablo. Originally, it went by So Help Me God, and then it turned into Swish, and then Waves. Moving on! The album was first previewed to the public at Madison Square Garden last week where ‘Ye hosted a massive gathering to also show off his Yeezy Season 3 fashion line. The plan was to drop TLOP on Friday, Feb. 12, but due to production delays, he ended up formally announcing its availability following his two live performances on SNL. Interestingly, the album does not include previously released tracks such as “Only One,” “FourFiveSeconds,” and “All Day.” Of the 18 total tracks, fans will instantly recognize these four: “Real Friends,” “Wolves,” “No More Parties in LA,” and “Facts.” Production and vocals on the final versions of these songs, mind you, were tweaked from their original incarnations, so you might want to hold onto both versions in your collection. Eye the album’s questionable artwork after the break.

And now for some sour news for Kanye fans all over. On SNL, West told fans to head to Tidal to stream The Life of Pablo. News came out that the album would be a Tidal-exclusive during its initial launch period of about a week or so. Turns out that window will go on indefinitely. The meddling rapper has been ranting on Twitter lately, and a tweet that stuck many fans (myself included) right in heart reads, “My album will never never never be on Apple. And it will never be for sale… You can only get it on Tidal.” This very well may be a marketing ploy to get his fanbase to sign up for Tidal subscriptions, and TLOP may still be on track for a regular major release across the other music streaming services. But this stings. If Kanye indeed has this power over his label, he is doing a massive disservice to his fans who don’t subscribe to Tidal and instead rely on iTunes/Amazon/Google or even the collection of physical copies of CDs. As a longtime fan and supporter of West’s contributions to music and the rap scene, I am incredibly displeased with all of this. Not cool.

Among his many recent Twitter rants, Kanye is pleading Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and other wealthy individuals to give him money so he can live out his creative dreams. Hey Kanye: If you released your new album on more than one platform you’d make yourself some more money! According to TorrentFreak, “an estimated 500,000 people” have illegally downloaded a copy of TLOP on torrent sites like BitTorrent and The Pirate Bay. Of course, illegal sharing and downloading of albums, movies, etc. is a normal occurrence these days, but I think it’s safe to say that ‘Ye could have curbed this astronomical number by selling his album on the industry’s most popular platforms like iTunes. Here’s to hoping he comes to his senses, or his label strong-arms him into sharing his latest work (which has been receiving solid reviews) with the rest of us.

Update (2/17): Kanye’s uploaded the album’s credits on his website; big talents like Kendrick Lamar, Kid Cudi, Rihanna, and The Weeknd can be spotted. Unfortunately, there’s no update on TLOP extending its reach beyond Tidal. For now, make due with Stephen Colbert’s scathing review of the rapper’s recent tweetstorm. Continue reading Kanye West finally releases new album, but it’s a Tidal-exclusive (for now) →

Kid Cudi drops his next genre-busting effort, ‘Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven’

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The sixth studio album from Kid Cudi, Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven, has finally arrived. Like WZRD (2012), Indicud (2013), and Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon (2014) before it, SB2H continues to defy the musical boundaries Cudder successfully defined for himself early in his career with the Man on the Moon records. Cudi doesn’t consider himself a hip-hop or rap artist but instead an “alternative” one. SB2H emanates alt-grunge-rock vibes with emphasis on guitar strings, not electronic beats. “I’ve ripped my heart out and carved it into tiny pieces of musical madness,” Cudi has previously said about his latest effort. And it’s true: SB2H is an emotional record that drives into the depths of the experimental rapper-turned-rocker.

The 26-track album is split into an A-side and B-side. The first half features singles including “Confused!,” “Judgemental Cunt,” and “Wedding Tux.” Sprinkled throughout are skits featuring Beavis & Butt-Head voiced by the cartoon’s creator Mike Judge; Cudi enlisted Judge to record the new bits in-studio and how cool is that? The B-side includes eight tracks, half of which are demo recordings. Longtime Cudi fans will take solace in the fact that SB2H welcomes back Cudi’s Man on the Moon producing partner Plain Pat behind-the-scenes.

Wondering about Cudi’s tour plans? He was expected to kick things off this month, but due to production issues he’s postponing until “the top of next year.” Our consolation prize? The release of a third single, “Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven,” side-A’s penultimate track produced by Cudi and Plain Pat.

Dig Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven‘s album artwork above, plug in your headphones, and rock out to dat new-new Kid Cudi via iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, or Google. Holding out for the physical CD? Cudi promises that’ll release Dec. 18, and you can preorder it today at Amazon. Also coming soon: vinyl and a “special limited run of cassette tapes.” Rad.

Coldplay announces seventh studio album ‘A Head Full of Dreams’ & releases lead single–listen here

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Coldplay has emerged from the studio with a major announcement. Their seventh album, A Head Full of Dreams, drops December 4. Not only that, the ubiquitous British band has released the lead single, “Adventure of a Lifetime,” and it previews the fun-loving, positive ball of energy nature that frontman Chris Martin promises the album will deliver. “We just wanted to make this big, colorful, joyful thing called A Head Full of Dreams,” he told SiriusXM this week. You can listen to new track after the break, and stream it on Spotify and download it on iTunes.

A Head Full Of Dreams consists of 11 tracks (12 if you include the hidden track “X Marks the Spot”) and it will feature a handful of special guests including Beyoncé, Noel Gallagher (of Oasis), Tove Lo, and Merry Clayton. Norwegian duo Stargate and frequent Coldplay collaborator Rik Simpson helped produce the new album which was recorded on both sides of the pond in Malibu and London. Though the band didn’t tour their last release, Ghost Stories, Martin and company promise an exciting world tour is in the works for this latest release.

For Coldplay fans, album #7 may be the last collection of new material from the band for awhile. Last year, Martin let slip to then-BBC Radio 1’s Zane Lowe that A Head Full of Dreams may very well be Coldplay’s final hurrah. “It’s our seventh thing, and the way we look at it, it’s like the last Harry Potter book or something like that,” he said. “Not to say that there might not be another thing one day, but this is the completion of something.” Sounds to me like they might take an extended hiatus between 7 and 8, rather than dismantling the band for good. Especially if you listen to Martin’s more recent radio interview, it’s apparent that all the bandmates are in a good place and are very grateful for having lasted this long together. I’d be shocked if this was the end, that’s all I’m saying.

Regardless! Play the new single below the fold and preorder the album today. Come Dec. 4, we’ll all have fresh ethereal, feel-good music from the ever-evolving Coldplay. Eye the album artwork and track list below the fold. Continue reading Coldplay announces seventh studio album ‘A Head Full of Dreams’ & releases lead single–listen here →

Kanye West announces new album title, artwork & single “All Day”

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This week Kanye West made a few major announcements regarding his upcoming seventh studio album: it’s got a title, new single, and fresh album artwork. Ye’s next collection of music is collectively called So Help Me God and it will ship with previously released tracks “Only One” (Featuring Paul McCartney) and “Wolves” (Featuring Sia and Vic Mensa). Sources say the Rihanna-led “Four Five Seconds” is exclusively bound for the Barbadian singer’s next record.

As for Ye’s third single off So Help Me God, it’s called “All Day” and he debuted it live at the BRIT Awards last week. Today, he released a studio version on iTunes; preview it above. If you’ve been missing Ye going hard, “All Day” is the answer to your prayers. The rapper spits lyrics on top of an infectious beat, and he’s assisted by Trinidadian-born alt-hip-hop artist Theophilus London, Canadian rising rapper Allan Kingdom, and yes, Sir Paul McCartney rounds the track out with some whistling. Rolling Stone reports McCartney’s contribution, and they astutely speculate that the whistling was actually plucked from a song the Beatle shared in 1969.

Lastly, scroll up to eyeball the stylistic album artwork for So Help Me God. Four lower-case m’s connect to form a diamond shape. Redditors say it’s representative of a 13th century monastic symbol for the Virgin Mary, but I don’t buy it until Kanye says otherwise.

When can we expect the album to drop in full? West recently sat down with Power 105.1 and he claimed that it’s 80% complete. And even when it is ready, a hard release date will not be announced. Following in the footsteps of Queen Bey and Drake, Ye plans on surprising his fans by dropping his next studio album without any notice.

If you consider yourself to be a major Kanye fan, or if you’re simply interesting in exploring the controversial rapper’s mind, I highly recommend you listen to the aforementioned interview in full, here. In it, he discusses everything from his award show interruptions to his design aspirations. When asked to describe his upcoming album, he said this: “My last album [Yeezus] was a protest of music…This album is about embracing the music and embracing joy and being of joy and being of service to the people. I just hope people like it and enjoy it.”

[Stream via 2DopeBoyz]

Kanye West drops ‘Yeezus’ on Tuesday, exalts his achievements in NYT interview

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This Tuesday Kanye West releases his sixth studio album Yeezus. Pictured above is what the physical album will look like in stores. Its minimalist design features no album album artwork, only a transparent jewel case with some red tape. There is no link from iTunes or Amazon to preorder the album. It drops June 18 and that’s the day you can snag it. ‘Ye hasn’t done much in terms of promoting the album in the traditional sense. He performed on SNL and after that he projected images and sound on buildings around the world for fans to flock to and discover his new sound.

The most hype is emitting from a recent interview he conducted with The New York Times. In it ‘Ye opens up about his past mistakes, his problem with the Grammys, the inspiration behind previous albums 808s & Heartbreak and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, parenthood (his girlfriend Kim Kardashian gave birth to their daughter days after the interview posted), fashion, and more. Expectedly, Kanye stroked his ego more than once throughout the back-and-forth describing himself as “the Michael Jordan of music” and saying about his career “I knew I was going to make it this far; I knew that this was going to happen.” He also calls himself the “Steve [Jobs] of Internet, downtown, fashion, culture.” And he concluded the interview with this:

I think that’s a responsibility that I have, to push possibilities, to show people: “This is the level that things could be at.” So when you get something that has the name Kanye West on it, it’s supposed to be pushing the furthest possibilities. I will be the leader of a company that ends up being worth billions of dollars, because I got the answers. I understand culture. I am the nucleus.

It’s a must-read for fans of the undoubtedly talented artist who has certainly evolved in many ways since his 2004 debut The College Dropout. Read the interview in full here.

Now what can you expect from Yeezus? The Times‘ Jon Caramanica describes it as “a turn away from [Kanye’s] reliable maximalism to something more urgent and visceral.” He describes the songs as “becoming more skeletal and ferocious.” He goes on to say, “The music of Yeezus — spare, direct and throbbing — is, effectively, a palate cleanser after years of overexertion, backing up lyrics that are among the most serrated and provocative of his career.”

And even Mr. West, who thinks of himself as a “black new wave artist,” shared some of his influences: “It’s like trap and drill and house. I knew that I wanted to have a deep Chicago influence on this album, and I would listen to like, old Chicago house. I think that even “Black Skinhead” could border on house, “On Sight” sounds like acid house, and then “I Am a God” obviously sounds, like, super house.”

After the break, a brief clip of Kanye rapping new track “I Am A God” on headphones with an appearance by collaborator Rick Rubin. Under that, a short film inspired by the movie American Psycho starring Kourtney Kardashian’s boyfriend Scott Disick (who actually really does resemble the movie’s star Christian Bale) and Kim’s friend Jonathan Cheban in the role orignially made famous by Jared Leto.

Update (6/17): Yeezus is now available for digital download at kanyewest.com & iTunes, and you can purchase a physical copy at Amazon.

Update 2 (6/25): Yeezus debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 327,000 copies in its first week. For more stats surrounding Kanye’s latest release, head over to Billboard.com. Continue reading Kanye West drops ‘Yeezus’ on Tuesday, exalts his achievements in NYT interview →

Daft Punk readying new album ‘Random Access Memories’ (hear snippet here)

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Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, better known by their stage name Daft Punk, are hard at work on their followup album to 2005’s Human After All. True, they worked on the soundtrack for 2010’s Tron: Legacy, but this new collection of tracks marks the fourth studio album release for the French electronic music duo. The name of their next album is Random Access Memories (I love it) and it will include 13 new tracks, one of which was teased in a commercial break during a recent episode of SNL. Take a listen to the 15 second snippet above.

Random Access Memories is out May 17 and it’s up for preorder at iTunes today ($11.99). Visit the Columbia-signed artists website to preorder a physical copy of the CD ($12.98) or the vinyl ($39.98) which includes a digital album download code, an LP size booklet, and a 180 gram double vinyl gatefold. Check out the official album artwork after the break.

Come on, people; it’s time make it get funky. Continue reading Daft Punk readying new album ‘Random Access Memories’ (hear snippet here) →

Hit-Boy shares “Old School Caddy” (featuring Kid Cudi) ahead of album release [Update: ‘HITstory’ out now]

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G.O.O.D. Music member Hit-Boy is best known for wearing his producer hat; he’s collaborated with Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and A$AP Rocky to design the beats behind “Christmas in Harlem,” N****s in Paris,” “Drop the World,” and “Goldie.” But now he’s ready to step into the spotlight and become a solo artist, his own rapper. Earlier this summer he dropped his first single “Jay-Z Interview” and left the producing to Bink!; it blew up on Twitter as he quickly made a name for himself as a solo rapper in the hip-hop community. This week he shared a new track “Old School Caddy,” and for this one he jumped behind the boards to produce. He is joined by fellow G.O.O.D. Music signee Kid Cudi in the laid back rap that’s spit in front of a smooth-as-butter beat. Listen above. (This release was teased with a 30-second clip featuring Hit-Boy and Cudi, so a full-fledged music video may be coming soon.)

All of this comes ahead of HITstory, the producer-turned-rapper’s first album that’s expected to release August 7. “This album is for the sophisticated ear,” tweets 25-year-old Hit-Boy. Check back here next week for a link to download the free album.

Update (8/7): HITstory is out today. Hit-Boy’s first release contains 11 tracks and guest appearances from Big Sean, Kid Cudi, Chip tha Ripper, Bun B, John Legend, and Stacy Barthe. Download it for free here. Snag the cover art and back tracklisting after the break. Continue reading Hit-Boy shares “Old School Caddy” (featuring Kid Cudi) ahead of album release [Update: ‘HITstory’ out now] →