Editor’s Picks: Celebrating Black History Month

Here we are, smack in the middle of February– Black History Month in the US– still reeling from the loss of Whitney Houston, one of the 20th Century’s greatest voices. Her performances were spellbinding, her voice utterly pitch-perfect, even heavenly– yet somehow human, down-to-earth in its yearning.

So we thought it important to begin with Houston’s self-titled debut. The whole release is a classic, but tracks like “Someone For Me”, “How Will I Know”, “You Give Good Love”, and “Saving All My Love For You” are impeccably smooth pop-R&B tunes that have solidly stood the test of time.

We’ve rounded up a selection of more black music from the US: from the early blues like Skip James on Hard Time Killin’ Floor, and Muddy Waters on Fathers and Sons, to the jazz and blues vocal stylings of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong on Ella and Louis Forever, all the way up through the groovy, richly produced ’70s soul of Curtis Mayfield, on Curtis!– with its major hit “Move On Up”– and Bill Withers, on Still Bill, featuring the still hard-to-beat three-up of “Who Is He (And What Is He To You?)”, “Use Me”, and “Lean On Me”.

Moving into the ’80s, with the rise of hip-hop in mind, we didn’t forget to include Afrikaa Bambaataa‘s Looking for the Perfect Beat, featuring the all-time party faves “Planet Rock” and “Renegades of Funk”, and Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five‘s The Message, the title track of which stands as both a hard-hitting street rap and a beautiful electro-funk composition. And in the late-’90s, Erykah Badu‘s Baduizm made a huge splash with the declaration of her sultry neo-soul attitude.

But perhaps the true cornerstone of this collection is the Wattstax soundtrack. In ’73, Stax Records, from Memphis, held a major concert celebration of African-American musical culture in Watts, CA, the black neighborhood in L.A. where massive and tumultuous riots had occurred years before at the peak of the Civil Rights era. The Staple Singers, The Bar-Kays, Richard Pryor, The Emotions, Albert King, Jesse Jackson, and many more all made it to the event, which was captured in both a documentary film and on this amazing album for future generations to appreciate.

Select tracks from all these picks are available on this week’s editorial playlist, so take a listen, enjoy the long President’s Day weekend — and — happy Mardi Gras on Tuesday!

* Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston
* Ella Fitzgerald – Ella and Louis Forever
* Curtis Mayfield – Curtis!
* Various – Wattstax
* Bill Withers – Still Bill
* Afrika Bambaataa – Looking for the Perfect Beat
* Grandmaster Flash – The Message
* Skip James – Hard Time Killin’ Floor
* Muddy Waters – Fathers and Sons
* Erykah Badu – Baduizm

New Release Highlights: 2/15/12

From the sound of it, the gods of pop music gods have decided now’s a good week for definitively contemporary yet undeniably timeless pop. It’s a sound that binds together the singer-songwriters and close-knit acoustic bands of our heartland roots, with the driving rhythms and clean production touches of the slickest pop-rock. So here’s the rundown!

Blue Note’s Amos Lee provides no-frills, down-home folk-rock on As The Crow Flies, with a soulful delivery and songs that show both emotional depth and restraint.

Islands take a turn for the smooth on A Sleep & A Forgetting, an effort that’s studded with indie-pop styles, but stays true to its singular mission of dealing with heartbreak.

On Arrow, Heartless Bastards return with Erika Wennerstrom’s strong, bare vocals at the fore, sporting alt-country songwriting rooted in blues and classic-rock, but with no less plaintive an attitude than on previous records.

The contemporary bluegrass visionaries Punch Brothers offer a new batch of “newgrass” on Who’s Feeling Young Now?, leaving nostalgia for the other guys; they even include a Radiohead cover on the new album.

San Francisco’s Howlin Rain recall the blues and soul-influenced rock of yesteryear, with the growl-ready vocals of an arena rock powerhouse and the sonic touches of true psychedelia on their new record The Russian Wilds.

Produced by The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney, pop duo and real-life couple Tennis elevate their brand of accessible, modest, and (mostly) light-hearted pop to a more mature level on Young & Old.

The vocal performance of Shearwater‘s Jonathan Meiburg is sure to keep Animal Joy on the lips of everyone who hears it this year, a pop-rock record that seems to pitch right up the middle, with incredible focus and clarity.

The songs of Rosie Thomas live up to the title of her new album, With Love, as love’s what they all seem to be about. Thomas’s songs are pretty, catchy, and delightfully led with piano and vocal harmonies.

Check out tracks from these releases and more on this week’s editor-curated New Releases playlist!

New Releases:
* Amos Lee – As The Crow Flies
* Islands – A Sleep & A Forgetting
* Heartless Bastards – Arrow
* Punch Brothers – Who’s Feeling Young Now?
* Howlin Rain – The Russian Wilds
* Tennis – Young & Old
* Shearwater – Animal Joy
* Rosie Thomas – With Love

Suggested Re-issues, Singles, Compilations:
* The Kills – The Last Goodbye – The band’s new single is a strong but gentle ballad, with a Velvet Underground cover on the B-side.
* Barry White – Let The Music Play (Expanded Edition) – Expanded version of Barry White’s indispensable ’76 record, now reissued.
* The Marvelettes – Forever More: The Complete Motown Albums Vol. 2 – The group behind “Please Mr. Postman” get a massive amount of songs reissued on this compilation series.
* Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley – Affairs Of The Heart – Jr. Gong of the royal Marley family aims for heartfelt romance on this new slice of dancehall pop.

Editor’s Picks: The 2012 Grammy Awards

2012′s Grammy Awards are shaping up to be one of the award show’s most fabulous yet, with LL Cool J hosting, and performances from Nicki Minaj, in her second big-time appearance in the last month (on the heels of her appearance in Madonna‘s Super Bowl show), and The Beach Boys (gasp!) who are reuniting for a concert of epic proportions. As for the nominees? Some of these artists really racked ‘em up this year. The Foo Fighters are shooting for six awards, while Cee-Lo Green, Bon Iver, Nicki Minaj, and Radiohead are all gunning for several.

So here are ten records that will make your Grammy pre-show experience that much better! Bon Iver‘s “Holocene”, from the band’s soothing self-titled release, is up for Best Record and Best Song, while Bon Iver is up for Best Artist. Alt-rockers The Foo Fighters are up for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for the “Walk” from Wasting Light, which is up for Best Album right next to Lady Gaga‘s pop sensation Born This Way (also up for Best Pop Vocal Album). Nicki Minaj is nominated for Best New Artist and Best Rap Album for Pink Friday, Cee-Lo Green‘s in the running for Best Pop Vocal Album for The Lady Killer.

Australian electro stars Cut Copy have been nominated for Best Dance/Electronica Album with Zonoscope. Radiohead are also nominated for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for “Lotus Flower” off of The King of Limbs. Alt-country rock outfit Wilco‘s The Whole Love is looking for a Best Rock Album win, and Tinariwen‘s beautiful Tassili is in-line for Best World Music Album.

It’s going to be a great show with tons of hot music from the last year, and huge performances! Remember to check out our editors’ playlist, including tracks from each pick below. Enjoy!

* Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
* Lady Gaga – Born This Way
* Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday
* Cee Lo Green – The Lady Killer
* Cut Copy – Zonoscope
* Wilco – The Whole Love
* Radiohead – The King of Limbs
* Bon Iver – Bon Iver
* Tinariwen – Tassili
* The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds

New Release Highlights: 2/8/12

The week in new music has brought everything from heralded rock reunions and edgy electro-rap releases, to down-home country and lush, rapturous indie songwriting. No big debuts or newcomers to the scene this week, but these tried-and-true artists have a feast of quality new tunes to offer up. So let’s dig in!

Legendary hard-rockers Van Halen reunite with their original singer David Lee Roth after 28 years without him, on A Different Kind of Truth.

Colorado’s The Fray are back with another set of sweet, searching power ballads in an immaculately produced alt-rock vein on Scars & Stories.

Country rocker Dierks Bentley balances sentimentality, songs about the woman on his mind, and revelry on Home.

Dr. Dog are back on Be the Void for more feel-good, head-nodding psychedelic-rock, with touches of ’60s-style pop and a ’90s indie-sensibility.

South Africa’s biggest and most controversial hip-hop stars Die Antwoord deliver some more strong electronic material on Ten$ion, with touches of rave and dub-step laced all throughout their face-melting tracks.

The intelligently composed songs and striking voice of Sharon Von Etten always demand rapt attention, and her new record Tramp is serious alt-rock effort from the heart.

Ben Kweller keeps the pop-rock party going on Go Fly a Kite with a set of catchy, melodic power-pop tunes that come on with a timeless feeling, and youthful energy.

Scotland’s The Twilight Sad channel influences of UK post-punk and shoe-gaze on their new record No One Can Ever Know, and like the band’s name and the album’s title, the material is strong (and dark).

Check out tracks from each of these albums and much, much more on this week’s editor-curated playlist!

New Releases:
* Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth
* The Fray - Scars & Stories
* Dierks Bentley - Home
* Dr. Dog - Be the Void
* Die Antwoord - Ten$ion
* Sharon Van Etten - Tramp
* Ben Kweller - Go Fly a Kite
* The Twilight Sad - No One Can Ever Know

Suggested Re-issues, Singles, Compilations:
* Jack White - Love Interruption - The White Stripes singer/guitarist’s new single recalls his classic-rock roots.
* Alex Chilton – Free Again: The “1970″ Sessions - Big Star frontman Chilton’s recordings from 1970 are unearthed, to the delight of all.
* Goldfrapp – The Singles - The electronic-pop band’s biggest tunes are now packaged together in one convenient place.
* Roberta Flack – Let It Be Roberta – Roberta Flack Sings The Beatles - The soul singer takes on– what else?– classic Beatles songs.

Editor’s Picks: Super Bowl Spectaculars

In honor of next week’s Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, MOG Editorial is featuring 10 great albums by artists who’ve performed some of the most memorable halftime shows at the big game, including Madonna, who’s going to be at this year’s event! It’s always an entertaining production, nearly on-par with the actual match and, of course, the always-hilarious Super Bowl commercials strewn throughout. But the halftime show’s always a feat unto itself, with the stage going up, used by the world’s top stars for a few songs, and then taken down– in just minutes.

Keeping with Madonna’s tradition of performing with younger pop stars to help bridge the generation gap between audiences, and the Super Bowl halftime tradition of stars from different genres singing together, she’s expected to perform her new single “Give Me All Your Luvin’” with M.I.A. and Nicky Minaj, with some on-stage help from the amazingly flexible, flashy, and acrobatic circus artists Cirque du Soleil. But we can’t forget when The Rolling Stones rocked out a few years back with big pyrotechnics and a gigantic unfurling tongue, or when The Blues Brothers and their striking, suit-and-tie-donning backup dancers brought out some serious soul. And who can forget Prince‘s huge silhouette, as it appeared above him while he absolutely shredded the guitar solofrom “Purple Rain”, or when Donna Summer came out in that long, glittering, golden robe?

The albums below are all about that same feeling of great entertainment, so they’ll probably go over well at any Super Bowl party! And remember to check out our editors’ playlist, including tracks from each pick. Take a listen!

* Chubby Checker – All-Time Greatest Hits
* The Rolling Stones – Exile on Main Street
* Diana Ross & The Supremes – The Ultimate Collection
* Michael Jackson – Thriller
* The Temptations – The Ultimate Collection
* Prince – 1999
* U2 – Joshua Tree
* The Blues Brothers – Briefcase Full of Blues
* Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run
* Madonna – Material Girl

New Releases Highlights: 2/2/12

With a nice haul of great new music in this week, here are, without further adieu, some new releases you’ll definitely want on your radar!

Songwriter-sage and trusted, sardonic voice of reflection Leonard Cohen returns with another great collection of tunes this week, on Old Ideas.

Subtly provocative popstress Lana Del Rey drops her well-hyped debut full-length Born To Die, a merging of Americana, soundtrack strings, and cool, contemporary beats.

Ringo Starr is back on the pop radar with a batch of catchy, pleasant songs that manage to hit all the pop bases while still drawing from outside genres, on Ringo Starr.

The new five-track EP More Beautiful Than Silence from hip-hop’s K’naan, featuring Nas and Nelly Furtado, shoots for quality over quantity, and scores, moving slickly between rap and pop.

Brooklyn trio Hospitality follow up last year’s Betty Wang single with a solid new self-titled debut album of affable, sarcastic indie-pop.

Danish party-pop outfit The Asteroid Galaxy Tour keeps it super wild and super fun on Out Of Frequency , showering soul, R&B, funk, and international pop excitement all over the place.

Mike Doughty, previously of Soul Coughing, releases a big two-disc live album of his own songs, with contrastingly sparse instrumentation, and a bit of stage banter on The Question Jar Show.

Favorite dance label DFA let out The 2 Bears from their pen again, with enjoyably smooth yet exhilerating results on Be Strong.

Take a look at our newest singles and comps below, and check out some great tracks from each of these releases on this week’s editor-curated playlist!

New Releases:
* Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
* Lana Del Rey - Born To Die
* Ringo Starr - Ringo Starr
* K’naan - More Beautiful Than Silence
* Hospitality - Hospitality
* Out Of Frequency - The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
* Mike Doughty - The Question Jar Show
* The 2 Bears - Be Strong

Suggested Re-issues, Singles, Compilations:
* MIA - Bad Girls - Her new single is a slice of mid-tempo dance, with welcome Indian influences laced throughout the track.
* Scorpions – Comeblack - Part-comeback album, part-redux of the band’s most popular material, and part-cover album, with a back-end of surprisingly chosen pop covers.
* Future – Magic - New single from Atlanta rapper Future is all about the many things in life that are, like it’s title says, magic.
* Wynton Marsalis – Music Of America: Inventing Jazz - A new compilation of previously-heard Marsalis originals, performed with a variety of other artists.

Editor’s Picks: Post-Punk Pleasures

Just over thirty years ago this week, Manchester’s legendary Joy Division played their first-ever live show; this past week the band was also at the center of the Internet’s biggest meme, thanks to Disney, who used the cover image from the post-punk band’s 1979 debut (below) and kinked it with the Mickey Mouse logo. Disney has since pulled the shirt from the market, but the sense of irony was apparently not lost on post-punkers everywhere, who know Joy Division were finished after two records, upon lead singer Ian Curtis’s grisly suicide, with the other members returning as New Order. Memes aside, the band’s position and influence among bands both popular and independent, and the last decade of retro bands, shouldn’t be understated.

Leading with Joy Division’s debut Unknown Pleasures, MOG Editorial salutes post-punk classics both past and present in this week’s Editor’s Picks. Radical Leeds punk-funkers Gang of Four dropped a sound on Entertainment! that’s often been nicked but never quite replicated, with tight interplay between members and monstrous beats and guitar stabs that really stick you. After The Sex Pistols, lead singer John Lydon (formerly Rotten) joined with bassist Jah Wobble and guitarist Keith Levene from The Clash to fuse their punk energy with outside influences like dub-reggae and German space-rock, and their second album Second Edition comes on bleak and groovy at once.  Post-punk goddesses The Slits took a similar dub-heavy approach to punk on their debut Cut, weaving their rhythms with pumping bass lines, shrill guitar, and pure, naive harmonies. And indie darlings to this day Mission Of Burma continue the ingenius guitar playing and high-energy rock they demonstrated on their first full-length, Vs.

Current bands like Interpol later took more than a few pointers from those bands, and others like Echo & The Bunnymen and Josef K, to form their own form of neo-post-punk, as is found on Turn On The Bright Lights. And the style’s traditions can still be heard within newer, artsier bands like These New Puritans, whose Hidden is among the better records of recent years.

Our editors’ playlist includes tracks from each pick, so take listen!

* Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures
* Gang of Four – Entertainment!
* Public Image Ltd. – Second Edition
* Magazine – Real Life
* Echo & The Bunnymen – Ocean Rain
* Josef K – Entomology
* The Slits – Cut
* Mission of Burma – Vs.
* These New Puritans – Hidden
* Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights

New Releases Highlights: 1/26/12

It’s been the first big week for new releases this year, from nearly every genre. The trend we’re noticing here at MOG? The aim is to please! So here are a dozen exceedingly pleasant new records worth noting:

Cloud Nothings‘ new record Attack On Memory, handled by indie producer-icon Steve Albini, captures a band in the throws of sweaty, straight-ahead ’90s-style pop-punk.

Indelible rockers Nada Surf deliver another batch of shimmering guitar-pop and gazed-out goodies on The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy.

Tim McGraw‘s new collection Emotional Traffic, originally the subject of disagreement between McGraw and his label in 2010, turns out to be smooth, sentimental rock with a retro-country feel.

Young Swedish duo First Aid Kit lend tinges of country and pop to their warm, folky songwriting and close vocal harmonies on The Lion’s Roar.

On Area 52 Rodrigo y Gabriela join with the C.U.B.A. ensemble to expand their style of fast-paced Latin guitar with more flavors of salsa and and dance music.

Country cutie Kellie Pickler proves she packs a serious punch on 100 Proof, her best and sassiest record yet.

Italy’s Lacuna Coil are back with Dark Adrenaline, a collection of metal that comes marbled with catchy choruses and heavy riffs.

Indie pop’s in full effect, too this week as Australian songwriter Gotye‘s brilliant Making Mirrors becomes available in the US.

Check out our re-issues, singles and comps below, and don’t forget to sample some great tracks from each of the releases mentioned here on this week’s editor-curated playlist!

New Releases:
* Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
* Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy
* Tim McGraw - Emotional Traffic
* First Aid Kit - The Lion’s Roar
* Rodrigo y Gabriela - Area 52
* Kellie Pickler - 100 Proof
* Lacuna Coil - Dark Adrenaline
* Gotye - Making Mirrors

Suggested Re-issues, Singles, Compilations:
* The War On Drugs - Come To The City - Classic, anthemic pop-rock with a timeless Americana vibe.
* Arctic Monkeys – Black Treacle - Brit-popper Richard Hawley joins the English band on the B-Side of this guitar-heavy single.
* The Doors - L.A. Woman (40th Anniversary) - Remaster of this classic, bluesy Doors record includes some of the band’s best tracks.
* Various Artists - Chimes Of Freedom: The Songs Of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years Of Amnesty International - Enormous collection of amazing artists from all over, covering a huge variety of Dylan’s songs to benefit Amnesty International.

Editor’s Picks: Blues For Etta & Johnny

With the passing of Etta James and Johnny Otis this week, MOG Editorial, like fans everywhere, have got a case of the Blues. Both were, after all, California heroes to us, and R&B legends to the whole world. Otis was the one who discovered James when she was only fourteen years old in San Francisco. They lived quite different lives, with Otis involving himself in politics and other interests, but they led like-minded, style-defining music careers, and passed away within a week of one another.  It’s also worth noting that both were important figures in bridging the gap between R&B and rock n roll (a bridge we MOGgers love to cross).

If now’s the time for Blues, let’s remember these two in the company of eight other great Blues artists on ten classic albums. Alabama’s own Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section joins James on Tell Mama.  The Capitol Years collects Otis’s richest era of L.A. recordings, including the hit “Willie And The Hand Jive”. Robert Johnson, Elmore James, and John Lee Hooker all keep to the nitty-gritty on King of the Delta Blues, The Sky Is Crying, and The Complete ’50s Chess Recordings, respectively. Howlin’ Wolf‘s unmistakable growl is all over Howlin’ Wolf/Moanin’ in the Moonlight, and lead ladies Bessie Smith and Koko Taylor take up life’s blessings and troubles both on Empress of the Blues and Koko Taylor.

Curious about these albums, and want a sample? Listen to our editors’ Blues For Etta & Johnny playlist and check out tracks from each release.

* Etta James – Tell Mama
* Johnny Otis – The Capitol Years
* Robert Johnson – King of the Delta Blues
* Elmore James – The Sky Is Crying
* John Lee Hooker – The Complete ’50s Chess Recordings
* Bessie Smith – Empress of the Blues
* Buddy Guy – A Man and the Blues
* Skip James – Hard Time Killin’ Floor
* Koko Taylor – Koko Taylor
* Howlin’ Wolf – Howlin’ Wolf/Moanin’ in the Moonlight

New Release Highlights: 1/17/12

Say what you will of winter– dry, wet, chilly, or impossibly cold, it manages to bring out some classy record releases, as is the case this week!

Pop duo The Big Pink return with their second full-length of catchy electro-rock, Future This, sampling Laurie Anderson’s classic leftfield ’80s single “O Superman (For Massenet)” on “Hit The Ground (Superman)”.

Prolific singer-songwriter and all-around righteous bohemian babe Ani DiFranco is back on Which Side Are You On? with a whole queue of legendary guests like Pete Seeger, The Neville Brothers, and guitarist Adam Levy.

Matthew Dear‘s new production the Headcage EP sounds huge as always, with impeccable beats and loud, lush synths, showing that the artist’s still got plenty to explore within his own maturing pop aesthetic.

Minneapolis rockers Howler drop their debut full-length America Give Up, bringing the band’s garagey five-piece sound to the next level with more fuzzy riffs and driving grooves you can rock-out to.

Ottawa’s Kathleen Edwards releases a new collection of post-breakup tunes on the careful and beautifully rendered Voyageur, co-produced by new romantic interest/breakup remedy Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.

Cate Le Bon offers up some seriously classy pop-rock goodness with CYRK, an oddly intelligent and pleasantly arranged album of songs that flirt with folky retro-psych sounds and other potpourri, all with Le Bon’s gentle voice at center.

One of indie rock’s greatest long-running acts Guided By Voices, aka Robert Pollard, keeps the simple, catchy rock-song formula going strong on Let’s Go Eat The Factory.

Martina McBride‘s oversized haul of country-pop hits is weighed-out across the expansive Hits And More, the official retrospective of her many years at RCA, which she left in 2010.

And don’t forget to check out a little something from each these new releases on this week’s editor-curated playlist!

New Releases:
* The Big Pink - Future This
* Ani DiFranco - Which Side Are You On?
* Matthew Dear - Headcage
* Howler - America Give Up
* Kathleen Edwards - Voyageur
* Cate Le Bon - CYRK
* Guided By Voices - Let’s Go Eat The Factory
* Martina McBride - Hits And More

Suggested Re-issues, Singles, Compilations:
* Feist - How Come You Never Go There (Remix by Beck) - Feist’s previously released song is now available in a beat-heavy form, thanks to Beck Hansen.
* will.i.am - Go Home - Pure dance-pop sensationalism from will.i.am and Mick Jagger.
* Deerhoof – Deerbazan - David Bazan joins Deerhoof on vocals on this single, to great effect.
* School Of Seven Bells - Lafaye - The group’s newest single is both a walloping dance track and an emotional ride.