Barnando’s Blazin’ Blog
Barnando’s Blazin’ Blog
January 17, 2012
Happy New Year dudebros! I want to wish you good health and fortune for the upcoming year and hope you had a nice holiday break. I wanna welcome you to the 1st installment of Barnando’s Blazin’ Blog. I’ll be keeping you updated with what’s hot, new releases, must downloads and my “Joint of the Week”.
The holiday season has just passed and we are finishing up the music industry’s 4th quarter. This is usually the time of year where there are a ton of new releases, just in time for some extra Christmas sales. With so many new albums out, I had to limit my reviews, so I picked my favorites from the past few months.
My music taste varies but I’m mostly into Rock, Hip-Hop and R&B. Let’s start off with Rock! I’m feeling a bit nostalgic lately with all of these 90’s rock bands coming back around again. With new albums from The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bush, Incubus, Lenny Kravitz, Chris Cornell and Noel Gallagher of Oasis, Rock-n-Roll is on the upswing. Also due out this year are albums from Soundgarden, The Smashing Pumpkins, Rage Against the Machine, Pearl Jam, The Cranberries, The Offspring, No Doubt and U2. Sounds like 2012 is going to be action packed Pee Wee!
I’m really impressed with the new Chili Peppers and Bush albums. Both great albums that capture their original appeal and a reinventiveness of sorts, that keeps them current. “I’m With You”, the RHCP’s new one, contains 14 new songs and features “The Adventure of Rain Dance Maggie”, their 1st single off the album. Strange title but great song! The whole CD flows and you don’t even have to skip a track. Other stand out songs from the album are “Monarchy of Roses”, “Factory of Faith”, “Annie Wants A Baby”, “Brendan’s Death Song”, “Ethiopia” and “Look Around”. It’s amazing these guys can still put out great album after great album. They are one of my favorites and on their way to the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. “I’m With You” is a must have for any Chili Peppers fan or for any music fan for that matter. The Chili Peppers are en fuego!
Red Hot Chili Peppers – I’m With You
Barnando’s Rating: 
BUY IT & SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS
“The Sea of Memories”, the new one from Bush, has Gavin sounding better than ever. Their 1st release from the album, “The Sound of Winter”, has that classic Bush sound and is one of my favorite tracks on the album. I’m also digging “The Mirror of the Signs”, “The Afterlife”, “All Night Doctors”, “Baby Come Home”, “Stand Up” and “Be Still My Love”. After taking a break for a while, as Gavin started his family with Gwen Stefani of No Doubt, along with being the lead singer and guitarist for Institute and doing some solo stuff, Bush is back big time. For not putting an album out in almost 10 years, they sound amazing! I feel it’s some of their best work and hope there is still more to come. I wonder if Gwen was an inspiration to any of the songs. Who says shaved is in? Bush rules!!
Bush – The Sea of Memories
Barnando’s Rating:
BUY IT & SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS
Other ROCK albums I’m listening to:
Nickelback – Here and Now:
Five Finger Death Punch – American Capitalist:
Lenny Kravitz – Black and White America:
Incubus – If Not Now, When?:
Daughtry – Break the Spell:
Noel Gallagher – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds:
Foo Fighters – Wasting Light:
Chris Cornell – Songbook (Live):
Let’s move on to Hip Hop and R&B, which is killing it right now, with hot release after hot release. Between mixtapes and studio albums, there is constantly something new coming out in the hip hop world. There are a ton of awesome albums out right now that you really need to know about. I’ll begin with the “Watch The Throne” album, the highly anticipated collaboration from Jay-Z and Kanye West. This album came out earlier this summer and although it’s not a newer release, it’s still fire and I needed to speak on it. It’s 1st release off the album, “Otis”, is a sample from Otis Redding and displays Jay’s & Kanye’s rapping prowess. It’s a dope track, but it’s no “Niggas in Paris”! That track is one of the sickest songs I’ve heard in a while. It’s definitely my favorite song from the album. The whole album is great, especially the tracks that feature Frank Ocean, “No Church in the Wild” & “Made in America” and the song “Lift Off” featuring Beyonce. “Watch The Throne” is a must have for any hip hop fan! I’m sure most of you were watching a different throne on New Years Day!
Jay-Z/Kanye West – Watch The Throne
Barnando’s Rating:
BUY IT & SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS
Drake’s back with his 2nd full length album, “Take Care” and he picks up right where he left off with “Thank Me Later“. “Headlines”, the 1st single from the album, showcases Drake’s lyrical skills as he fires off at his critics in this hard hitting instant classic. “Marvin’s Room”, the follow up single, is a slow, smooth, R&B panty dropper for the ladies. This song shows a different side of Drake and really displays his vocal abilities. “Marvin’s Room” was such a popular song, it seemed like everyone wanted to do a cover of it, including Lil’ Wayne and Chris Brown amongst others. No need to skip any tracks with this CD, it flows like water from beginning to end. Some of the standout tracks include “Crew Love”, “Underground Kings”, “We’ll Be Fine”, “Make Me Proud” featuring Nikki Minaj, “The Motto” featuring Lil’ Wayne and the title track “Take Care” featuring Rihanna (my favorite). No sophomore jinx here! This is a great album and a must have in your collection. Take care of yourself and go buy it!
Drake – Take Care
Barnando’s Rating:
BUY IT & SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS
Other HIP HOP and R&B albums I’m listening to:
J. Cole – Cole World-The Sideline Story:
Game – The R.E.D. Album:
Styles P – Master of Ceremonies:
Lil’ Wayne – The Carter IV:
Yelawolf – Radioactive:
Rihanna – Talk That Talk:
Wale – Ambition:
Common – The Dreamer, The Believer:
Robin Thicke – Love After War:
Wiz Khalifa – Rolling Papers:
Below are my joints of the week…twist one up, go listen to them and then tell me what you think!
Barnando’s Joint of the Week!
Rock
Five Finger Death Punch – Under and Over It
Hip Hop
Yelawolf featuring Kid Rock – Let’s Roll
R&B
Bruno Mars – It Will Rain
If you dudebros want me to review a specific album before you buy or download it, just let me know and I will be happy to do so. Use the form below, and I will respond to you as soon as I can. I hope you continue to read my blog and check out my YouTube page for all my favorite artists, albums and songs.
Contact Barnando with your music questions
-Barnando
@Yo_Its_Barnando
