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“This is just a message: your beat ain’t safe,” New Orleans native Dwayne Carter aka Lil Wayne warns us in the outro to his most recent mixtape, No Ceilings. True to his word, he samples beats from everyone from Jay-Z to The Black Eyed Peas. His profane poetry layers over the tracks like so much spam: excessive, unhealthy, and addictive. And because he makes so much of it, this guilty pleasure is offered free of charge, consistent with Lil Wayne’s previous mixtape releases. Why, you may ask? He answers that too in the outro: “Because I’m Weezy. I’m different.”

The mixtape contains 14 tracks, two interludes, and an outro. Each track samples a different beat, but regardless of the backing music, Lil Wayne consistently spins clever x-rated verses. His braggadocio never falters throughout the tracks. He even admits to disliking the beat on ‘I Think I Love Her’, then goes on to string together a top notch verse. He asserts in ‘Ice Cream Paint Job’ that he is “all over this ice cream beat like sprinkles.” But perhaps the most cleverly conceited moment comes in ‘Wetter’ when Weezy answers a female plea to “come and make it Wayne down on me.”

If you’re already a fan of Lil Wayne, this mixtape is just another gem in his stellar discography. His metaphor-heavy lyrics remain clever and raunchy, which is what everyone has come to expect from the superstar. And if you aren’t a fan of Lil Wayne, it might be worth a listen. The only thing it will cost you is an hour of your time, and who knows, you may end up part of the massive fan base who finds his abrasive lyrics and croaky voice strangely appealing. I, for one, am a huge fan of the blunt-smoking, nyquil-sipping rapper, and his lyrics continue to shock and awe me.

Find out more about Lil Wayne at his website or myspace.

Lil Wayne – Wetter
Lil Wayne – I Gotta Feeling
Lil Wayne – Ice Cream Paint Job

Toronto-raised rapper k-os is, according to his website, “a genuine neo-crossover rap n’ roller.” He combines multiple genres to create his own funky, unique hip-hop sound. I first caught wind of him when I stumbled upon a single from Yes!, his fourth studio album. I’m an avid follower of new hip-hop, and k-os’s sound struck me as much different from most of the generic rap being released. He doesn’t strive to make auto-tuned club bangers; rather, he crafts songs that tell a story or send a message over an interesting, quirky beat.

The album opens with ‘Zambony’, A rolling rhyme building on a simple tick-tock of drumsticks and building up into a soulful, choir-backed story. Guitars, synths, and drums are all employed to create this funky, new track. At the beginning of the second verse, he claims “I am not indie rock, I am indeed hip-hop.” While this is doubtless true, his unique hip-hope sound channels multiple genres. ‘4 3 2 1′ sounds like something off a Wyclef Jean album. The first time I heard the opening lines to ‘Uptown Girl’, I could have sworn Metric was playing it. ‘I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman’ samples the OC theme song from pop-rockers Phantom Planet. K-os doesn’t limit himself to a single genre; by borrowing from all genres, he creates an ambiguity that keeps us all on our toes.

As the album continues, every song has its own story and its own soul. K-os does an outstanding job keeping the music uniquely intriguing. He raps about many different topics, from love to war to the excessive chauvinism in most hip-hop. He effortlessly switches between singing and rapping, his unmistakable drawl carrying the two together without missing a beat. The dj scratches and minimalist beats give the entire album an old-school rap feel, but there’s enough variation in the beats that such an approach doesn’t get redundant.

If k-os is the future of hip-hop, it might not be dead after all. A few personal favorites of mine:’4 3 2 1′, ‘I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman’, and ‘Burning Bridges’. However, with an album this diverse, I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone has different preferences. If you only listen to one hip-hop album this year, make it this one. It isn’t single-driven like most hip-hop. The whole album comes together to create an awesome coalition of stories, using hip-hop as a vehicle to express multiple genres.

To learn more, check out his website or myspace.

k-os – 4 3 2 1
k-os – I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman
k-os – Burning Bridges

Before I go into any specifics about the album, I have a quick disclaimer: If the only Weezer you will listen to is Pinkerton and The Blue Album, stay far, far away from Raditude. Case in point: Lil’ Wayne contributes a verse on one song. So, if Weezer’s lean toward the mainstream sickens you, steer clear, because they don’t even pretend to be anything less than a pop band on Raditude.

With the disclaimer out of the way, I can now safely say that Raditude isn’t a bad album at all. Granted, it’s nothing like the music Weezer used to make, but that doesn’t necessarily make it worse. If we mark Make Believe as the beginning of Weezer’s transformation, then Raditude is without a doubt the best album of the new era. It is a solid album of simple pop-rock tunes, and nobody’s pop sense is better in tune than Rivers Cuomo.

The album kicks off with the 8th grade relationship anthem, ‘(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To’. Over an infectious guitar hook, Cuomo tells believable stories about middle school sexual tension. Although it’s a bit of an odd topic for a 39-year-old songwriter, Cuomo hits the nail on the head describing middle school awkwardness. The album continues with ‘I’m Your Daddy’, and by the first chorus, it’s clear that Cuomo has no qualms about going balls deep into generic pop music. That would be bad, but Weezer the songs are crafted so well that even though the sound isn’t original, it’s still catchy as hell. Some other favorites on the album: ‘The Girl Got Hot’, featuring Cuomo musing about the newfound attractiveness of a girl who nobody used to look twice at; ‘Tripping Down The Freeway’, a clever tune about a dysfunctional relationship that Cuomo refuses to end; ‘The Prettiest Girl In the Whole Wide World’, a romantic tune with an almost AC/DC-esque intro.

I’ve purposely left off ‘Can’t Stop Partying’, because it isn’t really a Weezer song. It seems like they took lyrics from Jamie Foxx and Akon and told Cuomo to sing them. This song would be better off on one of R. Kelly’s albums, complete with Lil’ Wayne guest verse. Don’t get me wrong, Lil’ Wayne’s verse is as deft and clever as always, but it just doesn’t fit in with Weezer. It doesn’t sound like something Cuomo would, or should, write.

Other than an odd obsession with middle school and the aforementioned unfitting song, the album is generally a good effort from a great pop band. Once again, it’s not Pinkerton, but we’ve known for awhile that Pinkerton is never coming back. If you can accept Weezer’s new sound, it’s obvious that this album is leaps and bounds better than the last two. I hope that, no matter which path they take, Weezer doesn’t stop making catchy songs. In that regard, Raditude doesn’t disappoint.

Check out their myspace or website for more information about the band.

Weezer – The Girl Got Hot
Weezer – Tripping Down The Freeway
Weezer – The Prettiest Girl In The Whole Wide World

The Temper Trap, a 4-person band from Australia, first caught my ear when their single, ‘Sweet Disposition’, was featured in the movie 500 Days Of Summer. I loved the movie, and the song was used perfectly to convey just the right mixture of emotions. Of course, that one song led to months of anticipation for more Temper Trap music. Now they have released their debut album, Conditions, and the album is full of the charming melodies that made ‘Sweet Disposition’ such a great song.

Conditions kicks off with synths and handclaps in ‘Love Lost’. Once singer Dougy Mandagi’s vocals jumps in, my foot starts to tap. By the time the guitar and drums blast into action, I’m already convinced that my months of waiting were not in vain. The song maintains its energy throughout it’s three and a half minutes, and I can’t think of a better way to open an album.

The album continues along this vain, employing blips, claps, beeps, yelps, and pops to compliment the regular instrumentation. Mandagi alternates between an airy falsetto (‘Sweet Disposition’, ‘Fools’) and a belting, pure chest voice (‘Down River’, ‘Science Of Fear’). The instrumentation varies in each song, so the album never gets repetitive and keeps you on your toes. However, not all of the songs are as immediately lovable as ‘Love Lost’ or ‘Sweet Disposition’. Some of them take a few listens for them to grow on you, and even then, they may not be the most memorable. The majority of the songs, though, are quick to charm and slow to get out of your head.

Conditions is a solid first effort from a talented young band. As the band matures, I’m confident they will sort out what works and what doesn’t for them. The Temper Trap has endless potential, and I look forward to seeing what comes out of it. For now, I’ll just keep waiting for the DVD release of 500 Days Of Summer so I can re-watch the ‘Sweet Disposition’ scene.

To learn more about the band, visit their website or their myspace.

The Temper Trap – Love Lost
The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition
The Temper Trap – Science Of Fear

Growing up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Andrew Mayer Cohen grew up around Detroit’s soul and jazz music. Now that he has his own band, Mayer Hawthorne and The County, the influence such music had on him is apparent. His debut album, A Strange Arrangement, is full of funky, soulful tunes. When he played his first two songs for Peanut Butter Wolf, the head of the Stones Throw label, Wolf thought they were remixes of late-1960’s songs. That’s how good Mayer Hawthorne is.

The album opens with an acapella prelude, setting the tone for the rest of the cd. The first full song is ‘A Strange Arrangement’, a swaying piano ballad featuring Cohen’s airy falsetto. As the lover story develops, soft drums come in to balance out the piano and backing vocals. Nothing about the song is unpredictable or original, but it is executed perfectly. It’s like when you see an Olympic diver pull out a perfect dive; nothing about it is unexpected, but the execution is so flawless that you’re still left in awe.

The next track, ‘Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out’, sounds like it’s being played from a record player. Through somewhat muffled drumbeats and a 1960’s radio voice, Mayer Hawthorne unfolds a soulful breakup tune. It also has an awesome, odd video.

‘Maybe So Maybe No’, the first single of the album, follows. While it’s pretty much more of the same type of song, it doesn’t seem to drag at all. It’s more upbeat than either of the previous two, adding horns on top of the piano and drums. The next song, “Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin”, is my personal favorite of the entire album. With a driving piano undertone and a cheerful horn hook, it catches you immediately and doesn’t let you go until the dance is over.

If I continue going song-by-song, it’ll get very redundant very quickly, so I’ll stop with that now. Suffice to say that although all the songs are extremely similar to one another, each has its own unique soul that it expresses shamelessly through its own two or three minutes. Every song on this album tells its own story with pure soulful bliss. I’ve never been a huge fan of soul or jazz music, so it surprises me how much I love this album. This will definitely be on my year-end list of favorite albums.

If you want to learn more about Mayer Hawthorne, check out his myspace.

Mayer Hawthorne – Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out
Mayer Hawthorne – Maybe So, Maybe No
Mayer Hawthorne – Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin’