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Adam Duncan – Ga’Damn (Single Review)

“Sex is incredible, body’s amazing still, there’s only one way that could describe the way that you make me feel…Ga’damn.”

 

One of Colorado’s hottest pop artists is following the trend of turning to R&B much like Justin Bieber has done so – to many plaudits – recently. Adam Duncan is planning on releasing an R&B album after the impressive “Don’t Wanna Go Home Vol. 1” project presented his phenomenal capabilities when it comes to pop – and we even seen a little Hip Hop in there too. The lead single from the as-yet untitled project is produced by Nite (Well known for his production for Trev Rich) and the drum-heavy beat provides a brilliant foundation for a fantastic track.

Shades of Drake circa “Take Care” shine through on “Ga’Damn” as Duncan verges on rapping in one part of the R&B song in similar style as the “Nothing Was The Same” rapper/singer. If “Ga’Damn” is a true representation of the upcoming project we can expect a blend of Drake and Justin Timberlake with a lot of focus on the female figure and of course the desire to regain an ex’s affections. Duncan’s giving Jimmie Murphy a run for his money here, but their styles of R&B differentiate in that “Ga’damn” is much more radio-ready than anything from “Descendre”.

I can’t help but feel this is an amazing opportunity that Adam Duncan has opened up and I for one am looking forward to hearing a full project of his take on the R&B genre – so long as he doesn’t completely stray away from his pop side either. What do you think? Do you like the record? Or would you prefer Adam Duncan to remain in his current lane? Let us know in the comments below!

 

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10 Creative Album Covers of 2013

 

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What would music be nowadays without the visual arts that accompany it? While everyone likes to recognize the music, we wanted to show some appreciation to some very talented Graphic Designers out there. This year in Colorado, some artists neglected their packaging while some went all out. Here are ten of the most notable album covers of 2013…

 

1. One Republic – “Native”

Designed by: Willo Perron 

You have to admit that this is one of the coolest album covers you’ve seen in a while. Taxidermy never made so much sense.

2. Princess Music – “Odobenidae”

Designed by: Levi Nelson

Whether you refer to them as Walruses or Odobenidae, I’m sure you can appreciate this water color design of one of nature’s biggest and laziest sea mammals. The broken tooth gives it that personal touch as if the designer had met this Walrus in person and wanted to capture it’s uniqueness. The blob/drip on the left  makes you wonder whether it was purposely placed or just one of those, “Oops!…Oh well” moments.

3. Myke Charles – “Flight Plan”

Designed by: Jordan Downey

The magnificence of the Rocky Mountains fused with the vastness of space, buffered by a glowing horizon, makes for great cover art. The designer really hit it on the head with this one.

4. Trev Rich – “Heights”

Designed by: @Qnowledge

This album cover amazes me every time I look at it. If you’re familiar with digital design then you know what goes in to creating a design like this. It’s hard not to acknowledge the crispness of all the elements.

5. Paul Basic – “Transient Horizons”

Photo by: Ivan Kashinsky

This cover art speaks volumes, especially if you have a mind insistent on contemplating what the future will look like. The photo kind of looks like it might be a digital design but it’s actually a real abandoned building in Ecuador. You can see the original on Ivan’s Instagram HERE

6. Turner Jackson – “ABC”

Designed by: Jeremy Pape

Jeremy really out did himself with this one. From the Teddy Bear with it’s head ripped off to the filter that adds an almost grainy or chalk like texture to the cover as a whole – this will always be a favorite.

7. Pries – “Honey Jack”

Designed by: Pries (himself)

In case you didn’t know, Pries designs all of his album covers as well as some album covers for a few of your favorite artists. It seems like every cover is better than the last. This one in particular, which is the cover of his latest project, made the list because no one else would have thought to fuse origami and a plastered wall texture to make a one of a kind Album Cover.

8. The Photo Atlas – “Stuck In A Honeytrap”

Designed by: Amanda Olsen

There’s so much going on in this design, that it keeps your eyes jumping from one place to another trying to piece the whole thing together. Tree on fire, bear chained to tree, bee hive, honey dripping. It all seems so damn symbolic, but I just can’t figure it out. Any ideas?

9. Pretty Lights – “A Color Map of the Sun”

Designed by: IS050

This cover reminds us so much of the old Pretty Lights  website (which was awesome!). IS050 aka Scott Hansen, managed to give this album cover the vintage look and feel  that Derek was shooting for with the album. After staring at this album countless times, I’m starting to understand PL’s fascination with lights!

10. BLKHRTS – “Death, Romance and The Color BLK”

Designed by: JIMBO

BLK HRTS actually held a design contest leading up to the release of their latest album. Many designers submitted their work via Facebook, and at the end of it all this one held strong. Some of you might be thinking, “What’s so creative about a picture of a plastic heart?”. Feel free to tell us why it’s not…

 

Do you feel like we missed an awesome album cover design that dropped in 2013? Or do you think there’s a design that doesn’t deserve to be in this list? Feel free to leave your comments below

 

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One Republic: Counting Stars (Single Review)

 

“No More Counting Dollars, We’ll Be Counting Stars”

“Counting Stars” is just one highlight of an understated album amassed with an array of awesome tracks. A few fillers here and there, but on a whole “Native” is a must-buy. The chart-topping single’s opening chorus – using an acoustic guitar backdrop – acts as a gravitational pull to a listeners ear, luring them into a false feeling of melancholy as Tedder croons lyrics laden with love references before a beat of a drum brings the track to life. A catchy repeat of the chorus follows which is probably a key component in why listeners have been captivated by the track enough to make it the groups most successful single yet.
 
The lyricism in each verse is luxurious, proof of why One Republic are such a well-loved, world-renowned band with a bright future ahead of them. Although I can’t comprehend why the Colorado five-piece have never sustained success, “Counting Stars” is surely a step in the right direction and a few more releases off of “Native” could hardly harm either. What do you think of “Counting Stars”? Let us know in the comments below.

 

 

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Rachel and the Kings: Soldier Boy (Single Review)

“Soldier Boy” is the song you would listen to on those rainy summer days, and cold winter nights. When you are pining for that one person you want, but can’t have. With thousands of songs written about love,  the band behind the song, Rachel and the Kings, give the ballad of confession a new sound.  A smooth and atmospheric guitar opens the song. It’s dissonance leads you into the crisp vocals. Rich in tone, Rachel’s voice blends into the harmonies of the driving melody. The use of deep bass drums adds distance and depth to the track. With a variety of instruments throughout the song to move it along, every new segment pulls deeper and deeper into the songs musical structure (especially at 3:53).
The lyrics tell a classic theme but in a unique metaphor. The use of War as a comparison to a relationship might seem harsh, but the words used paint a picture to the listener that is an alternative to what we hear on the radio today. “Soldier Boy” is a great pop-rock/alternative ballad full of amazing vocals and musicians that know their stuff.
 

Sell your beats online at ReverbNation.com

 

 

Find out more about Rachel and the Kings:
Web: http://rachelandthekings.com/
Music: http://www.reverbnation.com/racheljamesandthekings
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelandTheKings
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rat_kings

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Trev Rich: Pain (Single Review)

“This Whole Fucking Year, I’ve Been Suffering From Depression; A Lot Of First Impressions And A Lot Of Second Guessing”

 

 

Trev back – now more than ever – according to my recent interview with one of the hottest rappers coming out of Colorado right now. In an attempt to reinforce that statement, the Squizzy Gang artist dropped a second single from the third instalment of his highly praised “Heights” series. Produced by BrinkyBeats, “Pain” is a track in which Trev projected that his fans would love most due to its introspective, emotionally resonating nature which seen him suit Joe Budden’s MME group perfectly. As I’m sure is evident by now, after a plethora of positive reviews, I’m a big fan of the “Dreams” rapper but there is a reason I’ve never written a review for the first single – “Go Get It”. Trev Rich is an artist I have often applauded for his consistency in his entire catalogue. Even before “Heights”, Trev was making marvellous music in under the pseudonym of Rockie G5 in the “Gold Dreams” project. Unfortunately, “Go Get It” just wasn’t for me. I was reliant upon “Pride” to reinstore my faith for “Heights 3“, and thankfully I was not disappointed.

BrinkyBeats is becoming a producer that Trev Rich fans are fast becoming used to, he has created a vast array of amazing instrumentals for the rapper including “Numbers To Letters” and “L.A Interlude”. It appears that Brinky will be a regular name on the “Heights 3” project as he has a produced both singles from the highly anticipated mixtape – to be released on the 19th of November. The “Pain” beat is beautifully pieced together with a blend of delightful drum patterns, captivating piano chords and a sampled voice which isn’t dissimilar to the Ellie Goulding sample on Drizzy and Hov’s “Pound Cake”.

The brilliant production provides a phenomenal foundation fit for Trev’s fantastic ability to rip his heart out and lay it in a verse. The layout of the track seems scattered, and that might be the one downfall. I was convinced the sections in which T spits “You don’t wanna be sober, don’t want be hopeless, don’t wanna be lonely no more” was the hook, but turns out a segment saying “I smoke, I drink, I’m supposed to stop but I can’t” might be more appropriate for that title and the former is more of a bridge. Aside from that confusion, Trev’s lyrical contribution throughout the track isn’t far from flawless.

Trev’s built a name for himself for his frank honesty in his verses and is more aware than most artists as to why his fans love him so much. So when he spits “truth of the matter is the pain got us here” I’m curious as to whether this entire song is another about his career cleverly concealed as a love song – of sorts – similar to Eminem’s “25 To Life”. This could be backed up by the bars in which he essentially – arguably egotistically – crowns himself king of the city (Lets be honest, could anyone else claim the throne?) as he raps:

“City up for grabs, everybody wanna claim; like I didn’t have a six year reign.”

The problem with that perception of Trev’s wonderful words is that why would he be “addicted to anything that make the pain go away”? For the record, despite the mention of “you”, I understand that Trev is talking about himself. Is this a case of Trev wishing his career way? I doubt it. So maybe the song is purely a twisted love song, and the “Heights” artist wishes he could make the pain go away for his loved one rather than they turn to drugs and alcohol. But then, isn’t that the beauty of Trev’s music? It’s open to interpretation, and anyone can relate. TREV BACK!

What do you think? What is your interpretation of the meaning of the song? Do you like it? Are you excited for “Heights 3”? Let us know in the comments below!