Tag: Stones Throw Records

Eric André – “Film Scores for Films That Don’t Exist” review

Eric André is a 43 year old comedian, actor, television host, writer, producer & musician from Boca Raton, Florida who I became a fan of when The Eric André Show was airing on the Cartoon Network late night block [adult swim]. It would become the greatest talk show of all-time & ran for 6 seasons, joining the likes of Smiling Friends as well as Rick & Morty and Loiter Squad as some of the greatest material they’ve aired. I also enjoyed Bad Trip & saw him do stand-up the night Ye formerly known as Kanye West did a listening party for Jesus is King at the venue next door, except some may not know he dropped an extended play on Christmas 2014 called BLARF. Fast forward to 2019, the full-length debut Cease & Desist under Stones Throw Records was a solid plunderphonics/sound collage album & he’s back for a sophomore effort.

“The Final Shootout” sets the tone of what’s to come by bringing in an orchestra for a composition that I can imagine hearing during a climactic scene in the middle of an old western movie whereas the only single “What’s for Dinner?” fuses symphonic music, orchestral, avant-garde metal, djent, metalcore & minimalism. “Stars Without Light” seems like it would fit in a future Star Wars show on Disney+ because of the emotional weight it carries while “Piano Concerto #0” ends the 1st leg on a more peppier note.

As for “Mercury Dripping Down My Spine”, we have Eric experimenting with a dark ambient sound for the longest number here clocking in at nearly 8 minutes just before “Run for Your Death” makes one feel like they’re in the middle of a chase scene in an action/adventure flick that only gets more & more intense. “Dead Ballerina” nears the end of Film Scores for Films That Don’t Exist with what could easily be the only track here that evokes a sad atmosphere & “1869 Overture” concludes in the form of a brief 64 second finale.

You’re not gonna get anything like Cease & Desist over the course of the half hour Film Scores for Films That Don’t Exist has to offer & I think that’s a very good thing, but the final product though is worth revisiting as someone who doesn’t listen to a lot of orchestral or classical music. Other than maybe “Symphony #9 in E Minor” when former PWG World Champion, 2-time WWE world champion & the longest reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther makes his entrances or the beginning of my favorite Ren & Stimpy episode “Stimpy’s Invention”. The secondary influences of symphonic metal, avant-garde metal, djent, metalcore, post-minimalism, dark ambient & progressive electronic & space ambient were all additionally executed properly & further states we won’t ever know what to expect from Eric André musically.

Score: 3.5/5

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NxWorries – “Why Lawd?” review

NxWorries is an MC/producer duo consisting of Oxnard recording artist Anderson .Paak as well as Los Angeles producer Knxwledge. Signing to Stones Throw Records in 2015, their debut EP Link Up & Suede that same winter was an impressively lo-fi neo-soul outing & the full-length debut LP Yes Lawd! built upon those 2 sounds venturing out in contemporary R&B, west coast hip hop & smooth soul too. After an 8 year hiatus however, they’re linking back up for a highly anticipated sophomore effort.

Following the “ThankU” intro, the first song “86Sentra” is a jazzy lo-fi hip hop opener reminding that he did the Super Bowl LVI halftime show with some of the best to ever do it whereas “MoveOn” takes the smooth soul route to discuss being unable to do things that he used to. “KeepHer” featuring Thundercat brings the trio together singing about money being unable to keep their romantic interests over some funky guitar licks just before “Distractions” has a bit of a stripped-back feeling to it refusing to let anything slow him down.

H.E.R. joins NxWorries on “Where I Go” after the “Lookin’” interlude fusing neo-soul, smooth soul & contemporary R&B for a duet as to where .Paak & Knxwledge have been leading into “Daydreaming” crossing over psychedelic soul, neo-soul, smooth soul & hypnagogic pop to fantasize about meeting a woman he’s never met previously. “FromHere” featuring WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg & Death Row Records signee October London mixes neo-soul & west coast hip hop pondering where they go from this point forward, but then “Fall Thru” brings a contemporary R&B flare telling his partner she gon’ have to quit her job.

“Battlefield” sides with those who’re one of a kind or no one else like .Paak rapping his ass off over a slick beat to begin the 2nd half of Why Lawd? while “HereIAm” dabbles with gospel by incorporating organs admitting he ain’t doing shit when it seem like he might be doing things. “OutTheWay” featuring Rae Khalil is a syrupy-synth ballad about starting to think all they need is each other prior to “SheUsed” jumps over guitars singing about the pain taking it’s toll on his heart.

Meanwhile on “MoreOfIt”, we have NxWorries giving off an orchestral hip hop vibe paying off their mommas’ mortgages while the “NVR.RMX” featuring Charlie Wilson on the hook feels like a soulful passing of the torch if you will especially since they lock in near the end of the 2nd & final hook. “DistantSpace” sensually asks if it’s too late with a former partner & ahead of the “EvnMore” outro, the west coast hip hop/neo-soul hybrid “WalkOnBy” featuring Earl Sweatshirt ends the album perfectly showing vulnerability within them.

Almost a decade in & the MC/producer duo in those 2 styles of music mentioned in the final song return after an 8-year hiatus to prove that they haven’t lost a step whatsoever. Knxwledge & Anderson .Paak refine their distinctive combination of soul with the rhythmic percussion & groove of hip hop music that makes nu soul stand out expanding beyond that even on occasions in favor of jazz rap, contemporary R&B, west coast hip hop & smooth soul.

Score: 4.5/5

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