Label: Duck Down Records
Album: Monumental
Artist: Pete Rock & Smif-N-Wessun
Genre: Rap, Hip Hop
While this album is... well... monumental, even the title seems like a bit of an understatement. An adequate description would run more along the lines of hip-hop orgasmica. Seriously. For starters, the entire album is produced by hip-hop legend Pete Rock. Not familiar? His list of past collabos is comprised of some of the biggest names in the biz: Jay-Z, Kanye West, Biggie Smalls, Diddy, Mary J. Blige and Madonna to name a few. Pete Rock is also a featured vocal guest amongst Sean Price, Raekwon, Hurricane G and many others. Collectively, Pete Rock and Smif N Wessun have spit out a multitude of hip-hop game changers since the early '90s and their collaboration on this record may prove to be the biggest of them all--definitely a Monumental moment in music history.
Label: +1 Records
Album: White Night EP
Artist: The Postelles
Genre: Indie Rock
The Postelles are so vintage in every aspect, you'd swear they teleported straight out of the late 1950s--from the very beginning of rock n' roll's long, lovely life in the states. Some elements of the Postelles' music are pushing '70s-esque, but one look at these guys will make you think late '50s/early '60s all the way baby. "Sleep on the Dancefloor," one of three tracks on the White Night EP, makes you want to hop into a pair of blue suedes, slick your hair back and dance til the jukebox stops... then sleep there. While not near as old as their decade-based influences, these guys are by no means fresh on the scene. They've toured previously with Kings of Leon, Vampire Weekend, OK Go and The Stills to name a few. However, The Postelles are currently headlining their own nationwide tour with dates booked from now til the end of the 2011 summer.
Label: Beach Breakz Records
Album: Beu~tiful Vol. 1
Artist: Beu Sisters
Genre: Pop, Rock
"From the end to the start, I'll show you what I call art," goes the song "H~Art" off the Beu Sisters' Beu~tiful Vol. 1 and beautiful art is exactly what this album is from "end to start." Beu~tiful is an artsy, mystical masterpiece all brought to you courtesy of the XX chromosome and the natural harmonies that come with having multiple talented vocalists in the same bloodline. If you're thinking these voices sound familiar, but you're not sure why, it's likely because these girls' previous hits have been most widely played in movies. They've been featured on the soundtracks of movies such as Catch Me If You Can, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days and Ella Enchanted. Their songs have also been featured on multiple television series including Charmed, Gilmore Girls and Smallville.The first single and video from the EP Beu~tiful Vol. 1 is "Definition of a Lady," which captures their playful journey of self-expression and creative empowerment with elegance, grace and beu-ty.
