Have you been shuffling through the same five songs for the past year? If so, it may be time to broaden your aural horizons and take a sip from this here fountain of tunes. Here are a few songs from the past two weeks that may tickle your fancy headphones.
Keith Richards "Love Overdue" – Sept. 11
As the title suggests, it’s been awhile since we’ve heard a solo track from the Rolling Stones god and guitarist Keith Richards: 23 years in fact. But in recent months, the 71-year-old has dropped jewels across the web and hinted at the release of a new solo project, "Crosseyed Heart." On his latest emerald offering, "Love Overdue," Richards ditches the dark-basement sound he helped shovel to the masses decades ago. Instead, he takes a trip to a beach-side bungalow on the coast of the Virgin Islands. With happy horns to lead the way, Richards plays a tropical reggae rhythm on his guitar, characterized by off-set strumming, as he sings a song of love and longing. At this point in his career, it seems as though the rock hall of famer just wants to create music that makes him happy: to hell with the expectations. His new album is set to drop on Friday.
Jay Rock "Vice City" – Sept. 11
California-born rapper Jay Rock has been on the back burner for quite some time. An original member of Black Hippy, a hip-hop ensemble comprised of rappers Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul, Rock made a name for himself in 2011 with the release of his debut album, "Follow Me Home," but has since shared the spotlight with his friends, almost to a fault. Rock’s latest album, "90059," is just the second of his career. On "Vice City," a track from the album, Rock reunites Black Hippy for one of the strangest four and a half minutes I’ve experienced all year. Throughout the song, the four rappers all share the same rhythmic delivery, ending each line with a sluggish emphasis on the last couple syllables. This "flow" has never been tried before from what I know, and most rappers today wouldn’t even fathom changing their trademark styles to accommodate one weird, conceptual verbal pattern. But somehow, the guys make it work, each taking the flow and making it their own. The result is an oddly catchy banger full of braggadocio and mystery.
The Libertines "You’re My Waterloo" – Sept. 11
Formed in London in 1997, indie rock quartet The Libertines broke up in 2004, reportedly the result of substance addiction and internal conflict in the band. The boys reunited six years later to play a handful of shows, but it wasn’t until 2014 that they headed to the studio to once again record together – for the first time in almost a decade. "You’re My Waterloo," a song from the band’s latest album, is a piano ballad unlike most. Far from typical ballads we know, love and cringe at, The Libertines leave the G-rated material at home. They sing about lovers with knives and fumigating demons with cigarettes, all while maintaining a demeanor fit for the slow dance at a bat mitzvah. The voice of Carl Barat reminds my ears of the lead singer of Arctic Monkeys; both have a British accent and a syrupy but enunciated delivery. History lesson: The Battle of Waterloo was fought in 1815 and ended Napoleon’s rule as emperor of the French; the British helped.
T.I. "Check, Run It" – Sept. 11
This goes out to all those people who are mad, sad or embarrassed that student government booked rapper T.I. for Gator Growl. To those who contend he hasn’t been relevant since 2006, well, you’re not wrong. Booking a rapper – in 2015 – who we all loved in middle school was definitely the wrong move, but at least T.I. heard your grunts and groans. On Sept. 11, he released a new EP full of some actually decent songs. One of these, "Check, Run It," demonstrates T.I.’s evolution, but it also shows him reaching back to the roots that won him three Grammys once upon a time. The chorus is catchy and lively, while the verses are confident, commendable and refreshing. T.I. doesn’t sound like an old man struggling to keep up with the trends; he sounds like he’s taking the trends and tweaking them himself. Good news: Now that T.I. has some new material to perform, we won’t be stuck listening to "Whatever You Like" and "Why You Wanna" for 30 minutes straight.
