Mix Tape #4

• Gym Class Heroes ft. Adam Levine: "Stereo Hearts"- The first single off of The Papercut Chronicles II.
• Coldplay: "Major Minus"- I like the harder side to Coldplay. 
• Chiddy Bang: "Mind Your Manners"- I really do not think I can say how much more obsessed I am. It is definitely a "Summer of Swelly" for Megalina.
• Mac Miller: "Donald Trump"- My little brother has been listening to the king of "frat rap" for some time now, and I never liked him.  For some reason, this track sticks in my head.  The video is ridiculous as well.
• Patrick Stump ft. Lupe Fiasco: "This City"- Who would have known that the front man for the kings of pop punk (Fall Out Boy) has some funk in him.  This is the first single off his upcoming solo project.
• Vanna: :Careless Men Lead Careless Lives"- My favorite song so far off their new E.P. And They Came Baring Bones.
• Taking Back Sunday: "It Doesn't Feel a Thing like Falling"- First off, I can not stop playing this ENTIRE album.  Go pick it up! Again, my favorite off the record.
• Skillrex: "Cinema(remix)"- My shameless techno song of the week.  The lyrics have been stuck in my head for days; partially the reason I love it so much.
• Craig Owens: "Bibles and Bandages"- My future husband Mr. Owens just released this last night and it has been on replay ever since.
• Motion City Soundtrack: "Even if it Kills Me"- These lyrics speak to my life right now.  It's nice to be hopeful when all seems lost.
• The Devil Wears Prada: "Born To Loose"- First new single since their Zombie E.P..  I am absolutely loving it.
• Swizz Beats ft. Eve: "Every Day (I'm Coolin')- The beat is addicting.  Plus when I was younger, I thought Evie E was the baddest bitch ever haha
• Andy Grammer: "The Pocket"- PLEASE GO BUY THIS MAN'S RECORD! Little known fact, I went to high school with Andy and not only is very, very talented, but he is a sweetheart.  Something good has finally come out of Monroe, NY.
• Every Avenue: "Fall Apart"- Leaked on Alt Press, I decided to listen and actually liked.
• 30H!3: "Robot"- I just want to let everyone know, I find them to be so annoying.  With that said, this song has been stuck in my head since I checked it out because 30H!3 has that way of penetrating your brain!

The Many Sides of Coldplay...

Coldplay knows how to make a hit record.  There is no arguing it or trying to deny that fact.  The band's latest yet to be titled EP is due out this fall.  Coldplay has stated that the album will be about love, addiction, O.C.D., and escape.  If you ask me, that is several topics to cover.  Within the last several weeks, Coldplay has released two singles off the forthcoming record to show just how they are going to spread themselves over all those areas.

"Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" was the first single released by Coldplay.  Produced by Brian Eno, the song is classic Coldplay material.  With acoustic guitar, a lead electric riff, and distorted keyboards the song is being referred as Viva la Vida 2.0, referencing Coldplay's hit single from their last album, Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends. 

Do not think the whole album will sound like this however.  The second single, "Major Minus" reveals an edgier side to Coldplay.  The song shows an angrier side to lead singer Chris Martin with its ominous lyrics and lo-fi vocals.  Guitarist John Buckland doesn't seem to get a break either with no break in the guitar until two minutes in.  "Major Minus" has already been deemed not radio friendly compared to the band's other material.  However, I am a big fan of this.  Just because the record label and radio execs do not like it did not stop the band from releasing it.  Whether it is a hit or miss, Coldplay stuck by their work and that is was makes them so amazing.

Drizzy Back Up in this Thing...

On most sophomore albums, rappers like to go hard and brag about their staying power and "numero uno" status-not Drake.  Instead of kicking doors down, the Canadian rapper seems to just be clearing his throat to gain attention.  With fans already chomping at the bit, Drake kept mouths watering with the release of "Marvin's Room".  The single will be featured on the rapper's second record, Take Care, slated to be out on October 24th.  Drake leaked the track earlier in the month on his October's Very Own Blog.

"Marvin's Room" is Drake's most brooding work to date. The track is about being with a girl who is in a relationship with another man.  With a splash of keyboard over a single bass drum, "Marvin's Room" is more of a RnB venture.  The single also has sound clips of a phone conversation between a guy leaving a bar and a female somewhere else.  Basically with "Marvin's Room", Drake has taken the infamous drunk dial and hopes it will become his next smash hit.

Listen to "Marvin's Room" Here

Details on Take Care have been very scarce.  Drake likes to view his songs more as puzzle pieces then singles, which means you would need all to understand the bigger picture.  Rapper/Producer Q-Tip has stated that he has produced tracks for the Young Money rapper, but it is unclear if they will appear on Take Care.  Drake hit the scene hard with the backing of rapper Lil Wayne.  It will be interesting to see if just clearing his throat is enough to prove his staying power.

Life is Good for Nas...

Rappers come and go these days, but some have staying power.  Brooklyn rapper Nas has just that.  A major voice in the game, Nas is about to release his tenth studio album, Life is Good, sometime soon.  Keeping most of the album's collaborations and information a secret, Nas has told the public just enough information to start sparking some major hype.

Life is Good will show fans the new place Nas is in musically.  His style has changed since his 2008 Untitled Album.  He admits that he over thought that LP and has declared himself in a better state of mind.  Nas feels he has also upped his game since the previous record, mostly due to the amount of rising stars now in the business, such as Drake and Odd Future.  Odd Future's Frank Ocean is one of the collaborations Nas admits to working with on Life is Good.  He refers to Ocean as a "New gust of wind" in rap music today.  Trying to keep up with and top all of these newcomers has put excitement back into the rap game for Nas.  After fighting with the label over songs and the album name originally, Nas was slightly discouraged.  Now with a clear mind and striving to stay on top, Nas is ready to jump back in to his place.

For more information on Life is Good and Nas

Check out his Official Website

Here!