These were all concerns that I and many others rightfully had as Cole’s album was continually pushed back, particularly because Cole has a raw style that is tough to release to a broad audience. However, the album finally arrived, and to the relief of many he stayed true to himself and released an album marked by its impressive production, creative lyrics, and unmatched rhymes. Sure, there are big name features, including Jay-Z, Trey Songz, Drake, and Missy Elliot, but unlike previous peers such as B.O.B. and Big Sean, Cole released his album without a radio hit. The album is undoubtedly authentic and true to the unique style that made fans cling to Cole over the years.  Simply for this reason, Cole deserves acclaim regardless of the number of copies his album sells. There is a surprising twist to this story, however: The album did sell, and sell quite well. In fact, it debuted at #1, making Cole the first artist to have their debut album open at #1 in 17 months. All these accolades couldn’t be more deserved, because the album is simply remarkable.

When first listening to this album, one can’t help but be amazed by Cole’s lyrical talent. His diversified rhyme scheme and gut wrenching lyricism jump out in nearly every song and it’s tough to not be impressed by how hungry Cole truly is. Midway through the intro, it’s quickly apparent that Cole wants listeners to know exactly how hard he worked for everything he has accomplished, and how difficult his struggle truly was. This gives his songs an edge that is unmatched by any artist today. As one would expect, this also leads to extremely personal songs, with topics ranging from reminiscence on his mother’s sacrifices in “Breakdown”, to exploring the issues of early pregnancy in “Lost Ones”. The production of the album was done mostly by Cole himself, with help from big time producers such as No I.D., and not only are the beats diverse and outstanding, but every song tells a story. Additionally, the tracks are played in such an order that they blend well and create an overall story for the entire album.  There is no doubt that Cole doesn’t disappoint on this long awaited debut, but the message he sends on the album is perhaps most important: You can do it your own unconventional way, maintain your artistic integrity, and still come out on top.

Top Tracks: Rise and Shine, Sideline Story

-Witness Cole in Concert in D.C. October 19^th at the Fillmore Center

- Ryan Martin, Co-Host of Eargasm, Sunday nights 10-11 PM on WGTB

J. Cole has proved his fearlessness on his widely praised mixtape The Warm Up, attacking beats from songs such as “Get By”, “Dead Presidents”, and “Last Call” that had already been made famous by the likes of Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, and Kanye West respectively. Cole also proved how well rounded an artist he is on the tape, not only producing fierce lyrics, but also making slower paced, reflective songs such as “Show Me Something.” In addition, like Kanye, Cole produces a lot of his own songs, a practice he takes equal pride in. Since the tape, Cole has done tracks with the likes of Jay-Z, Wale, Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica, Mos Def, Drake, Kanye West, and Pusha T. The most impressive part about it is that Jermaine didn’t only join these legends to make a song, but outshone every single one of them on the given collaboration. Combine these feats and there is only one logical next step in Cole’s career: to release a debut album.

Cole first announced that he’d officially be releasing an album under the Roc Nation label early in 2010, but to this date, he has yet to deliver on this promise. The album was originally supposed to drop in the summer of 2010, but despite having the commercially popular single “Blow Up”, which ironically recently was featured on a video game commercial, the album still remains without a release date or even a title. Speculations are that the label wants Cole to have a radio hit before he releases an album in an attempt to ensure high record sales, but the reality is J. Cole really won’t ever be the type of artist that is going to become mainstream. In fact, while fans remain optimistic the album likely will continue to be pushed aside while he spends most of the upcoming months opening for Rihanna on her tour. Cole has stated that he wants the album to be one of the “realest” albums in recent memory, all J. Cole, all heart, all dedication, with the only feature being his mentor and idol himself, Jay-Z. Whenever he decides to drop the album, the name of which has been rumored to be The Blow Up amongst other names, it is sure to satisfy and while the whole rap world waits in anticipation there’s one thing for sure, it’s a Cole World.

-Ryan Martin, host of Vibes And Stuff Mondays from 8-9 PM

With its catchy choruses, dance provoking beats, and the enchanting voice of lead lead singer Ellie Innocenti, it’s no surprise that You Are the Night has attracted so much media attention. Almost all of the songs on the album can be described as “dance tracks” and would fit nicely into the college club and party niche. The nature of the album manifests itself in the opening track, “OMFG,” an exclamatory vibe that carries throughout the album.

Each member of the band has his or her time to shine during the album, but Innocenti’s versatile voice is ever present.  Whether she is talking about how her heart beats like a drum in “Cascade” or contemplating whether she should speak the truth in “Waves,” Innocenti consistently keeps songs upbeat and fun. The beat and background music contribute to the party-like nature of the music—there are even shades of techno-esque beats in songs such as “Meanstreak” and “Trespasser.”

You Are the Night may not be turning the music world on its head, the album’s fast paced tempo will certainly provide entertainment to anyone looking for a solid dance track. They may have won “The Freshman” award, but I think we can all look forward to some quality Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year Deluka.

– Ryan Martin, host of Vibes and Stuff Saturdays 1-2 AM (Friday Nights)

Take a listen to “OMFG” here:

Avion, who has also performed with the band Par Avion, displays his diverse musical talent on RU With Me, which explains why spin.com rated him #2 on their list of 8 bands to watch in February of 2009.  Avion utilizes auto tune extremely well in the opening track “R U With Me” as well as “Mombasa Island”. While many people are critical of the use of auto tune in genres such as hip-hop, it fits well with the type of music Avion produces. This auto tune style is one of many used throughout the RU With Me album, as there are also love songs like “Slow and Steady Road to my Heart,” uplifting songs  like “Stand Up, Be a Man,” and even songs that feature verses in French, “Menage A Trois.” I was particularly impressed by the socially reflective lyrics displayed throughout the album, particularly in “Stop Joseph Kony,” in which Avion sings about the missionaries in Uganda trying to bring change, but sadly observing he “want[s] to bring something special, but [is] just made of sand, can it be that the whole world is out of [his] hands”.

Overall, RU With Me is a diverse album that combines politically and socially conscious lyrics with well diversified styles of production. While the album didn’t inspire me to investigate the indie band scene further, it was interesting to hear an up and coming artist in a genre outside of my usual taste.  I would imagine this album will be met with much satisfaction from avid Paul Avion fans.

–Ryan Martin

At the beginning of Dragon Slayer, Pigeon John gives no indication of his characteristic, unique style. The album’s opening track and first single, “The Bomb,” is pretty run-of-the-mill: it has a catchy beat and chorus, and trite lyrics explaining why he is indeed “the bomb”. By the third track, however, the energy of the first track is lost, and it holds a humdrum pace for the rest of the album.  While the occasional slow song can sometimes provide much-needed diversity, his stringing of multiple together lulls the listener, making it difficult to get past the album’s halfway point. The songs certainly have stories behind, them and while some of those prove intriguing (if you put in the effort to listen to them), some are downright uninteresting. Listening to rappers talking about how tough they are and how much better they are than you gets old quickly, but listening to Pigeon John sing about how he forgot to take out the trash on “To Do List” isn’t much better.

Pigeon John is not your typical rapper. While other rappers vow to never let a woman hold them down and few even have a committed girlfriend, Pigeon John is married. He has a daughter and is a committed family man, even rapping about how he wants to help out his nephew. He is not a particularly lyrical rapper; in fact, his lyrics are quite underwhelming, and he sings often throughout the album. He isn’t the type of rapper you’d expect to be a skilled in freestyling or chyphering, either. And while Dragon Slayer isn’t the worst thing to come out of the rap world lately, it’s not something you’ll want to listen to a second time

Rating: 5/10

-Ryan Martin