~ Top 13 Albums of 2013 ~

    I basically waited until the very end of the year to post my top albums of 2013 for no reason whatsoever, because I now realize I could've easily posted this list months back. Reflecting on this year's music releases, I certainly feel like there were a bit more disappointments than delightful surprises, but that's not to say that there weren't many musical blessings bestowed. Here's my thirteen favorite of 2013...

13 - Protest The Hero ~ "Volition"

    To be honest, I wasn't all that familiar with this band before hearing this record so I wouldn't have professed that I was a huge Protest The Hero fan, but this record certainly did its job in making me become one. The style displayed on this album is one of my favorites: blisteringly quick technical guitar driven progressive metal. Upon hearing the first track "Clarity" I was more than hooked. Some serious skill is shown here, and it shouldn't be ignored or dismissed. 8.3/10

12 - Deltron 3030 ~ "Event 2"

    Pretty much every hip-hop/rap aficionado I know or talked to declared this album a disappointment. Was I delusional for liking it as much as I do, or just easily amused? Well, I listened to it in its entirety more than four times and literally just listened to it again before I put together this list; color me confused or mislead, I like the record a lot. I know people had supremely high expectations because of the last classic staple Deltron 3030 release, but the production on this was superb for me. Admittedly, it's a bit lacking for Del in the lyrical department maybe, but the beats, the cameos, the choruses, the features, and the entire flow I enjoyed. "What Is This Lonliness" featuring Damon Albarn of Blur/Gorillaz might be one of my twenty favorite songs of the year, along with "Nobody Can" and "Do You Remember" following very close. If I'm a fool for liking Event 2 as much as I did, then so be it. A fool I'll gladly be. 8.4/10

11 - Necro & Kool G Rap ~ "Once Upon A Crime"

    Now here's a rare example in 2013 in which I had very high expectations for a record and wasn't displeased at all. Necro will always be one of my favorites, and Kool G Rap is an undeniable known god. A few years in the making and this CD shows they work very well off each other, and some great songs are contained herein. A solid release. 8.5/10

10 - Deafheaven ~ "Sunbather"

    This brutal but beautiful band basically consists of two very talented men (vocalist George Clarke and guitarist Kerry McCoy) leading the way with unique, yet respectable black metal. It's wonderful in a way with which I would easily suggest this record to anyone that might not be too keen or privy with black metal in general. Sunbather was included on many best-of lists I read this year, and it's no wonder why; it's something special. 8.6/10

 9 - Depeche Mode ~ "Delta Machine"

     This very well might be where people stop reading this list and that's fine. I reviewed this album earlier in the year (see past blog) and I didn't expect it would remain on my favorites of 2013, yet here it is. I can't help but compare the songs I really did enjoy on this album to those on several other releases that just didn't do it for me. It stood the test of time. Then again, I'm just a sucker for Dave Gahan's voice and the grooves of Depeche, so feel free to hate on me for that. 8.7/10

 8 - Tesseract ~ "Altered State"

    If you haven't heard this beautiful and equally cerebral release from England, I strongly urge you to do so. Altered State is broken into four parts: Of Matter, Of Mind, Of Reality and Of Energy. Some of the best vocal accompaniments paired with such surging and strong instrumentation, I couldn't dare deny it once I first heard it much earlier in the year. 8.8/10

7 - Ghost B.C. ~ "Infestissumum"

    I firmly believe these Swedish satanists will be a household name in metal soon enough, and they're basically there as it is. Call it gimmicky or cheap, these enigmatic personas couple with some sinful songs to make effort in music that hardly any are respectably rivaling. I consider Ghost close to that of a satanic Blue Oyster Cult, but that's just me. They certainly have that late 70's vibe, only with Lucifer and Beelzebub references thrown about. Infestissumum is no different. 8.8/10

6 - Ill Bill ~ "The Grimy Awards"

   Yet another stellar record I reviewed earlier in the year, but this time it's one I knew would be included on this list. Death metal-loving Brooklyn beast Ill Bill is brutal with the bars and this album has some of my favorite songs of the year contained on it. Listen to Exploding Octopus, Paul Baloff, 120% Darkside Justice feat. Jedi Mind Tricks and Severed Heads of State with El-P (my favorite) and tell me you really expected me not to include this musical gem on my favorites of 2013. Case closed. Thanks, Bill. 8.8/10

5 - The Ocean ~ "Pelagial"

    This post-metal German/Switzerland musical outfit is breathtaking. These aren't songs on this wonderful record, they're mini-movies in musical form. Again, various instrumentations to behold here. There's tunes contained on Pelagial that I played for people that instantly fell in love with, having never heard of the band. It's that good. Great album, even greater band. 8.9/10

4 - El-P & Killer Mike ~ "Run The Jewels"

    On basically every greatest of 2013 list this year I've seen, Run The Jewels is a thing of beauty: Hip hop at its finest. My god, El-P, and Killer Mike fashioned a classic that everyone has been noticing, and if you haven't yet noticed it you sincerely should. This is a record I see metal heads, indie rock lovers and others proudly bumping, and there's a reason for that. It's incredibly infectious and this team is tremendous. 9.1/10

3 - Sadistik ~ "Flowers For My Father"

    If you would've told me in the beginning of 2013 that Run The Jewels wouldn't be my favorite hip hop record of the year, I would've scoffed at you. Low and behold, Sadistik comes with not only one of the greatest albums of 2013, but probably one of the most fluid and fantastic rap albums I've ever heard. Listen to this record. This is what inspires me to write. This is what inspires me to pick up a pen or put together verses in my head. These beats are the epitome of beauty, and he displays lyricism and cadence that floor me. Many just spit on a beat; Sadistik has created paintings with these remarkable flows. I can't say enough about this release, and how hard it hits. 9.2/10

2 - Killswitch Engage ~ "Disarm The Descent"

    I literally can't count how many times I've listened to this phenomenal record this year, and I don't see the habit ending any time soon. What I mentioned earlier with Protest The Hero, Killswitch has bested here. A lead singer that can both carry choruses with an outstanding bravado and tone and belt brutal screams is what I desire most in a metal frontman. I knew Disarm The Descent would be on my top five when I reviewed it earlier in 2013, and I'm very much happy that I wasn't wrong in that belief. This is almost perfection for me. 9.5/10

1 - Queens Of The Stone Age ~ "...Like Clockwork"

     This phenomenal masterpiece of music came in two forms for me: First hearing half of the songs around friends with an early leak of videos, and then hearing the whole record and almost automatically being reassured it was the best collection of music this year. QOTSA is a top ten band for me, and has been since I first heard them -- however long ago that might have been. Though I feel this record really starts on the third track, every song thereafter is astonishing up until the final bullet has been shot. I'm more than grateful to have this to listen to, and hopefully you feel the same way. This record set the bar so high this year and left all others below it, in my opinion. 9.7/10

Biggest disappointments:

Cage - "Kill The Architect"

NIN - "Hesitation Marks"

Pearl Jam - "Lightning Bolt"

Kanye West - "Yeezus"

Other notable releases:

Czarface - (self-titled)

Dour Candy - "Billy Woods"

Kylesa - "Ultraviolet"

Nails - "Abandon All Hope"

And there you have it. Thanks to anyone for reading, and go listen to some good music, people... Cheers.

 - Castle.

💀

Everyone's A Critic Including CAStLE: 1 of 3 in 2013.

     Greetings, fellow music maniacs.   After half a year or so I find myself begrudgingly going back to blogging and this time I'm blaming the music I've been listening to as being the catalyst. I figured if I wrote a new EACIC now I might as well round it up to three by the end of the year, because as we all know death comes in threes and reading my blogs can surely result in being bored to death. Therefore -- for any zombies that might be somehow reading this -- here's eleven new musical releases I've been listening to, and what I've felt about them...

 

 Black Sabbath - "13"

   For any metal fan Black Sabbath is surely something to behold. Their history and legacy in music is unquestionable, and they'll forever remain one of the most important bands who'll continue to inspire generations well after a lot of us are gone. But how would Ozzy and company fare with their first studio album together since 1978's Never Say Die? Well, for me the result was a mixed bag. First and foremost it's important to state how awesome it is hearing Ozzy with them again, and they surely haven't swayed too far from their original formula. I suspect master producer Rick Rubin was the main factor in making sure Sabbath sounded like how Sabbath should sound. My main gripe being that because of that, the creativity might have been muted a bit. Don't get me wrong, this record is great; dark and dreary, with lengthy odes of a holy morbid nature and if you didn't know better you might assume that these are still youthful young men in their twenties. But after a few listens it just got a bit humdrum and routine for me. I feel everyone should own this -- if not out of pure respect -- but ultimately it's not going to be emitting from my headphones or speakers as much as a record almost thirteen years in the making should've been. 

7.8/10

Ghostface Killah - "Twelve Reasons To Die"

     What's that? Tony Starks dons the mask yet again and has gone back to the grittier nature we all love to hear from the Wu? Yeah, this album was a blessing for me before I'd even listened to it. I'm a Wu-head until my days end, and I'll be the first in line every time there's a new release or show from any of the gods.

The production, lyrical content, length, imagery of this record -- everything for me was a welcomed triumph and what I crave when I listen to hip hop: No flashy, simplistic swag, just lyrical death in a booth with 70's kung fu and bloody horror film undertones (in particular in this case is an homage to Argento films). Thank you, Ghost. You've made yet another gem to add to your already intimidating collection.

8.9/10

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Mosquito"

    Some bands are hit-and-miss, but the Yeah Yeah Yeahs always hit it out of the park. Even if you didn't consider the wild-spirited Karen O one of the best lead female vocalists (which you should), you have to respect her unique style and voice and this band's essence in rock. It took me awhile to get around to it, but once I finally did Mosquito was just what I expected it would be: Another quality release from an already astonishing band. They might be an acquired taste to some, but I feel this release has something for everyone. A collection of furious surging melodies, slower more emotional odes, and uncommon rhythms, all fronted by Karen's vocals stabbing through the musical fabric like the swooping talons of a hawk to comprise this magnificent work which is Mosquito.

8.7/10

Device - "Device"

    Device is the side project of the lead singer of Disturbed, David Draiman, and since it was streaming for free I figured I'd give it a listen. I used to hate Disturbed so much but then two things happened many years ago: I stopped listening to the radio, and I saw them live. They put on an eventfully damn good show, and I started to appreciate his vocals more after seeing them live because his grunts and animal shrieks aren't necessarily easy to execute. I don't know why they didn't just make a Disturbed record, however, because to be blunt that's basically what this is, sans the guitar solos and harder tempos. It's not bad. In fact, some of these tracks are pretty enjoyable. The Ozzy/Lita Ford cover was awfully interesting, and the M. Shadows appearance was kind of cool, albeit brief. I still don't see the reason for this record, but there wasn't much for me to dislike and pick apart besides a few minor qualms. If you like Draiman or Disturbed you'll probably enjoy this.

7.6/10

Megadeth - "Super Collider"

    I'll start with this: I've seen Megadeth more times than I can count on two hands, and they'll probably always remain my second favorite band. Lately -- and I'll gladly not beat around the bush in saying so -- their material has blown. The last two records by 'Deth were easily dismissible and sucked. I don't know whether Mustaine is unmotivated, or if he feels that the meandering, mellower work he's manufacturing is actually better than their older efforts. In my humble opinion, it's a case of 'Deth's older work being more riddled with angst and spitefully focused, rather than lately going for a more radio-friendly rocker approach. Having stated that, Super Collider is better than their last two efforts. But that's not really saying a whole bunch, is it? It's alright but forgetful, and the sad truth is it'll go in my collection but I'm not going to play it much. What Metallica did with Death Magnetic Megadeth needs to do soon. Or perhaps don't, and I'll just shrug and continue listening to Countdown, Cryptic, Rust and The World Needs A Hero.

6.9/10

     

 

    Depeche Mode - "Delta Machine"

      I love Depeche Mode, and I'm baffled if you say you don't. I don't care what you think of my saying so, but this group has way too many infectious classics, and the album Violator alone has some of the hardest drum breaks and is widely considered a masterpiece. On my first listen, Delta Machine underperformed and I was left a bit unimpressed -- even with the few singles and songs I did highly enjoy. Maybe my hopes were too high and I was too enthusiastic. But then I realized -- like an idiot smacked his face into a brick wall -- that my speakers weren't working correctly and there was a problem with my bass. Needless to say, once it was fixed I was pleased and totally appreciated the album. Dave Gahan still holds a note wonderfully, and I could give this a spin any time. Fans of Depeche should not be disappointed. I only wish their live show hadn't sold out so quickly, so that I might've finally heard some of it in the flesh. Listen to "Welcome To My World" and "Heaven" and tell me it's not astonishing...

8.6/10

    Stone Sour - "House of Gold and Bones: Part 1 & 2"

   This allows me an opportunity to do something I'd not yet done in these record reviews that I've been bumbling with for a few years now; I'm going to give my thoughts on two records at once, and what better instance than with a two-part concept album? I adore Corey Taylor, but more so because of the Slipknot than the Stone Sour, but both are bad-ass. These two pieces are different in that one I enjoyed greatly, and the other not so much. HOGAB part one is alright, but a majority of the songs didn't connect much with me, for whatever reason. Maybe it just felt lazy. On the other hand, however, part two begins beautifully and never lets up, save for a country-type track and another selection I wasn't terribly fond of. It really finishes hard (that's what she said) and Corey showcases a good range and the riffs are radical. It's kind of perplexing realizing that they were both conceived together, yet one I'm ultimately indifferent about and the other I adore. Also worth mentioning is the fantastic and original idea for the packaging of both albums, in which that they both join to form an actual, physical miniature house with the CDs and booklets. Perhaps the point being with these is that you can't have the good without the bad? Hmm.

Part 1- 7.0/10

Part 2- 8.7/10

      Ill Bill - "The Grimy Awards"

    A Brooklyn emcee immersed in the drug-addled gutters of New York with a penchant for death metal, chaos and classic hip hop; Ill Bill is incredible. Any lyricist who can compose an entire song showcasing the history of Slayer is special and should be admired. This man doesn't make bad music. Whether it's working with Jedi Mind Trick's Vinnie Paz, or penning a piece about the Unibomber and Bad Brains, this Nonfiction soldier is nothing if not brutal. I only wish more people would take notice of quality hip hop like this, instead of fawning over mindless acts like whatever's playing on your radio and MTV. Search any video by this La Coka Nostra frontman and instantly become a fan. The Grimy Awards is more of what you want from Bill and it's beautiful: Ridiculous lines of lyrics layered over punching production. I only wish I would've told Bill how much of an influence he is when I met him.

8.3/10

      Killswitch Engage - "Disarm The Descent"

    Reaching towards the homestretch and nearing the finish line, my second to last review is an album that completely surprised me and had me convinced that it might be the best of the year. Well, it was certainly the best I'd heard in 2013 for a good while. Of course I'm talking about the pictured above Disarm The Descent. I've liked Killswitch since I first heard them, but this return to their original lead singer had me floored. I said god damn this is outstanding! This is basically the epitome of what I want in metal: Furiously fast shredding, well thought-out lyrics expressed through a mixture of sonic screaming and soothing singing, and tempo changes that keep it interesting and fresh. My very very tiny gripe is that the guitar display is so mesmerizing I could've easily gone with more solo work, but this album has already been in my constant rotation and shall continue to stay there. Consider me blindsided, but this release made seeing these fellows in a few days even more exciting. I usually wake up on work days and play this. You should, too.

9.2/10

Queens of the Stone Age - "Like Clockwork"

   If you know me, you know this is one of my favorite bands. Hell, Lullabies To Paralyze has been my sixth favorite record of all-time ever since its release. Josh Homme is near rock-god status and there's simply no other band that sounds like Queens or has that hard voodoo blues feel that they've cultivated. One thing I need to say about Like Clockwork: It really starts on the third track. The first two songs are great and lower your guard and then blam. A piano accompanies some of the most remarkably candid and relatable lyrics I've heard over a Queens record. From then on, it's a marathon of remarkable melodies that only Queens can do. I don't care what you listen to, I sincerely urge you to check this out and tell me I'm a moron for enjoying it so much. On first listen I knew it'd easily dethroned the above Killswitch and instantly became my favorite piece of music this year. I can't help but consider Like Clockwork remarkable, and I hope you do, too.

9.5/10

      To be honest, I don't see anyone -- not even Kanye West, or should I say Yeezus now -- knocking this record from atop its throne of my favorites of 2013. Wait... Aren't Nine Inch Nails releasing an album later this year? Damn. Perhaps I speak too soon. We shall see. For anyone who might've read this, I hope you at least slightly enjoyed my meaningless words and opinions and please feel free to shoot me some suggestions for listening pleasure any time. And if you care to tell me how ridiculously wrong and imbecilic I am, that's fine and dandy, too.

   Until the next eleven in a future EACIC, I thank you for reading and take care of yourselves.

~ CAStLE 💀

   

-- CAStLE's Best Of 2012 --

  Greetings, earthlings...

    Well, I'll be damned if this doesn't seem like an unfamiliar activity, seeing as it's been what feels like ages since I last attempted a blog. I do hope you'll be kind enough to bare with me.

    I've completed a best-of-the-year list for music the past four or five years or so, solely for the simple reason that I love music and doing what I can to possibly give a little appreciation to artists and releases that I feel deserve some acclaim, albeit very miniscule coming from me. It's usual fare for me to begin my blogs by firing off a lengthy description of the topic, but I'm gravely ill at the moment and would rather crawl into a garbage can and die. Simply put: I liked these albums a lot this year and you might enjoy them, too. It definitely felt like somewhat of a weak year for rock releases, and a stronger year for Hip Hop, so my list reflects that. Alright, here goes...


   #11 -- BROTHER ALI - "Mourning In America Dreaming In Color"

     The bodacious Brother Ali is someone you kind of just have to respect and admire, regardless of your personal preferences in music. He's always had a vigor present in his voice and style that just demands attention. I might be going out on a limb here, but I felt that this might be his most personal release to date. The beats are quality, and his flow with the various serious subject matters is proud and unrelenting. I have to say: This actually might be my favorite album he's put out yet. This man is the truth, and he certainly wasn't messing around with this one.

#10 -- DEFTONES - "Koi No Yokan"

      This particular release somewhat shocked me. Although I've enjoyed Deftones for quite some time, their past few records have been awfully hit-and-miss for me. That's not the case with "Koi No Yokan" here. Some enthralling, encompassing songs blasted at you with a fury, all the while showcasing a delicate tonal landscape. Fans of the band should have very little problem diving into this record. I will admit, however, that the majority of the tracks on this didn't come across as well live; I've seen them live twice, the second time being very recently for the promotion of this album. Chino's voice really does couple with the instrumentation they've grown into awfully well.







#9 -- OPEN MIKE EAGLE - "4NML HSPTL"

       I personally love this polite professor who's perfected a style packed with profundity and panache. If/when he drops an album in any particular year, it's almost a certain guarantee to make my best of list. He's basically one of the funnest and most pleasant humans I've ever came across, and his refreshing music just urges you to join his team. He followed up his last lavish masterpiece, "Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes", with this "4NML HSPTL", which features backing production by Awkward. There's a slight few tracks I couldn't care for as much as I wanted to, but overall it's another quality release with some damn fine gems to add to his ever-impressive arsenal. Find out more about this marvelous man at his website: www.mikeeagle.net. You'll truly be the better for it.

#8 -- BUSDRIVER - "Beau$&Eros"

     And another one... Some people might have slightly forgotten this exceptional disc towards the end of the year, only because it was released so early within it. Busdriver has an insane style, and with the numerous amount of tremendous tracks on this, it instantly floored me. I thoroughly enjoy the way he came through with everything on this release. My personal favorite song herein is "Ass To Mouth", and not just because of the somewhat vulgar title. He balances his singing and beautiful production accompaniment with a devastating lyrical delivery, and if you've not heard this piece, I sincerely suggest you give it a whirl.







#7 -- NAS - "Life is Good"

    It should only be common knowledge that Nas is a dominant god of Hip Hop. My only mistake with this new record of his was waiting so long to hear it. I have no idea why I was so lazy and dismissive; The Queens Bridge native has always been one of my favorites, and I celebrate his every single release. This album has three songs where he flexes his lyrical ferocity that are worth the price of admission alone, so to speak: "Nasty", "Locomotive" and "No Introduction". My only major gripe is that there was an awful lot of sentimental, softer fare, but that's only to be expected with the album's point and his maturity, I'd assume.


#6 -- KILLER MIKE - "R.A.P. Music"

     The production of EL-P coupled with the rough lyricism of Killer Mike? You already knew this was going to be a power punch from the jump. This record is on a majority of lists that I've noticed, and for obvious reasons: It's terrific in its simplicity, and the two of them make an awesome team. Thorough fans of Hip Hop have already heard this and most likely already enjoyed the hell out of it. Period.


#5 -- ECID - "Werewolf Hologram"

     Ecid is a genius in his own right, and he never fails to impress his fans with the quality he frequently releases. Instead of me blabbering on about his talents, in this instance I felt it'd just be more sufficient to add a link to one of his songs from this album; a song I humbly consider one of the greatest he's ever created. Here's "Back From Japan": http://youtu.be/pAZt2a2MwDI . I implore you to hear this record if you have yet to. You'd be doing yourself a great favor.

#4 -- IN THIS MOMENT - "Blood"

     My first listen to this CD was off-putting and awkward. I didn't like what I'd heard, even though I've been a very big fan of this band for many years. It seemed too fierce and abrasive, and more hateful than all their other work. It was with another listen that I later found out I was very wrong, and I didn't hear it out for what it was. The album does start out bitter and resentful, but it quickly becomes evident that every track is stupendous and works well in a succession. Maria Brink's voice is angelic as always, and the masterful metal she's backed by quickly envelop you until the album reaches an apex with the final track, "11:11". This album was a savior of sorts for rock this year, in my book.


 #3 -- AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD - "Lost Songs"

      Holy hell, I adore this band! I wish more people were familiar with them. They have an incredibly extensive library of releases and the manner in which they perform, and go about creating and piecing together their albums, is truly unlike any other band's methods. They break their instruments every time they perform all the while alternating instruments to different members of the group; They record conceptual albums with a similar notation throughout them, with tracks that lead directly into the next; And they are one of, if not the best band I've heard to immediately change from a peaceful to a hellishly boisterous melody and still keep you drawn in. I had to somewhat scour high and low just to get a listen to "Lost Songs", but I'm glad I was triumphant in the end. Three tracks into it and I knew it would be somewhere on my top five of the year.

#2 -- YAKBALLZ - "Gas Galaxy"

I'm just going to make this statement and you can disagree with it however much you like -- "Gas Galaxy" by New York's Yak Ballz and Chapter7 has the best production of anything that came out this year, easily. If I start this brilliant album, I cant stop it until it's finished. The way Yak released these tracks on a periodic basis was awesome and kept me salivating, not to mention I honestly love the feel and intergalactic flow of this whole damn record. Here's a link to Yak's website with a free download for "Gas Galaxy": http://www.yakballz.net/2012/08/gas-galaxy-lp-free-download/ . I honestly hope you enjoy it as much as it amazed me.


  #1 -- EL-P - "Cancer4Cure"

     This isn't the slightest bit surprising to anyone that knows me. It's air-apparent what my number one would be, and it's obviously EL-P's "Cancer4Cure". I don't feel the need to justify why I love this man or this album so much. He is my God, and every song on this masterpiece if unlike anything that's came out in I don't know how long. This is a work of art, and every single song is far, far more important than a beat and some lyrics. This record is just ridiculous. I probably turn some people off by how much I enjoy him, but is it really my fault if every bit of music I hear on this stuns me? Anyhow, there you have it.



BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT (musically) -- KENDRICK LAMAR - "Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City"

   I know I was supposed to love this CD like everyone else, but I listened to it three times and I just cant, nor am I going to front or force myself to. Perhaps it's that I've always, always favored an East Coast style over the West Coast attitude. If you take a look at my favorite rappers of all time, it's practically one-sided and filled with nothing but lyricists who are native to the East. In the most simplistic of terms, I found most of the tracks on this record boring, and overall, I respect the idea of the album and that so many people enjoy him, but I just cant. If you're a smoker this record probably floats your boat, but alas, I am not, so it didn't. I know people like the groove with most of this, but for me I was just left indifferent and wanting to hear something that grabbed me; something that knocked... Oh well.



BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT (overall) -- Myself.

        I can easily say beyond a shadow of a doubt that this last year, 2012, was the worst year of my entire life. There were a few moments of sunshine, but my own selfish actions and choices guaranteed I'd see nothing but dismal rain overhead throughout. I am sorry for hurting the people I did, and moreover just oddly not being the person I've always been... I've already vowed to take 2013 by the balls and squeeze, and attempt my best with honesty and tenacity. Words are words and actions are actions, but I promise I will put forth great effort and become respectable and worthy of whatever may come my way... Happy New Year?


FUNNEST ARTIST TO WATCH (literally) -- LEIF(kolt)

    This marvelous man bombarded the music scene this year with numerous astounding videos; videos frankly, that put most others to shame. He was something of a wizard in that right. Here's some of what I was talking about, so you can delve into the intriguing and entertaining visual world he released this past year...

--  http://youtu.be/CD5_HWEo0aw

--  http://youtu.be/o5uPiuOn3e0

--  http://youtu.be/vsJD4BtIY5g

    Also, feel free to check out his website www.leifkolt.com, and further browse his wonderful works.


 

  BEST LOCAL LAS VEGAS CELEBRITY -- Vessel.

    I ran into this man on three separate occasions this year, each one with me feeling more depressed, and I couldn't help but think how awesome this guy is. I love him, and you should, too; even if you've never been to Las Vegas. Him and I worked together on the final track for my prior album, "The David Schwimmer of Hip Hop" last year, and I sincerely plan to get something brewing with him soon, if he'd only be so kind. This man knows how to take off a shirt while performing his songs and still have you focused on what matters -- his pecks.


 
     Anyhow, that's it for me. Thanks for anyone who read through this, and much appreciation to these artists for making music for you and I to enjoy. I'll be around... Be excellent to each other.




.,CAStLE,.