Good Music Radar

May 20 2013

This Month In Music Videos: April 2013

Sorry for the lack of updates this month, but I was preoccupied with finals and my sisters graduation lately. Now we are back at full force yet again and below the top music videos from the month of April can be found. Click on the more button found after the top two videos of the month in order to see more music videos.

Drake sounds hungry again on 5 AM In Toronto as he delivers plenty of subliminal disses which you can read more about by clicking here for my lyric explanations for the song. A simple music video, but that’s all you need from Drizzy for this free track.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis had a breakthrough year this past year, and the hype continues with the music video for Can’t Hold Us.
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By Anthony Martins • Music Video Recaps, Videos and Trailers • 0 • Tags: Ab-Soul, Action Bronson, Afrojack, Akon, Alicia Keys, Armin van Buuren, Ashanti, B.o.B, Bow Wow, Busta Rhymes, Calvin Harris, Cassie, Chris Brown, Cobra Starship, Cold War Kids, Cris Cab, David Guetta, Dizzy Wright, DJ Drama, Domo Genesis, Drake, Ellie Goulding, Eve, Fabolous, Frank Ocean, Guy Sebastain, Hit-Boy, Iggy Azalea, J. Cole, Jaden Smith, Jahlil Beats, Jessie ware, joey bada$$, John Dalback, Justin Bieber, Kendrick lamar, Kirko Bangz, Lana Del Rey, Lil Wayne, Logic, Ludacris, Mac Miller, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Medina, MellowHype, Michael Buble, Miguel, Mike Posner, Muse, Ne-Yo, Nicki Minaj, Omarion, Paramore, Pro Era, Problem, Pusha T, Quadron, Rick Ross, Ryan McDermott, Schoolboy Q, Snoop Lion, Swift Kid, Symmetry, T.I., The Dream, the Kid Daytona, Travi$ Scott, Trinidad James, Twista, Two Door Cinema Club, Tyga, Will.i.am, Wiz Khalifa, Wolfgang Gartner

Apr 22 2013

Mariano Rivera and His Final Season

Mariano Rivera is currently pitching in his final season and will look to close out his amazing career with yet another world series ring.

The greatest relief pitcher in the history of baseball will hang up his cleats at the end of the 2013 baseball season at the age of 43. I have been blessed with and have had the pleasure of seeing the greatest relief pitcher of all time pitch for my favourite team since I was born. The Yankees legend is considered the greatest at his craft and the most dominant closer of all time by a large margin. Rivera holds countless records with a record 613 and counting saves along with 12 all-star selections. Rivera’s 2.21 ERA and .998 WHIP are the best of any pitcher since 1920 and aside from the regular season, Rivera also is one of the greatest play-off performers of all time, leading the Yankees to five world series titles, all mainly with the use of one pitch, his unique stunning cutter which is the best pitch in the game of baseball. Not only is Rivera one of the best players in the history of baseball, he is also one of the most genuinely nice people you could ever meet. I have had the pleasure of meeting the historically great pitcher multiple times, and he is one of the nicest people I have ever met. Reporters say of Rivera that when he asks reporters and crew people how they have been, that he is one of the extremely few players who actually cares how each person has been. I have been spoiled to have seen the closer pitch for the Yankees all my life and to have met the pitcher in person many times.

Rivera grew up in a poor fishing village near Panama City, Panama, playing baseball since a young age with friends. Tree branches were used as bats, with milk cartons for gloves and tape being used to make a ball. Upon graduating from high school Rivera worked with his father on a fishing boat, hauling shrimp and sardines. In free time, Rivera began playing shortstop for a local amateur team at the age of 19. A Yankees scout noticed Rivera’s athleticism and signed him to a $3,000 contract. Rivera was never considered as a major league prospect, but worked his way up the Yankees system as a starting pitcher. In 1995 the pitcher made ten appearances as a starter for the big league club with little success before being moved to the bullpen. At that point, Mariano’s career took off and the pitcher never looked back. To make things even more amazing, Rivera has had all his success with the use of one pitch, his cutter which no one in the history of the sport seems to be able to throw as well as him. The pitch has been named by countless hitters as the best pitch in baseball, and hitters fail to be able to hit it even when they know it is coming, with Rivera breaking countless bats due to the movement of this pitch. In the post-season, what Rivera has been able to accomplish is even more remarkable, with the closer being at the top of countless categories. In his play-off career Rivera has won five world series, has eight wins to one loss, owns a .70 ERA, has pitched 141 innings in 96 games, holds 42 saves and has only given up 2 home runs. It would only be fitting for Rivera’s career to end this year with the closer adding to these feats and getting the final out to win the Yankees their 28th world series and to end the already outstanding career of Rivera. Rivera dominated his position and has a chance to be the only player in the history of baseball to be unanimously elected to the Hall Of Fame, and if any voters do not vote for Rivera, they deserve to have their votes rescinded based of the accomplishments of Rivera. And yet, despite the success and fame which Rivera has achieved, the pitcher remains humble, soft spoken and goes about his job without any theatrics or bravado. Rivera’s attitude towards the game and his outlook remains the same win or lose with his impeccable work ethic. Mariano Rivera has succeeded in being historically great in the most pressure filled innings for the most pressure filled team in the world and it has been an honour to watch Rivera pitch for all these years. This season every time Rivera appears on the field to pitch it is something which must be cherished and no matter what situation a Yankees game is in this year, it will always be something to watch for the opportunity that you might get to see the greatest relief pitcher in the history of the sport pitch one more time. Rivera is the last player in baseball history to wear Jackie Robinson’s number 42 and it is only fitting that it is the most humble and historically great player currently playing who gets to do this. Every time that Enter Sandman starts playing this season Yankees Stadium will be filled with anticipation, as if it is a play-off game, and one of the last chances for a person to see this amazing pitcher close out one last game in person.

By Anthony Martins • Sports Articles • 0 • Tags: baseball

Apr 22 2013

Muse: The 2nd Law Tour Concert Reaction

Muse performed at the Izod Center as part of their 2nd Law Tour on Friday, April 19th and I was in attendance.

On Friday night I saw Muse perform live for the first time at the Izod Center, and the band put on a great show which utilized lasers and a pyramid of LED screens. Muse put on an excellent show and lived up to the high expectations I had for the band in concert and the high expectations set by what I had heard from others about the band’s live performances.

The concert opened with a late replacement as the opening act in, the band Dead Sara. The opening act is an up and coming hard metal band which has received rave reviews, but hard metal is not my type of music so I wasn’t a fan of the opening performance for the concert. Muse is well known for their laser shows and in concert the vocals and instrumentation sound excellent and live up to the studio quality of the songs. The band used an enormous pyramid of LED Screens across the stage to display video to go with each song, as well as having the screens descend and “consume” the band during the show. Throughout the concert laser lights were used which looked awesome to go with Muse playing a nice mixture of both older and new material throughout the concert. In tribute to the horrific tragedy at the Boston Marathon lead singer Matthew Bellamy performed the Star Spangled Banner and in tribute to Hurricane Sandy and New Jersey he dedicated the song Starlight. The band played many of my favourite hits from the group including songs: Supremacy, Supermassive Black Hole, Knights Of Cydonia, Madness, Time Is Running Out, Stockholm Syndrome, Uprising, Starlight and to close out the show Survival. As the concert approached Muse’s previous album The 2nd Law had continued to grow on me, although I was not a fan of the dubstep elements found on the album. Muse puts on an outstanding live show with an excellent use of lighting effects, great vocals and excellent instrumentation in what is an overall great show from the alternative rock band. If you haven’t seen Muse in person yet and are a fan of the band, I would definitely recommend seeing them as they put on a really good show.

By Anthony Martins • Concert Reaction, Rock Music • 0 • Tags: Muse

Apr 21 2013

Draw My Life: Videos

A recent rend has emerged on YouTube, and that is “Draw My Life Videos”, which are short videos in which YouTuber’s draw their life story on a whiteboard and narrate this story. Although the artistic abilities of the majority of the most popular YouTuber’s is lacking, these YouTuber’s compensate for this with fascinating, heartfelt and personal videos which reveal anecdotes about growing up and how they became the popular YouTube sensations which they are today. Below are some of my favorite Draw My Life videos which I thought were the best. My top two can be seen just below, and to see more my top Draw My Life Videos click the more button. Let me know your thoughts on these videos and what your favorite one was in the comments.

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By Anthony Martins • Music Video Recaps, Videos and Trailers • 0 • Tags: Videos

Apr 19 2013

More Album Reviews: April Part One

Below are my quicker reviews for some notable albums which have been released this month. The review’s for these albums will have ratings, my top 5 tracks, a quick reaction to the album, a download link to download individual songs and a link to purchase the album on iTunes. The iTunes link for the album can be found by clicking on the title of the album, and you can download individual tracks by clicking on my top 5 tracks. Some of these album reviews will possibly see a full-scale review in the near future by either me ore one of the other writers which I have added to the site, but for now you can see my reaction and review to these albums below. Individual track descriptions and ratings for each track can also be found soon for each track by clicking on my top 5 tracks. To see all my reviews for the most notable albums of the year click on the more button found after the first two albums.

Paramore: Paramore

The latest album from Paramore frays away from a specific sound and pursues many different genres in what is an excellent album from the alternative rock band. On this album you can find throwbacks, pop songs, a country song and even a ukulele interlude in an album which switches up its’s sound often, all while highlighting the vocals of lead singer Hayley Williams.

My Top 5 Tracks: Now, Still Into You, Ain’t It Fun, Hate To See Your Heart Break, Grow Up

Fall Out Boy: Save Rock and Roll

The fifth album from alternative rock band Fall Out Boy features guest appearances from The Foxes, Big Sean, Courtney Love and Elton John while coming in at 11 tracks and just over 41 minutes. The band is still happy to experiment, mix things up and try new sounds five albums in and have released an excellent ambitious album this time around.

My Top 5 Tracks: The Phoenix, My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark, Alone Together, Save Rock and Roll, Young Volcanoes

By Anthony Martins • Album Reviews, House Music, Pop Music, R&B Music, Rap Music, Rock Music • 0 • Tags: Angel, Big Sean, Bob Sinclar, Chip, David Archuleta, David Bowie, Elton John, Emeli Sande, Eric Clapton, Fall Out Boy, Far East Movement, French Montana, Ice Kid, Jimi Hendrix, JME, Kano, Lethal Bizzle, Marcus Canty, Ms. D, Paramore, Skepta, The Strokes, Tinchy Stryder, Tulisa, Wale, Wiley

Apr 16 2013

Kid Cudi: Indicud Album Review

To purchase Kid Cudi’s upcoming third studio album, Indicud, which is set to be released on April 16th, click on the image above.

Indicud is the upcoming third studio album from Hip-Hop artist Kid Cudi and is set to be released on April 16th. The album will be Kid Cudi’s last with G.O.O.D. Music, as he moves onto his own ventures after the completion of this album. The album comes in at 18 tracks long and 1.1 hours with features from King Chip, A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Michael Bolton and a few others. The album has been called by Cudi, his most upbeat and positive release to date and different than the usual dark erratic sound from the artist. Kid Cudi reached huge success with his mixtapes and his debut album with his style of music being labelled as “stoner rap”. After the release of his debut album though, in my opinion other than a few good songs per project, Cudi has been inconsistent while searching for his sound and with this album that trend continues. The album is largely self-produced by Kid Cudi, unlike his past albums as Cudi attempts to develop more as an artist. This marks the third album from Cudi in my opinion which has been a disappointment and suffered from inconsistency when compared to the incredible consistency of his early projects although the album does have many good tracks.

While Indicud does have it’s moments such as Just What I Am, King Wizard and a few other tracks, the album has a few misses as well such as New York City Rage Fest, Mad Solar and a few other tracks. Overall the album has eight tracks out of eighteen which I think are skippable and below average songs, while having ten songs which I thought were at least above average songs. The album would have been much better served if it was cut to a ten song long or so album rather than 18 with the album’s first seven tracks all being strong before faltering off mostly for the next 11 songs other than a track here or there. With Cudi’s varying and versatile musical style you never know what to expect from Cudi lately. Cudi might hum through a whole song, rap sing, play instruments or any of his other varying styles. While Cudi has self-produced much of this album, with this being his first album he produced himself, I was thoroughly impressed with the instrumentals which matched Cudi’s musical style extremely well. The album shines most when Cudi shows off some lyrical ability behind some eery, darker production with a good hook such as on Immortal and Brothers. On this album Kid Cudi displays some skilful production talents, and some of the sounds we have not heard from Cudi in a while which is the eery dark “stoner rap” which he became known for. The album is an average album from Cudi which has it’s high moments, but also has many lows which results in a mixed album that is a mixed bag of songs for the listener.

Kid Cudi’s third solo studio album is an average, middle of the road project, which other than a few stand-out tracks suffers from inconsistency, with tracks missing just as often as they succeed resulting in just a middle of the road album. Indicud is an average album which receives a very strong two and a half stars.

My Top 5 Tracks: Just What I Am, King Wizard, Brothers, Solo Dolo Pt. 2, Immortal

Listen to, read descriptions, and see ratings of all the tracks from Indicud below and if you like the album, make sure to support Kid Cudi by clicking here to download the album on iTunes. Let me know what you think of the album in the comments and download individual tracks below.

By Anthony Martins • Album Reviews, Rap Music • 0 • Tags: A$AP Rocky, Kendrick lamar, Kid Cudi, King Chip, Michael Bolton

Apr 13 2013

Tyga: Hotel California Album Review

To purchase the third album, Hotel California from Young Money rapper Tyga click on the image above.

Hotel California is the third album from Young Money rapper, Tyga and was released on April 9th. The album features appearances from Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Jadakiss, Chris Brown, Future, Game, 2 Chainz, and a few others. This album follows the rappers breakthrough sophomore album which was released last year and was ranked as my fifth best rap album of the year in Careless World Rise Of The Last King with the album containing hit singles Faded and Rack City among many other stand-out tracks. The latest album from Tyga is a big disappointment compared to his previous project, but overall is still a solid album.

With his last album, Tyga went to great lengths to prove that their was much more behind him as an artist than Faded and Rack City succeeding in making good songs which had substance and emotion behind them, with the rapper showing much more versatility than was expected of him. Songs like Light Dreams and Kings and Queens were stand-out tracks which showed lyricism to add to two hit party tracks already on the album, to go along with two other great tracks in I’m Gone and Muthafucka Up. With Hotel California though, Tyga seems to have given up on showing this versatility which was found on his breakthrough sophomore album. This time around Tyga sticks to the same formula and sound for the majority of the album, looking to find his next hit single on most tracks with a similar sound, but without success. The result is many good songs, with a few stand-out tracks on an album which lacks lyricism and variety throughout, but overall is a decent album from the rapper. On this album Tyga raps over similar sounding up-tempo beats with lyrics mostly relating to drugs or sex, with lyrics that are solid and catchy throughout the album in a typical Tyga style. Tyga uses a few old school hip-hop sample’s such as on M.O.E. in which he sample’s Jay-Z’s Feelin It and does so competently. Singles For The Road and Molly are both good singles, which continue to show Tyga’s ability to make good singles. Tyga sits in his comfort zone on this album, without many risks taken and the result is a solid album from Tyga, but also one that has few pay-offs and sounds mostly the same throughout.

Tyga has released a solid third album, which although it has flaws, overall is a good album. Tyga does not live up to the success of his hit sophomore album which took many risks, but still manages to release a solid album which gets a light three stars.

My Top 5 Tracks: Molly, For The Road, M.O.E., Dope, Show You

Listen to, read descriptions, and see ratings of all the tracks from Hotel California below and if you like the album, make sure to support Tyga by clicking here to download the album on iTunes. Let me know what you think of the album in the comments.

By Anthony Martins • Album Reviews, Rap Music • 0 • Tags: 2 Chainz, Chris Brown, Future, Jadakiss, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, The Game, Tyga, Wiz Khalifa