The Queen of Soul is Back with a Vengeance

At long last, Adele's sophomore album, 21, was released today. Not that I would expect anything less from this girl, but I actually haven't been able to speak to anyone for about an hour now; the entire album has completely blown my mind and I can do nothing but sit, mouth agape, and marvel at the absolute prodigy that is Ms. Adkins. I can't help but feel incredibly inadequate as I listen to track after track of the most incredible new music around... how many people my age can say that they have recorded two of the most vocally and lyrically sophisticated albums of our generation, won two grammys, and have stolen the hearts of music lovers around the world all before the rest of us have graduated college?!? To say that people like this come around once in a lifetime is the understatement of the year, and I'm so happy for her that she has come this far. It's hard to believe that the girl I met after playing her first show in Los Angeles in 2008, stricken with fear and completely skeptical as to whether or not she would ever have a fanbase in the US, sold out almost every single date on her upcoming US tour in under a day. Once again though, I am not surprised at all. After listening to 21 in full about 3 times today, it has become clear to me that Adele is much more than a girl with unbelievable raw talent; she has become an absolutely brilliant songwriter as well, one whose growing confidence and way with words beyond her years is highlighted in every single song on this album. "Rolling In The Deep" still remains one of my favorites; the melody obviously shows off her vocal talent quite well, but moreover the power of the kick drum and beautiful backup vocals add a complexity and catchiness that I think set it on a whole new level from her older material. "Set Fire To The Rain" and "Rumour Has It" share that same undeniable confidence and are tracks that I foresee becoming absolute hits, and on the other end of the spectrum, the more mellow "Turning Tables" and "Someone Like You" are just so beyond beautiful I can't really say much other than how speechless I am. In other words, FUCK YEAH ADELE. You never cease to amaze me.

Check out "Set Fire To The Rain" here:

Adele- "Set Fire To The Rain"

Synthpop's Newest Powerhouse

When I first heard MNDR sing with Mark Ronson & The Business Intl on his summer single, "Bang Bang Bang", I knew Amanda Warner and her partner Pete Wade were a duo set to take the electronic music world by storm. A failed attempt at seeing them perform over the summer (their show at Echoplex in Silverlake was cancelled) only made me more determined to hear more of what they had been working on apart from Ronson, which led me to listen to E.P.E., MNDR's first EP. They have only officially released about 6 songs to date, but their music has made a huge impression on me. "Caligula" is one of those songs you can listen to 10 times over and not get sick of it, and songs like "Fade To Black" and "Cut Me Out" strike me as instant hits. As of now I'm just waiting for them to really take off, not that they haven't already done incredibly well for not having an LP out (they are currently on a mostly sold-out tour with Chromeo and have been all over Pitchfork the past month or so). If you haven't listened to MNDR's music, do yourself a favor and download their music off of iTunes, especially "Cut Me Out" and "Caligula". Listen to "Cute Me Out" below and see for yourself:

MNDR: "Cut Me Out"

The Kills- "Satellite" Music Video

It seems fitting that my 100th post would be about The Kills.... Domino quite literally JUST posted the video for their newest singe "Satellite", a song that I have annoyingly brought up many times, but whatever. I'm excited, so sue me. I couldn't have more accurately described it than did the people who posted the video, who narrate: "Alison and Jamie hop into a vintage Rolls Royce and embark upon a road trip headed towards the faded, washed out glamour of the English coast. Vehicle collisions, dual personalities, and even a spot of fish and chips feature in this subtly disorientating, noir clip." Even if you aren't as obsessed as I admittedly am, it's worth giving it a watch; their videos are always aesthetically sound, and I think this video in particular gives fans a window into their incredible chemistry.