Day: March 23, 2012

Robert Glasper

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ Leave a comment

We reach R and the A-Z of New Music rolls on in an urban jazz hip-hop styley……..Robert Glasper.

Robert Glasper is a jazz pianist from USA and combines jazz, hip-hop and soul to create, I think, a slightly awkward sound. Listen to ‘All Matter’, from Glasper’s album, Double Booked, and you’ll understand. I’m not a great fan of modern jazz but I wished he’d stick to that, this attempt to mix genres doesn’t work in my book. His latest album, Black Radio, has gone down the road of ‘featuring’ different artists. All this creates is an album that barely holds itself together and feels incredibly disjointed.

Overall, stick to the soul stuff and you might just pass…..

Today’s blog was brought to you by the letter R….

The Qemists

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ Leave a comment

The A-Z of New Music was floundering again, there are not many bands beginning with Q, let alone new bands. So I’ve settled on……The Qemists.

The Qemists are a drum and bass band from Brighton. This statement in the past would have resulted in me running for several thousands miles in an attempt to get out of earshot of said music. Although, what March’s Project has forced me to do is actually spend some time listening to the bands that have made the blog…..and hence why I’ve not actually managed to blog for two days. The Qemists have left me in a state of shock – shock that anyone could actually like this music. Their ear-shattering mix of drum’n’bass, hardcore rock and rave may be enjoyed by glow-stick wielding, ecstasy laden teenagers, but it is definitely not for me.

The issues I have with The Qemists have even prompted me into a bullet pointed list:

  • The name? The Qemists? Really?
  • Latest album only has 9 tracks.
  • Every track, except two, seem to follow the latest fashion of ‘featuring’ some ridiculously named individual who may. or may not actually exist.
  • The Prodigy did this 15 years ago.

Having said all that, please feel free to have a listen….

The Qemists, quite simply a U….

Today’s blog was brought to you by the letter Q……