Wale - "Focused" (feat. Kid Cudi)

Complex was nice enough to share a snippet they got from Wale's upcoming album Ambition. It's pretty cool to hear that Kid Cudi can put his dumb beef with Mr. Folarin aside and hop on a track with him. I've been saying for awhile that's where he does his best work. I got a feeling that when I get Ambition, this song will be an early favorite.

Edit: Full song, CDQ. Yeah buddy.

Hear: Wale - "Focused" (feat. Kid Cudi)

MySpace: Wale

Lykke Li - "Unchained Melody" (Righetous Brothers Cover)

 

Another day, another weird ass cover. This time our Swedish siren friend Lykke Li provides a tender, but soulful take on the Righteous Brother's kareoke classic "Unchained Melody". Cool how she can make the song sound as pretty as she looks.

Download: Lykke Li - "Unchained Melody" (Righteous Brothers Cover)

MySpace: Lykke Li

mewithoutYou - "In Bloom" (Nirvana Cover)

 

Kevin Devine looks to have started a trend by replicating Nirvana's Nevermind in full for the 20th anniversary of the classic record's release. Now mewithoutYou have given "In Bloom" a go, replacing all the gritty angst with billowing, sunny synths and Aaron Weiss's yelping delivery. Strangely, it works.

Download: mewithoutYou - "In Bloom"

MySpace: mewithoutYou

Major Lazer - "Original Don"

 

We haven't heard from Diplo and Switch since they manned the boards for Beyonce's "Girls (Run the World)". Fortunately they're are alive and well, as is Major Lazer. Check their newest jam--heavy on both bass and name drops--at the link below.

Hear: Major Lazer - "Original Don"

MySpace: Major Lazer

Video: The Black Keys - "El Camino Ad"

 

Even though I wish everyone could announce their new album this way, they still wouldn't be as awesome as The Black Keys. Oh, and what's up Saul Goodman.

El Camino is slated to drop on Dec. 6th.



MySpace: The Black Keys

Video: Nas - "Nasty"

 

Nasir dropped this single back in August, but has finally paired it up with some visuals of the good life. Remy, a Phantom, and his signature flawless flow. They don't call him God Son for no reason.

Life is Good is due out in 2012. Yezzir.



MySpace: Nas

Video: Ryan Adams - "Lucky Now"

 

Ryan Adams has already stopped by Conan to perform "Lucky Now" live since dropping this somber black-and-white video for it over the weekend. So what, I'm a little behind. But consider it a choose-your-own adventure.

Ashes & Fire is out now so grab it in all it's poignant glory as soon as you can.



MySpace: Ryan Adams

Video: Pianos Become The Teeth - "I'll Be Damned"

 

Pianos Become The Teeth drop another track off their upcoming The Lack Long After, this time via one of those tour compilation videos. This one's really well put together and I'm loving the straight-forward charge there coming at with these songs. If everything on the new LP is as epic as this, my brain might explode.

Watch: Pianos Become The Teeth - "I'll Be Damned"

 MySpace: Pianos Become The Teeth

The Weeknd - "Initiation"

 

Here's the second peek into Echoes of Silence, the final piece of The Weeknd's mixtape trilogy. Some folks have chose to knock Mr. Tesfaye for settling into a comfort zone of hazy, drug-induced R&B jams. I think one listen to this grotesque, shape-shifter of a track dispels that notion pretty quickly. Wickedly cool shit...try listening to it just once.

Download: The Weeknd - "Initiation"

Video: Mayer Hawtorne - "The Walk"

 

Mayer Hawthorne takes a domestic disturbance to another level with a sexy brunette in his wickedly playful new video. I guess never letting your guard down can be smart at times.

How Do You Do is out now. Grabbing it and starting Fred Jackson in fantasy football are sure-fire ways to make it a good Sunday.



MySpace: Mayer Hawthorne

Video: Portugal. The Man - "So American"

First Conan. Now MTV? The boys in Portugal. The Man. are getting themselves out there. Hit below to watch them have some fun in the summer sun to the lead track off the masterful In the Mountain. In the Cloud.

Get More: Portugal. The Man, Music, More Music Videos

MySpace: Portugal. The Man

Video: J. Cole - "Work Out"/"Cole World" (Live on Kimmel)

 

J. Cole is putting on a full court press to promote his excellent debut Cole World: A Sideline Story, making his first ever national TV appearance on a stop by Jimmy Kimmel's stage for silky smooth renditions of "Work Out" and "Cole World". I've always noticed a distinct Nas-like quality from young Jermaine (see: "Sideline Story"), but this performance has him all Yeezy-ed out. Yup, new favorite verb.

For all you J. Cole maniacs, hit it here to peep a short video of J.Cole working in the studio with audio praise from Jay-Z laying overhead.





MySpace: J. Cole

Video: Drake- "Headlines"

 

Drizzy Drake bounces between baseball enthusiast (see: baseball gloves, SkyDome), Jewish royalty (see: photo above, elevator scene), and a guy who can't seem to look into the camera for more than a second (see: probably the real Drake). Not sure whether to take this seriously or not, but I still dig both this video and the song. Love the editing job too.


Take Care drops Oct. 24th. Fanboy getting geared up.


Drake ~ Headlines (Official Video) from OctobersVeryOwn on Vimeo.

MySpace: Drake

Bon Iver - "With God on Our Side" (Bob Dylan Cover)

 

Justin Vernon once again pays homage to the snowy, Midwestern territories, this time by covering one of it's greatest products: the almighty Bob Dylan.

Hear: Bon Iver - "With God on Our Side" (Bob Dylan Cover)

MySpace: Bon Iver

Video: Wale - The Making of Ambition Part IV

 

Wale keeps his teaser videos for Ambition rolling, this time dissecting his newest single "Lotus Flower Bomb" with more of his classic philosophizing. Standard visuals, but it's always pretty cool to get a peek behind the curtain and see how songs are conceived, written, and recorded.

Ambition drops Nov. 1.



MySpace: Wale

Piano Become The Teeth - "Spine"

 

Fuzzy screams and walloping drumming...that's what Piano Become The Teeth does! MD love, what up.

Their upcoming full-length, The Lack Long After, drops Nov. 1st.

Hear: Piano Become The Teeth - "Spine"

MySpace: Piano Become The Teeth

Video: Portugal. The Man - "So American" (Live on Conan)

 When I picked up FIFA 12 (sick game) yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised to find Portugal. The Man. on the soundtrack. Deservedly so after recording six superb studio albums in six years. Now the boys can chalk up another first as they made their national TV debut when they performed "So American"--complete with cello accompaniment and a pummeling new outro--on Conan earlier this week.

Expect to see In the Mountain, In the Cloud near the top of my AOTY list.



MySpace: Portugal. The Man

T.I. - "I'm Flexin'"

 

T.I.P. is straight out of jail with a new single, again. It's going to be interesting to see if he can mount another comeback, but both his bars and this Big K.R.I.T-produced beat won't hurt his chances. Now only if he can stay out of trouble.

Download: T.I. - "I'm Flexin'"

MySpace: T.I.

Wale - "Tatts on My Arm" (feat. Rick Ross)

Another jaunt off Ambition, this time regressing from the excellently smooth "Lotus Flower Bomb" back into the gutter raps with countless Rick Rozay grunts. Wale tells us about "putting poems in all these songs", but I'm not sure I heard one stunning line in any of his verses. At least the beat is an absolute knockout punch.

Download: Wale - "Tatts on My Arms" (feat. Rick Ross)

MySpace: Wale

Video: Adele - "Someone Like You

The qualities that make Adele's new video for "Someone Like You", in which the Brit songbird floats through the empty streets of Paris, are the same ones that elevate the song itself into another realm of genius: simplistic beauty.



MySpace: Adele