Kevin Gates -- "Stranger Than Fiction" (July 2013)
Kevin Gates is hard to define. The New Orleans native is a rapper, but he's also kind of a singer, but not a singer like Frank Ocean is a singer. Gates' brand of crooning is just that -- emotional and pained yelps, which he intersperses through his raps. Simply put, Gates raps and sings from the heart, but his content is hardly soft. On his brand new effort, the retail mixtape "Stranger Than Fiction," Gates paints extremely vivid pictures of the hood he grew up in and some of the painful things he had to do to stay alive. Drugs and deadly violence are prevalent themes here, but it doesn't come without a bit of remorse. On the first track, "4 Legs and a Biscuit," Gates asks for forgiveness. "Lord, forgive me I'm sinning, I come to you as a sinner / Take all my scars take my heart, turn me into a Christian." Most of the production on the album is clearly trap influenced, with loud bass and fast, hard-hitting snare drums. But Gates also has the ability to slow it down a bit, as he did on "4:30 A.M.," a song about the dangers of being out late at night in the neighborhood he's from. Bottom line -- if you're look-ing for an interesting take on the "hood" that hasn't been done a million times before, Kevin Gates is someone you should check out.
3.5/5
Best songs: "4 A.M." and "White Tan"
Jackson Scott -- "Melbourne" (July 2013)
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If you imagine what the Pixies would have sounded like had they emerged from the North Carolina forest 20 years ago, you can start to get an idea of what Jackson Scott sounds like. The Asheville, N.C., native has released his debut album, "Melbourne," and at a fleeting 29 minutes, it feels a bit short. But it packs a punch. Most songs feature Scott and a guitar and sometimes a drum track. And most of it sounds like it was recorded in a bedroom. But that's what makes it interesting. The album really starts to pick up the pace with "Sandy," a light-hearted-sounding song that finds Jackson reflecting on the Sandy Hook shootings with a few disturbing lyrics. "Little kids / Sitting all around / Wishing they were sound asleep again." Most songs start quiet and build up, most notably on "Together Forever" towards the end of the album. The track is massive and loud and features a wall of distorted guitars before a booming climax three minutes in. Lyrically, Scott doesn't really dive into any uncharted waters on "Melbourne." He talks about what many songwriters talk about -- girls, loneliness, drugs and a nostalgic look back on childhood. But his nasally delivery and overall-distorted sound make it worth listening to.
4/5
Best songs: "Sandy" and "Together Forever"
"Sandy"
AlunaGeorge - "Body Music" (July 2013)
In the past few years, and in 2013 particularly, there has been a resurgence in contemporary R&B that breaks the traditional molds. Enter AlunaGeorge -- an English duo that offers a breath of fresh air in a saturated market. Aluna Francis has the vocal duties and George Reid takes on the title of producer. Together, they create emotional, smooth and poppy songs about love. "Your Love, Your Drums," the duo's first single from "Body Music," is an obvious standout on an already cohesive and sound debut effort. "I've been treading water for your love / whether I sink or swim, it's you I'm thinking of," Aluna sings on the hook. A pitter-patter of swirling synths and drums envelope Aluna's beautiful vocals, evoking a warm sense of desire. The rest of the album is just as interesting. One bonus track is a cover of the ever-popular "This Is How We Do It." The duo takes the track in an entirely different direction while still sticking with the original formula that made the track a hit in the first place. If you're looking for a new album to throw on before you head out for the night, "Body Music" is for you.
4/5
Best songs: "Your Love, Your Drums" and "This Is How We Do It"
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"Your Love, Your Drums"
