Carlos Santana’s Divination Tour proves that the suave guitarist holds just as much mastery over his instrument as he did nearly half a century ago at his grand debut: the 1969 Woodstock music festival. Since the notorious festival, Santana has gone on to win numerous awards and receive prestigious accolades. But the purpose of Santana’s Divination Tour, which stopped at Matthew Knight Arena Friday night, isn’t a celebration of the group’s past, it’s about promoting peace and love while marveling at Santana’s world-class talent.

Santana’s band took the stage wearing all white. Ray Greene and Andy Vargas were the primary vocalizers, David Mathews on the keys, Benny Rietveld on bass, Tommy Anthony on backup guitar, Karl Perazzo and Paoli Mejías on percussion, and on a grand drumset, Carlos’ wife and distinguished musician, Cindy Blackman Santana.

Visually, the show harkened back to Santana’s Woodstock days: marryings of fluorescent lights, strong oranges, striking red and deep blues. On a large LED display, they had psychedelic imagery, photos of Santana’s past performances and allusions to peace and inclusion. The lighting danced to the beat of the drums and was as ever-shifting as Santana’s electric wailing on guitar.

Santana happily perused his past catalog. For every big hit that they played — “Black Magic Woman,” “Oye Como Va,” “Maria Maria,” “Smooth” — there were deep cuts that are often overlooked — “Europa” and “Abatina” for example. But for the show’s purpose, the lines between songs were blurred for the most part. The musical concern was not to play old tracks for the sake of the revisit but to indulge in Santana, the 20th greatest guitarist of all time, according to Rolling Stone.

Santana’s leading guitar would cut right through each song’s movements effortlessly and with the utmost coolness. The legendary guitarist would have looked amazing up there even if he was playing the air guitar. Most studio musicians aspire their entire lives to bust out a solo like the ones Santana was shrugging off over and over. And with a nifty system of guitar pedals at his disposal, Santana’s weapon undertook the guises of the traditional rock solo, a slow noir-type drag and Latin-focused shreds.

Along with his wall of brilliant scales and staccatos, Santana dedicated a prudent two minutes near the beginning of his show to play a rendition of John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme.” The homage was tasteful and contributed to the tour’s underlying themes of love and peace.

Santana addressed the crowd on multiple occasions throughout the show. He name-dropped his influences: Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, John Lennon and Sly and the Family Stone. He said that there was a growing fear being cultivated in today’s society, and attributed it to “DDT,” which stands for “Dumb Donald Trump.” Then, after declining an attendees request to run for president in the next election, he said, “If I was running this thing, there wouldn’t be stupid shit everywhere, it would be equality, fairness and justice for everyone.”

Near the show’s end, Santana also took one of the audience member’s phone and recorded a   video of the stage and his performers. One of the band’s final songs was a rendition of “Love, Peace and Happiness” off his latest album, “Power of Peace,” in which he collaborated with the Isley Brothers. After showing his appreciation for the Eugene crowd, Santana humbly left the stage, having served everyone in attendance their fill of world-class guitar.

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Singer Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture and drummer Fabrizio Moretti makeup perhaps the most influential New York City-based post-punk band of the early 2000s: The Strokes. While the band’s style shifted slightly through their career, they managed to stay exciting at every step, but none as exciting as their debut.

“Is This It” (2001)

“Is This It” is The Strokes’ garage-rock masterpiece. It’s melody driven and sonically emotional, using tinges of pop to give punk a gentle caress. Casablancas’ voice boxed roar still manages to allow palpable sentiment to permeate through the countless layers of distorted guitar. As the band’s most successful album, “Is This It” appealed to rock listeners and non-listeners alike.

Songs like “The Modern Age” and “Soma” show-off Casablancas’ great vocal capabilities, stressing and releasing, going from mellow to excited with a lamentful grace. “Last Nite” is a great pop composition pieced together and held up by a stellar punk band. And “Hard To Explain” is reminiscent; it allows the band to indulge in their hyperbolic angst and passion.

At only 36 minutes long, “Is This It” so perfectly captures the feeling of a desire unfulfilled, symbolized further by the band’s inability to recreate such spontaneous magic.

“Room On Fire” (2004)

The main knock “Room On Fire” receives from critics is that it’s too similar to its predecessor. Given the greatness of “Is This It,” “Room On Fire” was still a relative success. The Strokes’ second LP allowed a little more sentimentality to leak through the messy nature of its garage-rock style, also shifting to a darker timbre that foreshadowed their future work. Somehow, the slight increase in emotional permissiveness slightly convolutes the album.

The album’s opener, “What Ever Happened?,” puts this maudlin sense on display with its weeping guitar and Casablancas’ swooning vocals. The album’s hit, “Reptilia” is a darker, more sinister version of “Hard To Explain.” “Under Control” has a surfy tint, venturing into more soft-rock with Casablancas’ desirous and delicate vocals.

“Room On Fire” was a solid follow-up to such a powerful debut, with The Strokes’ greatest ambition coming with their next release.

“First Impressions Of Earth” (2006)

“First Impressions” took The Strokes in a new, more artsy direction. This album is more menacing sonically. Its compositions come off as busy, with deep guitars attacking from nearly all directions. The themes of this record were more existential than any of the band’s previous work. Casablancas explores his own isolation, repeated mistakes and what he can expect after death.

This record features less distortion on Casablancas’ vocals; “You Only Live Once” exhibits this while also allowing Casablancas to sing with poppier sensibilities. “Ask Me Anything” is a point of experimentation on the record. There, Valensi puts down his guitar and picks up the mellotron to take the lead, and Casablancas is in a full lament with lines like, “I got nothing to give, got no reason to live.”

“First Impressions” is the band’s challenging reach towards a conceptual vision that, unfortunately, ended up being slightly quixotic.

“Angles” (2011)

After a 5-year gap that included an extended hiatus, and a decade after the release of their groundbreaking debut, The Strokes reinvented their sound with “Angles.” The LP would see the band transition from its garage-rock origins to a more contemporary, electronic sound, lending themselves more to indie rock. But The Strokes intrinsic punk-rock style still spills into the compositions.

“Machu Picchu,” the opener, makes the band’s shift in style immediately apparent. The song has a more traditional pop structure as Hammond Jr.’s signature distorted guitar supports the suave new electronic pedals. “You’re So Right” is aggressive and contains droning backing vocals, which were seldomly used in their previous work. The closer, “Life is Simple in the Moonlight” is the ideal model for The Strokes’ fusing of styles with this record.

“Angles” was mostly lauded for showing signs of development in the band’s sound, and here, its vision manifested more clearly than “First Impressions.”

“Comedown Machine” (2013)

The band’s most recent studio album release, “Comedown Machine,” continued the Stroke’s transition to a contemporary indie-rock style. The songs got slower, Casablancas’ voice is rounded and soft, when in the past it was distorted and raw. It’s interesting to note that this album received no promotion whatsoever as the band decided to participate in a media blackout prior to its release.

“One Way Trigger” is the force on the album, harkening to 80s pop with Casablancas sporting a falsetto style. “Call It Fate Call It Karma” is the final track. Though Casablancas’ voice sports a brief voice box, the slow, double-bass’d movement hardly resembles The Strokes. Only in brief moments do The Strokes trace old steps on this record. Here, the band favors new sounds.

Although “Comedown Machine” was its latest album, in 2016, The Strokes released a 4-track EP titled “Future Past Present EP,” which offers a slight return to style while perhaps being the band’s most forward-thinking work yet. There were talks of a sixth studio album in the works, but over the last year or so, this endeavor lost its traction.

Listen to the best of The Strokes here:

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Local rapper Endr Won, 32, answers to his stage name just as naturally as he does to his given name, Kenneth. His best friend James refers to him as both but leans towards Kenneth, while the recovering drug addicts he works with at his part-time job refer to him by his first name. His last name is known by only a few people for his own privacy and safety.

There are no distinctions between the two identities. He goes by Endr Won when releasing music, but in his songs, he parades as nothing more than Kenneth: a grateful husband and a blessed father; a driven lyricist who wears his heart and experiences on his sleeve like the tattoos that cover his body. And now, he’s a thoughtful survivor of heavy drug addiction and homelessness.

Won’s life didn’t always include the trips to the park he now takes with his son, or the happy days his family spends together at the mall. Due to addiction and homelessness, Won’s life was far from guaranteed throughout his years as a teen and young adult years. But what began as a hobby grew into a catalyst for hope.

Local independent rapper Endr Won poses for a picture. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

“My goal hopefully with music is to make the understanding that it is possible to be able to change, because if I didn’t think change was a possibility, I would have never got sober,” he told the Emerald.

At first, Won was terrible at rapping, but he slowly grew better and by his early 20s he was opening up for big names such as The Game, Mike Jones and E-40, fulfilling a sizable role in the Eugene hip-hop community.

But Won’s early life was troubled. Before his teen years, he moved between cities numerous times and was the victim of sexual abuse that resulted in developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, causing a deep depression that led him to attempt suicide.

The issues worsened in his early teens as the prescribed medications given to him to treat his mental afflictions were being paired with drugs such as cocaine, shrooms, heroin and crack. He even dropped liquid ketamine into his eyeballs.

Initially enamored with graffiti, 15-year old Won began trying his hand at rhyming after being encouraged by a few guys he used to hang around and beatbox for. By this time he was homeless, and his value of life was all but completely empty.

Being homeless caused Won to lose interest in his own life. “I got to the place where I was fully under the understanding and commitment that I was going to die before I reached 16,” Won said. 

Life was a nightmare Won was hoping would end: his refuge being either death or prison. He ran from the consequences of various, consistent crimes he’d committed until, at age 15, he was caught and originally faced 6 months at the Yes House in Portland, an adolescent program that stands for “Youths Entering Sobriety.”

Before his court hearing though, he took hard drugs. “I don’t even remember what [drug] I was doing,” Won said. This, on top of the mental health issues plaguing him, caused Won to lash out in court and try to punch his parole officer. “I remember my mom screaming in the background, it’s a pretty vivid memory,” Won said.

His actions in court resulted in an 18-month stay in juvenile detention that included a 30-to-60-day exiled lockdown period where the light was on 24/7 and he was offered little to no human interaction.

The remnants of his addiction came to fruition during this time. “I was going through detox and withdrawals from a cell,” Won said. “I was pretty fucked up. I remember skin crawling, hallucinating, seeing things, night sweats, cold sweats. [I] could not sleep. Looking back, I could have died for sure.”

Won recalled an experience during his lockdown when a stranger came to his room and asked if he’d like to help fold laundry. The two-hour experience simply folding hot laundry with a stranger was the first meaningful sober interaction Won felt he’d ever had, and he remains grateful for it.

After being released from the detention center, Won knew change was needed. But the road to recovery is not an easy one.

“It’s a gradual thing you learn over time. I remember when I got out of [a juvenile detention center], I eventually relapsed,” Won said. “I had a couple different relapses, but each and every single time it was a learning process, every time it was like memorizing a new page.”

On Aug. 11, 2005, he became sober. Once clean, Won began addressing the roots of his problems and making substantial progress, all while remaining grateful for persevering.

But in the last few years, Won has had to take a break from music to tend to other responsibilities such as supporting his wife through nursing school and raising their 2-year-old son, Oakland. Endr Won couldn’t stay silent for so long, though.

Local rapper Endr Won plays with his son at Amazon Park in Eugene, Ore. on Feb. 16, 2018. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

“I know that I’m a better person when I am actively writing and getting that therapeutic music out, and when I don’t and when I’m resistant to it, I’m way more temperamental, and I get resentful,” Won said. So through careful planning, he again started creating.

He released his most successful album “Bigger Than Me,” last year. Yielding professional quality music videos and a national tour, Won’s new, more personal music has touched more people than it ever has before.

Bubbling under the surface for Won was a need for honesty, accountability and integrity in his music, though.

“Being able to come back to it was so powerful,” Won said. “This album was like, I need to get some shit out, that’s what this album was for me. It was to finally get to that place and feel acceptance in who I am enough to be honest, like ‘This is me. This is me, flaws and all.’”

Any income that Won makes from “Bigger Than Me” is just a bonus; the true prize for Won is witnessing his music’s profound effect on his listeners.

Won said he recalls receiving an Instagram message from a stranger, saying that one night he felt the urge to self-harm until he came across Won’s music; its message and honesty convincing him not to.

“I don’t know how many times on tour he’s called me and said ‘Oh my god. This person came up to me in tears. Something I said really struck a chord with him,’” Won’s wife, Kathleen, said.

Providing support for the people in his life is something that Won takes seriously.

“With shit like that, it’s like, how do you put a number or a price on that?” Won said. Won says from experience he knows the smallest support can have a deep effect on one in need.

“The fact that I’m even breathing is a blessing, let alone having my son smile and laugh at me, let alone a beautiful wife that I don’t deserve,” he said.

And even though his rap career doesn’t reap the monetary benefits of those heard on the radio, Won says he is happy. “When people ask if I’ve made it, if those motherfuckers can see where I was, compared to where I am today,” he said. “I already made it.”

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In an unpredictable turn of events, a Marvel Comics’ “Black Panther” plays catalyst for what can effectively be called a “half” Kendrick album. Lamar’s initial plan was only to perform the occasional guest verse on the new film’s accompanying soundtrack, but after seeing more of the movie, Kendrick was moved to have greater input. The Compton rapper then took it upon himself to curate the tracklist and spearhead the album’s artistic direction.

It’s no surprise Lamar would feel compelled to take on the soundtrack the way he did. Parallels can be drawn between the themes of “Black Panther” and those found in his own work: black identity and empowerment, oppression, social politics, etc. A few times on the record, King Kunta raps from the perspective of King T’Challa, the film’s protagonist, and does so with intense fervor suggesting a heightened connection between the spitter and the character.  

Throughout the album, Kendrick’s powerful presence dips and dives out of view just as fast as it enters. But when he sticks around to deliver a loaded verse or a nasally chorus, his raw vocals leave deep impressions. In the somber opening, “Black Panther,” his shuffling poetry meekly defends itself. Later, with the beat’s sudden shift to darkness, Lamar’s tone strengthens with frustration, only to work its way back to a vulnerable croon.

Lamar has a way of making his raps sound conversational, and his words come off as more sincere because of it. You get his candid takes on race, authority and his past. When caught in a bout of love on “All The Stars,” Kendrick cleverly puts on a nonchalant bravado. He’s violent on “Opps,” grasping at his fleeting self-control. And, perhaps now common with Lamar, he lands on these phrases that manifest into stressed slogans: “Are we on ten yet?” on “X,”  “I wish a nigga would” on “Paramedic!,” and “Why you emotional?” from “Big Shot” being exemplary examples.

Behind Lamar, an ensemble of performers contributed to the soundtrack, including most of his Top Dawg Entertainment outfit and a handful of South African rappers. Among the best: SZA’s tender swoons embody pain, guilt, and yet triumph. 2 Chainz’s grounded rhymes and decent similes coalesce with the echoing movements of the beat. Vince Staples’ smart, powerful lyrics are steeped in trickiness — “Brothers die, ‘cause coons turn to butterflies.” And the handful of verses rapped in the Zulu language — one of South Africa’s many dialects — align the album closer to the spirit of the film. Ab-Soul, Khalid and the Weeknd also turn in worthy performances.

The production list also has a number of contributors. Sounwave, Mike Will Made It, CuBeatz and Frank Dukes are multi-contributors, while names like Robin Hannibal and BadBadNotGood handle stand-alone tracks. The beats are mostly trap and are heavily bass-washed, with some being more rooted in Eastern influences, R&B sensibilities or standard pop movements.

Many songs open with tribal textures, the striking of a flame (albeit seemingly from a lighter) or electronically-tinged drum pounds. If it weren’t its ethnological connotations, the album sounds more like an atmospheric, futuristic production, making it a stronger stand-alone force in the hip-hop community.

Through the efforts of the artists, “Black Panther: The Album” can function as an independent entity, with enough merit to be scrutinized similarly to other non-soundtrack records. Despite some forgettable performances from the myriad personnel on the album, it still holds weight in the discussion of the best hip-hop albums released within the first two months of the year.

Listen to the album here:

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Rhye’s 2013 debut album, “Woman,” grew to widespread acclaim due to the wonderful pairing of Danish producer Robin Hannibal’s soft pop and soul arrangements and the floating nature of singer Mike Milosh’s dreamy soprano. But between the release of “Woman” and the duo’s latest album, “Blood,” Hannibal announced that he would no longer be behind the production for Rhye, leaving Milosh with the opportunity to emphasize his individuality as a musician.

But instead of going completely solo, in “Blood,” listeners find Hannibal’s producer-oriented approach replaced with a live band. Sections of instrumentation and songwriting are handled by a variety of different studio musicians, including Milosh himself. The product is stylistically consistent with “Woman.” It’s a modern, affectionate soul take with shades of pop, electronic, R&B and indie.

Despite having more polished compositions compared to its predecessor, the main attraction of “Blood,” — and Rhye as a whole — is Milosh’s somber, falsetto vocal stylings. He glides over the sweeping cellos and fluctuating synth with zero friction and great sensibility. Milosh’s voice stays consistent for the most part on the record, but occasionally, like in “Song For You” and “Stay Safe,” his breathy voice takes larger risks with accentuated backing vocals or a colorful melody.

Like “Woman,” “Blood” is a thematic aggregation of romance, remorse and lust. Each song puts Milosh in another love-ridden situation. In the opening track, “Waste,” he faces changes within his beloved, in “Please” he shows regret for speaking careless words, and in “Phoenix” he recognizes that his current love is a detriment to his mental stability. While each song deals with personal issues, songs like “Blood Knows” and “Softly” offer a heightened candid voice, providing the greatest personal and honest expressions on the record.  

The production on the album is dynamic yet solemn. The minor chord progressions are softened by the delicate arpeggiating keys or gentle guitar plucks, but the upbeat percussion keeps the arrangements lively. Rarely does the sound indulge without vocal mediation. Only at its most daring — “Taste” and “Phoenix” — does the album place decent emphasis on its compositions. The record often marries bleak melodies with pop-inspired drums, which can be jarring, but any disagreement in the sound is amended by Milosh’s light-as-air vocals.

This slight juxtaposition goes beyond melody and rhythm; the choices in texture and instrument vary within a wide range as well. The band mixes modern, mainstream tools like synths, electronic drum kits and keys with classical instruments — the long draws of the cello and viola further the musical sentimentality.

Even though the duo split up, “Blood” offers no departure from its members’ previous work. The album’s clear, melancholic arrangements are interpretations of love’s pitfalls through the discipline of contemporary soul music. The record is then only enhanced — and enhanced greatly — by Milosh’s soothing voice that’s as comforting as it is pained. 

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The Veterans Memorial Coliseum arena in Portland hosted two of the most high-profile rappers in the industry Saturday night. Tyler, The Creator and Vince Staples both dropped two of the most polarizing albums of 2017. Tyler’s glittering “Flower Boy” was ranked the eighth best album of the year by Pitchfork, while Staples’ house-influenced record, “Big Fish Theory,” came in at seven on the list.

This isn’t their first time teaming up for shows; the powerful duo also toured together back in 2015. But their status has never been higher than it is now, and the excitement at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum showed it. Tyler and Staples may be at a similar echelon, the forefront of their genre, but their style and execution have very little in common.

Staples performed first, alone, dressed in all black on a wide stage. He was backed by a giant screen rendering him nothing more than a silhouette, mixing intensity and casualty in his movements. The spectacle was not being made for him, but for the immense power of his music, as the electronically-saturated pounds and kicks of “Big Fish Theory” spoke well on their own.

Staples made the occasional call-back to his 2015 album, “Summertime ‘06,” but his latest work was clearly the priority. The performance itself acted as a nice microcosm for his career as a whole. The music came first, and his rhythmically-simple rapping style was as straightforward as his strictly black and white screen displays.

Vince Staples wears a bulletproof vest during his set. Tyler, the Creator performs at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Ore. on Jan. 27, 2018. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

The distinction between the two acts was made only a few minutes after Vince finished up. A large purple curtain dropped to cover the performing end of the arena. With the curtain being showered by red overhead lights, the first glimpses of color were shown, foreshadowing Tyler’s performance.

After a 20-minute intermission, the curtain made a long descent to the ground to show Tyler, his back turned to the crowd, standing on the trunk of a fallen tree, maybe 15 ft. above the stage. While Vince went simple, Tyler indulged, building a grand stage with colors abound, including two giant trees on either side of the stage and a fallen one in the middle which functioned as a nice staircase for the offbeat Odd Future founder to enjoy.

Tyler, the Creator performs at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Ore. on Jan. 27, 2018. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Tyler was his usual self — the goofy rapper whose self-critical and emotional lyrics attract endearment and even a little sympathy. The beautiful sounds of “Flower Boy” translated just as well as it did when he stopped by Eugene back in October. This time, in between songs he briefly chatted about getting used to playing in similar arenas to the Coliseum, his Grammy hopes and teasing Jasper, long-time Odd Future member, about the broken leg he’s recovering from.

The setlist, like Staples’, was varied. After knocking out a few “Flower Boy” essentials, such as “Boredom” and “911 / Mr. Lonely,” Tyler tested the crowd’s knowledge with throwbacks to previous songs, with “48,” “She” and “Yonkers” among them. The sheer grandiosity of the stage was a spectacle in itself, again being a great glimpse of Tyler’s musical identity.

Audience members were on their feet the entirety of the show, and both artists showed their love to Portland throughout their sets. Tyler mentioned near the end of the show, “This is one of my favorite cities, y’all got the trees and painted houses. It rains a lot, but it’s pretty as fuck.” It was one of the best hip-hop shows Portland will have for the year, and with the Grammys on Sunday, Tyler will be looking to continue his tour with his first Grammy win under his belt — he’s up for Rap Album of the Year.

The post Review: Tyler, The Creator and Vince Staples perform their respective, vogue catalogues for Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum appeared first on Emerald Media.

Emerald writers love a deep dive. In the Discography Dive series, Emerald A&C staffers write in-depth about their favorite groups. This week, music writer Jordan Montero looks into avant-garde hip-hop artist Flying Lotus’ varied works.

“1983” (2006)

“1983” is Flying Lotus’ most straight-forward album. His simple formula of spacey, electric themes laid over sample-heavy, J. Dilla-inspired beats allowed for stimulating listening to happen within seconds. The disciplines of brevity and forward-thinking tastefulness found in his Adult Swim bumps were applied to his debut; “1983” is a playlist of diverse, bite-sized beats.

In essence, “1983” is hip-hop, rooted deeper in the genre than any of his later works, complete with an impressive sample catalog. But simultaneously, Lotus’ aptitude to innovate caused the album to have many sounds and influences. His avant-garde instincts, which would shine later in his career, were foreshadowed on the record in his eclectic motifs and excellent beat command, eventually landing him a deal with Warp Records.

“Los Angeles” (2008)

“Los Angeles,” released under Warp, pushed Flying Lotus to critical acclaim, being a continuation and expansion on the foundation laid by “1983.” His once-trusty formula no longer satisfied him, making “Los Angeles” more dynamic in character. The beats remained hip-hop inspired, but the music as a whole grew into its own identity. Lotus started spilling over to other genres, and, consequently, his compositions grew more refined and immersive.

On the surface, “Los Angeles” is groovier and more intricate than its predecessor. Most songs on the record play like club hits with high-end appeal. Lotus’ ear for drum patterns and his ability to create them is exceptional, even since “1983.” Using his imagination, he executes sweet licks sampling the world’s mundane sounds. Although still progressing, FlyLo would make his furthest leap as an artist with the release of his next album.

“Cosmogramma” (2010)

After “Los Angeles,” in between releasing numerous remixes and EPs, Flying Lotus was faced with the death of his mother. The creation of “Cosmogramma” coincided with his grieving, and would play a role in ascending the record to universal praise. On the album, Lotus channelled the delicacy that naturally comes out through the death of a loved one. Lotus even sampled the respirator in his mother’s hospital room and flipped it on the track “Galaxy in Janaki.”

Wanting something more personal than mere laptop beats, Lotus introduced live instrumentation to his repertoire. As his cathartic, electronic impulses rip and splash throughout the 46-minute album, “Cosmogramma’s” unbound character offers its innovation in the realms of hip-hop, soul, techno, afro, jazz and orchestral conventions. To this day, “Cosmogramma” is the producer’s most inspired, groundbreaking work.

“Until The Quiet Comes” (2012)

After the maximalist “Cosmogramma”, Lotus turned inward for the direction of his new album. Dwelling on the concept of dreams, a fluctuating subconscious and astral projection, “Until The Quiet Comes” is defined by FlyLo’s philosophical mental state at the time of production. It’s wistful vocal stylings and ambient textures fit the surreal standing of Flying Lotus’ mind.

“Until The Quiet Comes” plays with a psychedelic filter over Lotus’ inventive ideas. Maintaining the live instrumentation from his previous album, Lotus shifted more attention to detail than usual to the mixing and arranging of sounds, rather than the compositions themselves. The product is a self-contained dreamworld presented in oscillating drum and synth, and unlike the expansive “Cosmogramma,” “Until The Quiet Comes” allows the listener to approach it, rather than the other way around.

“You’re Dead” (2014)

“You’re Dead” doesn’t have the traumatic events or the entranced mind to fuel its execution. Instead, the album is grounded by uniform hip-hop and jazz, whereas his previous works liberally bounced around to different genres.  Again aided by friend and labelmate, Thundercat, on the bass, FlyLo’s ancestral impressions free themselves on “You’re Dead.”

The album features developed techniques like syncopation and instances of walking bass alongside the swirling mantras of Louts, and has a heavier reliance on guest vocal performances. Through this, “You’re Dead” becomes a surreal take on jazz while entertaining the ominous contemplations of life and death — of which Flying Lotus finds nothing to be afraid of.

Flying Lotus received more acclaim for his work on the groundbreaking Kendrick Lamar album, “To Pimp A Butterfly,” following the release of “You’re Dead.” He also made his film directorial debut with his 2017 film “Kuso,” which he also scores. According to Pitchfork, Flying Lotus is in the process of finishing up his next album.

Listen to the Emerald’s Flying Lotus playlist below:

The post Discography Dive: Flying Lotus distorts genres appeared first on Emerald Media.

Revolution Hall was filled to the brim Friday night in downtown Portland as the nonchalant, high achieving Toronto-based jazz quartet, BADBADNOTGOOD, took the stage in the former high school auditorium, now a decorated performing arts venue.

The young jazz chamber comprises Alex Sowinski on drums, Matthew Tavares on the keyboard (filled in by James Hill for the tour), Chester Hansen on bass and Leland Whitty on woodwinds. The band is coming off its most commercially-successful solo album yet, “IV,” which was released mid-2016. The album, much like with the whole of the quartet’s career, is lauded for creative blurring of what’s jazz and what’s not. They also incorporate tinges of hip-hop and electronica to produce a stream of satisfying compositions.

1939 Ensemble, a Portland instrumental quartet that focuses on alternative jazz percussion revolving around electric vibraphone play, opened up for BADBADNOTGOOD. The ensemble’s 50-minute set acted as an eccentric jazz appetizer for the crowd; the band knew its purpose, and they played into it nicely.

The Portland jazz community was excited about the headlining quartet.1939 Ensemble drummer and frontman Jose Medeles didn’t shy away from showing his love and adoration for BADBADNOTGOOD before leaving the stage. KMHD DJ Allen Thayer provided a flattering introduction for the band while the crowd’s anticipation crescendoed.

Then, in fashion-conscious jeans and tees, BADBADNOTGOOD emerged, with light coming from their side, back and above causing their shadows cast along the venue walls. The faint, colorful lighting bounced off the tasteful rugs on the stage floor to create a cool atmosphere around the double-decker electric keyboard and cool, teal electric bass.

The setlist borrowed almost exclusively from the quartet’s albums “III” and “IV.” Throughout its hour-and-20-minute show, BADBADNOTGOOD expanded upon some of its more popular compositions like “And That, Too,” “CS60” and “Speaking Gently” among others, even offering their take on Kaytranada’s remix of their track off “III,” “Kaleidoscope.”

BADBADNOTGOOD’s live repertoire silences any who refuses to consider them jazz. Their tasteful dwelling on their studio cuts allowed for expert soloing and for the compositions to become more improvisational. Each instrument had a chance to shine, and no performer was outdone in their soloing. In addition to their nonchalant image, the band really is comprised of jazz veterans.

On stage, the crew jelled like the best friends. Sowinski and Whitty would periodically and humorously lead the crowd in waving their arms as Hill displayed his delicate dexterity on the keys. Midway through the set, members of the band doffed their socks and shoes, completing the show barefoot.

The band truly has the talent to carry themselves with a serious demeanor, but they don’t take themselves that seriously. Sowinski would jokingly address the crowd mid-song, even if only to say, “Can I get a fuck yeah?”

And as if the show needed more elements for the sake of entertainment, Friday night also marked James Hill’s birthday, and before getting off the stage, the crowd sang him “Happy Birthday” to perhaps the greatest rendition of “Happy Birthday” ever heard, performed by the band, of course.

But that was only before they left the stage the first time. Once they left, only a few in the crowd followed. A heavy majority of the audience stayed and cheered, and after a few minutes of that, the band re-emerged and pounded a lengthy rendition of “IV” into the ears of everyone present.

Once the band resolved the album’s title track and shared a few words detailing their love for Portland, BADBADNOTGOOD bowed in unison in the middle of the stage and made their final exit.

Follow Jordan on Twitter @montero_jor.

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Michael Jackson’s legacy is deeply engraved in popular culture, but no piece of work turned in by the pop legend matches the momentous impact of his 1982 album, “Thriller,” which turns 35 years old on Nov. 30. Released when Jackson was only 24 years old, “Thriller” would revolutionize the music industry and launch Jackson into worldwide acclaim.

Jackson’s previous album, 1979’s “Off The Wall,” his first collaboration with producer Quincy Jones, was highly successful in its own right. But despite a Grammy win for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and multi-platinum sales, Jackson wasn’t satisfied. The artist wanted his next work to be an even grander storm. He wanted the album to be a pop version of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” — he wanted every track to be “a killer,” according to a 2007 interview Jackson did with Ebony.

This ambition was a focal point in the making of “Thriller.” Departing from the pop-funk and disco restrictions from his last work, “Thriller” had a wider appeal and even offered Jackson and Jones’ take on rock and post-disco.

Michael Jackson appeared fully matured on “Thriller”. The themes, while still mostly romantic, grew heavier, and during recording. Jackson admitted to feeling lonely and unhappy, as told in J. Randy Taraborelli’s book about Jackson, “The Magic and The Madness.” This sentiment permeated through the album’s tone and added another dimension to Jackson’s artistry.

The album’s high energy feels like a graceful panic with brief, deceptive lapses of restraint. The product has an unshakable appeal that, like its title, is almost supernatural. It’s as if an uncontrollable craze set in on Jackson. He was inspired by newfound independence: systemic issues and isolation, sexual heat and a need to dance.

These themes are housed by Quincy Jones’ unshakable production — founded on his driving bass riffs and wonderful command of synths. The two artists complement each other ravishingly, playing around within each other’s respective moments of rest. Taking every opportunity he could to display his world-class virtuosity, Jackson and his one-of-a-kind voice come through powerful and genuine.

Seven out of the nine songs included on the album were released as singles, with everyone breaking into the top 10 charts on Billboard, which speaks to how loaded this album was in terms of appeal. The intro, “Wanna Be Startin’ Something,” personifies the hectic tone of the record. In the meat of the album, the trifecta of great hits —“Thriller,” “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” — confront listeners.

Other songs like the introspective “Human Nature,” the love-stricken ballad/duet featuring Paul McCartney, “That Girl Is Mine,” and “P.Y.T.,” which offers perhaps the greatest harmony between Jackson and Jones, uphold Jackson’s wish to make every track lethal.

“Thriller” would go on to sell over 66 million copies worldwide, be certified as platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America 33 times and, to this day, is the highest-selling album of all time. At the 1984 Annual Grammy Awards, “Thriller” beat out the competition eight times, the most ever during one ceremony.

Today, “Thriller’s” brilliance has mostly been regulated to Halloween playlists and the occasional look-back to Michael Jackson’s stellar music videos. But it’s important to maintain “Thriller” in high regard because, without the album, the music world would be much different. 

With the record, Michael Jackson gave birth to what the world now knows as the modern music video. Before “Thriller,” MTV mostly focused on rock music, and hardly ever featured black musicians. Jackson changed all this with the album’s numerous, awe-inspiring, choreographed music videos, which made music videos pivotal to the promotion and release of a record.

“Thriller” even caused an economic boom in the music industry upon its release, almost single-handedly giving the recording industry its greatest fiscal year up to that point over the last five years. TIME Magazine even referred to Jackson as “a one-man rescue team for the music business.”

“Thriller’s” legacy is unimaginable. After 35 years, the album’s reverence spans across generations and cultures. Few musical works equal “Thriller’s” status or outreach; it truly is one of the greatest albums of all time.

Follow Jordan on Twitter @montero_jor.

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This lively, green city often lies near the back end of the public zeitgeist’s list of favorite American towns — Eugene is rarely discussed on a larger scale outside of University of Oregon relations. But though the town is generally absent from pop culture, the name “Eugene” (in reference to the city) occasionally lands a mention in the world of music.

Eugene’s presence in the music world is diverse. Sometimes, Eugene is mentioned to add to a musician’s reputation or notoriety, and other times, it’s used as a calming vehicle for nostalgia.

Here are a few of the best musical references to Eugene:

Take prolific underground rapper Sage Francis for example. The end of his song, “You Can’t Win” from his 2013 mixtape “Sick To D(EAT)H,” features a sample that repeats the phrase “I’ve been there!” over and over again. During these repetitions, Francis interjects with different places he’s presumably been to, and in-between “Red State School” and “Beverly Laurel,” Francis boasts about having visited Eugene. Sage Francis is from Rhode Island, which makes his reference to Eugene geographically perplexing.

G-Eazy, another Eugene name-dropper, is from the much more proximate Northern California. In “Sherry” off his 2011 mixtape, “The Endless Summer,” G-Eazy braggadociously raps about how “he’s got a buzz from New Orleans to Maui/From Eugene to Phoenix, the Bay to the Valley.”

Perhaps the most entertaining Eugene reference found in rap is made by Ab-Soul on Childish Gambino’s 2012 track “Unnecessary.” While Ab-Soul’s verse is nothing more than ordinary hip-hop braggery, in it he suggests that he enjoys “White with white girls in Eugene.” It’s not surprising that Ab-Soul occasionally does cocaine with groupies at his shows, but it’s funny imagining that a few young Eugene women could have had a night to remember with Ab Soul.

But no one references Eugene and Oregon more than Eugene-born recording artist Mat Kearney. Even on his latest album, “Just Kids,” he mentions Oregon on three tracks: “Heartbreak Dreamer,” “One Black Sheep” and “Coming Home (Oregon).” Those who don’t recognize that last title must have missed every UO-hosted event since 2015. Thanks to “Coming Home (Oregon),” Mat Kearney has become a local legend.

Sufjan Stevens’ 2015 album, “Carrie & Lowell,” also holds its fair share of Eugene memories. The album is about Stevens’ mother and stepfather who lived in Eugene and the summers Stevens spent here as a child. On the track “All of Me Wants All of You,” Spencer’s Butte makes an appearance. In his song aptly titled “Eugene,” Stevens wonders “What if I’d never seen hysterical light from Eugene?” and contemplates how at “Emerald Park, wonders never cease.”

Even legendary country performer Dolly Parton holds Eugene close to her heart. While on tour in 1972, Parton spent an unforgettable night here that ended with the writing of a loving ode dedicated to the city. “Eugene, Oregon” is likely the most loving musical gift Eugene has ever been granted.

Eugene is also mentioned in regards to the anarchy following the Rodney King riots in the early 1990s. On Sublime’s track “April 29th, 1992,” lead singer Bradley Nowell mentions cities affected by these events, with Eugene among them.

Despite little recognition in mainstream media, Eugene is not completely overlooked. Eugene is beautiful and is even embedded deep within some of the most successful performers in American history — forever cemented in their words.

Follow Jordan on Twitter @montero_jor.

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