Best Music of 2017 – IP 104

This year we’ve listened to countless hours of new albums and songs and attended dozens of concerts and are now ready to declare our favorite music of 2017! Listen to this very special year-end episode to hear us discuss the artists who delivered music that inspired us, informed us, entertained us, made us want to dance and put us in that special mood!

We also discuss our favorite singles of the year, our most memorable concerts and the new music we’re craving in 2018.

Our favorite albums list includes:

Kendrick Lamar – DAMN

Jay-Z – 4:44

Laura Mvula – The Dreaming Room

Jamila Woods – HEAVN (Check out her video for Blk Girl Soldier )

Khalid – American Teen (Check out his video for Location)

Gorillaz – Humanz

Miguel – War X Leisure (Check out his video for Told You So)

Mavis Staples –  If All I Was Was Black

Earl St. Clair – My Name Is Earl

Sampha – Process (Check out his video for (No One Knows Me) Like the Piano)

SZA – CTRL

Lorde – Melodrama (Listen to Liability)

Valerie June – Order of Time (Watch her live performance of Order of Time)

 

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Post Election Pop Culture, A Tribe Called Quest, SNL, Years of Living Dangerously, Hamilton Mixtape – IP 53

File this episode under “Life Goes On”. Yes brothers and sisters, we’re still coming to terms with last week’s election, so we begin this week’s show with a discussion of the pop culture we consumed over the past week as a means of escape, comfort and inspiration. We watched everything from Westworld to Moana; listened to Nina Simone and attended the Maxwell and Mary J. Blige show at MSG in an effort to soothe our hearts and minds.

atcqThen, we discuss the album that was a tiny light amidst the gloom – A Tribe Called Quest’s new release, We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your service. We review the album, talk about Tribe’s place in the Hip Hop canon, rate favorite tracks and celebrate their triumphant performance on Saturday Night Live. We also talk about highlights from what we think will go down as one of the most important episodes in SNL history thanks to Kate McKinnon’s incredible cold open performance and Dave Chappelle’s brilliant turn as host.

hamilton-mixtape-artist-lineupWe also preview the highly anticipated Hamilton Mixtape, a collection of re-recordings of the songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical, Hamilton. Sean is a Hamilton obsessive (remember the House of Hyperbole?) and Amita has yet to see the musical or listen to the cast album. Listen to hear their reviews from two very different perspectives.

yearsWe’re also excited to bring you the first in our Producer to Producer series in which we interview a producer about their latest work. We launch the series with Joel Bach, co-creator of the Emmy Award-winning series, Years of Living Dangerously. The show explores the effects of climate change in the world through the eyes of high-profile celebrities. We find out how producers sent Arnold Schwarzenegger to the Middle East, Gisele Bundchen to the Amazon and also learn what YOU can do to join the battle to save our planet.

And we cap the show off with The Big Sell. Find out what Amita thinks of Sean’s Valerie June Big Sell. And discover the new music video Amita has to share with Sean.

LINKS

  • Actor Riz Ahmed ( The Night Of, Rogue One) appears on the Hamilton Mixtape as Riz MC. Here is a clip that features his flow with none other than Childish Gambino! Check out this dynamic duet right HERE!
  • Post election, Sean traveled back to the early 90’s. A time where a Clinton won the presidency! Enjoy this clip of Michael Stipe and Natalie Merchant performing To Sir, With Love to celebrate a new era.
  • Kate McKinnon’s stunning performance on SNL as Hillary Clinton singing “Hallelujah.”
  • Head to the Years of Living Dangerously Action page to get more information on how you can contribute to the climate change movement.