55th Grammy's Playlist

In honor of the 55th Grammy celebration this evening I have pulled together 12 picks I think deserve a little metal gramophone. Check 'em out.



1. Album of the Year: Great competition for this one, but I expect Frank Ocean will win this one easily for Channel Orange. Check out 'Thinking About You' in our playlist.

2. Record of the Year: Ocean will likely win this one too, but I love 'Lonely Boy' by the Black Keys. The video is amazing. It's like my wife choreographed the whole thing with her amazing 'go-to' moves...

3. Best New Artist: Frank Ocean should and will win this award. My vote for 2nd place is for the Alabama Shakes, hands down. Seriously awesome old school rock/blues greatness from Athens, Alabama. You probably have all heard 'Hold On', but if not check out the bad-ass Brittany Howard on vocals and guitar.

4. Song of the Year: Miguel. "Adorn You". The other songs infuriate me.

5. Best Dance Recording: Avicii's, "Levels" makes me jump up and down uncontrollably. And the desk humping office dude in the video is a amazing. Enjoy.

6. Best Rock Song: 'Lonely Boy' will probably win this, but just for sake of variation, my 2nd place vote is for Muse's 'Madness'.

7. Best Rock Album: Again, it will be hard to top The Black Keys, but if anyone is gonna do it, I hope it is Jack White, for his album Blunderbuss. Here you will see 'I'm Shakin', my favorites song from that album.

8. Best Blues Album: Joan Osborne is a baller. Her album, Bring it on Home is my pick for this category, especially due to the song 'Shake Your Hips'.

9. Best Rap Song: 'N--ars in Paris' is Shannon's current pump-up tune. It really is a pretty awesome song for just before any recreational athletic activity. It gets the people goin!

10. Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: Okay, this is a lame category, but I just realized that Nas put out a song featuring Amy Winehouse! Whaaa? I am annoyed I just heard about this. 'Cherry Wine' is a really chilled out something special. I miss Amy Winehouse.

11. Best Rap Album: Undun by the Roots is a masterpiece. If you don't have it you should put it on your 'must have' list. Check out the track 'Make My' feat. Big KRIT.

12. Best Traditional R&B Performance: I can't believe people were actually talking shit about Beyonce's talent after she sang along with a pre-recorded track at the inauguration. I mean seriously. What was that about? Watch a live version of "Love on Top" here. She is like Michael Jackson and Diana Ross in one package. Talent.Out.The.Ears.

Top 10 Playlist, Vol. 8

Well, I have been a bit behind in this AudioIn-AudioOut thing lately. I returned today to find the site where I host my playlists (mixpod.com) has been taken down. Crap! So I figured what better way to learn a new process for creating video playlists than to create a new Top 10!


This edition features some baby-makin' music from the likes of Miguel, The Weeknd, and Frank Ocean, as well as the best song Bruno Mars ever made, the banging new track from M.I.A., and a wonderful remix of a Passion Pit song. Check 'em out below.

Top 10 Playlist, Vol. 7

The days are getting shorter, my friends. Lets celebrate the end of a glorious Summer with a few great songs. Volume 7 features the multi-gendered wonder Mykki Blanco, that song from Portlandia, the band my wife hung out with at Pitchfork (Purity Ring), and some hard-rockin' Sleigh Bells.

Enjoy!

The Genius of Frank Ocean (FREE DOWNLOADS!)

A lot has been said about Frank Ocean this year.  Maybe you have heard that some consider his debut album, Channel Orange, a musical masterpiece.  Maybe you were onto him early, and saw the promise of the 2011 mix-tape Nostalgia/Ultra.  Or maybe, like most folks, you heard about Ocean's sexuality before you heard his music, thanks to all the press attention given to the
open letter Ocean posted on Tumblr revealing his experience with unrequited love after falling in love with a man as a teenager.

I'm here today to say that there is something special about Frank Ocean that, in my mind, is bordering on genius status.  I could write about this dude for days.  I could write about the courage it takes for a man to talk about loving another man in the hetero-centric R&B/Hip Hop universe .  I could write about how Ocean's vulnerable and emotive music is a refreshing step away from the peakcocking flash of R Kels/Usher-style R&B.  I could write about how I hear Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye in Ocean's voice and compositions.

Instead of going into greater depth on all that stuff, suffice it to say that Ocean is one major reason why R&B is great again, and worth a good listen. I figured I would put a couple of Ocean's best tracks and an interview here for you to check out for yourself.  Below you will find 8 songs (and free downloads!!) from Channel Orange and Nostalgia/Ultra, including "Bad Religion", "Pilot Jones", "Novacaine", "Forrest Gump", "Swim Good", "Strawberry Swing", "Thinkin 'bout You", "Pyramids"



Personally, I think Bad Religion is one of the best songs I've heard in a decade. Make sure to check out the live performance of the song above. Poignant. Just wish there was a better quality video...