Given the ceaseless torrent of music being launched, it is virtually inevitable that worthy artists slip by the cracks. Rocker King Tuff and hip-hop’s Brown deserve a particular point out.
TONYA MOSLEY, HOST:
That is FRESH AIR. Our rock critic, Ken Tucker, has been listening to among the music he most loved reviewing this previous yr, in addition to catching up on some music that inevitably fell by the cracks. He is narrowed down his finest missed music to the work of two artists – rocker King Tuff and hip-hop’s Danny Brown. Let’s begin with King Tuff.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “PEBBLES IN A STREAM”)
KING TUFF: (Singing) Pebbles in a stream, diamonds within the fog. I drank you up like water, crystal clear. And pebbles in a stream, you held me in your arms. You made all of demons disappear.
KEN TUCKER, BYLINE: As we shut out the yr, I did what I all the time do. I relistened to a few of my favorites from the previous 12 months and poked round to see whether or not there was one thing I might missed. Given the ceaseless torrent of music that is launched today, overlooking worthy artists is inevitable. And so whereas this very nice labor confirmed that albums I’ve reviewed right here over the previous 12 months do certainly maintain up as among the many yr’s finest – I am pondering of you, Lana Del Rey, Allison Russell and Caroline Polachek – I uncovered not less than two vital misses I made. The primary can be Kyle Thomas, the artist who goes by the title King Tuff, and his album “Smalltown Stardust.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “THE BANDITS OF BLUE SKY”)
KING TUFF: (Singing) Have you ever heard the information? There’s bandits on the unfastened. They sneak into your psyche and drink up all of your juice. And nobody is aware of the whereabouts of Purple Juice and his gang. It was Wednesday once they busted out, and Thursday got here the rain. Is there anyone there? Is anyone listening? Does anyone care that the ambiance seems to be lacking? It have to be the bandits of the blue sky, the bandits of the blue sky.
TUCKER: Kyle Thomas is, as he sings on one of many songs on this album, from Brattleboro, Vt., and now primarily based in Los Angeles. He is been a member of Ty Segall’s loud, obstreperous band, and certainly, Thomas’ earlier King Tuff albums have been heavy with headbanging guitars. For “Smalltown Stardust,” nonetheless, he tried one thing completely different – filling out a set of fairly, generally beautiful melodies with the sounds of violins, cellos, keyboards and multitracked harmonies. Take heed to this beautiful tune known as “Inform Me,” which feels like the most effective Fleetwood Mac tune Lindsey Buckingham by no means wrote.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “TELL ME”)
KING TUFF: (Singing) Inform me what you need to do. We’ll be speaking all night time by. I do not need to spend one other night time alone. Solely you and me could make it proper ‘trigger I am unable to maintain my love from you. No, I am unable to maintain my love from you.
TUCKER: “Smalltown Stardust” is a vibrant instance of considered one of my favourite sorts of pop music – the sound of somebody who appears to be sitting alone in a room late at night time, mulling over the way it all went fallacious, indulging within the sort of trustworthy self-pity that, at its finest, turns into a common consolation. I like that sound when it got here from Harry Nilsson or the Raspberries or Matthew Candy, and I like it right here.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “ALWAYS FIND ME”)
KING TUFF: (Singing) Once I shut my eyes, I am going dwelling, lonely sidewalks the place I used to roam. I am a loser, misplaced in my headphones, again when all my goals have been silver and gold. Sitting underneath the falling years, questioning the place I am going to go. I will be the place the the place the place the rivers meet, on the lookout for solutions that I am going to by no means know. That is the place you may all the time discover me.
TUCKER: There’s one different tune I need to play for you, and it is from Danny Brown. This hip-hop author and performer launched two glorious albums this yr – a solo mission known as “Quaranta” and a team-up with the rapper producer JPEGMafia. Danny Brown writes tightly rhymed, rigorous verses that he recites most frequently in a high-pitched, yammering voice. His topics vary from being raised poor in Detroit to articulating particular disapproval of fentanyl and Elon Musk. The tune I’ve chosen is named “Jenn’s Terrific Trip.” Say that title quick and it comes near the phrase gentrification, which is the topic of Danny Brown’s witty, withering scorn.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “JENN’S TERRIFIC VACATION”)
DANNY BROWN: (Rapping) Who’s that peeping in my window? I do not actually know what they right here for. On the nook simply with the Starbucks, I used to be simply on the lookout for a come up. Proper there was a crack home. Now it is an natural backyard. Inform me what to do when the block will get gradual and the cash get low, however the hire stand up. White people coming out the blue. They completed torn that down and made that to a Complete Meals. Landlords on the lookout for a payday. Now it is rental scooters the place we used to sling yay. What you gon’ do? Once they transfer in, transfer in, transfer in, you progress on out. The place you gon’ go? Once they transfer in, transfer in, transfer in, you progress on out. What you gon’ do? Once they transfer in, transfer in, transfer in, you progress on out. The place you gon’ go?
TUCKER: Each King Tuff’s “Smalltown Stardust” and the Danny Brown-JPEGMAFIA collaboration can be on my year-end prime 10, and I am glad I used to be in a position to slide these artists into considered one of my critiques earlier than the conclusion of 2023.
(SOUNDBITE OF KING TUFF SONG, “ROCK RIVER”)
MOSLEY: Ken Tucker is FRESH AIR’s rock critic. His end-of-the-year piece could be discovered at our web site, freshair.npr.org.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “ROCK RIVER”)
KING TUFF: (Singing) Do you keep in mind the locations we used to go when life was simple and the times have been gradual? By means of the woods and take off our garments. Bounce within the water and by no means develop outdated. And I left my coronary heart on the rock river. I left my…
MOSLEY: Tomorrow on FRESH AIR, we hear to a different of our favourite interviews of the yr – Black Thought, aka Tariq Trotter, the lead MC for The Roots and member of the home band for “The Tonight Present Starring Jimmy Fallon.” In his new memoir, Trotter shares how a collection of tragedies, together with by chance burning down his household’s dwelling at 6, have served as a catalyst for creating the sound of the pioneering rap group. I hope you’ll be able to be part of us.
(SOUNDBITE OF HAROLD LOPEZ-NUSSA’S “HABANA SIN SABANAS”)
MOSLEY: Our interviews and critiques are produced and edited by Amy Salit, Phyllis Myers, Roberta Shorrock, Ann Marie Baldonado, Sam Briger, Lauren Krenzel, Heidi Saman, Therese Madden, Seth Kelley and Susan Nyakundi. Thea Chaloner directed as we speak’s present. For Terry Gross, I am Tonya Mosley.
(SOUNDBITE OF HAROLD LOPEZ-NUSSA’S “HABANA SIN SABANAS”)
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