This song just makes me want to run very, very fast after a pretty girl.

“Get out my life why don’t you. ‘Cause you don’t really love me, no. You just keep me hanging on.” (You can’t really improve on The Supremes)

Following up with our article on Gucci Ronson shoes, the first of the fashion and music collaboration shoe has revealed itself end October 2009 in New York city simultaneously with Gucci’s traveling pop-up sneakers store. This is the first for Gucci to introduce a temporary flash sneaker store that will travel the globe making the limited edition shoes available in major cities. In every location, Gucci will introduce a new Mark Ronson collaboration sneaker in each city in addition to the 18 sneakers under the Gucci Icon Temporary style that consist of 16 men’s style and 2 women’s.

A metal dog tag in silver or gold comes together with each sneaker hanging from the lace and customers can engrave their initials onto the customised leather tags on the laces. Mark Ronson is also throwing in a limited edition 12-inch vinyl record with tracks personally selected by Ronson with every purchase of the Gucci Ronson sneaker.

The opening of the Crosby Street’s store was graced by celebrities and musicians such as Mary J. Blige, Wyclef Jean, Mischa Barton, Claire Danes and Karl Lindman. We heard the turn out at the launch party wasn’t fantastic as it was raining in New York that evening or was it due to some other reasons? Ho hum….

At each location, the flash sneaker store will only be open for 2 weeks. So if Gucci flash store is in your city, run over there and get your feet at these luscious sneakers.

This afternoon, twentyteneightyfour and I headed down to the press day for the Gucci SS10 collection. Even though the banter of what dress Mariah Carey was denied a gifting for her upcoming performance on a certain reality TV show was riveting, I could not keep my mind/eyes off of these…

These high tops also come in plain white, grey and black. Literally a work of art and definitely worth putting some cash aside for. By the time these are available, so will Mark Ronson’s “London” sneakers that he has designed for the Gucci pop-up sneaker boutique campaign called ‘Gucci Icon-Temporary’. Not sure if I am a huge fan of the “New York” editions, but the London ones are set to be more…inspired.

You can check out the full Gucci Menswear SS10 show below.

Níveis
1 Obra-Prima
2 Muito Bom
3 Bom
4 Aceitável
5 Ruim
6 Créeuu

Eu poderia ser um completo idiota começando um artigo sobre Amy Winehouse falando sobre seu problema com drogas, escândalos e etc… Mas venho dizer que NÃO É ISSO QUE WINEHOUSE ESTÁ VENDENDO! Se você é trouxa o suficiente pra comprar um disco dela pelo que se lê nos jornais, azar. Não se encontra por aí um dvd oficial da Winehouse escrito “Melhores Escândalos” ou coisa parecida, enfim… O terceiro Prós/Contras é sobre esta artista britânica de voz forte chamada Amy Jade Winehouse!

Sequer precisei arranjar foto pro artigo! Cortesia da Letícia huahuauha…

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Stronger Than Me (Nível 3: Bom)

Este é o primeiro single de sua carreira. E como toda a cantora underground que se preze, conseguiu ficar fora do top 50 no próprio país: #71 UK. Mas isso só serve pra mostrar que britânico é um pé-no-saco com os próprios conterrâneos. É uma música interessante e bem produzida, apesar da sensação de “barzinho com 10 mesas ma só 3 ocupadas”. A letra fala sobre um namorado ter que ser mais forte que a companheira… Um pouquinho de feminismo não faz mal não é?

Take The Box (Nível 2: Muito Bom)

Blues, jazz, enfim, dá pra imaginar Billie Holiday cantando esta. A letra é confusa. A impressão é que a pessoa está depressiva, bêbada… Amy cita até o próprio cachorro na canção! O clipe mostra Amy tocando guitarra num salão escuro cheio de globos luminosos, dentre outras cenas. Conseguiu se sair melhor que o single anterior nas paradas: #57 UK. É uma das canções mais interessantes do álbum, junto a Stronger Than Me, You Send me Flying e Fuck Me Pumps. Também tem um remix que vale a pena conferir: “Take The Box” (The Headquarters Mix).

In My Bed/You Send Me Flying (Nível 3: Bom/2: Muito Bom)

Singles de duplo lado A são coisas curiosas… A impressão que se tem é que se uma das músicas acaba sendo ruim para o público avaliar, ainda se tem uma segunda opção no mainstream. Isso infelizmente só deixa a coisa meio confusa, mas de qualquer forma…

In My Bed tem um clima meio confuso, no meio da desolação, urgência, raiva… tipo uma versão hard do clima da Take The Box. É tipo se o Thelonious Monk resolvesse ser produzido pelo Kanye West ou o Jay-Z (parece bizarro né? mas combina…). Sobre a letra, bem… “In My Bed”, “Em Minha Cama”, não há muito o que comentar… Duas coisas que atraem a audiencia ao extremo: amor/sexo e tragédia (se duvida, lembre-se: o filme Titanic arrecadou quase 2 bilhões de dólares). Um trabalho interessante.

Contém samples da versão de “Apache” feita pelo obscuro porém interessante grupo Incredible Bongo Band, de 1973. A versão original foi escrita por Jerry Lordan e lançada pelo excelente The Shadows, de Marvin Hank, nos anos 60.

You Send Me Flying é muito bem trabalhada e tem uma atuação vocal ótima de Winehouse. No começo, o primeiro acorde tocado lembra irritantemente Rocket Man do Elton John (hauhauah). De longe um dos trabalhos mais significativos de Winehouse. Provavelmente sua melhor canção. Na sua versão do álbum, no final da faixa tem uma canção-surpresa chamada “Cherry”, que deixa a impressão de que Amy visitou o Brasil. Mais necessariamente o Rio de Janeiro (alerta, alerta: bossa nova!!!).

Resumindo: ambas conseguiram um #60 UK. Bem underground…

Fuck Me Pumps/Help Yourself (Nível 2: Muito Bom/5: Ruim)

Tudo o que foi dito sobre single de lado A duplo serve aqui. Que insegurança!

Fuck Me Pumps. Que título! Aparentemente é uma expressão que significa sapatos femininos (provavelmente de salto alto). A canção mais divertida da Amy! Tanto a canção quanto o clipe. Onde ela sai pelas ruas cantando com um microfone, entrando em carros alheios, na frente de bares onde garotas vomitam… O clipe às vezes parece uma pegadinha do tipo “Borat”, pela naturalidade das cenas, um achado!

Aí chegamos em Help Yourself… Parece música jamaicana de quinta… É aqui em a Amy derrapa feio! A música é tão ruim que deveria ser lado C (hauhauhauaa). Agora, falando sério, a música sequer foi incluída em sua versão norte-americana. Acho que os norte-americanos não se ligam muito em auto-ajuda ou em música jamaicana de quinta, sei lá…

Ambas conseguiram um #65 UK, injusto para Fuck Me Pumps. Já para Help Yourself…

Rehab (Nível 5: Ruim)

Pode parecer aversão ao que é popular ou coisa do tipo. Mas uma coisa digo: Rehab é tipo o que o João Gordo fez pro mundo punk, “traiu o movimento, véio” ~ Dado Dolabella.

Apesar do tema sobre drogas estar presente (coisa que ainda consegue considerar Amy no underground), a canção é pop demais. Virou uma espécie de soul/jazz de plástico (igualzinho o que a Alicia Keys está se transformando). A letra é besta, os arranjos exagerados. Enfim, acho que a Amy arranjou uma maneira de ganhar mais pra sustentar seu vício em drogas… mas as drogas deveriam ficar longe de sua música, não contamina-la…

E é lógico: 7# UK e #9 US…

You Know I’m No Good (Nível 3: Bom)

Doses de jazz aumentadas, de pop um pouco menores. O que torna esta música uma salvação pós-Rehab. É interessante notar que alguém conseguiu reacender alguma nesga de interesse no jazz no século 21. Não é tão boa, mas dá pro gasto…

No clipe, Amy é uma espécie de criminosa sendo questionada por um investigador com fotos e etc… Super produzido. Pena que não tem a tosquice divertida do clipe da Fuck Me Pumps. Mas considerando a temática da letra, isso faz sentido…

#16 UK e #58 US

Back to Black (Nível 3: Bom)

Clima denso, clipe sinistro. Amy tá se mostrando eclética com suas canções. Mark Ronson é um produtor que deve sofrer de “dupla personalidade musical”. Às vezes nem parece que foi ele quem produziu algumas faixas… No clipe, Amy enterra seu coração! Isso sim é que é sutileza…

Conseguiu um top 25 nos UK, mas merecia mais…

Tears Dry on Their Own (Nível 4: Aceitável)

Bem, aqui não se tem nada demais. Sério. É um single que também não. Sabe aquelas músicas enche-linguiça que acabam sendo lançadas como single por falta de opção? Pois é… Pelo menos é mais interessante (aliás, tem um interesse) que Rehab. Destaque para o cabelo-colméia de Amy no clipe.

Atingiu #16 UK, melhor posição em seu país desde Rehab. Que injustiça…

Love is a Losing Game (Nível 4: Aceitável)

Sabe barzinho ou churrascaria com música ao-vivo que se atreve a tocar bossa nova? Pelo menos aqui há uma boa intérprete… Uma balada falando sobre o amor. Lembra Love Hurts. Para o clipe, Amy foi filmada cantando no estúdio (ou não).  E conseguiu um #46 UK…

Extra – Valerie (Nível 3: Bom)

Bem, este single não é da Amy, mas sim do seu produtor querido, Mark Ronson, para seu álbum “Version” de 2007. Na verdade, uma cover da banda indie The Zutons (quem?). A canção parece um lado B de single ou outtake do Back to Black. É divertida e tão legal quanto a versão original.

Nenhuma obra prima. Três muito boas. Cinco boas. Duas aceitáveis. Uma ruim. E nenhum créuuu!

Bem… Amy é uma artista regular… sabe tirar algo de legal do jazz, mas às vezes isso sai tedioso (talvez não por culpa dela, talvez pelo próprio já combalido estilo). Se ela souber não abusar muito do injetável Ronson e se manter longe das outras drogas, as coisas podem fluir mais!

Fora que a Amy soa como uma versão jazz/drogada da Toni Braxton, hum…

Um honroso 7 para Amy!

Bruno

To coincide with the opening of its traveling icon-temporary sneaker store with Mark Ronson (yes, you guessed it, Sam Ronson’s big brother), Gucci launched a free iPhone app. It is now available at the app store for both iPhone and iPod Touch.

Gucci Beats

To round out the exclusive vibe of the luxury fashion house, the Gucci Little Black Book is available with the swipe of a finger, featuring best-of information for hotels, restaurants, clubs and bars in more than 20 cities around the world.  So no matter where you are, you’ll be able to find a Gucci-approved hangout.

Gucci Live

It has been reported that Producer Mark Ronson is currently working with newcomer Ellie Goulding on her currently untitled debut album, set to be released in 2010. During an interview with Whats On Wales Ellie states that this is not true, but she will be working with him on HIS upcoming album. She does state however that she’s been working with FrankMusik (one of my favourites) and producer Starsmith. Sounds to me like there is a good album in the making.

Here is Goulding’s single Under the Sheets, “It’s about a relationship that’s not based on anything real – the sometimes fickle nature of intimacy. The guy is literally fighting for affection but just ends up in more pain.”

Check out her video as well, I like it lots.

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In Celebration of Wale’s debut album “Attention:Deficit” [click link for iTunes]  This week’s addition of Heavy Rotation will be my favorite Wale tracks from his various mixtapes!!

The album is great!! so grab it off of iTunes NOW or at your local retailer.

Wale – Fly Away

Wale ft (j.Cole & Curren$y)  – Rather B With You

Wale – Perfect Plan

Wale – New Soul (prod: BKS)

Wale – The Grown Up (prod: BKS)

Wale (ft k’naan) – Um Ricka

check it: “one thing about a player by wale feat. southeast slim“

Early Wale.  He’s come a longg way.  If you’re like alot of people and you’re just following Wale’s career or just discovering his music, you need to catch up.  Here’s one for inventory.  Attention Deficit in stores now.  Hit the jump to see Wale on 106 & Park.  It’s also the preview to Surface To Air: Attention Deficit.

Wale talks to Rap-Up TV about being on tour with Mark Ronson & Jay in Europe and hearing a beat CD Kanye (and Plain Pat) played for them backstage with “Jockin’ Jay-Z,” “History,” “A Star Is Born” and one another song on it with Cudi on the hook.

He says he wanted “A Star Is Born” for the intro to Attention Deficit (which is in stores today, by the way) and John Meneilly and Bleek told him it wasn’t happening. ctfu @ Wale’s Jay face.

The song would have been for him, Scotty(Kid Cudi) & Aubrey(Drake). The GQ anthem

I was trying to upload the View from the Back (seat) courtesy of Cassia earlier, but I have had to give up on that project for now – too technical.

Instead I have “Stop Me” going round in my head for some reason. I can hear the Mark Ronson/Daniel Merriweather version, but it turns out that Morrissey and Johnny Marr wrote it as The Smiths. Sample the two battling it out here – I still prefer the new one.

My favourite Daniel Merriweather tuneage is “Change”, I have it as my morning alarm where he sings:
“Nothing’s gonna change, ain’t nothing gonna change if nobody’s gonna wake up and start asking who’s in charge”

Works nearly every time

Currently listening to: Just DJ Premier Remix F Poet, Just Go Team, Oh My God, Just DJ The Loving Hand Remix.. and more by Mark Ronson.

i started this post as a theophilus london interview post. then i realized i hadn’t post this song. the fuck is the matter with me? chauffeur = mark ronson, theophilus london, and sam sparro.

anyway, according to ronson:

I created the music with a Fictional supergroup we put together called Chauffeur. The band is Sam Sparro, Theophilus London, and Tommy and Victor from the Dap Kings. It’s cool—the sound is very ’80s and luxurious. It’s like what you would imagine a Gucci record to sound like.

word. it really does too. shit is all bang. and hit the cut for the theophilus video i was originally gonna post about.

download:

chauffeur – soles of fire.

- panda

theophilus london interview/performance for diesel u music radio:

man, wale could easily put together a short mixtape of the tracks that got left off attention: deficit, and it’d be the mixtape of the year. mark ronson played this cut that didn’t make the album (for God knows what reason) that features murdering the kit and production by sean c and LV. hopefully we’ll see the CDQ soon enough.

download:

wale – OG’z (ft. travis barker) (radio rip).

- panda

Who?

Wale, the D.C. rapper, has had a Drake and Kid Cudi-like rise to where he is now. He’s released some extremely popular mixtapes and his first studio LP, Attention Deficit, has been highly anticipated by the community. He’s in the mold of Lupe Fiasco and Common — Talib Kweli and Mos Def to a lesser extent — with cerebral, clever rhymes that touch on all topics worth touching.

To be honest, I wasn’t drinking the Wale Kool-Aid for the longest time, I just thought he didn’t bring enough to his songs. It was like listening to a disinterested Will Hunting solve incredible math theorems with little fanfare. Sure, you’re rhymes are Harvard-smart Wale, but you bore me! It’s a snooze fest over here, especially when he didn’t have a point.  Like his “Seinfeld” Mixtape About Nothing — you just rapped about nothing. You gotta have a point.  No matter how slick you are, if you’re not building towards a common theme, then you’re just speaking out loud. And I’m going to forget your songs.

We know Wale is incredibly talented, but he never put the pieces together. Until now.

Attention Deficit

Wow. You’ve got electronic elements, you’ve got guitar, you’ve got big band sounds. Basically, you’ve got everything you would expect from a Mark Ronson album, though he only is credited with production on three tracks. But with every listen there’s an additional instrument or production highlight that adds to the depth and quality of the music that compliments Wale’s words.

Breaking down the tracks, there’s plenty to appreciate. “Diary” has got some great spoken word rapping for the last verse, it sounds like something Andre 3000 would do. anytime you’re drawing comparisons to 3K, you’re doing something right. “90210″ has a fantastic stripped-down beat from Mark Ronson, something like a 16-bit video game soundtrack. Plus, he grills every single L.A. girl who got a little too big for her britches, which is fantastic. Gunning of the highest degree. Get ‘em, Wale.

“Contemplate” with Rihanna? Winner, with a great theme and the perfect voice to feature for the chorus. “TV in the Radio” has a Mos Def feel, specifically “Fear Not of Men”, and the beat becomes just another example of how good production will make this album one hip-hop heads won’t sleep on. “TV in the Radio” also features K’naan, who sounds like a Refugee All-Star that could have had a verse or two on Wyclef Jean’s Carnival. Bun B was a fantastic choice for a guest spot,  and listening to Wale and him go back and forth on “Mirror” brings out the complimentary contrast of their sounds.

One complaint. It’s long. It’s only 14 tracks, but there is one song that’s less than 3:20 in length. There are a few songs, like “Mamma Told Me” where Wale takes the song too far. This combined with the fact that Wale has a static cadence that leads to occasional monotony. At times his verses sound more like droning than rapping. We know you can spit bars Wale, but you gotta let me recover and recuperate from each song. You’re tiring me out.

So Now What?

This is like the appetizer to Lupe Fiasco’s Lasers (If it ever gets released), smart, stylistic rhymes with quality, diverse production. Lupe was a little more adventurous with his first album than Wale is with Attention Deficit, but your first impression is critically important and Wale made good on his. Shit, 50 Cent is still making money because of Get Rich or Die Tryin’. I doubt Wale will ever reach the top of the charts with any of these songs, even if he did enlist the likes of Lady Gaga on “Chillin’” (which is much better than the mixtape versions because of beat that samples “Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye” — you know, the song they play at basketball games when people foul out? Of course you know).

It’s good to see Wale live up to the hype, and become the heir apparent to the Commons, Mos Defs and Talibs of the world.

Wale – Attention Deficit

1. Triumph (prod. Dave Sitek) – ★★★
2. Mamma Told Me – ★★★
3. Mirrors (feat. Bun B) (prod. Mark Ronson) – ★★★
4. Pretty Girls [feat. Gucci Mane & Weensey (of Backyard Band)] (prod. Best Kept Secret) – ★★★
5. World Tour (feat. Jazmine Sullivan) (prod.Cool & Dre) -
6. Let It Loose (Inhibitions) (feat. Pharrell Williams) (prod. The Neptunes) – ★★★
7. 90210 (prod. Mark Ronson) – ★★★★
8. Shades (feat. Chrisette Michele) (prod. 9th Wonder) – ★★★
9. Chillin’ (feat. Lady Gaga) (prod. Cool & Dre) – ★★★
10. TV In The Radio (feat. K’Naan) (prod. Dave Sitek) – ★★★
11. Contemplate (feat. Rihanna) (prod. Syience) – ★★★★
12. Diary (feat. Marsha Ambrosius) – ★★★
13. Beautiful Bliss (feat. Melanie Fiona & J.Cole) (prod. DJ Green Lantern & Mark Ronson) -
14. Prescription – ★★★

Attention Deficit Total ★: 38
Attention Deficit ★ Ratio: 2.71

WALE is killin’ everyone right now.

(Only in the Hip hop GAME)

Wale – Beautiful Bliss

Wale – 90210

Wale – Shades

Yes sir.  Another one in the mix making his debut in fashion.  The music producer, artist and DJ, Mr. Mark Ronson is collaborating with Gucci to design a limited edition range of shoes and will be available to purchase in a Gucci pop-up shop in a city near you.

Wale – Attention Deficit – Album Release Party in New York on November 9, 2009

In anticipation of the release of his album, Attention Deficit, Wale will celebrate at a private party in New York hosted by Marquee. The event will take place on Monday, November 9, 2009. Mark Ronson and other special guests will appear at the event.

Open Bar Until Midnight

Private Party/ Guest List Only

Marquee
289 10th Avenue
New York, NY 10001
1.646.473.0202
Marquee

Attention Deficit will be available on iTunes and in stores on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 12:00 a.m. EST.

I downloaded this to my iPhone last night and my response is WTF?

It doesnt show you the collections it shows you About 4 of the outfits from the shows. It has exlusive playlists from Gucci and Mark Ronson( Why?), which you can’t listen to it ust shows you what music they like. The a store locator. And then the strangest thing on there is Gucci Beats, which is like a weird mini game where you can record something then add music to it, and play it back all together….

The plus side is that it’s free