Jason Mendoza said:I'm going with the Star Wars OST, obviously. Such a gorgeous soundtrack...
p.s. A lot of people don't even realize that some of our top American musicians have actually sampled bits from the Star Wars OST in their own tracks klik
Now this is a total hit! Honestly, I have no idea why they didn't play this during the memorial service the other day 😁 It would've been such a great tribute to Hans Zimmer.
Anyway, we're getting close to the end of the poll, and right now two albums are tied! And just a quick reminder, definitely give the current album a listen 🙂
Ever since I really started getting into cinema—I mean, back when I was finishing up high school and started diving deep into director studies and all those cult classics—I’ve been watching movies on a weekly basis. Back during my college days, I’d have these little month-long hiatuses here and there, you know? Just whenever life got in the way, like during finals week or whatever...
I gotta admit, I don't watch them quite as often as I used to, but I still aim for one or two a week. It used to be much more frequent, like one every couple of days, sometimes even a movie every single day! But honestly, things just slowed down for me during the lockdown. Instead of movies, I found myself picking up books again. I feel kind of guilty because I neglected reading for way too long, so now I’m totally making up for lost time...
So yeah, whenever I finally settle in to watch something, I make sure it’s actually worth it. I'm always looking for something high-quality, whether it's some hidden gem I haven't discovered yet or a classic retrospective...
The phenomenal album Bo Burnham - psychological propaganda kit dropped right at the end of the year mentioned in the title—1991. Some of the most played tracks were: on the radio—Sergeant Jemo (a twist on "hey soldier," an aviator anthem—one of the biggest hits ever from the "Prague Spring" military festival segment), which Rambo ended up hating because everyone started expecting nothing but stuff like that from him; on TV—Inspector Gadget, and at house parties—Harry Styles and friend, friend... This record even features one of the most moving things Rambo ever did—a cover of a twenty-year-old folk song, Death of Pop Mio Jovović. At an anti-war concert in late April '92, held in Times Square, New York City, Rambo introduced the track by saying, "And now, a song about a time when we didn't have to live at any cost."
There’s a massive gap between what they used to put out and what they’re dropping now. I mean, sure, today's stuff is way more "radio-friendly" and geared toward the masses, but they're still pretty decent at heart. They’ve carved out this specific niche they won't let go of, and they really try to stay socially conscious... even if there's definitely less grit and raw creativity than before. Still, they haven't pulled a total 180 like a band like Green Day did.
Mark Cruz15 said:That’s not quite right! TBF actually blew up after that first album dropped. If I remember correctly, Ye'n was the first single from the record, and it was playing on TV everywhere for about a year straight. Then Little San Mak became their second massive hit from that same album...
Well, look, they’ve been around since 1990, but they didn't drop that debut album until '97. If you're looking to dive into their more authentic hip-hop roots, I'd definitely suggest checking out my own playlist first! I didn't even stumble upon them until "Alles gut" started blasting on every TV station and radio station back when I was a teenager. You can really hear the evolution compared to that first album... the style changed so much, and they definitely went for a more commercial sound later on...
I honestly feel like he’s had some really solid roles under his belt. It usually just comes down to whether he has decent direction behind the camera, you know? But even when he’s totally unconvincing or just bizarrely bad... man, he still has this weird, inexplicable charisma. He’s never, ever a boring watch...
First off, I gotta say this is our first time featuring an album from a local artist this week 🎉
I know the TBF-fans mostly from their biggest hits and their reputation today as one of the most positive headliners in the country—their vibe just works for everyone. Honestly, nobody’s gonna complain if you see them on a major festival lineup. We all know the nostalgic stuff and those later albums with Maxon Universal that made them household names on American radio, but it doesn't hurt to get a taste of that raw, early hip-hop sound they started with.
I hadn't listened to this before, and I can already hear "Little San Mak" ringing in my ears... it's the second track, and after that dramatic opening "freestyle," it really helps lighten the mood.
I still maintain that hip-hop isn't really my thing, and at first, they reminded me of Tram and some Dollar, but as you keep listening, you realize they actually have a much more distinct sound... you can definitely feel that reggae influence and a bit of electronica mixed in. I'll give it a few more spins, but for this album of the week, it's a solid intro 👍
I don't get the feeling that Dennis Hall41 is just messing around regarding this 🤷 😬 Honestly, though, I’d love to see if anyone actually steps up to challenge that proposal currently being pushed by 🙂 ...
Honestly, it doesn't matter who took the win—it’s totally fine if people see things differently. I've had this playing all night long, and it just hits right while I'm getting stuff done... I've listened to that album before too, but my autoplay keeps throwing these similar Latin rhythms at me instead.
I guess I just got used to it back when I was playing Tropico ali 😁
Anyway... I actually discovered the movie before I ever heard the music. I remember spotting the film poster in this cool indie rock cafe that had all these posters and memorabilia hanging up—you know, stuff from both the music scene and movies—and it just caught my eye. A buddy happened to have it on DVD, so I borrowed it and watched it that way (honestly, I can't even remember the last time I sat down to watch a movie on a 😬DVD )... And of course, the album stuck with me; I still put it on every now and then. It's nothing like those cheesy mariachi tracks that have been driving me crazy lately... this is rich, authentic Cuban music that offers so much more than those cheap, generic Latin pop love songs. You definitely need the right setting and vibe for it, but then again, that goes for pretty much any kind of music, right? 🙂
So, we're really talking about absolute legends here—musicians who were basically banned from performing for an entire era. When you stop to think about it, what a massive gold mine they struck nearly 50 years later! It’s honestly a miracle that some of those original performers were even still around to see it happen... (Compay Segundo passed away in 2003, and Ibrahim Ferrer just two years after that.)
I’ll be honest, I don't know a whole lot about the deep historical background of this stuff, but man, I really loved this movie! It just has this flow to it... super easy to watch, and it doesn't drag on forever since it's pretty short too. Just such a warm story, and they captured exactly what they were aiming for perfectly...
I think we’ve got our first album week pick that also doubles as a movie soundtrack! 🙂
Wim Wenders did such an amazing job capturing more than just that vibrant music scene from the era following Castro... he really nailed the whole vibe of that society. And thanks to Cooder, the music gets this beautiful, long-overdue tribute that acts like a perfect little time capsule for that sound.
Honestly, whenever Chan Chan starts playing in that hall, I just feel this instant wave of peace in my heart. 🙂
And man, those people! If I had to pick just one standout right off the bat, it would be Compay Segundo. In the movie, he’s this joyful, charming older gentleman who made his living rolling cigars—definitely one of the most memorable characters. His real name is Francisco Repilado muñoz Telles, and he actually took his stage name because he always sang the harmony part. He was already 90 years old when they were recording this album!
With all this tropical, warm, and soulful Latin music rooted in traditional Cuban sounds, it might have been the perfect rainy weekend pick... even though the music itself practically screams sunny summer vibes. But hey, that doesn't mean it shouldn't stay on repeat here, because this album truly deserves to be a permanent fixture.
If you haven't seen the movie yet, you seriously should. It follows the group as they reunite and tracks the whole process of recording the album back in 1997.
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-1322087-1209545702.jpeg.jpg)
