Lil Wayne Is Bad For You: Teacher Suspended For Using Rap Lyrics In Homework Assignment

An English teacher in Florida has been given a 3 day suspension after assigning students a Lil Wayne listening assignment for homework. The assignment was intended to give students a good understanding of language techniques such as puns, similes and metaphors, however it was deemed inappropriate due to the heavy profanity in the song lyrics.

The song used was ''6 Foot 7 Foot'', taken from Wayne's 9th studio album, Tha Carter IV, and on inspection, it could certainly have been a little too much for this poor gang of 8th graders, who fall into the 13-14 year old age group. Here's what they were dealing with:

''Two bitches at the same time, synchronized swimmers
Got the girl twisted cause she open when you twist her
Never met the bitch, but I fuck her like I missed her
Life is the bitch, and death is her sister
Sleep is the cousin, what a fuckin' family picture''

Ouch. When asked about the incident, school principal Wayne Owens had this to say: "The lesson was for students to learn to identify literary devices. The teacher had already introduced Edgar Allen Poe and Shakespeare," the school's headmaster Wayne Owens said in a statement. "Students were having difficulty grasping the concepts of literary devices such as: pun, simile, metaphor, so the teacher used colloquial material. This material did not meet the school's standards and was not approved. The teacher recognises that it was totally inappropriate for a school assignment."

The sentiment is certainly to be admired, but perhaps a better choice of artist next time round might be a better idea; surely this man should have been suspended for subjecting these children to Lil Wayne's music in the first place.

Foo Fighters Recording 8th Album With ''Nevermind'' And ''In Utero'' Producers

Foo Fighters 8th album is surprisingly shaping up to be an interesting affair, as rumours circulate that the band will be working with the producers of Nirvana's seminal 90's recordings, Nevermind and In Utero. The band are also alleged to be recording the album in 12 different cities worldwide.

The band began writing material for their 8th release a full year ago in January 2013, and are currently in studio, having Instagrammed pictures of themselves at work in recent weeks, and speaking to Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1, Dave Grohl claimed the new album would blow people away: "I know what it sounds like and I honestly think the entire concept is really going to take people by surprise and it sounds nuts.

"We recorded something the other day that's unlike anything we've ever done and it starts with a fuse and then it explodes."

Grohl refused to directly answer questions put to him about working with his two previous Nirvana production wizards, Butch Vig and Steve Albini. Word has spread of the possibility of the band using both men since a fan, known only as Wes, claimed to meet Grohl and Vig in a Chicago bar. The source told reporters: “He (Grohl) has been recording with Butch Vig & Steve Albini at Electrical Audio, using a never-previously-used recording technique that’s unique to this analog studio.”

The Foo's worked with Nevermind producer Vig on 2011's Wasting Light, but the apparent addition of In Utero engineer Albini raises all sorts of questions about what direction the stadium rockers could take. Known for it's controversially heavy, near metal sound, In Utero was seen as a challenge to fans upon its release in 1994 as Kurt Cobain attempted to escape the universal fame and acclaim that came with the pop-punk style of Nevermind. Some sort of fuse of these two extremely different styles could make for car crash material or a magnificent blend that returns the Foo's to full power.

We shall see this year, but for now all that is known about LP8 for certain is that it contains 13 tracks (again confirmed through Instagram) and it will be happening in 2014.

''So Long, See You Tomorrow'' Bombay Bicycle Club - A Review

It would be fair to say that Bombay Bicycle Club have never truly given us a worthy follow up to their 2009 debut I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose. That album was full to the brim with simple, yet charming indie rock that introduced an exciting young UK act and made a promise it couldn't keep. Just 19 at the time of release, it seemed Jack Steadman was destined to push on with and deliver on his undoubted potential as lead singer and songwriter for the group, but the sophomore slump hit hard with Flaws in 2010, an almost all acoustic effort and a miscalculated, confusing step in the wrong direction. The near solo Flaws, with its collection of (truth be told) B-side standard tracks, was then counter acted 3 years ago with A Different Kind Of Fix. This time the band was back in full flow, but again failed to inspire major plaudits with an album that sounded too concerned with success in the safe zone of generic pop/rock rather than searching for any kind of deeper meaning and acclaim.

So here we are at record number 4, and truth be told, it's either time to go hard or go home. One more misstep and Bombay Bicycle Club could easily find themselves out in the cold, but the signs, at least, were promising in production stage. Word of Steadman's travels around the globe and soul searching in India, Japan and Turkey combined with his self professed new love of sampling and tribal chants/rhythms gave reason to expect a new design or reinvention of the band, and that is exactly what we get on So Long, See You Tomorrow, an album which seeks to drastically eradicate the past and begin a new phase for the young four piece.

''Overdone'' kicks off the album with a rising, cinematic opener that already sounds more interesting than any of the ideas summoned over the past 4 years from the band, and establishes a brand new energy to an almost unrecognizable act. The unusual, playful rhythms of ''It's Alright Now'' and ''Carry Me'' continue to introduce this atmospheric, textured approach that brings to mind several possible influences, most prominently and unexpectedly perhaps Sigur Ros, with certain aspects of this spiritual, slightly ethereal approach exposing tinges of the iconic Icelandic act.

Album standout ''Home By Now'' is where things start to get really interesting though- the hip-hop inspired beats of the track are complimented beautifully by light guitar and backing vocals, resulting in a blissed out production of such quality that is totally unexpected of BBC. With Steadman's already uniquely tinted vocal washing over these experimental vibes, the band have really found a nice that deserves further exploration in due time.

The second half of the album is composed of a more delicate set of songs as piano is introduced and utilized to great effect on the uplifting ''Whenever, Wherever'' (not a Shakira cover unfortunately) and especially ''Eyes Off You'', another wonderful piece that stands alongside ''Home By Now'' as the best of the album. This slow burning, Kate Bush like 4 minutes feels like the total realization of a matured BBC,and Steadman sounds well beyond his 24 years for this perfect, sentimental moment of beauty. Elsewhere Luna recalls the feel good groove of ''Always Like This'', one of the band's original and best hits, and makes for the cut choice of lead single from these ten experimental tracks.

For all the talk of Indian samples and tribal chanting, they only come to prominence in the latter section of the record with ''Feel'', but it's nonetheless an interesting technique that fits in effortlessly among the tracklisting, and is another impressive example of vastly improved production. We come to the most conventional, guitar based track of the album on ''Come To'' but even so it retains the otherworldly feel that dominates the record, before the 6 minute title track brings an end to proceedings with its comedown, calming aroma built around a Tetris like beat designed to patiently wash over the listener, marking a drastic difference from the more immediate chart rock of all the band's previous work, much like the record itself in total.

And so, Bombay Bicycle Club complete an ambitious, exciting and engaging 54 minutes. So Long, See You Tomorrow is quite clearly not only the band's best work in years, but their best to date. It's a significant album that could come to define a career if BBC are capable of pushing on and delivering more work in this vain; songs that drip in luxurious textures and rich atmosphere but retain the catchy accessibility of their original source. An unprecedented and rewarding effort, So Long reestablishes Bombay Bicycle Club as a band to watch and showcases a rapid development that was unthinkable 3 years ago through a range of instruments and genres explored fearlessly and expertly on their greatest achievement yet. Against the odds, Bombay Bicycle Club have triumphed.

8.3

Nas Set To Drop Reissue, Rarities & DVD Documentary For 20th Anniversary Of Illmatic

Nasir Jones, better known legendary rap superstar Nas, is set to drop a series of projects to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his classic hip-hop album Illmatic this April 14th. Included will be a reissued anniversary edition of the hugely influential record and a bonus disc containing rarities and unreleased remixes.

The special edition will be entitled Illmatic XX and include each of the ten original classics on the album including the likes of ''NY State Of Mind'', ''The World Is Yours'' and ''One Love'', while Nas has already exclusively provided a tracklist to Pitchfork detailing the extra material available on Disc 2:

1. I'm a Villain (previously unreleased)
2. The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show on WKCR October 28, 1993 (previously unreleased freestyle)
3. Halftime (Butcher Remix)
4. It Ain't Hard to Tell (Remix) (promo single)
5. One Love (LG Main Mix)
6. Life's a Bitch (Arsenal Mix) (promo single)
7. One Love (One L Main Mix)
8. The World Is Yours (Tip Mix)
9. It Ain't Hard to Tell (The Stink Mix) (UK single)
10. It Ain't Hard to Tell (The Laidback Remix) (UK single)

In addition to all of this, a documentary entitled Time Is Illmatic will be released this year, which the website states will track ''the musical legacy of the Jones family, handed down to Nas'' while also examining ''the social conditions and environmental influences that contributed to Nas’ worldview.''

For many, Illmatic is the ultimate hip-hop/rap recording of the 1990's if not all time, having been named the greatest album of the genre in numerous publications and best-of lists since its release in 1994. Last year Nas was crowned the greatest rapper of all time by NME, while he is cited as perhaps the most predominant influence on modern rap today by many artists, most notably Kendrick Lamar, who was subject to comparisons with the rapper following the release of good kid, m.A.A.d city in 2012.

Nas will be touring the US throughout 2014, including two major festival dates at Coachella.

James Vincent McMorrow at The National Concert Hall (04/02/14) - A Review

The intimate setting of the National Concert Hall is an excellent venue for any singer songwriter worth their salt, and as I found out last night, a perfect environment for James Vincent McMorrow, who returned home to Dublin in style on a stormy February evening. The diverse nature of McMorrow's duo of albums had many in the audience wondering pre-show whether we were going to hear the acoustic folk stylings of debut Early In The Morning or the electronic beauty of his recently acclaimed follow up Post Tropical. As it turns out, we get both.

On a minimally designed stage, the modest figure of McMorrow shuffles out accompanied by a three piece backing band and immediately gets down to work, delivering an exquisite opening of ''The Lakes'' as the Irishman effortlessly recreates his vocals from the album, before an almost solo acoustic ''Hear That Noise...'', complimented quietly by vocals from the back up trio who almost sneak in behind the track. It's an impressive start that continues with a collection of Post Tropical tracks, most notably ''Glacier'' which utilizes live piano and drum to great effect for a slightly more charged and immediate version than on record, while McMorrow's voice continues to ring around the venue with a stunning vocal conclusion on ''Red Dust''. More debut work soon follows in the shape of ''Down The Burning Ropes'' with its cinematic, building climax before the slow acoustic burner of ''Follow You Down To The Old Oak Tree''.

It takes a while for McMorrow to get used to his audience, with a couple of mumbled ''It's nice to be home'''s early on before he begins to feel at ease and slows things down for some much appreciated interaction with the audience, as he tells us of the surreal nature of this show for him, having lived in a house around the corner from the venue most his life. He's actually a pretty funny guy too; stories of being misinterpreted by Australian teen fans have the crowd in stitches, and a little light relief goes down a treat alongside the mostly somber collection of tunes.

As he begins to get comfortable with the audience, a free and spirited stage persona starts to open up a little more with an intense performance of ''This Old Dark Machine'', before we are introduced to ''the dance section of the concert'' by McMorrow which gets plenty of laughs when the singer-songwriter attempts to do the robot. While maybe not quite as danceable as he'd have you believe, ''All Points'' is certainly one of the more experimental tracks on the second album and a highlight of the gig, but without a doubt the performance of the night goes to ''We Don't Eat'', which is no doubt aided by a tremendous reception from the crowd. The song ends with McMorrow pounding away on a second drum, just another of the various instruments on show tonight, a surefire testament to the artist's versatility.

Just before the set is brought to a close, McMorrow introduces the band- Jill Deering, Jay Wilson and Paul Kenny, who each deserve the strong recognition they recieve from the audience, having provided truly exceptional backing all night, on ''75 instruments'' as McMorrow himself puts it. The band opt to finish in a quiet manner with ''Outside, Digging'' in order to ''settle them down'' and it works for the audience too, with Post Tropical's closing track acting as the perfect comedown and outro for an immaculately timed, well paced set.

An encore doesn't take long however, and soon we're greeted again by McMorrow, this time with just an acoustic guitar and no backing, making for an intimate solo rendition of ''If My Heart Should Somehow Stop'', before another massive favourite ''If I Had A Boat'' officially ends things on a great note. The  vibe afterwards in the Concert Hall is an inherently satisfied one, and it'd be hard not to be impressed with what has just been witnessed as JVM replicates and even betters his sound in a live setting, an increasing rarity these days in modern music. The fact that McMorrow mentions his upbringing around the corner from here may have been offhand but it's a remarkable fact too considering how much this down to earth inner city man has achieved in such a short space of time, both on record and with the natural, raw talent that he displays so passionately on stage. For sure, James Vincent McMorrow is an Irishman to be proud of right now and most probably for a long time to come, a fact that is proven by witnessing his live performance.


9

Julian Casablancas Debuts ''Human Sadness'' For Film Soundtrack; Possible Return For Strokes In 2014?

Strokes frontman and occasional solo artist Julian Casablancas has provided us with a new track from upcoming film She’s Lost Control. A friend of executive producer for the film Simon Tafique, Casablancas had stated previously that he would contribute to the soundtrack if the movie received the necessary funding following an appeal on Kickstarter.

The film itself deals with a sexual therapist who falls for a client, just in case any Joy Divison fans out there were starting to get excited.

For Strokes fans looking for news on the band however, there appears to be some light in the tunnel with hints being dropped on a possible 2014 release by the group’s usual source of information, Albert Hammond Jnr. The guitarist mentioned as far back as October last year that he and his bandmates were looking to "return to the scene" in 2014 with a follow up to last year's solid Comedown Machine, which received little promotion and no touring.

The band are set for a return to the live stage this summer already though, with a headline slot at the Governor's Ball alongside Outkast and Vampire Weekend in June, hopefully an indication that there are more shows to come worldwide.

The Cure Set To Release New Album ''4:14 Scream'' And Embark On New Trilogy Concert

The Cure have announced plans to release their 14th studio album within the next few months alongside a series of live concert DVD’s to boot. Tentatively titled 4:14 Scream, the album sounds like a sequel or partner of sorts to the band’s thirteenth outing 4:13 Dream, which was released to a warm reception back in 2008.

Not a whole lot was revealed about the upcoming album save for the fact that it was recorded at the same time as the band’s previous record, however in addition to the planned release the band have also made plans for another Trilogy world tour, which would be the third of such so far, following gigs in 2002 and 2011.

The first tour consisted of the band performing their original album trilogy in Pornography, Disintegration and Bloodflowers, a series of album personal to leader Robert Smith, while the group delved even further into the past just 3 years ago with a set of gigs dedicated to their first three albums (debut Three Imaginary Boys was released all the way back as far as 1979).

This time around things seem more focused in a pop direction, with The Top, The Head On The Door and Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me being played in their entirety, the likes of which include 80's classics such as ''Inbetween Days'', ''The Caterpillar'', ''Just Like Heaven'' and ''Close To Me''.

A return to our green pastures would surely be welcome following an mammoth set at Electric Picnic in 2012, when Smith & co. played a total of 39 tracks over nearly 4 hours.