It's gettin hot with Mark Ronson

I'm not exactly sure why, but when the weather gets hotter I tend to listen to more rap/hip-hop...when colder, more rock/indie. Well, the weather right now is hot, and Alec and I have been spinning a CD called Here Comes the Fuzz by mega-producer Mark Ronson quite a bit lately. Who is Mark Ronson? He is an England-born music producer who has been behind such gems as the incredible neo-soul disc Back to Black by Amy Winehouse, a few tracks off of Lily Allen's Allright Still, and some tracks from Rhymefest's grammy winning CD, Blue Collar.

Here Comes the Fuzz is a CD produced entirely by Mark Ronson himself. For this album, he signed up a lot of rappers and guest artists such as Nappy Roots, Saigon (of Entourage fame), Sean Paul, Rivers Cuomo (Weezer), Ghostface Killah, and Mos Def to name just a few. He lays down the sick beats and production while he lets his artists go seamlessly over the top. It is a really great album that shows off Ronson's versatility as a DJ and producer. He is able to make so many summer-ready songs with artists from so many genres...and they (for the most part) all sound great. There are a few weaker tracks on the album, but it's an album you could put on at a party and not skip a track. A few of my favorites are posted below.

The first features Saigon rapping over a tight drum beat, synth on the back beats, and little keyboard lines intertwined. The chorus is one that you'll be singing by the end of the tune, and I think it may make you want to check out some of Saigon's own stuff.



The next is called Bluegrass Stain'd featuring Nappy Roots. Mark Ronson lets Nappy Roots keep their southern, country-rap style which really works to their advantage. Synth and drums provide the base of the tune, while the short guitar cuts add a little flavor to the mix. This is some of the best stuff I've heard from Nappy Roots, and I highly recommend it.



The last features Q-tip and Debi Nova in a more soulful tune. It begins with a more DJ-esque feel and then breaks into a well-sung chorus by Nova while keeping the beat intact. Q-tip takes back over with his nasal-rap style and it once again breaks into a piece where Nova really shines with some added horn lines.



There are so many good tracks on this CD...if you are curious....let me know, I can send you more. Enjoy!