Up-and-comers Free Era
It's December, so in addition to it being holiday time, it's also time for the Boldaslove.us roundup of Best Black rock releases of 2008. As was the case last year, this is completely up to you, the readers. I'm not trying to come up with a ranked list like other publications. Rather it's an opportunity for you, the members of the Black rock community to shout out artists who were in heavy rotation on your MP3 players or whose shows you just couldn't stay away from, or artists who compelled you to spend way more money on them than you should've.
Some simple rules:
- A "release" can be a single, a mixtape, an EP or a full-length album, as well as a video.
- It should have been released between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2008.
- To qualify, the lead creative person in the band MUST be a person of color
- All styles are valid, but I'm looking for Black rock/Afro-punk/Ghetto Metal/urban alternative/progressive black music releases. International stuff, even. I want folks who are defying convention and breaking boundaries musically.
Finally, I'm really happy to link back to the your site. So give me your list in the following format:
- Name, where you're located, how you describe yourself, along with a URL you'd like me to link back to.
For example, mine would be Rob Fields, Brooklyn, NY, Black rock evangelist (www.boldaslove.us)
Got it? Good. Just waiting to hear from you. . .
UPDATE: You can send me your picks either via email rafields [at] gmail [dot] com or by leaving them in the comments section below.
1. Dear Science by TV On The Radio
2. Make Sure They See My Face by Kenna (released 10/07 in US but 5/08 in UK)
3. Rare Child by Danielia Cotton
Diana, Atlanta, GA, black rock supporter from way back (http://mesoamused.com)
The Beauty In Distortion/The Land Of The Lost by J*Davey
Pentecostal Fangbread by Power Douglas
Santogold by Santogold
Mystery by BLK JKS
Waves And Shambles by The Carps
Dwayne,Milw.,WI, GQ with Bad Brains,http://afropunk.ning.com/profile/Dwayne
Monsters in Your Stereo by MilkPLus
(http://tinyurl.com/62eyas)
Black Barbie by Little Jackie (Imani Coppola and friends)
Dear Science by TV On The Radio
The Paris Concert(dvd) Living Colour
Electric Purgatory: the fate of the black rocker
http://www.electricpurgatory.com/store
Kameron Corvet – “Korporate Rockstar” Album
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kameron-Corvet/6632723394
http://www.myspace.com/kameroncorvet
Kenna – “Make Sure They See My Face”
http://www.myspace.com/kenna
Wayna – “Higher Ground” Album
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wayna/9669528980
http://www.myspace.com/waynamusic
Honorable Mention
Suga SP – “Steady Hatin” track
http://www.myspace.com/sugasp
Santogold by Santogold