I’m also grateful not to be working in a retail environment where I have to listen to the same three Christmas songs for an entire shift, every shift right now.

For all of you stuck in said environment: I feel you. I’ve been there, and it sucks. Keep strong, memorize good music and play it in your head. Pull out your MP3 player on break if you can.

I’m not much for Christmas music really. My wife likes it, my mom used to play it growing up, but I’d still rather listen to something else.

What are you listening to for Christmas?

Eh, while I’m making a post, might as well throw in an update:

I just got my autographed copy of Elephant Room – Dumbo’s Circus. Here’s a track from the album:

Check out their website if you’re into it.

Having listened to this album multiple times, I’m very disappointed to have missed him in concert with Tech N9ne when they came through Houston earlier this year.

However, damn I love this album. I love the different styles, and yet how you can always tell when MGK is on.

D3MONS is easily my favorite track. I’m also fond of Wild Boy, Stereo, and Edge of Destruction. Really I like the entire album, but damn those tracks are killer.

The video for Wild Boy is pretty funny:

If you’re getting the album, go for the Deluxe version. Right now on Amazon the deluxe (MP3) album is $9.99. It’s $9.49 for the regular release with THREE less tracks. Deluxe is totally worth it.

There are a few ways to get music. I support the artist and pay for it, and I’m sure you do too right? ;)

I get most of mine through gift cards (Amazon, Best Buy, etc.), either buying the physical CD or buying through MP3 stores (bandcamp, Amazon, etc.) and I don’t pay for them outright. Here’s how I do it:

I’m a member of some great sites that will pay you to do small tasks like: watch a video, fill out a survey, try a new game, etc. Here is a page with a full list of ways to earn them.

One of my favorites is GiftHulk due to all of the great ways to earn.

As a special offer, sign up for GiftHulk now and you get 20 hulk coins (points, basically) to get started earning your gift card(s). Just sign up here and then go to the “Fountain of Youth” to enter the code volumeloud.

Well, here I am remembering to post and actually doing it. Usually I get to “remembering to post” and, SQUIRREL!

Sorry, just a shadow. Anyway, let’s talk music.

My tastes have changed over time, and yet they haven’t in some ways. However, with that, there are some bands I still very much enjoy listening to, and yet I’ve totally lost track of them.

For starters, Hoobastank, Incubus, Saving Abel, Shinedown, Halestorm, My Darkest Days, and several other bands have put out new albums (I say new, how about within the last year or so). I either knew and still haven’t heard the albums (more than a preview), or I just recently found out.

I like a lot of genres, though lately I tend to focus on rap/hip hop, so those just slipped right by me. Then while previewing the albums, I’m just disappointed. I like when I can recognize a band, but still see new innovation. I like seeing evolution with a band (or artist, I suppose I should mention). What doesn’t really interest me is when I pick up a new album from an artist I used to really enjoy, and it’s like “Oh, okay. Same old stuff?” or worse yet, when it doesn’t even compare to their last big album. I know it’s hard to match something big you did before, but let’s avoid the Nickelback syndrome (always sounding the same).

Shame on me, I couldn’t resist slipping a little Nickelback dig in there. I used to listen to them too.

So lately I’ve been on a rap/hip hop kick, as I mentioned. With that, I’ve also been neglecting this place, and I haven’t kept up to date with new albums I’ve picked up. So let’s get to it!

In no kind of order really:

• ¡MAYDAY! - Thrift Store Halos
• Ces Cru – 13
• Tech N9ne – E.B.A.H.
• Slaughterhouse – Welcome To Our House
• Busta Rhymes – Year of the Dragon
• Rittz – White Jesus: Revival
• P!nk – The Truth About Love

I’ve picked up a few mixtapes too (Hopsin, SwizZz, Slaughterhouse, and some others).

So I’ve been a little busy since my last post (June 20? Holy balls). I wish I was the kind of guy that could keep you up with reviews and such. There are so many great sites out there for that. I originally opened up volumeloud.com to talk about music while I was working in an environment where I listened to my music player during most of my shift. Things changed for a bit, but I’m back to that now (or close enough to it). I’ll find a good balance to what works best for me and writing here.

Rittz signed over to Strange Music, and I’ve really enjoyed listening to the White Jesus: Revival mixtape. I’m looking forward to what he does with Strange.

P!nk’s album was my wife’s call, and we’ve enjoyed a lot of her previous stuff (as many people do/have).  The track with Eminem is definitely my favorite (Here Comes the Weekend), but over-all it wasn’t bad.

Tech N9ne’s EP, E.B.A.H. is definitely a party/fun EP, and it’s great. He does a good job doing both the party shit and the serious shit and I like that.

Busta Rhymes – Year of the Dragon. I’ve listened to it a few times now and I just can’t even point anything specific out about it. I recall thinking “Where are his fast raps?” at some point. He’s a great rapper, but I’ve got nothing on this album.

The Slaughterhouse album (Welcome to our House) was different, for me. I’ve actually never heard their previous albums, except the mixtape they released right before the new album dropped. I can’t recall anything specific on this one either really. Not bad, but not my first pick if I’m looking for an album in my list.

The Ces Cru EP (13) was great. Loved the track with Tech N9ne and Krizz Kaliko of course, but over-all it has stayed in my playlist recently.

¡MAYDAY! - Thrift Store Halos was a great EP coming off of their album Take Me To Your Leader. Darker Shades is my favorite song, but the EP as a whole is great.

I picked up on Hopsin from “Am I A Psycho?” by Tech N9ne (ft B.O.B. and Hopsin), and both him and SwizZz on “Raw Talk” by Stevie Stone (ft. Hopsin and SwizZz). Crazy guys with a lot of BS and good beats, but Hopsin also seems to have some real shit to put out (seen in his “Ill Mind of Hopsin” series online).

I think that covers it for now. Nothing too fancy, though a little long-winded.

“Lately my mind is racing, but there’s no finish line.” – ¡MAYDAY! ”Darker Shades”

The first thing I want to touch on is Stevie Stone’s new album: Rollin’ Stone.

This is a great album, and I see why Stevie Stone is part of Strange Music. Right now I keep turning back to Cast Out (ft. Krizz Kaliko) and Dollar General (ft. Yelawolf).
While I was waiting for the album release I heard his older (old record label, too) song, Midwest Explosion ft. Tech N9ne. This only got me more excited about the new album.
He’s got a great rap voice and just keeps my attention through each song. Great album if you’re looking for some great rap. Be warned: You will want to hear more.

Onto other things:

Krizz Kaliko is talented, and really hits a lot of different things. Not just on Kickin’ and Screamin’, but on his older work too. The guy can rap, sing, and a lot of things in between and beyond.

Linkin Park is back with a new album dropping on June 26th: Living Things. I heard the new single on the radio (yes, that old thing) and got excited. Check out the official music video for Burn it Down (the new single) here.

I’ve had a chance to listen to more music lately than I have in a while, and I’ve been loving that. I use Deadbeef on the computer, or Rockbox on my Sansa Clip+, and several great pairs of headphones and earbuds depending on what I’m doing.

I’ve got several playlists, but I’ve been hitting a general Strange Music playlist lately. I’ve also been going back into older stuff I own.

My wife accidentally bought Strange Clouds by B.o.B. the other day on my phone. I’m actually really happy with this album. I thought Bombs Away (ft. Morgan Freeman) was awesome. I was amused by the reference to Equestria in Strange Clouds (ft. Lil Wayne), and he just does a good job mixing it up with the various artists.

I’m enjoying Hopsin more and more. The little bits and pieces from his parts with Tech N9ne and Stevie Stone got my attention, and it looks like he has an album coming up sometime this year. I might have to grab that one.

Am I the only one not listening to dubstep? I like it when it’s incorporated into music, like how Krizz Kaliko incorporated it in Kickin’ and Screamin’, but on its own it doesn’t do anything for me. It seems like this would be fine in a club or something along those lines. I know people that are able to sit around and listen to it for hours, and I’d probably lose what little sanity I have left this way. Everybody has their own preferences, so if you’re into it, enjoy it. If not, I’m right there with you.

Thanks to UPSMI and USPS my copy of Kickin’ and Screamin’ came in the mail on the release date (May 15)

17 tracks of win.

First I have to say, I’m not a fan of this iTunes exclusive deal with two bonus tracks (19 total). I hate iTunes, their DRM, and filetype. I would’ve purchased the two bonus tracks on Amazon if they were available, but moving on…

Krizz Kaliko brings in dubstep, a great singing voice, killer lyrics, and insane rap skills. Mix that together with Tech N9ne, T-Pain, and several other great featured artists and this album is just full of awesome.

That’s right, win and awesome.

You’ve got killer rap, party music (Abu Dhabi, Dixie Cup, Kill Shit, Spaz), serious music (Hello Walls, Stay Alive), sensual music (Species), and more. So you’re getting a good mix of serious and party on Kickin’ and Screamin’.

Without going track by track I can’t really do the album justice, and I’m not doing that, so you really need to listen yourself.

Don’t ask me how many times I’ve listened to the album since it arrived.

Grab the CD on Amazon or the MP3 Album, whichever you prefer.

Krizz Kaliko’s new album Kickin’ and Screamin’ was released today at midnight. Have you ordered your copy?

I’m waiting on the post office to deliver mine.

I’m excited, and the tracks I’ve heard so far have been great. Preview the tracks with the widget above, and you can download it via Amazon too.

Tracklist here.

Prozak’s new album, Paranormal, was released yesterday. Before today I haven’t really heard much from the album, but I just listened to several tracks from the album and I’m about to place an order.

Krizz Kaliko – Dixie Cup

Another sample from the upcoming album, Kickin’ and Screamin’ (May 15,2012).

When are we going to hear a full song? Maybe soon, according to Tech N9ne on Twitter: