#lolapick

[thebolg]

Prince and the Revolution: Live in Syracuse March 30, 1985

OMG DUH - Prince and the Revolution live in their prime allows you the hear their mastery as individuals and a group in an intimate love affair to the world that is a must for any fan of Prince or live music. - Jt

10 - i can't even. -b

10 - What a moment in time, with Prince and his riding the line between sex and God, the Revolution in a tight perfection, and limitless joy and surprises - fucking magnificent! - Lola

[thebolg]

Apex of the Dance Party

This week, Bolgers were posed with a unique challenge:

The year is 2002, and you're invited to a warehouse party where you get to choose 5 songs from the Dance genre from the past ten years (1992-2002 Dance songs only - silliness welcome). You're aiming for the feeling where you're completely warmed up for dancing, it's the perfect time of night, and here comes your JAM! Euphoric boogie ensues.

The title of the mix: Apex of the Dance Party.

Set List and Contributors

Lola's Picks:

Lady (Hear Me Tonight) - Modjo The Bomb! - The Bucketheads Around the World - Daft Punk One More Night (Hani Remix) - Amber Show Me Love - Robin S

Aaron's Picks:

100% Pure Love - Crystal Waters Now That We Found Love - Heavy D & The Boyz I’ve Been Thinking About You - Londonbeats Supermodel - RuPaul If - Janet Jackson

Jt's Picks:

Don't Walk Away - Jade I'm a Slave 4 U - Britney Spears Butta - Pamp & Da Knox Music Sounds Better with You - Stardust Mo Money Mo Problems - Biggie, Mase & Puffy

B's Picks:

Coati Mundi - Que Pasa / Me No Pop I Yello - Oh Yeah Frankie Knuckles - The Whistle Song Inner City - Good Life Moodymann - Shades of Jae

[thebolg]

Lola's Year End List 2022

Best Album: Renaissance - Beyonce

I'm decidedly not a member of the beyhive, but there is no denying that front to back this is a cohesive masterpiece.

Best Track: Titi Me Pregunto - Bad Bunny

You thought I would post a year-end list without my long term boyfriend? As if! It's a journey and everything I love the baddest bunny - all that gutteral emotion? Bring it right here.

Best Breakthrough: Pongo

One of our early review stayed with me throughout the year - especially Kuzola and So Amor. Bops on bops on bops.

Best Comeback Texas Moon - Leon Bridges and Khruangbin

Do I care that it was only 2 year hiatus? Nope. Was I bangin Mariella hard all year, crying and swaying in what felt like nostaligia from first listen? Yup.

Best Trend: Disappearing into my old comfort music

Guuurrrrlllll. I think a lot of the reason for this was switching to Tidal and having to rebuild my collection, but I definitely spent most of the year with the soundtrack of my near and ancient past. First and foremost it was dance parties from my apartment to the gym to the lakes with Lady Hear Me Tonight. But some honorable mentions:

Habits - Tove Lo

Lights - Ellie Goulding

Astion Martin Music - Rick Ross

Addictive - Truth Hurts

Roni - Bobby Brown

Habits - Tove Lo

Lights - Ellie Goulding

Astion Martin Music - Rick Ross

Addictive - Truth Hurts

Roni - Bobby Brown

And then in the last week of 2022 I did a front to back discography of A Tribe Called Quest and grieved all over again. Le Sigh.

[thebolg]

Only Built for Infinity Links by Quavo & Takeoff

If you don’t slap for trap, pay your respects by taking in the glory of Takeoff’s flow on his verse in Hell Yeah. -Jt

[thebolg]

Bjork: Fossora

In nearly every setting of my life - hard pass; as a soundtrack to a fall neighborhood walk with everything around me existing somewhere between bloom, brilliant color, and decay, while contemplating my relationship with uncertainty and seismic life shifts - ok girl. - Lola

I can't decide this one - it's not really experimental, as it's Bjork, but maybe this is one that I need to be trippin to completely understand. -aaron

The latest evolution of Bjork continues her drift away from standard song composition through her magical universe of industrial noise, woodwind & string instruments and vocal layering fueling her amazing voice. -Jt

[thebolg]

Megan Thee Stallion: Traumazine

Loved this juxtaposition of her signature hype production and clever bravado while allowing us a peek under the armor at her dark night of the soul. - Lola My middle aged softness only hears the song savage during the first half the album, likes the softer (relatively) and more varied second half and makes me think young fame is chlauostrophobic… especially if you are known for being hard. -Jt

[thebolg]

Lizzo: Special

4.7 - it's the lizzo formula and at this point every song sounds the same to me. -b

5.8 - I feel like that time I saw Lizzo perform at a small bar in Minneapolis, I got a lifetime fill of the Lizzo show, but if you have any doubt that Lizzo is a thick, mindful, badass bitch, you should probably give this a listen. -Jt

6 - Quintessential Lizzo with a new flair that has become her defining sound. -aaron

8 - Fun, empowering self-love with a throwback 80s soundtrack - I wish I had this when I was a teenager. - Lola

[thebolg]

Willie Nelson: A Beautiful Time

9.2 - Nostalgic in all the signatures of his song structure and vocal lilts, modern in the content of an aging legend, with a few surprises (not Willie with a hard core metaphysical bop?!) - chef's kiss. - Lola

6.8 - always nice to spend a few hours of enlightenment with willie - Jt

7.0 - Willie can still spin a yarn and has some fun covers in this collection that as a whole sounds best when it's meditative and wise. -b

8 - Haunting voice and melodies...I can't get enough of Energy Follows Thought...I Stan (if the kids are still stanning). - aaron