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Articles Written By Marcus K. Dowling
Marcus Dowling is one of the premier music journalists in the DC Metropolitan area. His writing, clear, poignant and thoughtful, can not just be found here, but at other premium sites around the internet as True Genius Requires Insanity, DC megablog Brightest Young Things, and Atlanta's soon to be print Art Nouveau Magazine. Also, he has interviewed everyone from established legends like Teena Marie, Darude and Warren G, to rising names like DJ Blaqstarr, Nadastrom, Miz Metro and a plethora more of all levels of note in between.
The Day the “Music” Died: Thoughts on MTV finally synthesizing music and culture and losing the “Music Television” name
With increasing regularity, music has become the key vehicle which we use to discover culture. Music provides a soundtrack and is the expression of the souls of those moved by culture to express to the world how a particular movement affects the universe. Until the moment The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” played on [...]
ALBUM REVIEW: Outputmessage – Autonomous
Washington, DC by way of Queens, NY electronic dance music producer Outputmessage is likely one of the more underrated EDM artists in the genre. The eight year veteran has received terrific acclaim both stateside and abroad for his musically dense but pop trending melodies awakening a sense of early 80s synth pop sounds. However, with [...]
Thoughts on John Mayer’s Incendiary Playboy Interview…
“I think the world would be better off if I stopped doing interviews.”
Someone asked me the other day, “What does it feel like now to have a hood pass?” And by the way, it’s sort of a contradiction in terms, because if you really had a hood pass, you could call it a nigger [...]
Album Review: Sade – Soldier of Love
While not a masterpiece, in an era where the market has been deluged by a new female soul vanguard that angles increasingly towards pop, Sade remains regal, calm, collected and steadfast, and merely releases the standard bearer album to define the female expression in R & B for 2010.
Sade’s musical legacy lies in her ability [...]
Presenting DC and Bmore’s DJ Quicksilva, and the underground hit, “Where They Do That At?”
DOWNLOAD INTERVIEW HERE…
Special to The Couch Sessions: TGRIOnline.com x DJ Pierre present #MOARCLUBMUSICS Vol. 1 – Hits, Rarities and Club Music Classics
DOWNLOAD HERE (tracklist after jump)
Along with providing music reviews and opinion pieces here at The Couch Sessions, I also run my own site, a brother site of sorts to the Couch Sessions, True Genius Requires Insanity at TGRIOnline.com. As with most blogs we (I have a staff of eight along with me) attempt to provide [...]
Mixtape Review: Jack Splash – King of the Beats, Vol. 1
Download: JACK SPLASH – King of the Beats, Vol. 1
Jack Splash was frozen in place conducting a full symphony for Quincy Jones in 1981 at the Hollywood Bowl, unfrozen five years ago after being stored away for almost 30 years and was immediately dropped off at the Compton Swap Meet.
Jack Splash was frozen [...]
MIXTAPE REVIEW: Diplo Presents: Free Gucci (Best of The Cold War Mixtapes)
Download: Free Gucci: Best of the Cold War Mixtapes
The nature of this mixtape in principle is to explore what Gucci Mane would sound like over musical styles unfamiliar to his typical dirty South productions. Instead, this just sounds like a bunch of ideas that Gucci can explore when he gets released from prison.
The concept of [...]
AUDIO INTERVIEW: Wiz Khalifa
Pittsburgh’s Wiz Khalifa perhaps has one of the best tales of the new industry of hip hop in the 21st century. A mixtape monster, Khalifa spent two solid years consistently turning the underground on its ear until becoming a leading emcee in the game. By 2007, he had a deal with Warner Brothers Records, and [...]
Album Review: Vampire Weekend – Contra
If the formula for album sales were to include multiplying intellectual quotient and sheer amount of intellect used to craft a release, the boys of Vampire Weekend would be the highest selling artists of this generation.
If the formula for album sales were to include multiplying intellectual quotient and sheer amount of intellect used to craft [...]
Album Review: Mary J. Blige – Stronger With Each Tear
We’re nearing the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the release of Mary J. Blige’s industry changing debut What’s the 411? As was then is still now with the release of Blige’s ninth studio release Stronger With Each Tear. The pretty girl with the razor sharp exterior has had that exterior pierced on record now [...]
Album Review: Alicia Keys – The Element of Freedom
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” – Anais Nin, “Risk”
The great joy of Alicia Keys is in her ability to meld the heights of the pop and soul sound to create aesthetic brilliance. On fourth studio release The [...]
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With Cubic Zirconia, Adam Tensta, Tabi Bonney, Jahdan Blakkamoore, Deadly Dragon Soundsystem, and Gavin Holland! RSVP Here.
-SXSW Calendar
-More SXSW Coverage
The Musical Minority Podcast: Asher Roth in the age of Black Music
Asher finds himself in the same position as many other white artists who make black music, but in 2009, has anything changed?
Podcast: Kidz In The Hall
It’s been a while since we had a podcast…..I know people have been asking me about it, and we’ve been dark since May, HOWEVER, we return to the podcast game with a special guest–Nawledge and Double-O from Kidz In The Hall.
Random Ish Radio 025: Badu Remixed, Jay Electronica, Res, Other Treats
Another collection of delectable treats for your iPod.
Random Ish Radio 024: The Podcast Is Back!!!
Whats up people. I can’t even believe that Its been almost a year since the last Podcast dropped. My bad.
- 1 March:
- 15 March:
- 17 March:
- 18 March:
- FILTER Magazine Presents Showdown at Cedar Street, SXSW (11:00 am)
- MAD DECENT/IHeartComix Carnivalle SXSW (11:00 am)
- VEVO SXSW Party Hosted by The Rub (11:00 am)
- Nah Right and the Smoking Section Present...2nd Annual Grand Ole Party, SXSW (12:30 pm)
- URB Magazine Presents South By South NEXT, Hosted by Peter Rosenberg (2:00 pm)
- Detroit Hip-Hop Showcase with Slum Village and Black Milk, SXSW (8:00 pm)
Review: Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
If it takes us a few listens to really get into the Gorillaz newest album. Can we blame ourselves?
We are forced fed music that is derivative of another. Pop music all sounds the same, with each artist essentially sounding like the one who came 3 months before them. When we hear something as creative and [...]
ALBUM REVIEW: Outputmessage – Autonomous
Washington, DC by way of Queens, NY electronic dance music producer Outputmessage is likely one of the more underrated EDM artists in the genre. The eight year veteran has received terrific acclaim both stateside and abroad for his musically dense but pop trending melodies awakening a sense of early 80s synth pop sounds. However, with [...]
Album Review: Sade – Soldier of Love
While not a masterpiece, in an era where the market has been deluged by a new female soul vanguard that angles increasingly towards pop, Sade remains regal, calm, collected and steadfast, and merely releases the standard bearer album to define the female expression in R & B for 2010.
Sade’s musical legacy lies in her ability [...]
ALBUM REVIEW:Massive Attack “Heligoland”
Massive Attack – Paradise Circus
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Tomorrow marks the official release date (U.S. and Canada) for Heligoland, the 5th proper studio album by Massive Attack.
Whereas the 2003 release 100th Window glistened with mechanical accuracy and disciplined minimal techno, Heligoland finds the Bristol duo returning to the dirtier, dubbed out sound of [...]
