It's official!!!!!

Mixtape Maestro and 90's R&B Junkie are making the move to Wordpress!!! I've already found a host and I'm currently knee-deep in designing the new digs.

Give me a few days to figure out feed changes, importing business, and other blog-shuffling duties and they'll be up and running.

Thanks so much for all the positive feedback within the past week. It's enough to bring tears to this lowly blogger's eyes.

See you soon on the otherside!!!

-Mixtape Maestro

Hey readers/ friends!!

You've probably noticed that new posts have been popping up less and less these days, but it has little to do with a desire to step away from writing about music (a love that has in no way died); more so to do with my frustrations with THE MAN. It seems Blogger has taken it upon themselves to start deleting several of my posts (without warning) and it's left me more than bummed and nearly disinterested in continuing Mixtape Maestro or it's sister site, 90's R&B Junkie.

Don't get me wrong. I understand their concern of the posting of MP3's, but the way they've gone about handling things...let's just say, it's not fun to see what can sometimes take hours of work suddenly gone without notice.

These past few weeks I've seriously contemplated what my next step should be: Opt on going a "streaming"-only route...transfer over to Wordpress.org (an idea that seems far too overwhelming the more I look into it)...or simply bow out of the blogging game (something I can't truly fathom happening)?

The plan was always to use Mixtape Maestro as a stepping-stone to bigger music journalism aspirations, so maybe Blogger's recent actions have only dealt me the push I need to really start focusing on taking my career to the next level.

I don't know...would you mind Mixtape Maestro if it switched over to a "streams"-only deal, or does the lack of MP3's defeat the purpose of visiting? I've come to appreciate all the e-friends and industry contacts I've met along the way and would love to hear some feedback.

Whatever the case, however I choose to go forth...expect an announcement soon!!

Fellow music lover,

Mixtape Maestro

We thought Busta was onto something major once the rowdy "Don't Touch Me" made it's premiere way back in Spring. But with the song's embarrasingly low peak at #83 on the R&B/ Hip Hop charts, it seems the rest of the public didn't think so much of it. Now, following a sudden switch in label support (from Interscope to Universal Motown), Busta is being forced to re-launch the hype of his oft-pushed back eighth album, now going by the title B.O.M.B. (Back On My Bullshit). Unfortunately, recent leak "World Go Round" isn't getting us excited as much as it's left us scratching our heads in wonderment.

We understand a need to ride with urban music's current obsession with everything dance and "Round" isn't completely horrid (digging the Eric B & Rakim bite at the beginning) but it's blatant lean towards the European club floor just doesn't gel right. Maybe it's because we'd rather hear Keri Hilson, Danity Kane or Rihanna on it, rather than the Whitest of White anonymous hook girl otherwise featured. Maybe because it's sad to see one of the most out-there icons of 90's hip hop continue his sad de-evolution into being like everybody else. Perhaps, most of all, maybe it's because "Don't Touch Me" didn't become the supreme career revitalizer we prayed for it to be and this one's potential at maybe becoming a big hit has left us a little bitter.

As the tragic passing of Four Tops' lead Levi Stubbs led to many re-visits to the Motown group's superb catalogue (Stubbs' soulful cries and the urgent stomp of "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" can still give goosebumps), feelings of depression boiled back to the surface concerning how good R&B was back then and how underwhelming it's current state is. Thankfully, every once and while, something new arises (usually from some artist outside that typical R&B folk) that gives us a chance to once again grasp that satisfying sensation of the old school. Something like "A Young One" from Oakland singer-songwriter Bart Davenport's recently released Palaces.

From it's opening starry-eyed twinkle through it's harmony-laden chorus, "A Young One" instantly sends you back in time to when the comfortingly lush sounds of Philly soul soundtracked many a teen lovers' date, the genre's steady sway and yearning vocals helping ease that awkward move into second and third base.

But while all the other kids' are busy trying to claw their way into eachother's underwear throughout the out-of-school season, Davenport hesitates to invest in yet "another summer fling". Knee-deep in love with some new dame, Bart's golden croon aches that their union could prove long-lasting, yet he remains all to aware that it's "so unlikely...(she'll) do right by me"; by September, she'll be nothing but a distant memory, a new bruise on his already well-beaten heart.

Awww...Too bad, so sad for him. But for everyone else, this well-studied take on yesteryear's slow jam R&B lands as one to truly cherish. Long live classic soul. You'll never be forgotten.



DL: "A Young One" (YFH)

Currently causing some rumblings in the club/ dance circuit is "She Made It Easy", the first solo single from Brooklyn producer/ former Epochs drummer Kotchy. Heralded as a genius cross between Prince, Pharrell and Beck, the tune is a understated dazzler, writhing it's way through a distorted electro-funk simmer (and it's best musical moment: a kitschy simple synth melody two-thirds of the way in) as Kotchy menacingly whisper-sings his distant admiration towards a dancefloor siren.



(pick up the track here)

It also happens to be the center of a remix contest jointly held by Seclusiasis and blog Palms Out Sounds and we have one of the submissions right here from Bay Area DJ/ production crew, Chubby Fingers Productions.

The CFP team sadly omit the original's sweet vocoder hook, but their spaced out tweaking's added arcade game sound effect layers toss in an even more sinister urging to "Easy"'s twisted sonic palette.



DL: "She Made It Easy (Chubby Fingers Remix)" (YFH)