YARA - Tonight Tonight

YARA is one of the hottest bands in the country right now.  Tonight Tonight was released just over a week ago, and is being received with praise from critics everywhere.  You can download the song for FREE by simply subscribing to their e-mail list! I will provide information on how to do that below.  

YARA is based out of Charlotte, North Carolina and is by far the most desired band by local music venues.  Their countless performances have helped spread their name.  However, the reason for their success is due to the many incredible talents within the band.  The band members include Jameilyara Moore, Daniel Quisol, Joseph Quisol, Sharad Wertheimer, Walker Smith, Evan Zemaitis, and Luther Samuel Allision.  

Jameilyara's one of a kind songwriting flourishes around the indie-rock sounds produced by fellow band members.  Even so, YARA is not your average local rock band.  They include elements of jazz, pop, reggae, and alternative music to create their own distinctive sound that is absolutely irresistible.

Tonight Tonight is the perfect song to introduce yourself to the band.  You better get used to these guys, as I'm sure you'll be hearing a lot more about them in the near future.

Download Instructions:

Click on this link:

www.facebook.com/yaratheband/app_100265896690345

Subscribe to their email list, and you will receive a link to download 'Tonight Tonight' for FREE!!

Difficulties With the New Layout

I'm sure you are all aware of the recent changes that have been made to takingnotesmusic.org.  Unfortunately, we are experiencing many problems as of now.  At this point, the only way to access the site is by manually typing our old URL of 'takingnotesmusic.blogspot.com'.  Complications don't end there.  Many articles have disappeared, making it look like we have been inactive since last year.  You all know that this is untrue.  Hopefully these problems will be resolved in the next few days.  We ask for you patience while we work out these problems.

Email us any problems you have while browsing Taking Notes, and we will be sure to address them.  I am incredibly frustrated by these difficulties. ~ DWilliams

takingnotesmusic@gmail.com

Mixtape Monday

The G.A.M.E - OKE (Operation: Kill Everything)

Intern Spotlight

"The Taking Notes Music website has been quite dormant lately, and we are working to change that.  I am aware of the large following the site receives and this place is the only reason we have been able to accomplish so much more in the past few months.  I will provide more details on my recent work and why I have had to put the website on the back burner.  While I focus on other opportunities, I am putting together a small team of writers that may be able to keep this place alive.  If I am able to find a few people to regularly contribute to the site, I'm sure I'll begin to write more.  I am relying on all of  TNMR's followers to separate the good applicants from the bad.  I really want the tone of TNMR to stay the same.  This should provide even greater variety as each writer will focus on a different style of music.  More on that later..... Now, let's welcome our first new contributor, Jon Garst"

~David Williams

THIS COLUMN CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE

Welcome, TNMR… to the new rap column. I am excited to finally provide some variety on TNM, and I feel that my rap column is going to benefit the website extensively. Now for the review!

In my opinion, The G.A.M.E. is one of the most underrated artists in the genre. After his 2005 debut with The Documentary, and the impressive follow up, Doctors Advocate (2006), The G.A.M.E took time off, and left us looking for more. However, after an ugly breakup from Aftermath Records, The G.A.M.E. released ‘The R.E.D. Album’ in late 2011 which was accompanied by modern legends, Tyler the Creator and Kendrick Lamar.  This led to the production of another excellent album.  This released was also followed by a brief period of silence and avoiding the public eye.  Finally, in 2012, G.A.M.E. gave us the 15-track masterpiece,  ‘Jesus Piece’ , headlined by the single, ‘Ali Bomaye’ which features Rick Ross and 2 Chainz. After last years great success, he has been hart at work in the studio and has just supplied us some new material! Now, we have some new tracks to dive into with O.K.E. (Operation Kill Everything).

The G.A.M.E. finds an impressive balance of his usual, gangster rap style, but also saves a place for a few soulful, deep songs that show the side of him that I love so much.  However, his latest release isn’t always enjoyable.

This mixtape has its ups and downs and begins with ‘Kill Everything’ featuring Diddy.  The first line that The G.A.M.E. spits on this record is an essential one, a remark to his now ex-girlfriend Tiffney Cambridge. 

“Operation kill everything; kill everything, 

married to myself f**k a wedding ring, 

tried that s**t twice, 

gave that girl everything”

The G.A.M.E. puts together some very impressive beats on ‘Life Is But A Dream’, ‘Astronaut P***y’,  ‘F.I.V.E.’, and ‘T.D.’ throught the mixtape, which was released just last week. The second track, is my personal favorite, titled ‘Life Is But A Dream’.  He uses a sound-byte from a speech by Martin Luther King Jr. to set a surprisingly surreal mood to what is one of the best songs on the record. G.A.M.E uses the help of Elijah Blake to move this track onto superior ground, giving it fantastic beat and showing gentle side that brings out the best in his music. Blake was also featured on G.A.M.E’s previous album, on the song titled, ‘Freedom’.  As many longtime TNMR readers may be unfamiliar with this genre, the beat to a rap song is just as important as a guitar solo is to an old rock song.

Continuing on… Just as he did on ‘Jesus Piece’, G.A.M.E. proclaims himself to be one of the best rappers of all-time, and lays down lines comparing himself to established legends, like Tupac and Nas. However, he also declares his fellow Compton native, Kendrick Lamar, as the next king of the game on both ‘Life Is But A Dream’, and ‘Oh Lord”. The ending of the jarring ‘Life Is But A Dream’ directly shows this comparison.

“I hold my niggas down.

Yah, I hold my niggas down… 

And when I go out, 

this is Kendrick’s crown”

On the other hand, there were some tracks that were not as impressive. Headlining that list would have to be ‘Same Hoes”, “Swerve”, and “Super Throwed”. These are solely a desperate attempt to get his music into the clubs, but they end up falling awkwardly between west-coast rap and dance music. Another disappointment was Nipsey Hussle’s verses on ‘Same Hoes’, diminishing the track to just a quick club beat. 

To those very few duds, there were many hits to headline this above average mixtape. The balance was optimized by ‘Life Is But A Dream’, ‘In The City’, ‘Love On Fire’, and ‘Breakfast With Al Pacino’. These tracks took the mixtape from just average to a potential megahit, and will generate some much deserved hype for The G.A.M.E.

What’s next from G.A.M.E? I surely am hoping for more of this type of variety. I am very excited to see what this guy will be up to next, as I am yet to be disappointed by him. We have heard that he is already working on his sixth studio album, to be released under the record label, YMCMB, who recently signed The G.A.M.E. Whatever it may be, I can’t wait to see if The G.A.M.E. can continue that difficult climb up to the top.

Authors Rating: 4/5 Stars