Shad preps new album, TSOL, releases teaser for first single

In case you were never acquainted, Shad is the quick-witted, sharp-tongued MC from London, Ontario whose career began in 2005 when he used a $17,500 prize from a radio rapping contest to fund his debut album. In 2007, he released the very-good-but-not-amazing, Polaris Prize-shortlisted The Old Prince, which, on album cuts like “Brother (Watching)” and “Compromise,” demonstrated the heaps of potential Shadrach Kabango had for future albums.

So, it’s no stretch to expect something great from Shad this time around. He’s confirmed the release of his third LP for May 25, and he’s calling it TSOL, which apparently has nothing to do with the band of the same name. The band's acronym stood for "True Sounds Of Liberty".

No leaks of any kind yet, save for this 24-second teaser video for the first street single “Yaa I Get It” which, I gotta say, has me pretty jazzed about the album. I know, it’s only 24 second, but damn!

Below is the tracklisting, and below that, the teaser video. That’s the album cover above.

TSOL:
1. Intro
2. Rose Garden
3. Keep Shining
4. Lucky 1's
5. A Good Name
6. We Are The Ones (Reservoir Poetry)
7. Telephone
8. Call Waiting (Interlude)
9. Yaa I Get It
10. Listen
11. At The Same Time
12. We, Myself, and I
13. Outro

Amon Tobin + Eskmo = Eskamon, "Fine Objects"

"Excuse me, can I get a new hip-hop? Mine's broken."

This song is amazing. I hope that if there is an album, it's this good.

Even M.I.A., Santigold, Sia, Tricky Stewart, Le Tigre, Hill & Switch, and Ladytron couldn't make Christina Aguilera listenable

Whether you condone it or not, the blogosphere got just a little nutty after hearing news that former genie in a bottle Christina Aguilera's next LP, Bionic, was slated to feature the likes of M.I.A., Santigold, Sia, Tricky Stewart, Le Tigre, Hill & Switch, and Ladytron. With that single newsworthy tidbit, the internet seemed to pose the question collectively: "Could Aguilera be concocting something of real listening value?"

On her website, Aguilera stated “working on this album with so many talented artists and producers that I admire was really an amazing experience. The artists I chose to work with added so many unique sonic layers to Bionic."

And so it was that we all waited skeptically for first single "Not Myself Tonight" to drop.

"My intention," Aguilera claimed of working with her guests, "was to step into their world and what they do combined with my own vision and sound. The results were magic.”

Not true, unless Aguilera's idea of "magic" is a trite sing-spoken intro and her trademark vocal theatrics over a tinny, skittery faux-Timbaland beat. The lyrics say something trite about being in a club, and - in a weak attempt to sound controversial - that she's "kissin on the boys and the girls." At least Katy Perry made it sound sordid by describing the kiss' taste; all Christina can manage after the deed is to guiltily swear at us: "I'm feelin' brand new, and if you don't like it, fuck you."

If you're still curious to hear the insipid "Not Myself Tonight," click the video below.