3 Feet High & Rising: Echo Park-based Class Ring Unleash Kanye, Passion Pit, James Blake & Star Slinger-indebted Class Ring EP (self-released)

"[Class Ring] EP is a fully independent production/release written and produced by myself and a handful of friends. I'm from the Los Angeles area, always made music, mostly was a drummer in bands and within the past couple years, have made the jump from making beats on my laptop to producing my own music and eventually, putting out this project. I definitely have plans to continue working and releasing music. Hopefully, some live shows, if I can book them and get some people that want to listen haha," Class Ring producer and multi-instrumentalist "Spencer" described within a recent emaile. Prior to his very recently released Class Ring EP, Spencer had only uploaded two projects to his newly-formed Soundcloud page: 13-minute Summer Mixtape and "Crafty," both quietly released within the last 1-2 months. Class Ring EP is fittingly tagged on Soundcloud as "Trip Hop, Ambient, Downtempo, Hip Hop, Chillwave, Beats, Sample, Drum & Bass, Funk, Soul, R&B, Psychedelic, Lush, Pop/Funk, Indie, 808, Trance, and Horns;" some of which are a bit more broad genre labels than others, but I personally feel as though Spencer & Friends' Class Ring EP simply sounds like an Indie Rock/Electro-Pop collection made by a bunch of Hip-Hip-loving musicians. "Thank you to everyone that inspired and helped build this," Spencer gushed within the Soundcloud liner notes to his Class Ring EP.

Upon my first listen to Class Ring EP, I was instantly reminded of James Blake, Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Yeezus, Star Slinger's early body of work, Passion Pit's Chunk of Change EP, Girl Talk's 2006 mash-up album Night Ripper, and fellow 3 Feet High & Rising honorees, Krrum. While the entirety of Class Ring's 23-minute 41-second EP is indeed worth multiple listens, but Spencer & Friends really hit their stride with Tracks #3-6 starting with echoey, guitar-drenched Antonio Rodriguez-assisted "Fields." Now, Class Ring EP closer "Woman" really is something to experience, as well—it's almost one of those moments that can't even be explained—and once it's over, you're left saying, "damn, that's it!?" Class Ring EP was entirely written and produced by Class Ring (Spencer) & Friends, who include "Fields" guitar virtuoso Antonio Rodriguez, Alex Evert, Alex Ochoa, Alex Tirheimer, and Joe Cho. Class Ring EP is additionally accompanied by three "moving pictures"/still videos for EP stand-outs "FIELDS," "SONAR," and "WHO KNOWS" with visuals entirely shot and directed by Spencer himself. Class Ring EP is currently exclusively available on Soundcloud, but Spencer (@ClassRingMusic) recently stated he "might make the EP free for download. Or I'll send you a physical copy with extra tracks & remixes..."

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra

Liberty Bell Cracked In 1/2: Ween - "Freedom of '76" (Gene Ween's Final Send-Off)

Chocolate & Cheese (1994) was one of the first albums I bought with my own money. I was in some sort of BMG Music Club , where you'd buy 5 CD's and then get 10 for "FREE." It was all sent through mail order and you picked the titles from some special booklet. I'm almost positive that Chocolate & Cheese's side boob-baring album cover was what initially drew me in... mind you, I was 12-15 and the zany Ween logo/middle finger CD graphic really didn't hurt either. Honestly, I forget how I really felt about it @ the time, but a few years later, my older cousin Josh told me that Ween were this BIG college "jam band." CKY did some sort pf 93.3 radio takeover to promote their new album and played "Freedom of '76" late that night on air. Needless to say, I re-visited Chocolate & Cheese @ about 20-something this go 'round and I fucking loved it! Ween were really weird, yet talented... almost too talented. I can vaguel

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