Chubb Rock & Wordsmith, "Bridging the Gap" (GoDigital/Unruly/Koch)
Hyped on: Nah Right; Government Names; Hip-Hop Linguistics
MySpace
Who: Long a player on the mixtape circuit, Baltimore-based rapper Wordsmith grew up in an Army family and moved all over before settling in Charm City. The young MC puts out modern, Bmore club–ready tracks, but he’s got an old-school lean, so it’s fitting that ‘smith teamed with Brooklyn hip-hop legend Chubb “Treat ‘Em Right” Rock for the forthcoming collaboration album, “Bridging the Gap.”
What: Wordsmith’s long-delayed solo debut, “Vintage Material,” is still on hold, but this pairing with Chubb Rock should keep his growing fanbase satiated until he can get a platter all to himself. The record has the swagger of experience in its flows and a funky East Coast bent to its production. Check lead single “Old 2 the New” to get the feel. The album streets June 16, but for an early taste, download (it’s free and legal) the duo’s already-circulating mixtape, “A Crack in the Bridge,” widely available on the hip-hop blog circuit.
Made for: Fans of “The Wire” looking for a little more of what Charm City has to offer. DJs in need of an easy floor-pleaser. Chubb Rock devotees excited to hear him back in top form. Party people!
X-Factor: Wordsmith holds a degree in theater arts from Maryland’s Salisbury University and has frequently stated his desire to take his stage shows to places previously unseen in hip-hop—once he gets the financial backing. – KND
Elizabeth and the Catapult, "Taller Children" (Verve Forecast)
Hyped on: Aurgasm; Digging for Days; Carry You Away
MySpace
Who: Formed in 2004 and led by the diminutive, sultry-voiced keyboardist Elizabeth Ziman, this Brooklyn trio caught the attention of NPR and the Village Voice with a 2006 EP that showcased a jazzy, carefully orchestrated sound the band has dubbed “baroque pop.” They’re now signed to Verve Forecast, home to fellow New York sophisticates Brazilian Girls and Lizz Wright, and hooking up with producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley) for this debut full-length.
What: Ziman’s love of jazz chords and way with a keyboard earn frequent Norah Jones comparisons, and yes, ballads like “Golden Ink” will sound right at home piped into your neighborhood Starbucks. But this isn’t your parents’ jazz-pop chanteuse; the zippy melodies and kiss-off lyrics of “Momma’s Boy” and “The Hang Up” sound more like the work of Feist’s bratty kid sister, while the quirky pop sugar-rush of “Race You” recalls Regina Spektor at her bounciest. Ziman even nails a Leonard Cohen cover (“Everybody Knows”) with just the right mix of honey and venom. Mogis’ production pumps up the band’s sound just enough without totally detaching them from their downtown club roots; check the twinkling strings and harmony vocals of “Rainiest Day of Summer” for proof.
Made for: Recovering Norah Jones fans. Casual Regina Spektor fans. Impatient Feist fans (when’s that next album coming, Leslie?).
X-Factor: That 2006 EP, still available on CD Baby, is worth seeking out for a stunning track about a “good, good girl with a troubled mind” called “Waiting for the Kill”; it’s also available on iTunes (the track, not the full EP). – AH
Mark Mallman, "Invincible Criminal" (Badman)
Hyped on: Consequence of Sound; I Am Fuel, You Are Friends; popwreckoning
MySpace
Who: Minneapolis piano popster Mark Mallman has a bio that is actually worth reading: Over the past 10 years, he’s toured the U.S. 23 times with bands like Of Montreal, Cat Power and Guided by Voices. He once played for 54 straight hours, setting a world record. His basement is haunted. On his latest album, the singer/composer—who also fronts synth-pop group Ruby Isles—breaks away from a longstanding glam-rock style. This is straight Matthew Sweet-ian pop.
What: The stylistic sea change—which we totally love, btw—was inspired by the singer’s recent trip to Graceland, where he saw a vision of a dying Elvis. The 12 songs are a bit less heavy. “Don’t Spill the Bottle” is the Strokes’ skippy guitar chords, set to piano. “Eternal Moonshine” features skilled production and probably is inspired by Michel Gondry in some way. “In These Times of Harsh Economy” is an eerie duet with Cloud Cult violinist Shannon Frid. But the best track is “You’re Never Alone in New York,” an epic song that features funky ‘80s Prince guitar, a wicked sax solo and the Hold Steady’s Craig Finn singing about his adopted hometown for the first time ever (Finn’s usually more into rural America).
Made for: Thoughtful, un-jaded piano men making timely music that will stand the test of time (i.e. pretty much everything Ben Folds is not). Fans of epic live performances that leave blood on the keyboards.
X-Factor: Mallman has composed songs for Hollywood flicks like “Adventureland” and “Wall-E.” – MR
