Lupe Fiasco is set to release a new album titled LASERS on March 8th, 2011.
Artwork By: Hayden Johnson
Lupe Fiasco’s new album, with the acronym title of L.A.S.E.R.S, standing for Love Always Shines Everytime, Remember to Smile is one of the most highly anticipated hip-hop albums of the year for Lupe fans across the globe, including myself. Lupe has been on a four year-long hiatus for producing music, with his last album debuting in 2007. Due to this delay, loyal Lupe fans around the world have been sitting on the edge of their seats in anticipation for this album, and so far it seems obvious to me from the outcry of fan support and enthusiasm, this is some of the best music that Lupe has produced since he was introduced in 2006.
Lupe originally planned to roll out a triple album after he released his smash hit record The Cool in 2007. He was going to title his third and final album LupE.N.D. to signify the conclusion of his hip-hop career. However, his production company (Atlantic Records) denied his plan to release these final albums, saying that it conflicted with his contract. So, after four years of negotiation, a petition of 32,000 Lupe fan signatures, and a fan protest on the doorstep of Atlantic Records Headquarters, Lupe’s career is finally making a comeback with his release of Lasers.
Lasers incorporates all sorts of similar sounds from Lupe’s previous music, including strong, pounding bass and a variety of vocal features (John Legend, Skylar Grey, Matthew Santos, Trey Songz) in the “hook” or chorus of his songs. However, he also throws in some fresh and different vibes and sounds into this new album including some horn synths, techno beats, and a remake of popular alternative rock song Float On by Modest Mouse.
Fiasco is known for his powerful lyrics and storytelling abilities on his tracks, and he continues to impress his fans with the articulate and subversive lyricism he encompasses in his songs. Lupe’s most recent single from Lasers, which made its debut on the music scene on February 8th, is one of the most interesting and edgy tracks he has ever released. The song is called Words I Never Said, and it is about mankind needing to stand up for what they believe in, as well as being proactive in their stance and principles. This single is not only a lyrically impressive song, but also has a gripping beat combining edgy and grimy techno rhythms with a strings overlay, and a feature by female singer Skylar Grey (formally known as Holly Brook who performed on a Grammy nominated song by Fort Minor called Where’d You Go?) in the chorus. If a rebellion against the tragedies in the world had a theme song, I think this would be the perfect song because it inspires me to stand up against the sad amounts of genocide and destruction of human spirit that occur in our world today.
Another song already released from Lasers is Lupe’s first single from the album, The Show Goes On. To me, the song’s message is written right in the title: the idea that no matter what happens in life and how bad things may get, the show will go on; and to survive, a person has to progress and push forward. I think that no matter what type of music a person likes, this is a song for everybody simply because it is a good reminder to keep with positive, forward thinking and to never give up on one’s aspirations and goals. A listener might find that the song also sounds similar to popular alternative rock song Float On by Modest Mouse. This is because the producers of The Show Goes On based the flow of sound and hook off of Float On, which gives this track a different dynamic and musical interpretation to view the song from.
As is the trend among the songs Lupe has produced in the past, The Show Goes On also has the ability to combine both moving lyrics and aesthetically pleasing music with a symphony of different types of beats, including a variety of horns, a robotic underlying voice in the back, and a powerful, movement inspiring hook that makes for both careful, critical listening, and carefree dancing possible for people enjoying this song.
The album will be released today on Tuesday, March 8th and consists of 14 tracks that, without a doubt in my mind, will all succeed in satisfying the thirst for good music that Lupe fans have had in this four-year “Fiasco” of a drought. So make sure to grab this album off the shelves…and a reminder to all the Lupe Lasers fans out there, Love Always Shines Everytime, Remember to Smile.
★★★★☆
