Voyeuristically pining over his girl, Drake notices everything from a distance with unmistakable emotion in his voice. The distress in watching her move on is trumped by savory bass, and a smooth “Neeed myyy looove“.

Drake’s bridge slows it down with “Wonder if you’re rollin’ up a backwoods for someone else / Doing things I taught you, gettin’ nasty for someone else … Doing everything for someone else / why you always touchin’ road?” Nice guys don’t have to finish last, but the keyboard gives way to an even more vulnerable wave of despair. Tapering off with “Ever since you left the city…” leaves a listener with a lonely, nocturnal track of perfect angst. Drake’s material might be met with rejection in more than one way, but there’s a reason “Hotling Bling” itself is unforgettable.

Erykah Badu’s rework adds a significant amount of spunk. At first, there’s no discernible difference, but the syncopated vocals of “cel-u-lar-de-vice” add instant style. From then on, it’s hard to go back after this track—at least not without humming it.

Badu is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, disc jockey, activist, and actress. More contemporary than anything, she puts a surprising spin on Drake with “Cel U Lar Device”. Even with the same beat, it flaunts a younger, more elegant sound that’s smooth and shimmery.

“Cel U Lar Device” is part of Erykah’s full-length “But You Caint Use My Phone“—an album of similar themes of “missed connections, call waiting, and answering machines”. The beginning instrumental is entirely composed of dial tones. In “Device”, even her “Hangin’ with some dudes I’ve never seen before” charmingly switches genders like a pro. The soul influence pays off with Badu’s range and improvisational vocal style.

While Drake goes on to wonder about all the gory details of his betrayal—”You should just be yourself / Right now, you’re someone else“—Badu replaces the verse with, “Some people just said let it go / And on and on and such and such / But they don’t ride around with us / Ain’t that too bad we love to hang … But now you tryna change the game“. It’s sweet and sufficiently vague—just like the real deal. Soon, after a glam-trippy, ascending breakdown of “Late night when you need my love“‘s, Badu gives a snarky voicemail greeting: “You’ve reached the Erykah Badu hotline”…

“If you’re calling to wish her a happy birthday, Kwanzaa, MLK Black History Month, Juneteenth, or Hanukkah, press 2 /

If you’re calling because you just saw her on B. E.t, MTV, or any other social media outlet, and you’re checking to make sure you’re still in good standing, press 3 /

If you’re calling to beg for some shit in general, press 4 …

If you’re calling to say peace, and, don’t really fit into any of those descriptions, text me—because I don’t really answer voicemail.”

In no time, a fusion-filled setup builds a sexy, honest outro with tectonic bass that Drake wouldn’t dare touch. Erykah’s meta-phone theme here is even more pronounced. The sheer personal-ness of the version makes it less of a carefree banger, but somehow it’s more casual and humorous. It’s strangely more artistic.

The low, sparkly synths are hypnotic and thoughtful. As atmospheric and repetitive as Drake’s original, “Cel U Lar Device” refreshingly has no trace of the original’s regret. In terms of “Hotline Bling,” the future really is female.

The post “HOTLINE BLING”: Drake vs. Erykah Badu appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The namesake of the band, Kacy and Clayton, first took the stage with only a guitar and some microphones. The first few acoustic songs reminded me of a slightly-less folky version of the now-extinct Civil Wars. Kacy’s riff-filled melodies were paired beautifully with Clayton’s harmony and rhythm guitar.

Their style was very relaxed and informal, which was good for the music, though less good for their interactions with the audience between songs. Clayton asked the audience for a sewing kit for his new shirt, which already had a couple buttons pop off–unfortunately for the shirt, the audience was complete crickets.

Luckily, the band was unfazed by the lack of energy, and pulled two more band members up to the stage. The drummer and bassist were middle-aged, cool guys with beards and berets. I don’t remember the bassist’s name, but thanks to Clayton’s introduction I do remember that he hasn’t had a single cavity in his life. This goofy fact helped the audience engage slightly more, and the full band put on a lively set.

I’m not an avid fan of country, but I could definitely respect both bands’ talent. Plus, there’s just something about live music that’s always enjoyable.

Next, a man with a guitar and a harmonica took the stage–lead man of Blitzen Trapper, Eric Earley. He informed the crowd that this show would have a lot of story-telling, which he said “scares the **** out of [him] ‘cuz [he] doesn’t like talking.” I’m glad the show was more intimate, because it allowed me to really engage with each song.

I especially liked the songs “Furr” and “Across the River.” Almost all of the audience members sang along to Furr, which happens to be one of the band’s oldest and most successful songs. I really connected to the story for Across the River. Earley told a story from his high school days, when his friend Kyle’s dog jumped in a river. Despite the current, the boys jumped in after the pup. Soon enough, Kyle and his dog were back on shore while Earley was swiftly moving downstream. Thankfully, he didn’t die and wrote a sweet, nostalgic song instead.

Halfway through the set, the show had an abrupt stop by request of The Mill. A man fell off a bar stool and lost consciousness, so an ambulance had to be called. The band took the time as a smoke break and didn’t let it affect the energy of the show in any way.

After the band was back in their place, the rest of the show was a really diverse mix of Blitzen Trapper songs and covers. Each song seemed to be extremely nostalgic to the band and a majority of the audience. It was cool to witness people getting so into the music, but as a 20-year old I didn’t quite connect to the show in the same way.

I probably won’t listen to Blitzen Trapper often, but I’m definitely glad I had the opportunity to see them live. Plus I bonded with the keyboardist over our curly locks, so that was cool.

The post Concert Review: Blitzen Trapper @ The Mill 9/20/16 appeared first on KRUI Radio.