Newheads

Only one month late, it's our favorite projects from 2021, ranked for your convenience! Covering hip-hop, pop, post-punk, jazz, and more, these are our most diverse lists since we've been putting together year-end rankings - let us know what you think of our lists and share your own by emailing us at matthewtyra1@gmail.com (yes, Rav will get these too), or leave a review!Songs from our Albums of the Year: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Y1RAM4HimyV7fH0s7PYFD?si=FxgamR3oSTC46tqm_8FkPA&nd=1

Hello and welcome to Newheads - the show about meaningful, innovative music*!This is Round Two of our podcast, and since it's been a long hiatus, we figured an Albums/Songs of the Year overview would be a nice way to return (though we do also cover the content that got us through the heights of the pandemic). Clips of almost every album we discuss are included. In this episode, we highlight the following projects:Black Country, New Road's for the first timeSquid's Bright Green FieldBlack Midi's CavalcadeTyler, the Creator's Call Me if You Get LostFloating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and the London Orchestra Symphony's PromisesFaye Webster's (website??) I Know I'm Funny hahaNatalia Lafourcade's Un Canto por Mexico, Vol. IIA handful of songs are also mentioned - you can catch them, and our full roster of 2021's best songs, in our Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1x3D35a46WrX7CKKAGzjz3?si=c3a01190d30949eb*We might change this tagline, deal with it

I'm stuck at home, YOU'RE stuck at home, HE/SHE/WE - stuck at home. Today Rav and Matt discuss what they've been listening to, make quips at one another, and receive some support from their special, hearty friend. Make sure you check us out, on this episode of quarantine tunes!

Flying Lotus' brand of music is so off-the-wall, it's hard to describe it as anything other than "Flying Lotus' Music". But the great-nephew of Alice Coltrane is undoubtedly inspired by jazz, and that shows in his two monumental albums, Cosmogramma and You're Dead! With elements of instrumental hip-hop, electronic, soul, and more coming together in a one-of-a-kind fusion, Flying Lotus captures the soul and paints pictures of the universe and afterlife on these two projects. Matt and Rav delve into the songs and elements that gives FlyLo's music such power, look into his influence on jazz and hip-hop, and make a required investment in better audio quality. How inspiring.Podcast art: Pamela HerringIntro/outro music: Seth Greenberg

If Matt and Rav love one thing, its the HBO hit series Barry starring Bill Hader. But if Matt and Rav loved a second thing, its the art of sampling! Today, the duo breaks down their favorite samples from three masters of production: J Dilla, Death Grips, and Injury Reserve. Want to know how to turn a tennis match into a song? Then join us, on this episode of NewHeads.

The podcast is back - yes, again - as Rav and Matt unveil a cute lil bonus-ish episode that'll come out each month: Album Round-Up. Each Newhead talks about four albums they listened to for the first time this month and gave a brief synopsis of their listening experience. Off-topic discussions include: how the duo rates albums, what a Kenny Beats-Idles collab will sound like, and what season of Game of Thrones corresponds with Kanye's current career stage.Matt's Albums:Parquet Courts - Wide Awake!King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson KingArcade Fire - The SuburbsIdles - Joy as an Act of ResistanceRav's Albums:Mid Air Thief - Gongjoong Doduk and CrumblingCHANCE de la soul - All Together NowFaye Webster - Atlanta Millionaires ClubPodcast art: Pamela HerringIntro/outro music: Seth Greenberg

It's hard to label one of your children or friends as your favorite, but it's even harder to pick your favorite albums of 2019 in the year of our lord. Don't worry though, Matt and Rav put in COUNTLESS hours to deliver our curated top 10 albums within a very stacked and important year in music. Join us as we countdown our favorite projects, share snippets of songs that stood out to us, and act as baffoons (as always).

Donovan is one of the most sneakily influential singer/songwriters in contemporary Western music. A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, Donovan had a strong decade of releases in the 1960s using a host of unique instruments and fun songwriting. In this episode, Matt presents his personal connection to Donovan and shows Rav why we should listen to three of his most notable albums.

As former Kanye West 'stans,' Matt and Rav explain why they - and many others - feel so conflicted heading into West's new gospel album, Jesus Is King. After dissecting how West's controversies and the rise of social justice and cancel culture on social media collided before the album's release, the two give their takes on the album. Does it stand up to West's previous standards? How does he portray God and his belief in God? Is it a genuine album, and does authenticity matter more with Kanye West? How does Kanye's mental health battles impact how the two view this album?Rav and Matt tackle these questions and more, as they attempt a nuanced discussion on 2019's most divisive album.

#SpookySZN! Matt and Rav are joined by creator of the pod's theme music and Daveed Diggs superfan Seth Greenberg to analyze clipping.'s gruesome, grotesque, and stunning new album, There Existed An Addiction To Blood. Matt issues a content warning to friends and family while lauding the album's narrative steel, Seth gives a sniff...er, snippet of his love for clipping. and describes TEAATB as his new guilty pleasure, and Rav comes out pro-Piano Burning while claiming the album a potential classic. Does that episode description scare you away? GOOD. #SpookySZNclipping. - There Existed An Addiction To Blood: https://open.spotify.com/album/1sJzod7aGgZwu2ShYec8GQ?si=-0uPpRmdR4iKbr612mbEFgIntro/outro music by Seth GreenbergPodcast artwork by Pamela Herring

It's not exactly like the upside-down. Maybe call it the leftside-right? Matt and Rav head back in time to discuss one of hip-hop's greatest songs, T.R.O.Y. (They Reminisce Over You). They review some of the ethics of sampling - per writer Joseph Schloss - assess the hip-hop scene in 1992, and break down why T.R.O.Y. exemplifies the beauty of sampling. P.S. my Spotify isn't loading so I'm not linking the albums, but if you wanna look them up, we talk about Tom Scott's Honeysuckle Breeze (meh), Pete Rock & CL Smooth's Mecca and the Soul Brother (hell yeah) and The Main Ingredient (also hell yeah). If you wanna look forward to our next episode, check out industrial hip-hop group clipping.'s back catalog and their new album, There Existed An Addiction To Blood. -Matt

On this episode of Newheads, Rav and Matt...make a lot of mistakes. It's fun. They also analyze Danny Brown's first album in three years, 'uknowhatimsayin¿,' placing it in the context of Danny's narrative arc. The two discuss what makes a great feature list, who shines the most on the album, and what changing as a person really means. Finally, which album is better: uknowhatimsayin¿, or Bandana?Danny Brown's uknowhatimsayin¿: https://open.spotify.com/album/4G3BRVsGEpWzUdplFJ1VBl?si=sjdmmQ6jQcyJeLKYOT7xXAFreddie Gibbs and Madlibs' Bandana: https://open.spotify.com/album/31KbO7WnDp2AjPdmRTJzdf?si=DebDOXNyRY2-ArtGbHrhpQEarl Sweatshirt's Some Rap Songs:https://open.spotify.com/album/66at85wgO2pu5CccvqUF6i?si=kD_PtOT_Rti9lA3YfaFcyg

In this episode of Newheads, Matt and Rav begin a new series by exploring the exploding modern jazz scene, and they start by highlighting the industry's hardest-working saxophone player: Shabaka Hutchings. As the main man in Sons of Kemet, The Comet is Coming, and Shabaka and the Ancestors, Hutchings shuns many long-held principles of the genre via blistering pace, intensity, and forward-thinking song progression and instrumentation. Plus, he plays a hell of a saxophone, making him the perfect bridge for hip-hop fans looking to access a genre that continues to push its boundaries.Podcast art: Pamela HerringIntro/outro music: Seth Greenberg

On the first full episode of Newheads, Matt and Rav go into great detail to break down JPEGMAFIA's third album, All My Heroes Are Cornballs. The two discuss Peggy's background, why AMHAC sounds and feels so different from JPEG's past works, how the many intentional contradictions reflect Peggy's mental health status, the themes of Internet culture, violence, gender conflict, and much more, before giving their final thoughts on the album. Plus, the gang provides four diverse musical recommendations for those that liked the album, and those that wanted a somewhat different type of album.

Welcome to Newheads, the podcast about innovative and meaningful music! Matt Tyra and Ravahn Enayati will be providing album reviews, music recommendations, and discussions on topics relating back to the music they review, all while striving to highlight the music industry's best new trends. The first episode, coming on Saturday, September 28th, will focus on rapper/producer/singer JPEGMAFIA's new album, All My Heroes Are Cornballs.