John Wells – “I’ve Been Skipping Therapy”
If this is your first time hearing the name John Wells, go ahead and catch up, come back, and thank me later. But not until you take a listen to his first single “I’ve Been Skipping Therapy” off the upcoming EP “I don’t wanna die (Pt. 1)”
It’s rare in hip hop that mental health is even discussed, let alone as organically as Wells does here.
“Mfs don’t go to therapy, we just smoke and go to the gym,” he posted on his Instagram account promoting a reel of himself standing in a parking lot rapping his verse. In the background, his homeboy Spottie Dolo does push ups before spitting his verse into Wells’ phone.
Wells’ laid-back-yet-precise wordplay takes us into a remarkably relatable moment of working hard, seeing the world crumble, and feeling pulled in all the directions. We’re all facing trials and trying not to complain because, of course, it could be worse. “Tossin in my sleep whole world been feeling undone/ Hard to breathe but my brother only got one lung/ It’s hard to grieve when it feel like everybody gone huh?”
Spottie Dolo adds to the conversation with an effortlessly skilled verse two about his own struggle to even answer the phone while in depressive isolation.
“Avoided all of my sessions in fear of facing my faults/ but I’m running out of excuses to hide behind this long”
It’s the much needed, groovy shit with substance like this that hits most during these challenging times. Storytellers like Wells may be our most dependable source of inspiration in seeking a way forward.
Stream “I’ve Been Skipping Therapy” on all platforms.
Von Vargas – “Cocked Crowns”
Streaming has made it almost impossible for artists to make money from their music. It’s important now, more than ever, that independent ownership becomes the new wave. Veteran Baltimore rapper, producer, DJ and cultural ambassador Von Vargas is riding that wave, rolling out one of the most important projects to come from a Baltimore artist in quite a while. “Cocked Crowns” is a direct-to-consumer album which means it is available only to those who purchase the project. It comes in two parts: Side A and Side B.
The project is full of quality production, uplifting messaging, and cherry-picked features. On Side A, we meet Vargas as he speaks of life on his journey to the throne. It’s filled with themes of betrayal, trials and tribulations, crime, heartbreak, and the struggle as he pursues his dreams.
Side A opens with “Introlude” featuring TolumiDE delivering the Lord’s Prayer in Yoruba.
“Pray for me. Don’t let them get a day on me. ‘Cos’ I know they prey on me. So we pray,” Vargas delivers the hook on the cinematic track“Prey.”
“Same Time” feels like it could easily be an unreleased Capone-N-Noreaga track with the nostalgic beat and hook describing what it is to come from a city like Baltimore. Veteran lyricists The Boy Blesst and Iconthagod join Vargas on the impeccable “Been Livin.” Both featured emcees bring top-notch penmanship to the track as the trio talk about their different experiences with women. “My girl do whatever she want. She get a attitude whenever she don’t. She need shoes she get the new pumps. She want food we move to do lunch,” Icon raps .
On Side B, “Introlude” returns with TolumiDE’s Yoruban prayer and “Prey”. But Side B comes with a new set of songs that play out as more of an arrival to the throne. “For me, prayer is super important,” the award-winning rapper and producer narrates on “Royalty Talk.” Songs like “Everyday Thrones” and “Triumphant Entry” provide that soundtrack for not just achieving the goals but maintaining the responsibility that comes with it.
On “Heir,” “Heirs Have Thrones Too,” “Triumphant Entry,” and “Crown,” Baltimore heavyweight jazz musician Clarence Ward III delivers brass that perfectly sets the scene for picturesque life in a Black man’s castle.
Vargas’ ability to tell stories and deliver inspiration is on full display on this project. If we are to expect an experience from an artist after spending money on their music, “Cocked Crowns” is a solid blueprint for how to do it. Most importantly, in these times, uplifting music that reminds people to hold their head high and walk boldly is crucially important.
“Oh yeah. That crown that’s on your head? Man cock that joint,” Vargas says on “Crown” before closing out Side B with the ever-inspiring “Rise On This Side” featuring Cherlita Claiborne.
To purchase this project, it’s best to visit the website vonnewalbum.com where you can choose to buy it on Bandcamp or Even.biz as well as get the full experience with a musical short, and access to more about Von Vargas and his future on the throne. Listening to this album was like watching a movie, and that’s not easy to pull off.
Dirk Schwenk – “Bring That Back”
Americana singer-songwriter Dirk Schwenk’s new EP “Bring That Back” is a fun and refreshing listen. If you’re like many today and finding yourself burdened with the gloom and doom of the world, Schwenk reminds us that good times still exist too. On the first listen, I was reminded that fall is my favorite time of year for listening to new music and being in nature. “Bring That Back” is getting a fire pit started on a hoodie weather night-type shit. A road trip to a cabin for the weekend or taking in the beauty of Maryland’s changing landscapes on a random long drive to a winery. It’s good endorphins releasing time for the mind.
“Bring That Back” is full of relatable storytelling and instantly loveable, solid acoustic folk rock with sprinkles of reggae, rock, and soul influence. Schwenk gets right to it on the infectious first track “Sweet As Honey.” On the third track, “Dead Man’s Desk,” he reminds us that “nothing is better than right now,” setting the tone right off the bat like “This isn’t what I wanted/ This isn’t what I needed/ It’s what I got and it’s hot like a shot in my gut and I’m bleeding/ Aw Maybe I’m just dumb now and I never really worked it/
Or, maybe we’re not living in the moment by dwelling on the past instead of celebrating the good in the inevitable here and now.
The backwoods southern folk harmonies and banjo of the title track are crisp and ripe for clapping and singing along. Schwenk then jumps in a yellow VW van and time travels from past to future on the lead single “Hippie Chicks.”
The ballad “Hey Virginia” is a nostalgic trip to the past while the final track “Leave The Light On” is the typical delusional song about a lover who has left returning home.
The project is fun songwriting that I can only imagine is even more enjoyable live.
Check out “Bring That Back” on all streaming platforms.
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