Hybrid Moments: Kids These Days - "Who Do U-Luv?" (Traphouse Rock)

Kids These Days are a bunch of super-talented, surprisingly Bluesy 18-20-somethings hailing from Chicago. The group which is fronted by MC Vic Mensa are headed out on a nation-wide tour this Fall with Asher Roth & Chuck Inglish... includes young talent: Macie Stewart, Nico Segal, J.P. Floyd, Lane Beckstrom, Greg Landfair Jr, and Liam Cunningham. I think it's pretty safe to classify Kids These Days as a "Free Jazz" band, but they've also recorded music with Blended Babies, Chuck Inglish, The O'My's, and Asher Roth. It really boils down to being a Hip-Hop-infused style of Jazz that vaguely reminds me of The Roots or N*E*R*D's instrumental chops. They're currently working with Wilco main man Jeff Tweedy, putting the final touches on Traphouse Rock LP, which'll finally see a [FREE] release on "Halloween Eve," Oct. 30th.


Kids These Days premiered our latest taste of the album, "Who Do U-Luv?" online @ Soundcloud Thurs. afternoon; It'll most likely appear on Traphouse Rock, along with recent teaser singles - "Don't Harsh My Mellow" (above), "I Don't Know," and "Flashing Lights." "Who Do U-Luv?" is a Soulful Blues Rock BANGER that seems to loosely chronicle an ill-fated relationship gone sour: "All I really wanna do lately is make you hate me and call you baby." If you listen closely, you can hear all 7 Kids These Days members and their assorted instruments all @ once... keys, trumpet, trombone, bass, drums, guitar, etc. Vic Mensa comes in during the song's final 1/4, sounding visibly upset, and goes on a nearly 2-minute rant against his ex-lover culminating with "Do you hate me now!?"