It’s Astronomical: Computer Era is a Nice Blend of Old-School and New-School

Mike LaPorte
Live Wire Marketing/Advertising Director

Brian Bradley aka Astronomical Kid. Photo Credit: Underground Hip Hop Blog

After a sadly unsuccessful stint on Fox’s hospital drama “Red Band Society,” former “X Factor” contestant Astronomical Kid (or Astro for short), Brian Bradley, returned to his roots and released his first full-length album at the beginning of December. The album, titled “Computer Era,” sends a message that speaks out against modern technology and how it inflates the egos of people who use it religiously and claim fame as a result.

This sentiment is emphasized hardest on the track “Internet Goons,” which uses a large amount of online terms in the lyrics intended to slander people who are notorious on the Internet. The lyrics in other songs are hard-hitting, such as in “K.I.n.G.” and “Internet Goons,” inspirational, as shown in “Just Dreamin’” and “Champion,” and throw back to the golden age of rap, which is showcased in the album’s intro track “East Coast G Funk.”

The beats used on the tracks are mostly reminiscent of the 90s’ era of rap, but a few tracks, including “Acting Out,” use more modern beats commonly found on songs released nowadays. It is a sigh of relief for people who are tired of rap tracks that continuously feature 2 Chainz, YG, DJ Mustard and Juicy J, to name a few mainstream artists.

My personal favorite tracks are “Champion,” which is about ambition and hopes for a strong, bright future; “K.I.n.G.,” which slams the sheepish mentality of kids growing up in the hood and how they’re being exploited for money without knowing it, and “Internet Goons.”

Overall, the album is excellently done, the lyrics are awesome to jam to, and the beats are what the music industry has needed to go back to for two years. My recommendation is to pick it up on iTunes.