Genius or One Trick Pony?

So I just caught the trailer for the new Wes Anderson movie titled "Darjeeling Limited." It was exactly what I thought it would be. A family coming together after a tragedy to somehow mend their broken relationship. This time it follows three brothers ( given that they are played by Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and Adrian Brody, I can only assume they had different mothers) who come together after their father's death to re-connect. On a train. In India. I'm not really sure why at this point but I've been satisfied with Wes' previous work, so I figure I'll just show up at the appropriate time and all will be made clear. I do know (thank you IMDB) that one miss Natalie Portman is in the movie somewhere. I heart her. I'd watch any movie she made. Hell, I would watch her clip her toenails if she'd only lift the restraining order. Anyway, the trailer features a song that I absolutely love by the Kinks called "This Time Tomorrow." if it's any indication of the rest of the album, I'm sure I'm going to love it. I would expect no less from Anderson as all of his previous soundtracks have been nothing shy of perfect.

Check out the clip below and download the track used in the trailer as well as my two other favorite Kinks tracks.




DOWNLOAD:

This Time Tomorrow
(Buy The Abum)

A Well Respected Man
(Buy The Album)

Picture Book
(Buy The Album)
________________________________________

BONUS:

Check out my favorite tracks from previous Wes Anderson Soundtracks.




From Rushmore
(IMDB ; Purchase Soundtrack)

The Faces - Ooh La La

________________________________




From The Royal Tenenbaums
(IMDB ; Purchase Soundtrack)

Nico - These Days

__________________________________




From The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
(IMDB ; Purchase Soundtrack)

David Bowie - Queen Bitch

__________________________________

Commercial Success

I am an Ad exec's wet dream. I'm the person they gear all of those flashy commercials to, all of the bright colors, the shiny. All me. It's pretty much guaranteed that if and Ad has the phrase "...for the price of..." anywhere in it's text I will buy it. It's clearly a good deal. Even if it says "5 for the price of 10." Not the point. I know I'm saving somewhere.

I am an even greater sucker for great music in advertising. Whether it be an original recording composed for the Ad itself, or just someone plugging in my favorite song into a particular product, a smart tune will certainly drawn my attention and hold it. Possibly long enough for me to pull out my debit card. These are a few of my favorite Ads featuring a few of my favorite songs.

Ad: Helio Ocean

This Ad makes me smile. I'd really like to think that it's how my phone is made. Well it would be if I had the "Ocean." Alas my phone is a phone and it is run by a phone company. The song itself is light and bubbly, one might call it down right effervescent. The track was created fir the Ad alone, but due to popular request the company had it available for download on their website.

Get your feet wet HERE



Download:

Helio - Creation Theme

______________________________________________

Ad: Dell XPS M1330

when I first saw this Ad I thought it must be for Target. Attractive women piecing an engine together in tight dresses and heals. The idea of mixing several different images and product types together screams Target. Alas, Spot the target dog never shows his face and at the end of the commercial we see it is an ad for the super thin Dell XPS M1330 Laptop. Who knew? What I do know is that it features a new song from Devo! The gent's who two decades ago got an entire generation to "Whip it good!" are now urging us to "Watch them work it!" I submit that I will. This song is great! 80's-tastic robot voice, catchy as hell guitar, and hand claps! I'm all in.

Slim Down HERE



DOWNLOAD:

Devo - Watch Us Work It

Check out Devo HERE
_______________________________________________

Ad: LG Chocolate

I'll be the first to admit that there is nothing particularly alluring about this Ad. It basically just sits there. The thing that draws you in is the seductive lull of Feist's gravley voice. I would basically buy anything she was offering!



Now if you'd like to see what this ad should have looked like check out the initial Ad that LG put out for their phone/mp3 player. Slick and enticing, it builds enough mystery to make you really wonder what they're getting at and then... there it is. You wanna know how to make a phone sexy? Smother it in chocolate and the wrap it in the gorgeous sound of Golfrapp's "Strict Machine." Alison Goldfrapp's voice could easily lure a man to a watery grave and the synth lines slink around like Michelle Pfeiffer in a vinyl catsuit. This is fabulous advertising!

Indulge HERE





DOWNLOAD:

Feist - My Moon, My Man

Check out Feist HERE

Goldfrapp - Strict Machine

Check out Goldfrapp HERE

________________________________________________


Ad: Apple iPod

Not a whole lot has to be said about any of Apple's kick ass Ads for the global phenomenon that is the iPod. They are always colorful, fun, and full of energy. Oh yeah, and there's music. These Ads usually introduce great new artists to the general masses thanks to Steve Jobs and assoc. This was not the case for this particular Ad as I had caught wind of The Fratellis' "Flathead" a month or so before the commercial started to circulate. I was furious with Apple for so carelessly giving away my new musical secret before I was able to introduce it to my friends thus increasing my cool exponentially. Although I think the fact that I thought that in the first place totally negates any kind of cool I might have had to begin with. Oh well. This one's a banger! Get into it.

Assimilate HERE



DOWNLOAD:

The Fratellis - Flathead

Check out The Fratellis HERE

_________________________________________

Ad: LA Ink

Miss Kat Von D was prolly the biggest draw for TLC's Miami Ink. A hot ass female in a shop full of cocksure guys, Kat proved that she can certainly hold her own as one of the most sought after tattoo artists around Miami. That was of course until unshakable homesickness and head butting with shop owner Ami drove her back to the west coast. Now she's got her own TV show on TLC titled... wait for it.... LA Ink. Ok, completely unoriginal, but I'm still gonna watch. The promo Ad gets us all riled up in anticipation for the premiere as Kat walks down the streets of La into her new shop while Nouvelle Vague's cover of the Billy Idol track "Dancing With Myself" plays in the background. The song's soft bossa nova sound fits perfectly over Kat's pinup girl posing and preening, proving that tattoo chicks are hot. Super hot in fact.

Get fresh ink HERE



Download:

Nouvelle Vague - Dancing with Myself

Check out Nouvelle Vague HERE
____________________________________________

Ad: Target Hello, Good Buy

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I love me some Target. And I've already discussed my love for the song used in this particular Ad once before but I decided to to rehash it for this post. Singer Sophia Shorai was commissioned to re record The Beatles "Hello, Goodbye" for Target's first Ad in their series of "Hello, Good Buy" commercials. You see it's a pun! Get it!? Anyway, I love the shit out of this song in general but Sophia's sugar sweet cover is particularly delicious. Unfortunately it was created solely for this Ad and is therefor not available on any record or even in full representation. That simply wasn't good enough for me. Clearly. I took it upon myself to download the video off of youtube, convert it and rip the audio track so that my crazy ass could listen to it in my iPod whenever I felt like it! All 59 glorious seconds of it. Don't judge me. I did what I had to do! The Ad itself is nothing less than what you'd expect a Target Ad to be. Bright, colorful, full of very attractive people using some of the thousands of products Target has to offer their patrons. All in an attempt to get you to buy everything you need and much more that you don't from them. It worked on me. I pretty much shop there exclusively.

Take aim HERE



DOWNLOAD:

Sophia Shorai - Hello, Goodbye

Check out Sophia Shorai HERE


I think that's just enough crazy for one night. Enjoy.

A Fire Breathing Dragon... in Stilettos!

I stumbled across these guy about 6 months ago when I heard some stuff off their 1st EP. Since then Dragonette has been hard at work on their debut album Galore. Let me just say their hard work has paid off in spades! The album is a brilliant gem of Electro / Pop / Rock. Lead vocalist, Martina Sorbara, and the rest of the band (which includes her husband, guitarist Dan Kurtz, drummer Joel Stouffer and guitarist Will Stapleton) sound like what No Doubt could have evolved into had Gwen decided to bring some of her solo sound together with the rest of her band mates instead of putting out that dreadful second LP.

But I digress.


Sure she's wicked hot, but I spy a couple extra stems!

Give a listen to these few tracks and let me know what ya think!
(Myspace) (Official Site)
From Galore:

(Originally to be released 8/6/07, now pushed back to 10/22/07, Lame! but you can pre-order it from Amazon Here.)

Take It Like a Man

Jesus Doesn't Love Me

Check out the video for the second single Take It Like a Man!


(Good lord that's an attractive ass band!)
___________________________

From I Get Around Single:


I Get Around (Midnight Juggernaut Mix)

A great re-working of the track I put out on "Go! Fight! Win!"
_____________________________

As Performed Live at London Pride:


The Boys ***Love the SHIT out of this track!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Which leads me to my next little bit of retro pop goodness!



The track "The Boys" is actually a cover (albeit a fantastic, perhaps better than the original cover, hell she even gives him a shout out before the track kicks in with " I even like those scrawny, Scottish, into pop music but not like sorta like pop dance electro music") of a track from Scottish hipster extraordinaire Calvin Harris. Harris' debut album I Created Disco was released in the UK on 6/18/07 and sounds like a cross of LCD Soundsystem and something off of the Revenge of the Nerds soundtrack. That is by no means a put down. The record is full beats to make your head bob and '80s-tastic blips and beeps that might just have you doing the robot.

Check him out.
(Mysace) (Official Site)

From I Created Disco:

(buy from Amazon Here)

The Girls

Merrymaking At My Place

Acceptable in the '80s ***Love the SHIT out of this track!

Check out the video for The Girls


(Sure, he kinda looks like a tool, but at 6'5" and with a Scottish accent, I couldn't care less.)


Enjoy.

Marvel Girl

I stumbled upon this artist in another blog the other day, and couldn't wait to share it. I am overjoyed to introduce you to A Fine Frenzy. I don't know a whole lot about her beyond what I hear in her songs, and I'll let you discover that for yourself. So here's just a few facts to get you started.



Her real name is Alison Sudol, and at 22 years of age, the self taught piano player has just released her debut album One Cell in the Sea on July 17, 2007. I only have a handful of tracks right now because I am waiting to go out and buy a physical copy of her album this weekend. I'm usually more than contented with the digital version, but every now and then I come across an artist with whom I'm so enthralled that I need to hold their work in my hands. So give these a listen a go out and buy the whole album. You will not be disappointed, I promise (I streamed the entire thing on a loop the other day.)

Buy From Amazon

Buy From iTunes

Enjoy

Almost Lover

Lifesize

The Minnow & The Trout ** Love this track.



The video for Almost Lover


Check out her

Myspace

and

Official Site

Digital Blender

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love a good remix. That doesn't necessarily mean techno bull$#!%. I mean the re-working of a song to make it sound new and fresh. Thus I automatically love me a good mash-up! I am especially impressed when the author plays with the sound a bit, instead of just laying an acapella over a different music track. That kind of mash-up drives me effing nuts! These are a few of my favorite mashups that have floating around for a while now.

Enjoy!




Bizarre Light Triangle

Madonna - Ray of Light
vs.
New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle

(Produced by Party Ben)


Everyone seems to wanna mashup Madge with just about any instrumental track they can get their hands on, often resulting in a hot mess! This is one of the few material girl mashups that not only works, but seems to fit really well.
-----------------------------------------

Boulevard of Broken Songs

Green Day - Boulevard of Broken Dreams
vs.
Oasis - Wonderwall
vs.
Travis - Writing to Reach You
vs.
Eminem - Sing (For the Moment)(which samples Aerosmith's "Dream On")

(Produced by Party Ben)

When you think of mashups, this one immediately springs to mind. At least it does for me. This is one of the first I had heard and it plays quite well. Wonderful song choices and flawless mixing. These are all songs I love to listen to anyway, why not get them in one shiny package.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bootystition

Destiny's Child - Bootylicious
vs.
Stevie Wonder - Superstition
vs.
Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music
vs.
Perter Gabriel - Sledgehammer

(Produced by Smash@Mash)

This song gets my shit up and moving! I'm so happy that the producer changed up the phrasing to match the new music choice! Too often I've heard someone just lay this vocal track over a new music track and it falls flatter than Michelle's solo career. This one is executed so well, I dare you not to shake your shimmy! To quote the child of destiny, "I don't think you can handle this!"
----------------------------

No One Takes Your Freedom

Scissor Sisters - Take Your Mama
vs.
The Beatles - For No One
vs.
George Michael - Freedom '90
vs.
Aretha Franklin - Think

(Produced by DJ Earworm)

Great play on several songs that all in all sound like they came from one seamlessly extended track in the first place! I can't imagine how difficult it was to get it to sound so effortless. Switching back and forth between music and vocal tracks, then throwing in Aretha just for good measure! Sa-Wee-Tah!
--------------------------------------

Tender Umbrella

General Public - Tenderness
vs.
Rihanna - Umbrella

Produced by Party Ben)

Let's get this straight right from the get go! I effing HATE the song umbrella. I don't know what it is. But it makes my insides jump. Somehow Party Ben has managed to not only make it
stomach-able , but fun. When paired with Tenderness, it sounds fresh and clean! I even like the way the "ella ella eh eh" sounds against the guitar! And that part usually makes me wanna put out my own ears!
-----------------------------------

Since U Been Hard to Find

Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone
vs.
American Analog Set - Hard to Find

(Produced by Aggro1)

It's clearly no secret how much I love Miss Kelly. This is certainly not the last time I will post about her. Sure isn't the first time. "Since U been Gone" is every indie-alternative elitist's most guilty pleasure. Aggro1 one has managed to completely spin this song in a new direction by pairing it with the gentle bells and acoustic guitar of AAS - Hard to Find. It's brilliant. I love it!
-------------------------------------

That's All (What Goes Around...)

Genesis - That's All
vs.
Justin Timberlake - What Goes Around...(Comes Around)

(Produced by Ben Double M)

I'm not gonna lie, when I read of the pairing of Genesis with JT I was apprehensive at best. I thought there was no way this wasn't going to sound extremely forced. I'm sorry, Ben Double M. I was so very wrong! I love both "That's All" and "What goes..." very much by themselves but I have been listening to this mashup almost exclusively since I got it. It's wonderful! I would do well not to doubt Ben Double M again.
--------------------------------------------------

With Love Through The Grapevine

Marvin Gaye - Heard it Through the Grapevine
vs.
Hilary Duff - With Love

(Produced by Supakon)

My love for Miss Duff's latest album is no secret, but don't let your personal loathing of cute teen pop singers sway you from this gem! Supakon has taken the instrumental track from the electropop-licious "With Love" and put it up against Marvin's vocals from the smoothest song about betrayal this side of 1968. After all, who doesn't like salty with a little sweet!?

---------------------------------

Every Car You Chase

Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars
vs.
The Police - Every Breath You Take

(Produced Party Ben)

Party Ben has done it again. This one works so well, it sounds like they're on stage together jamming! I'd prolly pay to see them perform it live on stage. Wait, Police reunion tickets are how much?!? Never mind, the mp3 will do just fine thank you.
------------------------------------

Galvanize the Empire

John Williams - Theme From The Empire Strikes Back
vs.
The Chemical Brothers - Galvanize

(Produced by Party Ben)

This one is for Kiel! Any self acknowledged nerd will love this track.

"The time has come to...."
"Standing by."
"Push the button!"
------------------------------------------------

Bonus (because I'm crazy)

Since U Been Gone (Rex the Dog Photographic Remix)

Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone
vs.
Depeche Mode - Photographic (Rex the Dog Dubb Mix)

(Produced by DJ Earworm)

I told you you'd see her again. I'm including this as a bonus because it sounds much more like a remix than a mashup. But it is indeed just two seperate songs, mashed together with a of lot of tweaking. The fact that it was put together by an "amateur" on PC equipment still boggles my mind. The build is exsquiset! The drop is fantastic and the vocal effects are amazing! The broken vocals at 2:08 and 3:21 were all manipulated by DJ Earworm from the existing remix acapella. I never get tried of this mix.

It's Probably Japanese...

I have been to several movies this past week and I would like to share some of the experience with you, gentle viewer.

1st was the incredibly well done Transformers!



I'm not going to give anything away, but the movie exceeded my expectation greatly, if not even raising the bar for other action movies. The plot didn't fizzle after the 1st half hour like I thought it would. I was completely on edge the entire 2hr 23min. The visual effects were stunning and never felt forced or out of place. *Cough* Spiderman 3 *Cough*
But the thing I most worried about was the movie falling the way of "Masters of the Universe" (thank you Kyle for the reference) in that it would follow the plight of the humans while the transformers were left as really expensive extras in the background. That was thankfully not the case. The human aspect of the film didn't overshadow the Autobots struggle against the evil (and kick ass) Decepticons.


Even the smoking hot Megan Fox couldn't draw too much attention from likes of the robots in disguise. But maybe that's just 'cause I'm a bit of a fan boy. OK, a queer fan boy. But just the same there was plenty of guy-candy (that's right I said it! and I'm only partially ashamed of myself!) in the movie between Josh "whatever his last name is" and one Mr. Shia LaBeouf. But even still I couldn't take my eyes off of the incredible job they did with the special effects.


Amazing! I honestly think it has raised the bar. When I saw "Live Free or Die Hard" the other day I kept waiting for all of the vehicles to echo out that perfect sound, letting me know they were about to transform into 10 story Robots and help John Mcclain kick some cyber terrorist ass! Alas it didn't happen and I left the theater with just a twinge of disappointment. You can't blame a guy for dreaming.

Speaking of "Live Free..." there was another trailer shown for the upcoming Julie Taymor film "Across The Universe." I Get a little more jazzed to see this each time I see a trailer for it.



Jim Sturgess who plays Jude in the film reminds me a whole lot of Ewan Mcgregor. At least his singing voice does. I certainly wouldn't be the first person to realize the similarities between this film and Baz Luhrmann's eye candy-rific Moulin Rouge. The second trailer played much like a music video with (what I believe to be) Jude singing The Beatles (Duh!) "I've Just Seen a Face." My Mom would play The Beatles all the time and I had completely forgotten about this song until I heard it again in the theater. I'm psyched to purchase this soundtrack. In the mean time I will be pulling out all of my Beatles stuff in preparation!

I leave you with the original Beatles track that was covered for the trailer as well as the Transformer's theme song from the 2007 movie soundtrack (Amazon). It's been reinterpreted by Mutemath, and it's not all that bad.

Enjoy

Mutemath - Transformer's Theme

The Beatles - I've Just Seen a Face


**Bonus**
I can't hear the words "Across The Universe" without thinking of Fiona Apple's superb cover from the "Pleasantville Soundtrack." As well as the wonderful video that accompanied it. Here's that track as well as the video to watch and download in iPod compatible format, Y? Because we like you. M*O*U*S*E! -Err, force of habit. Sorry.

Fiona Apple - Across The Universe



Download iPod Compatible Video Here

Big on the underground!

It is currently hot as balls outside! I can't stand the heat. It makes me feel useless, unless I force my body to move. Which is why I really like to run in the heat. I figure if it's hot, I might as well have a reason to sweat. Well here are a couple more reasons. M.I.A. has finished up work on her next full length album titled KALA and this $#!+ is hot !!! When I first heard Bird Flu (oh no, it's not a typo, it's really called that!) it took me a minute to get into it. But then the remixes came out and I loved them instantly (Duh!) . As was the case with the latest track released, Boyz, instant gratification. It's a banger!!! These songs are gonna keep me dancing like a heathen straight through the summer until KALA drops in August.

Enjoy

Bird Flu

Bird Flu(Diplo Remix)

Bird Flu (Crash Berlin Remix) *highly Recommended

Boyz * Highly Recommended

You look good for 231

The fourth is one of my favorite holidays. Not because I'm some flag brandishing maniac, but because I always get to sit around the docks of my town, watch fire works from a barge on the delta and sing songs with my family. There's even a 6 part orchestral piece done in vocal harmony complete with crashing symbols! Jealous?!

Anyway, here's a little number you might have heard before, it's called the Star Spangled Banner. Ok, not the most original idea for a post on the 4th of July, but when it's performed by one Mr. Sufjan Stevens, it's sounds completely original.

Have a happy and safe birthday America.

Enjoy.



Sufjan Stevens - Star Spangled Banner

Break out the Sprinklers!!!

Yes kiddies it's that time again!

It seems my waining social life is your yummy musical goodness. I have started a new collection of Songs Of Summer and have finished Issue 1 of Vol. 2 with more to follow. I fought long and hard over the playlist because I really wanted to make it fit on a standard CD. Alas, I couldn't resign myself to doing away with any of the tracks as they all have their place on the mix, and hey, after all, this is the digital age! If you don't have an iPod by now you might as well be deaf. (You know I love you, Bethy!!!)

*ahem*

Sooooo.... anyway, I'm tired of being a grown-up. At 26, I'm not sure if it's because I'm burnt out already, or I'm just close enough to remember my childhood that I don't want to let it go. Robert Kennedy (but more likely an uncredited speech writer) once said "This world demands the qualities of youth: not a time of life but a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease." These are the qualities I wish for myself. This is the music that makes me remember the energy of that time in my life. I give you my ode to terry cloth capes and water wings.

Enjoy!!!



SOS vol. 2
Issue 1

We Play

1. My Coco - Stellastarr*

2. Lose That Girl - Saint Etienne

3. Weapon of Choice - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

4. Hard to Beat - Hard-Fi

5. Pump It - Black Eyed Peas

6. First Tube - Phish

7. Australia - The Shins

8. Summerlong - Kathleen Edwards

9. Her Ornament - The Verve Pipe

10. Superhero - Garrison Starr

11. Dreams - Deep Dish (Featuring Stevie Nicks)

12. The Con - Tegan and Sara

13. When You Were Young - The Killers

14. Get Back (Love Edition) - The Beatles

15. Behave - Charlotte Hatherley

16. Love in a Trashcan - The Raveonettes

17. Kiss Me - Stephen Duffy

18. Sea Lion Woman (Chromeo Remix) - Feist

19. Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) - DJ Spiller

20. Lose Myself - Lauryn Hill

21. Combat Baby - Metric

22. Fluorescent Adolescent - Arctic Monkeys

23. Hang Me Up To Dry - Cold War Kids

Download as Complete Zip File:

SOS Vol 2 Issue 1: We Play

Perhaps Paris & Lindsay Should Take Note

This is how beautifully crafted pop music should sound.

It's no secret that I love me some Kelly Clarkson. The moment she opened her mouth on American Idol I knew she would have a very successful career ahead of her. Her third album, My December, is due out at the end of this month and I cannot wait. I've heard an early release with some demo versions of the songs and they're wonderful. She's just now releasing the second single, "Sober" and it's brilliant. If "Never Again" was the initial fury after a breakup, "Sober" is the mourning and eventual acceptance of getting over someone. It builds a steady crescendo of emotional uncertainty before proudly exclaiming with great assuredness that it will eventually be ok again. Having co-written every song on the album, my hat is off to Kelly for baring so much of herself to the rest of the world all without taking off her clothes. And so I say again, this is how you do it, ladies. See you in rehab.



Sober

Wonder Twin powers, activate!

Form of: Kick-Ass Canadian Rock Duo!


I've been holding on to this for the better part of two weeks. I apologize. I'm very, very selfish.




Three years ago I woke up to my alarm clock radio playing the greatest song I'd never heard, Walking with a Ghost, by Tegan and Sara. I won't go into their life story, all you need to know is they're twins, they're Canadian, and they kick ass. After hearing that track I rushed out and bought the album So Jealous (Amazon) as well as their 2002 release If It Was You (Amazon). There were some really stand out tracks on both albums, but (at least for me) they weren't the kind of albums I would listen to straight through, and surely not repeatedly. Their upcoming release, The Con has certainly changed all that. I can't stop listening to it. All the way through. All the time. I play it at home, I play it in the car. It's bloody fantastic! I can't wait to get my non-digital hands on it when it releases on July 24th. Until then, here are a couple of my favourite tracks to wet your pallets. Enjoy

Tegan and Sara, The Con




The Con

Knife Going In

Floorplan

Lemme know what you think!

And as always, songs are provided for sampling purposes only, and therefor will only be available for a limited time. If you like what you hear, please support the artist by following the links provided to purchase the album!

Heartbreak Sans Hotel

A few months back I started seeing reviews everywhere for this singer songwriter whom I had never heard of before. And not just the usual music magazines I peruse, but in such literary gems as People. I find it difficult to gage whether I'm going to like a musician from reading something about them so I don't usually read reviews of artists with whom I'm not already familiar but after seeing his name in bold type for the fifth time I decided to bite.



Thank God I did.

Having lost both of his parents to tragedy (father, actor Anthony Perkins, died of AIDS complicated illness in 1992 and his mother, photographer Berry Berenson was a passenger on AA flight 11 which crashed into the World Trade Center on 9-11-01) it's no wonder Elvis Perkins' debut Ash Wednesday lingers somewhere between promise and despair. His voice reads a bit like Colin Meloy (of the Decemberists) or David Gray. At its most dramatic it even resembles Rufus Wainwright. But then I don't think its fair to compare him to his peers. This album makes me feel like no other has as of late. The songs themselves are thoughtful pieces of personal misfortune, humming on the edge of heartbreak and hope. Straining a bit for the silver lining in an otherwise grey sky. This album is one of my top picks for 2007 and I seriously recommend you give a listen! If you like the tracks below go out and buy the album, it's truly wonderful.



Elvis Perkins, Ash Wednesday.

Buy Amazon, iTunes

All highly recommended tracks

While You Were Sleeping

All The Night Without Love

It's Only Me

Enjoy

The First Of Many

It's Friday, I'm in Love... With this song!


Not a lot of time today, so I will leave you with one of my favorite songs right now. It's by a band called Cabin. The track is I Was Here. I don't really remember how I came across this song, I do know it's solid and wonderfully crafted pop.

Enjoy



Cabin - I Was Here

Check out their myspace.

What my youth was for...

1234 by the wonderful Feist is by far my favorite song at the moment. So it only seems right that she would put out my favorite music video to go along with it!



This is what I want my life to be like. Fantastic colors, synchronized dance, and hand claps!


I don't even remember the last time I skipped!

And so that you can watch it whenever you feel down (like I do) here is the ipod compatible video. download and keep it with you for just such an occasion!

Mixtape!

Things have been all sorts of crazy lately. I made you a mixtape to show you I haven't forgotten about you. Enjoy.






The Shins - Sleeping Lessons

Arcarde Fire - Keep The Car Running

Sam Phillips - Baby, I Can't Please You

Lily Allen - LDN

The Streets - When You Wasn't Famous

Sondre Lerche - She's Fantastic

The Duke Spirit - Love is an Unfamiliar Name

Noisettes - Don't Give Up

Dragonette - I Get Around

Goose - Black Gloves

Busdriver - Casting Agents and Cowgirls

Kleerup feat. Robyn - With Every Heartbeat(Meat Boys Remix)

Slow Runner - Everything is Exactly What It Seems

Snow Patrol - You're All I Have

Infadels - Love Like Semtex

Modest Mouse - Dashboard

Charlotte Hatherley - Behave

Laura Veirs - Pink Light

Jeremy Fisher - Scar That Never Heals

Howie Beck - Don't Be Afraid

Feist - 1 2 3 4

Download all in .ZIP Format - Go! Fight! Win!

Maybe just one more time...

Kelly Clarkson has released the 1st single from her 3rd album My December! Against her label's wishes, Kelly is said to have written a good portion of the record herself describing the songs as "intimate, raw, and rock." If the first single is any indicator, her label has nothing to worry about. Here is Never Again and the remix which was curiously leaked before the single itself. Enjoy.



Never Again

Never Again (Dave Audé Remix)

Ghost Stories

I downloaded a few songs from a random itunes search a few months ago and never really gave it a thorough listen until the past couple of weeks. I do that sometimes and then I kick myself because I could have been listening to great music! I feel like I've cheated myself out of quality time with a good friend.



That good, if not newly acquired friend is Ben Cooper. These days he's going by Radical Face, while before he was the voice behind Electric President. His latest endeavor, Ghost, is a beautiful and emotive record with a rather thought provoking idea "What if houses had memories?" What if the stories of our lives were embedded into the walls, like the grooves of a record, meant to play out again and again. The songs on Ghost unlock these memories, reminding the artist of where he comes from, what's behind him. Whether it be the memories of the current inhabitants or of those who have come home after being away for too long, whether good or bad, the house remembers everything and will remind you if listen well.




From Ghost: Amazon ; itunes

Glory

Welcome Home

Winter is Coming

Bonus***

This guys pretty funny, read his blog entry about Selling Porn

and a short story from his official site.

Musical Penance

After yesterday's complete self indulgence in my own guilty little pleasure, it's time to try and earn back the respect of my peers. Just a quick post of two tracks from two different upcoming albums I and very excited about.

The first is from everyone's favorite Icelandic export, Björk. Her new album, Volta, is set to release May 7th, 2007 and the first single shows great promise. While the last full studio release, Medúlla, was considered a concept album, using only vocal talent to produce the music for the all of the songs, the new record is set to be much more commercially appealing. Björk is even enlisting the talents of hip-hop producer extraordinaire, and everyone's current go to guy for seriously killer beats, Timbaland. Now, don't mistake commercially appealing for bland or think that Tim's influence is going to change our swan dress enthusiast too much, just listen to the first single and I think you'll agree, this is distinctly Björk.




Björk - Earth Intruders

The second artist whom I am very excited to hear from again is the one and only Tori Amos. Except, it's not the one and only Tori Amos who's releasing the new album, American Doll Posse on May 1st, 2007. It seems Miss Amos has taken on a few extra personalities for her latest venture. The American Doll Posse consists of Tori, Isabel, Santa, Clyde and Pip. Full explanations of these personas are available at Wiki or look for more info at her official website. Be sure to check out the various blogs and web pages belonging to these songstresses themselves, proving that although Tori may be crazy-for-days, at least she commits. You can check out a couple of the sample tracks to stream at AOL music. Bouncing off Clouds (voiced by Clyde) is wonderful and if the other tracks are anything like the first single Big Wheel (voiced by Tori herself), the new album is sure to be an instant favorite of mine!


(Santa, Clyde, Isabel, Tori & Pip)

Tori Amos - Big Wheel

Enjoy and make sure you pick these up when they're released!

*** Links Updated. Just Right Click "Save As"

Apparently, I'm a Duff Man!

(Really diggin' the dark air)

I'm certain that as I'm posting this I'm losing serious music credibility with some, but that's the price you pay for being eclectic. And by "eclectic", I mean a 26 year old gay man who can't help but love a good dance track! So here's what I know about miss Duff. I know that she was once the reigning queen of Disney and she was at one time bitter rivals with one Lindsay Lohan. (P.s. I was totally Team Duff, frankly because she's much cuter than that no talent Lohan.) I also know that, though I absolutely despise that Chad Michael Murray prick, I love the shit out of "A Cinderella Story." (Jenn T, I Blame You!!) But until recently I didn't know much of her music. About a week ago I saw the music video for the first single from her new album, Dignity, and it really wasn't bad. Actually, I was humming it all over the place for the next few days, so I decided to check out the rest of the album. When did Hilary Duff start making really good electro-pop!? Now, hear me out before you de-friend me from myspace! Yes, it's pop music, but it's really well crafted pop music! The music is rich with Electro-synth fuzz like on the aforementioned 1st single, With Love, and beats reminiscent of 80's dance tracks like Debbie Deb's When I Hear Music on the slow and steady Burned. The lyrics may not be profound, but they are certainly more grown up than I've heard of her in the past, and with a voice as sweet as pulled taffy, you'll soon forget you're singing along to themes that we all hoped to be past by 19. Let's face it, we're all still angst ridden teens, we just have jobs now. Find comfort in an artist who understands and can help you forget your problems. Dance it out people!

Purchase Album from Amazon ; itunes .

A few of my favorites from Dignity :


(Alternate CD cover)


Download
(Tracks download at full quality, despite the jenky preview player sound)

With Love

Gypsy Woman

I Wish

** Bonus Track

With Love (Richard Vission vs Dave Aude Club Mix)

***

Download all tracks as a ZIP file

Nowhere, Man!

I love Target! (Duh!) I go there at least 4 times per week. And if they had the song from their latest commercial playing on a loop in the store, I might never leave. Unless you haven't bothered to turn on your TV since January 4th, when the Ad 1st ran with the Golden Globes, you must have seen it by now. It contains the sweetest cover of the Beatles song "Hello, Goodbye" that I have ever heard! I immediately "googled" the commercial in an attempt to find out where I could get this song, and after a few misleads I was able to track it down to a Bossa Nova/Jazz/ sometimes Jingle singer, Sophia Shorai. Unfortunately, the song seems to have exclusively recorded for Target, and is not available on any record. Hateful! So that is a serious bummer, but at least someone uploaded the full version to Youtube, so I can see/listen whenever I'd like. In the mean time I check everyday to make sure the recording hasn't been produced in its entirety. *sigh* If you haven't seen it yet, check it out below. You can also catch The Beetles original version as well as some tracks from a band who got their name from the song's title. Enjoy!




The Beetles - Hello, Goodbye

Hellogoodbye:

Oh, It is Love

Baby, Its Fact

Here (In Your Arms)

ANESTHETIC!!!

So I had to go back to the dentist today. That's right, back! In the past 2 months I've spent a good deal of money and a fair amount of time at the dentist's office. He's a nice enough gentleman, I just don't know why he enjoys putting the hurt on me. 2 hours and 3 fillings later the corners of my mouth are sore, my gums are bleeding and the entire right hand side of my face is completely numb! I would swear that I had just had a stroke if only it were on the left! Anyway, while I wait for my face to stop feeling like it's swollen beyond recognition, I thought I should post some songs so that my pain might be your musical pleasure! Enjoy.




The Police - King of Pain

Alanis Morissette - King of Pain

Merril Bainbridge - Mouth

Bush - Mouth(The Stingray Mix)

Death Cab for Cutie - Crooked Teeth

Sia - Numb

Luce - Numb

U2 - Numb

The Strokes - Last Night

"You don't have to mean it, but just say it."

"Well, what am I supposed to do? You won't answer my calls, you change your number. I mean, I'm not gonna be ignored, Dan!"



I'm not really one for sappy love songs, so instead I offer you love gone wrong. This is a playlist for the Alex Forrests and the Madison Belles of the world. The crazies who take the slightest feign of interest to mean deep and undying love. Or perhaps it should serve as a warning to all of the Dan Gallaghers and Ben Cronins, don't play with a woman's emotions. She will fuck you up!

Enjoy!


...You Love Me, I Know It!!! [EP]

1. Garbage - #1 Crush

2. Dido - Here With Me (Chillin' With the Family Mix)

3. Sade - No Ordinary Love

4. The Rolling Stones - Wild Horses

5. Fleetwood Mac - The Chain

6. Frou Frou - Psychobabble

7. Sarah Mclachlan - Possession (Hidden Version)

Nobody Gonna Slow Me Down!

So it's been a while since I posted or even created a mix. This will be the another recurring theme I hope to continue now that the holidays are over. This is a mix of songs that are on heavy rotation on my ipod and I feel they need to be shared. Enjoy the first edition of

Listen



1. Matt Costa - Cold December (Itunes)

2. The Little Ones - Face The Facts (Itunes)

3. Dashboard Confessional - In a Big Country (Itunes)

4. Office - If You Don't Know By Now (Itunes)

5. Paolo Nutini - Jenny Don't Be Hasty (Itunes)

6. The Heights - Night Relay (Itunes)

7. Phoenix - Long Distance Call (25 Hours a Day Mix) (Itunes)

8. Hot Chip - Boy From School (Itunes)

9. Natalie Walker - Quicksand (Stuhr Remix) (Itunes)

10. The Radio Dept. - Pulling Our Weight (Itunes)

11. Psapp - Hi (Itunes)

12. k-os - Valhalla (Feat. Kevin Drew and Sam Roberts) (Itunes)

13. Amy Winehouse - Rehab (Hot Chip Remix Edit)* (not available on Itunes)

14. Wolf Parade - Lousy Pictures (Itunes)

15. Ok Go - Here It Goes Again (Itunes)

16 Headlights - TV (Itunes)

17. Yeah Yeah Yeahs Vs. Daft Punk - World Maps (Along Came Jones Edit) (Itunes)

18. Whitey - Non Stop (Itunes)

19. Muse - Starlight (Itunes)

20. Ratatat - Lex (Edit)* (Itunes)


*These are edits of the originals I worked on for one reason or another.

A Case of You

I keep a playlist in my itunes for things I am not certain I want to purchase. Contained in this list of 30 second snippets , lies a track by Neko Case. Idley biding its time there since September of 2005, waiting for me to realize the beauty that lies beyond the vague sample someone decided was enough to illustrate her talent. It wasn't until I received a copy of Fox Confessor Brings The Flood from my dear friend and sometimes musical sensei Daniel that I came to know of one few men have had the pleasure.

The reason I had yet to purchase this song is simple, it doesn't showcase Case's remarkable voice. It's really quite incredible. She sounds as if from another time, when Patsy Cline, Brenda Lee and Loretta Lynn were in their prime, and yet her music is completely distinctive. Her lyrics create such textured imagery and the drive in her voice ensures that there is surely not a word wasted.

I had a terrible time trying to decide what songs I was going to include for you to sample. Since receiving the album for Christmas, I haven't taken it out of the Cd player in my car. I have listened to it at least 10 times all the way through (which isn't difficult as it clocks in at just over 35 minutes) so these songs only really exist to me as a complete story and it's very difficult for me think of them as otherwise. I honestly couldn't tell their names, or where one song ends and the next begins until I ripped it into my computer and clicked on them song by song. I have chosen 4 tracks that I cannot stop humming to myself and I hope they represent her well. Please go out and purchase this album!!

Itunes

Amazon

From Fox Confessor Brings the Flood




Star Witness

Hold On, Hold On

Maybe Sparrow

At Last

Maybe Sparrow Live on Letterman (Effing Amazing!)

No Glow Stick Necessary

New (To You) Music Tuesday

Ratatat

Mike Stround & Evan Mast of Ratatat


The first time I heard the single "17 Years" by New York based electronic group, Ratatat, I was in love. It was just what I had been searching for. An electronic sound with a distinctive guitar base. Not the usual "untcha untcha" of boring techno, but a brilliant blend of synth and rock. Then I listened to the rest of their debut self titled album, and was mildy disappointed. All of the songs kind of sounded the same, and none of them had the energy of the first single so I more or less dismissed them as a one hit wonder. *Sigh* Then they released Ratatat Mixtape Vol. 1. A collection of hip-hop and rap artists remixed by the duo. It showed promise and so I remained patient.

Then a couple of months ago, the internet started buzzing with leaked material from their sophmore release Classics. SA-WEE-TAH! This was exactly what I had been waiting for. Classics was officialy released August 22, 2006 and the songs are as varied in texture and pace as they are part of a complete unit. They seem to complete the album story from beginning to end. Fran-Tastic! Seriously, go out and purshace this album!


For those who relish the physical feel - Amazon
For those who live in the digital age - Itunes


From Classics

Wildcat

Tropicana

From Ratatat

17 Years*

El Pico

and a Ratatat remix for good measure

Shout Out Louds - The Comeback (Big Slippa Mix by Ratatat)


* for those who have received a mix from me with this song on it, it was an edited version I created because there were parts I didn't care for and I'm crazy like that. This is the orginal, album cut version of the track and will sound different.

Bad English

Starting now I'm going to be posting on a more regular basis. At least a couple of times per week, and some with reocurring themes. This way those of you who are actually interested in what I have to say, or at least what I am listening to, will have a some more good tunes. The first regular post will be new music tuesday. Now, I am not so bold as to assume that the music I offer has until my post fallen on deaf ears. Some of these artists have had some sort of buzz surrounding them for some time now. But as NBC once proudly proclaimed, "if you haven't (heard) it, it's new to you." So today officially begins:

New (to you) Music Tuesday

Bad English

I mean Bad as in good, and I mean English as in.... well English. Blog friends, meet Lily Allen.


(CLassy!)

Lily has been compared to several artists including M.I.A. and even Gwen Stefani, but I personally think she reminds me more of the female Mike Skinner. Her lyrics are sharp and smart and the sweetenss of her voice might make you forget for a moment hat she just ripped you to shreds. Oh, Lily, I can't stay mad at you!



Smile ( 1st US single.)

LDN (My Favorite Track)

Cheryl Tweedy (Kick Ass B-side)

Knock 'em Out (Kick Ass Early Demo)


**Bonus

LDN (STH LDN WRNGTM RMX) ["It's country, and you look country in it!"]


Ps. I know this is getting out in the 11th hour, literally, but I had a busy day!

Pps. If you know what that last quote is, you're kick ass!

Ppss. Did anyone else catch that bloke in the background of the picture wearing heals? anyone?!?

"It's a fair cop."

While sampling the new Bloc Party album "A Weekend in the City" (02/05/07 scheduled release date) I came across a riff in the song "Hunting for Witches" that caught my attention. This is the 2nd time in recent months I have heard a very distinct similarity to the strings in the Eurythmics' track "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)." The other songs that seems to be using the sample is pop newbie Stefy's "Chelsea."

Now I'm not saying this is a bad thing in either instance, they're both enjoyable songs in their own space, and that strings line is one of my favorites, I just hope Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart are pickin up some sort of royalties.

Listen for yourself.

Bloc Party - Hunting for Witches

Stefy - Chelsea

Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

**Bonus Track

Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)[Steve Angello Bootleg]