I have a couple of friends whose musical tastes and opinions I really respect. The one who showed me Foster The People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” expects it will explode on the blogosphere becoming a hit and there’s good reason to believe him, it’s just starting to happen now. BlackBookMag.com compares their sound to MGMT and Peter, Bjorn, and John, predicting the song to become one of the big hits of this summer. Indie radio stations can be, at times, predictable and if you keep track on Hype Machine and Elbo.ws alone, you’ll have a pretty good collection of these kind of blogosphere hits. The song has been selected as a favorite by over 2,500 different people and the song’s only been around for a week. Check out Foster The People’s official website and you might find all of the songs just as refreshing and enjoyable as “Pumped Up Kicks.” If there was a fantasy music league, I think these guys would be a good bet.
MP3: Foster The People – “Pumped Up Kicks”
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Clearly, I haven’t been paying enough attention to Yo La Tengo. At least, not until their latest record, Popular Songs. A friend needed only to play me the first track, “Here To Fall” and I instantly realized the folly of my ways. The combination of heavy rock and strings is irresistibly cool. The song is a throwback to Zeppelin and other 70s heavy rock yet it maintains a relevance to today’s music. It isn’t just enjoyable, it’s impressive, especially if you listen to bands like The Dead Weather, Heartless Bastards, or Band of Skulls.
MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Here To Fall”
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Popular Songs (Matador, September 2009)
When I heard about the upcoming collaboration album between Nas and Damian Marley, I wasn’t expecting much. They’re both great artists but I thought a collaboration between the two wouldn’t amount to anything substantial. I have to admit, “As We Enter,” the new track and first single from Distant Relatives, is kind of impressive. Nas and Damian sound good together, trading rhymes back and forth over an otherwise lackluster beat. In terms of lyrics and delivery, the two artists are on fire, but the music itself is a little bland. I’m still not expecting to be blown away by the album but it’s definitely worth checking out.
MP3: Nas & Damian Marley – “As We Enter”
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(Single available on iTunes on February 23rd)
Under the name Four Tet, Kieran Hebden creates art with music. There Is Love In You was just released on January 25th, over four years since his last full length album. Rich, unique sounds and melodies are designed and arranged into luscious electronic symphonies but the music itself is experimental and mostly donwtempo. The new album is a great listen and each song is a real work of art.
MP3: Four Tet – “She Just Likes To Fight”
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MP3: Four Tet – “Angel Echoes”
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There Is Love In You (Domino, January 2010)
Fyfe Dangerfield is the front man of Guillemots. His debut solo album is called Fly Yellow Moon and it was released on January 18th in the UK. I’ve only heard two of the tracks off the album. “She Needs Me” perfectly embodies all of the soft, pop qualities that were already bothering me with “When You Walk In The Room” which is otherwise fun and avoidably catchy. I’m suspicious that the album’s overall sound is closer to “She Needs Me” which I didn’t really enjoy. There’s something about “When You Walk In The Room” that I do like a lot but I can’t really put my finger on it. Since those are the only two songs I’ve heard from the album, I guess I’ll have to wait until it’s released in the US to really check it all out.
MP3: Fyfe Dangerfield – “When You Walk In The Room”
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Fly Yellow Moon (Polydor Records, January 2010 (UK))
On January 1st, The Knux announced via twitter the release of a new 5 song EP. The Fuck You EP can’t strictly be called hip hop. It’s a blend of many genres and styles which is what gives The Knux they’re distinctive gritty, alternative electro-hop sound. ”Floozy” and “Fuck You” are classic Knux style skateboard hip hop tracks while the rest are a little more experimental. The EP isn’t too impressive but it seems like that’s kind of the point. That’s also not to say you won’t enjoy it. The name of the EP says it all, clearly these guys aren’t trying to impress anyone. They’re making music for fun, and it shows. To anyone who’s not into it, I think they named the new EP for you.
MP3: The Knux – “Floozy”
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MP3: The Knux – “Fuck You”
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Fuck You EP (January 2010)
Danger Mouse and James Mercer of The Shins teamed up to create Broken Bells. Danger Mouse was a big fan of The Shins and the duo first met on the Dark Night of the Soul collaboration album. Their self-titled debut will officially be made available in March of 2010 but the album has been leaked online and it’s very impressive to say the least. The single and first track officially released is called “The High Road” which will also be the first track off the forthcoming album. Right off the bat, you can tell you’re listening to quality, experimental indie-pop music. Warm, electronic sounds are set to a melodic and beautiful layering of guitars and strings over 60’s pop style drums. The songs have cool and smooth, steady builds that result in an album that leaves you feeling like you’re on a real musical journey. Similar to the beginning of “The High Road,” the end of “Your Head Is On Fire” sounds like it could have been a Zero 7 track. The end of “Sailing to Nowhere” sounds like a film score and made me wonder when Danger Mouse might start scoring movies since he’s clearly capable. The album as a whole is truly artistic and a great piece of work. Nearly every song is capable of being someone else’s favorite track. Check out the songs below and the official website at BrokenBells.com.
Broken Bells – “The High Road” (removed by request)
Broken Bells (March 2010)
If you love hearing Christmas songs around Christmas time, you’ll love AM’s new EP, Holiday Happiness and Cheer. AM’s voice sounds strikingly beautiful over a soft and comforting version of the Charlie Brown Christmas classic, “Christmas Time is Here.” AM’s take on “Home for the Holidays” is irresistibly fun and features playful sounding orchestral strings which complements the cheerful, folky feeling of the original. Aside from being truly beautiful renditions of holiday classics, both songs showcase an impressive talent for song arrangement. Whether you’re just in your car by yourself or DJing a holiday party for your friends, or even if you’re just looking for music to put to your holiday e-cards, now you’ve got something really special. Happy Holidays!
MP3: AM – “Christmas Time is Here”
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Holiday Happiness and Cheer EP (November 2009)
Back in March, DJ D Sharp put together a mix tape for Lateef the Truth Speaker but it wasn’t released on any major online distributor like Amazon or CD Universe until November (it’s not available on iTunes). Truth Is Love is a collection of songs featuring Lateef taken from albums released in the last 10-15 years but it’s comprised mostly of Lateef’s more recent tracks. Overall, I was a little disappointed with this mix tape. Back in the 90’s, Lateef was at the top of my list of rappers because of projects like Latyrx and the Solesides collective which turned into the Quannum. Lateef was an incredible emcee with a distinctive delivery unmatched in style and creativity. Unfortunately, most of his new stuff is just not that great anymore. Some of his old school fans are much more critical than I am but I can definitely understand where they’re coming from. Except for a couple of tracks, including “Lady Don’t Tek No” hidden at the end of “That Old Pair of Jeans”, Truth Is Love doesn’t have too much to offer.
MP3: Lateef and Fatboy Slim – “That Old Pair of Jeans”
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Truth Is Love (November 2009)
I first heard the song “Blood” by Australian band The Middle East on KCRW a couple of months ago. The harmonies and soft, melodic progressions build to create moving, stirring music and the same is true for all of their songs, most of which are between 5 to 7 minutes long. ”Blood” immediately reminded me of “Wake Up” by Arcade Fire although I’m not sure if most people would feel the same way. When I first heard “Pig Food” I thought it had to be a cover of a Radiohead track. The debut album, The Recordings of The Middle East, was self-released in Australia in 2008. An EP was made available in the US on iTunes just a couple of weeks ago. Check out the tracks below including “Pig Food” which isn’t included on the EP.
MP3: The Middle East – “Blood” (Download)
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MP3: The Middle East – “The Darkest Side” (Download)
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The Recordings of The Middle East EP (October 2009)
MP3: The Middle East – “Pig Food” (Download)
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The Recordings of The Middle East (2008)
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