Weekly Dose (4/26/09)

About a month ago, a great remix album was released- Nat King Cole: Re: Generations.  It features classic Nat King Cole songs remixed by a number of great artists like The Roots, Cee-Lo, Bebel Gilberto, Stephen and Damien Marley, Cut Chemist, Brazilian Girls, Nas & Salaam Remi, and TV on the Radio.  It’s an unbelievable remix album.  When I talk with people who think classic songs should be left alone, I’ll be sure to bring up this album to show them why I disagree.

MP3: Nat King Cole – Lush Life (Cee-Lo remix)
MP3: Nat King Cole – Day In Day Out (Cut Chemist remix)

Nat King Cole: Re: Generations

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Speaking of great remixes, how about a great cover song?  Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings released this soulful version of the Shuggie Otis song “Inspiration Information” for the Red Hot charity compilation Dark Was The Night.  The original album, Inspiration Information (1974), was one that I found at the USC radio station, not too long after it was reissued back in 2001.  I instantly fell in love with the album and started collecting as much Shuggie Otis material as I could.  I was thrilled to hear a new take on what I consider an unappreciated classic.

MP3: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings – Inspiration Information
Mp3 Sample: Shuggie Otis: Inspiration Information

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Mos Def did a 12 minute cover of Kanye West’s “Say You Will” when he played the Blue Note in NYC back in January.  I’ve said it before and this MP3 is just another example of how Kanye is a better producer than anything else.  He’s so much better when he’s behind the scenes than when he is in the spotlight.  I don’t think he could ever handle that though.  After seeing his response on his blog to the “Gay Fish” episode of South Park, I don’t think Kanye could ever be happy with just being behind the scenes.  Anyway, Mos Def has a lot of soul and he’s got a great common man’s voice in my opinion.  He’s not an incredibly talented singer, he’s not even a great singer, but his voice is really good.  I was skeptical when I first heard about the cover but, after hearing it, I love this song now.  And usually I don’t like live recordings but this is a good one, the recording reminds me of a live version of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready” I have…

MP3: Mos Def – Say You Will (Live at the Blue Note)

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When I first heard about a Beatles‘ “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” remix, I thought it had to be terrible.  But I quickly changed my mind after I listened to Streetlab’s remix.  Streetlab gives the song a whole new feeling and it’s a lot of fun.  I think it’s great but I’d be willing to bet most Beatles fan’s hate it…  I checked out Streetlab’s other material and I thought a lot of it was really good.  Check out these other cool remixes:

MP3: The Beatles – Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Streetlab remix)
MP3: Beastie Boys – Sabotage (Streetlab Remix)
MP3: The Blue Van – Man Up (Streetlab VS Sean MF’in Roberts remix)
MP3: Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter (Streetlab remix)

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Once again, a recommendation that I got from Ushkow has turned into a great listening adventure.  He suggested I check out Manchester Orchestra’s new material on their myspace.  At first, I didn’t think it was anything special.  I listened at work though, so I didn’t have the volume up and wasn’t really able to get into it.  After checking it out again at home, I loved it and I’ve been listening to it all day.  Here are some of the tracks from their new album released last week, Mean Everything To Nothing.  

MP3: Manchester Orchestra – The Only One
MP3: Manchester Orchestra – I’ve Got Friends

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So many Covers, Remixes, and Mash Ups

I’ve probably posted too many cover songs, remixes, and mash ups already…

remix

Pharcyde VS Led ZeppelinDyer Passin Me By (Fidelski
PharcydePassin Me By (Hot Chip remix)

Here are a two different artists’ remixes of Radiohead’s “Nude” and ” two remixes of “Reckoner”.  Which do you like the most? 
RadioheadNude (SayCet remix) 
RadioheadNude (Three Leaves and a Head remix)

RadioheadReckoner (You You’re Awesome remix) 
RadioheadReckoner (Three Leaves and a Head remix)

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Notorious BIG VS Peter Bjorn & JohnParty & Bullshit with Nothing To Worry About (Dave Wrangler
 
Common VS Flying LotusUniversal Mind Control with Parisian Goldfish (The Hood Internet

MGMT VS Kanye WestTestify with Electric Feel (Justice remix) (The Kickdrums

Beastie Boys VS M.O.P.Intergalatic Planetary Ante Up (DJ BK)

The last song on The Black Keys’ Attack & Release is a mash up of all the songs on the album-
The Black KeysFight for Air (Mr. Dibbs)

covers

Elliot Smith – Blackbird (The Beatles
Elliot Smith – My Sweet Lord (George Harrison)
Gareth Pearson - Time To Pretend (MGMT
James Eric – Time To Pretend (MGMT
Bryn Christopher – Sour Times (Portishead
William Barnes – Bombs Over Baghdad (Outkast

This one is great…
Ben Folds – Bitches Ain’t Shit (Dr Dre / Snoop Dogg
Nina Gordon – Straight Out Of Compton (NWA
The Gourds- Gin & Juice (Dr Dre / Snoop Dogg
Dynamite Hack – Boyz in the Hood (Eazy E / NWA)

More Covers, Remixes, and Mash Ups

I know I’ve already posted a bunch of different covers, remixes, and mash ups but… doesn’t everybody love them?  I think when people hear a song they recognize combined with something they haven’t heard before- something new and unfamiliar- it makes the experience more memorable and sometimes even more enjoyable.   Here are some more covers, remixes, and mash ups for you to enjoy…

remix1Remixes
Radiohead - Reckoner (James Merriweather Remix)
Franz Ferdinand -Ulysses (Beyond The Wizards Sleeve Remix)
Jamiroquai - Canned Heat (Calvin Harris Remix)
Beck - Where It’s At (Lloyd Price Express Remix)
Marvin Gaye - Let’s Get It On (Beatnik and K-Salaam remix)
Zero 7 - Somersault (Dangermouse MF Doom remix) Click here to play in Hype Machine 
 

coversCovers
Dan Black - Hypnotize (Notorious BIG)
Adele - Black & Gold (Sam Sparro)
Katy Perry - Black and Gold
Klaxons - No Diggity (Blackstreet /Dr. Dre)
Glasvegas - Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime (The KorgisClick here to play in Hype Machine 


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Mash Ups
Soulwax - No Diggity (Blackstreet / Grandmaster Flash / Latyrx)
The Arbiters - Sure Side of Fame (David Bowie Lou Reed Notorious BIG Tupac)
Notorious BIG Michael Jackson - Billy Jean  Click here to play in Hype Machine 

 

Mash Ups

Damn these are popular.  Mash Ups are kind of going through a surge in popularity right now.  Mash ups can be two or more new, popular songs mixed together (like mash up #1 by Terry UrbanLil Wayne’s “A Millie” and Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida”), or two or more older, popular songs mixed together (like mash up #2 by A Plus D Notorious BIG’s “Going Back To Cali” and Red Hot Chili Peppers “Dani California”), or a mash up can be new and old songs, whether or not they’re popular or unpopular, mixed together (like mash up #3 by Bobb DeepMobb Depp’s “Shook One’s Pt II” and Bob Marley’s “I Shot The Sheriff”).  Check these out too:

 

M3Michael Jackson and James Brown – “The Way You Got Me That Feeling

5oseFatboy Slim and The Beatles and Billy Joel – “Praise the News of a Day

 

Yea, I know about Girl Talk.  So what?

Audio Absinthe

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