A little something Balearic to brighten up your St. Patty’s Day weekend. I promise it’s not the Dropkick Murphys. [soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/39483474″ iframe=”true” /]
The Best Tracks of 2011 (10-1)
10. WU LYF “Dirt” Go Tell Fire To The Mountain (LYF) The weight of expectation can be difficult to bear, especially for a bunch of kids in their early twenties. After a couple majestic 2010 singles (“Heavy Pop” and “Spitting It Concrete like the Golden Sun God”) and a few equally frenetic small shows, many (myself included) listed the shadowy Mancunian collective’s debut as one of the most highly anticipated of the year. Though, admittedly, I was ready to be … →
Hot Jam of the Day (03.16.12): Lemonade, “Neptune”
Lemonade “Neptune” Diver (True Panther) At first listen, it’s easy to write off the debut single from the San Francisco-cum-Brooklyn trio’s second LP as mere Wham!/Culture Club pastiche. But give it a shot, and you’ll realize that kitsch officially stops being kitsch when it’s this fucking good. The track is so reminiscent of fellow Brooklyn transplants Violens’ stunning “Acid Reign (In The Trees Mix)” from a couple of years back. Like the Violens track, this is straight out of left … →
Hot Jam of the Day (03.15.12): Hot Chip, “Flutes”
Hot Chip “Flutes” In Our Heads (Domino) At their best, Hot Chip tracks always feel like a warm blanket. Their last LP, 2010’s sumptuous One Life Stand, was chock full of warm, languid mid-tempo dancefloor cuts (title track, “We Have Love”) and lush, emotive slow jams (the disc’s standout “Alley Cats,” “I Feel Better”). If this track is anything to go by, their fifth full-length (due out June 12) will be no exception. The 80’s influence is turned up to 11 here … →
Hot Jam of the Day (03.14.12): Beach House, “Myth”
Beach House “Myth” Bloom (Sub Pop) Coming off their mega-huge (and mega-wonderful) 2010 breakthrough Teen Dream, this is the first single from the New Jersey dream poppers hotly-anticipated fourth LP, due out May 15th. While this is still unmistakably Beach House — Victoria Legrand’s soaring vocals, Alex Scally’s reverb drenched guitars and gauzy soundscapes — it’s more direct and anthemic than much of their past material, which definitely isn’t a bad thing. Always one of the most evocative groups in the indie rock zeitgeist, they’ve always … →
Tru Warier: Monta Ellis, “Fulltime Grind”
In case you didn’t know, my beloved Golden State Warriors traded longtime off guard Monta Ellis to the Bucks today for real-life Australian center Andrew Bogut. While I do think this is a good trade, I will miss watching the electrifying combo guard immensely. As frustrating as he could be at times, he was an absolute offensive savant who made some of the most incredible plays I’ve ever seen. But as this is a music blog, I wanted to focus on … →
Hot Jam of the Day (03.13.12): Bobby Womack, “Please Forgive My Heart”
Bobby Womack “Please Forgive My Heart” The Bravest Man in the Universe (XL) Like pro wrestlers, soul singers don’t often age gracefully. The Cleveland native’s biography is eyebrow-raising even when compared to his most troubled musical contemporaries (Stone, Brown) — herion addiction, wife beating, the death of two of his sons, an alleged affair with his wife’s 14 year-old daughter — the list goes on. But like many of his peers, the tragedy was balanced by brilliance, and in his … →
New Video Alert: Danny Brown, “Radio Song”
Only in Danny Brown’s world does the line, “bitches wanna scoop us, their pussy’s like lupus,” qualify as a boast. Of all the rising Detroit MC’s many talents, his ability to make having sex sound like a legitimately disgusting proposition is truly unparalleled. If this video proves anything, it’s that there’s only one Danny, even when there’s a bunch of them.
Hot Jam of the Day (03.12.12) Fort Romeau: “Say Something”
Fort Romeau “Say Something” Kingdoms (100% Silk) Deep house is the best house, and UK producer Mike Norris’ debut effort under the Fort Romeau moniker is teeming with the best aspects of the genre. Subtle, smooth, and absolutely delicious, its first single is a lush, effortlessly sexy affair that expertly sets an undulating backtrack to a seductive vocal sample. Norris’ pop music background (he worked on La Roux’s explosive debut) is very apparanent all through Kingdoms, as he crafts tracks … →
New Video Alert: Memoryhouse, “The Kids Were Wrong”
In the interest of full disclosure, I’m totally in love with this band. The only thing that truly troubles me about them is finding a way to break up the boyfriend-girlfriend duo romantically without ruining the band. Until I figure out a way to do that (and convince vocalist Denise Nouvion to marry me), I guess I’ll have to just sit back and enjoy their wonderful, sleepy dream pop magic. This video, the first off their debut LP The Slideshow Effect, tells … →
