Yasiin Bey aka TRFKAMD (The Rapper Formerly Known As Mos Def) is working on a project called 'Top 40 Underdog' for which he makes his own versions of big radio hits. The 1st track is a remake of Kanye & Jay-Z collab-track Niggas In Paris. That original track is pretty cool, but Yasiin is definately adding something special here. Can't wait to hear the next part of that project!
After a few days of silence there is only one way to get your attention, and that is with a beautiful piece of music. Hence this great track by L.A.-duo Electric Guest. It reminds of the slower 80s jams, but as i type it i realize that is hardly a compliment. And i set out to write something very good about this song, because i can't get enough of it. Another maybe-not-so-great-compliment, although that really depends on your music taste, but i can't stop referring to the best songs of Dire Straits. It's that guitar-solo around the 4th minute that does it. Maybe it's better to stop referring before i do any more damage to this band. Just take your time (almost 9 minutes) and you'll hear what i'm talking about: A Great Song!
Follies were on the blog back in 2010 with their Home Knit EP, and just a few days before 2012 would start they released their new album "Sway". It was kindly pointed out to me and now that the year has started I've granted myself some time to listen to all new things I received via mail and this is probably the best thing in there. Not because the rest of it is shitty, but because this is so extremely fine.
This band makes music that is a little different in the most positive version of different you can think of. It's folk somewhere in the basics, but they mess around your basic version of folk very nice. I've never been good in explaining what a band reminds me of or why I think something is truly awesome, cuz there's usually to many things coming to mind, but this album reminded me of Fleet Foxes & the Beatles at several moments during the only 20 minutes it takes. Not a bad score one might say. Neither is taking several spins per evening for the entire week since I listened to this for the 1st time last week Friday night. Second musical highlight of the (still very young) year? Definately! Download this album for free or spend just 4 dollars and receive your personal copy (i went for the 2nd option).
Among the 2 best albums of 2010 was Lost In The Trees with their (still) extremely beautiful "All Alone In An Empty House"-album. Somewhere I picked up that they'll be releasing a new album this year, but it has a date now: March 20th. And even better, there's a 1st track for us to hear. And you are hopefully probably already listening to it. And probably already loving it. Like I did after that 1st spin 30 minutes ago. I have always had trouble with loving more albums of a band, I usually get bored with it very easy, but there are always great exceptions. Lost In The Trees have succesfully proven to be such an exception. I Love This Song.
There's the December tradition of everyone blogger writing a personal list of favourite songs, albums, artists, shows, whatevers over the year that is coming to an end. But these traditions are only usefull if people read these lists off course, and that's what I've been doing these last weeks. I hear music I have missed while 2011 was happening and on some occasions that turns out to be a damn shame. I've already done some late 2011-shopping this week, and here's another great album I've clearly missed out on: queen electric by queen electric.
It's classic rock, but not just any classic rock. As queen electric just combines a whole range of styles into their own little unique style. There's a big 70s-influence, but in a good way. You can almost smell the 80s-sweat dripping from the oldschool glamrock, and yet this is very 2011, it has that harmonic vibe that was very hot last year (and probably still is). Check out the entire 7-track album and download for a nice "name-your-price" via their bandcamp.
Wednesday morning, the week is barely half in and already I really would like to start the weekend right now. On days like these, that seem to last forever, it is important to have the right music with me. To get me through the day and drag me into the night, a loong, dark night full of intense sleeping.
One the cool new bands I recently discovered is Electric Guest. The vid above is their newest release, which is from the album they'll be releasing later this year. It's upbeat & sunny and it's the kind of song you can sing all day long. Cuz it's just really good. Follow the link to their bandcamp-page aswell, there's a 2-track EP there from last May, which is really cool. These 2 songs are slower and show a different side of this band, but great tunes nonetheless.
With good music like this, I might just it make through the day. Wish me luck..
Not so long ago I was contacted about this band releasing a new EP. Australian band goodbyemotel is on a rise, with their music being included in some (Hollywood) tv-shows and movies. I listened to their new EP (which you can download for the cost of your emailaddress) for a few days now & it reminded me of that typical USA-rock I used to listen to when I was much younger. There are some catchy tunes, but the lyrics are pretty basic and the music doesn't surprise for a moment.
So why do I spend my Monday morning writing about this band? Because openingtrack Red Room is a really cool track and makes it totally worth to download this album. There's more energy buzzin' through & it makes me want to jump around the house (which made me spill my precious morning coffee) on a Monday morning. Not an often enjoyed sensation I can tell you. So looking for a killer track to get you going this week? Try this every morning and you'll wake up dancing in the shower.
A few days ago Warm Weather contacted me about their new single and now that I've been hearing it for a few days I can only tell you one thing: It F*cking Rocks! I reviewed their EP "dances" last June and was very charmed by the 5 tracks I heard back then, even calling it one of the best EPs of the year at that time. This new track is a step up though. They sound more alive, the harmonies are more in balance. It sounds a bit vague, but I really wanted to figure out for myself why I enjoy this one track so much, and why I enjoy it so much more than the EP I heard last year, and back then really liked.
No matter what I think of it though, this is a great new song & you should not even care what I type, you should really just enjoy this awesome new track (just like me..).
There's this huge list of artists in my IE-favourites that I really should pay attention to at some point. Every once in a while i open it and click on a few bands, to listen to it a few times and decide if I want to buy it, write about it, delete it, or keep it undecided for some more time. Dress Rehearsal made it onto the "write about it"-list with this fine track Morning Grey. It's part of a 2-track EP called "The Lazy River Road", and the other track is not bad, but not memorable either. Making this an ok release with one really good song on it. In November they also released a little 5-track acoustic cover EP, which is worth checking out.
And there we have it. The 1st extremely beautiful album of 2012. Tipped by Matt Stalker & Fables I listened to "Bitter Lullabies" by Bridie Jackson and The Arbour somewhere around the beginning of this week and was immediately amazed by it's pure beauty. This is folk with some soul and blues mixed into it, and the fine way the voices are intwined in a few songs even made me think of gospel. Although I'm not that familair with that kind of music, I'm sure this is how it's meant to sound. The somewhat classical way of singing, combined with acoustic guitar, violin, cello, glockenspiel and more somewhat unusual instruments makes this a very specific record, probably not for everyone. But it's worth giving it a chance, because the songs are pure and every note played, is a note well placed.
There is no better way of truly falling for an album than spending an evening with it. Just sitting at the table, doing absolutely nothing but listening. Which is exactly what I've been doing several nights this week and I strongly encourage everyone to do the same.
Released on October 1st of last year this is still part of my refusal to turn to the new year, but I'm getting closer, as I can honestly say that I had never heard of Jenny Berkel before 2012 had started. So we can actually consider this my 1st Newly Discovered Artist of 2012, a title not even close to being interesting for anyone, so let us focus on the music. Jenny has a great voice, plays a cool guitar (as you can see on the pic) and adds nice things to make her songs stand out. Violins on All is Undone, a little repetitive drum-roll on my favourite track on this 3-piece album-preview In the Hollow. And all throughout the 3 songs this singer-songwriter plays her guitar, sings her beautiful songs and reminds me of great things I've heard in the past. But in her own way. It may not be very original to say the least, but I can't stop listening to it. That's enough for me!
January 14th she is releasing the debut full length that these 3 songs are just a little preview of, I might just get back on this fine singer-songwriter later this month.
