Thursday, December 16, 2010

Freddie Gibbs


Freddie Gibbs is from Gary, IN. Dirty rap. Good shit. Here are a few examples, and you can grab his latest effort for free on his Bandcamp page, which also has this gem of an album detail message, "Str8 Killa No Filla - fuck a description."

Well put Freddie.







In joy.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

pretty lights

http://www.youtube.com/prttylghts#p/a/u/0/XguJ9HaL-TY

Dark Dark Dark

I braved the weather and made it down to see Cloud Cult at the Majestic Theatre this past Saturday. It was well worth the effort. They threw down the most powerful live performance I have seen in recent history.

Cloud Cult's opening band was Dark Dark Dark- another up and coming act out of the Twin Cities. Really dug their stuff, keep an eye on them.

Enjoy, Ben

Monday, December 13, 2010

Mondaze

Sorry for the lack of posts. Finals are over now so I can get back to sharing quality music from the top shelf.


Diego Stocco - Music From A Tree from Diego Stocco on Vimeo.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz

This album has been getting a lot of pub on the interwebs, but it's awesome so I thought I'd give it a bump here. The whole album is pretty spectacular and is a good listen front to back (including the 25 minute monster at the end), but here are a couple highlights. Hard to believe this is the same guy who did Seven Swans. Welcome to the machine.

Too Much


Get Real Get Right


Buy it here.

Happy Friday.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Jay-Z / El Ten Eleven

Hot mashup of Jay-Z's ROC Boys and El Ten Eleven's Marriage is the New Going Steady.


In joy.

Johnny Flynn & the Sussex Wit



Here's a new one for ya. The guy's name is Johnny Flynn and he is out of London. His biography is not a complicated one; he's a musical prodigy turned Shakespearean actor turned musician. As a child Flynn sang in the Winchester College Chapel Choir. His musical scholarship through them required that he learn two instruments. He chose violin and trumpet. When learning them Flynn rarely used sheet music and this gravitated towards improvisation. As he stated recently in an interview with Guardian.uk.co, it was "the most rebellious thing I could do" and "it made it easy for me to pick up anything quickly".

Flynn spent his formative years listening to Bob Dylan, playing music, acting, and pursuing other traditional English pastimes including cricket, fishing, and getting hammered. However after getting out of school it wasn't Flynn's music, but rather his acting that payed the bills. Not until recently did Flynn start to take his folk talents more seriously and treat them as more than just a supplemental career.

Flynn released his first album "A Larum" in 2008 (*An EXCELLENT album). He has spent the last couple of years touring fairly heavily and just released his second album (which I haven't heard yet) in June of 2010. The first part of this year he toured with the likes of Mumford & Sons. but midway through the US tour Flynn's label suddenly pulled the plug citing the recession's effect on sales. One album into a five-album deal Flynn was dropped.

For his current tour of the States Flynn has left his band at home. The past 2 years have left him broke. Right now he is playing some small shows and has got a part in a new film, but is in danger of being left behind by his musical peers. Take a listen to these tracks, hard to believe that a guy with this sort of talent is struggling to sell disks.

Enjoy, Ben.


Tuesday, December 7, 2010

The Go! Team

Arthur Blank's favorite jam.


Wednesday, December 1, 2010

hyperpotamus



sweet stuff

20/2010 - A Best-Of Compilation


It's December 1st. It's time to get a jump on this year's best-of lists (which we'll no doubt be inundated by shortly). So here's mine, in mixtape form. It's called 20/2010 - my top 20 songs of 2010. You can download it for free HERE. It features a lot of the artists that have been featured on this blog, LCD Soundsystem, Curren$y, The National, Das Racist to name a few...along with a few 2010 one-hit-wonders.

Here's a pic of all the tracks:

Lemme know what you think. In joy.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Local Jams - Shoveldance and Cheeks Marx

I'm back in Minnesota for the holiday so it's only appropriate that I give a shout out to a couple of my favorite home town musicians.

First up is Shoveldance, a rock outfit that calls the Twin Cities home. Featuring Beau Jeffrey on bass, this band displays a 90s rock style with some funk and horns thrown in for good measure. However you describe it they sound damn good. Here are three tracks, my personal favorite Uber Shuck Dudder along with two tracks you can't get anywhere else:

Shoveldance by Stew C

Check out their website, myspace, and facebook and see em live at 331 Club in Minneapolis December 4th. There are three more tracks for your ears on the myspace page.

I wrote about Cheeks Marx (aka QBall Lives) a few months ago, and since then he's put out a full album, The Storage Capacity Mixtape, on itunes. Cheeks calls San Diego home now, and his sound has gotten even more fresh since the move. You can sample a ton of good jams below, and if you like what you hear pick up the mixtape.



If you're looking for more from Cheeks, here he is on myspace and reverbnation.

Happy holidays friends.

Stew

Monday, November 22, 2010

Oil + Water + Four Tet

Here's a cool version of Four Tet's song 'Circling.' Check it:

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Delorean/Lemonade


Saw Delorean at Lincoln Hall last night (as did Cole who may do a post on the show), and it was pretty great. A band called Lemonade was the second opener (after an awful set by The Light Pollution), and I found this song today.

In joy.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

GAYNGS - "Cry"

Cool song, cool vid.

Monday, November 15, 2010

New Girl Talk


Download Girl Talk's new album 'All Day' for free, right here: Girl Talk - All Day

In joy.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Benoit Pioulard


Some really great stuff to share this week. This is Benoit Pioulard (aka Thomas Meluch). He's a multi-instrumentalist that reminds me of a combination Owen Pallett and Jose Gonzalez. His recently released album 'Lasted' is a work of art. The following songs below are excellent, but the album really shines when enjoyed front to back. Definitely pick it up if you like what you hear.

Benoit Pioulard - Tack & Tower


Benoit Pioulard - Sault


Benoit Pioulard - Tie


In joy.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

50 Cent


Just watch this video. Seriously.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Fela!

Afro-beat pioneer. Activist. Prolific fornicator. AIDS casualty. Special thanks to "Africa: Introductory Survey" for providing some much needed modern culture. Read more about this iconic musician here. You've got plenty of time while the African groove rolls along.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Russ Chimes - Midnight Club EP Trilogy

I've only gotten through part one of this because I'm in the Orlando airport and the internet is really slow, but after watching the first part I knew the rest was TSAD-worthy. Sweet beats, very well done videos. Happy Friday.





Buy the EP here.

Thanks Vail.

Pogo

Short post today. A while back this guy (or girl), Pogo, made a video remixing portions of Disney's Alice in Wonderland into a song (first video below). Well he just came out with his second video with Disney's Snow White. Very cool stuff.



Cloudy Busey


Had to post this song. So good.

In joy.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Cabin Fever '10


With uncanny foresight, I decided to title my latest mix 'Cabin Fever.' Little did I know I'd be holed up in a hotel for a week shortly afterward. That's why I decided to name the next mix I make 'Millionaire Island Babe Mix.' Yes, that should do.

Anyway, enjoy this treat for your ears - a little summer with some fall mixed in, and definitely excellent to work to. Download it for free here.

In joy.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Cloud Cult


Cloud Cult is an experimental indie rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The group began in 1995 as the solo studio project of Craig Minowa. His first studio album sparked the interest of a number of small record labels that encouraged him to preform live. Over the course of the next four years Minowa worked on what would become the first Cloud Cult album. This first offering brought out offers from a number of different record labels, all of which were denied in favor of continued independent releases (a trend that continues today).

In 2002 in an effort to cope with the unexpected death of his two year old son Minowa went on a songwriting binge. During the course of the next year or so he crafted over one-hundred songs. It is a combination of these songs with others that have been written over the years that have fueled Cloud Cult. If you listen to their lyrics most of them deal with "big picture" ideas - who are we? where are we from? where do we go?...etc.

In the last eight years Cloud Cult has grown largely in popularity. Their last couple albums have received a lot of high praise from people who probably know more about awesome music than me. In 2006, they released "Advice from the Happy Hippopotamus"--great name!, which Pitchfork Media called “insane genius”. In 2007 their release "The Meaning of 8" was labeled by some as one of the top ten albums of the past decade.

Also worth noting...Cloud Cult is known to put on a great live show. One of their very unique features is that they have two painters at every show. The painters each craft a painting during the show that is auctioned off at the Shows end. I have yet to experience them live, but they will be coming to Madison @ The Majestic in early December and there is a pretty good chance I'll be checking that one out.

Just a few weeks ago Cloud Cult turned out another great disc. The album is called "Light Chasers". Here is a taste - pretty phenomenal stuff.

Cloud Cult's Website



Sunday, October 31, 2010

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The Greenhornes "****" Album!


I think most of you are probably familiar with "The Greenhornes", but if not here is the brief rundown...They are a trio comprised of Craig Fox (lead vocals, guitar), Patrick Keeler (drums), and Jack Lawrence (bass). They formed in the late 90's in Cincinnati, OH. Since then they have released three studio albums, and EP, and a number of singles. They have toured worldwide and are kind of a big deal. The Greenhornes music is best described as straight up Rock n' Roll. They are just simple, unpretentious rock and their influences - primarily British Rock n' Rollers (The Kinks, The Who, The Zombies, and The Animals), are easily identified in their music.

In 2005 the group went on temporary hiatus, and bandmembers Patrick Keeler and Jack Lawrence formed "The Raconteurs" with Detroit friends Jack White and Brendan Benson. After a couple years of melting faces with the Raconteurs they took some time to pursue a few different musical projects. But now they are BACK.

The Greenhornes released their 4th album, entitled "****" - or Four Star on itunes this week. The actual CD is being released November 9th on Jack White's Third Man Records. The tracks that I have heard off of the album so far are excellent. As a side-note they are playing the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago with The Black Keys on New Years Eve and New Years Day...An event I for one would really like to be a part of.

Rock n' Roll!
Ben

**You can stream some of the tracks from "****" on Their MySpace page



Tuesday, October 26, 2010

The Tallest Man on Earth (part 2)

Ben first posted on this guy almost a year ago and had very kind words to say about him (all of which are true). Since then he's released another album, The Wild Hunt, which only surpassed what he accomplished on Shallow Grave. So back in September he followed up The Wild Hunt with a new EP: Sometimes the Blues is Just a Passing Bird. It offers five more songs in the same vein of his soulful, folk style he does so well. He even swaps out his acoustic guitar for an electric on "The Dreamer." Below is his most awesome cover of Paul Simon's "Graceland":

Monday, October 25, 2010

Phantogram - Mouthful of Diamonds

I think that we have posted some of their stuff in the past. I thought this song and video were very very cool - Plus they include a ring-necked pheasant in the video, which really earns them bonus points in my book...

Friday, October 22, 2010

Stop Breaking Down

The blues standard that just won't quit

Covering classic blues songs is a rite of passage for rock bands. It's done so often nowadays that people rarely notice when a track by their favorite band is actually a cover of some blues song from the '30s. Whether its Zeppelin, Clapton, John Spencer, Kings of Leon, or My Morning Jacket, everybody who likes to rock has done it. Today let's track the classic Stop Breaking Down through the generations.

Originally recorded by the King of the Delta Blues himself, Mr. Robert Johnson, in 1936:


Picked up by harmonica master Sonny Boy Williamson when blues began taking off as a legitimate genre:


The Rolling Stones, from the classic Exile on Main Street, 1972:


And finally, The White Stripes redefine the entire blues rock genre on their debut album by annihilating this song over the course of two minutes and twenty seconds. This is my favorite White Stripes song, period:


Nobody yells WOO! better than Jack White. If that doesn't get you ready for the weekend then I can't help you. Go rock it.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Kisses

Picking Up Where Cut Copy Left Off
This is Kisses debut self-titled album. And it sounds a lot like the cover art suggests - beachy, dreamy, beverley-hillsy. Check out the below couple of vids, and get your shuffleboard dance ready.





In joy.

Friday, October 15, 2010

The Tribe


Brand Fucking New and Hottttttt
Released late yesterday, The Tribe, brought to you by Heart Music Group, features several awesome remixes from an artist I cant get enough of at the moment - Star Slinger - along with some other awesome artists found before on this blog (Baths and Wise Blood).

It's a free download on bandcamp. Scoop it here.

Here's the official video from one song:


In joy.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Emeralds / MillionYoung / A Teaser

Busy week. Dig on a couple sweet electronica tracks:

Emeralds - Candy Shoppe


MillionYoung - Sunndreamm


---
BONUS: I've decided to release another free mixtape in the not-so-distant-future. If the last one was summer-themed, expect this one to be fall/winter-ish and full of the good shit.

It's called Cabin Fever.

Stay tuned.

&

In joy.

Friday, October 8, 2010

This Stepdad has touched me!

Following the seemingly never-ending "New" New-Wave of dance-pop, the newest addition is Stepdad. Hailing originally from Chicago and now residing in Grand Rapids, Ultramark and Cobrazebra have developed an addictive and accessible sound that feels like a combination of Dan Deacon, Gil Mantera's Party Dream, TV on the Radio-like-harmony, all held together with tight-sparkly beats.

Their first EP is free for download at Bandcamp.
Expect their first LP 'Wildlife Pop' sometime in the next year.

Watch their video for "My Leather, My Fur, My Nails" and tell me this song doesn't get stuck in your head for the rest of your day/life.

El-P - Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx3

This post is dedicated to the new hardcore TSAD
El-P is an angry dude. Why else would he title tracks Drunk With a Loaded Pistol and He Hit Her So She Left on an instrumental album? Seems a little unnecessary to me.

But El-Producto doesn't care what I think. And that's probably for the best. Here are some cuts from his nasty, heavy, and excellent instrumental album.

Meanstreak (In Three Parts)
El-P - Meanstreak (In 3 Parts) by Rhythmic Variations Sound

Whores: The Movie
El-P - Whores: The Movie by gthawk

He's not always mad though:


Buy the Megamixxx here

He raps too! Here he is with yesterday's artist, Das Racist. This track is HOT.

Das Racist feat. El-P - Sit Down, Man

Enjoy the weekend. Getcha head bobbin.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Das Racist


Look what Brooklyn's been up to.
This is Das Racist. From Brooklyn. And when you hear about rappers "spittin" THIS is what they're talking about. Great great lyrics, hot hot beats, good good shit. Every. Single. Lyric. Is. Quotable. Download both their free mixtapes Sit Down, Man and Shut Up, Dude on their Myspace.

Here's a taste:





In joy.

Lucky 1

Avey Tare (of Animal Collective) is set to release his first solo record, Down There, on October 26th. Earlier this week he released the first song off it called "Lucky 1." It's somewhat reminiscent of Merriweather Post Pavilion due to the heavy low end and the reliance on sampling. It also reminds me of "Lion In A Coma" due to the jigsaw harp/didgeridoo sample in it (I can never tell those two instruments apart based on sound). He also released a video (done by his sister) yesterday so check it out:

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Weezer

EDIT: on a random note a friend just turned my attention to this hilarious story (thanks Kunal).

I haven't been a Weezer fan since 2001. After their five year hiatus, Matt Sharp leaving the band (not to mention his lawsuits against the band) and the bust that was the Green Album I gave up on them. My decision was justified by the further releases of Maladroit (I actually kind of liked this one), Make Believe, the Red Album, Ratitude, and now Hurley (not to mention their "highly anticipated" new album Death to False Metal). That being said the band is still capable of pulling off some really cool things (I'm not talking about their awful covers of MGMT and Lady Gaga):

I know this pertains to only a few of you (Chicagoans), but Weezer just announced the Chicago dates for their Memories Tour. Those of you, like me, who absolutely love the Blue Album and Pinkerton will get a chance to hear both performed in their entirety. It's going down January 7th and 8th at the Aragon for about $50 per show. Tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10 am (CDT)***. I will hopefully be there for both. Here's a little reminder of how good this band can be:





***I am in no way affiliated with the band Weezer nor am I being paid to plug this concert. If it were any other event by the band I would actively persuade you, the reader, NOT to partake.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Star Slinger


Absolutely Destroying Remixes
This is Star Slinger. A hip-hop producer from the UK that's been remixing like, every fuckin song there is, and destroying them (in a good way). His stuff is frenetic, but extremely danceable. Here's the best part. That CD above? Yeah, it's a free download. Just go to Star Slinger's Bandcamp, and follow the links.

(You might recognize him from a single song on a previous post on TSAD, and as track 8 on The Electronica Summer.)

Here's another taste. Scoop it!





In joy.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Kanye with Bon Iver (!), and More

I've been tracking Kanye's GOOD Friday's for a little while now, as he's been releasing a new cut each Friday for the past month or so.  He's been killing it ever since he put out the song "Monster", ft. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver, & Nicki Minaj.  On that note, Mos Def recently signed with Kanye's production/mgmt company G.O.O.D, or, Getting Out Our Dreams, who's roster now boasts Mos, Common, Kid Cudi, Pusha T, John Legend, and plenty more.  Anyhoo...

I just caught wind of a Kanye song which features the main sample from Bon Iver's "Up In the Woods."  If you're a Bon Iver fan in any capacity, you know the song - more auto-tune than T Pain.  It's definitely interesting to say the least, but I think pretty damn good and I can't help but continue to be amazed at the genre-bending songs Kanye's been putting out.  Remixing Bieber, teaming up with Bon Iver, appearing on a re-hash of a 30 Seconds to Mars album - and on top of this, putting out new music with Jay-Z, Cudi, Mos, Common, and more.

The guy's a busy dude, and I couldn't be happier, because I haven't had this much new music to look forward to on a weekly basis in ages.  Pay attention to Kanye's lyrics in "Lord Lord Lord." Vulgar - but just awesome.  Never heard douches and booby traps sound so good.  Enjoy some tracks below, just keep playin em:

Kanye - "Lost in the World" ft. Bon Iver

Lost In The World-Kanye West feat. Bon Iver by nadiaCBSRADIO

Kanye West - "Runaway" ft Pusha T

Kanye West - Runaway Feat Pusha T (CDQ) by tkatlanta

Kanye West - "Monster" ft. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver, & Nicki Minaj

Kanye West - Monster by uristocrat

Kanye West - "Lord Lord Lord" ft. Mos Def, Swizz Beatz, Raekwon, Charlie Wilson

Kanye West featuring Mos Def Swizz Beatz Raekwon Charlie Wilson -Lord Lord Lord by Hypetrak

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Friday, September 24, 2010

The Crown and Two Chairmen - An Age of Inquiry

This Chicago post rock band released their debut album, An Age of Inquiry, last Tuesday. They supported the release with a show at Reggie's, accompanied by Caspian, another great up and coming post rock act. I wasn't lucky enough to attend the show, but having seen The Crown a couple of times I can personally vouch for their awesomeness. The band now features a fifth member, multi-instrumentalist Tyson Schutz.

As local bands go, this is as good as it gets. Check out the videos below, and if you like what you hear, buy the album.

The band's website: http://thecrownandtwochairmen.tumblr.com/
Digital download here (only $6!): http://thecrownandtwochairmen.bandcamp.com/
Buy a physical CD here: http://www.thecrownandtwochairmen.bigcartel.com/

This video is most excellent:




Enjoy the weekend and support local music!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Sabali

One song. So powerful.
Sabali is the name of an incredible song by Amadou & Mariam, which I bet will sound pretty familiar. That's because everyone is remixing it these days. And why not? It's got a beautiful lyrical tone full of emotion. Below check the original, followed by versions from Nas + Damian Marley, and another from Theophilus London, an up-and-coming hip hop artist from the UK (duh). (note: both Amadou and Mariam are blind. interesting.)







Bonus: here's a track I've been digging allllllll weeeeeeeek looooooong:
Teebs - Why Like This? (complete with his art as well)


in joy.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Ray Lamontagne - God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise


I doubt that there is anyone reading this blog who is not familiar with the work of Ray Lamontagne. Lamontagne is a bearded backwoods soul singer with a voice that is second to none. He burst on the music scene just six years ago with his enormously successful release "trouble". Since then he has been around but, as anyone who is a fan of his knows, prefers to avoid the limelight. This sort of self consciousness is very apparent in his live performances, but has its own way of captivating an audience. And it is perhaps Lamontagne's apparent and raw emotion (coupled with his voice) that make his music and songwriting so appealing.

I picked up Lamontagne's most recent record "God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise" a couple of weeks ago and it is his finest work. One really need look no further than the album's title for insight into what its about. The album is comprised of ten songs that tell of both love and despair; they are written so perfectly and effortlessly that they without doubt will be enjoyed for years to come. The music is as simple as it is powerful.

God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise was written and recorded in just two weeks at Lamontagne's woodland home in western Massachusetts. A review of the album that I read earlier probably put it best when they stated that "you can practically taste the woodsmoke drifting to the treetops" when listening to the album. The Pariah Dogs (Lamontagne's live back up band for several years) provide the base for the record and really craft the perfect framework to surround Lamontagne's voice. They are loose, live, and give a warm country sound that just plain works.

Take a listen to a couple of tracks. I know you'll enjoy them.

- Ben





Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Beats Antique

Some funky beats with a little Eastern flare - sounds best with volume turned upppp.  Enjoy (or as nate would say, in joy).



Sunday, September 12, 2010

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Beatsssss

Busy week. Headphones on. Enjoy these beats.
Fiveng - Jonah (Star Slinger Remix)


Tokimonsta - Gamble


And for something dreamy...Mathemagic - Breaststroke


In joy.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

New(ish) Big Boi

It's all over the internetz today so why not add it here for all of you music lovers? Below is a track that was supposed to appear on Big Boi's most recent and most excellent Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. The track didn't appear apparently because of contractual issues between Big Boi and Andre 3000's labels. But, as all great things, it leaked on the internet. Below is a video of it and Fader has it to download.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Hollywood Holt Mixtape


After taking August off I'm back!

Hollywood Holt is a Chicago rapper from Chicago. Chicago. I wrote about him whilst discussing Chicago Hip Hop back in the early days of the blog. Click play on the little embedded player below to stream some dope tunes from his latest mixtape, "These Are the Songs That Didn't Make the Album But Are Still Cold as Hell Mixtape."

The name of the mixtape says it better than I can: Hollywood is a funny guy. It's his best attribute as a rapper. (He's also very short. See picture above.) The theme of the mixtape could be "Bitches Be Crazy." Check out Fall Back and Ode to Relationships to see what I mean.










http://www.hollywoodholt.com/

BONUS:
Here's the video for Cee Lo's triumph Fuck You that Levy posted last week:


Spectacular. Thanks to Rob for pointing these tunes out. Enjoy Labor Day Weekend.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Toro Y Moi

Recently I've found myself knee-deep in what I can only describe as futuristic slow jams. This is the part where I share them:

Toro Y Moi
Ok, so Toro y Moi is the stage name of Chazwick Bundick. I shit you not. Let that name sink in a little. And while you do...here's a song or two or three:






---
Also, I had to share these. And if you watch anything today, watch these. Through some Vimeo browsing I came across 2 videos, both super different from each other, from artists I've blogged about on here before. Get your mind right and full screen these outstanding vids.

Blockhead - The Music Scene


and Baths - Lovely Bloodflow


In joy.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

The Morning Benders


Meet The Morning Benders, an indie rock band out of Berkeley, CA. They released their debut album, "Talking Through Tin Cans" just two years ago and since then have toured with such TSAD favorites as MGMT, Yeasayer, Broken Bells (this year), Grizzly Bear, and the Kooks. Their latest album "Big Echo" dropped this year and was co-produced by Chris Taylor - the bassist for Grizzly Bear. Do yourself a favor and pick it up, its a great one to listen to on the way into work (or any other time).

The Morning Benders sound is a very unique one. They find a way to blend many of the musical ideas of a good indie rock band with those of late fifties or early sixties pop. Take a listen, you'll see what I'm talking about....

Enjoy. Ben

This first video is nothing short of phenomenal...


Tuesday, August 31, 2010

I just have no title that's worthy of this

Whether or not you like Arcade Fire (which you probably should), this is one of the neatest things I have ever seen in the history of the internet, and more important, in the history of music videos.  I just ask you all to at least give it a try, I really think you won't regret this.  Just make sure you have a fast internet connection.

Welcome to the future (?), enjoy:

Arcade Fire (presented in HTML5) - "The Wilderness Downtown"
http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/


thx to my music loving girlfriend

Friday, August 27, 2010

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Cee-Lo - "Fuck You" (yep, that's the name of the song and it's amazing)

Cee-Lo, one half of Gnarls Barkley, close associate and songwriter of Outkast, and the guy in this picture with me on the left, just put out a new cut that is without a doubt the most catchy and to-the-point song of the summer.  Eamon's "Fuck It" from my sophomore year ('03?) just got knocked out of first place for best break up song ever.  This tops it.

Forget the new Enrique, forget that new sweet song with Eminem and Rihanna (or however you spell her damn name, I always forget where the 'h' goes), and definitely forget the hottest kid of August (not Bieber, it's that stupid opera singing girl from America's Got Talent).  Here is summer's latest and greatest hit.

So, enjoy this new banger, oh so cleverly titled "Fuck You."  Damn I love this song:


Thx to Frommer.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

New Music Discovery

Today's post is all about finding new, awesome tracks via el interneto. Recently two tools, both very different in how they work, were created and are excellent for just that. Without further ado:

Shuffler.fm

Internet radio via blogs. It's pretty great. You choose a genre of music and it takes you from music blog to music blog, playing you songs you might have heard, or in most cases, some new, noteworthy shit. Give it a whirl.

here: Shuffler.fm

---
Extension.fm

An iTunes that's populated as you browse. This thing is awesome. Say you go over to the hype machine and listen to a few tracks. Well, if you have Extension.fm all the downloadable mp3s on Hypem get uploaded into a nifty little browser version of iTunes, there for you whenever you want. One downside, it's currently only available for Google Chrome browsers (which sucks, but it made me download chrome, and the Extension.fm plug-in is certainly worth the trouble).

here: Extension.fm

---
And what would a new music thursday post be without a killer jam?
As you wish:

Wise Blood - STRT SRNS from Dead As Digital on Vimeo.

In joy.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Friday the 13th's Goodness: Brett Shady

Happy Friday Yall,

This is one of those 'lucky it fell in my lap' songs, as I've been listening to it all week and having some serious foot tapping sessions. There unfortunately isn't a ton of music to listen to online by this talented dude, Brett Shady, but what a great song this is, titled "Angels, Ghosts, and Demons." Lyrically full of personal experiences and ups and downs, musically upbeat, and easily evoking early Johnny Cash - it's a great jam. Call me an emo guy, but the final minute of the song actually gets to me a bit, it just seems deep rooted from somewhere, always have to wonder what experiences artists write about in their songs.

I'd highly recommend listening to the song in its entirety. Foot tap away (as everyone whose already heard this song will attest to), and it's 2010 so hopefully you have Flash installed on your computer):

214
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]


Right click on me and hit save as to download
Buy the album: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/BrettShady/from/viglink
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/brettshadysongs

Thanks to Kristin A.