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Track Reviews

Mabel Love – Hardened Face

mabellove

“Hardened Face” is the debut single. The band is British no doubt (Sheffield UK) but sound much more American than their place of birth would lead you to believe (or maybe not, lol, they do bear a bit of a resemblance to fellow Sheffieldians? Sheffieldites? Arctic Monkeys (and yes, there is a history between the two bands)). That aside, Pixies, Replacements, maybe Husker Du, that seems to be Mabel Love’s main font of inspiration. “Hardened Face” is loud guitars, punchy measured rhythm, and high-powered vox. You know what it is. Click click click below.

Mabel Love – Hardened Face

Mabel Love england: (Myspace) (Official) (Facebook)

Rating: 7.7

brown71

reviewed by
06-29-11

Bassnectar – Upside Down

bassnectar

Oooooh taste the syrupy sweetness. The nectar man drops a bomb for your Wednesday afternoon. The drop on “Upside Down” is nice but the less wobbly bits of the track are def the most delectable – big claps, siren sounds, sped up snare fills. Shit just got serious. Go get it, girl. #raxonraxonrax

Bassnectar – Upside Down

Bassnectar california: (Official) (Myspace) (Soundcloud)

Rating: 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
06-29-11

Benjamin Francis Leftwich – 1904

benjaminfrancisleftwich

We are huge fans of Benjamin Francis Leftwich so we are super stoked to bring to you the North American premiere on his new track “1904”. The song, previewed from the forthcoming Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm LP, is a stunning piece of acoustic pop. Leftwich’s hushed vocal styling is framed by striking washes of accordion and harmony and held anchor by a simple percussive shuffle. Sample “1904”, as well as other tracks from Snowstorm below.

Benjamin Francis Leftwich – 1904

Benjamin Francis Leftwich england: (Official) (Myspace) (Facebook)

Rating: 9.0

brown93

reviewed by
06-28-11

YC – Racks (Remix) (Feat. Nelly, B.o.B., Trae the Truth, Yo Gotti, CyHi Da Prynce, Dose & Ace Hood)

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on

bikerack

on

rackofribs

YC – Racks (Remix) (Feat. Nelly, B.o.B., Trae the Truth, Yo Gotti, CyHi Da Prynce, Dose & Ace Hood)

YC ohio: (Facebook)

Rating: 7.7

brown71

reviewed by
06-28-11

Little Majorette – Never Be the Same

littlemajorette

If you like Scandinavian synth pop with moody rhythmic verses, huge epic choruses, and more hooks than Jimmy Houston’s tackle box, (we totally just took it there) then you, friend, have hit some sort of song jackpot cause “Never Be the Same” is all those things, and really really well executed, an exemplar for the genre.

Little Majorette – Never Be the Same

Little Majorette sweden (Myspace) (Soundcloud) (Official)

Rating: 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
06-28-11

Bjork – Crystalline

bjorkcrystalline

Rather than take someone else’s melody and recycle it, (looking at you, Rihanna and the Rapture) Bjork has recycled herself. “Crystalline” exists between the crunchy prescient remixes on Telegram and the delicate echoes of Vespertine. Taking her own sound and twisting it, you feel nostalgia for those previous records without the hangover.

Contributed by Erin Routson

Bjork – Crystalline

Bjork iceland: (Official) (Myspace) (Twitter)

Rating: 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
06-28-11

Tabi Bonney – Parachutes (Prod. Ski Beatz)

tabi

Gotta admit this one of our fav hip hop tracks in a minute. Ski stretches the beat on “Parachute” to its limit, makes it taught til its paper thin, and what amounts is a super dense, compact, slim track. The perfect rudder to Tabi’s more talk-y conversational flow.

Tabi Bonney – Parachutes (Prod. Ski Beatz)

Tabi Bonney districtofcolumbia: (Official) (Myspace) (Twitter)

Rating: 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
06-28-11

Jesse Boykins III – Back Home (Mermaids & Dragons) (Prod. Gold Panda)

jb32

b3sci fav Jesse Boykins III returns w a new Gold Panda produced track. We’re defniitely feeling this electro-tinged change of pace for JBIII. And while the track maybe heavily synthesized/processed, colder, Boykins’ smooth tenor keeps the tune up on a steady slow burn.

Jesse Boykins III – Back Home (Mermaids & Dragons) (Prod. Gold Panda)

Jesse Boykins III newyork (Official) (Myspace) (Twitter)

Rating: 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
06-28-11

Memory Tapes – Trance Sisters

memorytapes

“Trance Sisters” is what you’d want Memory Tapes second LP to sound like; jagged rhythms, percussive melodies, and enough syncopation to get your next Bard College rave party poppin’. Lets go to the track!

Memory Tapes – Trance Sisters

Memory Tapes newjersey (Myspace) (Facebook) (Twitter)

Rating: 7.9

brown93

reviewed by
06-27-11

Grimes – My Sister Says the Saddest Things

grimes

Yeah, we fuck with Grimes. We also fuck with BANGS too. Take U to the Movies.

Grimes – My Sister Says the Saddest Things

Grimes canada (Myspace)

Rating: 7.9

brown71

reviewed by
06-27-11

Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know

marling

“A Creature I Don’t Know” is the lead single from Ms. Marling’s upcoming third LP of the same name due in September. “A Creature I Don’t Know” represents a realization and maturity in Marling’s writing and vocal stylings. She’s confident, she’s on top the tune, she’s bleeding out the track. It’s great.

Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know

Laura Marling england: (Official) (Myspace) (Facebook)

Rating: 8.0

brown8

reviewed by
06-27-11

Breton – RDI (Girl Unit Remix)

girlunit

We close up shop for the week on this heatrock of a Breton remix by London production smith Girl Unit. Feel the fresh Friday vibes. We out!

Breton – RDI (Girl Unit Remix)

Girl Unit england: (Myspace) (Soundcloud) (Facebook)

Rating: 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
06-24-11