Contributed by Erin Routson
If you are nostalgic for the late 90s, My So-Called Life, and mixtapes, Greg Dulli will take you there. He’s never really left that time, actually. The Twilight Singers can still take you to that place where things are dark and sort of ominous, but you somehow creepily enjoy it. Why Shaq isn’t in the Santa costume in the video, though, is beyond me.
The Twilight Singers – On the CornerRating: 8.4
Another winner c/o of LA guitar band Funeral Party. “Postcards of Persuasion” is prob a hit on rock radio right now (if it still exists?!1), it def would’ve been one five years ago (danceable rhythms, delayed guitars, enough a pop hook to stick in your head). Can these guys open for Interpol or The Stills? or Editors? Will MTV 2 feature their vid on “Subterranean”? Are they a band to watch? Haha, anyway, the track is ace. Get into it.
Funeral Party – Postcards of PersuasionRating: 8.0
Fully exhumed and resurrected, worms still slithering, this classic Killa track from ’06 (right around when Cam got shot inside his Lambo) was recently raised from the grave by producer Duke Da God for his latest Harlem Classics compilation. It’s totally Sick hearing Cam on a less dreary track like this. Cam, we know you can still make hot records. When he’s on his game, Cam’ron’s got one of the best flows in hip hop, period. Tracks like “Oh What a Night” are the way back. Work on it.
Cam’ron – Oh What a Night (Prod. Duke Da God)Rating: 8.0
Can’t front, totally got this shit on repeat. Make your free throws.
Charles Barkley – I May Be Wrong (But I Doubt It) (Prod. Cool & Dre)
Rating: 8.5
Truth, the studio version of Jamie Woon’s “Lady Luck” is dope. This a capella vocal recorded live on a canoe in Cambodia (!) is a mindblower.
Jamie Woon – Lady Luck (Al Fresco)Rating: 8.3
Pet Scenes are fucking great. LOUD guitars, HEAVY rhythms. “Man Contest” has weight, a sense of tension, soul, emotional guts, something that separates the song and the band from others in its genre. Into it.
Pet Scenes – Man ContestRating: 8.2
Maybe a slightly more jazzed up quality on this new Flying Lotus tune. It sort of carries a similar aesthetic to Roy Ayers more mellow ’70’s material. Add to that Fly Lo’s usual haul of killer polyrhythms and rich ambient textures and you’re left smoothing out to a pretty sick track. “Caravan of Delight” will feature on the new Ed Banger release King of Limbs Let the Children Techno expect quality shit from Skream, Mr. Oizo and SebastiAn to also feature on the compilation.
Rating: 8.1
Check this new UFO-wave mix of The Streets’ “Puzzled By People” by southeast London artist Zoo Kid. Outta space jam.
The Streets – Puzzled By People (Zoo Kid Remix) via SKOARating: 8.1
We won’t front, when we first saw “Dum Dum Girls” paired with “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” we feared the worst. “There Is a Light” is at least one b3sci’ers fav Smiths song so the bar is a little on the high side. Dum Dum Girls smash it though. From the moment we hit play, and the those big Surfaris-esque guitar tones came in we were hooked. Catch the wave below.
Dum Dum Girls – There Is a Light That Never Goes Out (Smiths Cover)Rating: 8.2
Totally fucking brilliant! One of our favorite singles of the year so far. “Pray On Me” is an absolute monster, a ten thousand pound megatron bomb of sick vocals (check the howl on singer Marc Jones), punishing guitar, and massive fill-the-room rhythms. Mega.
Kill It Kid – Pray On Me
