On “Pictures”, UK singer-songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich paints the gentlest yet sobering of tunes. Weaving the subtlest of imagery between spare strums of a simple guitar figure, Leftwich is open here, he’s vulnerable. The tune draws you in, the melody keeps you, the song connects you.
Benjamin Francis Leftwich – Picturesrating: 8.3
On his new “Good Man” jam, b3sci fav Raphael Saadiq puts it down real and does like the song says. The tune oozes heat and aches for its lyrical content. “Good Man” sounds a few years in the future from Saadiq’s 60’s flavored The Way I See It material, namely the early to mid 70’s think Delfonics, think Dramatics. Good shit right here. Get into it.
Raphael Saadiq – Good ManThe video for Saadiq’s new single “Radio”
rating: 8
“I Love You So” was one of our favorite songs of 2010, so much so it made our Year End Top 50 list, somewhere in the 30’s or so if I reckon. The song has such a killer groove and vocal sample, fucking with it is likely futile right? Well, enter Belgian producer DJVC. His new remix of “I Love You So” is an absolute heater. Rally round the b3sci family and get into it below.
Cassius – I Love You So (DJVC Remix)purchase Cassius / info
more DJVC
Also, here goes Skream’s take on the track which is expected February 14th. The rip is from an Annie Mac Radio 1 set. CDQ coming soon…
rating: 8.7
2011 is Mona’s for the taking. These guys have the alternative sound absolutely locked. “Teenager” could be a top 10 U.S. radio single right now. The chorus is huge, massive, gigantic. Large enough to fill stadiums and arenas, which is likely Mona‘s destination ? years on..
MONA – Teenagerrating: 8.3
New shit from one of our fav UK bands, Boxer Rebellion. The rhythmically-driven “Step Out of the Car” fixes up with a KILLER verse, a minor keyed melody floats over a crash of syncopated bass and kick drum, a crash and tension that finds a release in the song’s riff-heavy chorus. Look out for TBR’s upcoming Cold Still LP due Feb 8.
The Boxer Rebellion – Step Out of the Car via DBF MusicRating: 8.0
Cold War Kids recently creeped around Jack White’s hood just long enough to lay down this dope live version of their tune “Skip the Charades”. The vid features all the soulful rhythms and crunchy riffs you’d come to expect from a live CWK jam, PLUS a little something extra you might not, a serious Win Butler-look on the lead singer dude! Our homey has grown long the tresses and scruffed out the face and trimmed himself clean in long sleeves, button-down, and collar! Baby, I swear it’s Deja Vu!
Cold War Kids – Skip the Charades (Live at Third Man Records)Rating: 7.8
You are now cruising at 35,000 feet. Please keep your seats and tray tables in the smoke kush everyday position. p.s. Wiz’s verse is prob our fav verse of the year so far.
Snoop Dogg – That Good (Feat. Wiz Khalifa) via music-mashsRating: 8.4
Adele kills it again. Her go at the iconic Cure ballad is, for lack of a better word, breathtaking. A soulful organ provides the guts, subtle string figures fix the frame. Adele is on another level right now.
Adele – Lovesong (track removed by label request)
rating: 9.0
Glasvegas have released a new track from their forthcoming EUPHORIC /// HEARTBREAK \\\ LP. “The World Is Yours” is being considered their “comeback song” (per the NME), and while it helps keeps their sound alive let’s hope it’s not the comeback single.
Glasvegas – The World Is YoursRating: 7.8
On “World Outside My Room” Liam & co. flip the script with this quieter b-side number. Liam’s voice sounds a more youthful more puerile tone. For a moment, at least on this track, the sneering, the posturing, the qualities about Liam that can at times isolate him as an artist from his vocal performance are replaced with an ease and nonchalance. Notions that better connect with the simple song’s whimsical, sort of adolescent content. Liam sounds 21 years old, 18 years old, 16 years old on this track. Love it.
Beady Eye – World Outside My RoomRating: 8.4
Best we’ve heard yet from the Beady Eye geezers. “The Roller” is the sort of minor key stomper in-their-prime Oasis could knock off in their sleep (or more likely whilst tripping balls). As to be expected with latter-day Liam vox, the Lennon aping is on full go here, from the the way the vocals are done up in the mix to the, um, actual vocals themselves. But still the tune is super cool, so fix up, look sharp, let the beat rock, all that, and press play.
Beady Eye – The RollerRating: 8.4
