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Cibelle – Green Grass

cibelle2

an arresting cover of an arresting song. this version of “green grass”, from brazillian singer cibelle’s 2006 record “the shine of dried electric leaves”, is both sublime and stunning. the tinge of bossa used in the song’s spare instrumentation creates a color and atmosphere that evokes an at some times diffuse and at others blended notion/dynamic of romantic idea and stark isolation. cibelle’s breathy float-on-top-of-the-mix vocal feels as an intermediary between that polarity. cibelle’s voice through tom waits’ penetrating words evoke those spaces between moments, the spaces devoid of the capacity even potential to feel something….anything.

Cibelle – Green Grass

buy “green grass”
cibelle on myspace

rating: 9.0

brown9

reviewed by
10-15-09

Basement Jaxx – A Possibility (Feat. Amp Fiddler)

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the jaxx are baxx with their new “scars” LP. the album, out now on XL, features, among others; cool babe kelis, cool dude sam sparro, and the patently ice cold jose james. “a possibility”, our choice track from the record, has too what is easily our favorite feature on the record, detroit soul vet amp fiddler. fiddler’s buttery vox well compliment the track’s syrupy smooth beat and feel. love it!

Basement Jaxx – A Possibility (Feat. Amp Fiddler)

buy “a possibility”
on myspace

rating: 9.0

brown9

reviewed by
10-14-09

Ghostface Killah – Do Over (Feat. Raheem DeVaughn)

ghost

it’s that radio raheem and ghostface killah! yeah!

Ghostface Killah – Do Over (Feat. Raheem DeVaughn)

amazon / myspace

rating: 8.4

brown8

reviewed by
10-13-09

Fenech-Soler – Lies

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new from Fenech-Soler, “lies” drops official this November 2. catch’em on tour with Groove Aramada if you can.. but if you’re like us and you can’t because you don’t live in the UK… then we’re TOTALLY FEELIN YOU! this track comes with an absolutely KILLER melody! can we say that enough? well, we’ll repeat (while we get down!) KILLER MELODY! KILLER MELODY! yeah! blahblahindie-electro with a tune that clearly sets these guys in the company of rising talent. The Phantom Revenge, Alex Metric and Tom Staar also lend their paws in remixes on the upcoming release. dig it dec..

rating: 8.4
brown81

reviewed by
10-13-09

Emiliana Torrini – Me and Armini (Simone Lombardi Remix)

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Simone Lombardi remixes the sultry Emiliana Torrini track for her new Me and Armini EP. it’s kinda like Lombardi “Could You Be Loved ’09’d” the song’s initial mix, melding the groove of the classic Bob Marley tune with the addition of subtle electro flourishes and overdubed rhythmic syncopations. The EP, out now on Rough Trade, also features KCRW performances of “Ha Ha” and “Beggar’s Prayer” as well as an additional take on “Me and Armini” by producer Dan Carey.

Emiliana Torrini – Me and Armini (Simone Lombardi Remix)

buy it
myspace

rating: 8.4
brown81

reviewed by
10-12-09

Oasis 1991 – 2009

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John Harris once asked Liam Gallagher during an interview for the NME “do you have any recurring dreams?” Liam’s response, “Yeah, just the one… where I take over the band.” a powerful statement from Liam off Fierce Panda’s Oas*s Wibbling Rivalry release recorded in 1994. the bootleg of the Gallagher brothers bickering about Liam getting thrown off a ferry (transcript here) charted in the UK at #52 in November 1995, making it the highest ever charting recorded interview. most importantly though, the interview ends eerily with that exact quote from Liam.

in fact, Liam has put it on the table several times that Oasis would continue without his brother Noel. reason being that he was instrumental in the original line up of the band in 1991 formerly known as The Rain, of which Noel would later join to form Oasis. it became official this week that Oasis would not continue without Noel, since his for real departure from the band in late August. in an interview with The Times UK Liam stated:

“Well, Oasis is no longer. I think we all know that. So that’s done,” he explained. “It’s a shame, but that’s life. We had a good run at it. The thing about Oasis is no-one… we ended Oasis. No-one ended it for us. Which was pretty, kind of… cool. I’m thinking of what the next step is musically, which is all my mind’s on.”

And a shame it is, but of course Liam did leave room for a possible reunion, “People will be able to buy his (Noel’s) records. People will be able to buy our records. So everyone’s happy,” he explained, adding that he hoped in future to recover his relationship with Noel. “Well, that’s a long way off yet, man, but who knows?”

as a solo artist Noel Gallagher so frequently produces incredible moments, which you can hear in this arrangement of the classic Oasis b-side “Listen Up” that he and guitarist Gem Archer performed during a small unplugged tour in 2006. Noel has also stated he has loads of song that he didn’t think were “Oasis tunes”. it’s been rumored that Noel is working on a solo project, of which we’ll definitely keep you posted. as for Liam, while so many claim he’s the lesser talented of the two, his tracks on Oasis’ last few releases speak for themselves. it will be interesting to see what kind of projects he gets involved with… as long as he doesn’t take Jay-Z up on his offer, we’re cool with it. Andy Bell, Ride reunion.. eh? sing us out Noel..

Cos I’ve been sailing down this river alone,
Just trying to find my way back home.
But I don’t believe in magic cos life is automatic,
and I don’t mind being on my own

Oasis – Listen Up (Noel Gallagher Unplugged at Le Cabaret Sauvage, Paris 11.28.06 )
Oas*s – Wibbling Rivalry (Part 1)
Oas*s – Wibbling Rivalry (Part 2)

get familiar

oasis-wonderwall

reviewed by
10-11-09

People Under the Stairs – Hit the Top

peopleunderthestairs

“first rule in beat sales, put the most attractive beats on top. the ones that make you pull the car over and go, wow, i need this beat right now.” MONEY BEAT! YEAH!!!

People Under the Stairs – Hit the Top

buy “hit the top”
puts on myspace

rating: 9.0

brown9

reviewed by
10-10-09

NASA Bombs the Moon, Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize, Alex Jones Cries..

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7:31 am this morning NASA’s LCROSS bomb struck the moon in an attempt to uncover ice under its surface. matt lauer (see below) was clearly unimpressed by the lack of “hollywood” awe which the event produced. fuck you matt lauer.. in other news, president b-rock was chosen to recieve the nobel peace prize, of which he stated he’s not worthy to recieve but will anyway. HMMM?! right now somewhere in austin, texas alex jones is totally BAWWWWING the fuck out! we love you, alex! call us!

classic. this CNN bird looks at BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY like he’s straight high when he says the bombing wasn’t alot of tax payer $$$. IT’S A TRAP!

reviewed by
10-09-09

Pulp Fiction Friday

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a band musically before it’s time, The Revels helped influence much of what would become the surf-rock movement in rock and roll and american culture. consider the band an early 60’s equivalent of that one bad ass lupine dude who solves problems. you know this guy..

The Revels – Comanche

buy it here

reviewed by
10-09-09

The Raveonettes – Gone Forever and D.R.U.G.S.

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awwwww no we didn’t! awwww yeah we did! we’re totally on about this new raveonettes record, “in and out of control”. the LP, from which “gone forever” and “d.r.u.g.s.” are both excerpted, is one of our fav records of 2009. “in and out of control” sees the danish duo on, if not the best material of their career, the band’s best in several years. we like the raveonettes best at their more darker moments (ie. lust from 2007’s “lust lust lust” record). both “gone forever” and “d.r.u.g.s.” realize that darker, minor key, rhythmically driven, melodically syncopated sound; a sound that’s not only infinitely listenable but cool as fuck too. get into it.

The Raveonettes – Gone Forever
The Raveonettes – D.R.U.G.S.

buy “in and out of control” LP
the raveonettes on myspace

rating: 9.1/9.0

brown9

reviewed by
10-08-09

Air – You Can Tell It To Everybody

air

“You Can Tell It To Everybody”, new from Air’s Love 2 LP released yesterday, sounds eerily (or coincidentally? or monotonously?) similar to the duo’s previous releases; ie: ethereal atmospheres , whimsical arrangements and a “delicate” vocal delivery. it does what Air do best, dig it dec

Air – You Can Tell It To Everybody

buyit
myspace

rating: 7
brown71

reviewed by
10-07-09

IN THE MIX: A Place to Bury Strangers! Rappers! Mayer Hawthorne!

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what up, world? it’s new music tuesday! pass the pizza! “deadbeat” is new from ny guitar combo a place to bury strangers. the song RIPS and is our favorite from the just released “exploding head” LP. the title of “the best”, a new collaboration between lil’ wayne, kanye west, t.i. and jhey-z, is likely a bit of an overstatement; as we’re sort of “lukewarm” about the song. and despite his verse being what 6 bars?, tip (and it ain’t even close) is still on top form and again EASILY wins this collab. our man in the d, mayer hawthorne, released his debut LP “a strange arrangement” last month. the silky smooth “shiny and new” shines as one of many highlights on the record.

A Place to Bury Strangers – Deadbeat
Lil’ Wayne, Kanye West, T.I. & Jay-Z – The Best

A Place to Bury Strangers: buy “exploding head” lp / myspace / rating 8.8
Lil’ Wayne: buy lil wayne music / myspace / rating 6.8
Mayer Hawthorne: buy “shiny and new” mp3 / myspace / rating 7.7

reviewed by
10-06-09