“Exit” is the lead track from electronic artist Dorian White’s new Holding a Ghost EP. “Exit” plays almost like hymn, like something sacred, if sacred music could be ported over 808s.
Dorian White – Exit via ISO50Rating: 8.2
“Exit” is the lead track from electronic artist Dorian White’s new Holding a Ghost EP. “Exit” plays almost like hymn, like something sacred, if sacred music could be ported over 808s.
Dorian White – Exit via ISO50Rating: 8.2
Beard Sam Beam and his band of noisemaking folk dudes have a new LP coming your way called Kiss Each Other Clean. “Walking Far From Home” serves as a first introduction to the album and perhaps a preview to a sound slightly diverged. The track features a vaguely gospel-sounding electric organ-driven feel laced with a “Tempted By the Fruit of Another”-esque melodic line. We think the tune’s pretty ace and we’re pretty psyched to hear what more is in store on this project.
Iron & Wine – Walking Far From Home
Rating: 8.3
A blah electropop track is transformed here on this live acoustic version of “Golden Train” by Penguin Prison. Supported by a killer vocal (WOW!) and just a knockout tune (really shown off here in this sparer version), the song soars. One of the better melodies and vocal performances (Check that falsetto) of the year.
Penguin Prison – Golden Train (Acoustic)Rating: 8.2
Everybody’s favorite corduroy jacket wearer Jeff Tweedy penned this tune for the gospel legend’s LP of the same name that came out in Sept. Mavis is one of the greatest singers ever period and she sounds fantastic on this track, Tweedy also produced. Mavis’ ability to emote, her ability to just connect each tone, and wring it out, and just pry that feeling out of herself and out of the listener is really unparalleled. “I’ll Take You There” and “Respect Yourself” are classic jams, but some of our favorite Staple Singers material is the group’s more spare early spirituals albums on Veejay Records. Check’em out, if you’re not familiar.
Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone (Prod. Jeff Tweedy)Rating: 8.4
Liam and the boys make good on the b-side of their new 7-inch with a remake of the 1991 underground NY hit “Sons of the Stage”, from indie-brits World of Twist. It’s a psychedelic stomper and we love it. This tune wants you to dance.. so DANCE!
Beady Eye‘s debut LP is expected February 28. They also recently announced a handful of European tour dates (below). Apparently the band will be in Europe during the end of March… no SXSW guys? Get a free download of “Bring The Light” at the bands website HERE …
Beady Eye Tour Dates 2011
Glasgow Barrowland – 3 March
Glasgow Barrowland – 4 March
Manchester O2 Apollo – 6 March
Manchester O2 Apollo – 7 March
London Troxy – 9 March
London Troxy – 9 March
Paris Casino de Paris – 13 March
Koln Live Music Hall – 14 March
Milan Alcatraz – 16 March
Madrid La Reviera – 18 March
Amsterdam Paradiso – 21 March
Beady Eye info / buy it / Pretty Green
Rating: 8.5
Came across this remix crawling the internets for jams. Jakwob’s one of our fav producers of the dstep universe. Here he goes in on the YYYs tune from last year. Get into it below. Wub Wub Wub Wub.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll (Jakwob Remix)Rating: 8.0
A touch different sound here on this new track from Chapel Club. “Telluride” sounds a bit like it was recorded in that place. The song has space, it feels icy, a bit more isolated, less tensive, but still pop comfortable. “Telluride” was tracked during the sessions for the band’s upcoming debut. Will this be more what the record will sound like? Less “All the Eastern Girls” and “Pictures of You”? Stay tuned.
Chapel Club – TellurideRating: 8.0
The Chief and the boys pay homage to the David Bowie and Brian Eno penned classic. Circa ’97, “Heroes” is a b-side to the Be Here Now 7:22 long debut single “D’You Know What I Mean”. A song, by the way, which should win an award as one of the greatest debut singles, to a post global phenomenon album, of all time.
Really, how ballsy is “D’You Know What I Mean”? Other than the fact it’s basically “Wonderwall” a half step down, just listen to it let alone the entire Be Here Now LP. It’s coked out, it’s Liam Gallagher hurling in between vocal takes, it’s infinite layers of consonant genius.. it’s getting kicked out of Abbey Road Studio’s ballsy. Be Here Now radiates the sort of ambitious irony that only a band that believes they are the greatest band in the world can create. And for that reason it is genuine, and for that reason it is great. Noel claims to hate Be Here Now par a few tunes. Liam… us… and select Oasis fans around the world rather claim it’s one of the best Rock and Roll albums of all time. Either way look at it, it’s “Coming in a mess, going out in style”.
“Heroes” finds a nice home as part of the Oasis B-side legacy. Part of an infamous B-side collection that would be a worthy A-list collection to a majority of artists. Example, dude’s performed their ’95 b-side “Acquiesce” on Saturday Night Live in 1998. How good was it? Good enough for Saturday Night Live to include it on their SNL Celebrates 25 Years of Music 2 CD collection. And they’ve got LOTS of music to chose from. Get it here!
Oasis – Heroes (David Bowie Cover)
A favorite remix of a favorite song by a favorite artist. Grifta’s rework of the seminal Deadmau5 tune is five and a half minutes of expansiveness, hope, wonder, beauty, the future on tape. What that sounds like.
Deadmau5 – Faxing Berlin (Grifta Remix)Rating: 8.6
Photo by Carrie Day
We’ve been fans of singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow for a minute now. His penchant for soulful melody and tuneful lyricism makes him one to keep eyes peeled to in 2011. Already a success in his native Ireland (#1 album, sold-out national tour), McMorrow is set to release his debut LP Early in the Morning in the States in January. We can’t wait. Check out some of these quotes about his development as an artist and writer. (Man, would we love to just hang out and talk music with this guy.)
James Vincent McMorrow – Sparrow and The Wolf“I started listening to older music from the 50’s-70’s, and learning guitar, piano. Then I heard a Donny Hathaway song called ‘I Love You More Than You Will Ever Know’ and it made me want to start singing.“ (YES!) “I’ve been a huge fan of female singers, probably because of the way I sing. I can understand the way they construct melody almost better than I can the way male singers write.” (YES!) “That’s how I started learning how to record myself,” remembers James, “by listening to people like The Neptunes and Timbaland, and trying to figure out how they did what they did.” (YES!)
rating: 8.3
UK producer Star Slinger crafts a fucking monster here, melding the 1990 Cocteau Twins tune Heaven or Las Vegas into one of the coolest space jams yet heard on this planet or any other. Star Slinger’s rhythmic intelligence is really top shelf. The way he uses the Manny Fresh-esque snare drags to compliment the repetitions in the bits of voice and melody and shards of synth is just phenomenal.
Star Slinger – Elisabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins Rework)rating: 8.2
Take It Back is new from NYC-based singer/songwriter Dani Elliott. What a great song. From the warm guitar strums on the tune’s silky verse to the subtle organ flourishes of it’s feel good chorus, the song has near perfect instrumentation. And Dani’s voice? Wow. Think Corinne Bailey Rae, Think Jill Scott, Think Ella Fitzgerald. Think that sonorous smoothness that connects those three voices. That’s where Dani is.
Dani Elliott – Take It BackRating: 8.2
