Month: February 2010

Sorry, this one is late today — feeling like crap. (Just in time for the weekend! Woohoo! *Cough*)

Kate Nash has a new album coming out in April, and she’s posted a track on her website. It’s a very different sound — not so much the keyboard-singer-songwriter vibe of her first album. This one is a lot more guitar-driven and simplistic (basically just her repeating the title over and over). I like it, but it’s a major departure — and I find myself hoping that this track represents something of an anomaly on the album. Kate Nash – “I Just Love You More.” (Note: the mp3 is mistagged as “Kate Bush”, but it’s Kate Nash.)

Speaking of things Nash…. Here is one of the most cheerfully optimistic songs ever written. I can’t hear this without getting my mood lifted (which, given how my day is going, is a good thing): Johnny Nash – “I Can See Clearly Now.”

A smoking bit of electronica from French artist Étienne de Crécy (and yes, I fully admit that I first gave a listen because of his surname. So what — I’m a history geek as well as a music geek). This particular version is given some nice tweaking by the Bloody Beetroots. Étienne de Crécy – “Welcome (The Bloody Beetroots Remix).”

Dotta Numba 2 has been listening to Flogging Molly, so I figured that I’d post this, so she could know who they were shamelessly imitating: The Pogues – “Bottle of Smoke.”

A track from the FIFA 10 soundtrack that’s been stuck in my head: Matt and Kim – “Daylight (Troublemaker Remix, feat. De La Soul).”

A new single from Swedish pop band The Radio Dept., from their forthcoming album Clinging to a Scheme. I really like this track. The Radio Dept. – “Heavens On Fire.”

If loving this bit of instrumental funk from a group of Scots is wrong, then I don’t wanna be right. Average White Band – “Pick Up The Pieces.”

One of my favorite tunes by The Clash (most recently featured in Guy Ritchie’s Rocknrolla soundtrack, which is what came across my iTunes today and reminded me): The Clash – “Bankrobber.”

Lastly… get pumped, people. Sometimes the situation calls for an 80s motivational montage. This is one of those times. Bask in the RAW AWESOME. Robert Tepper – “No Easy Way Out.”

Enjoy.

Here we go…

First up, a request in honor of ‘s birthday! She asked me to track this down from last week’s Grammy Awards… A special tribute to Les Paul, featuring Jeff Beck on guitar, and Irish rockabilly kitten Imelda May on vocals (and, to answer our question — she sang live over a multi-track recording of her own voice doing backing vocals, as a tribute to the fact that Les Paul invented the multi-track recorder, and had recorded this song in 1951 with his wife doing all the vocals!): Jeff Beck and Imelda May – “How High The Moon.”

If you’d like to hear what Imelda May’s own stuff sounds like, here’s a track from her debut album Love Tattoo — an ode to the upright bass: Imelda May – “Johnny’s Got A Boom-Boom.”

Watched a documentary on HBO this week called “This is my Africa”, featuring various famous Anglo-Africans (including Chiwetel Ejiofor and Colin Firth — who was raised in Nigeria) talking about everything from food to language to music. Very cool. The section on music introduced me to the following Nigerian artist. Born Bukola Elemide in Paris, her family moved back to Nigeria when she was two. She perfoms under the stage name Aṣa (pronounced “Asha”), which is Yoruba for “Hawk.” Great sound — a mix of jazz, soul and reggae. This song speaks of the problems facing Africa, which everyone is ignoring. A very compelling mix of urgent, socially-conscious lyrics, with a laid-back sound. Aṣa – “Fire On The Mountain.”

Rob Zombie’s new album is out — the first one that he’s actually recorded with his touring band, instead of just doing all himself. It’s presented as a “sequel” to his solo debut, and the full title is Hellbilly Deluxe 2: Noble Jackals, Penny Dreadfuls and the Systematic Dehumanization of Cool. This track is based around the brilliant fake movie trailer that he did for Tarantino and Rodriguez’ Grindhouse: Rob Zombie – “Werewolf Women of the SS.”

Massive Attack also has a new album, their first in seven years. I haven’t listened to much of it yet, but this track grabbed me pretty much immediately: Massive Attack – “Girl I Love You (feat. Horace Andy).”

…and lastly, a blast from the past which I heard again this week, reminding me of how much I like it. Delerium – “Silence (feat. Sarah McLachlan).”

There you go. Enjoy!