Category: Music

OK, here we go again:

The Foo Fighters have a new album coming in April, produced by Butch Vig (who was the producer of Nirvana’s Nevermind). The first single from the album has been popping up on music blogs all over the web. Sounds pretty damned good: Foo Fighters – “Rope.”

Been listening to Hooverphonic’s last album with original vocalist Geike Arnaert, 2008’s President of the LSD Golf Club. A bit more straightforward than their usual trip-hoppy sound, but still plays through my head as soundtrack pieces from imaginary Bond movies. Hooverphonic – “50 Watt.” Has anyone heard the new stuff with the new vocalist? Post in comments.

Ah, the 90s. Back then, we didn’t care what a “Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe” was. Nobody knew. Didn’t matter. The song was odd, and slammin’. That’s all we needed. Whale – “Hobo Humpin’ Slobo Babe.”

As per usual, the underground/alternative hip-hop scene — the *true* hip-hop scene — continues to produce material that leaves the corporate bitches-and-bling crap in the dust. Here’s a brilliant bit of work en Español from French-born Chilean MC Ana Tijoux. Love the mix on this. Anna Tijoux – “1977.”

Watched Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome on cable last weekend. I can still recite that movie from memory (I saw it something like 7 times when it was released), and I am still struck at just how good the soundtrack is. “We Don’t Need Another Hero”, with its children’s choir, was the big single — but I really prefer this somewhat darker track from the opening titles: Tina Turner – “One of the Living.”

Lastly, in solidarity with the union protesters in Wisconsin, I post the following: Billy Bragg – “There Is Power In A Union.” Hang in there, folks.

I haven’t done one of these in a while. It’s long past time.

I posted (via Twitter) a killer video featuring an evil magical schoolgirl doing an amazing pole-dance to a brilliant dubstep remix of the Harry Potter theme. Sure enough, an MP3 is available. So here it is: Terabyte Frenzy – “Harry Potter and the Half-Dub Remix.”

Another track based on another brilliant video (which I’m sure most of you have seen, and if not: here ya go) of two cellists doing a ripping cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal”. I’d love to see more work from these guys. Stjepan Hauser and Luka Sulic – “Smooth Criminal (for two cellos).”

Radiohead is releasing a new album tomorrow! King of Limbs will go live tomorrow, but you can pre-order right now. The first single has been leaked — Radiohead -“Lotus Flower.”

Gary Moore, late of Thin Lizzy, died a couple of weeks back. One of my friends in the UK posted a video from a solo record in the 80s that I had completely forgotten about, and hadn’t heard in years: Gary Moore – “Shapes of Things To Come.”

A complete gear-shift for the next couple of songs. First, a “smooth 70s” track that I’ve always loved — a lot of this genre was overproduced, soulless crap, but some of it was wonderful, and formed a sonic backdrop to my childhood, so is always associated with good memories. This song is fairly obviously built on an absolutely brilliant lyric (“Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man that he didn’t already have.”), filled out by some Oh Wowwwww psychedelia. Love it. America – “Tin Man.”

Second track which some might find out of place for me: I’m *really* not a fan of Katy Perry. Her first single (“I Kissed a Girl”) was infectious, but it soon became more than obvious that she’s ex-Christian-music product, dabbling in titillation from a purely marketing-driven effort. That said — I *love* this song. I heard it the first few times without realizing who it was, and soon found myself in one of those uncomfortable situations where you like a song by someone you really don’t like. Screw it. Don’t Judge. This is a great pop song — catchy, uplifting and well-crafted. Katy Perry – “Firework.”

Jason Blair pointed me in the direction of this song earlier today — it’s the theme of the Canadian TV series ReGenesis, done by a “band” called “Behavior” — which is really just the name used by composer Michael McCann, who has done scores for videogames like Splinter Cell, Deus Ex, Tom Clancy’s Endwar, etc. This is pretty much right up my alley — a great bit of cinematic trip-hop, sweeping instrumentation, killer beats and smoky vocals. Behavior – “Anywhere But Here (feat. Andrea Revel).”

An amazing ode to the city I love, which captures the way a lot of us feel about how the city has changed. “Like a death in the heart, Jesus where do I start? But you’re still the one pool where I’d happily drown.” LCD Soundsystem – “New York, I Love You, but You’re Bringing Me Down.”

Enjoy, kids. I won’t wait as long to post another one.

Here we go….

Laura and I finally watched “Crazy Heart” last night on DVD (Netflix actually sends you physical copies of movies — I’d almost forgotten). I liked the film — definitely felt that Bridges deserved his Oscar. The film’s theme (played over the closing credits) won an Oscar too — but I actually liked the opening song better. I’m not a huge fan of country, but there are some songs that grab me. This is one of them. Jeff Bridges – “Hold On You.”

I’ll admit that it was the band name that drew me in. Occult Detective Club is a band from Texas who hearken back to the Post-Punk era — definite echoes of Sham 69, Billy Bragg, The Jam and (dare I say it) The Clash here. Their second album, CRIMES, is due out in February — this is a preview: Occult Detective Club – “C’mon Levi.”

I’ve linked to the stream, I’ve linked to the video, and (on Twitter) I’ve even linked to the remix contest. So I figured that I should link to the mp3. I love this song so much — Amanda Palmer’s tribute to pubic freedom, using Aussie slang: Amanda Palmer – “Map of Tasmania (feat. The Young Punx).”

Icelandic pop! Sindri Már Sigfússon is the lead singer of Icelandic folk-pop band, Seabear, and records solo under the name Sin Fang. I stumbled across this track last week, and I really love the sound of it (which I can’t seem to describe without using terms like ghostly and ethereal): Sin Fang – “Always Everything.”

Watched “The Boat That Rocked” (which was chopped down by 20 minutes and released in the US as “Pirate Radio”) — loved the film. Loved the soundtrack even more. Here’s a late-60s track that doesn’t get a ton of play here in the US, but which I’ve loved ever since I discovered in via MTV’s “Closet Classics” (when they’d fill out their broadcast day by playing clips from European music shows of the 60s and 70s as “videos”): The Easybeats – “Friday On My Mind.”

Fifteen years on (jesus christ!), this is still the epitome of the trip-hop single, in my opinion: Sneaker Pimps – “6 Underground (Nellee Hooper Edit).”

If we’re going to go back, might as well go back to the post-punk period for U2, which I still consider their best sound. This is from the 1981 album “October.” U2 – “Gloria.”

….and just because I want to: another single off a-ha’s massive 1985 album, “Hunting High and Low”, which is now almost entirely forgotten in favor of constant replays of “Take On Me.” a-ha – “The Sun Always Shines On TV.”

There you go. Enjoy.