Category: Music

Another week —

Another track discovered via a commercial (specifically a new AT&T cellphone ad) — after it aired, and I immediately looked at eachother and said: “Got to find that song!” Turns out that it’s a bit of nifty retro-tinged electronica/neosoul/hip-hop: Lupe Fiasco – “Daydreamin’ (feat. Jill Scott).”

Scottish singer Isobel Campbell, formerly of Belle & Sebastian, has teamed up with Mark Lanegan, formerly of Screaming Trees and Queens of The Stone Age, on a new album, Ballad of the Broken Seas. Here they do a great cover of a classic Hank Williams tune: Isobel Campbel & Mark Lanegan – “Ramblin’ Man.”

Last week, I posted a track from M83, which I described as sounding like a 21st Century version of something from a John Hughes film. I picked up the album, Saturdays = Youth, and I’ve been listening to it all week long. It’s so good, in fact, that I’m going to post two tracks. Check them out, and then go buy this album.M83 – “Graveyard Girl.” and the equally brilliant M83 – “Skin of the Night.”

Here’s a hilarious B-side (with NSFW lyrics) by Kate Nash, from the single for “Mouthwash.” (Hmm – is it still a “B-side” when it’s a CD-single? You don’t flip them over…) For the record, the fast, jumbled refrain is: “Well I’m lucky I don’t have all the power in the world so I can’t fuck everything else up.” Kate Nash – “Stitching Leggings.”

A 90s one-hit wonder that I haven’t heard in a while, and stumbled upon earlier this week: Tracy Bonham – “Mother, Mother.”

And lastly, a track which simultaenously manages to be my favorite track from Method Man…AND my favorite track by the Prodigy. This is the “safe” version, with the naughty words backmasked, but it still kicks several distict varieties of ass: Method Man – “Release Yo Delf (Prodigy Mix)”

There you go. Enjoy!

…and we’re back!

Here we go:

If you’ve never seen the 2001 film version of Josie and the Pussycats, it’s worth a rental. Surprisingly clever, funny — simultaneously mocking teen trends without “ironically” mocking the original source material — with a great cast (including some great villain work from Alan Cumming and Parker Posey) — and the music is surprisingly good as well. My favorite earworm from the soundtrack: Josie and the Pussycats – “Pretend To Be Nice.”

Julian Lennon turned 45 this week. Valotte was one of my favorite albums of the 1980s. He’s apparently working on his first new album in over a decade, and has posted early mix versions on his MySpace page. This, in my opinion, is the best of the lot. I’ll be interested in hearing more. Julian Lennon – “Everything Changes (Rough Mix).”

Speaking of the 80s, here’s a new song by a group whose members were *born* in that decade — but who have managed to come up with a sound that feels like a 21st-century version of a John Hughes movie soundtrack. M83 – “Kim & Jessie.”

I first heard this song performed at the Brit awards in February, and it’s now the worldwide #1 single (if you aggregate sales charts from every country that keeps them). It’s a nicely produced bit of R&B pop, she’s got a great voice — and I wonder what it says about the mood of the world when the number one song has the following refrain: “You cut me open and I keep bleeding love.” Leona Lewis – “Bleeding Love.”

Men Without Pants — no longer just a yearly theme party at the SCA’s Pennsic War! The name has been taken by a side project of Dan the Automator and drummer Russell Simmins (from the John Spencer Blues Explosion). The project features a number of guest stars — for example, this track, which has Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs as a backing vocalist: Men Without Pants – “And The Girls Go.”

…and lastly, some move-yer-ass electronica from the waning years of the 20th Century: The Chemical Brothers – “Out of Control.”

Enjoy.

As I mentioned earlier today, I’m away on not really prepared to do a Friday Music post this week.

That said, I *have* to post this single, which has been eating its way through my brain all week, and is forming a large part of my current writing soundtrack — it’s the lead single from the new Moby album:

Moby – “Alice.”

Good stuff, Maynard.