Category: Music

More music to introduce to you….

First up is an odd little track, which I’ve heard described as “folktronica”, which isn’t a bad description, actually. The “group” is called Money Can’t Buy Music, which is actually just a collaboration between two guys fiddling with music on their computers at home, and collaborating over the internet. MCBM are Gordon McIntyre from Edinburgh in Scotland and Maja Mångård from Växjö in Sweden, and their first single has gotten a bit of play in the UK. It’s a spoken-word piece (by Gordon) over layered electronic background music. The whole thing is really quite lovely, and I like what it has to say: Money Can’t Buy Music – “The Ghosts.”

The second selection this week snuck up on me. I heard it first without realizing what it was…and then that realization hit me full in the face, and I was in love. This is a lounge-jazz cover of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s classic hip-hop track, “White Lines.” Until now, I had thought that the finest use of this composition was the sing-along with the approaching zombie in “Shawn of the Dead”, but my friends, I have to tell you…this has it beat. Barefoot – “White Lines.”

Speaking of classics, I was in the mood to hear this one again, after seeing the video for Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy”, which samples its main hook. For those of you who didn’t already know, this group, the Tom-Tom Club, was a side project of Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth from the Talking Heads in the early 80s. Tom-Tom Club – “Genius of Love.”

Here’s a new band that I first heard this past week: Dutchess Says is a Montreal electronic-rock band that is currently recording their first album. I really like their sound — here’s a track from their first EP: Dutchess Says – “Black Flag.”

Another bit of the new: Smoking-hot guitar-and-brass rock from Japan, of all places: Yoko Utsumi – “Neji”. Wow. Reminds me of how much I miss bands with brass sections. Of this entire week’s entries, this is the one that I’ve been listening to the most.

This track is from a group whom I discovered via : The Modern. A high-quality entry into the retro-New-Wave genre. The Modern – “Industry”

Last year, WIRED magazine included a CD of music released under the Creative Commons License (an alternative to traditional copyright). It included this track from The Beastie Boys – “Now Get Busy.”

Another week down, and now back to work for me.

For those of you who were looking for a higher-quality mp3 of the theme to the Jet Li movie Fearless (that I talked about on Friday Music a couple of weeks back):

Here ya go.

(Courtesy of )

Listening to the Prince collection that brought to last weekend’s party, I was reminded that he’s got a new album coming out in March. The first single from the album is already getting some play. The little bastard hasn’t lost a single step…this is GOOD. Dare ya not to move: Prince – “Black Sweat.”

I’ve been doing Friday Music for long enough now that I can’t remember if I’ve posted a track or not. So, sue me if this is a repeat. This is my favorite song by The Style Council….specifically the 12-inch version. Strangely, the album version sounds like an entirely different song — slower, with just Westerberg and a piano. I prefer the uptempo extended single, with the full instrumentation. The lyrics, of course, are what attracted me….they’re quite appropriate, for anyone who knows me. The Style Council – “My Ever-Changing Moods (12″ version)”

Here’s a brilliant trip-hop tune from the Belgian group Hooverphonic that has been recently used in a commercial for Motorola. It’s pretty much the perfect example of the genre — ethereal female singer, slow groove breakbeat, sweeping strings, and twangy spy guitars. Yum. Hooverphonic – “This Strange Effect.”

I was introduced to Shivaree from the soundtrack to Kill Bill, which featured their song “Goodnight Moon” (which I posted about before). Here’s another track, which proves that “Goodnight Moon” is not an anomaly. I love the sound of this group. Shivaree – “Oh No.”

In 2004, Afrika Bambaata, early alternative/hip-hop/electronic music pioneer (whom I best remember for his collaboration with Johnny Rotten on “World Destruction”) came out with a new single, this time collaborating with the equally-pioneering Gary Numan (of “Cars” fame). I’ve been listening to it quite a bit recently, and figured that some of you might like it: Afrika Bambaata (feat. Gary Numan) – “Metal.”

After the death of Jim Morrison, the surviving members of The Doors tried their hands at a couple of albums, but never managed to catch the magic. Finally, using a private recording of Morrison reading his own poetry, they again were able to release an album with Morrison as front-man, even posthumously. An American Prayer is interesting, but doesn’t have a lot going for it….although this song, the nominal “single” from the album, occasionally makes it on to Greatest Hits collections (and was used in Oliver Stone’s biopic). It’s based on one of my favorite poems by Morrison (whose books of poetry were given to me by an old girlfriend who had remarked how similar my poetry was in style to his). The Doors – “Ghost Song” (The link is a bit slow, but give it time)

I’m sure some of you have heard this already — it’s been making the rounds on the internet, and got some attention when Jay Leno asked him to perform it on The Tonight Show last year. Modern-day protest song — Bright Eyes – “When The President Talks to God.” (language warning, for those of you at work.)

One of the better one-hit wonders from the 90s — This is one of the last albums that I purchased on cassette. I love the use of samples in this song, and how they’re blended into the whole. Primitive Radio Gods – “Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand.”

I’ll give the warning here — this song is not work-safe….but it’s hilarious. A bouncy, poppy tune sung by indie girls, with absolutely filthy lyrics. I couldn’t stop laughing the first time I heard it….and then was horrified to discover that it’s a total earworm, and I found myself singing it to myself most of that day. Cars Can Be Blue – “Fuck Me.”

There you go. Enjoy.