Paddling Out

Song: Paddling Out
Artist: Miike Snow
Album: Happy to You






It's been three long years since the release of Miike Snow's debut album, but next month we'll see "Happy to You," their sophomore set.  I'm excited... I think.

I LOVED the debut, a crazy surprise from the Bloodshot & Avant (Britney's best songs) boys of pitch-perfect Swedish electro-pop that was on of my favorite records from that year.  They released a couple deluxe edition singles that didn't totally grab me... and unfortunately I'm feeling that way about this new material.  We got album track/promo single "Devil's Work" in December which was, okay... and now we have the official first single "Paddling Out" which is better I suppose.  Maybe it's a grower.  I'm still listening.

What do you think?

Enjoy.

Paddling Out

Devil's Work

Tomorrow

Song: Tomorrow
Artist: The Cranberries
Album: Roses






Wow, The Cranberries are back with their first album since 2001's "Wake Up and Smell the Coffee." (11 years!)

I used to be a pretty big fan of this band... at least initially.  I even gave a good listen to lead singer Delores O'Riordan debut solo album... but didn't even realize she'd done a second.  But the band reformed and now have a new record.

"Roses" harkens back to the pretty and polished feel of their sophomore album, "No Need to Argue," vs. the more aggressive rock of their subsequent albums.  It's a little too early in my listening to hear if it comes close to "Argue," but it doesn't seem to contain the same strong sense of melody.

It's still a kick to hear O'Riordan's voice again, which takes me right back... and does sound fantastic.  Take a listen to current single "Tomorrow," it's rather nice.

Enjoy.

Tomorrow

Show Me the Way

Raining in My Heart

Tongue Tied

Song: Tongue Tied
Artist: Grouplove
Album: Never Trust a Happy Song






Grouplove are an indie band based in Los Angeles that formed back in 2009.  Their debut album, "Never Trust a Happy Song" was released in September of last year.

"Tongue Tied" was apparently used in an iPod commercial though I never saw it.  But upon one listen you'll see why, it's immediate, fun... you'll like it.

Enjoy.

Tongue Tied

Colours

Slow

Starships

Song: Starships
Artist: Nicki Minage
Album: Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded






This chick is seriously growing on me.

First official single from her sophomore record, "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, due at the beginning of April.

Starts a little "Raise Your Glass," then vaguely Caribbean... then totally Taio Cruz's "Dynamite" meets the Black Eyed Peas.  So you're totally sure you hate it... then you hear.. that... drop.

This might end up being huge.

Did you see that Grammy performance?

Enjoy.

Starships

Stupid Hoe

Roman in Moscow

Video Games

Song: Video Games
Artist: The Young Professionals
Album: Video Games






I've been more than a little amused by all the hoopla surrounding the release of Lana Del Rey's debut album, the SNL performance, the twitter wars, everything.  And for further proof that no publicity is bad publicity, "Born to Die" had a #2 Billboard entry.  Crazy.

I have actually been enjoying the record, and recently discovered this amazing cover of her debut song, "Video Games" by a young Tel-Aviv-based duo The Young Professionals (a.k.a. "T.Y.P.")  They turn the woozy ballad into an electro-emo stomper that is crazy infectious and fun.  I've had it on repeat all week.

I wasn't familiar with the band, but they've just released their debut album late last year entitled "9-00 To 17-00, 17-00 To Whenever."  Yeah, terrible title... but I just listened to their single "D.I.S.C.O." and totally loved it... this band might be more than a one-trick pony.  I got the album and I'll report back if it's worth your time.

But in the meantime... happy Friday and enjoy this great cover of a song you might hate, or you might love.  Regardless, I think I'll let the Lana Del Rey thing go for now.

Your welcome.

Enjoy.

Video Games

D.I.S.C.O.

20 Seconds

Lets All Chant

Song: Let's All Chant
Artist: Michael Zager Band
Album: Let's All Chant





Well... speaking of "Eyes of Laura Mars..."

I've been listening to a good amount of disco, as in 70's disco, lately so yesterday upon seeing Ladyhawke's new video inspired by the Faye Dunaway film it immediately reminded me of a great track used in the film... "Let's All Chant" by the Michael Zager Band.

The song is used in the same scene that's recreated in the video, a photo shoot where Laura is shooting fashion models.  This song is pretty infectious and uses what has now become disco cliche... the "ooh ooh" disco call.  But I always remembered it by the "My body, your body, everybody, shake your body" bit.  Classic.

This is 70's disco gold.

Enjoy.

Let's All Chant

Eyes of Laura Mars Trailer

Eyes of Laura Mars - Photo shoot scene

Black White & Blue

Song: Black White & Blue
Artist: Ladyhawke
Album: Anxiety





It's been a long while since the release of Ladyhawke's self-titled debut album ('08) but the wait is soon over as her proper sophomore set "Anxiety" is due in mid-March.

Check out the buzzy first single "Black White & Blue."  It didn't grab me in the way past singles like "My Delirium" and "Back of the Van" did initially, but the more I listen new layers reveal themselves... and it's winning me over.  Very exciting.

On a side note, I just took a look at the video this AM and it was cracking me up.  My good friend John JUST a few weeks ago introduced me to the 1978 Faye Dunaway thriller "Eyes of Laura Mars," which the video uses as inspiration.  It's crazy accurate and kind of funny if you're familiar with the film, check it out below.

Enjoy.

Black White & Blue

Back of the Van

My Delirium

Love Interruption

Song: Love Interruption
Artist: Jack White
Album: Blunderbuss






Jack White is set to release his first solo material with "Blunderbuss," set for release at the end of April.  It will be released through his own Third Man Records.

Jack states of the album:

"I've put off making records under my own name for a long time but these songs feel like they could only be presented under my name. These songs were written from scratch, had nothing to do with anyone or anything else but my own expression, my own colors on my own canvas."

I was on quite a high with White's The White Stripes for a while, discovering them as they released four insane amazing albums back-to-back.  I didn't love the last Stripes record, nor his other forays with other bands... but I still consider him one of the better songwriters to appear in the last decade, so I'm very interested in this solo album.

Lead single "Love Interruption" is a fairly quiet affair, acoustic guitar, female backing vocals, and... is that an oboe?  It's got White's bite though, despite the sweetness.

What do you think?

Enjoy.

Love Interruption

Origins

Song: Origins
Artist: Tennis
Album: Young and Old





Like Chairlift whom I highlighted last week, Tennis was a band I discovered a while ago due to their debut album, always meant to feature them on the blog, but never did.  And like Chairlift they have their sophomore album coming out... and so here they are.

Tennis are a Denver-based indie-pop duo comprised of husband and wife team of Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley.  They met in college while studying philosophy, formed the band, recorded and released their debut album "Cape Dory" after a seventh-month sailing trip down the Eastern Atlantic Seaboard.

"Young and Old," like "Cape Dory" is filled with Best Coast-esque lo-fi surfer girl pop.  Their sound hasn't changed all that much, though it does seem that "Y&O" has a bit clearer production, less distortion, though still a bit lo-fi.  But it's well worth the listen.

Check out single "Origins" below, but I also liked the punchy "Petition" where Alaina's voice really shines and has a Beth Ditto of the Gossip vibe.  Also love opening track "It All Feels the Same" which is the most "Best Coast" this album gets.

Enjoy.

Origins

It All Feels the Same

Petition (live)

Give Me All Your Luvin'

Song: Give Me All Your Luvin'
Artist: Madonna
Album: MDNA






The first single from Her Madgesty's twelfth album "MDNA."

It's a little "Beautiful Stranger" meets Toni Basil's "Mickey" with hot chicks M.I.A. (indie cred) and Nicki Minaj (U.S. ubiquity) added into the mix.

I'm a touch underwhelmed by the song, but am reminded that I never really warmed up to "4 Minutes," but ended up really enjoying "Hard Candy" the album.  I do quite like the feel of the new album cover, and that fact that eleven records into her career and I've liked or loved all of them... things look good for "MDNA."

And if you care... no, WeCast does not think she's too old for all of this.

Enjoy.

Give Me All Your Luvin'

Bad Girls

Song: Bad Girls
Artist: M.I.A.
Album: Bad Girls






This beat is slaying me.



Bad Girls

Andrew in Drag

Song: Andrew in Drag
Artist: The Magnetic Fields
Album: Love at the Bottom of the Sea





Is there anyone who doesn't just adore The Magnetic Fields' "69 Love Songs?"  That classic 1999 triple-album was the last record the Fields' did for Merge records and the last time they used synthesizers, as the last three albums comprised their "no synths" trilogy.  I was a fan of 2004's "i" as it maintained lead Stephin Merritt's offbeat humor, despite the move away from D.I.Y. electro-pop.  The two that follow, "Distortion" and "Realism" didn't grab me much at all... "Distortion" was unlistenable (sorry, I don't care for Jesus and Mary Chain) and "Realism" was a straight-up folk album that was missing a lot of that trademark wit.  Snore.

But the Magnetic Fields are back.  And I have my fingers crossed that it's in a "69 Love Songs" kind of way.  The synthesizers are back and given the punchy, grin-enducing lead single "Andrew in Drag," I'm quite hopeful and excited for the new record.

"Andrew in Drag" is a cheeky love song that reads pure Magnetic Fields; lo-fi production, art-fag goofiness, and winningly melodic.  I've been humming it for the last two days.

"The moment he walked on the stage, my tail began to wag.  Wag like a little wiener dog for Andrew in drag."

Amazing.

My only complaint is that it just seems to end, though none of the songs on the album cross the three-minute mark.  Keeping this pop, pop.

Enjoy.

Andrew in Drag

The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side (69 Love Songs)

Nothing Matters When We're Dancing (69 Love Songs)

Wrong Opinion

Song: Wrong Opinion
Artist: Chairlift
Album: Something






Every once in a while I have an album or song that I dig, listen to a bit, for sure plan to highlight here on this blog... and then a bunch of other stuff rushes in and takes its place here and there.  Enough time goes by that it just feels like old news, and it never happens.  Recently I've acquired a couple follow-up records from these such bands... so enough is enough.  Here we go.

It's been four years since Brooklyn-based indie-electro-rock act Chairlift released their debut album "Does You Inspire You."  I did like that record, and they made a bit of a mark having their track "Bruises" selected as use in an iPod commercial. (yeah, one of those.)  Well the band is back with their sophomore set "Something," and after a couple listens I can say it grabbed be even a bit more than the debut.

Chairlift sound a little 80's without really trying for an 80's sound.  They're a bit Siouxie, a little Cure, and a touch of Kate Bush... but I also hear a little Christine McVie-ish Fleetwood Mac in there.  But more "electronic."  All in all Chairlift write evocative songs with a wide range of sounds and moods.  I immediately connected with the dark, noisy, "Wrong Opinion" as well as the lush semi-ballad "Take it Out On Me."  "Ghost Tonight" sounds like the Stevie Nicks dance album that's never happened, and first single "Amanaemonesia" leans on some spooky synths and punchy beats for some If-Florence-Was-in-the-80's greatness.

So, go out and listen to this record... and listen to the first one too.

Enjoy.

Wrong Opinion

Take it Out on Me

Amanaemonesia

Maniac

Song: Maniac
Artist: Moullinex feat. Peaches
Album: Casablanca Reworks by the Gomma All Stars






It's official... I need a Casablanca Records retrospective.  I don't even know if one exists, but there is a lot I need to learn from the disco era, and the electronic music pioneers from that label represent a huge hole in my collection and disco knowledge.  I say this because of the excellent new "Casablanca Reworks" that was recently released on Gomma Records.

Moullinex, Telonius, Munk, and The Phenomenal Handclaps all feature Peaches doing modern versions of four disco classics.  Electro House versions of Stephanie Mills "You Can't Run From My Love,"The Skatt Brothers "Walk the Night," "Our Love" by Donna Summer, and then Michael Sembello's 80's classic "Maniac."  And they're all amazing.

Odd little factoid... "Maniac" was inspired by the 1980 horror movie of the same name and originally the chorus was:

He's a maniac, maniac that's for sure,

He will kill your cat and nail him to the door.

Phill Ramone, the producer of the song, thought the song should be more about a girl with the passion for dancing.  Hence...

She's a maniac, maniac on the floor

     And she's dancing like she's never danced before.

Good thing eh?

Enjoy.

Maniac - Moullinex feat. Peaches

Our Love (Dub) - Telonius feat. Peaches

You Can't Run From My Love - Munk feat. Peaches

Doubt

Song: Doubt
Artist: Amanda Mair
Album: Doubt






I've been recently intrigued by Swedish teenager (15!) Amanda Mair, whom I recently discovered via another end-of-year best singles list.  "Doubt," her second single has been on heavy rotation for me, and I'm pretty excited to hear her debut album, due this year.

Mair's first single "House" started like a pretty piano ballad only to turn into a churning beat-kicking stormer.  "Doubt" is more immediate, with a persistant beat that works well with Mair's vocal.  It's a little dramatic, but not overtly so.  Sort of like a less weird Marina & the Diamonds, that regardless conjures Kate Bush to a certain degree.  Her sound is now... a touch of electro with Alternative rock ambitions.  Interesting.

I wonder if any of her song titles have two words.  Or more.  We'll see.  This is one to watch.

Enjoy.

Doubt

House

Big Mouth

Song: Big Mouth
Artist: Santigold
Album: Master of my Make-Believe





It's kind of wild to think it's been over four years since Santogold burst onto the scene and gave us her brilliant self-titled debut.  But the wait is almost over, as her sophomore album, "Master of my Make-Believe" is set for release this spring.  But things are different...

First off, Santogold is now Santigold.  (???) And instead of sort of sounding like M.I.A... she like totally sounds and almost feels like M.I.A., given her new video for "Big Mouth," a new track she just released that I assumed was the official fist single for the new record but apparently it's not.  That's sort of good news as it's a little underwhelming.  Is this going to be another Ting Ting's situation?  Huge debut record, big splash... sophomore slump?  (truthfully that Ting Ting's song is growing on me.)

Santigold released a new track back in April of last year, "Go" featuring Karen O of the Yeah, Yeah, Yeah's.  I liked the song, but it seemed like a toss-off compared to the brilliant tunes for the debut.  But in retrospect, after hearing "Big Mouth" it seems better.  That's not to say that I'm disliking "Big Mouth," I guess I'm just expecting more.  It seems much more like an M.I.A. run-off than something touching the true brilliance of say "You'll Find a Way," "Creator," "L.E.S. Artists..." dang, I could go on.

That said I do like the beat of "Big Mouth" and the animated-meets live action video.  I question the need for the Gaga diss at 1:28, but more so... there's the fact that this track is really just lifted from Buraka Som Sistema's (We Stay) Up All Night.  Take a listen after hearing "Big Mouth," I mean... this is way more than an Express Yourself/BTW situation, no?

I'm not ready to write off Santogold... er, Santigold yet.  I'll wait until I hear the album or at least an official single.  She's done a lot of really great collaborations lately, check out the amazing Beastie Boys collab "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" below.  But she better hit us with something mild-blowing soon.

Enjoy.

Big Mouth

Go (w/Karen O)

Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win - Beastie Boys w/Santigold

Be Strong

Song: Be Strong
Artist: The 2 Bears
Album: Be Strong






I first heard "Bear Hug" back in June of last year and thought it was pretty ridiculous.  A bit of 90's house minimalism with a digitally altered deep voice going on about giving bear hugs.  Silly.  Seeing the video (below) at least got me to listen to the song again, and while it reeked of hipster, the silly rooftop dance scene made me chuckle... and then the post chorus kicked in and I was like... wait, is that the guy from Hot Chip?

The 2 Bears are a London-based duo started by yes, Joe Goddard of Hot Chip along with Raf Rundell.  They formed in 2009 and are releasing their debut album, "Be Strong" sometime this year.  It's a mix of house, soul, 2-step, and Hot Chip's unique electro-nerd style.  It's a bit like if Hot Chip did a record with Hercules and Love Affair.  And if that alone gets you excited, prepare to be pleased.

Thankfully, the entire record doesn't use that silly deep voice, though it pops up here and there."Be Strong" though from the start was very different from what "Bear Hug" sets you up for.  The slow-building opening track "The Birds & the Bees" mixes steel drum and horns over a bubbling beat that's quite lush and fantastic.  Then "Be Strong" explodes into your ears and it's the 90's all over again.  It's a great track, and more representative of the album than "Bear Hug" is.

The album continues along and surprises you in its diversity and quality.  Maybe it was my low expectations after that first single, but this record is really really pleasing me.  Be sure to check it out.

Oh, "Work" and "Take a Look Around" are blowing me away right now.  This is something.

Enjoy.

Be Strong

Bear Hug

Work

Hang it Up

Song: Hang it Up
Artist: The Ting Ting's
Album: Sounds from Nowheresville






It seems like ages ago (over a year) since we got a new Ting Ting's song, the last being the single "Hands,"  back in 2010.  I loved that song, a new more dance direction that we all thought was the start of their second record... then "Hands" didn't do as well as their previous singles... and then nothing happened.

Well, now well over a year later we are finally getting new music, but things might not be so good in Tingtingsville.  The new record, "Sounds from Nowheresville" is scheduled for release next month, but the new songs aren't from the "dance" sessions when they wrote in Berlin back n 2010 (where "Hands" came from.)  Apparently all of those tracks were scrapped... and not only scrapped, the band have said they deleted them.  Hmm.

Well, what we have now is the official first single from the new album, "Hang it Up" which does sound like classic Ting Ting's... but also a little lifeless.  It certainly doesn't have the punch of "Shut Up and Let Me Go" or "That's Not My Name."  It's not a bad song per say, it just doesn't have the sparkle their earlier singles did... and not to mention that this is how they decided to start their comeback.  Odd.

Well, we'll reserve judgement for the full album, in the meantime... let me know what you think of "Hang it Up."  Have they lost it?

Enjoy.

Hang it Up

Silence (Bag Raiders Mix)

 Hands

Call My Name

Song: Call My Name
Artist: Tove Styrke
Album: Call My Name





Here's some punchy dance pop to get you into this Monday...

Tove Styrke is a Swedish-born isnger-songwriter raised from a very musical family.  Her father, Anders Ostman had scored a Swedish number 1 single in 1970, and opened a record store after he stopped touring.  He introduced Tove to guitar, but she gravitated more towards piano, as encouraged by her grandfather, who taught lessons.  She began modeling for the likes of Cosmo and Glamour before being a contestant on Sweden's version of American Idol in 2009,  leading to her being signed by Sony Music at the end of that year.

Styrke released her debut, self-titled album in 2010 scoring one Swedish top-5 with "White Light Moment."  Just last August she released the single "Call My Name" from her forthcoming, as yet untitled sophomore album.  I immediately liked "Call My Name" upon first listen, reminding me of another Swedish dance-pop singer... September.  Actually, Allmusic has described Styrke's music as combining ""the bubbling electronica ofRobyn with the hipster synth pop of Annie and the hook-laden Euro-disco of September"

Sound just about perfect!  This is a fun, feel-good dance track with mysterious lyrics. (what is she talking about?)  I like it.  Haven't heard anything else form her, though I'm getting her debut to see what that's all about.  I'll look forward to this sophomore album thats still in the works, set for release sometime this year.

Enjoy.

Call My Name

White Light Moment

High & Low

Down With the Trumpets - Rizzle Kicks

Song: Down With the Trumpets
Artist: Rizzle Kicks
Album: Stereo Typical





A small aside... this is my 1,000 post!

I saw this song pretty high on an end-of-year best singles list from 2011 and have been enjoying its old-school youthful charm since.  I just started researching this very young band and they have a neat story...

Rizzle Kicks is comprised of (children) Jordan "Rizzle" Stephens & Harley "Sylvester" Alexander-Sule from Brighton, UK.  The two were born in North London and met at the age of four when they became friends.  They lost track of each other over the years and both independently moved to Brighton.  Through a "series of coincidences," the guys re-connected at age eleven facing off in a Sunday league football match.  They ended up going to the same school where Jordan was creating mixtapes, rapping over his favorite pop hip-hop samples.  He asked Harley to sing over them with him, and Rizzle Kicks was born.

The young duo started obtaining beats from local producers and recording demos, then creating low-budget videos for their tracks, uploading them to their website which they cultivated into a strong online presence.  Some old-school hip-hop inspired tracks caught the attention of Island Records, where they were subsequently signed.  Their debut album came out last October with production work from Ant Whiting, The Rural, Mike Spencer, and Norman Cook (AKA Fatboy Slim.)

I've been really loving "Down With the Trumpets" and just this AM got their full debut, "Stereo Typical" giving it a half listen.  It's certainly a pop album, but I quite like this duo's flow... mixing an old-school vibe with playful lyricism.  They mix hip-hop and reggae with a pretty deft pop sensibility.   Need more time with the album, but check out "Down With the Trumpets."  Fun.

Happy Friday.

Enjoy.

Down With the Trumpets

Prophet (Better Watch it)

Mama do the Hump

Video Games

Song: Video Games
Artist: Lana Del Rey
Album: Born to Die





Have you heard about this chick yet?

Well, Lana Del Rey, the New York City-born, Lake Placid raised, singer-songwriter who is just 25, has made quite the splash this week when she debut on "Saturday Night Live" this past weekend and many have said she's the worst performer the show has ever had.  (ouch)  Her debut album, "Born to Die" isn't even out yet (but is next week) though everyone seems to be talking about her.

I first heard her debut single "Video Games" this past October but it didn't grab me.  It wasn't until mid-December that I took a second listen as I was seeing the song make quite a few "best singles of 2011" lists and I thought I should give her another go.  "Video Games" is a haunting-yet-odd woozy-waltz of a song that Rey delivers in a half-bored, half-drugged fashion that regardless, gets under your skin.

Well, she performed the song on SNL and it seems to have gotten the entire world talking about her.  I could see, if you hadn't heard the song itself prior to the performance, that you might get a little "WTF?" out of it... but it's just kind of how she sings.  You're just going to have to listen to it yourself.  (video below.)

The song has gone to #1 in Germany, and has been in the top ten in Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK.  Del Rey sites Nancy Sinatra, Britney Spears, Elvis Presley, and Kurt Cobain as influences.  Okay.

I recently got the four-track EP they released to iTunes prior to her SNL performance and music is very quirky.  From string-laiden pop trip-hop to sweeping retro-ish balladry... it's certainly not what is on the radio right now... but could she be the Adele of 2012?  (haha)

Enjoy.

Video Games

Video Games (Live on SNL)

Born to Die