Alexander Ebert – Truth
September 26, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the album ‘Alexander’
Out now on Community Music/Rough Trade
Stan says: #Monday. Hearing the RZA featuring version of this track again at the weekend reminded us how much we prefer the original. It also made us wonder who would win in a whistle off between Alexander Ebert and that other well known North American whistling machine Andrew Bird. Based on past performance the safe money is still on Bird, but Ebert’s got enough form here to have a shot at an against the odds upset. This is from the debut album by the Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zero’s singer that came out earlier this year. Visit his website here
White Sea – Mountaineer
September 23, 2011 § Leave a comment
Stan says: #Friday. Worth listening to for the hookiness that rears its head just over one minute in and sticks around for thirty seconds or so after. This is one of those pop tracks that never quite delivers in the way that we hoped it would on first listening, but still loving it’s 1988’ness either way. Perry, Gaga & co … take some notes. More on White Sea aka Morgan Kibby of M83 here
Friends – I’m His Girl
September 21, 2011 § Leave a comment
Out now on Lucky Number Seven Records
Stan says: #Wednesday. Coming on like a 2011 redux of ‘Whatta Man’ by En Vogue, this Brooklyn gang seems to be everywhere right now – but with a bassline like that it’s hard to say no.
Dan Mangan – Jeopardy
September 19, 2011 § Leave a comment
Live at Trinity St. Paul’s, Toronto
Stan says: #Monday. Pondering how it’s become mid/late September when I’m sure we should be getting ready for Spring to hit … and Mangan’s sentiments in this live version of the album closer from his forthcoming third solo release (Oh Fortune) feel right on the money. The shaky (phone) camera work only adds to the charm.
Waters – For The One
September 16, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the album ‘Out In The Light’
Released 27/09/11 on Arts & Crafts/ City Slang
Preview the album via City Slang soundcloud here
Stan says: #Friday. The ex Port O’Brien mainman released this free download to the world a couple of months ago and it’s now the opening track on this forthcoming debut full length as Waters. The nautical themes may remain, but while the music of his old outfit often sounded like part of the recovery process after a hard day at sea, this sounds more like a rallying cry to fire up the men before the Kraken strikes.
My Sad Captains – Orienteers
September 14, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the album ‘Fight Less, Win More’
Released 7/11/11 on Stolen Recordings
Stan says: #Wednesday. Still a sucker for a bit of soft focus acoustic guitar pop when the mood strikes. It’s nice to see My Sad Captains are sticking to their guns two years on from the release of their debut. A lovely little tune. Live at The Lexington in London on 16/9/11. Check out their blog here for more info on upcoming gigs + releases.
Cowabunga Babes – Lovesong
September 12, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from ‘Lydia Lunch’
Out now on Volar Records
Stan says: #Monday. Big fan of the 90 second pop song … when done well. It’s always a fine line between making a mess and making music regardless of track length but squeeze too many ideas into too little time and things can go wrong fast. This track (from the Austin, TX groups 2010 release), makes it through with the flag flying and has that moldy peaches esque rough hewn vibe that’s always good to hear on a Monday morning – especially if you are ever in need of reminding that MUSIC = FUN.
‘Beat Street Strut’
September 9, 2011 § Leave a comment
New York Hot Tracks Video
Taken from the soundtrack of the motion picture (1985)
Stan says: #Friday. Sure the 80’s had its issues and we won’t go into them all right now … but once in a while you cannot help but yearn for that simpler time when even the worst of the worlds troubles could – if push really came to shove – always by solved by a good honest dance off.
Tom Waits – Bad As Me
September 7, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the album ‘Bad As Me’
Released 25/10/2011 on Anti Records
Stan says: #Wednesday. Good to hear Tom sounding as reassuringly out there as ever on the title track from his forthcoming album – his first consisting of entirely new material since ‘Real Gone’ in 2004. We can’t wait to hear the record, and if by some small chance anything as amazing as ‘Fish & Bird’ (from ‘Alice’) has found it’s way on there, we will be filled with much joy and joyness indeed.
Ladytron – Ninety Degrees
September 5, 2011 § Leave a comment
Taken from the album ‘Gravity The Seducer’
Released 12/09/2011 on Nettwerk.
Stan says: #Monday #unseasonalmusicpartt3 #vs. For no particular reason at all we’ve never been big followers of Ladytron in times past. Maybe it was the name? Either way they have previously managed to find themselves filed under the ‘bands we can’t quite to bothered to listen to right now’ category in our mental music scrapyard, (along with an almost infinite quantity of ‘world music’ artists that we long ago promised we would listen to but are now hiding away from in an overwhelmed corner). ‘Ninety Degrees’ however is currently proving a more than acceptabe accompaniment to our afternoon tea and biscuits so perhaps further investigation is warranted? Just can’t quite shake the Sarah Nixeyness in the vocals and the resultant itch to listen to some old Luke Haines records. Perhaps that Ladytron album fest can wait for another day …
GRANDPA STAN 