On Sunday, I saw an amazing movie called Nowhere Boy. Apparently it came out on boxing day here in the UK (I’m in London btw). It’s basically about John Lennon’s adolescence and pre-Beatles era, and about him really trying to find himself. Even though Aaron Johnson (who plays Lennon) doesn’t look like him, he can really sing, and that really adds to movie. The early Beatles/Lennon covers were fantastic. Also, the soundtrack is amazing, and it really got me into rockabilly/50’s rock n roll. It’s mainly made up of the artists that influenced The Beatles.
Now let me get this straight, I’m not really a fan of The Beatles. I have enough of them by my parents playing their cds every once in a while at home. But, I did enjoy this movie a lot. This is not made for Beatles fans at all, just someone who likes music and is looking for a good plot.
[mp3]: Jerry Lee Lewis – Wild One
New Mos Def track premiered by Yeezy a couple of weeks ago. Recently found this. The beat is sick, his flow is crazy. Nothing more to say.
…I’ve also been working more on my blog design. Tell me if you guys like it?
I remember discovering M.A.G.I.C. by these guys (duo Oskar Gullstrand and Stefan Storm) and instantly loving it; the bright and optimistic lyrics accompanied by high-pitched vocals and flawless beats. After that, I started hearing about them around the blogs but never gave much attention to their other songs. I have recently discovered A Very Sad Song from their Danger! EP and can’t stop listening to it ever since. The melancholy melody contrasts M.A.G.I.C.’s even though both reveal a sort of shimmering “magic” (for the lack of a better word). Note to self: download all of their available albums/EPs. Also, their myspace and official website are absolutely beautiful. I understand Oskar Gullstrand is/used to be a graphic designer, so that might explain it.
And while we’re on the subject of covers… I think I just hit the jackpot. This cover is MINT, mate. Apparently this was released on Nov. 09 as a b-side? I love the electro-chill side of The White Stripes. This is as if Jack and Meg went on an acid trip together. Give it a try.
Thanks to Indiemuse, I have found the product of smashing Juno and M.I.A. together repeatedly. It’s a cover of Paper Planes by Your Yellow Dress. This is a folky and more playful version of the song, and by the end, you can’t even recognize the original tune. I love how they actually say bang bang and kaching instead of having the actual gun/money sounds. Overall, it’s nothing major but just cute and playful (like the Juno soundtrack).
I haven’t felt this way listening to a song in a while. That’s how good this is. Bloggers like to use the word “pop-perfection.” With a catchier-than-catchy chorus, reverbed vocals and a powerful likeness to the 80’s, this is what you’ll be singing for the rest of the day.
With that said, let me introduce you to the duo that made this tune possible. They’re Lionel Towers and Xavier Bacash from Melbourne, Australia. They began writing songs together in 2008 and are set to release a debut album in 2010. Check out their myspace for more.
[mp3]: Gypsy & the Cat – Jona Vark
Who the fuck are the jj? That’s what I asked myself while browsing through Pitchfork’s Top 50 Albums ‘09. Their album, jj nº 2, made the cut at number 35. After a little bit of research, I discovered their spectacular song, Ecstasy. This down-tempo and sexy jam samples Lil Wayne’s Lollipop. Feels like a breath of minty-fresh air.
Apparently, they just signed with Secretly Canadian (Yeasayer, Antony and the Johnsons) and are going to release jj nº 3 on March 9th. Oh, and they’re going on their first U.S. tour with The xx. Damn, those two bands would be awesome live.
[mp3]: jj – Ecstasy
edit: Here’s a track I just found on G vs. B which really merges Lollipop and Ecstasy. You can say it has more of a party feel.
Yup, decided blogging again due to the new year = fresh start? Let’s see how this goes.
Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley) and James Mercer (Shins’ lead) have combined to form Broken Bells. Now this year has been a result of so many collaborations between artists, so this is nothing new. However, after hearing their debut single, The High Road, I became excited about the upcoming album.
The High Road is not a multi-layered or complex song, just a plain enjoyable tune. I was hooked right from the starting keyboard notes, and got even more sucked in with Mercer’s impeccable vocals – here somewhat different than in The Shins. This duo could certainly work.
Yesterday, The Arctic Monkeys’ new single, Crying Lightning, leaked right before it was debuted on Zane Lowe’s BBC radio show. The single is from their upcoming album, Humbug, due to be released on August 24th.
I have to admit that, at first listen, I really liked the single. Without trying to sound repetitive of what other blogs have said, you can really tell the band has ‘matured’ their sound. Their new sound is quite a bit darker than previous albums and makes you look further into the song for other meanings (if that makes any sense). Crying Lightning is a lot different from I Bet That You Look Good on the Dancefloor, and I think, a lot more interesting.
[mp3]: Arctic Monkeys – Crying Lighting
“Your past times consisted of the strange, and twisted and derranged…”
Recently found this on Last.fm. Apparently, they released it on their podcast some days ago. It’s a pretty good songs but not that much different from their previous stuff. I particularly like the strings at the end.
[mp3]: Voxtrot – Berlin, Without Return
“And still there was you, the center of me”
