Monthly Archive for September, 2008

BOTR vol 10

Here we march toward the end of September.  Let these remixes be the drumbeat that guides you.  Once again the BOTR series is comprised of the best remixes I heard this month.  Yes I have a lot of free time.  Yes I listen to a lot of music.  No I don’t have time to listen to every single track that was online during the past thirty days.  In my opinion, these thirteen tracks are the best of what I heard.  Enjoy the music, tell your friends, and if you want to see all the previous volumes in the Best of the Remix series click here.

All the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click}

mp3 : Beck - Cellphone’s Dead (Ellen Allien Remix)
A lot of the tracks this time around are of the slow burn variety.  They’re steady, consistent, and they get better the longer you listen to them.  This is one of those tracks.  A perfect remix for the start of Autumn {sorry to all you Southern Hemisphere folks, have fun with your spring}.

mp3 : Jackson 5 - I Want You Back (Z-Trip Remix)
It seems that almost every month a classic tune or three crop up in a clean and efficient sort of remix.  There’s something about this track that is intoxicating.  Almost makes me wish I was double dutching on a playground somewhere.

mp3 : LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great (Shokking Shokkaboy Remix)
This is kinda what I imagine LCD Soundsystem would sound like if they were rooted, completely, in the eighties.  And not in a bad way.  In a blippy and bleepy sort of carefree, let’s all go listen to some Flock of Seagulls, sort of way.

mp3 : M.I.A. - Paper Planes (Dskotek Remix)
My mind is still confused over whether or not I like M.I.A.  My mind is definitely made up that I love this remix.  This track is as close to perfect as any M.I.A. remix I’ve ever heard.

mp3 : Midnight Juggernauts - Into the Galaxy (Danger Remix)
The opening effects sound like they’re taken from Street Fighter, or some other completely radical arcade fighter, and from there the song continues to build into a sort of classic rock, pop, fuzz guitar, synth mashup that actually sounds better than that random string of words I just used to decribe it.

mp3 : Muse - Knights Of Cydonia (Ocelot Remix)
Non remixed tracks impress me with the amount of energy they somehow cram into each and every song.  Seriously, go see them live and you’ll come away with your mouth hanging open.  Somehow this Ocelot remix proves that you can add even more awesome to a Muse track.  If you’re only going to download one remix this month this should be it.

mp3 : Mystery Jets - Flakes (Loud Pipes Remix)
It’d be fair to say that this month I’ve been all about Mystery Jets.  And deservedly so.  They make great music and the remixes that have sprung from their tunes are equally impressive.  Check it out.

mp3 : Mystery Jets - Half In Love With Elizabeth (Delorean Remix)
That’s right, I’m posting a slew of Mystery Jets remixes and you’re loving every second of it.  You’re welcome by the way.  I like this track because it’s laid back.  It’s one of those rare remixes that’s soothing as well as dance worthy.  Everyone just chill out and listen to the bubble bursting.

mp3 : Mystery Jets - Hand Me Down (Riton Remix)
Classic example of what can be done with a minimalistic pallate.  Welcome to the remix where the opening forty five seconds consist of very little other than three repeated words.  And you love it.

mp3 : Mystery Jets - Hideaway (Switch Remix)
This is what Hideaway would sound like if a steamroller of beats was smashed throughout the entire song; verse, chorus, and all.  Also this might be the best use of the echo effect I’ve heard in a long long time.  At about one minute fifty seconds into this track it really starts poppin’ and it ain’t stoppin’.

mp3 : Mystery Jets - Young Love (Shoes Remix)
Ok, I promise this is the last Mystery Jets remix I’m posting this month.  But each of them is unique in their own way.  I think it’s great how one band has been remixed in such a variety of ways.  This track is tops.

mp3 : The Streets - Let’s Push Things Forward (Hostage Remix)
This is about one “chicka chicka 4 minutes” from sounding like Timbaland and Mike Skinner met up in some dark back alley of London and decided to drop some heat.  This track proves, yet again, that I am a sucker for almost all things that start simple and build until they reach true extasy.

mp3 : Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (The Teenagers Remix)
What happend to Vampire Weekend?  Remember nine months ago when they were cancelling festival appearances to play on SNL?  Where have they been since then?  Does anyone even care?  We’d probably care more if they released some songs that sounded like this.

Peace out.  Stay sweet.  I’ll keep posting music if you keep pretending to care.  That’s it for this month’s volume of BOTR.

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BOTM vol 11

The end of the month draws nigh, and I have sought only to serve the blogosphere what meager offerings I could find.  In my endless search of great music there are, on occasion, songs that fall through the cracks.  Sometimes they’re brand new tracks, in other instances they are old and almost forgotten.  It is for this reason that each month I present to you my Best of the Month series.  Enjoy the tracks below, I’ve done all I could to bring you only that which is worthy of your precious time.  If you’d like to peruse all the other BOTM volumes click this link.

All the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click}

mp3 : Arcade Fire - Maps (Yeah Yeah Yeahs Cover)
It’s almost a sure bet that when one of my favorite bands covers one of my favorite songs it’ll be worth listening to.  This cover comes from the wonderful year 2005 and it’s still hot.

mp3 : Coldplay - Death Will Never Conquer
The four boys from England gave this track away for free on their website.  I’m not sure if it would qualify as a b-side, as a hidden track, or whatnot.  Regardless of nomenclature it’s a nice slice of Coldplay.

mp3 : Enur (feat Natasja) - Calabria 2008
Yes, this is that song, from the Target commercial featuring two undergrads setting up their dorm room {with an appropriate amount of dance off panache}.  It’s good, trust me.

mp3 : Jack White and Alicia Keys - Another Way To Die
Could the upcoming bond be as good as this summer’s Batman movie?  A large part of me thinks it will be impossible, but I can always hope.  This is for certain, Jack White makes amazing songs.

mp3 : Kanye West - Love Lockdown
It’s been remixed to shreds, already, and to be honest I hope Kanye realizes his albums sell because of his rhymes, not his vocals {however computer aided/distorted they are}.  As a single song this track is nice, I would cringe if it filled out an entire album.

mp3 : Katy Perry - Electric Feel (MGMT Cover)
Katy Perry ranks right down about the same level as Rhianna or Amy Winehouse on my list of those who shouldn’t have a recording career.  But even broken clocks are right twice a day.  Or in Katy’s case, once.  This cover proves yet again that anyone can sound decent when they’re playing someone else’s song.

mp3 : Mystery Jets - Bleeding Love (Leona Lewis Cover)
While my mind is as of yet undecided about whether Leona Lewis is talented or not, one thing is for certain.  Mystery Jets have yet to do something that disappoints me.  This track is superb.

mp3 : Phoenix - If I Ever Feel Better
I’ve often thought of Phoenix as the much much more talented version of Maroon 5.  See Maroon 5 is terrible {always}.  Phoenix, on the other hand, seems to be getting better and better with each and every album they produce.

mp3 : Snow Patrol - Take Back The City
It’s officially a toss up whether or not the upcoming Snow Patrol album will be amazing or terrible.  I like the progress they’ve made with their latest two albums, although I know some fans would vehemently disagree.  This song shows promise.

mp3 : The Kooks - Kids (MGMT Cover)
If you skipped over the Katy Perry cover of MGMT {which you rightly could do, she’s not that talented} then this is definitely a track you should hear.  One word comes to mind when I listen to this track, and that word is love.

mp3 : The Postal Service - Grow Old With Me
Will they ever release another album?  Not likely.  If they do somehow get the tracks together and release an album will it be epic?  Probably not.  Probably not even close.  It’ll probably disappoint as much as the second half of Weezer’s latest disc {and I really wanted to love that one}.

mp3 : TV On The Radio - Family Tree
Their latest album is solidly in the running for best album of the year.  Honestly, every track is brilliant off this album, and Family Tree is one of those tracks.

mp3 : Yannis Kamarinos - Money Shot
Yes, this is that song from the AT&T techno twins commercial.  I had to search high and low for this little slice of danceable goodness.  You are welcome.  The next volume in the Best of the Remix series should hit tomorrow.

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Mystery Jets

This year has been filled with amazing albums.  In fact there’s been enough that I already cringe when imagining picking just ten for my best of the year list.  At times, though, I thought I was on top of it.  Each time I figure I’m completely caught up I realize I missed an album that came out months ago and, upon listening, it rips my preconceived notions to shreds.  The latest album by Mystery Jets, Twenty One (amazon) (itunes), is one of those albums.  It was released in March of this year and it seems to be influenced by The Strokes and The Killers {at least the Killers when they’re more current and less Bruce Springsteen}.  I first stumbled upon their music when countless solid remixes kept showing up on the internet month after month.  After awhile I finally gave in and decided it was time to investigate the source material.

mp3 : Mystery Jets - Young Love (feat Laura Marling)
mp3 : Mystery Jets - Flakes

What I found was an album that everyone should listen to.  I know I posted yesterday about TV On The Radio, telling everyone in the world to go out and listen to their album, and that proclaimation still stands.  But if you’re in the mood for well crafted, catchy, intelligent indie pop you need not look any further than these four boys from England.

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TV On The Radio

Today is a great day for the music world.  Why you ask?  Today is the day that the latest TV On The Radio album, Dear Science (amazon) (itunes), is finally available for purchase or download.  If you’re into physical copies make sure you stop somewhere on your way home from work today to pick it up.  Yes, it is that good.  It’s good enough that for the next month you won’t take the album out of your car.  It’s good enough that you just might forget that you own any other albums at all.  No matter how many more albums TV On The Radio release this is one that will always be remembered as a masterpiece.

mp3 : TV On The Radio - Halfway Home
mp3 : TV On The Radio - Dancing Choose

This was one of the hardest albums to pick just two songs to post here on TWF.  With all integrity I can honestly say that I love each and every track that appears on this album.  I chose these two because I felt they show a good contrast, both sides of the TV On The Radio coin, if you will.  Luckily for me {and for you} they’ve put their entire album up on their myspace page.  Head over there and you can listen to the entire disc from start to finish.  Simply brilliant.

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Tonedeff

I had something else planned for today’s post, but a quick trip through my inbox reorganized my priorities.  I got an email about Tonedeff’s reworking of Kanye’s recent song Love Lockdown.  I recently posted a slew of the best of the first round of remixes for this song and, to be honest, most of them were a dime a dozen ho-hum sort of vanilla.  If these two remixes, one by Tonedeff and one by Chew Fu, are a sign of the remixes yet to come then we should all get excited.  Both of these tracks are excellent.  Listening to the rap section that closes out the song should give you goosebumps, or at least wake you up.

mp3 : Tonedeff - Warden (Love Lockdown Remix)
mp3 : Tonedeff - Warden (Love Lockdown Remix) (Chew Fu House Remix)

Both of these tracks should be listened to immediately.  Especially if you’re stuck at work and sick of listening to the boring radio station your fellow cube dwellers love.

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The Streets

If you’ve been hanging around here long enough you probably realize that I rarely, if ever, get excited for modern rap or hip hop.  Hopefully that makes my endorsement of Mike Skinner’s latest album, Everything Is Borrowed (amazon) (itunes), even more meaningful.  Seriously, this album is quite amazing.  Mike’s trademark Brit vocals slide through rhymes not yet dreamed up by most of his contemporaries and on this album he lays them across his best musical work to date.  Twenty years from now, when your children are just starting to listen to your lame old music, when they stumble upon The Streets this is the album they will listen to over and over again.

mp3 : The Streets - Everything Is Borrowed
mp3 : The Streets - The Strongest Person I Know

I have always been impressed with Mike Skinner and the way that he grafts together stunning melodies and brilliantly fluid rhymes.  On this album it seems as if he’s taken it up a full three notches.  Where some of his previous albums could be pigeon holed into the Brit Rap niche, this album stands out, tall and proud, as a true landmark in a field of ever expanding rap mediocrity.

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The Bombhappies

The Bombhappies are a five pice band out of Sweden that continue the tradition of great indie music pouring forth from the minds of the Swedes.  Honestly these five lads have made a solid album in Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok (itunes).  If you’ve ever liked anything else I’ve ever posted here on TWF then I strongly recommend that you download these two tracks and purchase their album.  Trust me, this is the cream of the crop.

mp3 : The Bombhappies - And at Belle Inn, I Told You
mp3 : The Bombhappies - When I’m Asleep

For some reason the first track, And at Belle Inn, I Told You conjures up images of a younger Michael Stipe on vocals.  I’m not sure the music throughout the entire song jives with an REM image, but the vocals on the first verse somehow trigger the Michael Stipe response.  For those of you looking for more handouts check out their myspace page {link below} where they have a third track from Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok available for download.

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Arwa Abid

If you’re like me, or the rest of the entire world, you’ve never heard of Arwa Abid until today.  You see she’s from Pakistan and she plays a solid acoustic melody.  The only problem is that there literally is no information on her whatsoever.  Anywhere.  Maybe there’s something out there in languages my computer {let alone my brain} cannot comprehend.  Maybe there’s an album somewhere floating around.  What I have today are two simple tracks.  The first was sent to me by a regular reader here on The World Forgot with the simple request of “what song is this?”  Fortunately I was able to identify the artist and song title and during my research I stumbled upon another track that has made its way onto the internet.

It’s not often that I can claim to be the first blog to post about an artist {and really, who can truthfully say that, ever}, but I do believe that this is the first time Arwa has made it onto a music blog.  I hope you enjoy her music and I hope she continues to make music.

mp3 : Arwa Abid - To Watch You Finally Go
mp3 : Arwa Abid - Say It’s Possible (Terra Naomi Cover)

I really like the track To Watch You Finally Go.  The way it ends could use a little tweaking, but I really enjoy the simple melancholic melody employed here.  I swear that the guitar melody is stolen from a song I’ve heard countless times before.  I just can’t seem to place it off the top of my head.

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Kanye West Remixed

Let’s be honest here for a minute.  Who doesn’t love Kanye West?  Ok, other than photogs, camera operators at LAX, TMZ, and other rappers who try to release albums on the same day as Kanye; who doesn’t love Kanye West?  Even though we’d all love to hate  this aggressive, megalomaniacal trendsetter, there’s something about his smooth rhymes and his blatantly obvious arrogance that draws the world back to him each and every time.

Recently Kanye has been lighting up blogs, the general interwebs, and most every airwave with his new single Love Lockdown.  He’s also gotten some love from some quick on the draw remix kids the world over.  Because today is Monday, and we’re all hating that fact that yet another weekend has drawn to a close, I thought I would throw up the best remixes I’ve heard yet of Love Lockdown.  Granted, many of the heavy hitters in the remix world have yet to weigh in on this track {and we all know they will}, but these are the best of what’s come first.

All the remixes in one zip file : here {zshare = left click}

mp3 : Kanye West - Love Lockdown (Aerotronic Remix)
mp3 : Kanye West - Love Lockdown (Cenzo Remix)
mp3 : Kanye West - Love Lockdown (Chew Fu Small Room Remix)
mp3 : Kanye West - Love Lockdown (Flufftronix Remix)
mp3 : Kanye West - Love Lockdown (Jake Troth Remix)
mp3 : Kanye West - Love Lockdown (Jin Remix)
mp3 : Kanye West - Love Lockdown (Prince William Remix)

The first five tracks are pretty much your stereotypical remixes.  They’re each slightly differnt from each other, yet the all maintain just enough of the original track to be recognizeable {and ultimately dance beat laden}.  I’m not entire sure but the Flufftronix Remix might be my favorite right now.  The last two tracks are a bit differnt than the standard issue remix as they feature some talented MC’s rhyming over the intstrumental portions of the track.  Both the Jin Remix and Prince William Remix are of the must hear it now variety.

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Arcade Fire : Live On KCRW

The kids of Arcade Fire are awesome.  They also span quite an impressive range of heights.  Sorry for cutting you off there love, that’s just the way it is.  Anyway, I get quite a few requests to repost old material every week in email format.  Some songs and artists get requested once, some two or three times, but only one post of mine consistently comes up and is requested again and again {probably once every ten days or so}.  For all the lovely readers who’ve wanted to see these tracks once again grace the interwebs, here is the moment you’ve been waiting for.

mp3 : Arcade Fire - Intro (Live on KCRW)
mp3 : Arcade Fire - Wake Up (Live on KCRW)
mp3 : Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #4 (Live on KCRW)
mp3 : Arcade Fire - Vampire Forest Fire (Live on KCRW)
mp3 : Arcade Fire - Interview (Live on KCRW)
mp3 : Arcade Fire - Intervention (Live on KCRW)
mp3 : Arcade Fire - Born on a Train (Live on KCRW)
mp3 : Arcade Fire - In the Backseat (Live on KCRW)
mp3 : Arcade Fire - Outro (Live on KCRW)

All the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click}

For those of you who are interested this recording was made January 17th of 2005 and it is quite amazing.  It’s worth listening to it just for the alternate version of Intervention {and the rest of the tracks are equally compelling}.  *It’s also worth noting, and Win Butler says so quite clearly, that Born on a Train is a Magnetic Fields cover.  Cheers.

Much thanks goes to KCRW for consistently putting amazing music on the internet.  If you’ve never been to their website that simply must be changed.   Click on through and have a listen to the Morning Becomes Eclectic archives.  You’ll love it.

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Andrew WK : A Special 9/11 Post

On this day, seven full years removed from the tragic events of nine eleven, it serves us all to think back and remember where we were.  I was an undergrad who woke up late, stumbled into a dining hall, and has to ask a cafeteria lady “what city is that taking place in” whilst I pointed groggily at the television.  New York was her answer, and it took me a moment to properly understand that she meant our New York City, the city I grew to love on my visit there.  That the buildings that were just falling were where I had once stood, on top of the world, staring out at this beautiful elegant jewel of a metropolis.

Looking back it’s sometimes hard to find the words to accurately describe how we feel today, how that day changed us or the world as a whole.  In such times it’s often best to let the professionals do what they’re paid for.  Here’s a song off of Andrew WK’s first full length effort, I Get Wet (amazon) (itunes), that sums up everything I wanted to say.

mp3 : Andrew WK - I Love NYC

Random piece of trivia : During my undergrad years, at a prestigious midwestern university, I had the honor of living in a dormitory complex.  And yes, for awhile, Andrew WK’s little brother lived there as well.  We never got a concert, I never even saw his big brother come and visit him {although it was rumoured he had}, but we lived in the same building nonetheless.

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Fleet Foxes

I’ve been blessed this year in that I’ve had an almost continual stream of new music to capitvate my ears.  At some point, though, I got so backed up in listening to new albums that some simply fell through the cracks.  At the time I’m writing this I still have over thirty five albums in digital format that have never even been unzipped {yeah, I’m a little backed up}.  One band that I seemed to have passed over is Fleet Foxes and there are most likely two reasons for this.  The first has already been explained, the second is a bit, well, counterintuitive.  When something gets super popular on hype or elbows it’s as if my subconscious kicks in and forces me to tune them out.

Fortunately for all of us Fleet Foxes made an album this year that simply cannot be ignored.  Their clever brand of caterwauling* indie folk is intoxicating and mesmerizing throughout the length of their self titled Fleet Foxes (amazon) (itunes).  The more I listen to this album the more I find I love it, and the more I struggle to accurately define it.  There are bits of other sounds located throughout some tracks {think Sufjan Stevens instrumentals mixed with Bon Iver’s vocals - if they were layered through the roof} but what impresses most on this album is the fresh breath of true original talent.

mp3 : Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
mp3 : Fleet Foxes - Ragged Wood

*Please note I meant caterwauling as a positive almost whimsical adjective, not in the extreme literal sense of the definition.  Also, does anyone who’s heard the album think the closing track, Oliver James, sounds just like something Vampire Weekend would sing?

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Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

It’s hard not to love the sublimely catchy tunes that pop and sparkle all over the latest release from Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin.  And honestly, who can resist loving a band who chose an entire sentence for their moniker?  {Quite a cheeky sentence at that}.  Regardless whether you like their name, or lack thereof, you’ll most definitely want to give their latest disc, 2008’s Pershing (amazon), a try from start to end.

mp3 : Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Modern Mystery
mp3 : Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Some Constellation

So far this year has been one massive success as far as indie pop has been concerned {recession or lack thereof not withstanding}.  Great albums have been dropped so far by Frightened Rabbit, Mates of State, This Is Ivy League, Vampire Weekend, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, and the list could go on and on.  This album is by far the better of the two that SSLYBY {their name is too long even for copy and paste} have released thus far and it makes me excited to hear what they’ll cook up next.

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Gary Jules

Once in awhile there comes a song that I can listen to on one song repeat for an hour straight.  These songs are few and far between.  One song I found years ago is Gary Jules’ cover of the Tears for Fears song Mad World.  The cover was first recorded on Mr. Jules’ 2001 album Trading Snakeoil for Wolftickets (amazon) (itunes) and has since been used in everything from the soundtrack to Donnie Darko (amazon) (itunes) to Grey’s Anatomy to a Gears of War advert {alongside copious amounts of trailers, previews, and other sundry commercials, sitcoms, and dramas}.  No matter where you first heard this track there is always an emotion that returns each time you hear it again.

mp3 : Gary Jules - Mad World (Tears for Fears Cover)

This sets the bar pretty high for cover songs the world over.  I still love it five years and a thousand playbacks since I heard it the first time.  If you like the song I highly recommend watching the music video.  It’s quite brilliant.

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Death Cab for Cutie

I stumbled upon some rare tracks by Ben Gibbard and company the other day.  And for some reason today I’m supremely frustrated with life {I actually know the reason.  I’m still waiting on my visa application to move to Shanghai and start my career}.  Regardless of the root of your frustrations, it is Monday after all, a little Death Cab can go a long way toward soothing your anxious minds and hearts.  Enjoy the music.

mp3 : Death Cab For Cutie - Coney Island (Alternate Version)
mp3 : Death Cab For Cutie - Earth Angel (The Penguins Cover)
mp3 : Death Cab For Cutie - Rocking Chair (The Band Cover)
mp3 : Death Cab For Cutie - We Laugh Indoors (Dub Version)

All four tracks are a must listen for any Death Cab fan with the last track being the most, well, unique of the four.  Also, The Penguins track is a classic and it’s been covered by a multitude of bands over the past few decades, but I really like Ben Gibbard’s take on it here.

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Albert Hammond Jr

Albert Hammond Jr separated himself just a little bit more from The Strokes on his latest studio effort.  Released on July 7th of this year, Como Te Llama (amazon) (itunes), takes some of his tried and true roots and builds on them, further cementing his musical credibility.  Overall the album is a solid addition to his career {I mean c’mon, the guy plays guitar on Is This It, has played with The Strokes for ages, and already had one good album in his solo shift}.  One thing the album does very well is reveal the talent base of his other band.  While Julian Casablancas might be the signature front man it appears, or at least sounds, like much of the music comes straight from the brain of this man.

mp3 : Albert Hammond Jr - GfC

The bottom line is that if you like anything The Strokes have done or you liked Albert’s first solo album then Como Te Llama is right up your alley.  The bright side is that even if you didn’t like anything that has come before this album there is enough sustenance here that it could easily qualify as a good starting point for your Albert Hammond Jr love affair.

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Ben Folds

Ben Folds might be the best performer to ever play a piano.  Period.  Granted he might not be the most technically skilled or gifted piano player, but when he takes the stage everyone listens.  Everyone.  I’ve had the amazing luck to catch him play two live sets and each time he’s left me wowed.  A few months back, when I saw him play down at Langerado, he mentioned that he was putting the finishing touches on an upcoming album.  Just yesterday I happened to skip over to his site and found that not only is the album done, but he’s streaming two new tracks on his main page.  One of those tracks will definitely appear on his upcoming album, Way To Normal, and features none other than Regina Spektor.  So far only this single is available from itunes or amazonmp3; the album will hit shelves and etailers on September 30th.

mp3 : Ben Folds (feat Regina Spektor) - You Don’t Know Me

The track is masterful and I recall being blown away by the new songs I had the pleasure of hearing the last time I saw Ben smash away on the keys.  Another important note is that Mr. Folds will be reuniting with his old band, some of you may have heard of Ben Folds Five, to play a concert straight through their classic album The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner.  The concert will take place at UNC Memorial Hall in Chapel Hill North Carolina on September 18th and will serve as the kickoff to a new concert series organized by Myspace {apparently Myspace still has some usefulness left after all}.  Also, for those of you looking to score tickets to this event they go on sale 10AM September 8th from etix.com with all proceeds going to benefit Operation Smile.

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