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Radiohead

Published by

billy

at June 9, 2008 in live, portishead, cover, radiohead, music and mp3. 2 Comments

For those of you who are still unaware Radiohead played a show this past weekend at Malahide Castle in Ireland. From all accounts it was an epic show {but what Radiohead show isn’t?} and they also debuted a new song during their second encore. The song featured Thom solo on his piano and is being referred to as Super Collider. Well after find this gem I was a little more interested the recent workings of what could be my favorite band of all time {definitely still my favorite band I’ve ever seen in concert}. It was this curiosity that led me to stumble upon a video of Thom and Jonny playing a little acoustic cover of a Portishead tune. And of course, due to my extensive knowledge of ripping audio from almost anything online {my friend Google taught me how to do it}, I grabbed the audio, converted it to a delicious little mp3 and I’m putting it up here.

mp3 : Radiohead - Super Collider (Live)
mp3 : Radiohead - The Rip (Portishead Cover)

To be fair neither of these tunes features the entire band playing together. Due to the fact that the first track occurred at a Radiohead concert and the second was posted on the Radiohead official website I’m still attributing them both to the band as opposed to the individual artists.

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BOTM vol 08

Published by

billy

at May 31, 2008 in kylie minogue, coldplay, death cab for cutie, sigur ros, say hi, mstrkrft, flaming lips, eugene francis jr, emilie simon, debbie gibson, magnetic fields, weezer, cover, regina spektor, indie, music, cloud cult, acoustic, best of the month, botm, live and mp3. 3 Comments

I’m actually committing to doing this month’s Best of the Month volume actually at the end of the month {volume 07 came out about five days after April was a bygone, so this is a change of pace}. Once again I present to you the best tracks that I heard during this month. This is my no means a completely exhaustive list of all the great music floating around on the interwebs, but it’s my personal slice of thirteen delicious tracks. Enjoy them on at a time or grab the entire volume in one convenient download. For all previous volumes of this series click here.

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

mp3 : Cloud Cult - Love You All
I’ve been listening to their latest album almost nonstop since I got it a few months back and I’m starting to think that this is my favorite track from the disc. Granted it has arguably the most simple lyrics on the album but the complexity of emotions portrayed through the arrangement is quite amazing.
site myspace amaozmp3 itunes

mp3 : Coldplay - Can’t Get You Out of My Head (Live Kylie Minogue Cover)
Although they might not be the biggest band of all time I would argue that they just might be the biggest band of this year. They’ve masterfully promoted their new album and somehow they’ve kept the lid on the leaky pipes which plague so many other big bands. This is a great cover.
site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Coldplay - Viva la Vida
Although Violet Hill was the first single dumped on the world, and the music video for that song is quite well done, I think it’s Viva la Vida which shows a nice maturity for these four boys fronted by Chris Martin. My only question is how they produce the strings in a live setting. Quite a brilliant start for their upcoming album which I am greatly anticipating.
site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Death Cab for Cutie - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Live Cyndi Lauper Cover)
With all the hype surrounding bigger, or at least more blogged about, acts I feel as if the launch date of the latest DCFC album passed by without much ado. In all actuality I guess I didn’t even post a review {although I love it}. Regardless I love Ben Gibbard’s special take on this classic song.
site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Emilie Simon - To The Dancers In The Rain (Live)
Sometime during this month I started listening to the more melancholy female singers on the market right now and I found myself falling in love with each of them in turn. Sometimes being sad is what you need to feel and sometimes listening to sad music is the right choice.
site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Eugene Francis Jr - Poor Me
Kind of like a mashup of Frou Frou with The Shins, Eugene Francis Jr seems like the golden reason to make a sequel to Garden State {if only for the soundtrack}. I love this song.
myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : MSTRKRFT - VUVUVU
I haven’t really listened to this genre of music since the days of undergrad all nighters spent studying architecture. Energy drinks of tomorrow will still fall short of the punch packed into any MSTRKRFT song. Ever.
site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Regina Spektor - The Call
Although I’m not a big fan of The Chronicles of Narnia movies {they’re a bit childish and the CGI is almost as bad as that found in the new Indiana Jones} it’s quite a treat to hear Regina Spektor on the soundtrack. And I really like the lyrics in this song. Kudos to you Ms. Spektor.
site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Say Hi - We Lost The Albatross
After dropping the To Your Mom from his title and, arguably, dropping some of the silliness from his musical creations as well, Eric Elbogen’s music has grown up quite a bit. I love this song off his latest album and I hope it’s a sign of even greater ideas yet to come.
site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook
I’m officially a sucker for all things Sigur Ros {much to the chagrin of many of my friends}. I don’t know how I first heard of this band from Iceland {a land I’ve long wanted to visit}, but I’ve loved them from that first listen. This song hails from their upcoming album {hot on the heels of their last effort Hvarf/Heim} and they’re giving it away free from their website.
site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : The Flaming Lips - Knives Out (Radiohead Cover)
The Flaming Lips caught my attention when they sang about robot killer Yoshimi {for an entire album} and it’s great to hear them cover another of my favorite bands. This performance hails from a 2002 set they played at the esteemed KCRW studios.
site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : The Magnetic Fields - Too Drunk To Dream
I really hate the latest album by The Magnetic Fields. It was such a departure from the melodramatic beat and cello filled pop of their previous two efforts. Somehow songs from that album keep sneaking into my favorite lists though. It’s as if taken one at a time the songs are alright, but when put together for forty five minutes they’re simply too much to handle.
site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Weezer - Pink Triangle (Live Acoustic)
I love me some Weezer and I really love what I’ve heard so far from their upcoming album. Pink Triangle hails from what may be my favorite Weezer disc of all time, Pinkerton, and this is a solid live version of the song {even if the crowd gets picked up by the mics a bit much. Cut them some slack, obviously they’re drunk. Right?}
site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

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This Is Ivy League

Published by

billy

at May 16, 2008 in cover, this is ivy league, arcade fire, indie, music and mp3. 2 Comments

What terrible dank rock have I been hiding under the past month or so. I’m only two songs into the debut album by this duo and I think I’m in love. To be honest I began writing this post {and began the love infatuation} approximately three minutes before beginning my first listen to the album. This love affair began at the first guitar string plucked in this spot on rendition of Arcade Fire’s song Crown of Love.

mp3 : This Is Ivy League - Crown of Love (Arcade Fire Cover)

I’ll have more on this band later, hopefully after an honest three listens to their album, but for now this song will tide you over. It is quite simply the best Arcade Fire cover I have heard to date. A sort of modern day Simon and Garfunkel by way of Kings of Convenience. Simple brilliance.

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Saul Williams

Published by

billy

at May 10, 2008 in nin, saul williams, nike sqarq, u2, commercial, music, cover and mp3. 9 Comments

Saul Williams has recently jumped in popularity largely due to his song, List of Demands, providing the spot on background for the new Nike Sparq Training commercials {see youtube}. That song hails from a 2004 effort Saul did, entitled simply Saul Williams (iTunes), and I must say the rest of the album is far and away terrible. It never approaches the driving brilliance of this one wonderful shining moment.

mp3 : Saul Williams - List of Demands (Reparations)

However, all is not lost in the career of Mr. Williams. He recently released a free download album consisting of covers. You might still be able to download the album, The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust, and the from his website {here}. Below are my favorite two tracks from the album. He takes an interesting look at a NIN track as well as one of the most famous U2 songs of all time.

mp3 : Saul Williams - Gunshots by Computers (NIN Cover)
mp3 : Saul Williams - Sunday Bloody Sunday (U2 Cover)

When I first heard the NIN cover I had to quickly check my sources as I could’ve sworn this was a track from the old Rage Against the Machine days. The U2 cover is also well done. It’s obvious Saul has the musical talent to make great music, maybe he lacks the creativity and/or writing habits to make his own album full of winners.

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BOTM vol 07

Published by

billy

at May 6, 2008 in mgmt, aa bondy, john mayer, national, lily allen, bruce springsteen, stars, madonna, scarlett johannson, fall out boy, busta rhymes, amy milan, michael jackson, phantom planet, kanye west, arcade fire, radiohead, indie, music, cover, live, magnetic fields, death cab for cutie, weezer, best of the month, botm and mp3. 4 Comments

Once again it’s time for the Best of the Month series. This is volume number seven. If you’d like to see all other volumes in this series click here. Every month I comb the web, the blogs, my email, my mailbox, for the best tracks. I have more free time than the average web savvy individual so I use that time to compile what I believe is a mix of the best tracks I found this past month. Enjoy the music, tell your friends, and go see one of these artists play a live set.

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

mp3 : AA Bondy - There’s A Reason
I love this track for the simple reason that I feel it could play over the soundtrack to any number of my favorite dramas. Maybe a romantic, comedic, drama. One with a lot of rainy days and melancholic moments.
for more : myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Amy Milan - I Will Follow You Into The Dark (Death Cab for Cutie Cover)
I like Amy Milan as a part of her group, Stars, and it turns out I like her just as much on this slightly countrified version of a Death Cab staple. It’s a great cover for Amy, and it’s true that it always helps when you start with a great original.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Arcade Fire - All The Umbrellas (Live Magnetic Fields Cover)
Although I’m not a huge fan of where Magnetic Fields have gone as of late I’ve been a fan of the older work for awhile. So when you combine a good song with one of the best bands currently performing you’re sure to get a golden cover song.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Busta Rhymes - Don’t Touch Me (Throw Da Water On ‘Em)
Busta has long been one of my favorite rappers. It began back in the day when rap was the king of the musical hill. You know, back when beats were solid, lyrics were important {or at least not so mind numbingly repetetive}, back when it was Dre, Snoop, Em, Busta, 2Pac, Fugees, Beasties, Ja Rule, Nas, etc. This track reminds me of what rap can be.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Death Cab for Cutie - Spring Break Broke
A fairly rare track here by Ben Gibbard and company. In fact I’m not sure I’d heard it before this month. It hails from back near the turn of the millennium but it still sounds fresh and consistent with the newest Death Cab {well, except for the decidedly lo fi production}.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Fall Out Boy (feat John Mayer) - Beat It (Michael Jackson Cover)
I love this track for showcasing all that I love about John Mayer and leaving out all that I find boring, vanilla, and lacking in talent. It’s a fact, John Mayer can flat out play guitar. He’s gifted, talented, ad nauseam. His lyrics are terrible and usually stupid. Here you get all the good with none of the bad.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Lily Allen - I Don’t Know
I like Lily for her brutal honesty. And for the fact that she’s better than Lady Sov and knows it {and proves it time and time again}. This track is a delightful combination of the current everything-is-a-dance-song trend with Lily’s trademark witty lyrics.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Madonna (feat Kanye West) - The Beat Goes On
She’s older than most of her competition and yet she still brings it all to the table. Sex appeal {kinda getting gross} check, cross promotion check, a slew of guest stars check, and a decent danceable album check. What’s not to like?
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : MGMT - Destrokk
To me this song is great because it’s not immediately recognizable as an MGMT track. For that matter, other than the overplayed Time to Pretend, I’m not sure if there is a standalone MGMT sound. And I like that.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Phantom Planet - I Don’t Mind
This is still my favorite track off of the newest Phantom Planet disc. I’m not sure if these boys will ever achieve massive success {they might have peaked in regards to popularity with California}, but I think they deserve it. Track after track, album after album, they’re still good.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Radiohead - True Love Waits
One of my favorite songs by Thom and company this track has never received an official studio recording. Although it was released on their live album, I Might Be Wrong, it usually only surfaces at the rare and random concert {regardless of how loudly I might yell my requests}.
for more : site amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Scarlett Johannson - Anywhere I Lay My Head
She is gorgeous, she is a serious actress, she’s this month’s cover artist on Paste, and she also has a cover/tribute album for Tom Waits. It’s the last one I’m still unsure about, but I liked this track enough to include it this month as a bonus. {usually there are only thirteen tracks in the BOTM series, so consider this your lucky day}
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : The National - Mansion On The Hill (Live Bruce Springsteen Cover)
They’re one of my favorite bands and in this instance they’re covering one of my favorite artists {c’mon rise up anyone?}. It seems like a match made in heaven right down to the crooning baritones and mellow yet socially aware mindsets of both The National and The Boss.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Weezer - Pork and Beans
I couldn’t let this little ditty slip through the cracks here at TWF. I’ve long loved the four boys who reimagined and reinvented guitar driven surf/nerd/diy rock. Here’s to hoping the rest of their new album will be as good {or better} than this first single.
for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

That’s all for this month’s roundup. Come back tomorrow for the next issue of BOTR {Best of the Remix}. Enjoy the music.

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BOTM vol 06

Published by

billy

at April 1, 2008 in kara keith, john mayer, collections of colonies of bees, joy formidable, lismore, mgmt, pete townshend, sons and daughters, peter moren, over the rhine, death cab for cutie, bishop allen, smashing pumpkins, radiohead, indie, music, rilo kiley, modest mouse, best of the month, botm, live, cover and mp3. 4 Comments

I really could use a new graphic for Best of the Month. I’ll get on that right after I kick my addiction to video games on xbox live. Honestly, it’s been hitting me hard the last week or so. I apologize for the lack of new and brilliant posts, but you need to check out the live tracks I posted last week by Zach Williams. Honestly.

For those of you who are just stumbling by this little blog today let me explain what the BOTM series of posts is. Every month I use my considerable amount of free time {I’m pretty much a good for nothing grown up kid} to scour the web, the albums, the emails, and the blogs for the best thirteen tracks I can find in any one calendar month. Then I put them all together in one simple post and allow you to enjoy them at your leisure. And as a special added bonus I’ve now begun adding my own witty commentary with the tracks. Get excited. If you’d like to check out all the previous volumes you can do that just by clicking here. And now, in the words of Freddie, on with the show.

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

mp3 : Bishop Allen - Middle Management
I love this track as it just never seems to quit. The lyrics are spit fire, the phrase “the end is coming soon” is chanted a few times, and the music drives along in a jangly bouncy mess of fun from start to finish. I seem to gravitate towards music that sounds as if they’re having a ton of fun making it, and this is just such a track.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Collections of Colonies of Bees - Flocks III
There are some songs, like the previous Bishop Allen track, that reach out and grab you on the first note. There are other songs that build and grow. They start slow and morph from one movement to the next in a way that is intense, lackadaisical, fluid, and abrupt. This sprawling eleven minute track is one of the latter. It careens from soundscape to colonial army drumbeats, from fluid guitar work to soaring melodies.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart
To be fair my heart is still in the air on this track. I feel as if it’s a legitimate fifty fifty chance that I won’t like their new album {due May 13}. And that’s quite possibly what Gibbard, Walla, and crew were aiming for on this album. They’ve offered many a disclaimer stating that this album won’t be for everyone and quite possibly will alienate a large portion of their fan base. The truth is that this track just isn’t enough to decide yet how the rest of the album will fare.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : John Mayer - Kid A (Radiohead Cover)
I really don’t like John Mayer all that much. His guitar work is amazing, his jazz trio was inventive and original, and his talent as a musician is pretty much on par with any contemporary guitar player out there today. On the other hand his lyrics are abysmal. Always. That’s why I can boldly state my love for his cover of one of the best lyricists out there, that being Thom Yorke and his pals that some people refer to as Radiohead. Kudos to you Mr. Mayer for choosing a great song to cover.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Kara Keith - Kick This City
I got this track in an email {one that I actually read apparently} and I loved the smooth and smoky vocals that Kara features on this track. The music is comparable to a lot of indie rock/pop that’s been floating around festivals and EP’s lately and it’s executed very well. It serves as a perfect jaunting backdrop to her subdued vocals.

for more : myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Lismore - 1979 (Smashing Pumpkins Cover)
This was easily one of my favorite tracks ever layed down by Chicago based Smashing Pumpkins and I was a little leery upon hearing a cover of it. It’s not every day that a band can take a song and pay adequate homage to the song’s heritage {witness the total destruction of Landslide by the Dixie Chicks}. I must say that Lismore did a great job at both recreating 1979 while still honoring where the song originally came from. It’s just a great cover.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Mgmt - Time To Pretend
It seems as if my BOTM this time around is filled with slightly melancholic indie rock songs. I love this track for the verse that talks about missing, quite literally, everything in the world. Unfortunately there’s nothing Mgmt can figure to do about this situation. Fortunately for us, if all else fails, we can simply put this song on repeat and let them sing us to sleep.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Modest Mouse - Fly Trapped In a Jar
This song appeared as the second single to Modest Mouse’s latest album We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank and I think it’s a good example of the dichotomy of the band. On one hand they can be wildly and infectiously melodic {see Float On} and on the other hand their music can be filled with harsh, even grating, dischord, guitar work, and flat out screamed lyrics. The great thing about Isaac Brock and company is that no matter which way they’re swinging it’s all excellent.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Over the Rhine - If a Song Could Be President
I’ve been a closet fan of Over the Rhine ever since a college roomie of mine turned me onto this husband wife duo out of Ohio. Although I’m not a huge fan of the overt country style tones available on this track it’s always fun to hear a new song by a band that you really enjoy. And seeing as how overly dramatic the coverage of the presidential primaries are in the States right now this track only seemed appropriate.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Peter Moren - Social Competence
I never was a huge fan of Peter’s other group {Peter Bjorn & John} for various and sundry reasons. I guess it just boiled down to the fact that I just wasn’t that into them. But here it’s just Mr. Moren on his own {with some almost whimsical hand claps} and it’s a whole new beast for my heart to love. I dig it.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Rilo Kiley - Let My Love Open The Door (Pete Townshend Cover)
Rilo Kiley was the first band featuring mainly female vocals that I genuinely liked listening to. I remember that moment clearly. To hear them cover a Pete Townshend classic is, well, classic. Although it’s a live track and it takes a bit to actually get started it’s worth every wonderful second. And who would’ve thought that ukelele would be perfect on a Pete Townshend song?

for more : site myspace amazaonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Sons and Daughters - Johnny Cash
I’m a huge fan of the Man in Black and consequently this track title caught my eye. Fortunately the song kept my attention from start to end as a title is only clever enough to keep me stationary for about seventeen seconds. What you’ll find here is a healthy dose of southern rock with a salting of driving rockabilly. And to be honest, it just wouldn’t be a song called Johnny Cash without a nice baritone voice singing over the brooding music.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : The Joy Formidable - Cradle
I posted about this new band just a few days ago {you can read that post here} and I must say that their music has the infectious staying power that all musicians strive for. Well at least all musicians who wish to be loved by their fans. Although this track by The Joy Formidable is easily the one most likely to be overplayed on popular radio it’s also the one that you will be begging to hear again and again. Yes, it is that good.

for more : myspace

That wraps up the sixth volume of Best of the Month. I really can’t believe it’s been going on this long. Quite a lot of fun this little adventure has been. As always, enjoy the music.

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BOTM vol 05

Published by

billy

at February 29, 2008 in john doe, benjamin gibbard, dodos, jon sebastian, lily allen, hysterics, black hollies, talbot tagora, two hours traffic, plastic operator, jose gonzalez, indie, music, cover, live, wakey wakey, best of the month, botm and mp3. 8 Comments

Happy Leap Day to the world. I hope you’re enjoying this arbitrary addition to the calendar. I also hope that you’ll enjoy this collection of songs and gems I’ve found during the past month or so. Some of them percolated down to me through the blogowebs {way cooler sounding than blogosphere - or should we use interblogs?}, some came to me through email, and some I found on albums that have been sitting in my giant pile of discs to listen to {and don’t even get me started on the thirty or so albums sitting as almost forgotten mp3’s - this is hard work}. Anyway, if you missed my post yesterday about Cloud Cult go read it now, their new album will change the way you think about music and what constitutes good music. Cheerio, and on with the show!

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

mp3 : Benjamin Gibbard - Indian Summer
I honestly don’t know how it took me this long to discover and/or listen to this song. It hails from the soundtrack to the Kurt Cobain movie which Ben Gibbard lent his considerable talent toward creating the orchestration for.

mp3 : The Dodos - Fools
This is the song that got me hooked on what might be my favorite new artist of the year. And by new artist I don’t necessarily mean new to the world, but new to me. I love their music, their simplicity, and the way this dynamic duo creates so much out of so little.

mp3 : John Doe - Golden State
This is the type of song that Bruce Springsteen should be making whole albums out of. It’s a great duet with great lyrics. The melody is slow and moody enough to leave your heart stricken without actually causing you to disintegrate into the pathos of melancholy.

mp3 : Jon Sebastian - I Get Wet (Andrew W.K. Cover)
This is hands down the best cover {other than Wakey!Wakey!} since Ted Leo covered and mashed together Since U Been Gone with Maps. Jon captures all of the intensity of the original while changing it enough to make it something new, something to party with, something to get wet about.

mp3 : Jose Gonzalez - Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division Cover)
I love it when songs are remade with a flair for the brooding emotionally wrought state of life {see Gary Jules classic remake of Mad World as a reference}, and this cover by Jose Gonzalez {with whom I already have a long love affair} is a great example of what a cover song should be. Myspace musicians should take note.

mp3 : Lily Allen - Everybody’s Changing (Keane Cover)
I guess this month was either good for covers or there was something in the loads of snow that dumped on my abode this past few weeks that just put me in the mood. Luckily Lily Allen, although not quite a class act, does indeed make excellent musical choices. And this is one of her better efforts {although I do appreciate in her studio work how much she disses other Brit MC’s}.

mp3 : Plastic Operator - Peppermint
Yes, this is Plastic Operator, aka the Postal Service of France. And by that I mean their tracks, all of them, could easily fit onto the forthcoming album by the dynamic pair of Gibbard and Tamborello. {although I would probably substitute the crystal clear vocals of Ben in that case}. Regardless of vocal preferences Plastic Operator is solid, and shall remain.

mp3 : Talbot Tagora - Connection (Elastica Cover)
I have literally no idea where I found this cover song, but I can tell you why it made the BOTM series. Just listen to it, the entire track, don’t let the initial twenty five seconds fool you. This is not a minimalist Burialesque style of cover song. This is the real deal.

mp3 : The Black Hollies - Paisley Pattern Ground
Everything about this song reminds me of The White Stripes. Or maybe Jack and Meg smashed up with everything I loved about the early work of the Beatles or the Kinks {who are still, easily, one of the most underrated bands of all time}. It’s just a classic sound on this track, one that must be heard.

mp3 : The Hysterics - Untitled
Yet another song that reminds me of the Beatles. I’m sensing a trend this month. There’s a lot of cover songs and a lot of music that in some way reminds me of the great sixties {some would say the greatest decade ever - not me though}. I guess I feel that this track sounds like what the Beatles would’ve been as a pure indie band {or maybe the Monkey’s on a rare day}.

mp3 : Two Hours Traffic - Stuck for the Summer
It’s almost guaranteed that if you can play a decent guitar melody {no matter how repetitive} over a driving drum line with a pleasant voice and decent lyrics you’ve already won my heart. This song reminds me a lot of California style rock ala early Rooney or Phantom Planet. Loved it five years ago and still love it now {especially the ending}.

mp3 : Wakey!Wakey! - Cokehead
It is official, Mike Grubbs can do no wrong. Ever. He’s the OJ of the indie music scene {not to confuse him with some who may or may not have killed someone at some point}. What I mean is that by this point I’m so caught up in the Wakey!Wakey! effect {phenomenon} that I’d be willing to forgive him almost anything {except for stealing someone’s honey like you would a bike}. His vocals are excellent.

mp3 : Wakey!Wakey! - Fallin’ Apart (Live)
I first heard this song about nine months ago on a mixtape and it was essentially got me interested in Wakey!Wakey! Well, it was sent to me yet again and I must say that it still serves to impress upon me the depth and talent that Mike possesses. Here’s to hoping he has a long and successful career because I’d love to hear some more of his particular brand of genius.

If you like the music here, and want to share it, please do not post links to download the files directly. Instead direct your readers, friends, lovers, etc., to this blog post. Thanks. To see all other Best of the Month compilations just click the link below titled twf.

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Wakey!Wakey!

Published by

billy

at February 12, 2008 in beach boys, decemberists, neutral milk hotel, bonnie prince billie, cyndi lauper, joie, alicia keys, yeah yeah yeahs, wakey wakey, indie, music, foo fighters, cover, weezer, live and mp3. 5 Comments

We all have our own personal version of every song. Whether it’s because you don’t really know the lyrics or the fact that you love to belt out alternate harmonies in your car, there is something inside of each of us that makes each song we hear unique to us. Maybe you play drums on your steering wheel, identify with certain idiosyncrasies or turns of a phrase, or maybe you just close your eyes and let the music overwhelm your senses. Whether or not you admit it, we all somehow make music our own.

Luckily for the entire world Mike Grubbs isn’t afraid to take a song, make it his own slice of heaven, and release it to the masses for free. For the past few months Grubbs, aka Wakey!Wakey!, has been putting out an incredible array of cover songs under the album name Wakey!Wakey! Wednesdays. Ranging from The Decemberists to Alicia Keys, from Cyndi Lauper to the Beach Boys, no stone has been left unturned in this exploration of just what a cover song can really be. And what he has come home with is ten songs that the test of time will prove stand proudly next to their original recordings, and in some cases eclipse them altogether. Now that the compilation is complete, with his brilliant rendition of Everlong by the Foo Fighters, I can safely say that this is the best cover album I have ever heard.

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

The tracks here are posted in the order that they appeared over at Wakey!Wakey!’s myspace page. My hat is off to you Mike Grubbs, you have made a wonderful work of art for all of us to hear.

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BOTM vol 04

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billy

at January 28, 2008 in fest, evangelicals, sleepless nights, battle royale, m ward, zooey deschanel, wale, white stripes, robbers on high street, death cab for cutie, justice, radiohead, remix, music, regina spektor, cover, magnetic fields, best of the month, botm and mp3. 5 Comments

Well it’s not quite the end of the month, but in my life it feels close enough. Here are a collection of the best tracks I found this month on the interwebs. Thanks again to all the anonymous donors, blogs, and aggregators for providing us all with some awesome music. If you’re just stumbling upon this blog for the first time take a second and check out all the other Best of the Month posts here, check in on the Best of the Remix project here, or take a peek at what I considered the best albums of 2007 here. For you regular readers and subscribers I will be doing BOTM a little differently from now on. In the past I was told that my blog stood out, to some, because I seemed to actually care about the music instead of just dumping random files to drive traffic to my site. As this truly is the case, although site traffic doesn’t hurt, I will actually be writing a bit about each of these tracks as opposed to previous iterations of BOTM where I just dumped the tracks.

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

mp3 : Death Cab for Cutie - World Shut Your Mouth (Julian Cope Cover)
To be honest this isn’t my favorite Death Cab track of all time. In fact I wouldn’t even put it in my favorite twenty songs by Gibbard and company, but I had never heard it before and it’s always nice to hear Ben Gibbard’s perfect voice over a driving song. Not to mention the repeated phrase “world shut your mouth” is sometimes what I’m thinking.

mp3 : Evangelicals - Skelton Man
The first ten times or so I heard this track I didn’t know what to think. What I think it proves though is that I’m a sucker for the indie sound {by indie I mean Belle and Sebastien meets Flaming Lips} when it’s used in a song that builds and builds and builds until it is a fuzzy sonic shower of joy. Even with the confusion apparent in the first ninety seconds of the song {specifically from 57 seconds to 1:27 in the track} I still really enjoy this band.

mp3 : Feist - The Limit To Your Love
There should never be a limit to your love, but it’s not often the case as we mere humans are flawed, selfish creatures who battle jealousy and greed, neediness and trust issues. In a perfect world there would be no limit to your love, but then we wouldn’t have this melancholic song by Feist to comfort bruised egos, tattered hearts, and romantic dramedies for years to come.

mp3 : M Ward (feat Zooey Deschanel) - When I Get To The Border
This is what happens when you cross one of my favorite new musical acts with undeniably my favorite new actress. And I like it. I probably would have given a kidney to sit in on this recording session, but instead I’ll just give them a little slice of this blog. Congratulations to both of you, this is a fine song.

mp3 : Radiohead - 4 Minute Warning
Here’s a band whom I will always love. They’ll be top shelf music for me until my ears cease to function {and even then, just the energy of their live shows would get me to see them in concert}. This song hails from the extended series of In Rainbows {not the pay what you want edition} and to be honest I wish I would’ve shelled out the eighty plus dollars for the rest of the collection.

mp3 : Radiohead - Up on the Ladder (93 Fee East Acoustic Version)
Another rare recording by the Brit’s here. I think Thom Yorke could sing over the worst noise core music you’ve ever heard and I would still like it.

mp3 : Regina Spektor - My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year)
Has it really already been four full weeks since new year’s eve? It feels like just yesterday we were sipping champagne and reminiscing about how wicked awesome 07 was {I went to Everest}. This track starts out a bit odd with crowd noise and the sound of a chopper flying by. Then there appears to be gunfire about midway through the song. If that background noise was beefed up a bit I would say this a modern day take on Simon and Garfunkel’s 7 O’Clock News (Silent Night).

mp3 : Robbers on High Street - Seasons Greetings
It’s a feel good song that is quite dated {now that it’s a month past the holidays}, but it’s still a solid holiday song. Who says you can’t enjoy the holiday cheer all year long? I know I miss it already.

mp3 : Sleepless Nights - Arabian Nights
Sleepless Nights easily qualifies as one of my favorite new bands. I’d put them up there alongside Lightspeed Champion, Wakey!Wakey!, and Siberian in terms of bands I’m most excited about right now. This song is gorgeous. From the slow methodical beginning to the clean guitar riff that drives the song along there is a not a moment of this song that I don’t love. Just wait for the falsetto “ooh ooh oh!”

mp3 : The Battle Royale - Let’s Leave
Taking a break from their danceabilly style {I just made that genre up} The Battle Royale take a turn at a pure folk track on this song hailing from their debut Wake Up, Thunderbabe. The entire album is quite awesome and I love how diverse they sound from track to track. Half of the album is really solid dance pop with a mix of acoustic folk thrown in while some of the tracks are absolute pure new folk {nu folk, alt folk, post folk, whatever-you-want-to-call-it folk}.

mp3 : The Magnetic Fields - Zombie Boy
I really don’t know what Stephen Merritt was thinking when he decided to release an entire album filled with every type of distortion known to man. I really don’t like the new sound, to be honest, I miss the old purity and playfullness of ukulele, mandolin, and cello. I guess using the title of your album, Distortion, as a concept for the entire album is an undertaking worth hearing, even if just once or twice.

mp3 : The White Stripes - Jimmy The Exploder
This is an old track from Jack and Meg and I think it shows off the beauty found only in simplicity. Lately they’ve been experimenting a bit with new instruments and arrangements, which I like, but I hope the joy of two instruments isn’t lost. For all aspiring musicians this track stands as a testament to the joy that can be found in the simplest of tunes.

mp3 : Wale and Justice - W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.
Although the start of this track is Wale expounding on how he invented the trend of tight jeans and graphic sneaks {think Kanye West’s style of arrongance} this track is really brilliant. Easily the best remix, use, mix, whateve, of the Justice track D.A.N.C.E. ever. By the way, Wale reminds me a lot of Kanye in almost every way {musically, flow, style, clothing, attitude, self assuredness, etc.} and I think that’s a good thing {as Kanye indisputably epitomizes the creativity of present day hip hop}. And honestly, who’s ever used that much Saved by the Bell material to slam people before? He really is a word surgeon.

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Wakey!Wakey!

Published by

billy

at January 17, 2008 in wakey wakey, cover, indie, music and mp3. 1 Comment

To be honest, if all I could listen to this week was one album I would probably choose this series of covers put out by Wakey!Wakey! For the past few months my email has been graced with brilliant cover songs and the only thing about these tracks that makes me sad is that each week brings this series closer to the end. This week the ninth cover was released and it is a cover of a song that I have never heard before. The track is originally by Joie, also known as Dead Blonde Girlfriend, who apparently plays a fervent live show with an acoustic guitar. Once again Mike Grubbs imprints another solid song with his now trademark style and sound and creates something haunting, aching, and full of emotion. There’s just something about his voice, and the way that each line of these covers seems to speak directly to the heart of life, that I cannot get enough of.

mp3 : Wakey!Wakey! - Letters Home (Joie DBG Cover)

Once again, this is the ninth song in a ten song series called Wakey!Wakey! Wednesdays. If you would like to hear the rest of this brilliant series just click the link below labeled twf. I’m waiting with bated breath for the conclusion of this great cover album.
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