Archive for the 'mgmt' Category

BOTR vol 13

Published
by
billy
on March 16, 2010
in a clark, armand van helden, beach boys, best of the remix, black noise, botr, breakage, crookers, david guetta, duck sauce, florence and the machine, immuzikation, indie, kid cudi, kinkiez, lady gaga, major lazer, mgmt, mp3, music, oh snap, passion pit, peter bjorn and john, phoenix, pointdexter, quix, r kelly, remix, shout out louds, the girls can hear us, the hood, victoria, wale and we plants are happy plants
. 0 Comments

I’ve been stuck in a rut lately.  I’ve been swamped and work and when that happens I generally listen to a very small set of music over and over and over again.  The problem with this is that no new music coming in means no new music going out.  What happens is terrible.  So to spice it up I decided to bundle together another volume of BOTR (Best of The Remix).  If you’d like to check out all the previous BOTR volumes click here.

Enjoy the music.

mp3 : The Beach Boys - Wouldn’t It Be Nice (The Girls Can Hear Us Remix)
I love this remix.  It takes a classic summertime song by the Beach Boys and updates it just enough to make kids born in the last two decades appreciate the talent of the original surf rockers.

mp3 : David Guetta - Memories (feat Kid Cudi) (Armand Van Helden Vocal Remix)
Don’t be fooled by the opening forty five seconds of this remix.  When the vocals from CuDi drop in you’ll realize that you’re in heaven.

mp3 : Duck Sauce - aNYway (Black Noise Disco Remix)
I wasn’t quite sure what I thought of this track on first listen.  It sounds a lot like it’s from the late seventies, but the remixed aspect of the the song gives it a nice 2010 worthy veneer.

mp3 : Florence and The Machine - Dog Days Are Over (Breakage Remix)
This is by far the most depressing Florence and The Machine remix that I’ve ever heard.  And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  Some days it’s good and well to be melancholic.

mp3 : Kinkiez - Nothing New (We Plants Are Happy Plants Remix)
The band is an act you’ve never heard of, but the track is worth a listen simply because We Plants Are Happy Plants has touched it.  WPAHP seems to have carved out a clever niche in the remix game and to date there hasn’t been a true competitor.

mp3 : Lady GaGa - Telephone (Crookers Remix)
I have no idea why anyone likes GaGa other than she tries really really hard to be even more abstract than Madonna ever was.  One thing can be said; even though her lyrics are Fergie-terrible at least the delivery is somewhat palatable.

mp3 : MGMT - Of Moons, Birds and Monsters (Holy Ghost Remix)
I thought this remix was appropriate what with MGMT having a new album due out this year.  Although this remix isn’t exactly club worthy it’s not problem, MGMT have always been more closely aligned with drug use anyway.

mp3 : MSTRKRFT - Bounce (OH SNAP!! Bootleg Vocal Remix)
To be honest MSTRKRFT are much better when remixing instead of creating original music, but this track had me at “all I do is party, ha ha ha ha.”  Makes me think of the Real World.

mp3 : Phoenix - Fences (The Pointdexter Remix)
If the previous remix was a mouthful of random club beats and party music this simple remix is a smooth sorbet, a sort of aural palate cleanser, a chilled out relaxing moment in the sun.

mp3 : Phoenix and Peter Bjorn and John and Victoria - One Thousand Nine Hundred and One Folks (Immuzikation Remix)
It’s been a long time since I listened to an Immuzikation Remix.  It’s been far too long.  At one time he alone sat atop the list in the remix world and here’s a nice example why.

mp3 : R Kelly vs Major Lazer - Ignition (The Hood Internet Remix)
No remix set is complete without one completely gratuitous R Kelly song.  Bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce…

mp3 : Shout Out Louds - Fall Hard (Passion Pit’s Summertime Radio Remix)
If any remix could serve as the exact opposite, a counterpoint, to the previous R Kelly remix then this is that track.  Smooth and sugary like molasses this remix sounds like I usually feel on a hot summer day.

mp3 : Wale - Good Girls (A. Clark, Quix Remix)
This remix further cements in my brain that Wale and CuDi will end up being two of the most influential (or at least most long lasting) rappers in the current generation.  His rhymes remind me a lot of the iconic day of rap when Biggie and 2Pac were still around.

Insert some clever outro here.

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Kid Cudi track Pursuit of Happiness

Published
by
billy
on September 28, 2009
in hip hop, kid cudi, mgmt, mp3, music and ratatat
. 11 Comments

Ah, the Pursuit of Happiness.  It is a foundational principle upon which the United States was built, a movie in which Will Smith cried a lot, and an action that probably gets boys, girls, husbands, wives, boyfriends, and girlfriends into more trouble than it’s ultimately worth.

Never you mind, death professor, Kid Cudi has taken all of those associations and thrown them out the window.  What is left is an elegant slice of modern hip hop that’s supplemented by MGMT and Ratatat.  What’s not to love?

mp3 : Kid Cudi - Pursuit of Happiness (feat MGMT and Ratatat)

Even the opening thirty seconds of gritty instrumentals is hypnotic.  And when the lyrics drop it’s obvious Kid Cudi is never, repeat never, going to slow his roll.  Never.  For those of you that care you can find this track on the album Man On The Moon: The End of Day (amazon) (itunes).  Enjoy.

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Knatterjack covers MGMT

Published
by
billy
on July 27, 2009
in cover, indie, knatterjack, mgmt, mp3 and music
. 9 Comments

That’s right, no picture.  Why?  Because I honestly can’t find a single thing about this band/person/musician.  I don’t even know who or what Knatterjack is.  Deal with it.

What I do know is that I finally got my internet working, my laptop has been delivered in the mail, and this is the very first song that I’m choosing to post after my long and protracted summer hiatus.  Rejoice ye minions and immediately proceed to downloading the following bliss filled track.

Oh, and if anyone has any information as to what or whom Knatterjack is please kindly leave a comment.

mp3 : Knatterjack - Time to Pretend (MGMT Cover)

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Weezer covers MGMT and Lady Gaga

Published
by
billy
on May 18, 2009
in cover, lady gaga, live, mgmt, mp3, music and weezer
. 3 Comments

The other day my brother passed along a link to a youtube video in which Weezer plays a live cover song of both Kids by MGMT and Pokerface by Lady Gaga.  I’m not entirely sure how the two songs fit together {both ideologically and musically}, but in some way Weezer makes it work.  And through some clever use of the internet {thanks google} I ripped the video, extracted the audio, and now you’re presented with a delicious mp3 for your consumption.

mp3 : Weezer - Kids and Pokerface (MGMT and Lady Gaga Cover)

Enjoy the track and have a good week.

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Gareth Pearson : instrumental cover of MGMT’s Time To Pretend

Published
by
billy
on May 12, 2009
in cover, gareth pearson, indie, mgmt, mp3 and music
. 3 Comments

I’m not quite sure where I first heard Gareth’s cover of the now classic MGMT track Time To Pretend, but I stumbled upon it yet again today and I thought I would share it with anyone out there that has yet to hear it.  The first time through the song I kept waiting for a voice to start singing, I almost needed to hear the lyrics.  A strange thing happened to me though, the more I’ve heard this song since then the more I think it sounds just right without any lyrics whatsoever.

mp3 : Gareth Pearson - Time To Pretend (MGMT Cover)

This is easily one of the most soothing tracks I’ve heard in a long time.  And I think we might all need that once in awhile.

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The Best Albums of 2008

Published
by
billy
on December 23, 2008
in 2008, best albums of 2008, best of the year, boty, cloud cult, coldplay, dodos, frightened rabbit, greg laswell, mates of state, mgmt, mp3, music, sigur ros, snow patrol and tv on the radio
. 29 Comments

If for some reason I thought it was hard last year to decide the top ten albums then this year has been a nightmare compared to that walk in the park.  Quite honestly this year has produced a veritable slew of brilliant albums.  From up and coming acts to bands on their forth or fifth album 2008 has seen some incredible music released.  Here is my personal list of the top ten albums of this past year.  If you’re still looking for a gift for someone special I suggest snagging few of these albums and stuffing their stockings with the best of what came this year.

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

01 : Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum end (amazon) (itunes)

I’ve long been a supporter of all things that Sigur Ros has done.  From the first time I heard their music when I was in university there has been something special about these boys from Iceland.  This year they released their most easily accessible album to date and they’ve literally stolen the show.  There are a great many artists who have put their best foot forward this year, but although many came close, none of them quite live up to this masterpiece.

mp3 : Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook
mp3 : Sigur Ros - Inní mér syngur vitleysingur
mp3 : Sigur Ros - Fljótavík

02 : Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight (amazon) (itunes)

This album is a perfect combination of melancholy and clever lyrics.  The music sets the mood perfectly on this trip through lost love and a true feeling of being sad.  Although a bit of a downer emotionally it never strays too far into the realm of depression to leave you wallowing in your own self pity.  If this is what Frightened Rabbit will sound like in the future you can be sure to see them appear on best of lists for years to come.

mp3 : Frightened Rabbit - The Modern Leper
mp3 : Frightened Rabbit - Fast Blood
mp3 : Frightened Rabbit - Poke

03 : Cloud Cult - Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes) (amazon) (itunes)

Last year Cloud Cult topped my list for the best album of the year.  To think that less than one year later they went out and made an album that is literally better than their last is simply mind numbing.  What other band puts out this high quality an effort in back to back years?  Literally no other band is producing at such consistently high a level.  If there was one band on this years list that everyone should immediately start listening to I would recommend Cloud Cult.

mp3 : Cloud Cult - Journey of the Featherless
mp3 : Cloud Cult - The Ghost Inside Our House
mp3 : Cloud Cult - Love You All

04 : Coldplay - Viva la Vida (amazon) (itunes)

I’ve been a fan of Coldplay since the first awkward steps Chris Martin made to the microphone and it’s been a delight to watch them move from behind the U2 and Radiohead curtain out into their own worldwide acclaim.  And rightly so I might add.  Viva La Vida found this foursome out of England reaching a new height and a cohesion of sound that was only alluded to on their previous albums.  It’s great to hear a band really starting to use their full potential.

mp3 : Coldplay - Lost!
mp3 : Coldplay - Death And All His Friends

05 : Greg Laswell - Three Flights from Alto Nido (amazon) (itunes)

Greg Laswell has a streak of brilliance not often found in the overflowing singer/songwriter set.  He has a mind for clever arrangements built upon relatively simple, but elegant, melodies and in this regard he reminds me a bit of Sufjan Stevens {they definitely have very different musical tastes, but their gift for arrangements is the parallel I see here}.  Regardless of who or what this album reminds you of one thing is certain; this is the best Greg Laswell has done and it’s easily one of the best albums of the year.

mp3 : Greg Laswell - Comes And Goes (In Waves)
mp3 : Greg Laswell - I’d Be Lying

06 : The Dodos - Visiter (amazon) (itunes)

When you pare down a musical group until it contains a simple guitar and a simple drum kit you either get garage based disaster or you find that within a minimalistic setting true brilliance shines through.  In the case of this duo it’s easy to hear the talent that lies behind this album.  From track to track Visiter flips through well written stories with a sense of quiet urgency that never leaves your mind, and yet never becomes a frustrating distraction.  There is a fragile and perfect balance to be heard.

mp3 : The Dodos - Fools
mp3 : The Dodos - Ashley

07 : Mates of State - Re-Arrange Us (amazon) (itunes)

This year the top ten seems to be filled with established acts who just now are releasing their best album to date.  This is the case of Mates of State.  Their previous albums have largely been forgettable with a few random acts of brilliance sprinkled throughout.  This album, on the contrary, is solid from start to finish and it’s refreshing to see an older act pull their formidable talent together and focus it on a full album.

mp3 : Mates of State - The Re-Arranger
mp3 : Mates of State - Blue and Gold Print

08 : MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (amazon) (itunes)

MGMT found a way to make space rock and classic rock throwback into an insanely enjoyable acid trip of mashed up tracks.  There’s no simple or easy way to quantify this album as it caterwauls from proggy futuristic beat heavy pop to songs that remind me of a mythical pairing of The Beatles and Led Zeppelin.  Whatever words you find to describe this album I’m sure they’ll be of a positive nature.

mp3 : MGMT - Weekend Wars

09 : TV On The Radio - Dear Science (amazon) (itunes)

Their previous effort, Return to Cookie Mountain, began to hint that this eclectic gathering of talented musicians just might be onto something.  With Dear Science the boys that make up TV On The Radio proudly display their particular brand of music.  I’m willing to put money on the idea that twenty years from now this album will be listed as one of the most influential albums of this decade.

mp3 : TV On The Radio - Lover’s Day

10 : Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns (itunes) (amazon)

Somehow Snow Patrol’s latest album found a way to sneak into the top ten.  This is probably largely due to the fact that the final sixteen minute mega-track is insanely well constructed I kept listening to this album over and over again.  Snow Patrol has found a way to consistently make solid albums.  They might not be as attention grabbing or as trendy as their counterparts but the find a way to impress with each album they release.

mp3 : Snow Patrol - If There’s A Rocket Tie Me To It

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

And that’s it.  That’s the top ten albums of 2008 in my humble and rather correct opinion.  I’m sure you’ll find a way to disagree with me {even going so far as to claim you’ll delete me from your feed reader}, but in the end you’ll see the wisdom of my discretion.  Granted there are two other bands that I really wanted to include on this list, The Walkmen and Nada Surf, and for their effort they easily deserve an honorable mention.  Amongst the letdowns of the year were the fact that both Sufjan Stevens and The Postal Service failed to make good on rumours that new albums would drop this year, Weezer put out a really great half of an album and then mucked it up with three or four tracks that are just terrible, and Death Cab, Ben Folds, The Killers, and Phantom Planet put out decent albums but not really the quality that deserves a spot on the top ten.

Until next year so long.  I’ll keep posting as long as you all continue to listen to good music.  If you’d like to see my 2007 list you can click here.

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BOTR vol 11

Published
by
billy
on November 5, 2008
in bang gang deejanys, best of the remix, botr, chark mu, chewy chocolate cookies, colldplay, daft punk, eastar, franz ferdinand, grafton primary, grum, indie, james rutledge, junkie xl, justice, kap10kurt, kills, kris menace, lillica libertine, lupe fiasco, mgmt, mmmathias, moby, mp3, music, peace fire, pharrell, q tip, radiohead, remix, sarah green, snow patrol and theives like us
. 8 Comments

Alright, enough of my hollow words.  No matter how clever I aim to be you’re just here for the music.  I’ve got you figured out, especially all you who read via my feed.  Scalawags.  This is the Best of the Remix series.  Each month I scour the interwebs for what I think are the best remixes.  Here they are presented in an easy to read and easy to listen to format.  If you’d like to check out the entire BOTR series you simply click here.  Enjoy the music.

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

mp3 : Coldplay - Talk (Junkie XL Remix)
This is an epic elongation of a fine Coldplay track.  Before you download and listen be warned that this baby stretches past eleven minutes.  It’s worth it, but plan accordingly.  This is my favorite remix of the bunch.

mp3 : Daft Punk - Something About Us (EASTAR Remix)
This remix, which I believe hails from about five years ago, reminds me a lot of seventies funk smashed up against standard Daft Punk.  Interested?

mp3 : Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out (Remix)
Who made this remix?  This is an official request for the hyper informed and well connected bloggers and blog readers alike to give me an answer.  Until I get it I’ll just keep listening to this destructive mix.

mp3 : Grafton Primary - She Knows It (Kap10Kurt Remix)
Simply gorgeous.  If you’re looking for a chilled out remix in this bunch of fun then look no further than what Kap10Kurt has come up with on this remix.

mp3 : Justice - Genensis (Chewy Chocolate Cookies Remix)
I think I prefer chocolate chip to chewy chocolate when it comes to selecting an afternoon snack, but when it comes to remix heaven I’ll stick with Chewy Chocolate Cookies.  I think a futuristic robot ate this song.

mp3 : Lupe Fiasco, Pharrell, Q-Tip, Sarah Green - Paris Tokyo (Remix)
This is yet another anonymous remix.  Anyone got the name of the remixer?  Anyway, if we were playing “one of these things is not like the others” this would be the track you should choose.  Where the rest of this month is filled with typical dance/electric/minimalist styles, this track is as smooth and fluid as we allthought Boyz II Men used to be.

mp3 : MGMT - The Youth (MMMathias Remix)
If you’ve been reading blogs over the past six months, or if you’ve ever stopped by to check out a past volume in the BOTR series, then you know that MMMathtias hits it out of the park each and every time.

mp3 : Moby - Ooh Yeah (Kris Menace Remix)
It’s a slow build for the first minute of this track but then it hits exactly the place you were all hoping this track would get to.  To be honest I’m not sure how much of the Moby original survives inside this new home, but it’s good.

mp3 : p e a c e FIRE - Sapphire (GRUM Remix)
Does the opening minute of this track remind anyone else of every single Final Fantasy game ever made?  There’s just something so overbearingly uplifting about the opening segment.  In a good way.

mp3 : Radiohead - Reckoner (Chark Mu Remix)
Radiohead + Chark Mu = enough said.  Download away.

mp3 : Snow Patrol - Take Back The City (Lillica Libertine Remix)
This remix takes a fairly solid single and mods it until it’s something not of this world.  It’s a brilliant reimagining of what Snow Patrol originally made.  Forget any acoustic guitar, this is poptronica.

mp3 : The Kills - Last Day of Magic (James Rutledge Remix)
If you’re stingy on filling up your harddrive this is the only track you should download and listen to.  This is exactly what a minimalistic atmospheric remix should sound like.

mp3 : Thieves Like Us - Drugs In My Body (The Bang Gang Deejays Remix)
The louder you listen to this remix the more you’ll like it.  Trust me, it’s meant to be moved to.  Even if you can’t dance this track will make you want to try.  And just wait until the vocals start.  Easily the best vocal effect I’ve ever heard in a remix.  Hands down.

Peace out home skillets.  That’s all I have for you this time around.  Tell your friends, check back often, and keep searching out great music.  {This concludes the regularly scheduled BOTR broadcast, thanks for reading}.

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BOTM vol 12

Published
by
billy
on November 4, 2008
in amie miriello, arcade fire, ben lee, best of the month, bob, bossonova, botm, chark mu, coldplay, cover, decemberists, digital leather, gnarls barkley, goodtimes goodtimes, indie, jay z, kooks, lily allen, live, mgmt, modest mouse, mp3, music, nirvana, of montreal, raveonettes, smashing pumpkins and sufjan stevens
. 4 Comments

Welcome back to The World Forgot.  Welcome back to the Best of the Month series.  Welcome many readers to election day and welcome the rest of you to a wonderful November 4th.  For those that are still unaware what the BOTM series is all about here’s a quick refresher.  I collect songs all month long and the best that I’ve heard in the past thirty days I put together in one easy to find post.  If you’d like to browse through the past eleven volumes click here.  Enjoy the music, and if you live in the Midwest enjoy the glorious sunshine.

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

mp3 : Amie Miriello - Disarm (Smashing Pumpkins Cover)
This is easily one of my favorite Smashing Pumpkins songs and I think this cover respects the original material while at the same time Amie isn’t afraid to put her own spin on this classic.  It actually sounds a bit like if Stevie Nicks covered the Pumpkins.

mp3 : Arcade Fire - Brazil (Bossonova Cover)
The music in this cover is every bit as cheeky as you’d expect but for some reason Win Butler’s voice adds just the right amount of gravitas to make this cover worth a second, third, or tenth listen.

mp3 : B.o.B. - Left Field Lovely
This track reminds me of all my favorite parts of Outkast.  If that’s not brilliant enough endorsement for this track I’m willing to bet you hate everything I love.

mp3 : Ben Lee - Float On (Modest Mouse Cover)
This is a pretty raw cover of the song that put Modest Mouse on literally every iPod in the world.  Never mind that about two thirds of the way through the song Ben accidentally halts the song and has to count it off again.  It’s wonderful.

mp3 : Chark Mu - Eh Oh
Mr. Mu makes mighty impressive remixes.  Apparently when he’s not splicing together beats and melodies he’s busy making some equally impressive original material.  Clearly Chark Mu is a force to be reckoned with.

mp3 : Coldplay - Lost+ (feat Jay-Z)
After Chris Martin contributed a bit of talent to that Jay-Z track a ways back we all knew that Z would return the favor.  That’s just the type of classy gentleman he is.  The rhymes don’t kick in until after the two minute mark, but they’re worth the wait.

mp3 : Digital Leather - Dead Sound (Raveonettes Cover)
The first two thirds of this track are filled with enough glitches and blips to satisfy anyone with a heart for Fruity Loops or Acid Pro.  The real beauty reveals itself when the music is stripped away for a moment and you realize your heart is crying out for it to begin again.  Don’t worry, it does.

mp3 : Goodtimes Goodtimes - Eloise
If you’re wondering who should be crowned the next Dylan look no further than this track.  Seriously.  It is as if the vocals, the melodies, the whisper of whimsy, the overdose of melancholy, and the guitar strumming are taken right from Bob himself.

mp3 : Lily Allen - Naive (The Kooks Cover)
Lady Sov can kiss Lily’s butt.  If there was any question as to who was the better of these two oft quarrelling ladies this song puts most of that squabble to bed.  Honestly, can anyone imagine Sov pulling off anything like this?

mp3 : Of Montreal - Crazy (Gnarls Barkley Cover)
It’s live, it doesn’t have the best audio quality, but it captures the fun that is infused into every Of Montreal set.  And let’s not forget that Kevin Barnes can actually sing {even if he might be the weirdest performer currently on tour}.

mp3 : Of Montreal and MGMT - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana Cover)
I’m not sure where this cover comes from.  It’s in a live setting, and it’s decent quality, but what I find more fascinating is that it’s Of Montreal and MGMT paying homage to Nirvana.  And they do it in an appropriate straight up rocking sort of way.  Kudos.

mp3 : Sufjan Stevens - In The Words Of The Governor
Will Suf ever release a new album?  There really hasn’t been much news surrounding the Sufjan camp these days.  It seems as if he’s busy shooting high 8 videos, writing instrumental pieces honoring highways, and signing more talent to his ever growing indie label.  This song is way different than most of what you’ve heard.  And it’s still brilliant.

mp3 : The Decemberists - Valerie Plame
I’m not sure The Decemberists will ever live up to the glorious splendor that was The Crane Wife.  Right now they’re putting out a series of EP’s and performing some songs on late night talk shows.  This happens to be one of those songs.  I like it, so just listen to it and agree with me.

That’s all for volume 12 of the BOTM series.  Come back often and read some of the regular posts where I basically tell you what’s good, what’s bad, and I succeed in convincing you that you’re not cool unless you’re just like me.  Oh, and make sure you check back tomorrow to catch the Best of the Remix series.  Cheers.

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BOTM vol 11

Published
by
billy
on September 29, 2008
in alicia keys, arcade fire, att, b side, best of the month, botm, coldplay, commercial, cover, enur, indie, jack white, kanye west, katy perry, killers, kooks, leona lewis, mgmt, mp3, music, myster jets, natasja, phoenix, postal service, snow patrol, target, tv on the radio, yannis kamarinos and yeah yeah yeahs
. 14 Comments

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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BOTR vol 09

Published
by
billy
on August 30, 2008
in andre 3000, best of the remix, black dominoes, botr, bugo, burntpiano, coin operated boy, coldplay, crystal castles, cut copy, daft punk, fhr, fleet foxes, gorillaz, headburn, health, hot chip, john legend, knightlife, la riots, lazrtag, lil wayne, mgmt, mp3, mstrkrft, music, nas, nt89, red hot chili peppers, remix, starters, this is ivy league and ting tings
. 18 Comments

OMG, TGIF, welcome at last to another BOTR on TWF.  I thought this month I would try to get this volume of Best of the Month onto the interwebs in time for the extended holiday weekend {only extended for us Yanks, much apologies to the rest of the globe.  And have fun working on Monday}.  For those of you looking to get some folks dancing at a Labor Day party {or just looking to get the ladies in the mood} feel free to download all the tracks below or cruise through this link to check out all the other BOTR volumes.

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

If you’d rather just download the music and not read my totally brilliant commentary {it’s currently 1:13 AM as I’m typing it} click the link above and be on your merry way.  All the tracks below are available to be downloaded directly from this page.  Simply right click and save it.

mp3 : Bugo - Sesto Senso (NT89 Remix)
I have no idea what’s going on in this remix.  It’s fast, it’s slow, it’s Italian.  It’s quite and loud and eerily it lacks a discernible beat for almost the entire track.  It reminds me of dreaming.

mp3 : Coldplay vs Nas - If I Viva la Vida (Starters Remix)
The Nas rhymes feel a bit overclocked up on this track, but they flow nicely with the Coldplay anthem.  I kinda wish Nas was actually on more of the song, but that’s just me.  It’s a great remix.

mp3 : Crystal Castles vs Health - Crimewave (LAZRtag Remix)
If I was in the dark on the Bugo remix above then this track leaves me standing outside, in freezing rain, with a new moon.  Yet for some reason I love the cold, I like the rain, and darkness, apparently, is a good friend.  Wait for the beat to drop about ninety seconds into this one.  It is worth the wait.

mp3 : Cut Copy - Hearts on Fire (Knightlife Remix)
Question; Who knew a remix of Cut Copy could make them sound even more like they’re a band from the eighties?  Answer; Knightlife knew exactly what to do to make Cut Copy into even more of a cliche.  A very danceable, lovable, Miami Vice-able cliche.

mp3 : Daft Punk - Harder Better Faster Stronger (Coin Operated Boy Remix)
Just when you thought this song had been remixed far {and I do mean far} too many times, along comes a new track that simply begs to be heard.  Easily one of the top three tracks in this volume this is a must download.  Wait for everything to hit the floor at exactly one minute into the track.  Just brilliant.

mp3 : Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal (Black Dominoes Remix)
I have nothing to write here, I’m still listening to the Daft Punk remix.  Ok, that’s done {played it twice}, on with the show.  This track is short and sweet and serves as a perfect transition piece between dance beats.  Dig it.

mp3 : Gorillaz - Kids With Guns (Hot Chip Remix)
What’s not to like about a band made up entirely of cartoon characters?  Nothing.  And sweet and steady remixes of their tracks are welcome as well.  Especially this one.

mp3 : John Legend and Andre 3000 - Green Light (MSTRKRFT Remix)
I’ve died and gone to heaven {twice} and this is the music they play while you wait in the queue at the pearly gates.  Honestly it is that good.  This is magic {or is it “illusions!, Michael”} contained in four amazing minutes.  Could this be the surprise smash hit of the summer?  Could this be a one song repeat style playlist for an entire party?

mp3 : Lil’ Wayne - Lollipop (LAZRtag Remix)
Who the frak allowed Lil’ Wayne to make this list?  Have no fear, I’m firing my editors tomorrow.  As long as it’s on the list you should hear the way LAZRtag makes Lil’ Wayne not only bearable but actually relevant.  They should win a Nobel Prize for this.

mp3 : MGMT - Kids (Burntpiano Robo Remix)
Be warned, this remix might be the most addicting song you’ve heard all month.  Not kidding.  The entire track has been reworked {this could almost count as a cover song} into pure digital bliss.  Even the vocals.  Not kidding.  And you’ll love it.  Double not kidding two point one.

mp3 : Red Hot Chili Peppers - By The Way (Headburn Remix)
This is the perfect kickoff track for any party the world over.  Throw this seven minute wonder onto the top of each and every playlist you’ve ever created.  It’s a slow starter, it’s a quasi crowd pleaser, and it just might be the best RHCP remix I’ve ever heard.

mp3 : The Ting Tings - That’s Not My Name (LA Riots Remix)
Hand. Claps. Are. Awesome.  Period.  LA Riots have made this track into something great.  Great things are awesome too.

mp3 : This Is Ivy League - London Bridges (FHR Remix)
Hey kids, now that you’re home from school let’s think of something constructive we can do with our holiday weekend.  I feel like this could easily be the background music to some trippy modern day after school special.  The type of school special that would feature copious amounts of high fives and thumbs ups.  Maybe even a cut-it-out or two.

Ok, enough of my blathering on and on.  I’m tired, it’s after 2 in the morning and I was partying hard the last day or so.  Have fun this weekend on whatever continent you’re currently residing.  Cheers, and come back often.

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BOTR vol 08

Published
by
billy
on August 1, 2008
in beatles, best of the remix, black kids, botr, britney spears, brodinski, css, data, digitalism, gaspar, gordon gonzola, gorilla zoe, hydroz, james rutledge, japattack pitbull, katy perry, kylie minogue, metro station, mgmt, mia, mp3, mstrkrft, music, phrenzy, radioclit, remix, santogold, snoop dogg, soulwax, steve aoki, tiga, twelves and yuksek
. 6 Comments

Well another month has come and gone.  Another thirty or so odd days and another slew of blog posts, emails, and other various forms of communication have brought to my attention enough new tracks to compile a new volume of Best of the Remix.  For those of you who are new here let me explain a bit.  Each month I compile two separate lists here on The World Forgot.  One list contains the thirteen best remixes I’ve heard in the previous month {BOTR}.  The other list which usually appears around this time of the month is a mix of the best tracks I’ve heard which aren’t classified as remixes {BOTM}.  Today I bring to you volume 8 of the series.  Enjoy the music.

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

mp3 : Black Kids - I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boy Friend How To Dance With You (The Twelves Remix)
Easily one of the best remixes I’ve heard yet this year.  The original track is already outstanding, but this remix takes the song to new heights.  Such great heights even.  Simple brilliance.

mp3 : Britney Spears - Gimme More (Gordon Gonzola Remix)
If more of Brit’s original tracks were this beefed up I’m sure her career wouldn’t be so much in the crapper as of late.  This remix pops and adds just the right amount of edge to little Ms. Spears.

mp3 : Digitalism - Pogo (CSS Remix)
This remix goes in a different direction from the first two tracks.  Where they were bass heavy this remix is loopy, psychedelic, and pop infused.  It’s a different tack on the standard remix and I like it.

mp3 : Katy Perry - I Kissed a Girl (Mr Gaspar Remix)
Does anyone remember the sensationalism that surrounded the old group tATu?  I doubt it.  Do you think anyone will remember Katy Perry after the bounce/scandal apparent in this song wears off?  I doubt it.  At least we have the remix.

mp3 : KylieMinogue - Wow (CSS Remix)
Kylie was awesome when she was playing the part of a {hot} scientist in Biodome.  Since then she’s gone on to make a name for herself in the pop world.  And to be honest the remixes of her tracks have been brilliant as well.

mp3 : Metro Station - Control (Steve Aoki Remix)
This remix by Steve Aoki takes this little ditty by Metro Station and freaks it out, gives it some amphetamines, and leaves the listener slightly more ADD than they were before.

mp3 : Metro Station - Wish We Were Older (Phrenzy Remix)
This track is a bit different than the remix of Control.  It would fit more in line with Thin White Duke’s remix of The Killers and less in the ADD category of glitchy technological remixes.  Classic.

mp3 : MGMT - Electric Feel (James Rutledge Remix)
Is there any remix master out there who has yet to weigh in on this track by MGMT?  I reckon we’re approaching full saturation for Electric Feel, but month after month I stumble upon yet another great remix.

mp3 : MGMT vs Justice - Kids Are Your Friends (Japattack Pitbull Remix)
Ok, this is one remix/mashup that I’m not entirely sure about.  In fact I don’t really know what the heck is going on for most of the five minutes.  MGMT is definitely apparent {or at least their keyboard melody}, but as for the rest of it, well, it’s a remix.  And there’s some Ying Yang lyrics thrown in as well.

mp3 : MSTRKRFT - Easy Love (Hydroz Remix)
MSTRKRFT comes in a close third as the most remixed band currently on the market {only being beat out by Daft Punk and MGMT}.  This remix is a clean slice of synth and drum kit, and I like it.

mp3 : Santogold, MIA, and Gorilla Zoe - Get it Up (Radioclit Remix)
This is an excellent mashup/remix.  Excellent.  And although the entire song is well done the absolute best moment takes place over the first ten seconds as sound effects from Street Fighter {notably Ryu’s “hadou-ken” and “tatsumaki-senpuu-kyaku”} are mixed with police sirens.  Brilliant indeed {and kudos to any nerds who recognized these sound effects along with me}.

mp3 : The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby (Soulwax Remix)
My favorite Beatles song gets a little rework from Soulwax.  Granted this remix only uses the instrumental parts of Eleanor Rigby, but it’s still a great remix.  Definitely worth a listen.

mp3 : Tiga - Sunglasses At Night (Yuksek & Brodinski Remix)
Why there haven’t been more covers of this Corey Hart classic is beyond me.  Wakey!Wakey! could probably smash this hit out of the block.  Until then we’ll just have to make do with this remix of a cover.

mp3 : Snoop Dogg - Drop it Like it’s Hot (dAta Remix)
Normally I stop at thirteen tracks for the Best of the Remix series.  Today I’m feeling generous, and a little nostalgic for when Snoop was one of the kings of hip hop, so I decided to give a fourteenth track this month just to honor the D oh double g.

That is all kids.  Next month I’ll make sure to have another thirteen tracks for your listening pleasure.  Enjoy the music.  Tell your friends.

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BOTR vol 07

Published
by
billy
on June 30, 2008
in 3rdst4r, 50 cent, best of the remix, botr, chark mu, coldplay, cryptonites, daft punk, danger tv, diplo, dmx, la riots, late of the pier, louis armstrong, mashup, mgmt, mmmathias, mp3, music, mystery jets, nirvana, plimsouls, prince, radiohead, remix, sigur ros, switch, telemitry, we are scientists, we plants are happy plants and weezer
. 10 Comments

Well it’s the end of another gorgeous month here in the heartland of the States.  Gasp, I am an American blogger.  I live in the armpit of America where nothing unusually awesome ever happens.  Which is probably why I have so much free time to listen to music and play like my opinions matter {which we all know they really do}.  Once again, though, the time has come for me to post my favorite remixed tracks I heard this past month.  These aren’t the best songs in the world, they’re simply good enough to garner the attention of Best of the Remix {volume 07 I might add}.  For those of you interested {cause I still pretend you care and you still pretend you’re reading this} you can check out all of the previous volumes of BOTR on one easy to read page by clicking here.

As one of my heroes would sing, “on with the show.” As a reminder, if you’re a blogger please refrain from linking directly to any songs hosted here on The World Forgot.  Bandwidth ain’t free homies.  Also, and you’d be surprised how oft I am asked about this, each and every song you see here on TWF is available to be downloaded directly from this blog.  Simply right click and choose “save target/file as.”  Some files {especially older ones} will be removed after awhile to make room on this site for the new tracks.  Grab ‘em whil you can.

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

mp3 : Coldplay - Violet Hill (Cyrptonites Remix)
There are times in this remix when I forget what song is allegedly being mixed around.  And I like that.  Cryptonites add just enough of their own flavor to make Violet Hill into something a little more danceable, a little more epic, a little more club worthy.

mp3 : Coldplay - Viva la Vida (Chark Mu Electric Remix)
This almost sounds like Viva la Vida would sound if you rapidly swing your head back and forth while listening to the original recording by Coldplay.  Try it, it’s better than drugs, it’s free, and you get to listen to music at the same time.  It also reminds me of elevator music mashed up against ruling the world.

mp3 : Coldplay - Viva la Vida (Telemitry Remix)
If the Chark Mu remix was easy listening for elevators this is easy listening for any car currently driving the streets of this desolate world.  I think I should use more bigger words in my writings.  Anyway, this remix combines the original track with just the right amount of technology to make a new piece of art.

mp3 : Coldplay - Viva la Vida (We Plants are Happy Plants Remix)
Best Coldplay remix I’v heard yet.  Hands down.  WPAHP brings the heat with this little slice of remix heaven.  I know the album has only been out for a little slice of time, but this remix hits all the right buttons at all the right moments.

mp3 : Daft Punk - Superheroes (We Plants are Happy Plants Remix)
WPAHP scores a magic remix yet again with this little ditty.  Absolutely delicious music.

mp3 : DMX, 50 Cent, MGMT - Pimp Feel The Electric Floor
I can’t find who made this little mashup.  I seem to have lost the email or blog I scored this track from.  If anyone knows who made it send me a note or leave a comment.  In the meantime enjoy the brilliant mix of rap over MGMT’s music.

mp3 : Late of the Pier - Focker (Pete Carvell’s Fockin’ Gash Remix)
I’m  fan of Late of the Pier, let’s be honest.  I love their robot drummer in their music video {and most of all I love the dance break he brings to the song.  This is essentially that dance break in extended format.

mp3 : Louis Armstrong vs Radiohead - What A Wonderful Surprise
Yet again another remix {mashup actually} for whom I have no author.  This was sent to me in an email and the sender didn’t know who made this mix either.  Enjoy it anonymously I suppose.

mp3 : Mystery Jets - 2 Doors Down (Plimsouls Remix)
This remix could be preformed live by !!! and you’d love it.  You’d love every single second of it.  And yes, being preformed by !!! would be a massive compliment because those kids can put on a show.

mp3 : Mystery Jets - Hideaway (Switch Remix edited by DIPLO)
I can honestly say I’ve yet to listen to an actual Mystery Jets album.  So far I’ve been so inundated with excellently remixed tracks I’m almost scared to go back and listen to the original material.  Regardless, this remix is hopping.

mp3 : Nirvana - Incesticide (Anuerysm Remix by 3rdSt4r)
I’m going to go ahead and say 3rdSt4r is pronounced ‘third star’ for those of my readers who aren’t fluent yet in 1337 sp34k.  There are times when I listen to this remix and I wonder if I’ll ever play it again.  Then there the days when I hate everyone and this is the perfect track.

mp3 : Prince vs Daft Punk - Kiss (Daft Punk Remix)
I think Daft Punk should be given more accolades, more power, and more love.  Sure they’re huge at their own shows and they have a passionate following, but they are so much more than just that one band that Kanye thought he should use to make a song.  They are masters of everything they touch.  Everything.

mp3 : Sigur Ros - Saeglopur (MMMathias Remix)
I love Sigur Ros {their upcoming album is unbelievably brilliant} and I also have a penchant to like anything MMMathias works on.  This is a bit of a minimalist take on a classic Sigur Ros song and I think it adds a great effect to the song {think Imogen Heap’s standard MO slammed down over the boys from Iceland}.

mp3 : We Are Scientists - Chick Lit (Danger TV Remix)
This song would be at home in an eighties movie {starring Don Johnson to be sure} or out over the dance floor of your favorite club {mine being any that involve a beach in Thailand}.  Well done all around.

mp3 : Weezer - Automatic (LA Riots Remix)
This remix takes one of the weaker tracks from the latest Weezer album {by weaker I mean of course not being sung by Rivers} and turns it into something that’s halfway memorable.  That in and of itself should be worth a listen.

Once again, please do not link directly to the songs posted here.  Feel free to link to the zip file hosted on zshare or directly to this blog.  If you’d like to see all the other volumes of Best of the Remix click here.

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BOTR vol 06

Published
by
billy
on June 2, 2008
in acid jacks, amplive, ayumi hamasaki, best of the remix, botr, chairlift, daft punk, david wolf, dj topcat, immuzikation, jorge elbrecht, juliette lewis, justice, kylie minogue, leif, mgmt, mix, mmmathias, mp3, mstrkrft, music, odio, of montreal, remix, roccanova, syria, talib kweli, usher and wolfmother
. 6 Comments

As I sat at my computer during the last month I had but one thought on my mind; how can I make this volume of Best of the Remix the most absolutely epic post of all time. And I got to wondering, pondering even, how this could be done. I’ve had some pretty wicked BOTR posts in the past six months {for a full list click here}, but I wanted to see if I could take this one post to never before achieved levels here on TWF. The thing is I’ve noticed a trend lately whereby bands, or other entities, are choosing to spell their name entirely with capital letters sans vowels. Whether this is because of lawsuits or becuase they simply think their online only record label now has a trendy name is up for debate. Regardless of the reason it’s quickly becoming a trend that threatens to be as popular as putting the quite ubiquitous “the” in front of your band name.

All that explanation aside I was still looking for the most epic BOTR volume I’ve posted yet. To do so I settled on two bands and two bands only. If their name didn’t appear in the song title then the remix didn’t make the track. In the end I found sixteen tracks {up from my standard thirteen} that are all excellent remixes as well as involving either MGMT or the masterful MSTRKRFT. Enjoy these remixes, this has been the most fun I’ve had on the BOTR series. Let’s hope this is epic.

Please do not provide links directly to music files hosted here. Instead, if you’d like, provide a link to this post or a direct link to the zip file hosted on zshare. Thanks.

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

mp3 : Acid Jacks - Awake Since ‘78 (MSTRKRFT Remix David Wolf Edit)
I’m already in love wish this song even with though it comes across as slightly obsessive with the repeated phrase “disco” drilled into the speakers.

mp3 : Ayumi Hamasaki - Beautiful Fighters (MSTRKRFT Remix)
I’m not sure another remix in this series {world} will ever come close to matching the combination of power and grace embodied in this remix. It almost makes me want to go back to my J-Pop and K-Pop days. This is what I mean when I use the word epic.

mp3 : Juliette Lewis & The Licks - Got Love To Kill (MSTRKRFT Remix)
If the previous Ayumi Hamasaki track was light and angel filled then this track featuring Juliette Lewis is the devil that sits on your other shoulder that encourages you to get out there and slam dance at prom.

mp3 : Kylie Minogue - Wow (MSTRKRFT Remix)
As gorgeous, and talented, as Kylie is sometimes her tracks fall a bit flat when they stand on their own. Luckily for us all there’s always a dash of MSTRKRFT to pick up the pieces and make it shiny again.

mp3 : Usher - Love In This Club (MSTRKRFT Remix)
Usher has fallen a bit in the lyrics department lately. I feel as if he’s still making music, and selling records, based on the fact that he incorporates a dance break into all his music videos. If he hired MSTRKRFT to produce the beats for his next disc it would be massive.

mp3 : Wolfmother - Woman (MSTRKRFT Remix)
The most surprisingly likable remix hails from a band I wouldn’t give a second chance any other day of the week. Is there anything MSTRKRFT can’t turn into gold?

mp3 : MSTRKRFT - Street Justice (MSTRKRFT Remix)
What could possibly be better, more epic, than taking your own track and remixing it into something more ferocious than before? This is the longest track in this BOTR volume and it’s worth every second.

mp3 : Syria vs MSTRKRFT - Neon Knights (Roccanova Remix Odio Remix)
I’m really starting to love the new direction the mashup world has taken {that being one spearheaded by acts such as Immuzikation and Girl Talk} where tracks are mixed in such a way that they’re almost entirely new songs, not simple over dubs.

mp3 : Chairlift - Evident Utensil (MGMT Remix)
Not exactly the standard beat heavy remix I feel this edited track would be more fit in a Wes Anderson film than in a dance hall. I love it, but then again I own all of Wes’ films.

mp3 : Leif - Electric Feel My Cool (MGMT Remix)
This easily puts MGMT into the elite realm of remixers occupied most frequently by duos such as MSTRKRFT or Daft Punk. This is by far the best remix I’ve heard from these pop heads. And the flute is brilliantly displayed in this mix. {Although I’m not entirely sure if this mix can be entirely credited to MGMT}.

mp3 : MGMT - Electric Feel (Justice Remix)
What would an epic volume of BOTR be if somehow, some way, Justice didn’t sneak into the list {regardless of their blatant inclusion of vowels in their name}? Maybe they should change their name to JSTC and they’d get their own volume of BOTR.

mp3 : MGMT - The Youth (MMMathias Remix)
There are parts of this remix that remind of sounds filtered through a passing train. They come at you in bursts, in glimpses, and yet your mind somehow puts them all back together and creates something beautiful and coherent again.

mp3 : MGMT - Time To Pretend (Jorge Elbrecht Remix)
I’m not sure if there’s a darker edge to any other remix in this list. I feel like this is what MGMT would sound like if they somehow became a mysterious mall goth act {who still loved synthesizers}.

mp3 : MGMT vs Daft Punk- One More Time To Pretend (Immuzikation Remix)
Easily one of the best mashups I have ever heard. I know I’ve posted this track before, but I felt that it was good enough to get yet another spin here on Best of the Remix.

mp3 : MGMT vs Of Montreal - Future Faberge (Amplive Remix)
I would listen to this track over and over again just to hear the computerized voice say MGMT over and over again in the first thirty seconds. By the end I feel like I should be watching a macabre clown parade at a circus in some barely understood anime.

mp3 : Talib Kweli vs MGMT - Time To Listen (DJ Topcat Remix)
I love this mashup, honestly, maybe more than I love the Immuzikation effort. I’m not sure. Mixing spitfire rap over the top of MGMT’s synth almost seems too perfect to not have been realized before. I feel like Nas would be another perfect candidate for this treatment.

There you have it folks, the most epic post I could imagine for volume six of the Best of the Remix series. I think the only thing that could possibly be more epic is if I could get a bootleg recording of a live MGMT set where MSTRKRFT is mixing all the beats for each song {but that’ll most likely never happen. If it does, I better get comp tickets}. And for those of you who missed the link up top, if you’d like to view all six of the BOTR volumes on one page click here.

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BOTR vol 05

Published
by
billy
on May 7, 2008
in best of the remix, bob sinclar, botr, britney spears, buffalo bunch, cut copy, diplo, escort, fatboy slim, feist, fergie, fleetwood mac, jacques lu cont, justin timberlake, madonna, metric, mgmt, midnight juggernauts, mp3, mstrkrft, music, mystery jets, phoenix, remix, sebastien tellier, sunny day sets fire, switch, tronik youth, xam and xxxchange
. 17 Comments

Welcome back you little remix addicted children. For those of you who simply aren’t satisfied with the music scene of today it’s good to know you can find a little slice of heaven in sometimes mediocre tracks which have been remixed to new heights. Thusly I present to you volume five in the Best of the Remix series. If you’d like to check out all previous volumes simply click here. Enjoy the music, these are the best remixes I heard last month.

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

mp3 : Britney Spears vs Madonna - 4 Minutes to Break the Ice (Remix)
I think we could just say Britney vs Madonna and there would probably be a couple thousand downloads a day until I’m out of bandwidth. If I knew who was responsible for this remix I would tell you, but I don’t.

mp3 : Feist - I Feel It All (Escort Remix)
Is it just me or does Ms. Feist embody all of the feel good vibes you wish were still left in Madonna or Britney? Love this remix, it’s simple and catchy.

mp3 : Fergie - Fergalicious (MSTRKRFT Remix)
I hate Fergie. I think she’s fine as a part {a small small part} of Black Eyed Peas, but on her own she sings about working out {and spelling} far too much. Luckily MSTRKRFT can save anything.

mp3 : Fleetwood Mac - Never Forget (Cut Copy Lifelike Remix)
Cut Copy does an excellent job with this classic Fleetwood Mac track. It starts slow and builds into a dance hall worthy head bobbing beat. Kudos to Cut Copy, if only your original tunes were this inspired.

mp3 : Madonna (feat Justin Timberlake) - 4 Minutes (Jacques Lu Cont Remix)
Madonna = meh. JTim = pretty sweet. Jacques Lu Cont = brilliant. Put together = download.

mp3 : Madonna (feat Justin Timberlake) - 4 Minutes (Bob Sinclar Space Funk Remix)
Basically the opposite direction from the previous Jacques Lu Cont remix. This is space. This is funk. This is distorted bass.

mp3 : Madonna - Hung Up (Diplo Remix)
Say what you want about Madonna’s talent, aging dance moves, or questionable… everything. She knows how to make songs that can be remixed into something better.

mp3 : Madonna vs Fatboy Slim - Praise 4 Minutes (XAM Remix)
It’s nice to see Fatboy Slim still getting recognition. It’s also nice to hear the way Fatboy Slim’s sound mellows out Madonna in the best way.

mp3 : Metric - Monster Hospital (MSTRKRFT Remix)
If you’re only here to download one single track let this be it. In my opinion {which we all know matters more than yours} this is the remix to beat so far in the BOTR series.

mp3 : MGMT - Time To Pretend (Tronik Shr-Edit Remix)
This is what it would sound like if computers ruled the world, then made robots, then made those robots into a band named MGMT.

mp3 : Phoenix - If I Feel Better, I’ll Go To The Disco (Said The Buffalo Bunch)
I’m not really sure if this qualifies as a remix, so count this as your bonus track number 14 for this volume. It’s a great track.

mp3 : Sebastien Tellier - Divine (Midnight Juggernauts Remix)
Minimalist French remixes appearing in BOTR? Who knew? I think this is the first remix I’ve heard in awhile that actually slows the beat down.

mp3 : Sunny Day Sets Fire - Adrenaline (XXXCHange Remix)
After the Sebastien Tellier downer it’s nice to return to a song you can really dance to. And by dance I do mean jump around awkwardly like you’re in your own private rave.

mp3 : The Mystery Jets - Hideaway (Switch Remix)
In a remix, how do you make everything sound far away? Is it some way you mess with the channels {like centering all sounds or playing them through left/right simultaneously}? Whatever it is it sound great here.

That’s all you little addicts. See you next month with another BOTR volume.

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BOTM vol 07

Published
by
billy
on May 6, 2008
in aa bondy, amy milan, arcade fire, best of the month, botm, bruce springsteen, busta rhymes, cover, death cab for cutie, fall out boy, indie, john mayer, kanye west, lily allen, live, madonna, magnetic fields, mgmt, michael jackson, mp3, music, national, phantom planet, radiohead, scarlett johannson, stars and weezer
. 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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BOTR vol 04

Published
by
billy
on April 7, 2008
in best of the remix, black dominoes, botr, boys noize, cut copy, daft punk, dlid, dmitry fyodorov, get cape wear cape fly, hot chip, immuzikation, jeremy sherrer, justice, kriss kross, ladytron, mccoys, melody, mgmt, mp3, mta, music, mystery jets, new order, one republic, peter holmstrom, peter rauhofer, plimsouls, raveonettes, redial, remix, timbaland and vampire weekend
. 11 Comments

Honestly, I need to update the graphics for the Best of series. These pictures of earthrise are getting a bit, well, old. Hey, at least I made this one black and white to differentiate BOTR from BOTM {which stands for Best of the Remix and Best of the Month for all you newbs just coming to check out TWF for the first time}. Whether you’re a first time reader {aka music downloader} or you’re just checking back on your blog subscriptions, hello and welcome to the fourth installment of Best of the Remix. I began this series about four months ago when I noticed that my Best of the Month compilations were becoming bogged down with various and sundry remixed tracks. Anyway, since I’m currently le bored with le music scene {other than the newest Cloud Cult, MGMT, and The National} I’m just going to post these little remix gems and basically make fun of them. Sorry for all of those who now have to wade through commentary just to get to the music, so sorry bout ya. This is a blog after all, not a P2P service.

Skip the whining and get all the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click}

mp3 : Cut Copy - Lights & Music (Boys Noize Happy Birthday Remix)
Boys Noize, Thin White Duke you are not, but this goes a long way towards aping that certain type of ethereal sound. Who else thinks Cut Copy is just another band in a long string of New Order wannabes?

mp3 : Daft Punk - One More Time (Redial Goes To Hell Remix)
I think we should remix Daft Punk’s One More Time just one more time and be done remixing it forever. I mean honestly, the remixes of this track are getting almost as omnipresent as remixes of D.A.N.C.E.

mp3 : Get Cape Wear Cape Fly - Find The Time (Plimsoulds Remix)
I can’t seem to get enough of bands with whimsical names. I wish I could fly. I frequently dream that I can, although never once have I worn a cape in said dreams. At least this track has a fairy tale techno beat to accompany the excellent Get Cape Wear Cape Fly track.

mp3 : Kriss Kross - Jump (Customised by D*L*I*D Remix)
Now that NKOTB are officially getting back together, recording a new album, and going on a world wide tour I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before the dynamic duo kid rappers Kriss Kross get back together and convince us all to wear our pants backward again. Could we wear shoes backward this time too? Whatever they wear these kids could no doubt drop a rhyme.

mp3 : Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch (Hot Chip Remix)
What do you get when you combine Ladytron with Hot Chip? You get what amounts to one of the most searched after mp3’s on the interwebs. Come on you little downloading minions and get your fix here with the flavor of the week, they’ll be forgotten as fast as Arctic Monkeys.

mp3 : MGMT vs Daft Punk - One More Time to Pretend (Immuzikation Remix)
If you could splice Radiohead and Justice somewhere into this track you’d never have to download another remix ever for the rest of your life. Maybe throw in some Hot Chip for a little bit of fun and you’d have the ultimate remix. All ridiculousness aside this is easily my favorite track in this compilation. It’s just perfect.

mp3 : Mystery Jets - You Can’t Fool Me Dennis (Justice Remix)
Here’s some Justice remix for you all. Too bad I’m still listening to the above Immuzikation Remix to give a listen to this track as I’m writing it up. I’m sure it’s just as vanilla as literally every other Justice remix out there. {Actually it’s a surprisingly good remix that sounds mysteriously like a Brandon Flowers b side}.

mp3 : New Order - Blue Monday (Dmitry Fyodorov Remix)
I seriously do not know WTF this track is. Where did I find this? At least that’s what I’m thinking for the opening minute and a half. Then the lyrics kick in and you realize New Order are as influential on today’s music scene as the Beatles {ok, maybe that’s a stretch}.

mp3 : One Republic (feat Timbaland) - Apologize (Melody Ultimix)
I think we should make more remixes of Apologize. Never mind that the orginal track was remixed by Timbaland {who only very very slightly altered it to be honest}. We’ll just throw another “different” beat onto the track, maybe speed it up or slow it down, and call it a whole new mix.

mp3 : One Republic (feat Timbaland) - Apologize (Peter Rauhoffer Reconstruction Remix)
What’s that? You say you have another remix of Apologize? This one is almost seven minutes long and uses an echo effect to great… affect? Oh hell yeah. I’ll post that. I’ll post that right after another of the ubiquitous Apologize remixes. And they’ll love it. Oh. Hell. Yeah.

mp3 : The McCoys - Hang On Sloopy (Mta Hai Karate Remix)
The McCoys are dead right? Some of them are dead? If not I think they should get back together and open for the upcoming NKOTB / Kriss Kross reunion tour. Think about it. Hell, we could throw in Hammer and Vanilla Ice and have a damn fine show {or Icecapades}.

mp3 : The Ravonettes - Dead Sound (Peter Holmstrom and Jeremy Sherrer Remix)
The only thing missing from this remix is more distorted guitar noise in the opening twenty seconds. Other than that this might be what perfection sounds like in remixed heaven. Dead sound… dead sound… dead sound. Sing it!

mp3 : Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (Black Dominoes Remix)
I think Black Dominoes have somehow found a way to prove, beyond any reasonable doubt, that Vampire Weekend are ripping off Paul Simon’s Graceland. Honestly, if you didn’t hear it on the original recording, then just take a listen to this African drum beat over dubbed remix.

Ha ha ha. That was probably the most fun I’ve had posting here on TWF in awhile. Maybe I’ll just make fun of music from now on.

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BOTM vol 06

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