My Favorite Things of the Week

Oscar-winning director Damian Chazelle is making a move towards television glory with a new Netflix show, The Eddy. He is not, however, moving away from jazz. The show, like his most recent film, La La Land, centers on jazz musicians. The show came bundled with a new soundtrack with tracks by St. Vincent and Jorja Smith. Both the show and album are available to stream now.

If the show gets renewed for additional seasons, and those seasons get their own soundtracks, be sure to check them out on my Upcoming Releases page!

Kacey Musgraves is amazing, and Mountain Man is amazing. So it stands to reason that the two combined would be amazing. Mountain Man has been on a covers kick lately and their latest is a cover of a track from Musgraves' incredible Golden Hour. They put their own folk twist on "Slow Burn."

Folk-ish band Woods has long been a favorite band of mine, and recently announced a new album, Strange to Explain. They released a new song from the album last week, "Can't Get Out."

Dirty Projectors released an amazing one-two punch of new records in 2017 and 2018. They are embarking on another spate of new releases, this time in EP form. They released Windows Open earlier this year and announced another new EP, Flight Tower, this week. That EP is set for release on June 26.

Also announced this week:

Bibio - Sleep on the Wing (June 12)

Blitzen Trapper - Holy Smokes Future Jokes (September 11)

Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways (June 19)

Fontaines D.C. - A Hero’s Death (July 31)

Lady Gaga - Chromatica (May 29)

Lianne La Havas - Lianne La Havas (July 17)

No Joy - Motherhood (August 21)

My Favorite Things of the Week

The future of live music seems uncertain right now. While numerous tours and festivals are being canceled or postponed and we're dealing with massive companies refusing to refund tickets already purchased, a new type of live concert seems to be emerging, the video game concert. Travis Scott recently performed on Fortnite, and Massive Attack, HEALTH, and Pussy Riot are set for the Block by Blockwest virtual concert sponsored by Minecraft in May.

There are a lot of artists still planning album releases for this year, we'll have to keep an eye out whether any more of them opt for the virtual model for promoting the records.

Self-isolation has continued to be a boon for new covers performed from the comfort of the artists' homes, including more home shows from Ben Gibbard, an entire Nirvana tribute concert from Post Malone, and a variety of karaoke-style covers from Rosalía. My favorite recently came from Bedouine, who covered an artist that I was previously unfamiliar with. The folk artist posted a cover of "The Hum," from Margo Guryan.

Self-isolation has also meant that a lot of new music videos are being filmed and produced by artists at home. There have been quite a few duds, including the video for a John Legend and Kane Brown collaboration, but one recent really stood out for its creative use of web-conferencing software. Thao & The Get Down Stay Down's "Phenom" takes advantage of the grid-view of Zoom to present a cohesive choreographed product.

It's not a brand new song, but Deerhoof's latest single has stuck around in my head since it was released a couple of weeks ago. I've listened to Deerhoof for a number of years, but can sometimes find their music hard to really get into. Occasionally, they make a song that finds the perfect balance of their experimental music and a pop groove. "Future Teenage Cave Artists," from their upcoming album of the same name (out May 29), is just that song!

And finally, here are some albums announced over the past week that I'm looking forward to!

Absolutely Free - Two Cares Due None (April 29)
Brain - The World EP (May 15)
Esther Rose - My Favorite Mistakes (May 29)
GUM - Go Out in the World (June 12)
Kali Uchis - To Feel Alive (out now)
Kehlani - It Was Good Until It Wasn’t (May 8)
Sam Prekop - Comma (July 10)
Thomas Wesley Pentz - Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley Pentz Chapter 1: Snake Oil (May 29)

My Favorite Things of the Week (Ending April 4, 2020)

I know it has been quite a while since I've really posted anything. I will admit that I find it difficult to focus on this, work, and leisure activities. I don't know if I'll ever be able to get back to the pace of posting from my early blogging days, but I will try to check in and post something new every once in a while.

I am maintaining my Upcoming Releases page, check it out here!

Self-isolation seems to have become a creativity boom for many artists, and has led to a large number of new covers. Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie has been posting frequent home concerts with dedicated covers sessions, and Ty Segall recorded an EP of Harry Nilsson covers. The stand-out for the past week, however, is a genre-bending cover of Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box" from Amber Mark.

Mavis Staples and Jeff Tweedy continued their musical partnership this week with a new song, "All in It Together." While available on streaming services, the track is also available for purchase. Proceeds of any purchases will go to My Block, My Hood, My City, which is a non-profit dedicated to helping seniors in Chicago deal with the current coronavirus pandemic. The track can be purchased here.

Fiona Apple has about a six-year album cycle. She released her last record, The Idler Wheel..., in 2012, so we have been a bit overdue for a follow-up. That record is easily one of my favorites from the past decade, and I was overjoyed when she announced Fetch the Bolt Cutters. We don't have to wait long either, the album will be released on April 17!

Also announced this week:

Art Feynman - Half Price at 3:30 (June 26)
Disheveled Cuss - Disheveled Cuss (June 12)
Field Report - Brake Light Red Tide (April 28)
Guided By Voices - Alien Lanes Reissue (August 21)
Headie One and Fred again.. - GANG (out now)
John Carroll Kirby - Conflict (out now)
July Talk - Pray for It (July 10)
Kilo - Maybe We Could (July 17)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Chunky Shrapnel (April 17)
The Memories - Pickles & Pies (May 29)
Mountain Time - Music for Looking Animals (June 26)
The National - High Violet: 10th Anniversary Expanded Edition (June 19)
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Sideways to New Italy (June 5)
serpentwithfeet - Apparition (April 24)
Trickfinger - She Smiles Because She Presses the Button (June 3)

My Favorite Things of the Week

Good news from the world of '90s alternative rock, John Frusciante is rejoining the Red Hot Chili Peppers! Frusciante has been the on-again-off-again as the guitarist for the group, last leaving the band in 2009. He was replaced by Josh Klinghoffer, who is now departing. I'm excited to see what their next album will sound like with the iconic guitarist back in the fold!

As always, keep an eye on my Upcoming Releases page for new music that I'm excited about!

Lizzo has released several music videos for tracks from her third album, Cuz I Love You. Though she previously released a video for "Good as Hell," she released another video for the track this week. This video sees her joining up with the Southern University marching band in multiple roles; including bandleader, flutist, and dancer. The video brought out some real marching band nostalgia for me!

As beloved an artist as Frank Ocean is, I've heard surprisingly few covers from his contemporaries. This week, Nilüfer Yanya offered her take on "Super Rich Kids," for Triple J's Like a Version series.

Greg Dulli will be releasing a new solo album early next year, and released the album's first single, "Pantomima." The song bodes well for a great album from the artist!

The next album from The Flaming Lips will be a collaborative album with Deap Vally.

brooklynvegan.com

The two bands have formed a new group, called Deap Lips, and will release a self-titled album on March 13. The collaboration is one that is both surprising, and perfectly sensical.

Other upcoming albums:

Alanis Morissette - Such Pretty Forks in the Road (May 1)
Brian Fallon - Local Honey (March 27)
Caribou - Suddenly (February 28)
Cindy Lee - What’s Tonight to Eternity (February 14)
Dirty Projectors - Sing the Melody (out now)
Greg Dulli - Random Desire (February 21)
Halsey - Manic (January 17)
Kaytranada - BUBBA (out now)
Khruangbin & Leon Bridges - Texas Sun (February 7)
M. Ward - Migration Stories (April 3)
The Professionals - The Professionals (January 17)
Swamp Dogg - Sorry You Couldn’t Make It (March 6)
Wrekmeister Harmonies - We Love to Look at the Carnage (February 21)

My Favorite Things of the Week

Check out my Upcoming Releases page for more new music!

The soundtrack for Peaky Blinders was released this past Friday and includes new songs from a number of amazing musicians, including Laura Marling, PJ Harvey, and Queens of the Stone Age. It also features a new song from Anna Calvi, "You're Not God." The song doesn't feature her vocals much, aside from audible breaths and growls, but instead focuses on her incredible guitar work.

FKA twigs recently appeared on BBC 1 to perform songs from her new album, Magdalene. In addition to "home with you," and "cellophane," she also performed a cover of Gershwin's jazz classic "Summertime." Despite the song's 85 years as a jazz standard, she manages to bring something new with her distinctive breathy vocals.

Every music video released by Rosalía has been amazing, usually featuring colorful costumes and well-choreographed dance sequences. These don't feel like typical pop videos, though. There's something to the camera work and cinematography, and of course her music, that elevates her videos above the fray.

This week, Moses Sumney announced a two-part album, græ.

stereogum.com

He released an incredible debut album, Aromanticism, in 2017, followed up by the Black in Deep Red EP last year. Based on the first track from the album, "Virile," he is only building on the loose song structure and jazz-influenced vocals that made his earlier work so amazing. Part one of the album will be released in February, and part two and the physical release coming on May 15.



Also announced this week:

Action Bronson - Lamb Over Rice (November 22)
Andrew Bird - HARK! (out now)
Andy Stott - It Should Be Us (out now)
Animal Collective - Ballet Slippers (November 22)
Annie Hart - A Softer Offering (December 13)
Black Lips - Sing in a World That’s Falling Apart (January 24)
C.Y.M. - C.Y.M. (out now)
Camila Cabello - Romance (December 6)
Grimes - Miss Anthropocene (February 21)
Free Nationals - The Free Nationals (December 13)
Hamerkop - Remote (February 7)
The Homesick - The Big Exercise (February 7)
Katie Gately - Loom (February 14)
Lee Ranaldo & Raül Refree - Names of North End Women (February 21)
Noel Gallagher’s High-Flying Birds - Blue Moon Rising (March 6)
Of Montreal - UR FUN (January 17)
Okay Kaya - Watch This Liquid Pour Itself (January 24)
The Rentals - Q36 (June 2)
Rose Cousins - Bravado (February 21)
The Secret Sisters - Saturn Return (February 28)
Tinashe - Songs for You (November 22)
Walter Martin - The World at Night (January 31)
Wiki - OOFIE (out now)
Wolf Parade - Thin Mind (January 24)
Yorkston/Thorne/Khan - Navarasa: Nine Emotion (January 24)

My Favorite Things of the Week

I'm trying something new here. Rather than just a album that was announced during the week that I'm excited about, I will start posting a few things that I've liked from the week. This will include new album announcements, songs, covers, and videos!

Angel Olsen announced her fourth album, All Mirrors, a few weeks back. I'm incredibly excited for it and, yes, I have preordered it (possibly twice, I'm not sure if my first order went through). She already released one amazing track from the new album, but released a second this week, "Lark."

Sleater-Kinney released The Center Won't Hold, their incredible, St. Vincent-produced ninth album, earlier this month. They released a new video for one of the album's tracks this week, "Can I Go On." The video starts out innocent-looking enough, with a pair of older ladies about to enjoy some tea together. Things quickly devolve, however, into a knock-down drag-out bout, complete with stripping and mud.

Lucy Dacus has been releasing one-off singles every few months this year. She's released four so far and her latest is a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark." The cover is dedicated to both Springsteen and Dacus' father.

Finally, in album announcement news, FKA twigs announced her sophomore album, Magdalene!

pitchfork.com

The album follows her incredible LP1 and will feature Future and production from Jack Antonoff, who seems to be becoming one of the biggest names in pop production today (he also produced new albums from Lana Del Rey, Kevin Abstract, and Taylor Swift). She previously released one song from the album, "cellophane," and released "holy terrain" along with the album's announcement. The album will be released on October 25.

Check of my Upcoming Releases page for more new albums!

Also announced this week:

Anyway Gang - Anyway Gang (November 29)
Bishop Nehru - My Disregarded Thoughts (November 8)
Bombay Bicycle Club - Everything Else Has Gone Wrong (January 17)
Bonnie “Prince” Billy - I Made a Place (November 15)
Cigarettes After Sex - Cry (October 25)
Cold War Kids - New Age Norms 1 (November 1)
Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin¿ (October 4)
David Bowie - David Bowie: Conversation Piece (November 15)
Editors - Black Gold (October 25)
Foxes in Fiction - Trillium Killer (October 18)
Freddie Mercury - Never Boring (October 11)
Jacques Greene - Dawn Chorus (October 18)
Jeff Goldblum - I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This (November 1)
Kanye West - Jesus Is King (September 27)
Kele Okereke - 2042 (November 8)
La Neve - The Vital Cord (October 14)
N.E.R.D. - In Search Of Box Set Reissue (October 25)
Prince - 1999 Remastered (November 29)
R.E.M. - Monster 25th Anniversary Reissue (November 1)
The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed 50th Anniversary Edition (November 1)
Sudan Archives - Athena (November 1)
Swans - Leaving Meaning (October 25)
Tindersticks - No Treasure But Hope (November 15)
Water from Your Eyes - Somebody Else’s Song (October 25)
Weezer - Van Weezer (May 15)
The Who - WHO (November 22)
Wild Nothing - Live from Brooklyn Steel (September 27)

The Kills Cover Rihanna

I never would have expected Tame Impala to be on Rihanna's radar, yet she covered "New Person, Same Mistakes" on her latest album, Anti. Similarly, I did not think The Kills would be paying much attention to Rihanna.

The duo covered one of her new tracks, "Desperado," on a SiriusXMU live session. Unlike Rihanna's almost-too-true-to-the-original Tame Impala cover, The Kills fully make the Rihanna track their own, turning it into a moody, blues rock tune.

Both artists had new music out earlier this year: Rihanna released Anti in January and The Kills put out Ash & Ice earlier this month.

New Music Tuesday - November 5, 2013

New Full-Length Releases

Bryce Dessner & Kronos Quartet - Aheym The Kronos Quartet is a Seattle-based string ensemble which has been around for about forty years. They have put out 43 studio albums in their time together. For their latest record, they've partnered with The National guitarist Bryce Dessner, who composed all of the songs on the record. Listen/Watch: "Aheym"

Cut Copy - Free Your Mind For their fourth studio album, Cut Copy sought inspiration from various "Summers of Love;" specifically San Francisco's 1967 and Britain's 1988 (perhaps that explains the somewhat trippy artwork). They really wanted to push the concept of freedom with this latest release. What's important to me, though, is that this is an album that I can love as much as their previous, Zonoscope. Based on the early singles, I don't doubt that I will. Watch: "Free Your Mind"

M.I.A. - Matangi M.I.A. has never been one to shy away from controversy. For her latest album, named for her own birth name as well as a Hindu goddess, she addresses one directly. At the 2012 Super Bowl half-time show, she threw up a middle finger live on air, which she references in the track "Boom Skit." I don't expect controversy to stop following this artist anytime soon, but it's a large part in what makes her work so compelling. Listen/Watch: "Bring the Noize"

MellowHigh - MellowHigh The Odd Future juggernaut continues to ride along! MellowHigh, which features members Domo Genesis, Hidgy Beats and Left Brain, is one of many subgroups within the Odd Future gang, and itself is an offshoot of another subgroup, MellowHype. This is their debut album. In contrast to the sometimes violent lyrical content of other Odd Future records, this one takes a more, well, mellow approach. Which means, if you can't tell from the album artwork, that smoking is frequently discussed. Listen/Watch: "Extinguisher"

Other New Releases

Birdsmell - "Throw My Mess Around"/"Tulsa" I'll try to ignore the absolutely horrible name that Ben Bridwell chose for his solo project and instead focus on what an incredible musician I think that he is. The Band of Horses frontman is stepping out on his own and just completed a short tour as a solo artist. This is his first single and I hope it's indicative of even more great music to come! Listen: "Throw My Mess Around"

Bright Eyes - A Christmas Album Bright Eye's Christmas album was initially released eleven years ago and rereleased on vinyl four years ago. Now, just in time for Christmas 2013, it is getting another vinyl rerelease! Listen: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

Colin Meloy - Colin Meloy Sings The Kinks EP Colin Meloy, frontman for The Decemberists, is about to embark on a short solo tour starting in January. He's recorded as a solo artist since 2005, mostly releasing covers EP. In the past, he has covered Morrissey, Shirley Jones and Sam Cooke. Iconic rock band The Kinks are next on his radar. Listen: "Do You Remember Walter?"

David Bowie - The Next Day Extra David Bowie released his 24th studio album, The Next Day, in March of this year. As seems to be becoming more and more frequent, it's already getting a bonus track-packed rerelease within the same year. Extra features a couple of remixes and several brand new tracks. Listen/Watch: "The Next Day"

Music from and Inspired By 12 Years a Slave 12 Years a Slave was released on November 8 and is already being heralded as a potential frontrunner in next years Academy Awards. A number of prominent artists have contributed to the film's soundtrack, including Laura Mvula, Alabama Shakes and John Legend. Listen: John Legend - "Move" (featuring Fink)

No Joy - Pastel and Pass Out EP No Joy released their latest full-length, Wait to Pleasure, in April of this year. They've wasted no time in releasing a follow-up EP. It's meant to serve as an extension of that last release, to expand and grow upon the sounds introduced there. Listen: "Last Boss"

Roman Remains - Energy You EP If there was ever a younger band that I think carried on the torch lit by Blondie in the late 1970s, it is The Duke Spirit. The British band, fronted by Leila Moss, had a similarly diverse sound and an amazing frontwoman. It's been a couple of years since their last album, but in the meantime, Leila, along with bandmate Toby Butler are exploring a new project. Listen/Watch: "This Stone Is Starting to Bleed"

Sore Eros & Kurt Vile - Jamaica Plain EP Kurt Vile has been a very busy artist this year. He's released a solo album, an EP and an expanded version of that same solo album. Here, he's putting out a collaborative EP with solo indie musician Sore Eros (Robert Robinson). Listen: "Jamaica Plain"

Tennis - Small Sound EP Tennis is a husband-wife duo who have become known for putting out catchy, but very twee music. Something happened when I first listened to this new EP, though, I realized that they are starting to expand beyond that sound. Small Sound is more grown up and confident, a shift that can only make their music even better. Listen: "Mean Streets"

Yo La Tengo - "Super Kiwi"/"A Day in the Life of a Tree" "Super Kiwi" is a track from the deluxe edition of Yo La Tengo's Fade (released in January). It's getting released as a stand-alone single with the B-side "A Day in the Life of a Tree." Listen: "Super Kiwi"

On Repeat - "Shivers"

I saw the Divine Fits live just the other night (stay alert for an upcoming post on that). Before the show, I was introducing a good friend to the band's music and was trying to determine what my favorite song on their album, A Thing Called Divine Fits, was. While I do love all of the tracks on the release, "Shivers" easily stands out. Beautiful and haunting, it's the best use of Britt Daniel's voice (well, besides everything Spoon).



The song is a cover of a song by The Boys Next Door (aka, The Birthday Party), legendary rocker Nick Cave's first band.

On Repeat: "Tessellate"

I wish I had known about Alt-J (∆) earlier this year, when they officially released their debut album. Though I seen the name floating around the blogosphere, it wasn't until I heard a cover of this song by Mumford & Sons that I really became familiar with them. Instant love; even better, the video for the track is one of the best of the year!

New Music Tuesday - 01/24/2012

Chairlift - Something

Chairlift gained some attention a few years ago with the song "Bruises," which was featured in an Apple ad. I really liked that song, but found their first album, Does You Inspire You, to be woefully inconsistent. In the time since that release, they've lost a member, and matured their sound. Early listens show a much more stable effort and there are some early gems among the tracks!
"Amanaemonesia"

Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory

Something that tends to plague younger punk bands is that they have a difficulty sounding grown-up or mature (which, of course, can often be the intent). On their first album (released almost exactly one year ago), Cloud Nothings, while charming, could easily sound like just another of those punk bands. They elevate themselves, however, with this release. Already showing itself as a potential end-of-year favorite, it maintains the punk aesthetic, but shows a band capable of much more with their sound.
"Fall In"

First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar

These sisters from Sweden got their start with a pretty decent cover of the Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song." This go-around, they're aiming even higher, referencing Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash and June Carter. Bold girls, but they may be able to pull it off. While there's something in their style that prevents them from having quite the same magic, their harmonies are good and songwriting strong, they'll only get better with age.
"Emmylou"

Foxy Shazam - The Church of Rock and Roll

Local Cincinnati boys! They have an amazing throwback rock sound. It's raucous, glitzy and a lot of fun. They're doing what I wish some of the classic rockers (those that are still living, anyways) would do; make awesome music.
"Holy Touch"

Ingrid Michaelson - Human Again

Ingrid Michaelson has been good for simple, infectious pop, you may remember one of her songs, "The Way I Am," being used in an Old Navy ad a few years ago. In the past, her music has been fairly update and happy. Based on the songs I've heard here, her sound seems to have become a bit darker. Not a bad thing, of course; after four albums, it's good to see this type of progression.
"Ghost"

Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy

Like Guided By Voices a couple of weeks ago, Nada Surf is a more established indie rock band that I have had relatively little experience with. As before, I'm allowing the new album to serve as an introduction. The band has been around for 16 years and seven albums; their most iconic being considered High/Low. Only time can tell whether the new album can gain the same status, but I have liked the songs I've heard from it so far.
"When I Was Young"

New Music Tuesday - 01/16/2012

The Big Pink - Future This

The Big Pink made a pretty big splash with "Dominoes" and the album A Brief History of Love about two and a half years ago. The album had a sexy, confident and almost hedonistic vibe to. For their sophomore release, while their sound is the same, the lyrics seem more personal, and they take a somewhat inspirational tone. I don't think the lyrics work as well with the music, but it's still a great listen.
"Stay Gold"

Shawn Lee - Tabla Rock

At one point of time, about then years ago, mixing soul, funk and electronic was something innovative. Today, however, not so much. Shawn Lee sweetens the pot a little bit by adding more bells and whistles. Although he builds on a now-familiar trope, his sound is considerably more eclectic. The man has a lot of side projects beyond being a solo artist, this release is being billed under Shawn Lee's Tabla Band.
"Apache"

Soundgarden Slow Jam

In hopefully encouraging news for D'Angelo's Voodoo followup (that he's been working on for almost 12 freaking years) a new song, potentially for that album, has been leaked online.

That song is "Black Hole Sun," and, yes, it is a cover of Soundgarden's 1994 hit. If this track is any indication, D'Angelo will remain true to his style; the song is a slow burner, soft but powerful, and definitely would have fit right in with his last release.

Listen to the song and Soundgarden's original below:

D'Angelo

Soundgarden

Beyond the new song, which was recorded in 2010, D'Angelo will be embarking on a tour this year and claims that the new album is "97% done." So, fingers crossed that at least of the albums by an artist I've been waiting on will get a release date soon.

New Music Tuesday - 01/03/2012

Guided By Voices - Let's Go Eat the Factory

GBV are a well-established band, having been around since 1983. This, however, is their first album since returning from a seven year hiatus in 2010. It also marks a return of the band's "classic" lineup. Not being that well-versed in the band's music, I'm letting this be my introduction to the group. Based on what I've heard so far, it seems like a great band still at the top of their game!
"The Head"

Male Bonding/EMA - "Aneurysm"/"Endless Nameless"

Spin Magazine's tribute to Nirvana's Nevermind was released in July, near the 20th anniversary of the iconic rock album. The album only contained one cover of each song from the original album, but more songs were recorded by other artists. EMA's "Endless Nameless" was included on the original tribute record, but Male Bonding's "Aneurysm" (which was a B-side to "Smells Like Teen Spirit") was not included on the original release.
"Endless Nameless"

James Blake - "A Case of You"

I got so wrapped up in James Blake's cover of Feist's "A Limit to Your Love" for my favorite covers post that I forgot about another incredible cover he released for his Enough Thunder EP, Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You." I guess the man really likes his female singer-songwriters.

Blake recently released a video for the song, as well, starring the beautiful Rebecca Hall (from Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Everything Must Go). In the video, she exhibits every emotion known to man, including the elusive "I know what you did and I will kill you."



I don't know if I'm alone in this thought, but I love and want everything that's wearing in this video!

Here's Joni Mitchell's original song:

My Favorite Covers - 2011

NPR recently posted a list of what they considered to have been the five best covers of the year. While their choices were great, it got me thinking about which were my favorite this year. Presented below are my favorite covers of 2011!

The Black Keys - "Dearest"

This song earned the duo a Grammy nomination, for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and was the opening track from one of two Buddy Holly tribute albums released this year (and probably the best track from either of the two albums).

Atlas Sound - "Cool"

This cover got me into a band that I would have otherwise never heard of or listened to, Pylon. Dear Bradford Cox, nearly everyday, you give me something else to thank you for!

James Blake - "Limit to Your Love"

A great artist covering another great artist. James does a great job of both bringing it into his own style, but also staying more or less true to Feist's original.

Dum Dum Girls - "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"

Lush vocals, heavy guitars, the Dum Dum Girls are pretty much the modern female equivalent of The Smiths. Very true to the original version, it still fits perfectly within the band's sound.

The Horrors - "The Best Thing I Never Had"

I love it mainly because it's so unexpected. It's not often that goth/synth rockers cover music by pop/R&B acts, but it works incredibly well. I think they did Beyonce proud.

Corporate Music

I have such mixed feelings when it comes to some of my favorite bands shilling for major brands. I don't mind it, though, when the music seems to meld well with the product or tone of the commercial. It also leads to some hilarious moments from time to time (see: The Black Keys and Vampire Weekend showdown on The Colbert Report).

Another time when it seems to work is when I really like the brand doing the advertising. There have been three recent collaborations between some of my favorites artists and some of my favorite brands, all of which led to great results.

Best Coast and Johnny Marr for Ray-Ban

I want a pair of Ray-Bans so badly, I've taken to wearing the Ray-Ban-esque glasses sold at Wal-Mart until I have some more money to buy the real deal. In a recent project for the brand, Johnny Marr, formerly of The Smiths, has teamed up with several up-and-coming bands to produce songs for the brand. The "Raw Sounds" project includes several bands; Best Coast, Au Revoir Simone and Tom Vek, but Best Coast seem to best capture the sunny and cool attitude of the brand itself.

Here all songs here.

Karen O for Chipotle

Karen O, of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, is a legend in the making. It's only fitting that she should cover a song by two other legendary artists, even if it's a completely different style than her own. Miss O covered Waylon Jenning's and Willie Nelson's "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys." The song was recorded and a video made for The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, which aims to support sustainable agriculture and family farming. The video itself shows three young boys exploring and vandalizing an abandoned farmhouse, only for the experience to hit close to home for one of them.



Original

Matt & Kim, Andrew W.K. & Soulja Boy for Converse

This isn't the first collaboration between a seemingly random mix of musicians and Converse (and it won't be the last). A few years ago, the brand released "My Drive Thru" with Santogold, Julian Casablancas (of The Strokes) and Pharrell. More recently, Matt & Kim, Andrew W.K. and Soulja Boy released "I'm a Goner." I find it surprisingly awesome given that, while I love Matt & Kim, I'm not too big a fan of the other two. And, the collaborations are kinda fun. Next up is a collaboration with Gorillaz, which should be released in February of next year.

The Antlers cover The xx

Earlier this year, The Antlers released an album, Burst Apart, that is another strong contender for my year-end best-of list (might even be number 1). This Tuesday, they'll be releasing a follow-up EP, (together), that includes songs from the album in collaboration with Nicole Atkins, Neon Indian and Bear in Heaven. It also includes an incredible cover of The xx's "VCR."

Enjoy!

The Antlers

The xx

Goth Beyonce

Of all the musicians you'd think would cover a Beyonce song, The Horrors should probably be towards the bottom of the list. Yet, they did. The British band covered her "The Best Thing I Never Had" and it's kind of awesome! For some background, The Horrors made their name in punk goth, but have gone more towards a synthy, '80s sound...but still goth. All in all, nowhere near the same type of music Beyonce makes.

The Horrors

Beyonce

New Music Tuesday - October 4, 2011

Damon Albarn - Kinshasa One Two

Albarn is one of those incredibly prolific musicians who's touched just about every genre. He's done everything from Britpop to electro-tinged hip hop. This time, he traveled to Africa (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo to be specific) to record, with Tout Puissant Mukalo, an album that heavily incorporates the music of that country.
"Hallo"

Feist - Metals

Oh, Leslie, it's been too long. Four years since The Reminder and the relatively "breakout" song "1234." Feist makes music that's fun to listen to, but that doesn't seem to lose its interest after just a few months. It's great to see her back and true to form. This is one of those squeal-worthy releases. Sqqqquuuuuueeeaallll!!
"How Come You Never Go There"

MGMT - Late Night Tales

This isn't a release of new material from the band. Late Night Tales is a series of releases that allow an artist or musician to showcase the music that has influenced them or that they love. They're always an interesting look into what's inspired an artist, and usually include some big surprises. Looking at their tracklist, it appears that MGMT has been inspired by post punk, electronic and indie rock...who knew? (sarcasm intended)
"All We Ever Wanted Was Everything" (Bauhaus cover)

Loney, Dear - Hall Music

Loney, Dear doesn't make the most exciting music, but his has always been a good listen for a lazy day. He makes good, simple pop music, which I guess is a requirement for the Swedish these days.
"Young Hearts"

Prince Rama - Trust Now

An ex got me into Prince Rama, I guess it's a wonder that I still listen to them, but I found their music to be quite intriguing. Yes, the music is kinda weird. There are psychedelic elements, but there seems to be chant-y, almost prayerful, elements. And, as their name somewhat implies, there's an element of Indian music. They're not easy to get into, but definitely make for an interesting listen.
"Portaling"

Various Artists -The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams

When Hank Williams died in 1953, he left with a trove of unfinished songs to his name. For this release, a number of current artists recorded some of the "lost" songs he left behind. The artists compiled to finish Williams' lost work include Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, Jack White and Sheryl Crow, among several others. Today, it's better to think of this homage to a great artist than the hate spewed by his own son earlier.
"How Many Times Have You Broke My Heart" (Norah Jones)