"Hummingbird" Born Ruffians

Thanks to Jessica for reminding me that I have a music blog and should probably write something in it.

K, I'm gonna start slow...

I saw these Tarana kids in Portland last weekend (I have this bizarre habit of seeing Canadian bands whenever I'm in US. I don't consciously seek them out. They just seem to be the best show that weekend. They inevitably talk about being Canadian too. Dunno if this is just the shows I'm at or if they do this everywhere. At any rate, it seems to entertain the band more than the crowd. Though the Portlanders seemed genuinely engaged when Cadence Weapon riffed on being from Edmonton. Maybe they were just trying to figure out where the hell Edmonton was.) and they were really very good. Crispy. Fast. Tight. Can I say Violent Femmey? I just did.

Oh, and they're on Warp Records, which is always a good thing.

Here's their first single...

"Hummingbird" Born Ruffians - mp3

Buy the full length, Red, Yellow and Blue (amazon) (itunes)

"Peaches" The Stranglers

liberation for women

thats what i preach

preacher man










"Peaches" The Stranglers

"Winged/Wicked Things" Sunset Rubdown

The next Wolf Parade CD will have trouble topping this. I haven't heard a record this integrated in a long while. Singling out a song feels like isolating a chorus or a verse. It lacks context. Random Spirit Lover progresses in movements; themes repeat, lyrical imagery returns. (certainly Spencer Krug's nagging worry over whether he's using too many violins is front and centre) It's so nice, in this mp3ed world, to hear a band thinking outside an ipod shuffle.

That said, I'm going to post a single mp3 here. This song seems to stand well enough on it's own.

"Winged/Wicked Things" Sunset Rubdown (mp3)

Buy Random Spirit Lover (amazon) (itunes)

"All I Need" Radiohead

I, like you, have a long and varied listening history with Radiohead. I air-guitared to Pablo Honey, in solidarity with my fellow 16 year-olds. I shed a tear to The Bends to let the world know that fake plastic trees, while sounding great as a rock lyric, symbolized the decline of western consumer culture. I got my calculator out for OK Computer, to identify obscure time signatures while smoking pot and debating the virtues of digital distortion filters. Kid A and Amnesiac were filed beside my Tortoise and God Speed You Black Emperor Cd's, affirming for me that my developing but already sublime musical taste was in sync with rock geniuses like Thom Yorke. Hail to Thief was not good enough for me. I didn't have time for it. I was busy. Didn't people know how many amazing bands were out there in need of fans? And now, as if to punish me for my hubris, they release In Rainbows, which has been on repeat for several days, despite my predisposition to indifference. Point taken, guys. Won't happen again.

Here's the embodiment of my current love-affair...

"All I Need" Radiohead

Tired of just pushing artistic boundaries, Radiohead are pushing the commercial envelope as well. In Rainbows is available as a direct pay-what-you-want download...

In Rainbows (pay what you want)

"Little Brother (Electric)" Grizzly Bear

Grizzly Bears aren't just cute and furry and nice. Sure, they are those things (I hear their paws feel like marshmallows and their fur smells like expensive fabric softener) but they'll also fuck your shit up if you catch them on a bad day. So make sure you let them smell your hand before picking up one of their cubs.

The new Grizzly Bear ep, Friend, is full of surprises, but none more exhilarating than the electric reworking of Little Brother, where they bear their rock n roll incisors. What can I say, the dudes have chops. (groan)

The ep sports new arrangements of some of the best tunes from Yellow House and Horn of Plenty, and some interesting covers by CSS, Band of Horses and Atlas Sound, no doubt intended to tide over hungry fans as we wait for the next lp. Seems to be doing the trick.

Here's my favorite track, the Zeppelined-out version of Little Brother, along with the original, if you like to contrast and compare...

"Little Brother (Electric)" Grizzly Bear

"Little Brother" Grizzly Bear

Buy the Friend EP (amazon) (itunes)

Or Grizzly Bear's first full-length, Yellow House (amazon) (itunes)

"Falling Slowly" Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová

In Hollywood, they pay people a lot of money to write this scene. It's the scene where the audience falls in love with the young lovers, falling in love. It sounds simple, but audiences are so familiar with this moment that, more often than not, it functions as information ("They are now Falling In Love.") rather than drama. ("Please God, let this work out for them...")

The hit Irish film, "Once", lets the music do all the work. Two struggling musicians meet in a busy Dublin shopping district. He's busking. She's selling flowers. She takes him to a piano shop where he teaches her one of his songs. When she finds the perfect vocal harmony for his lonely melody, the deal is sealed. If you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of a thousand screenwriters drawing a bath and opening a vein. (Go WGA)

"Once" might be the best film I've seen this year, in no small part due to Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová's beautiful songs. It's out on DVD so go rent it, or you can buy it here...

"Once" DVD (amazon)

"Once" Original Soundtrack (amazon)

And here's the album version of Falling Slowly...

"Falling Slowly" Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová

PS Hansard is the front man for The Frames, who are also worth a listen.

New Battles Video "Tonto"

I guess the bar was set pretty high by the "Atlas" video, performed inside a cube of two-way mirrors. (see post below) So, for their follow-up, Brooklyn avant-garders, Battles enlisted the services of the UK's United Visual Artists.

According to their website, "UVA's approach combines three disciplines: art direction, production design and software engineering. Our philosophy is to tightly integrate these elements to deliver real-time, immersive and responsive experiences."

Here they use columns of LED lights to create evolving patterns, in sync with Battles syncopated, math-rocky composition. Dim the lights for this one.

Buy Battles debut full-length, Mirrored. (amazon) (itunes)

PS Please excuse Cam for his recent absence. He has been busy making his weird little movie. He will be in regular attendance from now on.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Labine

"Rain" Bishop Allen

Let the rain fall down
And wash this world away
Or let the sky be gray
Because if it’s ever gonna get any better
It’s gotta get worse for a day

This one's for you, Vancouver...

"Rain" Bishop Allen (BUY IT)

"A Sunday Smile" Beirut

Zach Condon, who records under the name Beirut, made one of my favorite records of last year; the Balkan brass indie folk mutant, Gulag Orkestar. Now, at the ripe old age of 21, the New Mexico native has completed his softmore effort, The Flying Club Cup, due out October 9th.

Here's a song he's pre-released on his website. If you dream of living in an Emir Kusturica movie like I do, this one's for you.

"A Sunday Smile" Beirut
(BUY IT)

"Is There a Ghost" Band of Horses

I could sleep. I could sleeee-eep...

Be forewarned. This song will become lodged in your frontal-lobe for 5 to 10 days.

Cease to Begin, the follow up to Band of Horses' massively successful debut, Everything All The Time, is set to come out this October. Lucky for us, as the industry continues to experiment with the mysterious forces of web hype, Sub Pop has released the first single on the band's myspace page.

It's a sing-along anthem. The words are real easy to learn. You'll know them soon enough.

"Is There a Ghost" Band of Horses (BUY IT)

Jason Molina

Jason Molina is one of those musicians I return to when I need perspective. For me, putting on Didn't It Rain or The Lioness is like going to church. It realigns my soul.

I've been going to church a lot lately and I felt like sharing some of his more moving sermons.

"Blues Chicago Moon" Songs: Ohia (BUY IT)

"Love Leaves Its Abusers" Songs: Ohia (BUY IT)

"Come Back To Your Man" Songs: Ohia (BUY IT)

PS He'll be at Richards on Richards, here in Vancouver, August 31st.

"Atlas" Battles

Um...okay...favourite-new-band material here. I was way into this Battles song but now I realize that I've only been getting half the experience. This video is the best thing I've ever seen. I want to cry, I like it so much. The box is built from two way mirrors. Every time the drummer hits his 7 foot crash I know the world is a good place.

"Atlas" Battles (BUY IT)

If you want to know more about the band, check this PROMO VIDEO Warp Records posted on the tube. What a label.

Spaced-Out Lo-Fi Bliss

In my search for lo-fi ambient film music, I've come across some real gems. Chiptune, 8bit, glitch, whatever the genre, there are a lot of people making this kind of art-damaged prettiness in their bedrooms. Here's a few of my favs. I won't tell you anything about the artists. You know how to use google.

"Getting Stronger Everyday" Zac Love

"Lo-Fi In Outer Space" Ninjaspark

"Chase Init" Bitshifter

"Trick or Treatz" Metronomy

Metronomy is london/brighton-based laptoper, Joseph Mount. He's put out some pretty high-profile remixes over the last while for people like The Teenagers and Dead Disco. I was pleased to discover his original stuff though. Very eccentric and playful but cleverly deadpan. I'm sure you'll see what I mean.

Try to get this bassline out of your head...

"Trick or Treatz" Metronomy (BUY IT)

"Weed Wine and Wankers (SLUTTT Bust in Ur Face Remix)" Miss Odd Kidd

Okay, I'm not vouching for Miss Odd Kidd. As much as I'm down with west-london lipstick grime mcs, she seems a little heavy on hip and thin on talent. Plus, I think her name is dumb. She doesn't look odd at all. She looks like a hot chick with a great tan. I reserve official judgement until I hear some more of her stuff. However, I will go on the record right now saying that the chorus of this song is completely brilliant. The girl likes weed, wine and wankers. And she doesn't care who knows it. Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery.

SLUTTT is the real hero here though. He/She/They (I don't fucking know. I think it might be a girl with no face.) has/have been doing some of the hottest remixes of the last year or so. Nasty, dirty, sweaty basement party stuff.

"Weed Wine and Wankers (SLUTTT Bust in Ur Face Remix)" Miss Odd Kidd

Feist Remixes

Feist is a lot like Kevin Federline. They both belong to that rare group of artists whose work is received with absolute critical and popular consensus. While everyone agrees that playing a K-Fed CD should be a violation of the Geneva Conventions, everybody loves Leslie.

So, I won't waste your time expounding the virtues of her second full-length, The Reminder, which is, inexplicably, even better than her debut, Let It Die. But I will recommend a few dancefloor makeovers that manage to do justice to the originals. No small feat.

The first is from Berlin techno label Boys Noize. The second is by fellow countrymen and electro-funk gods, Chromeo. And the last, of which I'm particularly fond, comes from Aussie scenesters VanShe.

"My Moon My Man (Boys Noize Remix)" Feist

"Sealion (Chromeo Remix)" Feist

"1234 (VanShe Technologic Remix)" Feist

(BUY) The Reminder CD

PS If you haven't seen the videos for these two songs you're a loser.

My Moon My Man - Video

1234 - Video

-

Loosie!

I'm back. What'd I miss?

So, rap music is awesome, in case you didn't know. There's beats and rapping and girls. All good things. Loosie is a small crew from Brooklyn, who I assumed were set to blow up after putting out a great little remix of Peter Bjorn and John's "Amsterdam." But lo and behold, even in this recent period of PB&J hysteria, they seem to have flown under the radar.

Well, it isn't for lack of trying. As far as I can tell, Spec Boogie, Elucid and Von Pea are more prolific than Rainer Werner Fassbinder on crystal meth. And they're giving away most of their shit for free. Although, not for long, I suspect. There's a bunch of music on their various myspace accounts and even more on their website.

The sound is like De La Soul meets RJD2 meets something streety like The Clipse. And they do have away with the remix, so I'm gonna post the Amsterdam Remix, a Mark Ronson/Lily Allen remix and a Loosie Allstars original, "Wump Wump".

"Amsterdam (Loosie Remix)" Peter John and Bjorn ft Spec Boogie

"Oh My God (Loosie Remix)" Mark Ronson, Lily Allen and Spec Boogie

"Wump Wump" Loosie Allstars

Also, they put out this clever little send up to 90's hiphop called "Champion Hoods" for free download. It's the Loosie MC's rapping over classic 90's beats from Wu-Tang, Fugees, Black Moon, etc.

Download it HERE. Don't be fooled by all the Rapidshare advertising bullshit. It's free, just follow the links.

"Real Love" No Means No

Real Love is scary. You try to hide but it looks for you.

Well, I finally got my first feature film financed. It's called Control Alt Delete. We start shooting May 5 so things are already in over-drive. Plus, both my brothers are getting married in the next two months. (the baby one in France in two weeks, the middle one here in June) All this is to break the news that I will be taking a short hiatus from this blog.

Stop crying.

I'll return with more self-important music advice in June. In the meantime, why don't you lazy-asses tell me what to listen to for a while? Do I look like I have time to surf the internet for the next big thing? No sir.

Since I'm going off to make this movie, I thought I would be cool to post the song that inspired it some years ago. It's a tune by my teenage idols, No Means No.

Talk soon.

"Real Love" No Means No (MP3) (BUY)

"In The Morning (Hot Chip Remix)" Junior Boys

They finally got it over with and fucked each other. Well, I guess Hot Chip did most of the fucking, but Junior Boys are a very accomodating bottom. I've been waiting for this one with bated breath. Junior Boys are about to release their much-anticipated disc of So, This is Goodbye remixes, entitled The Dead Horse. I guess Hot Chip drew the long straw and got to play with one of the best song of last year. They deserve a lot of credit for resisting the urge to turn it into a dance floor banger, as we all know they could with their hands tied behind their backs. Instead, they embrace the sexy slowburn quality of the original. In The Morning never sounded so good in the morning.

"In The Morning (Hot Chip Remix)" Junior Boys (mp3)

The Dead Horse (buy)

Mad Decent Worldwide Radio #13 - Team Mad Deadly

I've posted Diplo's Mad Decent Podcasts before, but his latest is so crazy-wicked I'm willing to risk redundancy. It's a live mix that starts with some acapella Sizzla, moves into some Hot Chip, sojourns in Baile Funk land for a while and closes with some aboriginal Australian outback hip-hop. Dude's a visionary.

Mad Decent Worldwide Radio #13 - Team Mad Deadly