EARLY BEASTIE BOYS–”QUASAR”

Posted on January 7th, 2009 by ekko

Quasar-The band that was the hardcore Beasties. Before they started rapping. A few tastes, then the zip. Dig it.
Time For Livin’ (live)
Egg Raid On Mojo (live)
Brand New (live)
Ode To … (live)
Red Tape (Minor Threat Cover) (live)
Mullethead (live)
Riot Fight (live)
Nervous Assistant (live)
53rd And 3rd (Ramones Cover) (live)
I Want Some (live)
Tough Guy (live)
Transit Cop (live)
Deal With It (live)
Believe Me (live)
Beastie Boys (live)
I’m A Cliche (X-Ray Spex Cover) (live)
Soba Violence (live)
Square Wave In Unison (live)
Reagan Youth (Reagan Youth Cover)(live)
I Can’t Think Straight (live)
You Catch A Bad One (live)
Big Shot (live)
Heart Attack Man (live)

zip

SMOTHERED IN HUGS-“The Healing Power of Injury”

Posted on January 6th, 2009 by ekko

Fans of Bloc Party, Bravery, and the like should get their hands on

Smothered in Hugs‘ new album, “The Healing Power of Injury.” It’s marked by an irrepressibly, relentlessly happy rhythm section, strong pop vocals, and sharp and tight hooks. “Visa Problems” is easily as good a pop song as anything I’ve heard in the power pop genre, with its infectious, seamless movements from chorus-to-verse. I can’t image how this song can be performed live—vocalist Ryan Crane never seems to take a breath. And this is not the only great song on the record. “Young Flare,” “Die Trying,” “Ghost Believah,” and “Foundation” are other stellar standouts.
And have I mentioned the drumming? I can’t mention it enough. Aaron Crane percussion is extraordinary. It’s fast, but not frivolous. He knows when to provide support for the band, and when it’s appropriate to spread out, take over, and dominate. Which he can, on a dime and at any time.
Even the slower songs work—which is often difficult for a band who makes this kind of music. “Chest Protection” is almost entirely piano, it’s short, and it has no apparent chorus. Yet it feels like pop and I can’t stop listening to it. It’s wonderful to find a band that pays as much attention to craft as catch, to hook as verse, and to the overall quality of a song. This one of the best bands in Canada right now, and when I last checked, they were still unsigned. You can order their album directly, at their site.
And trust me, you won’t be sorry. These guys can’t stay underground much longer.

Visa Problems
Chest Protection

TOM PETTY COVERS A to Z!

Posted on January 5th, 2009 by ekko

I can’t believe I haven’t done this one yet! The indie and indie-minded love to cover some Petty. He may be terrible at taxes, but he’s great at writing songs.

The zip file does NOT have the direct-linked ez archive songs in it; just the savefile ones.

A is for Tom’s most famous song . . . American Girl-Melora Creager

B is for Backyard Tire Fire’s tribute to this great songwriter . . .Tom Petty-Backyard Tire Fire

C is for Change the Locks-Keller Williams. The only song on this list where I haven’t actually heard TP do it.

D is for Free Falling-Brian Dolzani. Lots of covers of this song. I like this one the best: Freefallin’-Death Cab For Cutie.

E is for Even The Losers (Petty cover)-Jason Isbell of The Drive-By Truckers. From June 9, 2005. Jason puts on a great live show.

F is for Running Down a Dream-Tony Furtado

G is for gag, which most Mayer songs make me do . . .Free Fallin-John Mayer

H is for hearts. You Got Lucky-Black Heart Procession

I is for I Need to Know-Local H. Local H’s whole Petty set can be found here. They did 6 Petty songs in total.

J is for Free Fallin’-Jarflys.

L is for Listen to Her Heart-Fastball

M is for American Girl-Pat McGee Band.

O is for One Song, Many Versions. Mary Jane’s Last Dance-Ari Hest. Probably my least favorite Tom Petty single, this version kicks ass over the original. It gives the song some much-needed balls. It’s kind of shocking to me, though, how many people have covered the tune.

MJLD-Curtis Peoples

MJLD-Justin Trawick

MJLD-Rusty Starz

MJ’s Last Dance-Flatlander

Strangefolk’s version

Greenstreet

P is for peace! American Girl-Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers

R is for Rebels-Drive-By Truckers.

S is for Time to Move On-Jon Shain.

T is for two-for-one. A cool mash up of two unlikely folks, one pure R&B pop, and the other Tom. If I Were a Free Fallin’ Boy (Beyonce “If I Were a Boy” vs. Tom Petty “Free Fallin’”)-DJ Earworm.

V is for You Got Lucky-Venice Is Sinking

W is for Listen To Her Heart-Wilco

X is for It’s Xmas All Over-Young Sinclairs.

Y is for You Wreck Me (Tom Petty)-Holler! A lesser known tune, not great, but solid. I was very surprised to find two covers of it . . . You Wreck Me-Revolutionary Side Effects

Z is for Zip File!

Tags: A to Z, Covers

GO HERE NOW

Posted on January 4th, 2009 by ekko

The  funniest safe-for-work video ever

Tags: Go away

MY MORNING JACKET COVERS CURTIS, GAYE, AND DOLLY!

Posted on January 4th, 2009 by ekko

Every year, one of my favorite major label bands, My Morning Jacket, do a fabulous NY’s Eve show.  You can pick the whole thing up here, but I’ve published the set list below, along with a few links to the highlights.  Great stuff!

Disc 1/Set 1:
1. intro music – What Are You Doing New Years Eve
2. Move On Up (Curtis Mayfield) *
3. Evil Urges *
4. Off The Record
5. Gideon
6. The Way That He Sings
7. Thank You Too
8. I’m Amazed
9. Golden ^
10. Librarian
11. You’re All I Need (marvin gaye) * +
12. Express Yourself (charles wright) *
13. Wonderful Man
14. Lay Low
15. Phone Went West
16. Look At You

Disc 2/Set 1(cont):
17. Dondante
18. Smoking from Shootin->
19. Touch Me Part 2->
20. Run Thru
21. The Wanderer (Dion) *
22. Dancefloors *
23. Magheeta

Disc 3/Set 2:
1. new years’ countdown
2. Celebration (kool & the gang) *
3. Get Down On It (kool & the gang) *
4. Wordless Chorus
5. Highly Suspicious
6. Cobra
7. Islands in the Stream (Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers) +
8. Bring It on Home to Me (Sam Cooke) *
9. Cold Sweat (James Brown)*
10. Anytime
11. One Big Holiday
12. Auld Lang Syne (sung by Jim James over a prerecorded backing track)
13. outro music – We’ll Meet Again

* = w/horn section
+ = w/Nicole Atkins
^ = w/Will Johnson

Tags: Covers, My Morning Jacket

PICTURE OF THE DAY: Child rearing edition

Posted on January 4th, 2009 by ekko

Tags: Picture of the day

TERMANOLOGY’S TRIBUTE TO J DILLA

Posted on January 3rd, 2009 by ekko

J Dilla is one of the most celebrated underground beatmakers of recent times, and he probably would have broken through to the mainstream if he hadn’t met with an untimely death.  Termanology is a mixtape comer, being recognized for acute verbal skills.  So, Term’s trib to Dilla has got to be hot, right?  Plus, it’s got verses by some truly great rappers, like Joell Ortiz, Bun B, Saigon, Big Pooh, and one of my personal hardcore underground favorites–Steele from Smif and Wessun.

Setlist, a few tastes, and a zip.

1. Intro
2. OHH
3. Circulate (100 Bars)
4. Say It feat. Sheek Louch, Joell Ortiz, Bun B, Saigon & Freeway
5. Spazz Out
6. Down with the king
7. Pay Jay feat. Rapper Big Pooh (Little Brother), Chaundon & Joe Scudda
8. Code of The ST.
9. What Type Of Money feat. ST. Da Squad
10. Enemies feat. Steele (Smif N Wesson)
11. Hot 97
12. Movie Clip feat. Chi King (Brooklyn Zu)
13. Only One Can Win
14. She Wants A SuperSTar feat. SuperSTah Snuk & Ea$y Money of ST.
15. Boyz On Da Ave feat. Artisin & Hectic of ST.
16. Outro (A Tribute To Jay)bonus
17. Bars 4 The Stars feat. Skyzoo & Reks

Termanology – If Heaven Was A Mile Away Mixtape (A Tribute To J Dilla)

Get it!

Tags: Hip Hop