There’s something here, but I’m not sure what. The Bartender is a debut mixtape from a Boston rapper, with only a few guest shots (notably by Mims on “Winter’s My Summer (mpfree)“). I can’t say I love it, but it’s got something.
Get it here
There’s something here, but I’m not sure what. The Bartender is a debut mixtape from a Boston rapper, with only a few guest shots (notably by Mims on “Winter’s My Summer (mpfree)“). I can’t say I love it, but it’s got something.
Get it here
Props to Techi.
I was listening the other day to Sara Lov’s brilliant cover of the Thompson Twins, and it just flashed on me that so many people dismiss the 1980s as an era known for easy music, by which they mean simple, accessible pop. No thought to it. Well, if it’s so easy to get everyone to sing a song, why is it the big “pop” stars of the 1990s have pretty much faded away? And the early 2000s are going fast, too. Gnarls’ “Crazy” and Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love” were monster hits, for their time, but people are covering Wham and Men Without Hats more than they cover those tunes.
It’s because the 1980s were a golden age for pop, people.
And here are covers of some of my favorite 1980 pop hits.
Walk Like An Egyptian-The Feeling
Don’t Pay the Ferryman-Twinball
Don’t Talk to Strangers-Jonathan Coulton
Tags: Covers On Fridaze
If you dug Jaydiohead or Mos Dub, then this is for you. Max Tannone’s latest project: Ghostface Killah meets some really odd African psychedelia/Afro-beat/funk etc. The track-and-sample list is below. Some of these blends are actually better than the originals!
1. “Make It N.Y.” Rob Kanda – “Make It Fast, Make It Slow” [Ghana Soundz - Afro-Beat, Funk, And Fusion in 70s Ghana] AZ feat. Ghostface Killah & Raekwon – “New York” [A.W.O.L.]
2. “Dem Back” Gyedu Blay-Ambolley – “Fa No Dem Ara” [Simigwa] Ghostface Killah – “Tooken Back” [The Pretty Toney Album]
3. “Mighty Agho” Sir Victor Uwaifo – “Agho” [Guitar Boy Superstar] Ghostface Killah – “Mighty Healthy” [Supreme Clientele]
4. “The Same Girl” Soul Throbs – “Little Girl” [Next Stop...Soweto Vol. 2: Soul, Funk & Organ Grooves from the Townships 1969-1976] Ghostface Killah feat. Carl Thomas & Raekwon – “Never Be The Same Again” [Bulletproof Wallets]
5. “Three Lords” Lijadu Sisters – “Lord Have Mercy” [Danger] Ghostface Killah feat. Notorious B.I.G. & Raekwon – “Three Bricks” [Fischscale]
6. “Danger 500″ Lijadu Sisters – “Danger” [Danger] Ghostface Killah feat. Raekwon & Cappadonna – “Daytona 500″ [Ironman]
7. “Astro Easy Love” Amanaz – “Easy Street” [Africa] Ghostface Killah – “Astro” [Astro 12"] & Ghostface Killah – “Love Session” [Bulletproof Wallets]
8. “Dear Psychdelic Woman” Honey & The Bees Band – “Psychedelic Woman” [Ghana Soundz - Afro-Beat, Funk, And Fusion in 70s Ghana] Ghostface Killah – “Save Me Dear” [The Pretty Toney Album]
9. “Breakthrough Kids” The Funkees – “Breakthrough” [Slipping Into Darkness single] Ghosftace Killah feat. Raekwon – “Apollo Kids” [Supreme Clientele]
10. “Funky Criminology” Ebo Taylor Jr. – “Mondo Soul Funky” [Ghana Soundz - Afro-Beat, Funk, And Fusion in 70s Ghana - Volume 2] Raekwon feat. Ghostface Killah – “Criminology” [Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...]
Soundcloud (downloadable) page
Tags: Hip Hop, Mixtape, Wu Clanner
Malcolm Sosa is an indie rock genius. Yes. And you’ve never heard of him. And he couldn’t become a famous rock star. So he made himself one.
I’ve been telling you guys—begging you, in fact—to give Fresno, California’s Rademacher a chance. But nobody listened to me. I hope you will now. Baby Hawk (Part I of III) is about a musician with “flying dreams” of being an arena-size rock star. It’s an origin story, for the band Baby Hawk, who “got kinda big.” And then, of course, had a great fall.
At least, I’m pretty sure that’s what it’s about.
There’s a few songs on here you’ve heard before, that remade from the band’s debut record, “Stunts,” which, as I mentioned earlier, you never heard. But that wasn’t my fault. And anyway, “They Are Always Into That” is my favorite of their tunes.
I love these guys. Y’know, there’s about a handful of indie artists that I enjoy enough to have contacted for interviews, and whose careers I follow more closely. This is one of them. The weird thing is, I’m pretty sure I went to college with Malcolm. But I have no recollection of ever meeting him. Then again, I was pretty much a misanthrope back then. But I digress.
Great lyrics, great music, great vocals. This is DIY indie at its best. I’ll say that word again: Best. I’m so sure, I’ve already tagged this with a “Best of 2011″ label….
You need to hear this. Now, get busy.
Pre-order from Bandcamp by clicking here for just 5 bucks.
Silverlake (Album Version) by BabyHawk
They Are Always Into That (Destructo Bunny Remix) by BabyHawk
Tags: Best of 2011, Indie rock
Italian website Ondarock has a free 2CD collection of indie artists covering “outlaw” country–Merle, Hank, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Willie, and of course Waylon. Artists include Great Lake Swimmers, Wooden Wand, and a bunch of others you’ve never heard of. Go here. For a taste, here’s Turner Cody covering Townes. It’s pretty cool….
And for the price of a “like” on facebook, Spin offers a free tribute album: All of Nevermind, covered by bands like The Meatpuppets, Jeff the Brotherhood, Amanda Palmer, more. Here.
This here’s an awesome tune: Sol, Grieves and Budo rapping about how technology has changed the music scene. Download here (direct link) or stream it, if my streamer player loads right. About half the time it fails.
Sol The Times ft. Grieves & Budo
Phil Ade’s new mixtape features Oddisee and Black Cobain. Get it here.
NYC Taper has a Bill Callahan show!
I was thinking about covering a bunch of MIA covers, but I really only like her “Paper Planes” song. And Galang. Both are covered on Cover Me’s cover post of MIA covers. Go here.
And this is supercool: “Craft Singles” by Aleon Craft is the indiehiphopper’s latest FREEep, which costs just your e-mail address here, and includes Matt & Kim, Deerhunter, Tame Impala, and more!
The Postelles have a free album on their website. You have to scroll down a bit to get to it, but it’s got Smiths, Ramones, Wreckless Eric and more. Go here. It’ll cost you an e-mail addy.
Tags: Covers, Free Album!, Go away, Hip Hop, Mixtape
Would you dig a band based on one song? Plenty of folks do, I suppose. It must be. Girl, you know it’s true–because Milli Vanilli won a grammy.
The Alternates‘ “Spiders and Webs” EP is the debut of this Los Angeles pop band, and overall the EP is pretty good. But it’s the single, “Modern Way,” that brought it from the “review” to the “thanks, but no thanks” pile for me. The band has a very “L.A.” sound–slick, well-produced, and tight. That’s not a bad thing, but it’s a tough thing to raise from just good to really good to great.
“The Modern Way” is a great single. The kind you feel like you’ve heard before the first time you hear it, so you scratch your head as you hum along and ask “Why do I know this song?” Pop thrives on that kind of instant familiarity–it’s what makes pop popular: Everyone likes it, ’cause it’s not strange, scary or off-putting. It’s fun!
Good stuff. Check it out below.
The Modern Way by The Alternates
Tags: Indie Pop
