Yeezy Taught Me

In the blur of negative press about Kanye West, it's easy to forget how talented he is as a rapper and producer, but his new album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, is a strong reminder that Kanye is not only relevant, but needed. Easily one of the best records to drop this year, and maybe the best of his career, MBDTF delivers ridiculous beats, a roster of cameos that reads more like a guest list to the Grammys (spanning from Nicki Minaj to Elton John), and a self-awareness that is lacking in many of today's mainstream hip-hop artists.

A clear standout is single "Power," on which Kanye uses his swollen ego to his best advantage spitting rhymes like "At the end of day, goddammit, I’m killin’ this shit/I know damn well y’all feelin’ this shit/I don’t need yo’ pussy, bitch, I’m on my own dick" interspersed with moments of vulnerable introspection when he confesses, "Now I embody every characteristic of the egotistic/He know, he so, fuckin’ gifted/I just needed time alone, with my own thoughts/Got treasures in my mind but couldn’t open up my own vault."

Thought MBDTF is not rife with club bangerz, "All of the Lights" (featuring John Legend, The-Dream, Ryan Leslie, Tony Williams, Charlie Wilson, Alicia Keys, Fergie, Kid Cudi, Rihanna, and Elton John) is a surefire hit and will definitely set any party off. With a super catchy hook sung by Rihanna, an epic horn section, and a hard-hitting bass line, it's instant ear candy.

My personal favorite is "Monster," where Kanye throws down an old school beat and Jay-Z, Ye, and Rick Ross put on nice guest appearances, but Nicki Minaj really steals the show with what has got to be the most dynamic flow on the scene right now: she switches her inflection from Caribbean-tinged to Lil' Kim hard hitting to little girlish to valley-girl in the span of a single verse and proves that on the mic she's definitely a "mothafuckin' monster!"

Other standouts include "Lost in the World," which features Bon Iver in three-part harmony run through autotune then jumps straight into a great dance track, and "Blame Game," which has a tight flow and one of the most jaw-dropping burns that I won't ruin for anybody who hasn't heard it.

Long story short, this is an album that will be remembered as long as Kanye, and I really can't say enough good things. Does it merit the 10/10 that it received from Pitchfork? I'd argue nothing does, but hell, it's a worthy contender. Buy it, download it, steal it from a friend - whatever you do, give it a listen. You won't regret it.

Lady Dragon AKA...

(Disclaimer: I know it's been a while, but let's get down to the brass tacks: I haven't posted in longer than I'd care to acknowledge. In a moment of inspired insomnia, I'm getting back on the horse. There, I'm on the horse.)


Dragonette. Holy Canada, Batman! Who knew Toronto could churn out such bangin' femme poprock? The four-piece group, fronted by lead lady Martina Sorbara, has just released their major label debut on Mercury Records called Fixin to Thrill and it's definitely solid. Their sound is reminiscent of Metric, circa Fantasies, and the poppier side of of Yeah Yeah Yeahs It's Blitz (think "Head's Will Roll" and "Hysteric"), which means their music, at its best, is quite simply my jiggity jam. Though not nearly as seasoned or prolific as Metric or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and definitely not as vocally distinct as Emily Haines or Karen O, Dragonette's songs are, more than anything else, super catchy. "Pick Up The Phone" is my personal favorite, and was actually brought to my attention by my friend, and ridiculously talented DJ/Producer Dan Alcala, who just recently won Dragonette's remix contest for this very song. The original's got a sick, industrial kick drum beat that pulses steadily as Sorbara's airy vocal hits hard on the chorus. "Fixin To Thrill," the album's second single, boasts a more aggressive, synth-dominated sound reminiscent of The Noisettes, but can be most aptly described as a song that should have been playing over The Valley scene in Clueless. "Gone Too Far" has more of a radio-friendly sound and is unsurprisingly being pushed as their first single. I will admit, the rest of the album is definitely spotty, but overall a good listen. Currently on tour with Little Boots (whom I just saw play live last week and kicked ass/had a sweet laser show, which pretty much sealed the deal for me - if you have the opportunity to catch that show I'd highly recommend it), get the album, see 'em live. With hard hitter Mercury Records behind them, you should be hearing about these kids soon if you haven't already. Three thumbs up!

Boys Like...

Girls is now among my favorite things to come out of San Francisco sharing the honor with recreational inline skating and pride parades. They've got a sound reminiscent of the Beach Boys with a vocal sound comparable to The National and lyrics fit for Conor Oberst. "Lust For Life" is a dancier song of theirs bringing energy to their airy, harmony driven vocal. "Hellhole Ratrace" is a slower, melodically driven song that drives straight to your heartstrings. "Headache" is a down tempo song that lazes along to the beat of a warm, sunny day, which we could all use a little bit of in this cold. If you're into these clips, the whole album, cleverly entitled "Album" is worth a listen. Pitchfork has given it an impressive 9.1, and the blogosphere is drooling over it, so any budding music enthusiasts would be wise to get familiar quickly and pride themselves on early discovery of this great new band.

Girls - Lust for Life

Girls - Headache

Better than the River

Mr. Hudson is Kanye West's new project, and when Kanye's paying attention, you should too. It's definitely a sound evolved out of West's 808s records, as Mr. Hudson's consistently auto-tuned clean vocal sounds like a mix of The Fray with a touch of David Bowie's panache played over Kanye West's immaculate beats. "Supernova" is a potential hit with a Coldplay-esque, emotionally charged chorus. "White Lies" is reminiscent of "Coldest Winter" off 808s, while "There Will Be Tears" provides a nice change of a pace to an Imogen Heap/Frou Frou inspired production quality while the lyrics show a more emotional, raw side (while still auto-tuned). Look for Mr. Hudson to blow up within the next few months, his sound is begging for an audience. Won't you be his?

Mr. Hudson - Supernova

Mr Hudson - White Lies from MrHudson on Vimeo.

Mr. Hudson - There Will Be Tears

For Those Who Like It Ruff...

Born Ruffians are the best thing to come out of Canada since the word "eh" (sorry, Drake...better luck next time). They bring enthusiastic, charmingly-boyish folk-infused indy rockpop. Yeah, those are a lot of adjectives, but they've earned them. "Badonkadonkey" is the funnest of the fun with a nice lil' nonsensical set of lyrics guaranteed to combat any morning blues. "I Need A Life" is anthemic, ready to party, and the perfect little indian-summer-of-a-song antidote for this obnoxious early cold. "Little Garcon" is a cute, folk acoustic number that's a great change of pace and showcases their folky, adorable vocal harmonies and yelps reminiscent of Fleet Foxes crossed with a less annoying Landon Pigg (in real life, not Whip It! in which, I'll admit, he was pretty effing endearing). For a good time, call Born Ruffians...or you know, spark a j. Whatever works.


Born Ruffians - Little Garcon

This La Roux-lz

If you haven't heard of English group La Roux, you're definitely not British or an overzealous music nerd, because overseas, they're huge. And with good reason. Ben Langmaid's blend of synth-heavy, über-kitsch electro pop with Elly Jackson's ethereal tone boasts some of the catchiest hooks on the alt scene since Lady Gaga was relatively undiscovered (not to say I told you so). Their sound is a one-off of The Gossip with more mainstream sensibilities. Admittedly, their lyrics can fall into the trap of easy rhymes and trite imagery, but their hooks hit where it counts. Off their self-titled, major label debut, "Bulletproof" is the clear standout. It has one of the better chorus lines I've heard all year as Jackson croons, "this time, baby, I'll be bulletproof." Other noteworthies include "I'm Not Your Toy," which features a heavy 808 sound and calls out, over an uppity, video-game-esque synth line, "you don't like me you just want the attention/I'm not your toy." "In For The Kill" is one of the more solidly produced, pared down tracks with an airy, synth-light arrangement that leaves room for the vocals to harmonize and intertwine beautifully within. My personal choice (it's a grower, not a shower) is the unassuming "Armour Love" that weasels it's way into your brain and won't let up with it's epic, gorgeous melody and raw lyrics. For some solid, soon-to-be-mainstream pop, La Roux delivers in spades. As an added bonus check out Elly Jackson's acoustic version of "Quicksand."

Quicksand (Acoustic)

Get Your Topsiders On...

I'm kicking myself right now for not posting this 3 weeks ago when I first heard Yacht's new album, See Mystery Lights, as Pitchfork has now beat me to the punch (damn you, Salazaar!!), but this album is too perfectly happy and summer-encapsulated to not fawn over publicly. Jona Bechtolt (you know him as an ex-member of The Blow) is the driving force behind Yacht, and deserves a trophy or a cookie (or at least a stroke on the ego from a Miss September) for the triumph that is Yacht's sophomore effort, See Mystery Lights. And what of the other half of Yacht, you ask? Well, Claire L. Evans' vocal recalls the spacy, assured timbre of The Knife's Karin Dreijer Andersson, with a vibe much closer to that of The Blow crossed with other Swedish faves The Tough Alliance and JJ. "I'm in Love With A Ripper," features a dubstep backbeat with an overall sound that rivals "I'm In Love With a Stripper" for pop appeal. "Summer Song" features a much richer, deeper arrangement complete with funk tinges, such as a cowbell and choppy, rhythmic guitar hits, and shouty interjections that make it a guaranteed hit with any block party and/or friendly neighborhood hipster kiddo. "Psychic City (Voodoo City)" has a hook so repetitive and catchy it'll tear a hole in your brain and have you lapping up the excess. As long as you're making tracks this juicy, Yacht, what's mine is yours. mmm brains.

I'm In Love With a Stripper - T-Pain f. Mike Jones (to prove my point)

YACHT - Summer Song from Jona Bechtolt on Vimeo.

YACHT - Psychic City (Voodoo City) from Jona Bechtolt on Vimeo.

A Good Lott

Don't be fooled by appearances, this blonde lil' lady (she's 18) who goes by the name of Pixie Lott has more than a couple surprises up her sleeve - the first and foremost being a powerhouse vocal that can hold its own with the best of 'em. Seriously, powerhouse. Already popular in the UK with her lead single "Mama Do," Pixie Lott is like a better version of Duffy and a poppier (a little worse musically, a bit better, albeit less-unique- vocally) version of Amy Winehouse. Her cover of Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" initially caught my attention - a stripped down, acoustic take that showcases her incredible control and a musical sensibility well beyond her years . Keep an eye out for this one, with material this solid, Mercury Records promoting her album, and voice that commands attention, it should only be a matter of time before she's getting major airplay in the US. (Just because this post is a few hours late, please enjoy the lovely clip of Tyler Hilton and with Alexa Dirks singing a gorgeous cover of Bob Dylan's "Boots of Spanish Leather." Good looks, Wisots.)

Use Somebody - Pixie Lott

Boots of Spanish Leather (Tyler Hilton and Alexa Dirks)

I Like It Dirty

Though I was absent from the blog for a hot minute, there's nothing like the release of an unexpectedly incredible art-pop album to get me back to it. The Dirty Projectors, Dave Longstreth's rock collective from Brooklyn, on their new album, Bitte Orca, have released some of the best new music I've heard all summer. The distinct vocals of Longstreth and his female guest singers wind comfortably through harmonies, synth blips, vocal compressors, and the strum of guitars that sound like they might hail from a basement in Williamsburg or the top of Mt. Fuji. "Stillness Is The Move," kind of sounds like a white, indie rock take on an upbeat song that Aaliyah could have released. "No Intention" takes a cue from Swedish indie pop with a steady, slow beat reminiscent of The Knife, Cleast Eatwood, and (vaguely) the Tough Alliance, while successfully throwing in an impossibly catchy guitar lick behind a simple male vocal that accounts for an overarching sound most akin to that of The Shins. "Cannibal Resource" recalls early Of Montreal with its arrangement and singer's vocal timbre, with a guitar sound borrowed from George Harrison and his trusty Beatles. And that's just for starters. The album is a pleasure from start to finish, no weak spots, just great music. A truly worthwhile album for any music fan. Hey, Dirty Projectors, well played.

Oh, Boy...Boy

Man Man is one of those groups that you either love or hate. They're weird, they're noisy, they're kind of a clusterfuck, but also kind of awesome (if you're into weird, noisy clusterfucks). Straight out of Philadelphia, they're riding in on the coattails of Zappa but marching to the beat of their own drum (or more likely with them, pots and pans). So far they've released 3 albums, and though it's not particularly prolific as a body of work, there are little slices of heaven to be picked away, and one thing is for damn sure: the bearded men of Man Man know how to bring the fun...fun.

Engrish Bwudd - Man Man

Top Drawer - Man Man

Doo Right - Man Man

Catarac Coup de Ville

Lisping and lame French punning aside, if you haven't heard of the Bay Area kids known as The Cataracs, get familiar. Take a little bit of Chromeo, a little bit of Flobots, with just a smidgen of Hyphy flare and you'll get something close to the sick sound of The Cataracs. They switch comfortably between auto-tuned melodies on tracks like "Baby Baby (The Lover's Anthem)," old school flow and sampling on tracks like "Rich Girl," and hyphy swagger on tracks like "Marshawn Lynch (Feat. The Jacka & Mistah F.A.B.)" for an impressive set list, to say the least. Any hip hop or pop music enjoyer will for sure enjoy this. Tighter than leather spandex. yeeeeeeeeee!

Baby Baby (The Lover's Anthem) - The Cataracs

(sketchy video for) Rich Girl - The Cataracs

Marshawn Lynch - The Cataracs

Heads Up

In honor of it being Sunday morning, instead of heading to mass, today I'm going to feature a band with soul. The Duhks, from Winnipeg, Canada, are a five-piece outfit that churns out some of the least hick-tastic, most genuinely listenable Appalachian-inspired roots music. Though the arrangements are more traditional, Sarah Dugan's vocal has a youthful, clear alto timbre of Feist with the control of Fiona Apple. "A Mighty Storm," "Toujours Vouloir," and "You Don't See It" are my personal favorites. N-joi.

A Mighty Storm - The Duhks

Toujours Vouloir - The Duhks

You Don't See It - The Duhks

Oscar Worthy

I'm gonna go ahead and ignore the weird white fog swirling around my window that may or may not be the sign of a nuclear apocalypse and focus all my energy on the yummy new album Actor just released by St. Vincent, aka singer/songwriter/guitarist Annie Clark. The New York Times is officially in love with her, but I found her first, so back off, yuppie scum. Now that that's settled, down to the brass tacks. Actor delivers more of the simple, delicate melodies first introduced on Marry Me, but explores deeper arrangements with more variation. The real kicker about St. Vincent's swagger, particularly on this new release, is her ability to convey the subtle nuances of complicated emotions with poise and non-chalance. "Actor Out Of Work," "Laughing With a Mouth Of Blood," and Just The Same But Brand New" are my personal favorites. Also included is St. Vincent's Black Cab Session of Dig a Pony. 'Cause it's that awesome. ¡Happy weekend!

Actor Out of Work - St. Vincent

Laughing With a Mouth Of Blood - St. Vincent

Just the Same But Brand New - St. Vincent

Dig A Pony - St. Vincent Black Cab Session

Pure.

Not to get all naus-talgic, but nothing puts a smile on my face like great music coming straight outta home sweet NYC. I guess that explains why I've been particularly smiley ever since The Pains of Being Pure At Heart released their self-titled debut. They've got a bit of Peter, Bjorn, and John, a bit of Blur in the edges, but a sound that seems to supercede any singular comparison. The only all encompassing remark that seems fitting is that their melodies have a way of melting into a fuzzy pop oblivion of distorted guitars that sounds like awesome and feels like summer. Guy/Girl vocal fans should pay particular attention. Ch-ch-check it out.

Young Adult Friction - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Stay Alive - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart

This Love Is Fucking Right - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Mmmm Morphine-oasty.

Today, I thought I'd do a fun commemorative issue of one year and half of metal-rod-in-my- leg-dom. Staring down the barrel of a 9:00 am surgery, I'm confident the following playlist will guide me safely through those sterile hallways, send the painkillers straight to my brain, and make sure I stay the hell away from the white light. Happy hump day. (I'm probably not using that correctly, but doesn't it sounds like something that might help hammer home the point? Or drill it in? Apparently idioms aren't my thing.)

Saturday Night - Blitzen Trapper
Club Love - 99allins
Brigitte Bardot - Creature
Boys Wanna Be Her - Peaches
Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley
No Substitute Love - Estelle
Rabbit Hole - Cleast Eatwood
LoveGame - Lady Gaga
Amazing (Thin White Duke Edit) - Seal
I Know What Boys Like - The Waitresses

The Bestest Best

Because finals, the weather gods, and my penchant for awful decision-making has made today the very worst, it is only fitting that today's post be about The Very Best (which has been solely responsible for getting my mental capacity to half-mast). Malawi-via-London singer Esau Mwamwaya and London production team Radioclit make up The Very Best, a collaboration that has cranked out some of the best remixes in the past year. Based on the positive feedback they received the duo released Are The Very Best in November of last year, an album consisting of remixes of popular songs that use the hooks from popular songs as a backbone to introduce Mwamwaya's Malawi-inspired arrangemnts and vocal stylings. The result is nothing short of brilliant. Standouts include, "Tengazako," an awesome reiteration that is pretty much the only redux of Paper Planes I've heard that's coherent as its own track. "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" cleverly takes Vampire Weekend's calypso-inspired guitar riff and places african drumming and singing over it for a rich sound that feels authentically Malawian. "Boyz" remixes M.I.A. again and throws in Akon's vocal with the help of autotune (shocking!) as well as Mwamwaya's for a really interesting twist on the arrangement that still doesn't stray too far from the original. Interestingly, The Very Best has also included original tracks tracks, which are equally compelling. "Funa Funa" and "Sister Betina" use the same winning formula of Malawian instrumentation/vocals over a western mix, but the production is so spotless you'd swear it was lifted from elsewhere (not to discredit Radioclit). For anybody else in need of an upper as much as me, throw this on with a strong cup of coffee.

Tengazako - The Very Best

Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa - The Very Best

Boyz - The Very Best

Funa Funa - The Very Best

Sister Betina - The Very Best

Casxi-Me, Baby

Casxio (pronounced Cah-see-yo) is one of the most exciting bands coming out of LA right now as they put on one of the most impressive showings at SXSW. Reminiscent of french indie group Phoenix, Casxio takes funk rhythm guitar and throws a falsetto that sounds closer Mika (oh yeah, they can hit those notes). "Seventeen" has already gotten a lot of blog attention (as well as a great remix) and is well on its way to becoming an underground hit. "Roque Baby" delivers more consistent danceable funk/rock/pop. The band's video for "Boiling Points" directed by Fresh Kill is not for the faint of heart with a bloody plotline that's almost comical in contrast to the carefree music it's promoting. Just in time for the summer, get into Casxio before your annoying friend does.

Seventeen - Casxio

Roque Baby - Casxio

Seventeen (Noel Zancanella remix) - Casxio

Boiling Points - Casxio

Sleepy Heart

I was going to write about one of the numerous fantastic albums released, but the sounds of 2008's Lost Wisdom from Washington band Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron and Fred Squire forced my ink elsewhere. Mount Eerie, Phil Elverum's continuation of The Microphones, has created one of the most genuinely beautiful acoustic records I've ever heard. Everything from the lyrics to the harmonies to the melodies is masterfully constructed. Though the sound isn't innovative, it's perfect in its simplicity. Doiron's confident vocal intertwines with Elverum's shaky voice to create a fragile, almost discordant sound that leaves you hanging on every note. The album itself is a coherent unit with every track playing towards the vision of the album as a whole, which makes it difficult to pick standouts. "Voice in Headphones" introduces an electric guitar and a more expansive arrangement with vocal layers to create the closest thing this album comes to a crescendo. "O My Heart" showcases the softer end of the album driven by Doiron and Elverum's vocal interaction. "You Swan, Go On" is a more upbeat track that features Elverum's vocal heavily with a more assured melody that bears resemblance to Sufjan Stevens. There are rare times an album fits a day perfectly, so for anybody lucky enough to be in Boston by an open window, hit play and sink in.

Voice in Headphones - Mount Eerie

O My Heart - Mount Eerie

You Swan, Go On - Mount Eerie

Insectomania

The Bug, one of Kevin Martin's 20 aliases, takes London dubstep, Jamaican dancehall, and grunge and turns them on their face. The Bug offers dirty beats in clean arrangements that dabble in an array of styles for an aggressive sound like nothing you've ever heard before. "Poison Dart" feat. Warrior Queen is a feminist rant with an arrangement that's heavily reminiscent of Santigold. "Skeng" drops quite possibly the deepest bass I've ever heard with Killa P-Flowdan's decidedly flatline vocal giving the track an eerie march quality that listens like a war cry. "Angry" featuring Tippa Irie is the closest thing The Bug offers to straight Dancehall and is an infectuous party anthem that goes out to one of my favorite biddies back home who's always ready to rraaaaage (2 days, Nessyface). For adventurous hip/hop enthusiasts looking for something fresh, look no further than The Bug.

Poison Dart f. Warrior Queen

Skeng f. Killa P-Flowdan

Angry f. Tippa Irie

Batgirl: Redux

Bat For Lashes AKA Natasha Kahn's etherial, haunting music that has (justifiably) earned her comparisons to Bjork and PJ Harvey comes back in full force on her sophomore effort Two Suns. For the first time Kahn's music feels like a complete artistic vision realized, which is particularly apparent on stunning tracks like "Glass," whose arrangement of a faint organ, crashing drums, and electronic backnoise builds and whirls with her vocalizations to create an incredible wall of sound that gives Kahn's vocal room to breathe in the massive space created by the echoing reverb. "Sleep Alone" combines a melody that might as well have been taken straight from Tori Amos's mouth with electronic synth noise and acoustic guitars that play perfectly off each other. The record's single, "Daniel," recalls MGMT with it's airy synth sounds and funk-inspired electric guitars, while a steady drum machine hits brings forth an element of synth-rock à la Yeah Yeah Yeahs on It's Blitz. One of the better albums I've heard this year, Two Suns is definitely worth a listen.

Glass - Bat For Lashes



Sleep Alone - Bat For Lashes

Daniel - Bat For Lashes