Can't believe I've never put Snow Patrol up! These guys are classic! They were the opening band at my first concert ever: U2! Almost everyone there was older and just anxious to hear Bono and the gang, but there were a few select people who knew and were excited for Snow Patrol, me among them. They were epic! Some girl next to me saw me singing along and said that she'd gotten to hang out with them the night before and that they were the nicest guys ever! Another band that I'm rediscovering in my discography, they're a classic teenage band with crooning and melancholy builds and big anthemic breakdowns. My favorite song by them, 'Warmer Climate' is an album only bonus track that always blows me away. Some awesome lyrics and the way it fades out after building itself to a crescendo is gorgeous! I promise I'm listening to modern music too, but these last few days my old stand-bys have been creepin' round. Enjoy the song, and Reduce, Reuse, Recycle to avoid the song title!
If I was going to tour with Imagine Dragons, I think I'd make some damn good music. Altas Genius luckily lives up to those lofty standards! Their song 'Trojans' is everywhere these days! On the radio, being remixed, in that one aisle in grocery stores...It's pretty catchy! Here's an upbeat remix by Lenno that elevates this song to, well, lets call it Magnum levels! Very summertime-y! Enjoy!
And in case you missed my post way back in September, Xaphoon Jones also delivers an extremely fresh trapped-out but quite accessible version!
My Grandma said some striking words to me today. I had been playing music in the kitchen for about half an hour and she'd been slowly eating her food while I hyperactively did meaningless things on three different screens at once and invested all my time and energy into social networks and viral videos and the endless codswallop that consumes my life...ahem. ANYWAY, she looked up at me after a song and said (bear in mind that she says this slowly and in probably the most adorable way known to man), "That last one was smooth and creamy." I was so happy that a.) I wasn't just playing annoying racket for her and b.) that in my breathless search for new and cutting edge music, it's all just music, and some great sounds can transcend generation (and even the first smatterings of deafness). It was a beautiful moment! Then, to put the icing on the cake, a few minutes later, after I had retreated back into my headphone sheltered world of electronics, she said out of the blue, "It's like a calm sea with a tugboat coming through it. Toot, toot, toot!"
I think I'll be deciphering the wisdom behind Ruth's words for countless years to come, but for now, I'd like to share something 'smooth and creamy' for all of you!
I've been revisiting much of the music I listened to when I was younger in a big way, and heck, a lot of it was cheesy, but I still had good taste! Keane was one of my big favorites, and after years of them lying dormant in whatever land un-listened to MP3's frolic in, I'm hooked all over again! 'She Has No Time' is tender and sweet, tinged with sadness, and has been known to give some people 'the wubzies'. Enjoy!
P.S. Forgive the weird picture and random soundcloud link...the music video for this was just too cheesy for me to put any of you good people through.
If you're not officially confused name-wise at this point, you're not paying attention. Cayucas is the band, and this song of theirs is called Cayucos. All straightened out? Good, now we can get to their music! Through a Wes Anderson style music video about the classic story arc of girl likes boy, boy goes to beach, girl needs ride, boy doesn't give girl ride, girl creeps on boy at beach, boy eventually gives girl ride to beach, this lovely song unfolds! Fun loving, beachy, early summertime music, this just feel good! And hey, they opened for Ra Ra Riot, and I've met them, so they must be quality! Enjoy!
After the treat that is 'Cayucos' there is the charming love story 'High School Lover'. Frontman Zach Yudin told his funny little retelling of his real life missed opportunity for a high school lover at the show, which he said inspired this song. If you liked 'Cayucos', and enjoy laid back, cheery catchiness, check this one out!
A bit of a departure from my usual musical forte, this one really stood out to me. Rising above the endless muck and boredom that is most of trap music (in my opinion) this remix actually goes places and doesn't descend into repetitive and annoying "hey's" and other unlistenables. Instead, Flaxo completely re-imagines Rihanna's pop hit and creates something that is varied, interesting, and even (*gasp*) repeatable! A twenty second intro that sounds cinematic morphs into some beautiful cyclical...sounds...and then you're hit full force by two massive builds and drops which both have their own slightly offensive vocal interludes. This song goes crazy places and somehow pulls off every innovation! If this is where trap is going, sign me up! Give it a chance, I promise you won't regret it!
And if you've only been listening to Rihanna's original, want to mix things up, but wish to retain your popiness: throw in some Kanye.
I honestly haven't listened to as much of these guys as I probably should have, and they're on my list of bands I should become better acquainted with, but I've quite enjoyed the smattering I have heard! After all the mad gushing about reaching 10,000 views, I was feeling something a little slower and more tender, and this Cahb remix reigns things in a little bit and floats along to comfort your ears. With a midterm tomorrow, I think we could all use a little Chill-wave. Enjoy!
Grab Young The Giant's entire Remix EP for free on their facebook page right here, and you can even leave them a nice comment! Hurray!
I just can't hold it in any longer...THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! To every single one of you lovely, big-hearted, huge-eared, musical, awesome people! I'm overjoyed to announce that I have officially passed the 10,000 view mark, and what a journey it's been! Let me break some things down (you can think of this as the drop if you will). Wump, wump, wump, drop dem dirty stats! This wild journey has been composed of:
214 days of music
196 blog posts
10,051 page visits...
Of which only 7,578 were from the United States!
Readers ranging in location from the U.K, Russia, France, Germany, Canada, Mexico, Latvia, Brazil, The Netherlands, Taiwan, Australia, India, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela, Serbia, and countless other countries!
Blogger is even creepy enough to tell me that 3,314 of you used Chrome to get here, and 4,492 accessed the blog from a Mac!
I could do these boring breakdowns all day, but basically you guys are the best!
Phew!!!!! What an amazing last few months! I never in my wildest dreams imagined this little project would get so big or be so fun or touch so many people! I'm truly humbled, honored, and infinitely thankful, because without you I'd just be journaling to myself about music I enjoy (honestly I'd probably still do it, but this is way better!). Enough lovey-dovey mumbo jumbo, you miraculous individuals are still here for some music, right!?
'Hold It In' by Jukebox The Ghost seemed appropriate for the occasion, because I really can't contain my love and eternal debt to all of you! Jukebox The Ghost is a little crazy, a little Schizophrenic, and bucket-loads of fun, and I'd like to think that kind of sums up the blog! Whatever cheesy connection I draw, this is a great song, so go enjoy!
And what 10,000 view celebration post would be complete without acknowledging what a 'Good Day' it is!? Jukebox The Ghost luckily has me covered there too, and with the help of the perpetually popping-up RAC deliver a spunky tribute to my mood! Hope this makes your day as good as mine!
Alright...I love you all, and it would mean the world to me if you shared this in whatever way you see fit, spreading the love so that the next 10,000 is here before we know it! Every step and every song thus far has been pure magic, and I'm ecstatic about all the sound the future holds! Share, follow, like, listen, hashtag, do whatever you like, just keep doing you!
Oh! And I'll leave you with the sad fact that even the blog hasn't been able to escape the Harlem Shake... now do the sumptuous shake! (It's actually pretty sick).
I'm pretty excited. I'm five views away from the blog having 10,000 views since it's creation. That may sound like a pretty small number, and it is in the grand scheme of things, but for spending no money, and promoting myself only through actual friends, I'm stoked! Tomorrow when I actually achieve the landmark, I'll tell you all the cool things I've learned (and that google analytics tells me), but I'd like to say a premature, "Thank You" to all the people who have supported me and taken the time to check out the music I love. Whether it's a daily routine or something you check once in a blue moon, knowing people care means the world to me!
Many, MANY of the nights since I started the blog I've stayed up far too late discovering new music and writing these posts, and I guess this song is a tribute to that, and a promise for the future that, "All night, all day, always," I'll continue to strive to share some cool stuff that vibrates my ear drum in just the right way, and which hopefully finds that resonant frequency of your heart that makes you sit back and smile. Keep listening! I know I will!
Why do West London Indie Rock bands get to have all the fun? The breathless pace and frenzied energy of The Vaccines is so infectious and inescapable that even. My. Sentences. Are becoming. Shorter and more. Filled with. PIZZAZZ! Eh...I can't match their vivacity. My two songs for you today are both under 2 minutes, and I honestly think the members of the band would require vaccines and more if they were much more energetic or attempted to lengthen their songs. The first few seconds of both clue you into the treat you're in for!
While 'Nørgaard' may be a Danish surname, literally meaning north farm, I like to think of it more as the "no...gahhhhhhhh, errrr, duh!" feeling that this song invokes. Some crazy lyrics if you pay attention...Enjoy!
'Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra) is...seriously, do you need more explanation after that song title? Ra Ra, listen for yourself!
P.S. Share this one around, I'm tantalizing close to breaking 10,000 page views!
One of the two remarkable openers for Ra Ra Riot last tuesday was Pacific Air. Whatever misgivings the audience initially felt at their hair styles were remedied instantly by their music! Delivering powerful ballads that sweep and swoop between massive swells and melodic harmonies, Pacific Air wowed. You may recognize their song 'Float' as the massively magnificent song that was my second blog post ever, back when they were called Ko Ko. They've grown immeasurably (as has their hair) and the band that stood before me last week is certainly one to keep an eye on!
Their song 'Float has certainly garnered quite the following, and been remixed countless times. My favorite is the unbelievable Sound Remedy Remix, which has over 50 plays on my iTunes not to mention the infinite on my iPod. After the show last week, I had the privilege to meet Pacific Air, and I told the frontman how much of an influence remixes of their songs had had on me and how much I loved what I'd heard from them that night. He was stoked and told me in return that the DJ's 'TheFatRat' and 'Sound Remedy' had been IN THE AUDIENCE THAT NIGHT for the show and were good friends of the band. God what a small world! It was epic, their original song is epic, and here's a few epic remixes for you!
When the entire band started whistling this tune...I can't even.
My personal favorite of the remixes, Sound Remedy crafts a song that is literally in my top ten songs ever. It takes so many unexpected turns and twists, and is the most melodic and tasteful dubstep-y song I may have ever heard. 1:45 will blow your mind, then truly, 4:05 and onward is some of the coolest stuff my ears have ever heard, lobes down.
TheFatRat, the other DJ unknowingly in my midst, delivers a fairly remarkable remix as well, a little less magical for me, but equally fresh!
And finally, that old stand-by, RAC had to jump on this song that all the cool kids were remixing, and created something haunting and barely recognizable as the same song! My least favorite of the mixes, this version does have some SICCCCCCKKKKKKK vocal distortion, and still would win in a remix-fight with the bulk of my music! Enjoy and sound off on which is your favorite in the comments below!
Real stunner here, it defies all laws of EDM and builds up and then drops. Oh wait...I guess that's pretty conventional. Groundbreaking it may not be, but booty shaking and good time inducing it is! Amba Shepherd's lyrics are lovely and perfectly utilized as usual, (I love the way her voice does an epic circular thing before all the drops) and Sharkf3ng adds some cool touches! Enjoy and snag a download below!
Ah how bigoted and ignorant I am while I pretend to be all high and mighty! My 100% intention was to bash on Soulja Boy, make fun of him and say how much Purity Ring had improved his laughable original. All of this...without having listened to the original!
Well that's a pretty limited world view don't you think? Just because I had only exposed myself to 'Pretty Boy Swag' and 'Crank That Soulja Boy' is no excuse to not give him a chance! And you know what!? I enjoyed the original! Purity Ring's remix is so stupendously awesome because they had something decent to work with! Anyway, I was just inproportionally proud of my musical openness.
Purity Ring does KILL this song! Their hipster-trap-for-cool-people-who-love-cool-things (their name, not mine)...(ok, you got me, that is my name for their brand of epicness), just makes every song they touch turn to gold! Seriously, just press play and let the female vocals amidst the bounciest and trippiest beat I've heard in a while elevate you! Enjoy!
Forgive the poor photo quality, but I was that flipping close to Ra Ra Riot this tuesday! It was incredible! I was so awestruck and overcome that I couldn't even bring myself to do a blog post (that, and a combination of homework and the lateness of the hour of our return). Ra Ra Riot rocked the house and put on a rousing and inspired show, even amidst a crowd that was as energetic as a pair of dusty socks. The too-hipster-to-dance crowd couldn't dampen the indomitable spirits of Ra Ra Riot however! They played songs from their entire gorgeous repertoire, highlighting new tracks off of Beta Love and returning to older classics such as 'Boy' and 'Dying is Fine'.
It was a night to remember and even the openers blew my mind (don't worry, I'm exploring their music now and will introduce you all later). Ra Ra Riot managed to show me how versatile they are as a band and I glimpsed new facets and parts of songs I'd never noticed before. Since I sadly can't transport all of you to the concert to hear it for yourself, I thought I'd get as close to 'new takes' on some classic Ra Ra Riot with my favorite remixes of their work to date. The originals forever have a special place in my heart, but these remixes bring something different and poignant to the table, for they are cognizant and respectful of the purity and brilliance of the originals. Enjoy!
Kisses take 'Massachusetts' to one hell of a cool place with this one! Very dreamy and calming, their slant on the song is perfect!
Hitting just a titch harder, Xristo's remix of 'When I Dream' is epic! The original has become one of my favorite of their new songs, and this tweaks and tinkers with it, adding flair, but detracting nothing. Worth a listen and download!
And in the spirit of Valentines Day, this one's a love song for the ages. Lovely lyrics, typical awesome background accompaniment, and lines like, "When I look in your eyes, I tend to lose my thoughts" couldn't be more true! Share this one with someone special! Enjoy!
Happy unconventional tuesday! It's not every day that you get to go to a Ra Ra Riot concert, and that's exactly what I'll be doing this fine tuesday! I'm stoked out of my mind and have been waiting for this concert for some time, and thought I'd sneak in something crazy and unusual before I'm coming in late at night on a Ra Ra Riot high! Csókolom (of COURSE I know how to pronounce their name, what do you take me for?) is, well, I have no idea...but I love this song and have ever since I first heard it in the 'Everything Is Illuminated' soundtrack. By the way: amazing soundtrack, check it out if you haven't!
Their music is described as, "Hungarian and Romanian village music, Gypsy songs, French musette waltzes etc."Sounds varied and awesome enough for me!
'Amari Szi Amari' is the heartwarming tale of when Miles makes up the meaning of a song in a language he doesn't speak, and boy do the lyrics touch my heart! Literally, though, great violin and vocals which I'm sure are genre defining!
Enjoy this wild and crazy video (in which I have no idea what is going on...they just say random sounds sometimes mid-song) and have a tubular tuesday!
Sometimes it's the simplest things that bear the greatest fruit. Opening the door for someone, saying a small kindness, putting in 5 extra minutes of work, doing those nightly exercises, or, perhaps, elegantly and simply combining 'Clocks' by Coldplay and 'Chicago' by Sufjan Stevens into something that seems so right and uncluttered or forced, that it might as well have been the original. These two songs just sound good together! Do yourself a solid and listen up!
When great female vocals collide with massive producers, lovely things happen. And diamonds are never bad either! I highly suggest checking out all three of these...dare I say...diamonds!
Zed's Dead drops 'Lies' hard, but keeps it classy and pretty at the same time! The build form 1:09 until 1:51 is super sexy. Enjoy!
Benny Benassi is massive and he brings the heat on 'Primadonna', which is an edgier song with edgier synths. Enjoy!
You know when Dada Life gets involved, the result is going to be momentous. They feed the dada with their classic banana and champagne fueled frivolity here! The second build around 2 minutes is legendary (and bananas, but that comes with the territory).
Boom. No remix or EDM here. Just pure, unadulterated fire from Icona Pop off the force-to-be-reckoned-with Girls tv series soundtrack! What can't Swede's do...seriously though...anything? Play this one loud and youthfully!
I learned a new word today: Scrumtrulescent. Say it out loud. Let it simmer in your mouth, settle in your ears. Nice, eh? Well, I would say that this song fits the word! Enjoy!
Soulful, upbeat, and funky! Just what I needed after I realized we've only made it to Wednesday so far this week.
This song just feels good. Enjoy, and mind the gap!
UPDATE AGAIN: Back on soundcloud! Way easier and less annoying! Enjoy, great song!
I believe an apology is in order...I encouraged (and continue to encourage!) everyone and everyone to send me great new artists and songs they too are discovering, and here I was sitting on this gem for quite some time that our own Leif Huot had sent me! You may know Leif as the suave savant who unicycles and ukuleles, or perhaps as a pen pal, for he is the most worldly person I know, spreading his zaniness far and wide across the globe. Leif also happens to have the coolest (and oft-times craziest) music I've ever heard! Whenever you place an earphone to your ear when it has been proffered by Leif, you know you're in for a treat!
Leif continues to exemplify good taste, even while being busy being awesome at college, and graced me with Everything Everything! This band has...well, everything! They sound like a mix between Bloc Party and every other band. I have no idea how to describe their sound, each song is really stupendous, and I think that's all my ears and heart need to know! Leif succinctly described them as:
one of the most technically advanced hook driven pop groups out there.
Don't know about you guys, but I'm tired of hearing Miles gab, and want to hear some hook driven pop!
'Kemosabe' This song blows my mind. Five listens in, and I can't get enough! Enjoy it NOW!
And goodness gracious Leif, I've been trying to cut down my excessively long posts and I strive to only force one song on people, but it's just too good! Don't cheat yourself by skipping out on 'Cough Cough'! His delivery borders on rap and this song just drives with its pounding drums and energy! Enjoy!
You ever had that one amazingly genuine, remarkably deep, concerningly contemplative, stargazing, nordic skiing, gorp-eating, snowball-throwing, indie-music-listening, heck of a good friend? For all your sakes, I hope you've had a friend like Sam Wiswell. When he's not skiing like a champ, dancing like a maniac, or unravelling the fabric of the universe in the forest, he's discovering the most obscure yet auspicious music in existence and making it the soundtrack of his undoubtedly epic days!
Well, a few days ago Sam had the compassion to share some of his hard found indie-gold, and boy did he strike a rich vein! I've been jamming out on Sun City's soundcloud page (conveniently right aqui) and it is like a Saudi Oil Prince's summer home (which I'm sure must be da bomb). These guys are great! And the best part? Over half their songs are free on their soundcloud--which is still right there on the hyperlink above for you reluctants--you wont regret checking them out!
Enough hype, let's let Sambo's music speak for itself! And speak it does! I hereby present 'High', which is a lovely wintery music video and also a free download on their soundcloud for the low price of a facebook like! Really a stupendous song, accompanied by some cute kids in the wilderness. It's super hipster and slow for the first half, then becomes true to it's category of 'indie electronic' around 2:42. I really love the way the singer lets some words roll of his tongue, it's pleasant! Enjoy!
I'll leave you with 'The Follower', which is my favorite so far. It has all the elements of a breakthrough hipster hit, floating amidst great background electronics. I'm in love! Thanks again Sam, I hope to somehow be privy to your musical meanderings again someday! Enjoy!
It's that time of the week again...the time when I shamelessly post some pop (remixed of course, come on, I'm not a barbarian). If I'm going to be posting pop music, I feel I'm somewhat justified highlighting someone who actually possesses some singing talent rather than much of what is out there.
Let's be honest, this song was catchy. Just imagine how catchy it is once the dynamic duo of Cazzette gets a hold of it! Remember these terrific tape-toting troublemakers? If not, remind yourself with their epicccccc song 'Beam Me Up' right flippin' here.
This remix has a nice build, distorts Mars's vocals in the sickest way ever 36 seconds into the song, then brings it all to a head (a cassette shaped head as it so happens) at 1:37 for an all around great song! Enjoy!
