New Music Weekend

It's a crazy mix this week.

First, a great new find, Two Door Cinema Club.

I'm a big fan of Phoenix and I was very happily surprised to somehow have come across this band. I think I like all their songs in their album. Their album, Tourist History, which I got hold of has 10 tracks and I love all of them. I think their current single is Undercover Martyn (shown above).

Interestingly enough, the band's Facebook page has their genre listed as "alteronica". That's super awesome. Haha!

Next we have something for the more mature music lovers out there.

Seal's Soul and Harry Connick, Jr's Your Songs. Here are two of my favorite songs from the two albums. (These aren't music videos, but it's the easiest way I can put the songs here)

And for some strange reason, I've been singing this song since Sunday morning.

Okay, time to change the mood. Something more current. This next one is from the OST of Step Up 3 (yes, that 3D dance movie). Trey Lorenz with Already Taken.

Interestingly enough, this video also features dance with chalk. In Justin Beiber's Somebody To Love, they also have dancing with chalk. Is this a new trend?

New Music Weekend (favorite albums)

This week, I'm going with 2 of my current favorite albums.

First we have The Bird and The Bee's Interpreting the Masters Vol. 1 - A Tribute to Daryll Hall & John Oates.

This album is just great. Combine The Bird and The Bee's mild synthpop, mellow vocals, and classic Hall & Oates songs and you get an album that will definitely get you into the groove.

Best tracks for me are I Can't Go For That, Kiss Is On My List, One On One, and Maneater. I'm sure you know all those songs, and you probably like them, but The Bird And The Bee bring a different feel to it. They don't change it out too much, but they apply their style to the classics very effectively.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Here's a clip from The Bird And The Bee's guest appearance on Ellen:

Next is the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist.

I know nothing about indie music. I just like it. That's what was first apparent to me when I got a copy of this album. Of the 15 artists in this compilation, I only knew 2.

I loved the movie, but it took an HBO screening to make me wonder why I never got the album. So I did, and I was really impressed.

Of the 15 tracks in the album, I loved 13 of them.

It's hard to pick a favorite track, but notable are The Real Tuesday Weld's Last Words, Vampire Weekend with Ottoman, Riot Radio by The Dead 60's, Fever by Takka Takka, Xavia by The Submarines, and Paul Tiernan's How To Say Goodbye. Again, it's really hard to pick a favorite track.

Here's a sample of one of my favorite tracks, The Real Tuesday Weld with Last Words:

It's a very laid back album that sounds very indie. Indie is now a genre right? If you can remember filler scenes from the movie where they show New York at 4 in the morning, the album feels like that.

Again, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

New Music Weekend (Holiday Edition)

World Cup fever is in full swing! The official 2010 FIFA World Cup album Listen Up! certainly helps capture the spirit of the games.

Included in the album is that Waka Waka song by Shakira (with a Spansih version as well), Wavin' Flag (which is the song you've been hearing with the World Cup previews on TV). It also includes all the 'official' world cup songs like the official world cup anthem, R.Kelly's Sign Of Victory, Waka Waka (which is the official SONG), and the official mascot's song, Game On by Pitbull.

Take note though, this is a very international album, which means it has a bit of everything. So there are going to be Spanish grunge songs, European dance tracks, tropical chill out & percussion tracks, etc.

Notable tracks include Shosholoza 2010 (various artists), Move On Up (John Legend and Angelique Kidjo), and One Day (Matisyahu). Most of the other tracks, as I said are just international pop trash.

Esmee Denters was discovered by Justin Timberlake through YouTube. She was one of the hundred of artists posting videos of covers. Lucky for her, Justin liked what he saw and signed her up with his record label.

Love Dealer sounds like and feels like a Justin Timberlake song, but with female vocals. He starts out the song with some rap then it's Esmee all the way. That's pretty brilliant actually. Since everything sounds like a JT track, it's like he's extending his persona to Esmee, and along with it he hopefully extends his fans.

And of course, an obvious, requisite, and expected last comment: Esmee's pretty hot. Enjoy!

Last for this week is Nas & Damian Marley with As We Enter from the Distant Relatives album.

Damian Marley's vocals actually remind me of Matisyahu. The quick reggae vocals mix well with hiphop. A very interesting mix indeed. I loved Matisyahu and this I think is the hiphop equivalent.

A lot of the tracks have either a hiphop or reggae base, but no song is just purely one style. There are no songs only by Nas or only by Damien, they all truly are collaborations. So it's fitting that in my itunes the artist is "Nas & Damien Marley". It's not Nas featuring Damien or the other way around.

This is a pretty decent album in as much as it offers something new. As mentioned, it's a brilliant marriage of the hiphop & reggae vibe. When you first start to listen to it, your body kinda gets confused on which vibe to respond to, but before you get a chance to complain, you're already bobbing to a brilliant musical mashup.

New Music Weekend

First we have The Drums with Forever and Ever, Amen. Love the video, it has a deconstructed 90's feel to it.

The video reminds me of Razorlight's In The Morning and The Virgins' Rich Girls. Perhaps it's that dirty effect. I love this sound though.

Next is Ellie Goulding with Guns & Horses. She's Brit and kind of reminds me of Imogen Heap, but with a softer voice. I like her. Just got her album after hearing some of her tracks. Other notable tracks form her 2010 album Lights include Starry Eyed and Wish I Stayed.

I have to admit, the blonde hair and dark eyeshadow got me at first, but it's a pretty decent song. Make Me Wanna Die by The Pretty Reckless. A bit whiny though, but the skin makes up for it. Wait, did I say skin, I meant to say angst. Well, Taylor Momsen's looks certainly helps sell this single.

*update* I've only seen part of the first season of Gossip Girl and it has been brought to my attention that this is Jenny Humphrey. Wow. First Leighton, now Taylor. That officially brings up her stock for me.

Is that insulting as an artist? If you're vintage Jewel, I think it can be insulting. But if you wear tight leather and short skirts, I think you're also okay with 'marketing' yourself.

Her voice is surprisingly husky, which is great. Gives her music a 70's female rock vibe. Janis Joplin and The Runaways come to mind (well, without the shouting). That's actually pretty amusing cause I'm pretty sure Taylor was born in the 90's.

Actually, to be fair, I'm not writing her off as just eye candy. There's a very simple test to rule this out. If I like it just on my ipod, then it's good. There's more musicality than theatricality.