I’m totally digging this band, The Parties. The quartet is from San Francisco and their sound definitely is a throwback to 60s rock and roll/pop. The band just release their latest work call Coast Garde and I’ve found it to one of those all around great discs. I think if you give it a listen you will find that each song sounds like bands we have all grown up loving or at least have helped shape my musical tastes (think The Beatles, The Byrds, CSN, etc.).
Almost a week later and I am still thinking about Bruce Springsteen’s performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. I must admit, I only started watching his show because The Roots are the house band and now I absolutely love the show. The Boss was a great interview and gave an even better performance (which was pretty much a given). While Fallon dressed as Neil Young and the two of them did a rendition of Willow Smith’s “Whip My Hair,” here is a clip of Springsteen and The Roots performing “Because of the Night.” I mean c’mon Bruce Springsteen and The Roots sharing the stage together, how rad is that?!
Also a couple days later, Rolling Stone caught up with ?uestlove and I found his comments pretty awesome. Here’s an excerpt:
“During rehearsal, when the producer said, ‘Ladies and gentleman, ‘Because The Night’ with the Professor and Little Steven, here’s Bruce Springsteen and The Roots’ — I couldn’t move,” ?uestlove tells Rolling Stone. “And they were looking at me like, ‘Okay count the song off.’ And I was like, I said, ‘Holy shit. I heard that.'”
He adds: “I mean, I’ve done some intense playing on our show, but that was the most intense playing I’ve ever done. He completely surpassed any expectation I’ve ever had for any mythical god of rock figure.”
And click here to read Patrick Doyle’s full piece.
As I’ve clearly stated on the blog before, I’m a huge Lupe Fiasco fan. As for John Legend, he’s very talented and has a ton of great songs but I’ve never really been into him. Well, I just listened to Lupe Fiasco’s new track “Never Forget You” featuring John Legend and this may slowly start turning that dial for me. I’m addicted to this song which is definitely a bit of a change for Lupe’s style but wow how Legend’s voice impacts this great tune. Let’s all hope that it makes it onto Lasers due out next year. Check it out below and also take a look at the lyrics.
I’m a huge G. Love fan and if you are too this video below will definitely get you amped up for his new album, Fixin’ to Die due out February 22, 2011. Adding to the spectacular for this blues heavy disc, The Avett Brothers are producing it!
And for all my Denver peeps, make sure you grab Dec. 30 and 31 tickets to see G. Love and Widespread Panic! Sounds like one heck of a way to ring in the New Year.
First time I ever heard about Gregg Gillis aka Girl Talk I was fascinated how he was a biomedical engineer by day and DJ by night; how he would frequently hop on a plane to London after work on Friday and be back in the office Monday morning without anyone knowing that he was moonlighting as a DJ. Well of course he blew up as a DJ and has released four very memorable mixes including Night Ripper and Feed The Animals. On Monday, he dropped his fifth, All Day which in typical Girl Talk fashion is one heck of a mash-up/sample album. You can grab yourself a copy of it HERE. Also you have to check out the Wikipedia page for All Day which breaks down the staggering 372 samples used to create the record.
Another CD that has been on heavy rotation for me as of late is The Golden Year by Ou Est Le Swimming Pool. Their debut album is great and you may know them from the song posted below, “Dance The Way I Feel.” Unfortunately the lead singer, Charles Haddon committed suicide over the summer so unless there are works hiding in the archives, this is all we’ll get out of the synthpop group Camden, London.
I don’t know about anyone else but these days I can easily feel lost without iTunes. I know it sounds a little pathetic but when you have over 40 days worth of music on your computer (not counting CDs) and constantly make playlists like me, it consumes you and you forget that just a short time ago we use to carry around CD Players and Case Logic books of 12-24 CDs on trips and such. Really, think back to life before iTunes and how we accessed and listened to music. After experiencing a couple computer crashes that wiped out my iTunes catalog each time, I went months without my trusted technological music storage and playback program. Finally a new computer is setup and forget connecting wireless internet and the printer, it was straight to rebuilding that iTunes library. Now up and running, I’m not sure where to begin on my playlists; do I try to recreate the old ones or just start fresh? All I ask is please, no more computer crashes and that my iPod syncs!
Well that didn’t take too long, Liam Gallagher and a few members of Oasis (aka all but Noel Gallagher) are back as Beady Eye. Thanks to New York Magazine for the tip on “Bring the Light” the first tune from the new rock band. Not overly convinced just yet but it’s catchy and some good clean rock and roll. You can download the track for FREE on their website here. Two cool things to note about Beady Eye, Jeff Wootton from Gorillaz sits in on bass and the full length studio album is being produced by music wonder Steve Lillywhite! So yeah, I’m excited and can’t wait to hear more.
While I love discovering new music and find new bands each week, every once in a while I get completely enamored with a band the instant I hear them (like Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears) and the latest is Fitz & The Tantrums. I’m fumbling over words in sheer excitement; I just love their sound which is a mix of soul and indie pop. Their LP Picken’ Up The Pieces is an amazing one from beginning to end and will most definitely be on heavy rotation for me. Oh and a cool little fact to their rise in the music industry, Adam Levine of Maroon 5 was in a tattoo parlor in NYC and heard the EP; he then invited them on tour. Pretty damn cool if you ask me.
Who’s going to be the next French band to follow in Phoenix’s footsteps of worldwide stardom? Adam Kesher, that’s who (well I sure hope so). The quintuplet, yes it’s not just one guy, is legit and definitely a name you should remember. Their sophomore effort, Challenging Nature is full of energy spanning rock, electro, funk and was produced by Chromeo’s Dave One with some added star power from A-Trak and Philippe Zdar of Cassius. Still not convinced? Check out the single below, “Gravy Train” to get a taste of what you’ll want to be listening to.
Do You Hear The Music? 