Though I might quibble with the music and other very small details, this is *absolutely* brilliant. If you’ve ever wondered what it is that I do, this is a very big part of it…
The entire piece just blows me away. I’m truly speechless. Apparently it’s the second draft, with more revisions to come. I can’t wait to see the finished product.
↓ Download all seven songsI can’t believe we’re already in February now, with January just breezing by without a sound. It’s amazing to look back on the month that was, at the immense quantity and quality, not to mention variety, of things I was able to design and build. Unfortunately, the best stuff is under lock and key for the next few months, but I’ll share the other stuff in another post soon. For now, I’d rather share with you seven of my favorite new songs for 2007.
One of my favorite webapps over the past few years is Last.fm. It listens to everything I do, and records who, what, and when on my Last.fm profile page (I also import this data to my ephemera page on this blog). We can both see everything I’ve listened to since November of 2004 (over 14,000 songs so far). It hasn’t moved much in the last week since I bought my new green iPod shuffle (the best iPod yet) but it doesn’t synch those songs for one reason or another. It’s really fun to watch…
At any rate, here are my seven favorite new songs for 2007, in the order in which they were discovered:
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Song Beacon In The Darkness Artist Gruff Rhys Album Candylion Label Rough Trade |
First, it’s rad that this album is on Rough Trade, which was, in the 80s, the quintessential London record shop (I’ve been to the one in Covent Garden) and label of The Smiths (trust me, that’s huge). The label dissolved in 1991 only to be reincarnated in 2000 (their current roster is a veritable who’s who). As for Candylion, this album just burst on my scene and quickly found its way into my head and heart. The production is lush and full, the songs varied yet incredibly precise… never too much but always just enough. The instrumentation on this song in particular is exquisite and the groove is almost countrified, especially with the slide guitar. And I love the delicate crash cymbal as it marks each transition within the song. I can’t get enough of this song or this album. It’s truly that good. |
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Song Heart of Hearts Artist !!! Album Myth Takes Label Warp Records |
!!! (pronounced as any three repetitive sounds, commonly chk chk chk) has a new album coming out in March. I’m as excited about this one as I was the new Squarepusher album of 2006, but so far I haven’t tried to find Myth Takes online. The album artwork is stunningly beautiful, along with the soon-to-be released limited edition picture disc, which of course I have already ordered. Luckily, they saw fit to release this song for free download. It is, as pitchfork says best, “an unstoppable juggernaut.” Absolutely massive. I can’t wait for March 4, 2007. |
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Song Life is Neon Artist Neon Don Album African Dope’s Greatest Hits Label African Dope Records |
I discovered Neon Don on the impeccable Ben Mono DJs Anonymous mix I downloaded early this year (honestly, the first 25 minutes are just about perfect). African Dope Records is a South African label, and I’m not familiar with any of their other artists, but I absolutely love this song. The vibe has an almost Japanese hiphop feel at times, the beats are clever and concise, and the lyrics? You gotta check this chorus:
For the longest time I thought it was ‘boning chickens’ not cloning. I’m not sure which one makes more sense. I can (and often do) listen to this one over and over again in the car, and if you count the number of times I’ve played the Ben Mono mix it’s easily the song I’ve listened to most this new year. |
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Song Guitar Beat Track Parts 1 + 2 (Live Mix) Artist Laszlo Beckett Album Plowtrax Vol 1 Label Hand on the Plow |
This song is positively demented, but damn if it doesn’t make me shake my booty like no other song right now. The vibe reminds me of the classic Lasse Gjertsen video I posted last year, which still drops my jaw every time I watch it. I’ve also blogged about Laszlo’s remix of Pleated Lemon’s Cocks and Fannies, indeed, as it turns out, very few of us do have one of each kind. Hand on the Plow is easily one of my most favorite labels right now, their stuff is on my must-have list the day it comes out. I can’t wait to hear what comes next. |
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Song Still Artist The Marcia Blaine School for Girls Album Halfway into the Woods Label Highpoint Lowlife |
I don’t know much about these three cats from Glasgow, to say nothing of their choice for a band name (I prefer to call them MBS4G), and I’m not entirely sure why I purchased this on bleep.com, but it’s such a phenomenal release. This song in particular just blows me away, with its near-perfect blend of Joy Division, early Autechre, and a little bit of Pretty Boy Crossover too. I pretty much listened to this album non-stop for a week straight, just playing it over and over again while at work on the demo. It can fade into the background at times, which each song following the slow build → big sound explosion → slow fade routine, but it never fails to disappoint. This will likely make my end of the year best of list. Highly recommended. |
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Song No Love in Your Heart Artist The Earlies Album The Enemy Chorus Label 679 Recordings |
I saw this one on bleep.com, sampled the first song as I always do, and bought it without listening to the rest. This song alone was worth the $9.99, and truth be told I haven’t made it much past this one. I don’t know that it’s any one thing that pulls me into this song, because everything does it for me, from the slow build, to the Mark Bell-esque snares from Bjork’s Homogenic, to the horns at the end… this song just hits it hard. The lyrics are a bit on the hurtful side, perhaps a bit close to home, but the rush is so intense. I can only hope the rest of this album is as good, but I have a feeling it’ll be tough to match this one. |
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Song Underwater (you and me) Artist Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Album Some Loud Thunder Label Self released |
This album snuck up on me, I knew it was coming out soon but hadn’t kept close tabs on when. I couldn’t find it anywhere online, so I actually bought the cd at the Virgin Megastore on Market Street Tuesday morning. Apparently Virgin is having all kinds of trouble with iTunes so they’ve been forced to cut their prices on new releases to $10. At any rate, like the previous album, this one takes a more than a few listens to fully digest. Even though it sounds familiar, it is totally new (a sentiment that reminds me of a review I read on The Strokes second album, “It sounds me of the first album but without that song I like”). Regardless, this song is classic CYHSY material. The lyrics are exceptional too, here’s the chorus:
I’m really only beginning with the rest of the album, but this song distinguished itself after the first few rounds. I’m sure there’s many more to discover and I can’t wait to find them. |
That took me about four hours to do, and I didn’t even try to add artwork or links to purchase. Oh well. As always, more soon.
I’m not entirely sure what to make of this song, let alone the band (called ‘of Montreal’ and apparently not from Canada, in case you’re interested, which makes them the second band with Canada in their name, but not from Canada). The melody is infectious (and who doesn’t like to sing to chemicals!). Plus the video has that endearing Wes Anderson vibe, I could easily see this song in one of his movies. While I can’t say I agree with every sentiment in the lyrics, they’re quite good too:
I’m in a crisis, I need help
Come on mood shift, shift back to good again
Come on be a friendNina Twin is trying to help, and I
Really hope that she succeeds
Though I picked the thorny path myself
I’m afraid, afraid of where it leadsChemicals, don’t strangle my pen
Chemicals don’t make me sick again
I’m always so dubious of your intent
Like I can’t afford to replace what you’ve spentNina Twin is trying to help, and I
Really hope she gets me straight
‘Cause my own inner cosmology
Has become too dense to navigateChemicals, don’t flatten my mind
Chemicals, don’t mess me up this time
Know you bait me way more than you should
And it’s just like you to hurt me when I’m feeling good
Thanks to Kevin (from Kate) for the tip. I’ll definitely have to check out the rest of their albums. They must be doing something right, having sold out shows in San Francisco last night and tonight, only to add a third for Sunday night and promptly selling that one out too. Amazing.
I have looked high and low for a live clip of Jamie Lidell that fully captures the essence of his appeal to me. He has a charm and wit unlike any other modern musician, and a vulnerability too (perhaps that black trench coat is the armor that lets him stand alone on stage, or maybe it’s just the perfect setup to the Morrissey-esque gold lamé shirt surely hiding beneath… or is that an Elvis thing?). Either way, if you’ve ever seen him live you know what I mean.
Lidell has a child-like wonder at what he can do with his mind, his voice, and his creativity (note the yawn at the beginning of this clip, the ancient tape reel strapped to his hip, and the way he ends the song, though I wish he would have really let loose). I still remember buying his first record on Warp from John at Bent Crayon in Cleveland, Ohio. Not knowing much about him or it, I asked if it was as good as promised, so of course he sold me on it, and still to this day I don’t know if he believed it or was just grateful to get rid of it. To be perfectly honest, that release is unlistenable in the most enjoyable way. It’s completely jarring and disjointed, yet dripping with funk and soul and the promise made real with his most recent incarnation.
It’s hard to believe that this album is nearly two years old now, but it still sounds as fresh as the day I found it. I absolutely love this song, especially this rendition, in spite of (or is it because of?) the lackadaisical audience of this late night dutch tv show. I hope you do too.
