Another great song off of “Record Collection” by Mark Ronson. This song features Boy George, and Andrew Wyatt. The video is amazing, and makes me nostalgic for early eighties pop music.
Mark Ronson ft. Boy George ‘Somebody To Love Me’ – Director: Saam Farahmand from Tom Lindsay on Vimeo.
A friend introduced me to this band years ago – and I’ve been a devoted fan since. I wish I could write music like these guys, they are truly sound artists. Books is comprised of two guys, and a bunch of sound clips that are cleverly collaged together to create soundscapes that are interesting and funny and remind me of the Shirley and Spinoza radio show. By the way, that’s an awesome radio show – you should definitely check it out here. Here’s a fantastic song from their new album, Cold Freezing Night, demonstrating their sense of humor and ability to find the musical in the bizarre.
What I love about this song? EVERYTHING. First off, it achieves the most important objective of any pop song – it makes people HAPPY. Perfect amount of retro-synth sounds, sugary-poppy female vocals, guest appearance by the smooth Q-tip – what more can one ask for? Enjoy!
On a grey day, with a splitting headache, this was the only thing I could listen to. I love Erik Satie’s compositions for piano, and this one is a very recognizable piece, which seems to be a fitting soundtrack for a dreary New York autumn day. You can hear how the tail end of the Romantic period is a natural lead-in to jazz music – especially the last several chords at the end of this piece. Gymnopedie 1 is one in a series of three pieces. Enjoy…
As soon as you think you understand, you realize you are more confused than before, welcome to Shepard Tones. Imagine a tone that sounds like it is rising and rising, but the notes are not actually ascending up the scale forever, they are cleverly clumped and repeated in a sequence that tricks your mind into thinking it rises forever. How does it work? By picking a note, and its corresponding octaves below and above, then playing the series while varying the amplitude of each note…Did I confuse you? Check it out below, animations always help:
Once in a while you rediscover an album that’s so good, you ask yourself, why didn’t I listen to this in a loop? That’s how I feel lately about Goldfrapp…when I first heard them on the radio, it was a song called “Utopia”, and they had a more lounge-y sound. Well, these guys kept putting out one great album after another. Below are two picks, a blast from the past and a dancier “Ride a White Horse” from 2005.
Goldfrapp – UTOPIA (alternative version) from Myler Moss on Vimeo.
and now for a dancier, and glammerazing song from Goldfrapp…
Goldfrapp – ride a white horse
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There was a time when I knew all the words to the songs on They Might Be Giants’ self-titled album. I thought it might be nice to hear something from that era, when life was simpler.
They Might Be Giants – Ana Ng from They Might Be Giants on Vimeo.
and the classic…”Don’t let’s Start”
They Might Be Giants – Don’t Let’s Start from They Might Be Giants on Vimeo.
If you enjoy the music of Jose Gonzales, you should check out his new group Junip. They are a three piece band from Sweden, comprised of keyboards, guitar and percussion. According to their website two of the members have been playing together since they were 14, and based on the tightness of their playing, it shows. I really enjoyed “Rope and Summit”, and you can watch the live performance below. Too bad there’s so much extraneous noise in the live version, I’m looking forward to putting on the headphones and listening to this in the train. Also below, an ‘official’ video for ‘Always’ off the album, which features a creepy modern dancer dude, but you must admit the guy has some elegant moves!
I can’t stop listening to this song, it’s catchy, well produced pop, and the video seems to capture the mood of the music so well. I have always liked Robyn, she’s got such an amazing voice, and with her latest album she’s really creating one of those albums that you can listen to from beginning to end. Also check out her cover of Bjork’s Hyperballad at the Polar Music Prize event where Bjork (along with Ennio Morricone) was awarded the prize.
This is one of the more saccharine dance numbers I’ve ever seen, visually equivalent to a pastry shop!
A little light music for a dreary day. Makes me want to go home and play my little Korg keyboard, especially at the 2 minute mark in “La la la”. By the way, these guys released a Hall and Oates cover album – which you should definitely check out – see videos below, and enjoy!
Here’s a live performance of Hall & Oates’ “I can’t go for that”…