Weekly Roundup, July 13 – July 19
System fucking overload! I’m on vacation right now, back at home… I hate doing things in a different setup, and I don’t even have my usual clickwheel, awesome mouse. In fact, I don’t even have a mouse. I don’t have a desk. I’m in bed with my notebook on my lap and it’s giving me a bad back and worse eyesight.
But, I will not let you down, my dear friends. I will keep it short though, also be prepared not to hear anything from me next week, I’ll be in Amsterdam burning my lungs away…
Shakira, torturing everybody
Florence and the Machine – Howl “Drag my teeth across your chest to taste your beating heart”. This. This line. Awesomeness.
Gym Class Heroes – Peace Sign – Index Down ft. Busta Rhymes Uhm, this was on one of their EPs from years ago, and then it was on their album from last year (was it last year, I’m not even sure), and then I finally got arond listening to some of their stuff, and whatcanyasay, it’s nice. It’s poppish rap, but it’s nice.
Michael Jackson – Dirty Diana My mother loves that song. She has been playing it all the time and now I can’t get it out of my head. So much for not going into the MJ obsession that is going on these days. Damn.
Shakira – She Wolf Don’t blame me. With exception of the auto-tune exaggeration as always, this is perfectly annoying and hooking pop music. Also, I have the hotties for Shakira.
Simian Mobile Disco – Audacity of Huge Not a huge fan of SMD, and I’m sure there’s an even cooler remix flying around the interwebs, but it does exceed my personal expectations so far.
Dorrough – Ice Cream Paint Job (Remix) If you don’t like ridiculously silly gangster Hip Hop, don’t even bother listening to this. I really fail at good taste right now.
Okay, this is it. Told you I would keep it short. Nothing spectacular. Move on.
Weekly Roundup, July 05 – July 12
I promised there would be a weekly roundup of new songs, and yep, there will be one. Except this is one day late already, I’m sorry much. Blame work and laziness. Let’s go.
Tegan & Sara, but who is who?
Tegan & Sara – Call It Off This one’s a couple of years old but I hadn’t heard it until a few days back. That’s cause I never bother to listen to albums completely. I like tracks to stand alone, not to be framed by the following or preceding songs. Anyway, when I first heard the title track of their then released album, The Con, I liked it, but not enough to get their album. And so, two years later, there’s another track to hype on. At least for me. Buy The Con on Amazon.
Atmosphere – The Ropes Oh, where to start with Atmosphere! Most of their songs score an average on my sheet. In fact, there are only a handful of songs I dig. But these I will listen to for ever and ever (namely “Trying to find a Balance” and “God Loves Ugly”). This one lines up right behind. Nice beat and decent rap. I think Atmosphere are the last rappers who don’t pretend to be all ghetto. Fuck Asher Roth, this is the real shit. Download their give-away EP “Leak At Will” at Fifth Element
Belle & Sebastian – Funny Little Frog I’m in a good mood. And when I’m in a good mood, I tend to listen to yuppie music with a pinch of extra-cuteness. Funny Little Frog might sound like any other song Belle and Sebastian have ever recorded, but you know what, I love musicians who stay consistent in their field. Buy The Life Pursuit on Amazon.
Four Tet – Iron Man (Black Sabbath Cover) What is this? Heaven? Double-chocolate muffin? It could be sex with Johnny Depp for all I know. This guy just knows how to push the right buttons to make a girl want to dream more than she already does (still does not catch up with Burial, but ever since they teamed on an EP a couple of months ago I don’t even care about competition anymore).
Yes Giantess – Tuff & Stuff Backstreet Boys meets Passion Pit. You’ve got yourself a winner for this week. I like it, it’s annoying but edgy and electronic and damn fucking hipster. Where’s the glitter girls at?
Kate Simko – Margie’s Groove Some minimal stuff for a change. I tend to ignore anything minimal on my playlist unless I’m in a club full of likeminded ravers on Berlins eastside. Every now and then an interesting groove, such as Margie’s, haha, will sneak back into it and make me lose myself while preparing the dish of the day. Can’t help the nodding though. Buy Gamelan/Margie’s Groove EP on Amazon.
Mr. Hudson – Everything Is Broken ft. Kid Cudi Long live auto-tune! Long live the Hipster Hop! Blame me as much as you want, Kid Cudi is awesome in my book, no matter who he teams with. Song gets boring after a while, though.
M.I.A. for AWESOME
NUMP – Legalize My Medicine ft. M.I.A. In my last post I asked why M.I.A. couldn’t release tracks on a daily basis. Well, she still doesn’t, but if weekly is the alternative, I’m happy anyway. This one’s not as awesome as her feature with Blaqstarr, but come on, how much less than awesome can M.I.A. ever be? Damn right and there she goes again.
Sian Alice Group – Close To The Ground Fuck yeah, rock music with a creepy touch to it. Don’t know who these guys are and will probably never find out (it’s not that good yet), but I will surely follow up to their next songs. Very promising so far.
The Twelves – When You Talk Love the Twelves! Wish I could see them live, but I’m too old to rave to such monuments of electronic music. Nowadays, whenever you visit an event that is supposedly “underground”, a gazillion of hipster-kids will simply knock you out. Someone’s always higher, fitter and drunker than you, my friend. Applies to me anyway, and thus I’ll just observe from my comfortable bedroom and sway in wouldacouldashouldas.
That’s it for today children. I’ll see you next week or somewhere inbetween, depending on how much time I have (my mom’s coming up to visit and I’ll be back home from Saturday on, so let’s see how that works out). Cheerio and goodbye!
Weekly Roundup
Because there are so many good songs, good and old, lying around my harddrive, just waiting to be shared with the world, I decided the time is ready for a weekly roundup of music.
That is, I will try. I am already seeing myself desperately fighting for more time so I can make Sundays the weekly roundup days, but bear with me and my efforts if I don’t make it on time. Anyway- the weekly roundups are soley based on what I deem a good song, particularly one that I’ve been listening to the whole week. As I said, it doesn’t have to mean I’ll be picking out only new songs, though they’ll probably be rather recent than old.
So here are the rules: Every week, I’ll add a new post about 10 songs that have been somehow intruiging. I might even simply post the charts from my Last.FM account, but I’ll leave that to creativiy. If you have any more suggestions on how to improve this game, let me know. And if you have any more criticism, feel free to hit the comments.
Here are this weeks top songs I loved listening to (that is, what was left besides Kings Of Leon):
Florence, maker of awesome music
Florence and the Machines – Cosmic Love
This is a powerful song. Florence has got herself some energetic voice there. This sounds like it should be played when the hero rises from the ashes to the sky. Sounds a lot like Bat For Lashes, though not yet exactly of the same quality.
M.I.A. – Way Down In A Hole (ft. Blaqstarr)
That woman just knows how to make my brain pop. This one’s an awesome interpretation of the Tom Waits original, Blaqstarrs voice gives it the hardcore dark-spirited touch it carries throughout the whole track. There should be more M.I.A. songs, preferably on a daily basis.
The Gossip – For Keeps
I hate when people say that The Gossip are post-punk. They’re not. Actually, they’re more techno than post punk. This song proves how decent and quality pop music should be done. Beth Ditto, you had me at Hello.
Prince – Erotic City (Morsy Remix)
Really, there are only a couple of remixes I like, there are only a couple of Prince songs that I like. A perfect match right here, enjoy.
Robots In Disguise – Turn It Up
Meh, I don’t usually like electroclash/pop/hipster music, but there are a couple of exceptions. This one, albeit old, still gets me hooked. It’s also the only song from the RID-discography that I like.
She Wants Revenge – Sister
She Wants Revenge have some sort of talent for making evil music. Seriously, when I listen to them, it’s like I’m watching a movie about drugs and sex and human brain waste. Sounds a lot like Interpol, even catchier though. Song is not very special, but a hooker.
The Trucks – Zombie
“You just can’t hate a girl that looks good dancing”. So true. Indie-pop, synth-pop, call it what you will, I approve.
The Dance Party – Sasha Don’t Sleep
Yeah, I don’t know what that is exactly. Fall Out Boy meets Metro Station meets a shrill voice meets something about Sasha who likes to dance alot and you’ve got me a dance floor boomer. I don’t really approve, and yet I do. Figure that.
Michael Jackson – Scream
Yeah, it’s caught up with me too… I swore I wouldn’t fall into the hype-trap but I eventually did. I’ve always loved that song and someone played it a couple of days back at a party, and here I am now, dancing to it like it’s 1999…
Alright, that’s it for last week’s random picks, let’s see if I can find something new for next week then.
Summer Breaks
Every year people pop out their summer playlists. Sometimes, it’s full of new, hyped tracks. Sometimes it’s just a best-of collection of what most people would say are good summerish songs. That’s pretty much like adding one song per year to that list.
I won’t do that. Instead, I’ll give you a very subjective list of songs that I think sound a lot like summer. I’m clever like that. You probably won’t agree with me on most of what I’ll suggest, but if you give it a shot and try to lie back in the sun while listening, maybe you’ll be able to imagine where I get my hunches from..
The list is not limited to more recent songs, but I will try to avoid rather famous-summer-feeling songs for the sake of finding something new.
Belle & Sebastian – If She Wants Me
Aww dear Lord is that the cutest song in this shit hell hole of a universe or what? This reminds me of wine glasses, best friends and picknicks in dog-turd infested parks. This song has such a perfectly catchy and innocent beat, it’s practically got summer written all over it.
The Jealous Girlfriends – Lay Around
This is a very special song; special as in rare. First time I heard it in a love scene on some TV show or another, I can’t remember what it was exactly. So this song, it’s smoking a joint on a warm summer evening on your balcony, watching the streets and the cars and the nighttime in your big city, in your small but really nice apartment, drinking wine, just staring out there, thinking, smiling, and it might not be good, but it’s good enough. And this is what this song is. Jazzy, poppish, reminds me of Shivaree. One of my favourite all-time tracks.
The Kooks – Naive
Who doesn’t want to start up the cars engine and just go for speed on that one? Or dance downtown in a shabby club with friends, screaming the chorus along from the top of your lungs? Or border the plane and watch the sea below when flying to an exotic spot somewhere in the world? Or just feels the sun on their skin when crawling out of your tent at that awesome festival where everyone is getting drunk? … if this song does not deserve the “summer” label, I don’t know what will.
I like Kings of Convenience
Kings of Convenience – Gold in The Air of Summer
Ah well, that one gives it away from the title. A slow tune with guitars, perfect for a bon fire. Not everything has to be happy in the summer. Sometimes you just have to take a slow moment with yourself. This song is a perfect back up for the tough times without being depressive. Again, the genius of Erlend Oye never ceazes to amaze me.
The Low Life – You Are Everything
This might SOUND like a funny, good-timish song. But listen closer and you’ll hear a story of a murder, cleverly wrapped and hidden in reaggae, pop, indie and some funk tunes. This one kills all the other summer song, literally.
Nottee – Young Modern Life
I think I really dig that “driving around in cars in the sun with loud music coming from the stereo” feeling, which is why most of the songs here are just perfect for that. This here, it’s a summer fantasy on summer nights. It’s riding bikes with the significant other and ending up doing the do on the wet grass with birds and bees flying over your heads. My personal pick for “best find 2009 award”, an award exclusively given and received by myself.
Asher Roth – I Love College
Snap man, I hate that song. I mean, I kinda do. But I don’t really, I just pretend to hate it because it’s really not good. The beat is basically boring, the rapping.. I mean it’s Eminem, but not a very good Eminem. I don’t know what to think! Wait, let me get drunk first. I think I might like it, anyway. Damnit, I just love it.
The Cure – Mint Car
It took me a while to overstep my ignorant music fascism and actually give The Cure a try. It’s been two years and I’m addicted like fuck. I never regretted The Cure, even though on second thought they’re creepy pop singers with Emo looks. But: they were so before any of it made any difference to popularity, status or genre. Mint Car is one of those songs that makes you get lose in good mood. Not my favourite Cure song, but a perfect summer song.
El Ten Eleven – Central Nervous Piston
I cannot begin to describe the glory nor the beauty of this song, of what it means, if it ever means anything at all. If there was just one album I’d have to listen to the whole summer, then it would be El Ten Elevens self titled album. Actually, I’d listen to it for the rest of my life. This is beautiful music, and although I’m the greatest pirate of the nets I insist you go buy the album if you liked the song. Please. They deserve every penny for this masterpiece of work.
- Bonus add: El Ten Eleven – My Only Swerving
Phoenix – Everything is Everything & If I Ever Feel Better
Cute, you thought I’d be pushy about their new album? Suck it, bitches, there’s no new album for me. I love Phoenix, but someway, somehow, their new stuff hasn’t found it’s way into my brains. Not that it’s not good… but sometimes it’s just not the right time for the right music. So, you know, I’ll keep it around, that Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix thing, and some day I’ll randomly listen to one song that matches everything I feel. Until then, I’ll be celebrating these two brilliant and witty songs in the sun.
Tilly and the Wall – Beat Control
Yeah, I can’t resist the hype… what can ya do. It just makes me want to dress up in hippie clothes and get down.
Emiliana Torrini – Jungle Drum & Unemployed in Summertime
Two songs of the same artists that couldn’t be more different, probably induced from the fact that they’re on two different albums from two different phases. Jungle Drum is pretty obvious, but Unemployed in Summertime has a very personal summer-meaning to me. There really are no words to describe either songs, I guess everyone has to decide for themselves whether it’s their “thing” or not.
Oh man, there are just so many more songs I’d love to post here. Let’s see, I might do a follow up in a month or two on the summer-side of the music world, there really isn’t enough time and space for that right now. If you have any recommendations or adds, I’d be happy to check into that, too, so don’t hesitate to comment. Peace out.
Hooked on Katy Perry
Katy Perry (also unconventionally hot for a pop chick)
One of my favourite (German speaking) music commentary blogs just gave me a heads up on a new Katy Perry cover. Okay, hold your breath about Katy Perry – yes, I’ve heard better music. I know her from her “old days” where she tried to pull an Alanis Morrissette rather than a Christina Aguilera, but I like her much better that way. She just didn’t convince me of her indie roots, but she does produce pop at it’s finest. So alright, it’s still pop music, but what the hell.
Anyway, Katy Perry has me hooked on her songs. They’re so easy to sing a long, you can’t blame me! Like in the case of Mr. West, I prefer her remixes and covers over her original songs (with exception of “I Kissed A Girl”, which is pretty much a good reason to go back into my 13-year old state of mind where it was fun to be bisexual; and in any case, it’s just a fun song). So here’s a collection of my favourites:
Katy Perry – Hot’nCold (Yelle Remix)
Katy Perry – Electric Feel (MGMT Cover)
Katy Perry – Use Your Love (The Outfield Cover)
Katy Perry – Waking Up In Vegas (Calvin Harris Remix)
Katy Perry – Black and Gold (Sam Sparro Cover)
Speaking of Sam Sparro: That dude is just awesome. He makes the finest synthpop music you’ve ever heard, I promise. Whenever I hear that song – Black & Gold – I shiver from excitement. Also, because I think he’s gay and I have an uncertain attraction to gay guys. Err.
Well, one for the record:
(That video is blocked on YouTube for copyright restrictions. You say limit, I say piracy!) On another note: A heads up for Drop Box, one of the coolest services in the history of the web. Synchronizing was never easier. If you’re considering a Drop Box account, please use my referral link, it will get me more storage, which ultimately gives you more music (and unless I am mistaken, all very legal).
Daniel & Bees
Found a new love for the weekend. I’ve tried my best so far to ignore the hype around Bat For Lashes, which I thought was just another hipster indie thing to avoid. Turns out, I was wrong.
I stumbled upon a video of “Daniel”, one of the newer songs (I guess?), and there you go, it is amazing music. I got the whole album half an hour later and what can ya say, it was my greatest mistake not giving this more attention.
Download Bat For Lashes – Daniel
There is yet another track that got me swooning in soon-to-be-summer thoughts, Mr. Hurricane by BEAST. I haven’t heard of this artist before and I’m looking forward to finding more of their stuf. It’s exquisitely delightful. And also, I like the bee concept of the video.
Übrigens: Auf nfon.net gibt es die skalierbare, virtuelle Telefonanlage als Teil der Bürotechnik. Auf Nfon bin ich über Käuferportal gestoßen, wo man Anfragen stellen kann (auch zu Bürotechnik; halt sowas wie Telefonanlagen oder Plotter oder auch so ganz ganz andere Sachen, wie z.B. der Koffeinschub durch den Kaffeevollautomaten oder ‘ne Werbeagentur wenn man mal wieder ein bisschen Promo braucht; ist ja auch super für Musiker!).
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