The Bravery - "Slow Poison": "The Bravery take the jagged alt rock of their first record, apply the softer corners of their second record and wind up with this catchy (if upbeatly gloomy) homage to...well, probably Echo and the Bunnymen and other new wave Brit rockers.
(And, an odd footnote to yesterday's post, this song is from the guy who helped write Shakira's 'She Wolf'. How weird is that?)"
Death Cab For Cutie - "Meet Me On The Equinox": "I was kind of surprised that the lead single from the upcoming Twilight soundtrack uses the word 'equinox' - but since this is the same year where Shakira used 'lycanthropy' in a song, I guess we're raising the intellectual pop stakes now. All that aside, this is an interesting blend of the vibe of "Soul Meets Body" with the more adventurous musical style of Narrow Stairs - and feels like the 'missing' single that record should have had. I hope the Twilight association powers it to some extra airplay."
Ringo Deathstarr - "In Love": "Forget about the usual "sounds like Band X meets Band Y" band description - if you've ever wondered what it would sound like for the Jesus and Mary Chain to cover "Soon" by My Bloody Valentine, you need not wonder any longer. Not that I mind - I like the sound - but that's almost eerily exactly what it is."
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys - "Empire State Of Mind": "I'm glad the VMAs shined a light on this song - I think it was a good choice for the show and a good song. Although am I the only person who thinks Alicia's chorus vocal part is reminiscent of Res' "They-Say Vision"?"
A Place to Bury Strangers - "In Your Heart": "New music from APTBS. It's not quite as overwhelmingly fuzzed as the debut record, but it's still abrasive and pounding - and I mean that as a complement. That's the way they should sound!"
Snowden - "No Words No More": "Snowden takes on Love and Rockets. I like it - but where is the new album??"
Isaac Hayes - "Chocolate Chip": "Solid, if somewhat standard 70s funk - but it's the nearly-non-chorus of "What's my name? Chocolate chip! Chocolate chip!" that helps it to stand out, even if in a somewhat odd way."
Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions - "On the Low": "I want a little more mellow in my day today and this song is going to help me do it. On my favorite track from her first solo album, ex-Mazzy Star frontwoman Hope serves up a lazy groove with her trademark vocals up front, keeping things simple with a few lush touches. It's laid-back but with enough energy to keep your head nodding in time with the beat. I'm pretty sure she's the one rocking the harmonica, too."
Redd Kross - "How Much More":
"How much more can I take before I go crazy again???
But seriously, this is a fun, flipped-gender take on the Go-Go's original, but possibly even more bubble-gummy. Total power pop."
Wang Chung - "Fire in the Twilight": "This is totally 80s-tastic, but still completely enjoyable new wave. From The Breakfast Club, so this is also my belated John Hughes tribute."
Mew - "New Terrain": "It's literally backwards and forwards at the same time - and during most of the song, I can't tell which. In concept, it's amazingly irritating but, in reality, it sounds right despite being like nothing you're used to hearing. That's what makes it brilliant."
Radiohead - "Climbing Up The Walls": "A little spooky, but it's arguably the sound of Radiohead turning the corner from their early work to the band we know today."
Phil Collins - "Don't Lose My Number": "I don't know why, but this song popped into my head when I just went to get coffee. I really am at a loss as to why."
Keane - "Spiralling": "It has some overly polished moments - which is what initially kept me off this song - but I've since come around to it. The group "oooo!"s are pretty fun and there's a joyous white funk edge to things, miles away from the soppy 'Somewhere Only We Know'."
Marianne Faithfull - "Ooh Baby Baby": "How did I not know about this when it came out? Or, better question: how did Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons) and Marianne Faithfull wind up recording this dramatic reworking of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles' "Ooh Baby Baby"? I can't even imagine how those pieces came together and, man, is it surreal! Antony sounds sublime, as usual, and it works better for Marianne than you might expect (only in that Smokey's original is smooth and Marianne, though awesome, is not what generally comes to mind when you think of smooth). It doesn't hurt that the original song is classic."
Samantha Fox - "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)": "Hearing about Samantha Fox's (apparently lesbian!) wedding today totally put this song back into my head - which is great, because I had gone too long without listening to it. This is the night! (The sex noises are just a bonus.)"
Medicine - "She Knows Everything": "A blast of delicious sweet-and-sour noise to help wash away this week."
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It's Friday - Rock It Out
Steely Dan - "Any Major Dude Will Tell You": "Any major dude with half a heart surely will tell you my friend /
Any minor world that breaks apart falls together again"
Stars - "The Aspidistra Flies": "I can't quite explain why, but I want to give this song to Jeremy, for Meg. I know the song won't make anything better now but perhaps someday it will because he'll know she knows too."
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