Real Estate – It’s Real
This is light and jaunty, and I have been enjoying it recently. It reminds me of the beach boys and perhaps a more sunny fleet foxes. I don’t know too much about them other then they are from New Jersey via Brooklyn.
11th September
Ryan Adams – New York, New York
This seemed like the right song to post today. I still remember this day 10 years ago very vividly. I watched the television dumbfounded, unable to comprehend, as one of the most startling events I had ever experienced unfolded on the screen.
Aside
Dead Prez vs. Grizzly Bear – Two weeks of hip hop
This just works, it probably shouldn’t, but it just does. A real meeting of two starkly different genres but I like it. Grizzly Bear are NYC hipsters and Dead Prez are angry, conscious rappers with something interesting to say. It’s great when a mash up enhances rather than detract from 2 good songs, which is my normal experience of them.
You would rather have a Lexus or justice? A dream or some substance? A Beamer, a necklace or FREEDOM?
Aside
George McCrae – Rock your baby
I have posted quite a lot of modern stuff of late so I thought I would go back to the 70’s for this little number. Something smooth and mellow for a quiet Friday after a long week.
Aside
Ghostface Killah – Save me dear
I was talking to friend at the weekend and he told me he thought that hip hop was under represented on the blog so far, given my affection for the genre. On reflection I have to agree.
My trouble is that even though hip hop changed the way I view music irrevocably I feel conflicted about it. I am a sucker for beats, and hip hop is full of them. However, it can also be full of intollerance and profanity (which I am less keen on). Ultimately though I am just a sucker for a great hook.
Ghostface is a favourite. He writes clever rhymes full of wit and humour. He is an alumni of Staten Island’s finest, the Wu Tang Clan. This particular track samples an awesome tune that I have already posted.
Aside
M83 – Midnight City
These guys are a French electronica act, apparently named after a spiral galaxy rather than a motorway as I first thought. I really like how urgent it is.
RjK
6th September
Tom Tom Club – Genius of love
These guys are an offshoot of Talking Heads, a pretty good place of origin. I this this is great, with an original and clever sound.
If the mark of a great song is how much it is sampled, this must be pretty special. A veritable who’s who of hip hop including Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Tupac Shakur and Public Enemy used this in various tracks. Not to mention this (WOW – blast from the past!!) or this (HA!). The last two are rarefied air indeed.
Aside
Fitz and The Tantrums – MoneyGrabber
I heard these guys on the radio today, and liked their sound. It is like a modern take on Stax and Motown, which is a good place to start. Additionally, I think the Fitz and The Tantrums is a great name.
Aside
Ben Folds Five – Kate
I heard this played on the radio today. It was such a blast from the past, I probably hadn’t heard it for 10 years! I used to love whatever and ever amen, the album this is taken from when I was at school, listening to it endlessly.
She never gets wet. She smiles and it’s a rainbow…I wanna be KATE
Aside
Mcfadden and Whitehead – Ain’t no stopping us now
A classic disco is a good way to get in the mood for a night on the tiles. It seems I have posted quite a few disco tunes recently, maybe I have caught Saturday Night Fever. It is quite infectious.
Ain’t no stopping us now. We’re in the groove…