Tag Archive for 2000’s

17th November 2012

Yeah Yeah Yeahs* – Maps (Helen Chandler guest post)

This song never loses its ability to bring a bit of a wobble to the chin. Or at least to make you think you might like a good cry. About 5 years ago, this song kept me company on the 46a bus to UCD nearly every day – I felt quite sorry for myself at the time and imagined that Karen O had felt pretty sorry for herself when she wrote the lyrics.
I like all of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ albums, but their first, Fever To Tell, from which ‘Maps’ was the third single, remains my favourite. Its final track, Y Control, might be in a top 20 list of my all-time favourite songs, if I were ever forced to make one. And while I’m showering praise on them, I might as well put the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ 2009 gig at St George’s Market in Belfast among my favourite ever gigs.
/HC
*Artist #555

16th November 2012

Nelly Furtado – Do it (GPF)

I am going for a trip down memory lane this evening catching up with some people I met during my year in Berkeley. I thought it apt to post something that I listened to (guiltily!) when I was there. I like it for more than just the video, seriously.

Have a great weekend.

/RjK

Child Rebel Soldier* – Us placers


This is another hip hop track that has an interesting sample, in this case using The Eraser by Thom Yorke. It isn’t exactly Move On Up (in fairness, what is?) but I think it works really well and reminds me a little of favourites from earlier in the year Jay Electronica and Shabazz Palaces.

Child Rebel Soldier are a hip hop “supergroup” featuring Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell Willams which is a pretty solid trio.

/RjK

*Artist #553

7th November 2012

Gift of Gab – Way of the light

This is taken from Oakland MC Gift of Gab’s first solo album 4th Dimensional Rocketships going up. Great album name, even better content. It was a big favourite from university and I have already featured Flashback, which is equally excellent.

This was on my mind because I remembered the really fresh sample while in London over the weekend. My mind’s ear works in mysterious ways sometimes.

/RjK

31st October 2012

Arcade Fire – Headlights look like diamonds

I was walking home through some outstandingly rubbish weather on Saturday night (driving, freezing rain – jackpot) and this came on my MP3 player, thankfully putting a little spring in my step.

This is one of Canadian Band Arcade Fire’s earlier tracks of their eponymous 2003 EP.

/RjK

27th October 2012

Feist* – Past in present

I haven’t got too much to say about this. It was a favourite from Berkeley and it came into my head this week. I supposed I quite like the theme of the song and certainly agree with it.

So much past inside my present…

/RjK

*Artist #545

17th October 2012

Anthony and The Johnsons* – Fistful of love


This is a favourite from I Am a Bird Now, which won the Mercury Prize in 2005, beating albums by Coldplay and Bloc Party amoungst others.

Anthony Hegarty’s voice isn’t a classically great one but it manages to convey real feeling, which is perfectly illustrated in this track, which also features Lou Reed on guest vocals.

Also, as I have mentioned many times before I am a real sucker for some horns and I think they are used to excellent effect here. It’s not just a soul stomper that benefits from a blast of sax.

/RjK

*Artist #535

9th October 2012

Elliot Smith – Son of Sam

Elliot Smith has featured heavily in the soundtrack to my week. As you might imagine, this is not a very positive indicator about my mood. I’m not sure why but I seem to have been in something of a funk for the past few days. The initial boost of enthusiasm brought on by a change of scenery must have worn off. I am sure I will snap out of it before too long.

This track is taken off the very enjoyable if somewhat morose Figure 8, which was the last album Elliot Smith completed before his death. On a brighter note, it is one of my favourite album sleeves being simple but  quite effective.

Figure 8:
/RjK

7th October 2012

Broken Social Scene – Bandwitch

This is my idea of Sunday night music. Hushed and mellow, it is just the kind of thing to calm a mind racing with thoughts of the week ahead.

Canadian collective Broken Social Scene featured heavily in the soundtrack to the year I spent in Berkeley, California and as such, always raise a smile anytime I hear them.

/RjK

Common featuring Kanye West – The Food (live)

Chicago rapper Common makes hip hop that is cerebral. This might seem like an oxymoron and whilst they certainly aren’t regular bedfellows the combination does exist. A couple of tracks (including this one) from his album Be, which is one of my favourite rap albums ever, came on my mp3 player today and happily reminded me of this fact.

/RjK