The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi battles the pink robots part 1
This is a beautiful if somewhat inscrutable track from eccentric Oklahoma mad men The Flaming Lips. This is fairly typical of their work in that I don’t really know what they’re on about but still find it pretty irresistable. It is taken from the album of the same name which has a pretty good sleeve:
RjK
Ashanti* – Foolish (GPF)
I can’t believe this is 10 years old! It still sounds as smooth as ever. As I’ve said before I’m just a sucker for music from this era of R’n’B. It takes me back!
The reason I thought of it today is that I was messing about on youtube earlier and came across this DeBarge track which is sampled here.
RjK
*Artist #502
DJ/rupture* – Minesweeper Suite track 1
Darwin Deez – DNA
Because my situation is in a state of flux I have struggled to do as much research as normal this week. I.e. I haven’t been able to obsessively listen to as many radio shows and podcasts as normal. Unfortunately this trend will probably continue for a few more days as I am scheduled to move to Dublin full time tomorrow.
As a result I have been revisiting some old favourites. Darwin Deez are a band I stumbled across a couple of years ago, and was spellbound by the wonderful Radar Detector, which was the 5th song I posted in my blogging odyssey last January.
These guys are unashamed hipsters and depending on your views on that particular species you may or may not enjoy this video (and the one for Radar Detector). Personally, I really like it’s simple charm.
RjK
De La Soul – Oooh. featuring Redman
As I have written before De La Soul are a band that profoundly influenced the way I thought about music and are perhaps the single most influential band on my musical taste.
This is the song that began it all. I can still remember hearing it for the first time on Giles Peterson’s worldwide radio show in the summer of 2000. The hook here was like nothing I had ever heard before and I have been hooked on Hip Hop ever since.
Additionally, I love the video here. Typically of De La it is both playful and fun. Let’s just say you don’t really see the Wizard of Oz as a motif in rap videos very often! But I kinda like it.
Party people, your dreams have now been fulfilled. Get your ass up and let’s get ill…
In other news what an amazing day at the olympics! There is something pure about the appeal of track and field that I just can’t get enough of.
RjK
Passion Pit – Little Secrets
When I need a burst of upbeat positivity (the rain has been relentless since my return to the emerald isle) Massachusetts band Passion Pit are never far from my mind. Their music, and this is a good example, is typically high energy and marked by a slightly off key (if strangely effective) vocal style. Also, it has been far too long since I last posted them.
Higher and higher and higher…
RjK
The Drums – How it ended
I like just about everything about this track. The sound is both fresh and energetic yet retro (a great 80’s vibe) and the video is also great, with some strong scenes of London (I’m a particular sucker for that just at the moment).
The Drums are probably of my favourite band of the decade so far. I find it hard to say that with too much conviction as I don’t tend to hold hard and fast views about these kind of things. They are always subject to constant revision. However, given they have released two records I love (this is from last year’s Portamento) and put on by far the best show I have seen in the past couple of years (@The Garage in Islington) I am struggling to think of a credible alternative. Any other suggestions?
RjK
NYC singer Sharon Jones is one of the few contemporary artists I know that makes soul music worthy of the name and heritage of Stax, Motown and the rest. This song is full of sass, which is pretty cool and reminds me a little of the Sunshine Anderson song I posted a while ago only with a much more classic sound.
I ain’t nobody’s baby, I ain’t nobody’s fool…
RjK
*Artist #497
Eve featuring Gwen Stefani* – Let me blow ya mind (GPF)
/RjK
Abyssinia Infinite* – Gole
This is a track by Ethiopian singer Gigi from an album she did called Zion Roots as part of a collaboration called Abyssinia Infinite. I love it’s restless energy (something I can readily relate to at the moment) and that distinctly timeless African sound.
RjK