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So… we here at MuchMusic.com have just launched our third installment of the increasingly popular First Spin SINGLES player. This is just a random collection of kick ass tracks that I can’t stop listening to and wanted to share them with you. I had the awesome task of choosing the songs and let me tell you - although enjoyable to do it wasn’t easy! There is just so much music (haha) out there and a lot of politics when you’re a company like us promoting music. But I threw that aside because when it comes down to it, you really just wanna talk about the good stuff, right????

So I grabbed a little pop (Kylie, Natasha, Elise, Sean Kingston), for all you pop tarts out there and some really nice slow jams that you’ll be sure to listen to over and over. Like The Constantines (feat. Feist) - WOW.

Then I was sure to add some music that you might not have heard of: Metro Station, Carolina Liar, The Jealous Girlfriends, and Kreesha Turner - four acts that you’ll be hearing a lot of in the next few months and hopefully years to come.

Then I have some new music from classic artists such as Coldplay and Alanis Morissette! Sweeeeeet.

And (my personal favourite) little samples of amazing electronic and dance music from M83, The Ting Tings, Boys Noize, Sally Shapiro/Junior Boys. I freakin’ LOVE this stuff.

I hope this entertains you, enlightens you and well… just keeps you listening for the 1.6 hours my iTunes playlists said this will run for. Please let me know what you think! - comment below!

Enjoy!

klye

PS: I’m already starting on Singles #4 - so if you have any recommendations or tracks you must hear in that - let me know!!

Listen: Singles 3

If you’re a fan of the Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, The Author and the like, then you’ll really enjoy The Dykeenies. The fivesome, made up of three brothers and two childhood friends, are from Cumbernauld, Scotland. The band came together back in 2005 and released their first EP in 2006. A year later the guys released their first album which spawned a few singles including my favourite, Waiting For Go.

These guys bring a fresh sound to the Brit Pop scene with quality songs that are upbeat, great to sing a long to and are catchy! They also sound great when playing an acoustic set. On their MySpace page they have an acoustic version of another great song Pick You Up and it sounds great!

I’m hoping they somehow end up playing a show here but until that happens all I can do is hope and continue listening! Enjoy!

Links:
MySpace: The Dykeenies
Official Site: The Dykeenies

I was just doing my afternoon surf of various online music sites and came across this cool news from Spin Magazine: Motion City Soundtrack will be digitally releasing a five-tune acoustic EP on May 6th!

The EP will consist of songs from their latest album, 2007’s Even If It Kills Me. (If you don’t already have the original, find it, listen to it, and just try to not tap your toes. Try it). The songs on the new EP will be stripped down versions, but from what I’ve heard from the previewed Fell In Love Without You, which is streaming on the Spin site, nothing has been lost - I actually prefer the more mellow, contemplative sound!

So come May 6th, I’ll be first in line, online, at iTunes. (That makes no sense, but you know what I mean).

Links:
Spin Magazine: Fell In Love Without You stream
MySpace: Motion City Soundtrack

It’s been 3 years since Coldplay last released new material but the long and (if you’re like me) anxious wait is over as 2008 marks the release of their highly anticipated fourth album, Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends. Although the album doesn’t drop until later this year, we have the first single, Violet Hill, on our new First Spin Singles player!

The 10-track offering signals a sound and direction change for the 4-man group. “I think it’s our boldest and most confident record,” says bassist Guy Berryman. “We were much more open to new ideas and influences and much less afraid to experiment.” “It can be easy to stop yourself from trying things because you’re scared of what people might say,” adds frontman Chris Martin, “but we forced ourselves not to do that.”

And they ain’t kiddin’! This album really stretches the band’s boundaries and clearly takes them outside the comfort zone that brought them such huge success with their previous three albums - Parachutes (2000), A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002), and X&Y(2005). Don’t get me wrong, it’s still Coldplay…but different! Martin mentioned that they wanted to move from “black and white into colour” and if this first single is any indication (and I may be a tad biased here)…mission accomplished.

Take a listen! How do you think the boys did?