My Music Report Card

You know when you’re bored with music? That was me. NOTHING was interesting me for awhile. Well, that’s all changed (youppie!) and when it rains, it pours.

I’m loving Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins. Also, while we were chatting before the interview, I found out that Jenny bought a couple of the dresses she wears in the album art at the Value Village down the street from the Opera House. I love that! Value Village is the best.

Yesterday, I was in NYC for the day to interview Mobb Deep. I remember the summer after high school ended, I walked around the city with “Shook Ones Pt II” playing in my headphones, having no clue that these guys were my age. I was just a total baby puff – they were pretty hardcore (they still are – their new album is called “Blood Money”). Well, 10 years on, in the G-Unit office in Manhattan, I was standing there asking them about the Porsches that 50 Cent gave them when they signed and whether people in NYC “ghost ride the whip” (I was half-joking) and Prodigy said, “Nah, that’s strictly a Bay area thing,” which brings me to…

…another fave! E-40 (thanks Manny!). I love “My Ghetto Report Card.” Plus, the video for “Tell Me When To Go” is awesome. I love ghostriding the whip, the stunner shades, the grills, the dancing, everything. However, what the heck is up with this? A drink? Come on – most people haven’t even heard of hyphy yet. When I heard about this, all I could think was A) hiphop can sell anything! and B) sugary drinks are making North America obese! (I know, it’s weird. I also worry that my grills scrape at the enamel on my teeth. What am I, the Mom Safety Patrol? If I were an MC, my name would be 2 Health-Conscious 4 HipHop and I would be extremely lame).

One last thing that has me very excited – the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs! I just got it today. I bought “Gold Lion” off iTunes the day it was made available and I love it. So now I have lots of new music that I am excited about and on top of all of that, it’s spring! Bing, bing! (That’s my bike bell).

Posted by Hannah at 07:00 PM | Comments (1)

there was a time we lived in truth, let's BRING IT BACK!

Surely it’s not presumptuous of me to think that with their just released fourth LP, Bring it Back, MATES OF STATE are poised for the big-time. Indie big-time of course. Big-time big-time is a whole nother thing. But indie big-time for sure!!!

The new LP finds the husband and wife duo doing precisely what they do best – dishing out impeccably tight tracks chalked full of hooky melodies, crafty keyboard licks and steady as she goes drum beats. It’s fair to say they’ve refined their sound a bit too and are likely taking a tad more sugar in their coffee then normal. The result is pop gold(!) and unquestionably the most sumptuous pop record so far this 2006.

MOS have also just completed a f**kin’ fantastic video for the record’s first single, Fraud in the 80’s. The band is currently on tour in the USA and will hit Vancouver on April 21st (can anyone say west coast NewMusic story???). Fingers crossed they give Canada more love later in the Spring.

Check out these must-hear tracks:

Mates of State – Fraud in the 80’s
Mates of State – Beautiful Dreamer

(click on above links to go to downloads)

Check out the brand new MOS video for Fraud in the 80’s

Posted by Geoff M at 03:54 PM | Comments (0)

Toronto Gets Brolic

Remember I was talking about Raekwon and Killah Priest possibly coming to Toronto for a show? Well here ya go, also as a bonus arabesque is going to be opening the night up. A night not be missed, watch out for an interview with Raekwon and Killah priest on an upcoming episode of The NewMusic.

And for all you Definitive Jux fans, the whole squad is going to be here on Friday night. This lineup is crazy!

Posted by Manny at 03:16 PM | Comments (0)