Nighttiming!!!
Max Fischer is back! well, at least Schwartzman is back... you know Jason Schwartzman, actor, drummer, Coppola relative. finally liberated from behind the kit of Phantom Planet, Schwartzman has gone out on his own and made a really charming record under the name Coconut Records. there's a few solid party jams, but it's mostly breezy summer pop. totally sunny + goes down easy (think corona on a hot day).
looks like Schwartzman's self-releasing this one too on his new imprint Young Baby Records. according to the site, there's no plans to distribute the album in stores, but you can buy a ltd edition copy off the Young Baby website complete with "bonus content and a one of a kind item from Jason." whatever that means. its also available for download from the usual suspects.
check out a few tracks over at the Coconut Records myspace (definitely hit up Nighttiming). and have a look at this rather interesting video clip for West Coast...
and for you Coconut Records nerds, you'll never guess who produced the record... Mike Einziger from Incubus! i actually remember last fall producing an interview with those dudes and he totally spilled the beans about the Schwartzman record... i never would have expected it to be this good though. who produces the Incubus records anyway?
Posted by Geoff M at 03:05 PM | Comments (0)
May 29, 2007lasting impression...
It’s been almost 17 months now since the Strokes dropped their latest record, the fantastic First Impression of Earth - and the band is officially on hiatus. There’s rumblings of songwriting and working on new stuff, but the word out of the Strokes camp is: don't expect any new stuff anytime soon. cool. take your time boys... rest up... ahj, keep workin' the killer solo record --- and come back when you're ready.
But in the meantime and perhaps to tide us over, the Strokes dropped a brand new music video today. An alternate clip for the first track off First Impressions, You Only Live Once --- and it is jawdroppingly good. Its funny, with all this talk around the office about the MMVAs - here's the video of the year, no fkn doubt about it (though I’m pretty sure it's ineligible b/c it just came out).
Directed by LucasFilm (yes, LucasFilm) art director Warren Fu, the video encapsulates the theme of the record and the track so perfectly. Apparently, he pitched it to the band the first time around and it wasn't chosen (whoops!). Total buzz-worthy clip for a totally tight track.
head over to imeem to see the video nice + big RIGHT NOW!
extra bonus for Strokes fans, the band just relaunched a stellar new website today... pretty cool sht.
Posted by Geoff M at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)
May 23, 2007Finding Common
Is Common’s new album, Finding Forever, is still set for a July release? I hope so. We all know how much praise Be received so lets keep our fingers crossed for the follow up. Here are some track titles and features.
"The People" (featuring Dwele; prod. by Kanye West)
"Black Maybe" (featuring Bilal; prod. by Kanye West)
"I Want You" (prod. will.i.am)
"Southside" (featuring and prod. by Kanye West)
"Misunderstood" (Nina Simone sample; prod. by Devo Springsteen)
"Drivin Me Wild" (featuring Lily Allen; prod. by Kanye West)
"So Far to Go" (featuring D'Angelo; prod by Jay Dilla)
"Break My Heart" (prod. by Kanye West)
"Start the Show" (prod. by Kanye West)
In the meantime, here are a few albums to check out while you’re waiting for the new Common to drop.
El-P - I'll Sleep When You're dead
Some have said this is the best rap album that 2007 has delivered so far. I say it's pretty damn good but a little to early in the game to give el-producto the champion belt. Nonetheless, El-p takes us on a wild emotional ride with some exceptional production and some heavy lyrics. It’s definitely worth checking out. Oh, and peep the video for Smithereens – crazy!
Sean P - Jesus Christ Superstar
Bless the mic and the god! This album is awesome. Sean Price aka Ruck of Heltah Skeltah just steadily beats you over the head with lyrics and some crazy booming production. Bam Bam! This is one of my favourite albums so far this year.
Devin The Dude – Waiting to Inhale
So far Devin is in the lead for best album title of ’07. Waiting to Inhale is Tha Dude’s 4th album and you can play this one from start to end without skipping a track. If you’re into the greenery or just in the mood for some unpretentious laid back raps Waiting to Inhale won’t disappoint.
Posted by Manny at 03:25 PM | Comments (0)
May 22, 2007R. Kelly vs. Broken Social Scene...
UPDATE: okay, apparently i'm a total idiot and don't even read our own blog... hannah totally gave a shout out to the R. Kelly/BSS mash-up like 2 weeks ago. since then though, The Hood Internet has dropped a few more killer jams... Dan Deacon + Khia on Snatch the Crystal Cat Back... and just today, a new one mashing up the killah new Spoon track Ghost of You Lingers w/ a little Ghostface on the Ghostface of You Lingers... absolutely killer.
i'm kind of surprised none of us around here got around to posting about this mash-up a few weeks ago, when it first started making the rounds and BLOWING OUR COLLECTIVE MINDS! this track has totally reinstated my faith in mash-ups... (as much as i love that people everywhere are giving a crack at makin' 'em, i'm kind of getting tired of rifling through the tripe).
these cats who go by the name "The Hood Internet" have been making 'sick jams bro' since 2007. and they really have. just go through their archives and mine the gold of mash-up madness!!!
(magnificant artwork by The Hood Internet)
this particular track pits his honourable R. Kelly's 'I'm A Flirt' against indie-rock royals Broken Social Scene's '7/4 (Shorline)'. I'm A Flirt (Shoreline) takes the best from each song, amping up the intensity of Kelly's slick, sexy rhymes - over BSS' driving, catchy-as-fk melody. it's truly a match made in mash-up heaven.
head over to THI's page and grab it while you can...
ABX - I'm A Flirt (Shorline) - via The Hood Internet
and if you've got some time on your hands, head over here and watch a video some dude made, cutting together clips from the flirt + shorline videos...
I'm A Flirt (Shorline) - bootleg video
Posted by Geoff M at 03:02 PM | Comments (0)
May 18, 2007high on ry
I’m a huge Ryan Adams fan. I believe that everything he’s done, from Whiskeytown to working with the Cardinals, is sheer brilliance (with the exception of his album Rock & Roll - proof that labels should not interfere with the artist). Through release after release, Adams has certainly proved himself to be one of the strongest songwriter’s today. A great example of this can be heard on his first single “Two” from his forthcoming album, Easy, Tiger.
I can’t stop listening to this track, which features Sheryl Crow on backing vocals. It’s so painfully adult contemporary (a first since 2001s “New York, New York”) but I can’t help but listen to it on repeat at work. I don’t even feel like it’s a guilty pleasure because it’s undeniably perfect. He’s managed to construct a perfect mom-song save for the cheesiness, of course. Perhaps Lost Highway will even insist they release a video to accompany the song, which would be another first since “So Alive” from 2003, off the dreadful Rock & Roll.
Listen here and tell me if I’m taking crazy pills.
It’s old news by now, but Stephen King (yeahhhh, the writer) has gone on the record to say that Easy, Tiger is basically Adams’ best record yet. It’s almost hard to believe once you consider his catalogue. I mean, I can’t even narrow down my top 3 Adams albums because they’re so solid. Speaking of his catalogue, just so you know, his insane box set of unreleased material (a speculated 90+ cd’s…whaaaaat!?) may actually be released sometime this year.
Anyway, Easy, Tiger comes out June 26th (sweeeet) and I eagerly await the return of Ryan Adams to Canada.
If you’re not familiar with Adams, check out the following albums that I promise won’t disappoint: Heartbreaker & his album with The Cardinals, Jacksonville City Nights.
Posted by anto+nella at 06:00 PM | Comments (1)
May 16, 2007MIRACLE FORTRESS streaming now...
a few weeks ago i took to the forum here to talk up the amazing new album by Graham Van Pelt's MIRACLE FORTRESS project. no surprise, the hype is mounting... and the reviews that have trickled in so far have been unanimously glowing.
last week Eye Weekly dubbed it "the first great record of the summer"... which is all well and good - but i'll take it a step further + call it "one of (if not) the best records of the year - period."
wanna decide for yourself? head over to the Miracle Fortress myspace and stream the whole damn thing - this week only - before it hits stores next Tuesday...
Graham and his band are having a CD release jam in Montreal tonight + will hit the road next month for a cross-canada tour... look out! whoa!
Posted by Geoff M at 11:25 AM | Comments (0)
May 15, 2007Song of Summer...
So i've been listening to the new LCD Soundsystem a good chunk lately. It’s really a pretty killer dance record… and totally in the vibe what’s been floatin’ my boat most lately.
Anyway, this one track – ALL MY FRIENDS – pretty much from the first time I heard it, I was screaming “song of the summer!” And yea, I’m still kind of saying that (so if you haven’t heard it yet… either it’s not summer yet or I could be dead wrong - but i doubt it). After about the 10-15th listen something struck me – “holy fk, this is totally New Order’s TEMPTATION 20 years later!” (wiki says that the first version Temptation came out in ’82 – but the best known version dropped summer of ’87 on the Substance comp)
I'm mostly basing this comparison on the vibe + mood of each song, but upon closer (read: nerdier) examination, sht-fk they must be related! Here goes:
-both songs clock in around the 7 minute mark
-both songs start with long instrumental intros, All My Friends with a hooky-as-fk- keyboard line + Temptation with irresistibly plucky and jangly guitars
-in both songs the vocals come in right around the minute and a 1/4 mark
-both songs truck along, drawing you in + building up till they reach the start of their climaxes at around 3:30ish
-both songs take off to guitarsville after the 5 minute mark… LCD at about 5:10 and N.O. at around 5:30
–from there, its smooth sailing for both tracks as they head into song of summer heaven…
Here’s yet another, slightly longer version of Temptation (you’ll get the gist)...
NEW ORDER - Temptation
And an audio steam of LCD’s All My Friends...
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - All My Friends
...now can someone please make me a mash-up ;)
Posted by Geoff M at 05:20 PM | Comments (0)
May 07, 2007Mashups 'N Indie Anthems
Just the other day I was chatting to some people here in the building about how I think 2007 is the year to celebrate mashups. Since then nothing but amazing old and new mashups have descended upon me. It has been a wondrous few weeks.
A cameraman slipped me Best of Bootie 2005 and 2006. If you haven’t heard them PICK THEM UP. You hear NWA battle Nirvana, MIA take on The Ramones and Beastie Boys handle Zeppelin. But it was my boy Devon who takes home the prize for introducing me to the best mashup I have heard so far this year - R. Kelly shaken up with a little Broken Social Scene. “I’m A Flirt”. It is.. well.. just listen to it and you will understand what I am saying.
And it may pique your interest to know that The Number One Indie Anthem has been announced on NME.com. They took a popular vote to determine the winners. Take a look below at the top ten and let me know if you agree:
1. Oasis - 'Live Forever'
2. Nirvana - 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'
3. Pulp - 'Common People'
4. The Smiths - 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out'
5. The Libertines - 'Don't Look Back Into The Sun'
6. The Libertines - 'Time For Heroes'
7. The Smiths - 'How Soon Is Now?'
8. The Stone Roses - 'I Am The Resurrection'
9. The Strokes - 'Last Nite'
10. Arctic Monkeys - 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor'
NME is also letting readers re-order the mag's top 10 and is posting the results as they happen - go create your own!
Peace out
hx
Posted by Hannah Simone at 03:07 PM | Comments (0)
