
Another monday, another boatload of music I’ve “acquired” and listened to, culling the wheat from the chaff, setting you up for a muxtape mainline of good feelings for yo ears.
Going On - Gnarls Barkley - Best track on the album, which gets better every time I listen to it. I’m beginning to realize that there are two kinds of good albums: the ones that hit you in your feel good spot right away, and the ones that you have to let swirl around in your ear canal for a bit, let the sound simmer. This album’s one of those. My first thoughts were that it was slower, more down-tempo than their first album, but then I went back and listened to that one, found that I was only remembering the faster tracks, that Gnarls Barkley is all about the slow introspective jams.
This one’s a go-er, though.
Let’s Make Forever Last Forever - Apes & Androids - Started seeing different blogs blowing up about this band earlier in the week, hell, Muxtape even made them “featured members,” whatever the deuce that means, so I went and gave it a go on the ones & twos(by which i mean my computer. not even close, but there it is.). And by the end of the first listen, I was IMing as many folks as I could, John the Baptist-ing this band. My description when asked: It’s as if Midnite Vultures-era Beck and Of Montreal had a baby, said baby then being breast fed by The Scissor Sisters, with Prince as a nanny.
Everyone Nose - N.E.R.D. - An album that didn’t sound too strong on the first listen, it’s definitely growing on me. This track is, though the single, actually the funkiest track on the album. I’m still waiting for them to bring something as epic as their first album, but until then, this one’s a good ‘un, far superior, far more even than their last attempt.
Good to the Earhole - Funkadelic - Several years ago I heard this on the radio, some independent station, spent several days listening to every Funkadelic album I could get my hands on, because I’d missed the name of the song. Had that feeling of the good old days, when you had to give something the Good Hunt, searching for that CD in the stacks, that comic book in the long boxes. So rare these days, everything at our fingertips.
Also rare? A funk song this goddamned good.
American Boy - Estelle(feat. Kanye West) - Due to the folks I’ve been hanging with of late, I’ve been dipping back into the hip-hop pool. This one was recommended by a 21 year old white girl from Boston. Welcome to the future, people. It’s now on my growing Summer Jams ‘08 list.
Shempi - Ratatat - Great “make-out” album. Nuff said.
Lollipop - Li’l Wayne - More from my current hip-hop phase. Damn song is on every “urban” station in town. And by that I mean, I actually listened to it end on one station, changed the station, where it was just starting. Finished, switched stations, only to find it PLAYING AGAIN. This song is bigger than us all.
Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down - Brand Nubian - Um, no idea. This one’s Danny Eagle’s. Ask him about this 90s shit. It is the 90s, right? This band still together? Were they ever together? Who the fuck is Brand Nubian? Fuck does that name even mean???
Unprepared - Superdrag - Okay, so I went to a Superdrag concert. JUST HOLD ON. I remembered that song, Sucked Out, from back in the day. Liked it. Turns out a buddy of mine liked it so much he followed them ever after, big fan today. Got himself some tickets, asked me along. And since I figured I’ve been hearing too well lately, I figured it was time to go to another concert.
In preparation, I got all their albums. And they’re good. One album in particular, In the Valley Of the Dying Stars. Starts with a drum-awesome song, keeps it going, then gets all sad right about this here song. Cuz the lead singer’s granddad died or something, so this album is all about that.
And I’m a sucker for those songs that build and build and then crescendo with a repeating chorus. Sue me.
Always Where I Need To Be - The Kooks - And let’s stay strong with some more power pop, this time from across the pond. It’s good. It’s on both the indie rock and the super popular alt. rock station here in L.A. What ya gonna do, listen to NPR?