Grizzly Bear, Phoenix, Twista & Pharrell, Emil & Friends
Alrighty, hope you guys enjoyed the holiday and Jay’s post on Warp 20. I’ve been busy with a number of projects coming your way this week, including at least one new video from the Moodgadget Summer Tour comp, and an update on prints of my Are You Happy? collab, so stay tuned!
Grizzly Bear – Southern Point
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
is an instance of me trying to think of bands that I’ve heard of, but never taken the time to give a listen to. You may have had those moments where someone’s asked you if you’ve heard of a band and you have to respond, “I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never heard it.” As a fan of the folksy indie rock, I’m generally pretty picky about which groups I get into, but even if I like some tracks and not others, I want to give it all a chance. This track is catchy, features some really nice guitar and nice vocals, and it makes a good mix of what’s good about folksy rock from both the past and the present.
Phoenix – Fences
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
I’m afraid most of the rest of this post is going to be dominated by tracks that are somehow linked (although not too directly) with . For some listeners, this will be great, and that includes me. I’ve been into Phoenix since picking up on Too Young in Lost in Translation (if you didn’t know, lead singer Thomas Mars is/or was dating the film’s director Sofia Coppola), one of my favorite films. I was also completely obsessed with their track Long Distance Call back in 2006. Their newest release is Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, and between their two singles 1901 and Lisztomania, both of which got a flurry of remixes, they will be making a lot of best of 2009 lists this year.
Phoenix vs. Twista Feat. Pharrell Williams – Give Heat Up (ComaR Mash)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Speaking of a flurry of remixes, I found these last two remixes for today’s post amongst the blizzard on Hype Machine. Surprised to see & on a blog that is so adament about exploring what music exists beyond the mainstream? Well don’t be, Twista is one of my favorite rap lyricists and Pharrell is one of my favorite producers (aside from, of course, J Dilla, R.I.P.). I’m not sure who ComaR is, but his mashup is fun, definitely appropriate to get a crowd moving to your disco set if you start hearing requests for more mainstream rap or pop.
Emil & Friends – Girlfriend on Girlfriend (Phoenix x Michael Jackson)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Not really sure how to describe this track, it appears to be some kind of three-way mashup. It’s got this sort of free-flowing attitude, almost whimsical at times, but some very fun, catchy pop that sounds like a melting popsickle and an inflatable pool. I like the use of synths here, and how the track has these subtle elements of both Phoenix and Michael, I just wish tracks like these weren’t so difficult to determine who is doing what. Ah well, looks like might have to be the next band I say that I’ve heard of and actually go and give a listen to.
Trackback URL
