Tuesday, August 23, 2011

iFFY The Bad Man

   So keeping with the 'new-artists-that-I-hope-blow-up' theme of the night, here's a song from a relatively new artist out of Miami named iFFY The Bad Man. I've heard this song a few times on Sirius radio in the past few weeks and absolutely love it. The sound is a bit of a more laid back Bruno Mars but somehow it comes out sounding edgier and more honest, I think. According to iFFY's website the song Do You "evokes the heartbreak of young love gone awry on the summer streets". I'd say that's accurate.

   The video for the song apparently just hit the internet today and is beginning to gain views. iFFY doesn't seem to have a ton of music on the net, but I'm telling you, if this guy doesn't blow up soon I'll eat a hat or a shoe. I think there's a couple different versions of this song floating around, the Sirius version sounds a bit different than the video version and the Spotify version is different from both, but there's literally nothing I don't like about this song. Sure, call me a pop-lover, whatever, it's a great end of summer song. Check it out below and follow iFFY on Twitter HERE

The Weeknd - Thursday

   So last post I waxed on a bit about Kanye and Jay Z. I do, legitimately think they deserve what they've gotten, and the titles of kings defending their thrones, but if what I keep hearing and reading it right, there may be a new prince in town; and he's Canadian. Abel Tesfay, better known as The Weeknd has just dropped a new, free, downloadable album entitled Thursday and it certainly sounds like it could give some of the best R&B and hip-hoppers a run for their money in the coming months.


   Thursday plays out airy and calm but at the same time quite dark and reminiscent of a circus at times with the different amount of feelings that these songs mix. The album sounds amazing. And the quality is terrific, right up there with the best. The stand out for me really is the single right now titled Birds Part 1, for which I've included the video below. You can download the album, which I recommend doing, HERE and check out the video below to get a taste of the sound. I think you'll like it.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Let's Talk Thrones

   I'll get right to it; It's easy to dislike Watch The Throne, Jay-Z and Kanye West's new collab album. It's actually called Watch The Throne, as in, these two are protecting their 'kingdom', pretentious much? But rightfully so, I think. I'll admit it, I didn't pay attention to the build up of the album. I didn't follow anything, really, that had to do with this album. But when two artists like this make some moves, it helps to eventually pay attention.
   But then I started listening. Reading about how these two were fighting over the album, and then how they weren't fighting, and then I heard some of Otis which samples Otis Redding, and then I saw the video, which features the boys tearing apart, rat-rodding, and hooning a 2011 Maybach 62 (which costs oh just $423,500 - $463,000) full of models, and then how the duo opened a store in SoHo wrapped in gold with the Maybach on display to sell the album, and, what made me write this, I read this article on the lengths the artists and production team went to keep this album from leaking to the public - which is pretty much did not.
   There's a reason these two are watching the throne, and it's because of all of this. These two know how to be kings. Check out the video for Otis below. 

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Converse Has Done It Again

   Well Converse's "three artists, one song" deal seems to have made another pretty awesome song. Here Matt and Kim, Soulja Boy, and the unlikely Andrew W.K. come together to create a really neat sounding, almost spooky-but-driving-Matt-And-Kim-influenced song. Give it a listen below, and check out Converse's other mash-up creations.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Best Coast - Surprisingly Creative

   I've written on here more than once that I'm a music video guy. I can't stand a video that has no plot, no thought, and no direction. That said, Best Coast just released a video for the song Our Deal and it has all of what I just mentioned. Also, it has an interesting celebrity cast, and was directed by Drew Barrymore, believe it or not. Want to try something neat? Next time you hear a cool song, close your eyes and imagine what you think the video for it would be. Then YouTube the song and see how correct you are. If you're more wrong than right, I'd say it's a good video. Here's the video for Our Deal:

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Real Music

   It's pretty easy nowadays to get caught up in music that's easy to get to, easy to listen to, and doesn't require much thought. I'm all for radio music, don't get me wrong, I definitely can enjoy the four on the floor, over-produced, definitely-going-to-be-a-hit songs, but sometimes they just get...annoying. One can only hear about putting their hands in the air so many times before it just gets a bit stale. So the other day when I listened to a great NPR report titled How Much Does It Cost To Make A Hit Song, it got me thinking. The report talks about the creation of Rihanna's Man Down and tallies up the cost of production to about a quarter of a million dollars for one song that didn't do very well this summer.
   Yesterday I sat around for a while looking for some interesting music. And I think I found a song that could break the funk of boring, million dollar flops lately. The song comes from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and contains a ton of noise, quirky music, and interesting video, and great lyrics. It's refreshing. The song is called The Death of You and Me and I'd recommend a listen and watch of the video below:

p.s. I know it's been a bit since my last update, but with job hunting, graduation, and moving around a blogger can only do so much! Expect frequent updates soon.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Kanye's Work of Art

   So if you haven't heard, Kanye dropped his new video for Monster (which has been close to finished for six months) with Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj and people are predictably in a tizzy because it shows what seems to be dead women. The video starts off with a disclaimer but, c'mon, it's not very bad. Check out Kanye's latest "epic" below and tell me what you think in the comments. Is this a "bad" video? I don't think so, but some people seem to:

   Also, it is very refreshing to hear this song uncensored. Not that I'm for crazy language all over, but I think this song is really hindered by radio censoring. Enjoy!

Karmin Nicki Minaj Superbass Cover

   Karmin, the duo that's responsible for remixing rap songs into interesting ballads, has just been signed to a record deal. To celebrate, they've teamed with the Roots for an annoyingly catchy, very good, cover of Nicki Minaj's Superbass. Check it out:

Thursday, April 28, 2011

New Friendly Fires

   Well, look what slipped through the cracks. Friendly Fires has a new song titled Live Those Days Tonight and it's pretty dancy. My housemate just walked in and said it sounded like the Night at the Roxberry in here and, actually, I kind of agree. I'm pretty stoked for a new album from these guys, check it out:

Holy Ghost!

   Yes, I've been away for like two months. Yes there's an explanation. Yes there's a TON of music to update about. Give me until around May 8th and I'll be back and going. For now, check out Holy Ghost's new video for their single Wait and See off their self titled album. Can't get this one out of my head.

Holy Ghost! - Wait & See from DFA Records on Vimeo.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Ke$ha vs Dawsons Creek

   If there's something I actually like about Ke$ha, it's that she seems to have begun realizing that she barely has to be serious and still can make music videos. If anything is more evident of this than her new video for Blow, please, tell me. James Van Der Beek definitely adds to the hilarity of this video. I mean, if you had a gif of you just crying on Dawsons Creek you'd have to take a look at how serious your life was too, right? Anyway, I just saw HipsterRunoff was asking if this video "went too far" and I'd have to say no way. It's just plain, ridiculous fun. Though I would have loved to have been in the pitch meeting for this idea...

Saturday, February 26, 2011

K Flay

   Ever heard of K.Flay? Well then check this out. Actually, I'm just going to let her bio speak for her for a second:
 You may not expect one of the most compelling new voices in hip hop to wield dual psychology and sociology degrees from Stanford University or find inspiration in the buttoned-up world of indie rock, but for K.Flay, defying expectations is simply part of the game.
   So K.Flay had been making some great hip hop and yesterday I ran across her song So Fast, So Maybe and it's just packed with smart lyrics and a great sound. Check it out:

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Ellie's Rick Ross Jukebox Hump Day Video Post

   Hey everyone! So I've had a few videos up on my dashboard here for the past few days but haven't had the time to throw them up yet so here we go. I've got an awesome band I've been working on writing about that I should be able to post later this week, but for now let's roll with these videos.
   First, let's start calm with Ellie Goulding's Lights. You've probably heard this one remixed into something lately, but it's just a great chilled song, and Goulding is pretty fun to watch dancing around. Grab her album Bright Lights for some awesome music.

   Next, ever heard of Jukebox The Ghost? They're great. With driving piano leads, poppy vocals, and super catchy hooks, this band reminds me of Fun (but not so muscial-y) with a Hot Hot Heat influence, and maybe better than both. Maybe. Check out their video for Schizophrenia below.

   Finally, let's cool down with some Rick Ross and his new single Aston Martin Music. I didn't like this song at first for some reason, but with it's slow beat and sharp synths the song has definitely become a listener. I think I wrote a whole paper while listening just to this song over and over yesterday. Very easy listening. I honestly can't figure out what record this song is on, so if you do: buy it.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Bedouin Architecture and Chiddy Bang

   You know, every now and then things fall through the cracks. Hate when it happens, but it does, and hopefully you can just catch up when it does. So here is me catching up. Apparently sometime in January Bedouin Soundclash dropped a new single and video for a song called Elongo. The band has been busy for the past few months starting their own record label named Pirate Blend Records and Elongo is the first from the band in it's new home and new record dropping in September. Check it out:

   Next, I have to admit: sometimes I love Train, sometimes I hate them. This new Marry Me song, I definitely don't like very much at all, but if you add Patrick Monahan, the vocals of Train, to Chiddy Bang, you get a pretty cool mix. Chiddy Bang has a new record named The Swelly Life coming out later this year. I haven't really given Chiddy Bang the light they deserve, they're a great duo, so give them a listen.
 Chiddy Bang - Baby Roulette by Pretty Much Amazing
    Architecture In Helsinki is a band I've always heard about but never really investigated, and I'm kind of kicking myself for that. The Australian band's new album Moment Bends is dropping in May and apparently is a large departure from their normal sound. If their new single Contact High is any indication, I could be pretty excited about this album. I think this song is growing on me massively; it just has a very neat sound. Check it out:
Contact High by Architecture In Helsinki   

  

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Kanye's New Video

   Alright, I'm going to give you a suggestion right now: get up from where you are and shut off the lights in the room you're in. I say that because it's dark right now and I think to fully enjoy this video you need to be immersed in it. So Kanye West's new video for All of the Lights dropped the other day and I gotta say: it's something. Now I admit, I love this song - sing it on the reg with my friends whenever we turn lights on. Or do anything really, but take a watch of the video and let me know what you think of it.

   Gotta admit, I'm not very impressed. And I don't usually not like things, but I'm not very big on this. I feel like with a cast of character such as those featured in that song we could have a pretty awesome music video. Instead, we get a half lyric video half indie dance club color slam. Not that that's a bad thing, it's a pretty neat video, the parts that are video, but editing out the middle of the song robs the song of a lot of it's charm, and using words to substitute content for an artist of Kanye's fame kind of just sucks. Let's leave it at that.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Casual Friday

   Ever heard of Casual Friday? I'm guessing not, though you should have. I recently wrote an article about them and, well, how about you take a look and give them a listen, eh?

   When Florida’s weather decides not to coincide with the “Sunshine State” slogan people get pretty depressed. When the state keeps it up for days in a row people begin to get a little bit antsy, and that includes me. Listening to music on rainy days naturally tends to evoke different emotions than it would on a bright sunny day, but the other day I heard a band that cut right through the gloom and depression that days of rain had brought with it. Casual Friday, out of Ada, Ohio is a four piece band that brings true, American rock ‘n roll to the stage with no shame. Casual Friday has just released a new, stripped down acoustic EP titled Rendezvous and it is that which finds me enjoying a rainy day. (Click Read More below the player to continue reading this article!

 

NEW STROKES

Finally! The Strokes new single "Under Cover of Darkness" dropped today and it's only available for stream/download for 48 hours so get your hands on it! It sounds amazing. I'm justgoing to leave it at that say so LISTEN NOW! In case the YouTube goes down, I'll put the SoundCloud that you can actually download the song from below it. The Strokes new Album Angles dropson March 22nd. Get in line now.

The Strokes - Under Cover of Darkness by One Thirty BPM
What do you think of the song? I love it.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Videos of the Day 1/27

   I like this idea of Videos of the Day, so let's keep it up, shall we? Maybe I won't do this everyday, but as I find videos I think rock I'll post them up a few at a time. Firstly, I have no clue why I didn't post this the other night, but Matt and Kim have a video for Cameras and, well you won't be able to guess what happens without watching...so watch!


    Next, we have Josh Cocktail. I literally know nothing about this guy and just ran into his video for Fire. The internet doesn't seem to know much about him either, but apparently he's from Florida and put himself in an Indie/Hip-hop/Soul category. So there ya go. Anyway, this song has got to be bound for the radio stations. Hear it here first!


   Finally, have you gotten your hand on B.o.B.'s new mixtape No Genre? Did you say no? Go get it! Seriously, what are you waiting for? It's straight fire. 16 tracks and maybe 3 that aren't up there with the rest. Can't ask for much more right? Here's the video for the first single, which I hope pumps you up for Thursday night, Beast Mode


   Also, Lykke Li has a new video out for her single I Follow Rivers which I posted a few days ago, but I felt it would change the feeling of these upbeat songs, so check it out HERE

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Videos of the Day

   Ashton Kutcher and his step-daughter, Scout, made a song and damn. It's catchy. Do they just breed talent? Ridiculous. I bet this becomes a studio produced single.


   Next, remember the guy who dougie'd out in front of an ice-cream truck? This idiot? Well Tosh.0 made him a pretty sweet video for his song I'm Gipper (jipper) last night. Check it out, it's actually not awful...for what it is.


   Finally, keeping the hip-hop going, so I saw a video of some guys dancing in a game of Call of Duty: Black Ops doing this thing called the "cat daddy", little did I know it's a real dance. If you do one thing today/tonight listen to this song and learn the dance. In no way will you regret it.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Matt and Kim

   A while ago I posted the new Matt and Kim single Cameras, well now there's a video for it. Here ya go.

New Panic

   Well, Panic At The Disco have a new single out titled The Ballad of Mona Lisa. This the first single off of Vices & Virtues, the band's third album, which drops on March 29th. Not bad, but nothing ground-breaking. Nice to see some new music, though

[VIA]

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Lykke Li

Lykke Li has a new single out titled I Follow Rivers and it sounds great. Progressing her infamous Swedish indie sound and that great flowing voice, Rivers is a exactly what you want to hear. Lykke Li's new album Wounded Rhymes drops in March and I'm sure it will be worth picking up.
Lykke Li -  I Follow Rivers by dynmk

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Noah Looks Up

   Well, leave it to Noah And The Whale to leave you always guessing what their sound will be like next. From the band's awesome, upbeat first full-length album Peaceful, the World Lays me down to the obviously emotionally hurt, and very sad album, First Days of Spring NATW has been able to compellingly play almost any sound and make you really feel it. Well it seems like Charlie Fink, the band's lead man, has finally gotten over the breakup that inspired First Days of Spring. The band just released a new single entitled L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N., and its great. A totally new, catchy, sort of swingy, sound for the band that signals a great new direction for their third album, named Last Night on Earth, which drops in March. And I was just listening to these guys today. I'm excited.

Raphael and the Jukebox

   Well, after what seems like a little break in the past few months, it feels like we have some new, fun, listenable music rising to the surface lately. The first band I want to talk about today is a band with an awesome groove named Jukebox The Ghost. I found out about this band through NPR's free music app for smart phones. It's a great little app to hear some undiscovered bands before they blow up. NPR is pretty strong at finding interesting, smaller, bands and promoting them, so thumbs up, NPR. Anyway, Jukebox is a 3-piece, definitely indie, somewhat poppy, band out of Washington, D.C. The band definitely has a great sound that could only mildly be related to sounds like very old hellogoodbye. Maybe. I'm not a fan of saying a band sounds like someone else when they really have their own noise, but I recommend giving this band a listen. With a bunch of synth, strong drums, and catchy tunes, Jukebox The Ghost's second album Everything Under The  Sun is out now and certainly one I'd pick up. Here's their song Schizophrenia.


   Next we have someone you may or may not have heard of before. Raphael Saadiq has been a staple in the old school R&B scene for quite some time and his latest single Radio will ensure listeners that old school R&B is long from dead, and that the genre is still a ton of fun. With style, classic sound, and a bunch of pretty girls, Radio continues to bring on a modern take on a classic sounds that the likes of Fitz and the Tantrums are also influencing. You can be sure to hear this song blowing up commercially in the next few months and that's not particularly a bad thing, Saadiq's music has been featured all over. I can just see A&E models dancing around to this classic tune already.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Kanye West

   Have you heard Kanye West's new single All of the Lights? Because you really should. This song blew my mind right when I heard it and it's got a such a star studded...cast? that it should become one of those classic Kanye staples. From Elton John to John Legend to Kid Cudi, Rihanna and more, this song just brings the noise. I cannot, repeat, cannot wait for a video for this song. As long as it's not some weird, twisted fantasy type thing. Or 28 minutes long. Let's keep it short and interesting, Kanye.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

This Never Happens

So seeing as I'm all about getting smaller bands out there I'm going to do something that may be looked down upon here on Blogspot. Because my blog here is on Blogspot, and my other blog is on Tumblr, and seeing as they're competitors, I'm going to "reblog" something from that site here. Even though Blogspot hasn't created such a feature yet. But anyway, SoundCloud just reposted this from a blogger named riceytwicey and while I'm still undecided on how I feel about the second and third band (leaning towards like), this first band Morning Parade is brilliant. It's not often that I actually say something aloud because a song is so good, but that happened. So here ya go, from Tumblr:

You may be surprised to learn that there are bands other than those shortlisted for BBC Sound of 2011 who are going to be massive! Some of my favs are below. Let me know who else to check out?
Morning Parade
Morning Parade by morningparade

Brother
Darling Buds of May by BROTHERslough

Alice Gold
Alice Gold - Orbiter (Single) by Pure Groove

Radical Tantrums and Winters

   The first band here today is an interesting, kind of retro, but nice and in your face band named Fitz and the Tantrums. Fitz Is Michael Fitzpatrick's latest venture with soul singer Noelle Scaggs and blends a sound of late 70s funk/disco with a great churchy noise into a seven piece band. I definitely dig the sound and then guy/girl harmonies. Check out their single MoneyGrabber below.


   Next is a band named Radical Faces that I've only been introduced to in the past few days. The band skillfully combines a ton of different sounds into one song leaving you thinking about many bands to compare them to. Simply put, I'm not sure you can compare this band to many as they've done a pretty decent job of carving their own niche. Here's Radical Faces Welcome Home.



   Finally we have a band I've been meaning to update forever about out of Seattle named The Long Winters. You've probably heard some of their great, poppy, indieish songs in the past, I mean, how else do you stay happy in Seattle? One of the band's most spun songs is Fire Island, AK. and it's just a great, upbeat song with a neat video.