Grum - Runaway

Saturday. Disco? Always.

Grum - In Love

I was a huge, massive fan of Grum's last album so I was very much looking forward to the new stuff he's been working on, but I gotta be honest, this first single is very underwhelming. It sounds pretty unoriginal and doesn't have near the soul of the his older stuff. I'm gonna post it anyway but let's hope this isn't indicative of the route he's chosen...

Best of 2010 Part 7

Well we made it. I started this thing on January 21st of this year, so we're not quite a year old yet, but close enough. Thanks to all of you who came and checked out the blog, and pretended to read some of my ramblings. The new year will see some more changes to the blog. It will become more than just a music blog, as I'll be posting more stuff like crazy news links, funny videos, goofy pictures and such, but the music will remain. The new website is still in the works, but it's not quite ready yet, so maybe by the end of this month it will be ready to go. In the meantime, enjoy your new year's festivities, whatever they may be, and I'll see ya tomorrow. Afternoon. Late afternoon.

And my top three albums of the year are...

#3

Kings Go Forth

The Outsiders Are Back

In July I posted about Milwaukee's Kings Go Forth. Since then I've had them on regular rotation on my playlist. With the sort of funk-soul revival that's going on, there has to be someone leading the charge, setting the standard. These guys are so perfectly named it's uncanny. They are the new Kings of the genre, and they are taking us forward to a new musical era.

These guys aren't about making flashy music videos, or goofy merchandise, or anything else, they're all about the funk. From the the first note to the last, this album is absolutely fantastic. The thing is, these guys aren't young. Where have they been for the last fifteen years? Doesn't matter, the cat is out of the bag. For righteous funk-soul extravaganza on a stick, look no further. Their time is now. Hail to the Kings, baby.

One Day

High On Your Love

I Don't Love You No More

#2

Grum

Heartbeats

I was wrong about these guys. First, I got the name wrong. It's just Grum. Second, I thought it was more than just Graeme Shepherd. Nope, just him. Then after hearing a couple singles that this might just be a couple fun tracks on a mediocre album. Boy was I wrong there. I don't care what anyone else says. This is 80's electro-discopop, only it's awesome. Really awesome. I've listened to this album countless times since I got it and it's still amazing.

Take Chromeo, add a dash of Daft Punk, a pinch of David Bowie, and just a hint of Mylo for flavour, shake vigorously and you have Grum. It's true, this album is goofy and pretentious but it's just so much damn fun. Remember those nights when you went out and partied like an animal and just didn't give a damn? Put it on a record and this is what you get. One day this will be considered a classic. It already is in my books. Check out my September post for the two singles, and then blast these tracks.

Heartbeats

LA Lights

Turn It Up

#1

The Roots

How I Got Over

The Roots! Congrats guys, you are my favourite album of the year. These guys brought us their finest album in a decade with this new release. It brings elements of soul and funk to their raw classic hip hop sound. For me it captured the vibe of the year perfectly. A rock solid beat but a hint of frustration in the lyrics, but driven with sense of purposeful inevitability.

Social consciousness is not something everyone is born with. Some people develop it, some people don't, for whatever reason. For those with it, it's a struggle to make other people wake up and take notice. It's not about trying to change the world on a global scale, it's about trying to show those people standing right next to you that the world works just great when we all work together. Let this album shine it's light on you. Dear God. Right on, right on.

Doin' It Again

Now Or Never

The Fire

BONUS BEATS!

Deadmau5 - Community Nap

Rock over Fredericton, roll on Toronto.

Grum - Through The Night

Holy cheese and rice it's hot out. You probably know this already. Still in Halifax, so I'm going to make the most of it by heading out on the town with The Franchise and The Shawn Taylor Hype Machine. Should be epic by anyone's standards. That's how we roll. Tomorrow it's back to Freddy Beach to start my new Thursday night residency at the Phoenix for Feels Good Thursdays. That's right, every Thursday you can rock out with me and whatever wicked bands are playing, and even watch some sweet artists make crazy paintings, all for $5. What a deal.

This is a pretty funny new video from Grum. These guys make crazy retro sounding disco house beats, not unlike Chromeo. The video was directed by The General Assembly, who always like to do some really wacky stuff.

Here's another great tune.