Best of 2010 Part 4

Last night I watched another movie, this time it was Kick-Ass. You might have heard of it, or maybe not. I hadn't really until a few weeks ago, and I really didn't have any idea what to expect. It's a Canadian film directed by Matthew Vaughn, who also did Layer Cake, and I'm happy to report that this movie did indeed kick ass. I highly recommend checking it out. Action galore, lots of funnies, and a pretty cool story line. Definitely not a movie for kids. Believe me, the trailer does not do this justice. If you've got two hours of spare time, this is a good option.

Back to the tunes, we're pushing on past halfway now, inching closer and closer to the big guns...

#12

Rox

Memoirs

We start off today with British singer Roxanne Tataei, or Rox for short. I posted her single "My Baby Left Me" back in March, and I have to admit that at the time it sounded like it had lots of one hit wonder potential scribbled all over it. Thankfully I was dead wrong. This girl is an outstanding talent who writes her own songs and perform them well in front of lots of people.

She kinda sounds a bit like Christina Aguilera singing Lauryn Hill songs. It's very soft on the ears. She mixes in some upbeat pop and a little reggae vibe, but at it's core this is very much a classic soul album. A bit like Amy Winehouse, minus the whining and the petty attitude. Actually I like this album a lot more. If she can keep her songwriting on the edge, this girl is going places.

I Don't Believe

Precious Moments

No Going Back

#11

Jónsi

Go

This one was a bit predictable. I posted the first single way back in February, and even before the album came out I knew this would be there or thereabouts on most critics' "best of" lists. On this one I have to agree. Jón Birgisson, known simply as Jónsi, is the lead singer of Sigur Rós, a magnificent Icelandic group who you should really get into. This is his solo album, and while it certainly has that ethereal feel to it, it combines far more pop elements into it than anything he had done with the band.

This is not the type of stuff you'll hear me playing at the bar, and you won't find it on television. It's real thinking music. The kind of music you put on and pay attention to, it's not for background purposes unless you want it to help you dream. From all accounts the live show was something to behold, and I believe it. There's so much emotion in every song that it just seems like something you'd need to take in viscerally and not just through your ears. This might be a good place to start though.

Hengilás

Boy Lilikoi

Tornado

#10

Jamiroquai

Rock Dust Light Star

A lot of people think that Jamiroquai is just one person. In actuality they're a band fronted by Jason Cheetham, aka Jay Kay. They've been around for a while now, almost 20 years in fact, but they're still bringing the funk like nobody's business. I have a feeling these guys would be just about the coolest house party band that money could buy.

The newest album, from a critical standpoint, might not be as good as some of the previous albums on the list, but it gets bonus marks for being funky as hell and a lot of fun to listen to. For me it's their best album since 1999's "Synkronized". I posted a remix of the first single a while back, but you should probably hear the original mix because it's awesome. Now push play and dance.

White Knuckle Ride

That's Not The Funk I Want

Smoke And Mirrors

BONUS BEATS!

Guti & Dubshape - Every Cow Has A Bird

Love that track. Part 5 tomorrow.

Best of 2010 Part 3

I saw TRON: Legacy last night and I have to say that Rotten Tomatoes, for once, got it wrong. Well, they're not always right, but they're usually better than most one-off sites. IMDB used to be pretty reliable too, but lately I've seen some pretty dire rankings. I mean jeez, Inception was a good-ish movie, but number six of all time? Let's get real here. These are, of course, merely reflections of several votes and critics, but still. You'd think that in the end the good reviewers would balance out the rubbish ones. A ying-and-yang good-vs-evil kind of thing right?

Back to the point. I thought TRON was pretty good. Sure, the story was lacking, just like Avatar, but the acting was decent enough, the visuals were spectacular, and the music! Step aside John Williams, there are two new score sheriffs in town, and they have sweet robot helmets. With Jonny Greenwood and Trent Reznor also doing film scores recently, are we beginning to see something of a crossover trend here?

Check it out, it's worth seeing on the big screen. The IMAX 3D was awesome again. I'm not a fan of the 3D in general, but for certain films it works brilliantly. Just don't go buying one of those stupid televisions just yet.

Right, now where were we... ah yes, here we go...

#15

Michael Cassette

Temporarity

Oddly enough, I actually came across this album thanks to a post by Deadmau5 in November, and what a find! Ironically Joel's album didn't make this list, but this great album by Finnish duo Erkka Lempiäinen and Matti Heininen did. They go by the pseudonym Michael Cassette, all sneaky like, but don't be fooled! This is the work of two similarly inspired artists just beginning to show the world their wares.

Drawing largely from '80s synth pop, and surely Lifelike and Giorgio Moroder, they melt into your mind with dreamy moog riffs and uplifting themes. "Ghost In The Machine" is the single that grabbed my attention, and the album hooked me in. There's a cover of Jan Hammer's "Crockett's Theme" of Miami Vice fame as well that isn't as good as the original, but is still pretty unique. It's an album that probably isn't for everyone, but I give it two thumbs up.

Kilimanjaro

Magenta Sunset

Nevermore

#14

Coheed & Cambria

Year Of The Black Rainbow

Those who know me probably know that Coheed & Cambria are one of my favourite bands. They always rock the house, and this album is no exception. That said, I personally feel it's their weakest album to date, but it still easily makes it into my best of list. These guys are always kind of hit and miss with people, as Claudio has a distinct voice that takes some getting used to. Give it some time, though, and you'll find that these guys are not your run-of-the-mill punk metal band.

My complaints from this album stem mostly from what I feel is overproduction on some songs. If they stripped out some of electronic noise and replaced some of the drum machines with live drums I think it would sound better, but it's still pretty fantastic. "Here We Are Juggernaut" is an amazing song that I posted in acoustic style here. "World Of Lines" is another, and then there's... well just scroll down a little! Simply an awesome band who I can't say enough good things about.

The Broken

Far

Pearl Of The Stars

#13

Janelle Monáe

The ArchAndroid

Janelle Monáe is one of the finds of the year. What I love about her is that even though she's on a major label she can actually sing and has real talent. Almost as soon as the album came out it was talked about as one of the best of the year, and for good reason. It's just filled with great vibes and oozes energy.

Look beyond "Tightrope", easily one of the songs of the year, and there are more than enough great songs on here to justify putting this one on repeat. There's something for everyone on here, whether you're into chilled out grooves, dancy beats, and flat out funk. Her varied style and tight production reminds me a lot of K-Os, which is definitely a good thing. Her music also carries a message, best embodied in the first track below. You'll see some great stuff from this one in the future, you can bet on that.

Cold War

Dance Or Die

Neon Valley Street

BONUS BEATS!

Ante Perry vs Tube & Berger - Ever Never

Part 4 comin' atcha tomorrow.

Best of 2010 Part 2

I made a mistake yesterday after posting part 1. I went to the Pitchfork site to see what their top 50 albums of the year were. It's always been about the independent music movement there, but I have to say what I heard was beyond what I had anticipated. Maybe it's just me, but I just don't understand their concept of good music. There were a few there that I agreed with, but most of it was decidedly average, and some even so bad that it's almost unlistenable. Seriously. That bad. I don't get it.

Do people really listen to that stuff? I mean, I have some strange tastes and I post some weird tunes sometimes, but this "indie" thing just all sounds the same to me. My brain just can't seem to comprehend why in the world anyone would want to listen to dried-out lo-fi static-charged flighty dribble. I like guts in my music, substance, good production and as much funk as possible.

I remember thinking about this years ago, thinking about where music was heading. I remember thinking how different the music I liked was from the music my parents liked. I wondered how weird some of my generation was. What would music sound like in twenty years? How weird would people be? I feel that so-called indie rock, certainly that represented on the Pitchfork chart, and dubstep are exactly what I was thinking of. I like to think that I'm flexible, that I'm open-minded and that I can see the beauty and attraction in most forms of art and music, but I just can't get into that stuff, and don't think I ever will.

I digress. On to the good. Here's part 2 of 7.

#18

Booka Shade

More!

A while back I posted "Teenage Spaceman", the first single off Booka Shade's new album. Walter Merziger and Arno Kammermeier are another DJ/producer duo from Germany who continue to write new rules in the electronic genre. Their productions really are a thing of beauty. Rarely overly complex, they just seem to blend simple soft synth sounds really nicely together, creating a smooth tapestry of sound that is almost unrivaled in the house genre.

Producing complete albums is almost old fashioned nowadays in the electronic world, but Booka Shade continues to put out complete albums of awesome music. This latest offering features tracks that keep that awesome vibe going, but still have a fresh sound to them. Whether it's the progressive grooves of "Teenage Spaceman", or the simplistic minimal funk of "The Door", it just keeps you moving forwards through their moments of musical brilliance. Can't wait to hear their next effort.

Regenerate

Donut (Interpretation)

The Door

#17

Gorillaz

Plastic Beach

I almost didn't include the new Gorillaz album on my chart. Almost. Then I gave my head a shake and here we are. When I posted "Stylo" I remember thinking how awesome it was that there was some fresh new tunes to get me through the summer. I've always been a fan of Damon Albarn's so-called side project, which has turned out to be more like a main project. I'm thankful for that, too, because he makes way cooler music with these guys than he did with Blur.

I don't think this album is front-to-back awesome, but it's really good and there are more than enough great tracks on it to make its acquisition a sensible decision. This album, more than their previous efforts, blended so many great styles together. Ambient, soul, hip hop, and what can only be described as synth funk all find a home here, and do it seamlessly. This, to me, is what the indie movement is supposed to sound like. No crappy white noise in the background, just nice, smooth, funky production to go with great vocals. I mean common. Snoop Dogg is featured on one track, what more do you need?

The World Of The Plastic Beach

Empire Ants

Broken

#16

Deftones

Diamond Eyes

Welcome back Deftones. After some decidedly average albums since the sonic juggernaut that was their 2000 release "White Pony", Chino and the boys returned with a vengeance with arguably the best rock album of the year. It just goes to show that you can never count out serious talent. "Rocket Skates" came out at the end of February and the second single "Diamond Eyes" shortly afterwards, and boy was it exciting to hear them back to form.

At their best, there are few bands that can match the sheer velocity of sound that throttles you backwards. It's almost like getting punched in the face, and liking it. It's what Fight Club would sound like if it were made into music. If there's a complaint to be made it's that they've been consistently inconsistent in the quality of their live performances, but when it comes to making seriously kick-ass studio cuts of pulsing edge-of-your-seat type hard rock, these dudes are the bee's knees.

You've Seen The Butcher

Sextape

Royal

BONUS BEATS!

EDX - Hoover

I'm already reconsidering my rankings. Meh. Part 3 tomorrow.

Best of 2010 Part 1

Well here we are at the end of the year, and after more than 300 posts and somewhere close to 400 different songs posted, it's time for me to reveal my top 21 albums of the year. Originally this was going to be a top 7 list, but upon reflection there were simply too many really good albums this year. Keep in mind that although I've ranked them numerically, I could easily change my mind on any given day. For the sake of the next week, however, we'll go with these. Also realise that these aren't necessarily the best albums of the year, just the ones that I liked the most. There are lots out there that I haven't even heard yet that I'm sure will be even better than the ones already here, but them's the breaks.

There were also lots that other people really loved that I didn't really get into that much. Broken Bells, for instance, was good, but not great for me. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs was amazing, but it was just a four track EP, so I couldn't really qualify it. Eminem was decent, but I didn''t really like the Arcade Fire at all. Chromeo came close, but didn't quite make it in the end, which says something because I'm a big fan of those guys.

Kanye West scored a perfect 10 score from Pitchfork, but I have to admit that I don't really dig the album. Not that I was a huge Kanye fan to begin with, but I do enjoy some of his earlier stuff. This new one, however, just doesn't do it for me. I try not to put too much stock into lyrics and I felt the production was poor. Meh. Maybe it's just me.

So here's my list. To use my absolute least favourite quote of 2010: it is what it is. ;)

#21

Shit Robot

From The Cradle To The Rave

Shit Robot, real name Marcus Lambkin from DFA, has been around for a long time and has produced some awesome remixes, and even some great original works, but has never really ventured into the full-on production scene until now. This was a highly anticipated album among fans of the electronic album and, while it didn't quite rip the door down, it was an excellent album with some really cool sounding beats and featured lots of other great artists on vocals.

Previously released tracks like "Simple Things (Work It Out)" and "Triumph" (see below) were included, but tightened up a little here and there to go with seven other groovy tracks spanning exactly one hour in total length. Visions of early Chemical Brothers and the Flaming Lips are conjured, but Lambkin stays true to his heavy synth and arpeggiator roots in his debut LP. This isn't a rocking out album, it's for grooving through the night skies with some trippy beats to light the way.

Take 'Em Up

Grim Receiver

Triumph

#20

Bag Raiders

Bag Raiders

Bag Raiders are the Australian DJ duo Chris Stracey and Jack Glass. These guys have been around for a relatively short amount of time, and first came to my attention with the track "Fun Punch", that I featured in my post a month ago. This album also features "Shooting Stars" which is in that post. They combine a nu-disco synth sound with some really funky beats and have increasingly used vocals which feature fairly prominently on this album.

Daft Punk and Mylo are certainly influences and of course '80s synth pop, which seems to be experiencing somewhat of a revival these days. I'm loving it and you can be sure this won't be the only album to feature that sound on this list. This album has a great party funk feel to it and any time you combine partying and funk you have a winner. Give this album a shot, I bet you won't regret it. Let's start with their brand new video that came out about four days ago.

Sunlight

Snake Charmer

Gone Away

#19

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

I Learned The Hard Way

I first posted about Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings in October, when I first heard about them. Since then I've had a chance to listen to a couple albums and I have delightfully discovered that they are a first class modern soul revival group. Think Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Dusty Springfield. Sharon Jones maybe isn't quite in that esteemed group just yet, but she's pretty darn good and her band is awesome.

This is some seriously great evening groovin' tunes, maybe at a dinner party or just chillin' with the homies. Some of the sounds are so slick I half expect to hear them on a Quentin Tarantino soundtrack in the near future. Aside from the previously posted "If You Call", here are three choice tracks to help show you what's what.

I'll Still Be True

Window Shopping

Better Things

BONUS BEATS!

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - That One

Tomorrow, part 2.

DECEMBER MEGA POST 2

I've been away for a while again. Part of this was due to travel, part due to holiday obligations, and part admittedly to being tired and lazy, so again I will attempt to reconcile this with another mega post. Less writing this time, more music. Beginning tomorrow I'll begin to cover my seven favourite albums of the year.

We'll start with some folky stuff. This is Lior, who I don't really know anything about because I just happened to randomly come across this while sifting through a bunch of other stuff. He's Australian. Imagine that. Good music coming from the other side of the world. I don't really understand it either.

Lior - I'll Forget You

...and on to Sia, who sings backup on that last track. She's also from Australia. Even more decent music coming from the land of didgeridoos and things that hop. This makes no sense at all.

Sia - Buttons

Beth Orton is not Australian, she's English, which means she's one of the ones who sent those dirty criminal Aussies down to their giant penal colony all those years ago. I bet she wishes she was down there now instead of being buried in snow and freezing cold and neo-imperialism. Oops. There's a great remix of this track by Deep Dish around somewhere if you can find it. It's worth looking for.

Beth Orton - Central Reservation [Live]

I was talking about some of the better live shows that I've been to the other day, and one that definitely sticks out was seeing Rob Zombie and Korn at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton circa March '99. Ol' Rob and his dreads might not be the best musician ever, but as a showman he's hard to beat. Think go-go dancers, giant-ass flames, and giant-ass robots. His old band White Zombie was kick ass and this was the song that made them really get huge.

White Zombie - More Human Than Human

...and speaking of Korn, I have to say they were also awesome live. Jonathan Davis walked out in his kilt playing the bagpipes with a bunch of the audience brought on stage to hang out in cages behind the band. They opened with this classic and the place went nuts. What a show.

Korn - Blind

I've been dabbling in some minimal house lately, and one of the most exceptional producers of this genre in recent years is Ricardo Villalobos. Born in Chile but raised in Germany, his 2003 album "Alcachofa" is probably bested only by Metro Area's 2002 self-titled masterpiece in terms of influence on the genre. This is one of the tracks from it, and you can find some Metro Area below. It's not normal to see any kind of music video for a piece of minimal tech house, so this is particularly cool.

Ricardo Villalobos - Dexter

BONUS BEATS!

Âme - Rej



Antonelli Electr. - Waiting For You



Apademic - So Sexy



Blacktron - BooBass [Peter Gelderblom Remix]



Metro Area - Miura



Mowgli - Caraibi [Tom Flynn Remix]



The Orb - Toxygene [Ganja Kru Remix]



Phew... Tomorrow, the countdown begins.

Astrud Gilberto - Bim Bom

Bossa nova is a bit of a lost art these days. So much so that it's hard to imagine going to night clubs that played this stuff all night, maybe even with a live band. A mere half-century ago Astrud Gilberto was singing "The Girl From Ipanema" and the whole world was loving it. Maybe they still do, but would it have gone so far in today's sea of musical turbulence? I wonder. I like this video not only because of its goofy christmas shopping sound, but also because of the whole image of the video. Here's Astrud mouthing the words with an almost serene sterility, meanwhile there's a guy who looks straight out of a viagra commercial prancing around like John Cleese doing a silly walk. Amazing stuff.

Astrud Gilberto - Bim Bom



See ya at the Phoenix tonight.

The Olympic Symphonium - No Bad Habits

Once again we thank our friends at Southern Souls for this one. The Olympic Symphonium is a group made up of prominent Fredericton musicians Graeme Walker, Nick Cobham, and Kyle Cunjak. They're all extremely talented and all play in other projects, but this one is just a little different than the others. It's the kind of classic chamber folk music that sounds like it should be coming out of an old phonograph, to be listened to in front of the fire with a nice cup of egg nog... probably with a little Sailor Jerry in it... Anyway if you're into this, I suggest you check out the Shivering Songs festival at the end of January, which features some of the area's best folk groups. Of course the Capital will be hosting the Saturday evening portion of the event. Was there any doubt?

The Olympic Symphonium - No Bad Habits [Live]



Apparently they are playing in something called a... library?

DECEMBER MEGA POST

I took a week off to recharge the batteries, so I figure I owe the universe a week's worth of music. Also, aside from manning my usual Thurs-Fri-Sat night post at the new look Phoenix, I'll be opening up Sunday's Feels Good Christmas party, on from 7-9, spinning some sweet jazz/funk/soul that you should probably check out. Last year's party was easily the party of the year, so I can't stress enough how you shouldn't miss out on this one. Art, music, crazy people, and delicious delicious beer all in one place. Forget your boring work party, or even better move it to the Capital this Sunday. Trust me. Without further adieu, buckle up and enjoy these mad chunes.

We'll start off with a little blast from the past. Shout outs to Mad Mike who played a little bass this past weekend for KO at the Sound Academy in Toronto, opening up for Thornley and Big Wreck. Yes, that's right. Big Wreck. These guys rock like few others. Ian Thornley is a ridiculous guitar player and really if you haven't seen him live you are missing out. The Franchise was in attendance this past weekend, and this video brings back memories of the most epic weekend of partying I've ever been a part of, Molson Snowjam 2005. Thornley played at Marble Mountain in Newfoundland and blew the roof off. I'd tell you the story, but it requires both of us to be present along with at least an hour of your time and a whole lot of delicious delicious beer. I can't think of another band I'd rather see play at the Capital. Well, The Bronx would be pretty sweet too. Zach, make it happen.

Big Wreck - Blown Wide Open [Live @ SnowJam '98]

Way back when at least a decade ago this tune from Shakedown absolutely exploded on the house scene with Kid Creme's monster remix. Classic funky house par excellence, this is the lesser known original beat with accompanying video I didn't even know existed. The beat is still as fresh as I remember it, proving once again that class is permanent. Expect to hear this at least once this weekend if you're at the Phoenix, cause we're bringing back the funk.

Shakedown - At Night

Grooving right along... Kraak & Smaak represent the funk nicely with this new beat. I got the Boogie Funk Version of this and loved it, I think I might like the original even better. These guys are actually a trio from the Netherlands. I'd like to think that musical awesomeness is spread fairly even across the globe, and in large part it is, but there's just something about the funky greatness that comes out of Europe that makes me think that these guys really know how to party. DJ B-Ray World Tour? Hells yes please. Someone tell that Bill Gates guy to send a few Grovers to help a brother out.

Kraak & Smaak - Dynamite

Fin Greenall, aka Fink, is a really cool guy I'd like to meet. I don't necessarily like all his music, but the guy has mad talent and spreads it around. He's been a DJ, promoter, singer, songwriter, and producer and is part of the bad-ass Ninja Tune label. This is my favourite track of his, a live cut done a little different from the studio version. His 2006 album "Biscuits For Breakfast" is definitely worth checking out. Dig it.

Fink - Pretty Little Thing [Live @ One Shot Not]

"Noesis" is the title of the new album from Jay Denes, aka Blue Six, that features this groovy goodness that I just heard tonight. I first heard his awesome track "Music And Wine" years ago and immediately got my hands on his 2002 disc "Beautiful Tomorrow" which was a soulful house masterpiece. Apparently there's another one out there called "Aquarian Angel" that came out a couple years ago, but I haven't heard any of it yet. It's on my list of things to do. Like soon. You will definitely hear one of his tracks coming out of the speakers on Sunday evening.

Blue Six - You Play Too Rough

You've probably heard of similarish artist M.I.A., but maybe not Santigold. Especially since she was originally Santogold, but changed her stage name to avoid a douchey lawsuit. Santi is awesome not just because her music is dope, but because she writes and produces her own stuff, and it's all different. Some sounds punkish kinda like No Doubt, and some sounds just plain whack, like "Starstruck". I like variety, so I give her two thumbs up. Give her a shot.

Santigold - Creator

...and finally we have Barrington Levy. One of the legends of the Jamaican reggae scene, Mr. Levy is known for his unique voice and singing style. Sounds kind of like he's using autotune, but he ain't. His most famous tracks are probably "Too Experienced" and "Murderer", but this is the one I like best. It's got kind of air of '80's rock ballad to it and it's just one of those songs that sticks in your mind and makes you think. Kinda makes you want to raise your lighter up and light that dang flame too. Not lip syncing here either. Spread the love.

Barrington Levy - Vice Versa Love [Live]

BONUS BEATS!

Alexkid - Nightshade

Bobby Hughes Combination - Theme From Skidoo

Dublex Inc. - Nifty Nights [Monophonic Remix]

Llorca - The Novel Sound

Sandboy - Viver [Butti 49 Re-Fusion]

Phew. I hope that makes up for my little vacation. See ya tomorrow.

John Lennon - Instant Karma

Today is the 30th anniversary of the death of John Lennon. You probably already know this but I think it's probably important that we keep him in mind. It's not the man himself that was important per se, but the message in his music. While "Imagine" is his best known work, I like this one too, and maybe you haven't heard it enough.

John Lennon - Instant Karma



Take that pop stars.

Groove Armada - Paper Romance

Groove Armada is the project of producers Andy Cato and Tom Findlay. I first found them via Evil C, who introduced me to Fatboy Slim's remix of their track "I See You Baby", which achieved international recognition for being a big beat block of awesome. They came back a couple years later with the gigantic blockbusting sensation that was "Superstylin'". I absolutely loved that one. Since then they haven't quite reached those heights, but they're still rocking out and the newest album "Black Light" is well worth checking out. It's quite a bit different, but give it a try and you'll probably find at least a couple tracks that you'll really dig. This is a crazy video to go with their first single off of it.

Groove Armada - Paper Romance

BONUS BEATS!

Groove Armada - Look Me In The Eye Sister [Audiojack Remix]



And here's something I kind of whipped up yesterday, work in progress.

Cosmosis



Basic song structure is done, lots more fills and variations to be put in, but it's getting there.

Bucket Truck - You Walk Behind

Bucket Truck are serious metal rockers from St. John's, Newfoundland. Don't hear that much do ya? Apparently not everyone from The Rock wants to hear bagpipes and traditional celtic music. I heard this track years ago and thought it was sweet, then just kinda forgot about it.

Sadly it seems as if the band has broken up. It would have been awesome to see them at a Metal Monday at the Capital. This is part two of a couple videos they made to go along with each other. The audio quality isn't great, but if anything it just adds to the grittiness.

Watch part one here: "If It's All The Same".

Tupac Shakur - Changes

I'm still mulling over the various changes I want to make to the blog. The format, the content, the appearance, the focus, the application within the new website that I'm starting to conjure up. Whichever direction I take, one thing is clear, it's going to be a lot of work, and the social life is probably going to have to suffer a little because of it.

Tupac Shakur was as colorful a character as you're ever likely to see again in the music scene. While his behaviour was at times verging on the deplorable, you have to respect his talent and endeavour to succeed after growing up in a somewhat less than ideal environment. Was he a victim of circumstance, or did he bring it upon himself? We may never know, but in a world of corporate fabrications littered with wannabes his electrically charged lyrics still seem fresh more than a decade after his departure.

Tupac Shakur - Changes



What a song.

Hot Chip - I Feel Better

I first heard about Hot Chip from the UK charts a couple years ago, when they had achieved moderate success with a couple mixed albums and sporadic singles. Even then you could hear that they had a pretty bright future. Here they are with their big song of the moment, and a pretty snazzy video to boot.

Hot Chip - I Feel Better



Is usual, you can find me at the Phoenix ce soir.

Goldfish - This Is How It Goes

Goldfish are from South Africa and bring the grooves with a jazzy feel. They've been around for a little while but are only now beginning to find their feet in the international scene. I'm playing them right now at the Phoenix and you're missing it. These things happen. Check them out, and come hang out with me here tonight.

Goldfish - This Is How It Goes



I mean it. Come to the Capital.

Jimmy Swift Band - Turnaround

Well tonight at the Capital is, at long last, the CD release party for the new album from the Jimmy Swift Band. It's a double album, so that kind of makes up for the wait. Gonna be a long day for me first setting up for the Team Canada DJ's show up at the SUB, then down to the Cap to play some JSB, and heck, watch a little JSB. You should really check it out. I have a feeling it's going to be something in the area of awesome. Here's a video from their last album. Oh and some new Daft Punk from the Tron Legacy soundtrack that comes out in 5 days.

Jimmy Swift Band - Turnaround

BONUS BEATS!

Daft Punk - Derezzed



And... it's go time.

Michael Cassette - Ghost In The Machine

Joel posted this one a few days ago and I thought it was pretty cool. Michael Cassette is actually a couple of Finnish guys who make awesome music and pretend that they're just some recluse hanging out in a magical hidden basement studio somewhere. Pretty cool idea, and pretty cool music. They have a a highly anticipated new album out called "Temporarity" that I can't wait to get my hands on. In the meantime, I'll let you check this stuff out.

BONUS BEATS!

Michael Cassette - Moonlight Runner

Busy days ahead... gonna need some good tunes to get through.