New Video: “Heaven Can Wait”
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Check out the video for Charlotte Gainsbourg and Beck’s duet track “Heaven Can Wait”:
[link]
Whistle While You Kraftwerk.
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KRAFTWERK.COM | ASTRALWERKS.COM
Today marks the release of Kraftwerk’s CD and vinyl box-sets. To refresh your memory Kraftwerk is the mega-legendary German electronic band that formed in 1970 and has proceeded to rock the planet with supreme synthpop authority ever since. They were influenced by other great minds like Jimi Hendrix, Velvet Underground, and the Stooges. Other artists like Afrika Bambaataa and The Sonic Soul Force and Jay-Z have borrowed some of Kraftwerk’s riffs. Some think the band was responsible for the birth of Techno.
The box-sets are digitally remastered and include more artwork than the original releases.
Check out this excerpt from Pitchfork’s interview with Kraftwerk’s Ralf Hütter:
Pitchfork: The Catalogue box is something that’s been in the works for some time. What were some of the issues that caused it to be delayed, and how are they resolved?
Ralf Hütter: I was involved in going through the visual archives from the printing studio, the old photographs and the original prints of the original designs for drawings and ideas for the original cover. And that wasn’t really fully worked out when The Catalogue was announced in 2004. We put out a little promo box, and then we toured quite a lot around the world over the last five years. But in between, we went into the archives [and] saw some of the artwork that was never publicized or published in this quality. And there was always something missing or we were not able to do the whole photo as it was planned. So now for the first time, you will see the original artwork in the way it was visually composed by us at the time. All original graphics and more photographs and drawings. And of course, they have been mastered and upgraded for 2009 mastering techniques. So it’s all up-to-date and we’re very happy with the outcome of everything, so now for the first time you’ll see Kraftwerk in the album packaging as it was, complete.
Pitchfork: With the original issues of the albums, why were you not able to realize your vision of it at the time?
RH: Well, it was foldout covers or not so many photographs or print allowed or the colors were messed up. So many mistakes. Like in America, they changed the folds from left to right. Things like that. There was just always so much bad quality and the CD was scanned down from vinyl so there was never really high quality involved. We were not really in control of that at the time, but now for the first time, we have been able to put everything together and then add those drawings or photographs or images or paintings that were not possible for us to put them in the album at the time, in the 70s.
…You can read the rest here.
Free track from Wale’s new Album!
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Over the last few years Wale has released three mixtapes and today his full album Attention Deficit is dropping today. I think Wale’s all right; I dug his song with Lady Gaga and I think he is pretty creative. Kinda flashy. I guess time will tell how long he’ll be around.
This song features Somalian MC K’naan and was produced by TV On the Radio’s Dave Sitek. Enjoy this new track!
“Tv In the Radio” – Wale featuring K’naan
Get It While It’s Hot.
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Check your pocketbooks – some cool albums are being released in the next couple weeks that you might want to try listening to.
MYSPACE | POLYVINYL RECORD CO.
“Suzanne“ - Asobi Seksu from Rewolf
Asobi Seksu means “playful sex” in colloquial Japanese and it’s also the name of a boy-girl duet on indie label Polyvinyl Record Co. Polyvinyl’s been around for awhile and can boast about once being home to artists like Braid, Rainer Maria, Owen, Cap’n Jazz and currently hosting bands Aloha, Architecture in Helsinki, Joan of Arc, of Montreal and 31 Knots.
The duo is made up of James Hanna on guitar and vocals and Yuki Chikudate on keyboards and vocals. They make songs with soft textures and delicate vocals. “Suzanne” is a track from their forthcoming album Rewolf coming out on November 10th. It is a dreamy lullabye of a track with wavering flutes, tinkering chimes and almost whispery vocals.
Listen to clips from the album at Juno Records
Killer Funk Disco Allstars are a mystery to me. There are no bios, no discographies, no pictures of the band, no videos. All that’s here is this funky, rocking 12″ being released on November 16th with four tracks. “Going Back to My Boots [Because I Can't Find My Shoes]” is a Diana Ross meets Kool and the Gang jam with ahh-ing background vocals. “Indecision [I Used To Be Decisive, But Now I'm Not So Sure]” sounds like an early Aretha Franklin groove. The other two tracks are equally as jamming. The collection is definitely worth checking out.
Buddy Miles was not only just a great drummer, he was Jimi Hendrix’s drummer – that makes him at least two times as awesome in my book. He also played with other classic acts like the Delfonics, Wilson Pickett, Ruby & the Romantics and the Ink Spots. He released some of his own records starting with 1968’s Expressway to Your Skull, A Message to the People and All the Faces of Buddy Miles which is being re-released on November 10th by Wounded Bird Records.
Also dropping on November 10th, 2009:
Wale, The Cribs, Mastedon, Echo & the Bunnymen and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
Yr Hip Halloween Haunts -
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Going out for Halloween? Check out some of these live performances if you can…
SAN FRANCISCO:
NEW YORK:
CHICAGO:
Myspace Mondays: Suzi Analogue.
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I hear from a lot of different artists on Myspace. Sometimes [just sometimes] their music is great, but most of the time it’s quite terrible. I’ve been mulling it over in my head and I’ve decided that I’d like to spotlight some of the singers, songwriters, producers and musicians that I enjoy.
So, I’d like to introduce Suzi Analogue, my latest Myspace discovery. The self-proclaimed Brown Girl Wonder describes herself as a singer [she's a soprano], songwriter and soul slanger.
Go listen to some of her tunes.
Etta Brains: The Tao of Wu
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I caught an interview with RZA of Wu Tang fame on the Tavis Smiley show early this afternoon. He talks about his new memoir, The Tao of Wu, Wu Tang, religion and his life. You can watch some video of it here on the PBS site.
I can’t wait to read it. Has anyone read it yet?
Friday Favorites!
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Best tracks:
Karen O and The Kids
“Capsize” [Imeem]
This track is from the “Where the Wild Things Are” soundtrack and is probably my favorite song on the album. I love how angular Karen O’s vocals sound over all the lush layers of fuzzy chimes, acoustic guitars, handclaps, tambourines and bass drums. Let it sink in.
The Cinematic Orchestra
Music for a stuttering dream sequence.
Nosaj Thing
“Quest“
A song for the other side of the mirror with some groove to it. A lullabye with snap that could’ve been on the Edward Scissorhands soundtrack if it had been produced by Flying Lotus. Much too short.
Better Than the Rest?
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I stumbled upon this group on accident and proceeded with caution. I love Afro-beat, Afro-rock, etc but I’ve mentioned before my feelings towards the minimal range and uniformity of sound in some of the compilations and newer albums I’ve heard. However, these three men have combined modern electronic sounds and some thumping beats to create a fresh world music interpretation that even the most narrow listener can give a chance.
Julia – The Very Best
The Very Best is Malawi-born vocalist Esau Mwamwaya paired with the French and Swedish duo Radioclit. This is my favorite track from their album, The Warm Heart of Africa. Fairly minimal but still awesome, it opens with a sick synth loop that snakes it ways throughout the chorus, adds in a compressed snare and then layers in the vocals. It’s a great song to start with to ease yourself into the rest of the album.
Also, check out the Javelin Re-Do of “Julia” on the Etta Strange Imeem playlist.
Grizzly Bear vs. The Flaming Lips: The Conan Editon
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The Flaming Lips performed ”Watching the Planets” from their album Embryonic on the Conan O’Brien show last night. I was playing a game of Uno when they came on and I kept playing, taking frequent glaces at the television. Super artsy, etc – but I didn’t think it sounded that great. My favorite part was the motion sensor gong.
“Watching the Planets” [live] – The Flaming Lips
[link]
I must say that I preferred the performance from the night before. Grizzly Bear and Beach House’s Victoria Legrand sang a beautiful, melodic song from their album Veckatimest that got my full attention.
“Two Weeks” [live] - Grizzly Bear
[link]
And also check out the bizarre video directed by Patrick Daughters:
[link]
