Here are a few of my favorite summer albums that you should add to your listening list:
This Is It - The Strokes
Cults - Cults
Nocturne - Wild Nothing
Doolittle - The Pixies
The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths
It Still Moves - My Morning Jacket
Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society - The Kinks
Loaded - The Velvet Underground
Nocturne - Wild Nothing
Treats - Sleigh Bells
Within And Without - Washed Out
Kaputt - Destroyer
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
Disco Ain't Dead
Disco is a polarizing genre, to say the least. Many people say it should never have existed; most people (including disco fans) say that it's dead and buried. In light of all this, it might surprise you to hear that, not only is disco alive and kicking, but dominating the charts. I'm talking of course about these guys:
Like it or not, Daft Punk's brilliant new single "Get Lucky" is a bona fide disco track, once again proving that the duo draws from a deeper well than often they're credited for. True, the casual radio listener is familiar with "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" because of the sample in Yeezy's "Stronger"or the Youtube video of the girls with sharpied arms. Their talents stretch far beyond that song, however. The pulsing crawler "Television Rules the Nation" is cavernous and dark, comparable to Nine Inch Nail's definitive "Closer" with a beat that is easier to dance to. "Aerodynamic" is a frenzied instrumental track with screaming guitars and an irregular bass beat, as good of a basketball pump-up jam as any Waka-Flocka track (shudder). "One More Time" is anthemic, nostalgic, and joyful, with breakdowns and drops that blow dubstep (double shudder) out of the water.
"Get Lucky" is brave. It attempt to revive disco was a dangerous bid in the world of popular music, full of young people who have always heard how bad disco is from their parents. Disco is a cultural joke. Luckily, their bid paid off and "Get Lucky" is one of the most popular tracks in the world.
Here's a playlist of disco tracks (both new and old) that are worth a listen:
Don't Feel Like Dancin - Scissor Sisters
Gimme Gimme Gimme - Abba
Night By Night - Chromatics
Heart of Glass - Blondie
Danger! High Voltage - Electric Six
Love Today - MIKA
Wait and See - Holy Ghost!
Invisible Light - Scissor Sisters
Get Lucky - Daft Punk
Like it or not, Daft Punk's brilliant new single "Get Lucky" is a bona fide disco track, once again proving that the duo draws from a deeper well than often they're credited for. True, the casual radio listener is familiar with "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" because of the sample in Yeezy's "Stronger"or the Youtube video of the girls with sharpied arms. Their talents stretch far beyond that song, however. The pulsing crawler "Television Rules the Nation" is cavernous and dark, comparable to Nine Inch Nail's definitive "Closer" with a beat that is easier to dance to. "Aerodynamic" is a frenzied instrumental track with screaming guitars and an irregular bass beat, as good of a basketball pump-up jam as any Waka-Flocka track (shudder). "One More Time" is anthemic, nostalgic, and joyful, with breakdowns and drops that blow dubstep (double shudder) out of the water.
"Get Lucky" is brave. It attempt to revive disco was a dangerous bid in the world of popular music, full of young people who have always heard how bad disco is from their parents. Disco is a cultural joke. Luckily, their bid paid off and "Get Lucky" is one of the most popular tracks in the world.
Here's a playlist of disco tracks (both new and old) that are worth a listen:
Don't Feel Like Dancin - Scissor Sisters
Gimme Gimme Gimme - Abba
Night By Night - Chromatics
Heart of Glass - Blondie
Danger! High Voltage - Electric Six
Love Today - MIKA
Wait and See - Holy Ghost!
Invisible Light - Scissor Sisters
Get Lucky - Daft Punk
Monday, June 3, 2013
Ringtone
This is my ringtone and people have been blowing up my phone today so it's stuck in my head. Summmmmmmmmer.
Essential Artists - Vampire Weekend
It's summer, and that means that happy music - or at least music that sounds happy - is a must for those pool party playlists, hot early morning drives to work, and nights on the beach with good friends. Luckily, the kings of upbeat have delivered another stellar album, just in time for summer.
If you're not familiar with Vampire Weekend, have no fear. Their music is about as easy to dive into as a heated pool. Melody is the name of the game, but it's not their only asset; their almost impossibly catchy tunes are assisted by well crafted, admittedly esoteric lyrics ranging from college girlfriends to Yahweh, all bravely belted/yodeled/crooned by lead singer Ezra Koenig. The other asset is the tightness of the instruments. The music is so mathematical, so precise, that you half expect it to sound cold and methodical. Far from it. Vampire Weekend evokes euphoria in almost every song, even in nostalgic laments like "Diplomat's Son" or gut-wrenching love/hate letters to God like "Ya Hey."
Vampy Weeks has been criticized for being pretentious, but if you know anything about the band it's very easy to pick up on the self-awareness and cheekiness in their music.
Every time that I post an essential artist, I strongly encourage you to get ahold of their entire discography and listen to it all the way through. This is especially easy for VW because they only have three albums.But for now I'll leave you with a playlist of some of my favorites. Happy listening!
If you're not familiar with Vampire Weekend, have no fear. Their music is about as easy to dive into as a heated pool. Melody is the name of the game, but it's not their only asset; their almost impossibly catchy tunes are assisted by well crafted, admittedly esoteric lyrics ranging from college girlfriends to Yahweh, all bravely belted/yodeled/crooned by lead singer Ezra Koenig. The other asset is the tightness of the instruments. The music is so mathematical, so precise, that you half expect it to sound cold and methodical. Far from it. Vampire Weekend evokes euphoria in almost every song, even in nostalgic laments like "Diplomat's Son" or gut-wrenching love/hate letters to God like "Ya Hey."
Vampy Weeks has been criticized for being pretentious, but if you know anything about the band it's very easy to pick up on the self-awareness and cheekiness in their music.
Every time that I post an essential artist, I strongly encourage you to get ahold of their entire discography and listen to it all the way through. This is especially easy for VW because they only have three albums.But for now I'll leave you with a playlist of some of my favorites. Happy listening!
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