These tracks aren’t all particularly new, but who wants to listen to cutting edge indie when you can blare your pre-loved jams at the cottage and break out in a flash mob of karaoke with your friends and/or family. Here is a break down of some of the music I will be bringing up North this weekend:
OMC - How Bizarre This is my face whenever this song comes on. This is my face when I’m annoyed with WordPress because the quirky song I want to post can’t be uploaded straight from my iTunes and I have to use a youtube version…
Tanlines – RealLife Tanlines is from Brooklyn, but this song sounds more “tropical island” than “New York City” to me
Santigold - This Isn’t Our Parade
I couldn’t find a better version of this song (sorry) hopefully it will motivate you to buy the album to get the full effect because it’s worth it.
tUnE-yArDs – Powa
Makes me want to sit back in a Muskoka chair.
ArcadeFire- Month of May
Because it’s the May 2-4 long weekend — get it?
That’s about it. I’m going to save the rest for an actual downloadable playlist since it’s been a while since I made one of those. Hope everyone has a great weekend!
So I haven’t had a bunch of time to post daily but I figured I would make a weekend playlist made up of all the music I’ve listened to this week. So TGIF everyone!
This is a great album, I listen to it on the regular at work and dance, snap and look like a weirdo moving around in silence in my office as if people can’t see me, when really they can. I’m preeetty popular.
This song is better uninterrupted (and I’m not crazy about the video), I couldn’t find a good link sorry – but you can download it for free by clicking above if you want.
North American news stations have a nasty habit of picking up a story about a devastating natural disaster, blasting the public with updates for about a week or two, then promptly dropping it to cover more important news. (What would I do without prompt updates on the whereabouts of Sarah Palin’s hairdresser or the fluxuations of Kim Kardashian’s ass size? Die, probably.)
However, back at the locations of tragedies, victims don’t just disappear when we flip to TLC to catch a rerun of Cake Boss. It’s really sad that our attention span for global tragedy is so shortsighted.
Remember the Japanese Tsunami on March 11th, 2011?
The earthquake in Haiti on January 12th, 2010?
The BP oil spill on April 20th, 2010?
Yeah, they’re still cleaning up after those.
So imagine my happiness to discover that a few of my favourite artists have pieced together a benefit cd called Recorded for Japan. It’s chock-filled with psychedelic guitar licks, silky keyboard pulses and funky drumbeats. Proceeds will go to the Japanese Red Cross. Keep your ear out for contributions by Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Chairlift, Kurt Vile, and R. Stevie Moore (feat. members of MGMT) in the sampler below.
If you’re looking for another awesome cd that supports relief efforts in Japan, the Morning Benders put out an incredible benefit EP called Japan Echo this year. Click here to buy it; you won’t regret it.
Another amazing compilation that supports a worthy cause is 2009′s Dark Was The Night, released by the Red Hot Organization in support of HIV/AIDS awareness. Produced by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National, the compilation cd features amazing covers and collaborations by Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Andrew Bird and over two dozen other indie heavyweights.
Two of my favourite tracks off Dark Was The Night are Knotty Pine and Deep Blue Sea by Dan Rossen of Grizzly Bear, which was recorded in Rossen’s own home.
Knotty Pine – David Byrne and The Dirty Projectors:
Listening to music helps people. So the next time your mom starts shouting at you to “…shut off your Goddamned boom box and come help with the groceries!“, tell her you’re helping to save the world, one track at a time.
It isn’t July just yet, but I wanted to get a head start since I will be out of the country come Canada Day (how ironic). I am going on an exciting adventure to Italy and Greece for the whole month and may not get a chance to post as much. So, I figured a nostalgic/loosely themed playlist could be a second-rate consolation prize.
I tried to fit all my recent favourites on this playlist (Foster the People, Wild Nothing etc.) as well as some consistent favourites. So on that note, here is my parting gift for the month if I don’t get an opportunity to post what I’m listening to.
Track Listing
01 Send Me On My Way - Rusted Roots
02 Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win - Beastie Boys ft. Santogold
03 Home - LCD Soundsystems
04 Call It What You Want - Foster the People
05 Gamme Ray - Beck
06 Churches Under The Stairs - BSS presents...Brendan Canning
07 Summer Holiday - Wild Nothing
08 Abducted - Cults
09 Set 'em Free pt.1 - Akron/Family
10 Speaking In Tongues - Arcade Fire ft. David Byrne
11 Like I Needed - Rogue Wave
12 Minnesota, WI - Bon Iver
13 When I Come Home - The Drums
14 Wrapped Up In Books - Belle & Sebastian
I don’t have time to write something creative about these newly released Arcade Fire songs. So please, just feel free to listen to them on repeat like I have since finding them.
Speaking in Tongues – Arcade Fire
UPDATE: I’m trying to find a consistent link to Culture War…
The following 10 albums round out my all-time favourites to listen to over the past year in ascending order. Enjoy, and please comment with your favourites of the year, I’m really interested since I am not able to listen to every single album that was released in 2010!
#10 - Causers of This – Toro Y Moi
This album made for great travel music; despite whether I was driving, forcing a driver to listen to it, or on the GO/subway. I like the tone of Chad Bundick’s voice and his lyrics are really sweet. Watching them perform live was a bonus and only made me like the album more. Take a listen to Imprint After, Blessa, and Talamak.
Talamak – Toro y Moi
#9 – Eyelid Movies – Phantogram I have a crush on these songs, because they seem so effortless and sweet but still have this funky side to them. As Far As I Can See has a bit of a motown vibe, and When I’m Small and Mouthful of Diamonds (the most popular of the album) are upbeat and dancey. Then it has songs like 10 000 Claps and All Dried Up that hit you in the gut when you pair their lyrics with Sarah Barthel’s voice. Yet another musical front-woman that makes me envy her talent.
When I’m Small- Phantogram
#8 - Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager – Kid Cudi
Even though this album was just released, I am constantly listening to it. I go from start to finish without skipping over songs (something I don’t do often with albums that have over 13 tracks, since I suffer from musical ADD…). Plus, blasting these songs in my car and pretending I can rap is incredibly fun. My favourites: Mojo So Dope, We Aite (Wake Your Mind Up), MANIAC, and REVOFEV.
REVOFEV – Kid Cudi
#7 – Animal Shapes – Geographer
I like that Geographer has this synth-y sound to its songs and how it also pops some of the ol’ cello in there. Kites is the stand out of this trios EP, but Night Winds, Verona and Paris are just as awesome to me. There’s something special about Michael Deni’s voice, who started up the band after the tragic death of his sister and father; it’s almost angelic. Especially when he hits those high notes.
Kites – Geographer
#6 – Forgiveness Rock Record – Broken Social Scene
I pretty much just wrote a love letter to Broken Social Scene in my last post so I’m not going to say why this album made my list.
Romance to the Grave – Broken Social Scene
#5 - Say It – Born Ruffians & Champ – Tokyo Police Club (TIE)
Trying to figure out which one of these bands I like more would be like picking a favourite sibling. I only have one sibling, so I never have to choose in that scenario. I don’t want to choose in this one so I made them tie. Both have adorable frontmen who write geeky romantic lyrics that make you feel like you’re reading their diaries, sorry, jooournals… and I’ve probably seen them maybe a dozen times combined? So clearly I’m a fan.
What to Say - Born Ruffians
Favourite Food - Tokyo Police Club
#4 – This is Happening – LCD Soundsystem
I love this album. Two of my favourites are Dance Yrself Clean and Home. I love how they build (and build up) a song – it’s like James Murphy has it to a science. Just wait for the 2:55 mark of Dance Yrself Clean and hopefully you will get what I mean. Other songs I love: All I Want and Pow Pow.
Dance Yrself Clean – LCD Soundsystem
#3 – Swim – Caribou Making my top three was easy, and putting them in order wasn’t all that hard either. Swim will no doubt be several people’s favourite album of the year. Take a listen to Odessa (a mega hit this year) off of Swim and you will understand why this band is so special. Because you will no longer be sitting reading this post. You will be up. Out of your seat. Dancing.
Odessa – Caribou
#2 – The Suburbs – Arcade Fire I must admit I was late on the Arcade Fire bandwaggon, and I don’t harness a personal love or awe of talent for its members (most likely because I’ve never seen them live). All I know is I really like the music they make. I even had a weird moment of making awkward head shakes when thinking of what to write about this album because I like it so much. And the whole idea of urban decay and the feeling of emptiness in suburbia isn’t lost on me. My favourites from this album: Rococo, Modern Man, Ready to Start, and City With No Children, but my all time favourite was the continued version of Suburbs (insert weird and awkward head movements again from me just thinking about that song).
We Used To Wait – Arcade Fire
#1 – Teen Dream – Beach House I saved the best for last (because that’s the point of these lists…). I have easily heard this album start to finish over a hundred times since it has been out. The dreamy and sad tone in Victoria Legrand’s voice, the easy listening quality of it without being boring. It’s just a solid album. If that wasn’t enough, they also sound just as perfect live as they do on the album.
Sasha’s first post was about Arcade Fire’s music video for Neighborhood #1 – Tunnels. My first post was chock-full of songs that I was crazy about. Since starting the blog, I’d like to think we’ve evolved. We went through a name change (née Songs From Last Night, a name chosen by dear Cary) and a few background makeovers worthy of a bad TLC show. Of course, I have lots of dreams for the blog in the future.
Someday soon, I’d like to host mp3s on our own server instead of relying on the links of others. I’d also like to have a personalized header instead of that big, bland text – it’s like leaving your bedroom walls painted white after you move in. No tanks. I’d also love to have enough readership to make a little dent on Hypemachine. I hope we can become the little hobbyblog that could!
I’m excited to see what this guy has whipped up for our avatars. I requested to be drawn with a lion’s pelt or a bowtie – I think that stems from my secret desire to be a member of MGMT.
I have FINALLY finished a playlist, and I made it extra long to compensate for the delay. Hopefully you will enjoy the mash-up of older and new-ish songs as well as some of my musical throwbacks to the summer and California.
TRACK LISTING
01 Yesterday Never Tomorrows - The Stills
02 Le Ferrassie - Tokyo Police Club
03 Danse Cave - Still Life Still
04 Rich - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
05 Spitting Venom - Modest Mouse
06 Green Eyes - Wavves
07 In the Water - Beat Connection
08 CP2Low feat. Ludacris - Woodhands
09 Another Mother To Mother You - Metronomy
10 Bearfight - Ten Kens
11 I Remember - Yeasayer
12 One Life Stand - Hot Chip
13 Santa Ana Winds - Cold War Kids
14 There's So Many Colours - Akron/Family
15 The Suburbs (con't) - Arcade Fire
16 Saint Simon - The Shins
17 The Mountain - Heartless Bastards
18 Hot Like Fire (cover) - The xx
19 Slow Kids - Cheeky Cheeky and The Nosebleeds
20 The Maid Needs a Maid - Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton
21 The Pilgrim - Sam Roberts
22 Tonight - TV on the Radio
DOWNLOAD IT!
I LOVE this song, this whole album I LOVE. Arcade Fire didn’t disappoint me with Suburbs. There is also a beautiful slow version of the track Suburbs that I was trying to find as a .mp3 since I’m not able to directly host music but I couldn’t find it… yet. Enjoy!
Welcome to August everyone! Warm weather, long weekends, and (for me at least) birthdays. I intentionally put a song with some birthday lyrics in there just for me, but the rest of the songs are a mix of older and new. It’s basically a mash-up of what I wanted to listen to in the car/at work for the rest of this glorious month — so I hope that you’ll like it too. Enjoy.
Track Listing
01 Wires - Coconut Records
02 Turtles Have Short Legs - Can
03 Sheila - Atlas Sound
04 Yellow Wings - Keepaway
05 Swift Coin - Land of Talk
06 Hey - Pixies
07 Black Sheep - Metric
08 My Heart Rate Rapid - Metronomy
09 Kites - Geographer
10 Polygons - Magic Man
11 New Country (live) - Broken Social Scene
12 Come Back - Born Ruffians
13 Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) - Arcade Fire
14 Frankenstein - Tokyo Police Club
Talamak – Toro y Moi
REVOFEV – Kid Cudi
Kites – Geographer
Romance to the Grave – Broken Social Scene
Odessa – Caribou
We Used To Wait – Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire – Rococo
Track Listing
