If you don’t like it? won’t you tell me?

This song is eerie. The bass drum thumps, the guitar drones, what’s not to like about gritty music? The Walkmen is the band. Play the song, and enjoi.

Download audio file (AlltheHandsCook.mp3)

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If there is a truly unique, instant classic song, it is “Constance” by Mr. J. Medeiros. He beautifully narrates the story of a 13 year old girl in the Philippines who is exploited for pornography. Her father brings her to a motel, where she is sold for her sexual services and filmed for the American man’s website. Medeiros is able to clearly depict thought provoking details that are not only moving, but are also chilling. Each word is carefully thought out and placed perfectly.

The music video is a must see. The scenes that are shown are neither overdone nor too inappropriate. It carries you through the story while still leaving room for the imagination. If you are looking for a completely new style of a song with a fresh topic, tune in to “Constance.”

Constance - Mr. J Medeiros

Jimmy

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This is how we chill from 93′ till, i’ve been chillin since before thaaatt and still am. This song is one of the reasons why I have so much early 90’s rap. I’m a sucker for chill beats. Hopefully this song will encourage you as it did me, to do some homework and find a bunch of older rap songs. 

From 93′ Till

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New Kanye song. I’ve been hearing mixed reviews, from it’s “pretty cool”, “i can get used to this” to “I’m so ready to sock Kanye in his fucking junk for this bullshit.” Personally I like the drum break down and the piano but really, I’m sick of the autotune/vocoder/tpain-wannabe sound that’s all over the airwaves haha. What do you think?

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Probably Admin’s favorite band for this year, it’s about time Vampire Weekend gets recognized on this website. So let me recite what I know about them from memory. Vampire Weekend formed in New York, since its members all graduated from Colombia University. They were referred to as one of the biggest bands to come out NY since Interpol, and are probably one of the most interesting bands out right now.

You’ve probably already heard of them though, and might not understand the indie hype. Unless you listen to their album you never will. Take African pop music (Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa) mix it with flirty violins and pile that over a bouncy drum and guitar to understand what they are doing. VW is a melting pot of sound, lyrics and creativity. Here’s a newer song from a movie that recently came out and another from their self titled cd. 

Ottoman
Download audio file (Ottoman.mp3)

Campus
Download audio file (M79.mp3)

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Zechs Marquise.  Legendary pilot of the OZ-00MS Tallgeese.  Callsign “Preventer Wind”.  Respected on the El Paso music scene.

This is more than a reason to impose a flashback to my formative years on the blog.  Just bear with me.  A while ago I had heard that Marcel and Marfred Rodriguez-Lopez (related to Omar Rodriguez-Lopez of The Mars Volta) had put together a side project called Zechs Marquise and were keeping it a separate entity in the hopes of not being catapulted into the spotlight by The Mars Volta.  For a while, it seems, they remained pretty obscure and hadn’t been playing any shows in my area, but recently I got ahold of their 2008 LP and an EP and am extremely pleased.

Our Delicate Stranded Nightmare incorporates elements of progressive rock and jazz, but it doesn’t play like a Mars Volta record; or it doesn’t play like a recent Volta record.  There’s a sense of spaciousness on the album that provides room for layers of instrumentals, jams, and ambience to build up into walls of sound that feel ready either to crumble or crush.  The tracks “Strapped to the Mast” and “Sirenum Scopuli” are the perfect examples, escalating from a funky, minimalist jazz overture to an exploding grind, plateauing with an agoraphobic, spacey jam, exploding again, and leaving you with a sort of electronic paranoia.

I’ll be the first to admit that I have a bias when it comes to the wankery that the Rodriguez-Lopez familia produces, but I don’t think it’s a unreasonable one.  The music is damn good.

Strapped to the Mast
Download audio file (Strappedmast.mp3)

Sirenum Scopuli
Download audio file (Scopuli.mp3)
 

http://www.myspace.com/zechsmarquise

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Let’s take this next one all the way back to now. 

Chromeo’s chirping apegiators, clean drums, and humorous instrumentals and lyrics makes this band a funky and functional duo. P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel), on keyboards, synthesizers, and talk box, and Dave 1 (David Macklovitch) on guitar and lead vocals have been best friends since childhood. They pride themselves as being the only successful Arab/Jewish collaboration since the beginning of time.

The duo’s chemistry is great, creating seriously outrageous tracks like Momma’s Boy and Fancy Footwork. Their music is funky, clean cut with only essential chirps, dings and buzzes that encourages at least a little head bop if not a full dance routine. If not, then let the themes to every song put a smile on your face. enjoi

Bonafied Lovin
Download audio file (BonafiedLovin.mp3)

Fancy Footwork
Download audio file (FancyFootwork.mp3)
 

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Sorry about the long wait. It’s been a busy week. But this is a song to calm the masses.

Belle and Sebastian have been regarded as the “greatest scottish band ever” probably because they speak an intelligible english, or because they have very awesome music. You have probably heard of them, but if you haven’t try any cd they’ve came out with. Their music is easily enjoyed by anyone, the lyrics are always interesting and wonderful. This song is a personal favorite. I implore you to find more songs. Enjoy.

Fox in the Snow
Download audio file (Foxinthesnow.mp3)

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An angry man walks into a bar, If I Ever Feel Better is playing in the background and the man looses control of himself and breaks out dancing. Pardon me if you thought that set up was for a joke, because it was not. Since that didn’t make you smile, try listening to Phoenix. 

Phoenix is a four-man funky/disco pop band from La France. Their guitarist Laurent Brancowitz was part of the band Darlin’ with Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, the men who eventually became Daft Punk (helping explain that funky sound they produce). 

The two songs featured come from the same album, UNITED. So click below to listen to them, hopefully they will make smile, or break out dancing. enjoi

If I ever Feel Better
Download audio file (IfIEverFeelBetter.mp3)
 

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