MP3 blog 2010/01/07

blog 2010/01/07 - I was once slow and now I am not slow but oh still so far behind.

OK, let's just get straight to it!

Ancient Astronauts - A Hole to Swallow Us (with Phat Old Mamas):  A damn fine downtempo album.  This is the kind of release that classics are made of.  Like Aim, like Downtempo, like RJD2, Ancient Astronauts have a winner with "We Are To Answer".
Ancient Astronauts - I Came Running:   If you enjoy the sexy beats, and I know you do, I highly recommend this album.  Great production, mostly wonderful guest spots, and enough variety to keep your attention the whole way through.

Andrea Riberti - El Sabor:  I love my techy house, but what does it here is the area recording sounds that are just embedded throughout.  Taking notes frmo KLF's "stadium house" sound, here we have "pedestrian mall house".  And oh yeah, that juicey sax lick sure helps, too.

Anneke Van Giersbergen & Danny Cavanagh - The Blower's Daughter:  I wasn't in love with the entire performance on "In Parallel", but I couldn't resist this straightforward cover of Damien Rice.

Annie - My Love Is Better:  The 2009 album Don't Stop didn't really do it for me, but this is Annie we're talking about, the LPS aren't the point.  She's not quite Robyn or La Roux, but in the world of electro, she's def a shining star just begging for 20 remix versions.  Total pop cheese fun.

Bee (Aloe Blacc + Cradle) - Still A Rose:  I am super in to Aloe Blacc's goodness, but the album, "Open Your Mind", didn't wow me as a whole.  But this track is some powerful crooner ish.  It's the best of Ben Harper, Seal, etc.

Holopaw - The Cherry Glow:  Some of you might be put off by the distinctive, breaking warble in his voice, but Holopaw's "Oh, Glory. Oh, Wilderness." offers fragility without being overwrought. 
Holopaw - The Lazy Atador:  This is a great little folk-rock record for fans of something a bit more subdued, building, and mature.

Metric - Gold Guns Girls (acoustic):  I put one of these on the best-of blog, but I wanted to drop another.  Metric's acoustic renditions on Plug In Plug Out EP are a 360 degree flip, and really show off the maleability of the songs.

Okkervil River - Westfall:  I had a flashback to seeing Okkervil perform this track last summer and WOW it was such a powerhouse live.   This digs back to their 2002 Don't Fall in Love With Everyone You See album, but thought I'd share it because it's been getting much rotation here.

Portland Cello Project - Beat (Health, Life And Fire) ft Thao:  There is no sexier instrument than a cello!  Well, almost, but damn a group of cellists together is super duper sexy.  Toss in Thao from Thao And The Get Down Stay Down, and you have a boiling pot of hotness right there.
Portland Cello Project - Hungry Liars ft Justin Power:  These are from the "The Thao And Justin Power Sessions", and definitely deserve a gander.

Roll Deep - I Will Not Lose:  I posted some of this up on the "Best of 2009" lists, but oh there's so much Roll Deep goodness on their best-of retrospective to pass around.  This track embodies so much of what is right about grime.  (and there's not much that is right....)

Solange - Stillness Is The Move (Dirty Projectors Cover):  Oh this is just too fucking perfect!   Take the riff that Dr. Dre made famous, and queue it up for a soulful interpretation of The Dirty Projector's single of 2009, and it is some hot hot goodness.  Smiles all around.

Talk Normal - River's Edge:  Another track from 2009's Sugarland LP.  It reminds me Lydia Lunch & Thurston Moore's EP, and omg the nostalgia!  It is also vital and current one of the most exciting things I've heard in rock since The Dirty Projectors...

Valgeir Sigurdsson - Grylukvaedi:  I dare you not to just love Greenland after this track.  Part IDM, part dark folk, all wonderful!
Valgeir Sigurdsson - Helter Smelter:  Here he abandons the poppier overtones and goes straight for the striking classical progressions and small symphony arrangements that herald epic doom.  The album is called Draumalandid, and it is a fantastic and engrossing listen.  Recommended.


THIS WEEK'S TRACKS

Ancient Astronauts - A Hole to Swallow Us (with Phat Old Mamas)
Ancient Astronauts - I Came Running
Andrea Riberti - El Sabor
Anneke Van Giersbergen & Danny Cavanagh - The Blower's Daughter
Annie - My Love Is Better
Bee (Aloe Blacc + Cradle) - Still A Rose
Holopaw - The Cherry Glow
Holopaw - The Lazy Atador
Metric - Gold Guns Girls (acoustic)
Okkervil River - Westfall
Portland Cello Project - Beat (Health, Life And Fire) ft Thao
Portland Cello Project - Hungry Liars ft Justin Power
Roll Deep - I Will Not Lose
Solange - Stillness Is The Move (Dirty Projectors Cover)
Talk Normal - River's Edge
Valgeir Sigurdsson - Grylukvaedi
Valgeir Sigurdsson - Helter Smelter



There is just enough love:  http://thetastates.com/mp3s/blog/blog20100107.zip


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~CPI