Lasso your mp3’s id3 metadata; aka How to Harness the Power of Data to Roll Your Own iTunes Mixes (OCD Style)
Now that we got the title of this article out of the way, I’m going to show you how I manage my huge library of music, where the sources range from hard to find, easy to forget, and challenging to define. I really enjoy iTunes because it handles my large database of music with grace...
Wu (Hu) Lyf – a Band that Thrives on Being Strange
When I discovered the mysterious group known as Wu LYF, I immediately thought this was the missing bridge for post-rock: adding vocals to driven instrumentals with a contemplative tone. It’s not really post-rock, but the guitar spells echo-orchestration-galore. And its nice and layery that gives it a complete and powerful motion that bands like Saxon...
Ragtime: A Century Ahead
Ragtime and hot jazz is finally making a comeback. The 1910s-1930s has often been an ignored era for American music. Oldies radio skips right past the roaring period of flappers, prohibition, and the dust bowl era- instead playing an 80s song plays on the “good times” station. Recently, shows like Boardwalk Empire have started to...
Madeon – “Pop Culture” (Dance Video)
Madeon’s song “Pop Culture” is a dancy number that reminds me of Ratatat’s “Wildcat” with the roar sample. Plus, its got a mashup vibe with all the sampling of vocals and whatnot. I am pretty picky with my electronic-inspired selections, so this one doesn’t disappoint. Check out the goofy dance moves from a tall and...
Thao & Mirah Cover “Love is a Battlefield”
I’m typically not a fan of cover songs–why try to outdo an already fantastic song?  But sometimes a cover comes along that is so unique, so creative, I forget it’s a cover. Thao & Mirah’s take on Pat Benatar’s classic “Love is a Battlefield” is a perfect example of this. Their rendition gives the original...
February Love Jams
These are the songs that filled our musical hearts with love. Bon Iver & St. Vincent- Roslyn Ever wondered what a Bon Iver & St. Vincent collaboration would sound like? Well, this song provides an answer–it sounds like Bon Iver, with a little extra reverb, but mostly it just sounds like classic Bon Iver. It...
“The XX Gon’ Give it to Ya” Delivers
The Hood Internet mashup, “The XX Gon’ Give it to Ya,” is a mash made in heaven. It is the perfect blend of DMX and The XX on so many levels. Not only does it offer an amusing play on words, but The XX instrumentals also blend in perfectly with DMX’s harsh voice. The song...
Environmental Typography in Motion with Softlightes and Kris Moyes
This great stop-motion music video for the song “Heart Made of Sound” is a delightful pairing of music with the lyrics visually composing the music video visuals. It is a synchronized animation of type and other animated effects, like the drum-beat paper toss introduction. The music is charming. The singer has got a voice similar...
Free Download: Warpaint’s “Undertowâ€
Rating: 4.8 out of 5.0 Whoa! This has been a hectic few weeks. I know it has been a while since we have blogged, and I profusely apologize to all our adoring fans. To make up for our lack of blogging, I have a real treat for you. Warpaint has a free download of their...
Coincidental Rap: T-Pain Soundalikes Snatching People Up
“Obviously,” the infamous autotune digitally enhances the musical qualities of sound, and the Gregory Brothers invaded Youtube with it. Auto-tuning is most effective for transforming voices into electronic singers, but it could be used for anything, such as a national news segment of Antoine Dodson’s account of a rapist in Lincoln Park. The autotune effect...
Review of Arcade Fire’s “The Suburbs”
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Arcade Fire’s 2010 album, The Suburbs, is a truly delightful piece of musical drama. It takes the band in a refreshing direction by leaving out the orchestration that was evident in Neon Bible. While Neon Bible had a power to it, the newest album steers in a more melancholic direction,...
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Mp3
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, “Round and Round” Rating 4.5 out of 5.0 My iPhone is stuck in the 1960s– or at least that is what someone might think if they listen to my recent playlist. With the wave of ’60s inspired tracks that have been reaching my radar lately, I really have been flooded with...
