Brighton formed KINS bring a heart wrenching simplicity with “Absblurd.” I can’t help but smile as the song slowly begins to build- glass case of emotions, KINS? It begins with nothing more than what appears to be drumsticks on a stool and striking male vocals-I’m sold.
There is a sense of neediness within their music- intensity that only playing can fulfill. A clambering of readiness almost reminiscent of band’s first time on stage.
Sprightly, springy instrumentation mixed with forlorn lyrics make this band one to watch. I just can’t get enough of it.
This is London in the sun.
First Listen: 'The Great Gatsby' Soundtrack in Full | NPR
The soundtrack to The Great Gatsby, Baz Luhrmann’s latest high-end refurbishing of a lived-in classic, doesn’t try to re-imagine Jazz Age tunes in a modern context. Instead, it attempts to transplant the sensibility of the 1920s to the hip-hop era, with genre-busting collaborations overseen by Jay-Z.
Very cool.
(Source: popculturebrain)
late night treat?
Ron Contour & Factor - Wondrous Things
Ron Contour, aka Moka Only, aka Daniel Denton, has done a lot. He was a member of Swollen Members (pun intended unfortunately), as well as the 90’s one-hit wonder band Len and that’s not to mention his extensive solo works. He has released sixty-three albums since 1995. Sixty-three. I definitely haven’t heard even close to all of them but if “Wondrous Things” is any indication, there may be some gold to be found in that mountainous pile.
A beautiful Janis Ian sample coupled with Contour’s smooth vocals make for a surreal, sun-washed two and half minutes. The video, filmed in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, only adds to the effect. The song reminds me that summer just around the corner. Papaya.
This guest post was written by Max. Thanks!
This semester, I’ve spent much time studying to the sounds of Passion Pit’s Gossamer album. It’s one of those albums I can listen to straight through without skipping any tracks. Though I like all the songs on Gossamer, “Constant Conversations” is my favorite. What can I say? I’m a sucker for bittersweet lyrics, vocal harmonies and playful electronic distortions.
Passion Pit - Constant Conversations (by majesticcasual)
Late night videos:
Trippy electric folk pop. It’s how I’d describe this song, “We Got So High” by jiggabits.
Thanks to jiggabits for her submission. She is a singer and producer from from San Francisco, CA. Her EP, ”We Got So High” is available to stream on soundcloud.
Saturday afternoon treat!
John Grant, former front-man for the alternative rock band The Czars, launched is solo career almost three years ago. This song, Queen Of Denmark, from his first album of the same name, was released in April of 2010.
I love the uniqueness of Grant here. I love his cleverness. The lyrics are funny but poetic, salacious but facetious. And the puns! So many puns. And you can see all of that in the first verse alone.
I wanted to change the world
But I could not even change my underwear
And when the shit got really, really out of hand
I had it all the way up to my hairline
Which keeps receding like my self-confidence
His tongue is planted firmly in his cheek and that plays off beautifully with the full, folk-orchestra sound of the song. Despite the genre, it’s so easy to sing along. The song’s structure, the build (you don’t hit the chorus until 1:48), even the ironic lyrics, remind me of Rufus Wainwright’s “Oh What a World.”
I enjoy Queen Of Denmark as much for the sound as I do the lyrics and I can’t say about many songs.
I really don’t know who the fuck you think you are
Can I please see your license and your registration?
Vampire Weekend - Step
Yes, it’s true: Vampire Weekend; after keeping hopeful fans at bay for a full three years, has written and recorded a third album. Now, if you are like me and have kept off your waiting pains by keeping their last album in near constant rotation, then you may have approached this news with trepidation. After all, what if Vampire Weekend changed their sound to cater to changing tastes, or what if they simply lost the magic of Contra? With these concerns and more I approached the singles (so far) from Modern Vampires Of The City.
“Step” begins smoothly with Ezra Koenig’s voice softly oozing over a simple bass line, and as soon as the drums hit you can tell that Vampire Weekend’s sound isn’t changing for anyone. While “Step” does not have the raucous charm of “A-Punk” or “Cousins”, listeners will find it reminiscent of their softer tracks, such as “Taxi Cab.”
While “Stay” steers away from the synthesizer fills and African beats of previous tracks, it does maintain the heart and flow that Vampire Weekend has become known for, as well as a few mainstays for the band. Such as Koenig’s delightfully off-tempo delivery and the trills of a harpsichord in the background. Unlike “Diane Young”, the first single whose keyboardless energy steers somewhat away from previous VW efforts, “Step” proves the band’s capabilities to make excellent, quirky, vibrant music remain unchanged.
Vampire Weekend is seemingly still dedicated to producing sing song anthems for lovelorn city wanderers, and if that’s your thing, be sure to check out Modern Vampires Of The City. when it drops in mid-May.
This guest post was beautifully written by owlien. Thanks, owlien!
Grimes is juxtaposition and contradiction. A classically trained ballerina, a signed electronic musician who’d rather make music at home. The music she constructs is surreal but rooted in very real influences and metaphors. Her lyrics and undertone are often aggressive, ironically placated and exaggerated by her small stature and doe eyes.
Oblivion, off of her first album on a label, came out last year. I love the spookiness of the base track against the sweetness of her voice, I love the danceability against the darkness of her lyrics.
Grimes’ sound is familiar and yet strange. and so, if I had one tip for this one, I’d say give it two listens before passing judgement.
nicktheatheist asked: On your submissions, you only allow for video and links. Should we include the song some how through one of these methods?
Yes and if need be, we will reformat the submission and upload/stream/etc the appropriate mp3.
laughing-at-purple-giraffes asked: Where do we submit the reviews?
Head on over to tuneage.tumblr.com/submit
And remember: nicer the formatting, the happier the mod.
Small updates, two things:
- Independent musicians are always welcome to share their music with us.
- We’ve turned on our ask box.
tuneage wants you!
We’re looking for new, regular contributors to tuneage.
We admit, woefully, that our posting has not been as frequent as we would like it to be. That’s why we’re looking to our amazing followers for help.
So, if you love music and have a propensity for good writing, try coming up with a review of a song and submitting it to us.
If we like your stuff, we’ll publish it to our 300,000 strong audience and invite you to write another review. And if we really like your stuff, you could be invited to join as a contributor of the tuneage team.
p.s. if you don’t want to write regularly for us but you do know of some great tunes, always let us know.
Bootleg remix of the day
Stay by Rihanna (remixed by Branchez)
Remixes don’t tend to be something we feature here much on tuneage, but we just couldn’t resist sharing this one. It is an inexplicably enjoyable remix of Rihanna’s Stay.
Click through to SoundCloud for a free download link of the song.
Surfer Blood fans still have to wait a few months to hear its second album, Pythons, but the Florida band gave a preview of the record during shows at SXSW this year. Watch the group perform “Demon Dance” at the Warner Sound party at the Belmont in Austin, Texas.
(via georgettemagritte)
