tuneage : everyone deserves good music

Metric - “Help I’m Alive” (80Kidz remix)

Just when I thought I was going to have to retire Metric’s wonderful “Help I’m Alive” from my personal playlist due to over-listening, 80Kidz has gone and reworked it into a dancier, equally wonderful version of itself.  Brilliance!

Shaboi - “Curse Walk”

When someone mentions Halloween music, one song comes to mind: “Monster Mash”. To be fair, that song’s a classic in its own bad, kitschy kind of way, but Halloween music is hardly a booming genre. Perhaps Halloween just isn’t a holiday worth celebrating in song (the way Christmas seems to be), but there’s a certain mood to Halloween that I think makes it a prime candidate for good tuneage.

Thankfully, a few local Nashville-ians felt the same way and put out a short album (start-to-finish, the entire thing is under 20 minutes) with a decidedly Halloween feel. The subject matter stays squarely within the ghoulish and the undead while the music ranges from 8-bit to rap to even a bit of country. If you’re headed to a Halloween party and need some mood-fitting music or you just want to get in the spirit without having to dress like a damn fool, then download your free copy and take it with you. You won’t be disappointed.

Julian Casablancas - ”11th Dimension”

“Everybody sees me but it’s not that easy/ standing in the light field waiting for some action.” This line, accompanied by what sounds like a 14 year old Iron Maiden freak attempting the Batman theme song on the bass guitar, begins “Juicebox,” the first single released from The Strokes’ First Impressions of Earth. And what was my first impression of First Impressions?

I am never going to listen to this band again.

It’s a claim on which I’ve made good. Knowing that First Impressions exists has been enough for me to turn my back on the truly great Is This It? and it’s very listenable (from what I remember) sister, Room on Fire. Like walking in on your girlfriend and a tearful, naked Glenn Beck in your bedroom, First Impressions was enough to not only dump the band, but burn the photo album filled with memories from that great vacation you took to Honolulu.  I have guiltily viewed their recent demise with gleeful spite. My initial reaction to the news that frontman Julian Casablancas was releasing a solo record: scoff. My initial reaction to its title (Phrazes for the Young): a Monty Burns laugh. My initial reaction to its first single, “11th Dimension:” unadulterated awe.

The drums keep the song poppy and light while the synths bounce around in the foreground. The tasteful Strokesy guitars know their place behind Julian, who returns to full-yearning precocious punk mode. The lyrics are still stupid, but I’m dancing too much to care. C’mon girl, I forgive you for the whole Glenn Beck thing. Come back to me. I’ll take you with open arms.

Hudson Mohawke - “No One Could Ever”

Hudson Mohawke’s (aka 22-year-old Ross Birchard’s) music glides over notes and rhythms endlessly (Is it any wonder that his debut LP is titled Butter?). It’s difficult to detect where one note begins or where the beat will transition from second to second. He never gives the listener a break and this is a good thing.

On the surface, songs like the rapturous singles “Rising 5” or the short but sweet “No One Could Ever” sound likedensely layered electronic hip-hop tracks. Upon further listening however, it easy to discern that Mohawke is challenging you. One can’t help but think: What exactly is going on here? How did he produce this? Where will it all lead? Listening to one of his songs is different each time as each listen provides something quirkier or stranger or more fascinating to the ear. Mohawke obviously wants this, wants the listener to be engaged with the music beyond a passing interest in an intangible mp3.

Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - “Express Yourself”

This Charles Wright original is so good that N.W.A. sampled it without using profanity.

The best part is for singing: It’s not what you look like, when you’re doin’ what you’re doin’, it’s what you’re doin’, when you’re doin’ what you look like you’re doin’.

The Whigs - “In The Dark”

This is a brand new track off of The Whigs’ forthcoming album of the same name, which comes out early January. This song is definitely a departure from the band’s signature blend of southern and indie rock. I’m really digging this ‘new’ sound and look forward to hearing more off In The Dark. Enjoy!

Big Boi (ft. Gucci Mane) - “Shine Blockas”

It’s a simple formula, really. Step 1: take an old soul track, find a segment of the song where the singer enthusiastically pronounces a vowel. “Aaaaaaa”s and “Oooooo”s are safe choices - here, Big Boi and Co. went with an “Ohhhh”/ “Ahhhhh” combo. Step 2: Make sure that the sample has piano or melodic percussion - a vibraphone, used here, works fine. Step 3: Add trumpets/ synth pads to fill up the track. Step 4: 808 Kick + Stutter Snare. This step is non-negotiable. Step 5: If the spirit so moves you, rap a little bit.

The formula is far from fail-proof. Turn on your local radio station ending in -Z for a near-continuous stream of exemplary failures. But Big Boi, however, is Big Boi. Unlike his purple-wigged “Hey Ya”-ing ex(?) team-mate, his output is consistently solid, full-sounding, developed, and excellent. When he strips the sample for his second verse and leans back on the organ, Big Boi sounds like a man on top of his game. It lacks the abstract ambition of Stankonia, and the hackneyed piece of misogyny in the beginning is a turn-off, sure, but once the glorious, just-won-the-Peace-Prize groove sets in, it’s all “Shine” and no “Blocka.”

Sneaker Pimps - “Velvet Divorce”

I wasn’t really of an age to appreciate trip-hop when it was really coming around so I’ve had to find things little by little and mostly by accident. Most people will remember “6 Underground” by the Sneaker Pimps, but it was only in 2006 that someone mentioned a lazy, ballad like song hidden on the 9 year old A Life Less Ordinary soundtrack.

Kelli Dayton’s vocals flows slowly over a drum beat accentuated by strings and a slow plucked guitar. It’s now become my favorite song from the mid-90’s trip-hop era and makes me incredibly sad that they kicked Dayton out thereafter.