The Naked and Famous

This has a similar initial affect I can {unashamedly} say Lisztomania had nearly a year ago. Call it the season, call it the humidity, call it a fervent belief that I'll always be 19.

I'm not even positive I LIKED 19 all that much at the time, but it seems pretty romantic from this side of 27.

New Zealand's The Naked and Famous have heavy hints of some of our American sweaty dance favorites - Passion Pit, M83, Yeasayer, Temper Trap. The kiwi's electro-pop single from late 2010's "Passive Me, Agressive You" gets a breathless remix from lacy muse White Sea.



The Week's Once Over

Sultry dirge from Circle Pit
Recent release from City and Colour
Illmatic reincarnation from Elzhi {Dustin Artz}
Under the Covers Tuesday. Just this once. Courtesy of Radiohead.

I'm slipping into this weekend on swift hourglass sands towards big change, and a massive adventure. More on that soon. Kiss on that ol' fox of a father; I'll be out with mine doing unpaid child labor in his "garden." The fact that he used to pay me a dime for each 5 gallon bucket of sticks I picked up on his canadian-natl.-park-maintained property simply endears him to me. Now.

xx,
chirgo

The Naked and Famous // Young Blood (White Sea remix)

Ellie Goulding

When I was a fresh young thang, I danced. I'm not talking your fingersnap with the toetap and the head bob. And I'm not talking seven years at the barre, mashing my peds into trollfeet. I mean I ardently believed wild and tribal blood sang through my veins demanding that I get down wit my bad self and do somethin. In cars, in yards, in bars, by myself, with a girl, with a boy, it didn't matter. I would just give myself over and dance the fuck out.

Now it takes a bit more before I tilt over the edge. At a stately 26, I'm not as emphatic about rhythm-inspired profuse perspiration. I can easily keep myself from hurtin nobody when frequenting shows like Fleet Foxes and Bowerbirds. But sometimes....sometimes....

Before Ellie Goulding's studio debut, Lights, she had won both the BBC Sound of 2010 poll and 2010 BRIT Award. So no pressure, right? The UK singer/songwriter partnered with Fin Dow-Smith, aka Starsmith, who produced and cowrote a few tracks. The result is a lace up of 1980's electroacoustic pop vogue and a dash of conservative folk to keep it anglo-friendly. I'm nodding my head but raising an eyebrow. Deviating from the popular chanteuse mold made for a lukewarm album reception, but I'd bet money another release or two and she'll be standing on terra firma.
Or she just needs to move to Iceland or Sweden and be more readily accepted for all the ABBA she could be.

Two remixes of the *E*uphoric Starry Eyed that have me applying WD-40 to my creaky joints and snapping on sweat bands. If you listen to the second track with headphones on, your brain's gonna throb. Just looking out.

Ellie Goulding // Starry Eyed (Monsieur Adu Remix)

Ellie Goulding // Starry Eyed (Jakwob Remix)

The Roots

When The Roots signed on to be Jimmy Fallon's house band, I'll admit I pouted a bit. How could these bamf hip-hop positive poets with sick style & mad beats go to latenight TV?

I'll tell you why.
When you're the houseband, the booking agent becomes your bestie. You hookup with all the live acts who moonlight for their 5 minute sets. Then when you want to make another record, you just mass text Yim Yames, Joanna Newsom, Patty Crash, and some of the chickiebabies from Dirty Projectors. They'll swing by the studio, lend their vocals or maybe remix some of their own tracks. Then they'll skip out into the smokey dusk with a little more street cred. Ain't no thang.

How I Got Over, The Roots Crew's ninth album, keeps their socio-political style while stretching their limbs. Black Thought's flinty, profound lyrics are augmented and approachable by Over's contributors. It makes for a softer album than Rising Down, but Questlove's tight production keeps their message wrapped up tight. In moments of tragedy, realism and cynicism - the groove is hopeful.

We should shine a light on. A light on.

The Roots f. Joanna Newsom // Right On

Kings of Leon + Lykke Li

I’m not a big fan of remixes, but when you add in/replace vocals from Lykke Li, it’s kind of hard to go wrong. This plays out more like a modern electronic version of Grease anyway. Just go with me on this one.

Knocked Up (Lykke Li vs. Rodeo Remix)