Hot Stuff: Santogold
A few months ago I caught some buzz on Santogold as someone to check out. At the time, her record wasn’t out, and I simply forgot about it. This week I found a slip of paper (amongst many) on my desk that said simply ‘Santogold.’ Coincidentally, her album dropped in the US this week.
This might be my pick for 2008 so far.A knee jerk reaction would be to compare her to M.I.A. However, that comparison is unfair to both parties. Sure, there might be some stylistic similarities in some of Santogold’s tracks, but she’s hardly “this year’s M.I.A.” Rather, Santogold is straddling the fence between indie rock and hip-hop/dance. The current single, “L.E.S. Artistes,” is very much in the rock idiom. Check out the video (she also performed this tune on Conan recently):
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Hot track!
Other parts of the album are more in a hip hop/dance vein, and are executed equally well. For example:
Santogold – You’ll Find a Way (mp3)
Give the album a spin. This along with the new Roots and Jamie Lidell albums are basically all I’ve been listening to all week. Three hot releases in one week – score!
Buy:
New Tunes: Bridges and Powerlines
I hadn’t heard of NYC’s Bridges and Powerlines until they hit my inbox. But it’s a great sign when a song grabs me by the 00:03 second mark, which this one did. After the intro, a “Road to Nowhere”-like rhythm eases in, and what ensues is four minutes of quality power-pop.
The band formed back in ’05, and is made up of singer Andrew Wood, bassist Keith Sigel, guitarist Jon Crockett, and drummer Pete Mucek. Their first full length album, Ghost Types, was released just yesterday (April 22). I haven’t had the opportunity to take in the whole album yet, but if this very strong opener is any indication, you’re gonna want to dig a little deeper into these guys.
Bridges and Powerlines – Uncalibrated (mp3)
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Buy Ghost Types on: emusic, itunes, insound, tonevendor
Jon Regen – Let it Go
Photo: Merri Cyr
Sometimes an album just hits the mark. Let it Go is one of those records. There is something to it that just feels like home. I’ve spent two weeks soaking up the tracks, something that as Pete pointed out in a recent post is sometimes hard to do with all the music we listen to. Jon Regen has taken on the singer/songwriter genre from a point of view not often seen. The New Jersey native has a Jazz pedigree but the heart of a pop songwriter with the ability to make words and music move your heart through the arc of a relationship’s highs and lows.
From the first notes of the opening title track through to aptly titled “The Last Song” there is no emotional stone left unturned. I really struggled with what tunes to share with you all as there are no duds here. I choose the heartfelt “Better Days” and the beautiful “Finding My Way Back to Me”. Check these out and pick up the record at the links below so you can tell all your friends that you were listening to this guy before he hit it big.
*Note: I’ve reloaded the audio files and they should be working now. My apologies to those who have tried to listen.
Jon Regen – Better Days (MP3)
Jon Regen – Finding My Way Back to Me (MP3)
Buy Let It Go: CDBaby | iTunes
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace
Music and Ads: Let Me Sleep On It
By no means do I think it’s a great idea for respected musicians to shill products on TV. But once in a while, as hard as it may be to stomach, I can’t help but be entertained. Case in point, the use of Meatloaf and “Paradise By the Dashboard Light” in a new AT&T “GoPhone” commercial. Oh, and that’s 80’s teen queen Tiffany playing Mom.
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Another recent surprise is the appearance of Grandaddy’s music in the advertising world. “A.M. 180” shows up in the new Dodge Journey ads…
Grandaddy – A.M. 180 (mp3)
[audio:grandaddyam180.mp3]This one comes from Under the Western Freeway…
First Listen: Kensington Prairie
The perfect compliment to a cold and rainy day in New England, the debut record from Canada’s Kensington Prairie is one of the finest slices of Dream Pop I’ve heard since The Sundays Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. The heart and soul of the group is Rebecca Rowan (singer/songwriter of Vancouver’s Maplewood Lane) whose voice drifts gently over the lush layers of guitars, mandolins and Rhodes pianos. Simple and emotional the songwriting is first rate with themes of life’s recollections, love, yearning, and lonesomeness. The record opens with the nostalgia of “Time on Our Side” and makes its way through nine thriving tracks fading with the closing track “Dissappear From View” leaving you wanting more.
The full length debut Captured in Still Life will be released April 22nd. For now check out the lead off single “Crooked Things Straight”. There are a few more tracks available for preview at the group’s official site (including my personal favorite “Letters That I Send”).
Kensington Prairie – Crooked Things Straight (MP3)
Links: Official Site | on MySpace
First Listen: Haale
Haale (pronounced similar to Hallelujah) successfully manages to blend the traditional rhythm and passion of Persian and Sufi Trance music and fuse it with a beautiful take on the post modern rock most readily associated with the likes of Radiohead. Dark and beautifully orchestrated spaces allow for the true breadth of her voice to shine throughout the title track of her debut release No Ceiling (available now on MP3 and on CD March 18th). I’ll post a full review in the coming week but to tide you over until then check out “No Ceiling”.
Haale – No Ceiling (MP3)
Buy No Ceiling: Amazon (MP3) | Direct (CD Pre-Order)
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace
Derek White & the Monophobics
Some time last year, I got a random MySpace message asking me to check out Derek White’s music page. Since then, I’ve been anticipating this album’s release, and I’m not disappointed. They’ve also employed a great distribution model: starting on March 1st, you can download the album via their website for $9.99; purchase of the mp3 automatically gets you a hard copy of the disc when it’s ready next month. So you get the immediacy of digital music, with the promise of a little something to wiggle into your music shelf between Barry White and the White Stripes. The download also has a handful of tracks that didn’t make the cut for the disc. Score!
Derek White and the Monophobics are a four piece hailing from my hometown of Pittsburgh, and present a very polished, pop-oriented approach to their songwriting (I’m thinking Beach Boys). They’re concise, catchy, well-produced and exquisitely executed. Echoes of Brian Wilson are all over the place here. This song is a little edgier than the others, but is also my favorite from the album (and the first track that I heard on their myspace page all those months ago. Check it out:
Derek White & the Monophobics – “Mean Tambourine”
Derek White and the Monophobics (MySpace)
Purchase the self-titled albumLiam Finn’s Second Chance
Full of sunny melodies, Beatles-esque harmonies, and of course more than a hint of his old man Neil, Liam Finn’s debut solo album has been getting some frequent plays over at El Casa de Ickmusic. I’ll Be Lightning was recorded in early 2007 at his dad’s studio in Auckland, New Zealand. It was released overseas last summer, but it took until last month for the U.S. release on Yep Roc.
Liam is clearly not just the son of a famous musician capitalizing on his situation, but is a huge talent in his own right. Check out one of my favorites…
Liam Finn – Second Chance (mp3)
Links: Liam Finn’s Official Site | MySpace
Click the cover to buy at the Amazon MP3 Store
First Listen: Last Kiss…
It’s been 12 years since Seven Mary Three released their debut record, American Standard. In that time they’ve gone from indie to major and have now landed back in the indie world with their new record Day&Nightdriving. I’ll have a full review soon, but had to share this tune now as it’s too good to keep to myself. Check it out!
Seven Mary Three – Last Kiss (Streaming MP3)
Buy Day&Nightdriving: Amazon
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace
No One’s Gonna Love You
Band of Horses paid a visit to Conan O’Brien last night and performed one of my favorite tracks from their brilliant Cease to Begin. I swear there is magic in Ben Bridwell’s voice.
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Band of Horses – No One’s Gonna Love You (Last.fm)
Buy Cease to Begin: Amazon | iTunes
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace
