Dinocrunk

I’ve been restless. And I think my choice of music this time around reflects that - a few songs that don’t represent your typical angsty punk rock restlessness. Rather, I think these next few songs are ‘American’ to the very core. I think they can be looked at as a collection that represents all the hustle that America was and still is. Whether you think I’m wrong or right, tune in.

Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billyis an artists straight out of Louisville, Kentucky. His lyrics can often be blunt and to the point, but his music has that subtle majesty that all great folk singers have. He’s definitely taken his share of influence from folk (he’s from Louisville after all), but you can hear hints of blues, a bit of indie, and dashes of punk.  Scratch the punk for this song, its called ‘For Every Field There’s A Mole’ and my favorite line happens to be titular: “For every field there’s a mole/With the soil that he stole/And the sightlessness let’s him go free.’

Bonnie “Prince” Billy - For Every Field There’s A Mole

I listened to this next band, The War On Drugs, on my recent week and a half excursion to Alaska. Driving my car into the wild, this was great car music…but they’re from Philly? I was slightly disappointed when I found that out. I’m still banking on a rumor to fly by any day now that they’re actually from the old English countryside or western Virginia. Anyways, the first song is ‘Buenos Aires Beach,’ by far my favorite, you can feel their old school humor with their jolting “Oh, ho ho ho ho ho”s throughout the song - as if they were just fiddling. The second song (actually the first of the album) is something else. As a warning: it is so over at points that the only instrument left to add may be a kazoo. ‘Arms Like Boulders’ however is incredible for how quickly you forget about the rest of the instruments and lose yourself in the story that the lyrics weave.

The War On Drugs - Buenos Aires Beach

The War On Drugs - Arms Like Boulders

Finally, Titus Andronicus, a band named after Shakespeare’s goriest play. The songs of the album draw from an eclectic mix of pop and ancient cultures. The album title, ‘The Airing of Grievances,’ is of course fully Seinfeld. I thought i would skip the full dose of the band’s titular song (I originally wasn’t going to even post this band at all), which devolves into a shoegaze anthem of “Your life is over” over and over. This next song is called “No Future” and its good, really. Titus Andronicus is a band that grows on you - if you’re a music afficianado that goes around picking out gems to put on a sophisticated yet hip mixtape, they aren’t for you. But if you can dig your heels in a bit and put your guts out for a good band…well then…

Titus Andronicus - No Future

Oh yeah and ‘No Future’ has a part two that revisits the theme of the titular song ‘Titus Andronicus.’ I wish I could put all three on there (they fall in a row on the album), its quite spectacular, but if you were going to do that you might as well buy/download the entire album.

This past week I’ve gone and got myself something new to be all about. Usually the process of finding something new to latch on to and call the next big thing to watch takes about a week as I throw the same songs on repeat. Right now its a swift rotation of three things, Podington Bear, NaS, and Jon Sonnenberg. With that cleared between us lets talk about Podington.

To sum it up he’s a guy who made short electronic songs about three days a week for a year. He’s recently started to get involved with a label and stopped putting out his music as podcasts. While we wait for the full release theres always harking back to each of his quaint electronic tunes. Each one has it’s own short thing going on and they’re all kind of whimsical, nothing extremely out there but at the same time very worthwhile. I haven’t gotten anywhere close to hearing the breadth of his music but heres something to introduce. Also see his page for more tracks and info.

Podington Bear - Ebuillence

For some reason the song feels to me like it should be accompanied by a Babar book.

Seeing as how I’ve made it a habit of watching BET I stumbled across a premiere of NaS’s new video of Hero. Now I’m not the person most abreast of NaS and I haven’t been keeping up with all the buzz bout his new album. Point is, I wasn’t aware of the album, but now I’m excited. What gets me is that the beat is so raw, and that NaS only makes it better with his rap. The beat’s by Polow da Don who’s been doing great things since he produced Rich Boy’s “Throw Some D’s”, and while I’d love to be the ass who whines about how its too commercial, it kills. It’s an anthem. NaS just flows over it and whips it all together.

Nas - Hero feat. Keri Hilson

We can only hope for more from Keri Hilson

Mr. Sonnenberg is something new for me. Kind of a mix of Jens Lekman and Suburban Kids With Biblical Names without as much of a Scandanavian Pop vibe. It’s got great feeling, so listen.

Jon Sonnenberg - The Door With 5000 Locks

Jon Sonnenberg - Everything Lies In Ruins

Time to watch me some Sopranos

It seems that Mr. Gilles has set blogtown on fire with his new album. Since everyone with a pulse has pretty much copped the album at this point, it would be rather pointless for me to write anything about it here. Plus, DinoMoritz has already correctly identified “Still Here” as the most important song on the album, so my work has already been done . The runner up is “Don’t Stop,” which meshes that Watch My Feet Song with Underworld’s Born Slippy. SOOOO huge.

Nevertheless, Illegal Art (GT’s record label) puts out plenty of other great material that is well worth mentioning. I am specifically thinking of the Steinski retrospective that was recently released. This guy pretty much invented the billion sample audio collage thing that Girl Talk now does, except that he has (a) been going at it for a quarter decade and (b) focuses a lot more on hip hop. Mmmmmm.

Secondly, a lot of people are aware that Ratatat’s new album has leaked. Although I am not the first to post on the matter, my undying love for this band dictates that I have to say something. And that something is: Ratatat rules. Buy the album when it comes out. Listen to these sweet tunes.

So I says to myself that once again I’ve dropped the ball and new beautiful things I have witnessed need to be brought to light. It’s summer first off which means that we all need some music to match the weather, and on top of that some real big things have been happening.

Let’s talk about my love affair with Vince P. Now I’m not going to try and be that asshole saying how he’s known at this for a while now and its time to prove it, I just found out about this kid today, but it’s safe to say he’s here to impress, rightfully so. Right off the bat Rookie of the Year had me feelin like i just got slapped with greatness. It’s safe to say that a Diplo produced track of someone rapping over Yung MC’s Bust a Move was exactly what I needed to get me in good with the heat.

Vince P. - Rookie of the Year

Keep on the lookout for Vince P, he’s currently putting in work with URB Magazine making a mixtape of sorts for them and by my guess we’ll hear from him again soon.

Two important things happened in my life recently that realistically had nothing to do with me personally, R. Kelly was acquitted and Tha Carter III found its way to everyones ears via the interweb.

I’m not sure what I would have done if Kelly wasn’t continuously bringing out the most inspired R&B songs of our day. We all know that his croonings wouldn’t be as sweet if he always worrying about becoming someones prison wife. Truthfully I think that his Ignition Remix might be the alltime greatest way to get any parted going. So for beating 14 counts of Child Pornography I salute you Kels.

Now Tha Carter III. It’s not as earth shattering as I’d hoped, now I’m happy with it, but with the extreme amount of hype it got I have to say I was hoping for a redefinition of the genre. The album is Lil’ Wayne doing Lil’ Wayne, and hes always good at that. You’ve it goes for pop hits in a few with Lollipop (note the vocoder), and Got Money (think every cash money single in the past decade), which sometimes feel like he could do more. Other songs show classic rhymes which display his amazing use of wordplay, notably Mr. Carter, and Let the Beat Build. Shit, truth is that I really like it, I’ve already found alot of the songs in heavy rotation so go and find it, not here. But I’ll at least leave you with a gem from Tha Carter III Sessions.

Lil’ Wayne - Help

Something I just had to throw in, something special from the Hood Headlinaz. I’m not too sure what it is, but they’ve got a relation to the Paper Route Gangstaz album which came out a little while back, whatever it is, it makes for good times.

Hood Headlinaz - Soul Glo

That’s ’bout it for now, its all rap so lets round things out with the new Girl Talk Album which just came out today and if we remember his other albums chances are it kills. It’s up for grabs here for whatever price you choose to pay. Thank you Mr. Gillis.

I had to post this individual Girl Talk song since it is MASSIVE to the point where Ace of Base meets Swizz Beatz. Pretty heavy.

Girl Talk - Still Here

So who likes to party? In a mini series called “Teh Soundz of Summer,” I will be periodically serving up tunes to get your dance, drank, etc. on.

Diamonds is the best thing to happen to the mash-up scene since Girl Talk exited the womb. I never would have thought that 80s beats and 90s raps would make such beautiful music, but who am I to judge. Here are my favorites:

Diamonds- The Margherita Hustle

Diamonds- Tenderness Club

Over the past week I’ve cultivated a few new refined tastes in my life. Right now the one I’m enjoying the most is a certain elderly video by out good friends Hot Chip. While the video for Ready for the Floor has been around for a while now it just was sprung upon me a couple days ago and i still can’t get over the awesomeness that is seeing the lead singer as a joker/two face hybrid. Along with that he’s most fitting dance moves that I’ve seen for a song since watching Two Live Crew’s “Rump shaker”, check the front man’s jig around 3:05.

Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor (Diplo’s Shake a Fist Mix)

Here’s just another reason why Chicago is such a hotbed for goodness. Kid Color gives us a certain brilliance in his remixes that just make everyone happy. Seriously, throw one on in a retirement home and i guarantee at least one senior citizen will bust their hip from dancing. That being said, any vulgar song thrown over an electro beat seems like ambrosia to me these days. Digital Pussy is a treat and check his myspace for his mixtape “Carded & DisCarded”, I never have the patience for mixtapes and i sat down for the full hour of this one (it really got good once i started listening to it while enjoying some lemon yogurt, thats a combo from the gods).

Kid Color - Digital Pussy

This next one I recieved this via Dinocrunk email a while back but always forgot to put it in, point being, its a pretty chills song but its got the makings of greatness. Really its hard not to feel warm inside with this playing. Much love again to the Abrahammer.

Teengirl Fantasy - Gasmaskk (Abrahammer Fantasy World Gasmixx)

Lastly I’ve seen a reemergence for my love affair with R&B. That being said Ryan Leslie seems poised to become the new Robin Thicke, and a better one at that. I’m expecting to see him on everyone’s Slow Bump playlists by next year.

Ryan Leslie - Just Right feat. Snoop Dogg