I ♥ Le Loup.

Sometimes I write for the masses, sometimes for friends and sometimes for myself. This post is kind of a hodgepodge of those three, as the band below will be new to some and old to others.

My love affair with Le Loup is no secret and it’s a safe bet that their album The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations Millennium General Assembly  will rank in my top 10 forever. Sean over at STG said it best when he wrote that Le Loup was like a “whooshing stormy banjo warm front.” 

Their muddled and cloudy songs sound more like hymnals, or take-off music, as you put your hands flat on your seat like it’s going to lift you off the ground at any second. Take a listen below.

1. Le Loup - To The Stars To The Night
2. Le Loup - Planes Like Vultures
3. Le Loup - We Are Gods! We Are Wolves!
4. Le Loup - Canto Xxxiv
5. HI - We Are Mikey! We Are Rock! (Le Loup/The Cool Kids)

Apologies.

The links below should now be working. Thanks for the tip!

The Five Best Songs You’ve Ever Heard: Part 2.

Three things:

1. I think this is hilarious, and is worth the read.

Stuff White People Like - Self-Aware Hip Hop References

2. Never get into a black SUV with someone from the State Department expecting them to have what I’d like to call “a sense of humor.” Also, never, ever make a joke about how they look like the guys in Men In Black. They neither like nor appreciate Will Smith references.

3. Enjoy the tracks below, as they were picked with care for this overcast Tuesday.

    A. Devendra Banhart - Seahorse - Modern Jethro Tull? Hell yes.
    
    B. Katie Herzig - Shovel - I think I’m breathing and that I have everything I could want. And then I hear her voice, and that everything becomes nothing. She reminds me that there are still places I have yet to see and songs yet to hear. 
    
    C. Mirah - Don’t Go - Her voice could melt ice. Literally. I just watched it melt ice.
    
    D. Bombadil - Cavaliers Har Hum - When you click on this link, and your chair grows wheels, don’t be afraid. You’re going a trip, a trip you never expected with a song you never expected when you click on this link.
    
    E. Good Old War - Window - This song makes me want to kick doors and rattle windows. It’s the kind of song I like, because it makes you feel so damn happy you’ll want to quit your job.

Hustlenomics.

In less than a month, I’ll be touching down in Milan, Italy for a foreign internship. This fact is always on my mind, and as I shuffled through old rap cds to fill the drive time between Nashville and Knoxville over the weekend, I heard them say one word over and over. Hustle.

I’ve always heard it, but how is a whitey-white kid from Memphis who likes bow-ties and fly-fishing supposed to relate to drug sales and rubber-band banks? I still can’t answer that, but as I sat in front of an advisor and talked my way into exactly what I needed to make things happen, I could relate to those songs.

If you want something, make it happen, just like the bands below.

1. Division Kent -  L’Heure Bleue (Nite Cells Roquefort Remix)

I’ve been on Nite Cells for awhile, especially after I heard Try It And Feel It a few months ago. These guys are out of L.A., and they are absolutely badass. I sent Jared from Nite Cells a message a few days ago laying out the fact that I was going to risk being sued by posting this illegally, and he was nice enough to send it my way, with first posting rights. How badass is that?

2. DJ Khaled Ft. Akon - Cocaine Cowboy

Again, how a whitey-white kid from Memphis could relate to drug trafficking and stacks of money is beyond me, but I’m also the one writing this. I dig this track for no other reason than it’s just good. 

3. The Republic Tigers - Golden Sand

This is an older track, but it’s been popping up on my playlist more and more. Hopefully it’ll make it onto yours.

4. Throw Me The Statue - Your Girlfriend’s Car

Throw Me The Statue is out of Seattle. One of my best friends lives in Seattle. Those are reasons enough to like this band, and like them you will, as their brand of shuffling, clattery pop music steals your heart.

5. The Cool Kids - Pennies

I dare you not to nod your head. I dare you.

Grab-bag Thursdays.

Below are a random assortment of tunes I’ve fallen in love with this week. Hope you enjoy!

1. I like Lil Wayne. I like his music a lot. But this? This blows his shit out of the water.

Madison - Lollipop (Lil Wayne Cover)

2. Like a mix between Laura Marling and The National comes Noah and the Whale. His voice may be young, but his lyrics are decades old. Here is Noah and the Whale’s fantastic track Give A Little Love.

Noah and the Whale - Give A Little Love

3. Kate Nash might be my favorite singer-songwriter ever, especially after hearing this acoustic cover of the Black Kids’ I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You. Check it out below.

Kate Nash - I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You (Acoustic Black Kids Cover)

4. Lightspeed Champion is a great band with a great name. If you don’t know the story, Hynes named the band after comic strips he used to draw in his high school math books. His song, Dry Lips, about a hangover he had, is just strange, especially when you consider that he can’t drink due to stomach ulcers. That and a thousand words couldn’t describe the last 45 seconds of this song. Just awesome. 

Lightspeed Champion - Dry Lips

5. Posted over at Said the Gramophone and straight out of the depths of musical history comes Percy Sledge. Percy’s 1967 hit Out Of Left Field hit one home for Alabama the day it was released, and now it’s here 41 years later. This is one for the record books.

Percy Sledge - Out Of Left Field

6. And finally, the best song Low ever recorded. It’s off The Great Destroyer album, and it’s as shiny as gold.

Low - When I Go Deaf

Also, check out Hot Biscuits for a great Black Holes track.

Wednesday Wackiness.

Woke up this morning, checked my email and less than 30 seconds later, I was jumping around to NEW BOYS NOIZE. Fuck yeah! Even if it’s just a preview of what’s to come, it had me so excited I could have kicked a hole in my wall. Christmas morning is coming soon folks, and Boys Noize is bringing the gifts.

Boys Noize - Late of the Pier Remix (Preview)

Also, on an unrelated note, it may be August, but I can’t wait for fresh powder and new boards. Signal, known for being the only snowboard/coffee company around, released the specs of their new rocker a few months ago, weighing in at 1.4 pounds, and I have been tucking away to make sure I’m riding one come pow season. Check their boards out here.

I seriously cannot wait to shred with this thing.

Jay-Z, in the hip-hop world, you’re a Titan, and that’s no understatement, but honestly, next time you give the “Hov is retiring again” speech, remember that you’re probably not retiring. Just tell me you’re taking a break, and that you’ll have new tracks coming within six months. It’d make our relationship much easier. With that said, here’s a new track from the one and only.

Jay-Z - Jocking Jay-Z

It’s not very often I like Kings of Leon. In fact, I pay them so little attention, I sometimes forget who they are. This track kind of feels like the lead singer’s attempt to catch my attention in a crowded hallway, and oh boy does it work. Here’s a live version of Molly’s Chambers from 2006’s Day Old Belgian Blues EP.

Kings of Leon - Molly’s Chambers (Live)

I can’t really tell either.

The other day in conversation, I promised a friend of mine I’d talk about some of the personal things I tend to stay away from on this blog. Her argument was that, and I quote, “I can’t really tell if we’d be friends or not when I read your stuff.” Well, to make her happy, here’s five facts that you may not know, as well as five musical guilty pleasures that I really, really like.

1. I wear sportshirts pretty much every day of the week. That’s pretty straight forward, but they’ve got to be Brooks Brothers, they’ve got to be Slim Fit, and they’ve got to be Non-Iron, because I am a skinny dude and I wear them like t-shirts.

A. Guilty Pleasure 1 - El Barto & Liam B - Particular Symphony (The Verve vs. Marvin Gaye)

2. I listen to electro, and I like it so much, I wake up jumping around to it. I say fuck beeping alarm clocks. Give me Mr. Gaspar, Nite Cells or a MSTRKRFT remix and I’ll be up by seven.

B. Guilty Pleasure 2 - Brittney Spears - Piece of Me (Boz O Lo Mix)

3. I chew on ice like it’s candy, and if Superman has sunlight, chewing on ice makes me feel like a badass. If ever I’m feeling low or intimidated, I just start chewing and I will be glad to get in your face. Same thing goes for Charms Blowpops.

C. Guilty Pleasure 3 - DJ Tripp - B.U.D.D.Y. (Weezer vs. Justice)

4. I dig situations where I’m supposed to feel awkward. I actually go out of my way to throw myself into them, and if I, for some reason, think of an awkward situation, I’ll find a way to make it happen. I think it helps me deal with the weird situations in our lives we don’t want to face. That and you meet all sorts of cool people along the way.

D. Guilty Pleasure 4 - Bikini - 1234 (Feist Cover)

5. I think I’m invicible. Well, not really, but I’m not afraid of jumping off cliffs into water (even though I’ve landed on my face), flying down a mountain on a snowboard (even though I’ve broken bones) or falling down mountains and leaping across boulders (even though both have resulted in falling into frigid water or being swept up by rapids.) I’m still alive, and God gave me legs. What am I supposed to do?

E. Guilty Pleasure 5 - DJ Zebra - Popul(Air) (Nada Surf vs. Air & Mark Ronson)

Bombay Bicycle Club.

In the blogging world, going M.I.A. for six days is kind of a big deal. My apologies as my focus has been on finding housing in Milan, which is proving to be a ridiculous venture, especially given the exchange rate. Anyhow, this post is not about me. It is about a band that had me crouched under my desk today listening to the absolutely beautiful and arty sound of four 17-year-old indie rockers from South London called Bombay Bicycle Club.

It’s not very often I sit with my head literally tucked between my knees to hear music, much less music that seems to roll beautifully out of the tiny speaker inside my office computer, but today, these kids practically forced me to do just that. Skip their earlier stuff, as it isn’t near as good, but if this song is any indication of band progression, I’m buying the new cd, even if I have to pay in pounds.

Bombay Bicycle Club - Evening/Morning

Playing Catch-up.

A few months ago, I found out I had secured an internship with the American Consulate in Milan. I start in less than a month and as that is approaching, I’ve spent the past few days trying to find housing. Definitely not an easy task, and given that I would probably sleep in a box for a month to see the Crookers play, I’m probably not in the best state of mind to look for places to live.

Easing back into music for a moment, I can’t stop listening to La Castle Vania’s remix of Walter Meego’s “Through A Keyhole.” I mean, literally, the song has taken over my speakers.

Walter Meego - “Through A Keyhole” (Le Castle Vania Remix)

This weekend, I went to Memphis to see Dave Matthews with my best friends, and while there, I started to get nostalgic for college. If I wrote down all the ridiculous things we did and said over four years, I’m pretty sure I’d be arrested as soon as I hit publish, but then again, anytime you put 75 guys in the same house, you’re guaranteed to have some moments where you’re just like “did that really just happen?” Luckily for me, Asher Roth decided to hit publish for me.

Asher Roth - I Love College

Today, as I flipped through blogs, one thing that stood out was, of all things, a new Souljah Boy song. While I hate giving him two mentions in a week, I can’t help it. Whether it be the grimey beat, the lyrics that make my legs want to two-step, or the overwhelming feeling that I really, really wish I could rap, I dig this song. Now, if somebody could remix this into a dirty electro jam, that would be AWESOME.

Souljah Boy - Steelo

On another note, I can’t listen to this cover of Feist’s 1234 without cracking a smile. I have no idea where this came from, or whose kids decided to belt out what might be my favorite rendition of a song ever done by children. Either way, please listen, and I dare you not to crack a smile. Also, if you know who put this together, please leave a comment because I would love to buy whatever cd this came from.

Children’s Fantastic Moment - 1234 (Feist Cover)

Props go to Hot Biscuits, who introduced me to this ridiculous Lollipop remix. Thanks guys for the heads up, and for the great blog.

Lil Wayne - Lollipop (Disco Villians Remix) 

And as I discovered last week as I flipped through my ipod looking for songs to fill the void my grandfather’s passing left, Sam Cooke is the fucking man.

Sam Cooke - That’s Where It’s At

**Also, if you haven’t heard DIM’s remix of the Presets “My People,” drop what you are doing, turn up those speakers and start jumping around, ’cause this song is about to take over your feet.

The Presets - My People (DIM Remix)

New Young Coyotes.

The more I listen to Denver-based Young Coyotes, the more I fall in love with their peppy songs and howling vocals, and the more I realize this band gets whatever it is that makes minimalistic pop music good. 

My favorite on this wonderful half-recorded LP is a new version of When I Was In The Fire. My guess is that it’s probably the song a heavenly chorus would sing as you float upward through cotton clouds and azure skies. “Look at the colors,” they’d howl in angelic tones, much like frontmen Adam Halferty and Zach Tipton do in this song. I want to spend my life with this song.

Below is half of the new LP. You will not be disappointed.

Young Coyotes - Young Coyotes LP