Mellow Mood - Dance Inna Babylon

So... Italian Reggae time? Sure, why not?

Actually, I kinda wish there was some Italian lyrics to this. The harsh accent makes for that nice tropical Reggae sound though, and if not for their Myspace it'd be hard to tell they're from anywhere other than the Caribbean.

I say you give them a listen and see for yourself.

Grooveshark Link | Buy

So yeah, can you tell at all? They're definitely up to par, if not beyond the talent of many current acts. Their location is intriguing, but definitely not their strong point.

And you can't go wrong with a sax solo, can you? It makes everything better.

Unfortunately, there isn't a saxophone to make everything better on every track of the album. Not to say it's a bad album or anything, but it's far from perfect.

Buy: mp3

Move! is a decent album. It has its special moments, and because of those it deserves some attention. A good listen when you're in the mood for new Reggae.

In my eyes though, it falls a little short. Great potential for a band, and I really do hope they grow into something fruitful. But right now this album is just a taste of what might come to be.

Still enjoyable. If you like your Reggae, I'd give it a listen.

Particle - Kneeknocker

Today's sound is some funky spacey Rock provided by Particle. Maybe not easy to get into at the beginning, but the rest of the song should make up for it.

Of course, where it takes you is up to you. I suggest opening up to the sound, imagining yourself in a futuristic spaceship, but in the 70's. Think "Funkship" with afros and synths.

Give it a listen.

Grooveshark Link

Too long? Yeah, it's okay. But those of you who will be able to stick around are gonna hear something special. Not to say there's never been a sound like them before, but the synths and funky bass together with the perfect flow the whole band has really make a good listen.

And if you won't be sticking around for the whole thing, that's fine. It's probably the reason they don't have a greater following. Most of the songs on the album are over 7 minutes long. There's maybe 3 exceptions.

That being said, if you don't mind turning music on and just letting it take its course, and of course, if you liked today's song too, you'll probably enjoy their album Launchpad.

Buy it. I dare you.

It'd also help them if they made their music just a tiny bit more accessible, but oh well. They're an awesome band, they can do whatever they feel like doing.

And I should probably mention that Kneeknocker isn't even my favorite track on the album. Not even close, actually. My absolute favorite is Sun Mar, a slower, 10 minute long song that was a bit more satisfying to the soul. To mine anyway.

My only complaint is the bass, and it's a small complaint at that. It's very defined, very perfect, but just a little too repetitive. I know that the job done on the bass is masterful and that keeping a pace for so long isn't exactly the easiest task. Just a matter of my preferences and tastes, here.

Still, I overlook all of that when I hear gems like Road's a Breeze (@3am), which just settle and tingle the ears.

The whole album is a great listen, like a really good jam session. If you like your jam bands, I highly recommend looking into it.

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Stretching

How about some work by one of the greats? For those of you that don't know, Art Blakey and a few other genius drummers are responsible for the modern bebop drumming style.

You'll be hearing some of that today, though admittedly I originally intended for a lighter, more modest sound. Since I wasn't able to find enough sources to comfortably post about E.T.A. today, I'm forced to display my second pick, Stretching.

I think it might be too Jazzy for some, but you'll never know if it suits you if you don't try it, right?

Grooveshark Link | Buy

It doesn't take many plays for me to start humming along, or trying to. It's the type of catchy song that starts off a little awkward, but after a few listens turns into something addicting.

And maybe you noticed that Blakey alone couldn't pull off this sound. The Jazz Messengers really tie it together, following his lead maybe, but ultimately creating something powerfully beautiful.

To different extents, that's how the rest of the album feels. If you liked Stretching, you'll probably enjoy yourself Reflections in Blue.

Buy: CD | mp3

Just an overall solid album. Perfectly imperfect, varied, and not too long either. It suits a wide variety of moods, like today's more jumpy up-beat fun sound, to more Rainy Mood worthy Ballad Medley's (click both of those and enjoy 17 minutes of relaxation. Wink.)

It's a great album that deserves a bit more credit than it's gotten. There are other very worthy albums, I know, but this one is special in its entirety. It deserves more listens.

Enigma - I Love You... I'll Kill You

Even if you don't recognize the name, don't worry. Most of you have heard Enigma. Their trademark Ambient sound was brainwashed well into most of our minds at one point, thanks to commercials in just about every television station for Pure Moods. That song, Return to Innocence, peaked charts around the globe and was used in many film soundtracks as well.

For those of you that haven't seen the commercials or heard it in the movies, well I guess you don't know what to expect today. You might want stick to that commercial and move away, as today's song is nearly 9 minutes long.

It's got some different elements to it than might be expected from that one commercial, though. If you've got the time, give it a listen.

Grooveshark Link | Buy

If you're getting tired, the guitar solo comes on at around 5 minutes. I believe it's provided by David Fairstein, but I'm not positive. Get back at me if you know.

The song has a soothing New Age/Rock feel going on, and I dig it. The rest of the album follows through with that theme, too.

Actually, today's song is pretty much the happy medium. The only thing it's missing to have elements from every single song on the album would be Curly (Michael Cretu)'s vocals. If you'd like a peak, you can hear it on songs like Out From the Deep.

Buy: CD | mp3

The Cross of Changes is a nice album, flat out. It might be a little over-hyped in some places, it might not be for you at all, but it's a great album to lay back and chill to.

It's also definitely easier to enjoy when heard all at once. You can play a song here and there alone and it'll sound alright, but it's a well balanced album. The complete listen is rewarding.

Check it out when you need some relaxing.

Beasts of Bourbon - Thanks

This is probably the most Country I've gotten on a post in a while. Probably in ever, and it'll probably be the last one in a while too.

If you like yourself some Country, don't get your hopes up too high! It's pretty much a hybrid thing with some Alt Rock and a very, very Country set of voices.

Oh and they're thanking everything. No, it seems they just racked up things to thank off the top of their head. Heartache, weed, I'm surprised the song doesn't last longer.

Give it a listen.

Grooveshark Link

The Youtube is a live recording (I don't think you're stupid, I promise) but the Grooveshark link is the studio version. Check that out if you want things the way they'll be on a CD.

So it's more of a Folk thing with southern-sounding lyrics. Technically they're more southern than could be expected, they're Australian.

And well, it seems they're drug addicts too. Or, what, maybe not. Who knows. All I know is it makes for an amusing song, which is more than I can say for the rest of the album.

Buy: CD

Little Animals was their last album, and I'm not all that sad about it. That sounds mean, let me explain.

First we get the album art. Officially they are "Beasts of Bourbon" without the 'the'. This is only bad because I've got some visual OCD stuff. No real problem.

Next we have the contents of this album. In my very unprofessional opinion, it sounds like the dying efforts of a struggling band from the 80's/90's. The highlight song is Little Animals, which is a bit depressing with a generic touch, but with lyrics that aren't very common. An applause for that.

Everything else is pretty much this. If you're craving a 90's Rock sound, check out some of their previous albums. I'm not very familiar with them, but I know they're better than this one.

Absu - Amy

Sometimes I just don't get what I feel. Sometimes there's nothing but a burning cauldron in my stomach and indescribable emotions.

What better music to suit those moods than the kind you can't really make out?

Absu is a Black/Thrash Metal band, there's the occasional understandable lyric, but for the most part  everything is an evil screech next to a catchy riff and your classic Thrash drums.

Give it a listen.. or skip this post. Might I suggest a different kind of song altogether?

Grooveshark Link | Buy

I suppose it might be a little monotonous for some of you, though I can just barely say that myself.

Other reasons why most of my subscribers might not like this include the screechy vocals, not being able to hear them (you can read them here if you really want) or the fact that it's more Metal than Metallica.

But for the rest of you, either you've heard of this nicely put together band, or you're just finding out about their magic. As someone who can enjoy this Black-Thrash stuff, I can say that I don't regret getting myself the album, and if you liked today's song, you should look into it too.

Buy: CD | mp3

Their self titled (but not debut) album Absu is a nice little gem to have in a music collection. Not for pulling it out every day, but great for the occasional mood swing. A listen every now and then when you really want to punch something in the face.

Not that I would ever punch something in the face or anything. And I mean, what if I did? Geeze. Stop judging.

Like it, but need a bit of persuading? I get you. Try out Magic(k) Square Cipher to get a better grip on things. It'll take a while for the vocals to kick in. It might absorb you better.

I insist it's great for that cauldron stomach feel. If you like, bookmark the song and go back to it when you're flustered. You'll see.

Spacehog - A Real Waste of Food

Nothing like a nice misleading fun song somewhere in your day to switch things up. Today's track is about a feud between siblings.

 I could see and understand the song existing, but when you figure it's about the bassist/vocalist and rhythm guitar/vocalist of the very same band, you kinda start to wonder why it even made it to the album.

And then of course it hits you, it's one of the better songs on the album. They had to.

Grooveshark Link

Might I just mention that the cowbell suits this one just fine. I'm expecting Christopher Walken to come on out and congratulate them.

The lyrics have that feeling of sibling feud that many of us can relate to. The rest of you can take a peak at what it's like. It gets worse though. I've gone farther than "waste of food" I think. Oh well.

Then the music is actually just nice. Nothing amazing, but chill enough to deserve the listen. They definitely earned the Space in their name with that simple yet galactic riff.

If you really, really liked it, you might wanna look into the album.

Buy: The Hogyssey

I'm a fan of maybe, 20% of this album. And well, let's not say I'm a fan, it's more like I can enjoy it.

According to the band their genre is Glam Rock. I always associated Glam Rock with 70-80's bands that had a certain popular feel and look to them. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that modern Glam Rock is pretty much Pop Rock. Or at least, that's what these guys are leading me to believe.

While most of the album is pretty much the Poppy Rocky stuff, there are a few gems. The Hogyssey is probably one of my favorites. It's their version of Richard Strauss' Sunshine (from Also sprach Zarathustra) which works well because it's most popular from Kubricks' 2001: A Space Odyssey.

But as for the whole album, you'll get the gist of what to expect by hearing the opening track Jupiter's Moon. It's decent. It's not really for me but who knows, maybe it's just right for you. Try it out.

Spooky Tooth - The Mirror

Spooky Tooth is just one of those bands that didn't get the full on exposure they were capable of. Maybe if they hadn't disbanded early they'd have a greater following.

They have a few gems if you check their collection. Today's song might not be the best to present them with, but I'll make up for that later.

If you like decent guitar work and the occasional spacious synth, you might enjoy today's tune. An admiration for genuine Rock wouldn't hurt either.

Give it a listen.

Grooveshark Link

Now, technically I'm showing half of the song. The album blends I'm Alive with this one, showing both happiness and dread in a short time span. I'd recommend hearing those songs together for the best experience.

If the song just isn't for you, you might prefer it being sampled over Atmosphere's Trying to Find a Balance, a bit of a classic for their fans.

Or if you prefer your Rock just a little harder, you might want to give the album a look anyway.

Buy: The Mirror

The album has a pretty awesome Classic Rock vibe to it. It feels different though, because it's not something your friends or parents or whoever will typically play over and over. Just an occasional listen to enjoy the experience fully.

And I'll admit that today's song is misleading as far as the album goes, I just love the talent put into The Mirror, specifically. Most of the rest is a bit stronger, though. It starts off with Fantasy Satisfier which hands you everything you need to hear to know if you want to keep listening.

And just because it was similar to the rest of the album, this post was almost Woman and Gold. The bass at the beginning of that song makes me all happy inside. (Luckily for me, I changed my mind before finding out the song isn't Youtube'd.)

Give those a listen if you're considering the album.

Digable Planets - Pacifics

I'm feeling for some educated Rap today. The shame for this post is that it's currently Tuesday and this song is basically about relaxing on a Sunday.

Just pretend it's that one day of the week where you can drop everything and be worry free, and you might be able to get what they're talking about.

Give it a listen.

Grooveshark Link | Buy

For the curious, good luck finding accurate lyrics for this one. In fact, if you do find them, would you share? I'll place it here for future readers. (Thanks goes to Sub-Radar-Mike who posted the lyrics here. While you're at it, check out his great music blog. I recommend it.)

Even though the rest of the album is just as full of the knowledge, I love how the Jazz influences are obvious. It's at moments like "What would 'Trane say?" that make me happy there's ever been rappers who cared at all about Jazz.

Then there's other knowledgeable lyrics in there that really elevate my love for them. But well, it's another classic album. It's full of the Jazz influences, Funk influences and well thought out rhymes.

Buy: CD | mp3

If you've never heard of the album and you actually enjoy Hip-Hop, just drop whatever album MTV told you to get and go get this one. You'll thank me later.

The Jazz influences are an obvious reason why I would love the trio, but the fact that finding such talent is hard nowadays also gives the listener a fine appreciation for what the group could do in such little time.

Need more persuading? It can't be a classic without a hit, and who can't remember Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)?

And if you're already a fan and weren't aware (I wasn't) they have a neat compilation album with remastered tracks, a remix and some previously unreleased tracks too. I recommend it.

Manu Chao - Bixo

If you like yourself a relaxed guitar riff along side an interestingly Latin Reggae bass, today's song will be for you.

The problem with my writing for it is that it doesn't belong alone. Just make sure that you're hearing a portion of what you should  be. It's like seeing a scene from a movie out of context, it doesn't fit.

Give it a listen anyway though, it's nice.

Grooveshark Link | Buy

Literally, in Galician, bixo means bug or insect. "Bixo do coco" would mean coconut bug. But that's literal, when you get down to it, the song is pretty much about cocaine and how it ruined someone's life. A sad story.

I could not have understood that on my own, so I recommend reading the lyrics and checking the comments here to get yourself acquainted with the song.

Now, the song starts pretty quick and it ends pretty sharp, but for the 2 minutes that it's playing it's pretty nice. As I mentioned above, the song isn't complete unless it has the previous and next ones to blend into it.

My recommendation? Just hear the whole album, Próxima Estación: Esperanza. The second track is Bixo, and the first and third all blend with it.

Buy: CD | mp3

The whole album blends really well together. It uses pieces of radio sounds to tie it together at some points (as you may have heard at the beginning of  this song) and after that, songs just blend. Leave it on for a while and you won't even notice some of the changes.

Of course the whole album has won me over for having the languages I love to hear. It's mainly English, Spanish and Portuguese, but there's also French, Arabic and today's Galego. The mix of languages I can't understand alongside the ones I do really draws me in.

If you're not entirely won over, you might want to listen (or re-listen?) his international hit Me Gustas Tú. And if you dig that but prefer something in English, he's got you covered with Mr. Bobby.

And yes, I know that many of you have heard a few of these songs here and there. The goal for me is to get you to hear the whole album. It's such a different experience. I recommend it, even if just once while mellowed out.

John Mayer - Slow Dancing in a Burning Room

Anybody expecting this to be some Pop-happy song just because the title says John Mayer is in for something a bit different. It's more of a light Blues/Rock thing.

The lyrics pretty much maintain the Blue feel all the way through, and in my opinion, Mayer's voice was made for this type of thing.

Give it a listen yourself.

Grooveshark Link | Buy

Alright, so thee lack of Pop is arguable, and maybe the whole Blues thing isn't all that obvious either, but it's definitely noticeable when compared to the rest of the album.

Just listen to the guitar. So simple, yet so perfectly placed.

I find it funny how this is (in my very unprofessional opinion) the best song in the album, and it's one of the, like, 3, to not be a single.

I don't care if I'm exaggerating. Shush.

Buy: CD | mp3 | Vinyl

I don't love this album. I mean it's popular, so many of you already have your own opinions and are ready to tell me I'm wrong.

It's definitely not terrible though, considering the soft Pop-Rock it considers itself to be. The guitar work glues it all together, making it a very decent listen.

The occasional Jazzier song like Belief also keeps the balance running. And I mean there's a Jimi Hendrix cover (Bold as Love) that doesn't make me cringe. Come on, that's gotta say something.

I'd recommend a listen when you're feeling laid back if you haven't already. No, really, even if you're not a John Mayer fan-girl, check it out.

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Three Little Birds

Yeah, I'm sure everyone who has ever given Reggae a proper look has heard this song. Actually, even if  you hate Reggae and have purposely avoided it all your life, the odds are you've heard this one.

What I don't get, though, is how such a popular song can have a music video that so few people have seen. Not to say it's an amazingly crafted masterpiece of a video, but it fits with the song, with that happy vibe.

And I need that happy vibe right now.

Alternate Video Link | Grooveshark | Buy

It's got that wonderfully 80's look to it. Set mainly in black and white, following this young girl who is quite obviously not worrying, living life, being happy.

Even Bob himself makes his appearance, having fun, kicking a ball around, being happy.

I said be happy! Go!

Buy: CD | mp3 | Vinyl

There's a few compilation albums that you could buy and have a complete set of Bob Marley songs. I'm sure you can get all the songs from Exodus on a really long one, but if you're looking for a shorter listen you should just get yourself Exodus.

Every single song is good enough for a Bob Marley fan, the thing is amazing. Between lesser known songs like Natural Mystic, and more popular ones like today's post or Jammin', it's a pretty amazing album and shouldn't go unnoticed.

Jim Lang - Stompin'

I recently got a Googler my way who had searched for "Hey Arnold heading off song". I'm pretty sure this was lost in translation and that said googler was looking for the end theme/credits.

For those wondering, the Googler found the show's intro instead.

Even though the nostalgic properties strike hard for some, it's not all that difficult to listen to otherwise. You can either bask in memories or enjoy Jim Lang's chillness.

Enjoy.

Grooveshark Link

Some of you might prefer a longer jam session type thing, in which case I will happily point you to a version by Shoeless Grooves. Check it out, it's real good.

Jim's composition isn't all that out there on its own, but it's great ground to improvise on. Originally, it's a decent listen, maybe nothing amazing to some, but definitely memorable.

Maybe that's why he's not selling it. But then again, he's not exactly giving it away either.

Download

I'm using the same cover from the Hey Arnold Theme post for two reasons. The first one being that I don't think I have the time to make a cover, and the second being that I'll be putting the songs under the same album, myself. Hearing them back to back is the only way to go.

If you want to hear more of Jim's work (or if you wanted to hire him!) check out Knobworld. Since it's pretty much his, I assume the info in there is accurate.

Oh and Jim (or representative), if you're reading this and want me to take the link down, I've done my best to make myself easily contactable. But if you do contact, please consider releasing a Hey Arnold's Music album, yeah? There's fans out there.

Like, you know, me.

Little Roy - About a Girl

This is gonna be a pretty decent post for Reggae fans, but a pretty odd one for Nirvana fans. In fact, if you're a hardcore Nirvana fan, you might want to get away from the post. Shoo!

How dare I use reverse psychology on you in order to get a reaction. That's mean, go tell me how mean I am.

It's actually funny to see how a change of pace can switch the whole view of the song. It's even better because the basic layout is intact, the lyrics don't change at all.

Give it a listen, yeah?

Grooveshark Link | Buy

If you haven't heard the original, here you go.

It's almost like a happy version. This would be the reason I can see some people not being too happy with Little Roy at the moment, his voice doesn't sound like Kurt Cobain, his music doesn't sound like Nirvana, he's just taking the lyrics, stripping them of their old emotion and giving them new meaning.

And yet, that's exactly why I like it. He isn't changing the music so many of us have heard and love, he's just bringing a new version to the table so anyone who wasn't a fan before can have a fresh new chance. That's special.

Of course, he mentions himself that he made the album with lots of respect and love for Kurt Cobain and Nirvana.

Buy: CD | mp3 | Vinyl

That's right, Battle for Seattle is a Nirvana cover album. Each song on it, crafted carefully into something special, slightly happier.

While definitely not for everyone, regular fans of Nirvana and general Reggae lovers will find the album to hit a sweet spot. Granted, a weird sweet spot, I mean songs like Lithium aren't the base of your every day Reggae jam, but it's interesting.

The good news is, he didn't cover Smells Like Teen Spirit. It would've been the deal breaker. Check out the track listing.

He made it work. It's not too long, it's just a selection. A fine selection, but he could easily have gone over board with it and he didn't.

Instead he kept it simple, a nice listen at nearly 35 minutes in length. If you can tolerate today's song, you should find a way to give the album a listen. It's worth it.

Klondike Kids - Gateway to the North

Ever felt the impact a song has when it steps just a foot outside of traditional genres? It's pretty special. At least, if you enjoy it it is.

Today's song is a bit on the Jazzy side, but these guys gave it a bit of a Hip-Hop feel and added a few extra details here and there. The resulting song is special, probably an unexpected sound.

Give it a listen.

I really like how it starts, a bit of a traditional feel for a few seconds but it takes just a few more to show you that you're listening to something different.

The instruments almost seem to be flirting with each other, coaxing and edging the next one on. It's a process that's gonna last the whole song, from the piano to the synths to the flute and sax.

To keep things fresh in those moments between the starring instruments, an upbeat set of drums eases into the ears.

Of course, what's most amazing is that you're hearing just two people, layering over themselves electronically and making sure the sound is exactly how they want it.

Buy or Listen on Bandcamp

Their debut, self titled album, does not disappoint. Especially considering you get to name the price of it. If you honestly can't afford it, you can have it for free. But if you can, it's gonna feel terrible not to pay for this gem.

If you want to know if you should bother though, well, that's what I'm here for. In my eyes this track is the highlight of the duo's album. It has the Jazzy soulfulness that I assume comes from Dutch Courage, and the subtle Hip-Hop influences that come with Tom Caruana.

If you're looking for something with the same style, but maybe smoother, try Live at the Palace. If maybe you're looking for something with a space bass feel to it, try Holding Aces. And if you just want to see how Hip-Hop the album can get (it could make it or break it in some cases) try Yukon Rock.

But if you want D4's second favorite pick, try Spaghetti Saloon, it's got that flute twist in it, it's delicious. Like the rest of the album.

Listening is free, and I'm sure they appreciate it. Missed the link? Find the whole thing here.

Blame the Kid - Green Terror (Free Download)

After taking all of 5 minutes to think about how to start this post without giving too much away, I figured I'd just say close to nothing and let those of you who are interested go ahead and listen.

To spark that interest, I'll tell you that Blame the Kid is something of a Hip-Hop producer. You'll be getting that classic drum sound mixed into today's song.

What I don't really want to spoil is the story. Not all of you will really care, but it might be a nice surprise for the rest.

Give it a listen.

Green Terror

Grooveshark Link

So, the song is pretty much about Poison Ivy. I capitalize that because it's a name, as in, the one evil chick from Batman.

Apparently, Blame the Kid is a pretty huge Batman fan, specifically for the animated series those clips/samples/sections are from. It's an interesting sound.

But then, so is the rest of the album. He basically summarized a few episodes, took little bits and pieces from others and added some great tracks for the background. The resulting album is very weird, mysterious, and peculiar.

Free Download

BtK is giving Batman: The Animated Album out for free. The whole thing. Any additional info you might want can be found on the album's website. And from there you can branch out to his other projects. Go, take a peek if you like. There's more free stuff!

I'll warn that today's track is one of the more elaborate finds on the album. If you're hit by nostalgia and want to download it simply to see if there's anything more upbeat, no.

However, it does get creepy, it could induce happy memories, and considering it's free, it's generally not too shabby.

Kinda makes me wish I'd watched the show more often. I remember a few of his musically summarized episodes, but with most tracks, like today's, it's like hearing something completely new.

Maybe that's a good thing.

Bob James - Valley of the Shadows

Oh yes it's time for real Jazz. The kind of Jazz that would make a human with some messed up psychological disorders. The kind that isn't predictable unless you've heard it way too many times.

And of course the kind that not everyone can tolerate. Coming from one of the biggest names in Smooth Jazz, today's sound will actually be fairly rugged.

If you like being able to bop your head in tune with the music, you might wanna just skip today's post. Otherwise, enjoy yourself nearly 10 minutes of this awkward and interesting piece.

Grooveshark Link

It's a ritual of mine to write notes on the songs I'll be talking about. The notes for this one were amusing, it seems there's enough emotional changes in the song to seem like I was going mad. but if you stick around to hear it, you'll realize that yourself.

It's a complicated, very well composed piece. One of the only two originals in the album, but the album is basically just one interestingly elaborate gem.

Buy: CD | mp3

I could pick any song from the album and make an entire post with it. Every song is wonderfully crafted together to make this classic album: One.

The most notable track in the album would be Nautilus, which apparently is one of the most sampled songs in Hip-Hop history. Don't take my word for it.

Aside from that, the Jazz is great on every track. This is especially interesting when it combines with Classical pieces. Legitimate names here too, Pachelbel and Mussorgsky. It's a little something I like to call Jazzical just because it's fun to say.

Say it out loud, come on! Jazzical.

It's a solid album; put simply if you haven't heard this one before you really should.

M.I.A. - Born Free

This song has been out for a while, someone just happened to remind me that M.I.A.'s newest album was released a while ago and that I'd probably dig it.

Of course, after hearing it through, a few tracks stood out. One of them being today's song along with the video that stirred for a bit.

 It's a bit graphic and more of a mini-movie than a music video, it's definitely not safe for work, but if you're feeling up to it and you haven't already, you should definitely give it a watch.

You can find it here.

If you're feeling a bit lazier/squeemish and want the regular version, just give it a listen below.

Grooveshark Link | Buy

The more I listen to this track individually, the less and less I see people enjoying it. It's aggressive, out of place and it's not particularly difficult to find monotony in there. But I didn't hear it that way, I heard it alongside the rest of the album which changed my perception entirely.

Even the first time I heard it on the video, I wasn't all for the song. In fact, if it weren't for her message or because it made for an amazing video, I couldn't see releasing that song as being a smart idea in the first place.

Of course, that would man that it's not the best option for today's post, so here's some variety! You might enjoy her more commercial single XXXO, or her more alcohol and wit infused piece Teqkilla, and if you're looking for something more Pop worthy, maybe Tell Me Why could edge itself in there.

Though technically, on their own, none of those tracks are satisfying to me either...

Buy: CD | mp3

Sometimes stylized as /\/\ /\ Y /\ (because you know, it's clever), it is her third released album and is technically self titled.


This is gonna be an album that has to be heard all the way through, from the beginning, to appreciate it. Even though the beginning is already pushing a well thought message, it goes down easy (relatively). Each song fits right with the previous one, making it a pretty decent listen.

It's just that even though it still sounds very much like M.I.A., it's unlike her other two albums where you could take chunks from the album and listen to them on their own. This one needs to rest of the album to sustain itself.

It's an inconvenient listen, it's definitely a different listen, but I wouldn't say it's a bad one either. If you're a M.I.A. fan you should have already heard and formed your own opinion, but I still encourage people who enjoy her music to give it a try.

Young Love - Discotech

Right off the bat I'll mention that this is a pretty generic song today. In fact, if you manage to remember it 2 hours from now it'll be because of how catchy it is, not because of any amazing talent or anything.

To be honest, if more people read/googled on weekends, I wouldn't even post this. But it's really not that bad, and I do promise variety..

No really, I think I overdid it. A lot of you will probably enjoy this Pop-Dance-Rock thing. I could compare the sound to a bunch of bands I don't like at all, so instead I'll let you listen to the song.

Grooveshark Link | Buy

Some of you might prefer the music video. It's banned in a few places, Vevo and all, but it's here.

I got introduced to this song as "a song I can dance to" and I can't really deny it. In fact, maybe a few steps in left feet lead me to enjoy the song in the first place.

If you want more.. well, check out the album, Too Young to Fight It.

Buy: CD | mp3

The album isn't my thing. The song that shares name with the album is pretty neat, and there's a few reasons as to why it's catchy enough to have money spent on it, but they don't really convince me personally. Just me.

The album had its final sway at the end. Close Your Eyes gave me hope, it had a weird twist to the album. Kinda like if Indie had a good Pop producer behind it, an interesting song that gave hope for the rest of the album.

Close Your Eyes was the last song on the album. Bit of a nasty shock, but it gives me hope for Dan Keyes (guy on the cover) who produced, wrote and sang just about every song on the album. For an effort made alone, it's not a terrible listen.

In fact, it might even inspire others to perform their own works all on their own with maybe a little help from a band. This guy can do it, he sounds fair. Why not?

Charlie Brown Jr. - Somos Poucos Mas Somos Loucos

Today's song is for those of you that like Hard Rock, the only thing that might keep the rest of you are the interesting Portuguese lyrics/rap, or easy going music between the riffs. It's well rounded, that's why I chose it today.

And for those of you who have a bell ringing, yes it's a familiar name to many. They were featured on Viva La Bam when they went to Rio with Bob Burnquist.

The translated title means 'We Are Few And We Are Crazy'.

Give it a listen.

Grooveshark Link | Buy

I'd love to tell you what it's about, but it's pretty much a rap in a language I'm mediocre at. It sounds like too many themes crammed into one to me. I think I just can't tie it all together, so I'll let you find out on your own if you're really interested. Make what you want of it.

Or if you're fluent in Portuguese you might want to translate/summarize it for us. I will thank you right on this spot.

If the song tickled your ears as it hits the riff, know that I was torn between this song and another for today's post. Try out Tarja Preta, it starts off a bit weird, some switched radio stations maybe, followed by some disc scratching and an awesome bass line. Awesome. And from there just.. some weird Prog-Hard Rock stuff.

The album is far less than what those songs show though. Maybe I'm looking at the wrong album, but it's the one I have. Half the songs in it have a nice intro, half of them make for great listens if you're in the mood, and between all those, half are pretty much generic Skate-Punk songs. But hey, they also suit some moods.

Buy: CD | mp3

Bocas Ordinárias (Ordinary Mouths) is their fifth release. It's a decent album. It's experimental, alternative, it has that fresh sound when bands are starting out and aren't sure where they're heading. Which is odd.. because as mentioned it's their fifth album and so you'd expect them to be a bit more set in stone.

It's actually pretty interesting, I'll be looking into their old sound now. I might post about it in the future, but then again maybe they really did only start developing around this album.

Whether they did or not, this definitely does seem like a good one to start with. It covers a variety of sounds from the English Skate-Punk My Mini Ramp (blunt obvious, no?) to Hard Rock-ish songs like today's post, to even a slightly late 80's/early 90's rock sound.

It's all over the place, but that's what makes the album what it is. There was no hot shot producer telling them that they had to follow a certain style, it's just what they felt like. Not for everyone to digest, but if you like general Rock and don't mind the language, there should be a song in the album for you.

Zakk Wylde - T.A.Z.

Alright, so technically the song is by Black Label Society, I know. But considering at the time this band was a duo consisting of just Wylde and drummer Phil Ondich, and then adding to the whole thing that this particular piece is an acoustic, well, it's Zakk Wylde for me.

Anybody who's heard even a little BLS should already know that Zakk aims to shred the skin right off your face, as he is just shy of merciless sometimes with ridiculous riffs and devastating solos (a dying art). But today's song was the one that started earning him, and the band, my respect.

Give T.A.Z. a listen.

Grooveshark Link | Buy

The only word you'll hear in this song is at around the 30 second mark. Zakk goes ahead and says "yeah" as he prepares for the twist that immediately follows.

I have no idea what T.A.Z. means. Normally, I care. It's a detail and details make the song, which make the album, and so on. In this one case, I really don't even need to know. All I need to know is that the first time I heard it my jaw felt the floor.

Granted, I wasn't expecting it either. The whole album is full of some stunning electric guitar work and a bass that's ready to compete with it. All of a sudden this song pops up and bam.

Buy: CD | mp3

A lot of you must know this album, it's Black Label Society's debut, Sonic Brew. But to those that don't, know that the only other song that sticks out like a sore thumb is Spoke in the Wheel. After that, just about everything follows through with what you'd expect after the first song in the album, Bored to Tears. Of course, the beginning bass in that song is a lot more of a killer than the rest of the album..

If you're gonna let a song sway you into getting yourself the album though, I'll recommend The Rose Petalled Garden. It isn't necessarily the album's best, but lets you know what to expect pretty well. If you're in a hurry, there's a solo is at 3:35.

Listening to the album through you'll feel Zakk's talent which slightly overshadows his southern style. It's all still very noticeable though. The album isn't for every Metal fan, but I think I provided enough links and info to let you know if it's right for you, yeah?

Kavinsky - Nightcall

I had heard of Kavinsky before, I can't say the name doesn't ring bells. Surfing on the internet, listening to the radio of different countries, Youtube-ing, all places where I've probably heard his name, maybe a song or two.

My mistake was not looking into him. No friends ever mentioned him, and neither Daft Punk nor SebastiAn have come touring in my area recently (he often tours with them). But of course, eventually I would have heard him as I do with most decent music, and this time I have Drive to thank for the find.

Today's song was produced by Daft Punk's Guy-Manuel, mixed by SebastiAn, and features vocals from CSS' Lovefoxxx. It didn't take much to find this out, but once I read this all, I pretty much understood why it was so addictive.

If any of those names hit home, you'll know what to expect from Nightcall.

Give it a listen.

Listen or Buy at: Bandcamp

Yes, I feel pretty bad that I hadn't heard this track before that one day at the movies. I'd heard his work, heard his name, wasn't able to keep the two together and so this took itself to be an awesome, unexpected song right there.

And then I knew there was a Daft Punk influence.. but it was actually produced by one of them. Shame comes over again when I realize the lady from CSS is singing in it; a voice I was bombarded with in my teens.

Basically this means that I have a positive bias towards this song, so I'm trying really hard not to say that it sounds like the ending to an amazing French Electro album. Like when you hear Discovery for the first time and all you can think is "Wow".

Woops.

But the song also makes for an incredible beginning, many of you have already heard the song on the opening credits to Drive. A powerful entrance that sets a standard for the rest of the movie's music.

Buy or Listen at Bandcamp

I could have just made this post about the Drive soundtrack, but if you're here to check if it's worth it, I can tell you it is. Just know that the first few songs are the upbeat ones and after those are done you hear Cliff Martinez's slower, graphically titled songs. Check it out if you like.

But for anyone who hasn't yet seen that movie and enjoys today's French Electro sound, well, check out Kavinsky's entire Bandcamp because the Nightcall EP is only gonna make you want more.

It features just two original songs, Nightcall and Pacific Coast Highway. You either already heard or are hearing Nightcall, but the B-Side is also a pretty good song. It's interesting because he based it off a video about a ghost car, included the Mystery TV Show narrative and made an enjoyable track. Check the video out, it's called the NYPD Ghost Car Chase.

After those two, you'll find remixes. Lots and lots of remixes for both songs. Some better than others, all subjective to your particular tastes, but if today's track isn't for you you should not bother with checking the songs out.

The Subways - Rock & Roll Queen

How about some blunt honest Rock? Indie Rock technically, but whatever, this  track can get away without the Indie sound easy if you don't remember I already mentioned it.

This is one of those songs that I always thought was more popular than it actually was. I heard it often, I could swear I'd heard it on movies before, but maybe that was just my mind playing tricks on me.

If you haven't heard it before, give it a quick listen. Average length, basic Rock, you got your catchy riffs and some cool sounding vocals, even some screeching for those who like it.

Rock & Roll Queen.

Grooveshark Link | Buy

I don't know about you guys, but the first second already has me by the neck. The guitar hooks me, the lyrics that suit the voice so well keep me entertained. It's a neat song, keeps that all the way through.

Yes, it's simple. It's nothing stunning, it's just catchy. That's all it's supposed to be. Not for you? That's cool, I'll have something for you another day, yeah?

But for those of you who do enjoy it, or have enjoyed it, take a peek at the album and see if it suits you.

Buy: CD | mp3

While the album in its entirety isn't quite my thing, it is a decent listen for Indie Rock lovers. I can listen to a track or two here and there, on occasion. I respect the album, I just can't focus on it.

Some of you might have and love this album. But do those of you know that The Subways have released a new album this past September?

They released Money and Celebrity and I figured, why not listen to it? Why not find my favorite song and post about it, maybe help them through with the internet a tiny bit, do my part in promotion. And then I wrote this post instead.

While today's album earns much of my respect for the band, MaC not only falls short, but doesn't even earn a single honorable mention. This is just my tastes, and I do have a generally negative bias towards Pop sounds. So that being said I'd like to make it clear that it's not that I dislike the album, it's just that I heard it 20 minutes ago and I already forgot it.

If you like today's song, get yourself Young for Eternity.

Vitalic - The Past

With so much fresh new Electronic music coming through to us lately, it's hard for the new fans to sit back and enjoy what has been there all along. Eagerly anticipating the next amazing electronically made album is enough to make some people not even bother with old greats like Vitalic.

Not to say the guy is inactive, just, well when a friend of mine didn't know who The Prodigy was, I realized there's a problem with 'new' Electro-something fans, in the sense that there's so much new that they don't need to know about the old, or the past.

I insist though, there's a lot of good electronic music from beyond the depth that I'm going. I'm only taking you back to 2005.

Today's track is relaxed, a bit more picked up than your typical Ambiance music but still very relaxing. Give The Past a listen.

Grooveshark Link | Buy

It's likely that those of you that have heard of Vitalic haven't heard this song. Those of you might remember My Friend Is Dario as the hit from this particular album.

And to those of you who have listened to the whole album, kudos.

Those who haven't heard his music before, be sure to know that he doesn't focus on this space-like feel and that he really likes to make some intriguingly fun music. You might wanna search back up there for the My Friend Is Dario link to get a better feel of what this guy is about on the album.

But then, the album reaches a few very different peaks. If so far you're getting into the guy, you should definitely check this album out. If you already have the album, you should definitely put it on some time later today and enjoy some fine music.

Buy: CD | mp3

Maybe the diversity of the album isn't for everyone, and maybe it's not diverse enough for some others, but Vitalic's OK Cowboy definitely isn't a bad album. The sound might be a tiny bit vintage for new listeners, but it's a good vintage.

I mean, this music was made to last. If  I hadn't mentioned the age, nobody would really pin it on that. You'd just say that "something is off but I like it".

Where as a lot (but not all) of today's music is made without even hoping it means anything in a few years. If the listeners move on, oh well. There's a certain freshness to that too, but that's not my point.

For that kind of timelessness alone, this album is great. It's a varying sound, it wasn't made to fit a time period. It was made to be enjoyed.

I recommend you go enjoy it somehow.

Antal Doráti and Sean Connery - Peter and the Wolf

Hearing this specific version of Peter and the Wolf brings back memories. I remember being a kid, getting this in the mail (from Santa, mind you) looking at the cover and wondering why anyone would give me big people music. Then I remember hearing it and enjoying it and thinking I was an adult.

Of course later on I found out that it was made for children. But that wasn't important.

I'll skip the short intro out of the main link today, but I'll still link you to it later for those who want to hear the whole thing and go back a few decades. I know you're out there.

For right now, how about the young Sean Connery's (1965) voice of silk over the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as lead by Antal Doráti in their chunk of Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf. They call this particular track 'It Was Early Morning'.

No Alt Link

You know when you want to share something really bad but there's only one way to share it? Sorry for all of you who won't be hearing Sean Connery's amazing narration. I mean you're not missing anything, it's just childhood memories as portrayed by the guy.

If anyone happens to find a direct mp3 stream or something, let me know, yes? It's appreciated.

For the rest of you, either good memories, bad ones, or nothing you can relate to. I mean most likely, anyway. There are those unfortunate few who enjoy Classical but didn't hear much of it as children, and this is technically a children's piece..

Buy: CD | mp3

It makes me happy just to see that cover again. I know I have this CD somewhere and I will find it.

I'm not sure how many of you will enjoy it though. It's definitely a fine version. There's goofier narrators out there and less than amazing conductors, so if you're going in blind, it's definitely a nice version. It really is more adult than some other versions, and that earns some points in my eyes.

The album also has Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé Suite and Benjamin Britten's Young Person's Guide to Orchestra. But I'll leave those out or this will turn into way too lengthy of a post. Just know they're in there. And Britten's piece is also narrated by Connery.

Ah, and for those of you fortunate enough to have Grooveshark working for you, go ahead and listen to the entire piece here. It's short, don't be scared.