Finally getting back on the Music Monday thing. This week it’s Janelle Monae who I would best describe as Andre 3000 meets Jackson Five meets Lady GaGa. Fierce lyrics, incredible vocalist and dancer, visually unique, and totally awesome.
LCD Soundsystem: official site, rad song on youtube
Musics from Britain that apparently does quite well for itself, and has been doing so since 2002. Mixing in parts punk and electro with an unobtrusive dash of disco, just enough to give it flavor, does not overwhelm. I say give ‘em a listen.
U.N.K.L.E. - Burn My Shadow (official site)
Trip-hop duo from the UK, around since 1994. I’m also a big fan of Restless off their 2007 release War Stories.
Alas embedding persists in not working. There’s some switch what needs flipping somewhere, and someday I shall find it and flip it.
The Two Man Gentlemen Band - William Howard Taft (myspace)
Fun, rowdy, bawdy vaudeville, served up hot and fresh the way God wanted it.
Sirs, I demand you transport yourselves in the San Francisco, by the fastest of steam-driven engines, or perhaps the second-fastest if budget is a concern.
So to add to the list of new music we have Spoon, which means my list of stuff to listen to this year is getting obscenely long.
Still, you can check out the track Got Nuffin’, which features the typical persistent beat and bass of Spoon but the sound seems to be going a bit darker for them, which I’m a fan of. Thing I like about Spoon is they’re a very clean, easy sound. There aren’t a lot of layers going on. But the simplicity isn’t obnoxious. It’s just listenable without being taxing, but if you put your ear to it and focus, it’s still really enjoyable.
I know I already had my Music Monday. I’m having another. Coz fuck you, that’s why. (Plus The Books are relatively old.)
Astreetlightsong - A Lighthouse (myspace)
I don’t know what to say on these guys yet. Electro, dark edge to it, really digging. Give it a whirl.
I went through and realized I’d made no mention of this band. For shame.
The Books - An Animated Description of Mr Maps
The Books - Be Good To Them Always
They blend their own singing, traditional instruments, made instruments, and found sound (tapes dug out of the forgotten bins in Salvation Armies and Goodwills) to get this kind of music. It’s not for everybody which is probably why I’ve not posted it until now, a sound that can be hard to get into. Still, I dig, and I hope you do.
Note the first video is not affiliated with the band, but the second one is. Not that you’d figure it out.
Twitterfeed