Thursday, December 27, 2012

NPR's top 100 from 2012

Found a couple of things that piqued my interest after checking the list...heard a few things this morning on the radio so I went and looked up their picks:



Their pick from this is Mulata (which I need to hear in it's entirety) but this track Mala is dark and ominous. Interesting mood music.




On Epitaph...yes, really!




So beautifully sweet




play this loud. :)




kinda fun poppy number





She sounds like Sade you say? Sure, I'll take a listen...



St Vincent & David Byrne? well, yeah....didn't expect all the horns, but I like em





not sure how much I like this, but it IS some next level shit yo...at least for me.




they certainly like these 80's sounding joints...this is kinda fun :)

and finally...




I didn't listen to everything on the list, but I got through most of them. Let me know what else you're liking :)







Thursday, December 20, 2012

Mixtape

Super cool video on the artist and process behind this uber-dope coffee table. Someone please spot me $5000.

Mixtape from Jeff Skierka on Vimeo.

 

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Hi Sessions

I caught an episode of this show while I was home and really liked it. Nice recording set up for the live performances. I enjoyed the Young The Giant version of this song (catchy) but here, stripped down, the lyrics really shine through more so than the bombastic original.



 

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Haircuttery radio

Heard this while getting my haircut today. Groovy.



and one more since I hate just posting one little video...



 

Friday, November 2, 2012

Monday, October 29, 2012

Mahagony Sessions

Not familiar with this blog, but after this session with Fink, I'm going to have to investigate them further. 
 
I have been watching old episodes of Lie To Me on Netflix and they used this song "This Is The Thing" at the end of one of the shows. I had Shazam'd it which is why I recognized the song when a friend posted this on her Tumblr.



 


 

Thursday, October 25, 2012

from just a guitar sample

that sounded SO familiar today.

a co-worker was listening (i think) to this:



and that guitar was killing me since I knew it from somewhere.
Came home to find that another friend had posted this on Facebook



and I remembered where I knew it from! So then of course, I had to figure out where the guitar came from and discovered this beauty.



I love it when this happens. 

 

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Nu-Mark

Hopefully you've been following the sunlight series of releases by Nu-Mark. He's been releasing tracks from his new album 2 at a time on 10-inch records at various "buy levels" including thumb drives etc. 

This is the latest single: another funky track and fun video



Check his merch page here.


Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Skyfall

I remember reading about the leak for the Adele song that is the theme to the new Bond film, Skyfall and not being able to find any decent clips of it.

Finally found a great vid with the song



 

Thursday, September 20, 2012

another find

I was looking for the album version for a long time. HOW DID I NOT KNOW THAT MOUSSE T DID A REMIX that IS THIS FUCKING DOPE?!



Wow.

Nick Drake & Heath Ledger

I remember, when Heath Ledger died, I read something about some videos that he had shot/produced that hadn't been released out of respect for him. I wrote them down in my little pad of "things to research/look for" and forgot about them.

I dug out the pad today to add something to it and thought about looking again.

Found one of the two.


 Nick Drake - Black Eyed Dog from abraham yosifidis on Vimeo.

Black Eyed Dog by Nick Drake (video produced by Heath Ledger)

Friday, September 7, 2012

Cult

2 unrelated songs have been popping into my head lately...well, lets say THIS one has been 



 and then my brain made some Cult/Cult relation and then I was thinking about how much better this other song was so much better than "The Power"



 

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Clubby Goodness

I'm not a huge fan of the big clubby tracks these days. I can't deny the appeal but it's just not stuff I want to listen to...especially when it's blaring off my managers iPod and polluting up the whole office.
Despite that, this is a pretty fun little remix that I stumbled across thanks to the homie kingmost



 

Monday, August 27, 2012

20th century boy

I just learned that this song did not appear on an album. It was a single only.



such a great fuckin song.
 

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Cory Chisel

I thought I had posted these before, but I don't see them here so I must have just favorited them on youTube.

Stoked to see these guys tonight at Metro. 







 

movies to see

I saw a couple of great trailers before Marley movie I watched on DVD.





 Magnolia pictures chooses some great stuff to release

and then followed a Tumblr tag trail from Perks of Being a Wallflower, to Melanie Lynsky and found this new film she's in that also looks fun.


 

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Joanie

The visit to the library today had be reaching for Joan Osborne's Pretty Little Stranger which I had borrowed once before but failed to spend much time with.
I loved Brokedown Palace, Time Won't Tell and Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends, but today I listened to the CD all the way through and found myself digging the whole thing.

She is hit or miss for me. After watching her in Standing in the Shadows of Motown, I really wanted to love her, but sometimes the "soul" sounds forced to me. Breakfast In Bed hits me both ways: sometimes really sounding "out of the pocket" and other times killing me with heartbreaking emotion.

I checked through a couple of the albums that I hadn't heard before: Relish with "One of Us" is supposedly so great but I didn't enjoy it much but I bought a few tracks off her soul record How Sweet It Is (seriously...Everybody Is A Star is fantastic) and a couple off the newest record Bring It On Home


According to the Chicago Reader she has a monthly residency at City Winery which I need to look into since it seems she has Megan Reilly as a guest one night soon and I would love to see them both.

Also hoping she does this one from the new record...




oh my.
 

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Nick Straker

Great video here from Christopher Andrew and Stoptime 341. I used to help Chris and Audrey with video setups in some clubs a few years ago. They did visuals at a bunch of shows here in Chicago for a while but as to their current status/gigs...you'll have to check their site. 

Looks like they did the set up for the Silver Room Block party and besides shooting visuals to use in the day's displays, edited the footage together into a a great video.



I had heard and forgotten about the track behind the vid, Nick Straker Band's "A Little Bit of Jazz" but after this went looking for it again.

I found a Shep Pettibone edit for download here

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Johnny Mathis-Gone Gone Gone-Appo refix

Who knew Johnny f'n Mathis could groove like this!?



Thursday, August 9, 2012

riding the train

Since I first heard her debut Spilt Milk on Blue Note (thanks Monterey International) Kristina Train has left her label and moved to the UK. She had some rough tracks up on Soundcloud for a while, but I found this video today and LOVE IT.



 

Let's have a party not a kiki

The Scissor Sisters track I posted not long ago makes me think of this



 

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Another Woman's Dream

I've had the first Edie Brickell solo album on my desk for a few weeks now...or rather, a compilation that I made a few years ago with the songs that I liked off the album. I'd pulled it out meaning to listen to it on the way to work. Today I've been cleaning off my desk and popped in into iTunes as a soundtrack for the day.

I totally forgot about how good this song is.



mostly because it reminds me SO much of this:




Tomorrow Comes always got more plays off the Edie album that anything else since it's about 120bpm and I could play it at The Wave in between band sets, but damn...this is a jam. I wonder if I could put together an edit of this to make it longer.
 

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Mraz at Daryl's House

"I Won't Give Up"

Parts of this song remind me of an old song that I can't put my finger on...maybe that's something about being older and loving music. I can't say that I knew the album version...I skimmed the album and grabbed a few tracks and passed it by. Maybe it was too mellow for the mindset that I had in that moment....whatever.

This is a nice version. I'll have to watch the rest of the episode.



Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Thirty + Thirty for Thursday

Finally back with another little mix for you. It's been so long coming I made it twice as long.

I've been finding reggae remixes pretty steadily for the last few months now and I feel that they've really given new life to the songs. Some I've already shared via Facebook and bunch are my favorites on soundcloud as well.


One long file as usual can be downloaded with this.


Or if you're trapped at a desk for an hour, you can listen below.





Tracks are as follows:


1. Elvis Presley & The Wailers - Crying in the Chapel
2. Sam Cooke & Sound Dimension - Love Me (both sides of this 7" are fantastic)

3. Analog Players Society - I Can't Wait ft Cecilia Stalin (head over and buy this if you like it, all 4 songs are great!)

4. Phyllis Dillon - Perfida (Daytoner Edit)
5. One Blood - Be Thankful For What You've Got (ADN Edit)
6. Mario's Tuna - Skanking in the Deep
7. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Soul Shakedown Party (Fort Knox Five Remix) 7" Edit

8. Dread Ashanti - Inside Ram (one "actual" reggae song since I just dug this CD out recently and remembered how great this is. Someone bought the rights to this and has it for sale online here (and also on iTunes apparently) if you wanted the rest of the album...or at least Feel No Way)

9. House of Pain - Jump Around (Maars Reggae re-fix)
10. Fat Freddie's Drop ft Jay Z - Pull The Catch Off Your Shoulders
11. Eric Clapton - I Shot The Sheriff (Dj Disse re-work edit)
12. The Dynamics - Whole Lotta Love (dL Edit)
13. Analog Players Society - Dance Hall Days
 

Saturday, July 14, 2012

First Aid Kit

Thanks to the fabulous Suzy from Beviamo for sharing the first video on FB. I investigated further and although it's a bit melancholy, I really like these ladies. Sad to say I'm not going to Lolla this year...it seems to sell out quicker every year.




Sunday, July 1, 2012

House Cleaning

Been going through the old hard drive in my computer and detailing out some old folders so I can add the files to iTunes. Among those are the folders corresponding to the CDs in my dj folder I titled House Cleaning as I was compiling things into full discs. 







 

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Nat

These 2 songs have independently of each other and at different times this month been beautiful tear-inducing moments for me. 

I think I heard What'll I Do in a This American Life piece




and tonight I heard Autumn Leaves in My Week With Marilyn



I've heard the Coldcut version countless times and even sung along, but something about this in the context of the film and the cadence of his voice made me really listen and blew me away. 

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Megan Reilly

I have to admit that I looked up Megan Reilly after seeing a great photo of her in the Chicago Reader a few weeks ago. It was attached to the blurb about her new record and her show that week at The Hideout. I really need to start reading these things BEFORE the shows happen, since this would have been nice to see.

Then again, this was the weekend of Rib Fest and all sorts of other fun, so I wouldn't have made it anyway.

This is my soundtrack for Saturday morning while I clean up and (amazing progress) I am finally hooking the turntable up. Don't know when the next baby step will happen...after the failed attempt at going out last night, I should just stay in tonight and cut my losses...maybe record a few things.

sorry....I was rambling...here's a link to the new Megan Reilly album on soundcloud



 

Sunday, June 17, 2012

C&K vs Gregory

Does anyone hear a similarity here? I can't put my finger on it, but I wonder if Night Nurse was so big in Hawaii partially because it reminded people of C&K.






 

Thursday, June 7, 2012

working out the tape deck

I've been digging out old tapes for the tape deck in the car and have lately been on this 90's hop hop kick. Some sloppy ass mixing on my part back then make the mixes a little tough to stand, but the joints are great to hear. 

A small sample:
















Sunday, June 3, 2012

Sounds Of Soul

I hadn't checked in on Soundcloud for a couple of weeks and finally got around to stopping in. Lots of good stuff from Apple Scruffs (reposting gems after hitting 3000 followers) and my pal scratchandsniff, and I'm still scrolling down, but came across an R Kelly joint that Mark Jordan posted. A gentle nudge toward the dance floor as he says. He also did a nice job with the Aaries track. No download for either, :( but at least for your listening pleasure.





 

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Norah

So the new album is the first Norah Jones I didn't automatically buy when it came out. I still don't really love the last one a lot, so maybe that's why I'm hedging a bit. I am a bit sad that she transitioned to guitar from piano, but she still writes great songs.

Thanks to friend Dennis for sharing this absolutely lovely video. She looks beautiful in every "look" that she sports in this although the story line is a bit macabre.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Geng-genga-geng

I don't check in on soul-sides as much as I used to. I catch his Facebook posts and will check the site now and again, but am stoked when a new episode of The Sidebar pops in in my podcast downloads. The last one he posted was not my favorite, but as usual, one of the songs that got played was something that I had always wondered about but never knew.

I've loved this Blueboy track since I heard Mark Farina play it back in the day. I found the 12" and have gotten many a dance floor moving to it in my time, but never knew the vocal sample.



Thanks Marlena Shaw for your geng-genga-gengs.



I know I've heard that "put your hands together" in a track as well too.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

It ain't nothin like...

Bangin remix of a not-too-well-known Pharcyde joint. 



check the comments for a link to the instrumental as well.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

March 27th 2012 - Metro

Had a great time last night at Metro here in Chicago. I won a drawing that I entered on Record Store Day and got 2 tickets to see JC Brooks and Uptown Sound.



Little did I know that a fun poppy band would be opening (I didn't care for the first band Blah Blah Blah) by the name of Gold Motel. My friend Joe and I, as old as we are, sat there trying to figure out comparisons in lead singer Greta Morgan's voice and I just keep coming back to Belinda Carlisle and the GoGo's. Juliana Hatfield? A little bit of Blondie? All I know is that it's fun.



I haven't done my Wiki homework yet, but it looks like Greta used to be part of another band called The Hush Sound



 

Cmon Clap Yo Hands

I've loved The Magi - C'mon Clap Your Hands since I heard Mark Farina play it in his Mushroom Jazz 1 set at a sparsely attended event in Hawaii. I can't even remember the same of that spot on Cooke St...



Since then, I've found more joy from it as I stumble across the tracks that its elements were sampled from. This is an edit of the main one:





(well, it looks like he's rotated this off his postings...here's a video instead)



and another one that I love because that "white, black, Puerto rican" part was that shit I could never figure out until I heard it in the context of the original song:








Friday, April 27, 2012

I'm not sure how I discovered John Lee Hooker's album The Healer, but it was my introduction to his stuff. In retrospect, I like to think that his collaboration with Santana in the title track was Carlos's inspiration for his later HUGER albums where he was partnered with various pop stars and other artists...that's probably not true though.

I've played this track out in bars, sushi restaurants and weddings and whenever I can. 



This video had the best quality even though it's a bit weird and the person who posted it named it as a Santana song.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

More scratchandsniff = more disco

I heard this song on V103 here in Chicago the other day and had to Shazam it since it had such a nice groove. Bought it on Amazon mp3 and lo and behold it shows up in my feed. 


 

Part of the reason I don't do many edits is because they sound like this: the extensions sound a bit forced. I don't know if it's because I am familiar with the song structure already so I know where the edits are, but sometimes these aren't as perfect as I'd hoped. I wouldn't have posted this if I didn't like it, it's just that it does tend to show the limitations of cut-&-paste style editing which has been my strong suit and part of the reason I think I like this guys work as well.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Disco Holiday






A long time ago on an island far, far away...I was asked to dj a disco party at The Wave. I don't remember if it just the night that I was scheduled to work, but in prep for that, I asked to borrow some records from one of the dj's I admire, James Coles. I think he left me with a crate for a few days to listen to stuff that I didn't know and find some non-obvious stuff to play.

There are 3 tracks which I had never heard before that I came away from that gig especially loving. LAX - All My Love (albeit the instrumental b-side),  Jackie Moore's "This Time Baby" and this Change song. The last two subsequently were released on a Best Of Hot Tracks Volume 2 comp, which I bought (also featuring a nice PYT edit which everyone has heard me play) but I had already grown to love the 12" versions so they just sounded odd to me. This is a bit better job.
 



Scratchandsniff was one of the first people I followed on Soundcloud. Like most of the things I find on the cloud, I don't love everything, but I do like quite a lot of what he does.  

Bonnie vs Gerry

I was checking out the new Bonnie Raitt (Slipstream) and finding myself a bit disappointed. I usually try to start at the end and work back to the beginning. The first tracks always seem better and I wondered if it was because I heard them first in the process. Anyway...this is track 2 off the album and at first I was thinking how it had a bit of a reggae groove to it and I was bouncing along. Then the chorus comes up and I recognize the song. Didn't know it was Gerry Rafferty until I looked it up, but thanks to my mom, I DO recognize my 70's radio hits.

           
The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Bonnie Raitt - "Right Down the Line"
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical Humor & Satire BlogVideo Archive


so, yeah...even backwards...Tracks 1-3 are the strongest ones for me.
        

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Thirty For Thursday Volume 19


Thirty For Thursday Volume 19 - Ladies edition

This ended up being a ladies only post just simply because of what I bought from eMusic lately. If you checked in here this week and noticed more stuff on the blog besides these Thursday posts, you caught the Saint Jude video and the mention about Grace Potter (pictured left who sadly doesn't appear this week) and Alabama Shakes.
I think I've mentioned the Army of Three cover (aka Ingrid Michaelson) on FB before, but I've ripped the song from YouTube so I could listen to it when I wanted.

Without further adieu...

Download here or listen below.



1. Joan Osborne - Kiss and Say Goodbye - I really love Eliminate The Night (from this same Breakfast in Bed album) but for some reason her soul covers are hit or miss for me. This one of the Manhattans is a keeper.

2. Saint Jude - Angel (see video of a couple other songs a few days ago)

3. Alabama Shakes - Be Mine - I wish I liked this record more. The hype is huge. I just think that they're second album will be tighter

4. Etta James - Something's Got A Hold On Me (live) - the intro is all over the place lately after being sampled in at least 2 songs that I know of...love it when the groove kicks in

5. Imelda May - Wild About My Lovin - for Joe so he can hear what she sounds like on her own (without Jeff
Beck)

6. Jeff Beck ft Joss Stone - I Put A Spell On You - since we were talking about Jeff Beck's record....

7. Army of Three - Somebody That I Used to Know - Ingrid Michaelson and her fine self covering the ever-so-huge Gotye song...watch it below for maximum Ingrid sexiness:


Phyllis Dillon - Perfidia (Daytoner Edit)

I think I first heard Phyllis Dillon thanks to an Ellen Melon mix CD, but it wasn't bumped up like this. Haven't heard Daytoner's stuff before, but will probably have to check his page after hearing this beauty.

I'm not really on a reggae kick, despite what you might think after the House of Pain, the Adele etc...I just happen to be coming across these crazy spring time joints. :) I love it.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Bobby Long

I think I heard "Who Have You Been Loving" on Esquire and I meant to come back to the album when I had some credits on eMusic. Can't say I love it all, but this is another track I liked enough to buy.



He kinda has some elements of the singer songwriters I've been digging lately. Not too melancholy, nice production on the album. Not too raw and not too polished and well-written lyrics.


Saturday, April 14, 2012

Saint Jude

After digging on the Cochella live feed of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals I went looking for one of the songs she performed (Medicine off the last album) and in the comments section some guy mentioned Saint Jude claiming that Ron Wood and other UK icons are digging on the lead singer Lynne Jackaman.
The first thing I played, I didn't like: The lyrics seemed lamely constructed. I did keep looking though and found a few things that are promising.






Their first album is on eMusic, so I'll check that out later this week, but I think I'll burn through my reload on Monday since there are other ladies needing my attention with that aforementioned Grace Potter track, Alabama Shakes (speaking of HYPE and singers) and the new Bonnie Raitt out as well.

Bridge Over Troubled Waters



There is a theater inside the Rock Hall that plays the full 25th anniversary show on a loop. Art Garfunkel gives me chicken skin at the end of this and was stoked to find it on Netflix:

http://movies.netflix.com/Movie/Rock_Roll_Hall_of_Fame_The_25th_Anniversary_Concerts/70213067?trkid=2361637

been cleaning the apartment today with this on TV as a soundtrack.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Thirty For Thursday 18 - back again


Today's Thirty brought to you by the letter B. B is for Brauerhouse Beverages and also the Buzz that they created that made last night's drive home so fun. I had a playlist worked out for this week on Monday, but that now gets pushed to next week since last night's iPod was fun.

If you don't remember...Thirty for Thursday is 30 minutes of music on random Thursday's. It's all one track.

You can listen here:



or if you right-click and save on THIS, you can download the MP3 and play it later. The tracks for this week are as follows:

1. Breadfan - Metallica (Pandora at Brauerhouse had spit out several Metallica songs while we were there and I was digging it all - this one was the only one on my iPod last night
2. Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker
3. Brujeria - El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico
4. The Bump - The Haggis Horns
5. But You Saved My Life - Andrew Ripp
6. By Any Shmeeans Necessary - Lettuce
7. By The Numbers - Jamaica

and as I pulled into a parking space at home, we switched to "C" and this was too fun to not include since I was sitting the car, enjoying the Doors groove and thinking about Darius Rucker dropping the third verse of this at a Hootie & The Blowfish concert at the Waikiki Shell in a medley they were singing.

8. The Cactus - 3rd Bass

Sunday, February 19, 2012

17 out of 50

Haven't done any Thirsty's lately since I wasn't getting feedback on them.
Today was a youTube kind of day...well...at least it turned into one.

I went through Andy Langer's 50 songs you should hear from 2011 (May) since he has recommended some good stuff in the past (always thankful to him for Ray LaMontagne)
and youTube is the best way to hear stuff so I made a play list of the stuff I liked.



I've never shared a play list before, but it looks like they will just play in order? There are 17 songs.
You can also go to Esquire's page and listen to all the songs from the list and also a video of Heather Morris from Glee dancing to 5 of them.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Thirty For Thursday Volume 17

hittin you with some soul this time:

1. Beautiful World - JJ Grey & Mofro (as promised)
2. They Say I'm Doing Just Fine - Michael Kiwanuka
3. I Still Care - Pieces of Peace
4. L-O-V-E (Jackmaster Hawk Re-edit) - SugaRush Beat Company
5. Dedication to My Ex (Clean version) ft Andre 3000 - Lloyd (the dirty version is a bit too dirty to include, but hilarious since the song is so upbeat and funky)

6. On A Cloud - Platinum Pied Pipers (PPP)
7. My Girl Josephine - Taj Mahal and the New Orleans Social Club (Fats Domino tribute album)

8. Wade In The Water - Ramsey Lewis (heard this as a soundbed under a WBEZ piece about how the beaches on the South Shore here in Chicago were integrated back in the day)



Download link (right click & save-as)

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Happy New Year - Thirty for Thursday Volume 16

back for 2012 and I'm already almost missing my Thursday deadline...jeez....
It's here though, thankfully I started this on Monday and just finished now while getting ideas on the way home.

So this one started because I realized how the intros of the first 2 songs sounded remarkably alike. I haven't shared much Hawaiian stuff so far since I wasn't sure if some of my newer friends would dig it, but it seems right this week...mostly because Frank Orrall shared a Penguin Cafe Orchestra song and I found another one on the album that I dug. I kept the ukulele thing for a minute, but then didn't want to kill you with it.

Here's the player



and you can download it here (right click)

1. Paul Simon - Loves Me Like A Rock
2. The Brothers Cazimero - Ho'okipa Hawaii
3. Penguin Cafe Orchestra - The Ecstacy of the Dancing Fleas
4. Ingrid Michaelson - Be O.K. (more ukulele and she is just so damned sexy)
5. Ka'au Crater Boys - Noho Pai Pai (you can't say ukulele and not have the boys on here...LOVE this jam)
6. Smokey Robinson & Darryl Hall - Being With You (live from Darryl's house) - thanks to XL for recommending this show
7. Coldplay & The Buena Vista Social Club - Clocks
8. Cesaria Evora - Isolada (so sad to hear of her passing)