The master of minimalist hip-hop is back, still spitting fire after nearly a decade of record label exile. Q-Tip’s second official solo release (his last two records were axed by unsatisfied label bigwigs), The Renaissance, finds the industry veteran flowing and crooning atop restrained R&B compositions, a modern twist on A Tribe Called Quest’s jazzy grooves. [...]
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Q-Tip - The Renaissance
RW: Woman
So we’re back to normal now. And to get things started off right, I wanted to pick something amazing. So, to thrust us back to normal, I’m picking an older song that I just recently discovered a remix of.The song?WOMAN by Wolfmother. That’s right, the guitar hero classic.Wolfmother - Woman (MSTRKRFT Remix)Well this remix is [...]
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Jars of Clay - Closer EP
Jars of Clay is one of the few Christian rock bands from my childhood that have continued to make new and original music with each album. Not only that but they are doing it well in my opinion. While I still can’t say that they have made anything as good as their debut album, at [...]
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Song of the Day: Okkervil River
I am slowly becoming obsessed with this band, and in particular this fantastic song. I love artists who consider their voice as one of their most valuable instruments and treat it as such in the song. Yeah the song has great lyrics, but I am glad that they are willing to use their voices for [...]
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RW: October Avalanche - Remixes
Well, we’ve done it. We went an entire month on The Avalanches. So to finish it all up, we’re going to put the icing on the cake with two remixes that The Avalanches have their signature sound on.First up, Badly Drawn Boy - The Shining (The Avalanches Good Word For The Weekend Remix).This song actually [...]
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This Week’s Noteworthy Releases: Ryan Adams
MusicRyan Adams - CardinologyRyan Adams & the Cardinals - Fix ItI absolutely love this guy. I think that he is one of the greatest songwriters of our time. And he is doing it at such a record pace. He has had at least, one full-length release a year since 2000. And there isn’t a one [...]
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Song of the Day: Wild Sweet Orange
Here is a great track off of the debut album from Wild Sweet Orange. I haven’t heard much from these indie rocksters from Birmingham, AL. But I fell in love with this track and have heard nothing but good things about their full-length debut from Canvasback Records. So listen to this great track and go [...]
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RW: October Avalanche - At Last Alone
Welcome to a special Thursday edition of Remix Wednesday. I wanted yesterday to be special all by itself.So last month before I’d even started thinking about doing this October Avalanche series, I posted a remix of “Since I Left You” (link). This is what inspired me to do this entire series.So here we are, talking [...]
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100th Post: Thank You Umbrellas!
100 posts. I can hardly believe it. I guess you could say we’re pretty legit now. Maybe? Well, I really didn’t think that I would last this long, or that I would have this much success. So first of all I would like to thank all of you loyal readers. Without you guys this would [...]
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Song of the Day: Feist
Here is a great live performance from Feist and her boy toy Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene. This song was recorded live last year on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic. This song is completely unreleased as far as I know. These two sound great together, which I’m sure you will agree. It’s great little tune, [...]
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MVW: Efterklang
I cannot get enough Efterklang, a band from Copenhagen, Denmark. I like to refer to them as Sigur Ros’ way more eccentric (and as a result strangely more attractive) sibling. I don’t know about their popularity over in the Nether-regions, but based on their upcoming tour it seems they are making some headway in the [...]
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This Week’s Noteworthy Releases: Of Montreal
MusicOf Montreal - Skeletal LampingOf Montreal - Id EngagerI haven’t gotten the chance to hear this whole thing, but what I’ve heard I really enjoyed. And that is coming from someone who hasn’t been much of fan in the past. Obviously I enjoyed such great tracks as ‘Wraith Pinned to the Mist’ or ‘Heimdalsgate Like [...]
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Wilco Covers Big Star
I have no idea who Big Star is. But I just recently found this fantastic cover of one of their songs done by Wilco. I can’t really give an opinion on which is better since I’ve only heard the cover, but I am so enamored by the cover that I don’t really have a desire [...]
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I Wish I Lived in Virginia
On October 26th, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds will be putting on a benefit concert in Richmond, VA to urge Virginians to vote for “the change our country needs,” in other words Barack Obama. The show will be free and open to all Virginia residents and students. Tickets are required but will be given 2 [...]
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Song of the Day - P.O.S.
I can’t find anything about this band. I received this song from a song of the day podcast out of Minnesota. As my readers probably know. It isn’t often that rap or hip-hop catches my attention. But this song had a beat that sucked me in. And for once I wasn’t completely turned off when [...]
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RW: October Avalanche - Since I Left You (Part 2)
Last week I wrote about the debut album from The Avalanches, “Since I Left You”.This post is just a continuation of where I stopped. So it’s going to feel shorter. So to make up for it, I’m doing 4 songs instead of three.On a personal note, my Vinyl copy of this album arrived last [...]
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Song of the Day: Uzi and Ari
Here’s another band that I’m completely unfamiliar with that managed to get one of their songs floating around in my Itunes library. This song has got a great sound with some Thom Yorkesque vocals. And it ends with a very simple but gorgeous horn arrangement that really brings the song together. Your ears are sure [...]
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MVW: Greg Laswell “How the Day Sounds”
First thing I want to say about this video: for a guy that once played a hobbit, Elijah Wood sure is funny.Second thing: I cannot get enough of the opening shot in this video. Its not all that original, but it just sets the tone and feel of the video so effectively.Finally: Does anyone know [...]
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This Week’s Noteworthy Releases: Ray LaMontagne
Along with the addition of the new ‘Song of the Day’ feature, I will be attempting to present to you at the beginning of each week the new releases that I think are worth mentioning in both music and film. I decided to do it on Sunday rather than wait til Tuesday, so that you [...]
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Song of the Day - Parts & Labor
I know absolutely nothing about Parts & Labor. I had never heard of them before, but somehow this song ended up in my Itunes library a couple months ago and I have found myself listening to it often. Which is odd, since this album isn’t out ’til later this month. Anyway, based on the sound [...]
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