Cover Me Songs — the best covers blog I’ve encountered — posted this video of Lissie covering Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness.” That song was one of my favorite hip-hoppers of 2009, but I’ll tell you this spirited cover might just be a tad better.
Category Archives: Music
Hicks Vid of the Day
Walkmen’s Sixth Album Titled “Lisbon”
The Walkmen’s sixth studio album now has a name: Lisbon. Although the band has showcased at least sixteen new songs live and recorded twenty-nine in studio, Lisbon will only have eleven when it drops on September 14.
Click HERE to download a live recording of “Lisbon,” presumably the title track on the record. It’s of a pretty bad quality, but if you are really eager to hear something new then listen!
Top 5 Labels [1/2 Year 2010 Style]
Top rated albums from January to June 2010 by label. If a label is a subsidiary or an imprint of some larger label, the larger label/owner will be used. Score multiplied by .4 if at least one album scored a 90 or above. Score multiplied by .3 if at least one album scored an 84 or above. Score multiplied by .2 if at least one album scored a 76 or above. Score multiplied by .1 for everything below that.
1. Beggars Group [Includes Matador Records, Rough Trade Records, XL Recordings, and 4AD]: Hippies by Harlem [95]; Gay Singles by Hunx and His Punx [95]; Be Brave by The Strange Boys [91]; Contra by Vampire Weekend [90]; High Violet by The National [88]; Minor Love by Adam Green [85]; The Monitor by Titus Andronicus [84]; Big Echo by The Morning Benders [83]; Before Today Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti [77]; Brutalist Bricks by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists [75]
– Grade: 272.5 (38+38+36.4+36+26.4+25.5+25.2+16.6+15.4+15)
2. Warner Bros. [Includes Sub Pop Records, Atlantic Records, Vice Records, and Epitaph Records]: Teen Dream by Beach House [95]; I Will Be by Dum Dum Girls [94]; Expo 86 by Wolf Parade [92]; Avi Buffalo by Avi Buffalo [89]; Male Bonding by Male Bonding [89]; Something For Everybody by Devo [89]; Adventures by Bobby Ray [82]; Brothers by The Black Keys [81]; Shame, Shame by Dr. Dog [75]; Realism by The Magnetic Fields [74]
– Grade: 213.3 (38+37.6+36.8+26.7+26.7+26.7+16.4+16.2+7.5+7.4)
3. Merge Records: Work by Shout Out Louds [89]; Swim by Caribou [83]; Transference by Spoon [81]; Volume Two by She & Him [81]
– Grade: 84 (26.7+24.9+16.2+16.2)
4. EMI (Includes Capitol Records, Mute Records, and Virgin): This Is Happening by LCD Soundsystem [81]; Plastic Beach by Gorillaz [78]; Sisterworld by Liars [76]; Head First by Goldfrapp [74]; Heligoland by Massive Attack [73]; Of the Colour… by OK Go [69]
– Grade: 68.6 (16.2+15.6+15.2+7.4+7.3+6.9)
5. Universal (Includes Interscope, Geffen, and A&M): Permalight by Rogue Wave [84]; Thank Me Later by Drake [78]
– Grade: 40.8 (25.2+15.6)
5. Secretly Canadian: Pigeons by Here We Go Magic [83]; Odd Blood by Yeasayer [81]
– Grade: 40.8 (25.2+15.6)
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Predictions: If both Black Lips and No Age release new LPs in 2010 and they are awesome (as projected), then the Warner Bros. grouping might just gain some ground. I’m not so sure there are going to be any more really really noteworthy Beggars Group releases besides Interpol for the remainder of the year. We’ll see. Merge, I’m sure, will see its stake rise up with the release of Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs and Superchunk’s Majesty Shredding.
CD Review: White Mystery S/T [2010]
Band: White Mystery
Release: 3/2010
Label: White Mystery
1. “White Widow” – A-
2. “Power Glove” – A
3. “Lions of Tsavo” – A-
4. “Overwhelmed” – B+
5. “Vorpal” – B+
6. “Switch It Off” – B+
7. “Farmer” – A-
8. “Take A Walk” – A-
9. “Don’t Hold My Hand” – A-
10. “Halloween” – B+
11. “Respect Yourself” – A-
12. “Aaron” – B+
13. “Ye Olde Stone” – A-
14. “Trance” – A-
Comments: That voice! She sounds eerily familiar…you know the female vocalist in this band? Maybe Alissa Mosshart? White Mystery know how to rock quick. Press the record, play some inspiring hooks and beats, press stop, and call it a day. Like the Hives and the Dirtbombs, White Mystery plays passionate ’60s rock revival. Sure, most of these songs — for no fault of the female vocalist — sound pretty much the same or have the same construct. That’s a turn-off for a lot of garage enthusiasts. BUT, these songs are too good not to like. They have that “right now” appeal that I treasure.
Grade: B+ (89)
Short Box Elders Interview
Jay Reatard Demos/Other Tunes
“Bending Steel” (Demo Version of “Man of Steel” recorded in 2007 and later reworked/released in 2009 on Watch Me Fall) LINK
“You’re Gonna Lose” (Released in 2009 on Jay’s Shattered Records Label…one of my favorite non-album tracks) LINK
“Tiny Little Home” (Demo Version of “Tiny Little Home” recorded in 2008 and later reworked/released in 2009 as a bonus track to Watch Me Fall) LINK
“Where I’m From” (Unreleased and recorded in 2007) LINK
“Please Say So” (Unreleased and recorded in 2007 after listening to Deerhunter on a hot day) LINK
“No Time To Feel Right” (Demo version of “No Time” recorded in 2007 and later released in 2008 on Matador Singles ’08) LINK
“Wounded” (Demo version of “Wounded” recorded in 2007 and later released/reworked in 2009 on Watch Me Fall) LINK
“In Heaven [Lady in the Radiator]” (Cover version of “In Heaven” from David Lynch’s Eraserhead recorded in 2008) LINK
Black Lips “Before You Judge Me”
A new song from KLYAM’s favorite band in the world for the Adult Swim Kia promotion I told you all about a couple of weeks back:
Listen and download here: http://www.adultswim.com/promos/201005_kia/index.html
It’s an instant favorite. I don’t think we’ve ever heard Black Lips lead guitar licks quite like what Ian St. Pe has done on this song. Credit, also, to Joe Bradley for singing the shit out of this.
CD Review: The Ding-Dongs S/T [2010]
Band: The Ding-Dongs (Mark Sultan & Bloodshot Bill)
Release: 5/2010
Label: Norton
1. “Ding-Dong Party” – B+
2. “Don’t Ring, Come On In” – A-
3. “Until I Die” – B+
4. “Come On Lil Dolly” – B+
5. “She’s A Tiger” – B+
6. “Woman Cops” – A–
7. “Knock Me Down” – B
8. “You Better Hide” – A-
9. “Military Mama” – C+
10. “Worried Man” – B-
11. “What’s That Sound” – A
12. “Crazy Dreams” – B
13. “Last Laugh” – B
Comments: BYODD. Bring your own ding-dong. That seems like the most logical thing to do at a “Ding Dong Party.” Bloodshot and Mark sing with such conviction that I almost forgot that the concept of such a song is total cheese. The same goes for pretty much all the tracks on this record. As you’d probably guess (judging by the ghost of Mark Sultan and Bloodshot Bill past), this is textbook Rockabilly For Dummies or Primitive Rock and Roll for Junkies. “Woman Cops” stuck in my head since I heard it first a few months ago. Walking down the street or sitting down reading a book, the words “Woman Cops, when you love to beat me” suddenly came to me. It’s such a quick song that I got a feeling of, wait a second, I don’t remember it being THIS short! Oh well! Good track. As I mentioned when I reviewed Waylon Thornton’s latest offering…there is only so much you can do within this kind of framework without really changing things up. True, a lot of these songs are just undifferentiated old school party numbers. Unless, you are listening with absolute acuity, it’s hard to argue otherwise. “What’s That Sound” is more gritty and resolute, more instantly catchy than any other track on here. To answer the song title’s question…I’ll guess pee pee. All right, so let’s get something clear: if you are a die-hard Bloodshot Bill fan, you’ll be loving this. If you are a die-hard Mark Sultan fan, but only like BB marginally (who am I talking about?), you’ll be liking this. If you don’t like anything either of the two have put out (in their respective bands), shit, you are out of luck. BUT WAIT…if I like the King Khan and BBQ Show, will I like this? Not as much as you probably wanted to. This is like Hunts Ketchup vs. Heinz Ketchup. Hunts just doesn’t match up.
Grade: B (86)
Fuzztopia Black Lips Interview
I can’t really figure out how to embed these Vimeo videos so just click the link and watch. It’s very informative as they converse about venues, going on tour, and other fun stuff.
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 