Throwback Thursday | The Dramatics

Long hiatus, but we're back with another edition of Throwback Thursday. So kick back, relax, and enjoy the stellar sounds of this classic Mo-Town group, the Dramatics.

My personal favourite, and an all time great, "What You See is What You Get"



And to unwind..."In the Rain"

Jog On

This is via 24kDoug.

He tells me black metal is awesome. 

But apparently these two guys are a bunch of Herberts.

Enjoi.

Edward

c

Throwback Thursday | The Marvelettes

Odds are you've probably heard of the Supreme's and Martha and the Vandellas.  However, most of you probably haven't heard of the 4 ladies that made the success of the aforementioned groups possible.

While the last two installments of Throwback Thursday have revolved around a late 70's sound with more groovable bass lines, rythm, and synths, today I'm reaching for something about more soulful and gritty. 

The recording's aren't as crisp. 

The sound isn't really fit for the dance floor. 

But if you aren't digging on the soulful lyrics and catchy melodies of these soul pioneers, you're in the wrong line of work.

Meet the Marvelettes, the best soul group you've probably never heard of:

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"Mr. Postman"

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"Darling Forever"

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"Playboy"

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"Beechwood 4-5789"

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Mickey Gang | ganG yekciM

Q Magazine has rated these lads the hottest thing to come out of Brazil. I'm sure Adriana Lima might have some issues with that, but hey, Mickey Gang isn't half bad. Seems indie. Seems unheard of. Do we get cool guy points for this? Who knows. Anyway, this is what we're up to on Tuesday's.

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I'm not sure this is scientific, but these lads might be onto something:



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Wishful thinking?

Ritchie is the Spice of Life

Few artists can be pigeon holed as easily as our most Jamaican of friends, Richie Spice. The vast majority of his work speaks almost exclusively to the superficial politics of the stoner class; and for this I salute him.

This song, aptly titled 'Marijuana', is an ode to the leaf, the buddah, the herbaceous hedonist, the highest grade. There’s no subtlety, no beating around the bush. No, the bush is undeniably the primary focus of his attention.

Too often, I feel, the specialist is palmed off as limited. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Ritchie is an aficionado, an expert, a connoisseur toker with a voice so angelic as to bring tears to even the most bloodshot of eyes.

Ritchie Spice, born Ritchell Bonner, is, as I’m sure hardly needs stating, a member of the Rastafarian movement. He wears his narcotic and Reggae influences on his sleeve. Alas the illegal status of his chosen form of intoxication, as ordained by the woefully inconsistent British legal system, renders him a threat to the status quo.

Consider a wine review in the Guardian weekend supplement. Here the individuals praising the qualities of these potent liquids in various tasting notes are venerated as palatable members of a thriving cultural community. And yet Ritchie and many other, admittedly lesser, virtuosos in his field of expertise are too regularly dismissed as mindless, addled prophets of a heinous, degenerate underworld. The injustice is almost too much to bear.

So let this blog be a portal for this underappreciated champion of the sensi. It’s a bit retro, I suppose (this particular tune was released in 2004), but that’s in these days, right? Anyway, relax (preferably as Ritchie would advocate), enjoy and appreciate this budding veteran of dread. I’ll end this with what seems almost obligatory: Jah Bless!





Note: This post was authored by our mate Alfie Hatt, who should at some point become a regular contributer. Cheers.

LCD Soundsystem | I Can Not Figure You Out

LCD Soundsystem is a challenging enigma for me to crack. People have tried to put it into some sort of box. An ever ending quest to define what they are. What they play. I'm just not certain.

There are certain bands that have an extreme sense of consistency in their sound. They have stand out tracks, and lot's of other's that make up a steady collection that line up with their sound.

Sure LCD has the distinct voice of James Murphy. Some sort of analog synth, dance punk, electro sound that you could call their own.

There are certain songs that come from this project that I could listen to on repeat for hours. Then I hear other things, and I feel obliged to skip it. I think that's always been the appeal of LCD to me; they can make your jaw drop and just as quickly bring you let you down.

Anyway, here are two of my favourite tunes by LCD Soundsystem...



And this is off their latest album. Ironically, it's probably the catchiest tune, and if shortened, probably could be a hit:

Throwback Thursday | On a Cloud

If you aren't grooving to this, your favourite condiment is probably mayonnaise.

Mornin'

Weekend Tunes | Digitalism

If you follow electronic music and you haven't heard of Digitalism you must be living under a rock. The German's have a long tradition of bringing out some of the best in Electronic music. Kraftwerk inspired producers around the world, and even made it's mark on Hip Hop. Today we see quite the stable of talented electro producers coming from the Fatherland. Few are better than Digitalism.

To be honest, some of the "hardest" electro tracks come out of your speakers sounding like utter noise. Digitalism manages to mix a fine blend of grit without losing the melodic elements which make their music so appealing to me. In a cluttered landscape of music, and do it yourself producers, it's refreshing to hear a group with a very unique and likable sound.

Here are two of their classic, and probably best known tracks they've released:





And after keeping us waiting for what seemed like forever, the two boys from Hamburg are finally back on the scene. Here is some of the latest stuff they've released:






Good stuff, and a proper way to get your weekend kicked off.

Anyone in the SF Area, be sure to check out The Twelves this Saturday @Mezzanine.

Thieves Like Us | Never Known Love

I wrote something sweet and intimate but I'm just too shy to share it.
Fortunately for you, Thieves Like Us are more than happy to share their sweet and intimate melodies which effortlessly stack sticky synth, upon rich guitar loops, upon the densest of baselines. They then ice it with harmonious musings of love, loss, drugs and feelings to create one truly decadent layer cake which gives anyone with any taste a real sweet tooth.

Don't even get me started on the music videos: clips from obscure foreign films made in the 1970s and 80s perfectly spliced and scratched so they sync with the beat. The videos have men with dodgy haircuts flying down staircases on motorcycles, teenagers engaging in foreplay, and drug induced suicidal tendencies.

I'm not sure what movie this is taken from but who doesn't enjoy watching a fine young woman hold up rings of fire while lions jump through them? Then a skeleton soon joins the fun- he must signify death....but he's holding a rose which definitely signifies love.

I think the contradiction and irony is insanely deep and poetic and I would try to explain my interpretation further but until you listen to more Thieves Like Us I really don't think you'll understand.

(A prize for whoever can inform me what film this clip is taken from )

Fred Falke: The Remix

We've seen the rise and fall of the mash-up, but for years, the remix has been a tried and tested medium, especially in the world of dance music. One of my favorite artists is a french bloke by the name of Fred Falke (although he does sound rather German). Some of his stuff is a bit off, but overall the guy pretty much turns anything he touches into audio gold.

Here's his brilliant take on the Whitest Boy Alive and their indie track "Golden Cage" (they're actually worth a listen themselves).



And here he takes Blackpool's finest export, Little Boots (who seems to be quite a big slag in her own right) and turns it into something a bit more upbeat.



*EDIT* Had to add this track. At first it struck me as a bit of a fruity house track, but I think I've come around to this one. U2 is kind of lame, but I can't argue with this one:

Cheaper by the Dozen: The Twelves

There's something inherently cool about Brazil. The football. The women. The culture. Somehow even a film like City of God does little to damper the appeal and image of this country.

Diplo may have flashed his international hood pass, gone to Brazil, and brought back the phenomenon that was Baile Funk, but it's not the only Brazilian export that's making our heads nod.


I already spoke of my discovery of the Twelves, but it seems they just can't stop coming out with ridiculously danceable remixes and original material. In an era of music where it seems everyone is doing the same thing, it's refreshing to hear a group with a unique sound that's also chock full of quality. Here's the latest from this Rio based outfit:



As I eluded to earlier, these guys have a knack for turning out ridiculous remixes of things you should never find yourself dancing to. When's the last time you thought of playing Radiohead at a dance party?



If you want to hear these guys in action, check out their set for BBC's Essential Mix, or one of my favorites, 30 minutes of Twelves.

Don't call this woman. Listen to her music.

Our taste in music may not match yours, but don't stress this minor deet. In fact, be grateful, because we’re about to shovel heaps of obscure, zany artists and deejays down your modem so that when you’re lost and lonely at the party and the iPod is free, you can take over and raise hairs with new trax that none of the chaps or lassies know about. 

Birds might shriek and cry a bit because they wanted "Sex on Fire" or "California Girls", and bros will say your shit is ghey and Euro, but just stick with your guns and trust us Fine Young Casuals to take you up a notch.

Even if the entire party breaks out in uproar over your weird, indie tunes, we say that any attention is good attention so just bob your head a bit and get into your own wee groove. Chances are there is some fit emo chick creeping in the corner rolling cigs who has noticed your alternative persuasion and will invite you for a smoke outside so that you can talk about Camus, alt music (we can be your bluffer's guide), and eventually hook.

That’s what music is all about anyway really, getting some ____ .

Weekend Tunes | Classixx

This might be the best group you've never heard of. If you like electro, disco, pool party music, whatever the hell you genre happy people like calling stuff, you're going to dig on Classixx. If you don't, you'll still probably like it. It's a nice break from alot of the heavy electro stuff that was coming out in recent years. Why am I even explaining stuff, here's some must hear tunes from these guys. Form your own opinion.