9 Great Songs from the past 9 Months

I'm back. Sorry for the delay, I've been busy being lazy. Fortunately, this means that I've got some great music to show you, and since I know some of the long posts are hard to get through, I'll whittle it down to the bee's knees of jams. Oh, I've also decided to start rating the music on a scale of 5 stars. I thought it would help everyone choose what to listen to if there are a ton of songs. I also want to say what's up to all the people from South Korea, Russia, Denmark, and the Netherlands who are visiting, it's pretty awesome to see people from around the world checking this out. It would be great if you sent me some songs from other parts of the world, we don't get enough over here. I heard Vietnam had snow for the first time in history, crazy, I guess the world really is ending.

Oh also, on a lighter note, I thought this cartoon was hilarious, I stumbled upon it so I dunno where it's from really.

And now on to the music...

Geographer - Kites 4.5/5

A friend named Rob gave this song to me a few weeks ago and I think I've had it in every playlist I've listened to since then. Expect big things from this San Fran based band in the future.

TV Girl - If You Want It 4.9/5

Might be my favorite song of the year so far, though it would be hard to say for sure. The only reason it's not 5/5 is cause I'm not sure if this song will stand the test of time yet. Actually, I am pretty sure, but I'm gonna wait and see. Either way it's great and I'm gonna be psyched when TV Girl plays in DC. I just hope I don't overplay it and ruin it before they do.

Tyler The Creator (from Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All) - Yonkers 4.75/5

If you like fat beats and vulgar lyrics you will love this group. This song and music video are my vote right now for rap song/video of the year. Really shows what you can do with a camera and a few effects, redic. Incredibly simple and disturbing/strange. It's great. It's not pop. It's rap. Raw filthy rap. They killed it on Jimmy Fallon, check that video out if you want on youtube.

Cassius - I <3 U So 4/5

Just listen to it, it's good. I don't know much about the band. You can read about them in the youtube page if you want, I don't feel like doing that right now. Pretty cool video though.

Foster The People - Helena Beat 4/5

Another band that I feel is going to become big real soon. Their music is just too awesome. They've got a bunch of other good songs too. You should look them up.

King Charles - Love Lust 4/5

Call me sentimental, but I think this song is incredible. I just found it today, and it was so good it convinced me to make this post and share with you all. That's how good it is. It's got one of the best beats I've heard in a while, not as in like dubstep beat, but rather catchy melodic beat. Reminds me a bit of Ed Sharpe, except I think this song is better than anything from their first album. I haven't listened to Alexander yet, but I guess they count as another group.

Amadou & Mariam - Sabali 4/5

A musical duo from Mali, at least I'm pretty sure because they're speaking Bambara. Sabali means patience if you were wondering. This is one of those great foreign songs you find every year. I was actually thinking of doing a foreign songs post later on. If I did, this would be on it.

Cities Aviv - Float On 4/5

This song uses the beat from the Modest Mouse song of the same name, and since that song is one of the best of the past decade, it pretty much can't be a bad song. Cities Aviv verses are solid too.

Kanye West - Young Folks (Another song stolen by Kanye from Peter Bjorn and John) 3.5/5

I don't like Kanye, I can't really say that cause I haven't met him, but I wouldn't ever want to. This song is good, mostly because Kanye rides on the back of the great PB and J beat. But it's worth listening to.

I just realized that this post is really long, but since I can't choose one of these songs to take off it is gonna stay this way. You're welcome.

PS. Tonight caps off the end of 'The Birthday Week Bonanza', Happy Bday Tyler, Nick, And Mike.

Oldies But Goodies

So think about this. When we were born, and by we I mean us children of the 80s, oldies were from the 50s and 60s, so 20-30 years old. Which means that for kids born today, oldies are anything from 1991 to 1981. That thought kinda scared me. I'm also worried about how nobody these days listens to this elusive and mercurial category, 'oldies'.

When I was growing up my parents wouldn't let us listen to anything explicit, so pretty much no rap in the car (other than Will Smith of course), and lots and lots of oldies/doo-wop. Though I got mad when they wouldn't let me buy parental advisory albums, I'm kinda glad now that I grew up on oldies. There are literally zero oldies stations left, and by oldies I mean pre 1970s. I guess these days 1970s are oldies now though. I don't know, I still wonder if oldies will mean the 40s-60s era, or if oldies means anything older than 30 years. Right now I'd say oldies is anything older than 1980, but that thought could change.

Either way, I've been listening to some old jams lately, and I thought I'd share some of the one's you might have forgotten.

1. The Delfonics - Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time

2. The Lovin' Spoonful - What A Day For A Daydream

3. Marvin Gaye - How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You (Acapella)

Amazing version, I like it more than the original, though it kinda is the original without instruments.

4. Dion & The Belmonts - Runaround Sue

5. The Lovin' Spoonful - Do You Believe In Magic

6. The Five Stairsteps - Ooh Child

7. Sam Cooke - Bring It On Home To Me (Live At The Harlem Square Club '63)

Sam Cooke is my favorite oldies singer. Better than Otis Redding, better than Marvin Gaye, better than Wilson Pickett, better than Al Green. He lived nothing short of a ridiculous life, and I don't mean that in a good way. One of the first black crossover artists, he gained popularity from the religious folk due to his religious background (father was a minister) and he used to sing gospel. I strongly recommend you listen to the entire concert. The live version of "Bring It On Home To Me" is my third favorite song of all time (only behind Little Wing and Thunder Road). Though he doesn't have as extensive a repertoire as Van Morrison, Sam Cooke could very well be the greatest vocalist ever. The concert is also up there for greatest of all time, and if I had to go to a concert sober than it would probably be number one. The best parts are when he goes off on tangents, throwing in a few extra words and lines. Even though he's speaking, it sounds better than any pop singer today. Interestingly, throughout the concert he circles around the theme of love and not 'hittin on your girl'. He seems like the perfect man, except for the fact that he was killed while wearing nothing but socks in the hallway of a hotel by a manager with a shotgun because he was beating up his girlfriend. True Story. But don't let that take away from the song, it's as raw as live music gets, and whatever happened in this club on this night in Harlem, 1963, is a once in a forever thing.

Filthy Friday: Skrillex and Dubstep

I know you don't listen to dubstep, I know this; but I'm gonna get you high today, 'cause it's Friday; you ain't got no job... and you ain't got shit to do. I don't really feel like writing, but you're gonna want these songs for the weekend, so I'm just gonna put them up.

Skrillex- Skrillex is an incredibly weird looking DJ. That's all, that's really all that I have to say about him. You just need to check how unrelenting his music is, I can't imagine what seeing him live would be like. With these songs, if you have never listened to dubstep before, give them at least a minute and a half before you think they completely suck. The whole point of dubstep is to build up to the climax and then drop a gigantic load of brutal noise on your face. Or if you have no attention span, just jump to the first minute or so, but you'll be doing yourself a disservice. Dubstep isn't a sound, it's a feeling.

With Your Friends, Long Drive (The Night Kids Remix of this song is also worth checking out, I could see people liking it even more than the original)

Night Kids Remix

Benny Benassi Feat. Gary Go - Cinema (Skrillex Remix)

Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (Also check out The Redial's Blastoise Edit)

Other Dubstep

Magnetic Man - I Need Air

DJ Sneak - Southern Boy (12th Planet and Flinch Remix)

N.E.R.D. & Daft Punk - Hypnotize You (Nero Remix)

7 Indie Jams You Need to Hear

I haven't posted in a while, honestly because my 'blog' class ended and I didn't have to. But I've been on a work binge, which really means music downloading binge, these past few days, and I thought I'd share a few songs that helped me get through the week. Oh yea, most of these songs are from the past two years or so, if you like em, you should check out the artists other albums.

1. Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land

So far this is my favorite song on their new album "The Winter of Mixed Drinks". If you like it, DL their songs 'Good Arms Vs. Bad Arms', 'Head Rolls Off', and 'The Twist'. So far this album feels weaker than their first, but I've got to give it a few more listens before I make up my mind.

2. The Strokes - I'll Try Anything Once

I heard this in the trailer for Sofia Coppola's Somewhere and it fit perfectly. I don't know if the movie looks good, but this song certainly made the trailer good. It's really a demo version of their other song You Only Live Once. I think this one's much better.

3. Active Child - When Your Love Is Safe

I just found this band yesterday, DLed their 6 track EP, and absolutely love it. It's only 4 bucks on iTunes right now, which is a steal. If you like this song dl the entire album, every song is great except for wilderness and weight of the world. The second video is a studio recording of the song with the two band members playing a harp and bass guitar, which is a pretty redic combo. I've always wanted to hear a harp/bass band perform. The Third is a classixx remix of the song.

4. Jay Electronica - Jazzmataz (feat. Tone Treasure) & Eternal Sunshine

LISTEN TO THIS SONG. Jay is the best lyricist alive and could possibly become one of the greatest rappers ever. I just found Jazzmataz and i've been addicted for the past few days. His song Eternal Sunshine (the Pledge), an 9 minute epic journey in which Jay raps over the score from the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, is the best rap song of the past 10 years and one of the best rap songs ever. These are my two favorite songs of his. If you don't like Eternal Sunshine than your taste in music sucks.

5. Dr. Dog - Where'd All The Time Go

I'm going to see Dr. Dog in DC this weekend. This is my favorite song from their newest album.

6. Monarchy - You Don't Want to Dance With Me

This is about as poppy as my musical tastes get, but it's a jam. I listened to their self-titled album yesterday and it's pretty good, if you like this DL their song 'Floating Cars'.

7. Ducktails - Killin the Vibe (feat. Panda Bear)

Panda Bear, a member of Animal Collective, seems to be taking over the indie music world right now. I haven't heard much of Ducktails, but I love their band name, and if they're other songs are anywhere near as good as this one they're gonna be one of the best bands around. It's such a simple song, but the riff is so listenable that it could repeat for half an hour and I wouldn't mind. I could think about almost anything while listening to this song. And yes, they seem like they do lots of drugs.