Mini Mix: Dirty Laundry: Out Damn Spot(s)!

Laundry--you money sucking fiend. Not only do I have to drag you to the laundromat, but I have to fight with other ne'er-do-wells who also have nothing better to do on a Tuesday morning, and then pay nearly $5 to wash and dry you. Granted, being near broke, one wash was all I cold afford, but it's the principle of the matter, is all. I mean, I buy you from the store--save you from the grimy hands that pulled you day-in and day-out. Then when I bring you home and take you out a few times, you demand to be cleaned. I mean, honestly? Couldn't you at least wash yourself?


Also, besides mini-psuedo-ranting, the main reason for this post is the first song on this mix, Bitter:Sweet's "Dirty Laundry."








And this song purely for the ~lulz~





Bonus!Video!Jam! Don Henley -- Dirty Laundry (modified form its original version)

I Hear the Call of a Lifetime Ring

To get myself pumped for the Spoon concert tonight (as celebrate super lazy posting), a couple of videos!


Spoon -- Jealousy


Spoon -- The Underdog

I Held So Many People In My Suitcase Heart

Bare bones with just enough production to polish their sound and underscore their simple melodies, The Weepies have managed to create three über low-key-sunshine-mellow albums. Granted, their latest release Hideaway is noticeably less bare bones and more produced in sound, but the sentiment prevalent throughout their earlier works is still at the core of it.

Saccharine packed with heart and interesting metaphors, The Weepies songs lend themselves all too easily to mixtapes. "Somebody Loved," "Gotta Have You," and "Take It From Me" three prime examples of superb lovey mixtape centerpiece songs. The simplicity of the overall production of those songs packs them with a bigger emotional wallop. Those songs are the songs you send out because they're songs you wish somebody would think of whilst assembling a mixtape for you. They're gushy without being obnoxious.

I had stumbled upon "Somebody Loved" in summer '06, and being of the mushy hearted variety, quickly procured and aurally devoured the rest of the album, Say I Am You. In my opinion, Say I Am You is a quintessential summer album. On my desert island top 5 list of summer albums, Say I Am You would be number 2, second only to The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds. There are none in my book that trump The Beach Boys in summer tunes. None.

And to end this audiogasm, a few tunes...

I don't fall too easily

Paul Simon: one of my musical heroes since I was little. "59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" has been one of my favourite tunes as long as I can remember. My mom was a Simon & Garfunkel fan, I remember summer nights on the porch, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, & Thyme drifting out of the house as my mom cooked. While I love Art Garfunkel, it's impossible to deny that Simon was the driving force behind the duo. He wrote the songs. It was his heart and soul being poured into their simple melodies and lyrics. His solo career is even better than Simon & Garfunkel (and I am a giant Simon & The Funk fan). Varied in its sounds, incorporating blues, grassroots, gospel, African, and good old fashioned rock, just to name a few.

And I know everyone looks to The Beatles for simple love songs ("I Want to Hold Your Hand" being a personal favourite), but Simon's "Song For the Asking" oozes simplicity and vulnerability, that one can't help but want to fall in love with the next person they lay eyes on. And who can deny his poetic flair with words? "A Heart in New York," "Poem on the Underground Wall," "Sound of Silence"--just to name a few.


Paul Simon -- Kodachrome

Paul Simon -- Under African Skies

Paul Simon -- Love Me Like a Rock

Paul Simon -- Diamonds on the Sole of Her Shoes

Paul Simon -- Everything About It Is A Love Song

Paul Simon -- Peace, Like a River

Simon & Garfunkel -- Homeward Bound

Simon & Garfunkel -- I Am A Rock

Simon & Garfunkel -- Cecilia

Simon & Garfunkel -- El Condor Pasa

Simon & Garfunkel -- A Hazy Shade of Winter

Simon & Garfunkel -- The Dangling Conversation

Simon & Garfunkel -- Song For the Asking

The Muppets Cover Stars & Stripes Forever!!

Happy Fourth Y'all!

I Was Wasting My Time Trying To Fall in Love

What better way to kick off the Fourth than with Moz? Having had two Moz-centric dreams in as many days, I decided to see what the former Smiths frontman was up to--apparently appearing half naked on magazine covers, as well as in the midst of releasing a new album, Years of Refusal. I support it.

Below, besides a video for the single off the new album, "That's How People Grow Up,"
scans from a nifty interview Moz did for Hot Press last month. I've never loved Morrissey more. Yes, he's a crazy vegetarian, but whatever, that's minor.



Hot Press June 2008 Scans

Misses Fried Chicken, you gon be a nigga's death

Mark Ronson: creaming panties since Summer '07. Is it the dark hair & dark eyes? The strong nose? Or maybe, maybe it's the fun, phat, & playful beats you lay down?

Queensbridge's finest; Nas hooked up with Ronson and Busta Rhymes for "Fried Chicken"--a song from his upcoming (and much anticipated) release, Untitled (out July 15th). Seeing Nas and Ronson's names strung together highly piqued my interest. Being a fan of both, I couldn't imagine the two collaborating. Ever. Now that my imagination stands served with the unimaginable and corrected, I listen with grateful ears.

Ronson's brassy sound shines on the song, contrasting with Nas and Rhymes's vocals seamlessly. However smooth the production, the real gem of this track lies in the imaginative lyrics, using fried chicken as a metaphor for ladies. Original and amazing.


Nas feat. Busta Rhymes -- Fried Chicken

A Boy Like Me Is Both 9 and 90...

...Or if we're being literal: 25. R.M. darling Patrick Wolf is today's birthday boy. To celebrate Mr. Wolf turning one quarter of a century; a few videos.


Patrick Wolf -- To the Lighthouse



Patrick Wolf -- Wind in the Wires



Patrick Wolf -- The Magic Position [Live]

Immuzikation: Free Your Unbelievable Mind!

'Spose to be asleep, especially with work in less than 8 hours. Oops.

En Vogue. Loves of mine since elementary school. Immuzikation? Psuedo-love of mine since, hmm, last summer? The latter mashing the former? A musicgasm for sure. Yeah, I was looking for an En Vogue track for a mix I was to throw up here, and stumbled upon this gem. Totes fun, making one want to grab a red solo cup full o' beer and throw a rager of a roof party. Jam it til there's no tomorrow, hombre.


Immuzikation -- Free Your Unbelievable Mind (En Vogue vs EMF)



On a note completely unrelated: When the fuck did The Offspring release a new album? Also, who said anyone even wanted them too? I mean, it's been all downhill since Americana, fellas. C'mon, do you remember the joke of an album that was Conspiracy of One, I wish I didn't.

Great Scot!

Okay, I've been meeting to write about this hot Scot for nearly a month now. My roomie mailed Amy MacDonald's album to me when she mailed me the keys. Not having the time to write proper about her before I left, I decided to make it one of my first orders of business upon moving. Leaving her CD in my desktop, I was not amused ot find out that I had left my desktop wires upstate. To make a longer story short, upon checking my one e-mail for the first time in weeks, my roomie sent me an e-mail complete with streams and picture!

In the vein of Kate Nash, Brandi Carlisle, and KT Tunstall, Amy is a singer songwriter. I know with the music emerging today, it is easy for an artist to just get lumped with other similar ones. I only do this to poor Amy MacDonald because she is still a relative unknown--and hopefully not for long. The demo that was sent to me was a breath of fresh air, seriously. Fun, heartfelt, and summery, this blogger was entranced.

Check her out, you won't be disappointed.

Amy MacDonald -- Mr. Rock N Roll

Amy MacDonald -- Posion Prince

Amy MacDonald -- Run

Feed the Animals--Name Your Price!

Being absent from the internet this past week, I missed several messages from friends about the new Girl Talk album. Today, armed with a blank CD and sharpie, I am quickly catching up. Girl Talk is currently offering the album for however much you are willing to pay for it. I, being poor, punched 00.00, and after answering a quick question, was able to download the album. As my one friend said, "it's way fun." SO DO IT! It's brilliance in a 53 minute package. I'd normally post a sample for y'all to peruse, but seeing as the album is free, and as I am encouraging more heads to listen to Girl Talk, I shall only leave you with a link to the album. So, there.


Girl Talk -- Feed The Animals