BBQCHICKENROBOT

I just watched Nedry’s video for their track A42 and I think they sound a lot like Bjork, a bit lighter in sound, but sort of dark moods well placed inbetween.  I hear drops of ambient lofi, helpings of glitch arrangements and some nice guitars per Apples & Pears. The UK trio will be releasing their album Condor in the US in later April and are planning a nice set of shows in the UK and Europe with one of our favorites, 65DaysOfStatic!  Check out the FREE track from Nedry and get lost in the video below, I really dig it.

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Nedry – A42 [MP3]

Morr Music is going to be releasing Lali Puna’s 4th studio album come April and we’re excited that the German electronic pop group is back after 5 years of hiatus! Their unique blend of lo-fi ambient pop tunes is backed by Notwist frontman Markus Acher and fellow Tied & Tickled Trio member Christoph Bradner.  Lali Puna brings us 10 new tracks with Yellow Magic Orchestra’s Yukihiro Takahashi jumping in the last track, Out There.  Be on the look out for Our Inventions, it’s another Lali album that makes me question how music is created and  how the artists view their sound compared to those who just hear it.  Check out the video for Middle Curse from Scary World Theory. And some sweet older tracks! BTW we love love love love love Morr Music!

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Remember [MP3] from Our Inventions

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Nim-Com-Pop [MP3] from Scary World Theory

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603 [MP3] from Tridecoder

Synopsis: Based on the true childhood experiences of director Derick Martini, Lymelife is the coming of age story of 15-year old Scott growing up in suburban Long Island. While caught up in his first love, Scott watches the relationships of his parents and their neighbors slowly crumble as they try to keep up with the changing times and expectations of the 1970s. Critically acclaimed, Lymelife features a magnificent ensemble cast, with incredible performances that make you laugh and cry along with them.

I’ll try my best not to give too many details about the film, although this film isn’t a “details will give it all away” sort of film. These are just a few reasons in no particular order as to why I really liked this film. For starters, seeing Rory and Kieran Culkin play brothers in this film and interact was neat, and it’s always interesting when the Culkins are somehow combined in rolls. Right off the bat, you see Rory’s character as somewhat of a non-popular, loser, misfit type but he seems to live in his own little world filled with confidence. He loves Starwars and there are several references there. I don’t know why but I just really like Alec Baldwin, and his character as the father is just classic Alec. There are lots of visuals of model houses and cars that are used throughout the film, also shots of deer. This will make no sense to you until you watch it. Also props to the production design.

Director Martini and his brother Steven Martini wrote the film and Steve also wrote the score for the film with his band. Did I mention Martin Scorsese executive produced, not bad at all. Lymelife won the Critics Award at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival and was also featured at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. You can pretty much pick up this film anywhere, I got lucky and scored a used copy for $5! Check the trailer below and go rent this already!

Could this be any radder? I love and am inspired by both La Blogotheque’s videos and Invisible Children’s Heart and mission. These two goodness monsters are coming together, along with 3 bands, so far once announced, none other than the Polyphonic Spree! They’ll be heading over to shoot a documentary, spread love, spread their music, and ultimately bring hope and social change in the worn torn country of Uganda. Seriously get on this!

In March 2010, the members of Polyphonic Spree, along with two other bands (TBD), will join the Invisible Children crew and La Blogotheque on a journey to Gulu, Uganda.

Invisible Children and La Blogotheque want YOU to be involved. Your support will not only help get production for this project under way, but it will ultimately help us in proving to the world that musical notes can be more powerful than bullets, and songs more powerful than bombs.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO & TO DONATE TO THIS PROJECT

Just gave a fair rotation to Magic Man’s new album Real Life Color and songs like Daughter sound strikingly a lot like my short years with the Postal Service.  Definitely jogs my memory of how much I dug that synthy driven pop sound.  You can get this awesome 10 track album absolutely FREE via Arcade Sound LTD., which by the way is a completely appropriate name for their label.  Hearing South Dakota makes me want to go out and shoot some footage of late night neon lights and friends eating ice cream (with cones!).  Sam and Alex, swell done!

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Daughter [MP3]

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South Dakota [MP3]

Several years ago I stumbled onto an awesome Wurlizter wielder named Laura Burhenn.   She makes beautiful tracks that have a soft pop that is often haunting with the slow keys.  She’s back on the scene as Mynabirds, her new band with several instrumentalists to push their new ‘Motown meets Neil  Young” sound.  Her attitude and voice are different than the solo stuff, with some retro and classic pop keys. Even my dad would listen to this stuff on his old record player but still think it was fresh.  The new album has some special guests like Orenda Fink (Azure Ray) and AJ Mogis (Tilly and the Wall) along with Richard Swift all over it.  What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood will be out in late April via Saddle Creek but they were nice enough to hit us with a taste.  Enjoy!

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Numbers Don’t Lie [mp3]

One of my absolute favorites, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, are releasing a brand new album in April called I Learned The Hard Way on Daptone Recs. The follow up of 100 Days, 100 Nights gives us another hefty dose of Sharon Jones’ incredible tough-love soulful energy, and the awesome funky grooves of the Dap Kings.  Their 4th studio album, recorded at Daptone’s House of Soul studio, parallels the draw of Sam Cooke and Aretha, and gives us that James Brown-like, heavy sweatin’, take-a-breath sound.  I got to see them last year in LA and it was an adrenaline rush just to see the Dap Kings and Sharon Jones totall take over with their hearts all over the stage.  Daptone has released the title single for us to prep our ears for the album.  SJDK will of course be blastin’ out your local venue speaks with a tour sometime in the summer, I’m guessing.  In the meantime, catch them here.  Lastly Check out the video below of Sharon singing with Michael Buble on SNL last week.

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I Learned The Hard Way [MP3]

Build An Ark is one of the most amazing communities of musicians and vocalists and they’re from right here in Los Angeles.  I’ve been plowing my ears through their past LPs and the instrumentals and arrangements are soulful, folky, spiritual and super classy.  Their newest album Love Pt. 1 is truly another beautiful collaboration of instrumentally thick musicians and singers totaling up to 45!  Carlos Nino and crew has successfully added some guitars, strings and brass sections to compliment their live tracks with progressive layers.  It’s truly amazing and really soothing stuff to chill with.  Love Pt 2. is probably on it’s way in the summer perhaps but it’s all good cause I think it will take some time to soak in Pt. 1’s heavy hour of music.  Get those 13 tracks here for only $9! Get the vinyl’s and previous here.

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World Peace Now [MP3]

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In Her Smile (Daedelus Remix) [MP3]

If you are in LA, definitely definitely go see them LIVE for FREE at Amoeba Records in Hollywood on Valentine’s Day at 5:00pm (go early)!  They will also be featured on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic on February 16th, 11:00AM (tune in suckas!)

Howdy NYers, Hit the Bowery Electric tonight to check out the sweet tunes of The Postelles!  This is the rock band that your mom and dad wish they had at their school dances; a hint of Ramones, highly danceable toe-tapping Oh Oh Oh’s and old school meets new school sweet hooks.  They’ve had several tracks out for a couple years now and I’m excited that they’re finally pressing stuff.  They don’t have their debut album out yet but they do have an Albert Hammond Jr produced EP called White Night which can be yours in March! It also features a sweet remix by Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor.  Catch these dudes at the residency, FREE for February and then a hot handful of dates with Portland’s Hockey + SXSW.  Get their older EP here.

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123 Stop

Bowery Electric Residency (Wednesday)
Dates: 2/3, 2/10, 2/17
FREE!

Honestly, when I watched the trailer, I was waiting for Jackie to hit someone!  Their theory was right-on; I couldn’t imagine him not beating some bad guys up.  ”99% drama and 1% action?”  What?!  Never the less, the Jackie Chan produced Shinjuku Incident which premiered at last year’s Hong Kong Int’l Film Festival will be pushed out into select US markets by Barking Cow distro this weekend starting on February 5th!  It’s already been released overseas for quite sometime now and we’ll finally get to check this film out stateside. It looks super violent!

Wiki points out an interesting fact:..”due to significant amounts of violence in the film, director Yee made a conscious decision not to release the film in mainland China. China does not have a film classification system, so films are released for all audiences.  Yee considered toning down or cutting the violence in order to pass censorship, but felt it would hurt the integrity of the movie. Chan, who was an investor in the film, agreed with Yee’s decision.”

I am really excited to check out this dramatic Jackie!  Peep your city’s screenings here and get some tix.  Check out the full synopsis here and watch the trailer below! Also be on the look out for the DVD which is set to fly in early Summer.

I am heading out to a retreat for this weekend but I wanted to leave you with a few songs that are in my head.  This is the new Friday Grab Bag.  How unoriginal!  Anywho check out these tracks, download, share, and spread this music!  Have a swell weekend, don’t do drugs and don’t drink and drive! BTW The beautiful photo above is taken and (C) by my friend Rebecca Hartness. Don’t be jealous.

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Miami Horror – Sometimes

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Julien Dyne – Layer (Feat Mara TK)

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RJD2 – Games You Can Win

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Corinne Bailey Rae – I’d Do It All Again (Acoustic Version)

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Alan Pownall – Take Me

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Part Of Me – Electric Tickle Machine

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Sunbears – I’m Alive

Our boy Shing02 is one of the dopest underground hip hop artists who really is international with all his collabos, shows and tracks. This Japanese Bay Area roller has two dope videos I want y’all to check out.  1st one is with the amazing drumb&bass group called Beatropolis.  They provide the track and Shing02’s in on the mic. For The City y’all.

The next video is off of his Waikyoku which dropped in ‘08 but this video has rad backs and features one of our favorite jazz artists, Emi Meyer who has collaborated with Shing02 in the past and we’ve even hung out with them here in LA last year.  The claps at the end just draw tons of style.  Feel it!

Pressed play, and I hear cowbellness and then almost a song that sounds like it should be on a teen movie, then a quick glam haze…niiiiiceee!  Also Free Energy sounds a bit like The Strokes minus the audio technica stuff.  These guys are a lot of fun and so far Something in Common is my favorite track on their early March debut, Stuck On Nothing.  If you want some head bop, toe tap sing-a-long, feel good rock in your ears, check these dudes on tour.  Also they’ll be rollin’ with Foreign Born later February.  Get those free tracks below.

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Dark Trance

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Something In Common

8 people with 5 instruments from 4 Continents speaking 3 languages for 1 song.

We put together a virtual “jam session” with musicians from all over the world! Music was inspired by Galt MacDermot’s amazing “Coffee Cold”. Handsome Boy Modeling School (Prince Paul and Dan the Automator ) flipped that song with J-Live and Roisin Murphy from Moloko and called it “The Truth”.

It’s AMAZING what you can do nowadays!

Peep the lyrics here.  This video is dope! Not to mention I’m a fan of LA’s Dumbfoundead so it was cool to see him on this ‘international’ collabo.  Get the track free here.

Darling folk songstress Joanna Newsom has let known to the waiting world that a new album is in the works; not only new, but a triple LP. Just shy of a month from it’s release date Have One On Me will surely be a plentiful cascade of floating harp harmonies and calming yet definitively tweaked vocals. The first single “81″ bodes a softer voiced Newsom resting somewhere between Ys and The Milk-Eyed Mender.

Have One On Me is due out February 23rd on Drag City. Here’s “81″ to leave your ears anxious for her heavenly harp reprise.

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