essentials: noisettes, dan black, moving units

Your Tuesday essentials are pretty exciting, I must say. First we have The Noisettes, who are fantastically underrated and mostly unknown State-side. I have heard Don't Upset the Rhythm some in the bars, but they have yet to make the oh-so-tough UK pop-to-US fluff transition. Saturday Night is perhaps their best song, if not within their top 2 (the other is Never Forget You... look it up!) and I think it's really the right kind of pop.

Next we have Dan Black, who was fantastic last night at 9:30 club. He closed with this track, Yours, and it made my night. I think he is the second coming of Daniel Bedingfield, and that prospect/thought makes me smile rabid dog in Bali.

Lastly, we have a song by a post-punk highly under-appreciated band from L.A. named Moving Units. I've written about them before in the same context, but this time I'm even more stoked because they announced that they're done recording their latest EP, and it will be out soon! Woohoo! This track, The Kids from Orange County, is vintage MU. I can't wait to see them live!

Saturday Night - Noisettes Yours - Dan Black The Kids from Orange County - Moving Units

three track thursdays 05.06.10 - pick up the phone(s)

I noticed recently that the title Pick Up the Phone is quite popular. So, for this week's three track thursday, I decided to give you the same song three times... except by different artists... and completely different actual tracks. Even greater than the coincidence of a common name, the tunes are all of great quality. [Feel free to download these tracks below.]

The most famous of these artists is probably Dragonette. Their version of Pick Up the Phone has been blazing through indie/electro playlists for a few months now. It is easily one of the most pop-sensitive tracks out there, and is growing exponentially in popularity since the video (see below) debuted. A song about losing the ones we love through time, this track has a nostalgic, bittersweet tone that becomes infectious.

Next, we have the best electro/post-punk band you'll never know: Moving Units. After two stellar albums, they STILL are unknown. An L.A.-based band for lovers of The Faint, The Killers, etc., they are currently recording their third album.

Lastly, we have a band that I still listen to often, The Notwist, whose 2002 LP, Neon Golden, is a solid downtempo, electronic, introspective masterpiece. Their take on Pick Up the Phone holds its own against the great standard set by the previous two (and they also predate them by 6 and 8 years). If you ever want to hear more great stuff from The Notwist, definitely look up the track Consequence, which is easily my favorite tune of theirs.

Pick Up the Phone - Dragonette

Pick Up the Phone - Moving Units

(Download only- unable to preview because SoundCloud sucks at life)

Pick Up the Phone - The Notwist