rewind: old world underground, where are you now?

Once in a while an album comes around that is so perfect, it's hard to appreciate it until a few (seven) years later. Metric achieved this with Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? back in September 2003, and to this day I am still a huge fan the LP. The album represents everything I love about indie pop, and its influence is heard in a great deal of today's artists of the same genre. With 10 tracks, 9 of which I consider to be outstanding (the only exception for my liking is On A Slow Night), it is an album worth having in your collection. Here are my four favorite tracks (my absolute favorite is probably Hustle Rose because of the entrancing synth) and a link to download the LP. Enjoy being all caffeine-free and faux-punk fatigued.

Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? (.mp3)

IOU - Metric

Dead Disco - Metric

Hustle Rose - Metric

Combat Baby - Metric

marina & the diamonds preview!

I am pretty pumped to see Marina & The Diamonds on Monday at 9:30 club, and you should be there too! It's going to be great. (AND ONLY $15!!). She's a star in the making. The entire debut LP The Family Jewels is pretty phenomenal, and definitely for lovers of Florence + The Machine, La Roux, and Regina Spektor. Here are my four favorite tracks (and, as always, download with the down arrow on the right):

Oh No! - Marina & The Diamonds

Shampain - Marina & The Diamonds

Are You Satisfied - Marina & the Diamonds

I Am Not a Robot - Marina & The Diamonds

new Matt & Kim

Do you love it or hate it? I can't make a decision yet, so I'm casting it into the webosphere to get a gauge on such. Soak it up:

Cameras - Matt & Kim

3 track flashback: Hot Hot Heat (at R&R Friday!)

Sometimes a band makes a perfect debut album and spends the rest of its career trying to live up to such a high bar. Hot Hot Heat did that with Make Up The Breakdown in October 2002. I still love this album, as there is very little like it in synthpop, or dance-rock, for that matter. It's perfect throughout, and the band should be proud of that. Here are my 3 favorite tracks from Make Up The Breakdown. Also, don't miss them at Rock & Roll Hotel on Friday! Only $15!

Bandages - Hot Hot Heat

No, Not Now - Hot Hot Heat

Oh, Goddamnit - Hot Hot Heat

fresh: does it offend you yeah, florence + the machine

So, the Florence + The Machine track is 3 months old, but STILL no one has it!?! Ok, well here you go... Enjoy Heavy In Your Arms from the (much better than the actual film) Twilight: Eclipse soundtrack! It's great, brooding, angry Florence at her best. It makes me want to light some candles and lay down crucifixion-style on my fuzzy blanket as if it were a field of burmuda grass.

Heavy In Your Arms - Florence + The Machine

Then we have the original and a fresh remix of the new Does It Offend You, Yeah?! track, We Are The Dead... which is basically a continuation of their debut record's dance-punk insanity sound. I dig it, but it could be an acquired taste. The remix is a nice downtempo take on the track, and much more party-friendly. Do. It.

We Are The Dead - Does It Offend You, Yeah?!

We Are The Dead (Error Operator remix) - Does It Offend You, Yeah?!

essentials: lily allen remixes

Lily Allen is such a raw, interesting talent. She may not be a power vocalist, but she does have wit in her lyricism, a bold way of carrying herself as a singer and celebrity, and has yet to produce anything that I would blatantly call excrement. She, like a few others in her pop-generation (namely Dragonette, Marina & the Diamonds, and Little Boots), is what popular music should be in America, but probably never will.

Here are a few of my favorite remixes of hers that make me smile every time I push play. From the energetic (and pretty much amazing) remix of Not Fair, to the introspective, silky re-working of I Could Say, I very much consider these essentials for any fan of quality musical renovation.

Not Fair (Brentz Annie Nightingale & Far Too Loud remix) - Lily Allen

I Could Say (Doctor Rosen Rosen remix) - Lily Allen

The Fear (The Count remix) - Lily Allen

Alfie (CSS remix) - Lily Allen

Everyone's At It (Tranqatari remix) - Lily Allen

Robyn does Bjork... but not like that

By far my favorite Bjork song covered by one of my favorite Pop stars, ever. Hooray!

SHIFT..Don't Need No Education SET-LIST

August 2010 SHIFT Set-List

DOWNLOAD IT!

Hello - Martin Solveig ft. Dragonette

Rockin' High - Fedde Le Grand

All The Lovers (WAWA & MMB Anthem remix) - Kylie Minogue

C'est Beau la Bourgeoisie - DiscoBitch

Lovefool (Barletta remix) - The Cardigans

Hands (Retro/Grade remix) - The Ting Tings

Scream (LA Riots remix) - Kelis

Royal T - Crookers ft. Roisin Murphy

Restless (Fake Blood remix DJ MAJR edit) - UNKLE

Me & Myself (Wolfgang Gartner remix) - BenDJ ft. Sushy

Oh No! - Marina & The Diamonds

Moar Robyn N Amanda Stuff (Robyn vs. Amanda Blank vs. Deadmau5) - DJ MAJR

Symphonies (Dada Life vs. DJ MAJR remix) - Dan Blank ft. Kid Cudi

Dancing On My Own (Buzz Junkies remix) - Robyn

Acapella (DJ MAJR edit) - Kelis

Remedy (Buffetlibre vs. Sidechains remix) - Little Boots

Hot N Fun (Boys Noize remix) - N.E.R.D.

Spaceship - Benny Benassi ft. Kelis, Jean Baptiste

In My Arms (Sebastien Leger remix) - Kylie Minogue

Push It - Salt N Pepa

Konichiwa Bitches (Tentremyller remix) - Robyn

Freakum Dress - Beyonce

Teeth - Lady Gaga

Closer - Nine Inch Nails

Got Your Money - Ol' Dirty Bastard ft. Kelis

The Jump Off - Lil' Kim

Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet

Do You Want To - Franz Ferdinand

Just A Girl - No Doubt

Criminal Intent - Robyn

Billie Jean - Michael Jackson

I Want Everything - Sneaky Sound System

When I Grow Up - The Pussycat Dolls

B.U.D.D.Y. - Weezer vs. Justice

Fembot - Robyn

Waiting For Bulletproof Love - La Roux vs. Gwen Stefani vs. Kylie Minogue

Breakin' Dishes - Rihanna

Commander (DJ MAJR edit) - Kelly Rowland

Clap Your Hands (Fred Falke remix) - Sia

Diva (Speedy Graffiti remix) - Beyonce

Heavy Cross (Fred Falke remix) - The Gossip

I'm Not Your Toy (datA remix) - La Roux

Love Or Torture - Blake Lewis

1901 - Phoenix

Mr. Brightside - The Killers

Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine

remix monday : LA Riots make Kelis "Scream"

LA Riots have done it again! This remix is fantastic! Scream is one of my favorite Kelis songs, and LA Riots put their proverbial spin on the track... and I definitely approve. I tested the track on Saturday at SHIFT, and they LOVED it! Work. It. Out.

Scream (LA Riots remix) - Kelis by MAJR

brenda dickson move over...

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