Carl Sandburg Visits Me In A Dream

I’ve have always been a fan of the Verve Remixed series; what a genius idea to combine wonderful jazz and bossa nova standards with the wit and reinterpretations of today’s modern remixers.  What is remarkable about Verve Remixed: Volume 4 is that it is not only vastly different than the previous 3 volumes, but that each remix has its own unique flair and twist.

The Psapp remix of Astrud Gilberto’s “Bim Bom” infuses the original with the childish wonder of Psapp’s quirky instruments, while 9th Wonder makes Roy Ayers’ classic “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” an even more laid-back slow jam with a heavier bass beat.  Willie Bobo’s “Evil Ways” is completely funkified by Karriem Riggins, complementing the bombast of Chris Shaw’s remix of Sarah Vaughan’s “Tea for Two”.  Mocky does his best job of taking Anita O’Day’s “Tenderly” and churning it into a lounge classic.  There are only a few hiccups on this album, and the worst being the remix of Marlena Shaw’s already amazing “California Soul”.  I didn’t realize that song could be ruined until I heard Diplo’s remix–sheer drivel.  But the best remix by far has to be Mike Mangini’s Remix of Nina Simone’s “Gimme Some”.  What a wonderful, happy-go-lucky ditty, and I’m sure Simone would approve.

Grab a copy of Verve Remixed: Volume 4

Listen to “Gimme Some (Mike Mangini Remix)” (5/5)

Listen to “Bim Bom (Psapp Remix)” (4.7/5)

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Amos Lee (a CSV favorite!) is due out for a new album June 24, 2008, entitled Last Days at the Lodge.  The album sure looks to be full of folk-blues delights after having listened to “Ease Back” and “Street Corner Preacher”.  So you can pre-order your copy on Amazon here.

Listen to “Street Corner Preacher” (4.9/5) [courtesy of IGIM]

Listen to “Ease Back” (4.5/5)

As you may know, I was/am completely infatuated with Laura Veirs’ Saltbreakers, and I was excited to tackle Veirs’ newest EP Two Beers Veirs.  I love her dorky indie chic approach to music, and calling an EP Two Beers Veirs fits right in line.  Though I’m not as excited about this EP as I was about Saltbreakers, there are some good tracks to check out.  “Spike Drivers Blues (Mississippi John Hurt)” is a lazy Sunday-folk ditty with serene acoustic vocals and Veirs’ crooning in the foreground.  “Wildwood Flower (Irving & Webster)” is another beautiful slow-rolling folk song that seems perfect for this long weekend.

Get yourself a copy of Two Beers Veirs.

Listen to “Spike Drivers Blues (Mississippi John Hurt)” (4.6/5)

Listen to “Wildwood Flower (Irving & Webster)” (4.6/5)

Remixes are all the rage these days, and in my opinion, there’s none better than the esteemed Stuart Price (aka Jacques Lu Cont aka Thin White Duke). Though he goes by several monikers, Price has a real knack for capturing the essence of songs and then reinterpreting them into masterful electronic gems. And this is why I am providing you with a couple of Thin White Duke tracks to satiate your remixing appetite.

Coldplay - Talk (Thin White Duke Remix) (4.9/5)

Depeche Mode - A Pain That I’m Used To (Jacques Lu Cont’s Thin White Duke Remix) (4.8/5)

Royksopp - What Else is There? (Thin White Duke Remix) (4.7/5)

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Full disclosure: I’m not a huge Martin Dosh fan. I am not one of those select few that rants and raves about his rhythmic prowess or his sock-em-bop-em beats. Nonetheless, after having seen him perform with Andrew Bird last year, I figured that Dosh’s new album Wolves and Wishes would give me the perfect chance to give him a real good listen. Truth be told, I’m rather impressed.

Though I’m pretty much over my instrumental music stage, I do enjoy a vocal-less album here and there. The problem with Wolves and Wishes for me, though, has to deal with certain tracks that are sheer noise. “Bury the Ghost” is an awful drone, while “First Impossible” is actually 9 full minutes of….noise. But Dosh is also at his best on this album: “Capture the Flag” is a delightfully cheerful piano and synth-heavy track that reminds me a little of the energy of The Blue Man Group. “The Magic Stick” has got this interesting department store vibe that mixes with his more hardcore electronic side. “Kit and Pearle” is the real highlight on this album, with its urgent softness (a la Air) and Dosh’ incredible attention to detail.

So in the end, I think it’s worth your time and your ears. Grab a copy of Wolves and Wishes.

Listen to “Kit and Pearle” (4.7/5)

Listen to “The Magic Stick” (4.6/5)

Pop-pianist extraordinaire Roger Joseph Manning Jr. has released another scrumptious pop opus with Catnip Dynamite. Full of quirky kazoos and fanciful track titles, Catnip Dynamite should exude total cheesiness and yet it comes across as thoroughly interesting and entertaining. The wide-eyed cheeriness of Manning Jr.’s voice is truly original, while his pop sensibilities are a cross between that of Elton John and classic 70’s TV show themes. If you’re at all familiar with The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, that might give you an idea to the actual sound of Catnip Dynamite, but in truth it’s pretty hard to ‘genre-fy’ this album. The slow ballad “My Girl” is entirely different from the excellently medieval pop of “Tinsel Town”. “Love’s Never Half as Good” is surely the highlight on this album with trippy pianos, while the surfer-friendly and hippie-certified “American Affluenza” are also sure to please.

Get yourself a copy of Catnip Dynamite. The album art is awesome, so if that convinces you…

Listen to “Love’s Never Half as Good” (4.8/5)

Listen to “American Affluenza” (4.5/5)

All this Coldplay hype has gotten me jittery!  I’m going to refrain from posting the newest single released from Viva La Vida “Viva La Vida” because you’ve probably already heard it.  If not, go here.  Now I just have to prepare myself for the onslaught of praise and hatred that will be attached to this coming album, which will most assuredly be called VLVODAAHF (Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends) by the most insufferable of bloggers.

Anyhow, I thought I would share some “b-sides” from X & Y with you.  Enjoy!

Coldplay - “The World Turned Upside Down” (5/5) —Why wasn’t this on the album???

Coldplay - “Talk (Thin White Duke Remix)” (4.8/5)  —Thin White Duke is unrivaled.

Coldplay - “Sleeping Sun” (5/5) —Drums and falsettos reign on this track.  Amazing.

I thought I’d deliver two songs that have been on the so-called iTunes queue as of late.

The first is the title single off of My Morning Jacket’s Evil Urges “Evil Urges”. This song definitely marks a change in MMJ’s approach, but to be honest, I’m rather apathetic about the album as a whole. They created one of the greatest songs of all time with “Gideon” (see video below) but aside from that amazing accomplishment, there simply isn’t much they have to offer.

My Morning Jacket - “Evil Urges” (4.7/5)

Minneapolis hip-hop collective Atmosphere just released their new album entitled When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold. I’m quite confident that the only reason I’m posting a track of theirs is because of the album title. That, ladies and gentlemen, is good marketing!

Atmosphere - “Yesterday” (4.7/5)

My obsession with Canadian label Arts & Crafts continues to build!  From Milton, Canada comes the electro-lounge collective The Most Serene Republic with their debut Population.  I wasn’t thoroughly impressed with the effort as a whole, but TMSR exudes a wonderfully cheerful and enchanting vibe.  Imagine Zero 7 with a little more zip (sometimes too much zip at times).  TMSR succeeds best when they sound the least ‘disciplined’–that is to say, their best tracks seem more like they were shot from the hip than carefully planned.  Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean that their timing isn’t anything short of precise or that their songs are any thing less than anthemic.  “Humble Peasants” is a beautiful mission statement for the band, with horns blaring and whistles abound.  “A Mix of Sun and Cloud” reminds me of genre-mate A Sunny Day in Glasgow, with its subdued rhythms and appeal.  Overall, this is a lean first effort, and surely whets my appetite for some more from these crafty Canadians.

Get yourself a copy of Population!

Listen to “A Mix of Sun and Cloud” (4.7/5)

Listen to “Humble Peasants” (4.8/5)

The much awaited album from electro-junkie-turned-soul extraordinaire Jamie Lidell is here! His previous album Multiply was one of those under-the-radar type indie LPs that showed so much promise from a man that had seemed to wake up one day and realize he had an incredible voice. But a voice only gets you so far, and you don’t have to tell Lidell. He has an uncanny knack for rhythm and sunshine motown classic beats. And if that’s not enough, Lidell excudes a captivating blend of style, class, and eclecticism that makes his music all that more appealing.

From listening to Multiply, it was apparent the way Lidell was actually identifying with his change in identity from noise maker to booty shaker. And it now seems that with Jim, Lidell is continuing that journey of self-discovery and self-shaping. “Another Day” is a sweet-talking, hoppy soul ditty where he sings, “Another day / another way / for me to open up to you.” Indeed, he has. Listening to “Green Light” reminds me a little of Al Green, with Jim’s effortless transitions to falsetto. It amazes me how much Lidell can do with simple, catchy instrumentation–his voice is so fluid and dynamic that it becomes as interesting an instrument as any on the album. The eccentric video for “Little Bit of Feel Good” (posted here last week) is well-suited for the quirky positivity of the song itself. “Out of My System” and “Wait for Me” are both apt for raising seratonin levels as well.

How often do you get an album with substance that also makes you feel good? The answer is not often. So go and get Jim.

Listen to “Another Day” (4.9/5)

Listen to “Green Light” (4.9/5)