Jose Gonzalez - Teardrop

I am a firm believer that a cover song is rarely ever better than the original version. I can't even think of one off the top of my head. That is, until now.

Jose Gonzalez's cover of Massive Attack's electro-trip-hop hit, Teardrop, comes very close to the brilliance of the original. It is truly amazing what Gonzalez can do with just an acoustic guitar. His new album, In Our Nature was released this week and it is the perfect example of great music stripped down to its bare essentials. Listen to 'Cycling Trivialities' and you'll know what I mean.

Download [mp3]: Jose Gonzalez -Teardrop
MySpace: Jose Gonzalez
Jose Gonzalez: Official Webpage

Buy In Our Nature

Milburn - These Are The Facts

Milburn released their follow-up to 2006's Well Well Well last week. Their first album was a luke warm success and the band have often been rejected as an Arctic Monkeys knock-off. It doesn't help that both bands are from Sheffield. Don't dismiss them because of this coincidence. Milburn can hold their own and have put together an album that will hopefully help them make a name for themselves and dispel those comparisons.

The new album, called These Are The Facts, contains power-pumping bass lines and sleek guitars. The first single is 'What Will You Do (When the Money Goes)' and it is, in my opinion, the strongest track on the album. Other songs that you should not miss include 'Lucy Lovemenot' and 'Count to 10.' And you will not be able to get 'Being a Rogue' out of your head, it is insanely catchy.

I have no information on a North American release date. I don't even think there was an official release of their first album on this side of the pond. Keep your fingers crossed or order it online. Globalization at its finest!

Milburn play shows across the UK this fall. Check their MySpace page for dates.

Download [mp3]: Milburn - Being A Rogue

Myspace: Milburn

Milburn: Official Webpage

More New Music From Babyshambles

Art and drugs. Drugs and art. I guess the two just go hand in hand. At least they do for Pete Doherty. That's because I got a chance to listen to the new Babyshambles album, Shotter's Nation today. I am happy to say that it is a pretty solid collection of songs. Fans will not be disappointed.

I'm going to post two new songs from the album. I was trying to choose my favourite ones but there really is a lot to good tracks to choose from. Anyways, I'll give it a shot. Shotter's Nation is released next week on October 1st in the UK and October 23rd in North America.

As a side note, I was just joking kids, stay off the drugs.

Download [mp3]: Babyshambles - Unstookie Titled
Download [mp3]: Babyshambles - Deft Left Hand
MySpace: Babyshambles
Babyshambles: Official Website

Buy Shotter's Nation

You Should Be Listening To: ADELE - HOMETOWN GLORY

Fantastic song by London singer/songwriter Adele. It's called 'Hometown Glory' and it contains a piano loop that is dark, haunting and atmospheric. The single is drawing a lot of attention and critical acclaim. In fact, 'Hometown Glory' was Jo Whiley's Pet Sound just last week.

Adele is currently signed to XL Recording, which is also home to Devendra Banhart, M.I.A., Basement Jaxx and The White Stripes. So, she is in very good company. The single will be released on October 22 as a limited edition 7" vinyl. There is no information on the release of a full length album but if this song is any indication, we should be hearing more from this promising singer/songwriter in the very near future.

Myspace: Adele

CD Releases: Week of 25/09/07

There is a lot of good new music to choose from this week. Here is just a sampling.

Athlete - Beyond The Neighbourhood (Astralwerks)
Download [mp3]: Athlete - Airport Disco
Buy Beyond The Neighbourhood



Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon (XL)
Download [mp3]: Devendra Banhart - Seahorse
Buy Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon


Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace (RCA)

Download [mp3]: Foo Fighters - The Pretender

Buy Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace

Jose Gonzalez - In Our Nature (Mute)

Buy In Our Nature

PJ Harvey - White Chalk (Island)
Buy White Chalk

Stars - In Our Bedroom After The War (Arts & Crafts)

Download [mp3]: Stars - Take Me To The Riot

Buy In Our Bedroom After The War

So, go out and buy some music on Tuesday!

Idlewild and Edwin Morgan - The Weight of Years

You know those times when you first hear a song and instantly fall in love with it. For me, it is one of the greatest feelings that I can experience in life. There is nothing like it.

'The Weight of Years' by Idlewild and Edwin Morgan was one of those songs for me. The track is pretty hard to find. It took me forever. It appears on a compilation entitled Ballads of the Book. The album is based on an idea of Idlewild's Roddy Woomble, in which, the Scottish writing community would write words/lyrics for artists from around Scotland to interpret musically. It's a pretty great idea. And since this song was one of the results, I think it should be done more often.

Put your headphones on, turn the volume up, close your eyes, and listen.

Download[mp3]: Idlewild and Edwin Morgan - The Weight of Years

Buy Ballads of the Book

Band of Horses Tour Dates

Band of Horses are touring in support of their forthcoming album Cease To Begin. If you have been to this site before, you will probably know that after The Pipettes (whose album 'We Are the Pipettes' is released on October 2 in North America, just thought I'd throw that in there), Band of Horses' Cease to Begin is the album that I am most excited about this fall. It's really good, so you should definitely check it out. It is out a week after The Pipettes, on October 9th.

Hear are their tour dates and another song of their new album called 'Lamb of the Lam (In the City)'.

10/30 Charlottesville, VA @ Satellite Ballroom

11/1 Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre

11/2 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

11/3 Providence, RI @ Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel

11/4 New York, NY @ Terminal 5

11/6 New Haven, CT @ Toad's Place

11/7 Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street

11/8 Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe

11/9 Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre

11/10 Pontiac, MI @ Crofoot Ballroom

11/12 Chicago, IL @ Metro

11/14 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

11/15 Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium/Dempsey's Upstairs

11/17 Bozeman, MT @ The Filling Station

11/18 Boise, ID @ Neurolux

11/19 Seattle, WA @ Showbox

11/20 Seattle, WA @ Showbox

11/21 Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom

11/23 San Francisco, CA @ Mezzanine

11/24 Los Angeles, CA @ Avalon LA

11/26 Pomona, CA @ Glass House

Download[mp3]: Band of Horses - Lamb of the Lam (In the City)

MySpace: Band of Horses

Band of Horses: Official Webpage

Buy Cease To Begin

Beirut

Beirut

Bei-rut - [bay-root]

noun
1. Capital and largest city of Lebanon.
2. Band from Santa Fe, New Mexico, fronted by Zach Condon, who mix pop, folk and world to create a sound that is quite unique in indie music.

And they have a new album called The Flying Club Cup. And it has a song that I like. And here it is.

Download[mp3]: Beirut - Guyamas Sonora
MySpace: Beirut
Beirut: Official Webpage

Buy The Flying Club Cup

Feist; The Canadian Chanteuse

Ok, so I think I've waited long enough to post some Canadian talent. I have no idea what has taken so long. The amount of talent in Canada right now is limitless. We all know about The Arcade Fire by now, so I can think of no better Canadian talent to discuss than Feist. And even though she no longer calls Canada home, we can still consider her ours.

If I had to sum up Feist's music in one word it would be 'brilliant.' Honestly, her soft raspy vocals are as good as it comes. It is perfection. And Feist has a strong musical background. She played in several bands including Placebo and By Divine Right. Not to mention, and another indication of the Great White North's strong music scene, Canadian super group Broken Social Scene. In 1999, Feist began recording her solo albums, the first of which (called Monarch) is no longer being pressed. Her second album, Let It Die, is the one that shot her into the mainstream. If you don't have this album or have never listened to Feist before, this is the one that I would pick up first. It is a great collection of work. This year she released her third solo album called The Reminder. In it, Feist picks up just where she left off. The songs are a little more poppy but again vocally, no one compares.

And Canada knows it because 'The Reminder' is on the shortlist for 2007's Polaris Music Prize. This is Canada's equivalent to the Mercury Music Prize in the UK. Feist is up against such artists as The Dears, The Arcade Fire, Junior Boys and Joel Plaskett Emergency.

Interesting tidbit: She once shared an apartment in Toronto with electro-punk artist, Peaches. Seriously. I can't make this stuff up.

Download[mp3]: Feist - My Moon, My Man
MySpace: Feist
Feist: Official Webpage

Buy The Reminder

The Horrors

The Horrors are indie goth rock at its finest. I don't know what it is about this band but I think their pretty great. Perhaps its the power-driven organs. Maybe its the crashy guitars. Or maybe its just their hair. No, it's definitely not the hair. Actually, that's the only bit of criticism I have for them today because their music and sense of fashion just go hand in hand. Not that it matters at all but can you really listen to The Horrors and imagine them looking any different than they do.

Anyways, enough of that. The Horrors are definitely the most unique export coming from the UK right now. Their debut album, Strange House, was released in March 2007 with 'Sheena is a Parasite' as the first single. As with all songs by The Horrors, 'Sheena Is a Parasite' contains a dominant organ sound partnered with some distorted-scratchy guitars. Other highlights are 'She Is the New Thing,''Count in Fives' and 'Thunderclaps.'

The Horrors are my guilty pleasure right now. You'll either love them or hate them. But fall is quickly approaching. So, if anything, The Horrors will get you in the mood for Halloween.

Download [mp3]: The Horrors - Sheena Is a Parasite

MySpace: The Horrors

The Horrors: Official Webpage

Buy Strange House