Alexander - 'A Million Years'

Alexander Ebert of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros has released a solo album.  One of the cuts is 'A Million Years.'  It's melodic, heartfelt, and a pretty good track all around.

Stream 'A Million Years' below:

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Arctic Monkeys - 'Brick by Brick'

You'd never guess this is the same band that once strummed 'You Look Good on the Dancefloor.'

Taking a page from the Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys go bare bones on 'Brick By Brick.'  The single is bluesy, grungy, and slightly psychedelic.

Watch the video to 'Brick by Brick' below:

Foo Fighters - 'Rope'

Foo Fighters is set to release a new album in April entitled Wasting Light.  The first single from the disc is 'Rope.'  The song contains Grohl's usual passionate vocals and guitar frolics as well.

Stream 'Rope' by way of the video player below:

Here We Go Magic - 'Hands in the Sky'

Here We Go Magic is a Brooklyn indie band that is set to release its new EP May 10th.  In the meantime, you can stream one of the forthcoming album's offerings, 'Hands in the Sky' below:

Lykke Li - 'I Follow Rivers'

Lykke Li is a Swedish artist who is quickly rising to the top with her newest track, 'I Follow Rivers.'  It is a gothic exploration of electronic pop that is unique, but familiar.

Watch the video for 'I Follow Rivers' below:

TV on the Radio - 'Will Do'

TV on the Radio is back with a strong new single called 'Will Do.'  The band exerts poise and control in its performance on this one.  Overall, it's great stuff.

Stream 'Will Do' below:

	TV On The Radio - Will Do .mp3

Smith Westerns - 'All Die Young'

Chicago natives Smith Westerns do an incredible job layering stadium atmospherics with E.L.O. styled harmonies.  But it's the glitter rock flavored chorus that truly sells this one.

Stream 'All Die Young' below:

	Smith Westerns - All Die Young .mp3

Neon Indian - 'Terminally Chill'

'Terminally Chill' will invade your consciousness with hypnotic synth and breezy vocals.

If you are looking for a pick-me-up, stream 'Terminally Chill' by Neon Indian below:

	Neon Indian - Terminally Chill .mp3

Deerhoof - 'The Merry Barracks'

San Francisco's Deerhoof have been around for decades, but they are still pumping out killer tunes like it's nobody's business.

'The Merry Barracks' is from the band's latest, Deerhoof vs. Evil.  You have to listen for at least a minute or so before the chorus hooks you in on this one.

Stream 'The Merry Barracks' below:

	Deerhoof - The Merry Barracks .mp3

Fever Ray - 'Triangle Walks'

Even though Fever Ray's self-titled disc is a couple of years old, the album remains as relevant as ever.  'Triangle Walks' is a chilled-out, spacey electronic track from the record that has bits of the Orient sprinkled in.

Watch the video for 'Triangle Walks' below:

The Dodos - 'Black Night'

'Black Night' is the quirky, but poppy, new single from San Francisco indie duo, The Dodos.

Stream the tune below:

Cut Copy - 'Take Me Over'

Cut Copy's 'Take Me Over' starts out as your typical, dime-a-dozen indie rock single. But it's the tune's chorus that really sells this tune.

Stream 'Take Me Over' below:

	Cut Copy - Take Me Over .mp3

Yuck - 'Holing Out'

'Holing Out' is a fuzzy, noisy garage rock song by British band, Yuck. Despite its namesake, the band is anything but. The tune contains strong Sub Pop influences, and its stylings seem to be ready made for headphones.

Watch the video for 'Holing Out' below:

The Twilight Singers - 'On the Corner'

Former Afghan Whigs lead singer, Greg Dulli, brings to 'On the Corner' the pleading vocals he was well known for in the nineties.  Intense and somewhat brooding, 'On the Corner' features strings and piano that is marvelous in parts.

Stream 'On the Corner,' by Dulli side project, The Twilight Singers, below:

The Strokes - 'Under Cover of Darkness'

I wasn't sure what I thought of the new Strokes song the first couple of times I heard it.  The song contains some of Julian Casablancas' "lazier" vocals intermixed with some passionate runs, which provides for some variety.  And the guitar solo during the bridge really ties the tune together as well.  Overall, it's a solid effort for a band that hasn't released an album since 2006.

Listen to 'Under Cover of Darkness' via the youtube video player below:

James Blake - 'The Wilhelm Scream'

'The Wilhelm Scream' is a powerful track if only for its simplicity.  With only a few atmospheric effects, the song centers primarily on James Blake's vocals only.  Slightly haunting, it's more profound than anything else.

Watch the video to this simple, but powerful, song below:

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - 'Beverly Kills'

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti offers its homage to the bubblegum pop hits of the eighties with 'Beverly Kills.'  Half-ironic, half-pop genius, 'Beverly Kills' is a gemstone of a single.

Listen to 'Beverly Kills' below:

	Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Beverly Kills .mp3

Toro y Moi - 'New Beat'

Toro y Moi is a Columbia, South Carolina native who has a knack for polishing the disco beats of yesteryear and transforming them into meaningful chillwave tracks.  'New Beat' is no exception.

Stream 'New Beat' below:

	Toro Y Moi - New Beat .mp3

Peter, Bjorn and John - 'Breaker Breaker'

The Swedish trio of Peter, Bjorn and John are back with a peppy single known as 'Breaker Breaker.'

Watch the video for the tune below:

Grafitti6 - 'Stare into the Sun'

The members of Grafitti6 describe their sound as "psychedelic northern soul."  That sound is more than evident in 'Stare into the Sun."

Stream the track below:

	Graffiti6 - 'Stare Into The Sun'

Beady Eye - 'The Roller'

Oasis without Noel is Beady Eye.  Watch the video to 'The Roller' below, and let us know if you think the new band is better than the former:

The Naked and Famous - 'Young Blood'

Infective piano flows all throughout 'Young Blood,' a track by New Zealand outfit, The Naked and Famous.

Stream it below:

	The Naked And Famous - Young Blood

Artist Spotlight: Freedy Johnston

So, I've been on a Freedy Johnston kick for a while now. In particular, his 1994 album, This Perfect World, has found its way back into my regular rotation.

If you're unfamiliar with Freedy, he's the songwriter behind such bittersweet '90s gems as "Bad Reputation", "The Lucky One" and "This Perfect World."

Some might argue that Johnston is one of the most under-appreciated songwriters of his generation. Johnston's songs are often dark, evocative stories nestled neatly into short packages of lovely folk-pop.

And while his 1992 and 1994 albums may stand as his most-recognized works, Freedy is still recording. His last outing was 2010's acclaimed Rain on the City.

Revisiting Freedy Johnston has led me to discover some great songs I never heard from him the first time around.

One in particular is the lead-off track from Johnston's 1997 album, Never Home. "On the Way Out" breaks out a somewhat surprising alt-rock edge in a repertoire best known for mid-tempo acoustic narrations. You can watch the video below:




To learn more about this artist, visit the official FreedyJohnston.com.

Mann - 'Buzzin''

'Buzzin'' draws most of its energy from a gratuitous sample of Nu Shooz' 'I Can't Wait.'  The song serves its purpose as guilty pleasure of the moment.

Listen to the single below:

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Arcade Fire - 'Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) (Live)'

Congratulations to Arcade Fire for winning the Grammy for Album of the Year.  Here is but one of The Suburbs' fantastic tracks (live):

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Foster The People - "Helena Beat"

If you're one of the other kids dancing to Foster the People with your "Pumped-Up Kicks", then you should definitely check out the band's latest song, "Helena Beat." It might be even poppier than its predecessor, if that's possible.

The group's debut EP dropped this Tuesday, January 25th. Check it out:

Foster the People - "Helena Beat" via Pretty Much Amazing blog

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New Politics - 'Dignity'

Danish rockers New Politics have taken some flack for their blatant hijacking of every nineties rock trope imaginable.  For a complete list, read the album review for the band's self-titled album.

Nevertheless, I've taken quite a liking to the group's sing-rap single, 'Dignity.'  Watch it below:

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Fitz & the Tantrums - 'Moneygrabber'

Sprinkle a little neo-soul here with some 1970s atmospherics there, and you have yourselves a modern day booty shaker.

Stream 'Moneygrabber' by Fitz & the Tantrums below:

	Fitz & the Tantrums - Moneygrabber .mp3

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Dinosaur Pile-Up - 'Mona Lisa'

An assembly of electric guitar infiltrates 'Mona Lisa,' a track that can trace its genesis to Foo Fighters, Nirvana, and Matthew Sweet.

Despite the song's grungy origins, 'Mona Lisa' presents a contemporary sound that is populated with thrash and disorder amidst an undertone of cognizant pop sensibility.

Stream 'Mona Lisa' by the band Dinosaur Pile-Up below:


Dinosaur Pile-Up - 'Mona Lisa'

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Music Inspired by the Motion Picture 'Deadfall'

If you've never seen the 1993 film, Deadfall, allow me to say you are missing out.

Don't get me wrong - Deadfall is by no means a great movie. In fact, it's not even a very good movie.

So what is it that's gotten this film so ingrained in my brain?

Is it the exhilarating narration from Michael Biehn's leading role? Is it James Coburn's double performance as twin brothers? Could it be the plot twist at the end or even the slick cameo appearance from Charlie Sheen as a pool shark?

Actually, no. It's not really any of those things that make Deadfall. It's the supporting role of Eddie the con man - as played by the one and only Nicolas Cage.

Now, Cage is considered a polarizing actor - loved and loathed by many alike. And while some question his continued success as a Hollywood leading man, others have seen his performance in Deadfall.

Cage plays Coburn's two-bit sidekick with such melodramatic zeal, it'll leave you stunned. From the moment Cage enters the picture with his greasy little mustache and signature card trick, he's the star - everything else is secondary.

Every line, every action Cage delivers as Eddie is entertaining. Most of his lines are expletives - shouted or mumbled in some strange accent. His character is so over-the-top that you have to wonder whether it was intended comic relief or just sheer genius.

While Deadfall lived up to its name and went unnoticed by most audiences, Cage's performance gained a niche following which has since grown to cult status.

This status has also been recognized within the music community.

One of my favorite live bands, The Pimps (aka: The Goodyear Pimps) have written songs titled "Someone's Tryin' to Kill Me, Man!" and "Hai Fuckin' Ya!" - both of which are quotes from the movie. If that sounds like coincidence, it should be noted the Rockford, Illinois band even has a video called "The Glorious Seventeen Minutes of Deadfall." You can watch the video below (NSFW):



In 1997, California hardcore punk band, Snot, recorded a song called "Deadfall," which details the entire plotline of the film in just over 2 minutes. The song's chorus calls out "Who sent'cha?!" and is responded to with a resounding "Sam Fuckin' Peckinpah!" - one of the film's most memorable lines. The song is available to stream below. Click here if you want to decipher the lyrics.

	Snot Get Some 08 Deadfall .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

If you can't wait any longer to watch Deadfall, let it be known that the movie is available on Netflix Instant Streaming. Or, you can just watch all of Cage's best moments condensed into this two-part "Worst Movie Scenes of All Time" video! Enjoy!

Tae's Tracks for 2010 (Part 2 of 2)

As promised, here's Part II of my favorite songs of 2010! To link back to the first part of the list, click here.

(artist names link to official websites and song titles link to audio/video webpages)


Das Racist - "Who's That? Brooown!"
These hip-hop pranksters released two free mixtapes in 2010, chock full of goofy rhymes. One of my personal favorites is this opener from Shut Up, Dude. With lyrics like, "Brown Elvis, I can't help it, Brown Larry Birdie on the '97 Celtics" who can deny it?

Erykah Badu - "Window Seat"
Soulful. Intelligent. Funky. Erykah Badu's got it, and her latest was no exception. The video stirred controversy when it filmed Badu stripping naked in Dallas' Dealey Plaza and being mock assassinated near the site of the historic JFK shooting.

Rihanna - "What's My Name?"
Rihanna doesn't need my help getting her music out there. She's one of pop's biggest stars. My finger usually isn't on the Top 40 pulse, but this track did it for me. A guilty pleasure. Recorded as a duet with Drake, I much prefer Rihanna's solo takes on the song, such as this one from Saturday Night Live.

Ryan Bingham - "The Weary Kind"
The theme to Jeff Bridges' highly-acclaimed film, Crazy Heart. The movie worked, in part, because the music central to the plot was so well written. A heartfelt country western song that makes the list by showing you don't have to look and sound like Taylor Swift to have a mainstream crossover.

Local Natives - "Wide Eyes"
Multi-part folk harmonies complemented by thunderous percussion. Local Natives caught my attention early in the year and their album, Gorilla Manor has stayed with me after many spins.

Civil Twilight - "Letters from the Sky"
South African alt-rock trio hit their stride on this impassioned piano rocker. Could they be the Coldplay of Cape Town?

UNKLE feat. Sleepy Sun - "Follow Me Down"
UNKLE made some big strides on Where Did the Night Fall. Their brooding, trip-hop underpinnings grew into a more vibrant garage rock sound. The rhythms on "Follow Me Down" are intoxicating, dense and tribal. Dark and atmospheric. So is the video (though probably not safe for work).

The Roots w/ John Legend - "The Fire"
On top of being a wonderfully adaptable house band on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, The Roots found enough time to put out a new record. This jam with John Legend has got some fire in its belly.

Kings Of Leon - "Pyro"
KOL hit the big time on their previous album. Even the band seemed stunned to find soccer moms and pre-teen daughters showing up to their concerts. But a single like "Use Somebody" was perfectly suited for that level of arena rock appeal. On their latest, the band tries to recognize their success without selling-out their roots.

M.I.A. feat. Jay-Z - "XXXO"
M.I.A.'s eclectic dancehall style created an internet buzz before she'd ever released an album. That said, I never really got into her music. Several years later, with a third LP under her belt, it was this collab with Jay-Z that finally snagged me.

Klaxons - "Echoes"
Heralded a few years back as the leaders of the U.K.'s "new rave" dance-rock movement, Klaxons eventually faded from my radar. After having an entire album scrapped for being too uncommercial, the band recorded Surfing The Void. The song "Echoes" is shouty and bold, like Mr. Bungle-meets-the Arctic Monkeys. A massive chorus brings accessibility the chaos.

Ray LaMontagne - "Beg, Steal, or Borrow"
LaMontagne's husky vocals on this rootsy folk song speak to the pains and angst of youth coming of age.

How To Destroy Angels - "Fur Lined"
Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor formed a band with his wife. The uptempo industrial beats sets this track somewhere between nihilistic and quite danceable.

Minus the Bear - "Into the Mirror"
This group's prickly prog atmospherics and knack for pensive pop melodies returned on this casual, yet complex tune.

Best Coast - "Boyfriend"
Sweetly melancholic, straightforward, no frills indie-pop from this duo. Simple - but simply well-done.

Caribou - "Odessa"
Caribou's latest is like electronic shoegaze for an introvert's dance party. On "Odessa", Dan Snaith takes his experiments to the club for a strangely invigorating jaunt.

The Arcade Fire - "The Suburbs" and "Ready to Start"
Expectations were understandably high for this Montreal band's third outing, due to the quality of their earlier work. On The Suburbs, Arcade Fire delivered, writing some of their most poignant, nostalgic material to-date. The opening two songs set the tone for a middle class crisis. On the outside, everything is fine, but its the tension growing underneath the surface that stays with you. It's best when digested in album form, but the songs stand up on their own, too.

____________


This concludes Tae's Tracks for 2010. I'm certain I've left some great ones out. So, now it's time to ask... What were some of your favorites?

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