Caught On Tape: Nirvana on Top of the Pops (1991)

One of the best television performances from any band would have to include the mockery that was Nirvana's 1991 appearance on the British show, Top of the Pops.

Following the incredible breakthrough of Nirvana's single, "Smells Like Teen Spirit", the band was thrown into a whirlwind of unexpected fame and attention. The single catapulted the band from indie-rock heroes to crossover alternative pop culture icons.

The band's audience changed overnight from seedy punk rock clubs to arenas full of teenage girls and jocks - something frontman Kurt Cobain allegedly sought to rectify later with the band's less-accessible, but equally magnificent follow-up album, In Utero.

In the wake of newfound fame and success, the band was asked to perform on Top of the Pops - a chart-toppers countdown program, which featured pop stars miming their hit singles to an audience.

Cobain's general distaste for corporate puppetry influenced the band to use the opportunity as a platform for poking fun at the show's formula.

When Nirvana aired on Top of the Pops, Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic barely attempted to mime their guitar parts over the pre-recorded backing track. In fact, Novoselic spent most of the song wildly spinning and throwing his bass above his head and catching it.

Cobain took advantage of the show's live microphone to sing the entire song in a monotone, Ian Curtis-style vocal.

The hilarious resulting video has since become a cult favorite amongst Nirvana fans and serving as a great reminder that the band's troubled late-frontman, Kurt Cobain, also possessed a keen sense of humor.

2:54 - "Scarlet"

This cold and lusty breath of atmospheric shoe-gaze goes by the name of "Scarlet". It's by 2:54, a British band, helmed by two sisters. There's a certain fragile carnality and heartaching adolescent angst behind the sleek veneer and dense rhythms of Cocteau Twins-meets-Mogwai post-rock.

You can watch the equally cool and ethereal video to "Scarlet" below:

2:54's self-titled debut album is due out on May 28, via Fiction Records. Visit the band's official site here for more information.

Bonus: listen to the band's latest single, "You're Early", via SoundCloud.

Grimes - "Oblivion"

Grimes, aka: Claire Boucher, is a Montreal-based artist who's been making waves all over the blogosphere as of late. And for good reason.

Grimes' latest music video is for "Oblivion", a track off her LP, Visions.

"Oblivion" sounds like Blondie's "Heart of Glass" thrown into a blender with Abba and Nine Inch Nails. If that seems like a strange cocktail, it's surprisingly not. The result is a rather eerie and unsettling, yet relentlessly poppy dance track.

In the video, Grimes is shown bouncing around (albeit somewhat out-of-place) to various testosterone-laden circumstances -- an arenacross show, a football game, a mosh pit, a locker room of half-toweled dudes... All the bare-chested revelry is an interesting complement to Grimes' quietly pristine vocals.

Watch the new video to "Oblivion" below:

Duncan Sheik - 'She Runs Away'

Duncan Sheik was one of the "Sheikiest" balladeers of the nineties. His mega hit, 'Barely Breathing,' moved millions of copies and provided millions more young ladies with romantic inspiration.

'She Runs Away' never escaped the shadow of 'Barely Breathing' on Duncan's self-titled disc, but it was nonetheless an enchanting groove.  Soft strings interpose the chorus, while Sheik's pleading vocal hooks and steel guitar seal the deal.

Take a trip to a time of pre-9/11 bliss and watch the video to 'She Runs Away' below:

Super Bowl Ad: Samsung feat. The Darkness

By far my top candidate for best Super Bowl commercial this past weekend was this Samsung stunner featuring The Darkness and their infamous mid-aughts hit, 'I Believe in a Thing Called Love.'  (This commercial is also my candidate for worst segue ever, but it still works).

See for yourself how great this ad is below:

Gotye - 'Somebody That I Used to Know'

Gotye is one of the big "new acts" of 2012.  Born in Belgium and raised in Australia, Gotye--aka Wally De Backer--presents a contemplative and layered joy of a song.  The call and response, in particular, really sells this one.

Watch the video to 'Somebody That I Used to Know' by Gotye below:

Local Artist Spotlight: The River Monks

The River Monks are a splendidly multi-talented indie-folk collective, hailing from the capital city of Des Moines, Iowa.

Des Moines, after all, is French for "The Monks" (or perhaps, "The Moines", if you ask a local). The city gets its name from the Des Moines River which flows through its downtown. In the 18th century, a group of Trappist monks built huts and used the mouth of the river for catching fish, which led French explorers to name it Le Riviere des Moines.

This interest in the origins of the state's rich history speaks to the local pride of The River Monks. This is a young group of locally-grown musicians who've found a pull to make their mark on their own city's musical landscape. With every grassroots performance, the band has gathered a loving fan base.

These performances are warm, humble and inviting. Delicate 5-part harmonies resonate over layers of guitar, ukulele, banjo and glockenspiel. Percussion crescendos into triumphant fits of passion and jubilant trumpeting, then instantaneously backs down to reveal an even deeper sensibility beneath.

I've had the pleasure of getting to know these artists a little bit better over the past few months and after seeing them play again last night, feel confident that they deserve to be heard beyond their home state. Which is great, because they are just about to embark on a month-long tour both South and West.

For details on where you can catch The River Monks on the road and to purchase music from their terrific debut album, Jovials, visit the band's Facebook page or Bandcamp page.

Listen below to samples of the songs, "Pelica" and "Fall Hard" by The River Monks:

Pelica by THERIVERMONKS

Fall Hard by THERIVERMONKS

He's My Brother, She's My Sister

He's My Brother, She's My Sister is the odd, yet aptly named musical collaboration of brother and sister Rob and Rachel Kolar.

The group's energetic folk-a-billy lifted the crowd at The Vaudeville Mews in Des Moines, Iowa last night.

Rob and Rachel share vocal duties with a rich, soulful kinship. Rob's on guitar and kick-drum. Rachel's on tambourine. The songwriting is strong and the harmonies are vibrant and very catchy, but it's the rhythm section that truly rounds out this band.

Aaron Robinson and Oliver Newell fill the air with slide guitar and upright bass, respectively. Oliver is especially lively - dancing and smiling jubilantly from behind his hand-painted bass.

But it's percussionist Lauren Brown who could be vying for the title of Hardest Working Lady in Showbiz. She thunders on drums, sure. She also tap-dances the majority of their live performance. On top of a bass drum. You get tired just watching her, but it's fabulously entertaining.

As I watched the performance last night, I thought, "This is happy music." I could see it on the band's faces. As I watched them careening through jangly melodies like a band of glammed-out gypsies, it was awfully hard not to smile, myself.

Fans of acts such as Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Tilly and the Wall should most definitely give He's My Brother, She's My Sister a deeper listen, particularly at one of their great live shows.

He's My Brother, She's My Sister is currently on tour. For dates and more info on where to find their music, visit: www.hesmybrothershesmysister.com

Watch a performance of "Tales That I Tell" by He's My Brother, She's My Sister below:

Lana Del Rey - 'Born to Die'

After years performing in clubs in New York City for crowds of ten or less, Lana Del Rey is finally receiving the exposure she deserves.  Indeed, she is slated to perform this Saturday on SNL.

The sixties-inspired vocal siren is scheduled to drop her major label debut later this month.  And one of my favorite singles from the forthcoming album is 'Born to Die.'

You can watch the official video to 'Born to Die' below:

Cass McCombs - 'The Same Thing'

'The Same Thing' is the latest slow burner from the fretful, but charming, Cass McCombs.  Full of shoe gaze haze in the beginning, the single really hits its stride right around the 2:04 mark with blooming chorus and fragrant pipe organ.

Watch the video to 'The Same Thing' below:

Mastodon in NYC

Merry Christmas all!! Or as Tae and I would say, Happy Birthday Jesus!! Hank here, I'm still alive, not dead (yet). Posting from my new locale of Fort Myers, FL.

Just thought I 'd post a pic of myself (at left in the 'Ohio' t-shirt) with Lonely Note supporter Kellen, hanging out with the lead singer of Mastodon, Brent Hinds.

We were in NYC for a wedding, and just happened to be walking down the street, and we noticed the band outside of their hotel. Kellen and I recognized Brent by his trademark head tattoo. Was a very cool dude, very friendly and appreciative of our support. They were in town to play that night at Terminal 5, headlining the show with Dillinger Escape Plan as openers

I have previously seen Mastodon, opening for Deftones and Alice in Chains at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis 2010. As you can imagine, the show was PHENOMENAL. Funny thing about the Mastodon set: Brent, Troy, and Bill all had the "Mastodon" look: shaggy hair, unshaven, rugged-looking like they had been on a tour bus for 2 weeks straight. Then, when the set was over, the drummer Brann stood up: He had on khaki shorts, a t-shirt, and what looked to be frosted-tips on his hair, almost like he was in an Abercrombie commercial. Hillarious!! Great set though, and they were super cool in NYC, so definitely nothing bad to say about them!!

Any of the readers have any good stories about seeing or meeting Mastodon, or any other good band stories?? I would be interested in hearing them. I have previously met Jared Leto and 30 Seconds to Mars, as well as their opener Saosin, and of course Tae and your trulys favorite, The Goodyear Pimps, but other than that no other back stage or up close personal encounters with any other bands (that I can remember??)

Well, from Tae, Steve, and myself at The Lonely Note, we wish you a very Merry Christmas 2011 and Happy Holidays. Here's to a great 2012!!

Prince - 'Another Lonely Christmas'

Now for a festive post.

The b-side to the single 'I Would Die for U,' Prince's 'Another Lonely Christmas' is one of the most melodramatic Christmas songs out there. With schmaltzy lyrics about banana daiquiris and hokey hooks, 'Another Lonely Christmas' is nevertheless a cool and soulful holiday ballad.  Prince belts out his signature falsettos and vocal runs amidst killer guitar and bright piano licks.  It's a delight.

Stream 'Another Lonely Christmas' below:

	Prince - Another Lonely Christmas .mp3

St. Vincent - 'Cheerleader'

St. Vincent, a.k.a Annie Clark, hits her mark with her latest album, Strange Mercy.

One ear-catching track from the long player is 'Cheerleader.'  It begins innocently enough, with subtle hints of 'A Day in the Life' at its very outset, that quickly morphs into the expected trappings typical of most indie darlings.

But suddenly at the 0:50 mark, the track turns on a dime, blasting into sonic ecstasy while simultaneously proclaiming, "I don't want to be a cheerleader no more!"  The low-fi oscillates to the high-fi, and guitars, drums, and electronic dirge all kick in to chasten the listener with its glorious noise.

Stream 'Cheerleader' below:

	st. vincent cheerleader.mp3

Scars on 45 - 'Heart on Fire'

'Heart on Fire' caught me by surprise.  I was scanning SiriusXM when I settled on The Spectrum.  When I heard 'Heart on Fire' I thought it was a very strong alt-pop single, and I enjoyed it.  It was only later that I discovered the track was featured on Grey's Anatomy, a show I do not watch.

Anyhow, 'Heart on Fire' by Scars on 45 is respectable.  Watch the video below:

Friends - 'Friend Crush'

'Friend Crush' is an electronic jaunt by Brooklyn outfit Friends, and is about a protagonist who, as the title suggests, wants to be someone else's friend.

But don't let the blatant simplicity fool you.  'Friend Crush' is textured and clever.  Cloaked in electronica, it's nothing more than an all-American pop song.

Stream 'Friend Crush' below:

	Friends - Friend Crush .mp3

Those Darlins - 'Screws Get Loose'

"Whoaaaah. Screws get loose!"

You'll be singing along in no time after you listen to 'Screws Get Loose,' the perfunctory--but perfect--single by Tennessee's Those Darlins.  Slightly rockabilly, but mostly garage punk, 'Screws Get Loose' burrows itself nicely.

Watch the video to 'Screws Get Loose' below:

SebastiAn - 'Embody'

SebastiAn's 'Embody' is the embodiment of cool.  (Pun intended).  But what else would you expect from French electronica?

Watch the video to 'Embody' below.

Dark Dark Dark - 'Dadreaming'

In another late discovery, I also recently came across 'Daydreaming' by Dark Dark Dark.  The tune is quiet, pure, dark, focused, and beautiful.  Lead singer None Marie Invie's voice dances between raindrops, delivering Fiona-laden emotion and power.

Stream 'Daydreaming' below:

	Dark Dark Dark - Daydreaming .mp3

Great Northern - 'Home'

I was a little late in discovering Great Northern's 2007 single 'Home.'  And despite my late adoption of this cruisin' tune, it's a strong track that was a few years ahead of its time.

Stream 'Home' by Great Northern below:

	Great Northern - Home .mp3

The Blue Jean Committee - 'Massachusetts Afternoon'

"Do you have one of those afternoons you wish would never end?"

Watch one of the best SNL skits from last night's episode below. A brainchild of Fred Armisen, The Blue Jean Committee is a faux band from Western Massachusetts that harnesses the glory of AM soft rock.  Simple, but clever stuff:

Portico Quartet - 'Ruins'

If you've never listened to Portico Quartet before, do yourself the favor.

My little sister got me hooked on this modern ethnic jazz-fusion quartet after seeing them perform in Paris several years ago.

The London-based group brings a level of chilled out intricacy and creativity to their sound that is exciting and refreshingly current.

The contemporary combo of soprano saxophone, acoustic bass and drums is taken to new sonic heights through the use of digital drum effects and an instrument called the hang. The hang is a style of lap drum, with a shell-like appearance that sounds similar to a steel drum and metallaphone.

That rhythm combo sets a deep and unique groove to Portico Quartet's cinematically-noir experimentalism.

Smoldering squelches of exotic sax sweep over the foundation in heartbreaking waves.

Portico Quartet are set to release their third full-length album in early 2012.

The first song released from the upcoming self-titled effort is called "Ruins" and it sounds as strong as anything I've heard from the band to-date.

The track is currently available as a FREE download at www.PorticoQuartet.com

Watch the video to "Ruins" below to see the band creating their unique sound:

Marley v. Marley

I had the strangest conversation this past weekend.

While attending an old college friend's wedding reception on Saturday, I met a middle-aged gentleman and struck up some conversation.

He pointed to a young lady's arm tattoo, of a sunset with poetry beneath it. The man asked me what I assumed it meant and the woman overheard and chimed in that the words were lyrics to a Bob Marley song.

The man gave her a rather puzzled look, then turned to me and asked, "Who the hell is Bob Marley? You mean the comedian?"

I returned the puzzled look and replied, "The singer. There's a comedian named Bob Marley??"

We both looked at one another as if we were communicating from separate planets.

He further tried to convince me that Bob Marley was a comedian and I tried to explain that Marley was one of the most famous reggae singers of all time. Neither of us seemed to comprehend how the other didn't know what we were talking about.

The conversation ended with both of us utterly confused.

So, for any of you who somehow still have no idea who Bob Marley the musician was, allow me to clear this up with the video below:




...and for those of you like me who didn't realize Bob Marley is also a comedian, visit his official website at www.bmarley.com

Real Estate - 'It's Real'

'It's Real' is a warm and summery track from Real Estate.  The kicker is most definitely the layered chorus, which bears similarity to Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear--but to a much jauntier melody.

Stream 'It's Real' below:

	Real Estate - It's Real .mp3

Caveman - 'Old Friend'

Caveman strikes indie pop gold with 'Old Friend.'  For those who enjoy Portugal. The Man and Local Natives, Caveman is the band just for you.

Stream 'Old Friend' below:

Caveman "Old Friend" MP3 by The FADER

The Waters - 'Take Me Out to the Coast'

Fuzz rock marches forward with 'Take Me Out to the Coast' by The Waters.  This track is simply excellent.  Imagine Wayne Coyne blended with Shannon Hoon blended with the subtle country sensibility of Boz Skaggs and you have 'Take Me Out to the Coast.'  The chorus is the best part!

You can stream the song by way of the video player below:

Weekly songs

Biggest Fan Lyrics Chris Brown	Fascinated Lyrics Free Sol
Do They Know It’s Christmas Lyrics Glee	History Of Rap Part 3 Lyrics Justin Timberlake
Won't Go (wishing) Lyrics Jay-Z	Mad World Lyrics Susan Boyle
Party On Fifth Ave Lyrics Mac Miller	Get it In Lyrics Drunken Tiger
Let's Roll Lyrics Yelawolf	Give Me All Your Love Lyrics Madonna

Get tools for your blog here.

[Sponsored Post] Gillette - Sweat for Greatness: Joe

We are pleased to feature a sponsored post by Gillette.  Sweat for Greatness features men who have faced great adversity but nevertheless are doing extraordinary things.  While this post isn't technically music-related, the story featured below is too important to ignore.

Watch the video below featuring Joe, a wounded Iraq War vet and his journey to become a competitive hand-cyclist.

Atlas Sound - 'Terra Incognita'

Atlas Sound is the side project of Deerhunter vocalist Bradford Cox.  'Terra Incognita' is a track from Cox's latest disc, Parallax.  The single is elegant and restrained.  Its soothing qualities are a touch of beauty as well.

Stream 'Terra Incognita' below:

	Atlas Sound - Terra Incognita .mp3

the latest music

Joy Lyrics Sean Kingston	Rich People Lyrics Wiz Khalifa
Room For Happiness Lyrics Kaskade	38 Lyrics Young Jeezy
Warzone Lyrics The Wanted	Find A Place Lyrics Trey Songz
Do They Know It’s Christmas Lyrics Glee	How To Love Lyrics K. Michelle
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Lyrics Michael Buble	Shake N Fries Lyrics Ludacris

More blog tools found here.

Forgotten Gem: Souls of Mischief - '93 'Til Infinity'

"This is how we chill from '93 'til..."

Truer words couldn't have described this laid back West Coast hip-hop track by Souls of Mischief. Eighteen years later, that chillness lives on.

Acclaimed as one of the seminal classics of the West Coast underground rap movement, the album 93 'Til Infinity is considered somewhat of a forgotten masterpiece. Music critic Steve Huey even referred to it as "...one of the most slept-on records of the '90s"

The album's title track gained S.O.M. some attention upon its release, sampling Billy Cobham's "Heather" and incorporating smoothed out jazz and funk aethetics and breaks. Souls of Mischief's lyrical complexity, charisma and tight group dynamic are evident on this underappreciated release.

Watch the video to Souls of Mischief's "93 'Til Infinity" below:

Bass Drum of Death - 'GB City'

'GB City' is a stripped down, punk infused romp through a vast garage rock universe.

Stream the single by Bass Drum of Death via the video player below:

New Music Hits

Blue Slide Park Lyrics Mac Miller	Princess Of China Lyrics Rihanna
Regardless Lyrics Ne-Yo	Life Goes On Lyrics Gym Class Heroes
Gotta Be You Lyrics One Direction	November Skies (11-11-11) Lyrics Lea
Show Me The Way Lyrics Cranberries	Beg For Mercy Lyrics Adam Lambert
Best Years Of Our Lives Lyrics Avril Lavigne	Trust Me I Lie Lyrics Nicole Scherzinger

Get your free list here.

Girls - 'Vomit'

Girls is a strum-and-thrash duo from San Francisco that is actually composed of just one singular girl.

'Vomit' is no departure from the strum-and-thrash theme. And it's at the 4:30 mark where the track takes a turn for the best and really delivers.

Stream 'Vomit' below:

Girls, "Vomit" by The FADER

Looking forward to...

Top Of The World Lyrics Trey Songz	Big Spender Lyrics Nick Cannon
Fireball Lyrics Willow Smith	Hard Lyrics Will I Am
Come Home Lyrics Faith Hill	Goodbye Lyrics Kevin McCall
Talk That Talk Lyrics Rihanna	All I Want For Christmas Is You Lyrics Justin Bieber
Down Down Down Lyrics David Guetta	You The Boss Lyrics Rick Ross

More blog tools found here.

Class Actress - 'Keep You'

'Keep You,' like the other wonderful chillwave tracks before it, utilizes a perfect formula of dependable computer beats alongside siren vocals.  It's great stuff.

Stream 'Keep You' via the video player below:

Latest tracks

Jungle Booty Lyrics T PAIN	Up Remix Lyrics J. Valentine
In My Trunk Lyrics Dev	More Than You'll Ever Know Lyrics Boyz II Men
Bloodstained Heart Lyrics Darren Hayes	Kiss My Lips Lyrics Dev
Wonder What It Do Lyrics Snoop Dogg	Give Your Heart a Break Lyrics Demi Lovato
Grind Hard Lyrics Jadakiss	Saxobeats Lyrics Alexandra Stan

Free song list for your blog here.

Times New Viking - 'F*** Her Tears'

90s motifs abound with 'F*** Her Tears,' the newest single from indie mainstays Times New Viking.  Despite the track's R-rated title, the result is a pleasant, slightly danceable rocker.

Stream 'F*** Her Tears' below:

New tunes

Be Careful Lyrics Jason DeRulo	Bleed Out Lyrics Jason DeRulo
Frick Park Market Lyrics Mac Miller	Last Night Lyrics Ian Carey
Cinderella's Eyes Lyrics Nicola Roberts	Together Lyrics Demi Lovato
Crown Of Thorns Lyrics Pearl Jam	What Baby Wants Lyrics Alice Cooper
Make It Up As We Go Lyrics Jason DeRulo	All Over Lyrics Gyptian

Get your blog's here.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - 'How Can U Luv Me?'

Chillwave marches forward with this latest offering from Unknown Mortal Orchestra (aka Ruban Nielson).  The title is certainly a tongue-in-cheek Prince reference, while the song itself is bubbly and funky like much of the Purple One's repertoire.

Stream 'How Can U Luve Me?' below:

Chart news

Martians Vs Goblins Lyrics Game	Amy Lyrics Green Day
Too Easy Lyrics Tyrese	Little Box Lyrics Chris Allure
Bad Example Lyrics Pistol Annies	Didn't Want To End Up Here Lyrics Cher Lloyd
High Life Lyrics B.O.B.	4 AM Lyrics Melanie Fiona
Ocean Drive Lyrics Wale	Bait a Hook Lyrics Justin Moore

Free song list for your blog here.

Behind the Sample: Club Nouveau's 'Why You Treat Me So Bad?'

Remember the 1987 R&B dance single "Why You Treat Me So Bad?" by Club Nouveau?

The single charted #39 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the merit of the melodic hook and signature keyboard and rhythmic arrangement.

If the name still doesn't ring a bell, perhaps it would be best to put the song into context with the numerous artists who have sampled it on their own hit singles.

First, you should listen to Club Nouveau's "Why You Treat Me So Bad?" right here.

Maybe you'd be more familiar with "I Got 5 on It" by Luniz. The rap duo scored their biggest hit single in 1995, selling over a million copies of the song. Notably, the song sampled heavily from the Club Nouveau synthline, as well as from Kool & the Gang's "Jungle Boogie". The result is a now-classic staple of '90s hip hop.

Watch the video for Luniz' "I Got 5 on It" below:


1999 was a simpler time - a time when Sean Combs still called himself "Puff Daddy" and R. Kelly wasn't relieving himself on underage girls. The two megastars combined forces for the #1 hit single, "Satisfy You". Back then, it was hard to go anywhere without hearing this smooth track on the radio. Oh, by the way, it implements the same beat and synth track as some song called "I Got 5 on It" by Luniz, which apparently sampled some song by Club Nouveau...

Watch the video to "Satisfy You" by Puff Daddy & R. Kelly:


In 2001, Jennifer Lopez released her second album, J.Lo. She followed it up the next year with a remix album, titled, J to tha L-O!: The Remixes. That album had a reworked version of her song, "I'm Gonna Be Alright" by the Track Masters and Nas which went on to outshine the previous version, hitting the #10 spot on the Billboard charts. That remix also contained a reworked instrumental sample of "I Got 5 on It".

You can see what I mean by watching the video to "I'm Gonna Be Alright (Track Masters Remix)":


During the first few years of the aughts, it seemed like Ashanti was singing on just about every rap song on the radio. Her third solo album, Concrete Rose, was released in 2004 and the Gold-selling single "Only U" gained considerable airtime. The song briefly, but prominently uses the same samples as the aforementioned artists. You can click here to watch the video.

By now, you can tell that quite a few pop artists have had big success sampling and reworking the simple catchiness of Club Nouveau's "Why You Treat Me So Bad?".

But we're not quite done.

Club Nouveau's Jay King was previously involved in another group, Timex Social Club - best known for their hit, "Rumors".

Timex Social Club penned another single, "Thinkin' About Ya" in 1986 and then shortly after disbanded.

King went on to form a "new" group, called Club Nouveau and used his own "Thinkin' About Ya" as the basis for a new single... called, "Why You Treat Me So Bad?".

No, seriously.

Listen to Timex Social Club's "Thinkin' About Ya" right here, then go back and compare the two.

Did I mention that Luniz' "I Got 5 on It" features guest vocals from Michael Marshall, the former lead singer of Timex Social Club?

And that's the story... behind the sample.

Heineken Spot: The Date

Heineken, the beer company famous for its iconic green bottles (and also the sponsor of this post), has released an epicly awesome video entitled "The Date."

The video pays homage to the Secret Agent Man dramas of the sixties by featuring mod fashion, torchy jazz, kung fu vegetable chopping, and psychedelic dance-offs --all of which occur against the backdrop of a larger Chinatown theme.

Watch this unique and entertaining spot in the video player below:

Caught On Tape: Metronomy - 'The Bay'

Metronomy are no strangers to quirky music... or quirky music videos.

'The Bay' is no exception. The latest single from the band's album, The English Riviera, is a white-bread funk voyage for the indie-electro crowd. It's a playful excursion into the salty breezes and sun-kissed cheeks of summery synth rock.

The video hearkens to the beach-loving new wave of '80s Miami Vice culture and is sure to bring a smile to your face.

Strike a pose and enjoy "The Bay" by Metronomy:

The Horrors - 'Still Life'

Shoegaze balladeers, The Horrors, present a slightly psychedelic, mostly gothic sonic experience with 'Still Life.'

Watch the corresponding video to 'Still Life' below:

Mr. Little Jeans - 'The Suburbs'

Moody, disenchanted covers of popular alternative songs by hipsters with too much time on their hands are a dime a dozen on the internet.  However, this cover of Arcade Fire's 'The Suburbs' by Mr. Little Jeans (aka Monica Birkenes) is really, really well done.

Stream Birkenes' peculiar interpretation below:

Mr. Little Jeans - The Suburbs (Arcade Fire Cover) by Hypetrak

Halloween, Alaska - 'Dance by Accident'

'Dance by Accident' is a killer downtempo track from Halloween, Alaksa.  The groove is dead-on, and the Sting soundalike vocals during the bridges is an excellent touch.

Prepare to be chilaxed when you listen to this one.  Stream 'Dance by Accident' below:

Dance By Accident by ambledown

Coming music hits

Catwalk Lyrics Jessie J	New Day Lyrics Kanye West
Suavemente Lyrics Nayer	Lay You Down Lyrics Crishan
I'm Gonna Lyrics Nicole Scherzinger	It Girl Lyrics Jason DeRulo
Rascacielo Lyrics Demi Lovato	Shot For Me Lyrics Drake
The Mack Lyrics Mann	Titanium Lyrics David Guetta

Free song list for your blog here.

Beirut - 'East Harlem'

Sweetly melodic, 'East Harlem' is the latest offering from New Mexico's Beruit.  The song carries with it Slavic folk influences that have been heavily featured on past tracks.

Stream 'East Harlem' below:

Beirut - East Harlem by Revolver USA

Scarlett & Black - 'You Don't Know'

A blip on the radar in 1988, 'You Don't Know' was a pop radio mainstay for at least a few weeks.  Sounding awfully similar to Glass Tiger's 'Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone,' 'You Don't Know' provided brief success to no-namers Scarlett and Black.  Admittedly, the song is pretty solid.

You can watch the music video to this eighties deep cut below:

Something for the ears

Money On The Floor Lyrics Kevin McCall	Starving Lyrics Kesha
No Church in The Wild Lyrics Kanye West And Jay-Z	Looks Like Money Lyrics Lil' Kim
Prime Time Lyrics Kanye West	Body 2 Body Lyrics Ace Hood
Racks freestyle Lyrics Lil' Wayne	Guardian Angel Lyrics JoJo
I Can Only Imagine Lyrics David Guetta	Repeat Lyrics David Guetta

Get tools for your blog here.

The Rosebuds - 'Woods'

'Woods' is an understated ballad from North Carolina's The Rosebuds.  Subtle petulance peppers the tune, but not enough to diminish the song's strange pleasantness.

Put on the headphones and stream 'Woods' via the video player below:

No Age - 'Glitter'

I was slow to warm up to noise pop duo No Age, but there's just something about 'Glitter' that leaves me in a sweet spot.  I think it might just be the deliberate and masterful distortion of the guitar.

Give 'Glitter' a spin below:

	No Age - Glitter .mp3

My Morning Jacket - 'Holdin' on to Black Metal'

My Morning Jacket is back with a virile new single. 'Holdin' on to Black Metal' features horns, a children's chorus, and metered procession.

Be careful, this one will get stuck in your head if you're not wary.

Watch the video for 'Holdin' on to Black Metal' below: