The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

SkiBeatz: Cream of the Planet ft. Mos Def from Creative Control on Vimeo.

Just another Ski Beatz track is straight fire. From the forthcoming 24 Hour Karate School, it’s Cream Of The Planet featuring the mighty Mos Def. What more needs to be said but this is the type of beat that fits Mos like a glove. A simple beat, some jazz samples and let Mos get to work and work is exactly what he does here. This sounds better than anything he did on The Ecstatic and it bodes well for 24 Hour Karate School. Needless to say, that record is a must-own for any die-hard hip hop fan. Recommended.

“Cream Of The Planet” by Ski Beatz featuring Mos Def

As a dance music junkie, it brings a smile to my face to see that in 2010, a bunch of esteemed veterans have been releasing quality records or are about to make long-awaited comebacks that promise to show the new kids where all this ravin’ started. Enter Faithless, the chart-topping trio that’s been blowing minds and making feet stomp since 1997’s debut record Reverence. When I first heard Imsomnia, I pretty much had nightmares for a week. Once over those, I couldn’t help but marvel at their sound. Put a Faithless record on in a club and it’s an experience like few other acts can provide. It truly feels like your senses are being reinvigorated and the feeling of complete euphoria grabs hold. They’ve been going strong since and recently the trio just released their new record The Dance. Featuring the first single Not Going Home which is a tremendous tune in its own right, the record continues the band’s record of excellence and has much to offer for fans, old and new. Reacquaint yourself with Faithless now.

Faithless on MySpace
Faithless on Facebook
Faithless on Twitter

“Not Going Home” by Faithless, taken from the Ultra release, “The Dance”

Love is ending… Here it is, friends. The promotional film for the new single by the Charlatans. I must say I do like the song a lot. It appears after their brief excursion through their New Order collection on You Cross My Path. The band decided to go back to the future by taking the best bits of their illustrious legacy of their own and giving the younger bands a primer on how the 1990s really got started. Tim Burgess sounds in fine form here and the band sounds re-energized which can only mean good things for the upcoming record Who We Touch.

“Love Is Ending” by The Charlatans, taken from the forthcoming Cooking Vinyl/The End release, “Who We Touch”

When I first posted about Manchester’s The Heartbreaks, their single Liar, My Dear was just making its way through the blog circuit. The band’s familiar yet fresh sound was only beginning to melt the hearts of listeners here in the States in much the same way it already had begun in their native England. Fast forward just a few short months and the band has achieved a healthy bit of notoriety thanks to the strength of their live show and of course, the tunes. Their new single I Didn’t Think It Would Hurt To Think Of You is another winner with a chorus that sends your head spiralling and leaves you certain you were born in the wrong decade. Two singles in and it’s become pretty plain that the Heartbreaks certainly have found their own recipe for crafting lovely tunes that tug on your heartstrings. This gift shall serve them well as they forge a path for themselves through the jungles of the UK pop charts and beyond. Good one, lads!

“I Didn’t Think It Would Hurt To Think Of You” by The Heartbreaks

Like a warm summer breeze, Los Angeles’ Kisses are the perfect soundtrack to an afternoon laying around soaking up the rays without a single care in the world. The indie duo’s new single People Can Do The Amazing Things comes off as so effortless a listen that it’s easy to completely miss the subtle hooks that make this track a winner. To my ears, I hear a tinge of the softer moments from The Wake, the criminally underrated Factory band. A definite band on the rise.

Kisses on MySpace
Kisses on Facebook

“People Can Do The Most Amazing Things” by Kisses

Oh Manchester…so much to answer for. So many great bands creating such gorgeous and infinitely vital music that birthed a generation of dancing misfits, navel-gazing misanthropes and 24 hour party people. While the new breed of bands like Delphic, Everything Everything, Hurts, The Courteeners stake their own claim, it’s always nice to hear something new from the old guard. In this case, we have the return of the Charlatans. It’s hard to believe that it’s been twenty years since their debut record, 1990’s Some Friendly, came out. Who knew that as time passed and the dust settled this quintet would still be here releasing quality records and inspiring new bands to continue what they’ve started. The band’s forthcoming new record entitled Who We Touch drops on the 14th of September and will be preceded by a single called Love Is Ending. Let me tell you that it is an absolute must that you go out and see the band live as they truly are one of the finer bands you will see. They’ll be hitting the States in September so heed my advice and go!

Atlanta, GA The Loft (September 7)
Chapel Hill, NC Cat’s Cradle (8)
Washington, DC Black Cat (9)
Boston, MA Royale (10)
Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s (11)
New York, NY Bowery Ballroom (13)
Brooklyn, NY Music Hall Of Williamsburg (14)
Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda’s (15)
Montreal, QC Cabaret (16)
Toronto, ON Lee’s Palace (17)
Chicago, IL Double Door (18)
San Francisco, CA Bimbo’s (20)
Costa Mesa, CA Detroit Bar (21)
Los Angeles, CA El Rey (22)

The Charlatans on MySpace
The Charlatans on Facebook
The Charlatans on Twitter

“How High” by The Charlatans, taken from the Beggars Banquet/Atlantic release, “Tellin’ Stories”

Three all-stars from the dance music world come together to form like Voltron and become the Swedish House Mafia. Axwell. Steve Angello. Sebastian Ingrosso.  Three top notch producers in their own right come forth with their first official single One (Your Name) featuring Pharrell. This trio’s sole objective is to get your arse on the floor and moving in ways that would be considered illegal in most cities. One listen to this joint and it certainly looks as if the trio hit the mark with plenty of room to spare. The beat pumps hard. The synth stabs are so fierce that even the most disillusioned hipster can’t help but grab a set, grab a girl and get sweaty. This is aural crack right here. It begs to heard at maximum volume where your body feels as if it’s about to spontaneously combust as a result of all the bass, drums and synths hitting you all at once. Clocking in at just under three and half minutes, the song comes  and goes leaving you a hot mess in its wake. This is hardcore.

Swedish House Mafia on MySpace
Swedish House Mafia on Facebook
Swedish House Mafia on Twitter

“One (Your Name)” by Swedish House Mafia

It will be difficult to find a better bill than this as the leaves start to fall. The new faces of Australian pop-rock, The Temper Trap and Mancunian dance-pop heroes, Delphic hit the road together in what could very well be the breakout tour for both bands in the States. Both bands are faves of mine and both debut records still get quality mileage in my house. I hope to see my fellow New Yorkers at the Terminal 5 gig. Let’s go!

SEPTEMBER
26 Philadelphia, PA – Trocadero
29 Boston, MA – House of Blues
30 Montclair, NJ – Wellmont Theater

OCTOBER
01 New York, NY – Terminal 5
02 Montreal, QC – Le National
03 Ottawa, ON – Capital Music Hall
05 Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theater
11 Detroit, MI – St Andrews Hall
12 Chicago, IL – Metro
13 Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall
14 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
16 Mexico City – Capital Festival
22 Pomona, CA – The Fox Theater
23 Los Angeles, CA – Club Nokia

The 7th of September is drawing nearer and quite quickly in fact. The boys in Interpol are applying the pressure with a new song available to hear taken from the forthcoming self-titled record. This one is called Barricade. If you thought Lights sounded like it fit on the debut like the warm comforter you couldn’t wait to snuggle into as winter came closing in, consider Barricade the companion piece to Slow Hands. A groovy bass line that propels with Paul’s vocals leading the way.  A definite crowd-please at shows to be sure. Not quite sure how this one would do on the charts though. If you’re not at all interested in that sort of thing, this track should definitely keeps your hands tied until Interpol comes out. Enjoy.

“Barricade” by Interpol, taken from the forthcoming Matador release, “Interpol”

So we all know that when it comes to rap music, New York is where it’s at. Right? Sure the South had a few hits and is home to Outkast, the West has Dre and the Midwest is where Eminem and Kanye call home but let’s face facts. When it comes to real hip-hop, it’s all about the birthplace: New York City. Very few artists represent New York from head to toe quite like Troy Jamerson, better known as Pharaohe Monch. Beginning with his days in the seminal rap duo Organized Konfusion, Monch has established himself as one of the most thoughtful and insightful artists going. When you hear a Pharaohe track, you know exactly what you’re getting. A flow that snaps your neck with lyrics that make you pause and hit back on your I-Pod or CD player. For further evidence of the madness, check out his new single Shine which will appear on his forthcoming third solo record calledW.A.R. (We Are Renegades).

Pharaohe Monch on MySpace
Pharoahe Monch on Facebook
Pharoahe Monch on Twitter

“Shine” by Pharoahe Monch, taken from the forthcoming WAR/Duck Down release, “W.A.R.”