Video - The Shins - Simple Song

Ok so I know I'm supposed to be on vacation. I am on vacation. Currently I've been enjoying the last three days with family down in beautiful southern California. Newport Beach and Irvine to be more specific. Tomorrow I head off to central america. holy. I figured that since I still had access to the net I'd post the absolutely amazing video of the lead single off The Shin's new album Port of Morrow - Simple Song. It's really grown on me, and not that I didn't like it to begin with thats not the case at all. I loved it from the beginning. The video makes it better. Kudos Mercer, while I thought that Wincing the Night Away was a decline from previous albums (and not even a bad decline its still a great record but it lacks the power of the previous) it seems that Port of Morrow may be the greatest Shins project ever.

And below is an acoustic version from SiriusXM. You really see the power in his voice here. This guy is beyond gifted. Thanks for bringing such light though music to the world. Can't wait to buy the new album.

Vacation

The blog will be shut down til March 15th because I'm going on vacation central america. Thanks everyone for all the support I look forward to post many more gems upon my return.

Essential Set - The Shins Live ACL 21.09.03 - MP3

When you start to talk about essential live sets it doesn't get much more essential than this. Being from 2003 it contains only material from Chutes Too Narrow and before. So thats no Wincing the Night Away folk but I am a-ok with that. The earlier Shins material is typically the best to me. Not to put down their new efforts, I really think the new music is amazaing and doesn't stray from that tested and true Shins sound, but the older music I have so many memories around its fucking insane.

So here's a soundboard recording of a great live set from Austin City Limits 2003. I wish I could have been there and one day I may end up there. Enjoy this gem.

Tracklist:
1 Pressed in a Book
2 Kissing the Lipless
3 So Says I
4 Girl on the Wing
5 One by One All Day
6 When I Goosestep
7 Saint Simon
8 Young Pilgrims
9 Turn A Square
10 Girl Inform Me
11 The Celebate Life
12 Eating Styes from Elephant Eyes (aborted)
13 Eating Styes from Elephant Eyes
14 Caring is Creepy
15 Pink Bullets
16 Gone For Good
17 New Slang
18 Know Your Onion!

Download The Shins Live at Austin City Limits 21.09.03 Here

New EP - Just A Man & Aleph 1ne - Soundhealth EP

Just a Man has been tight tight homie of mine for years so when he announced that he was gonna drop some actual polished shit in the form of a EP or a mixtape many started to get excited. Coupled with the swift production of west Victoria coast producer Aleph 1ne they really hit this EP out of the park.

Soundhealth EP is more of a mental check than ganster check. Its a change of pace for those who notice the influx of young little thugs in the valleys of hip hop. Nice work guys.

Be sure to check out their bandcamp for full downloads and more.

Essential MP3 - Sunset Rubdown - You Go On Ahead (Black Cab Sessions)

At the time this was released in 2008 Sunset Rubdown's album Dragonslayer was still brewing. While Spencer's tentative title turned out to be the working title on the album it was still unknown at the time of this recording hence 'New Song' in the You Tube title.

Beyond that its a masterful performance in the backseat of a cab while  driving around. I love the fact that there's a drummer and a keyboardist. Below is an MP3 as well.

MP3

Essential Live Set - Husker Du - 1985-08-28 1st Ave, MN

This is one of my fav Husker Du live recordings. The quality is absolutely excellent this is a radiating soundboard recording. When Husker played this set they had already made the move to Warner Bros. (or were in the process of it). That would explain the quality. This the most readily available Husker Du bootleg but still and essential piece of 80s independent music history. Also known as Lyndale's Burning.

1.Flip Your Wig.
2.Every Everything.
3.Makes No Sense At All.
4.Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill.
5.I Apologize.
6.If I Told You.
7.Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely.
8.I Don't Know For Sure.
9.Terms Of Psychic Warfare.
10.Powerline.
11.Books About UFOs.
12.Hardly Getting Over It.
13.Sorry Somehow.
14.(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care.
15.Green Eyes.
16.Divide And Conquer.

Total Playing Time 50:17

Download

Stream - Burial Kindred EP

Its always a good day when new Burial is released. Too bad its not more frequent. I guess he has to maintain that absolutely killer mood and ambiance without flooding the market. I'm glad his style hasn't drastically changed. He's has stuck true to his vision and for that there's a worldwide legion of Burial fans.

Stream the new Burial EP Kindred at Hyperdub

Essential Set - DBridge - Live at Fabric 8.1.2010 Red Bull Academy

Dbridge has been sitting right near the top of my list of must see drum and bass artists before I die. Living in Victoria, British Columbia I've been lucky to be exposed to such high class dnb on the regular. But I gotta say its been awhile. Often we get the same shows recycled through here. Good artists, but recycled. There is nothing recycled about Dbridge. Having never seen him I didn't really know what to totally expect.

Was it ever a show though. Holy he sticks to his guns and doesn't play any dubshit mashed up crap its a total experience of this upper echelon drum and bass that anyone could enjoy. Subtle yet pumping bass mixed the entire time. Nothing too over the top in terms of anthems.

I felt I needed to represent him on the blog. So here's a dope set I found from not too long ago in my collection. I'm sorry that there's a emcee in parts of it. Im sure we all feel the same about dnb emcees. They're better when they just stand behind whoever's spinning.

Dbridge Live at Fabric 812010 Red Bull Music Academy

Whitney Houston - How Will I Know Acapella

She really was one of the most amazing singers of the 20th Century. Holy she could belt it out. Pretty tragic ending but it probably will martyr her in post living pop paraphernalia. Without much else her voice will resonate throughout time. Fuck, The Bodyguard was such a great movie. Here's to you Whitney.

The 2 Bears - Be Strong

It seems that there is a beautiful future in Joe Goddard's little Hot Chip side project. The Birds and the Bees opens up and sets a nice pace for freshly pressed Be Strong album. It is a lush and sonic experience. I really am amazed at how far electronic music is able to push musical boundries and fucking break those molds of tradition and familiarity.  The whole album is really solid so be sure to check out their soundcloud for more. Its worth it.

Esstential MP3 - Jacques Greene - Another Girl

I ripped this absolutely amazing track from a sub par MTHFNKR Mix that was so poorly tagged it took me an hour digging through their bullshit to narrow down the source of the mix let alone the tracklisting. Anyways, the work has payed off well and I even found a dope little video of the song. Enjoy my friends.

MP3

MP3 - Julianna Barwick - Never Change

Brookyln based Julianna Barwick has been making some pretty trippy ambient folk music in her bedroom. This maintains the light ethereal spacy-ness of her debut album last year. Pretty centered peaceful stuff. Again great reading music.

The Shins - September

This is the apparent B-Side to A Simple Song 7". Really great sounding stuff I can't wait for the album.

Essential Bootleg - Janes Addiction - Live 1989

Great early Janes Addiction. Energetic recording lots of talking and record pops. Recorded in some small unknown club in 1989 this has always been one of the better bootlegs (at least you have good Perry vocals, it seems to be a recurring theme to have crappy Perry vocals). Its fun music.


Side A
Side B

Flashback MP3 - Dandy Warhols - And Then I Dreamt of Yes

A superb track from classic indie rockers The Dandy Warhols. Crank up that low end and sink into aural bliss. Everyone constantly hears the same tracks over and over on tv and on the radio the monotony of routine music playing overshadows the fact that so many groups you thought you knew well have a pandoras box of a back catalog worth listening to. Don't ever pigeon hole youself in just a few tracks variety is the spice of life.

MP3

Essential Bootleg - Husker Du - Up in the Air

Due to the overwhelming response to a Husker Du post I did last week I've decided to begin uploading many Husker Du treats. I had no idea there was so many fans still churning around the internet. This one is absolutely essential. It was released much later in 1996 but what's absolutely divine for any Husker Du fan is that this bootleg collects all their official studio outtakes. Like all Husker Du music, Husker Du's catalog has never been remastered so it has this beautiful flat sound that reminds me of walking around with my old Sony Walkman in the 90s. Oh how the time passes.


Husker Du Up in the Air Bootleg Download

Picture - Some Kind of Heaven

The Shins Update

Just a quick Shins update for whoever has been napping.  Port of Morrow will be released on March 20th 2012 on Mercers self owned label Aural Apothecary. Remember a year or two ago when he said he'd be remastering and re-releasing Flake Music's When You Land Here It's Time to Return? Did that ever happen? That first Flake Music full length and the EP are essentially the first Shins albums. It's always been the James Mercer show. He doesn't really seem to give much of a fuck about who he's playing with. Anyways theres three new songs captured on video (i'll put one up) and a finished version of Simple Song available for stream or purchase. I'm really stoked for this album. I can't believe its been five years since Wincing the Night away. I can remember perfectly how that album fit into becoming the basic soundtrack of my life for the following year. 2012's gonna be a good one.

1. "The Rifle's Spiral" - 3:30
2. "Simple Song" - 4:15
3. "It's Only Life" - 4:02
4. "No Way Down" - 3:23
5. "September" - 3:33
6. "Bait and Switch" - 3:16
7. "Fall of '82" - 3:57
8. "For a Fool" - 3:48
9. "40 Mark Strasse" - 4:39
10. "Port of Morrow" - 5:50

Essential MP3 - Alias - Well Water Black

A great song from a great west coast producer and a leader of the mighty Anticon. Alias has always been pushing the boundries of beats rap and indie music on all sides. As the main single from Resurgam (if you havent peeped it you better get on it) its seen a bit of rotation but a bit more could never hurt it only rather refresh it. Alias used the word Resurgam after the Portland city motto, which is Latin for "I shall rise again".

MP3