IT'S THE MONEY SHOT!!

meta-blogging.

2009-03-23T12:00:00.001-04:00

And now back to our regular programming.
(but at a new domain name)
ITSTHEMONEYSHOT.COM.

Kudos to the co-blogger for setting this up, and it's all still under construction. Just trying to get back into the writing game this week. I have tons of stuff I've been meaning to share with you.

SHUNDA K FEATURING ROSETTA STONED.

2009-02-20T21:00:00.000-05:00

WHAT IS LOVE (alt): I know I've posted this before, but it's too good to not remind you about. Shunda K of Yo! Majesty spits over some '90s fire. The first verse gets me so pumped.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

YELLE.

2009-02-20T20:00:00.000-05:00

CE JEU (MICKEY GANG REMIX) (alt): Since the Mickey Gang was such a hit last time, I figured y'all might enjoy their take on Yelle. Yeah?

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

OLD GOLD.

2009-02-20T19:00:00.002-05:00

D.O.G. (Drugged Out Girls) (alt): I feel like a bunch of these posts have been like "OMG, can't wait for this album", and the next Old Gold project is no exception. I've heard from an inside source that it's going to be "epic". Every show I've been to by this guy has included the most amazing mix of former cellmates, family members, friends and random folks. Love it so much.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

CAM'RON.

2009-02-20T18:00:00.000-05:00

HATE MY JOB (alt): Why isn't this song completely huge yet? Thanks.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

THE LUCKSMITHS.

2009-02-20T17:00:00.001-05:00

GOOD LIGHT (alt): This has just missed making it onto one of my mixtapes far too many times.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

LAURYN HILL.

2009-02-20T16:00:00.001-05:00

TAKE TOO MUCH (RICH MAN) (alt): Before I die, I hope the damn music industry lets Lauryn Hill release another studio album. I don't need another damn "Doo Wop (That Thing)"... I love Lauryn no matter what she's doing--acoustic guitar, clown makeup, God-loving, whatever.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

YEAH YEAH YEAHS.

2009-02-20T15:00:00.002-05:00

POOR SONG/PORCLELAIN (DEATH TO THE THRONE REMIX) (alt): With all the Yeah Yeah Yeahs hype surrounding It's Blitz! and all the Death to the Throne remixes floating around, how has no one else posted this? Just askin'.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

STELLA BY STARLIGHT.

2009-02-20T14:00:00.000-05:00

DEPTH PERCEPTION (alt): My sort-of-sometimes co-blogger who I haven't talked to in ages put me up on this. He's the king of electro-pop.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

MONICA.

2009-02-20T13:00:00.000-05:00

NOT GON' CRY (MARY J. BLIGE COVER) (alt): Tell me why I got all teary-eyed when she started talking about how much this song means to her. I can't help who I'm is! Monica's last album had so many gems on it, but the single choices were terrible. Let's hope they do better with the follow-up, even though the leaked track "Still Standing" was fucking fantastic (and worthy of Mary).

FAUNTS.

2009-02-20T12:00:00.002-05:00

IT HURTS ME ALL THE TIME (alt): I want to dance to this song in public. Poorly with a flask of whiskey. So hipster, LOL.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

LA ROUX.

2009-02-20T11:00:00.002-05:00

FASCINATION (alt): I know, I know. You've heard of La Roux. I heard of her a long time ago too, except I never got a chance to tell you all how much I love her. With her not-quite-right vocals, she deserves all the hype she's been getting.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

T-PAIN FEATURING LIL WAYNE.

2009-02-20T10:00:00.003-05:00

CAN'T BELIEVE IT (YEA MANN REMIX) (alt): I've been sitting on this Chrome Punch EP forever. This remix pumps a little sunniness and handclaps into the original.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

ST. VINCENT.

2009-02-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

NOW, NOW (alt): Good news. St. Vincent has a new album coming out on May 5 that she describes as "technicolor animatronic rides". I'm more excited about Annie Clark than Kelly Clarkson. Just sayin'.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

JAZMINE SULLIVAN.

2009-02-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

PROTOTYPE (ANDRE 3000 LIVE COVER) (alt): Before Jaz topped the Billboard R&B charts, she improved upon this jam from The Love Below with her stunning, soulful rendition.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

BOY IN STATIC.

2009-02-20T07:00:00.001-05:00

YOUNG SAN FRANCISCO (alt): This one goes out to the BF, who shares my love of songs that sound pretty and happy until you listen to the lyrics. Typing that out made us sound weirder than we are... or maybe not weird enough!?!

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

KELIS.

2009-02-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

FINEST DREAMS (alt): Richard X throwback. Can't wait for the new Annie.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

SNOWBLINK.

2009-02-20T05:00:00.001-05:00

STAND WHERE A FRUIT TREE DROPS THE THINGS IT DOESN'T NEED (DAYTROTTER SESSION) (alt): I went to school with this girl. She sang a lot and it was pretty.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

BLAKMYNT.

2009-02-20T04:00:00.000-05:00

SNAK ATTACK (alt): Unreleased demo that the world needs to hear. Operatic vocals, sassy + nerdy raps, insane beat. SO NECESSARY!

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

MOULINEX & XINOBI.

2009-02-20T03:00:00.001-05:00

D.I.S.C.O. TEXAS THEME (DJ LAPSE REMIX) (alt): I have to admit that I haven't heard the original version of this, but having heard that D.I.S.C.O. Texas might be like "the Portuguese version of Valerie"... I'm sold.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

HECK YES!

2009-02-20T02:00:00.000-05:00

WELCOME TO THE PARTY! (alt): Andrew WK meets Totally Michael. Nothing more needs to be said on this matter.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

HELL TO THE NO.

2009-02-20T01:30:00.001-05:00

First off, this leaked before Christmas (according to another forum member), so it has absolutely nothing to do with the current Rihanna and Chris Brown situation.

Second of all, how DARE you say "Awww Lets Give Him A Chance He Said He's Sorry." Sorry isn't fucking enough, douchebag.

I wasn't sold when Akon put out "Sorry (Put The Blame On Me)", so Chris Brown's lame-ass doesn't have a chance to apologize to Rihanna and the world via song. Have you seen those damn pictures? Shit was serious. He straight up assaulted her.

This forum post is just disgusting. If you are curious enough to hear the damn chipmunk churn out a whack-ass ballad, click here for the direct link.

BLAH BLAH BLAH.

2009-02-20T01:00:00.000-05:00

I'LL WRITE TO YOU (alt): Delightful indie pop brought to my attention by VIDEO POP.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

DAVID BOWIE.

2009-02-20T00:00:00.001-05:00

AS THE WORLD FALLS DOWN (alt): I'd totally make out to this song, thank you very much.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

PRINCESS CHELSEA.

2009-02-19T23:00:00.000-05:00

YOUR WOMAN (WHITE TOWN COVER) (alt): People have such nostalgia for the original, so I couldn 't resist posting this cover. Princess Chelsea says, "I decided to take a slightly creepy angle on the song, creating an infusion of Dr Dre and an eight year old, perhaps singing to Bill Wyman." Word!

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

MISSY ELLIOTT.

2009-02-19T22:00:00.000-05:00

WORK IT (DON DIABLO REMIX) (alt): I was under the impression that Don Diablo was going to be some overrated blog-hype remixer, but his stuff actually makes up for the fact that all of Missy Elliott's recent leaks have sucked massive clitoris. I really hope something good comes out of Block Party.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER

poll by twiigs.com

SPREE.

2009-02-19T21:00:00.000-05:00

AIRPLANES (alt): I've been told several times that I should have pursued a career in A&R, but there would have been one huge flaw--I'd basically sign every teenage girl who raps. There's something refreshingly not-trying-too-hard about Spree's flow that calls to mind ol' skool teen rappers like Roxanne Shante. She's like Rye Rye light, and I'm obsessed. If I owned an indie label, I'd sign this girl in a hot minute.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III IN THE QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER FINALS!

poll by twiigs.com

FINAL COUNTDOWN: CAPITALISM PART TWO.

2009-02-19T20:03:00.005-05:00

Thanks to all the lovely folks who voted for me to be Queerty's Music reviewer. This won't be an easy win with sir Daniel Villarreal and my good digi-friend Bradley Stern as competition, but I'll never go down without a fight. All five finalists, including myself, were asked to review Empire of the Sun's Walking On A Dream. Below is my take on the album:

Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore are no strangers to success. After fronting two successful groups, The Sleepy Jackson and Pnau, the indie-gods are totally over “the band-thing”. That’s precisely why their new project, Empire of the Sun, isn’t a band—it’s an amorphous theatrical experience. Musical silly putty, if you will.
This free-spirited outlook may intrigue theoretically, but their debut Walking On A Dream is consequently incoherent. While the first four songs flow effortlessly as a series of ‘80s-tinged pop gems, everything comes to a screeching halt with the strikingly odd stomp of “Delta Bay”. It’s inappropriately followed by “Country”, a mostly instrumental track reminiscent of “Laura’s Theme” on Twin Peaks. From there, the remaining songs recall everything from Basement Jaxx to Prince’s cheesier ballads, impressive when isolated but collectively failing to recapture the earlier magic.

The psychedelic elements and falsetto vocalizing may elicit comparisons to MGMT, but a deeper listen indicates that the androgynous duo conjure their flamboyant image from older influences. Their mix of outer-space antics, soul searching and appropriated culture calls to mind George Clinton’s P-Funk mythology and David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust, with pitch-shifted vocals on some songs eerily evoking Bowie’s minions in Labyrinth. But unlike Jareth the Goblin King, Emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore act as benevolent leaders fixated on spreading peace, joy and colorful imagery. As contrived and idealistic as their goals may sound, they resonate heavily in our distressed times, making these boys as close to indie-pop Obamas as humanly possible.

In celebration of making it this far, here is Pegase's remix of the album's title track. Click through to read the rest of the reviews or vote below for me--Joe John Sanchez III! Another round of (at least 24 hour) on-the-hour posting will commence at 9:00pm.

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WALKING ON A DREAM (PEGASE REMIX) (alt)

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poll by twiigs.com

laura gibson: beasts of seasons.

2009-02-15T17:48:00.004-05:00

dl: LAURA GIBSON - Spirited (alt)
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Laura Gibson's latest offering is the perfect album for citizens of snowglobes. Beasts of Seasons, produced by Tucker Martine (Sufjan Stevens, The Decemberists), finds Gibson prancing through an acoustic and ethereal landscape like a less jarring, slightly less majestic Joanna Newsom. Everyone needs that one album to listen to while curled up in blankets, and you'd be damn smart to choose this as yours.

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

tha pumpsta: no crying at the disco.

2009-02-14T21:31:00.003-05:00

dl: THA PUMPSTA - L-O-V-E (No Crying At The Disco) (Black Cracker remix) f/ Black Cracker and Shunda K of Yo! Majesty (alt)
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Oh snap. Just in time for Valentine's Day, Tha Pumpsta has liberated one of my favorite tracks--the Black Cracker remix of "L-O-V-E (No Crying At The Disco)". I first heard him perform it with Shunda K a while back at Santos Party House, and I anxiously awaited its official release. I also desperately wanted to be this man, who straight up cut a rug to the song in a Snoopy tie.

The original version showcases Jeremy's stellar trumpet skills and boasts a video with "lighting by Lance Bass" (An appropriate joke, because somebody's gotta give him work, right?). But I'm a sucker for Black Cracker's production and Shunda K's vocal presence, so the remix gets a permanent place on my iPod (until it dies, eternal digi-love). With that said, I am definitely looking forward to hearing more trumpet and elements that aren't conventionally "hip-hop" on the upcoming album, Tha Charm.

This is a outstanding offering from a queer cast of artists, so let's keep our fingers crossed that I'll be reviewing the full album for Queerty in the near future. Speaking of which, thank you to all of you for contributing to my extreme, "unethical" lead. You never know what can happen up until Monday, so if you haven't voted yet... help a brother out!

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dl: THA PUMPSTA - Don Juan (Stay High remix) (alt)
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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

HOLY SHIT.

2009-02-14T01:00:00.002-05:00

I can't believe I just did that. I'm going to celebrate by vagina-clapping, which is pretty much the most self-promotional thing I could do right now. There's no shame on the internet (I'm lying).

Happy Valentine's Day. Don't get herpes.

VAGINA CLAP (alt)

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

KERI HILSON.

2009-02-14T00:00:00.001-05:00

NUMBER ONE SEX F/ R. KELLY (DEMO) (alt): Much like the Chris Brown song I posted earlier, this song falls into my favorite non-genre of unintentional gender-bending. I love hearing Keri sing about how she's the pussy champion. I hope this girl sells some albums, because she's seriously on the songwriting grind. THE END.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

THUNDERHEIST.

2009-02-13T23:00:00.001-05:00

CRUISE LOW (alt): You know I love me some Thunderheist, but I hope they're not offended by me saying that this is probably the best thing I've ever heard them do. It's got a chill, laid-back vibe a la The Clipse and a reference to "I Know What Boys Like". So necessary. THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

TOKIN' BLACK GUY.

2009-02-13T22:00:00.001-05:00

BODY CLOCK (alt): After receiving a mysterious all-caps-lock e-mail from "Kanye West", I was intrigued by Tokin' Black Guy. But now that I've seen his top friends on the space, I'm even more fascinated. Admittedly, I'm a little disappointed, given that my friend Crystal and I had planned to start a band called TMC (Token Minorities Club). Bitch is stealing our thunder.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

BUNNY RABBIT.

2009-02-13T21:00:00.001-05:00

PUSSY QUEEN (alt): It makes me sad that there are people in this world who still don't know about Bunny Rabbit, Black Cracker and the Cult of Miracles. Can't wait for the new album! THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

ANORAAK.

2009-02-13T20:00:00.001-05:00

N.E.R.D. (NEVER ENDING ROMANCE DISASTER) (alt): The protagonist in this song sounds like a total douche, but Anoraak's sleek electro groove keeps me coming back.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

PDL.

2009-02-13T19:00:00.001-05:00

OTHER TIME (JOHAN SIGERUD REMIX) (alt): Not gonna lie. This is my bestie's song getting the Cyndi Lauper "Time After Time" '80s treatment thanks to a sweet Swedish producer. THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

RYE RYE.

2009-02-13T18:00:00.001-05:00

REASONS (alt): When is Rye Rye going to blow up to the level that Maya and Santi are working? Love her. THE END.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

RED WIRE BLACK WIRE

2009-02-13T17:00:00.000-05:00

LOCKED OUT (alt): Another bunch of Wesleyan kids, and if they keep putting out tunes like this... they have potential to go far. THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

CHRIS BROWN.

2009-02-13T16:00:00.001-05:00

NASTY GIRL (alt): Fuck you, Chris Brown. THE END.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

M.I.A.

2009-02-13T15:00:00.001-05:00

BOYZ (LEIF REMIX) (alt): Oh man, remember when M.I.A. released this single? I totally liked the non-single "Bird Flu" more, but let's not argue. I have my fingers crossed that Maya will use her baby as a fashion accessory. Imagine it--she dresses it as a watermelon and carries it around like a handbag. Visualize! Visualize! THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

BIGDADDY.

2009-02-13T14:00:00.000-05:00

WOMANIZER F/ ANDRE 3000 (BIGFADDY EDIT) (alt): Okay, I can see you judging me from a mile away, but the real star on this edit isn't Britney. Though it doesn't make much sense to put a verse about settling down (from "International Player's Anthem") on a song about a guy who fucks around, it's amazing to hear how good Three Stacks sounds on this beat. Could such a collabo ever happen in real life? No. THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

CUT OFF YOUR HANDS.

2009-02-13T13:00:00.001-05:00

STILL FOND (alt): The Killers meets The Strokes meets someone else who used to be cool to like, but somehow less shameful. THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

MIRROR BOIYZ.

2009-02-13T12:00:00.001-05:00

ANIMALS IN THE JUNGLE F/ GIRL (alt): In the spirit of homo shit, I thought I'd embarrass myself by sharing an unreleased song from my gay rap duo. This song is so weird, a little off and makes me so happy.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

BANGLADESH

2009-02-13T11:00:00.000-05:00

IKE TURNER F/ BIG FRAZE, TOM FOOLERY & MUFFY (alt): Okay, you know I love Bangladesh. How could you deny the man who brought us "A Milli", "Bossy" and the best Ludacris songs ever recorded? And despite all my jokes, I really have my fingers crossed for Muffy. With that said, the recent Chris Brown vs. Rihanna incident has made this song even more unbearable than it was originally. Over the "Bounce" beat from Timbo's Shock Value, a chorus about beating "the track like Ike Turner" makes me cringe.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

THE CAPSTAN SHAFTS.

2009-02-13T10:00:00.002-05:00

CHERRY MAGDALENE (alt): How was I never told how much I would love this music? At times, it's slightly reminiscent of Pavement. THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

LILY ALLEN.

2009-02-13T09:00:00.002-05:00

CHINESE (alt): Pretty much the perfect love song. Don't judge me for saying that. I totally hated Lily Allen until I heard this album. I'm glad she ditched the whole faux-reggae thing, and I'm glad that she can't keep her fucking mouth shut. Katy Perry can eat a bag of dicks. This is my girl! THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

OTIS REDDING.

2009-02-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

RESPECT (LIVE AT MONTEREY POP FESTIVAL) (alt): One of my favorite songs of all time. Before Aretha did "Respect", Otis rocked the hell out of it. When I was younger, I used to pronounce her name as "Arethra" so it sounded a lot like urethra. Ew!--THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

BISHOP ALLEN.

2009-02-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

DIMMER (alt): New Bishop Allen makes me insanely happy. THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

LIL WAYNE & ROBIN THICKE.

2009-02-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

TIE MY HANDS (HURRICANE KATRINA DEDICATION LIVE AT GRAMMYS) (alt): I never enjoyed this song until I heard the live performance. I was a little disappointed that Weezy didn't launch into a big-band version of "A Milli" when the crazy breakdown happened. More importantly, how the hell did J. Hud beat Raphael Saadiq and Al Green for Best R&B Album? Love the girl, condolences go out and her album is impressive... but it really didn't deserve that award. Is it terrible for me to say that? Still, a Grammy and an Oscar in such close proximity makes me want to throw her a huge gay-ass "you go girl". THE END--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

SOLANGE KNOWLES.

2009-02-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

SANDCASTLE DISCO (FREEMASONS REMIX) (alt): You know what's gayer than me being up for Queerty's next music reviewer? This remix and the fact that I enjoy it. I will take no shame for liking the latest Solange album, but there's really nothing I can say to get me out of this. THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

BAT FOR LASHES.

2009-02-13T04:00:00.002-05:00

A FOREST (THE CURE COVER) (alt): The prospect of this cover worried me, but anything this gal does is golden. THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

MICKEY GANG.

2009-02-13T03:00:00.000-05:00

VIRGIN (WISH YOU WERE) (alt): I can't tell whether the concept of this song is romantic or entirely creepy. I lean towards creepy, but it makes me want to dance. All is forgiven. THE END.

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

VISTOSO BOSSES

2009-02-13T02:00:00.001-05:00

BOY CRAZY (alt): Three of my favorite bloggers wrote about the Vistoso Bosses' "Delirious" within the same week. Weeks before this, a little bird named Travis told me that I should listen to them. "Delirious" has nothing on "Boy Crazy". Fuck guilty pleasures. This is my number one innocent pleasure. THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

THE SOUND OF ARROWS.

2009-02-13T01:00:00.000-05:00

M.A.G.I.C. (LEO NEVILO REMIX) (alt): I really love this remix because of the mere simplicity of it. It's almost as good as the Wyclef "Perfect Gentleman" mash-up, which wasn't actually good... but damn, I really loved that song back in the day. Just 'cause she dances go-go, that don't make her a ho, no! THE END.--BUY IT

VOTE JOE JOHN SANCHEZ III FOR QUEERTY MUSIC REVIEWER!

CAPITALISM.

2009-02-13T00:00:00.001-05:00

META-BLOGGING!! Because I only have a friends in real life, I'm going to depend on you all--my fake internet friends--to make my dreams come true. Departing from my standard lower-case title format, I'm going to launch a series of minimalist posts every hour starting today with... ::gasp:: capitalized titles and no doodles. If I make it into the finals for Queerty's music reviewer, I promise the return of doodles, a glorious playlist and more delicious tunes.

VOTE NOW!!

the bpa: i think we're gonna need a bigger boat.

2009-02-03T23:55:00.004-05:00

dl: THE BPA f/ JUSTIN ROBERTSON - Island (alt)
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You may have noticed that posting's been rather inconsistent in these parts. It's a shame considering that I have a handful of amazing songs that I've been dying to share with you Money Shooters. Is it totally weird for me to call y'all that? Is it even weirder to think that there are more than two of you out there reading this (not just grabbing mp3s and leaving)? Ew, why am I being all self-deprecating? Why am I asking so many questions? Let's just assume that there are millions of you reading and listening, but you're tricking me into thinking there are only a few hundred hits per day by watching in overcrowded rooms on giant projector screens. Better yet, fuck you if you're not reading this. I'm too awesome for this shit.

Let's cut to the chase--I wrote this review of The BPA's I Think We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat for CinemaBlend. As you may have noticed, I'm pretty obsessed with this album and included two of the singles in my most recent mixtapes. The review is rather long, so here's a teaser...

The liner notes of I Think We’re Gonna Need A Bigger Boat may attempt to sell the listener a cheap mythology of “a loose-limbed jamming unit” that recorded from the 1970s to the mid-nineties, but there’s no ignoring what this really is—Norman Cook’s own version of Timbaland’s Shock Value. Unlike dear Timothy’s mish-mash of pop collaborations, the final results play out like a carefully crafted, cohesive mixtape. And if Fatboy Slim makes you a mixtape, can you really turn it down?

And a bit about the song in this post...

Justin Robertson’s “Island”, as far as vocals and sheer magic go, is reminiscent of David Bowie's Labyrinth waltz-scene accompaniment, “As The World Falls Down”. With a backing hip-hop beat more characteristic of Pharrell Williams’ work with The Clipse than “Rockefeller Skank”, this heartfelt ballad also coincidentally recalls a less-annoying rendition of Timbaland and OneRepublic’s “Apologize”. A lyrical nod to Vincent Van Gogh slicing off his own ear may be a little creepy, but succeeds in illustrating Robertson’s desperate romanticism.

Unrelated: I want to see this movie immediately. When I get a puppy, I'm definitely going to make completely meta videos like this.

Related: Posting will probably continue to be inconsistent around here until my situation changes. Expect at least a monthly mixtape. Maybe two!

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(BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - WIK IT - HYPE IT)

little pictures: small voices remix.

2009-01-26T19:45:00.006-05:00

dl: LITTLE PICTURES - This House Can Fit Us All (Small Voices remix) (alt)

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I can't really explain what's so appealing about this remix. I mean, it's not as if there's anything particularly unappealing about it. Musically, it's a little repetitive, resulting in a hypnotic haze that I just can't shake.

So without further ado, I present Small Voices with the Blogger's Choice Award in the Little Pictures remix contest. What does this mean? Bragging rights. And you get to borrow my imaginary best friend Muffy for a day.

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- BUY IT - SPACE IT - FACE IT - HYPE IT -

little pictures: remix contest runner-ups (part one).

2009-01-20T01:03:00.003-05:00

I'm the worst blogger ever. Who holds a remix contest and doesn't announce the winners until nearly a month after intended? I do. But whatevs, I'm a blogger-being, not a damn internet messiah. Below are some runner-ups for the Little Pictures "This House Can Fit Us All" remix contest. You'll notice that the majority of them are electro-tinged, heading towards an "up in the club" direction. You'll also notice a common trend among the two winners and the grand prize winner, but you're going to have to wait at least a week to hear those!

This House Can Fit Us All (Command Click remix) (alt): While this take is very electro, it doesn't tread down predictable banger territory. In other words, there are some weird-ass sounds incorporated. Unfortunately, some of the sounds and the general dissonance stresses me out. I say that with no malicious intent (some of my favorite songs stress me out a little). If I were drunk, I'd flop like a muppet to this.

This House Can Fit Us All (J.A.M.I.E. remix) (alt): What if band members Mark and Johanna were robbed of their hearts and turned into total robot-faces? Would they still be able to love? Would they still be able to rock? I bet their songs would sound something like this.

This House Can Fit Us All (Doppler Effect remix) (alt): If I were the kind of person who liked to dance on tables in my underwear alongside a chick dressed as Princess Jasmine and a giant chicken, this is the remix I'd be dancing to. Wall-E would serve us shots of absinthe laced with awesome, and then he'd do body shots off of Cinderella. Then Eve (the robot, not the rapper) would roll up with an entourage of misfit robots, and they'd massacre the shit out of Cindy down to her glass slippas. We'd keep dancing.

This House Can Fit Us All (TechnoBears remix) (alt): I have to admit, I was really excited about the TechnoBears remix based on the name alone. I had this image of Care Bears spinning records in the clouds and twirling glowsticks. This remix couldn't live up to such high expectations. Don't get me wrong. It does have a certain banger appeal, but nothing in this world could be as good as candy raver Care Bears, you know?

This House Can Fit Us All (Cat Tucker House Piano remix) (alt): With no disrespect to the remixer, my favorite moments of this remix are the minimal bits. Much like some of Command Click's sounds, that piano stresses me out.

This House Can Fit Us All (JustDima remix) (alt): If PacMan had a party, he'd totally DJ from an iPod, and this remix would be on the party playlist. While that makes it sound like this song has some crazy Atari sounds happening, it really has nothing of the sort. I'm just sayin'... this would be the perfect song to get your ghost friends drunk to. And then eat them.

This House Can Fit Us All (RomeyBoy remix) (alt): This is probably the most commercially viable remix, except it probably wouldn't speak to actual Little Pictures fans. I could see this getting a club moving right in between dance remixes of Jordin Sparks' "No Air" and Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body", except the club kids would be confused as hell about the original song.

This House Can Fit Us All (hEADaCHE remix) (alt): I don't know if the creator of this remix did his research, but if they ever read this blog... ze would know that I love short songs. This was the shortest entry, coming closest to the length of the actual song. I applaud.

This House Can Fit Us All (Panther Hands remix) (alt): At the one minute mark of this remix, this overwhelming party happens. It's like that scene in Mean Girls where Cady gets cheese and crackers for a few people and then some mega alcoholic slut party goes down in her living room. Except at our party we didn't throw up in Aaron Samuels' lap. We made out in a closet six times.

head like a kite: daydream vacation.

2009-01-19T11:13:00.000-05:00

dl: HEAD LIKE A KITE f/ ASYA of SMOOSH - Daydream Vacation (alt)
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There was a hot minute in my life when Smoosh was my favorite band in existence. For the duration of that minute (which I dropped, given that it was hot), the band consisted of two pre-teen girls named Chloe and Asya. There was just something so magical about these two little girls making such glorious pop tunes. I mean, while they were recording their first full-length album, other girls their age would have been watching Lizzie McGuire. Or like, playing with power tools? Fuck gender norms y'all.*

Without my Smoosh obsession, I would have never encountered Head Like A Kite. And if I hadn't been doing research for a piece I wrote for CinemaBlend, I would never have realized that they released another album. Not only that, but this album includes yet another collaboration with Asya from Smoosh. They first joined forces for "Noisy at the Circus", a tune on HLAK's 2006 debut album Random Portraits of the Home Movie, and the follow up is the slightly darker "Daydream Vacation". I honestly can't decide which I prefer, and I hate to admit it... But I think I only really love Head Like A Kite when Asya's singing. Can't they just put her in the band? ::sigh::

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BONER TRACK: HEAD LIKE A KITE f/ ASYA of SMOOSH - Noisy At The Circus (alt)
BONER TRACK II: SMOOSH - Rad (alt)

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -
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* I'm not saying this because girls should be able to play with power tools. I'm saying this because I watched Lizzie McGuire all the fucking time. I have this secret dream that Lalaine (Miranda Sanchez) is going to have an Emancipation of Mimi-style comeback. Remember when she tried to have a music career? Remember when her character committed suicide on a season seven episode of Buffy? Remember when she did CRYSTAL METH? My mind is blown, and I love that this post was an excuse for me to write a whole lot about motherfuckin' Lalaine Vergara-Paras. She's my favorite actress in the history of everything.

fol chen: no wedding cake.

2009-01-16T01:09:00.001-05:00

dl: FOL CHEN - No Wedding Cake (alt)
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Now I was jumping for motherfucking joy when I heard Fol Chen's "No Wedding Cake" last month, so you can understand how I felt when I received an mp3 in my inbox today. I motherfucking jumped for joy again. Ten times.

And that was just the beginning. While the video for "The Believers" was totally deep and interesting, it can't hold a damn candlestick in comparison to the "No Wedding Cake" video. All the whack-ass bloggers creaming their panties over that whack-as-fuckin'-ass Fever Ray video need to check themselves. This is the best indie video of 2009 so far.

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- SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

yung trev + m.i.a: bonafide hustla

2009-01-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

dl: YUNG TREV f/ M.I.A. - Bonafide Hustla (alt)

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"Hump-Hop Hooray" is the latest regular series here. Every Wednesday, I'll be bringing you a different hip-hop track, new or old, for your hump day consideration.

I don't normally like to post tracks that I don't enjoy, but I felt like this is one that deserves to be discussed. I'm not crazy about Maya and Santi being adopted as hip-hop's hottest gals to sample. While I know it's a great way for artists like T.I. and Jay-Z to get serious hype from the indie-blog world, those samples were annoying as fuck. Seriously. "Paper Planes" was a great fucking song, but I dread hearing the line "No one on the corner got swagga like us" every time I hear it. That's not even considering that the term "swagga" somehow sound as dated as "homie"...

But I digress. Yung Trev is the latest rapper to jump on the M.I.A.-sampling bandwagon. His flow isn't particularly impressive, at best reflecting a second-rate Too $hort, but I have to give him credit for taking the initiative to sample something aside from the "swagga" line. When I say that "he" took the initiative, I literally mean that he produced this track.

Now, I don't like this beat. I don't like his flow. I don't ever want to listen to this song. But I do think that sampling the line "bonafide hustla making my name" was a smart move, with the potential to provide a relatively timeless hip-hop reference instead of latching onto trendy slang. ::sigh:: If only his production skills and lyrical skills could match his ideas.

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siik: single ladies remix.

2009-01-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

dl: Single Ladies (siik remix) (alt)

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I made the exciting graphic you see above for work a while back, and I've been looking for an excuse to repost it. Thankfully, Mixtape Maestro reminded me that I should never take my eyes off of siik.org, posting an excellent "remix" of "Single Ladies".

I say "remix" since Siik's work leans more towards blend or mash-up. It's all either hit or near-miss, but the good ones make you hear songs in entirely different ways. Placing Sasha up in the club with Talib Kweli gives the song a bit of an Amerie vibe, and I mean that in the most complimentary way.

Don't forget to check out Siik's takes on T-Pain & Brandy. They're also delicioso, even if the woozy Weezy part is cut out of the former.

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BONER TRACK: Can't Believe It (siik remix) (alt)
BONER TRACK II: I Wanna Be Down (siik remix) (alt)
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- SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

cof cof: third.

2009-01-04T21:07:00.002-05:00

dl: COF COF - Third (alt)

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Listen up. I have an extremely important announcement--we have to make Cof Cof famous immediately. The Spanish duo recently revealed that they are actually a trio, and their third member is being held captive until the world recognizes how awesome they are. The "third" is kept in a dark room slaving away to create the hot jams that Ana and Alex take credit for.

This is the premise of "Third", the latest track by Valencia's electro darlings. The song doesn't evoke the carefree summer sound of "Forbidden Cocktail" or "Caribbean Boy", but releasing a song like that in the middle of winter would be totally depressing. However, the sounds aren't drastically different from anything you'd hear on Who Said Party?, and the theme reflects their consistent sense of humor and quirkiness.

When I was working on the short-lived Audience Critic blog (bringing it back in '09!), I attended Cof Cof's show at Lit Lounge with the intention of writing a critique of their audience. I even took notes on a napkin, and if I will write that damn piece if I ever find said napkin. Why am I bringing this up? Well, even if I was paying a lot of attention to the audience, I did happen to notice that Cof Cof were the two cutest people on this entire planet. For that reason, I wish them fame and glory. And if they achieve it, I am going to be shocked as fuck when I discover their whole "joke" about a third member wasn't a joke at all...

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BONER TRACK: COF COF - T-Shirt (alt)
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- SPACE IT - LAST IT - HYPE IT -

muffy: gone hate.

2008-12-29T21:43:00.004-05:00

dl: MUFFY - Gone Hate (alt)
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Two things I try to never do--post videos and be "that guy" who posts conversations with his co-blogger. Whatever, this sums up the entire song. I love Muffy so hard.

JJ: Muffy's "Gone Hate". Discuss.
C: BANGLADESH!
JJ: ALL THESE BITCHES THEY HATE ME CAUSE I PUT MY NEW WEAVE IN. I kind of love how bad it is.
C: Muffy and Riskay need to do a track...
JJ: Hahaha, I NEED to be posting Muffy right now. It's what I live for.
CC: ...and they should be roommates, live in a blinged out doublewide.
JJ: Haha
C: I like the beat though.
JJ: I KNOW. I mean, it's Bangladesh.
C: ...and as someone who likes vagina, can i say that video is chock full of very unattractive women.
JJ: Haha, remember when Khia first came out with "My Neck, My Back"?
C: Yeah
JJ: It was so funny...
C: I like the shot of Bangladesh in the john with his mixer...
JJ: ...I don't think there were many chicks in that video...
C: I bet he totally wrote this beat while taking a shit.
JJ: ...but NONE OF THE GUYS were touching her in that video.
C: Hahaha, Khia was probably being a diva..."these n***as is gross." And they were secretly "Thank god."
JJ: Saving herself for Weezy
C: I like how he's drinking out of a glass from Target. I totally have those glasses.
JJ: Hah, ballerrrr.
C: Seriously. They're the discount glasses from Target, like the low end glass ones. Ten bucks for four.
JJ: Didn't he get a check for "A Milli"? Seriously. Guess he's just thrifty.
C: Hey, we're in a recession. Even ballas gotta cut back.

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ben one: never leave my girl remix.

2008-12-29T20:54:00.007-05:00

dl: BEN ONE f/ TWISTA & SLY POLAROID - Never Leave My Girl (remix) (alt)
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Remember when I wrote about Ben One's "Never Leave My Girl"? Can someone explain to me why it isn't fucking huge yet? I can only hope that this remix will take Ben one step closer to national domination, but I suppose I'm being far too optimistic. The remix is a complete revamp of the original, not just a new beat. It's "aight".

Just as I was wondering who the hell this Sly Polaroid character is, a vintage Kanye West track featuring him popped up on Nah Right. M ust be a Chi-town thing.

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- BUY IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

general elektriks + pigeon john: crush.

2008-12-27T09:21:00.001-05:00

dl: GENERAL ELEKTRIKS f/ PIGEON JOHN - Crush (alt)
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I walked into "Crush" having no idea what to expect, and my mind was blown as I encountered a sample of "When Doves Cry". Purple Rain ranks in my unofficial top ten albums of all time, to the degree that it may even be number one. This should have been so wrong. BEYOND WRONG.

Funny thing. I wanted to believe that the first time I listened to the song--I shouldn't like this, so I won't. But the pure "WTF" factor kept drawing me back in, and by the fourth time I was pumping my fist along and all skepticism was diminished.

Pigeon John embodies a less annoying version of will.i.am. His charm rests in his self-awareness of his loser-like tendencies, while will.i.am thinks he's the shit when he's quite the opposite. Like, he's so the opposite of the shit that he's constipation.

But I digress. Pigeon John's chorus of "I got no game, no game, no game at all" seems like an anthem for scrubs and chumps, but anyone who's ever had a crush can relate. You're at a party and the cutest motherfucker walks past you. They go chill with some friends, and you're sitting there sipping your drink, peeking back over and waiting for your moment to introduce yourself. You start thinking of crazy schemes to get your future boo's attention, but by the time you've worked out your diabolical plan... they're walking away hand-in-hand with someone else! No one else at the party is really doing it for you, so you start thinking you might as well, er, do it to yourself. Masturbate, I'm talking about masturbation. But no matter how much you wank it out, you'll never be able to wank out those thoughts of your crush. Pathetic, but c'est la vie. Pigeon John knows your pain. But only Pigeon John.

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT / BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT -

winter of our discontent: the itms!! winter mixtape.

2008-12-26T10:11:00.001-05:00

Am I the only nerd who gets really annoyed when people misuse the phrase "winter of our discontent"? It doesn't mean that things are fucking sad, assholes. Winter = END, therefore the phrase means "now is the end of our unhappiness". All the bullshit was made into a glorious summer, and everything got totally awesome. What don't you get about that? While we're at it, "wherefore art thou" means "why are you", as in "Romeo, oh Romeo, why the fuck do you gots to be Romeo? Shit would be mad easier if you wasn't." Now that I've gotten my Shakespeare lesson out of my system, let's continue...

EDIT: Apparently my high school English teacher was a dirty liar. Susan "You Can't B. Serious" Anthony of Surfing the Third Wave has chimed in with her scholarly take on the phrase:

"Actually, 'winter of our discontent' is a negative. The original Shakespeare goes, 'Now is the winter of our discontent/Made glorious summer by this son of York."'As in, 'We Yorks were so discontent during Henry VI's reign that it was like winter, but now it's summer because my brother's on the throne.' So, it is usually misread, since people cut off the second part of the line, but while the line is positive, 'winter' is still negative, a period of discontent."

Sort of negates the theme a bit, but it doesn't change the fact that the music is fucking fantastic.

One of my favorite songs of 2008 was Passion Pit's "Better Things", eventually released on the Chunk of Change EP. It goes a little something like this--"Baby don't be unhappy, Baby don't be sad. Better things are coming, I swear there's truth in that." Those lyrics came to me when I really needed to hear them, and I feel like that sentiment (more than ever) needs to echo throughout the world. Though the song doesn't appear below, it provided inspiration for my choices. For those who are wary of being overly optimistic, keep in mind that most of the songs are for the purpose of catharsis.

Without further ado (about nothing), I present to you the ITMS!! winter mixtape. Did somebody say mixtape? Yes. Each side lasts for under 30 minutes and could literally be recorded onto a C60 cassette tape. This was really important to me for some reason, even though I have no intent to bring cassettes back.

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SIDE A (DOWNLOAD ZIP OF THIS SIDE)
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1. Y LA BAMBA - Alida St. (alt): I am totally gay for Luz Elena Mendoza's voice and her band Y La Bamba. If I got stranded in winter for my entire life and could only bring one album, there's no doubt that it'd be Alida St. And if I lived in Portland, there's no doubt that I'd be at every Y La Bamba show. (BUY IT - SPACE IT)

2. GHOST BEES - Vampires of the West Coast (alt): If whoever banished me to live in winter forever was nice enough to let me bring two albums, I would also bring Ghost Bees' Tasseomancy. Twin sisters Sari and Romy Lightman have vocals that just melt together and simultaneously melt my heart with the sorrowful tales they weave. (BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT)

3. LOCAL NATIVES - Airplanes (alt): Considering that the lead singer annunciates every single other word in this song, it frustrates me that I can't tell whether the chorus states "I want you back" or "I want you bad". In fact, it might be both. I choose to revel in the ambiguity--the singer was feeling such strong emotions that he couldn't even finish his words. (SITE IT - SPACE IT - FACE IT - HYPE IT)

4. WOULD-BE-GOODS - Vivre Sa Vie (alt): I don't know French, but I bet this song is very deep and interesting. (BUY IT - SITE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT)

5. MARCHING BAND - Make No Plans (alt): I first fell in love with Marching Band from an early version of "Travel In Time". To my surprise, their album Spark Large isn't very wintry at all, but this song makes the cut. I'm not sure why the mp3 cuts out at the end, but let's just pretend it's quirky and cute, eh? (BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT)

6. DARK DARK DARK - Trouble No More (alt): I feel so lame saying that this is one of the "darker" moments of the mixtape, but it actually is. (BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT)

7. AVIARY GHOST - Somewhere Else (alt): This is proof that things are going to get better. After receiving a promo e-mail, I got sad that I couldn't afford to buy Aviary Ghost's Memory is a Hallway. In writing this post, I discovered that the album is free if you sign up for their e-mail list. Best late Christmas present ever! (BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - FACE IT - HYPE IT)

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SIDE B (DOWNLOAD ZIP OF THIS SIDE)

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1. THE NEW UP - Just Because (alt): ES Pitcher's voice is reminiscent of the great female pop-rock vocalists of the '90s--Shirley Manson, Courtney Love, Gwen Stefani, and a part of me likes to think that she'd spit on me for saying that. Can't get enough. (BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT)

2. THE LUCKSMITHS - A Sobering Thought (Just When One Was Needed) (alt): Though this song has the word "sober" in the title, all I want to do is get drunk with a group of friends and sing along. This would require me having friends who actually knew the words, but I'd settle for everyone mumbling through as long as we all put our arms around one another and jumped around a bit. (BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT)

3. MONSTERS ARE WAITING - I Wanna Be Adored (alt): I don't know why, but this song gets a lot sexier with a female vocalist. Perhaps it's just the arrangement. Is it sacrilege to say I like this more than the original? Probably. (BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT)

4. THE BPA f/ EMMY THE GREAT - Seattle (alt): Holy shit. Best song ever. I've loved Emmy ever since "My Party Is Better Than Yours", and it's great to hear her conquer a poppier sound. (BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT)

5. ITS A BUFFALO - Marbles (alt): This is a song about losing your marbles (for when you want to indulge a little in your craziness). It makes me want to dance like a Muppet so hard. (BUY IT - SPACE IT)

6. THE CONTOURS - First I Look at the Purse (alt): The Contours may not be the most famous of Motown's all-male groups, but they had a huge hit with "Do You Love Me?" "Purse" was a modest hit, and is mostly known by the J. Geils Band's cover. Thanks to Funky16corners for this one! (BUY IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT)

unicorn basement: necrophile.

2008-12-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

dl: UNICORN BASEMENT - Necrophile (alt)
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This is the third installment of WTF (Weird Tuesday Finds). If you missed the previous posts, let me bring you up to speed. This series of posts will chronicle the stranger songs that land in my lap. I'll take the good, I'll take the bad, but either way... I'll be sharing the weird with you. Bear with me, kids.

This is a song about a necrophiliac being seduced by his corpse. Apparently this is how Minnesota gets down.

After coming across the equally-awesome-named Kitten Forever, I desperately wanted to like Unicorn Basement. I can't help it! You can easily gain my attention by saying "dinosaur", "unicorn" and "kitten". Given this logic, you'd think I'd be equally drawn to a song called "Catch A Rainbow", right? Well, somehow I went for the song about a randy mortician, and while I could tell you that I merely like this song for the novelty of it, I actually think it's catchy as hell. Just don't let it put any ideas into your head...

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- BUY IT - SPACE IT -

fol chen: believers.

2008-12-22T22:51:00.003-05:00

dl: FOL CHEN - The Believers (Clifford Lidell remix) (alt)
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From the moment I first heard Fol Chen's "Cable TV", I thought I had died and gone to indie-pop heaven. So you can imagine my confusion when I received a link for the video of "The Believers". The song was much darker than what I would have expected. Especially from a band who made a song about dancing in underwear that references Janet Jackson's "When I Think Of You". The vid was extremely engaging on an aesthetic level, and the song wasn't bad... it just surprised me.

I enjoy the mystery of Fol Chen. I'm in love with a band, and I don't even know what any of them look like (I mean, if they're ugly, I totally can't like them, right?). Based on these dramatically different songs, I have no idea what their signature sound is or if they even have one. Will the album flow at all? Will I pass go and collect two-hundred dollars? I'm on the edge of my fucking seat here.

Also, why is "No Wedding Cake" so damn good even though it's so damn repetitive? I am going to lose some hairs waiting for this album to drop.

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BONER TRACK: FOL CHEN - The Believers (alt)
BONER TRACK II: FOL CHEN - Cable TV (alt)
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- SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

niamaj: yagotta.

2008-12-17T23:52:00.003-05:00

dl: NIAMAJ - Yagotta (alt)
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This week's edition of Hump-Hop Hooray is short but sweet. A man's got to sleep, ya heard?

Um, why haven't a lot of people paid more attention to the Plug Music Label? I'm pretty obsessed with Niamaj's 2005 song "Yagotta" with it's ol' skool didactic rhymes and jazzy Tribe Called Quest vibe. Based on Niamaj's space profile, it seems like he's no longer working with the label, but I'd honestly be satisfied if this was the only song he ever recorded. The majority of his new material is a little harder edged, not necessarily my cup of tea. With that said, it's nice to see him experimenting with different sounds. Do you, Niamaj! Get that check.

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BONER TRACK: NIAMAJ - Yagotta (Raindrops Remix) (alt)
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- BUY IT - SPACE IT -

the smurfs: all i want for christmas is a smurf hat.

2008-12-15T23:26:00.003-05:00

dl: THE SMURFS - All I Want For Christmas Is A Smurf Hat (alt)
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This is the second installment of WTF (Weird Tuesday Finds). If you missed the first post, let me bring you up to speed. This series of posts will chronicle the stranger songs that land in my lap. I'll take the good, I'll take the bad, but either way... I'll be sharing the weird with you. Bear with me, kids.

All Mariah Carey wants for Christmas is you, but The Smurfs don't give a fuck about your damn ass. They just want a Smurf hat.

I was worried that I would have a WTF track to share with you this week, but then my friend randomly sent this track from The Smurfs' 1997 album Christmas Party. When I say "Smurfs", I mean the little blue dudes from the eighties with the white hats. I swore I had a Christmas album by them back in my days of youth, but I don't recall these creepy dual pitch-shifted vocals. Can we talk about the line, "And when he puts it on he feels so trendy, cause wearing one is really where it's at"?

Okay, now listen to this song again and imagine that "Smurf hat" is a euphemism for condom. It's like putting "in bed" at the end of fortune cookies. It's predictable and sometimes it doesn't make sense, but there's always a bit of a LOL factor, no? Love it.

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BONER TRACK: THE SMURFS - Christmas With The Smurfs (alt)

shunda k: what is love + afterparties

2008-12-14T15:19:00.003-05:00

dl: SHUNDA K of YO! MAJESTY f/ ROSETTA STONED - What Is Love (alt)

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I've seen Shunda K of Yo! Majesty perform at least three times within the past year, and she seems to improve and become more comfortable with the stage every time. It's not as if she wasn't an amazing performer from the beginning, though I noticed some new shine the last time I saw her at Santos Party House. It may have something to do with the fact that her fiancé was present in the venue, as this was the first time I could practically see the love in the room---the love for the music, for the fans, for life and the list goes on. And I don't know about you, but I want to see that love dispersed nationally, globally and universally. Martians get down!

Wanna help spread the love? Shunda's looking for venues that can hold 150-200 peeps to set up after-parties for every Yo! Majesty show. Whether you're a promoter, club-owner or just a regular Joe who happens to be in the know, send an e-mail to shundak@gmeqca.com if you have any leads or could help at all. Dates and locations can be found on myspace but here's a short list of locations:

Australia: Phillip Island - Sydney - Melbourne
Belgium: Brussels
Denmark: Copenhagen
France: Paris - Robaix - Strasbourg - Nantes
Germany: Berlin
Netherlands: Amsterdam - Rotterdam
Norway: Oslo
Sweden: Malmo - Stockholm
Switzerland: St. Gallen - Zurich - Geneva - Berne
UK: Newcastle - Leeds - Sheffield - London - Bristol - Brighton - Wolverhampton - Liverpool - Manchester - Edinburgh - Glasgow - Nottingham - Dublin
USA: Austin, TX - Denton, TX - Houston, TX - New Orleans, LA - Miami, FL - Orlando, FL - Atlanta, GA - Raleigh, NC - Washington DC - Philadelphia, PA - New York, NY - Boston, MA - Pittsburgh, PA - Detroit, MI - Chicago, IL - Minneapolis, MN - Milwaukee, WI - Iowa City, IO - Denver, CO - Salt Lake City, UT - Seattle, WA - Portland, OR - San Francisco, CA - Los Angeles, CA - San Diego, CA

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- SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

boner4mgmt: glitter penis photo surfaces.

2008-12-12T10:00:00.000-05:00

dl: GLITTER PENIS - Angel Food (alt)
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Andrew VanWyngarden may be the "cool" member of MGMT, but an ITMS!! reader just sent me this dorktastic photo of him performing with his high school buddy Dan Treharne as Glitter Penis. For more tracks by Glitter Penis, see the archives here or check out their site.

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- SITE IT - LAST IT - HYPE IT -

mya: it's all about me.

2008-12-12T00:33:00.004-05:00

dl: MYA f/ SISQO - It's All About Me (alt)

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Take It Back Thursday...uh, is a little late this week. I suppose since this is the first time I've done this, I could have just called it Take It Back Friday, but let's not get into that. In this series of posts, I will be covering songs of the past, which I will loosely define as anything from the 1930s to last year. Because sometimes it just gets damn boring writing about new shit. When possible, I will try to give updates on where the artist's career is now.

Mya's voice first reached our ears on the chorus of the 1998 single "Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)", but her first proper release as a solo artist was the Sisqo-assisted bedroom jam "It's All About Me". I'll never forget the tone which she delivers the opening lines, "I cook your dinner, I wash your clothes. Baby hell no, that's not the way it goes. It's all about me tonight." When paired with the video's visuals of that red mini-skirt and Ms. Harrison's seductive dance moves, it was enough to make any 13 year-old boy's mind wander. I mean, she was basically making love to the air around her in a way that makes the phrase "making love" not sound revolting.

As far as vocals go, Mya's most memorable moments are her sexiest--"It's All About Me", "My Love Is Like...Wo!". Of the three singers featured on 2001's "Lady Marmalade", Mya blatantly has the weakest voice after Pink and Christina Aguilera, but she naturally slips into the burlesque role by playing up her sex kitten image. None of the three singles ("Ayo", "Lock U Down", "Ridin") released to promote Mya's 2007 album Liberation managed to recapture this carnal magic, and I indirectly consider this the reason the album was shelved in the US.

After severing her ties with Motown, Mya has signed to Manhattan Records and recently released Sugar & Spice in Japan. The new album finds Mya destroying Diana King's "Shy Guy", relying far too much on cheesy dance tracks and trying to bring her sexy back with the Ne-Yo penned "Paradise". It leaves me wondering what would have happened if Sisqo had never gone solo and made the "Thong Song", leaving him more time to produce sultry songs for Mya and less time to host Sisqo's Shakedown.

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BONER TRACK: MYA - Shy Guy (Diana King cover) (alt)

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - WIK IT - HYPE IT -

kalenna: settle down.

2008-12-10T00:08:00.000-05:00

dl: KALENNA - Settle Down (alt)

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"Hump-Hop Hooray" is the latest regular series here. Every Wednesday, I'll be bringing you a different hip-hop track, new or old, for your hump day consideration.

A supposedly anonymous voice in the intro to "Settle Down" asks several times "Who is she?", only to be followed up by a slightly angry response--"Kalenna!" It's said in a matter of fact "duh" way, as if you're stupid for not having figured it out by now. But when you think about it, it's a relatively accurate demonstration of Kalenna's celebrity status. Even if someone told you a song was by her, you'd still have no idea who they're talking about. While I'd love to say that Kalenna deserves national recognition as soon as tomorrow, the most I can say at this moment is that she possesses untapped potential that needs to be realized... hopefully, as soon as tomorrow.

"Settle Down" provides the clearest example of Kalenna's conceivable career. It's unique in the sense that it's entirely rapped, while the majority of her offerings fall into the category of mid-tempo R&B. As this is a mixtape track, it's possible she was just fucking around with her producer and having fun. Whatever the case is, the attitude portrayed on "Settle Down" is ten times more intriguing than the rest of her repertoire. While I wouldn't complain if Kalenna changed directions and went entirely hip-hop, I think she should at least consider lending her voice to an uptempo jam where she delivers rhymes (a la Mary J. Blige's rap alter-ego Brook Lynn).

Favorite moment: "I'm twenty-two, and I ain't got no stretch marks!"

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- SPACE IT -

jill: wordy rappinghood.

2008-12-09T01:28:00.004-05:00

dl: JILL - Wordy Rappinghood (Tom Tom Club cover) (alt)

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Welcome to the first installment of WTF, "Weird Tuesday Find". In this series of posts, I'll be exploring the stranger songs that land in my lap. I'll take the good, I'll take the bad, but either way... I'll be sharing the weird with you. Bear with me, kids.

Jill Vidal is the twin sister of Janice Vidal, a Hong Kong pop star famous enough to be immortalized in wax at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong. Jill has found a minor amount of success on her own, but she's ultimately the "other sister" (and not in the Juliette Lewis kind of way, silly). She's like the Ashley to Janice's Mary-Kate! But I digress.

Jill's latest album Jillympics came out on August 8th of this year, the same date as the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics 2008. The majority of the songs appear on her previous releases Hit Me and Diamond Love. When I first saw that the Tom Tom Club's "Wordy Rapppinghood" was on the tracklist, I got worried. How could she not ruin this song? Especially after what she did with Harold Faltermeyer's "Axel F"!

I am eating my words right now. Well, at the very least, I am eating those thoughts. While Jill's version of "Wordy Rappinghood" can't hold a torch to the original, I'm almost positive that if I had intentionally mislabeled this track as CSS, 90% of ITMS!! readers wouldn't notice that this isn't Lovefoxx on vocals. This tramples Chicks on Speed's cover of "Wordy Rappinghood" on so many levels. Surprisingly, I can't stop listening to this, and I'll even forgive the saxophones.

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BONER TRACK: JILL - Axel F (alt)

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - WIK IT -

death to the throne: yeah yeah yeahs remix.

2008-12-08T00:02:00.000-05:00

dl: YEAH YEAH YEAHS - Poor Song/Porcelain (Death to the Throne remix) (alt)

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The moment this remix of "Poor Song" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs began with the words "Get money!", I knew I was going to love it. I like to imagine that this was the thought running through Karen O's brain as she signed her contract with Interscope and "Maps" crossed over to a mainstream audience.

You'd rarely hear me complaining that a song is too short, but Death to the Throne's electro rework of "Poor Song" clocks in at 2:33 and leaves me wanting more. It's easily the most successful of his remixes, taking the slow-paced original to an unexpected place on the dance floor. And I'm not saying that his other remixes are shit. Quite the opposite! His takes on Rye Rye, Chromeo, Birdman & Lil Wayne and M83 make it clear that he's a remixer to watch in 2009. Download the whole set over on the space.

Props to my adopted little blog-brother over at terf-work for putting me up on this!

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BONER TRACK: BIRDMAN & LIL WAYNE f/ T-PAIN & RICK ROSS - Know What I'm Doin' (Death to the Throne remix) (alt)

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- SPACE IT -

erykah badu: unofficial "soldier" remix contest.

2008-12-07T15:36:00.003-05:00

dl: ERYKAH BADU - Soldier (acappella) (alt)

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I've seen New Amerykah, Pt. 1 (4th World War) on quite a few "best of" lists for 2008, and while I'll say that it definitely deserves a spot on every one of those lists, I'm not about to fuck with making any "best of" lists. It is what it is!

But you know what isn't what it is, or at least what it should be? The acappella for "Soldier". I find it hard to believe that I have this acappella on my computer, yet I haven't seen a single remix of the song with more than the original track and some random rapper adding rhymes. This needs to change.

Now that the Little Pictures remix contest deadline has passed, I'll be holding an unofficial Erykah Badu remix contest because "Soldier" is too good to not receive the proper remix treatment. The prize ain't much more than glory and your own customized ITMS!! badoodle, but maybe there's a chance that Erykah will hear your remix. Badu spends half of her time in Brooklyn, so if I open my windows and play your remix loud enough... maybe she'll just happen to be passing by? Let's not act like stranger things haven't happened.

Deadline is January 5, 2009. Send submissions to itisthemoneyshot.info(at)gmail.com. Anything goes. Bring it.

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BONER TRACK: ERYKAH BADU - Honey (Luminfire's Letroset Erykazoo Blend) (alt)

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT -

poptastic: hold me.

2008-12-06T21:45:00.003-05:00

dl: POPTASTIC - Hold Me (alt)

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I should say that I extremely enjoy Poptastic as a concept. It sounds good on paper--a co-ed group channeling the '90s boy-band era sound and electronically mangling the resulting songs beyond recognition. Awesome. I like to indulge in the occasional shameful boy-band tune. And if I have a legitimate excuse to embrace this indulgence in a way that involving some artistic merit and a little less shame, then sign me up! That's the thing. I want to love Poptastic so much, but some of the songs are a little too mangled for my liking. With that said, I need to give Poptastic major props for their hilarious website, where you can download desktop wallpaper's of your favorite band member that resemble fan-made High School Musical livejournal icons.

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BONER TRACK: POPTASTIC - Are You Happy? (alt)

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

sgt. sass: drop the glass.

2008-12-03T20:11:00.003-05:00

dl: SGT. SASS - Drop The Glass (alt)

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After releasing the Double S 4 Mayor mixtape over a year ago, Sgt. Sass are following it up with a new EP entitled Body Rock. "Drop The Glass" (produced by Steven Bloodbath) is the first song off the EP to reach the world's ears, and it's joined by "Demonstrate", a b-side sampling the guitar riff from Hole's "Celebrity Skin". Both tracks epitomize the party-laden theme of Body Rock, but don't think that every song on the EP will fit into the same sonic soundscape as these two. The title track has a little bit of an ol' skool vibe with crazy electronic elements stitched in, and the poppier sound of "Never Again" will have you doing some crazy elbow dances. Or at least it'll have me doing some crazy elbow dances.

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BONER TRACK: SGT. SASS - Demonstrate (alt)

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- SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

ashley breathe: single ladies remix.

2008-11-23T11:00:00.007-05:00

dl: Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) (Ashley Breathe remix) (alt)

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It's a shame that my favorite apocalyptic remixer GotdioN appears to be hibernating, as I'd imagine his take on Beyonce's "Single Ladies" would magnify the angry woman power vibe of the original. Luckily I came across Ashley Breathe's take on the tune, the over-caffeinated sister to Tricky Stewart's track.

You may remember producer and songstress Ashley Breathe from "Body and Soul", a track that was mistaken as a Britney Spears comeback track a while back. After listening to tracks off of Brit's new album Circus back to back with some of Breathe's tracks, it's clear that Ms. "Queen of Pop" Spears could learn a thing or two about confidence from dear ol' Ashley.

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BONER TRACK: ERYKAH BADU - Bag Lady (GotdioN remix) (alt)

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- SPACE IT -

hundreds and thousands: bmx.

2008-11-22T16:44:00.002-05:00

dl: BMX - Theme to BMX (Hundreds and Thousands remix) (alt)

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You may recall how obsessed I am with BMX. If you don't it's probably because I've never managed to put it into writing. While they may have only released three original songs and one remix, I feel like they were all tailor-made for my ears. Hence my obsession.

Now, I should probably mention one loophole in my obsession: I am not too crazy about people remixing BMX. I'm like an overprotective mother that doesn't like when you hold her baby. Even so, when I initially saw BIGSTEREO's post on BMX remixes, I almost came in my pants in anticipation of getting them in my ears. However, my music-boner was quickly killed when I realized that these remixes could never live up to the originals.

I finally started to find some enjoyment in BMX being remixed thanks to the 1928 Diamondback remix of "Theme to BMX", yet it wasn't until hearing Hundreds and Thousands remix of the tune that I truly fell for a BMX remix. The glory in the songs BMX has currently released is the story and dialogue within. While H&T, much like the preceding remixers, doesn't manage to maintain that story, it's clear from the 55-second instrumental introduction that there was no intention of doing so. In fact, less than half of the song includes lyrics from the original, and the conclusion of the H&T remix is actually the beginning of the original. It's almost as if it's a tribute to the original, which somehow triggers my "overprotective mother senses" to throw my babies at Hundreds and Thousands. Because I know that they'll catch my baby. And turn it into a pretty rad remix? Yes.

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BONER TRACK: BMX - Theme to BMX (alt)

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- SPACE IT - HYPE IT / SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

little pictures: remix contest extension.

2008-11-17T13:48:00.000-05:00

The Little Pictures "This House Can Fit Us All" remix contest deadline has been extended to December 7, 2008 due to a zshare problem and a last-minute endorsement from BIGSTEREO. What do you have to lose? Nothing. What do you have to gain? A vague mystery prize! Download the original song and remix kit here.

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- BUY IT - SPACE IT - FACE IT - HYPE IT -

mastermynd: wow.

2008-11-17T13:19:00.000-05:00

dl: MASTERMYND - WOW (Z)
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On first glance, I wouldn't pay much attention to MasterMynd for the simple fact that I'm not a big fan of his name. The mid-word capitalization combined with the misspelling of "mind" just screamed amateur to me. Mama always told me to not judge a book by it's cover, but she never told me not to judge a rapper by their name.

With that said, MasterMynd's latest EP A Wonderful Mynd finds the Jersey rapper rhyming over productions by 9th Wonder with a swagger recalling Lupe Fiasco (if Lupe weren't such a tool). Occasionally the flow can get a little lost in 9th Wonder's laid-back productions, but Mynd's full potential is clear on "WOW. The concept of the song is the standard "I'm doing your girl better than you can", but there's a consistency that doesn't scream amateur to any degree. Basically, this isn't your typical myspace rapper bullshit. This is true emcee shit.

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BONER TRACK: MASTERMYND - Ease Ya Mynd (Z)
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disasteradio: awesome feelings.

2008-11-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

dl: DISASTERADIO - Awesome Feelings (Z)
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I've never wanted to do drugs more than when I watched Disasteradio's "Awesome Feelings" video. Sirius Lee Jones. If I could get extremely high on a desert island and only take one video with me, I'd choose "Awesome Feelings" over the Care Bears movie or Fraggle Rock.

If you've ever wanted to dance on a cheeseburger, Disasteradio is where it's at.

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- SITE IT - SPACE IT -

rope chain $piller kidz: super chain herope

2008-11-11T09:20:00.003-05:00

dl: ROPE CHAIN $PILLER KIDZ - Super Chain HeRope (Z)
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Swanzy, Margreezy, and Bishara rep for the UK with a sound they designate as a mix of "old skool garage, grime, hip-hop" with a "splash of indie, rock, pop, trance, funk". As the Rope Chain $piller Kidz, they rock a style akin to Run DMC meets Gossip Girl (with a dash of neon). I almost thought that their giant dookie chains were a little gimmicky, but then I thought to myself that the world could use a few more musical groups that could double as gangs in The Warriors. And with influences like Salt 'N Pepa, Queen Latifah, TLC, Naughty By Nature and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, it's not about gimmicks as much as taking it back to a time when hip-hop was more fun.

"Super Chain HeRope" is essentially the group's unofficial theme song, on which the three ladies bust out simple ol' skool flows over an electro-grime track. I'm not one to be lured in by British accents, yet there's something charming about the Spiller Kidz' conversational style.

The group seems relatively new, but with a track featuring Afrikan Boy (as heard on M.I.A.'s "Hussel" and Da Drought 3) they seem to be in good company. And while today they still may be fabulous and undiscovered, I can't imagine them staying underground for much longer.

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BONER TRACK: ROPE CHAIN $PILLER KIDZ f/ AFRIKAN BOY - Call Your Uncle (Z)
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- SPACE IT -

anavan: the perfect sound.

2008-11-10T10:31:00.003-05:00

dl: ANAVAN - The Perfect Sound (Z)
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I wouldn't have survived last week without Anavan. At any point when I got too stressed, I'd pull out my computer, open iTunes, find "The Perfect Sound", press play and repeat as necessary.

I imagine that loyalists to Anavan's punkier roots won't appreciate the extreme dance-pop direction of this tune. Having heard a few select songs from their upcoming album Cover Story, some of you may be relieved to know that "The Perfect Sound" isn't necessarily indicative of Anavan's overall sound.

Beyond their own tunes, Anavan's drummer AB has been doing a variety of remixes including A++, Foot Village, Sgt. Sass, Totally Radd!!, Sophie Nix, Attractive and Popular, kyoka, and Destructo Bunny the International Peace Keeper. The Sgt. Sass remix was runner-up in the No Big Deal remix contest, but personally I think AB was robbed on that one (no offense to Japattack).

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BONER TRACK: SGT. SASS - Take Your Man (ANAVAN remix) (Z)
BONER TRACK II: TOTALLY RADD!! - Cold Moonlight (ANAVAN remix) (Z)
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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - LAST IT - HYPE IT -

boner4mgmt: the glitter penis chronicles continued.

2008-10-29T18:42:00.004-04:00

dl: GLITTER PENIS - So Many Days (Z)
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I keep promising myself that I'm not going to write any MGMT-related posts for a long time after the BONER4MGMT series. I've even been holding off on posting some more Glitter Penis tunes I found on the mgmtfans Livejournal forum. Apparently the powers that be are trying to test me, as I have just received an e-mail from a mysterious character known as Flick Noopy with a link to glitterpenis.com. Upon loading the page, one is greeted by two names (Noopy Stivitz and Loranzo Solo) sandwiching the band's name. Clicking Noopy's name will bring you to his blog--- a collection of drawings, historical figures, IM conversations and macaroni doing the macarena. Clicking on the text below his name brings you to a page where you can enter your e-mail address to receive two full-length Glitter Penis albums entirely free.

For those of you who are just joining us, Glitter Penis is a group that Andrew VanWyngarden of MGMT started with his Memphis/high school friend Dan. They recorded one full-length album entitled River Offices in 2003, narrated by a cowboy named Gordon Johnson. The other album is a collection of "greatest hits" recorded between 1998-2001. All of the recordings vary in quality and awesomeness, but there are a few gems in the mix that hint at the eventual progression of sound of MGMT.

BLOGGER NOTE: While this post is very Andrew-centric, it should be noted that I just discovered that Ben Goldwasser of MGMT is from Westport, NY. My family vacationed and continues to vacation at Lake Champlain off a road between Westport and Port Henry, NY. All I'm sayin' is that it's kind of random.

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BONER TRACK: GLITTER PENIS - Never Been To Earth (Z)
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- SITE IT - LAST IT - HYPE IT -

the pumpsta: don juan.

2008-10-28T13:04:00.004-04:00

dl: THA PUMPSTA - Don Juan (Z)

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I've had Tha Pumpsta on my radar ever since long ago when I wrote about the Black Peter Group. After first hearing him, we had a number of IRL encounters (which include maybe shaking hands while going to a few bars with a group of other people after an Old Gold show and standing near him while he smoked a joint at a venue which will remain nameless). Basically, we're like best friends now, you know?

Okay, I'm obviously lying since the first time I saw him live was two weeks ago at the OS Arthouse. He'll be performing again tomorrow night at The Annex (152 Orchard Street) with a similar line-up to the October 11th show--- Black Peter Group, Living Days, Bunny Rabbit + Black Cracker, & Shunda K of Yo Majesty (w/ Jerzy). While I missed Black Peter Group at the last show, I did happen to take a shot with Gio and bond over a mutual enemy of ours. Regarding Living Days, one commenter on my post about them wrote, "I know i'm gushing but they really did restore something in me." I can't agree with that sentiment any more. I can't even begin to express my love for Bunny and Black Cracker, and I did the booty klap so hard last time I saw Shunda K that I was afraid my booty would fall off. What I'm trying to say is... you need to get your ass to this show.

Take a listen to "Don Juan" (produced by Leif) off of Tha Pumpsta's latest project Bass Black Treble White, courtesy of Fanatic Promotion.

EDIT: Benni E is also performing as part of Shunda K's set, so you really need to get your ass to this show.

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BONER TRACK: QUIEVE f/ THA PUMPSTA - Baby I Dig Your Magic Johnson (Z)

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

roy g and the biv: socks on.

2008-10-28T12:55:00.004-04:00

dl: ROY G AND THE BIV - Socks On (Z)

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I don't even understand how Roy G and the Biv have the audacity to be this awesome. From the first few seconds of "Jungle Fever", I was hooked because I half expected Pusha T or Malice of the Clipse to bust out with a verse. When the vocals came in, I felt like I was listening to Justin Timberlake and the lyrics reminded me of that ridiculous Craig David song with the Willy Wonka video ("What's Your Flava?"). Somehow this pop/R&B sensibility is kept up while going into Daft Punk or Chromeo territory a little later in the song. There are points throughout their self-titled EP when I hear a little Phoenix, a little R. Kelly, a little Prince, a little Hall & Oates, but it's always a lot of awesome. This is me whispering in your ear, "Do you want to feel awesome tonight?" This is you not being creeped out and listening to Roy G and the Biv. This is you feeling awesome.

It's been a while since I've been so overwhelmed by a band's awesomeness that I can't even think of synonyms for awesome. Roy G and the Biv's self-titled EP is now available through their page on the space and should be on iTunes soon. I'll be sure to let you know when "soon" is, because you deserve to be awesome.

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BONER TRACK: ROY G AND THE BIV - Somebody's Watching Me

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- BUY IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

of montreal: skeletal lamping.

2008-10-23T17:49:00.003-04:00

dl: OF MONTREAL - Gallery Piece (Z)

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I just copped Of Montreal's latest album Skeletal Lamping off of AmieStreet the other day, and I'm pretty in love with it. I've always had a passive love for Of Montreal, based off of a few songs I've heard here and there. I know, I know. It's a sin that this is the first album I own by them, so give me time to fucking repent and shit, ok?

Since anyone who would care about reading this post probably already has a copy of Skeletal Lamping, I've also included an older remix by Seattle's U.S.E. (United States of Electronica) who need to drop their new album, like, yesterday.

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BONER TRACK: OF MONTREAL - Requiem for OMM2 (U.S.E. remix) (Z)

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - WIK IT - HYPE IT -

niyi: i love you all.

2008-10-15T23:27:00.002-04:00

dl: NIYI - I Love You All (Pick A Doll remix) (Z)

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In the immortal words of the illustrious poets 3LW, "haters are gonna hate". But Niyi isn't having that shit. I came across Niyi's tunes a long time ago when I was writing about the lovely cartoon-obsessed Namalee, and it must have been fate that I stumbled across his page on the space this past weekened to finally have a listen to "I Love You All". While I'm pretty sure that writing about Niyi is so September and the single has been out for some time now, you need to put it in your earholes now.

The original tune has a rockier vibe than most of Niyi's work, fueled by it's anti-hater chorus "I bet you didn't think that I'd be still here. Well, I love you. Yes, I love you all." It's an anthem for anyone who's been told they can't do something, containing equal amounts of optimism and anti-pessimism. It's like watching Akeelah and the Bee, except at the end Akeelah flips everyone the bird and is like "Yall suckers didn't think I could spell like that, eh? Well, fuck all the haters." I'm positive that anyone experiencing the October slumps can get down to this, and they can even take the acappella and make their own version if they can't get down to Niyi's original. I'm a big fan of the mysterious Pick A Doll store's remix of "I Love You All", which takes the original to new heights of optimism and happiness. You can almost picture Niyi laughing in the haters' faces while listening to it, and I like to think that optimism is defined by the thought that one day you'll be able to laugh in the faces of those who said you just couldn't do it.

If you got skills (or even if you don't), you can download the parts of "Amelia" and "I Love You All" to bust out a remix. I encourage you to send it my way, and you're given full permission to laugh in my face if I don't post it and you become totally famous.

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BONER TRACK: NIYI - Amelia (Z)

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- BUY IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

t-pain: pr33 ringz.

2008-10-09T14:15:00.004-04:00

dl: T-PAIN f/ E-40, SOULJA BOY, SHAWTY LO, YOUNG JEEZY, RICK ROSS, LIL WAYNE, & T-WAYNE - Like I Outta (Z)

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Last night a T-Pain saved my life. Seriously. You can say what you want to say about T-Pain, and I understand your frustration. He's been responsible for a handful of the most annoying hits in the past year-- "Low", "Kiss Kiss", and list goes on. With that said, he has also been responsible for a handful of tunes that have breathed new life into me and restored my faith in pop music. I can't explain it, and, no, I can't believe it... but I have a respect for T-Pain that no grown man should admit to.

I know I'm over a month late on this, but I'm sure I'm not the only person who wasn't aware that T-Pain dropped Pr33 Ringz, a mixtape promoting the release of his upcoming album Thr33 Ringz. I once read an interview with T-Pain in which he stated that he only raps when he's feeling angry. Considering the majority of tracks on Pr33 Ringz have him rapping, he really must have been pissed while recording this. Anger can be the only explanation for a line like "That bitch look like a toucan that's eating froot loops at a gay parade" ("Nappy Boy or Die"). As hard as I try to be offended by that, I can't stop laughing at the imagery. This is probably an indication that my T-Pain addiction is reaching problematic levels.

"This all I want you to do with me. Put your drink down, pick it back up, drink it, put it back down, pick it up again, drink it some more, put it down on the bar, slide it across the bar, tell someone to pass you your drink back, pick it up again, put it in my mouth, I'ma take a sip of it, put it back down, I want you to pick it back up, then you take a sip of it, and then both of us drunk as fuck and the person that you slid it to the first time"--- T-Pain's equation for getting drunk, as explained on "Don't Stop The Party"

A line from T-Pain's rap on Ciara's new single "Go Girl" sums up my love for him-- "Even with an IQ of 42, they say I'm a motha, motha genius." I don't care if T-Pain isn't the most intelligent musician out there. I don't care if he's indirectly making America a little dumber. He's a genius in a way that most people don't understand. Just take a listen to "Like I Outta". If you listen closely (okay, you don't have to listen that closely), you'll notice that none of the featured rappers are actually on the track. Given that he could have easily convinced half of them to hop on the track, it seems odd, no? WRONG. Take a listen to the chorus "Grab your microphone, set your autotune, and I'ma bust a verse on your ass like I outta do". This is clearly a commentary on other musicians biting off of his autotune style, so he's stolen the style and (in some cases) voice of rappers to demonstrate his point. Okay, it's not necessarily genius. But it's totally fucking brilliant, and I don't get why more people aren't talking about this track.

Please download Pr33 Ringz immediately so we can discuss how odd and incredible it is. Now.

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BONER TRACK: T-PAIN f/ DJ KHALED - Superman (Z)

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living days: somebody else.

2008-10-08T14:21:00.005-04:00

dl: LIVING DAYS - Somebody Else (Z)

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I'd like to tell you more about Living Days, but I simply don't have much to work with. Apparently the lead singer used to be in this band. They seem to have some sort of affiliation with Tha Pumpsta, Mirror Mirror, White Williams, Man Man, and Bunny Rabbit + Black Cracker. Evidence seems to point out that they've played a few shows with Tha Pumpsta, and they'll be playing together again this weekend at the OS Arthouse (La di Da di Rock da Party, as mentioned in my last post). This show happens to coincide with National Coming Out Day, so at least we know that they're totally cool with gays and if you don't like that you can stop reading this blog, like, now. Oh, I think they also like ghosts.

I couldn't quite figure out what "Somebody Else" reminded me of, so I asked my co-pilot in love, GPK. The answer: the second coming of the Sneaker Pimps (see "Bloodsport" particularly). I can totally agree with this description, given that both "Bloodsport" and "Somebody Else" simultaneously stress me out and make me want to dance a little. Only a little. We both agreed that the vocals were slightly reminiscent of The Cure, but let's not talk about the fact that they're still making music and pretend this is their second coming too.

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BONER TRACK: LIVING DAYS - Go Oblivion (Z)

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benni e: la di da di rock da party.

2008-10-03T18:18:00.003-04:00

dl: BENNI E. - Take These Girls To Church (Z)

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I try to stay away from metablogging about the status of this blog, but an unannounced September hiatus was necessary in the ITMS!! universe. Sorry yall, now we're back...

You may remember Philadelphia rapper Benni E. from a lil ol' post I wrote in April, and now she's gearing up for her NYC debut tomorrow night at the Original Sessions Art House (17 John Street, between Broadway & Nassau). She'll be on at 10PM as part of the band/DJ series La di Da di Rock da Party, hosted by Shunda K of Yo Majesty. This week's party will be a listening session for Yo Majesty's Futuristically Speaking...Never Be Afraid, featuring an eclectic set of performers-- Benni, Old Money Crew, The Vanguard, and Elza. The October 11th line-up is not something to miss with Leif , Bunny Rabbit + Black Cracker, Boy Crisis, Tha Pumpsta, Black Peter Group, Living Days, Stay High, and Leb Laze.

But forget about the party! Well, don't forget about it...go to it. Let's pay attention to the audio in this post. "Take These Girls To Church", affectionately known as "Girls 2 Church", is a cut from Benni E.'s debut mixtape Microphone Influenza. Unlike "Call Me Daddy" or any of the songs you may have heard on I Wanna Fuck Dirty Harry or terf- work, Benni's flow on this track departs from her usual hard-edged faster flow to deliver us from evil in a sing-songy manner. It's a perfect blend of critical, political, and playful. When I saw Benni open for Yo Majesty and Does It Offend You, Yeah? at Johnny Brenda's, the crowd broke out into some church-inspired dances, spinning in circles with their hands in the air testifying. Swagger, charisma...whatever you want to call it. Benni's got it. She's been recording some incredible new material, and I've heard rumors of a new mixtape being in the works. YESSS.

Oh, and remember that time I erroneously posted DJ Orion's remix of Yo Majesty's "Booty Clap" as the original? The tune, actually produced by Basement Jaxx, has been making the rounds lately. Check it below if you haven't already. Reminder: Futuristically Speaking...Never Be Afraid, the debut full-length of Yo Majesty, is now streaming on the space. I'm proud of the girls for finally getting that album out, though a little sad about some tracks that became casualties along the way.

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BONER TRACK: YO MAJESTY - Booty Clap (Z)

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rilo kiley: summer hookup, autumn breakup

2008-09-10T04:58:00.010-04:00

dl: RILO KILEY - Breakin' Up (Z - YSI)

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Some people think it's holding on that makes one strong - sometimes it's letting go.

For a good friend of mine, it used to be about letting go. And for me, it used to be about holding on. Now I'm letting go and he's holding on. We both think we're happy. This one's for him. I gave up on holding on, you should too.

The Loving Hand (the last blog icons without a Myspace) provide the bonus beats of the day, a low slung disco cut that JJS describes as "pushing [his] disco buttons." I consider that a high endorsement, so there you go.

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BONUS BEATS: RILO KILEY - Breakin' Up (The Loving Hand Remix) (Z - YSI)

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little pictures: remix contest.

2008-09-09T12:27:00.004-04:00

dl: LITTLE PICTURES - This House Can Fit Us All (Z)

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It's been a minute or 4 million blogyears since ITMS!! has held a remix contest, so it's time to do it up big with New Zealand's electro-bedroom-pop darlings Little Pictures and their tune "This House Can Fit Us All". The rules are pretty much the same as before. Anyone is eligible, anything goes. What are you waiting for? Download the remix kit below and make some magik happen. Obviously you don't have to use everything included in the remix kit. Hell, submissions can even be covers or reinterpretations.

The rules are a bit different this time around, as the winner will be chosen by the ITMS!! team and ultimately the original musicians. Because apparently, this time around, I think democracy is overrated. A few choice runner-ups will be written up on here, and the grand prize winner will receive...

a signed copy of Owl + Owl.
a temporary place on Little Pictures' myspace player.
a customized ITMS!! badoodle.
A SPECIAL MYSTERY PRIZE!!

Submissions can be sent to itisthemoneyshot.info@gmail.com. Deadline is now December 7, 2008. The winner and all runner-ups will be announced in a series of posts starting in December.

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dl: LITTLE PICTURES REMIX KIT (SHAREBEE)

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leif: cruz ctrl (demo).

2008-09-08T13:35:00.004-04:00

dl: LEIF - CRUZ CTRL (demo) (Z)

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I'm sure most of you don't keep tabs on the blogroll here, and that makes sense. I can hardly keep up with all those blogs myself, you know? With that said, I'd like to direct your attention to a little ol' blog called terf- work. He caught my attention when I saw that he posted a rip of Leif's "CRUZ CTRL", and kept my attention when I realized that he also wrote about the lovely Benni E. In general, the blog's got some great energy for being relatively new and occasionally there's some bad-ass custom-made album artwork. Coincidentally, the blogger happens to be the little brother of one of my acquaintances in Philly, but is it okay if I adopt him as my little blogbrother?

Blog-love festival aside, Leif's "CRUZ CTRL" may just be a demo, yet it's pretty much the best thing that's been posted here, like, ever. Okay, possibly an overstatement, but this is a fucking jam. Until I had a rip, I would visit Leif's page on the space nearly ten times to get geeked up listening to it. And as much as I try to stick to blogger ethics and not post too many things that aren't available for download, this needs to get into as many ears as possible.

Also, be sure to check out the remixes of "Black Magic" and "Timbs" by Stay High, The Touch, Ian Johnson, and KEUKENGEREI.

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BONER TRACK: LEIF - Little Bit (Lykke Li cover) (Z)

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