Blue Scholars - Blue Scholars

Blue Scholars brand of smart, positive hip-hop first caught my ear with their song Fire for the People. This 2004 self-titled album shows the potential of this Seattle based crew. If you like this, check out their 2007 release, Bayani.

Enjoy.

Greenhouse Effect - Columbus or Bust

Greenhouse Effect was Blueprint's hip-hop outlet prior hooking up with RJD2 and putting Columbus on the scene. Columbus or Bust is the 2005 reinvention of this Weightless Records crew since loosing fellow emcee Inkwel to God. Check this out if you like Blueprint, Soul Position or underground hip-hop in general.

Enjoy.

my fave three Stones albums for Kevin

every Stones fan has a favorite version of the band... the Brian Jones years, the Keith 'n' Ronnie playing tug o' war with the rhythm guitar years, the more recent Ameriquest and Budwesier-sponsored stadium tour years? well, maybe not that last one. my fave era is the heyday of the late 60s/early 70s when I think they really earned the honorary title of the greatest rock n roll band in the world. here are Let It Bleed (1969), Sticky Fingers (1971), Exile on Main St (1972)... posted per request from a burgeoning Stones fan.

a few borrowed words on each album...

"Let It Bleed" - An album on which the Stones recover from the death of Brian Jones, which turned out to be, at most, a minor setback. Mick Taylor lends a hand on "Live With Me," the hardest rocker on the album, and "Country Honk," a revival of "Honky Tonk Women" as hillbilly blues. Keith does just fine without the backup for most of the album, from the echo valley intro of "Gimme Shelter" to the extra funky rhythm work of "Monkey Man."

"Sticky Fingers" - Do we really need a seventh minute of "Can't You Hear Me Knocking"? I'll let you be the judge. But if the jamming feels a bit excessive in places, the writing ranks among their finest hours - "Moonlight Mile," "Brown Sugar," "Sister Morphine," "Sway," "Wild Horses," "Bitch," "Dead Flowers." Plus you've got the Andy Warhol conceived album cover with a working zipper that opened to reveal a crotch shot of whitie tighties. What more could you want in an album?

"Exile on Main Street" - That rare double album you wouldn't feel comfortable editing down to 90 minutes. The band has never let it loose with more abandon or authority showing their country, blues, and soul influences... "Let It Loose," a song that could have topped the R&B charts, is a soul ballad worthy of Otis Redding.

Atmosphere – LEAK AT WILL

"hello party people.
as we approach the launch of our new digital online store anthony and myself have put together another project that we are giving away for free to any of you who sign up for a user account on our online store www.FifthElementOnline.com. the project is a 7 song ep called LEAK AT WILL, and it was a lot of fun to make. nothing too serious, just smiles and cries.
consider it another "thank you" for all of the support you have offered us over the years.

and again, thank you very much. have a good summer. s"

fifthelementonline.com/leakatwill

Enjoy.

AC Newman - Get Guilty

no sophomore slump here. AC's second solo album builds on his strong first effort - The Slow Wonder from 2004. he and his band made a strong impression on me at the 400 Bar a few weeks back... lively stage show, entertaining between song banter, hot chicks in the band for admiring. also - if interested, the link below is video footage of a performance on Letterman back in May. enjoy.

AC on Letterman

Free Coldplay

http://www.coldplay.com/lrlrl/lr.html

Here is a link a 9 song E.P. from Coldplay. Its live recordings of familiar stuff, but free is good.

Grizzly Bear, Annimal Collective, Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse, Sonic Youth

Here is some music I have been listing to lately. If I don't post it like this I will never get around to writing a review for each album.

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Animal Collective-Merriweather
Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse-Dark Night of the Soul
Sonic Youth-The Eternal

Prof and St. Paul Slim – Recession Music

There is no lack of fresh hip-hop coming out of the Twin Cities these days. I'm not too familiar with Prof, but St. Paul Slim has been known to associate with both Rhymesayers and Doomtree. The influences in this album are apparent, from Mos Def to Jay-Z, but the style is unique. And true to Twin Cities form, there are plenty of guest MCs including P.O.S. and Slug. Of course, this if just the free download. You'll have to shell out $5 if you want the whole thing.

recessionmusic.com

Enjoy.

Rilo Kiley – Take Offs & Landings

Just before I went to see M. Ward this past April, I was talking with a co-worker about being excited to see The Watson Twins who were opening. I was familiar with The Watson Twins from their album with Jenny Lewis, Rabbit Fur Coat. That got us talking about Rilo Kiley. I said I had heard much from Rilo Kiley so my co-worker lent me this album, Take Offs & Landings. It's all about traveling and riding in airplanes and such. Pretty good alt-country rock. The songs with Jenny on vocals are best. And I really like the album artwork. But then again, I'm a sucker for slide guitar and isometric technical illustration. Put the two together and you have a winner with me.

Oh, and for the recorder, The Watson Twins sucked.

Enjoy.

Silversun Pickups

Just got the new Silversun Pickups album, it's called Swoon. It's pretty solid. People have compared their sound to The Smashing Pumpkins, and while I can see the similarities, they do have their own sound going on.

I also uploaded their first album, it's called Carnavas. If this band is new to you, I would start with that first album. If you dig it, check out the follow-up.

EDIT: I realized a sample might be nice for you guys. This is Lazy Eye, which is off their first album:

Elvis Costello - Secret, Profane and Sugarcane

Why is the best Americana release in the past 5 years by a London Punk Artist and being sold by label that is known more for its coffee then its music?  Why I don't know.  With his latest release, Secret, Profane and Sugarcane, out June 9, Elvis Costello proves he can conquer any type of music.  Really it is not a strech for international art theif Declan MacManus, he has been toying with Americana with albums like Almost Blue, Delivery Man, and Momofuku, but this album produced by T Bone Burnett is full on Americana.  This album could have been made by the Flying Burrito Brothers, or Lyle Lovette.  However know one could do what he does and he makes the music his own.  As Alice Hartzell once said he does an A+ job with a B- voice.  It is true.  

Highlights of the album are Hidden Shame, How Deep is The Red, Sulphur To Sugarcane and Complicated Shadows (a song orginally written for Johnny Cash).  

Well enjoy, and sound off below if you can figure out how Elvis became the savior of Americana

Oh and if you are so inclinded I posted the full copy of Wilco (The Album).  So that is that.  

MGMT--Oracular Spectacular

So, I was roadtripping this weekend, and I finally decided to hop on the MGMT bandwagon. You've heard all these before, and the album is solid. If you don't have it or haven't listened to Time to Pretend, Electric Feel, or Kids, pull this down.

Phoenix--Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Last year I met this French kid (TFK for short) in the pool and we trained together. We found we had an affinity for electornica--daft punk, Justice, and he turned me on to Phoenix. This is their recent album, though the lyrics don't do it for me at all, the beats are fun, and it will be on regular rotation as I bike the city this summer. 1901, Lizstomania, and Girlfriend are fun, but I think my favorite song is the guitar strumming Love Like a Sunset, Pt. II. These guys are coming to the Varsity on June 23rd, and you should come and hop around.

School of Seven Bells--Alpinisms

School of Seven Bells opened for Black Moth Super Rainbow last week at the Triple Rock. BMSR disappointed--I won't go into it--but these two twins rocked the house, forcing us into the back row so our eyeballs didn't bleed. You've probably heard their singles, Chain and Half Asleep, but the whole album is solid. In concert, a lot of it melded together (and it kind of does on the album as well), but it never let us down. Enjoy.

Iron & Wine - Around The Well

I didn't know this was a "B-sides and rarities" album when I bought it. After listening to it, it shows. It's a double album that (like most "b-sides and rarities" albums) doesn't really flow at all. It's not bad, there's some gems in there....and for $8 bucks I can't really complain. But this is for the hardcore Iron & Wine fans only.

At least it has Such Great Heights on it.

Wilco (The Album)

Kevin posted the album.

Phantom Buffalo

A local band from Portland, Maine, but they are starting to make it fairly big.. I know the guitar player, Tim, we drink beers together on Fridays. They played at my buddy's Michael's wedding last summer in Tenants Harbor, and Michael gave out their CD's as a gift. This is what I uploaded.

Les Cowboys Fringants

I found this band when I went to Quebec City a couple times last year.. They are like the Beatles of French Canada.. the people love them up there. I saw them in a packed venue.. everyone in there was going nuts to the music and Labatt's beer.. great atmosphere, so I always think of that when I listen to the album... They definitely don't have an American sound, kind of hokey, but it really grew on me.

State Radio - "Us Against The Crown"

These guys can easily be described as reggae-rock, but don't write them off as a one note act. There's a lot of variety and strong song-writing on this album. I bought this kind of on a whim, and I'm glad I did. It doesn't sound like most of the indie rock I've been into lately, and it's nice to break out of the mold once in a while.

Here's a sample of one of the stronger tracks:

Del The Funky Homosapien

Del's new album "Funk Man (the stimulus package)" is a free download, just go here:

http://delthefunkyhomosapien.bandcamp.com/