Miike Snow - "Paddling Out"

So, I love this. Can't wait for the new Miike Snow album! Happy To You is out March 26.

Awesome Girl Band: First Aid Kit

Just wanted to point out the great Free single of the Week this week in iTunes, "Emmylou" by First Aid Kit. I've had it on constant repeat since downloading it earlier this week. Sorry, not sorry, more Fleet Foxes references - this Swedish band was first noticed after they did an awesome cover of Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" in 2008, which I've posted below. The girls are sisters Johanna and Klara, and their new album is called The Lion's Roar. I love First Aid Kit's website too, it's such a pretty design and they have a bunch of songs posted in their Music section of the site to listen to. I haven't grabbed a copy of the album yet but I plan to! They're on tour at the moment and are coming to the US in late March, a full listing of dates is on the site as well. They're playing Coachella this year, would be great to catch them there!

Greymouth

Oh man! It looks like one of my favorite bands, Fleet Foxes, are breaking up. Today drummer J. Tillman announced that he was leaving the band, and it appears that Christian Wargo and Casey Wescott just signed a deal with Sub Pop as new group "Poor Moon". Well, could have seen this coming honestly. I'm a huge FF fan, but not surprised at all. In the meantime before we hear what these new arrangements will bring, check out this great Finnish lady (Elisa Husu) with echoes of FF's style, Greymouth.

The Boy by Greymouth

top 10 lovely things my ears heard this year

I like Top 10 of [year] lists but after a while they start to all read the same way, don't they? With minute debates over SHOULD [album] BE BETTER RATED THAN [album b], these end of the year things start to bore me. So, here is a list of the best 10 things my ears heard this year (but not necessarily released this year). Apologies if any links are broken.

Here we go, in no particular order:

jj kills
swedes make a killer mixtape featuring the best beats of 2010 (and before) download here. if you haven't listened to it yet you are missing out.

cults cults
i am still kicking myself for missing them in august. refreshing and fun. were they overplayed in the states? this was just a lovely album. download here.

beirut east harlem
the new beirut album was excellent. but i could listen to this song all day (and i did).

hot chip
hot chip is a band that i have had sitting in my itunes for several years and finally i got around to giving them a proper listen. I was blown away. download: one life stand | made in the dark | the warning

frightened rabbit, the midnight organ fight
this is a serious breakup album, but it is like ear-crack. you've been warned. That said, i don't think they're really big in the us - is this a hidden scottish gem? somebody report back. download here, but I'm serious about the ear-crack thing.

lil wayne feat. drake right above it
i think it is no secret that i love obnoxious hip hop (and socially aware hip hop of course) but this is just a fantastic song. drake's new album is good, but I find he's a much better guest than on his own accord.

nicki minaj pink friday (deluxe edition)
i have gushed about nicki minaj here before (& see above comment about obnoxious hip-hop). every time i listen to this album I find more things to love. Download here.

m83 hurry up, we're dreaming
i could probably talk at length why 'midnight city' is a serious contender for song of the year, but there are so many other wonderful moments happening here. i have a secret theory that anthony gonzales is taking the same beats and reversing them and flipping them over & over and it is STILL nice for a full one-and-a-half hours. download it here

wild flag, wild flag
let us not kid ourselves. i like nearly everything related to riot grrl and especially sleater-kinney. 2 members of sleater kinney + 1 member of helium + 1 member of the minders = a band i will probably like no matter what they created. this album rocked just as hard as i hoped it would. download here

chad valley shell suite
i apparently listened to a lot of electronica this year. this is a lovely little tune that i can't stop loving.


HONORABLE MENTIONS:
st vincent cruel / beyonce 4 / cut copy zonoscope / holy ghost! holy ghost! / tune yards whokill* / pj harvey let england shake / the kills blood pressures etc etc.

What were your favorites?
*tuneyards live was easily the best gig i saw this year!

you guys i am working on something for the end of the year - you will see in due time - but i would like to draw everyone's attention to beyonce's amazing song countdown



it is perhaps a little-known fact about me that i take occasional beyonce breaks in my day

i think this is valid use of my time

i don't really care if you think this song is overplayed, because DAMN GIRL.

Feed Your Head

October is one of the best months of the year, in my opinion. Leaves changing, sleeping under a blanket with the windows open, watching creepy movies, preparing for Halloween. There's just this dark mood in the air as we get closer and closer to October 31st. Time for a Halloween playlist on Droolycat!

This playlist is mostly classic rock songs that I love, which are sort of dark. The goal was to create a creepy mood, and I think these songs definitely accomplish that, even though they aren't necessarily Halloween songs. Do you really want me to post The Monster Mash? I didn't think so. Two of the songs I admit, I snagged them from the American Horror Story soundtrack, a song by Mirah and a song by Carina Round. If you watch the show you'll definitely recognize the Mirah track, I think it was in like two episodes. The Carina Round song was in episode two, I believe.

 

Tracks:

1. White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane

This sets the mood for the rest of the list, a classic dark song with psychological themes
2. I Put A Spell On You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Love this song, almost as much as I love the CCR version. This is on many a Halloween playlist, but it is one of my favorites so I can't pass it up
3. Black Magic Woman - Santana

Gotta love the spooky intro to this song, it reminds me of going on a rollercoaster in the dark. Also take a look at the Jefferson Airplane version

4. People Are Strange - The Doors

Lost Boys, anyone? The Doors are a staple for those seeking moody, psychadelic tunes like this for Halloween

 5. Green Grass - Tom Waits

Wonderful atmospheric song

 6. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You - Led Zeppelin

Possibly my favorite Led Zep song, it's hard to make generalizations like that. It just makes me think of someone speeding down a dark highway alone

7. Special Death - Mirah

One of my selections from the American Horror Story soundtrack, love this song

8. Where Is My Mind (Pixies cover) - Maxence Cyrin

This is a nice cover, although the original by the Pixies is obviously awesome and of course I was inspired by the darkness of Fight Club

9. Crazy (Gnarls Barkley cover) - Ray Lamontange

Ok, ok, so Ray sings a lot of wistful non-spooky songs, but his voice is meant for more intense subjects than old girlfriends. He's going crazy!

10. Do You - Carina Round

My other pick from American Horror Story, this was in episode 2, I believe. This song is just beautiful and girly

11. The Killing Moon (Echo & the Bunnymen cover) - Nouvelle Vague

I was thinking of the Killing Moon as it is in Donnie Darko, but then I came across this cover and thought it a better fit for this list

12. All We Ask - Grizzly Bear

 I am so creeped out by this song, it is very possessive. There's sort of a feeling of being trapped in it

13. Helter Skelter - Siouxie and the Banshees

A punky version of the classic. I wanted to use the Beatles version but this cover definitely does them justice

14. Murder Mystery - The Velvet Underground

 One of my favorite songs ever, one of my favorite bands ever. It's hard to process at first but it is truly meditative and creepy

15. Bloom - Radiohead

I just feel like the beginning piano bit of this song belongs in a horror movie. It does sound familiar, maybe it is a rip-off, I don't know

16. Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker) - The Who (Tommy)

 Tommy, Tommy, Tommy. Yes. If you don't think this is creepy, you should watch the movie

17. God's Away on Business - Tom Waits

Can't have a Halloween playlist without this gem. Watch the Cookie Monster version afterwards, haha.

things heather likes, oct edition

You guys I have finally finished my thesis! I even turned it in A WHOLE DAY before its deadline. It is 159 pages long, and there were lots of things that should have gotten in the way of this happening - including a conference I was presenting at in Norway the week before the deadline and the 30 pages I had to write the week before I left for Norway - I DID IT. I am now starting my PhD this month because I am clearly delusional.

Since we have established that I have questionable taste while writing - at one point I actually downloaded a Ke$ha song to listen to while editing - I decided it might be safe to take a quick break before returning to Droolycat. But I'm back, bitches! & with a new set of Things Heather Likes.

1. Marina and the Diamonds - Radioactive (How To Dress Well Rework)
How To Dress Well is a minimalist hip-hop musician (for lack of a better phrase). I know, I know... Basically, he takes familiar aspects of r&b and piles on shit tons of reverb and backchannels to make really ethereal music. But god damn does this man have an ear for pop music. I really like Marina and the Diamonds but her original version of this is just ... boring in comparsion to HTDW's cover. Take a listen and try to get it out of your head.


2. Bibio - K is for Kelson
I don't really know where to begin with Bibio. He does some sort of experimental instrumental-electro-producing thing. If you listened to me ages ago and downloaded Summer Babes (which, PS, you totally should - this was one of my favorite 'albums' all year) you will probably be familiar with Lover's Carvings (make yourself familiar). Like Lover's Carvings this is catchy and summery and fun... even if it is fall.


3. Holy Ghost! vs. Black Van - Holy Mashopolis (I Will Come Back vs. Yearning)
The only thing I know about Holy Ghost! is that I was supposed to see him DJ once, but because I had no idea who he was I didn't go. In hindsight I am disappointed in myself. (Sidenote: I am skipping 2 symposiums, one in Lancaster and one in Belfast this coming weekend to catch a Peaches DJ set with a pretty girl. This is probably the correct prioritization.) His 2011 album Holy Ghost! was pretty great. Here's an earlier track, remixed with something else.


4. Girls - Hunny Bunny
Girls is a band I like but they are nigh impossible to Google, as you might imagine. Here is their attempt at 60s surf rock.


5. The New Feist Album, Metals
It's fall! And there's a new Feist album! This is about love falling apart but I still want to spend all day reading in bed while this plays in quietly in the background.


6. St Vincent, Strange Mercy
Ashley and I saw St Vincent open for Andrew Bird a few years ago. It was - as an understatement - a very strange opening set, especially because we had never heard of St Vincent. There was a tiny woman on stage who was prone to careen between very beautiful, melodic sections and a violent, stompy, discordant noise parade. It was truly an exercise in Pixiesesque loud/soft dynamic, and we didn't like it very much - especially because we were here to hear a violin looping virtuouso! what was happening! Boy, were we ever wrong. Admittedly St Vincent has sort of toned down the extremism here; this album's much more controlled than her other two albums, but Ashley- this one's for you. Give her a second chance (if you haven't already!)

New Stuff From Jess!

So between summer, internships, moving to Salem, getting jobs and switching cars, I lost my passion for finding new music. But now that I've had a few weeks to breathe, I've discovered some great stuff! Hope you enjoy!




This is I Am Oak. My dad actually found this band, cause he is cooler than I am. And by that I mean that he smokes lots of weed and explores Youtube for hours. They have that "indie folk" thing I've been craving lately. They sound a bit like Midlake but better, in my opinion.




My father also discovered Figurines. Based out of Denmark, they started out in the mid-90's and kind of sound like Modest Mouse.




Kishi Bashi is cool. This is the first track off his EP, Room for Dream. He recorded the whole album himself, being a multi-instrumentalist and all. If you watch any live videos, he will probably strike you as an Asian Andrew Bird, sans whistling.




When I saw Iron and Wine, The Low Anthem opened. I am in love with this band. They have this orgasmic mix of beautiful vocal melodies, harmonicas, organs and obscure world instruments. And clarinets!? Oh my god I love this band.




Youth Lagoon is one I just found like, today. It's a guy, he recorded the album in his bedroom. Sounds a lot like Beach House, but more trippy.

A Few New Thangs That I Like

1. Superheavy - "Miracle Worker"

Umm...I love this. Mick Jagger(!), Joss Stone, Damian Marley, A.R. Rahman, and Dave Stewart. SuperHeavy was built by Mick with the intent to merge different 'cultures' of music into one awesome sound. I first heard the song alone without a video, and to be honest, I'm not a big fan of the official music video (it felt a little corny to me). This video however is not official, it's just a compilation of pictures of the band. My favorite part of the song is...Mick. I guess I'm sort of cheating at the "new music" game because none of these artists are new per se, but I really like what is happening here. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next from these guys. Their first album Superheavy will be released in just a mere 9 days! Exciting.

Sidenote: Lately I've been reading Keith Richards' bestselling autobiography, Life, and it has been awesome, I definitely recommend it. The writing is sharp, creative, endearing, and has made me laugh out loud several times. For all those who make broad, negative accusatory statements about Keith (I'm looking at you, customers at my work who sneer at the cover while I'm reading), I suggest you read his shit first and remember that he is one of the greatest guitarists of all time (tenth greatest, according to Rolling Stone). We also have almost the same birthday, represeennnt.

2. Florence + the Machine - "What The Water Gave Me"

Florence, Florence, Florence. I'm still blasting "Dog Days Are Over" in my car, but alas, it is nearly time for the new album to be released! Apparently the album is still untitled, but it is due out on October 31st. Check out this new track, it's very moody and atmospheric. I'm reminded of Fleetwood Mac quite a bit (I know, here I go bringing the new music into the past again...), but I'm sure that's already been said about the band previously in general. I actually don't mind this music video, Flo, can I borrow that hat?

3. Ganglians - "Jungle"

Yep, digging these guys. What's with that band name? It's a 'gang' of 'aliens', actually. I always love to see a band with a sense of humor, I wish there were more bands that didn't take themselves too seriously. Based in Sacramento, this track is off their new album Still Living which was released on August 23rd. I haven't heard the whole album, nor have I heard their first one, but so far, so good.

4. Mumford & Sons - "Untitled" aka. "Home"

These guys are great, another band that everybody seems to already know about so I'll spare the redundant details. Anyway, we don't have a release date or a name yet for the new album, but it is supposedly going to be reaching our ears later this year. Their first album, Sigh No More, came out in October 2009, so I'd say it's about time for number two. This song is untitled as well, however fans and critics have been calling it "Home". It was written in tribute to people met by the band on the road, and I feel like you can sense the worldliness of that idea in the sound. Good stuff.

my life, my swag

Hello droolycats! I am in the middle of finishing up my masters dissertation! Lately I have been listening to my thesis anthem, The Bad Girl Workout Plan, while I write. Listen along! The whole thing is excellent, but my favorite part starts at 14:28.
Bad Girl Workout Plan by djlilray

ALSO, I accidentally made a really excellent hipster breakup/rebound mixtape. this is hilarious because i am a) not seeing anyone and b) not going through a break-up, but I am c) a giant hipster. (recently in Urban Outfitters I was mistaken for an employee.) Enjoy.



01. abducted - cults
02. bedroom eyes - dum dum girls
03. romance - wild flag
04. get some - lykke li
05. heavy cross (RAC mix) - the gossip
06. we can't stop [ft ne-yo] - jj
07. try sleeping with a broken heart (alicia keys) - chad valley
08. indestructible - robyn
09. super bass - nicki minaj
10. last friday night (tgif) (viceroy poolside remix) - katy perry

Yes, i can hear you judging me from over there for the last few tracks. Thanks. I bet you'll secretly love them anyway. Download this mix, which i have pretentiously named 'this is not a love song' here.