Here is the uber cute High School Musical/Glee themed She & Him video for “In the Sun”. My love for Zooey Deschanel grows by the day and I want her to be my best friend. I also want to be in a choreographed group dance in a public place. Let’s try and make that happen.
Hopefully these remixes of two classic songs will brighten up your Monday! I’m a big fan of remixing “older” songs like these, so if anyone has a recommendation or an mp3 they’d like to share, let me know.
mp3 download: The Rolling Stones – You Can’t Always Get What You Want (2008 Soulwax Remix)
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mp3 download: Beatles – Come Together (David Starfire remix)
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I had been getting a bit complacent with some of the music I’d been hearing lately (I know it’s only 3 months in to 2010). I really wanted to start this year off with a bang! I could only play Contra so many times and even Hot Chip wears thin after too many spins. So, thank you Yeasayer. I’m very glad you came out with your album. Amidst the wonderful electro rock Animal Collective’s little brother-esque album is a fantastic song called “O.N.E.”. From the drum beat to the garbled bubbly synths to the uber catchy chorus (“Hold me like before | Hold me like you used to | Control me like you used to”), this song dares you not to dance and sing along. I’ve given in. This song will definitely be on my Best Of list.
mp3 download: Yeasayer – O.N.E.
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While putting together this post, I was really debating what songs to feature. In the end, I just picked five of my favorite tracks from the past couple months. If I had to pick out a common thread from this eclectic mix, they all have great electro beats. They also all happen to be about love (whether it’s new romances or old, fleeting or ending). Big thank you to Josh for inviting me to guest post this week. Enjoy!
This song is about the initial spark – when you first meet eyes across a crowded room. This remix takes the original electro-folk Ellie Goulding goodness, adds in a fun dance beat, and tops it off with a couple killer interludes from Brooklyn rapper London Theophilus. Look for more of him in the future.
mp3 download: Ellie Goulding – Starry Eyed (Penguin Prison Remix ft. Theophilus London)
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Hot Chip’s new album, One Life Stand, is probably going to top my list of best albums from 2010. It’s a bit of a departure from their earlier stuff – more subdued and understated. A hint of disco ties the album together and lies in stark contrast to the lead’s chilling voice and romantic lyrics.
mp3 download: Hot Chip – I Feel Better
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I don’t know a thing about I Blame Coco except that they’re brand new. This is their first track and they’ve never been on tour. They bagged Swedish electro-star Robyn to lend some great backup vocals to this classic indie rock track. The finished product reminds me a bit of Shiny Toy Guns (when they still had Cara Faye Charnow), which is not a bad thing.
mp3 download: I Blame Coco – Caesar (ft. Robyn)
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Before hearing this song, I would have never thought popping a bottle of champagne could be a depressing experience. But when you put it this way…. “Drinking champagne, meant for a wedding – Toast to the bride, a very sad ending – Drinking champagne, a bottle to myself – Savor the taste of fabricated wealth.” Drink up!
mp3 download: Marina and the Diamonds – Shampain
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When it comes to cheesy EuroPop, no one does it better than the Scandinavians (Barbie Girl, anyone?). As many of you know, aside from my love of a good disco dance track, I love all things Danish. Alphabeat is currently on tour with Lady GaGa on the U.K. leg of her tour. Tillykke!
mp3 download: Alphabeat – DJ
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Thank you Kenny for guest posting this week. I’m always excited to hear what you’re listening to…hopefully I can convince you to post again soon. Feel free to leave a comment and let Kenny know what song is your favorite!
What we’ve got here is a pretty fun, sexy little track. It incorporates all the elements of a pop song with an infectious hook and lays it on top of a club ready beat. Sometimes when I hear pop songs on the radio, I want to speed up the beat to be a bit more danceable. This song doesn’t need that at all, it’s definitely dancefloor ready. The background synths remind me of some of the 2000-2004 club anthems you’d hear at Nation or Roxy while the sun is just peaking over the skyline. She makes it modern for 2010 and since those institutions have long since closed, put it on your gym mix. I hope Ms. Gordon continues this trend…she can talk dirty to me anytime.
mp3 download: Wynter Gordon – Dirty Talk
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So I’m probably going to get some sh*t for posting a song by Solange Knowles but whatever, I think what she did here was pretty cool. For those of you who don’t know who Solange is, she’s Beyonce’s little sister whose roles include Hair Model #3 in the Feria commercial starring Beyonce and Dancer #6 in Beyonce’s “Get Me Bodied” video. Anyway, she wasn’t even a blip on my ear radar (eardar?) until I saw she covered this song.
Dirty Projectors were a breakout band last year and this track was on a few “Best of” lists. The original may be a bit weird for some people (although I enjoy it – and any video that features a llama is pretty great in my book) but Solange puts her R&B influence on it and makes it very listenable…perhaps even radio ready? I’ve got to give her props for A) knowing who Dirty Projectors are, 2) actually wanting to cover this song, and III) hitting a pretty hard note at 1:35. I liked that she stepped outside of her sister’s shadow a bit and did something that Beyonce would probably never do. And I think it paid off fairly well.
mp3 download: Solange Knowles – Stillness Is The Move (Dirty Projectors cover)
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I don’t think it’s the actual Gaga-sanctioned video, but for those who wanted to see it, here ya go!
This song came through my inbox today and I was very excited to get a full length copy. In a slick promotion move for their new album The Spell, Alphabeat has done a mashup of two of the hottest songs right now: “Telephone” and “Bad Romance”. Alphabeat pretty much kicks ass at whatever they do and this is no different. It definitely should go on your workout mix or when you need that shot of adrenaline on Friday at 2pm. Enjoy!
mp3 download: Alphabeat – Telephone & Bad Romance mashup
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There have been several covers of “Electric Feel” but I think this one is by far the finest. Swedish band Cleast Eatwood takes one of the highlights from Oracular Spectacular and completely strips it down to its shell. What was once a falsetto disco romp with a steady spiky fuzzy sounding bass has morphed into an acoustic-like drreamscape filled with haunting, echoing vocals that layer over each other gorgeously. For those of you who love the MGMT version, prepare to be shocked.
Cleast Eatwood – Electric Feel (MGMT Cover)
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Valentine’s Day is like herpes: just when you think it’s gone for good, it rears its ugly head once more. For all my single ladies out there, in light of this dreaded holiday that approaches, I have put together a list of heartbreaking songs that will make you feel so damn depressed, you will simply binge drink while eating your feelings until you eventually pass out and wake up to February 15th having forgotten the day before even happened.
Before you chase a bottle of Excedrin with a bottle of Jack, just remember that which doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger! Enjoy!
Ranked at #331 on the Rolling Stone magazine’s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, “I Can’t Make You Love Me” was written by Mike Reid (born and raised 30 minutes from my hometown in Altoona, Pennsylvania) and Allen Shamblin. The idea for the song came to Reid while reading an article about a man arrested for getting drunk and shooting at his girlfriend’s car (again, he was born and raised in Pennsyltucky). The judge asked him if he had learned anything, to which he replied, “I learned, Your Honor, that you can’t make a woman love you if she don’t.” How articulate, the poet Laurente of Dogwood Lane.
For many of you, it should be no surprise that this song can be found at the top of my list. When it comes to sad and depressing songs this one is right up there with Amazing Grace. Usually Mister Kitty and I like to warm up one our favorite Lean Cuisines, retire to our bedroom where we slip into something more comfortable, find our fire engine red MAC lipstick from MAM 2008 and put on some Bonnie Raitt until the tears put us to sleep.
mp3 download: Bonnie Raitt – I Can’t Make You Love Me
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This tear jerker by Des’ree was featured in Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 remake of the famous Shakespearean play Romeo & Juliet. “Two households both alike in dignity, in fair Verona where we lay our scene. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life.”
Honestly, can you imagine a more tragic twist of fate than falling in love with the one person you’re not allowed to have? This song has to make you feel some small amount of sympathy for pedophiles…or at least for Gayle King.
mp3 download: Des’ree – Kissing You
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From A Fine Frenzy’s the One Cell in the Sea album, “Near to You” is by far my favorite sad songs. “Almost Lover” certainly received more attention and praise; however, I think the message in “Near to You” is an important one. Take a listen and then call me…we’ll discuss over a box of wine and pack of ultra lights.
mp3 download: A Fine Frenzy – Near to You
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Ohhhhhh gurrrllll…this song is gonna make you want to go STRAIGHT DOWN THE PARKWAY. No pathetic attemps for attention by crossing the freeway with this one! Right after The Outfield’s “Your Love”, I want this song played at my funeral. Give me one reason not to like this song…and I’ll turn it back around. Let’s face it, when it comes to suffering, Black, angry, Baptist lesbian’s are right up there with Elizabeth Taylor.
mp3 download: Tracy Chapman – The Promise
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Speaking of Lesbians…hold on to your Birkenstocks Lilith Fair lovers!! Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, this Canadian mother of two has brought us so many “slow jams” in her short, yet successful career. Do What You Have to Do in my opinion is the best song from her 1997 album, Surfacing. Unfortunately it was lost among so many other hits from the album such as “Building a Mystery”, “Adia” and “Angel”.
mp3 download: Sarah McLachlan – Do What You Have to Do
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You know you’ve made it when the Emmy award winning Mia Michaels from So You Think You Can Dance chooses your song for one of her choreographed lyrical pieces. We all heard “Love Song” so many times it made us just want to punch a puppy, but “Gravity”, from her debut major-label album Little Voice, is such a beautiful song with so much meaning. Sara claimed the song is about a break-up. I’ll spare you my boring personal interpretation of the song; just take a listen for yourself.
mp3 download: Sara Bareilles – Gravity
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Who can forget the last scene of HBO’s Six Feet Under, as Claire drives off in her Prius and “Breathe Me” is playing the background. Girl, I had to take to the bed after I heard this one. Talk about a song! Do yourself a favor and find the Mylo Remix of this one. What can be better than a sad depressing song turned into a gay club dance mix?
mp3 download: Sia – Breathe Me
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With the huge storm we had, traveling to New York for fashion week, and a trip to San Fran this weekend I haven’t had much time to update C&B. So a big thank you to Mikey for guest posting this week. And for those who are single on Valentine’s Day, a lot can happen in a year, so here’s hoping these songs will be a distant memory come February 14th, 2011.
