The Animal Show

Cymbals and O-faces

marquismeowmersiv — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:44:17 +0000

Dude, this guy has the best guitar/O-face of all time.

Hi kids, I’m still alive. I’m in NYC with my good friend Edward Gottfried. Being in NYC grants me access to all kinds of fun and awesome things. Like seeing Cap’N'Jazz and Lightning Bolt and No Age for free. Or eating ungodly amounts of delicious burritos. Or being bothered on the street by a shivering gentleman who is holding his nose for fear of it falling off. Or not showering and having no one notice how bad I smell because the garbage behind me is emitting the foulest of foul odors (3 week old shrimp that’s been basting in an old canvas shoe resting in a literal river of shit). Or going to Siren fest.

Siren fest was fantastic. There was a nice mix of middle-to-mainstream bands playing decently long sets for the best price: nothing. Also, it was at Coney Island, so if the bands were dull, you had an ocean to play in or a freak show to watch. Man, what a great place. Suck it Pitchfork Fest. Although I did not make it there in time to catch one of my favorite new bands, Dom, I did get to see the likes of Ponytail, The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Apache Beat, and Holy Fuck. But my favorite performance by far was Cymbals Eat Guitars. I was ecstatic the hear them open their set with the words “we’re going to play a few new songs” because I was honestly afraid of Cymbals Eat Guitars being a one-and-done band. For those who are unaware (all of you), I was a huge fan of CEG’s debut Why There Are Mountains. Although many called it overly-derivative, I preferred to think of it as a positive expression of postmodern pastiche. In a year filled with fairly excellent releases, Why There Are Mountains is one of the only albums that continues to get regular play 1.5 years later (for the record, Edward has expressed similar sentiments). A debut as strong as WTAM that received as much press as it did often results in lofty expectations from fans and critics a like. It can also influence an artist to develop in an unnatural way, either experimenting too much or lying too dormant to be a followup worthy of similar praise. Luckily, Cymbals’ new material sounds just as strong as their previous stuff, with no influence rising above the others to pull their music in an unnatural direction. The Pavement is still there, but so is The Modest Mouse, Guided By Voices, Explosions In The Sky, Tullycraft, Cap’N'Jazz, etc. All of their songs retain the baroque-strength of WTAM while adding an unexpected maturity in both song structure and song writing that is beyond the band’s average age (25). Below the jump you will find the videos of these as-of-now-untitled songs, in decent quality, for your viewing and critiquing pleasure. All the videos were taken by Jay “Shapster7″ Sharp, who apparently like, “Glam, wacky shit, and acoustic covers.” Thanks Jay.

Of the new songs on YouTube, this is by far the best. Lead singer Joseph D’Agostino said that it might be the lead-off to their as-of-now-untitled and undated and officially unannounced 2nd album. It has the same intensity as Wind Phoenix, though it feels a little more contained and makes use of the synths a bit more. It’s thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended by yours truly.

Welcome Home: Punch Brothers’ Antifogmatic in Review

Edward — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:25:05 +0000

It would be embarrassing to admit how long I've waited to put this image on The Show.

Each of the few reviews I’ve read of Punch Brothers‘ sophomore effort (or 3rd record, depending on how you count, which I’ll discuss more later) Antifogmatic has had a serious portion of its body devoted to the explication on the title of the album given in the press release which accompanied it. At first, I was annoyed by the repetition, and then I realized that each review had missed the mark just a little with their interpretation. Luckily, here I am to offer mine. Is it all right if I say I think I hit the nail right on its head?

Before I go any further, I suppose I should do the obligatory and include the blurb Nonesuch has given us:

Of choosing the title, Thile notes, “’Antifogmatic’ is an old term for a bracing beverage, generally rum or whiskey, that a person would have before going out to work in rough weather to stave off any ill effects. This batch of tunes could be used in much the same way, and includes some characters who would probably benefit mightily, if temporarily, from a good antifogmatic.”

Establishing a thematic element, Thile is trapped to read exclusively reviews playing off the title. This one will be no different.

Punch Brothers first saw the light of day with a previous name, anonymously backing Thile in 2006’s jubilant solo project How to Grow a Woman From the Ground, where the core group that would be Punch Brothers (Noam Pikelny on the banjo, Gabe Witcher fiddling, and Chris Eldridge playing guitar, all virtuosic in their own right) was intact, even as the name was not. From there, the “How to Grow a Band,” as they were called on tour, were whittled down to a tightly-knit quintet for 2008’s official Punch Brothers debut Punch, a masterful album centered around the incredibly powerful 4-part central “Blind Leaving the Blind” suite.

In their own right, these two albums represented part of the boozing cycle. How to Grow a Woman was a night with the boys, swimming in a sea of whiskey, singing along to the Strokes at the top of your lungs, and maybe even crashing into a healthy dose of the ol’ beer tears with the title track. The pieces were all there well enough, but the end result was a little scattershot for better or for worse, a fun variation with just a little bit of missed memories around the edge — perfectly thematically appropriate.

Then came the crash, heavy and dark with Punch. The lustre had worn off, the light of day harsh and over-bright, the misery acute. A hangover in an album, a breakup swan song for the ages, adroitly looking back with grace while moving forward purposefully as out of a thick rye whiskey-induced sleep. Yes, we sweep ourselves off and pick up the pieces, but not without first lying around for a while.

Punch represented musical and thematic maturity that seemed unattainable for a second time. It put “bluegrassical” on the map in its timeless and genre-less blending of sonic elements, and did so with a humanity that was refreshing. Thile has the chops to hang with the best of them — see 2008’s duet album with Edgar Meyer if you’re not an apostle of the church of Chris yet — but he manages to convey his genius in a way that’s accessible to even Joe Casual Listener. The man has pop sensibilities that pair impressively with his classical training. Perhaps the finest example of this comes in the melody line from the final Nickel Creek album standout “Eveline”, where notes come out of what feels like nowhere, both jarring and somehow pleasing to the ear. In the chorus repeat, as Thile sings “Eveline, take care of your father,” he and Sara Watkins briefly sail off into uncharted waters before tacking back to a slightly more conventional path, like Bill Russell throwing one elbow just to show his opponents he could.

Antifogmatic is also a slightly more conventional path, sticking to radio-friendly 5-minute tracks instead of the 10+ minute monsters on Punch. And it’s peppier than Punch, a remedy for that Woman-induced hangover, taking the best of each album and learning from them. Album opener “You Are” could be the average of the two, rock-inspired yells pepper the song in full Woman fashion, and yet it’s distant and with a hint of untouchability in its lyrics, like much of Punch. The end of the album could easily have served as an epilogue to Punch, and its meaty middle (where the true goodies are) is purely vintage Thile fun.

The highlights of the album are definitely when the guys seem to be clowning around. Antifogmatic, unlike its predecessors, has its songs credited to all five members of the band, and it shows in several of the performances. “Don’t Need No” has an ensuite feel that would fit in with “The Blind Leaving the Blind,” but when it gets to the vocal section it changes pace radically and becomes a jammy breeze, jovial and chummy. “Rye Whiskey” was the first song I had heard off Antifogmatic, and charmed me straight away, seeming to keep intact the sort of banterish quality that distinguishes many live favorites (cf: “If You’re Gonna Leave Me”). And before that Punch epilogue comes in, we get the palette-cleanse sorbet that is “Next to the Trash,” a goofy singalong that’s pure bluegrass goodness.

Paired with the somber and more serious stuff, like the beautiful “Alex” or “Missy” or the incredibly beautifully crafted “Me and Us,” these songs make up an album that’s rich and varied, shaken up and served over ice with a twist of lemon. Gulp it down quick — it’s good for what ails you.

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Alex – Punch Brothers (YSI)

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Next to the Trash – Punch Brothers (YSI)

Antifogmatic is out now via Nonesuch. Get it there.

Is This the End or Just the Start of Something?

dfjacobs — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:00:31 +0000

I apologize, I couldn’t resist the brainless pun, but isn’t it better than “Goodbye Cruel World?” (Don’t ask why those are your only two options, my creativity knows bounds). In terms of an answer, it is most certainly the end of something (the exact title of front man Ramesh Srivastava’s announcement). For those of you still ignorant to the premise of this article, I’m referring to the disintegration of the once (blog) celebrated group, Voxtrot. Their incendiary rise and inevitable fall were not without their glorious moments though. The tremendous hype affixed to the group was not born out of thin air, but rather the quite justifiable excitement generated by their brief yet explosive debut EP’s. A mastery of lyrics, a self-aware yet superb vocal performance, perfectly harmonious guitar and bass lines, and brilliant percussion, are all prevailing features of their early releases. Mothers, Sisters, Daughters and Wives narrowly edges out Raised By Wolves EP for my favorite of their oeuvre, but both are incredible examples of everything there is to love about Voxtrot.

Raised By Wolves EP features one of the top 5 most earnest and vulnerable love songs of all-time, “The Start of Something.” There are certain things that you cannot control about songs, state of mind when you first heard it, people you associate with it and such, but all those things only add to my intense affinity for the song. To me it perfectly captures budding love, the intense rapture and vulnerability of feeling enthralled by another. And while I have heard “Come by and see me, I’m a love letter away” and “If I die clutching your photograph, don’t call me boring, It’s just ’cause I like you” mocked, I rank each among the likes of “losing love is like a window in your heart, everybody sees you’re blown apart, everybody sees the wind blow,” as some of my favorite lyrics ever written. Not to mention that the melody is simply power pop perfection.

Ultimately the hype of those EP’s, and comparisons to the likes of The Smiths, Belle & Sebastian, and The Cure, led to Voxtrot, their first full-length LP and one of the first harbingers of their end. While certainly not a disaster, their full-length LP does not hold a candle to their previous releases. Tracks “Kid Gloves” and “Firecracker” are great power pop songs, but their successes are inconsistently replicated on the rest of the album. Voxtrot waited so long to release their full-length album, that the expectations were implausibly lofty. The reaction to Voxtrot was critical condemnation and artistic stasis.

Which brings us to the present. After two final shows of the “Goodbye Cruel World” tour at Bowery Ballroom last weekend, Voxtrot is now defunct. They gave a passionate and surprisingly tight performance. They remain extremely impressive and fun to watch, with Mr. Srivastava’s funky, almost swimming-like dance moves and his coordinated jumps with bassist Jason Chronis. In response to “Voxtrot forever!” chants, he joked, “What’s that expression? It’s better not to fade away but to… burn in a fiery inferno.” And while Voxtrot may become one of music’s biggest “what ifs,” I’d rather rejoice in their numerous accomplishments than dwell on what could have been. They’re certainly not the greatest band to grace the earth, but they were outstanding, and made an impact on many lives (or at least iTunes libraries… same thing?) Mr. Srivastava’s impressive lyrical adroitness manifested itself one last time Friday night as he ended “Your Biggest Fan” by crooning “I used to be your biggest fan, I used to be your biggest fan, I used to be… in a band.”

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Rise Up in the Dirt – Voxtrot (YSI)

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Soft & Warm – Voxtrot (YSI)

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Raised by Wolves – Voxtrot (YSI)

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The Start of Something- Voxtrot (YSI)

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Your Biggest Fan – Voxtrot (YSI)

Rock is off to a shitty start in 2010

Mashing Drake Up

Edward — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:40:28 +0000

such a nice boy.

As Young Money and Degrassi devotees alike are no doubt aware, thespian-cum-rhymist Drake released his freshman effort Thank Me Later a week ago. Critically, it was given an almost universal “okay,” with many reviews heralding it as the first real effort in the changed world of hip-hop coming about post 808s and Heartbreaks. This is going a little overboard. Drake is not going to change your life. He’s thankfully less of a sad-sack than his contemporary (and arguably the true follower of 808s) Kid Cudi, but the album has fewer gems than the 3 smashes on Man on the Moon. It’s a lethargic slog, sort of like 808s, but without the same innovative production that is Kanye’s bag. The lone stand-out is the track Kanye produced, “Over,” which benefits from a Lupe-inspired backing track that grabs you by the throat and pounds forward with alternating Love Lockdown drumline beat and orchestral sweeps. The others need some work.

The same could be said of many of Drake’s mixtape tracks from the runup to Thank Me Later. Luckily, there are mashup producers who can do just that. And, luckily, I’m bringing them straight to your ears. The first is an older track, brought to you courtesy of longtime Animal Show favorites, The Hood Internet, who have cooked up a masterpiece with their combination of Drake and Free Energy. Then an interesting idea, combining Coldplay’s “Strawberry Swing” (my favorite off of Viva La Vida, and whose music video still rules) with last year’s megahit jam “Best I Ever Had.” The combination teeters on the edge of absurdity, but is ultimately saved based almost purely on the merits of each song individually, and makes for a fun listen. Check ‘em out as you celebrate another amazing American World Cup goal taken back by terrible officiating!

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(This Shit Was) All I Know [Drake v. Free Energy] – The Hood Internet (YSI)

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The Best Strawberry – Drake v. Coldplay (YSI)

You guys, summer 2010 is going to be all of the best times of our young lives.

Edward — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:23:42 +0000

When I woke up in Manhattan the other day, my olfactory system booted into overdrive. What was that incredibly pleasantly unpleasant odor bombarding my senses? It was too tart to be old derelict, too sweet to be subway exhaust, and too offensive to be natural. Then it struck me: this smell was summer, or, as it’s more often referred to around these parts, “garbage cooking on the curbside.” A step onto the street confirmed my hypothesis, as a black trashbag had attained temperatures high enough to singe my leg hairs as I stepped out into traffic to hail a cab to take me back south where I belong (fare for the 15 hour trip was a surprisingly affordable 1454.70, and I think it was only that high because the cabbie tried to cheat me by taking 95 — every jackass who’s ever driven knows that 78’s the only way to get to Tennessee, Idris).

Rubbing my leg in pain on the ride, I had a revelation: this summer is going to be it. You know what I mean? We’re going to do it, guys. We’re going to do it! Like all of it. I’m actually going to go to the Purple Rain singalong (look out; “I would sooner die than watch a movie with Prince” isn’t going to be compelling enough to prevent me from dragging you this year), and I’m going to teach DFJacobs how to eat oysters. That’s all there is to a compelling summer, y’all.

Actually, that’s not entirely true. Because eating oysters often involves slurping noises, and those can get uncomfortable if you don’t have some background noise. And that’s where I come in. Summers need mixtapes. Fact. Mixtapes need songs. Double fact. I have all those songs. Your honor, the jury rests.

I was reading some Nick Hornby earlier today (and by that, I mean I saw High Fidelity last week, and was thinking about that while tooling around Virginia in a hijacked cab), and I realized that songs are powerful. I’d tell you more, but it’s so hot in Nashville that typing this much has already made me work up a really repulsive sweat. And besides, the songs speak for themselves, like a fine Montepulciano D’Abruzzo or a kick-ass USA Today infographic.

REDACT: it occurs to me that even a graph of “What We’re Recycling” inevitably has a key, so let me give you a brief guide to understanding these massively complicated songs. First comes the eardrum-blasting noisy perfection of Sleigh Bells, whose debut still kicks ass. Then we slow it down with a retried version of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros’ “Home”, one of 2009’s favorite songs made fresh again with a new backing track that reinvents the song while leaving its catchy-as-hell soul intact. Finally, a great track from perennial summer favorites The National, which you may have missed when it came out on last summer’s Dressner brothers-produced Dark as the Night compilation.

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Sleigh Bells – Tell Em (YSI)

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Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Home (Alternate Version) (YSI)

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The National – So Far Around the Bend (YSI)

http://www.boston.com/sports/soccer/gallery/05_04_10_world_cup_10_capsules?pg=28

Subject: Please Post My Music

dfjacobs — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:00:19 +0000

Quick Quiz: Press Play Dee Jays or Frat Boys Posing?

The Animal Show literally figuratively gets millions of emails a day. Beneath the countless love letters and autograph requests, further down still beneath the multitude of emails my mother sends Edward berating him for giving me a platform to reach the world, are the emails aspiring acts send along hoping for the famous “Animal Show bounce” (or a spot on hype machine, your call). And while some of it is crap (you can stop sending us your GarageBand demos, Kenny G), every so often something comes along that renews my faith in the efficacy of the internet.

The group I am currently referring to is Press Play Dee Jays. The hardcore readership will remember their presence in my monumental (and oft-quoted) “Will Heartbeats Ever Flatline?” Although I was pretty hard on them for removing Eminem’s disgusting (this usage of “disgusting” means incredible, mom) flow on “Forever,” the Aussie duo recently contacted The Show with news of their new mash “Culture Shots.” This is a far more sophisticated and technically sound mash, and not just because they incorporated classical music. They build intensity right out of the gate and let Lil’ Jon and LMFAO rail on Wolfgang Gartner’s “Wolfgang’s 5th Symphony.” Wolfgang Gartner created an extraordinary remix of “Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven),” and Press Play Dee Jays develop the mix even further with the addition of “Shots.” While the mash may make Beethoven roll over in his grave, it will induce many more rolls on the dance floor.

The other two songs were not really sent in, but they continue the theme of fantastic mashes. The first throws D.C.’s anthem over one of the top 5 greatest beats of all-time, from you guessed it, “Paper Planes.” Brand-x does a stellar job to make Wale and Gaga sound right at home over M.I.A.’s immortal number (oh no, please don’t give out my phone number for this.). For those of you looking for more Brand-x, check out their track “MilkShake da Floor (Kelis vs. Major Lazer),” it’s as tantalizing as its parts would suggest. The final mash of the day is the latest from The White Panda, “The Next StarF*cker.” The White Panda continue their dominance in the genre, flexing their muscle with Dre and Snoop atop the hypnotic sounds of Starf*cker. “The Next StarF*cker” is a brilliant mash, and hopefully characteristic of what’s to come on their summer release, Rematch. With that, enjoy the mashes, and keep the emails coming…

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Culture Shots – Press Play Dee Jays (YSI)

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Chillin on the Plane L (M.I.A. x Wale x Lady Gaga) – Brand-x (YSI)

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The Next StarF*cker – The White Panda (YSI)

A New Post, A Big Tree, A Big Van. Oh, and music.

Every Bro Has a Story

dfjacobs — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:00:47 +0000

As I busted out some of the best moves ever seen on this side of the Mason Dixon line, the sweat poured down the pleasantly plump gentleman on my right. To be fair, I was similarly perspiring, amidst a sea of what can only be described as Bro Montana and his Navabro brethren. The location: Terminal 5 for Brobible.com’s Revelation Summer Kick-Off. While I am neither a reader of the site, nor a fan of notoriously brolific events, the brommunity created a lineup worth weathering the Charles Broakleys and Bronald Reagans (by the way, I’m two “bros” away from tying a non brobible.com and DMB fan site record for most bro references in a single article). The pinney clad crew managed to gather Chiddy Bang, RJD2, Pretty Lights and almost every club level lacrosse player in the country, certainly no small feat.

To start the night, the sample heavy duo from Philly brought the thunder. Working within the constraints of a thirty-minute set, Chiddy and Xaphoon played crowd pleasers “Truth,” “The Opposite of Adults,” “Never” and “All Things Go.” While they killed each aforementioned Swelly Express track, the highlight of their performance was indubitably Chiddy’s freestyle. After taking suggestions from the highly inebriated audience, Chiddy rattled off a startlingly sharp freestyle atop a classically tight Xaphoon beat. My only complaint of the set was absence of “Hey London.” Although I understand that we were on the other side of the Atlantic, the Air Swell track transcends its geographic ties.

Next up were the equally impressive beats of Rjd2. The temperate Ramble John Krohn sauntered on stage, said, “Hi, my name is RJ,” and proceeded to unleash his famed instrumentals. While I’m not usually partial to strictly instrumental performances, Rjd2’s beats and accompanying visuals allowed for a surprisingly impressive set. For those of you unfamiliar with Rjd2, check out the track at the bottom, something tells me your affinity for all things Don Draper and Sterling Cooper is about to be tickled.

Headlining the evening was Pretty Lights. While I had enjoyed their remixes and mashes (that are free via their website), I was unsure about how they’d translate into a live setting. Little did I know that producer Derek Vincent Smith, accompanied by drummer Cory Eberhard, would be able to provoke unbridled enthusiasm from the jammed packed crowd. Their remixes, samples and mashes continue to amaze me, and the concurrent light show (hence their name) only intensified their performance. The duo rocked the crowd for a venerable two hours and ended with one of the most amazing mashes the world has ever heard. While its become common place for artists to end New York shows with their rendition of “Empire State of Mind” (see LCD Soundsystem), Smith threw both “Juicy” and “Hello Brooklyn” atop Jigga’s Marcy Project anthem. I wish I could reencounter the unforgettable mash and share its magic with you, but for now I’ll have to leave you with the Tuckahoe mash of Pretty Light’s favorite “The Time Has Come” and Weezy’s “Stuntin’ Like My Daddy.”

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Hey London – Chiddy Bang (YSI)

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A Beautiful Mine – Rjd2 (YSI)

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Stuntin’ Pretty – Tuckahoe (YSI)

Welcome to the New Site!

Turn the Beat Around… Again

dfjacobs — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:00:33 +0000

Image Courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan

Since my last post, the world has turned to crap. Time Square fell under siege, Greece almost collapsed, BP pulled an Exxon Valdez in the Gulf coast, the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla was celebrated (oh wait, Cinco de Mayo was a pretty rowdy fiesta), Tennessee almost sank (and with it all photo evidence of Edward’s awkward years), and Lost ended. Suffice to say, the world is a pretty depressing place without dfjacobs. So to cheer all of you up, I decided to continue my only most read post of the last month: Turn the Beat Around.

Launching our rave is “Crown on the Ground” by noise pop’s burgeoning stars, Sleigh Bells. Comprised of Alexis Krauss and Derek E. Miller, the Brooklyn duo formed all the way back in 2008. On May 11^th, they released their first album (that wasn’t a demo) Treats, and it’s spectacular. Even for those of you averse to the feedback spewing and amp destroying that the noise pop genre is famous for, Sleigh Bells’ album may yet make a convert out of you. Treats is indubitably one of my favorites of the year, and the highlights include (but are not limited to) “Tell ‘Em,” “Kids,” “Riot Rhythm,” “Infinity Guitars,” “Rill Rill,” and “Crown on the Ground.” For those of you keeping score at home, I just listed six of the eleven tracks. I swear, the album is THAT good.

From burgeoning stars to seasoned doyens, our next track is “Dance Yrself Clean” by electronic superstars, LCD Soundsystem. The James Murphy helmed dance/punkers released their third studio album This Is Happening on May 17^th. The album, much like Treats, is dazzlingly brilliant, and another early front-runner for our best albums of the year list. LCD Soundsystem is similarly mesmerizing live; putting on one of the greatest shows I have ever seen on Saturday night at Terminal 5. Finishing with a balloon filled rendition of “Empire State of Mind” (see picture above), the show was simply tremendous, much like their album.

Capping off this trio of dance hall destroyers is our first Hip-Hop track of day, “Like a G6” by the Cataracs. Chances are, if you’ve left your house at any point in the last month, you’ve heard this blazing hot track, but nonetheless I couldn’t resist appending it to this article. Recently, the duo of Cyrano and Campa released a free mixtape titled, I Thought They Were Black!?, with their track “2Nite” debuting at 24 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Airplay charts. While their lyrics are not going to cap the oil spill, bring solvency to Greece or recover Edward’s embarrassing photographs (oh phewf, we never lost those) they make incredibly fun, party starting music (“Poppin bottles in the ice, like a blizzard/ When we drink we do it right gettin slizzard”). So with that I’ll conclude my latest self-indulgence, and I promise to release another article with much less lag time, and hopefully at a considerably lesser cost to the world.

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Crown on the Ground – Sleigh Bells (YSI)

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Dance Yrself Clean – LCD Soundsystem (YSI)

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Like a G6 (feat. Far East Movement & Dev) – The Cataracs (YSI)

Don’t Call It a Comeback

Edward — Tue, 11 May 2010 16:51:56 +0000

I don’t want any crocodile tears later, so let’s make one thing clear right here, right now: I am not back. Sorry. Just like the elusive taco-flavored Doritos, I’m here to bust onto the scene for a hot second, just long enough for you to remember how much you loved my tangy and indescribably MSG-y taste before I disappear back into the Doritos Vault indefinitely. As you probably know, every now and then duty calls, and then I must pick up the phone, strap on my blogsuit, and type the bejeezus out of a few hot jams likely to blow all the wax out of your ears. Live from Rome, it’s probably nighttime where you are! (When it comes to figuring out time zones I’m complete cat vomit.)

First of all, let me apologize (good start, right?): I have no idea how overplayed any/all of these songs are in whatever country it is you access this site. After all, only 679 visits came from Italy in the last year, meaning that no one is here looking for the latest remix of Eurotrash Jam ‘10 “Stereolove,” which is fine, because I’m really not interested in hearing that song ever again. In my internet-restricted foreign prison, I’ve been at a loss to keep up with singles. Hype Machine doesn’t even work here. Can you imagine? THESE METH BUGS WON’T LEAVE ME ALONE. You know, the ones I get from not being able to surf Hype Machine. Get it? You get it. But, as such, I’ve been forced to kick it old school, listening to albums like some sort of old man. Grampa’s been able to scrounge up a few songs from between the sofa cushions, though, and he’s taking you all to Friendly’s for Clown Sundaes. Hooray!

First comes Big Boi’s infectious “Shutterbugg.” If that voice doesn’t snap you into an I <3 2001 nostalgia montage, you need clinical help. Outkast’s less cool half (sorry, but true) is shaking that comeback tree, and it sounds like MEMORIES. Damn, y’all. Then comes my favorite track off of what may be my favorite release of 2010 so far, Subiza by the Spanish popmeisters Delorean, which is so good that it inspired me to tweet. Desperate times, right? Next off the blocks is a Harlem Shakes track that’s been kicked up to 11 by Kids at the Bar, which comes at you courtesy of my ear to the ground in all things music, James, who’s been trying his damnedest to keep me looped through these trying times. Finally, the rainmaker: Biggie Smalls’ “Can I Get Witcha” blended seamlessly with honey-voiced Andrea Bocelli’s “Por Ti Volare,” a name which almost certainly means something in Italian. A properly abroad-infused mashup to keep you going. So gobble ‘em up fast, because these took me an hour to upload and who knows when you’ll see the likes of me around these e-parts again. Until June, soul clap, soul clap, can I get a little soul clap?

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Shutterbugg – Big Boi (YSI)

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Simple Graces – Delorean (YSI)

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Strictly Game (Kids at the Bar Remix) – Harlem Shakes (YSI)

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Can I Get Witcha? vs Por Ti Volare – Notorious BIG vs Andrea Bocelli (YSI)

Turn the Beat Around

dfjacobs — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:00:13 +0000

In the last fortnight, I humorlessly lowered the musical pulse of The Show. Now I’m not retracting my overwhelming endorsement of The Tallest Man on Earth and Mumford & Sons, because their greatness has not wavered. However, after three Snapple Peach Ice Teas and a pack of Sour Patch Kids, I’m ready to rave like a MDMA champion. And this may just be the booze talking (read: sugar high), but dancing to the Swedish “giant” doesn’t bring the thunder like say, dancing to a MSTRKRFT vs. Bieber mashup. “What?!” you ask, could such a raucous and remarkable combination exist? Well, thanks to the wonder woman of DJs, CJ Milli, the tween sex magnet has had his music morphed into a track that will destroy clubs he’s not even old enough to enter. CJ Milli mixes the track startlingly well and she should definitely be watched in the coming months (and no, not just because of her surprisingly good looks.)

Next up on our Beenie Man playlist is Them Jeans remix of “Pursuit of Happiness.” Them Jeans, or Jason Stewart (an actual giant standing at 6’8’’), speeds up the introspective Cudi ballad promoting crazier dancing and less head nodding. The addition of thumping bass and substitution of synthesizers in place of piano makes this track an instant explosion versus the original’s slow burn.

Finally, rounding out this stunning threesome is a deep cut. This song will not promote boogie nights as well as its predecessors, but I have been searching for an opportunity to promote this track for an annoyingly long time, and it will certainly get you moving. Released back in a trivial time void of the Double Down (November ‘09), this K-OS track samples Phantom Planet’s “California” (The O.C. theme song). As if this wasn’t incentive enough to give it a listen, K-OS tears this track a new one. “I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman” is an infectious Hip-Hop track that with major label support would be a mainstream radio destroyer. Now stop reading and go dance the hell out of these tracks, you can thank me later.