The Animal Show » Cut Copy

Mix Tapes

marquismeowmersiv — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:50:43 +0000

Just think, I could totally be forcing you to listen to William Basinski's Disintegration Loops, but I'm not because I know that not everyone likes hour-long minimalist songs.

Hello Animal Show readers / Hype Machine users. Tis I, Marquis Meowmers IV. While taking a work break from a paper I’m writing (entitled “Hyper-reality, Animation, and Irony”), I StumbedUpon a nice little website that will probably be sued into oblivion by the end of the year. 8tracks.com is an online mixtape service, similar to the now recontexualized (due to legal issues) muxtape.com. All you do is sign up, log in, and start mix-taping.

Now, I know you probably aren’t asking yourself, “Why the hell does this deserve a post?” but I’ll tell you anyways. I’ve been wanting to do a series of posts that tackle musical topics that are larger than a single artist or remix or mash-up. I’ve wanted to make posts like “the best albums of 1988″ and “Shoegazing: a beginners guide” and “My favorite tracks by Fucked Up” and “D.I.T.C – Rest In Peace Big L”. However, it’s nice to have a very wide array songs available for that sort of stuff, and this is an easier and way more legal way to share tracks than uploading to Boxstr. If nothing else, I will probably have a mixtape every week or so documenting my 10 favorite songs of the week (my musical tastes change to reflect whatever Pitchfork is promoting).

So, without further ado, mixtape 1: Marquis Meowmers IV’s Best of 2008 MixTape.

This MixTape encompasses my favorite track from each of my top 15 albums of 2008. Complicated enough? I thought so. Here’s to new trends. Additionally, if you’re a regular reader get stoked! Within the next two weeks, we will have an exclusive surprise here on The Animal Show!

No related posts.

The Animal Show Hates February Almost as Much as You Do.

Edward — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:16:10 +0000

Two days in, and we're already feeling like this.

Well, this is it. The most miserable month of the year. If it were any longer than 28 days, we’d all want to live in Australia. I’m told they don’t get February there. Lucky for you, dear readers, the Animal Show is committed to getting you through this slog of a month. And we’ll do it the only way we know how: by delivering the jams. Upbeat music, coming atcha straight from the jungles of the internet.

In order to stretch this out as much as possible, I’m gonna be hitting you with two songs every other day. Or something. You may have noticed it’s already the 2nd, and I don’t even pretend to post every day, so I’ll just promise to get you 28 songs throughout the course of the month. How’s that? So here’s your February wake-up call: a delicious double dose of Cut Copy, everyone’s favorite Australian pseudo-euro-trash delivering band.

[audio http://boxstr.com/files/4768485_nbwzz/01%20Sands%20of%20Time.mp3]

Sands of Time – Cut Copy

[audio http://boxstr.com/files/4768486_ykdqk/Lights%20And%20Music%20%28Boys%20Noize%20Happy%20Birthday%20Remix%29.mp3]

Lights and Music (Boys Noize Happy Birthday Remix) – Cut Copy

If you haven’t already, buy Cut Copy’s top album of 08 contender In Ghost Colours now.

The Animal Show Rocks You Into 2009: Part V

Edward — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:43:34 +0000

Yup, we've devolved into clip art.

I know, I know. “Why did you think Janet Jackson was acceptable for this New Year’s playlist?! I mean, I added it anyway, because you are the faraway internet god of music taste, but I was perplexed!” I hear you, faithful readers. I recieve the meaning of your death threat e-mails and teary texts: you need more indie cred. Your playlist needs to melt the puny little non-hipster brains of your fellow party-goers. Fear not, I gotcha. But don’t for a second believe I’m reconsidering that Janet track. It’s a gem, and everyone at your New Year’s gathering will urinate on themselves upon recognizing it. It will be simultaneously disgusting and awesome.

But you need cred! That’s why you look to blogs for support, I understand. I’m like you, only more self-involved. But I am a generous blogger, and will share with you one gem of a jam I guarantee noone at your party will have heard, and one that they may have, but is still fan-freakin-tastic.

Keep My Composure – Chemical Brothers feat. Spank Rock

This may be my favorite party darkhorse. It’s a shame more people haven’t heard it before. Help me change that.

Hearts on Fire – Cut Copy

though this probably ranks #3 of my favorite Cut Copy songs (#1 can be found on the top albums page. Guess what #2 is!), it’s still party-tastic. It’s got that Cut Copy build which they do so so well, and which sets them above the hordes of similar-sounding bands.

My Top 10 Albums of 2008

Edward — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:02:59 +0000

Only 8 days left to wear these!

I know, I know, dear readers. You’ve been so very patient these past 24 hours waiting for this, and I appreciate it. Well, now you can stop sending me hate emails, and feast your eyes and ears on this cornucopia of musical goodness. Just in time for Christmas Eve.

Did you know making year-end lists is hard? I really hadn’t counted on there being so much writing involved in blogging. I thought it was all about writing funny things over people’s faces in MS Paint. Dagg, yo. Anyway, I wrote many many words, and I hope you read at least one out of every 5. That’s really what I’m going for.

Catch the list after the break.

10) MGMT – Oracular Spectacular: Technically a 2007 release, I’m including this because the physical release was 2008. And because I don’t care to split hairs. I liked this album a lot, but not as much as some people (deep, right?). Mainly, I was turned off by the album art. What the hell, guys? Do you think you’re cooler than me? I can paint my face, too. Anyway, there are some sweet tracks on here, which have inspired some even sweeter remixes. Check em both out.

MGMT – Electric Feel

9) Esau Mwamwaya – The Very Best Mixtape: I do a lot of reading the internets for music. Presumably, you do too, unless you’re my dad, in which case, Hi, Father. Anyway, in September, the entirety of the information superhighway was blowing up with news of this dude, Esau Mwamwaya (pronounce his name just by reading it so fast that noone can tell the difference). He was totally bringing afro-pop into the world-wide-web generation, man. He sang Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa! Totes out-Africa’d Vampy Weekend! And then he released this super-sweet mixtape for free, and I was all like, dang, bro, this is sum hawt shitt. You’ll prolly be like that, too.

Esau Mwamwaya – Funa Funa

8 ) Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours: The word “Colours” snagged me, although this album has the dubious distinction of being the only one on this list I purchased at Pitchfork’s recommendation. To be fair, I bought it because I was going to Pitchforkfest (which I cannot recommend highly enough), and they were one of the bands on the lineup I hadn’t heard of. I was not disappointed. My major criticism of Pitchfork is their love for music more cacophonic than melodic. Cut Copy is none of that. If anything, they err on the side of Eurotrash pop beats, which is fine by me. All in all, this is an album which delivers the jams without compromising intelligence.

Cut Copy – Feel the Love

7) She & Him – Volume One: Zooey Deschanel is a mystery to me. Mainly because I have no idea how to pronounce her name. I’ve been told it’s supposed to be like Zoe, but I will continue to call her “Zoo-ee” until she personally corrects me. I find that exoticism makes her all the more attractive. She has one of those instantly recognizable voices, and the songs on Volume One could have been written forty years ago. And I mean that in the best way possible. She’s a cutey patootie. I’m waiting for Volume Two.

She & Him – This is Not a Test

6) Okkervil River – The Stand Ins: I had a poster of the cover art from The Stage Names up on my wall last year, and I told my roommate at the time that I thought it would be hard to find creepier album art. Then Okkervil River stepped it up, to make something even more disturbing. Then put them together. Yummy. This was completely a sequel to The Stage Names, which was, at one point, going to be a double album. Stage Names was probably my favorite album of 2007, so I was understandably very excited about Stand Ins, and it really didn’t disappoint. It didn’t have as many amazing individual songs as Stage Names, but it flows perfectly and makes me all the more excited about the prospect of new Okkervil material. Of course, now if they don’t release another album in 12 months I’ll probably be disappointed.

Okkervil River – Bruce Wayne Campbell on the Roof of the Chelsea Hotel, 1979

5) E-603 – Something for Everyone: If Girl Talk and Diplo had a lovechild, I would be very confused. But I’d be a lot more interested if, instead of Girl Talk, E-603 and Diplo had a lovechild. Because I think E-603 is legitimately better than Girl Talk. And not just because he looks like this or dresses like this, or writes things like this. Having seen both perform this year, I can say that E-603 puts on a better show. Period. Whereas Girl Talk plays through his hits, prolonging some samples and occasionally venturing into new material for a few seconds, E-603’s show is completely different every time. I kept looking for my favorite samples from the album, and being impressed and surprised when the ones I heard were even better. His debut album is all the mash-up I need. And it’s available for free on his website. Download it now.

E-603 – Crystal Friend

4) Santogold – S/T: If I said this was due to my embarrassing affection for Gossip Girl, I wouldn’t be giving Santi enough credit. But I can’t say it didn’t help. If you’ve never heard the blood-curdling “Ah-ah-ah-ahhh”s of “Creator,” you’re missing out. I’m not afraid to say I like Santogold more than M.I.A., and her collaborations have been sick. Though I have too much of a conscience to post her album (you should buy it. Now.), she did release a mixtape with Diplo, one of my favorite DJs of the year, which is nasty (and an honorable mention on this list). Catch it.

Santogold – Creator

3) TV on the Radio – Dear Science: 2006’s Return to Cookie Mountain has been one of my favorite albums of the past couple years. It showed TV on the Radio’s stepping in stride, perfecting their formula for hard-hitting electro-rock. I would have been all right with a straight sequel to that (a la The Stand Ins), but Tunde and the boys rocked my world with a deep and troubled album that still rocks. I feel it’s hard to write about it in a way that gives it enough credit. Just listen.

TV on the Radio – Halfway Home

2) Fleet Foxes – Sun Giant EP/ S/T LP: Pitchfork packaged this as their number one, the LP I bought came with the EP in it, and both were released in ’08. I’ll follow Subpop’s lead and do the same. Enough has probably been written about Fleet Foxes, but I’ll say this: the album continued to surprise me. It stood the test of time, of overplay, of overblogging, and still came out a surprisingly strong effort. I’m a big fan of indie-folk, and this seems to be the perfection of it. The most amazing thing about Fleet Foxes to me is how note-for-note they could replicate their harmonies live. Listening to them, you’d assume that overdub after overdub had gone into the recording, but those chords in White Winter Hymnal really just are a few guys singing together. Beautiful.

Fleet Foxes – Drops in the River (From the Sun Giant EP)

1) Vampire Weekend – S/T: It’s a little disappointing to me how quickly the tide of public approval can turn against an artist. Overexposure really is deadly (and I suppose I’m not doing much to remedy that..), and Vampire Weekend suffered more than any other band in 2008. They deserved all of the hype, though. They brought simple youthful joy to music for upper-middle-class hipster kids. They exposed the too-cool-for-school to pure, unadulterated fun. And that’s no easy task – I saw them in concert in July, and, during “A-Punk,” they attempted to get audience participation in the form of a few well-placed “ohs.” Ezra Koenig, before teaching us, looked out at the audience (which had been standing still for the entirety of the 4 songs leading up to the moment) and asked, “do you guys do this? Are you into this?” Not really, but Vampire Weekend helped them try.

Vampire Weekend – M79