Monday, December 13, 2010

Hey all, sorry about the absence

My keyboard has been busted lately. Occasionally it will inexplicably start working again for a short time. I'm taking advantage of one of those times to let you know that I will be back as soon as I get a working keyboard.

Peace,
Tim

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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Strike Hard, Young Diamond on iTunes!



If you missed it, go back and check out my earlier post on Wildlife and their debut album, Strike Hard, Young Diamond. If you did see the earlier post, here is your reminder as promised.

If you live in Canada, download the album on iTunes right now (seriously, do it). If you live outside of Canada, download the album from their Bandcamp page.


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Saturday, December 4, 2010

The "I'm Feeling Autumnal" Folk Mini-Mixtape



So I know I said I was gonna post about the new Talib Kweli stuff, but its cloudy outside and I'm feeling rather autumnal, so I thought I would share some of my favorite folk tracks of the moment.

Update: After several listens, I've decided that this is my ultimate peace of mind mix as well. So kick back, hit play, and relax. Also, here is a zip file of all the songs if you're into that sort of thing:

"I'm Feeling Autumnal" Folk Mini-Mixtape (.zip file)

My Own Sinking Ship - Good Old War: These guys are masters of upbeat melancholy. There music tells you that maybe things aren't going so well, but hey, thats the way it is, keep your head up. They also know how to kill with the vocal harmonies.

The Dreamer - The Tallest Man On Earth: The line "sometimes the blues is just a passing bird/why can't that always be" sticks out in my head as one of the most poignant and poetic that I've heard in quite a while, and that stripped down guitar tone makes me feel like I'm sitting in someones living room with Kristian Matsson only 5 feet away. It's so earthy and exposed, you can't help but connect with the emotions he's singing about.

Unknown Legend - Ox: I love me some desert folk (a la Calexico), and Ox really knows how to do it. Many folk songs convey a sense of very insular loneliness, a feeling of being stuck in a small space, bundled up against the cold both in body and mind. This song instead channels the bittersweet loneliness of wide open spaces, of being the only person for miles and miles and miles.

The Jump Start - Nat Lefkoff: I've said it before and I'll say it again, Nat is one of the best singer-songwriters around today, and he's only 16. He has that rare ability to write songs that really makes you feel, not to mention the guitar chops and outstanding voice needed to really get the most out of those songs. It's hard to listen to this song and think that he has anything other than a very bright musical career ahead.

November Blue - Scott Avett: I don't know if any song has ever captured the essence of fall like this one does. Everything about this song tells you that summer is over, the trees are shedding their leaves, and the snow is soon to arrive.

In the Summertime (Live Backstage) - The Rural Alberta Advantage: This is one of the most amazingly heartbreaking songs I've ever heard, gets me every time. I can just imagine the singer staring out his window over a cold, snowy expanse and fondly remembering the warm summer months passed.


Thanks to I Am Fuel, You Are Friends for the inspiration and two of the tracks.


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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Let Freedom Reign feat. Talib Kweli and Black Thought



Chrisette Michele is a soul singer who just dropped her 3rd album, Let Freedom Reign. At first listen, I thought the album was definitely too lite R&B/Soul for me, but I'm starting to reconsider that. Currently I'd say I'm very much on the fence about it. One thing I'm definitely not on the fence about is the title track, which has an awesome hook and features killer verses from Talib Kweli and Black Thought (pretty much as star studded as you can get in terms of guest appearances in my opinion).

Let Freedom Reign (ft. Talib Kweli and Black Thought) - Chrisette Michele

Check out the whole album Amazon MP3 or iTunes, and let me know what you think.

And check back tomorrow (or maybe Friday) for another two awesome new tracks from Talib Kweli!



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