Listening • Time to Pretend

When leaving the apartment the other night, I was stopped in my tracks by a strange noise emanating from our living room. Or rather, it was the source that was strange.

The TV was on, and behind some whiny teen drama on the CW (Gossip Girls?) was “Time to Pretend,” a song by one of my favorite bands of the moment, MGMT.

It was a shock, due less to the sellout factor (over it; $$ = <3) than the fact that the song is in some respects anti-corporate, bemoaning office jobs and advocating a drug- and model-addled life as an alternative.

Luckily for MGMT, CW didn’t hear that. They heard “catchy,” which they are, unquestionably. Already featured on Conan, the duo is slated to appear on The Late Late Show on June 9. Personally, I can’t wait to see what the mainstream thinks of their wonderfully psychedelic web site. —Heather Rasley, May. 28, 2008

» Listen to “Time to Pretend” at Slave to the Details

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Listening • Let’s Get Physical

The Black Ghosts are also the subject of premature hypulation. They’ve been generating heat since the release of their EP last fall, and are now releasing exclusive music videos (on Big Stereo and Missing Toof) for every track on their self-titled debut before it’s out on July 8. Truth is, that kind of trickle-release marketing is better left to action figures and limited-edition cereal boxes—or, at least, better videos. But the Black Ghosts have their solid moments as a band, and I’m holding on to the hope that next Monday yields something on par with the robot workshop wonderland in the original vid for “Any Way You Choose to Give It.” Sadly, that won’t be happening with their cover of “Let’s Get Physical,” which isn’t on the LP’s track list. You’ll just have to close your eyes and make up your own. —Heather Rasley, May. 28, 2008

» Listen to “Let’s Get Physical” at Different Is Dangerous

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Listening • Lemurs and Foals

The Foals may be the most prematurely remixed indie band ever, thanks mostly to The Lemur, who I recently encountered on a net surf-ari. The Lemur Blog was host to a pair of Foals remix competitions that yielded dozens of results of varying successes. That’s a whole heck of a lot for an album that was quietly released in March. —Heather Rasley, May. 28, 2008

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Listening • Make it So

Daedelus has pulled an increasingly common move to promote his upcoming album, Love to Make Music To: If you release the remix, they will come. The new single, “Make It So (featuring Michael Johnson)” has become irresistibly dance-worthy in the hands of Spank Rock’s XXXchange, who have yet to disappoint. Daedelus is a markedly more subdued act alone, so clubbers are well advised to familiarize themselves with his unfooled-around-with style before the album drops on July 15. —Heather Rasley, May. 28, 2008

» Listen to “Make it So (XXXChange Remix)” at DiscoDust

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Listening • A Suspect Copy of the New Lupe Fiasco

On Nov. 14, Lupe Fiasco released the tracklist to his sophomore effort, The Cool. The tracks themselves will remain in a tightly guarded lockbox until the album hits stores Dec. 18. Or will they?

Over Thanksgiving break, I got my hands on nearly half of Lupe’s precious material. It came to me care of my friend’s neighbor’s cousin’s 12-year-old brother, Todd, who discovered that I review music by Googling my name while us grownups were drinking wine. The poor dear must have a crush on me, because he couldn’t stop giggling when he later handed me a CD-R full of tunes, with THE COOL scrawled across it in his manic, Ritalin-addled handwriting.

Strangely, other reviews by those at the official listening session seem to refer to another album entirely. What is a concept album to them sounds like an astoundingly eclectic, massive collaboration to me, from which Lupe is largely absent. He is content, I imagine, to use his skills to back up burgeoning talent as they endeavor together on the most diverse album I’ve ever heard.

Here, then, is a TMN exclusive: 10 tracks from The Cool, complete with a never-before-seen video.

Superstar feat. Matthew Santos

I heard this pre-release single earlier this month, which was perhaps my first hint that The Cool would be guest-heavy and have an indie bent. Matthew Santos backs up Lupe’s “being famous but also kind of dorky is hard” rant with a gentle, Coldplay-like chorus.

» Listen

Gold Watch

For “Gold Watch,” young Todd included only a text file with a link to this video, which has apparently been posted on YouTube for some time, unrecognized by Lupe’s fans. It seems self-deprecation is becoming increasingly “in.” If I’m right, the young white rapper who dominates this track is slated to be the next big Lil’ _______. Low production values and opening references to email and the fashion brands preferred by suburban teens demonstrate Lupe’s intimacy with his target audience.

Streets on Fire

From the title, I was expecting a post-apocalyptic cautionary tale. Turns out it’s a country-inspired holiday song!

» Listen

Little Weapon

Though it doesn’t have the pizazz of “Superstar,” I’d name “Little Weapon” the best track on the album. I could be wrong, but I think there’s an Andrew Bird reference in there. Amazing.

» Listen

Gotta Eat

He wants to eat! And he’s totally punk rock!

» Listen

Dumb It Down feat. Gemini & Graham Burris

Another pre-released track, “Dumb it Down” is a chillaxed commentary on the tendency to cater to the common denominator to sell records. Here’s the video, complete with eye-winking, Polo-clad white dude. Obviously, Lupe’s done a fine job of defying that expectation with The Cool. Nothing simple about this album.

Hello Goodbye feat. UNKLE

Indistinguishable from the original. Lupe is a genius.

» Listen

The Die

A full and sprawling acoustic duet. Completely unexpected. Again, bravo.

» Listen

Put You on Game

Another well-executed throwback. Here, Lupe emulates ’70s-era punk rock almost as well as his “Hello, Goodbye” replicates the Beatles.

» Listen

Go Baby

Wait a minute. This guy isn’t saying “go baby.” He’s saying “baby please don’t go.” I may not know a lot about music pre-1995, but I did just watch I’m Not There, and while I spent most of that time completely lost, I did manage to learn what Dylan sounds like—and it sounds a lot like this. You know, now that I think about it, that country Christmas song probably wasn’t Lupe Fiasco, either. There’s something very strange going on here.

» Listen

Wait a minute…

 —Heather Rasley, Nov. 28, 2007

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Listening • The State of Mashmixes and Remashes

About a decade ago it became common to say about new movies that were good, but not that good: “I’ll wait for it to come out on DVD.” If they were that good, it’d be worth it to deal with the inability to lay in front of the screen in your underwear and press the pause button for bathroom breaks.

Now the “I’ll wait for it” phenomenon has carried over to music: “I’ll wait for the remix.” So accustomed are we to checking out mashups and mixes mere weeks after the original is leaked, we’ve now formed an ear for the almost-hot.

Unfortunately, I’ve yet to hear anyone breathe life into Britney’s “Gimme More,” but there are some standout remixes that make the originals look, well, bothersome. Among them is a remix of a mashup, which would be what? A mashmix? A remash? Whatever the case, A-Trak helps blend the somewhat awkward melding of Kanye West and Daft Punk on “Stronger” by speeding things up and bringing blips and claps to the fore. Of course, with every remix comes at least one sacrifice. For A-Trak, it was losing the winning couplet: “Heard they’d do anything for a Klondike / Well I’d do anything for a blond dyke.”

» Listen to “Stronger (A-Trak remix)” at Bows + Arrows


* * *

Then there are remixes that enhance songs that were always great. Erlend Oye’s “Sudden Rush” came out when he was still “that guy with glasses from Kings of Convenience.” Now that he’s an indie-electro icon of sorts, it’s appropriate that the Twelves have revived it with more clubby backing.

» Listen to “Sudden Rush (the Twelves Remix)” at Palms Out Sounds


* * *

Like most nerds born in the early ‘80s, my bespectacled heart melts when I hear music that resembles a Nintendo theme song. The catch is that it has to transform into something of substance eventually. Straight-up 8-bit does not impress.

So I was thrilled to hear Le Loup pour a delicious batter of breathy, hand-clapping folk into the mold of a standard geekno song, resulting in a warm and energizing pop tart. Recommended pairings: Sundays, subways, sex.

» Listen to “We are Gods! We are Wolves!” at Stereogum


* * *

If it were a video game, Múm’s “They Made Frogs Smoke Til They Exploded” would probably involve a race to do exactly that. Few titles could more aptly describe the sound of a chipper children’s chorus singing gibberish on top of happy, glitchy loops.

» Listen to “They Made Frogs Smoke Til They Exploded” at Tunes Consumed

Or just watch the video.



 —Heather Rasley, Oct. 3, 2007

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Listening • How to Win at Relationships

While I can’t personally relate to “a mescaline freakout at an off-Broadway show / in the morning,”* there’s something familiar and friendly about Luke Temple’s “Saturday People.” Its folksy feel and tripped-out lyrics make you want to gather on a big ol’ front porch in the country with all of the freaks, creeps, and weirdoes you’ve ever known. After a group swirl in a hand-holding circle, you would pause to make an announcement. “Friends,” you would say, “I care about each and every one of you. But I really can’t lend you five dollars for bus fare or anything else, so please stop asking.”

*I’ve only been in New York for a few weeks and grad school hasn’t started yet. Check back during finals week.

» Listen to “Saturday People” at The Yellow Stereo


* * *

If putting lemons in the dishwasher to freshen things up is a life hack, is telling someone how you feel about them and their actions toward you an emotion hack?

If so, let the Emotion Hacker of the Year award go to Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, for her title track, “Marry Me.” With piercing honesty that’s whimsical in turn, Clark states her desire to marry a fellow named John, as sparse and carefully orchestrated instrumentation pleads and plays along with her. While as far as I know Clark is still single, it’s likely that her emotional productivity was maximized by the direct use of this simple command/request.

» Listen to “Marry Me” at Said the Gramophone

First runner-up: “You Broke My Heart” by Lavender Diamond
» Listen to “You Broke My Heart” at 3hive

Second runner-up: “Let’s Make Out” by Does It Offend You, Yeah?
» Listen to “Let’s Make Out” at Pitchfork

Third runner-up: “Can I Get Get Get” by Junior Senior
» Listen to “Can I Get Get Get” at You Ain’t No Picasso


* * *

France must be experiencing an unusual number of sunny afternoon showers lately. No other explanation could account for the amount of rainbows in its music videos.

It may be past its peak of hotness, but “Je Veux te Voir” by Yelle is still adorable. That is, until you realize that the bright colors are only there to distract you from the fact that this slender female electro-pop songstress is saying some harsh and dirty things about the manhood of ex-boyfriend and rapper, Cuizinier of TTC. Then it’s just awesome. (Though kind of hard to believe. I mean, the guy covered Warren G.)


» Listen to “Je Veux te Voir” at MySpace
» Listen to “Regulate” at Fluo Kids


* * *

As Cuizinier’s cousin and cohort in TTC, Teki Latex is slammed in Yelle’s rant, too. I have no idea what he’s saying in “Les Matins de Paris,” but he’s cuddly looking and makes cute blobby things appear all over Paris, so I have a hard time hating on him.


» Listen to “Les Matins de Paris” at MySpace


* * *

“A Cause des Garçons” shows the newer, lighter side of Yelle—well, comparitively, anyway. As someone whose armoire is constantly self-animating so it can boogie around while I’m trapped inside, I can totally relate. See also the insanely danceable Riot in Belgium remix.


» Listen to “A Cause des Garçons” at MySpace
» Listen to “A Cause des Garçons (Riot in Belgium Remix)” at MySpace

 —Heather Rasley, Aug. 29, 2007

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