The interviewer from "XLR8R TV" is utter rubbish. Her questions were pretty much total malarky. And I really wish they previewed more than one new song. But there's a couple interesting tidbits in this video interview with Black Milk and Sean Price about their forthcoming collaborative album with Guilty Simpson.



It's funny watching Sean Price shake his head when Black Milk talks about the movies he likes, and Black Milk shake his head when Sean Price talks about being "Lord Jansport" of the backpackers. Oh yeah, and apparently Sean Price says "rappitty-rap" a lot, just like your peoples here at Imageyenation. Great minds think alike, yo.

Danish Electro-Pop trio Oliver North Boy Choir has a new single available via the iTunes. It's called "Shell For the Mourning," and it's pretty awesome. The video, which looks like it was shot in Mexico, is pretty cool too, even if it's got absolutely no connection to the song.



Squeezebox, son.

Anyway, band-member Ivan was sweet enough to send us a little bundle of joy, which we're now sharing with you. It's a cover of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's Synthpop classic "Enola Gay."

Oliver North Boy Choir "Enola Gay"

The video clip for "Stronger," Kanye West's next single from his forthcoming third album 'Graduation' has been all over the internets this week. I was holding off on posting about it until I found a version that didn't have the annoying TRL logo on it. Well, here it is.



When the song first leaked I was kinda underwhelmed. "Oh, Kanye sampled Daft Punk, that's nice." But as soon as I saw the video I flipped. "Wait, wait... did this motherfucker just base his video on fucking 'Akira' like I think he did?" Yup, and he's got the Daft Punk "robots" in there too. To quote Mr. West his damn self, "me likey."

Oh, and have you seen the cover design yet?

This isn't even remotely new, but it's got strippers. Besides, Stones Throw just released a super-duper two-disc deluxe edition of Jaylib's 'Champion Sound,' with remixes and instrumentals and shit.



It's also an excuse for me to give you goodies, namely the previously unreleased "dirty" mix of my "McNasty Filth" mashup over Nelly's "Get Your Eagle On" instrumental from our Summer 2004 mixtape.

Jaylib vs. Neptunes "McMashupty Filth" feat. Frank N Dank

"Just Bought A Moped"



For real though, I'mma get me a moped. I used to ride my cousins and my friends back in the day. Loved it. Shit had me feeling like Kelly Leak.

The homie Rafi from Oh Word? had the exclusivo deal on this a while back because he went to school with one of the guys from the band. But this week I got an e-mail from band-member Mojo about live Hip-Hop act Dujeous' new mixtape and feel obliged to pass it on.

You might remember the Mark Ronson remix of Lily Allen's smile which featured the boys from Dujeous that I posted months ago. It was actually one of the most popular downloads we've ever hosted on this site. It's virtually Imageyenation platinum at this point. Well, it's on the 'Game 7' mixtape, in addition to a bunch of other stuff.

Dujeous 'Game 7'

1.Intro
2.Game 7
3.Doorbell - White Stripes f. Mojo, Joe Holiday, Delta
4.Comin With Us - Jigsaw & Mojo
5.Ice-T Speaks
6.Pro Choice - Dujeous feat. John Legend
7.Death & Taxes
8.The Wrench & The Chain - Wax Po Allstars feat. Pepit
9.The Game Speaks
10.Back To The Basics - Mas D
11.Research
12.Grand Master Caz Speaks
13.Bust Yo Shit
14.Beer
15.Meanwhile - Mojo
16.Phony People - Dujeous feat. System of a Down
17.The Duj & The EQ - Wax Po Allstars
18.So Fed Up - Mojo & Rheturik
19.Extraordinary Gentlemen - Rheturik & Jigsaw
20.Eye Witness-Dujeous feat. Immortal Technique
21.Cut You Down - Johnny Cash f. Samm, Jigsaw, Mojo
22.Shades of Green - Jigsaw, Delta, Rheturik
23.The Greater Good - Delta feat. Mojo
24.Mark Ronson Speaks
25.Smile Remix - Lily Allen feat. Dujeous
26.Everything is OK (skit)
27.Mas Durr - Mas D
28.Mistakes - EQ feat. Rheturik & Mojo
29.Outro

Dujeous 'Game 7' (.zip)

I first became aware of UK based Hip-Hop crew Associated Minds via a Ska sampling single called "Skank" by the duo The Breakneaks and a promo single featuring emcee Ruffstylz spitting his accented lyricism all over The Neptunes produced beat from Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You." They've released a number of joints since then, but none of them have caught me like those first two singles did. And while Grime artists have managed to break into the American consciousness to some degree, straight up Hip-Hop acts like the Associated Minds crew haven't necessarily been as lucky.

I don't know if I can do anything to help them break the glass ceiling that blocks a lot of foreign Rap artists from moving up here in the states, but I think their newest project might have the potential to bring back the vibe of those early singles. It's a production album from AM's in-house beatmaker Metabeats, featuring guest-shots from Ralph Rip Shit, Mudmowth, Ruffstyles, Quiet Poison, Junior Disprol, Joe Blow, Pergyl, and Optimas Prime, called 'Metaphysical.'

I don't know when the album is due out, but the first track leaked from the project, a Soul sampling banger called "Live & Let Live" featuring Pergyl and Hekla Kosh is enough to get me excited for it.

Metabeats "Live & Let Live" featuring Pergyl and Hekla Kosh

Hey, it's Friday and here's 3 pretty chill songs that turned out to be surprisingly sexy.



Simple Kid, née Ciaran McFeely, has been hailed as the UK's answer to Beck on more than one occasion and it's not an unjust comparison. They both do the lo-fi, folk, pop, funk, whatever, "I-can-do-anything" and "you-can't-pigeonhole-me" thing, and rock the moppy lost look to the point of adorability's no return. But that doesn't mean I can see "Serotonin," a track off of Simple Kid's second album, '2,' on 'Midnite Vultures.' You know any song off the latter album is going to be a good time but it'll be gone in the morning before you even wake up. Not "Serotonin." Those breathy vocals, the unrelenting stream of his lyrics, that synthesizer or distorted keyboard or whatever it is. "Serotonin"'s going to make love to you AND cook you breakfast in the morning.

Simple Kid "Serotonin"

'2' is out already in the UK but won't be released in the US until August 7th. But fear not, you can download a free EP from Yep Roc Records!



Some of you might remember Sissy Wish and maybe like me, you kind of want to marry her. "Table 44" is overall a pretty poppy song but that intro with its prominent drum line and Sissy talking about what she wants and she'll do what she likes makes me think of pretty girls in dress shirts and no pants clutching wooden-spoon microphones while dancing in the kitchen.

Sissy Wish "Table 44"



Sweden's Norma, "a three-piece orchestra, playing atmospheric pop influenced by krautrock with filmic elements" released their first EP last month on Swedish label Novoton. The only thing I've heard off it is the 8 minute epic that is "The Storm."

Norma "The Storm"

All I have to say is: That building climax. Jesus!

Have a good weekend.

In the new video for her single "Tears Dry On Their Own", Amy Winehouse walks through David LaChapelle's vision of a hooker infested New York Los Angeles.



I'm a big fan of LaChapelle's work and I have to say...I'm not exactly impressed with this. It's a bit...well...bland for him. He could have been WAAAAY crazier with the colors and wardrobe and whatnot.

I was planning to post performance artist and musician Laurie Anderson's groundbreaking Electronica song "O Superman" in a podcast sooner or later. But when I opened Outlook a few minutes ago I was greeted with the news that the album it's from, 1982's 'Big Science,' is being re-released on July 17th, so the need to post about it become immediate. The 8-plus-minute opus "O Superman" was conceived of as a "cover" of the operatic aria "O Souverain" re-imagined as a commentary on technology and communication in the United States juxtaposed against images of an attack by America's military and industrial powers. Constructed from a sampled vocal, synths and sound effect loops, with a heavily vocoded vocal, the song is is as amazing musically as the lyrics are thought-provoking. And the video, featuring an array of lighting and shadow effects and projected images is incredible too.



So many years later, after the world of Electronic music has exploded globally, a re-mastered and enhanced 25th anniversary edition of 'Big Science' is poised to hit stores on Nonesuch Records. The re-release includes new liner notes written by Anderson, the classic video for the surprise 1981 hit single "O Superman," and the original b-side track "Walk the Dog." The songs on 'Big Science' were largely adapted from 'United States' a seven-hour performance art/theatre piece intended to articulate the social and political anxiety and the longing for safety and emotional connection Anderson perceived in American society in the 1980s. Themes as relevant now (perhaps more-so) as they were then, no? I mean, how could a song featuring the lyrics "here come the planes, they're American planes..." not strike an emotional or intellectual chord in George W. Bush's America?

After the July 17th re-release of 'Big Science' Anderson is set to release a new studio album, titled 'Homeland,' also on Nonesuch Records in 2008. A North American tour is scheduled to follow that.

Laurie Anderson "Let X=X"

I posted an MP3 of the mellotron fueled, sing-a-long inducing track "Monster" by Canadian Dance-Punks You Say Party! We Say Die! way back in March. They've finally released a video clip for the song, replete with fake blood, a foxy lady and an actual fucking monster!



The band's newest album, 'Lose All Time' is in stores now on their very own independently operated Paper Bag Records label. If you're all about the Indie-Dance and Disco-Punk shit (which I know you are), and weird female-fronted Hipster bands you should check it out.

His daughter found Nemo, he found the new Primo, then he recorded a dope-ass song and released it as a single. The "he" in question is Chicago emcee Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr., otherwise known as Common, and the single is called "The People." Here's the video clip.



His forthcoming seventh LP is titled 'Finding Forever.' It features production from Kanye West, J Dilla, Will.i.am and Devo Springsteen, and guest appearances from Lily Allen, D'Angelo, Dwele (who's actually on "The People") and Bilal. It's due out July 31st, and is one of my most anticipated albums of the Summer.

I really wish I had an MP3 to post of "Electro Livin'," the new early preview track from British Grime emcee Akala's just-finished sophomore LP, which isn't due out until this Fall. Alas, he only has it up as a stream on his MySpace page, and from what I can tell it's still too new and he's still too "on the bubble" for it to be all over the internets. That said, it wasn't too early for one of his fans to set the track to visuals appropriated from Fritz Lang's groundbreaking 1927 silent sci-fi film 'Metropolis' and upload it to the YouTube.



Apparently Akala's already incited a little controversy in the UK Hip-Hop scene as he won a 2006 "Mobo" award for "Best Hip-Hop Artist," beating out the likes of American mega-stars like 50 Cent and The Game. His debut album 'It's Not a Rumour' (which sounds funny if you say it with an Austrian accent) dropped in 2006 and is still out in stores on the independent Illa State Records label.

Recent DFA Records signees Prinzhorn Dance School sound a bit like the White Stripes if they made dancey Post-Punk instead of Blues-inspired Garage Rock. What that means is that their new DFA-released single "Up! Up! Up!" sounds sort of like a cover of the Stripes' "7 Nation Army" by ESG with James Murphy on vocals.



The video is really helping set the song off for me in a big way. And I gotta admit, it helps that the young lady in the band, Suzi Horn, is a smokin' hot sex kitten of stupendous proportions. Campy funky dance song + goofy arty video + hot chick with awesome gams = pure gold!

Glitter + Tinsel = Sexy

New video from Yeah Yeah Yeahs for "Down Boy".



The song is off of a 5 song EP titled 'Is Is' which drops on July 23rd in the UK on Dress Up/Fiction and July 24th everywhere else.

Here's a lil' snippet from the YYY's on 'Is Is.'

IS IS isn't your mommy or daddy's EP

Bad. Suggestive. Wrong. Yes. Yes. YEAH! What's a summer without a little stinking trash to roll around in? We've got the garbage oh yeah we do, dumped into five songs to encourage bad listening habits. YYYs would love to heat up and bother you at a loud volume, so please help us help you and seek out our new tunes? Some of you may know a few of these songs, we've been terrorizing with them at our shows for years, Rockers to Swallow, Down Boy, 10X10, WE GUARANTEE YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD THEM LIKE THIS BEFORE, nor have you heard them ALL. We deliver them to you with a snarl this July accompanied with new videos all shot in the dark at a very intimate show we threw last month. We cannot tell you how EXCITED the three of us are to drop this music in your laps, our mouths water at thought of you listening to RTS (ep's first track) in your car stereos. Summer nights are made for this shit. This shit IS IS made for summer nights.

xx,
YYY

Sweet.

You might recognize Ali Love as the voice of the Chemical Brothers recent single "Do It Again." Well, he's back with "Secret Sunday Lover," a retro-futuristic Electro-Soul song that sounds like Freestyle queen Shannon covering Patrice Rushen's "Forget Me Nots" for the 21st century. And it's got quite the sexy sci-fi video clip.



"Secret Sunday Love" is the first single from Ali Love's forthcoming debut album of the same title. It drops on compact disc, 12'' vinyl and as a digital download on July 9th on the Columbia Records label.

This track "We Fall In Love" from Swedish "Indie Disco" duo Pulpa is a couple months old. But it's got that Summertime radio vibe. And since today is the first day of Summer I can't think of anything better to do to celebrate than post a cool-as-shit Summertime Synthpop jam with an astoundingly homoerotic video clip! No, seriously, the video is pretty Gay. Oh, and it's also got a microKorg in it. Sweet!



Pulpa "We Fall In Love"

Anyway, if you'd like to hear more from Pulpa go check out their MySpace page (linked above) and visit their website where they have a whole bunch of free downloads in their media section. The song "Seconds," with it's double-time hi-hats, sweet vocal, slick drum programming, and microKorg goodness, is a particularly dope track.

If you've harbored any doubts that Sweden is the undisputed home of Rock, this story should assuage them. The Swedish Unemployment Service has ruled that 42-year-old Roger Tullgren's "addiction" to Rock 'N Roll is a "disibility" which entitles him to government funded financial support! It took him 10 years to get his "condition" recognized, but now that he has, he's rockin' all the way to the bank!

Bedecked in his traditional heavy metal skull and crossbones jewellery he said: "Some might say I should grow up and learn to listen to other types of music but I can't.

"Heavy metal is my lifestyle. The fact I am into music so much has affected my work situation to the extent that I have had to quit some jobs."

Roger will get a £65 a week top up to the money he earns as a part-time restaurant dishwasher so he can buy concert tickets and CDs.

And the tattooed rocker, from Hassleholm in southern Sweden, hopes it will pay his expenses for playing in his band Silverland.

Additionally, the ruling means that his boss has to let him "rock out" by playing his guitar-shredding music at work, and give him time off to attend concerts. When a government goes that far to support a "music addiction" it should be no wonder as to why their country produces so many awesome bands! Fuck Cleveland, Sweden rocks.

The only thing missing from this 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' inspired video clip for Mark Ronson and Lily Allen's funkafied cover of the Kaiser Chiefs (who make a cameo sppearance) tune "Oh My God" is grizzled actor Bob Hoskins. Well, that, and enormous animated bosoms. But I must say, young Ms. Lily's animated fumpy (fanny + rump = fumpy, in case you're wondering) is looking pretty luscious.



The animated Lily was conceived and designed by Parisian graffiti artist FAFI who has some really dope graffiti-influenced kiddie-book style illustrations on her website. The track itself can be heard on Mark Ronson's cover album 'Version,' which is out now on Columbia in the UK, and which drops July 10th on RCA here in the states.

I posed this question to El Keter last night while playing the Boyz Noize remix of Feist's "My Moon My Man". We both agreed that some remixes of "1234" were in order and would be super fresh, but neither I nor Keter had gotten wind of any other Feist related remix action.

Well wouldn't you know that a friggin' remix of "1234" popped up today over at Stereogum. Hot damn! It's courtesy of Vanshe Technologic, two sexy ladies who work alongside Urban Alternatives favorites the Van She boys, and it is funkin' fresh!

Feist "1234" (Vanshe Technologic Remix)

It's for the teenaged boys. So enjoy it.

Though I don't necessarily bear them any ill will, I've never been the biggest fan of Bloc Party's music. I guess there was a part of me that thought a band named Bloc Party should sound more like Go! Team (or Justice's "B-E-A-T") or something. And even though I think they're decent, and think Kele's bisexuality (or Gayness, or whatever) is awesome, I've always wished their music sounded more like the remixes other producers have made of their music. That said, the track "Hunting for Witches" has a little bit of the uptempo bump and synthiness I would otherwise expect from a band named Bloc Party.



The "Hunting for Witches" single, the third single from their newest album 'A Weekend in the City,' is out July 9th in the UK. I don't think there are any remixes on the actual single. But since I tend to like remixes of Bloc Party songs so much, here's a pair of remixes of "Hunting for Witches" by the Remix Artist Collective (or RAC) and the Canadian Electro Punks of Crystal Castles respectively.

Bloc Party "Hunting for Witches (RAC Remix)"

Bloc Party "Hunting for Witches (Crystal Castles Remix)"

When he's not adjusting his balls, Emeyesi plays songs on the radio. One of the bands he's been rocking a lil' something of late is Denton, Texas-based Ghosthustler. I'm pretty sure he played their track "Parking Lot Nights" the last time he was in charge of the show actually. I kinda thought Ghosthustler was just a MySpace band or something. But no. They're "real," and even have a boss-ass video!



Ghosthustler "Parking Lot Nights"

Are they putting out an official album? Is "Parking Lot Nights" available as a real single? I don't fucking know. And their MySpace doesn't really offer any enlightenment. What I do know is that this video starts off with a number of people (the members of the band maybe?) getting punch in the face by a disembodied arm outfitted in a Nintendo Power Glove™ accessory from back in the day!

The Go! Team is back! New song. New album. Same old dopeness.



Their latest album 'Proof Of Youth' will be out on September 11th on Sub Pop.

Super-Producer Nigel Godrich was kind enough to upload this video to Radiohead's Deadairspace with the following comments:

"I keep bits of tape which have been chopped out of the mixes when they were edited .. stick em on a reel.. when you play it back it sounds like.. this."

They got the poison.

One of the albums I’m highly anticipating this year is Unkle's 'War Stories' which will be released here in North America on July 24.

Their first single is "Burn My Shadow" and it features The Cult's Ian Astbury on vocals. Along with the single there is a video starring Goran Višnjic of 'ER' fame. Goran’s character has just woken up with a bit of a dilemma, and well, you'll just have to watch and find out what happens.

I got an email today asking me to big up the latest in the 'Reggae Gold' series. It's called 'Reggae Gold 2007: Treasure of the Caribbean.' If you go to the website, you can enter the Reggae Gold Scavenger Hunt and win up to $5,000. (Perhaps it's $5,000 in Spanish doubloons?)

Captain Jack Sparrow would be proud.

Also included in this email, aside from the sexy cover art (seen above) was an MP3 off the album. It was Sean Paul's track "Watch Them Roll." My friend and I were sitting in my room when I started playing it and, I will admit, we had a mini dance party while the song played. In fact, it was rivaling the Dancehall/Hip Hop that was coming from the cars parked in front of the estate across the street.

We're so down in our university dorms.

Here's the link for you to preview.

Sean Paul "Watch Them Roll"

After the illness that was the MF Doom-produced first single "Project Jazz" I was kinda disappointed with former Sunz of Man member Hell Razah's 'Renaissance Child' album. Even this track, the ode to Hip-Hop, "Renaissance" featuring Tragedy the Intelligent Hoodlum, Timbo King, and R.A. the Rugged Man, didn't really hit me too hard.



Hell Razah "Renaissance" feat. Tragedy Khadafi, Timbo King, and R.A. the Rugged Man

That said, R.A. the Rugged Man fucking murders this entire song, has sex with the corpse, burns it, buries it, and then pisses on it's grave. His verse is just totally, 100% bananas! And his flow is ill and unfuckwittable in a way only a few emcees in the game's are.

The best, oh yes, I guess, suggest the rest you fess
I'm Tribe Quest, I'm Moe Dee Wild West
Treach, Naughty, Jazz Jeff, Slick Rick, I'm Doug Fresh
I'm def, I'm Canibus before he met Wyclef
Original, I don't bite
I don't need nobody to ghost-write
Kool G Rap strike the mic
I recite the type of hype
That you like, I'm Sweetback
I'm Uptown Saturday Night
I'm Black Ceasar, I'm Rudy Ray Moore, Dolemite
I'm an assassin rappin'
I'm Grand Wizard Theodore when he invented scratchin'
I'm Wu-Tang, Killa Bee, epitome of Public Enemy
Gamblin', Hustlin', like Smooth and Trigger be, bitter b
Bum-stiggety-diggety, Das
Literally, I'm Pun in the middle of Little Italy
Didn't do diddly, gettin' me
Listen to me
I'm all good, I'm hood
I'm Ice Cube before he turned soft and went Hollywood
I'm Poetic from Gravediggaz
I'm ODB, I'm Headquarters
I'm Ted Demme, I'm Paul C
If I ain't better than B.I.G., I'm the closest
I'm Richard Pryor before multiple sclerosis
I'm beef, I'm gold teeth, peace
Mantronix, Stetasonic, Symbolic, Bambaata, Soul Sonic
I'm Dre, the Chronic
Melodic with logic, Islamic
A poverty prophet
Economy robbery, cock it
I probably properly droppin'
It gotta be honesty
Opposite of novelty, rock it
I Herbie Hancock-it
I'm Onyx Throwin' Ya Gun
I'm Funky 4 + 1

Seriously, can dude just get some dope beats and put out another album or something? He's too dope not to be on top of the game.

I don't know anything about this new video for Atlanta rapper Bonecrusher's (he ain't never scared) new single "Round" featuring Sean Faylon and Colt Ford (who?) other than it's "totally radical."



I'm assuming this is the first single from his forthcoming (indie?) album 'Free' featuring Valley High (his band?). I gotta say, both "Round" and "Electric" (the other cut on his MySpace) are light-years away from his earlier hardcore "crunk" stuff, but I like it!

Nedelle "Ghost Ships"

Oakland-based Indie-Pop cutie Nedelle doesn't know it, but she's totally my girlfriend. Granted, the one time I was in the same room with her I couldn't say much more than "I love you so much, your album was awesome." But I've been in love with the girl since her 2003 debut 'Republic of Two.' I haven't always been happy with her stripped-down "girl-with-a-guitar" style songs, which is the style she continues to favor on her third full-length solo LP 'The Locksmith Cometh,' out now on the tiny indie Tangrams 7 label. But I always adore her voice, and her songwriting is unquestionably incredible. She gives me the good stuff on the track "Ghost Ships" though. It's a playful number with a sly sexual undertone and mopey, self-effacing tone, juxtaposed against a sense of undying optimism and gloriously upbeat, sun-drenched musicality. My girlfriend is good yo.



A Band of Bees "Stand"

Fuck a Mark Ronson, son! British sextet The Bees (also known as A Band of Bees here in the Americas) have been rocking that grimily retro throwback Soul/Funk shit since their 2002 debut 'Sunshine Hit Me.' Their newest album 'Octopus,' out now on Virgin in the UK and Astrakwerks here in the states, doesn't disappoint in that respect either. Lady Glock posted the video for the slow-loping Funk number "Listening Man" a while ago. But other album cuts, like "Stand," drop the breakbeats and funky instrumentation just as heavy.



Caribou "Irene"

From the great-white-north of Canada comes the one-man-band known as Caribou (formerly Manitoba, alias Dan Snaith). A laptop producer, turned Folktronica musician, Caribou's newest album 'Adorra' (which drops August 19th on the Merge Records label) finds him operating almost exclusively within a framework of Sixties sounding pure-pop. Only a couple of cuts retain obvious electronic elements. The song "Irene," a melancholy Soul and Jazz influenced electronic Psyche-Pop tune replete with bubbly Rhodes, eerie vocals, muted horns and cheesy drum-machine beats, is one of them.



Stereo Total "Baby Revolution"

German-based, French/German Electropop duo Stereo Total is another longtime favorite of the Imageyenation posse and a pair of Urban Alternatives dandies to boot! Their new album is called 'Paris Berlin' (which comes out in "June or July" on the Disko B label overseas and Kill Rock Stars here in the U-S-of-A) shouldn't disappoint longtime fans of the group's sometimes rowdy, sometimes coy, but always sexy multi-lingual mix of Synthpop, Punk, and Radio Pop in the least. The track "Baby Revolution," which finds them insisting listeners "put your Marxism where your mouth is," is a prime example of what they do best, presenting a philosophy totally opposed to conventional attitudes and morals, which some might consider threatening, in a cute, sexy, and oh-so-catchy package.

I came across this video at NahRight.com. Called "State of Clarity", the track is off of Jazzmatazz vol. 4 by Guru (of Gangstarr fame). The track features Common and is pretty solid. The video is also really cool too.



Props to anyone who knows what animated movie this is from.

My flight this morning out of Dublin: 9:00am. Time on clock when I wake up completley bleary-eyed: 9:00am. Fuck. All because last night I walked past a bar that had a crowd outside of some real serious beehive-wig-wearing mod kids and face-painted-bustiered goth kids and it was too much of a WTF scene for me to pass up. Apparently it was the one-year anniversary of a '60s pop club night called Sassy Sue's GOGO that is really worth checking out if you're ever on this side of the Atlantic and you're tired of the usual pub scene. Why it was 'The Mod Squad' meets 'Rocky Horror Picture Show', I'll never know (Was it a one time thing? Is it just a cultural gap I don't get?) but everyone in there was a party animal including the live band on stage, The Revellions.

Like a cross between The Cramps and The Yardbirds (looking like them too), these Dublin boys have the '60s surf band thing nailed down but then they've got these touches of punk that make for a great live show. They don't seem to have an album out just yet but they have some free tracks available for download on their MySpace. I read that these were recorded on less than stellar equipment and you can tell. The tracks really don't do them justice so it's a pity they're only gigging locally right now. They've got plans for a single release in the fall so maybe we'll be hearing more about them Stateside then. In the meantime, I just want to say thanks to The Revellions for a crazy night. Today, while I pack and nurse my hangover, I'll be listening to:

The Revellions "It's Up To You"

I'm not too sure how psyched I am about the song "Men's Needs" from UK-based trio The Cribs. It reminds me of Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes, Modest Mouse and Interpol all at once. So I guess it's not bad, but it's not exactly what I'd call original. Now, the video for "Men's Needs," that's a whole other story all together. It's got full frontal nudity, and lots of it at that! And we all know that there's nothing in the whole wide world more original than full frontal nudity.



Oh yeah, the video's also got a bunch of gory, bloody ultra-violence too. And the violence was apparently considered graphic enough to elicit a number of viewer complaints sufficient to get it "banned" from MTV2 for being "too shocking." The track "Men's Needs" is from The Cribs' newest album, their third, 'Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever,' which is out now overseas on Wichita Records, and iTunes, and which drops here in the US on Warner Brothers July 17th.

Bang Ganged!

Not like that though. I mean I am completely in love with the mixes from the Australian DJs ,The Bang Gang, not to be confused with the Icelandic Bang Gang. Comprised of 6 hedonistic party boys, these guys have been getting Sydney up and dancing with their Ed Banger infused party mixes that contain everything from DJ Mehdi to Ratatat to Juelz Santana. They've got a CD coming out in July on Modular Records called 'Light Sound Dance' and if the 10 minute teaser they've released is any indication, it's going to be a double mix of pure down under aural pleasure. I can't wait.

The Bang Gang "Light Sound Dance Minimegamix"

The 'FutureSex/LoveSound' album has been out for about a year, but Justin Timberlake is still killing shit, keeping us on our toes, and dropping singles. The new video for "Lovestoned/I Think She Knows (Interlude)" looks like it should be a Hot Chip video or something.



The way the song fades in on this YouTube of the video (and the other streamable versions of the video online) make me question whether this isn't some fan-ripped crapola version of the video. But whatever, it's all that's online, so it's all you're getting from me chumps!

Oh wait a sec, you're also getting "Our Love," Spank Rock member XXXChange's super-hot remix/re-edit of JT's mega-single "My Love."

XXXChange "Our Love" feat. Justin Timberlake

You know I don't make it a habit to just post album cover images unless I happen to think they're really fresh. Part of the reason for that is the sad fact that a lot of album covers these days just straight suck, another is that even a good album cover doesn't guarantee that the album is gonna be worth a damn. The last album cover I posted, Redman's 'Red Gone Wild' is a prime example of that... the album cover was awesome, but the album itself blew horse cock.

Anyway you cut it though, I'm really digging the newly unveiled cover for Chicago emcee Common's forthcoming seventh full-length album 'Finding Forever.' It's got a similar flavor to Lupe Fiasco's 'Food & Liqour' with the whole outer-space, Jedi Knight hood look it's got going on. And like 'Food & Liquor' it reminds me a lot of Main Source's classic 'Breaking Atoms' as well. Luckily, we know that the album is probably going to be pretty darn good too since all the songs that have leaked (with the exception of that dookie "I Have a Dream" joint with Will.i.am from the 'Freedom Writers' soundtrack) are dope.

Check out some audio of the first single, "The Game" backed with "The People," which you've probably already heard, at the links below.

Common "The People" feat. Dwele

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Common "The Game" feat. DJ Premier

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It's not enough that Sweden produces some of the most incredible Indie Pop bands of all time. No, they have to be real nice and give their amazing music away for free too! The newest perpetrator of this free Swedish Indie music scam (something so good has to be a scam) is the Gothenburg based duo of Fredrik Ståhl & Kalle Lekholm, otherwise known as Honeymoon Over!, and the ever-charitable Frukt Records label, who are giving the group's five-song, self-titled EP away as a totally free download!

The label website describes the young duo's sound as "Bitcrushed synthesizers and fluegel-horns... Reverbed acoustic and electric guitars... Digital beats... Analog claves..." which is pretty accurate. They're something of a mash-up of other Swedish acts like Lo-Fi-Fnk, Mixtapes & Cellmates, Suburban Kids With Biblical Names, and Hey Willpower. Their music is poppy and fun, but also has an underlying sense of seriousness and melancholy to it. It's kind of like they made an album of Electro-Shoegaze remixes of Chuck Mangione (because of the "fluegel-horns") songs or something.

You know you want to download that shit son!

Honeymoon Over! 'Honeymoon Over! EP' (.Zip)

Okay, so I posted the UK version of Mark Ronson and Daniel Merriweather's "Stop Me" a while back. But there's another, completely different "international" version of the video as well!



I don't know if I like the new Merriweather heavy clip as much as the other one, but whatever. The US version of Ronson's star-studded 'Version' LP hits stores in the states on July 10th on RCA Records.

The Summer of 2007 is just starting to heat up, and it looks like our old friend Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam, a.k.a. M.I.A., is going to play a big part in cooking our brains for the rest of the season. The official first single from her forthcoming sophomore album 'Kala' is called "Boyz," and I already like it, and it's accompanying video clip, a lot more than the that "Bird Flu" joint from a couple months ago.



The video is super-colorful, a fresh and exciting continuation of the art influenced visual style of her last LP, and when combined with the manic track just might induce seizures in viewers. The track itself is sure to induce seizures in people on dancefloors everywhere. The "Boyz" single drops June 12th, with the 'Kala' full-length following August 21st, both on the XL Records label. I don't know about you, but I can't wait for that shit... which is a refreshing surprise considering how over-saturated homegirl was a year or two ago.

Swedish Indie-Pop guy Montt Mardié's double LP 'Clocks/Pretender' came out a couple months back. With a serious throwback Pop vibe that actually delves into Standards territory it's been kind of a sleeper for me. A couple of the tracks have a more upbeat '80s New Wave or Synthpop flavor. This joint "Metropolis" is one of them.



The double-disc 'Clocks/Pretender' album, Montt Mardié's sophomore release, which features collaborations with the likes of The Legends, Jens Lekman, Vapnet, Mr. Suitcase, Hello Saferide, Bobby Baby and others, is in stores now on Swedish Indie label Hybris Records.

Hail Social "Heaven"

Philadelphia-based five-piece Hail Social is apparently part of the same "scene" as the likes of Sweatheart and Plastic Little. I've seen show flyers bearing varying combinations of their names. They've also toured with Interpol though. So I dunno what's up. From what I gather their previous record was more "rocky" sounding. But their new album 'Modern Love & Death,' out now on Polyvinyl Records, is on some Disco-Lite meets Yacht-Rock type shit. A lot of the songs on the record, including this one, titled "Heaven," are really pretty, with airy grooves and slickly cheesy melodies.



Chromeo "Opening Up"

Pretty much all of us here at Imageyenation have been jocking Canadian Electro-Funk duo Chromeo for the last few years now. To put it bluntly, they are your Arab/Jewish robot overlords of Synthpop goodness. Their new album 'Fancy Footwork' (which Cereffusion was supposed to have a review of up on the blog by now) is for lack of better words "teh awesum." It's out now in Canada and will be dropping later this month on Vice Records here in the states. This track, "Opening Up," seems to be something of a sequel to their last LP's hit single "Needy Girl." If you actually buy the album like you should you'll find that the LP version of the song includes a second bonus song tacked on to the end!



Sissy Wish "Dependence"

If you ever wondered what the Yeah Yeah Yeahs front-woman Karen O. would sound like if she were from Norway you need not wonder any more! Norwegian Post-Punk chanteuse Sissy Wish is exactly what you've been looking for. Her new album (her third!) 'Beauties Never Die' is out now... in Norway. It's pretty fresh, like a little taste of pretty much every punky meets poppy female act of the last 27 or so years. The song "Dependence" has both hand-claps and cow-bell, in addition to a catchy-as-all-get-out chorus. You will download it, and then you will dance.



Dommm "With a Statue"

Have you've ever wished that Bright Eyes would stop all that folky emo bullshit and just make songs using samples from the Nintendo Entertainment System? Are you bummed out that Casiotone for the Painfully Alone has been doing a lot of un-casio-ish type shit lately? If so, then Los Angeles-based 8-Bit/Electro guy Dommm just might be for you! His debut album 'Yoloxochitl' is out now on the independent Young Cubs Records label. The song "With a Statue" is alternately sweet, sexy, creepy, and scary (kind of like an 8-Bit version of She Wants Revenge's "Tear You Apart," but without the potty-mouth). Plus, it's got a funky beat, and you can so do the robot to it!

You may have noted I mentioned that I miss the UK band Test Icicles in that Hadouken! post last week. Well, it only took a few days for me to find this new video by Lightspeed Champion, the new project from Dev, one of the former members of the Test Icicles.



Surprisingly this track, a dirgey Alt-Country meets Soft-Rock tune called "Galaxy of the Lost," sounds absolutely nothing like the Punk/Metal/Grime crossbreed that was the Test Icicles. I don't know how I feel about that. But the video has puppets and kittens!

The "Galaxy of the Lost" single drops July 16th on Domino Records.

Irish-born Electronica artist Róisín Murphy's debut solo album 'Ruby Blue' was a sleeper hit with us on our Urban Alternatives radio show a couple years ago. On that album the former Moloko vocalist teamed with Dance Music producer Matthew Herbert to craft slinky Poptronica. She's currently prepping the release of her follow-up, and the first single, a track called "Overpowered" which was produced by Seiji of Bugz In The Attic, is due out July 2nd. The track is pretty wicked (the gurgling synth-bass kicks ass) and the video (which reminds me of Prince's 'Purple Rain' feature for some reason) is fresh, with some cool use of filtering and at least one crazy-ass costume.



Apparently the LP will be titled 'Overpowered' as well. It will be her first release for major label EMI Records. She's reportedly worked with producers Calvin Harris, Groove Armada, the aforementioned Sieji of Bugz in the Attic, and her 'Ruby Blue' collaborator Matthew Dear, amongst a number of others, for this album. The 'Overpowered' full-length isn't due for UK release until October 15th of this year.

Okay, so this post is gonna be all over the place. But what do you want from me? It's 5:24 in the goddamn morning for chrissake! Anyway, it's kind of about Radiohead front-man Thom Yorke. His solo album 'The Eraser' came out last Summer, and while people like me and Emeyesi loved it to pieces it kind of got shat upon by a lot of other folks for whatever reason. So flash-forward a year, and not only will you find Hip-Hop stars Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West and Pharrell Williams rapping over a re-edit of the title track from the album, but you'll find dyed-in-the-wool Hip-Hop jocks charting that shit! It's crazy I tells ya!

Yet and still, that's not all this post it's about. It's also about House music, and the fact that me and Emeyesi are some tired old motherfuckers. Did you happen to catch that post a couple days ago where Emeyesi posted the photos from 2003 of svelte Emeyesi and sexually ambiguous El Keter? Well, that was us when we were young and we actually went out. That day we happened to be in New York City (with our homegirl Jesse a.k.a. Indy) for Rocksteady Reunion. Later that night we'd all go to legendary NYC House music venue Club Shelter. And guess what? We just don't ever do shit like that any more.

So, earlier today I found myself going through old clips of our Urban Alternatives radio show in an attempt to find a certain fake promo we once recorded, and I wound up lamenting the fact that we're basically shells of our former selves. But Emeyesi also happened to e-mail me today as excited as a school-boy to let me know that the other legendary NYC House music venue, Body and Soul (he also happened to wear his Body and Soul tee-shirt to the radio station this week... serendipity maybe?) was in fact "back," proclaiming that we have to go.

That's right son! House music all night long! Maybe we aren't as old and dead as we thought we were? But wait, what does all this have to do with Thom Yorke? Well, this evening I happened to get my hands on a bootleg of Thom Yorke's "The Eraser" remixed in a Deep-House style by none other than Quentin Harris! Now, I know, he's known as the "Shelter Remix" guy. But Shelter... Body and Soul... it's all good. And this remix is good too. It pretty much melted my face, and was an interesting capper to my day.

Thom Yorke "The Eraser (Quentin Harris Remix)"

Another video from UK Grime godfather Wiley from his new album 'Playtime is Over.' This one's for the track "My Mistakes" featuring Manga and Little D. I can't say it's one of my favorite cuts from the album, but it ain't bad.



There's also a snippet of the song "Gangstas" at the end of the video. Both "My Mistakes" and "Gangstas" are on Wiley's sophomore full-length 'Playtime is Over,' which dropped earlier this week in the UK on Big Dada Records.

It's been reported by numerous sites around the internet, including the ubiquitous AllHipHop, that legendary Hip-Hop producer Marley Marl was struck by a heart-attack on Tuesday, June 5th. Very little in the way of details has been made available, but he's reportedly in stable condition and recovering in a New York area hospital.

Representatives for the producer would not release any details as of press time, but asked fans to pray for Marley Marl's speedy recovery.

Marley, born Marlon Williams, is one of the founders of seminal Golden Era Hip-Hop collective The Juice Crew, which introduced the world to the talents of Roxanne Shante, MC Shan, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, Masta Ace, Craig G, and Tragedy the Intelligent Hoodlum. Over the years he was also the producer behind hit records by the likes of Eric B & Rakim, Heavy D, LL Cool J, 3rd Bass, Lords of the Underground, and many others.

Marley Marl "The Symphony" feat. Masta Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, and Big Daddy Kane

MC Shan "The Bridge"

Eric B & Rakim "My Melody"

KRS-One and Marley Marl "Hip-Hop Lives"

His newest project 'Hip-Hop Lives,' in stores now on Koch Records, finds him teaming up with fellow Hip-Hop legend KRS-One, who had feuded with Marl, his partner Mr. Magic, and their Juice Crew All-Stars over issues of intra-borough pride throughout the 1980s.

The star-studded covers album from celebrity DJ, and rising-star producer, Mark Ronson and friends, 'Version,' has been out in the UK since April. That means that it's already kind of old to us here at Imageyenation at this point. However, it still hasn't seen release here in the United States yet, so I guess it's pretty much non-existent to a lot of Americans. It won't drop here until July 10th, but if you still haven't heard it you can get a quick preview of all the tracks thanks to this hand 6-minute-plus "megamix" Ronson has put together.

Mark Ronson "Version Megamix"

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And if you didn't know, 'Version' features Ronson and a list of collaborators that includes Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, Santo Gold, Kenna, Daniel Merriweather, Alex Greenwald of Phantom Planet, Robbie Williams, The Dap-Tones Horns, and Kasabian, covering songs by Coldplay, The Kaiser Chiefs, The Smiths, Britney Spears, Radiohead, The Jam, The Zutons, Ryan Adams, and... well, Kasabian. It hits stores here in the states July 10th, on RCA Records.

It's taken me a few days to find a YouTube of this thing that didn't look like utter shite, but it's finally here... Klaxons "It's Not Over Yet!" Oh, wait, this is actually one of the songs I from their album that I wasn't too crazy about. You know, after the whole "New Rave" thing it's kind of disappointing to put the album on and hear a song that basically sounds like Coldplay, right? But regardless of all that, the video is superb! Seriously, it's some freaky Sci-Fi shit with crazy special effects and swords! It reminds me of 'Dune' for some reason.



Anyway, the "It's Not Over Yet" single drops in the UK on June 25th on the Polydor label. It also features a cover of Justin Timberlake's "My Love" if you can believe it. No remixes though, which kind of sucks. In fact, the only remix I found when putting "Klaxons It's Not Over Yet Remix" into a search-engine was this one by the Crimp Yr Hair DJs. It turns the mopey Indie piano-balladry of the original into a proper New Rave stomper, which is good enough for me. Enjoy!

Klaxons "It's Not Over Yet (Crimp Yr Hair DJs Remix)"

I began to type "Guess who's back?" but then realized...Hot Chip never went anywhere. They've released countless remixes, b-sides, c-sides, d-sides and even songs under different names in the past months, the most recent being "My Piano" which appeared on the DJ Kicks album they compiled. So yeah. They are relentless. So relentless in fact that the UK's Local Government Association is targeting them for ressurrecting rave culture.

Hot Chip's own Felix chimed in on the Hot Chip site/blog.

The association warns that youngsters have grown tired of "mainstream" music and are turning to naughty, naughty bands such as Hot Chip to provide them with illicit thrills in forests and green fields all across the land. Apparently, we are using bleeding edge technology such as "mobile telephones" and something called "Myspace" to deceive the constabulary and covertly organize our Bacchinalian festivities.

If there are so many great illegal parties and festivals up and down the land, can we be invited to one please?

I'd like an invite as well please.

Anyway, a studio version of a song I used to listen to excessively in it's live format has finally been released, and it's fuckin' bandannas.

Hot Chip "Shake A Fist"

Look for Hot Chip's latest effort 'Shot Down In Flames' to hit stores sometime in 2008. In the meantime look for them to continue cranking out the jams on a regular basis.

Okay, so the French aren't exactly known for invading and taking shit over, but French production duo Justice have done just that to the Vice Records "Up Your Jaxxy" blog. They're uploading Justice remix MP3s (both remixes of their songs by other artists, and their remixes of other artists work) every day this week.

So far, I haven't heard a really good remix of Justice's hit single "D-A-N-C-E" yet. I'm waiting though. The closest anybody's come to doing anything interesting with it is Tittsworth's funky B-More mix. Check it out.

Justice "D-A-N-C-E (Tittsworth Remix)"

Justice's debut full-length release '†' hits stores overseas next week on the Ed Banger Records label, and here in the states on Vice Records on July 10th.

The Canadian/London band Dragonette have released a new video for their second single "Take It Like A Man". El Keter posted Dragonette's first video "I Get Around" a little while back.

The new video is a tribute to the hardworking men and women of the 1970's porn industry.

Actually, I don't. Cell phone use? Pesticides? Sure, whatever. All I heard is it must be a sign of the biblical apocalypse as depicted in Revelation!

What I do know is that the Australian (hip-hop? electro?) outfit, The Bumblebeez (formerly Bumblebeez 81), is back and they're banging. I somehow missed the release of their Beck-esque single "Black Dirt" last year and they've recently released "Dr. Love" off their upcoming LP 'Prince Umberto and the Sister of Ill,' which has a US release date of August 14th. Lady Glock already posted the video and if you haven't already seen it, check it out. Chris Colonna plays the ducks on an old dude's chest about a minute in!

The Bumblebeez "Black Dirt"

The Bumblebeez "Dr. Love"

And just to prove El Keter right, Australians really do like puppets, here's the video for "Black Dirt" featuring a guy in a tiger suit man-sized tiger puppet!

Apparently Australians like puppets. First Architecture in Helsinki made a puppet-filled video for "Heart it Races," and now Aussie emcee Macromantics has sock-puppets in her video for "Apple Crumble!" Are those people so used to seeing animals that look like puppets, like Koalas and Kangaroos, that they just feel most comfortable surrounded by the felt bastards? Someone let me know.



Someone should also let me know why in holy hell Kill Rock Stars, Macromantics' label here in the states, didn't make a video for the Trackademiks remix of "Moments in Movement?" I'm not saying I don't like "Apple Crumble," or the puppets, but I think Trackademiks' Hyphy re-rub of her debut LP's title track could have blown up.

Grab an MP3 of the remix, and of "Apple Crumble," below.

Macromantics "Moments in Movement (Trackademiks Remix)"

Macromantics "Apple Crumble"

Los Angeles-based emcee Busdriver is a weird guy. He makes weird music. And the song "Sun Showers" happens to have been one of the weirder (by Hip-Hop standards) songs on his decidedly weird album 'RoadKillOvercoat,' which dropped earlier this year on Epitaph Records. For reasons that could either be genius or insanity, the Disco-Punk-ish "Sun Showers" has been chosen as the newest single from that album, and they've even released a video clip for it!



It was actually pretty Sunny earlier today, then a cold front rolled through and a bunch of thunderstorms popped off in the noon-time instability fueled by diurnal heating. So seeing this video as soon as I logged on is sort of serendipitous. If this version of the song isn't your flavor check his MySpace and peep the "redo" in his music player. It probably won't be your flavor either, but it's different.

Phone interviews can be kind of tricky. To the artists you are talking to, you are nothing more than a disembodied voice traveling over a sea of telephone wires and cables. You are also probably not the only disembodied voice that these artists will have to speak with on that particular day. For this reason, phone interviews can either be great or be lousy. You cannot see the artist's reactions when you ask them a question. You cannot study them for any "tells" that might give you more of an answer than they could give you verbally. You’re not even sure if the person you are interviewing knows your name, let alone if they even care who you are. Which is why I was pleasantly surprised to pick up the phone and hear the soft and friendly voice of musical artist Kenna say my name. He then asked if he’d pronounced it correctly which immediately led into a bonding moment over names that most people find difficult to articulate. Like his own for example. The day before the interview he had done a concert in Philadelphia. After his set, the crowd cried out for an encore and one particularly enthusiastic concert go-er kept screaming for "Kenya" to come back on stage. After a little while, the fan realized his mistake and quickly corrected himself. I could completely relate to that story, having had my own name massacred on several occasions. The interview went well beyond the amount of time generally alloted, and the entire time I felt like I was catching up with an old friend, not a rising musical star.

It's been four years since Kenna's first album 'New Sacred Cow' was released. He's faced numerous setbacks in his career: no radio play, little to no press and record labels that just don't know what to do with his music. But he's had tons of help and support, most notably from childhood friends Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams (a.k.a. The Neptunes). Kenna signed to Star Trak/Interscope last fall and is releasing his new album, 'Make Sure They See My Face' (Release Date June 24th) on their label, and the first single off the album, "Out Of Control," has already been featured in a PSP commercial. Author Malcolm Gladwell (best known for the book 'The Tipping Point') wrote an entire chapter about Kenna and his music in his most recent book 'Blink' (the chapter is actually called "Kenna's Dilemma"). He guested on Mark Ronson's new album 'Version' and is even helping out popstress Ashelee Simpson on her upcoming record. When Kenna is not working on music, he is trying to make the world a better place.

Kenna definitely has been busy, but talking with him, you wouldn't necessarily realize it. He's very easy going and gets genuinely excited about his numerous upcoming projects. In a way, Kenna and his music are very similar: They are both very easy to relate to. The day after I interviewed him, I went to Kenna's concert at DC's Rock & Roll Hotel, a venue that has become the center of DC's Atlas District. The crowd was a highly diverse group of people, as his show was part of the annual Six Points Festival. Because there was such an array of bands playing that night, a number of concert goers didn't even know who Kenna was. However, when he came on stage, the audience went nuts. He opened the show with some new tracks off of 'Make Sure They See My Face.' When a rowdy fan heckled Kenna by saying "Play some old shit!" Kenna didn't miss a beat. He invited the fan on stage so he could dedicate the next song to him, not something a lot of artists would necessarily do. And after his last song was over, Kenna was persuaded by the audience's cheers and applause to come out and do two encores, the final one being his hit single "Freetime."

After the show, Kenna stuck around in order to hang out with fans eagerly waiting to take pictures, get autographs and tell him how important his music was to them. When I introduced myself, Kenna greeted me with a huge hug. You could see that he was pumped up by the show he had just done, and when he later mentioned that he would be going on tour with Justin Timberlake, it wasn't to brag. He was excited at the idea of going on tour. It would be an opportunity to show the world what it is he's really made of.

You can read my conversation with Kenna after the jump.

Read More —

Okay, so I guess this is old, but it's also new. More importantly though it's "holy crap, this is awesome" type good. It's a video for "What's a Girl to Do," the new single from UK songstress Bat For Lashes. The video's got 'Donnie Darko' reminiscent visuals and BMX bike tricks. The song itself is pretty amazing too.



Apparently Bat For Lashes' debut album 'Fur and Gold' came out towards the end of last year. I wouldn't know as this is the first I'm hearing of her. But from what I've read she's been hotly tipped by people as cool as Björk and Thom Yorke. From what I gather the "What's a Girl to Do" single is coming out later this Summer though. Like I said, old, but new. So get hip!

I don't know how I feel about the video, but UGK's "International Players Anthem" featuring Andre3000 and Big Boi of Outkast has been one of a handful of mainstream Rap joints that I just can't resist playing over and over again.



Good ol' "Three Stacks" played his part alright, his part in making the song dope as fuck! And you can cop this "dope as fuck" track for yourself by purchasing UGK's sixth full-length album 'UGK: Under Ground Kingz' which is in stores now on the Jive Records label.

Earlier today an article I wrote went up on Blogarhythms over at Okayerplayer about Brooklyn, New York Hip-Hop crew Nuclear Family, specifically upcoming projects by sub-groups Junk Science and Iller Than Theirs (a duo comprised of emcees Tone Tank and Krayo). I write those articles and turn them in a number of days before they go live on the site, so I couldn't have known that last night I'd get an e-mail announcement about Iller Than Theirs with links to two MP3s from the group's forthcoming album.

That album, a self-titled 10 track release featuring production by Nuk Fammer N.E.M.C. (billed as J. Howells Werthman) and Scott Thorough, and guest-shots from Cool Calm Pete, Jah-C from Glow-In-The-Dark Records act The Project, and Juice Crew legend Masta Ace, is slated for a Fall (mid-September-ish) release on Indie-Hip-Hop stalwart Embedded Music. I'm pretty psyched about it myself since pretty much everything that's come out of the Nuk Fam posse has been stellar.

Anyway, you're really here for the MP3s, so I'll get to the two songs. The first track is called "To Be Ill," a Ghostface-sampling shambler with a infectious organ loop and self-deprecating braggadocio from Tone and Krayo that I've been spinning on Urban Alternatives radio since early this year. The other track, "It Is What It Is" featuring label-mate and Imageyenation dandy Cool Calm Pete, is totally new to me, but it's got a funky James Brownish loop and guest verses from Pete, so you know it's dope.

Iller Than Theirs "To Be ILL"

Iller Than Theirs "It Is What It Is" feat. Cool Calm Pete

I also got news that 'Gran'dad's Nerve Tonic,' Junk Science's sophomore follow-up to their totally awesome debut 'Feeding Einstein' is due for release "soon after" the Iller Than Theirs joint this Fall.

I've been wanting to post about Eve's new video for her single "Tambourine" for a few days now, but was too worried about what the indie hipsters who read this site would say. I would feel guilty forever if they stopped reading because of my fascination with pop music and the videos it produces. But I realized after watching this video for the twentieth time that I really don't care what the indie hipsters think.

There are quite a few reasons why I like this video. To illustrate those reasons, I shall make a list:

1. In Eve's world, everything looks like candy. The colors are insanely bright and makes everyone look like they are a character from 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.'

2. Almost every female is rockin' a pair of American Apparel leggings and bringing back a pseudo version of the British 90's raver look.

3. Swizz Beats is wearing a colorful hoodie!

4. The product placement of the MAC Cosmetics is ridiculous.

But really, one of the main reasons why I love this video (and the song really) is for that beat, especially that slowed down sample. I did a little research and discovered that the sample is from Chuck "Godfather of Go-Go" Brown and the Soul Searchers. Go-Go music, as many of you may very well know, is a funk sub-genre which originated in my hometown of Washington DC in the 1970's. With El Keter's help, I found the song, "Blow Your Whistle" which is off the 'Salt of the Earth' LP. I have posted it below for your musical enjoyment.

The Soul Searchers "Blow Your Whistle"

"Tambourine" is off of Eve's upcoming album 'Here I Am' which will be released August 7th.

Best Fwends "Earth Fwend Fire" feat. Quillan Yeager and Connor McSweeny

They apparently got "Worst Record of the Month" honors in the newest issue of Vice Magazine, but Texas-based Electropunks Best Fwends are alright with me. I say "Electropunks" because they're definitely a Punk band, loud, fast (most of the songs on their new Moshi Moshi Records LP 'Alphabetically Arranged' are just over a minute long), and rowdy, but they use synthesizers and drum machines and shit. The track "Earth Fwend Fire" is some total other shit though, as they get dummy retarded like the Funk band who played at the "special kids" Christmas part on the Peanuts or something.



Dizzee Rascal "Da Feelin'"

I've been little worried recently that the Grime genre might be on it's last legs. And if anything would signal the genre's death-knell it would be it's young ambassador Dizzee Rascal dropping a dud. Amazingly though Dizzee didn't just not drop a dud, he might have actually released his best, most mature work to-date. His new album 'Maths and English,' out tomorrow on XL Records is nearly perfect. Even the tracks with UGK and Lily Allen are amazing, and he even put a dope new spin on the track he did with the Arctic Monkeys! The song that really melted my face off though was "Da Feelin'," a laid-back joint about Summertime and sexy ladies, which opens with a sped-up Soul sample a-la Kanye West and Just Blaze's work with Jay-Z, before totally exploding and going in a completely different (think: London Elektricity) direction entirely. This is what I want Grime emcees (who ostensibly come out of a scene which grew out of D-n-B, 2-Step and Garage) records to sound like, not just British imitations of the crap American rappers are doing!



Crystal Understanding "Power Feelings"

The first time I saw Cambridge, Massachusetts' own Crystal Understanding there was a fucking tornado sighted near-by. The other day when 'Hold the Gem,' the new full-length from the male/female Synthpop duo, arrived in the mail there was also a tornado sighted near-by. Coincidence? I think not. Some seven months after my initial exposure to the group I'm still awed by their live performance, and still enraptured by the sexy (and French!) female half of the group. I'm also really impressed with their album, and am particularly into the super-happy-fun-time Electro Pop of the track "Power Feelings."



Wiley "Slippin'"

Arguably just as large a figure on the Grime scene as Dizzee Rascal, emcee and producer Wiley is dropping his sophomore LP the same day as his former friend and protégé is dropping his third. It's good news for Grime that two major personalities are not only dropping high-profile albums, but dope albums, and doing it concurrently. Although there's nothing on Wiley's new record 'Playtime Is Over' that I like quite as much as "Wot Do You Call It" I think it might be more solid an album than his debut as a whole. Don't let the first single "50/50" fool you, the beats on this thing are raw, the lyrics are vicious and it's dripping with UK-bred griminess. The track "Slippin'" is particularly rugged, with sick synths and bass, and a chorus lamenting Wiley's lack of guns and machetes. Shit's raw!

Oh look, it's another one of those cool video that's been out for like forever, but which I'm just now seeing! It's for Portland, Oregon's YACHT and his single "See a Penny (Pick It Up)." It features "vegan treats" (yay!) and a guy in a giant penny suit. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout homie!



I so love the 808 snare rolls that run throughout the second verse of this song! It's like homeboy wanted to get crunk, or hyphy, or whatever the fuck Black people are "getting" now-a-days. Either way "See a Penny (Pick It Up)" is on YACHT's album 'I Believe in You. Your Magic is Real,' which you can "pick up" now on Marriage Records.

From the "totally unexpected" files, here's the Anna McCarthy directed video clip for Franz Ferdinand's cover of LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends." It's one of a number of remixes and cover versions available on LCD's "All My Friends" EP, which is in stores now.



If you haven't already, go enter our contest to win a couple of LCD Soundsystem 12'' vinyl singles for "North American Scum" and "All My Friends." It's not the loaded version of "All My Friends" with all the remixes and covers, but it's still LCD vinyl, and that's awesome.

New video from British Grindie/New-Rave band Hadouken! for their forthcoming single "Liquid Lives." The video's got shakey cameras, thrashing about, and black lights. The song's got ass-whomping D-n-B-style bass and plenty of shouting. It's all pretty awesome.



The "Liquid Lives" single is set to drop on June 25th on Atlantic Records. I still haven't heard anything about a release date for a prospective Hadouken! full-length though. I'm looking forward to one though, 'cause with the Test Icicles disbanded these guys are my only hope for noisy, punky, electronics-infused British Rock.

A few months ago, I posted about the track "Love Ya" from the new British band, Unklejam. It was actually one of my wake-up-in-the-morning-and-boogie songs and ever since I first heard it I have been patiently waiting to see what this crazy Prince/Haddaway cross breed of a band will do next.

Well, I shall wait no more.

Only now that I have returned to the UK do I find out that Unklejam indeed has another single out. Entitled "What Am I Fighting For?", the track is the bands confession of eternal love to...well...to women everywhere I guess. But that's just a guess really. The video that was released last month is a psychedelic combo of crazy makeup, people turning into mercury and a pair of giant lips wearing a bowler hat.



I'm impressed. These guys rock lipstick like champions.

And as a bonus, you can get a totally retro 80's sounding remix of "What Am I Fighting For?" right here.

Unklejam "What Am I Fighting For? (LA Priest Remix)"

This must be love.

I heard about Swedish Lite-Soul/Indie-Pop band Fibes, Oh Fibes from our own Lady Glock a couple months ago. Knowing of my Swedish music obsession, she asked me if I'd heard of this band, which I hadn't, so she sent me an MP3 of the song "Last Party." The track hooked me, so I immediately went out and tracked down their 2004 CD 'Still Fresh,' and their more recent 2006 album 'Emotional.' Their newest single is the aforementioned "Last Party," and they've made a sexy little video for it.



The "Last Party" single is out now on the Pluxemburg Records label. I don't know if there are any fresh remixes or anything, but it strikes me as the sort of song that's ripe for remixing. "Last Party" is taken from Fibes, Oh Fibes' sophomore full-length 'Emotional' which is still in stores, also on the Pluxemburg Records label.