My kind of risk

A new singer/songwriter by the name of Jenny Owens Young that I think is quite good. Exhibit A? a 44 second tune that must have been written for an Ipod commercial. Exhibit B? An acoustic cover of "hott in hurr" (Yes that would be Nelly). Exhibit C? A longer song of her full length album Transmitter Failure.



Jenny Owens Young - Led to the sea

If these are enough to win you over listen to her full cd streaming at Paste Magazine's website.

"Laughing With" - Regina Spektor

Here's a new video from Regina Spektor. Her new album "Far" is due on June 23rd.

Laughing With


Pretty good video full of tricky images. But....her video for "Fidelity" will always be my favorite.

SSION

Heard this song on XMU the other day, and immediately knew you all would love it for it's outrageous quality. Electro-dance beats and profane lyrics will make you want to get up and dance all over your bedroom. 

SSION- Street Jizz

Brother Ali

It's no secret that I pretend to know Rap music because I listen to Wale and The Cool Kids. So maybe I'm not the hippest cat from the suburbs of Cedar Rapids but I have found a new Pitchfork endorsed rapper that I think other cats might be into (and not the cute ones in my last post).



His name is Brother Ali and if you choose not to give him a listen at least read through his back story (via Wikipedia).

Brother Ali was born with a rare genetic condition called Albinism. This means he lacks the pigment that would normally give the skin, hair and eyes their color. The condition exists in all ethnic groups throughout the world. Cosmetic evidence of the condition is usually accompanied by visual difficulties (Ali is legally blind).

While Brother Ali’s family is african american, he has often described a childhood marked by cruelty and exclusion by his white classmates as a result of his obvious physical abnormality. He’s often explained that, from an early age, he felt most at home among African Americans.

When Ali’s career began to blossom, he began to field questions about his race. Due to his stage name (a common reference among religious communities, particularly Muslims i.e. “Brother Jabbar”, “Sister Ayesha”), many writers assumed Ali was black. When questioned on the subject, Ali declined to comment. In hindsight Ali regards this early decision as a mistake. It was wrongly reported that Ali was African American.

“Hip Hop and MCing was my life growing up. I always had dreams of making music and performing for a living. When Slug (of Atmosphere) gave me an opportunity to tour with him, I was introduced to the underground, independent Hip Hop scene. I was really surprised to find a scene where many of the artists and fans were white. I wasn’t sure how to feel about it at first. I eventually decided to just make music that was real to me and let the chips fall where they may.

His newest EP "The Truth is Here" is the album that really turned me onto him and I can't stop listening. Here's one of my favorite songs titled "Good Lord".

Brother Ali - Good Lord

Brother Ali |MTV Music

cause close is close enough

listened to the new album...didn't dig it as much as i'd like to so i'm walking down memory lane.

New Dead Weather

Eh. Not that impressed.

Paranoid Video

I like this song, I really do, but all this video consists of is Rihanna dancing around in her lingerie and also in a really hideous 80s-ish dress with flashing lights (no pun intended) weird fades that give me a little bit of a headache. She then decides to go on a drive? Maybe I'm being too harsh, but I think that they could've come up with something better?

I do enjoy Kanye's silly faces at the beginning, though.

A song I love this minute.

So I tend to be obsessed with one or two songs at a time. I put them on repeat and then get sick of them really fast. However, there's a reason I become obsessed. They're good (and that is totally not meant in a music snobbery type of way). Therefore, I'm going to start sharing my songs I love this minute.

At this minute, I love....

Northern Lights by Bowerbirds

I love Bowerbirds anyway, but this song is way legit. Listen and love it.

Kewt

Happy Wednesday

dmb's new one...

you can stream the new album here before it's released on june 2nd...

Guitar Hero 5 - Partial Tracklist Revealed

The Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the Devil
Bob Dylan – All Along The Watchtower
The White Stripes – Blue Orchid
Santana – No One To Depend On (LIVE)
Vampire Weekend – A-Punk
Tom Petty - Runnin Down a Dream
Johnny Cash – Ring of Fire
Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire

mat kearney...

new album out yesterday...City of Black and White...haven't had a good chance to listen to it all yet but any fans of his should give it a listen...very similar to his "nothing left to lose" album so there's really no surprises..

City of Black and White

A day late and a dollar short.

I'm starting a new thing where I post bands/songs/movies/etc. that I'm behind the curve on. Generally speaking this will be posts about things that brown bear posted weeks ago.

Today's 'day late and a dollar short' is about the White Rabbits.

White Rabbits - Percussion Gun

The reason I think their new album It's Frightening will be amazing? It was produced by Britt Daniel of Spoon.

i've been listening to this all day.

William Elliott Whitmore is full of southern bluesy awesomeness. I briefly checked him out when he played at the Mill earlier this year, but recently did again and now I'm in love with it. He is actually from Iowa and plays guitar and banjo and has an amazing voice. It reminds me of old southern spiritual songs, but in the best way possible.

Here's his Myspace. Listen to "The Chariot," "There's Hope for You," and "Float Like Anchors"
Now watch this.

"Hell or High Water"

to add to that...

check out this sweet remix of "the reeling." i'm kind of loving it.

CLICK THIS!

just because...

hope everyone hasn't over played this yet...cuz its still playing on my ipod...the video is pretty cool...the beginning reminds me of the butterfly in reading rainbow, you know how it leaves a trail behind it? just like she does with the background...

Passion Pit - The Reeling

Bitch you should do it for the Love like Ray J

I'm obsessed with Kid Cudi and Poker Face (Poke Her Face). Not only are the verses from Kid Cudi, Kanye, and Common super tight, Lady's singing solo at the end is KILLER. Me likey. 

Poker Face (Poke Her Face) - Kid Cudi ft Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Common

Happy Mothers Day Mom

Blitzen Trapper Coming Back to the Picador

Blitzen Trapper will be playing at the Picador on Saturday, July 18th. Doors at 9pm. Their new album Furr was ranked #13 on Rolling Stone's Best Albums of 2008 and the title song has been featured on the tv show Chuck. Who wants to go?? Thanks to Christine for the heads up!

New White Stripes Album?!

MusicRadar recently interviewed Jack White on the status of the White Stripes. White revealed that him and Meg have begun work on a new album and have already recorded a couple songs. When can we expect this new album? "It won't be too far off. Maybe next year," White said. BEST NEWS EVER!!!!!!!

Even John Mayer is talking about Passion Pit

Enough said. 

http://johnmayer.com/battlestudies/?post=38

80/35 FESTIVAL

The second annual 80/35 Festival is set to take place for July 3rd and 4th, 2009 in Western Gateway Park in Des Moines.
Here's the lineup:

Friday, July 3
Public Enemy
Matisyahu
Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks
Tilly & The Wall
Occidental Brothers

Saturday, July 4
Ben Harper and Relentless7
Broken Social Scene
G. Love & Special Sauce
Man Man
New Monsoon
Audrye Sessions
Girl In A Coma
Miss Derringer

Performance Date TBA
Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s
Wild Sweet Orange
House of Large Sizes
The Josh Davis Band
Beati Paoli
Cleo’s Apartment
The Dig Angees
Floodplane

These local Iowa bands will be competing to perform for a spot in the lineup:

$trick 9 and the Truth
Aeon Grey
Blue Island Tribe
Ely Falls
Hanwell
Hollywood Burnout
The Honeybees
Marcato
Pocket Full of Nickels
Taciturn

Buy tickets at Iowatix.com