Because we care (because you do) [Aphex remix]

Two interesting remixes of Window Licker by dirty house favorite Trentemoller.

Funny - how many times has the seminal remixer Aphex Twin been remixed himself? That's a question I'd like an answer for, as well as audio proof like the two tracks below to back it up. I welcome any fellow Hey Studenters to chime in.

Enjoy - this shit kicks.

Window Licker (Trentemoller Remix 1)

Window Licker (Trentemoller Remix 2)

"This is Iggy."

photo by Richard E. Aaron on flickr. is there anyone more photographable than iggy?

Confession - I have not listened to The Stooges. Will I now be stoned to death by outraged mp3 bloggers? Or is there a kind soul to take me aside, and calmly say, "you must listen to this"?

In any case, I like Iggy's solo stuff. There are a number of tracks I really like off of Lust for Life, and this one from The Idiot, "Dum Dum Boys," has been kicking my ass lately. All you need to make a good rock song is a good guitar line and repetition, repetition, repetition...

[Bonus Onion article on Iggy]

Iggy Pop - Dum Dum Boys [The Idiot, 1977]

Kick back + relax [Kassin + 2]

day for night?

OK, so Luaka Bop pretty much has the lock down on "good Brazilian" music in the U.S. On the evidence of, well, all their releases (except for the Beleza Tropical series which I think is boring), no one can touch them.

Here are a few tracks from their latest release, Futurismo from Kassin + 2. Kassin = Alexandre Kassin, + 2 = Domenico Lancelotti and Moreno Veloso (yes, son of Caetano). They release albums as either Kassin + 2, Domenico + 2 or Moreno + 2. GET IT????

I have almost nothing to say about this, it's just a really great mix of what you might expect when you think about "Brazilian music" but with unexpected sounds. These guys are doing a brief tour of the US in December, short enough to reproduce here! (but after the files, so you know why it's worth going ok)

Kassin +2 - Mensagem [Futurismo, 2008]
Kassin +2 - Quando Nara [Futurismo, 2008]
Kassin +2 - Tranquilo [Futurismo, 2008]

Selective highlighting based on geolocation of known concentrations of H!S readers:

December 6, 2008
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brooklyn, NY

December 7, 2008
Museum of Fine Arts
Boston, MA

December 9, 2008
Yoshi's
San Francisco, CA

December 10, 2008
Hotel Café
Los Angeles, CA

December 11, 2008
Cedar Cultural Center
Minneapolis, MN

December 12, 2008
Lula's Lounge
Toronto, ON

December 13, 2008
Old Town School of Folk Music
Chicago, IL

For G-bear fans [Department of Eagles]

cold chillin

If Department of Eagles sounds quite a lot like Grizzly Bear, that's because it includes a couple of their members. On the whole, it's pretty hard to tell their songs apart from their ursine cousins, but that's not a bad thing - when was the last time you heard a new Grizzly Bear song? Wouldn't it be good to hear another one now?

I also want to give a shoutout to DoE's official site, which includes some nice photography. In the press clippings you'll see that they had a huge piece in the New York Times, so we've definitely been scooped already.

When I first heard Yellow House it was impossible to get out of my head for a few months, and I'll be listening to the two tracks below for quite a while too.

Department of Eagles - Phantom Other [In Ear Park, 2008]
Department of Eagles - Teenagers [In Ear Park, 2008]

Justice Doc Trailer -- A Cross The Universe

NSFW, briefly.

And if you haven't heard it yet, here's one of the remixes of D.A.N.C.E. that doesn't sound like the other 8 million out there, courtesy of Jackson And His Computer Band.

Justice – D.A.N.C.E. (Do The J.A.H.C.B.)

A play in three acts [Mercury Rev]

"Much more of a trip rather than band"

In coordination with their recent performance at the Stone, Mercury Rev released their new album, Snowflake Midnight, this past week.  Saccharine title aside, this is officially Mercury Rev's third phase in a long and winding career. A breakdown of the group's three acts:

Act I: Volatile Beginnings

Yerself is Steam (1991)

Boces (1993)

See You on the Other Side (1995)

Predominantly centered around former frontman Dave Baker and his volatile personality, the first two Mercury Rev albums were characterized by noisy psych-rock that was tumultous though pierced with moments of absolute beauty.  Structurally, these albums were more experimental and jam-oriented, and compositions could either wind on and on with extensive solos and sonic freakouts or be short bursts of sound.  Standout tracks include "Chasing a Bee" (Yerself is Steam) and "Something for Joey" (Boces), which was complemented by a video featuring infamous porn star Ron Jeremy.

Mercury Rev - Chasing a Bee [Yerself is Steam LP, 1991]

Mercury Rev - Something for Joey [Boces LP, 1993]

Act II: Reinvention Leading to Stagnation

Deserter's Songs (1998)

All is Dream (2001)

Secret Migration (2005)

Searching to reinvent themselves after See You on the Other Side, the Rev began channeling their psychedelic leanings from Act I into more concise, song-oriented albums, starting with 1998's Deserter's Songs, arguably the group's best output, to date.  Coupling standard instrumentation with more rare instruments such as theremins, bowed saws and mellotrons, the album had the distinction of being routed in traditional americana while having a more whimsical and dreamlike feel.  All is Dream continued this newfound sound, though was more widescreen and cinematic, as exemplified by epic tracks like the "Dark is Rising" and "Me and Hercules".  Unfortunately, Mercury Rev had exhausted this dream-pop sound by the time Secret Migration was released, which proved to be the group at its most saccharine and, strangely, adult alternative.  Consequently, this is the group's worst album, to date.  

Mercury Rev - Opus 40[Deserter's Songs LP, 1998]

Mercury Rev - The Dark is Rising[All is Dream LP, 2001]

Act III: New Sonic Discoveries 

Snowflake Midnight (2008)

Strange Attractor (2008)

Released simultaneously, Snowflake Midnight and the purely-instrumental Strange Attractor represents the group's new direction, which is more focused on electronics and far less structured than the Rev's previous three albums.  In a way, this Act is promising in that it takes the jam-oriented and more structureless works of Act I while borrowing from Act II's more dream-pop approach.  It remains to be seen how this Act plays out, but it sounds promising.  In any event, the Rev are no strangers to change, and their ability to evolve on a dime is the greatest compliment a band can receive.  Cheers to one of America's finest rock groups to emerge in the last two decades.

Mercury Rev - Senses on Fire[Snowflake Midnight LP, 2008]

I-I-I-I need you [Annie]

No, wrong "Annie"

New Annie.  This shit is hot.

Annie - Two of Hearts

Bedroom Music.

I was recently bopping around Myspace when I came across this video. In it, Bangers and Cash discuss their Top Ten Songs To Do It To. They are:

10. Anytime, Anyplace::Janet Jackson
9. Joga::Bjork
8. My Neck, My Back::Khia
7. Roni::Bobby Brown
6. Be My Angel::Mazzy Star
5. Turn Off The Lights::Teddy Pendergrass
4. Half On A Baby::R. Kelly
3. Come Undone::Duran Duran
2. Doin' It::LL Cool J
1. Go Bye Bye::The Blind Dates

Needless to say, this little video got me thinking about my own list.

And so I went to work. Initially, I considered a list with lots of M83 and Sigur Ros, but I soon realized that 1) you most likely have those songs already, and 2) it can actually be pretty difficult to live up to those folks and their epicness, whether making love or elsewhere. Rather, I felt the Hey! Student community might benefit most from a few delightful slow jams. Without further ado:

10. Send For Me – Atlantic Starr
9. Slow And Easy – Zapp & Roger
8. Ballad de Melody Nelson – Serge Gainsbourg
7. Rock Wit'cha – Bobby Brown
6. Ageispolis – Aphex Twin
5. Between The Sheets – Isley Brothers
4. Your Body's Callin' – R. Kelly
3. Knockin' Da Boots – H-Town
2. Kid For Today – Boards Of Canada

aaaaaaaaaand, drumroll.

1. Do Me Baby – Prince [Controversy, 1981]

I challenge you, fellow Hey! Studenters: let's see your top ten. Judging by the quality of my sex, there must be a better list out there.

Here is my mix, zipped.* Please use it responsibly.

*I tried to write a pun about this word for seven minutes.