Fleet foxes

They sound like they were making music in the same era as The Band, early Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, but actually, they just released their first album.
Fleet Foxes are truely the next big thing !
Enjoy their fantastic song : White winter hymnal (mp3)
Buy their debut album here

Big in Belgium : Headphone

They are one of the rising stars of the Belgian alternative scene : Headphone !
I really, really dig their newest single, She is electric, which has just about all the right ingredients to make it here and anywhere (if promoted properly, as beautiful music in itself is not enough to conquer the ears of foreign music lovers, in today's giant mass of musical production). This is the video for it :


Enjoy these tracks from their debut album :

• She is electric (mp3)
• Ghostwriter (mp3)
• Film (mp3)

You can buy the album here

Album of the month : Passion - Peter Gabriel

Music for The Last Temptation Of Christ, a film by Martin Scorsese is what it says underneath the title on the CD back cover.
This was my first introduction to Peter Gabriel's own Realworld label. It was the first release on that label, and it contains some of the most beautiful instrumental music I have ever heard made by a pop artist. Influenced by a lot of "world music" he had heard, Peter Gabriel composed a variety of songs which are all, to some extent, a stunning mix of the influences he absorbed and his own musical idiom.
This album is best listened to as a whole, of course, as the musical journey tells, in its own language, the story of the movie, and it contains such a rich palet of music that is like a multi-course dinner, of which each plate is delicious in itself, but the whole dinner has a surplus by the ideal combination of the dishes...
However, I have chosen some dishes for your enjoyment, to have a little taste to hunger for more :

• The feeling begins (mp3)
• Of these, hope (mp3)
• Troubled (mp3)
• It is accomplished (mp3)

You can buy the album here

Lazy Monday : Sofa Surfers

It's been more than 10 years ago when I saw this CD in the record shop that intrigued me, just by the look of it. It wasn't as if I had ever heard of Sofa Surfers, but still, there was something about their name, about the artwork on the cover and probably (although that's something I cannot remember) something about its place in the shop's CD rack between other artists which drew my attention.

After a listen, I decided to buy the album, Transit, and although it's not a record that I have played many times, every I-don't-know-how-many months it ends up in my CD player or PC.

The phrenetic drum 'n bass sounds woven in the smoother and laidback melodies, sometimes with a distinct reggae touch (like in Sofa rockers) render it a sophisticated and yet attractive atmosphere.

A lazy Monday is just the day to enjoy that :

• Bon voyage (mp3)
• Sofa rockers (mp3)
• Life in Malmö (mp3)

You can buy the album here

Arsenal

Two Belgian bands I know have a name that is all too familiar to all of us soccer fans. Galatasaray, named after a successfull Istanbul side, and Arsenal (just like the London based top team) have experienced different paths of success.

Arsenal have released their third album, which took shape during an unexpected trip to the Finnish frozen lakes. They originally set out for Norway to record their songs, but ended up in Finland. The experience resulted in an instrumental album, which was used as a soundtrack for the TV show De Poolreizigers and in their third album, Lotuk. For this album they were able to work with some of their heroes, including Grant Hart (from Hüsker Dü), John Garcia (from Kyuss), Shawn Smith (from Brad, Pigeonhed and Satchel).

Enjoy these songs :

• Lotuk (mp3)
• Diggin a hole (mp3)
• Who we are (mp3)

You can buy the album here

Zombie Zombie

Was it shear coincidence that led me to this song and (later on) to its magnificent, animated video ? That I don't know, but what I do know is that got drown into the dense, blood-drawing atmosphere of this instrumental song immediately.
The video seems to have captured that spirit very well, as it is a stunning exhibition of how you can create a thrilling story with as little as a couple of play figures, home-made models and a lot of creativity. It's a remake of John Carpenter's film The thing in stopmotion with G.I. Joe dolls...

Enjoy this song : Driving this road until death sets you free - Zombie Zombie (mp3)

Zombie Zombie is a French duo consisting of Etienne Jaumet and CosmicNeman who have their own record label (Boomboomtchak! Records), based in Paris, France.

You can buy their album here

Def Real

Dutch hiphop pioneers Def Real have released various singles that made you feel good : silly lyrics and capturing melodies that did well on the radio, especially in summer !

On their website, they offer their older songs for free. Here's a selection :

• Me & the pizza (mp3)
• Daar gaan we... (mp3) (in spite of the Dutch title, most of the song is in English)

Find them all on their site and donwload the remix of their new single here

Jay-Z

Although a lot of hiphop music just gets wasted on me, it's absolutely not that I hate the genre. To the contrary, you can always make me very happy with some real good stuff !

Jay-Z seems to be able to do the trick for me most of the time. From Chapter One I like to listen to these 3 songs especially, although I have to admit it's really nostalgia that makes me smile whenever I hear the Annie sample in the first :

• Hard knock life (mp3)
• Wishing on a star (mp3)
• Can I get a... (mp3)

You can buy the album here

PS Because of the European soccer championship, which I watch almost every game, I haven't posted a lot lately. Well, it's only a week till we know the winner...

Thomas Bryan Eaton

New York-based musician Thomas Bryan Eaton is set to release his debut solo album entitled Dreams, Demons & Butterflies on July 15th, 2008.

Throughout the 'nighttime concept record,' the listener follows Thomas through a restless night, dozing in and out of consciousness, while contemplating life, death & all the relationships between the two. While based on simple acoustic folk and blues songs, the recordings burst open with careful colorations and subtle textures. The final product is something that is hard to classify. From pedal steel to accordion, whispered vocals to quadrupled drum sets, string sections to the sound of stray cats fighting, no sound was left unconsidered. Not to mention Thomas' tasteful electric guitar playing sprinkled throughout. Although much of this record's charm is due to Thomas' restless vision (or demons perhaps), he relied on a cast of 14 friends and musicians to help create the group sound he was looking for. The result is a complete album that tells a story of one person's take on beauty, sorrow and hope.

To celebrate the release, Thomas has assembled many of the musicians who appeared on the album for a record release party on July 12th, 2008, 8pm at Arlene's Grocery, 95 Stanton St. in New York City

While Dreams, Demons & Butterflies will be his first outing as a leader, Thomas has been an active part of numerous bands in the NYC area since moving there from Ithaca, NY three years ago. Other bands and artists he has played and/or recorded with : Vancans, Hobson's Choice, Willie Breeding, Butane Variations, Jim Miller, Kristin Diable, Tim Emmerick, Richie Stearns, Steve Waitt, Jefferson Hamer, Well Enough Folk Band, Steve Gollnick, Adam Groves, Juge Greenspun, Rachel Platten, Teedo, Your 33 Black Angels, Mohawk Hitchhiker, Hubcap, and many others.

Other musicians featured on the album: Pearson Constantino, James Craft, Nyles Fitzgerald, Helen Gassenheimer, Leslie Kubica, Chris Locksley, Earl Maneein, Len Monachello, Johnny O'Callaghan, Michael Penque, Mike Refici, Aaron Smulktis, Jeremiah Vancans & Michelle Yu.

Enjoy these tracks :

• Naked ear (mp3)
• Meant to last (mp3)

For information on how to buy the album, keep checking here

Big in Belgium : Hoover(phonic)

In 1996, when Hooverphonic released their debut album, they were actually called Hoover (but for legal reasons they had to change their name if they wanted to release music outside of Belgium, if I remember well...) Their music was sort of triphoppy and didn't go unnoticed, as one of their songs was used by Bertolucci for Stealing beauty.
Apart from the radio edit for 2Wicky (mp3), I have also added the DJ Pulse Dub (mp3) of that song as well as the song the original sample was taken from : Walk on by (mp3) by Isaac Hayes.


You can buy the Hoover(phonic) debut album A new stereophonic sound spectacular here

Caesar

The Dutch band Caesar has ceased to exist. On the 3rd of April they played their last concert, and were joined by other Dutch bands. These bands each covered Caesar songs, which can be downloaded from the 3voor12-website.
I offer them to you, in no particular order :

• Ocean sounds (covered by Moss) (mp3)
• Can't make it happen (covered by Paulusma) (mp3)
• No reply (covered by Scram C Baby) (mp3)
• Acid years (covered by Alamo Race Track) (mp3)
• Before my head explodes (covered by Sonja van Hamel from Bauer) (mp3)
• This ain't a lovesong (covered by Bettie Serveert) (mp3)

Here are some rare tracks by the band Caesar themselves :

• Gee oh my (mp3)
• Don't you feel like wow (mp3)

You can buy Caesar songs here

Free music : Intended Play Sampler Spring 2008

Matador Records give away for free a sampler of their new releases, including the artwork. It's the first time this sampler is available digitally, so enjoy it here

No government

For the last couple of months, Nicolette has been receiving a lot of airplay on the radio with a Tocadisco remix of her 1995 success No government. I must however say that I do not very much like the "new" version. It's not that I dislike it, it's not that it's bad, it's just... well you know, it just doesn't live up to the standard set by the original version.
Ever since I bought the CD-single in 1995, I have thought the cover matched very well with the song. The shattered glass look of it and the voice, the way Nicolette sings the words, both vulnerable and sharp, have always been strongly connected in my mind.

For you to enjoy, I have not only added the original version but also 2 remixes from that same 1995 release :

• No government (mp3)
• No government in the jungle (remix by the Bud Brothers) (mp3)
• No goverment as a way of life (remix by Plaid) (mp3)

You can buy a remaster of the 1995 original here, and I have at last found where you can buy the version I possess (I also found the original with other remixes here)

Man X

Country-based rock from Belgium, that sounds quite peculiar, doesn't it ? Well, back in 1991 Man X tried it, with moderate success. They got some airplay on the radio and appeared at some (smaller) summer festivals. They were best known for their covers (of John Denver and Hank Williams), which I like to date.

Enjoy these tracks from their album The key to your heart :

• Bitter tears (mp3)
• I saw the light (Hank Williams cover) (mp3)
• Country roads (John Denver cover) (mp3)

I have found no information on where you can buy the CD, unfortunately...

Eels

E : what a man ! Eels : what a band !

I've become even more excited about this band and about its singer after watching a documentary (Parallel worlds, parallel lives) about the search of Mark Everett ("E") to get to know his dead father better, and to understand the psychics theory he constructed. Although his father turned out to be a famous scientist, Mark never knew this as a child and never got to know his father. What's so excellent about the documentary, is that mixes images of this search and the explanation of the theory of Hugh Everett III with songs by Mark and his band. You get to appreciate the lyrics better put against this background, I feel.

I have collected some covers by Eels, for you to enjoy :

• I could never take the place of your man (Prince cover) (mp3)
• Get UR freak on (Missy Elliott Misdemeanor cover) (mp3)
• Sweet home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd cover) (mp3)

You can buy Eels albums here

Free download : new Sigur Ros single

Sigur Ros are giving away their new single for free (here). Enjoy it !

Lazy Monday : David Shea

Unfortunately, the album which introduced me to David Shea (his collaboration with Belgian artist DJ Grazzhoppa) is on vinyl, so I can't let you hear any songs from that.
Shea is an extraordinary musician, always in search for something new and experimenting and collaborating with various artists. He has lived in Brussels, Belgium for a while, and now he lives in Australia.
All the information on his life and his work can be found here, so I won't bother you with it right now, but I'll just let you hear it for yourself (all tracks are taken from the album Satyricon) :

• The wheel (mp3)
• Cave canem (mp3)
• The dream (mp3)

You can buy the album Satyricon here

You can buy the David Shea/DJ Grazzhoppa album Down river, up stream ! here

Alan Wilkis

Alan Wilkis used to be in a duo. Now this Brooklyn based artist has just finished his first solo album, featuring guest appearances by Jason Treuting of So Percussion and Eric Biondo of Antibalas. The music is a combination of a lot of styles, mainly 70s and 80s soul, electronica and soft rock music.

Here are some songs :

• Milk and cookies (mp3)
• I'm famous (mp3)
• It's been great (mp3)

You can buy the album Babies dream big here

Teach me tiger !

Back in 1959 April Stevens caused a bit of an uproar with her newest song, for its supposed sexual suggestiveness. Of course, today that would only be good for the sales figures, and I have no doubt nobody would even notice it nowadays... (lyrics)

Teach me tiger - April Stevens (mp3)

You can buy the album here

Someone even made a nice video on YouTube featuring the song and two German soccer players (Michael Ballack and Torsten Frings) :

When the 80's weren't that cool : Magnum

The moustache of Magnum, P.I. was not the kind of thing I would want to be seen with, but hey, his car sure was.

In 1997, Celvin Rotane used the theme for a track that would be played on the radio for months to come. I instantly enjoyed it !

I have also added one of his own remixes for the track :

• Theme from Magnum (radio edit) (mp3)
• Theme from Magnum (Future Breez Mix - radio edit) (mp3)

You can buy it here