30 posts tagged “last.fm”
Top Artists this Week (see more)
23 Mar 2008 – 30 Mar 2008
| 1 |
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Rhymefest |
| 2 |
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Gnarls Barkley |
| 3 |
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Danity Kane |
| 4 |
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M.I.A. |
| 5 |
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Madlib |
| 5 |
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Ghostface |
| 7 | Day26 | |
| 8 |
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Chris Joss |
| 9 |
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Jamie Lidell |
| 10 |
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MF DOOM |
Last Week's Purchases/Pick-Ups: DAY26's self-titled debut and
Since the logic of Gnarls Barkley’s lyrics is often framed in contradictory terms, why not begin discussing The Odd Couple with the last song. “What would be on your mind if you knew you was dyin’?”, Cee-Lo posits on “A Little Better”. The listener is left to answer: Regret? Pain? Relief? Joy? Funny how by simply removing the punctuation, those words cease to be four questions but one answer. Gnarls Barkley toils ever so soulfully in this complex confluence of emotions on The Odd Couple, their extraordinarily brazen follow up to 2006’s St. Elsewhere.
- Review by Christian John Wikane, Popmatters, 03.25.08
And, like Kyle suggested in his post today, I'm going to start spending more extended time with the music I purchase. I do this with albums that hit me immediately (most recently Burial's Untrue and Rhymefest's Man in the Mirror mixtape) but I buy an awful lot of music that doesn't get enough dedicated ear time. I go through once and rate as I'm a slave to my smart playlists but in the age of the individual song, that also means I rarely hear full albums with the songs in order as intended. So, this week, we're digging in to The Odd Couple. I'm on my second round right now.
Last.fm recommended: K.C. Accidental but I never did get a chance to listen so no last.fm randomness this week
Song of the Week:
I was a sucker for Danity Kane before them so why would I jump off the Making the Band train now? Of the two heavily produced albums, I think DAY26 has some really appealing and more likely hits than DK. I don't think it's as cohesive as Welcome to the Dollhouse but considering how calculating the process was for developing both of these new releases (which we got to see in all it's glory on the show) that's not saying much. Neither of these groups got to inject much of their own sensibilities as artists/musicians into the records released under their name. I'm not still naive enough to believe in the myths of pop music but that doesn't mean I like knowing that it is much more about the business than it is the music. Diddy and his Bad Boy brethren brazenly brandish their business acumen like a badge of honor. I might like these kids but, come on, let's not remove all the soul.
It's been a few days and here's what you've missed...
@michellej oooh, muxtape. I'm going to play with that tonight.
GOOD Magazine made a muxtape: http://goodblog.muxtape.com/
and, my muxtape. All 2008 releases, none of which I've talked about anywhere yet - http://misterjt.muxtape.com/
Alright, the muxtape is updated. It's a Gray Sky Saturday Kinda Mixology - http://misterjt.muxtape.com/ - And now, we escape the APT.
finally digging into iLike. The instant playlist thing is the only thing that's a killer app so far. Everything else I get from last.fm.
spent the afternoon with Dick Sherman. Feeling inspired and Mickey Mouse Proud: http://www.theboysdoc.com/
Wednesday was one of the best work days I've had in a while. I spent the afternoon in the Old Animation Building listening to half of the duo that came up with It's A Small World and all of Mary Poppins and nearly a thousand other Disney songs. He told us Walt stories and about what it was like to work at Disney in the 60s and also shared insights into teamwork and relationships and creativity and having a positive view of the world. As he said, "The other way is too easy."
Of course, I ate it up.
@tiffanybbrown I'm naturally an introvert, too, and people are shocked to hear that.
my bumper sticker of the day: introverts do it one on one.
@gillianr I'm INTP
Ever since my first taking of the Myers-Briggs test in high school, I've been INTP. The only one that even has a chance of switching is the N to an S. I've always liked this test as I think it explains me really well. I don't like generalizing (actually, I do, but in context and with the expectation that you understand what "generalization" means. Sigh, see, I'm already overexplaining), but INTPs are most concerned with the "why" of things. How is fascinating, of course, but How ceases to be useful after it has informed the Why. What, When, and Where? Bah. Those things can change but they rarely effect the universal Why.and, if you ever want to shrink me, this is kind of perfect: http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...
I like to know stuff. I'm generally convinced I know more than you do. I don't hold that against you. Also, I'm too busy trying to know more to call you on the phone or put away these dishes.
That's me in a nutshell.
a funny thing happened on the way to book reading in the great outdoors, planet bboy and hurry curry in old pasadena. Double bonus.
I nearly broke into an uprock while walking out of the theatre. True story.
Also, some other independent films to remember to go see:
Young@Heart
Jellyfish
Red Belt
Video chat is the business. Now to get a bunch of stuff electronically powered done in the next 53 minutes so I can read/nap at earth hour.
time to light some candles and power down some ish.
whilst walking my 'hood during earth hour, was reminded that my orthodox neighbors are earth hour compliant every shabbat for a full day.
my earth hour compliance? I powered down/unplugged everything except for tivo. I read for 8 minutes and walked for 52. Did use iPod on walk.
post earth hour? microwave, printer, heaters and fans will stay unplugged until needed.
But, you know, that's way too heavy to think about, man. It's easier to just be a feel-good green shopper.
Top Artists this Week (see more)
16 Mar 2008 – 23 Mar 2008
| 1 |
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Danity Kane |
| 2 |
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José González |
| 2 |
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Zero 7 |
| 4 |
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Ghostface |
| 5 |
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Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek |
| 6 |
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Elisabeth Withers |
| 7 |
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Madvillain |
| 7 |
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Jamie Lidell |
| 9 |
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Chris Joss |
| 10 |
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Talib Kweli |
Last week's pick-ups/purchases: Ghostface Killah's Big Doe Rehab, Elisabeth Withers's It Can Happen to Anyone, Jamie Lidell's Jim (Thanks Felicia!), Lupe Fiasco's The Cool, Super Cool: California Soul 2, Zap Mama's Supermoon, and
- Making The Band 4 (Season 2) | Episode 1: Battle of the Sexes, MTVHoping to get to know each other better, the guys and girls jump in a limo for a night out at on the town. The drive is filled with awkward silence, but once at the club, everyone starts to loosen up. After a round of shots, Aubrey and Donnie start dirty dancing and Dawn and Qwanell get flirty. Stay focused, guys!
The next day brings all the Making the Band 4 participants back together for the first day of recording. The girls nail a song called "Is Anybody Listening," proving that they already have a winning formula in place.
Last.fm Recommended:
- Road Trip by Megan Selig, The Stranger, 10.24.07Kimya Dawson is most famous (in my mind) for being the fantastically charismatic folk singer from Olympia who once photographed her own poop and posted it on her MySpace. She's also an honest and bright songwriter who plays joyful acoustic guitar while singing optimistic and sometimes weird songs. While you drive to Kent, think of the opening lines to "I Like Giants"—"When I go for a drive/I like to pull off to the side/of the road/turn out the lights/get out and look up at the sky/And I do this to remind me that I'm really, really tiny/in the grand scheme of things/and sometimes this terrifies me."
Song of the Week:
Wake up!
Top Artists this Week (see more)
9 Mar 2008 – 16 Mar 2008
| 1 |
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MF DOOM | |
| 2 | J Dilla aka jay dee | ||
| 3 |
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The Go! Team | |
| 4 |
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Cee-Lo | |
| 4 |
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Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins | |
| 4 | wale | ||
| 7 |
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Lupe Fiasco | |
| 7 |
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Burial | |
| 9 |
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Jay Dee | |
| 10 |
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Justice |
Last week's purchases/pickups: ...and all the pieces matter, Five Years of Music from The Wire and
Joss’s crisp and clean songs have a throwback feel and could easily be mistaken for some loungin’ oldies but goodies from the ‘60s and ‘70s, but his technical trickery keeps him firmly in the future. He seems to be inventing new hybrids by sampling different vocal textures and playing with tempos and styles that are supposed to be disparate. “Atomic Tape,” for example, melds rockabilly guitar warbles, hip-hop scratches, sitar riffs and samples of sneering young voices. And it all seems to make sense.
- Chris Joss, 'Teraphonic Overdubs', Metromix Chicago, 02.11.08
Last.fm recommended (we're going to go back a couple weeks since I missed last week): Camera Obscura, The Noisettes, Lil' Mo, Mick Boogie & Little Brother, Menomena, and
From their forthcoming Totally Flossed Out, "Black Mags" starts with a deep, slowed-down voice like the one on another album track, "Gold and Pagers" (which itself opens like Fabolous' "Diamonds"). Here the Cool Kids rap laconically about their bicycle, managing to tie in "MacGyver" and further the Pack comparison with a shout-out to Nike. As usual, the beats are laid-back and streamlined, the bass burbling.
- Pitchfork Forkcast, Pitchfork, 05.17.07
Song of the Week:
or maybe it was:
Whatever it was, we danced it out.
Top Artists this Week (see more)
17 Feb 2008 – 24 Feb 2008
| 1 |
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Rhymefest |
| 2 |
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Janet Jackson |
| 3 |
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Michael Jackson |
| 4 |
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Justice |
| 5 |
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Common |
| 6 |
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M.I.A. |
| 6 | wale | |
| 8 |
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MF DOOM |
| 9 |
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Jaylib |
| 9 |
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Maxïmo Park |
Last week's purchases/pickups: slow children playing and ...
The fourth volume in our Eccentric Soul series examines the oil stained underside of the Motor City sound. There are no gold records, million dollar buyouts, or quaint museums at the end of the story, just a handful of four figure 45s, a box of photographs, and a condemned building. If Detroit was once an ocean of soul, the Big Mack label was certainly an island.
Last.fm recommended: Five Deez and...
Top Artists this Week (see more)
10 Feb 2008 – 17 Feb 2008
| 1 |
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Rhymefest |
| 2 | wale | |
| 3 |
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Maxïmo Park |
| 4 |
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M.I.A. |
| 5 |
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Feist |
| 6 |
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Tilly and the Wall |
| 7 |
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Burial |
| 8 |
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Amerie |
| 8 |
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Justice |
| 8 |
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Iron & Wine |
Last week's purchases/pick-ups: Jazzanova & Dirk Rumpff ...Broadcasting and...
Rhymefest is able to do what major label marketing firms have failed at doing, and that's trim Jackson of the tabloid drama and bring the focus back to his music. Rhymefest sets out right away to humanize Jackson, and bring him down to earth, portraying him as a simple man from Gary, Ind., one who still has the power to unite a desperate community (see "Mike the Mentor"). He also inter-splices the album with brief, but always humorous, "conversations" with Jackson, in which Rhymefest's inserts himself into dialogue from Jackson interviews.
Last.fm recommended: nobody new
Song of the week (that wasn't from the rhymefest mixtape):
Top Artists this Week (see more)
3 Feb 2008 – 10 Feb 2008
| 1 |
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Jay-Z |
| 2 |
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Little Dragon |
| 3 |
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Burial |
| 4 | wale | |
| 4 |
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Waldeck |
| 6 |
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Björk |
| 7 |
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Diplo |
| 7 |
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M.I.A. |
| 7 |
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Death Cab for Cutie |
| 10 |
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J Dilla |
Last week's purchases: Waldeck's Ballroom Stories, Cult Cargo: Belize City Boil Up, and...
Straight out of Sweden come Little Dragon with their self-titled debut album. Featuring the vocal talents of Yukimi Nagano, Erik Bodin on percussion, Hakan Wirenstrand on keys and Frerick Kallgren on bass, these guys are definitely ones to keep an eye out for. Nagano has kicked around the Swedish nu-jazz scene for years, previously working with Koop and featured in the stunning Keep You Kimi from Nordic wunderkind Hird. Nagano and Bodin have also been touring with stable mate Jose Gonzalez of late and alongside Wirstrand all appear on his recent album In Our Nature.
Last.fm recommended: Kid Sister, Guster, The Loose Salute, and...
Song of the Week:
According to last.fm, my favorite artists of January were:
- Burial
- wale
- Jazzanova
- Rilo Kiley
- Kanye West
- Aaliyah
- Björk
- Sia
- De La Soul
- Justice
Burial is well covered territory. Wale is new to me. Jazzanova's Belle et Fou is one of the records I bought with my Christmas Cash. Rilo Kiley is getting some re-listens because I feel like I didn't give their 2007 release enough love when it came out. Kanye tracks dominate my workout and driving playlists these days. Björk ended up being the surprise soundtrack of my Vegas Vacation. Sia has a new album out. De La is De La and even with Cross being referred to with the yucky term "blog house", Justice gets my attention every time they come through the speakers.
The Number Ones
Week ending January 6, 2008
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Burial – Endorphin |
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Burial – Untitled |
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Burial – In McDonalds |
Week ending January 13, 2008
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Burial – Untitled |
Week ending January 20, 2008
| Kev Brown – Beats and Rhymes | |
| Jazzanova – Theme From "Belle Et Fou" - The Bows |
Week ending January 27, 2008
Rilo Kiley – Portions for Foxes
Top Artists for the Week:
| ▲ 6 | 1 |
|
Jazzanova |
37
|
| ▲ | 2 | wale |
34
|
|
| ▲ | 3 |
|
N*E*R*D |
27
|
| ▲ | 4 |
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Notorious B.I.G. |
25
|
| ▲ 32 | 5 |
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MF DOOM |
22
|
| ▲ | 6 |
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Nina Simone |
19
|
| ▲ 3 | 7 |
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Feist |
11
|
| ▲ 39 | 7 |
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Death Cab for Cutie |
11
|
| ▲ 6 | 9 |
|
De La Soul |
10
|
| ▼ 6 | 10 |
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Björk |
9
|
Top track of the week was Jazzanova's Theme from Belle et Fou - "The Bows" but I've already posted from that album so I'll give you Ten Cent Blues by Eisley. Eisley's sophomore full-length, Combinations, underwhelmed in 2007 but this track is nice.
The charts:
| 1 |
|
Burial |
43
|
| 2 |
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Aaliyah |
33
|
| 3 |
|
Kanye West |
31
|
| 4 |
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Björk |
28
|
| 5 |
|
The Polyphonic Spree |
24
|
| 6 |
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Sia |
17
|
| 7 |
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Jazzanova |
13
|
| 8 |
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Justice |
11
|
| 9 |
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The Futureheads |
10
|
| 10 |
|
Feist |
9
|
Burial is still king but unlike most weeks when my "The Station" and "Drive Time" playlists usually determine my listens, I was very deliberate this week. Aaliyah was my own personal focus this week. Kanye West came through because of his relationship with Murakami and my visit to the exhibit. Bjork was the fly home soundtrack from Vegas.
Also, I'm finding that I didn't give The Polyphonic Spree's The Fragile Army and Justice's Cross enough love in 2007 so I'm making up for it in 2008. I've always been a Spree fan but that Justice album sounds better and better with each listen. It's fun but it's also deep and complex and has one of the most unique (yet still listenable) electronic/dance music sounds in recent years. That duo is a step forward.
My top track of the week was "Untitled" by Burial but the truth is, there are 4 untitled tracks across his two albums so I'll leave you with the #2 joint of the week (since the cut I really want to post, Shawty Lo's They Know, won't upload), "Good Life" by Mr. West. Good Morning.
