Hey. It's the first of the month so I slapped together an hour worth of songs to help you slosh through that terrible spring weather.
Flatbasset - April '09
As always, click the link, put in the number/letter combo that proves you're living, click download now and there you are.
Flatbasset - April '09 Track List (click the track name to download)
01. Dillinger Four - A Jingle For The Product
The first track of the new Dillinger Four album C I V I L W A R. I've never been the biggest D4 fan, but I've been listening to this album a lot since I got to NY. These guys don't change the formula that often, so it feels new, but it feels like home.
02. TV On The Radio - Hours (El-P Remix)
I put this track on here mainly because I dig El-P's work. TVOTR tends to squeeze their songs somewhere between twitchy and celebratory. El-P's production tends to fit between paranoid and terrifying. I feel like TVOTR could use a good dose of paranoia every now and then.
03. Sims - Like You Mean It
Every time I see Sims live he's better than the last time. They were selling his new False Hopes EP on the Never Better Tour. It features a couple tracks that are going to be on his new full length The Veldt. Remarkably, this track didn't make the cut. What makes the motherfucker so damn fresh?
04. Art Brut - The Replacements
I've been on an Art Brut kick since they announced they were going to have a five night residency at the Mercury Lounge the first week of June. Sarah and I have tickets for the Friday night show. Should be a good time. Funny how every indie kid in the Midwest knows who The Replacements are by the time they're 12 years old, but poor Eddie Argos didn't find out until his late 20's. Tough break.
05. Abstract Rude - Rejuvenation
Rhymesayers.com leaked this track a couple weeks ago. It's the first track from Rude's new album Rejuvenation. I only know two Abstract Rude tracks, this one and the one he leaked back on election day (The Government (November 4th Mix)). After hearing both of these songs, I'm fully prepared to buy and love Rejuvenation when it is released.
06. Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
I've been aware of this album for years. It always turns up on those indie rock/90's "best of" lists, but I hadn't really listened to it until just this month. Not to knock it (I think it's a fine album), but if it had come out in this climate of pitchfork/bittorrent/nextbigthing, I think it would have garnered a 7.5 and been forgotten in 6 month's time.
Also, now I know where Colin Meloy got every idea he ever had ever.
07. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Indiana
Speaking of that Pitchfork culture, I downloaded this album after it got a "best new music" recommendation. I know, I'm part of the problem. Anyway, the album is a sprawling, enjoyable, fuzzed out mess. Every so often, these little pop gems burst through the hissing and wheezing. Not the most original template, but good times.
08. Stereolab - People Do It All The Time
I realize this song is ten years old, but it's probably my favorite Stereolab song. I like when they try to wrap pop hooks around their dancy/baroque/glitchy... you know what I mean. Just a couple days after I broke this album out the group announced they were taking an indefinite hiatus. Beat.
09. Jaydiohead - No Karma
Minty Fresh Beats dropped this Jaydiohead album a couple of months ago. Obviously, mashing up Jay-Z and anybody is an old trick. Especially Radiohead, since Girl Talk mashed up "Roc Boys" and "Paranoid Android' last year. However, I like the beat Minty Fresh construct from "Karma Police" and I like Hova claiming "I don't need no hook for this shiiiit" over what is probably the best known hook in the Radiohead catalog.
10. Deer Tick - These Old Shoes
I saw Deer Tick about a month ago at The Bowery. They're out of Rhode Island and proud of it. Their album wears a little thin, but this one stands out.
11. Felt - 20 Answers
Murs. Slug. Ant. The joke's on you, jack!
12. The Hold Steady - Yeah Sapphire
I've been really into websites trying to break down The Hold Steady's narrative over the last month. This song is a big part of tying together the parts of the story told on Stay Positive. Plus, the idea of relocating to St. Paul because the city you're in is too small cracks me up. Big up, StP.
13. Frank Black - Go Find Your Saint
This track's off Honeycomb, the album Frank recorded in Nashville with a bunch of session players. It's a lovely little record. It's not exactly alt-country, but not exactly pop. Just like pretty much everything Frank Black does, it's difficult to classify but thoroughly enjoyable.
14. The White Stripes - Little Room
Hard to believe that that little room once contained just Jack and Meg. Now the room contains Jack, Meg, Holly Golightly, a couple of Greenhornes, Brendan Benson, that girl from The Kills, Regulo Aldama, a supermodel wife, Conan O'Brien, and the city of Nashville. The amount of self-awareness possessed by Jack White circa 2001 is scary.
15. Mobius Band - Say You Will
I know I've been on a Kanye West kick for a while now, but I thought it was amazing how quickly songs from 808s started being covered by indie bands. Remember when everyone was covering "Hey Ya!?" And then how quickly everyone started covering "Crazy?" Well, here we have a whole album built for indie rock covers. Kanye West: The gift that keeps on giving.
16. Jeff Buckley - Your Flesh Is So Nice
Honestly, the weight that has been posthumously assigned to Grace makes that album almost unlistenable. For that same reason, Sketches For My Sweetheart The Drunk is so much fun. It reminds us quite bluntly how mortal Jeff Buckley was. It's nearly impossible to attach any meaning to this fuzzed-up mess. It's just power chords and Jeff Buckely trying to get some play. Just stupid fun.
17. Mos Def - Sunshine
I put this one on here because it's the start of spring. I know my friends back in MN are getting snowed on right now, but that sunshine's coming.
Speaking of Kanye West, he brings out the best in Mos Def on this track (whereas Mos brought out the worst in Kanye on "Drunk And Hot Girls"). At least 85% of the tracks Mos Def puts out are a total waste of time, which is why songs like this are so frustrating. Just try a little harder, man. Trust me, you could have passed on The Italian Job.
