Track of the Week

November 4th, 2006

What can I say about this past week? Well between long days and long train journeys, this blog took the back-seat. But, in the words of Yazz; the only way is up! Just needed to get into the swing of this new routine - I have a track of the week for you though. One track I have been listening to loads recently is Peach, Plum, Pear, from Joanna Newsom’s 2004 album The Milk-Eyed Mender (it’s better than the version found on Walnut Whales) - I just love the track. I think it is the self-confessed harper’s skills at their best. If you aren’t familiar with Joanna Newsom’s work, then I guess you could call it alternative folk with a heavy emphasis on the harp - give this a listen…

Joanna Newsom - Peach, Plum, Pear
>> download track (YouSendIt)
>> buy album @ Amazon US / Amazon UK
This download link will expire on 17th November.

However, Joanna’s new album (Ys) is to drop shortly and I have a track to share with you also. The new album (out on 14th November) contains just five tracks, but the running time is just short of an hour. This new album has seen Joanna work with Van Dyke Parks for the orchestral arrangement, and I have to say it really does sound beautiful. To look back now in hindsight it does seem like a natural progression to take her harp-folk onto a more cinematic level. It may take a few listens to get into Ys, but the time invested pays huge dividends - I think so anyway. Give Cosmia a go…

Joanna Newsom - Cosmia
>> download track (YouSendIt)
>> buy album @ Amazon US / Amazon UK
This download link will expire on 17th November.

I’m thinking that maybe for now I’ll aim to post blog entries on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - see how I go with that workload. Enjoy the Joanna Newsom tracks and have a great weekend!

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Track of the Week

October 27th, 2006

Friday already?! Sorry for the total lack of posts this week, including the heinous crime of missing Sunday’s Unearthing MySpace Gems - promise I wont do it again. Anyway, how about TM Juke’s new album Forward?! Heard it yet? It’s really good, although it took me two listens to arrive at that blunt conclusion. It’s different from Maps From The Wilderness but maintains the Juke funky style. Alice Russell features on one track again, but this new album also sees guest appearances from a few other artists, including; Kinny, Sophie Faricy, Naim, and Elmore Judd. It’s hard to totally put my finger on this album except to say it’s pretty lounge like, but more in a Mr Scruff approach to lounge - then add some vocalists and typical Juke sounds. It’s definitely one you need to listen to a few times though, then suddenly the penny will drop and you’ll really start to enjoy it. Here’s a taster…

TM Juke - Skin feat. Naim
>> download track
>> buy album @ EtchShop.co.uk
This download link will expire on 10th November.

Something so nostalgic about that track - it seems simple, yet it is so catchy and addictive. One of the shorter tracks on the album, but a right little gem. This album dropped on Tru Thoughts on 16th October, so is ready for you to go cop right now sucka! Have a great weekend.

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Track of the Week

October 20th, 2006

The weekend is upon us all once more and I have for you my track of the week. Being in Australia can often mean we get certain things a little later than the rest of the western world, one such thing being the new Doctor Who series - and I mean the one with Christopher Eccleston! Anyway I think it is class, but one thing I think they should have done is use Orbital’s version of the Doctor Who theme tune - missed opportunity! Check it…

Orbital - Doctor Who
>> download track
>> buy album @ Amazon US / Amazon UK
This download link will expire on 3rd November.

That track is taken from their 2001 album The Altogether, seems like only yesterday that I purchased that album, but turns out it’s something closer to five years ago! Still, class album from a class electronica act - regardless of age, I’d recommend fans of electronica definitely purchase The Altogether, and at least take a peak at Orbital’s other releases from the past however many years.

Have a good weekend, and oh… I finally got a job. :-)

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Track of the Week

October 13th, 2006

Today’s track of the week (or tracks of the week) comes from an album I got just a week ago, and it is easily a nomination for album of the year, as far as I am concerned. Some have described it as romantic electronica, and don’t be fooled, it is far from being as cheesy as it already sounds! I’m talking about Daedelus and his latest album Denies The Day’s Demise. Released this year on Ninja Tune, it really is 15 tracks of pure dynamite. It was tough choosing what to feature, but give this a go…

Daedelus - Sundown
>> download track
>> buy album @ Amazon US / Amazon UK
This download link will expire on 28th October.

Not to blow my own trumpet, but usually if I make a real fuss over a record, there is good reason. I honestly cannot stress enough just how good this album is. Easily one of the best albums of 2006. Each time I listen to it I fall deeper in love with it. I’ve considered reviewing it, but I worry that I simply wont be able to put into words how I feel, or that it will end up spanning 5000 words! Anyway, enough of me creaming myself, check out another track…

Daedelus - Sunrise
>> download track
>> buy album @ Amazon US / Amazon UK
This download link will expire on 28th October.

Make sure you listen to those tracks on at least half-decent headphones - if I find out you listened via shitty laptop speakers… I’ll shoot you. Albeit 15 tracks long, really the album needs to be listened to in one long go - it’s one of those “immerse yourself” type albums. Daedelus has this really bizarre, yet unique, style of being able to create such deep atmospheric electronica, from what would ordinarily be quite standard sounds from such a genre. It’s hard to put my finger on it, but it is like he has created these beautiful compositions, layered them so perfectly, that the blunt outer shell is dissolved somewhere along the way of the listening experience and the intricate innards are released for our aural pleasure. If you like the two tracks above, even just a little bit, you have to buy this album!

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Track of the Week

October 6th, 2006

Today’s track of the week is from a UK hip-hop album that dropped in 2002. The fella that produced the album has now actually moved to America, but more on that in a bit. UK hip-hop is a funny old thing, lots of different sounds and interests, but sadly it quite often goes unnoticed by the masses - which is fine for all those “keep it underground” kinda folks, but sometimes it would be nicer for the deserving artists to get a bit more attention. Lewis Parker’s Its All Happening Now was, as I said previously, released quite some time ago, but it will go down in my books as one of the better UK hip-hop albums of the last four years.

The track I have for you today actually features another UK talent by the name of Jehst. Sadly Lewis Parker and Jehst are no longer on speaking terms, infact Lewis Parker was quoted in an interview to have said “If I see Jehst, he’s getting physically hurt.” - the details are hazy, but supposedly it is to do with a lack of communication with regards to the release of a mixtape. And, ironically, the name of this track is Communications…

Lewis Parker - Communications (Ft. Jehst)
>> download >> buy album @ Amazon UK
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 20th October.

I mentioned near the start of this blog entry that Lewis Parker had now moved to America. He seems to be doing ok for himself as he actually produced one of the tracks off the latest Ghostface album Fishscale. Good to see him making his mark stateside, although I’m sure a lot of people wont know him by name - but you’ll know him via production on Fishscale with his track Shakey Dog…

Ghostface Killah - Shakey Dog
>> download >> buy album @ Amazon US / Amazon UK
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 20th October.

I’m not sure what’s next for Lewis Parker, but if he can make a name for the actual decent hip-hop coming out of the UK over in the states, then his rep will just grow and grow. Remember kids, the quality is always there for the taking if you are willing to dig deep enough!

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