No. 4

I wouldn't watch the Eurovision Song Contest if it weren't for Terry Wogan. His dry wit and realisation that the competition is nothing more than a political points scoring contest that has little to do with music makes for excellent viewing. But, alas, he's considering giving up the post of Mr Eurovision. This after Britain came last...again...and Russia came first...suspiciously. Tel! Please reconsider!

The video is for the Ortzroka track. Excellent vid.

MP3: Madonna - 4 Minutes (Dmerit Remix) DOWNLOAD
MP3: The Sugar Oaks - Girl On Girl DOWNLOAD
MP3: Muse - Knights Of Cydonia (Ocelot Edit) DOWNLOAD
MP3: Purple Crush - Physical Attraction (Madonna Cover) DOWNLOAD
MP3: Oldschoolreunion - LOVEstory DOWNLOAD
MP3: Ortzroka - Planets DOWNLOAD
MP3: P Diddy - Bad Boy For Life (La Mode's Bad Mother Fuckers Fuck Up) DOWNLOAD

Ipod Advert

You know how I love advert music?

MP3: The Tings Tings - Shut Up And Let Go DOWNLOAD

No. 3

Just in case it's bugging you as to were you heard it before, the Broadcast 2000 track featured on a recent E-on advert.

MP3: Feadz - Humanoid (Chewy Chocolate Cookies Remix) DOWNLOAD
MP3: The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name (Kasper Bjørke Remix) DOWNLOAD
MP3: Grum - Go Back DOWNLOAD
MP3: Vitaminsforyou -Flesh Python (Jokers Of The Scene Remix) DOWNLOAD
MP3: Cazals - Somebody, Somewhere (The Bloody Beetroots Remix) DOWNLOAD
MP3: Heypenny - Cop Car DOWNLOAD
MP3: Broadcast 2000 - Get Up And Go DOWNLOAD

Picture

No. 2

Is this dude's sidekick Joakim, the chappy who remix Cut Copy?

MP3: Para One - Clubhoppin' (Smallsaul Re-edit) DOWNLOAD
MP3: Digitalism - Idealistic (Chewy Chocolate Cookies Remix) DOWNLOAD
MP3: Digitalism - Pogo (Hey Today! Remix) DOWNLOAD
MP3: Van She - Strangers (Van She Tech Remix) DOWNLOAD
MP3: Testcard - All Over DOWNLOAD
MP3: Rihanna - Don't Stop The Music (LAZRtag Remix) DOWNLOAD
MP3: The Subs - Papillion (Radio Edit) DOWNLOAD

Dan Le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip Audition for X-Factor

MP3: Dan Le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip - Look For The Women (Zane Lowe Mix) DOWNLOAD

Daniel Rossen -Too Little Too Late (JoJo Cover)

In 2006, JoJo released her single Too Little Too Late, a pop highlight of the year. In late 2007, Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear covered it. Disposing of the beats and synthesised strings, Rossen strips To Little Too Late back to basics, filling it with sweeping harmonies and an all acoustic accompaniment. The resulting sound is uncannily similar to the music of Cat Stevens, instrumentally, yes, but it's vocally were this comparison is most pronounced. And while the original was an uplifting affair, Rossen's cover makes for a more sombre listen, highlighting the downbeat nature of the songs subject.

MP3: Daniel Rossen - Too Little Too Late (JoJo Cover) DOWNLOAD
MP3: JoJo - Too Little Too Late DOWNLOAD
MP3: JoJo - Too Little Too Late (Spainish Version) DOWNLOAD
MP3: Cat Stevens - Wild World DOWNLOAD

Psychiatric Abuse

I was actually going to post something else today, but this bit of news wound me up so much I felt the need to vent some of my anger...and what better place to do it than here.

My outrage concerns Massachusetts Judge Rotenberg Educational Centre's (JRC) 24/7 Behaviour Modification Program. Sounds ominous, and indeed it is. Essentially an aversive therapy, JCR employs the use of electrodes attached to the skin that allows for the administration of an electric shock to the wearer, often an individual which psychiatry has labelled ADD/ADHD or other such 'illness'

A recent report from New York education officials listed several areas of concern, including reports of students receiving burns from the shock device and ability for staff to view students while they dress or bathe.

Abuse like this should not happen, least of all to children. Yet psychiatry, with its endless myths and pseudo-science has justified the schools actions to the U.S. government, who seem happy enough to shell out the $200 000 (£100 000) yearly fee.

For more information of Psychiatric abuse head over to: Psych Watch, Psychatric Abuse, End Psychiatric Abuse. And read this book

MP3: The Ramones - Gimmie Gimmie Shock Treatment DOWNLOAD

MP3: Dragonette - Shock Box DOWNLOAD

Sia/Adele

Whenever I listen to this:

MP3: Adele - Hometown Glory (Removed As Per Label Request)

I can't help but think of this:

MP3: Sia - Breathe Me DOWNLOAD

Mylo: Salt Lick

Mylo - real name Myles Maclnnes - is the man responsible for one of the most important records of the noughties: 2004's Destroy Rock And Roll. Receiving widespread critical acclaim (even Elton John is quoted as saying it was his album of the year), the Scotsman's debut was as refreshing as it was retrospective, providing something acceptable to fans across the musical spectrum.

There was however, a track that never made it onto Destroy Rock And Roll: the Toto sampling Salt Lick. Having failed to receive clearance from Toto ("they completely blanked it") Salt Lick never saw the light of day.

Fortunately for us, Mylo is a daring soul. You may remember his unauthorised leakage of two Kyle Minogue tracks that never made it onto her X album. She was not amused. Undeterred, Mylo has done it again, releasing Salt Lick to fans on his Myspace page, despite Toto's disapproval.

It's a real shame that Salt Lick never made the album. It's a superb example of Mylo's trademark slicing and dicing of prime choice samples. See for yourself.

MP3: Mylo - Salt Lick DOWNLOAD (Myspace Rip)

MP3: Toto - Stop Loving You DOWNLOAD

Salt Lick will be removed on Christmas Eve.

Chromeo: Live

1. The venue seemed to allow aggressive drunks through the door who clearly weren't aware that they were attending a gig and that there was a good possibility that people might just bump into them.

2. During initial technical difficulties, some of the more lairy members of the crowd thought it'd be perfect to reel of their repertoire of Liverpool football chants.

3. There was an extremely obese drunk who made every one's life a misery and who so happened to be in my close proximity.

Even so, In spite of the above hindrances, Chromeo still managed to pull of a performance so stellar, that I can say with some confidence, it was one of the highest calibre gigs I've attended. YOU MUST SEE CHROMEO BEFORE YOU DIE!

MP3: Chromeo - Bonafied Lovi' DOWNLOAD
MP3: Chromeo - Needy Girl DOWNLOAD
MP3: Chromeo - Bonafied Lovin' (LA Riots Remix) DOWNLOAD
MP3: Chromeo - Bonafied Lovin' (Lazaro Casanova Remix) DOWNLOAD

Robyn: Be Mine (Ocelot Remix)

Robyn. Probably this years most celebrated Pop artists. Ocelot. The slickest remix team around. With this in mind, imagine how unbelievably good an Ocelot remix of Robyn's Be Mine would be. It'd be mthrfckng brilliant:

MP3: Robyn - Be Mine (Ocelot Remix) DOWNLOAD

(Sorry to keep re-posting this but the Hype Machine, god love 'em, doesn't seem to want to index this post!)
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Grrrls Aloud

I shouldn't be posting this. Aside from the legal issues regarding copyright infringement, posting a pleasure as guilty as this one could, potentially, leave my good name in tatters. The evidence is stark. Girls Aloud were born out of Popstars: The Rivals, one of those ghastly reality TV talent shows, and subsequently managed by the rather twatty, Louis Walsh. Nonetheless, for a pop group as manufactured as this, Girls Aloud have been surprising recipients of wholesale praise from the music print media. As for myself, I've always found their sound, although not without merit, a tad sickly sweet, a product of their production team, Xenomania.

However new single, Call The Shots, is a rather different story. Having first heard it via a live performance on, God forgive me, The X Factor, I was at once at ease with its spacey synths, angelic vocals and chugging bassline. Although it is essentially a piece of Euro-Pop, it is a credible piece of Euro-Pop. More edgy and emotive than is typical of the genre, indeed more edgy and emotive than most of their back catalogue. So please, for your own sake, cast aside your prejudices and simply enjoy what is ultimately a great piece of Pop music.

MP3: Girls Aloud - Call The Shots DOWNLOAD

MP3: Girls Aloud - Call The Shots (Xenomania Remix) DOWNLOAD

Graduation: Samples

I think there's a general consensus about town, that Kanye West's latest album, Graduation, is consistent with the high caliber of previous efforts, College Dropout and Late Registration. Although, (in my humble opinion of course) it sags a little in the middle, I am in overall agreement with the prevailing reaction. But look, we all know that Kanye's work relies heavily on samples (not that I'm complaining like), so here's a comprehensive list of tracks used to make Graduation. Please note the ironic lyrics of Labi Siffre's My Song: "This is my song and no one can take it away"...'cept Kanye mate.

MP3: Elton John - Someone Saved My Life Tonight DOWNLOAD
Used In: Good Morning
MP3: Steely Dan - Kid Charlemagne DOWNLOAD
Used In: Champion
MP3: Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger DOWNLOAD
Used In: Stronger
MP3: Labi Siffre - My Song DOWNLOAD
Used In: I Wonder
MP3: Michael Jackson - PYT (Pretty Young Thing DOWNLOAD
Used In: Good Life
MP3: Mountain - Long Red DOWNLOAD
Used In: Barry Bonds and The Glory
MP3: Can - Sin Swan Song DOWNLOAD
Used In: Drunk And Hot Girls
MP3: Public Enemy - Bring The Noise DOWNLOAD
Used In: Everything I Am
MP3: Prince Phillip Mitchell - If We Can't Be Lovers DOWNLOAD
Used In: Everything I Am
MP3 Laura Nyro - Save The Country DOWNLOAD
Used In: The Glory
MP3: U-Roy - Wake The Town DOWNLOAD
Used In: Good Night
MP3: Super Cat - Nuff Man A Dead DOWNLOAD
Used In: Good Night

BONUS: MP3: DJ Rut - Diamonds 4 Life DOWNLOAD

Big thanks to Milk Crate Breaks for providing me with these tunes. Get yourself over there and give them a holla.
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Gutted

Imagine my excitement when scrolling through the Hype Machine's Popular list I came across a blog post containing a Justice remix of When The Sun Goes Down by little known indie band, the Arctic Monkeys. Alas, we (I say we as a hell of a lot of folks checked this track out) were collectively duped by the offending blog, Pretty Much Amazing, as the initial excitement quickly faded after the first 30 seconds of listening revealed the remix to be nothing more than a disappointing mash-up bearing little resemblance to the Frenchies trademark sound. Anyway, every cloud has a silver lining as they say as I thought it'd be a worthwhile exercise to breakdown the track, revealing some great music of old. Here goes:

MP3: The Arctic Monkeys - When The Sun Goes Down DOWNLOAD/Zshare
MP3: Urban Shakedown - Some Justice DOWNLOAD/Zshare
MP3: Liquid - Sweet Harmony DOWNLOAD/Zshare
MP3: Beastie Boys - Ch-Check It Out DOWNLOAD/Zshare

The Urban Shakedown and Liquid tracks themselves contain samples from this CeCe Rogers track from 1987:

MP3: CeCe Rogers - Someday DOWNLOAD/Zshare

...aaaand in case you missed the original track posted on Pretty Much Amazing:

MP3: Arctic Monkeys - When The Sun Goes Down ('Justice' Remix) DOWNLOAD/Zshare

Pop Matters

Is it just me or is Pop music, a genre I haven't traditionally had much time for, really good at the moment? I've always struggled to understand what is being referred to by the term 'Pop music'. Is it simply referring to the literal popularity of a song, album or artist? If so, then looking at the UK Top 40, Timbaland, Kanye West, The Cribs and The Wombats must be included in the genre. Or is it more of a identifiably separate style of music characterised by happy rhythms, simple melodies and repetitive structures? Or maybe it's me just thinking too much. Yeah, it's probably that.

MP3: Britney Spears - Gimmie More DOWNLOAD
MP3: Britney Spears - Gimmie More (Gaetan Remix) DOWNLOAD
MP3: Kylie Minogue - 2 Hearts DOWNLOAD
MP3: Kylie Minogue - 2 Hearts (Alan Braxe Remix) DOWNLOAD
MP3: Madonna - Hung Up DOWNLOAD
MP3: Madonna - Hung Up (Diplo Remix) DOWNLOAD

Sneaky Sound System

Sneaky Sound System are holders of rather dull and unimpressive accolade. Their self titled album is the first that MP3 that I downloaded from the itunes library, a fact I somewhat resent as I always promised that I'd never purchase anything from there until they brought the price down and didn't hold control of my purchase after I'd parted with my cash. Nonetheless, at the time (mid '07) it was the only 'place' that allowed me to get hold of the record by a band who'd been poking their way into my conscience after a swathe of big blog appearances.

Why would this Sydney based quintet, purveyors of bouncy dance pop; support act for Robbie Williams and containing band members with names like MC Double D (referring to his name not bra size I believe), have any credibility with super cool blogs like Palms Out Sounds and (the now deceased) Chazology? The fact of the matter is that Sneaky Sound Systems cross platform success is inextricably linked to the release of remixes by authoritative comrade Australians such as Van She Tech, Bagraiders and Riot In Belgium. That said, Sneaky Sound System album is one of true quality, containing rounded accessible electro that never takes itself to seriously as well as upfront trashy pop. Well worth the £7.99...and the DRM.

MP3: Sneaky Sound System - I Love It DOWNLOAD
MP3: Sneaky Sound System - UFO DOWNLOAD
MP3: Sneaky Sound System - Pictures (Styalz Fuego Remix) DOWNLOAD

(P.S. The first two tracks posted were bought from itunes and thus are DRM'd. I have no idea what'll happen when you download them, indeed, whether you'll be able to downnload them at all)

Roisin Murphy

A rather dismal Friday Night With Jonathan Ross show (I know I should have better things to do on a Friday) was livened up by the ever so energetic, yet terribly dressed Róisín Murphy's performance of new single, Let Me Know. Although I don't exactly envisage any chart success for the former Moloko songstress (her last single reaching no. 149), I do find her vocal tone pleasant enough with musical accompaniment taking on a disco-funk edge not to disimilar to Jamiroquai.

MP3: Róisín Murphy - Let Me Know DOWNLOAD
MP3: Róisín Murphy - Overpowered (Herve Remix) DOWNLOAD

Bonus: MP3: Moloko - The Time Is Now DOWNLOAD

Operator Please

Last night I was in attendance at Levi's One's To Watch at the Barfly, Liverpool. Yes, I know it stinks of desperate corporate marketing, but they've certainly had more than a modicum of success, with past performers including, among others, The Editors, The Kooks and everyone's favourite shoe-gazer, Maps. The Headliner last night: Operator Please; a clean cut bunch of juvenile Gold Coast Australians.

Looking like something from School of Rock, Operator Please push forward a rather innocuous brand of Indie-Pop Rock while boasting both a violinist and a Beth Ditto lookalike. Although the audience (comprising mostly of 14 year old drunks) were treated to an overall tight and at times fun performance, I soon realised I was party to nothing groundbreaking. That said, they serve a purpose, albeit to entertain college kids, but there's no harm in that now is there.

MP3: Operator Please - Just A Song About Ping-Pong DOWNLOAD/Zshare

MP3: Operator Please - Crash Tragic DOWNLOAD/Zshare

For those who haven't had enough violin infused indie, here's some more entertaining use of the instrument from Belgium's dEUS. Oh, and before I forget, you should be able to get Check The Availability at www.cta-music.com now.

MP3: dEUS - Suds And Soda DOWNLOAD/Zshare

Moby

My recent interest in Moby was rekindled after watching the unmissable The Bourne Ultimatum where the familiar strings of Extreme Ways poignantly herald the end of the movie. Extreme Ways is taken from the 2002 (is it really 5 years ago?) album 18, which the more I listen to, the more I realise how critics of the time misjudged it, only ever comparing it to forerunner Play, while refusing to accept it as a piece of work in its own right:

• You finish listening to 18 feeling as if you've heard a decaffeinated version of Play. (Modjo)

• The follow-up to Play is, essentially, 'Re-Play', a cynical rehash of the melancholic-yet-strangely-uplifting schtick which sold ten million albums and sound tracked every single advert of the last three years. (Dot Music)

• Moby is no auteur, a fact made painfully clear by his terrible new album, 18, which revisits the already derivative territory of Play. (New York Magazine)

• The lead single, the excellent Bowie-ish wibbler We Are All Made Of Stars is a total red herring. The other 67 minutes and 17 tracks are Play Redux; familiar-sounding "oh-lord-my-dog's-just-died" samples over shopworn pianos and strings, straining to be epic but lacking the crucial element of surprise that made Play sound so innovative. (NME)
  

• Most of 18 is pleasant but unchallenging and unremarkable. (Pop Matters)

If you do own 18, now the baggage of being a 'follow up album' has been cast aside, do yourself a favour and give it a listen; similar in style to it predecessor, yes - but honestly, so much more besides.

MP3: Moby - In My Heart DOWNLOAD/Zshare
MP3: Moby - We Are All Made Of Stars DOWNLOAD/Zshare
MP3: Moby - Extreme Ways DOWNLOAD/Zshare
BONUS: MP3: DJ Isaac - Nobody Listen To Techno DOWNLOAD/Zshare

The Whole Of The Moon

Here's a totally unnecessary, grossly over produced, hopelessly cheesy yet valiant cover of The Whole Of The Moon, performed by all American songstress turned actor, Mandy Moore. And for those who've been living in a cave, here's The Waterboy's original to boot.

MP3: Mandy Moore - The Whole Of The Moon DOWNLOAD/Zshare
MP3: The Waterboy's - The Whole Of The Moon DOWNLOAD/Zshare