Five Songs For November
November 8, 2008
This list comes from my dear friend Jen Meyer who wants you all to go out and listen to some great music. Jen works at local independent record label 604 Records Inc., and the affiliated management company Simkin Artist Management.
1. Yeasayer (as seen above) “Tight Rope”
Somewhere between eastern and western, synths and tambourines, choir harmonies and world rhythms, this band reminds me of something that TV on the Radio might listen to themselves. Then, just to throw me, they put out this video.
2. Girls “Lust For Life”
Girls, the San Francisco-based duo of Chet JR White and Holy Shit’s Christopher Owens, sounds like the soundtrack for a hipster first date, or hipsters riding their bikes through Strathcona, or hipsters looking bored in their skinny jeans, or…well…you get it. It’s good. And you can’t get it in CD format yet. Which means hipsters will love it. Because it’s unavailable and obscure.
3. Tim Fite “Big Mistake”
Fite brings together a country infused hybrid of folk and hip hop for one of the most unique and insta-favorite sounds I’ve heard all year long…sounds like slide guitar, chime, drums, banjo, bass, pedal steel, piano and mandolins with the best lyrics I’ve heard…well…all year long.
4. Kings Of Leon “I Want You”
Anyone who has read a music magazine in the last two years knows who this band is. This song is possibly one of the sexiest things I have ever heard. “I Want You” is to their newest album “Only By The Night” what “Milk” was to “Aha Shake Heartbreak”.
5. 16mm “Lula”
One of Vancouver’s own, this band is one of the many reasons I love working where I do. The music is hook-filled, very danceable, and completely fun, 16mm is pop at its best. But cool pop. Not the lame cheesy midriff bearing kind. Pop that dyes its hair black and might wear Cheap Mondays. 16mm opened for The Secret Machines at Richards On Richards last night.
The Yeasayer clip above reminded me of a Bon Iver film (http://www.blogotheque.net/Bon-Iver-Part-II,4267) shot in a Paris apartment. I checked it out a bit and it turns out they were both “Take Away Shows’ directed by Vincent Moon. Great stuff. Thanks for the suggestions Jen.
Hey Michelle…glad you liked it…its probably my favorite music video of the last long long while. Vincent Moon is amazing – that whole website actually (sounds like you know your way around it) – he did another take away show with Yeasayer as well for “No Need To Worry/Red Cave”. Its also worth checking out. You can see it here at:
http://www.blogotheque.net/Yeasayer,3966
I went to see Yeasayer at Richards last week and it blew me away. These guys are so talented and so good at what they do. Even better live than on the CD, which is rare.