Theophilus London, “Humdrum Town” MP3
- story Peter Macia
If you live in New York City, Theophilus London is one of those people you run into that remind why you moved here in the first place: he hustles, he stays out late, he’s talented and still on some level doesn’t seem to think any of it is that big of a deal. Maybe that’s where the humdrum bit comes from, who knows. The single, a re-recording of “Hum Drum” from London’s This Charming Mixtape, has a new verse and new instrumental courtesy of Mark Ronson and friends, so just pretend you’ve never heard it before because it still jams, and stay tuned for an accompanying FADER TV episode coming soon.
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posted on Nov 18, 2009 in MP3 / STREAMS tags hip hop, Jesse Boykins III, Mark Ronson, Theophilus London
Stream: FADER Radio on EVR 11/13/09
- story THE FADER
Last Friday on The Let Out (our weekly show on East Village Radio) we played a bunch of Gucci, a little Small Black and a bunch of other great new jams. Listen live to East Village Radio this and every Friday from 6-8pm EST, stream last week’s audio podcast below and check out the tracklist after the jump.
Stream the 11/13 edition of “The Let Out” here.
Premiere: Alex Bleeker and The Freaks, “Animal Tracks” MP3
- story Peter Macia
Alex Bleeker and The Freaks are undeniably indebted to a certain shakey-voiced, chord-slamming Canadian on this first single from their self-titled debut LP, but instead of doing impersonations it’s like they’ve extracted dopamine from his brain and dripped it into their beers, the sonic tension numbed by Bleeker’s simple short tale about drinking soda on a summer porch. We’ve met these dudes, and we would rather drink sodas on a porch with them than Neil Young about a thousand times over. That dude seems like he doesn’t even drink soda. With Bleeker, there’s no hand-wringing over how much certain things might suck—everyone knows—just relax and deal with it. The rest of the album is similarly raucously at ease, like the band’s native New Jersey has delusions that it is actually the deep, green woods (For a visual of what that might look like, watch them play “Never Going Back” in a gentrified shithouse). Alex Bleeker and The Freaks will be out on November 27th on Underwater Peoples. Make sure to pick it up.
Download: Alex Bleeker and The Freaks, “Animal Tracks”
Video: Charlotte Gainsbourg f. Beck, “Heaven Can Wait”
In a way, the waify offspring of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin is a perfect match for the vagabond scientologist Beck, and this video shows why: they can have lazing-around Boho slumber parties where they muse about philosophy, art and making love while cuddling; or they can meet odd new people doing extraordinary things, like holding a WWII bomb graffiti’d with the word “Nachos.” Hey man, we wanna play shirtless guitar when our parents are arguing, too. However, we have to draw the line at doing our make-up with a life-sized dino-man in the bathroom. It’s just too intimate. (via Spinner)
Gil Scott-Heron, “Where Did the Night Go” MP3
- story Matthew Schnipper
The beat for this track by the legendary (check the Wiki) Gil Scott-Heron sounds like a collaboration with Burial. Not that it’s actually Burial (XL head Richard Russell produced the forthcoming album), but it has the same night flair and downtrodden synth buzz. We experienced some shock when XL nonchalantly put up clips from Scott-Heron’s new album, including a cover of Smog’s “I’m New Here” (which they didn’t mention was a Smog cover). Russell later explained he’d played the song for Scott-Heron who wanted to cover it. We’re still surprised by this, and now by the hyperfuture tone he’s taking on “Where Did the Night Go.” This is sure to be a confusing album, a meta listen, but hopefully that self-conscious “What the fuck? Gil Scott-Heron?” thing will fade.
Download: Gil Scott-Heron, “Where Did the Night Go” (email not required, but they’d love it if you gave it)
Small Black, “Pleasant Experience” MP3
- story Peter Macia
If you don’t yet know who Small Black is, first go here, let that be your favorite song for a few minutes, then come back and listen to this song, maybe take a power nap while it glides through your synapses and then go buy the new EP from whence both songs come. After that, don’t know, maybe eat a grilled cheese and some tomato soup and wonder how two kinda scrawny dudes from Brooklyn make Duran Duran sound like babies.
Download: Small Black, “Pleasant Experience” (via Transparent)
Video Premiere: Dragon Turtle, “Island of Broken Glass”
- story Sam Hockley-Smith
Terrible band name aside (sorry dudes! If we saw a real Dragon Turtle we’d probably be pretty psyched though), Dragon Turtle’s “Island of Broken Glass” works because even as it’s going balls to the wall and throwing all sorts of guitar lines everywhere, those hand drums keep everything centered and in control. It’s a full-on downer jam, but with studied restraint. While making this video, the duo decided they’d burn the organs they used to record their album, Almanac, signifying a fresh start and also signifying that making a big fire is really fun.
CFCF, “Big Love” MP3
- story Peter Macia
- photo Kitra Cahana (F62)
If you follow The FADER you know that on one of our favorite dudes in the world is New York writer and bon vivant T Cole Rachel. Cole has a DJ night where he almost exclusively plays Fleetwood Mac (and we get kinda drunk), but we also know him to like some dance music. So consider this CFCF cover of the Mac’s 1987 new age jam a dedication to Cole, but take it for yourself as well—it’s like balearic weed pop, or hairy wizard disco or something. If you like it, there’s plenty more on CFCF’s new album Continent, now available from Paper Bag Records.
Beach House, “Norway” MP3
- story Peter Macia
- photo Jason Nocito
Beach House has a new record named Teen Dream ready to come out on January 26th of next year, which seems like a long time, at least for us because we’ve had the pleasure of hearing it and are ready to play it in public whenever the opportunity presents itself. But the fact of the matter is that Teen Dream will sound perfect when you’re in the throes of winter, so we’ll just go with this first single that Sub Pop just put up, the perfectly representative “Norway,” with Victoria Legrand’s weary incantations pulling Alex Scally’s ghost town transmissions through the air.
Download: Beach House, “Norway”
Stream: That Ghost, Get It And Get Out EP
- story Sam Hockley-Smith
We have a tendency to gravitate towards music that promotes good vibes, good times and feeling complete or whole and content. It’s not that we aren’t listening to downer music, because we are, it’s just that it’s nice to spread the love around, you know? For right now, or at least for the duration of this EP, we’re saying fuck good vibes because That Ghost’s digital only EP Get It And Get Out is seven songs of pure sneer. It’s like Ryan Schmale (aka the only dude in That Ghost) has been saving up every bitter thought and every drunken rant for this EP, spitting it back at us through a wall of grit and surprisingly catchy melodies.
Stream: That Ghost Get It And Get Out EP
