KIMBRA
ok, so every Friday morning, Triple J have a thing called Like A Version where they get an artist to come in and play an original track as well as a cover. Kimbra was in last Friday and produced a rather spesh mashup of Grizzly Bear’s Two Weeks and Head Over Heels by Tears For Fears.
It’s amazeballs. Kimbra works that sampler/loop machine so freakin well. Got a clip of her performing on Rockwiz a litle while back just so you can check her out in action.
You can stream the track below…and make sure you check out the full interview complete with both tracks (she did Two Way Street as her original) over on the Like A Version page.
Kimbra – Two Weeks + Head Over Heels (Grizzly Bear + Tears For Fears mashup)
Miks
The 10 Best Tracks of 2009
I’m beginning to sound like a broken record I know, but this list was probably the most difficult thing I’ve had to compile, even outside of the blog.
I think the main contributing factor behind this is that the blog isn’t specialised, there’s just too much good stuff out there to choose from. We don’t just post some electro/dance kinda stuff. We don’t just put a focus on indie rock. We post both of those…and about 50 other styles too (50 might be a slight tiny exageration…). As our About page says, “we’ll like just about anything”…and whilst this may seem to be a bit of a hinderence when it comes to compiling best of lists, I think it’s what makes maamf just that little bit different…different to the 50 gazillion other music blogs out there.
Anyway, enough of blowing the maamf trumpet and onto the 10 best tracks of 2009.
There’s a good mix here. Some electro, some indie pop, some singer songwriter stuff, hell…even some hip hop. I’ve even numbered them too…big call and was difficult…so please don’t take too much notice of the order the tracks are in!!
10. Goodnight Owl – Maps & Compasses
09. Van She – (Don’t Fear) The Reaper
07. The Golden Filter – Solid Gold
06. Hermitude – Your Call (feat. Urthboy & Elana Stone)
Comment away people! Be interested to know what you think of my list, and what made yours!!
studytape
ok. So quite a change from my anti study post a few days ago! But it’s still a form of procrastination, so it all evens out. I’ve found that some music helps me study! It’s been proven that classical music can help studying and i think the same has been said about certain jazz styles. But, I have limited classical or jazz in my music library. But i do have a bit of what i suppose you’d term, “Post Rock”, as well as some great endurance style dance music. So yeah, anyway, here’s my study tape! Should suit your last minute cramming on the train quite well me thinks.
ok. Here goes!
01. Imogen Heap – Hide andSeek
02. Death Cab For Cutie – What Sarah Said
03. We Plants Are Happy Plants – Apollo
04. Decoder Ring – Serac
05. M83 – You Appearing
06. Grizzly Bear – Foreground
07. Sigur Rós – Sæglópur
08. The Album Leaf – Thule
09. Jeff Lang – Rain On Troy
10. The Field – Leave It
11. Laura – Every Light
So yeah, this list seriouslyhelps me study. Is quite soothing and, dare i say it, inspiring. I hate using that word, but I can’t think of another one!!
K. That’ll do the ramble for now.
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
So either you don’t use the internet AT ALL, or you’re just plain forgetfull…or you have shite as music taste (sorry. you probably have GREAT music taste), but if you haven’t read or heard anything about Grizzly Bear’s latest album Veckatimest, then you’re just plain MISSING OUT. Wow. Caps Lock overload anyone?? I’m sorry. I’m just plain excited to be writing about this album!
Album reviews don’t usually start with a blatant statement such as this one, but, this album is, so far, one of my favourites of the year. Pretty top notch review given I’d never heard of these guys before their track Cheerleader leaked online. And I was impressed with Cheerleader. But, it didn’t scream to me ‘Best Album of the Year’. But then I heard Two Weeks (definite favourite) and then the whole album. Cheerleader fits the album perfectly. All the songs do.
On the whole, I don’t really know who Grizzly Bear sound like. Although, I am reminded of Thom Yorke in the vocals. I’m not a massive Radiohead fan, but, for me, there’s hints of OK Computer (Karma Police especially).
Like I said before, my favourite track of the album is definately the first official single, Two Weeks. Not only does it fit the album, but it sounds great by itself, which in my opinion is the best thing about a good single. It’s just a great great song. I love the slow drawn out feel of track four, Fine For Now. Kinda seems ironic that one of the main lines in this track is There Is Time when it’s such a slow drawn out track.
There’s some people that say the middle tracks, say from track 6, Dory, to probably track 8, About Face, don’t really fit in the scheme of things. They don’t suit the flow of the record. And whilst I can see what they’re saying (the album doesn’t really take you from nothing and build up during the middle and slowly let you back down again at the end). But, I think the middle tracks take you somewhere else, almost like a sidestep. That’s why it’s probably so hard to put them into a particular genre or say they sound like a particular band. Anyway, to me, the fact that the album moves you somewhere else during the middle is just as good as the wanky ‘build up during the middle’ line I used before.
One of those middle tracks caught me by suprise. About Face uses repetition so well. From the continous drums that seem like they never stop, to the repetition of the keys in the chorus. It’s a really sweet sounding track which I really like. I live With You is almost like an album in itself. It starts off soft, builds and then comes back down again (but still manages to have a big finish). The other thing I really like about this track is that it actually sounds a little crazy! It’s as if it has a mind of it’s own – especially the out of time drum fills.
Anyway, it’s a great album in my view. I’m so happy I heard it in the first place. I’m going to explore their older stuff now just to see how this album matches up in the scheme of things.
To finish off with, some goodies just for you. I accept cash payment ($100,000) and above thanks. Yeah, umm, not really. I don’t take money. “Thank god for that!” you’re thinking. “Was worried for a moment there!”
First up, their amazing performance of Two Weeks on ‘Later…with Jools Holland’
Second, the Fred Falke remix of Two Weeks. You guys can expect me to get back into my electro loving soon – am thinking of a Fred Falke feature. The dude just has too many remixes!
Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks (Fred Falke Remix)
K. That’ll do the ramble for now.
remix that #2
ok. So here’s the next installment in the ‘remix that’ series. (Is a series when it’s two or more?…oh geez…)
Anyway, enough of the useless crap at the beginning that’s helps to get me back into the swing of things. I haven’t written a post in just over a week and i feel as though i’ve lost the knack!
So, back on track. I’ve managed to find a few decent remixes of late. A few have been around for a while, some are brand new.
- Empire Of The Sun – We Are The People (The Golden Filter Remix) – great track. Has been around for a little bit and, from what I’ve read, is considered one of the best Golden Filter remixes (I tend to agree. Golden Filter are shaping up to be one of the best go to dj’s for remixes)
- Ladyhawke – Back Of The Van (Fred Falke Valvestate Mix) – this is pretty darn sweet. It’s also pretty new. Back Of The Van was re-released a few weeks ago and I think this came with it. I like Fred Falke. He does some pretty good remixes…good enough to feature again…
- Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks (Fred Falke Extended Mix) – I spoke about these guys a while ago. They’re a bit of a hype band. And, I’m never too sure about hype bands. But, this is still a great remix…well…it does have Fred Falke’s touch.
- Lenka – Trouble Is A Friend (Paul Mac Remix) – Lenka use to head up a great band called Decoder Ring. They use to do kind of lofi electro indie kinda stuff (that’s a pretty inacurate way to categorise them actually. Check them out here to get a better idea. argh. stupid genres. why can’t we just say that they’re good??!!). Anyway, this remix is by Paul Mac, probably, almost, the godfather of Australian dance music. And, it’s also a pretty decent track.
- Bat For Lashes – Daniel (Edwin Van Cleef Remix) – Just getting into this girl’s stuff as I write (gotta love youtube and fast internet at uni!). Is a great remix. Simple.
- Cut Copy – Hearts On Fire (Aeroplane Pop Remix) – It’s Cutters. I love Cutters. This track has been around for quite a while, but I just got my hands of the Far Away EP. Anyway, is great, again. Geez…i need a better vocabulary.
So, yeah, that’s about it. Pretty with pictures and all! If you like the tracks, download them. Or, even better, if you like the stuff, find it on iTunes or go to your record store and actually physically buy it. Most of them are available and buying music can be pretty cheap if you look around.
K. That’ll do the ramble for now.
MAAMF: an australian music blog 