Kate Nash – Foundations
This talky track from UK songstress Kate Nash has Lily Allen comparisons being drawn from every outlet that hears it. Perhaps a bit edgier in lyrics and more paranoid (but really, only a bit), and with an instrumentation borrowed from Regina Spektor, it’s worth a listen, if for nothing else than the line “you said I must eat so many lemons, because I am so bitter.”
VHS or Beta – Can’t Believe A Single Word
From their “Bring On The Comets” EP, this is a perfectly constructed rock song – allowing just a little bit of time for a guitar and drum interlude, a rousing chorus, and plenty of time to get on the dance floor.
The Go Team! – Grip Like A Vice
Two years ago at Coachella, The Go Team! was the band to buzz about, and as their genre-busting “Proof Of Youth” disc tears up the college charts, it’s nice to see them succeed. A mix of rock, soul, rap (and more!), the album defies categorization, but its unbridled enthusiasm hurls it toward a more daring audience. Part party anthem, part band introduction, “Grip Like A Vice” showcases the group’s range of sounds.
The Wombats – Let’s Dance To Joy Division
This super-uptempo track from UK band The Wombats is as danceable and jolting as a fine Franz Ferdinand song, with the boys banging on their guitars and shouting, “everything is going wrong, but we’re so happy!” Let’s dance.
Everything that’s old is new again
Songs you already own, worth playing once more
50 Cent - P.I.M.P.
Before the 50/Kanye battle came into its contrived full glory, 50 was just a thug from New York who was trying to “get rich or die tryin’.” (Note: He did the former, investing in VitaminWater before its buyout by Coca-Cola.) The steel drum in this cut from the album in quotations makes it a standout in a hip-hop landscape where every song has come to sound like every other song. (Seriously, does Timbaland have to touch every new song that comes out?) While 50’s themes (and word choices) are objectionable, musically this track is highly interesting. Listen to it again – but maybe don’t listen to the lyrics.
Bloc Party – Two More Years
With the new single “Flux” meeting with mixed reviews, I’m reminded of the band’s other between-albums offering – “Two More Years.” Before their brooding and introspective sophomore album “A Weekend In The City,” Bloc Party let loose this single to help determine the direction of their new disc. From a marketing perspective, it’s a wise way to test audience opinion – and then go back to the lab and concoct something brilliant.
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