January 30th, 2009 by admin

If you didn’t already know about “Dark was the Night” there’s a pretty good chance you will in about 2 weeks time. It’s a double CD dedicated to the Red Hot Organization – “an international organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS”.

The compilation features exclusive (exclusive!) tracks by some pretty notable musicians. I was going to list a few but I’d be leaving out some heavy hitters. Here’s the list:

Andrew Bird
Antony + Bryce Dessner
Arcade Fire
Beach House
Beirut
Blonde Redhead + Devastations
Bon Iver
Bon Iver & Aaron Dessner
The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez
Buck 65 Remix (featuring Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti)
Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues
The Decemberists
Dirty Projectors + David Byrne
Kevin Drew
Feist + Ben Gibbard
Grizzly Bear
Grizzly Bear + Feist
Iron & Wine
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Kronos Quartet
Stuart Murdoch
My Brightest Diamond
My Morning Jacket
The National
The New Pornographers
Conor Oberst & Gillian Welch
Riceboy Sleeps
Dave Sitek (TV On The Radio)
Spoon
Sufjan Stevens
Yeasayer
Yo La Tengo

Right?

One of my favourite tracks so far has to be Antony and Bryce Dessner’s version of Bob Dylan’s “I was Young when I Left Home”. Some argue that it’s not Dylan’s but for lack of evidence I’m going to say it is.

Here is Antony:

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And Dylan:

January 30th, 2009 by admin

January 30th, 2009 by Poppy

Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys is releasing a solo CD in a few weeks on Nonesuch Records (Wilco, David Byrne). In anticipation he sat down and recorded “Trouble Weighs a Ton” with the help of his uncle, James Quine.

How do they get the duo of Epiphone acoustic vs. Rickenbacker electric AND the fellows’ voices blending so nicely from one room mic?? Dan Auerbach’s voice confuses me – I’m never ready for it. I swear he can turn a phrase as sweetly as Ray Charles (like the ending on the line “Don’t you remember a better playeayce…). He has one of those ancient souls i guess. Lucky.

Have a looksee:

January 29th, 2009 by Poppy

A.M. (or Andrew Moore) is a Toronto school teacher cum electro-musician who carries around an audio recorder and samples whatever he can find (picture: Bjork on the living room floor recording the sound of honesty). In 2006 he released Underground which is filled with samples from his commute to work via the Toronto subway system the TTC. It’s not too easy to come by but it’s out there.

Boom Snap Clap is based on a sample that he made after hearing the school kids out on the playground. He brought in his recorder the next day, invited the kids to do their thing and made this song:

This one is for Black Molly.

January 29th, 2009 by Shaun

January 28th, 2009 by admin

Animal Collective rode the hype machine to where the internet breaks and cult heroes swell.
This is their video for “My Girls” – a glorified ipod commercial. It’s getting to the point where I’m going to stop resisting and ride the indie-pop wave to wherever they’re going. The song is pretty frigging good.

January 28th, 2009 by admin

Comic by Shaun