Far From Noise

The first few tracks definitely have some unusual elements in them but keep an open mind and I think you’ll enjoy. They all have good beats. Then we get some sticky sweet pop sounds (mostly from Sweden) and then the mix finishes with some dance/club sounds (kinda par for the course).
You can purchase this mix (or individual songs) from here:

1. Eagles of Death Metal – Wannabe In LA
   From: Palm Desert, CA
   Album: Heart On   
   Side project for Josh Homme and Jesse Hughes who are both in Queens of the Stone Age. As you can hear, they aren’t actually a death metal band but a really good rock ‘n roll band. QotSA often surprises me and this release had the same affect.
   
2. Grampall Jookabox – We Know We Might Be F*cked
   From: Indianapolis, IN
   Album: Ropechain   
   I don’t really know how to categorize this sound. It’s alternative but somehow it has this sardonic atmospheric sound, if that is even possible. Sorry no download, but here is a song you can download, “The Girl Ain’t Preggers”. I highly recommend you listen to the mixtape as I think the song I picked is WAY better even though its a bit explicit (my apologies to the parents out there).
   
3. Free Blood – Grumpy
   From: Brooklyn, NY
   Album: Royal Family EP   
   Formed by the percussionist of !!!(Chk Chk Chk) and a fashion designer, the duo does an amazing job of blending pop melodies with simple instrumentation. They just released their full length LP, Singles, which you can purchase here. If you listen closely you might hear them give a shout out to our future president.
   
4. Hot Lava – JPG in the Sun
   From: Richmond, VA
   Album: Lavalogy   
   This song has a fun lo-fi feel to it. I’m having a hard time understanding the lyrics so if anyone wants to clue me in on exactly what an image file format is doing in the sun, I’d love to know.
   
5. Cause Co-Motion! – Baby Don’t Do It
   From: New York, NY
   Album: It’s Time! Singles & EPs 2005-08   
   Another tinny lo-fi sound but countered by the same high energy. It’s almost reminiscent of some early 60′s sound with a punk feel. This is their first full CD after playing for 3 years. You can listen to “Baby Don’t Do It” in the mix and you can download “Which Way Is Up.”
   
6. Heart-Sick Groans – A Bell of Bronze
   From: Sweden
   Album: Oh, I Can Do A Number Of Things
   Oh, you can play some serious indie-pop. I can’t help but imagine two people holding hands and skipping along with balloons and a rainbow overhead. And I’m sorry but this is in the running for the worst band name ever. They have a purchase link on their myspace page.
   
7. Marching Band – For Your Love
   From: Sweden
   Album: Spark Large   
   Continuing the happy-go-lucky Swedish pop invasion!! “When are you going to lose control / There’s nothing you can do about it.” Good thing to remember. Thanks Liz for turning me on to this band.
   
8. Frida Hyvönen – Birds
   From: Sweden
   Album: Silence Is Wild   
   I don’t know how this happened but it’s another Swedish artist. Not quite as poppy as the last couple but you get a similar feel. I apparently need to visit this country. (with a stop over in Scotland)
   
9. School Of Seven Bells – Iamundernodisguise
   From: Brooklyn, NY
   Album: Alpinisms   
   A funky beat and beautiful harmonies which often gets labeled as dream-pop. They get those wonderful harmonies thanks to twin sisters. They are on the road with the shoegazing sound of M83 which makes sense, but I’d rather just see these guys. The song being offered for download is “Connjur” but I prefer the opening track “Iamundernodisguise” and you can hear it if you listen to the mixtape.
   
10. Q-Tip – ManWomanBoogie
    From: Brooklyn, NY
    Album: The Renaissance   
    From one track title with no spaces, to another. Co-founder of A Tribe Called Quest, this east coast rapper/poet has had a very strong solo career too. Here is “Gettin’ Up” for your downloading pleasure, but “ManWomanBoogie” made me get down so I had to put it in the mix. However, I apologize for it’s abrupt ending. It blends into the next song on the album.
    
11. The Very Best (Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit) – Get It Up
    From: London based Malawi singer
    Album: The Very Best mixtape
    “Gettin’ Up” to “Get It Up” (there is a rhyme to this madness). I’ve put Esau Mwamwaya on a previous mix but I had to give him some more air time. He is now going by The Very Best and has released his full mixtape for free download here. Collaborations with Architecture in Helsinki, Vampire Weekend, Ruby Suns, and Michael Jackson. In this song he worked with M.I.A. and Santogold. Download this mixtape NOW!!!
    
12. Lady Gaga – Just Dance
    From: Manhattan, NY
    Album: The Fame   
    I know I don’t really need to give Lady Gaga any extra attention, but I like songs that make me dance. I can’t help it, even though I’m not very good at it. It’s also a nice stark contrast in commercial sound compared to most of the rest of the songs in this mix. I like to include a little of everything.
    

Real quick shout out to Suz and Rosh for commenting that the Jaguar Love song, “Bats Over The Pacific Ocean,” sounded similar to “Lost In A Supermarket” by The Clash. I’m impressed that folks know their Clash and I’m happy that other people hear the same weird things as me.

This week, we start out rocking, before a quick slow down with some folk sound, coming back out with modern flamenco into a nice dance beat with a little psycho-soul, some disco, and finishing off with afro-pop.

You can purchase this mix (or individual songs) from here:

1. Darker My Love – Pale Sun
   Album: 2   
   L.A.-based psych-rock quartet. I highly recommend checking out their new LP, 2. Sometimes they rock it, other times it feels jangly, and then you get that spacey-trippy vibe. Rock Insider is offering this track as a download over here.
   
2. Monte Negro – Give Me Love (No Llores) (New Album Version)
   Album: Cicatrix   
   This particular track isn’t brand new, but the album it’s on is, Cicatrix. Monte Negro is a bilingual Los Angeles band with an even mix of alternative rock and rock en español. Another LP that I think everyone should give a listen or at the very least, you have to go over to their myspace page and play “Me Duele No Estar Junto a Ti.” I had a hard time choosing between the two songs but I opted for the more mellow reggae sound. Several multi-lingual artists this week starting with this band.
   
3. Bob Dylan – Dreamin’ Of You (Unreleased, Time Out Of Mind)
   Album: Dreamin’ Of You (Single)   
   This is a previously unreleased track from Tell Tale Signs. You can download it for free from his website. You can actually understand what he’s saying and it’s a great song.
   
4. Bat For Lashes – Prescilla [Live]
   Album: Live Sessions [EP]   
   Singer/songwriter from Brighton, England that sounds like she’s heavily influenced by Tori Amos. She started writing songs after a big black horse visited her in a dream. Guess that’s as good a reason as any. This is off her new EP, Live Session – EP.
   
5. Mason Jennings – Your New Man
   Album: In the Ever   
   Such an earnest singer/songwriter that injects some truth and spirituality in almost everything he does. In The Ever was released a couple months back and I have really been enjoying it. The honesty in this song reminds me of the Amber Rubarth track I posted a couple weeks back. I was torn between this one and “I Love You And Buddha Too” so be sure to head over to myspace and give it a listen.
   
6. Slow Club – When I Go
   Album: When I Go (Single)   
   Folk duo out of the United Kingdom. They just released this single and it’s such a pretty tune with thoughtful lyrics.
   
7. Rose Hill Drive – One Night Stand
   Album: Moon Is the New Earth   
   Straight forward rock band from Boulder, CO. They are being compared to Queens of the Stoneage and I do think that most of their new CD, Moon Is The New Earth, is harder than the song I picked but nowhere near QOTS. This particular track has a hint of the Beatles or other classic rock groups.
   
8. Pacifika – Paloma
   Album: Asunción   
   I’m just going to steal allmusic.com‘s summary since it’s perfect: “Latin-influenced Canadian rock ensemble Pacifika make deeply emotional, melodic pop that mixes in a variety of styles including electric rock, bossa nova, folk, and some electronic flourishes.” This modern flamenco comes off their most recent LP, Asuncion. And this would be multi-lingual artist number two.
   
9. Brazilian Girls – St. Petersburg
   Album: New York City   
   This band is not from Brazil, but from NY and has only one girl in the downbeat quartet. Sabina Sciubba is known for wearing unusual face masks while on stage and speaks five languages (multi-lingual #3, although I don’t think she shows that off in this track). Their new LP, New York City, is a journey with a very dark feel to it. You can download this song over on Audio Drums.
   
10. Janelle Monáe – Many Moons
    Album: Metropolis Suite I of IV: The Chase   
    I love this song! Janelle Monáe is originally from Kansas City but got into the Atlanta music scene. Her style is considered psycho-soul in the same vein as Cee-Lo Green and Outkast, also out of Atlanta. Missy Elliot and Diddy both became fans of hers thanks to myspace. Her debut EP, Metropolis: The Chase Suite, has a sci-fi theme to it. Did I mention that I love this song!!! It opens with the same melody/notes/tune that Sesame Street used for its pinball video that counted to 12! It’s awesome!
    
11. of Montreal – Id Engager
    Album: Skeletal Lamping   
    This indie-pop group hails from Athens, GA. Their ninth album, Skeletal Lamping, will be out in October. Nice disco-esque track with some bizarre lyrics that includes ninjas.
    
12. Esau Mwamwaya – Kamphopo
    One of my favorite blogs, Gorilla vs Bear, has been promoting this guy for quite some time. At first I didn’t like the afro-pop sound, but it has grown on me. Guess that’s just proof that getting the music out there is important. Esau Mwamwaya grew up in Lilongwe, Malawi and now runs a second-hand furniture store in London. His new record (untitled still) includes collaboration with M.I.A., Vampire Weekend, and Santogold. “Get It Up” is also a great track and you can hear it over on myspace. Oh, and this is my final multi-lingual artist.Update: Esau Mwamwaya is now known as The Very Best.