Bringing the love.

[hackthis_archive]

There seems to be a bad spate of bad shit going around, so I'd like to offer one big hug to my flist and the people who read this LJ. I hope things start looking up for you guys soon. If I had a zillion dollars, you'd all be hooked up, but since I don't, the best I can offer is five songs that I'm currently loving that I hope you might like too.

1. Blue October - Breakfast After 10 -- zeplum introduced me to these boys late last year, and while they're a bit harder than I normally like, there's something about this song -- an ode to the fact that men get hurt during breakups too -- that makes me smile.

2. Har Mar Superstar - DUI -- there are really no words to describe Har Mar unless you use 'classic' and 'cracked out' in the same sentence. He's hysterically tongue-in-cheek and pretty much the epitome of taking the piss, but in a brilliant, gaudy, dressed-up-in-gold-lame-with-hottie-back-up dancers way.

3. Kanye West - Spaceship and Talib Kweli 'Get By'-- I know there are a lot of people out there who don't like rap and hip-hop because they think it's all ganstas and bitches and talking about your bling and how you got shot while you were cashing your welfare check. Newsflash -- it's not. Yes, there are people who rap about that, but long before that The Sugar Hill Gang was rapping about Superman being a fairy and Grandmaster Flash was giving people the Message to stay off drugs. Run DMC were talking about their Adidas and A Tribe Called Quest felt it was all about the electric relaxation.

Rap and hip-hop aren't about the material things, or not just about the material things, and there are some incredibly talented MCs out there who don't go by the name Jay-Z or Nas. Kanye West likes to say he raps for the middle-class -- you know, the people that go to college, work a crappy ass job and spend their weekends stoned or hanging out. Sound familiar? As for Talib, well, how many people do you know who can name-check Attack of the Clones, Norman Mailer and Paul McCartney in the same song? Exactly. Saying all rappers are the same and talk about the same stuff is like saying fandom only has one writer and one story to tell.

4. Oasis -- Supersonic -- Everybody knows the Noel and Liam story: A long time ago in a island right off the coast of Europe, two boys with big unibrows and even bigger egos decided they wanted to be famous so they started telling the Evening Standard stories about putting cocaine on their cornflakes (true story!). They've made a few LPs, but none have measured up to the first two. For those who don't know, 'Supersonic' is a song about dogs sniffing cocaine in the recording studio ('Elsa') and believing in yourself.

5. Jamie Cullum -- All at Sea & Frontin' -- He sings, he plays the piano, he's English and was totally influenced by Jeff Buckley. He also covers Pharrell (Frontin'!). So far he's done no wrong. Carry on!


Bonus: Coldplay 'Talk' -- a track off the new LP 'X&Y' which will be released June 6th. Apparently the file isn't working, sorry!

Comments

[esorlehcar.livejournal.com]

I get this message when I try the Coldplay link: Your transfer cannot be completed. Most likely the file has exceeded its allotted bandwidth or has been removed by the original sender or a recipient.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

My bad, there was an extra '<' in the file name. Try now.

[esorlehcar.livejournal.com]

Same message, alas. Very weird.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

*sigh* I'm sorry, sweetie, I'd wanted to give you guys a wee suprise. I have no idea why it's being wonky this way.

[esorlehcar.livejournal.com]

Thank you for trying! YSI was being really wonky with me the other day, too - I was trying to upload some Queens of the Stone Age for ana, and it very flatly did not want to accept it. *beats it with a stick*

[rozza.livejournal.com]

Have you heard Jamie's cover of High and Dry? It's how I learned about him in the first place and the entire reason I want to check out his set at Coachella.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

It's on his LP, which I *so* highly recommend. He's yet another reason I'm distressed I won't be able to go to Coachella this year, you must tell me how he is.*

*He covers Jeff as well, and it's good, but obviously you know *Jeff*.

[aliaspiral.livejournal.com]

Blue October! i love these guys! and this is one i dont currently have..however did you know?

my day is now bright and shiny. :)

[kismeteve.livejournal.com]

Kanye West just irks me for some reason. I really admire his music and how he doesn't rely on the old "bitches & hos" formula, but there is just something about him...Ah well. I felt the same way about Pharell, but he started to grow on me (in no small part due to Jamie's "Frontin'"). Thanks for the Talib and Har Mar songs. :)

[e-dork.livejournal.com]

took Har Mar and Twalib, thanks :)

I was just going to say your statement about hip-hop made me laugh (how you got shot while you were cashing your welfare check. bahaha) but then I got to the part about name-checking AotC, Mailer and McCartney and had to download that. also, I didn't go, but Kanye played our Last Day of Classes concert last year.

[e-dork.livejournal.com]

*ahem* Talib, rather. I can't spell this morning...had to backspace several times in that comment and still missed something :P

[elzed.livejournal.com]

Took the rap, and Har Mar, and ITA on Oasis. The first two albums are wunderbar. After that it's all downhill... with good stuff, but not as fantastic, not by a mile...

[zoetrope.livejournal.com]

You're lovely. You're like an on-screen Ray/Fraser snog sprinkled with icing sugar. *heart*

[marumae.livejournal.com]

Mmmm Oasis, damn you have great taste in music. Supersonic is one my favorite songs on that album. ^_^

[plumtastic.livejournal.com]

As much as I like the song, I don't think I can take credit for the Blue October. But very cool anyway, with a nice hard edge that I can always appreciate. :)

[mearagrrl.livejournal.com]

I *love* the Talib Kweli "Get By"--both for the lyrics, and the music that I recognize from "Thomas Crown Affair". A favorite of mine.

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

*um, Trade fan perusing music*
I just came across a song that for some reason really makes me think of Draco/Julian in Trade..

The Magnetic Fields, I Wish I had An Evil Twin (from the album I)

"I wish I had an evil twin
running 'round doing people in
I wish I had a very bad
and evil twin to do my will
to cull and conquer, cut and kill.."

and:

"my evil twin would lie and steal
and he would stink of sex appeal
all men would writhe
beneath his scythe
he'd send the pretty ones to me
and they would think that I was he
I'd hurt them and I'd go scot free.."

Also the very fabulous "I thought you were my boyfriend" (by the same artist, and sung by a guy, sort of synthy New Order-ish).

Sorry, having a New Favourite Band Moment. I sort of hate songfic, but these buzz in my brain like little theme tunes.

Not quite sure how to send these things but if interested let me know! (some sort of exchange for quite how happy Trade is making me).

[electricmayhem.livejournal.com]

Blue October! Yay! It always makes me happy when other people rec them. I heart that song.