Thanks to the fancy folks and friends at Topspin, buying and downloading their new album, “Everything That Happens Will Happen Today” was totally hassle-free. (Go do it!) I would buy music a lot more often if it was this easy and DRM-free. I’m looking at you, iTunes.

I adore David Byrne. He’s so boss. His voice is guile-free and true. When I listen to him sing, it’s like being reminded of all that’s good in the world.

“Strange Overtones” is the track that’s been making the rounds, but I think “Life is Long” is unbelievably touching–full of the joy that comes with real wisdom. And because I’m feeling especially generous, I’ll throw in a cover.

David Byrne and Brian Eno – Life is Long
David Byrne and Brian Eno – Strange Overtones

The Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the Devil
David Byrne – Sympathy for the Devil (cover)

Lucky Americans, she’s on tour. Check out her dates.

Marnie Stern – Steely

Marnie Stern – Roads? Where We’re Going We Don’t Need Roads

Anyway, she’s on tour performing Exile in Guyville!

Liz Phair – Fuck and Run

Cassettes Won’t Listen – Fuck and Run (cover)

Ian and I are going to the Roskilde festival in Denmark this weekend, and I am SO STOKED to see Jay Reatard (as well as Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine, Jay-Z, Lykke Li, Lupe, Battles, Band of Horses, Holy Fuck, Yeasayer, Mogwai…must I go on!?). This summer’s amazing festival season has made all of us resolve to handle festivals better on our site.

Anyway, sorry for the zero-content post. I know you guys come here for the free music anyway.

Jay Reatard – My Shadow
Jay Reatard – Fading All Away

Every once in a while I’ll discover (or rediscover) a band or singer who totally knocks my socks off (all over again), and I’ll check our own site and be like, “WOAH. They’re on tour!” That moment of discovery reminds me of the selfish purpose Songkick served in the first place. We wanted a site that would aggregate all the concert info in one place and make it really easy to find. It can be easy to forget that as you’re arguing whether to make something a button or a link in the day-to-day.

My ex-boyfriend introduced me to Stevie Wonder. He’s really knowledgeable about the good old classics,and has a really anal connoisseur’s knowledge–this album recorded in that studio, with this equipment, produced by this guy, during that era of the musician’s life, which was annoying and impressive at the same time. Stevie Wonder’s Songs in they Key of Life is one of his desert island discs. When I learned that, I was like, “What? The blind guy with cheesy beads in his braids who plays on Sesame Street?” See, I’m naive and uneducated, and have a total dilettante’s depth of knowledge. I like what I like and sometimes I get obsessed and find out more and sometimes I don’t.

Well, yes, Stevie Wonder is the smiley guy with braids. But his songs have a sheer exuberance and generosity that shame me for every meager and ungrateful thought I’ve ever had. I’ve been listening to my iTunes on shuffle all day, when he came along, I didn’t even recognize who sang the song (again: ignorant dilettante), but I thought, “WOAH this song is amazing. Who is this?” Lo and behold, it was Stevie. Next thought: “Beads, braids, is he still alive?” (You would like a stream of consciousness of my every day, wouldn’t you?)

Not only still alive, but touring my friends. Sadly, not coming to London, but those of you in America are lucky. See his tour dates.

Stevie Wonder – I Was Made to Love Her (mp3)
Stevie Wonder – Joy (Takes Over Me) (mp3)

The place was completely packed and sold out. I heard a rumor that they booked another show for Tuesday night (last night) because there was so much demand. Such is the power of the blogs I tell you! While I was waiting in line to get my wrist band, this girl asked me what they sounded like. It was really tough to describe them (I’m shit at it anyway), but I said something along the lines of really mellow, synthy music with a female vocalist. The fetching singer, Ruth Radalet, reminds me of a modern-day Nico. Maybe it was the heavy bangs framing a beautiful face, but their voices share a flat, removed quality.

After their set, they came to the side of the stage to sell merch. How’s that for DIY?

Here’s their cover version of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,” paired with the original for comparison. I listened to this song on repeat for much of February. It was the last song of their set, and it didn’t disappoint. (It’s been a while since I posted mp3s, yes?)

Chromatics – Running Up That Hill (cover)
Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill (original)

Pretty lights = mood shot

All three boys in the band were wearing the exact same, pristine white Adidas sneakers. (Third boy is the drummer, you can’t see here.) Not sure if that was a nod to boy band outfits or what.

This is the best shot I have of Ruth. Isn’t she a Nico for 2008?

Michelle gave me Funeral by The Arcade Fire back when we were studying in Beijing and it’s been one of my favourite records ever since.

Final Fantasy (Owen Pallett) was behind the string arrangements on that album and I’ve always associated him closely with the Arcade Fire.

This was probably largely due to the first solo record of his I heard being “This is the Dream of Win and Regine”, referencing Win Butler and Regine Chassagne, the husband and wife couple at the heart of the Arcade Fire. Owen’s lyrics suggest perfectly the challenge of sharing music that draws on the intimacy of their relationship with a wider audience.

“But – what if they like it,
And lock us in a cannery with your accordion
Until we canned our love?
We can get along
We can get along

Montreal might eat it’s young
But Montreal won’t break us down”

Before seeing him at The Forum I had cast Owen as a chronicler of the Arcade Fire,  a window into one of my favourite bands. By the end of his brief hour long set that impression was dismantled.

First and foremost he is a virtuoso musician, constructing his songs live by playing brief phrases on his violin, then looping them on top of each other.  Percussive stabs and plucks provide the rhythm for harmonies to be added a layer at a time. I’ve seen a couple of performers build up tracks in performance like that (the best was Thomas Dolby), but normally the layering and sampling is deliberate and signposted, a lesson in creating a song from components – like watching a great chef host a cooking show. Owen is instead a chef absorbed in his kitchen, focused on the taste not the audience. Instrumental constructed he becomes the consumate performer, carrying the melody with his tenor voice.

As he sings Stephanie Comilang accompanies by projecting shadows of cut out shapes onto the back of the stage. Emulating Owen’s music she manipulates layers of paper cut outs to create haunting scenes – the one in the photo below was a house gradually built on the bodies of those who lived there before.

Here’s a lame crackberry shot from the show:

And a couple of songs:

Final Fantasy – This is the Dream of Win and Regine.mp3
Final Fantasy – Sweet Fantasy (Maria Carey cover).mp3

I’d highly recommend going to see them if you get the chance.

Thao Nguyen’s folk sound has drawn comparisons to Cat Power, but I don’t really hear that. I suppose the tenor of her voice is similar, but she is so childishly gleeful without being twee (the downfall of many a female vocalist, in my opinion). Cat Power’s more somber, subdued melodies don’t really aspire towards that. I kept seeing a little girl singing to herself at the top of her lung, endearing in its lack of self-consciousness.

She was so charming and likable, while remaining a really confident guitar player. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a performer with great between-song banter. She also does a pretty impressive beatbox, which is barely audible in this recording of “Bag of Hammers.”

Thao Nguyen – Beat (Health, Life, and Fire)
Thao Nguyen – Bag of Hammers

Now for the eye candy.

Look at them fingers go!

This month I heard “That’s Not My Name” and got totally addicted. I have no idea why this Drowned in Sound reviewer gets so angryabout it! It is what it is. It’s not a new branch of philosophy, it’s just really fantastic pop. And I don’t think it’s same as the commercially churned-out superpop of the ’90s because they’re not the polished puppets of a marketing machine. This is abundantly clear if you see them perform. Despite their infectious melodies, their performance is kind of ragtag in a really heartfelt way. Katie sings in an endearing shouty, pouty voice as Jules bangs the drums and sings back-up vocals.

My camera sucks, so forgive the bad photos.

“If you close your eyes, you can feel Jesus in your heart.”

She bangs the drums. Ar har har.

Ting Tings – That’s Not My Name

Last night we hit the Girl Talk show up in Dalston.

All the gigs I’d normally describe as intimate are the Unplugged in NY type – up close and personal with a band. Last night I got introduced to Girl Talk’s own brand of intimacy.

If you haven’t heard Nightripper yet, get it now. The thing that makes him so special is his ability to identify which 20 second section of a tune moves the dancefloor the hardest, and then find a place for it in an hour long mashup of other such samples.

The idea of finding the best section of a track and looping it is how hip hop started with DJs isolating the break in an old funk track and reloading it repeatedly. 2 turn tables. Given that at least 50% of Girl Talk’s samples are hip hop or funk it’s like some sort of funk and soul 2nd derrivative – the best bits of tracks built on the best bits of tracks. But it’s not just his ability to find the killer hooks – it’s how naturally he uses that filter for quality to effortlessly cross genres – from The Boredoms to Elton John to Biggie to The Pixies, all in the space of a few minutes.

2 tracks here to get you ready for the hype i’m about to drop:

Girl Talk – Once Again (mp3)

Girl Talk – Overtime (mp3)

Girl Talk is the best DJ in the world. I said it, and I challenge you to name one better. I’ve seen some good ones – Diplo, Marky, MK, Scratch Perverts, Get Down Crew (ha!). Nobody smashes a dancefloor like Girl Talk did last night.

The stage was invaded within the first 5 seconds and 200 people climbed all over each other to surround Girl Talk and his laptop – which was covered with plastic to catch the neverending stream of sweat dripping off his brow and bouncing off the keypad.

The table he was DJing off literally rotated 90 degrees as the crowd swayed back and forth around him. Calmly smiling in the middle of it all Greg just kept mixing sample after sample with a crowd literally surrounding him in a circle packed 20 deep – eye of the storm mixing.

So fucking inspiring. Bring that Get Down Crew reunion.

Respect to Bardens Boudoir for allowing that shit. That’s how a real jam should be – so intimate you’re watching the DJ’s sweat bounce of his laptop.