Sunday two-fer! Kisses

Sick of the cold weather, grey skies, and white stuff? Well this sunny, danceable track should warm you up. It's from an LA-based duo Jesse Kivel (vocals) and Zinzi Edmundson (keyboards) who create dreamy, disco pop. Think Cut Copy meets Belle and Sebastian.

Twin Shadow

Check this guy out-George Lewis Jr., aka Twin Shadow, has mastered the art of mixing a fresh and sophisticated dance-synth beat with a nod to the 80s new wave sound. Originally from the Dominican Republic, TS grew up in Florida and now lives in NYC. His lush debut album, Forget, is put out by Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor's label, Terrible Records. But it's so good, you won't forget it. Here's a track "At My Heels":

And if you are longing for a Smiths reunion, this track should satisfy you:

Crystal Castles with Robert Smith!

I wanted to post this CC song for awhile but hey I have been busy, so consider this an xmas present. It's a remake of an 80s song, and Robert and Castles remake it into a truly hauntingly beautiful track. Ingnore the non-video and enjoy:

New...to me...James Murphy!!

I have been a huge fan of James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem for several years now, but I just discovered this gem, made by Murphy pre-LCD that hints at his future greatness... so enjoy the vintage tune. NOTE: there are explicit lyrics, so please send little Sally or Bobby in the other room while listening to this one.



Also, for anyone who saw (and do I need to add 'loved' here?) LCD's most recent tour with Hot Chip, you can relive it in your own living room. A live album is available on the web: http://lcd-hotchiplive.sandbag.uk.com/Store/DII-2.html#.

Jenny and Johnny

Ok part deux for today: One of my new faves is Jenny and Johnny's new I'm Having Fun Now. Jenny Lewis, of Rilo Kiley fame, teams up with her beau, Scotish musician Jonathan Rice, to create a sweet and jangly pop album. I love the duo effort, especially this song, "Scissor Runner," although I'd love to have a bit more Jenny than Johnny throughout. Sweet, reminiscent of early '90s collaboration with Evan Dando and Juliana Hatfield.

New Walkmen!

Okay, it's been awhile since I have written, so I am going to do a double whammy today. First, new Walkmen! I have been a fan of this garage indie band for a while now, and their new stuff does not disappoint. And the fact that they named the new album after Lisbon--a place I just visited and loved over the summer--I felt ever that much more connected to it. So hopefully you'll like it whether you have been to Lisbon or not. Here's a clip of them performing 'Stranded' at Lolla this summer. (Please ignore the comments from the peanut gallery at the end--there isn't an official video yet, so this was the best video recording out there so far):

Mumford and Sons - Brit bluegrass?

Yes, it's true, and I like it. Mumford and Sons-- a young group out of West London. They just played Glastonbury and I can't wait to see them at Benicassim. Yee-hah!