M83 – We Own The Sky / Kim & Jessie

Two great songs. Certainly the meaning of song is being rewritten at this stage, they’re more electro pop tracks with lyrics. But they’re sweet. M83 & MGMT are leading the way back to 80s esque music. The 80s led to the dirty garage rock of the 90s (Nirvana) and its ‘alternative’ brethren now, and the electronic sound of 80s music disolved into its own genre of “nobody listen’s to techno” as rapped by Eminem.

Nirvana with Teen Spirit

Luckily in the late 9Os bands were trying to bring it back again, and now finally we’re seeing more blending of the lines between rock/pop/electronic.

Stereolab – Les Yper Sound

(The above is a crappy version of how I see the perfect blend of electronic & rock music from the late 9Os early OOs). Certainly Kim & Jessie, We Own the Sky, Electric Feel, Kids are all very electronic rock. Last year we had the huge success of Peter Bjorn & John’s Writers Block Album. That was my album of 2008.

I’ve since retired it, but I could listen to those beats and rhythms endlessly. I love the fact that the styles are blending. My too favorite types of music in one. Hooray. I think Prodigy was an early band to put catchy lyrics to a hardcore electronic song, and now we’re seeing the cooling off of the steam, with lighter more versatile tunes that can blend the lines of alternative and electronic, almost unnoticed.

Prodigy – Breathe

M83’s Kim and Jessie is a fun track with a deep 80s music feeling. It would fit in perfectly on the Donnie Darko sountrack right next to Notorious by Duran Duran. It’s soft and sunny attitude dances along on a sunday afternoon.

We Own the Sky is a more trancy electro rock song. This is my new closing time song when i’m turning back the registers at work and shutting everything down, i turn up the stereo as loud as it goes. It lacks the big beat of the trance sound, but the repetition and poppy flow is all there.

There are just so many different variations right there on the electronic rock thing right now. There will certainly have to be subdivisions. Animal Collective, Panda Bear, Battles, there are a lot of contenders and with great tunes. I’ll probably have to hit up these three next. And see where the story takes me. For now go download Mr Tiddles by Sasha off the Airdrawndagger album.

M83’s Last.fm blurb:
Antibes, Nice, France (2001 – present)
M83 (named after the spiral galaxy “Messier 83”) is electronic artist Anthony Gonzalez. Gonzalez and former member Nicolas Fromageau founded the group in 2001 in Antibes, France.

Portishead – The Rip

This song starts out soft and acoustic and then gets deeply electronic and its over before you know it. The video style is incredible too. It’s too short though imo. By the end of the song all i could remember was that i liked it and i wanted to hear more :).

Portishead’s Last.fm blurb:
Bristol, United Kingdom (1991 – present)
Portishead is a band from Bristol,England, named after the small coastal town of Portishead, twelve miles west of Bristol in North Somerset.

Colbie Caillat – Bubbly

This song is perfect. It’s a start to finish perfect simple song. Every rhyme rhymes unforced, every beat tickles your nose, the slight strum to the guitar only guides the listener through this short and sweet gem. She’s so gentle and lovely to look at and hearing her voice is no different, it makes me wish i was sipping Mai Tai’s with a special someone on North Shore Oahu watching some great surfing.

Colbie Caillat’s Last.fm blurb:
Malibu CA, United States
Los Angeles vocalist Colbie Caillat is a singer-songwriter with songs based on a humble approach; although her music is acoustic, the arrangements go much deeper, culling from classical folk, jazz, and pop.

Colbie I <3 you!

Interpol – Pioneer to the Falls

I discovered this song on Left of Center in 2007/8. I supposed I only thought of posting my song interests to this blog sort of recently, so hearing this song on the radio again recently was a nice refresher, and it is so beautiful. Interpol has gotten bad fan press from superfans of Joy Division for being unoriginal and uninspired. I agree his voice sounds similar, to the Joy Division guys, but the quality is tons better. Joy Division has a song titled “Atmosphere” that’s pretty interesting if you’re into the origins of great music.
Joy Division - Atmosphere

I don’t really listen to the whole CDs by these bands since I don’t buy music. I hear everything on the radio or on youtube. I went on itunes last night to buy Diamond Sea by Sonic Youth. :( . They wouldn’t let me, unless i bought the whole album, but the song is on two different albums and i want the best version, but if i’m going to buy the album i want the album with the best track listing, so which album do i buy? So dumb all i wanted was a 99cent song and they couldn't even deliver. Of course, the song is 20 minutes long so i'll have to survive with the 5 minute excerpt versions  on youtube for now.
Sonic Youth – Diamond Sea

Sonic Youth’s Last.fm blurb:

New York, United States (1981 – present)

Sonic Youth is an experimental rockgroup formed in New York City in 1981. The band consists of Thurston Moore(guitar, vocals, bass), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar), Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals, electric drill) and Steve Shelley (drums). Early in their career, Sonic Youth were associated with the no wave art and music scene in New York City, but they have outlasted most associated bands.

Interpol’s Last.fm blurb:

New York, United States (1998 – present)

Interpol is a post-punk revival band based in New York City consisting of Paul Banks (vocals and guitar), Carlos Dengler (bass and keyboards), Sam Fogarino (drums), and Daniel Kessler(guitar and backing vocals).

This song seems to be about losing a loved one, possibly a wife and going to the funeral and having to cope with all the feelings of longing we have toward them. The three stowaways might be him and his two children which survive the deceased. You definitely get the feeling of wanting for that lost soul to have a home in your heart forever in your soul. It’s all there. I can listen to this song over and over again.

The sound is crisp and has an echo as if they’re in a church or large hall which just adds to the funeral effect. I dig it. Enjoy!