Based in Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy neighborhood, Loop 2.4.3 has toured throughout North America, Europe, Scandinavia, South Korea, and Australia, and has performed for radio, film, and television, including footage for The Learning Channel and MTV. The group’s debut recording, Batterie, was released in 2007.
Morphine / Candy This is from the record Cure for Pain, which is an old favourite of mine. The bass line is addictive. The lyrics have this romanticism that ultimately feels tragic in a Nietzchian way. Mark Sandman died just a few years ago, which was a great loss.
FLAWZ is the debut release from buzzed-about LA singer-songwriter, Caitlin Crosby. The 25-year-old has a raspy vocal style and has penned an album of thought-provoking guitar-driven songs, including her first single, the sweet Still Have My Heart.
Switchfoot / Dare You To Move This song really challenges you in so many ways. It could have different meaning, but I love how moving and powerful it is. You can’t help but sing along at the top of your lungs to this one while driving. It challenges you to be strong in whatever issue you’re dealing with.
In early 2009, Blind Man’s Colour suddenly found themselves the subject of tastemakers attention. Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste said, ‘You guys must hear these guys, love it!’, via Twitter. Kanye West blogged about the band in an entry entitled ‘Some Dope Shit For My Apartment’. And so, too, Kanine Records (Chairlift, Grizzly Bear) found, fell in love with, and set to release Blind Man’s Colour debut album, Season Dreaming, on August 18, 2009.
Lotus Plaza / What Grows? What Grows? from Lockett’s solo album, The Floodlight Collective, is so warm and nostalgic. The melodies and the production couldn’t sound more childish. Like an early 90s Sunday sunset.
Possessing a commanding voice, a distinctive melodic sensibility and an uncanny knack for nailing complex emotions in song, Amy Speace makes music that’s effortlessly accessible. Her forthcoming release, The Killer In Me, follows her 2006 breakthrough Songs for Bright Street. While Songs won her a loyal international fan base, The Killer In Me finds the New York-based artist forging into deeper, darker lyrical and musical terrain, delivering an album of intimacy and resonance.
The Beatles / The Long and Winding Road Hands down, my favorite Paul McCartney song. Also, a great great song that even though it has been totally overplayed in my youth, still just stands up. I could hear this song a thousand times (and have) and never get tired of it.
Brooklyn’s The Jaguar Club have been playing around the city for a couple of years and have just finished up their debut album, which they recorded with Kevin McMahon (The Walkmen, Die Die Die, Frightened Rabbit) at Marcata Recordings. Their debut is full of perfectly crafted New Wave pop songs, with Will Popadic’s vocals soaring above it all.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse / Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere Picking one Neil Young song to talk about is an impossible task for me. This song is a great one to pull out when people complain that Neil is all about one note solos that last ten minutes. I also love the solos, and there are plenty of those later on this album, but the title track is a great little three minute country rock song. Everyone can relate to a little homesickness.
Sean Ray, aka Snob Scrilla, knows what it takes to be an MC in the 21st Century. He fuses socially conscious lyricism with up-beat late 80s finesse and caps it all off with a distinctly indie sensibility. It’s reflected in his latest single, Chasing Ghosts, which has been creating a radio hurricane.
Tokyo Police Club / Citizens of Tomorrow Brilliant mash out rawness that I never get tired of hearing. The grittiness of the guitar combined with the sci-fi doom and gloom lyrics keep it on high rotation for me.
Australian singer Lisa Mitchell first came to attention after finishing sixth on the reality television show Australian Idol 2006. Since then she’s forged a career on her own, opening for Jason Mraz in Melbourne during April and recording her debut album, Wonder, due for release in July.
Little Joy / The Next Time Around I bought the cheeky promo version of the album for three quid from a record store in Soho last week and fell in love with it. I love the Strokes, so I guess that’s how I heard about this band (the drummer from the Strokes is in Little Joy). But I just love this song to death, regardless.
It’s been an action packed journey for Tiny Masters Of Today. Almost overnight, the band went from a few homemade recordings on a MySpace page to collaborating with Karen O and Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fred Schneider (B-52s) and Gibby Haynes, being remixed by CSS and Liars, and touring the world. David Bowie even praised their first homemade single as ‘Genius’. Not bad for a band that double as full-time students in the New York Public School System. Their new album, Skeletons, has just been released on Mute.
Green Day / 2000 Light Years Away My favorite Green Day love song. I have a Green Day pillow case of this album cover.
porterdavis is a three-man roots rock band from Austin, Texas. They were founded upon a love of American roots and blues music and explorations of African musical traditions, and originally busked in the subways of Boston where Mike and Dan, graduates of Boston’s Berklee College of Music, lived and studied. Their new self-titled album will be released in early September.
Little Walter / Boogie Little Walter was an outstanding singer, but as a harmonica player he was untouchable. Although this is an instrumental, it still makes it onto my Playlist. He’s just that good. The raw energy flowing through those reeds keeps me on the edge of my seat during this fast paced, pounding track. The band complement his every phrase and seemingly endless ideas right to the last stop. As tight as it gets!
Vladislav Delay’s new album Tummaa will be released on the wonderfully eclectic Leaf Label in September. The Finnish electronic artist, otherwise known as Sasu Ripatti, creates dense, experimental music with sophisticated textural qualities.
Juan MacLean / One Day Strong and brave dance-pop. Not usually my cup of tea, but this track is quite interesting.
My Secret Playlist is a music discovery website and weekly email publication. We invite our favourite bands and musicians to give us the rundown on their eight favourite songs right now. These are their words on the music that inspires them.
