Posts Tagged: Feist


14
Jul 09

The Thinking Man’s Take On: Supergroups

The Thinking Mans Take On: Supergroups music
In the past few weeks, I’ve heard the term “Supergroup” bandied about a lot more than usual. There have been debut releases from Dead Weather (featuring members of White Stripes, Raconteurs, Queens of the Stone Age, and The Kills) and Tinted Windows (featuring members of Hansen, Smashing Pumpkins, Fountains of Wayne, and Cheap Trick). There have been announcements about the formation of new groups like Drummer (featuring members of Black Keys, Beaten Awake and Six Parts Seven) and The Almighty Defenders (featuring Black Lips, King Khan, and BBQ). There has been a Broken Social Scene Reunion (featuring members of Stars, Metric, Feist, Do Make Say Think, Apostle of Hustle, Green Day, Naughty By Nature, Bono, The Brazilian National Soccer Team, Color Me Badd, New Kids on the Block, and Barack Obama). But I’m here to set the record straight. These are not all supergroups, no matter how many times Pitchfork uses that word.

See somewhere we got confused. Someone accidentally said “Supergroup” instead of “Side Project” and everyone got all mixed up – we thought supergroup sounded better, more legitimate. So we dropped side project (except when referring to Spencer Krug), and substituted a name that implied that these bands could fly. False.

There are certain criteria that a supergroup must meet. As usual, I’d like to give my two cents about what really makes a supergroup super.  Super. Continue reading →


14
Feb 09

pmaCAST #7: The “Valentine’s Day 2009″ Episode

pmaCAST #7: The Valentines Day 2009 Episode mp3

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! You know I had to join in on the cheese and pull this week’s pmaCAST early with a Valentine’s Day-themed episode!  Hopefully some of you enjoy it enough to listen to it with someone special tonight. Just maybe.

Because I assume that 99.9% of the movie-going population will be watching some sort of chick flick (I’m not ashamed to admit that I liked He’s Just No That Into You, and will probably watch Confessions of a Shopoholic tonight), I wanted to structure this playlist like 99.9% of the chick flicks out there. So I’ve come up with a story that I hope would play out well in songs. Or maybe you want to see this as a hopeful soundtrack to some V-Day movie coming out in 2010. Either way, here it is…

Download pmaCAST #7 – 35MB | Subscribe via iTunes or RSS

Continue reading →


8
Feb 09

pmaCAST #6: The “F*** My Life” Episode

pmaCAST #6: The F*** My Life Episode mp3

REMINDER:: WATCH THE GRAMMYS TONIGHT ON CBS 8PM ET/PT!

Have you ever tried counting how many times you say “Fuck My Life” out loud? No? You should. The results may shock you. I stopped counting after my tally hit 13. Maybe I’m just a big whiner, but a couple of days ago I created this playlist on my iPod to de-stress myself. It features some great tunes that have always made me happy and don’t remind me of anything negative — good vibes all around. It worked out pretty well.

So when Saturday night came around, I was stumped trying to come up with a theme/tracklist for today’s pmaCAST. Then I had an epiphany: I am not the only guy in the world who needs some de-stressing. My stress is nothing compared to people with real problems! So why should I lock this playlist up in the sweet confines of my iPod? I love you guys too much to do that.

There’s really nothing much to say about this week’s pmaCAST, other than it is meant to be really feel good-y. I start it up with my FAVORITE song of the moment, Feist and Ben Gibbard’s “Train Song.” I follow it up with Little Jackie’s “The World Should Revolve Around Me” and Lenka’s “The Show,” two of my favorite songs out on Top 40 radio. Then comes the Mae Shi with their Christian Bale tribute “R U Professional” — if this song doesn’t make you smile, you’re retarded. Up next are the Veronicas with their brutally stoic and heartless piece of pop majesty, “Untouched.” The next three songs are by artists you should really keep an eye on from now on: The Whitest Boy Alive, Passion Pit, and Ted & Francis. Following them is a club remix (though it doesn’t really sound like it) of Hercules & Love Affair’s “Blind” — one of 2008’s most beautifully sad anthems.

I threw in “Walking On A Dream” by Empire of the Sun (another band you should keep an eye on) right before Lily Allen’s “Fuck You,” off her new album, It’s Not Me, It’s You. This song is trill. Like super trill. I close up the podcast with a new Timid Tiger song. I know some of you are really feeling their stuff, and I’m glad. “Gadget Girls” is another song that will be featured on Timid Tiger’s new EP that will be released here pretty soon, more info on that later, I promise.

So that’s the rundown of what’s playing on this week’s pmaCAST. So tell me, what did/do you need de-stressing on? PS: Check this site out, good for a few lolz

pmaCAST #6 Tracklisting
Feist & Ben Gibbard – Train Song
Little Jackie – The World Should Revolve Around Me
Lenka – The Show
The Mae Shi – R U Professional (Christian Bale Tribute)
The Veronicas – Untouched
The Whitest Boy Alive – Keep A Secret
Passion Pit – Smile Upon Me
Ted & Francis – All Ways
Hercules and Love Affair – Blind (Hercules Club Remix)
Empire of the Sun – Walking On A Dream
Lily Allen – Fuck You
Timid Tiger – Gadget Girls

Download pmaCAST #6 – 43MB | Subscribe via iTunes or RSS Continue reading →


5
Feb 09

Feist – Train Song (w/Ben Gibbard), Service Bell (w/Grizzly Bear)

Feist   Train Song (w/Ben Gibbard), Service Bell (w/Grizzly Bear) listen

Feist recently lent her voice for Dark Was The Night, a great cause raising awareness and money for HIV/Aids. She appeared on two of the 31 songs that span the 2 discs that make up the compilation.

The first song Feist appears in, “Train Song” features vocals from Death Cab For Cutie/Postal Service vocalist Ben Gibbard. You know how I love boy-girl songs, and I can’t picture a more perfect vocal coupling than Feist and Ben Gibbard. Well maybe Gibbard’s real-life fiance Zooey Deschanel — but I’ll leave my dreams for the dreamers.

Someone must have told Feist  how much I love boy-girl songs, because later in the compilation, she the mic with Grizzly Bear, in the haunting and beautiful “Service Bell.” A lot of the wettest of my indie music dreams were fulfilled just now. Seriously.

I suggest you preview the songs below, then make sure to preorder the album, it’s out 2/17.  Continue reading →


20
Jan 09

Dark Was The Night

Dark Was The Night is a 2-disc, 31-track piece of work where some of our favorite acts (Feist, Bon Iver, Grizzly Bear, The Decemberists, Spoon, Arcade Fire, Cat Power and Sufjan Stevens to name a few) hope to raise money and awareness for HIV/AIDS. Even if you don’t usually buy albums (I think that should be your New Years resolution), make an effort to purchase this one. It’s full of amazing, beautiful music and it helps a worthy cause.

On February 17th, Dark Was The Night will be available in double CD, triple vinyl, and download — all proceeds / royalties are going to the Red Hot Organization, an AIDS and HIV charitable organization that raises money and awareness for projects and research. Naturally, I’m interested in making sure as many people as possible go out and buy this, and posting any files from this compilation may hinder that goal. But you can preview some of the songs on the Dark Was The Night Myspace page. They will be streaming one new song a day (started last Thursday), so check back regularly to listen to the music.

The tracklisting is below: Continue reading →


2
Jan 09

Blog Wars: The Genius Playlist | Round 1, Battle 1

Hello and welcome to the first ever Blog Wars hosted by Pretty Much Amazing! This is the first of hopefully many Blog Wars to come. This particular Blog War pins bloggers and their music libraries against each other. Utilizing iTune’s “Genius Playlist” feature, 10 bloggers will go head to head and compete for your votes!

This is how it works:

I get two bloggers to create a Genius Playlist stemmed from the same song. I will publish said playlists here and you, the readers, will decide which one you like best! This is  100% winner-takes-all so choose your favorite blogger wisely.

Here is the complete list of participating blogs:
I Guess I’m Floating
Arjan Writes
The Music Slut
Nialler 9
Culture of Me
Music is Art
Sheena Beaston
Ear Farm
Pigeons & Planes
Pretty Much Amazing!

On this first battle we will put Sheena Beaston and Pigeons & Planes to the test, scored by Vampire Weekend’s “M79.” Who will win?
Continue reading →


5
Aug 08

Check This Out: The ADN Project!

Check This Out: The ADN Project! listen
Listen to the ADN Project:
While you read Pretty Much Amazing
When You’re Bored at Work
When You’re Bored at Home
While you read Pretty Much Amazing
When You Want to Listen to Great Music
While you read Pretty Much Amazing

No, seriously, check this out, this is what one of the ADN DJ’s told me in an email–

I guess what we’re going for is an independent, rough around the edges show (jn that we play whatever records we want, we’re hobbyist DJs, not pros), but one that doesn’t sound like it was recorded in a mate’s bedroom with a couple of crap mics. It’s professionally recorded here in London (we use a major London radio station’s studios) and we think we’re onto something good.

There are no ads and no restrictive playlists – most of the time you’ll hear indie, acoustic, electro and hip hop, although we do try and throw anything and everything into the mix. We also feature one unsigned act each week, with an accompanying interview.

It streams here: http://adn.webradioworld.com

The show streams on a constant loop and is fully licensed – it’s not downloadable, as that infringes on copyright laws. To find out more and see previous tracklists, check us out on facebook (search ‘ADN Project’) or at www.myspace.com/adnproject

Check out their latest episode’s tracklisting:
1. Chemical Brothers – Burst Generator
2. MGMT – Electric Feel (Justice Remix)
3. Radiohead – Bodysnatchers
4. The Verve – Love Is Noise
5. Josh Rouse – London Bridges
6. The Young Knives – Turn Tail
7. The Thirst – My Everything

Album of the week – Death Cab For Cutie, ‘Narrow Stairs’

8. DCFC – Grapevine Fires
9. DCFC – Your New Twin Sized Bed

10. Jurassic 5 – A Day At The Races
11. Cool Kids – One Two
12. Atmosphere – Yesterday
13. Roots Manuva (ft. Chali 2na) – Join The Dots
14. Dizzee Rascal (ft. Calvin Harris) – Dance Wiv Me
15. Friendly Fires – In The Hospital
16. Laura Marling – Ghosts
17. Feist – I Feel It All (Britt Daniel Remix)
18. TV On The Radio
19. M83 – Kim and Jessie


21
Jul 08

Monday Has The Beat: (Re)mixtape #28

Remix

Here’s (Re)mixtape #28. These are some of the coolest remixes I’ve come across by this week. Kicking stuff off with another MR GASPAR, who’s material, along with all of Burn The Fire will be distributed by Hot Biscuits apparently — yep, I’m eating that shit but Beats ;) .

Daft Punk Vs. Boys Noize – Harder Better Faster Stronger/ Lava Lava (Mr. Gaspar Mashup)
Lil Wayne – A Millie (DJ Dstar edit)
Dizzee Rascal – Dance Wiv Me (Calvin Harris Extended Mix)
Radiohead – Nude(Remix ft. Too $hort and MC Zumbi of Zion I)
Coldplay – Death And All His Friends (MMMatthias Remix)
Black Kids – I’m not gonna teach your boyfriend how to dance with you (The Twelves Remix)
MSTRKRFT – Bounce (High Powered Boys Remix)
Rihanna – Don’t Stop The Music (K.W. Remix)
Feist – My Moon My Man (Boys Noize Classic Remix)


17
Jul 08

Feist – 1234 (Sesame Street Version)

Feist

Feist is scheduled to appear on Sesame Street’s 39th Season Premier on August 11th and perform a re-worked version of her Grammy Nominated iTunes hit “1234″. The video (below) is pretty hilarious, it’s probably the best video I’ve seen on YouTube in a very long time.

Feist – 1234 (Sesame Street Version)

You know what they say, you’re not somebody until you sing with puppet covered hands on Sesame Street…

YouTube Preview Image

20
Nov 07

Under The Covers

Under The Covers mp3

Photo Credit: adorkable

What an exquisite feeling it is to be wrapped around safely in your bed sheets. Alone or with a significant other, its always bound to be a great experience. Truly brilliant song covers parallel their sonic linen brothers in the way they seem to soothe you. There’s certain magic in a cover, its card to place. Is it listening to your favorite tunes through someone else’s eyes? Or is it the artist covering the song that intrigues us? I feel covers always brings me closer to both artist, moreso the one singing. Its almost like we now have something in common, we both like the song being covered. Covers may help you relate to an artist more than their own music.

Our favorite Sheffield indie-rockers, Arctic Monkeys show the soft side we took pleasure in listening to on songs like “Mardy Bum” and “505″ on the Barbra Lewis cover and Leave Before The Lights Come On B-Side “Baby, I’m Yours”. Its quite a charming side from the lads. I’ve always wondered whether they were romantics or not. This song is THE perfect serenade song of all-time. Hear that guys?

MP3 | Arctic Monkeys – Baby, I’m Yours (Barbra Lewis Cover)

Doing some deep digging over at the GvB archives proved to be rewarding. This cover of Björk’s beloved “Hyperballad”, beautifully sung by Karen O, fully slipped out of my mind. I’m extremely happy I found this gem again. Karen O is simple the most fantastic indie queen of all time, her covering another musical queen is just pure, filthy fun (Yes, pure filth).

MP3 | Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Hyperballad (Björk Cover) [Acoustic]

I think everyone will agree that Secret Heart is a lovely song, and I’m sure you’re all with me when I say Feist is an incredible soloist. Put those and together and you get…

MP3 | Feist – Secret Heart (Sexsmith Cover)

The Arcade Fire is really the best band to come along since the Talking Heads stopped making sense. So, naturaly, Arcade Fire’s take on the Talking Heads’ classic tune “Naive Melody” is divine!

MP3 | Arcade Fire – Naïve Melody (Talking Heads Cover)