Washed Out NPR Full Album Stream

John Mayer, and most people listening to music post 1975, predicted that in the future most of the music we would listen to would predominately come from machines.

Well the future is here.

Washed Out is an artist near and dear to my heart, for introducing Chillwave, but also for doing an excellently skillful and futuristic job of intergrating voice and beat and machine. It didn't even occur to me,  though, that he had yet to release a full length album; his EPs being satisfying onto themselves.

But not only has SubPop snatched him up (score), but NPR (the prior target practice of Republican deficit reduction) has graciously provided a full album stream of the album that officially drops next Tuesday July 12th.

You can listen here:
http://www.npr.org/2011/06/22/137340922/first-listen-washed-out-within-and-without


But here are some notables:

Echoes-



Before-


You and I (the effects and ending to this is just angelic)-




Upon listening to this stream I got a markedly more polished feel to this LP than the endearingly bombastic previous songs. But as I listened further along, I did not feel less joy. Instead (as the cover art may suggest), the previous works were the awesome first few getting-to-know-you dates. The LP is when he puts the moves on us and makes passionate love to our ears.

Digging in the mines of my memory

"And I got a little money where the safe is. For my babies's babies's babies. Babies, babies, babies. Babies, babies, baby!"

There was a prolific period of my career as a music fan when I had to listen to every song Lil Wayne rap recorded post Tha Carter I

This was one of them-




"He's Fred, I'm Barney, welcome to bedrock. Rock? Rock. Yep, rock. Then I get's to rollin'"

Around hearing "Gettin It" I became a little obsessed with the Cool Kids, and had to hear everything they did (a quest that was well worth it).

Among the memorable discoveries-

Sometimes Certain Songs Come To Save You From the Doldrums of Banal Living

Have you heard the new Lykke Li album? You probably have, because you probably know some member of the Lykke Li cult strong arming you into listening into everything she does (i.e. me). This song, "I Follow Rivers" is among my favorite songs on this charming album (only probably beat by "Youth Knows No Pain"). But when I heard this remix of it, I was floored that Lykke Li could even sound better. (Sure, I've heard remixes of her songs, but usually the original beats them. This one, however, took the cake). I've played this several times and can now attest that it has lifted me from my depression of still not being able to become a ghost writer for Weezy. It's songs like these that remind me of the lovely things in life, like awesome songs being turned into more awesome remixes.




p.s., speaking of awesome new music, have you heard the new stuff from Toro Y Moi? Not to sound like a blind Pitchfork follower, by listing two of the 3 recent picks for best new music, but Toro y Moi's transition from chillwave (which he did beautifully) to electro-funk (which he does brilliantly) is wonderful in a world where consistency leads to boringness and experimentation can fall flat. I also can't stop playing these two tracks.






Hugs, Lattes, Long Islands and Kisses,
Ashley

Which is tbe better MJ Cover?

or




I've had this question on my mind for a while now, but I figure now that it's a new year, I should have it settled. The forces of sweet, electro-heavy indie funk/soul (either stripped down as chill wave, in option one, or stripped down layered machinery, as in option two) both seem to suit the late king well. While these covers apparently came out pre-MJ's death, I fittingly didn't discover them until a few months after he passed. And moreover, in anticipation of both of these band's new albums in the next year these songs have made frequent appearances lately on my itunes.
Either way, as a tribute, consolation or reminder of MJ or as just solid electro-indie songs, they both seem to do the job.

Thoughts?

Oh and again HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR :)
-Ashley

le-Hiboo

It has been a while since I posted last. Excuse the hiatus. I'm sure you all missed my posts sooo much. =p Anyway, Ashley has inspired me to begin posting a bit again, so here it goes. Ready....

Over the last couple years, I have seen the birth of several efforts to invite music artists to perform live to record in interesting spaces including bathrooms, taxi cars, staircases, swimming pools, as well as more conventional locations. I love these projects like LiveDaily and Black Cab, just to name a couple. Today I came across another one of these projects done by le-Hiboo, a French group that I haven't actually found much info about. They have a great variety of artists, though many are French, and there are artists of many styles. The camera work is beautiful, and the artists perform in all sorts of different spaces, including the swimming pool I mentioned earlier. I will just leave you with a couple samples that I really love, and shut up now.

Basia Bulmat. She is fantastic.

HibOO d'Live : Basia Bulat "The Shore"

and these guys, Local Natives.

HibOO d'Live : Local Natives "Wide eyes"

Yeasayer (Sunrise &Rome)

They say crazy people are drawn to music because it soothes them. Well I think I'm really drawn to Yeasayer because they successfully embed crazy into odd melodic and catchy music. This is what I'm enjoying now, and I hope you guys enjoy it too.

-Ashley

From All Hour Cymbals (their debut)

From Odd Blood (their most recent album)

Memory Tapes-Bicycle

5 and a half months after graduation, I still find myself sometimes riding the chill wave.
I hope that you guys are too.

-Ashley