"If you can't run to save yourself, then you deserve to be had..."
This is partly because I promised to spam and partly because Sophie wanted new music, so I'm linking her to this post. I had so many others I wanted to put in so expect another one some time soon. Meh, and feel free to snag any of them. These have comments under them simply because otherwise Soph won't DL.
CocoRosie: Werewolf
This band is awesome. Two sisters and they play instruments on kid's toys. This is one of the best songs on their latest CD and oh my God is it fantastic. I can't think of anything else to say about the song but that.
Neko Case: I Wish I Was the Moon
Case is bloody brilliant. She has an amazing voice, she writes some of the best songs in the whole bloody world and she's duetted with and supported some of my favourite artists. This song is achingly sad in parts, if you really listen to it, and it really shows what a voice she has.
The Presets: Are You The One?
His voice is odd. No, seriously. Really, really odd but the tune is cool and I like dancing. 'Nuff said.
Duke Special: Last Night I Nearly Died
Duke Special (Peter Wilson) is a Northern Irish artist and holy fucking God, is he awesome. I went to a gig of his about two year ago, fell in love with his stuff and my love has not waned. This song is kind of a cross between Motown and Spoon and it's ridiculously catchy.
The Faint: Symptom Finger
I like techno and I like The Faint. This song, again, is ridiculously catchy and you will find yourself singing parts of it at all times unless, you know, you're inhuman.
The Hold Steady: Stuck Between Stations
Not the best song ever, but it's still pretty good and The Hold Steady are awesome and very cool live. It's a sin not to have heard their music.
Jens Lenkman: Your Beat Kicks Back Like Death
So. Everyone knows him. Or everyone should. And this is a cover of something but I forget who sang the original and I'm not looking it up. Nonetheless, this song is horridly, amazingly cool and you actually do whistle along.
The Be Good Tanyas: When Doves Cry
Cover of the Prince song, by a folk band. I love, love, love me some folk music on occasion and The Be Good Tanyas are awesome. They've amazing voices and know how to play their instruments. This is a really good cover and it works wonderfully, which you mightn't expect given it is a folk band covering Prince. Doesn't seem likely that it's brilliant but it is.
Danielson: Propaganda for a Comic Strip
This is just odd. But I like it anyway.
The Mountain Goats: Dance Music
The Mountain Goats are two hundred times cooler than most of the bands out there. Their subject matters tend to be darker and more depressing, largely due to Darnielle's influence and, well, because he writes their lyrics. They're very, very good and this song, like many others, deals with his relationship with his step-father. Personally, I don't believe that this is their best song but it is gorgeous and I loved it when I heard it live which is saying something. Usually when you hear bands live they suck: The Mountain Goats don't. Enough to make them worth a listen to in my book.
Great Lake Swimmers: Your Rocky Spine
Absolutely fucking brilliant and, really, that applies to all the songs here but this is really cool. The Great Lake Swimmers are truly brilliant and, while they can set a foot wrong, this isn't a time when they do it.
Arab Strap: You Shook Me All Night Long
Most bands cannot cover AC/DC and get away with it. They just can't. This is because AC/DC is a band made of win and the fact that Arab Strap managed it and well makes me squee. Magnificent cover and it's live and still magnificent.
M. Ward and Norah Jones: Guess Things Happen That Way
Live and pretty crappy quality but their voices still shine through and still sound beautiful. A cover of a Johnny Cash song, obviously, and anyone who doesn't know that does not win.
Lostprophets: Cry Me A River
Live. I love Lostprophets to ridiculous amounts and it made me giggle that they covered a Justin Timberlake song. I really like this version, more so than the original.
Silversun Pickups: Future Foe Scenarios
I am getting rather bored of writing this but this song is so cool. It's got amazing guitars, class vocals. Good rock song.
A Fine Frenzy: Ashes and Wine
Alison Sudol is a gorgeous, gorgeous woman with gorgeous, gorgeous songs. Her voice is heartbreaking as are her lyrics and this song is one of the best on her album.
Babylon Zoo: Spaceman (Go Home Production remix)
This is just cool, techno-y dance music. There's no excuse for it being here other than that.
M. Ward: It Won't Happen Twice
I really wish I could go see this guy. He isn't amazing, he isn't magnificent, or awesome, or cool. He is the shit. He owns at everything. My friends largely don't like him and I didn't when I first heard him--I'm going to post that song later, I think, the first one I heard I mean--and the only one to give me a reason was that his voice was odd and they suspected it was an acquired taste. I agree with this, I suppose. You do have to listen to him a few times but, God, is it worth it. No one beats Ward. He and Radiohead are my two favourite artists of all time. He's gained popularity recently though I'm not sure if it's that much because it'd be mostly in America he has. Any road, he has paired off with people like Bright Eyes (very, very often. Oberst and Ward are great friends), Neko Case, Jim James, Jenny Lewis and Zooey Deschanel. Indeed, Ward and Deschanel are releasing an album together in March and I have a lot of the tracks on it already because I am obsessive. Anyway, this song is off his first album from 2000 and whilst many would argue it's not his best I think it's unbelievable. People argue that his newer stuff is better and I do like it, don't get me wrong. "Headed for a Fall" is one of my favourite songs of the moment. But this? This is still one of the best ones in his backlog, I think.
Silverchair: Emotion Sickness
If you don't know who Silverchair are fix that. Now. Seriously.
Can you tell I fangirl M. Ward? I've also been in fangirling Duke Special mode as of late but I don't have a lot of his stuff up on Box and it just crapped out on me completely so can't force more on any of you or on Sophie.
CocoRosie: Werewolf
This band is awesome. Two sisters and they play instruments on kid's toys. This is one of the best songs on their latest CD and oh my God is it fantastic. I can't think of anything else to say about the song but that.
Neko Case: I Wish I Was the Moon
Case is bloody brilliant. She has an amazing voice, she writes some of the best songs in the whole bloody world and she's duetted with and supported some of my favourite artists. This song is achingly sad in parts, if you really listen to it, and it really shows what a voice she has.
The Presets: Are You The One?
His voice is odd. No, seriously. Really, really odd but the tune is cool and I like dancing. 'Nuff said.
Duke Special: Last Night I Nearly Died
Duke Special (Peter Wilson) is a Northern Irish artist and holy fucking God, is he awesome. I went to a gig of his about two year ago, fell in love with his stuff and my love has not waned. This song is kind of a cross between Motown and Spoon and it's ridiculously catchy.
The Faint: Symptom Finger
I like techno and I like The Faint. This song, again, is ridiculously catchy and you will find yourself singing parts of it at all times unless, you know, you're inhuman.
The Hold Steady: Stuck Between Stations
Not the best song ever, but it's still pretty good and The Hold Steady are awesome and very cool live. It's a sin not to have heard their music.
Jens Lenkman: Your Beat Kicks Back Like Death
So. Everyone knows him. Or everyone should. And this is a cover of something but I forget who sang the original and I'm not looking it up. Nonetheless, this song is horridly, amazingly cool and you actually do whistle along.
The Be Good Tanyas: When Doves Cry
Cover of the Prince song, by a folk band. I love, love, love me some folk music on occasion and The Be Good Tanyas are awesome. They've amazing voices and know how to play their instruments. This is a really good cover and it works wonderfully, which you mightn't expect given it is a folk band covering Prince. Doesn't seem likely that it's brilliant but it is.
Danielson: Propaganda for a Comic Strip
This is just odd. But I like it anyway.
The Mountain Goats: Dance Music
The Mountain Goats are two hundred times cooler than most of the bands out there. Their subject matters tend to be darker and more depressing, largely due to Darnielle's influence and, well, because he writes their lyrics. They're very, very good and this song, like many others, deals with his relationship with his step-father. Personally, I don't believe that this is their best song but it is gorgeous and I loved it when I heard it live which is saying something. Usually when you hear bands live they suck: The Mountain Goats don't. Enough to make them worth a listen to in my book.
Great Lake Swimmers: Your Rocky Spine
Absolutely fucking brilliant and, really, that applies to all the songs here but this is really cool. The Great Lake Swimmers are truly brilliant and, while they can set a foot wrong, this isn't a time when they do it.
Arab Strap: You Shook Me All Night Long
Most bands cannot cover AC/DC and get away with it. They just can't. This is because AC/DC is a band made of win and the fact that Arab Strap managed it and well makes me squee. Magnificent cover and it's live and still magnificent.
M. Ward and Norah Jones: Guess Things Happen That Way
Live and pretty crappy quality but their voices still shine through and still sound beautiful. A cover of a Johnny Cash song, obviously, and anyone who doesn't know that does not win.
Lostprophets: Cry Me A River
Live. I love Lostprophets to ridiculous amounts and it made me giggle that they covered a Justin Timberlake song. I really like this version, more so than the original.
Silversun Pickups: Future Foe Scenarios
I am getting rather bored of writing this but this song is so cool. It's got amazing guitars, class vocals. Good rock song.
A Fine Frenzy: Ashes and Wine
Alison Sudol is a gorgeous, gorgeous woman with gorgeous, gorgeous songs. Her voice is heartbreaking as are her lyrics and this song is one of the best on her album.
Babylon Zoo: Spaceman (Go Home Production remix)
This is just cool, techno-y dance music. There's no excuse for it being here other than that.
M. Ward: It Won't Happen Twice
I really wish I could go see this guy. He isn't amazing, he isn't magnificent, or awesome, or cool. He is the shit. He owns at everything. My friends largely don't like him and I didn't when I first heard him--I'm going to post that song later, I think, the first one I heard I mean--and the only one to give me a reason was that his voice was odd and they suspected it was an acquired taste. I agree with this, I suppose. You do have to listen to him a few times but, God, is it worth it. No one beats Ward. He and Radiohead are my two favourite artists of all time. He's gained popularity recently though I'm not sure if it's that much because it'd be mostly in America he has. Any road, he has paired off with people like Bright Eyes (very, very often. Oberst and Ward are great friends), Neko Case, Jim James, Jenny Lewis and Zooey Deschanel. Indeed, Ward and Deschanel are releasing an album together in March and I have a lot of the tracks on it already because I am obsessive. Anyway, this song is off his first album from 2000 and whilst many would argue it's not his best I think it's unbelievable. People argue that his newer stuff is better and I do like it, don't get me wrong. "Headed for a Fall" is one of my favourite songs of the moment. But this? This is still one of the best ones in his backlog, I think.
Silverchair: Emotion Sickness
If you don't know who Silverchair are fix that. Now. Seriously.
Can you tell I fangirl M. Ward? I've also been in fangirling Duke Special mode as of late but I don't have a lot of his stuff up on Box and it just crapped out on me completely so can't force more on any of you or on Sophie.