Club 8 - "Closer Now"

Sweden's Club 8 have released their first post-Peoples Record 7", titled "Closer Now." The song further expands the duo's recent experimentation with West African chants and rhythms, fusing it with their own irresistible pop hooks. Dig it below.

Club 8 - "Closer Now" (from Closer Now 7")

Vega - "No Reasons"

Neon Indian came out like the Revolution last night, getting down and funky right away and making me one hell of a happy music fan. Guitarist Ronald Gierhart shredded all night with his t-shirt-style onesie and eye-melting neon glow-in-the-dark guitar. For the encore, the band came out as Alan Palomo's other persona Vega and tore into "No Reasons"—one of 2009's best dance jams. It reminded me of the excellent video Butter Team made for the song, pairing it with the beyond silly Josh Brolin-starring 1986 skate movie Thrashin', the tagline for which reads: "Hot, Reckless, Totally Insane." Indeed.

Vega - "No Reasons" (from Well Known Pleasures)

Woozy Viper - "You Can't Find Me"

You might catch me in the park getting a little stoned / You might see me looking lonesome but I got somewhere to go / You might hear me in the subways playing my guitar / You might see me walking uptown, but it won't be for long / Cause you can look all around, but you can't find me.

New York brothers Luke and Mitch Meseke’s Woozy Viper is a dark and spirited ride of early 1970s-inspired gritty guitar rock and deep foot-stomping grooves. You can grab their entire second album, Rock and Roll, for free right here.

Woozy Viper - "You Can't Find Me" (from Rock and Roll)

Duck Sauce - "Barbara Streisand"

Equal parts absurd and catchy, the feverish dance jam "Barbara Streisand" by duo Duck Sauce—comprised of A-Trak (brother to Chromeo's Dave 1) and Armand Van Helden—has been setting the interweb ablaze. The single will be released officially via Fool's Gold on October 12th. Check out the hilarious video featuring ?uestlove, Chromeo and Ezra Koenig over at We All Want Someone To Shout For.

Duck Sauce - "Barbara Streisand" 

Joanna

I'm in the process of writing an article on Joanna Newsom, so I though I'd post two great covers of her music by M. Ward and the Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold. Enjoy.

M. Ward - "Sadie" (Joanna Newsom cover)
Robin Pecknold - "On A Good Day" (Joanna Newsom cover)

White Denim: Last Day of Summer

From out of nowhere, the always excellent White Denim have released a free (although donations are accepted) album, Last Day of Summer, full of some extra tunes the band recorded while working on their third yet-to-be-titled full-length. Grab the album here. If you're not sold yet, check out the swingin' uptempo "New Coat" which shows off a lighter, more carefree side of the band's repertoire.

White Denim - "New Coat" (from Last Day of Summer)

Orange Juice - "Blokes On 45"

I was turned on to Orange Juice earlier this week after becoming infatuated with the track "Blokes On 45" featured on the expert Fortune Fall mix. The Scottish band—formed in part by Edwyn Collins of "A Girl Like You" fame—mixed post-punk with disco and funk flourishes. Easily the most striking element of the band's sound is the electric guitar work: aggressive and funky, while remaining crystal clear in tone. The riff in "Blokes On 45" around the 1:30 mark is one hell of a hook— catchier than any subsequent vocal line.

Orange Juice - "Blokes On 45" (from The Glasgow School)

NSFW Video: El Guincho - "Bombay"

Despite this video's random and excessive female nudity, it's pretty amazingly made, often spilling over with creativity. Snag "Bombay" along with another Pop Negro standout "FM Tan Sexy" below. (via)

El Guincho - "Bombay" (from Pop Negro)
El Guincho - "FM Tan Sexy" (from Pop Negro)

Donny Hathaway - "Jealous Guy" (John Lennon cover)

Speaking of covers, I've been meaning to post Donny Hathaway's beautifully soulful version of "Jealous Guy" for ages. Originally recorded in 1971 as part of John Lennon's epic Imagine album, Hathaway would release his own version just a year later with his concert album Live. Hathaway, an incredibly talented singer and pianist, had a brilliant but short career due to his battle with depression, which ultimately led to his suicide in 1979. Live, along with his debut album Everything Is Everything, are indisputable soul and R&B masterpieces that somehow remain impossible to find in a digital format, at least legally. Thankfully, there are other ways...

Donny Hathaway - "Jealous Guy" (from Live)

Warpaint - "Ashes To Ashes" (David Bowie cover)

Considering how androgynous David Bowie's musical persona is, it's surprising how rare it is for a female act or vocalist to interpret his music. That point is even more astonishing after listening to the magic Los Angeles band Warpaint subtly draw out of the 1980 classic "Ashes To Ashes." Whether or not you're a fan of Warpaint's psyhadelic leaning brand of rock, this is an absolute must have that might even, dare I say, improve upon the original. Compare below.

Warpaint - "Ashes To Ashes" (from We Were So Turned On: A Tribute to David Bowie)

Stream:

David Bowie - "Ashes To Ashes" (from Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps))

Twin Sister - "Meet The Frownies"

Twin Sister, whose Colour You Life EP has easily been one of the year's finest releases, recently recorded a new song over at the Weathervane Music studios as part of the nonprofit's Shaking Through series. You can thank Mark Schoenveld of YVYNYL for organizing the collaboration.

Twin Sister - "Meet The Frownies" (Weathervane Music session)

Frazey Ford - "Blue Streak Mama"

Frazey Ford of Vancouver trio The Be Good Tanyas has ventured out onto her own for the first time with the bluesy and raw Obadiah. Loose grooves and subtle guitar work let Ford and her distinctive vocals take center stage, especially on the funky front-porch jam "Blue Streak Mama."

Frazey Ford - "Blue Streak Mama" (from Obadiah)

Fortune Fall Mix

I stumbled upon this mix over at the arts website Booooooom while viewing a few hilarious switcheroo photos. Paul Simon, LCD Soundsytem, Cut Copy, and many more grace this extremely excellent dancey selection courtesy of Vancouver, BC DJ Sincerely Hana. I especially recommend checking out what sounds like a mash-up between Club 8 and the Black Keys around the 31-minute mark. Thank you, Canada.

Download: Fortune Fall Mix.mp3

Twistable, Turntable Man

Shel Silverstein, illustrator and author of classic children's books like The Giving Tree and The Missing Piece, was also quite the songwriter in his time, penning the Johnny Cash classic "A Boy Named Sue." In Twistable, Turnable Man: A Musical Tribute To The Songs Of Shel Silversteinan, an all-star group of musicians featuring everyone from My Morning Jacket to Dr. Dog and Kris Kristofferson showcase the talented wordsmith's musical side.

My Morning Jacket - "Lullabys, Legends & Lies" (from Twistable, Turnable Man: A Musical Tribute To The Songs Of Shel Silverstein)

Mixtape #8: Visions of Country Music

Country, like jazz music, is a truly American art form born in the United States. Despite the recent glossy and insincere evolution of the "country" label and the occasional absurdly popular right wing propaganda-inspired song, the basic foundation of the genre is still intact. From old greats like Hank Williams and George Jones to contemporaries like Deer Tick and the Willie Nelson-loving Matthew Houck, this playlist is dedicated to those momentary visions of great country music conceived of and kept alive in song. The mixtape's title is inspired by the above photo of Gram Parsons, who was having his own acid-fueled visions of country alongside Keith Richards in Joshua Tree.

SIDE A

Ricky Nelson - "Lonesome Town"

Justin Townes Earle - "Poor Fool"

Jerry Reed - "You Took All The Ramblin' Out of Me"

Emmylou Harris - "Two More Bottles of Wine"

Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels - "California Cotton Fields"

Justin Jones & The Driving Rain - "Long Time"

Phosphorescent - "Reasons To Quit"

Waylon Jennings - "Honky Tonk Heroes"

John Doe & The Sadies - "I Still Miss Someone"

Old Crow Medicine Show - "James River Blues"

SIDE B

Bobby Bare, Jr - "I'll Be Around"

Deer Tick - "Houston, TX"

Blue Giant and Corin Tucker- "Gone For Good"

Roger Miller - "King of The Road"

Kenny Rogers - "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town"

Redbird - "I Gotta Get Drunk"

Langhorne Slim - "In The Midnight"

Bonnie Raitt - "Bluebird"

Townes Van Zandt - "Be Here To Love Me"

Steve Earle - "Goodbye"

Visions of Country Music.zip

To retain track order, drag the folder after it's unzipped into an iTunes playlist.

Justin Townes Earle - "Harlem River Blues"

Justin Townes Earle, coming off his fantastic LP Midnight At The Movies, brings his passion for traditional country, blues and bluegrass music this time to his adopted home of New York City with Harlem River Blues. Grab the rollicking gospel-fueled title-track below then go out and grab the rest of the record.

Justin Townes Earle - "Harlem River Blues" (from Harlem River Blues)

Warpaint - "Undertow"

The Los Angeles psychedelic-leaning, all-female rock troupe Warpaint have released "Undertow," a slow-building barn burner off their forthcoming October 25th full-length release, The Fool.

Warpaint - "Undertow" (from The Fool)

Daytrotter: Toro Y Moi - "You Hid"

Toro Y Moi has made the move from the one-man-laptop-and-guitar experience to a full band and man it sounds good. Just peep Chaz Bundick and company's recent session over at the Daytrotter studios where Causers of This standouts like "Low Shoulder" and "You Hid" shine under the loose grooves of a live drum kit and reverberated guitars. Download the full session here.

Toro Y Moi - "You Hid" (Daytrotter session)

New Dr. Dog - "Take Me Into Town"

"Take Me Into Town"—a brand new song by Dr. Dog that's being offered up for free via Facebook—rivals and surpasses some of the best tracks on the band's latest LP Shame, Shame. Simply go here and share the info via Facebook or Twitter to download this ragged and rough blues-infused jam.

Stream: Dr. Dog - "Take Me Into Town"

Vandaveer - "Everything Is Spinning"

Everybody Taste favorite's Vandaveer—otherwise known as Washington, DC's Mark Charles Heidinger with the occasional accompanying harmony of Rose Guerin—has released a new 5-song EP this week available both on the band's current tour with the Jayhawks' Mark Olson and Bandcamp. Try on the great "Everything Is Spinning" for free below.

Vandaveer - "Everything Is Spinning" (from A Minor Spell)

Video: Foo Fighters - "Big Me"

One of the more hysterical music videos ever made and one hell of a song.

Foo Fighters - "Big Me" (Live acoustic version)

Megafaun - "Carolina Days"

Durham, North Carolina trio Megafaun have released a free single from the upcoming mini-album Heretofore, due out September 14th. Dig these folkies sharp jangly pop turn on "Carolina Days."

Megafaun - "Carolina Days" (from Heretofore)

Jenny & Johnny: I'm Having Fun Now

As a project, Jenny & Johnny—despite the inherent cheesiness of its name and implications of a romantically involved duo playing music together—is an overwhelming success. It shouldn't be surprising to anyone that's seen the pair play together on the road during the Acid Tongue tour, with Rice making dynamic contributions to the funky and epic rock jam "The Next Messiah" and the occasional silly heart-on-the-sleeve cover "Love Hurts." Jenny Lewis, always spilling over with talent, works as well with beau Johnathan Rice as any other pairing to date from Blake Sennett to the Watson twins. On I'm Having Fun Now, songs fly out of the gate with uptempo rhythms and undeniably catchy vocal harmonies that feel completely natural and unforced. A comparison to She & Him is lazy but to make one point: where M. Ward lurks in the shadows of his production duties behind Zooey Deschanel, Lewis and Rice share the spotlight in terms of vocal and songwriting duties with incredible ease. If you're looking for a classic pop-heavy rock album that hits every song over the head with a pitch-perfect delivery, you've found it.

Jenny & Johnny - "Big Wave" (from I'm Having Fun Now)

Jenny & Johnny - "Love Hurts" (Nazareth cover)

The War On Drugs - "Comin' Through"

"Comin' Through" by The War On Drugs has been busting it's way through the interwebs at an incredible pace—and it's for good reason.
This Philadelphia band's newest song sneaks up on you with a quietly strummed guitar and rotary-effected riffs before pounding open with thumping bass and guitars and singer Adam Granduciel's subtle and casual but absolutely ear-catching vocals. You can hear the Kurt Vile influence here—and as both a former band member and recent touring mate that makes perfect sense—but this psychadleic pop gem also has a personality of its own—one that will be exciting to continue to explore on Future Weather, a mini album of sorts out October 26th on Secretly Canadian.

The War On Drugs - "Comin' Through" (from Future Weather)

Josh Ritter & Dawn Landes - "500 Miles"

Josh Ritter, hot off the release of his critically-lauded LP So Runs The World Away, has released an impromptu cover song with his wife and fellow singer/songwriter Dawn Landes. Snag "500 Miles," originally performed by Hedy West, below.

Josh Ritter & Dawn Landes - "500 Miles" (Hedy West cover)

Jesse Woods - "Sparks"

Wish I could take your lips with me on the road wherever I'd be.

I'd kiss you goodnight in a far off moonlight.

Wish I could take your lips with me, listen to your little voice sing

Along with the radio a song that someone else wrote.

But I don't care, I just need you here.

Wish I could take your eyes with me, show you all the things I see:

My favorite Mexican bar, open air, and big bright stars.

Wish I could take your eyes so blue, my second favorite part of you

Probably looking at some other man, southern gentleman steal your hand.

But I'll stand up, and I'll keep their mouths shut.

And I see your spark in the making

I hope the rain don't come too soon

You've got a hand for the taking

And I'm 'bout to take you to the moon.

I see your spark in the making

I hope the rain don't come too soon

You've got a hand for the taking

And I'm 'bout to take you to the moon.

And I'm 'bout to take you to the moon.

Jesse Woods - "Sparks" (from Moon Rocks)

Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele - "You Can't Force A Dance Party"

At times recalling Jens Lekman and others Ray Davies and Stephen Merritt, the talented and highly literate ukulele-wielding Dent May is due to make a splash with his dead-pan delivered delectable pop debut The Good Feeling Music of Dent May and his Magnificent Ukulele. Just feast your ears on "You Can't Force A Dance Party" which might as well be the sequel to fellow dead-pan wunderkind Jonathan Richman's "Parties In The USA."

Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele - "You Can't Force A Dance Party" (from The Good Feeling Music of Dent May and his Magnificent Ukulele)

NYC UFOs - "Any Other Time"

On the opening track off their self-released debut album, Northampton, Massachusetts' NYC UFOs sound undeniably like the Strokes circa 2001's Is This It. Fuzzy and sharp guitar chords, riffs propelling and racing forward, and rough and raspy vocals tied to supremely catchy melodies. Download their entire debut for free at their Bandcamp site.

NYC UFOs - "Any Other Time" (from Newer Stations)

Guest Post: The Needle Drop's Anthony Fantano

Anthony Fantano of the excellent Needle Drop—easily the hardest working man in the music vlog world—found some time away from the camera to stop by and recommend 5 out of this world tracks. After you're done checking out the music here, make sure to head over to the Needle Drop for Fantano's always eloquent and spot-on album reviews.

1. Paul & the Patients- "The Way That You Are"
This New York outfit has made a brave and prolific promise to release one song a week for this entire year. So far, they've done themselves pretty well, and this track was one of the latest they've put out. It's got a sensual attitude, great groove, and a ton of replay power.

2. Fergus & Geronimo- "Turning Blue"
This Texas duo is nothing but fun. The bubbly guitar effects and eccentric vocals on this track are what post-punk is all about--that and the danceable beat. This track is rough around the edges, but a more "finished" version is coming out on a 7'' via Hardly Art later this year.

3. Superhumanoids- "Contemporary Individual"
Like Wire or NEU!, Superhumanoids live simplicity to its fullest. Even when they're get loud on "Contemporary Individual," they still sound clean and controlled. Their frontman sounds a lot like Will Sheff, which may turn on Okkervil River fans, but I'm here strictly for the production and great songwriting.

4. Dustin Wong- "Talking Walking Cloud"
Any experimental music fan worth their salt has heard this guy tear it up on guitar in the band Ponytail, but his solo work is much more minimal and hypnotic. The basic guitar loops and various effects add up into a wall of guitar melodies that are too pretty not to explore at least once.

5. Dumbo Gets Mad- "Plumy Tale"
This track is the first from a solo psych pop project from Italy. No single. No album. Just this song and a lonely music video on YouTube. If there's any new artist I'm dying to hear more music from, it's this one. The open sax, dirty drums, and heavy groove just add up to pure magic. It's difficult to believe all of this sound is coming from one guy; but for the sake of my own happiness, I'll continue to believe.

Lord Huron - "We Went Wild"

Drifting tropicalia guitar work paired with the occasional buzz of a drone instrument and the sound of an incoming tide make Lord Huron—the recording project of Los Angeles musician Benji Schneider—a cocktail and lounge chair worthy affair of relaxation and sunshine. Do yourself a favor and grab the "Into The Sun" single and accompanying tracks for just $3 at the Lord Huron Bandcamp.

Lord Huron - "We Went Wild" (from Into The Sun single)