Sep 27, 2009
This week on Soulful Sundays, I am showcasing the 2009 album from Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon: The End of the Day.
A wonderful album. Albeit a little bit on the emo side, especially for a hip-hop album, but you really have to appreciate the amazing songs on this track. My personal favourite is Pursuit of Happiness – mostly because of the involvement of MGMT, but every song on here is listenable. I hope you enjoy the album, the stream is below!
Sep 25, 2009
This week on Featured Album Fridays, I’m showcasing the 2009 album from Lights – The Listening.
Here is the description of Lights from her Last.FM:
Lights Poxleitner (born Valerie Poxleitner, 11 April 1987), known by her stage name Lights, is a Juno Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter. She is best known for composing and performing heavily synthesized dream pop music such as the songs “PlayDrive My Soul” and “PlayFebruary Air” and has performed internationally. She recently changed her legal first name to Lights, which was formerly Valerie.
Lights was born in Timmins, Ontario. She was raised by missionary parents and spent much of her childhood in various parts of the world ranging from the Philippines to Jamaica. She is of German and Austrian descent. Lights currently lives in Toronto.
When she was asked about when she wrote her first song, Lights has said “I was eleven, and I learned three chords on the guitar. It was the first time I really learned how to play guitar and I wanted to write a song with them so I went down to my mom and I said pick a number between 1 and 150 and she picked 5 or something, I can’t really remember the number, but I went and opened up the Bible and there was 150 Psalms already written so I went to the number she chose and wrote a song with that and that kicked off the biggest thing of my life.”
Am completely in love with this girl, mostly because of her music! This album is everything I wanted it to be, so I hope you enjoy it – the stream is below!
Sep 20, 2009
This week on Soulful Sundays, I am showcasing the 2001 album from Bilal – 1st Born Second.
Oldie but a goodie, this album is very mellow and old school, with some interesting vocals laid on top. A couple of big names making an appearance (Like Common and Mos Def!) and it was a fantastic album to wake up to. The stream is below, hope you enjoy!
Sep 18, 2009
This week on Featured Album Fridays, I am showcasing the 2009 album from Montreal-based band Islands – Vapours.
Here is the description of Islands from their Last.FM:
Hailing from Montreal, Canada, Islands is a 6 piece band founded by former The Unicorns frontman Nick Thorburn (briefly taking the stage name “Nick Diamonds”) and drummer J’Aime Tambeur. Following the untimely disbandment of The Unicorns as they teetered on the brink of breaking through, Islands’ debut release entitled Return to the Sea, with its quirky sounds and refreshing, catchy melodies includes collaborations with members of Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade. This debut picks up where The Unicorns left off and takes the music to new heights without departing from The Unicorns’ unique if sometimes peculiar appeal.
Islands plays beautiful pop melodies, intertwined with elements of afro-pop, hip hop, and indie rock, among others. One of the main gimmicks of the band is the recorder brought over from The Unicorns, which is prominently featured in the song “Jogging Gorgeous Summer.” Nick Diamonds rules over the band with an iron fist. Other members include: Patrice Agbokou, Aaron Harris, Alex Chow, Sebastian Chow, and Patrick Gregoire. Return to the Sea, their rookie effort, was released on April 4th, 2006 on the brand new label, equator records, and rough trade in the uk. Digital Distribution handled by Alpha Pup.
On May 20, 2008, Islands released its second album, Arm’s Way, on Anti- Records.
Very melodic and poppy album, definitely worth checking out. Have a listen with the stream below and I hope you enjoy!
Sep 13, 2009
This week on Soulful Sundays, I am showcasing the 2009 album from Cyne – Water For Mars.
Fantastic album that is everything you want a hip-hop album to be. The stream is below, enjoy!
Sep 11, 2009
This week on Featured Album Fridays, I am showcasing the 2009 album from Bat For Lashes – Two Suns.
Here is the description of Bat For Lashes from her Last.FM:
Bat for Lashes is the work of British singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist Natasha Khan.
Khan was born in Hertfordshire, England to a Pakistani father and English mother on 25 October 1979. Khan graduated in music and visual arts; while at university her experimental work was influenced by artists such as Steve Reich and Susan Hiller, and she produced multi-media work centred on sound installations, animations and performance. She went on to work as a nursery school teacher, and it was during this period that she began writing the material for her first album. “Whenever I’m writing music it’s a very visual place in my mind,” said Khan. “It has a location full of characters and colours and landscapes, so those two things really complement each other, and they help the other one to blossom and support the other. They are like brother and sister.”
Her debut single, “The Wizard,” was released digitally through Drowned in Sound records and on seven-inch vinyl through Khan’s own imprint, She Bear Records. She then signed to the record label Echo, alongside Feeder and former Moloko singer Róisín Murphy, and released her debut album, Fur and Gold, on 11 September 2006. In 2007, Bat for Lashes parted company with Echo and signed to Parlophone records. Fur and Gold was re-released with the addition of bonus material. A limited vinyl version was released by Los Angeles indie label, Manimal Vinyl in May 2007.
The stream is below, it is a very mellow album that really pulls on the heartstrings. I hope you enjoy!
Sep 6, 2009
This week on Soulful Sundays, the 2005 album from Kev Brown – I Do What I Do.
Kev Brown’s I Do What I Do can be summed up quite easily: very mellow, jazzy beats with intelligent and smooth vocals laid on top. Definitely something to listen all the way through, the stream is below, hope you enjoy!
Sep 4, 2009
This week on Featured Album Friday, I am showcasing the 2009 album from The Sexy Accident – Mantaloking.
Here is the description of The Sexy Accident from their Last.FM:
The Sexy Accident is a Kansas City indie pop band. The band’s influences include early Elvis Costello, The Wedding Present, Weezer and Teenage Fanclub. In the press, writers have compared the band to The Smoking Popes, Marshall Crenshaw, They Might Be Giants and Joe Jackson. Jesse Kates (guitar, singing) is the only original member of the band, which is now on its fifth lineup. The band’s lastest album, Kinda Like Fireworks, was recorded by Greg Norman at Electrical Audio in Chicago by Jesse, Pat Fent (bass) and Daniel Torrence (drums) over a period of four days. Recently, the Sexy Accident added a second guitarist named Chad Toney.
Great, energetic album. Take a listen, hope you enjoy!