Lykke Li - Unchained Melody (Righteous Brothers Cover)

How could you resist listening to anything by Lykke Li? This cover is as simple as it should be and a good reminder of why everyone fell in love with her voice in he first place.

 Lykke Li - Unchained Melody (The Righteous Brothers Cover) by LykkeLi

First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar

First Aid Kit's last album The Big Black and the Blue was one of my favorites of 2010 which is why it is so hard to wait until January 24th of 2012 to hear the newest album. Luckily, we can finally hear the first single in full and it has that same dark beauty that made their previous release so entrancing. If you're smart and in the right city at the right time you can catch them on tour opening for Lykke Li in the US. You won't want to miss it.
 The Lion's Roar by First Aid Kit

Best Week of Concerts Ever?

Last week brought a few nights that were stacked with concerts that led to some tough last minute decisions. This week brings the big guns with Fleet Foxes and Lykke Li coming to town along with some other people I'm dying to see live for the first time like Tune-Yards. Luckily, this week it is perfectly spread out over 7 days. There's not a difficult decision in sight unless you count the internal debate of whether or not it's practical to go out every night this week. Considering the line up I think it is. Here's what we have to look forward to this week in Boston.

via The Examiner

Monday 5/16
Tune - Yards with Buke & Gass at Brighton Music Hall
Super buzzed about, P4K best new music, and yeah it's only $10
Tune - Yards - Powa

Tuesday 5/17
Fleet Foxes at The Orpheum
Why would you not go?
Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean

Wednesday 5/18
Diego Garcia at Cafe 939 [show postponed to 5/25]
Diego Garcia - You Were Never There

Thursday 5/19
Great Lakes at O'briens Pub
Great Lakes - Ghost brother
Local show: Movers & Shakers at Plough & Stars

Friday 5/20
Lykke Li with at House of Blues [almost sold out]
  Tonight by LykkeLi

Sunday 5/22 
Junip at Brighton Music Hall
Junip - In Every Direction

Quarterly Roundup - Lovely Ladies

The first three months of 2011 have been incredible. There is so much out there that I'm still getting into some bands who released music in January. In order to manage the onslaught of music, I'll be doing quarterly roundups breaking them up between a few posts to provide reminders of what has passed us by. This first post is just a taste of what is to come next week where I'll be stuffing your faces with some of the best music I've heard over the past three months.

One of the things I loved so much about these early months were the outrageously strong and wonderful albums from indie/dance/pop ladies. I would never usually segregate lists by the sexes, I am just doing this to point out some terrific albums that happen to fall into one genre, all of which are worth owning.

Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes [BUY]

Perhaps the most anticipated of all the ones on this list, it was no let down. It was haunting, dark, and a solid album start to finish.

Lykke Li - Love Out of Lust

Oh Land - Oh Land [BUY]

This album is the perfect contrast to Lykke Li. If Lykke Li is dark, Oh Land is light. This album wasn't as much pop as I expected it to be, it's wavering on that line of breaking out into mainstream or being destined to be remixed hundreds of times as club songs. But it was still inviting, fun, and made me want to dance.

Oh Land - Perfection

Yelle - Safari Disco Club [BUY]

Yelle continues to put out infectious french electro-pop. I ate this one right up, loving every moment. (Out March 29th)

Yelle - Que Veux Tu (Madeon Remix)

Those Dancing Days - Daydreams & Nightmares [BUY]

This one was released with much less fan fare than the previously mentioned albums and while it's not quite as good as their last album, there are still quite a few songs of theirs that I'm putting on my playlists.

Those Dancing Days - I'll Be Yours (Visions of Trees Remix)
Those Dancing Days - Keep Me In Your Pocket

Alex Winston - Sister Wife (mini LP) [BUY]

Between the 6 songs on this and the 4 covers she gave away for free, Alex Winston made an impressive start for herself with her unique voice. I love this Locomotive song.
Alex Winston - Locomotive 
Alex Winston - Locomotive (Jaybird remix)








Links have been removed due to DMCA notice, since they didn't tell me what song was a violation (I had legit permission for each song however) I had to remove them all, sorry. You can stream the post here.

Stream Lykke Li's New Album

Over the weekend Lykke Li's upcoming album leaked so in response to that she is offering up the streamable version. Her album is officially out March 1st. You can pre-order it here. Until then give it a listen and see what you think.

Songs for the Weekend

Just remembered this red wine fueled post I wrote on Friday. Enjoy.

I hit one of those walls this week, kind of like that guy unfortunately pinned to the wall there. I didn't mean to hit it, I didn't even see it coming. I came home and just collapsed on the couch feeling defeated by life. It's a crappy way to start a weekend. But then it wasn't the bottle of red wine, the surprise release from Radiohead, the nice weather, or the long weekend ahead that snapped me out of this funk. It was the right notes from the right music. I scrolled through some stuff and little by little I was revived. It started with a toe tapping and head bopping and eventually evolved into a full fledged dance session, just me and my bottle of wine. Then I curled up on the couch to watch the thunderstorm and passed out. Exciting life I lead, I know.

Homeboi - Shrimps 

Weekly Buzz in Review

Lykke Li's latest single release "I Follow Rivers" is all over soundcloud including some remixes and I love it. I'm buying my tickets to her show in May today, they are selling out fast. Huge shoutout to Sheena Beaston for these tracks.

Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers (The Magician Remix) by sheenabeaston
Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers by sheenabeaston




Then there is Star Slinger who put up a bunch of tracks recently, including one 27 minute long one of the best tracks of 2010 according to the hype machine. Go check it out. 

Kurt Vile a  philly psych-folk rocker is giving us yet another taste of his highly anticipated (at least by me) upcoming album Smoke Ring For My Halo, due out March 8th. His tour dates will be announced later next week. You can pre-order his album for a discounted price here. Here are the two tracks that will be on his new album.

Kurt Vile - Jesus Fever

Kurt Vile - In My Time

Akron/Family has a new song "So it Goes" also from their upcoming release. This americana laced experimental rock band always keeps things interesting, you never know what to expect from their songs. They will be extensively touring starting in February. I've heard their shows are fantastic and exciting, I can't wait to go. 

Akron/Family - So It Goes

Seems like a pretty decent week. I'm excited for the new music to start pouring in. And I'm very happy to not even have to mention Kanye anymore. Happy listening this weekend.

Lykke Li - Get Some [video]

A few weeks ago the quirky and absolutely wonderful Lykke Li graced us with her new song "Get Some" and now we have her latest video for the song. It happens to be spreading around the blogosphere like wildfire so be sure to check it out. It can only make you love the song more than you already do. Enjoy.

Lykke Li - Get Some

Official | Myspace | 

Lykke Li never ceases to impress me. I have loved her quieter side with songs like "Little Bit", "Tonight", and "Dance Dance Dance", I guess in reality I like everything she has to offer, but this brand new song is something else. It has a great drum beat that reminds me of Emiliana Torrini's "Jungle Drum" but then it gets paired with some racy lyrics true to her form. Except these lyrics are pretty in your face "I'm your prostitute / You gonna get some". I love how she does that, and then you have this irresistible sound, that I can't stop listening to. Oh Lykke Li, you saucy minx. If you sign up for her mailing list you can get this song and another new one for free. Go get some.

Lykke Li - Get Some 

Lykke Li - Little Bit

This song is straight up sexy. It is served best with a drink in hand, getting ready for a night on the dance floor, while debating if you should text that new crush of yours. It will ultimately lead to you texting that crush of yours after the catchy chorus gets stuck in your head. You have been warned. It can easily be followed up by my other favorite Lykke Li song, Tonight. Both of these songs grab my attention with her almost distant yet penetrating voice and simple background noises, whatever instrument/computer combo they may be. We have mentioned her before and if you didn't pay attention then, I am asking you to pay attention now. These two songs, Tonight and Little Bit are some of my favorites, they should be yours too. Since I like to mention where artists are from she is from Sweden. Why is it that these Scandinavian songstresses have some of the most hypnotic voices? I would really like to know. Lykkeli Myspace

El Perro Del Mar - Change of Heart Rakamonie Remix

My ipod was on shuffle and this song I had not yet listened to played. I didn't pay much attention to the simple synthy beep bops. Then the beat picked up and I was hearing "we will never stop" lyrics repeat and suddenly I was blasting the song through my headphones, my pace picked up, each new step became purposeful. Just like that, this song became the perfect soundtrack to a breezy, blue skied, spring day. 

I am not typically a fan of remixes nor the electro genre (at least on my ipod), but much like this song, the genre as of late has been taking me by surprise. I wouldn't normally throw an electro song on my ipod for every day listening, it would go where it belongs in the weekend party mix, but songs like this are making me change my ways. Science says that if a baby doesn't like a specific food have him/her try it ten different times and eventually the baby learns to like it, with adults it takes a much longer trial period to adjust our tastes. I like to think that this is also true for music, if you listen to something long enough you will eventually start to find the positive aspects and it will grow on you, it may just take a lot of listens. This song would be easy to overlook or to dismiss saying "I don't really like electro/techno stuff", but if you listen to it in the right mood in the right atmosphere and enough times you might just decide you like it. 

El Perro Del Mar is a swedish singer, Sarah Assbring, whose latest album is titled "Love is Not Pop" which is enough by itself to make me like her. She has collaborated with a favorite of mine, Lykke Li on this song and there is this nifty little video of the two of them singing "Change of Heart". The official video for Change of Heart was voted by Pitchfork as one of the top music videos of 2009. You can get the free download of the remix here or on her website. You can listen to more of her stuff on myspace and make sure to check out "Let Me In". 

El Perro Del Mar - Change of Heart (Rakamonie Remix)

Lykke Li--I'm Good, I'm Gone

This is for Molly, kind of. She suggested "Everyone Bit Me". Gabbie gave me I'm Good, I'm Gone. Atypical for me.