New Music Tuesday December 11th

December 11th

A very quiet week for new releases, unless you count the overload of hip-hop crap. Atleast one release is local, one is friggen sweet, and one is on to ‘ to purchase’ list.

“Alarm Clock” by The Rumble Strips’ new EP “The Alarm Clock”. This is a great “teen movie opener theme song”. These indie-pop rockers will be on the tip of your tongue by this Spring, I think. They’re British, and sometimes us Americans don’t get to hear music from across the pond til they get too big. So be the first to rock to the Rumble Strips in the US - cuz like the band The Kooks, they are still under the radar, and that’s a good thing.

“New York 1930” from The Dimes new album “the Silent Generation”. This is simply a fun album. These boys like to harmonize in their folkesque way. They are actually from here in my hometown of Portland, which is pretty cool. Always nice to see a neighbor make it big. They had their record release party last summer with Jonah at Holocene. Pretty neat, huh? Yeah I wouldn’t know, I didn’t make it. That’s ok, they play all the time. For their schedule, check http://www.myspace.com/thedimes for details. 


“Superstar” by Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos, from Lupe’s new album “Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool”. Yeah, Lupe is cool. I do not apologize for promoting this song. You might as well face the music and enjoy Lupe, cuz he’s here to stay.

“It’s my fault for being famous” off of The White Stripes “Conquest” EP. Icky Thump is one of my top albums from 2007, so I was intrigued to see that they released an EP of my favorite song from the album. It’s totally their fault for being soooooo kick ass. I just hope their magic doesn’t fade away. It’s a love hate relationship for me with this EP, I want them to keep producing music, I absolutely love it, but I’m afraid they may need to stop while they’re ahead for right now. However, if they keep making music like “Honey I can’t afford to look this cheap” than I have nothing to worry about.


“Want to Fly” from Philip Glass’s album “Book of Longing: A Song Cycle Based on the Poetry and Images of Leonard Cohen”, which he composed songs to coincide with Leonard’s words from his poetry. Always happy with Cohen’s work, and am equally happy with this piece of art. It’s seemingly amazing to see two artists work together like this and have it flow in the right direction. Mr Cohen and Mr Glass both have a reputable history of work and someone was a genius to mesh these two talents together. This is on my must buy list for 2008. Too late to ask for it for Christmas…


“The Heart Gently Weeps” from Wu Tang Clan, featuring Erykah Badu, Dhani Harrison, and John Frusciante, from the Wu’s new album “The 8 Diagrams”. It’s silly to me to read the words “heart, gently, and weep” followed by the ‘n’ word and “killers” and “shooting” and “booty”. I was expecting something quite different. Clearly, I didn’t get the hip/hop vibe taste that seems to be infecting the radio these days, for songs like this I have a hard time ‘jamming’ to. I do believe that there is a strand of poetry in hip hop that deems it worthy of being played, the Wu Tang Clan has been around for ages and can hold their own in the music industry. In fact, this song was on the ‘Key Track” list to download in Rolling Stone Magazine in December. I have it on my iPod and will have to listen closer…

“Freaky Gurl” from Gucci Mane’s new record “Back to the Traphouse”. The song also features Lil Kim and Ludacris. I actually skipped 4 hip-hop record reviews this week and two still made on my list. Gucci Mane borrows Rick James hit “Super Freak” which was revived last year after Abigail’s dance in “Little Miss Sunshine”. It’s a different version from the classic, no doubt about it. I’m sure its playing in the Abercrombie and Fitch as we speak….