August 2011
3 posts
2 tags
Painted Palms
The Neighborhood: SOMA // Painted Palms from Yours Truly on Vimeo.
Yours Truly profiled local act (via Louisiana) Painted Palms for the latest edition of their Neighborhood series. Aside from it being shot beautifully, I love this video for a few reasons. Reese and Chris, the cousin duo behind Painted Palms, live in my neighborhood and there are a number of great shots along Divisadero, the main...
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Foreign Born - Keep It In Mind
Foreign Born’s Person to Person remains a perennial summer favorite around these parts. Sadly, it does not look like we will be seeing a follow up to that record anytime soon. Secretly Canadian, the bands label, is reporting that the band will be going on indefinite hiatus as the members focus on other projects. As a parting gift, the guys have offered up a new song, their first since Person...
2 tags
The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient
The War on Drugs - “Come to the City” (Official Music Video) from Urban Outfitters on Vimeo.
Check out another video to surface from The War on Drug’s upcoming album, Slave Ambient. The video does a fantastic job of capturing the mood and textures of the more organic, layered sound that they first introduced on their Future Weather EP and pervades the new album. You can hear...
July 2011
1 post
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Shabazz Palaces - Live at KEXP
June 2011
2 posts
2 tags
Lia Ices - Ice Wine
Lia Ices - Ice Wine from Yours Truly on Vimeo.
I imagine this video was shot a few months back when Lia Ices came through San Francisco opening for the Cave Singers. I arrived uncharacteristically early to that show so was able to catch the entirety of their set. I was more or less captivated by her then and, not surprisingly, the team at Yours Truly has done an excellent job at bottling some of...
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Beirut - East Harlem
This new single from Beirut comes out tomorrow and it is a good reminder that we should all be listening to more Beirut. The repeated line of “the rising sound of your breath in the cold” is a particularly poignant moment that evokes images of a couple bracing against the chill on a winter night in the city.
Beirut - East Harlem by Revolver USA
May 2011
3 posts
2 tags
Washed Out - Eyes Be Closed
I haven’t done the requisite research to support this, but in a reflective moment the other night I wondered if my generation, the ambiguous 20-somethings, might be the first generation to actually prefer the way things were as we were growing up. Hardly the greatest generation, historians will refer to us as Generation N. The “N”, of course, for nostalgia. That feeling of vague...
2 tags
French Kicks - Sex Tourists
All splashy drums and blase vocals, the French Kicks aren’t trying to turn any heads with “Sex Tourists”. It is one of those songs you can listen to on repeat for hours without really hearing, one listen seamlessly blending into the next. But then there are those moments when you suddenly realize you stopped whatever you were doing 10 minutes ago and all you have been doing is...
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Alela Diane - Long Way Down
My first reaction after hearing Alela Diane’s new album, Alela Diane and Wild Divine, was to go back and listen to her previous album, To Be Still. Some important change had taken place over the course of albums, but I couldn’t put my finger on it without looking backwards. A few songs in my suspicions were confirmed: this was a new Alela Diane. To Be Still resonated with listeners...
April 2011
2 posts
2 tags
Gardens & Villa - Black Hills
Gardens & Villa are a new-to-me group out of San Diego looking to have a big year in 2011. They recently signed to Secretly Canadian, who will be releasing their debut LP in July, and have been touring up an down the west coast this Spring. I caught the tail end of one of their packed shows at Amnesia a few weeks ago and was impressed with the two songs I managed to hear. Although, I was...
3 tags
March 2011
4 posts
7 tags
G5: Rap's Weirdness
1. Apropos of nothing, B. Rich’s “Whoa Now,” featuring a great sample of “Movin’ On Up,” and an introduction to Baltimore, pre-The Wire. This track was huge the summer that my parents finally caved and got cable… to say the least, it was a formative summer of rushing home to watch 106 & Park and Rap City after my summer job.
2. Dave Bry has a...
1 tag
Best Thing on the Internet Today
“They’re like Nicki Minaj with dicks…”
“I broke that… fuck the framer.”
“It’s a little rapey…?”
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Mix of the Week: Jamie xx on BBC 6
This week’s Mix of the Week is Jamie xx’s monstrous two-hour long BBC 6 Mix. There’s loads of stuff from his collaboration with Gil Scott-Heron as well as some of the music that inspired his reinvention of Scott-Heron’s works. BBC 6 has taken down the mix, but some kind soul re-posted it in its entirety. Put this on next time you’re cleaning up or cooking dinner...
8 tags
G5: The Dream of the 90s
1. I’m a bit late on Portlandia. I like the show, particularly that they’re eager to play with the medium of their show and try different approaches, though it doesn’t always work for me. The opening musical number “Dream of the 90s,” however, is a jam. Where’s the full length release? I’ve been humming this track for weeks now. Considering the chops...
February 2011
23 posts
5 tags
G5: Childish Gambino
1. I dig this video for “Freaks and Geeks” from Donald Glover, fun production on the track too. Initially I though his Childish Gambino side project was something he did for fun, almost as a joke. Over the last few months, it’s become clear that rapping is something he takes seriously, and expects fans to take seriously as well. He certainly comes with a lot of energy. ...
2 tags
TV on the Radio, Will Do
I was pretty bummed when I heard TV on the Radio were going on a year long hiatus - they have been responsible for a lot of my favorite music over the past couple of years. I don’t know if it has actually been a year since that announcement or if Dave Sitek, the hardest working man in music, just couldn’t sit still any longer, but either way, they are back! Their new record, Nine Types...
6 tags
G5: Thursday, 2.24
1. NPR’s The Record blog has a great piece on Odd Future with loads of great insight from Noz. Also, Brick Stowell spent the last few weeks touring with the OFWGKTA crew and has loads of great shots up on his Tumblr.
2. Noz also wrote a rundown of XXL’s 2011 Freshman class. Some GREAT lines in here: on Diggy Simmons’ skills: “2/10 No. Just no.”; on Fred the...
2 tags
LCD Soundsystem, Dance Yrself Clean
Yes! Probably my favorite song of the last year gets a deservedly fun video. James Murphy does sort of sound like Kermit the Frog. Or maybe I am just saying that to get back at him for prematurely ending LCD and robbing me of the chance to ever see them live.
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Arches, Wide Awake
My good friend, Julien, from Arches just informed me that they are done with their debut album! A pretty epic effort considering they did the whole thing by themselves without the support of a label. You can help them get their music out to the world on vinyl by showing them some love at their kickstarter page and you can stream the whole thing below. That first track still sounds as fresh as it...
2 tags
Yuck, The Wall
I saw these guys open for Smith Westerns a few weekends back and this song in particular really stuck with me. They have a really strong, enveloping sound live that comes through well in this recording. The rest of their debut album is worth a listen as well.
4 tags
All of the Lights
WOW. The intro, Gaspar Noe biting, standing on top of cop cars, Rihanna doing Rihanna things (singing hooks, looking incredible, etc.), the way the whole thing is shot, playing with focus. Man, just, wow.
I could’ve gone with Nicki Minaj being featured instead of Cudi, but no matter, it’s a terrific video. The track was a favorite of the blog’s in 2010 and Hype Williams...
1 tag
Radiohead, King of Limbs
Radiohead continue to surprise everyone and have made King of Limbs available a day ahead of schedule. Go here to download your copy today! I am very interested to here everybody’s first reactions.
6 tags
Odd Future on Fallon
My feelings on Odd Future can be framed quite simply: • They terrify me and make me feel old. • Their talent (particularly that of Tyler, Earl and Hodgy) is undeniable and their willingness to hustle (in the non-selling of crack sense of the word) deserves recognition. Last night on Jimmy Fallon’s show, Tyler, The Creator and Hodgy Beats put on one of the better performances I can...
3 tags
Young Galaxy, Cover Your Tracks [EP]
I already thought of the new Young Galaxy album as a bit of a remix album, the band sent their tracks off to Sweden for a total reworking by Lissvik, waiting nine months before they could hear the finished product. But now they have gone ahead and released an EP of remixes for “Cover Your Tracks”, perhaps an intimidating assignment for any budding remixer: following in the footsteps...
1 tag
Smith Westerns, Bottom of the Hill
I recently relocated to San Francisco and have been itching to get out to see some live music. My inaugural outing finally came around this past Sunday when I went to see Smith Westerns at Bottom of the Hill, a great little venue over by Potrero Hill. At the time I hadn’t done much listening to the Smith Westerns most recent album, Dye it Blonde, but new the stat sheet well enough:...
4 tags
Jamie XX & Gil Scott-Heron, We're New Here
Jamie XX created a fair amount of buzz with his dub-y remix of Gil Scott-Heron’s “NY is Killing Me”. Now you can here the full album of remixes which Jamie XX is calling We’re New Here. A good cross-generational collaboration and further proof that the XX, or Jamie at the very least, will be sticking around for years to come. Plus, “Running” is a total jam.
1 tag
Radiohead, King of Limbs
In a surprising (but very welcome) announcement, Radiohead will release their 8th album, King of Limbs, this Saturday!! Get all the details and pre-order the album here.
3 tags
Tyler, The Creator, Yonkers
I am always very curious why certain rappers are embraced by the blogging community. OFWGKTA, led by Tyler, The Creator, seem to be on everyone’s tongues these days. In their case, I am pretty convinced (besides the music, obviously) it is because white indie kids simply can’t figure them out. And if this video is any indication, Tyler knows it. He knows it and he is going to use it....
7 tags
"No Battleships Today, That's Nice"
Last week, I was catching up with Rachel, a dear friend of the blog, and she asked me what had been in my headphones recently. After a few false starts in writing a list of stuff to her, I thought to myself, ‘Wait, you’ve been absolute crap with your posting consistency at CotP. Why don’t you re-evaluate your neglect and write this for the blog?’ So without further...
4 tags
Distant Relatives
Do you miss the days of over-the-top After Effects in hip-hop videos? Do you like smoke machines, burning torches and lions in your music videos? Are you nostalgic for absurd interpretations of iconography? Me neither, but there’s plenty of each to spare in the latest video from Nas and Damian Marley’s Distant Relatives collaboration. It must be strange as a performer to shoot...
6 tags
G5: Wednesday, February 9
1. To the internet, I say, “Good on you” for the baby Kanye West meme that took off yesterday. 2. Cut Copy just seem like some bros we’d all like to chill with, playing the dozens and whatnot. 3. Pitchfork caught up with Slug about Atmosphere’s upcoming album The Family Sign and his persona as a rapper:
…there are a lot of fictitious narratives on this one, too,...
2 tags
More Toro Y Moi?
More Toro Y Moi. Such a jam. I’m trying to place the progression of the synth… is that a sample? Have we heard this somewhere before? Brownie points and a shout out to anyone who can help me out with this in the comments.
You can stream Under The Pine in its entirety over at Urban Outfitters.
(Can’t you just see the UO people talking in meetings about their brand as a...
2 tags
7 tags
G5: Tuesday, February 8
Thelonius Monk, the picture of cool. (via)
Bobby Hundreds went to visit Epitaph Records and came away with some cool shots.
A project worthy of your support: DJ Rupture is headed to Morocco to record native musicians over there. Help him out over at Kickstarter.
Take a listen to Theophilus London’s debut EP Lover’s Holiday. It’s out today, so if you like what you hear, you...
2 tags
Young Galaxy, Shapeshifting
I stumbled across the video for Young Galaxy’s “We Have Everything” a few days ago and wondered how I had not heard anything from them before. Then, listening to the song on my Ipod today I realized they were the same people responsible for “Peripheral Visionaries”, a song I obsessed over for a while when it showed up on Said the Gramaphone’s year-end best of...
2 tags
Rural Alberta Advantage, Stamp
I got a good kick out of this tongue-in-cheek video for The Rural Alberta Advantage’s latest single, “Stamp”. I think we have all given the accidental brush a try at a concert before.
4 tags
WatchG5 - February 2, Wednesday
I missed Acrylics the first time around a few years ago. I really dig this song, thanks to Stereogum for the video.
John Roderick of The Long Winters discusses the idea that “shuffle” has ruined our ability to place music in its intended context: “We forget that DEVO was protest music, the Talking Heads made social commentary, the Pet Shop Boys were...
3 tags
Toro Y Moi, Underneath the Pine
Successfully avoiding the inevitable backlash that comes from any new emerging sub-genre, the few “chillwavers” who actually deserved the early attention are starting to cement their reputation on the scene. None has done this better than Toro y Moi, whose first album I just recently fell back in love with. The follow up to that record, Underneath the Pine, is being readied for...
January 2011
11 posts
2 tags
Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues
It has been over two years since we have heard anything from Fleet Foxes, so it comes with great excitement to hear that their second album is done. Helplessness Blues will be released May 3 and you can stream the title track above. They certainly did not lost their effortless charm in the past two years.
Hype Machine, 2010 Zeitgeist
I have fallen out of love with end of year lists as of late, but I should give credit where credit is due. Hype Machine recently launched their 2010 Music Zeitgeist which puts a creative spin on the end of year list. They do this sort of thing better than anybody else. According to the people at HypeM the interactive feature is “a collection of the very best music of 2010 as picked by music...
3 tags
G5: January 31, Monday
As always, or sometimes, your occasional EP of links…
I stumbled across this great set of photos of musicians with their parents from Life Magazine. Above: Elton John with his folks.
Esquire’s Chris Jones discusses receiving a care package from a friend at a small label and his relationship to music as physical object. I particularly liked this line: ”Someone could email me...
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8 tags
WatchG5: January 30, Sunday… as always, or sometimes, your occasionally daily EP of links
This video, titled Girl Walk and set to Girl Talk’s All Day, is fun. The folks at Cargo Collective are going to extend this dance piece to accompany the length of the album.
The Guardian’s profile of Dilla, including a discussion of the adaptation - Suite for Ma Dukes - of some of his music...
3 tags
We Got More
Eskmo’s latest “We Got More” is one of the more creative videos I’ve seen of late. The cuts right on the beats and changes in perspective are, for lack of a better descriptor, really dope. Not sure what was up with the skinny-jean and Supra wearing television sets, but I enjoyed how Cyriak (the video editor) took simple, random footage and created something dynamic...
2 tags
Destroyer, Kaputt
mp3: Destroyer - Chinatown
Destroyer is the project of Vancouver singer-songwriter Dan Bejar. On January 25th, Destroyer and Bejar will release Kaputt, their ninth full-length studio album. Having heard very little of the other eight, it is difficult to compare Kaputt to his previous work, yet, listening to the album I can’t help but think that Kaputt is the work of a brilliant songwriter...
2 tags
Panda Bear, Atiba Song
I can’t say that I am desperate for new Panda Bear material the way a lot of people are these days, but I can get behind almost any song that scores a skate movie. Atiba Jefferson and Ty Evans did a short video for Panasonic CES 2011 and a somewhat unlikely Panda Bear wrote “Atiba Song” for the production. I am not crazy about the way the music is paired up with the action,...
2 tags
James Blake, BBC Session
Listening to James Blake is an intimate experience, true head-phone music if there ever was any. I have been listening to his self-titled full length almost every night as I get into bed and it often brings me to the brink of sleep. Blake is a master of timing and often uses silence as his most powerful instrument. Many of the most poignant moments on the album fall in between notes. Needless...
3 tags
Kurt Vile, Smoke Ring For My Halo
mp3:Kurt Vile - Jesus Fever
The ever prolific Kurt Vile will return to his solo ways in March with the release of Smoke Ring for My Halo, his second major label full-length. After drooling over a lot of his earlier work, I had a hard time connecting with Childish Prodigy, his first supposed to be breakout record on Matador. Vile tried on a louder, rockier sound and it didn’t quite fit. I...
November 2010
1 post
2 tags
