Natty - Man Like I

Natty is one of the most impressive reggae acts i've seen in many years. Natty mixes the classic reggae sound with alternative rock to create some meaningful yet relaxing and mellow music. It's so easy to have his debut album Man Like I just playing in the background, that it is almost difficult to pay attention to since it fits as background music for almost any non-climactic situation. However, missing out on this music would be a mistake since it has more to offer than just noise. Natty's songs revolve around pressing issues and common human wants and thoughts that everyone can relate to. The music is cleanly cut and nothing is out of place.

Don't miss out on what is a great evolution for reggae and a great way to bring it back into the mainstream.

nattymusic.com

Here are a few tracks off of his free live EP:

Natty - Bad Man

Natty - Cold Town

The link isn't currently working but you should be able to download his live EP here:
http://www.myfreedownload.co.uk/nattyliveep

Natty's album isn't on the US iTunes but you can get it on amazon
amazon

Wear Your Flavor

In honor of the comeback i've created a t-shirt design that should be iron-onable. I hope it's interesting enough that even if you're not a fan of the blog you might print it off anyway.

here's the full size URL: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3486/3177379281_96b85bde99_o.png

Cheers!

I'm Not Dead Yet

I had posted an elaborate message containing information about how the blog should be coming back, and listing my top 10 albums of 2008, but it has mysteriously vanished. My Fileden account has also been suspended. This is all curious since the only tracks I've ever posted have been recorded myself or been available off of the websites of the bands. I wish someone could have contacted me before deleting my information, but i suppose that's the way some of these copyright cops operate. I'll have to figure the issue out, but until then here's my top 10 of 2008.

Top 10 Albums

10. Such Fun - Annuals
Great sophomore album, cleaned up their sound while keeping their energy.

9. Skeletal Lamping - Of Montreal
One of the most original albums of 2008. Great mix of songs, a natural evolution for the band.

8. Modern Guilt - Beck
Produced by Danger Mouse, that's all you need to know.

7. Blood Moon - Apes & Androids
Mixes so many sounds/genres it's outrageous.

6. Falling Off The Lavender Bridge - Lightspeed Champion
One of the most touching and meaningful albums of the year by far.

5. Red, Yellow, & Blue - Born Ruffians
Proof that music can be quirky and off-beat but just plain good.

4. Konk/Rak - The Kooks
Relaxing, tightly knit, and smooth. Rak offers a whole new side of the band that shouts indie.

3. Intimacy - Bloc Party
Takes the band in a whole new direction, a great innovation and good experimentation.

2. Elephant Shell - Tokyo Police Club
Honest and earnest, this is the way all music should be.

1. Oracular Spectacular - MGMT
This album covers all of it's bases. Catchy, hypnotic, innovative, and relational. This album could mean absolutely nothing, or absolutely everything. Either way Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser have figured out how to turn art into soundwaves.


Honorables:
Sleep Through the Static - Jack Johnson
Man Like I - Natty
Day & Age - The Killers
Fantasy Black Channel - Late of the Pier
Rabbit Habits - Man Man
Antidotes - Foals
The Odd Couple - Gnarls Barkley



EPs:
5. Who's Gonna Save My Soul Now EP - Gnarls Barkley

4. I Need A Life EP - Born Ruffians

3. Don't You Evah EP - Spoon

2. Mercury EP - Bloc Party

1. Metanoia EP - MGMT
One track, but it is a journey. Metanoia may seem dragged out and pointless, but you aren't listening closely. It starts out with a rhythmic alternative ballad, then explodes into a rock epic. A small pause, and everything escalates. The sound dies out and gives way to a reprise which builds and builds back again from acoustic and this time to an electric groove. The conclusion: A final statement, and we are lead out by other-worldly sounds.

Intimacy Review (Bloc Party)

Intimacy hit the virtual shelves of cyberspace last Thursday, so I thought I'd put in my two cents on the album.

To begin, if you know who Bloc Party is, you probably adore them and already own this album, but if not, I strongly suggest you check the band out in general. Intimacy's new variety opens the band up better to fans of electronica and the like, with it's freshly mixed tracks. The reason behind all of the extensive track editing probably lies in the fact that from what I've heard most of the album was written inside of the studio, unlike Silent Alarm and [most of] A Weekend In The City before it. Kele Okereke (vocals/2nd guitar) and Russell lissack (lead guitar) are both DJs, which shows in this album as they were able to really let loose with their creative styles in the sound room.

The album has some respectable range: Basing itself in some louder beat-driven electronic rock (Ares, Trojan Horse, Halo) unlike it's preceeding albums, but branching out into some rather soft familiar alternative tracks like Biko and Signs. I must say only Bloc Party could deliver so strongly inside this spread.

Though there isn't as much of an overlaying theme as in "A Weekend In The City", "Intimacy" is a very apt title since most of the songs seem to revolve around relationships. Lyrically, Kele Okereke delivers as one of the most deep and ingenious lyricists of our generation. Musically it's a clear and exciting evolution for the band. There are many subtleties added onto the multiple levels of sound that show how carefully crafted these ten songs really were.

If you're looking for something deep and edgy, or just something to blast out of your car, Intimacy has it all. Let's hope the four brits continue sharing their enormous talent and experiences in such creative ways in the future.

BLOC INSIDERS:
Familiar with bloc party? I'll give you a bit of a basis to see how the album compares to previous tracks.

1."Ares" SOUNDS LIKE "The Prayer" from A Weekend In The City (AWitC), "Helicopter" from Silent Alarm (SA), "Uniform" from AWitC

2. "Mercury" SOUNDS LIKE "The Prayer" from AWitC, "Flux" from Flux Single

3. "Halo" SOUNDS LIKE "Positive Tension" from SA, "The Once And Future King" from B sides, "Luno" from SA

4. "Biko" SOUNDS LIKE "Emma Kate's Accident" from B sides, "Rhododendrons" from B-Sides, "Kreuzberg" from AWitC, "SXRT" from AWitC

5."Trojan Horse" SOUNDS LIKE "The Prayer" from AWitC, "Helicopter" from SA, "Hunting For Witches" from AWitC

6."Signs" SOUNDS LIKE "Flux" from Flux Single, "On" from AWitC, "Uniform" from AWitC

7. "One Month Off" SOUNDS LIKE "Songs For Clay (Disappear Here)" from AWitC, [Lyrically] "Selfish Son" from B-Sides

8."Zepherus" SOUNDS LIKE "The Answer" from Bloc Party EP, "Uniform" AWitC

9."Better Than Heaven" SOUNDS LIKE "Positive Tension" from SA, "Skeleton" from Little Thoughts EP

10. "Ion Square" SOUNDS LIKE "Blue Light" from SA, "So Here We Are" from SA, "Little Thoughts" from Little Thoughts EP

Bloc Party.net reviewed each individual track in a great article on their blog/site here.

Buy Intimacy.
Visit Bloc Party.com
Myspace

Apes & Androids & Intimacy

Apes & Androids have become a recent obsession for me. The band molds psychedelic electronic beats with power-rock vocals to create a truly new sound. This band has more range in their one album than any band I've heard before. From mellow acoustic, to hard rock, to electronica, Blood Moon has it all. Though Apes & Androids are a bit of an aquired taste, once appreciated they never fail to impress. With 18 glorious tracks (Which includes a sound-effect filled intro and outro), you can't afford not to get this great album.

Golden Prize - Apes & Androids
Creepy Girls - Apes & Androids
Nights Of The Week - Apes & Androids

Visit Apes & Androids online:
http://apesandandroids.com/
Myspace
Buy Blood Moon

On to other news, Bloc Party's 3rd album "Intimacy" will debut on August 21! You can pre-order it right now on their website:
http://blocparty.sandbag.uk.com/

Tracklist:
01. Ares
02. Mercury
03. Halo
04. Biko
05. Trojan Horse
06. Signs
07. One Month Off
08. Zephyrus
09. Better Than Heaven
10. Ion Square

http://www.blocparty.com