I dig these guys. So unique with their sound.  "Sweet Salvation" is the first single from their upcoming full length, titled "Troubadour."  Stones Throw Records really struck gold with this group.  One thing that really sticks out for me is their harmonies.

Gilles Peterson will always be an inspiration and motivator for my passion for radio.  Dude is cream of the crop in the independent radio world to me.  Pushing out consistent content for 20+ years is not an easy task, and yet Gilles makes it look easy, with radio programs, dj mixes, dj gigs, an international festival, and even his own awards ceremony, celebrating good music from across the globe.  He is truly a remarkable brand, and human being.

I got an email from the Gilles Peterson Worldwide email list today about their revamped website, and they posted a picture of the new Brownswood FM radio studios, located in the basement of Brownswood Records.  This is what I need to be doing!  This setup looks amazing, even in its minimal nature (no posters on the walls?!).  I'm now inspired to get my studio to this level.

So Rebecca Ferguson has pop exposure already, being a runner up on the X-Factor.  That being said, this type of album doesn't normally come down my path, but I heard "Mr. Bright Eyes" and I thought this was some underground soul singer making her breakthrough.  I was wrong, and that's okay.  I guess it's a good thing I don't watch TV.  Maybe I would've been sick of her if I actually watched that season of X-Factor.  I listened to the entire album that "Mr. Bright Eyes" was on, and wasn't 100% sold, but I DID find this song, the closing track to the album, which is amazing.  Who does she remind me of? Patti Labelle? Not sure.  Enjoy.

p.s. I know I'm late on this one.  Big surprise.

You can really see Jamie Lidell picking up the new music trends and molding them with his super soul vocals.  Compared to his last two albums, this track is leaps and bounds in a more electronic direction, and I actually didn't like it the first time I heard it.  Jamie's vocals, though, are undeniable.  The tone he carries is amazing, and worth checking out if you've never heard his previous material.  His new self-titled album is set to release in February 2013 on Warp Records.

So yeah, as much as I can talk bad about the pop/dubstep sound, I still woke up with it in my head, and I still enjoy it.  Download for free on Jamie Lidell's website.

Another song that I discovered listening to KCRW.  That doesn't say much for me, though, since that means someone discovered it before me, played it, and then I passed it on like I'm the tastemaker.  But hey, maybe some of you will have never heard this song if not for my little ol blog.  I find comfort in that.  It's all about sharing, people.

I know what I know, and I like what I like.  I don't know much about Jim James other than the fact that he is in another well known band, My Morning Jacket.  I know and like few of their songs, but I wouldn't say I know enough about them or him to call myself a fan.  Never-the-less, I realllllllllly dig this track.  This immediately took me to the first time I heard Katalyst and Steve Spacek's "How 'Bout Us."  There is something about the usage of horn stabs that really speaks to me, and top it with James's tenor vocals and it's a done deal. 

Tame Impala blew me away when I heard the "Innerspeaker" album.  I don't even know how to describe it anymore.  Is it psych-rock? Prog-rock? Dub-rock-wave (I don't even know what that is)?! AHHH! All I know is whatever this sound is that they create, I'm all over it.  So when their newest album, "Lonerism," came out, I knew it was going to be good.  No worries of them falling off, whatsoever.  And I was right. 

So yesterday on the bus I'm listening to music on my phone, and I heard "Be Above It," the opening track to Tame Impala's "Lonerism," and I started thinking about the importance of the opening track of any album.  Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of The Moon," Nas's "Illmatic," ATCQ's "Low End Theory," Michael Jackson's "Thriller," Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue."  You can pretty much go to any classic album and find that the opening track was as equally important as the album as a whole.

"Lonerism" is no exception.  Check out the opening track, and become a fan.  This is still a band who i have not seen perform live, and I regret missing every one of their Los Angeles appearances.

I heard this track quite a bit over the last month, and then stopped hearing it, as DJ's moved on to other songs from her new album, "Is Your Love Big Enough?" But this one was in my head allllllllll morning.  Lianne La Havas is an amazing singer/songwriter from London, who really solidified her place in my heart with "Forget." This is one of very few artists whose lyrics actually stay with me.  I NEVER pay attention to lyrics. My brain doesn't process them, for some reason, but rather groups the melody of the voice as part of the overall musical piece.  So this is a big deal.

Another thing I can't stop praising is Lianne's guitar playing and great arrangements to accompany her insightful, somewhat melancholy take on love and ex-boyfriends (I watched her performance on this year's iTunes festival and she attributed a whole segment of the show to her ex). I absolutely love the guitar intro of this song (kind of reminds me of this), and would love to make a re-edit of this if I can make some time in the near future. Lianne La Havas is in town this November at The Roxy. I highly recommend you see her.  I'll definitely be there vibing out!

Enjoy.

This one was in my head when my eyes opened this morning. I often don't get down with some of the more vocal jazz fusion of the mid to late 70's. it tends to get a little soft for my palette, with a couple of exceptions: anything by George Duke, Flora Purim, and Herbie Hancock. This Alphonso Johnson album features a pretty heavy lineup of musicians:

Alphonso Johnson : Bass & Vocal
Philip Bailey : Vocals
Diane Reeves : Vocals
Grover Washington Jr : Tenor Saxophone
Patrice Rushen : Electric Piano
Lee Ritenour : Guitar
Mike Clark : Drums
Sheila Escovedo : Congas
David Foster : Organ
Ian Underwood : synthesizers,

The vocals by the amazing Diane Reeves are really what drew me in to this record. I can't even remember where I bought this LP.  I'm almost positive it was a dollar bin purchase, maybe $3.  Did I get it at a thrift store? Amoeba? Endo? Either way, what's important is that I share it with you. Hope you like it.

I always wake up with a song in my head. I spent about a month waking up to Amy Winehouse for some reason. It usually lingers until the afternoon, or until I bombard myself with music to distract me (that doesn't always work). This morning was Twin Shadow. This dude is oozing 80's movie cheese, on some Richard Grieco tip, which works if you're scoring an 80's movie (based in the present OR future), and that's what it seems like he's doing.

This first single, titled "5 Seconds," from his recently released "Confess" album were built for an 80's flick, and all the official videos that are available are revolving around a story that was written by the artist, I believe.  Dig the villains' cool headpieces, though! I can critique this all day, but, at the end if the day, you have to recognize that he totally nailed the sound he was aiming for (a la top gun video montage), and the fact that I've had it in my head all day.  At least now I can visualize those Jason Voorhees looking dudes running through the forest after the guy riding the bike with really fancy shoes on (he's the leader of a gang?).

Just when you thought that the Easy Star All-Stars couldn't come up with a better idea for a cover album, boom, they hit you with "Easy Star's Thrillah."  This is an amazing reggae version of the Michael Jackson classic, released just a day before MJ would have turned 53 (Rest in Peace, Michael).

One thing about Easy Star cover albums is that they really do their research.  From front to back, they make sure the original album is intact, with respectful renditions that are just too good to be true.  My first experience with the Easy Star All Stars was back in 2006.  I was in Maui, and a friend of mine put on their debut, "Dub Side of The Moon," while we were driving around Kihei.  One of her friends had mentioned it to me at a party the night before, that there was a reggae version of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of The Moon," and I was completely oblivious.  She put this on and from the intro I was hooked.

Definitely was stood out to me was their version of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," which brings an afrobeat vibe to the party.  Lovin it!

Cop the vinyl at a decent price on Easy Star's website.  Go for the Vinyl and T-shirt bundle!