Hurt So Good

Hurt So Good; Sometimes a collaboration does just that. Another N.A.S.A. track has broken and let me just say "Spacious Thoughts" literally gives me the chills. I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more Spirit of Apollo. No, not more cowbell Bruce Dickenson! More North America South America!! Bill my insurance.

John Cougar Mellencamp - Hurt So Good [mf]

Tom Waits was such an amazing choice for this collaboration. I might like this better than the blitzfest that was Kanye/Lykke/Santi's "Gifted"! Please, please listen.

N.A.S.A. ft. Kool Keith and Tom Waits - Spacious Thoughts [mf]

In perpetration for my inevitable obsession with this record I'm cleaning house. Watch out MGMT, Mr. Oizo, TV on the Radio; there simply isn't enough time for me to stalk you all anymore. Someone will be eliminated from the inner circle tonight. And no, NO one has immunity...

Just Peace,

LTK

Drug Dee-la

So Lily Allen's cover of Britney's "Womanizer" hit the airwaves today and the buzz is nonstop. Ladyhawke covered it on Radio One as well, but so far in my book the cover crown goes to Lily. After listening to "Everyone's At It" as well as four other leaked tracks off her much-anticipated sophmore release, I have a feeling It's Not Me, It's You won't disappoint. The lyrics on this one had me at hello. Okay, so maybe the highlighted portion...

Lily Allen - Everyone's At It [mf]

I don't know much,
But I know this for certain,
That is the sun,
Poking its head round the curtain.

Now please can we leave,
I'd like to go to bed now.
It's not just the sun,
That is hurting my head now.

I'm not trying to say,
That I'm smelling of roses,
But when will we tire,
Of putting shit up our noses.

I don't like staying up,
Staying up past the sunlight.
It's meant to be fun,
And this just doesn't feel right.

Why can't we all,
All just be honest,
Admit to ourselves,
That everyone's on it.

From grown politicians,
To young adolescents,
Prescribing themselves,
Anti-depressants.

How can we start to tackle the problem,
If you don't put your hands up,
And admit that you're on them.

The kids are in danger,
They're all getting habits,
Because from what I can see,
Everyone's at it.
Everyone's at it.
Everyone's at it.
Everyone's at it.

I get involved,
But I'm not advocating.
Got an opinion,
Yeah, you're well up for slating.

So you've got a prescription,
And that makes it legal.
I find the excuses,
Overwhelmingly feeble.

You go to the doctor,
You need pills to sleep in.
Well if you can convince him,
Then I guess that's not cheating.

So your daughter's depressed,
We'll get her straight on the prozac.
But little do you know,
She already takes crack.

Why can't we all,
All just be honest,
Admit to ourselves,
That everyone's on it.

From grown politicians,
To young adolescents,
Prescribing themselves,
Anti-depressants.

How can we start to tackle the problem,
If you don't put your hands up,
And admit that you're on them.

The kids are in danger,
They're all getting habits,
Because from what I can see,
Everyone's at it.
Everyone's at it.
Everyone's at it.
Everyone's at it.

Goldielocks - Drug-Dee-la [mf]

Bonus: Lily Allen - Womanizer (Britney Spears Cover) [mf]
Bonus: Ladyhawke - Womanizer (Britney Spears Cover) [mf]

P, L, and Daddy-O You Got the Swagga of a Champion,
LTK

First Love

Ahhh... first love. Really it was tetherball, kicking boys I liked, and eating Kool Aid straight from the packet.

Adele - First Love [mf]

But just for today, Animal Collective is my real first romance. Not only did Strawberry Jam rock my freaking world last year, but AC is shaping up to take me (and you) by storm in 2009. One song is proof enough for me. Drop whatever you are doing and go listen to this stream.

Animal Collective - My Girls [Streaming]

Bonus: Animal Collective - Fireworks [mf]

Peace, Love, and Peacebones,

LTK

Nothing Compares 2 You ...

... Or Does It? Time for a TV Tunes Flashback! Well, sort of. Enough ambiguity for you?

Stereophonics - Nothing Compares 2 U (Prince Cover) [mf]

I know by this point the Chuck parody of The O.C. is old news, but I was watching reruns of the gorgeous troubled teens soap opera the other day - remember, judgement is a sin - and when "Dice" came on montage style, I was reminded how genius Josh Schwartz is for being able to poke fun at his own absolutely gratuitous dramatization. L-O-V-E it. Or maybe just Zachary Levi. He might need to marry me.

Check out the original first:

Now the hilarious parody:

Now download the song if you don't already fall asleep to it every night.

Finley Quaye ft. William Orbit - Dice [mf]

Peace, Love, and Producers Not Taking Their Soap Opera Stylings Too Seriously,

LTK

Write What You Know

The Bird and the Bee - Love Letter to Japan [mf] *Link Added 12.13.08

From the west to the east I have flown to be near you
I have come all this way to be close, to be here with you
And now, all my heart I will lay down precisely at your feet

My beloved, oh my sweet
All the gifts you have given me
The patience and the peace,
Cherry blossoms and the candy,
I am yours, I am yours
For as long, for as long as you will have me

Dearest one, I had a dream
I mouthed the words,
The sound came out,
I spoke to you in Japanese
Oh, my love I cannot see, I heard your name
I know at once there was no place I’d rather be
All at once there was no place that I would rather be

From the west to the east I have flown to be near you
I have come all this way to be close, to be here with you
And now, all my heart I will lay down precisely at your feet

My beloved, oh my sweet
All the gifts you have given me
The patience and the peace,
Cherry blossoms and the candy,
I am yours, I am yours
For as long, for as long as you will have me

I packed my bag, I’m on my way
I am prepared for any season
I am prepared to stay
Here is my heart, my beating heart
Oh, how I’m longing for this love affair to start
How I’m longing for this love affair to finally start

From the west to the east I have flown to be near you
I have come all this way to be close, to be here with you
And now, all my heart I will lay down precisely at your feet

My beloved, oh my sweet
All the gifts you have given me
The patience and the peace,
Cherry blossoms and the candy,
I am yours, I am yours
For as long, for as long as you will have me

[… Japanese …]

From the west to the east I have flown to be near you
I have come all this way to be close, to be here with you
And now, all my heart I will lay down precisely at your feet

My beloved, oh my sweet
All the gifts you have given me
The patience and the peace,
Cherry blossoms and the candy,
I am yours, I am yours
For as long, for as long as you will have me

Bonus: Stars - Write What You Know [mf]

Around the World

North America South America / N.A.S.A. this way comes... Everyone has been talking about their "Gifted" single because, let's face it, getting Kanye West, Lykke Li, and Santogold on the same track is like audible gold. Talk about triple threat. Get ready for the madness that will be The Spirit of Apollo out this February 17, 2009.

Daft Punk - Around the World [mf]

N.A.S.A. (North America South America) is an international collective of musicians spanning a wide spectrum of musical genres, centered around Squeak E. Clean (Sam Spiegel) and DJ Zegon (Ze Gonzales). Sam and Ze met in April of 2003 at a friend's studio and began making music together the following day.

At first they sampled rare Brazilian records from the 60's and 70's to make tracks. However, what started as two crate diggers making music for the fun of it soon developed into something much bigger. Having forged a strong friendship through their passion for music, Sam and Ze decided to make a record with all of their heroes and favorite musicians.

The idea was to bring people from different worlds together through their shared inspiration and love of music. Thus, N.A.S.A. was born, with crazy collaborations like Ol' Dirty Bastard (Wu-Tang Clan), Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), and Fatlip (Pharcyde) on one track, David Byrne (Talking Heads), Chali 2na (Jurassic 5), and Gift of Gab (Blackalicious) on another, and even a pairing of Tom Waits with Kool Keith.

Soon Sam and Ze realized they could expand the concept to encompass an entire record. The idea is to ignore all of the boundaries and borders that are in place to keep people divided, such as musical genre, race, politics, geography, language, etc. As a result, they gathered the craziest and most eclectic collection of musicians ever assembled on one album in the hope that they can show, through music, that all those superficial divisions are an illusion.

N.A.S.A. proves we are all one race of human beings interested in collaboration and unity, ignoring preconceptions, and transcending genre definitions.

LA LA LA Loves it.

Track Listing for Spirit of Apollo:

01 Intro
02 The People Tree [ft. David Byrne, Chali 2na, Gift of Gab & Z-Trip]
03 Money [ft. David Byrne, Chuck D, Ras Congo, Seu Jorge & Z-Trip]
04 NASA Music [ft. Method Man, E-40 & DJ Swamp]
05 Way Down [ft. RZA, Barbie Hatch & John Frusciante]
06 Hip Hop [ft. KRS-One, Fatlip & Slim Kid Tre]
07 Four Rooms, Earth View
08 Strange Enough [ft. Karen O, Ol' Dirty Bastard & Fatlip]
09 Spacious Thoughts [ft. Tom Waits & Kool Keith]
10 Gifted [ft. Kanye West and others TBD]
11 A Volta [ft. Sizzla, Amanda Blank & Lovefoxxx]
12 There's a Party [ft. George Clinton & Chali 2na]
13 Whachadoin? [ft. Spank Rock, M.I.A., Santogold & Nick Zinner]
14 O Pato [ft. Kool Kojak & DJ Bãboa]
15 Samba Soul [ft. Del Tha Funkee Homosapien & DJ Qbert]
16 The Mayor [ft. The Cool Kids, Ghostface Killah, DJ AM & Scarface]
17 N.A.S.A. Anthem

N.A.S.A. ft. Kanye, Santogold, & Lykke Li - Gifted [mf]

Peace, Love, and Global Sound,
LTK

Harlem Shuffle

Do the Harlem Shuffle People... It's sure better than Cupid's stupid dance. Here's a little random sip of my iPod today. Yummy enough to eat (or drink), right?

The Rolling Stones - Harlem Shuffle [mf]

B.B. King - Why I Sing the Blues

Freezepop - Less Talk More Rock [mf]

Cat Power - Living Proof

The National - Secret Meeting [mf]

Interpol - Take You on a Cruise [mf]

Dr. Dog - The Girl [mf]

Mohd Rafi - Jaan Pechechaan Ho (Off the Ghost World Soundtrack) [mf]

The Clash - Red Angel Dragnet

Ella Fitzgerald - Solitude

Rilo Kiley- Plane Crash in C [mf]

Oren Lavie - Her Morning Elegance [mf]

Sam Cooke - You Send Me [mf]

Peace, Love, and Geographically-relevant dance breaks,

LTK

Get Better

Mates of State - Get Better (mf)

Forget all your politics for a while.
Let the color schemes arrive.
Come onboard, it's a curious sight.
Absorbing sound that's never been right.
Never ahead of, never behind it.
Occasionally guarded, just keeps us surrounded.
It's luck.

Everything's gonna get lighter, even if it never gets better.
Ahhh.

I propose a less serious boat.
But don't mistake it for a party of jokes, who are never ahead of, never behind us.
Floating in circles there's more to remind them of less.

Everything's gonna get lighter, even if it never gets better.
Done. I'm done. I'm done.