I’ve listened to San Francisco duo Girls’ most recent release Father, Son, Holy Ghost about five times all the way through now and I still have no words that could do it justice. It’s an incredible piece of work–a developmental masterpiece. When they first hit the scene with their debut Album, there was something woefully sardonic about them. Love-worn and tired. Achingly yearning. Their followup EP Broken Dreams Club showed linear development. To be honest, it was depressing. It felt like a kick in the gut. Frontman Christopher Owens’ jaded vocals could launch you through several layers of emotion to the point where you feel hollowed afterwards. It could invoke this ineffable sadness for something you haven’t even experienced. That ability alone is powerful.

Only months following the release of Broken Dreams Club, Girls appears to have moved out of the love-wrought haze of their earlier works, but without forgetting where they came from. They’ve developed immensely from the delicately jangly indie beats they were rocking two years ago. They’ve lived, they’ve survived and they are sharing a testament in a way. It’s refreshingly optimistic, especially coming from guys that sang the lyrics: “So many people live and die/And never even question why/All of their dreams are gone/How can they carry on?” and “I just want to get high/But everything keeps bringing me down/If you know something I don’t/Come on and help me out/But I just don’t understand/How the world keeps going nowhere.”

The album opens with the galloping melody of “Honey Bunny,” an “awww”-inspiring jam about a love not yet found. The lyrics, “I know you’re somewhere/And nothing’s gonna phase me/You’ll look at me and know I’m the one/And you will love me” contrast brilliantly with those of the aforementioned EP. It sets a pace for the rest of the album, turning over to the yearningly mellow “Alex.” As the album rolls on, it puts to display an eclectic handful of influence, predominantly that of classic rock. At times it sounds like Wolfmother while at other times it recalls the Beatles. Influence, however, is overshadowed by their musical mastery. They have their own distinct sound, a certain Girls-ness that will prevent them from ever being confused with anyone else. Most importantly, that unique quality is what helps them get away with putting so many cliches to music. It’s what makes them identifiable. Honestly, only Girls could take a 6 minute stalker ballad (“Vomit”) and turn it into something universal. They possess this intimacy that makes you feel like you’ve lived next door to them for years and witnessed their pain first hand. And it feels good to see them climbing out of their rut. It’s an upward swing that leaves you with a feeling of fulfillment rather than emptiness. True enough, they’re still searching for something and there’s just enough of an over-the-top factor that prevents them from sounding contrived. I can’t wait to hear what’s next from them. This, however, will be a record to remember.

1. Honey Bunny
2. Alex
3. Die
4. Saying I Love You
5. My Ma
6. Vomit
7. Just a Song
8. Magic
9. Forgiveness
10. Love Like a River
11. Jamie Marie
12. Love Life (Bonus Track)

Until now Porter Robinson has been considered a prodigy of sorts in regards to his production skills, and overall approach to his music. Over the past year or so, he’s grown into his role of full on touring dj, touring in the vein of world class djs all over the world, and at some of the bigger festivals(he transformed the Neon Garden sidestage into the mainstage on Saturday at E.D.C. Vegas). All the while working on remixes and refining a signature trance/electro/house sound that have earned almost unanimous rave reviews, name drops aren’t even needed at this point.

This E.P. was his answer to maybe the only voice doubting him, the one in his head. It comprises of six tracks, dripping with a new simplicity, yet still retaining that heavy sound we all know and love and associate with P.R. But you’ll find it doesn’t rely only on his own heavy-electro feel, he piles in the prog-house, trance lines, and throws down hard on two dubstep tracks.

The individual songs are good, not great. His effort to explore different sounds seemed to make him more focused on only the production aspect of things, rather than track structure(my favorite track of the e.p., Seconds, takes three minutes to drop). The dub tracks he nails down says I, but there’s too many random suprises throughout the other songs (not to mention exploring three different “genres”)that give it a level of inconsistency, something terribly important in an e.p. or album release. I have to say I’m ok with branching out with new sounds to find your voice, this record is def. party music and bet on hearing these tracks played out with a slew of remixes about to come down on our heads, I just hope the next release is a little more Porter.

Head here to pick up a copy, all in all, the remixes balance is out and make it a killer first release.
Spitfire on Beatport

Porter Robinson – I’m On Fire

Picco – Venga (Porter Robinson Wobblemix)

Heiko & Maiko – Wer Ist Sie (Porter Robinson Remix).mp3

It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to say that The Strokes’ debut Is This It? is a musical epoch. Many of us can remember the first time we heard it and the ensuing obsession that became a lasting addiction. The Strokes, young and unintentionally cool, kicking over mic stands (or more literally picking them up and throwing them), became a band that would shape a generation’s music. Many prominent figures in the indie scene today (i.e., Arctic Monkeys, and Tokyo Police Club, etc.) credit them as a major influence. Is This It?, one of the few flawless albums to date, is nearing its ten year anniversary this Saturday and in that spirit, Stereogum asked 11 indie bands to cover each track. Each track is carefully and respectfully reinvented.

STROKED: A Tribute To Is This It? .zip

^grab the whole thing^ *click*click*

1. Peter Bjorn & John – Is This It? Delightful Choice!
A glossy opener, it’s evident that Swedish trio Peter Bjorn & John did not take the task of covering the Strokes lightly. They do not deviate from the original track, though it is sped up and revamped with electric guitars and a synthy twist. It is clear they were not trying to meddle with the originality of the song. “We just wanted to play it as good as we could,” John Erikson told Stereogum. It’s nothing game changing but it is a job well done.

2. Chelsea Wolfe – The Modern Age
Chelsea Wolfe takes a sedated take on “The Modern Age.” It’s lo-fi and heavy like something from a bad dream, but in a surprisingly cool way. It’s not utterly shocking to hear that she had been taking “lots of heavy cough syrup” when she recorded it.

3. Frankie Rose – Soma Delightful Choice!
Frankie Rose’s sugar-coated take on “Soma” is a sort of shimmering memory. It’s enjoyable and nostalgic in a sort of 1990’s romantic comedy kinda way, but not as formulaic. Emphasis on synth and heavy drums serves to keep the song fast-moving and smooth but also utterly enjoyable.

4. Real Estate – Barely Legal Delightful Choice!
According to Martin Courtney, Real Estate was influenced by the Strokes from the beginning, starting a Strokes coverband at 15. They did a really nice job of making “Barely” Legal” their own. It embraces the edge that makes Real Estate such a unique (and kickass) band, meanwhile maintaining the original vibes of the song.

5. Wise Blood – Someday
Wise Blood’s take on “Someday” is nearly a new track entirely. It’s edgy and indie, embellished and austere. It’s a complex arrangement but it holds onto the original structure of the song. “I decided to try and stick with the way the song develops,” Chris Laufman said.

6. Austra – Alone, Together
Katie Stelmanis said she had a tough time with the cover but eventually embraced it as an Austra song. It has definitely been tailored to her style, but it succeeds in still managing to sound like the original Strokes song, quite a feat when refashioning something already considered flawless.

7. The Morning Benders – Last Nite Delightful Choice!
San Francisco natives the Morning Benders dissembled the album’s first single “Last Nite” and restructured it into an undeniably fun pop jam. They took the seemingly sporadic assembly of the original track and organized it into something structured but pretty damn catchy.

8. Owen Pallet – Hard To Explain
Owen Pallet’s rendition of “Hard To Explain” is a really lovely classical composition. It opens with the original melody delivered by violins and Pallet’s emotion-driven vocals. It really manages to harness the sentiment of the song in a beautiful way.

9. Heems – New York City Cops
Heems takes a “fuck tha police” approach to “New York City Cops,” a song that originally lamented that “New York City cops ain’t too smart.” All Himanshu Suri had to say about what influenced his interpretation of the song:

“Michael Stewart, Eleanor Bumpurs, Amadou Diallo, Patrick Dorismond, Alberta Spruill, Timothy Stansbury, Abner Louima, Sean Bell, Ousmane Zongo, Randolph Evans, Anthony Baez, Clifford Glover, and Fermin Arzou were senselessly beaten or killed by the NYPD while unarmed.”

10. Deradoorian – Trying Your Luck
Deradoorian’s rendition of “Trying Your Luck” is slightly more lethargic than the original, with a subtle sort of reggae twist. It’s well structured, gleaned and sweetly catchy. It shifts the emphasis on the lyrics in such a way that it seems less mournful and more optimistic than the original.

11. Computer Magic – Take It Or Leave It Delightful Choice!
Computer Magic is perhaps most suited to cover the album’s closing track. Newwave and futuristic it is a perfect testament to the timelessness of the album. Yet Danielle Johnson still manages to make it her own. Like every other song on the tribute, uniquely refurbished, it offers much more than a cover to a classic song.

YOLO Mentions bring attention to special
songs featured in that week’s YOLO List. Get the latest list here!

Portland, OR seems to be churning out quality indie bands like it’s going out of style, and Portugal. the Man stands apart from most. PTM has been showcasing their developing eclectic style since 2004. Their psychedelic influenced sound hints strongly towards the result of some serious drug experimentation early on, and I can’t say I’m too surprised. Their front man John Baldwin Gourley grew up in a technologically isolated log cabin in Alaska, where drug taking, music making, and dog sledding (in that order) were probably the extent of the activities to be involved in.

PTM is one of the few active bands that I’ve been following since they started putting out music, which really changes how you look at new releases. You have something to compare to. Something that you’ve attached yourself to in the past that makes you even more critical than someone who newly discovers them. Being a part of a band’s evolution of sound gives you a real special connection. Their experimental vibe on past albums has transformed from a “whoa, who spiked my lemonade with LSD” take on their first effort It’s Complicated Being A Wizard to a more rocky and developed jam band style in Church Mouth and The Satanic Satanist. Their whole journey has brought them to a middle ground of near perfection on their sixth studio album In the Mountain In the Cloud.

It didn’t take much longer than my first run through to realize how appropriately titled the album was. You’ll find yourself in the mountain as you listen to the rocky tracks like “So American” and “Got It All,” only to be hoisted up by “Senseless” and laid gently in the cloud with “All Your Light” and “Share With Me the Sun.” The closing song “Sleep Forever” is one of my favorites, but it is almost too suggestive towards an end of sorts. Let’s hope not! The album’s orchestral and gospel feel seam together in such a mastered way that I feel would surely secure this piece in the top albums of 2011.

They’re playing a free show in LA for everyone who supported their album which is SURE to be a ton of fun. Album release shows are the best! I know Witler is going to be making her way over there, and I’ve got my fingers crossed that I can get my work done and do the same. Check out the details on the show here and be sure to grab the album when you get the chance!

TRACKLIST

1. So American
2. Floating (Time Isn’t Working My Side)
3. Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now)
4. Senseless
5. Head Is a Flame (Cool With It)
6. You Carried Us (Share With Me The Sun)
7. Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujahs)
8. All Your Light (Times Like These)
9. Once Was One
10. Share With Me The Sun
11. Sleep Forever

YOLO Mentions bring attention to special
songs featured in that week’s YOLO List. Get the latest list here!

I still don’t know how this EP got past me since it’s been out for over six months. I want to be ashamed, but the bottom line is I have it now. If you like Born Ruffians at all, you’re going to be extra stoked on this. If you don’t like Born Ruffians yet, hopefully the extra tracks below will show you the light.

The EP features five new songs and two remixes. With normally high standards for the Ruff’s, I went into the Plinky Plonk EP with low expectations. I figured there must have been a reason it took so long for the EP to find me. The first five tracks were just about as good as they could get. The Born Ruffians I love, moving forward with an already uniquely amazing sound. Luke Lalonde is a creative mastermind when it comes to his catchy guitar riffs. His lyrics are on another level as they always seem to be right on point and pleasantly easy to sing along to.

My favorite off the EP would have to be “Like When You.” The track starts off really ambient but slowly transforms into a light hearted dancy jam. It gives me a feel of Hot Hot Heat back in the Elevator days. Another track I thought really stood out was “Pool Party Fun.” As upbeat as the name suggests, the song actually is one of the more mellow Born Ruffians song I’ve heard. More on the sad side, but very easily relatable. “It sucks when you find someone, but they don’t find you.” It’s just cool to see the emotional range of these guys, while they still manage to stay positive and have lots of fun through their other tracks. The only thing keeping the EP from being perfect is the Acorn remix of “Nova-Leigh.” That being one of my favorite tracks off Say It, this rendition fails to encompass the initial greatness and leaves this EP with its only dud.

Overall, really great stuff from a really great band. I got it a few days ago and have not been able to give it a rest…but I’m shuffling through all their stuff old stuff at the same time too. They’ve got some pretty cool live recordings on Daytrotter.com that are free for download. If you like this EP, buy it on iTunes here. It’s only 4 bucks, and hey! I’m sure they could use the help.

TRACKLIST

1. Plinky Plonky
2. Like When You
3. First Date Kid
4. Retard Canard II
5. Pool Party Fun
6. What To Say (VOWLS Remix)
7. Nova-Leigh (Acorn Remix)

BONUS RUFFIANS

I was going to put Delightful Choice! by the one’s i thought were best, but if you like even one of these you’re bound to like them all. They’re some of my favorites.
I’m One Of Those Girls Album: Self Titled
Little Garçon Album: Red, Yellow and Blue
Barnacle Goose Album: Red, Yellow and Blue
Nova-Leigh Album: Say It
Oh Man Album: Say It

Click here to download all the songs in this post in one shot!

Summer 2009, Sheffield quartet Arctic Monkeys released their third album, Humbug. Edgy, despondent and surrealistically philosophical it was largely ill received as it took a sharp turn from the poppy, streetwise and mostly observational Brit rock sound they’d established with their first two albums. Two years later it is evident that they made it out of their existential funk, stronger and catchier than ever with the recent release of their fourth LP, Suck It and See.

A sparkling culmination of the sounds they’ve developed over the years, this is could quite possibly be their magnum opus. The album flawlessly combines the cheeky pop and drop-heavy beats of their first two albums with the instrumental and vocal maturity of Humbug. The lyrics, though equally abstract as those of Humbug, manage to be more relatable and thus more enjoyable. Frontman Alex Turner seems to have emerged from the philosophical haze that inspired lyrics such as “My propeller won’t spin and I can’t get it started on my own” and is willing now to bestow his newfound wisdom.

Their maturity is evident in each track. The album beings with the mystically romantic “She’s Thunderstorms” and rolls over to the hook of the album, “Black Treacle.” Songs like “Brick By Brick,” “Library Pictures,” and “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair” are reminiscent of Humbug meanwhile integrating the head banging drops of Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not and Favourite Worst Nightmare. The standouts of the album are “Black Treacle,” “Piledriver Waltz” and the album’s perfectly suited closer “That’s Where You’re Wrong.”

Perhaps the best representation of the album as a whole is its namesake track, a leisurely and smooth jam with some of Turner’s best lyrics yet: “I poured my aching heart into a pop song/I couldn’t get the hang of poetry/that’s not a skirt girl, that’s a sawn-off shotgun/and I can only hope you’ve got it aimed at me.”

Arctic Monkeys have grown up and moved on from the youthful conundrums and nightlife that inspired the albums the world fell in love with years ago. But they haven’t forgotten where they came from. They’re older, wiser and they’ve found their niche. Even if you were disappointed by Humbug, give this a listen or two. It’s not nearly as much of an acquired taste as the last and it just might provide redemption.

Tracklist

1. She’s Thunderstorms
2. Black Treacle
3. Brick By Brick
4. The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala
5. Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair
6. Library Pictures
7. All My Own Stunts
8. Reckless Serenade
9. Piledriver Waltz
10. Love is a Laserquest
11. Suck It and See
12. That’s Where You’re Wrong

Music Video-Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair

Seems like literally two days ago that I posted the preview to this bad boy. A few hundred thousand replays later — it’s here! And just as bat shit insane as I had hoped. Skrillex’s hardcore music influences really sets him apart with this genre. Takes me back to the good ol’ days in the pit. Of the SM&NS remixes, Kaskade‘s reigns supreme. I’m feeling like the Dirtyphonics remix is going to win me over in the long run with all that energy, but who knows! There isn’t much else to say that hasn’t already been said, so I’ll let the EP speak for itself. If you’ve got some extra lettuce, help Skrilly out on Beatport. And for the record…I still don’t know what a sprite is. Unless he’s really referring to the soda? Someone help!

MM&S

1. First of the Year (Equinox)
2. Ruffneck (Flex)
3. Ruffneck (FULL Flex)
4. Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (Dirtyphonics Remix)
5. Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (Kaskade Remix)
6. Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (Phonat Remix)
7. Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (The Juggernaut Remix)

BONUS BASS!

Foreign Beggars – Still Getting It (feat. Skrillex)

This is definitely a colab I’m not going to get tired of hearing anytime soon. Almost positive I heard Skrillex drop this during his set at Coachella. Allow me to apologize to your subwoofers in advance. STILL GETTIN IT!