One of the great things about music, and why I love it so much, is that it affects people in ways that no other medium really can. It has this incredibly ability to touch every emotion inside a person – love, laughter, madness, heartbreak, joy… what have you – sometimes hitting each and every one of those over the course of a single song. It’s said that the sense of smell is the most powerful sense in a person, the one that conjures up emotion and memory most vividly; however I disagree. I think it’s hearing. I can listen to a song and be taken right back to a memory of / with it like it happened only yesterday, even if that memory is almost as old as I am.
With the above in mind, I’m brought to the first bit of news this week: after the passing of his close friend, Sally Menke (Quentin Tarantino’s longtime editor), RZA along with James Black, Kobra Khan and Justin Nokuza have released “Gone” in her honor.
“I dedicate the song ‘Gone’ to my friend Sally Menke and it’s my gift to her memory. I feel music is the best gift I can give and I’m giving it away to Wu-Disciples for free in her name. Whoever like(s) the song can send a blessing of positive energy to Sally’s family and her legacy. Peace.” – RZA
In other (and decidedly more upbeat) news: Converse have kicked off their year-long campaign celebrating music from the UK with an (awesome) exclusive track, “Didn’t Know What Love Was”, featuring Bernard Summer (New Order), Alexis Taylor, Joe Goddard (both of Hot Chip) and Hot City which is available for free here!: http://www.converseblog.com/uk/music/
Also be sure to check out this short film with Bernard Summer (Below).
Head on over to the fine folks at NPR to stream Belle & Sebastian’s new album, ‘Write About Love,’ before it’s October 12 release. I have listened to it a few times and am thoroughly enjoying it.
“Beach Side” is another taste of what to expect from the new Kings of Leon album, ‘Come Around Sundown,’ out October 19. I have to say, I much prefer this one to “Radioactive” (which honestly took me a few listens before I started to get into it and I’m still not quite sure what to make of the video). Check it out below.
A bit perplexed as to why La Roux is only just now releasing the video for “In For The Kill”; the song’s been out for ages (I remember first hearing it almost 2 years ago) and has been remixed countless times (my favorite still being Skream’s Lets Get Ravey Remix - is ridiculously good). At any rate, it was shot at New York’s famed Chelsea Hotel and features Tilda Swinton’s doppelgänger, La Roux’s Elly Jackson as the night porter. Check it out here:
Karen O is awesome. Fact. I remember being in complete awe of her when I saw the Yeah Yeah Yeahs last fall. It would be great if I could be that cool, but I just never will be – my hair’s always too messy and I’m far too clumsy. Anyway, I digress. Check out Miss O’s cover of Roger Allen Wade’s “If You’re Gonna Be Dumb You Gotta Be Tough”. Emmy Lou Harris and Gram Parsons are mainstays in the Boyd family, so I’m totally loving the country-twangyness of this track.
Karen O. (of Yeah Yeah Yeahs) – “If You’re Gonna Be Dumb, You Gotta Be Tough” by Some Kind of Awesome
Two new joints from Gorlliaz this week. The first being a “Storyboard Film” for ‘Rhinestone Eyes‘ and a new track, ‘Doncamatic (All Played Out)’ which I’m totally loving. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwKcXfUmLkk&feature=player_embedded.
This week’s song unquestionably has to be my obsession du jour, the Gayngs’ cover of Sade’s “By Your Side”. They performed this at their show on Monday night at The Williamsburg Hall of Music which I was lucky enough to attend – it was easily one of the best shows I’ve ever been to. Check out photos of it here: (I desperately want this dinosaur hoodie:
If anyone knows where I can acquire one, please let me know! I would be most appreciative.) I can’t stress enough how absolutely heroic these guys are; they even have their own gang sign! Ridiculous. If you aren’t familiar with them, head on over to their site and be sure to check out their Daytrotter Sessions as well.
Words by Amanda Boyd. Dino-Hoodie photo from www.brooklynvegan.com
