Mandy’s Awesome Music Mail

Music Mandy’s Music Mail 4/1/11

April 1, 2011 - 11:27 am

NKOTBSB?! Mind. Blown. So NKOTB were a bit before my time, well I mean I knew girls who were obsessed with them, but at the time I was more of a Green Day girl (Dookie was one of my first albums, totes had the poster hanging up over my bed and everything; man I was a cool 8 year old…), however I was all about BSB (“I Want It That Way”, “Quit Playing Games With My Heart”?! Oh I could die. Such tunes!) so part of me is totally excited about this collaboration of ex-boyband heartthrobs. And their first single is undeniably catchy. This insanity drops May 24th.

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Music Mandy’s Music Mail 3/18/11

by Amanda Boyd

March 18, 2011 - 12:44 pm

Ooooh the sun is shining, the weather is beautiful here in the NYSheezy (it’s about damn time), Friday is finally here and two of my favorites get into town from good ol’ London this weekend! All of which makes for a very excited panda. So, let’s kick off this week’s music news with a track from the immensely talented, Skream! Stream. Check out his remix of Miles Kanes’ (formally of the Last Shadow Puppets, now doing his own thing) “Rearrange” after the jump.

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Music Mandy’s Music Mail 3/11/11

by Amanda Boyd

March 11, 2011 - 11:44 am

For those of you who will be down in Austin for SXSW (totes jealous), be sure to stop by Jack White’s latest Third Man endeavor; a fully functioning traveling record store, which, along with exclusive Third Man products (including “drinking accessories” – natch), also “boasts an all-inclusive sound system backed by two turntables and a microphone.” All kinds of magic happening in that bus.

“Wolves” is the first track I heard from The Good Natured and it was love at first listen; reminds me of a mix between La Roux and Ladytron (which is clearly not a bad thing in the panda book). The guys were recently signed to Regal/Parlophone Records (Gorillaz, Bat For Lashes, LCD Soundsystem) so we’ll hopefully be hearing some more new tunes from them soon. In the mean time, check out “Wolves” and “Your Body Is A Machine” below!

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Music Mandy’s Music Mail 3/4/11

by Amanda Boyd

March 4, 2011 - 4:44 pm

Well it’s a gorgeous, sunny day in lovely London and I’m a bit horse from an epic karaoke session last night with some of my favorites; we sang everything from “Regulate” by Warren G and Nate Dogg, Pulp’s “Common People”, to “A Whole New World” from Aladdin (oh, yes). Was never a real big karaoke girl until I started dating the boy; 2 ½ years later and I’ve officially caught the bug. Round two tonight (thanks to an at-home set! Wooo!), but before that, let’s get to this week’s music news!

Broken Bells, the magical collaboration of Danger Mouse and James Mercer, are releasing a new EP, Meyrin Fields, slated for a March 29^th release which will feature three unreleased songs as well as “An Easy Life” (off the iTunes bonus edition of their debut album). Check the track list after the jump.

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Music Mandy’s Music Mail 2/25/11

by Amanda Boyd

February 25, 2011 - 11:38 am

So I’m back in my favorite city in the world, lovely London (sorry New York, I do love you and you are incredible, but I’m afraid London wins in my book) and what better way to start this week’s post than with two tracks from UK based Jamie Woon, a singer/songwriter whom I’m definitely digging. First up is “Night Air”, off last year’s EP (co-produced with Burial) and “Lady Luck” is the first single off his upcoming debut album Mirrorwriting; listen to both here. Also check out this video of Woon singing in a canoe in Cambodia; no bells, whistles or fancy camera work, just a simple video of Woon sitting in a canoe. In Cambodia. Singing. Awesome.

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Music Mandy’s Music Mail 2/18/11

by Amanda Boyd

February 18, 2011 - 12:21 pm

We’re New Here the (insanely awesome) Jamie xx remix album of Gil Scott Heron’s I’m New Here doesn’t come out until the 21^st, but the folks over at The Guardian have provided us with a full album stream this week! *Happy panda paws in the air!* I. Love. This. Album. So much.

The visual for Cee-Lo Green’s “Bodies” is not merely a music video but “an animated short motion picture,” which is kind of pretentious but as it’s Cee-Lo (and I love him) he gets a pass. The “animated short motion picture” was directed by Mikael Colombu and features appearances by Kerry Washington, Janelle Monae and Karl Lagerfeld. Bam. It’s an… interesting piece for sure, though the song isn’t my favorite off the album. Check it out below.

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Music Mandy’s Music Mail 2/11/11

by Amanda Boyd

February 11, 2011 - 9:56 am

Lady Gaga released her song “Born This Way” today and HOMEGIRL TOTES STOLE MY LINE: “…put your paws up.” I’ve been saying paws instead of hands for ages now (because “paws” is such an adorable word)! Feeling kind of “eh” about the song but I reckon it’ll grow on me; reminds me of something I would have loved when I was 16 – you know, the kind of song you blast in the car with your friends when you first get your license and you drive around listening to music as loud as you want just for the sake of driving around and listening to music? Good times…

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Music Mandy’s Music Mail 2/4/11

by Amanda Boyd

February 4, 2011 - 11:20 am

I instantly loved The Kills from the moment I first heard them (many moons ago now). Something about their gritty sound that just, in my opinion, exudes pure rock and sex and I can’t get enough of it. Have seen them a few times live (along with The Dead Weather) and have yet to see another chick on stage who’s as sexy or badass as Alison Mosshart. Here’s the first single off their forthcoming album Blood Pressures (out in the UK on April 4^th and the U.S. on April 5^th) entitled “Satellite”. Per The Kills website: For fans of the street hassle swagger and sass that has come to be associated with THe Kills, it’s still alive and well in their new material, but with an added depth and thoughtfulness which is undoubtedly reflected in the at, at times, frankly heartbreaking lyrics. The Kills haven’t disposed of their edgy rock identity, they’ve merely built upon it and created something even more special.

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Music Mandy’s Music Mail 1/28/11

by Amanda Boyd

January 28, 2011 - 10:30 am

There’s a ludicrous amount of snow here in the NYSheezy, so what better way to warm up from playing and making snowmen than to jump into this week’s magical music update?

There’s something quite wonderful about pure pop songs; tunes that force one to throw whatever musical pretentiousness one might have to the wind and just enjoy an upbeat song for what it is and nothing more. As someone who has a tendency to be over analytical and at times get far too into my own pandahead, pop songs are like a breath of fresh air. I have such respect for those who have the ability to create things that make people smile, to uplift moods. It’s far easier to get tears out of someone than it is to make them laugh. With that in mind, check out the latest from The Go! Team featuring Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino “Buy Nothing Day” and Peter Bjorn & John’s “Second Chance;” two infectious tracks that you can’t help but getting up and rocking out to (just a little bit).

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Music Mandy’s Music Mail 1/21/11

by Amanda Boyd

January 21, 2011 - 8:34 am

Some awesome sauce happenings in the music world this week; one of those wonderful weeks where there was so much great stuff, it was hard to narrow down which ones to post. So, let’s get to it, eh?

I love, love, love She & Him (confession: I also have a total girl crush on Zooey Deschanel and kind of… sort of… okay totally want to be her BFF (clarification: NOT in a creepy Single White Female sort of way though). She’s absolutely gorgeous, makes awesome films (500 Days of Summer; Elf (don’t lie, you know you loved it); The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy) awesome retro-inspired music, wears the cutest clothes and just comes across as one of those people who’s just… cool, you know?). Anyway, so as I was saying, err, writing rather – I love She & Him. Miss Deschanel and M. Ward do some fine work indeed; there was a time in my life – what seems like many moons ago now – where I swear they wrote a particular song just for me. It literally depicted exactly how I felt at the time and ever since then I have completely loved these two. Check out their adorable, “retro-futuristic” video for the song “Don’t Look Back” directed by Jeremy Konner.

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