Yea, I want to give you a bear hug…

Every step the blip-bloppers Hot Chip used to make, this blog felt necessary to document. It was warranted: That quintet has made me bounce and also try my attempt at soulful singing a lot. Now that it’s summer and this season is about none other than mindless fun, I’ve taken a liking to The 2 Bears, a duo consisting of Joe Gooddard, who is 1/5 of Hot Chip. House-inspired beats, soaring vocals, and a continuation of the endless bounce everyone associated with Hot Chip is capable of. Their E.P., Bear Hug, consists of four club ready tracks….

Andre 3000′s All Together Now…

All anyone asks with a cover song is you take the original formula and do everything you can to reinvent it. Andre 3000, the quirky dapper half of Outkast, decided to attack The Beatle’s “All Together Now“, which graced your folks’ speakers back in ’69 courtesy of the Yellow Submarine soundtrack. The original is as hot as a Beatles track can sound; Andre’s cover simply funkdafies it, as only a man of his talent can. This might settle the argument of who is the stronger Outkast….

Andre 3000 :: All Together Now (Beatles cover)

I Met This Girl Named Radio…

The neo-soul, funkster Raphael Saadiq — no stranger ’round here — has concocted 10 more soon to be timeless numbers with his latest LP, Stone Rollin’. More 70s inspired soul on the blues tip; hard hitting rhythms; spot-on harmonies, and hooks that seep in. Consistency is this man’s forte. And by that, I mean continuing to construct songs that exude a carefree, feel good vibe….

Raphael Saadiq :: Radio

This man understands what it means to perform for an audience. And when he does, his band rolls rather deep…

Raphael Saadiq :: Movin’ Down the Line (Live)

UPDATE: The always excellent Rock Island, IL Daytrotter kicks out a few live jam sessions with Mr. Saadiq here. (Highly recommended)

And the title track:

Because videos can still be worth your time…

Even if they’re dated — in a few months ago way. Or maybe from years past. From Modular People, the label behind MiS favorites like Cut Copy and The Presets, come one video that turned me onto what could be one of the better songs of 2011, and the other, simply eye candy. Maybe the beat will hit you, too.

Bag Raiders, an electro/funk duo outta Sydney, has been lighting up my dance floor –kitchen — as of late. The formula that I struggle to resist: lazer-like synths; funky drum patterns; sweeping, airy vocals; and a vibe that alludes rays of light, or at least an ability to make you move. Your choice….

And this alludes….

Don’t even wanna be a….

“If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.”

You know Norway comes correct — the dance happy Datarock is capable of corroborating this accusation. This Talking Heads, Devo loving duo drops further proof….

Datarock :: Catcher in the Rye

1/3 into ’11…

Where MiS has been is irrelevant; not where this blog is headed is too important either, but know that music has still been at the forefront around these parts. I no longer believe weak years exist in music — this year has already seen numerous records from past favorites. Oh, the TN popsters Heypenny dropped a monster, too.

The coveted spot in ’09 went to the Belgium act Das Pop. Sometimes I roll back on my choices for best-ofs, especially when Chicago-based acts come into play. Still, Das Pop are an act I continue to return to, and their record, The Game, is one that’s been on repeat. Inevitably, these boys — because the Prairie Cartel has been stagnant — kick off the resurgence of MiS….

Das Pop :: Skip the Rope

Our Year Featuring Hawksley Workman…

The multi-faceted one-man jam, Hawksley Workman is always keeping me guessing. The Canadian had another eclectic year with his upbeat, electro-rock self and his minimalist piano perfection side, too.

When the Ontarioan makes his voice the forefront of a performance, the outcome is moving. Hawksley pairs up with fellow compatriot by way of Glasgow John McDermott to bring more moving minimalism with Our Year.

The original can be found here; what’s below doesn’t appear too synched up with the audio…

12 Months Later…

How relevant is a top 10 list when in reality, you’re only really still listening to a few of last year’s records? As I use this blog as an archive of ’09, I’ve quickly realized a top 5 would have been more appropriate. My list from last year –one I can only get half into a year later – has not held up super great over time. If I’d do it again, I’d take five of those 10 records and accurately place them in spots they’re truly worthy of. I simply take a record and place it into its respective spot based on spins received. My top 5 of ’09 done right in ’10:

#5 Yuksek :: Away From the Sea

#4 Royksöpp :: Junior

#3 Das Pop :: s/t

#2 The Dream :: Love Vs Money

#1 Prairie Cartel :: Where Did All My People Go

When I made my list last year, this record was only two months old. By the time this record was released, I had many of these tracks already as miscellaneous MP3s and had seen Prairie Cartel, according to one, over 100x. I wasn’t in dire need of acquiring this LP. I thought I practically had it on my HDD already. Wrong. Upon hearing this Chicago-based supergroup in proper studio form, I was instantly hooked. Take the elements I loved from their former selves and blend it with beats to create my perfect mix.

Prairie Cartel :: Cracktown

Prairie Cartel :: No Light Escapes Here

Top Five Tracks of ’10…

2010 started with endless potential. The first quarter alone produced enough to begin compiling best of lists. Favorite artists of mine played a slight variation of the boy who cries wolf – with the wolf being a record. Gizmodgery will get its follow-up. With the quantity of quality that was being thrown at us faster than this blog went from something to nothing, the year was inevitably going to produce strong tracks. Some, like my favorite of this year, were songs I couldn’t get enough of numerous times a day. I hope you never pulled up to me at a red light when that song was on blast….

As I peruse this list, and you know where I stand musically, it’s almost predictable. But really, not one you’re seeing anywhere else…

#5  Robyn :: None of Dem featuring Royksöpp

Robyn, the pop princess, teams with the Norwegian duo Royksöpp to bring bounce, bass, and beats to make me shake.

#4 Hawksley Workman :: The Sweetest Thing

I never dug myself out of that rut Hawksley put me in. Care to share another track done on the minimal this sincere and beautiful from ’10?

#3 Local H :: Wolf Like Me (TV on the Radio cover)

Is it coincidence things Scott Lucas touches continue to end up on my best-of lists? A dedication to the craft of rock is what continues to have him top my charts. A monster. And to hear it live, with only an acoustic, makes him look and sound even better than on record plugged in.

#2 sElf :: Could You Love Me Now

Classic Matt Mahaffey right here. It took a few spins to seep into my system, but after it did, this one clicked. Matt doing what he does best: composing pop with sweet simplicity.

#1 Harvey Danger :: The Show Must Not Go On

The definitive break-up track? Who knows. Hits harder than anything else I heard this year. Truly, I can’t stop playing this. And live, too.

Native Tongues Make Her Move….

It’s unfortunate it takes crossing paths with a member of the Billionaire Boys Club to ignite this blog. Earlier today, while rolling through none other than J. Crew – hey, they’ve stepped up their game – I crossed paths with Pharrell Williams, who I know as a man behind one of, at the time, my favorite records of 2002. Sure, time can be cruel and the rap meets rock thing isn’t as hot; but realize In Search Of occasionally is still spun. And way back when, N*E*R*D was an excellent act live; the Metro in Chicago can definitely attest. To celebrate me locking eyes with Mr. Williams today, I wanted to share a remix of their single from LP #2, She Wants to Move. Where the original was hot, the addition of many more verses care of Mos Def, De La Soul, Common, and Q-Tip help to create five minutes of hard-hitting beats and rhymes.

I regret not shaking the man’s hand.

N*E*R*D :: She Wants to Move (Native Tongues remix)