What We're Listening To - 2/24/09

TNG Music Editor Rocky submits this post for your listening pleasure.

Afternoon, ladies and germs! I'm pleased as punch to be here, fully recovered from last Saturday's Homo/Sonic, TNG's monthly dance party at the Black Cat. Did you check it out? First of all, My Dear Disco, the band that opened the show, absolutely ripped the stage apart. And then, of course, there were all of those sweet, sweet jams provided by Michael and Zack! My compliments to everyone! If you weren't able to make it out this time, not to worry, there's always next month. Be sure to keep an eye out, because it's kind of the best time. Anyway, speaking of sweet jams, here's what you came for: What We're Listening To, TNG's weekly rundown of the music currently making us swoon. On the menu this week, we've got: Beatbeat Whisper, Cocteau Twins, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, Ella Fitzgerald, Steve Winwood, KT Tunstall, Appaloosa, The Streets and Tears For Fears. All of our reviews, plus the mixtape, await you below the fold...

Beatbeat Whisper—Wonder Continental

Some of my favorite bands have earned that moniker because I heard one of their songs, was intrigued, looked up their lyrics online and then decided I needed to check out the whole album. I guess it's the former English major in me, but I get really excited by groups which are catchy and entertaining and write lyrics which I think can be placed side-by-side with capital "P" poetry and hold their own. Beatbeat Whisper, an indie folk duo out of Oakland composed of brother and sister team Ayla and Davyd Nereo, accomplish this on their 2008 release Wonder Continental. My first introduction was the song "Mismanaged Skies" and after reading the lyrics to "And Suddenly the Apart Was Shared", which begins with a Thanksgiving blessing sung in a round and turns into basically an epic poem, I was hooked. Yeah, they're kind of experimental, but in a good way, I would argue. - Jolly

Cocteau Twins—Heaven or Las Vegas

My boyfriend's played this band in the background since we first got together but he finally gave me a formal introduction last week when we were making dinner. Though I'd previously only heard Liz Frasiers airy vocals and unintelligible lyrics in passing, I really fell for them when they became the focus of my listening. The whole thing sounds like a swirly collage of sounds and voices that makes a person like me want to strip to his underwear and lie down in snowstorm and be happy about it. Though I don't reccomend actually doing that. As an added plus they give some context to contemporary bands like M83 and Asobi Seksu. - Zack

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour—Fruit

As you can tell from Zack's weekly new music posts, we get a lot of new music sent to TNG headquarters. I try to load all the new stuff onto my iPhone and listen to it all on shuffle at work, listening for songs that stand out. The Asteroid Galaxy Tour's sound definitely drew my attention. They are like a mix of Gorillaz, Morcheeba and Cody Chestnut, with a tank of helium thrown in for good measure. Imagine a woman with a freakishly high voice raps over guitar riffs, beats and sampled strings. You might have heard their track "Around the Bend" on an iPod commercial starting in September 2008. Other stand-out tracks include "Satellite," "The Golden Age," "The Sun Ain't Shining No More" and "Lady Jesus". Their full album isn't slated for release until April 2009, but the EP "Sonic Arts" featuring some of the album's best tracks is available now. - Michael

Ella Fitzgerald—The Very Best of the Gershwin Songbook

This week has been a haul. I find when the going gets tough, the tough listen to Ella Fitzgerald. What can I say? Ella Fitzgerald and the Gershwins made the world a better place. "The First Lady of Song" laid down these definitive interpretations of George and Ira Gershwin's music in 1959. If you're not familiar with either Ella or the Gershwins, this is a great first album. Cut down from the original (and amazing) 60-song, four-disc recording, this "highlights" album contains standards like "I Got Rhythm," "Nice Work If You Can Get It," and "Someone to Watch Over Me." - Chris

Steve Winwood—Chronicles

Knowing my deep love of ‘80s music, TNG’s Zack recently gave me his copy of Steve Winwood’s semi-greatest-hits album, Chronicles. He told me that he loved the second number, “While You See a Chance,” so much that he would replay it and not get on to the rest of the songs. My problem is even worse: song one, “Wake Me Up on Judgment Day,” is so good that I don’t even get along to “While You See a Chance,” let alone the rest. Not that there aren’t other classic moments: “Valerie” (before it got mucked up by being covered as “Call on Me” a few years back), Chaka Khan’s wailing all over the last section of “Higher Love,” and the slinky shake-yo’-thang of “Spanish Dancer” all do it for me. At least they do when I get past “Wake Me Up on Judgment Day.” - Philip

KT Tunstall—Drastic Fantastic

This Scottish singer-songwriter's second album is glossier, rockier, and deeper than her first effort, where the few songs she is known for ("Suddenly I See," "Other Side of the World") originate. I always find myself returning to this album when the weather is changing as there's something ominous about it that goes well with a chilling uncertainty. It starts off with a bang with "Little Favours," slows down after a few tracks with my theme song, the warmly accoustic "Hopeless," before landing on my favorite track, "I Don't Want You Now," a great breakup song if ever I heard one. You won't get the full effect without buying the album from iTunes, as two of the best features are the comic-themed liner notes and a behind-the-scene video in which Tunstall shows off her talent and Scottish charm. Sorry, ladies - Tunstall says she's not gay, despite her now-infamous rainbow suspenders. - Corey

Appaloosa—"The Day (We Fell In Love)"

This lovely track that appeared on Kitsune Maison Compilation #6 (The Melodic One) late last year, has been released as a single with remixes by Sis, Todd Edwards, and Acid Girls. There is also a remix by Ted & Francis floating around, too. The remixes are pretty good (T & F is the best), but the original is hard to improve. I can't stop listening to it. J'adore the simple beginning that features Anne-Laure Keib (chanelling Nico) singing plaintively over a sweet piano riff. Then a wonderfully hypnotic beat gallops in and takes this song to a place I don't want to leave. BTW...the video is superb, too. - Summer Camp

The Streets—"When You Wasn't Famous"


The Streets, comprised of British pop rapper Mike Skinner, perfectly blends complex beats with tongue and cheek humor. Skinner refreshingly manages to do this without being vulgar or aggressive. When you Wasn't Famous is from one of my favorite Streets' album, The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living. - Allison

Tears For Fears—"Head Over Heels"

Last week, I was Loveless and now I'm "Head Over Heels." Go figure. Now I'm sure I don't need to tell any of you possessed of a healthy appreciation for the 80's (Philip), but for those of you who don't know, this is Tears For Fears' masterpiece. I mean sometimes you just need a little melodrama and this song, from their 1985 album Songs From The Big Chair, is completely over the top in the best way possible. Pounding drums, soaring synths, and a huge choral refrain all for the sake of a foolish love. It was also featured heavily on the Donnie Darko soundtrack. So on top of being a great song, it now makes me think of Jake Gyllenhaal brooding in slow motion. Can you really ask for anything more? Nope. Perfect song! - Rocky


And now, without any further ado... THE MIXTAPE!

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Like I always do, I added a little something something to the mixtape this week. The British pop-indie band, Arctic Monkeys, are famous for their rollicking, uptempo numbers, but generally I prefer their ballads. There's this melancholy in lead singer Alex Turner's voice when he sings about hating life or missing his sweetie that I just find really genuine and sexy. Anyway, last Saturday I was walking around town, running errands, blissfully unaware of the food poisoning that was about to rock my world, and kind of stressing about life in general, when "Only One Who Knows," from their latest album Favourite Worst Nightmare, popped up on the old iPod. It's all about sadness and stress and disappointment, but it's so pretty and spot-on that, by the end, I was all blissed out and had to listen to it another five times. Hopefully you'll enjoy it too. Here's the playlist:

The Streets - "When You Wasn't Famous" (Allison)
Steve Winwood - "Valerie" (Philip)
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - "The Golden Age" (Michael)
KT Tunstall - "Little Favours" (Corey)
Tears For Fears - "Head Over Heels" (Rocky)
Beatbeat Whisper - "And Suddenly The Apart Was Shared" (Jolly)
Appaloosa- "The Day (We Fell In Love)" (Summer Camp)
Cocteau Twins - "Frou-Frou Foxes In Midsummer Fires" (Zack)
Ella Fitzgerald - "The Man I Love" (Chris)
Arctic Monkeys - "Only One Who Knows" (Rocky)

Have a great week, everybody! We'll see you again next Tuesday!