Galactic, Ozomatli, and Daniel Merriweather

I always believed that New Orleans funk outfit, Galactic, is at their best when they have vocals and a full horn section. Witness this amazing song, You Don't Know, from their latest, Ya-Ka-May. I dare you not to move, in particular when the horns start really hitting it hard. I also recommend Boe Money, Cineramascope, Double It, Heart of Steel, and Bacchus.




Ozomatli's new album, Fire Away, is strong through and through with radio-friendly gems like 45, It's Only Paper, Elysian Persuasion, Malagasy Shock, and All Around the World. It's sort of surprising and expected at the same time to hear such a mature, strong album from a group that's been around for so long, but if anything, they're getting better. My favorite track, though, is Love Comes Down; it bends one's expectations of Ozo, showcasing a slower, more melodic, emotionally weighty side of their music. The only place I found online where you can hear the whole track is on myspace.


Daniel Merriweather is the latest English soul singer to benefit from Mark Ronson's slick and solid soul production. They collaborated on both of Ronson's solo albums. Their cover of The Smiths' Stop Me was about a million times better than the original. On Merriweather's solo debut, his duet with DC MC Wale, Change, is of note, as well as Not Giving Up, Water and a Flame (another duet, this time with fellow Ronson collaborator Adele), and Chainsaw. I'm not a lyric fans, but I do love when Merriweather sings, "Giving myself to you is like giving myself to a chainsaw. You keep cutting me open wide. Is that the only thing that you're good for?" It seems like a heavy metal lyric, but it fits perfectly in this sweet little number.

Panush's Best 26 of 2011

Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart

I've been seeing lots of Best Of lists lately and of course I don't like them as much as I like my music, so I figured why don't I make one myself. There are 26 for absolutely no good reason. It's my list so I get to do what I want.

In alphabetical order:

Adele - 21 - Unless you've been living under a rock, you're already familiar, but this remix is something you may not have heard.

Ben Ottewell - Shapes & Shadows - Gomez lead singer's solo debut. Solid stuff.

*Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart - Rock like it's the 70s. - Hair Song

Brett Dennen - Loverboy - LA's red-headed wunderkind. Sydney is an absolute sing-a-long, pop hit.

Das Racist - Relax - Too-smart for school post-modern hip-hop. They went to Wesleyan, duh.

David Guetta - Nothing But the Beat - If you must dance, dance to this.

*Earl Greyhound - Suspicious Package - Power trios rule. Shotgun - wait for it to build, then bang your head.

Feist - Metals - Not her best, but solid.

*Fitz and the Tantrums - Pickin' Up the Pieces - You've heard them even if you haven't heard of them.

Friendly Fires - Pala - for those that like Passion Pit or Foster the People,  Live Those Days Tonight

Gomez - Whatever's On Your Mind - My favorite band, so you must have Options.

Holy Ghost! - Various singles and remixes: Some Children, Static on the Wire (RAC Remix), Hold On, Do It Again

Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know - Until Beth Orton returns from maternity leave, I'll listen to Sophia

Nikka Costa - Pro*Whoa! - Chase The Thrill should be in a Bond movie.

Paul Simon - So Beautiful or So What - Still great. Faves: The Afterlife and the title track.

*Pendulum - Immersion - My favorite drum and bass band - words I never though I would utter. Try: Witchcraft (Chuckie Remix), Watercolour, The Island, Crush.

*Sleigh Bells - Treats - If White Stripes were into samples. Crown on the Ground, Infinity Guitars, Rill Rill

Stereo MC's - Emperor's Nightingale -  Yes, they are the same band that did Connected. Check out Tales, 2Cando, Waves

Tally Hall - Good & Evil - Geeky melodic, harmonizing from Michigan. You and Me, Out in the Twilight, You

Theophilus London - Timez Are Weird These Days - The future of hip-hop is in good hands. All Around the World, Last Name London, One Last Time.

Tub Ring - Secret Handshakes - If you like Mike Patton (Faith No More), Primus, Mr. Bungle, funk-rock etc., this is it. Optimistic, Stop This (NOW!), Feed the Rapture

Tune-Yards - Whokill - See my older post.

TV On the Radio - Nine Types of Light - Wasn't a big fan when they first broke on the scene, but since I found Dave Sitek's side project, Maximum Balloon, absolutely delightful, I guess I appreciate this album for its similiarities. Love Caffeinated Consciousness, New Cannonball Blues, Repetition, and Second Song.

White Denim - D - Album of the Year and Best New Artist. See my older post.

YACHT - Shangri-La - Nothing measures up to their amazing Psychic City, but title track Shangri-La and Utopia/Dystopia are nice.

Ximena Sariñana - Ximena Sariñana - Mexican pop star. Too damn cute. Different and Lies We Live In (what do you know, also produced and written by none other than TVOTR's Dave Sitek).

* = album technically released in 2010, but since I listened to it in 2011, there ya go

Rolling in the Deep

Adele's new album, 21, is pretty damn good. Right after it came out, John Legend covered Rolling in the Deep, but then it was quickly remixed, and it's just off the hook. All three versions are great, but the remix version... mwah... perfecto.