New M.I.A. video [directed by Romain-Gavras]

It's always refreshing when a pair of geniuses in their crafts collaborate to bring something as mind-blowing and thought provoking as this new M.I.A. video for her new single Born Free. Buy the song from iTunes here.



Here's the song lyrics:

Whooo!
Yeah man made powers
Stood like a tower higher and higher hello
And the higher you go you feel lower, oh
I was close to the end staying undercover
Staying undercover
With a nose to the ground I found my sound

Got myself an interview tomorrow
I got myself a jacket for a dolla

And the car doesn't work so I'm stuck here
Yeah I don't wanna live for tomorrow
I push my life today
I throw this in your face when I see ya
I got something to say
I throw this shit in your face when I see ya
Cause I got something to say

I was born free (born free)
I was born free (born free)
(bo-bo-born free ....)

You could try to find ways to be happier
You might end up somewhere in Ethiopia
You can think big with your idea
You ain't never gonna find utopia
Take a bite out of life make it snappier yeah
Ordinary gon super trippyer

So I check sh!t cause I'm lippyer
And split a cheque like slovakia

Yeah I don't wanna live for tomorrow
I push my life today
I throw this in your face when I see you
I got something to say
I throw this sh!t in your face when I see you
Cause I got something to say

I was born free (born free)
I was born free (born free)
I was born free (born free)
(bo-bo-born free ....)
Ooooh

I don't wanna talk about money, 'cause I got it
And I don't wanna talk about hoochies, 'cause I been it
And I don't wanna be that fake?, but you can do it
And imitators, yeah, speak it

Oh Lord? whoever you are, yeah come out wherever you are
Oh Lord? whoever you are, yeah come out wherever you are
And tell em!

Born free (born free)
I was born free (born free)
I was born free (born free)
(bo-bo-born free ....)

SOLID GOLD [Fund Raiser @ 7th St Entry]

Come help Solid Gold raise some funds to pay for the gear that was stolen recently while on a tour of the east coast. Brooklyn I'm not proud of you (The gear was stolen out of their van just outside of a venue they were supposed to play at) making the band have "The mopiest ride back home" according to Adam Hurlburt the band's bass player.
It's for a good cause and only $10 so let's pack that venue and support our local favorites. Buy tickets here.


I'm really digging the song One In A Million, from Solid Gold's new EP "Synchronize" [buy it here] It's a perfect example of the sound Solid Gold has been able to craft & it defines the new IndieRock sound of Mpls.
One In A Million by solidgoldband

MAJOR LAZER & Rusko play First Avenue 4/11/10

The man turned justice warrior, enforcing pain on zombies while making booty-shaking tunes is in Minneapolis for the first time. Major Lazer, Diplo and Switch's altered ego whose debut album Guns don't kill people lazers do! is available now and was featured in our Best of 2009 Mixtape with the song 'Hold The Line' will be throwing it all down at First Avenue. Please refrain from dressing like a zombie or a vampire unless you want to be a target for his lazer gun for an arm. Come ready to dance party people!
Brittish Dubstep king Rusko will be opening the show.

Here's a little taste of the live show!


Pon De Floor!

Major Lazer "Pon De Floor" from Eric Wareheim on Vimeo.

Check out this new video for the song Keep It Going Louder.

Peter Gabriel and Bon Iver "scratch each other's back" [New Release]

When I first heard about Peter Gabriel covering Bon Iver's hit Flume I thought that only a genius of that magnitude could bring a fresh take on that song and I wasn't disappointed when I first heard his rendition a few months ago. Love the simple piano arrangement, very minimalist orchestrations and Gabriel's voice so spot on.

Bon Iver's cover of 'Come Talk To Me' just released [buy here] is a great take on an all-time classic. Crafted very masterfully and given the indie folk signature from the band and amazing vocals by Justin Vernon.

Here's a video of the project with an interview of Justin Vernon done by Peter Gabriel's Daughter  in Eau Claire, WI.


Watch Peter Gabriel talk about his live shows while the orchestra rehearses "Flume" By Bon Iver in the background!

FLYING LOTUS & KODE9 Live in MPLS!

Flying Lotus my favorite electronic music producer, Thom Yorke collaborator, and definitely the "Jimmy Hendrix of this generation" (According to BBC's Mary Anne Hobbs) is coming to play Minneapolis at The Loft - Barfly on Saturday April 3rd 2010.

He is definitely at the forefront of electronic music these days having already produced a vast amount of solo works and collaborations with other artist as part of the California based Braifeeder crew. His sound is hard to describe but he definitely taps into that universal out of space shit your ears have never been trained to experience and mixes it seamlessly with Hip-Hop beats, great guest voices, and jazzy bass lines. Needless to say, this show you must experience!

Here's a little clip about the man behind the project [including a bit about his aunt Jazz Legend Alice Coltrane] on XLR8R TV.


Check out this new song from the upcoming Cosmogramma featuring vocals by Thom Yorke.

Flying Lotus - …And The World Laughs With You (feat. Thom Yorke) (2010)

For info on Kode9 go to myspace.com/kode9

Here's a little lo-fi video from the live set at The Loft...

DJ VADIM & BASSNECTAR @ Varsity Theater 4/1/10

My man DJ Vadim and The Electric Band will be visiting The Twin Cities again for their 2010 US tour. This time he'll be sharing the stage with none other than Bassnectar one of the best electronic music DJ's out of San Francisco, CA. This is a sold out show!!! so if you want to get in ask me nicely and I'll see what I can do ;-)




Listen to a preview of Bassnectar's new album TIMESTRETCH here:

Passion Pit Plays First Avenue [Sunday April 4th 2010]

Passion Pit the electronic band from Cambridge MA will be playing a sold-out show at First Avenue this Sunday.
Here's a video for their radio hit The Reeling from their debut album 'Manners'.

New Gil Scott-Heron Album! [show update]

Gil Scott-Heron's show was rescheduled! He will be performing at 7pm and 930pm at The Dakota Jazz Club on Wednesday April 14th 2010.

Really Impressed with I'm New Here the new record by Gil Scott-Heron recently released by XL. Listen to the whole album here!

The revolution will not be televised!


Watch his awesome new video [Video directed by Coodie & Chike and Michael Sterling Eaton]

Gil Scott-Heron - "Me And The Devil"

M.O.'s Best Of 2009 Mixtape

Here's DJ M.O.'s soundtrack to 2009. A collection of sounds from all genres and styles with original songs and remixes that defined the end of a decade.
The mix starts with a mellow and ambient-esque amalgam of new artists and it builds into a crescendo of Dance/Pop tunes ending in a World Beat/Hip-Hop set unifying old and new school.

M.O. Best Of 2009 Mixtape

  
Here's the song list:
1. A New - Little Dragon
2. Do the Joy - Air
3. Sky Might Fall - Kid Cudi
4. Marty And Sonietta - Phaseone
5. C-Train - Sarah White
6. Island, Is - Volcano Choir
7. 1517 - The Whitest Boy Alive
8. Enter Galactic - Kid Cudi
9. Feather - Little Dragon
10. So Light Is Her Footfall - Air
11. Sort Of Revolution - Fink
12. Seven - Fever Ray
13. The Process - Megafaun
14. Can't Help But Smiling - Devendra Banhart
15. Crying Lightning - Arctic Monkeys
16. Molalatladi - BLK JKS
17. Amarillion - Datarock
18. Over Me - Digitata
19. The Reeling - Passion Pit
20. One In A Million - Data
21. Soldier (feat. Santigold) - N.E.R.D.
22. Money (feat. David Byrne, Chuck D, Ras congo, Seu Jorge, Z-Trip) - N.A.S.A
23. Rain Dance (feat. M.I.A.) - The Very Best
24. Soldier (feat. Big Red, 5Nizza) - DJ Vadim
25. Hold the Line (feat. Mr. Lex, Santigold) - Major Lazer
26. T.I.A (Remix ft. Afrikan Boy) - K'naan
27. What We Talkin' About (feat. Luke Steele of Empire of the Sun) - Jay-Z
28. Back Again - Reflection Eternal
29. Reality Check (feat. Black Thought) - J Dilla
30. Back To Daylight (Ft. Ashley Slater) - Dub Pistols
31. Casa Bey - Mos Def
32. Holy Are You - Rakim

You can also download the mix here!
M.O. Best Of 2009 Mixtape

Retribution Gospel Choir @ Triple Rock Sat. Feb 20th

I'm really looking forward to this sold out show from the Duluth based rock trio at one of my favorite local venues TheTripleRock.

From http://www.retributiongospelchoir.com/

Retribution Gospel Choir is a rock trio founded in 2007. The group features Alan Sparhawk on guitar and vocals, Steve Garrington on bass and Eric Pollard on drums and vocals. Alan also fronts the band Low with his wife, Mimi Parker, and Steve also plays bass in Low.

This is the video for my favorite song "Hide It Away" from the new album simply titled 2. Alan Sparhawk is truly as innovative as a rock guitarist can be and his rhythm section is comprised of a couple of virtuosos in their own right.