Archive for November, 2008
Here’s a holiday favorite from a man who’s sung his share of standards throughout the years. Tony Bennett comes out swinging with the big band sounds of the Count Basie Orchestra on this new recording from his latest album. Bennett sails through the vocals, conjuring up those classic images of snow-covered meadows and the elusive Parson Brown while the band cruises through the melody in an elegant stride. If you like the track, check out the album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Meredith Willson wrote this tune back in 1951 – just a few years before he would pen his best-known work, the 1958 musical, The Music Man The versatile Harry Connick Jr. adds his characteristic soul and charm to this version, which gives a touch of his New Orleans big band style. This track is available on Harry Connick Jr.’s new holiday album, What a Night!. If you like the track, check out the album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
This week we present a club-friendly jam that will have dancehall lovers winding their hips. “Tic Toc” finds Jamaica’s Busy Signal flexing nimble syllable control as he flaunts an animated ragga flow.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Curumin is a Brazilian MC, sound sculptor, and beatmaker whose newest album, Japan Pop Show, is a cornucopia of styles from throughout Brazil’s history with a tight hold on hip-hop and funky R&B. “Caixa Preta” is the sound of an electro, bass-driven favela party with a heavy nod toward Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It.” If you like the track, check out the album. For more info, visit Curumin’s MySpace Latino page.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
“Jealous Enemies” is the opening track on Dark Captain Light Captain’s new Miracle Kicker album. The tune has a dreamy intricacy coupled with blissful folk harmonies. It could be the starry-eyed offspring of the Kings of Convenience and one of Radiohead’s quiet moments. If you like this song, check out the full-length album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Mississippi’s Randy Houser is a newcomer the country music world, the recording side of things, at least. He’s been working as a songwriter in Nashville the past few years (most famously co-writing “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” – the Trace Adkins smash). Now on his own, “Anything Goes” is country-rock barnstormer with a touch of New Orleans-creeping up through the keys. If you like the track, check out the album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
The Puerto Rican DJ known as Dragon was worked as the man behind the decks and producer for artists like Alex y Wibal and Nestor Torres in the past. Now he steps up to the mic with his debut, The New Face. “Nada Sin Ti” nails down the sound of an echoing, cavernous club – pulsing with massive synths and auto-tuned vocals, but with a tight, reggaeton-inspired bounce carrying the melody. If you like the track, check out the album. For more info, visit Dragon’s MySpace Latino page.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
This is some soulful, sentimental pop that starts with a piano-driven lead and proceeds to tell a bittersweet love story. The trio’s frontman, Danny O’Donoghue, engages with a conversational delivery, before diving into well-timed harmonies and a booming chorus filled with vocal swells reminiscent of Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
The cascading synths remind us of Kraftwerk, while the slow-paced drums exude hip-hop swagger. Paper Route’s MCs do their part, too — spitting clever braggadocio between choruses that call to mind Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em (“Ohhh!”). The result is something you can lean and rock with. If you like the track, check out a capella version.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
On this song, the opening track from Chilean artist Gonzalo Yañez’s self-titled album, Yañez makes the most of every nuance of stereo sound capabilities. Acoustic guitars pan across, outer-space synthesizers meld into sing-song choruses, and Yañez sounds like he’s singing just out of reach. The combined result is a Technicolor dream, part Beatles, and part Flaming Lips.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
