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You Heard It Here First: Yellow Dubmarine, “Something”

September 20, 2011 / David Medsker

It’s clinically proven that the Beatles make life better. Combine the Beatles with the relaxing vibes of reggae, or more accurately reggae’s trippy cousin dub, and it’s quite possible that you could cure cancer. All right, perhaps some research is required before making a definitive statement, but it would not surprise us in the least to discover that a dub Beatles album serves as one hell of a placebo.

A quick Google search revealed a small army of reggae tributes to the Beatles, including another complete album makeover dub-style. Huh, who knew? But none of those other bands matter. We’re here to talk about Yellow Dubmarine, which is comprised of seven of the the most Anglo white men you’re likely to meet. (The only thing their press photo is missing is Damon Albarn, Graham Cozon, a monocle, and a Great Dane.) They sure don’t play like uptight English white boys, though, as this version of “Something” will show. It’s unclear where this will take them career-wise, but it’s a pretty interesting detour at the very least. We bet the Quiet One would have gotten a kick out of it, that’s for sure.

02 Something by Yellow Dubmarine

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Steal This Song: The Moor, “Warm Winter”

September 19, 2011 / David Medsker

It’s nice to see that ’60s lounge cool has yet to go out of style. Heck, if anything, it’s making a big of a comeback in the indie community. Jon Fratelli put his “Chelsea Dagger” day job on hiatus in order to make a boy/girl ’60s pop record with his wife’s best friend (they’re called Codeine Velvet Club, and they’re super cool), and let us not forget the ultimate hipster, slightly retro boy/girl duo the Bird and the Bee, whom the blogosphere keeps trumpeting, even though their tribute album to Daryl Hall and John Oates left us cold. More than cold, really. Frozen.

Enter the Moor, boldly going where, well, no one has made money in decades. This is to our immense gain, of course, not to mention some up and coming filmmaker who wants to use a Nancy Sinatra song without paying for a Nancy Sinatra song. “Warm Winter,” the leadoff track to their self-titled album, actually brings to mind a couple of bands from across the pond, with an extra jump over a fjord – Club 8 and the Acid House Kings. Those bands, like the Moor, are boy/girl duos, and all three are suckers for the mellow ’60s vibe, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Click here to download The Moor – Warm Winter

'60s, Artists, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Downloads, Hipster, Indie, Melodramatic, Pop, Steal This Song

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My iPod Still Rocks!

September 17, 2011 / Staff

It has been a while since I purchased my iPod. At first, I felt as if I was just riding the wave of trendy, must-have products. This was due in part to the fact that I was already a Mac fanatic. I would often argue endlessly with others about the pros of the Macintosh computer versus Windows. I thought that the iPod was merely a nice little gadget that played music.

How wrong I was. After discovering that this sleek little player can hold thousands of songs, I was convinced. My current iPod is a Classic model and has an 80 GB capacity. That is far more hard drive room that my first Apple laptop. My library now has more than 3,000 songs and is taking up a mere 23 GBs of space.

With the easy-to-use iTunes interface I was able to quickly and painlessly put my CD collection onto my iPod. My iPod allows me to create playlists. Depending on my mood, I can quickly surf to a suitable collection and enjoy the songs that I choose. I have playlists for work, hours at the gym and more.

And yes, the iPod is the perfect workout companion. Depending on the model, you can easily strap an iPod to your arm, or in the case of the new iPod Shuffles, clip it to your clothing. Having your favorite music during workouts makes it a fun time and the time fly by.

I have also installed a great way to play the music on my iPod when I’m in my car. Using an FM adapter, I simply plug my iPod into the adapter and play it through my car stereo. It’s great for road trips or simply running errands. The eBay iPod category is a great option if you are looking for this adapter. Other great accessories for the iPod include:
-iPod docking station
-iPod sports ear buds
-iPod charging station

The eBay iPod model selection is wide and varied, including models that will also play videos and store photos. I use my iPod’s video capabilities as a training tool for workouts. Additionally, you can download television programs and movies from the iTunes store and transfer them to the iPod. This means you can take your favorite programs on the go with you.

The iTunes store is a wealth of available music to load onto an iPod, no matter the model. Users can explore different genres of music, sample them and then buy and download them quickly and easily. There’s no better way to discover new music or find those old favorites.

Yes, I still love my iPod and there’s no reason you shouldn’t love yours as well. And, if you don’t have one, check out all the available models and you’ll soon be an iPod fan.

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Steal This Song: The Wandas, “Forever and Ever”

August 11, 2011 / David Medsker

Oh man, is this easy on the ears. Just when we’re tempted to concede that new bands just don’t know how to construct a song the way they had been built for, oh, 35 or 40 years, along come the Wandas, an east coast quartet (Boston, if you can believe it) with a serious West Coast fixation. And we don’t say ‘if you can believe that’ in a derogatory manner; in fact, we lived in Boston for a couple of years, so we speak from experience when we say that the bands that made a name for themselves there, well, don’t sound like this. The only person who comes close is Aimee Mann, and she’s been gone for so long that she hardly counts as a Bostonian anymore.

The Wandas recorded their self-titled album in Montreal, and that makes perfect sense, since their sensibilities are similar to the bands who call Montreal home. In fact, several locals (Stars, the Stills, the Dears) play on the album, and while the Wandas don’t sound exactly like any of those bands, they’re in the same ballpark. Surrender to the mellow vibe. Everything will work out, we swear.

Click here to download The Wandas – Forever and Ever

Artists, CD Reviews, Downloads, Indie, Pop, Steal This Song

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5 Most Devastating Musical Losses of All Time

August 10, 2011 / Staff

With the recent death of Amy Winehouse, many people have reflected on other rock stars who have departed too soon. There are so many beloved musicians who are no longer with us, but there are a few true stars who left a hole in the heart of rock music lovers. Winehouse joins a group of rock stars who have all died at the age of 27 called the “27 Club.”

You can honor these legends by buying and listening to their music. Remember their talent and appreciate the art they created. Shop for music on eBay if you’re looking for good deals on albums, and enjoy the songs you’ve always loved.

Even though their music can still be found, millions of fans miss these artists. Here are a few of the most famous rock stars who died at a young age, who all also happen to be members of the “27 Club”:

1. Janis Joplin: Janis Joplin had a raspy voice and a non-conventional look, but she sure could belt out the hits. She had a successful career both as a soloist and with her band, Big Brother and the Holding Company. She died in 1970 of a heroin overdose.

2. Jim Morrison: Jim Morrison died in 1971 of a heroin overdose. He was the lead singer for The Doors and was not only a great singer and showman — he was also a poet with an IQ of 149. His music is still unique even by today’s standards.

3. Kurt Cobain: Kurt Cobain was the lead singer for Nirvana, a grunge band out of Seattle. He had been plagued by depression, an addiction to heroin and a stomach illness that may have been the cause of his suicide. He died in his home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head and was mourned by millions.

4. Jimi Hendrix: Hendrix is considered the best electric guitar player of all time and is famous for his rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at Woodstock in 1969. He died of asphyxiation of vomit, although there have been many allegations of murder rather than accidental death.

5. Amy Winehouse: Winehouse had a unique voice that started a trend in music. Unfortunately, she was involved with drugs, and although her father claims she was clean at the time, she died at the age of 27, making her the latest member of the club.

While there are so many rock stars who didn’t die at the age of 27, it does seem odd that so many unique and precious people have all died at the same age. It’s the music world’s loss, although their voices still remain with us.

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