CHORD EN BLEU

a music blog dedicated to album/song reviews in most genres, but especially hip-hop, alternative, folk, dance, and indie. as far as I go, I'm a 20-year old dude in Canada with a lifelong passion for music. drop me a line if you have any questions or future review suggestions.

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ALBUM: "You Can't Stop The Bum Rush" by LEN RELEASE: 1999 GENRE: Trip Hop, Hip-Hop, Rock, Pop LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: "Hello Nasty" by the Beastie Boys, "Beauty & The Beat" by Edan ASSOCIATED ACTS: Buck 65, Biz Markie LEN is an outfit out of Toronto, Ontario. Their biggest success, which you should most certainly remember if you were around in the 90s, was "Steal My Sunshine", a single off this album. It began as brother and sister Marc and Sharon Costanzo in 1991. They played mostly punk-influenced music, but as the band expanded to 5 members, their genre diversity did too. You could find songs in their discography that could appropriately be called Soul, Rock, Punk, Hip-Hop, Trip Hop, Alternative, Pop, Classical, Electronic, among others. The first thing that struck me after giving the album a continuous, ordered listen was that all the songs were so different from one another. The thing that ties all the songs together is that they feel youthful and fun, no matter what genre or topic they seem to be exploring. Let's look at the tracks:

Steal My Sunshine - 10/10 I wish I could give this song a rating higher than 10 out of 10. Probably one of the best things to come out of the barren wasteland that was 1999.

Cryptik Souls Crew - 10/10 This was easily the most pleasant suprise on the album, and what inspired me to do a review of it. It's dripping with fun, playful energy and features some pretty cool rap names, including ABDOMINAL and Moka Only (does anyone remember Swollen Members?). An amazing hip hop track that only gets stuck further in your head the more you listen. One of the other singles on the album.

Man of the Year - 7.5 / 10 A bit of a depart from the rest of the album, an electronic track with hip hop and pop vibes. Kinda catchy!

Beautiful Day - 9.5 / 10 Biz Markie, that is all.

The Hard Disk Approach - 3 / 10 Just some german speech over a simple electronic track. It has a good melody when it comes in but it's too little too late. Easily my least favorite track on the album.

Hot Rod Monster Jam - 8 / 10 A cheeky sounding hip-hop track that has some booty pumpin bass and lots of sampling from multiple genres. Nice!

Cold Chillin' - 6 / 10 80s hip hop meets 80s pop. It would be great if not for the kind of annoying chorus.

Feelin' Alright - 10 / 10 The singles on this album are so strong. This is a cute rock song that shows it's age but still has an upbeat, catchy tune that grabs ahold of you and doesn't let go. The song with the most rock vibes on the album for sure.

Cheekyburger - 8 / 10 A throwback to their punk roots, it functions very well as a punk song but feels a bit out of place. Which, believe me, is hard to do on an album that blends genres so effortlessly!

Big Meanie - 9 / 10 Soaring violins contrasted against a bizarre voice, but somehow it works really well. It's like the most heartfelt song on the album and I can't help but assume a lot of kids were concieved to this song in 1999.

Junebug - 7 / 10 Sounds like something you might hear when your phone company puts you on hold till Sharon's airy vocals come in and take it to a new level. Gentle and nice.

Crazy Cause I Believe (Early Morning Sunshine) - 6.5 / 10 Starts as a skit track runs a bit long and flips to what is seemingly a gospel variation on Junebug. Too bad they ended on one of their weaker tracks.

STANDOUT TRACK: Cryptik Souls Crew REPLAYABILITY: 7.5 / 10 MAGNETISM: 8 / 10 CHARACTER: 10 / 10 OVERALL: 25.5 / 30

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"All Wash Out" by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

SONG: "All Wash Out" by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros RELEASE: 2012 GENRE: Folk, Indie, Acoustic LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: "Life During Wartime" by Devendra Banhart & Beck, "Sleepyhead (Acoustic Version)" by Passion Pit ASSOCIATED ACTS: Alexander, Ima Robot Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros is the most adorable folk band you're ever gonna see. Alex Ebert and Jane Castrinos do most of the vocals, with an awesome musical support by far too many musicians to list. They have a unique brand of folk that is overwhelmingly honest and complete. Between being simultaneously awewsome and as cute as can be, they're about to release "Here", their sophomore LP. I have to admit that when I heard the first few songs from "Here", I was a little worried. It seemed like a depart from the raw musical energy that was their self titled debut album, which, while still great, was not what I had expected. Thankfully, after the last few songs from the album bubbled to the surface once the album was released, I caught sight of this gem. A beautiful, simple song with genuine lyrics and a dash of that special Edward Sharpe groove to make things interesting. It's the kind of song where you can just sit back and lose yourself in it. Highly reccomended, as is their first album if you've never heard it. REPLAYABILITY: 9 / 10 MAGNETISM: 10 / 10 CHARACTER: 9 / 10 OVERALL: 28 / 30

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"Nunca" by TRAILS AND WAYS

SONG: "Nunca" by TRAILS AND WAYS RELEASE: 2012 GENRE: Pop, Indie, Synthpop LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: "Chinatown" by Wild Nothing, "Daylight" by Matt & Kim ASSOCIATED ACTS: N/A TRAILS AND WAYS (they seem to write it in caps on all their official sites) are, like most of the bands I write about, a little on the mysterious side when it comes to hard details. What I do know: the band, hailing from Oakland, California, are a fairly new outfit. They have been putting out EPs since 2011 but they really blew up after this single dropped. When I saw it, it was nearing the top of the hypem charts and music blog vets RCRDLBL, hillydilly, and Winnie Cooper all gave it great reviews. The LP which is to feature today's track is slated for release later this year and will be called "Trilingual". The track itself was written in Brazil but was recorded in band member Ian's Oakland bedroom. Kinda suprising considering it sounds like the auditory equivalent of some kind of juicy, tropical fruit. It's got a great sound with lots of musical depth, and the lyrics, as hard to decipher as they may be, are pretty cool in my opinion. They marry my interest in graffiti, specifically Sao Paulan artist Nunca (whose namesake is borrowed for the song), and kick-ass indie music. Definitely worth a listen on a lazy summer day. REPLAYABILITY: 8 / 10 MAGNETISM: 8 / 10 CHARACTER: 10 / 10 OVERALL: 26 / 30

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"Dark Soul" by Common Ground

SONG: "Dark Soul" by Common Ground RELEASE: 1998 GENRE: Acid Jazz, Trip Hop, Hip-Hop LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: "C.R.E.A.M. (Wu-Tang Clan Cover)" by The El Michels Affair, "Radar Rider" by Mr. Flash  ASSOCIATED ACTS: Kid Loco Common Ground seem to be as chock full of mystery and intigue as their music might have you believe. After dropping their debut album "No More Heroes" in 1998, Common Ground simply ceased to exist. As a unit, it featured members such as Tim Love Lee, Nick Faber, Raw Deal, and Andy Turner, all of whom now operate on solo projects. If you're looking for a trail to follow, what I can say is that I pulled this track from Kid Loco's 1999 DJ Kicks (if you've never heard of DJ Kicks, wikipedia it now please). As far as the track itself goes, I have to say that I'm working slightly outside my genre here. The hip hop vibes the song gives off are definitely familiar to me, however the jazz and electronic vibes it offers are a new, but not unwelcome direction. The music lends itself to the song's title very naturally, and a story seems to unfold in front of you as you listen to it. One of those cases where a song says it all without the need for any lyrics, which is always a lofty accomplishment. A really great track and a great integration of genres that will spice up any hip hop playlist. REPLAYABILITY: 7 / 10 MAGNETISM: 6.5 / 10 CHARACTER: 10 / 10 OVERALL: 23.5 / 30

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"Hidden Structures" by Holograms

SONG: "Hidden Structures" by Holograms RELEASE: 2012 GENRE: Alternative, Punk, Rock LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: "Livin In The 80s" by The Zero Boys, "Cool Vapors" by The Jacuzzi Boys ASSOCIATED ACTS: N/A Sweden's Holograms have a story almost as great as their music. 3 warehouse workers whose love of music found them playing in underground clubs. After shopping a homemade video around, they were picked up by label Captured Tracks, they're soon set to release their debut 7". Goes to show that good music is still appreciated. In specific, we're looking at Hidden Structures today, an upbeat throwback to the punk tracks of days gone by. I saw the video right before I fell asleep the other day and made sure to jot down the name cause half-asleep or not, this song is catchy. The guitar is what kills it on this track for me, the first punches of it you hear carve the way for the rest of the unwavering, rough instrumentals. Lyrically, it's sparse but solidly delivered. All things considered, it's a fresh voice in a currently underrated genre and definitely worth a listen. REPLAYABILITY: 7 / 10 MAGNETISM: 8 / 10 CHARACTER: 9 / 10 OVERALL: 24 / 30

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"Old, Dim Light" by The Black Atlantic

SONG: "Old, Dim Light" by The Black Atlantic RELEASE: 2011 GENRE: Folk, Indie LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: "Wash" by Bon Iver, "Grown Ocean" by Fleet Foxes ASSOCIATED ACTS: N/A The Black Atlantic is an acoustic folk and indie outfit from out of the Netherlands. They've been flying under the radar a little for the past few years but have released a few solid albums in that time, the most recent of which is their 2012 EP, "Darkling, I Listen". Just decided to check out the partial discography of this band the other day, and settled on this song to write about. I am slightly dissapointed with this song since probably my favorite song of the last few years is also by The Black Atlantic, the live cut of "Reverence for Fallen Trees" from Behold My Puny Bears 2 (a free download if anyone is interested, it has some other solid tracks too). However, all dissapointment aside, it's still a solid song and exhibits a lot of the talents of this band so I can't be too harsh. And I have to give them props on the instrumentals, they are soaring and fit together snugly. All in all, should satisfy anyone's thirst for some gentle folk tunes. REPLAYABILITY: 5.5 / 10 MAGNETISM: 7.5 / 10 CHARACTER: 8 / 10 OVERALL: 21 / 30

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"Idea of Happiness (SebastiAn Remix)" by Van She

SONG: "Idea of Happiness (SebastiAn Remix)" by Van She RELEASE: 2012 GENRE: Dance, Pop, Electronic LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: "Dawn of the Dead (Fear of Tigers Remix)" by Does It Offend You, Yeah?, "Animal (Punks Jump Up Remix)" by Miike Snow ASSOCIATED ACTS: Matt Van Schie, Arithmatix! Van She is an Australian electronic group formed in 2005. The 4 band members (including the titular Matt Van Schie) released a debut EP the same year, ending up touring with huge acts like The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Daft Punk.  Their last album was released in 2008, so the 2012 album that this track is named for is long anticipated. SebastiAn is a French DJ/producer/artist under the infamous Ed Banger Records label. He's worked with just about everyone from labelmates Uffie and Kavinsky to the Beastie Boys to Daft Punk. I've been listening to less and less dance music these past few years, it's hard for me to find something that I haven't heard a million times before. Dance music is funny that way, it doesn't leave a lot of room for originality. Whatever wiggle room was left, however, was found by Van She for Idea of Happiness. The powerful vocals are great and a departure than your standard dance track fare. The music itself, which was a bit odd and sparse in the original, is tuned up by SebastiAn. He gives it a solid backbone with the more streamlined sounding synth and a catchy drum beat which was noticeably absent in Van She's version. The lyrics themselves are nice too, nothing groundbreaking but a refreshing divergance from the typical dance tune you'd hear about getting drunk or laid. All in all, it's a catchy tune I would reccomend for anyone throwing together a party playlist, or just someone looking for something fun to sing along to. REPLAYABILITY: 7.5 / 10 MAGNETISM: 7.5 / 10 CHARACTER: 7 / 10 OVERALL: 22 / 30

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SONG: "Hey! All You Floridians" by Blessed Feathers RELEASE: 2012 GENRE: Folk, Indie, Acoustic LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: "Congratulations" by MGMT, "Demon Host" by Timber Timbre ASSOCIATED ACTS: N/A Blessed Feathers don't have much information available to speak of on the internet. What I do know is that they're a 4-piece outfit operating out of Wisconsin, and that their earliest release was back in 2010. They don't have too much press at the moment, which is unfortunate since they're one of the best bands that has come to my attention in a long while. Although at first glance it might seem pretty straightforward, this song is an intricate medley of heartfelt lyrics and dreamy instrumentation. I would say the lyrics and message are my favorite part and hold the core of the song's appeal. Blessed Feathers found a way to really speak to the way people look at happiness. I would STRONGLY reccomend this to anyone even relatively interested in the above genres, it's the most refreshing song I've heard in a long time. REPLAYABILITY: 10 / 10 MAGNETISM: 10 / 10 CHARACTER: 10 / 10 OVERALL: 30 / 30

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SONG: “Come Back" by The Belles RELEASE: 1966 (approx.) GENRE: Garage, Rock, Oldies LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: "Planet of the Dreamers" by Jacuzzi Boys, "You Know What I Mean" by Cults ASSOCIATED ACTS: N/A The Belles are not my typical review subjects. An obscure Miami band from the 60s who specialized in their own brand of garage rock, this 4-piece all-girl outfit can rock with the best of them. It's definitely a shame they didn't have a larger discography, but what they did record is excellent. We're looking at "Come Back" specifically today, a lo-fi rock n' roll tune with a killer sound and honest vocals. Something about old recordings just captures a different energy than a lot of today's tunes, it gives the song a gritty dimension that is oft emulated but rarely achieved. The lyrics are pretty simple, as most songs of this style were apt to be in the 60s, but don't count it out for that. The performance is stellar and the singer sounds like she believes in her words. If you need something to get you tapping your toes today, the Belles deliver in spades. REPLAYABILITY: 9 / 10 MAGNETISM: 9 / 10 CHARACTER: 10 / 10 OVERALL: 28 / 30

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SONG: "Be Around (Rough Cutz)" by CANT RELEASE: 2011 GENRE: Dance, Electronic LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: “Be My Crush (Cicada’s B-LIVE Rio Mix)” by The Twelves, “I’m His Girl” by Friends ASSOCIATED ACTS: Grizzly Bear, Twin Shadow CANT is the ongoing solo project of Chris Taylor. Over the past years, he’s most notably been the bassist for folk-rock veterans Grizzly Bear, taking some time to also produce some up-and-coming indie acts, the likes of which include Twin Shadow (the guitarist of which was actually a part of this song), Dirty Projectors, and Class Actress. This song was originally slated to be a part of his debut album, Dreams Come True, however he decided to bump it since it didn’t mesh with the other songs. Don’t worry though, that doesn’t change the fact that this is a great song. The deep synths and unbelievable bassline make this track catchy and give it an air of darkness. It’s not a mold breaker, but it’s a solid tune and definitely one I can get behind. If ever you pass me on an otherwise deserted highway at 3am (not that I find myself in that situation very often), I will probably be jamming to this. REPLAYABILITY: 7 / 10 MAGNETISM: 9.5 / 10 CHARACTER: 9 / 10 OVERALL: 25.5 / 30

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SONG: "More Than Muscle" by Luke Temple RELEASE: 2011 GENRE: Alternative, Indie, Pop-Folk LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: “Black Water” by Timber Timbre, “Here Now” by Sean Bones ASSOCIATED ACTS: Here We Go Magic Luke Temple has been recording music since 2004, following his debut 4-song EP. Since then, he has been pumping out a steady flow of folk-tinged pop and indie music that is uniquely his own. This song comes from his 2011 release, “Dont Act Like You Don’t Care”. I have to start by saying that I love this song. I think it combines the best of resonating lyrics and mellow, sparse instrumentals. While stumbling through hypem, my first playthrough struck a chord with me, it seemed like the perfect blend of reggae and “Timber Timbre” style dark folk music. It’s a lucid, current song great for someone looking to try something a little different than usual. REPLAYABILITY: 8 / 10 MAGNETISM: 10 / 10 CHARACTER: 10 / 10 OVERALL: 28 / 30

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SONG: "Barbie Shit" by Azealia Banks RELEASE: 2009 GENRE: Hip-Hop, Rap LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: "Club Action" by Yo! Majesty, "Bang (ft. M.I.A.)" by Rye Rye ASSOCIATED ACTS: Miss Bank$ As everyone must know by now, Azealia Banks is the up and coming hip-hopstress from Harlem who just blew up the scene with her hit single "212". Nominated by BBC for the "Sound of 2012" and on NME's 2011 "Cool List", I can only see good things in the future for her. Much like everyone else, I really dug 212. She has a style that hits you like a whip, precise and lightning-fast. I checked out some of her other recent tracks and suprisingly most were a bit of a depart from the bite of 212. Not discouraged, however, I settled on this 2009 track from a mixtape, which seems to [p]recapture the kind of stuff I was so intrigued by. She has some nice, although slightly dated lines in this song, but overall it's a playful hip hop tune with a decent beat and a good hook. The real gold is in Azealia's flow and delivery though, I'd definitely reccomend checking it out. REPLAYABILITY: 7 / 10 MAGNETISM: 7 / 10 CHARACTER: 8 / 10 OVERALL: 22 / 30

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how my reviews work

hey, just thought I'd give you a quick overview of the format I plan to post in. along with the obvious stuff like genre & year & artist & etc, I will try to post 2 or 3 songs similar to the one being written about, that way if you like the songs I post you have the chance to find even MORE good music. my review system is pretty simple, i have 3 categories worth 10 points each, giving each song or album a score out of 30. the first category will be replayability. pretty straight forward, a 1 means I think that the first listen was painful enough and a 10 means that it's a song I could listen to for the rest of my life. the second category will be magnetism. this essentially scales how intrigued i am or how much it makes me want to check out the rest of that artist's music. a 1 means that I probably won't think about the song or the band ever again. a 10 means they're on my "must watch" list and that I will check out their whole discography. the third category will be character, which is just my way of combining originality and depth into one category. a 1 would be something uninspired and totally one-dimensional both lyrically and musically, whereas a 10 is not only an original song but every listen takes me through a part of the song I didn't notice before or lets me focus on a particularly potent lyric. for album reviews, I will also give individual songs a score out of ten and highlight what I consider to be the standout song of the album. anyways, thats pretty much it, hope you enjoy the posts to come!