Don't Forget To Dance

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: "She's My Baby" by Bloodshot Bill

So, I saw King Khan & BBQ live recently and had the extreme pleasure of being introduced to the fantastic rockabilly punk stylings of opening act Bloodshot Bill. Now, as many of you know, we love all things King Khan (see here, here, here) but I must say that Bloodshot Bill stole the show. Add to the equation that he's a one-man-band, playing high-hat cymbals with his left foot, bass drum with his right, guitar in his hands and Mike Patton-meets-Michael Winslow-meets-Elvis-meets-Frog vocal style, and what you get is a unique, fun, rocking good time.

Begin your Bloodshot Bill education with "She's My Baby" off his 2009 release, Git High Tonite!, on the Transistor 66 label. Follow it up with the below live track (in fancy 3D!) and I'm pretty sure you'll be hooked.

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: "Down With the King" by Run D.M.C.

Enjoy the end of your week with Run's 1993 hit Down With the King! Look out for cameos by  Eazy-E, Redman, Kris Kross, Jermaine Dupri, Onyx, Salt-n-Pepa, KRS-One, EPMD, A Tribe Called Quest, Kid Capri, Das EFX, P.M. Dawn and Naughty by Nature.

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Full KEXP show by King Khan & The Shrines

I know there's at least a couple of us here that are big King Khan fans. If you've never seen them live and have a chance, don't miss it! Think James Brown meets garage punk!

If you can't dance to this check your pulse. 

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TWO FOR TUESDAY: "Oblivion" by M83 feat. Susanne Sundfør

It's been some light blogging lately, but there are some highly anticipated new albums on the horizon, so it's back to the stacks for more. One such anticipated album is M83's soundtrack for the movie Oblivion. Like he did by hiring Daft Punk for Tron: Legacy (one of my favorite soundtracks of the past decade), director Joseph Kosinski has chosen a single musical group to produce the soundtrack for his latest sci-fi blockbuster.

Regular readers will know that we here at DFTD like M83 quite a lot, and, while this new track is different from past M83 tracks due to the presence of Norwegian singer Susanne Sundfør, it is still very strong and bodes well for the rest of the album.

Since it's Two For Tuesday, here's a song from M83's 2008 album Saturdays = Youth, "Kim & Jessie."

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"Is It Alright" by Mikal Cronin

Mikal Cronin's self titled album came out in 2011 but for reasons beyong me, he's remained under the radar. He reminds me of the Beach Boys, Dr. Dog, and Coconut Records. 

This song is 3 minutes long but manages to seamlessly jump from change-up to change-up.  Enjoy. Dance. 

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: "Streams of Whiskey" by The Pogues

It's been a slow week, so let's get this holiday weekend started by following the advice of the wise Shane Macgowan:

I am going, I am going Any which way the wind may be blowing. I am going, I am going Where streams of whiskey are flowing.

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"Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" by Kenny Rogers

The 15 year Lebowski celebration continues here at DFTD. Undisputably Kenny Rogers' greatest tune.

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: "Hotel California" by Gypsy Kings

In honor of the 15th anniversary of the funniest movie ever, here's Gypsy Kings' cover of the Eagles' "Hotel California." While you may hate the fuckin' Eagles as much as el Dudarino, there's no way you can hate this fast-paced, Spanish-lyric version of their classic tune. And if you do, I'm going to have to send Jesus to your door. Nobody fucks with The Jesus.

"Relax" dijo el portero Por mi es honor recibir Puede salir cuando quiere Pero nunca yo partir

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"Entertainment" by Phoenix

Check out this seriously AWESOME video for the new song, "Entertainment" by French band Phoenix. The song is the first to be released from their upcoming 3rd album Bankrupt!, due out on April 22nd.

Dance.

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"Give a Little Love" by Sufjan Stevens

New tune from Sufjan that he apparently "dug up" on his computer. The song was originally recorded in 2010. And since it's Two-for-Tuesdays, here's one of my faves:

"For The Widows In Paradise, For The Fatherless In Ypsilanti"

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"Better Than Bad" - by Deathfix

I heard this song on NPR's All Songs Considered last night and I thought I'd share it with our followers. It starts with a warm fuzzy 70s guitar riff that is reminiscent of George Harrison's "What is Life". Deathfix is a project of Brendan Canty (of Fugazi, Rites of Spring), Rich Morel (of Blowoff with Bob Mould), Devin Ocampo (of Smart Went Crazy, Faraquet, Medications) and Mark Cisneros (of Medications).

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: "Runaround Sue" by Dion & The Belmonts

Hop into the Wayback Machine with me and dance along to the doo-wop classic "Runaround Sue" by the great Dion DiMucci and his pals The Belmonts.

Ah, she likes to travel around, She'll love you but she'll put you down. Now people let me put you wise, Sue goes out with other guys

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"The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" by David Bowie

Another new track off the forthcoming Bowie album dropped last night, and the more I hear, the more this album becomes a must-have (as if the first Bowie album in over a decade wouldn't be). This one is more the classic Bowie mold, with a beat to which you can dance, but with a melancholy that makes you wonder if you should.

Who am I kidding?! Of course you should!

They watch us from behind their shades Brigitte, Jack and Gabe and Brad From behind their tinted window stretch Gleaming like blackened sunshine

TWO FOR TUESDAY BONUS TRACK: "Modern Love"

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: "Excursions" by A Tribe Called Quest

Released over 20 years ago, The Low End Theory remains one of the high points of hip-hop. "Excursion" opens Tribe's sophomore album with a jazzy beat that sets the tone for the rest of the album. This, along with their debut LP, sparked the jazz rap trend of the '90s, directly leading to albums by groups like De La Soul, Arrested Development, Digable Planets, Buckshot LeFonque and Guru's Jazzmatazz albums, as well as influencing the next generation of hip-hop stars like Mos Def, Nas, Talib Kweli and Common.

Now do what Q-Tip says:

Listen to the rhymes, cuz it's time to make gravy If it moves your booty, then shake, shake it baby

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"Ken" by Ex Cops

Another newer group I've been listening to lately is Ex Cops. Their debut album, True Hallucinations, released last month, and I have to say I'm pretty impressed with what I've heard. The Brooklyn duo, Brian Harding (formerly of Hymns) and Amalie Bruun (formerly of Minks), have cobbled together some fantastic harmonies and a fun mix of fast punky pop with slower down-tempo head-bobbers. Listening to "Ken" I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. I also think you'll be dancing.

It’s some true hallucinations for your drawn out dream Nobody wants to hear it, you know what I mean

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: "Congress Man" by Groundation

The classics continue here at DFTD. This time it's "Congress Man" by Bay Area roots reggae band Groundation, off their debut album, 1999's Young Tree.

I was going to post something off their album Hebron Gate (released almost exactly 10 years ago), featuring reggae legends Don Carlos and the Congos, but this track is just too topical to ignore.

You seal yourself behind them walls Thinking nothing could ever get to you You don't care about the children Looting and shooting them brothers and sisters down

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: "Midlife Crisis" by Faith No More

Most people, including me, got their first exposure to Faith No More back in 1990 when "Epic" hit MTV. Who can forget Mike Patton flopping around on the stage at the MTV Video Awards like the fish at the end of the video? I was hooked on Patton's eccentric delivery and antics, and Jim Martin's virtuoso guitar work. But it wasn't until their next album, Angel Dust, came out in 1992 that they really hit their apex.

Tracks like "Caffeine," "A Small Victory," and "Be Aggressive" combined to make an album unlike anything I'd heard before. It was the lead single, "Midlife Crisis," however, that got me to first buy the album, and now, over 20 years later, when I'm entering my own midlife (35 in a month, ugh), I can't help but think back on this song and album. While you probably can't help but dance, so why fight it?

You're perfect, yes, it's true But without me you're only you Your menstruating heart It ain't bleeding enough for two