In Our Ears

Music we dig. Music we're listening to. Revisit some of your old favorites ... and hopefully meet some new ones. From the headphones of @qethanm and @ryanbriones

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Dr. Dre - The Next Episode ft. Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Nate Dogg

Who's cranking Dr Dre to celebrate the Beats/Apple deal?

We're cranking Dr Dre to celebrate the Beats/Apple deal. Best of luck on his next episode...

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Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out

No matter how much you like a band's catalog of music, it's their first album (at least, the first one you hear) that sticks with you. I still remember thinking, "oh, this is spot-on!" when I cranked Franz Ferdinand's eponymous debut and "Take Me Out" was a stand-out.  The ensuing live show certainly did them justice, as well.  (Who else was there, for the gig at the 9:30 club?) ^QEM

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JAY Z, Kanye West - Otis ft. Otis Redding

Jay-Z.  Kanye. Sampling the late, great Otis Redding. Joining forces for a little tribute to success. Brilliant from start to finish, and a perfect start to the weekend. ^QEM

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Them Crooked Vultures - New Fang

It's easy to bash music supergroups, but Them Crooked Vultures -- Josh Homme, Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones -- just works.  Their eponymous debut album, released a few years go, was just what I needed then and it's still rockin' today. If you guys are reading this: second album, please? ^QEM

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The Smashing Pumpkins - Today

Something about springtime brings me to dust off Siamese Dream for repeated listens.  Maybe it's the music, maybe it's the memories, who knows? Often, an album's hit single is just some radio-friendly one-off the studios use to lure fans.  By comparison, "Today" managed to capture the spirit of the entire album: waves of thick, distorted guitars; feel-good, major-key tunes behind deceptively dark lyrics; the subtle flourishes of Jimmy Chamberlin's drum kit.  The over-the-top, sunshine-and-smiles video is even funnier when you consider the song's origins: Billy Corgan says he wrote it when his life hit rock-bottom, celebrating that it could not get any worse.

Several albums later, the Pumpkins are still going strong.  Can't wait for the next one, which is soon due to land ... ^QEM

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Tycho - "Awake" - I was really enjoying this album before seeing Tycho live last week. This album has a great mix of electronic and indie rock elements that made it superbly enjoyable to experience live backing band. ^RCB

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Girl Talk/Freeway - "Tolerated" - From their recently released "Broken Ankles EP". Great collaboration! Listen/Download here: http://www.datpiff.com/Girl-Talk-Freeway-Broken-Ankles-EP-mixtape.594399.html ^RCB

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AlunaGeorge - Best Be Believing (Lovelife Remix) I don't recall how I stumbled onto AlunaGeorge, but I'm glad I did.  The duo's Body Music simmers soft vocals over beats that float between pop, electronic, and something more organic. (If you're in search of a good on-ramp to AlunaGeorge's sound, try Gran Turismo-era Cardigans.) Here's to hoping the next album arrives soon. ^QEM

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JAY-Z - Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)…

If hip-hop is the music of business, then Jay-Z is a b-school prof.  Enjoy today’s lesson. ^QEM

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Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

Posted in honor of Marvin Gaye’s birthday. Let us celebrate his music, talent, his message, and his golden voice. ^QEM

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Raphael Saadiq - Staying In Love

Raphael Saddiq's The Way I See It is another contemporary album that takes you back to that 1960s soul sound.  The album in general, and "Staying in Love" in particular, makes a perfect soundtrack to this gorgeous taste of spring weather. ^QEM

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MC Solaar - Nouveau Western

The 1990s was a great decade for hip-hop music, and not just in the USA.  France's rap scene was also taking off, giving birth to acts such as NTM, Alliance Ethnik, and the source of today's clip, MC Solaar.

Prose Combat shows off Solaar's lyrical prowess and an ability to change up styles.  Case in point: "Nouveau Western" samples the old Gainsbourg/Bardot duet, "Bonnie and Clyde," which is hardly a hip-hop staple.

Solaar's earlier music can be difficult to find in the US, but once in a while you'll stumble across his CDs in used collections. (Amoeba Music and Reckless Records, I'm lookin' at you.) ^QEM

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St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Mighty River live at Pegasus

You want a time warp? I mean, in a good way? St Paul & The Broken Bones will take you straight back to the 1960s.  The band mixes a tight rhythm section, howling vocals, horns -- yes, you heard me: a horn section -- and belts out heaps of southern-flavored soul.  A real taste of that old-school Motown sound, in the present day.

Suitable for a sunny drive with the top down, or a gritty club late-night, just make sure you crank the volume to 11.  ^QEM

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Black Sabbath - Loner

Listening to 13 takes me back -- way back -- to those days I'd fire up the distortion pedal and crank along with Paranoid, Sabotage, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, and other gems.

Black Sabbath is back, and it's as though they never left.  Here's to hoping they inspire another generation of musicians and please music fans alike. 

Enjoy this one with the volume up high. ^QEM

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Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message: My go-to for "old school hip-hop" days at the office. ^RCB

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Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know

I've had AM, the latest Arctic Monkeys release, on repeat as of late.  Between the mix, the music, and the words, it really gets in your head in a way that rides the fence between "shy romantic" or "borderline eerie." AM opens with the steady heartbeat thump of "Do I Wanna Know" and keeps you second-guessing till the fading sounds of "I Wanna Be Yours" (an arrangement of the John Cooper Clarke poem of the same name).

For this album, I recommend a set of proper over-the-ear headphones and several straight-through listens. ^QEM

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Radkey - Start Freaking Out

To hell with recommendation engines.  The best music tips often come from friends, so I didn't hesitate when someone turned me on to the energetic power trio that is Radkey.  They've a sound all their own, though if you dig early Arctic Monkeys or Franz Ferdinand, Radkey will be a welcome addition to your music collection.

To hell with headphones, as well.  Crank this track through full stereo speakers, then step back.  Trust me. ^QEM