Music: Incubus: Sick Sad Little World

This is for anyone who has started out listening to Incubus with their most recent album, If Not Now, When?, which is probably one of the worst albums I have ever listened.  It's not often that I listen to an album and decide it's so bad that I'll never listen to it again, but If Not Now, When? was so tinged with disappointment that I just can't bring myself to put it on again.

If you look back to, for example, A Crow Left Of The Murder (which is one of my favourite albums of all time) there's not a single bad track on there.  I considered Incubus to be one of the most consistent and imaginative bands around, and this is probably why it was so disappointing when they released If Not Now, When?

So you can all hear just how good they should be, here is Sick Sad Little World.  I wish I could put the entire album up for you all....

Music: Los Campesinos - Romance Is Boring

From humble beginnings at Cardiff University to festivals and North American tours, Los Campesinos have come a long way.  Los Campesinos were on the outskirts of my radar when I saw them at Leeds festival many moons ago (2008).  I love their upbeat style (though it's not always upbeat content) and I was hooked off that very first performance.  There really is nothing like dancing in the mud to make you a fan.  This is the title track from their album Romance Is Boring:

http://www.loscampesinos.com
http://www.loscampesinos.com/blog/
http://soundcloud.com/los-campesinos

Music: Pixies - Where is my mind?

Today we have a classic, a song that is as old as me.  You'll probably all know this track as being off the soundtrack for Fight Club, and apparently a music video was never made for it (you're all welcome to correct me on that one!).  I think a lot of songs that came out over ten years ago are are the ones that never sound dated: Smells Like Teen Spirit, Song 2, Under The Bridge etc.  This definitely comes under that banner with the best of them.  This is the best video that I could find for this track but be warned, if you don't want Fight Club to be ruined for you, then you're best not watching this one.

Music: Daft Punk - Tron: Legacy Soundtrack

Right, cast your minds back many months, all the way back to April.  I wrote a review of the film Tron: Legacy and the original Tron film, and in that review I told you all the soundtrack was great and that there was to be a new CD of remixes from the soundtrack out soon (you can read it here).

When I watched the film at the cinema, the soundtrack was every bit as amazing as the special effects.  The soundtrack and film went together so well that it would be fair to say that without the soundtrack the film might not have been quite as epic, and equally without the film (and enormous speakers providing the surround sound) the music isn't quite as epic.  But it is close.

To get a taster of the soundtrack try this video.  It is a trailer but it features one of my favourite tracks Derezzed, and hopefully it'll make you all want to watch the film (which I understand is the purpose of a trailer)!  And yes that is Michael Sheen AND it is Daft Punk, just in case you were wondering...

R3C0NF1GURED is a CD of remixes of the Daft Punk original soundtrack by a whole range of other artists.  I really love how this CD has developed each track into a full, stand-alone song.  One of the only negatives of the original album was that it IS a soundtrack and this is fairly obvious when you listen to the CD.  This is one of my favourite tracks off of the R3C0NF1GURED CD, but a word of warning - make sure your speakers are prepared for bass.  For example, in my car this causes extreme embarrassment due my speakers inability to deliver the low notes.  What actually happens is there is a low rattle and vibration... and I look like a chav.

Pretty Lights - Daft Punk Solar Sailer Remix by prettylights

Music: Foals - Cassius

It doesn't matter how many new Foals songs I hear, this is still my favourite:

Music: Clare Maguire - Ain't Nobody (Breakage Remix)

Because recently adverts have broadcast better music than the radio:

02 Ain't Nobody (Breakage Remix) by claremaguire

Music: Santigold - An Introduction

As I missed yesterday (I'm a terrible person), I have a very shiny artist for you today - Santigold  (originally Santogold but this had to be changed to avoid a lawsuit).  I couldn't choose between all her tracks but I managed to narrow it down to three tracks for you lovely people.  The first is one that I imagine you will all recognise as it was featured on an advert and we all know how much I love to find music through adverts!

I don't know if that's the official video or not, but it is A video.  The next track was the follow up single to Creator:

Finally, I know this isn't a proper video but it's a great remix - my final track is a remix of You'll Find A Way.  This remix is on the album that all of these songs are from, self-titled Santogold.  There are rumours that the next Santigold album is out in Spring 2012 - EXCITED!!

Music: The Naked And Famous

Right, today is a two-for-the-price-of-one day - what a treat!  I couldn't choose between these two tracks by The Naked And Famous.  The first I think is the best song and the second is a good song with an excellent video.

So here is track number one, Punching In A Dream.  I heard the Does It Offend You, Yeah? remix of this track first but I think the original is better:

And the second is Serenade.  I love those little paper-foldy-wotsits!  See how long it takes you to forget that the sound isn't actually coming from them.

http://www.thenakedandfamous.com/

http://www.myspace.com/thenakedandfamous

https://www.facebook.com/tnafofficial

Music: The Knife - Heartbeats

"Ooh, isn't that that that song of the advert with all the bouncy balls?  You know that Gonzalez bloke..."

No, my misinformed friend it isn't.  This is The Knife and they released this song long before Jose did.  So, because I have been assured that it isn't common knowledge that this is a Knife track, here it is for you as my day two song.

http://theknife.net/

Music: Woodkid - Iron

Right, it's December and I am sadly without an advent calendar.  So let's do it with music.  Everyday for the month of December, I will give you a song to listen to.  And here is the first...

This song should have been massive when it was released back in March of this year and it wasn't.  But then, with all media seemingly terrified to think out of the box and play something a bit different (if it ain't broke... and all that) should we be so surprised?  Until, would you believe it, a computer game advertisement has broken the mold - whoever was on song-choosing duty that day is quite literally, my absolute hero.  Not only is the song fantastic but it fits the game absolutely perfectly - give that employee a pay rise!

If you haven't had the opportunity to hear Iron by Wookdkid yet then here it is:

And as I'm feeling generous today here is the Mystery Jets remix of the same song.  It's OK, you don't have to thank me...

Woodkid Iron (Remix By Mystery Jets) by JLUP

http://www.yoannlemoine.com/

http://www.woodkid.com/

http://www.myspace.com/woodkid