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From M.I.A's "Kala" to Radiohead's "In Rainbows" and every musical tidbit in between, XL Recordings has released a cavalcade of music in the last year or so. Obviously, they're real darn excited over at XL, because they've put out a compilation, "08/09", of tracks they've been tinkering with and some they are prepping for release later this year.
Highlights include the oft-overplayed (hello KEXP) Peter Gabriel/Hot Chip collab, who render Vampire Weekend's "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" into a much more enjoyable form than it's original, and the surprising soulfulness of the Raconteurs "Many Shades of Black" with Adele at the vocal helm. Damon Albarn's new endeavour with Jamie Hewlett, Monkey, also has a track on this comp. "Heavenly Peach Banquet" is surprisingly delicate and enchanting, like an emotionally stable Coco Rosie or a more youthful, playful Air.
Latest comment by: Nicolas: "Fantastic. New Damon Albarn! AND it's based around my most favorite story ever."
Latest comment by: Erik Gonzalez: "Thank for clarifying the Kate Nash-Penate gossip ... Yet still, I just listen to Jack and hear nothing of interest. Sure, he might be a nice guy and all, but he just seems to be about as bland as any Top 40 American heart-throb. That is all we need now are ...
After months of searching for the NME top 10, I did finally find it on the MTV2 website, or at least what it claims is the NME/MTV2 Top 10.
Latest comment by: imaginary dana: "Liz and I have loads in common musically but here's where we diverge -- "Conquest" makes me soooooo uncomfortable. Yeesh!"
So for the last month or so, I've been trying to find the NME Singles Chart - it had disappeared from its weekly update on the NME website and no one would tell me why. Well, after poking around, I finally tracked it down on the MTV2 UK website. So, here is a little update on some of the songs on the chart this week ...
#1 Babyshambles - "Delivery": Ok, well, beyond the fact that I've always thought 'Babyshambles' was a terrible name for a band and I've never understood the head-over-heels love people have for Pete Doherty, "Delivery" is pretty uninteresting. Think Nirvana meets Clash but in an uninspired sort of way.
#2 Jack Penate - "Second, Minute or Hour": Another part of the "cute rock" revolution, but a big boring part. It pretty much sounds like throwback pop rock, sort of bouncy and dancy but lacking any substance - sort of like a male No Doubt. The video is kind of, er, cute.
Latest comment by: rkpetersen: "Pretty spot-on with your comments on most of these songs. Although I'm also looking forward to seeing The Hives! "
They're charming, vaguely witty, catchy, and sort of throwbacks but also modern-ish and I'm sure they're lining up at borders waiting to invade (if DHS lets them in). NME loves 'em in the "they will conquer the world until we're bored with them next week" way.
Latest comment by: imaginary serotonein: "NME loves 'em in the "they will conquer the world until we're bored with them next week" way wait a second- doesn't this describe every single band hyped in the british press?! i've given up trying to figure out if a newer british band is any good ...
I've decided to undertake a project each week to run down the Top 10 songs on NME and try to listen to every song (and trust me, I've acquried all the songs legally, let me tell you) and try to post a link it on the web too!.
Latest comment by: toby: "I like the klaxons well enough, but that record will likely be gathering dust along with all of my PWEI cds in a year. Sadly the Editors new record is just as boring as the new Interpol record. The Wombats are ace! Kinda bummed their short US tour is skipping ...
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