Friday Five: 1st 1/4 2010 Highlights!

You guys, it's already April! That means that a quarter of the year has passed us by. Fortunately for the keen music fan, there has been lots of great new stuff to soak in through our ears. We've already had great new releases by Hot Chip, Owen Pallett (formerly Final Fantasy), Vampire Weekend, Spoon and MGMT (oh what? it's not out till next week...LEAK ALERT). Plus I've stumbled upon new interests, like Das Racist whose reference-laden rap makes me smile. Their mixtape/album is well worth the free download.

And there is so much more too look forward to in the coming months: LCD Soundsystem are releasing LP3, 'This is Happening', on May 18 in North America and Wolf Parade are dropping their next one, 'Expo '86', in June or July (fingers crossed for June). Broken Social Scene have new record, 'Forgiveness Rock Record', coming out May 4 which I'm sure will be another epic based on these tracks. Not to mention every morning I check the interwebs hoping for some piece of information about highly anticipated LP3 by Arcade Fire - tipped to appear later in the summer.

Enough talking, these songs are all objectively great.

LISTEN / TELL YOUR FRIENDS:

LCD Soundsystem - Drunk Girls

MGMT - Flash Delerium

Hot Chip - I Feel Better

Owen Pallett - Lewis Takes Off His Shirt (Dan Deacon Remix)

Das Racist - You Oughta Know

Spoon - I Saw the Light

Finally Fantastic!

The fact that it's a Monday fully gives me permission to indulge in corny blog titles if I so desire. But yes, I know, I could have done better.

So.

There are few things I enjoy more than animated music videos, mainly because they combine two of my favourite things (music and cartoons) and because they achieve a level of crazy that cannot be reached in any other fashion. Other things I enjoy are hot air balloons, lightning storms and the ocean.

Owen Pallett aka Final Fantasy obviously knows all of this, and so just for me, he's put together this gem:



The third Final Fantasy LP is only due out in Spring 2009, but thankfully, he's throwing a couple of EPs our way to tide us over till then. Check out Spectrum, 14th Century, right here!

Yo, it's corrupt where I'm from..

UPDATE!!!
Cadence Weapon is incredible live. Performing in front of a whopping 50 people at Victoria's Sugar nightclub last night, Cadence Weapon played a bunch of dope new stuff as well as some odd-ball covers...ie Weezer's "Pink Triangle". His DJ was a crazy long-haired, white metalhead-looking dude, but man did he ever tear up that vinyl. If you even mildly like hip hop, electronic or both, check this guy out asap and get pumped for his forthcoming disc. Plus, he chills with the likes of Ghostface Killah, who's also got an album out just before that new Wu-Tang drops. It's shaping up to be a pretty big winter for rap...but what do I know?
-AW

Edmonton-born rapper Rollie Pemberton, aka Cadence Weapon, got kind of big a couple years back in the indie world for his jarring and harsh electronic-based beats. His first lp, Breaking Kayfabe, was something that I hadn't really heard in hip hop before. Pitchfork just 'premiered' a new track from his forthcoming Anti/Epitaph release, Afterparty Babies, due out in March. "In Search of the Youth Crew" has a dancier backing track and some pretty awesome funk soul samples. I could definately see this one getting some serious play in the clubs...but it'll probably stick to the undergroud circuit.

Recently, I also came across some recordings of Owen Pallett, of Final Fantasy fame, and Pemberton playing together on a CBC session. It's different, but definately works out. Check it. I plan on seeing Cadence Weapon when he rolls into Victoria this Saturday, with a stop in Vancouver the night before.

Cadence Weapon - In Search of the Youth Crew
Cadence Weapon - Sharks (avec Final Fantasy)
Cadence Weapon - Grim Fandango (with Final Fantasy)

-AW.

This is the Dream of Owen Pallett

Last month I had the pleasure of seeing my first full set by the guy who calls himself Final Fantasy. Actually one Owen Pallett from Toronto, in the live setting Final Fantasy is just a violin and a looping pedal. This simple musical formula, along with his excellent albums which feature more varied production, has created one of Canada's most recognized and acclaimed artists. Last year Pallett won Canada's inaugural Polaris Prize for his sophomore album, He Poos Clouds, and he has contributed string arrangements to the likes of Arcade Fire, Fucked Up and DFA1979.

Final Fantasy - Many Lives -> 49 MP
Final Fantasy - This is the Dream of (Win & Regine) (live)

-Andrew W

Remix Sunday - An Oldie but Greatie

This was one of my favourite tracks of 2005/06. R.I.P. DFA 1979. Sebastian Grainger, a former camp counsellor of mine and Final Fantasy (aka Owen Pallett) rework Black History Month - one of DFA79's best tracks - with some epic strings and a solid disco beat.

Death From Above 1979 - Black History Month

DFA1979 - Black History Month (Girl on Girl Revision feat. Final Fantasy)

-Enjoy, Andrew W.