Festival Season: Osheaga - Day 1

We sent our two most attractive writers to Montreal this past weekend to enjoy the riches that this year's Osheaga music festival had to offer. Also one of us had sex with Duffy, guess which one! Each band gets a letter grade for those of you with real lives too busy to read everything.

The Wooden Sky 2:00pm-2:30pm
Grade: A

The Toronto-based five piece shared their rich folk rock blend under the Scene des Arbres' tent with a natural charm and a shining ability to build a song to a climax. We were especially impressed with the Wooden Sky's unique backing vocals which provided a fullness and passion that made this set one of the day's finest.

*Next, we were ready to enjoy one of our favourites of late, Foals. However, the band canceled last minute due to 'scheduling problems'. We call bullshit. However, the disappointment was curbed quickly, as Texas' Sleepercar were playing a surprise performance on the Mountain stage.

Sleepercar 2:45-3:30
Grade: B

We were set to check out a set from Eddy Grant, who neither of us knew or had heard before. I knew only that he was a reggae artist, but some research after the fact makes me wish he had been there. Grant’s a pretty prolific figure, and did “Electric Avenue,” but I digress…In his place were Sleepercar from West Texas, a side-project of Jim Ward (Sparta, At the Drive-In). The band’s alt-country and rockier tunes were well balanced throughout the set, as Ward showed that his bread and butter yell can be toned down to a blue collar croon when appropriate, well suited to his slow-burning songs about West Texas and everyday obstacles. Highlights were “Wednesday Nights” and “A Broken Promise,” stretched out to incorporate lap-steel solos and singalong builds. Fine set, though a tad slow to get the crowd pumped for Pharrell and co.

N.E.R.D 3:30-4:30
Grade: C

This set was eagerly anticipated by BTA writer mca. He has macked hard on Seeing Sounds this summer, and was anxious to hear the new shit live. However, BTA's shortest contributor was disappointed with set that Pharrell Williams and friends shared. The band started 20 minutes late (a festival faux-pas), the set was marred by pour sound production and a desperation to force the crowd's energy level higher. "Anti-Matter" and "Spaz" came off weak and empty. After a decent rendition of "Rock Star", the BTA team left N.E.R.D's set early to be wowed by Plants & Animals.

Plant & Animals 4:00-4:45
Grade: B-

Playing the remote and rearmost Meg Stage, hometown natives and Polaris nominees Plants & Animals played the majority of their stellar album Parc Avenue. Their set was great, however we couldn’t help notice the 3-piece was going for a faster, much less cinematic version of many grandiose songs including “Bye Bye Bye.” Either for their limited personnel and backing instruments or because they wanted to keep people moving, these uptempo versions weren’t better or worse, just different from what we had expected. Still, the timing and cohesion of the three neon-shaded dudes was tight and they never let any one song become prolonged to the point of stagnation, a necessary tactic when other stages are just minutes away. “Good Friend” was probably the best executed song of the set; funny and lighthearted like the general vibe of the rest of the performance.

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings 5:45-6:45
Grade: A

After eating some soul food provided by Osheaga's popular poutine shack, we were anxious to check out the festival's Queen of Soul, Ms. Sharon Jones and her Dap Kings. The set began with the Dap Kings getting the crowd going, building anticipation for the entrance of the little soul diva. The beautiful, soulful, and very audible Sharon Jones dominated the stage for the entire performance. As she strutted from stage left to stage right in her Tina Turner dress (and high heeled shoes she would later remove), Sharon Jones showed the Osheaga faithful what Motown/soul should look and sound like. Passionate, natural, fun. Definitely a favourite of the day. And it's soul music! soul.

Devotchka 7:00-8:00
Grade: A

Denver, Colorado’s Devotchka were for me, the surprise of the day. Between east-European gypsy stylings to authentic Spanish mariachi numbers and lots of shit you could categorize at any point in between, these guys were righteous and amazing. Frontman Nick Urata definitely captivated those in attendance with a Morrissey-type swagger and croon, and with a little lady hoisting a massive white tuba to his left and a gent with an accordion to his right they could really do no wrong. Urata played the theremin on a couple tunes, the ancient Russian electronic antennae a performer plays with the proximity of his hands, or in Urata’s case, his guitar and entire body…pretty unreal if you’ve never seen it played by a professional. Recent single “Transliterator” was the most boisterous and well-received of the set, and plenty more aggressive than its recorded counterpart. No lows from this bunch, thoroughly impressive.

Iggy & The Stooges 8:00-9:00
A-

Little did we know, but this would be the last time Iggy and the boys played their instruments (those specific instruments, to make it clearer, their truck got stolen Monday morning). Iggy made it quite clear during the high-energy set that he didn’t give a shit what anybody thought, which is what we all wanted to see. “Be Your Dog,” “No Fun,” and “Real Cool Time” from their eponymous debut sounded spastic and on the brink of collapse. At the point Iggy invited all his fellow freaks up on stage and kids were pouring over the barrier and up the stage wall, with the only thing coming between them and their idol was his purple-shirted bodyguard who boxed them out like Charles Barkley in his prime. A sight to see. Less of a sight to see was Iggy losing his belt and having his jeans ready to fall at any second, but they remained, keeping Iggy on the edge of the law for long enough to play “Search and Destroy” and some other gems. At 61 it’s not easy to explain how he keeps going, but the leatherbacked wonder keeps entertaining the punks and punks at heart as best he can.

Booka Shade 8:30-9:30
Grade: B-

Osheaga met its euro dance party quotient with this German twosome. Armed with a digital drum kit, headset microphones and an odd projection set up, Booka Shade provided a decently-sized audience with an enjoyable and sexually ambiguous 45 minute set. The tracks were solid, but nothing to write home about (sorry mom, one less telegram this week).

Sebastien Tellier 10:00-11:00
Grade: C+

Monsieur Tellier brought his chain-smoking, hobo-haired self and portions of his brilliant Sexuality to Osheaga to close the night as an alternative to those plugs in The Killers. What could have been a very promising, groovy set, especially given the darkness of the Meg Stage and the potential for a dance party dynamic, Tellier and crew played only “Divine” and “Kilometer” to get people moving, disregarding other cuts like “Sexual Sportswear” that would’ve done well with the crowd. One too many slow-burning piano numbers killed the momentum, and solace could only be taken at these moments by observing how incredibly awesome this Parisian is at smoking cigarettes. Like I don’t smoke or anything, but if anybody would get me started into deep, committed chain smoking, this would be the guy to idolize.

At the end of Day 1, we were excited for the talent-filled Day 2, and the prospect that our hostel beds weren't already filled by some gruff, oversized Peruvians.

- mca and BA

Contest: TIME festival ft. SOULWAX, A-Trak, others - August 10th, Toronto

This is a whole new kind of Remix Sunday.

I love to dance. With such an admittance, I'm expecting to be in good company this coming Sunday at Toronto's Sunnyside Pavilion at the first-ever TIME Festival. While the event hours are pretty unconventional for an event of its ilk (it's a daytime-to-evening event, starting at 1pm), the lineup may calm the nerves of anyone worrying if this formula can work.

Belgium's Electro fathers SOULWAX (aka 2 many DJs) head a roster that also includes Fool's Gold man-in-charge A-Trak, UK remixer and DJ Erol Alkan, plus a ton of others with heavy local Toronto and Canadian support: Jokers of the Scene (Ottawa), as well as Torontonians Mario J, Fritz Helder & the Phantoms and Nasty Nav, among others.

Courtesy of Embrace, BTA has three pairs of tickets to give away to the electro-fest to three lucky readers. If you're interested, hit us with an email with the subject line "This ain't your gramma's daytime electronic dance fest". Since the festival is this weekend, get your entry in by Saturday, August 9th at 5pm.

Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want (Soulwax Remix)
Kanye West - Stronger (A-Trak Remix)
Thunderheist - Jerk It (Jokers of the Scene Remix)

- bbbykmbrly.

Festival Season: Lollapalooza Review - Day 1

Well how about that. Despite donning a Robo-Boot to protect my freshly broken foot/sprained ankle combo from an ill-advised (and poorly timed) skateboarding spill last Saturday, my first ever Lollapalooza also doubled as my most musically indulgent 3-day span in my life thus far. So now I'm going to do my best to recap (if not recapture) the diverse, epic, and gloried weekend spent in Grant Park, Chicago.

The Go! Team (2:15pm)

Listening to the Black Lips tear through their 1:15pm set while sweating through my t-shirt on the outside of a festival behind 20,000 other anxious patrons wasn't terribly easy to swallow. But once we did arrive, the Go! Team seemed prepared to cheer my spirits with their impressive energy that was even more so considering the scorching heat. The crowd was pretty substantial considering their relatively early slot and still lengthy line up, and the Team won them over blasting out tunes from both of their albums.

The Go! Team - Grip Like a Vice

The Kills (3:15pm)

Up next were London, UK's the Kills. Admittedly, I'm pretty sure I hadn't heard a single note from this gender-split twosome. It was strictly off the recommendation of a friend (who compared lead Allison "VV" Mosshart to a less attention- seeking Karen O), and the fact that nobody wanted to go see Duffy with me that lured me to the stage for their antics, and thankfully so. Not a great performance, admittedly, as the two seemed about to melt under the rays. But despite the elements, the strength of their songwriting shone through. Definitely one of the more pleasant finds of the festival, and one that might have the potential to truly hook me in a dark nightclub rather than a day fit for a picnic.

the Kills - Hitched

Gogol Bordello (4:15pm)

Though I opted to bask in the sun and stare gazingly at the big main stage screens, I couldn't help but notice that I may have been the only person in the strong crowd not moving a muscle. Instead, with "gypsy punks" Gogol Bordello leading by example, the response from the crowd was certainly notable. These guys build their reputation on a powerful live presence, which they brought 100% to the Lolla experience.

Gogol Bordello - Supertheory of Supereverything

Mates of State (5:15pm)

Of all the bands on the bill Friday afternoon, Mates of State could perhaps be the one most suited for a park on a bright, cloudless summer day; their pleasant synth-pop melodies seem crafted with exactly this environment in mind. Despite their suitability however, the husband and wife duo of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel never really seemed to emote much energy whatsoever, which was in time relayed onto the crowd who approved slightly to their breadth of tunes across their 10 year career, but never legitimately erupted at any point during the set.

Mates of State - The Re-Arranger

Grizzly Bear (5:45pm)

After leaving Mates of State relatively unimpressed, I set up shop at the "accessibility zone" (thank you, wounded paw) for a comfortable spot for Radiohead tourmates Grizzly Bear at the City stage, one of the smaller of the festival. At risk of getting criticized by the indie- masses, I've never given their critically acclaimed Yellow House much of a chance. So checking this set out, I felt very much like an open book ready to absorb "what all the fuss was about". The conclusion: subtle melodies over wistful vocals and enough resonance to make me revisit Yellow House, but still a skepticism and speculation that it might not have enough jump to really have my name on it.

Grizzly Bear - Knife

Bloc Party (6:15pm)

It has taken me well over a year to accept the fact that A Weekend in the City is not Silent Alarm. But in that time span, I've seen the best songs from both albums in a live environment three times, each time leaving me with a slightly more optimistic outlook on their sophomore effort. Now, as they seem primed for their third release, their upcoming single "Mercury", which experiments with loops and samples, seems like a valiant effort to expand and progress rather than stick to their guns - the ones which started as fierce semi automatics before retreating to handgun status. In general, the set was classic Bloc - high energy modern rock n' roll, a charismatic lead donning the t-shirt of a man he cannot vote for given his citizenship (guess who), and a rollicking crowd appreciative throughout.

Bloc Party - Mercury

Radiohead (8:00)

Fucking ruled. But of course we already knew that. My first RH experience was everything I could have hoped for - impeccable song selection (In Rainbows heavy, but with a healthy sprinkling of the highlights of all other albums with the exception of the dated Pablo Honey), impressive but simple effects, and flawless recreations of the impossible sounds which only Thom and Co. can bring to live on record, let alone in the flesh.

Radiohead - Bodysnatchers

- bbbykmbrly.

Festival Season: Pemberton Wrap-Up

As I sat on a bus in the traffic in between Whistler and Pemberton, in what major media outlets would later call ‘ a logistical nightmare’, and behind a pickup truck full of shirtless ‘bro’s’, heckling those that took their chances walking, I wondered if this town would still be standing in three days. As I cursed the woman at the media check-in who assured me that the festival grounds were a ten minute walk, I began to realize just how much of a nightmare this could potentially be. Staff and concert goers alike were equally lost in the confusion. So we took it upon ourselves to track down a campsite and settled in a fairly open area at the back of the campgrounds, away from the dust bowls and refugee style tent city area. Well, we had already missed most of the acts of the first day, so drinking seemed like the best way to get down to work. The gracious liquor companies, who saved us from the overpriced beer tents, were more than accommodating to the media. Although I’m not sure I’d say the same for Joe-concert goer. Lines to get into the 19+ areas spanned two or three hours, resulting in some spectacular fence scaling and dashing techniques. I wondered if that’s what the U.S and Mexican border looked like. As I stepped into one of the closed off areas, I found myself surrounded by the seemingly musically challenged and would be Hunter S. Thompson’s. They ranged from fashion magazines to those breakfast radio hosts who make you want to shoot yourself in the face rather than have a cheery start to your morning. All of them going apes shit over seeing the Tragically Hip and Sam Roberts…again! When I mentioned that I was looking forward to covering the likes of Chromeo and MSTRKRFT, I was met more often than not with blank stares. Don’t get me wrong, there were journalists around that border lined hipster-dome, and I don’t expect everyone to be a huge fan of this new indie-electrio dance wave that has been taking the blog world by storm. Hey, I myself am pretty down with Sam Roberts. But is it too much to ask that these people have a general awareness of the new Canadian talent coming up around them? Well maybe not you, hot fashion zine girl, but the music people! Apparently, the answer is yes. That’s cool man, go and sing along to ‘My music at work’. I watched the guy in front of me tip our server with our other national currency, giving me a smile and saying, “It’s gonzo baby”. Better make that two rum and cokes.

I can’t say too much about Chromeo that hasn’t been said about every other performance we’ve seen of them. The sea of people demonstrating their fancy footwork can testify that the boys blew the roof off the tent that night with their own special blend of synth-dance pop that they do so well. Though I will say that it wasn’t as intimate as other shows they have played as they were set up behind what was seemingly an unmovable DJ booth, and separated a few more feet by a security fence. It didn’t seem to phase the dancing though.

The next morning consisted of trying to find some food we could afford, and a line that we could tolerate. We found neither, so we hitchhiked to Pemberton. Someone had spray painted ‘DIRT’ in massive letters right across the four stalls near our campsite. I decided that was a good indication to wait until we got into town. The day consisted of avoiding dust clouds, rum, and the occasional game of hacky sack with neighbors in the camp ground while waiting for the music to begin. Organizers had however begun to pick up the slack from yesterday. Security was tighter, things were getting cleaned, and things seemed a bit more controlled. Mates of State showed they could hit those harmonies and fill the place with sound by means of just the two of them and the occasional help of some strings. The Flaming Lips should play a show where they don’t have massive bubbles floating around and crazy shit blowing up on stage. Where absolutely nothing happens. That would be really unexpected, and would probably mess with the drug-riddled kids even worse. MSTRKRFT took control of the dance party that night, which had been completely charged up by a day of some quality DJ sets. JFK and Al-P kept their usual company of crown royale and cigarettes as they threw down their set. Was that a shout out sample from Ghostface on the intro?



The campgrounds were not as hectic in the early morning hours as I had anticipated, but they were not without character. As one burly dude stumbled around and slumped down on the ground next to me, he mentioned how he didn’t want to see ACDC because they were “fucking head bangers”. It was an appropriate thing to say, as they were not playing at the festival, or anywhere at the time for that matter. He then went on about slitting throats and hobbits or something and proceeded to pass out on top of one of our tents. It was easier to move the tent rather than the guy, and let the medics take care of it.




The final day saw plenty of tired faces as well as those still ready to take in some of the biggest acts of the festival. Vampire Weekend started off the afternoon right, and I really enjoyed the first live performance I’ve seen of them. The airy upbeat sound of ‘Oxford Comma’, and ‘Walcott’ really got fans and new listeners alike bouncing around and set a great mood for the day. I attributed the non-existent encore to the fact that they had played their entire album. The crowd grew restless as N.E.R.D was delayed due to the continuing traffic chaos. When they finally did arrive, they came Chad-less. The guys blamed traffic but this is their second Canadian appearance where he hasn’t shown up. Hmmm I don’t know, but even Jay-Z was telling the crowd that our border security needs to mellow out a bit. Pharell made the best of it by getting as many women on stage as possible, and performing as long as they would allow. I think it was evident to everybody which girl was going to get the backstage tour. And Speaking of Hova, he got the crowd throwing them diamonds up into the night sky. If you’ve seen any footage of Glastonbury, it was pretty much, well, exactly that performance, minus that great rendition of ‘Wonder wall’. I almost forgot, Coldplay was there too.



All in all, it was a pretty good few days up in the mountains. Logistically, yes, there were a number of issues, but that’s to be expected in a festivals inaugural year. Losing MGMT and Brazillian Girls definitely hurt though. With them on the lineup it would’ve been a fairly good balance between the lesser-known acts and the superstars to appease the varying tastes. Pemberton festival has a future, and it is almost definite that it will happen again in 2009. My hope is that it continues to support up and coming artists and gives Canadians the chance to hear something that wasn’t on the top 40 that week. Only time will tell if Pemberton will fall amongst the ranks of the elite festivals, or winds up being a predictable affair with acts you may remember from the 1990’s.

…There was also Guitar Hero and a giant robot spider thing which surely only has one reason to exist. And that is to destroy the human race.

- Matty B.


Surkin ft. Chromeo - Chrome Knight

More new Girl Talk coming this week..?

Good ol' Gregg, or as we lovingly call him, Girl Talk, took the stage of the Commodore Ballroom the other night in downtown Vancouver. A pleasant step up from Richards on Richards where he has performed before, according to him. We chatted a bit before the show as I was shooting an interview with him. But you'll have to head over to Punktv.ca in the near future to get the whole skinny on that talk. Anyways, all was good, and we chatted about the album, Australian bands, and audio software after the shoot. Once the show began the regular dance madness ensued with concert goers jumping to the stage. His high energy set included a fair amount of new cuts, as well as some different variations to the samples on 'Feed the Animals'. But whats most important is what I heard from Gregg and not his laptop. As I headed to the back to get out of the sweaty dance madness for a beer. Gregg announced to the audience that he had more material out this week called 'Undertow' and that it's "A lot of fun." And that's all I heard about it the whole night. It would've been nice for him to mention it beforehand! So anyways, keep an eye out for new Girl Talk material within days. You heard it from BTA first! Well..maybe..I'm not too sure on that.

-Matty B.

Girl Talk - Still Here

Ticket Giveaway: Tilly & The Wall w/ The Ruby Suns @ The Mod Club, Aug. 2nd

All you tap-dance aficionados and cacophonous-music lovers, the time is nigh. So what the fuck am I talking about, you're thinking I don't know where the cranberries are or something similarly dementia-d.

Well, Omaha-bred Tilly & the Wall and their indie-tap assault will be hitting Toronto's Mod Club on Aug. 2nd and our friends at ATG are hooking us up with one pair of tickets to give away. Adding to the spectacle, straight outta Auckland, kiwi's The Ruby Suns will open the show with their terrifically eclectic and expansive pop. Both these bands are pretty wild, trust us. This is one you'd be foolish not to enter, so simply email us at bridgingtheatlantic@gmail.com with the subject line: "Talk that talk that smack!" for your chance to win. Contest closes at noon on the 1st of August.



Tilly and the Wall - Pot Kettle Black
The Ruby Suns - There Are Birds

- BA

Remix Sunday

A couple of dance numbers on this most dreary of Sundays (at least in Ottawa). Can't say I've heard the original of the first cut, Jap-pop's not really my thing, but MSTRKRFT's Al-P puts his stamp on this Ayumi Hamasaki song with some thunderous knob twiddling and buzzing synth. If you can't stand the lyrics, which is understandable given the track's dance mix '93 kind of feel, skip to the sweet breakdown at the 2 minute mark. Not for everybody, but worth a listen.

Ayumi Hamasaki - Beautiful Fighters (MSTRKRFT Remix)

Justice do MGMT? Sounds like a decent combination, no? I like it better than the original, a lot more actually.

MGMT - Electric Feel (Justice Remix)

- BA

Featured Band: The Mood

Its not difficult to conclude that the mood that NYC's The Mood is attempting to evoke is a pleasant one; a beautiful summer afternoon, hanging out the park with friends. Perhaps there's croquet or bocce involved, perhaps not. Or, wandering around your hometown streets later on that same night, likely drinking from a poorly-concealed can of Old Milwaukee. Whatever the specifics are, it's certainly a pleasant time.

The press release states "fans of the New Pornographers take note." And while one could argue that they borrow a little too heavily from their Canadian counterparts, it can also be argued that there's no such thing as too much of a good thing. So, if you're a fan of male and female harmonies over guitar-driven, glockenspiel-laden indie pop and "oooh la la la" sing-a-long opps, then these two tracks below should put you in The Mood.

The Mood - Eskimo Scientist
The Mood - Masquerade

- bbbykmbrly.

More Sweet Sweet Video

No Age play in the backyard.



Fleet Foxes crank out the claymation.



Junip, older but overlooked... and Swedish, so you know it must be at least mediocre. Let's play guess the singer!



No Age - Things I Did When I Was Dead
Fleet Foxes - Mykonos
Junip - Turn to the Assassin
Junip - The Ghost of Tom Joad

- BA

WHY?

Why not, I say.

Why? - Close To Me

- a.m.p.m.

Remix Sunday - RAC and Karl Kling versus a-ha

So this is just about the best remix I've heard over the past few months. I guess it's more of a cover, actually, but whatever. The track was RAC's contribution to REWIND, the 80s cover project spearheaded by Spanish blog BuffetLibre.

RAC featuring Karl Kling - Take On Me (a-ha cover)

- a.m.p.m.

Tuko Pamoja (We Are Together)

Check out the little guy pointing to his missing tooth, now that's pride.

While not what we had in mind when naming this little website of ours, the other continent across the Atlantic is in the spotlight today. Lifelong BTA ally Rainer Tan picked up for Tanzania last year and has been doing fine work ever since, volunteering on logistical operations for hospitals and equally noble community building programs. His journey's taken him across the continent, and as if it wasn't enough he's an ace humanitarian, he might just become the next Tanzanian radio king. The song he recently recorded with his friend Amani has been receiving regular radio play in that country, and though he's modest about its success, we think that's pretty fucking cool. "Tuko Pamoja" is a bright, summer tune with a spirited message of unity. Have a listen, sit back, enjoy the sunshine.

We've thrown in some other downloads from Africa's finest that you can try very hard not to like, but, you know...Angelique Kidjo, fresh off her appearance at Ottawa Bluesfest, delivers one of the most triumphant songs Benin, or the continent at large, has seen with "Sedjedo." And if you missed our post on William Onyeabor, check it out.

Amani & Rainer - Tuko Pamoja
Angelique Kidjo feat. Ziggy Marley - Sedjedo
Amadou & Mariam - Je Pense a Toi (Alix Remix)
Issa Bagayogo - Bana

- BA

Festival Season: iTunes Live Festival features free performances from CSS, Black Kids, Foals and many more

So here's the deal: iTunes is hosting a month-long festival of free gigs at KOKO, "London's premiere live music venue". Almost every night in July will feature live performances from bands including Foals, Black Kids, CSS, Lykke Li, Ting Tings, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, The Zutons, Death Cab For Cutie, N*E*R*D, Guillemots and Lightspeed Champion. Did I mention that it's FREE? Check out the lineup and enter to win tickets for the rest of the month's acts. All you need is an iTunes account.

XFM is also doing their part in giving away tickets and providing post-gig reviews; visit here for an extra chance to win tickets through these guys.

Generous friends hooked me up with a ticket to Monday night's Foals/Black Kids gig which was surely the festival highlight (pictures below) and also won multiple tickets for several other nights so it seems that the odds of winning are good, which would make sense as KOKO's total capacity is over 1500.



Foals performing 'Cassius':


Foals performing 'Hummer':


Foals - Balloons
Black Kids - Look At Me (When I Rock Wichoo)

- a.m.p.m.

Youtube Screening Room: I Met the Walrus

So I've been spending a solid chunk of my spare time perusing Youtube's brand new feature, the Youtube Screening Room, a portal within Youtube that showcases selected short films for mass consumption on the internet's most used video portal.

Though brand new, the site already has some absolutely impeccable shorts. In fact, I'm tempted to say that every piece featured on the site is absolutely worth watching, but there are a couple that have particularly struck me. One of which is I Met the Walrus, an animated short based on an interview conducted by a then 14-year-old boy with John Lennon after the kid snuck into the Beatle's Toronto hotel room in 1969. The interview itself is classic Lennon, but it's the animation which accompanies it which is literally unforgettable.

The Beatles - I am the Walrus
The Beatles - Helter Skelter

- bbbykmbrly.

Featured Band: Television Room

Unsigned Dubliners Television Room formed last year, and I suspect they'll be making a splash in the UK and hopefully here in North America in '08 with their glockenspiel-accented guitar pop. Their strength is writing straightforward, compact songs akin to bands like Peter Bjorn and John, with a touch of wit to keep the sweet from getting sour and enough instrumental variety to keep things from getting too run-of-the-mill. There is certainly room to grow with a little more improvisation and experimentation, but for such a young band, they have found a stride that should take them places.

Here are a few clips of the band, the first performing for BalconyTV, a gem of a show if you haven't heard, based out of a Dublin apartment not unlike Pitchfork.tv's Don't Look Down series.

2/5's of the band performing: "Baby's Got Some Good News on the Way"

Performing: "Modern Boys and Girls"


Television Room - Coffee Houses

- BA

Festival Season: Contest - Osheaga, Aug 3 & 4 - Montreal

Yesterday, Osheaga announced their final lineup additions for their fall festival, happening August 3 & 4th at Parc Jean Drapeau in Montreal. The new heavy hitters are clearly Metric and N.E.R.D., but the new supporting cast is pretty solid in its own right. Sebastien Grainger (of DFA1979 fame) and the Mountains have been added to the lineup, as well as my personal Toronto alt-folk favourites The Wooden Sky.

BTA will be on the grounds covering the entire festival, and we've also got a pair to give away, all courtesy of Gillett. If you'd like to spend your August long weekend in Montreal checking out a slew of fantastic local, Canadian, and International talent, just send us an email with the subject line "Osheaga, son!". Contest closes Sunday, July 20th at Noon.

N.E.R.D. - My Drive Thru (ft Santogold and Julian Casablancas)
The Wooden Sky - Darker Streets Than Mine
Sebastien Grainger and the Mountains - American Names

- bbbykmbrly.

Kids Don't Know Shit

Here are a couple must-listens, some summertime jams for kids, talking about kids, or otherwise kid-related. The first one is kid-friendly, while those from Morrissey, BSS, and Islands are, well, less so.

Little My is a collective from Cardiff and Bristol of 8-15 members, playing short cheery songs designed for the young ones. The Guess Who? themed website and cartoonish image are perfect for younger listeners and nostalgic adults, while songs like "All the Beeps Meep" are clever enough to give older peeps a smirk.

Morrissey's "Children in Pieces" and Broken Social Scene's "Horses" both involve kids in distress. The former is familiar Morrissey subject matter, delivering a slick condemnation of children's roles in organized religion. "Horses," a Patti Smith cover, is a brief and jarring tale of terror and escape, quite different than anything the Arts & Crafts collective has delivered before. It appears in Bruce McDonald's The Tracey Fragments starring Ellen Page.

Little My - All the Beeps Meep
Morrissey - Children in Pieces
Broken Social Scene - Horses
Islands - Kids Don't Know Shit

- BA

Festival Season - Contest: Roger's Picnic, July 20th - Toronto

It's always been a dream of mine to curate a music festival. Though I haven't yet had the chance, I can't help but think that REMG and Embrace Productions created this year's Roger's Picnic with me in mind. And now, to make matters even better, Embrace is coughing up a pair of passes to the one-day festival to one lucky faithful BTA reader.

Admittedly, I've never been a City & Colour fan, who is the listed headliner in 2008. However, I can look past such things when the rest of the lineup boasts such glory as Cat Power, Chromeo, Tokyo Police Club, Dizzee Rascal, Animal Collective, and others. Despite these draws, the two bands I'm most looking forward to are Vampire Weekend and Born Ruffians, both of whom I wallowed in sorrow when I couldn't snag tickets to their Toronto shows earlier this year.

Vampire Weekend's only Toronto stop to-date was at a packed Horseshoe Tavern; because I couldn't get tickets, I held a wallowing party at my apartment while the show was going on across town for anyone else who was in the same boat as I. It was a bittersweet evening to say the least.

Likewise, Born Ruffians, whose debut LP Red, Yellow, and Blue is taking rank on the "top played" in my iTunes over the past few months, sold out Lee's Palace before I could grab a ticket. To rub it in, the reviews from the show were ridiculously positive.

Needless to say, I shant be missing this valuable opportunity to correct two of my biggest mistakes of 2008 in one shot at Fort York on July 20th. If you, too, want to be checking out all the action, send us an email with the subject line "Roger and Me are going on a Picnic". Do so before Noon on July 18th, as that's when the winner will be chosen.

Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand a Chance
Born Ruffians - Little Garcon
Cat Power - Theme From New York, New York

- bbbykmbrly.

Traumatic Party

The blog world, BTA included, has been following Black Kids ever since their myspace Wizard of Ahhh's EP took the interweb by storm. Soon after, they were thrown into a fairly rigorous worldwide touring schedule, where they were praised by some, and harshly criticized by others for not being able to bring the energy and sound of their EP to the live stage. In addition, the Jacksonville natives were beginning to pop up on the mainstream radar due to the likes of MTV (they still care about music? I thought it was all about dating mom's and spoiled rich girl parties these days) All this before even having a full length album under their belt. On July 7th, their full length album Partie Traumatic hits the street. One would think the group have been under alot of pressure from both fans and the industry to live up to the hype they have been generating online over the past year. The 10 track album includes all of the songs from the EP with some better quality production and a few more layers to add more depth. Some will miss the somewhat grainy and low-fi sound of Reggie's voice from the original recordings however. Both sets of recordings have their good & bad in my opinion. The fact that only 3 new tracks are introduced on the album is a bit of a let down. But I guess thats what you get when you are expected to tour and make your first record all at the same time. The title track is what caught my ear at the live show and is my favorite of the new releases. The other two tracks have merit but don't seem to embody the energy we've come to expect from these guys. You can get the album here and can catch them on tour since they have been thrown out on the road yet again, on both sides of the Atlantic, well into November. Good luck with that guys...

- Matty B.

Black Kids - Partie Traumatic

Festival Season: Ottawa Bluesfest

Day 1 = sunny, musically diverse, a success. Of the handful of acts we were able to see, here are the notables.

People Project, a Canadian-Mexican hybrid built on Latin rhythms and cross-cultural unification, is an extremely talented bunch of dudes. A few members are also part of Ottawa-based SoulJazz Orchestra (MySpace), great in their own right, who happened to join People Project on stage at the end of the set. The songs on their MySpace don't do the improvisational live show justice, but "People," the highlight of the set (with beat-boxing intact) is definitely worth a listen.

José González. What more can be said about this guy, no stranger to the world circuit. He's in his own league with songs ranging from timid to unnerved, at times hopeful, always earnest, sometimes even a bit pissed off at accepted practices (see: "Cycling Trivialities" from last year's In Our Nature). The subtly winding latino and classical guitar riffs sound just as good in the open air as they do in a pair of headphones. If you haven't seen him live and are unsure, here's our stamp of approval (as though that's needed). As an aside, I got a chance to have a couple words with the bearded Swede about the festival circuit and playing Ottawa, one of the highlights of the night.

TV on the Radio. Luckily these boys were delayed in starting, allowing some stage to stage travel time after "Heartbeats" and the like...From "Province" to "Wolf Like Me," and the appropriate "Staring at the Sun" (this was around 8:30, or just before sunset), they did a fine job of commanding the stage and trying to reach out beyond the obvious fan base to those waiting around for The Hip. Very charismatic, passionate performance.

The Tragically Hip. A rare band whose popularity in Canada is wildly beyond that of anywhere else they have a fanbase. As patriotic as you can be, they sang of small-town life, hockey, loyalty, "Courage," and on and on. They covered most, if not all big hits. The following day's paper reported around 25,000 in attendance, if that's so, they seemed to all be standing between my friends and the stage. A sea of people rippling with national pride is captivating, no matter where in the world that may occur. For those outside Canada who know little of The Hip, please check them out to get dose of real Canadiana.

José González - Down the Line
José González - Cycling Trivialities
TV on the Radio - Province
The Tragically Hip - Fireworks
(thanks to Wolves Hawks & Kites for that last link)

- BA

william onyeabor

Last week I was absent-mindedly perusing the contents of my favourite local charity shop (that’s ‘thrift shop’ for you North Americans) when my ears were blessed with a fantastic sound – 70’s African soul with an electro flavour. What I was hearing was so good that I approached the shop’s proprietor to ask about the scratchy vinyl he was playing on his ancient record player. And this is how I discovered William Onyeabor.

The LP my new friend was listening to turned out to be Onyeabor’s 1978 album Atomic Bomb. He told me that William Onyeabor is pretty much a legend in his home country of Nigeria although his albums are now quite rare (copies like this occasionally surface on ebay for up to $100). However, a trip down any busy street in Lagos will present multiple opportunities to buy copies of the original records on burned CDs from street vendors.

According to a bio on the interweb:
William Onyeabor studied cinematography in Russia for many years, returning to Nigeria in the mid-70s to start his own Wilfilms music label and to set up a music and film production studio. He recorded a number of hit songs in Nigeria during the 70s, the biggest of which was ‘Atomic Bomb’ in 1978. ‘Better Change Your Mind’ is taken from the same album, and, as well as slating the power-crazed nations of the world, the second half settles into a unique slice of stripped down spacey, lo-fi funk which is unlike any other Nigerian music being made at the time. William has now been crowned a High Chief in Enugu, where he lives today as a successful businessman working on government contracts and running his own flour mill.

The excellent African music blog With Comb & Razor recently made available an mp3 rip of the original vinyl version of 'When the Going is Good & Smooth' from Onyeabor's mid-80s album Anything You Sow and I've included it below along with the classic 'Better Change Your Mind'.

William Onyeabor - When the Going is Smooth & Good
William Onyeabor - Better Change Your Mind


- a.m.p.m.

Frightened Rabbit return to London

Hot off the heels of their recent North American super-tour Scottish heroes Frightened Rabbit have scheduled a July 8th appearance at Madame Jo Jo's in the heart of Soho. Supporters include New Zealand's fantastic Collapsing Cities, who most recently toured with Black Kids, and Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit. According to event promoters White Heat, "Esau has just finished recording his album with Radioclit at the helm and collaborations from MIA, Santogold and Vampire Weekend. He's originally from Malawi and works in a furniture shop in Clapton. He is amazing." He sure is. Check out 'Kamphopo', his unique take on Architecture in Helsinki's 'Heart it Races' and his bloody brilliant version of M.I.A.'s 'Paper Planes'.

I've already got my tickets, but you might want to hurry over here and grab yours for only £5 as this one is sure to sell out FAST.

Frightened Rabbit - Fast Blood
Collapsing Cities - Fear of Opening My Mouth
Collapsing Cities - Seriously
Esau Mwamwaya - Kamphopo
Esau Mwamwaya - Tengazako

- a.m.p.m.

Black Cab Sessions

Fleet Foxes and Sunset Rubdown are just two of many bands to jump on the Black Cab Sessions bandwagon. The premise? Indie artists jump in the back of one of London's iconic black cabs and play a stripped down track while getting a ride around the city. Recent participants have included The National, Bon Iver, Spoon, The New Pornographers, Cave Singers and Lightspeed Champion.

Robin of Fleet Foxes contributing an excellent cover of 'Crayon Angels' while cruising around the streets of Holborn a few weeks ago:


3/5 of Sunset Rubdown performing an unreleased track called 'You Go On Ahead' before their gig at the Luminaire last month:


Lykke Li with 'I'm Good I'm Gone':


- a.m.p.m.

June Grab Bag

Hey, don't get the wrong message - despite the week-long hiatus BTA still loves you, faithful readers. As a reward for your patience we've got a selection of random shiz that we've been rocking over the past month or so:

Weezer - Pork and Beans
Magic Wands - Black Magic
Bo Diddley - We're Gonna Get Married
White Denim - Shake Shake Shake
Wolf Parade - Fine Young Cannibals
My Morning Jacket - I'm Amazed
Beck - Chemtrails
Bowerbirds - Dark Horse

- a.m.p.m.

(thanks to tapedeck.org for the image)

Contest: Calexico, July 6th, Mod Club

On behalf of Canadians nation-wide, I want to thank Calexico for running the Canadian festivals gamut this summer with stops at fests in Quebec City, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Calgary on this, their bazillionth tour during a very lengthy and successful career. The band will be roadtesting material from their upcoming album Carried to Dust, due out in early September.

Apart from the festival frenzy, they'll be making a stop in Toronto at the Mod Club on July 6th, and Le National in Montreal the night after. And, thanks to ATG, we've got a pair of tickets to give away for the Toronto date. To enter, email us before 12 noon on July 5th with the subject line "Carried to Calexico".

Given their reputation as an eclectic and electric live performance, I suspect that this one just may sell out. So get your emails in, kiddies.

Calexico - Sunken Waltz (from 2003's Feast of Wire)

Calexico w/ Iron & Wine - Sixteen, Maybe Less (from 2005's collaborative EP In the Reins)

Calexico - Lucky Dime (from 2006's Garden Ruin)

- bbbykmbrly.

Full Animals

Anyone who knows anything about Girl Talk aka Gregg Gillis has no doubt gotten their hands on his latest release, Feed the Animals. We gave you the set up a week ago: Gillis is a mash-up mastermind and planned to release his newest mix "Radiohead-style" through the Illegal Art website within the coming week. While by no means a pioneer of the genre, Girl Talk has taken mash-ups to the next level.

Well, the album dropped electronically (like all good music should) and I can't get enough of it, nor can the rest of the blog world. There are literally hundreds of songs sampled through the 54-minute album. They range from the latest Weezy F Baby to The Band to Radiohead to Kanye to Jackson Five to Queen and on and on and on. You get the idea...he even mixes Avril Lavigne (read: annoying beyond belief) and it works. Girl Talk makes me like shitty pop and rap music that I don't usually pay any attention to. Plus, that album art is pretty badass in my opinion.

While this is definitely going to be the party starter for the summer, it is also an incredible mix to exercise with. I'm super lazy and it got me beyond pumped during my 7am run this morning.

Below are a couple of jams from the album, but you may as well do yourself a favor and download the album straight from the source. It'll be interesting to see how the artists sampled react to the album - could this be the future of pop music? Gillis has definitely taken a pile of poop and turned it into a pop masterpiece, now let those live shows pick back up.

Girl Talk - Play Your Part (Pt 1)
Girl Talk - Still Here

-Stay fly,
A.W.

Contest - Times New Viking, July 1st - Horseshoe Tavern

Times New Viking aren't everyone's cup o' tea. But if maintaining your ear drums isn't high on the list of this month's priorities, then I certainly suggest checking the lo-fi three-piece when they come celebrate Canada Day like only a group of Ohians (Ohio-ians?) can, July 1st at the Horseshoe. Their third album (and first with Matador), Rip it Off, came out at the beginning of the year and has a lot of people excited about the return to fuzz rock.

ATG has given us two pairs of tickets to dish out to the boys and girls who read our blog. So send us an email with the subject "Times New Viking are in my head". Do so before noon on June 29th.

I, for one, am particularly anxious to hear what they sound like when they're not recording music as though they're hanging out in cold basement apartment with a tape recorder from 1961.

I suspect it might sound something like these Daytrotter sessions, recorded in May.

Times New Viking - Mean God (Daytrotter Session)
Times New Viking - The Apartment (Daytrotter Session)

- bbbykmbrly.

Festival Season: The Kids are Alright - NXNE Wrap-Up

I can't even begin to count how many live shows i've seen in the past 10 days. Between the annual national campus events conference in Ottawa, COCA, and NXNE, my ear drums have taken a total shizz kickin', alongside my liver.

Now that I have a chance for both organs to rest periodically, I figured I would share with you the one key learning from my adventures: the future of the Canadian indie music scene is a bright one.

Evidence 1 - Obviously I could go on for weeks on how fantastic Aurora teens Ruby Coast are, but anyone who has crossed my path or read this blog in the past two months is already familiar. So instead, I will say only this - four RC shows in seven days, and I still cannot get these wonderfully crafted pop songs out of my head. Two in Ottawa (including a rad set in a living room), one in Montreal, and finally their NXNE showcase at the Drake, and every single one keeps getting better. Their next one is June 22nd at Sneaky Dee's as part of Wavelength, and you absolutely know who'll be front row.

Evidence 2 - Admittedly, I'm totally late on the praise for Toronto quirky indie pop quartet Spiral Beach, who hit the scene in 2005 with their debut EP which garnered a significant amount of attention. I'd never seen them until their NXNE showcase at the Horseshoe on Saturday night, I think it partly due to the fact that, at age 25, I thought I was somehow too old to really enjoy their youthful antics and bubblegum approach to surf rock. But after their incredible performance Saturday, I've trashed all preconceived notions of these young men and women, and decided to focus strictly on the fact that they create unorthodoxically catchy rhythms projected through endlessly infectious stage antics. And, with each member of the band listing influences such as Gogol Bordello, Syd Barrett, Frank Zappa, I'm confident that they're going to be interesting to watch for years to come.

Oh, and the Death Set fucking ruled. Again. But they're not really kids (though Johnny Sierra is pretty small and nimble), so they don't fit the theme.

Ruby Coast - Neighbourhood

Spiral Beach - Made of Stone

the Death Set - Had a Bird

- bbbykmbrly.

Festival Season: Foals, Rogue Wave, Enemy UK round out Osheaga Lineup

Earlier this week, Montreal's Osheaga Music and Arts Festival unveiled a few hidden gems to an already impressive lineup for their annual shindig, happening August 3rd and 4th this year.

The newbies to the lineup highlight the diversity of this festival, with Moncton hip hoppers Radio Radio, local francos La Patere Rose, as well as Rogue Wave, the Enemy UK, and others. From a BTA perspective, the most exciting of the new roster is Foals who, if their Lee's Palace show a couple months back was any indication, should prove to be a highlight of the weekend.

Already announced bands include everyone from Iggy and the Stooges to Cat Power, Plants and Animals, Chromeo, the Go Team, and a whack more. Full lineup is here.

Keep an eye glued to BTA in the coming weeks for chances to win a pair of passes to Osheaga 08.

Rogue Wave - 10:01
Foals - Hummer (Passions Remix)

- bbbykmbrly.

Remix Sunday

This one's tougher than Nigerian hair, as he says it. The original track is pretty vicious, but also with the Dubbel Dutch beat stuttering along for the remix. Can't really top Bangladesh's original beat, though this remix has its upside. Most notably the "A Milli" sample is gone (*or so I thought before hearing it with some phones, it's barely audible), with sounds of dying electronics and power loss throughout. The lyrics make both versions work, as Wayne goes on endless tangents: "Andre 3000 where is Erykah Badu at?" "ok you're a goon, but what's a goon to a GOBLIN" "tell the coppers HAHAHA", ha, that last making him sound like a 30's mobster. Have a listen to both.

Lil Wayne - A Milli
Lil Wayne - A Milli (Dubbel Dutch Remix)

- BA

Stellar lineup for Rogers Picnic in July

Tokyo Police Club, Cat Power, Dizzee Rascal, Vampire Weekend, City and Colour, Born Ruffians, Animal Collective, The Carps, and Chromeo all for under $50? Ummm, yes please.

The Rogers Picnic takes place in Toronto on July 20th and surprisingly, tickets are still available. Alternatively, if you're broke (or just really cheap) Exclaim! are giving away a pair of tickets here.

Born Ruffians - Hummingbird
Vampire Weekend - I Stand Corrected
Tokyo Police Club - Juno

- a.m.p.m.

MGMT featured on Late Late Show

MGMT played a somewhat sedated version of 'Weekend Wars' on Monday night's Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Nice bandanas, boys.



Contrast the above with this rather lively version of 'Kids' from their SXSW performance:



I hope their performances at Glastonbury and Reading draw more from Figure B than Figure A.

MGMT - Pieces of What

- a.m.p.m.

Oceans Will Rise

The Stills surprised everybody with their sophomore album Without Feathers. The working man's rock was in stark contrast to the post-punkish appeal of Logic Will Break Your Heart. But you already know that story.....most were disappointed with the follow-up, as it flew in the face of what seemed trendy at the time. I for one didn't have any qualms with Feathers, in fact I loved it, as it contained some of the most cohesive songs the band's released, albeit in a more straightforward rock and roll package. Last night I had the pleasure of skipping downtown after work to catch everything but the first three songs of their set with Hollerado, a tour meant to give fans a glimpse into their debut for Arts & Crafts, entitled Oceans Will Rise. Overall, new material = promising. Hard to say if it will translate on record with the same force, but the new stuff in concert, sung primarily by original lead vocalist Tim Fletcher, was in the key of pissed-off. Understandable I guess, when a band starts out being touted by every publication as a champion of a new breed, only to be swallowed whole by a pseudo-genre aped by a hundred forgetful bands. The new songs still had the immediate rock and roll of Feathers, sung with the disapproving angst of Logic. I've since found a few of the songs floating around, including lead single "Being Here," and the heavy (even heavier live) "Rooibos/Palm Wine Drunkard." The new Stills will turn some heads when Oceans rise Aug. 19th.

The Stills - Being Here
The Stills - Rooibos/Palm Wine Drinkard

- BA

Feed the Animals

Well, maybe not animals per say, but Greg Gillis, aka Girl Talk, is certainly about to feed up 14 banging tracks to his hungry fans in the coming weeks, once again putting pop music back in our hearts. Following up on his 2006 album 'Night Ripper', 'Feed the Animals' boasts over 300 samples. Expect to hear everything from Vampire Weekend to Pachelbel, of course mashed with the best of hip-hop hooks both new and old. Gillis definatley dwells on some of his cuts a bit longer on this album, which is a relief to those that became somewhat frustrated by the last release. Some of the greatest mixes now linger around longer than a few seconds. The album is going to first pull a Radiohead by making it available online, followed by a hard copy release sometime later. Pitchfork has more on the album and release.

UPDATE - The tracks previously posted here were not actually from Girl Talk's upcoming release but instead from a fake release that Gillis had made his fans aware of. BTA apologizes for the confusion, and I personally had forgotten about the fake leak announcement. Thanks to our readers for keeping us on the ball.

-Matty B.

Remix Sthursday: Famous Players present: Entertainment Tonight

Toronto DJ duo Famous Players' parties make me want to lose my shit all over the floor, walls, and the faces of fellow dance partiers. The recipe for this latest mix, appropriately titled 'Entertainment Tonight', is something to the effect of Dance Mix 92-95 run through an electro-infused meat grinder, sprinkled with some Usher and ODB for seasoning.

On the topic of tonight, the FP madness is hitting the Virgins afterparty tonight, at 573 Queen West (enter through the back alley). It's open bar for you alcoholics. Bring your dancing shoes.

Here's a 16 minute chunk of their 80 minute mixtape. The whole thing is available nowhere, because they're so fucking indie.

Famous Players present Entertainment Tonight (snippet)

Famous Players DJ School Episode 1 -



- bbbykmbrly.

Frightened Rabbit release second single

Let’s face it – YouTube recordings of live shows are often of dubious video quality at best, and don’t even get me started on the sound. Which is why I was pleasantly surprised when I found a few good recordings from Frightened Rabbit’s sold out show at NYC’s Pianos last week.



The second single from new album The Midnight Organ Fight will be officially released in North America on June 10th through FatCat records. It’s called ‘Fast Blood’ and a live video is below.



The single's b-side ‘Soon Go’ would have fit cozily on the new album due to the galloping percussion and generous use of cuss words. Check it out:

Frightened Rabbit - Soon Go

- a.m.p.m.

thanks to jessimusic for videos

Festival Season: Lollapalooza's 'Band a Day'

I am pretty stoked to have bought my Lollapalooza tickets last week. I don't recall another three day festival (on my continent, anyhow) boasting such an incredible line-up of both gigantic headliners and a complete roster of most any other band that has built any kind of buzz in the past year or so.

In an effort to educate the public on the acts that aren't Rage Against the Machine or Kanye West, Lolla has launched 'Band a Day', a daily message board post on an artist that will be playing the festival. Launched in April with Nicole Atkins & the Sea, it has since informed us on the Gutter Twins, the Ting Tings, my new favourite experimental pop find the Octopus Project, and plenty of others.

What started out as two posts per-day has dwindled since, but mostly because the good ones are already written about.

The afforementioned Ting Tings are in Toronto a couple of weeks from now, June 16th at the Mod Club.

the Octopus Project - Truck

Nicole Atkins & the Sea - Brooklyn's on Fire!

the Ting Tings - Shut Up and Let Me Go

the Gutter Twins - All Misery Flowers

- bbbykmbrly.

Three Degrees of Separation

Speaking of Hood Internet mashups, check out their recent Islands/Bun B combo:
Islands versus Bun B - Draped Up and Creeped Out

And speaking of Bun B, the new album II Trill is fantastic.
Bun B - My Block (featuring Jazze Pha)
Bun B - Swang On 'Em (featuring Lupe Fiasco)

And finally, speaking of Lupe Fiasco, here's a classic cut:
Lupe Fiasco - Put You On Game

Enough.

- a.m.p.m.