For all the (unwarranted) hipster cred Velvet Underground gets, Aloe Blacc’s spin of their little known “Femme Fatale” on his 2010 release Good Things turns a murky song into a cinematic tour-de-force with swirling strings and a haunting vocal performance equal parts soul and gospel, but the subject matter is entirely secular, and oh so good.
Good Things was released on Stones Throw Records September 28th, 2010. You can find the digital version on iTunes here
This dapper, Mos Def lookalike is a little known commodity over here in the US, but he’s gotten big over in England. Blessed with a vocal delivery that is equal parts Bill Withers and Ray Lamontange, he is an outstanding talent and his band is as soulful and funky to match. Check out his hit I Need A Dollar on the flipside, along with some nice bonuses. As always, just right click the songs to download, but this is an artist that you should definitely support
Continue reading Song of the Day: I Need A Dollar, Aloe Blacc (With a Bonus Track!)
This week is more of an ode to my girl than a mixtape, going away for a month in the wilderness of Tanzania, a continent away without any means of communication. Featuring warm and wistful numbers from the likes of the Allman Brothers, Blake Mills, Frank Sinatra, Fruit Bats, The Shins, The Beatles, Velvet Underground, Dire Straits, James Taylor, The Band, The Kills, and Richie Havens. This week also features great classics from Joe Jackson, Ryan Bingham, G. Love, Paul Simon as well as two great classic covers by Vetiver and The Derek Trucks Band. Hope you enjoy, the mix after the jump
Continue reading Missing My Baby (Gone on A Tuesday Afternoon)
The Art of the Mixtape 