The Next Sounds: Mayer Hawthorne

Had to tell my Next Family peeps about Mr. Mayer Hawthorne.

Did you know this silky smooth crooner for the modern age is not only a rapper named Haircut, but also has his very own bobble head?

The more you know kids...

Check out the amazing video for "A Long Time" and then head over to The Next Family blog for more.

Aural Fixation: Pumpkin Monkey Bread

Back with the Fall edition of Aural Fixation.  This time the amazing chef-extraordinaire Catherine McNulty puts her own Autumn-inspired spin on Monkey Bread, adding, you guessed it, pumpkin. Not kidding, this is the best thing I have ever eaten.  Ever...

And of course, along with the recipe, I have prepared a delectable playlist of Fall inspired tunes.  Here's a taste:

With the change in season comes shorter days.  Woodkid knows the consequences when dark begins to overtake the light...

Get the rest of your Aural Fix at fantastablog Tadpole Audio.

There's something about Teenage Girls...

Or so say grunge rockers The Bleeding Knees Club...

The Australian garage duo, comprised of Alex Wall (drums and vocals) and Jordan Malane (guitar), are full of bumps, bruises, guts, and indeed bleeding knees aplenty.

With all of the retro lofi punkers, (Wavves, No Age, and Ty Segall to name a few), it's sometimes hard to distinguish between them.  So what sets The Bleeding Knees Club apart?  Undeniable spunk for one thing.  They are young and filled with energy, hormones and angst.  

Deceivingly simple chords and song structure provide the backing for sophisticated and often complex poetry.  For example, take these lyrics to their song "Bad Guys":

They smoke at night

They make us cry

They get so high

They are bad guys

Check out their newly released Virginity EP on the always engaging IAMSOUND label, and be sure to warmup your neck and arm muscles for thorough head thrashing and air drumming.  

Manic with Azari & III

There is nothing I don't like about this.

Azari & III (pronounced Azari & Third) are the highly buzzed about Toronto based electro duo, who have recently joined forces with vocalists Fritz Helder and Starving Yet Full.  This past month they released their debut self-titled full length via Loose Lips Records and the buzz has just grown louder.

"Manic" finds them channeling a darker side of Prince.  Those hypnotic vocal loops put you in a chic-nu-house trance.  It's the perfect dance track for your upcoming Halloween soiree.  That spooky quality is no accident.  Not long ago Alphonse Alixander Lanza III (aka III) was scoring horror films like Time Bomb and Dead Mary. 

These two have really come out with their own style.  Really, how many men can rock a sequin top?  That self-assuredness has allowed them to fully realize their unique musical vision as two of the baddest electro punks north of the border.  When asked about the influence of the Toronto music scene, Alixander replies "We met in the scene, fuck we were the scene!" 

Check out another single off the debut "Reckless With Your Love," a clever nod to the 90s dance scene.

Dillon Francis Meets CSS

Happy Friday folks!

Going to make this simple and straight to the point.  Dillon Francis is my new hero. His CSS remix is one of the best re-imaginings I've heard in a long time.  Of course, it certainly helps when you start off with a killer song.

"Hits Me Like A Rock" - CSS

Dillon Francis, L.A.'s own latest and greatest breakout dj/producer, makes this hipster pop gem sparkle.  Sleak, classy, and literally begging you to shake that thang - I really can't get enough of this.  But seriously, I might have a problem...

Just wait until it really opens up at about 1:25.  Oh damn.  Perfection.

Ting Tings wish they could be this bad.  Do yourself a favor, throw on your shades and make this the weekend jam.  Download here.

Aeroplane Has Faith

Buzz for his latest album, We Can't Fly, came and went as fast as an Aeroplane flying overhead.

But I have faith this album will bubble up again, and clearly, so does Aeroplane.

"Faith (Aeroplane Remix)" - George Michael

Get more tunes and check out the flashy video on my blog for The Next Family.

Aural Fixation: Goat Cheese Ice Cream

Here's an appetizer before you digest the latest and tastiest Aural Fixation blog.

More delectables at Tadpole Audio.  Yum...