[CONCERT] st. lucia @ the rickshaw stop

with only a six-song EP to his credit it shouldn't come as a surprise that a st. lucia concert would not be a lengthy affair. still when he appeared in his debut san francisco performance last thursday night's popscene at the rickshaw stop, he whipped through the six tunes along with two others before calling it a night. the whole performance was no more than 40 minutes. 

that's not to say that st. lucia and his band didn't perform well during their brief time on stage. songs such as "closer than this" and "all eyes on you" sounded bright and inspired and st. lucia (real name: jean-philip grobler) was engaged throughout the performance. but the songs also sounded exactly like the studio recordings; that's not a bad thing but a slight deviation and more varied arrangement might have livened things considerably. one thing that is not evident on the studio recordings that was nothing short of revelation in person was st. lucia's vocals. strong, clear, with a healthy vibrato it was doubtless the most powerful instrument on stage and was an absolute joy to hear.

the unusually staid audience was interested but not especially enthusiastic and only came alive for breakout tune "before the dive" and the final number. the set closed with two new songs: "the way that you remember me" had a strong hook and followed the atmospheric, dreamy electropop sound established on the EP; "september" was the most unique of all the songs and also the best. it had much more of an electronic-dance number that built to a wonderful climax. it was the perfect song to close the set and showed that st. lucia had much more up his sleeve than he let on. both songs will be featured on his debut album out this fall on neon gold records. some additional new material or even a cover to accompany the EP tracks might have helped to not only flesh out the set but also to show his range. he's certainly got it. i just wish he had used it more.

visit st. lucia's facebook page for upcoming tour dates.

[THE WIRE] diana ross issues statement on jackson family drama

"all interests are best served if it remains private." that from miss ross who is finally weighing in on the ongoing custody battle between katherine jackson and other jackson family members for michael jackson's three children paris, prince and blanket. michael's will explicitly states that if his 82-year-old mother katherine is not able to take care of his children he wants longtime friend and doppelganger diana ross, 68, to look after them. a judge recently suspended katherine jackson's custody after she disappeared for 10 days. the judge gave custody of the children to michael's nephew tj jackson who is the son of tito jackson. 

[THE WIRE] snoop dogg is now snoop lion

snoop dogg is born again and has rechristened himself snoop lion. he believes himself to be bob marley reincarnated and is refashioning himself as a raggae star. can't make this shit up. it's been nearly two decades since his breakthrough album doggystyle but for his next album, reincarnated, snoop hired noted producers diplo and major lazer and recorded it in jamaica. he received the marley family's blessing and has truly done away with his snoop dogg image. he said in a statement: "I wanted to bury Snoop Dogg and become Snoop Lion, but I didn't know that until I went to the temple and received the name Snoop Lion from the Nyabingi priest. From that moment on, I started to understand why I was there and was able to create something magical in this project ... something I haven't done before in my career."

[MP3] foxy shazam: "holy touch" (zak waters remix)

in addition to writing and performing his own material zak waters is also a whiz with a remixer's tool kit. just take a listen to his blistering, synthy-sexy reworking of foxy shazam's "holy touch." you can also be fabulous and grab a free download.

[MP3] fiorious vs. madonna: "so pretty vs jump" (d'luxeDJ mix)

hey, bitches! i'm back from a non-stop wild and unexpectedly debaucherous stay-cation in san francisco with some friends visiting from new york. speaking of new york, native new yorker fiorious is working it full speed with his free download series. the latest giveaway is a mash-up by d'luxeDJ who fuses fiorious' latest single "so pretty" with "jump" by some singer named madonna. fiorious also hints in his newsletter that this is just the first madonna mash-up with another to be released in early september. werk!

[VIDEO] p!nk: "blow me (one last kiss)"

check out the video for p!nk's latest single "blow me (one last kiss)" from her upcoming new album the truth about love out september 18.

the very best: "we OK" (feat. k'naan)

there's only one way to describe the global pop sound of the very best and that's "big." gigantic, really. "we OK," a tune from their album MTMTMK, featuring k'naan and co-written by bruno mars, really captures the effervescent spirit of the duo. check 'em out live in august on their north american tour:

08/10/12 - Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel

08/11/12 - Bristol, VA - 101 Lee Street SOLD OUT!

08/12/12 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s

08/13/12 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza

08/16/12 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre

08/17/12 - Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall

08/18/12 - Dixon, IL - Page Park SOLD OUT!

08/20/12 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre

08/22/12 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile

08/23/12 - Portland, OR - Holocene

08/24/12 - San Francisco, CA - Mezzanine

08/25/12 - Monterey, CA - Monterey County Fairgrounds SOLD OUT!

08/27/12 - Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex

08/28/12 - San Diego, CA - Casbah

[MP3] cate le bon: "what is worse"

cate le bon's single "what is worse," the first from her upcoming album cyrk II (out august 21 on the control group), sounds like a warped, worn kinks 45 that's being played on the 33 1/3 speed. that description might not sound appealing but when you add cate le bon's haunting, delicate, husky voice to the music it becomes something entirely different. and that lower vocal register? heaven.

[THE WIRE] in case you missed it: madonna's intimate paris performance

despite a nearly 30-minute delay and some minor technical difficulties madonna turned in an inspired performance at the olympia in paris today. the live streamed event by loveliveTV was a more intimate mini version of her current MDNA tour.

ariel pink's haunted graffiti: "baby"

need some sex music? tacked on at the end of ariel pink's haunted graffiti's rather upbeat, genre-bending new album mature themes is one of the sexiest, soulful covers to come along in some time. "baby" doesn't pretend to be anything than what it is. part doo-wop, part '70s R&B ballad, and all kinds of sexy. it's the lead single from ariel pink's new record. the original was recorded by blue-eyed soul brothers donnie and joe emerson 1979. lead singer ariel pink said the original version "has been a staple on just about every playlist and mixtape i’ve assembled in the last three years. it is nothing short of sublime." check it out and the original below

ariel pink's haunted graffiti - baby

ghost beach: "been there before"

the more i hear of ghost beach the more i like them. they're becoming one of my primary go-to's for good pop music. "been there before," their newest self-released single, might be their best yet. the new york duo calls their sound "tropical grit pop" and that's just about right. it's hard not to get caught up in the wash of pulsating synths and the chorus is one of their most melodic and dreamy. it's time for these guys to step into the spotlight.

the lemon queen: "sailing in a wild love"

sticking with a summer theme (because why the heck not?) is the lemon queen's "sailing in a wild love." the name the lemon queen almost sounds like it's an ages-old fairy tale by the brothers grimm or hans christian andersen. only if it really was a fairy tale it would be modern and set in the 1980s because this french foursome is channeling every '80s new wave synth band on this tune. that's a good thing because they do it very well. you can check out some of their other tunes on soundcloud. and they lived happily ever after...

[MP3] freedom fry: "summer in the city"

no lovin' spoonful cover here. freedom fry's "summer in the city" is a lo-fi ode to the season of long sunny days and warm nights. it's also one of the most effective. the minimalist sound is used to brilliant lengths for four minutes of utter joy; a paean to the fondest memories of eternal youth. the duo -- parisian marie seyrat and american bruce driscoll -- released their debut EP let the games begin last summer. so far this year they've released two singles prior to "summer in the city." let the games begin, indeed.

[MP3] hanna: "lioness"

i used to be an alley cat/but now i'm a lioness

hanna's "lioness" is pop done right. instantly accessible, instantly relatable, hooky, edgy, and strong enough to fly just under the radar. the swedish songbird reminds me a lot of florrie, especially her 2011 track "begging me." but whereas "begging me" was polished and smooth, "lioness," although certainly polished, is just the right amount of rough around the edges. hanna has gone through many incarnations. her full name is hanna göransson, she used to be one half of cat5 and was also known as hanna lovisa. now she prefers to be known simply as hanna. lioness EP is her first and you can grab all four tracks for free here.

[MP3] minttu & olli: "corduroy boy"

i-i-i-i don't care about the fashion/i wear corduroy, baby/it's my passion

minttu & olli are a fresh new indie folk duo who are getting some much deserved attention since being featured on july's music alliance pact. the track featured on the compilation, "corduroy boy," is enchanting in its simplicity, with expertly handed harmonies and breathy, beguiling vocals. it's one of the most addictive pieces of hipster folk this side of finland. you can scoop it for free below along with four others (one is in finnish) on their soundcloud page. cannot wait to hear more from them!

cosmo jarvis: "hopeless bay" and "friend of the devil"

in no time at all cosmo jarvis has become one of my favorite singer-songwriters. his second album think bigger is officially out tomorrow though it's already available in the US. i've been eagerly awaiting it since the release of the album's first single "love this," and it doesn't disappoint. jarvis certainly has a way with words and most of the album's tracks offer a sort of homespun philosophy that shows maturity well beyond his 22 years. the self-pitying ballad "hopeless bay," one of the album's best tracks, has a wonderful string arrangement that evokes a "there's no place like home" sentiment. while the rollicking "friend of the devil" is more along the lines of jarvis's breakthrough single "gay pirates."

gossip: "move in the right direction" (css remix)

simply cannot get enough of this vigorously enthusiastic remix by CSS of gossip's latest "move in the right direction."

[VIDEO] nova albion: "human condition"

the beauty and majesty of san francisco is the backdrop for nova albion's new video for their glorious first single "human condition." look, it's the mission! look, it's twin peaks bar! dolores park! a muni train i assume is running way behind schedule! look, no one bats an eyelash when they pass a naked person walking down the street! god, i fucking love this city. grab a free download of "human condition" here.

[VIDEO] hot chip: "look at where we are"

the latest video from hot chip's newest album in our heads.

eux autres: "home tonight"

it isn't often that a band dedicates an entire page on their web site to the pronunciation of their name. eux autres did. the san francisco foursome (yay local bands!) admits that calling themselves eux autres, which means "them others" in french, certainly looks cool on paper. but pronouncing it is a different story. say it with me: OOZ-OH-TRA. that helpful phonetic spelling is also conveniently located at the top of their web site on every page. one person, they say, calls them "ex-otters," which is definitely my favorite and would mean something totally different in the gay community. as for their music it's supreme jangle-garage pop. "home tonight" is from their latest EP sun is sunk, which you can get here.

[VIDEO] madonna: "turn up the radio"

where does "turn up the radio" rank in the canon of madonna's music videos?

the xx: "angels"

a new track from the xx's upcoming new album coexist, out september 10/11 (US) on young turks.

frank ocean: "forrest gump," "crack rock" and "sweet life"

you can believe the hype. frank ocean is the real deal. get channel ORANGE.

frank ocean - forrest gump

frank ocean - crack rock

the view: "tacky tattoo"

i was listening to the view's new album cheeky for a reason today and i couldn't get past the last song. i was listening to the album backwards, that is back-to-front, last song to first song; it's just a personal idiosyncrasy. "tacky tattoo" closes out the scottish indie rocker's fourth studio album (not counting the two iTunes exclusive songs) and i was smitten by the hipster ballad. no, really. of course it's hard not to giggle when kyle falconer sings (with utter sincerity) "it'll only lead to trouble/epic fails" but that's a minor complaint in an otherwise strangely endearing tune.

[THE WIRE] lady gaga unveils first ad for new perfume "fame"

there's this singer called lady gaga, perhaps you've heard of her. while her ultimate claim to fame might not be that she helped create the world's first black perfume it certainly is something to give one pause. "fame," the scent is called, and mother monster today gave the world the first view of the ad campaign for the fragrance which, since it's affiliated with lady gaga, will undoubtedly sell by the paw-ful.

[VIDEO] no doubt: "settle down"

no doubt is back with their new single and video "settle down" -- their first in over a decade -- from their long awaited sixth album push and shove, out september 25.

[THE WIRE] madonna cake likely to rouse anything but appetite

cause, you know, obviously.

diana ross vs. dead or alive: "you spin me upside down" (dj shyboy mash-up)

mash-ups are hit or miss with me. when they're done well they're wonderful. when they're done poorly they're dreadful. but dj shyboy puts just the right touch on his mash-ups and you should scour his soundcloud and website to find some of the more interesting and eclectic choices (an entire mix-tape of rupaul mash-ups!). like this, a perfectly blended mix of diana ross' "upside down" and dead or alive's "you spin me round."

bodebrixen: "ghost"

sometimes i wish i spoke a thousand different languages. not only would it impress many, come in handy countless times, and enhance profanity to the nth degree, but it would also offer the opportunity to read about bands and artists whose web sites are in their native tongue. bodebrixen's from denmark. they speak danish. i do not. enter: google translate. (thank you, interwebz!) aske bode and andreas brixen make up bodebrixen and they've already released a couple albums. their sound on those is joyful, unadulterated pop. "ghost" is their new single and while it's poppy for sure it's lushly atmospheric and a much more subdued affair.  and while it was uploaded to their official soundcloud 9 months ago, they went quiet. much has happened since. they got a label, playground music, that will release their new album, which has been completed since last september. now "ghost" is, in essence, getting a re-release with a big push from their label and a new music video. no word on when the new album will be released.

moonlight matters: "come for me" (mighty mouse remix) and "standing up for love"

if this doesn't make you feel good i don't know what will. i was going to save this one for my next mix-tape but god only knows when that will happen, so here is mighty mouse's slam-bang remix of moonlight matters' single "come for me." the original version is featured on moonlight matters' first EP also called come for me, available on kitsune. moonlight matters is the solo project of belgian composer/producer sebastiaan vandevoorde, who spent the first couple of years in his career in the act villa remixing tracks by artists as diverse as moby, keane, tina turner and agnetha fältskog. his diversity is also displayed under his moonlight matters moniker as evidenced on the slowed down jam "standing up for love" featuring starving yet full.

ellie goulding: "hanging on" (feat. tinie tempah) + the weeknd cover

ellie goulding is finally enjoying the sweet smell of success in the u.s. after firmly establishing herself in her native u.k. the singer-songwriter has scored a top 10 hit with her song "lights," the title track from her official debut album. it's been a long time coming and rightfully deserved. while i much preferred the demo versions of her songs to the overly polished album versions there's no denying her talent and appeal, which can best be appreciated live. today she released a new single, "hanging on," featuring tinie tempah, and on her facebook page said simply "Here's the beginning of my new journey." also check out her recent gorgeous cover of the weeknd's "high for this."

[VIDEO] bloc party: "octopus"

bloc party today released the video for the first single, "octopus," from their forthcoming new album four. the album is set for release on august 21. pre-order it on amazon.

fiorious: "so pretty" (gabriell remix)

need a little sumtn sumtn to get you through hump day and into the weekend? yeah, i thought so. check out this great '90s-flavored, david morales-esque house remix of fiorious' latest single "so pretty." it's the first in his free track series in which he'll release one free track, sometimes two, now through october. the original version of "so pretty" appears on his debut album available for purchase here. check out the video here.

[THE WIRE] the killers debut new song from upcoming album

the killers debuted today a new song, "runaways," from their upcoming album battle born. the album is their first in four years following a brief hiatus and lead singer brandon flowers' solo outing. no official release date has been set but it's scheduled for sometime this fall. "runaways" is so shockingly a killers song it almost plays like a parody or tribute band cover. sadly it lacks a strong hook, but hopefully there will be more to make up for its misgivings on the new album.

[THE WIRE] lady gaga launches social network for fans

are you ready little monsters? mother monster has officially opened up her social networking site, aptly called littlemonsters.com. the site had previously been in beta version on a invite-only basis. now it's open to the public. lady gaga, the most followed person on twitter and one of the most liked celebrities on facebook, is a major investor in the company backplane which created and hosts this site. fans can get news, stay on top of gaga's endeavors, connect with one another (which might end up turning into another version of manhunt), post pics, and discuss topics in the forums. mother herself will also be able to connect with fans. a mobile app is in the works too, according to backplane's CEO.

[THE WIRE] cyndi lauper reveals cover of upcoming memoir

as a lifelong cyndi lauper fan i had always wanted her to release her memoirs. i was delightfully surprised to find out today that she's doing just that. her book cyndi lauper: a memoir will be released in september. the cover -- featuring a young cyndi in likely her natural hair color, tube top, jeans and platform shoes -- was revealed today on her facebook page. you can pre-order the book here. (can. not. wait. to read what she says about the vibes/a night to remember years!)

maroon 5: "one more night" and "doin dirt"

overexposed is an apt title for maroon 5's fourth studio album released two week ago. oversexed and overstimulated would also be appropriate, but overproduced is probably most accurate. for with every new album maroon 5 has gone from rock band with a pop sensibility to pop machine that thinks they can rock. (spoiler alert: they can't!) prefers-to-be-naked lead singer adam levine croons his heart out on overexposed and it's clear he's convinced that by dropping enough f-bombs throughout the album will offer some street cred. a decade into their career maroon 5 may just be another manufactured pop group by now but man can they ever write a hook. and in the music business, sometimes that's all you need.

"one more night," the lead track and latest single, is co-written and co-produced by max martin and shellback. that says a lot and might be enough to turn some folks away. its drum machine beat is strikingly similar to rihanna's 2007 hit "umbrella" (which doubtless was strikingly similar to something else), but it's no less effective or addictive and the song is one of the best on the album. "doin dirt," also produced and co-written by shellback, is another example of how maroon 5 has moved away from riskier, edgier material to shimmery, squeaky-clean dance pop. it might not be groundbreaking but taken at its core it's sure a lot of fun.

maroon 5 - one more night

maroon 5 - doin dirt

emil friis: "sand in your eyes"

When I was 13 my dad gave me an Elvis record. I still have it. Later when I left home I tried making it in the movie business, went from the set of “Eyes Wide Shut” down hill by way of Paris to Copenhagen. For some reason which I’m still not quite sure of, I started writing songs. At first it didn’t take no time at all. Now it takes a little longer. What do you do with songs? Record them? At least that’s what I thought so I recorded an albums worth, released it too. Had some good friends help out and play on it. Not long after that I had more songs so made one more album. I know folks in Memphis who like it. It’s called Tennessee Theft. I got out on the road and played some. Would have liked to get out more though. Now I have a new record out and I’m especially proud of this one. Not only did we cut it in two days, it also features some very catchy Mariachi trumpet. Not a lot of folks know what that sounds like around here. I should have probably called it The Road To Memphis but ended up naming it The Road To Nashville. I hope you like it.

- emil friis

kate and after: "the game"

"nowhere left to hide"

further proof that the swedes are doing it right is kate and after. hailing from göteborg (ace of base!) this five piece indie rock band has been playing since 2008 and released their first EP in 2010. a full-length debut album is finally set for release this fall. check out the first single "the game" below. you can also grab some free downloads of older tracks at their web site.

cantoreggi: "young guns" (feat. XOV)

got sent this bangin' swedish house track by 21-year-old DJ/producer rasmus alessandro cantoreggi, better known simply as cantoreggi. having cut his teeth in a hip-hop group called stockholm boogie the half-italian, half-swedish artist really came into prominence last year as a popular swedish house DJ and producer. his debut EP sinner's heist is coming soon from qryptone music and the first track "young guns," featuring vocals by XOV is the perfect way to start the weekend.

nö limit: a mix-tape

cover art by daniel schrimshire

"when are you going to finish your new mix-tape?" a friend asked me recently. "you've been working on it forever." the truth is i've been working on three mix-tapes simultaneously for the last eight months. each one is titled and has beautiful cover art by my bestie daniel. but when it came to putting together the songs to be featured on each mix-tape, i had a severe case of mixer's block. until today. taking a page from last year's mix-tape the wild party, nö limit is a summertime-themed dance party. there's no deep hidden meaning behind it. the songs are put together for no other reason than to please and make you feel good all through the day and into the night. you couldn't place a safer bet than this one.

nö limit: a mix-tape
all i ever wanted (original mix) -- adrian lux feat. joakim berg // get on it -- ruby goe // no limit -- inna // perfect world (RAC mix) -- gossip // orbs -- sphynx // headrush -- ollie wride // hungry like the wolf -- POP ETC // bubblegum bitch -- marina and the diamonds // by surprise -- gemini club // let's make history -- sam padrul // heartbeat -- nina sky // all eyes on you -- st. lucia // return of the mack (viceroy "jet life" remix) -- mark morrison // i'm in control -- jetsi kain // chesil beach -- azure blue

polarsets: "distance" and "tropics"

speaking of summer, one of my favorite bands, polarsets, goes right for the jugular with their new EP exotica. from the cover -- a silhouetted image of a beautiful woman's profile against a background photo of a hibiscus -- to the cleverly titled final track, "(summer related name)," there's no denying that polarsets had a clear theme in mind for exotica. just take a listen to two of the EP's four tracks below.

van she: "jamaica"

"the coldest winter i ever spent was a summer in san francisco." it's a phrase uttered ad nauseum by tourists and locals alike during the summer months. people still come to san francisco believing the summer weather is equivalent to that of our neighbors in the southern part of the state. while it can feel mildly depressing that one always has to carry a sweater around during the summer months, truth be told the wind-whipped days of july in the upper 60s are a holiday compared to the sun-baked unbearably humid days in upper 90s on the other coast.

with van she, however, it's always summer, exactly as you'd imagine. even the title of their latest single "jamaica" has summer written all over it. it comes from their latest album idea of happiness and if their idea of happiness is sunshine in a song, they've nailed it.

back to that phrase i opened with for a minute. everyone attributes it to mark twain. (i've even heard it credited to oscar wilde.) but if you really want to impress your friends with a mark twain quote don't pick this one. he never said it. neither did oscar wilde. in fact, no one knows the origin.

r&b singer frank ocean opens up about his sexuality

r&b singer-songwriter frank ocean took to his tumblr yesterday to write a very personal essay on his first love: a 19-year-old man. the 24-year-old entertainer also was 19 at the time of the relationship, however the relationship was short-lived when ocean found out the other man was already seeing someone. although he never specifically identified himself as gay, ocean said his sharing of this experience was a relief. "i feel like a free man," he said. the admission of his sexuality in the notoriously closeted and often homophobic hip-hop community is groundbreaking and brought accolades from impresario russell simmons. "today is a big day for hip-hop. it is a day that will define who we really are," simmons said. "your decision to go public about your sexual orientation gives hope and light to so many young people still living in fear." ocean's debut album channel orange is out july 17.

amanda mair: "house" (club 8 remix)

sweden's labrador records is slowly but surely trying to build word of mouth about young amanda mair to make her the next indie "it" girl. she's certainly got the chops, even at 17. her eponymous debut album has been released internationally and is already garnering positive reviews. the first single "house," which was our #11 song of 2011, has just been given a shiny new remix treatment by label mates club 8. check it out below and grab a free download. (for the record, club 8 has a new album coming out in early 2013!)

the young professionals: "video games," "young professionals," and "d.i.s.c.o."

the young professionals have firmly established themselves as superstars in their native israel both together and separately. their debut collaborative album 09:00 to 17:00, 17:00 to whenever was released in september in israel and was such a success, spawning the hit "d.i.s.c.o.," that they were signed just months later to universal for an international release. each song on the israeli version of the album represents a different hour of the day, eventually working up to a night at the clubs. for the international version, which is retitled 9AM to 5PM - 5PM to whenever, the track listing has been expanded, reworked and rearranged. one of the new tracks is their glorious cover of lana del rey's "video games." it flips the original on its head, removing all sensuality and replacing it with shiny dance floor beats.

the young professionals - young professionals

blondie vs philip glass: "heart of glass" (daft beatles mashup)

one usually associates blondie with punk, rock, disco and all the fabulous things that come along with them. but not so for british mashup king daft beatles, which i believe is just one fellow named jonas. of "heart of glass" he said: "[i've] always thought they were bleak lyrics ... 'soon found out i was losing my mind.' sounds a bit like something by clint mansell. very soundtracky." so he mashed one glass up with another, combining the lyrics and original vocal track of "heart of glass" with composer philip glass's "violin concerto no. 2." the result is a truly heartbreaking (no pun intended) version of a classic disco-punk dance tune. oh, what a little music can do! (thanks to my buddy marcus for turning me on to this.)