The groove is on the loose

Monday, April 25, 2011

THE GROOVE IS ON THE LOOSE HAS MOVED!

SAME GROOVY SOUND, NEW LOOK AND FEEL. HIT IT.

http://thegrooveisontheloose.tumblr.com

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

And the weird award goes to....

In the world of weird music videos, electronic kicks every genre's ass. Here are two that are particularly cool slash interesting slash downright odd. Yelle's "Safari Disco Club" gives me a good chuckle and kinda makes me wish I was cast as an extra. And Iceland's Steed Lord kills it on the costume front in their "123 If You Want Me" video. Thanks to Wennekamp, I now have an inspiration for the burning man cape I've always wanted to make. Enjoy these global goodies!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Bop on down to electro town

Ooooooh electro, I've missed you. I have to admit, I took a little hiatus from the electronic world for the winter. But I'm back, my friends, and have some new jams to share. "Crave you" from Flight Facilities ft. Giselle just makes you want to melt and probably rings true for some of you ladies out there. Kennedy is a pompous party boy and puts the icing on the gravy with "Wanted the World." And finally, "Brazilian" by Gramophonedzie will get you shakin' like it's Carnival. Download these gems here. Welcome back electro!

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Easy Peasy

Some of my fav chill out songs of the month include JJ Grey's "Mississippi", Mumford & Sons epic melody "The Cave" and "Pumped Up Kicks" from a new band called Foster The People. Take a listen below and download them all here.

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Monday, February 28, 2011

Introducing James Blake. Not to be confused with James Blunt.

After releasing a slew of EP's throughout 2010, James Blake has finally come out with his first full-length, self-entitled album. I'm not digging the self entitlement, but I'll forgive him since he really is a master at designing strange sounds. The album isn't one you would listen to over and over again, but it is one that warrants some investigation, as the noises he creates are truly unique. Check out a sample of the album here. There is one song in particular that definitely won't creep you out: a cover of Feist's "The Limit to Your Love." Take a listen below.

Monday, February 21, 2011

The Art of Fame

"People take me both way too seriously and not seriously enough," says Lady Gaga. And I think she's exactly right. From the meat dress to her suicidal VMAs performance, I've been shocked and somewhat appalled by some of Gaga's antics. I'll admit, I take her too seriously sometimes. And after watching her interview on 60 minutes with Anderson Cooper, I also realize I have not taken her seriously enough. Gaga comes off as an academic of fame in her interview. She says she has studied the rise and fall of many artists and everything she says, does and wears is all deliberate and part of her master plan for fame. She knows how to draw attention to particular things, like fashion, thereby drawing attention away from other things such as her personal life. I think she's serious about the art of fame. Whether you are a fan of Lady Gaga or not, your opinion of her will be altered in some way after watching this interview. Enjoy, little monsters.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Lotus Flower

Radiohead debuted their new single, Lotus Flower, about three years ago at a live show in the UK. It was simply Thom York and a guitar. And today, Radiohead released their new album, King of Limbs, with that first single, Lotus Flower, and a pretty cool video to accompany the album release.

If you want to listen to the full album, check it here.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

You Can't Fake Funk

Whether your preferred method of funking is the pelvic bump, the neck sway or the soulful snarl (or hell, all three), one thing is for sure: You can't fake funk. This revelation came to me at the George Clinton & Parliment Funkadelic show at Yoshi's last week. I have never been so inspired by the common love of grooving in one room.

George isn't a single man show by any means. He's got a family of ladies, gents, and ladygents (if you know what I mean) all up on stage and contributing to the show in some way. One guy in particular caught my eye – a white guy in his mid-30's, wearing khaki pants and a collared shirt. (You can see him in the photo here.) I thought he was from the audience and just weaseled his way up onto the stage somehow. I won't lie... jealousy ran over me. But after the show, we got backstage and chatted with this fellow, and SURPRISE! Homeboy has been touring with George for over 17 years. Now that is precisely the kind of love for music that inspires me – doesn't matter what you look like, where you've come from or how you got here. As long as you're proud to funk, George welcomes all to his funky nation.

Take a look at this rad video of George & P Funk from 1976. God I wish teleportation was possible.

Monday, January 31, 2011

New Fleet Foxes!

Fleet Foxes are coming out with a new album, set to release on May 3rd! Thanks dudes. Check out a song from their new album, "Helplessness Blues" below.

And if you check back on the Fleet Foxes site tomorrow at 9 am, you can take part in the pre-sale for their upcoming tour. They're at the Fox (glorious!) in Oakland on May 5th.

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues by subpop

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Miami Horror

This discotastic electro-pop group from Melbourne, Australia wiggled their way into my ear about a year ago with their catchy hit "Sometimes." Their newest album, Illumination, spreads more disco fever than the first, especially "Holidays" – an upbeat dance jam that feels like it belongs on my happy playlist with Cut Copy and Passion Pit. "I Look to You" featuring Kimbra has a cool balance of horns matched with vocals that take you a million miles away. They'll be at Mezzanine in SF on March 10th!

Download "Sometimes", "Holidays" and "I Look to You"

And check out the official video for "Holidays" below.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The Sound of San Francisco

Click here to download The Sound of San Francisco by Global Deejays

This is such a killer song. After the dancy intro, you're stoked when it transitions to the original sound of "San Francisco" sung by Scott McKenzie. 1967 is seriously flirting with the Sahara Tent in this one.

Photo courtesy of Pat Kelly. Check out more of his fabulous photogs on Hipster Hampster. You'll dig what you see.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Hitsville, USA

Last weekend I visited the Motown Museum in Detroit, Michigan. Home to Barry Gordy, Jr., Smokey Robinson, Steveland Hardaway (aka Stevie Wonder), The Four Tops, The Funk Brothers and of course, my ex-boyfriend Marvin Gaye, this place is oozing with good vibes, creativity and American values.

What was most astonishing to me is the fact that Motown Records, established in 1959, was the voice of a nation in racial and cultural chaos. But Motown records was a constant and never closed its doors. It was open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even in the midst the 1967 race riot.

Smokey Robinson said:

"Into the '60s, I was still not of a frame of mind that we were not only making music, we were making history. But I did recognize the impact because acts were going all over the world at that time. I recognized the bridges that we crossed, the racial problems and the barriers that we broke down with music. I recognized that because I lived it. I would come to the South in the early days of Motown and the audiences would be segregated. Then they started to get the Motown music and we would go back and the audiences were integrated and the kids were dancing together and holding hands."

Some other cool facts I learned are:
• Barry Gordy, Jr. decided to forgo artists' faces on their first album covers, so radio stations would not be able to discriminate on the basis of race.
• Artist development was a huge part of Motown's operations. The acts on the Motown label were meticulously groomed, dressed and choreographed for live performances, and they were taught how to talk, eat, walk and carry themselves in public.
• The Funk Brothers are really responsible for the Motown sound. They were the house band and created nearly every song performed by the names we know best. (There is a great documentary on these guys called "Standing in the Shadows of Motown." Highly recommended.)
• There was a vending machine outside studio A, and the man who came to refill it knew to keep the Milky Way bar in the same slot for years. It was Stevie's favorite candy bar and he only knew it as four nobs from the right.
• Barry Gordy, Jr. sold Motown records in 1988 for 61 million bones. Not bad but I would have held on to it longer.

And since it wouldn't be totally out of place to share a Marvin video, here is a goodie:

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Coachelladvent

Finally! Coachelladvent is upon us. In case you don't know, that's the 12 weeks before coachella in which we prepare our hearts, minds, souls and bodies for the most fun we'll have all year. This coachelladvent, I plan to check out some of the bands I don't know on the line up and get pumped for their Coachella splendor.

But first, I'll tell you who my insides are screaming for...
The Black Keys
Duck Sauce
Ms. Lauren Hill
Mumford & Sons
Robyn
Cut Copy
Cee Lo Green
A-Trak
Erykah Badu

And these are the bands I've heard of via the grapevine but am not a fan of... yet.
Yacht
Broken Social Scene
Death From Above 1979
PJ Harvey
Bright Eyes
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears

Happy Coachelladvent all!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

I just really love this guy.

Soothing and simple. Jesse Woods, my friends. I just really love this guy. Take a listen to this live version of "Ugly Dress". Makes me smile as I reach for my cowboy boots.

Download "Ugly Dress" and "Hounds of Heaven"
Jesse Woods on iTunes

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Oh, Lordy

Check out this newish song from Lord Huron. He's folky and smooth, and makes you want to pack your bags for an epic journey through the mist... obviously ending up where the land meets the sea on a gloriously sunny day with all of your best friends and an orange Fanta in hand. Dontcha wanna?

Buy "Mighty" by Lord Huron on iTunes

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Take me down to Bourbon Town

I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate the New Year than singing along to the horns of Rebirth Brass Band at The Independent on 1/1/11. Straight from New Orleans, these guys are a little bit of soul, a touch of jazz, a smidge of hip hop, and a smattering of FUN. As a fan of vocals in any music I listen to, I was shocked to find myself totally enthralled by the rhythms of the sax, trombone and trumpet, all equally as vocal as the other. You don't need no lyrics when you've got quick fingers like these guys. Take a look at this video of the show and buy a couple songs off iTunes. Your inner Bourbon Street reveler will thank you.

Buy Rebirth on iTunes

Monday, January 3, 2011

Portugal. The Man

Yup, Portugal. The Man are the men of the hour. And no, that's not a typo, it's a period after "Portugal." A mix between Oasis and Yeasayer, this indie-pop foursome has a fluid, charming sound that plops you somewhere in the middle of the 60's and the early 90's. From their new album "The Satanic Satanist", "The Sun" is an easy breezy Sunday drive kind of song, and "Work All Day" feels a bit Brit with its catchy vocals. Ladies and gents, have at 'em.

Download "The Sun" and "Work All Day"
Purchase the album

Sunday, January 2, 2011

99 Problems but a bitch aint one

Hugo does a killer rendition of the original Jay-Z hit "99 problems." Only problem I got now is that I can't stop boppin around to this song.

Download song

PS - thanks to crissy fish for this discovery!