What I was Listening To, Week of May 10 to the 16th

Who have I been listening to?  Well to start with MIA, MIA, and Diplo (well you know, with MIA), but you knew that if you've been visiting here. But besides her, I do have few more tracks that have been burning out my iPod battery.

Fools Day - Blur



Proving their hipster cool.  Blur releases their first single in seven years via 7" vinyl given to selected indie record stores in the UK.  Damon Albarn (pictured and also of course the impresario of the Gorillaz) is my role model of the month.  I would post an mp3 link, but you can just get it for free from band's web site linked above.

Whirring (Voodoo Friends Remix) and Austere - The Joy Formidable

The Joy Formidable is in the same category of scary cool as the Moggs except that you can actually play them without your friends throwing you out of the room.  Ritzy Bryan's deadly delivery on vocals invites comparisons to Kim Deal and the band to the Pixies or the Breeders.    

Bloodbuzz Ohio - The National

Brooklyn Based, but originally from Ohio, the National jumped out at me from the sea of indie tracks I download.  I've listened to this track about 5 times this week.  Lead singer Matt Berninger's baritone reminds me of Morphine's transcendental and sadly shortly lived Mark Sandman (who if you've never heard, you need to) which is about as good a recommendation as I can give,

A Fool in Love - Ike and Tina Turner

As described on the blog 'Diddy Wah'

Quite a landmark recording this one. It's the first time the amazing voice of Tina Turner was committed to wax. Legend has it that when the singer that Ike had originally intended to sing A Fool In Love, a man, didn't show up, Tina (known as Little Ann at the time) stepped up. Pregnant with Ike's child, she delivered a belting performance. Her voice is fully formed and ready to conquer. This record came out in 1960 and was an instant hit.

Despite Ike and Tina's the well known fireworks and unfortunate personal issues, they made some beautiful music together.  This track surfaced from the iPod sea during shuffle play and forced its way onto my 'into now' playlist just as it forced it's way into the nation's music radar upon its release in 1960.

And that's it, I'm back to listening until next week.  Thanks to the amazing music blogs No Genre Music, KickKickSnare, Tastes Like Caramel, Pretty Much Amazing, Static Television for links.  If you are into the links I provide, you should check out these and other amazing music blogs.  They represent a labor of love by people who really know the music world.  My posts are just a meal coming from the menu of choices these people deliver.