Dream Cover?

Honey Hurt My Heart.

This song is so beautiful it makes my heart explode.

Justin Vernon - "Bruised Orange (Chain Of Sorrow)"

New.

Obsession. Props to JB of Juan and 40 Hearts fame for this one. I love it so much. Find out about them a bit HERE.



Oh and this lil' number which takes from one of our Fontondrona staples..

Props.

For the percussion.

One For A Notebook.

My Mic Sounds Nice.

http://www.bet.com/video/1304065

WATCH IT.

This. Never. Gets. Old.

Whenever I need cheering up I watch this.

Two Favourites.

And a killer video.

Clothing Envy.

Someone buy me one of these please?

http://shop.rankslondon.com/

Ever Constant.

Bob Marley - "Is This Love"

All Up In My Hair.

Sun and Simone.

Right On The Money.

Two favourites coming together in perfect harmony. Joanna Newsome is fast staking her claim to becoming a little bit of an icon in my eyes and QuestLove rarely puts a foot wrong in my book. This has been on loop for about a week.

ReSurGence.

Supposedly written about a series of short stories by Anton Chekov this album has suddenly sucker punched me back into a Bob Dylan phase. 'Blood On The Tracks' has everything I could ever want out of an album. I could have picked any of the tracks but these are the ones that have been a revelation this time round. Unfortunately there are no links to these songs on the internet (copyright?) but I'll list them anyway. "Shelter From The Storm", "You're A Big Girl Now" and "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go".

Also another little gem that I could find online "If Not For You" with Bob Dylan and George Harrison. Possibly one of the simplest most beautiful love songs ever written.

Good Stuff.

Wiley bringing it back from the brink.

Lists. Featuring.

2 August 2010.

"Hey Yo My Man" - Saian Supa Crew feat. Roots Manuva
"Can't Be My Lover" - John Legend feat. Buju Banton
"Pirates Anthem" - Home T feat Cocoa Tea feat Shabba Ranks

Supportive.

How I Wish, How I Wish You Were Here.

Currently playing 6 times a day from the balcony. Someone take me to Sunsplash.

Saian Super Days.

Saian Supa Crew - "La Preuve Par Trois"

Saian Supa Crew remind me of holidays in France where this is played on the radio inbetween Serge, Johnny Halliday and Jaques Brell. These are current favourites, an early classic and a dream collaboration.

RZA feat. Saian Supa Crew - "Saian"

Oh and..

Mighty Mos and Pharoahe killing it. I wish people still made tracks as good as this.

It's Been A Long Time Coming.

But the change has finally come. Last month the plunge was taken and I moved to Barcelona. This slight change/upheaval has meant youtubing songs on here hasn't been high in my list of priorities. However there's been a couple of tracks that have taken over life here.

Gerry Rafferty - 'Right Down The Line'
Forever a favourite.

Kymani Marley - 'Warriors'
Apollo Wednesdays = A*.

Sister Carol - 'Dread Natty Congo'
Out of that and into this.

Neighbourhoods

"Sunny Goodge Street" - Donovan.

Bidding bye's to the block for a bit.

Tuesday Blues

The only way to start a rainy London morning.

Gil Scott-Heron "I'm New Here"

Aloe Aloe Aloe

Everything I've heard from the new Aloe Blacc album lives up to the high standard he set on "Shine Through". 'I Need A Dollar' has been on repeat since it dropped in February and I am struggling to contain my excitement for the appropriately titled "Good Things" imminent release.

Tighten Up.

The best video I've seen in ages, and the songs not bad either. The Black Keys reppin as always. The new album is great.

He Would Always Win The Fight.

Choral Combinations.

One For Sunshine.

Muddly Mornings.

One More Thing

I bought this on the weekend, I've only managed to delve into a little bit of it so far but it sounds like it's going to be a summer staple.

Soothing me.

I'd quite like a new brain,

preferably one that can make music like Robert Glasper.

Babygirl's got all the right weaponry.

Take-Over.

Exams are ruling my life right now but Thursday I took the night off and went to the Brudenell to see Omar Souleyman. I would love to be able to explain what it was like but I think you need to watch for yourself. Think Syrian wedding band, moustaches, synths, string solos, euro pop, pounding beats, no smiles and some casual crowd encouragement. I've never seen people openly enjoy themselves as much at the Brudenell. I hope he comes back soon...

Masterclass In Fine.

"Why Don't You Love Me" - Beyoncé from Beyoncé on Vimeo.

Inspiration Information.

Def Poetry, making my bank holiday. Check it, it's unreal.

One Of The Best?

Last Night.

Mos'tly Dub.

I know I'm late to catch onto this but I just got hold of it so apologies. I don't think it'll leave my stereo for a while.

http://mosdub.com/

Plus it gives me an excuse to put a picture of the almighty Mos up.

Mountain Man

Gabriel gave me the heads up on this little gem about 3 months ago. I can't stop playing it, if I was ever going to be in a band I'd love it to sound like this. Here is a recording of them in Austin, Texas at SXSW.

Their debut album is being released in July in the U. S. of A. Click HERE for a selection of goodies. God Bless Hype Machine.

I'm A Sucker For A Sad Song

Etta James - "All I Could Do Was Cry"

Judy Mowatt - "She Kept On Talking"

Bonnie Prince Billie - "Its A Hard Life"

Cat Power - "Sea Of Love"

Tanya Stephens - "Its A Pity"

Johnny Cash - "I See A Darkness"

Inell Young - "What Do You See In Her"

Gil Scott Heron - "Me And The Devil"

Phyllis Dillon - "Thing Of The Past"

The Velvet Underground - "Pale Blue Eyes"

Dee Edwards - "Why Can't There Be Love"

I've never been able to understand why I'm always drawn to the sadder things in music. Maybe my ear was simply made for the minor key? Or maybe, in fact probably, I'm too maudalin for my own good? Either way, the obsession has meant I have amassed a fine collection of tragedy on my CD shelves, also because most of my friends when making me mixes always put a couple of sucker punch sad songs on them. Here is a small selection of the ones spinning currently, mixed with a couple that never stop spinning.

And for a little bit of hope on a friday morning...

Daniel Johnston - "True Love Will Find You In The End"

Representing From Foreign Lands.

My musical partner in crime and all round home boy Kazim has put together this little audio treat from his new home in Berlin. It's pretty killer despite all the bleeps. Radio Egal taking over airwaves near you.

http://radio-egal.blogspot.com/

Bringing Sunshine To My Days

I want the summer to be here NOW please. In approximately a month or so Poppy and I are moving to Barcelona where she is interning at a magazine and I am attempting to persuade someone to give me a job in some part of the music industry. With the prospect of exams and essays looming over me while the weather remains typically english and grey, all I can think about is a balcony, sunshine and real tomatoes. Soundtracking this is the most exciting thing of all, I predict a lot of mixtapes, with a little bit of this on amongst others....

James Blake - 'CMYK'

R Kelly - 'Ignition'

Laura Marling - 'Hope In The Air'

I Hate To Admit It

But I was wrong. I do sometimes like music when it's bleepy and bassy and wobbles. This song is getting me through two essays.

Crazy In Love.

Jay-Z and Beyonce are definitely my favourite celebrity couple.

SING.

Erykah.

A friend was once heard saying Erykah was the "Baduist", while I am obviously condemming of such bad word play I can't help but agree with the sentiment. Ms. Badu sums up just about everything I'd like to be, conscious, intelligent, articulate, beautiful, the possessor of one helluva pair of lungs and inspiration for one of the best hip-hop songs ever made. Common - "The Light". In her early career with 'Baduizm' and 'Mama's Gun' she fell on the right side of the ever-tricky genre of Neo-Soul and her latest two offerings, 'New Amerykah's Parts I & II' are two of my favourite albums of the last 24 months. Both combine killer production, Dilla and Sa-Ra holding fort, with Ms. Badu's trademark vocals and are, in my opinion, truly original. I own up to having a soft spot for 'New Amerykah Part II', mainly because it's all about love and I just can't resist a good love song.

"On & On"

"Honey"

"Fall In Love (Your Funeral)"

"Apple Tree"

"Turn Me Away (get MuNNy)"

New Amerykah Part III is dropping soon apparently. Not soon enough.

What Ever Happened...

...To Whitney Houston. Damn you Bobby.

I used to own nearly every Whitney song ever recorded, I stored it all in my own home-made box set by my CD player. I can still sing most of her songs, inflections, riffs and all. Seeing her now makes me sad. So heres a video of her in her hey-day.

Teeth, Tats and Tude.

Probs to JB for this. I love Lil Wayne. Watch him let Miss Katie take us on a tour of his face

Lil Wayne Interview with Katie Couric - Part 1

Lil Wayne Interview with Katie Couric - Part 2

I've Been Away..

..But I'm back to stay.

Here are some of my favourites that I've been playing over Easter.

James Blake - "Limit To Your Love"

Kelis - "I Want Your Love"

Devendra Barnhart - "Doo Wop That Thing"

Drake - "Over"

Robert Glasper - "J Dillalude"

Nas & Damian Marley - "Only The Strong Will Continue"

Erykah Badu - "Turn Me Away (Get MuNNy)

Laura Marling - "Goodbye England (Covered In Snow)

Chan.

Chan Marshall aka. Cat Power has been a fail-safe of mine since I discovered her album with 'The Greatest' with The Memphis Rhythmn band in 2006. Since then I haven't looked back. 'You Are Free' saved me one long london summer when all I looked forward to was the commute home on the train with my headphones and "Good Woman" for company. 'The Greatest' is one of the few albums my whole family like and her covers, of which there are many, amount to some of my favourites songs ever sometimes even rivaling the originals, a statement I rarely make.

"He Was A Friend Of Mine"

"The Greatest"

"I Don't Blame You"

"I've Been Loving You Too Long"

"Good Woman"

These are probably some of my steady favourites but I don't think I could dislike anything she's done. I can safely say that I will never stop listening to her.

Sam.

To quote America's NPR, "Sam Cooke's yours. He'll never grow old". A gospel heavyweight with The Soul Stirrers, he was one of the first black artists to break through succesfully to the American Mainstream. "Live At The Harlem Square Club, 1963" is one of the greatest live recordings ever made, 40 minutes of non-stop soul and "You Send Me" is one of my wedding songs.

"You Send Me"

"Bring It on Home To Me (Live)"

"Peace In The Valley" (With The Soul Stirrers)

"A Change Is Gonna Come"

"You're Always On My Mind"

"Portrait Of A Legend" is probably the best overall compilation of his hits.

Lauryn.

I wanted to start this blog with some of my all time favourites. Artists that I will always have time for. Lauryn Hill reminds me of my house in London when my Mum used to play it as loud as neighbourly possible. Now it reminds me of my house in Leeds, where at least one of us is always playing something by her. She moves me to tears like noone else.

"Tell Him"

"Forgive Them Father"

"Just Want You Around"

"A Change Is Gonna Come"

"Killing Me Softly"

This list could go on and on and on but these are some that rarely leave my speakers.

Starting Points.

It seems only fitting to start this off with it's namesake.

Sister Nancy - "Only Women DJ With Degree"