This Just In: Music Playlist Reduces Stress

My friend Alex suggested a while back that I put together some tracks particularly awesome at stress-blasting. I put the word out last week, and got a ton of great recommendations for just this purpose. So, I present to you a sick-ass stress killing playlist generated by you, the AudioIn-AudioOut community. What better day than Wednesday to take a few minutes to seriously spazz out a bit?

Since you all have great (and varied) music tastes, these 16 tracks include a bit of everything from classic rock, to hip-hop, to electronica. It starts with a Muppet/LCD-Soundsystem dance party, revisits the greatness of Black Sabbath, and finishes with the blissful ambiance of Stars of the Lid. Thanks again for all the suggestions.

Top 10 Playlist, Vol.5

Behold, the latest edition to the AudioIn-AudioOut Top 10 Playlists!

Volume 5 highlights tracks from our updated Top 10 Albums list, and a couple new and old school artists that will be featured in upcoming posts. Check 'em out, and keep the recommendations coming.

'Alive Inside': A Must Watch Documentary

Over the past week I got a ton ton of messages recommending I watch and post the clip above. It is from "Alive Inside", a documentary that demonstrates the profound connections between music and memory by showing the experiences of a group of older adults living with dementia who are given iPods filled with their favorite music.

The film, produced and directed by Michael Rossato-Bennett, follows Dan Cohen (a social worker) as he exposes patients living in nursing homes to music to try and spark their memory. The transformative effects are instantaneous and heartwarming, as previously unresponsive patients reawaken, filled with memory, wanting to sing and dance. Cohen is the director of a non-profit organization called Music and Memory , which donates iPods to patients in nursing homes.

"Alive Inside" will be screened next week at the Ruben Museum of Art in New York City. If you are in that city I highly recommend attending. Warm fuzzies guaranteed. The clip has been flying around like crazy on Facebook and Twitter over the last couple of days. If you dig it, pass it along. It looks like a great movie. But more importantly, the project and its mission deserves tons of attention. The more people that hear about this and start to think about dementia the better, in my opinion.

Listening to Henry describe music makes me happy, especially when he scats like Cab Calloway. Music is an amazing thing.

Grimes: Another Reason to Love Canada

The synth-pop of Claire Boucher (A.K.A. Grimes) is spreading like an eerie sonic wave across the internet. Her music has been featured in Rolling Stone, and popular music blogs like RCRD LBL, and Gorilla Vs. Bear , and she has toured with AudioIn-AudioOut favorite Lykke Li . Only 2 years into her musical career the Canadian musical sensation, who looks and dances like an awkward 15 year old (she is actually 23), is about to complete her 4th full-length album, "Visions". So many albums in such little time is a serious feat, especially because in addition to writing and recording her own music she also frequently directs her own videos and designs her own album covers. Apparently what she has accomplished thus far is just the beginning, considering she claims to have about 1,200 songs lying in wait on her hard drive. It took me a couple of listens to get into her work, but her impossible cuteness coupled with her ephemeral wisp of a voice certainly has something to it. Download "Oblivion" for your collection, and check out the videos for "Oblivion", "Genesis", and "Vanessa" below.

Song of the Week:: "Careless" - Amos Lee

This song hits all the right notes, especially when the harmonies kick in. Simplistically beautiful "cuddle-and-cry" music, as my wife calls it. I included both the studio version of the song and a live version below because I actually think Lee's voice live has a greater resonance and gritty soul to it.  Lee's music can definitely pull on the heartstrings. Hope y'all are having a great week, and keep the recommendations coming.

Kimbra is Your Dream Girl. You Just Don't Know it Yet.

It's official. I have a major crush on Kimbra. Give her music a couple seconds and I bet you will feel the same way. You have likely heard her voice before on Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know", but maybe you haven't yet heard the name to go along with this up-and-coming 21 year old . My bet is that is all about to change. Her reputation just took a big step forward after having killed at South by Southwest in Austin, putting together 8 sets over four days, all filled to the brim with buzz-inducing spastic energy. The New Zealand-born singer/songwriter is just getting started, but already exhibits a talent and musical maturity hinting there is much more to come. Her first album Vows, released in 2011, exhibits a smokey soulful voice layered within a fantastic collection of jazz-influenced theatrical pop tracks. Her music manages to be both retro-chic and excitingly unique and creative at the same time, and there is no denying the powerhouse pipes fueling this young lady's talent.

While going through her music I was particularly impressed with the live on-air Grizzly Bear/Tears for Fears mash-up Kimbra did of "Two Weeks" and "Head Over Heels." When you watch the performance above, pay attention to how she begins by recording a few musical phrases, layers them over one another, and then plays back her own voice to serve as an added rhythm instrument and backup vocals throughout the song. I think I ovulated when I first figured out what she was doing. So. Hot.

I put together a 8 song Kimbra playlist above so you could check out a few tunes. You can also download the live radio performance of "Two Weeks/Head Over Heels" here and also a great song by Miami Horror called "I Look To You" featuring Kimbra. So, sit back, hit play, and enjoy a promising new talent.

Song of the Week: "Truth" (Remix) ::: Alex Ebert + the Rza

Alex Ebert, best known as the frontman for the band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros,released a solo effort entitled Alexander in 2011. The album has some real bright moments, but never generated that much attention despite generally positive reviews. The brightest spot on the album is the whimsically haunting "Truth". This track has started popping up on the radar a lot more recently thanks to a remix that features the addition of a few verses from the Wu-Tang mastermind, Rza, for my money one of the most creative and intelligent forces in hip-hop today. Check out both versions of the song below, and be sure to download the remix.

"Truth" (Remix).

A Tribute to the Notorious B.I.G. (May 21, 1972- March 9, 1997)

15 years ago today the Notorious B.I.G. (May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997) was killed in a drive-by shooting in L.A. I can't believe its been so long. The music world was still reeling from the loss of Tupac 6 months earlier, Bill Clinton was just two months into his second term as President, The English Patient was about to win an Oscar for Best Picture, and we were only a few months from watching the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, unfold on our T.V. screens. I was a sophomore in a suburban Maryland high school, and suddenly the frustration, violence, and beauty in the hard-core rap I loved but didn't wholly understand seemed a lot more real and tragic.

The world lost a lot of talent that day, cutting off an artistic life that had not yet reached its prime. When I listen to Biggie now I am amazed at how his music somehow manages to be both completely dated, and timeless at the same time.

In honor of the body of work Biggie left behind you will find two tracks below, Super Cat's "Dolly My Baby" featuring a razor sharp, relatively unknown B.I.G., and my favorite Biggie track "Sky's the Limit" off the tragically titled Life After Death album released shortly after his death. These two songs are basically bookends to his career, showcasing both raw talent and a legendary polished professional. I also have a clip below of news from the day biggie died. Its a bit surreal watching it today.






Sky's the Limit

Who is this Gotye? And why do I love him so? :::::::::::::: "Somebody I Used to Know"

I heard Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" last week and was singing the tune to myself for days before I caught it again on the radio and Soundhound-ed the hell out of it. Who is Gyote, you ask? I have no idea. But Wikipedia does! "Wouter "Wally" De Backer (born 21 May 1980), also known professionally by his stage name Gotye, (pronounced Go-te-yae), is a Belgian-Australian multi-instrumental musician and singer-songwriter. The name "Gotye" is derived from "Gaultier" (or "Gautier" or "Gauthier",) the French equivalent of "Wouter" ("Walter" in English.) Gotye's voice has been compared to Sting and Peter Gabriel". Thanks Wikipedia!

Download and watch the beautiful and wonderfully catchy "Somebody I Used to Know" here, featuring Kimbra (another artist highlighted recently in the Top 10 Playlist, Vol. 4).



This cover of the song by the band Walk Off the Earth is also worth a good look. It has been all over the interweb, thanks to its clever presentation and some serious talent.




Gotye has produced three albums, Boardface (2003), Like Drawing Blood(2004); and Making Mirrors (2011). I've only heard a few songs, but thus far I'm pretty impressed. Not quite sure why, but a number of his songs are on youtube accompanied by some amazing animated shorts. Check out three tracks, "Learnalilgivinanlovin", "Save Me", and "Bronte" from his latest album.

Nardwuar: Best Music Journalist?

One of the strangest looking dudes ever also happens to be one of the best music journalist alive. His name is Nardwuar, and he a Canadian celebrity interviewer and musician. Most of you probably are unfamiliar with the guy, but its time that all changed. I guarantee if you fancy yourself a fan of music you are gonna love his interviews.

He is the like the Billy Hoyle (think Woody Harrelson in White Men Can't Jump) of musical knowledge. He comes into every interview looking like a joke. Then, within seconds, he perplexes, surprises, and seriously impresses his targets with unprecedented musical knowledge. Nardwuar's guerilla style interviews follow a format intended to flabbergast targets by presenting meticulously researched gifts designed to bring up little-known tidbits of a musicians personal and professional past. There really is no better way to explain this than to watch it happen, so I put 4 of his interviews below. The artist's reactions to the unexpected interviewer are priceless. The best part of each is how Nardwuar ends each interview. Awkward, hilarious, and brilliant. Make sure to watch these all the way through.