Playlist 4/30/09

1. Kanye West - Heard 'Em Say

2. Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheels

3. (JPOTW) Cage the Elephant - Ain't No Rest for the Wicked

4. Coconut Records - Easy Girl
This was Juhee's favorite of the week. Home run for Wenli!

5. Death Cab for Cutie - Your New Twin Sized Bed
At first, I was wondering why they were singing about a bed, then I actually listened to the lyrics and it turns out to be one of the most beautiful songs ever. The entire album (Narrow Stairs) is great. Grapevine Fires is another standout.

6. Britney Spears - If U Seek Amy
...spell it out to understand why I think this song is play-worthy.

7. Justice - DVNO

8. The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name
As I was saying on the show, this song is pure, in your ear pop. Ting Ting is actually a girl that the female lead worked with. It's a Chinese name that means peaceful but it also means to listen. What are the odds.

9. Norwegian Recycling - 8 Become 1
Thanks to Evan for this song. It was also used on the Pre-College yearbook soundtrack...I wonder why.

10. Chester French - People
Juhee's favorite #2! Home run #2! Look below for a thorough explanation of why I love this song.

11. Jens Lekman - Kanske Ar Jag Kar I Dig
So, there's this kid that had a pig for a pet, which has nothing to do with anything. Sounds like one of my stories. Jens Lekman is a great songwriter/producer/singer and this album is classic.

Blame It

Mainstream R&B is not particularly my favorite genre, nor do I like the sound of the auto-tune, but have you seen the video for Blame it from Jamie Foxx (ft. T-Pain)? Where do Jake Gyllenhaal, Forest Whitaker, Ron Howard, Jamie Foxx, and Samuel L. Jackson NOT belong together? In a club shooting a video about getting girls tipsy...atleast I was pretty sure until I saw the video again and again. I was surprised the Jamie used the auto-tune because I'm pretty sure he can sing, though I kind of wonder what state T-Pain's voice is in to make a living off an mechanical voice. But, may I just say, I really quite like the song and video, especially the grooving dancing panda. Whatever, blame it on the a(-a-a-a-a-a)lcohol.

Jamie Foxx - New Music - More Music Videos

New Artist: Chester French

Chester French just released their new album, Love the Future, on Tuesday and I do not remember the last time I was so giddy about legally downloading music. Pharrell Williams better be thanking his lucky Ice Creams that he snagged this band away from Kanye. I really like Pharrell's arrangements and his influence is apparent in most songs of the album, for example "She Loves Everybody." But mostly, I can't pinpoint a certain style of Chester French. Sometimes folksy ("Beneath the Veil," "Jimmy Choos"), sometimes poppy ("People," "C'mon," "Bebe Buell"), sometimes sentimental ("Not Over You"), but always groovy and addictive. Definitely fresh, new tunes from the Harvard-based duo of singer and plays-every-instrumentalist. By the way, if you want to hear a little example of the ecclectic style I'm talking about, get the free download of "Ciroc Star," featuring Chester French, Diddy, Jadakiss & Clinton Sparks, which is not folksy, poppy, or sentimental, but definitely booty-poppin' material (a special shout-out to Diddy--no bitchassness on Asian BBQ).

CHESTER FRENCH - LOVE THE FUTURE

1. Introduction
Okay, fine. Introductions are fine.

2. C'mon (On My Own)
This song is a great way to start off the album. It's definitely the most encompassing of their style.

3. Bebe Buell
I like the dog barks after D.A. Wallace (the lead singer) sings "Oh!" in the chorus ... and for other reasons also.

4. String Interlude
My only personal objection to this album is that it has too many random interludes which I think cuts off the flow.

5. The Jimmy Choos

6. Time to Unwind
Very simple, light, beachy. Short and sweet and a great way to transition between the more poppy first quarter and the folksy next quarter. Thank god they didn't use another stupid interlude.

7. Fingers

8. Country Interlude

9. Beneath the Veil

10. Neal

11. Not Over You
Absolutely one of my top two of the album. I love the chorus--"I tried to say what I gotta say, but I'm not through. I tried to do what I gotta do, but I'm not over you." When I first listened to it, I thought that the reprise at the end was a new song and I was really excited because the beat was sick. They should really use that material somewhere.

12. She Loves Everybody
This is the first song I encountered when I found the Chester French and I think it's the one that the least like the others. I guess the song kind of grew on me but there are a bunch of pretty kick-ass remixes of it, i.e. the Steve Aoki version.

13. Sleep

14. People (iTunes Album only)
My favorite and the reason I wanted to buy the album in the first place. I love the way that D.A. Wallace croons and the modulations in the middle. The chorus part ("No, no, no, no, no one's ever gonna find us") has the most addictive beats and makes the song jam so well. The synth riffs in the chorus are pretty sick as well.

Playlist 4/23/09

Today was our special broadcast with guest DJ's, Chris Pastrana and Isai Badaraco. I can't remember hosting a show that was so much fun. Thanks for all the effort and energy, guys. Isai creates his own music, and in my opinion is a really gifted mash-up artist (if that's the right term). Anyway, he is very talented and even won over Juhee--a possible JPOTW? Chris played his own playlist of songs ranging from Beck to Cat Power to Black Keys. Thanks for making the show the most enjoyable in many, many moons.

And thank YOU for listening! Back next week with our finale show. Tune in!

Playlist 4/9/09

1. Belle and Sebastian - Chickfaster

2. Death Cab for Cutie - You Can Do Better Than Me
Beautiful and simple song that gets the point across. It's cute.

3. Sufjan Stevens - Decatur

4. Modest Mouse - World at Large
One of my favorite Modest Mouse songs. I think I've probably played it on air before, but it's definitely worth repeating. I'm glad they're not screeching their way through the song. It's much appreciated.

5. Phoenix - Love For Granted

6. The Bridges - Echo
The reason I like The Bridges is because they can actually sing! Imagine that. The lead singer has a soothing country-folksy voice. The band is four siblings and a cousin so when they sing together it creates a unique blend that is mixed just right because they all have the same country-folksy twang. And, don't get me started on their instrumental arrangements. They're a solid band that is just waiting to take off.

7. Britney Spears - Circus
I happen to like Britney Spears not just because she suffered through a bald head and psychosis. She's been around for so long that you just have to give her credit. Thanks to Steph for the request!

8. Pink Floyd - Have A Cigar
This song made me feel cool, so I played it.

9. Bjork - It's Not Up to You
I've wanted to play more Bjork for a very long time, but I knew that Juhee would NOT approve. So, I chose to add it on a day she was not here. Sorry Juhee.

10. The Isles - Our Kitchen Test

11. Beck - Youthless
I'm still pretty upset that I missed Beck and MGMT in NYC, especially because it was the last time Beck will ever tour.

12. Andrew Bird - Imitosis

13. Rooney - Losing All Control

Playlist 3/26/09

1. Amy Winehouse - Some Unholy War

2. Sondre Lerche - On the Tower
The first Sondre song I loved. Forever and always.

3. Belle and Sebastian - Sleep the Clock Around

4. Keane - A Bad Dream

5. Wilco - Jesus, Etc.

6. Emiliana Torrini - Unemployed in the Summertime
This song basically describes my May, June, and July--(getting paid like I'm) unemployed in summertime, only just turned 21(-1), it'll be okay (if I ace my GRE's).

7. Phoenix - 1901
Did YOU catch Phoenix on SNL? Amazing. I wish they would tour the US sometime soon. New Album (Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix) drops in late May.

8. MGMT - Time to Pretend
I've wanted to play this song for a while, but it's always been deleted during the refining process. I was very surprised to see that MGMT had another good song other than Electric Feel. That, this, and Kids are the only three songs I listen to from them.

9. Death Cab for Cutie - We Looked Like Giants

10. Franz Ferdinand - Outsiders

11. Andrew Bird - How Indiscreet

12. OK Go - Return
OK Go is supposed to be a nonsense-singing band right? Yes, except this song actually has substance, and you can't just let that be missed.

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