Portishead Remixed: "Dumb"

I've been meaning to post this for awhile now, and it just gets swept under the rug because of that ever-growing list of things to do on the Solid PR tip.

But, here we are finally. A moment in which I recall to do this.
You can download the entire Portishead Remixed album by clicking on this link.
No, seriously, the whole album. Free. Yes, free. There are some great mash-ups and reinterpretations of this (already) classic pop album, which you should definitely check out, if not have. This site that holds the mp3s also hosts fascinating small blurbs about each remixer. And yes, again - it's free. All they want you to do in exchange is to donate a little to a well-deserved charity or simply purchase the original Dummy album (which you should have if you do not already, regardless of your main affliction in music genre) - it's totally sexy.

Efterklang's "Monopolist"

Like many of you, I work my day away with itunes on shuffle. All the things I wouldn't normally choose to play resurface at my computer's will. I think Oliverio might have even transferred this track onto my sad little full hard drive while I was in New York three weeks ago (though I got a portable one yesterday that I now claim to be my lord and saviour).


Anyway, the song... it's a smidge less than 7 minutes long and travels from your typical driving electronic beat to quicksand pianos and darting keyboards sifted through some filters. The vocals remind me of what Amish church songs might sound like. It's creepy, like a real-life fling with your socially unacceptable relationship with your professor, and I like it. Thank you weirdo Danish ensemble!








Here's what Pitchfork had to say about it.

Opal's "Happy Nightmare Baby"

While Capitol/EMI are prepping to release The Mazzy Star Anthology and a deluxe CD/DVD later this year, I'm thrown back to earlier than they're trying to get me to be nostalgic for. I'm talkin' thown way back in 1987, pre-Mazzy by a sweet little friend who put this Opal song on a Valentino mix for me. It's practically been on repeat today as I've made any open ear listen to the track. Ned Ragett from AllMusic.com nails it by saying, "For one thing, Opal was very much its own band, with Kendra Smith's particular lyrical visions of mystic power and universe-scaling dreams and nightmares its own entity. As is her singing, though she's got less of Hope Sandoval's wistful drift and more focused control." And while I'm not the biggest Mazzy Star fan, I really like Opal and that's probably why. I haven't had the pleasure of hearing the entire "Happy Nightmare Baby" album, but now I have something to look for the next time I hit the record store...

Opal page on the Mazzy Star site's related bands section.

memoryrememberme

Lower Manhattan Cultural Council has commisioned Tyondai Braxton to do a special multimedia solo show in Manhattan in March, where he will introduce a new permanent element in the solo set, "Light Hill" that was designed by Danish architect Uffe Surland Van Tams. Along with Uffe's creation Ty has enlisted Harry Rosenblum's lighting design along with Chris Jordan to transform the room into an environment for himself and the Light Hill to haunt. The presentation is based off of symtoms of depersonalization and derealization as it pertains to amnesia and memory loss.

Lower Manhattan Cultural Council presents
*Memory Remember Me* By Tyondai Braxton
Friday and Saturday, March 10-11, 2006 @ 8:00 PM

Lighting Design: Harry Rosenblum & Chris Jordan
"Light Hill" designed by Uffe Surland Van Tams
15 Nassau (at Pine St)
Made possible by support from the September 11th Fund.
Space donated by Silverstein Properties.
www.lmcc.net

No advance tickets. RSVP by e-mail: rsvp@lmcc.net. The subject line
should include "Tyondai Braxton" and your preferred date - Friday,
March 10 or Saturday, March 11.

www.tyondai.com
www.bttls.com

Culture Club's "Miss Me Blind"

In response to a fellow blogger's very endearing (and obscure) song dedication - I have for you Boy George's playful 80's hit. It's flirty, fresh, a little cheeky, and a great way to find comfort if a signi-other might be a few miles too far for a little peck on the cheek. Go ahead, dance to it. I won't look.

Because this love / That I have to give / Must be better than the kind / It can make you rich / It can make you poor / But I know that / You’ll miss me blind