[LISTEN UP] WHITE MYSTERY - UNTEDDY

Chicago brother-and-sister duo White Mystery are getting ready to release a new record on and that's right, it's gonna be released on 4/20/14 again this year. It's titled Dubble Dragon and it is a double LP—one half is a new studio album, the other has songs recorded live at Chicago's Double Door.  The first single is "Unteddy" go ahead and listen to it below and visit there website for pre-order information HERE.

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[LISTEN UP] LITTLE DRAGON - KLAPP KLAPP

Almost three years since the release of their 2011 album, Ritual Union, Little Dragon is proud to announce their highly anticipated album, Nabuma Rubberband. Check out the video for for the single "Klapp Klapp" via YouTube below. Nabuma Rubberband is out on May 13th via Loma Vista Recordings.

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[ALBUM REVIEW] SAM ROBERTS BAND - LO-FANTASY

After agreeing to write this review, I hesitated.  Being a fan of Sam Roberts Band for years now (and having previously praised them on this very blog), I was convinced that this would be difficult to write… worried that I would only be able to describe the album as "Sam Roberts-y". Luckily for new listeners and old fans alike, the band has given us a new experience. The opening number, "Shapeshifters", is an upbeat dance track unfurling a gateway of musical exploration that is Lo-Fantasy. It gives listeners a fresh taste for what the rest of the record holds. Experimentation with 80's synth fills the intro to "Metal Skin" and leads us to the most addicting song on the album with an upbeat, sunny California beat. The 80's influence appears once again later, and much heavier, on "Chasing the Light". This Tears For Fears inspired track sets a perfect scene for your John Hughes prom-scene fantasies. We all have those, right? Not to say they steer too far from their traditional sound… Anthems such as "The Hands of Love" and "We're All In This Together" (which premiered on opening night of this past NHL season) remind us that the band has not forgotten their classic rock roots: A pinch of psychedelica and a dash of rock n roll mixed together to create their magic. Guitar riffs that grab your interest, and Roberts' lyrics that capture and keep your attention. With songs already being selected as Best New Songs of the Week most recently on Esquire Magazine, perhaps this is the record that will break in America and give them the recognition they so deserve. Listen to the opening track Shapeshifters in it's entirety below. Lo-Fantasy is set for release Feb 11th on Paperbag Records HERE. Catch them on their upcoming US tour HERE

By Natalie Burris

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[#TBT] AIR / MOON SAFARI (1998)

AIR - MOON SAFARI (VIRGIN) 1998
By; Randy Nieto

Little did Air know that when they released their first major full length debut Moon Safari on Virgin records, that they would be unleashing a maelstrom of electro bands that would follow in the millennium that was to come. They landed on the scene as music was just starting to take a decisive turn back to the synthesizers of the early 80s, a reaction to the years of grunge and hard rock we were all forced to endure, and Moon Safari was poised to turn things back around. I remember whenever I put on ‘Le Femme D’Argent’ my girlfriend would always remark “Oh, you’re putting that song from TAXI on again.” Looking back now I guess the keyboard solo does sound a little bit like the TAXI theme song. Regardless of my girlfriend’s zingers, this is an amazing album. The bass lines on this record dance around the songs slow and beautifully, transcending to an ethereal level when combined with the wash of the synthesizers. Beth Hirsch’s vocals on All I Need are haunting and reminiscent of Beth Gibbons of Portishead, but with less kill myself and more let’s make love. These guys are like Portishead after years of therapy. Just listen for yourself. Below is the entire album for you to relax in the tub with a glass of wine. Enjoy!

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[RADIO] THE MINIMAL BEAT 01.25.2014

ARTIST / TRACK / ALBUM

• Tame Impala / Be Above It / Lonerism
• Thom Yorke / Analyse / The Eraser
• Larry Gus / With All Your Eyes Look / Years Not Living 
• Moderat / A New Error / Moderat 
• JD Samson and Men / Making Art /
• Light Asylum / Heart of Dust / Light Asylum 
• Lolawolf / Too Lovely / Unreleased Single 
• Roisin Murphy / Dear Miami / Overpowered
• Bon Iver / Lump Sum / For Emma Forever Ago 
• Throwing Muses / Counting Backwards / The Real Ramona 
• Solange / Losing You / True 
• Je Suis Le Vent / Working for A Nuclear Free City / Businessmen & Ghosts
• Mike Watt / Big Train / Ball Hog or Tugboat
• Bonobo / Kiara / Black Sands 
• Gorillaz / Double Bass / Gorillaz 
• Deadmau5 & Kaskade / I Remember / Random Album Title 

Briar Rabbit Guest DJ Set 

• Briar Rabbit / So Long / From Your Bones 
• Al Green / Hold Your Hand /
• Rabbit Hole / Julia Klee / Rabbit Hole EP 
• Todd Kessler / Oh Brother / Sea Fever 
• The Valley / The Dirty Pigeons / The Dirty Pigeons EP 
• Michael Kiwanuka / Home Again / Home Again 
• Jared Bartman / In Belize / Misery Makes Strange Bedfellows 
• Indian Summer / Briar Rabbit / From Your Bones 

 

THE MINIMAL BEAT 01.25.2014 by T H E M I N I M A L B E A T on Mixcloud

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[RADIO] THE MINIMAL BEAT 01.18.2014

ARTIST / TRACK / ALBUM

• Joe Strummer and The Mescalero's / All in a Day / Streetcore
• The Knife / Girls Night Out / Deep Cuts
• Autre Ne Vuit / Counting / Anxiety
• Grizzly Bear / Sleeping Ute (Nicolas Jaar Remix) / 12" Single
• Scratch Massive / Golden Dreams / Nuit de Reve
• Kraftwerk / It's More Fun to Compute / Computer World
• Yoko Ono / She Gets Down on Her Knees / Season of Glass
• Telepopmusik / Breate / Genetic World
• Jerome LOL / Fool [ft. Angelina Lucero] / Deleted Fool
• Museum of Love / Down South / Single

Karin Skender of Two Carolines Guest DJ Set

• Two Carolines / Thirteen / Demo
• The Scientists / Frantic Romantic / Pissed On Another Planet
• Umpire / Streamers / Umpire
• Decoder Ring / Jet / Fractions
• The Drones / Sharkfin Blues / Custom Made
• French Rockets / Mandy Summers / Mandy Summers
• Tommy O'Donnell / Waking Up Wearing A Batcape / Pioneer Maintenance
• Chelsea Wolfe / We Hit A Wall / Pain Is Beauty
• Tomorrow The Moon / Pig Baby / Single
• Two Carolines / Good As Dead / Demo
• Veronica Falls / Broken Toy / Waiting For Something To Happen
• Pond / You Broke My Cool / Beard, Wives, Denim

THE MINIMAL BEAT 01.18.2014 by T H E M I N I M A L B E A T on Mixcloud

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[#TBT] THROWING MUSES / THE REAL RAMONA (1991)

THROWING MUSES - THE REAL RAMONA (4AD/SIRE RECORDS) 1991
By; Randy Nieto

Our throwback piece this week is for Throwing Muses’ “The Real Ramona”.  I remember not too many years before it came out we were reading Ramona Quimby books in school, and I always wondered if this record was named after those books. This is the last album the Muses made before Tanya Donnelly left the band to form Belly and took bassist Fred Abong with her. The first song on the record, Counting Backwards, starts with a loud snare roll and cascading guitars. Seriously, just the words “cascading guitars” is enough to make me excited and curious to listen to any song. Kristen Hersh’s vocals somehow manage to be dry yet menacing at the same time, like an ex-girlfriend delivering the punchiest zingers about you to her friends.  In the second song, “Him Dancing”, she hits the high notes and falsettos just right, and adds a bendy twang at just the right spots. The album production focuses heavily on guitars and drums, ala Steve Albini. Which makes sense, because these guys were tight with the Kim Deal, who worked with Albini on Surfer Rosa and used him on the Breeder’s debut “Pod”. Kristen and Tanya are incredible songwriters, and it is clear this pop-rock record was an immediate precursor to grunge and all the crap that came after. It’s unfortunate the record companies were still creaming their pants over shitty two hit wonders like Bryan Adams and C+C Music factory and not pushing guitar pop aficionados like Throwing Muses and the Pixies. I guess it doesn’t matter because everyone is downloading music now and those A&R nerds are out of a job, right? Right? Please, let us not get into that dirty talk. Instead, let’s just listen to the beauty that is the Throwing Muses below.

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[RADIO] THE MINIMAL BEAT 01.11.2014

ARTIST / TRACK / ALBUM

• Prefuse 73 / Pagina Dose / Read the Books 
• Gill Scot Herron Jamie XX / New York is Killing Me / We're new here
• Flying Lotus / MmmHmmm / Cosmagramma 
• M83 / Kim and Jesse / Saturdays = Youth 
• Autumn Defense / Back of My Mind / Once Around 
• Midnight Juggernauts / Into the Galaxy / Into the Galaxy EP 
• Jim James / State Of The Art (A.E.I.U) / Regions of Light and Sound of God
• Belmont and Clark / Dark Compression / Single 
• Dirty Beaches / A Hundred Highways / Badlands
• Lolawolf / What Love is / Lolawolf
• Darkside / Paper Trails / Psychic 
• Boards of Canada / Dayvan Cowboy / Trans Canada Highway

Deanna Devore Guest DJ Set

• Deanna Devore / I Tried / X Number of Days 
• Toro Y Moi / Harm In Change / Anything In Return
• Cyril Hahn / Perfect Form (feat. Shy Girls) / Perfect Form EP
• Banks / Warm Water / Single
• Disclosure / What's In Your Head / Settle
• James Blake / Retrograde / Overgrown 
• Robert Glasper Experiment / Let It Ride (ft.. Norah Jones) / Black Radio 2 
• Something Goes Right / SBTRKT / Self-Titled 
• Deanna Devore / My My / Self Titled 
• Deanna Devore / Didn't You / X Number Of Days
• Lapalux / Guuurl / Nostalchic 

THE MINIMAL BEAT 01.11.2014 by The Minimal Beat on Mixcloud

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VIDEO: LOLAWOLF / WHAT LOVE IS

Lolawolf just uploaded a video for the song "What Love Is" onto Youtube off there new EP out in Feb on Inn It Recordings. Lolawolf is includes singer Zoe Kravitz, James Levy, Raviv Ullman and Jimmy Giannopoulos (who produced the record). Jimmy, James and Raviv are also in the band Reputante which recently signed to Julian Casablancas label Cult Records.

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[RADIO] THE MINIMAL BEAT 01.04.2013

ARTIST / TRACK / ALBUM

• Quasi / Sound and Vision / Crash Course for the Ravers (David Bowie) 
• Pavement / What Goes On / Live from Tibetan Freedom Concert (Velvet Underground)
• Massive Attack / Be Thankful for What You've Got / Blue Lines (William DeVaughn)
• Yoshida Brother's / National Anthem / Prism (Radiohead) 
• Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros / Redemption Song / Streetcore (Bob Marley) 
• R.E.M. / Dream / Athens GA, Inside and Out Soundtrack (Everly Brothers) 
• Tom Waits / Turn of Jacky and Judy / We're a Happy Family Tribute to the Ramones (Ramones) 
• Twin Shadow / I'm not in Love / UNDER THE CVRS (10cc) 
• Aerial M / Last Caress / October EP (Misfits)
• Wilco / Thirteen / Big Star, Small World Big Star Tribute (Big Star) 
• Pearl Jam / Love Reign O'er Me / Holiday Single (The Who)
• Tennis / Tell Her No / 7" Single (Zombies) 
• Jon English / Hollywood Seven (Mike Simonetti & Jonny Jewel x Alides Hidding Version) 
• Peter Bjorn and John / Is this it / Stroked: A Tribute to the Strokes (The Strokes)
• Tame Impala / That's All for Everyone / A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac (Fleetwood Mac)
• The Cardigans / Iron Man / First Band on the Moon (Black Sabbath) 
• Charles Bradley / Stay Away / Spin Presents: Newer Mind Tribute to Nirvana (Nirvana)
• Nick Cave / Disco 2000 / Single (Pulp)
• Robert Palmer & The Power Station / Get it On Bang a Gong / The Power Station (T Rex)
• John Cale / All My Friends / All My Friends Single (LCD Soundsystem)
• St Vincent / Dig a Pony / Live All Points West Festival (The Beatles)
• Donny Hathaway / Jealous Guy / Live (John Lennon) 
• Chromatics / Into the Black / Kill for Love (Neil Young) 
• Pixies / Winterlong / Dig for Fire single (Neil Young)

THE MINIMAL BEAT 01.04.2014 by The Minimal Beat on Mixcloud

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[#TBT] SLEATER KINNEY / CALL THE DOCTOR (1996)

SLEATER KINNEY - CALL THE DOCTOR (CHAINSAW) 1996

By: Randy Nieto

Before Savages, before Haim, before Lady Gaga or Katy Perry, there was Sleater Kinney. Rock critics in the 90’s pinned them as pioneers of the “Riot Grrl” movement, probably due to their simultaneously inspiring and melting of faces with roaring guitars riffs, pounding drums, and screeching vocals. From my experiences they have always been a polarizing group: lead singer Corin Tucker’s singing can be quite shrill, and it seems most people either love them or hate them. Regardless of the vocals, the power of the music cannot be denied. To me they were like a female fronted Fugazi, with riffs coasting and bouncing from chord to chord, increasing and decreasing in ferocity, and Carrie Brownstein often adding background vocals that ranged from just talking to straight up yelling into the microphone. Later they would explore more of a pop edge in “Dig Me Out”, but Call the Doctor was their first fully realized punk rock record. Their lyrics range from sarcastic to confrontational, fantasizing about Joey Ramone (and seriously, Joey Ramone? Did they ever take a hard look at that guy?) to more poignant metaphors about swallowing spiders and lies in “Anonymous”. With 12 songs clocking in at 30 minutes, the songs are short punk rock gems, maybe a little slower than typical punk, but this is what lets them explore more complexities in their songwriting. Although this record was written in the juvenile stage of the band’s lifespan, it remains, in this humble writers opinion, one of their best efforts. I can seriously listen to the whole thing over and over again, and I never have never gotten sick of it, something I truly cannot say for many records, even ones I love. Check out “Call the Doctor” below:

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TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2013

It's that time of year again our Top 50 of 2013 list… We made a list the last couple of years and we decided to do it again this year... This is always by far our favorite post of the year so here we go... This is a list of 50 records that we really enjoyed here at The Minimal Beat. We also posted some personal lists on our Facebook page if your interested. So here it is and we’d love to hear your thoughts on anything we might have overlooked... See ya all in 2014!

#50 EELS - WONDERFUL GLORIOUS (V2 RECORDS)

#49 NEKO CASE - THE WORSE THINGS GET... (ANTI)

#48 ARCTIC MONKEYS - AM (DOMINO RECORDING CO)

#47 YEAH YEAH YEAH'S - MOSQUITO (DRESS UP/INTERSCOPE)

#46 MAGIC MAN - YOU ARE HERE (NEON GOLD)

#45 MS MR - SECONDHAND RAPTURE (COLUMBIA/CREEP CITY RECORDS)

#44 JULIANNA BARWICK - NEPENTHE (DEAD OCEANS)

#43 RATHBOURNE - SOFT (TRUE BELIEVER/DILETTANTE)

#42 KURT VILE - WALKIN ON A PRETTY DAZE (MATADOR)

#41 THE NATIONAL - TROUBLE WILL FIND ME (4AD)

#40 BLUE HAWAII - UNTOGETHER (ARBUTUS RECORDS)

#39 GROUPER - THE MAN DIED IN HIS BOAT (KRANKY)

#38 LORDE - PURE HEROINE (UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP)

#37 FACTORY FLOOR - FACTORY FLOOR (DFA)

#36 MY BLOODY VALENTINE - MBV (M B V)

#35 BLEACHED - RIDE YOUR HEART (DEAD OCEANS)

#34 CHARLI XCX - TRU ROMANCE (IAMSOUND/ASYLUM/ATLANTIC)

#33 RHYE - WOMAN (POLYDOR)

#32 AUTRE NE VEUT - ANXIETY (OLDE ENGLISH SPELLING BEE/SOFTWARE RECORDING CO)

#31 PHOSPHORESCENT - MUCHACHO (MISRA/DEAD OCEANS/WARM RECORDS)

#30 SUUNS - IMAGES DU FUTUR (SECRETLY CANADIAN)

#29 ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER - R PLUS SEVEN (WARP)

#28 DIANA - PERPETUAL SURRENDER (JAGJAGUWAR)

#27 BURIAL - RIVAL DEALER (HYPERDUB)

#26 DRAKE - NOTHING WAS THE SAME (CRASH MONEY RECORDS)

#25 LARRY GUS - YEARS NOT LIVING (DFA)

#24 CHVRCHES - THE BONES OF WHAT YOU BELIEVE (GLASSNOTE RECORDS)

#23 JAMES BLAKE - OVERGROWN (REPUBLIC RECORDS)

#22 TORO Y MOI - ANYTHING IN RETURN (CARPARK RECORDS)

#21 EJECTA - DOMINAE (DRIFTLESS)

#20 KEEP SHELLY IN ATHENS - AT HOME (CASCINE)

#19 DISCLOSURE - SETTLE (CHERRYTREE RECORDS)

#18 BLOOD ORANGE - CUPID DELUXE (DOMINO)

#17 THE KNIFE - SHAKING THE HABITUAL (MUTE RECORDS)

#16 CLASSIXX - HANGING GARDENS (INNOVATIVE LEISURE)

#15 DAVID BOWIE - THE NEXT DAY (RCA/ISO RECORDS)

#14 DISAPPEARS - ERA (KRANKY)

#13 HOLY GHOST! - DYNAMIC (DFA)

#12 HAR MAR SUPERSTAR - BYE BYE 17 (CULT RECORDS)

#11 REPUTANTE - OCEANSIDE (CULT RECORDS)

#10 CUT COPY - FREE YOUR MIND (MODULAR)

#9 NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS - PUSH AWAY THE SKY (BAD SEEDS LTD.)

#8 LOLAWOLF - LOLAWOLF (INNIT RECORDINGS)

#7 SAVAGES - SILENCE YOURSELF (MATADOR RECORDS)

#6 DAFT PUNK - RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES (COLUMBIA RECORDS)

#5 ARCADE FIRE - REFELKTOR (MERGE)

#4 JESSE WOODS - GET YOUR BURDENS LIFTED (GUNS IN THE SUN)

#3 VAMPIRE WEEKND - MODERN VAMPIRES OF THE CITY (XL RECORDS)

#2 KANYE WEST - YEEZES (DEF JAM RECORDINGS)

#1 DARKSIDE - PSYCHIC (OTHER PEOPLE)

TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2013

50. Eels - Wonderful Glorious
49. Neko Case - The Worse Things...
48. Arctic Monkeys - AM
47. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito
46. Magic Man - You Are Here
45. MS MR - Secondhand Rapture
44 Julianna Barwick - Nepenthe
43. Rathbourne - Soft
42. Kurt Vile - Walkin On A Pretty Daze
41. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
40. Blue Hawaii - Untogether
39. Grouper - The Man Died in His Boat
38. Lorde - Pure Heroine
37. Factory Floor - Factory Floor
36. My Bloody Valentine - M.B.V.
35. Bleached - Ride Your Heart
34. Charli XCX - True Romance
33. Rhye - Woman
32. Autre Ne Veut - Anxiety
31. Phosphorescent - Muchacho
30. Suuns - Images Du Futur
29. Oneohtrix Point Never - R Plus Seven
28. Diana - Perpetual Surrender
27. Burial - Rival Dealer
26. Drake - Nothing Was the Same
25. Larry Gus - Years Not Living
24. CHVRCHES - The Bones of What You Believe
23. James Blake - Overgrown
22. Toro Y Moi - Anything in Return
21. Ejecta - - Dominae
20. Keep Shelly in Athens - At Home
19. Disclosure - Settle
18. Blood Orange - Cupid Deluxe
17. The Knife - Shaking the Habitual
16. Classixx - Hanging Gardens
15. David Bowie - The Next Day
14. Disappears - Era
13. Holy Ghost - Dynamics
12. Har Mar Superstar - Bye Bye 17
11. Reputante - Oceanside
10. Cut Copy - Free Your Mind
09. Nick Cave - Push the Sky Away
08. Lolawolf - Lolawolf
07. Savages - Silence Yourself
06. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
05. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
04. Jesse Woods - Get Your Burdens Lifted
03. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
02. Kanye West - Yeezus
01. Darkside - Psychic (Other People)

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