Nature's Abominable Loverproof Destruction 6 pack

I miss Mixtapes. Not the 'I have a not-so-secret crush on you' mixtape, but the thematically linked mixtape, or the mixtape for a particular trip or activity mixtape. (If you're a reader and love music, I can't recommend Rob Sheffield's wonderful and heartbreaking 'Love is a Mixtape: Life and loss one song at a time' enough.)

Randomly, as we were cobbling together this week's 6 pack, an odd theme kinda emerged. I'm not sure Nature's Abominable Loverproof Destruction From The Sky is the right title, not to mention that it wouldn't fit on a tape label and would get abbreviated to N.A.L.D.

Anyhow, I made this offer before to the late, great Monica Corona (she's still alive? where? doing what?! oh yeah, whoops) but it's extended to anyone reading this: suggest a theme for a mp3 6pack and we'll do it up for one of the coming weeks.

Enough wordblogging. Here's your weekly mp3blogging:

DOWNLOAD: Nature's Abominable Loverproof Destruction 6 pack.zip

Neko Case - 'This Tornado Loves You'
The modern day Patsy Cline drops her new album on March 3rd. I couldn't be more excited about an album release and subsequent tour. Here, Neko's a little clearer with her lyrics intentions. The best part is at the end of the song when she sings, "This tornado loves you, this tornado loves you, this tornado loves you," and then belts out "Why won't you believe me!" Go see her live - you won't be disappointed.

The Fray - 'Heartless (Kanyé cover)'
They made their bones on the strength of 'You Found Me'. This take on Kanyé's heartbreak song puts a little more soul and heartache into Ye's bitterness. Nice.

Herman Dune - 'Lovers are waterproof'
All the usual Herman Dune ingredients are here - offbeat lyrics, sweet intentions, endearing American slang (I was so), simple beats. If the Muppets get a modern day redo for French TV in English, this is the guy to do it.

N.A.S.A. f. David Byrne, Chuck D., Ras Congo, Z-trip & Seu Jorge - 'Money'
Brilliant album.

Lily Allen - 'Back to the Start'
The lady is back after some tabloid fodder over the past couple of years. The feel is pure 1994 SkySports highlight clip, in a fun way.

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band - 'Anchors Dropped'
Filthy guitar start ebbs in and out of jam band feel. Makes me want to play this on Expert on Guitar Hero Rock Band.

Stimulus 6-pack of mp3s

For your enjoyment, as the universe protects us from ourselves as we attempt to plow through the guard rail and drive ourselves off a cliff. God looks out for fools, drunks and good music lovers. If you're not one of those 3, friendo, you're in the wrong place.

DOWNLOAD: Stimulus 6-pack.zip

M. Ward - Never Had Nobody Like You
Comes in with an arena rock Spirit in the Sky drumline but at about 25% power. Throw in some handclaps, a few Zooey Deschannel back-up singer notes, and some fuzzed out chords. It doesn't elevate you so much as it takes you to the backyard and a barbecue with some good friends.

Raekwon f. Ghostface Killa&Method Man - 'Wu-OOH'.
In which the Wu return to their Clinton-era form. Minor key instruments, woozy beats and three of Staten's finest lay their flow against a female cooed sample. Best thing they've done in eons.

Bobby Womack - "California Dreamin'"
Dedicated to Mike Ward (not to be confused with M. above) on his Odyssey to Los Angeles. It's hard out there, Mike, but at least the weather's returned to its stasis of 70 & sunny.

Mick Boogie & Adele - 'Tired (6th sense remix)'
Peps up the original, moving the sense of it into 'I'm tired of it and I'm sad' to 'I'm tired of it and I'm going to find someone better.'

Ra Ra Riot - 'Can You Tell'
Starting to become wonderfully charmed by these young-uns and their oversize band (read: violin&cello&keyboardist onboard full time). Think of them as Music to Crush to. With them, I'm in that stage of a crush with them where you've just noticed that person down the hall is cute, but have yet to start making excuses to wander down that way.

Al Green - 'Lay It Down'
Too bad the stimulus package couldn't have some of the good Reverend Al's mojo - it'd be 100% guaranteed to set the right mood. Smooove.

We Are Your 6pack

Peter Bjorn and John "Nothing To Worry About"


First peep the excellent quirky video for Peter, Bjorn & John's "Nothing To Worry About". I can't decide if it's cooler that this sub-culture already exists in Japan and the directors were just filming it, or if it's cooler that the directors totally made up a plausible Japanese sub-culture involving 50s style, oversize boufants, and combo sock hop/breakdancing.

DOWNLOAD: Friday 2/7 6-pack o' mp3s.zip

Cam'ron - "Owe Me (Oh No You Dint)"
HT: Matt R. You might recognize the sample from the soundtrack to the Mercenaries 2 commercial. The original track is from the Wojahn Bros. Take a look on YouTube for the myriad parodies and homages to the commercial. The stop motion lego is not to be missed.

Franz Ferdinand - "No You Girls Never Know"
Sleazy return to form for FF. The bass is slinky and insinuating in the verses and then disco and propulsive in the chorus. Which, is shouty and gorgeous before the feedback. Nice journey that.

Her Space Holiday - "Tech Romance"
You can hear the engineer say, "Scene 1, anthem, take 1" and then there's some calming strings before they launch into a bouncy hook. Then you hear Christian Bale yelling at the 7 year old tripping out after the dentist. Whoops. Sorry. This has been an http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifinteresting week on the InterDistractionNet. We're using this on an animatic for some stuff for our client, so, uh, First.

Animal Collective - 'My Girls'
Bizarre and Pet Sounds wonderful. You should take some of your glaucoma medicine and listen to this one on good headphones.

Nat King Cole - 'Day In, Day Out (Cut Chemist mix)'
Tempo changes galore and NKC's classical phrasing and Cut Chemist's scratching create something that's half-gumbo, half-Piña Colada.

Peter, Bjorn & John - 'Nothing To Worry About'
No whistling here. Just shouty distorted kids chorus, woozy samples. I really doubt you'll see this covered .

Justice - 'We Are Your Friends (reprise live)'
HT to Armando, who's absolutely insane about the Justice live A Cross The Universe cd/dvd. This does an amazing job of capturing the communal experience of a great live dj show. Crowd was going berzerk.

Gettin' Dusty in Here

When Starr's legal brief went public in December, the Courage Campaign immediately launched the "Don't Divorce..." campaign, asking our members to send us pictures with a simple message for Starr and the Prop 8 Legal Defense Fund.

Those pictures, and the heartfelt messages on them, inspired blogger Paul Delehanty (also known as "kid oakland") to send us a suggestion: Would Regina Spektor allow us to put your pictures to the words and music of her hit song "Fidelity"? So, we asked her and she said yes, very enthusiastically.

Regina Spektor's song, in concert with your pictures, shines a beautiful light on the 18,000 couples that Ken Starr wants to forcibly divorce.