Piece by Piece

A sensual number from Georgia-born, Ireland-raised singer Katie Melua.

Sexy, sad, and summery.

Piece by Piece - Katie Melua

Black Magic

The Magic Wands are Nashville-based duo Chris and Dexy Valentine. Here's a lovely review and summary of Magic Wands' music... a distorted, super indie, retro guitar sound. Fun.

Black Magic - Magic Wands

Tennis

To quote from the band Tennis's record label, Underwater Peoples Records, "Patrick and Alaina [the members of Tennis] bought a boat together and sailed around the ocean. They dodged freighters, waded squalls, swam ashore in the bahamas, ate at restaurants with named like "Spanky's", and got married. With no destination in mind, the trip led them to the songs heard on this recording" ("This recording" refers to their album Tennis 7")

So, listen: it's better than the sport.

Marathon - Tennis

Françoise Hardy

Because of the warm weather and my frequent long car rides, I've recently been drawn to cinematic songs that would compliment a harmless and pleasant montage of sunsets, open roads, and flowers in deep focus swaying back and forth.

But this song isn't nearly as contrived or lame, just harmless and pleasant.

First released by Françoise Madeline Hardy in 1962, it was later recorded into:

English ("Find Me a Boy") in 1964

Italian ("Quelli Della Mia Etá) in 1963

and German ("Peter und Lou") in 1965

my favorite is still the original French, which you can stream and download here:

Tous Les Garcons et Les Filles - Françoise Hardy

Sunshine

Another lazy lolling beat for lazy day-drinking summer sundays. Listen through the first few lines (which, while crude, can hit close to home...) and hold out for the more poetic "Ain't nothing like the sound of the leaves / When the breeze penetrates these southside trees", etc.

Sunshine - Atmosphere

Joanna Newsom + The Roots = Perfection

Found this gem on the blog Pretty Much Amazing. Any attempt that I would make to describe and praise this rework of Joanna Newsom's already sassy song The Book of Right-On (Off her album The Milk-Eyed Mender) would fall short of The Roots' new version, from their album How I Got Over.

too good.

Right On (feat. Joanna Newsom and STS) - The Roots

And the living is easy...

A twist to the classic "Summertime" - very different than both the Ella and the Sublime versions. "Guts" takes only the big band trumpet sound and a few lyrics here and there, creating a big, sultry sound perfect for driving at dusk. (or maybe for a Bud Light commercial..?)

And the Living is Easy - Guts