Emily Haines of Metric composing songs for Fantasies on her piano

As an aside: wouldn’t it be nice to be a rockstar? I personally feel that if I want to be everyone that I truly am, I have to keep the personalities in separate dimensions lest someone from one dimension find out about the Colin in another dimension. Don’t want those worlds colliding… I digress.

After writing the songs on Fantasies, Metric continued to work on them for some time before heading to NYC to make them final. All musicians have their own method of refining their original musical idea—for Fantasies Metric tested the songs by playing them live a lot prior to recording them for the album. According to the band’s website, “the songs went through a lot of surgery, and we really feel like we sculpted them and got the best out of them. I [Emily Haines] felt like I could hear the sound of the whole thing in my head — it was really big and really dreamy.”

Metric's lead singer Emily Haines onstage

Metric played in Portland in late 2009 but I missed it. My friend Madeline told me she “saw them in December and was deaf for two days,” and that the show was awesome. Needless to say, I already bought my tickets for their upcoming show at the Roseland. If you want the details and ticket information, check out my Upcoming Concerts page. Until March 22, here some sweet remixes and an acoustic version of Help I’m Alive.

If you like Metric, you can download their whole album for $9 here. You can also buy their songs on

Hard to be soft, tough to be tender…

(Dear M.I.A.-if you ever read this: I love you! Can we meet someday? Will you sign my chest with sharpie? Oh, the “music.” Yes, if you’re asking me to take if off the internet, I will do so immediately. Just say the word. I’m waiting.)

Turning the knob back a couple rotations-here’s some background info on M.I.A. She is the Sri Lankan daughter of a rebel Tamil Tiger fighter. She moved to London as a teenager. Her first media passion was video, but a few years ago she turned to audio and started sampling sounds on the street in India and all kinds of crazy places. She brought the sounds back to the studio and produced an extremely innovative album called Kala that turned into a major hit. I am sure you heard Paper Planes on the radio. She’s completely anti-establishment and a bit of an intellectual, and it seemed to take her a little time to get used to the idea of being an international rockstar. Nevertheless, she seems to have gotten used to the idea. Last year she performed pregnant a lot (something we don’t see often), and later gave birth to a baby boy named Ikhyd. The Dad is an uber-rich Canadian Seagram’s heir. Anyway, M.I.A. recently released a new single called “There’s Space for Ol Dat I See.” It’s low-key, but it’s pretty badass, and it sort of makes you feeling like you’re floating.

If you like M.I.A.’s music, give her, not me, some money. Buy her music on

Gorillaz, formed by musical genius Damon Albarn in 1998, is set to release a new album on March 9, 2010 called Plastic Beach. The band consists of four cartoon musicians, 2D (vocals, keyboard), Murdoc (bass guitar), Noodle (lead guitar and occasional vocals) and Russel (drums and percussion). The reality though, is that Damon Albarn is the only actual person who contributes to every single Gorillaz song.

Although no tour has been announced yet, Gorillaz are scheduled to perform at Coachella. I am sure it will be amazing. In the meantime, Gorillaz have released a new song featuring Mos Def and Bobby Womack on vocals. Like most of the music I listen to these days, it has 80s-style synths and makes you feel like badass when you listen to it in your car.

Enjoy.

And something older:

Buy some Gorillaz on

I won’t go into too much depth about La Roux because I dedicated a post to them relatively recently. I will note, however, that La Roux’s sophomore album is due out in the near future. Lead singer, 21-year-old Elly Jackson recently said that she’s “into a lot more Italo disco and old funk” these days, and the next album will have a distinct sound. Apparently she has been experimenting with new ways to use her voice. The band only did a handful of stops in North America last summer, and the April tour date will be their first in Portland.

Passion Pit, on the other hand, deserves a little more attention at this juncture. Passion Pit is the brainchild of Michael Angelakos. At the outset, in 2007, he made an EP called Chunk of Change on his computer as a Valentine’s Day gift for his girlfriend. He gave copies to a few friends, and soon it was all over the internet. Shortly thereafter, Passion Pit got a record contract, and he got together a full group for touring. In the summer of 2009 Passion Pit, now based in Boston, released the first full album, Manners.

The band sounds like a bunch of oompa loompas on ecstasy and steroids. But Passion Pit’s music is melodic, multi-layered happiness, and it makes you feel good when you listen to it. For a nice sample, here is a track currently on the radio (Little Secrets), a sweet Calvin Harris remix (The Reeling), and an acoustic version of a great track for a mixtape for your girlfriend (Sleepyhead). Enjoy.

Earlier this year, vocalist Alexis Taylor did guest vocals on the track Bad Blood, perhaps the best song on Simian Mobile Disco’s most recent album. I love that song-in large part because of the way it exemplifies how even the most hard-hitting electronic music can be emotional with the right vocals. Taylor’s vocals are just so pretty. You’ll hear what I mean.

Please kindly preview these two beautiful songs from One Life Stand. Then pre-order the album or buy it on .

I Feel Better

One Life Stand

Hot Chip – One Life Stand (MySpace Exclusive)

Hot Chip | MySpace Music Videos

One Life Stand

Sadly, Hot Chip currently plans to hit only four U.S. cities on its upcoming tour. Portland is not one of them. But for anyone in NYC, DC, Chicago, or San Francisco-keep your eyes peeled for venues and tickets.

Johnny Jewel of Glass Candy before they began their set at Rotture on Jan. 2, 2010. Photo by the talented Nichole Alvarado.

Glass Candy, aka Johnny Jewel (my hero) and Ida No, are a Portland-based indie electro-pop duo. Johnny does all the music, analog-style, and Ida sings. They toured in Eurasia a couple months ago, came back for a reprieve, and played a couple shows at Rotture while they are here. They are currently putting the finishing touches on their next album. Johnny told me last night the album will be done this week, and will be out before they set off for Europe once again on Jan. 31. After the success and brilliance of B/E/A/T/B/O/X, Glass Candy fans, including myself, are chomping at the bit to hear the next iteration. They played some of the new stuff last night, and although I can’t tell you any song names, I will tell you that the new music blew me away.

Photo thanks to Portland concert photographer Emre Yildirim.

Until then, here are a couple of my favorite Glass Candy tracks. The first one, Geto Boys, is the first Glass Candy track I ever heard. Johnny told me last night they are getting sued for the sample used in this song, and thus it isn’t available anymore digitally.

Again, thanks to Emre Yildirim

The second track is perhaps my favorite Glass Candy track-Candy Castle. It just makes you feel like a badass when you listen to it.

Candy Castle

If you want to support Glass Candy, buy their music on

If you want to discover more new music through music blogs, check out the Hype Machine.

I have that feeling again today because I discovered Beirut, and his amazing song, My Wife, Lost in the Wild.  Call me a latecomer or whatever, but Beirut, aka Zach Condon is amazing.  On his latest album, March of the Zapotec & Realpeople – Holland, he combines two EPs.  The first half is Balkan-inspired music that reminds me of Borat, for real.  The second half is an electronic album, still kind of Balkan, with hauntingly beautiful vocals.  You have to hear this.

If you like it, buy it on

For good measure:

Accordingly, today I am bring you two of my favorite recent remakes of songs from the 80s.

First, allow me to introduce you to Montreal-based producer and electronic artist CFCF.  On his new album, Continents, he includes a sweet remix of the 1987 Fleetwood Mac hit “Big Love.”

CFCF's cover art for his new album, Continent.

The second tune I’d like to introduce is thanks, in part, to Portland’s own Johnny Jewel.  Mr. Jewel is the musical talent behind Glass Candy, and I’ve been having a one-sided love affair with him since last winter.  He is a master of analog synths, and if you haven’t already, you should check out Glass Candy.  They are playing tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 20, at Rotture.  But Mr. Jewel also plays in The Chromatics, who released this awesome cover of Kate Bush’s 1985 hit, Running Up That Hill.

The Chromatics

Most people who know about Sufjan Stevens‘ work, whether they like modern folk or not, recognize he is a musical genius.  He writes poignant melodies and sophisticated, emotion-laden lyrics.  It’s been a few years since his last official States project album came out, and I eagerly await the next.  In the interim, however, a host of underground hip-hop artists and producers have taken to re-working some of his best songs and making something new and totally bad ass.

This first song just came out recently and it has been in heavy rotation in my iTunes since.  It’s by an electronic/rap crew from Philadelphia called Chiddy Bang.  It derives from Sufjan’s epic “Chicago,” and the hook is awesome.  It sounds like they ran the symphonic melody from the original song through a vocoder, and then chopped it up a little bit for rhythmic effect.  The vocals are entirely original and done by Chiddy Bang.  Anyway,  I just watched the video these guys posted on their Official Website, and my first impression is that these kids could be, like, living in your basement.  Nevertheless, trust me, listen to this: it’s awesome:

If you end up liking this, you can download their entire new mixtape, The Swelly Express, here.

[Update] Here is some new Chiddy Bang:
The first samples MGMT: Opposite of Adults. If mp3s don’t satisfy you, check out the video.

The second and most recent is a remix of the new Gorillaz single Stylo.

“Chiddy Bang is a four piece hip-hop/electronica outlet from Philadelphia. Currently attending their first year of college, they posses a musical maturity that is far superior to the teen-pop cliche. Chiddy Bang blends hard hitting lyricism from front man Chidera “Proto” Anamege, original electronica afro-beat and jazz influenced production from keyboardist Noah Beresin and drummer Zach Sewall, and additional production and vocals from guitarist Pat Braz.”

The other song I bring you is about a year old, and comes from an entire album of existing hip hop vocals laid over Sufjan’s brilliant music, and spiced up with some hip hop beats.  It was created by the amazing Montreal-based producer Tor.  He took the concept I described above to a whole new level by creating the album Illinoize (a play on Sufjan’s Illinois, obviously).  The whole album is great, and if you like what you hear on Electroblaster: you can download the entire album here.  Enjoy this sample, with Brother Ali used for vocals:

06 Night Zombies _ Talkin My Shit (f. Brother Ali)

If you don’t know this band, you should.

One listen and Jackson’s voice will be stuck in your head.

Here are some of my favorite La Roux tracks, complete with a brand new remix from Lifelike.  Betcha $10 you see these guys on MTV within the year.

Fascination

Bulletproof

In for the Kill (Lifelike Remix)