Dang Dang Gance and James Taylor Under the Covers

Lots of good new music to talk about here, so I'm gonna make it quick and get to the jams.


The first comes from Gang Gang Dance, a group I haven't heard much about before, but who caught my attention after getting some good review around the interwebs for producing a very danceable album. After listening to the album, Saint Dymphna, a couple times, I feel a little more qualified (read: qualified at all) to pass some judgement.

It's good. Weird, but good. And while it is dancey, it evolves to that point, starting slowly but having you fully bopping by the 4th or 5th track. Very cohesive as an album, and altogether impressive. Here's "Princes" which features a very Dizzee Rascall-ish verse from Tinchy Stryder, one of the few scant vocals on the record. Very solid track.


Gang Gang Dance - Princes f. Tinchy Stryder

Moving on, I also had a chance to check out the new James Taylor cover album being hawked everywhere from Starbucks to WalMart, I'm guessing. It's been a long time since JT has put out an original album - 2002's September Grass - but a Christmas album and now a Covers record have kept the middle-elderly groupies at bay. This album is hit and miss, with some covers really striking home (Grateful Dead's "Not Fade Away" for example) and others sorely missing the mark ("Houndog" by some guy named Elvin or Elvus or something). Overall pleasant, but not something I'd break down any doors to get to.


James Taylor - Not Fade Away

Also new to my iTunes is the latest from Madlib's Beat Konducta, the Dil Withers Suite. Coming hot on the heels of Suite 5, Suite 6 is fresh and sweet. The short 1-2 minute tracks are relaxed but come at a furious pace, changing moods and grooves with frequency. Here are a couple of my favorites, including "First Class (The Best Catalogue)", which shares a sample with personal fave Brother Ali. Disfrutalos.

Madlib/Beat Konducta - First Class (The Best Catalogue)

Madlib/Beat Konducta - Another Bag of Bomb (No Seeds)