} TBE Digest 9 – 5.16.2010 [Steel Train, MIA, Interpol, The Dead Weather, Eminem, ... ] /// The Burning Ear

Woah, so things got a bit out of control with this Digest, there are just a lot of new jams coming out and it’s tough to keep track of them all. I also decided to include a new section of new songs from bands I have already written about but who have something new. Anyway, dive in and gimmie your two cents in the comments!

For more jams or by any of these artists use the ‘tags’ links at the bottom of the post!

NEW JAMS FROM OLD FRIENDS

♫ Steel Train – You and I Undercover / As if “Turnpike Ghost” didn’t already have me pumped for Steel Train’s new album! This jam is fantastic and I just cant wait until the album drops to share it. I love the slow build and epic finish. It sounds like sunrise set to rock music

♫ Sensual Harassment – Fever / These guys already dropped one of last years best instrumental (mostly) jams and now they’ve got another taste of their 80s tinged synth magic.

♫ Holy Ghost! – Say My Name / Holy Ghost only have like 4 songs to their name but with quality like this I can excuse the slow pace. This one is a steamy summer sunset and should be played with caution around sexy people.

♫ Grovesnor – Taxi From The Airport (Radio Edit)/ Grovesnor is the side project of the drummer from Hey Champ and it’s a whole different animal. This is no “Cold Dust Girl” but I could definitely see myself getting down to this if it popped on the radio.

NOTEWORTHY

♫ Interpol – Lights / After the turd that was their last album these guys are back and promising a return to form to their “good” music. I’m not hearing it on “Lights” but we’ll see. I’m betting that the next leaked track won’t be this boring.

♫ The Dead Weather – Die By The Drop / Jack White and Co. don’t fuck around. Their second album in 10 months is out now and this is the first single. I couldn’t get on board with their last album and I’m not in love with this either. When are we gonna get some more Kills music

♫ M.I.A. – XXXO / I’ve never really been down with M.I.A. and her latest music video did not change that. An assault on almost all the senses. This other leaked track is trying to be all poppy and club-friendly but I think it falls flat. We’ll see how things play out on the rest of her moronically titled next album /\/\ /\ Y /\.

♫ The Hundred In The Hands – Sleepwalkers / This is only the second song from these guys and so far they’re not living up to the standard they set so high with last years “Dressed in Dresden.” That song grabbed you by the collar and had it’s way with you while this song just kinda floats around.

♫ Hurts – Better Than Love / These guys are getting a lot of hype in the UK and topped a bunch of Bands to Watch in 2010 lists but I’m not sold yet. Although, this track does grow on me a bit more with each listen but I just feel like the guy is singing too hard. I’m curious to see how they develop.

♫ The Young Veins – Take A Vacation! / When Panic At The Disco’s second album disappointed everyone who had loved their first, half the band left and eventually formed The Young Veins. No surprise that they sound nothing like Panic. It’s solid classic-rock, just nothing special.

♫ Eminem – Not Afraid / Remember when Eminem was the shit? Yeah, past tense

♫ The Chemical Brothers – Swoon (Radio Edit) / Remember when one of The Chemical Bros was dating Lily Allen? Yeah, that was weird. “Swoon” is from the big-beat legends’ forthcoming millionth album and is conspicuously lacking “big beats.” I can’t really see this jam igniting a party like a lot of their other tracks can.

♫ Kristen Wiig ft. Lightspeed Champion – Champion / So this movie is happening and thats pretty awesome but they’ve also got a bunch of credible musicians to guest on songs inspired by (or written for) the movie. Here Kristen Wiig pumps us up with motivational words about being a champion and slaying dragons and other epic stuff.

COVERS

♫ Sky Ferreira – Animal (Miike Snow cover) / The most remixed song of 2009 finally gets a cover treatment and hot-damn if I’m not pleasantly bowled over here. With just her voice and a piano Sky takes things down about 4 notches as she sinks her teeth into the songs real soul, it’s lyrics. Just listen. This girl is up and coming and apparently has some ties to Miike Snow’s production duo Bloodshy and Avant so I’m really curious to see what she has in store for us.

♫ Kate Miller-Heidke – Walking On A Dream (Empire Of The Sun cover) / Speaking of taking things down a notch, Kate Miller-Heidke serves up here angelic take on Empire Of The Sun’s classic. For the first time I feel the weight of the words here. I never realized how much of a tender love song this was.

♫ The Format – Do You Believe In Magic? (The Lovin’ Spoonful cover) / The band that led to fun. recorded a nice little take on the classic that is now inextricably tied to McDonalds.

♫ The Morning Benders – I Wanna Be Like You (Jungle Book cover) / Yes, this is as great as you are thinking it could be. Destination: summer mixtape!