A new feature on Spotisfaction. Every now and again one of us will cobble together some rare (read: probably not on Spotisfaction) tracks that have made their way into our playlists for you to download. Yes, music to download. This week, I have:

The Shins – Strange Powers (Magnetic Fields Cover)

Phoenix – Lisztomania (Acoustic Spin Session)

Florence + The Machine – You”™ve Got The Love (The XX Remix)

Four Tet – Angel Echoes (Caribou Remix)

Hot Chip – Transmission (Joy Division Cover)

The Shins – Strange Powers (Magnetic Fields Cover) Between The Shins and Broken Bells, I would almost forgive you if you”™d had enough of James Mercer”™s fantastic and distinct voice by now. Almost, but not quite. Perhaps this cover is just what The Magnetic Fields need to open up their music to a wider fanbase. Phoenix – Lisztomania (Acoustic Spin Session) Lisztomania (or Wrestlemania, as it has become known as in Spotisfaction Towers) is a fantasic song, and hearing it live and acoustic just reinforces the fact that France”™s hottest export Phoenix write beautiful songs. Florence + The Machine – You’ve Got The Love (The xx Remix) I”™m not the greatest fan of Florence + The Machine, truth be told. But this reworking by The XX really hits the spot for me. Four Tet – Angel Echoes (Caribou Remix) I recently introduced my FiancÃ©e to Four Tet. I think it was Angel Echoes that really grabbed her. It is a pretty classic track. I implore you to check out Caribou”™s take on it. Hot Chip – Transmission (Joy Division Cover) This is one of my favourite Joy Division tracks. I can”™t imagine how this cover actually came about. Prepare yourself for something a bit different. Tune in next time for MOAR of what is on my radar. [Thom]

Post author By The Spotisfaction Team
Post date June 23, 2010

A new feature on Spotisfaction. Every now and again one of us will cobble together some rare (read: probably not on Spotisfaction) tracks that have made their way into our playlists for you to download. Yes, music to download. This week, I have:

The Shins – Strange Powers (Magnetic Fields Cover)
Between The Shins and Broken Bells, I would almost forgive you if you”™d had enough of James Mercer”™s fantastic and distinct voice by now. Almost, but not quite. Perhaps this cover is just what The Magnetic Fields need to open up their music to a wider fanbase.

Phoenix – Lisztomania (Acoustic Spin Session)
Lisztomania (or Wrestlemania, as it has become known as in Spotisfaction Towers) is a fantasic song, and hearing it live and acoustic just reinforces the fact that France”™s hottest export Phoenix write beautiful songs.

Florence + The Machine – You’ve Got The Love (The xx Remix)
I”™m not the greatest fan of Florence + The Machine, truth be told. But this reworking by The XX really hits the spot for me.

Four Tet – Angel Echoes (Caribou Remix)
I recently introduced my FiancÃ©e to Four Tet. I think it was Angel Echoes that really grabbed her. It is a pretty classic track. I implore you to check out Caribou”™s take on it.

Hot Chip – Transmission (Joy Division Cover)
This is one of my favourite Joy Division tracks. I can”™t imagine how this cover actually came about. Prepare yourself for something a bit different.

Tune in next time for MOAR of what is on my radar.

[Thom]

Tags Feature, MP3, On The Radar, Thom Lavelle

Good news for UK fans of The Depreciation Guild, who had to cancel the European leg of their Spirit Youth tour earlier this year. The word on the street is that they are looking to play some UK dates in September. This is fantastic news and I urge everyone to consider checking them out. In the meantime, check out their reworking of “Broken Bones” by Chatelaine. Chatelaine is the solo project of Toni Halliday of Curve fame. Chatelaine”™s Myspace:Â http://www.myspace.com/chatelainemusic BuyÂ Depreciation Guild”™s new album “Spirit Youth” at Amazon.

Not sure what this VFTA malarkey is all about? See here. To listen along with Ben, BSS”™ “You Forgot It In People” is on Spotify. Following a brief hiatus in the first half of the decade, the Canadian musician ensemble, Broken Social Scene released their second album, “You Forgot It In People”; an album that was sure to carry more weight to it due to the further addition of artists to the already heavily populated group. With the surplus members and ideas, the band, namely core founders Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew, expanded their sound and embraced new moods still allowing the listener to escape real life, but this time without the dreaming. “You Forgot It In People” offers a more accessable selection of ”˜indie-rock”™ gems then previous album “Feel Good Lost”, in the sense thatÂ the intimate ambiance has been replaced with vocals and stronger melodic hooks. The band have not however abandoned their initial dream state sound completely. Essences of ethereal lifts and heavy orchestral tones are still present throughout, but are now supported by poetic lyrics, attempting to make sense of the real life one had left behind. AÂ track thatÂ perhaps breaks this rule, ”˜Cause = Time”™, strikes hard at the album”™s heart and tells of the how society resorts to sex and selling its body, in an attempt to find meaning in life.Â ”And they all want to love the cause, ”˜cause they all need to be the cause, they all want to fuck the cause”. Yet, suchÂ a dark message is still accompanied by melodic guitars and a pulsing tempo, making it almost anthemic and full of emotion. Another significant track here is ”˜Looks Just Like The Sun”™; a chilled andÂ relaxed refrain that doesn”™t just look, but also feels like the sun, as the lyrics describe someone whose presence radiates on the listener. Both tracks giving justified backing to the album”™s title, suggesting that such individual florishes, and human error, has been taken for granted in society as a whole. As with their debut,Â the bandÂ take the listener on an exploration through a series of ideas and visions, and peaks and troughs, but overall have managed to create a fine fusion of dark imagery with their trademarkÂ escapist tone, culminating in a very strong follow up album. At the time, this quality was recognised as the band recieved awards and accolades from right across the board; a just victory deserved for a group with such a unique vision and sound. From here, it is possible for Broken Social Scene toÂ go anywhere, having both existed in beautiful dreams, and now harsh, yet lucid realities. Ben Hawling