Stay tuned for Monogold

Monogold is the best new band you've never heard. Will have a post about this three man band shortly...

Photo credit: Mario Arias

Soldiering Along - Sade

After nearly a decade, the legendary Sade Adu is back! Her fan faithful have finally been blessed with a new single, Soldier of Love, off of her eponymous album to be released in February. The song is the epitome of the Sade sound that we've all come to know in our decades-long love affair with her. Some complain that nothing has changed, it all sounds the same, but for those who appreciate the work it's actually a steady, subtle evolution. Yes, there's Sade's trademark tenderness and melancholia, but besides the obvious militaristic vibe from the opening notes on the horn to the snare there's an added edge to the song both musically and lyrically. Soldier of Love could be the battle cry of modern women worldwide. Traversing the minefield that is today's "relationship" landscape. Even the sultry, beautiful, elusive, Sade is not immune to the ups and downs of love.

We've all heard the gossip-y tidbits over the years, but she's managed to steer pretty clear of folks like Perez Hilton and the paparazzi. Young celebrities should take note. She's so private the woman has achieved near mythological status! She's like if a unicorn and Haley's Comet had a baby - an amazingly unique phenomena that only appears every 10 years or so. At the age of 50 (yes, 50!), she's learned many lessons and shares them with us. She has us captivated so we wait patiently until she returns to reveal more truths about life, her warm voice sweeping over like a wave reminding us that it'll all be better soon.

Flight of the Phoenix - Phoenix

Phoenix - 1901 - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

This French band came onto my radar a bit belatedly. Let's be honest, France is not known for its musical imports. Even legendary French singer, Edith Piaf, wasn't able to make as big of a splash here during her lifetime as these guys have so the sheer fact that they've cracked into the US market the way they did is a feat not to be ignored. This song, 1901, in its studio incarnation, off the album Wolfgang Amadeus, has already been featured in a Cadillac ad (can you get more American?) which is exemplary. Those agencies don't take all their client's money to just throw any old thing together! Lead singer, Thomas Mars, has also made his mark on the pop landscape in an entirely different way as he father of not one, but TWO of Francis Ford Coppola's grandchildren. Mars and Sofia Coppola, director of critically acclaimed film The Virgin Suicides, are expecting their second child. Where have I been??

Though I'm pretty late to leap on their bandwagon, as Piaf sings,je ne regrette rien. The music is inspiring, it's danceable, it's fun and don't we all need a little fun? Songs like Everything is Everything and Lisztomania are on heavy rotation in my house. It booms into my living room during the impromptu dance parties my 12 year old and I hold every chance we get. What more can I say? The music speaks for itself.

Mos Def with Video

Thanks to Chago aka Chug-a-lugs aka Sam.i.am, I bring you video of the aforementioned Mos Def single Casa Bey.

Mos Def, It's a New Joint!!

Thanks to the kind folks at Flavorpill via RcrdLbl, I just got a sneak peek at Mos Def's new song Casa Bey.

I'm still digesting it, but take a listen and let us know what you think. Caveat - it's audio only. Sorry video junkies, just pretend the foto is moving and rhyming.

I've Been Very, Very Naughty! NSFW

Nearly a year it's been since I last dedicated a keystroke to Rebel Music. In that time there's been so many rebels and so much music that I haven't shared with you...I think I should be spanked!

For lack of the proper venue and a really good safe word, I give you Spankrock which consists of MC Spankrock, rapper-singer Amanda Blank and a cadre of producers. Spankrock is outta Philadelphia, has toured and performed with the likes of MIA and Santogold (my faves!!). I think the MC, Naeem Juwan, is from Baltimore (go Bmore careful!) and is a member of the BBC, Baltimore Bass Connection, if that still exists. If he pronounces the word you as "yew," it's for sure. Not so new on the scene, Spankrock's been around the block in more ways than you can imagine for a few years now. I first came across them a while ago and was taken aback by one of their more racy videos...you know I've got delicate sensibilities. I give you said video for "Loose" right about now!!

The Beautiful Things in Life Are Free-Sigur Ros

I've recently taken up with a partner to produce our own vision of what film should look like as fresh juice*strong coffee media. We've been running around working ourselves silly in production of a documentary and in pre-production of a commercial spec. On top of all that, I was recently awarded a grant to work on yet another documentary with another collaborator/friend of mine (YAY!). While I love to be busy and feel validated, there are only so many hours in a day and just the other morning I awoke to a battered body that felt as if it had been through a meat grinder. Stress levels are high and the hours for rest have been low.

As a result, I'm just that much more jaded, my patience just a bit thinner so when I received an email with a link to the new Sigur Ros video Gobbledigook I had no other choice but to stop and think. Sigur Ros out of Iceland proves that surreal, ethereal music still exists in this loud, obnoxious, power hungry world. Maybe it’s too much so for some, but everyone needs a bit of this from time to time. I know I sure did.

This video for the song Svefn-G-Englar is from an older album. There aren’t any hot models, it’s just people who normally wouldn’t get a second look presented beautifully. They remind us that no matter how fast the world seems to be spinning things aren’t so bad and that even if you don’t have the money, the house, the car, the looks, the boy or the girl, joy is within your reach if you want it.