I’ve been listening to leaked tracks of Portishead’s as yet unreleased album Third on YouTube. I’m definitely breaking out the wallet for this one. BOLO for this at the end of April.

The sounds he gets from that hollow-body are just unreal. I got to see them live, and it was everything I’d hoped it would be, and more.

Unbelievably amazing and rather introspective song.

Again with that glorious hollow-body.

Black Math: One of their best songs ever.

Like duh!?!?!? Of course it makes perfect sense. To me. Yep, I ordered a set. I mean, why wouldn’t I? Why shouldn’t anyone? I’m totally waiting for the White Stripes Mercury Fuming Tent (in a peppermint pattern, of course) so I can carry on with my White Stripes Daguerreotypes.
Get them fast! They are limited to 3,000 units each!

http://www.whitestripes.com/lomography/lomography.html

For some reason, even friends who are well connected to music surprised me when they’d never heard of Electrelane. What a phenomenal group, nothing short of amazing. I can thank satellite radio for introducing me to their music. The albums in order of appearance above are The Power Out, No Shouts No Calls, and Axes. All three are definitely worth having in the collection. They are some great photographers as well. Check out their site:

http://www.electrelane.com

Available today is the Is Is EP by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and if I could pull off a Southern Belle accent, I’d say that it’s “Just Precious.” Go check it out.

The White Stripes do some of the best covers ever. They always retain their influence but, at the same time, they are uniquely original. One of their most often performed covers is Son House’s Death Letter. Rather than getting an earful of truly awful white-boy blues, we get an amazingly crafted rock and roll piece that is every bit White Stripes. Thanks to them and bands like them, they bring the past forward for all of us to enjoy.

Here is the video of Son House performing the song:

[youtube 8jN5vqEyV7g]

Here is the White Stripes’ version:

[youtube 1fM2qhG8mA4]

The pre-release single of the new White Stripes album is out.  If the rest of the album, Icky Thump, is like the single, we’re in for an amazing amazing experience.  Icky Thump, the single, is available on iTunes.  Go get it!

These three albums should be in everyone’s music collection.

Beck | Mutations

For one of the greatest musicians ever, Mutations is right at the top of an incredible, almost unhuman-like catalog of music by Beck. Incidentally, it’s probably one of the most accessible to folks who have only heard Beck’s radio singles.

White Stripes | White Blood Cells

Those who know me know my favorite band ever is the White Stripes. I drink the red Kool Aid. To me, this is their top album, but the rest don’t lag far behind. White Blood Cells is wall to wall raw talent. The songwriting is second to none. The complexity in their simple approach is astounding.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs | Fever To Tell

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs kind of snuck up on me. Energy in its purest form is the only way to describe Fever To Tell. It is an instant classic.