The Stu Reid Experiment

A Quick Update

noreply@blogger.com (Zack) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:00:00 +0000

So you might have noticed that The Stu Reid Experiment has gone silent over these past few months. Chris and I respectively moved on to New York and graduate school recently and, as a result, we simply no longer had enough time to keep TSRE at the level we would have wanted. Even with the internet, long distance relationships are hard.

However, all is not lost. I'm still dabbling in blogging and have set up a tumblr over at flannelhoodlesssweatshirt.tumblr.com. I plan on throwing up some music and other random stuff as I come across it. Stop by if you want and thank you for reading our ramblings here at TSRE for the last few years. It has been greatly appreciated.

Fam-Lay - Beach Cruiser (YSI) (filesavr)
Clams Casino - I'm God (YSI) (filesavr)
Zola Jesus - Vessel (YSI) (filesavr)

This Yacht Just Sank Tiger Woods' Yacht

noreply@blogger.com (Zack) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Newsflash from academic frontier: YACHT is back and better than ever. Dystopia is just plain unstoppable. Four minutes of post-apocalyptic electronic strutting.

Yacht - Dystopia (The Earth is on Fire) (YSI) (filesavr)

Still Ill

noreply@blogger.com (Ben) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0000

On this day in 1994, 20-year-old Nasir Jones dropped Illmatic.

In other words:

On this day in 1994, 20-year old Nasir Jones dropped the greatest hip-hop album of all time.

Obviously this is not a statement of fact. There are a number of contenders for this title, and many would argue that Illmatic can't even be called the best hip-hop album of 1994, a year which also saw the release of Biggie's Ready to Die and Outkast's Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. But in my mind, Illmatic takes the top spot. Why?

Mostly, it's about Nas's flow. It's not just about great lyrics, though Illmatic has its share. It's about his delivery. The rhymes are rhythmically complex, but Nas navigates them with such ease that you'd be forgiven for not noticing. Indeed, the delivery seems just about as natural as normal speech--only the most thrilling and charismatic speech you've ever heard. Next to Nas, every other rapper (except for maybe Biggie) sounds like he's trying. The best make it look easy, like Nas does on Illmatic.

Nas's singular flow puts this album into the pantheon, but the beats musn't be overlooked. Illmatic's producers, from Large Professor to Q-Tip to Pete Rock to DJ Premier, really bring it. Premier's lean, bass-heavy production on "N.Y. State of Mind" creates an ominous paranoia which fits the lyrics, and also drives forward with a subtle momentum that nicely augment Nas's flow. The result is one of my favorite tracks of all time, a perfect pairing of beat, lyrics, and flow. Pete Rock's radio-friendly production on "The World is Yours," deserves kudos as well, and...

I started to continue listing standout tracks, but then realized that I would have touched on pretty much the whole album. This incredible consistency is what pushes Illmatic over the top into the top spot on the list of great hip-hop albums. There simply isn't a bad track here. There aren't any skits (a real pet peeve of mine) that break up the musical flow, and while I could skip the opener "Genesis," the rest of the album hits hard from start to finish.

Find it and give it a listen on this, the day of Illmatic's anniversary.

Inhale deep like the words of my breath
I never sleep, cause sleep is the cousin of death
I lay puzzle as I backtrack to earlier times
Nothing's equivalent to the New York state of mind

Nas - N.Y. State of Mind (YSI) (filesavr)

Nas - The World is Yours (YSI) (filesavr)

Nas - Halftime (YSI) (filesavr)

Who Wants a Purity Ring?

noreply@blogger.com (Zack) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:00:00 +0000

I can't really describe Purity Ring. Perhaps I don't really understand them myself. The best I can say is that these two tracks are hypnotic. Synthy, somber, bouncy, repetitive, delicate - all of these adjectives could be applied to these tracks. Give them a listen, I guarantee you will have to listen to them multiple times in a row.

Why they those such a silly name is something else I cannot hope to answer.

Purity Ring - Lofticries (YSI) (filesavr)

Purity Ring - Ungirthed (YSI) (filesavr)

Jamie Woon, More Like Jamie Wow!

noreply@blogger.com (Zack) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Oh, hey there. Its a post! Miraculous!

Imagine the introspective dubstep of Burial, add in some smooth R&B vocals, tone down the moroseness, and lastly add a bit of swagger and you have Jamie Woon. Another graduate of the London-based BRIT School, Woon is primed for massive success. This is some genre-blending stuff. I cannot stop listening to Jamie Woon and the new Burial tracks -- is this the year that dubstep takes over the US of A?

Jamie Woon - Lady Luck (YSI) (filesavr)

Jamie Woon - Night Air (YSI) (filesavr)

Death From Above 1979 Returns!

noreply@blogger.com (Zack) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

When Death From Above 1979 broke up five years ago a big gaping void opened up in the world of music. Now thankfully that void has been filled by DFA 1979 again! They announced their comeback earlier this year and played a set at SXSW this past week. Go check out the videos circulating the interwebs its pretty awesome. DFA 1979 makes dirty, heavy, adrenaline music, yet they rely on deeply melodic structures that always undergird the distortion and thrashing. I wonder what other gems Chris is going to come back with from SXSW?

Death From Above 1979 - Romantic Lights (YSI) (filesavr)

Death From Above 1979 - Black History Month (YSI) (filesavr)

Team-up of the Year?

noreply@blogger.com (Zack) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 11:00:00 +0000

I love Burial. Archangel moves me in ways few albums have. But not only is Burial a fabulous artist in his own right, he also has great taste in collaborators. First it was Four Tet last year on the awesome Moth and this year it is with Thom Yorke and Four Tet on Ego. Heady, atmospheric stuff, yet always rooted in the beat. I've been listening to both of the split EPs on repeat for the past week with no end in sight.

Burial, Four Tet & Thom Yorke - Ego (YSI) (filesavr)

Burial & Four Tet - Moth (YSI) (filesavr)

Donald Glover is Legit

noreply@blogger.com (Zack) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Whoops, so we had a little 10 day break there, sorry about that. Chris has been hanging out at SXSW (jealous!) and I've been drowning in grad school work. But so it goes.

I recently came across the new EP by writer, comedian, actor, and rapper (?) Donald Glover and guess what? Its pretty good! With his writing on 30 Rock and acting on Community I wasn't quite sure what to expect from his hip hop persona Childish Gambino, but after getting over how much he is trying to sound like Lil Wayne and Kanye's lovechild, I am a believer. Freaks and Geeks is a legitimately good track. The lyrics are corny at times, sure, but man is the beat sick. That background chanting is absolutely addictive. What can't Donald Glover do? Now, please make Community funny again, thanks.

Childish Gambino - Freaks and Geeks (YSI) (filesavr)

The Rural Alberta Advantage 3/9/11 @ The Middle East, Cambridge

noreply@blogger.com (Zack) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I was pretty excited to see the Rural Alberta Advantage last night at the Middle East. It was the first American stop on their tour in support of their new album Departing and they were pumped up (although their drummer was weirdly hidden the whole show). They ripped through songs, worked up a sweat and before we knew it an hour was gone and they were taking an encore. Unlike some shows, the RAA played the perfect mix of old and new material. All the old favorite off of Hometowns made an appearance alongside rousing renditions of new tracks like Tornado '87. They really have a ton of energy live and just sounded really good - especially those subtle boy-girl harmonies which really are showcased live. No gimmicks, no distortion; just straight up jamming about all things Alberta. While the entire concert was dud-free, the encore just brought the house down: four high octane songs ending with Drain the Blood and The Deathbridge in Lethridge. Awesome ending. Please come back soon! One cautionary note though: if a Harvard student you know wants you to come stand by him, don't, because your girlfriend will get booted on.

The Rural Alberta Advantage - The Deadroads (YSI) (filesavr)

The Rural Alberta Advantage - Tornado '87 (YSI) (filesavr)

Two Covers From Yellow Ostrich

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I've heard a lot about Yellow Ostrich from friends, but have yet to catch him live. Recently, though, he came across my radar in the form of two great covers that got some buzz around the interwebs. The first is a cover of Rural Alberta Advantage. The second sees Mr. Ostrich giving his take on Beach House's excellent "Zebra." While I'm not convinced that these covers are improvements on the original, they are certainly talented re-takes of great songs.

Yellow Ostrich will be down at SXSW this year, and I'm hoping to catch him somewhere along the way. Anyone else I should be sure to catch next week in Austin?

Yellow Ostrich - Zebra (Beach House Cover) (YSI) (filesavr)

Yellow Ostrich - Don't Haunt This Place (Rural Alberta Advantage Cover) (YSI) (filesavr)

In Alexander, Veritas

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I've been loving this tune, "Truth" from Alexander Ebert, the frontman of sprawling hippiepop outfit Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes. Love that band and their happy-go-lucky attitude, and it's cool to hear Ebert in a new context. He's a fantastic musician, and his debut solo album is solid all around.

This is probably my favorite tune off of the record. It's laid back, but the hook is impeccable and Ebert's voice sounds great. Before I heard the album, I heard this song on Sirius XM approximately 8 times before I figured out that it was Ebert. Diggin' it.

Alexander - Truth (YSI) (filesavr)

Young Galaxy is Out There

noreply@blogger.com (Zack) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

So the fire alarm is going off in my building and I can't really think straight, so this is going to be quick. We Have Everything is a fine piece of space disco. Expansive and surprisingly emotional. Good stuff. Check out the video too -- its a perfect fit.

Young Galaxy - We Have Everything (YSI) (filesavr)

Puro Instinct Have Plenty of Hype

noreply@blogger.com (Zack) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000

And thus certainly do not need any more from me. Gorilla vs. Bear has been hyping Puro Instinct pretty heavily for a while now and I finally get what they are talking about. Headbangers in Ecstasy is supremely melodic, but without seeming to try too hard at it. You just get caught up in those female vocals and shoegaze-y guitars and then whoops you are suddenly at the end of the album. Plus, perhaps what is most exciting about Puro Instinct is that they sound different. I can't put my finger on it, but its like if chillwave grew up a little and learned to play live instruments. But really I cannot adequately describe why I like Puro Instinct so much.

Puro Instinct - Silvers of You (YSI) (filesavr)

Puro Instinct - Silky Eyes (YSI) (filesavr)

The Streets Are Back, The Streets Are Gone

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:59:00 +0000

Remember way back when in 2009 when we started buzzing about Computers and Blues, the final album from Mike Skinner's The Streets? See here and here.

Well that album has finally been released. Two of the tracks we blogged back then -- "Trust Me" and "Roof Of Your Car" -- ended up making the final tracklist on what is a return to form for Skinner. I could write pages and pages on this album (indeed, I wrote 1300+ words for PrettyMuchAmazing on the subject) but suffice it to say, here, that it's a wonderful closing note for a brilliant career. Trust me.

The Streets - Going Through Hell (YSI) (filesavr)

The Streets - Lock The Locks (YSI) (filesavr)

Radiohead Did Something

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Radiohead did something on Friday, I think. Released an album, maybe? There wasn't much talk about it on the interwebs. Just kidding. King of Limbs is great, duh. But rather than post a track from that album like every other blog in the universe, I wanted to toss up a couple of my favorite less-well-known Radiohead tracks.

I first heard "Where Bluebirds Fly" on a recording of a show Radiohead played in Manchester maybe 8 years ago. They didn't actually play the full song, but just a little teaser of it to open the show; I was hooked. It's Radiohead at their glitchiest, skittering and ominous.

Radiohead - Where Bluebirds Fly (YSI) (filesavr)

"Fake Plastic Trees" is a well known Radiohead song to be sure. But I have a soft spot for one performance in particular -- their rendition of the tune on MTV's shortlived "Live at the 10 Spot."I saw this one on TV when I was younger and couldn't get enough of it. Really a phenomenal song and a great performance.

Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees (Live at the 10 Spot) (YSI) (filesavr)

The final track I'll share is the live performance of Fog from the Com Lag EP. The song was originally a B-side to "Knives Out," but was included as a piano-based, shorter, live song on Com Lag. Last year when I saw Atoms For Peace perform last year, Thom played this song solo and it was gorgeous. Hope you like it too.

Radiohead - Fog (Again) (YSI) (filesavr)

Spring Music Preview: Tune-Yards

noreply@blogger.com (Zack) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:36:00 +0000

Yes, big news! Even bigger than the new Radiohead album. Tune-Yards is on the verge of releasing her second album titled Whokill. The first track off Whokill is Bizness, which was a staple of Tune-Yards' live show during her last tour with Dirty Projectors (which was awesome btw). The song is cleaned up, streamlined, and features less of the rough production of her Bird Brains. Snazzier production should not be seen as a detraction: Garbus sounds as lively, earnest, and powerful as ever and her looped beats and swirling vocals retain their hypnotic qualities, just now with a better sounding veneer. Really, I could not be more excited for Whokill, especially once we get to start hearing some new material, because if this is how Garbus is sprucing up older material, we've got a lot of great things in store.

Tune-Yards - Bizness (YSI) (filesavr)

Songs for the Winter Thaw - Alela Diane

noreply@blogger.com (Zack) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Phew, grad school has started up again, which means no more free time -- ever! But, winter is showing signs of retreat in New England and Alela Diane's new album Wild Divine is scheduled for release on ~~April 3~~ April 5. So everything is not doom and gloom. First off, what a babe! Secondly, Alela Diane's music is perfect bleak folk for the late winter doldrums, but with just enough of a hint of hope to make it work. How perfect are those whistles on Foreign Tongue? There couple of tracks are off of her first release The Pirate's Gospel, which is quite a hidden gem.

Don't forget that Valentine's Day is on Monday. Be nice to people!

Alela Diane - Foreign Tongue (YSI) (filesavr)

Alela Diane - Pirate's Gospel (YSI) (filesavr)

Rude Ricky Rude

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000

My best friend from back in the day -- like pre-elementary school back in the day -- has recently been making some noise in the hip hop world, with some nice verses over sick beats. This is the kid who basically introduced me to rap - much respect. I remember listening to Eminem "My Name Is" on his busted CD drive when his mom was out of the room. Anyway, he's taken those suburban roots and turned them into a pretty legit music career under the name Ricky Rude.

Last year, he got some pub for his track "She Wants My Dick," a (clearly) family friendly rap set to the tune of Ting Tings' "That's Not My Name." It's the kind of song that gets stuck in your head for days. Now he's back to show that it wasn't just a joke or a fluke.

His latest track, "A.D.D." has a foreboding beat and biting verses. His flow is distinctive - kind of an amalgam of different styles from across the board that doesn't pull any punches. Where "She Wants My Dick" was a fun party track, "A.D.D."tackles more significant themes without losing the boom bap and bounce.

Check out the "A.D.D." video and a couple tracks from Ricky Rude below. He's picking up speed and is worth watching out for.

Ricky Rude - She Wants My Dick (YSI) (filesavr)

Rick Rude - A.D.D. (YSI) (filesavr)

New Fleet Foxes And A Stellar Oh Land Cover

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000

It took me a little while to warm up to Fleet Foxes - I didn't really see their appeal the first few times through, and was probably going through some P4k backlash syndrome or something like that. But I've warmed up since then and realized that their debut album is pretty damn brilliant. And, of course, "White Winter Hymnal" is one of the best tracks on that album.

Recently, Oh Land dropped by Newtown Radio to record an excellent cover of that song. You can check out the video below - it's pretty dope.

Fleet Foxes have also announced that they have a new album dropping in May of this year. They released the first single and title track, "Helplessness Blues,"last week. It's wonderful - vintage harmonies and soaring melodies; brings back the folk music of the sixties and seventies.

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues (YSI) (filesavr)

Oh Land - White Winter Hymnal (Fleet Foxes Cover) (YSI) (filesavr)

Hit 'Em Up, Carolina Style

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I've been a big fan of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, ever since I caught them playing a show at Dartmouth a few years ago. They have a fun vibe and a great ability to take traditional music and make it accessible to modern audiences.

That being said, they also have a great ability to take modern music and give it a traditional spin. My favorite song of theirs -- in a live setting -- has always been a cover of Blu Cantrell's "Hit 'Em Up Style." It takes the bouncy original and gives it some jaunty traditional flair. It's awesome. Until last year, though, that song had only been accessible in concert.

Recently, the Drops released a 4-song EP collaboration with Luminescent Orchestrii, a Romanian punk orchestra outfit based in New York. The EP features a great version of "Hit 'Em Up Style" that has been in heavy rotation in recent days. Enjoy it.

Carolina Chocolate Drops f. Luminescent Orchestrii - Hit 'Em Up Style (Blu Cantrell Cover) (YSI) (filesavr)

Newtown Radio Tonight!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Hey y'all. Tonight I have the great pleasure of going on Newtown Radio with my friend Dylan who writes for Sophomore Slump, a fun blog that bills itself as "Just two girls trying to get a grip on music & movies." Which is especially funny because Dylan is not a girl.

Dylan would like you to think he looks like this:

More frequently, he looks like this:

Here he is with a young Leonardo DiCaprio:

Anyway, I'll be live in studio from 7-8 tonight talking shop about music and playing some tunes and probably telling some embarrassing stories about Dylan, so that should be fun. He tells me they play mostly indie rock and stuff of that ilk, so I'm probably gonna play lots of Lil Mama and Nicki Minaj. Not really. But really. Just joking, just joking I'm not joking, just joking, I am joking.

Tune in to www.newtownradio.com at 7pm EST to hear us jibberjabber about music and such.

Here's a Bun B and James Blake mash-up that dropped into my inbox yesterday. Guess which of those artists I'm gonna play tonight!

James Blake vs. Bun B - We Can't All Be Hipsters (Sound Remedy Mash-Up) (YSI) (filesavr)

Diplo Rings The Sleigh Bells

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Will I ever tire of Sleigh Bells remixes? Probably. But then again, if they keep maintaining the same level of quality, perhaps not. It seemed like for a while remixers weren't really sure how to treat Sleigh Bells - they either tried to manhandle the tracks and destroyed everything thing that was good in the first place, or they chopped up the originally beyond any possible recognition. Recently, though, some remixers have struck the perfect balance, finding a secret formula that preserves the integrity of Sleigh Bells' dynamic originals while simultaneously adding some extra flair.

The most recent to drop is Diplo's take on "Tell 'Em."He puts the drums on a faster loop and bumps them more frequently, resulting in a more thunderous track, despite suffering from a decrease in volume. Combined with some subtle Soulja Boy samples, it's a good look on the track.

My other favorite Sleigh Bells remix has to be Kingdom's take on that same song, "Tell 'Em." Kingdom has been killing it recently, and this track is no different. He takes the opposite approach from Diplo, spacing things out and slowing them down. Both sweet new spins on an old favorite, and they have me listening to Sleigh Bells with fresh ears all over again.

Sleigh Bells - Tell 'Em (YSI) (filesavr)

Sleigh Bells - Tell 'Em (Diplo Remix) (YSI) (filesavr)

Sleigh Bells - Tell 'Em (Kingdom Remix) (YSI) (filesavr)

Look Out, CyHi's Coming

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0000

CyHi Da Prynce - sometimes aka Prince CyHi - is one of my favorite up and coming young rappers. You might know him from his big time cameo last year on Kanye West's "So Appalled," but he's got a lot more than that going for him. He's one of just over a dozen rappers signed to Kanye's G.O.O.D. Music label, alongside names like Mos Def, Clipse's Pusha T, Common, and Kid Cudi. CyHi hasn't gotten the same amount of hype as some of his label-mates, but I suspect that will change in the near future. His flow has a raspy snarl that is really distinctive, and his rhymes are tight enough to set him apart from other young guns in the game.

Last year, CyHi dropped the Royal Flush mixtape, which features some of his best (and worst) work to date. In particular, the first track stands out with its ominous and lush beat. CyHi sounds dope over these types of beats; when he raps over autotuned pop he sounds much less important. So hopefully he'll stick the epic stuff and get going. If Kanye's latest is any indication of the direction of the label, CyHi's in good hands.

Five star dishes, different exotic fishes...

CyHi Da Prynce - Ring Bellz (YSI) (filesavr)

CyHi Da Prynce - Sideways (YSI) (filesavr)

Kanye West - So Appalled (YSI) (filesavr)

Memory Tapes: Suddenly Less Strange

noreply@blogger.com (Zack) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Memory Tapes' fantastic debut Seek Magic, featuring Bicycle-perhaps my favorite song of 2009-was deep, weird, and captivating. Tempering its distorted vocals and mysterious rhythms, Memory Tapes loved New Order-esque guitar solos on Seek Magic. On their new single Today is Our Life, off their upcoming as yet untitled album, Memory Tapes take a few steps away from Bicycle towards poppy, or mainstream if you will, electronic music. Still using the New Order guitars, Today Is Our Life is more upbeat and joyous than anything off Seek Magic. The mystery and creepy atmospherics are toned down in favor of showcasing vocals that now sound normal. While a surprise based on their previous work, the general laid back vibe remains and Today Is Our Life is a fantastic track with a great groove and plenty of synth and guitar solos. I am very much looking forward to seeing what Memory Tapes have to offer in 2011.

Memory Tapes - Today Is Our Life (YSI) (filesavr)

Memory Tapes - Bicycle (YSI) (filesavr)

James Blake

noreply@blogger.com (Chris) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0000

When I first heard about James Blake, I was convinced I was going to hate his music. A young British dubstep-inflected electro-minimalist who liberally uses autotune? No thanks.

The joke was on me. Blake's new self titled record is the best album I've heard all year. It grabbed my attention on first listen, and has only gotten better the more it spins. Blake is a master of using silence to inform his sound, and he's not afraid to expose his voice - autotuned or not. The closest analog I can think of is Bon Iver, although James Blake and For Emma, Forever Ago are drastically different records. Both are built for winter, and both are built to last.

Check out a video of Blake performing live at the BBC. "Wilhelms Scream" is one of the best tracks on a record full of good ones.

James Blake - Wilhelms Scream (YSI) (filesavr<) (removed upon request)