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Music

10 Great, Unexpected Mixtapes by Musicians Who Aren’t DJs

By Tom Hawking on

This week sees the release of the soundtrack to British psychological thriller Berbarian Sound Studio, a soundtrack that’s notable for being a) creepy as hell and b) the last thing ever recorded by much-missed British duo Broadcast before singer Trish Keenan’s death from pneumonia in 2010. Keenan’s death robbed the music world of a distinctive voice and a singular talent, and the release of Berbarian Sound Studio has got us listening again to the fantastic mixtape a friend of Keenan’s released in her memory a couple of weeks after she died. This in turn got us thinking about other artist-made mixtapes that have brightened up our iTunes over the last couple of years, eclectic selections made by musicians you wouldn’t necessarily expect to dabble in DJ mixes — we’ve shared a few of them after the jump. … Read More

Music

10 Great Rock Albums Produced by Electronic Musicians

By Tom Hawking on

It’s nice to be pleasantly surprised once in a while, and Free Reign, the new album by UK band Clinic, has been on high rotation here at Flavorpill of late. We’ve always rather liked Clinic’s work, but we’ll be honest — we didn’t expect to enjoy this record nearly as much as we have been. Perhaps the most notable thing about Free Reign in comparison to Clinic’s other records is just how interesting its production and general sound is, which is perhaps not surprising since Oneohtrix Point Never assumed production duties. There have been plenty of examples of electronic artists producing songs for rock-inclined types over the years, everything from Giorgio Moroder working with Blondie on “Call Me” to Alec Empire collaborating with the John Spencer Blues Explosion and, um, Chris Cornell working with Timbaland on the ill-fated Scream. Here are some of our favorites. Did we miss any? … Read More

Music

10 Bands That Changed the Sound That Made Them Famous

By Tom Hawking on

This week’s most notable release has been Fragrant World, the curiously titled new album from Yeasayer, which came across our desk a couple of weeks back and has been on occasional rotation at Flavorpill central since. Our impressions of the record are that it sounds basically like its predecessor, 2010′s Odd Blood, and thus nothing like the band’s debut, 2007′s All Hour Cymbals. Given the acclaim that their debut received, it’s curious and rather disappointing that Yeasayer have moved away from its wide-eyed eclecticism toward a more conventional sound. Still, they’re hardly the first band to change the sound that brought them to the public’s attention — we’ve put together a selection for your reading delectation after the jump. … Read More

Music

5 Albums to Stream for Free This Week: The Horrors, Radiohead, Eno

By Tom Hawking on

Whether you spent the 4th of July braving the crowds to watch the fireworks or (like us) holed up at home listening to what sounded like the apocalypse unfolding outside, you may well be feeling a little fragile this morning. Either way, rest assured that, as ever, we’ve got your back with a selection of new tunes to ease your transition into the working week. There’s a bunch of interesting music streaming for free on the internet — from The Horrors’ new baggy direction to some Radiohead remixes, blissed-out psychedelic country, and a woman that Brian Eno met at the gym. Listen after the jump. … Read More

Music

The Flavorpill Mixtape: Arcade Fire, Ty Segall, Stephin Merritt

By Margaret Eby on

Memorial Day weekend is almost upon us, which means the official beginning of flip-flop season. Bust out your beach towels and your boombox, because we’ve got the jams for your barbecue night. We’ve got new stuff from Ty Segall, the Arcade Fire, and Battles, plus a glimpse at Stephin Merritt’s new album. So buckle up and right click + “Save As” to save each track or scroll to the bottom to download the whole mix. … Read More

Fashion

Vampire Weekend, Beirut, MGMT Model for Vogue

By Zara Golden on

In an attempt to capture the energy of the “seven young lions roaring out their brands’ presence,” January’s Vogue has got Sasha Pivovarova wearing some of this springs finest ready-to-wear; and as props, they’ve chosen eight musical acts to play back up. Amongst them? Vampire Weekend, Beirut’s Zach Conden, MGMT, The Horrors, Adam Green, Chester French, The Golden Silvers and Mika. Indie’s… Read More