Brooklyn's own Das Racist isn't the type of band that suits me, but abnormally, I find myself indulging guiltily in the wacky and inane universe they're creating.  The songs are simply catchy and variant.  They're sampling and dropping beats with the best of them, and this newest track, "Swate" hit Pitchfork and Stereogum earlier this week.  I've been spinning it ever since.  I'll never go completely over to the dark side of hip-hop fandom, but shit like this I can get behind.  They make me laugh, and it's cold and grey in Cleveland.  This song's repetitive loop is addictive and you're going to like it, too. "Only crackers win the lottery."  That can't be true, can it?

Das Racist – Swate

Thrill Jockey has always been one of my favorites.  They do post-rock better than any other mid-to-tiny size label in the country, and their several Jan/Feb releases show that there's no let down.  The upswing includes Eternal Tapestry and its upcoming TJ debut, Beyond the 4th Door (March 15th).  "Galactic Derelict" is a vast, expansive landscape of guitar crunch and soaring soloing.  Similar to their Thrill Jockey bretheren, particularly Pontiak and The Skull Defekts, Eternal Tapestry makes the kind of music the industry sometimes forgets about but desperately needs.  Sometimes I hate pop music and I hate pretentious hipsters even more.  This is not that type of music.  This is the gutsy psychedelia your father gushed over when he talked about Foghat, Sabbath and Floyd.  I want to see this band live and I want to do it after drinking lots of beer and whiskey.  I want to zone out into this big place they're drawing inspiration from.  Click the track and go someplace different yet familiar today. 

Eternal Tapestry – Galactic Derelict

I should probably just have you hit play on "The Great Pan is Dead" and leave the chit-chat to your internal dialogue.  I'll digress a bit, though.  This song is about as intense and heavy hitting as anything Cold Cave's done.  The track is the opening song from their April 4th release, Cherish the Light Years, and you should be careful not to blow your speakers or leave this one on in the car when you turn off the ignition.  The booming background distortion races and pummels through all four minutes of the track while soaring and gorgeous synths weave around it.  The melodious vocal intensity is pretty spot on for Cold Cave, and at its core, this pop track is insanely good.  It's a blistering wake up call if you've not heard it yet.  Chimes, blips and helicopter chopping riffs will get your heartbeat going today.   And tomorrow.  And the next day.

Cold Cave – The Great Pan is Dead

I hadn't heard much from Midlake lately so I was pleased to hear about their upcoming album of covers via LateNightTales (due out April 4th), which is a pretty nice compliment on the band's impact.  I know I wasn't the only blogger with his ear to the pulse with Midlake's release last year (although some folks found the need to bash it).  I still spin that record perpetually whenever I need that blast of British folk to surround me. Of course, "Roscoe" is still one of my top twenty favorite songs of all time.  This covers album is interesting, and they cover just about everything from Bjork to Blondie to, yes, Black Sabbath. This version of Sabbath's "Am I Going Insane" is uniquely done, and I've got mad adoration for the talent Midlake possesses.  Head on over to the band's website for more info on the release.

Midlake – Am I Going Insane (Black Sabbath Cover)

I remember when The Suburbs came out, and everyone and their brother was drooling over "Sprawl II" I just kept angrily mentioning that it was just "Heart of Glass" redone.  Nobody seemed to listen to me.  Thankfully, ABX from The Hood Internet did, and while I realize that everyone could hear the Blondie allegiance in Arcade Fire's hit last year, I'm not sure everyone quite understood exactly HOW MUCH it was ripped off.  However, the track was the catalyst for meaning and energy on The Suburbs and I absolutely love what this mashup does.  This is officially the first mashup I've ever posted on the interwebs (our writer Brian usually handles that job).  It's that good. 

The Hood Internet – Sprawl of Glass (Arcade Fire vs Blondie)

Detroit's Meadower is getting their first internet blog mention today, at least as far as I can tell.   One listen to "Fisher's Hook" had me eager to write.  While the band just released their first EP, 1994, on January 31st, the members have been at this game for quite awhile, each of them having quite a bit of work done previous to the band's inception.  The  six track album is available at the band's bandcamp site and I highly recommend picking it up.  "Fisher's Hook" shouldn't be pining away at bandcamp all by itself.  The track is super mature, developed, and laced with catchy jamming undertones.  The band is talented and worth the listen, for sure.  The marching band snare drums weave into rocking guitar fills with a post-punk feel, yet the band stays endearing with a pop-situated center.  The trebly and digressive chanting of "You can't have what you want," in the latter half of the track sold it for me.  I'd love to hear what you think.

Meadower – Fisher's Hook