Nobody sings Mariah Carey better then Owen Pallett. Nobody does it better.

Owen Pallett - "Fantasy" (Mariah Carey cover)

My posting has been on pause for the past week or so due to a uncontrollable, delirious, sickening fever.

Lichtenstein - "Stalking Skills"

In 7th grade or so, I was an internet fanatic. I was constantly searching the web for videos, music, books, etc. I had a couple of friends who would occasionally join me in these idle hours so that I could somehow amuse myself with their reactions to what i'd found. This song renders a certain finding during my pre-teen web ventures. Once, I was absorbed in a short string of music videos playing on the yahoo music page. Most of the musicians I had previous experience with(Ladytron, Red Hot Chili Peppers etc.) and then Action Time distributed itself through my screen. Action time was a London based trash/punk band who put out one album, barely had a hit, made a music video and then fell off of the face of the planet. I watched the video constantly, but their obscurity left me defeated. I havent been able to find any Action Time since, but I did find this. Although this isnt exactly "trash/punk", but perhaps a softer, dream-like sound, parallel to the louder, rougher noise that comes from Action Time. I cant wait to play this in my car while driving around in the springtime.

CocoRosie - "Honey and Tar"

CocoRosie consists of Sierra and Bianca Casady, a few electronically manipulated childrens toys, a harp, a guitar, a piano and some percussion instruments. They grew up with their artist mother compulsively moving the girls across the country, while their father was deeply involved in shamanism and the peyote religion. They spent summers hiking from indian reservation to indian reservation, until their parents divorced when they were still young children. They girls were seperated for 10 years (Sierra ended up studying opera at the Paris Conservatory, while Bianca studied sociology and linguistics) before being reunited in Monmatre, where they began to record music in Sierra's small bathroom. "Honey and Tar" is a good example of CocoRosie's ghost-like vocals and slow backround harmonies. The songs repeatitive lullaby-esque meoldy is enchanting and is sweetly contrasted with debauched lyrics. They have a new album coming out on April 10th titled "The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn".

(R.I.P Anna Nicole Smith.)

These songs have been slumbering in my computer for far too long.

Tobias Hellkvist - "Step Aside" (Efterklang cover)

This acoustic adaptation of Efterklang's "Step Aside", is done by swedish 'electronist' Tobias Hellkvist, his sister Therese, and friend/alternative bandmate Helene Allvin. Im having a hard time distinguishing whether this song is a melancholy, mirthless anthem or if its a soft festive version of Efterklang's original composition. Either way this admirable recording is something i've been listening to on repeat all day, and will probably end up being the soundtrack to a charming dream tonight.

Au Revoir Simone - "Sad Song"

Au Revoir Simone is an all keyboard band based in Brooklyn, made up of three young women. The name comes from a secondary character in the movie "Pee Wee's Big Adventure". "Sad Song" brings up a certain craze for summer. It makes me wish my knees were sufficient enough for bike riding, it makes me recall my certain inclination towards reckless nights and clumsy mornings. Its a tender distribution of angst and apprehension juxtaposed with a certain light-hearted and whimsical tune. The band is coming out with a new record this year called "The Bird of Music", it comes to the states on May 1st, so keep an eye out for it.