The Chuckness

Remember those dudes responsible for the undeniably addictive “I’m Gone” song/video in which they cruise around in the back of their truck with no shirts on in rural Pennsylvania? Yeah, they’re still making jams. Ben from City Rain sent this over my way about 10 minutes ago to get a simple opinion, and all it took was one listen for me to be strangely captivated. City Rain’s original version of “Real Good” is a peppy, new wave track that’s easy on the ears — an electronic remix doesn’t quite come to my mind as something that would work. Regardless, they transform … Continue reading →

I might lose some fans for life by posting this one; apologies in advance to those who will be offended. Coldplay swung by BBC’s Radio 1 Live Lounge the other day, and they pulled out a cover of Rihanna and Calvin Harris’ smash “We Found Love”. Get rid of the Calvin Harris electronic beat, and add in Chris Martin’s instantly recognizable vocals, and you have your result. [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Download: Coldplay – We Found Love (Rihanna Cover) Tweet

Neon Gold coming out of left field with another catchy, glistening alternative track from someone we’ve never heard of. Straight out of the heart of  NYC, Ghost Beach has my attention with “Empty Streets”. Their sound is eerily reminiscent of a band I listened to a couple of years ago, and I can’t put my finger on who the hell I’m thinking of. Literally have been trying to dig it up for the past hour — it’s deep in the archives somewhere. Anyways, give this a listen — looking forward to more material from these guys. [Audio clip: view full … Continue reading →

The Black Keys’ most recent album, Brothers, catapulted them to a level of success that not many saw coming. With rave reviews across the board and a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album, the success of Brothers pretty much allows them to do whatever the hell they want from here on out. The Ohio natives are releasing a two-track, special edition vinyl album on 11/25, which is where “Lonely Boy” resides. Pre-order the EP El Camino, and you’ll be able to grab a free download of the track. Shout out to itstheBino. Tweet

This is a perfect representation of the brilliance that is RAC. Katie Herzig is a Colorado-born folk-rock artist, and the majority of you probably won’t recognize anything about “Free My Mind”; I’d never heard the original before. When RAC gets their hands on something, you don’t need to know the original. They make it accessible and catchy to people who don’t even know what they’re listening to. I can’t think of a better compliment. [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Download: Katie Herzig – Free My Mind (RAC Remix) Tweet

XV’s Zero Heroes mixtape dropped back in April, but it’s proving to have some serious longevity. The rapper from Wichita’s energy is out of control, and the combination of him with his unbelievably talented producer, Seven, is proving to be something serious. Gotta love The Dark Knight theme here. The Kid With The Green Backpack should be dropping in the near future — no word yet on an official release date for the debut album. Tweet

Here are the official visuals for Cole’s heavy-hearted “Lost Ones”, off of his well received debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story (review here). Apparently, as the note tells us in the opening frame, this was shot 3 years ago before Cole had any form of a record deal with Roc Nation. I knew “Lost Ones” had been sitting in a vault for a while, but the fact that it had an official video of this quality before his deal is impressive. “Lost Ones” is by no means a chart-topping single, but it’s raised the bar for the current state … Continue reading →

The Good Natured is a three-piece electro-pop/rock band coming out of the UK. The trio just released their first EP after recently signing to the British label Parlophone, and from what I’ve heard, it’s bound to get the people talking. “Skeleton” in particular has an undeniable characteristic to it that has me coming back over and over again. I’m getting a mini La Roux vibe when the chorus comes on — but I might be forcing that comparison. Regardless, it’s catchy as hell. Check it out below, and support the band by picking up Skeleton on iTunes. Tweet

Alan Wilkis has been all over the interwebs for a minute now, making a name for himself through his attention-grabbing remixes. This one here is an original production, and he recruits the vocal help from The KickDrums’ Alex Fitts. I’m always excited when I hear something that is noticeably attempting to form it’s own path in the music world; this sounds like nothing I’ve heard before. The vocals fit perfectly on top of Wilkis’ heavy synths and drums; to the point where I find myself continually hitting the repeat button. Definitely worth a look. Keep your eyes open for his … Continue reading →

We’re all into Xaphoon Jones’ production, that’s not really out there for a debate. Recently, he linked up with DJ Mo Beatz on the official remix album of Big Sean’s Finally Famous. Xaphoon handles the  ”Marvin Gaye & Chardonnay” remix, and completely changes the complexion of the song. He injects the original with some more bass and build-up, giving the song more longevity then it initially did. Go ahead and form your own opinion below, and pick up the entire remix album here. [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Download: Big Sean (feat. Kanye West) – Marvin Gaye & Chardonnay … Continue reading →