ListenUp
Nina Simone, Brolin, I.B.E. and more in the first installment of our weekly music recap previously aired on Twitter
For the past year, we’ve been dutifully cataloging some of our favorite sounds at CH in a daily Tweet dubbed #ListenUp. With an array of time zones at play and the sporadic nature of Twitter, you may have missed out. So to keep your ears filled with quality tunes and worthwhile music videos spanning all genres and eras, you can now look to our weekly recap of the tracks along with a little insight on what makes them stand out.
Erevan Tusk: By The Larches
In a gorgeous video by the creative duo behind Paris-based outfit Parallel, French band Erevan Tusk explore the nature of growing old gracefully. “By The Larches” is an enchanting swirl of nostalgia and romance sure to inspire a few flutters in your heart.
Brolin: Reykjavik
The “mysterious” London producer Brolin takes us around the world with his subtly soulful songs, first touching down in NYC, then Lisboa and now Reykjavik. The latter graces his upcoming EP Cundo, which he created with Norwich producers Luke Abbott and David Pye.
I.B.E and BenZilla: Bottomless Bottom
Both hailing from Minneapolis, indie hip hop artist I.B.E. teamed up with producer BenZilla for Bottomless Bottom, a highly pensive track and one of the first singles released from his forthcoming album This, That and The Third. Keeping it local, the equally compelling video is the work of Twin Cities’ group One Light Collective.
Nina Simone: Ain’t Got No, I Got Life
Thursday, 21 February 2012 would have been the inimitable Nina Simone’s 80th birthday. Here she is performing Ain’t Got No, I Got Life—a hit she developed for the musical Hair—at an outdoor concert in Harlem in the summer of ’69, a series she headlined along with B.B. King, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder and more, which became commonly known as “Black Woodstock.”
The Rolling Stones: Harlem Shuffle
The hoopla surrounding the Harlem Shake calls to memory one of The Rolling Stones’ better cover songs, the Harlem Shuffle. Originally recorded by Bob & Earl in 1963, the Stones’ 1986 version features back up vocals by Bobby Womack and a combination live-action and cartoon animation video by John Kricfalusi (of Ren & Stimpy fame).
