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29.06.07
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Amy Winehouse |
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Recorded recently for AOL, Amy Winehouse performs three songs (You Know I’m No Good, Rehab and Love Is A Losing Game) and is interviewed in this exclusive podcast documentary that’s still available to download at AOL’s The Interface. |
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21.05.07
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The Specials |
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A rare live track from one of the most interesting and exciting bands of the Two Tone movement in the early Eighties. Also check out Too Hot on the same page and recorded from the same concert in Chicago in 1980. |
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15.05.07
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Tricky |
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Taken from his 2003 album, Vulnerable, this is a classic slice of oddness from the former Massive Attack singer. And it’s good, too. Although it won’t appeal to everyone, those that it does appeal to will almost certainly love it. |
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04.05.07
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Maximo Park |
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A new track and a new album from English band Maximo Park. Love ’em or hate ’em, it’s becoming increasingly hard to ignore them. We tend to fall on the love side, but more of a friendly love than a full-on sordid affair. |
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27.04.07
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Frankie Goes To Hollywood |
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You’ll find plenty of David Bowie covers through this link (including an awful cover of Mott The Hoople’s All The Young Dudes by Ozzie Osbourne), but this one by the legendary Frankie Goes To Hollywood is by far the best. |
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13.04.07
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Grand National |
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Another hugely underrated band, Grand National released a storming debut (Kicking The National Habit) in 2004 (2006 in the US) that was dearly loved by anyone who heard it. If you’re yet to discover them, here’s the first track off that album and then we recommend that you head to the iTunes Store to listen to the rest of it. |
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09.04.07
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Mark Ronson (featuring Santo Gold) |
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If you’re a fan of Paul Weller’s first band, The Jam, try to imagine Pretty Green (from the album Sound Effects) covered by Bananarama and then remixed by The Go Team. |
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30.03.07
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The Gossip |
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It’s a double-bill from The Gossip this week (check out our mash up for more on them), as we have a track here taken from their best-selling album Standing In The Way Of Control. |
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23.03.07
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The Editors |
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Hosted on the Gorillaz’s own site, this is a Live Lounge (Radio One) cover by The Editors of Feel Good Inc., easily one of Gorillaz’s shining moments. It’s very different, and it certainly won’t appeal to everyone, but we commend The Editors for at least trying to do something original. |
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16.03.07
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Bright Eyes |
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There’s no doubting that young Conor Oberst is a very rare talent in the music world – as anyone who’s listened to I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning will testify to – and this track is a personal favourite. There are plenty more to download at the same site, but we recommend that you start with this one, especially as it’s at the top of the list. |
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09.03.07
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Marilyn Manson |
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Highway To Hell? Very possibly, but if anyone’s going to out-gurn the mighty AC/DC, then it has to be Manson, as he takes a classic rock anthem and almost makes it his own. This excellent link also contains cover versions of Like A Virgin (disturbing), Personal Jesus (very good indeed) and Alabama Song (average). |
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02.03.07
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The Dears |
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The first thing you need to know about The Dears is that, despite hailing from deepest, darkest Canada, the singer somehow manages to sound like a cross between Damon Albarn and Morrissey. Secondly, they’ve recently released a new album, but their previous one (No Cities Left) is rather better. Lost In The Plot is one of the standout tracks from that album and it’s available for free via our link above. |
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23.02.07
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The Trashcan Sinatras |
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A stomping anthem from one of the best bands to come out of Scotland since… well, ever. If this takes you fancy, then we strongly recommend that you check out their album Weightlifting, which is frequently played in the iPlay Collective office. |
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16.02.07
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Koop |
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It may only be creeping towards the end of February and still colder than the frosty gaze of a jilted lover, but we like to look on the positive side of things and imagine that we’re all bouncing happily down the road with our favourite gal on our arm and a summer soundtrack playing 24/7 in our heads. And this is the glorious, summer-tinged song we listen to. All of the time. Click on the link and search for 'koop' or 'summer sun'. |
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09.02.07
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Klaxons |
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Regardless of whether or not you find the ‘Nu Rave’ movement offensive, there’s no denying that Klaxons are one of the most interesting bands we’ve heard for, ooh, at least three weeks. Check out this early recording of theirs and you’ll see what we mean. |
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02.02.07
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Ash |
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Taken from a Live Lounge session with Radio One’s Jo Whiley, this is a great version of the classic Ash track taken from their 2004 album, Meltdown. |
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26.01.07
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Deftones |
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A lovely and achingly mellow song from a deeply underrated band. While they’re not going to appeal to every palette, we’re happy to admit that they’re frequently played on the iPlay stereo. |
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19.01.07
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Mercury Rev |
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The official Mercury Rev site offers five downloadable MP3s on its website, but the pick of the bunch has to be this impressive version of David Bowie’s The Jean Genie. |
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08.01.07
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Frank Black |
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A smart version of the Pixies classic by the man who must know the song better than most. An essential download for anyone who claims to care about music. |
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24.12.06
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PJ Richardson |
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A Christmas treat for you, as PJ Richardson is an extremely clever and talented musician that defies categorisation. Check out this infectious and spine-tinglingly good tune as proof of that. |
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