I Need a Matter Transporter

I'm not a huge fan of rap, although I had my dalliances with Dr. Dre and Cypress Hill back in the 90's. That said, I usually like the underground stuff that gets played by RadioK. They've been playing a catchy new single called Matter Transporter by an L.A. group named Time Machine. At the risk of betraying just how little I know about rap, it reminds me of De La Soul. You can read a much more informed opinion at Music For America. I can't find a free MP3 anywhere but you can listen to the whole song (and more) on Time Machine's website (it's Track 1 on the built-in media player).

Mellow Drunk

If you like The Church (and I know you do), then you'll love Mellow Drunk, a San Francisco-by-way-of-Minneapolis band that wears its Church influence on its sleeve. Think Starfish-era and later.

You can download quite a few free MP3s from two different sources:

PureVolume.com
MySpace.com

My favorites are Never Sleep at Night and There For You. BTW, there seems to be an error with the song A Different Color on My Door on MySpace.com. You can listen to the song, but I get an error when I try to download it. The other three songs download fine so go figure...

The Killers

I've been debating whether or not to post something on The Killers for awhile, and Mike's recent inquiry (see previous post) about them has pushed me over the edge. The reason I've held off (procrastination aside) is that I'm way too self-conscious (for my own good) about maintaining my indie rock street cred, and The Killers may compromise that somewhat. What can I say? Call me a snob but I'm always a bit dubious of any "alternative" band that I first encounter on my gym's proprietary music video channel. Or that Target/Best Buy etc promotes as being an exciting up-and-comer.

That said, I finally caved and iTuned (couldn't find any free MP3s out there) the 3 songs from Hot Fuss recommended by AllMusic.com:
- Jenny Was A Friend of Mine
- Mr. Brightside
- Somebody Told Me
Despite my reservations, I've enjoyed the songs a lot. The AllMusic review mentions the similarity to Duran Duran, and that's especially apparent on Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine. That song could easily fit on Duran Duran's first album, what with its popping bass and pouty vocals. If you like Duran Duran (and they're definitely a not-particularly guilty pleasure for me), I think you'll like it, as well as the other 2 songs. I recommend them, although I don't know that I'll explore the album any deeper.