Music Report

Welcome to another hard-hitting Music Report this week on the birthday claimed by heavyweight Sonny Liston (Apparently a “missing” birth certificate a la Miguel Tejada).

The Duke Spirit makes its way into this week’s Music Report not because of its alma mater- inclusive name nor because its lead singer, Liela Moss, has the bangs of Mrs. Music Report. It’s the Duke Spirit’s grungy blues-rock musical stylings that are most notable. Hailing from the United Kingdom, they’ve gradually gained notoriety in the indie scene beginning with their 2005 debut Cuts Across the Land and this year’s nautically-themed release Neptune. Start with singles “Lassoo” and “The Step and the Walk.”
http://www.dukespirit.com

From Stone’s Throw Records, home of Madlib, comes James Pants of lush Spokane, Washington. Much like his mentor, Peanut Butter Wolf, Pants digs ridiculously deep into the crates, pulling out and mixing obscure 80’s Soul, Electro Boogie, Early Rap, New Wave, and Post-Punk Disco into a surprisingly listenable product, though perhaps ironically so at times. Pants also bears some similarity to former Music Report feature White Williams as something of a one man band, playing instruments and singing on his more original cuts.
http://www.stonesthrow.com/jamespants/

Quick note on another electronic act in the vein of JUSTICE and their ilk. Shy Child rocks the ones and zeros with the likes of anyone on the scene right now. They’ve drawn a Kraftwerk comparison but that’s probably too far. They bring their Shy Child bring their CPUs to Bowery Ballroom tomorrow night.
http://www.myspace.com/shychildmusic

JUSTICE themselves have collaborated with Spank Rock and Mos Def to remix their hit D.A.N.C.E. with excellent results. For more of Philadelphia’s Spank Rock, and their signature unabashed raunchiness, prior to a likely appearance at this summer’s Rock the Bells Festival which turns out to be at Jones Beach, click below.
http://www.rcrdlbl.com/artists/Justice_featuring_Mos_Def_and_Spank_Rock/music
http://www.myspace.com/spankrock

A local favorite here in the Research Triangle, the Annuals are making the trip up to Tri-State area for an appearance in Coney Island at the annual Village Voice-sponsored free-for-all Siren Music Festival on June 19th. They’ll also play a more intimate show, more fitting of their sound, at Union Pool on Union Ave. in Brooklyn the prior evening. Their sound has been compared to that of Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene, who will also be appearing at the Siren Music Festival.
http://www.myspace.com/annuals

When Kanye West isn’t posting about his favorite architecture and design on his blog (very rarely), he sometimes shouts out up and coming artists that he no doubt has a financial interest in promoting. Today’s entry is Kenoe and his track “Get It.” Let’s say the jury is still out on whether Kenoe’s career will mirror more closely that of West himself or that of perpetually yet-to-blow-up Kanye confederate Consequence.
http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/?em3106=193723_-1__0_~0_-1_5_2008_0_0

In music-related humor videos, here’s a decent comedic take on John Mayer’s songwriting process from Judd Apatow and the good people at FunnyorDie.com
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/611387370c