Blog: The Umbilical Chord

Mos Def - Life in Marvelous Times

Nov 9, 2008, 8:21pm The Umbilical Chord

Mos Def has long been one of hip-hop's premiere lyricists on the mic and one of my personal favorite rappers ever. I'm glad to see he's finally returned to form with Life in Marvelous Times, it's a real banger so check it out until he drops his fourth studio album the Ecstatic in February.

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Jeezy and Nas - My President

Nov 9, 2008, 8:12pm The Umbilical Chord

Hot on the trails of Nas's election day comes a collaboration with Jeezy titled My President. I guess this means the feud between them, started in the aftermath of Nas' album Hip-Hop is Dead, is officially squashed. Looks like Obama is already mending some fences.

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VOTE VOTE Part II

Nov 4, 2008, 7:09pm The Umbilical Chord

We all know rap is getting more and more political and the spokesmen of modern rap Nas is not shy about his political affiliations. So outspoken is Nas, that he and Green Lantern put together a short song entitled Election Night, and if you could not figure it out I'm pretty sure hes voting Obama. Anyway check it out.

• Nas & DJ Green Lantern - Election Nght (Recorded On November 4th 2008)

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Artist:	Nas & DJ Green Lantern
Title:	Election Nght (Recorded On November 4th 2008)
Link Text:	Nas-Election_Night
File Name:	nas-election_night.mp3
Bitrate:	160 kbps
Year:	2008

Thunder Power - Love Yourself

Nov 4, 2008, 3:16pm The Umbilical Chord

I love the feeling you get from listening to twee pop. It's something like sunshine flooding your veins mixed with the satisfaction of eating a bowl of ice cream. That feeling, of pure bliss, is always how I felt while listening to the debut EP Love Yourself fromt new band Thunder Power - another band from Omaha, Nebraska and Saddle CreekRecords. Love Yourself plays with the ease of a song you've heard before, but without being more of the same old, same old. I've been listening to the same 5 songs from Love Yourself, over [...]

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VOTE VOTE VOTE SERIOUSLY GO VOTE VOTE VOTE

Nov 4, 2008, 2:30pm The Umbilical Chord

Yeah so I just voted in my first ever presidential election and it was pretty sweet. I decided against the absentee ballot so I ended up in a crowded school gymnasium with some old people giving me the stink eye, like I was trying to see who they voted for. But hey at least they had donuts and cookies, perks of the process I suppose. Point is, even though I love increasing my web traffic more than anything else in the entire world, you all can take a five minute ...

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Blue Scholars

Oct 31, 2008, 2:18pm The Umbilical Chord

So I've recently promoted myself to Rap-Hop director and thought I'd do a little retro review on the Blue Scholars to share the love.

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Dan Black - Yours

Oct 30, 2008, 3:37pm The Umbilical Chord

Dan Black's highly addictive Yours finally has some visual stimuli to accompany it. That would of course be courtesy of a highly entertaining music video featuring, balloons and dudes tethered to a ceiling. It looks like a good time if you ask me.

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Hard Fest

Oct 30, 2008, 12:45pm The Umbilical Chord

Tonight is Hard Fest, the craziest coolest party this all Hallow's Eve. Hard Fest features performances by Crystal Castles, Justice, Soulwax Boys, Boys Noize, Simian Mobile Disco, Deadmau5, DJ AM, Destructo , and more. Tickets to the event are 50 dollars for standard admission and 130 for VIP status.

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Led Zeppelin Reunion Tour?

Oct 28, 2008, 3:56pm The Umbilical Chord

Apparently Led Zeppelin is adamant about, not only a reunion tour, but also a new album, which they are willing to do with or without front man Robert Plant, who will be preoccupied with his massive tour with Alison Krauss. They have already began the search and interviewed prospective replacements for the rock god. Good thing I am not the only who thinks this is a terrible idea. Promoter Harvey Goldsmith has said Led Zeppelin should not go on tour using their original name without singer Robert Plant. After all Zeppelin is just not the same without the [...]

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Roy G and the Biv - Somebody's Watching Me

Oct 28, 2008, 2:06pm The Umbilical Chord

Roy G and the Biv, the indie house duo have covered Rockwell's 80's classic Somebody's Watching Me. Honestly I can't put it better than them so ill leave you with their words of wisdom. "Nowadays people get T-Pain or Lil' Wayne to sing the hook on their song, but Rockwell got the frigging King of Pop. We couldn't quite afford Michael Jackson but we had fun with it. Crank it at your Halloween parties and have a ghast."

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Dont Read This, seriously dont

Oct 24, 2008, 9:00pm The Umbilical Chord

myLot User Profile

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Konrad - Loose Canyons

Oct 23, 2008, 11:10pm The Umbilical Chord

Loose Canyons is a mellow blend of quirky 8-bit sounds that sounds like Beck, New-Agey Thom Yorke, Momus, and with Dan Deacon-esque qualities.

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Gladshot – Burn up and Shine

Oct 23, 2008, 10:15pm The Umbilical Chord

With Burn Up and Shine, their third release, Gladshot isn't exactly the new kid on the block. That said I can't exactly say I was in the know about who they were or what kind of music they produced, but, I couldn't wait to find out. In the end I found a seamless combination of jazz, blues, and country into a pop framework. Something that is the direct result of leads Debbie Andrews and Mike Blaxill's drastically differing musical backgrounds. Andrews, who took a more traditional route, got her start on Broadway singing in the musical Hair while her partner [...]

• Gladshot - All I Want
• Gladshot - He Was Gone
• Gladshot - Nobody's Looking

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Artist:	Gladshot
Title:	All I Want
Link Text:	All I Want is You
File Name:	Gladshot-All_I_Want_is_You.mp3
Bitrate:	192 kbps

Artist:	Gladshot
Title:	He Was Gone
Link Text:	He Was Gone
File Name:	Gladshot-He_Was_Gone.mp3
Bitrate:	192 kbps

Artist:	Gladshot
Title:	Nobody's Looking
Link Text:	Nobodys Looking
File Name:	Gladshot-Nobodys_Looking.mp3
Bitrate:	192 kbps

Eskobar – Silver and Gold

Oct 23, 2008, 1:50pm The Umbilical Chord

New from Swedish rockers Eskobar is the beautifully done Silver and Gold. It's a really pop friendly and calming song that is somehow extremely catchy. I personally think it's one of those songs that if given appropriate exposure in the States, could be hugely successful. As always don't take my word for it. Give it a listen and watch the strangely disturbing music video.

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Beach House

Oct 21, 2008, 1:24am The Umbilical Chord

Beach House's latest single "Used to Be", releases today. It features the new song (same name as single) and B sides of Apple Orchard (Virgin 4 Track Recording). I quite like it, so I'd recommend giving it a listen.

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The Los Shoegazers - Indie Rock Girl

Oct 20, 2008, 10:57pm The Umbilical Chord

Los Shoegazers make us think irony never tasted so good. Or if it did, we forgot about it 5 PBRs ago.

• The Los Shoegazers - Indie Rock Girl Indie Rock Rock Girl

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Artist:	The Los Shoegazers
Title:	Indie Rock Girl Indie Rock Rock Girl
Link Text:	Indie Rock Girl MP3
File Name:	los shoegazers - indie rock girl.mp3
Bitrate:	128 kbps

Hello Saferide Plays at the Sweedish Embassy

Oct 20, 2008, 10:35pm The Umbilical Chord

Oct 20 - House of Sweden, Washington DC Hello Saferide, whose name was "inspired by an intelligent bus driver in a drug-addicted small town, don't ask" plays at their embassy in the district.

• Hello Saferide - Highschool Stalker
• Hello Saferide - San Francisco
• Hello Saferide - Valentine's Day

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Artist:	Hello Saferide
Title:	Highschool Stalker
Link Text:	High School Stalker MP3
File Name:	hello_saferide-highschool_stal ker.mp3
Bitrate:	192 kbps
Year:	2004

Artist:	Hello Saferide
Title:	San Francisco
Link Text:	San Francisco MP3
File Name:	hello_saferide-san_francisco.m p3
Bitrate:	160 kbps
Year:	2005

Artist:	Hello Saferide
Title:	Valentine's Day
Link Text:	Valentines Day MP3
File Name:	hello_saferide-valentine.mp3
Bitrate:	192 kbps

Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy [Update]

Oct 16, 2008, 3:20pm The Umbilical Chord

Track List and official album artwork for Chinese Democracy, which drops Tuesday, November 25.

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Eminem - I'm Having a Relapse

Oct 16, 2008, 3:11pm The Umbilical Chord

Eminem finally confirmed, after months of speculation, that his fifth studio album entitled "Relapse" will be hitting shelves later this year. It is set to coincide with releases from co Aftermath artists 50 Cent and the long awaited release of Detox from Dr Dre. Speaking of Dre, he is said to have produced nearly all the songs on Relapse. The track itself sounds like something from Encore with Em talking about choking babies and anal raping manikins. Check it out and see for yourselves.

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Little Bear - Army of Trees

Oct 16, 2008, 2:43pm The Umbilical Chord

One man band Nick Principe of Little Bear has created a tantalizing EP with Army of Trees, and I for one need more. In what must have been a busy summer Principe isolated himself, presumably in nature, somewhere in upstate New York. Seclusion for artists has had a history of success; see Thoreau and Emerson. Little Bear does little to buck the trend offering up a short and sweet four track EP covering topics from animals and waterfalls to jungles and brush. The songs themselves follow an indie folk style reminiscent of Iron and [...]

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