Back from the other side of the world with island tunes.

This is an actual picture from my trip. Well, the real thing was less purple. 

Hey bitties and whatever the guy equivalent of bitties is. I'm back bitches! Maybe you didn't notice but my partner in blogging crime, Ms. CM has been holding down the fort for the last week in my absence. Seems like I missed a doozy, White Lies and The Head & The Heart live?! Its a good thing I was in motherf*in Hawaii and not say, Idaho (no offense Ida-hoes) otherwise I would be hella jealous. Luckily I did bring back a taste of the pacific with me, in some jams old and new and a Tuesday island playlist, just.for.you. 

1. John Legend and Reggae = match made in heaven. 'Nuff said.

2. Graffiti 6's "Stare Into The Sun" sounds straight off the Blue Crush soundtrack. I know because I watched Blue Crush last night.

3. Tanlines is a little funky electro meets reggae sort of feel, lots of percussion in "Real Life" makes you want to get native with yo' bad self and "Z" featuring Glasser is a more mellow tune with Glassers pretty ooh's and aah's kind of making you want to sway, or at the very least twirl.

4. Finish that shit off with my favorite song to blast when driving along the beach (how can you resist a meeting of Passion Pit and Cold War Kids, the curiosity!)


Can't Be My Lover - John Legend feat. Buju Banton
Stare Into The Sun - Graffiti 6
Real Life - Tanlines
Z - Tanlines feat. Glasser
Mine Is Yours (Passion Pit Remix) - Cold War Kids

If you only listen to one thing this week.... well youre an idiot.

Dog is Dead is an 'indie pop' band from Nottingham, self described as "Louis Armstrong lost in disco." I first heard them in the season finale of the lastest series of Skins UK. I guess a band who screams out "We are a mess, we are failures, and we love it!" really speaks to the motivated, self confident essences of youth today.... Right.

Anyway, disco Louis and Skin's loving failures aside, I am in love with this band. Despite all being in their early 20's (as far as I can tell) their sound is surprisingly unique and developed. They sometimes touch upon a bit of the rolling metronomic drum sound of Vampire Weekend (or Super Mario, whatever floats your boat), and their vocal harmonies seem influenced or at least awed by those of Mumford and Son's, who funny enough are supposed fans. Its fun, its quirky, its jazzy and infectious and stuck in my goddamn head like nobody's business. Plus, theres a pretty distinctive triangle in there. Who doesn't love a good triangle? These are summer-is-coming type of tunes, get ready.

listen if you like: Vampire Weekend, with some flair.

Dog Is Dead - Glockenspiel Song by charmfactory

Dog Is Dead - Motel by thisisfakediy

Dog is Dead - Young by HighVoltageMusic