Hey! It’s Joe-Fucking-Pesci!

Let love shine down all over Joe Pesci and his bald little head!

 

God bless the lil’ 60 something for brightening up our first day back in work after a super chilled Easter.

 

We knew it was going to be tough – but with Joe on your side anything’s possible. If you don’t believe us, download this charming little ditty for yourselves. Silly, yes – but who cares when it makes you smile from ear to ear.  

 

 Joe Pesci – Take Your Love (and…)

Kid Cudi Ft. Kayne West & Common – I Poke Her Face

 

Kid Cudi

 

 

Scott Mescudi, better know as Kid Cudi was tipped by the music press to within an inch of his life this time last year, but from what we’ve heard so far, it seems someone might finally be able to live up to their relentless hype. Set to release his first full length debut ‘Man on the Moon: The Guardian’ this summer, he has already single handedly injected more credibility into mainstream hip hop than a gizzilion Lil’ Wayne’s could ever dream of doing.   

 

Signed to Kayne West’s label ‘GOOD’ (acronym for “Getting Out Our Dreams”), Kid Kudi is definitely in good company alongside Really Doe, John Legend, Fonzworth Bentley, Common…and erm, Mr. Hudson and The Library.

 

His latest track ‘I poke her face’ in fact features both Kayne and Common. It’s a four minute gem of track and one that turns the most annoying songs (top 5 at least) of the year into, quite simply, one of the best.

 

Kid Cudi Ft. Kayne West & Common – I Poke Her Face   

Bat For Lashes cover Kings of Leon – Use Somebody

Bat for Lashes (aka Natasha Khan) has recorded a live cover of the King’s of Leon hit, “Use Somebody,” for BBC 1. Last Thursday (4/9) Bat For Lashes performed a beautiful cover version of “Use Somebody” as well as her new single “Daniel” at BBC’s Live Lounge. You can check out video of her session (and interview) here. At the forefront of Khan’s stripped-down version of the song is her evocatively deep voice, crooning above an organ and a tambourine rattling in the background. Far less polished than the KOL version and in many ways, we reckon it runs circles around the original… judge for yourself.

 

Bat For Lashes – Use Somebody (Kings Of Leon Cover)

Shakey Times could use somebody, someone like...well, the woman in this polaroid if it can be arranged?

 

Papercuts

Jason Quever’s Papercuts are releasing their new album ‘You Can Have What You Want’ on April 14^th.  Papercuts first two albums, ‘Mockingbird’ & ‘Can’t Go Back’, were filled with inventive pop melodies, but this collection finds Jason delving further in the sounds that fill his arrangements, even going as far as to enlist the help of Alex Scally of Shakey Time’s favourites Beach House.

With a hazy sunset kind of vocals, the latest album really reminds us over the massively underrated ‘Summer Sun’ by Yo La Tengo. Quever’s use of vintage sounds and arrangements give his songs a feel which makes you believe you have known them forever; they’re the sort of songs to sit with and grow with you. Raised in a commune in Humboldt County in Northern California, orphaned, and moved up and down the West Coast before settling in San Francisco. A talented multi-instrumentalist with a fine ear, Jason Quever has become somewhat of a focal point for West Coast musicians, playing with and producing a so many acts including Devendra Banhart, Vetiver, Donkeys, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Cass McCombs and (of course) Beach House.

 

Paper Cuts – Future Primitive

Paper Cuts – You Can Have What You Want  

 

With such an interesting back story, it’s a wonder we haven’t caught Papercuts live before now. If like us you’ve somehow managed to miss it all before now too though, then make sure you don’t make the same mistake again and catch him while you can at one of the venues below:

 

09 April – Deaf Institute, Manchester
11 April – Bird On The Wire, London
12 April – Freebutt, Brighton
13 April – Rough Trade Instore, London
14 April – Cafe de la Danse, Paris
15 April – The Cellar, Oxford
16 April – The Legion, London
17 April – Buffalo Bar, Cardiff

Alessi’s Ark

Happy Easter folks,

Hope you’re all making the most of these few days off work. In true Fast Show (see here) style; this week, we ‘av, mostly been listening to, Alessi’s Ark.

We heard her latest single ‘Over the Hill’ on the brilliant Adam and Joe show recently and then obviously headed straight over the youtube expecting a fantastic video. We weren’t disappointed. Alessi is beginning a UK wide tour beginning in May, as well as playing arguably the two best British festivals, Glastonbury and Bestival later in the year.

Since we last posted about the budding 18 year old, she did indeed go out and wow SXSW and win a whole bunch of praise like we expected she might do, surprise surprise.  Still very much an enchanting prospect, and one who seems to evolve into something ever more beautiful each time we check back on her – just watch this making of and tell us your heart doesn’t melt.

 

 

 

The C90s – Tainted Love

‘Now I know I’ve got to run away. I’ve got to get away’ *CLAP CLAP*

 

Yeah yeah, Soft Cell’s radically reworked cover version of “Tainted Love”, an obscure 1964 northern soul track originally sung by Gloria Jones (the girlfriend of Marc Bolan) and written by Ed Cobb of The Four Preps…that was OK I suppose. Especially if you’re into that artificial camp synthpop of the 80’s – sorry Soft Cell, we just don’t play way.

 

The C90’s have been fusing hand claps, disco beats and other funky treats for the past two years now. Creeping out of basements somewhere in London after midnight, Danny and Jamie have been Djing relentlessly over the past two years but have now also turned their hands to remixing. ‘Tainted Love’ is damn fine remix from two of the most promising remixes this side of Watford gap right now – filthy, basey, and hugely promising. Look forward to hearing some more.

 

C90s – Tainted Love

The Low Anthem

First things first – we’re very sorry about the disappearing act over the last week or so. Shakey Times have been busy bees though, marching round London town, watching lots of new bands, DJing at the Exlovers single launch, and getting ready to launch some extra special club nights soon.

 

The Low Anthem

So with all that in mind, we’ll cut the fat and start serving up some prime cuts that have found their way onto our ipods and into our hearts recently.

 

The Low Anthem signed to our buddies over Bella Union just under a month ago now, and the wheels are already in motion for their full length release later this year. If there’s anyone out there who craves music that is shamelessly melodic, bursting at the seams with emotion, and intensely personal, then seriously, stop looking. Hailing from Rhode Island in the states, file The Low Anthem along with Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes. A record to truly treasure.

 

The Low Anthem – Charlie Darwin

The Low Anthem – To Ohio

 

http://www.myspace.com/lowanthem

 

Dan Seals is Dead

Dan Seals died on Wednesday. We found out today, and we’ve been listening to this incredibly cheesy guilty pleasure ever since. R.I.P Mr Dan-mustachio-Seals.

England Dan and John Ford Coley – I’d Really Love To See You Tonight

New Department of Eagles video.

Having spoken about having no budget at all for videos, Department Of Eagles seem to have done a pretty damn good job with their latest effort, considering. ‘No One Does It Like You’ looks pretty special, and someone somewhere had to have rubbed some pennies together as dancing ninja ghost soldiers can’t come cheap.

Regardless of how much it cost, we think the result is unique, and a magical accompaniment to one the most underrated songs of the year so far.

Let’s Talk About Sex Baby – Three amazing songs about sex you might not have heard.

Jean-Pierre Mirouze – Sexopolis

 

Let’s kick things with a rare French treat. Jean-Pierre’s ‘Sexopolis’ is four minutes and forty two seconds of pure unadulterated summer lovin’. Written by the independent filmmaker who was a veteran of many Gainsbourg sessions, ‘Sexopolis’ was recorded in 1968 but still sounds as seductive as ever with its sun kissed organs and dramatic strings. Rare groove never sounded so good.

 

 

Hot 8 Brass Band – Sexual Healing

 

Ok, so this one’s not so much sexy as it is clumsy, sounding a bit like the soundtrack to a teenage boy fumbling around with bra straps. Still, it’s an extremely clever and hugely entertaining cover of the Marvin Gaye classic originally recorded in 1982 to feature on the seminal album ‘Midnight Love’. One for the eternal fluorescent adolescents we suppose.

Betty Davis – Anti Love Song

 

Warning: this Betty Davis track may induce extreme sexual frustration. To our knowledge, never has a woman sounded so genuinely pent up with sexual desire on record. It’s no surprise that Miles Davis second wife managed to seduce so-so guitarist Jimi Hendrix, and with lyrics like this, we reckon she could probably  seduce just about any red blooded man on the planet. We salute you Betty.