The Cold Cut

As well as promoting a few new tunes, I would like to dedicate my latest post to a cause: C.A.L.M. Enjoy all the tracks below in individual or zipped form.

C.A.L.M.- Part 1.zip
C.A.L.M.- Part 2.zip

The Verve- Love Is Noise
M.I.A.- Bucky Done Gun (Tenzin Remix)
Beck- Gamma Ray
Fleet Foxes- White Winter Hymnal
Girl Talk- Hands In The Air
The Game ft. Travis Barker- Dope Boys
Sigur Ros- Vid Spilum Endalaust
Silver Jews- Strange Victory, Strange Defeat

What would you say causes the most deaths in men aged 15-35 in the UK? Accidents? Alcohol? Drugs? Crime? And the second most deaths? One of the above? No... instead, suicide. 3 men, on average, each day. That's a shocking statistic, and thankfully, C.A.L.M. (standing for the Campaign Against Living Miserably) is going to make a difference. Standing by it's official motto:

'Being silent isn't being strong.'

Since it's inception in 1997, the campaign has undergone numerous redesigns. With a new hotline, fresh website and some really cool work with international companies, music stars and advertising companies, I firmly believe that C.A.L.M. can make a difference.
Music plays an integral part in C.A.L.M.'s plan of action and advertising campaign. As suicide is such a relevant issue, C.A.L.M. has collaborated with artists including Dizzee Rascal (with his single 'Dean', about one of Dizzee's close friends who took their own life- purchase the video from iTunes) and also recorded a promotional video (below) for it's 500/100 campaign with Stephen Merchant (of Office fame). This campaign is of the utmost importance- with the backing of 500 companies, each donating £100, Comic Relief have agreed to help CALM launch a new webchat/texting help service. This is a first for a charity, and in the process, CALM hope to set a new world record (for the most T-shirts worn at a time).

In the future, I am sure they are looking to instate a stand alone C.A.L.M. fund-raiser gig (similar to this night at the KOKO). And I hope to be there.

This issue is more serious than ever, and I am embarrassed to say that until now I was not fully aware of any active suicide charities. However, I think it's crucial to consider that this fact might represent a large percentage of males who suffer from depression and don't know where to look for help. The campaign has a really relevant look, that I know will appeal to the target demographic, when they become aware of it. And with the recent tragic events in Bridgend, C.A.L.M. is needed now more than ever.

Support C.A.L.M.- spread the word, donate, visit their facebook group, website or get your company involved and win a spot on one of 500 limited edition T-shirts. Watch the videos below for the evolution of the CALM 500 world record attempt. And if you're a musician and want to get involved, please email myself or C.A.L.M. directly.

Coldplay: 'Viva La Vida...' Review.zip (All mp3's) (Link 2)

Eventually, my review and judgment of this album would be posted. As it should. And after the initial indecision, I'm not afraid to pass final verdict on Coldplay's new album. It's brilliant. Affirming, even.

They might not have realised it, with the money pouring in, but Coldplay had a great deal riding on this album. In recent times, increasing numbers of have turned against them, and even their most stalwart fans were beginning understand that three albums of similar (but quality) music is enough. We want more. And in my honest opinion, we got it.

Coldplay- Death And All His Friends/ The Escapist

To review this album, you really have to examine your stance. I'm not interested in Coldplay bashing, and I don't really give a crap that Chris and Gwyneth named their child 'Apple'. I am (as most of you are) here for the music. So whilst I don't want to come across as attacking the media, publications like The Times and The Guardian need to be careful- they got what they wished for with this album, so why did it receive a rating of 3/5? I will explore that later on.

With Brian Eno at the helm, it comes as no surprise then, that Coldplay are slowly turning into U2. However, thankfully they won't stop at that. They might just do the once over on Bono and his mates. The comparison comes across most convincingly on album highlight 'Lovers In Japan/Reign Of Love'. Using this album as a reference point, they are arguably more famous, with their compositions more stadium worthy. Bono, Edge and crew are getting on, and whilst Chris is also losing his hair, Coldplay's music sounds fresh, with a maturity nurtured over the 12 years since their formation.

Coldplay- Lost! (Live At Brixton)
Courtesy of JP's blog

The attention to detail is impressive, with songs such as 'Lost!' coming together only after being built around a strange sort of tribal beat. Needless to say, the fully fleshed out album version moved on from the acoustic recording that 'leaked' weeks before the album. The small features that at first seem improbable and irrelevant are what makes this an 'album'. Listen to 'Strawberry Swing' and it might strike you as slightly unremarkable at first. Over time, though, it will reveal its tricks.

Songs like 'Fix You' are a mile away (in tone, not stadium potential), and their latest album is more concerned with death, most obviously on 'Cemeteries Of London' and '42': "those who are dead are not dead... they're just living in my head". The latter undergoes a transformation half way through, from an eerie chant to a section which disguises it's melancholy tone with a boosted rhythm section: 'you thought you might be a ghost... you didn't get to heaven but you made it close'.

Coldplay- Cemeteries Of London

Risks are always welcome in modern music, the age of Autotune and GarageBand beats: 'Life In Technicolour' is a strong instrumental opening. It was originally accompanied by vocals, but when the band's close friends highlighted it as a potential first single, they removed them, instead opting for the occasional cheer. We should applaud them for their bravery.

Coldplay- Life In Technicolour (Live At Brixton)
Courtesy of JP's blog

For the first time in their career, Coldplay have markedly changed their image, dressing up as French Revolution soldiers. This image change, however, isn't as intelligent as it comes across. As a commenter pointed out, the album art is completely conflicting with this idea, using a French Painting with one of Frida Kahlo's titles: 'Viva La Vida'. A French painting with a Spanish title? Hang on a minute.

With their new image comes a revamped musical style: their double title motifs allow for a great deal more experimentation. And whilst with the underlying themes of this album you might be wondering about Chris' mental health (especially after walking out of a BBC interview), this new feature gives us twice as many things to love in each song. 'Yes! /Chinese Sleep Chant' flips between a meandering string piece and a guitar section with a boosted tempo. It's brilliant music.

Coldplay- Yes/Chinese Sleep Chant

This is far and away the most musically accomplished album that Coldplay have penned. It also helps that most of the released singles will go top 10, and the album will be found in many 'best of 2008' lists. In 'Viva La Vida', Coldplay have found their first number 1 single, and also a piece of music so perfect that you will learn the words, even if you don't want to.

Coldplay- Viva La Vida (Live At Brixton)
Courtesy of JP's blog

They still have peaks to climb. To convert their critics, album number 5 will have to do something truly special. It appears that between the band and music critics, the power of 'Viva La Vida...' has largely been lost in translation. This fact is saddening, but at the same time empowering; the album debuted at number 1, regardless of press intrusion. Coldplay have an endearing fanbase that will buy their records, on faith alone. I haven't always been complimentary, but it's encouraging to see that NME of all people (some of the most critical people on the block) gifted 'Viva La Vida...' a solid 8/10. The two lost points (in both our reviews) are purely because the album doesn't live up to Brian Eno's quote: that this is the sound of a band “living at the edge of their possibilities”. Not quite... that's for next time.

I would propose an ultimatum for their detractors. Think hard about it: when you think about the simple things, what do Coldplay lack? Are they inferior musicians? No. Is Chris Martin unable to sing? No. Do they write simple, occasionally emotionally stirring music. Yes. And at this point in their career, that it what it comes down to. We should understand if people are unable to appreciate these facts, as music is extremely subjective, but you can learn to love the things you love to hate. Don't compare this album to some milestone which doesn't actually exist. No one writes music that good.

I might be biased, but does that really matter? Sometimes the beauty of music is forged in the relationship between performer and listener. And with Coldplay- arguably the most radio-friendly band of the last ten years- we have most definitely been made a part of their music. 'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends' is an essential album, whether you love or hate the band. They came, they won some friends/enemies, they changed for the better, and once again, they have conquered.

'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends' can be purchased at Amazon and iTunes.

So, I am (as I should be) really happy right now. This is one of the strangest feelings I've ever experienced: total freedom, and a lack of purpose. I must admit, I've been diffident and hard work over the last few days, and am feeling a little fragile after post exams partying. However, I think I got most of my animosity out of my system, and I can start to chill. I have seen the hits slowly dwindling down, but I hope I can be consistent and boost The Cold Cut back up.

'One To Watch: Albert Hammond Jr.'.zip (Link 2)

Remember The Strokes? Of course you do... Albert Hammond Jr. has been keeping the band in our vernacular. Since 'First Impressions Of Earth', The Strokes have been off the radar, whilst Hammond Jr. flies the flag, releasing two albums, the brilliant debut 'Yours To Keep' and his more polished follow up '¿Cómo Te Llama?'. The album is out now (digitally at least), and I can assure you it's excellent, but wont move anywhere near as many units as a Strokes release. That, however, won't keep it out of end-of-year lists.

As is often the case with 'punk' branded bands, some of the supporting band have better voices and are arguably more talented than the lead. And that is true here. Besides Julian Casablancas effort to keep the fire alive with Converse's 'My Drive Thru', Albert has been holding fort: see single 'GfC' and two album highlights, all above (and below)- I'm feeling charitable. I hope these songs might convince you (unless we're past that stage) that two albums in, and over two years since a new album by The Strokes, his solo effort is beginning to look like a well planned career move.

However, with talks of Pharrell's wishes to produce their next record, and recent news from the band, let's hope not. The Strokes are due to begin recording their fourth album proper this summer.

Albert Hammond Jr.- GfC (Link 2)
Albert Hammond Jr.- Bargain Of A Century (Link 2)
Albert Hammond Jr.- You Wont Be Fooled By This (Link 2)

'¿Cómo Te Llama?' can be purchased on iTunes or pre-ordered here.

Unrelated, but oh so true: this article over at MuchMusic.com hits the nail on the head: '10 Ways Musicians Piss Off Their Fans'.

Unfortunately, this post is going to have come and gone before you know it. Chemistry rules my life at this moment, but all this toil and trouble will be done (FOREVER) in a mere 36 hours. How fucking scary is that? You will actually have my undivided attention and focus for the summer.

Interpol- Rest My Chemistry

Went out this afternoon to buy some 'supplies' for post exam partying. Top of my list was a bottle of champagne (it just felt 'right'), and I was closely followed by my friends. One of whom, I might hasten to add, has promised me he is going to spray me with his champagne, just as in F1. I can be Lewis Hamilton for a few minutes, before getting off my face.

Shaggy- Intoxication

Walking out of the exam hall for the penultimate time today, I saw a guy in front of me literally doing a crotch grab and shouting 'FINISHED', a mere 10 metres from the door. Hilarious, and I can totally see where he is coming from. I can't kick the feeling that I'm going to cry when I walk out of that exam hall on Thursday: when having a conversation at lunch today, we decided that finishing exams was almost tear worthy, whereas leaving school would be emotional, but not too bad- friends stick around (if you are all willing to make the effort), whereas those are the final set of exams were I am actually forced to sit in that seat. From Thursday, my life is in my hands.

And I am looking forward to it. School has become difficult over the last few years, and my motivation almost completely dissapeared recently. However, I think I've regained a bit of face and I hope I can leave this school on a high, with a good set of grades, friends and achievments alongside me.

The Flash- All The Tunes.zip

Enough pondering: on to the tunes/news (download all: above, as promised!). Coldplay have been accused of copying Creaky Boards 'The Songs I Didn't Write' on 'Viva La Vida', their latest single. Our reply? Bullshit- listen to the two songs if you don't believe me: and even if Coldplay did copy them, 'immitation is the sincerest form of flattery'. Get over it! They did it better than you could? Nice publicity stunt, anyway...

Creaky Boards- The Songs I Didn't Write
Coldplay- Viva La Vida

Lil' Wayne continues to dominate in the rap world, with an official remix of 'A Milli' featuring both Jay-Z and Chris Brown. His songs seem to have the common trait of 'remixability'. 'Lollipop' has been tricked to death, and 'A Milli' is next in line.

Lil Wayne- A Millie (Remix Ft. Jay-Z & Chris Brown)

Oh, and Ratatat are getting remixed as well. Tres strange.

Ratatat- Falcon Jab (Them Jeans Remix)

I've just added a Skribit widget to the right: do leave a note if there's anything you think I've missed or need to write about. The aim of the blog is to keep both you and I informed, so share the knowledge and love.

Next time I write, I will be free. I imagine you can all sypathise with me. I'll catch up with comments/submissions soon!

Hello hello. I've really missed this over the last few days (free will, that is)- over the course of 48 hours, I've had 4 A2 Modules, and a complete lack of time and choice.

Now, with the weekend ahead of me, I'm taking a few hours off to compose myself and generally have a bit of fun. Loads of cool stuff has happened over the last few days, and whilst the focus of this blog is music, I'm sure that you are all interested in other stuff as well.

First things first, music. It's been an exciting week, with many album releases and anticipated releases. Before I start reeling off the tracks, I wanted to point out my latest addition to The Cold Cut: zips. My main aim is to provide you with as much fresh music as possible, and to keep the user experience simple and enjoyable. So to reduce time, at the beginning of every post, I'm going to zip all the music (yep, ALL of it) and upload it, instead of uploading multiple copies of each file. So if you're the kind of person who wants to have your cake and eat it, download the zip file, and get a small taster of this weeks music! I hope this makes things easier! Individual files will still be available for download, but in limited quantity.

The Return- All The Tracks In This Post.zip (Link 2)

Pharrell, Julian Casablancas and Santogold- My Drive Thru

Converse have continued their onslaught on the music world, except this time around, they're having an impact. Coupled with their uber-cool advertising campaign- Connectivity (see a few sheets below)- they recently commissioned a new song involving Santogold, Julian Casablancas and Pharrell. In doing so, they've assembled three of the coolest people in the public eye (look at the photo above and tell me you don't wish you were Julian?).

This is exactly the kind of image they want to present, and the song is great too. 'My Drive Thru' is a nice change for all three musicians- Pharrell mostly stays behind the mixing board, but the vocal combo of Julian and Santi is ree-diculous, with a nice chiming bell/guitar riff. In short, I love it, for its unabashed energy and bravery. And for all those grumbling about how 'I've lost all respect for Santogold', I ask, 'why'? These guys have to pay the bills, and I for one wouldn't turn down the chance of working with such talented musicians.
Lightspeed Champion is steadily moving into the limelight: please take the time to watch this incredible SXSW performance, and keep your eyes open for some new tracks no doubt arriving over the next few weeks. Watch the full concert at baeblemusic.comncert at baeblemusic.com

Lightspeed Champion- Xanadu

Coldplay's new album was brought forward and released yesterday. It frustrates me that there has already been a great deal of Coldplay bashing, mostly by the newspapers. The whole situation is confusing, as it appears the critics can't make up their mind: in the run up to the album, I read numerous articles stating that the only way Coldplay could win would be to change their sound. And they have- their reward is a generally unimpressed reaction.

Coldplay- Viva La Vida (Telemitry Mix)

Nas buckled. Big style... he changed the name of his forthcoming album (which you will know, and I will not write) to 'Untitled', but then released a mixtape with the original name. How confusing, and pointless. The statement isn't quite so large if the name is confined to a teaser, Nas! His first single, 'Hero', was released, and its a nice introduction to the new album. However, it doesn't stand a chance of dethroning Lil' Wayne from rap album of the year.

Nas- Hero (ft. Keri Hilson)
Lil Wayne- Let The Beat Build

Apple's 3G iPhone has also had a lukewarm welcome. I for one will be getting my hands on one: the main issues being brought up are no front facing video camera, no 'true GPS functionality' and the same 2MP camera. These are fair points, but technology is subjective. I hardly ever use my phone's camera, as it's crap, and if I had an iPhone, I wouldn't take it anywhere where I wouldn't take my dedicated digital camera- concerts, for example. Using an iPhone to take pictures would make you a huge target to the thieves who go to gigs solely to steal wallets, phones and anything else they can get. However, I would agree that I feel slightly cheated by the 'new' iPhone. Sure, it's got 3G, and a few tweaks, but to be honest, the main draw is the new application store. That's the main reason I will be purchasing one asap.

Mystery Jets- Two Doors Down (Duke Dumont Reconstruction)

The summer film season is finally kicking off- Iron Man was heaps of fun, and my top five remaining releases are The Dark Knight, Wanted, Wall-E, The Incredible Hulk and Hellboy 2. All action orientated, and almost all (The Dark Knight is a bit... well... dark?) heaps of fun. If your inner child isn't brought out by these little Wall-E vignettes, then the feature film won't be for you.

Fleet Foxes- He Doesn't Know Why

Oh, and a little thing called sport. Over the last few days, the sport has been sublime. From Holland (come on boys) caning in Euro to Nadal edging past 6 foot 10" Ivo Karlovic, I'm finding it hard to draw my eyes away from the screen. And with Wimbledon, F1 and more coming up, this is looking to be an enjoyable summer! Any die-hard supporters here? Whose your money on for Euro 2008? My top four: Germany, Holland, Spain and Portugal. Croatia might edge their way in there!

N.E.R.D.- Yeah You

And that's it- I've run out of energy, and things to talk about. More updates tomorrow! Nice to be back.

PS Leave a note if the links go down!

As one line of a Hard-Fi song states, I was truly 'living for the weekend'. Last week was taxing, but the work I put in has made the brilliant weekend even more enjoyable, although I already have to start working for the next wave of exams, commencing Wednesday. Fortunately, music isn't my only interest, and many of the things that I care about are reaching critical turning points this weekend.

Ahead of Wimbledon, commencing at the end of June, Roland Garros, or the French Open, has been a really enjoyable tournament. The rivalries in tennis are as strong as ever, and even Justine Henin's shock retirement couldn't detract from this tournament. The women's final was fairly tame, and Ivanovic had the game wrapped up from the end of the first set.

However, the proposition of another meeting between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer was what really excited me. It's an intense rivalry; few people beat Federer, and no-one beats him regularly. Apart from Rafa, that is. As was proved today: he dominated the match, winning 6-1, 6-3, 6-0. That final set represent the first love set that Federer has lost in over 8 years. An omen for Wimbeldon? Possibly.

The 2009 Formula 1 season has been amazing thus far; I am bitterly dissapointed with today's Grand Prix in some respects, but am also ecstatic for Robert Kubica, and BMW Sauber. To be honest, the track was sub-par, and Lewis Hamilton's mistake was unfortunate. The only thing we (and McLaren) can do is to take positives: Lewis took out Kimi as well, and although Kubica has been strong, I believe that BMW will struggle in the second half of the season. Therefore Lewis still has a strong chance of winning the championship. The penalty both he and Rosberg will suffer is a ten place grid drop at the French GP.

Euro 2008 kicked off with a few promising games. The earlier game saw the hosts beaten by the Czech Republic, which was a fairly dull game. Portugal were impressive, however, beating Turkey 2-0. Today's games are still being played (as I write this), so we shall have to see if the tournament continues to be interesting. My money is on Spain.

Apple's WWDC begins in a couple of minutes, and the rumor mill (which I follow) is at it's peak. From experience, no one knows what the iPhone looks like: if it was on the net, Apple would have removed it by now. They always do. And as always, Cupertino is water tight- the original iPhone was in development for years, and yet no-one had a clear photo of it until it was officially unveiled. Expect the 3G iPhone, shipping on 15th June (AT&T's 'black-out days'), with GPS, video conferencing, exchange facilities. It will be thinner, with the facility to turn 3G on and off, and will be available in three colours: black, white, and product (RED). Oh, and also expect a similar multi-touch device (possibly with a 2.8 screen, or much larger), although no solid news has been heard concerning this yet. New cinema displays, a black mighty mouse and the new .Mac (me.com) will be unveiled. My wildcard guess goes for new Macbook's, with the similar black keyboard/aluminium enclosure that is featured on the Macbook Air.

As ever, there is so much music being released. A few notable tracks (some old, some new) are available below:

The Stills- Being Here (Link 2)
Beyonce- Beautiful Nightmare (Link 2)
Sam Sparro- Black And Gold (Link 2)
Immuzikation- Highly Selassie (Immuzikation DangDiDiDangDadBlend) (Link 2)
Coldplay- Lost! (Link 2)

So, as we all knew it would, Coldplay's new album has been leaked. And it's ace. In my honest opinion, this is their best album to date, but a comprehensive review will have to wait.

I can sum it up in a few sentences: the backing is heavier in the mix, the instrumentals are lush (the only word in my vocabulary that fits). Oh, and this album has Brian Eno written all over it, in a very good way. Recently, I've started to see why Coldplay have numerous detractors, as their recent output had started to veer towards being formulaic. This album, therefore, will set things straight. The talent is all there, and every song on this album is a departure from their previous sound.

Anyway, I'm not going to post any tracks that aren't widely available elsewhere: however, since Coldplay mania is in full swing, enjoy these two new tracks (I'm not the first to post them), both high quality. Oh, and just to tease you, they're not the best tracks on the album. Not by a long way.

Coldplay- 42 (Link 2) (Link 3)
Coldplay- Yes (Link 2) (Link 3)

Viva La Vida can be pre-ordered here, or on iTunes.

I'm going to keep this as short as possible: this post is acting as one of my 'breaks'... let me just fill you in. I'm at school at the moment, on study leave, and doing exams (every other day, it seems). To be honest, I'm wiped out. There is something sad about the existence that all final year students have at this point: much partying lies over the horizon, but at the moment all I do is sleep, get up, work. Rinse and repeat. It's boring, and at this moment, I'm severely tired of maths, chemistry and physics.

A few things to clear up: I apologise to all of you who have been sending me nice emails with music at the moment. I know I've been shit... Let me explain: I'm at school, and when I'm here I can't access MySpace or many other similar sites, so as much as I would love to listen to your music (trust me- I always listen to submissions... always), I can't post tracks unless you send me mp3 files. This wont be the case for much longer- I'll be out of here in 3 weeks. Oh, and please keep filling up my inbox. I love it, and promise to catch up when I'm free.

Okay, so just going to rattle out some of the great stuff from my inbox, and a few new tracks that I completely missed.

The Subways are back. Who, you might ask? Well, back in 2004, this three-piece were a huge indie hit: their songs were featured in various TV ads and also the O.C. (always a sign of success... sic). They're due to release their new album on 30th June, 'All Or Nothing'. Early signs show that the four year break has been very beneficial. Download the two new album tracks below. Myspace

The Subways- Alright (Link 2)
The Subways- Girls And Boys (Link 2)

I'm not entirely sure about this Justice remix of 'Electric Feel'. It's a little bit of a clanger, and the pitch change takes the retro vibe from the original. Regardless, it's a Justice remix, and whilst I'm beginning to think they need a break, it's another remix to add to their pile of inventive re-tools.

MGMT- Electric Feel (Justice Remix) (Link 2)

Okay- I'm starting to run out of steam (the little I even have left):

The Brakes- Into The Ground (Link 2)
Wow. Please bear in mind that this is live. Unbelievably tight. That's the kind of bond formed by a band who all went to middle school together, and have been recording since then. Myspace

CHAINGANG- Holiday (Link 2)
I eagerly await more news from this Australian group. Crunching bass, some urgent vocals and a new sound (very rare these days) have already set these guys apart. Impressive. Myspace

Roses, Kings, Castles- Sparklin Bootz (Link 2)
If you had told me that Adam Ficek from Babyshambles has a better voice than Pete Doherty, I wouldn't know what to make of it. And I don't. Oh, and his music is a little more tame that 'Fuck Forever'. Myspace

This is really a brilliant time for music: yesterday I got my hands on the new albums from m83, No Age, Cut Copy, Santogold and Phantom Planet. All of which are excellent. And yet, I don't really have time to dwell on their brilliance, because a new wave of music is coming through.

Rihanna- Disturbia (Link 2)

Rihanna has actually gone bad. Her recent album's title- 'Good Girl, Gone Bad'- suggested a new direction, but didn't deliver. I'm happy with the fact that it had a few tunes on it, and in chart terms, Rihanna can do no wrong. The first single from her re-release of 'Good Girl Gone Bad', 'Disturbia', shows signs that she might be trying some new styles. Okay, so she sounds like a robot. But that's more than made up for by the first sentence: 'What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? Oh, and the fact that she actually says 'shit'. Maybe things aren't going so great for the chart queen? Oh, and did anyone else make the connection between the song title and her purported connection with Shia LaBeouf?

Immuzikation- We're Gonna Have a Paaarty (Immuzikation GetTheFuckUpToniteBlend) (Link 2)

Immuzikation is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. I've been chatting to him a lot lately, and all I can say is that both he and I have some treats lined up for you. Stay tuned, and listen to his latest amazing mash-up: the last few have shown some serious signs of progression... my personal favourites are Santo Mia, Fish Tacos, and this latest addition. Check his day-glo Myspace.

Jon Regen- Let It Go Live (Link 2)

Jon Regen has just finished his European tour. You might remember my post about him a few months back- since then, Jon has been getting loads of positive write ups in blogs and other meda, and an extremely strong response to his tour. He sent through a live recording of 'Let It Go', the first single from his recent album, 'Let It Go'. It's a nice version, and Jon, with the help of a two man band, switches things up. Visit Jon's website...

Wale- Roc Boys (Freestyle) (Link 2)

Wale's new mixtape dropped a few days ago. Easily as good as '100 Miles And Running', this sets the bar higher. The beats are more clean cut, the rhymes more sophisticated, and althogether the music is more polished. Download it here.

Kenna ft. Lupe Fiasco- Say Goodbye To Love (Link 2)

Kenna's 'Make Sure They See My Face', released in October 2007, is a truly excellent album. Hopefully, this remix with Lupe Fiasco will see some more commercial success than the album version.