No Kind Words – The Maccabees

The Maccabees have posted a new song from their upcoming album up on their website for free download. The Maccabees told NME the rest of the album is not as dark as this track, so we should not take No Kind Words as an indication of what the new album is going to be like. The track is quite dark, it has a very serious feel to it with thick electric guitars, and ominous lyrics. It has a similar feel to Running Up that Hill by Placebo.

The track is definitely worth a listen, particularly at this price!

Well Now – Jesse Rose

DJ, producer, and remixer, Jesse Rose is set to release his next album, What do you do if you don’t any day now. I’ve had to opportunity to hear a couple of the new tracks, and I’ll admit, I’m excited! Well Now is the first track getting some airplay in promotion for this release. I was listening to the radio, minding my own business when I heard this funky track. It immediately caught my ear… wait a second, is that? Yes it is! The rough sounds of Howlin’ Wolf, put to beats, was making me dance in my cubicle.

Down in the Bottom – Howlin’ Wolf

A little research proved that the Howlin’ Wolf sample Jesse Rose masterfully uses in his new track is from the 1962 song Down in the Bottom. Originally written by Willie Dixon for Holwin’ Wolf, the track has been covered many times since, by the likes of The Rolling Stones, John Mellencamp, and Colin James. It’s a good one, and Holw’in Wolf’s version remains the best!

Do the Do – Howlin’ Wolf

This brings me to another little ditty that Howlin’ Wolf recorded back in 1970, Do the Do. I cannot talk about Howlin’ Wolf and not include this song, because it’s just too darn SEXY! With super funky blues guitar, and hot lyrics like this:

Well I know
I’ve got a babe
And I know her
Love is true
But you ain’t seen nothing
‘Til you see her, see her
Do the do
Do the do

Shake her shoulder
Take her time
Mover her body
Like I move mine
When she’s dancing
You’ll love her too
When you see her
Do the do
Do the do

34 bucks
20 to waste
Everything
Right in place
Cool disposition
Love her too
When you see her
Do the do
Do the do

Well, well there
Ain’t nothing like
When you see her
Do the do
Do the do

Well I know
I’ve got a babe
And I know her
Love is true
But you ain’t seen nothing
‘Til you see her, see her
Do the do
Do the do

You really cannot miss this song… and play it for your girl, I bet she’ll like it!

In this very emotional edition of Cover-licious, I pay tribute to those salty droplets of water that only love could have summoned. The tears of love, the only ones that really matter.

Crying – Roy Orbison

I had to include Roy Orbison’s beautiful original of this song. His powerful voice is so full of emotion in this song that you believe that he was feeling that pain each time he sang this song. There is no other like Roy Orbison, nor will there ever be. This version of this classic tune comes from Roy Orbison’s live DVD, A Black and White Night, that included a whack of big names playing back up for the much loved and respected man, including Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, and Bonnie Raitt. I highly recommend this DVD, both the audio and the video are well worth the time.

Llorando – Rebekah Del Rio

Featured both on Rebekah Del Rio’s second release, All My Life, as well as on the Mulholland Drive Soundtrack, this stunningly beautiful Spanish rendition of Orbison’s classic will grab your heart, and make you feel a little like crying yourself. Rebekah Del Rio’s powerful vocals stand alone, in large concert hall sound, requiring no accompaniment. Check out Rebekah Del Rio story beind the song Llorando (Crying) on her website.

Cry (Extended Remix) – Godley & Creme

This 1985 Top 40 hit was the only hit in America for the duo Kevin Godley and Lol Creme who started making records after their pop band 10cc disbanded. This remixwas included on the single. While the track definitely has that 80s feel that is so loved these days, it maintains staying power through the emotion and soul that come through both the lyrics and music.

Cry – The Philosopher Kings

The Canadian band, The Philosopher Kings, covered Godely & Creme’s track for their 1997 album, Famous, Rich and Beautiful. Their updated version carries the powerful emotions of the original, but adds a little more with Jamaican born Jarvis Church (Gerald Eaton)’s soulful voice. While I like the original, I prefer this version.

Firstly, if you don’t know what Songbird is, it is a brand new, very shiny with that new car smell, desktop mp3 player. Songbird’s recent 1.0 release has set them up to take on iTunes with a new take on music. Integrating the web into the robust player, Songbird aims to enhance and broaden the music listening experience. It’s an Open Source effort, built on the Mozilla engine. Give Songbird a try… I like it!

Kalemba feat. Pongo Love – Buraka Som Sistema

Buraka Som Sistema is considered to be Progressive Kuduro from Portugal. Kuduro music originated in Angola, but quickly moved to Portugal, which explains the bit in the lyrics about raising the Angolan flag. I ran the lyrics through an online translator. The gist of the song is basically, “We are awesome”, but I couldn’t get much else from the translation. There’s still a lot work to do in the automated translator industry.

The song is super fun to listen too, it’s quite difficult to not move to this song. The style of Kuduro is somewhere between African and Latin beats. The vocals are fun too, even for those of us who don’t understand Portuguese, there something inticing about the vocals, specially the Wegue Wegue part!

Brooklyn – Jay Z & Santogold

Jay-Z, Santogold and Kayne West came together to create this multi-purpose track. It’s to appear on Jay-z’s next album, The Blueprint 3, due to be released next month. It also has a place on the Nortorious Soundtrack. The track was originally released as a bonus track for the subscribers to online magazine (RED)Wire, with partial proceeds going to Bono’s Product Red.

The track has an epic feel to it, with Santogold chanting “Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard” through the song, and Jay-Z rapping about his home town, Brooklyn. Santogold comes in mid-song with her rap about Brooklyn. These two are clearly proud of their roots, as well they should be!

At Road 2 Nowhere one of my many aims is to share awesome remixes with anyone who will listen, it’s a series I call Mix-tastic! On with the mixes!

Animal (The Crookers remix) – Miike Snow

There is little to know out there in the intertubes on this Miike Snow entity. The Miike Snow myspace page is incredibly minimalistic, featuring only a large bunny with antlers silhouette and the myspace the music player, with several fun offerings, including this track, and the original.

The Crookers, on the other hand, are quickly becoming a household name, well at least within certain demographics. They still cannot seem to secure a page on Wikipedia though. This remix is a little different from The Crookers, as it lacks that super thick base we’re accustomed to hearing from the Italian pair, but that doesn’t mean it lacks funky rhthyms! The track has a subdued base line and dancable percusions that perfectly acompany Miik Smow’s vocals. A track well worth the download!

Infinity 2008 – Guru Josh Project

The Guru Josh Project website describes its members as “three people who have a love for electronic music and old school 90 rave music…” who want to “…bring back the magic of the 90’s dance scene with a fresh and up to date new sound”. From listening to Infinity 2008 I believe that they are in fact bringing back the magic. Once this track finds it’s way onto your mp3 player there is so going back. The addictive tune finds it way to the front of the playlist to make you dance, late 90s style.

The remake of Guru Josh’s 1989 single,Infinity, has a fresh feel while maintaining just enough nostalgia for those of us who remember 1989. There’s no word on any future projects by these 3, though they each have independent efforts in the works.