justin and britney

First, the earworm:


"Lovestoned" - Justin Timberlake, Justice remix

It's just audio, but now you know the version I've been talking about. It's not the greatest thing in the universe but I really do like it. It becomes a club track, but not in a cloying, completely unrealistic way that often happens with mediocre/bad remixes. Sometimes DJs try to put the original song's melody over something they've concocted themselves (usually a bad keyboard hook), and I hate when they don't really match up, or are fine but then don't match up in certain places. Then the only things I hear are those mismatched, non-harmonious parts. Bad mashups are the worst offenders. Here, Justice actually builds on the original instrumentation (they really play with the hook done with the strings, yummy) and noise while adding their own (hello glitchy squeaks), this time playing more with phrasing. Instead of the vocals starting on the down beat (the 2nd beat in what sounds like 4/4 time), they're moved up to the first/upbeat, which changes the whole feel of the song. Instead of being smooth and sleazy, it becomes more urgent and in-your-face. Hence, good club track. The "she shuts the room down" breakdown bit is pretty great, too.

Now for his ex-girlfriend.

New Britney songs? [From TMZ] Sure sounds like it. I actually think these sound quite promising, good club tracks. If not Kylie then definitely Dannii, if you're pickin' up what I'm throwin' down here. I'm telling you, if she can pull off some insane dancey stuff like she did with "Toxic", I think things may actually work in her favor. Obviously my favorite bit is "It's Britney, bitch...." HAHAHA. I saw photos from her "video shoot" from weeks before, and if that's for either of these songs, I'd be really bummed because these songs would be such a good opportunity for her to do something really cool. But asking her to make good decisions at this point? I dunno. Like, I don't care, call David LaChapelle, for god's sake! Something! And stop putting that goddamn weave in your hair! And put on some pants!

*calms down*

I was going to make this a little less tabloid-y/pop with an indie-friendly musing but...nah.

EDIT: wait...here's a full stream of the song from Perez Hilton. It's even better than I thought! This is too good, BritBrit, don't f this up!

i heard she broke your heart again

New music time.

I saw the much-blogged-about (I'm just here to add fuel to the fire) Metronomy the other night courtesy of my friend, Rachel, who's working with them right now. It's one of those times where I lack the eloquence to explain why I like a band or a song, but I can say that if they ever play the US again, I would highly recommend going to see them. They're going to be in NYC next weekend, playing at the Seaport and Studio B, and they're doing Reading and Leeds Festivals. They are good fun, Devo dancing with touch lights on their shirts, playing fun, mesmerizing music with one of the catchiest singles I have heard in a while ("Heartbreaker"). I guess I could compare it to Ratatat with a little Girl Talk thrown in with occasional vocals and jerky Devo dancing, although that seems pretty goddamn lazy so ignore that.

Metronomy used to be one dude named Joseph, doing a lot of bedroom remixing and things like that, before he started putting stuff out and eventually put together a live backing band, which is what exists today. He's been talked about for doing a remix of Britney Spears' "Toxic" (beat THAT, Mr. Ronson), Franz Ferdinand, Klaxons (who give Metronomy a shoutout in their liner notes) Kate Nash, Dntel, the Young Knives, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, and Dead Disco amongst others. They've got one album out, and a couple EPs, but finding them is a bitch.

I think all the blog love (just search for them on Google and you'll see what I mean) is very much justified, I'm glad I got to see them, and you should check them out. The end.

Metronomy session for War Child Series
Uploaded by dazedmagazine

Little interview bits, "Heartbreaker", "You Could Easily Have Me", and "Are Mums Mates"