The Lovers' Album of the Week

Madvillain Four Tet Remixes EP

Four Tet (aka Kieran Hebden) has taken on an interesting challenge remixing one of last years most highly anticipated hip-hop releases, Madvillain's Madvillainy. As a result of the teaming MF Doom and Madlib, Madvillainy is an album full of tales inspired by classic movie serial villains and set to relaxed rhymes backed by a steady but always unpredictable beat. For Madvillain Remixes EP, Four Tet takes some of the strongest tracks from Madvillainy and puts his own spin on it that for the most part improves on the original. The weakest entry is the opening track, "Meat Grinder," which replaces the laid-back Hawaiian influence found on the original with a schizo beatnik beat (I'm not sure how many folks out there are familiar with the truly awful movie called Manos: Hands of Fate, but I swear those jazz sounds come from that soundtrack!). It's not that this doesn't work, it's just that from track two on Four Tet produces material that rivals that of the legendary Madlib. "Money Folder" is highlighted by a driving beat that could easily be my favorite hip-hop tune of the year. With "Great Day," Four Tet brings an emotional element to the song where lines such as "Looks like it's gonna be a great day today. To get some fresh air like a stray on a straightaway. Hey you, got a light? Nah, a Bud Light..." actually come off sounding philosophical. MF Doom even joins Four Tet on "Rhinestone Cowboy" which on the remix sounds like a massive super hit from Beck. The bonus track, "Shadows of Tomorrow," removes all samples and vocals (originally featuring Lord Quas) for a free all improvised instrumental jam fest. Like most remixes, though, it doesn't replace the original source and if you haven't heard Madvillain's Madvillainy then make sure you pick up a copy. You just might want to also grab a copy of the Four Tet Remixes for a nice companion piece.

The Music Lovers playlist for 4/28/05

1. Blue Orchid - White Stripes from Blue Orchid Single 2. Bridge & Tunnel - The Honorary Title from Anything Else But The Truth 3. Former Hero - Heikki from 2 4. Burning Bridge - Shimmer Kids Underpop Association from The Natural Riot 5. Ferocious - The Ponys from Celebration Castle 6. Everything To Gain - Fischerspooner from Odyssey 7. The Latests Toughs - Okkervil River from Black Sheep Boy 8. Oslo Skyline - Jaga Jazzist from What We Must 9. Dirty Lives - Love As Laughter from Laughter's Fifth 10. Skeleton Jar - Youth Group from Skeleton Jar 11. Like A Honeycomb - British Sea Power from Open Season 12. Daughters of the Soho Riots - The National from Alligator 13. Smile Around The Face - Four Tet from Everything Ecstatic 14. Jolly Jolly Jolly Ego - The Dirty Projectors from The Getty Address 15. Hey Mr. Beifuss - Scandaliz Vandalistz from Rodent Fixation 16. Venice - The Books from Lost and Safe 17. This Year - The Mountain Goats from The Sunset Tree 18. Yeti - Caribou from The Milk Of Human Kindness 19. Superman - Mahi Mahi from (Re)Move Your Body 20. Milton Road (My Skull With Flowers Remix) - Mice Parade from Nights Wave EP 21. I Can't Help You Anymore - Aimee Mann from The Forgotten Arm 22. Fleets - Cartel from Safety In Numbers EP 23. The Past - Vitalic from OK Cowboy 24. Easy Beat - Dr. Dog from Easy Beat 25. I Feel Like The Mother Of The World - Smog from A River Ain't Too Much To Love 26. These Seven Notes - The Russian Futurists from Our Thickness 27. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens from Illinois

Hi Fidelity Playlist on 4/25/05 (The Lovers Sub!)

1. Mass Romantic - New Pornographers from Mass Romantic 2. Daytona Beach - Half Japanese from Greatest Hits 3. Yo Yo Yo (Please Don't Fall In Love - Plus/Minus from Self-Titled 4. Bleu - For Stars from Windows For Stars 5. New Confessions - The Tyde from Once 6. Monk Time - The Monks from Black Monk Time 7. Shiver In The Timbers - David Grubbs from The Spectrum Between 8. Joesphine - Portastatic from Naked Pilseners 7" 9. Smile: No One Cares How You Feel - The Gothic Archies from Merge Presents Survive and Advance Vol. 10. Hey Blue Sky - Honeybunch from Time Trials: 1987-1995 11. Mr. Brewer (Crackle, Crackle) - Summer Hymns from Voice Brother & Sister 12. Great Expectations - The New Year from Newness Ends 13. I Went to the Hospital - Cass McCombs from A 14. Love For Sale - Elvis Costello from Trust 15. Awake - Smoke from Heaven On A Popsicle Stick 16. Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl - Broken Social Scene from You Forgot It In People 17. (David Bowie I Love You) Since I was Six - The Brian Jonestown Massacre from Take It From the Man! 18. Hit the Ground Running - Smog from Knock Knock 19. The Town Where I'm Livin' Now - Grandaddy from I'm On Standby Single 20. Beautiful Car - M. Ward from Duet for Guitars #2 21. Fractions and Feelings - Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks from Pig Lib Bonus EP 22. Long Long Gone - Silver Jews from Tennessee Single 23. Meeting in the Asile - Radiohead from Airbag/How Am I Driving EP 24. Rushes of Pure Spring - Ladybug Transistor from Live at Emmabodafestivalen 99 25. In Heaven - The Pixies from Peel Sessions 7" 26. Prominent Men - The Velvet Underground from Peel Slowly and See 27. Bad Cover Version - Pulp fom We Love Life 28. A Collection of Poems About Water - Of Montreal from The Gay Parade 29. The Shins - Flake Music from When You Land Here, It's Time To Return 30. Like A Monkey In A Zoo - Daniel Johnston from The Early Recordings Volume 1: Songs of Pain 31. We're the Replacements - They Might Be Giants from Dial-A-Song 32. Things Get Better - Velvet Crush from Free Expression

FYI - The Lovers Subbing for High Fidelity

I will be subbing for Doug this Monday (4/25) from 2 - 4pm on High Fidelity. Instead of playing new releases like those usually heard on The Music Lovers, I have decided to pull out some of my older CD's (well, mostly from the 90's). Expect to hear some "harder to find" tunes from The Pixies, Radiohead, Silver Jews, Grandaddy (one of their best!), M. Ward, Portastatic, Magnetic Fields, Ladybug Transistor, Future Bible Heroes, and The Velvet Underground.