Video: Twin Shadow “Run My Heart” (Yours Truly Session)
I will reluctantly admit that I was slow on the uptake when it came to Twin Shadow‘s sophomore LP, Confess. For whatever reason, my ears tend to avoid sounds with such overt references to 1980s pop music. I have always had trouble finding the humanity beneath the often plastic dance beats and synth-driven overlays that dominated popular music during the latter half of that decade. This disdain could stem from my lack of any discernible posterior that prevents my wearing skinny jeans, my inability to dance or an intolerance for uppers of all varieties. That isn’t to say I won’t rock the fuck out to Rick James, provided a few cocktails and a reason to celebrate. But by and large, I find the music to mirror the gaudiness of the time – overstated and manufactured.
Despite all of this, Confess has steadily earned my affection in 2012. Yesterday, the outstanding San Francisco-based video blog Yours Truly debuted their session with Twin Shadow’s George Lewis Jr. “Run My Heart” proves one of my favorite tracks of the album, reminiscent of Police-era Sting or some of Prince’s more restrained work. Yours Truly presents a stripped down, bass-driven version of the song. It’s always a testament to the songwriting when a track translates in any setting. This is certainly the case with “Run My Heart,” which only grows more disarming in the intimate setting of Lewis’ Los Angeles backyard. Check out the video below, that begins with Lewis working on the most rock n’ roll of all vehicles, his Triumph Bonneville. Although he may need to trade it in for a Honda Shadow, just for consistency’s sake.
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Written by Rob Peoni
Fresh Track: Moon Boots “Got Somebody”
As I entered Lincoln Hall to grab my last few beers during the last aftershow of Pitchfork Music Festival, I heard this song for the first time. The speakers in the venue were blasting a track that sent people were dancing. I could not believe the energy that this track brought to a collection of individuals that were most likely dehydrated, drunk, and sore. We were all mesmerized and this track offered one last mask to wear before stepping into the drastic reality of Monday morning. When I leaned over to fellow Thought on Tracks contributor, Greg to see if he wanted to grab a beer he said, “Just wait a second, I am feeling this one.” I knew that we were both sharing a moment with a strange musician and I was enjoying every last second of it.
Thanks to the brilliant iPhone app, Shazam I was able to identify Moon Boots and store this memory. I have come to learn that Moon Boots is Akiiki Balondemu and he is a disco producer from Uganda. “Got Somebody” is a delightful, disco jam that promotes rejuvenation from the summer sun. Music from a far away land that met me at a strange time…first impressions are everything.
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Written by Brett McGrath
Thought on Tracks 
Album Preview: Cult Favorite (A.M. Breakups & Elucid)
New York producer A.M. Breakups and his Reservoir Sound record label reside on the cutting edge of the region’s progressive hip hop groundswell. The collective’s talent has been apparent for a while now but they’ve lacked a definitive project to this point. That is all set to change with the release of A.M.’s joint effort with New York MC Elucid. Going by Cult Favorite, A.M. and Elucid are one of those producer/rapper combos that seem like they were made for each other. Elucid has built a buzz through a series of projects featuring his gruff, intelligent style over abrasive, glitchy production. I’ve always been a fan of his straightforward delivery, but some of the busier electronic beats on his releases made it hard for his vocals to make the proper impact.
When I heard A.M. Breakups would be lending his ever-evolving sound to a full length project with Elucid and listened to a couple songs they created for Backwoodz Studioz’ Cost of Living compilation, I got excited. After hearing their album preview mix The Kingdom a few months later, their debut LP immediately became one of my most anticipated releases of 2012. A.M. Breakups’ beats aren’t a 180 from the type of beats Elucid rocked on in the past, but Breakups attention to detail assures that Elucid’s verses don’t get lost in his atmospheric soundscapes. Both artists seem to strive for a post-apocalyptic edge to their sound. All of the songs found on The Kingdom not only achieve that edge, but are so impressive it’s a wonder they didn’t make the full length album.
A.M. Breakups’ production is particularly impressive on The Kingdom, maybe his best batch of beats yet. He constantly has me asking where he gets the various sounds he utilizes on every beat, but on these tracks he takes it a step further by truly building his effects around Elucid’s serpentine verses. Every beat has a solid, rhythmic base, but Breakups lifelike samples levitate around Elucid’s vocals, giving the music a three dimensional feel. The opening track “Heavy Metal (Version)” has the type of grinding beat I couldn’t see anyone but Breakups making, accentuated by his alternating swirls and jingles that create a strong visual beneath Elucid’s metaphorical musings- “I’m lost but still on course, fuck the anchor”.
Elucid’s content-rich flow is as assured and versatile as it’s ever been, and it’s obviously the focus of the music here. His sharp, rhythmic criticisms combined with Breakups’ spacey beats almost make him sound like a repulsed alien who’s been observing injustices from afar and compiling an audio journal. Elucid has a way of making every song sound like an opus with his cryptic, probing verses. He doesn’t wow you with an astounding vocabulary or delivery, but he’s found a way to use his unique voice and creative perspective/thought-process to his advantage. Clear cut song meanings can be tough to pin down, but each line is carefully crafted and contains its own (usually subversive) context. Check out the 20 minute, 8 track (one mp3) mix The Kingdom below and gear up for the full length Cult Favorite LP, due later this fall on Reservoir Sound.
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Written by John Bugbee