
Song To Get You Through The Goddamn Day #126:
Blood Orange: “Forget It (Class Actress Remix)”
Class Actress’ Elizabeth Harper puts in some time behind the laptop for a graceful reworking of the lead track from Blood Orange’s album, Coastal Grooves. Stripping away the urgent guitar tone and raised heart-rate beats of the original and replacing them with synths and a slippery bass line, Harper manages to lend “Forget It” a much more sensuous and seductive tone that leaves you pondering the mystery of why these two artists don’t collaborate more often.
“I am not your savior, baby girl.”
[“Forget It” can be found in it’s original form on Coastal Grooves from Domino]

Song To Get You Through The Goddamn Day #125:
Twin Shadow: “Five Seconds”
Of course I was going to post this song at some point today. Forget wasn’t just the best record of 2010, it’s one of the finest collections of songs that’s been arranged in the past twenty years. Yeah, I’m going there. George Lewis, Jr. is a national treasure.
“I don’t believe in you. You don’t believe in me. So, how could you make me cry?”
[Confess drops July 10, 2012 on 4AD]

Song To Get You Through The Goddamn Day #124:
Fear Of Men: “Green Sea”
Mondays are not charming at all. The new single from London/Brighton-based Fear Of Men goes well past charming and into the realm of bewitching and will leave you…umm…twitterpated? Fix your Monday.
“Some days I need way more than I’ve got.”
[The Green Sea 7” single drops June 18, 2012 on Sexbeat]

Song To Get You Through The Goddamn Day #123:
A$AP Rocky: “Goldie”
As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve been a bit behind getting everything posted on here that I’ve been meaning to. I’ve also been living with the hook to A$AP Rocky’s “Goldie” rattling around my head for the past two weeks and have been unable to find the right set of words to explain to anyone why it’s such a compelling track to me. Actually, I don’t even want to explain it all that badly anymore. I just want you to listen.
[LongLiveA$AP drops July 4, 2012 on A$AP Worldwide]

Song To Get You Through The Goddamn Day #122:
Major Lazer & Amber Coffman: “Get Free”
After an extended, four-day weekend full of frivolity, mirth and mayhem, “Get Free” was a very welcome introduction to the beginning of another week that will prove to be an interesting here at the Company Pants factory. It’s always such a distinct pleasure to hear the vocals of one Amber Coffman. In all seriousness, this lady could sing over the whirr and moan of your dishwasher and it would sound compelling.
[The Get Free single can be downloaded here. Major Lazer’s second full-length will drop sometime in 2012]

Song To Get You Through The Goddamn Day #121:
Deep Time: “Clouds”
The artists formerly known to the world as Yellow Fever have returned with a brand new handle along with the first single from their upcoming release with Company Pants’ favorite heartthrobs, Hardly Art.
Folks, let me caution you: this one has hooks on top of hooks. You’ve been warned.
“It’s alright, it’s alright if you’ve had it all. It’s alright, it’s alright if you’ve had enough.”
[Deep Time drops July 10, 2012 on Hardly Art]

Song To Get You Through The Goddamn Day #120:
Here We Go Magic: “Alone But Moving”
Since his first solo release on Seattle’s own Mill Pond Records, Luke Temple has blossomed into one of my very favorite songwriters working today. A Different Ship ushers in an entirely different beast than we previously heard on the first two releases under the Here We Go Magic moniker. Where the debut self-titled record and Pigeons clung to the outer edges of restraint, this Nigel Godrich helmed record reads as an exercise in staunch minimalism. But as brilliant and, I dare say, as magical (ugh) the bombastic nature of Here We Go Magic’s former work has proven to be, the stripped to the bone clarity of A Different Ship introduces us to a group of musicians that have found a true sense of calm in working with one another without abandoning any of the thrill that their music inspires.
“She’s the only witness, a cry from up above. It’s a movement of labor. It’s a labor of love.”
[A Different Ship drops May 8, 2012 on Secretly Canadian]

Song To Get You Through The Goddamn Day #119:
jj: “Beautiful Life”
At this point, I’d be a lot more surprised if jj released a song that I didn’t adore.
“Let me tell you what I wanna, champagne and marijuana.”
[The jj nº 4 7” single drops May 8, 2012 on Secretly Canadian]

Song To Get You Through The Goddamn Day #118:
Nomadic Firs: “Cover Bombs”
Pro Tip: When travelling this summer, remember to pack your toothbrush, a change of underwear, a quick-read novel, at least one USB cable, sunscreen, acetaminophen, a towel and “Cover Bombs”.
[The Nomadic Firs drops May 8, 2012 on Crash Symbols]

Song To Get You Through The Goddamn Day #117:
Jaill: “Waste A Lot Of Things”
It’s a strange thing to say, but at times, Sub Pop suffers from having a tremendous wealth of quality new releases and a back catalog rivaled by few other independent labels. I say suffer because while their history and their unparalleled devotion (they are quite literally my very favorite label) have given them the ability to work with already well-established artists (Mogwai, Low, Shearwater) while also giving them equal opportunity to help expose a great deal of lesser “known” artists, it feels, at times, that some of these “unknowns” tend to get a bit lost in the fray.
And here is where Milwaukee’s Jaill enters the picture. Despite releasing one of 2010’s best records, That’s How We Burn, Jaill still doesn’t seem to command the same sort of recognition that Sup Pop stalwarts like Beach House and Fleet Foxes do. To me, this is one of the greater injustices in the world of music. You’d be hard pressed to find a songwriter working today that focuses more attention to infectious melody and smart, well-crafted prose than Jaill’s Vinnie Kircher.
So do the state of Wisconsin two big favors this coming June. First, help them get rid of that ridiculous bastard they call a governor. Once that’s taken care of, celebrate by convincing ten of your very best friends to go out and buy Traps.
“Tell me what you know so far about love being hard. Come to find my arms are iron bars.”
[Traps drops June 12, 2012 on Sub Pop]