ListenUp
From Miley Cyrus to PAPA, our look back at the songs we tweeted this week
Arthur Beatrice: Carter (Uncut)
Deftly playing with focus, Studio Moross’ video for the Arthur Beatrice single “Carter (Cut)” slowly reveals its subjects with such smoothness and sexiness, they feasibly needed to rename it “Carter (Uncut).” The sensual video plays on the emotional and physical depths of intimacy, tenderly zooming in and out on quivering muscles, chest hair and yearning body parts that seem to melt into each other, creating tempestuous scenes that certainly complement—if not rival—Ella Girardot’s purely haunting vocals. Keep an eye out for the London quartet’s EP of the same name in late July 2013.
PAPA: If You’re My Girl, Then I’m Your Man
Former drummer for the now-defunct band Girls, Darren Weiss presently holds the drumsticks and the mic for NYC-born, LA-based rock band PAPA. Expanding from a duo to a four-member live set, PAPA kicked off their summer tour by performing in New York and London this week, and will continue to tour the Pacific Northwest throughout July. Keep your eyes peeled for their debut full-length album, slated to come out later this summer. For now, enjoy their most recent single “If You’re My Girl, Then I’m Your Man,” which is more downtempo and expansive than PAPA’s characteristically punchy sound. Ethereal synth-pads uplift Weiss’ crooning baritone vibrato, and the song culminates in an unexpected hardcore rock jamming section.
Unlocking the Truth
“I don’t like doing the same thing that everyone else is doing—I want to do my own thing.” Malcolm Brickhouse and Jarad Dawkins are serious metal musicians from Flatbush, Brooklyn who know how to rock out. In this video portrait from the Avant/Garde Diaries, they show off their headbanging skills and speak sagely on topics spanning peer bullying to songwriting to dream tours. Based on their instrumental virtuosity and thoughtful contemplations, it’s incredible to consider that these two bandmates are only in the sixth grade. It’s inspiring to see young, raw talent have such confidence in their purpose and embody the spirit of their music. Catch Unlocking the Truth live in Times Square, Tompkins Square Park, Cameo Gallery and other NYC landmarks this summer.
Miley Cyrus: We Can’t Stop
While Miley Cyrus has been making it known she’s a long way away from her days as the kid-friendly character Hannah Montana for some time now, her freshly released video for “We Can’t Stop” makes it clear she is anything but PG and has no intention of, well, stopping. Packed with awkward product placements, media buzzwords and more twerking than a strip club in Rio, the video borders on a carnivalesque nightmare of pop culture that challenges viewers to finish watching—an effort we called “the Miley Cyrus challenge.” Love it or leave it, the song is already topping charts; including that of the New Yorker’s discerning critic, Sasha Frere-Jones.
Daftside: Random Access Memories Memories
Nicolas Jaar and Dave Harrington were so taken by Daft Punk’s latest record, they remixed the entire thing and even changed their project’s name from Darkside to Daftside for the release. The cleverly titled “Random Access Memories Memories” is such a departure from the original release that, at times, it sounds less like a remix and more like its own album entirely. Pieces of the original are sprinkled throughout Jaar’s trademark genre-bending atmospheric production, coupled with Harrington’s original bass and guitar riffs. “Get Lucky” remains a standout, even through the duo’s heavy rework, keeping to the track’s original ’70s vibe while adding a bass-shaking synth section. For fans of Darkside, this is a must. For everyone else—wait, everyone’s kind of a Daft Punk fan, right?
