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“I wrote Running Away from a “what if…” stand point. I was 17 when this song was written and anyone who knew me at that time knew that I was going through something terrible. It was one of the hardest times in my life, and this song breathed new life into where I am today. ” – Mekenzie Zimmerman
Running Away by Mekenzie Zimmerman
“All the best Christmas songs were written by Jews, and Chanukah songs suck. This is my favorite Christmas tune, sung over the Vince Guaraldi instrumental.” – Mayer Hawthorne
Christmas Time Is Here by Mayer Hawthorne
Before starlets Florence Welch and Marina & the Diamonds there was a vocalist more powerful and yet such a delicacy and treasure to stumble upon. Most remember Paula Cole from the damn track that opened each episode of Dawson’s Creek. Let us collectively erase that from our mind and start anew. This Fire, Cole’s 1996 album is one of the powerful records to date. If you’re unfamilair listen to Mississippi here. Cole’s fifth studio album, Ithaca, is scheduled to be released September 21. It is a true return to form for Cole, in which she has written all the songs on the album and co-produced them all as well. Cole says it “represents that inner fortitude and the journey I’ve been on.”
MP3: Come On Inside by Paula Cole
As it’s a bit drizzly today in Venice, so I thought that I might cheer things up with a download from Nottingham’s Dog Is Dead. It has an essence of Queen‘s Bohemian Rhapsody but with a softness only an eccentric meeting of minds between skate kids and aspiring thespians could have. Meeting at school, the five have mapped out a unique sound that blends their acknowledged love of the likes of Paul Simon and Cap ‘N’ Jazz with the more contemporary sounds of Mystery Jets and Fleet Foxes amongst other. Possibly the best (if not the only) accurate description of their sound to date comes from band leader and bass player Rob Milton who styles Dog Is Dead as ‘uplifting pop for jazz junkies and choir folk’.
MP3: A Motel by Dog Is Dead
Wonder wrote the song as a tribute to Duke Ellington, a jazz pianist who had an influence on him as a musician. Wonder had already seen two of his idols (Dinah Washington and Wes Montgomery) pass away after attempting to collaborate with them. After Ellington died in 1974, Wonder wanted to write a song acknowledging musicians he felt were important. He later said, “I knew the title from the beginning but wanted it to be about the musicians who did something for us. So soon they are forgotten. I wanted to show my appreciation.”
MP3: Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder
MP3: Sir Duke (Dirty Monkeez Remix) by Stevie Wonder
MP3: Sir Duke (A-Trak Bmore Remix) by Stevie Wonder
Kick Kick Snare will be sending out a monthly newsletter and you should totally sign up. You may be asking yourself, “Why would I want to sign up?” Because that’s where we’ll wrap up the month with exclusive tracks, music rants and predictions for the month to come. We will praise many, perhaps talk dirty about a few, but mostly keep you informed on the coolest shit out there in our music world. One email. Once a month. Can you handle it? Sign up in the sidebar to the right, under our facebook widget (“Like!”).
MP3: World News by Local Natives
MP3: World News (Teen Daze Remix) by Local Natives
MP3: World News (Ogvidius Remix) by Local Natives
The vocal & instrumental of I Need You are both on the same side of Mayer Hawthorne‘s new 12″ single. The flip side contains an etching by Miami illustrator Freegums, who Mayer hooked up with a couple months back for the Mayer Hawthorne x Huf T-shirt & song collaboration for I Left My Heart in San Francisco. The record is packaged in plastic with a 12×12 insert.
Mayer Hawthorne explains the story behind this record:
“I met Nottz at Nightlife’s Dilla Tribute in L.A. and we just kept in contact. I had always been a fan of Nottz since the 90s. He sent me a bunch of beats and at first I had no idea what to do with any of them, but eventually it hit me. I sang a hook for him on his album as well.
The song is a cover of a cat named Otis Leavill which is one of my all time fav soul sides, but relatively unknown 45. I don’t think Nottz even knew it. I actually even made up some of the words because no one could make out what he said in the original. ha! When Nottz sent me that batch – that particular beat stood out. It had the same chord progression as the Otis Leville, so I just went with it.”
MP3: I Need You by Mayer Hawthorne
