JayeL Audio

Maybe it was the effect of last weekends crazy Girl Talk show in Atlanta, there has been quite the demand for running/party mash-ups lately on this blog. Here are a few I’m listening to lately:

Press Play Dee Jays – Beg, Borrow & Steal Mixtape
These fellas made their way onto my playlists waaaay back last year on my 4th of July mixtapes with their stellar pairing of The Knife’s “Heartbeat” with Drake’s “Forever”. They finally got around to make a mixtape that features all the usual suspects, but also DMX, Asher Roth, Oasis and an expert mixing of Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady” with Daft Punk’s “Robot Rock”. Aside from the Lil Jon/Darude mash-up, I’m all in favor of this mix. Beg, Steal & Borrow Mixtape by Press Play Dee Jays

Milkman – Algorithms (.zip)
Not gonna lie, I’ve been pretty much avoiding Milkman despite the peer pressure of others. I’m glad I finally gave in. He starts thing off on a great note with a mash-up of Twista’s “Overnight Celebrity” and Cee-Lo’s “F You” and Algorithms just gets better from there with everyone from R. Kelly to Usher to Gaga and more. And Milkman even puts his own spin on things by not just making mash-ups, but remixing things along the way. Take note of the breakdown at the beginning of “Another One”. This is also definitely the first time I’ve heard The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Come On” since my days driving the Beretta with the No Limit tank on the back (yea, I said it).
Milkman – Sky High (.mp3)

The Hood Internet - Wacka Flocka Flame vs The Hood Internet
You know them from, well being my favorite remixers aside from Gregg Gillis. Here the Hood Internet take on Wacka Flocka Flame’s hood ass catalog and give it the indie treatment. My favorite is “No Hands vs Crystal Castles”. Waka Flocka Flame x The Hood Internet by hoodinternet

DJ Jordan V – Ybar Anniversary CD (.zip)
Currently one of the best DJ’s in Chi-town, DJ Jordan V dropped a mix in November that I’ve been listening to quite often. I’m biased since hes from my hometown, but its damn good. That Jay-Z blend of “Public Service Announcement” with Saigon’s “Come On Baby” into Luda’s “My Chick Bad” and M.O.P’s “Ante Up”, is as seamless and head nodding is masterful. The next hour of the mix is even more party-friendly (and eclectic, yea I heard that Nirvana) and worth multiple spins.

Readers, your input is needed below. Get after it in the comments.

In case you didn’t give Kyle Lucas’ Its Always Sunny In Marietta mixtape a proper listen last year, now is the time to do it. Kyle recently unleashed a remix of “So High” featuring underground favorites GLC and Slimm Calhoun. Today he dropped off the 1st in a series of music videos with songs from the tape. “The Funeral Freestyle” not only shows off Kyle’s flexible flow, but also his fanhood for grimy hip-hop beats (in this case The Clipse banger from Til The Casket Drops).

Kyle Lucas – So High remix ft GLC & Slimm Calhoun
Kyle Lucas – Its Always Sunny In Marietta mixtape

I don’t take a ton of stock in Billboard sales these days, since I assume no one besides me (and a few others) actually buy albums. However, its still pretty great to see some of your favorite bands score #1 in sales for the week. The Decemberists were the latest indie heroes to hit the top with their stab at country rock, The King Is Dead. While Vampire Weekend and Arcade Fire each reach the same feat last year, The Decemberists certainly had less help from TV ad placements, blog buzz, magazine reviews, etc. Some could argue that all three albums were on sale on Amazon for $3.99 on their 1st weeks so sales are skewed, but thats just how the music biz is in 2011. Best Buy was having major sales on albums when Britney, N’Sync, etc all had huge sales back in the late ’90s/early ’00s.
So bravo to The Decemberists on a much deserved victory. Hopefully, they don’t see the gigantic dip in week 2, but unless your Eminem, good luck. Be sure to pick up The Decemberists – The King Is Dead, it is well worth the purchase. Colin Meloy’s story telling and charming voice is highly effective even with the country rock tip. The album stands up surprisingly well against more twang-centric acts like Drive By Truckers and Neko Case (which I both adore).

So did you by The Decemberists latest? If so, was it due to the cheap price on Amazon, the band’s free NPR concert or pure fandom? Talk about it below.

I can dream big, I can dream fast
Hopefully, you’ve already been listening to Hoodie Allen’s Pep Rally mixtape. Not one to take a break, Hoodie Allen returns with a new single off his next mixtape, Leap Year. “Dreams Up” is definitely in the vein of his past work with a stuttering indie pop sample (this time Oh Land’s “White Nights”), but Hoodie increases focus on motivational lyricism. The catchy hook will reel you in on the second chorus.
Hoodie Allen – Dreams Up (free .mp3)
What do you think of the new Hoodie Allen?

Well this is great news on a Monday. Aussie dance outfit Cut Copy will be landing in the U.S. just in time for Spring. The Atlanta tour date will be at The Masquerade on Monday, March 28th and are on sale now here (or via Ticketmaster this Friday, 1/21). Be sure to pick up Cut Copy – Zonoscope on 2/8.
Cut Copy vs Deadmau5 – Ghosts On Fire (BetatraXx Remix)
CUT COPY – Take Me Over (Mylo remix) by label Barclay
03-26 Miami, FL – Ultra Music Festival
03-28 Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
03-29 Washington DC – 9:30 Club
03-31 Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero
04-02 New York, NY – Terminal 5
04-04 Boston, MA – House of Blues
04-05 Montreal, Quebec – Club Soda
04-07 Toronto, Ontario – Sound Academy
04-08 Chicago, IL – Riviera
04-09 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
04-12 Seattle, WA – Showbox Sodo
04-16 San Francisco, CA – The Grand Ballroom at Regency
04-20 Dallas, TX – Granada Theater
04-22 Austin, TX – Stubbs BBQ
04-23 New Orleans, LA – Republic
Already purchased my ticket to the ATL show. I suggest you do the same in your respective cities…

The Grammy nominations have pretty much been a joke with old, stuffy label heads voting in categories they have no business choosing. I’m pretty sure I remember Will Smith beating Hova for a Best Rap Album Grammy once. Anyways, the past few years the voters have got much better. Here Grammy Winner and voter Stephen Colbert (yea, weird, I know) offers up a pretty hilarious sketch on his choices for Best Alternative Album and the whole notion of indie bands “selling out”.

via Pitchfork

So Atlanta got some snow this week…. (photo via David K. Smith)
One last item from 2010 to go, a mixtape of the best tracks from November/December. This round features a few covers from some of my favorite artists in 2010: Band of Horses, Vampire Weekend and Ellie Goulding (“Georgia”, “Fight For This Love”, “Only Girl (In The World)”) and a Hood Internet mash-up that I’ve already mentioned and admitted I’m addicted to (“Just Wanna Dance Yrself Clean”). Cold War Kids, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Lykke Li and The Black Keys are pretty much mixtape regulars at this point. Elsewhere, Tanlines bring twinkling tropical pop (“O Seizing the Day O”), Tennis continue to build buzz with yacht pop (literally) and Daft Punk add a song I wish were 5 minutes longer. R.E.M. even made this edition, which I never thought I would say. Alex Clare has my favorite track of the month though with Diplo & Switch that is sort of brit pop/dancehall combo I can’t get out of my head.
FYI, if you are burning tracks to CD the old fashioned way, this mixtape is 1.4 hours.
JayeL Audio 1-11-11 DOWNLOAD (.rar)
1. Band of Horses – Georgia (Cee Lo Green cover)
2. Jessica Lea Mayfield – Our Hearts Are Wrong
3. Cut Copy – Take Me Over
4. Alex Clare – Up All Night ft Gilbere Forte
5. The Hood Internet – Just Wanna Dance Yrself Clean (Jay-Z vs LCD Soundsystem)
6. Tanlines – O Seizing The Day O ft Luke Jenner
7. Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers
8. Kid Sister – Kiss Kiss Kiss
9. Tennis – Take Me Somewhere
10. The Radio Dept – Never Follow Suit
11. Young Galaxy – Cover Your Tracks
12. The Decemberists – Down By The Water
13. The Ting Tings – Hands
14. The Babies – Run Me Over
15. Bag Raiders – Sunlight ft Dan Black
16. Vampire Weekend – Fight For This Love (Cheryl Cole Cover)
17. Ellie Goulding – Only Girl (In The World) (Rihanna Cover)
18. Iron & Wine – Walking Far From Home
19. Cold War Kids – Louder Than Ever
20. Daft Punk – Derezzed
21. Chromeo – Hot Mess ft La Roux
22. Kyle Andrews – Bombs Away
23. R.E.M. – It Happened Today
24. The Black Keys – Ohio

Have a favorite track from the latest mix? Let me know in the comments.
UPDATE: Apparently, all this 2010 talk made me name the mixtape 1-11-10 in iTunes. If you are overly organized like me, you’ll probably want to just rename it within iTunes.

You’ve heard the 1st single from Jay-Z & Kanye West’s release, Watch the Throne, right? The bars Mr. Carter and Mr. West drop mixed with that production goes…well, I’ll let the chorus tell you. I’ll buy into the Lex Luger hype now. Get Jay-Z & Kanye West Watch the Throne on March 1st. Kanye West & Jay-Z – H.A.M. by ListenBeforeYouBuy
Via Listen Before You Buy. Tell me Frank did you stay up til midnight for the release of the song??

This site may be all about spreading word of good music, which is mostly free, but I’m doing my part in buying new music. Hopefully, you bought at least one album this year. Thanks to Amazon Daily Deals (30 times), gift cards and a generous Christmas/bday, below are the albums/EPs/singles I purchased in 2010.

mp3 Albums (*via Amazon’s Daily mp3 Deal)
Aziz Ansari – Intimate Moments For A Sensual Evening*
Spoon – Transference*
Matt & Kim – Grand*
Frank Sinatra – Nothing But The Best*
The Antlers – Hospice*
The Temper Trap – Conditions*
She & Hom – Volume Two*
Vonnegutt – The Appetizer EP
The Black Keys – Brothers*
The Whigs – In The Dark*
Drive By Truckers – The Big To Do*
We Have Band – WHB*
Rogue Wave – Permalight*
Tom Petty – Live EP*
Deer Tick – The Black Dirt Sessions*
The National – Alligator*
Mates of State – Crushes*
Deadmau 5 – For Lack Of A Better Name*
The xx – The xx*
Shout Out Louds – Work*
Local Natives – Gorilla Manor*
Neko Case – Live from Austin*
Band of Horses – Infinite Arms*
Chromeo – Business Casual*
Lord Huron EP
Ray Lamontagne & the Pariah Dogs – The Creek Don’t Rise*
The Morning Benders – Big Echo*
Ra Ra Riot – The Orchard*
The National – High Violet
Nas & Damian Marley – Distant Relatives*
Jenny & Johnny – I’m Having Fun Now*
Robyn – Body Talk*
Tim McGraw – Number 1 Hits*
Eyes Lips Eyes – Blue Red EP

Compact Discs
Janelle Monae – The Archandroid
Janelle Monae – Metropolis EP
B.o.B. – The Adventures of Bobby Ray
Eminem – Recovery
Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Legend of Chico Dusty
Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
The Cold Wave – The Cold Wave
Mike Posner – 31 Minutes to Takeoff
Matt & Kim – Sidewalks
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kid Cudi – Man On The Moon II: The Legend of Mr Rager

Vinyl
Vampire Weekend – Contra LP
Lord Huron – Into the Wild 45″ single
Lettercamp – Raccoon Panda LP
Beatles – Abbey Road LP
Eagles – Greatest Hits LP
Talking Heads – More Songs About Buildings and Food LP
Journey – Escape LP
The Roots – How I Got Over LP

MP3 Singles
Jay Electronica – Exhibit C
Kingdom – Mind Reader
Ozomatli – Its Only Paper
Kings of Leon – Radiactive
Matt & Kim – Cameras
Kanye West – Runaway
The Wombats – Tokyo & Wolves

DJ Tameil – Bedrock Groove by Ghettophiles
Nothing like some B-more house on a Monday. God, I miss “The Wire”. (Thanks Fader)