. A versus by Ernessa T. Carter and Kyle T. Wilson After a 2-week hiatus, we’re back like a heart attack — but hopefully without the dire consequences — with another song exchange. First check out the two songs that we can’t stop listening to: Ladyhawke – Magic: of Montreal – For Our Elegant Caste: Now for KTW’s Take: Ernessa wanted to get back to work this week, and asked me to pick a song I can’t stop listening to.  What I cannot stop listening to is of Montreal’s latest, Skeletal Lamping, although it’s hard to narrow down to just one song.  On first listen, I was a little disappointed that it doesn’t really compare to Kevin Barnes’ last album, Hissing Fauna, Are you the Destroyer?  But how could it?  That CD is a masterpiece.  Unlike Hissing Fauna, Skeletal Lamping has a slow burn.  It sounds like a make-out album penned by a pansexual lothario, complete with the requisite falsetto crooning and dirty talk-singing. This brings me to the song I’ve narrowed down as the pick I can’t stop listening to, “For our Elegant Caste,” which has the following as its infectious refrain:  “We can do it softcore if you want / but you should know I take it both ways.”  Now that I’m beyond over Prince, since the author of “Erotic City” apparently thinks he can moralize about the fall of Sodom without sounding completely ridiculous, I nominate Kevin Barnes to take his place.  Thank you. Ernessa picked “Magic,” a song by a band called Ladyhawke, which is a nice addition to the pantheon of pop songs named “Magic.”  This number has a kind of dark, 80s synth-pop wall-of-sound quality about it, and the hand-claps will be great on the dance floor.  Still,...

Group out off Denmark, taken under the wing of English producer Mark Ronson. Do we love it or hate it like we decided to hate Amy Winehouse after she hit the crack pipe? Let’s find out. First the music: Then we’ve got something to say about it after the jump: First Kyle’s Take: Something people may not know about me is that I reserve the right to talk serious shit about certain pop stars (say, Kanye West, for example), and then bounce a little to them if someone plays them on the jukebox in a bar.   Call me hypocritical, but I think we can all agree that just about any music has its purpose in the right context.  When I get tripped up is when I try to transplant music that is awesome in one context (like, say, the dance floor), to a setting that is completely inappropriate (my drive to work).  For example, Madonna’s Hard Candy was super fun at Craft Night at Akbar, but when a friend of mine burned me a copy at work, I took it out of the car stereo after about three songs. I mention all this because upon first listening to Asteroids Galaxy Tour, I think B-52s or Dee-Lite.  I taste watery cocktails.  I picture funny hats. I imagine bobbing my head at a happy hour in WeHo while I catch up with friends.  These are wonderful things!  And yet, the more I listen, the more Mette Lindberg’s slightly unhinged caterwaul starts to grate, and the more I think the only bit that really grabs me is the sexy chorus of “Push the Envelope.”  And then I start to think I’m not being fair.  This is party music after all.  What else could it possibly be? So,...

. A versus by Kyle T. Wilson and Ernessa T. Carter First the songs: Then Kyle’s Take: Ernessa decided to shake up our weekly throw-down by suggesting that we exchange songs that we can’t stop listening to. She picked Kanye West’s “Love Lockdown,” so I thought I’d stick with the hip-hop theme and pick “My Story” by Jean Grae. I discovered Grae thanks to a review of her new CD, Jeanius, on NPR.  Just let that sink in for a minute.  How fierce and nerdy is that? Jean’s been around a while, although there were rumors earlier this year that she’d quit recording altogether.  I’m glad she didn’t, but if “My Story” is an indication of how confessional she is as a songwriter, I can understand why she might need to take a break.  The middle verse of the song takes place in an abortion clinic.  It’s so intense she ends it by admitting “I can’t finish this.”  Most rappers wish they were this tough. As for “Love Lockdown,” it makes sense that ETC would be into this song; I recently read an item where New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica called it “the biggest TV on the Radio song of 2008.”  I get his point, although I’d listen to TVOTR singing “Feelings” before this mess. I should’ve warned ETC of my ever-growing disdain for Kanye and everything he stands for.  Actually, I’m not sure what he stands for exactly, except for this avant-pop poseur bullshit he’s dishing lately.  He didn’t always do this, did he?  Honestly Kanye, congrats for discovering Takashi Murakami and all, but please just give me some mediocre attempt at straightforward hip-hop and stick to sampling songs better than you can actually write instead of your bad vocals, boring...

. A versus by Ernessa T. Carter and Kyle T. Wilson First the setup: Neither of us were super-excited about any one album or EP, this week, so we decided to review Ernessa’s Top 5 Download List. Then the songs: And now our opinions on all of the above after the jump: ETC’s Take: An exact transcript of the email I got from Kyle after the big announcment: “Okay, since you’re pregnant, are we still doing a column this week?” So obviously Kyle done bumped his head. Of course we’re still doing a versus this week. Got to start teaching the dot in my womb about good music sooner than later. And to that end, I decided to choose 5 great songs that I downloaded on Tuesday as opposed to our usual EP or album: First up, “The Chain (Live at the Webster)” by Ingrid Michaelson. I’m mad at singer-songwriter-self-starter for getting rid of her glasses for the cover pic for her latest album, Be OK. Four-eyes represent! But she kind of makes up for it with “The Chain,” which reminds me of lying in my college dorm room and listening to The Indigo Girls, and wanting to be desperately in love, before I truly knew what love was. Next up, as many of you know, the only thing I adore more than effed-up love songs is this new wave of Swedish acts (Lykke Li, Robyn, Adam Tensta). So Ane Brun (who was born in Norway, but lives in Sweden now) hit both of my sweet spots with “The Fall.” And the unbelieveably angsty “Lullaby for Grown-Ups” is like a lost cut from the soundtrack to my 20’s. “The Puzzle” didn’t make my Top 5, but it’s worth a listen as well. Her voice...

. A versus by Ernessa T. Carter and Kyle T. Wilson Indie band out Wilmington, Delaware. Do they make more of an impact than the second smallest state in the country? Let’s find out. First the album for your listening convenience: Then Kyle’s Take: There’s a lot of great new music out this week, folks.  One of my favorite noiserock outfits, Deerhoof, has released a new album called Offend Maggie.  And if you know me you know I’m crazy about Antony and the Johnsons; they have a new EP out just in time for an appearance at Disney Hall next Tuesday.  I’m also really curious about Margot and the Nuclear So-and-Sos, who are apparently in a spat with Epic over the cut of their new album, Animal.  It’s so bad that they’ve released their version on their website as Animal and are calling Epic’s version Not Animal.  If I were feeling remotely ambitious, I would’ve suggested we go all out with Margot and do a compare-and-contrast of their two albums.  Unfortunately my trolling-for-music started late last night, thanks to some phone-banking that ETC and I did to squash Proposition 8’s ever-lovin guts out.  As a result I’ve settled on The Spinto Band’s new release, Moonwink, and I’m glad because I’ve been bouncing around to it all day. I discovered while doing some Googling about the band that they toured in 2006 with Art Brut and We Are Scientists.  When I read this it made a certain sense, as upon first listen I wondered if they didn’t have the same kind of fun yet disposable qualities that Art Brut and We Are Scientists have for me.  I bought both of those CDs, but I have no idea where they are now.  Maybe I sold them...

/ A versus by Ernessa T. Carter and Kyle T. Wilson Okay, they’ve popular enough abroad, but can Australian brother-sister act Angus and Julia Stone win over our American indie hearts? Time to find out. First, the EP: Then ETC’s Take: So Kyle claimed to be too tuckered out by his sister and nephew visiting last weekend to pick this week’s KTW vs. ETC track on Tuesday. I’d like to meet this nephew. He sounds like a handful, or maybe he’s just a kid, and we’ve grown unused to that particular breed of person here in L.A. But the main point is that I chose the Just a Boy EP from Angus and Julia Stone, because it seemed exactly like the kind of plaintive mumbly indie that Kyle would like. I’m actually not a fan of their title track as it’s a little too coffeehouse and — deadly sin alert — it employs a harmonica. But the EP gets rather lovely after that. “Little Bird” makes me feel like it’s Sunday, even though it’s Thursday. Brother and sister switch off on lead vocals for “All of Me,” with Julia declaring her undying love, and in a nice little twist, her tone is rather sad and heartbreaking. Then boo! — the harmonica comes back for “Stranger,” but other than that, it’s a perfectly enjoyable song. “Another Day” feels like it belongs on an entirely different album with it’s jaunty circus piano, but I think it’s one of the best tracks on the EP. And “What You Wanted” is lyrically impressive, if a little musically boring. All in all, I don’t think that they’ll make a huge splash in The States indie scene. But they have a ton of potential, and I will seek them out...

. A versus by Ernessa T. Carter and Kyle T. Wilson Does one of Ernessa’s favorite books + one of Kyle’s favorite TV dads = one of the great soundtracks? Let’s find out. First here’s at least one song, we can both agree we like, “Navy Nurse” by The Fiery Furnaces: Then here’s Kyle’s Take A soundtrack, Ernessa?  Really?  Hold on a second while I pick my head up off the desk and splash some cold water on my face. Okay, it seems to me that soundtracks are most successful when they’re either trendsetting or unexpected.  We love it when Tarantino pulls some obscure but perfect song out of someone’s back catalog and slaps it up onscreen.  Or when Cameron Crowe reminds us of “Tiny Dancer,” or…. Sorry, I can’t stop yawning.  What was I saying again? Oh right…anyway, for all I know, the soundtrack to Choke works beautifully in the context of the film.  I haven’t seen the movie yet, although I may go just to support its director, Clark Gregg, who happens to be my favorite TV dad in his role on The New Adventures of Old Christine.  One listen to his soundtrack doesn’t have me making plans for opening night, though, as it mostly comes off like a perfunctory smattering of buzz bands from the last three to five years.  Shout Out Louds, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, (my beloved) Fiery Furnaces, My Morning Jacket, Death Cab for Cutie…they’re all on here.  I have no beef with any of these songs necessarily; I’m just not inspired by the collection. Luckily there are a few highlights.  Its always fun to hear Greg Dulli, even if his Twilight Singers (“There’s Been an Accident”) only makes me nostalgic for The Afghan Whigs, and a...