Chet Singh: Paper Money

This Canadian artist's 2010 album Recessionary Revolutionary is full of lo-fi, chilled-out dub / reggae songs. The one below is a tad depressing, but what else would you expect from a Recessionary Revolutionary? This album is for sale, but beware: Singh might only accept gold bars as payment!

El Guincho: Bombay

Two years ago El Guincho blew everyone's mind with his album Alegranza, and his 2010 album Pop Negro should do the same. At a time when there are so many interesting artists blending sounds and pushing the boundaries of musical genres El Guincho still manages to stand out. You're unlikely to get lost in the album, but it needs to be on the playlist the next time you throw a party.

Check out his website here.

The Sheepdogs

Hailing from Saskatoon, Canada, this band has a sound that will remind you of the golden age of rock, if that's what you'd call the 70's.

Guem: Le Serpent

Guem is an Algerian percussionist with almost twenty albums to his name. Check out his website here, and in the meantime, tap your toes to this:

Buju Banton

Here's a reggae tune from a Rastafarian artist currently facing drugs charges in U.S. Federal Court. Let's hope that gets ironed out so he can get back to writing great music.

Franco Califano: Tutto il Resto è Noia

Franco Califano is an Italian artist who has been recording since the 1970's. Romanzo Criminale is a 2005 Italian film about the rise and fall of a Roman gang. Put these two together and you have an intriguing presentation.

Below are two videos. The first is Califano's famous song Tutto il Resto e Noia, as it was first recorded. It's a wonderful song: Airy with a little bit of grit, a great representation of 70's Italian pop. The second is a scene from Romanzo Criminale with the same song as the soundtrack and the film takes the music to another level. And because this is a music blog, I'll also say that the scene wouldn't be as captivating without that particular song.

Tussle vs Konono N°1: Soft Crush

Alternative takes on Congotronics is an off-the-wall compilation released this month including acts like Andrew Bird and the Kasai Allstars. Learn more here.

Ryuichi Sakamoto: A Flower is not a Flower

Below is a tremendous live performance by Sakamoto, who won an Academy Award for the music he composed for the 1987 film The Last Emperor. He is a prolific artist. If you like the piece below, you'll find much more out there to explore.

Boris Vian: J'suis Snob

Writer, actor, poet, musician. Boris Vian (1920 - 1959) could do it all. While his anti-war song Le Deserteur is probably his most famous musical effort, I like the cutting humor of the song below.

French Horn Rebellion: This Moment EP

Two brothers from Milwaukee make up French Horn Rebellion, and yes, one of them actually plays the french horn. Below is the title track of their soon-to-be released (literally Monday) EP. Learn more about them here.

The Dig: Sick Sad Morning

The Dig is a band with California-Canada-Brooklyn roots, but a thoroughly NYC rock sound. Their debut album, Electric Toys (2010), is going to please you if you even remotely appreciate that sub-genre. Here's a live version of the album's lead single. Believe it or not, I don't think this band is signed yet.

Jenny and Johnny: Animal

Off their 2010 album I'm Having Fun Now, the song below, Animal, has everything one could want from a pop song including catchy guitar riffs and a chorus that's impossible not to sing along with. Jenny is Jenny Lewis from the band Rilo Kelly, Jonathan Rice is her boyfriend who also played Roy Orbison in the 2005 film about another Johnny, Walk the Line.

People Under the Stairs: Trippin' at the Disco

Underground Los Angeles hip hop, off this duo's 2009 album Carried Away.  These guys are so much more credible than the made-to-order hip hop we hear everywhere else, and the video is awesome.

Soema Montenegro

Soema Montenegro's music might seem a bridge too far for many, but do give her a healthy listen.  Her music is fresh, primordial, and thoroughly captivating.  I could go on, but I think this description of Montenegro's music, by Pablo Bobadilla, sums it up nicely, "her music is like the sunrise: ancient and new every time."

Listen to the bit below and tell me if you agree.

The Generationals: When They Fight, They Fight

Off this New Orleans-based band's 2009 album Con Law, the song below rocks with all the soulful vigor of the Muscle Shoals sound it evokes. Also check out their recent EP, Trust.

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

This Los Angeles-based group has been receiving some well-deserved attention due to a commercial or two and also as the background of that Guy Walks Across America video that went viral a while back. If you haven't heard them, you're going to love their avant-garde style. Their website is here.

Arcade Fire: The Suburbs

I was going to let this one pass because they have been so successful that most people who follow what's going on in music know about this band and their 2010 album The Suburbs, released in August. However, it really is a great effort, and why not post it, right?

Thanks to JR for reminding me of the album and this particular song.

Olenka and the Autumn Lovers

Even though the video isn't the best quality, I think it still captures this group's sound well enough to get you to check out their website to learn more. Olenka Krakus is a Polish singer / songwriter, although she sings in English most of the time and is now based in Canada.

Jose James: Blackmagic

American born London-based musician Jose James has a smooth voice and is creating some smooth sounding jazz. The song below is off his 2010 album Blackmagic.

Henri Salvador

Henri Salvador (1917 - 2008) was known for much of his long career as more of a comedian than a musician, but then he discovered bossa nova, and the result was lots of fabulous music and numerous accolades. Here's one of my Salvador favorites:

Lucienne Delyle: Mon Amant de Saint Jean

Here's a classic:

Jovanotti: Mi Fido Di Te

I was just reminded of this song, which was a big hit in Italy in 2005 and on the album Buon Sangue. Most of his music has a wonderful smoothness to it, and his voice, while clearly limited, does exactly what it needs to within his chosen genre.

KT Tunstall

Off her recent album Tiger Suit, here's a catchy song from this Scottish singer/songwriter. CHeck out her website here.

Rokia Traore: Zen

Here's a wonderful Afro-pop song from Mali, Zen, off the 2008 album Tchamantche.

The Constellations: Felicia

This Atlanta band delivers some solidly danceable tunes. Also check out their tune Setback, here.

Villagers: Becoming a Jackal

You'll love this quirky pop song by the Villagers, an Irish band whose debut album was released earlier this year.

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.

Lead by Englishman Sam Duckworth, this band's self-titled 2010 album has some very addictive songs on it, like the one below, Collapsing Cities.

Pete & the Pirates: Jennifer

Released in February of this year, the single below, Jennifer, is indicative of this English band's solid grasp of carefree, pop-infused-rock. Toe-tapping rhythms, catchy guitar riffs, and great pop harmonies are their modus operandi, and it's great. Their second album is due to be released sometime soon.

Omar LinX

Toronto-based hip hop artist Omar LinX seems to like walking the line between rock and rap, reminiscent of Eminem, Kid Rock, or other similar artists. However, don't immediately write him off if you're not into those folks, he might surprise you.

The Secret Sisters

Hailing from the music mecca Muscle Shoals, Alabama, this duo is creating music filled with beautiful harmonies that sound like something on the radio 60 years ago. They are currently on tour with Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs. Check out their website here.

Black Mountain: Wilderness Heart

Below is the title track off this Canadian band's September 2010 album Wilderness Heart. These guys write heavy hitting psychedelic rock tunes that somehow retain an air of sophistication--this isn't mindless head-banging music. Yes, they remind one of any number of bands from the 60's and 70's, but as this blog has stated here and here when discussing other bands, we don't have to consider that a bad thing, right?

Election Day

It's election day in America, which means that at best, around 54% of eligible American citizens will exercise that most cherished of rights, the right to vote. Now, I know that the song below has nothing to do with American politics, but it kept coming to mind when I was trying to think of a song to post today. I hope you enjoy it.

Hauschka

This German pianist is pushing the limits of what the piano can do by trying things like attaching table tennis balls to the strings and other ideas that can affect the way the instrument produces sound. The result is some beautiful music, like the piece below, off his 2009 album Small Pieces: