VIDEO: Hey Ya by Casey Shea, Kyle Ervin & Ryan

Last Tuesday (8/21) Engine Room Recordings threw a launch party for the soon to be released Guilt By Association compilation album (09/04). The party was part of the weekly concert series Cross-Pollination at Pianos in the Lower East Side of NYC. Casey Shea and Kyle Ervin picked the ever loved 'Hey Ya' (Outkast) as their cover of choice and recruited Ryan Vaughn on percussion. Stick around til after the first verse when the girl in front of the camera moves out of the way and crowd tunes in and erupted in a rapture sing-a-long and fascination with Casey's dancemoves and exclamation: "Shake it little bitch".


Video by the amazing Mop

Taxi Taxi @ Cross-Pollination

STREAM Taxi Taxi's full Maps & Legends Album


Hey guys, seriously, look at the birdie. Stop making out.

A little while back Taxi Taxi's album found it's way onto my playlist. It stayed there quite a while, thoroughly enjoyed and all, and it recently made it back into 'Most Spun' category with an eye on their upcoming appearance at Cross-Pollination concert series.

Cross-Pollination @ Pianos
featuring Taxi Taxi + The Monas
Tuesday 8-10PM
158 Ludlow St (by Stanton), NYC
FREE!

Allegedly the band was formed during the New York transit strike of 2005, when a chance meeting in a taxi carpool introduced a group of young musicians to one another. Now that sounds suspiciously like PR talk, but the music is so pleasant that I will not pursue this in any type of detective manner at all. Rocky yet mellow-cholic, distinguished with a creative edge. Lots of variety in this collection of songs. Can't wait to see them live.

Cause & Elijah B. Torn @ Cross-Pollination

DOWNLOAD Cause - More Than Music (MP3)
DOWNLOAD Cause - Click Clack (MP3)
STREAM Elijah B Torn - Several Songs (MySpace)


Cause and Elijah B Torn Cross-Pollinating
Last Tuesday Cross-Pollination featured our first rapper ever. Cause, a 20 year old Bronx native, was paired up with electro artist Elijah B Good. The results were surprising and quite stellar. Even though Cause's energy level wasn't as high due to a flu-ish situation, he still put on an engaging and entertaining show with plenty of food for thought. Elijah looped away and created some crazy and beautiful landscapes. When they came together it was something special, almost a mellow version of a Def Jux song, or a lighter version of one of the moody electro/rap acts from the UK. Much recommended!

Just Jack, No Mannequin

EXCLUSIVE DOWNLOAD Just Jack - No Time (MP3)
DOWNLOAD Cause - More Than Music (MP3)
DOWNLOAD Cause - Click Clack (MP3)


Just Jack
Hmmm the dilemma. Two great shows to attend on Tuesday. If it weren't for the fact that Cross-Pollination runs on every Tuesday at Pianos from 8-10pm (and I co-organize this with with my business partner Jay. And on top of that it weren't for the fact that I'm even more excited than usual for this particular Cross-Pollination, since it features the genre-spanning match up of my current favorite new rapper, Cause, and crazy electro-singer/songwriter Elijah B Torn.

Well then, if it weren't for all of that, then I'd just go to Hiro Ballroom for Just Jack's US debut show (free entrance by dropping a line to rsvp@giantstep.net). Doors are at 8pm, Chicken George opens at 9pm from what I understand, so my solution: first I go to Cross-Pollination and see genres destroyed, then I go to see Just Jack melt them back together again. I'm really digging the song above right now, but check his myspace for a few more songs that sound completely different.

Cross-Pollination: The Mixtape Vol. 1 Released

This week is one I've waited for for quite a while. After many delays, website troubles, and months of gathering a collection of awesome songs, by wonderful musicians Family Records presents to you our second release: Cross-Pollination: The Mixtape Vol. 1



Mixtape Vol. 1 was compiled to celebrate Cross-Pollination, a weekly concert series that brings together some of the most incredibly, and at times, undiscovered raw talent from across the country. Every Tuesday evening at Pianos (158 Ludlow Street, NYC) two artists are invited to play together. Both of them play a solo 40-minute set followed by a 3 song pre-rehearsed collaborative set. To date we've had 136 Cross-Pollinations and we're still going strong! :) Enjoy the music and spread the word! :)

Cross-Pollination: The Mixtape Vol. 1 (FR-002)

DOWNLOAD Full album + Booklet (zipfile) HERE or HERE.
DOWNLOAD PDF Booklet Only HERE.
DOWNLOAD individual tracks below:

01. My Brightest Diamond Hi, Remember Me?
02. Kevin Devine You'll Only End Up Joining Them (Acoustic)
03. Wakey!Wakey! Falling Apart
04. The Undisputed Heavyweights Roll Your Windows Down
05. The Bloodsugars Purpose Was Again
06. Matt Singer Stacy J.
07. Derek James Love Me, Love Me
08. Cloud Cult Pretty Eyes
09. Casey Shea Quinzy Housing
10. Jeffrey Lewis Tell It To Your Heart (Loud Reed Cover)
11. The Lloyds Halfway
12. Jay Mankind Western States (Demo)
13. Ian Thomas SBB
14. Dave Deporis Be Strong

For more information on Cross-Pollination, the concert series, please go HERE and for more information on the Mixtape go HERE