THE SOUND will appear on www.brainsofminverva.com the first Friday of every month.

JEFFREY MARSHEK is a self-proclaimed music junkie whose life changed after the first time he took a bath and listened to Nina Simone and Chet Baker. He is also the creator and star of CUL DE SAC ROCK: A One Man Rock Opera about his dysfunctional Jewish Family in 1980’s Cleveland. He lives in New York.

MY-POD: THE SOUND-TRACK

Natasha Khan IS Bat For Lashes.
The Brighton U.K based relative of the legendary Khan Squash Dynasty has a brand of medieval fairy tale folk rock that is already drawing comparisons to (and admiration from) Bjork, Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker AND Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, the latter inviting her to open Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’ Tour, afterward saying she was the best opening act they had ever had.

Her live high-wire act involves risk-taking covers of Springsteen, The Cure and, most recently giving Kings of Leon a run for their money with her soulful rendition of “Use Somebody.” On her highly anticipated sophomore release, Two Suns, Khan elaborates on the earthy new wave chamber pop she played with on Fur and Gold. Like her predecessors, Kate Bush and Tori Amos, Khan’s musical storytelling employs haunting pianos, hand claps, swooning harps and lush, ethereal vocal stylings.

Standout songs like the synth mantra “Daniel”, ritualistic “Sleep Alone” and the mystic sensuality of “Pearl’s Dream” show you that she’s no Robin Hood. Bat For Lashes has a style all her own.

Timotej Zarrichson (aka Lykke Li) is an ambitious singer/songwriter from Sweden.
Already having formed her own record label, LL Recordings, by the age of 20, the unique Pop artist teamed up with Swede sensation Bjorn Yttling to help produce and co write her first U.S release, Youth Novels.

Wise move.

Yttling, of the infamous Peter Bjorn and John knows something about pop, helping Lykke Li deliver catchy, delicious hooks sung in a simple, almost childlike tone. She almost seems as if she is intentionally under singing, as if to not upset the brilliant production and instrumentation on songs like “Little bit.” And on “I’m Good I’m Gone” her voice sounds almost as if it is starting to break off, just as it hits the high notes. But don’t be fooled- Lykke Li is in control of her instrument, intentionally sugar coating her voice, then unraveling under the strum of guitars and xylophones (especially on “Dance, Dance, Dance”). It’s that girlish softness that kind of makes Lykke Li’s breathy sweet songs a breath of fresh air.

Dan Boeckner, front man of the indie hipster band Wolf Parade and songwriter Alexei are keeping new wave music alive under the alias Handsome Furs. The husband and wife team are a throwback to Modern English, a futuristic New Order. New Order’s management almost halted the release of their second LP, Face Control entirely when the track “All We Want Baby Is Everything” too closely referenced a trio of the infamous bands songs, notably “Age Of Consent”. In the end, the issues were resolved and the Montreal based synth guitar duo received legal clearance, resulting in a guilty pleasure of familiar 1980’s dance music rhythms mixed with modern day guitar riffs.

Though “All We Want Baby Is Everything” is a downright salute to New Order, it is tracks like “Legal Tender”, the driving pulse of “I’m Confused,” and the antagonistic jump up and down/clap your hands feel of “Thy Will Be Done” that give Boeckner’s voice a Springsteen-at-the-punk-club feel.

THE BUZZZ

ROCK STAR TRIUMVIRATE
The teaming of Santogold with N.E.R.D’s Pharrell and Strokes front man Julian Casablancas was a daring effort to launch the centennial celebration of Converse. The unique threesome recorded ‘My Drive Through’ and appeared in a 3 minute picture flipbook video- promo for Chuck Taylors.

The result?

An inspired funky mélange of Indie Rock, Hip Hop, and Alternative never before seen in advertising, leaving you craving another collaboration from this trio.


CAPTAIN JACK DANIELS
Alice In Chains co- founder Jerry Cantrell courting Elton John to collaborate on “Black Gives Way to Blue” (a tribute to former Chains front man Lane Staley who died of a heroin overdose) is among the more bizarre hooks in recent music history since, well…Elton John and Eminem.
The rock legend plays piano on the track for the grunge band’s upcoming album, their first studio release in 14 years.

YOU TUBE: UNDER THE COVERS


The Bird and the Bee (click here for song)
THE BIRD AND THE BEE
Covering Rihanna, Burt Bacharach style, the jazz pop duo The Bird And The Bee take the pop tart’s ‘Please Don’t Stop The Music’ out of the clubs and into a calypso induced cabana.
Recommended for a much needed hammock cat nap.

Faith No More (Click here for video)
FAITH NO MORE
Their covers range from The Commodores ‘Easy’ to the Nestles Candy bar theme song.
But it’s their cover of Lady Gaga’s overplayed ‘Poker Face’, complete with divulging confessional hook that reminds us why we have missed this rock band’s presence.

Built to Spill (Click here for video)
BUILT TO SPILL
An inspired take on M.I.A’s commercial swansong “Paper Planes” as a hoedown at the local Urban Outfitters, giving the funky hipsters edge.
And a first shot (devoid of accents) at really hearing what the song is actually about…

Katy Perry (click here for song)
KATY PERRY
Sultry. Smokey. Acoustic.
2009’s biggest pop act ”kissing” the year’s biggest alternative act: MGMT’s ‘Electric Feel.’
“And I like it!”

*Check out the Minerva Shop to purchase Jeffrey’s picks.*

Photos in order of appearance:

Pedro Figueredo CC-BY-SA-2.0

Courtesy of Converse

James Huckaby CC-BY-SA-2.0
Manfred Werner CC-BY-SA-3.0