Salon's Wed A.M. Downloads • 7/21/04

[DudeAsInCool]

In this week's Wednesday Morning Downloads, musician/critic Thomas Bartlett review's Elvis Costello's recent concent in NY, and new music from Edward Norton's favorite band & and John Hughes' son's band.

"The Beast," The King of France, from "Untitled"

He compares Ed Norton's Favorite band to the Pixies, the Velvet Underground, Nilsson, Pavement, the Kinks, Dylan and the Beatles. "There are three demos available for free on their Web page, but I urge you to spend a couple dollars and hear this band at its best. Download "The Beast," "Notion" and "Sick of Life" from iTunes, all off the King of France's as-yet-untitled new record." (iTunes)

"Perpetual Night," Kelley Stoltz, from "Antique Glow"

Kelley Stoltz is another relative unknown for whom I have high hopes and expectations. He recorded "Antique Glow" onto an eight-track recorder over the course of a year, playing nearly all the instruments himself, and the result is a minor masterpiece.

"Gonna Be Some Changes Made," Bruce Hornsby, from "Halcyon Days"

This song, the first single from his upcoming "Halcyon Days," has been making me happy this week. There's the pleasure of hearing Sting singing the background vocals, with some very Police-like harmonies. And there's Hornsby's voice, which has that wholesome John Mellencamp/Tom Petty I'm-an-American-rock-star sound to it. But mostly there's the song's brilliant hook, a memorable piano line that almost stands in for a chorus. (iTunes, RealPlayer, MusicMatch)

"Electric Halo," The Bruces, from "The Shining Path"

"The Electric Halo" is the first song I've heard by the Bruces, and I'm left wondering if all of their work is this good -- and if so, why nobody's told me about them before.... I find this song absolutely chilling. Free Download: "Electric Halo"

"Knock Me Down Girl," Slicker, from "We All Have a Plan"

This track is an odd hybrid: vocals with overt R&B mannerisms, the glitchy editing style of lap-pop, a muted trumpet straight out of easy-listening acid jazz, and a gently funky dance beat. It works beautifully. Slicker is a project by John Hughes III, son of director John Hughes II ("The Breakfast Club," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"), and he refers to his mélange as "future roots music," "where soul, jazz, hip-hop, electronics and pop are all perfectly bound together." Free Download: "Knock Me Down Girl"

You can read the full review at Salon after viewing a short commercial and download your free songs from there:

http://www.salon.com/ent/music/review/wmd/...ello/index.html