Money Mark

Mark Ramos-Nishita (aka Money Mark), keyboardist extraordinaire and erstwhile frequent Beastie Boys collaborator, released his first solo album on Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records. Jack guests here on the track "Pick Up The Pieces". Check out "Summer Blue", which is a serious early contender for chill-out summer anthem.

[MP3] Money Mark - Pick Up The Pieces

[MP3] Money Mark - Summer Blue

Buy It! Money Mark - Brand New By Tomorrow

The Bird and The Bee

The Bird and The Bee is a collaboration between singer Inara George ("Bee") & producer Greg Kurstin ("Bird). They meld bossa-nova, electronica, & lounge with the lilting vocals of Inara and create something that can be quite sublime. I'm fortunate enough to know Inara personally and I'm really happy to be able to share her music here. If you like it, please go and buy it.

[MP3] The Bird & The Bee - Again & Again
[MP3] The Bird & The Bee - Birds and The Bees

Apostle of Hustle

Broken Social Scene guitarist Andrew Whiteman went and formed his own band and, wouldn't you know it?, they're pretty good. Whiteman spent some time in his Godmother's native Cuba and learned to play the Tres, a cuban guitar, during a break from Broken Social Scene and it shows up to great effect on his new album, National Anthem of Nowhere.

Apostle of Hustle - National Anthem of Nowhere
Apostle of Hustle - Chances Are

Jorge Drexler

Soft-voiced and Latin-flavored, Uruguayan Jorge Drexler recalls such greats as Caetano Veloso & Jose Gonzalez, whom the later he seems to be channeling on his excellent rendition of Radiohead's "High & Dry". "Disneyland" adds some electronic flair that complements rather than detracts. You may remember Jorge from his oscar-winning contribution to the soundtrack of Motorcycle Diaries, "Al Otro Lado del Rio".

Jorge Drexler - High & Dry
Jorge Drexler - Disneyland

K-os

Genre-busting and joyful, K-os has made a hip-album that will appeal to a broad range of listeners, but most especially fans of Gnarls Barkley or Outkast. Try "Flypaper" from his new album, "Atlantis: Hymns for Disco"

K-os - Flypaper
K-os - Electrick Heat (The Seekwill)

Buy it.

She's Spanish, I'm American

Josh Rouse collaborates with his new girlfriend, Paz Suay, on this great track from their EP "She's Spanish, I'm American". Typical Josh Rouse fair -- bouncy beat, understated vocals, & pithy lyrics but now with added Estrogen!


Josh Rouse & Paz Suay - Car Crash