RELEASE: Meanest Man Contest (Digital Only)

Wow, these Meanest Man Contest fellows are quite prolific. On the heels of some wonderful new tracks through RCRD LBL and the previous GRR release comes a new EP featuring some remixes, a cover version, and a new original track.

We Blame You is the first in a series of odds-and-ends EPs from the San Francisco/Los Angeles hip-hop/electronic pop duo. Three remixes of MMC faves – by Paris-based producer Débruit (Musique Large), San Francisco laptop king Mochipet (Daly City Records), and Dutch up-and-comer Multi-Panel – are rounded out by a cover from Roman Ruins (Gold Robot) and a new MMC track ("You're Right. It's Ballin'.").

Check out the tracklist:

1. We Wouldn't Want It Any Other Way (Débruit remix)
2. Throwing Away Broken Electronics (Mochipet remix f/ DJ Lion)
3. You're Right. It's Ballin'.
4. They Do (Multi-Panel remix)
5. They Do (Roman Ruins version)

The Multi-Panel remix was selected from numerous entries to our "They Do" remix contest. They were all excellent, and you'll start seeing some of them pop up over the coming months.

Here's a free MP3 from the EP, feel free to spread it around.

::: Meanest Man Contest - We Wouldn't Want It Any Other Way (Debruit Remix)

You can download the album through a number of digital retailers, including Emusic and iTunes.

[Meanest Man Contest on myspace.]
[Gold Robot Records home.]
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[Buy music from Insound.]
[Find/Listen/Download music at The Hype Machine.]

Tags: mp3, music, meanest man contest, roman ruins, mochipet, multi panel, debruit, remix, cover, gold robot records

CONTEST: Split 7-inch Vinyl (Manchester Orchestra & Annuals)

UPDATE: This contest has ended, congratulations to Ricky of Brooklyn and Aleece of Santa Rosa, CA!!! You can always find a direct link to the latest contest using the "current contest" link found in the sidebar.

Ahhh, contest time! Up for grabs this time is a copy of the brand spanking new tour-only split 7-inch released by Manchester Orchestra and Annuals in celebration of their co-headlining tour (here's a list of the dates). Each artist covers a song by the other on it (great trend), and they've been kind enough to provide mp3's of the tracks.

::: Annuals - Where Have You Been (Manchester Orchestra cover)
::: Manchester Orchestra - Brother (Annuals cover)

I've actually got TWO copies to give away! To win one of the records, simply send an email to macktronic (at) gmail (dot) com with the subject line "SPLIT VINYL CONTEST" including your mailing address in the body of the email. Winners will be chosen at random on Friday November 9th. Good luck!

[Manchester Orchestra website.]
[Annuals website.]
[Download Music from eMusic; free 25 song free trial.]
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[Find/Listen/Download music at The Hype Machine.]
[Photo credit goes to madradjessica.]

Tags: mp3, music, cover, manchester orchestra, annuals, tour, contest, vinyl, free

COVER: Jim James does Elvis Presley

As we all know by now, I'm a huge fan of all things My Morning Jacket. This certainly includes the solo shows Jim James does every now and then. Thought I might pass on this live cover he did of Elvis's "Suspicious Minds" in 2000 at Ancienne Belgique.

::: Jim James (My Morning Jacket) - Suspicious Minds (Elvis Presley cover)

Buy some My Morning Jacket here. Jim doesn't have any proper solo releases (and it's a pipe dream of mine to have him do something for GRR).

[Official MMJ website.]
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[Find/Listen/Download music at The Hype Machine.]
[Photo credit goes to violinsoldier.]

Tags: mp3, music, cover, jim james, my morning jacket, elvis presley

COVER: The Thermals on Elliott Smith

Even though I mistakenly thought Elliott Smith recently had a birthday (I'm going to blame it on bad internet information), I still recently revisited his entire catalog. Just an amazingly missed artist. I really would love to visit the mural shown in the picture above in Portland. A tribute album from Portland artists as released last year, including this track by The Thermals. It's a straightforward cover of the original, but they do the song proper justice.

::: The Thermals - Ballad of Big Nothing (Elliott Smith cover)

You can buy the whole tribute album here.

[The Thermals on myspace.]
[Gold Robot Records on myspace.]
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[Find/Listen/Download music at The Hype Machine.]
[Photo credit goes to idiot-kid.]

Tags: mp3, music, portland, elliott smith, thermals, cover