Strange days for Strange Boys

One of my big tips for this year is definitely The Strange Boys. They've recently signed a deal with Rough Trade to allow them UK distribution. Their current single 'Be Brave' is going to be really chuffing big. I'm so glad to be writing about these guys; it's been too long since a really dirty little band like these came out.


Hailing from Austin, Texas (via some other places), they're kind of in the vain of bands like Animal Collective, Passion Pit and very early Rolling Stones. Oh, and there's some Monks thrown in there for good measure too! It's really sleazy, old timey music. If it reminds me of any one thing it's of scruffy teenagers in cheap leather jackets playing garage and blues tunes on shitty guitars with far too much distortion.

Most of all, I love the production; nowadays everything's so slick and polished that there's very little discernable difference. In fact, you'd be forgiven for thinking they all had the same producer working on them. So let's all thank the good lord Jahova for The Strange Boys.

Download: The Strange Boys - Be Brave

A-Trak Remixes Yeah Yeah Yeahs

A-Trak has done a rather spiffy little remix of the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs single, 'Heads Will Roll'. There are a few different remixes out there a minute: one by Passion Pit and another by DJ Tiësto of all people. As you can imagine, this is by far the best one out there at the minute.

For those who have been hibernating recently, A-Trak is an amazing DJ and turntablist: he won the DMCs World DJ Championship back in 1997 at the tender age of 15 and he's been making pretty hip hop flavoured house ever since. Check out his 'Dirty South Dance' mixed LP if you don't believe me.

As an added treat, you can watch the set he won the competition with below. He's pretty arrogant but I suppose you could hardly blame him.


Oh and while you're at it, look at Roc Raida's mix for the 1996 DMC Championships. I still can't believe he's dead.

Download: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix)