Rdio Blog

This Week on Rdio: February 20 - February 24, 2012

2012-02-24T16:49:01-08:00

To keep up with the latest musical happenings, like Rdio on Facebook, subscribe to the Rdio blog feed, and follow @Rdio on Twitter and on Rdio. Or, for the sake of convenience, you can drop by every Friday for our weekly blog round-up.

Here’s what happened on Rdio this week:

Excited for the Oscars? Listen to “The Oscars: Movie Music” Playlist — The perfect soundtrack to your Oscars viewing party, whether that’s one person, a dozen, or more.
New Music Tuesday, February 21, 2012 — Albums by noise-pop duo Sleigh Bells, Young Money rapper Tyga, and singer-songwriter Frankie Rose are highlights among this week’s new releases.
Introducing: Rdio in Spain and Portugal — Rdio comes to Southern Europe.
Follow Modular People on Rdio — Follow Modular People for the ahead-of-the-curve taste in dance and electronic, and pretty much every other genre.
Listen to Dreamend’s New Album Early on Rdio — Dreamend’s instruments were wrecked while moving but he recorded this second album with them anyways.
An Rdio Exclusive: Hear Deer Tick’s Tim EP — If you’re not acquainted, now’s the time to get introduced to Deer Tick. Their new EP is their most catchy and melodic to date.
Listen to Beirut Member Bright Moments’ Debut Album and Playlist — The multi-instrumentalist’s new album is accompanied by an Rdio playlist of his varied musical inspiration.

Follow this week’s newest Influencers:

The band of Montreal
The artist Emika
The band Bag Raiders

Excited for the Oscars? Listen to The Oscars: Movie Music Playlist

2012-02-24T13:15:55-08:00

It’s no shocker that we here at Rdio are big music fans, but that hardly means we’re out to sea on the rest of pop culture — we’re pretty excited for this Sunday’s Academy Awards. To celebrate, we compiled The Oscars: Movie Music playlist — it features the best of this year's film scores and movie soundtracks conveniently gathered in one place. Whether you want to listen during the red carpet walks, add authentic ambiance your Oscar party, or revel after your favorite movie or star nabs the big prize, our mix has what you want.

Grab a bag of popcorn, some good friends, and press play.

Follow Modular People on Rdio

2012-02-23T16:00:00-08:00

Quick, name a few of Australia’s most critically-acclaimed, unique bands and artists from the last decade or so: Did The Avalanches, Wolfmother, Cut Copy, Tame Impala, The Presets, or Ladyhawke come to mind? Thank Modular Records.

The Australian independent label responsible for bringing us such remarkable and unique talent began in 1998, just “a few hours before the first release was due to go to press,” according to the label’s founder, Steve Pavlovic. More than a decade later, the label’s sophisticated taste in new music, especially in electronic and dance, made it a tastemaker in modern music. A look at some of the label’s other acts — Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Chromeo, The Rapture, and Robyn for example — conveys the label’s panache and style.

The label falls under the Modular People umbrella, which is responsible for Modular Touring, The Modular Agency, Modular Ideas, as well. Their Rdio profile is one worth following, especially if you’re a fan of unique dance and electronic artists.

Want more good music from Modular as they continue into the future? Listen to their playlist below and follow Modular on Rdio.

While you're at it, make sure to explore the Rdio accounts of these Modular bands for more great music:

An Rdio Exclusive: Hear Deer Tick’s Tim EP

2012-02-23T11:08:41-08:00

Rhode Island rockers Deer Tick are hard ones to pin down, given their penchant for switching up genres on each album. Their last release was 2011’s Divine Providence, which reflected the ramshackle, almost bluesy charm of the quintet’s live sound.

The band’s new EP, Tim, is easily their most catchy and melodic release to date — it is the perfect entry point to Deer Tick’s fascinating catalog. It’s out next week, but Rdio has the exclusive listen for you right here. Play Tim now, add it to your playlists and collections then share it with your favorite friend.

Listen to Beirut Member Bright Moments’ Debut Album and Playlist

2012-02-22T10:00:00-08:00

You may not know it, but you’ve already heard the music of Kelly Pratt, aka Bright Moments. Not only is the Kentucky native an active member of Beirut, but he’s also made musical contributions to bands like Coldplay, Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, the Maccabees, Harlem Shakes, and Alexi Murdoch.

This week, Pratt releases his debut album under the Bright Moments moniker. Natives was recorded over many years, and features a multitude of influences from many genres, all of which Pratt picked during his years as a musician.

Want to know what kind of music makes Pratt tick? Listen to Natives and the Bright Moments-curated playlist while reading his Playlist Notes below for a good idea.

Playlist Notes

Roland Kirk Quartet - “Serenade To A Cuckoo”
The name of my band Bright Moments comes from the album of the same name by Rahsaan Roland Kirk. He was one of jazz's most melodic improvisers and and an outrageous showman to boot.
Wu-Tang Clan - “Shame On A N*gga”
I have probably listened to Enter The Wu-Tang more than any other album. This track features ODB (RIP) at his finest.
The Blow - “True Affection”
So simple, and so gratifying. It's refreshing to hear a truly gifted singer who doesn't overdo it with the reverb.
Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane - "Nutty"
Although short lived, the Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane yielded some very rich results. Coltrane thrived in this heady setting, developing his "sheets of sound" improvising style he would employ for several years to come.
Dolly Parton - “Little Sparrow”
I had the great pleasure to see Dolly live last year and this song brought my friends and me to tears. Her voice has not faded a bit in the last 40 years.
Portishead - “Machine Gun”
I saw Portishead over the summer and was blown away by their live performance. Beth Gibbons' vocals somehow managed to sound even better live than on record.
Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges
I'm a sucker for solo saxophone recordings (really!). Colin has managed to redefine how the instrument is played and recorded.
The Luyas - “Canary”
Probably my favorite album of 2011. The Luyas have such a unique sound, anchored by Jessie Stein's ethereal vocals. And there's French horn!
Shafiq - “No Moor”
A profoundly weird song that will stick in your head for weeks. It's a shame this record didn't make more of a splash.
Jay Reatard - “My Shadow”
Punk rock lost a great songwriter with Jay Reatard's untimely death in 2010. Fortunately he left us a huge body of recorded work.
J.D. Crowe & The New South - “Old Home Place”
Bluegrass giant Crowe is from my hometown of Lexington, KY. Don't let the bright tempo fool you, this is as tragic a song as you will ever hear.

Introducing: Rdio in Spain and Portugal

2012-02-22T01:00:00-08:00

Welcome to Rdio, your new home for unlimited, on-demand music — we’re a digital music service from the creators of Skype. Rdio is giving people around the world a new way to listen to music, which is why we're excited to launch Rdio in Spain and Portugal today. Now you can reinvent the way you discover, listen to and share music. And because Rdio is also available in other countries, including the US, Canada, Brazil, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, finding new music is even more fun because users from all over the world are also sharing their discoveries.

Things you’ll love about Rdio:

Play any song, any time, as much as you like, without ads.
Find over 12 million songs from major labels and thousands of international and domestic independent labels.
Discover new music and re-discover old favourites by following friends, people with similar taste in music, and influencers.
Manage and access your music, no matter where you are.
Listen offline by syncing music to your mobile device.
Hear all the latest music, the moment it's released.
Create and listen to collaborative playlists.
Let Rdio help you decide what to play next, with artist radio stations, customized radio stations from other peoples’ collections, and recommendations.
Share music with friends — start by connecting Rdio with Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm.
Use your Rdio account while traveling abroad.

Rdio is available on the web, Mac and PC desktop apps, the iPad, iPod touch, many popular smartphones (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7) and at home in the Sonos wireless audio system.

Start using Rdio now, by signing up using Facebook or your email address for a 7-day free trial of Rdio Unlimited.

This is just the beginning — make sure to follow @Rdio on Twitter and Like Rdio on Facebook for the latest announcements, new music, and to learn more about Rdio.

New Music Tuesday - February 21, 2012

2012-02-21T13:12:17-08:00

This week’s new music playlist is heavy on the new — not just new albums, but ones from artists who are just cementing their reputations. Montreal’s ethereal dance chanteuse Grimes debuts her first album on 4AD, Beirut performer Bright Moments releases his debut album, dance-rock outfit Young Empires drops a first EP, and Seattle singer-songwriter Perfume Genius issues his second album this week. Of course, some veterans are still stirring: indie folk collective Lambchop release another new album this week, and ZZ Top make their digital debut with the re-release of their 1971 debut. Hear this new music along with many other songs in this week’s New Music Tuesday playlist.

Playlist Notes

Sleigh Bells - Reign of Terror
The thrashing pop duo’s second album features even more walls of guitar sound, and even more sweet melodies from Alexis Krauss. Expect no sophomore slump here.
Tyga - Careless World: Rise of the Last King
Young Money rapper Tyga releases his second album this week — it features guest spots from hip hop’s finest: Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, Pharrell, T-Pain, Nas, and more.
Frankie Rose - Interstellar
The former drummer from bands like Dum Dum Girls and Vivian Girls is now her own boss, and the result is this sky-gazing album of 80s-style pop.
fun. - Some Nights
The fun-loving pop trio fun. releases their eclectic second album this week, complete with high tempos, group vocals, clapping, auto-tune, and their explosive single “We Are Young.”

Exclusive: Listen to Dreamend’s New Album Early on Rdio

2012-02-21T11:09:57-08:00

After Dreamend released 2010’s So I Ate Myself, Bite By Bite, the singer-songwriter relocated, bringing his Chicago life with him to Savannah, Georgia. Unfortunately, a large portion of his massive instrument collection — a cello, a bell set, an organ, a banjo, and a microphone — was wrecked in the move. Determined, he set out to record his follow-up. New full-length And the Tears Washed Me, Wave After Cowardly Wave was recorded using those same instruments, in the state they were in following their trek in a moving truck. The result is a record that conveys brokenness and raw emotion.

Though its official release is a week away, you can hear And the Tears Washed Me, Wave After Cowardly Wave right now, exclusively on Rdio.

This Week on Rdio: February 13 - February 17, 2012

2012-02-17T12:00:00-08:00

To keep up with the latest musical happenings, you can like Rdio on Facebook, subscribe to the Rdio blog feed, and follow @Rdio on Twitter and on Rdio. Or, for the sake of convenience, drop by every Friday for our weekly blog round-up.

Here’s what happened on Rdio this week:

New Music Tuesday, February 14, 2012 — New albums by indie faves Tennis, Islands and Young Magic, plus new singles from R&B royalty R. Kelly, Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj.
New on Rdio for Roku — Play music in your home with the Rdio for Roku app. This week it saw some nifty new features added.
Hear O.A.R. Give Exclusive Commentary on King — The immensely popular rockers give track-by-track commentary on their latest album, King.
Exclusive: Listen to Dirty Ghosts’ Debut Album and “Pre-Show Jams” — The San Francisco trio’s new album is available to stream now, as is their hand-picked playlist. Don’t forget to read our interview with singer Allyson Baker, either.
Listen to: Django Django — Album reviews by Rdio users like you! This week is about the UK electro-rockers Django Django’s debut.
Do Valentine’s Day Your Way With A Well-Picked Playlist — What is Valentine’s, romantic or bitter, without a little music?

Follow this week’s newest Influencers:

The band Scars on 45
The brand Free People
The band Cut Off Your Hands

Listen to: Django Django

2012-02-17T10:00:00-08:00

“Listening to Django Django, I am taken back to when I first heard the Beta Band's The Three E.P.’s and Olivia Tremor Control's Dusk at Cubist Castle. Amazing, vaguely psychedelic pop, with a penchant for Beatle-isms, a pocket full of Pet Sounds and a pulsing minimalist disco beat.

Their name is a variation of Quando Quango, Factory Record's disco outfit from the early ‘80s. I'm hearing all sorts of odd references here: Arthur Russell, Flat Earth Society, Dick Dale, Radiophonic Workshop, DJ Rush, Bush Tetras, Elephant 6, and, yes, the aforementioned Beta Band. Best of all, these guys sound like they are having a blast making music: this record is resplendent with joyous, youthful sonic adventure.”

— Tod Nelson