Tony Bennett & Christina Aguilera - Steppin' Out With My Baby

We loooove jazz and listen to some serious jazz classics all the time. Irving Berlin's 1948 musical number Steppin' Out With My Baby for Fred Astaire in Easter Parade has become a noted jazz standard thanks to Tony Bennett in particular. On his Viva Duets, out this week, he treats us to it as a duet with Christina Aguilera. We already know both sing flawlessly so no surprise there. But it's so smooth and effortless and we love their voices together. They are like butter! When Christina gets tired of fucking people's bodies and working with Max Martin she should totally do more of this. Wonderful!  

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Bat For Lashes - We Found Love (Rihanna Cover)

Hearing the Bat For Lashes version of Rihanna and Calvin Harris' We Found Love for BBC's Radio 1 is an experience for sure. She manages to find and undercurrent of something really dark and sinister. The dissonance of the instruments paired with Natasha's pressed and haunting vocals really has an effect on us! Listen below. Thoughts?

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Tracey Thorn - In The Cold, Cold Night (The White Stripes Cover)

We've had Tracey Thorn's Christmas album Tinsel and Lights on our radar for close to a month now. Not until today has it felt OK to mention any xmas festivities though, haha. Thankfully - the first album taster is an awesome cover of The White Stripes In The Cold, Cold Night something we can get behind with ease. Honestly, Tracey is the only person around that can release a press image like that for a holiday album! The lights switched OFF, looking cold and not too cheerful, no snow - obviously we love it! The album contains some serious xmas classics too, and it's so awesome that she will be part of our celebrations this year! Her voice is so different from Meg's and the warmth she brings actually makes the night less cold. The lyrics are pure genius for a holiday anthem like this has become now. To preview the whole album click here. The original from TWS 2003 classic album Elephant here. Enjoy! Thoughts? 

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Little Boots - Smalltown Boy (Bronski Beat Cover)

Little Boots covers Bronski Beat's absolute 1984 classic Smalltown Boy for Ministry of Sound's compilation Uncovered Vol. 4 with an awesome result. She managed to infuse her own unique style while still staying true to the original. The song itself is a social commentary addressing LGBT issues with homophobia and rejection within small communities in the UK in the early 80's. Jimmy Sommerville's tormented falsetto tells the story with a chiling effect. Boots darker tone paired with the warmth in her voice creates a new space for the song - she could be the safe harbour of love and acceptance all the Jimmys meet fleeing to the city and heading out into the neon nightlife even in 2012. 

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Neneh Cherry & The Thing - What Reason Could I Give (Kim Hiorthøy Remix)

We love Neneh Cherry and her musical output and so happy to have new stuff from her! Earlier this year she released the album The Cherry Thing with Scandinavian free jazz trio The Thing to rave reviews. The four of them first got together to pay tribute to Neneh's father Don Cherry + the band is named after one of his songs. Perfect! The original of What Reason Could I Give is by free jazzer and Pulitzer Prize winner Ornette Coleman and the Cherry take is real jazzy too. Listen to it here on Spotify. What really got us going is the brilliant Kim Hiorthøy remix. It reminds us of Massive Attack and is like a warm wooly sweater, irresistible and cozy and simply a must for the winter. The mellow piano and soft electronic beats and samples are just perfect with Neneh's subtle singing. Simply stunning work. For more of 'em click here! 

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