Kanye West-Home (Bootleg)

Let's keep the soul going. Kanye West has always been known for having an ear for samples, an ear for being able to capture the perfect part of an obscure song, flipping it, and turning it into a full length banger. Although I have no idea where the sample used in this jam comes from, it sounds undeniably right. This is the original version of the track that was later known as "Homecoming" (featuring Chris Martin) found on the Graduation album, but lyrics aside, it's hard to find even a glancing similarity between the two. The looped sample, the somewhat suspect sound quality, the passion with which the young Kanye delivers his lines, all of it takes me back to when I first heard this song-2003, even before College Dropout dropped. Back then my buddy gave me a cd full of tracks by an artist named Kanye West, something which sounds incredibly dated, even though it was only eight years ago. Before Kanye became the international superstar he is today, he was just a young producer who had dreams of becoming a rapper, and a magic touch for making tracks like this-a true jamandahalf which combines storytelling, a twist ending, and most especially, a heaping serving of a little something called soul.

 Kanye West - Home by jammininthenameof

Jorge & Alexa Narvaez-Home (Cover)

Anyone who has read this blog knows our love for Ed Sharpe and his merry band, and we have written about the original, a remix, and as a bonus, a great track off of their newer iTunes sessions. Well add another cover to that list.

This father/daughter combo is too cute. The original went viral overnight, and now has almost 4 million hits leading to an invite to the Ellen DeGeneres show where they performed/melted icy hearts in the audience and worldwide. What I loved was that the little girl was way more interested in hugging and saying hi to the audience rather than the Barbie car. For such a young kid, she can also belt it, and the dad clearly has a black belt in whistling. The two sound great but most importantly look like they're having fun. The original jam is so touching and warm that I'm glad its gotten the recognition it deserves leading to more exposure and people around the world whistling (and singing) away.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros-Home (Party Supplies Remix)

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros have gone from being a tiny little indie band to now being on a nonstop tour that is seemingly intent on reaching every town in the US by the end of this year. If they come anywhere near you, see them. The joy of living that appears in their songs can not hold a candle to the sight of the new-age hippies dancing and singing on stage. The seemingly countless Zeros put everything they can into a show that was my favorite of Coachella 2010, and one of the most fun concerts I've ever been to.

But you will likely only see the merry band once, maybe twice, in your life. And no matter how good "Up From Below" was, songs get old with time and relentless replays on the ipod. My favorite memories to the album have been on road trips with friends, funky dance parties, and listening to it in my room, big smile on my face. Good times. Because that's the type of music Eddy Sharpe and the Zeros make. Music that makes you feel good.

This remix by Party Supplies should make you feel good. Make you wanna dance. Make you wanna walk down the street with a little more bounce in your step.The bass line remains the same, the whistling is there, the trumpet, but other than that, this remix is a complete flip of the original, breaking the original into a fragmented kaleidescope of a song. But somehow, it manages to completely capture the essential essence to "Home" which has made it so popular. Although many remixes want to drown out the original, this remix lets the original shine. And although it's impossible to top the original, this jamandahalf doesn't try to, but glistens regardless.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros- Home (Party Supplies Remix) (http://jamandahalf.com) by jamsfordays

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes-Home

Sometimes a song is so unexpected, so original, that it locks you in its grip; an iron claw that wont let you go until its play count is ridiculously high. My man Moose and I are always on the lookout for new music, always on the search for jams, and friends have shown us the light throughout college, with our Colombian buddy passing on Rodrigo y Gabriela to us, and this jam and a half here was also passed along by a friend. And what a Jam and a Half it is. “Home” mixes traditional call and response and country western, but spices it up with a high cheese factor and bounces along with infectious energy. 

A stark departure from most music out there, Ed Sharpe and his merry band created a jam that begs to be listened to over and over again. Born in LA, the band was founded by Alex Ebert, who created Edward Sharpe as a character who "was sent down to Earth to kinda heal and save mankind...but he kept getting distracted by girls and falling in love." Jade and Alexander, through their story about falling out of windows and last cigarettes, remind us of what’s important, and what home really is. Home is not a fancy hotel, home is about being around the people you love, the one you love, and not having a care in the world. Hopefully we all get to go home soon. 

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