For anyone who has the itch for a sweet summer mixtape of new jams, you must check out Nylon magazine’s free iTunes playlist. Go to: www.nylon.com/itunes and download the tracks and turn them up! Like a cool glass of lemonade - here are our top picks off the 22-track listing. You can listen along with the playlist currently above:

ANJULIE – Boom: Canadian newcomer, Anjulie might just have something going for her here. A slinky tune for those late nights after the club and drunkenly going home in the cab.

CRYSTAL ANTLERS – Andrew: Hype band of the moment… with reason. Eclectic prog-garage, they’re a crossbreed of genres – it’s the must-have hipster album that sounds bigger than it is.

LaROUX - In For The Kill: A favorite. The kind of jam you might make inappropriate decisions to, but hey – that’s what summer is for, right? This electro duo has some dark & dangerous beats

LITTLE BOOTS - Meddle (Ebola Remix): A breaking artist out of the UK – she’s got a dynamic pop flare that makes her undeniably listenable. As an artist, she’s “embracing the cheese” and it’s working.

MAPEI - Public Enemy: Coming hot on the trails of Santigold/M.I.A. (ladies with skillz) beat, Mapei has more grit to her sound and comes as a blissfully brutal audio surprise

OF MONTREAL - For Our Elegant Caste: Whatever this song is about, we probably can get into it here. Either way, Of Montreal make for great pool party ambience – like BBQing ecstasy

PASSION PIT - I’ve Got Your Number: What began as a love letter EP and turned into a crazed buzz, Passion Pit rocks the 8-bit melody and dubbed art-school synth beat. A perfect rooftop soundtrack.

PHOENIX – 1901: Thank you! These Parisian rock-outs have cut a great dance song. Complete with deep buzzing strides and thumping cymbals.

PLASTISCINES – Barcelona: Chic mod squad sound that is “disco-thrash-glam” and lures a bit into 70s B-rock but holds a strong center in sugary dance pop. Whatever it is… put it on.

SPINNERETTE - Ghetto Love: The anticipated second project of Brody Dalle (The Distillers), with her roots in LA punk rock, the new single sings out hard and rough, wonderfully.

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART - The Tenure Itch: As festival darlings and the latest praise-hogs of the music blogosphere, PBPH are on a sweet ride of indie-love. They have a sound that seems to duplicate the summers’ of your youth, so sit back and grab an otter-pop!

THE SOFT PACK - Bright Side: The Southern California rock group, formerly named ‘The Muslims’, might have an expressionless single on their hands. The deadpan melodrama of this song is listlessly sunny and morose, awkwardly.

In the spirit of the 44th incumbent, TuneUp has decided to give a look-see at President Obama’s choice of iPod songs.

10. “Yes We Can” – Will.i.am: Isn’t it kind of odd that one would enjoy listening to their own speech remixed with acoustic guitar? Granted, this list was published during the campaign, obviously a nod to the fact that voters should hear the speech and watch the video – which they should, and did. With some serious star cameos, a powerful black and white footage, and the compelling words of Obama’s concession speech in the primary; it’s all about the video.

9. “City of Blinding Lights” – U2: Performed at Obama’s “We Are One” concert and perhaps the most universally ‘safe’ band on the planet. While a good song, it’s not exactly their best – but a harmless nod towards the pop-cultured.

8. “Think” – Aretha Franklin: Working the pipes she was blessed with. It’s the call-and-response of female wit and sass. It is up-tempo but not with its share of symbolic seriousness.

7. “You’d Be So Easy To Love” – Frank Sinatra: Interesting that Ol’ Blue Eyes made his way onto Obama’s listening playlist. Originally written by Cole Porter (one of the great Tin Pan Alley songwriters), and performed with only the ease that Frank could give it. It’s a song that’s easy to love.

6. “Touch the Sky” – Kanye West: The most recent song on the ten-song playlist and in rare form, Kanye sounds grateful for his success. It surely didn’t hurt his confidence to be mentioned by the first black President. Pretentiousness of Mr. West aside, it’s a dope track.

5. “Sinnerman” – Nina Simone: A traditional spiritual that has lasted for over a century in multiple forms. A testament to the way music can be used to haunt as Nina’s ten-minute rendition pushes realization. Ms. Simone chants, as though begging to a force unknown, to grant her “Power!” and the snare drums kick: a black president in the White House.

4. “Gimme Shelter” – Rolling Stones: Classic. Safe and timeless. A rough Stones explore the blues as Merry Clayton brings soul in the climax. Its a well-chosen rock tune and treads the ferocity of hard rock through the seductive path of gospel.

3. “I’m On Fire” – Bruce Springsteen: Ahhhh yes… the artist of the working class! Bruce has the tendency to draw in American presidents like moths to a flame. The song, rich with impeccable lyrical soothing, echoes the enduring Americana. The video shows Springsteen as the prodigal mechanic dreaming of the new ‘someday’… The Boss – the ultimate hero of American hope.

2. “What’s Going On” – Marvin Gaye: Poignant. Well-chosen in a time when everyone is asking the same question. It’s nice to know the President is doing the same thing. In the preamble of the song we hear friends meeting up, welcoming joy, and a sax to lure into the soothing of Gaye – doing what he does best; bringing some loving to times that really need some loving.

1. “Ready or Not” – Fugees: A gutsy choice for a top pick. Fugees have an afro-centric anti-fed cred, but they still maintain an ability to relate to the young disempowered of today. With Ms. Hill digging deep to bring the chorus and the beat hanging on without mercy, it encompasses the rallying disruption of the Obama campaign, and the modernity that this new presidency will bring; ready or not.

Hopefully the above tracks (and the rest of his iPod) are labeled correctly… if not then, Mr. President; know that we officially extend to you a free TuneUp Gold lifetime subscription!

First Macworld, then CES.

That’s right, the TuneUp world infiltrated Macworld. The whole week (January 6th – 9th) we were stationed in the North Hall of San Francisco’s very own Moscone Center. Everything went great – lots of new interest and quite a few of our fellow TuneUpians huddled around our booth for some awesome shwag and to get some face-time with us! We are psyched about all of the support and so proud to bring TuneUp to the forefront of the Mac community.

Viva Las Vegas. TuneUp was also at CES! It’s been a crazy-busy month for us. Our grand plan of saving the world, one music collection at a time took us to the International Consumer Electronics Show. We were set up at the Gracenote booth in the South Hall 3: #30333, and the response has been stellar! It’s was gigantic conference and we were around the whole time: January 8th – 11th so glad some of you could come by and say hi. We loved seeing all y'all!

Well, friends, its come to the final follicle. Mustaches for Kids officially ended last week and TuneUp was at the final ‘Stache Bash in full force. To no surprise it was the best year ever with an astonishing $79,429 raised for DonorsChoose.org from San Francisco growers – we’re also the highest earning chapter in the country! All of the money raised will be helping out an estimated 43,112 kids with everything from textbooks to art supplies – all with the power of the magical mustache.

But wait - TuneUp’s very own CEO, Gabe Adiv was the highest earning grower ever with $9,315! So props to all who weathered the angry significant others, sweaty upper-lips, and food particles sprinkled in their mighty mustaches; you’ve provided thousands of children with the tools to learn in a time when education has been overlooked and underfunded. Some of the causes that have now been funded include a science class science with optical components, such as lenses and prisms; a set of 30 copies of the book Malcolm X: A Graphic Biography; a digital camera for a teacher to document her student’s hard work; and many more. The true heroes are those who donated to such a noble cause. So thank you to all who contributed to the TuneUp cause – your money is giving back more than you know! Now … GO SHAVE!

Check out this fantastic video put together by fellow grower, Bill:
http://www.sanfranciscoiam.com/videos/2dbb7a60ceb4

Oh, and in cased you missed it, TuneUp was featured on ABC7’s coverage of “Mustaches for Kids”:
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news%2Feducation&id=6563507

Originally published on December 15, 2008 - http://www.tuneupmedia.com/blog/index.php

Apologies for the hiatus on mustache-related posts lately, we’ve been busy launching TuneUp for Mac.

We’re in the final days of the Mustaches for Kids growing race. To date, TuneUp Media has raised almost $7,000, which will go to buy books, school supplies and other materials for local schools. Thanks to all of you who have donated, especially our latest donors: Taya, Lisa, and Ariel.

Meet Today’s Mustache of the Day!

Name: travis “Miracle Gro” Pazin

Typical facial hair routine? Set it and forget it.

Last time you grew a mustache and why? Stache off at my old job, chickened out because it was for no worthy cause. But it’s on, this time!

Follicle type/texture? Silk covered in thumbtacks.

Best thing about growing a mustache? All the ladies are all over you. And when I say all the ladies, I mean my girlfriend. She absolutely loves the fact that I look like a complete jerk, honestly.

Iconic Mustache of Choice? The legendary Wyatt Earp. Watch the semi-biographical film ‘Tombstone’ and prepare to be amazed be the prowess that is Kurt Russell’s MANscaping.

If your mustache was a musical instrument, what would it be? Tenor sax.

Favorite hair growing music? The entire ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’ soundtrack composed by the master Ennio Morricone.

What’s your mustache’s favorite fighting move? “lip nuzzle eye gouge slam”

Any upper-lip tips? If you are a ’stache newbie and unsure of what others will think, grow a 5oclock shadow at first. Then once you regain your confidence, toss on a pair of wayfarers and strut like you own the place. Nobody will tell you different. Nobody.

Write a mustache haiku:

mustache on my lip
the caterpillar
as some might call it
metamorphosis
to a butterfly

Like this post? Then GO DONATE! http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/viewChallenge.html?id=20081&category=40&zone=0