The time has come. I've boiled it down to a top 10 albums from the past year based on enjoyment, number of spins, and overall quality. Peep descriptions in the print copy here and enjoy the clips.
10. Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls
9. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
8. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
7. Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna
6. Air France - No Way Down EP
5. White Denim - Exposion
4. Excepter - Debt Dept.
3. Deerhunter - Microcastle
Deerhunter - Microcastle from Adam Bruneau on Vimeo.
2. The Dodos - Visiter
1. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Giant Drag
Stereogum just informed me that Giant Drag (a.k.a. Annie Hardy) has not fallen off the face of the Earth after covering Chris Isaak (her version of "Wicked Game" is on her Myspace). She's got the new Swan Song EP coming sometime soon, four tracks already recorded and ready to go. Can't wait. If you're like me and literally can't wait, check out "Stuff to Live For" streaming at the first link up there.
Related:
The Very Best
So Esau Mwamwaya + Radioclit = The Very Best and their mixtape has been kicking around for a while now. It's basically reworked versions of other songs by prominent 'hip' artists (M.I.A., Vampire Weekend, Santogold) as well as some curveballs (Beatles' "Birthday," Michael Jackson's "Will You Be There") with Mwamwaya's strong vocal rising up over everything in a glorious manner. They've just released a 7" with "Kamphopo" (based on Architecture in Helsinki's "Heart it Races") on Green Owl Records which is appropriately using some green technology to make a conscious contribution:
"The packaging was produced with wind power, made with 100% Post Consumer paper, water based printing and packaged in corn plastic." - Green Owl
Pretty cool I guess. If you don't care about wax, you can always download the whole mixtape for free.
The Very Best Mixtape
Friday, December 5, 2008
Weezy F. Baby
Dude got nominated for eight Grammys. Big ups.
Unrelated:
If you're into sound that's hardly songs and blippy noise then you might like this, Casper Electronics, which you can download for free at the link. It's a friend of mine, gentleman Roger Mason, plus Peter Edwards. It's called Aboard a Ship of Fingers and Nails. Also check Roger's brethren Ten Minute Turns for some nuggets.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Local Goings-On
Many things are happening coming up in the greater Pioneer Valley area and it is my duty to inform.
Tonight at Hampshire's Centrum Gallery [located on the top of donut 1 in Greenwich (not that I necessarily know what that means)] Eric Hnatow will be performing with Shira Erlichman and the Whitehaus Family Records "WinTour" (Gracious Calamity, Prince Rama of Ayodha, Peace Loving, and Many Manions). The show is free and, according to Facebook, "These kids rip like no other!" Good reason to attend. 8PM sharp start time.
Next up there's the WMUA Record Sale this Saturday, December 6. Come one, come all and buy vinyl old and new from special vendors and check out music from Mr. Hnatow, Teeth Mountain, Rabbit Rabbit, and Brown Recluse Sings. Festivities from 10AM til 3PM.
Parts & Labor doin up Hampshire's Red Barn on December 11 with Ampere, Bunnies, Grey Skull, and (yet again) Eric Hnatow. It's free with suggested donation to touring bands. Parts & Labor's new record is pretty nuts.
The Elevens in Northampton also has some stuff of interest coming up, including Viva Viva (who I've been semi-digging lately) with a bunch of others on December 12 and New Radiant Storm King (dudes who went to Hampshire in the early 90s. Don't know much about em except: Stephen Malkmus worked with em + they're on this Love/Arthur Lee tribute double 7" I grabbed over the summer from '93) on the following night.
Lastly, Three Fifteen is playing a reunion show at the Zeitgeist gallery in Pittsfield (to my knowledge) on January 3. They're a pretty loud buncha dudes with a decent following (at least in certain circles) and they're very fun to see so if anyone's around the area it should be a rager (also, click the link up there to download their anthology for zero dollars). Other bands are to perform, I believe, including my buddy Luis's Over the Mountain trio so check it.
Tonight at Hampshire's Centrum Gallery [located on the top of donut 1 in Greenwich (not that I necessarily know what that means)] Eric Hnatow will be performing with Shira Erlichman and the Whitehaus Family Records "WinTour" (Gracious Calamity, Prince Rama of Ayodha, Peace Loving, and Many Manions). The show is free and, according to Facebook, "These kids rip like no other!" Good reason to attend. 8PM sharp start time.
Next up there's the WMUA Record Sale this Saturday, December 6. Come one, come all and buy vinyl old and new from special vendors and check out music from Mr. Hnatow, Teeth Mountain, Rabbit Rabbit, and Brown Recluse Sings. Festivities from 10AM til 3PM.
Parts & Labor doin up Hampshire's Red Barn on December 11 with Ampere, Bunnies, Grey Skull, and (yet again) Eric Hnatow. It's free with suggested donation to touring bands. Parts & Labor's new record is pretty nuts.
The Elevens in Northampton also has some stuff of interest coming up, including Viva Viva (who I've been semi-digging lately) with a bunch of others on December 12 and New Radiant Storm King (dudes who went to Hampshire in the early 90s. Don't know much about em except: Stephen Malkmus worked with em + they're on this Love/Arthur Lee tribute double 7" I grabbed over the summer from '93) on the following night.
Lastly, Three Fifteen is playing a reunion show at the Zeitgeist gallery in Pittsfield (to my knowledge) on January 3. They're a pretty loud buncha dudes with a decent following (at least in certain circles) and they're very fun to see so if anyone's around the area it should be a rager (also, click the link up there to download their anthology for zero dollars). Other bands are to perform, I believe, including my buddy Luis's Over the Mountain trio so check it.
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