Josh Ottum is a funny and superb musician from Seattle. He is even better at answering questions. Learn more about him here.
1. Tell us about the band?
The band is me. I play solo or with really good friends.
2. Have you ever been fed up with playing music or with band members and why?
I’ve gotten stressed more than fed up. I guess if I got fed up I wouldn’t be doing it anymore. Its fun to play and I’m glad I’m still alive after that one show in that weird town in Germany.
3. What was your first concert experience? Do you remember how you felt once the concert was over?
The first concert I can remember was Jan and Dean and Sha Na Na at the Wild Animal Park in San Diego. I slept for most of it and remember feeling extremely cranky when we got home. My dad carried me to bed and I was probably crying.
4. Did you grow up wanting to play music, or when did the whole making albums thing come about and how?
I started recording songs with words towards the end of college. Everyone in college liked pop music and I wanted to popular.
5. What qualifies you guys to be in a band?
All my connections with people with money and power who are cousins of cousins of famous people. Kidding.
6. Do you have a favorite song you have ever written? Why?
I like a song called fool in the night. It’ll be on my next record. Its to the point and fun to play guitar solos on.
With brand new, free MP3s from Red Sparrowes, Nada Surf, The Pack AD, and many more why wouldn’t you download this weeks Grab Bag straight to your desktop with one easy click?
Featuring new songs by these bands:
Dan Falconberry – Nightingale
Red Sparrowes – Giving Birth To Imagined Saviors
N.A.M.B – L.O.N
Nada Surf – Electrocution
Nick Jaina – Sleep Child
The Pack AD – Crazy
Velvet Davenport – Get Out
Hoquiam – Zombies of the Sea
Josiah Wolf – Master Cleanse
Linfinity – Martians Bloom
Why wait for the end of the year to find out who has made the best albums anyway?
————————————————————————————————-
Fredrik – Trilogi
I’m not saying this is best album of January…. never mind, it is. Fredrik’s Trilogi is elegant in composition, very rich in harmonies and thick with layers, both organic and electronic. Fans of stargazing, fairy tales, and Salad Fingers rejoice, for you have a new alternative to your Sigur Ros library. I can’t believe you haven’t heard them yet. What you have? Then buy Trilogi already. Listen to Fredrik – Locked In The Basement
————————————————————————————————-
The Album Leaf – A Chorus Of Storytellers
Just when you thought The Album Leaf has mastered their sound they come out with a release as necessary as A Chorus Of Storytellers. The Album Leaf musically ventures along similar lines as Sweden’s Fredrik, but have been around for nearly a decade longer, hail from San Diego, and are led by the grand master of instrumental music Jimmy Lavalle. A Chorus Of Storytellers was fronted by Sub Pop and found Jimmy once again recording and mixing in Sigur Ros’ Iceland studio. He also plays la guitarra in Tristeza and The Locust – who would have ever thought? Have you heard The Locust? PS – this album came out January 2nd, but I already wrote this review for this post and didn’t want to wait until March to tell you about it. Listen to The Album Leaf – Falling From The Sun
This feels like a ska album, but it’s not. Perhaps a reggae surf-rock album ala Man Or Astro Man? Could be. Maybe Vampire Weekend is making songs for lullaby’s now? Perhaps. You especially hear this on “I Think UR A Contra”, a song that could have been written for Yo Gabba Gabba! it’s all shakers, hand drums, and tinny acoustic guitars. “California English” just about drives me nuts with its Weekend At Bernies vibe going on, but it’s lovable in the right mood. To keep this little review simple, you can’t pigeon-hole this little wonder of an album.Listen To Vampire Weekend – White Sky
Cabins, the woods, deer, guitars, are all favorites of Matt Pond PA. You can hear it in their glorious pop songs. The Starting EP is just the precursor from what sounds to be an album about “Starting” over and sweeping the cobwebs from our winter heads, a collection of songs that goes by the name of The Dark Leaves – my most anticipated album of 2010. The Starting EP is the 1st in a series of 3 EPs to be released by the band in the coming months.Listen to Matt Pond PA – Starting
So I’ve been writing this article non-stop to this point. Does it show yet? …….. on we go to Beach House, easily one of the most anticipated albums for IRR this year, as it should be for you. The recording production is impeccably in-tune with the band, from album opener “Zebra” to album ender “Take Care” the listener is taken away on clouds made of chords and harmonies. Wisely Sub Pop has filled in the gap between Band Of Horses releases with Teen Dream, which may not have as many “hits”, but it’s every bit as moving as anything the label has put out.Listen to Beach House – Norway
————————————————————————————————-
Spoon – Transference
I’ve never liked the band Spoon, and the hype surrounding the band has always left somewhat of an acrid taste in my mouth. But finally, like the bittersweet satisfaction of swallowing down acid reflux, I am willing to admit that their new album “Transference” is genius. I feel like an American convert to Christianity after being an atheist for most of my adult life, I’ve finally seen the light, or given into social norms. Whatever. – Barry Moore (read full review)
July Flames sounds like the moment after you die and you realize you are in heaven. It also feels like longing. You know, that feeling of memories bubbling up in the pit of your stomach when you see a portrait of your family when you were only a kid? Laura Veirs makes me feel like that. From her organic musical compositions to Laura’s mesmerizing vocals July Flames abounds in earthly delights. Visit Raven Marching Band, her label, to buy the album, or if you go to her website you can download a couple of tracks for free. RIYL – music.
It’s easy to like an album when you sound like the singer of the band, or at least that’s what I imagine I sound like. That is Stephen Merritt. Realism is pure magic, that is if you believe in such a thing. These songs could not be any more different from the bands last release of Distortion, I image that’s why Stephen had this to say about the album, – ‘“I thought of the two records as a pair,” Merritt reveals, “and I kind of wanted them to be called True and False. But I couldn’t decide which I wanted to be called True and which I wanted to be called False. They both have to do with the notions of truth and falsehood in recording and music—not particularly with the lyrics but with the production style.” Go ahead, have a listen, then buy the album.
When an album is allowed space to breathe as does Postdata, that’s when magic happens. It’s the kind of magic you hear late at night walking through the big city all by your lonesome. Everything seems so otherworldly as if you are an alien on some foreign planet. Or it simply sounds like sitting on a mountain top, looking down at the world below and realizing what peace really is. This is an album that lives by it’s simple bravery, thank goodness Paul Murphy and his guitar had the fortitude for such an album.
1. Tell us about the band?
The band was started in the winter of 2007. We played our first show and recorded our debut EP Curious Faces/Violet Future that December. The two founding members Matthew rain (myself) and Aimee Morris are still in the band. We have gone through a slew of members but now have a solid lineup completed by Forrest Hall and Doug Crump.
The band has toured 40 of the 50 US states and has played shows with Deerhunter, minus the bear, the antlers, a place to bury strangers, black lips, Dan Deacon, Jay Reatard and Les Savy Fav. We recorded a new album last year that will be released via old flame records in March. It’s called Gray Waves.
2. Have you ever been fed up with playing music or with band members, why?
We are a four-piece band that has had nine members. We have a low threshold for slacker bitches.
3. What was your first concert experience? Do you remember how you felt once the concert was over?
I saw that band the Toadies when I was 13. I wasn’t a big fan at the time I just went with some friends. I loved it though. It was in Dallas where they are from so it was actually a huge show. I remember wanting to go home and practice guitar.
4. Did you grow up wanting to play music, or when did the whole making albums thing come about and how?
I played music starting at age 11. At that time I played drums because that was all they offered in band at school. I got my first guitar on my 13th birthday. I made my first record with my high school band when I was 16.
5. What qualifies you guys to be in a band?
What qualifies anyone? You don’t have to qualify for it. If there was some sort of standard there might be less terrible music.
6. Do you have a favorite song you have ever written? Why? Passive Idol, It just feels right all the way through.
7. What is your greatness weakness as a band?
Our love for the California treats.
8. What qualities should a successful label or manager have?
Good taste, reason with money but not a fear to spend it and a genuine love for the band and their music.
9. What’s the scariest thing that has ever happened to you in your life?
I was once in a car that flipped three times in a car accident. I didn’t even really get hurt that bad but it was terrifying at the time.
10. What’s the first thing you do when the band arrives in a new town while on tour?
Stake out the venue.
11. Have you ever had an audience member give you the willies because they kept looking at you all weird?
Worse than that, we had a guy in Montgomery stare Aimee and me down the whole set. He came up to us after the show and told us that he was going home to masturbate to the idea of us. When I tried to politely brush him off he told me that if I didn’t come home with him no one would ever see him again.
12. Have you ever cried while listening to music? If so what were you listening too?
Yes, Neil Young – After the Goldrush. Heartbreak city.
13. If you could re-record, or re-write any song of yours what would that song be?
Well we re-recorded red fox run for the album so I’ll just stay with that.
14. What’s the worst place you have ever played a show at, and why?
We played a Mexican restaurant in Austin at south by southwest last year. There were about three people there to see bands and about sixty innocent people who were just here to eat Mexican food. We’re a pretty loud band and we were just gonna back out but the promoter begged us to play. It felt like something out of a bad dream.
15. In a perfect world how many albums would you have to sell to be happy?
In a perfect world music would be free.
16. What do you guys have planned for the future?
We will be touring hardcore from now till the end of the year. After that we will begin working on a follow up to gray waves.
17. What music do you listen to when you are having a bad day?
Beach house.
18. If you had your life to live over again, what one thing would you change?
I wouldn’t change anything. Life is like a row of dominoes. If you take one out it might not all fall into place?
Its really been years since I’ve heard anything news worthy about Emo-Rock/Power Pop band Motion City Soundtrack. There was a time when I was vaguely aware of what was going on in the Warped Tour scene, and I would, given the chance, take a read through AP Magazine. Although, with their newest full length release “My Dinosaur Life”, I was actually surprised with what I heard.
Standing out in the AP Magazine world seems to be a chore of titanic proportions these days. It’s an industry of the cookie cutter band, and stars rise and fall like characters in a Lost episode. Lets be honest, post Fall Out Boy, it becomes harder and harder to differentiate which band of 25-year-old guys sporting straightened hair and jeans is the hot new thing. In fact, I’m not even sure if the fans know. But knowing where Motion City Soundtrack has come from, I would easily say they have taken some steps forward, and backwards, musically with “My Dinosaur Life”.
The opener to an album is always important, and I think considering, “Worker Bee” was a good choice. Easy and accessible, it’s a fair portrayal of what you’re in for when listening to this album. In the head-bobbing beat, I hear a little bit of My Chemical Romance, mixed with a Happy Days marathon. Not a bad tune if you ask me.
One of the strongest songs right off the bat is the sassy “Her Words”. Saves the Day and Weezer influenced guitars strut a cocky walk down this musical street. Catchy and simple, it has some sass to it, which seems to be strength of MCS. The lyrics are quirky, and a bit clever in fact. With lines like “Got a Job at a Common Grounds/I finally shaved off that Beard/Sold my Xbox to Jimmy, down the street/ I even quit smoking weed/I’m taking it all in one course/I’m learning to speak Japanese”, I hear a distinct Rivers Cuomo riff, which I don’t think does MCS wrong.
“Disappear”, has strong echoes of poetic Emo-Rock band Say Anything, which really think does this band a great disservice. Finding inspiration in a band is all fine and dandy, but emulating a band that has been around nearly as long as you, and not to mention, been around playing a very similar vein of music, and playing the same scene, does very little to credit you as creative. If you don’t have any Say Anything on your I-tunes, I’d stick with a couple listens to this song.
Moving on into the album, I do find some more gems. The machine gun lyrical form of “Delirium”, and the guilty, goofy pleasure that is “Pulp Fiction” leave me with two more songs that I find some interest in.
In the end though the downfall of this album, is its ability to push forward. There seems to be a reserved fear floating in the undercurrent. Motion City Soundtrack starts many songs with solid, and if anything, interesting ideas. But they quickly fall back into what seems to me, to be old habits. Verses with fresh aesthetic flow down into power-chord mashing Warped Tour choruses. This isn’t a Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, but there are pop sensibilities here, and some solid song writing in the mix. For what Motion City Soundtrack is, they do it well. At the end of the day though, nothing blatantly striking or original rises to surface in what has been a continued effort in the Emo-Rock tradition.
Dear Companion is a collaboration between three Kentucky musicians: the songs are written and performed by Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore, produced by and featuring Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket and Monsters of Folk. Recorded in the first half of 2009 in their home state, Dear Companion explores their ties to the place they love and aims to draw attention to the problem of mountaintop removal coal mining and its impact on the people and heritage of central Appalachia.
A portion of the proceeds from Dear Companion will benefit Appalachian Voices, an organization devoted to ending mountaintop removal and finding a better way forward. Learn more at: www.ilovemountains.org or www.subpop.com
Upcoming Tour Dates:
Feb 16 IN-STORE Ear X-tacy, Louisville, KY
Feb 17 IN-STORE CD Central, Lexington, KY
Feb 19 Northside Tavern, Cincinnati, OH
Feb 19 IN-STORE Shake It Records, Cincinnati, OH
Feb 20 Radio Radio, Indianapolis, IN
Feb 25 IN-STORE Grimeys, Nashville, TN
Feb 25 Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN
Feb 26 Brown Theatre (KY), Louisville, KY
Feb 27 Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
Mar 01 Boone Saloon (NC), Boone, NC
Mar 02 Carrboro Arts Center, Carrboro, NC
Mar 04 World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA
Mar 05 Joe’s Pub (NY), New York, NY
Mar 06 Joe’s Pub (NY), New York, NY
Mar 11 Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH
Mar 12 SPACE (IL), Evanston, IL
Mar 13 Schubas, Chicago, IL
Mar 15 CSPS (IA), Cedar Rapids, IA
Mar 16 Old Rock House (MO), ST. LOUIS, MO
Mar 17 SXSW, Austin, TX
Mar 18 Central Presbyterian Church (TX), Austin, TX
Mar 19 SXSW, Austin, TX
Mar 20 SXSW, Austin, TX
Mar 26 McCabe’s (CA), Santa Monica, CA
Mar 27 Swedish American Hall (SF), San Francisco, CA
Mar 29 Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Apr 02 Cedar Cultural Centre, Minneapolis, MN
Apr 03 Majestic Theater, Madison, WI
Drew Danburry is a regular here on IRR. Many of you have probably never heard of the man, yet he has played in almost every State in the US and even a few Backpacking tours in Europe. The man loves to play music, especially when it is done in a live, quaint setting like your living room or coffee shop.
Yesterday he released his latest musical venture titled Goodnight Gary. 10 tracks that are not done justice until seen live. This record may not be his finest piece of work but musically seems his most daring. Using simple but multiple layers of Instruments, Vocals, Answering Machines and various ambient Sounds to create tunes that seem his most heartfelt and most heart aching.
I enjoy the sing along, ukulele driven cheerful tunes of his past albums but they seem to not be on this first of a two part album release. Look for Goodnight Dannii later this year. Still if you love to support and get to know Musicians who exemplify what it means to be D.i.Y. then look no farther than Mr. Danburry and go grab this release and some of his others. I bet if you do and you let him know you did, he will gladly return the favor by coming and playing in your living room.
18 Questions is a rad new series of interviews that the IRR Family is starting to get you more info on the bands we love. Most people tend to ask the same questions and the bands tend to give the same answers. With our 18 Questions Interview series we take this monotony a step further and ask the artists the exact same eighteen questions, leaving it up to the bands to entertain you…. as always.
To start things off right, we give you the Inaugural 18 Questions with Brooklyn Trio, Kordan!
1. Tell us about the band? Arthur: Kordan are three musicians from Brooklyn playing songs about holograms, hallucinations, and love.
2. Have you ever been fed up with playing music or with band members, why? Liz: I don’t think I’ll ever be fed up with playing live music. I love it too much, specially sharing the stage with Arthur and Gabo.
Gabo: We have a great relationship. We share ideas, thoughts, problems. It’s like a family.
Arthur: Sometimes, after continually doing music for days, I do grow tired of music and feel devoid of ideas. Frequently I feel full of musical ideas after spending days on end submerged into other types of work, like book, films, graphic novels, and such.
3. What was your first concert experience? Do you remember how you felt once the concert was over?
Liz: It was a show at Public Assembly. I remember being terrified since it was my first time performing and singing at a stage. When the show was over however, I had this awesome feel of accomplishment mixed with a huge shot of adrenaline.
Arthur: When I was 19 or 20 I DJ’ed at a large club for the first time; the experience was nerve-wrecking, but everyone in the audience was going nuts, so that kind of carries you along the stormy sea.
Gabo: I’ve also DJ’ed around town and back home, but at a smaller scale. My first experience had to be opening for The Drums at Mercury Lounge. I was nervous but really excited to be on a stage,I’d never felt the rush of playing live in a big venue. It was a bit surreal.
4. Did you grow up wanting to play music, or when did the whole making albums thing come about and how?
Gabo: My family is a very varied family, my mother loved popular music, disco and CentralAmerican rhythms. My father enjoy traditional and contemporary Puerto Rican music, clasic rock and clasical music so I had their influence but grew curious once I grew older. My interest in playing music started in my teenage years, I was really into punk at the time (from Spain, Puerto Rico and US) I borrowed a friend’s bass and started playing some of my favorite songs. I liked the energy of punk, the raw, unrehearsed, unprepared energy of the music, it captivated me.
Liz: It all started the first time I got my hands on my first keyboard when I was a kid. My uncle works in a recording studio and he would bring any “leftover” synth/keyboards over for me to play with. I loved playing around with all the knobs and creating my own sounds.
Arthur: When I was very young my grandfather had an old, dusty organ and my grandmother had a traditional Spanish guitar that I used to fiddle with. I had been learning piano on a little Casio keyboard, when at the age of 11 or 13, I can’t remember, my parents bought me a real piano, an upright one. Hearing the lushness of those delicate hammers hitting real strings felt as if my hands opened up a mysterious portal that could manifest an inner dreamworld onto the outside world; every since I haven’t looked back.
5. What qualifies you guys to be in a band?
Gabo: I don’t think there are any certain set of qualifications to be in a band. You just get into it. If you want to play music with people, then you’re in a band, that’s it.
Liz: We love music and want to share it with the world.
6. Do you have a favorite song you have ever written? Why?
Liz: I enjoy playing “Mirror” at our shows. It just has a magical vibe to it.
Arthur: I agree; my pick is for “Mirror” as favorite song. It points toward the musical direction we want to pursue in the future.
Gabo: I guess I’ll defer in this one. My favorite has to be “Dawn”, it’s raw energy captivates me, sort of puts me in a trance. I really do enjoy playing it live.
Liz: We are perfectionists, that can be very stressful at times but still very rewarding.
8. What qualities should a successful label or manager have?
Gabo: Professionalism and dedication, it’s important that a manager believes in what your doing, if not, you’re not really going anywhere.
Liz: Good communication skills, professionalism and to be able to share some artistic vision with the band.
Arthur: Although maybe not an artist, the good manager needs to have a sense of artistic vision in addition to the more business-related skills.
9. What’s the scariest thing that has ever happened to you in your life?
Liz: Having a near death experience. I almost drowned while swimming in the ocean. Confronting nature and having to surrender to it is one of the scariest and most humbling experiences.
Arthur: Dissolving myself into the void of eternity while communing with certain plants; that is always bad for a few seconds! But back in the flesh-world, I once had a gun placed on my head by a crackhead looking to steal my laptop. The rearing of death’s head certainly paralyzes you for a bit.
10. What’s the first thing you do when the band arrives in a new town while on tour?
Liz: I always want to eat something that is unique to that place, meet new people and walk around.
Gabo: I agree with Liz. Get to know people from that city or town.
11. Have you ever had an audience member give you the willies because they kept looking at you all weird?
Liz: I try not to look at the audience that much. Once I get on stage it feels like I’m being submerged into a dream, everything turns into a haze.
12. Have you ever cried while listening to music? If so what were you listening too?
Gabo: Sigur Ros’ “Hoppipola”, Radiohead’s “All I Need”, don’t remember who else. This is really too revealing…….
Liz: Yes, many times. Notably, listening to Bjork’s All is Full of Love always awakens a lot of mixed feelings of sorrow and awe.
Arthur: The Cure’s Disintegration; this is probably the most hopeless, sappiest record ever put to tape.
13. If you could re-record, or re-write any song of yours what would that song be?
Liz: Being such perfectionists, there is always the thought of improving any piece of music or art. But we always have to remind ourselves that sometimes it’s best to just appreciate when a song is simply beautiful as it is.
Arthur: There’s a famous quote that connects to Lizzie’s comment. It says “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” It’s so true!
14. What’s the worst place you have ever played a show at, and why?
Liz: Cramped basements with poor sound.
Arthur: Yeah; I would add “and a diva soundguy”.
Gabo: Poor sound makes a place “not band friendly” honestly.
15. In a perfect world how many albums would you have to sell to be happy?
Liz: I don’t think our happiness will be based on selling albums. We are happy with having the opportunity to have as many people listen to our sounds and share our vision. If I had to choose how many I could say: enough to take us on tour around the world.
16. What do you guys have planned for the future?
Arthur: To remote-control holographic versions of ourselves playing live show while our real selves sit continents away! But that’s in the year 2749.
Liz: To keep creating interesting music as well as an intricate universe that will complement our sound. We would love to collaborate with other visual artists and film makers that could assist us in materializing the world that we want to create. Another big dream is to become nomads as we bring our music to the far corners of the planet.
17. What music do you listen to when you are having a bad day?
Gabo: There’s many types. Usually atmospheric bands that sort of transcend particular genres are really good for my spirit.
Liz: On difficult days I tend to settle for mellow and moody sounds. I might dwell on listening to anything that has meaningful lyrics and a profound feel to it.
Arthur: Daft Punk; I just put on Discovery while on the subway and your feet start tapping, your head starts nodding; a good feeling overwhelms you. Dance music in general is a savior.
18. If you had your life to live over again, what one thing would you change?
Gabo: After reading “The Strange Life of Ivan Osokin”, I don’t think I have a choice.
Rogue Wave has a new album coming out on March 2nd titled Permalight. The lead single from it Good Morning, is a simple catchy, Indie Pop tune that is sure to garner Radio play. It may not be as unique as their previous works, but all in all, Good Morning is easy tune to make a morning commute or trip to school seem a bit brighter. Let’s just hope that the rest of the album doesn’t follow suite exaclty, so we can get some of that old breathe of new life, Rogue Wave once gave to a monotonous musically world!
XO Publicity sends us tons of love each day via the amazing Artists the represent, which we in turn try to share with you. So it’s only fitting that this Holiday Season they give us another amazing compilation of tunes which I am sure will brighten your winter days! Their quite good! So download each track below by just right clicking on song title to download by song or click here “xo for the holidays volume II” to zip whole album
Murder By Death are on a glorious holiday killing spree with this little ditty. Artists that can let loose and be cheesy at times are the rare of the breed. So download this track for FREE or if you feel a little Holiday Spirit you can donate whatever you like to the band. Check it out!
The team over at Launderette Clothing just posted a great Holiday Mixtape for all to enjoy! Check it out and while your at it see if they have some nice threads to enhance your wardrobe! I think they will! Here is the track listing:
1) Merry Christmas From Mr. T – Mr. T
2) Purple Snowflakes – Marvin Gaye
3) Winter Weather – Squirrel Nut Zippers
4) The Christmas Song – The Raveonettes
5) All I Want For Christmas (is my two front teeth) – Nat King Cole & His Trio
6) Carol Of The Bells – The Bird And The Bee
7) Ice & Ribbons – Vitesse Why Can’t It Be Christmastime All Year – Rosie Thomas
9) Sixteen, Maybe Less – Iron & Wine w/ Calexico
10) The Christmas Song – Dexter Gordon
11) I’d Like You For Christmas – Julie London
12) Christmas Island – Andrews Sisters & Guy Lombardo
13) Last Christmas – Wham!
14) Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy – Bing Crosby & David Bowie
15) Snowfall – Esquivel
16) Merry Christmas Baby – Otis Redding
17) Let It Snow – Magnet
18) Christmas Eve – Teenage Fanclub
As I review my selections here I’m reminded that this was a good year in music. From the incredible-sounding Beatles remasters to the triumphant (and bewildering) return / reinvention of the Flaming Lips, there was a lot to be excited about. It’s really great to see that the death of the traditional music industry certainly isn’t stifeling the creativity of the artists themselves. Okay, here goes:
TOP 5 Albums
1. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
’nuff said.
2. Flaming Lips – Embryonic
This record knocked me on my ass. It was just about the last thing I expected from the Lips at this point in their discography.
3. Big Spider’s Back – Warped EP
Local “chillwave” artist’s first proper release. Panda Bear meets Caribou.
4. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimist
This was admittedly a slow grower for me, as my expectations were awfully high after their previous album. This record maybe be less of a sprawling epic than Yellow House was, but the gorgeous arrangements & production that went into these songs is hard to dismiss.
5. Atlas Sound – Logos
Okay, this record is stylistically inconsistent, but who cares? Hipster Runoff astutely asked, “Is Atlas Sound (ft Panda Bear) the MP3 we have been waiting 4 all year?” The answer is ‘yes’.
TOP Live Shows
1. David Byrne performing songs from his various collaborations with Brian Eno @ The Paramount Theater (Seattle)
2. Dirty Projectors @ Chop Suey (Seattle)
3. Paper Garden Showcase ft. Peasant, Emanuel and the Fear, Peasant, and Boy Crisis @ 3rd Ward (Brooklyn)
4. Big Spider’s Back, Cars and Trains, Astronautilus @ House of Zanzibar (Seattle)
5. Mt. Eerie & Tiny Vipers @ The Fremont Abbey (Seattle)
6. Eagle Seagull @ The Slowdown (Omaha)
DISCLAIMER: I’m including this one cause it was awesome but feel sheepish since my band played this show… anyways
Top Conspiracies
1. Music Journalists trying to convince us that Wavves is a worth giving a shit about.
2. The fact that it’s next to impossible to buy a 25 cent pack of chewing gum anymore. Instead they try to sell you the same thing in fancier packaging for $3 a pack.
Featuring these great new songs: Alvin Band “Mantis Preying Ate Single”
Beach House “Norway”
CFCF “Monolith”
The Dead Trees “Rayna (demo)”
Fredrik “Locked in the Basement”
Furcast “Greyls Old”
Holly Miranda “Forest Green Oh Forest Green”
Letting Up Despite Our Faults “In Steps”
Mean Creek “(OrTheUnderground)”
Midnight Masses “Walk On Water”
Miracles of Modern Science “Bossa Supernova”
Summer Dregs “Bones”
Tape Deck Mountain “On My Honor”
Tape Deck Mountain “Scantron (remix)
Technoir MA “Roundabout”
The New Loud “Dont Dance”
Toro Y Moi “Blessa”
Why Can’t It Be Christmastime All Year – Rosie Thomas
