Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Monday, December 20, 2010

Top 10 Albums of 2010

10. Broken Bells - Broken Bells



9. Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner



8. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach



7a/ Four Tet - There is Love in You
7b/ Caribou - Swim


6. M.I.A. - Maya


5. Beach House - Teen Dream


4. Massive Attack - Heligoland



3. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs



2. Foals - Total Life Forever


1. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - THIS IS HAPPENING

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Bonobo - Eyesdown feat. Andreya Triana

Just a little something I can't stop listening to. Dig in on this guy if you haven't already, apparently he's been around for a while. This track is from his latest release which is sounding quite well produced by comparison to the older tracks, but not any less interesting.


Thursday, December 9, 2010

Gorillaz cover the XX - "Crystalised"

I halfway considered apologizing for the XX heavy posting I've been doing over the last few months, but after only seconds of internal conflict, decided I am allowed my healthy obsession with the trio. I just stumbled across yet another epic cover, this time from the Gorillaz. Albarn and Co. perform a very stripped down version of "Crystalised" that reminds us how emotionally torturous this song is, in case you somehow forgot. I, for one, am enjoying being reminded with every cover how mind blowing that album is.

P.S. Again, David Albarn...Will you marry me?

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Houses - Reds

Over the past 4 days I've stopped in my tracks no less than 5 times to look this song up by complete accident. I first heard this song on the Monday morning commute across 520. That drive is already taxing enough, but combined with it being a Monday I was already in a mood. After hearing this story and this song things seemed to start looking up. The background story of this duo from Chicago is inspiring to say the least so I'll include it and let the story tell itself.

“I got laid off from my job at the end of last year and decided I needed a change. My girlfriend put in her two weeks and we moved out to a little cabin in Papaikou, Hawaii. It’s a pretty remote place outside of Hilo (i.e no plumbing/electricity/gas). We worked for meals during the day cultivating microorganisms and learning the basics of sustainable living. We drank showered and cooked with rain water. In our downtime, she would paint and I would record.
We’d have to light candles in an effort to save solar power to keep my computer running. We inspired each other a lot out there, and I think it shows on the album. The music comes from a place of love and ease. The video for Endless Spring was shot there in our spare time, and the music was sketched out loosely over the course of a few months. We just kind of melted into one person. We were able to keep our heads above water for a few months before we both went broke and moved back to Chicago. I put together all the arrangements and field recordings, and that became All Night. The album was pressed to vinyl on a vintage Neumann cutting lathe and then sent through a series of old analog mastering equipment. It then underwent a digital transfer. The idea is that everyone can hear the very first pressing of All Night. It’s a sonically intimate record and we wanted to capture that feeling in the production as well.” – Houses




Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Broken Bells "The Ghost Inside" or Hall & Oates "Private Eyes"

A little gem I found showing that Hall & Oates "Private Eyes" video sync'd up with Broken Bells "The Ghost Inside"

Sunday, November 14, 2010

A Perfect Circle "eMOTIVe" - Showbox at the Market TONIGHT!!!

I hadn't heard a peep out of anything Tool related for quite a few years, but flying under the radar and announcing something massive is definitely their M.O. Album, tour, tour, hiatus, buzz about doing something, loooong hiatus, tour, a few painstaking months before the new album, and thus the cycle continues. The A Perfect Circle tour announcement literally had me firing on all engines. I was texting, IMing, scouring the Internet for information all while at work. In no way shape of form did I have the capacity to focus on anything else. At the time I still had no idea that each of the 3 shows were going to be an album played in its entirety. As you can imagine, I was on another planet after hearing that. The purchase of these tickets was by FAR the most difficult and stressful ordeal I've ever experienced in order to get into a show. And those of you who know me, and know how many shows I go to, this is a pretty bold proclamation.

I've been a Tool fan since the beginning. My passion for this band, what they can do, and anything that they touch has NEVER subsided. Needless to say, I've been following APC for just as long and feel exactly the same way about them. Tonight I will see them perform "eMOTIVe" in its entirety. Released in 2004 on Election Day, this album is a collection of politically charged covers, my favorite being a cover of John Lennon's "Imagine". I had already anticipated that the level of emotion during this show would be through the roof for the simple fact that it's going to be AMAZING, but I suspect that given the political connotations it will add another level. I'm beyond thankful to Nate for helping me get these tickets and can't believe what I'm about to be a part of. Bucketlist item FOR SURE!!!







Tuesday, November 9, 2010

IG88 - Nectar 11.09 (opening for Matthew Dear)

I literally just got home from Nectar 5 minutes ago after seeing these guys open for Matthew Dear and had to get this out there. I feel like I'm getting repetitive in my posts since the sound of everything I'm listening to right now is very much on the downtempo, spacey, minimalist vibe. At any rate, these kids are local, and I want to support that in any way I can. I posted a few weeks back about Mark McGuire, and Emeralds, which is definitely along the same lines of where IG88 falls. It's unfortunate that I didn't make a note of the vocalist that they brought in, as I thought he was just a part of their set up...apparently not the case. Go here to check out their digital album, but don't expect to see much else aside from a myspace page from these kids. Here's hoping that they hook up w/ USF & Beat Connection and start making the rounds in the local circuit.

IG88 - Mutual Mastication by IDMf Netlabel

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

GORILLAZ!!!!!!!!! Nov 10 - The Key

I'm going to let these AMAZING pictures speak for themselves. We had floor seats, but DEFINITELY snuck WAAAAAAAY up. Note that these are ALL iPhone (1G) pics which should tell you how crazy close we got. Dig it!!!!!!!!!!













Sufjan Stevens - 10.30.10

The build up to this show is quite a back story that I will try not to bore you too much with. My good friend and 'rock star' of a friend Yuuki has been touring with Sufjan Stevens during "The Age of Adz" tour this fall. The Seattle show at the Paramount had been sold out for a number of weeks when I received an email from him saying that a few friends and myself were included on a guest list. I honestly don't know much about Sufjan's music aside from the miscellanous soundtrack contributions he's done over the course of the 2000's. I was completely blown away.



You know how when you're watching a cheesy high school-ish movie (say 500 days of Summer, or 10 things I hate about you type movies) when there's that pivotal moment when everything is perfect, or someone's just overcome a huge issue or whatever. And during that scene the song choice is so so so important, because it's really not a movie of much importance, and that song choice really just makes you like the movie and get what the 'message' is?? That's kind of how I felt about the show. I could hear those songs as the soundtrack during those times (real and in movieland). Wordy, inarticulate, but whatever, I think you guys get it.





Monday, October 25, 2010

Esben and the Witch - "Marching Song" (Official Video)

First official single by 'Esben and the Witch' on Matador.

City Arts Fest - Day 4 - Esben and the Witch & Foals @ Neumos

Day 4 of City Arts fest came with some serious decisions to make. Big Boi & Foals playing at LITERALLY the exact same time? Oye. I was very much set on seeing Foals until a few different voices of reason made a good point in saying "When are you ever going to see Big Boi again? It's not like Outkast tours, um, EVER" And although I'm not the biggest follower of Outkast, and thus Big Boi, it's definitely one of those things that you just have to see at some point. So the decision was made...I'll get there early and stand around waiting to see if they'll let me in since I only had the wristband and not the guest list wristband for that show. As I'm sure you've deduced by now (maybe it was the title of the blog) my attention span for waiting in lines - especially in the rain - got the better of me. I think I lasted a whole 10 minutes before deciding to get back in my car and drive up to Neumo's. Damn, if I was glad that I did.

The opening band, Esben and the Witch was definitely not something I'd heard of, or taken the time to even look up prior to the show. However, halfway through the first song I was texting a gang of folks about them and trying to find something, ANYTHING about them on Wiki. Not the easiest thing to do since it seems these guys are THAT new. I scoured the interwebs a bit yesterday and found out that this 3 piece band touring w/ the Foals just signed to Matador and released their first single for them, last week.
Esben & the Witch

Esben and the Witch


Foals promptly went on at 11 and went hit for hit between "Total Life Forever" and "Antidotes". It sounded amazing, their energy was on FIRE, the crowd was INTO it for sure. It was exactly what I was expecting and hoped for. 'Total Life Forever' is definitely on my top 5 albums for 2010 and I am so glad I decided to go see this show.
Foals

Foals

Foals

Foals






Getting ready to attack the drum


Saturday, October 23, 2010

City Arts Fest - Day 2 - Cat Power @ 5th Ave Theater

This was my first event at the 5th Ave Theater and first time seeing Cat Power. It's taken me a while to get into the singer/songwriter thing so I really don't know much about her. The first time I had any kind of interest in her music was a tequila filled Cinco de Mayo at the Cha Cha when I first heard "Free" playing in the bar. Her voice is unmistakable and the show was definitely something I'll always remember. I'd heard about her stage fright but witnessing it firsthand was a little shocking. The near 2000 person crowd was as silent as you could possibly get for that size. Between each song there was at least a 3 minute pause with only a few whispers, or a random folks yelling "You can do it" in some attempt at comforting her. I couldn't help but wonder why on earth this chick even wanted to continue to be in the spotlight if she was THIS uncomfortable. Selfishly though, with a voice like hers, I am glad she does.


Thursday, October 21, 2010

City Arts Festival - Day 1 - Macklemore, Brother Ali, & Blue Scholars


Mash Hall opening up the show


Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - killing it

Macklemore

dance party alterego


Brother Ali

Brother Ali

Blue Scholars

Blue Scholars