Thursday, December 29, 2011

A STARE LIKE YOURS 10 BEST ALBUMS*

*That I listened to today, in chronological order

10. Jerry Goldsmith - Chinatown Original Soundtrack

A perfect album to listen to while writing a paper about Chinatown!~

9. Liturgy - Aesthetica

The #1 controversial black metal album of 2011 for people that didn't really care to follow what was controversial in black metal this year

8. Sigur Ros - ( )

I like this CD and deemed it worth listening to.

----- at this point I listened to several chunks of different albums including those by Wolves In The Throne Room, Bill Orcutt, Blut Aus Nord, Indian, and Beyonce----------

7. Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact

At this point my activity transitioned from writing a paper for school to handing it in and celebrating being done with the fall semester with doing a large puzzle. I put on several albums from this year that are especially fun to listen to. "LIVE FOREVER"

6. Cut Copy - Zonoscope

This a fun cd and it always impresses me how much I am able to enjoy the song with the dopey shouts of "yeah!" around the chorus.

5. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

Makes for epic puzzle assembling

4. James Blake - James Blake

My #1 cd of 2011. So excellent

3. My Morning Jacket - Circuital

I hadn't listened to this in months. It's good and I'm sorry for forgetting about it!

2. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

Logical progression: "eh, I guess I haven't listened to Evil Urges in a while lately. AH THIS IS GOOD"

1. My Morning Jacket - Z

and "okay, Z too now. AHH THIS CD"

At which point I finished my puzzle. The end!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Instant Review - Knee-jerk reactions to the P4k 100 for 2011

First off: I really do not expect anyone to read this. I wrote it for myself, as a historical document.

Basically I listened to each of the songs in this list before reading the next one. 100 songs later, this is what I got.

100. Thundercat - For Love (I Come Your Friend)
YES to this, I have still never heard his album though. I need to get on that.
99. Ill Blu - Meltdown
Not sure I have heard of Ill Blu. It sounds so good though. Note to self: check out Numbers to see if Ill Blu’s label is as good as hyperdub.
98. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Ffunny Ffrends
I booked them! I wish I knew the rest of their songs as well as I know this one.
97. Fever Ray - The Wolf
The blurb for this accomplishes in 142 words what this one accomplishes in 5.
96. Peaking Lights - All the Sun That Shines
“A love song for the cavemen”... Okay
95. Kendrick Lamar - ADHD
I think this is the first time I’ve ever actually listened to a KL track. I like it, I like his voice and the way he says ‘that’
94. Sepalcure - Pencil Pimp
Yeah yeah yeah! It is too bad that Sepalcure + Mux Mool didn’t come to Madison.
93. Wild Flag - Romance
I saw WF at SXSW but haven’t listened to their cd yet. This song is cool but the blurb comparing the song to “its” top 40 influences is a bit of a stretch.
92. Jacques Greene - Another Girl
How have I never heard of this before!!! This is great!! The first great discovery by way of this list.
91. Thee Oh Sees - The Dream
I have not listened to TOS very much. I like this song a lot.
90. Grimes - Vanessa
I feel like this is one of those songs that I’ve heard far more times than I actually have. I wonder if Grimes is gonna next year’s Beach House (or something)
89. SBTRKT - Wildfire [ft. Little Dragon]
I’m so glad this is on the list! This is much higher on my personal list. Maybe I should make one this year, because I’m curious where this one would end up.
88. Cities Aviv - Coastin
Oftentimes I feel it takes about 30 seconds for me to know if I’ll like a hip hop track or not. This is great from the start. I have never heard of Cities Aviv before.
87. Zoo Kid - Out Getting Ribs
I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard of Zoo Kid either. Too bad, because he’s 17 now and there’s a big difference between falling in love with music made by a 17-year old and falling in love with music made by a 16-year old. Still, 17. Wow.
86. Blawan - Getting Me Down
The review says “For the first half of the year, ‘Getting Me Down’ was an event”, and I get what he’s saying, but I’ve never heard the song before. I do like it.
85. Junior Boys - Banana Ripple
God, Banana Ripple is such a great name. I don’t know the track too well and don’t think I’ve heard the album more than once or twice.
84. Iceage - You’re Blessed
Iceage. They’re amusing to see in the pages of Spin and Rolling Stone. This song sounds like it should have come out two or three years ago.
83. Tiger & Woods - Gin Nation
I haven’t heard this song. It sounds like it belongs in mixes. And 2009.
82. John Maus - Believer
AHHHHH alright, the first real disappointment in this list. ‘Believer’ is certainly one of the year’s best tracks. Not the 82 best, the 10 best. Come on!!
81. Yuck - Get Away
Hahaha. Instead of saying ‘come on!!’ at first I had ‘yuck!’ but changed it to avoid it coming off as a lame joke. I like this song a lot. Belongs in the same bucket as ‘You’re Blessed’ and Japandroids. I genuinely like the blurb’s shout out to high schoolers.
80. Fucked Up - Queen of Hearts
I will forever associate this track (and the album’s intro) with driving into Madison after a moonlit car ride back from seeing Okkervil River + Titus + Future Islands in Minneapolis with my friends. As the sun had risen and my tiredness was shifting to the excited feeling I get after accomplishing something big and fun, Christian put this on and started the day. Man, what a great memory!
79. Kelly Rowland - Motivation [ft. Lil Wayne]
Wow, how have I not heard this until today? I had no idea Kelly Rowland was still making music. The production on this sounds like it was made for dubstep remixes.
78. Sandro Perri - Changes
Oh wow, this is really great. I have never heard of Sandro Perri! Will definitely look into him though.
77. Cults - Abducted
This is good. Cults has come so far! Makin’ the big #77 on the Best Tracks of 2011 P4k List. Who would have thought? I think my first introduction to the band was this super-indie blog post:
76. Julianna Barwick - Prizewinning
Wow JB. You slay me! Actually, I want you to slay me. For some reason I have never gotten into your music. I like what I’ve heard and promise to listen to you more. “Barwick's celestial vocals gradually flood the track, confirming that there is indeed reverb in heaven.” As if there was ever any doubt!!
75. Washed Out - Amor Fati
If only every Washed Out song was as incredible as “Feel It All Around”..right? This is really Washed Out. I’m satisfied with this ranking.
74. Dum Dum Girls - Wrong Feels Right
I haven’t been keeping track, but this is at least the second review to mention striking ‘the gut’. I guess I understand.
73. tUnE-yArDs - Powa
Nothing really to say about this one. I’m glad tUnE-yArDs isn’t fading into obscurity or eccentric indie purgatory. Questionable blurb. Congrats to Garbus for garnering the most unlikely comparison to 1970s Jamaican dub!
72. Britney Spears - Till the World Ends [ft. Nicki Minaj & Ke$ha] (The Femme Fatale Remix)
Hopefully this isn’t the only track featuring Ke$ha on this list!
71. The Men - Batailles
I haven’t heard this song. Rock and roll! The hi-hat sounds perfect.
70. Holy Ghost! - Jam For Jerry
Oh wow, I didn’t know this song existed. I’m glad I found it in this list.
69. Neon Indian - Polish Girl
What a good song. This is another one I feel I’ve heard more times than I probably have.
68. The Joy Formidible - Whirring
One of those bands I haven’t gotten to yet. I liked the song though. Worth checking out probably.
67. Rihanna - We Found Love [ft. Calvin Harris]
Here’s my second big beef with this list. This song is tremendous and should be much higher on the list. A travesty!
66. DJ Quik - Killer Dope
Not a big fan of this one. Sorry Quik!
65. Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean
I realize FF will likely have a few songs on this list, but this seems awfully low. 65? I guess there were a lot of good songs this year..
64. Toro Y Moi - New Beat
This should’ve been #65.
63. Bon Iver - Perth
This song is so incredible. It should be higher. At least it’s higher than ‘New Beat’. What a perfect opener. I love the percussion in this song.
62. Liturgy - Generation
Yes yes yes.
61. Eleanor Friedberger - My Mistakes
I haven’t heard this album yet. My first impression of this song is that it reminds of my “All My Friends”.
60. Adele - Someone Like You
This song owned my year. In my top 10 for sure.
59. Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire - The Last Huzzah! [ft. Despot, Das Racist, Danny Brown, and El-P] (Remix)
This is kind of like this year’s “Swagga Like Us”
58. PJ Harvey - The Words That Maketh Murder
I still haven’t listened to this album, which I should probably do soon since I’ve had a copy of it in my apartment for the better part of this year.
57. The Weeknd - House of Balloons
God, this is still terrific.
56. M83 - Intro [ft. Zola Jesus]
I just listened to this album for the first time straight through a few days ago. This is a great enough opener that it’s hard listening to the second half of the album because I always start at the beginning.
55. Destroyer - Chinatown
A solid mid-50s pick.
54. Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx - I’ll Take Care of U
A great song made better by the Drake companion. I want to be a DJ so I can play this song for everyone, every night. The progression of this song through covers on covers on covers is so impressive and wonderful.
53. Real Estate - Green Aisles
This is very pleasant. I don’t think I’ve heard this album more than once or twice but I recall liking it quite a bit.
52. Action Bronson - Larry Csonka
I have never heard of Action Bronson, and I have never heard of Larry Csonka. I like this!
51. Todd Terje - Snooze 4 Love
Ah, Todd Terje. I remember this coming out but don’t think I’ve heard it since listening to it on a blog somewhere. It’s good.
50. Atlas Sound - Mona Lisa
I’m content with this placement. ‘Te Amo’ had better be in the single digits!
49. Katy B - Broken Record
In looking up this song (which I’d heard a few times on napster) i found a jacques greene remix. Aw yeah!
48. Kreayshawn - Gucci Gucci
Should be higher!
47. Battles - Ice Cream [ft. Matias Aguayo]
Ooh, this is a great song. Fantastic video!
46. Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread
I haven’t listened to Ty much at all.
45. Drake - Headlines
One of my almost-favorite top 40 rap singles of the year. This is a decent spot on the list for it.
44. Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise You Can See
I have never listened to this man. Very Interesting.
43. Panda Bear - Last Night At The Jetty
It looks like we’re getting into the really terrific songs of 2011.
42. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Otis
Yep.
41. Frank Ocean - Novacane
Mmhm.
40. Burial - Street Halo
I would not put this so high on the list. It’s good, but I feel it ranks among the 50s or 60s in this list. I really miss the ‘old’ burial beats on this song.
39. Shabazz Palaces - Swerve... the reeping of all that is worthwhile (Noir not withstanding)
I really hope ‘an echo from..’ is on this list!
38. Purity Ring - Ungirthed
I’ve never heard this song. It’s Nice!
37. ASAP Rocky - Peso
Yessssss.
36. Jamie xx - Far Nearer
YESSSSSSSSSSSS.
35. Charli XCX - Stay Away
Never heard this. It’s Aight
34. Cut Copy - Need You Now
This is a great song. A solid mid-30s track.. maybe should be higher.
33. AraabMuzik - Streetz Tonight
This is a good choice from electronic dream. Not an obvious one, but I’ll take it. Wonder if there’s gonna be anything else.. it’s unlikely at this point in the list.
32. Cold Cave - The Great Pan Is Dead
Completely forgot about this song! This is a terrific cut. I still haven’t heard the album though.
31. The Field - Then It’s White
This is great. A good spot for the song in this list.
30. Clams Casino - Motivation
This was Clams Casino’s year. I am excited to see this song at #30 because it gives me hope that I’m God is in the top 10.
29. Jai Paul - BTSTU
I’ve never heard of this man. Great sounding song... will be interesting to see what the follow-up is like in 2012.
28. Danny Brown - Monopoly
Somehow I haven’t listened to XXX yet. I like the songs I’ve heard.
27. The Rapture - How Deep Is Your Love?
This song’s chorus reminds me of a pop song from the 90s.
26. Beyonce - 1+1
OMG Beyonce. This is perfection. Deserves a higher spot.
25. Soulja Boy - Zan With That Lean
Really? I am a Soulja Boy fan but this song means nothing to me. This song doesn’t belong on this list.
24. Kurt Vile - Jesus Fever
Though hearing Kurt’s version never fails to make me wish I was hearing Molly play this on her ukelele instead, I suppose it’s alright that he’s at spot #24 instead of her. This is a great song. This year’s analogue to ‘Walkabout’?
23. Adele - Rolling in the Deep
An obvious top-5 pick for best pop singles of the year. Dude, Adele has got to be so rich right now.
22. Bill Callahan - Riding for the Feeling
This is a masterpiece. If this song is at #22 I can’t wait for the top 20. (Okay, I have been waiting for the top 20 since i read the top 20 of the 2010 list)
21. Drake - Marvin’s Room
Aw man. Great song. So quotable!
20. Gang Gang Dance - Glass Jar
Nice. I hope this means Mindkilla is in the top ten!
19. Lana Del Ray - Video Games
A perfect spot for this song. It’s really good. Really good. But there were some really really good songs this year and it feels good casting LDR away in favor of the really really good stuff. You know?
18. St. Vincent - Cruel
This is is perfect. I had forgotten about this album/song. I really love the guitar solo at about 1:15.
17. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
A deserving slot.
16. Tyler, the Creator - Yonkers
I’m surprised this isn’t higher! It’s the perfect OF single. Whatever.
15. The Weeknd - The Morning
Awwwl that money, the money is the motive
14. Girls - Vomit
This is a pretty big-sounding song. It deserves it’s ranking here even though I’m not sure where I’d put it on my list.
13. tUnE-yArDs - Bizness
Yeah, this is awesome.
12. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Neighbors in Paris
Yeah, this is awesome.
11. James Blake - The Wilhelm Scream
Yeah, this might be the best track of the year.
10. DJ Khaled - I’m on One [ft. Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne]
I have never heard of this song. Where were you, Post-Library?
9. Azealia Banks - 212
Ahhh really? I guess. It is a great song but this ranking is questionable. Tom Ewing calls this a ‘banger’. This is the definition of a banger.
8. Cass McCombs - County Line
Cass McCombs. I haven’t gotten this album yet, and I haven’t heard this song more than once or twice. Yet I approve of this ranking on my first listen and the good faith that the song will grow on me as the rest of his stuff has. I feel like I finally ‘got’ ‘You Saved My Life’ this year.
7. Beyonce - Countdown
This wasn’t my favorite of the upbeat, potentially world-dominating songs from ‘4’. It is really great though.
6. Destroyer - Kaputt
Destroyer was destined for critics’ best-of lists. He had to have something on the top of this list.
5. Real Estate - It’s Real
AHH I need to listen to this cd more!
4. Nicki Minaj - Super Bass
Ah. okay. Not my pick for this song (i’d stick it around the 40s at the highest). Bummer. I’m sure the last 3 will be perfect...
3. EMA - California
Oh my god!! Wow. Very surprised. But then, this is a great song. This is perfect. Nice work Pfunk.
2. Bon Iver - Holocene
Wow. This song. Another perfect pick.

This was my text to Will yesterday trying to guess the top song of this list.

“If it’s girls i’ll poo myself. Midnight City? Yonkers? Video games, wilhelm scream are my four best guesses”

Looks like we might have a winner, as only one of those hasn’t been listed yet..

1. M83 - Midnight City
A perfect choice. This song slays.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Brandon Clementi vs Destroyer



Well friends, this was a lot of fun. Thanks for reading! To finish things off, here are my four picks for Destroyer, a personal favorite.

My love for Dan Bejar goes back to my discovery of the New Pornographers, who were perhaps 'my first indie band' (I was 15 and my uncle played them while driving my cousin and I home from seeing Phantom Planet at Summerfest). There is something about his songs that set him far apart from all other songwriters in my mind. The guy is so nonchalant!

When he came to the High Noon this spring, the inevitable happened: his setlist was comprised mostly of songs from Kaputt, with only 4 songs representing the rest of his infinitely listenable catalog. While the same case is likely to be true for Destroyer's Pitchfork set, I still can't wait to see him again. I would pay good money to see a 3 hour Destroyer show or a multi-night engagement. Until then, I'll just have to embrace the Sax.

1. Blue Flower/Blue Flame


2. Rubies


3. Notorious Lightning


*Notorious Lightning is one of my favorite songs of all time. Easily Top 20, perhaps Top 10.

4. Bay of Pigs

Christian Widder vs Superchunk



Having never listened to Superchunk before, I can't wait to post this list so I can see what they sound like. Once again, Christian Widder delivers the goods!

1. Hyper Enough


2. Crossed Wires


3. Learned to Surf


4. Detroit Has A Skyline


Honorable Mention: Slack Motherfucker

TJ Matzen vs The Dismemberment Plan



I only met TJ Matzen this week, but since he is both a blogger and a big Dismemberment Plan fan I knew I had to ask him to cover the famed indie rock band. TJ writes for the fresh Playground Misnomer, a site well worth perusing. Check it!

"I was introduced to Dismemberment Plan in 2007 with their fourth album, Changes. Immediately I was struck by their untampered sound and immediately I’d wished I’d been of college-age in the late 90’s so I wouldn’t have missed the chance to see them tour. They were up in my top 3 no-longer-touring acts that I was most distressed I’d never see, along with Jeff Buckley and DFA1979.

1. “Superpowers” – Changes


"What I didn’t realize then was that Changes really was appropriately named, as it was entirely different from their first three albums. D-Plan’s stuff was weird. It was unlike anything I’d ever heard. And it was good. I was impressed with how Travis Morrison could be so skilled with the inflections in his voice without having what some people might say is a good voice. He and guitarist Jason Caddell were super talented at using dissonance at just the right moments..

2. “Academy Award” – The Dismemberment Plan Is Terrified



"I think I purchased Emergency & I third out of the four albums, and it quickly became one of my favorite albums of all-time. Morrison takes on the role of clinically-depressed comedian, which I think many of us have felt like at times. It’s an album so relatable and so perfectly summative of early-20s life. I get frustrated with Pitchfork a lot, but their 10.0 of the reissue of this album felt like a slice of justice.

3. “What Do You Want Me to Say?” – Emergency & I



"Last year, I heard D-Plan was reuniting for a tour and immediately made up my mind that one way or another I was going to get to a show. I found out days after they sold out that they were playing two shows in Chicago. I immediately took to eBay and bought tickets from some schmuck who clearly knew the value of the show and jumped on as many tickets as he could. I didn’t care that I was funding some idiot, I was going to see one of my favorite bands of all-time. Their shows are unsurprisingly energetic and personal, like their songs. Without fail, every show they play “The Ice of Boston” where everyone gets to run on stage. I asked the security guard at the beginning of the encore if that was the plan and let him know that the second he gave me the nod I’d be tearing up there. Notice the loser in the striped jacket next to Travis… Also, at the beginning the band berates this annoying girl that was yelling out the name of a song and sings a portion of Biz Markie’s 'Just a Friend'"

4. “The Ice of Boston” – The Dismemberment Plan is Terrified

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Gabriel Herrera vs Odd Future



I kicked off this summer with a road trip to Detroit (my first time there) to see Odd Future with some friends. I keep bragging about how the conversations on the way was almost unbelievably nerdy (sorry guys, it's a compliment) about blogging, the cooking dance, hip hop production, etc. Leave it to this guy, then, perhaps the king of pop culture analysis among my friends, to choose OFWGKTA for this project. Gabe writes for Post Library when he's not tumbling.


1. Tyler, The Creator - French


2. Domo Genesis - Rolling Papers (feat. Wolf Haley)


3. Tyler, The Creator - She (feat. Frank Ocean)


4. Frank Ocean - We All Try


Honorable Mention: Mellowhype - Gun Sounds

Will Leemkuil vs Guided By Voices



WHY IS GUIDED BY VOICES NOT HEADLINING????!?!?!?!

This is seriously wack. Wiggedy Wack. The best alternative band of the 90s (yes, better than Pavement) has so many songs I had no problem allowing a fifth submission for this list. For GBV I contacted Will Leemkuil, the mastermind behind Stairfuck and Stairfuck Record Reviews.


1. Game of Pricks


2. Ester's Day


3. Weed King


4. Echos Myron


5. Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory

Kevbro vs Deerhunter



"Hey Kevbro. I want you to choose any band playing Pitchfork this year, any band.."
"Brandon. By any band, you clearly mean Deerhunter"

There was a period of time (weeks? Months?) where Kevbro played Halcyon Digest at least once a day. Really, weeks. This doesn't include the times Kevbro played the album on his turntable. That is all I've got to say about that.

1. Nothing Ever Happened


2. Hazel St.


3. Revival


4. Helicopter

Caroline Wilson vs Yuck




Wow, I am getting really lazy with formatting photos. I just have so many of these to get up here, which is awesome! This post is courtesy of my friend Caroline. Big ups to her for answering all of the questions I can think to ask about textiles and denim care.

I was very happy to hear she was covering Yuck because I don't know their album too well. When Emily Roehl and I saw them at SXSW playing with James Blake and Smith Westerns we were standing by one of the guys from Consequence of Sound, which I should note is probably the closest I have ever been to quality internet journalism taking place (or quality tweets).

"Yuck is a new band but I see a lot of potential in them. I don't read a lot of music blogs so I don't really know what people and/or critics are saying about them, but I dig it."

1. Georgia


"My favorite off their self-titled/first/only album. This song just sticks with me and sometimes I find myself humming it without realizing. And there's a mix of male/female vocals which I hope they continue with in the future."

2. The Wall


"I have to mention this song. It's great. Love the shoegaze-y/garage-y stuff going on here."

3. Suck


"Because 'Suck' rhymes with 'Yuck'. 'Wait up, wait for me, I've had enough of being young and free.'"

4. Get Away


"The first song on their album and one of the best. I like the way it's kind of messy.

"I know I chose Yuck to talk about but I am still deciding if I want to see How to Dress Well or Yuck. I'm not sure if I can make it to both with my stress fracture and the big festival grounds. I change my mind everyday! I'll have to see what mood I'm in."

Todd Olson vs Battles



While it doesn't take being a drummer to get into Battles, it certainly helps. Todd is great because he introduced me to Reddit. He also worked in Yellowstone last year, which is pretty cool. Since I can't make a post about Battles without linking to their terrific video for "Ice Cream", here's that link.

1. Tras


2. Atlas


3. TIJ


4. SZ2

Dylan Hill vs James Blake


Dylan and James Blake are similar because they both have charming British accents. While Dylan is not working in catering or skateboarding at the park, he can be found hanging out at his blog Dylan Hill Talks About Stuff For Some Reason. It is truly one of the best blogs I have ever followed, really, bookmark that and read it!!

1. Unluck


2. CMYK


3. Sparing the Horses


4. Tell Me Are You With Me

Danielle Bade vs Zola Jesus



I am quite partial to Danielle. The longstanding rumors of our relationship are, in fact, true. You read it first here on A Stare Like Yours on Blogspot Com! She is the Zola Jesus expert among my friends (they shared a class a few semesters ago, coincidentally) so I was happy to have her pick 4 songs for this project.

1. Sink the Dynasty


2. Clay Bodies


3. Sea Talk


4. Manifest Destiny


Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Adam Raimond vs DJ Shadow



I was looking forward to seeing what Adam had to say about DJ Shadow. In addition to one of them being a big fan of the other, both are tall white guys with facial hair so I consider them to be kindred spirits of some sort. I imagine Shadow will be playing a lot of his classics (though he has been moving in a different direction ever since endtroducing/preemptive strike), but we'll see what ends up happening. Safe to say his set will be awesome either way.

Adam provides commentary:

"I'm just going to pick songs from The Outsider to fuck around... nah not really"

1. Midnight In A Perfect World


"One of them is definitely Midnight In A Perfect World"

2. What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 2)



"Then it's kinda a tough one. I wanna put on either In/Flux or What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 2), but not both because each are over like 13 mins"

3. Mashin' On the Motorway


"Then next I'll go with Mashin' On the Motorway b/c it's a good idgaf song. Then can I cheat on this last one?"

4. Boogie Down Productions vs. David Bowie - Jack of Spades vs. Let's Dance


"It was mixed by him. So- Reppin' the obvious, the really obscure, the under-appreciated, and then a good unexpected one."

Christian Widder vs The Radio Dept


Christian is fantastic because he goes to a lot of concerts in other cities and gives me rides all the time. In addition to helping me save on travel costs, he recently shaved his beard and cut his hair, which was pretty wild.

1. Heaven's On Fire


"Silly question but: when The Radio Dept plays Heaven's on Fire, will they use a prerecorded version of the Thurston Moore sample, or will Thurston Moore actually get up and recite the quote?"-Dylan Hill

2. Never Follow Suit


3. Pulling Our Weight


4. The Worst Taste In Music



Nick Pjevach vs TV On The Radio


Nick has some great Facebook profile pictures. He also likes TV on the Radio, and is awesome for providing reasons for his picks!

1. Wolf Like Me


What they will always be known for.

2. Ambulance


"Dum dum dum dun dum dum" (agreed!)

3. I Was A Lover


This video!

4. Lover's Day


"A song about sex that is explicit without making you feel dirty, now with woodwinds! (Or maybe I am the only person to like this song. If so, see "Will Do," because that will actually be performed live.)"

John Ash vs Deerhunter



John Ash is a true Dudebro. He was the first to chose 4 songs (last week at Pizza Di Roma). Let's hear it for John Ash!

1. Nothing Ever Happened


2. Hazel St


3. Cryptograms


4. Desire Lines

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

catching up - pitchfork 2011


Sometimes I get bogged down in doing listening homework before fests. Lollapalooza is always the worst (or the best) for this--there are so many potential future favorites that I don't recognize when the lineup's announced.

Pitchfork has been rolling out stellar lineups for a few years now. While no day of this year's fest touches the near-perfection of Sunday 2010, this year's lineup is full of my favorites. Recently, though, as conversations turn to the fest it becomes apparent that some of the bands I don't know too well (Superchunk, Neko Case) are some of the sets my friends are looking forward to the most. The opposite was also often true, but instead of just finding more about my friends' favorites one-on-one I thought it'd be fun to compile a list and post it here.

I've asked a few of my friends to pick a favorite band of theirs playing the festival. The challenge was for them to showcase the group using only 4 songs chosen to entice a stranger to the band. I've been really pleased with the responses I got--overall this has been a lot of fun to put together! I'll be rolling out posts until the fest starts. If you'd like to choose the 4 songs that best highlight a band's catalog, just send me your submissions and I'll put them up!

Edit: I've got 10 of these posts up now. Check them out!

Saturday, January 15, 2011