Music Snobs Anonymous

Atoms for Peace - Default [single] b/t What the Eyeballs Do
Iron & Wine - One More Try [single] b/t Trouble
Blue Scholars - May Day [single]
Local Natives - Breakers
Jeremy Enigk - Last Rights [Damien Jurado cover] [Free Download from Seattle Times]
Blue Scholars - The Decisive Moment [single on soundcloud]
The Mountain Goats - Steal Smoked Fish [single] b/t In the Shadow of the Western Hills
Andrew Bird - The Crown Salesman [single] b/t So Much Wine
Bon Iver - Towers [single] b/t Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)
Cold War Kids - Minimum Day [single]
Beach House - Lazuli [single] b/t Equal Mind

Top 25 Songs of 2012

2012-12-11T12:51:00.000-06:00

Last year when compiling my Best Albums of the Year list, I realized that some of my favorite songs were not on my favorite albums. So, I started a supplementary year-end list of individual songs. Here it is for 2012.

I will be playing this on my radioshow Wednesday, December 12th from 8:00-10:00 CST. You can stream the show online here.

Stay tuned for the upcoming "Best Albums of the Year" list

1. Lost in the Light, by Bahamas from Barchords

2. Working Titles, by Damien Jurado, from Maraqopa

3. Watch the Corners, by Dinosaur Jr., from I Bet on Sky

4. We Can't be Beat, by The Walkmen, from Heaven

5. There's No Leaving Now, by The Tallest Man on Earth, from There's No Leaving Now

6. The House that Heaven Built, by Japandroids, from Celebration Rock

7. Do it Anyway, by Ben Folds Five, from The Sound of the Life of the Mind

8. Proceed to Memory, by Pinback, from Information Retrieved

9. That Old Black Hole, by Dr. Dog, from Be the Void

10. Pretty Girl from Michigan, by the Avett Brothers, from The Carpenter

11. Insolence, by Shearwater, from Animal Joy

12. Danse Carribe, by Andrew Bird, from Break it Yourself

13. Beg, by RA Scion, from Beg Borrow Steal [EP]

14. Surrender, by Joshua James, from From the Top of Willamette Mountain

15. Mean to Me, by Ben Kweller, from Go Fly a Kite

16. May Day, by Blue Scholars, from May Day single

17. Rise, by Gift of Gab, from The Next Logical Progression

18. Lakeside View Apartments Suite, by The Mountain Goats, from Transcendental Youth

19. I Gave Away my Brain, by The Go Reflex, from Balls Benefit Compilation

I Gave Away My Brain by The Go Reflex

20. Default, by Atoms for Peace, from Default single

21. Lover of the Light, by Mumford & Sons, from Babel

22. I Got You Babe, by Bahamas, from Barchords

23. Fun Times in Babylon, by Father John Misty, from Fear Fun

24. Duncan, Where Have you Gone?, by Ben Gibbard, from Former Lives

25. Some Nights, by fun., from Some Nights

New Ben Folds Five video - Do it Anyway ft. Fraggle Rock and Rob Corddry

2012-09-17T11:14:00.001-05:00

Ben Folds Five + Fraggle Rock + Rob Corddry + Chris Hardwick + Anna Kendrick. Yup. This exists. Awesome.

Radio Show, Wednesdays 8:00-10:00 PM, CST

2012-08-24T10:02:00.002-05:00

Hello world. I am excited to announce that starting next Wednesday I will be DJing a weekly radio show from 8:00-10:00 PM, CST. If you live in the Kearney, Nebraska area you can tune in to 91.1 KLPR. For the rest of you, listen live on your computer by clicking here: http://mcluhan.unk.edu/klpr/klpr.pls

On August 29th's inaugural show we will hear songs from the following bands:

The Hold Steady
Japandroids
Jeremy Enigk
Gift Of Gab
Damien Jurado
TV On The Radio
Radiohead
Owen
The Go Reflex
Noah and the Whale
Maritime
Lifesavas
Iron & Wine
Nick Drake
Iron & Wine
The Head and the Heart
Cold War Kids
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
Shearwater
The National
Local Natives
Josh Ritter
Dr. Dog
The Promise Ring
Ben Folds
Hey Mercedes
Blue Scholars

Best Albums of 2012: version 2.0

2012-06-28T09:07:00.004-05:00

Best Albums of 2012

Version ~~2.0~~ 2.1 (January-June)

For previous years see

Best of 2011

Best (songs) of 2011

LPs

Japandroids - Celebration Rock
Shearwater - Animal Joy
Damien Jurado - Maraqopa
Dr. Dog - Be the Void
John K. Samson - Provincial
Gift of Gab - The Next Logical Progression
Ben Kweller - Go Fly a Kite
Father John Misty - Fear Fun
Andrew Bird - Break it Yourself
Bahamas - Barchords
fun. - Some Nights
Rocky Votolato - Television of Saints
Dent May - Do Things
Sigur Ros - Valtari
The Lumineers - The Lumineers
Matt Pryor - May Day
Matt Pryor - Still There's a Light
Beach House - Bloom
Sun Kil Moon - Among the Leaves
Brendan Benson - What Kind of World
Great Lake Swimmers - New Wild Everywhere
James Vincent McMorrow - Early in the Morning
Craig Finn - Clear Heart Full Eyes
Jack White - Blunderbuss
For all the Girls (Drew Danburry) - For all the Girls
Lyrics Born - Lyrics Born Variety Show: Season 5
Rufus Wainwright - Out of the Game
Galactic - Carnivale Electricos
Fanfarlo - Rooms Filled with Light

EPs

RA Scion - Beg, Borrow, Steal [Free EP]
Damien Jurado - Maraqopa Sessions Blue/Red/Yellow 3x7" series
Rocky Votolato - The Let Go EP
Josh Ritter - Bringing in the Darlings
Sam Means - Nona
Less than Jake - Seasons Greetings

Singles / 7 inches / Misc

Iron & Wine - One More Try [single] b/t Trouble
Blue Scholars - May Day [single]
Jeremy Enigk - Last Rights [Damien Jurado cover] [Free Download from Seattle Times]
Andrew Bird - The Crown Salesman [single] b/t So Much Wine
Bon Iver - Towers [single] b/t Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)
Cold War Kids - Minimum Day [single]
Beach House - Lazuli [single] b/t Equal Mind

Japandroids do Fallon

2012-06-12T11:23:00.001-05:00

This just might be my #1 album of the year so far.

Father John Misty (J. Tillman) does Letterman

2012-05-02T08:50:00.002-05:00

Wow. I didn't see this coming. My old favorite solo singer-songwriter, J. Tillman (also former drummer from Fleet Foxes) is really pushing the PR campaign with his new project, Father John Misty. The shimmy shimmy swagger on stage is a bit off-putting though.

Best Albums of 2012: version 1.0

2012-03-27T18:55:00.000-05:00

Best Albums of 2012

Version 1.0 (January-March)

For previous years see

Best of 2011

Best (songs) of 2011

LPs

Shearwater - Animal Joy
Damien Jurado - Maraqopa
Dr. Dog - Be the Void
Andrew Bird - Break it Yourself
Gift of Gab - The Next Logical Progression
fun. - Some Nights
John K. Samson - Provincial
Father John Misty - Fear Fun
Ben Kweller - Go Fly a Kite
Rocky Votolato - Television of Saints
Matt Pryor - May Day
Matt Pryor - Still There's a Light
Great Lake Swimmers - New Wild Everywhere
Beach House - Bloom
Craig Finn - Clear Heart Full Eyes
For all the Girls (Drew Danburry) - For all the Girls
Lyrics Born - Lyrics Born Variety Show: Season 5
Galactic - Carnivale Electricos
Fanfarlo - Rooms Filled with Light

EPs

RA Scion - Beg, Borrow, Steal [Free EP]
Damien Jurado - Maraqopa Sessions Blue/Red/Yellow 3x7" series
Rocky Votolato - The Let Go EP
Josh Ritter - Bringing in the Darlings
Less than Jake - Seasons Greetings

Singles / 7 inches / Misc

Jeremy Enigk - Last Rights [Damien Jurado cover] [Free Download from Seattle Times]
Andrew Bird - The Crown Salesman [single] b/t So Much Wine
Bon Iver - Towers [single] b/t Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)
Cold War Kids - Minimum Day [single]

New Sigur Ros Album + track

2012-03-26T13:00:00.001-05:00

Valtari
Out May 28th

Listen to the first single, Ekki Mukk, below:

Sigur Rós - Ekki múkk from Sigur Rós on Vimeo.

Andrew Bird does Colbert

2012-03-14T08:40:00.000-05:00

There are musicians, and then there are musicians. I am the former, Andrew Bird is the latter. I can play guitar, bass, banjo, ukulele and piano. Andrew Bird can PLAY all of those plus violin and a bunch others. My review of his new album "Break it Yourself" on rateyourmusic.com when like this:

"Wow. It is as if Mr. Bird has no regard for the rest of our feelings! I mean, come on! You make the rest of us look like a bunch of hack amateurs struggling to bang out simple 3-chord songs. Mr. Bird, you musical talent is tough to swallow. We get it. You are obscenely good at what you do. Now please just stop beating us over the head with it! Give us some time to go sulk in our rooms a bit, feel depressed about how horrible our attempts at making music are just laughable.......and sit wide-eyed listening to you new album a few hundred more times.

You songs are not always the catchiest. They might often be ones that are skipped when listening on shuffle. But when given proper undivided attention, they never fail to utterly amaze us. Like I said in the beginning. Wow."

Did I mention that he whistles too?

Wonder what I'm talking about? Listen:

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

New Dr. Dog video - Warrior Man

2012-02-22T13:46:00.001-06:00

New Shearwater video - Breaking the Yearlings

2012-02-15T10:58:00.000-06:00

From Animal Joy, out now on Sub Pop.

You can download the mp3 digital album for only $5.99 right now on amazon.

If eyeballs creep you out, don't watch this:

Father John Misty (J. Tillman) video - Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings

2012-02-14T08:57:00.002-06:00

J. Tillman's (former Fleet Foxes drummer) new solo venture, Father John Misty has put out a video for the first single, Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings, starring your favorite malcontent from Parks & Rec, Aubrey Plaza.

The full-length, Fear Fun, will be out May 1 on Sub Pop

Father John Misty - Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings from thatgo on Vimeo.

J. Tillman (of Fleet Foxes) signs to Sub Pop as Father John Misty

2012-01-31T09:38:00.000-06:00

Fear Fun will be out May 1 on Sub Pop

For your email address, get a sneak peak with the surprisingly noisy "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings."

You can also listen to the track and its new video over at Entertainment Weekly, where Parks and Recreation's Aubrey Plaza goes nuts.

They Might be Giants do Conan

2012-01-27T14:51:00.000-06:00

Ah. Nostalgia. TMBG turns 30 years old!

Plus a surprisingly loud and dissonant version of Ana Ng. 1988 + a bit more noise.

My Vinyl Collection (January 2012 Update)

2012-01-27T08:30:00.003-06:00

I started collecting vinyl in January of 2008.
Here is what I have amassed.

(updated January 2012)

AC/DC
Back in Black

American Football
American Football

Andrew Bird
Armchair Apocrypha

Band of Horses
Everything All the Time
Infinite Arms

Battles
Gloss Drop
Mirrored

The Beach Boys
Endless Summer

The Beatles
1962-1966
1967-1970
Abbey Road
Hey Jude
Let it Be
Magical Mystery Tour
Rubber Soul
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Beck
Modern Guilt
Odelay

The Bee Gees
Best of Bee Gees Vol. 1 [pre-disco]
Saturday Night Fever

Ben Folds Five
Ben Folds Five

Blackalicious
A2G [EP]
Blazing Arrow
The Craft
Deception [12" single]
Its Going Down (Sit Back)
Nia

Bon Iver
Bon Iver

Brendan Benson
Alternative to Love

Bright Eyes
Four Winds [12" EP]
I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning

Built to Spill
Don't Try / The Source [7" single]

The City on Film
In Formal Introduction [marble gray vinyl]

Cake
Motorcade of Generosity

The Clash
London Calling

Colin Meloy
Colin Meloy Sings Live [autographed]

Common Market
Connect For [12" EP]
Tobacco Road

Counterfit
Super Amusement Machine for Your Exciting Heart [red vinyl]

Creedence Clearwater Revival
Chronicle

Damien Jurado
Caught in the Trees.
Hoquiam
I Break Chairs
Motorbike [7" single]
On My Way To Absence
Saint Bartlett
Trampoline [7" single]

Dear and the Headlights
Drunk Like Bible Times [Ale colored vinyl – 10" double LP]
Small Steps, Heavy Hooves [translucent gold colored vinyl]

Death Cab for Cutie
I will Possess your Heart [7" single]
Narrow Stairs

The Decemberists
Castaways and Cutouts
Colin Meloy Sings Live [autographed]
The Crane Wife
The Hazards of Love
Her Majesty
Picaresque + Picaresquities
The Tain + 5 Songs

Dent May
The Feel Good Music of Dent May and his Magnificent Ukulele

Dr. Dog
Shame Shame

Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
Sun Giant EP

The Format
Dog Problems

The Fruit Bats
Spelled in Bones

G. Love & Special Sauce
Baby's Got Sauce / Cold Beverage 10"

The Get Up Kids
Four Minute Mile [translucent gold vinyl]
Guilt Show [red vinyl]
A Newfound Interest in Massachusetts / Off the Wagon [7"]
On a Wire
Red Letter Day [10" EP]
Simple Science [12" EP]
Something to Write Home About [lavender vinyl]

The Gloria Record
A Lull in Traffic [12" EP] [Marble white vinyl]

Grand Archives
Grand Archives [signed by the band]
Grand Archives – Sleep Driving / George Kaminski alt. versions [7"]

Great Lake Swimmers
Lost Channels

Hey Mercedes
Every Night Fireworks [SIGNED by the band]

The Hold Steady
Heaven is Whenever
Stay Positive

Iron & Wine
The Creek Drank the Cradle
In the Reins
Our Endless Numbered Days
Woman King

J. Tillman
A Year in the Kingdom
Minor Works [French Import]
Wild Honey Never Stolen / Borne Away On A Black Barge 7"

Jack Johnson
Brushfire Fairytales
On and On
Sleep Through the Static

Jimmy Eat World
Clarity [2009 reissue]
Pain/Shame [7" clear green]

Josh Ritter
So Runs The World Away

The Animal Years

Joshua James
Build me This
The Sun is Always Brighter
Winter Storm / Lovers Without Love [7"]

Led Zeppelin
IV (Zoso)

Lifesavas
Gutterfly: The Original Soundtrack
Spirit in Stone

Local Natives
Gorilla Manor

The Long Winters
Putting the Days to Bed

The Mamas & the Papas
If you Can Believe your Eyes and Ears

Maritime
Glass Floor
Heresy and the Hotel Choir [clear vinyl] [hand numbered limited pressing]
We, the Vehicles [hand numbered clear blue vinyl]
Witches and Snowmen / Boy From School [limited edition 7" white vinyl]

Marvin Gaye
Every Great Motown Hit
Midnight Love

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Take a Break

Michael Jackson
Bad
Thriller

Mike Doughty
Haughty Melodic

Minus the Bear
Highly Refined Pirates [blue swirly vinyl]
Omni
They Make Beer Commercials Like This EP [fruity pebbles colored vinyl]

The Mountain Goats
Get Lonely
Heretic Pride

The Mr. T Experience
Love is Dead

Mumford & Sons
Sigh No More

The National
High Violet

The New Amsterdams
At the Foot of my Rival

Nick Drake
Five Leaves Left

Okkervil River
Black Sheep Boy
The Standins

Onelinedrawing
Visitor [clear transparent vinyl]

Owen
At Home with Owen
No Good for No One Now

Panic at the Disco
Nine in the Afternoon [7" single]

Paul Simon
Graceland
Greatest hits, Etc

Pele
Enemies

Phantom Planet
Raise the Dead [marble blue vinyl]

Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Pinback
Autumn of Seraphs

The Postal Service
Give Up

The Promise Ring
Wood/Water [double 10"]

Radiohead
In Rainbows
King of Limbs

OK Computer
The Bends

Ratatat
Ratatat

Reggie and the Full Effect
Inside the Dust Sleeve (under the tray)

R.E.M.
Accelerate
Automatic for the People
Dead Letter Office
Document
Fables of the Reconstruction
Green
Life's Rich Pageant
Monster
New Adventures in Hi Fi
Reckoning
Wendell Gee [12" single]

Rogue Wave
Descended Like Vultures

Rocky Votolato
A Brief History [10" on opaque yellow vinyl]
Rocky Votolato s/t LP [yellow & orange vinyl]
Rocky Votolato & Seth Warren [7" on white vinyl]
Suicide Medicine [marble white vinyl] [autographed + set list]

Rush
2112

Saves the Day
Stay What you Are

Shearwater
The Golden Archipelago

Sigur Ros
( )
Ágætis Byrjun
Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
Takk

Simon and Garfunkel
Bookends
Bridge over Troubled Waters
The Graduate
Greatest Hits
Parsley, Sage Rosemary and Thyme
Sounds of Silence
Wednesday Morning, 3 AM

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
Pershing
SSLYBY / Puzzle split [7" split - lavender marble vinyl]

The Thrills
So Much for the City

The Weakerthans
Left and Leaving
Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre
Reconstruction Site

They Might Be Giants
Don't Lets Start [12" Single]
Flood
Lincoln
They Might be Giants
They'll Need a Crane [12" single]

TV on the Radio
Nine Types of Light

Weezer
Weezer [The Blue Album]

Wilco
Being There

The Wooden Birds
Magnolia

New FREE 3-song EP from RA Scion

2012-01-23T15:13:00.000-06:00

BEG x BORROW x STEAL

Pause whatever you are doing, and head on over to http://www.rascion.com for a free download of his new BEG BORROW STEAL EP. 3 songs, inspired by and in honor of the Anonymous Movement, and from what I heard previously, the Occupy Movement(s).

You may remember me promoting RA Scion's previous work as the MC for Common Market and his subsequent project Victor Shade. His 2008 album "Tobacco Road" made my top 5 that year. Heck, I even had a "Common Market Week" once - back when this blog was a bit more active.

He is one of my favorite MCs, and from my communication, seems like a generally alright guy. Friendly, honest, earnest, sincere. Those seem to be attributes in short supply lately.

Go download the EP, spread the word and send RA Scion your words of encouragement and support!

If you like this music, please spread the word on twitter, google+, facebook or other social networks.

New Blue Scholars video - Seijun Suzuki

2012-01-23T14:43:00.001-06:00

This was one of my favorite tracks off of the Blue Scholars' Cinemetropolis (my #1 album of 2011, btw). I just love that vocoder loop in the background.

This Jon Jon Augustavo directed video does not disappoint.

J. Tillman leaves Fleet Foxes

2012-01-19T15:56:00.003-06:00

Just yesterday I was commenting to my wife how crazy it is that Fleet Foxes have J. Tillman playing drums for them. He is an amazing musician in his own right, and his solo LPs have topped a lot of my lists (#1 in 2009) for a while. Drumming and singing harmonies for Fleet Foxes has always struck me somehwhat a waste of his considerable solo talent.

Since he joined Fleet Foxes in 2008 he has released an album a year - so just imagine what his output will be if he can dedicate 100% time to touring and writing. Awesome awesome awesome. On his tumblr page, he wrote "Back into the gaping maw of obscurity I go," but for one I am very excited to see what he does next. And, Mr. Tillman, I'll continue attempting to offer whatever promotion I can along the way!

Cheers and good luck!

Here is an impressive live set from a couple years back for your consideration:

Enjoy:

New Dr. Dog video - That Old Black Hole

2012-01-18T14:03:00.000-06:00

From the upcoming Be the Void February 7th on ANTI Records.

Introducing Damien Fairchild and "For All the Girls"

2012-01-09T11:23:00.000-06:00

"When a psuedonymous project out does myself, I understand why I can't be myself."

So says former-road-warrior-play-500-shows-a-year-singer-songerwriter-now-owner-of-the-Danburry-Barbershop-and-all-around-good-guy, Drew Danburry of his new alter-ego Damien Fairchild and his music project, "For All the Girls" and the 51,000 views one of his new music videos has garnered on youtube.

I knew Drew in college and have written about him before. His brand of oft-lo-fi acoustic pop brims with optimism and sunny skies while often delving into fairly dense material. Having given up the touring lifestyle and settling down as a killer barber (no sweeney todd reference intended), he is still putting out music. His first alter-ego was in form of Sebastian Salazar, front man of "The Apache" and self-described as the meanest person on earth.

As Damien Fairchild he takes on just about the opposite. He writes as a teenage boy, enamored with girls and boasting an already long list of broken hearts. Explaining the new project, he explains:

"In 2010, I felt like I had hit a brick wall with music. I'd been touring nonstop and trying to make a living playing music for at least 6 years straight. Music was no longer fun. It was filled with pressure and expectation. And more than anything, I really wanted to enjoy making music again. To go back to the beginning and to start again.

So I created a character named Damien Fairchild, to write songs through, similar to a method actor.

Creating a pseudonym and staying in character, may strike some as dishonest, but for me it was a necessary creative outlet. It was never meant to be a mean spirited prank, and if I may, I'd like to apologize if you've felt annoyed or confused by the project.

It's a fine line between sharing your music with others and maintaining your privacy and I guess I'll never have both. But I am happy to be making music again, and I can only hope there are some people out there who are happy about it, too."

There are a number of singles already released that you should purchase.

The latest is "Valerie"

The full-length LP will be released on Valentines Day, February 14, 2012.

Until then, enjoy the singles and these videos.

http://www.youtube.com/forallthegirls2012
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/forallthegirls
http://forallthegirls.bandcamp.com/
http://soundcloud.com/damienfairchild

http://www.facebook.com/forallthegirls

http://twitter.com/ForalltheGirls2

Black Star do Fallon - perform "You Already Knew" and "Little Brother"

2012-01-04T10:24:00.001-06:00

Wow. I am so glad they are back performing together. And hearing them with the Roots is a treat!

HOAX HOAX HOAX - Old unreleased Radiohead demo - How Do you Sit Still (mp3)

2011-12-22T10:26:00.001-06:00

Disregard. It was all a hoax!!! http://stereogum.com/913351/latest-radiohead-demo-a-hoax/video

~~We're not sure what sessions this comes out of, but it definitely sounds like it comes from the Bends Era.~~

~~Radiohead - How Do You Sit Still [unreleased b-side]~~

~~(download mp3)~~