ROBOT HERO

Occupy Pop Songs

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:14:00 +0000

So, 2011 has just about ended and I inevitably made up a mix of some stuff I liked this year. I tried to keep it short, but it just ended up ballooning into what it is now, 50 tracks that clock in at 3+ hours. I actually started working on this in September; tweaking, tweaking, tweaking.

A few random thoughts:

I don't apologize for dropping two Kate Bush tracks into the mix. It's rare, these days, to coax an album out of her, let alone the two she gave us this year. Yes, the first one is a reworking of older material, but that new version of This Woman's Work is stunning and instantly rocketed into my most-played list.

Julianna Barwick's The Magic Place was a nice surprise. I saw her at Bottom of the Hill (supporting Esben & The Witch) not knowing who she was at all. Her set slowly unfolded and it was mesmerizing.

Like everyone else, I went crazy for Lana Del Rey's Video Games. When she showed up on Jools Holland's show, I thought that performance was even better. If you watch the video, you can kinda tell that she's nervous but she still pulls it off. I don't care about the whole authenticity angle. Is she a record label creation? A fake persona? Big deal, it's been happening for ages. Eventually, it all comes down to the music and Video Games is simply a fantastic song.

Someone on Twitter turned me onto Ringo Deathstarr. I had seen the name around before but had dismissed them because of the novelty band name. Imagine my surprise when I finally listened to them. I love their sound and I'd love to see them play live.

That PJ Harvey album is magnificent. Seriously, if I wasn't such a Kate Bush fanboy, I'd definitely be proclaiming Let England Shake the best album of the year.

I listened to a Foo Fighters album for the first time in many moons. Walking around in Barcelona amidst a sea of indie bands, a few people talked up the new album, got me interested and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Sometimes, you just need some good old fashioned rock n' roll.

I've been liking more and more dance-y electro type stuff, hence the Kimbra and Florrie tracks. I came across those randomly, some blog posting or whatever. I especially love the Kimbra track; the whole ba-ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba-ba ba bit towards the end. I don't know why, but it just kills me. Open up your heart!

It was a good year for old favorites (Kate Bush, Tom Waits, PJ Harvey) and new hopefuls (Youth Lagoon, Ringo Deathstarr, EMA). I remember in March or April, complaining to myself that it seemed like 2011 was gonna be a slow/down year, but things really came around and I know that there's a ton of stuff I've missed or overlooked. I guess it's the same for any year, really, and it's pretty much all I can do just to keep up even though I feel like I'm falling further and further behind.

In any case, here's the tracklist. As I mentioned, there's plenty that I've missed; this is just the stuff I've come across and enjoyed. I'm always open to recommendations if you feel like dropping a note via comments/email/Twitter/FB/whatever. These aren't in any particular order, I only tried to arrange them for flow. The download is in three parts; for that, I do apologize. Enjoy, and happy new year!

Tracklist:
1. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - Immigrant Song
2.Cults - Oh My God
3.Coeur de pirate - Ava
4.Mayer Hawthorne - The Walk
5.Ringo Deathstarr - So High
6.The Strokes - Under Cover Of Darkness
7.Shonen Knife - Rock 'N' Roll High School
8.Those Darlins - Boy
9.Atlas Sound - Mona Lisa
10.Real Estate - It's Real
11.M83 - Midnight City
12.The Joy Formidable - A Heavy Abacus
13.Foo Fighters - Arlandria
14.Morpheme - Infection
15.The Chain Gang Of 1974 - Hold On
16.Phantogram - Don't Move
17.PJ Harvey - The Glorious Land
18.Chrysta Bell - This Train
19.Kate Bush - Snowflake
20.Lana Del Rey - 20 Video Games (Live on Jools Holland)
21.St. Vincent - Champagne Year
22.Girls - Vomit
23.The Twilight Singers - Get Lucky
24.Radiohead - Morning Mr Magpie
25.Charlotte Gainsbourg - Paradisco
26.Asobi Seksu - Sighs
27.danceroid - Girls be Ambitious!
28.Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - Season's Trees (feat. Norah Jones)
29.Wye Oak - Civilian
30.Esben and The Witch - Marching Song
31.Panda Bear - Afterburner
32.Explosions In The Sky - Postcard From 1952
33.Jessica Lea Mayfield - Sleepless
34.Kate Bush - This Womans Work
35.Gillian Welch - Hard Times
36.Julianna Barwick - Envelop
37.Kathryn Calder - Turn a Light On
38.Youth Lagoon - Seventeen
39.EMA - Marked
40.Lykke Li - Sadness Is A Blessing
41.The Great Book of John - Ashes Over Manhattan
42.Tom Waits - Satisfied
43.Wild Flag - Romance
44.Mogwai - San Pedro
45.Battles - Ice Cream (Featuring Matias Aguayo)
46.Kimbra - Cameo Lover
47.Florrie - I Took a Little Something
48.Perfume - GLITTER (Album Mix)
49.Tennis - Marathon
50.The Raveonettes - Forget That You're Young

~~Download:~~
~~Part 1~~
~~Part 2~~
~~Part 3~~

*EDIT
I received an email stating that this post was violating copyright laws, so I've deleted all links contained herein. Cheers and apologies for the inconvenience.

Baby, please come home

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 20:47:00 +0000

Darlene Love's Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home), from A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector, which is arguably the best Christmas album ever. If you don't have it, seriously, order a copy now and thank me later.

Merry Christmas, peeps!

Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)

Free Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:51:00 +0000

The legendary Johnny Marr posted a free Christmas song, an instrumental with the imaginative title of Free Christmas. Way to really put your heart into it, Johnny. Just kidding, it's actually kinda cool. You can listen to it below or download it from his site, here.

Johnny Marr & The Healers - Free Christmas

Baby, I'm done

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 07:17:00 +0000

Aimee Mann's I Was Thinking I Could Clean Up For Christmas appears to tell a story from a drug (heroin?) addict's point of view. She wants to kick her habit and then end her life. Bittersweet, in true Aimee Mann fashion. Funnily enough, this is not on her Christmas album, One More Drifter in the Snow; it can be found on 2005's The Forgotten Arm.

Aimee Mann - I Was Thinking I Could Clean Up For Christmas

Come on, girl, let's go

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 07:13:00 +0000

I'm posting another Emmy the Great & Tim Wheeler song just because I really like this album. Just because it's so freaking cold outside. I mean, I know it's not that cold compared to, say, the east coast, but it's been pretty damn cold for San Francisco. Nights have been in the high 30s and low 40s. Days haven't been too bad when it gets up to 55ish. I just don't like it, and I'm totally feeling the sentiment in this song right now.

Emmy the Great & Tim Wheeler - Christmas Day (I Wish I Was Surfing)

You're pissing me off

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:51:00 +0000

Mayer Hawthorne's The Walk has hooks for days and days and days. Fantastic song and an amusing video, to boot. I finally got around to listening to his new album, How Do You Do, and it's really, really good.

Yuletide advice from Johnny Cash

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 04:03:00 +0000

Gasoline and Christmas trees don't mix. Truer words were never spoken. I think this is a radio spot, but I'm not sure. It's on a compilation called Xmas is Cancelled; it's labeled only as "Interlude."

Xmas Twist

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 07:00:00 +0000

I don't really know much about the Twistin' Kings, but everybody is doin' the Xmas twist and it's pretty awesome!

Twistin' Kings - Xmas Twist

I will love you on your birthday

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:57:00 +0000

From ROBOT HERO

Taking a quick break from the Xmas songs. I sometimes try to do a self-portrait on my birthday, but I forgot. Instead, here's a pic I took tonight while I was standing on the corner of Sacramento and Front streets, waiting for a friend. I was only trying out the camera on my new phone. Truly, the height of birthday excitement.

The Bird and the Bee - Birthday

Someone stole my record player

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:57:00 +0000

Okay, on to better songs. I thought I posted this one before, but I can't seem to find it. In any case, here is the always wonderful Neko Case covering the Tom Waits' 1978 classic, Christmas Card From A Hooker in Minneapolis. You can find this on the Tom Waits tribute album called New Coat of Paint. Ms. Case takes on an already great song and makes it her own. It's definitely worth seeking out.

Neko Case - Christmas Card From A Hooker in Minneapolis

This could be the worst Xmas song ever

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 19:58:00 +0000

I never thought I'd post something by Toby Keith, or even Sammy Hagar. I'm just not a fan of either. This is just so cringe-inducing, I can't even like it ironically. I bet this will be a big hit in the midwest and the south, you know, where they thank God that Santa Claus is white and that Toby Keith is an American.

PS - Make sure your pop-ups are enabled for this page, I had to grab an embed code from Mspxxx. I oddly couldn't find any mp3s or videos for this track.

Toby Keith & Sammy Hagar - Santa's Goin' South
Santa's Going South

Christmas Wish

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 19:28:00 +0000

It's been a long, busy week, but we're still here. This time, bring you Christmas wishes from the super cool, Takako Minekawa. Sadly, it doesn't look like she'll be gracing us with new music anymore. At least we still have the gifts she has given us, including her Xmas EP, (A Little Touch of) Baroque in the Winter, upon which you can find this track.

Takako Minekawa - Christmas Wish

If we make it though December

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:10:00 +0000

Merle Haggard's 1974 track, If We Make It Through December (from the album with the same name), tells an all too familiar tale of a man who's been laid off from his job just before Christmas. He's obviously have a rough go of it, he wants to do Christmas right by his daughter but now he's just hoping she'll understand if it doesn't happen the way it should. Timeless, this song could easily have been written today. The backup vocals, the violin (fiddle?) and the piano flourishes really make the song for me. No doubt that Haggard could have played it as a "fuck you" to The Man, with the narrator going on a drunken and destructive binge; he takes the high road instead, it's poignant, elegant and understated, with a dash of optimism.

Merle Haggard - If We Make It Through December

Repost: No One Makes Me Feel The Way You Do

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:43:00 +0000

A repost from a couple years ago. Seeing as how Kate Bush just released an album of new material for the first time in 6 years (and before that album, there was a 12 year gap; so 2 albums in 18 years), I thought I'd bring this one back.

Say hello to the magical, Kate Bush. I love the sweet and lilting feel of this track, it's a perfect little gem. Songs like this are the reason that b-sides were invented.

Home For Christmas is a b-side from the Rubberband Girl single, which was taken from her 1993 album, The Red Shoes.

Kate Bush > Home For Christmas

My heart froze many years ago

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 05:13:00 +0000

Today, I stumbled upon This is Christmas, by Emmy The Great and Tim Wheeler. These are mostly original tunes and it's a really catchy pop album. If you know me, then you know I like my Christmas tinted blue and served up with a side of heartbreak. This tune couldn't be more catchy, perfect or fitting.

Emmy The Great & Tim Wheeler - (Don't Call Me) Mrs. Christmas

All alone at Christmas time

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 08:37:00 +0000

I once saw Aimee Mann and Michael Penn perform this, but I can't remember if it was on one of their Acoustic Vaudeville tours or one of Aimee Mann's Christmas shows that she did for a few years straight. It had to be an AV show. It was originally recorded for Paul Thomas Anderson's Hard Eight, which I believe was scored by Michael Penn and Jon Brion. Anderson later wrote the screenplay for the film, Magnolia, based, in part, upon hearing Aimee Mann's Deathly, which would also be featured on the soundtrack. In any case, it's a cool song; kinda bittersweet, by a couple of my favorite musicians.

Aimee Mann & Michael Penn - Christmastime

Repost: Come On, Santa

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:38:00 +0000

This is a repost from a couple years ago. Way back when, I was young and I used to want to write; I used to think I could do it, but I'm actually terrible and full of cliches. If I'd actually kept at it, I'd more than likely be labeled a hack. Maybe I'd have gotten good, who knows, I just didn't have the patience to wade through all of the crap that pours out of my brain. Blog and Twitter posts, however, are a different sort of animal and I feel more comfortable in these mediums.

Every once in a while, however, inspiration strikes and this is one of the more interesting posts I've written of late. I even received a really nice compliment on it, from someone whose opinion I hold in high regard, no less, and it made me feel all fuzzy. It's late right now, nearly 2am on a Friday morning, and I don't feel up to a new post, so I thought I'd push this back out into the world.

You're sitting in a booth in an old greasy spoon, eyes staring into the eternal darkness of the coffee that sits before you. It's Christmas eve and there's a sad little Charlie Brown Christmas tree by the door. There's one other patron, a man sitting at the counter, wearing a faded baseball cap, ignoring his plate of sausage and eggs while he drinks from a flask of Wild Turkey that he intermittently pulls from his shirt pocket.

She walks through the doorway and the open doors momentarily allow the wind to announce her presence. She slowly drifts to your booth and the music starts as if it were cued for this moment. For a second she's standing there, staring down at you with big blue eyes shrink-wrapped in tears, and it feels like forever. You give a barely perceptible nod and start to get up. As your frame unfolds, she takes your hand and leads you for a few steps and then stops. She whirls in slow motion to face you and takes a hold of your hips, pulls you close and you both begin to slowly sway to the music. Her arms snake their way up and drape themselves around your neck, her head resting on your shoulders while she breathes sighs into your ears. "Come on, Santa..."

The Raveonettes > Come On, Santa

Christmas is a rockin' time

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:47:00 +0000

Good ol' Tom Petty steps in with Christmas All Over again. This was on the soundtrack of the godawful Four Christmases, which I've never seen and I never want to see it, based on the terrible trailers. Despite not having seen it, I have no problem judging this film. Vince Vaughn? C'mon. Reese Witherspoon? Please. If the best thing about your movie is a Tom Petty Christmas song, then you'd better get back to the drawing board. Either that or just go remake Miracle on 34th Street, since you can't write your own movie.

Tom Petty - Christmas All Over Again

I make all the little girls happy

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:21:00 +0000

Since Thanksgiving crept up on me and is now just over a week away, I figure it's time to bust out the Christmas tunes. We're gonna start off old school with Clarence Carter's Back Door Santa; smokin' hot. The horns from this song were sampled in another Christmas classic, Run-DMC's Christmas in Hollis.

Clarence Carter - Back Door Santa

50 Words for Snow

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 04:30:00 +0000

As anyone around here knows, I am a huge fan of Kate Bush. I thought I'd let whomever is around that NPR has the new album, 50 Words for Snow, streaming right now. The album itself will be released in a week, on the 21st, but you can get a head start on the listening, if you so desire. I've listened a few times already and I seriously had chills; it's that good. But don't take my word for it, listen for yourself!

Adieu

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:08:00 +0000

I just stumbled upon a new Coeur de Pirate track, it's really great. She has a new album out called Blonde. I'm so all over this.

Coming into a dark world

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 05:01:00 +0000

I wanted to check out Chrysta Bell's This Train because I'd heard that David Lynch was involved with the album. I don't know how much of this story is true, but from what I've read, Lynch met Bell when she was 19 or 20ish and wanted to work with her on a long term project. He wanted to turn her into a chanteuse or something. She's a bit over 30 now; this album is finally seeing the light of day and it's a pretty good one.

If you're familiar with Lynch at all, you'll immediately be able to tell that his fingerprints are all over this album. Apparently, he wrote all of the music and lyrics; all that's missing are Angelo Badalamenti arrangements.

Chrysta Bell - Bird of Flames

When I was seventeen

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 18:52:00 +0000

I've only just discovered Youth Lagoon's The Year of Hibernation, but it feels like I've known these songs forever. There's a child-like sense of wonder, a haunting quality and a hanging sadness (or maybe a feeling of longing) that pervades each track. I like the way the vocals are pushed back into the mix. You have to fight to make out the words, sorta like catching fleeting glimpses when you're looking for something and trying not to blink so you won't miss it.

Another aspect of this album I really like is that it's just over half an hour long. Some artists really don't know how to self-edit (Hello, Tori Amos) and put out albums that become endurance tests. Just because you can fit an hour and twenty minutes on a disc doesn't mean that you should. The Year of Hibernation is already one of my favorite albums of the year. Viva, Youth Lagoon.

Youth Lagoon - Seventeen

Sing a song for me

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:05:00 +0000

I recently, and randomly, came across The Great Book of John. I really like them, they have this sound that kinda conjures up an expansive American countryside; gritty, earthy and rural. To me, it sounds like the south. Their self-titled (second?) album just released last month, I'm hoping to pick up a copy on vinyl (I've been wanting to buy more vinyl lately). Whet your appetite with this gorgeous track, Ashes Over Manhattan.

The Great Book of John - Ashes Over Manhattan

REM: An American band

noreply@blogger.com (panic mode) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 02:26:00 +0000

REM called it quits this week. This band meant a lot to me for a long, long time. I engaged in a couple little email conversations regarding them, so I decided to sorta piece them together into a longer post, which is what follows.

The first time I saw REM, they were on this TV show called Solid Gold. Marilyn McCoo hosted. Andy Gibb shared hosting duties at one point. Some of you Americans might remember it.

The premise of the show was to countdown the week's top ten hits, they'd play parts of the songs which featured interpretive dancing by the Solid Gold Dancers. They had the odd musical performance from whatever artist/band was hot that week. I saw Blondie on there once, playing Heart of Glass.

In any case, REM came on, Stipe was wearing this ridiculous paisley shirt, I remember wondering if it was a pajama top, and they played South Central Rain. I couldn't make out the lyrics except for when he wailed I'M SORRYYYYYYY, I'M SORRYYYYYYY.

I kinda forgot about them after that, but started listening more when Fables of the Reconstruction hit, so I had time to enjoy that mysterious weird kinda Americana. Document, was the first one where you could make out everything Stipe was singing. It sounded cleaner and bigger, but it was still REM. Document got them notice, Green put them in orbit, and Out of Time sent them into another dimension.

Just as an aside, U2 had that same 3-album explosion. I wanna say it was roughly around the same time, but I'm too lazy to research it. War kinda made everyone sit up and take notice, The Unforgettable Fire shot them into space, then Joshua Tree opened up another galaxy for them. Kinda weird, huh.

The moment I noticed they had changed for me was when I bought Out of Time. This was back when I was still going to the record store every Tuesday and grabbing the new releases I wanted. So I grabbed OOT, went home and listened to it and was promptly blown away. I remember telling my roommate, this guy named Rick who once subpoenaed me (after which, we had a huge and very public falling out in a courthouse waiting room), that this album was gonna make REM monolithic huge. It's just such a great album and it has a little something for everyone.

They put out a few more really good albums after that; Automatic for the People, Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi (the latter two were/are very underrated, I thought). The turning point came when Bill Berry left the band and the others decided to continue on. They had some very good moments (I'd rate At My Most Beautiful easily with any of their best songs) but it was never really the same.

These guys are one of my all-time favorite bands, one of the best American bands, and one of the best bands, period. Despite the last 10-15 years, even if I wasn't really a fan of the post-Berry stuff, they had a really fucking good run and I wish I could thank them for being there.

This is probably my favorite REM tune, check it out. And if you don't have any album and perhaps were curious, start at the beginning with the IRS stuff. It's really, really good. There's also a very good compilation album called And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987, which is worth it if you want to start off with a sampler.

REM - Fall On Me