2011 Music Thread

[Lurch]

By the way, Rush was left off the Rock & Roll HOF ballot again this year.

[MusicMan]

By the way, Rush was left off the Rock & Roll HOF ballot again this year.

Which is one of many reasons why the R&R HOF means squat.

[HudsonHawk]

By the way, Rush was left off the Rock & Roll HOF ballot again this year.

Yeah, but the Beastie Boys made it, so it kind of takes some of the sting away.

[MusicMan]

Yeah, but the Beastie Boys made it, so it kind of takes some of the sting away.

So Rush was Sabotaged?

[HudsonHawk]

So Rush was Sabotaged?

Since they're letting in one hit wonders now, I'm guessing Rush was just too good.

[Guinness]

Since they're letting in one hit wonders now, I'm guessing Rush was just too good.

Lifeson called the RRHOFa joke, and said maybe they don't want to induct bands that are still working, and not out doing "Best of" tours.

[HudsonHawk]

Lifeson called the RRHOFa joke, and said maybe they don't want to induct bands that are still working, and not out doing "Best of" tours.

Lots of bands in the HOF, from AC/DC to ZZ Top, are still working.  They have a personal thing against Rush. 

[Bench]

They have a personal thing against Rush. 

It's called good taste.

[HudsonHawk]

It's called good taste.

I wouldn't classify the Beastie Boys over Rush as having *good* taste in rock and roll music.  

[subnuclear]

It's called good taste.

Bob Seger, Neil Diamond and ABBA are all bad taste for someone.

[Bench]

I wouldn't classify the Beastie Boys over Rush as having *good* taste in rock and roll music.  

Of all the shots you could have taken at the "Rock and Roll" Hall of Fame that's what you picked?  Aim higher.

[Ron Brand]

As a museum, the RRHOF is cool. As a hall of fame, it's a fucking joke and an excuse for Jann Wenner to feel more important.

[HudsonHawk]

Of all the shots you could have taken at the "Rock and Roll" Hall of Fame that's what you picked?  Aim higher.

That's the bar they set with their 2012 nominees.  I'm sure it'll be lower next year.

[Guinness]

As a museum, the RRHOF is cool. As a hall of fame, it's a fucking joke and an excuse for Jann Wenner to feel more important.

It's too bad it isn't just a museum, but I guess the controversy over who gets in generates publicity every year. I'd love to see it, it's supposed to be, as you say, cool.

[Bench]

That's the bar they set with their 2012 nominees.  I'm sure it'll be lower next year.

I'll take the Beastie Boys over Rush any day.  Of course, neither are rock and roll.  

[Limey]

I'll take the Beastie Boys over Rush any day.  Of course, neither are rock and roll.  

Doesn't seem to matter:

The Hall released its list of 2012 nominees Tuesday and while it includes a busload of rockers headed by Guns N' Roses, the Faces/Small Faces, the Cure and Joan Jett, New Jersey's mega-selling Bon Jovi is missing.

The rest of the ballot includes the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rufus with Chaka Khan, the Spinners, Freddie King, Heart, Donovan, the Beastie Boys, Eric B and Rakim, Laura Nyro, War and Donna Summer.

I'm no fan of Rush or Bon Jovi, but I'd be pissed if I were them.

[Limey]

The formed at Berklee College of Music.  They've all been recognized as all time greats by their peer magazines.  They replaced Mike Portnoy with Mike Mangini who was a professor in the percussion department of Berklee until last year, and also holds the world record for strokes per minute (Limey Alkie).  These are pretty much the superstars of their instruments.

FIFY

[HudsonHawk]

I'll take the Beastie Boys over Rush any day.  Of course, neither are rock and roll.  

Everybody gotta be somewhere I guess.

[chuck]

If it makes anyone feel any better I would rather listen to that guy's drum solo for an hour (isn't that about how long it lasts?) than the Red Hot Chili Peppers for five minutes.

[Gizzmonic]

I went to the rock n roll hof about a month ago. I agree with Ron Brand' s assessment. I could have stayed for hours. (mostly to smell Jackie Wilson's sweater). I was actually shocked they had no Rush. But they did have some stuff from fucking Bon Iver

[Ebby Calvin]

I went to the rock n roll hof about a month ago. I agree with Ron Brand' s assessment. I could have stayed for hours. (mostly to smell Jackie Wilson's sweater). I was actually shocked they had no Rush. But they did have some stuff from fucking Bon Iver

I'm a huge Bon Iver fan - no fucking way he belongs in any HoF. Two albums does not a career make.

[Lurch]

I'm a huge Bon Iver fan - no fucking way he belongs in any HoF. Two albums does not a career make.

How about 14 platinum ones?

[Ron Brand]

How about 14 platinum ones?

Oh, you mean it's all about sales. Ok, now I understand.

Except for that Smithereens thing.

[headhunter]

As a museum, the RRHOF is cool. As a hall of fame, it's a fucking joke and an excuse for Jann Wenner to feel more important.

agreed.

the massively sad excuse of a fucking joke part kind of overwhelmed my ability to enjoy the museum part. push it into the lake and let it burn.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

If it makes anyone feel any better I would rather listen to that guy's drum solo for an hour (isn't that about how long it lasts?) than the Red Hot Chili Peppers for five minutes.

I know. They were a great band in the 80s, but have been just awful since about 1991.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I've always thought of the Beastie Boys as a novelty act. You know, like Tiny Tim or the Archies.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

The formed at Berklee College of Music.  They've all been recognized as all time greats by their peer magazines.  They replaced Mike Portnoy with Mike Mangini who was a professor in the percussion department of Berklee until last year, and also holds the world record for strokes per minute (Limey).  These are pretty much the superstars of their instruments.

"My dear young man, don't take it too hard. Your work is ingenious. It's quality work... there are simply too many notes, that's all."

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I'm totally impressed by DT's virtuosity, I just never got around to owning any of their stuff, so I've never heard them a lot. From King Crimson to The Mars Volta, I've always like some prog-rock and not cared for others. It's music though, that I have to be in the right mood to really enjoy. And not unlike any other genre or sub-genre of rock, there's good and bad.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Deer Tick's new album Divine Providence is pretty good. I'm becoming a John McCauley fan.

[drew corleone]

I didn't like it at all after one listen, and I really like Deer Tick.

[Ron Brand]

Man or Astro-Man Thursday Dec 15 at Fitzgerald's and Friday Dec 16 at Emo's inside.

Fuck. Yes.

[GreatBagwellsBeard]

Went to Saturday's portion of Fun Fun Fun Fest.  The Joy Formidable is fantastic live, just absolutely high energy and very engaged with the crowd.  Enjoyed M83, but they should have been in a club, not a park.  And both Donald Glover sets (comedy and rap) were over-crowded, but I did get a nice picture of him rapping on top of the speaker stack.

It was dusty as hell in the park, and I'm still coughing today.

[Ebby Calvin]

Went to Saturday's portion of Fun Fun Fun Fest.  The Joy Formidable is fantastic live, just absolutely high energy and very engaged with the crowd.  Enjoyed M83, but they should have been in a club, not a park.  And both Donald Glover sets (comedy and rap) were over-crowded, but I did get a nice picture of him rapping on top of the speaker stack.

It was dusty as hell in the park, and I'm still coughing today.

Awesome.  I'd love to see Joy Formidable live, glad to hear they delivered.  Did Donald Glover sing "Donde esta la bilioteca?"  Love that track.

In other live music news: Radiohead!

Notable Dates:
2/29 - Ty's Backyard
3/3 - Houston
3/5 - Dallas
3/7 - The Drum

Kinda bummed about the Toyota Center, but I'd go if they were playing in a Applebee's in Zwolle and I had tickets.

[NeilT]

To quote:

Great news Duckers!
The Civil Wars are returning to Houston      January 20 at the Cullen Theater at the Wortham Center. Tickets can be purchased with this link:

http://www.stubwire.com/event/thecivilwarswthestaves/thecullentheatreatworthamcenter/houston/2260/

Rusty Andrews
McGonigel's Mucky Duck

Edit:  I went online and bought tickets.  It surprises me that it's at the Wortham.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Man or Astro-Man Thursday Dec 15 at Fitzgerald's and Friday Dec 16 at Emo's inside.

Fuck. Yes.

I think I might have to go to the Emo's show.

My Man or Astro-Man story:

About 19 years ago, my old band, The Swinging' Love Corpses, was playing a gig in conjunction with Phenomicon Atlanta at some hotel ballroom. We were told we had two hours. We were supposed to start at 9:30 but they kept pushing back the start time while the Betty Page look-alike contest raged on. We finally started our show at 10:00pm and was told to stop at midnight.

Apparently, the guys in Man or Astro-Man, were told they would start at 11:30, they showed up around 11:15 but when we kept on playing past 11:20 and then 11:30, they grabbed their gear and set up in the foyer of the hotel and started their show out there. Since they were an instrumental band, they really didn't need a PA (which sucked anyway). I thought they showed some spunk and enjoyed hearing the remainder of their set after we finished ours. They however, thought we were dicks for not leaving the stage even though we were told to play 'til midnight.

[Ron Brand]

Here's your chance, Houstonians. Free Jandek show at the Menil, 6 PM December 17.

[chuck]

Here's your chance, Houstonians. Free Jandek show at the Menil, 6 PM December 17.

Outstanding legwork, Brandy. I'm there.

[Ron Brand]

Outstanding legwork, Brandy. I'm there.

I'll be very interested in your take on the show.

Hm. I wonder if I could actually make that show...

[Lurch]

Roger Waters The Wall will be at Frank Erwin on May 3

If you have an AmEx, you can buy tickets today here using promo code ALIENATION

[Ron Brand]

Roger Waters The Wall will be at Frank Erwin on May 3

If you have an AmEx, you can buy tickets today here using promo code ALIENATION

I think the Houston show is May 1 and tickets are probably in presale for that one as well. General sale starts Monday the 14th for both shows.

[Guinness]

Here's your chance, Houstonians. Free Jandek show at the Menil, 6 PM December 17.

What a strange person/thing/entity....never heard of him/it/them until I read this post.  I"ll have to see about hearing some of this music.  Weird, but strangely very Houston-y to me.

[Ron Brand]

What a strange person/thing/entity....never heard of him/it/them until I read this post.  I"ll have to see about hearing some of this music.  Weird, but strangely very Houston-y to me.

Oh, it's weird all right. Every show is different. It's unclear how much of it is truly improvisational, but a significant portion of it is.

[Ron Brand]

Mr. Quintron, 12/29 at Emo's in Austin and 12/30 at Fitzgerald's.

[Ebby Calvin]

Eno, Stipe & Colbert sing "Lean On Me"

[Guinness]

Eno, Stipe & Colbert sing "Lean On Me"

Watched the Eno interview, guess I turned the tv off too early.  I thought Eno looked like he had no idea what to expect from his interview.

[Ebby Calvin]

Watched the Eno interview, guess I turned the tv off too early.  I thought Eno looked like he had no idea what to expect from his interview.

I thought the same thing with the Radiohead interview.  And the Anthony Bourdain interview.

[Ebby Calvin]

If you have even a smidge of interest in hip-hop/rap, the new Drake, Take Care, is really, really good.  I'm no rap enthusiast, but I'm digging this.

[Andyzipp]

In that vein, Childish Gambino is pretty fucking awesome.  And I get that I'm late to that particular party.

[GreatBagwellsBeard]

In that vein, Childish Gambino is pretty fucking awesome.  And I get that I'm late to that particular party.

He's fucking intense live.  It is a little disconcerting when all the white kids in the audience are rapping along with him, word for word.  Even THAT word.


I'm late to the Deer Tick game, but holy hell that's a great album.  I get all the animal named bands mixed up, and figured that Deer Tick would have about as much balls as the Mountain Goats.  How wrong I was.

[Ty in Tampa]

I just checked out "Diamond Dreams" by some dude Cowboy Joe West. Never heard of him but dang if that ain't some good ol' country!

[Ron Brand]

I just checked out "Diamond Dreams" by some dude Cowboy Joe West. Never heard of him but dang if that ain't some good ol' country!

Sly.

[drew corleone]

I listened to Deer Tick's new one on one of the streaming sites and decided not to buy. Loved their older stuff, but that did nothing for me.

Will check out the hip hop recs.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I listened to Deer Tick's new one on one of the streaming sites and decided not to buy. Loved their older stuff, but that did nothing for me.

I noticed Pitchfork totally eviscerated of the band in their review of Main Street for not sticking to what they've been doing and for trying something different. But I find it to be a fun rocking ode to partying like a rock band on tour, one that brings to mind bands like the Faces, or even the Replacements.

[Guinness]

Here's your chance, Houstonians. Free Jandek show at the Menil, 6 PM December 17.

Well I youtubed the guy.  If he was playing a free show in my backyard I'd turn the hose on him.  I can do deconstructed, post modern, folk art, etc etc, but this is just bad.  IMO, of course.

[Ty in Tampa]

Well I youtubed the guy.  If he was playing a free show in my backyard I'd turn the hose on him.  I can do deconstructed, post modern, folk art, etc etc, but this is just bad.  IMO, of course.

You don't get it. He's so bad, it's good. Haven't you gone to your hip classes?

[Ron Brand]

Well I youtubed the guy.  If he was playing a free show in my backyard I'd turn the hose on him.  I can do deconstructed, post modern, folk art, etc etc, but this is just bad.  IMO, of course.

Heh, heh, heh.

For me there is definitely a diminishing return with Jandek. I appreciate some of it and in a live setting there are really some pretty transcendent moments but part of what makes them so special is that you have been waiting for 20 minutes AND THEN IT HAPPENS and then it's gone, and you'll wait another 20 or so for another one.

That said, there is a bunch of his stuff that I find pretty tough to get through. I really don't expect anyone else to be interested in it at all, let alone a little bit.

[drew corleone]

Thanks to this thread I tried the new Drake and Childish Gambino. Loved the latter as much as I didn't love the former.

[GreatBagwellsBeard]

Thanks to this thread I tried the new Drake and Childish Gambino. Loved the latter as much as I didn't love the former.

I've never gotten the Drake appeal. He's trying to do emo Dirty South rap, and those two
modifiers are mutually exclusive.

[Ebby Calvin]

I've never gotten the Drake appeal. He's trying to do emo Dirty South rap, and those two
modifiers are mutually exclusive.

He's Canadian, too, which makes the whole Dirty South rap thing even more difficult. But I like his sound and don't really know what Dirty South rap even is, so for me it works. It's a big downer of a record though - I guess that's the emo influence.

In other words, you and drew are wrong. You do like this album.

[chandler44]

Thanks to this thread I tried the new Drake and Childish Gambino. Loved the latter as much as I didn't love the former.

I caught Childish Gambino on Conan the other day and it made me want to check out the rest of his music. 

[Ron Brand]

Technically it's for 2012, but tickets for Rammstein's US tour are on sale now.

[geezerdonk]

I am looking forward to the Bee Gees cover of Lawrence Welk's Champagne Music. Anybody know when it is due out?

[JimR]

I am looking forward to the Bee Gees cover of Lawrence Welk's Champagne Music. Anybody know when it is due out?

December 1 and a 2....

[Craig]

December 1 and a 2....

Nice!

[Bench]

Meanwhile, the Black Eyed Peas are taking a break from each other.

Oh wait, this is a music thread.

[GreatBagwellsBeard]

Meanwhile, the Black Eyed Peas are taking a break from each other.

Oh wait, this is a music thread.

What?  That's good news for music.  And the national incidence of herpes.

[Ebby Calvin]

Any Sigur Ros fans should check out their new live double-disc Inni.  The show was also filmed and distributed as a documentary, but I haven't seen it yet.  Regardless, as far as live albums go, this one is kick ass.  I've had it on repeat for the last week or so.  Popplagio (or Untitled 8 off their () album) is freaking epic.  Good cold weather music.

ETA: Also, the Beirut album The Rip Tide is pretty damn good, too.

[chuck]

Good cold weather music.

That is a fine observation. They are indeed excellent cold weather music.

[Guinness]

Here's an excellent gizmo from the Paul McCartney site: http://www.paulmccartney.com/web/guest/rude-studio .  It's a mini 4 track mixer that you can load 1 of 3 songs into, Band on the Run, Let Me Roll It and Maybe I'm Amazed.  Each track is one of the 4 track masters, so you can mix the drums/bass out of Band, hear just the vocal on Amazed, etc.  This will be a massive timewaster if/when more tracks are added, but if Apple ever does this with the Beatles masters, I would never leave my computer.

Best use of the internet ever.

[Ron Brand]

Here's an excellent gizmo from the Paul McCartney site: http://www.paulmccartney.com/web/guest/rude-studio .  It's a mini 4 track mixer that you can load 1 of 3 songs into, Band on the Run, Let Me Roll It and Maybe I'm Amazed.  Each track is one of the 4 track masters, so you can mix the drums/bass out of Band, hear just the vocal on Amazed, etc.  This will be a massive timewaster if/when more tracks are added, but if Apple ever does this with the Beatles masters, I would never leave my computer.

Best use of the internet ever.

If you really want to have some fun, download Audacity and find some .MOGG files of, say, Gimme Shelter or the various Beatles tracks used in Love. That ought to keep you busy for a while.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Anyone else going to see Nick Lowe and Wilco at ACL Moody Theater tonight?

[MarkArmsBestFriendsArm]

They are touring with Nick Lowe?  Nice.

[Ebby Calvin]

Gonna post my lists here like last year.  Feel free to ignore the block of text that follows.

Top 20 Albums (Favorite Songs in Parentheses)
1.   Bon Iver, Bon Iver (Holocene, Perth, Calgary)
2.   Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues (Helplessness Blues, Bedoin Dress, Battery Kinze)
3.   Radiohead, King of Limbs (Separator, Codex, Give Up the Ghost, Little By Little, The Daily Mail)
4.   Wilco – The Whole Love (Born Alone, Open Mind, One Sunday Morning, The Art of Almost)
5.   Real Estate – Days (All the Same, It’s Real, Out of Tune, Green Aisles)
6.   The Decemberists – The King is Dead (Rise to Me, Down By The River)
7.   Beirut – The Rip Tide (Goshen, Port of Call, Santa Fe)
8.   Feist – Metals (Undiscovered First, How Come You Never Go There, Graveyard)
9.   Wye Oak – Civilian (Holy, Holy, Civilian)
10.   Sigur Ros – Inni (Live Album) (Popplagio, Saeglopur, Glosoli)
11.   Joy Formidable – The Big Roar (Whirring, A Heavy Abacus)
12.   Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
13.   Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo (Baby’s Arms, On Tour)
14.   Herzog – Search (West Blvd, Static Shock)
15.   St. Vincent – Strange Mercy (Cheerleader, Cruel)
16.   Middle Brother – s/t (Daydreaming, Blue Eyes)
17.   The Field - Looping State of Mind
18.   The Shaolin Afronauts – Flight of the Ancients (Journey Through Time)
19.   Julianna Barwick – Magic Place
20.   AA Bondy – American Hearts

The Next Five
Coldplay
Kate Bush
Black Keys
The Roots
Civil Wars

Honorable Mention
Drake
Tim Hecker
Bonnie (Prince) Billy
Panda Bear
Deer Tick
Jay Z/Kanye West
Moonface
My Morning Jacket
Iron & Wine
Cut Copy
Cave Singers
tUnEyArDs
Mogwai
King Creosote & Jon Hopkins
James Blake
PJ Harvey
The Dodos
Washed Out
Adele
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
We Were Promised Jetpacks
Delay Trees
Cass McCombs
Ryan Adams
TV on the Radio

Top 10 Songs
1.   Bon Iver – “Holocene”
2.   The Decemberists – “Rise To Me”
3.   The National – “Exile Vilify”
4.   Fleet Foxes – “Helplessness Blues”
5.   Wilco – “Born Alone”
6.   Real Estate – “All the Same”
7.   Feist – “How Come You Never Go There”
8.   Radiohead – “Separator”
9.   Beirut – “Goshen”
10.   Joy Formidable – “Whirring”

Best Music-Based Ad (tie)
Chipotle, Willie Nelson - “Back to the Start”
Chipotle, Karen Oh – “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies…”

Carry on.

[Bench]

Based on name alone, I always assumed Feist was in the same vein as Tool or Staind.  I guess I'm wrong?

[Ron Brand]

Based on name alone, I always assumed Feist was in the same vein as Tool or Staind.  I guess I'm wrong?

Chick singer from Canada. Not like Tool. Staind? Ugh.

[chuck]

I guess I'm wrong?

Very.

[Ebby Calvin]

Based on name alone, I always assumed Feist was in the same vein as Tool or Staind.  I guess I'm wrong?

Leslie Feist

"How Come You Never Go There"

[NeilT]

Ebby, great list, thanks.  Bench, Apple used a Feist song in one of it's fairly early IPod ads, and it was played on tv constantly.  I always thought it was catchy, and amusing, and that she got lucky with one song.  I think I was right about catchy, half right about amusing, but wrong about being a one-hit wonder.  She's very consistent with her songs so far.  It's very well-crafted musical stuff. 

[NeilT]

Ebby, great list, thanks.  Bench, Apple used a Feist song in one of it's fairly early IPod ads, and it was played on tv constantly.  I always thought it was catchy, and amusing, and that she got lucky with one song.  I think I was right about catchy, half right about amusing, but wrong about being a one-hit wonder.  She's very consistent with her songs so far.  It's very well-crafted musical stuff. 

Bench, you troll.

[strosrays]

Leslie Feist

"How Come You Never Go There"

I'll just go ahead and get this out of the way now.  Over the last several months, I have developed an unhealthy attraction thing for Lana Del Ray.  Unhealthy in a Humbert Humbert sort of way.

Here and here.


Also kinda like this.

[headhunter]

I'll just go ahead and get this out of the way now.  Over the last several months, I have developed an unhealthy attraction thing for Lana Del Ray.  Unhealthy in a Humbert Humbert sort of way.

Here and here.


Also kinda like this.

great music. thanks for the recommendation.
and her name does come trippingly off the tounge, but no worries, she's all yours HH.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Nice list Ebby, thanks! I've only heard a fraction of that list, got a lot to listen to now.


Heres a few more that I enjoyed:

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Mirror Traffic
Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin
Black Lips – Arabia Mountain
Dawes – Nothing is Wrong

[Ron Brand]

Boy + Kite is surprisingly good.
I've enjoyed Yuck quite a bit as well.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Also, I forgot to mention, David Comes to Life by Fucked Up, is amazing.

[drew corleone]

I'll take a stab at an Ebby list (SnS music awards should absolutely be called the Ebbies).

Top 20 Albums (Favorite Songs in Parentheses)

1.   Dawes, Nothing is Wrong (Time Spent in Los Angeles, Coming Back to a Man, How Far We've Come, A Little Bit of Everything)
2.   Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues (Helplessness Blues, Sin Sala Bim, The Plains / Bitter Dancer, Bedoin Dress, Battery Kinze)
3.   The Head and the Heart, The Head and the Heart (Lost In mY Mind, Couer d'Alene, Ghosts)
4.   Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Here We Rest (Alabama Pines, Codeine, Tour of Duty)
5.   Portugal. The Man (So American, Got it All [This Can't Be Living Now], Sleep Forever)
6.   The Decemberists, The King is Dead (Rox in the Box, Don't Carry it All, Calamity Song)
7.   Middle Brother, Middle Brother (Daydreaming, Portland, Middle Brother)
8.   Rural Alberta Advantage, Departing (The Breakup, North Star, Tornado '87)
9.   Black Keys, El Camino (Nova baby, Gold on the Cieling)
10.   Jay Z/Kanye West, Watch The Throne (Otis, Niggas in Paris, Murder to Excellence)
11.   Cults, Cults (Go Outside, Rave On)
12.   Fitz & the Tantrums, Pickin' Up the Pices (Pickin' Up the Pieces, Rich Girls)
13.   Real Estate, Days (Municipality, Easy)
14.   The Dodos (Black Night, Don't Try to Hide It)
15.   Wilco, The Whole Love (Capitol City, Whole Love, Standing O)
16.   Tapes n' Tapes, Outside (Freak Out, SWM)
17.   My Morning Jacket, Circuital (Circuital, Holding on to Black Metal)
18.   Smith Westerns, Dye It Blonde (Weekend, Dance Away)
19.   Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi, Rome (Problem Queen, Two Against One)
20.   Lupe Fiasco, Lasers (All Black Everything, Till I Get There)

Honorable Mention

Cave Singers
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
Braids
Childish Gambino
David Wax Museum
Eddie Vedder
Foo Fighters
Foster the People
Girls
Givers
Joy Formidable
Man Man
Old 97s
Theophilus London
Wye Oak

Top 10 Songs (no particular order)

1.   The Strokes, "Under Cover of Darkness"
2.   Fitz & the Tantrums, "Pickin' Up the Pieces"
3.   Dawes, "Little Bit of Everything"
4.   Fleet Foxes, “Helplessness Blues”
5.   Jason Isbell, "Alabama Pines"
6.   My Morning Jacket, "Holding on to Black Metal"
7.   Middle Brother, "Middle Brother"
8.   Portugal. The Man, "So American"
9.   Head and the Heart, "Couer d'Alene"
10.   The Decemberists, "Rox in the Box"

There is a clear chasm between the first ten and the second ten albums, and not a lot of space between the second ten and the fifteen HMs. Then there are albums that tomorrow could end up in the HM instead of some of those 15 because I really liked 1-2 songs and didn't like much else (see: Darkness, Under Cover of).

BTW, Ebby, I've been spending some time today reviewing some of your picks that I wasn't very familiar with. Appreciate the work you put into that. I'm guessing you covered 2-3 times the ground I did.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

No Bon Iver?!?!?
No Deer Tick?!?!?

Just Kidding.

Thanks for the list Drew. Again, as with Ebby's list, only familiar with about half. So much listening to do.

FWIW, I think my Album of the Year vote (based on duration in car CD/MP3 player) goes to The Decemberists - The King is Dead. Middle Brother probably comes in second.

[Ebby Calvin]

Awesome list, drew.  Guess I'm going to have to check out that Dawes album, since you and Sphinx like it so much.  I also overlooked the Rural Alberta Advantage release - gonna have to track that down, along with a few in your 20 that I don't recognize.

Also, Sphinx - I've resisted the urge to get the Fucked Up album for awhile now.  I kept reading glowing reviews, followed by a picture of a sweaty, shirtless, bald, fat dude screaming into a mic.  That, coupled with the band name, instantly told me I wouldn't like the music. But the great reviews kept coming in and now I'm going to have to give it a listen.

[drew corleone]

I'm embarrassed to say that yesterday was the first time I listened to the entire BI album, despite knowing that Ebby (and others) have raved about it for months. I kept thinking that it'd be an Amazon half-off and it never was. Me being cheap.

My one listen to the new DT did nothing for me. I like them a lot, and I should give it another listen, but I found it painful to listen to.

[geezerdonk]

I'm saving my money for the next Captain and Tennille album.

[Ron Brand]

Y'all sure do like acoustic geetars.

[GreatBagwellsBeard]

Awesome list, drew.  Guess I'm going to have to check out that Dawes album, since you and Sphinx like it so much.  I also overlooked the Rural Alberta Advantage release - gonna have to track that down, along with a few in your 20 that I don't recognize.

Also, Sphinx - I've resisted the urge to get the Fucked Up album for awhile now.  I kept reading glowing reviews, followed by a picture of a sweaty, shirtless, bald, fat dude screaming into a mic.  That, coupled with the band name, instantly told me I wouldn't like the music. But the great reviews kept coming in and now I'm going to have to give it a listen.

Don't hesitate on Fucked Up.  David Comes To Life is amazing.

[austro]

Y'all sure do like acoustic geetars.

I've gotten older, and I don't keep up with the young kids anymore. One of the things I bought last week was Reckless Kelly's latest: Good Luck & True Love. It's a decent album, not great, but certainly listenable. But it's got one song on it that's worth the entire cost of the CD: "She Likes Money, He Likes Love". It's a tremendous rocker, and whoever is playing guitar (David Abeyta?) is wearing that sucker out. Especially good on headphones.

I also bought a 2-disc tribute to Guy Clark, with everything on it that you would expect (for those keeping score at home, that's the set that's confusing iTunes). I haven't listened to all of it yet, but I like what I've heard so far.

Finally, someone found a Cobras tape from '79 at the Armadillo, with Angela Strehli and Paul Ray as guest vocalists. I'm a sucker for anything that captures that period in Austin, but this recording (Live & Deadly) is a lot of fun in its own right. I wasn't in the crowd that night, but RB might have been.

In the 1972 Music Thread, I also picked up the Dead's Europe '72, Vol. 2 a few weeks ago. It's ok, although it's obvious why the material on the original Europe '72 was chosen first. But it has a great version of "Greatest Story Ever Told" on it.

[Bench]

In the 1972 Music Thread, I also picked up the Dead's Europe '72, Vol. 2 a few weeks ago. It's ok, although it's obvious why the material on the original Europe '72 was chosen first. But it has a great version of "Greatest Story Ever Told" on it.

I love the original album.  Didn't know a volume 2 had been released.

[Ron Brand]

Finally, someone found a Cobras tape from '79 at the Armadillo, with Angela Strehli and Paul Ray as guest vocalists. I'm a sucker for anything that captures that period in Austin, but this recording (Live & Deadly) is a lot of fun in its own right. I wasn't in the crowd that night, but RB might have been.

Oh man, I've got to get this. The Cobras were great. I remember seeing them at the north Soap Creek one night with Jimmie and Stevie playing guitar opposite Denny Freeman - probably '75 or '76. They held down a regular slot at both Soap Creek locations and kicked ass. Man, that was a great time for Austin music with the T-Birds, the Cobras, Bugs Henderson, Steam Heat, Doug Sahm, etc. Thanks for finding this.

In the 1972 Music Thread, I also picked up the Dead's Europe '72, Vol. 2 a few weeks ago. It's ok, although it's obvious why the material on the original Europe '72 was chosen first. But it has a great version of "Greatest Story Ever Told" on it.

I love the original Europe '72, that's what turned me on to the Dead in the first place. This second set is nice, it's great to hear Bertha and Sugaree from that time but man, I wish Donna was mixed down as low as she was on the first release. I love their '72-'74 stuff but her yowls and screeching make it so hard to listen to whole shows.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I'm a tremendous fan of Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia as songwriters, they were a fantastic pair. One of my all time favorites. I saw the Dead a few times back in the day. I have always been impressed by how much other fans obsess over their thousands of live performances. The industry that developed around collecting and archiving recordings of their live shows is unparalleled in the worlds of entertainment and art. And it's so thorough that it's almost overwhelming. I guess I didn't have the dedication needed to listen to and compare so much material. So I never became even a little knowledgeable regarding the the Dead's live show recording history.

[Ron Brand]

Donna Godchaux = Country Yoko.

[Bench]

Donna Godchaux = Country Yoko.

She can be really annoying, but when she's on, she's on.  I think of her harmonizing with Bob on Looks Like Rain from the mid 70s and it can be very beautiful.

[Guinness]

did ya'll know there's a 73 disk version of Europe 72 out?  70 hours, all 22 shows on that tour.   That's some deadication right there.

[Gizzmonic]

I'll just go ahead and get this out of the way now.  Over the last several months, I have developed an unhealthy attraction thing for Lana Del Ray.  Unhealthy in a Humbert Humbert sort of way.

Here and here.


Also kinda like this.

And Here!