Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Friday Morning Shuffle (1.20.12)

  1. Holy Ghost Haunted - John Moreland & the Dust Bowl Souls (from the album Everything the Hard Way)
  2. 21st Century Opium War - Ryan Harvey (from the album Blowback)
  3. Rudie Can't Fail - The Clash (from the album London Calling)
  4. State of Love and Trust - Pearl Jam (from the album Rearviewmirror)
  5. Hey Suburbia - Screeching Weasel (from the album Boogadaboogadaboogada!)
  6. Christian Rock - John Moreland & the Dust Bowl Souls (from the album Everything the Hard Way)
  7. Down on the Corner - Creedence Clearwater Revival (from the album Willy and the Poor Boys)
  8. Pretty Much Empty - John Moreland & the Black Gold Band (from the album Things I Can't Control) very strange that John Moreland is showing up randomly on my iTunes shuffle today.
  9. Closer - Kings of Leon (from the album Only By the Night)
  10. Sunset Strip Bitch - Eve 6 (from the album Horrorscope)
  11. Alright Lets Go - John Moreland & the Black Gold Band (from the album Things I Can't Control) so weird!!!

Source: http://otterlimits.blogspot.com/2012/01/friday-morning-shuffle-12012.html

Mae Vampire Weekend[1] Young and Sexy The Main Drag

Top 100 Songs of 2011 (40-21)

60 songs down. Let's dive into the top 40 songs of 2011. It's a look back at the some of the finer moments in music from the past year that I think friends, followers, and basically music lovers in general will find something to love. After comparing top 40 songs from this year to 2010, I think both years are pretty comparable. If you want to look at what made 100-41, feel free to click on the links below for the first three parts.

Top 100 Songs of 2011 (100-81)
Top 100 Songs of 2011 (80-61)
Top 100 Songs of 2011 (60-41)

And now in the voice of Kasey Kasem....it's time for some special dedications and songs from the year we'll remember....as 2011.

Smith Westerns
40. Smith Westerns-Weekend
The opening song from these Chicago lads' sophomore album "Dye It Blonde" reeks of garage music with a top notch producer. The chorus swoons "Na Na Na Na a girl like you." "Weekend" becomes the lost song of a George Harrison T Rex session nobody knew about. And if "Weekend" worked for you, then you should probably listen to the whole LP...over and over for more of the same smart song craft. Because weekends are really never fun...unless you're around here.....toooooooo!

39. Toro Y Moi-New Beat
Chaz Bundwck is slowly becoming the poster child for chillwave via a light funk vibe. Toro Y Moi showed when they turned up the dance grooves on their September EP "Freaking Out", the band could become a formidable dance outfit. But their main charm remains in cool beats and grooves (like some of the material from their album "Underneath The Pine") as "New Beat" has no problems satisfying your dance needs and a soundtrack for just chilling out.

38. Atlas Sound-Mona Lisa
I wish I could have had maybe a month more to revel in Bradford Cox's latest Atlas Sound album "Parallax" because their are a few songs ("Angel Is Broken", "Te Amo", "Lightworks") that just missed the cut. "Mona Lisa" solidifies Atlas Sound's move away from heavy experimentation as a light acoustic guitar and light swing bring this song to the top of the crop from "Parallax". In a universe that prefers real light pop songs, "Mona Lisa" should be getting airplay...somewhere!

37. Vetiver-Wonder Why
Vetiver's album "The Errant Charm" has some real sublime folk moments perfect for cruising the autumn landscape on a sunny October afternoon (at least that's when songs from this effort began to sink in for me). Just listening to the guitar work that shines throughout "wonder Why" brings to mind young love, school, and The La's "There She Goes" all in one breath. And when lead singer Andy Cabic murmurs at the end of the chorus "I wonder why", it draws you in its corner for good.

36. PJ Harvey-The Words That Maketh Murder
Harvey paints visions of seeing "soldiers drop like lumps of meat" and how she's done and see things she wants to forget. But the ending with Harvey accompanied with autoharp and backing vocals from John Parish brings the song over the top in a good way as they borrow a line from the classic "Summertime Blues" "I'm gone take my problem to the United Nations". It turns out to be the best apocalyptic hoedown on her fantastic "Let England Shake" and of 2011.

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
35. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart-Heart In Your Heartbreak
Anyone wish bands today made more music like they did in the 80's anymore out there? Well, here's something to reminisce of that decade. "Heart In Your Heartbreak" rides along an 80's pop groove to
perfection, lead man Kip Berman breathes light life into the verses and the chorus is as sweet as they come..."She was the heart in your heartbreak, she was the miss in your mistake". If that's not enough, check the wicked keyboard solo at the end. Would've been a top 10 hit in that decade, guaranteed. 

34. Death Cab For Cutie-You Are A Tourist
"This...fire....burns...higher...." Four words that accompanied one of my favorite guitar lines in an alternative pop song this year. Old fans of the band may argue that "Codes and Keys" is inferior to their previous decade's work. But there is a certain charm and drive to the album's first single that is simply irresistible.

33. The Dodos-Don't Try And Hide It
An acoustic romp with neat percussion, just like about every song on the Dodos' latest effort "No Color", "Don't Try And Hide It" benefits greatly from backing vocals from Neko Case. Amidst the carefree song are references to self confidence and self awareness. Works great as a self help song or a great singalong in the car.

32. Cut Copy-Need You Now
When we saw Cut Copy in Chicago at the Pitchfork festival in July, the whole place turned into the big Aussie dance party I'd never been to before. It was a letting loose after a day of sweltering heat as the evening hours made its way in. One song that got the crowd moving was "Need You Now"..and how can you blame them. A bouncy beat, light dance keys and a chorus that any top 40 band would kill for "Know I'm going crazy, but I need you now" make this one of the finest dance songs of 2011.

31. Washed Out-Amor Fati
If you want chillwave with sensual overtones (maybe ala Moby's softer moments) you didn't need to look any further in 2011 than Ernest Greene's debut album "Within and Without". The mos danceable, pop like moment on the album is "Amor Fati" which has a relentless keyboard groove to get your partner in the mood to dance or do whatever was going down on the album cover.

30. Elbow-Neat Little Rows
Putting all the tender moments aside from Elbow's "Build A Rocket Boys!" you're left with a menacing song called "Neat Little Rows". A grinding bass, tribal like drums and keys that sound like church bells dominate this upbeat treat from the album. and Guy Garvey's lyrics: "Lay my bones in cobblestone, lay my bones in neat little rows" fit the sinister vibe of the song. A keeper.

The Strokes
29. The Strokes-Undercover Of Darkness
"Everybody's been singing the song for ten years" is one of my favorite three lines in a song from 2011 (So True, Right!). Julian Casablancas had me believe that 2011 was going to have a 2001 feel all over again when "Under Cover Of Darkness" was released prior to "Angles". Between Albert Hammond Jr.'s guitar reminding me of "Is This It" and Fabrizio Moretti's on time drum fills, it became a favorite of mine regardless of the way I felt about the rest of "Angles".

28. Iron & Wine-Tree By The River
"Tree By The River" is AM gold from the seventies camouflaged as indie folk for the current decade. And I love it. The biggest winner of the song besides the gentle backing vocals is the vibraphone that accentuates the bridge of the song. Nothing else to say but Sam Beam, you're a winner in my book again.

27. Beastie Boys featuring Santagold-Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win
I remember downloading "The Hot Sauce...", throwing it on the IPOD and hitting shuffle. The first song it picked? This dancehall ditty with guest vocals from Santagold. With all the styles the Beastie Boys have messed with in the past, I can't recall them ever dabbling in this genre. But I could honestly take a whole album of this (has to be my love for the Clash). And Santagold? If I was afraid a guest vocalist would throw things off on a Beastie Boys album, she (as well as NAS on another track) proved me wrong. "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" is as youthful as they've sounded in thirteen years.

26. J Mascis-Not Enough
All those years of crunchy Dinosaur Jr. albums didn't have me fully prepared for J Mascis largely acoustic effort "Several Shades Of Why". But deep down, I guess Mascis has more in common with Neil Young than I'd ever noticed before. On "Not Enough", Mascis' vocals are just as effective as the clueless, heartbroken character "She was gone again, And I'm not sure what I knew...". If Mascis is getting older, you'd never know...maybe in acoustics, but that's about it.

25. Wye Oak-Holy Holy
Wye Oak's treatment of songs can be compared to a gentle sky turning quickly tuning into a violent thunderstorm without any notice. As "Holy Holy" grinds along on a nasty, restrained guitar line as Jenn Wasner sounds sounds as if she's drowning in a deep, dark pool of self doubt "Holy Holy Holy...there is no other story..". But the moment near the end where the song just bursts open is euphoric. Here's to hoping they find more inspiration like this on future releases.

24. My Morning Jacket-Holdin' On To Black Metal
If My Morning Jacket was looking for their next witty, Jim James' falsetto laced over the top song, they struck gold with "Holdin' On To Black Metal". With punctures of horns and an all female choir lending an ambiance to the song, James croons about holding on to something you dearly held on to as a child that is not fashionable now. That something? Black Metal. Sure to upset anyone over 30 who still loves their metal from the eighties...

Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards
23. Tune-Yards-Bizness
Another standout from "Whokill" is "Bizness". Merrill Garbus hangs on the last syllable in each verse before busting into an almost jazz like chorus with a saxophones and a jumpy beat repeating the line "Don't Take My Life Away". But Garbus' also holds her own screaming "I'm a victim, yeah". This rallying cry brings a personal statement as someone who's had enough f the world as we know it. Moments like this makes Tune-Yards more than just a one off, flavor of the month band.

22. Wilco-Dawned On Me
Between the tension filled, wait for the payoff opener "The Art Of Almost" through the long gentle suite of the closer "One Sunday Morning", Wilco touched a lot of bases on "The Whole Love". This time out, I was just looking for some joy and took those songs under my wing as favorites. I think when Jeff Tweedy sings in the chorus of "Dawned On Me": "I can't help it if I fall in love with you again/I'm calling just to let you know it dawned on me" he's singing about his love of music, and that's enough for me to fall in love "Dawned On Me". I'm fully on board again with Wilco.

21. The Black Keys-Lonely Boy
The afterthought, December album of the year goes to "El Camino" But leading up to it, "Lonely Boy" served as another slice of hot garage rock that this duo has come to perfect over the past decade. Female backing vocals and an almost ZZ Top like riff ("Got Me Under Pressure"?) makes "Lonely Boy" another Black Keys' winner, even if they're no longer anyone's best kept secret anymore.

Source: http://www.jhostation.com/2011/12/top-100-songs-of-2011-40-21.html

Ladyhawke Maow The Love Language Hayden

An Honest Mistake at Himpunan Sejuta Belia 2011

Performing on the Jom Heboh stage at 'Himpunan Sejuta Belia' in Putrajaya last May...

The gear for the day - my all time favorite Motif series of synthesizers awaits on stage!


















The supportive crowd of the day.


Our dear PM sends his well wishes just before we went LIVE. 
















He's a fan of ours too!


Source: http://baldwinchua.blogspot.com/2011/06/honest-mistake-at-himpunan-sejuta-belia.html

Final Fantasy The Sounds Shop Assistants The Olivia Tremor Control

Jane's Addiction - Paris 2003

This is Jane's Addiction performing live at Elys�e Montmartre, Paris, France back on the 25th October 2003.  The concert was broadcast by the French radio "OUI FM", the concert was in support of their "Strays" album release.

Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell (vocals), Dave Navarro (guitar), Eric Avery (bass) and Stephen Perkins (drums). After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times with Avery declining to participate. In 2008, the band's "classic" line-up, featuring Avery, reunited and embarked on a world tour. Avery subsequently left the band in early 2010 as the group began work on new material. To date, they have released four studio albums.

Strays was the third studio album by Jane's Addiction, released on July 22, 2003 on Capitol Records, and the first album to be recorded by a reunited Jane's Addiction. Released 13 years after Ritual de lo Habitual (1990), the album marks the band's longest gap between studio albums, and is the first to feature bassist Chris Chaney. Regarding the decision to record a new studio album after 13 years, drummer Stephen Perkins stated that the band had already completed two reunion tours performing old material, and that Jane's was ready for "a new challenge." Vocalist Perry Farrell states that the band "went into the studio thinking fast, hard, modern and to the point."

Upon its first week of release, the album sold 110,500 copies in the United States and is currently certified Gold. In the UK, the album is certified Silver, having sold over 60,000 copies. The single, "Just Because", was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004.

The album received generally positive reviews, with a Metacritic score of 75, based on 19 reviews. Playlouder noted that "their glee and enthusiasm can be heard coursing through every bar.", while NME claimed that Strays was "one of the best rock albums of 2003." and Alternative Press stated that the album was "better than anyone could have predicted.

Five tracks from the album are included in this concert.

Source: FM radio broadcast.

Sound Quality: Very good stereo mp3@192kbps.

Genre: Alternative rock, alternative metal, hard rock

Set: Broadcast set.

Set List:

1- Up The Beach
2- Stop
3- Ain't No Right
4- True Nature
5- Been Caught Stealing
6- Three Days
7- Everybody's Friend
8- Just Because (acoustic)
9- Strays
10- The Riches (FM recording lost part of this song).
11- Ocean Size
12- Mountain Song
13- Jane Says

Website: Official HERE.

Download links in comments below.

Source: http://www.beehivecandy.com/2011/10/janes-addiction-paris-2003.html

Luzer Fountains of Wayne Go Sailor The Weepies

Artist of the Week: Joy Ike

Pennsylvania based singer-songwriter Joy Ike has been making a name for herself. After releasing her second album independently, she won an opening slot performing at this summer's reinstated Lilith Fair through a fan voted contest on OurStage. Since then, she has continued her grassroots approach to music to stay true to her values.

With vocals that recall popular singer-songwriters Sara Bareilles and Regina Spektor, Ike's soulful singing style and breathtaking piano accompaniment impress. What is most striking of Ike is that she embodies a timeless and familiar quality. Songs like opening track, "Sweeter" draw the listener in with her upbeat singing style while the nearly one minute piano intro on "Give Me Truth" relaxes.

Beautiful title track, "Rumors" leaves an impact on the listener with Ike's slow and powerful vocals accompanied by the light strokes of the piano and fitting string features. Despite the impressive music, it is Ike's hopeful and introspective lyrics that allow her to stand out from popular singer-songwriters.

In fact, in an interview with OurStage.com, she touched upon the importance of creating memorable music.

"What a person says reflects who they are. I want to make music that's purposeful and I want to create music that people can hold onto for a long time."

With a release as strong as Rumors, Ike is well on her way.

For more on Joy Ike, be sure to visit her on MySpace and watch the interview below. You can download her track, "Sweeter" here.




Source: http://yousingiwrite.blogspot.com/2010/09/artist-of-week-joy-ike.html

Great Lakes Holiday Flyer The Hush Sound The Lodger

The Doors-The Doors (JHO Hall Of Fame)

Last week, the self titled debut album from the Doors turned 45 years old. Their last album, "L.A. Woman", as an original quartet of Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger and John Densemore is celebrating a 40th anniversary edition as Rhino is releasing bonus goodies and a new "unreleased" song from the band...40 odd years later called "She Smells So Nice" (I can picture Morrison from the grave right now cursing "Don't do it guys, don't do it"). Morrison's also probably cursing the arsonist who set blaze to his home in L.A. a few weeks ago, and how more jokes didn't make the rounds of  "Gonna catch the house on...FIRE!" didn't formulate was a bit surprising...the punchline is right there. So with the Doors on my mind, I take a moment today to look at back at a fine debut album and how is it people (usually kids in their teens) come in contact with the Doors to make them their favorite band, if not forever, but for a short time.

With a cap of 100 for JHO Hall Of Fame albums, I figure we got to let ONE album from the Doors into my favorites (and albums that shaped me musically in some form or another) of all time. Why the debut? It's probably got the most grit and still the most fun of the original quartet's six studio albums. I did an Artist Spotlight on the Doors "The Doors: Speaking Secret Alphabets" some time last year running down each album's favorites, hidden gems, and such. It's weird because I'll go years without thinking about them. But when in the mood....slip on a little "Morrison Hotel", the debut, or if I'm feeling brassy, "The Soft Parade" and I'm fine.

The mystique of the band has all been covered before...Morrison's sexual imagery, the band's classic, jazz, and blues backgrounds lending the perfect backdrop for Morrison's poetry. I'm not even going to get into that. For me, as with many people my age, my first love came for The Doors when I was in my early teens...junior high school. There was Danny Sugarman's Book "No One Here Gets Out Alive" and a sort of resurrection of the band in the mid 80's with the book and a "Best Of" album widely available to the buying public. It was like a whole new generation of kids were getting into the band and mining their parents' albums for Doors' material. I was no different. My parents had "The Doors", "Strange Days", "13", "L.A. Woman", and "Weird Scenes Inside The Goldmine" (a later compilation from 1972, I believe). These were the perfect stepping stones for young ones to wrap their heads around the Doors sound and lyrics. I've always been partial to the debut for two reasons. One it has the perfect combination of well known hits and really good album tracks. The second is it was a bit ahead of its time,with a January release before the "Summer Of Love"...a precursor to the explosion of music that would come out that year.

The hits are arguably some of the band's best. "Break On Through" is a self empowerment anthem in less than 2:30 minutes. "Light My Fire" hit number one for good reason...the verse and chorus are quintessential. "The End" is the magnum opus of Morrison imagery set to a haunting background. But the album tracks (with the exception of an outdated "I Looked At You") are just as thrilling. I've always loved the chorus for "Soul Kitchen" and Krieger's guitar work in that song. I've always been mystified by Manzarek's piano work on "The Crystal Ship". "20th Century Fox" with it's "She won't waste time on elementary talk.." bounce has always been a favorite. And their take on "Alabama Song" showed a touch of whimsical nature in the band. Put those four songs with "Break On Through" and "Light My Fire" and you may have the most complete Side One ever released....and remember, this is just their debut album.

Side Two is no slouch (a tad weaker, but still worth the price of admission) as it starts with Morrison's howl on their version of Willie Dixon's "Back Door Man". As a kid, I'd guffaw at anyone comparing Morrison's vocal stylings to Sinatra, but songs like "Back Door Man" and the eerie "End Of The Night" showed he was totally indebted to blue eyes, and there is something kind of cool about that. "Take It As Comes" may be a bit standard, but it still has a rush that tops a lot of the band's later material. And of course anyone who has digested the Doors for a long time knows the beauty in "The End" where Morrison rips through 11 plus minutes of imagery and poetry with the perfect backdrop. Some of my favorite lines come from "The End"..."The killer awoke before dawn, he put his boots on" and "Come on baby take a chance with us..." are two of my favorites. And the ebb and flow of the song is at times breathtaking and at others head scratching. But it's worth it just to hear Morrison at the end of the song give a sinister "This is the eeennndddd" to finish off one of the best debut albums of all time.

Eliminating other albums form their six originals was easy, although I have a love for each one separately. "Strange Days" is a carbon copy of the debut but decisively weaker. "Waiting For The Sun" is spotty at best. "The Soft Parade" is a mess, a fun one at times though. "Morrison Hotel" is solid, but not an all time favorite. And "L.A.Woman" would be my second choice for original favorites...but probably missing my Top 100 by about 50-100 spots. That leaves the debut as the last one standing.

Chances are, in this day and age, someone the same age as me when I first dove into The Doors is Googling "The Doors" and might run across this. I say good choice, but the effect of discovering the band may wear off. You still take a lot of great music for your journey into adulthood, and I say listen to their debut over and over and over...it's worth it. Looking back, the next logical step in classic rock worship would be Rush and I believe that will hit around 15 (it was for me anyways). So to make my 12-13 year old self proud, I'm ushering in The Doors debut into the JHO Hall Of Fame, because that kid would be shaking his head in disgust if I kept that album out of the running of favorite albums of all time. I eat more chicken than any man ever seen are words to live by.....



Source: http://www.jhostation.com/2012/01/doors-doors-jho-hall-of-fame.html

This Is Ivy League Supercute! We Are Scientists Katy Rose