Here’s our Top 5 singles of 2011. Sometimes a band has a song where just by itself it’s the shit. Everything else around the album is sometimes window dressing and we’re just not aware of anything else. In some cases more than others we think ok there’s the hit or crap the band just releases a few songs so it’s a bunch of EPs. Anyway, here’s a few jems worth bring to your attention. Happy New Year and Enjoy!
05) “Don’t Think I’ll Make It Through Another” MP3 Single by New Animal. Perfect blend of alt-pop and psych rock. Great things to come from these guys. Another bedroom demo band experiment gone right. Check them out.
04) “Keep Me Waiting” MP3 by Cymbals Eat Guitars from Lenses Alien. The whole album is supersonic without a doubt. The vocals take you on a meandering journey however what I love the most about this music is the guitar interplay. On this tune the vocals is what binds things together because it’s as if Polvo turned into a rock band powerhouse then suddenly you are in the eye of hurricane and it’s over.
03) “And It Come And Goes” MP3 by the Lightouts. This is a head bopper. Simple guitar riff with a killer chorus. What else does a song need?
02) “Teenage Tide” MP3 by Letting up Despite Great Faults from Paper Crush. This is whispy alternative anthem. Sonically perfect no doubt about it. I would even dare to say a #1 hit.
I really like The Bump by Deer Tick. So here’s a live version which was one of best of Albums of 2011.
01) Hyacinth Girl MP3 by The Eversons. We featured these guys a couple months ago and gotta say this song is a great indie song. No doubt about it.
There is no scientific methodology to picking the best of album of 2011. Every year it does not seem like any good music is on the horizon then the music that matters start to tickle our ears. We go with the gut check versus a pedantic drivel as our motto around here. Sometime music is able to surprise you on first listen -sometimes second but if it does nothing after third pass we just move on along. Other times you respect a few words someone else says and you suddenly see the light. These are the various reasons we like making Best of Lists. Some folks just go for cool, while me try, we’re ok with failing. Hard to do as we recognize the lenses and filters of other as unique to them. So here it goes nothing.
This is a alternatively spooky monster that grows from first stringed note. You wonder why is this violin doing this to me? Instruments and simple beats played with a devilish flare the likes we have not heard in years since the art compositions of Hugo Largo where the bass and cello interplayed and built up so nicely without sounding like some bad brooklyn keyboard experiment gone wrong. This instrumental music is dark like The Velvet Underground with guts spilling in the soundscape of it’s wake.
10) Ruins by Talkdemonic
Download: Revival MP3
We’re a sucker for the psychedelic rock. Give to us this music anyway you want just don’t serve it with no reverb. That would be cruel. The Black Lips shuffle, crank and conquer here in the rockin way they only can. This is probably not on many folks lists. What we like is their consistency and homage to bands The Creation and Psych genre even when they may be arguable a little pitchy in vocal performance we’ve identified as one of the elements we like. Where the best of 12 strung guitar keys are tested on homages to Spiderman.
09) Arabia Mountains by The Black Lips
Download: Modern Art MP3
This is a total NPR lift. We kicked out a record from the list because it was a old release. We dropped the scrubber on this one and then suddenly what De La Soul was trying to do made even more sense all over again. What a total compliment to a pioneering hip band to be mashed up with Fela Kuti. I don’t think musical compliments get higher in the soul universe my brothers and sisters.
08) Fela Soul by Amerigo Gazaway of Gummy Soul [get it]
Download: Ooh (featuring Redman) MP3
This music has guys and is tough as all get-out. As Lee Fields would ask “are they rough”? It’d say hells yes. If you suddenly were inspired to play music from working at a pawn shop and make tunes with guts like this. You’ve got the blues my brothers.
07) Scandelous by Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears
Download: Mustang Ranch MP3
I feel like this record came out of left field for me this year. Nothing like it since The Sophtware Slump has the keyboard pop charm been captured. Funny that such a simple little sound can put out so many luscious little melodies.
06) Aabenbaringen over aaskammen by Casiokids
Download: Det haster!
This is a oddly familiar Feelies record. They have a style that’s never been able to be mimic’d not even the shins who come close to a cover band version. Here Before is a winner. Once your fan of this band you’ll always be a fan because they create these effortless folk-american rock songs that many emulate and pitch right out their playbook. Essential listening that when witnessed live it’s shear manic joy.
05) Here Before by The Feelies
Download: Should Be Gone MP3
We love the re-interpretation of something like the pysche genre when it’s just done so naturally it’s all new all over again. That’s true musical influence. This band boils down the basic ingredients of a organ, bass, guitar and drums and somehow create their magic out of the steam.
04) Lil Daggers – Self titled debut
Download: Slave Exchange MP3 – Right or wrong this is a great song.
We dig this record at the RS blog. We even bought the Looser edition and had the fuckin band autograph the damn thing. Actually had the band carve their names with a ball-point pen on the back cover. They inspected it after I removed the plastic saying I as getting a good deal and they should keep some. Fuck them for making such great record and thank you John Agnello for capturing something as brilliant as bandwagonesque.
03) Endless Now by Male Bonding Bones MP3 – Great long epic closing concert jam.
02) Divine Providence by Deer Tick
This was late comer on our radar but the first time I heard the music it peaked my interest. Then I heard the Westerbergian style party lyrics and I was fan. A band you mates can all mumble or shout at the concerts or in the car. Lets go out to the bar! The Bump MP3 Is this a song about getting in trouble? Does it really matter?
01) Dance Valhalla by British Sea Power
Download: We Are Sound MP3 – A defining sound and song.
Turnpike Glow is a Italian rock outfit currently residing in the UK who are prepping for a release in 2012. They self-exiled themselves to work on their music. If you dig that space-rock stylings of Phoenix this should be right your alley. The Turn The Pike And The Glow MP3
Sunny Guy MP3 by Paul Brill from Breezy as follow-up to Harpooner(2006).This guy has been a studio guy for some time working with much rock royalty. A modern pop writer in the vain of Nick Lowe but whom is mostly known for his Score writing with a few Emmys under his belt. Safe to say he makes a pretty good living. We got to say this song is some great bubblegum pop. The rest of album play with bollywood like string arrangements (there’s a musical term that is escaping me now) but in the end these are some pretty tighty tunes. Enjoy!
So let me warn you about Regurgitator. This is a rock album in the vain of Blur that suddenly turns to a lennon-esque guitar thing then on a dime in one song it’s rap record. A rap record? We love the artwork here so we could take the name of the band literally maybe. Anyway Here’s the opening track which we think is cool. Once it kicks in the bass drives this mother to town. One Day MP3 by Regurgitator
Bowery Electric: CBGB's Exile X-Mas Jahn Xavier with Lenny Kaye, and Tish & Snooky
Here’s a very special Christmas Playlist treat straight from DJ Tone. Once upon a time there was a little club called CBGB’s OMFUG which was owned and operated by Hilly Kristal. He developed a home where a legacy of bands that defined NYC’s underground music from The Ramones, Blondie to the The Patti Smith Group could perform. Every month these wayard punks that defined an era of music get together once a month. Punks in Exile from that little club with the amazing sound system. I was lucky to play the stage myself at least a dozen times and be a witness to later era bands who graced the stage from Jesus Lizard, Sonic Youth and Bongwater to name a few. The was a iconic cultural destination. I swear everytime I walked by the place there were always tourists taking photos in front. I’d say they enjoyed quite the walk-in crowd. Anyway, here’s a playlist from our own DJ Tone who made this holiday mix called “Carols Buddies Goodfortune Bounty and Much Joy to celebrate the Holiday Season in EXILE at Bowery Electric this past week. We’re 99% certain that all the bands on this playlist played CB’s or at least in Shane Macgowan’s case he at least had a drink there.
As we prepare to feast today I thought I’d post some songs about love and giving a big thanks to the Review Stalker readers, Twitter Followers, music fans and bands. All 3 of you know who you are so a sincere thank you! Finding good songs that are a true thank you was hard. Anyway, It was little over a year ago we went big time with the official RS blog domain. Everybody wants to own their own brand. Right? The unofficial one lived for many years on blogger. Not a huge leap really just more control on this end. I basically just promised myself to put more than 5 cents of my time into it because I spent a lot more time than that listening to all sorts of music anyway and visiting other great music blog sites. Plus it’s always nice to keep one’s ears fresh. So I built a better mouse trap. Anyway, thank you for sending the latest and greatest new music so keep it coming people! Now go get stuffed. I have to go work on my best of 2011 list.
Thanks Giving Playlist:
01) Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) MP3 by Sly & The Family Stone (1970) Nothing says family like a Sly song. Such great music for such song that was written during the middle of the Vietnam war.
02) Very Nervous and Love (Album) MP3 by J. Mascis from Several Shades of Gray (2011) Fantastic mellow J release from this year. It’s going in the consideration pile for best of the best.
03) Thank You Jack White MP3 by The Flaming Lips from the Flight Test EP (2003) Funny personal diary song by Wayne Coyne and the boys giving thanks to Mr. White.
04) Inside of Love MP3 by Nada Surf from Let go (2002) One of the best guitar pop bands of the past two decades. I’m on the hunt for the female fronted version of this band. Any recommendations?
05) We All Love Mother MP3 by Crowder Brothers (1936) From Robert Crumb’s The Stuff That Dreams are Made of A very rare and obscure hillbilly song.
06) True Love Will Find You In The End MP3 by Daniel Johnston from 1990
07) You Don’t Love Me Yet MP3 by Bongwater from Double Bummer CD (1990). Probably one of my favorite covers & around songs all in one. I think I’ve posted it at least 3 times in the history of the RS blog. My daughter just mad my day already by asking to turn this one up. Usually it’s the opposite.
08) Lovenest MP3 by The Wedding Present from Seamonsters (1991) This is my favorite David Gedge release. Maybe because it’s the first one I ever heard. Warning it contains mountain high guitar walls of sound.
09) Don’t Laugh (I Love You) MP3 by Ween from God Ween Satan The Oneness (1991) Quite frankly no music fan should be without this record. It’s a critical element in the lo-fi genre.
10) Love Buzz MP3 by Nirvana Live in Amsterdam 11/25/91. This is a amazing live recording. Totally in their prime in this live set. If you friend the RS blog on the bookface there you will find a link in the notes to download the whole set.
Now go make a list and support your local record store tomorrow on Black Friday. Happy Hunting!
ALBUM REVIEW: Somewhere in-between a white trash hero and flippant grandpa boy is what indie folkster John McCauley has been repainting. Deer Tick is the story of American Gothic recovering from a binge. If the Deervana stunt is any evidence. He’s literally wearing and proud of his choice of flannel rock. I’ve always been a fan of the music coming out of Providence RI, it’s always a little dark and pleasantly seedy. I think they have more Go Go Bars per square mile in their city limits juxtaposed against the art school RISD. Of course right? So is the album title Divine Providence ironic? Facial hair management may not have something to do with this combo but this band has soul and in the end it’s a simple formula. This music is the kind of thing that happens in Edge City’s like Providence, RI.
“We’re fucking men but we act like kids, We’ll Face the music next time we roll-in” – The Bump
The rock meter on this record falls somewhere in the neighborhood of The Hold Steady side of a true american bar bands and les affaire back porch of Uncle Tupelo. No flash. No real Posers. No bullshit. The exit sign here always flickers and welcomes you in. These tunes squeak authentically which at times means it’s sloppy and purposely under produced giving it that twinkle of drunken hopeless charm. Leading-off with “The Bump” it reminds me of some juke joint where PBR is the top shelf and there are no labels on the vodka you recognize but there are plenty of badly cut trucker rails being shared in the bathroom. I’ve been to this bar akin to something like The Plumb St pub in New Brunswick NJ that closes at 4am and opens at 6am for the knight workers. I don’t really want to go back but I’m glad these guys are telling me about it again. Somebody needs to experience the night ending with the sun coming up when everything looks blurry but I don’t need my eyes to hear that. The music’s all right here.
SINGLES: Lets kick this Month’s Crop of manly Movember single reviews with South London’s lively band called Dead Social Club. Despite the mention of a Jeffrey on the self titled song from EP ‘Syrian Kisses’ it is not a reference to all inclusive recreational joint from Take Me To The Greek with P-Diddy. This is classic Brit electronic indie rock mixing all of the glorious warehouse vibes into one head bopping tune via their 6 piece ensemble. Syrian Kisses MP3 by Dead Social Club
Lync, pavement, modest mouse are all familiar derivatives on Mountains + Valleys by Michael Beach. Every time this song comes on the November playlist I have to do a double take with my ears because the sound re-assures me that indeed bands like pavement were hugely influential to the new league of indie rock. The finely distorted bass parts on the lead-off track “Straight Spines” for instance is slacker-dome incarnate. Basically lots of contrast on this release and we thank Twin Lakes/ Spectacular Commodity for hipping us to this music. So check it out for yourself. Straight Spines MP3 by Michael Beach from Mountains + Valleys [Get the cassette!]
Burroughs is not dead well at least not the sinister spirit that in this LA bands name. They are not sponsored by Volkswagon either although that would not be a bad thing because energy wise they’re running on the high-octane gas. They were in other groups like Horse The Band, Bleeding Kansas, Lexington, Gypsy River Haunts which we’ve never heard of but that does not mean a thing. We have now! The song “In The Rugal Folds” we think is a fine, fine tune and show cases what a Telecaster is meant to do. If you’re a fan of Interpol and San Diego California’s No Knife this will speak volumes to you coming off their debut for the video above as well as “Spits” which we’re giving you here. Enjoy.
Lovedrug is a Ohio-based alt-rock band to be blunt who’s flirted with the majors and is now going out on their own with their 4th release called Wild Blood. Here’s a video for their single “Dinosaur” which depicts some chicks wearing a Zoro masks being delinquents and then being chased out of forest with a guy wearing a white gorilla suit. Oh and the song reminds us of Bloc Party in a way. For a treat though here’s cover from them for our RS readers. Never Been To Spain (Three Dog Night) MP3 cover by Lovedrug
And So I Watch You From Afar is meglo-maniac metal dipped in rocksauce in the vain of Fang Island and our favorites here at the RS music blog Gondliers. Hailing from Ireland, these epic instrumental blasts are interrupted by a guitar solo or two along the way where they roll you around a bit then stab you with their notes then drown you in delay. Today we’re featuring one of the tracks from Gangs their second release for your enjoyment.
ALBUM REVIEW: A Slothbear is what do you get when you mix some mammals and paint in Staten Island which forms the release they call Cantor On. Some may write this part of New York off as just a breeding ground for lap dance vixens but we won’t be so narrow minded. We thought we heard something deeper when we featured them in our Crop-O-Singles over the summer and here we are proven right. They do have more moves than a Go-Go dancer! This release is a wonderful dark trip of texture, mirrors and classic indie guitar maneuvers. Convulsively atonal which I’m ok with because the vocals give this music just a little bit more heart in the performance department. Making the music real and seem like it’s off the flannel and comforting in the right lighting. They particularity get their point across in a song called “Goodnight Retrograde” which is a 10 minute meandering jam that hints at the bands spontaneity at it’s best. Like we hear in long player songs that we love in punk art bands like The Fall. Then other times the technical Denison-Kimball like jazz proficiency surprises you like on their song “Sleep Daze”. A one trick circus dance pony they are not. As another track like “Ex-Teen” is a hopeful song about procreating in the future. What ever your pleasure be sure to tip them with a beer or buck. I’m sure they won’t mind. XOX.
Galloping by Slothbear MP3 from Cantor On [ Get some ] Show: Saturday Nov 12 The Grove, 64 Grove St. Brooklyn,NY
Something about their sound reminds me of these sounds: Prole Art Threat MP3 by The Fall from Totally Wired – The Rough Trade Anthology (1980-1983) False Jesii Part 2 MP3 by Pissed Jeans from King of Jeans Guitar Named Desire MP3 by Big Dipper from Heavens (1987) Private Party MP3 by The Bigger Lovers from How I Learned To Stop Worrying (2001) Tabby and Lucy MP3 by Boston Spaceships from Let It Beard (2011) featuring Robert Pollard
MUSIC REVIEW: Christine Leakey’s tunes are part orchestrated noir, part dark forest and yet very much a real dream. These first free songs from her coming record Tapping Trees in a Trinket Box of Treasure are a smooth decoupage straight from the heart that have been a long time in the making since her earlier days in bands called Cadillac Bill & the Creeping Bent, The Double Feature Creatures and Tijuana Knievel. There has been a time lapse since her having to set music down and done some traveling. Perhaps she was on a quest to find her muse? Whatever the case – she’s fermented her thoughts and has some illuminating tales to tell us after a 14 year gap. Hailing originally from the heart of the 1000 Islands, Gananoque Ontario (sounds so magical), Canada she is our familiar neighbor whom brings us fairy-esque soundscapes sculpted from many fem-fatale influences and life experiences. In a exchange she says..
“I will admit though, there is a strong sense that I missed out on something throughout this time. It could just be that the weight of having to abandon my music… Or a relationship gone wrong… Either way, when I look more deeply, I see all the little things I have been doing and it all adds up to some interesting years.”
This preview of teasers we hear the dark sexy light of Nico washed in Bongwater like reverb and the pillow talk of pink floyd. She’s created something pretty focused and telling here with lots of layers like those you in might find when digging in the sand. A castle of music has been created with subtle and solid colors of sound which will give you a fuzzy feeling. Give it a go – the authentic grit will draw you in and surprise you. Your imagination will conjure the rest of the story.
Lovely MP3 by Christine Leakey from Tapping Trees in a Trinket Box of Treasure
Sounds likes these: Daddy’s Gone MP3 by Sparklehorse featuring Nina Persson from Dark Night of Soul Femme Fatale MP3 by The Velvet Underground featuring Nico Kisses Sweeter Than Wine MP3 by Bongwater featuring Ann Magnuson from The Power of Pussy (1991) Salle Des Pas Perdus MP3 by Coralie Clement from s/t Salle Des Pas Perdus
Hard to believe Rocket to Russia by The Ramones came out 34 years ago today in 1977! I first spun this record 8 years after it’s release. This is the one and only Ramones record in my humble opinion to own. It’s a dirty shame cancer took Johnny and Joey Ramone. I know I need to go get my prostate checked. So let this be my and your reminder because there will never be a band making like this ever again.
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