I Want to DJ #30 2012

HCWW 30 2012
Getting the weekend going with some recognition of Goo turning 20 and other tracks just making the scene or revolving around and around on my Spotify.
1. Sugar Kane - Sonic Youth
Happy Birthday, next year you will be able to buy beer legally
2. No Sentiment - Cloud Nothings
3. No Hope - Vaccines
New track from up coming album?
4. Freedom At 21 - Jack White
New fast video, great song.
5. Floating Vibes - Surfer Blood
6. 1957 - Milo Greene
7. Five Seconds - Twin Shadow
Recent discovery of mine
8. Summertime Sadness - Lana Del Ray

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Here Comes the Working Week #30 2012

Back to posting. Relying on Spotify since that is my main source of listening pleasure. Trying to make short playlists that are as long as my commute to work. Head over to my Spotify page for more lists.

A strong set of 5 jams from new albums out last week that all have potential to be good. You also get 2 old tracks. One from a new mix tape by the Foals the other a classic from Sugar who reissue their classic album Copper Blue.

Spotify link: HCWW 30

1. Passion Pit - Take A Walk
This album doesn't seem. Good to me as the last one Manners, but I'll still give a few more listens. This track is the standout.
2. Fang Island - Sisterly
The most straight forward rock album out last week.
3. Eternal Summers - Millions
Newer band out of Roanoke.
4. Purity Ring - Fineshrine
5. Nicholas Jarr - Variations
6. Antlers - Drift Drive
Very atmospheric, very good.
7. Sugar - A Good Idea
One of my favorite albums from the college with a deserving reissue!

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Best of Lists Coming Soon

Have done nothing in the month of December, except absorb every other blogs best of lists. I've been working on mine and will startt publishing in very early January; maybe as soon as January 1?

Mixtape: Thanksgiving

A time for reflection and giving thanks for all the great things in our lives.....music. A collection of songs for the day or week of Thanksgiving. Some of them very sincere, others very sinical and dark, and still others just have the word thanks in them. Enjoy the day! Spotify Thanksgiving Mix

TJI: Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler /The Dream

Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler
Thee Oh Sees - The Dream

The second release of the year for this San Fransisco band. What was a nice side project of John Dwyer's (The Coachwhips) has developed into full blown band. The last album Castlemainia had a cool ramshackle garage sound; this latest release is even cooler, still ramshackle, and still garage. Some of the songs are silly but the whole album shows a real passion for making a joyful noise.

85%
Band website
Carrion Crawler / The Dream is out now.

TJI: Summer Camp

Summer Camp- Better Off Without You
Summer Camp - I Want You

I'm very frustrated by the inability to insert YouTube video into these posts using the iPad. There are some great videos to go with this band, but you will have to search them out yourself. This is a strong pop album and is easy to enjoy with just one listen. Upbeat and peppy even when it is talking about break-ups and heartbreak. The draw back is this album should have come out in June so we could enjoy it all summer long. We'll see if the album has staying power or if it is so bright that it burns out quickly.


Standout Tracks:
Better Off Without You
I Want You
Losing My Mind
Down
Ghost Train

Percentage Grade: 82%

Band Website
New album Welcome to Condale is available now.

TJI: Cass McCombs

Cass McCombs - The Same Thing

I've tried posting this review three times now, but have had so many problems with blogpress and blogger on the IPad that it hasn't happened till now. This album would fit in great with the alt country of the 90's. This is Cass's second release (Wits End was the first) of the year and I wonder if he would have been better served making one great release instead of two good ones. Don't know the whole story but I guess it possible that the inspiration for these songs came after the first release. There are some great tracks here, like Same Thing which is posted above but also a few boring tracks. I would recommend downloading parts of each album and you'll be good to go.

79%
New album Humor Risk is available now from Amazon for 5.99.
Band Website

Very frustrated with the bloggings apps on IPad and with Blogger itself for not having an app. Seems like the IPad would be the ultimate in blogging given that it is small, portable, and easy to access, but that is not the case. Someone needs to get on the ball and start designing, until then my posting will be limited. Boo hoo.

Mixtape: Sickly

Feeling a little down in the dumps. Sour throat, cough, runny nose and all the other little things that nag you when your sick. Here is a mix to make me and anyone else feel better. Sick or not this is worth a listen. Click here to go the playlist on Spotify



Here are some of the Highlights:
Sick, Sick, Sick - Queens of Stoned Age
Fever Dreams - Nurses
Sick of Myself - Matthew Sweet
Fever Dreaming - No Age
Still Ill - The Smiths
Sick - Twilight Sad
Monster Hospital - Metric
Jesus Fever - Kurt Vile
Pneumonia - Bjork


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TJI: Nurses

Nurses - Trying to Reach You
Nurses - Fever Dreams


I love the psychedelic garage music coming out of this Portland band. There is a kaleidoscope of sounds and layers. The lead singer has a weird voice that some how remains interesting and not annoying. Not a bad song on the album, Trying to Reach You and Fever Dreams will give you a taste. If you like it, get the whole meal.
Band Website
You can get album Dracula right now at Amazon.
89%

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TJI: Real Estate

Real Estate - It's Real
Real Estate - Green Aisles
This is jangly guitar pop that is easy to listen to. There is nothing grating or confusing about the sound. The album is well recorded and it has a simple and dreamy sound that lends itself to listening while driving. The first single It's Real is one of the best tracks from the month of October.


83%

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TJI: Phantogram

Phantogram - Don't Move
Phantogram - 16 Years


Pleasant sound. Nice soft vocals (female and male), cool synths, beats, and sweet looping effects. The earth didn't shake when I listened to this album but I did listen till the end, which says something. Nightlife is a long EP at 7 tracks, but seems like the perfect length for an attention span these days. Don't Move is easily my favorite track, followed by Turning Into Stone.
75%
Band Website
Album Nightlife out now

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TWIM: Gauntlet Hair

Gauntlet Hair - Keep Time
Gauntlet Hair - Mop It Up
Gauntlet Hair - Top Bunk
Heavy effects, droning, repetitious, psychedelic describe this Chicago/Denver band. Not sure about the whole album but Keep Time Andq Top Bunk are worth making it on any current playlist.

83%

Band Website
Click here to download the album from Amazon.


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Mixtape: A Ghostly Mix for Halloween

Get ready for Halloween with these Forty-one great tracks. The theme is clear and obvious - Ghost. Some are spooky, some are nice, most are indie, but a few are classic. They are ranked in relative order from strongest to weakest, but everything on the list is K approved. The one exception to the order is the Phish song which got added at the last minute and should be up in the top 15.

Click here to go to the full list and listen for free on Spotify!

Here is the top 11:
1. Ghost Riders In Sky - Johnny Cash
2. Ghost - Neutral Milk Hotel
3. Ghost Rider - Suicide
4. Anyone's Ghost - National (free cover version by Silver Swans)
5. You Ghost - Kristen Hersch w/ Michael Stipe
6. The Ghost Song - The Doors
7. Is There A Ghost - Band of Horses
8. Ghost Town - The Specials
9. Give Up the Ghost - Radiohead
10. The Ghost I You - Psychedelic Furs
11. Ghost Town - Kurt Vile

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TWIM Oct 25

After taking most of September and October off, I am back in an attempt to rejuvenate my blogging career. So I am starting off with This Week In Music, which will focus on my favorite tracks and albums that are new releases. This weekend I'll also add my favorite tracks from the summer and focus on playlists / mix tapes using Spotify. If you aren't on Spotify join now. A great link to all the music you could ever want and if you put up with a few ads here and there it is free. However I did notice the new Coldplay is not available on Spotify at the moment, boo hoo. Two great garage rock albums out this week with The Beets and The Strange Boys.


The Beets - Doing As I Do
The Beets - Friends of Friends
Album Let the Poison Out
85%€


Strange Boys - Me and You
Album Live Music
80%





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Radiohead on SNL

I never fully embraced the Radiohead album from this year (King of Limbs). I listened and liked it but it never buried itself into my core the way Ok Computer, Kid A, or In Rainbows did. However watching the performance of Lotus Flower I am forced to go back and dig deeper. King of Limbs will now be on repeat this week, I will be drinking the Radiohead Kool-Aid.

Radiohead - Lotus Flower on Saturday Night Live Sept. 25


Radiohead - Staircase on Saturday Night Live Sept. 25

Late Night Viewing Sept. 19 - 23

A busy week on late night TV. You will need to set aside some time to see all the big performances. Would be even more, but I couldn't find Elbow on Fallon or Death Can for Cutie on Carson Daly. Performance of the week goes to Clap Your Hands, just edging out Wilco. Ready to hear arguments to the contrary.

Coldplay - Paradise on Letterman Tuesday Sept. 20
New track sounds like Coldplay, sounds good.


Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Same Mistake on Fallon Tuesday Sept. 20
The album is getting average reviews, but I really like it. Sure this sounds like "Country Yellow Teeth," but that was a great song.


The Decemberists - Calamity Song live for Carson Daly show Tuesday Sept. 20
Really a concert performance. The sound isn't great, but the song is.


Wilco - Born Alone on Letterman Wednesday Sept. 21
Can't wait for the album!


The Kooks - Junk of the Heart on Leno Wednesday Sept. 21
????


Telekinesis - Please Ask For Help on Fallon Thursday Sept. 22
A great to buy if you don't own it yet.


The Jayhawks - She Walks In So Many Ways on Letterman Friday Sept. 23
Looking old.

Late Night Viewing Sept. 12 - Sept. 16

Hands down the Girls win the week.
Alexander - Truth performed on Conan Monday Sept. 12


Girls - Honey Bunny on Jimmy Fallon Sept. 13


Neon Indian - Polish Girl on Jimmy Fallon Sept. 14


Foo Fighters w/ Bob Mould - Dear Rosemary on Conan Sept. 15

Late Night Viewing Sept. 5 - Sept. 9

A week of balls to the wall rock which is fitting for my return to work. My two favorites are The Antlers and Pearl Jam but no weak performances this week. What is your favorite?
Jim Jones Revue - High Horse on Letterman Tuesday Sept. 6

The Antlers - I Don't Want Love on Fallon Tuesday Sept. 6

Band of Horses - Infinate Arms on Conan Wednesday Sept. 7


Pearl Jam - Ole' on Fallon Thursday Sept. 8


Jimmy Fallon w/ Eddie Vedder - Balls In Your Mouth from Fallon


Foo Fighters - Walk on Conan Thursday Sept. 8

Video: Otis Redding Try A Little Tenderness

Happy Birthday Otis! 70 years old today! Sittin On the Dock of the Bay is a classic, but this is my favorite. Discovered the song through the move "Commitments," but once I heard the Otis version it was lights out.