Video: Smith Westerns

Great song from guys much cooler than me: I want to play video games and eat cheese fries! Album is out today go get it from Amazon. They will be in DC on March 4th at the Rock and Roll Hotel.

Smith Westerns - Weekend from Fat Possum Records on Vimeo.

Winter of my content mix

A lovely little mix for a winter day.  Hit play, open up a separate browser and check email or surf the web to your own private mix. Then come back and download the tracks you like, add them to your I-pod and enjoy on your commute to work or bring it along next time you have to shovel snow.

1. Thee Oh Sees - Block of Ice - From The Master's Bedroom Is Worth Spending A Night In
2. Why? - Eskimo Snow - From Eskimo Snow 
a bit of a stretch on this next song, but it does have "Snow" in the title even though it is referring to a person.
3. New Pornographers - Hey, Snow White - From Dark Was the night
4. Mumford and Sons - Winter Winds - From Sigh No More
5. Gregory and the Hawk - Grey Weather - From Moenie and Kitchie
6. Gorillaz - Glitter Freeze (with Mark E. Smith) - From Plastic Beach
7. Say Hi - November Was White, December Was Grey - From Oohs and Aahs
8. The Walkmen - While I Shovel the Snow -From Lisbon
9. Laura Marling - Goodbye England (Covered In Snow) - From I Speak Beacuse I Can
And here is to an early arrival of spring
10. Pavement - Summer Babe (Winter Mix) (From Quarantine the Past)

Cheat Sheet #1 2011

7 days of sickness and being trapped inside, this is the music I have found in that time. Any tracks that are terrible, I blame on the sick. Here is to hoping that the new year brings great music and more posts from me.

1. Noah and the Whales - L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
Might be a little to bouncy, time will tell.
Band Website

2. Tapes N Tapes - Freak Out
If you didn't get this album for 3.99 on Amazon you missed out - this track will have to do.
Band Website

3. Wye Oak - Civilian
Nice slow build with a dense gritty sound - the ending is Crazy Horsesque. Awesome. New album due March 2011.
Band Website

4. The Vaccines - Blow It Up
The Vaccines- If You Wanna
The BBC and UK music mags are already touting this band as the hot thing in 2011. I'm still on the fence. Like what I hear so far, but my gut tells me they won't have anything beyond one album. "Blow It Up." sounds like My Morning Jacket.


Here is the rest of the BBC list if you are interested.

5.Smith Westerns - All Die Young
Smith Westerns - Weekend
Don't hate them just because everyone else loves them or soon will . A must hear. I know I am already on the band wagon of these cool kids. January 18 release date.

Ryan McGinley's Music Obsessionsfrom Ryan McGinley on Nowness.com.

Epic Review of 2010 Part IV: Tracks and bands that didn't make the album list

Last installment here of 2010 review. Just a simple list of bands and songs from 2010 that struck a chord with me. Take a listen and anything you like - download and add to your I-pod.

Foals - Spanish Sahara
Great great song from an album that underwhelmed me.This track has a beautiful sonic build. Loved their first album, but this album didn't go anywhere for me. Still have high hopes for the next one!

Robyn - Dancing On My Own
Not sure why it is OK to like Robyn in the indie world, but not Katie Perry or Pink. I prefer Robyn over those two.

Surfer Blood - Floating Vibes
Turn it up to 11, that Dinosaur Jr sound.

James Blake - Limit To Your Love
Discovered in the final weeks of 2010. Can't wait for the new album.


Gorillaz - On Melancholy Hill
The song title is a good description, but should add that it also has a tasty beat.

Radio Dept. - Heaven's On Fire
Jonsii - Go Do
Free Energy - Hope Child
Broken Bells - The High Road
Menomena - Taos
!!! - Jamie, My Intentions Are Bass
Let's Wrestle - I Won't Lie To You
Dead Weather - hustle and Cuss

Allo Darlin' - Kiss Your Lips
Generationals - Trust

Epic Review of 2010 Part I

This year will be remembered as the year my I-pod gave out. I lost over 80GB of music most of it from 2009 and 2010. The better part of it, is that my external hard drive is not functioning correctly either. If I can get that up and going then all will be fine, but I have spent the past 2 months buying, tracking down, and re-downloading as much of my music as I can find. It hasn't been all bad because in the process I have found 2 new music blogs that I really like that put up some great mix tapes (TSURURADIO and ATG). I am sure I will overlook some song or band that I (or you) really dug this year, but here is my attempt to cover the music that rang through my ear buds most often or got turned up to 11 in the swagger wagon. Not sure how many parts this will take; I have tried to include a couple mp3s, official videos, and live footage of each of the bands, but because of the epic nature of the coverage I'll have to break this up into parts. There is probably too much music here to digest in one sitting, but good luck.

Now on to the countdown:
16. Beach Fossils - Beach Fossils
A lot of the music this year had that surfer garage sound and I was glad for that. I'm sure I'll use the terms over and over in these reviews but I loved the garage revival. I'm a fan of the Nuggets box sets, punk rock, Buddy Holly, the Modern Lovers and early Beach Boys.In terms of sound these guys are poppy. Hailing from Brooklyn they were NYC's version of the garage revival. Listened to this all summer long, was a great soundtrack for the beach.

Favorite Tracks:
Youth
Golden Age
Vacation
Daydream








Standing drummer = kool with a "k."




15. Crocodiles - Sleep Forever
The Crocodiles have that retro garage sound and when I hear Sleep Forever I think of Jesus and Mary Chain, and early Stone Roses. Everything sounds muddy and beautiful. I love the echo of the vocals.

Favorite Tracks:
Sleep Forever
Hollow Hollow Eyes
Mirrors
Billy Speed
Hearts Of Love






14. The Walkmen - Lisbon
Lisbon has the same moody feeling that the Walkmen have had since their first album. There are quiet reflective moments throughout the album and a raucous crowd pleaser in Angela Surf City.

Favorite Tracks:
Angela Surf City
Blue As Your Blood
Stranded
While I Shovel The Snow






The Walkmen || Angela Surf City [1 of 3] from Ray Concepcion on Vimeo.

13. The Strange Boys - Be Brave
Lead singer Ryan Sambol sounds drunk and deranged, but it goes perfectly with the loose ramshackle sound of the band. This was a great E-music discovery before E-music went sour. These guys should go on tour with The Crocodiles.

Favorite Tracks:
A Walk On The Bleach
Be Brave
Night Might
Friday Night In Paris












12. Hot Chip - One Life Stand
I have liked everything Hot Chip has done and this album is no exception. One difference I see from past albums is One Life Stand has fewer stand alone dance floor hits, but is a more cohesive album. The band seems to be reflecting on having families and getting older and being content with it. I just enjoy seeing videos with these old guys still kicking.  My wife is also a big fan.

Favorite Tracks:
Thieves In The Night
I Feel Better
One Life Stand
Alley Cats
Take It In




One of the best videos of the year. Goes from funny, to weird, to disturbing, and back to funny.






11. The Black Keys - Brothers
These guys have been making that garage blues sound forever. Same gritty blues sound as always, but this is the first Black Keys album I have been repeatedly going back to.  Tighten Up and Howlin' For You I play on weekly basis.

Favorite Tracks:
Tighten Up
Everlasting Light
Howlin' For You
Next Girl





Another top video for the year









I'll be back later tonight or tomorrow with more of the countdown.