Once every three months I list the best of what I heard in albums/songs/remixes for the quarter. I do this to personally keep up with all the awesome music I hear, as it ultimately helps me at the end of the year when I do my overall listing for the previous twelve months. I also do it to introduce you cool cats to tunes you may have missed independently.
Every Saturday, I post a 15-20 minute podcast featuring some tracks I’ve been jamming the previous week, as well as some commentary and random musings from yours truly. Enjoy!
Tracklist:
Sleigh Bells – Born to Lose
Kendrick Lamar – Cartoon and Cereal
Dana Buoy – Call to Be
Sleigh Bells – Demons
It may not be out until February 21st, but you can stream Sleigh Bells’ sophomore album Reign of Terror in its entirety at the New York Times website. I’m currently doing just that, and I will likely continue to do so throughout the day.
Reign of Terror, the sophomore album from Sleigh Bells, drops on February 21st, and the first single “Comeback Kid” follows in the same vein as the blisteringly loud Treats. It’s available for download on iTunes as of today. I can honestly say, after hearing this and the equally impressive “Born to Lose,” I am more stoked for this release than any other currently.
Compared to my first year as an Austin resident, I took it pretty easy this year. I suppose the combination of budgeting, starting grad school, and just generally growing old has slowed me down a bit, but I still saw some cool shows. And with M83, Radiohead, Drake, and Born Gold all coming in the first half of 2012, looks like I’ll be getting a head start on this list for next year. In the meantime, here are some highlights, at least ones I could remember, from 2011.
Hooray For Earth @ Emo’s Inside – 10/1
I believe this was the last show I saw at Emo’s Inside (I remember seeing Twin Shadow around ACL time on the outside stage just before they shut it down), and I’ve yet to see a show at the new locale on East Riverside. I had been dying to witness Hooray For Earth for many many months, and finally seeing them rock out was rewarding, as was a nice conversation with the lead singer afterwards.
Deftones @ Austin Music Hall – 6/4
Call it making up for lost time; I’m not a huge fan of AMH – actually, I hate it quite a bit, but I’m never missing a Deftones show. I finally saw them for the first time last year, and as long as these guys make it to Austin, I’ll be going. The crowd was awful, as was the case last time, but Deftones more than make up for all the teenage rudeness.
Bill Maher @ ACL Live – 3/26
Not a music show, but man was it hilarious. My second show in the ACL Live venue, and Bill proved he loves Austin. The crowd was mostly receptive, but I did get some looks for applauding loudly at the atheist jokes. Do people know who they came to see?
Robyn @ ACL Live – 2/17
Robyn is incredible, see her live the first chance you get. High energy, tons of dancing, great acoustics, great venue. The crowd up front was crazy annoying, especially during Diamond Rings, but what are ya gonna do?
Sleigh Bells @ The Glass House – Pomona, CA – 4/13
The Glass House is a weird little venue; I honestly had no idea how far Pomona was from West Hollywood, but we drove a long way to see this awesome awesome show. It was all ages, no alcohol. Not that I had a lot of cash anyway. Sleigh Bells killed, as is the routine.
The Go! Team @ Echoplex – Los Angeles, CA – 4/19
The Echoplex was closer, but it felt like a shady neighborhood. The venue, however, is pretty damn awesome, and the Go! Team were just as fun as I could have imagined. Hopefully these guys make a new album, because I’m betting they’ll make a stop here in Austin if they do.
Primus @ Stubb’s – 5/24
It’s so great to have these guys back and playing new stuff. Have I said that lately? Great show in one of the best venues in town, and we met Les (again!) and got a pic with him afterwards. Swell fella!
Dwight Yoakam @ ACL Live – 7/21
Another strong showing from the hillbilly king, this time at a venue within walking distance. Now if he would just get back in the studio!
Austin Psych Fest @ Seaholm Power Plant – 4/30-5/1
I really had no idea what to expect, but this ended up being a pleasant surprise. I got sufficiently drunk and listened to some crazy great psych music from all around the world, in the most appropriately creepy place to see a show in Austin, the echo-riffic Seaholm. Capping off the fest with Roky Erikson providing the soundtrack to the news of bin Laden’s death is a memory I will never forget.
Fun Fun Fun Fest @ Auditorium Shores – 11/4-6
I was a bit concerned for the future of my beloved FFF when they announced they were moving to the Shores, but in hindsight I feel ashamed for not having faith in the Transmission crew. Not only was this the best lineup I’ve ever seen in the fest’s six-year history, but the change of venue actually improved the overall experience. Great vendors, great music, not too crowded….best music experience of 2011, hands down.
SXSW 2011 – Spring Break and Beyond
The best week of the year did not disappoint, though this year I focused a lot of energy on getting into shows I didn’t think I would be able to get into. There’s certainly an extra feeling of reward when you’re granted access to an exclusive party with A-list bands and free food and booze. My personal highlights were the Zynga party (flyer above) and catching Queens of the Stone Age at La Zona Rosa. Another great free party showing as well this past year, especially Mess With Texas, which never disappoints. Saw the Strokes at the Shores, too, which was great. While 2010 might be remembered as the year of mini-riots and ridiculous overcrowding, for me it was just a regular old SXSW, fun, booze, catching up with old friends, and seeing some great music.
Sleigh Bells – Reign of Terror
February 14
Already a contender for most awesome album title of the year, Sleigh Bells’ sophomore effort drops the same day you’ll be giving chocolates to your lady. It is sure to be loud, frenetic, and face-melting. How romantic.
The-Dream – The Love IV: Diary of a Mad Man
Release Date TBA
Instead of dropping this new LP this year, Terius Nash ran into some label disputes, so the album has been put on hold. In the meantime, to whet our appetite, he dropped a free, excellent mixtape on his site, 1977. If that release is any indication of what to expect this year from Nash, it is sure to be a worthy follow-up to the incredible Love King.
Cloud Nothings – Attack On Memory
January 24
Although I wasn’t particularly impressed with the new material in a live setting, studio versions have sounded incredibly promising. 19-year-old Dylan Baldi leads his group from their garage power pop approach to a new, darker, and more mature follow-up, destined to be one of the most interesting releases of 2012.
Air – Le Voyage Dans Le Lune
February 7
Although their last two releases have been immeasurably disappointing, I still can’t help but get psyched for this ambitious project, an album based on a silent French film made in 1902. It’s just the kind of concept one would expect from this dreamy duo; the album is slated to feature help from Au Revoir Simone and Beach House.
Future of the Left – The Plot Against Common Sense
Release Date TBA
The Mclusky offshoots have been quiet for two years, and that’s two years too long. After dropping a promising EP in November, the band’s stateside release of their third album is sure to induce massive amounts of headbanging, as well as earn the group a new handful of fans.
Every Saturday, I post a 15-20 minute podcast featuring some tracks I’ve been jamming the previous week, as well as some commentary and random musings from yours truly. Enjoy!
Playlist:
Lil Wayne feat. Cory Gunz – Six Foot Seven Foot
Daniel Markham – Across the Water
The Go! Team – Apollo Throwdown (Star Slinger Remix)
Mind Spiders – Don’t Let Her Go
Sleigh Bells – Tell ‘Em (Diplo Remix)
10. A-Trak – Dirty South Dance 2
A-Trak – We Don’t Want No Goblins
Dubstep and Southern rap were meant to be together, or at least they are when A-Trak’s behind the crossfader. His second foray into mixing the two genres is a dance party like no other; stand by for the ending highlight, a mashup of Joker and Yung L.A.
9. Wavves – King of the Beach
Nathan Williams’ 2009 and 2010 were completely different. The previous year, he was an up-and-comer that crashed and burned publicly; now he is a renewed creative spirit with a diverse, improved sound.
8. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West – Monster (feat. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver & Nicki Minaj)
Believe the hype – Yeezy’s fifth album is quite probably his finest work yet. His rapping is smart and funny and his production is characteristically slick. If he keeps making gold, we will continue to put up with his hi-jinks, Internet, interview, or otherwise.
7. One Wolf – One Wolf II: Secret of the Wolf
Perhaps the doom and gloom from One Wolf’s self-titled effort has disappeared, but in its place is diverse instrumentation, inescapable pop hooks, and sharp optimism. A sonic collage of indie, Americana, and even metal, this is one that just grows and grows on you.
6. Thrift Store Cowboys – Light Fighter
Thrift Store Cowboys – Regardless
Lubbock’s elder statesmen etch their place in historic alt-country with this, their fourth and finest album. Daniel Fluitt’s keen storytelling and unmistakable voice lead the listener on a gradual crescendo in under fifty minutes. Give it one listen and observe the injustice – Deer Tick should be opening for these guys by now.
20. The Hold Steady – Hurricane J
Craig Finn, while less belligerent, is still plenty drunk and emotional and frank on Heaven Is Whenever, and the group delivers one of their poppiest efforts thus far. “Hurricane J” is a plea to a lost soul he may be care a little too much about, spoken plainly and perfectly alongside a perfect tropical storm metaphor. We’ve all known someone like the person Finn describes, and we’ve all said the exact same things.
