One facet of music blogs that I’ve always admired is the community aspect in regards to highlighting the best of what a city has to offer. It’s something that I always wanted to support and be a part of, but never truly experienced due to living in a much smaller town. Though, I was somewhat nearby the Atlanta area, I was still only on the fringes of that community.

Now, living here in Salt Lake City, albeit only a few months, I had an idea in early December to gather as many lists as possible from the many people involved with the music scene here — ranging from bands, venues, stores, radio, etc.

At first, it didn’t look like it would come to fruition due the fact that I knew absolutely no one here in SLC. No contacts, connections, zero, zilch. In fact, all of the heavy-lifting and thanks is due to the help of Anna Brozek, who is co-owner of the lovely record store Slowtrain. She took the time out to email some folks, and surprisingly enough, got a few replies back that didn’t involve “Who the fuck is this Yellow Stereo guy?” or anything of the sort.

The amount of lists is rather short, but for what it’s worth, it’s still a great starting point for something we can add to next year, or the year after. Thanks to everyone who submitted their lists and hopefully everyone who reads this realizes that Salt Lake City has great taste in music!

Who: Vanessa Wardy
What do you do: Slowtrain manager

1. Girls, Album [mp3]
2. Devendra Banhart, What Will We Be
3. The xx, XX [mp3]
4. St. Vincent, Actor [mp3]
5. Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest [mp3]
6. Bill Callahan, Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
7. Various Artists, Dark Was The Night [mp3]
8. Pink Mountaintops, Outside Love
9. The Dutchess and The Duke, Sunrise/Sunset
10. Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Elvis Perkins in Dearland

Who: Chris Brozek
What do you do: Co-owner of Slowtrain

1. Davis Williams, Western Interior Seaway
2. Laura Gibson, Beasts of Seasons
3. Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Elvis Perkins in Dearland
4. Cotton Jones, Paranoid Cocoon
5. Cass McCombs, Catacombs
6. Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest [mp3]
7. Girls, Album [mp3]
8. Pink Mountaintops, Outside Love
9. The Decemberists, The Hazards of Love
10. Norfolk & Western, Dinero Servero

Who: Anna Brozek
What do you do: Co-Owner of Slowtrain

1. Cass McCombs, Catacombs
2. David Williams, Western Interior Seaway
3. Cotton Jones, Paranoid Cocoon
4. Laura Gibson, Beasts of Seasons
5. Here We Go Magic, Here We Go Magic
6. The Decemberists, The Hazards of Love
7. Joshua James, Build Me This
8. Wye Oak, The Knot
9. Shelley Short, A Cave A Canoo
10. Alexis Gideon, Video Musics

Who: Grant Ruby
What do you do: Music Director/Marketing Director/Afternoon Jock at 101.9 The End [blog]

1. Florence + the Machine, Lungs [mp3]
2. Them Crooked Vultures, Them Crooked Vultures
3. Death Cab For Cutie, The Open Door EP
4. Silversun Pickups, Swoon
5. Passion Pit, Manners
6. NOFX, Coaster
7. White Rabbits, It’s Frightening
8. Cage the Elephant, Cage the Elephant
9. The Dead Weather, Horehound
10. Muse, The Resistance

Who: Joshua James
What do you do: Singer/songwriter, also runs North Platte Records

1. Phosphorescent, To Willie
2. Dan Auerbach, Keep It Hid
3. Bonnie Prince Billy, Beware
4. Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest [mp3]
5. Miniature Tigers, Tell It To The Volcano
6. Various Artists, Dark Was The Night [mp3]
7. Vetiver, Tight Knit
8. Mountain Goats, The Life of the World To Come
9. Cass McCombs, Catacombs
10. Desert Noises, Desert Noises

Who: Jamie Gadette
What do you do: Music editor for Salt Lake City Weekly and weekday morning host at KRCL 90.9 FM

Lightning Dust, Infinite Light
Hopewell, Good Good Desperation
Alexis Gideon, Video Musics
Mayer Hawthorne, A Strange Arrangement
Leslie and the Badgers, Roomful of Smoke
Dan Auerbach, Keep It Hid
Devendra Banhart, What Will We Be
The xx, XX [mp3]
Sonic Youth, The Eternal
Pink Mountaintops, Outside Love

Tags: Albums, Lists, Local, Salt Lake City

The end of the decade is nearing a close as we here at The Yellow Stereo present to you our favorite albums of 2009. Even though we haven’t been around since the start of the decade, I want to say on my behalf that it’s been an absolute joy doing running this blog for you guys for at least the past three or so years. Hopefully, we can ride this ship far into the years that are yet to come.

Joining the usual crew this year were (Pablo and Val) were two new writers, Nathan and Bianca, who you may not have seen too often around here, but hopefully will figure more prominently once the new year begins. We’ve had others that have come and gone, but it shouldn’t be surprising — I mean, I don’t pay anyone to help out.

Without further ado, let’s get to the goods shall we? Also, we would love to hear your favorites in the comments, so please feel free to let us know since we love seeing comments/feedback from you guys.

The Yellow Stereo’s Albums of 2008
The Yellow Stereo’s Albums of 2007
The Yellow Stereo’s Albums of 2006

__________________________________________________________

PJ’s List

It’s definitely been a rough year for me, as many things contributed to me completely falling off the blog radar for a while over the past twelve months. But with all of the negative that may have happened, there’s also been a few shining spots, including finally getting out of Alabama and moving here to Salt Lake City. With the new scenery change, I can promise the blog will be better than ever in the new year.

As far as my list goes, it primarily favors the early half of the year, as I quite honestly didn’t listen to much music the past couple of months. I’m sure that I’ll still be listening to albums from this year well into the next, so hopefully you guys can cut me some slack if there are any glaring holes in my list.

Since I didn’t bother to rank my list, if I had to choose my #1 it would definitely (or obviously?) be The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.  It’s the only record that I completely loved from beginning to end, as evident from how many times I mentioned it on this blog.  It’s music that wants you to remember your years as that naive teenager without a worry in the world.  It’s Indiepop that wears its heart on its sleeve and wants the world to know about it.  C-86 is alive and well in 2009, and these guys brought it to the masses in droves.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
MP3: “Young Adult Friction”
MP3: “Come Saturday”
MP3: “Everything With You”
Video: “Young Adult Friction”
Video: “Everything With You”

Animal Collective
Merriweather Post Pavillion
MP3: “My Girls”
Video: “In the Flowers”
Video: “My Girls”
Video: “Summertime Clothes”

Reverie Sound Revue
Reverie Sound Revue
MP3: “An Anniversary Away”
MP3: “Arrows”
Video: “You Don’t Exist If I Don’t See You”
Video: “An Anniversary Away”

Grizzly Bear
Veckatimest
MP3: “Cheerleader”
Video: “Two Weeks”
Video: “While You Wait For The Others”

Burning Hearts
Aboa Sleeping
MP3: “Iris”
MP3: “Close to Her”

Yeah Yeah Yeahs
It’s Blitz
MP3: “Hysteric”
Video: “Heads Will Roll”
Video: “Zero”

Fanfarlo
Reservoir
MP3: “Harold T Wilkins”
MP3: “I’m A Pilot”
MP3: “Luna”
MP3: “Finish Line”
Video: “The Walls Are Coming Down”
Video: “Harold T Wilkins”
Video: “Fire Escape”

St. Vincent
Actor
MP3: “The Strangers”
Video: “Marrow”
Video: “Actor Out Of Work”

Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
MP3: “1901″
Video: “1901″
Video: “Lisztomania”

Bat For Lashes
Two Suns
MP3: “Daniel”
MP3: “Glass”
Video: “Daniel”
Video: “Sleep Alone”
Video: “Moon and Moon”
Video: “Pearl’s Dream”

Summer Cats
Songs For Tuesdays
MP3: “Hey You”
MP3: “Super”
Video: “Lonely Planet”
Video: “Super”

Rose Melberg
Homemade Ship
MP3: “Things That We Do”
MP3: “Old Days”

Asobi Seksu
Hush
MP3: “Familiar Light”
MP3: “Me & Mary”
Video: “Transparence”
Video: “Me & Mary”

Röyksopp
Junior
MP3: “The Girl And The Robot”
Video: “This Must Be It”
Video: “The Girl And The Robot”
Video: “Happy Up Here”

Dirty Projectors
Bitte Orca
MP3: “Stillness Is the Move”
Video: “Stillness is the Move”

Honorable Mention:
Memory Tapes :: Seek Magic
Telekinesis! :: Telekinesis!
Sunset Rubdown :: Dragonslayer
Neko Case :: Middle Cyclone
God Help The Girl :: God Help The Girl
Atlas Sound :: Logos
The Clientele :: Bonfires on the Heath
Pants Yell! :: Received Pronunciation
Girls :: Album
__________________________________________________________

Pablo’s List

This year I decided to simplify my list-making, since any time I order the list I end up wishing I could change the list as soon as I’m done with it. So, I looked at the albums I enjoyed the most without hoping for any specific number of albums, but I only included the albums that really found there way to repeat over and over again. There were a bunch more I enjoyed through the year, but here’s the handful I really loved:

Andrew Bird
Noble Beast
MP3: “Oh No”
Video: Anonanimal
Video: “Fitz and the Dizzyspells”

Bat for Lashes
Two Suns
MP3: “Daniel”
MP3: “Glass”
Video: “Daniel”
Video: “Sleep Alone”
Video: “Moon and Moon”
Video: “Pearl’s Dream”

Bibio
Ambivalence Avenue / Vignetting the Compost
MP3: “Lover’s Carvings”
Video: “Top Soil”
Video: “Mr. & Mrs. Compost”
Video: “Torn Under The Window Light”

Fanfarlo
Reservoir
MP3: “Harold T Wilkins”
MP3: “I’m A Pilot”
MP3: “Luna”
MP3: “Finish Line”
Video: “The Walls Are Coming Down”
Video: “Harold T Wilkins”
Video: “Fire Escape”

Florence & the Machine
Lungs
MP3: “Kiss With A Fist”
Video: “Dog Days Are Over”
Video: “Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)”
Video: “Drumming Song”
Video: “Kiss With A Fist”
Video: “You’ve Got The Love”

Grizzly Bear
Veckatimest
MP3: “Cheerleader”
Video: “Two Weeks”
Video: “While You Wait For The Others”

Japandroids
Post-Nothing
MP3: “Wet Hair”

Mos Def
The Ecstatic

Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
MP3: “1901″
Video: “1901″
Video: “Lisztomania”

Röyksopp
Junior
MP3: “The Girl And The Robot”
Video: “This Must Be It”
Video: “The Girl And The Robot”
Video: “Happy Up Here”

St. Vincent
Actor
MP3: “The Strangers”
Video: “Marrow”
Video: “Actor Out Of Work”

Various Artists
Dark was the Night
MP3: Dirty Projectors & David Byrne :: “Knotty Pine”
__________________________________________________________

Val’s List

Not a fantastic year for new releases…but there are a few gems in there. And I’ll go ahead and say that this year was better than 2008.

10. Real Estate
Real Estate
When I was growing up in an oceanfront city, the kids I went to high school with thought “Beach Music” meant teen-friendly punk rock. When I went to college in North Carolina, everyone who’d ever vacationed at tourist traps further south seemed to think that “Beach Music” meant some sort of cheesy Buffett-inspired slow jams. I think Real Estate probably has a better idea than both groups of schoolmates as to what should really soundtrack a trip through sand-covered sidewalks. The songs on their self-titled debut are as hazy as the humid atmosphere and as relaxing as waves.
MP3: “Snow Days”

9. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
You might have caught on that PJ can be pretty good at catching good things before everyone else does (Thanks! – Ed..) and that happened in a big way with The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. They also win this year’s Vampire Weekend award…as the band that was hyped WAY WAY too much…but for all the right reasons. With nods to bands like Velocity GIrl and My Bloody Valentine, you’re going to turn to this album halfway through 2010 and realize that songs like “Come Saturday” and “Young Adult Friction” are still pretty fantastic.
MP3: “Young Adult Friction”
MP3: “Come Saturday”
MP3: “Everything With You”
Video: “Young Adult Friction”
Video: “Everything With You”

8. St. Vincent
Actor
When everyone got on the St. Vincent bandwagon the first time around, I didn’t really find her album appealing as a whole. Annie Clark has a wonderful voice, sure, but wow did she put the pieces together for Actor. It’s just more complete and more interesting lyrically and sonically than the debut.
MP3: “The Strangers”
Video: “Marrow”
Video: “Actor Out Of Work”

7. Deleted Scenes
Birdseed Shirt
One of DC’s most interesting bands has created a better mix CD than you could have thought of. Acoustic and emotional? Done. High octane and high energy? Sure. Drunken country bar song? That’s in there. Suburban reggaeton? Yeah…that, too. Neutral Milk Hotel homage…you bet. Yet none of it sounds like it’s the work of multiple personalities. This is clearly all one band…who can do many different sounds well. Pitchfork gave it an 8.0 already…maybe it’s worth looking into one of this year’s most overlooked records
MP3: “Fake IDs”
MP3: “Turn to Sand”
MP3: “Mortal Sin”
MP3: “Ithaca”
MP3: “Get Your Shit Together for the Holidays”
Video: “Fake ID”

6. Impossible Hair
What Is the Secret of Impossible Hair?
I missed out on Guided By Voices. Yes, I missed out on a 30 year boat, during which I had one album that I never listened to…and now I’m finally discovering Bee Thousand. I’m also discovering this debut from a Baltimore/DC quartet that has the same lo-fi songwriting but more hi-fi recording for some pop gems that sound like they were written straight out of the garage…but recorded in a high budget studio. Nobody knew about this album…and it’s to their detriment.
MP3: “Tambourines of Fury”
MP3: “Find It”
Video: “Tambourines of Fury”
Video: “Accidental Claustrophobes”

5. The Dirty Projectors
Bitte Orca
I picked up on these tastemakers one album ago and went: I get why people like them on a technical level…but on an emotional level…they aren’t there. They are now. And I don’t doubt that the increased role of Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian have something to do with this response.
MP3: “Stillness Is the Move”
Video: “Stillness is the Move”

4. Micachu & the Shapes
Jewellery
Mica Levi is the most masculine sounding female that I’ve listened to in some time…so much so that at first…I didn’t quite put two and two together and realize…that’s a chick singing those songs. Doesn’t matter. The slightly out of tune sounding guitar mixed with clanging liquor bottles, vacuum cleaners and a riff straight of “Tequila” made me realize…this is something special. I can’t wait to hear more from Mica.
MP3: “Golden Phone”
MP3: “Lips”
Video: “Lips”
Video: “Golden Phone”
Video: “Turn Me Well”

3. Thee Oh Sees
Help
A lot of people made upbeat garage rock albums this year with varying degrees of popularity and success. Wavves blew up, the Black Lips let us down and out in San Francisco a group of high energy veteran noisemakers brought The Mamas & The Papas up to speed and up to date with great male/female vocal collaboration and some ragged guitar riffs to back those “bah bah bah bah”s. Perhaps this year’s most criminally overlooked disc.
MP3: “Ruby Go Home”

2. Future of the Left
Travels With Myself and Another
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: “I wish I’d gotten into McLusky BEFORE they broke up.” Andy Falkous’ prior trio took the most squealing and screeching Pixies numbers and gave them a snottier edge and a cult following. But this isn’t a McLusky album. The same energy and heaviness that made me love McLusky are still there as are Falkous’ throat searing roars but this is an album full of satanic keyboard riffs, funeral procession-style drumbeats and songs that are meant to give a lasting impression for more than 2 minutes. This very nearly took album of the year.
MP3: “Arming Eritrea”
Video: “The Hope That House Built”

1. Animal Collective
Merriweather Post Pavilion
The swirling optimism and dance ready beats of songs like “My Girls” and “Brother Sport” got me through many a long winter day. I was moved to sobering heartache during “Almost Frightened,” driven to run and jump for joy during “Summertime Clothes,” and looking no further for perfect bedroom rock than…well…the entire thing. There is a serious mid-album slump on this disc but it wins the battle of emotional impact. I will always listen to this and remember who I had fallen for, the walk I took from my friend’s place to the metro during election week and how much I fear walking over the ice as I hear the slightly spooky coo of “I’m getting lost in your curls” or the call to arms of “You’d better open up your, open up your, open up your throat.”
MP3: “My Girls”
Video: “In the Flowers”
Video: “My Girls”
Video: “Summertime Clothes”

Honorable Mentions:
Jay Reatard :: Watch Me Fall
Neko Case :: Middle Cyclone

Angry that this was actually released in 2008:
Kurt Vile :: Constant Hitmaker
__________________________________________________________

Nathan’s List

10. Placebo
Battle for the Sun
Video: “Bright Lights”
Video: “For What It’s Worth”

9. Silversun Pickups
Swoon
Video: “Panic Switch”

8. Loney Dear
Dear John
Video: “I Was Only Going Out”
Video: “Distant Lights”

7. Jay Z
The Blueprint 3
Video: “Empire State of Mind”
Video: “Run This Town”

6. Peter, Bjorn and John
Living Thing
Video: “It Don’t Move Me”
Video: “Lay it Down”

5. Florence & the Machine
Lungs
MP3: “Kiss With A Fist”
Video: “Dog Days Are Over”
Video: “Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)”
Video: “Drumming Song”
Video: “Kiss With A Fist”
Video: “You’ve Got The Love”

4. Great Northern
Remind Me Where the Light Is

3. Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
MP3: “1901″
Video: “1901″
Video: “Lisztomania”

2. Pet Shop Boys
Yes
Video: “Love Etc.”

1. Ben Lee
The Rebirth of Venus
Video: “I Love Pop Music”

Honorable Mention:
Fanfarlo :: Reservoir
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart :: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zero :: Up from Above

__________________________________________________________

Bianca’s List

10. Jonneine Zapata
Cast the Demons Out

9. Dead Man’s Bones
Dead Man’s Bones

8. The Big Pink
A Brief History of Love
MP3: “Velvet”
Video: “Velvet”
Video: “Dominos”

7. Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
MP3: “1901″
Video: “1901″
Video: “Lisztomania”

6. Devendra Banhart
What Will We Be

5. Arctic Monkeys
Humbug

4. Julian Casablancas
Phrazes for the Young

3. Gliss
Devotion Implosion
MP3: “Morning Light”
Video: “Morning Light”

2. Girls
Album
MP3: “Hellhole Ratrace”
MP3: “Lust For Life”
Video: “Hellhole Ratrace”
Video: “Lust For Life”
Video: “Laura”
Video: “Morning Light”

1. The xx
XX
MP3: “Basic Space”
MP3: “Crystalised”
Video: “Basic Space”
Video: “Crystalised”

Tags: 2009, Albums, End-of-the-year, Favorites, Lists

On this day, we conclude another year here on The Yellow Stereo, one that has once again brought us a smorgasbord of new and exciting music. In my opinion, 2008 provided a lot of “very good” albums, but not many that I outright loved. It was a year that also brought forth new albums from old favourites like Portishead, The Verve, and The Notwist, though, not all of them really lived up to expectations. We also had mainstays from years past, like Of Montreal, who seem to have mysteriously fallen off my list. I think in defense of that album, i’m just sort of burnt out on Of Montreal, as we did in fact just recently had something new from them last year. But it’s just one of those cases where it’s out with the old and in with the new.

As you can see with my list, I only ranked my top five, as the rest of the list can easily be interchangeable from top to bottom. We also have lists from all of our contributors past and present, which is always great to look at as I think each of us always have something very distinct and unique to bring to the table.

Please feel free to comment, as your opinions are always welcome and appreciated.  Also, all of us here thank you for your support as it’s your kind words and encouragement that helps us continue with this site.

The Lucksmiths
First Frost (Matinée)
The Lucksmiths are a band that you can’t help but just absolutely adore. They’re the elder statesmen of this list, as they’ve been around for quite a while now (since 1993 to be exact), and continue to put out quality records. In the case of First Frost, their first release since 05’s Warmer Corners, they’ve released another solid recording that continues to improve the more I listen to it.
MP3: “Up With the Sun”
MP3: “A Sobering Thought”

Shearwater
Rook (Matador)
Trying to best the work of Palo Santo could be considered a daunting task, and for a while I didn’t think this album lived up to the heights that the previous record achieved. Because of that, I sort of tossed this one away for a while before coming back to it towards the latter half of the year and just looked at it as its own body of work. It’s definitely more polished than its predecessor, and overall still packs the emotional punch thanks in part to Jonathan Meiburg, who for my money has one of the best voices in music right now.
MP3: “Rooks”
MP3: “Leviathan, Bound”
MP3: “The Snow Leopard”

Gang Gang Dance
Saint Dymphna (The Social Registry)
This one was a late addition to the list, but its impact is one I could not ignore. The two tracks that kick off this record were unlike anything that I had heard this year, and really broadened what I had been listening to prior to. I can appreciate its boundary pushing, experimental take on dance music, while still remaining relatively accessible. This was my first introduction to the group, and i’m definitely looking forward to listening to their catalog of records.
MP3: “First Communion”
MP3: “House Jam”

Elbow
The Seldom Seen Kid (Polydor)
At one point, long ago, I absolutely adored Elbow. It was a time of being a closet anglophile, in which everything I listened to at the time consisted of britpop. Today, i’m not nearly as big a fan of the group, though, I still respected their work. Their past two records were disappointing, and when The Seldom Seen Kid came around – I just didn’t care anymore. Well, as you would expect, I ended up giving it a chance and this record absolutely shines from beginning to end. Don’t believe me? They’ve got this year’s Mercury Prize to prove it.
MP3: “Grounds for Divorce”
Video: “Grounds For Divorce”
Video: “The Bones Of You”

Sigur Rós
Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (XL)
Sigur Rós seem to take the term ‘epic’ to new heights with each release, and this is certainly no different. They’re kind of at a point for me where I don’t expect too much from them, but I remain confident that whatever they do will be consistent. This one tries to reach for something different, but it’s not exactly ground-breaking, which i’m ultimately content with. They don’t need to try and reinvent themselves, just keep creating great music.
MP3: “Festival”
MP3: “Gobbledigook”
Video: “Gobbledigook”
Video: “Inni Mer Syngur Vitleysingur”

Lykke Li
Youth Novels (LL)
What more can be said about this young lady that hasn’t been mentioned already? Poised to to take over as the new queen of Swedish indiepop with her debut, which if you consider that tiny detail — it’s a pretty damn good debut. It’s a successful pop record, who’s naive, sometimes blunt lyrics can be quite jarring, but can easily grow a fondness for. She’s got a bright future if she can keep this momentum up with her next record.
MP3: “Little Bit”
MP3: “Dance Dance Dance”
Video: “Little Bit”
Video: “Breaking It Up”
Video: “I’m Good, I’m Gone”

Frida Hyvönen
Silence Is Wild (Secretly Canadian)
Along with Lykke Li, this makes two female Swedes to make the list. I’ve always admired Hyvönen’s work; she’s got such an amazing voice which goes without saying, but what makes the new record appealing is the quality production. From the piano compositions, percussion and string arrangements, everything just flows so wonderfully with her exquisite vocals. She should really be garnering more attention, i mean, I haven’t seen this mentioned on any other lists which is a shame.
MP3: “Enemy Within”

School of Seven Bells
Alpinisms (Ghostly)
Really great dreampop record that features the lovely vocals of twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza. At times I think of this sound as some odd electronic reinvention of the Cocteau Twins. I’d consider that a compliment, right? I think it is! There’s a few tracks here that flat out don’t work for me, but overall this is a very solid piece of work.
MP3: “Connjur”
MP3: “Half Asleep”
MP3: “Chain”

M83
Saturdays=Youth (Mute)
I had a love affair with this record for about a month or so leading up to it’s release, and at that time I didn’t think I would listen to anything better this year. It’s nostalgic 80’s angst for the modern teenager, and while the months following the first time I heard this haven’t been kind, I still can’t deny how great those few singles are. Overall, it’s good, but not every track lives up to those singles. I think I just might’ve been asking too much of this album.
MP3: “Kim & Jessie”
MP3: “Graveyard Girl”
Video: “Kim & Jessie”
Video: “Graveyard Girl”

Shugo Tokumaru
Exit (Almost Gold)
This singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Tokyo put out a great album this year. For many, this was our first introduction to it’s fast-paced and exciting blend of acoustic indie-pop. Which given a closer look, is undoubtedly complex, yet delicate and inviting to a casual listener.
MP3: “Parachute”
MP3: “Green Rain”
Video: “Parachute”
Video: “Green Rain”
Video: “Button”

Laura Marling
Alas, I Cannot Swim (Astralwerks)
Probably my second favourite discovery this year came from this bright, soulful teenager (she’s only 18!) from Hampshire. I was curious to check her out after seeing her featured on songs from Mystery Jets and Noah and the Whale. I’m forever thankful that I did, as this debut is just astonishing when you consider her age. She comes across as an old soul, who’s voice feels as if it’s been through years of experience through heartache and loss.
MP3: “Ghosts”
Video: “Night Terror”
Video: “New Romantic”
Video: “Ghosts”
Video: “My Manic & I”
Video: “Cross Your Fingers”

Grouper
Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill (Type)
“Heavy Water/I’d Rather Be Sleeping” – a song that was the soundtrack of many sleepless nights this year. Once I finally got a hold of this album, one song that kept me up through night soon became twelve. Liz Harris’ ethereal vocals are a delight, with the slow-moving swaths of sounds that permeate this record are quite mezmerizing.
MP3: “Heavy Water/I’d Rather Be Sleeping”
MP3: “Disengaged”
MP3: “Invisible”

The Notwist
The Devil, You + Me (Morr Music)
Six long years after the release of the masterpiece known as Neon Golden, we were finally able to hear something new from Markus Acher. Personally, the album didn’t need to surpass Neon Golden, as I would be perfectly content with it being just “good enough.” Well, it’s certainly that and much more. Everything feels more organic and natural compared to its predecessor. No longer needing to hide behind layers of different electronics, while also making Acher’s vocals feel more prominent. It’s a welcome evolution of The Notwist, and something that i’m hoping will continue in the future.
MP3: “Boneless”
MP3: “Good Lies”

Beach House
Devotion (Carpark)
Beach House have become a group that defies age, as I feel their two albums could be just as good ten years from now as opposed to their respective years of release. I always knew Devotion would be there at the end of the year, but considering this came out in February, I didn’t think it would end up so high on my list. As the months continued to pass by, this album just seemed to continue to grow stronger. The work of both guitarist/keyboardist Alex Scally and vocalist/organist Victoria Legrand soar to new heights and seem to effortlessly improve upon the excellence of their self-titled debut. It’s at times hauntingly bare, and easily evokes deep emotions to a chilling effect. It’s simply music to lose yourself in.
MP3: “Gila”
MP3: “D.A.R.L.I.N.G.”
Video: “Gila”
Video: “You Came To Me”
Video: “Heart of Chambers”

Moscow Olympics
Cut The World (Lavender)
Here it is, my favourite album of the year. The fact that this is just a seven-track mini LP could possibly attribute this to being a really poor year for music, but you really need to understand that this is an absolutely stunning debut. From the very first moments of “What Is Left Unsaid,” you’ll notice right away that this Philippine quintet wear their influences on their sleeve. Echoing the best of the likes of New Order, Blueboy, and My Bloody Valentine, each of these songs shimmer with jangling guitars and soft-spoken vocals. It’s deliciously fuzzy dreampop that has delighted me to no end in 2008. By far, my favourite discovery this year.
MP3: “Second Trace”
MP3: “Still”
Video: “Second Trace”
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As usual with every year-end list i’ve done since we’ve started, compiling a list of songs is usually last on my agenda. This time around, as of late last night, I decided to put this together before actually posting our favorite albums.  It was so spur-of-the-moment in fact, that I made no mention of even doing this to our other contributors, in turn making mine the sole list here, unfortunately.

You’ll notice a lot of these songs made the mid-year list, as I never really listened to a lot of new music towards the latter portion of the year. There’s also a healthy variety of songs on display, which indicates how sporatic my taste had been. You’ve got some subdued, mellow songs from the likes of Grouper, Sigur Rós, and Grizzly Bear; to some very poptastic goodness on the other spectrum including POPBAH, Summer Cats, Mates of State, etc. along with everything else in the middle. What it always boils down to for me is a good hook, a catchy melody, or just something that completely grabs my attention.

We’d love to hear your favorite songs as well, so feel free to voice your own in the comments! Our albums list will be up sometime this week or whenever I happen to finish.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Everything With You 7″ (Slumberland)
MP3: “Everything With You”
Video: “Everything With You”
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Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles (Last Gang)
MP3: “Vanished”

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Beach House
Used To Be 7″ (Carpark)
Stream: “Used To Be”
Video: “Used To Be”
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Je Suis Animal
Painted In My Face 7″ (Cloudberry)
MP3: “Painted In My Face”

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Summer Cats
Lonely Planet 7″ (Cloudberry)
MP3: “Lonely Planet”
Video: “Lonely Planet”

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Moscow Olympics
Cut The World (Lavender)
MP3: “Second Trace”
Video: “Second Trace”

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Sigur Rós
Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (XL)
MP3: “Festival”

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Lykke Li
Youth Novels (LL)
MP3: “Little Bit”
Video: “Little Bit”

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Grizzly Bear
Live on Letterman
MP3: “Two Weeks”
Video: “Two Weeks”

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The Rosebuds
Life Like (Merge)
MP3: “Border Guards”
Video: “Border Guards”

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Air France
No Way Down (Sincerely Yours)
MP3: “Collapsing at Your Doorstep”
Video: “Collapsing at Your Doorstep”

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M83
Saturdays=Youth (Mute)
MP3: “Kim & Jessie”
Video: “Kim & Jessie”
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Mates of State
Re-Arrange Us (Barsuk)
MP3: “The Re-Arranger”

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The Submarines
Honeysuckle Weeks (Nettwerk)
MP3: “You, Me and the Bourgeoisie”

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Starfucker
Starfucker (Badman)
MP3: “German Love”
Video: “German Love”

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Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
MP3: “White Winter Hymnal”
Video: “White Winter Hymnal”

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Jukebox the Ghost
Let Live & Let Ghosts (Rebel Group)
MP3: “Hold It In”

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Grouper
Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill (Type)
MP3: “Heavy Water/I’d Rather Be Sleeping”

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Friendly Fires
Friendly Fires (XL)
MP3: “Paris (Aeroplane Remix feat. Au Revoir Simone)”

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Cut Copy
In Ghost Colours (Modular)
MP3: “Strangers in the Wind”

We’re a few weeks late  – okay, a month – with our mid-year songs lists, but i’ve finally gotten off my lazy ass to get this up.  This has been an annual thing since the blog has started, so it would be wrong to just completely forget about it.  Anyways, in previous years, I used to have a set of guidelines in choosing our favorite songs; this time around, though, I just let everyone choose whatever songs they wanted.  It took a while to get everyone’s lists, but after having all of them for a couple of weeks now, it was yours truly who didn’t compile his own until last night.

Speaking of my list, I know I probably forgot to mention plenty of other songs, let alone the fact that i’ve still yet to listen to so many other ones.  Have fun with the lists, and feel free to mention your favorites as well.

Download .zip file (85mb)

PJ’s Picks:
MP3: The Magnetic Fields :: “Drive On, Driver”
MP3: Mates of State :: “The Re-Arranger”
MP3: Beach House :: “You Came To Me”
MP3: Cut Copy :: “Strangers In The Wind”
MP3: The Lodger :: “The Good Old Days”
MP3: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin :: “Think I Wanna Die”
MP3: Fleet Foxes :: “White Winter Hymnal”
MP3: Grizzly Bear :: “While You Wait For The Others”
MP3: Headlights :: “Cherry Tulips”
DeVotchka :: “The Clockwork Witness”
MP3: M83 :: “Kim & Jessie”
MP3: Lykke Li :: “Little Bit”
MP3: Moscow Olympics :: “Ocean Sign”
MP3: Thao with The Get Down Stay Down :: “Beat (Health, Life And Fire)”
MP3: The Submarines :: “You, Me & The Bourgeoisie”

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Ok… here are a few of those songs that had my attention this year. I’m really more of an album man myself, but some songs just do a great job of sticking in my head and taking me somewhere else for 3-5 minutes. Some of these are from albums that will probably continue onto my year-end music list, others are there just because they were fun (like Weezer’s track, which I liked because it took me back a decade… but maybe I should be angry instead because it got my hopes up for the album!)
– Pablo
MP3: Air France :: “Collapsing at Your Doorstep”
Basia Bulat :: “Snakes and Ladders”
The Black Keys :: “Strange Times”
MP3: Bon Iver :: “Skinny Love”
Gnarls Barkley :: “Going On”
Mates of State :: “Get Better”
R.E.M. :: “Man-Sized Wreath”
Shearwater :: “The Snow Leopard”
MP3: Sigur Ros :: “Gobbledigook”
MP3: The Submarines :: “You, Me and the Bourgeoisie”
Thao with The Get Down Stay Down :: “Swimming Pools”
Weezer :: “Pork and Beans”

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Val’s Picks:
MP3: The Dodos :: “Jodi”
Jukebox the Ghost :: “Static”
MP3: Fleet Foxes :: “White Winter Hymnal”
The Black Keys :: “Strange Times”
MP3: Pattern Is Movement :: “Right Away”
Santogold :: “L.E.S. Artistes”
The Twilight Sad :: “Some Things Last A Long Time (Daniel Johnston cover)”
MP3: Sigur Ros :: “Gobbledigook”
Mates of State :: “You Are Free”
Vampire Weekend :: “A-Punk”
Kaki King :: “Pull Me Out Alive”
The Dirtbombs :: “Ever Lovin Man”

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I wanted to include a wide range of tracks encompassing the year so far, and even a little into last year. I DJ and produce my own stuff, so I prefer dancier upbeat stuff mostly because I deal with it all the time. But we all have our down times, and there have been some bangers for me as well. So Here goes (in no particular order). 16 songs, plus other rantings.
– Eric
Bon Iver :: “The Wolves (Act I and II)”
Cloud Cult :: “No One Said It Would Be Easy”
Crystal Castles :: “Black Panther”
Cut Copy :: “Lights and Music”
Yeasayer :: “2080″
Hot Chip :: “Ready For The Floor”
Santogold :: “L.E.S Artistes”
The Teenagers :: “Make it Happen”
The Ting Tings :: “We Started Nothing”
MGMT :: “The Kids”
Why? :: “These Few Presidents”
Black Keys : “I Got Mine”
Islands :: “Creeper”
We are Scientists :: “After Hours”
Cool Kids :: “Bassment Party”
Black Kids :: “Im not gonna teach your boyfriend how to dance with you”

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Andie’s Picks:
The Dodos :: “The Season”
Ida :: “For Shame of Doing Wrong”
Cat Power :: “Silver Stallion”
MP3: Atlas Sound :: “Quarantined”
Black Keys :: “Things Ain’t Like They Used to Be”
MP3: Helio Sequence :: “Keep Your Eyes Ahead”
Hercules and the Love Affair :: “True False/Fake Real”
The French Kicks :: “Sex Tourists”
Man Man :: “Doo Right”
Ruby Suns :: “Kenya Dig It?”
MP3: She & Him :: “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?”
The Magnetic Fields :: “I’ll Dream Alone”
Wolf Parade :: “An Animal in Your Care”
MP3: Bon Iver :: “Skinny Love”

Gotta say that I remember very little from about 7:30pm on and absolutely nothing after 1am on my last night in Texas. I went to the Daytrotter/Park the Van Records showcase, met two of the very nice guys from The Spinto Band, saw Ra Ra Riot tear it up (and marveled at the design of the cello and violin) and came to the conclusion that The Teeth must have all been in ska bands in high school and just kept that aesthetic and disjointedness after fifteen years or so of listening to Sgt. Pepper. Oh yeah, Dr. Dog brought people from Delta Spirit onstage. I really was that tired. So, here are some photos for your viewing pleasure (well…hopefully…I’m not Information Leafblower, here) and thanks for letting me ramble on. I’m not going to either Coachella or Bonnaroo so no more festival coverage until at least July.

The High Strung

Ra Ra Riot

The Teeth

The Spinto Band

Dr. Dog

I swear I’m almost done, guys. Saturday was busy. Really really busy. And by the end of it I was really really dead and I still wouldn’t say that I’m 100% recovered…and it’s been almost a week. Granted, I post these blogs at odd hours so I’m ready to be done writing so I can start sleeping.

First stop…a trip to Spiro’s to see the Terrordactyls. They were a quirky duo who played kazoos, sang fun harmonies and pulled in friends from another band to play a toy piano and the drums. I feel like, if the Get Up Kids were happier, quirkier and more fun overall…they might sound like the Terrordactyls. Only real problem with their set wasn’t anything that they could do much about. A war protest/parade came down the street and sorta distracted the audience (self included) from their last two songs. But as they’re playing a house party in Fredericksburg on Easter Sunday – I’ll get to play catch up.

I missed buzz band Fuck Buttons (who hopefully I’ll still get to see soon, ticket gods permitting) but got into the Paste/Stereogum party in time to catch the end of High Places who I’d never heard of, but enjoyed. The woman’s voice was drenched in reverb and the two of them were doing some pleasant little tricks with keyboards and alternative forms of percussion, which of course, I love, so two points there.

And then as if I needed the reaffirmation that Tim Fite is SO STRANGE:

Yeah.

But Blitzen Trapper put on an enjoyable set. Considering how much various friends have raved about them, I kinda expected to like the music more, but their show was enjoyable even if only because they periodically pulled out the keytars, maracas and the kinds of keyboards you probably owned as a child. They had a lot of energy…and I like energy, especially since my own levels were in this tenuous limbo that I call “the zone.”

I came in for the last couple songs of Bodies of Water, another band that I really know nothing about, but I was intrigued by the trippy psychedelic keyboards and the trippy psychedelic vocals…even though I spent most of the end of their set flopped out on some nice cozy chair. Mmmm. Cozy chair.

When I’d seen Kevin Barnes‘ name on the Hot Freaks party (and the Paste/Stereogum party for that matter) as List Christee, I’d been under the impression that he was doing a DJ set and therefore, wasn’t terribly interested. Then I realized that it was a quick acoustic set and became quite a bit more interested. This then turned into a quick five song set where he borrowed one of White Rabbits’ electric guitars. He’d ditched the makeup but still looked fashionably colorful. Check out the sweet socks (er…sock):

He also completely impressed us with both his slowed down version of “Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse” and his cover of Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street” and M.I.A.’s cover of “Jimmy”…all complete with vocalizations during the particularly cool instrumental parts. I think it’s safe to say that all of us in the front row were salivating mightily.

I don’t think I have to tell you how much I love White Rabbits. They opened up the set with my second favorite quip of the festival, “Hi, we’re Spoon from Austin, Texas!” This is funny not only because they launched into a rather Spoon-esque tune and not only because they’re about to go on tour opening for the real Spoon but because with his sunglasses on, Stephen Patterson kinda resembles Britt Daniel. Observe:

Nonetheless, the combination of tracks I knew from Fort Nightly, amazing tracks I didn’t recognize, dueling drumkits and pure energy kinda made me really happy that I get to see them another two times in the next two months.

Sadly this also meant that I missed Thurston Moore’s set, who my friend kept trying to tell me was the best one he saw all day. Great. Fucking peachy. But I still got my fill of starstudded awesomeness partially because Thurston Moore passed right by me to pick up his guitars and partially because I got there in time to see She & Him. I’ll admit to being starstruck by Zooey Deschanel who I totally fell in love with after seeing Eulogy. I’d really wished that she and Matt had done more duets, though. She has the voice and the songs that made me feel like I was a couple hundred miles east in Nashville. Surprisingly though, she was actually kinda stiff onstage, making me wonder if without Matt and without the famous name, whether she’d have made it on her own in that town. Eh, whatever, I still enjoyed the music.

When I saw Okkervil River at the end of September, I knew that they were all sick, but there was no real indicator that it had been a sick show (other than Will Sheff’s voice cracking.) At least not until I saw them on Saturday. They were an absolute powerhouse. As Shearwater was likely performing elsewhere they had a substitute keyboardist, but it didn’t matter as he also knew all the words to all the songs.

Will Sheff is just a consummate performer. He looks like a professor and he moves with the awkwardness of Napolean Dynamite but he has a powerful righteous indignation that comes across as all-out fury at people who won’t put away their iPhones, or who haven’t started clapping their hands and because he spits it out so quickly before moving on to actually thrashing about or clapping his hands, it doesn’t feel like he’s dwelling on the negative. My only complaint is that, being that it’s SXSW for fuck’s sake…they didn’t play longer. Because I seriously could’ve ended the weekend here.

I kinda felt like after the two hour hassle that it took to get into the Subpop showcase that maybe we should’ve stayed at least for Helio Sequence…if not also for No Age. However, we decided that the Panache showcase across the street at Flamingo Cantina was calling our name and although we regrettably missed The Apes, one of the awesome DC acts not at DC Does TX, the triple hitter of Old Time Relijun, HEALTH (yes…again) and The Mae Shi.

I’d heard all sorts of high praise for Old Time Relijun and sure enough the longer these guys played, the more I was convinced that, wow, these folks are brilliant. For starters, the drumming was just excellent. I’m a percussion lover but I don’t always necessarily notice that sort of excellence right off…especially when there’s so much going on in front. But this crew was the first of three for the night that was able to take noisy improvisational sounds and actually make outright songs out of them. In fact, I’d say they did that the best out of the three as there were some punk elements and jazzy bluesy elements in their music as well (complete with stand up bass)…and a singer with a groovy mustache. Furthermore, I saw one of them put both a bass and tenor sax in his mouth at the same time…and play them both. I’m a convert to the Old Time Relijun.

The only thing that can really be said about HEALTH that I didn’t say before is that they didn’t even put on exactly the same set that they did last time which I found totally refreshing. This set was significantly longer, and though they dropped the four part vocals backed only by drums, they added more vocals into the mic, more freaking out around stage and more ways to manipulate their instruments to come out with sounds that made no sense…yet…made perfect sense. It’s a good thing that these guys only had five shows at this year’s SXSW…I don’t think they could’ve held up that sort of energy level with the Mae Shi’s schedule.

The Mae Shi played eighteen shows. That beats out last year’s hardest working band of SXSW (The Black Lips) by four. Seeing these guys reminded me of the first time I’d seen Les Savy Fav…except without the sweaty, half-naked pirate-mask wearing frontman. But similarly, there were no boundaries between band and audience as they started the show in among the audience, frequently threatened to hit us with their guitar and bass necks and then threw a tarp over our head…and then played underneath it…before then taking the tarp and making a ghost out of one of the members. It was like a laundry list of “what are they going to do next” and much like Les Savy Fav…these guys have the songs to back up the insanity.

They don’t sound like a French Kiss band, but they are big on the discord, not big on actual singing so much as actual intensity, and there was even a math-y element thrown in there. I left feeling like I had just seen the best set back to back to back anywhere that night…period. My only regret is that I didn’t also see The Apes play before Old Time Relijun…but as they’re a DC band, I’ll get my chance. Great great night.

Friday night was simultaneously the most awesome and the most frustrating night of SXSW. I saw four bands that put on amazing sets and remembered just why I came out here in the first place. There was also some bureaucratic hierarchical bullshit that I dealt with before seeing any of these bands that would’ve been enough to turn another less resilient person completely off of the whole festival. For the record, I knew that trying to get into the Subpop showcase without badge or wristband would be a hassle and an hour-long wait, easily, but this was rather ridiculous.

8:00pm. The friends and I decide to scope out the venue where the Subpop showcase is being held, mostly because we want to see the Handsome Furs at 10:30pm and aren’t sure what sort of commitment level that’ll take. We already see a line forming so we insert ourselves into that line. We are the 7th, 8th and 9th people in the general admission line.

8:15pm. Some guy holding a VIP All Access Pass from the SMD/Yeasayer show gets behind us and immediately starts bitching about the line, the festival, life the universe and everything. Does he seriously not realize what he’s getting into? Apparently not because he leaves. And there was much rejoicing. (Yay!)

8:30pm. The Ruby Suns go onstage. Our line has not moved and it has now stretched out to the end of the block.

8:45pm. We see the woman working the front door who has been repeatedly reminding people with badges and wristbands just where exactly to stand turn away the band Wild Light (yeah, the guys that opened for the Arcade Fire on Randall’s Island) because the band only has one collective badge. This worries me.

8:50pm. As it has become way past apparent that we’re not going anywhere until there are NO people with badges or wristbands we start (unsuccessfully) trying to convince people that they don’t REALLY want to see this showcase. Our brother is playing. And he sucks. Besides it’s badly ventilated in there. Really. You’ll get sick. Cough cough. Um…do we need to start singing 99 bottles of beer on the wall?

9:00pm. Finally! We are out of people with wristbands and badges so the laday lets in a whopping…four…people. Four. Out of a line that’s going on toward the end of the block. Then farts around for about two minutes until a line forms again. What. the. shit.

9:05pm. We’ve progressed onto trying to ask people going in with badges if THEY are in bands and can get us in the door. Because, ya know, that worked real well for Wild Light.
9:10pm. A SXSW official approaches this woman and tells her to let in 40 people from the general admission line. She argues with him and apparently wins because he leaves and we stay.

9:15pm. Woman asks us what time the band is coming on that we want to see. We say 10:30pm. Nothing happens.

9:35pm. SXSW official returns to speak to this woman AGAIN since we have not moved. She says that she’s TRYING to let us in but that every time she turns around a new line has formed.

9:40pm. The damn finally takes our money! And sends us…into the back of the wristband line. Which is now moving about as quickly as the general admission line since the people with badges, who’d previously just walked in, have now formed a line and wristbands don’t get in until there are no badges left.

9:42pm. Somebody overhears volunteer woman tell somebody that to get into the door they’d have to get into the back of the wristband line and probably wouldn’t get in. Excuse me? Someone else thinks they hear the words “no refunds” come out of her mouth. Oh helllll no.

9:45pm. We pull back another SXSW volunteer and explain our predicament. He sees roughly 20 of us that have just paid entry…and might not get in. His eyes get that unmistakable “oh shit” look. He says he’ll be right back.

9:48pm. He comes back and says that once the badge line dissipates he’ll let us all in. And there was much rejoicing.

9:55pm. He assures us that he hasn’t forgotten us.

10pm. We finally get in the damn venue…in time to see Pissed Jeans leave the stage.

10:05pm. I take a big shot of jager because that entire experience was pretty much uncalled for.

The truly amazing thing was that even after all of that…I was still able to enjoy The Handsome Furs. For one thing, Dan Boeckner and Alexei Perry actually decided that since they were ready to perform before their allotted time slot truly began that hell, they’d just start early and play an extra song! How cool is that! I’d say perhaps even cooler than Boeckner opening the set by saying that they were the Black Halos and that he truly believed that 1998 would be the best fiscal year for Subpop records. Mwahahahaha.

I’d never really given Plague Park all that much of a chance. I listened to and decided that it was kinda meh and moved on. I’m gonna have to give it another chance now because their set completely made me forget about the line I’d been in to see it. Yes, half of the music coming through the speakers was electronic (and Perry had a hell of a time keeping the drum machine on the table in front of her). Yet, the pair have this organic lively presence that quickly got the audience bobbing first their head, then the entire upper half of their bodies along…because it was so easy to get caught up. This description also applies to fellow Wolf Parade member Hadji Bakara, who in between completely rocking out on the sidelines…decided to throw ice and water on the stage at the band.

Furthermore…they didn’t take themselves but so seriously. When Boeckner removed his shirt he joked about how fame had caused him to eat and gain all this weight. I think the only person performing at SXSW that Dan Boeckner might be larger than was Bradford Cox…and even that assumption is pushing it. After finishing up, Boeckner reiterated that he still truly believed that 1998 would be the best fiscal year for Subpop records…we truly believed that if anyone deserved an encore at SXSW…it’d be these two.

MP3: Handsome Furs :: “Handsome Furs Hate This City”

Live may not be the right word for this as I’m on my way home from Austin and sitting in North Carolina at the moment in my sister’s dorm room. I’m gonna have to start changing what I call this as I recall Friday and Saturday at SXSW (which will probably all be up by Wednesday because I’m fucking exhuasted, kids.)

It is very very hard (fuck, it’s impossible) to write objectively about something that you had a hand in creating. My initial reaction is to take what the DC press said and try to craft a response…which will be done here in about twenty seconds. Yes, you’re right, being two miles out from the main drag meant that we didn’t get quite the walk-up from non-DC folk that we could’ve gotten, but I don’t think it was a bad turnout. As for why you came to see bands that you could see at the Black Cat every month…not sure…but I’m glad that you did! Okay…now…here’s what I got to see.

I don’t know if you guys knew this…but Georgie James usually tours with a full band. Laura Burhenn hopes that people realize this since their SXSW sets…including this one…only had her and John Davis onstage performing. Personally, I thought it was excellent…they didn’t need any more than Davis on guitar and Burhenn on keyboards. It was a nice low-key affair and the perfect start to a cloudy morning. A couple of us were hoping that we’d get a chance to see Davis take to the drums since it was only the two of them, but no dice.

Le Loup had never played a set outside before and they got lucky…the sound was mixed very well with only one early technical snafu…at which point Sam Simkoff asked the sound engineer whether he should stop dancing around so much. The sound engineer told him to keep on dancing and the show was all the better for it. These guys delivered big time, and toward the end of the set Simkoff actually decided to take his crazy dancing off the stage and into the crowd. My only complaint about this set had nothing to do with the band itself. Some friend/fan of theirs came out for the show and spent the entire set with his camera in their faces. The band may not have cared but I found him irritating and intrusive and the rest of the DC press had a hard time trying to get pictures of the band without him in them.

My first time seeing These United States was kinda disappointing. They opened for the Hackensaw Boys at the Black Cat and minus a cover of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, their set just seemed tired and Jesse Elliott’s banter, awkward. Complete 180 degrees this time around. Elliott’s quips were dead-on hilarious and their twangy alt-country seemed anything but tired. Note for anyone catching These United States on tour this time around: they have been bringing up members of local bands to play with them so you may get to watch a favorite of yours playing along with songs like “Kings and Aces.” No Austin band played with them for this set however…they brought back Le Loup and ended with a bang.

Pash fucking rocked. I cannot stress this enough. The people putting on a day party next door weren’t paying attention to their own party anymore. They were watching Erik Bruner-Yang and Ryan McLaughlin thrash around like madmen…which still worked perfectly with Merideth Munoz’s lilt as she found more ways to move around. I couldn’t stop dancing even though I spent most of their set working the Digital Freedom booth. This was especially impressive considering that they just started using a new drummer. They’ll be touring with Stars starting on March 19th in Baltimore. Even though it’s a weird situation where they’re actually playing the backing band…do yourself a favor and show up early anyway as they might pull out some originals.

This was Middle Distance Runner’s only show of SXSW and they were playing primarily with borrowed equipment. One of their guitarists was sick. Another guitarist revealed to me that the set was a huge struggle. They omitted at least one if not two of my favorite songs (again there was the whole “I’m working” aspect that had to be thrown in there, which is why I’m not sure if they played “Monochrome Boys” or not.) That said, I would’ve never caught on that the set was strained if Jay hadn’t said anything…and I’ve seen these guys play twice in the recent past. Kudos.

If you’d have asked me who would’ve drawn the biggest crowd out of this lineup I’d have said Le Loup. Maybe Georgie James despite playing really early. But by far the largest audience came out for Jukebox the Ghost. I’m also starting to catch on that the other DC bands absolutely adore these guys. They seemed more acclimated to SXSW that day and put on a set full of hand-clappers and toe-tappers and one new song that had us giving them a D, “D!” and a C “C!” They also did a cover of Ace of Base’s “Beautiful Life” as their final number which apparently they’ve recorded for a guilty pleasures collection. At the end of the song…they started cracking up realizing that…oh man, we’re singing an Ace of Base song…and so are all these crazy people watching us.

A nice handful of people left before Exit Clov came on and it was their loss as the quintet might well have put on the best set of the day. The Hsu sisters have these delicate harmonies and excellent violin solos that make it all the more amazing to see them completely shred their guitars and bang the crap out of various pieces of percussion while backed by three guys who are completely shredding their guitars/bass and banging the crap out of various pieces of percussion. Guitarist Aaron Leeder has this magnetic energy and intensity that makes looking away impossible and dancing along a reflex.

Have you heard of Samantha Murphy? Yeah…neither had the rest of us which is probably why her audience was filled with stragglers and bands that hadn’t packed all of their things yet. I felt bad for her…she’s got a legit voice which was obvious as she started the set with a very striking cover of “Ring of Fire,” backed by Tommy and Jesse from Jukebox the Ghost. The JTG boys helped her out for the last couple songs of her set as well, which were some bluesy Nashville-esque numbers. Overall though…great day.

Thursday night, however, was a mess. There had been talk of us getting into the Playboy party with Moby, MGMT and Justice…who my DC friends had all caught as I was working the road. Just one small problem…we didn’t know where the 301 was exactly…and neither did anyone else that we asked. So, although we had enough strings that we could’ve pulled, my friend Rachael said “fuck it” and headed out to some party at the Elks Lodge which was only available by pedicab…except no pedicab that I could find knew how to get to the Elks Lodge. So I walked back to the other side of 6th street trying to get in to see Man Man at Cedar Street to no avail…but I sat on the street and could hear most of their set…which sounded pretty awesome. Very Gogol Bordello…although their stage presence reminds me a little bit more of Islands…who, no, I did not catch at this year’s SXSW, nor did I want to. Nick bugs the shit out of me and I was almost turned off of the band entirely the last time I saw them live two years ago.

After the Man Man set at Cedar Street it occurred to me that I hadn’t eaten any actual food in about nine hours. Beer…is not food, kids. Two hot dogs later I finally found the pedicabs that could take me to the Elks Lodge and enjoyed DJ sets from Steve Aoki and A-Trak (Kid Sister never showed.) I couldn’t tell you much about either set other than that I danced…or attempted to do some redbull & vodka fueled movement but I had hit a real wall of tiredness at this point. But the view of the Austin skyline was amazing. The photo doesn’t do it justice.