Despite The Mix Vol. 16 - WDC Version

fig. 1 The Shirks

 

 fig. 2 Chisel

 fig. 3 Jawbox

 fig. 4 The Make-Up

 

fig. 5 Title Tracks

 fig. 6 The Most Secret Method

fig. 7 The Paranoid Style

We're getting ready to move from DC this summer and as I am inclined to wax nostalgic I've put together a little mix of homegrown favorites. Cheers.

2014 Mixtape

fig. 1 Priests

I'm stealing from the boys over at Sound Opinions and making a mix tape instead of a Best Of list.

1.  Braid - East End Hollows
The sound of a emo band creeping up on 40 (in a good way).

2.  Wussy - Teenage Wasteland

3.  Angel Olsen - Forgiven/Forgotten

4.  Sharon Van Etten - Taking Chances
Wow, this part of the mix is a tad depressing.

5.  The New Pornographers - War on the East Coast

6.  Priests - New (fig. 1)
Katie Alice Greer is at the same time the most unnerving and captivating performer I saw all year. 

7.  Alvvays - Archie, Marry Me

8.  J. Robbins - Abandoned Mansions
This is a new song from an acoustic album J. recorded that otherwise contains Jawbox, Burning Airlines and Office of Future Plans songs. I heard the full band version a few weeks back with Office of Future Plans and let's just say it translates well. Not on Spotify so listen here.

9.  Phantogram - Fall in Love

10. Bob Mould - Hey Mr. Grey
Unapologetically 1992 - the sound of getting old (in a good and self aware way) 

11. CANCERS - Be Cool 
Speaking of 1992...Also not on Spotify, mp3 here.

12.  Ex Hex - New Kid
My favorite song from my favorite album of the year.

13.  Cymbals Eat Guitars - Warning
Joe D'Agostino describes his best friend looking like David Bowie on Soul Train in the first verse - brilliant.

14.  Cloud Nothings - I'm Not Part Of Me
Is this the best song of the year? Probably.

15.  Protomartyr - Come & See (mp3)

16.  Haley Bonar - Last War

Survival Knife

On further review, Unwound is a band I probably should have loved at the time.  From 1991 to 2002, the Olympia, Washington trio released a number of post-hardcore works that challenged convention. My one and only live exposure was an opening slot for Fugazi in the spring of 1995 and while I remember being impressed, I didn't pursue them any further.  Now, 12 years after the demise of Unwound, 2/3 of the original line up is back as Survival Knife.

So if you are a sucker for angular guitars and scream/sung vocals (a la Drive Like Jehu, Hoover, Jawbox, early Modest Mouse), this is for you. Follow link for SoundCloud streams. Enjoy.

Divine Mob 
Roman Fever 
Name That Tune
Fell Runner

Despite The Mix, Vol 15

fig. 1 Cancers

It has been just over 650 days since my last post. So much has changed over that time. Most notably as it relates to the posting of music on the internet - as in, the whole downloading a physical file has largely gone the way of floppy disks and Palm Pilots.  I envision this as my last mix with actual downloads and then I'll move (hopefully sooner than 650 days) to this whole new world of streaming music. Yes, I get it, I'm about three years behind the curve.  Some of us just like the idea of physical music - even the notion of physical property is a series of 1's & 0's on my computer or Ipod. 

Please enjoy this assortment of digital goodies.  My favorite is the first track by the Athens, GA-based Cancers which answers the question, if post-punk and dream-pop had a baby, what would it sound like?

Cancers - Moral Net (mp3)
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Warning (mp3)
Thurston Moore - Forevermore (mp3)
Protomartyr - Come & See (mp3)
Protomartyr - Scum, Rise! (mp3)
Say Hi - Such A Drag (mp3)
Say Hi - Love Love Love (mp3)
White Reaper - Funn (mp3)

Top Albums of 2012

fig 1. Rebecca Gates and the Consortium

My favorite albums of 2012. Enjoy.

Rebecca Gates - The Float 
Stream "Suite Sails" and "&&&" here

The Evens - The Odds 
Stream "King of Kings" here

Bob Mould - Silver Age 
Stream the entire album at Merge Records

A.C. Newman - Shut Down The Streets 
Download mp3 of "Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns"

Cat Power - Sun
Download mp3 of "Ruin" and "Cherokee (Nicholas Jaar remix)"

Sharon Van Etten - Tramp
Download mp3 of "Serpents"

Japandroids - Celebration Rock
Download mp3 of "Younger Us"

Archers of Loaf - Vee Vee (Best Reissue)

Top Tracks of 2012

fig1. Pontiak

Well, no post in over a year.  No good excuse for the long hiatus but an end of the year list is a good enough reason to break the cycle.  Instead of the traditional top 10/20/50/100 list, here are a bunch of songs that resonated with me in 2012 - no order, just placed into random groups at the last minute.

fig 2. Mean Jeans

 

Nothing Groundbreaking But Still Totally Rocks

Cloud Nothings - Stay Useless

Swearin' - Here To Hear

Mean Jeans - Anybody Out There?

fig 3. METZ

LOUD
Pontiak - Lions Of Least
METZ - Headache

fig 4. Sharon Van Etten

The Ladies
Sharon Van Etten - Serpents
The Mynabirds - Generals (link to free download via email)
Cat Power - Cherokee

fig 5. The Evens

The Old Guard
Bob Mould - Keep Believing
The Evens - King of Kings (stream)
Superchunk - Cruel Summer

Top 10 Tracks of 2011

figure 1. Wye Oak

2011 - another year of looking back? At first glance it appears that way. Amazing reissues from Archers of Loaf (Icky Mettle), Superchunk (Foolish), R.E.M. (Life's Rich Pageant - p.s. their best album) and Dinosaur jr. (the first three records). Despite all the old material out there, there was some fantastic new music. What follows is my top ten. All links to music are free and legal.








10. Kurt Vile - "Jesus Fever" (mp3)







9. The Cave Singers - "Black Leaf" (mp3)








8. The Get Up Kids - "Regent's Court"







7. Buffalo Tom - "The Big Light"








6. We Are Augustines - "Chapel Song" - link to free download of song








5. Office of Future Plans - "FEMA Coffins"








4. Dum Dum Girls - "Bedroom Eyes" (mp3)







3. Des Ark - "My Saddle is Waitin' (C'mon, Jump On It)"









2. Fucked Up - "Queen of Hearts" (mp3)







1. Wye Oak - "Civilian" - stream it here

Dum Dum Girls

God Bless America, it's been a while since I've updated this thing. So for the seven of you out there that actually read this blog, my sincerest apologies.

With all due respect to the groups in recent years attempting to take on the torch passed down by The Rondelles and The Supremes (e.g. Vivian Girls, Pipettes, etc), none can touch the Dum Dum Girls. Informed not only by the aforementioned 60's girl groups, there is a touch of shoegaze and a healthy dose of Hope Sandoval-esque (Mazzy Star) vocals. All of these influences come together to make some dreamy pop music. Check out these free and legal tracks below and search out their cover of The Smiths' "There is a light that never goes out".

Bedroom Eyes (mp3)
Coming Down (mp3)
Bhang Bhang, I'm a Burnout (mp3)
He Gets Me High (mp3)
D.A.L. (mp3)
Jail La La (mp3)

Also check out their cover of Big Star's September Gurls on the AV Club's Undercover 2011 here

New Kristin Hersh/50 Foot Wave

In the last ten years Kristin Hersh, the 44-year-old mother of four boys, has released four solo albums, one album with her beloved Throwing Muses, a memoir entitled Rat Girl (Penguin Books) and a whole bunch of material (one LP, four EPs, and a bunch of singles) with her post-punk outfit 50 Foot Wave, which also includes Throwing Muses' bassist, Bernard Georges. To say that she has kept herself busy is an understatement. So busy that filmmaker Jackie Weissman chose Hersh to focus on for her documentary Rock and Roll Mamas (set for a Fall 2011 release). Now word today from Hersh's twitter feed of some new (FREE!) 50 Foot Wave music to check out. Please enjoy.

Free Fall (mp3)
Grey (mp3)
Radiant Addict (mp3)

Despite The Mix Vol. 14

Greg Dulli of the Twilight Singers

Check out the new Twilight Singers track plus a few other newbies and a 2009 track from Monahans. -mike

The Twilight Singers - On The Corner

Parts & Labor - Constant Future

Papercuts - Do What You Will

Obits - You Gotta Lose

The Cave Singers - Swim Club

Wolf People - Silbury Sands

Monahans - It's Enough To Leave You

Top 20 Tracks of 2010: 10 - 1

the countdown continues

fig 1. Marvelous Darlings


10. Marvelous Darlings - I'll Stand By Her






fig 2. Against Me!



9. Against Me! - I Was A Teenage Anarchist






fig 3. Arcade Fire



8. Arcade Fire - Empty Room





fig 4. Black Wolf of Kings Go Forth




7. Kings Go Forth - One Day







fig 5. Rocky Votolato



6. Rocky Votolato - Red River






fig 6. The New Pornographers


5. The New Pornographers - We End Up Together






fig 7. The National



4. The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio






fig 8. Craig Finn of The Hold Steady


3. The Hold Steady - The Weekenders






fig 9. Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man On Earth


2. The Tallest Man On Earth - King Of Spain







fig 10. Superchunk


1. Superchunk - My Gap Feels Weird

Top 20 Tracks of 2010: 20-11

End of the year list time. My favorite time of year. Yes, there are plenty of the usual suspects, but I'm pushing 40 and that's what we old people do...hang onto the past. So with further ado, Song 20 - 11 of my top 20 tracks of 2010. Enjoy.







fig 1. Lissie


20. Lissie - Bad Romance

A few years back I heard Ted Leo perform a cover of Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone". Friends called bullshit when I told them it was the first time I had ever heard the song, but it was the honest truth. I'm comfortable enough with myself to report that I absolutely love the Clarkson version, I just needed Leo to introduce me. Which brings me to Lissie whose 2009 song Little Lovin' was one of my favorite of the year. So apparently, this is a Lady GaGa cover. Who knew? Apparently, all of the western world. Thanks to my wife for cluing me in.





fig 2. The New Pornographers


19. The New Pornographers - Your Hands (Together)






fig 3. The National



18. The National - England





fig 4. Phantogram



17. Phantogram - Mouthful of Diamonds
Reminds me of the Cardigans...and I'm mean that in a really good way.




fig 5. The Morning Benders



16. The Morning Benders - Excuses




fig 6. Jaill



15. Jaill - Everyone's Hip






fig 7. Versus


14. Versus - Saturday Saints/Cicada/Scientists
OK, so I am cheating by picking three songs for this entry, but these three songs encompass in a nutshell why Versus was arguably the best indie rock band of the 90's. Stream the whole album here






fig 8. Ted Leo/Pharmacists' The Brutalist Bricks



13. Ted Leo/Pharmacists - Gimme The Wire




fig 9. Retribution Gospel Choir



12. Retribution Gospel Choir - Hide It Away






fig 10. Surfer Blood



11. Surfer Blood - Swim (To Reach The End)