Weekly Mix 1/14/13

I've been doing a good amount of work for Speakers in Code recently, so I haven't had much time to do writing on this blog. Apologies for this (because I'm sure you're heartbroken...), but I think it makes more sense to focus my energy on something that'll be more widely available, rather than my little wanna-blog. I really do appreciate the support, though. I think that these weekly mixes are a good way to keep things going and maybe build this site up to where I feel like diverting more time to it. Thanks again, thugs.

1. Devendra Banhart - "Für Hildegard von Bingen" 

2. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - "Jubilee Street"

3. Memoryhouse - "When You Sleep (My Bloody Valentine cover)"

4. Atoms For Peace - "Judge, Jury, And Executioner"

5. Bark Psychosis - "From What Is Said To When It's Read"

6. Chelsea Wolfe - "Tracks (Tall Bodies)"

7. Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band - "The Day"

8. Sarah Jaffe - "A Sucker For Your Marketing/Vulnerable"

9. Analog Rebellion - "Voice Boxes And Pretty Teeth"

10. Sparklehorse - "Piano Fire"

Weekly Mix 1/7/13

It's a new year! How exciting! I wish everyone a joyous 2013, full of new experiences and changes for the better.

1. Aphex Twin - "[hankie]"

2. Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band - "Inuit"

3. Blackbird Blackbird - "Blind"

4. Alexandre Desplat - "The Heroic Weather - Conditions Of The Universe, Parts 1-7"

5. Coleman Hawkins - "Body & Soul"

6. American Football - "But The Regrets Are Killing Me"

7. Bert Jansch - "Black Waterside"

8. Silver Apples - "Oscillations & Seagreen Serenades"

9. Acid Glasses - "My Pale Garden"

10. The Dwarf Cast - "Misty Mountains (From The Hobbit)"

Weekly Mix 12/24/12

Tomorrow is Christmas! Whether you're excited about that or not, I hope that you have a great holiday and a productive new year! More stuff coming up.

1. Cloud Nothings - "Wasted Days"

2. Devendra Banhart - "Bad Girl"

3. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - "Mladic"

4. Gold Panda - "You" (Second version)

5. Sufjan Stevens - "The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out To Get Us!"

6. St. Vincent - "Just The Same But Brand New"

7. Sparklehorse -"It's A Wonderful Life"

8. Pedro The Lion - "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day"

9. Neutral Milk Hotel - "Gradenhead - Leave Me Alone"

10. Damien Jurado - "Tonight I Will Retire"

Weekly Mix 12/17/12

Hello, how have you been? I've been very busy with another project, but I am getting started on my write-up for the Lost In The Trees show at Duke from a couple weeks ago, so expect that sometime soon. In the mean time, here are some songs:

1. Now, Now -"Wolf"

2. Metronomy - This Could Be Beautiful (It Is)

3. Alex Turner - "Hiding Tonight"

4. Port St. Willow - "Hollow"

5. Thrupence - "Voyages"

6. Borealis - "Glaciers"

7. 2muchachos - "Forest Breath"

8. Boards Of Canada - "Macquarie Ridge"

9. Willis Earl Beal - "Same Old Tears"

10. Vince Guaraldi Trio - "Christmas Time Is Here"

Weekly Mix 12/10/12

Bonjour! Hope everyone has been doing well! I know for a lot of people this time of year can be very stressful with exams, shopping, crazy relatives, etc. so I send good vibrations to any of you that are having a rough time this holiday season. Whenever I feel overwhelmed or stressed out it always helps to spin some tunes, so hopefully these can help out:

1. Eric Whitacre - "Lux Aurumque"

2. Nico - "These Days"

3. Portishead - "Small"

4. Radiohead - "Identikit"

5. My Bloody Valentine - "When You Sleep"

6. Miles Davis - "Blue In Green"

7. Do Make Say Think - "Chinatown"

8. CoCoRosie - "Candy Land"

9. The Books - "All Our Base Are Belong To Them"

10. The Mountaineering Club - "Christina Fjord, May 30th, 1889"

Silversun Pickups w/Atlas Genius @ The National 11/27/12

     Before I begin, I feel I should probably confess that I am not the most impartial critic of Silversun Pickups' live performances. They were my favorite band for a significant chunk of my formative high school years, and while my tastes may have changed, I still have a big soft spot for their fuzzy indie rock. 

Atlas Genius

     Having seen the band six times already, I felt that I pretty much knew what to expect when I got tickets for their show at The National in Richmond, Virginia. I'd even seen them at this venue before (in 2009 with Manchester Orchestra and Cage The Elephant), so I was looking forward to a night of familiar favorites at a comfortable venue. My complacency was misguided; all of my pervious experiences with the band were during the extended period of touring behind their 2009 album, Swoon, while this tour was supporting their 2012 release, Neck Of The Woods. Oh, what a difference three years has made…

              The show was opened by Adelaide, Australia indie-rockers Atlas Genius. The boys from Down Under sound akin to Ra Ra Ra Riot with a dash of Phoenix mixed in, but their upbeat, hooky set met with mixed reactions from the Richmond crowd. From where I was, I could hear a few people chatting about how much they liked the band, but it was clear by the disinterested expressions on the faces of much of the audience that many were only there to hear Silversun Pickups. Crowd opinions aside, Atlas Genius was tight and played confidently for their short, 7 song set.

Vocalist/Guitarist Brian Aubert and Bassist Sarah Negahdari 

     After Atlas Genius’  equipment was moved off stage it became clear to me how different this show was going to be in comparison to my past SSPU experiences. They had an entirely new, complex lighting setup, multiple fog machines, and a cloth screen backdrop that would catch the lights to create a colorful atmosphere for each song. By comparison, their Swoon tour rig from three years ago seemed like a couple flashlights and some dry ice. The atmosphere that has always been present in the band’s music was now fully realized in their stage show and it was evident from the first digital pulses of opener "Skin Graph" that this was going to be an intense night. The vivid luminescence of the backdrop painted the entire room a bluish pink, while strobes and thick fog made the band appear ethereal and otherworldly. The perfectly choreographed light show made back catalog songs like "Little Lovers So Polite" and "The Royal We" feel completely new, and when coupled with the unique style of replacement bassist Sarah Negahdari of The Happy Hollows (regular bassist Nikki Monninger is home in L.A. expecting twin girls) the band itself felt wholly transfigured. The electronic textures the band cultivated in Neck Of The Woods translated very well live and added a new element of ambience that complimented the band's already hazy sound. Neck Of The Woods tracks "Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)" and "Mean Spirits" were the highlights of the night, while it was the band's 2007 breakthrough single "Lazy Eye" that received the biggest audience reaction. The song was accompanied by a rainbow light display on the backdrop that was truly mesmerizing and managed to make a song that has been a staple of the band's live set for years take on a whole new life. The band ended the night on a nostalgic note with "Well Thought Out Twinkles", the first single from their 2007 debut album, Carnavas. 

Panoramic shot of the stage

     I left this concert with a reaffirmed feeling of respect for Silversun Pickups. I've seen them quite a few times now and not once have I ever come away from one of their shows feeling unsatisfied.  While my musical tastes have shifted somewhat, Silversun has always been there to remind me what a really good live band can be.

Weekly Mix 12/3/12

Christmas time is upon us! How exciting! I don't know about you, but this is my favorite time of year. You can't go wrong with all those pretty lights, delicious smells, and beautiful music. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and is enjoying the holiday season!

1. Beach House - "Wild" 

2. Mindthings - "Fractal"

3. Stupid Loser - "Woebegone" (EP is pay what you want!)

4. Colleen - "Everything Lay Still"

5. Broken Social Scene - "All My Friends"

6. Other Lives - "Paper Cities"

7. Lowercase Noises - "We Are Ok"

8. Parachutes - "Your Stories" 

9. The Velvet Underground - "Sunday Morning"

10. Modest Mouse - "Ionizes and Atomizes"