Gregor Samsa & The Metamorphosis

Recently, I decided I wanted to catch up on some fine literature. I didn't want to read something too long, so I decided on a short story. I ended up reading Frank Kafka's 1915 novella, The Metamorphosis. A story about a man who wakes up to find his life flip-turned upside down. One day after school, while he was playing himself a nice little game of basketball, a group of troubled kids from neighboring hoods began to give him shit. He tried to stay back but also felt he should stand up to these hoodlums and scruff them up a bit just to show them a lesson or two. Unfortunately his mama got scared good by this and had no choice but to send him to his auntie's and uncle's in the lovely affluent residential communtiy in the hills of the westside of the city of Los Angeles, California to teach him class and etiquette. While there he grew content with his new life and family. That is until one morning he wakes up and finds himself to be a big ass fucking insect and can no longer go about his days fending for his family. It is not too long after that his friend and partner, Kay, has to go in from the outside of him (that's right! He get's eaten!) and blasts him away like the slimy, ugly, parasite he had become.

I wanted to listen to something as I read this, so I put on the only thing that would make sense and that's Gregor Samsa! Come on! That's the name of the main character in The Metamorphosis! It works perfectly though with the story as it is that kind of post rock that can be kept on in the backward. It is very somber, dark, and beautiful with all it's rhodes piano, bowed electric basses, and sparse male and female vocals here and there. And you don't have to choice from other bands that play a similar sound of post rock as Gregor Samsa do like Ef, The Ascent of Everest, Joy Wants Eternity, Bark Psychosis or Immanu El because their name is Gregor Samsa! It's as simple as that.

Gregor Samsa - 55:12 (2006)

Album of choice this time: 55:12.

Favorite track: Even Numbers

Last.fm
Official site

Monday XX

Fucking Mondays. How do they work?

LEANN GRIMES - LEANN GRIMES (2011)

Honestly, I forgot about this gem a friend of mine showed me last year. Some of that forgetfulness may have been due in part by the attention the last track had on me, which is a killer remix of The Tallest Man On Earth's "The Wild Hunt". The remix is called The Wild Grit and is introduced by a True Grit sample (the original I believe). But The Wild Grit is not the only thing being remixed or filled with fun and/or goofy samples. No, actually that's what this albums all about! Every track is a remix, or sample really, of an indie band's work. And though I may have been stuck on how cool it was to see a indie folk star like The Tallest Man On Earth being used in a super bouncy and moving number, the whole album has great examples of what can be done with a normal old indie rock n roll track in a bedroom dance and hip-hop-y format! Even though I'm not a big fan of bands like The Decembrists, Local Natives, Kings of Convenience, and Little Joy, the tracks that their work represents in the album is really interesting and gives them life (not to say that they don't have life by themselves but... LEANN GRIMES makes 'em sound.. fun!).

I don't wanna give anything else away though! Some stuff is just meant to be listened to and not picked apart. I will say that The Wild Grit has always been my favorite track, I'm also now a huge fan of Keep Me In Grimes, Memory Noise, Got To Grime and Cats & Dogs in Idaho, I'm also a big fan of classic Disney movies redone in 3D and long walks on the beach but none of that matters... All the track should be listened to!

Last.fm

Loma Prieta - I.V. (2012)

Loma Prieta are a heavy hitting screamo and emotionally violent sounding hardcore rock band from San Fran that just put out a new album earlier this month. It sounds really harsh and noisy! And angry!

Did you know Loma Prieta are made up of some members from Punch, Beau Navire, Sailboats, and us, haunted bodies, and Archeopteryx? Did you also know that I only knew that because it says it on their Last.fm... except I put the bands in order of how much I know them?

Damn your good.

Last.fm

Old Gray - Do I Dare Disturb The Universe (2011)

Old Gray are an emo revival, spoken word, talk to yell bands that come from New Hampshire. I don't know how many of those bands there are down there but I think it's pretty cool. Maybe they'll crawl up to Maine sometime. Maybe they already have... and brought back a deer head for there 2011 release, Do I Dare Disturb The Universe, artwork.

Do I Dare Disturb Universe may only feature 4 tracks but it is full off goodies that will fill you up. They are satisfied with what it sounds like and "put all they had into it". Plus the last track, cleverly titled Instrumental, features the classic Network sample! Yeah its also been used by Maybeshewill, Mouth of the Architect and Transit but it still kicks ass every time I hear it used!

I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore! Find a different monologue for heaven's sake!

Last.fm
Bandcamp


Wiltz - Wiltz (2011)

Wiltz is just the kind of the thing I've been missing from my music diet lately. It's instrumentally technical but not too mathy, off the grid rock-structure wise but not too post rocky, and twinkly but only to a point where it keeps you interested and wanting to listen on.

If only there wasn't already an Irish band with the same credentials.... And that band is Enemies. Hah, would you look at that. No pun intended.

Wiltz is still a good listen in my book.

Last.fm
Bandcamp

NFT'S Got You Covered! Daniel Johnston! ¡En Español!

Various Artists - Hola che, como andas? (Homenaje Argentino a Daniel Johnston) (2011)

This weeks cover album is a one subject cover album with many various artists put on by Japón Records. The subject of interest being covered: Daniel Johnston; the man who has probably been covered as many times as The Beatles, Bob Dylan or The Beach Boys. With that being said, a Daniel Johnston cover is like seeing my socks in your mom's laundry. It's very common.

So common that sometimes just the run of the mill cut-copy cover is not good enough. So when I stumbled into this tribute album, I was quickly surprised to find that it wasn't just another collection of hip household name bands playing more audible versions of our favorite D. Johnston tunes. I also quickly found out a lot of it wasn't in English...

It's an album featuring over 30 bands covering Daniel Johnston in Spanish or broken English! It's got two Walking the Cow covers, three True Love Will Find You In The Ends - one being completely in Spanish including the title, Grievance (becoming one of my favorite Johnston songs from this), Casper The Friendly Ghost, and two Held the Hands (currently my favorite Johnston song) - one in English and the other in Spanish. Along with a ton more classics like The Story Of An Artist, many more songs about love, songs he did with Jad Fair and the scariest rendition of Devil Town I have ever heard. So scary it's unrecognizable to anyone who didn't know it was Devil Town.

Being Spanish is not the only thing that these bands and their covers have got going for them, though. They also bring in very raw and lo-fi sound that begs the question of what if in fact these guys are actually the Spanish versions of Daniel Johnston? Just a handful of unknown bands from wherever they may be who long to be on MTV and be The Beatles? Maybe not. But that still have that desperate sound that echoes the challenges and victories of Daniel Johnston's illustrious career. I could be over thinking things. I mean, these bands could just be really really rough around the edges and just happen to be inspired by Daniel Johnston. I would like to think otherwise, however...

Noteworthy names on this compilation: Jersey Killer, Dr. Gonzo, Fusibles, Amukan, Gasti Explorador, El Mal Menor, Evil Cannibal, Elefantelibre, and a hell of a lot more argentinian rockers (I'm guessing that's where they are from...)


Japón Records

Victor! Fix the Sun again

Victor! Fix the Sun - Person Place or Thing (2009)

Person Place or Thing is Victor! Fix the Sun's follow up to their 2007 release, Retractable Claw. It was also their last. It still had that funky post hardcore goodness that their previous full length had while still being active as Victor! Fix the Sun. Jowls is cool but I don't think anything can replace Victor! Fix the Sun.

Last.fm
Myspace
Paperthin Feather F
Retraceable Claw (NFT review)

Monday XIX

Eat up.

Wilhelm and the Dancing Animals - The Forests Have no Name (2011)

Wilhelm and the Dancing Animals play mostly acoustic music that incorporates indie folk and 

The band is a boy/girl due of Guille and Helen who, by hearing their accents and seeing the language on their Bandcamp, are Spanish or from a Spanish speaking country. I'm not exactly sure, however. Maybe that's not even Spanish.

Wilhelm's 2011 EP release, The Forests Have No Name, comes with three tracks; Twice Alone, Wake Up (not an Arcade Fire cover but definitely reminds me of Where The Wild Things Are) and TEN, GO!. They are easy to get through and Guille has a very unique voice that kind of sounds like the spanish version of Françios Virot. 

Last.fm

The Octopus Project - Identification Parade (2002)

The premiere album of The Octopus Project, Identification Parade, doesn't seem to get discussed too much around music circles it seems. So I checked it out and made an amazing discovery in the track Porno Disaster! If I was a rapper I would rap over Porno Disaster! That's how awesomely dope that track is! 

You better check it out. Since porno might be uncomfortable to search for in Youtube (who are we kidding, there's no porn on Youtube anymore) I took the liberty of searching it for you:

Identification Parade is probably the most scattered work of The Octopus Project with no song really matching the others and everyone could go off on their own and start something else... like some kind of eight armed project... holy moly would you look at that. Too bad this album had nine songs!

I would not necessarily recommend this release to anyone who wanted to get in to The Octopus Project. That job is for One Ten Thousand Million, Hello Avalanche and The House of Apples & Eyeballs with Black Moth Super Rainbow. But there is still tons of amazing works of electronic and instrumental experimentation. It just doesn't had that pop that those other albums feature. And by pop... I mean pop music. Don't believe me? Go listen to Rorol (track two of identification Parade and later rereleased on the 2009 EP, Golden Beds) with Truck (from Hello Avalanche) and you will definitely see a diference in direction. Not that any of these directions are right or wrong. Hah, or left.

Last.fm

Tokyo Cigar - Felt 3.0 (A Tribute to Nancy Sinatra) (2010)

Here's a pretty sweet mashup album for you this week. It's a combination of Felt A.K.A. Slug (of Atmosphere) & MURS (an acronym for Making Underground Raw Shit, for real. No lie) and their album Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez with Nancy Sinatra (Frank Sinatra's daughter who also made music, for real. No lie) and a whole array of her work. The original was also produced by Aesop Rock 

The contrast is solid and yes! there is Bang Bang. Don't worry.  Track 7, "deathmurdermayhem". The only thing that is offsetting about the mashup production is how Tokyo Cigar (the productor of this mix) jacked the vocals up on Nancy so they are bit more high-pitched than what they should be. It does work really well on the first track, I must admit. 

I figured that this would be appropriate with all the hype of Lana Del Rey and her common comparisons to the original Icon of Cool. 

Speedy Ortiz - The Death of Speedy Ortiz (2011)

Speedy Ortiz on this release is just Sadie recording some super tunes at summer camp but she is now accompanied by two gentlemen. I don't know how gentle they are though.

Be sure to check out the video of them on BTR here for a better understanding of what this band is all about! Grass is Green posted it on their Facebook, so I gave it look. I will be checking back on Speedy Ortiz for any further releases! 

Last.fm

(Editors note: I got a chance to see Speedy Ortiz with Grass is Green and a few others at a house show and Sadie was actually accompanied by three gentlemen (bass, guitar and drums)... I still don't know how gentle they are though)

Mouth Washington Demo

Sorry for the lake of regular posts on NFT recently. I've been doing a lot of scheming and planning on some big projects for the future. I've also been planning on excuses to write.

Mouth Washington - Dichotomy Demos (2011)

Mouth Washington are a Portland, Maine noisy and loud post punk band of today. Frontman Max really brings this band to life even before the music plays when explaining the next three songs will be about police brutality and another about what "you are sippin' on". Then when the music comes in like a disabled dog out of the starting gate and filthy nonsense is spilt from the bands instruments you know they are alive and kicking. And only alive and kicking to bring you the funniest time you have ever had at a punk show. The lyrics are none more serious and the drummer (Max's brother I believe) plays like he hasn't had the chance to get on the drums in years! Just a four limb free for all. I don't mind though... I would do the same. 

Every time I see these guys play I am entertained. They don't even have to play music. They are just those kind of people. It's cool that they do though!

This is only their Demo and while i thought it wouldn't do them justice at first, I really am surprised to hear that it actually does capture some of what these guys have to offer music wise. It's still missing their live atmosphere and ridiculous introductions by Max but in a demo aspect the recording couldn't have come out any better for these guys and if it did, well then, it would not have been Mouth Washington.

These guys play some sweet shows down here and around Portland and are the kind of local band ever city should have. They stay true to themselves, aren't looking to be famous, don't care if they aren't the next Iceage or Wavves, don't need to sound like gold records and most of all entertain the audience and love playing music. Whether they love playing with each other is their own business. Whether they like playing with themselves is really their own business.

They also just played a show with Cattle Drums, who I have posted here before, last month and I missed it.  Always a drag when that happens! Hope those guys come back up here some day and play at least a 18+ show so I can see 'em. For Mouth Washington though, I know I'll be seeing them again. 

Happy 101 posts!

This is the 101st post of Nostalgia For Tomorrow! Great Job! We did it!

Take that SOPA!

I dare you to shut me down...

If you can find me!

NFT's Got You Covered! Tera Melos!

This weeks cover album:

Tera Melos - IDIOMS Vol. 1 (2009)

Tera Melos just had to go and pick pretty familiar names like The Pixies, The Beach Boys, Weezer and The Clash... but pick some pretty different tunes then you would expect (which makes looking at the song titles without knowing the original band behind it very much a pain in the ass every time I go back to this album... But I just got to stop forgetting...) as The Pixies cover is not Where is My Mind; it's Tame. The Clash song is not The Guns of Brixton; it's Koka Kola. The Beach Boys song is not Wouldn't It Be Nice; it's Meant For You... Though I'll be mentioning these guys again as they make a cameo on another song. And the Weezer song is not one on Pinkerton or The Blue Album but from Songs From The Black Hole; Blast Off! And that's technically by Rivers Cuomo, the guy who looks like Buddy Holly from Weezer.

Oh yeah! I forgot to mention that, like We Versus The Shark last week, not only did Tera Melos also pick pretty good songs to cover, Tera Melos are also a math rock band but don't try to destroy a simple 49 second Beach Boys' song by throwing in thousands of technical guitar and drum patterns or key signatures (not that that would have time to sense most of these songs are a no longer than 2:10, at least). What they do do is prove that they can play other styles of music in Tera Melos fashion. Also, before this release, I don't think we really heard TM sing this prominently before. Too bad that was the reason I couldn't get in to their 2010 release, Patagonian Rats.  

The thing that really makes this album stand out for me has to be the Polaris Cover. That's right! Polaris. That band from the 90's that did all the music for The Adventures of Pete & Pete! And this time I'm not going to say, "did you think they picked Waiting For October? too bad! They picked Ivy Boy". No no... They picked the theme, that for most of us, is the only thing we can remember from Pete & Pete. Hey Sandy is the name of the theme and a killer nostalgic song all on its own. Tera Melos takes this summery chill out jam from the hip ass childhood you never had and jacked it up by twenty beats almost and turning it into a frantic summer jog on the beach with your man tits flying everywhere! And I love it! Plus, just to tease you, they throw in the chorus to The Beach Boys "God Only Knows" because after you listen to this version, God will be the only one who knows that it's not part of the original because it fits so well. 

They did a hell of a good recreating the intro as well! 

yeah yeah yeah.

Last.fm
Bandcamp

Monday XVIII

Happy Monday. Happy MLK Day. 

CityCop. - Seasons (2011)

Ohio's screamo with acoustic guitars and constant drumming band. This is there second release after The Hope in Forgiving & Giving Up Hope that was posted in an early installment of Monday. 

The instrumentation on this one is just as solid on this one if not stronger. Once in a while they try to do that La Dispute angst singing then do what I can only describe as pussy-ass-talk-singing (a good example of what I'm trying to express my concern with - is the second track, "Spring").  Luckily they've knocked it off a bit since their earlier release which is what I was hoping for. I'm glad they are maturing quickly and hopefully on the right track rather than going off and sounding like some kind of waterdown version of what this genre should be. But maybe they just want to sound childish... I don't know.

So much hate on Martin Luther King day. I apologize.

Also: The first song "bluebird" is a musical rendition of Charles Bukowski's poem of the same name. 

Last.fm

Bandcamp

 

Old Soul - Old Soul (2011)

Classy folk and blues rock. That genre the kids like to call indie rock. And it's from Maine.

I'm really liking the song, "People Are Talking". It's all so simple and yet I really enjoy it all around!

That's all I really know about it though. No Last.fm? Facebook will do.

Bandcamp

Gospel - The Moon is a Dead World (2005)

Gospel's The Moon is a Dead World is a very progressive mix of things such as post hardcore, early screamo, metal, and well... progressive rock I guess. It's very raw and covered in a thick patch of riffs and those other words that mean technical riffage. The drums are played at pounding speeds and frequent heartburn double bassing. There's also singing. 

Last.fm 

And in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.'s big day, here is a song called Martin Luther King Day by lo-fi rock n rollers, Times New Vikings, off their 2009 hip cat approved release, Born Again Revisited:

Because they both made some noise in their day. Except no one calls MLK hipster bullshit. 

SNOW!

Well, no legit snow day for this guy's small town school district but there was still a pretty sweet snow storm today! An honor of all this mysterious white stuff, as in snow... here is Canadian's white boy reggae rapper, and cleverly named, Snow and his super 90's smash hit, Informer:

For the first official snow day around here I'll have something else for ya... But for now, enjoy this gem on your possibly snowy night. It also fits for any season as well for any of you from the future.

NFT's Got You Covered! Wednesdays!

Well I was thinking about making another sweet ass weekly post and felt it would be cool to do one on Wednesdays! Wednesdays? Who does that? I thought. No one! ....Maybe my self-conscious just made me forget that some other site already does this. That's bonkers! Every Wednesday? And only Wednesday? Hmmmm...

So I decided that I love songs by people done by other people and wanted to give them their own little special post. NFT's Got You Covered! is just the post for that and is on Wednesday (hopefully every Wednesday but we'll see about that in time). In other words I will post a band's release that is either a straight up cover album, features all cover songs or just a really good album with (a) really good cover(s)!

Still don't understand? That's weird. Check it:

We Versus The Shark - Murmurmur (2008)

We Versus The Shark were a pretty special Athens, Georgia band that experimented with the powers of math rock, punk, post-punk, dance and in 2008, covering a different inspirational band's song for every one of the months! That's 12 totally legit cover songs! I counted! From Pattern is Movement to Tears For Fears.

While the name of the project, the album art and the fact that are from Athens all seems to wanna lead to you thinking there is a R.E.M. cover song, there is not. So there. And while the album does feature heavy hitters like Radiohead ("Idiotheque"), Tom Waits ("Dirt in the Ground"), and Ben Folds Five ("Regrets"), there is also some lesser known names like The Matt Kurtz One ("Mow You Down Then Put You on a Pedestal") and Drakkar Sauna ("Dog Like This"). There's also the artists who have made a name for themselves in their "little circles" but definitely no R.E.M.

All the tracks are super well done and really show off the bands ability to understand the original intensions of the band and their message. They still did a great job mixing things up and giving them a much more technical sound. They did not throw every song into a triangle arm bar of math rock muscle spasms but it is still very apparent that WVTS had the skills to pay the bills. They really studied each song that were picked and like it says on the site Quote Unquote (That I've put up as the DL link), "We here at We Versus The Shark believe that "interpreting" (whatever) other artists is a good way to learn about structure, melody, and other things we're generally confused by..."

Along with picking some really good jams, Murmurmur by We Versus The Shark introduced me to some rad bands like Pattern is Movement and Future of the Left, and some super far out tracks by Those two bands, Tom Waits and Deerhoofs. They also cover "Head Over Heels" by Tears For Fears for all you Donnie Darko lovers out there or just really love Tears For Fears and Songs from the Big Chair. I have it on vinyl. But who didn't in the 80's...

My favorite covers have to be the Waits' one, Pattern is Movement's "Right Away", Future of the Left's "Suddenly It's A Folk Song", and The Tears For Fears cover. I've actually listened to WVTS's cover of Dirt in the Ground by Tom Waits so much, I wouldn't think the Tom Waits version was the right on if I heard it... Scratch Acid, Television and Shudder To Think also get name dropped covered.

P.S. You can DL all the tracks individually

Last.fm
Myspace
RIP

Monday XVII

More like Nofunday, am I right?

Nacho Picasso - For The Glory (2011)

I usually don't post guilty pleasures like this one but this is the MONDAY post and that entails that I must post the things that I randomly found and listened to a lot! Since the cool kids at my school haven't gotten their ears on this guy and neither have the hip blogs I go to for cultural discomfort, I figured post it now and regret it later. Ahh who cares? I do what I want!

Nacho Picasso is a Seattle rapper who raps about his costume shoes, Steve Urkel frames, tats, being a bad guy, doing gangster things to women and smoking. He also references Henry Rollins, Bad Brains and Marvel comic books, Carlton Banks, The Doors, Danny Glover, DMT and other stuff that is obviously cool to like when you should be straight G. Swag.

Rather than shouting or sounding like he wants to get all up in your boyfriend's face, his rhymes are very laid back as if he was just chilling on the couch smoking a bud. That's a saying right? His rhymes are perfected right on top of the over produced beats by Blue Sky Black Death & Raised By Wolves. I'm guessing they really want you to know they produced this album because it is informed on every track listed on his bandcamp. Oh! But "Dynamite" was co-produced by Eric G (cousin of Kenny G I'm also guessing) because there wasn't enough dank beats going on. Dynamite truthfully has a pretty mint beat to it. I could just be saying that because it features DMX's dog impressions in the intro.

But hey! If you just like the instrumentals they are also featured on his bandcamp. I'm not too sure if they are part of the physical copy, though. If there is one.

One thing I don't feel silly about listing, is that Blockhead remixes his track "Benjamin Segal" (Stephen Segal's cool brother I'm guessing). That's honestly dope. Fo Sho Mos Def.

Best line: I pay a juggalo to come for your jugular, If I like the jugs on her, then I'm probably druggin her. -From "Bad Guy" track number 1... The fucking first line!

Last.fm

Bandcamp

Dad Rocks! - Mount Modern (2011)

Dad Rocks! went and released a full length in 2011 without me knowing, huh? Even after I signed up to be on his emailing list? Well that's okay because I just got the email for the single "Battle Hymn of the Fox Father" just released six days ago for free. The single also comes with a remix, but oh wait! There's also a whole remix album called Mount Modern Remixes or just Mount Remixes that incorprorates every track of the new release remixed by a different band. Every track including the B-side that is on the Weapons single!  So while you can merely stream DR!'s first full-lengther (if buying music is not your thing... I'm not judging... It's 2012) you can grab the Battle Hymn of the Fox Father single and the remix album for no money whatsoever! Now that's how promotion works! I think.

Dad Rocks! (not to be confused with Dads the twinkly emo band from New Jersey or the fact that his other band has a song called "Dads") is the solo project of Snævar Njáll Albertsson. He plays in the Danish band Mimas and has a very prominent singing voice. The Dad Rocks! sound is very much a splendid mix of chill folk and indie. The combination of his voice, acoustic guitare, some trumpets, violins and pianos help his sound go down real smooth. He also makes some swell as all hell covers too.

Last.fm

Smallhouse - Fennec EP (2011) 

Two grown men playing emo noodling math stuff. Short and sweet rough.


Also check out there other summer EP, The Sammy. Stay Still Records.


Last.fm


Joyce Manor - Joyce Manor (2011)

"Punk Rock for Pug puppies" - Last.fm


These guys put out a really good album in 2011. If only I had heard about it sooner. But that's what 2012 is for...


Joyce Manor are quickly becoming one of the best pop punk out there today. Would love to see them come up here to the Pine Tree State with RVIVR and Big Kids or any other cats making that sweet pop punk sound these days. Maybe even Blink 182!


Last.fm
Bandcamp

Pheramones - Amelia Split

Yes this a split album. But I have never been able to find the Amelia side of it, so this is purely just a Pheramones post. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Pheramones - Amelia Split (2009)

Classic pop punk DIY whatever mixed with demanding keyboards that push their sound into some kind of dance punk hybrid. Don't think electroclash though, think keyboardcore...

Pheramones features Steve from the Cleveland, Ohio pop punk band, The Sidekicks and Pat from Shout Out Loud Prints.

These six quick tunes from the split are fun and easy to get through. They are also perfect for those cold winter days where you sure to god wish it was spring already. Enjoy!

Last.fm
If You Make It
January always makes it colder! 
Extra

Monday XVI Breast of 2011 Part II

No chit-chat! Just getting right into it..

Here you go:

Nostalgia For Tomorrow's Favorite Albums of 2011




Defeater - Empty Days & Sleepless Nights (2011)

While I was pretty much settled with Travels and Lost Ground and could have moved on without anymore Defeater releases in my life, I could not but help wonder what it would sound like if their were more acoustic tracks other than the second half of Prophet In Plan Clothes from Travels. Well, Empty Days & Sleepless Nights is the answer. The first part of the album (Empty Days) features Defeater's classic romantic hardcore tunes with Dear Father, Empty Glass, Cemetery Walls and Warm Blood Rush and then delivers just what I was asking for at the end with four acoustic tracks to go along with the Defeater story (Sleepless Nights). The combination of spot on Defeater storytellingcore and super melancholy and personal acoustic tracks made this album an instant favorite of the year for me right away.

My only issue with this album is White Oak Doors. It would be one of - if not my favorite song of the year - if it wasn't a little over 17 minutes long. Before you go all Godspeed You! Black Emperor on me, I would like to explain that this song should only be 6 minutes. Not because I think they shorten it but because there is an 11 minute fade out! I have to wait 11 minutes before I can listen to the acoustic tracks. Eleven minutes of nothing for 11 minutes! That is not hardcore!

Last.fm
Topshelf Records
Bridge Nine

Fucked Up - David Comes To Life (2011)

Fucked Up has figured out how to sound hardcore but still look indie rock and aren't called post-hardcore! Will you look at that!

David Comes To Life is from 2011. I didn't know this until I saw people mentioning their favorite albums of the year so far. I honestly thought I was listening to something from the early 2000's rather than 2011! But you know what? I'm okay with that because I can put this in my favorites list for the year it came out and say that I listened to it in that same year! Great success!

About the Album: It's solid and you should listen to it. because we are all dying on the inside.

Last.fm


Giraffes? Giraffes! - Pink Magick (2011)

I am having a lot of trouble trying to figure out if 2011 was a good year for music or if people's favorite bands just happened to drop new albums.  I mean, it was a good year for that. There was a new Hella album and a new Giraffes? Giraffes! album out this year, so...

Giraffes? Giraffes!

Last.fm
Bandcamp

La Dispute - Wildlife (2011)

2011 saw the likes of all three of the top powerhouses of the hardcore/post-hardcore/punk scene today; that being Defetaer, Touché Amouré and La Dispute. The only reason That TA is not on this list is that I never got around to picking it up Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me and thus it can only get the NFT honorable mention.

La Dispute's 2011 full release, Wildlife though was obviously going to be good. I do not think a band with the credentials of La Dispute can stray away from the signature sound they have created. I mean look at anytime you have a band that tries to pull of the poet singing song styles that Jordan Dreyer brings to the game. Even if the band is just talk singing they will probably be compared to La Dispute and/or have been influenced by LA. That being said though, I do always worry that a band with such a good thing going for them can easily just put out a filler of an album with basic instrumentation and zero emotion, slap their name on it and call it a day (or AOTY).

At first listen I was worried that was what had happen with Wildlife. I waited months for this album to come out to hear nothing I could hold on to and say, "wow, that is something new and exciting!" I just put it on and waited for it to impress me. Unfortunately, at first listen it did not do that. So, I put the thought of Wildlife in the back of my head and moved on with my year as if it was never released. I mean, they had already put out a really solid split with Koji months before, so it wasn't like 2011 was a total bust for the masters of post-hardcore hardcore.

It was not until my friend tipped me off about the track, "King Park" that I realized that not only did La Dispute put out a new album, they put out one of thee most emotional and hard to listen to songs of the year in my opinion. It is no new thing that La Dispute can tell a story as emotional and powerful that you soon start listening to the music with your heart. But Wildlife is probably the best example of this. In their other releases it seemed that all their stories and messages were works of fiction and fairy tales but in Wildlife, every story that is told sounds like a real life depiction if not theirs then someone else. Just as I could relate to those tales told in their previous work, I soon started to really get into the true life accounts and all the letter business. Where La Dispute's earlier work showed you stories of the sea and heartache, themes that are up there in my favorite, this release sees La Dispute exploring life struggles, sufferings and death. I think the opening track says it best "I know I never used to feel like this. I used to never think of death or hear voices. I used to feel like everything was perfectly in order - a 'normal' life - but I guess then came a departure."

That's all I have to say I guess.

Along with King Park, other standout tracks of Wildlife include: A Departure, Harder Harmonies, St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church Blues, The Most Beautiful Bitter Fruit, I See Everything and You And I In Unison.

Last.fm
No Sleep Records
Official site

Death Grips - Exmilitary (2011)

If you think the hippest thing this year was chillwave leftovers, trillwave, that big lipped girl, anything with ghost, young or clams in it, blue slides, mainstream dubstep, bands that still think it's cool to add/drop/lowercase/uppercase/invent random letters to their name or understanding these references then you did not hear Zach Hill's rap project!

All jokes aside, Death Grips really is a rap project. It also really has Zach Hill in it. Don't believe me... Watch this:

While it may seem that Zach Hill would steal the show and it would just sound like Chll Pll or Diamond Watch Wrists or any other beat/electronic dominated Hill project, it is actually the most laid back I have ever heard Hill as a lot of the recorded stuff is redone by either a drum machine or mixed to sound more like one, I really do not know. Since the beats and FX are just right and just out of control, the rap part fits right over the noise. Fits. Noise. Thus, the unknown rapper is very much a big part of the sound and project as Zach Hill. And he's not repping that trill shit...

Don't get me wrong about the laid back part, though. Zach Hill does not know how to lay back... it is just not in him. I don't think he could play a simple AC/DC drum beat if he tried. BUT, I still wouldn't consider Death Grips a Math rap band.  This is really some dark and harsh hip-hop!

Last.fm
Third Worlds

And last but not least:

Metallica + Lou Reed - Lulu (2011)

That face says it all.

Hope Adele you guys had a great year.

NFT's Favorite Songs of 2011

Happy New Year!

To hold you, my humble readers over until tomorrow's super Monday post featuring the second portion of this blog's AOTY list, I have decided to post some of my favorite songs of last year (we can say that now)! Now hear me out, this is not normally a mp3 kind of blog, so I had a little trouble with what to do with these tracks and all that. if there is anything wrong with the links or they need to be taken down just let me know. You know what's up: Download these bad boys as you want but remember that if you like them then you should definitely go out and grab the album or merch.. blah, blah, blah, everyone does it... whatever. But Still.

P.S. The Monday post tomorrow is going to be huge! last weeks was just a little teaser compared to what you'll see tomorrow! NFT is going hard 2012!

Nostalgia For Tomorrow's Favorite Songs of 2011


Death Grips - Beware from Exmilitary (Thirdworlds.net)


Gauntlet Hair - Top Bunk from Gauntlet Hair

La Dispute - King Park from Wildlife

Fucked Up - The Other Shoe from David Comes To Life

Sleeping Bag - Beside from Sleeping Bag

Battles - Ice Cream (featuring Matias Aguayo) from Glass Drop

Wugazi - Sleep Rules Everything Around Me from 13 Chambers

Koji - Peacemaker  from Never Come Undone (split w/ La Dispute) (Bandcamp)

Explosions in the Sky - Trembling Hands from Take Care, Take Care, Take Care

Hella - Psycho Bro from Tripper

Jacob Augustine - Waco from The Original Love

Purity Ring - Ungirthed from 7"


Ramshackle Glory - Bitter Old Man from Live The Dream

Mister Heavenly - Pineapple Girl from Out Of Love

Pterodactyl - Nerds from Spills Out

Summer Camp - I Want You from Welcome To Condale

Tom Waits - Bad As Me from Bad As Me 


Andrew Jackson Jihad - Zombie By The Cranberries By Andrew Jackson Jihad from Knife Man (also check out Back Pack)

Defeater - I Don't Mind From Empty Days & Sleepless Nights

Glass Fingers - Runaway from "this" (and pretty much everything else he put out this year) (but this song is important)