Monday XXXXXXII - Interesting Albums of 2012

Here are some sweet/interesting/underrated releases of 2012:

Wife - Stoic EP (2012)

The thing that makes this seemingly dragcore/snoozetronic (words I made up of course) release by some band called WIFE actually really awesome is that this is a side project by James Kelly of Altar of Plagues - one of those atmospheric black metal bands that normal people can get into. What makes that better than if Kelly was some bump of the street who was mistakenly picked up as a rising indie rock star that both Pitchfork and MTV adore? Maybe the fact that Kelly genuinely has an interest in electronic music. I'm not just saying that because that's what his Last.fm says either; I can hear it in Wife and his debut EP, 'Stoic'. I can tell that this young musician is experimenting with electronic music the way people have been for a few years now - with dark bass and slow but lingering beeps and blips - the thing that Kelly is doing differently however, is simple really; He's doing it right.

Highlights: all of it; it's only five songs. "Bodies" is my current favorite though:

Last.fm

Sneeze - I'm Going To Kill Myself (2012)

Really the only reason I've been holding on to this release until now is the title. Maybe it's a reference to The Royal Tenenbaums or some sort of dark joke, but I'm not too into it. What's inside, 'I'm Going To Kill Myself' however is a different story. It's filled with some pretty interesting grunge-y type punk rock stuff that was hiding from the 90's and just now ready for proper listening. 

I'm not going to say they sound like Nirvana even though I wrote they were "grunge-y" because there really isn't such a thing in this day and age. I will say this though, if Kurt Cobain was still alive this would probably make his AOTY list. 

It's definitely an album I had to come back to a lot this year. It's a mega grower.

Highlights: "Canker", "Park Her Road", and "Red Bullgirls"

Sneeze are from Allston. Mass.

Last.fm

Old Gray - Everything I Let Go & The Things I Refuse To (2012)

There's not too much I have to say about Old Gray's new release, 'Everything I Let Go & The Things I Refuse To' other than the fact that if it was released earlier in the year I would have been all over it.

Old Gray say they have moved past their old sound of midwest emo as well as past problems, past memories, and from past regrets. For better or for worse, this is their new sound.

The highlight of this album definitely has to be the last track, entitled "Six Years". It features a sample from the pilot episode of one an all time favorite show of mine, Freaks and Geeks. It's also really really sad. Yes really two really's.



Last.fm

Diamond Rugs - Diamond Rugs (2012)

Initially hearing that Dead Confederate's Hardy Morris was going to team up with John McCauley of Deer Tick, I was pretty much all ears. I had no idea that along with members of Black Lip, Los Lobos, and Six Finger Satellite, Diamond Rugs was actually going to be one of the silliest indie rock supergroups ever conceived. Don't let that word "silly" confuse you though, this is still a pretty awesome listen once you get past the fact that these seemingly serious bands like Dead Confederate and Deer Tick are now playing songs about boobs and beer.

I'm not complaining.

The origin of Diamond Rugs was a way for John McCauley to play with one of his favorite bands, Los Lobos. After gathering up all sorts of musicians along the way, Diamond Rugs actually started to look not too shabby and with every member contributing their own songs and ideas - it really isn't too shabby.

All in all, you can tell these musicians came together and just had some fun. It's a nice treat to hear all sorts of different sounds coming together and with the same goal in mind. That goal being boobs and beer of course.

Highlights: "Gimme a Beer", "Country Mile", "Blue Mountains", and "Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant"

NSFW "Blue Mountains" music video:

Soundcloud stream:



Last.fm

69 Favorite Tracks of 2012

I thought it would be fun to list my top 69 songs of 2012. In order. Not something I'm use to doing but wanted to try something new/challenging... here goes nothing:


69. All the Tired Horses (feat. Tim Heidecker) - The Earth is a Man
68. Crescent - Old Man Gloom
67. Return of the Mack (Redux) - The Littlest Viking
66. Salvo - Time Columns
65. We All Rage in Gold - Neurosis
64. Pale Flesh - Crystal Castles
63. Clinamen - Mouse on the Keys
62. Nostalgia - MONO
61. Neato - Three Loco
60. Eye For An Answer - Sirs
59. Schooled Fools - Solos
58. Revelation Blues - The Tallest Man On Earth
57. Oblivion - Grimes
56. Oh Hail No (feat. Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire & Danny Brown) - El-P
55. Librarians Kill for That Kind of Quiet - Dikembe
54. Smear - Innards
53. Trembling - Spraynard
52. Obedear - Purity Ring
51. Grown Up - Danny Brown
50. Hands on the Wheel (feat. A$AP Rocky) - Schoolboy Q
49. The Vivication of Ver - Salome
48. Anchorage - Legs Like Tree Trunks
47. Moira - Necklacing
46. On Floating - The End of The Ocean
45. Spectres to Rust - Split Cranium
44. Riff Sibling - Grass is Green
43. Coral Blue - Converge
42. Orifice Origami - Reptar
41. Solo Swimming - Two Knights
40. Broken Cigarettes - Glocca Morra
39. They Speak With Knives - If These Trees Could Talk
38. Fourth Degree - 6 Degrees
37. Bodies - Wife
36. Monotoned - Jowls
35. Grot - St. Vincent
34. Twice the Life - Dope Body
33. Shazam - Serengeti
32. Free Based - Comadre
30. True Trash - Dan Deacon
29. King of Tricks - We Were Skeletons
28. Cargo Cult - Kaki King
27. Taraxis - Pelican
26. Nowena / 9 .10 - AmenRa
25. Nausea - Wreck & Reference
24. Dokken Rules Ft. Rob Sonic - Aesop Rock (bonus track)
23. Geti Life - Serengeti
22. Dude Love - Best Friends
21. Tibetan Pop Star - Hop Along
20. The Future Is Now - toe
19. Indoor Soccer - Speedy Ortiz
18. Deep Pocket - Glocca Morra
17. time machine - LITE
16. Burial Ground - AWAAS
15. Bad Sound - Spook Houses
14. 08 - KYOTY
13. Only Rabbits - Conjjjecture
12. Shag Carpet - Why?
11. Country Mile - Diamond Rugs
10. I’ve Seen Footage - Death Grips
9. Babe Paralysis - Chalk Talk
8. Laments - Hop Along
7. Punk Rock/Cody - Deafheaven
6. Like Seed - Adventures
5. Six Years - Old Gray
4. Empty Ocean (Shoreless Sea 2012 version) - Butcher Boy
3. Spectrum - Wreck & Reference
2. Good Things - The Menzingers
1. Taking the Red Blood for Granted... Oh, How We Walk on Green Grass - KYOTY

What were yours?

12th and Last Day of NFT Christmas

Merry Christmas!

For all of you who do not celebrate Christmas or Chrimbus, I apologize. However, THIS will be my final post about such things for a long time.

I promise!

Here's what I have left:

Jamaican young-adult mutated ninja tortoises singing "Deck the Halls" with a bit of a pizza-themed twist.

Fan made Pokemon Christmas Bash video featuring Brock humping a Sudowoodo.

Christmas comes early for Doink the Clown when the real Santa Claus appears on WWF Superstars of Wrestling and delivers him his little friend, 'DINK". You know, since there can only be one Doink in the WWF.

Uncle Muscles sing his Christmas wishes. Ho ho ho.

Hope I got you everything you wanted!

11th Day of Christmas + Monday XXXXXXI

Day 11.

Monday:

Lvl Up - Space Brothers (2011)

Lvl Up features the likes of Dave Benton and Nick Corbo from Spook Houses and Sirs. This is sort of their side project featuring a bit more bedroom recording/acoustic/lo-fi stuff than those other bands.

Favorite track would have to be "NIGHTSHADE". Check 'em all out though!



Last.fm

The Chewers - Chuckle Change and also (2012)

The Chewers are a two-man outfit based in West Virginia that make "deliberately off-kilter" music.

Off-kilter is definitely one way of putting it...

I found out about this interesting band/album after looking through my spam mail the other day. I'm not sure how it ended up in there but I'm pretty glad I decided to check. It really makes me wonder how much stuff I miss when I don't check my spam!

Ayeyeyeye!

Official site
Soundcloud
Last.fm

/mu/ - A Very Merry Gripsmas (2011)

4chan made this last year. It's a Death Grips Christmas remix album.

Highlights include: "Takyon the Housetop", "Shock the Halls", and the bonus track, "I've Seen Jingle Bells".



That's all I got.

10th Day of NFT Christmas

Day 10.

Music:

Recently I sent in a playlist idea to one of the local record stores in town, Bull Moose, as they were putting on a contest where the best Christmas playlist posted on their Facebook wall ended up being played in their store one weekend in December. Unfortunately, I didn't win. I did however make it to 'the finals' though and truthfully had a lot of fun putting the damn thing together.

So, long story short, here is a Christmas playlist I made:

Songs not available on Spotify: I like Trains' "Last Christmas" (so I just put "The Christmas Tree Ship" on it instead), La Dispute's "Twas the Night Before Christmas", and Weezer's "The Christmas Song" (a Japanese B-side from 'The Green Album').

Hope you enjoy it!

9th Day of NFT Christmas

Day 9.

Man, I'm really running out of things:

Merry Chrimbus everybody.

8th Day of NFT Christmas

Day 8.

Music:

For the past 13 years, "Arbor Christmas" has been compiling a Christmas collection featuring the likes of By Surprise, It's a King Thing, The Fur Not Longs, Norick Eve, Ages, Young Statues, Aspiga and many more!

Arbor Christmas: Volume 13 (2012)

This 19 song compilation features un-stale holiday-themed jingles that are mostly original numbers. Plus they're by people and bands you don't hate yet! How can you go wrong?




Along with this collection, the people behind Arbor Christmas are putting on their 13th annual Christmas show in New Jersey where most of these acts are from and will be playing. It's a long standing tradition with a great story behind it as well!

All past years' compilations can still be found on Arbor Christmas's bandcamp - and all for free!

I'm also certain that Ages have created enough Christmas songs for these comps and on their own that they have compiled 'em all up and made a Christmas song anthology which is for free on their bandcamp!

Arbor Christmas (for more info on the show and stuff)

7th Day of NFT Christmas

Day 7.

Movie:

This Holiday season, Hulk Hogan is...

SANTA WITH MUSCLES!

There's been a lot of Santa's but none named 'Hulk'.

This complex tale of holiday nonsense also stars: a young Brenda Song, a young Mila Kunis, and the neighbor  from That 70's Show (also starring a more grown up Kunis), Don "Bob Pinciotti" Stark.

IMDB

Enjoy?!

P.S.: More music coming soon! I promise!

6th Day of NFT Christmas

Day 6.

Movie:

Jingle All The Way.

Yes. I'm serious. I like Jingle All The Way...

Because Christmas is really about getting the coolest action figure or having the coolest dad who can kick Santa's frost-bitten ass!

I was going to take this opportunity to write why I genuinely like this movie and how much I can relate to it, but then I figured, what's the use? I know it's bad. It's got Sinbad as a mailman for Christmas' sake! That won't stop me from watching it though.

If you would like to watch someone who at least acts like he hates this masterpiece, I highly recommend you watch the Nostalgic Critic review:

I would definitely watch the Turboman TV show, Doug! I would!

Also: Ironically I think I got a Jake Lloyd action figure for Christmas a few years after this movie came out:

As well as that annoying as hell Jar Jar!

You Mad?

5th Day of NFT Christmas

Day 5.

Wrestling miscellaneous:

In 1995, "Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase once again proved to everyone that he was the biggest heel with the biggest wallet after attacking Savio Vega with his latest purchase, Santa's brother! Ladies and gentleman, I present to you, hailing from the South Pole: Xanta Klaus

That's right! Xanta Klaus! The reverse Santa Clause who would wear black and red instead or white and red, lived in the South Pole instead of the North Pole, and, of course, stole presents instead of gave them!

At least this Claus brother is better than Vince Vaughn (Fred Claus).

Xanta Klaus only appeared a few times on screen in the WWF during the later parts of 1995; I'm guessing he had to go back to the South Pole to re-hydrate his evil powers or something and then his visa expired. He did however have one match while in that short time after appearing for the Christmas themed PPV, In Your House 5: Seasons Beatings, and it was on Raw against Scott Taylor AKA Scotty 2 Hotty! 

                      

Xanta Klaus by Wrestlegameshow

Truth be told, Xanta Klaus actually went east after the end of 1995 and took up a more hardcore wrestling approach as Balls Mahoney in ECW! Looking back on Balls' match as Mr. Klaus, we can see that the chair wielding manic actually knew how to wrestle! Yep, even with that silly costume on.

4th Day of NFT Christmas

Day 4.

Christmas Special:

Since I've never actually seen any of Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special passed the grand opening, I will be watching it as a little "study break" for myself today. And by little, I mean, all day.

Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special (TV) (1988)

Guest stars include: Frankie Avalon, Magic Johnson, Little Richard, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Grace Jones, Charo, K.D. Lang, Joan Rivers, and of course, Santa Claus!

"Mecca lecca hi mecca ho ho ho!"

Enjoy!

Monday XXXXXX

Figured I'd do a regular Monday post before you receive your 4th day of NFT Christmas present.

Spoiled brats.



Apart - Gray Light (2012)

Apart is a group of hip looking kids with nice haircuts. They don't look that angry but they sure sound it... What's up with that?



Last.fm

Leaves Leaves - Tuna Boots (2012)

So good they named themselves twice.

Seriously though, this is another fresh face to the local music world of Portland, Maine. It seems just as one door closes on some of our favorite local acts (RIP: Red Medicine, Huak, and The Waldos soon), another one opens (hello: Conjjjecture, An Anderson, Leaves Leaves).

I guess I can't complaining...

Anyways, Leaves Leaves play lo-fi punk-noise-rock-pop, or as they have cleverly labeled it as on Bandcamp, 'slouch rock'. I kind of actually like the sound of that. I might even use that again sometime.

This debut whatever, entitled, 'Tuna Boots' was mastered by Mike Cunnane at 131 Washington Ave. in Portland, Maine.



No contact/sites yet.

The Taxpayers - "God, Forgive These Bastards" Songs From The Forgotten Life of Henry Turner (2012)

This morning I was just browsing around the scary parts of the internet when I came across a discussion about the new Taxpayers album and why no one added it to their best of 2012 lists yet. Most people just responded with, "oops, I forgot about this album" and, well, I did too honestly. It's too late to take it back, though. Whether I was going to put this on my best of list this year or not, I still feel this album needs some more goddamned listeners! So listen!

Now!



Where a 'Rhythm in the Cages' was a crusty/folky punk mess and 'To Risk So Much for One Damn Meal' sounded just like a Jeff Rosenstock side project with horns gone right, "God, Forgive These Bastard" has some sort of no wave infused folk sound that is overwhelmingly addictive.

All of The Taxpayers' albums are different. Different in a good way of course. However, the forgotten '"God, Forgive These Bastards" Songs From The Forgotten Life of Henry Turner' is clearly becoming my favorite.

Bandcamp
Last.fm

3rd Day of NFT Christmas

Day 3.

Music:

I LIKE TRAINS - The Christmas Tree Ship (2008) (re-released 2012)

I LIKE TRAINS (formerly iLiKETRiANS) re-released their 2008 instrumental concept album entitled, 'The Christmas Tree Ships' after the tragic November 23, 1912 sinking of the Rouse Simmons, a schooner that was nicknamed the Christmas Tree Ship since it carried Christmas trees. 

This time though, I LIKE TRAINS has decided to make it one continues stream of music rather than 5 different tracks. Usually I'm not a big fan of tracks from albums becoming one long piece for my convenience, but this is really much better as one entity. Plus, it's post rock. Post rock tracks are supposed to be long and contain all sorts of parts or "scenes" to give them that orchestral story-telling feel.

The Christmas Tree Ship's "scenes" include, the opening title track about the Rouse Simmons itself, the next three about the other ships that sank that night: "South Shore", "Two Brothers" and "Three Sisters", and the last track, "Friday, Everybody Goodbye" which is dedicated to the opening line of a message in a bottle thrown overboard by the captain. 

Also, if historic ship-sinkings and everyone dying doesn't get you in the holiday spirit, I LIKE TRAINS also have their rendition of "Last Christmas" which is still available here.

Official page

Bandcamp

Last.fm

Also...

The writers at SPIN have put together a 20 song mix featuring hits off their "Best Metal Albums of 2012" list.

While I'm not a big fan of some bands listed (Meshuggah, Gojira, Torche) and others I haven't listened to in ages (Lamb of God, Napalm Death, Deftones), there are still some good picks and new faces to the metal game that I agree deserve a spot on a best of list somewhere. Whether or not it's missing some of my favorites or your favorites... It's still (free) metal; a genre that now a days is so mixed and misinterpreted that it's almost impossible to follow and know just who are the 'best'.

Click for DL

Also, I knew I was never going to get out of posting Tard somewhere this year.

Highlights: Converge, Pallbearer, Neurosis, Horseback, and Enabler. 

SPIN

2nd Day of NFT Christmas

Day 2.

Movie:

The other day, I had a overwhelming nostalgic trip while watching The Santa Clause 3. Not because of my love for the perfect third installment of a beautiful Tim Allen classic (this time featuring one of the greatest actors/celebrities/human beings/someone absolutely watchable/not terrible in any way, Martin Short) but quite the opposite. I was actually so embarrassed that Santa Clause 3: whatever the rest of it was called still existed that my mind started to drift off and put me in a dream sequence where I was a little kid again watching a Christmas movie I had once very much enjoyed. After waking up from this odd Santa Clause 3 paralysis and nostalgic coma, I went on a search to find this mysterious Christmas movie of my past... AKA I went on the computer and looked up: "What is that Christmas movie where they can stop time and must put all the Christmas presents back on Christmas eve" via Google.

Lo and behold, if you actually type all that into Google and press search, the Wikipedia for the movie I was looking for comes up first thing! 'Twas the Night is the name of the movie and it was a classic Disney Channel movie that aired in 2001. It stars Bryan Cranston (or Walter White from Breaking Bad/Hal from Malcolm in the Middle) as a character named Nick Wragley who must pay off thugs that are after his Bosses bank account... by Christmas no less. What does Nick decide to do? He decides to steal Christmas presents on Christmas night after finding out that Santa uses a device to stop time so no one can see the big guy putting children's goodies under the tree!

Not in picture: Elf Jesse

That's Right, folks! Not only has Cranston sold Crystal Meth to save his son from dying, he has also murdered Santa and stolen Christmas to settle a debt for his boss.

Okay, Nick doesn't really kill Santa, but still. He does however knock him unconscious, so it's not like good ol' Kris Kringle just fell off the roof and Nick must fill in for him...

Evenly though Nick's nephew, Danny, who comes for the ride with his uncle as he pretends to be Santa, figures out that he is Grinch-ing everyone out of their presents rather than playing Santa like Tim the Tool Man once did. Feeling betrayed, Danny decides to take off on Santa's fancy new sleigh leaving impostor Santa to fend for himself and learn a bunch of Christmas and family values along the way.

Now doesn't that sound a lot better than Santa Clause 3?

I Do.

'Twas the Night (2001)

IMDB

Happy 2nd day of Christmas!

12 Days of Nostalgia For Tomorrow Christmas

Something about being away from home has caused me to miss the little things in life... Normally I wouldn't be excited about covering by blog with Christmas related posts and being in a 'seasons greetings' mood. Bahumbag! But I miss the simpler times nowadays; the times when I had nothing better to do but wait for Santa to show up at my house (even though I never had a chimney), eat my cookies, drink (most of) my milk, and hopefully leave me the right action figures I had asked for.

So, in the spirit of the great horned hunter god, the Christmas ham, Krampus, Satan, and Saint Nick himself, I present The 12 Days of Nostalgia For Tomorrow Christmas! Sit back, relax, drink some eggnog, and get excited about Christmas again!

Day 1.

Music:

Listener & Dust - Just in Time for Christmas (2005)

Yes, Listener has a Christmas album. But it's not the same 'talk music' Dan Smith that we all know from Wooden Heart. No, in 2005 Dan Smith was still rapping and rapping well for that matter... even if it was about Santa and behaving for the good list. Of course that's not really what this Christmas related album is all about; it's actually much more about real topics like faith, the true meaning of Christmas, poverty, consumerism, and other more serious things than 'hey, it's Christmas! Here's a generic Christmas carol because there's no real-world problems during X-mas".

You don't have to be a religious person to appreciate this little gem either, just remember that Christmas, like any other day, or any other season, will never be perfect. It can actually be a really shitty time...

But let's not dwell on that.

Listener is also accompanied by his friend and Deepspace 5 mate, DJ Dust AKA Nate Corrona of Mars ILL who can be heard on the last track, "That Leaf Sure is Heavy, But You Have to Turn it Over" (I believe).



Love it or hate it, this is an original Christmas album. Anyone can cover 8 classic Christmas tunes - and they do i.e. every pop star who has ever been popular ever. And while not a lot of folks are listeners of Dan Smith for his Deepspace 5 Christian rap days material, it's still him. I mean isn't talk music rap, anyways?

Interesting things to note: Dust is a name of 18 different artists according to Last.fm and, according to Wikipedia, DJ Dust's real name is Adolf Hitler. I kid you not! That sure puts a damper on this whole Christmas album thing if that is true...

Dan Smith's official site (cleverly titled 'thedancemyth')
Last.fm (Listener)
Last.fm (Listener & Dust)

Bonus:

This year for Christmas, Santa Claus is not going to be giving out coal for all you boys and girls on the naughty list. Nope, instead those of you who decided to misbehave this year will receive and must watch beginning-to-end, A Christmas Story 2.

That's right! This year Hollywood not only tried to recycle old toys to movies (again) and 80's flix that the kids today don't know about, they also did THIS. This right here is just plain silliness. Than again, one man's angry rant is another man's (my) pleasure. I actually don't find these things as horrible and "OMG my childhood has been raped in its terribly metaphor-ed anus " as internet people badger on about with shitty things like this. I understand why these kinds of blasphemy-inducers are conceived; it's a cheap way to make some quick money and piss people off. Seriously though, no one asked for this piece of presumable garbage but hey, I might actually make the best of it and watch the damn thing. I won't pay for it or anything but I may have to witness just how bad it really is for myself. Because I'm human... I love watching horrible things.

For anyone who would like to hear more about the sequel to probably the best Christmas movie ever made, I'd suggest checking out the review on Wrestlecrap.com, a site that is usually dedicated to the very worst of pro wrestling - which there is never any shortage of. Trust me.

I don't want to give anything away.. but at one point, a supposedly 15 year old Ralphie, supposedly since he looks old enough to drink through this movie, ends up doing this:

Courtesy of Wrestlecrap

Merry first day of Christmas everyone!

NFT's Got You Covered with Nick Stutsman

Nick Stutsman - Covers (2011)

Here are some sappy covers of other people's stuff by Nick Stutsman of Merchant Ships/Midwest Pen Pals/Park Jefferson fame.

The songs he covers include:

"Eskimo Snow" - Why?

"As Tall As Cliffs" -Margot and the Nuclear So & So's

"Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

"(My) Backward Walk" - Frightened Rabbit

"You're the shit and I'm knee deep in it."

Enjoy.

Last.fm

Monday XXXXXVIII

Despite lots of hip places/sites/magazines posting their best-of lists and stuff, I am waiting until after the holidays just as I did last year.

For those who can't wait though, here are some honorary mentions:

Adventures - Adventures 7" (2012)

Adventures is the name of the Reba Meyers-fronted Code Orange Kids side project. It's really good. Like really really good. 

"Like Seed" is currently my favorite track from this four track 7incher. 

Reba has an awesome singing voice that is both rough and smooth. I would have to say, out of the female fronted releases that came out this year i.e. Traveling, Slingshot Dakota, Lemuria, Cerce and Hop Along, Reba and Adventures takes the cake. That's definitely saying something.

Last.fm (scrobbles to "The" Adventues... watch out!)

The Devil and a Penny - C. (2012)

The Devil and a Penny were so impressive when I saw them last spring. So impressive that I can't get over how much different they sounded live than they do on their recordings. That energy and catchiness I heard live is not captured the same way here on 'C.'. It's a gift and a curse that I saw them I guess. None the less, I must give this album an honorary mention and a high recommendation. They deserve it!

Last.fm

The Guru - Go Easy (2012)

I feel bad that I haven't given The Guru's new release, 'Go Easy' a proper review of its own, (it was high up there on my agenda too) but with finals coming up and all that nonesense, I must place it here for now. 

The Guru had a tough task of following up with another album after releasing the super catchy and fun magic-carpet-ride-on-fire, 'Native Sun' just last year, but 'Go Easy' is still a stellar sophomore album. Is it as good as 'Native Sun'? Ehh maybe - maybe not - but that's not really what's important. What's important is that they still have that disco-rock-whatever sound that got me interested in their sound to began with and tried a little less to sound just like Modest Mouse. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually a fan of Modest Mouse... It's just, these guys aren't Modest Mouse... They're The Guru. And I believe this album really shows that they aren't just being a Modest Mouse-sounding band, they are a band making their own catchy music that is very much their own. 

...And fun!

I was also meaning to mention that these guys were giving both 'Native Sun' and 'Go Easy' away for free this weekend but by the time I found out, it was just too late. Sorry about that...

Last.fm (avaliable for scrobbling on Spotify under "Guru"...)


Stay tuned for more honorary mentions coming soon.

Monday XXXXXVII

Not as goofy as Das Racist's break-up...

Here's Monday 57!

Madson - Madson (2012)

Madson is a twinkly female-fronted act out of CT. It's got a very laid-back, jazzy, edge to it that makes very listenable. The fact that Madson's vox are a female's is also a nice treat since there is so many winy guys singing over noodle-y music these days.It's like that one white lady who works at The Panda Express in the mall...

No.. it's not like that at all.




Last.fm

Jel & Odd Nosdam - Geti Beats vol. 1

Geti Beats is a compilation of beats created for the one and only, Serengeti by Anticon mates Jel and Odd Nosdam (maybe you've heard about them from their numerous other projects via Anticon). The beats come straight off Serengeti's 2012 releases, Kenny Dennis EP and C.A.R. along with three other instrumentals that aren't marked where they belong so maybe they are new beats that Serengeti will be working his magic on very soon. I'd love to talk more about these wonderful beats and 'Geti, especially since he is my favorite rapper of this year, but I don't want to spoil anything before I write the all important AOTY's. So for now, these beats are here as teasers to what's to come (and teasers to anyone who has yet to hear the majestic mic skills of Serengeti).



Last.fm (Jel & Odd Nosdam)

Dan Deacon - Wish Book Volume 1 (2012)

This is Dan Deacon's gift to all us Mainers since he had to cancel his show last month at the Space Gallery in Portland.

Actually, this is a DJ set Dan Deacon created while on tour. It features some great chooses of music such as Animal Collective, Roy Orbison, Silver Apples, Lightning Bolt, The Misfits along with some relevant names and sounds by Psy, Diplo, Rihanna, Death Grips, Grimes and some classics i.e. Marvin Gaye, The Ronettes, Rod Stewart, and Wiz Khalifa. 

All those things are, of course, mashed together and spit back out to bring you a very fun and enjoyable time for any occasion. Because hey, that's the only way you're going to get me to listen to Rihanna... other than the green-screen performance she did on SNL which I actually thoroughly enjoyed. And yes, even while I was sober.

Last.fm

NFT's November 2012 mix

It's December now, so here's November's mix I made using Spotify. Love it or hate it, it has some of the music I want to listen to:

Enjoy and happy December!

Stayed tuned for Monday(s) and maybe a 12 days of Chrimbus special countdown! Right here on NFT!