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.