The year in Stuff(but mainly Music)

There was a lot of great music this year, quite a bit of stuff dropped that I never got a chance to listen to. So based on what I did hear this is my list for the year.

1. The Mountain Goats - Transcendental Youth
A great album all the way through. I had it as my favorite album of the year before I saw them live and the show only reinforced their greatness in my mind.
Stand out track - Cry for Judas
The rest of these are in random order.

2. Action Bronson - Blue Chips 2
He's back with another filthy, banging album. Don't worry, he still sounds just like Ghost Face.
Stand Out track - Contemporary Man(He raps over Phil Collins!)

3. Tegan & Sara - Heartthrob
Amazing pop turn for these ladies. I've been listening to this all year long. Another great album that you can let play.
Stand out track - Closer

4. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
The whole family got into this album. Lots of random dance parties due to this coming on.
Stand out track - Instant Crush

5. Neko Case - The worse things get...
Neko is on a roll, putting out one good album after another. This one has some real gems on it.
Stand out track - Night Still Comes

6. GroupLove - Spreading Rumours
This album is just fun.
Stand out track - Ways to Go

7. The National - Trouble will find me
Another band that just seems to put out great albums like clockwork. Not much different from the last album but the last album was amazing.
Stand out track - Pink Rabbits

8. City & Colour - The Hurry and the Harm
This guy hasn't been on my radar for some reason but I heard this album and i'm now all in. His voice is amazing and the song writing is beautiful.
Stand out track - The Hurry and the Harm

9. Haim - Days are gone
These ladies rock. There is a lot of buzz out there about them but it is well deserved.
Stand out track - Don't Save Me

10. Chance the Rapper - Acid Rap
Some of these young guys are tearing it up. Somehow I found myself listening to this album quite a bit. He might not be for everyone but I love it.
Stand out track - Juice

Single of the year - Arthur Beatrice - Grand Union
This group has their first full length album coming out this February, if this song is an indication, it's going to be good.

Most plays. I think I did this last year. Here are the tracks I played the most according to Itunes.
1. Caught in the Briars - Iron & Wine
2. The Desert Babbler - Iron & Wine
3. Cry for Judas - The Mountain Goats
4. Joy - Iron & Wine
5. Instant Crush - Daft Punk
6. Baby Center Stage - Iron & Wine
7. Low Light Buddy of Mine - Iron& Wine
8. Grace for Saints and Ramblers - Iron & Wine
9. Winter Prayers - Iron & Wine
10. Still Life with Hot Deuce on Solver Platter - Titus Andronicus
11. I'm a Loner Dotty, A Rebel - The Get Up Kids
12. Grass Widows - Iron & Wine
13. New Mexico's No Breeze - Iron & Wine
14. Buggin Out - A Tribe Called Quest
15. Waiting Room - Fugazi
16. Lose Yourself to Dance - Daft Punk
17. 'til I Met Thee - Cody Chesnutt
18. Upon Viewing Oregon's Landscape - Titus Andronicus
19. Sundown - Iron&Wine
20. I've Seen Footage - Deathgrips
21. Don't Save Me - Haim
22. I'm Not Your Hero - Tegan & Sara
23. In a Big City - Titus Andronicus
24. Goshen - Beirut
25. Give Life Back to Music - Daft Punk

Book of the Year - The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman

A New Year

Poor neglected blog, it's been a long time since I visited. I didn't tell you about the Mountain Goats show and meeting John Darnell or getting on the list for the Arthur Beatrice show and somehow ending up at a private club for the after party. I skipped over an amazing Iron and Wine show and a weird Rufus(the Australian band) show. There was also that bad ass Neko Case concert and a brain melting Flaming lips experience (with a free t-shirt thrown in). I'll  have to do a better job of checking in with you this year.

Ripper Street and other cool stuff

Is anyone out there watching Ripper Street? It's a great BBC series that must be playing in the U.S. sometime soon. It's set not long after the Jack the Ripper murders and the main inspector had a hand in working on that case although he is doubtful that they actually caught him. Now he and his right hand man Drake(who was in Game of Thrones) are solving crimes with the help of a Yankee. The three main characters are awesome, I can't put my finger on who I like the most. The Inspector recently lost a child(maybe) and is having trouble with his wife but always looks good, dressed in suits that make Sinatra look like a hobo. Drake is The Inspectors right hand man and a war veteran and functions basically as the muscle. He gets to beat the crap out of prisoners during "interrogations" and strong arm anyone they come across. The Yankee is also very compelling. He is an ex pinkerton(probably) and a doctor but is hiding a serious secret. He is also a drunk and living in a brothel while maintaining an magnificent mustache. There are also three female characters who's roles are slowly being fleshed out and will probably be playing larger roles as the series continues. This is a BBC series which means we only get 8 episodes(5 aired last night) but they are well worth getting into. It's fascinating to see how police work was handled back then. They are far removed from CSI and sometimes it drives me a little crazy to see them stomping through a crime scene. This is also well before prisoners had many rights and it's fascinating to see what they can do to get information from someone(I do realize it is probably half fake but I love it nonetheless). Get into it if you can.
While I'm going on about awesome things who's been listening to the new Mountain Goats or Tegan & Sara records? Both are pretty brilliant. The T&S album is surprisingly pop sounding but that's not a complaint, I love singing along to closer.

The Mountain Goats album is amazing as always.

Best Music of 2012

I was looking for something in my notebook the other day and noticed that I had written a end of year music wrap up but hadn't put it on the blog so here it is.
Albums of the Year:
1. Death Grips - The Money Store
2. Titus Andronicus - Local Buisness
3. Andrew Bird - Hands of Glory
4. Father John Misty - Fear Fun
5. Fan Farlo - Rooms filled with light
6. Japandroids - Celebrity Rock
7. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
8. Regina Spektor - What we saw from the cheap seats
9. Amanda Palmer - Theatre is Evil
10. Cody Chesnutt - Landing on a hundred

According to itunes here are the songs I listened to the most in 2012:
1. Fugazi - Waiting Room
2. Fan Farlo - Shiney Things
3. Beirut - Riptide
4. Fan Farlo - Replicate
5. The Shins - Simple Song
6. Joey Bad A$$ - Survival Tactics
7. A Tribe Called Quest - Buggin Out
8. Beirut - Goshen
9. Fan Farlo - Bones
10. Fucked Up - The Other Shoe

A Brilliant Idea

Suddenly I want to buy a motorcycle and go on a trip.

Cody ChestnuTT back at it

How did Cody ChestnuTT release a new album without me knowing? I guess the 10 year? break between albums made me complacent. This new one is pretty awesome.

Pictures from the Net