News

• June 20, 2011 at 03:08 PM

  Kevin 'Sipreano' Howes (Mowest co-producer) Interview on Soul Sides!

  Kevin 'Sipreano' Howes is one of our good buddies. He's an excellent DJ, liner notes writer (wrote the notes for the new Mowest anthology, the Jamaica To Toronto series,and more), curator (also check out his Voluntary In Nature blog), producer, etc. Another fav of ours is Soul-Sides.com, run by the equally excellent Oliver Wang. Check out the interview in "The Sidebar" series on Soul-Sides about Kevin's work on our latest release Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love: Motown's Mowest Story 1971-73.

• June 01, 2011 at 04:22 AM

  V/A "Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love: Motown's Mowest Story 1971-1973" PRE-ORDER

  It's almost too much to believe...a project years in the making and there's less than two weeks before it's released unto the world. That's right, on June 14, 2011, Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love: Motown's Mowest Story 1971-1973, the first ever anthology of Motown's funk/hippie/rock label Mowest, will finally be released! Can't wait to get dibs on a copy? Well, you may pre-0rder the CD and the 2x LP NOW! Here's the back story: in the early 1970’s, Detroit-native and Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. brought his musical family to the left coast, one piece at a time. He began by launching the Mowest subsidiary in 1971, a new L.A.-based label dedicated to coastal grooves and an eye towards the top of the charts. [caption id="attachment_3881" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption=""Mowest" LP - Check the gloss!"][/caption] Regardless of talent, quality, and financial backing, Mowest faced an uphill battle. With the majority of Motown’s focus on the already established names of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross,Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and their latest chart dynamos, The Jackson 5, there wasn’t as much attention being given to the diverse Mowest roster. Acts like Syreeta, Sisters Love, and G.C. Cameron seemed to get lost in the shuffle. Though the label released over forty singles and close to a dozen albums from up and comers like Odyssey to established veterans Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons the expected hits never materialized and the imprint quietly folded in 1973. While Mowest artists The Commodores, Thelma Houston, and the aforementioned Cameron continued on with Motown proper, the sub label’s catalogue quickly gathered dust in the cut-out bins of record stores throughout the States. [caption id="attachment_3882" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption=""Mowest" CD - No skimping on this!"][/caption]

  Forty years later, it’s time for the rest of the world to rediscover what a treasure trove of soulful sounds Mowest left behind. Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love is a lovingly prepared 16-track CD, 2 LP set with epic re-mastering from the original master tapes by engineer Dave Cooley (Blue Note, Warp, Stones Throw, Now Again), extensive liner notes from project curator Kevin “Sipreano” Howes (Jamaica-Toronto series, Doug Randle, Rodriguez, Monks), and Strath Shepard’s (Pacific Standard) impeccable graphic design. This is a slice of Motown like you’ve never heard or seen before.

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  Pre-order Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love: Motown's Mowest Story 1971-1973 (LITA 064 | CD, 2x LP) now from LightInTheAttic.net

• January 03, 2011 at 10:06 AM

  2011...BRING IT ON!

  [caption id="attachment_3077" align="aligncenter" width="237" caption="clink!"][/caption] Well, well...here we are. We strung up ol' 2010 like a big piñ and nocked that sucker to a million pieces. And what's left? Read on... As many of you saw in our 2011 Light In The Attic Subscription Series, we have a whole bunch of releases coming out this year, plus more that haven't been announced yet! Coming up real soon is a release from British psych-folk master Michael Chapman and his righteous 1970 masterpiece Fully Qualified Survivor. We've been working hard on this release and the deluxe gatefold old-style jacket looks so darn good. And the wax? 180 gram pure goodness. The record sounds better than ever! Also be on the lookout for snotty garage rockers The Vagrants! Now you can finally find out what a young Johnny Ramone was digging when he was just a wee lad kicking around Queens, NY. You may also know the band from their cover of “Respect”, included on Lenny Kaye’s almighty Nuggets compilation, or their guitarist, a young pre-Mountain Leslie West. And let's not forget the always sublime Overton Berry! In 2011 we'll be releasing a double album package of the Overton Berry Trio's landmark T.O.B.T. album with the rare At Seattle's Doubletree Inn LP. Heavy 180 gram wax and a gatefold sleeve round out this release. Come on, you just can't say no! But wait! What's that little bit of sunshine just poking through? Well, that'd be the beautiful sunny sound of Mowest! That's right, literally years in the works is our comp of the legendary Motown subsidiary label Mowest (1971-1973). This marks the first time any of these tracks have been complied and the release will feature exellent liner notes by Kevin Sipreano (who wrote notes for our reissues of Rodriguez, Monks, Doug Randle, and the six part Jamaica to Toronto Series). Re-mastered from the original master tapes, these essential gems sound like a zillion bucks. Better put on that sunscreen! ...and there's so, so much more. Keep on the look out, as 2011 is shaping up to be our best year yet! Happy New Year  from all of us at Light In The Attic!

• December 20, 2010 at 02:49 PM

  Set your YouTube eyes on Holiday Time (Volume 1)!

  It's that time of year...you get your presents, buy your over-priced plane tickets, and you bide your time at work by trawling YouTube videos all week! Well, this year, we thought we'd make your search a lil' easier. Think of us as your little Elves. This is a small selection of some of our favorite Holiday videos. Some are old, some are new, and some are both old and new at the same time. Huh? Happy Holidays -- Light In The Attic Now, let's set the tone with the "Cha Cha Heels for Christmas" scene from John Waters' Female Trouble. A touching portrait of the Christmas ritual gift exchange. And now, let's get a little more serious (well, just a little). This gem is The Free Design's "Close Your Mouth (It's Christmas)", which we included as a bonus track on our reissue of You Could Be Born Again. Finally, let's get real serious. Why, cuz this track is seriously good! It's The Mighty Pope & The Sadies doing "White Christmas" on the CBC TV show The Hour. I know it's from last year, but The Mighty Pope rocks! He is featured on our comp Jamaica To Toronto: Soul, Funk & Reggae 1967 - 1974. And according to LITA's numero uno Matt Sullivan, "He's truly the sweetest, coolest dood on the planet." Awe! And to close out the evening, we leave you with a very, very funky Christmas. That's James Brown's Funky Christmas and the track is "Santa Claus, Go Straight To The Ghetto". Take it away, Mr. Brown! And tune in again later this week for, Volume 2. Expect weirdo Christmas, punk Xmas, and some Bob Dylan Holiday video to scramble your mind!

• December 13, 2010 at 02:34 PM

  3rd Annual Year End Extravaganza!

  Ah...it's that time of year again. The year (2010) that we so anticipated last year comes to a grinding halt and we get all excited for the next year. It's a vicious cycle, but here at Light In The Attic, it's a cycle that we love. During the year of 2010 we all enjoyed some pretty, pretttay, prettaaaayyyy good sights, sounds, smells (?), tastes, and vibes! As in previous years, we want to thank all the people that helped us out. P.S. - if you're wondering why the above pic looks familar, it's because it's the original art made by Drew Christie  (thanks again, Drew) for our first Year End Extravaganza. Patrick just added three candles and voila...artwork for this year! So, without further delay, we give you the Light In The Attic 3rd Annual Year End Extravaganza! Stefan Prescott These are the things that helped me through the year, not necessarily all new this year or discovered this year. Film Kidulthood Irreversible Fired Up! Wheedle' Groove Documentary Music Gorillaz Alela Diane Mos Def Little Ann Andreya Triana Azari & III -Reckless with Your Love Leela James African Headcharge Chico Hamilton Seu Jorge @ Almaz Food Paseo (nuff said) Show VV Brown + Little Dragon Other Culturally Important things that helped me through the year: Record Stores Qool Marv's Mixes Chelsea Football Club ( although this has also been painful all year) Learning about the Velvet Underground from the my LITA colleagues. Gordon Parks Dust & Grooves Vinyl Record collectors photos The Onion Lukasz Lysakowski Facebook Page Rosemary Otero 1.) seeing the song "Tyrants" by Black Mountain, live November 29th @ the Showbox 2.) Jim Sullivan "U.F.O." on vinyl- BEST REISSUE OF THE YEAR!!

  3.) Buffalo Springfield reunion!!! at Neil Young's Bridge School benefit at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, CA 4.) Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit at the Chicago Art Institute 5.) Flaming Lips live @ the Paramount on September 27th 6.) meeting Ibrahim Ag Alhabib of Tinariwen 7.) finding "I Don't Wanna Play House" by Tammy Wynette for $2.99 at Sonic Boom in Ballard 8.) Sublime Frequencies' "Jemaa El Fna" 9.) watching Jackie Brown for the first time at the Kalaloch Lodge, in Kalaloch, Washington. 10.) getting hired at Light In The Attic!!!!

  Sandy Wilson Top 10 reasons that Sandy the licensing guy didn't submit a top year-end 10 list 10. Experienced side affects including problems urinating, blurry vision, confusion, and relocated salivary glands 9. Disappeared for 6 months after drinking a case Four Loko with singer of Die Antwoord 8. Lost too much sleep worrying about William Hung's spiritual well-being 7. Felt the need to send hand-written letters to each journalist that requested an interview with Jim Sullivan 6. Was too busy inventing words like 'Fauxmosexual' and 'Procrasterbation' 5. Spent a week straight laughing when he heard a guy wearing a knit cap being referred to as a 'sweater head' 4. Had to be sedated when he thought he heard a Black Angels song on a Chili's commercial 3. Accidentally ate something called Turduckster 2. Still shook up over Farmville beastiality rap 1. His dog smoked it [caption id="attachment_2920" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="So that's where it went..."][/caption] Josh Wright A little assortment, in no particular order - - Moving Light In Attic HQ out of the ghetto and into our new office! - My new little puppy, Maggie (editor's note: not the dog above!) - Paseo and it's mighty Cuban sandwiches...you are always there for me when I need you - Mankei and it's mighty spicy tuna rolls (I ate 10 one night!) - Hawking vinyl at Pitchfork & WFMU (thank you to everyone who visited us!) - UFO, El Gusano, Ten Ragas To A Disco Beat, TL Barrett! Matt Sullivan Kris Kristofferson - Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-72 (LITA 050) There were days and years when it seemed like this would never see the light of day.  It was well worth the wait. Staff Benda Bilili - Tres Tres Fort (Crammed Discs) The record's from '09 but I just discovered it via Henry Rollins' radio show. The tune "Sala Keba" made me literally stop in my tracks.

  

  Ellen's Soul Food (Memphis, TN) The fried chicken is to die for. The Tenth Inning (Ken Burns, PBS) Best Blog (Still) – Pacific Standard Who is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) (Lorber Films) Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here, Double LP Version (XL) Sadly I still haven't seen the man in concert. Come back West! Joanna Newsom - "Good Intentions Paving Company" (Drag City) One word: EPIC. Robert Wyatt - Vinyl Reissues (Domino) Finally! and done so well. Junip - Fields (Mute) The Golden State Cafe (Los Angeles, CA) Best burger on planet earth. Tame Impala - InnerSpeaker (Modular) Stop the bidding war and get this album out in the U.S. Winter's Bone, Seattle International Film Festival, May 28, 2010 Give the Oscar to Jennifer Lawrence. Wheedle's Groove, Bumbershoot, Sept. 4, 2010 One of the greatest days of my life. El Perro Del Mar - "Let Me In" (The Control Group) Mad Men, The Suitcase, Episode 7, Season 4 (AMC) Hanging with Rodriguez (Detroit, MI) There is only one Sixto. Reissue labels like Sublime Frequencies who go the extra mile, and this interview with Frank Gossner (Voodoo Funk) - Zola Jesus - "Sea Talk" Jim Sullivan on Art Bell's Coast to Coast AM, Nov. 19, 2010 Reigning Sound, Nocturnal, Memphis, TN, July 30, 2010 This show blew my head off. Erkyah Badu - New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh (Motown) The Black Angels & Black Mountain, The Showbox, Seattle, WA, Nov. 29, 2010 Tribute to The (real) Dude, William H. Morse II, Cal Poly, Pomona, CA, Sept. 19, 2010 Beach House - Teen Dream (Sub Pop) The Executive Inn, Memphis, TN Words can not describe. You must see it for yourself. Ted Lucas - Ted Lucas (Yoga Records) I couldn't stop listening to the song "Plain & Sane & Simple Melody" Andrew Graham & Swarming Branch - "Take It Easy On Kathy At Least She Can Dance" (Mexican Summer) Kenny Graham & His Satellites - Moondog & Suncat Suites (Trunk) Thanks to Piccadilly in Manchester for the tip. The Moondoggies - Tidelands (Hardly Art) How is this band not a household name?  Proof: new Moondoggies video by Drew Christie Dadahawh - Peace And Love (Dug Out) '74 heady-spiritual-reggae-walkabout via new reissue label set up by Mark Ainley of Honest Jon's & Mark Ernestus of Rhythm & Sound.  Look forward to what's next. Patrick McCarthy Last December, I moved from NYC (after calling it home for 10 years) to Los Angeles. Here are the top reasons why the City of Angeles is the best place to live! Dang, LA has so many good record stores. I often find myself wandering the aisles of Vacation, Origami Vinyl, Atomic Records, Rockaway Records, Records LA, Amoeba, Counterpoint (also a great book store), and Wombelton. Not to mention all the thrift stores I stop at. LA has always been a big music industry town and it's amazing how many great records (largely Promos) you can find at thrift stores. Being a musician too, it's important to have some non-corporate shops to hang out in and pick up various "necessities". One of these is Old Style in Silverlake . Owned by Reuben Cox, Old Style largely features Reuben's own Frankenstein guitars. He also has "secret" shows (The National just did one) and it's a great shop to hang out in and pull some guitar strings. For pedal mania I check out TrueTone in Santa Monica. For synths and other oddities, Future Music in Eagle Rock is kool. [caption id="attachment_2925" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Keepin' it old at Old Style"][/caption] Who says no one in LA reads? This town is loaded with great book stores. Stories in Echo Park always has great used books and nice small run art books. They make a mean coffee too. Skylight in Los Feliz is great too. A very nicely curated music section and zines. Wacko, also in Los Feliz, has all those eye-candy/coffee table books that you kinda feel stupid (intellectually) for buying but you just can't live without. Counterpoint (Hollywood?) has lots of good used books but I tend to get lost in the LPs when I'm there. Ya gotta eat, right? Can't live without burgers from Fix, In and Out, Fatburger and all the Mexican joints, Hugo's Tacos in Atwater, date night at Elf Cafe in Echo Park, Sunday afternoons at Trails Cafe in Griffith Park, daily donuts at Daily Donuts, all the food trucks, and of course the Hollywood, Silverlake, Atwater, and Barnsdall farmers markets. And at night? Great bands to check out. OFF! and Red Kross at Club Lingerie, Featherbeard at HM157, Sweaters at Vacation, Linda Perhacs at the LA Folk Festival, Atriarch at the Three Clubs (lots of ritual sage burning and really loud guitars). [caption id="attachment_2926" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="OFF!"][/caption] And the general lifestyle? Beautiful weather, Griffith Park, The Bronson Caves (Batman!), Barnsdall Park, Malibu, Lake Hollywood Reservoir (besides how much a pain in the ass it is to find), Echo Park, Elysian Park, and on and on. Randy Newman was so right, of course. Pat Thomas Winter's Bone movie and the resulting soundtrack on LITA's new cinewax imprint Southern Kitchen; soul food restaurant in Tacoma, WA drinking with Chris Estey at Linda's! lecturing at Bumbershoot about music of the Black Power era Matt Sullivan turning me onto the music of Jim Sullivan and Lou Bond

  

  Barbara Manning playing at the Sunset Tavern in Ballard debut album released by Can You Imagine? featuring Pete Bagge, Steve Fisk, et al. discovering the Seattle psych band Midday Veil via Dave Segal Mushroom "Naked Stoned and Stabbed" Patti Smith's book "Just Kids" Sipreano - http://voluntaryinnature.blogspot.com/ For some reason, I can’t remember a lot of last year. It’s been a good one though, have no fear. Communing with nature has been a prime focus. Both Light In The Attic and myself count ourselves lucky to be living on the coast. At this point, my focus is on the coming year (Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love: Motown’s Mowest Story 1971-1973, LITA 064!!!), but reflecting back into the void, these are my 2010 highlights… 1) Shooting Wayne McGhie for our From Yard To Yonge-Jamaica To Toronto documentary: Breaking bread with Wayne in the cold Toronto winter of 2004 alongside LITA honcho Matt Sullivan was an occasion I’ll never forget. In 2010, co-director Darby Wheeler and myself spent more time with The Sounds Of Joy (LITA 008) main man, one of Canada’s most unique musical voices. Against many odds, we are working hard to make From Yard To Yonge a reality. Keep your eyes peeled for more news in 2011. 2) Vancouver 2010 Olympics: Though I didn’t follow the sporting action and appalled by the finances, my distaste for the Games was mellowed out somewhat via a booming influx of people (power) and overall positive vibrations. Sorta felt like this sleepy town was awoken for a spell. Basking in the sunlight on the sunny steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery while tram flyers soared across the sky kept me sane for a two-week spell this winter.

  3) Duffy & The Doubters: For me, the best new release of 2010 was easily Ladyhawk singer-songwriter Duffy Driediger’s latest project. Non-believers and curiosity seekers should peep “No Wild Horses” and “Doubters” for proof (*goes well with pudding). Scriptural Supplies is yet another incredible aside from the #1 rock group in Canada.

  4) Needles//Pins: Really hype on this Vancouver trio. DL First World Problems for free HERE. Catch their new album in early 2011. 5) The Mighty Pope recording with Sureshot Symphony Solution in San Francisco: April saw Canada’s boss soul, R&B, and funk legend (LITA 019) record 2 tracks with US crate digger and top breakbeat don Sureshot (The Sharpshooters) for a forthcoming 7”. “Mr. Fortune And Fame” will debut on CBC Radio 2’s The Strombo Show on January 3, 2011. 6) The Power: B.C.’s Sunshine Coast jewel. It’s a healing land where you can play 80’s records to seals, swim in quarries, eat oysters right off the beach, and communicate with tree spirits.

  7) Huey Lewis & The News: Live at the PNE (August 25, 2010). “Heart And Soul.”

  8) Time Cookie: Best DJ mixes of 2010.

  9) Planetarium 2010: April also saw Transmolecular, BCVCO, and yours truly hit the H.R. McMillan planetarium stage with the Poppy Family’s Craig McCaw on mind-bending visuals with all-encompassing support from Morgan Tanner and family. With friends in town from as far away as California and Toronto, the after-party was equally cosmic.

  10) Cratery: Toronto’s one-of-a-kind mix of vintage vinyl madness and music mayhem starring veteran rapper Arcee, the multi-talented Kaewonder, DJ Serious, and a motley crew of guests ranging from super producer Jake One to Alister Johnson (aka Catalist).

  See ya again next year!

  Sipreano

  http://voluntaryinnature.blogspot.com/

  For some reason, I can’t remember a lot of last year. It’s been a good one though, have no fear. Communing with nature has been a prime focus. Both Light In The Attic and myself count ourselves lucky to be living on the coast. At this point, my focus is on the coming year (Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love: Motown’s Mowest Story 1971-1973, LITA 064!!!), but reflecting back into the void, these are my 2010 highlights…

  1) Shooting Wayne McGhie for our From Yard To Yonge-Jamaica To Toronto documentary: Breaking bread with Wayne in the cold Toronto winter of 2004 alongside LITA honcho Matt Sullivan was an occasion I’ll never forget. In 2010, co-director Darby Wheeler and myself spent more time with The Sounds Of Joy (LITA 008) main man, one of Canada’s most unique musical voices. Against many odds, we are working hard to make From Yard To Yonge a reality. Keep your eyes peeled for more news in 2011.

• November 25, 2010 at 07:42 AM

  2011 Light In The Attic Subscription: IS HERE!

  It’s that time of year again when we give you the opportunity to become a trusted LIGHT IN THE ATTIC SUBSCRIBER. “Watcha talkin’ ’bout, Willis?”, you quip. Well, it’s fairly simple. Pick your preferred musical format (CD, LP or Digital), throw down some hard earned dollars (Yes, times are tough but this is quality so forget buying your little brother a snuggie), and you’ll receive eight albums in the Light In The Attic cannon starting in January 2011. There were loads of you that subscribed in ‘09 and even more in ’10. We can’t thank you enough. You once again proved that people out there still care about music and there’s still something inherently special about that physical aspect of music. What’s on tap for 2011? We can’t completely spill the beans, but we can fill you in on a few welcome additions to your record collection in the new year… - Pencilled in as LITA 060 (that means our 60th release in 8 eight years) will be British psych-folk artist MICHAEL CHAPMAN and his 1971 masterpiece FULLY QUALIFIED SURVIVOR, originally released on the Harvest label and long out of print Stateside. The album can be filed alongside the best of Roy Harper, John Martyn, and Bert Jansch. FQS is mastered from the original tapes with Michael’s full involvement via some brilliant notes from Uncut Magazine’s Mick Houghton. - We’ll be continuing our excavation of the Seattle soul scene with a gorgeous double-gatefold vinyl only release of OVERTON BERRY’s first two albums from the early ‘70s. The collection will include unseen photos and new notes by talented Seattle writer Kurt B. Reighley. Remember Overton’s infectious cover of “Hey Jude” on Wheedle’s Groove: Seattle’s Finest in Funk & Soul 1965-75 or his breakbeat sample-worthy 10 minute take on “Jesus Christ Superstar”? Vinyl fiends will be very happy campers. - Alongside Kevin “Sipreano” Howes up in Vancouver, we’ve co-produced the first ever anthology of Motown subsidiary label Mowest (1971-73), Berry Gordy’s short lived endeavor when the Motor City crew left Detroit and set up shop on the West Coast. In the works for years, we’re relieved to finally be putting this sucker to bed for your listening pleasure. Sipreano, who wrote the liner notes for our reissues of Rodriguez, Monks, Doug Randle, and six part Jamaica to Toronto Series once again contributed an excellent essay, discussing the history of Mowest. The material has all been re-mastered from the original tapes. - Next up: we’ll be heading to Forest Hills, New York for the music of sixties snotty garage rockers THE VAGRANTS with help from Ugly Things genius Mike Stax. A young Johnny Ramone would go see The Vagrants play before he blew our minds years later. You may know the band from their cover of “Respect”, included on Lenny Kaye’s almighty Nuggets compilation, or their guitarist, a young pre-Mountain Leslie West. - Then we’re off to South Korea for a deep look at SHIN JUNG-HYEON, who many call Korea’s Godfather of Rock. Since 1958, Mr. Shin has produced, written, and released hundreds of killer sounds from bring-you-to-tears female fronted acid folk to 20-minute psych-drenched shards of guitar beauty. We’ve spent the last few months holed up in South Korea with Mr. Shin and an exhausted translator, filling us in on the life and times of the man, direct from the man’s mouth. He is a living legend, literally sent to prison in the ‘70s for not adhering to the ideals of the then current Korean dictator. Decades later, he’s going strong at 72 years old. Our psychic tells us the Hollywood biopic is just around the corner. - Over the 2010 summer, we once again crashed in the greatest city on earth, MEMPHIS, Tennessee, uncovering a sea of southern gems. That means 2011 will see the continuation of our Memphis Series, which started with Lou Bond’s 1974 album Lou Bond on Stax imprint We Produce. And we promise that there will be a lot more rolling out over the next twelve months. Other than Overton Berry’s vinyl-only release, everything above will be released on both CD and Vinyl. Unfortunately due to licensing restrictions not everything will be available Digitally. The subscription guarantees you the first 8 CDs, 8 LPs, or 5 Digital releases from Light In The Attic in 2011. Give the ultimate gift this holiday season for a loved one, or screw them and get the goods for yourself. All we know is that 2011 is going to be our best year yet. We certainly won’t be sleeping to pull this off, but that’s OK. We’ll sleep when we’re dead. See you in 2011. PRICES INCLUDE SHIPPING For more info and to purchase, click HERE!

  What’s on tap for 2011? We can’t completely spill the beans, but we can fill you in on a few welcome additions to your record collection in the new year…

  - Pencilled in as LITA 060 (that means our 60th release in 8 eight years) will be British psych-folk artist MICHAEL CHAPMAN and his 1971 masterpiece FULLY QUALIFIED SURVIVOR, originally released on the Harvest label and long out of print Stateside. The album can be filed alongside the best of Roy Harper, John Martyn, and Bert Jansch. FQS is mastered from the original tapes with Michael’s full involvement via some brilliant notes from Uncut Magazine’s Mick Houghton.

• December 31, 2009 at 02:58 AM

  LIGHT IN THE ATTIC 3RD ANNUAL YEAR END EXTRAVAGANZA!

  

  It's happened again, the year, slow and ponderous, has churned to an inevitable conclusion.  It's been a year of vast changes in the world and right here in the underground liar of Light In The Attic.  And so much change has occurred - from the death of pop stars to the election of an African-American president - we knew that our little lists couldn't do it justice.  Thus, as we've done now two years running we've reached out the good folk that we love the world over and asked them for their top ten lists.  And we've deemed it, again,:

  READ YEAR ONE HERE!

  READ YEAR TWO HERE!

  We've got lists from musicians, writers, editors, bloggers, co-owners of certain record labels, Spanish music curators, and on and on and on and on ... there's a staggering pile of information below and we implore you, dig in, it'll be well worth your while.

  This year we'd like to thank our main man Strath Shepard for bringing together that fantastic image above.  You're a gem Strath Shepard, a goddamn holiday gem.

  So please, order some pizza, cracked three or four beers and get ready ...

  IT'S THE 3RD ANNUAL LIGHT IN THE ATTIC YEAR END EXTRAVAGANZA!

  Our Light In The Attic Brethren: Robbie Hill, Black On White Affair, Robbie Hill’s Family Affair, Wheedle’s Groove

  

  Favorite Things of 2009 All Time Entertainer/Performer - Michael Jackson Movie - a. Wheedle's Groove, the Movie b. The Temptations Food - Mexican Club to Perform In - The Triple Door Holiday - Christmas Music - ANYTHING by Michael Jackson Candy - Butterfingers TV Show - America's Most Wanted Stephen John Kalinich, Poet

  

  5 Favorite Poets… Walt Whitman Rainer Maria Rilke T.S.Eliot Shakespeare Edwin Markham... 5 Favorite LA Restaurants Spago Peppones Le Votre Sante Pacific Dining Car Saketini 5 favorite Home Run Hitters Ted Kluszewski Mickey Mantle Hank Aaron Babe Ruth Willie Mays Ever Kipp, Tiny Human Publicity 1 The Sheng: It’s a bowl of flutes! 2 Chipotle peppers: Still awesome despite media oversaturation. 3 Milt Jackson: So vibey! 4 Eggs over easy 5 Pre-verbal toddler-speak: language of the nitrous-huffing wood elves. 6 Owen Roe 7 Starting your own company: terrifying, and terrifyingly gratifying. Eddie Shaw, Bass, Monks

  

  Happy New Year, Light in the Attic. Having had my first fifteen minutes of fame and now my second fifteen minutes, to be a Monk does not feel all that bad. The group survived because the Monks are a “we” group, not an “I” group.  There was no “I” until there was a “we.”  Let’s face it. I’m a monk. You’re a monk. We’re all monks – just like the people monking around, above. For 2010, I am finishing a new book PASSING THROUGH MINNESODA AND OTHER ALTERED STATES (732 pages). There are a couple of chapters about the monks in it, but basically it’s about a trumpet player who thinks he’s a pigeon. Even as I do a lot of text writing, music is still the defining activity for me.  I don’t like to listen to old music because the moment of its relevance is normally past.  I’m always looking for the new.  I’m looking for salvation.  I’m looking for an answer. FAVORITES FOR 2009 Favorite places to hear new music:  Austin, TX (naturally) and Buffalo, NY Favorite new groups: (changing all the time) Here’s a couple – 1. Ghostland Observatory – Two zany/weird guys prove that the smallest group possible, is not a trio.  They’re way out there – probably causing a lot of people to scratch their heads and say, “Huh?” 2. Phoenix – There are a couple of different versions of them..  When they test the limits they go somewhere. 3. And there are my friends: The Nuns – Them Bird Things – Kelley Stolz – Grave Brothers Deluxe – 5,6,7,8s – Mike and The Ravens. - Nista Niji Nista – The Raincoats - I have forgotten a few, I know. Favorite older groups: 1. Nine Inch Nails – I saw Trent Reznor live in Reno.  It was my favorite live performance; better than Charles Aznavour who I saw in L.A. (even through I did like his performance). Who says French Chanson singers are not interesting? NIN was over the top. “I want to Fuck You Like An Animal” made me hide underneath my seat. 2. Radiohead – Their pop music always sounds new, even as the singer often sounds like he’s whining. That’s a compliment because there is a lot to cry about. 3. Faust – Klangbad never gets old - so perhaps the context from which it came was ahead of its time. 4. Masserati – A group of guitar players who know how to arrange and play. Great guitar music. 5. Propelerhead – for hip hop, of course – as well as Chemical Brothers - and Eminem – don’t tell anyone. 6. And there are my friends: Henry Rollins – Wayne Kramer - Mark E Smith – Genesis P’Orridge - I have forgotten a few, I know. Favorite jazz: For me, jazz lasts longer than pop-rock-country-folk. At one time or another almost all the jazz musicians were my favorites. My favorites change from day to day. For today they are: 1. Flatland – interesting arrangements 2. Brad Mehldau – jazz piano – rock drums – rough on purpose. 3. Mathias Eick – German trumpet player who plays sparse long notes. On a long rough airplane ride from Warsaw to NYC, he kept me totally in one piece (meditating). Favorite Country: I haven’t been near a cow or a pig in a long time. 1. Charlie Haden’s new release, Rambling Boy - Charlie is also a great jazz bass player - best known as working with Ornette Coleman. Favorite Classical: 1. Still it’s Henryk Góki – perhaps classical music has a longer shelf life. Favorite Light in the Attic Recordings: I haven’t heard all the Light in the Attic artists. 1. Karen Dalton – LITA’s Billie Holiday.  My wife listens to it constantly. 2. Wheedle’s Groove – reminds me of a group I used to work in. “Jesus Christ Pose” got my attention. 3. Black Angels – Rough, raw – in your face. I could get in a barroom fight with this music in the background. 4. Oz Mutantes – a lot different than Milton Nasciemento (one of my favorite Brazilian singer/songwriters.  These songs make me think because they have so many different influences. 5. Free Design – They were too good to make it in NYC – part jazz, part Hi-Lo’s, part ABBA; good singers. Some groups sound better live. Free Design is one of them. They have great back-up musicians.  One of my favorite cuts is an old Duke Ellington tune, “I Like The Sunrise.” I first heard this song, many years ago, sung by Mahalia Jackson. Yes, they are too good to be pop/rock stars. Noah Sanders, Mr. Blog, Criterion Quest

  

  It's been a hell of a year folks. Big moves, upheavals aplenty on the emotional front, and hell, I moved in with a lady. Along the way I've listened to a whole lotta tunes, eaten a whole lotta good food, and seen a whole lotta good shit on various sized boob-tubes. It's been a challenging one, but let me agree with Matthew Sullivan when I say, one of the best. Hope it was just as hard and just as rewarding for you. Top of the Pops - 2009 1. Justin Vernon. The man does nothing wrong. Call me a softy, call me a sell-out, this man makes my heart swell and my pants short. You, you're a cold-hearted grinch. 2. San Francisco. Fuck bread bowls and rice-a-roni, this is the wackiest city in the U.S. of A. Nicknamed the "City of the Perpetual Teenager" and for all the right reasons. 3. The Sandwitches. A late entry to my playlist, but this trio manages to ride the line between 50s doo-wop, Neko Case and oh, I'll say it, Dolly Parton. Matt Sullivan poo-pooed this, but I poo-poo him. 4. Discovering the ones I previously spited. My brother used to try and push his twangy country crap on me and I rebuked him at every turn ... turns out the dirty bastard was correcto and now I'm swimming in the seas of Cohen, Waits, and Bill Callahan. Justin, you're not so much a wanker after all. 5. Garage rock's gritty revival. Perhaps I'm a little deeper 'cause of the SF scene, but Jesus I dipped myself baptismal style in to modern garage rock this year, and for every cigarette burn, I found a gem or four. Call it hipster music, I call it rock 'n' roll. 6. Upheaval - emotional, locational, whatever - it's good for the soul. 7. Alex Healy. Strath Shepard Art Director/Graphic Designer, Pacific Standard

  

  Eirik Johnson at the Henry (up through the end of January). No Age playing a live score to L'Ours (The Bear), the 1989 film by Jean-Jacques Annaud at the Triple Door. The early-'70s d.i.y. architecture influences in this Hussein Chalayan ad campaign, the color in this Miu Miu campaign, and the vast minimalism of this Jil Sander campaign. Richard Avedon at ICP. The opening of the Highline.

  

  Isabel Toledo at FIT. This Miranda July and Roe Ethridge photo series for Vice Magazine. RIP, Irving Penn, Dash Snow, Sam Haskins, et al. Jake One "Home" video (directed by Zia Mohajerjasbi). Lil' Bacon. Sipreano, DJ, writer, producer, Light In The Attic, beyond

  

  1) The Sadies featuring The Mighty Pope - Wow! Late addition y'all. From the ashes of Jamaica to Toronto comes Canada's #1 soul brother with holy musical backing from cosmic country/rock/garage/R&B brothers, The Sadies. LIVE on this year's The Hour Christmas Special (CBC, airing late December 2009, check your listings for local airtimes)! More history in the making! 2) Vancouver - Returned to the coast after 3 years living in Toronto. Loving the beach (Third), ocean (Pacific), mountains (North Shore), Power River (Haslam Lake), friends (you know who you are), family (ditto), food (Chinese, Japanese mostly), and nuff music (Sports, Lightning Dust, and Pink Mountaintops all released new albums in 2009!) 3) Sweet Grass Music - Was stoked to lay down a new 2009 mix ("Sweet Grass Music") for long time homies, Sandinista/2Step from Tokyo, Japan. All-Canadian folk, rock, and psych from the archives. 4) Rodriguez in Vancouver - June saw Vancouver's first taste of Detroit-singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez at the dearly departed Richard's On Richards. Was lucky enough to play vinyl at this event (which also included a solo set from Stephen McBean's Pink Mountaintops and more than able backing from SF's The Fresh & Only's). 5) Vinyl recap - Well, my passion for vinyl has ebbed and flowed quite a bit over the past year. Blogs and Ebay have killed many musical mysteries for us. At this point, I'm looking for the unknown. All genres. Listening with open ears. Biggest find of 2009 is easily Art Snider's Corny Songs I Play On My Organ (Sound Canada). Here's to more... Matt Sullivan, Co-Owner, Light In The Attic

  

  No question the best year of my life… Tying the knot When the economy hits bottom build a bar in your garage Leaving South By Southwest at 8 AM to visit Snow’s BBQ The year of Sixto Rodriguez – seeing the man play at the Barbican in the UK, then having the honor to tour manage the West Coast jaunt Wheedle’s Groove film wraps.  Soon after wins Audience Award at Indie Memphis Film Festival A Great Day In Seattle, Garfield High School, September 27, 2009 Kris Kristofferson & Merle Haggard at The Paramount Theater, Seattle Visiting Stax Museum and meeting Stax alum Lou Bond, Deanie Parker and Al Bell, along with Communications Director Tim Sampson. 2009 Light In The Attic Road Trip – once again we embarked on a fruitful journey.  3,000 miles, 10 days, 50 record stores. Sandy, Cody, Troy & Tyson:  THANK YOU! Deep Water – Film Documentary Eating the best meal of my life at Table, Asheville, NC followed by good times with the crew from Harvest Records Leonard Cohen at WAMU Theater, Seattle Big S Bar, Memphis, TN with the one and only Andria Lisle The Story of Anvil Big Star – Keep An Eye On The Sky WFMU Record Convention – every record you’ve ever wanted under one roof “Song of a Sinner” by Top Drawer from the compilation Forge Your Own Chains (Now Again) – highly recommended when cruising the Los Angeles highways.  Put on repeat and float away New sounds… Bill Callahan, Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers, Soundcarriers, Naomi Shelton, The Amazing, Heartless Bastards, Fruit Bats, Animal Collective, The Fresh & Onlys, Phosphorescent, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Malakai - Snowflake 12", El Perro del Mar, Strange Boys… Best Blog – Pacific Standard Still Bill – I could sit and listen to Bill Withers talk for hours. Seeing the premiere of Twilight: New Moon in Houston, Texas with my wife, her two girlfriends, and thousands of fanatical teenagers and forty year old ladies.  8 sold-out screens in one theater all at 12:01 am.   Could this be the end of the world as we know it? And working on our 2010 release schedule. Thanks for making this far and away the greatest year at Light In The Attic.  All of us here at the label are incredibly grateful for your continued support! The Mighty Pope, Jamaica to Toronto

  

  Calgary Folkfest. working and meeting great people/artists Working with Jason Wilson and friends Road trip to Montreal in the summer Hanging with the Mighty Sip CBC The Hour Discovering a new way to cook salmon Grateful for good friends and family Pat Thomas Top 5 releases of 2009: Big Star - Keep An Eye On The Sky -  Rhino Neil Young - Archives (Volume 1) 1963-1972 - Warner/Reprise Rolling Stones - Get Your Ya-Ya's Out! (3 CD box & DVD) - Abkco John Martyn - Solid Air(2 CD deluxe edition) - Island McCabe & Mrs. Miller - Time For Leaving - Magnetic Sandy Wilson, Film & Television Guru, Light In The Attic I had a lot of things to be grateful for in 2009, here are a few of them in no particular order; The Monks "Boys Are Boys And Girls Are Choice" on Californication The Black Angels "Bloodhounds On My Trail" in the Harley Davidson Iron 883 commercial The Black Angels "Manipulation" in Drew Barrymore's Whip It starring Ellen Page The Black Angels "Sniper At The Gates Of Heaven" on CBS' Numb3rs Finally getting to see The Black Angels "Black Grease" in the film No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos air on PBS' Independent Lens. I'm a HUGE fan of both of those guys, and it was awesome that our music was a part of that film. The Free Design "Love You" again rocking the global ad world in 2009 with a Toyota spot that spanned the EU The Free Design "Love You", in addition to being the closing song for the WEEDS season 4 finale, also appeared on the 2009 soundtrack release along side The Soul Swingers "Brighter Tomorrow" (Wheedle's Groove). So yeah, that's two of our songs on the WEEDS soundtrack release. Damn. Patrinell Staton's"I Let A Good Man Go" (Wheedle's Groove) appeared in film Fighting starring Terrance Howard (Hustle & Flow) Sleepy Sun "Lord" (for ATP Recordings) on Showtime's Californication, also appearing on the soundtrack release. The Blakes "Don't Bother Me" appearing on 90210 The successful completion and release of 3 films that I worked on this year, True Adolescents (Mark Duplass, Melissa Leo) which premiered at SXSW this year, The Wheedle's Groove documentary that won the Audience Choice Award at the Indie Memphis premiere, and Funky Prairie Boy which is still tearing up the festival circuit. The LITA 2009 Road Trip with Black Daisy. From what I remember (i.e. whatever was filmed) we had one hell of a good time. How could you not have a good time with that crew while spreading the gospel according to LITA. Hallelujah! And last but not least, another wonderful year with my amazing girlfriend Leigh. I'm grateful for every day that she puts up with me. Thanks baby! => end transmission, Kirk out <= And the rest of you beautiful people ... John Ballon, Must Hear, liner notes writer for Betty Davis’ Nasty Gal 10. The Beatles Box 9. Barack Obama 8. The L.A. Food Truck Scene 7. Lacoste Red! Collection 6. Green Shoots In The Economy 5. 3 weeks in France 4. David Weidman's art 3. Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression by Stud Turkel 2. Elizabeth Vitanza (and her pizzas) 1. My dad, William Ballon, my he rest in peace Brian James Barr

  

  1) My Cameras: Nikon F2 and Canon AE60. This is gonna sound dramatic, but taking pictures literally changed my way of thinking and, more so, changed the way I see everything. 2) Visiting Ernest Hemingway's Birthplace in Oak Park, Illinois: According to Hemingway himself, Oak Park was a place of "wide lawns and narrow minds." He had no great love for the Chicago suburb as he did for Paris, Key West, Venice, and Idaho, but standing there in the very room in which he was born, everything about the man made sense. 3) Bob Dylan @ WaMu Theatre 10.5.09: The man was on fucking fire this night. Hunched like a vulture over his keyboard, oggling the ladies as he traded licks with Charlie Sexton on "Lay Lady Lay", striking Bobby Darin poses during "Beyond Here Lies Nothing", and that voice...it's not about delivering words anymore, but about pure raw energy and emotion, siphoned up from his charred lungs through a rusty tailpipe of a throat. 4) Duke Ellington - Indigos: Coming home from work one night, my wife said, "Life would be so much nicer if I could walk through the door and hear this every night." From 1957, Indigos is music that lowers the blood pressure and relaxes the shoulders. And like all Ellington's work, it is smooth and utterly cool. Though not considered a high water mark in Ellington's catalog, I think that criticism is unfair and lazy. Anybody who listens to this record and comes to that conclusion must despise beauty. Indigos is as lovely as autumn leaves falling. 5) White Center and Richard Hugo: Middle of this year, I learned my wife and I live two blocks from where the writer Richard Hugo was born and raised, in the South Seattle neighborhood of White Center. Seattle loves to claim Hugo for itself, but he is a White Center boy through and through and I am very proud to live in his hometown. The house was torn down in the 80s, the New Nick is now the Triangle Tavern, the grassy boulevard on 16th Ave SW ripped out and paved over, but much of Hugo's White Center remains intact. 6) William Eggleston: I never would have considered photography had I not seen the work of Bill Eggleston. Pure fucking art, period. 7) Mushrooms: My wife brought home a pocket guidebook called All That The Rain Promises And More and a massive shroomopedia called Mushrooms Demystified. Walking in the woods became a whole different experience thanks to these books. 8) The Interrogative Mood by Padgett Powell: The most important writer in the country right now, Padgett Powell actually brings something new, awe-inspiring, and, most importantly, fun, to the stale fiction market. The Interrogative Mood is a wild ride driven by Powell's own impulses. It's a prose work of nothing but questions, each one telling multiple stories. Do you miss Tab and do you fully understand its disappearance? Do you regard yourself as a connoisseur of anything? Do you anticipate having sex again? Assuming you might have as a child, could you eat Chef Boyardee canned noodles today? Are you lazy? 9) Glacier National Park: We hiked to the tops of mountains where Bighorn sheep looked at us, blankly. We drank beer as we drove. We stood with an Australian couple peering at a mother grizzly and her cubs in the valley below. We ventured to Polebridge, the end of the line. We ate dinner alongside Blackfeet Indians. We did not see any buffalo. 10) Turning 30: For whatever reason, this one felt important-feeling in a way that I cannot quite describe but don't really need to. Bill Bentley, Sonic Boomers Best of 2009 Mayer Hawthorne, A Strange Arrangement (Stone’s Throw) Wilco, Wilco (The Album) (Nonesuch) Mulatu Astatke & the Heliocentrics, Inspiration and Information (Srut) Dawes, North Hills (ATO) Staff Benda Bilili, Tres Tres Fort (Crammed Discs) John Fogerty, The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again (Verve-Forecast) James Hand, Shadow on the Ground (Rounder) Jesse Winchester, Love’s Filling Station (Appleseed) The Avett Brothers, I And Love And You (American) Long John Hunter, Looking for a Party (Blues Express) Peter Blecha, Author, Sonic Boom Top-5  Fresh Local Artists: 1. The Fabulous Hammers:  A band that has captured the old-school "Northwest Sound" with their all-original instrumental tunes. In a day & age when the sound of this region's first strains of rockin' R&B are essentially extinct on the live-music scene, this quintet suddenly appears & brings the form back to life with a vengeance. 2. Lion's Ambition:  A hip-hop group whose original tunes boast endless pop hooks, & whose blend of raps & melodic vocalizing are simply magic. It was my pleasure to serve on the judging panel that awarded them top prize at last summer's exhilarating Battle of the Tech Bands event produced by the Washington Technology Industry Association. 3. Out From Underneath: Far from being just another same 'ol everyday rap-metal band, OFU brings it all to the table: pounding rhythms, punishing riffs, excellent musicianship, great vocals, & memorable melodic hooks. Did I mention scary lyrical themes? Great rock (with some addictive hip-hop inspired beats) -- & nice guys too! 4. Gameboy:  I'm no hip-hop expert -- only been studying the music since I first stumbled across KNHC back in 1982 -- but I do know what I like. Met Gameboy at the U District Street Fair last May, got his brand new It's Already A Classic CD, & was immediately impressed by his pop sensabilities. You wanna hear hooks? Try spinnin'' Gameboy. In my mind, he's already a Northwest classic. 5. The Flanagan Precept:  It would be forgivable to presume -- based on their name alone -- that these guys are an Irish band. However, this rock crew are a Seattle-based group whose collective musicianship, winning vocals, & superior songwriting skills should see them in the town's top ranks before, I predict, next St. Patrick's Day. Zach Cowie, DJ Turquoise Wisdom

  

  1. california 2. fitzy's DOODcast. follow these instructions: go to your itunes at the top click ADVANCED   -  select subscribe to podcast  - copy paste this URL and get ready to party! 3. the first showing of STAR TREK at the arclight dome in los angeles. best vibes ever. 4. selected DJ'ing highlights: the weddings of kevin & amy and ben & zooey. touring with animal collective and then the fleet foxes. every guest spot i jammed at DR WHO. the animal collective big sur after party with me, all the a/c dudes, fitzy, braddax, and cabic all throwing tunes (and getting wasted enough to play the moonshake 45 twice!). the dublab 10 closing party. hearing votel & sheep at hollywood forever. the bobb trimble show in brooklyn. 5. must plays: darrow fletcher - now's the time for love pt 2 45 philwit & pegasus - elephant song 45 chico magnetic band - my sorrow 45 affinity - s/t LP brigitte fontaine & areski - ca va faire un hit 45 u.s. warren & the genghis pea - hard headed woman 45 pentangle - i saw an angel 45 shoes - black vinyl shoes reissue LP larry sanders - child of december 45 circuit rider - s/t reissue LP raekwom - only built 4 cuban linx II LP fairfield parlor - bordeaux rose 45 forever amber - love cycle reissue LP lifetones - for a reason DIGITAL john kongos - he's gonna step on your again 45 mario ft gucci mane - break up DIGITAL cold sun - dark shadows reissue LP amon duul II - archangels thunderbird 45 jay-z - the blueprint 3 DIGITAL alasdair roberts - spoils LP elephant's memory - mongoose 45 3 hur el - hurel arsivi reissue LP the sweet - juicer 45 both the b-music/finders keepers well hung and drive in, turn on, freak out double LP's alessi bros - seabird 45 breakout - na drugim brzegu teczy LP stones throw's forge your own chains double LP anything j dilla anything brian eno anything kanye (still!) Chris Daly, Les Enfants Terribles Top Ten Lessons for New Zombies 1. Braaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiins. (Actually, that's pretty much it.) Kyla Fairchild, No Depression Favorite Albums of 2009 Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers - S/T Vandaveer - Divide and Conquer Gregory Alan Isakov - This Empty Northern Hemisphere Amanda Shires - West Cross Timbers Sam Baker - Cotton Andrew Bird - Noble Beast Built To Spill - There Is No Enemy Neko Case - Middle Cyclone Cave Singers - Welcome Joy Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk Andy Fischer, Vinyl Films Top Five U.S. Craft Beers of the year (in no particular order): Duck Duck Gooze - The Lost Abbey Brewing Company, San Marcos, CA.  A Belgian-style sour, this is one of the greatest summer beers ever.  Crisp, tart, refreshing and delicious. Nelson - Alpine Beer Company, Alpine, CA.  They call it a Golden Rye IPA, I call it the hoppiest loaf of Rye bread you'll ever drink.  Insanely great and probably my beer of the year. Theobroma - Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE.  I may be cheating on this selection since it may have come out in 2008, but it is by far the most complex, incredible beverage I've ever tasted.  Hints of cocoa, chilies... it simply has to be tasted to be believed. Consecration - Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa, CA.  This Cabernet barrel-aged monstrosity is another genius addition to the Russian River slate of Belgian-style Ales, this one brewed with Currants. Complex, complicated and amazing - and for me definitely a sipping beer at 10% abv. Sculpin - Ballast Point Brewing Company, San Diego, CA.  As tasty as an IPA gets, this limited edition single is happy with hops - do whatever you can to get your hands on a few of these. Matt Grady, Factory Twenty Five

  

  Julian Cope - POSTPUNKSAMPLER...A streaming album of the month on Cope's Head Heritage site. Stone Roses 20th Anniversary Limited Collector's Edition...One of the best Box sets of all time w/Vinyl, Prints, CDs, a lemon shaped usb, and a DVD. 92nd Street Y in Tribeca...It may be a pain to get to but has turned into the film venue with the best curation in NYC. Food at the Brooklyn Flea...Papusas, Fish Tacos, Brick oven pizza (from a home made portable oven) and so much more...best food and deal in town...I've waited 45 minutes for a Papusa-and it was worth it. WFMU's Free Music Archive...So many discoveries made on this site (which did lead to many vinyl purchases) FAVORITES OF 2009 Currin Grayson, Independent Weekly The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Team Edward forever, y'all.) The bands in my particular area of North Carolina (So crazy right now, y'all.) Andrew WK (His thoughts alone are worth the soul-evaporating cost of signing up for Twitter, y'all.) Touring with The Avett Brothers for some magazine (Nicest dudes, y'all. Greatest live band at the moment, y'all?) Inauguration Day (Snow in North Carolina. No work. Outdoor hot tub party? Barry O)))bama, y'all) The prolificacy of Tiger Woods' "one-iron" (Hopefully he'll be on Season 8 of VH1's terr(ific/ible) Sex Addicts, y'all.) Big Ears (Knoxville, Tenn., experimental festival with P. Glass, Antony, Matmos, The Necks? Fuck yeah, y'all. KNOXVILLE!) Counter Culture's Ethiopia Idido Misty Valley (Blueberries-n-coffee via Ethiopia via Durham, y'all.) Barista (Revolutionary Portland coffeeshop, y'all.) Meeting Neil Young (at a gas station in Texas, y'all.) Hometapes (This label's killing it, y'all. Best SXSW party people, too.) The Jazz Loft Project (And we thought we knew jazz, y'all.) Alice (the name of my dog, the name of the remarkable finale on Sunn O)))'s new record, and the hottest Twilight character, y'all! ) Cable "Five Inches of Pain" Griffith

  

  Top 5 Things with "5" in the Title (in no particular order): The Jackson 5 (1964 - 1976) Full Fathom Five, Jackson Pollock (1947) Take Five, Dave Brubek Quartet (1959) Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt Vonnegut (1969) Five Fingers of Death, Chang-hwa Jeong (1972) Nancy Guppy, Art Zone TOP TEN THINGS FROM 2009 Herb & Dorothy, a documentary film about a librarian and postal worker from New York who amassed a world-class art collection The awesome SuttonBeresCuller exhibit at Lawrimore Project Working with Greg Pecknold, the phenomenally talented creative director of SHOUT, on a new open for ArtZone Breaking a King Size Nestle Crunch Bar into approximately 32 equal sized pieces, placing them into a small blue bowl, and savoring each chunk while watching old episodes of Perry Mason Local actress Amy Thone in absolutely anything Eric Elbogen's new record Oohs and Aahs Attending the first annual Theatre Puget Sound Gregory Awards Serving Cafe Lago lasagne at my husbands 54th birthday party The debut of Humpday from the wonderful writer/director, Lynn Shelton The seriously talented Reggie Watts & Tommy Smith in Transition @ On the Boards Iñ, Vampi Soul

  

  Music wise. Stuff that keeps repeated again and always. In no special order: 1- BIG STAR BOX SET . The due is paid, and the set is awesome.  None can ever get tired of that stuff, listening to that thousands of times. 2- KAREN DALTON VINYL. The first album delivers so many THINGS that is priceless. You can just play that over and over and get hit harder and harder 3- FRED NEIL - ELEKTRA LP on Sundazed. Released a long time ago but still gets played over and over again. No folk revival gets any better than THIS. 4- JONATHAN RICHMAN LIVE. Nowdays hes giving much better shows than in the past 20 years. He's even playing Modern Lovers songs 5- THE RATIONALS REISSUE. One of the best groups of the 60’s finally reissued properly. All you would expect from white kids from Detroit loving the Kinks and Motown. NOW its time for a BOB SEGER plan. 6- WAU Y LOS ARGGGHS LIVE. Not so many bands deliver so mucho on stage these days. Imagine Jello Biafra fronting We The People. 7- 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS - SIGN OF THE 3 EYED MEN. The Box set 8- STRANGE BOYS LP. From Austin Texas, same as the 3 Eyed Men. Very good debut album with all the elements that a juvenile rock & roll combo must have. 9- FATAI ROLLING DOLLAR. A master of African music that must be reissued no later. 10- PLASTIC PEOPLE OF THE UNIVERSE. From Prague. The definition of Underground . You got to learn the lesson. Michael Jaworski, Mt. Fuji Records

  

  Favorite 10 records of 2009 (that I can remember, and in no particular order) The Intelligence - Fake Surfers - I really wish I could have played guitar on their fall tour. Amazing record. How does Lars do it? Future of the Left - Travels With Myself and Another - Best live band going today. Best live show of the year x 2. Great record. I miss Mclusky less now. Box Elders - Alice and Friends -  One of the funnest records of the year. Great songs, super catchy rock n' roll. Pains of Being Pure at Heart - S/T -  horrible live band, but this record kills me. Blissed out pop gems that are so infectious. The Dutchess and The Duke - Sunset / Sunrise - someone called them campfire punk. I just call it great folk, rock n' roll. Obits - I Blame You - I am such a sucker for Rick Froberg's songs. Great record but I still miss the Hot Snakes Reigning Sound - Love and Curses - Like a lot of folks, I couldn't wait for this one. Greg Cartwright and crew delivered again. Great rock n' roll album. Cass McCombs - Catacombs - Beautiful record that got a million spins on my turntable. Arctic Monkeys - Humbug - I never knew I liked the Arctic Monkeys. Maybe it has something to do with Josh Homme producing. Killer record. Sonic Youth - The Eternal - Arguably the most important band of my generation makes yet another classic record. Lauren, Music Snitch Favorite Albums of 2009: (No particular order) Passion Pit – Manners Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum Freelance Whales – Weathervanes Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest Say Hi – Oohs & Aahs Flaming Lips – Embryonic The Xx – Xx We All Have Hooks For Hands – Made Up Of Tiny Lights Noah and the Whale – The First Days Of Spring Favorite Artists/Bands of 2009: Sunbears, Princeton, The Middle East, Animal Collective, Micachu & The Shapes , Girls, Cold Cave, Mumford And Sons , Spiral Stairs, Lost In The Trees, The Avett Brothers, Yacht, Nurses, Dirty Projectors, Florence And The Machine, The Drums, Port O’Brien, Fever Ray, The Antlers, Sunset Rubdown, Tempo No Tempo, The Cave Singers, Winter Gloves, Electric Tickle Machine, Free Energy, Neon Indian, Banjo or Freakout, Washed Out, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Cribs, New Ruins, Matt & Kim, Cursive, Hot Panda, Memory Tapes… DaVe Lipp, Short and Sweet NYC Top Singles of 09 Solid Gold – Get Over It Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms Papercuts – Future Primitive Hockey – Too Fake Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll Yeasayer - Ambling Alp Silversun Pickups - Panic Switch St. Vincent - Actor Out Of Work Jay-Z – Empire State of Mind Franz Ferdinand – No You Girls Brent Locke, Universal Music Vegas Faves My business travels this year took me to Las Vegas 5 or 6 times (lost count…go figure). Here are the top places I enjoyed (or remembered).  There is “another” list but I can’t post it in public XS Nightclub at Encore Lavo Nightclub at The Palazzo The Foundation Room at House of Blues Mandalay Bay N9NE Steakhouse at The Palms Koi Restaurant at Planet Hollywood Mon Ami Gabi Restaurant at Paris Las Vegas Pho Kim Long (Vietnamese restaurant in a strip mall away from the main strip) Mairead Case 1.  The Megabus – Get most anywhere in the Midwest, for cheap. Sometimes the bus is late and sometimes you get stuck in a corner and can’t open the windows, but it’s always cheap. Why argue with cheap? 2.  Seeing Your Friends Dress Up – So we used to dress all punk whatever, right? But a couple of times this year – weddings, funerals, elections, etc. – we’ve dressed for reasons other than Immediate Self-Expression. Other than Getting Laid. It’s not selling out! It’s getting better at listening and lasting and coming home. Plus it’s not like we got rid of the combat boots or anything. I’m really proud of us 3. This poem, again 4. The Public Collectors Tumblr 5.  Kate Greenstreet reading her poetry – holy shit, man. If she was a band and I was sixteen, I’d wait in a block-long line and buy the t-shirt, too 6.  The Martians Meet the Clock – as my sister pointed out, it would be nice if we could hide our eyeballs in our lips every time we got scared 7.  At Random – There’s this bar in Milwaukee and it has mirrors and mood lighting and waitresses who say “Sweetie” and a chandelier and statues of naked people and ice cream drinks with liquor in them.  Amazing! 8.  Steel Shavings, a journal publishing oral histories from Calumet, IN 9.  Kristine McKenna, asking Iggy Pop which songs make him cry. "Dionne Warwick's," he says. 10. John Ashbery on A Wave. Molotiu on Blogspot. Woodring on Youtube. My So Called Life on Hulu (“Life of Brian” especially). Beth Ditto and Lady Gaga, owning weird on national television. Asterios Polyp. Wave Books. The Raincoats! You. And the bells in Los Jaivas’ “Foto de la Primavera Comunion” Steven Matrick, Kepler Music 1. The Decemberists- Hazards of Love 2. God Help the Girl- God Help the Girl 3. A Place to Bury Strangers- Exploding Head 4. Sharon Van Etten- Because I Was In Love 5. Au Revoir Simone- Still Night, Still Light Michael McDonald, Music Lover, Vinyl Junkie 1. Famous as The Flying Sweet Angel of Joy LP. 2. Sensational Brown Brothers - Stand By Me: A Tribute To Mother 3. Carol Kleyn - Love Has Made Me Stronger LP 4. Guitar Ensemble - The You-N-You LP 5. Ronaye Shandler - Affinity LP 6. Ed Hartman - The River LP 7. Gabrielle - Time Journey 7" 8. Alice Baze - The Gift 7" 9. Daniel Schell & Dick Annegarn - Egmont and The ff Boom LP 10. Little Ann - Deep Shadows Jon Naito, Furloughed writer/bar stool pundit Random things I generally enjoyed about 2009 1 - Weddings. I'm not a romantic by nature, but the three weddings I attended this year were soirees of the highest caliber. A tip of the hat to each party, ace gents and fine dames all. 2 - Old Overholt. Economical and Don Draper approved. I take mine in an Old Fashioned. 3 - Mad Men. The finale was worth watching the entire season alone. Wow. 4 - Tacos El Asadero. LITA co-jefe Matt Sullivan will beg to differ, but my vote for best taco truck (it's actually a school bus painted white) in the city. 5 - The French Onion soup at Cafe Presse. Nothing hits the spot better on a fall evening in Seattle. 6 - The 69 series at Northwest Film Forum. Great idea, perfect execution. 7 - Wallace Stegner. Can't believe it took so long for me to discover him. A true Western writer (in the best sense), and criminally unappreciated. 8 - The Roanoke Tavern. For being the quintessential neighborhood bar (in the best sense), and also within two blocks of my house. 9 - Girls, Album. I don't know if this was the best record I heard all year, but I listened to it more than any other. I'm listening to it right now. 10. Kanye West. Pop stars don't act like stars anymore. Kanye, I love you for your unabashed narcissism, rampant egotism, and doing your damnedest to personally embody all the excesses and untoward behavior of pop stars past. Adam Perry, Boulder Weekly, Westword, Alibi Favorite albums of 2009: 1. Andrew Bird - Noble Beast (Deluxe Edition) 2. Alela Diane - To Be Still 3. Cotton Jones - Paranoid Cocoon 4. British Sea Power - Man of Aran 5. Flaming Lips - Embryonic 6. Heartless Bastards - The Mountain 7. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest 8. Phosphorescent - To Willie 9. Dodos - Time to Die 10. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion Megan Petty, Les Enfants Terribles 1. Alabama football: As an Alabama alum, I couldn’t be more thrilled about the season my beloved Tide has had. Undefeated and gunning for a national title (#13?), and the school’s first Heisman winner to boot (yay Mark Ingram). 2009 was a great year to be Crimson.

  2. SXSW 2009: For a first-timer it was daunting, but a thrill. I loved my introduction to Austin's biggest fest, from the numerous Bang! Bang! Eche! sightings to the crazy intimate and amazing Ringo Deathstarr gig at Headhunter's, to the walking all over downtown Austin in not-yet-broken in cowboy boots. Visting Waterloo Records was an added bonus. 3. Records: Records make my list for the second year in a row. I've accumulated several hundred over the past year, and am still convinced vinyl is just better. I'm obsessively collecting Rolling Stones records, and seem to keep buying Leon Russell. Send recommendations, please. 4. Netflix: I tend to be behind the curve on things, but this year I signed up for Netflix and have been constantly glad I did so. My queue always hovers around 400 things, so I'm probably way behind the curve seeing movies, too. 5. Turning 30: It's the new 20, I hear. 6. Living on Richmond's Monument Avenue: Sure, my apartment leaks and the heat doesn't really work, and I don't have many mod cons, but living on THE poshest (and very historic) street in Richmond makes me really happy. 7. The Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction Tour: Seeing both of these bands together in June (in Maryland) was so very special. Definitely one of the best shows of all of 2009. And of course, meeting one Mr. Reznor, didn't hurt either. 8. Trysts: probably shouldn't require explanation. 9. Music Trivia at Cous Cous: One of my favorite activities in Richmond happens every Tuesday night, at my favorite Richmond watering hole. Music trivia, not for the faint-of-heart (or light of knowledge) at its most unfailingly entertaining, especially when my former team, David Bowie's Nipple Antennae, was constantly emerging as champs. Chris Porter, One Reel, Bumbershoot Festival TOP 5 LIVE SHOWS IN SEATTLE Leonard Cohen - WAMU Theater (one of my Top 5 for the decade!) Raphael Saadiq - Bumbershoot Festival Paul Weller - Moore Theatre Motorhead - Showbox SoDo Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Tractor Tavern TOP 5 CD RELEASES The Clientele - Bonfires on the Heat Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement Shawn Lee - Soul in the Hole Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Tell 'Em What Your Name Is Various Artists "Where The Action Is!  - Los Angeles Nuggets 1965-1968 Honorable mentions to Atlas Sound, Devendra Banhart, The Heavy, and The New Mastersounds Steve Quenell

  

  Top 21 list of the best psyched-out, sitar-laden, organ jams and library sounds I stumbled upon in 2009: 1) Affinity "Night Flight" (1970)/Brainticket "Radagacuca" (1972)/Julian's Treatment "6th Chapter: Altarra, Princess Of The Blue Women" (1970) I'm a sucker for any psych with floating, sometimes Leslie-soaked, female vocals and these three tunes are prime examples. They're what you'd expect to hear while going down the rabbit hole. 2) Al Stewart - "Turn To Earth" (1966) Yes, THAT Al Stewart. Mr. Year-of-the-Cat started as a psychedelic goof ball. Regardless (or because of that), this Yardbirds cover eclipses the original with its haunting vocals and jazzy instrumentation. Broadcast (who I love) totally ripped this song off! 3) Annie Girardot "La femme faux cils" (1968)/Delphine "La fermeture éair" (1966)/France Gall "Laisse Tomber Les Filles" (1964) I thought I'd had my fill of the French pop ladies, but there are still a few nuggets out there that ruled my world this year. Each one of these sends me into fits of yééages. 4) Aphrodite's Child "The Four Horsemen" (1972)/"Altamont" (1972) If The Who were a Greek proto-prog band that did Kenneth Anger soundtracks? Yes! Both songs are off the album "666." Yes! 5) Roger Roger "Safari Park" (1972) Library music master "Roger Roger" wrote countless songs, background music and themes for the BBC and Chappell studio. Not all of them are great, but this sleek, dirty and downright funky song may be his finest moment. 6) David Axelrod "The Smile" (1968)/The Electric Prunes "Holy Are You" (1968) Axelrod's production always floors me and these two songs of his are at the top of this year's most-played list. 7) Ennio Morricone - "Svolta definitiva" (1970)/"Fruscio di Foglie Verdi" (1968) In my constant search for more of his work, El Maestro never ceases to astound me with his output from the 60's & 70's. "Svolta definitiva" grooves hard ala Vampyros Lesbos and "Fruscio di Foglie Verdi" with its haunting mix of Italian choir vocals atop a go-go beat shakes the senses. 8) Los Bravos - "Getting Nowhere" (1967) Los "Black Is Black" Bravos top their more famous hit with this sweet, fuzzed-out rave up. Imagine Gene Pitney doing "My Little Red Book" or just see for yourself. 9) John Cameron - "Swamp Fever" (1973) All around amazing British studio composer, arranger and musician, Cameron did it all including this brooding, flute-filled solid groover. One of the best library tracks ever written. 10) Ozdemir Erdogan Ve Orkestrasi - "Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayim" (late 60's/early 70's) If Procol Harum were Selda's back up band you'd have something closely resembling this sun-soaked, Turkish instrumental delight. Thank-you Ozdemir Erdogan Ve Orkestrasi! 11) Piero Umiliani - "Nostalgia" (1975)/"A New Experience" (late 60's/early 70's) Like fellow composer Morricone, Umiliani was also cranking out some of the sweetest soundtracks and library jams back in his day. These songs both represent what Piero did best: his own brand of hazy, mellow early 70's synth sounds. 12) Marc Moulin/Placebo - "Humpty Dumpty" (1974) Sounding like the theme to a gritty 70's crime drama, Moulin (with his band Placebo) laid down some serious Herbie Hancock-style, punchy horn/smooth rhodes jazz with this mind-blowing track. 13) Serge Gainsbourg - "La Horse" (1969 with Jean-Claude Vannier) I really can't believe how fantastic this Serge instrumental is. It starts off sounding a bit like a John Barry espionage thriller until the beat drops around the 30 second mark and then it's all over. It grooves so hard (fleshed out by a sweet bass line and Vannier's string section) and then, when you think it can't get any better, the drums break it down, followed by a moment of silence, a BANJO SOLO(!), and then it kicks right back into the original jam. My favorite song of the year. Pat Riley, Domino Records That Petrol Emotion live at The Bellhouse, Brooklyn, NY- the band rocked, jumped, wailed and thumped like it was 20 yrs ago. There was kicking of ass AND fun! Animal Collective live at Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY- I got to work their merch booth with my pal Adam and give away posters to fans on a perfect summer night. Dirty Projectors live with guests The Roots and David Byrne at Bowery Ballroom, Manhattan, NY- It just felt like a special night even without the guests. Jesus Lizard live at The Fillmore at Irving Plaza, Manhattan, NY- 15 or so years since I last saw them and Yow is still in your face incredible while being quietly funny. Tour Managing Max Tundra at SXSW and meeting his Japanese superfan. He spoke to her in Japanese sending her into an ecstatic laughing fit where all she could say was "Oh, Max Tundra! Oh, Max Tundra!" then ran away. Rainbow Bridge - Big Wave Rider Atlas Sound - Walkabout Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix Jay Z - Empire State of Mind The Big Pink - Dominos Stuff that I can't exclude Guest spinning with DJ Mona D on East Village Radio The Beastie Boys reissues Nirvana - Bleach reissue Stuff I came to late Q-Tip - The Renaissance Various - Born Bad Vol 1-7 Robert Wyatt - The EPs I will deeply miss Jim Carroll and Lux Interior Kevin Serra, Writer, Kevchino.com Top 13 Albums of 2009 001 | Natureboy - Natureboy Self Released 002 | Warpaint - Exquisite Corpse Self Released 003 | Masterface - Freedom Tower Self Released 004 | Real Estate - Real Estate Woodist 005 | Cass McCombs - Catacombs Domino 006 | The Antlers - Hospice French Kiss 007 | Sharon Van Etten - Because I Was In Love Language of Stone 008 | Beat The Devil - Idiot’s Guide Self Released 009 | Grizzly Bear - Vecktimest Warp 010 | Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers - A Fish Hook An Open Eye Self Released 011 | The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - S/T Slumberland 012 | Volcano Choir - Unmap Jagjaguwar 013 | Wildbird & Peacedrums - The Snake The Control Group Steven Severin, Neumos / Wake Up Productions (in no particular order) The Avett Brothers Bourbon and Ginger The Wire Matts in the Market Vacation NBA season Matthew Smith, Outrageous Cherry 1. Dennis Coffey every Wednesday night at Northern Lights Lounge in Detroit...jamming from 7 to 11 PM...four hours of funk and fuzzbox freakout. 2. Amboy Dukes reunion...4/17/09 in Detroit...Ted Nugent's feedback-drenched solos blaze like an expression of anarchistic hippie idealism that threatens to undermine Ted's weird political notions...especially on "Baby Please Don't Go"! 3. Rhys Chatham's "A Crimson Grail", performed at Lincoln Center, NYC, 8/8/09 with 200 electric guitars...an incredible experience...and Liquid Liquid was on the bill too! 4. Throbbing Gristle in Chicago 4/26/09...the "hits" set was cool, but the film/improvisation set was T.G. in full flight. 5. Flower Travellin' Band live at SXSW...the guitarist plays an instrument that looks like a giant cinnamon roll. The Soundcarriers

  

  Records: There’s been a fare few releases, re-releases, re-visits and purchases this year, which have given The Soundcarriers camp a tilt in their kilts. Well worth mentioning include:

  

  Pish – Inner Space LP (Akarma/Wah Wah Spain LPS061)/ Various Artists, The Sound Of Wonder (Finders Keepers FKR023LP) Martin – Sly Stone, Rock Dirge 45 (Woodstock Records WOO001) / Serge Gainsbourg, Historie De Melody Nelson LP (Light In The Attic LITA040) Leonore –  Mazzy Star, Among My Swan CD (Capitol 7243 8 27224 2 7) favourite track: "Rhymes Of An Hour" Hazel – Rodriguez, Coming From Reality Fashion:

  

  Since 1784, John Smedley have been producing the finest quality knitwear in the beautiful setting of Lea Mills, Matlock, not far from the breathtaking Peak District, Derbyshire -  And in 2009 have been keeping The Soundcarriers warm in winter and cool in summer. John Smedley knitwear is truly sublime, the finest 30 gauge knit is fully-fashioned and hand-linked in the most luxurious Merino wool and Sea-Island cotton. Pish wears - Hepworth in muscovado Adam wears - Elliot in pine needle Dorian wears - Tarquin Cardigan in navy Leonore wears - Dolly in charcoal and Gabo gloves Bands: Adam - Fraser King – The Witch and Mr. Woo Nightclubs: Two fantastic nights we’d like to mention: Martin - A good few beers were sunk, and some great 45s spun at Rock’n’Roll Soul.  Downstairs at the deliciously loungey club The Phoenix, Cavendish Square, just off London’s glittering Oxford St, there’s a great night happening once a month; previous guest DJs include Acid Jazz legend Eddie Piller, Jazzman Gerald, The Bees, Andy Lewis and a couple of drunk cats who go under the tag The Soundcarriers DJs. Reputed to have ‘More Soul Than A Shoe Shop’ – and endorsed by the late Arthur Lee – this is a top night! London Pride served on draught in proper mugs, too. Expect to hear: Johnny Jones & The King Casuals – ‘Purple Haze’; The Faces – ‘Stay With Me’; Pigmeat Markham – ‘Here Comes The Judge’

  

  Pish – Raw Rockabilly, Blues Stompers, Surf Instros, Garage & Frat, New Orleans R&B and anything Titty Shaker related... all on 45. Not a compact disc insight? Then, that’ll be Nottingham’s strictly dancefloor rock ‘n roll night The Rubber Room Heavyweight collectors Martin Lawrie and Nick Smith spin the wild sounds up at The Maze, creating a soundtrack made for nipple tassels and leopard print. Books/Publications: Martin – It’s been a real honour to have been featured in some brilliant magazines this year, and none more so great than the fab and happening Shindig!. Jon ‘Mojo’ Mills and crew have a really good thing going on here. In-depth and informative articles on everything great in this musical world of ours. Highlight – Julie Driscoll feature. Fab! Leonore – Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer Adam – Black Snow by Mikhail Bulgakov Pish - Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley Novels Exhibitions/Galleries: Pish – The Museum Of Brands, Packaging and Advertising. Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London Martin – I really drew the short straw here! I couldn’t handle the 30 minute queue at The Royal Academy Of Arts, so left George to enjoy the magical delights of Anish Kapoor on his own, whilst I spent 30 minutes on the tube, and 20 mins in heavy rain to get to the Tate Modern to view Pop Life: Art In A Material World, which I’m not going to even say one word about in case I’m mistakenly accused of promoting this travesty of an exhibition. Whereas George had a time of his life! The towering pile of large chrome balls (Tall tree and the eye) reaching for the sky in the museum’s courtyard: reflecting buildings, people, sky, is breathtaking alone, and sets the standard for a fantastic exhibition of modern, ingenious and challenging sculpture.

  

  Hazel - Passion for Fashion & Fine Textiles including an Important Audrey Hepburn Collection – Kerry Taylor Auctions  - Fantastic pre-Auction viewing of Audrey Hepburn’s infamous wardrobe. Blog: Martin – Paul Smith. Love this man’s blog! It’s just hard not to feel lazy when you read how much he gets up to! Film: Adam- A Serious Man – The Coen Brothers Event:

  

  Martin - Got to be really self-indulgent here, but the event of my year has to be my wedding to my beautiful new wife Hazel. It was an unbelievably special, emotional day. Set in the home where Hazel grew up in Braunston, a historic canal-side village, we were so touched by how many people dear to us traveled great distances to share our special day (cheers Jules for coming all the way over from Japan), eat fresh North Sea lobster, dance to some of the greatest records and drink some of the finest ale. And huge thanks to The Soundcarriers for rocking the World War II marquee! Pish - This time last year, we were still celebrating the continued success of legendary independent record store, Selectadisc, Nottingham. Sadly, but with dignity still in-tact, Selectadisc ceased trading earlier this year. Ex-staff from all over the shop’s 43 years of supplying records to the residents of Notts and further afield, came along on its last day and leant their services in what can only be described as a wake. As the shutters came down for the last time on this much loved shop, tears in many people’s eyes, the partying continued into the small hours, with many of the staff DJing their record collections purchased over the years from one of Nottingham’s institutions, Selectadisc. Much missed. Gigs/Festivals: We all had a fantastic time at the superbly organised, super friendly festival The Green Man. It was a real treat to open the main stage on the Saturday. Other highlights include: Leonore – “The Dirty Three live was one of the best things I’ve seen in years”; Joe Boyd reading and expanding on extracts from his book White Bicycles; having a ‘Gong Bath’; Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve slick DJ set... A brilliant festival set in the beautiful Welsh Brecon Beacons

  

  Martin -   The Godfathers Of Groove, Jazz Cafe, London. Rueben Wilson, Bernard Purdie and Grant Green Jr. The line-up and title says it all. Legends! Pure Hammond and guitar groove from the originators. Witnessing Wilson’s effortless B3 style was worth the ticket price alone, whilst Purdie’s a complete all round entertainer. Just a shame Purdie’s kit has lost that baggy Blue Note sound and raspy snare – instead a bit flat and Rock School sounding. Apart from that minor gripe, a night in groove heaven. Sookie Sookie People: And finally, we’d like to mention a few names who have helped to make 2009 a year to remember in the Soundcarriers world: Dave Cooper at Melodic, Will Lawrence at In House Press, Matt Sullivan at Light In The Attic, Chris Dedrick, White Denim, Justin 'The Professor' Spear, Jon 'Mojo' Mills, George Vedmore, Jim Cooke, Jo and Danny at The Green Man, Charlotte Foy at John Smedley, Jon Matthews, Keith Haworth, and Kieron Tyler for voting Harmonium as album of the year Gabe Spierer, Beggar's Group Five things I liked this year (not the definitive year-end list, but a LITA exclusive): an album: The Horrors - Primary Colours a dog: one specific Dachshund named Dorothy a country: Brazil a rookie: Brandon Jennings (got to watch him for the first time last night on my just-purchased NBA League Pass. Milwaukee, who's psyched?) a concert: Nine Inch Nails live at Bowery Ballroom Jeff Terich Editor, Treblezine.com Top 10 events/albums/songs, etc. of 2009 1. Getting married 2. Dining on Octopus, tuna and patatas bravas at Inopia in Barcelona 3. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest 4. Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" (but not so much the rest of Blueprint 3) 5. covering Fugazi's "Waiting Room" with a tuba player for Musical Pursuit at the Whistle Stop 6. Baroness at The Casbah 7. Baroness' - Blue Record 8. Raekwon's - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II 9. 30 Rock 10. Grizzly Bear at The Belly Up, incorporating mason jars as lights into their stage setup Kieron Tyler, Writer Top Eleven Albums Of The Year The Soundcarriers - Harmonium (Melodic) 1. The Amazing – S/T (Subliminal Sounds) 2. Benjamin Biolay - La Superbe (Naï) 3. Shogun Kunitoki - Vinonaamakasio (Fonal Records) 4. Blk Jks - After Robots (Secretly Canadian) 5. Oh No Ono – Eggs (Morningside) 6. Soap & Skin - Lovetune For Vacuum (PIAS Recordings) 7. Papercuts - You Can Have What You Want (Memphis Industries) 8. Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement (Stones Throw) 9. Pierre Lapointe - Sentiments Humains (Audigram) 10. MúSing Along To Songs You Don’t Know (Morr Music) Top Eleven Reissues Of The Year 1. Various - Where The Action Is (Rhino) 2. Harmonia & Eno ’76 - Tracks and Traces reissue (Grönd) 3. Various - Clap Your Hands Stamp Your Feet (Excelsior Recordings) 4. 13th Floor Elevators - Sign Of The 3 Eyed Men (Charly) 5. The Inner Space (i.e. Can) - Agilok & Blubbo (Wah Wah) 6. Various – Saint Etienne Present Songs For The Dog & Duck (Ace) 7. The Master’s Apprentices – S/T (Aztec Music) 8. Various – Britain Learns To Rock (Fantastic Voyage) 9. Jacques Dutronc – Et Moi Et Moi Et Moi (RPM International) – I know it’s one of mine, but it’s great, so there. 10. Heldon – S/T (Wah Wah) Pari Zangeneh – The Series Of Music For Young Adults Iranian Folk Songs (Institute For The Intellectual Development Of Children And Young Adults) – ok, it’s a bootleg, but how else are you going to get an Iranian album for 1976? Greg Vandy, Host, KEXP - The Roadhouse Pickathon (in Portland): the heat! the dust! the music! Cliff Lee trade to M's: solid one-two in the rotation! Frank Fairfield LIVE In The Roadhouse: time travelin'! Mad Men: the set designs alone.... Rodriguez @ Triple Door (& party at Sully's pad): sugarman! No Depression Fest @ Marymoore Park: rapping with the stars! The Roadhouse Summer Sell-Out Radio Show: cuz it's summer and it feels good... Breaking Bad: tuco! ring! Wheedle's Groove Documentary: bold soul sister! Alela Diane: #2 album- super sweet Fire In My Bones Compilation: #1 album- old rare raw black gospel! My Wedding @ Sodo Park: featuring performances by Michael Vermillion, Mark Pickerel, Shane Tutmarc, & Zoe Muth! thank you!! Adam Voith, Billions Top 5 Cheats While Trying to Lose 25 lbs: 5: Entire package of Pinwheel Chocolate Covered Marshmallow cookies 4: Large Double Chocolate Fudge milkshake from Steak n Shake 3: Twelve 100 Calorie Packs of Chips Deluxe cookies in one less than one hour 2: Two Limited Edition Fudge Snickers candy bars in less than twenty minutes 1: Wendy's Double w/ Cheese for lunch, Steak n Shake Double w/ Cheese for dinner Geoffrey Weiss, Hollywood Records Some highlights of 2009: The Hunches - Exit Dreams.  Oddly emotional, completely vicious, the Hunches were a unique band, and this swan song is worthy of the titanic legacy that will grow up around them. Cold Sun - Dark Shadows -  I don't know when the fancy new version actually came out (the '80's version on Rockadelic was awesome, but this is even better), but I played it a lot in 2009, and it really is that rarest of things, a lost psychedelic masterpiece.  If it had come out when it was recorded, there would be bad tribute albums to it.  Get the vinyl, get the CD, download it, or sing it to yourself. Francis Harold & the Holograms - Who Said These Were Happy Times? An illustration of the subjectivity of the listening experience.  I play this, and  feel waves of bliss like when Loveless was new,  I play it for other people and they cover their ears and run away.  Folks compare FHH to other things and I just don't know what they're talking about. Lost Abbey - 10 Commandments Ale - Event Beer.  If I've got one in the fridge, II look forward to opening it all day.  I should also mention Golden State on Fairfax, because Jason there has real enthusiasm for what he does, and he always has great beers on tap. The Thomas Function - I love "In the Valley of Sickness."  The words that come out of Josh Macero's mouth surprise me every time. Lucky Luke - Traveling for a Living- As mossy and flinty as the best UK folk, with real forward momentum.  This album has been a few years coming, but when you play it it's whenever  you  want it to be.  Harvest, Vertigo, Trailer, Transatlantic, Mexican Summer. Ed Solo- Watch Your Eyes -  Maybe there is lots of electronic music this odd and immediate, if so please tell me.  At my house, this is a game ender. Scrotum Poles- Auchmithie Forever - I haven't actually played the vinyl yet, but just the idea that this came out in 2009 makes me happy.  And I have all the songs, and they're all great, so it's not a complete abstraction. Where the Wild Things Are - (the movie).  Beautiful, odd, soulful.  A great, insightful film.  I don't know if it's for kids, but it's for me. John Wenzel, The Denver Post National albums: 1. Metric – Fantasies (PIAS/Metric) 2. Smug Brothers – Fortune Rumors (self-released EPs) 3. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic (Warner Bros.) 4. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Glass Note) 5. Siriusmo – The Uninvited Guest (Monkeytown Records) 6. Tortoise – Beacons of Ancestorship (Thrill Jockey) 7. Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career (Merge) 8. Telekinesis – Telekinesis (Merge) 9. Kings of Convenience – Declaration of Dependence (Astralwerks) 10. The Mountain – Heartless Bastards (Fat Possum) Runners-up: Jawbox – For Your Own Special Sweetheart Headlights – Wildlife Boston Spaceships – Zero to 99 David Bazan – Curse Your Branches The Thermals – Now We Can See The Appleseed Cast – Sagarmatha The Cribs – Ignore the Ignorant Albums from Denver bands: 1. The Jim Jims – Bottom of the City EP 2. Everything Absent or Distorted – The Great Collapse 4. Houses - Summer EP 3. Wentworth Kersey – (O) EP 5. Bad Weather California – Young Punks 6. d. biddle – Beds and Monsters 7. Aakash Mittal – Videsh 8. Pacific Pride – Pacific Pride 9. Meese – Broadcast 10. Pretty Lights – Passing Behind Your Eyes 11. Everything Absent or Distorted – The Lucky One 12. Gregory Alan Isakov – This Empty Northern Hemisphere 13. Houses – Spring EP 14. Paper Bird – A Sky Underground 15. Churchill – Churchill Michelle Witten, Editor/producer, Wheedle’s Groove, Editor, Scout’s Honor Favorite meats I have eaten this year after 18 years of vegetarianism: 1. roasted duck with creme de foie gras 2. oxtail stew 3: lamb birra tacos 4. wild boar sloppy joe 5. uncured applewood smoked bacon Andy Zax Top 11 Experiences of 2009: Getting yelled at on the phone--twice!--by Country Joe McDonald (who later apologized) Flying 3000 miles to see Van Der Graaf Generator "Take Me Round Again" by The Fiery Furnaces Everything that has ever been--or will ever be--released on Ghost Box The Experience Music Project Pop Conference Being nominated for a Grammy The Tuscan Vegetarian sandwich at Columbine in Tribeca Stumbling across Noveller's "Brilliant Colors" on a rental car radio while driving through the middle of nowhere Tearing the shrink wrap off of a sealed original of David Axelrod's Earth Rot The ceeFrenzy iPhone app Ommegang Rouge sour ale Jonathan Zwickel, Freelance Writer Ed. Jonathan Zwickel threw together a list for you and yours this holiday season. All you need to do to download it is send an email to zwickelicous@gmail.com. Well worth the small bit of effort. We promise.

• December 23, 2009 at 04:56 AM

  A CHRISTMAS TREAT FROM SIPREANO!

  Holi-daze continues! Just got this in from our man in the Great White North, Sipreano, and ooooooh weeee it's got our wreaths a'whirlin'. The Mighty Pope (he of the JTOT series) performing live with The Sadies live on the CBC's Hour Holiday Music Special.  Chiggity check out "White Christmas", it'll blow your stockings off. Kevin, to you we hand the microphone.

  

  The Sadies (November 24, 2009).

  Photos by Kevin "Sipreano" Howes

  WOW! I'm still spinning, a little dizzy like, and dreamy about it all. From the ashes of Jamaica to Toronto comes Canada's soul brother #1 The Mighty Pope with none other than cosmic country and tough R&B brethren The Sadies LIVE on CBC's The Hour Holiday Music Special. For you international LITA fans, the CBC is our very own national broadcasting corporation (aka a BIG deal). They needed a like-minded yet eclectic pairing of real music people to celebrate the holiday season and boy, did they get it! I was lucky enough to get myself over for this historic meeting/performance which taped in November and the results were aired on PRIME TIME Canadian TV last night (December 21). Here's to more musical magic between these artists, but in the mean time, here's a little Xmas cheer for folks everywhere, an inspired take on Otis Redding's version of "White Christmas." With love, from The Mighty Pope and The Sadies.

  

  Love,

  Sipreano

  http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/content/holiday_music_2009.html

  More info:

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mighty_Pope

  http://www.thesadies.net/

• October 19, 2009 at 04:00 PM

  LOOK WHAT'S BACK ... ON VINYL!

  We've produced some albums we're mighty fond of in our tenure as a prestigious record label for the reissue loving masses. You know, some solid gems, that due to one reason or another we had to pull from the sagging shelves of vinyl love and relegate to the shiny, spinny world of the compact disc. But, two of our hands down most favorite releases we've ever dropped on the wide world of discerning listeners. What are they, you discerning listener, might ask? Well, let us tell you:

  

  The Black Angels, drone psych masters they are, released Passover in 2006, melting the minds and faces of fans the world over.  C'mon, this album has the growling, acid-fueled road trip of "Young Men Dead", the low-end blast of "Manipulation", and a host of other guttural odes to the cracked psychedelic deserts that populate their songs.   People have been clamoring for this for years, and we, your drone psych dealers are peddling it again.

  Buy it HERE.

  Jamaica to Toronto - Soul, Funk & Reggae: 1967 - 1974

  

  Reggae, funk, soul - all from the wild woods of 1960s and 1970s Canada?  Indeed.  There's a huge amount of history poking out of the slow-talking forests of the Great White North, and we, after kicking around a few other, more different releases, compiled this, the first of a two definitive compilations of the bumps and beats of Toronto.  We're so happy to see it back on vinyl we're soul clapping and rump shaking.  Seriously, Matt Sullivan rump shaking, has got to be seen.

  Listen to the single: Jo-Jo & The Fugitives - Chips-Chicken-Banana-Split

  Buy it HERE.

• October 11, 2009 at 05:03 PM

  BETTY DAVIS WEEK DAY SIX: AN INTERVIEW WITH POSTER DESIGNER VINCENT COOK!

  

  In honor of our brand new Betty Davis reissue and release we had our good friend Vincent Cook cobble together an absolutely breath-taking limited-edition poster of Ms. Betty Davis (which you can win right HERE).  We sat down with this very talented graphic designer and fashion designer to pick his brain about the poster, music in general, and that wiley Canuck, Sipreano.

  

  LIGHT IN THE ATTIC: What was the inspiration behind the design for this limited edition Betty Davis poster? VINCENT COOK: I wanted to create something that was simple and iconic and reflected the more classic side of Betty (i.e. more of a Blue Note vibe rather than the heavy space-funk vibe). LITA: You also run a clothing company (2Step/Sandinista), I wonder what the difference is in the creative process between designing clothing and crafting this truly beautiful packages. VC: Designing in the fashion world is inevitably going to be trendy - what I mean by this is that you are reacting to trends, whether to follow or try to stand apart from the current trends.  Things are changing pretty fast in fashion, everything is becoming homogeneous and trends come and go in a 2-3 month cycle now because of blogs and look-books posted online.  Designing for music is a lot more fun - I personally feel there is more depth in music culture.  I also have a much more personal connection and passion for music, digging in the crates, making mix tapes and so forth, so the stuff I do for LITA is very enjoyable and rewarding. LITA: You've also done the design work for both of our Rodriguez issues, the entire Jamaica to Toronto series and Doug Randle. What draws you to these releases? VC: One big draw was that a good friend wrote all the liner notes for the releases.  And he also [re]-discovered a lot of the music.  Being Canadian and a huge fan of West Indian roots music, the Jamaica to Toronto series was obviously a must-do project! LITA: Also, is there a favorite Light In The Attic title you've worked on? One that sticks out as your absolute highlight? VC: I would have to say Jamaica to Toronto, in particular the first, self-titled compilation.  It was done totally analog style, with the only digital work being at the very end for production layout (I am referring to the cover and gatefold; I did not design the booklet for that one).  I made and assembled all the elements for the main image, and we had an amazing photographer shoot the whole scenario.  We had all these crazy lights set up in a furniture factory.  That stuff just doesn't happen anymore. LITA: What are you obsessed with right now in terms of music, food, movies, etc.? VC: Sipreano's new mix for the Sandinista website is sublime.  I'm also a big fan of DJ Harvey and The Force of Nature Crew from Tokyo (what's up Wakkun!).  Food should be local and organic if at all possible.  One love for all the heritage brands such as Filson, Russell, Moccasin, Danner, Woolrich, Pendleton, etc ... they are finally getting some recognition.  Simple and timeless design will always win out over stupid trends.  Blatant localism and quality island time are high priorities right about now. LITA: What are you currently working on? What can we look forward to from Vincent Cook in 2010? VC: I want to dedicate more time to some product and furniture design which I've been sadly neglecting lately.  Matt [Sullivan, co-owner of Light In The Attic] also has a top shelf re-issue project for LITA that I'm hoping to be involved with.  I'm sure he will make it happen.  I should also log more time on The Rivet, and if anyone is interested, I sometimes, but rarely update my blog. http://www.sndnst.com/vancouver/

• October 08, 2009 at 04:00 PM

  BETTY DAVIS WEEK DAY FIVE: WHO WANTS A LIMITED EDITION POSTER?!

  

  A limited edition poster that looks just like this!  Designed by Vincent Cook (he of Sandinista fame, as well as both of our Rodriguez albums, and Doug Randle and our Jamaica to Toronto series) this poster reflects the sultry blue-note days of the silver-booted funkstress we know and love.

  It's limited edition and we've hand numbered all 100 of them.

  How might you, the lucky Betty Davis-ite, win one?  BD once wrote, "My middle name is game," well, we want to know, in a perfect world where Betty Davis sat on a space ship throne and lorded over all, what you're Betty Davis middle name would be? Just put your full Betty Davis-ified name in a comment and our Light In The Attic Middle Name Robots will pick their favorite.

  See this Alex Healy, Betty Davis write-up for some tips!

  Not feeling like a poster, win our recent Betty Davis reissue/release right HERE.

  Or just buy the beautiful thing HERE.

• September 20, 2009 at 04:00 PM

  SIPREANO'S GOT A NEW MIX, AND HE'S HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT!

  It's been a while since we've heard from our man Sipreano (he of Jamaica to Toronto series, he of the vast mind full of musical knowledge) and, honestly, we were starting to miss him.  But, like the golden phoenix, spreading its wings and careening in to the sky, the ashes cascading from its shoulders, Sipreano has returned. He's got a new mix up (which you can grab below), so we sat down with this musical database to figure out what in the hell he's been doing the last few months. PICK UP SIPREANO'S NEW MIX - SWEET GRASS MUSIC - RIGHT HERE!

  

  LIGHT IN THE ATTIC: What's the inspiration behind this most recent mix, Sweet Grass Music? SIPREANO: The initial spark was def my friend, LITA graphic designer (Jamaica-Toronto series, Rodriguez, Doug Randle), Vincent Cook, who commissioned this mix via his 2Step/Sandinista clothing company based out of Tokyo, Japan. Over the years, I've done many eclectic music mixes for them (Super Reggae & Soul V. 1-4, Straight Jack, Music Machine) and wanted to start reflecting more of my deep love for lesser-known Canadian sounds spanning folk, psych, soul, jazz, MOR, electronic, and singer-songwriter. The outlaw, the loner, the cosmic, the thinker, the blues…

  

  LITA: We're always asking you about what gems you've been digging out lately, I wonder what you're feeling lately in terms of new music? S: Though I often find myself immersed in the musical past, there's lots of new music coming at me from every angle. Locally in Vancouver, I enjoy Ladyhawk, Pink Mountaintops, Lightning Dust, and Black Mountain but additionally, there are the artists who shun the spotlight while still making great music, folks doing it for the love and craft. Here's a big salute to them! Decaf, WZRDRY, Seekers International!!! LITA: It seems as it been a while since we had a Sipreano update, could you tell us what the last few months have been like for you?  - what you've been working on, what you've been obsessing over, etc. S: Well the last few months have been a period of transition. I've driven across Canada in my trusty car looking for old dogs and records, enjoyed a sand, water, mountain, and sun-fuelled summer on the west coast, endured some monumental heartbreak and frustration, and now, looking forward to some serious head-to-the-grindstone work over the fall and winter to get things back on track. I'm still tackling From Yard To Yonge: Jamaica To Toronto documentary, which charts the musical migration of young West Indian musicians in the late 60s-early 70s as well as hopefully convincing LITA co-owner Matt Sullivan into re-releasing some of my favourite music EVER!!! Current obsessions would have to be my new-old home stereo and record collection which I've been reunited with, iPhone technology, hanging with old friends, 3rd Beach vibrations, lake swimming, exploring cheap yet affordable eats with good company, the Rickshaw Theatre at Main and Hastings in downtown Vancouver (old Shaw Brothers kung-fu movie theatre transformed to great live music venue), following the career of talented artist/musician/writer/actor/comedian and Toronto transplant Robert Dayton (SO TALENTED!!!), Lightning Dust LIVE (go see them!!!), Psych Night at the ANZA club, Kaewonder/Arcee's "Cratery" mixes, Jerry Dammers, and the Pet Shop Boys!!! LITA: The year is slowly creeping to a close, any observations? Highlights? Thoughts on the future? S: Time goes by so fast these days it's scary. Guess I look forward to a productive and creative 2010 for everyone. This past year has been a serious challenge from head to heart to toe and I can't wait to see what the future will bring. On the global scale, I think we could all learn from Danish synth-pop maestros Laid Back. They're holding the secrets man, I tell you. Listen to the grooves. LITA: What are you excited about in terms of reissues right now?  Any huge ones on the horizon that you're keen on? S: The world is saturated with mediocre reissues. Sorry for adding to the glut. Lol! Psych! Believe it or not, I have a long list of culturally significant and time sensitive projects I'd KILL to work on. Always comes down to money and resources. Thank the highest for LITA and the handful of other labels (Mississippi, Honest Jon's, Beatball, Em, Waxing Deep, Numero, etc…) that are really doing solid work in this arena. For me it's all about preserving the original vinyl artifact in today's oft-disposable digital world. We are loosing history by the second, unless people take the time to dig a little deeper and share what they've learnt. Saving pioneering music from a time where over-documentation (internet, digital photography) wasn't omnipresent as it is now. If you look back to today from 40 years in the future, you'll have no trouble finding out anything you want about most bands, many of who are simply pillaging the creative efforts of original 60s-70s-80s artists. There will be an electronic trace. But looking back at the folks from back in the day that started it all, their maverick history could be lost if not documented now. I find that almost criminal. It's an endless process really, though I'm certain that not everything from the past is worthy of bringing back. Good music is good music and always transcends place and time. This is my focus.

• August 24, 2009 at 04:00 PM

  WHAT'S BREWING AT LIGHT IN THE ATTIC?

  Matt Sullivan speaks!

  

  We’ve been meaning to update the blog more often with news on what we’re working on, listening to, loving, hating, and all that. Raise your glasses, here’s to round number one… Working on the release schedule for 2010, which is coming together very nicely. Not sure we’ll ever top Cold Fact but we’ll try in ’10. What’s in store? Well, we can’t spill the beans just yet though. Sit down, sit down, more news coming soon. Small hints… gems from Memphis and Nashvile; another glimpse into the world of all things Gainsbourg and once again a glorious re-mastering by Dave Cooley at Bionic in Los Angeles. I only wish Dave could have re-mastered Serge’s entire catalog. Serge certainly deserves it. Oh, and a project that’s been in the works for five lonnnnng years – close to the life of the label – will FINALLY see the light in 2010. Thank the heavens b/c I don’t know how much longer we could have kept quiet. We’re deep in the midst of a major site redesign. One day soon you won’t have to experience our ancient, clunky site. A friend said it best – your site looks like the nineties. The new site will give us the freedom to quickly update the site with news of what’s going on, video, exclusive mix tapes, limited edition goodies. Thanks for sticking with us.

  

  It’s been a wonderful week - the mailman delivered the goods and our arms got weak carrying it all in… Sometimes we forget the significance of exercise. Must pull away from the office more often or invest in an elliptical machine and Light In The Attic headbands. Anyways, outside our office door we discovered boxes and boxes piled high. Tucked inside were finished copies of our upcoming releases:  Wheedle’s Groove – Kearney Barton (LITA 043), along with the long overdue reprint of our seminal 2004 comp Wheedle’s Groove: Seattle’s Finest in Funk & Soul 1965-75 (LITA 009).  A few years back local DJ and collector Mr. Supreme opened our eyes to a long forgotten Seattle soul scene of the 60s and 70s. Yes, Seattle had an incredibly vibrant funk and soul scene, which birthed notables like Jimi Hendrix, Ray Charles, and Quincy Jones, but loads of others who sadly went forgotten. Soon after we spent a solid year tracking down the bands, musicians, engineers, and labels who brilliantly produced these wicked and rare 45s back in the day. Licenses ensued, then a deluxe compilation, followed by much acclaim around the globe and a handful of sold-out shows. The times were too good to disappear once again so we put the musicians back in the studio. Not just any ordinary studio though. We shot for the stars and came close… recording for three solid days at Kearney Barton’s legendary Audio Recording Studios in Seattle. Kearney Barton is the Pacific Northwest sound engineer who recorded many of the original tracks on the 2004 release, including songs by Black On White Affair and the Soul Swingers. Well, the man – nearing 80 – was still hard at it – with his studio doors still open, still using the same archaic analog gear as he had with the aforementioned bands and other Northwest staples that he recorded since his sound design days launched in the late ‘50s – The Sonics, Ventures, Wailers, Don & The Good Times, The Frantics. And loads of national acts from Cal Tjader to Les McCann. You could say he’s the George Martin of the NW sound.  Kearney kindly opened his doors to our Seattle soul supergroup who cut one hell of a record, all straight to analog. We’re completely honored to be releasing this record. Album producer Dynomite D. and music director Johnny Horn were the glue that made this one happen. The album art was the genius of Jamaica to Toronto series photographer Chris Gergley, who kindly took the bus down from Vancouver on a number of occasions, snapping pics at Kearney’s studio. I may have drove him to the brink but fortunately he still picks up the phone. Expect deluxe hand-numbered vinyl on new album - LITA 043. We’ll also be reprinting wax for LITA 009. CDs will drop on September 8th. Vinyl soon after. We’ve gone through 4 test pressings and I think the bastards may have finally got it right. IT MUST SOUND PERFECT!  Too much love has gone into the project to have anything less than absolutely mind-numbingly magical. WOW! As I’m sitting here writing this on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Seattle, the phone rings – it’s Rodriguez and his daughter Regan calling from half away around the globe. The man is in Cardiff, Wales having just walked off stage at the Green Man Festival. Things went very well – fantastic new back-up band, enthusiastic reception, and what sounded like his favorite UK performance to date. He was sad to have missed reconnecting with Animal Collective, but caught Wilco. Seeing the man finally get his due is such a high. I can’t think of anything we’re more proud of over the last six plus years. All of us here feel so lucky to have met the man and his music. Good people don’t come around too often, at least not often enough. Next up… in September he’ll be touring South Africa for the first time in a few years, followed by an early October date at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Recent office favorites – The return of free summer concerts at the Mural Amphitheater at the Seattle Center. Does anyone remember the glory of Pain In The Grass? Fruit Bats – Ruminant (2009, Sub Pop) – none of us expected this to be so damn good. Madmen, Madmen, Madmen – Joan Holloway, please be our intern. ??? Ernie Hines – Electrified (1972, We Produce) The bar in the Moondoggies’ garage. Watch out for the homemade Moonshine. Blogs like Waxidermy and Aquarium Drunkard. Thank the heavens for these two sites delivering the goods day in and day out. Consistency is a beautiful thing. Beck – One Foot In The Grave 2xLP reissue (2009, Iliad/K) – Miss the old Beck like One Foot, Midnite Vultures, and Mellow Gold. Why’d he have to start taking himself all serious? Must hand it to him for his site though – digging the web features Record Club and Irrelevant Topics. Pacific Standard – designers of our upcoming Betty Davis reissues (more info TBA). Best design firm on the planet.  We are lucky bastards to be graced by their presence. Soundcarriers - Harmonium (2009, Melodic) Paseo Caribbean Restaurant – it never gets old. Best sandwiches on the planet hands down. Two blocks away from our office and the scent percolates through our walls. Duane Eddy - Does Bob Dylan (1965, Colpix)

• June 26, 2009 at 01:45 AM

  MATT SULLIVAN TOURS THE WEST COAST WITH RODRIGUEZ - DAY 2: Seattle to Vancouver and back again ...

  Matt Sullivan, co-owner and ticking brain of Light In The Attic, is on the road playing tour manager with the best there is, Rodriguez himself.  He's in a mess of excited blogging and we're here, ready and willing to continue to broadcast his adventures.

  Today: Rodriguez journeys to the seedy holy ground that is LITA Headquarters.

  Sirs, please take it away.

  

  Wake up early in Seattle, Rodriguez and Marc grab some tea, and we're quickly off to the office to pick up the tour merch. Rodriguez at the LITA HQ on Aurora Avenue?! Another beautifully surreal moment. We all geek out, grab some photos, and we're soon on the road, heading north for Vancouver to kick off the West Coast Tour. This marks Rodriguez's first ever Canadian show in his entire life. The man never even played Toronto or Montreal in the 60s/70s. We stop by Avalon Records in Bellingham to say hello and meet Chris and Nils. Good people and store. Rodriguez loves meeting the people. Another reason why he's a truly special soul. Fairly smooth sailing into the Canadian border (surprisingly much stricter and less friendly than the U.S. side). We scan through the radio but don't find much. I remember that Stefan at PIAS France, our fine French distributor told Rodriguez all about Serge Gainsbourg's "Historie de Melody Nelson" LP during Rodriguez's recent trip to Paris. We put on the disc and wig out over the brilliant arrangements and production. Roll into Vancouver and hit the club Richard On Richards. A family reunion ensues... Rodriguez and I reunite with San Francisco band The Fresh & Only's. I love these guys! They're Rodriguez's band for the West Coast dates + the almighty Marc Capelle. The only other time they've been together was during Rodriguez's 36 hour magical trip to San Francisco last November - performing at the Great American Music Hall and an in-store at Amoeba. Bless their hearts. Guitarist Wymond Miles and his wife just had their first son last month but the man is here! Soon in walks Kevin "Sipreano" Howes - liner notes writer for Cold Fact, Coming From Reality, the Monks, and the mastermind behind the Jamaica to Toronto series. Another man that I must say, bless his heart! After a few years in Toronto, Kevin just moved back to Vancouver last month. It's good to see the man. And Kevin brings Stunt Man, mastering wizard behind the Summer Records Anthology and "Innocent Youths" by Earth, Roots & Water. I finally meet the Stunt Man. He is for real.

  

  Sound check goes well and we roll over to Zulu Records for a signing. Good crowd and the staff at Zulu were super cool as always. We grab a quick bite at a diner up the street. Rodriguez scarfs down his favorite meal of choice - soup, soup, soup - while the rest of us grab some sandwiches and tacos. Head back to venue and meet Stephen McBean (Black Mountain/Pink Moutaintops), another man that can do no wrong. I geek out again while meeting Stephen and then once more hanging out with both Rodriguez and Stephen. It's Bushmills, red wine, and smoke. Everyone is all smiles in anticipation for showtime. You can feel it in the air. Side note - pick up Black Mountain's "In The Future" LP if you don't already have it. The world's tightest band and my favorite LP of 2008. This is truly the greatest Canadian welcome - McBean as Pink Mountaintops (Solo) opens the show and Sipreano spins endless 45 gems - psych (Painted Ship), soul (Eddie Spencer), and various other recent finds.

  

  Rodriguez backed by the Fresh & Only's hit the stage around 10:45 with "Inner City Blues" - such a wicked opener. The crowd loved every minute of it, especially the South Africans in the house. And bless their hearts! "Crucify Your Mind" was a personal highlight. I never tire of hearing the tune. Continue to get goosebumps and teary eyed throughout the set and having a hard time comprehending this is reeeeaaaaaliteeee. A big thank you to Rob at Neptoon Records for holding down the fort on the merch table. After the show, Rodriguez came out to say hello and thank everyone that saw the show. Serious class. It quickly turned into a beautiful mob scene, endless autographs and photos. The highlight - a lovely South African family got to meet their hero ("You don't understand, you changed our country. I have listened to Cold Fact every day in my car for over 19 years."). These moments can bring you to tears. And the man is so humble about all the adoration. The next day is a special KEXP radio session in Seattle, so we drive back after the madness dies down. Head out by 2 AM, listening to AM loony toons talk radio (Coast to Coast AM. We need Art Bell back though!). U.S. border guard looks at our passports and asks Rodriguez, "What's your music sound like? Why do you go to South Africa so often?") Good times continue. On the other side, hit the first gas station which happens to be in Blaine, WA. Not a soul in sight and 1920's jazz playing on the gas station speakers. Surreal. An hour later, eyes are getting heavy so we stop at McDonald's for a big ass cup of joe. Who ever told me that McDonald's had good coffee may need a lobotomy (Yes, I can't believe I believed them either). Quite possibly the worst coffee on the planet. But... it got us home. Pull into Seattle at 4:30 AM and we slept like a rock. The next day IS-THE-DAY! Follow the whole thing live on Twitter

• March 04, 2009 at 01:44 PM

  LIGHT IN THE ATTIC CANADA, REJOICE, SIPREANO SPINS THIS WEEKEND

  

  Kevin Howes a.k.a. Sipreano is master of many trades: writing (have you seen the Jamaica to Toronto liner notes), musical knowledge (the man is a steel trap of information), and of course, of course, knocking down the house with a monster DJ set of some of the rarest, most untapped cuts. Well, Sipreano is gearing up to bring down the house again this weekend and he wanted us to pass along the information.  So, looksie down below, 'cause that's where the information is.  Feel lucky Canada, you've got a real treasure in your midst: Host: Sipreano and DJ Body Beautiful Start Time: Sunday, March 8, 2009 at 8:30pm End Time: Monday, March 9, 2009 at 2:30am Location: The Ossington Street: 61 Ossington Avenue City/Town: Toronto, ON Sit....Listen....Feel.... MOODS Sipreano and D.J. Body Beautiful spin a boutique mix of: ELUSIVE DREAMINGS/PRIVATE PRESSINGS/FREE FORMS/CAN CON CONCRETE/B SIDE EXCURSIONS/ELECTRONIC PRIMITIVA/EMOTIONS/EURO HORRORS/INTENSELY PERSONAL VISIONS/DEEP PSYCH/UN-EASY LISTENINGS AND BALLADS/PRISON SOUNDTRACKS/FANTASTIC JOURNEYS OF WONDER/ ORGAN-ISMS/NEO-BAROQUE *With a candlelight night recitation by Robert Dayton, Junior To Hurting People, Since we are struggling with pain, even at this moment, we have first hand knowledge of what it is like to experience the silence of God. Sometimes the immense loneliness of pain-whether physical, mental or emotional-is completely overwhelming! As you listen to us spin, let the music wash over your brokenness as great healing waves of God’s merciful love until you hear the music once again. From our hearts to yours, Sipreano and D.J. Body Beautiful Christened by the son of thunder, Sipreano can rock a party with folk songs. Born in the east and raised in the west, he roams our fair country to uncover its little-known sound heritage. He is a curator of sounds, archival materials, and previously undocumented history, as showcased in Light in the Attic Records' six album Jamaica-Toronto reissue series ("Wayne McGhie & the Sounds of Joy", "Jamaica to Toronto", "Noel Ellis", Jackie Mittoo-"Wishbone", "Summer Records Anthology", and "Earth Roots & Water's "Innocent Youths"), Sixto Rodriguez' "Cold Fact" and "Coming From Reality", The Monks' "Black Monk Time", and most recently, Canadian composer-arranger Doug Randle's "Songs for the New Industrial State (CBC, 1970). MOODS will see Sipreano reach deep into his oddball crates to project serious atmospherics, vibes, and provide an emotional deep feeling soundtrack to the week's final comedown. D.J. Body Beautiful is Robert Dayton, a personality of living flesh and blood. Robert regularly contributes illustrations, features, obits, and quips to Roctober, Cinema Sewer, Free Drawings, Broken Pencil, and $2 Comes With Mix Tape, as well as the books “Lost In The Grooves: Scram’s Capricious Guide to the Music You Missed” and “Nog A Dod: Prehistoric Canadian Psychedooolia.” And as an artist he exhibits fully. Robert is a performer and songwriter with: hot new Toronto band WET DIRT; melodramatic glitter rock act Hallmark; defunct acid downer folk trio Points Gray; legendary longtime lucidly malleable act July Fourth Toilet; modern song and dance duo Canned Hamm. As an actor Robert Dayton starred in the feature “Male Fantasy” , as 'theatre teacher' in a shelved Hillshire Farms commercial, and appears in the upcoming “Leslie, My Name Is Evil”. Due to his candour he has been a Master of Ceremonies as himself and as other bizarre personae. As D.J. Body Beautiful he spins at MUSK. But at MOODS he will console you. NO COVER

• February 23, 2009 at 02:26 PM

  STORE OF THE WEEK: SOUNDSCAPES, TORONTO, ONT

  Alright, alright, stop sending hate letters to Intern Ralph demanding that we jump start the defunct Store of the Week post.  It isn't Intern Ralph's fault, he's just a big sensitive man whom we've propped up in front of the gates to take the majority of your slings and arrows and we couldn't appreciate him more for it. We're frantically busy right now throwing together a slew of new releases that will, we promise, blow your mind and sometimes, just sometimes, some of our favorite columns fall to the wayside. That said, we got in contact with one of our favorite record stores from The Great White North, Soundscapes in Toronto, and badgered them in to answering a few of our favorite questions.  These guys and gals have been great to us from the get-go and we couldn't be happier to shower them with a bit of praise. Take it away gentlemen: STORE OF THE WEEK: Soundscapes, Toronto, Ontario

  

  1.  Store Description, history...etc- Soundscapes opened it’s door almost 10 years ago in July 1999.  I had been working as an accountant but got tired of punching the calculator, so I quit my cushy office job and decided to open a music store.  Soundscapes is known for its eclectic selection of music that veers to the more overlooked and offbeat artists of the past and present.  We carry all the usual genres of music but also have unique sections for Psych/Garage, Prog/Art Rock & the British Invasion.  We also have one of the best selections of music books & DVDs. 2.  What is your favorite record right now? My favorite record is the self-titled debut release by a band called Surf City.  Last January when I was in Auckland, New Zealand, I ventured into the local record shop and asked them what the best local music was and they handed me this CD.  It recalls the urgent, jangly guitar sound of the classic Flying Nun bands like The Clean.

  

  3.  What is your favorite LITA release? There are so many great releases on the label but our favorite is undoubtedly the Jamaica To Toronto series and specifically the initial Jamaica To Toronto compilation. 4.  Favorite record to play in the shop? Whenever we play Karen Dalton we see customer’s jaws drop and inevitably field the question “Who is this singer?” 5.  What is the best in-store performance?

  

  So many highlights including Feist & Broken Social Scene, last March, Bon Iver performed long before his most recent success.  One of our most unique in-stores was a book signing by Eddie Shaw of The Monks so we’re excited about your upcoming reissue of Black Monk Time. 6.  Funniest story about the shop? Many years ago Little Steven Van Zandt of the E-Street Band stopped by and bought up half of our Psych/Garage section, much of which we later heard him play on his radio show.  But the thing I remember most about his visit was the site of his plumbers crack as he was browsing for music.  Yes, even rock gods are human! --- Thanks guys! Soundscapes Official Website Soundscapes on Myspace

• December 11, 2008 at 04:46 PM

  LIGHT IN THE ATTIC 2ND ANNUAL YEAR END EXTRAVAGANZA!

  

  As the year rumbles to another cliff-hanging conclusion, we here at Light In The Attic are reminded of a few things.  First, we've got a a lot of people who've helped us out this year and last year and all the many years that have come before.  Second, we don't have the money to buy each of them a gold plated Rolls Royce like we wish we could.  And finally, we reached out to these solid gold peeps last year and asked them to help us out with a little something we called THE LIGHT IN THE ATTIC YEAR END EXTRAVAGANZA!

  Well, we're just as damn thankful this year, so we reached out again, and asked just one thing: give us a Year End List.  It doesn't matter the subject, the length, the allusions to your past lovers - we just want to know what made you smile, made you happy, made you exist this year.  Again, we've received a staggering amount of amazing lists from a diverse and wonderful group of people including musicians, record store owners, publicists, authors, bloggers and on and on and on ...

  Once again, thanks to the always brilliant Drew Christie for putting together another staggeringly cool Year End Extravaganza banner.  You're the best Drew, and we promise we'll give you back your medicine now.

  So, please, sit down, take a deep breath, 'cause here we go again:

  THE SECOND ANNUAL LIGHT IN THE ATTIC YEAR END EXTRAVAGANZA!

  Rodriguez

  

  I know I'm from the old century, but I still like to hear what all the young bloods are listening to today. There's Duffy's Mercy and the new album by David Holmes. I've listened to tracks by the Arctic Monkeys, The Liars and Deerhoof...there's just so much out there! Of course, there's always great sounds from the past like Buffy Sainte-Marie (who I saw play in Detroit earlier this year) and really early Dylan or Jimmy Reed. I still like to listen to Ike Turner's Rocket 88 or anything that features Dennis Coffey. He played lead guitar on my album Cold Fact. Then there's his own classic piece Scorpio. There's also a DJ from Paris called Space Cowboy. He turned my tune Sugar Man into his own song called These Dreams and it really gets people dancing! It's all international now. I hear bhangra tracks from India, fado from Portugal and ballads from Sweden. Sometimes I don't understand the language, but I still like to hear it. It all has musical value to me.

  Sipreano, Writer, Producer, DJ (Jamaica-Toronto and beyond...)

  

  1) Roti - My (almost) daily bread here in Toronto. Locals or folks visiting should go to Ali's West Indian Roti Shop on Queen West for some Trini goodness (loving Barb's out in Mississauga too!!!). 2) Looking ahead - 2009 is shaping up to be a good one with Doug Randle's Songs For The New Industrial State (LITA/Kanata/CBC) reissue hitting the shelves shortly (January 27, iTunes on the 13th). It's the then 40-year-old composer's personal What's Going On (recorded a year before!!!) and an all-time twisted sunshine pop favorite (David Axelrod meets the Free Design??? also featuring Laurie Bower from the Mutual Understanding and Tommy Ambrose on vocals, w/ jazz legend Gene Lees and super producer Dave Bird involvement). Please support this reissue! Keep your eyes peeled to www.lightintheattic.net for more information. 3) Travel - NYC (Black Mountain live!!!), Detroit (see below), Vancouver (miss my friends, especially on the beach or at any number of killer eateries), Seattle (hanging w/ dad, free lunch w/ LITA honcho Matt Sullivan is always top, seeing Josh and rest of LITA posse, Big Chan session, participating at the EMP Pop Conference, amazing burritos at the Burlington Tacos Guaymas on the way back north), Winnipeg (Birdapres "Toothpaste" EP, Alycia's, Portage and Main not 15 below), Regina (Western Pizza, architecture), Saskatoon (Prairie fire), and a few trips to Montreal (JA/TDOT live, poutine, ODB, and zoomer walks)... 4) Blogs are killing it (w/ free music and more, sup Kamandi??? Kaewonder???), but LPs, 12"s, and 7"s just sound (look and feel) so much better (Kam and Kae know this too!!!): Comus-First Utterance, dozens of oddball non-charting Canadian singles (my ever growing obsession, "German Stalker"??? WTF???), nuff reggae bits and bobs, 80s UK, vintage electronic pop/dance, Quebecois ("Je me souviens"), Pacific Northwest Oceanic (small-hole Capilano, thanks Morgan!!!), dusted bar rock, more MOR, Warpig-s/t, and so on. My vinyl addiction is in full swing again... 5) Rodriguez and The Monks - Gotta shout out to Sixto and Regan Rodriguez for hosting me in Detroit (time to bundle up), showing me the sights, breaking bread, and sharing your history. It was a total honor and I'm really looking forward to the re-release of Coming From Reality. Live soon. Also stoked to rap w/ the remaining Monks for two upcoming LITA reissues. Black Monk Time (and The Monks' Demos) really penetrated my brain's grey matter (and should enter yours too)!!! 6) T&T - My favorite (hangover) hang-out in Toronto (bar Pope's kitchen). Samples, cafe-style eats, tunes, and so many rad Asian groceries. 7) Sandinista/2Step - Japanese family from way back. Thanks for letting me do yet another mix for y'all ("Share The Land", CDN folk, psych, space, and mellow). http://www.sndnst.com/music_mixer.html. Also wanna shout to Fuku at Nonnative for the mad support!!! 8) Truth & Soul and Rostarr - Big ups for the HIGH EXPLOSION podcast link (and photo magic from Ro vs. Decaf!!!)... 9) Black Mountain, Ladyhawk, and Ice Palace - Love hanging with these fine folks anywhere. Your music inspires me (somebody please release IP's For The Birds, produced by BM's Josh Wells, best album you've never heard... yet)... 10) Flickr - Thanks to Decaf from WZRDRY (and fellow music/photo maestro Chris Frey) I jumped on the Flickr bandwagon. Love taking snaps. Tilson, The Saturday Knights

  

  1. Made it into the July issue of Ukrainian Playboy 2. Was a model for The Goods product catalog 3. Met Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings – has pictures, still needs to print them 4. Wyclef show at The Showbox (the first time he played Seattle, not the second) 5. Definitely will be playing Santa at a party in the immediate future - no details as to where 6. Says he got a “dope, dope, dope Circa Backpack” 7. In the works: clothes are being designed for him 8. Got to do shows... got to be on TV (w/ Nancy Guppy) 9. Went to a lot of meetings, as he says “It means you’re about to do something…” 10. Got Boondocks box-set 11. Was elected Mayor... of his own imagination.

  *Honorable mention: Lost a commercial spot to the RZA: “It happens.” - Tilson LIGHT IN THE ATTIC PEOPLE:

  

  Matt Harrow, All-Seeing, All-Knowing Top 5 Oasis Songs of 2008: 1. Falling Down 2. Soldier On 3. The Rapture 4. Get off Your High Horse Lady 5. Bag It Up Noah Sanders, Blogspert Top Six Reasons Why I Survived Another Year: 1. Let The Right One In - the Swedes seemingly know two things: outstandingly tall, gorgeous blondes and awkwardly endearing flicks about 12 year old boys falling in love with ageless vampires. A strange combination of gore and heart string yanking that makes for one of the better movies I've seen in a while. 2. Sub Pop 20 - I've been to a lot of festivals and never before have I experienced such a since of shared community and history. Also, I was on the VIP list, and having a mansion full of booze and chow at my disposal (and boy oh boy did I take advantage of that) really put a sunny glow on the whole occasion. 3. Mad Men - I've been talking up The Sopranos as the best show in the world for a while now, but if Mad Men can keep up the brilliance of it's first two seasons, I'm ready to throw my hat in that ring. Don Draper is as sexy a man as I'll admit, and each and every word in this series is licensed to kill. If you're missing it you're dumb. That is all. 4. Sifting through Matt Sullivan's CD/Record Wall - Sullivan has this shelf in his office where he just has this amazing, random assortment of albums. I'll make up some excuse to go in there and just babble away while I sift through all of his fantastic music. Sullivan gets edgy after a while, but raise a fist to the little guy and he'll quiet right down. 5. NYC - There's a lot of hype about the Big Apple and each and every word of it is completely and totally deserved. This is the greatest city in America and fuck any and all who worry about it's overwhelming size or the rudeness of people. Hopefully at some point my future lands me there. 6. Criterion Quest - If you don't know, now you know ... Matt Sullivan, Co-Head Honcho TOP 18: THANK A HIGHER POWER FOR… 1) Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Rodriguez 2) Skagit River Ranch Bacon - best bacon I have ever tasted 3) Harold & Maude Soundtrack - Vinyl Films couldn't have done it any better 4) The Wire: the epic, final season aka the greatest show on any planet, ever made, ever. 5) Mad Men - runner up for the greatest show ever 6) Aaron Zon & Music Manufacturing Services in Toronto. Thank the lord above! 7) Charles Aaron on Labi Siffre at EMP Pop Conference, Seattle, WA, April 12th 8) Rancho Bravo - tasty tacos of the finest caliber 9) The Saturday Knights 2008 Doughnut Eating Contest - long live Billy The Fridge! 10) Stop Smiling Magazine - best magazine ever 11) The Emerald City making a much needed comeback - Moondoggies, TSK, Curious Mystery, Fleet Foxes, Dyme Def... 12) The Vaselines (with Belle & Sebastian as Frances & Eugene's back-up band), Sub Pop 20 Festival (aka most organized festival ever), Marymoor Park, Redmond, WA, July 11th 13) Roky Erickson & The Black Angels - Tour of the Century 14) Ocho, Ballard, WA - tapas and drinks. Get the Chorizo de la Mancha and the Patatas Bravas 15) Vetiver - Thing Of The Past 16) The Meeting: Rodriguez & Stephen John Kalinich - 11:15pm PST, Fri, Nov 21st, 2008 17) Dolly Parton at WAMU Theater, Seattle, August 8th 18) Black Mountain - In The Future 19) Randy Newman - Good Old Boys - thank you Mr. Johnny Horn for showing me the light TOP 7: PLEASE MAKE ME FORGET… 1) Thingmakers - the shittiest manufacturer on planet earth. And the worst decision we ever made. Whatever you do, find another manufacturer. 2) Sarah Palin - America almost went nuts. Almost. 3) Speaking to mom and pops about politics 4) The Wire - HOW CAN IT BE OVER? 5) Mad Men - And how will one survive 12 months without Don Draper and Christina Hendricks? 6) Drunk bicycling 7) George Jr. Sandy Wilson, He Of The Television 1) The Black Angels "You On The Run" in the upcoming Jim Jarmusch film THE LIMITS OF CONTROL 2) Getting 2 placements on WEEDS this year, The Free Design's "Love You" on the season 4 finale and The Soul Swingers "Brighter Tomorrow" on episode 2. 3) Brent Amaker & The Rodeo's "You Call Me The Devil" on season 2 / episode 6 of Showtime's Californication 4) The Black Angels "Young Men Dead" on the 1st episode of J.J. Abrams's new FOX series FRINGE 5) When The Free Design's "Love You" scored another killer foreign commercial - this time for Norway's FREIA Chocolate 'SMIL' spot 6) When The Free Design scored yet another spot on a German spot ("I Found Love" from the Re-Designed comp) for CAMPINA dairy products 7) ...and then The Free Design scored another Australian spot - this time for Cadbury Spring Juices. 8) And even another Australian spot - but this time for The Sound Carriers "I Had A Girl" for McCain's Pizza 9) Every time that Tilson came by the office to hang out and cast his rays of sunshine upon us - or any of the times that The Blakes came by and brought booze. Josh Wright, Mr. Distribution Fav 10 from 08' 1. Apple Cup 2. Eric Levin's AIMS speech 3. TSK & The Budos Band live! 4. Rodriguez @ Joe's Pub 5. Albert Walker 6. Paseo 7. Midem 8. Ph*sh reuniting (shhh) 9. Agua Verde 10. Suck out's Akoustik Anarkhy, DJs, Record Label

  

  1. Our new home The Deaf Institute in Manchester 2. Beyond The Wizards Sleeve - Ark 1 3. Ruby Suns appearance at aA and their album Sea Lion 4. New bands 'the animal collective' - its a buffalo, Cats In Paris, Slag Rabbit, Three Trapped Tigers and more obvious Fleet Foxes 5. BBC Radiophonic Reissues 6. Fujiya & Miyagi's remix of Mercury Rev 7. Neil Young live in Amsterdam, Hop Farm, the BBC documentary, upcoming Sugar Mountain release and the hope of the archives in 09 8. Lexie Mountain Boys 9. DJ Mujava - Township Funk 10. Fleetwood Mac – ‘Never Going Back Again' (Tom Croose Edit) Shawn Anderson, Bumpershine, Thus Spake Drake I've still got a bit of a blindspot to the first half of 2008... 5. Early 90's guitar bending bands reunite/tour (My Bloody Valentine, Polvo, Swervedriver) 4. Sundance's Spectacle: Elvis Costello with... is the best thing to happen to music on tv since Night Music. 3. Sub Pop 20 festival - seeing all the kids of us old rockers playing together added to the nostalgia 2. News that Guided By Voices songs are to be the basis for a Steven Soderburgh 3D musical about Cleopatra. 3D! 1. November 4, 2008 Andy & Jen, Band In Boston Song we can't wait to hear on an album: Akudama - Johnny Appleseed Best Bands You Should Know Akudama Doomstar The Soft Drugs Low Red Land Best Album Apollo Sunshine - Shall Noise Upon Angie, Strictly Discs (Madison, WI) Top 10: Delta Spirit – Ode to Sunshine Nick Cave - Dig, Lazarus, Dig Carrie Rodriguez – She Ain’t Me Jason Collett - Here's To Being Here Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes Blitzen Trapper – Furr The Black Keys – Attack & Release David Byrne/Brian Eno – Everything That Happens Will Happen Today MGMT - Oracular Spectacular Rodriguez – Cold Fact Next 5: Jim White – Transnormal Skiparoo Goldfrapp – Seventh Tree Dr. Dog – Fate Calexico – Carried to Dust Ray LaMontagne – Gossip in the Grain Doug Arnold Owner, Dusty Groove Top Records of 2008 Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) Motown Bo Diddley  - Road Runner -- The Chess Masters 1959 to 1960 Chess/Hip-O Select (reissue) Giant Sand - proVisions Yep Roc Jay Reatard - Matador Singles '08 Matador Portishead - Third Mercury Gene Shaw - Break Through Argo/Dusty Groove (reissue) Nabil Ayers, The Control Group, Sonic Boom Records, The Long Winters ALBUMS I ENJOYED El Perro Del Mar  - From The Valley To The Stars Black Mountain - In The Future Lykke Li - Youth Novels Marnie Stern - This Is It And I Am It... Harvey Milk - Life... The Best Game In Town Deerhunter - Microcastle The Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust SONGS I REALLY LIKED Santogold "L.E.S. Artistes" MGMT "Time To Pretend" Sons & Daughters "Gilt Complex" TV On The Radio "Crying" Death Cab For Cutie "I Will Possess Your Heart" SHOWS THAT WERE GREAT Deerhoof @ Irving Plaza Black Mountain @ Jon Treneff's house Lykke Li @ Le Poisson Rouge El Perro Del Mar @ El Rey Bad Brains @ Irving Plaza Kinski @ Sub Pop Festival Teenage Fanclub @ some festival in Barcelona Lavender Diamond @ my wedding Matthew Bailey Virgin Music 1.       Bell X1 – Flock 2.       Nada Surf – Lucky 3.       Ladyhawke – Ladyhawke 4.       Robyn – Robyn 5.       Kings of Leon – Only by the Night 6.       Sia – Some People Have Real Problems 7.       Amy MacDonald – This Is The Life 8.       Jason Mraz – We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. 9.       Earlimart – Hymn and Her 10.   Martha Wainwright – I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings, Too 11.   Adele – 19 12.   Ron Sexsmith – Exit Strategy for the Soul 13.   The Weepies – Hideaway 14.   Duffy – Rockferry 15.   Beck – Modern Guilt 16.   Paddy Casey – Addicted to Company 17.   Peter Bradley Adams – Leavetaking 18.   MGMT – Oracular Spectacular 19.   Sunny Levine – Love Rhino 20.   The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely Noteworthy Tracks 1.       "Giggling Again for No Reason" – Alanis Morrissette 2.       "Orbiting" – The Weepies 3.       "Move for Me" – Kaskade 4.       "28 Butts" – Little Jackie 5.       "Where I Stood" – Missy Higgins 6.       "A New Sky" – The Presets 7.       "Lost!" – Coldplay 8.       "Great DJ" – The Ting Tings 9.       "I Want You to…" – Jem 10.   "Brittle Bones" – Richard Walters 11.   "Trouble Is a Friend" – Lenka 12.   "Freeway" – Aimee Mann 13.   "You Don't See Me" – Keane 14.   "Fish in a Womb" – The Faint 15.   "I'm Not Going to Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance" – Black Kids 16.   "Everybody but Me" – Lykke Li 17.   "Pretty Please (Love Me)" – Estelle featuring Cee-Lo 18.   "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" – Madonna 19.   "All I See" – Kylie Minogue 20.   "My Baby…" – Juliana Hatfield Kevin Barker, Currituck Co. 1. As I'm sure many others here will note, Barack Obama and Joe Biden defeat Sarah Palin and some other dude in history's most important World Series. 2. As I'm sure no one else here will note, the Philadelphia Phillies defeat the Tampa Bay Rays in history's 847th most important World Series. 3. Fire Joe Morgan blog - the sadly ended blog by a couple of writers from the American Office and their buddies about how blockheaded baseball writers and commentators are. Along with reading Michael Lewis's Moneyball, this blog made me wish I actually followed baseball. 4. Vetiver - Thing of the Past - sure, I'm biased, since I played a couple licks on this album, but seriously: Show me a better record released this year and I'll...I'll...I guess download it illegally off the internet? 5. The part in Forgetting Sarah Marshall where Paul Rudd goes, "I wonder if the carpet matches her pubes." Also watching Sarah Palin eat shit in Katie Couric's interview. I don't know which of the two were funnier so I put them both. Note to Saturday Night Live, don't try to do a Forgetting Sarah Palin sketch, because I just made it up, right here while typing this list, and I'm registering it with the WGA as we speak. Brian Barr, Writer, Seattle Weekly 1) Saiva Siddhantha Hindu Temple, Kaua’i, Hawaii: The weather was hot and thick and the mosquitoes were vicious. But that all faded away as we knelt down in the temple to meditate. 2) Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy - Lie Down in the Light: What all great records are made of: Singing songs of god, nature, and family, while pleading for a woman to suck you off in public. 3) Dana Goodyear’s profile of Gary Snyder in The New Yorker: “Being Buddhist doesn’t necessarily mean being a good Buddhist.” 4) Hillary Clinton: What can I say? I dig powerful women. Catherine the Great. Queen Hatshepsut, Cleopatra, Empress Wu Zeitan, Isabella of Castile, The Iroquois decision-makers, I could go on and on. 5) Mudhoney: Standing there in the Sunset Tavern, watching Mark Arm and Steve Turner scorch the faces off of every pickle-faced hipster in the joint with their timeless psychededelic-gut-bowl-blues-raunch. The kinda music that puts hair on your chest. 6) West Seattle and Easy Street Records: Imagine an entire neighborhood anchored by an incredible independent record store. 7) Georgetown Brewing Company: Growlers refills for $6! Plus they come cask-conditioned so the beer won’t go flat by the time you get it home. 8) Erykah Badu - New Amerykah (Part One): I'm also a sucker for freak genius women who make great records and offer zero apologies for being who they are. 9) The New Yorker’s George Packer: My professor once told me “Good writing is just clear thinking on the page.” 10) The Saturday Knights - Mingle Interviewing Bill Cosby for 30 Minutes Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil Lou Reed - The Bells Rodriguez - Cold Fact Thomas Pynchon Against the Day (took me 2 years, but I finally finshed it) John Cale: “Dying on the Vine” Lillian Ross Portrait of Hemingway Abe Rosenthal Thirty-Eight Witnesses William T. Vollmann The Rifles and Riding Toward Everywhere Norman Mailer (R.I.P.) Miami and the Siege of Chicago Nick Tosches The Devil and Sonny Liston Harold Pinter Old Times Finding Gary Snyder's translation of Cold Mountain Poems at that bookstore in Hanapepe. Elana Berman, Rhapsody My top 5 at age 25 Fave new artist: Ben Sollee (a talented classically trained cellist turned folk singer songwriter works it out) Fave new song: Kid Kudi "Day N Nite" (get into it here: play.rhapsody.com/kidcudi/daynnite) Fave new town: Nashville, TN (I hope to live there one day) Fave concert: JJ Grey & Mofro at The Independent in SF, CA Fave new restaurant: Mi Lindo Peru Restaurant (a small hole in the wall gem in the Outer Mission District) Andy Beta, Writer Extraordinaire 2008 was not just a blur, but a dreamy one at that. From starting off the new year with a bang in Bangkok to having my ears (and mind) blown out at the My Bloody Valentine ATP Festival, it was one of the more profound calendars of my life, which a Top Five can just scarcely skim the surface of. Anyhow, peeps like listicles... 5) Pad Thai in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven in Bangkok. About to head to Suvarnabhumi International Airport (way before protests shut 'em down), a friend took me to the dopest street eat spot around. Set up (no shit) in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven, this was the most bomb Pad Thai I've ever eaten in my life. The locals flipped for it too and the vendor would sell out massive batches of the stuff in under five minutes. I probably saw them mix up five huge batches while I ate. Spicy, fresh, aswim with these dried shrimps, I bought another parcel of it to eat during the 17-hour flight home. 4) Disco dancing at the No Ordinary Monkey party I've written a few articles about the renaissance of this music and keep digging deeper into the grooves. Euphoric, hedonistic, covert, cheesy as shit, I dug everything from the disco edits of Pilooski and Betty Botox to scores of Claire's "High On Love," Boney M, and Sylvia Striplin, to the late-night parties of N.O.M. Favorite tunes dropped at this Chinatown dinner buffet party palace: Lime "On the Grid," Slim Harpo's "Shake Your Hips" (as edited by Thom of Rub-n-Tug) and Gloria Gaynor's "Do It Yourself." 3) In-N-Out Burger I sat in four hours of traffic out in LA, and then sat in the drive-thru lane at In-N-Out Burger for another 45 minutes. Totally worth it after spending heaps of dough buying --what else?-- disco records at the dreamlike Amoeba store on Sunset Blvd. 2) All My Friends Not the LCD Soundsystem song (though that's glorious as well), just the people I got around me these days. Love 'em to death. Being with them up at ATP Festival in Monticello was three days of the most delightful strains of madness. 1) Election Night And then to see them all openly weeping on this night gave me a great sense of peace and hope. And natch, we then set it off and danced to "All My Friends." Bill Bentley, Sonic Boomers Best Albums of 2008 Bobby Charles - Homemade Songs (Rice ‘N’ Gravy) Carlene Carter - Stronger (Yep Roc) Shelby Lynne - Just A Little Lovin’ (Lost Highway) Brett Dennen - Hope For The Hopeless (Dualtone) Bon Iver - For Emma, Long Ago (Jagjaguwar) Bo Ramsey - Fragile (BRR) Al Green - Lay It Down (Blue Note) James Jackson Toth - Waiting In Vain (Rykodisc) Debashish Bhattacharya - Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey (Riverboat) Delta Spirit - Ode To Sunshine (Rounder) Heather Browne, I Am Fuel, You Are Friends Favorite Things of 2008 Albums: Nada Surf - Lucky Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight Bon Iver - For Emma Forever Ago Hold Steady - Stay Positive The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound Delta Spirit - Ode To Sunshine Centro-matic/South San Gabriel - Dual Hawks Neil Halstead - Oh! Mighty Engine Everything Absent or Distorted - The Great Collapse Little Joy - Little Joy Favorite EPs: The Avett Brothers - Second Gleam EP Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers - Confiscation EP Honorary/should have been on last year's damn list: Radiohead - In Rainbows (physical release) Film/documentary: Rape of Europa Jenny Bulley, MOJO New albums Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago The Hold Steady – Stay Positive The Week That Was – The Week That Was Foals - Antidotes Reissues: New Order - Movement Mudhoney - Superfuzz Big Muff My Bloody Valentine – Loveless Rodriguez – Cold Fact Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue Caribou

  

  1. Theo Parrish - Love Triumpant / Goin' Downstairs (Sound Signature Sounds) 2. Koushik - Out My Window (Stones Throw) 3. Thai Orchestra - Thai Orchestra (Mississippi Records) [reissue] 4. Benge - Twenty Systems (Expanding Records) 5. Valerio Cosi - Collected Works (Porter Records) Drew Christie, Artist, Scholar, Genius

  

  1. Listening to Folk Songs of Idaho and Utah (by Rosalie and Jim Sorrels-Folkways 1961) while driving down the Oregon coast with my sweetheart. 2. Playing Michael Hurley's Candolin (fiddle/mandolin made out of a paint can) 3. Getting tips from Mike Seeger on building instruments 4. Finding two Roy Bookbinder albums at Bop Street 5. Seeing Leon Redbone play from 5 feet away Claire, Strictly Discs (Madison, WI) Top 10: TV on the Radio - Dear Science Be Your Own Pet – Get Awkward Nick Cave - Dig, Lazarus, Dig Beck – Modern Guilt MGMT - Oracular Spectacular Justice – (Cross) The Kills - Midnight Boom Cat Power – Jukebox The Black Keys – Attack & Release Ratatat – LP3 Next 5: David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea The Black Angels - Directions to See A Ghost Eagles of Death Metal - Heart On Justin Cosby, Head Honcho, Intertia Distribution (Australia) ** DISCLAIMER – Delivered & selected under extreme duress. Top 10 Records Alberta Cross – The Thief & The Heartbreaker Amazing Baby – Infinite Cross A Place To Bury Strangers - A Place To Bury Strangers Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago Burial - Untrue Frightened Rabbit – Midnight Organ Fight MGMT – Oracular Spectacular Nick Cave – Dig Lazarus Dig Plants & Animals – Parc Avenue We Were Promised Jet Packs – Quiet Little Voices EP Deerhunter – Cryptograms Terry Currier, Owner, Music Millennium (Portland, OR) Top Records 1) Derby - Posters Fade 2) David Grissom - Loud Music 3) Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal 4) Helio Sequence -Keep Your Eyes Ahead 5) Blitzen Trapper - Furr 6) Darker My Love - 2 7) Love Psychedelico - This Is 8) Patty Loveless - Sleepless Nights 9) Paul Thorn - Love Way From Tupelo 10) The Strawbs - Broken Hearted Bride Top Reissues 1) Van Duren - Are You Serious 2) Eddie Bo - In The Pocket With Eddie Bo 3) Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue 4) Larry Norman - Anthology Tony Davis, CIMS Music Top 10 Records of 2009 1. Nightmarchers - See You In Magic - Swami Records 2. Radiohead - Wed 27 August 2008 Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, Chula Vista, CA, USA 3. My Morning Jacket- Evil Urges - ATO Records 4. TV on the Radio - Dear Science - Interscope 5. Gutter Twins, July 10, 2008  Roxy in Los Angeles 6. Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains DVD 7. Portishead - Third 8. Obits -One Cross Apiece 7 inch 9. Dengue Fever - Venus on Earth 10. Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue Pak David Dickenson, Suicide Squeeze 10 highlights from 2008 (In no particular order and excluding Suicide Squeeze related shit) Successful back surgery for my dog Mary My surprise birthday trip to Los Angeles (thanks beast!) Deerhunter - Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. [Kranky Records] Al moving to Seattle Flying Lotus - Los Angeles [Warp Records] Barack Obama Late night drives with Adam at SXSW 2008 Gang Gang Dance live at The Triple Door Pineapple Express day trip Adele “Chasing Pavements” {single} DJ Supreme LA Rock 5. DJs selling their OG Vinyl because they use MP3's now 4. The Resurrection of my "Soul, Style & Truth" Radio Show 3. The ltd. edition TITS x DJ Supreme Collaboration T - Shirt 2. 7" 45rpm vinyl serato controllers 1. Barack Obama winning the election Martin Doyle Ivy League Best Albums Of 2008 1.     Bon Iver -  For Emma, Forever Ago 2.     Eddy Current Suppression Ring -  Primary Colours 3.     Wooden Shjips – Volume 1 4.     The Black Angels – Directions To See A Ghost 5.     Black Mountain  - In The Future 6.     David Vandervelde – Waiting For The Sunrise 7.     Pivot – O Soundtrack My Hear' 8.     Santogold – S/T 9.     Diplo/Santogold – Top Ranking 10.   The Bug – London Zoo Best Lost and Found Discoveries of 2008 1.     Spacemen 3 - The Perfect Prescription 2.     Rodriguez - Cold Fact 3.     Mulatu Astatke - Ethiopiques 4 (2nd year running) 4.     Alice Coltrance - Journey In Satchidananda 5.     Champion Jack Dupree - Blues From The Gutter 6.     Ten Years After - Self Titled 7.     Brian Jonestown Massacre - Their Satanic Majesties Second Request 8.     Neil Young - Greatest Hits 9.     Leaf Hound - Growers Of Mushrooms 10.   The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico Greg Dulli, Twilight Singers, Afghan Whigs, Gutter Twins

  

  1. Frisky Dingo Seasons 1 and 2. Hands down the greatest cartoon of all time. If I were to answer the Proust Questionnaire query about my favorite hero of fiction; my answer would be Killface, the shallowest, deepest and most conflicted and tortured soul ever committed to whatever cartoons are committed to. I cannot adequetely describe the genius that is consistently on display every second of every episode. Adam Reed, the creator (and voice of Killface, Xander Crews, Wendell, Ronnie the Xtacle and Nearl ("Is this really Babar's House?"), has apparently pulled a Dave Chappelle and gone on walkabout. I can only hope that he pulls it together to give us Season Three. Please God. 2. Istanbul. What can I say about the most beautiful city in Europe/Asia? Have breakfast in Europe and then cross the Bosphorus for lunch in Asia Minor. It is the jam. There are mosques next door to discos and everybody smokes. Muslim extremists could learn a thing or two from their more laid back brethren. I think it was that fact and being able to smoke legally in an elevator that made me finally quit smoking cigarettes. What more had I to do as a smoker? I had reached the pinnacle. 3. Terry Callier. I not only got to see him perform for the first time in Ireland this summer, but he sat with Lanegan and I before his set and answered all our fanboy questions like a kindly uncle. Then he got up, walked to the stage and tore the motherfucker down. Terry Callier is a giant among men. 4. Tinariwen. Have loved their records for years and finally got to see them at the same Irish festival. They are mesmerizing, hypnotic, transcendent and all the things you want a band to be when you're doing mushrooms on the side of their stage. 5. Slumdog Millionaire. You know how it's going to end in the first ten minutes and you don't care. You just take the ride and watch the fairy tale unfold. It's like Great Expectations and Oliver Twist transported to modern India and it is electric. A great film by a great director and the kids at the beginning are fucking priceless. I loved it. Chris Estey, Writer, Publicist

  

  420 & A COP'S SKULL FULL OF RUM OF THE SOUL: Artist of the Year: LoveLand - The Beautiful Truth Musical Comeback of the Year/Reissue Album: Rodriguez - Cold Fact Spoken Word Reissue: Iceberg Slim - Reflections TV show: Mad Men Book(s): Carl Wilson's 33 1/3 on Celine Dion; BOMP by Greg and Suzy Shaw Live show: The Saturday Knights at Bumbershoot Indie rock album: Damien Jurado's - Caught In The Trees Film Comeback: RocknRolla (Guy Ritchie) Pop Con Performance: Greil Marcus on the Roots Bumbershoot Performance (other than TSK): Old 97s Block Party Performance: See Me River (Triumph of Lethargy ruled too) Comics: Marvel Zombies, Hotwire #2 Booze: Bacardi Silver Wife: Heidi Joe, Euclid's Records CD/LP Starling Electric - Clouded Staircase Sam Phillips - Don't Do Anything Troubador Dali - Troubador Dali Loudon Wainwright III - Recovery Prisonshake - Dirty Moods Future Clouds & Radar - Peoria Bob Dylan - Tell Tale Signs Patricia Barber - The Cole Porter Mix Rodriguez - Cold Fact Terry Adams - Love Letters to Andromeda REM - Accelerate Chris Ligon - Crazy Dazy CONCERTS: Bob Pollard Boston Spaceships - Bluebird, St. Louis Big Jay McNeely - New Orleans Jazzfest The Gourds - Wood House Concert, St. Louis Charlie Louvin - Gazebo Concert Series, Webster Groves, MO Bruce Springsteen - Savis Center, St. Louis Ronnie Spector - House of Blues New Orleans Alison Krause - Robert Plant - New Orleans Jazzfest Ponderosa Stomp 2008 - House of Blues New Orleans The Hard Lessons - Darwin's Pub, Austin Steely Dan - Fox Theater, St. Louis Terry Adams Rock and Roll Quartet - Wood House Concert, St. Louis Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3 - Euclid Records Future Clouds & Radar - Off Broadway Return to Forever - Fox Theater, St. Louis REM - Austin City Limits Studios Robbie Fulks - Wood House Concert, St. Louis Guy Forsyth - Euclid Records Ian McLagan & The Bump Band - The Duck Room, St. Louis The Collins Kids - House of Blues New Orleans Ben Fasman, Stop Smiling Magazine 1. The High On Fire burger at Kuma's Corner - 1/2 pound burger on a pretzel roll with Siracha hot sauce, proscuitto, roasted red pepper, grilled pineapple and sweet chili sauce. (Runner-up: The specials at Hot Dougs. So unfuckwithable) 2. Templeton Rye - The secret to staying warm in Chicago winters. (Runner-up: Bulleit Bourbon) 3. Accidents At Home and How They Happen - A brilliant, hilarious, sad, moving film by video artist / filmmaker Jennifer Reeder. Her earlier experimental video work won her a spot in the Whitney Bienniel and all sorts of attention, but this is her first narrative film. While it follows a narrative structure, it clearly has its roots in video art, with long, lush shots, able to sift the enormity of experience into the smallest of gestures and, perhaps even more impressively, vice-versa. Killer original score by Jeremy Boyle. (Runner-up: Let The Right One In) 4. Sheer Magic - First Wednesday of every month at Danny's Tavern in Chicago - Famed record collector Dante Carfagna and partner-in-crime Cortland Green have been throwing their monthly funk and soul night for a decade, aka way before you and everyone that you know was a "soul DJ". They still throw the best funk and soul party that I've ever been to. (Runner-up: Tuesdays at Rodan w/ Jeff Parker, John Herndon & Josh Abrams. I still can't believe this thing isn't packed to the gills every Tuesday) 5. BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA (or at least the sentiment that he inspired in millions of people over the past year). (Runner-up: Tina Fey's Sarah Palin impressions.) Honorable Mentions, aka Other Things That Brought Me Joy This Year - Falling in love, the reissue labels all stepping up their game and putting out some incredible releases, moving into the treehouse, Rebecca Fasman, Jon Fasman, Double Dee & Steinski's "Who Owns Culture" live set, DJing on election night after the acceptance speech and playing my "Fight The Power" 12" and having the entire bar rush the dancefloor and half of them were crying, getting taught a lesson in humility when a 4 year old spit on me for being mean, bloody mary's with a shorty of beer, MRT, Lynn Williams - "Don't Be Surprise" [sic], seeing Getachew Mekuria & The Ex play at Grant Park, Thomas Hooper's tattoo work, Phil Cohran's "Singles" collection, Brutal Truth, Pig Destroyer, Eddie Hinton, wool socks, continual inspiration from the illest friends anyone could ever ask for, and so much more. Jesse Flores, Promotions, Easy St. Records (Seattle, WA) Top 6 In Store Performances of 08: #1 Wanda Jackson - She was as gracious and amazing as a living legend could and should be.  And boy can she sing! #2 Natalie Portman Shaved Head - They killed it and had the crowd dancing in the isles. #3 Carlene Carter - She was so funny, she could do stand up, but then she sang and you knew you were amongst royalty. #4 Star Anna, Mark Pickerel & Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter - First ever Record Store Day Performance.  Amazing to have all these great people helping us celebrate.  Jesse looked gorgeous. #5 Karl Blau - Although there were a few technical difficulties, Karl shone through.  What an amazing talent. #6 Mudhoney - because they are fuckin Mudhoney, that's why! Jesse's top 6 records in no particular order: Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson - Rattlin Bones Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Sunday at Devil Dirts Star Anna - Crooked Path Mark Pickerel - Cody's Dream Karl Blau - Natures Got Away Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash Jesse's 6 kick ass shows of 08 The Breeders @ Neumos Carolyn Mark & The Meat Purveyors @ The Tractor Tavern Exile In Imaginary Girlville - Three Imaginary Girls Tribute to Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville Lucinda Williams @ The Showbox (first night) Neko Case @ Bumbershoot Moondoggies @ Reverb Fest. John Garcia Buyer, Amoeba Music (San Francisco, CA) Anthony Braxton - The Complete Arista Recordings Carlos "Zingaro"/Dominique Regef/Wilbert De Joode - Spectrum Kayhan Kalhour/Brooklyn Rider - Silent City Getachaw Mekurya/The Ex - Moa Anbessa Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten Quintet - The Year Of The Boar Robbie Basho - "Bonn Ist Supreme" Live At The Kulturforum, Bonn, Germany, 11/24/80 V.A. Give Me Love: Songs Of The Brokenhearted - Baghdad 1925-29 Mike Osbourne - All Night Long Curlew - Curlew/Live At CBGB's 1980 Rachel Unthank & The Winterset - The Bairns Britt Govea, (((folkYEAH!))) Presents in a random order: 1. Cluster finally playing live in CA! (LA, Big Sur, SC Mountain, SF) 2. Bonnie “Prince” Billy live sets in Big Sur and SF (Swedish Music Hall) 3. Entrance Band live sets @ Festival in the Forest 4. Phillip Glass live @ Henry Miller Library in Big Sur. 5. Rodriguez w/The Fresh & Only’s/Matt Baldwin Electric Band/Sleepy Sun live sets @ GAMH in SF!!!! ((serious runner up)) Howlin Rain live set @ Hammerstien Ballroom in NYC Dawn Greany, Manager, Twist & Shout Records (Denver, CO) Lord Dog Bird - Lord Dog Bird Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago Sigur Ros - Heima (DVD) TV on the Radio - Dear Science Ten Kens - Ten Kens All The Saints - Fire On Corridor X Pacific UV - Longplay V.2 Dead End Armory - Hope You're Good Tindersticks - Hungry Saw Russian Circles - Station Duke Spirit - Neptune Great Northwest - Widespread Reign of the Great Northwest Whisper in the Noise - Dry Land Coldplay - Viva La Vida Thalia Zedek - Liars & Prayers Portishead - Third LOCAL: Slim Cessna's Auto Club - Cipher Wovenhand - Ten Stones Rabbit is a Sphere - Hope is a Cinder That Blinks Quietly Until You Die Devotchka - Mad & Faithful Telling Everything Absent or Distorted - Great Collapse Nancy Guppy, Seattle Channel's Art Zone TOP TWO FAVORITE THINGS FROM 2008, PLUS EIGHT MORE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER: Barack Obama winning the Presidency of the United States, (fall 2008) Sarah Palin returning to Wasilla, Alaska, (fall 2008) The "Fleet Foxes" show at The Moore Theatre, (fall 2008) Paul Morgan Stetler's performance in "The Adding Machine", the inaugural play from New Century Theatre Company, (fall 2008) Discovering "NARS" brand bronzing powder, color: "Laguna", (summer 2008) The "Red Dress" show at Egan's Jam House the day after Thanksgiving, (fall 2008) "Photographs from the Inside of a Whale", Isaac Layman's show of photography at Lawrimore Project, (summer 2008) "The Saturday Knights" performance at Top Pot Donuts, (summer 2008) "Lost Action", modern dance performance choreographed by Crystal Pite for Kidd Pivot at On the Boards, (fall 2008) The debut of the weekly local arts show "Art Zone In Studio" on the Seattle Channel 21, (winter 2008) Heather H. Sonic Boom Records (Seattle, WA) in no particular order: 1. ludacris theater of the mind 2. ice cube the predator 3. my biff 4. "special" treats 5. dj randy travis Gerald Hammil, Other Music A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, 2008: My son's first birthday. He wasn't so much into the birthday cake as he was the celery Election Night!!! Slow Food MUSIC (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER) Arthur Russell - Wild Combination DVD (Plexifilm) Atlas Sound - Let the Blind Lead Those Who See but Cannot Feel (Kranky) El Guincho - Ale Granza (Discoteca Oceana) Fripp & Eno - No Pussyfooting (Water) Helios - Caesura (Type) Hercules & Love Affair - s/t (DFA) FAVORITE SONGS: Jeff Britton "Rub Out" Tom Tom Club "Lorelei" LIVE No Age on the Lamar Pedestrian Bridge – Austin, TX (3/15) Manuel Göching @ Lincoln Center – NYC (8/15) Actually a highlight and disappointment all in one. I only caught the last part of his performance of "E2-E4" (still enough to make it on my year end list), but Rhys Chatham's "200 Guitars" was scrapped due to bad weather. My Bloody Valentine @ The Roseland - NYC (9/22) My ears are still ringing. Liquid Liquid @ Santo's Party House – NYC (11/19) Johnny Horn, Producer, Musician, DJ, host KEXP’s Preachin’ The Blues, and Wicked & Wild on Thursday nights at The War Room. New project is a soul instrumental group called The Satellite 4

  

  * The Upsetter Movie Someone finally did it right, the life story of Lee “SCRATCH” Perry. I was floored during a recent Seattle premiere, the exclusive photos and footage of Perry at the Black Ark were augmented with surprisingly coherent commentary from the man himself and noted others like Jamaican actor Carl Bradshaw- Free designer beer and popcorn made the thing a well attended EVENT * Menahan Street Band Bringing Bushwick’s moody, heavy vibes to vinyl via real tape in a real studio, these cats are some of the recent additions to Daptone’s Brooklyn-based stable- I got their first forty five quite a while back, and was eager to hear more- The full length set doesn’t disappoint, it even includes a hidden song * Crap Jazz Covers This site is ridiculous, they have posted tons of god-awful jazz lp covers that will make you laugh, cry or kill- They are particularly merciless to Richie Cole- Take a look when you need a good escape from life’s daily stress * North Shore Hawaiian BBQ in Seattle Located right in the city at Yesler and Boren in the old Lloyd’s Rocket building, this place offers a full Hawaiian style menu of Asian and Island delicacies- They have all the details and good prices, and it’s not way out of the way * Alcatraz Authentic Mexican Food is one of many many places like it on Seattle’s southend, but opened recently and has a refreshing regional style that I can’t pinpoint * Up on Beacon Ave. is another favorite: El Quetzel, a family place with incredible food *  Versions Galore A creative blog that collects cover versions with great presentation- “I know loads of cover versions that are regarded as being better than the original” –John Peel *  La Lupe Born in Cuba as Guadalupe Victoria Yolíaymond, this singer of boleros, guarachas and latin soul had a remarkable life story- She is gone now, but her voice is spellbinding, dripping with emotion that is missing from most music- Check out her story, her music and her life- She was TOO HOT *  Hot Mama’s Pizza- Still the best in town, making soggy Tutta Bella look ridiculous! *  Wheedle’s Groove- Kearney Barton - Maybe I’m prejudiced, since I’m involved in this forthcoming Light In The Attic release, but an era of Seattle’s soul music was documented with taste on this record. Wes Howerton, Barsuk

  

  My top 10 Albums of 2008 1. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago 2. Black Mountain – In the Future 3. Why? - Alopeica 4. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes 5. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! 6. Rodriguez – Cold Fact 7. Retribution Gospel Choir -  S/T 8. Richard Swift – Ground Trouble Jaw 9. Department of Eagles – In Ear Park 10. Damien Jurado – Caught in Trees Other records by “The” bands that I loved: The Whigs -  Mission Control The Constantines – Kensington Heights The Hold Steady – Stay Positive The Moondoggies – Don’t Be A Stranger The Muslims – S/T The Black Keys – Attack & Release The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely Top 10 Songs of 08: 1. Richard Swift – Lady Luck 2. The Whigs – Right Hand on My Heart 3. Flash Lightnin – Coming on Strong 4. T- Pain – Can’t Believe It 5. Estelle – American Boy 6. Flo- Rida – Low 7. Usher – Love In This Club 8. Death Cab for Cutie – I Will Possess Your Heart 9. Damien Jurado – Best Dress 10.  The Muslims – Beside Myself Carlos Icaza, Los Fancy Free, Evil Hippie, El Pan Blanco, Las Comadrejas

  

  SHOWS: Kampion, Daedalus and Marlowe, terraza CCE, downtown Méco City Harmonia live at le Poisson Rouge, NYC Ariel Pink´s Haunted Graffiti at El Imperial, Méco City The Cannanes at El Garage, Monterrey, Méco Phenomenal Handclap Band at 205 Christie, NYC Damo Suzuki & Evil Hippie at Pasaje America, Méco City Daptone Records fundraising party for Obama at Southpaw, NYC RECORDS: best reissue of the year: Rodriguez: Cold Fact (light in the attic, hats off!) BEST MEXICAN RECORDS: Los Guanána - heartbeats Los Margaritos - Rocanrolandia jessy bulbo: Taras Bulba (nuevos ricos) los fancy free: nevergreens vol 2 (silicon carne) Gustavo Pimentel - percusiones (orfeon, 1966) Monna Bell - De Repente (orfeon, 1974) BEST TACOS: la Superior, berry & south second, Williamsburg NYC taqueria cocula, lopez and delicias, downtown, mexico city. taqueria bagdad, downtown, Puebla, mexico. BRAZILIAN FOOD: Salada Record, downtown Sao Paulo: ask for virado paulista. BRAZILIAN MUSIC: Astronete Bar, Matias Aires btw. Augusta and Haddock Lobo Sao Paulo. simply the coolest bar in the world. in NY: brazilian brooklyn beats, sundays at black betty, brooklyn. Michael Jaworski, Mt. Fuji Records, The Cops, The Sunset Tavern, Al’s Tavern, and all taverns the world over!

  

  1. Being alive to witness and participate in the election of Barack Obama as the next president of the United States. 2. Having great tours with my band, The Cops, and getting to play with some amazing bands like The Blind Shake, Big Business, Red Fang, The End of the World, The Long Winters, Spiral Stairs, and The A-Sides, among others. 3. Spending 2 weeks in Costa Rica with my lovely lady. Mucho gusto! 4. Having another happy and healthy year with my family and friends who continue to inspire and amaze me. 5. Getting to hear great new records by the following (in no particular order, and I'm positive that I'm forgetting a hundred more): The Roots - Rising Down Tobacco - Fucked Up Friends Point Juncture, WA - Heart to Elk The Muslims - The Muslims They've since changed their name to The Soft Pack. Great band from San Diego. The Night Marchers - See You in Magic The Whore Moans - Hello from the Radio Wasteland! The Oh Sees - The Master's Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night In The Blind Shake - Caramel Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes The Hold Steady - Stay Positive Past Lives - Strange Symmetry Here's to 2009! Andy K. Sub Pop Ranking Baker's Dozen—Top singles picked up in '08 13. King Kong—Niceness 7" (Black Scorpio) 12. Eric Bubbles—Rebel Lion 7" (Decendence) 11. Mike Brooks—Come One Come All 7" (Coptic Lion) 10. Billy Boyo in the Area/Yellowman—Lost Mi Love 7" (Jah Guidance) 9. Knowledge/Tapper Zukie—What's Yours 12" (Stars) 8. Al Campbell—Repatriation 7" (Well Charge) 7. Junior Byles—Lorna Banana 7" (Pressure Sounds) 6. Jackie Edwards—So Jah Say 7" (Gorgon) 5. Peter Tosh—Oh Bumbo Claat 7" (Intel-Diplo) 4. Prince Alla—Heaven Is My Roof/Rod Taylor—Don't Give Up 12" (Archive) 3. Tenor Saw—Golden Hen 7" (Hummingbird) 2. Nicodemus—Eagles' Feather 7" (Jammy's) 1. Michael Palmer—Don't Smoke the Seed 12" (Hitbound/Channel One) Ethan Kallet, Berkeley Place http://www.berkeleyplaceblog.com/the-best-of-2008-so-far/ Khal, Rock the Dub 01/Elzhi ft. Royce Da 5’9 “Motown 25” 02/Elucid “Automatic Writing” 03/Presto ft. Sadat X, O.C. & Large Professor “Conquer Mentally” 04/The Roots “75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction)” 05/Pete Rock ft. Jim Jones & Max B “We Roll” 06/Akrobatik ft. Talib Kweli “Put Ya Stamp On It” 07/Big Boi ft. Raekwon & Andre3000 “Royal Flush” 08/Nas ft. Busta Rhymes “Fried Chicken” 09/MAGr “Dealings” 10/Heltah Skeltah “The Art of Disrespekinazation” Ever Kipp, Barsuk Asparagus + Morels = awesome Black Keys – Attack & Release = hugeness from the former rubber capitol of the world Babies, specifically Violet Merriweather Minton-Kipp Russian Circles – Station = massive Michael Chabon – Gentlemen of the Road = Jews with swords Jon Kirby, Wax Poetics 5 Favorite Things of 2008. New York Club that Feels like a New York Club: Santos. Santos has a great sound system and pretty clever programing. I went there to see Q-Tip and Rich Medina. The bass was so deep, I felt like I could see the air vibrating. Like heat over hot asphalt. The first time I went here was on my birthday (May 23rd) and that thing happens where you walk through the corridor and everything starts happening in slow motion. Popular people give you high fives and pretty girls give you euro kisses. I think for that reason, it will always hold a special place in my party heart. Dark Horse Lunch Spot: Vegetarian Ginger Like most people with office bound work weeks, I am violently sick of the available lunch spots in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Whenever I see guys from Turntable Lab or Fat Beats, I see the proximity pain in their eyes. Vegetarian Ginger opened in the neighboring barrio of Brooklyn Heights and I am thrilled! It looks super nice, the lunch specials are 6 dollars, and come with all the veg-friendly trimmings. Me and Idris have to deal with the hippie-based hazing from our co-workers, but until the imaginary Pulled-Pork Emporium starts delivering, chill. Favorite Piece of Reissue: Carolina Funk. A bit biased, me being a Tarheel and all, but this thing is incredible. Jason Perlmutter really outdid himself here. Not only did this Carolina-educated Chemistry major provide insightful descriptions of each record and the circumstances surrounding them, but identified the instrumental regions of both Carolinas, tying the whole compilation together into one cozy quilt of Southern funk. And the music? Incredible! North American Travel Destination: Mexico City. I been singing Montreal's praises for many minutes, but Mexico City is exploding with cultural expression. It reminds me of the South a bit: Country good, but city quick. There is food everywhere, as if to say, "Yeah, we're cooking a pig on this park bench...And?" Everything is affordable, public transit is near magical, and the folks are, for the most part, friendly. Carlos Icaza tour guided me around the city on a recent Mexodus and I couldn't have had a better time. "Chido" is the 80s equivalent of "Rad," and like Visa, it's everywhere you want to be. Best, "Dude, you got to hear this" band of 2008: Francis and the Lights: I feel in most instances, the more these artists are touted, the more likely we are to tune them out. For the sake of brevity, Francis is the authentic Prince of blue-eyed soul. My favorite instance of the word "strawberry" ever incorporated into metered rhyme. It's harder than you think. Mark Klebeck, Top Pot Doughnuts BEST CD: The Saturday Knights – Mingle (My wife and I play this over and over and over…) BEST RESTAURANT: Machiavelli (Some of the best Italian food in the nation served by the friendliest staff) BEST DJ: John Richards (Same as last year…There’s nobody better) BEST ILLUSTRATOR: Ed Fotheringham (I love his work) BEST PIZZA: MOD Pizza (Corner of 6th and University downtown) BEST GRAPHIC DESIGN: Todd Hardman (at Whiz-Bang…great soccer goalie too!) BEST WEB DESIGNER: Christine Godlewski (at Genius Creative) BEST SCRATCH BAR: Sun Liquor (Yeah, I know…biased) BEST BREAKFAST: PORTAGE BAY CAFÉ(Great breakfast!) BEST RECORD STORE: Sonic Boom (Great independent place for music!) Jon Kurtzer, KEXP, Zune Top 10 Albums of the year - Umalali - The Garfina Women's Collective DJ Dolores - Real Buena Vista Social Club - Live at Carnegie Hall Seun Kuti - Suen Kuti and Fela's Egypt 80 Chiwoniso - Rebel Women Justin Adams - Soul Science Dub Colossus - A Town Called Addis Hector Zazou and Swara - In The House of Mirrors Debashish Battacharya - Calcultta Chronicles Toumani Diabete - The Mande Variations John Laird, Side One: Track One All of us in the SOTO family (which includes LITA's own Mr. Noah Sanders) have completely listed ourselves to the point of no return, so instead of music or film, I present to you five of the best ways that I wasted my time this year in Austin, TX. The Alamo Drafthouse (the best theater in the world) Halo 3/Left 4 Dead/Gears Of War 2 (violent video games are such a blast) The Flying Saucer (beer is good) ESPN 1/2/News/The Ocho (sports are fun…to watch while on the couch) Gmail Chat (probably the slickest way to look like I'm working) That's it. Feel free to join me in these activities at any point in 2009! Kevin Ledoux, Seattle Subsonic TOP BEARDS OF 2008 http://www.seattlesubsonic.com/2008/12/12/the-era-of-the-new-hair-band-top-beards-of-2008/ Beau Levitt, Five Bucks On By-Tor The 10 Best Old Canadian Records I Found In 2008 (in alphabetical order): The Bob Brooks Music Co. and Chorus - To Keep This Land Alive: Winnipeg trucking company film soundtrack split evenly between folk and '70s-era electronica. Ron Harrison - Moods Of The Wild: Easy-listening nature film soundtrack tracks with a funky edge. Jerry Jerome & The Cardells - Hot Steel: Rootsy covers of Bob Marley, Tower Of Power and Nancy Sinatra by a Rexdale hotel band. Kensington Market - Avenue Road: Late-'60s Toronto psych band. Claude Leveillee et Andre Gagnon - Leveillee-Gagnon: Stately instrumental Quebecois classical/jazz. Maestro Fresh Wes - Symphony In Effect: Classic LP by the godfather of Canadian hip-hop. Jackie Mittoo - Let's Put It All Together: Reggae-fied pop by Jamaican-born keyboard maestro who lived in Toronto throughout the '70s. Marg Osburne - The Best Of Marg Osburne: Country and folk with a jazzy touch by a powerhouse singer. Syrinx - Long Lost Relatives: Way ahead-of-its-time prog album. David Clayton Thomas and The Shays - A Go-Go: Surprisingly gritty garage rock and blues by the future Blood, Sweat & Tears frontman and a Toronto r&b group. Eric Levin Owner/Founder, Criminal Records, AIMS Coalition Top 10 Records of 2008 1. Anna Kramer & The Lost Cause - Rustic Contemporary Sounds of… 2. Augustus Pablo - The Rockers Story 3. Bauhaus - Go Away White 4. Earth, Roots & Water - Innocent Youths 5. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah (Part One) 6. Gentlemen Jesse & His Men - S/T 7. Lady Dottie & The Diamonds - S/T 8. Noot D'Noot - Goofer Dust 9. Rodriguez - Cold Fact 10. Warren Zevon - S/T (deluxe reissue) Lawrence Lui, Astralwerks Top 25 in no order! 1) Portishead - Third (best album) 2) Howlin Rain - Magnificent Fiend (second best album) 3) Smoke Feathers (best unsigned band) 4) Esau Mwanwaya & Radioclit (best mixtape) 5) Rodriguez - Cold Fact (best reissue) 6) Septicflesh - Communion (best metal record with massive orchestral flourishes) 7) Dreadzone 'For A Reason' (best song to put a smile on your face) 8) Vira - Demo (best unsigned metal act) 9) Guilty Simpson (most slept on) 10) RZA 'Long Time Coming' & GZA '0% Finance' (best Wu Tang Clan tracks) 11) Prince @ Coachella (best festival gig) 12) The Ex with GétchèMèrya @ Lincoln Center NYC (best free show) 13) Seun Kuti @ Summerstage NYC (second best free show) 14) Mavis Staples @ BB Kings (best show at an awful venue) 15) WangWen @ The Spot Festival (best Chinese spacerock show in Denmark) 16) Bob Dylan 'Cocaine Blues' (best live vocal performance on a record) 17) Girl Talk - Feed The Animals (guiltiest pleasure) 18) Sunday Best, Brooklyn (best Brooklyn party) 19) Special Disco Version, NYC (best Manhattan party) 20) Times New Viking - Rip It Off (lowest-fi) 21) Buenos Aires, Argentina (best trip) 22) Duffy (best excuse not to miss Amy Winehouse) 23) My Bloody Valentine - Live @ ICA 6/13/08 (best bootleg) 24) Substantula.com (best shameless plug for my blog) 25) Obama (best reason to be hopeful) Jennifer Maas, Evil Bunny Films

  

  Top Five Food Things 1.  Black Bean Soup with Apples This Black Bean Soup is based on a recipe from the Herbfarm Cookbook.  Soak two cups of beans in 6 cups of water for a couple of hours. Cook 6 pieces of finely chopped bacon over medium until most of the fat is rendered, but not yet crispy. Add or remove enough fat to make 1/3 cup. ...  Read MorePut in a finely chopped onion, four finely chopped celery stalks, and 3 finely chopped garlic cloves. Cook for a few minutes until they are soft. Add two tablespoons of ginger, a teaspoon of allspice and a half a teaspoon of cayenne. Stir around for a second. Add 7 cups of chicken broth, a couple of bay leaves, and the beans. Boil, then simmer for two hours or so until the beans are soft. Add 3 apples (I used two granny smith and a fuji) in small cubes, two tablespoons of maple syrup, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, two tablespoons finely chopped each of rosemary and thyme, and cook until apples are soft (about 10 minutes). I think that's it. 2. Ruby on Rails Okay, it's not a food thing as much as it is a programming language / web framework. I really love it, but if I start talking about I'll just sound like a brainwashed cult member, and your eyes will be frantically looking around the room for a way out of the conversation.  I'll just say that it's everything I ever wanted in a programming language.  Word.  And if there were any way to eat it, I'm sure it would be very delicious. 3.  Hurricane Ike Turkey Tacos My parents got hit pretty bad by Hurricane Ike, so my brother and sister and I all rushed down to help pick up the pieces a few days later.  We actually had a blast that week, and my brother and I made ground turkey tacos one night from the random stuff that the grocery store had left after the storm.  This recipe is best made using a hotplate run by a generator.  Saute a chopped onion in oil (this will take a while with on a hot plate), then add the ground turkey, some cumin, a little chili powder, some salt, and cook until turkey is done.  On a second hotplate, heat some oil, and fry up a few cans of black beans.  Make enough guacamole to go swimming in (guac is good for morale).  Serve with chips, chopped tomatoes, and tortillas.  Also, even though it's kind of a pain to do dishes with no hot water, use real dishes! 4.  Chipotle Chilies I bought a bag in Mexico City last November, and they have taken my Tex Mex game to a new level this year.  They are smoky and flavorful and hot and perfect. 5. Homemade Chicken Stock I save my onion, carrot, and celery scraps in the freezer.  When I have a chicken carcass, I put it in a stock pot with my vegetable scraps (and some fresh veggies if I've got them), sprig of thyme, a bay leaf, and a spring of parsley.  I cover the mess with water, bring to a boil, skim the gross stuff off the top, and then let it simmer for a few hours.  My process is nowhere near perfect, but the result is still ridiculously great.  And I swear it cures colds in a day and makes your hair grow about three times faster. Michael Maly, Sonic Itch Music I feel fortunate to have a life full of wonderful music related moments, and putting together a list of the more memorable or relevant, is a bit of a daunting task. But, how can one resist the invitation from the fine folks @ Light in The Attic? Some of my most memorable music related experiences from 2008 as best as my memory can serve. In no particular order of relevance. My Morning Jacket @ The Parish (400 capacity venue) in March: This is the first venue that I saw the band perform live, back in 2003 I believe, and I was completely blown away then. The lineup has changed, the hair is gone, but the magic still exists, and experiencing it in this environment is how it should be. Fleet Foxes self titled album: Being a fan of guitar forward rock-n-roll, this album was an unexpected beautiful surprise and delight. Simple, complex, and incredibly touching this band is and just so amazing on so many levels. Cat Power @ Stubbs: My faith and appreciation for Chan Marshall was all but shattered after a dismal performance @ the 2007 Fun Fun Fun Fest, but the girl rebounded nicely. Marshall shined in a performance that showcased her stage presence, working the crowd with her sensual vocal delivery along with her ability to connect to the listener. Fun Fun Fun Fest 2008: Set in Waterloo Park in the middle of downtown Austin, TX. Fun Fun Fun Fest showcases some of the best up and coming in the music scene, while paying tribute to some of those who paved the way in earlier years. The venue is great, the vibe is awesome, and there’s a ton of great music. You’ll experience it soon enough. The Walkmen @ The Parish: Always a bit curious about the records and enjoying them to an extent, the band’s live performance was nothing less than stellar. In a day and age when most bands rely on electronic compliments, The Walkmen are pure and almost completely straight forward. An amazing performance reproducing the stripped down, classic sounds on the albums, with classic guitars and amps. The Walkmen seem to exist in a time almost forgotten, but deliver sounds that fit in the now. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago: Justin Vernon spent time away from the society most of us know, and the end result reads like a musical recap of each and every detail of that experience. You can feel the isolation of the soul, the voices of the wind in the trees, the chill of the winter, and the crackle of the wood burning stove. Colour Revolt @ Austin City Limits Festival: Three days of crowds, heat, and performances that walked the line of mediocrity at best were rescued by the performance of Mississippi’s Colour Revolt. Beautiful guitars, passionate screaming, and songs wrapped in dark introspective lyrics have never been so welcomed. A truly underrated band, whose time in the spotlight may never come to the fruition that it should. Dead Confederate - Wrecking Ball: Standing on the shoulders of giants they may, as many do in this day and age, but to infinite glory this band has created an amazing rock record. Rock might be an unpopular subject these days, but I’m still a believer. Spoon @ The Parish: I’ve been a fan from the first recording, and have seen the band as many times as convenience would allow. It’s been a long relationship most recently accented with this performance in which Brit Daniel and company killed the new material live and reached back into their lengthy catalog of seemingly never ending hits. A fine reminder of how much the band has been and still remains relevant in the current modern music scene. Mark, Strictly Discs (Madison, WI) Top 10: Black Crowes – Warpaint TV on the Radio - Dear Science My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely MGMT - Oracular Spectacular Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes Cold War Kids – Loyalty to Loyalty Dr. Dog – Fate Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend Gary Louris – Acoustic Vagabonds Next 5: Thievery Corporation – Radio Retaliation King Kahn – Supreme Genius of King Kahn Kings of Leon – Only By the Night Trey Anastasio – Original Boardwalk Style David Byrne/Brian Eno – Everything That Happens Will Happen Today Martin, Adam, Pish, Dorian and Leonore The Soundcarriers

  

  The Soundcarriers debut album will be released March 2009 Record: The Natural Yogurt Band – ‘Away With Melancholy’ (Jazzman Records) With a definite nod towards classic library composers [Hawkshaw, Mansfield, Moorhouse], debut LP Away With Melancholy features a hole array of vintage instruments and production techniques, resulting in a warm sounding,  groove-filled, unpretentious masterpiece, recorded under totally analogue conditions. Brilliant! DVD: O Lucky Man [dir. Lindsay Anderson 1973] Malcolm McDowell stars in this, probably the best of the Anderson trilogy. With many of the cast playing multiple roles, Arthur Lowe, Jeremy Bulloch and Helen Mirren, the film itself is a series of movies within movies. A story of corruption and lies, a highly influential yet often over-looked film, finally has its digital release. As well as a cameo role, Alan Price provides the killer soundtrack. Surreal Film: London Loves, BFI Outdoor Screening, Trafalgar Square Outdoor large screen viewing under Nelson’s Column on a clear, winter’s night, watching recently unearthed delights of familiar London sights, to the more bizarre aspects of city life, the programme included The Smallest Car in the Largest City in the World (1913) in which a miniature Cadillac dodges the city's omnibuses while young Hackney residents can be seen enjoying a spot of competitive bun-eating in beautiful colour home movies shot by Lt. James in the early 1950s; accompanied with live piano, violin and drums. Priceless Gig: The Pentangle [original line-up/UK tour] An incredible, and probably never to be repeated evening in the company of the band’s original line-up: Bert Jansch, Terry Cox, John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee and Danny Thompson. A well chosen set-list, including tracks Wedding Dress, Light Flight, Sweet Child, Bruton Town; performed by this magical, influential, ground-breaking band, sounding as timeless as on record. Masterful musicianship, retaining all subtleties. For once, a reformed band who kept it real. Radio: Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour How could Bob’s radio show disappoint? Courtesy of XM Satellite Radio, 6 Music lets the UK listen in on these eclectic hand-picked selections from the man himself. Deep Music Festival: Supersonic, Custard Factory, Birmingham (July) Leonore’s favourite avant-garde noise fest; and she’s not alone, voted ‘the best organised and most wisely curated festival’ by Plan B magazine. Best band of the festival: Fuck Buttons Shop: Selectadisc, 21 Market Street, Nottingham, NG1 6HX This national institution entered 2008 under uncertain terms, but lives to fight another day after being bought out be Sister Ray. Trading since 1966, a much loved independent high street store, which, in its lifetime has played host to many instore gigs (Soledad Brothers, The Clash, Magic Numbers) keeps on supplying diverse and extensive record and CD buyer’s needs, while its commitment to keeping vinyl a viable commodity is above and beyond the call of duty. Re-Issue: The Inner Dialogue – The Inner Dialogue Not sure exactly when this LP was re-issued, but I didn’t hear of it until this year. On a Free Design, 5th Dimension, Sound Of Feeling tip, soft-psyche sound with clunky bass and tuff drums. Original release on Ranwood Records RLP-8050 from 1969. Sunshine Restaurant: Gourmet San, 261 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 After reading Jay Rayner’s recommendation in The Observer Magazine, I really had to check this place out. And it didn’t disappoint. My words can’t do this place justice, so I’ll let you read the original review: I took Jay Rayner’s advice, and ordered the Chilli Crab and Pig’s Trotters, and not only did the food live up to the review, it wouldn’t even fit on the table! A fascinating and affordable Szechuan menu, probably not for the faint hearted, featuring Waist of Rabbit, Chilli Frog’s Legs and Cow’s Stomach. Pub: Old Olive Bush, Flecknoe, Warwickshire, CV23 8AT I probably shouldn’t really be plugging this unspoilt gem, just in case it doesn’t stay that way. Val, the landlady, will give you the warmest welcome, be you a local, walker, tourist, boater, whatever, to this wonderful true public house. In the space the size no bigger than most people’s living room, customers are shoehorned in the bar, clutching caramel coloured pints of local brew, faces red from the open fire. No music. Just chit chat. In summer, the rolling garden overlooks the beautiful valley below, whilst you’re sat with a pint of IPA amongst bumble bee’s favourite fauna. Recommended: pint of Hooky and a home-grown pickled egg Bar: Dulcimer, 567 Wilbraham Rd, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 0AE Fine Ales and Fine Folk! Owned by partner of B-Music/Finders’ Keepers Records, The Dulcimer is a wonderful antique filled, acid folk drenched busy bar and live music venue. An incredible line-up of acts have played here: Dando Shaft, Tudor Lodge, Meic Stevens, Heather Jones, Magic Carpet, Robin Williamson (Incredible String Band), Spirogyra and regular DJs include Lee Janda and Andy Votel. Friendly staff and atmosphere; recommended: Thwaites Flying Shuttle 4.6% Cask Theatre: Noel Coward’s Brief Encounter [Kneehigh Theatre production] A humorous, affectionate and detailed adaptation of Coward’s 1930s classic playlet ‘Still Life’. With wonderful detail, Kneehigh take you back to a 1930s style cinema, with actors showing people to their seats while musicians stroll around the auditorium singing songs such as Roll Out The Barrel and Run Rabbit Run. Innovative and imaginative. News: Barack Obama What’s left to say? City: Berlin Art Exhibition: Cold War Modern: Design 1945-1970. Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Incredible exhibition of art and culture from ‘both sides of the Iron Curtain’. This is still on until mid Jan 09, well worth checking, exhibits include: a Sputnik and an Apollo Mission space suit, films by Stanley Kubrick, paintings by Robert Rauschenberg and Gerhard Richter, fashion by Paco Rabanne, designs by Charles and Ray Eames and Dieter Rams, architecture by Le Corbusier, Richard Buckminster Fuller and Archigram, and vehicles including a Messerschmidt micro-car. Cold Art Installation: Cildo Meireles, Tate Modern Encompassing work from this Brazilian artist over the last four decades. Highlight: Fontes 1992/2008, a structure of 6000 rulers, 1000 ticking clocks and 500000 vinyl numbers following the spiral formation of the Milky Way, draws you into a maze-like world, with its hypnotic ticking soundtrack. Art Festival: Whitley Arts Festival A free local festival of Art, Music, Dance, Drama, Film, encouraging participation from the local residents of Reading. Highlight: The Experimental Film Evening. Traders: Candle Bridge Carrying Co. We met Tom, skipper, at Watford last March on one of those typical still, icy-cold, sun-filled winter sundays, and what a sight for sore eyes: a pair of historic working narrowboats, brimming to the gunwhales with coal for sale! He truly saved the day along a barron stretch of canal, with our own coal supply rapidly depleteing. School-leaver Tom had just bought the pair of boats to become a proper working boatman, supplying heating fuel for boats moored along the southern Grand Union Canal and London. We wish him, and dog Maggie, good luck in keeping this tradition alive without becoming a tourist attraction. His beautiful boats, Archimedes and Ara (1935 Star Class) can be seen here in their former glory. Matt, Strictly Disc (Madison, WI) Top 10: TV on the Radio – Dear Science Sleeping in the Aviary – Expensive Vomit in a Cheap Hotel Okkervil River – The Stand Ins Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III The Walkmen – You & Me Mount Eerie – Lost Wisdom Silver Jews – The Joos Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend Flying Lotus – Los Angeles Next 5: Hot Chip – Made in the Dark Islands – Arm’s Way Man Man – Rabbit Habits The Notwist – The Devil, You + Me Spiritualized – Songs in A&E Ben "Mouse" McShane, Classical Geek Theatre Classical Geek Theatre's Top 10 Albums from LA Bands 2008 1. The Henry Clay People - For Cheap or For Free The normal kids were listening to Coldplay and Radiohead, the cool kids were listening to No Age and MGMT, and The Henry Clay People released an indie rock record that references Neil Young, CCR, and Tom Petty before borrowing from Pavement and The Replacements. In other words, For Cheap or For Free is a rockists' wet dream, a poptimists' envy, and a finger in the eye of the Pitchfork aesthetic. Those are three great reasons to own it. (Buy This Record) 2. No Age - Nouns For teenagers and twentysomethings living in the 21st century, Nouns is the musical recording equivalent of Henry David Thoreau Walden. This is an "It will set you free" kind of record, and probably the most culturally relevant release of 2008. (Buy This Record) 3. The Mae Shi - HLLLYH LA's most angular noisepunk band becomes LA's catchiest electropop act. All of the the guys in the band (who are a mix of atheists, agnostics, and a true-believing Christian) wrote songs about the nature of god. Then they put a 14 minute long dance mix of the record in the middle, specifically so you would skip a track, emulating a "Side A and Side B" vinyl effect on CD. Genius. (Buy This Record) 4. The Airborne Toxic Event - self titled It's the best "epic indie rock" record of the year, from LA or otherwise. Music snobs dismissed this one as a poor man's Interpol, but the lyrical content is so much more genuine and cathartic, perfectly complimented by the dynamic instrumentals. Airborne had already broken-out when the record was released, but it was the live performances of these songs that launched their career. (Buy This Record) 5. The Movies - Based on a True Story Based on a True Story only came-out last week but it's an instant Silverlake classic. Nobody makes synthesizers sleazy like these guys do. If only the world wanted rock stars... (Available at Spaceland every Monday in December) 6. Thailand - The Remote Controller Absorbs the Place (EP) Brutal synth rock by subtraction. This five-song EP is a constant battle between the band's passionate expressions and their totalitarian songwriting discipline. There's anger in the quiet spaces, and that's not easy to do. (Buy This Record) 7. Divisadero - Lefty California desert rock is dime a dozen, but California desert rock as a concept album telling the story of a retired boxer? Not so common. This full-length is beautiful, dark, twisted stuff. I can never aptly describe it because every listen is like a half-forgotten dream. (Buy This Record) 8. The Happy Hollows - Imaginary EP Los Angeles' premiere artrock outfit finally released a collection of songs worthy of their electric live performances. It's phenomenal, mind bending stuff... and these are the five songs that didn't make the upcoming full-length?! (Buy This Record) 9. Death to Anders - Fictitious Business Death to Anders worships at the altar of Stephen Malkmus, Thurston Moore, and Thom Yorke... but they make records that have more in common with a Cohen Brothers movie. Cinematic alt-indie with an alt-country twang. (Buy This Record) 10. The Mezzanine Owls - self titled (EP) Breathtakingly majestic shoegaze. Six songs torturously too short. "Temporary Health" makes my top 5 songs of the year list. Released as a 7" vinyl with a digital download card. (Buy This Record) Trent Moorman, The Stranger, The Saturday Knights, Head Like A Kite

  

  Top 5 Albums to Listen to While Driving a Tour Van Late at Night: (through miles and miles of open road and the night sky, when no one else is awake in the van except you and the stereo): 1) Miles Davis – Panthalassa 2) Rachel's – Systems & Layers 3) Trans Am – Sex Change 4) Ry Cooder – Paris, Texas 5) Yume Bitsu – The Golden Vessyl of Sound Top 5 Breakfast Cereals: 1) Fruity Pebbles 2) Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch 3) Cinnamon Life 4) Cracklin Oat Bran 5) Count Chocula Tarin Muir Promotions, Amoeba Music (San Francisco, CA) Top 10 things that I liked for 2008 - 1. Great American Music Hall in San Francisco 2. Obama, Obama, Obama. 3. Radiohead - In Rainbows... I cant stop listening to it. 4. Crown Royal 5. Nirvana Thai Restaurant in the Castro 6. Britney Spears acting sane again... yeah right! 7. The Glass Castle - Book 8. Kathy Griffin 9. Sexy Straight San Franciscan men who like to dance to Cindy Lauper! :-) HAPPY HOLIDAYS! The Music Slut http://themusicslut.com/2008/12/tms-presents-matts-top-25-singles-of-2008/ http://themusicslut.com/2008/12/the-music-slut-presents-matts-top-50-lps-of-2008/ Ruben Mz, Coconut Coolouts, Sonic Boom Records, Haunted Horse Records, The Shackles TOP ten...er...  TOP 16 .... 7"s from 2008. 1.  Barbaras - Summertime Road (Goner) 2.  The Dutchess and the Duke- Scorpio (Horizontal Action) 3.  Wounded Lion- Carol Cloud (S-S Records) 4.  Catatonic Youth (Horizontal Action) 5.  Vivian Girls -  Wild Eyes (Plays With Dolls) 6.  Johnny and the Limelites/Slippery Slope - Summer of Fun Split Single (Florida's Dying) 7.  World's Lousy With Ideas Compilations #1-6 *****all of them****(Almost Ready Records) 8.  LOVETAN (Sweet Rot Records) 9.  Batman and Robin- I'm a Bat, I'm a Rock N Roll Animal (Bachelor Records) 10.  Catatonic Youth - Piss Scene (Horizontal Action) Jon Naito, Writer, Seattle P.I. Beach House - Devotion Rodriguez - Cold Fact Department of Eagles - In Ear Park The Walkmen - You & Me Elzhi - The Preface Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls V/A - Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds, and Nigerian Blues 1970-6 V/A - Titan: It's All Pop! The Dutchess and the Duke - She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke M83 - Saturday = Youth Arthur Russell - Love Is Overtaking Me A couple of hip-hop mixtapes: Paper Route Gangstaz - Fear and Loathing in Hunts Vegas and Wafeek - The Aristocrats Mixtape Nate, Strictly Discs (Madison, WI) Top 10: TV on the Radio – Dear Science Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes Santogold - Santogold MGMT – Oracular Spectacular The Roots – Rising Down Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago Girl Talk – Feed the Animals The Cool Kids – Bake Sale Deerhunter – Microcastle Next 5: The Dodo’s – Visiter Q-Tip - The Renaissance Blitzen Trapper - Furr Eagles of Death Metal – Heart On Kings of Leon – Only By the Night Chad Nelson Sales Rep/Great Guy, Super D TEN THINGS I LIKED IN 2008 1. Rodriguez - Cold Fact reissue on Light in the Attic (Even if this wasn't their website, I'd still put this as my number one. I got to see him twice in New York—THE comeback story of the year!) 2. Delta Spirit - "Trashcan" (good, sloppy rock'n'roll the way it's meant to be played) 3. Noah & the Whale - "5 Years Time" 4. The Heavy - "Girl" 5. Elbow - 'The Seldom Seen Kid' and live 6. Honeydrips - "I Wouldn't Know What to Do" 7. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2008 - Golden Gate Park, San Francisco (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Richard Thompson, Elvis Costello doing 'Friend of the Devil' and a frail, but strong-voiced Odetta were the highlights of the incredible festival) 8. The Shortwave Set - 'Replica Sun Machine' 9. Nick Lowe - Jesus of Cool on Yeproc (even my kids love this!) 10. Madmen-Season 2 on AMC (preferably with a highball in my hand) Nate Nelson, Stones Throw Favorite TV Show: Ken Burns The West Favorite Guilty Pleasure: “Electric Feel” MGMT (Justice Remix) Favorite Gadget To Pass The Time: Nike + iPod Running Combo Favorite Trainwreck To Watch: Sarah Palin Favorite New Beer: American Ale by Budweiser (shit is good.  I mean for realz) Favorite Seed to Watch Grow: East Los Angeles, CA Favorite Shout Out To Light In The Attic: “suuuuuuuuugar man” Molly Neuman, Label Director, eMusic What I liked in 2009 - The Teenagers - Reality Check Deastro - Keepers Delorean's re-mixes of The Teenagers, Big Pink and Lemonade www.Desparrame.blogspot.com www.simplesocialgraces.blogspot.com Natural Gourmet Institute- Chef's Training Program www.dessertofthemonthclub.blogspot.com Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul Nicaragua, El Salvador and Mexico Sapelo Island, GA Mike Nipper, The Stranger 1. My tiny Canadian friend Bay Bay 2. Falling on my face biking home in August and getting a black eye 3. Nice titties 4. Having a much more smiling baby and not much of a crying baby 5. My component CD burner Grant Olsen, Arthur & Yu

  

  Top 5 more perplexing and interesting quagmires than the Great Economic Doom Crisis of 2008: 5) The Seattle Windshield Pitting Epidemic of 1954 4) The Dancing Plague of 1518 3) The 1962 Laughter Epidemic of Tanganyika 2) The Penis Panic Manias of Asia and Africa (various times in history) 1) The Nun Biting Hysteria of 1844 Peanut Butter Wolf, Stones Throw

  

  Top 10 DJs in LA you may not know if you don't live here. These gys keep the party moving without resorting to the obvious hits. In no particular order. 1) Kutmah - One of those guys that always has me running up to the turntables asking "what was that?". Possibly too known outside of LA for this list, but oh well. 2) Coleman - When he's not taking photos for the Madvillain album cover, he's rocking various weeklies and house parties around the city and reads the crowd perfectly. He stole the show at my friend's going away party. 3,4,5) Randy Watson/Laroj/Billy Goods - They all hold down Funkmosphere along with Dam-Funk. No hits. 6) Max - He's got good taste for the soulful stuff from every era. He should spin out more. 7) Jun - He's been doin it for years and doin it well. Almost doesn't count for this list also cuz he's too known. 8) Mona Lisa - Been in the music industry for years, but just started spinning out. Hearing her, you'd never know it though. 9) DJ Jedi - not only is he a good DJ, but he brings the energy when he's not spinning as well. I'm gonna have to start hiring him to stand in the crowd during my gigs to cheer so everyone else does. 10)J Logic - might be too known to be on the list as well, but he won with his 80s rock set at Do-Over a couple of weeks ago. There's plenty of others so if I left you off, I either haven't heard you spin lately or you're too known. Sorry. Dave Pehling aka Sasquatch Barracho SF Weekly contributor, Web editor for KTVU.com and part-time DJ Best albums Cloud Cult - Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes) Craig Minowa and company mixed soaring orchestrations, existential lyrics and the odd glitchy beat for one of the most emotionally intense albums of the year, Pitchfork haters be damned. Dub Trio – Another Sound Is Dying Blindingly heavy and engagingly tuneful while still exploring the spacious sound of their namesake style. Gojira – The Way of All Flesh The most frighteningly talented heavy band this side of Mastodon and Meshuggah, these eco-minded French prog/death metallers dealt out crushing brutality that didn’t shy away from ambient experimentation or an urgent message to save the planet. Jay Reatard – Matador Singles Between this and the In the Red comp spanning singles from the two previous years, fans got an avalanche of Reatard’s brilliant feral punk vs. jittery new wave menace. If the guy can just manage to extend his live sets to something approaching an hour, he’ll take over the universe. Melvins – Nude With Boots Since bringing in young sensei from Big Business, the Melvins have produced not one but two of their best albums ever. More bands should hit this kind of an apex a quarter century into their careers. Best live shows Gilberto Gil at Masonic Auditorium While seeing one of Brazil’s living legends backed by a full band didn’t quite match the transcendent magic of his solo acoustic show in Berkeley last year, Gil remains one of the warmest, most engaging stage performers alive. Melvins at Slim’s As good as the studio stuff is, hearing the eight-limbed percussive beast that is Cody Willis and Dale Crover propelling the big ‘fro frontman tandem of Jared Warren and King Buzzo onstage elevates the songs to a whole new realm. Opeth at the Grand Ballroom Neck-snapping death metal with elegiac Pink Floyd atmospheres and some of the most hilarious deadpan stage banter ever from main man Mikael Akerfeldt made this a night to remember. Rodriguez with Sleepy Sun at the Great American Music Hall Hearing Sixto Rodriguez perform songs from his lost classic Cold Fact live ruled, but local psych juggernaut Sleepy Sun had me kicking myself for not discovering their bluesy, Black Mountain-style epics long ago. Triclops! at multiple venues One of San Francisco’s best live bands, Triclops! deals out churning, corrosive prog-punk that serves as a launching point for frontman John Mink’s hallucinatory lyrics and unhinged onstage antics. They never disappoint. Matthew Perpetua, Fluxblog Top 5 Comics 1. Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together by Bryan Lee O'Malley 2. All Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely 3. Achewood by Chris Onstad 4. Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw 5. Final Crisis by Grant Morrison, J.G. Jones, and Carlos Pacheco Top 5 Blogs That Are Not Read By Nearly Enough People 1. What A Fool Believes 2. For Your Pleasure 3. Attentiondeficitdisorderly Too Flat 4. Mindless Ones 5. The Knowledge For Thirst Pat Riley, Domino Records This is in no particular order Joe Higgs - Life Of Contradiction - An incredible reissue by the criminally underrated 60's and 70's reggae great. I first heard him on a Jimmy Cliff live record as a back up singer and was just blown away by his voice. LOC was originally released in 1975 and is brilliant. The Secret Machines - Secret Machines - I just really like this band. Fucked Up - The Chemistry Of A Common Life - As my friend Morgan says "Whenever I listen to the Fucked Up record the only thing I want to do is listen to the Fucked Up record again." The Stills - Oceans Will Rise - This is an amalgam of the hooks of the first album and the depth of the second album. They were awesome live at the Music Hall of Williamsburg this fall. Motorhead live at Stubbs in Austin, TX- It was just tremendous. I can't wait for the Lemmy the Movie to be released in 2009. The trailer looks awesome! Daddy "Santa Claus" Roberto, Owner, Goodfellas Distribution *20 records I heard a lot this year:* Seun Kuti - Many Things (Tout Ou Tard) Karl Hector & The Malcouns - Sahara Swing (Now Again) Dusk + Blackdown - Margins Music (Keysounds Recordings) Pete Molinari - A Virtual Landslide (Damaged Goods) Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing (ATP Recordings) Black Mountain - In The Future (Jagjaguwar) Wildbirds & Peacedrums - Heartcorem (The Leaf Label) Black Angels - Directions To See A Ghost (Light In The Attic) Pinch - Underwater Dancehall (Tectonic) Eli Paperboy Reed - Roll With You (Q Division Media) Erykah Badu - New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) (Universal Motown) Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It (Sony) Menahan Street Band - Make The Road By Walking (Daptone Records) Herbie Hancock - Hear O Israel (Jonny) Rodriguez - Cold Fact (Light In The Attic) Mary Queenie Lyons - Soul Fever (Vampisoul) Tony Allen - Afro Disco Beat (Vampisoul) V/A - Reggae Anthology: Randy's 50th Anniversary (VP Records) Mulatu Astatke - Mulatu Of Ethiopia (Worthy) V/A - 1970's Algerian Proto-Rai Underground (Sublime Frequencies) *Mixtapes I Like:* Santogold vs. Diplo - Top Ranking (Mad Decent) DJ Nuts Embalo-  Joven Mochilla Ent. DJ Rupture - Uproot (The Agriculture) *Movie/Book:* Roberto Saviano - Gomorrah *Sport:* A.S. Roma Football Club bless Daddy "Santa Claus" Roberto Travis Ritter, Sonic Boom Records, The Stranger Five Points on The Best Music of 2008 1. #1 Band in Heaven Why wasn't Sparks nominated for a Grammy this year? 2008 was a pinnacle year for the legendary, serious-not-serious rock band. Playing twenty-one shows in London, performing every album they've recorded in sequential order is no easy task (by my calculation, that's around 260 songs they had to relearn and store in their musical memory!). They closed with the live unveiling of their latest pop masterpiece, Exotic Creatures of the Deep, which is fantastic. I simply can't wait to see them play that and Kimono My House in LA on Valentine's Day! They are the #1 Band in Heaven living on Earth. 2. Two Discoveries R. Stevie Moore - 4 From Phonography EP R. Stevie Moore should be the sole rightful owner to the term "Do-It-Yourself. The lo-fi power pop extraordinaire from Nashville was at least a decade ahead of future 4-tracking oddballs. This super rare 4 song EP from 1976 is evidence of that. It was found in an unclaimed box full of 45s that was in my garage while moving out. Many people couldn't avoid hearing me proclaim the genius of this treasure I found in that box. (Other finds: a really early Husker Du 45, a Rollins Band Sup Pop Singles Club w/ test pressing, and a mysterious recording of two people having sex on a 45 labeled "Young Girl" b/w "Experienced Woman."). YouTubers should seek R. Stevie Moore videos out immediately. Crystal Antlers – EP (Touch and Go) Like Pleasure Forever and Comets on Fire having druggy love sex with one another, wrapped up in a sonic bed sheet. Organ-asmic delights. Demands repeat back-to-back listens, a million times over. 3. Three Words For Three Records That Move Me Hauschka - Ferndorf (Fat Cat) Willowy prepared piano Atlas Sound – Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel (Kranky) Narcotic midnight lullabies Leila – Blood Looms and Blooms (Warp) Liquefying aural expansions 4. Four For The Floor Hercules & Love Affair – Hercules & Love Affair (DFA) Smart, super gay, and utterly divine disco with feeling. Doc Delay - Eastern Block Party (self-released) NYC mixtape messiah Doctor Delay flavors up some golden era rap a capellas with the some former communist block rock. Hot. Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours (Modular) These Australian magical makers of melody aim at heart and feet, and make a direct hit. Cheesy but aged and flavorful. Michna – Magic Monday (Ghostly) Fresh beats and city streets make my skateboard wheels roll ahead. 5. "High" Five Indian Jewelry – Free Gold (We Are Free) Flying Lotus – Los Angeles (Warp) Kurt Vile – Constant Hitmaker (Gulcher) Boredoms – Super Roots 9 (Thrill Jockey) La Dusseldorf – Viva and La Dusseldorf reissues (Water/4 Men With Beards) Ron, Strictly Discs (Madison, WI) Top 10: David Byrne/Brian Eno – Everything That Happens Will Happen Today Jason Collett - Here's To Being Here The Dears – Missiles Jim White – Transnormal Skiparoo V/A - Nigeria Disco Funk Special: Sound of the Underground Lagos Delta Spirit – Ode to Sunshine Belleruche – The Express Dr. Dog – Fate Gecko Turner – Manipulado Carrie Rodriguez – She Ain’t Me Next 5: Snow Patrol – A Hundred Million Suns Bob Dylan – Bootleg Series, Vol. 8: Tell Tale Sings Blitzen Trapper – Furr Calexico – Carried to Dust Langhorne Slim – Langhorne Slim Ryan, Strictly Discs (Madison, WI) Top 10: Okkervil River - The Stand Ins TV on the Radio - Dear Science Q-Tip - The Renaissance She and Him - Volume One Sun Kil Moon - April The Roots - Rising Down Santogold & Diplo - Top Ranking Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreaks Jason Collett - Here's To Being Here Next 5: Blitzen Trapper – Furr Shawn Jackson – First of All Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Nick Cave - Dig, Lazarus, Dig The Hold Steady - Stay Positive Melanie S. Manager, Sonic Boom Records (Seattle, WA) MY 10 - In no particular order : *  My Daryl Hall-way (of Hall & Oates. His album covers adorn the wall in my entryway) *  My blog about Football - melFL.com *  My DJ night at Hazelwood; where else are you gonna hear "We didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel? *  My boyfriend taking me to see Cirque Du Soleil. If you think you're too cool for this shit, you're wrong. *  My dudes - Josh and Matt - finagling me into a sold-out Budos Band/Saturday Knights show. HOT! *  And for reissuing Rodriguez. HOT HOT! *  My trip to Xilitla, Mexico. Surrealistic Sculpture Garden in a jungle village. Amazing. *  My Halloween outfit as San Diego Charger Defensive Lineman Igor Olshansky. (see attached photo.) *  My Top Ten! (see attached) Get your own copy of it in the Sonic Boom Holiday Zine. Its Free! *  My file folder at work filled with pictures of cute aminals. There is nothing in the world that will make you feel better than otters holding hands. *  My Caffe Fiore Hot Chocolates. I have at least one EVERY DAY. That's why I look so good.  : ) Naomi Salazar Promo Manager, Amoeba Music (San Francisco, CA) Top Tizzle I. The Fresh & Only's II. Rodriguez - Cold Fact III. Vivian Girls - Tell The World IIII.  Boy A (both the book and DVD) IIIII. Let the Right One In IIIIII. Brent Cash - How Will I Know If I'm Awake IIIIIII. Victrola Favorites - V/A IIIIIIII. Spaced: The Complete Series - Season 1, Directed by Edgar Wright IIIIIIIII. The Tamale Girl (Oakland, CA) IIIIIIIIII. The Bug - Poison Dart IIIIIIIIIII. Resident Advisor Podcast IIIIIIIIIIII. Gary Panter - Gary Panter Book IIIIIIIIIIIII. HG Lewis at Amoeba, SF Bob Schick, Head Buyer, Plan 9 Music 1. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Dig Lazarus Dig (Mute) 2. Bon Iver - For Emma Forever Ago (jagjaguar) 3. Fucked UP - Chemistry of Common Life (Matador) 4. Drive By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark (New West) 5. Joe Higgs - Life of Contradiction (Pressure Sounds) 6. Woody Herman - Complete 1945-1947 Columbia Recordings (Mosiac) 7. Bob Dylan - Bootleg Series Volume 8 (Columbia) 8. Rodriguez - Cold Fact (Light In The Attic) 9. Sigur Ros Med Sud.... (Matador) Strath Shepard, Art Director/Graphic Designer Millions of images going online with new archives from Life Magazine, the Smithsonian, and the City of Seattle. Tacos from Rockaway Taco and The Saint The Brooklyn Flea Market in Fort Greene Mitzi Jerman's bar, Cleveland Driving across the country. I was lucky enough to do it twice this year (once in three days, and once in three weeks) and there's no way to pick a highlight, the whole experience is epic and overwhelming. Marc Silverman, ADA The Skull Defekts - Blood Spirits & Drums Are Singing Fuck Buttons - Street Horsing Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil The Bug - London Zoo Fabulous Counts - Jan Jan reissue Thee Oh Sees - The Masters Bedroom Is Worth Spending A Night In Tricky - Knowle West Boy Haunted George - Pile ‘O Meat Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - 100 Days 100 Nights –also the best live performances of the year. Isaac Slusarenko, Owner, Jackpot Records (Portland, OR) MY TOP FIVE RECORDS OF 2008: ( in no particular order) 5. Tobacco - Fucked Up Friends 4. The Mohawks - The Champ - funk reissue from 1968 on Vampi Soul 3. Young Widows - Old Wounds 2. Metallica - Death Magnetic - yes I know let the debate begin 1. Carbon Whales - South Matthew Smith, Outrageous Cherry, Rodriguez, Nathaniel Mayer 1. Rodriguez' first proper gig in his hometown, The Park Bar, Detroit, 9/20/08 I got to play lead guitar with one of my favorite artists.  Great performance, awesome audience.  Rodriguez sounded fantastic! 2. The Plastic People of the Universe at The Blind Pig, Ann Arbor, 9/8/08 Czech psych freaks with screaming violin and sax, famous for being jailed often in the 70's by the Czech authorities.  Their fans got together and plotted the overthrow of the government and then took over the country!  Even today, these guys drone and blast with the intensity of early Hawkwind and Gong. 3. Jandek. Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, Ann Arbor, 5/16/08 A free Jandek show.  After an hour or so of weird and disturbing sounds, the audience began to realize that Jandek didn't exactly come to entertain them.  A three hour symphony of claustrophobia and psychic collapse unleashed on a bewildered audience.  Brilliant. 4. Peter Hammill. The Magic Bag, Ferndale, MI, 10/9/08 Alone with acoustic guitar and grand piano, Hammill hammered at the piano like Cecil Taylor.  The perfect accompaniment to the most extreme voice in progressive rock. 5. Jack Scott at some weird suburban carnival in Warren, MI, 9/27/08 Jack Scott still sounds as great as he did in the 50's.  He's as legendary as Johnny Cash or Elvis Presley.  I think he's used the same guitar amp since the 50's.  He keeps a low profile in the Detroit area.  This appearance in Warren, MI was SPELLBINDING.  He's an intimidating, dangerous-looking 50's rocker obsessed with Hank Williams who deserves a wider audience. Spense, Strictly Discs (Madison, WI) Top 10: MGMT - Oracular Spectacular Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago Marty Finkel - The Good Life TV on the Radio - Dear Science The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords The Kills - Midnight Boom Coldplay - Viva La Vida James Hunter - The Hard Way Saul Williams - The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust Next 5: My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges Ween - At the Cat's Cradle, 1992 Tricky - Knowle West Boy El Guincho - Alegranza Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue Mike Stax, Ugly Things Best new album: Clinic – Do It! (Domino) These surgically masked Scousers really hit their stride on this, their fifth full-length release. Echoes of the 13th Floor Elevators, Seeds, Electric Prunes, VU and Syd’s Floyd, but with a slightly disturbed spin that is all their own. Best live show: Roky Erickson and the Black Angels at the El Rey Theatre in Hollywood on Halloween night. After turning in a pretty great set of their own, the Black Angels did a fantastic job of backing Roky on a selection of favorites from his back catalog, including 13th Floor Elevators songs he hadn’t performed in 40 years, like “Roller Coaster” and “Reverberation,” complete with jug! Roky’s voice can still send chills up your spine. When he hit the middle eight of “Splash One” the emotional punch almost sent me to the floor. Best reissue: The Masters Apprentices – Apprenticeship in the Garage, 1966 (Nickoff) A second volume of early ’66 rehearsal tapes by these Aussie garage-punk-R&B behemoths. Recorded live on a reel-to-reel tape recorder sitting atop a car in a dingy garage in Adelaide. Jaw-dropping versions of Chuck, Bo, Wolf, Pretty Things and Stones tracks, plus a newly discovered rockin’ original, “Bye Bye Baby.” Best reading: Lawrence Durrell: The Alexandria Quartet. Durrell’s masterful series of novels set in Alexandria, Egypt just before WWII was the best thing I read this year. Justine, Balthazar, Mountolive and Clea (written 1957-60) take place in the same general place and time, with a similar cast of characters, but each book observes and explains the events from a completely different perspective creating an utterly absorbing multi-layered, multi-plotted mystery/thriller/romance. Best moment of 2008: Election night. Whatever happens next, we shared a euphoric moment in history that will never be forgotten. Lucas Steuerwald Label Rep, Inertia Distribution Top 10 albums of the year 1.    Eddie Current Suppression Ring – Primary Colours 2.    M83 – Saturday = Youth 3.    Goldfrapp – Seventh Tree 4.    The Greasers – The Greasers 5.    Endless Boogie – Focus Level 6.    Suarasama – Fajar Di Atas Awan 7.    Girl Talk – Feed The Animals 8.    Empire of the Sun – Walking On A Dream 9.    Neon Neon – Stainless Style 10.  Deerhunter – Microcastle Craig Stewart, SXSW any Allan King flick (Canadian filmmaker) Richard Bausch shorts Otis Taylor Coloured Balls K-Rino Lou Bond crazy Vizslas Kang Tom T. Hall & Miss Dixie's new album Laura Studarus, Confessions of a Would-Be Hipster The Would-Be Hipsters (wouldbehipster.com) are traditionalists and thus are saving our official "best of" lists until the actual END of the year. And so, we present a very untraditional list of our top ten favorite bits of 2008, as dictated by LMS, lmc, ako and L.A.R. (m.a.b. sends her regrets from the design dungens where we last saw her.) 10. Favorite album: Wolf Parade, At Mount Zoomer 9. Favorite LA bar conducive to good times over PBR: The Cha-Cha Lounge, Silverlake, CA 8. Favorite Show: Sunset Rubdown @ the Black Cat in Washington DC 7. Favorite Tea: Swedish Southern Blend (if anyone in America knows how to get this I can be reached via Wouldbehipster@gmail.com) 6. Favorite unnecessarily vague figure in Spanish-American history: Don Gaspar de ? 5. Favorite French Electro-Pop Album: Sebastien Tellier - Sexuality 4. Favorite Reason to get out of bed in the morning: Pizza 3. Favorite Post-Concert jaunt: House of Pies 2. Favorite chord: Cadd9 1. Favorite Shameless Self-Promotion: Buy our Charity Album Please! Terrible Chris, Les Enfants Terribles Top 10 Top 10 Lists of 2008 10. Top 10 Numbers Between 1 and 10 9. Top 10 Mimes 8. Top 10 Crayola Colors That Need to be Invented 7. Top 10 Phrases that Appear Sexually Explicit at First Glance (But Aren't Really) 6. Top 10 80s Cartoons 5. Top 10 Breakdancing Moves 4. Top 10 Ninja Moves 3. Top 10 People Named "Fred" 2. Top 10 Minor Star Wars Characters 1. Top 10 Smurf Names that Sound Vaguely Dirty Terrible Megan, Les Enfants Terribles 8 Things to Love about 2008 In no particular order… 1. Richmond – I moved from the DC metro to VA's capital a little over a year ago, and I've loved just about every minute of it. I could wax on and on and on about RVA for a good long while, but I'll abbreviate. Richmond's got great people, tons of local pride, gorgeous architecture, and a burgeoning music scene (be on the lookout for bands like Hot Lava, Cinemasophia, and Snack Truck to name but a few). What else could anybody need in a place to call home? 2. All Tomorrow's Parties – By far my favorite concert of the year. Summer camp meets the Shining meets a time-warped parallel universe in which My Bloody Valentine and Mercury Rev not only play but walk among us regular people. Garish wallpaper, strong drinks, and amazing performances by every single band I was fortunate enough to see. I'm already excited about next year. 3. The Black Angels – I'd have to say these Austinites are my favorite band of the year. Between their killer second album Directions to See a Ghost and the DC show they put on back in July (that damn near rendered me deaf), I'm completely in smit. 4. Control – I didn't make it to the movies too often this year, but I'm fairly certain Control would've been my favorite movie even if I had seen hundreds of flicks. It's one of the stories you know the ending of, but keep wishing up until the bitter end for the fickle finger of fate to point in a different direction. Well-acted, well-shot, and a great testament to the spirit of Ian Curtis and Joy Division. 5. My cat, Bear Bryant – As of the end of August, I've got a new man in my life. He's wearing a black and white tuxedo, he's got furry tufts between his paws, and his tail is reminiscent of a feather duster. He's my new hellion of a cat, Bear Bryant, named in honor of the greatest football coach my alma mater (Roll Tide), and the college universe in general, has ever seen, Paul "Bear" Bryant. He's pretty much the cutest cat ever. 6. Biographies – I began the year reading about Madame Pompadour, Mary Queen of Scots, and Bob Dylan, the latter of which ("Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan" by Howard Sounes) was probably the best bio I've ever read. I've since acquired bios on Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dick Cavett, Rock Hudson, Terry Bradshaw, and Dolly Parton, and am constantly on the prowl for more. 7. Brian Wilson – The man, the myth, the legend. Seeing him in concert was incredible enough, meeting the man ranks as ten of the best, most heart-stopping seconds of my life. 8. Records – I'm finally paying attention to vinyl and stockpiling a collection. Richmond is making it easy for me by having serious stashes hither and thither to plunder. I've bought close to 40 records in a little over a week, and see no end in sight to my newest obsession. Mike Toppe General Manager, Revolver USA Music: The Week That Was Santogold vs Diplo Tobacco - Fucked Up Friends Rodriguez - Cold Fact Grace Jones "Corporate Cannibal' Video Movies: My Winnipeg Happy Go Lucky Reads: Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell Paul Krugman in NY Times And 2008 would have been a total drag without THIS. Adam Tutty, Manager, Easy Street Records (Seattle, WA) TOP 10 CD's for the year: 10. Girl Talk – Feed the Animals 9. Thao – We Brave Bee Stings & All 8. The Baseball Project – Volume 1:Frozen Ropes & Dying Quales 7. My Morning jacket – Evil Urges 6. Old 97's – Blame It On Gravity 5. R.E.M. - Accelerate 4. Vampire Weekend – s/t 3. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals – Cardinology 2. The Moondoggies – Don't Be A Stranger 1. Liam Finn – I'll Be Lightning A few of my DVD's of the year: BOTTLE ROCKET (CRITERION COLLECTION EDITION) IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA SEASON 3 ROBOT CHICKEN – STAR WARS Twist & Shout Records Our Number One winner for 2008, with 11 votes: Portishead – Third Our Number Two placer for 2008, with 9 votes: Dungen – 4 Our Number Three shower for 2008, with 6 votes: TV on the Radio – Dear Science Our Number Four mentions for 2008, tied with 5 votes each: Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes Flying Lotus – Los Angeles Raphael Saadiq – The Way I See It Our Number Five mentions for 2008, tied with 4 votes each: Black Mountain – In the Future Eagles of Death Metal – Heart On MGMT – Oracular Spectacular Santogold – Santogold Silver Jews – Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea Will Tyler, Shade of Soul, 385 Forest Avenue As I look back-over this past year a lot has changed in my life. I moved to a different state, got a divorce, lost all my money, almost was knighted, gained 30lbs, lost 30lbs, my dog got hit with a chainsaw, but through it all I have kept a smile. Not for the fact that I have been basically fucked all year, but rather because its time again for LITAs top lists again. So sit back, sip on some thug passion, cause I'm gonna hit you like 2 day old crack........peace Top 10 Most listened to Albums of 08' * Madvillain - The Remixes * Portishead - Third * TSK - Mingle * Compilation - The Soul of Black county Vol. 1*Common / be * Pete Rock - Petestrumentals * G Love - Lemonade * Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power * The Helliocentics - Out There * J Dilla - Ruff Draft * N.E.R.D  - In Search Of.... Top Anthem song for 08' * TSK / Nobody Beats Us (get some bitches) Top 5 Interests of 08' * Magic * Hayrides * Politics * The Hills * Alpaccas Top 5 TV Shows * True Blood (ole sookie sookie) * Dexter (I like his ways; I don't like you, I kill you) * The Shield ( what a guy with a fucked up life, the show makes my chest hurt) * Chelsea Lately (mad funny and she is mad hot to boot) * The Hills (I am really worried about LC, Heidi, and Audrina) My Top 5 Playlists that I rock on my ipod * Mike Fuller Experience Vols 1-7 / Most are 25 tracks (only dopeness for the masses; from the lounge to the club...jaylib, common, tribe called quest...) * Beef-A-Ronie Throwdown  / 18 tracks ( Merle Haggard to Public Enemy. Every time I listen to it I get too drunk and piss off the side of my back deck) * Armadillo On My Back Porch / 23 tracks (G Love, Marshall Tucker, Robert Bradley, Ben Harper, etc...(makes me feel cooler than I really am) * Word Up Bits! / 12 tracks (Pantera, Ozzy, SlipKnot, Korn...makes me want to kick the cat) * Killa Couga Mix Vols 1 & 2 / 50 tracks ( The Roots, Floetry, Mos Def...songs to get ‘em on the floor then to take em' down on the brass bed yo) Top 5 Things I purchased from the Walmart Pharmacy * Cialis 5 pack * the second pill * the third pill * the fourth pill * the fifth pill (boo-yah) Top Cougars to get with * Mrs. Robinson (ultimate cougar smack-down) * Linda Tripp ( the only chick Clinton didn't turn out) * That hoe from Golden Girls (word up trick) * Barbara Bush (in the right light, after 5 jager bombs, and with enough X in my system.*side note* she made the list due to my recent addiction to mature porn*) * All of the OG Charlie’s Angels (all them ladies got mad skillz. It would be like a cougar sandwich) Top 5 songs that I didn't write and perform due to various reasons * Happy Birthday. (If I owned points on it I would have more loot than the beatles) * stevie wonder / hey love ( no funny comment my favorite stevie song of all time makes me want have deep thoughts and get laid) * 2 live crew / if you believe in having sex. (When u think about it who can sing about some raunchy ass shizzle and get the dance floor, house party, or general throw down session going. This aint am gold bitches) * the black angels / doves and surf city (these are songs that would play in a serial killers head). * the saturday knights / 45. ( I can't rhyme but I can nod my head like a white boy. Yeah baby back that azz up on big will t) Top 5 Accomplishments of '08 * Voted for OBAMA * Didn't vote for McCain * Stripped my life all my material goods ( the divorce helped me with that, but dam it felt good to get rid of everything **PS Kept my record collection**) * Requested to be knighted by TSK (word up…did I get in?) * Told my ex wife to take a hike. DJ Nobody DJ

  

  Top Psych Discoveries 2008 1. Mandrake Memorial - Puzzle LP (1969) I had 2 songs off of this LP on a mixtape and had been searching for years.  I found it this year and was not rprepared for the total awesomeness.  This LP instantly entered my top 10. 2. US 69 - Yesterday's Folks LP (1969) Cool Chris at Groove Merchant hipped me to this LP.  The song Space Odyssey is a masterpiece, ending with an ambient outro that sounds like it was made this century.  Stunning! 3.  Waterproof Candle - Electrically Heated Child 45 (1968) My co-host on She Comes in Colours hipped me to this.  A perfect pop-psych ballad with twisted lyrics. 4.  Donnie and Joe Emerson - Dreamin' Wild (1979)  Two brothers locked in a barn with 70's home recording gear and an equal love for Sabbath and Motown soul, yet coming out more like a super stoned Shuggie Otis record. 5.  70's psych - Oh yes, even I was not aware that the lysergic vibes continued well into the 70's, tucked away secretly on albums of early metal and glam.  Scorpion "Evening Wind" and Styx "Man of Miracles" come to mind. Dan Ubick aka Connie Price Producer, Musician: The Keystones, The Lions, Big Daddy Kane

  

  Top 5 LP's of the last year: 1. COLD FACT (Re-issue) by Rodriguez 2. NINETEEN SIXTY-SIX by Little Willie John 3. ESPERANZA by Esperanza Spaulding 4. PERSEVERANCE by Percee P/Madlib 5. SHADES OF BROWN (Re-Issue) by S.O.B. Greg Vandy, Host, KEXP - The Roadhouse The Best: 1) Obama 2) Dexter Street Stompers 3) Michael Shelly, Saturdays WFMU 4) Chris Rock @ Paramount 5) The Saint (tequila!) Honorable: The Sonics @ Paramount; Chilly's wedding in Tulum, Mexico; The Mighty Hannibal @ Ponderosa Stomp in New Orleans; SlackFest in Skagit Co; King Kahn @ Chop Suey; NW Washington Fair in Lynden (old-timey!), Hayes Carll @ Sunset, Keith Olberman special comments, Karl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force The Worst: 1) Seattle Sports 2) Howard Shultz (The Wheedle Grooves No More, thanks Howard) 3) Taj Mahal in The Roadhouse (total dick) 4) Palin 5) McCain Miserable: My Fantasy Football team (The Hand Bananas) Fabienne Van Koninxloo, Label Manager, PIAS Belgium Top 5 : (very high fidelity) 1. Javier Guzman : stand-up comedy show 2. Carissa's Weird : Songs About Leaving (whole album : every year again) 3. MGMT : "Kids" 4. Whitest Boy Alive @ Dour Festival (concert) 5. Part Of The Weekend Never Dies (documentary) Allison Wasilewski General Manager, Carrot Top Top Records of 2009 Portishead - Third (Mercury) Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar) Notwist - The Devil, You & Me (Domino) Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (XL) School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms (Ghostly International) Anathallo - Canopy Glow (Anticon) Love Is All - A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night (What's Your Rupture) Deerhunter - Microcastle (Kranky) Santagold - S/T (Downtown) Fredrik - Na Na Ni (Kora) Lindstrom - Where You Go I Go Too (Smalltown Supersound) Windy & Carl - Songs For The Broken Hearted (Kranky) Gregor Samsa - Rest (Kora) Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain (Drag City) Spiritualized - Songs in A & E (Fontana) Jennie Wasserman, Joe’s Pub *  Most transcendent on-stage moment: backing Maxine Brown and Baby Washington with the Sweet Divines at Joe’s Pub - 6/7/08 *  Best NYC bar/restaurant/jukebox combo: Great Jones Café*  Fave Joe’s Pub show: Gilberto Gil solo acoustic - 9/23/08 *  Fave TV show: Mad Men *  Most magical, impromptu performance: Grandma’s Hands by Bill Withers and Cornel Dupree at Celebrate Brooklyn! - 8/9/08 *  Best Broadway show: Passing Strange *  Fave indie rock show: Fleet Foxes at Bowery Ballroom - 7/9/08 *  Fave vacation experience: going to NOLA for Ponderosa Stomp *  Fave outdoor summer concert: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings at Central Par Summerstage - 8/17/08 *  Fave reissues: Rodriguez - Cold Fact!! Mason Williams, Rhino Endless Boogie - Focus Level MGMT - Oracular Spectacular The Black Angels - Directions To See A Ghost (not kissing your ass or anything, you know how much I love them) The Sword - Gods of Earth Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple Willy Wilson, Magic Bag Publicity Top Eleven New Releases (not in any order): Buffalo Killers - Let It Ride - Alive Records Hank Williams - The Unreleased Recordings - Time Life Plastic Crimewave Sound - Plastic Crimewave Sound - Prophase Music Graham Day & The Gaolers - Traveled & Unraveled - Damaged Goods Dirtbombs - We Have You Surrounded - In The Red Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis - Two Men With The Blues - Blue Note Elvis Costello & The Imposters - Momofuku - Lost Highway Black Keys - Attack & Release - Nonesuch Blanche - Last Year's Leaves - Little Amber Bottles - Original Sound Yohowa 13 - Song Portation - Prophase Music Paul Weller - 22 Dreams - Yep Rock Top Reissues (not in any order): Polk Miller & His Old South Quartette - Tompkins Square Music Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Band - Puckey Puckey: Jams & Outtakes - Rhino Handmade Willie Nelson - One Hell Of A Ride - Columbia/Legacy Elton John - Elton John/Tumbelweed Connection (Deluxe Editions) - Geffen The Coasters - There's A Riot Goin' On: Complete Atco Recordings - Rhino Handmade Squeeze - Argybargy (Deluxe Edition) - A&M UK Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue (Legacy Edition) - Columbia/Legacy Otis Redding - Otis Blue (Expanded Edition) - Rhino George Jones - The Hits. Then 'Til Now - Time Life Roy Orbison - The Soul Of Rock & Roll - Monument/Orbison/Legacy Black Sabbath - Rules Of Hell (Dio Years) - Rhino Bo Diddley - Road Runner: The Chess Masters 1959-60 - Hip-O Select Various Artists - Atlantic Vocal Groups 1951-63 - Rhino Handmade Love - Forever Changes (Expanded Edition) - Rhino Gladys Knight & The Pips - Claudine/Pipe Dreams - Shout Factory Little Willie John - 1966 (The Axelrod & HP Barnum Sessions) - Ace Rodriguez - Cold Fact - Light In The Attic Fave Local Releases so far. (not in any order and not including 45's): The Pop Project - Stars of Stage and Screen - Suburban Sprawl Mick Bassett & The Martha's - Here's The Whirlwind - Self Released Javelins - Heavy Meadows - Suburban Sprawl JSB Squad - Blue Circle, Rubber Bands - Self Released Grayling - Spilling Over - Self Released Various Artists - A Squared (Of Course) - Ace/Big Beat Deanne Iovan - Just Like You & Me - MoPop Hot Club of Detroit - Night Town - Mack Avenue The Muggs - On With The Show - Self Released Nomo - Ghost Rock - Ubiquity Mazinga - Open The Blast Doors - Transmission Fave shows for 2008 so far: Creepy Rick's Birthday Bash with Fortune & Maltese, The Hentchmen and The Meltdowns at the Berkley Front Simply Saucer/Human Eye at the Bohemian National Club The Muggs (Private Party) at the Auto Show Tom Petty & Steve Winwood at the Palace Anti-Freeze Blues Festival featuring Bettye LaVette & The Hodge Brothers at the Magic Bag Powertrane featuring Deniz Tek at the Elbow Room The Romantics at the Stars & Stripes Festival Big Block/Grayling/Drinking Problem at Smalls Grande Nationals/Gorvette/Silverghost/Dial Tones at the Magic Bag Rodriguez at the Park Bar Eagles Of Death Metal at Smalls Cheech & Chong at the Fillmore (Detroit)

• November 17, 2008 at 02:19 PM

  HOLIDAY SALE: FEATURED ITEM - JAMAICA TO TORONTO LP BUNDLE

  Second monstrous week in our monstrous 1st Annual Light In The Attic Holiday Sale and we're just tossing out more and more discounts to help lighten the stress on your wallet this holiday season.  Our second featured bundle is a doozy ... you might need to sit down, maybe get a brown bag for you hyperventilators, because we present to you:

  This week's Featured Bundle: JAMAICA TO TORONTO LP BUNDLE!

  

  Ohhhhh, we see, you're one of the in-touch individuals who've already dug deep in to our critically acclaimed Jamaica To Toronto series.  You've grooved out to Jackie Mittoo, felt the low-key shiver of Earth, Roots and Water, and the sweet softness of Noel Ellis. And oh man, how we applaud you for your intitiative in searching out some truly under-loved treasures.  We ask you this though friend, how many of these jams do you have in the beautiful, big, love-soaked format of the vinyl LP?  Oh, none?  You don't even own a record player?  Hmmmm ... well, uh, jeez, you should get on that, and then when you do, you should add this stunning set of LPs to your (obviously minute) record collection.  They'll change the way you not only look at that stack of clunky CDs you have piled next to your 80s ghetto blaster, but the way you listen to this treasure trove of absolutely blissful cuts. Jamaica To Toronto LP Bundle Includes: *  Summer Records LP *  Earth, Roots, & Water LP *  3 7"'s of our choosing *  Jamaica to Toronto Sampler

• September 22, 2008 at 01:37 AM

  YOU WANT TO HEAR JAMAICA TO TORONTO LIVE?

  

  We don't know what the weather is like in your section of the world, but the grimness of our summer is slowly turning in to an even grimmer seeming fall.  Clouds, rain, the chilly wind of winter blowing through the streets - lets be honest, even for a Seattlite, it's a little depressing.  Thus, when all-knowing, all-seeing, all-forgiving co-owner of Light In The Attic Matt Sullivan sent this hot pill of sun-shiny goodness down our collective gullets, we couldn't of been more estatic. We've been hyping the impressive live show of the reformed Jamaica to Toronto band (you know featuring a handful of performers from our brilliant JTOT and Summer Records releases) for a good while now, but now, well now you can hear it for yourself.  The CBC, you sweet fucking Canucks you, not only recorded the entirety of their recent performance at, er, Sunfest (a Canadian world and jazz festival seemingly) but are now streaming each individual song for your enjoyment. Jamaica to Toronto does Bob Marley, Otis Redding AND Jimmy Cliff, as well as few of their own, deeply loved originals.  We're not saying you HAVE to go check this out, we're just saying if you don't, the waves of pity that will wash over you will be too much even for the most iron willed of human ... or something. JTOT, LIVE, HERE!

• January 07, 2008 at 02:08 AM

  JAMAICA TO TORONTO ROCK THE HIGH LIGHTS FESTIVAL

  It's not even 10 in the morning yet and so far Light In The Attic has given you, our loyal amazing fans: The brand new video for The Blakes "Don't Bother Me" Juicily tantalizing tidbits about The Black Angels new album, Directions To See A Ghost And we aren't even done yet. Jamaica to Toronto, our cobbled-together band of Canadian reggae legends (Jay Douglas, Everton Pablo Paul, and The Mighty Pope) have booked another rare, absolutely amazing show. This time the soul/reggae gods have signed on to rock the masses at Montreal's High Lights Festival. The group will be taking the stage on March 1st at Club Soda, and if you're any where in Canada (and you gotta believe I'm talking about you Ice Shield residents) get on your preferred method of transportation and get your frigid asses on down. This. Is. Not. To. Be. Missed. The official info after the jump. Jamaica to Toronto (featuring Jay Douglas, Everton Pablo Paul, and the Mighty Pope) From 1967 to 1974, Canada — and especially Toronto — experienced a large influx of Jamaican immigrants. In the process, the music scene was transformed, although much of that brilliant music was believed lost to the vaults of history. Kevin Howes, aka DJ Sipreano, has worked tirelessly to unearth it, both on disc and onstage. With Jamaica to Toronto: Soul Funk & Reggae, he’s brought that era to life, featuring original voices so original they predate the popularity of the genre itself! It’s a rare musical trip through time to rediscover the anthems and largely-unknown original songs of a crucial era in Canadian riddims. Reggae lovers and nostalgists, rejoice! Don’t miss this must-see event, the “feel-good” party of the year!

   

   

  Price: $19.50 (plus taxes and service charges)

   

  Tickets : 514 908-9090 / ticketpro.ca

  HIGH LIGHTS FESTIVAL, Montreal March 1st, 2008 @ Club Soda (1225 St-Laurent Blvd.)