I've been waiting for this Rodriguez film documentary for what feels like centuries. You're probably wondering, what Sixto doc? Good question. About 4 years ago, as we reissued the 1969 album Cold Fact by Detroit singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, a young Swedish director began hatching a master plan to direct a feature length doc about the mysterious figure. In our ten years as label and 100 records later, Cold Fact remains my personal favorite from our catalog. A reissue that took years to bring to fruition and one of the more personal adventures we've been on. And it keeps on.
I met Rodriguez doc director Malik Bendjelloul in August 2008, when Josh and I flew to NYC for Rodriguez's first ever proper U.S. show, happening at the beautiful Joe's Pub in Manhattan. Yes, that is correct: outside of a warm up gig in upstate New York a month prior, this was truly the artist's first ever U.S. show for a man in his sixties, born and bred in Detroit, with two albums under his belt. His larger than life mystique was certainly intact by the time we hit Manhattan. Malik and his crew filmed the sold out gig (I remember the chills of the evening and randomly enough Bernard Purdie showing up as the lights came up). The next few days, the director followed Rodriguez, his family, and I around to a number of promotional opportunities. I remember an interview on WNYC's Soundcheck and a surprise gig put on by the Fader. It was a magical trip, my first with Rodriguez. Not sure anything tops that West Coast tour of June 2009, but that's another story. Shit, actually I blogged about that one.
BIO
- First Time on CD!
- First Vinyl Reissue
- 180-Gram LP
- Superb Remastering
- Deluxe Color CD Booklet
- 16″ × 24″ Movie Poster w/LP
- Liner Notes by Egon (Stones Throw Records)
Forget foreplay, baby, the main event is here! Light In The Attic proudly presents the soundtrack to LIALEH, the first major black porn movie and final word in soulful shagging music. Bryan Records released this Shaft-era classic in 1974, and since then it’s been … READ MORE >
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January 19, 2012 at 08:38 AM
Sundance, Sixto Rodriguez, and Forthcoming Freezing Balls - Day 1
I've been waiting for this Rodriguez film documentary for what feels like centuries. You're probably wondering, what Sixto doc? Good question. About 4 years ago, as we reissued the 1969 album Cold Fact by Detroit singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, a young Swedish director began hatching a master plan to direct a feature length doc about the mysterious figure. In our ten years as label and 100 records later, Cold Fact remains my personal favorite from our catalog. A reissue that took years to bring to fruition and one of the more personal adventures we've been on. And it keeps on.
I met Rodriguez doc director Malik Bendjelloul in August 2008, when Josh and I flew to NYC for Rodriguez's first ever proper U.S. show, happening at the beautiful Joe's Pub in Manhattan. Yes, that is correct: outside of a warm up gig in upstate New York a month prior, this was truly the artist's first ever U.S. show for a man in his sixties, born and bred in Detroit, with two albums under his belt. His larger than life mystique was certainly intact by the time we hit Manhattan. Malik and his crew filmed the sold out gig (I remember the chills of the evening and randomly enough Bernard Purdie showing up as the lights came up). The next few days, the director followed Rodriguez, his family, and I around to a number of promotional opportunities. I remember an interview on WNYC's Soundcheck and a surprise gig put on by the Fader. It was a magical trip, my first with Rodriguez. Not sure anything tops that West Coast tour of June 2009, but that's another story. Shit, actually I blogged about that one.
Anyways, over the course of the next few years, Malik would travel to Detroit, South Africa, Los Angeles, and London - hitting each place a half dozen times, documenting Rodriguez's every move and whisper, and trying to piece together a life story that was hard to believe and harder to tell. From the get go though, Malik's determination and intelligence struck me as someone who could pull it off. But I think we were all a little skeptical, which is often the case when someone makes a doc on your favorite artist. Doing it right, or even at all, is a monumental feat, something I learned watching Jennifer Maas expertly direct Wheedle's Groove over a 7 year period. Like reissues, a crappy music doc can be two fold - you're grateful to learn a few things but bummed it didn't reach that grand plateau. And once it's done, it's done. Flash forward four years and much sweat and hardwork on Malik's part, and I'm on the plane headed to the Sundance Film Festival to freeze my ass off and attend the film's world premiere, screening a number of times over the next week in Park City, Utah. I've packed more warm clothes than I've ever worn in my life, got two bottles of Jameson (I didn't dig hearing my friend Toddrick telling me the horror stories on the lack of proper booze in Utah), and already feeling like those measly 3 hours of sleep last night may have not been the best idea. It's my first time to Sundance. I'm expecting something like SXSW but no hot sun nor BBQ. I'm also having a hard time comprehending this day has actually come. I can't imagine what Rodriguez and Malik must be thinking about tonight's premiere. Over the past 18 months, I've seen a few rough cuts of the film and can honestly say that the doc reaches that grand plateau. Now it's time for Malik to share it with the world. It's going to be a crazy weekend. - Matt Sullivan -
October 07, 2010 at 06:46 AM
Light In The Attic goes to the movies with our new film imprint - cinewax
Here at Light In The Attic Records, we’ve always been film buffs. We’ve released several movie soundtracks throughout the years; including the long out of print 1974 score to Lialeh composed by legendary drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie. We’ve also dabbled in film production with the film Wheedle’s Groove, a feature length documentary about Seattle’s vibrant soul scene of the 1960s and ‘70s. The film spent 2010 winning awards on the festival circuit, and plans are underway for a wide DVD and Digital release with theatrical dates in select cities. Now we have decided to solidify our commitment to vintage and contemporary film with the formation of our new label cinewax.
cinewax will kick off in October 2010 with the CD and Digital release of the movie soundtrack to Winter’s Bone; Winner of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence (The Burning Plain) in a performance that’s been called “mesmerizing” (Entertainment Weekly) and “the best American film since Hurt Locker” (Uncut). Co-starring John Hawkes (HBO’s “Deadwood”), who contributes to the soundtrack as a singer/songwriter as well. Check out the trailer and you'll see what all the fuss is about:
Among the highlights of the Winter’s Bone Original Motion Picture Soundtrack are the old time sounds of the Ozarks translated into the 21st century by stellar vocalist Marideth Sisco. Her Ronnie Gilbert (of the Weavers) inspired vocals are absolute joy – and she’s an expert storyteller of the Ozarks region, her spoken word podcast, These Ozarks Hills, can be found online at KSMU.org and on iTunes. Although these musicians are not nationally known (yet), this soundtrack should draw attention to these regional heroes: Dennis Crider - an expert Western Swing guitar picker; Missouri bluegrass maverick - Bo Brown; claw hammer banjo picker - Van Colbert; guitarist and songwriter - Rick Reding; Missouri Ozarks fiddle master - Billy Ward to name but a few that will delight fans of “No Depression” and classic Americana music.
[caption id="attachment_2445" align="aligncenter" width="325" caption="Winter's Bone - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack"]
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For those seeking more contemporary music flavors, one could no better than Dickon Hinchliffe – a founding member of the seminal English band Tindersticks in which he wrote songs, played violin, guitar and keyboards. Dickon’s other movie scores (with Tindersticks’) include director Claire Denis’ Trouble Every Day, which starred Vincent Gallo. Dickon’s brilliant score to Winter’s Bone will also be available as a Digital-only release through cinewax.
[caption id="attachment_2446" align="aligncenter" width="325" caption="Winter's Bone - Original Score by Dickon Hinchliffe"]
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To download the Winter's Bone Original Soundtrack today, click HERE. Hard copies of the soundtrack will be available October 26.
For more info on Dickon Hinchliffe's original score for Winter's Bone, click HERE. The score will be released digitally on October 26.
And for all things cinewax, visit www.cinewax.net!
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September 13, 2010 at 02:21 PM
You gettin' fresh? Brand-spankin' new repress of Bernard Purdie's "Lialeh" O.S.T.!
That's right, here it is in all its gatefold, 180 gram vinyl glory--Bernard "Pretty" Purdie's classic 1974 original soundtrack Lialeh!
Now, if this is ringing a bell, it's because Lialeh was one of Light In The Attic's first releases way back in August 2005. This new pressing is all stretched out, sporting a deluxe gatefold sleeve with the original poster art and 180 gram vinyl! Yeah!
We were so excited we took some pictures of it fresh from the box. Check it!
For audio samples and to buy, click HERE.
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June 25, 2010 at 05:13 AM
LITA 053: Gabor Szabo, Jazz Raga
Light in the Attic's latest release is this lost classic from the innovative Hungarian-born jazz musician Gabor Szabo. Released last week, our 53rd title is a mesmerizing piece of genre-bending jazz. Jazz Raga stands as a testament to Szabo's experimental brilliance. It is a record stuffed with myriad styles, a cross-section of global influences that include jazz, rock and psychedelic folk tinged with sitars, a Latin-influenced backbeat (courtesy of session drummer Bernard Purdie, whose play here is sterling), as well as traditional European sounds. It is a hypnotic blend, a rich musical fusion crafted by a master artisan. Szabo’s guitar work on Jazz Raga is among the best of his career, a sublime performance in which Szabo’s free runs, discordant chords and lilting solos produce a distinct, engrossing sound. From the blissed-out “Walking On Nails” to the sitar-heavy “Mizrab” to the inspired cover of “Paint It Black,” it is clear why Jazz Raga has, in the decades since its release, become an important and influential work for scores of musicians fortunate enough to come across its path.
Purchase Jazz Raga here.
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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,:
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.
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September 22, 2009 at 04:00 PM
MATT SULLIVAN RECOMMENDS: RHINO'S BIG STAR BOX SET!
Big Matt Sullivan has been talking up this Big Star box set for weeks now. He's a sweet kid, and he owns the place, so we thought, hell, why not let the curly-mopped fellow talk the talk on just how fantastic this box set is. Sir Mattrick the VIII, please take the microphone.
The almighty Mason Williams at Rhino just sent up a copy of the new Big Star box. Bless his soul. Quite possibly the reissue of the year. The massive booklet alone is worth the price of admission. I had big expectations for this project but nothing like what's currently in my hands. These guys reached the stars on this project. I must say, the purists out there often tear into majors like Rhino but these guys are still putting out some of the best reissues in the game. It ain't easy being a genuine music fan fearing for your job on a daily basis in a tough corporate environment during shaky times. I imagine the powers that be aren't itching for these doods to spend their waking hours putting together a Big Star box that won't sell like that sweet Queensryche comp or that Hootie & The Blowfish greatest hits package that you've been drooling over at your local Best Buy. So bless their souls I say. To all the purists, just because something's rare don't mean it's good. Pick up that Jane's Addiction box and sail off to never never land. And that Tony Joe White box on Rhino Handmade is one to sink your mitts into.
Back to Big Star... This evening I put this sucker on and the room suddenly comes alive. My girlfriend is about to cry over how beautiful the damn thing is, while my roommate Tim immediately perks up after hearing the mastering, especially on the track "Feel". I don't recall the tune "Daisy Glaze" from disc 2, a wicked rehearsal version. Made me wander over to YouTube and check out the song. Cool live version - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVBKOzleiqQ
The art designer of the Big Star box is the wonderful ScottWebber - designer for many of Light In The Attic's early releases, including our first four reissues: Last Poets - Last Poets/This Is Madness, Bernard Purdie - Lialeh, Free Design - Kites Are Fun, and Free Design - Heaven/Earth. We met Scott through my old college radio cohort Colin Wyatt. When I first set out to start the label in the summer of 2001 - thank the heavens I got laid off from my job at the time or I'd still be sitting there behind that desk in a sorry state - anyways, I was desperately trying to find a solid, dependable designer, someone who had similar music tastes and the skills to give these reissues their due packaging-wise. Colin suggested Scott, who had worked at Virgin Records in Los Angeles for years and luckily for my sorry ass had recently been laid off. I think it was due to Virgin signing Mariah Carey for millions, her album tanking and then they paid her $28 million to leave the label. They laid off a number of employees. Crazy times. So worthless Mariah gave us the opportunity to work with the talented Webber. Scott now lives and surfs in Los Angeles, working at Rhino for the last few years.
(Ed. We're currently in the process of interviewing said Scott Webber, so please, look for that in the week(s) to come)Thanks Big Matt! -
November 25, 2008 at 03:04 AM
HOLIDAY SALE BLOWOUT: BERNARD PURDIES' "LIALEH" 7"
Ohhhhhhhh man, snatch this up fast, we're in short supply and this is deeeeeeeply discounted. THIS WEEK'S FEATURED BLOWOUT ITEM: BERNARD PURDIES' LIALEH 7"
Two SICK deep funk tracks (with plenty of breaks) from our second reissue - LIALEH O.S.T. (1974), composed by legendary drummer Bernard Purdie. a) Lialeh b) Hapnin
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December 26, 2007 at 05:09 PM
LIGHT IN THE ATTIC YEAR END EXTRAVAGANZA!
We here at Light In The Attic get a lot of help from a lot of people. Musicians, publicists, record stores, bloggers, writers - the list goes on forever. This year we decided to show our unlimited gratitude to these great folk by showcasing, well, them.
We asked everyone we knew for their top five, year-end 2007 favorites - from albums to restaurants to airlines to breakfast cereals. Everyone from Caribou to The Blakes to Peanut Butter Wolf responded and we couldn't be happier. What follows is a collection of these lists (literally hundreds) from people all over the world that we know and love. Quickly, big thanks to Mr. Drew Christie, the amazing artist (with a list below!) who did the art for both our New Years Extravaganza and our subtle, yet wonderful X-Mas card. Drew, you're a god amongst men.
So, either in your pre-New Years excitement or your post-New Years drunken haze, settle in, we are quite sure you'll enjoy.
And with that said, THE LIGHT IN THE ATTIC NEW YEARS EXTRAVAGANZA:
Christian Bland,
The Black Angels
1. The Wooden Shjips
2. 'Eye Mind' (the psychedelic history of the 13th Floor Elevators written by Paul Drummond)
3. A Place to Bury Strangers
4. The Warlocks - Heavy Deavy Skull Lover
5. Vietnams' debut album
runner up - Greg Ashley - Painted Gardens
Tilson,
The Saturday Knights
Photo by Hillary Harris
Top 5 Shoes, Shows, Intern, Food,
1. Spizikes, Nikes with Spike Lee on the back
2. Run's House, it's good,watch it!
3. Jenna, Light In The Attic's future
4. The Cafe, Hillside Quickies at 15th on Capitol Hill
5. Rugby and Circa (tie)
The Blakes
Photo by Michael Maly
Bob Husak,Drums
Top 5 of 2007
5. Mormon Tabernacle Choir records for 50 cents at Goodwill.
4. A can of potted meat product as a reminder of the hardships of tours past.
3. Commiserating with Grandma about the scandalous styles of dress worn by young women today and sympathizing with the inability of those her age to find respectable clothing for themselves.
2. Pronouncing the word "fish" as "feesh" in mock tribute to generations past (as in, "don't forget to warsh your hands before you eat your feesh").
1. Any opening band that cancels a show because its drummer threw out his back going for an especially difficult fill in practice. Also, any sound guy that goes home early from a show because he twisted his ankle going for an unorthodox mic placement.
Garnet Keim, Vocals, Guitar
5 things you take for granted on a winter tour:
1 showers
2 conversation
3 reptiles
4 feeling in your toes
5 summer tours
Snow Keim,Vocals, Bass
top 5 "pains in the ass"
5. hollywood writers strike
4. scabies
3. conflicts of interest
2. Lame (ass) Promoters
1. meeting the outrageous demands of record executive Matt Sullivan
Kevin Howes aka Sipreano,
mastermind behind the Jamaica to Toronto Series...
1) Jamaica to Toronto LIVE in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, and Toronto
Still find it hard to believe that Jamaica to Toronto has taken on a life of its own, from crate digging missions at the turn of the millennium to career resurrections for some of the finest people I have ever met. Props to Jay Douglas, The Mighty Pope, Everton “Pablo” Paul, and the rest of the talented folks who have helped make this project come to life. From Yard To Yonge: The Documentary coming soon…
2) Red Bull Music Academy Information Sessions
Interviewing Cut Chemist, Bernard Purdie, and Tiga in front of Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal audiences was a professional highlight unlike any I’ve encountered. What a blast!!!
3) Third Beach (Stanley Park, Vancouver) in July
One of the most surreal city/surf experiences on the planet. I often find myself day dreaming that I’m still there, drink in bag, smoke in hand, and the Pacific Ocean at my feet…
4) Yes, still buying music
Haven’t immersed myself in the world of downloading yet, but when I had a few spare bucks in my pocket this year I couldn’t resist spending it on CDs and LPs like Lightning Dust-s/t, The Book Of Lists-s/t, The Besnard Lakes-The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse, Jarvis Street Revue-Mr. Oil Man, Rick Wilkins And The Mutual Understanding-Peace, and Peter Tessier-By Turning A Knob…
5) Sipreano with Decaf and The Stunt Man
Big shout outs to Steven Balogh and his hand crafted 1777rex imprint (http://www.myspace.com/1777rex) who released a 100-copy run of a very memorable collaboration (for me anyway) between yours truly, producer/photographer Decaf, (www.wzrdry.com) and engineer/musician The Stunt Man (www.titansound.com)…
6) Living in Toronto for 1 year
Well, it’s been over a year now and while this journey has definitely had its ups and downs, I’m glad to call this city home…
7) Food stuffs
Records are rad and all, but I’m digging the good (and cheap) the eats these days. Ontario highlights include Ali’s West Indian Roti Shop, T'amp;T Supermarket, Gandhi’s/Mother Of India/New York Subway, Ali Baba’s, Island Foods, Ding Tai Fung in Markham, and The Mighty Pope’s kitchen…
8) Summer Records Anthology 1974-1988 dual disc
Wanna send some love to Summer honcho Jerry Brown and his eclectic cast of reggae heroes. It was a total honour helping to put this one together. Reggae, reggae, reggae from Johnny Osbourne, Bunny Brown, Bobby Gaynair, Earth, Roots & Water, Adrian “Homer” Miller, Noel Ellis, Ranking, Willi Williams, and Unique Madoo (Ska Doo). Sound + Vision. “It’s party time!!!”
9) Black Mountain and Ladyhawk LIVE
With BM’s In The Future and Ladyhawk’s Shots en-route in the first quarter of 2008 (January and March respectively), I’m excitedly recalling the maximum vibes felt after seeing both of these Vancouver-based Jagjaguwar recording artists perform across Canada in 2007. To me, there’s no rock finer…
10) Preparing Doug Randle’s Songs For The New Industrial State
Many moons ago, I found an old record in an old box that changed the way I consume music, informing my personal aesthetic, and teaching me so much about the world we live in. Over the last year I’ve been getting a reissue of this masterful twisted sunshine pop album together with composer Randle, Kanata Records’ Dave Bird and Gene Lees, sublime vocalists Laurie Bower and Tommy Ambrose, and my good friend and Jamaica-Toronto series graphic designer Vincent Cook. Light In The Attic will release this 1970 produced landmark in 2008 (with big help from the CBC). Keep listening…
The Mighty Pope,
Jamaica to Toronto
1) West coast tour with Jamaica to Toronto...,especially Vancouver
2) Jacque Lane flying out and surprising me at the Yale Club show
3) Having a few days in Vancouver after the festival to relax and enjoy the city
4) Mighty Sipreano driving me through Stanley Park at night to see the lights of the city …
5) And Gini smith flying to Montreal to surprise me at the show
Sandy Dedrick,
The Free Design
Books:
"The Candymaker's Son - Memoirs of Kenneth G. Mills"
"Talks With Great Composers: Candid conversations with Brahms, Puccini, Strauss, and others by Arthur M. Abell"
Music:
CD "Evgeny Kissin Plays Chopin"
DVD "The Art of Piano" Great Pianists of the 20th Century
DVD "Christmas Is The Day" by Art Dedrick (my Dad) This was a Christmas present from my youngest brother, Jason (My Brother Woody) and is a collage of early family Christmas pictures he put together with the song "Christmas Is The Day", sung by early Free Design in the background.
Overton Berry,
Seattle Legend, Wheedle's Groove ...
1. Recording...Possibilities.....Herbie Hancock
2. D'jan's Thai Restaurant....Seattle, WA.
3. Concert.....October 20th, Whidbey Island...with Jessica Williams
4. Event....Queen's Birthday in Amsterdam, Holland
5. City.....Seattle, WA.
Allison,
Carrot Top
Radiohead - In Rainbows (Self-Released)
Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam (Domino)
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Merge)
Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna (Polyvinyl)
Betty Davis - Self Titled (Light In The Attic)
Andy and Jen,
Band in Boston
Top Albums for 2007
hands and knees - self titled release
aeroplane pageant - wave to the moon
deertick - war elephant
viva viva - 10 songs
drug rug - self titled release
emergency music - you'll be the death of us all honey
eldridge rodriguez - this conspiracy against us
vinyl skyway - from telegraph hill
dr dog - we all belong
the bees - octopus
Josh Arnold,
Best Buy
Music:
Amy Whinehouse-Back To Black
Linkin Park- Minutes to Midnight
Radiohead- In Rainbows
Fiest- Reminder
Wilco- Sky Blue Sky
Films:
Across The Universe
Transformers
No Country For Old Men
Juno
Bourne Ultimatum
Restaurants:
CPK (how can you go wrong?!?!)
Eat.
El Cilo
Sushi Roku
Roys
Cities:
Boston
Las Vegas
Chicago
New York
London
Shows:
Coachella all the way…enough said.
Blogs:
Engadget
Perez Hilton
Mac Rumors
Postsecret
Books:
So you wanna be a rock n' roll star?
Nabil Ayers,
Co-Owner, Sonic Boom Record Stores,
Owner, The Control Group Label
Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Is Is"
Studio "West Coast"
Figurines "When The Deer Wore Blue"
Menomena "Friend & Foe"
Schoolyard Heroes "Abominations"
Paul Azevedo,
Slinky Music
1. pantha du prince - this bliss (dial)
2. burial - untrue (hyperdub)
3. little dragon - s/t (peace frog)
4. cinematic orchestra - ma fleur (domino)
5. studio - west coast (information)
Kevin Barker,
Currituck, Co.
1. Frankie's 457 Olive Oil
Manufactured in Sicily and imported by Frank and Frank, sold in their two amazing restaurants (Court St in Brooklyn and Clinton St in Manhattan), this is the best olive oil I've ever tasted. They call it "green gold" because, well, it's green, and now it's being sold at Whole Foods in New York, so it's gold. Next years batch is rumored to be even better than the 2007.
2. www.audiokarma.org
The go-to website when you have a question about what value of grid leak resistors to put on your 6BQ5 output stage, or when you want to talk about how the price of the good-but-not-great Dynaco PAS preamp is getting out of hand. (FWIW - which stands for "for what it's worth" - the phono stage in the PAS sounds great to my ears, and it's the line stage that's a dog. Thank god for mods!)
3. Devendra Banhart "Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
"Who wrote the book of Job? Who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls? Devendra did! Devendra did!
4. Tiengarden - 170 Allen St b/t Rivington & Stanton St in Manhattan
Their hot & sour soup makes most hot & sour soup taste like boiled pickle brine. And they do it all without the use of the five impurities: onion, garlic, leek, shallot, and tobacco. Everyone makes jokes about "what, no tobacco in my stir fry?", but the real mind-blower is how great everything is with no onions and garlic. YOU try to make something delicious without them. I dare you. (Note: avoid the potato curry, It's supposedly bland, but I was never dumb enough to order potato curry at a Chinese restaurant.)
5. The Valerie Project
If for no other reason than that Greg Weeks and Co. got a brand-fucking-new 35mm print of "Valerie and Her Week of Wonders" struck from the original negative that lives in the Czech film archive in Prague (or wherever it is). Their print makes the Facets DVD look like boiled pickle brine. Additionally, the project has a Werner Herzog-ian mania to its ability to lose money. If you missed this when it came through your town, you fucked up. Buy the record and cry to it.
Cheree Best,
Silver Platters
In no specific order!
Miss Teen America Pageant - Miss South Carolina, third runner up tries to explain how unfortunate it is that most kids cannot locate the US on a map. - HILARIOUS
The Saturday Knights/Donut Eating contest at Silver Platters!
Transformer's the movie - I'm a NERD
Albums I like released this year * Lady Sovereign, Killers- Sawdust, The Blakes, The Cave Singers – Invitation Songs, Blue Scholars –Bayani.The 2007 FJ Cruiser BAM! BAM!
Harvey Brooks,
Producer, Karen Dalton In My Own Time,
Bassist for Bob Dylan, Miles Davis...
1. "Pilgrimage" by Michael Brecker
Performing alongside Brecker are Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Jack DeJohnette.
2. 17th Street Market in Tucson Arizona
Incredible specialty food shop & Music Store online @ treasureshidden.com
3. "Back To Black" Amy Winehouse
4. The resurgence of the single tune mentality of the "78" & "45" record eras.
5. The James Cotton Blues Band - Re-release on Lilith - Great Chicago Blues.
Jenny Bulley,
Reviews Editor, MOJO
5 NEW ALBUMS...
Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare (Domino)
The Arcade Fire – The Neon Bible (Sonovox)
LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver (DFA)
Yoko Ono – Yes, I Am A Witch (Parlophone)
Wilco – Sky Blue Sky (Nonsuch)
5 REISSUES...
Neil Young Live At Massey Hall (REPRISE)
Culture Two Sevens Clash (Sanache)
David Crosby If Only I Could Remember My Name (Rhino)
Various: The Very Best of Ethiopiques (Union Square)
The Hold Steady – Separation Sunday (Full Time Hobby)
Caribou,
Musician, Andorra
1. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
2. Battles - Mirrored
3. Burial - Untrue
4. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
5. No Age - Weirdo Rippers
Robert Christgau,
"Dean of American Rock Critics"
mia
gogol bordello
tabu ley rochereau on stern's africa
arcade fire
lucinda williams
Drew Christie,
Democracy For The Cartoons Blog
1. Mike Seeger's Early Southern Guitar Styles (Listened to it in 2007)
2. Grizzly Wintergreen (Chewed it in 2007)
3. ?ywiec (Polish Beer, drank it in 2007)
4. Polish Home Association (ate there in 2007)
5. Polish Chicks (would've liked to bone them in 2007)
Terry Currier,
Music Millennium
Top 5 Music
Graham Parker - Don't Tell Columbus
Sloan - Never heard The End Of It
John Jorgenson - Ultraspontane
Blanche - Little Amber Bottles
Dolorean - You Can't Win
Dan,
End Of An Ear
Best New Album: Robert Wyatt "Comicopera" / Dungen "Tio Bitar"
Best CD Reissue: Betty Davis CD's (hands down, no bullshit dude)
Best LP Reissue: Os Mutantes vinyl
Best DVD: Films Of Alejandro Jodorowsky Box Set
Best Books: Wax Poetics Collection / Acid Archives / New York Noise /Japrocksampler
Robinson Devor,
Director, Zoo, Police Beat
Best of 2007
Best Seattle live show: Prefuse 73/Nuemo's
Best New Work/Local Band: Visqueen
Best Local DJ new work: ndcv
Best Seattle Film Screening: Pedro Costa at the NWFF "O Sangue"
Best Classical Music Re-issue: Henryk Gorecki/"Symphonie"
Worst Classic Rock Band Upcoming Tour Name: "Rush: The Snakes and Arrows Tour"
Scottie Diablo,
Manager White Denim, MTV guru
TOP 6 for 2007
1. White Denim - Let's Talk About It (EP)
2. Hall & Oates - War Babies (LP)
3. Sweat - The Story of the Fleshtones, America's Garage Band (book)
4. The Taco Zone - Los Angeles' best taco truck in the city
5. Inside American Jail - from the creators of Cops
6. THE HUMPERS reunion show at Safari Sams in Hollywood (June 2007)
The Humpers lead singer Scott Drake has to be the most underrated songwriter and talent in the past 20 years. period. 'nuff said.
David Dickenson,
Owner, Suicide Squeeze
TOP 5 SHOWS I WITNESSED IN 2007
1. Bjork – live at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington May 26, 2007
2. Animal Collective – live at Neumos in Seattle, Washington September 14, 2007
3. Blood Brothers – live at the Capitol Hill Block Party in Seattle, Washington July 27, 2007
4. Jay Reatard – live at the Sunset Tavern in Seattle, Washington November 8, 2007
5. El P – live at Buffalo Billiards in Austin, Texas March 15, 2007
DJ Nobody
1. School of Seven Bells
Both on record with "My Cabal" on 7" being rocked in every one of my DJ sets to touring with them live and having them blow my mind night after night... This is new music... catchy yet hypnotic, dark and banging.
2. Star of Siam Thai Food in Long Beach
Never really got into this place though my good friend Brittanie swore by it... Got really into it this year making the Blank Blue record with Niki... THis is the best Thai food in the world... Others from Germany to Boston now pale in comparison...
3. Richard Twice
This album from 1970 is the best record I found in the past year... Every single person who hears it falls in love with it and asks for a rewind...
4. Dungen - Tio Batar
There is no other psych band that nails it like Dungen... this ones got a hip-hop feel in some of the joints too... your grandkids will pilfer this surely...
5. Os Mutantes Live
Best concert I have ever seen in my life... Showmanship and musicianship filtered through more phase and distortion that one can usually handle...
DJ SANTO
1. Stevie Wonder Live at Edgefield
2. Sharon Jones Live Anywhere
3. Budos Band - The Budos Band II - Daptone
4. Zap Mama - Supermoon - Heads Up
5. Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators - Keep Reachin Up - Light in the Attic
Litsa Dremousis,
Writer, Esquire, Filter
Top Five of 2007:
1) Werewolves and Lollipops, Patton Oswalt:
One of the smartest, most insightful, and completely fucking hilarious comedy discs ever. If Oswalt's rant against KFC's Famous Bowls, "America Has Spoken", can't make you laugh, you are already lying in a cold, pine box.
2) Emerald City, John Vanderslice:
The Vanderslicer maintains his distinct and idiosyncratic voice on what might be his finest record yet. When he implores, "White dove/ what are you thinking of?" on "White Dove", it slays me every time.
3) Keep Reachin' Up, Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators:
Unquestionably, what critics and fans have said about Keep Reachin' Up is true: it's an alacritous and irresistible linchpin of retro-soul. What gets lost in all the accolades, though, is that Willis is a great storyteller. Songs like "Invisible Man" make you want to dance and find out what happens next.
4) New Moon, Elliott Smith:
Aching, lovely, and note-perfect, Smith's outtakes are more fully realized than most records, novels, or films. It feels strange and adolescent to miss someone I never met, but I do, completely. The vocals on the "some enchanted night/ I'll be with you" line on the early version of "Miss Misery" are as close to perfect as any of us comes in this lifetime.
5) Back to Black, Amy Winehouse:
Released at the end of last year, but essentially of '07. "Rehab", sadly, was subject to a million pun-infused headlines, and it'll be awful if Winehouse's personal life overshadows her talent because she's 85% cocoa in a landscape gurgling with Hershey's syrup. Regardless of how happy I might be in any given moment, the title song can reduce me to tears and conjure images of every break-up I've experienced since eleventh grade.
Greg Dulli,
Twilight Singers, Afghan Whigs, The Gutter Twins
The 5 Best Shows I Saw in New Orleans This Year:
1) Fats Domino at Tipitina's /May 2007
Last May, Fats played his first show since Hurricane Katrina destroyed his home. He only played for a half hour but you knew every song. Hit after hit after hit....
2) Johnny Rivers at the Fairgrounds/May 2007
One of my favorite singers of all time and I had never seen him play live before. He blew my fucking mind.
3) Robert Plant and Lil' Band O' Gold at Tipitina's/April 2007
Again, I'd never seen him live before and he did not disappoint. 2 Fats Domino songs, 2 Elvis songs, "Sea of Love" and then, as the band played "Hoochie Coochie Man" and "Shake Your Hips", he scatted "Black Dog" and "Whole Lotta Love" over top of them. We all freaked out like teenage girls.
4) Roky Erickson at House of Blues/May 2007
He was on fire. Great band and every motherfucker in that place was smiling and dancing. The couple next to me had sex while he played. Seriously.
5) The Melvins at One Eyed Jacks/October 2007
I hadn't seen The Melvins since 1992 and was not expecting one of the greatest rock shows I have seen in recent years. But that is exactly what happened. The Dale Crover/Coady Willis lefty/righty drum team was magnificent to behold and Buzz was spraying riffs like a flamethrower. My neck hurt bad the next day.Go see them if they come to your town.
Electric Horseman
Top 5 Persona's of E. Horseman:
1. Rustic Cowboy
2. 60's French Pop Star
3. Guy with an internal struggle between Merchant Marine and Cowboy
4. Ordinary Cowboy
5. Homo Christian Skater Punk Rocker
Greg Errico,
Producer, Betty Davis (1973),
Drummer Sly & The Family Stone
City: London
Country: Italy
Film: I Am Legend
Neighborhood: North Beach (SF, Ca.)
Sushi Bar: King Of The Roll (Larkspur, Ca)
Doug Freeman,
Austin Sound
While it's been a big year for Austin bands, from the Black Angels, Ghostland Observatory, and Octopus Project, to excellent releases from top acts like Okkervil River, Bill Callahan, and Spoon, 2008 is promising an even more stellar crop of ATX acts. Here is our rundown of 10 relatively new Austin bands to know in the new year, in alphabetical order:
The Archibalds
Black Joe Lewis
Brazos
Horse + Donkey
Lomita
Leatherbag
Mothfight!
Peel
The Strange Boys
White Denim
Derek Fudesco,
The Cave Singers
1. "Peacebone" by Animal Collective
2. Cochinita Pibil Tacos from Yuca in Los Angeles
3. Camping on Clam Beach with Lightning Dust
4. "Icicle Tusk" by Fleet Foxes
5. "History" by Lightning Dust
Justin Gage,
Aquarium Drunkard
www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2007/12/09/aquarium-drunkard-2007-year-in-review/
John Garcia,
Amoeba Music
Robert Wyatt - Comicopera (Domino)
Richard Thompson - Sweet Warrior (Shout)
Pienza Ethnorkestra - Indiens d'Europe (Soleil)
Marc Ribot/Asmodeus - Book Of Angels Vol. 7 (Masada Book Two) (Tzadik)
Keith Tippett/Julie Tippetts/Louis Moholo-Moholo & Canto Generàiva La Black Live At Ruvo (Ogun)
Chris Geddes,
Belle & Sebastian
5 from 2007
New album: Voice of the Seven Woods (Twisted Nerve).
Honorable mention: LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver (DFA/EMI)
Compilation/Reissue: Brazil 70 (Soul Jazz).
Honorable mentions: Twinight's Lunar Rotation (Numero), Sarolta Zalatnay (Finders Keepers)
Radio Show/Podcast: Downtown Soulville presented by Mr. Finewine (WFMU).
Honorable mentions: Freak Zone presented by Stuart Maconie (BBC 6Music), Beats in Space by Tim Sweeny (WNYU), In Our Time presented by Melvyn Bragg (BBC Radio 4).
Book: Jay Griffiths, Wild: an Elemental Journey (Hamish Hamilton).
Honorable mention London, The Biography by Peter Ackroyd (Vintage) (not from this year but I seem to have spent most of the year reading it).
Drink: Pedro Ximinez Sherry.
Glen Goetze,
Modular People
Top 5 Discoveries Of The Year
Cycling
It's not like I never knew it existed but I lost my license this year and was forced to find an alternate way to get around, so I bought a bike when I was on holiday in NY, and ever since I'm using it not only to get around but whenever I get some spare time I'm out with my bike gang, trying to buy frames on ebay, building imaginary bikes on velospace, it's taking over and just another way to drain my non-existent savings.
The Holy Mountain
OMFG, what a brainmelter of a film, incredible.
Turkish Delight
I don't really know why but I totally got into it this year.
Ram by Paul and Linda McCartney
Not sure how I rediscovered this but I've had it forever but never really listened to it and now I'm listening to it every week, the production is beautiful
The Heat Warps
My favorite website.
Matt Grady,
Plexi Film
1. Japrocksampler by Julian Cope (book)
Don’t write Cope off as an acid casualty just yet, he released his best album in over a decade with You Gotta Problem with Me and wrote the quintessential book on Japanese rock. Japrocksampler takes a thorough look the culture, history and musical trends of post-war Japan. Cope’s passion for Japanese sixties and seventies psych is contagious and the book is filled with stories and studies of incredible bands and records that were rarely ever heard outside of Japan.
2. Burgers
I’ve had the 3 best burgers of my life this year. Le Tub in Hollywood, Florida was hands down the best burger and fries I have ever had. I believe the fries were double fried in bacon or duck fat...The No Bad Day’s Cafe in Napa, California was amazingly juicy and Burger 67 in Brooklyn’s Blue burger will blow any carnivore’s mind.
3. Spiritualized: Acoustic Mainlines (Concert) @ the Apollo in Harlem and Union Chapel in London
Spiritualized without electric guitars didn’t sound like best idea but the string section, gospel choir and the Spacemen 3 songs more than made up for the lack of feedback.
4. 45 Revolutions by Mario Panciera (Book)
This brilliant 1190 page limited edition book took twenty years to write focus’ solely on 45’s released in the UK and Ireland over a three year period of 1976-79. One of the best documents of punk and new wave, this book is just as good as the highly sought after, out of print, International New Wave Discography.
5. Unsilent Night in NYC
My first year as one of the thousand people walking through the streets of the East Village with 100’s of boomboxes blasting an experimental symphony was truly remarkable. Unsilent Night has been going on since 1992, getting bigger and bigger every year and is now in cities all over the world.Runners Up: PJ Harvey Concert in NYC, taco trucks in Napa, David Shrigley’s Worried Noodles Book/CD, Sly and the Family Stone box set, Flight of the Concords, Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, Fay Grim by Hal Hartley, Panda Bear - Person Pitch, Radiohead box (the packaging more than the music) and all of the BBC sessions released on CD for the first time.
Dawn Greaney,
Twist and Shout
(in no particular order)
1. Nina Nastasia & Jim White - You Follow Me
2. Grizzly Bear - Friend
3. White Magic - Dark Stars
4. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
5. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
6. Bela Karoli - Furnished Rooms
7. Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs
8. Besnard Lakes - Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse
9. Kinski - Down Below It’s Chaos
10. Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall
Pierre Hallett,
Rotate This
In no particular order!
Odd Nosdam - Level Live Wires (Anticon)
Iron and Wine - The Shepherd's Dog (Sub Pop)
Massey Ferguson - 150 Diesel w/ Loader, 540 PTO (1962)
CPC Gangbangs - Mutilation Nation (Swami)
Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators - Keep Reachin' Up (Light In The Attic)
Tom Hauserman,
Baker & Taylor
1. Rogue Wave - Asleep At Heaven's Gate
2. Bloc Party - Weekend In The City
3. Editors - An End Has A Start
4. !!! - Myth Takes
5. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
Heath & Jason,
Landlocked Music
This is so tough, I am going to try to speak for our store as a wholehere, by some sort of weird weighted equation, we get this - thingswe could all agree on...
Landlocked Music's Most Agreed Upon Music of 2007
Wooden Shjips - s/t (Holy Mountain)
Spacemen 3 meets the Stooges. So simple, but so good. Eagerly anticipated performance at Terrastock 7 in Louisville in 2008.
Pissed Jeans - Hope for Men (Sub Pop)
Scuzz-rock from Allentown, PA. Like the Electric Eels after learning a few chords. Real rock for real people don't come from New York City, sorry. RIYL Melvins, Jesus Lizard, Flipper.
Deerhunter - Cryptograms + Flourescent Grey EP (Kranky)
Stunning psychedelic wastoid rock. Delay-bathed and atmospheric but it doesn't sound a bit retro. Atlas Sound is great too, reminds me of local heroes Marmoset.
Daptone Records
Sharon Jones absolutely slayed everyone again with her live show and awesome new album with the Dap-Kings. During the downtime, the new joint from Budos Band also ruled. Not to mention the obvious cherry on top with the exposure they got from Amy Winehouse. We pray for a Daptone Revue Tour.
Pop Levi - The Return to Form Black Magick Party (Counter)
Hyper-active bumblegum glam with soul. Somehow this hasn't made any year end lists that we've seen. We hope to shed some light...
Greg Horne,
Redeye Distribution
1 - Ian Hunter - Shrunken Heads - new album
2 - John Fogerty - Revival - new album
3 - Robert Plant & Allison Krause - Raising Sand - new album
4 - Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival - concert
5 - David Gilmour - On An Island concert
Wes Howerton,
Barsuk Records
Richard Swift – Dressed Up for the Letdown
The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse
The National – Boxer
Low – Drums & Guns
Grinderman – S/T
Matt Huddy,
Red Eye Records
1 Field Music - Tones Of Towns - precise pop songs with edges andsubstance.
2 Tim Rutili (I've spent a lot of this year listening to Califone & OldRed Red Meat albums)
3 Mad Men . Finally something to fill the void left by the Sopranos
4 Dimmer live at the Annandale in Sydney.
5 Season finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm. - the most ridiculous hour of(scripted) tv this year.
Carlos Icaza
Concert: George Clinton and the P-Funk allstars, B.B king music hall, NYC mid sept.
simply a knock out! more than 3 hours of non stop dancing party, a 25 min. Maggot Brain version and Clinton at his best!!! still got the funk!
New Album: Hidrogenesse, "Animalitos" Austrohungaro, Spain
This side project of the great spanish pop band Astrud put out their second album 8 years later than the first one. Hidrogenesse, formed by married gay couple Carlos Ballesteros and GeníSegarra blend La Düorf´s second album sound with incendiary pop, social and political amazing statements, and of course, a lot of daylife poetry .
New Single: Ween, "The friends"
A 5 song amazing EP! the title theme is ween-meets eurodance! and a great song. the rest is: crappy salsa, a sweet Michael Bolton style ballad, a track produced by master King Jammy at Kingston, and another killer poppy fuelly loaded dancefloor ween instant classic. What a piece of band!
Reissue: Chantal Goya, "Masculin-Feminin" EP soundtrack
6 songs by Jean Luc Godard´s film masterpiece. Singed beautifully by Goya, nouvelle vague goes soft ye-ye.
Personal Discovery: Aldemaro Romero & Monna Bell "La onda nueva en Méco"
Vampisoul, Jazz, Joropo, Ranchera music, Bossa, Pop. The new wave of modernity in latin american music in 1970. Brilliant Aldemaro´s arangements (sadly he passed away this last sept.) and Monna´s wonderful voice in an all-time classic.
Inigo,
Co-Owner, Vampi Soul/Munster/Forever Changes
1. YOU ARE GONNA MISS ME - The movie !
2. KAREN DALTON - Its My time... No matter is due now, still playin twise a week
3. BEASTS OF BOURBON live. Forget about any other reunion...
4. BOMP'S book. It makes me proud
5. TONY ALLEN Reissues on Vampisoul., "This is some of the funkiest, catchiest, most challenging dance music ever created."
Jared,
Waiting Room Records
TOP 5 - RECORDS
BETTY DAVIS - Betty Davis/They Say I'm Different [reissues] (Light InThe Attic) CD
GRINDERMAN - Grinderman (Anti) CD
JOY DIVISION - Closer/Unknown Pleasures/STill [reissues] (Rhino) 2CD
PISSED JEANS - Hope For Men (Sub Pop) CD
MAPS - We Can Create (Mute) CD
TOP 5 - OTHER
Dark Knight Trailer
Getting A New Shelf For My Cds
"Truck" my cat
Chicken Sausages
Didn't die
Michael Jaworksi,
Mt. Fuji Records,
The Cops, The Saturday Knights,
The Sunset Tavern
Top 6 of 2007:
1. Getting engaged to my girl, Julia.
2. Being in The Cops and making our new record "Free Electricity" this past November.
3. Being asked to play guitar with The Saturday Knights and getting to play some amazing shows with them at Sasquatch, Bumbershoot, among others.
4. Landing my dream job, booking shows at The Sunset in Ballard.
5. Finding "In The Bowl" all vegetarian restaurant in my hood, Capitol Hill.
6. Another solid year spent with my amazing friends and family.
Jason Kirk,
Freelance writer, former editor Seattle Sound Magazine
My five favorite albums of 2007, in no particular order...
Public Enemy - How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul??? (Slam Jamz)
Hearing Public Enemy return with such confident, career-defining bravado can damn near shear the scalp off of any serious hip-hop enthusiast. Chuck D doesn't just get better with age, he makes the age better. Play it loud!
Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter - Like, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul (Barsuk)
If an eerier, more revenantly melodic opus saw release this year, shout its name from the rooftops. If not, sing this one's praises, lest someday, some archivist of Americana look back on us and wonder, disapprovingly, how this album didn't make a bigger splash.
Glenn Gould - Bach: The Goldberg Variations 1955 Performance: Zenph Re-performance (Sony Classics)
This computer-rendered re-enactment of Gould's seminal recording is a dead ringer for the canonical original. As for its importance, well, if humans alone can't stay the death throes of the classical recording industry, let the robots have a crack at it.
The Bad Plus - Prog (Heads Up)
Having reached a level of compositional self-propulsion only hinted at in their early albums, the Bad Plus now sound every bit the giddy major-label escapees. And Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" never, ever sounded so good.
Dizzy Gillespie - Live at the 1965 Monterey Jazz Festival (Monterey Jazz Fest)
Even if this performance didn't capture well-loved standards like "Trinidad, Goodbye" and "A Night in Tunisia" with such breathtaking freshness, "Dizzy's Comedy Sketch" alone vaults this concert to the top of Gillespie's vaunted annals.
Mark Klebeck,
Owner, Top Pot Doughnuts
Best Radio Station: KEXP 90.3 FM (No station in the nation comes close)
Best DJ: Sir Johnny Boy Richards (I can still remember John as a student and volunteer at the station. It blows my mind how talented this guy is.)
Best Restaurant: Machiavelli (Great atmosphere, Incredible food, amazing staff and affordable)
Best Bartender: Erik Chapman-Sun Liquor (Yeah whatever, maybe a slight conflict of interest here but tough because NOBODY is better than Erik )
Best CaféTrophy Cupcakes (Both the place and product are incredibly beautiful)
JanKeira Knox,
The Jet City Redhead
Let’s go over a few high/low points in the national/international music scene this year – a totally a mixed bag. Nickelback is still selling gazillions of last year’s record (how did they do that?); Amy “Wino” Winehouse’s messed up life in the news all the time (but damn, she does have great songs); then there’s the pop princess “B” girl whose sad life has gone down the toilet like so much after-party puke; Poor Lily Allen can’t even make it into this country to do a concert; people are catching on to Fall Out Boy (I must say they do have the BEST song titles around); Mary J. Blige is totally workin’ it; M.I.A. is kicking ass all over the planet; Radiohead gave us fabulous, essentially free music; and then there’s the amazing duet of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – what more can I say? Interesting and mind-boggling at the same time. There was much happening this year and too much to talk about here.
In the greater Seattle area, we had wave after wave of fabulous stuff being churned out. Local station, KEXP 90.3, plays a major part in how folks find out about that great music. Then there are those of us who frequent the gigs at local venues; when we hear great music (or really bad music) we know it. Cool stuff that.
There are so many talented local musicians and too many to give props to, but here’s a list of my favorites for this year:
The Blakes – The Blakes (Light in the Attic)
Mono in VCF – Mono in VCF (SR)
Band of Horses* – Cease to Begin (Sub Pop)
The Myriad (MTV2’s Dew Circuit Breakout artist 2007) – With Arrows With Poise (Kosmos)
The Cave Singers - Invitation Songs (Matador)
Blue Scholars - Bayani (Rawkus)
The Cops - Free Electricity (The Control Group)
Brandi Carlile – The Story (Sony/BMG)
The Shins – Wincing The Night Away (Sub Pop)
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (Epic)
Iron & Wine – The Shepherd’s Dog (Sub Pop)
Alma Villegas Quintet – Alma Villegas (SR)
Carrie Akre - Last the Evening (Loveless)
Rocky Votolato – The Bragg and Cuss (Barsuk)
Tullycraft - Every Scene Needs a Center (Magic Marker)
Velella Velella - Flight Cub EP (SR)
Will Lawrence,
In House Press
Top 5 compilations for 2007 for cosmic pop tarts and an aid for lazy deejays ...
1. Fairytales Can Come True - Volumes 1 & 2 (Fairy Cakes For Tea)(Psychic Circle)
2. Tea & Symphony (The English Baroque Sound 1967-1974) (Castle Music)
3. Welsh Rare Beat 2 (Finders Keepers)
4. Now We Are Ten - A decade of strange and beautiful music from Trunk Records (Trunk Records)
5. Steam Kodok - 26 A-Go-Go Ultrararities from the 60's - Singapore and South-East Asia Underground (Grey Past Records)
Beau Levitt,
Five Bucks on By-Tor
Daft Punk - Alive 2007
Sheer sonic bliss.
Feist - The Reminder
Currently being run into the ground on a bunch of commercials near you, but all in all, a stunningly diverse collection of mellow soul.
The Harry J All-Stars - Liquidator: The Best of The Harry J All-Stars
25 tracks of organ-led reggae instrumentals, courtesy of one Harold Johnson and the cream of Trojan Records’ session crew. I could listen to these guys all day.
Mogwai - Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait - Original Soundtrack
The film, in which 17 cameras track French football god Zinedine Zidane over the course of a complete game, is a bit of an endurance test, but the album is a perfect flow of hypnotic, ominous instrumental soundscapes.
The Rheostatics’ final show
On March 31st, the Canadian cult legends bowed out with one last show at Toronto’s historic Massey Hall. At the very end, as the band waded into the audience to stand with their families and lead a singalong of “Record Body Count,” there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Sigur Rò Heima (DVD)
A film about Sigur Rò2006 tour of Iceland, a series of free, mostly unannounced shows in venues as far-flung as an old herring oil tank, community halls, fields and caves. Accompanied by gorgeous footage of the Icelandic countryside.
V/A: It Came From Canada, Vol. 1-5
Five compilation albums of mid-’80s Canadian college rock, touching on everything from psychobilly to goth to Sonic Youth-style noise rock. Never re-issued on CD, so keep your eye out for the vinyl.
V/A: Working Man’s Soul
A reissue compilation of rare funk, rock, soul & jazz from the UK cabaret, social club and public house scene of the 1960s and ‘70s. Hidden gems from records that were, almost without exception, privately pressed and printed in miniscule numbers.
V/A: Wyld Canada, Vol. 1-5
148 shots of red-hot Canadian ‘60s garage rock madness, from better-known acts like The Guess Who and David Clayton-Thomas to The Mynah Birds, otherwise known as Neil Young and Rick James’ band.
Ween - La Cucaracha
Ween don’t get older, they get better. “Your Party,”the good brothers’ take on ‘80s adult-contemporary cheese - complete with saxophone solos by David Sanborn himself - is worth the price of the album on its own.
Mark Linn,
Delmore Recordings
1. Karen Dalton - Cotton Eyed Joe
I've listened to these 2 CDs more than any other music this year, which makes me biased in more ways than one.
2. Peter Walker - live in his backyard
Waking up to the sounds of Peter Walker practicing his guitar playing, and then hearing / seeing more throughout the day reminded me of the mystical, therapeutic, inspirational power of music.
3. Barbara Manning - Super Scissors
3 CD box set released by the mighty Pat Thomas, who also found time to resurrectPtolemaic Terrascope and put together a perfectly mind expanding CD to accompany it.
4. Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story
The rare TV / Swedish clips are unreal...Robert Gordon has done an incredible job telling the inspirational story. His Jack Clement film was finally released on DVD this year, and it's also great.
5. Diana Darby: poem of the day
Sometimes deeply poetic, sometimes an intensely private journal entry. Romantic, sad, addictive...and lot's of rabbits.
Josh Lovseth,
Sound on the Sound
This list is consists of only "Seattle" rock bands and only the best the town has to offer. This isn't the "best band in town" list, this is the "best rock bands in town" list. And this list isn't just about albums, it's about having the best complete package over the last year, the year 2007.This list is about volume and performance and having the best show overall in town. This list is about THE ROCK and who in Seattle made the year 2007 their bitch better than anyone else.
So, without further ado...Seattle's Twenty Five Best Rock Bands of 2007
1. The Whore Moans
2. Thee Emergency
3. The Blakes
4. Ice Age Cobra
5. The Lashes
6. Siberian
7. Ms Led
8. The Hands
9. Das Llamas
10. Schoolyard Heroes
11. Grand Archives
12. Feral Children
13. The Hopscotch Boys
14. Young Sportsmen
15. The Lonely H
16. Bloodhag
17. Kultur Shock
18. H is for Hellgate
19. Spanish for 100
20. The Resets
21. Whalebones
22. Pleasureboaters
23. The Cops
24. Presidents of the United States of America
25. Thunderbird Motel
Lawrence Lui,
Astralwerks
1) The Boredoms with 77 drummers in Brooklyn (best live show)
2) Persepolis (best movie)
3) The Jai-Alai Savant 'Flight Of The Bass Delegate' (most underrated rock record)
4) Dalek 'Abandoned Language' (most underrated hip hop record)
5) Betty Davis 'Betty Davis' (best reissue!)
Lunatron,
Luna Music
tracey thorn - out of the woods
arctic monkeys - favourite worst nightmare
burial - s/t
nicole willis & the soul investigators - keep reachin' up
little wings - soft pow’r
lawrence - lowlights from the past and future
radiohead - in rainbows
budos band - II
sharon jones & the dap kings - 100 days, 100 nights
v/a - buzzin' fly volume four
top 5 tracks of the 07:
1. the green men - blink
2. milton jackson - cycles
3. tracey thorn - grand canyon (king unique's wrong road dub/lunatron's edit)
4. martin landsky - let me dance for you (sebo k mix)
5. midlake - roscoe (beyond the wizard's sleeve mix)
Jennifer Maas,
Evil Bunny Films
Top-5 Recipe Discoveries for 2007
Celery Root and Leak Puree---------------------------------------
Don't be afraid of the celery root. It looks very Jim Hensen, butit's so frick-ass good you won't believe it. Soften leaks inbutter. Add peeled and cubed celery root and cook for a fewminutes. Cover with broth, and cook until celery root is soft (about20 minutes). Use submersion blender to puree (or carefully usecounter-top blender to puree in batches.). Season with salt.
Oyster Tarragon Soup------------------------------
Soften leaks in butter in soup pot. Put oysters in with the leaks,cook them for a few minutes, and then take them out. Add chickenbroth and the liquor from the oysters to the leaks, bring to a boil,and then reduce heat. Add fresh tarragon and cream, and cook foranother couple of minutes. Remove from heat and add the oystersback in. Garnish with more fresh tarragon and season with salt.(When I made it, I actually let a few of the oysters cook to long inthe beginning, which makes them rubbery. So I just left them inthere the whole time and then pureed the whole thing with asubmersion blender before I added the tarragon. It was kind of niceto have those little oyster bits, but I probably wouldn't do it likethat again :)
Garlic Smashed Potatoes---------------------------------
Put quartered small potatoes (I like German Butterball) into a sautepan, cover with water and add like 6 garlic cloves. Bring water to aboil, reduce, and cook until potatoes are soft. There will be somewater left, pour off all but about 1/4 cup. Put everything into abowl with cream and smash with a smasher or a fork. Stir in saltand fresh tarragon. Cooking the garlic with the potatoes makesa huge difference -- the garlic isn't pungent or overpowering, it justbrings out the sweetness in the potatoes.
Beet and Avocado Salad----------------------------------
Wash some beets and put them in a big foil pouch. Cook then in theoven at 375 for about an hour. Meanwhile, let some shallots in amixture of orange juice, lemon juice, salt, and vinegar for abouttwenty minutes. Drizzle some olive oil into the mixture to make adressing. Cut up some avocados. When the beets are finished, letthem cool for a bit so you don't burn yourself and remove the skins.Cut them up however you want. Arrange the beets and avocadoson a plate, drizzle dressing over. I like a mix of yellow and red beets.
Fancy eggs----------------
Heat some butter on medium-low in a nonstick pan (you can usesomething else if you're brave -- I'm not). Crack two eggs intothe pan and cover -- you want to maximize the runny yolk andminimize runny white. You shouldn't have to flip them. After theyare in for about 2 minutes, grate some fresh parmesan over thetop. Warm some thin-sliced ham in the same pan. Meanwhilemix a good garlic aioli (homemade is preferable) with a goodEnglish mustard (not whole-grain). Put the ham down on a plate,top with the egg, and then put a generous dollop of the aioli-mustardcombokit on top. This would probably be my death-rowmeal if I got to pick.
Malik,
Boo Boo Records
Top 5 albums
1. Roots Of Chicha - V/A
Cumbia fuzzed out with psychedelic? Yes, please.
2. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Making cutting-edge safe for the next generation.
3. Budos Band - Budos Band II
The perfect amalgamation of soul-jazz and afro-funk.
4. After Dark: Italians Do It Better - V/A
Giorgio Moroder will forever be sexy.
5. M.I.A. - Kala
The only good thing to come out of the U.S.'s tightened Visa policy. My new heroine of the free world.
Larry Mansdorf,
Newbury Comics
top 5 records of 2007:
1. beatnik filmstars - cat scan aces
2. township - coming home (local boston band)
3. kaze shabu shabu (restaurant in boston)
4. dexter - season two
5. moby grape reissues
Martin, Jim, Pish & Everyone Else,
Selectadisc
1. The Soundcarriers - I Had A Girl/Without Sound (Heron)
2. St. Pancras Railway Station, London - Restoration Project
3. If - DVD release (starring Malcolm MacDowell)
4. This Is England - movie (dir Shane Meadows - local lad!)
5. Morecombe And Wise - Christmas TV Shows - re-issue DVD set
Steve Matrick,
Kepler Events, Manager, A Place To Bury Strangers
Top five APTBS shows of 2007.
I figured this list would be a good thing to contribute considering I’ve seen them almost thirty times this year:
1. Death by Audio- Pitchfork TV shoot on September 16, 2007
2. CMJ Music Hall of Williamsburg show with Yeasayer, Foals and Cadence Weapon on October 17, 2007
3. Bowery Ballroom with the Black Angels & Spindrift on November 7, 2007
4. Dionysus Disco at Oberlin College on November 11, 2007
5. Mezzanine in San Francisco with Here Here and Film School on December 5, 2007
Larry May,
CD Cellar
5. I love the foolhardy fat girls who still choose to wear pajama pants in public. Hey, big girl, you're not quirky, you are just sloppy. Put on some real pants or a dress, and spare me the gut wrenching pain of watching you murder those Fruity Pebbles at Wal Mart while awaiting your turn at the self check out.
4. The reluctance of any college football team in the Top 10 to keep from getting their asses kicked. This further proves my theory that college students are so exhausted from the 12 hours of class they skip every week that they can't be bothered to play football on Saturdays. Entitlement has a price tag, you weiners.
3. I love the quilt that Tenza's grandmother gave us. On icy Alabama nights, nothing cuts the chill quite like her tattered, antebellum old quilt. Northerners don't shit about quilts.
2. The blessings that the deity Reese gives us each year at the holidays. She makes chocolate and peanut butter treats at Easter, Halloween and Christmas.
1. I'm thoroughly enamored of the numbness I possess that keeps me from beating the guts out of every dickhead that askes me if downloading hurts sales at my store.
Michael,
Pitchfork Media
Top 5 (I'm going with a mix bag)
1. Dear and the Headlights- "Small Steps, Heavy Hooves"
Obviously the name of the band and the title of the album are automatic reasons to shun. But you'll be surprised to find one of the most listenable records of the year.
2. Of Montreal - The Past is a Grotesque Animal; BSS/Kevin Drew- Lucky Ones; Blonde Redhead- 23; Battles- Atlas; LCD Soundsystem- All My Friends; Band of Horses- No One's Gonna Love You; Deerhunter- Spring Hall Convert
3. Show I wish I saw- Battles, Deerhunter @SouthStreet Seaport, NYC. I really disappoint myself sometimes. This one takes the cake.
4. Reno 911 the movie. I think thats a given.
5. The girl from the American Apparel Unisex Flex Fleece V-Neck Sweatshirt ads.
Becca Minkoff,
Marketing Associate, The Triple Door!
Feist and Grizzly Bear at The Moore
Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War
Jesse Sykes - Like, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul
Chuck Klosterman - IV A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas
Rancho Bravo Tacos in Wallingford
David Miranda,
Everyday Music
1. LCD Soundsystem "Sound of Silver" CD/2LP + show @ Showbox
2. Bang Gang Deejays Present "Light/Sound/Dance" 2CD
3. Boris w/Michio Kurihara "Rainbow" CD/Deluxe 3LP Boxset + show @ Chop Suey
4. Francisco Lopez & Matt Shoemaker performance @ Good Shepherd Center - July 2007
5. Keith Rowe & friends performing Cornelius Cardew @ Good Shepherd Center - October 2007
Mr. Hill
El-P – I'll Sleep When You're Dead
Rob Sonic - Sabotage Gigante
Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs
Silas Blak – Silas Sentinel
Pushkar Ojha,
Radio K
1 Electralane - No Shouts, No Calls (Too Pure)
2 Fog - Ditherer (Lex)
3 Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha (Fat Possum)
4 White Magic - Dark Stars [EP] (Drag City)
5 Deerhunter - Cryptograms LP/Fluorescent Grey EP (Kranky)
Dimos Passas,
Rock n Roll Circus
1. album: BUILD AN ARK - DAWN (Kindred Spirits)the grooviest Pharoah Saunders record Pharoah Saunders never made
2. album cover: SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS - 100 DAYS 100 NIGHTS (Daptone)a cover you can dance to
3. dvd: Respect Yourself: Stax Records Story/Stax Volt Revue Tour 1967 (Universal)once you been there, you know it's home...
4. radio show: THEME TIME RADIO HOUR WITH HOST BOB DYLAN (XM Radio)dreams, schemes and themes from another world
5. beach: AI HELIS (Kefalonia Island - Greece)rumors say that Serge wrote "Sea, Sex and Sun" for this place
Tanya Palmer,
Easy Street Records
High on Fire – Death is This Communion
Audionom – Retrospectiv
Boris w/ Michio Karihara – Rainbow
Shellac – Excellent Italian Greyhound
Mono – Pheonix Tree EP.
Favorite Movie: Bourne Ultimatum
Favorite DVD: Office Volume 3
Peanut Butter Wolf,
Owner, Stones Throw
Top US airlines used this year
5. tie: United/American
I've used these airlines for years because of the golden handcuffs they each supply me in the form of frequent flier miles. I have enough with both airline to travel the world several times over. Trouble is, I haven't used any miles with either. I wanna use them to go somewhere really far, but never have time to plan a vacation. At the same time, they are the hardest to make last minute adjusments, charging STUPIDLY high change fees. The food is terrible, especially on oversees flights where you are forced to eat it cuz you've been without food for as much as 12 hours. I can't really say anything good about them really.
3. Southwest
I'm a sucker for SW. They're the opposite of United and American, giving me a lot of leaway if I wanna change a flight. I go back and forth from the Bay to LA a lot and insist on them since it's a quick hour flight anyway. One time, I even wanted to change which airport I was leaving out of AFTER buying the ticket and they did so for me with no charge! Only thing with them is don't fly out of LAX if you are using them out of the Los Angeles area. The worst lines ever. Only do Burbank.
2. Jet Blue
Any airline with that much leg room and your own TV screen with tons of channels wins my vote.
1. Virgin America
Now granted I haven't used them much yet, but I think I'm sold. They've taken everything that Jet Blue did (your own TV screen, extra leg room, etc) and added even more stuff. For example, when I'm on a plane, I can never get enough water and I don't wanna be constantly ringing my bell for service and waking up the people around me. With Virgin, you go to the back of the plane and they have a vending machine with free bottles of water. Obvious idea, but nobody's done it yet. I'd say either Jet Blue of Virgin America if given the choice. Let's see who comes with the free wireless on the plane first.
Rodrigo Perez,
MTV, The Playlist Blog
1. There Will Be Blood.
2. Margot At The Wedding Soundtrack
3. Lavender Diamond - Imagine Our Love
4. The New York Film Festival - my first year in as press, woo.
5. Diving Back into my Dylan addiction – discovering the Basement Tapes, finally reading Chronicles (thanks I’m Not There)
6. my soundtracks blog, a sense of joy for me: theplaylist.blogspot.com
Tim Perlich,
Now Toronto
TOP 10 ARCHIVAL RELEASES OF 2007
1) Jim Ford - Sounds Of Our Time (Bear Family)
The vastly underrated country soul classic Harlan County by singer/songwriter Jim Ford -- who wrote Aretha Franklin's Niki Hoeky, Bobby Womack's Harry Hippie and quite possibly Bobbie Gentry's Ode To Billie Joe -- is reissued with a load of amazing unreleased songs from tapes he had stashed in a plastic bag. Sadly any hopes that this release might lead to a comeback were dashed on November 18 when the 66 year old Ford was found dead in his California home.
2) Twinight's Lunar Rotation (Numero Group)
This beautifully illustrated double disc blast of Windy City getdowns is not just the best Twinight collection, it's the best label excavation job in the Numero Group's classy Eccentric Soul series and that's saying something.
3) Góo! Bugalu Tropical, Vol. 1 and 2 (Vampi Soul)
Spain's Vampi Soul label blows the lid off the Peruvian 60s tropical music scene with back-to-back compilations of the pan-Latin scorchers recorded for the MAG label. Muy caliente!
4) Ethiopian Soul And Groove: Ethiopian Urban Modern Music Vol. 1 (L'Arome Productions)
Don't let the words "urban" and "modern" scare you off, this is primo lowdown Ethio-funk filled with skronky saxophone blurts and rickety organ wheeze just as Haile Selassie intended.
5) The Dictators - Every Day Is Saturday (Norton)The best and rawest recordings by New York's wrestle rock kings you never heard. Pure ignoroid genius.
6) Life Is A Problem (Mississippi Records)
An explosive vinyl-only selection of lo-fi spirituals, testimonials and finger-pointing sermonizing from the golden era which makes the case that no one rocks like a rock 'n' roll hating gospel evangelist.
7) Barbara Manning - Super Scissors (Rainfall Records)
How do you improve on Barbara Manning's two fab indie-rock classics Lately I Keep Scissors and One Perfect Green Blanket? Package them together in a box with a an extra disc of demos, outtakes and singles tracks. Nice.
8) Billy Wooten - Lost Tapes (P-Vine)
Japanese reissue powerhouse P-Vine wasn't content with reissuing Billy Wooten's tough-to-catch In This World and the Wooden Glass albums. Nope. They had to go for the gusto by unearthing Wooten's fantastic overlooked Naptown nastiness from the vaults for Lost Tapes.
9) Porter Wagoner - The Rubber Room: The Haunting, Poetic Songs of Porter Wagoner 1966-1977
Twenty nine of the most troublingly twisted songs the late great Porter Wagoner ever imagined could be country chart hits, each delivered with bone-chilling conviction.
10) Moussa Doumbia - Keleya: Malian Funk Of The 70s (Oriki)
The packaging is lame, the notes are a disappointment and the sound quality isn't stellar but Moussa Doumbia's monstrously pounding jams more than make up for it.
Scott Reitherman,
Throw Me The Statue
Top 5 MySpace Music Pages That Were a Welcome Discovery in 2007:
It can be exhausting being on The MySpace and getting endless friend requests from bands. Here though, are five of my discoveries of this year that were welcome exceptions to that rule. In no meaningful order,...
Wallpaper
A local band, made up of three guys with a strong penchant for Mod, 60s brit invasion/frat-rock style. To me they might be the next best thing about Seattle's music scene.
Sleeping States
The alias of Markland Starkie, who seems to be a music composition student in London. Signed to Misra in the states, his video for the song "Rivers" convinced me instantly.
Sorcerer
A young guy from Oakland making songs that remind me in the best way of some of the worst of the music my Dad listened to while I was growing up.
Casey Holford
Great earnest pop folk/rock songs. One of the only people this year I feel like I kind of got to know over MySpace after listening to his music and felt like I already knew him a bit because of his songs.
Sweet Potatoes
The Seattle musical project of a lady named Jenny. Wonderful. Another artist where the experience of their songs make you feel like you have shared a conversation.
Pat Riley,
Domino Records
1) Jackie McCarthy- I married her, of course she is #1!
2) Hiro, my dog
3) My bike
4) OM "Pilgrimage"
5) Rachel Flortard with the John Rauhouse Sestet Sept 6th at Union Pool Brooklyn NY6) Pet Genius "Pet Genius"
7) MIA "Kala"
8) Jesu "Lifeline"
9) Alicia Keys "No One"
10) LCD Soundsystem "Sound of Silver"
11) Prizhorn Dance School "Prizhorn Dance School"
12) Patton Oswald "Pennsylvania Macaroni Company"
13) Radiohead "In Rainbows"
14) Black Lips at the Siren Festival Coney Island NY
Rochelle,
MTV
My Top 5 Albums of the year:
1. Rilo Kiley – "Under The Black Light"
2. Paramore – "Riot"
3. Common – "Finding Forever"
4. Band of Horses – "Cease To Begin"
5. Kanye West – "Graduation"
Gabriel Roth,
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings,
Daptone Records
Top 5 Records I enjoyed in 2007:
1. Ben E. King It's All Over Atco
2. Lou D. Washington and the Professionals Since I've Fallen In Love with You Steeltown
3. Holland-Dozier Don't Leave Me Invictus
4. The Pirates I'm Gonna Love You 'Till I Die Mel-O-Die
5. The Swan Silvertones Sign of the Judgement Vee-Jay
Dave Sanford,
President, Spectre Entertainment Group
1. Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass - Def Jux
2. Georgie James - Places - Saddle Creek
3. Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation - self-released
4. El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead - Def Jux
5. Menomena - Friend and Foe - Barsuk
Joe Schwab,
Euclid Records
Top 5 Records
Future Clouds and Radar
Kaiser Chiefs - Your's Truley, Angry Mob
Radiohead - In Rainbows
The Blakes - The Blakes
Electric Soft Parade - No Need To Be Downhearted
Top 5 Concerts
The Hard Lessons
Roky Erickson
Future Clouds and Radar
Terry Adams R & R Quartet
Barbara Lynn
Top 5 TV
30 Rock
Weeds
The Office
Extras
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Blogs
Bedazzled
I Rock Cleveland
WFMU Beware The Blog
Boogie Woogie Flu
Radio Shows
WFMU-Dave The Spaz
WFMU-Michael Shelley
Indie 103.1-Steve Jones Jonesy's Jukebox
WEVL- The Many Moods of Ben Vaughn
WFMU-Cherry Blossom Clinic with Terri T.
Michael Seiwerath,
Executive Director, Northwest Film Forum
1. Caféresse, Joanne Herron and Jim Drohman (cheap french food)
2. No Country for Old Men, The Coen Brothers
3. Backroom Anthology, Matthew Stadler, editor (Clear Cut Press)
4. Seventh Climate (Paradise Reconsidered) John Roloff (2006 holdover)
5. Killer of Sheep Charles Burnett (1977 revival)
Steven Severin,
Neumos
Top 5 in no particular order...
Greenleaf - I think every item on that menu is great. I'm ordering everything in order down the line.
Grand Archives EP & the anticipation of the new full length. Who does 5part harmonies anymore. Nobody, just these bad asses.
Against Me and Eric Dolphy is getting heavy play right now too.
2 weeks in Kauai. Enough said
Christopher Moore. Every book that dude writes has me in stitches.
A crisp pair of new sneakers. Right now I'm stoked on my new Zoo York's.
Gary Smith,
Easy Street Records
1. The Intelligence "Deuteronomy"
2. Hyphy Hits "V/A"
3. Jens Lekman "Night Falls Over Kortedala"
4. Coconut Coolouts "Party Time Machine"
5. The Stooges "Weirdness"
Jeff Smith,
Modern Tonic
Here is what bopped, hip-hopped and flat-out rocked Modern Tonic’s world in 2007.
Mark Ronson, Version Producer/DJ of the year
Ronson brings mad skills – and a who’s who of collaborators (Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen) – to his dance-floor mash-ups of new and old U.K. faves.
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, 100 Days, 100 Nights
They don’t just kick it old school, they are old school. If you want to know why that’s a powerful thing, ask Amy Winehouse, who used the Dap-King’s as her Back to Black band.
Nicole Atkins - Neptune City
This exile from the Jersey shore strolls down the boardwalk of her memory and finds herself in a funhouse mirror of pop styles, from Doris Day to Rilo Kiley.
Alicia Keys - As I Am
She’s crazy in love; you can feel it in the buoyant grooves and declarations of her fidelity. In an R&B world of hurt, Keys’ catchy optimism is – pardon us – truly a modern tonic.
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
That’s Black as in ‘the blues’; and, as we all know by now, Winehouse doesn’t just know the territory – she owns it.
Carrie Underwood - Carnival Ride
Her voice as vast as the heartland, the first countrified American Idol winner two-stepped past the sophomore slump with big hooks, big attitude, and big, big fun.
Across The Universe - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
If the movie’s a phantasmagorical trip through the 60’s, the soundtrack, sung by actors and pop stars, is the time-released drug that sustains the hallucinatory vision.
Mika - Life in Cartoon Motion
The fop who brought back Freddie Mercury’s mischievousness — and vocal range — Mika’s the new ambiguous queen of pop playfulness.
Kylie Minogue - X
Kylie liberates herself with a celebration of hot-stepping nightlife that’ll help everyone dance away those blues.
The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
With a sound that goes from big to enormous in the space of one album, these Canadians converted non-believers and confirmed their place as the new U2.
Jonathan Smith,
A Place To Bury Strangers
Here are my top 5 favorite venues played in 2007, in no particular order:
1. Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY
2. Mezzanine - San Francisco, CA
3. The Black Cat - Washington, DC
4. Headliners, Louisville, KY
5. Webster Hall - New York, NY
SONIC BOOM / SPECTRUM / EXPERIMENTAL AUDIO RESEARCH / SPACEMEN 3
PANDA BEAR - PITCH PERSON
amazing l.p. from Animal Collective member. one of my favourite discs in ages
IF
Malcolm McDowell/Lindsay Anderson classic finally out on DVD
MISA LUBA (IF.... soundtrack of African tribesmen singing latin Mass)
DRIVA MAN - MANFRED MANN
amazing track from the Mannfred Mann 4 cd box out in 07
DEAN & BRITTA - VARIATIONS
remix mini-lp of tracks from the amazing 07 l.p.
Gabriel Spierer,
Vice Records
1. new friends. some really good ones this year.
2. The Black Lips
I love everything about them. Their enthusiasm, their tireless work ethic, their effortless charm and of course their incredible music. They have made my working year worthwhile. The model for what a band should be - genuine people, brilliant songwriters and untouchable live performers who believe in what they are doing as much as anyone else possibly could.
3. Since this is just a Top 5, I'm going to cheat. Some of the records that made 2007 slightly more bearable:
Panda Bear - Person Pitch, Arcade Fire - Neon Bible, Ash Pool - World Turns On Its Hinge, The Cave Singers - Invitation Songs, Spoon - GaGaGaGaGa, Malcolm Middleton - A Brighter Beat, Bottomless Pit - Hammer of the Gods, Big Business - Here Come the Waterworks, John Vanderslice - Emerald City, Jesu - Conqueror, Cheeseburger - Cheeseburger, Xasthur - Defective Epitaph, Lifelover - Pulver, The New Pornographers - Challengers
4. Music, in person
Big Melvins (Melvins + Big Business = Big Melvins) 4 times, Jay Reatard countless times (esp. SXSW aka the beer-chucked-at-my-balls show, and Chicago at the Hideout), the New Pornographers countless times (esp. Webster Hall w Dan and Neko and strings and horns), Grizzly Bear a few times (esp. acoustic at Bookeaters - wow, these guys steal every show they play), Arcade Fire at Randall's island (from the side of the stage looking out at 20,000 - it was real true magic, esp. on mushrooms), all McCarren Pool shows (esp. the Thermals' covering Built to Spill's Big Dipper)...There were so many more, but none quite as magical as: GZA performing Liquid Swords, in its entirety, at the Pitchfork festival in Chicago - a singular highlight of my life.
5. Kevin Durant
A young god. (esp. his season at UT - 30 and 10 in conference? really? and - his getting drafted by the Sonics. save them. somebody.)
Ben Swanson,
Secretly Canadian
1. M.I.A. - Kala / LIVE
Best show of the year...by far and wide...what i imagine seeing the talking heads in '81, still constantly discovering their boundaries, a totally raw process of discovery for all present...
2. Le Loup - The Throne... (Harly Art)
A world unto itself, i really don't know what else to say....
3. Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals (We Are Free)
All the right ways...
4. Stockholm in February
Freezing cold like back home, how i've missed you...
5. Butter Chicken at Shanti
I really think Bloomington has one of the best India restaurants around...i know for sure that i'm wrong, but i try to eat it wherever i go, and i've yet to find a rival...
Tom Szwech,
Bag of Songs
I listened to so many great records this year that even a list of 50 would shortchange something. The ones that really stuck with me and got played to most are the ones that ranked higher in the long run.
1. The Swimmers - Fighting Trees
One Of Philadelphia's finest, far and away the one record I listened to most, in the rotation since January and still going strong. The perfect balance of catchy hooks,vocal harmonies and intelligent lyrics.
2. The Broken West - I Can't Go On I'll Go On
Jangly, smart, power pop. And it shows that they're musically well schooled, the last time I saw them live they threw in covers of Tegan And Sara, Yo La Tengo , and Buffalo Springfield.
3. Julie Doiron - Woke Myself Up
The best overlooked album of the year. Emotional, ragged and real with a sound that falls somewhere between fellow Canadians Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. Forget Feist you need this.
4. The Clientele - God Save The Clientele
Smooth like a Sunday morning pop, filled with sixties overtones but never sounding retro or dated.
5. Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation
What Wilco could've sounded like if they didn't sand the edges off. One of the best live shows I saw all year.
6. Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter
One of the best new songwriters of a generation, Josh amped it up a bit on this one and created a classic.
7. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Their first, Funeral did nothing for me, but only one clunker (Black Wave) on this one kept it just shy of perfect. Embracing their Springsteen influences openly into their sound didn't hurt.
8. LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
James Murphy obviously honed his ear for what works during his time as a bouncer at Trenton's punk rock club City Gardens all through the mid to late eighties and delivered an album that put all that knowledge together for something relevant right now.
9. Creeping Weeds - We Are All Part Of A Dream You're Having
One of Philly's most original sounding bands this manages to run the gamut from desolate spacey piano, to jagged edgy guitar rockers and all points in between, and it all works. And having seen them live like 8 or 9 times this past year I can tell you they're an awesome live band as well.
10. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
2 solid midtempo pop songs filled hooks,violin, whistling and more, what else could you ask for. It plays really well as a whole, one of the best sequenced albums of the year, each song perfectly setting up the next, just like a great mix tape
Jason Taylor,
Redeye Distribution
1. Boris w/Michio Kurihara 'Rainbow'
2. Deerhunter 'Cryptograms'
3. Liars 'Liars'
4. Battles 'Mirrored'
5. Sharon Jones '100 Days, 100 Nights'
Jeffrey Taylor,
Wall of Sound Records, Climax Golden Twins
Top 5 Nice Things For 2007:
1) My mother moving to Tazewell, Va. (In beautiful S.W. Virginia)
2) My band's first European tour
3) Completing work on and having published a book
4) Playing as much music as possible with numerous friends (TinyVipers, A Frames, Wally Shoup, Sir Richard Bishop....)
5) Selling records and meeting nice people that like good music
Mike Toppe,
Revolver USA
chris garneau "music for tourists"
fiery furnaces "widow city"
panda bear "person pitch"
burma superstar (the only restaurant worth the 2 hour wait)
the visual effects/sound editing for the movie "Sunshine"
Jordy Trachtenberg,
The Orchard's "Give Me Five in Five"
In no order;
1) Music:Sharon Jones, Justice, M.I.A., O Quarto Das Cinzas, Sensacional Soul
2) Live:Gogol Bordello, Bonnoroo, Hold Steady, Justice, SXSW
3) Reads:Vice, Bangkok Babylon; The Game; Mojo; Practicing
4) Places:Pattaya, Bahia, Amsterdam, Berlin, Memphis
5) New People I met in 2007: Dirty Disco Daryl, Tom Windish, Jerry Hopkins, Josh Wright and every person that I got to shake hands and talk with along the way.
Will Tyler,
Shade of Soul
Top 5 Most listened to Records of 2007
1. Aloe Blacc "Shining Through"
2. J Rawls "The Liquid Crystal Project"
3. J Dilla "Donuts"
4. Kero One "Windmills of the Soul"
5. The Blakes Debut
Top 5 Guilty Pleasures
1. The Hills
2. The Hills
3. The Hills
4. The Hills
5. The Hills
( I wish I could walk around all day with theme music )
Top 5 websites
1. Shadeofsoul.com
2. inhabitat.com
3. treehugger.com
4. e2-series.com
5. pbs.org/art21
Top 5 youtube videos
1. Ian Manoochin
2. Miss South Carolina
3. The Saturday Knights 45 video
4. Nail Salon
5. Steve Miller Band
Top 5 Best Things I did in 07'
1. Quit my fucking corprate job!!
2. Told my former boss he sucked at what he did
3. Became a born again pagen
4. Won a Mr Rodgers look-a-like contest
5. Cashed out my 401K to build my dream house and start a design company
Top 5 Things I Should have won in 2007
1. The Saturday Knights Coloring contest ( Not famous enough )
2. NYC Marathon ( too fat and to too slow)
3. Americas Next Top Model
4. Push Up contest with my brother
5. The Saturday Knights Coloring contest ( Not famous enough )
Uncle Garth,
DJ, KCRW
TOP 5 OF 2007
1. ALBUM
Marvin Gaye - Here My Dear: Expanded Edition (Hip-O Select)
There was some serious competition for the top album - great debut by Little Dragon, modern hip hop classics by Little Brother and Aceyalone, Viker Duplaix's sumptuous "Bold and Beautiful", etc. BUT, Hip-O Select pulled off a last minute holiday miracle with the limited on line re-release of a Marvin Gaye masterpiece. Here My Dear, like the movie Scarface, was trashed by critics and consumers at the time of its original release, and praised as classic and critical years later. The Expanded Edition has the original album on one disc, and a second disc filled with new arrangements by the likes of Mocean Worker, Prince Paul, Salaam Remi, Questlove and James Poyser. Any Marvin Gaye fans and soul music connoisseurs would be wise to procure this gem.
2. FILM
The Great Debaters - Directed by and Starring Denzel WashingtonT
ransformers had my vote until I attended a screening the other night. Based on a true story about the Wiley College debate team and its dramatic triumphs during a tumultuous 1935 in Texas, the film should be mandatory classroom and home viewing for every child rearing family in this country, especially all my wayward black folks.
3. TV SERIES
The Wire
I thought Showtime held it down with "Weeds" and "Californication", HBOs "The Wire" is just too awesome to not vote for. I would like to personally thank the writers, producers, cast, and crew for helping this country see itself for what it really is.
4. CITY
Baltimore
Because that's where they film "The Wire".
5. BOOK
Why Do Black People Love Fried Chicken? - answered by YourBlackFriend.com a.k.a. Nashieqa Washington, M.B.A.
Nashieqa offers insight and understanding to questions that many non-African Americans have about our peculiar behaviors, habits, opinions, and preferences. Although the title conveys stereotyped comedy, the book goes deeper and is a refreshing take on the played out concept of keeping it real, and a break from the constant bombardment of the media induced "Negroes-in-a-box" coma. The website is off the hook too: yourblackfriend.com
Greg Vandy,
KEXP
Moore Theatre 100 year anniversary celebration
Xel Ha
Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center
City of Dust Blog
"River Lost" by Blaine Harden
Behind 3rd Base dugout @ Wrigley Field
Aladin's antiques & records in Bellingham
Michael Shelly on WFMU www.wfmu.org
The Ringside in Portland
Rich Vining,
Cable vs. Tweed
http://cableandtweed.blogspot.com/2007/12/c-favorite-music-of-2007.html
Adam Voith,
The Billions Corporation
Top 5 Double Cheese Burgers
Steak 'n' Shake - 3/7/07
Wendy's - 6/8/07
Steak 'n' Shake - 7/28/07
Steak 'n'' Shake - 8/18/07
In and Out Burger - 12/2/07
Derek Weiler,
Bury Me Not
http://www.burymenot.com/2007/12/what-job-what-job.html
http://www.burymenot.com/2007/12/round-up-usual-suspects.html
Geoffrey Weiss,
Hollywood Records
5 great things in 2007:
Okkervil River
For once everybody is right
The Omnivore's Dilemma
A profound, practical book.
Eddy Current - Suppression Ring
The show in San Fransisco was excellent, the album is magic, and "It's' All Square" is perfect.
The Thomas Function
This band is so good I can't believe they exist. I could tell you what they sound like, but they're better than that. Buy their singles, go to their shows, anticipate their album, and your life will improve significantly.
Fucked Up - Real Rage
The kind anti-depressants and irony almost eliminated. Punk rock that is neither retro or pathetic.
Jill Wenger,
Owner, Impulse Botique
Impulse’s (or Jill’s — whichever, I’m the Mastermind) Top 11 of 2007 (see, it rhymes)
Music: Noel Ellis, Self Titled, Light in the Attic
Painters: Georg Baselitz and Clifford Still
Experience: Attending the Yohji Yamamoto runway show in Paris
Accomplishment: Writing Junya Watanabe for Comme des Garcons Spring 08
Outfit: Acne Jeans (Hug and Tube) paired with an oversized cardigan (worn buttoned)
More music: Devendra Banhart, Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
Design: Brian Roettinger
Experience: Working on Totokaelo (coming January 2008)
Local talent: Martine Workman
Accolade: Being named one of the ‘Top 10 Boutiques: New Visionaries’ in the US by national rag, Lucky
More Design: Wayne Daly
Jimmy Winter,
Music Arsenal
Top 5 Discoveries of 2007
1. China Mist Prickly Pear Tea
Being a discerning drinker of iced tea I am always on the search for the world’s greatest. Well I finally found it. If you want the best iced tea I’ve ever had, this is it!
2. Sirius Radio/Howard Stern
After years of not getting the fuss I finally gave Howard Stern a shot this spring. Where have I been the past 25 years of his career?!
3. The Waiting Room Lounge
Finally my town of Omaha has a great venue with great sound.
4. Bob Log III
I way into this one man band sped up delta blues sound.
5. Transfer/ColdSpring/Model-Glue
I’m a programmer so I’m going to nerd it up. These three ColdFusion frameworks are saving me a lot of time in my new code development.
Erik Wofford,
Cacophony Recorders
Top 5 for 2007:
Best Movie: No Country For Old Men
Best Band To Work With This Year: The Black Angels (of course!)
Best Product: Iphone
Best Salsa: Vivo in Austin, TX
Best Reason To Go Outside: It was never too hot or too cold. Global warming has its ironic upsides
Jason Womack,
Bassist, Juliette & The Licks
1. black rebel motorcycle club - baby 81
2. the good the bad and the queen - the good the bad and the queen
3. stars of the lid - and their refinement of the decline
4. scissors for lefty - underhanded romance
5. suffrajett - black glitter
Pablo Yglesias,
Author, ¡Cocinando!: Fifty Years of Latin Album Cover Art
New:
Tropidelico - Quantic Soul Orchestra
(R)evolucion - Jose Conde y Nueva Ola
Akoya Afrobeat - President Dey Pass
Killion Floor - Orgone
Keep Reachin' Up - Nicole Willis
Out There - Heliocentrics
Reissue:
They Say I'm Different - Betty Davis
Achilifunk (Gypsy Soul) - Various
Gozalo Vol. 2 Tropical Booglaoo from Peru - Various
Super Afro Soul - Orlando Julius
Funk Revival (Sounds From The Subtropics) - Various
Dan Zachs,
Waxing Deep Records
Coleccionistas on Calle Neptuno
Havana's classic source for "well loved" Panart sides and the Juan Pablo Torres catalogue. You can meet your locksmith needs at the booth next door.
Benromach Organic Scotch Whisky
An extremely pleasant way to cure any ache worth curing courtesy of Speyside distillers and virgin oak from environmentally managed forests.
Twilight Ascent of Bonnie's Roof, The Gunks
Glorious views of the HudsonRiver Valley from some very airy and very fine quartzite (there are records in New Paltz and Poughkeepsie, too).
Sven Libaek "Inner Space" Reissue on Votive Records
One of my favourite reissues of the past year. Moody Australian bossa and jazz that is a perfect accompaniment to a wintry night.
The Soper River, Baffin Island
One of the last rivers with water clean enough to drink straight, it winds through an especially beautiful part of the Canadian arctic. Baffin Island is one place where I guarantee you will find no records. Not even Anne Murray 'Snowbird' singles. There are polar bears, though (at least until global warming kills them off).Thanks to all our contributors and everyone who's read this! We had fun putting it together, so we hope you had fun reading it!
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April 18, 2003 at 06:57 PM
Lialeh O.S.T. Record Release Party
Mark May 3rd on your calendar as a night of classic '70s porn, funk, and delightful debauchery! Yes, that's right - the LIALEH O.S.T. Record Release Party at Seattle's Re-Bar (1114 Howell St. - at Boren) - Only $5! Featuring an exclusive DJ set by the SHARPSHOOTERS, porn girls, steamy visuals, popcorn, and a few sweet surprises. Released to the masses in 1974, LIALEH was the first major black porno film - aka "The Black Deep Throat". Composed and produced by legendary soul/funk/jazz drummer BERNARD "PRETTY" PURDIE (James Brown, Last Poets, Curtis Mayfield, Aretha), the soundtrack to LIALEH is a must-have for fans of Shaft, Superfly, Coffy, Truck Turner... On May 6th, Light In The Attic will be reissuing the soundtrack for the first time ever on CD, 180gram vinyl with 16"x24" movie poster, liner notes by Egon of Stones Throw, beautiful deluxe color booklet... See you at the Re-Bar on May 3rd! (10pm Doors) More Info on LIALEH. Wednesday Nights are all about STATUS - hosted by DJ Sureshot, the SHARPSHOOTERS SEXTET perform every Wednesday night at the swanky Mr. Lucky's in Seattle's Lower Queen Anne (315 1st Ave, across from Key Arena). Special guests, lovely live sounds, delicious dining, classic breaks 'n' beats...
Listen & Buy
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Bernard Purdie
Bernard Purdie's Lialeh O.S.T. (LP,MP3,CD)
LITA 003
Music fans have long looked to Lialeh for seven original Bernard Purdie tracks, his first as writer/composer, untempered by the A&R’s who guided his records for Flying Dutchman, Date, Prestige and Mega. To snag a copy of Lialeh, you could spend more than $600 on eBay or a mere $12.99 at Light In The Attic. Same great music, and mo’ money to spend on your honey.
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