Concert Round-up

Call me Dockers Khakis cuz I've been slacking. Get it--SLACK ing. Slacks. Moving on.

I have seen two very good shows in the last week and have yet to write about them. Palma Violets rocked the Middle East Upstairs with the help from local up and comers New Highway Hymnal. Both sets were impressive, and I am anxiously awaiting to see what 2013 brings to both of these bands. Having only heard two Palma Violets tracks before seeing them last week, I was thoroughly impressed with the other songs in their repertoire and would love to hear them fully actualized on record. NME has been giving them tons of love and every ounce of that love is deserved. 

New Highway Hymnal are a three piece rock and roll band (the way God intended) and they get the very most out of the three members. Their set was tight and included songs that had me singing along by the end of the track. I give them an official co-sign and wish them nothing but the best. 

Purity Ring rocked the House of Blues like no other act I have seen. After a solid performance by Young Magic, Purity Ring took to the stage and made my jaw drop. Decked out with an art installation, glasses that were someone rigged up with a synth, and a large drum that lights up when hit, Purity Ring pumped out a solid hour of electro-pop glory. Their set included all of the tracks you would want to hear (read: all of their tracks), a cover of a Soulja Boy track, and some amazing hair by the lead singer. Good times were had by all, especially by the couple in front of me who made out for three hours on some high school shit. 

January Playlist

Here are a collection of songs I really liked in January



If you are having a hard time listening, click the "Youtube" button and watch it on the youtubes.

Young Galaxy "Pretty Boy"

I felt your pain when you changed your name
we were each others only family 
walking away would change the way 
but never path less heavy 
and I know you feel isolated
and T feel you what u won't take 
i don't care if the disbelievers don't undersstand
you're my pretty boy!
always

Youth Lagoon "Dropla"

You will never die
You will never die
You will never die
You will never die

Dirty Projectors cover "Climax"

Dirty Projectors put their spin on the best song of 2012, Usher's "Climax".

Budweiser Commercial circa 1999

This song has been in my head all day. I'm pretty sure my affinity for beer can be traced back to this commercial. And my live of hip hop, cuz lezbehonest, dude has BARS.

Antwon and Friendzone "Automatic"

Fresh off of their production of A$AP Rocky's "Fashion Killa", Friendzone team up with Greedhead's newest signee (and official Drunken Uncle co-signed emcee) Antwon.

Y'all may remember Antwon from his dope mixtape last year, featuring the banger "Sittin' in Hell". If you were at a party with me last year, then you were getting drunk to it and listening to me explain why it was so great. If you never found yourself in that situation, then you missed out on my keen insights and adroit observations that are only enhanced with the influx of alcohol.

Bladdow:

Christopher Owens - Lysandre

My biggest concern with Christopher Owens going solo was that he would have no one around to keep him from exclusively writing folk-pop love songs. As it turns out, I was right--this is certainly and LP exclusively of folk-pop love songs. But, surprisingly, this autonomy serves him well.  Lysandre is a confident collection of wine-and-roses tunes composed by a man who has finally got full control over his craft. This is the best Paul Simon record that will be released in 2013, hand-down.

A$AP Rocky - LONGLIVEA$AP

Some thoughts on Live.Love.A$AP:

• I have listened this record a few times but I am having a hard time putting a grade on it--I feel like it could be a solid A- record (if it were to remove a few tracks and add a few of the "bonus" tracks in their place) but I gotta go with a B/B+
• Idealist Tracklist: 
• Long Live A$AP
• Goldie
• Ghetto Symphony
• LVL
• Fuckin' Problems
• Wild for the Night
• 1train
• Fashion killa
• Jodye
• Phoenix
• Suddenly
• Angels
• Rocky's best verse is in "Ghetto Symphony" 
• HOLY SHIT the song with Skrillex is hot. Who woulda thought? 
• Where is the Pretty Flacko remix? 
• Rocky's best gift is his dexterity--he seems comfortable on any beat. This is not to say he is a great wordsmith (I feel like "bitch" "shit" and "rich" were rhymed 100 times during this album..and really, philosophy/socrates? come on, maaaan) but he does have a way of getting the most out of his abilities by having his words couple perfectly with the beat and having his presence amplify the emotion of the track.
• This album is forever going to be judged against the Live.Love.A$AP mixtape, but this is slightly unfair as Clams Casino burned through all of his best instrumentals on the mixtape. A$AP is as good as the production allows, and "Bass" and "Wassup" were two of my favorite beats of all time. This isn't to say that this album's production is slouchy---Friendzone, HitBoy and Skrillex all throw in great beats, and Clams' "LVL" is nice, too. It just isn't "Bass". 

9 to 5

My work has really been getting in the way of my music listening which is not acceptable.
I am looking forward to this weekend, where I will buy the following:

Palma Violets tickets
Christopher Owens' LP
Christopher Owens tickets
Yo La Tengo's LP
Yo La Tengo tickets
A$AP Rocky's LP

Work isn't fun, but it lets me buy music, so I call it even.

Lil B "I'm God"

This song has been in my head all week...

Ryan Adams Covers Iron Maiden

Ryan Adams serves up a nice cover of "Wasted Years".

Merchandise "Anxiety's Door"

New track from the upcoming Merchandise EP:

Swim Deep "Honey"

Don't just dream in your sleep
It's just lazy

NME "Why 2013 Will Be An Awesome Year for Music"

Stop reading this blog and go listen to this NME playlist.

The Family Rain "Trust me....I'm A GENIUS"

Fryars "In My Arms"

Epic tune.

Haim "Forever"

The best song that didn't make it onto the Dirty Dancing Soundtrack.

Palma Violets "Best of Friends"

Been giving this one a A LOT of spins. Looking foward to seeing these guys when they come through Boston.

Autre Ne Veut ft. Mykki Blanco "Counting"

I'm counting on the idea that you'll stay

I'm counting on the idea that you'll stay alive

Local Natives "Heavy Feet"

Another superb cut from Local Natives. The album, Hummingbird, drops on 1/29.

In Spite of Ourselves

There won't be nothin' but big ol' hearts
dancin' in our eyes

Winter is Here

3 Thoughts on the Incredibly Cold Boston Day 

It was so cold today in Boston.
I like depressing music in the cold.
Kids these days don't make enough depressing music. We should encourage them to make more of it (in a way that keeps them depressed).

A cold playlist:

Ryan Hemsworth "BasedWorld"

Ryan Hemsworth released the best song of 2013 in 2012. Fuck Logic.

Azealia Banks "BBD"

Yuck.

Phosporescent "Song for Zula"

honey i am not some broken thing
i do not  lay here in the dark waiting for thee
my heart is gold, my feet are light
i am racing out on the desert plains all night

Jay-z Providing the Music For The Great Gatsby

All yes everything.

Beer in the Hand: Book Edition

Official Beer in the Hand™ to George P. Pelecanos and his novel Down By the River Where the Dead Men Go. While it isn't a music book, per se, there is a great deal of ink used explaining what music the main character is listening to at all times, making the music serve as both a soundtrack to the story and an insight into the character. It also happens to be one of the best crime novels I've ever read.

Some songs referenced in Down By the River Where the Dead Men Go:

December Playlist

Here are some songs I liked in December:

The New Year

So this is the new year
and I don't feel any different