As I mentioned yesterday, my attention this year, as far as music goes, has been diverted in a variety of ways. Doing a 2009 playlist seemed to miss the thrust of what my year was all about (and probably redundant with every other blog out there); doing a collection of old yet new-to-me stuff would have missed all the music that wasn't new to me that I spent so much time with. So instead I offer this: a 75-track playlist that comes as close as I can to giving some impression of what my listening year has really [...]
When I left work this evening, it was for the last time...well, at least for the next two weeks. Nicci returns from Alabama tomorrow, so I've taken the day off, and Tuesday off, before I leave for New York on Wednesday. It kind of sucks that she couldn't get the theater company to fly her from LA to Birmingham to New York, but I guess their contracts are pretty specific about her receiving roundtrip airfare only. Oh well. We've got like a day and a half together before we're apart for ten days again. At least this time I'll have [...]
ah the hidden treasures, lurking dusty behind shelves and in drawers and cupboards and shinyshinyboxes; in dvd cases, wrong cases, suitcases; used as bookmarks, balancing devices and in one case a stand for muppet toys. all these lovely treats hidden away for me to find as part of some elaborate logistical orwellian nightmare i call moving house. you know the book house of leaves ? you know the movie cube (and it's sequels (but not gleaming the cube))? that's my spare room. honest to christ. still haven't found my ted leo cd. have [...]
Image From Here Well, if there is one vice I have it would have to be smoking. I am a one pack a day kind of guy. I started smoking seriously late in life. Approximately 9 years ago, I started when I was going through my divorce. Looking back, I really don't know why I started the nasty habit. But I did. And now I am addicted to nicotine and can't go a day without it. I went for two months without smoking last year when I was in the hospital. But, the day I [...]
This one goes out to my friend pr0lix: Man, I can't believe the stuff I missed in 2008. I did not listen to any new music that whole year. All I can remember about 2008 is spending two months in the hospital....... I've posted before about the band The New Year and it is a band I truly love. I used to live in Texas and that is where these guys are from. The New Year are the same guys (Matt and Bubba Kadane) from the band Bedhead. After the release of [...]
Frank Yang If there's an advantage to writing about the same band for the third time in the span of a month, it's that rather than try and lay down some background, I can just point you here and here and voila - you're up to speed. If there's a disadvantage, it's completely running out of things to say. But I'll soldier on. Sunday night was the long-awaited album release party for Bruce Peninsula's debut A Mountain Is A Mouth and there [...]
It dawned on me a few days back that the Almanac passed its 9th anniversary on Sunday, February 15th. Or at least that was the date, in the year 2000 (cheers, Conan), that I registered this here domain name. While it would be a couple years before the place morphed from a personal site into a bonafide blog, I started shouting my musical obsessions into this series of tubes from the get-go.To
Things were sounding pretty grim early on Wednesday , but fortunately it didn't turn out to be a complete doomsday scenario for Touch & Go Records . After a collective sigh, we here at RFC HQ decided to celebrate the label forging on as an independent record label by revisiting the extensive back catalog and sharing some of our personal favorites from over the years. Bedhead - "The Unpredictable Landlord" The Black Heart Procession -"Tropics of Love" [...]
We've got a brand new weekly feature for you, starting today. Here's what it is: a list of FREE and LEGAL MP3s and albums (or EPs) that have been sent to us, or have come to our attention, in the past week. Click the band name for the band's site, song name for the MP3. For this week only we've got song selections in honor of everything that Touch and Go Records has done for indie music over the past two-plus decades. They're not closing their doors entirely, but they've recently announced major cutbacks and changes [...]
This "Various Artist" band sure records a lot. I mean, how many albums can these guys put out...and on a regular basis! Okay, lame opening, but wouldn't it be a great name for a band - "Various Artists". Everyone would be know you, although there are a few inherent pitfalls I see in that name... So I have been crawling the net looking to put together a bit a part 1 and 2 today of a playlist. Not necessarily connected in any way other than they are all available online through various sites, promotions, etc. While each artist [...]
Thanks in part to Bob Dylan (well, not Bob Dylan himself, but one of his fansites), this website has shattered its single-day web traffic record. Right now it is on pace for almost 2,000 unique visitors, which is pretty impressive considering the highest previous single-day total was, like, 900 people. So, thanks a lot Bob Dylan, you overrated piece of shit! Your lyrics suck, man! RULES for uninitiated noobs : With roughly 100MB of webspace, I give birth to a weekly Mix Tape to be deposited on your iPods or Zunes or Kingklangs or whatever the [...]
the bros kadanes, matt and bubba, made up the seminal indie rock band bedhead, which were responsibile in my opinion, for three of the best and most grossly underrated records to come out of the 90's, what fun life was , self titled and transaction de novo. bedhead had penchant for building music rather than songs. still their songs were slow burns bustling with feeling, that were often epic in nature. the kadanes brokeup bedhead sometime in 99, and went on to form the new year a little bit later. i'll be honest, i was not aware of the new year up [...]
This is the, what, third time I've referenced Sesame Street on this blog. I love Sesame Street. If I wasn't a lame 9-to-5er, I would still watch it. So today's news roundup is brought to you by the letter B - Boredoms, Benoit Pioulard, Boduf Songs, Bedhead, the /b/ board, baseball, booters, and the Bear Market Bailout. Botta bing! Anyway, there are so many songs (11 MP3s to be exact), and so much content here, that I have no idea what to categorize this post as. So consider this your News and Super Swingin' Mix for [...]
Dass ich bei The new year zuerst an ein Lied von Death cab for cutie denken musste, spricht nicht unbedingt für mein Musikwissen. Schließlich sind die Brüder Matt und Bubba Kadane schon seit 17 Jahren für die gute Sache unterwegs (u.a. als Bedhead). Hier auf ihrer dritten Auswahl an zurückhaltenden, sofort vertrauten Melodien und smarten Texten beweisen sie, dass Musik nicht immer nur von halbgaren Veröffentlichungen lebt, die hektisch raus gehauen werden. Man gebe The new year also Zeit, lasse die dunklen Melodien sanft köcheln bis der ganze Laden mit dem [...]
The New Year, The New Year (Touch & Go, 2008) MP3 : "The Company I Can Get" “I can’t remember why it felt so good when you and I made our plans to get away. It’s not like it’s some kind of great escape when you only manage not to suffocate.” Matt and Bubba Kadane sure know how to take your inner thoughts and craft them into subtle and emotive songs. They create the type of music that connects with the fears and [...]
Los Bros. Kadane...and friends...The New Year. (Allison Smith) In this week's paper, which is already either at or near an Observer rack near you, you'll find Robert's take on the brand spankin' new self-titled record from The New Year . As you all should know, The New Year is the most recent project from Matt and Bubba Kadane, who once upon a time were in the sorta-seminal (at least 'round these here parts) band Bedhead , an act Robert--among many others like him who saw Deep Ellum truly thrive in the days of [...]
Hello friend, Here are some songs I thought you'd enjoy this weekend. Music always sounds best when you just got off work for the weekend, because there are no strings attached. You actually do have the next two days to build a city on rock and roll, or whatever. Power chords sound happier, and contain the promise of fun, rather than a reminder that you're stuck inside for a few more hours. I hope you enjoy them. I'm going to go wait on a text from Barack now. Caleb [mp3] AA Bondy [...]
The Kadane Brothers , perhaps better known as principal members of sublime flagship slow-core act Bedhead and its successor The New Year , have written so many great songs but released records so infrequently that last night's performance was something of a constant surprise. Several songs into a quiet set during which Matt and Bubba Kadane played guitars and sang sans rhythm section the brothers reached deep back into its catalog to unearth the frankly sublime track "Crushing," released on Bedhead 's 1994 stunning full-length debut WhatFunLifeWas . We had hoped against hope [...]
This is a belated heads-up, but the Kadane Brothers, who led the indie rock band Bedhead to quasi cult status in the 90's with a handful acclaimed albums, will be performing at Emo's tonight. In their heydey, before disbanding in 1998, the brothers worked with Steve Albini (Pixies, Nirvana, etc.) and were label mates with fellow Texas music bretheren The Butthole Surfers. Post-Bedhead, they formed The New Year . Their sound was/is often compared to certain shades of the Velvet Underground, though they were labeled as "slowcore", which they apparently were never too enamored with. I [...]
Due to life and work getting in the way, it's taken me over a week to finally type up some thoughts about about the record club we held last week . However, it's also given me time to digest a lot of the feedback we got. First off, jds and I want to thank everyone who came to The Black Door to share some music. The turnout (about 25-30 people) was better than expected and everyone seemed to enjoy the night; myself particularly. It's always fun to share music with others and be turned [...]
Pretty Goes with Pretty
Swan Fungus
cowsarejustfood
Songs in Space
Chromewaves
Bradley's Almanac
Radio Free Chicago
EAR FARM
Slowcoustic
Captain's Dead
The Decibel Tolls
itstoolong
DETOUR
DC9 At Night
It's hard to Find a Friend
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Covert Curiosity
False 45th
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Listen to Eminem’s new song, “Symphony In H”
Two’fer Tuesday – Trouble Will Find Me (If I Don’t Fall Asleep First)
Escucha el ruidoso regreso de M.I.A.
Deer Tick – “The Rock”
