Blog: Kofi's hat

Team Conan

Jan 12, 2010, 6:31pm Kofi's hat

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35 Favorite Albums of 2009

Dec 31, 2009, 12:33am Kofi's hat

1. Metric - Fantasies Are we really meant to feel sorry for Metric's plight, as they ponder whether writing hooks and gaining popularity and wealth will eat away at their soul and indie cred? Of course they will! But to be an artist is (usually) to be emotional, so even superstar artists should remain able to write songs everyone can relate to (e.g., "Party in the U.S.A." and "Paparazzi".) Hmm... or maybe mega-stars put flash and riffs first? Whatever the case, I found Fantasies the most consistent, engaging, and enjoyable album of the...

• Bishop Allen - Dimmer
• Memory Tapes - Graphics (Edit)
• Neko Case - People Got A Lotta Nerve

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Artist:	Bishop Allen
Title:	Dimmer
Link Text:	Bishop Allen - Dimmer
File Name:	Bishop Allen - Dimmer.mp3
Year:	2009

Artist:	Memory Tapes
Title:	Graphics (Edit)
Link Text:	Memory Tapes - Graphics (Edit)
File Name:	Memory Tapes - Graphics (Edit).mp3
Year:	2009

Artist:	Neko Case
Title:	People Got A Lotta Nerve
Link Text:	Neko Case - People Got A Lotta Nerve
File Name:	Neko Case - People Got A Lotta Nerve.mp3
Bitrate:	160 kbps
Year:	2009

75 Favorite Songs of 2009

Dec 24, 2009, 9:37pm Kofi's hat

1. Two Door Cinema Club - "Standing on Ghosts" (on the Four Words to Stand On EP.) Also in contention: "New Houses" (also on the Four Words to Stand On EP.) 2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Hysteric" (on It's Blitz.) Also in contention: "Zero" (on It's Blitz, a single.) 3. Bishop Allen - "Oklahoma" (on Grrr....) Fun. Catchy. Sweet. Also in contention: "Dimmer" (on Grrr....) 4. The American Analog Set - "Anything Could Happen" (The Clean cover, on Not Given Lightly - A Tribute To the Giant Golden Book Of New Zealand's Alternative Music Scene.) So...

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"I'll tell him where to put his toys"

Dec 23, 2009, 3:39pm Kofi's hat

While this song doesn't mirror my rather less Grinchesque opinion of Christmas, I respect the artist's views and enjoy the unflinching way he expresses them. Even at the holidays, he keeps it real, and won't kowtow just for presents. "I Hate Christmas" video: Happy Holidays. Life's been keeping me from the hat for far too long, but I do hope to post some traditional end-of-year lists... before the year actually ends!

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Franz Ferdinand Makes Terrible Decision

Mar 25, 2009, 3:42pm Kofi's hat

How disappointing that Franz Ferdinand has chosen a designer who "wants the progressive man to wear fur" to design the costumes for their Tonight tour. Just a month ago, the band's Nick McCarthy went to a "Fur Is A Drag" party - PETA Europe's version of a Fashion Week. Why did he change his mind about fur? Does he or does he not consider fur a drag? Kopenhagen Fur, one of the world's largest fur companies, nominated the designer in question, Christian Westphal, for a 2007 Golden Fur Pin. He later "teamed up with" the company. In a...

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On Heavy Rotation

Mar 21, 2009, 10:44pm Kofi's hat

Some Songs I'm Digging Lately: 1. Telepathe - "So Fine" (on Dance Mother, out April 14th in the U.S.) Wonderfully breezy disco-dreampop. The video (hey, it's another supermarket video): 2. The Cocktail Slippers - "St. Valentine's Day Massacre" (on St. Valentine's Day Massacre, out April 27th in Europe and on April 28th in the U.S.) Possibly one of the most upbeat songs with the word "Massacre" in the title. The winsome retro charm of the Norwegian popsters helps do the trick, as do a few handclaps (handclaps always help). Plus, the song...

• The Cocktail Slippers - St. Valentine's ... » TheCocktailSlippers-St.Valentine_sDayMas....mp3

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Link Text:	The Cocktail Slippers - St. Valentine's Day Massacre
File Name:	TheCocktailSlippers-St.Valenti ne_sDayMassacre.mp3

Placebo Announces Battle For The Sun, Golden Tickets-Er, Laminates

Mar 15, 2009, 6:20pm Kofi's hat

Placebo has announced the June 8th release of a new album, Battle For The Sun, which will be available via download, CD, limited edition CD + DVD set, LP, and deluxe box set, with 5 "Golden Laminates" stashed inside deluxe box sets. Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show has "worldwide exclusive first play" rights to the title track. They're scheduled to play the song March 17th at 7:00 PM (presumably that's UK time). Zane Lowe's shows are online for a limited period of time, but the song will probably pop up elsewhere before long. Placebo's...

• Placebo - Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)

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Artist:	Placebo
Title:	Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
Link Text:	Running Up That Hill
File Name:	Placebo - Running Up That Hill.mp3
Bitrate:	192 kbps
Year:	2006

Maxïmo Park Releases Free Song From May Album

Mar 10, 2009, 6:23pm Kofi's hat

If you're speedy about it, you can catch a sneak preview of Maxïmo Park's next album Quicken The Heart, which is penciled in for a May release. "Wraithlike", the source of the title phrase, is available as a free MP3 for the next two weeks to anyone registered at MaxïmoPark.com. Those previously signed up for the band's mailing list have already received a longer version of the song. Freebies everywhere! Or at least three of them. The band has also announced plans to hold a free concert in Newcastle, with details to be revealed this...

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Sweet & Sappy Overload: A Valentine's Day Playlist

Feb 14, 2009, 1:07pm Kofi's hat

Happy Valentine's Day! Yesterday's Anti-Valentine's-playlist post was the wordy one. Today's post is the cut-to-the-chase one. The Valentine's Day playlist is at this drop.io site , where you can listen to the tracks and/or download them, individually and/or in a zip file. Life: it's partly about choices! The password for the drop.io is: cupid Sweet & Sappy Overload: A Valentine's Day Playlist Track Listing: 1. Husky Rescue - "New Light of Tomorrow" (on Country Falls ) 2. Klee - [...]

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The Best Hearts and Chocolates are Dark. And Cold. And Bitter. An Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist

Feb 13, 2009, 8:49pm Kofi's hat

February 13th is not just Los Angeles Freedom to Marry Day (which does not imply everyone in Los Angeles does not currently have the right to marry.) It's also a great day in American cinema, as it's the day the new Friday the 13th motion picture is released! Plus, it's the eve of one of the few major American holidays yet to be commercially exploited on a grand scale by Hallmark and their corporate brethren. They're usually so eager to peddle unhealthy candy as a festive treat and encourage people to associate spending [...]

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On Heavy Rotation

Feb 5, 2009, 10:42pm Kofi's hat

These are a few of my favorite recent songs...as in what-I'm-listening-to-the-most -lately, considering that one is from 1989)...the majority still have that new song smell (I've tried lemon juice, baking soda, and soap, to no avail.) 1. Bishop Allen - "Oklahoma" (on Grrr... ) One of my favorite tracks off an album that's grrr--oh forget that . But, yeah, it's a lot of fun. Danceable like whoa. The sweetly quirky lyrics ("Let's pretend so we can begin again...You've got eyes like Oklahoma") remind me of a couple guys I [...]

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Feed switchover

Jan 20, 2009, 11:42pm Kofi's hat

In keeping with the theme of change, and because Google's buyout of Feedburner means Feedburner accounts are soon going to be to be assimilated anyway, the Kofi's hat feed has a new home at: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/K ofis-hat . I, for one, welcome my new feed overlords. According to the folks at Google, anyone who fears or dislikes change won't notice anything different, and those who embrace change or hope for improvements will feel the transition is a uniquely transformational experience. We can only hope under the keen eye and steady hand of Google, feeds will operate as well [...]

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Glasvegas at Amoeba Hollywood, 1/15/2009

Jan 16, 2009, 9:51pm Kofi's hat

Glasvegas took the Amoeba Hollywood stage late last night and may have regretted showing up at all. They already played their only other scheduled local show the previous night (and tickets for the Troubador concert had quickly sold out), everyone in the band, according to singer James Allan, was "hungover", and the set was hampered by persistent sound-mixing problems. The crowd-which included touring partner Carl Barât (styled as Jack White in the role of Capt. Jack Sparrow, recognized nonetheless)-wasn't given a real chance to hear what they truly sound like live or to see what [...]

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An Old Painting of a Bright Purple Frowning, Vomiting Triangle FTW.

Jan 6, 2009, 8:32pm Kofi's hat

The winner of the Art Vinyl Prize for the best album cover art of 2008 has been revealed, along with 49 also-rans. On top: Fleet Foxes' eponymous full-length debut, which relies on a detail from that still-trendy "1559 painting Netherlandish Proverbs by Pieter Bruegel the Elder." Will that painting ever go out of fashion? Another cover featuring a a fancy-like old-timey painting , Coldplay's Viva La Vida , took third place, behind Roots Manuva's Slime & Reason . The Roots Manuva cover showcased another popular theme among [...]

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Favorite EPs of 2008

Jan 6, 2009, 10:06am Kofi's hat

It's never too early for 2008 nostalgia. 1. Coldplay - Prospekt's March I think "Lost+" is downgraded by the added Jay-Z vocals (and, as a side note, the title variations for the different versions of the song are a bit hokey, i.e. "Lost?", "Lost-", "Lost+", and "Lost@".) On the plus, or, if you prefer, +, side, the remaining songs are excellent. "Glass of Water" live performance : [...]

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Lights Off

Jan 1, 2009, 8:45am Kofi's hat

Oh, this Dears live radio performance of "Lights Off" is wonderful to watch at (about) 5 in the morning after staying up all night ("Five in the morning, you know we couldn't sleep. Might be inspiration but it's been this way for weeks. And weeks. And weeks. And weeks. And weeks.") I suspect the song will prove roughly as lovely at other times of the day. And night. In addition to "Lights Off", the band played "Money Babies" (both from last year's Missiles ) during their visit with Seattle's KEXP (slogan: "where the [...]

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75 Favorite Songs of 2008

Dec 27, 2008, 10:49pm Kofi's hat

Whew, at long last, the first of the hat's year-end lists is done. More to come. 1. The Dears - "Disclaimer" (on Missiles . Live performance of part of the song... surely it's a single-in-waiting and a video is forthcoming...) 2. Smashing Pumpkins - "Sunkissed" (on American Gothic . Audio-only video . The Smashing Pumpkins in "Zeitgeist"/interview mode: so annoying. Yet The Smashing Pumpkins in "Sunkissed"/"Again, Again, Again"-mode: enchanting. Come hear Billy Corgan's softer side.) 3. Jeremy Warmsley - "Lose My Cool" - on How [...]

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Urban Outfitters Belatedly Offended By Gays, Stops Selling Gay Rights T-Shirt

Dec 10, 2008, 2:55am Kofi's hat

It's the eve of Day Without a Gay (December 10th, not coincidentally, is also International Human Rights Day), and a month after several setbacks for gay rights. Clueless intolerance continues. The world will always have ignorance and bigotry, which is one reason why a popular vote is not the best way to make decisions about civil rights. Should divorced gay women get to remarry? Let's put it to a vote! How about bi-curious men? Maybe people should have to "prove" they're straight before entering into heterosexual marriages. Let's get that on some ballots! Or [...]

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What's the Greatest "I" Lyric...for a t-shirt?

Dec 7, 2008, 4:32pm Kofi's hat

What's the "greatest" lyric starting with "I"? Say, while you're pondering, fancy an "I" lyric t-shirt ? i/denti/tee is now selling a batch of 9 "I" lyric t-shirts, at a pricey $35 each, though thanks to a partnership with iTunes, each comes with 10 iTunes songs. Plus, they're EDUN LIVE shirts, not American Apparel, which is refreshing. Each shirt is made "in Africa, by Africans, with African cotton, [so] it helps generate revenue and sustainable growth in sub-Saharan Africa." On the downside, for the time being, a) the shirts are only being delivered to [...]

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Not Usually a Fan of Musicals...

Dec 4, 2008, 2:11am Kofi's hat

But this one , posted at Funny or Die, is splendiferous.

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