A few weeks ago, a friend of mine devised the following statement and component question, one that I've been since kicking around in my head for quite a while:"For some reason, listening to certain albums during the winter makes them sound extra bleak, but more fitting. Is there an album that, for you, takes on added seasonal significance?"[I'm paraphrasing, of course - even though most of my
This past week saw Julian Assange in the slammer. If the man had been granted his ipod, what do you think would be on his playlist? Em says: I have no idea what Julian Assange's music taste is like, so if I could make him a mix, I would appeal to his activist/anarchist sensibilities, while trying to throw in a good variety, with the following:Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2April 26, 1992 - SublimeRock
Deepak Mantena, the mastermind behind pop-project Junk Culture, will join Girl Talk this spring as his opener. In February 2011 Junk Culture will release Summer Friends, an album with influences that range from Caribou, Animal Collective and the Beach Boys. With cleaner and simpler pop tunes from his debut 2009 album West Coast, this newest album see Junk Culture relying more on Deepak's
On the second night of CMJ, I headed to the Knitting Factory for the Music Dealers showcase, which enticed me based on its eclecticism.The first act I caught was Dice Raw, who hooked up with the Roots when he was still in high school and has had a growing presence on the group's recordings, leading up to this year's phenomenal How I Got Over, a good chunk of which he rapped on and/or co-produced.
I really like this song and this video - particularly the shots of the tons of glasses of water vibrating with the beat. Very cool yet simple concept.
I'll make this brief: I had not listened to The Dismemberment Plan until 2006. My friend gave me a copy of Emergency and I, and I could not stop listening to it for a month. Better yet, it rekindled my interested in Q and Not U, Shudder to Think, Fugazi, and all others things that could be labeled as having a distinctly "D.C. Sound". It remains, to date, my favorite regional sound. (That's right,
Solander - Narcissus from A Tenderversion Recording on Vimeo.Solander is a Swedish pop/folk/indie trio who make beautiful and haunting tracks perfect for these cold winter nights. They released their debut album Since We Are Pigeons back in October of last year and are currently working on their next album which will hopefully be out early 2011. You can download more free tracks over at their
With the release of their debut album Mirrors coming up in January 25th2011, the D.C.-based band U.S. Royalty have made appearances at SXSW, NXNE and CMJ, gaining positive reviews from Esquire, SPIN, The New York Times and the Washington Post. Comparisons range from Local Natives to Fleet Foxes due to their acoustic guitar-led folk-pop numbers with a hazed edge and a sturdy drum beat, but it's
Time for some holiday music - a little later than we normally start posting it this year. Some old fashioned Christmas goodness: Santa Baby [mp3] - The Puppini Sisters ( Amazon / iTunes ) A very contemporary, unique take on a classic (you can get a whole lot more where this came from on their website): Jingle Bells [mp3] - Javier Morales/The Dream Scene A rather dark Christmas song for those
I look forward to the BBC Sound of... every year as a soothsaying highlight of famous musicians to come. One, or perhaps many, of these could be the next Adele or Florence and the Machine in a year's time (I think Jessie J could do quite well for herself if she maintains her Nicki Minaj-esque attitude), but take a look at the list yourself:Anna CalviClare MaguireDaleyEsben & the WitchJai
Matt poses the question:For some reason, listening to Mineral during the winter makes it sound extra bleak, but more fitting. Is there an album that, for you, takes on added seasonal significance?Em: Ok, so it looks like I'm going to be re-using a few artists here, because part of the reason I picked them for the Thanksgiving question last week was for their wintery quality, but I'll try to add
Quinn Marston is a NY-based 20-year-old singer/songwriter who writes energetic slightly-scuzzed indie rock numbers, which she refers to as "classic jangle-and-crunch alterna-pop." Quinn collaborated on her debut EP Can You Hear Me See Me Now? with Tom Beaujour (Nada Surf, Right On Dynamite) and guitarist Tim Foljahn (Cat Power) .Can You Hear Me See Me Now? [mp3] (iTunes)
E-S Guthrie is another artist that I was introduced to on the first night of CMJ. His set at the Living Room's Googie's Lounge was freewheeling and intimate and enticed me to snag a copy of his live record.Live in the Neighborhood was recorded during an opening set for Colin Hay, and the two artists' sensibilities couldn't be a better match. The acoustic-slinging singer-songwriter is a
Might start posting things like this occasionally, as I have heard some really great music-related quotes lately. Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon said this in an interview with The Telegraph, and I immediately related (while many people have made the analogy of music as religion before, and it's a philosophy I pretty much live by, I chose this quote especially because of the part about concerts
Here's another track from one of my new favorite dance rock bands, Blood Red Shoes. Not quite as good as their last single, "Light It Up," but just try to resist tapping your toe and I bet you'll fail. Heartsink [mp3] - ( Amazon / iTunes )
Black Friday is over. But that doesn't mean I've stopped the quest for savings. (It should also be noted that I am someone who gets excited for Val-U-Pak mail days.) And I'm here to share the musical pairings I matched with my half-assed shopping excursion.Because I've recently relocated from Lincoln Park to Wicker Park, I've found myself needing to buy heaps of useless shit that I need to occupy
Hey guys! This week we're starting something new - a Q&A feature. Every friday we'll post a question and various members of the GFP crew will answer them. For now, the questions are predetermined, but if you're wondering anything about us - from how we find the music we share to our favorite ice cream flavor - just ask away! Feel free to leave questions for us in the comments section and we'll
I'll Be Missing You (Don't Raise Your Glass) [mp3] - This excellent mashup comes from the genius over at Mashup Germany. If you're not familiar, you should be.Baby Drugs - Tristen [mp3] - In the spirit of Thanksgiving, pop-folk songstress Tristen is offering up her Eager For Your Love 7" for free download over at her site tristen.com.Stand In the Water - Wildfire [mp3] - This excellent
One mistake I made during CMJ was missing the Kopecky Family Band, which I managed to do twice in spite of a friend's strong recommendation. The Nashville ensemble plays big, catchy, orchestrally tinged indie rock, and they're starting to get some attention.They were featured as an upcoming artist on NPR's "World Cafe" this week, in a segment that included the two best tracks ("Birds" and "God &
Ok, so normally it's Theme Thursday, but Thursday is not only Thanksgiving - it is also my Golden birthday! (for those of you who don't know what that means, it means I turn 25 on the 25th.) And since I will be busy opening presents and stuffing my face, I am doing Theme Tuesday, with the the theme being Gold in celebration of my upcoming golden birthday. Golden Birthday [mp3] - Anni Rossi (
Guilt Free Pleasures
Sleigh Bells - Demons (Official Music Video)
The Rains of Castamere by The National
A-Trak & Dillon Francis - "Money Makin'" (Official Video)
DIIV "How Long Have You Known?" (OFFICIAL VIDEO)
Nas - Daughters
Bison - Quill
Neutral Milk Hotel- Aeroplane Over the Sea
Shinichi Osawa – Big Beach Mix 2012
