Blog: Head Underwater

This will be my last post for an indefinite amount of time, it may be a couple weeks or a couple months. I don't know. I need to take a break from blogging. Recharge the batteries. It also feels like a chore and I hate that. It's unfair to you because I feel like the quality isn't quite up to snuff. I could give you a laundry list of reasons to why I need this break but I won't waste the words. I need to ask myself why do I do this? Will still [...]

St. Vincent live in Paris 11.30.2011 Good gawd I don't know what to do with my self. Seriously. *swoon* [By Sarah Bastin ]

Marissa Nadler - In Your Lair, Bear After falling in love with Marissa's music a few years ago I had to contribute to her Kickstarter fund this past summer to get her latest album to wax. This opening track of the album fully vindicated my decision to fund it. Goes without saying that you should pick it up if you dig .

Thomas William VS Scissor Lock - Cadillic Forget what you know about music associated with Cadillacs. You're not going to see David Banner , Outkast nor the shortas ridin' to this. Instead this can be heard as what might be mating calls of the Sorns [from C. S. Lewis' Out of the Silent Planet ]. With the scattering of various tones from what could only be described as bent and twisted array of stem whistles these two Aussies Thomas William and Scissor Lock have painted a landscape of deep jungle rhymes.

Connan Mockasin - Forever Dolphin Love Prior to reading this , I had no idea who Connan Mockasin was, now I'm hooked. I understand stand why it's Marissa 's #1 album. You'll want to take the full journey. Around 3:45 and on is my favorite, mainly for the bass part.

Brothertiger - Lovers Hey Europe, be on the look out for a Teen Daze/Brothertiger show they're touring your part of the world soon. VIBE OUT.

Bollywood - Antoiança So forget everything you know about Bollywood for these dudes from Minneapolis are much more haunting and abrasive. I'm fairly convinced that they've used an out of control freight train flying through the midwest as distinct influence. As though they wrote this looking through a black and white kaleidoscope on PCP. At the end of the day think Dirty Beaches with cleaner vocals and a pinch of UK post-punk. Also check out their track Sheilds .

Arches - Nowhere to Go In the hazy lazy manner Arches have squeeked in an EP in the final weeks of 2011. Picking up after their full release Wide Awake Tom and Julien have turned up the spacial feelings and like a 3-year-old on the night before Christmas morning, they've created this tension that is released throughout bits and pieces of each track. You can pick up the cassettes that are the EP Enough and their live set from when they played the Metro Gallery in Baltimore just a bit ago for [...]

Chrome Sparks - Miss You The album version features the airy siren Steffaloo . The track comes off my EP of the Year: My <3 . Amazing to see how the electronically dominated album was translated to a live setting. Music students FTW!

The Black Tambourines - Bad Day Some bad days are cured by rip roaring thru your buddy's garage powering thru a hand full of chords slathered with fuzz. By George, I think these young lads would make for good touring partners through the UK with Ty Seagal , the Jacuzzi Brothers , and Three Oh Sees etc. You can stream all of their tunes on their Soundcloud or download them from their bandcamp . This one comes of their latest, Chica EP off Art is [...]

2011 Faves TRACK OF THE YEAR: Flock of Dimes - Prison Bride [ download ] ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Panda Bear - Tomboy [ stream / buy ]

Fugazi Live Series Photo by katiecarnage on Flickr. I love good concert photography so much via softphysics

pete seeger via theohpioneer

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Bicycle Off one of my favorite albums of the year.

Du Nord - The Sunset There is something about music that has a guitar driven jangle to it. I don't know if it's the free feeling and the urge to bob my head in time with my foot tappin'. In the same essence of a chiller Beach Fossils these Parisians have captured that feeling of the motions of this in slow motion. Really looking forward to hearing more from these French dudes. Download here

Dave Brubeck - 40 Days - Live 1966 Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond go together like peas and carrots.

Tom Croose - Cho Chua HAPPY VIBES. Sure one half of NY/LA duo Worst Friends , producer seems to have phonically named his project after a somewhat famous actor. But what this version of Tom Croose has produced with a track where he aurally explores the deepest stretches of the Brazilian jungles as if he took the field recordings himself with zinc smeared on his nose. You can pick up the 12" single from Phonica Records that features this and a b-side that dons a [...]

The Barr Brothers - Beggar in the Morning Bit of a folk kick lately. Seeing these guys tonight at a venue I've never been too. Jocie Adams of The Low Anthem is opening. Needless to say, I'm stoked.

via laughingsquid : The Glass Speaker by People People

Oddisee - The Blooming This track actually comes off of Odd Seasons which not his latest but never the less so so solid. What I also highly suggest is check out the [ former ] DC native's soulful instrumental hip hop album Rock Creek Park , it's one of my favorite hip hop albums this year. While most of the aforementioned works are instrumental the dude is a legit rapper too. He just opened for Talib Kweli here in DC over this past weekend. If you're not familiar with Oddisee or Talib [...]