R. Lim (of the Janitor From Mars , aka WFMU's primier out-of-the-closet sneaker whore) checks in with his top 10 list at long last: In somewhat lazily alphabetical order: Adidas Muenchen (Dark Sand/Light Scarlet/Dark Green) "Oktoberfest" Another supremely well-conceived and executed exclusive from Crooked Tongues, in celebration of Oktoberfest and all things Bavarian. Highly conceptual but easy on the eyes, plus bonus points for not using the same 70s retro models that get wheeled out ad nauseum (no offense, Chad!). Not included: sick [...]
Noah of Coffeebreak for Heroes and Villains and the Coffee 2 Go podcast presents his top 10 list in no particular order: 1. The Rap Records by Freddy Fresh (2nd Edition Revised) The first edition alone was pretty exhaustive, this one surpasses that by miles. Only a true fanatic can put a book like this together. It's the most comprehensive guide I have EVER seen on rap 12"s. [...]
The year that passed was, for me, a quest, a journey atop a coal-black riding animal, under dark skies, across fields of smoldering embers. I had long prepared for my mission, watching hair metal videos on YouTube with the knowledge deep in my heart that somewhere out there there was something. Something real. Something true. Something dark. A black hole borne of an electric vortex. Alone I traveled through moonless nights with nothing but my faith and a naugahyde pouch of hard tack, fruit jerky and Claritin. As winter drew nigh and my constitution grew weak, [...]
1. The Giants win the Superbowl. 2. The NYC Musical Saw Festival. I'll say it again: Hearing Satie's "Gymnopedie" played by a musical saw and a handbell choir was one of the highpoints of my life. Seriously. The piece for musical saw and Japanese music box by Scott R. Munson was outstanding, too. This year's Saw Festival is scheduled for July 18. 3. Reading my story "Loved Ones" at the Cup and Pen Small Press Reading Series in March. Emcee Rebecca Alvarez is the [...]
Remember 2008? I know I do. Here are the ALBUMS that have stood the test of time for me: *Kurt Vile - Constant Hitmaker (Gulcher) // listen to Space Forklift mp3 *Max Tundra - Parallax Error Beheads You (Domino) // listen to " Orphaned " in real audio *Lazy Magnet - He Sought For That Magic By Which All The Glory And Mystic Chivalry Were Made To Shine - or - Is Music Even Good? (Corleone Records) (album title of the year?) // listen to " Masters of Science Fiction " [...]
Best New Releases (listen = real audio) Dan Friel - Ghost Town ( listen ) - ecstatic electronic blitz Ponytail - Ice Cream Spiritual ( listen ) - best spastic screeching lady of the year Times New Viking - Rip It Off ( listen ) - irresistibly damaged 2 min pop songs Monotonix - Body Language [...]
(In Alphabetical order) New New Releases Terry Adams - Love Letter To Andromeda (Clang/ nrbq.com ) Awake, my Soul - Documentary Soundtrack (Awake Productions) Fern Knight - Fern Knight (Vhf Records) [...]
As is the case every year, this list is based first on a computerized analysis of my playlists from the past year, during which I note how frequently I played songs from the different releases that came out over the past 12 months; and second, on my subsequent re-arrangement of those computerized results based on how much I actually liked everything. This may appear contradictory, but sometimes the records and CDs that I end up playing the most are not the ones I liked the most. Please enjoy the Four Horsemen of 2008 releases rated below, and leave [...]
I don't think any of these came out in 2008 but they certainly made my 2008 sparkle more than any other songs that came out this year. There are some R eal A udio and mp3 links in here so watch out . Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) Khan Edison vs Pearl Jam - Jeremy (2008 Dub) Solange Knowles - Could've Been the One Fleetwood Mac - The Chain and Bone Thugs n' Harmony - Wind Blow [ [...]
Mr. Lou Z (of the Push Bin and Tale of the Twelve podcast) checks in with his year-end list (all listen links point to real audio): As with any of the lists that I do this changed in my head immediately after I wrote it. I kept everything to a full length or the entire list would be filled with dubstep 12"s. 1. The Bug - London Zoo (Ninja Tune) Poison Dart says it all. Listen [...]
The shows I caught in 2008 were riddled with strangeness and brilliance, but most importantly they rocked & rolled and on occasion told mother-in-law jokes. In no particular order, here's a random rundown of 2008 Fun Times rock & roll style. To kick off the list, we have a video of of Event #7: Four year old Staten Island Sensation Ike Sato-Chalmers belting out Bobby Troup's (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 . 1. The Trashmen , Turf Club, St. Paul, MN 2. OV [...]
Jesse Jarnow, host of The Frow Show , presents: My 10 faves of 2008 in no particular order: - "Money," Apollo Sunshine , from We Shall Noise Upon (Headless Heroes). "Imagine"re-imagined for the meltdown . (youtube link) "Wonder what I'd do if everyone forgot what money was," they sing, getting their Simon & Garfunkel on. "With all that's happened, will we still play guitars?" they ask. Yes! And harmonize! [...]
(also see my music list below the fold) Year-end top-ten lists can be so...contemporary. We have over a half-century of television, nearly a century of film, and centuries of art and music to explore and discover. When faced with the staggering maw of creative history, whatever jazzed you in the last year can quickly lose relevance. In addition, items that resonated during the last several months of the year inevitably take precedence over things that emerged at year's beginning. Still, people seem to love these list dealies, and after musing over the concept [...]
THE ACOUSMATIC THEATER HOUR'S Unfair and Incomplete Year-End Top Ten Nationwide Theatrical Performances That We Saw: In no particular order (except that in which we remembered them), and hopelessly incomplete, here are Jason G and Karinne's Top Ten Best Theatrical Performances. There's other stuff that no doubt deserves to be on here, but we probably didn't see it! Also, we left off anything we were personally involved in 'cause that's tacky!! 1) "Crime or Emergency" by Sibyl Kempson, at Soho Rep, NYC. [...]
Anthony Braxton Diamond Curtain Wall Trio/Quartet - It's fun to watch Anthony Braxton reinvent his group sound with such assurance. And - oh yeah - he continues to inspire a much younger generation of musicians to be relentless. Mary Halvorson Trio - Dragon's Head (Firehouse 12) / Mary Halvorson & Weasel Walter - Opulence (ugExplode) - As Peter Evans did last year, Mary Halvorson reaffirmed my abiding love of music by soaking decades of jazz in buckets of paint. Her tough and nimble guitar playing [...]
Some records that interested Dan Bodah in 2008: Christina Kubisch Five Electrical Walks ( listen to "Homage With Minimal Disinformation") Kubisch created headphones equipped to translate electromagnetic fields into audible sound. These recordings reveal the interwoven patterns of electrical fields that penetrate almost every aspect of our environment and are with us in every moment of our life. Pekko Kappi [...]
JOE BELOCK (Three Chord Monte) Top 10 hot dogs or clams of 2008 1. Rutt's Hutt , Clifton NJ (hot dog) 2. DP's , Garfield, NJ (clams) 3. Circus Drive-In , Wall, NJ (hot dog) 4. Sawmill , Seaside Park, NJ (clams) 5. Ben's Chili Bowl , Washington DC (hot dog) 6. Spike's , Point Pleasant, NJ (clams) 7. Joe-Joe's , Toms River, NJ (hot dog) 8. Runners , Lavallette, NJ (clams) 9. Frank's Papaya , Union City, NJ (hot dog) 10. JR's , Seaside Heights, [...]
Terre T's Top 40 Best Faves of 2008 1. The GOLDEN BOYS Goodbye Country. Monofonus 2. The BLACK AND WHITES s/t. douche master 3. DENGUE FEVER venus on earth. m80 CD 4. MAGIC CHRISTIAN Evolver. Wizard's Den 5. The NIGHT MARCHERS See You In Magic. Vagrant/Swami 6. GENTLEMAN JESSE s/t. douchemaster 7. CHEAP TIME Cheap Time. In the [...]
I am never ready for this time of year. It always comes rumbling in demanding to know what I saw, heard, ate, and when. 1. Sheep . They are still the animal I most want roaming around in my backyard, and since I live in the city, they can not. Note to self: ask Santa for a farm... 2. 4 Women No Cry v/a Monika [...]
(all listen links point to real audio archives) 1) Songs of the Summer: Matias Aguayo – Minimal (DJ Kosi Maxi version) (Kompakt) | listen Wiley – "Wearing My Rolex" (Asylum) | watch 2) Play that (UK) Funky Music: [...]
WFMU's Beware of the Blog
mp3: soko – i just want to make it new with you
Skrillex Uses Satanic and Homosexual Influence to Win Grammys
Music Alliance Pact – February 2012
A-Trak - "Round of Applause" / "Where My Money At" (MP3 Download)
Video: Rhye – “Open”
