December 2010
17 posts
WatchHonorable Mention #7: Jónsi, Go. I don’t think any side project of Sigur Rós could trump his band’s 2008 release Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, but this one felt full of magic. Same with seeing him live this fall. If I take his solo work out of the shadow of Sigur Rós, it’s so vibrant and colorful and quite extraordinary. So my hat will continually be off to him.
WatchHonorable Mention #6 Lower Dens, Twin-Hand Movement. I wasn’t lying when I said Baltimore is making it on the top of everyone’s list this year. And this album is no exception. Equal parts poppy and dense, it’s a well-crafted album that also leaves a lot of room for potential from this Baltimore band. There’s something that reminds me a lot of French Toast and the other...
WatchHonorable Mention #5 The Tallest Man on Earth, The Wild Hunt. Swarthy vocals with beautiful and complex waves of folk embedded in every chord. Listened to this album all the way through on a long drive into the county via Falls Road and it was stunningly gorgeous.
WatchHonorable Mention #1: Horse Feathers, Thistled Spring. I love the cello. I love violins. I love stringed instruments. There’s something so warm and inviting about this album I cannot resist sharing it.
Watch1/5: Best Coast, S/T. “Boyfriend” is the first track from Best Coast’s self-titled album. Lo-fi surf pop by some total babes in Los Angeles. Within the first thirty seconds of this song I knew this album would be on my top ten of the year. And I was right. In fact, it’s number one. Anthem of 2010.
Watch3/5: Happy Birthday, S/T. Dave introduced me to Happy Birthday while he was here a few weeks ago and it has the perfect balance of cute and badass with soulful slow dance songs like Subliminal Message, above, and old school rock n roll jams like Girls FM. Sub Pop does a damn fine near-perfect job of describing them, so I’ll just leave you with that.
“Happy Birthday. Take your...
Watch5/5: Beach Fossils, S/T. If I could just dance and rock out like the drummer of Beach Fossils, I’d be so happy. Lo-fi surf rock has swept me away this year. And there’s a lot of it out there these days. And the really good stuff? Like, the really really good stuff? Is really freaking good. Like Beach Fossils. Straight to the point with just enough grit to keep you caught. This...
in summation.
i waited for the train at woodberry yesterday morning and my breath poured through my nostrils like smoke. it reminded me of the stables in winter, the large and warm bodies of horses with heavy sighs and the kindest eyes. i read marquez on the metal bench and turned pages awkwardly with my fingers in leather gloves.
i got to work and stood in front of the giant glass window and watched the...