From the worldwide headquarters of a seemingly lost distraction into our psyche, we bring another edition of what we have encountered to move us, either physically or, for the most part exhaustively into said positive nether world.  May seems to be the month of events– tUnE-yArDs killed, destroyed, pillaged the village of the tenderLOIN here in San Francisco at the Great American Music Hall proving once again that she is one of the best live acts for the malnourished youth of the future. TV on the Radio are scheduled to play an intimate show here on Monday which was delayed from last weekend after the death of their bassist Gerard Smith (RIP). Their new album, Nine Types of Light was dismissed by me after listening to it on my computer’s speakers, but after giving it another try on headphones, it was a different and thankfully, better listen. Although not as hella, hecka, POP-POP tight as their other releases. James Blake is bringing his ambien filled dubsteppy-ness to SF in a few weeks. The Dodos have a Tony the Tiger Grrreat new album No Color with their unique rhythm offerings will be among the redwoods at the Stern Grove festival where they will be opening for hipster dream girl Neko Case. It should be a sea of Texas shirts and Ray Ban wayfarers. Great. Also, down the line the Archers of Loaf will be here in September, if they don’t break up once again.

Timber Timbre is playing at the Swedish American Hall in SF on June 10th. His bluesy folk offerings should not be missed.

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tUnE-yArDs – Powa – A slinky funked-up track that would fit nicely on her first album. Beyonce wish she could do this.

TV On The Radio – Will Do – The most melodic of offerings from their latest release. The most interesting rock band in music today.

Dodos – Hunting Season – Tribal rhythms, yearning. Call and response. All of their tracks have such interesting drum parts.

Beck – Feel Good Time - The original version from William Orbit, but made popular by Pink. Party song for the Scientologists.

Bibio – Light Sleep – I picture Welcome Back Kotter, and the everlasting WahWah pedal.

Timer Timbre – Under Your Spell – A beautiful and simple bluesy number from his 2007 release Medicinals.

The shows that I attended this year, according to my computer’s calendar: Lykke Li, Modest Mouse, Iron & Wine, Doves, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Wighonomy Bros, Micachu, Tune-Yards (4times), Bon Iver, Flight of the Conchords, The Jesus Lizard, McCoy Tyner.

Have a great holiday season, and remember to share music, always !!! Also, our good friends at Red Choo Choo have extended their holiday coupon for our readers.  Please enter FOEWEEL at check out for a 10% off coupon until the end of the year.

2009 Best Albums (in no particular order)

Bibio-Ambivalence Avenue (Warp) Lover’s Carving

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Fever Ray – Fever Ray (Mute) If I Had A Heart

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The XX – XX (Young Turks) Basic Space

__________________________________________________________________________ Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Glassnote/Loyaute) Girlfriend

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Matias Aguayo - Ay Ay Ay (Kompakt) Rollerskate

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St. Vincent – Actor (4AD) Save Me From What I Want

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Beach House – Devotion (Carpark) Heart Of Chambers

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Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca (Domino) No Intention

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Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)

Summertime Clothes

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Micahu & The Shapes – Jewellery (Rough Trade) Vulture

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Tune-Yards – Bird Brains (4AD/Marriage) Lions

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Mix of the Year:
Richie Hawtin – Tsugi 100th Podcast (Big Outside Festival 2009 Live Mix)

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Reissue of the Year:
Spiritualized - Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (Sony) Cop Shoot Cop (Demo)

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Compilation of the Year:
5: 5 Years of Hyperdub (Hyperdub) Burial – Fostercare

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Live Recording of the Year:
Jeff Buckley – Live @ King Theater, Seattle May 7th 1995 (Sony) What Will You Say

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Box Set, Old but New Release of the Year:
Ella Fitzgerald – Twelve Nights in Hollywood (Hip-O Select) Angel Eyes

One of my favorite films, which along with Noah Baumbach’s Kicking and Screaming helped to shape the power of dialogue in movies for me was Hal Hartley’s Trust…..One of the Onion’s AV Club Cult Canon.

SomaFM for your iPhone

Brendan Monroe, an incredible artist living in the Bay Area.

Follow me on Twitter, and some of the interesting people I follow for insight, laughs, and the unknown: Rainn Wilson (Dwight from The Office), Richie Hawtin, (techno god), Kevin Smith (director), Mike Doughty (musician, Soul Coughing),  David Lynch (director), MC Hammer (trend setter), Michael Ian Black (The State), GeneX (SF socialite for real people),

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Bibio – Lover’s Carvings – On Warp, from Ambivalence Avenue, an eclectic mix of electronic pop songs perfect for the summertime.

Charles Mingus – Goodbye Pork Pie Hat – From Mingus Ah Um 50th Anniversary (Legacy Edition). One of the great jazz bassists, and composers.

Miike Snow – Animal – Take 2 internationally known, and Grammy winning producers and pair them up with a singer who has worked with Jeff Buckley’s old band mates, and you get pop with no bubbles, or is it fizz ? Their show at Popscene had the crowd moving, in what looked to me as if I were a chaperone at the high school prom, including all of the so-called 80′s, or John Hughes stereotypes. Here’s one of the standout tracks from their self titled debut.

Kevin Saunderson – World Of Deep (Jesse Rose Respect To Detroit Remix) – One of the godfathers of techno gets the respect from one of today’s thumpiest? producers. That’s rhythm with thump and no murkiness.