Reflective Candidates: 2009 Best Albums

Posted by admin on Dec 23rd, 2009

As another year approaches it’s finale, I find it harder to reflect on such a length of time, or actually remember the time during the year that an event actually took place.  A week, or two may work for me, but months are getting tougher to remember without some type of visual aid.  Every year, even though I do enjoy lists, I tell myself that I will not do a year end list, especially this year when I barely could find 10 albums worth listing, but in the last few weeks I’ve found a few more candidates that have found itself burned onto CD’s and in my car.  This list is what I discovered in 2009, so the bulk of it was released this year, but some were released in 2008, or even earlier.

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

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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

Flutter Nowhere

Posted by admin on Oct 10th, 2009


Macoto Murayama, #6

We’ve been waiting and waiting for what, we have no idea, but we have some choice selections for you. Maybe it’s been a dull year for music. I’ve been focusing most of my attention on a business venture which if you’re into design and t-shirts, check it out, Red Choo Choo.

I’m really itching for Richie Hawtin, Marco Carola, Adam Beyer, Henrik B, Ricardo Villalobos or someone in that vain to come to San Francisco, so some FuzzyTeeth and SmellyFeet can be had from a night of sensory overload. Traditional rock shows can be moving, but there’s nothing like the give and take of a 4 hour “running man” battle with yourself. Ya feel me?

Oh well.

Burial – Fostercare - A brand new one from a person who changed the face of music, though most people haven’t realized it yet…..in the form of his own Dubstep. Trademark menacing voices, knife sharpening-like noises and everything you need to have a Halloween party in your head.

Fever Ray – If I Had A Heart – I finally figured it out. And now back to The Knife, but this Fever Ray album is dark and menacing which the videos do perfect justice, and I am slowly getting used to the vocals, but the music is a darker, more gothic version of Portishead, but for the Techno crowd. Frightening.

Andrew Bird – Lull – Sounds similar to Rufus Wainwright. I do love the line “Moderation itself can be a kind of extreme”.

Bon Iver – Re:Stacks (Live @ The Fox Theater, Oakland) – Recorded from my phone, the warmest song on an album full of songs that when heard on a cold day will make you go to the bathroon due to the sudden change in temperature.

Take A Step Back And You Can See The Hole

Posted by admin on Aug 20th, 2008


Garvan Institute, Sydney, Photo taken by eagle-ffm

I have no idea what is going on.
Radiohead is playing on Friday in Golden Gate Park.
Me, and 90K of my closest friends on Facebook will be there to witness the first band to play at nighttime in the park.
Bring a flashlight.

Schedule for Friday.
5:00-5:25 – Steel Pulse @ Lands End
5:25-6:10 – Cold War Kids @ Sutro
6:15-6:45 – Manu Chao @ Lands End
6:50-7:50 – The Black Keys @ Twin Peaks
8:00-10:100 – Coldplay Lite @ Lands End

I hate Tom Petty and Jack Johnson, who are headlining the rest of the weekend.
Jack Johnson is the Tom Petty of today. Everything sounds the same. They should smoke each other.
GOing to see Popcorn Superhet Receiver at the Herbst on Thursday night.

Mochipet – Rapcats (Featuring Zaptap-Citizen 10) - David Wang loves Daly City. He’s probably the only one who loves this city in the Bay Area. Somewhat of a straightforward track for this finger-in-the-electrical-socket wizard.

Burial – South London Boroughs - this is where it began. it helped to define a new style of music. dubstep, which scares most people, yet somehow has found it’s way into yoga studios ? For fuck’s sake….

The Walkmen – What’s In It For Me – from the classic Bows + Arrows album which has yet to be topped in subsequent releases. A great way to start an album that has songs that are either in your face or just a blurry dream, like this track.

Beirut – A Sunday Smile (Live) – a live version from Paris. gypsies, the circus and the bearded lady.

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