On the second day of Listmas, my true love gave to me…ten more songs from the Top 50 Songs of 2013 list! Yes, in case you missed Part I of this countdown, which featured songs 50-41, you can check that out by going here. In Part II after the jump, you’ll find a couple of relaxing yet beautiful synth pop songs, some small doses of electronica and dance tracks, a pair of wordy singer-songwriters, and just a pinch of R&B for good measure. As with every set of ten songs this week, you’ll find quite a bit of eclecticism. That’s about all I have to say in terms of an intro, so let’s get right to it with songs 40-31!
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Hooray! We’ve finally arrived at that glorious time of year known as Listmas. It’s the designated weeks during December in which I compose year-end music lists and post them up in celebration of the best of 2013. Listmas is a whole lot of fun for me to put together every year, and a lot of hard work goes into it too, so I hope you’ll be checking the site regularly for updates and to find out more about my favorite songs and albums from the past year. Monday’s entry kicking things off with The Top 50 Songs of 2013 is already up, and you can read that along with all of this year’s other Listmas entries by using this link. This is something that I’m going to mention most days in my Pick Your Poison intros for the next couple weeks leading up to Christmas, so either bear with me, or sit back and enjoy the ride! There are some great tracks in today’s Pick Your Poison though, and that’s worth paying attention to as well. Don’t miss songs from Ace Reporter, Christopher Paul Stelling, The Delay in the Universal Loop, Gracy Hopkins, Maya Vik, Old Monk, The Sharp Things, Sundance (covering Bibio) and The Tranq. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream tracks from +/-, AraabMuzik, CHAPPO, Damien Jurado, Sleepy Kitty and Warpaint.
Christopher Paul Stelling – Free to Go
The Delay in the Universal Loop – Spasmodica
Division of Laura Lee – Rudderless
Gracy Hopkins – It’s Time…To Leave
Maya Vik – Teen Spirit (ft. Dawn Richard)
Saturday, Monday – Children of the Snow
The Sharp Things – Can’t Get Started
It’s here! It’s finally here! Welcome my friends to the beginning of that magical time of year known as Listmas. For the uninitiated, Listmas is the annual multi-week festival here on the site that celebrates everything list-worthy. Think of it as the year of music in review, wherein everything is ranked. So basically this is just like everybody else does, but with that snappy name of Listmas. In the past, Listmas has extended its reach outwards from the onset of December all the way through Christmas, with three full weeks of list-related programming that included ranking live shows, EPs, and other bric-a-brac. As much as I loved some of those smaller, less important lists, they always functioned as the appetizer to the main course, only more difficult to put together than most anyone realized. For example, I don’t listen to many EPs, so if I had to rank at the very least my Top 5 from this year, the entire list would likely be the only five or so EPs I’ve heard so far in 2013. So I’ve decided to do away with some of those less prominent lists and stick to what truly makes Listmas great: songs and albums. Starting today and running through Friday, I’ll be counting down my Top 50 Songs of 2013, 10 at a time. Next week we’ll do the same thing, but with albums. Some people like to throw full lists at you all at once but provide no context for their choices, nor ways in which you might be able to actually hear some of the music that’s mentioned. The reason the Top 50 Songs and Top 50 Albums lists take a week to fully unveil is because I want to write a little something about each entry, and provide proper links for you to look into the music further should you so desire. It’s a little classier than simply cutting and pasting my list onto the site.
Before we get started with this Top 50 Songs of 2013 list, I want to take a moment, as I do every year, to explain the criterion for what you will see across these entries this week. First and foremost, the reason this list is titled “Top Songs” and not “Top Singles” is because simply restricting the list to singles eliminates the many deep cuts that sometimes prove to be better than whatever choice an artist or their management decided to make to release to the general public for immediate consumption. Of course if you look over this year’s list you’ll find a lot of singles anyways. It was a great year for catchy tracks, to be sure. But allowing deep cuts creates some real curveballs, and I hope you’re surprised by some choices on this year’s list. Secondly, artists are restricted to one song apiece on this list. There were some great records this year, some of which have multiple tracks on them I might call part of this Top 50 list, however the one song restriction is in place solely to maximize the potential and number of artists given credit for their hard work. Lastly, only songs released on full length albums or EPs are allowed on this list. If an album released in late 2012 featured a single I didn’t hear until early 2013, I can’t in good conscience include it here. The same goes for new singles released by artists in advance of a 2014 album. These are the Top Songs of 2013, and I’m going to stick to that. And so, without further ado, let’s get this thing started with songs 50-41 on this countdown of the Top 50 Songs of the Year!
It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another weekly dip into the pool of music news, interviews and videos that I like to call This Week In Music! Yes, in addition to the normal Pick Your Poison mp3s and Soundcloud streams, I like to toss out links to a bunch of other music-related content that I’ve found interesting or worthwhile over the course of the week. I encourage you to check some, if not all of these things out, particularly if you’re looking to waste some time. There’s plenty to see, read and hear:
Music Video: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Higgs Boson Blues
Watch a short documentary about Daft Punk’s helmets
Watch 77 minutes of Nine Inch Nails performing live at the Staples Center in L.A. from Nov. 8, 2013
Benedict Cumberbatch recite the lyrics to R. Kelly’s “Genius”
Watch Lana Del Rey’s 27-minute short film “Tropico”
Music Video: Speedy Ortiz – No Below
Music Video: Angel Olsen – Forgiven/Forgotten
Music Video: Best Coast – This Lonely Morning
Music Video: Jon Hopkins – Collider
Music Video: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Belong
Once you’re done with that set of distractions, let me offer up another set via some song downloads and streams. Don’t miss tracks from Chase N. Cashe, Hillary Barleaux, Milagres, PT Walkley, Ryan VanDordrecht, Tim Mahoney and Vance Joy. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream cuts from Beat Culture (ft. Psychic Twin), The Districts, Ex Hex, Jorge Elbrose, Natural Child and Netherfriends.
Chase N. Cashe – I Can Do That
Haim – Don’t Save Me (Modulogeek Remix)
Hillary Barleaux – Promise to Never
JMSN – Walk Away (:PAPERCUTZ Remix)
Mirror Talk – Don’t (The-Drum Version)
Ryan VanDordrecht – Hard Lover
Tegan and Sara – Closer (That Girl With Dark Eyes Remix)
UMA – Vanity (Claude Speeed Remix)
Indulge me for a minute as I talk about Spotify. It is a service that I use on a somewhat regular basis. I build playlists on it all the time, and often keep track of some of my favorite songs in that fashion. As an early adopter of it as well, my account exists in the era before you were forced to connect it to Facebook. To Spotify’s dismay, I’m also a free user, meaning that every few songs I sit through some commercials to help them pay the bills. The goal is to get you to sign up for Premium, which is ad-free. As somebody who has grown up listening to the radio and still does when driving, commercials don’t really bother me too much. But I also don’t think I use Spotify enough to justify actually paying for the ad-free experience. Premium users are where the real money is though, and presumably the more people paying for it, the more the service can afford to pay out to artists. Right now it’s fractions of pennies on the dollar. That ratio has gotten a number of artists all hot under the collar, including Thom Yorke and David Byrne, who claim that having their music streaming on Spotify might as well be working against them. If the new site Spotify Artists is to be believed however, the lack of payouts for the artists may have nothing to do with the way the service operates and everything to do with the deals that record labels cut with it. Per their stats, 70% of all money earned from the audio streams goes directly back to “music industry rights holders,” which means record labels and publishers. From there, the labels and publishers decide how much of that 70% makes it into the hands of the artists. This would seem to suggest that the artists who are angry with Spotify for unfairly capitalizing on their creative works might want to have a chat with their labels, who might really be the ones making out like bandits. Of course even then the Spotify royalty system might be a little skewed to pay out as little as possible anyways. So even if the label is giving their artists a substantial percentage of their cut, maybe the amounts coming out of Spotify simply aren’t very good. If that’s the case though, not only do artists suffer, but theoretically Spotify does too. Maybe I’m confused on that though. Set me straight, or share your opinion on the Spotify model in the comments. For now, let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison, which is 100% Spotify free. Don’t miss tracks from Back Back Forward Punch, COLOR WAR, Freak You, Kodak to Graph, Shy Boys, Tacocat, Their / They’re / There, and Wildarms. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Doldrums, Hauschka, Marika Hackman (covering Joanna Newsom), Mode Moderne and The War on Drugs. Giorgio Moroder’s remix of Haim’s “Forever” is spectacular too.
Back Back Forward Punch – Emergency Bow Tie
Chromeo – Sexy Socialite (Salva Remix)
Freak You – There You Are (ft. Bright Light Bright Light)
Horixon ft. Robert Owens – Lifeline (Is Tropical Remix)
Kiddy Smile – Get Myself Alone (Donovans Remix)
Pale Eyes – Grey (Ani DiFranco cover)
Shy Boys – Is This Who You Are
Their / They’re / There – New Blood
We’ve hit another Tuesday, where I’m once again pleased to bring you a quick rundown of artists with brand new music coming out this week. The hope is to either inform you about what’s out there, but also to maybe even remind you if one of your favorite artists is putting out something new and you simply forgot about it. So without further ado, here’s your list for this week: Bastille, Black Flag, Dott, Glen Hansard, John Zorn, Lightning Bolt, Muse, Mutual Benefit, Throwing Muses, Tim Kinsella and Xiu Xiu. There’s a couple of really strong records in this stack for this week, so please make some purchases via your favorite digital or physical retailer! Now let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison, where you can discover even more hot new music. Some key tracks you’ll want to give attention to today come from The Dead Woods, Gloom Balloon, Poor Remy, The Rebel Set and Sleeper Agent. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Be Forest, Bibio, Com Truise, Evan Only, Huxley and Sides of Chaz (side project of Toro y Moi’s Chaz Bundick).
The Dead Woods – Whatever Keeps You Breathing
Flying Horse – Elvis 73 (Daytime Mix)
Gloom Balloon – Summer Buzz and Summer Fervor
Gorgeous George – When I Go Out On Saturday
Jensen Sportag – After Gardens (Obey City Remix)
Party Supplies – Going Back to New York (The Knocks Remix)
Pompeya – Power (Jimmy Edgar Remix)
…And we’re back. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving weekend, if you’re American and celebrated, of course. If not, I hope your weekend was grand anyways. We’re now fully into the holiday season, and that means year end list-making time. I’m excited, because it means I get to put together my annual weeks of Listmas, counting down my favorite songs and albums of 2013. I’ve done some preliminary ranking and writing on those already, but won’t be officially unveiling anything until next week. Until then, we’ve got plenty of other ground to cover. Let me take a quick moment to point out a great show that’s happening in Chicago a little later this week. Poliça will be coming through town, playing an 18+ show at Metro on Thursday night (Dec. 5th) with hip hop artist Lizzo also on the bill. They’re touring in support of their latest album Shulamith, which came out at the end of October. If you haven’t heard the album, it’s a nice extension and forward progression from what they did on their 2012 debut album Give You the Ghost. Unlike that last album, which had some intense grooves, dark lyrics and a very muddy mix, this new one offers bigger and better hooks, slightly brighter lyrics, and a crisper, clearer mix. You can actually make out all of the individual instruments this time, which is nice. One thing that hasn’t changed are the vocal stylings of Channy Leaneagh, which are often so doused in reverb and Auto-Tune that it can be a bit challenging to make out all the lyrics, though the unique qualities it brings forth sound much less like a gimmick the second time around. Have a listen to a song like “Tiff,” which features guest vocals from Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, or single “Chain My Name” for something really groove and hook-oriented. Anyways, I’ve heard nothing but raves from people who have gone to see Poliça’s live show over the last couple months, and apparently it’s a great bass-heavy dance party. Sounds like a fun Thursday night to me, so I hope you’ll come out to the show if you’re in Chicago. Tickets are $17 in advance and can be purchased here. Now let’s take care of today’s Pick Your Poison. Don’t miss downloads below from Ben Hood, Candice Gordon, Hello World, Jem Stone, Keep On Dancin’s, Pink Mexico and Vladimir. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Chrome Sparks, Lolawolf, New Bums, Sam Smith, YOUTH, and Haerts remixing MSMR.
Bhavana Reddy – Smells Like Rain
Candice Gordon – John I’m Only Dancing (David Bowie cover)
Chris Malinchak – Call My Name
Eli & Fur ft. Davidian – Let It Go
Hello World – A Link BTW Nature
Holy Other – We Over (Tyord Remix)
Pink Mexico – Paperclip Toothpick
Happy Blackout Wednesday to you and yours. If you’re going drinking as part of your pre-Thanksgiving activities, or simply because it’s a Wednesday, have fun and stay safe. Before the site takes an extended four day weekend to enjoy some turkey and mashed potatoes and to watch videos of people fighting one another for Black Friday deals, I wanted to give you a quick heads up about a great Chicago show happening next Friday, December 6th. The always terriffic troubadour Cass McCombs is out on tour, and will be performing at the Empty Bottle that night. He’s supporting his seventh album Big Wheel and Others, which is one of 2013’s most fascinating releases. Technically a double album with 22 tracks and a run time of about 85 minutes, it’s a grand mixture of beauty, style and heart, all told through McCombs’ introspective and dynamic lyrics. He spins us tales of the American West through the eyes of several different characters, each with their own distinct take on the world around them. As such, the alt-country sound he’s largely made his name on gets mixed in with some blues, some rock n’ roll, some extended jam sessions, and even some jazzy instrumentals. It may seem odd and incongruous when reading that description, but somehow it all comes together and works really well. Check out the track “There Can Be Only One” to get a taste of the eclectic album. Even if you have issues with some of his new material, there’s still plenty of great old stuff to fall back on, from Catacombs to WIT’S END and more. While his catalogue is very strong, you really need to see him live to get the full Cass McCombs experience. The Bottle is the ideal venue for this show too, because of how intimate it is. Baltimore doom folk band Arbouretum are opening the show, and you should go to see them as well. Tickets for next Friday’s show are only $12, and are available here. I hope to see you there! Now then, let’s get to today’s Blackout Wednesday edition of Pick Your Poison. There’s some great tracks in the set below from Adrian Lau, Bavaria, Charlie Jacks, Fanno Creek, Jon and the Jones, Mount Pressmore and Sundays. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Architecture in Helsinki, Cosmicide (Brandon Curtis of Secret Machines’ new band), Todd Terje, CSS’s remix of a NONONO hit, and Lee “Scratch” Perry’s remix of a great Forest Swords cut. Have a great Thanksgiving (if you’re American and celebrate the holiday)!
Charlie Jacks – Speakerphone+ (ft. Jermaine Riley)
Jon and the Jones – Firebreather
Sivu – I Hold (ft. Marika Hackman)
They were bred for this. Well, maybe they were. Somebody ask their parents about that. One thing is for sure though – the three sisters that make up the band Haim have been making music from the very first moment they were able to. It’s certainly no coincidence that each of them plays a different instrument too: Danielle is lead guitar, Este is on bass, and Alana does keyboards/synths. Danielle and Este spent their late teens as part of a cut-and-paste major label band called Valli Girls, where they performed a bunch of songs written by a team of professionals intent on marketing to tweens and teens. Generally disappointed with playing a bunch of songs they didn’t write or necessarily like, the two Haim sisters left the band and went Partridge, complete with mom on lead vocals and dad behind the drum kit. Covers were their specialty, diving into the songbooks of everyone from Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac to Shania Twain and R&B legend Wilson Pickett. Of course it’s tough to make a living as a cover band, let alone a family cover band, and there comes a time in every parent’s life when they need to shove their babies out of the nest and let them try to fly on their own. And so we have Haim in their current incarnation, complete with long-time session drummer Dash Hutton to add percussion into the mix.
The buzz began in early 2012 when the single “Forever” was released as part of a three song EP, which along with some heavily hyped performances at SXSW got them a record deal. Their sound is best classified as a mixture of their influences, largely stemming from their upbringing and cover songs played with their parents. Fleetwood Mac is the name that gets referenced most often, however it’s most apt to say that they’ve got the late 80’s/early 90’s soft pop sound on lock, with dashes of R&B thrown in for good measure. Think Phil Collins and Richard Marx mixed with En Vogue and Kate Bush, and that should give you a decent impression of where they’re coming from. Those names might raise a lot of red flags or conjure bad memories, and there’s the inclination to suspect that they’re really just exploring those genres out of complete irony, however there’s extreme sincerity in every single thing they do. That’s really what sells the listener on the idea and earns the band the right sort of attention and respect in spite of all other factors. The new twists on old familiar sounds are also what make their songs seem very “of the moment.” For example, you could easily say that their latest single “The Wire” is a natural blend of the most classic periods of Shania Twain and The Eagles. Beyond that sonic comparison, the addition of each sister taking their own verse plus those dynamic harmonies really helps to elevate it to a “song of the year”-type status. Make previously strong singles “Falling” and “Forever” your lead-ins, and the start of their debut album Days Are Gone turns into a 1-2-3 knockout punch combo.
Of course it definitely doesn’t end there, in spite of the record’s apparent front-loading. Time and time again, Haim prove that they know their way around a chorus, and that they are happy to exploit or break away from genre conventions whenever it suits their needs. The album’s title track, kicking off the second half of the record, appears to mine a bit from the more urban pop era of Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul, and works out better than you might expect. It’s no wonder the song was co-written by Jessie Ware, who has largely taken over where Jackson and Abdul once reigned. While press materials will tell you that there’s a bit of an R&B influence in Haim’s sound, it doesn’t really show up too often. When it does though, as on “Let Me Go” and “My Song 5,” it adds a deeper layer to what the band is capable of, and makes for some of the most impressive moments on the album. Both songs could be considered an homage to En Vogue, though only “My Song 5” and it’s heavy bass drum/tuba blare truly sets itself apart from the rest of the album. And that’s perfectly fine – most records could use such a great standout. Yet one of the most fascinating things about Days Are Gone is how it manages to unite all of the disparate elements and influences into one cohesive whole of an album. Credit goes to producer du jour Ariel Rechtshaid (Vampire Weekend, Usher) for finding a way to make it work, and to Haim for never sounding anything less than original in spite of obvious nods to the past.
If Days Are Gone has a real weakness, it’s found in the lyrics, which often attempt to turn a breezy melody into something dark and “important.” There’s nothing necessarily wrong with wanting to write about serious issues against a lighthearted pop melody – artists do that all the time. Plus, it’s not like half of their songs are about depression, even though a few are about breakups and the fallout afterwards. Then again, “The Wire” is just about the most upbeat and kind song about the ending of a relationship that you’ll find these days. Where the issues emerge are in the words themselves, and not the topics. While the record has its fair share of creative wordplay, a close look at the lyrical content of most songs unveils a pattern of generalizations and bland phrasing that doesn’t hold up so well under scrutiny. All things considered, calling attention to such an issue given what Haim is out to accomplish can be viewed as petty and nitpicky, which is why it might be best to simply sit back, relax and let the melodies and hooks take you away. That is, essentially, what the sisters are doing on their album cover anyways.
Those in search of something different or innovative in a band probably won’t find Haim and Days Are Gone to their liking. What you do get from this record is a collection of strongly composed and confident songs that grab your attention and refuse to let go. Coming straight out of the gate with such excellence and precision is rather impressive, even if these sisters have been playing music since they became old enough to hold instruments in their hands. This is definitely something they’ve been building towards, and for all practical purposes they knock it out of the park.
Haim – The Wire
Haim – Falling
We’ve hit another Tuesday, where I’m once again pleased to bring you a quick rundown of artists with brand new music coming out this week. The hope is to either inform you about what’s out there, but also to maybe even remind you if one of your favorite artists is putting out something new and you simply forgot about it. So without further ado, here’s your list for this week: alt-J, Beachwood Sparks, Billie Joe and Norah, The Bomber Jackets, Bonobo, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Cheap Time, Dead Meadow, Destroyer, Egyptrixx, Fireworks, Gap Dream, Guido, Jeremiah Jae, Kevin Morby, The KVB, NOFX, The Obsessed, Patten, Puscifer, Shearwater, Syd Arthur, The Warlocks, and Young and Sick. There’s a couple of really strong records in this stack for this week, so please make some purchases via your favorite digital or physical retailer! Now let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison, where you can discover even more hot new music. Some key tracks you’ll want to give attention to today come from The Black and White Years, Gim Kordon, Marissa Nadler, SCNTST, Soul Glimpse, Trivial Shields and UNMAP. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Francis Inferno Orchestra, Helms Alee, Maximo Park (covering Leonard Cohen), Pandreas and Untold.
The Black and White Years – Strange Figurines
Gim Kordon – Kaupunki Tappaa Sielunsa
Soul Glimpse – In the Dawn of Day
UNMAP – ABC (Hierarchy of the Alphabet)
Wild Ones – Rivals (Trails and Ways Remix)
Looking for a bit of a pick-me-up on this Monday? Let me point you in the direction of a video that seems to have gone viral in a matter of hours this past afternoon. After a lot of attention was paid last week to Kanye West’s new music video for “Bound 2” (which features a topless Kim Kardashian, among other things), those who watched it realized it’s the sort of thing just begging to be parodied. Kim and Kanye riding on a motorcycle in front of a green screen? There’s humor in that, even though I’m sure Kanye didn’t intend it to be that way. If there are some “Bound 2” parody videos that came out late last week, nobody really took notice until today, when actors and good friends Seth Rogen and James Franco chose to make their own shot-for-shot remake of the video. They’re working on a film together, and I guess had enough down time to put together what they’re calling a “tribute,” with Franco playing Kanye and Rogen playing Kim. Part of me wonders whether or not they asked Kanye for permission before doing it, because you’d suspect the unauthorized copyright violations might result in lawyers getting the video pulled from YouTube. But no, it’s still there, Rogen’s hairy back, man on man kissing and all. It’s a little reminiscent of what Kanye himself did in his video for “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” which features Zach Galifinakis and Will Oldham lip syncing the lyrics while playing around on a farm. Through that video, we know that Kanye has a sense of humor, even if it hasn’t been on display much recently. I mean, the guy became furious and started a Twitter fight with Jimmy Kimmel when the late night talk show host had kids recreate a portion of an interview Kanye did with the BBC. So I guess Kanye draws a line somewhere. I suppose we can wait and see in the coming days whether or not the hip hop star lashes out at Franco and Rogen for what they’ve done. For the time being though, we’ve got this parody video, and might as well enjoy it for the next 24 hours before the next viral video comes along to steal away our attention. Speaking of stealing away attention, maybe today’s Pick Your Poison will grab yours. Don’t miss tracks today from The Appleseed Collective, Ghost Beach, Lakutis, Squalloscope and Stats. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from ceo, Death Vessel (ft. Jonsi), Guerilla Toss, Jess Williamson and Marram.
The Appleseed Collective – Pumpkin Pie
Clockwork Noise – The Tourists
Friends – The Way (Blood Orange Remix)
K.A. Morton and The Wellwishers – You and I
Robin Thicke ft. Kendrick Lamar – Give It 2 U (Andrew Grant Remix)
The Songwriters – The End of All Travels
Squalloscope – Desert Pacific Octopi
Tegan and Sara – Closer (Stubbs Remix)
It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another weekly dip into the pool of music news, interviews and videos that I like to call This Week In Music! Yes, in addition to the normal Pick Your Poison mp3s and Soundcloud streams, I like to toss out links to a bunch of other music-related content that I’ve found interesting or worthwhile over the course of the week. I encourage you to check some, if not all of these things out, particularly if you’re looking to waste some time. There’s plenty to see, read and hear:
Watch Arcade Fire perform “Reflektor” on French TV
Music Video: Arcade Fire – Afterlife
Beck has revealed more info on his forthcoming album Morning Phase
Watch a Broken Bells short film “Holding on for Life,” starring Kate Mara + Anton Yelchin
Watch Disclosure’s full 30-minute set at Pitchfork Music Festival Paris
In an age when print is dying, Pitchfork is launching a quarterly magazine
Watch Kanye West pull an ice pick out of David Blaine’s hand
Polyvinyl Records is launching a 7″ singles subscription for 2014
There’s a 2CD Wes Anderson tribute album in the works
David Byrne is worried about the NSA hacking our personal information
Once you’re done with that set of distractions, let me offer up another set via some song downloads and streams. Don’t miss tracks from Francobollo, Diplo’s Grizzly Bear Remix, Jeremy and The Harlequins, Juniore, Lushlife, Midnite on Pearl Beach and Trentalange. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream cuts from Evian Christ, Flume & Chet Faker, Mutual Benefit, Quilt and Sally Seltmann.
Adele – Set Fire to the Rain (Tony Tokyo Remix)
Boat Club – Memories (Saint Etienne Remix)
Faux Effet – Ursag En Alotheia Quevron
Francobollo – We’re Going to Rio
Grizzly Bear – Will Calls (Diplo Remix)
Jeremy and The Harlequins – Cam Girl
Midnite on Pearl Beach – One Foot Left
Sp1ral vs. Falco Benz – Disco Romance (Clap Machines Bootleg Rework)
You won’t see one of 2013’s best electronica shows in Chicago by going to a dance club. Nor will you quite capture the magic at some random warehouse rave or even a large venue like the Congress Theater or the Aragon, where Pretty Lights played a couple weeks back. If you really want to do it right with an atmosphere that’s classy and fun with a sound that’s innovative and upbeat, there’s only one spot you need to be: at Lincoln Hall this Saturday night. In short, the three artists on the bill are all highly intelligent and dynamic. They’re operating just under the radar at the moment, but it’s only a matter of time before they really hit it big. Starting out the night will be Nathan Fake, a guy who is the exact opposite of what his last name might suggest. He’s probably most known for his remixes at the moment, like this one he did of Radiohead’s “Morning Mr. Magpie”. But he’s also put together some original material too, which sounds really good as well. Have a listen to the song “Paean” to get an idea of his unique style. One of the night’s two headliners on this triple bill of electronica is Jon Hopkins. If you missed his album Immunity earlier this year, it’s one of 2013’s best and you need to give it a listen as soon as possible. Not only was it critically acclaimed, but it was also on the shortlist to win this year’s Barclaycard Mercury Prize (which ultimately went to James Blake). There’s something about the loose and playful way he mixes bright ambient piano tracks with dark and aggressive dance cuts that just hits all the spots it needs to. Check out his song “Breathe This Air (ft. Purity Ring)” to get a great impression of what he’s all about. The evening’s other co-headliner will be Clark. If you don’t know Clark, his double album Feast / Beast that came out a couple of months back is a pretty good place to start. It’s composed of mostly remixes, with a few originals in between. While many remixes these days attract momentary attention before listeners return to the original versions, it remains fascinating to hear what the remixer chooses to change or adjust in any given track, as it says something about how they listen to music themselves. Clark is a fascinating case, and the new album really helps show how he stands out amongst his peers. Also worth your time are is last year’s Iradelphic, which prominently featured vocals from Martina Topley-Bird. Clark is actually offering up a free 6-song EP of leftovers from that record called Iradelphic Sessions, which you can download on his site.
Anyways, if you’re 21+, are available and in Chicago this Saturday night, I strongly encourage you to head over to Lincoln Hall for the show. I promise it’ll be a dance party you won’t soon forget. Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 at the door. You can purchase them here. Beyond the show, there’s your daily dose of Pick Your Poison to get to as well, so let me take care of that. There’s some strong tracks today from Arc Rev One, The Casket Girls, Ghost Maps, Go Life, MiWi La Lupa, Norman, Petter Seander and Rogue Vogue. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs by Axxa/Abraxas, Clare Maguire, Majical Cloudz, Withered Hand and Xiu Xiu.
Arc Rev One – Permanent Everlasting Infinite Beings
Champagne Jerry – Business Pony
I’lls – Mine’s Here or My End’s Here or Nineteen (Naysayer & Gilsun Remix)
Nasimiyu Murumba – Raise Your Arrow (The Hunt)
We’ve hit another Tuesday, where I’m once again pleased to bring you a quick rundown of artists with brand new music coming out this week. The hope is to either inform you about what’s out there, but also to maybe even remind you if one of your favorite artists is putting out something new and you simply forgot about it. So without further ado, here’s your list for this week: A Perfect Circle, Andrew Bird, Beady Eye, Blood Orange, CFCF, Daytona, Emerald Web, The Entrance Band, Ghost B.C., Jake Bugg, John Zorn, Kurt Vile, Magik Markers, Mick Turner, Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer, Nils Frahm, Polar Bear Club, Reggie and the Full Effect, and The Suburbs. There’s a couple of really strong records in this stack for this week, so please make some purchases via your favorite digital or physical retailer! Now let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison, where you can discover even more hot new music. Some key tracks you’ll want to give attention to today come from Chevy Heston, David Bronson, Kurt Vile, M+A, Maria Taylor, Ratking, Saint Motel and The Soon-Another. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Empress Of, The Notwist, Painted Palms, ScHoolboy Q, Temples and THEE SILVER MT ZION.
Ratking ft. Eric Copeland – Gauchos
The Soon-Another – Like You Like
This Saturday is set to be a busy one throughout the city of Chicago. The main event happens in the early evening with the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, which is really a huge parade down Michigan Avenue as they light up all the trees that line the street. At the end of it all there’s fireworks over the Chicago River. The event brings out so many people it’s extremely difficult to walk down the sidewalk as everyone is camped out trying to spot Mickey Mouse or Santa as they ride past. I’ve never gone to it for pleasure, but had to go for work once and it was a nightmare of epic proportions. If you’ve got a family with small children though, I can understand the appeal. I’m not in that situation, so understandably it’s not my thing. Anyways, for the 18+ adults out there who are looking to have a bit of fun this Saturday night, lights parade or not, allow me to suggest heading over to Metro for a show with Cults, Mood Rings and SACCO. If you’ve yet to hear Cults’ new album Static, it’s a sugary sweet slice of indie pop with a bit of a dark side to it. More atmospheric and less instantly addictive than the band’s self-titled debut, the new album expands their sound in interesting ways that fans might not expect. Indeed, the album has been somewhat polarizing in critical assessments, but whatever reservations are held certainly don’t carry over to Cults’ live show. I’ve seen them perform 3 times over the last couple years, and each time they’ve been progressively better and more engaging than the time before. Watch Cults perform their song “High Road” for Baeble Music to get an idea of how their live show is. Of course Cults aren’t the only reason to pick up a ticket for the show. Atlanta band Mood Rings unleashed their debut full-length album VPI Harmony over the summer to a bit of acclaim. Their synth-infused dream pop sound often feels like a cross between Deerhunter and My Bloody Valentine in their least noisy states, though there are other elements in play that really help make the band a sonic enigma in the best sort of way. They’ve moved away from the lo-fi elements of their 2011 EP, and the shift to a more polished sound has done them wonders. You can still stream VPI Harmony in full over at Spin. They’re the sort of band that you want to show up early and see, because they’ve got big things ahead of them. As for SACCO, there’s very little I can tell you. They don’t have an album out yet, but if you want to hear a couple of songs from them, Bandcamp is your friend. They’ve got a sort of psychedelic, jangly pop vibe to them that does a nice job fitting in with the other two bands on the bill, so they might be somebody you’ll want to look into as well. All that said, the show starts at 9 on Saturday night, tickets are $21 and can be purchased in advance here. If you’re in Chicago and don’t have plans for the evening, come on out, it should be a great time! Also a great time is today’s Pick Your Poison. There’s some great tracks today from Bowerbirds, Dead Waves, De Lux, Ian Fisher & The Present, Little SUns, Powers and Total Slacker. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Alan Watts, Erol Alkan, Katy B, Neneh Cherry and Vertical Scratchers.
The Chelsea Kills – You Said It Yourself
De Lux – Better at Making Time
Ian Fisher & The Present – Regret (ft. Phia)
