Category: pick your poison Page 124 of 141

Today begins my official quest to find the official “Summer Album” of 2011. Specifically defined, really what I’m hoping to discover is a record I can listen to tons of times over the course of the next few months that will perfectly encapsulate what this season means to me. The perfect summer album has to be bright, poppy and a whole lot of fun. An early entry into that contest certainly has to be Cults’ self-titled debut, but I’m wondering if we can do even better. If there’s an album that has been or will be released this year that you’re finding to be perfect for the warm weather and sunshine, let me know in the comments. Okay, let’s get to Pick Your Poison for today. I can recommend tracks from Crystal Swells, Fucked Up, Get People and The Mast. Also, The Joy Formidable’s remix of The Boxer Rebellion track “The Runner” is dope as well and can be streamed via the Soundcloud section.

Almost Free – Don’t Bother Me Now (Adultescent)

Co La – Honeypot Habits
Co La – Long Shot

Crystal Swells – Patent Trolls

Dr. Michael White – West African Strut

Fucked Up – Ship of Fools

Get People – Away

The Head – Lady Lovely

Lid Emba – Macedonia

The Mast – Wild Poppies

Metronomy – The Bay (Stopmakingme Remix)

Miwa Gemini – Pioneertown Love Story

Nick Jaina – You Were So Good to Me (ft. Jolie Holland)

Phil and the Osophers – Ink on the Page

Philco Fiction – Help!

Plain Jane Automobile – You Were Only A Song

SOUNDCLOUD

The Boxer Rebellion – The Runner (The Joy Formidable Remix)

Cave Painting – So Calm

We’ve reached the end of May, and hopefully that means summer can officially begin. If it iddn’t start for you over the longer weekend, maybe June 1st rolling around will give you the kick in the teeth to proclaim the ground officially thawed and the flowers all abloom. Have fun with that, and try to keep close tabs on any potential outdoor allergies. They’re supposed to be fierce this year. Pick Your Poison today won’t stuff up your sinuses or potentially give you a rash, so that’s one benefit of it, even if the word “poison” is right there in the name. Tracks you should make priorities to check out in this set come from The Angry Orts, The Demos, Letting Up Despite Great Faults, and Robert Pollard.

33Hz – See the Light (The Soundmen Remix)

The Angry Orts – The Trend

Coathangers – Trailer Park Boneyard

Curtains For You – Daisy

The Demos – Meet at Night

Frankmusik – Do It in the AM (MNEK Remix)

The Howling Hex – Apocryphal East North Text

Letters – Oceanwide

Letting Up Despite Great Faults – Teenage Tide

Oax – Love and Crashing

Robert Pollard – In A Circle

Slutever – No Offense

Street Eaters – Nation Builder

The Unsacred Hearts – The Honor Bar

SOUNDCLOUD

Celestial Shore – Pals

Everything Everything – Final Form

Twenty Knives – Royal, Inc.

Happy Memorial Day. I’d like to say thank you to all of our men and women both that are serving or have served in the military. You’re all heroes in my book. For my fellow Americans, please thank a soldier today – it’s the least you can do. Today’s Pick Your Poison recommendations include tracks from Brilliant Colors, Gold Leaves, Teen Daze, and The Trophy Fire.

The Bears of Blue River – Boy Toy

Botanical Bullets – Fantastic Romantic

Brilliant Colors – How Much Younger

Gold Leaves – The Ornament

Headless Horsemen – 1CHRD (Blackbird Blackbird Remix)

Jump Into the Gospel – Photovoltaic

Lightouts – I Am the Key

The Talking Book – The Morass
The Talking Book – Open Your Eyes

Teen Daze – Surface

Too Young to Love – Earth (Black Matter Remix)

The Trophy Fire – The Last American Phone Booth

Viceroy – Sunny Daze

SOUNDCLOUD

Fancy Me Yet – Down Like Downtown

Hooky – The Switch

Sleeper Agent – Get it Daddy

It’s Friday and I’ve got good news and good news for you. The first good news is that there’s a long holiday weekend starting now, at least in America, which means not only do you probably get another day off of work, but the weather’s just nice enough to go outside and do some grilling. Delicious. The second piece of good news is that despite the extended holiday weekend, Pick Your Poison will still go down on Monday like normal. I’ve got too many songs to share with you to just skip out because it’s a holiday. But let’s talk your weekend-starting version today. Highlights include tracks from Ash Black Buffalo, EDM, Hooray for Earth, Polls, and Typhoon. Have a great weekend!

Ash Black Buffalo – Buho

EDM – Stereo/Video

Fair Ohs – Summer Lake
Fair Ohs – Eden Rock

Freedom of Death – Rule the World (Nas cover)

Graham Wright – Soviet Race

Gunfight! – Sticks

Helado Negro – 2 Dia

Hooray for Earth – No Love

Mr. SOS – Listen

Paul Dempsey – We’ll Never Work in This Town Again

Polls – Careful Way

Quiet Lights – March

Roadside Graves – Love Me More

See-I – Homegrown (2011 Version)

Smokey Robotic – Uptown (Konrad Old Money’s Kuduro Remix)

Tidelands – Holy Grail

Typhoon – Summer Home

Vandal – Big Dog (Vandal Bites Dog Remix)

SOUNDCLOUD

Keb Mo – The Whole Enchilada

Lotus – Destroyer

Nerina Pallot – Put Your Hands Up (Like It’s 1987) [We Are The Chatterleys Mix]

It’s Thursday, and you can smell it in the air. It’s anticipation, really, that you’re smelling. The knowledge that the weekend is just around the corner. I want to take a moment here and now to give you a heads up just in regards to what’s really the perfect way to start your holiday weekend. For everybody in and around the Chicagoland area, Friday night at Lincoln Hall is going to be one great show. Damon & Naomi are headlining, with Amor de Dias opening up. Both have new records out, and you can read the kind words I had to say about Damon & Naomi’s “False Beats and True Hearts” by clicking here and also Amor de Dias’s “Street of the Love of Days” by clicking here. Putting these two bands together on a bill is inspired, largely because they compliment one another so well. In fact, Damon & Naomi even contributed to a few songs on the Amor de Dias record. In case you’re not fully aware of where these two bands are coming from either, Damon & Naomi have been around for awhile, first with Galaxie 500 but they’ve since carved a grand career on their own. Amor de Dias is Alasdair MacLean of the great band The Clientele teaming up with Lupe Núñez-Fernández of the Spanish band Pipas. So yes, both bands make beautiful and inspired folk with plenty of other influences to go around as well. Anyways, the show at Lincoln Hall tomorrow night will be the place to be. It’s a 21+ show, and tickets are $12. Buy a ticket. Here’s a couple mp3s to inspire you:

Damon & Naomi – Walking Backwards
Amor de Dias – Bunhill Fields

As for today’s Pick Your Poison, I can wholeheartedly give a seal of approval to tracks from Asa, The Elected (Blake Sennett of Rilo Kiley), Joseph Arthur, Ki:Theory, Mando Diao, and Stephin Merritt (aka Magnetic Fields).

Asa – Why Can’t We

Baby Baby – Kidz

Baby Monster – Russian Lights

Caged Animals – Girls on Medication

David Myles – Don’t Drive Through (Live at the Carleton)

The Devil Whale – Standing Stones

The Elected – Babyface

The Japanese Popstars – Let Go (Luke Walker Remix)

Joseph Arthur – Out On A Limb

Kenton Dunson – Rolling Stone (ft. Garrett Anderson)

Ki:Theory – Holiday Heart

Machine Gun Kelly – Half Naked and Almost Famous

Mando Diao – Dance With Somebody

Neighbors – August

Stephin Merritt – Forever and a Day

Unicycle Loves You – Magic Marker Blackout (Demo)

World’s End Girlfriend – Teenage Ziggy

SOUNDCLOUD

Custom Blue – Summer’s Gone

Fela Kuti – M.O.P. (Movement Of The People) Political Statement No. 1

INTL – Table Talk

Simian Ghost -Transparent Is OK

Here come the mid-week blues. Holiday weekend is ahead though, and that’s a comfort. Today’s Pick Your Poison highlights include tracks from Big Pauper, Handsome Furs, James Vincent McMorrow, and Spencer Krug’s (Wolf Parade/Sunset Rubdown) solo project Moonface.

Big Pauper – Blue Dawn

Blind Willies – Lord Thought He’d Make Me A Man

Dishes – Redress.Redress.Redress

Eels on Heels – Blank Skin

Eyes Lips Eyes – Ghosts

Falling Andes – San Francisco

Faux Pas – General Practice

Handsome Furs – Repatriated

James Vincent McMorrow – We Don’t Eat

John Gold – Baby It’s Your Life
John Gold – Skyscraper

Las Kellies – Perro Rompebolas

Moonface – Fast Peter

Plant Plants – She’s No One

The R’s – I Love My Family

Radioseven – Distance
Radioseven – To Be Young

Razika – Nytt Pa Nytt

Twiggy Frostbite – By the Ocean

The Wild Mercury Sound – Hope There’s Someone (Antony and the Johnsons cover, Live at London School of Sound)

SOUNDCLOUD

Christian AIDS – Stay +

Field Theory – Olma

Lana del Rey – Video Games (Justin Parker & Robopop)

Mirel Wagner – No Death

Red Wanting Blue – Magic Man

Tuesday, here we are. It’s still early in the week, but not too early that we can’t have a little fun. An intense basketball playoff game is on tonight, among other things, and I know I mentioned it yesterday, but going to a location in which there are lots of televisions and perhaps some alcohol would make for a good evening. When it gets warm(ish) out you can do those sorts of things on weekdays. Or stay home and hang out, who am I to dictate what you do with your evening. Pick Your Poison though, I can help you out there. Recommendations today for tracks from Follow That Bird, I and I, Kyla La Grange, Niki and the Dove, and Ty Segall.

Azalia Snail – Spaceheater

Brice Randall Bickford – Songstress

Electric Bird Noise – Morning Mother Mourning Dove

Floorshow – Don’t Get Me Wrong

Follow That Bird – The Ghosts That Wake You

French Horn Rebellion – What I Want (Golden Pony Remix)

He’s My Brother She’s My Sister – Escape Tonight

Hungry Kids of Hungary – Arrest This Heart

I and I – Headcleaner

Johanna & the Dusty Floor – Witch Shoes

Kyla La Grange – Been Better

Metal Mother – Shake

Monster Rally – Siberian Girls
Monster Rally – Surf Erie

Niki and the Dove – The Fox

Radical Dads – Walking Wires

This Is Head – 0011

Ty Segall – You Make the Sun Fry

SOUNDCLOUD

NewVillager- Rich Doors

Pony Pony Run Run – Hey You (Youth Kills Remix)

Robert Ellis – What’s In It For Me

Can you feel summer just waiting for you right around the corner? Memorial Day (in America) is this upcoming weekend, and that’s the unofficial start to the summer season. Break out your short pants, your flip flops and your cabana wear, because things are about to get nice. Also make sure you’re privy to all of the wonderful summer beers that emerge in time for the season. A bit of summer ale or even a bit of summer shandy can do wonders for a person, provided you’re of age and consume alcohol. So many great choices in what to drink, as there are so many choices in today’s Pick Your Poison. I can point out a few key tracks for you today from notables like Alina Simone, Bosco Delrey, some old(ish) and also previously unreleased Black Moth Super Rainbow, Sea Things, Star Anna and Young Rebel Set. In the Soundcloud section you’ll find a new one from Abandoned Pools, which is better than I thought it would be.

Alina Simone – Beautiful Machine

Baby Monster – The Fear of Charlie Sunrise

Black Moth Super Rainbow – Sun Lips
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Old Yes

Bosco Delrey – Baby’s Got A Blue Flame

The Botaniks – Fond of Jane

Debbie Neigher – Evergreens

De Montevert – Skyall på mig

Diggs Duke – Get Up
Diggs Duke – Last Night

Josh Madden and Troublemaker – Veronica Sawyer

Lauren Shera – Endless Sea
Lauren Shera – Storyteller

Lightouts – And It Comes And Goes

Ockums Razor – A New Thing

Riz MC – All of You

Sea Things – AM

Star Anna – Alone In This Together (Radio Edit)

Termanology – Say It (Remix ft. Bun B)

Tyson – Love’s on the Line

Work Drugs – Golden Sombrero

Young Rebel Set – Fall Hard

SOUNDCLOUD

Abandoned Pools – In Silence

Happy Friday! I’ve got a million things to do, including getting my weekend started, so let’s get right to it. Highlights today include tracks from Candle, DMA, Here We Go Magic, Iretsu and Shoreline Is. Also be sure to check out the new Tom Vek and Army Navy tracks in the Soundcloud section.

Another – Night

Arc In Round – ||

Candle – Goodnight Firefly

Chrome Canyon – Branches
Chrome Canyon – Suspended in Gaffa ft. Phoebe Oglesbee (Kate Bush cover)

DMA – Riding Holiday

Emilie Simon – Small Town Boy (Bronski Beat cover)

Femme Fatality – Show Me the Way

Gavin Friday – Able

Here We Go Magic – Song in Three

Iretsu – Sexy No

Shoreline Is – Living Things

Short Circuit – How We Speak

These Trails – El Rey Pescador

Turner Cody – Back in the Land of the Living

United Fruit – Go Away, Don’t Leave Me Alone

SOUNDCLOUD

Army Navy – The Long Goodbye

Sebastian – C.T.F.O. ft. M.I.A.

Tom Vek – A Chore

We’ve already hit Thursday? This week just seems to be flying by. I’d say time flies when you’re having fun, but there’s not a ton of fun I can rave about. Then again, with a Paul Simon show and a bunch of TV season finales, there has been a higher than normal entertainment value for me in the last few days. Anyways, Pick Your Poison is equally enjoyable, going through a burst of extra mp3s for you just in time for sweeps. I can give a hearty thumbs up to tracks from the following artists: Chad VanGaalen, Falcon, Gomez, I’m From Barcelona, Miracle Fortress, Planningtorock and Wise Blood.

Chad VanGaalen – Peace on the Rise

Cliffie Swan – So Long

Falcon – Terrified (Happy Days Are Ahead)

Four Quartets – Pirouette

Ghost Heart – No Canticle

Gomez – Options

I’m From Barcelona – Always Spring

Jerry Granelli – Bones

Miracle Fortress – Miscalculations

Napoleon in Rags – Empty Promises (Black Masa Remix)

Planningtorock – The Breaks

Sandro Silva ft. Isa GT – Told Ya (DJ Melo Moombahton Edit)

Stripmall Architecture – We Are Not Cool

TMS ft. Jagga – I Need You (Maribou State Remix)

Wise Blood – Loud Mouths
Wise Blood – Penthouse Suites

SOUNDCLOUD

Brooklyn Horseman – Whispers In The Dark

Clock Opera – Belongings

Midnight Lion – All Greatness Stands Firm

Oh hey Wednesday. Didn’t see you there. You crept up awfully fast this week. All the sooner to get to Friday. Let’s get straight to business. Pick Your Poison today has plenty of the usual highlights. Allow me to point you in the direction of tracks from The Chapin Sisters, Digits, Glorie, GUARDS, People Like Us and Wakey! Wakey!

The Chapin Sisters – Sweet Light

Charlie Simpson – Don’t I Hold You

CIRC – Is Poor Faith

Creep – Days (Azari & III Remix)

Digitalism – 2 Hearts (Amazona Boys Remix)

Digits – Smooth Liar

The Fix – Silverscreen

Giana Factory – Rainbow Girl (Glasvegas Remake)

Glorie – Full Circle

GUARDS – Resolution of One

How to Destroy Angels – A Drowning (Sasha Raskin Orchestral Remix)

Mimas – Vader in Burgos (La Boum Fatale Remix)

People Like Us – The Seven Hills of Rome

Scoot Dubbs – The Time Has Come

St. Lucia – The Old House is Gone

Wakey! Wakey! – Feral Love

SOUNDCLOUD

Fallulah – I Lay My Head

Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Starlight [JRMX Radio Edit]

Towns – Fields

I love going to shows, I just don’t get the opportunity to go enough. My schedule is just a little bit crazy and if I can’t find the time or the weather is horrible then I just don’t go. Mid-weeks are toughest, but early in the week and weekends are great when I’m able to get out. I make mention of it because I’m not seeing just one, but TWO shows this week and outside of a music festival that’s halfway unheard of for me. Both are great, too. Last night I caught Paul Simon at The Vic and on Friday I’ll be going to Death Cab for Cutie at the Metro. Both artists normally play much larger venues, so there’s a nice intimacy aspect about it as well. Should be lots of fun. If you’ve already caught (or will be catching) either of the shows just mentioned, give me a holler in the comments. We’ll compare notes. Pick Your Poison today has some nice stuff as usual. I can give a hearty plus mark to the following artists: Beirut, Echo Lake, Handsome Furs, The Morning Birds, Washed Out and Woodsman. Also worth listening to is The Album Leaf’s remix of Scattered Trees.

Beirut – O Leaozinho

Candidate – You Still Love Me

Echo Lake – Young Silence

Fiction Company – Girls In Uniform

Handsome Furs – What About Us

Liquid Stranger – Bombaclaad Star

The Morning Birds – The Quickening

The Naked Hearts – Pillow Song

Paleo – Holly Would

Rabbits Rabbits Rabbits – Winter Time

Rye Rye ft. M.I.A. – Sunshine (2 Bit Thugs Redub)

Scattered Trees – Four Days Straight (The Album Leaf Remix)

Star Slinger – Mornin’

The Street and Babe Shadow – Forever

Washed Out – Eyes Be Closed

Woodsman – Insects

SOUNDCLOUD

Alex Winston- Sister Wife (Ladyhawke Remix)

Bird Call – The Man With The Child In His Eyes (Kate Bush cover)

This past weekend in Chicago was a terrible one weather-wise. Rainy and cold virtually the entire time, made that much worse knowing just a few days earlier it was 90 degrees and sunny. The taste of summer was far too fleeting, and now instead we were handed a dose of late fall. But with a new week starts a new weather cycle, one that sees much more sunshine and temperatures steadily rising towards the normal high of 70 degrees this time of year. Damn, I’ve got to stop writing about the weather. Besides, there are people dealing with far worse right now. Let’s make everything feel just a little bit better with today’s Pick Your Poison. Recommendations today? How about tracks from Brad Laner, Darwin Deez, The Great Book of John, Minden, Nik Freitas and Tape Deck Mountain. You’ll certainly want to download Cut Copy’s remix of The Miracles Club, along with Andreas Lust’s (of Frightened Rabbit) reworking of OSLO, while Jim Jones with special guests Lloyd and Girl Talk is great too. There’s also a couple interesting covers in the Soundcloud section that are both worth checking out.

Berlinist – No Love song
Berlinist – My Darling Grace

Brad Laner – Feelin’ Stronger Every Day (Chicago cover)

Clara May – Hush

Darwin Deez – DNA

Duquette Johnston – Roll Baby Roll

The Great Book of John – Let Me Slide

Herbcraft – Fleet Guru

Jackie-O Motherfucker – In the Willows

Jargon V.A ft. Tinie Tempah – Disappoint You

Jim Jones ft. Lloyd and Girl Talk – Believe in Magic

Minden – Swift Way On

The Miracles Club – Light of Love (Cut Copy Re-Vision)

Motorboater – Left Limb

Nik Freitas – Middle

OSLO – Superstar (Andreas Lust Remix)

Sanders Bohlke – Quiet Ye Voices

Tape Deck Mountain – Kellies

When Saints Go Machine – Kelly

SOUNDCLOUD

Agnes Obel – Between The Bars (Elliott Smith cover)

Alex Clare – When Doves Cry (Prince cover)

Benny Benassi feat. Gary Go – Cinema (Skrillex Remix)

The Fiery Piano – Sirens

The Orchard – Gulf Of Mexico

Friday the 13th! Look out for black cats, everybody. Today’s a dangerous day to be out and about, particularly if you’re superstitious or believe in karma. To me, it’s just another Friday, but I think we all look a little more carefully over our shoulders every time somebody mentions Friday the 13th. Here’s some luck though: a great, extended Pick Your Poison post. Lots of great songs to give your weekend that extra boost it might need. I can give a thumbs up to tracks from Brute Heart, Helios, The Hussy, The Sanctuaries, and White Hills. Also be sure to check out the Johan Agebjörn track featuring Sally Shapiro, along with Jared Mees and The Grown Children’s Beatles cover. Oh, and I can’t forget new songs from Urge Overkill and Yuck in the Soundcloud section. Always worth a look.

Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat – The Copper Top (Radio Edit)

Birdlips – One in Seven
Birdlips – Higher Vision

Boy Mandeville – Gorilla (Thom Thumb Remix)

Buy Without God – Of Cowboys & Other Beautiful Men

Brute Heart – Hunter

Crooks – Downtown

Germany Germany – Too Fast
Germany Germany – Dance

Grand Pianoramax – Sleepwalk

Helios – Sing the Same Song Twice

The Hussy – Sexi Ladi
The Hussy – Pushin’ My Luck  

Is Shepherd – Pine Box

Jared Mees & the Grown Children – All Together Now (Beatles cover)

Johan Agebjörn & Lovelock ft. Sally Shapiro – Casablanca Nights

Labyrinth Ear – How We Walk On The Moon (Arthur Russell cover)

Matt & Kim – Cameras (Alvin Risk Remix)

Rocketship Park – Fast Friends

The Sanctuaries – Heaven Is A Mountain

Ulrich Schnauss and Mark Peters – Balcony Sunset

Ungdomskulen – Elle
Ungdomskulen – It’s Official!

White Hills – The Condition of Nothing

SOUNDCLOUD

Alex Winston – Sister Wife (Starslinger Remix)

Hey Today! – Minor (TWR72 Remix)

Urge Overkill – Mason/Dixon

Yuck – Milkshake

Let me attempt to entertain you briefly by talking about NBA basketball. Playoffs are happening, and my own Chicago Bulls are down to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1998. Back then, there was a little guy on the team you may have heard of – Michael Jordan. The new era has begun though, with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer and the rest of a motley crew of guys that are just dominating the court. The Miami Heat are up next, meaning that LeBron, Bosh and Wade are waiting in the wings. It will be an epic battle. I’m psyched, and I hope you are too. Of course if you’re more concerned with mp3s than some sports teams, especially if your sports team (assuming you have one) isn’t doing so hot right now, Pick Your Poison shall soothe what ails you. Highlights today in this mega-sized edition include tracks from Cassettes Won’t Listen, Chilly Gonzales, Daniel Knox, Howe Gelb, Joan of Arc, Memory Map and The War on Drugs. Also, CFCF’s remix of Holy Ghost! is excellent as well.

Backseat Dreamer – Gold Dust (Culture Prophet Remix)

Cassettes Won’t Listen – Perfect Day

Chilly Gonzales – The Unspeakable (Medley)

The City Music Project – The Thin Ice (Pink Floyd cover)

Dan Hubbard and the Humadors – The Last Time You See Me

Daniel Knox – Evryman For Himself

David Vangel – Sandpaper Script

El Obo – On the Eighth Day

Freemasons ft. Wynter Gordon – Believer (FIXYN Remix)

Holy Ghost! – Wait & See (CFCF Remix)

Howe Gelb – UNeven Light of Day

Is Tropical – The Greeks (Moonlight Matter Remix)

Joan of Arc – Love Life

Lars Moston & Breakfastklub – Organik (Mikix the Cat Remix)

Memory Map – House Sitting

Natual Child – Hard Workin Man

Smokey Robotic – Unbuttoned

Ssion – Listen to the Grrrls

SWTHRT – I Am In Misery
SWTHRT – Boys With Problems

Treasure Fingers – It’s Love (Amtrac Remix)

The War on Drugs – Baby Missiles

SOUNDCLOUD

Mono Stereo – Girl, I Love You

Thirsty Fish – Sounds Like Rap