RARITIES BY THE BEST BANDS OF 2008-PART THREE!

Posted on December 31st, 2008 by ekko

Part one.

Part two.

My last post of the year.  Here’s to a hopeful 2009.

Haiti on Blast-Diplo (#2, Best mixtape)

Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (vampire weekend cover)-Lykke Li. Ms. Li woulda been a candidate for best indie artist, if she weren’t on a major label. But VW were on the list. (#9, Best album)

Big Shot (Dissing G Unit)-Joe Budden (#3, Best mixtape)

Dirt in the Ground (tom waits cover)-Cold War Kids (#14, Best album)

I Don’t Wanna Grow Up (Tom Waits)-Cold War Kids (#14, Best album)

Hey Ya (Outkast cover)-Tilly and the Wall (#22, Best album)

RHYTHM RUCKUS WILL ROCK YOU FOR FREE

Posted on December 30th, 2008 by ekko

Cartoon Cartel’s Rhythm Ruckus has released a free online mixtape, “Heavy Bags II: 208 Grams or Better,” featuring complex, hardcore rhymes by Dr. Caucasian and Scribe1 over under- and over-ground beats from 2008 artists like Ill Bill, Foxy Brown, and The Streets.  This is excellent stuff.

Go here and get the whole damn thing for free.

THE PHANTOM BAND-“Checkmate Savage”

Posted on December 28th, 2008 by ekko

I’m not quite sure what to make of The Phantom Band. Lead vocalist Duncan De Cornell has the deep, flat inflection of Matt Berninger, but the music is nothing like The National. In fact, the music is the real treasure here—the band makes unmistakably pop music, but takes the time to stretch out and jam, sometimes for several minutes without a break. It’s rare that I hear poppy jam bands. Few of the songs clock in at under five minutes, which is another indicator that these guys are into long form music. A few of these instrumental breaks get a little long, but most are fascinating and dark. In this way, the Scottish band recalls the ‘80s gothpop of Echo and the Bunnymen, and the moody aggression of Violent Femmes–but at the same time the album is cleaner, more modern, and often upbeat.

This record grows on me every time I hear it, but I still can’t put my finger on why. It feels like it is evolving, even as I listen to it. I’m never sure where it’s going from song to song, or even from verse to verse. Simply terrific, that’s how I’d sum it up.

Folk Song Oblivion

RARITIES BY THE BEST BANDS OF 2008-Part Two

Posted on December 26th, 2008 by ekko

Part one.

And while you’re here, don’t forget about Swag Corner in the upper right of this page. Cool condom prize!

Hibernation & Ditch Live At The TSR SXSW Showcase-Blood on the Wall (#19, Best Album)

Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts-Gaslight Anthem, B-side from the Senor and the Queen single (#6, Best album)

One (Blake’s Got A New Face) [Vampire Weekend Cover] Mystery Jets with Natty. I was an inch away from making Mystery Jets an entry for best album, but there were just a few too many clunkers on the record. Close call, though. (#9, Best album)

Luna (Bloc Party cover)-Death From Above 1979 (#11, Best album)

Exit Music (For a Film) (radiohead cover)-Vampire Weekend. (#9, Best album)

Tags: Best of 2008

BLACK MOUNTAIN, FEB 2008

Posted on December 24th, 2008 by ekko

Black Mountain had the 17th best album of the year.  Not enough of you heard it or gave it a chance, so I’m posting a live show from February to get you interested.  There are two tastes below, the rest of the set is in the zip file.

Before that, though, don’t forget to enter the Trojan Condoms giveaway –there’s still a few days left–and stick around for the end of this post for a couple cool things I’m diggin’ right now.

Stormy High

Stay Free

ZIP FILE

Culturebully’s top 15 mash ups of 2008. (Follow link)

Ragged Claws’ Free EP (Follow link)

DENT MAY & HIS MAGNIFICENT UKULELE AND THE WAY BACK MACHINE

Posted on December 23rd, 2008 by ekko

Somewhere between Jonathan Coulton and The Beach Boys comes Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele and the Way Back Machine. Quirky is definitely a word that’s going to be attached to Dent May’s record, but that adjective is too generic and simple to capture this charming, complex, touching and sometimes profane album. Take “Love Song 2009.” In it, May promises to “love you for all time,” and begs his intended not to “break my heart come summer” because that would be a “bummer.” It’s a simple song, and bounces along merrily to the ukulele accompanying it, but in its simplicity one is reminded of all those fears, lying in bed during second semester with the girlfriend-of-the-semester, trading promises of forever more out of fear of loss than a true desire to share a future. Picture a tender, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” song about “staying in bed ‘til noon” that later reveals that “you came over in dressed in leather.” It’s the honest, funny surprising lyrics that keep me listening, but juxtaposing modern
sexuality against a 1950s vibe adds to the overall mood of the album.

Dent May’s album is pure genius. I don’t know if he can do more than make crisp, charming Beach Boy knock-offs, but even this is his whole schtick, it’s quite literally a perfect, flawless album.

For fans of: Jens Lekman, Frank Zappa, The Beach Boys, Of Montreal, Animal Collective.

Meet Me In the Garden

Love Song 2009.

BONUS COVER:

Surfin’ USA-Warren Zevon

PLUS: THE OUGHT-EIGHT SOCIAL REGISTRY LABEL MIXTAPE!

You can cop 2 neat mixtapes of Blood on the Wall, Gang Gang Dance, and Growing, with some rare tracks, gratis of the label, by right-clicking below:

2008 Mix Tape: Album cuts
Bonus Mix Tape: Rarities