Over the holidays I’ll be posting a small amount of leftovers and other unused material that will serve as my holiday gifts to you. This is the first of them, Bon Iver’s cover of The Outfield’s “Your Love”, as performed at Music Hall of Williamsburg on December 12, 2008, as taped by me (it’s not the same recording as the You Tube video that’s floating around). Also included is “Beach Baby”, as performed at the same show. It’s off the forthcoming EP, Blood Bank, which comes out January 20 and is available for pre-order.

Download “Your Love (The Outfield cover)” by Bon Iver
Download “Beach Baby” by Bon Iver

If you post these mp3s, please credit and link back to this page, or else I will think of you as unworthy of this gift and put a massive Bon Iver curse on you. Massive.

As previously posted:
Download “King of Spain” by The Tallest Man on Earth

You know that voice of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon’s? The one that sounds like specks of moon come colliding into bells of rain under an ever-widening evening sky? It churned out a lot of fans this year, including one Zach Condon of Beirut (pictured below, at Friday night’s show), most of whom seemed pretty devoted, showing up early, sushing out the chatters and singing their hearts out when asked. Three consecutive dates in the city sold out fast, and some bought tickets for up to $200 per pair on Craigslist. Then there were those, like one friend of a friend who made a trip from Boston, who traveled from elsewhere. That, and I haven’t seen many “Best of 2008″ album lists that didn’t include Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago, even though it was released in 2007 and re-issued in 2008. Reflecting on this golden year, most of which was spent on the road, Justin said that he was “ready to come back down to earth” and that he felt somewhat bittersweet about having been done with what needed to be done for the year. Then there were all these songs they played, some new ones from the forthcoming EP, and one cover. Favorite goosebumps moment that involved audience participation is captured in video.

(Zach Condon of Beirut at the show Friday night. They’re playing BAM on February 6. Thanks for posing, I know I made you feel awkward, sorry!)

Onward for videos! Hit continue! Now.

Tallest Man on Earth

“I don’t know what we were thinking, bringing that dude on tour with us,” said Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon about Swedish folk singer Kristian Matsson; who goes by the moniker Tallest Man on Earth and finds himself dazzled by, and dazzler of, the enchantments of Americana Folk. Justin added, “Dude’s record is something else.” Kristian exists in full troubadour state of mind, strolling intrestedly up to the edge of the stage between songs, tilting his head up and down to get a good look of those who’d gathered; with always a smirk on his face that was a mark of the pleasure within; and then bursting into his fomenting voice fit for winds that roll along certain hills, for sure.

In the easily likable “King of Spain”, he sang the lyrics “I wear my boots made of…” and stopped abruptly to ask, “Can I say it?”; then burst forth, “And I wear my boots made of spanish leather!“. Later on there was some talk of Bon Iver’s greatness when a few fans found it necessary to declare, “We came to watch you“. “Fuck you?”, Kristian misheard at some point. “No, we love you,” someone clarified, and Kristian responded, “That’s a lot a better.” He closed with a cover of “These Days”, of which video’s posted below.

Websites: Bon Iver, Tallest Man on Earth, Beirut

Music Hall of Williamsburg,
Brooklyn, NY
December 12, 2008

Best Album
These United States – Crimes
There’re so many things I have to say about this album, especially in the context of what has been said about it already, by others, but for now—as this post isn’t my ultimate “Best of 2008″ post, and it’s past 2AM as I write this—I’ll just say that the only I reason I’d pick this one over A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gate to the Garden of Eden, which they released in March of the same year, is that I have much faith in the current incarnation of the band, and Crimes is much more reflective of that incarnation; but other than that, I love both records equally. My choice of favorite song from Crimes keeps changing; presently it’s “West Won”, which is a really strong opener—it may not have hooks, or even melodies that care for memorability, but it’s so cinematic in its scope, and so filled with a rousing sense of premonitions, I find it totally gripping. Download “West Won“

Best Music Video
Fleet Foxes – “He Doesn’t Know Why“
My attachment to this video is pretty non-cerebral. That barn looks like I’d want to sleep there, and I love the colors used. I like that it’s a complete non-event: a non-linear bubbling-up of nothing at all. At first I thought I was indifferent to the goats, but actually, no, I love the goats; their shape, and in that number, with the tone and texture of their skin; these shapes, moving as they do, hold everything together… it helps that I love the song.

Best Live Act
These United States
To be precise, These United States at Union Hall on September 30. Judging a band’s authenticity is a tricky business, and, for the most part, probably futile, but what I like about watching this band live is that your experience of music as channeled through them feels like the real thing, whether or not you ultimately believe it to be the real thing—I do. I love seeing them in small spaces.

Indie Rock Crushes, Boy
Jesse Elliott of These United States, obviously.

Indie Rock Crushes, Girl
Lisa Molinaro of Talkdemonic. She’s badass. Nona Marie of Dark Dark Dark is a very close second. She’s also badass.

Most Overrated Act
Bon Iver
There’re so many, aren’t they? Picking between MGMT and Vampire Weekend, or Coldplay and M83 would be kind of pointless, so my sad vote is Bon Iver. I think they’re good, but the general consensus on just how good seems way more favorable than my own judgment would have it.

Best Music Blog
La Blogotheque

Best TV Show
I honestly don’t know. I watched Project Runway but that was pretty bad. I’m gonna pick MSNBC election coverage just because I was hooked to it like a maniac.

Best Movie
Love Songs
Even though this movie was affecting and lovable at first viewing, the weight of it sunk in slowly over time. The songs are silly, but they set the right tone, and the tone is everything? A close second is The Band’s Visit.

Best Web Video
I haven’t even watched more than half the choices they listed, but Lil Bill O’ Reilly was pretty special.