2010 was a dull year for discovering new bands; caught between over hype and under hype, the ripe atmosphere for discovery is quickly diminishing. The Cults signed to Columbia Records, Tennis played their first New York show at the large capacity Terminal 5, Blackberry got maximum coverage out of a Tune Yards song, Best Coast and Wavves annoyed the half of us with their money-friendly philosophy on selling out. So I stuck to, for the most part, old favorites who made great new releases. As far as releases go, that Future Islands put out their first proper full length, and that Lower Dens became a band, were probably the highlights for me. I wonder whatever happened to Yellow Fever’s release, though — their new songs seemed ready to go pretty early in the year! But here it is, the top 10.

Download this mix from MediaFire here.
Full list after the jump.

#10 The Books, The Way Out

#9 Thee Oh Sees, Warm Slime

#8 Callers, Life of Love

#7 Tony Castles, No Service

#6 Motel Motel, The Big Island

#5 Lower Dens, Twin-Hand Movement

#4 Dark Dark Dark, Wild Go

#3 Quiet Hooves, Saddle Up!

#2 Future Islands, In Evening Air

#1 The Tallest Man on Earth, The Wild Hunt

Download the mix

Best of new* music to make your Monday morning bounce. Download the huzzah.

1. “Psychedelic Mice” – Weekends (Psychedelic Mice cassette)
2. “Ups & Downs” – Blackbird Blackbird (Happy High EP)
3. “Best in the Class” – Late of the Pier (Best in the Class EP)
4. “Argentine Pears” – Experimental Dental School (Forest Field)
5. “South Carolina” – Tennis (South Carolina 7″)
6. “Bermuda Triangle” – YellowFever (Bermuda Triangle EP)
7. “Little Brown Haired Girl” – Frankie & the Outs (Self-titled)
8. “Make Time” – Dark Dark Dark (Bright Bright Bright EP)
9. “David” – Yawn (Y.A.W.N EP)
10. “Pirates” – Tony Castles

Cover image by Kevin Eder

*and the occasional old

Zola Jesus was the interviewer. Keep an eye out for the video.

Breakfast was delicious. Meat tasted like bursts of flavor, and unlike meaty meat. But the best part was the mushy beans. Yum.

The adorable Darlings / Famous Class crew was there as well.

Went over to Dominican Joe to catch the Supply and Demand party. The cafe was perfect for the show; spacious indoors with amazing acoustics and a sunny “backyard” for an alternate stage.

The Daredevil Christopher Wright were ending their set when we got there. They sounded quiet-folk-pop good. The sound was so crisp.

Dark Dark Dark Our main reason for making it to this show.

Pup!! Look how attentively he’s listening. And so non-chalant. Freaking hipster.

La Strada from Brooklyn.

Love me some cello.

Vandaveer Voices sounded great in this space. The set was on the slower/quieter side (newer songs), but a few goose-bump moments with Mark’s voice and his blazing eyes.

Dosh Surprisingly, not very engaging live.

Headed back to Longbranch Inn for Austin Imposition Night 2 by Impose.

Teengirl Fantasy opened.

A Sunny Day in Glasgow Not that exciting.

Total Slacker Ever so full of entertainment, but I don’t quite get the music.

Girls at Dawn Didn’t like. Kind of high-pitched.

The Fresh and Only’s Everyone was really into it. They had the lights off, though, so I didn’t try taking more photos.

Woods Loved it. They sound way more interesting live.

Thee Oh Sees Epic. So epic I could barely take photos. There was beer bath and bleeding involved.

Brigid is badass.

And so is he. He spit high into the air and swallowed it right back in.

Download Rain On by Woods
Download Bright Bright Bright by Dark Dark Dark
Download Ruby Go Home by Thee Oh Sees
Download The East Coast by The Dare Devil Christopher Wright
Download Woolgathering by Vandaveer

The memorable cello refrains that haunt most Dark Dark Dark songs were noticeably absent last night, as cellist Jonathan Kaiser wasn’t around, but there was plenty of heartbreak in the whimpers of Walt McClements’ trumpet, the wails of the clarinet, the sullenness of the piano, the bowed sounds of Todd Chandler’s upright bass, and Nona Marie’s able voice. To perk things up, there were, as always, the accordion and Marshall LaCount’s banjo. It was an intimate “Hooves on the Turf presents” show at the small space at Sycamore, and they played for about an hour. They play Le Poisson Rouge tonight at 9!

Posted below are “Silver Spade”, a combo of “Say the Word” and “Make Time”, and a cover of “Wild Goose Chase” by Elephant Micah from last night’s show. Despite massive difference in personalities, and because of the addition of piano, you might just really dig these songs if you’re a fan of Regina Spektor.

Download “Silver Spade (live at Sycamore)”
Download “Say the Word / Make Time (live at Sycamore)
Download “Wild Goose Chase (live at Sycamore)”

Set list / All the Things / The Hand / Robert / Bright Bright / Junk Bones / Silver Spade / Trouble / Something For / Say the Word / Make Time / Wild Goose Chase (Elephant Micah cover)

Sycamore,
Ditmas Park, Brooklyn
July 9, 2009

You know how I always say their shows make you think you’re on some sort of a boat? Well prepare to sway and float on imaginary waves of far-reaching and heart-crunching dark-chocolate flavors of bitterness and sweetness of melodies and words (!), because it’ll be Nona Marie’s and Marshall’s already superbly complimentary and forlorn voices booming in that boat of a room to the tides and yearnings of Walt’s trumpet and the murmurs of Todd’s bass! Come on out with an emotionally able heart then, won’t you? It’s $10 at the door.

Download “Colors”
Download “New York Song”

July 9 | $10 | 9:30 PM | Sycamore, 1118 Cortelyou Rd, Brooklyn, NY 11218

We got inside and had These United States for breakfast.

We went on a mission to see Parenthetical Girls at Radio Room.

They were awesome. I’m a fan of the drama front man Zac Pennington introduces to their live shows, syncing the movement of picking a guitar up with the tempo of a quickening phrase, throwing one cymbal at a time on the floor to the beat and later playing them squatted, and so on. It’d be one thing if it seemed like he was trying too hard, but I’m convinced that this is how Zac would perform even when nobody’s watching. He’s obsessed with the relationship of his movements to the music, and I love it.

There’s also the undeniable effect of Rachel Jensen’s divine stature and intense face.

Zac walked around quite a bit.

He jumped off the stage to play this pole.

And this floor.

Referring to the comedian who went before them, Zac mentioned they didn’t quite have the guts that Alex the comedian did, but I think they did, and much more.

Line continued outside, but it continued to move swiftly.

We made our way outside of the downtown area, back to the eastern part of the town. Treasure City is the back of a thrift store, and some of the coolest DIY kids in Austin had organized a show and were playing too. Reverse X Rays were on when we got there.

The saxophone player was running around half naked.

What’s Up was next. Their music was pleasant.

DD/MM/YY

This free distribution of coffee and grilled cheese sandwiches is one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen.

A member of Quiet Hooves was sitting there making one grilled cheese sandwich after the next.

And his friends were helping him out.

His other friends were dancing.

My reason for being there, other than Treasure City being a fun place to hang out at, was Tune Yards.

She blew everyone away. I don’t have many pictures of the set because I was filming it. Will be edited and posted once I’m back in New York. Someone gave her CDs of his band because he was so impressed with her performance.

Merrill sold copies of her vinyl, Bird-Brains.

No Kids and Parenthetical Girls were there. They’re touring together.

The No Kids Tune Yards fist bump.

Next stop was Iron Gate to catch Dark Dark Dark at the Minneapolis party. They’d just started their set.

I was extremely pleased to run into Caroline Smith (of Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps), Sara Lucas of Callers and Walt McClements of Hurray for the Riff Raff there. Jesse Elliott of These United States and Peter Silberman of The Antlers were there, too.

Nona Marie was looking particularly lovely, I thought.

With Jesse Elliott with t-shirt holes.

Back to Ms. Bea’s, our resting place. Todd P’s patio parties were getting more and more crowded by the day. I felt like everyone I knew from Brooklyn was there that night.

20. Those Darlins

This is the sound I was looking for when I clicked on far too many terrible country bands from the SXSW official artist list. I’m sticking with Those Darlins instead.

Download “Wild One“

19. Hurray for the Riff Raff

When Walt McClements plays that accordion and Alynda Lee sings her sad songs, there’s no sense at all in leaving the room.
Watch their “Secret Garden” video.

Download “Grocery (Live at the Secret Garden)“

18. Fanfarlo

I really dislike the high synth lines in this particular song, and there’s one track in their album Reservoir that sounds a little too much like its arrangement was modeled after Beirut, but this voice is too good to resist.

Download “Harold T. Wilkins“

17. Liz Green

What a hauntingly magnificent voice. In her live performances she is joined by the fabulous Gus Fairbairn and John Fairhurst (whose solo set itself is sure to be awesome). Liz doesn’t have any unofficial shows planned as of now, but you can follow my twitter if you’re interested in keeping up with any last-minute performances and/or house shows she’s sure to play.

Download “Midnight Blues“

16. Sharon Van Etten

One of a kind, and best paired with whiskey. She’s only playing unofficial shows.
Watch her “Secret Garden” video.

Download “It’s Not Like“

15. Left Lane Cruiser

This just sounds like an enormous amount of fun.

Download “Big Momma“

14. Cotton Jones

Paranoid Cocoon is a fine album, and Cotton Jones is one of the most graceful bands today.

Download “Blood Sentimental Blues“

13. Motel Motel

Motel Motel is easily one of the more interesting bands to have recently come out of Brooklyn.

Download “Coffee“

12. Dark Dark Dark

Their sea-bound traveling songs are always a treat. They’re only playing unofficial shows.
Watch their “Secret Garden” video.

Download “New York Song“

11. Adam Arcuragi

I love Adam’s wholesome voice; there’s just the right combination of swagger and heartbreak in it. He’s only playing unofficial shows.
Watch a video of him playing with his friends from These United States.

Download “The Bottom of the River (Live at IOTA)“

10. Lonnie Walker

It doesn’t look like there’s been much recorded, yet there’s an unmistakable and likable personality that comes through in the few songs available.

Download “Compass Comforts“

9. Micachu

This is probably the band in this list that intrigues me the most.

Download “Golden Phone“

8. Callers

When Sara Lucas sings, you can be sure that it’s to your benefit. It probably even makes your heart healthier. Callers is from Brooklyn.
Watch their “Secret Garden” video.

Download “More Than Right“

7. Suckers

Suckers is equipped with a great drummer and a fantastic combination of two very distinct voices; hopefully Quinn Walker has recovered his by now, after losing it temporarily. Suckers is also from Brooklyn.

Download “Afterthoughts and TV (Demo)“

6. Drink Up Buttercup

These guys seem to deliver engaging shows without a fail; probably because they’re some of the most confident and assertive performers I’ve ever seen, and they’re totally bent on making the shows fun for themselves.
Watch their “Secret Garden” video.

Download “Sosey Dosey (Live at Earfarm’s CMJ show)“

5. Floating Action

My favorite new band. Their upcoming self-titled is already one of my best-loved of the year.

Download “50 Lashes“

4. The Tallest Man on Earth

I guess Kristian Matsson must lead at least two lives, because he most certainly leads one in my dreams!

Download “The Gardener“

3. These United States

It’s a good thing These United States plays so many shows so very often, because I’m pretty close to becoming dependent on seeing them perform every now and then. I’d like to think that I’ve seen many great bands who are brilliant on stage, but not all of them have the dangerous effect of acting like a magnetic field to what you consider important and what you don’t. In your life, I mean.
Watch their “Secret Garden” video.

Download “Honor Amongst Thieves“

2. Tune Yards

Some of the most important songs I’ve heard recently are from Tune Yards’ album, Bird-Brains. Merrill Garbus, the woman behind it, is a rare jewel; her songs have nine lives, and her voice is their overarching, irreplaceable mother-ship. You’re gonna have to be driven if you want to catch her though: I was told she’ll most definitely be playing only one show, that being the Force Field PR + Asthmatic Kitty party. I’m guessing her other band Sister Suvi’s multiple-show schedule has something to do with it.
Watch her “Secret Garden” video.

Download “Hatari“

1. White Denim

Badass! Their album Exposion is one of my absolute favorites from the last two years, but I’ve never seen them play before. I’m on a high-priority mission to catch at least one White Denim show while in Austin this week.

Download “Don’t Look That Way at It“

On a side note, there will be no Secret Garden shows for the next two Tuesdays, but there will be daily updates from Austin, and there will be new videos after I return. If any of the twenty artists listed here interest you, you should follow me on Twitter.

Not that anyone’s even awake today, but here’re a few more presents. Dark Dark Dark’s set at Union Pool was much more fun than the relatively stiff one at Cake Shop. The last song they played was “Flood”, which isn’t on their album, but was performed for a forthcoming Daytrotter session, I hear. Nona got off the stage and joined the audience for a massive bout of swaying and singing. The video of this, and “The Benefit of the Doubt”, which features a few heart-gripping cello lines, are after the jump; as is ”True Believers All” by the Loom, whose front man John Fanning was celebrating his 28th birthday that night.

[Update: Pictures added]

Dark Dark Dark

From Cleveland:

Nona taught us this new dance move:

Jonathan insisted it was just stretching:

The Loom

Loom dancer breaks out:

Union Pool,
December 19, 2008

Websites: Dark Dark Dark, The Loom

Callers played this show, too.

20 “Run to Your Grave” by The Mae-Shi

A song to play really loud and jump to, whenever one feels the need to be an ecstatic, aimless punk, which one should feel often, I guess. Taken from Hlllyh.

19. “Oceanic” by Imaad Wasif

When Imaad Wasif played with his band at Cake Shop, the loud treatment of his songs made his delicate voice gasp for air under the weight of all that noise. Then there was a rare moment when everything was quiet and he slowly pulled his voice away from the microphone, and those few seconds had the ache of a dagger through the heart. “Oceanic” is a song where you can hear some of that; a voice that must hurl itself towards everything that will ruin it so that it can resurface all alive and resilient.

18. “Klara” by Ólöf Arnalds

The only non-English song in the list, and this one’s in Icelandic. It reminds me of clothes hung to dry, blowing through the wind, and clouds chasing in over a blue hill. Blue! Whispers of accordion from somewhere not too far.

17. “I Can’t Tell in His Eyes” by Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Mariam Wallentin prefers a highly stylized approach to singing, one that makes her sound primal and aggressive. Sometimes it sounds overworked, but most times it just sounds pretty damn impressive. This song, however, is an unusual slip where she just sings, without a cloak or a mask of any sort. Filled with scenic evocations of the everyday, it’s pretty colorful for a break-up song. Then there’s this killer: “She is the country / That deeply betrayed him / So now he’s moving to Spain / Now he’s packing his things / All of his belongings / And I can’t tell in his eyes / If he’s gonna cry or if he’s gonna fight”. Taken from Heartcore.

16. “Fools” by The Dodos

Rhythm drives The Dodos. The boyish melodies serve to hold the the drums from running too far; the words are a vessel for rhymes; and the consonants are the necessary evil to vowels. “Fools” is a good mix of these things.

15. “Bleed Blood” by City Center

What it feels like to swim under water and let yourself go. City Center’s Fred is a river that runs through Brooklyn.

14. “Dance Dance Dance” by Lykke Li

A song of sweetness, and hips; it reminds me of Vanessa Paradis. Taken from Youth Novel.

13. “The Waves” by Princeton

“The Waves” is an elaborate work of production by Princeton. It’s somewhat silly, with all its tropical inclinations; somewhat dorky, with all its literary references; but all the while endearing; and there’re quite a few places to visit here in 3 minutes and 15 seconds. Taken from their four-song EP, Bloomsbury.

12. “The Nights Pt. 1” by The Builders and the Butchers

I was lucky I got to this band at a tiny dive bar in Connecticut filled with crazed fans who knew all of the songs. Two drummers packed into the corner and faces red and wet with sweat. This is the first song off their self-titled album, a world where you must grow beards, wear big black hats, carry shovels everywhere you go, and sing loudly over beer all the freaking time. Even if you’re a woman. Plus, what an awesome band name, and so filled with character.

11. “Rapture (Sweet Rapture)” by AA Bondy

Here’s how it begins: “I don’t wanna talk about Jesus / I just wanna see his face / The trees are swinging like hanging men /And I just wanna see his face”. Then it gets better; it’s as if the shadows give over to the sun, still water begins to run, and the day breaks as the chorus hits in a swooping lift: “Rapture, sweet rapture / Won’t you lay your hands on me”. But wait, it gets better still: “Mary take that silver dagger / Put it through my throat”. Sung in that amazing voice of AA Bondy’s and taken from that amazing album, American Hearts.

10. “One Cotton Shot Short” by Matt Jones

These verses smell like waffles and they melt in your mouth. It’s taken from The Black Path, which I don’t think is out yet. I stole it from Jesse Elliott’s Mixmas.

9. “More Than Right” by Callers

I’ve been hanging on to this song ever since I heard it back in the summer, though I know little about this Brooklyn band… what a great voice, what a drunkenly staggering pace, and what a night these lovers must have whisked through. They’re playing at Union Pool tonight, the 19th.

8. “The Butcher” by Final Fantasy

Owen Pallett writes a song that sounds like rainbows and butterflies, waterfalls and waves, despite a title that suggests otherwise. Taken from Spectrum, 14th Century, one of the two EPs he released this year.

7. “Trouble No More” by Dark Dark Dark

“I’ll take these rosy cheeks of mine / And be headed south”

6. “Mister Jung Stuffed” by Man Man

A song that captures everything Man Man. Incredible musicians, enthusiastic and consistent theatrics; goofballs, hooligans, drunkards. It opens this year’s Rabbit Habits.

5. “Horn Song” by Suckers

This tune here? A soundtrack for your trip to the gate where angels drink wine, play cards and call each other whores; and you’ll be the most beautiful person when you get there.

4. “Original Bones” by Cotton Jones

“The last time I tried to be so original / I broke all my original bones”

3. “Drops in the River” by Fleet Foxes

“White Winter Hymnal” was the first song I heard and loved from these here Fleet Foxes (like everyone else), but “Drops in the River” was the one I really clung to; it’s got all the goodness of White Winter, but it travels further. I think of them as the same person at different ages, I don’t know which one’s older. This one’s the younger, probably.

There was an unbelievable overabundance of overrated crap this year (Cut Copy – what?), as was there a lot of great music that not everyone discovered and loved as deserved. Then they’re all these year-end lists that are themselves the most overrated act of every freaking year. But, I love Fleet Foxes, and the amount of love and hate that’s been directed towards them, or perhaps the obscene extent of fame they seem to have found (but fame is a ridiculously nonsensical by nature), has ultimately nothing at all to do with my own enjoyment of their songs. They use the language of music with care, compassion and devotion, they seem to understand it really well, and this language, which unleashes its power over your heart than it does your brain, is a funny thing. Right? While it’s great to be articulate about how you feel about music (despite everything, the writers at Pitchfork are really good), it’s terrible to be unable to enjoy music with your heart. I don’t understand why it matters so much that the guy from Fleet Foxes sounds a little like the guy from My Morning Jacket… I really believe in Robin Pecknold. I think he’s good for us. Us humans.

2. “The Gardener” by The Tallest Man on Earth

Heart breaker of a song, everything about it will stab you.

1. “A Day to Float the Bahnar Boat” by These United States

When I first heard this song, my blood level dropped to an all-time low. About 30 seconds in I was having an existential awakening, thinking, “What am I going to do with my life?“, and after I’d recovered, “What were they thinking?” When I made other people listen to it they didn’t quite freak out like I had, which kind of reaffirms my belief that taste is all physics. Everything to do with heart rate and blood levels and how the molecules of the songs fit into the molecules of you. For me, this is one of the most perfect songs ever: in its few words and the compassionate melodies that accompany them, it contains not one but several, unending life cycles, and there’s nothing quite as thrilling as a life. Nothing quite so filled with an exploding spectrum of emotions like hope, triumph, loss, disappointment, sadness, happiness, and so on, all of which I felt when I listened to it the first time.

It was recorded as a free track for Peppermill’s 52 weeks project, for the Spring set in particular. From what I understand, Jesse Elliott took parts from this article in the Washington Post–which was published in the week the band had been assigned by Peppermill–and rearranged them into lyrics. They’ve credited the article’s author Joshua Zumbrun for the lyrics, but that is a lie, essentially. The words and phrases may have been lifted, but the effect they have in the song owes entirely to what parts were picked, and how they were edited and rearranged. Then there’s Tom Hnatow with his haunting glockenspiel and piano…
]]> http://hoovesontheturf.com/200812/best-songs-2008/feed 7 http://hoovesontheturf.com/200812/dark-dark-dark-cake-shop http://hoovesontheturf.com/200812/dark-dark-dark-cake-shop#comments Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:16:49 +0000 sarahana http://hoovesontheturf.com/?p=2171

Download “Colors” | It may have been the little-loved Tuesday, bastard child of the week, all yuckified with snow-turned-slush, and a flurry going on still, but Dark Dark Dark played to a Cake Shop basement that was as full as it was the night The Dodos played their secret show there. Most of those present were pirates and vagabonds and people of that nature who I imagine have infiltrated the city of New York for years, or perhaps they had only momentarily gotten off their travels for drinks and music. The band knew their names, and they knew the lyrics to all of the band’s songs. Some of them danced. They were all friends. It made me feel like I was crashing someone else’s party, but it was a good party. Move onward for video!

This being my first time seeing them at a proper “show setup”, however, there were two odd feelings. One, their music is so much a traveler’s, that it didn’t seem right we weren’t in motion; that Cake Shop wasn’t a boat, or a car of a train, and we weren’t going somewhere. I think the music rolled its eyes that it was being asked to sit still. Two, there was reverb on Nona Marie and Marshall LaCount’s roaming voices, but it seemed like the music (Mr. Music from hereon?) wanted to reject that industrial treatment, that the voices just wanted to be raw and amplified by its own might, not some equipment. But Mr. Music was a determined music, and so he would sound great anyway.

In the words of Marshall LaCount, the band’s playing Boston today and two Providence shows tomorrow and the day after, since these places are on the way to Union Pool, Brooklyn, which they play this Friday the 19th. “A geographical joke,” cellist Jonathan Kaiser added; bassist Todd Chandler then led the room to a sing-along. Watch last night’s performance of “Junk Bones”, embedded here for your pleasure.

Cake Shop,
New York, New York
Dec 16, 2008