Have you witnessed the furor over L Magazine’s “8 NYC Bands You Need to Hear” list on Brooklyn Vegan? Spare yourself, I guess! With much love to all the bands who made it, especially The Beets, here’s my own the list. My exciting eight have been picked with much less consideration for obscurity, but all these bands are still in a position where they could gladly use more hype/love/praises.

Sharon Van Etten

Sharon Van Etten (pictured) is one bold woman. She wraps all her heartbreaks in a blanket and spreads ‘em out, all at once, with a devastating voice accompanied by just an acoustic guitar, in a place like New York City. Can you imagine the amount of guts that is required in this preferred activity of hers? A newly produced version of “Consolation Prize” will be available in Sharon’s upcoming debut, Because I Was in Love, out in May.

Download “Consolation Prize (Demo)“

Suckers

In a world where mediocre singers and drummers have it surprisingly easy, Suckers is strung along four very strong co-ordinates: Quinn Walker and Austin Fischer both have notable voices, and with help from drummer Brian Aiken and multi-instrumentalist Pan, the rhythms and melody constructions are refreshing. Despite their four-track EP, it’s still too early to say what kind of might they will bring to their recordings, but if you’re lucky enough to catch them at a decent venue, their live shows are a pleasure. Quinn’s voice is stellar not in the “he’s got amazing volume/control/range” way, but in the “he really knows what he wants” way. Here’s an interview I did with them for The Tripwire.

You should really listen to “Beach Queen”, which is the strongest off their EP, but I’m not allowed to post it and it’s not on their myspace either. I guess you’ll have to buy it.

Download “Easy Chairs (Demo)“

Callers

Any NYC emerging-band list that excludes Callers is an incomplete list. Sara Lucas’ voice is a marvel, and we should send her and Ryan Seaton weekly gifts of thanks for even deciding to move to this brutal place. “Rone” is taken from their album, Fortune (Buy it).

Download “Rone“

Harlem Shakes

Even though I don’t consider myself a huge Harlem Shakes fan, I find no good reason to deny, from any perspective, that this is a solid band showing all signs of having its shit together. Apart from the singer, who’s somewhat low key on stage, everyone in the band is well-versed in the art of rocking out, too.”Nothing But Change” is taken from their latest, Technicolor Health (Buy it).

Download “Nothing But Change“

Glass Ghost

Glass Ghost are Eliot Krimsky and Mike Johnson. It seems that Eliot is interested in sonic experiences in the physical landscape, and a lot of this comes through the music. The haunting timbre of his voice is apt for the style. Their full-length is in the works, and an EP is available for $5.50.

Download “Like a Diamond“

Motel Motel

Their sound isn’t quite breaking new grounds, but I’m enamored by the drumming and singing on their newest album, New Denver. You might hear some distant cousins of a band like Muse in there, but none of the big, leaping gasps of breath or the eternal sense of doom. The song structures feel harmonious and they come with a quirky sense of playfulness. Buy the album.

Download “Coffee“
Download “Harlem“

Telepathe

These two are label mates of Suckers (on I Am Sound Records), but that’s not the reason why the two bands are somewhat comparable. Fresh beats all around. “Lights Go Down” is taken from their Dance Mother (Buy it: CD or Vinyl).

Download “Lights Go Down“

Bell

Though there aren’t many recordings to go by, I love Olga Bell’s voluminous voice; I’m tempted to call it busty. But from the little I’ve heard, it seems like she’s got the sensibility to keep things engaging, though some of it feels a little too constructed at times.

Download “Magic Tape“

Glasslands seems like the kind of place where interesting things are just waiting to happen, like some hippie collective’s tree house where you build your own furniture and create things all day; and there’s something warm about its minimal appearance. But when it’s super-packed, like it was yesterday at the Suckers and Heeb Magazine’s release party, its eccentric layout can be quite a challenge to mobility, which is probably just as well, but if you were by the merch table, which was at the inside end of the room, and you wanted to head to the bathroom, which has a shower and hangs from the wall on the opposite side of the room, wading through that sea of people was going to be a decision you want to toss in your head for a while. I know, it add charms to the whole experience. By the time Suckers ended their set, though, shoving yourself out on the street seemed like a terrific idea, even though Chris Keating from Yeasayer, a band I like so much, was about to DJ.

Download “Easy Chairs“

The room was darkly lit and Suckers played against the backdrop of some Brazilian parade. It turns out I have a terrible luck when it comes to filming this band, as I don’t have a single satisfactory footage to date. Yesterday I was holed up in an entirely impractical spot to shoot from (sound-wise), so I won’t even bother posting the clips (but there was a crew filming). I don’t know if it was where I was standing (probably was), but I couldn’t hear the two voices very well, which was sad because I love their voices. The first time I saw them was at Music Hall of Williamsburg, where the sound was pristine and the effect was incredible when Quinn Walker got into the explosive part of “Save Your Body”, so of course there’s some disappointment that the microphone levels were a little weird overall. The trumpet sounded great though, and it was probably a test of the band’s resilience that the muddiness didn’t entirely swallow up the details. What all this means anyway is I guess I’ll have to catch at least one show at their upcoming four-week residency at Pianos, where I’m sure the sound will be clear and crisp.

[PS: I forgot to mention how exciting it always is when they play "Roman Candles". And that it was Pan's birthday. And that during the part in "It Gets Your Body Movin'" when Quinn hits the floor tom (I think is what they call it?), it tumbled, so he had to hit the cymbal instead, which gave his hand bruises.]

When Suckers arrived in Austin to play their first SXSW show, they’d just come from New Orleans and were wearing Mardi Gras beads around their necks. That show was at Club 1808 (in “Crack Central”), where after their set some local women grabbed the microphone and told them they were all very sexy. There was one Brooklyn expat who had come specifically to see them (but seemed to know little about them), and there were others who asked us excitedly during  the show, “What is the name of this band?“. When we told them what it was, the word “Suckers” spread out in a wave of whispers and giggles. The next day, we got into their Malverde show very last minute. The party was “All that Sparkles”, and sure enough there were balloons covering the floor outside the bathrooms, that’s how much it sparkled. The venue was in a slightly more posh area, and the stage was a balcony several floors up, looking out to other tall buildings and down on the streets. When we were running late and walking very fast towards the venue, we were able to identify a tiny figure of Quinn Walker, way up on the balcony, from all the beads he had on.

Download “Easy Chairs“

Their set was really good and it was one of my favorites at SXSW, though they’re much better in person than in the video, the video does provide evidence of why the party’s hostess Rebecca Havemeyer called drummer Brian Aiken a stallion. They have an EP release party coming up on April 23 at Glasslands Gallery and a four-week Pianos residency in July right after they play a sold out show at Prospect Park with MGMT.

Details on the Apr 23 Glasslands show
8:00pm $5
Joint Release Party for Heeb Magazine’s Music Issue and Suckers EP
(free beer from 8-9pm)
Live performances by: Suckers and Tanlines

Pictures from the Malverde show are here.

Why not explore all of my SXSW ‘09 posts?

Website: Suckers

Harlem Shakes played an explosive set at their record release party last night. You would’ve thought that the band I last saw at Red Eyed Fly in Austin was someone else. They were often aided by two members of Brooklyn’s Frances, including Julia Tepper; a mighty three-men horn section that consisted of Jon Natchez (previously of Beirut), amongst others; and at one point, by drummer Daoud of Air Waves. They played several older songs that the fans went nuts about, though I myself prefer the newer ones that are much more percussive. Interestingly enough, singer Lexy Benaim’s voice is one of the stronger elements on record, but his band mates’ charged appearances on stage easily overshadow him during live shows. In the end, though, I’m not quite sure if their aesthetic fits within my favorites, but there’s no denying that Harlem Shakes is one of the finer Brooklyn bands around right now. Plus, their drummer Brent Katz is fantastic, and evidently they know how to throw a party.

Download “Stricty Game” by Harlem Shakes

Suckers

The aesthetics of Suckers, on the other hand, is a perfect match for my taste, so it’s been a little impossible for me to not like their live shows. After setting up, Quinn Walker returned to the stage with his make up on; it was a more refined piece of work this time, compared to the previous ones I’ve seen. They played the usual live favorites, including “Roman Candle”, “It Gets Your Body Moving”, “Afterthoughts and TV”, “Horn Song”, etc., and a new song they wrote on their 3-day tour that they played regularly in Austin as well.

Download “Afterthougths and TV” by Suckers

Air Waves

It was nice to catch up with Air Waves, as I’d missed all their shows at SXSW. Nicole Schneit has a really nice voice, and I like the drumming style too. Juan Wauters of The Beets sat on a chair in the left corner of the stage and paged through a magazine while not singing. I got into a little bit of trouble with him for plugging my ear-plugs-less ears with my fingers. He called me a “baby” afterwards! There was one guitar amp that Air Waves and Suckers used that was way too loud and harsh where I was standing, though it was much more apparent in Air Waves due to the nature of their music. It washed out the drums and the bass a little, which was unfortunate, but when they switched to an acoustic guitar for the last two songs, it sounded perfect.

Download “Kingdom” by Air Waves

Websites: Harlem Shakes, Suckers, Air Waves

Back at the venue, Slow Club had started to play.

Then we made our way back to the city where Suckers was playing a super fancy “All That Sparkles” party at Malverde, hosted by I Am Sound, ‘Sup Magazine and This Is Music. The sound was great there, and Suckers played one of my favorite sets.

Mapei was unable to make it, so Quinn Walker of Suckers filled in with a solo set with Brian.

But since his voice needed a rest, they handed it over to Brian’s brother Scott.

Couldn’t resist a smoke though.

The party’s hostess was Rebecca Havemeyer, who did a little number of her own.

Michachu and the Shapes, one of the bands I really wanted to see while I’m here, played next.

I’m a fan of Mica Levi’s nonchalant singing style.

With cowbells and confident drumming, the rhythm section was solid.

Peggy from The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is really easy to spot:

The band sang “Happy Birthday” for band mate Raisa Khan.

On our way to other adventures, there was this place:

And more musicians:

We arrived at Club 1808 to see The Tallest Man on Earth and Chairlift. Aids Wolf played first.

These folks obviously have incredible skills but I think you’d really have to be tortured by your own existence, at some level, to be in love with this kind of music, so when I say that this was one of my least favorite sets, it’s probably a compliment. It was like feeding a horse a bag of olives when what it really wants is just a quality stack of hay.

Plenty of gestures and drama in this performance though.

All the Saints was playing on the outside stage.

Chairlift was supposed to play inside at 7:00pm, but their drummer wanted to play the drums that was on the outside stage. They were told that if they could wrap up by 7:45pm, they were welcome to play outside.

They decided not to play the drums after all, but after some time spending setting up, this move to the outdoors resulted in a very short set comprising of 3 songs. Still, it was a great set.

And then finally! The Tallest Man on Earth! After being let down by his non-appearance at Paradise the previous night, I was extremely happy to see Kristian Mattson hanging out at the backyard. He was my quality stack of hay.

He and his crew, like Chairlift, were a little amused by the “inside stage” that was basically just a carpet in a tiny room. His manager made the best of it by turning some of the lights toward the performing area. At times during the set we’d hear one of the workers there chanting “coming through, coming through”. They were moving things around; including trash. And at other times we’d keep hearing the crazy band playing outside whenever the door to the backyard was left open. Kristian was amused by it all, but he sounded awesome. I’m pretty he’ll sound awesome no matter what unfriendly circumstances he plays in. After the set, he turned the lights back towards the audience to make the end of the show all the more proper (this made everyone laugh). I don’t have many pictures because I filmed the entire set, which I will edit and post once I’m back in New York.

We made our way back to the city for These United States at Elysium, which was to be my first official SXSW show to go to.

The venue was a little weird, but the band was in its best form. They rocked hard!

We left with them to go to a Daytrotter bonfire.

It was at Daytrotter’s Austin studio.

Cotton Jones was there, as were other familiar faces.

We reluctantly left this cozy spot to go to Habana Calle 6, where These United States had “Rough and Ready” to perform at the Songs for Presidents showcase. To my luck, Shilpa Ray was playing a solo song on a harmonium. She sounded fantastic. But I couldn’t take a picture because a friend of mine who was holding my camera for me was nowhere to be found at the time

Farzad Houshiarnejad of Drink Up Buttercup was found taking a nap.

At this strange place:

But he woke up to set the stage with the rest of the band.

He got on his knees and got right into it. This was one of my favorite shows I’ve seen in Austin so far.

These guys are known to get crazy on stage, but they do so without trying. An “instrument” like a trash can easily come across as a gimmick, or a prop, but when Drink Up plays it, the sound of smashing tin makes complete aural sense. That’s probably because unlike a lot of bands who’re great at putting on a memorable show but don’t have songs you’d want to listen to at home, the inherent design of Drink Up’s songs define all the signature qualities of their live shows. Nothing feels out of place or like an afterthought.

Ben Money has one of my favorite stage presences ever.

I love Mike Cammarata.

And James Harvey’s opera-influenced voice.

Then I headed out to the DCist party to see These United States at Friends Bar. Middle Distance Runner was playing when I got in.

After their set we stepped out to catch Joe Pug down the street at Paradise. There was music everywhere.

Joe Pug is from Chicago and he’s fantastic.

Back at Friends Bar, US Royalty was playing.

Then came These United States!

Middle Distance Runner watched intently.

We were back on the streets.

Musicians everywhere.

We headed to Ms. Bea’s for another of Todd P’s patio parties.

This time around, it was a New York Noise get-together. Box Elders were playing.

Pains of Being Pure at Heart was already there, in anticipation of their 9:00 PM set, but mostly to relax, I’m sure, since Ms. Bea’s seems perfect for a little break from all of the downtown madness.

I was there to see The Beets, from Jackson Heights, Queens, but it was impossible to judge. The sound at the venue was too washed out and muddy.

Someone hated haters:

Still Flyin’ played next.

Their guitar was broken in the course of their flight, so they played a borrowed one. They had a fun presence, and a lot of people were digging their music, but it’s not my thing.

Some people drew on the ground with chalk.

Let’s Wrestle played next.

Then we headed to Club 1808 to catch Suckers. Our cab driver told us that we were getting off at “crack central” and that he couldn’t believe we were being asked to come to this place. I don’t know where he was getting his information from. Club 1808 had a pleasant backyard with a nice stage, and the only person mean was a clean-looking white boy in a baseball cap who exited the premise yelling, “If you ain’t from Austin, you’re shit!” He was furious.

The Chap was playing. They’re British. They were really into poses that were synced with the lyrics and the music. Like this one:

And this one:

Or this, which they froze in at the end of their set for a full minute I think. Their songs were silly but their performance was really tight.

The schedule was kind of all over the place. Dark Meat wasn’t even supposed to play, but they did.

Their band members were sprawled all over the lawn and the stage.

Slow Club came on next.

They started with acoustic songs and tried out electric ones.

They ended with an unamplified song amongst the audience.

Casio Kids from Norway played next. Even though their music isn’t my type, their sound was crisp and every detail was a fine cut. They were dorky in that Norwegian dance band way, but they were fun.

The Mae-Shi were supposed to be the headliners but they played before other bands. To put on an unforgetable and engaging show is their practiced art, even though they’re a little show-off-y for my liking, and sometimes some things can feel like tricks being pulled out of a bag. But if you’re looking for an amazing concert experience, you should see the Mae-Shi.

Rebecca of Slow Club, who performed her version of The Mae-Shi’s “Run To Your Grave” later on, watched on.

There were more guest performances.

The band I went to see was Suckers, even though I’d promised myself to not run after bands I already like, let alone bands I already like that are from Brooklyn. I’m glad I went to see them though, they provided much-needed nourishment for the overworked musical sensibilities. They also played a song they’d just written on their 3-day-old tour, which happens to be their first tour ever.

Quinn Walker’s voice isn’t quite fully back yet, but he was fearlessly pushing it, and it sounds awesome even in its injured form.

After this I headed back to Paradise to catch The Tallest Man on Earth, who was set to go on at 1AM, but he never showed. I found out the next day that the schedule was all backed up, and he would’ve had to go on at 3AM if he were to catch up, so he cancelled his performance. Instead of his goodness, I was stuck with this band from LA. They played pretty good and they seem well-intentioned, but most LA bands live in a world I can’t relate to, so I was extremely bored.

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.

Here’s a schedule of Secret Garden releases coming in the near future. If you’re unfamiliar with this ever-changing, magical garden, it is a video series in which I film bands performing a few songs outside the context of a regular show. Along with the schedule you’ll also find some “candid band photos” that, as a tradition of my own, I take after each shoot–though sometimes I forget.

If you’re a blogger who’d like to write a preview for any of these episodes before they release, just email me at hoovesontheturf [at] gmail [dot] com and I’ll give you access to an “advanced screening” of a sort. Thanks!

2009 Winter/Spring Release Dates for Secret Garden Video Series

Feb 13 – The Minor White (impromptu session)

Mp3 coming soon.

Feb 17 - Drink Up Buttercup

Download “Sosey & Dosey (Live at Ear Farm CMJ Showcase)” (via Ear Farm)

Feb 24 – Tune Yards

Download “Hatari”

Mar 3 – Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps

Download “Closing the Doors”

Mar 6 – Matt Jones

Download “One Cotton Shot Short”

Mar 10 – Suckers

Download “Afterthoughts and TV (Demo)”

If the songs Suckers have been playing live are any indication of their upcoming album, and I’m sure they are, then I already have a top favorite of the year. Watching them live at Webster Hall’s The Studio, where the acoustics seems to be of the crappy variety that ruthlessly blends ordinary distinctions into a big fat muddle, I couldn’t help noticing how much definition these songs seemed to have, and how easily they overcame that muddle-making machine of a venue. I only have the video of “Horn Song” posted after the jump, but every song they played was pristine, with a world of its own. Besides, both Austin and Quinn have divine voices and will sound divine no matter what they sing. Their drummer Brian is distinctly amazing too. They’re playing Crash Mansion next, on Feb 7. Download “Horn Song” by Suckers

Onward for the video.

“Horn Song” by Suckers
Please link back to this page if embedding this video or any other image.

Turn HD on and watch in Full Screen mode

The Studio, Webster Hall
New York, NY
January 24, 2009

Websites: Suckers

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…
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