Jake Orrall of JEFF The Brotherhood at the Kool Haus in Toronto on February 7, 2012.

Tuesday night in Toronto, rock was stripped and brought back to its utmost basics and faces melted at the mere sight and sound of it.

Guitar licks were fat and distorted, vocals were melodic swirls and snarls, and the drums pounded away.  And yes, that’s right, there was no BASS.

First up, guitar and drum brother duo, JEFF the Brotherhood was up.  All was black, then clouds of smoke poured from the stage and engulfed the audience.  A strobe light ignited and then the rock kicked off.

Lead singer and guitarist, Jake Orrall, was an absolute master of the guitar using swirling sound effects and fuzz.  He was also wearing a purple velvet blazer – the clothes matched the sounds!

Jamin Orrall JEFF The Brotherhood drums at the Kool Haus in Toronto on February 7, 2012.

Drummer Jamin Orrall was on count the entire set and when the duo went into long instrumental jams, his arms were nothing but blurs.

Although the band’s set was short, they made up for it with the quality of their songs and their delivery.  Jake was always getting close to the audience and occasionally swigging from his glass and Jamin got up to talk to the audience at one point.

The boys played their hits “Shredder” and “Bone Jam” and for their last song, Alison Mosshart from The Kills came on stage and the three musicians blew the roof of the place.

It was a great way to end a killer set.

Alison Mosshart of The Kills plays a brief guitar bit at the Kool Haus in Toronto on February 7, 2012.

The Kills were on after JEFF the Brotherhood and also played a great show.  But the main event for me was JEFF the Brotherhood – they played their hearts out and it was a billion times better than I had anticipated.

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Toilet Kids title screen

Complete Shit.

When I was in Japan a few years ago, one of my earliest and most frightening memories was when I entered a public restroom and in the stall where the toilet should be, there was simply a hole in the ground. I initially thought that the hole was where a toilet had been removed. I later learned that hole was the toilet…

Toilet Kids is a very Japanese, fecal-focused scatological shooter released for the PC Engine (Japan’s name for the TurboGrafx-16) in 1992. The story begins with a young boy getting sucked into a toilet, which apparently is a portal to a third-rate Xevious clone where you shoot turds. It’s so bizarre and dumb that you can’t help but smile.

This is not fun.

But that smile won’t last once you start actually playing, as the game is absurdly difficult. The enemy placement is cheap with no real rhythm or reason. Like Xevious, you have enemies on two planes (sky level and ground), with a different button used for each. Due to the poor design of the game, it’s extremely difficult to line up your bombs for the enemies on the lower planes while avoiding the projectiles of the enemies on your level. Playing Toilet Kids is an exercise in frustration with no real reward, as the enemies and bosses are uninspired and the poo gag wears thin almost instantly. In the end, the only thing remotely compelling about the game is that it actually got produced.

The "Game Over" screen. Get used to seeing it.

Toilet Kids is the video game equivalent of the hole-in-the-ground restrooms of Japan: bizarre and funny for a moment, but ultimately not worth the effort required.

Toilet instructions posted in a Japanese restroom.

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Lo-fi pop can be a tricky balancing act.  In the past it was exclusively employed by those who had no access to more sophisticated means of production.  Since the full takeover of digital recording, any asshole with a Macbook and a couple hundred dollars worth of microphones can make fairly polished music.  When a contemporary artists comes out with a unsophisticated, static filled sound, it almost always happens as a result of a decision to impart a murky, abstruse quality to the music. Maybe they’ve spent a great deal of time listening to lo-fi artists of the past or maybe they’re just not completely confident in the songs.  It often remains and intentional choice. Because of that intentionality, most lo-fi acts have to toe a pretty strict line of producing numerous pop hooks that are only slightly obscured by the murk of their style.  If they’re able to get that ratio right, it’s delightful.  If they fail, it becomes less so.

Here’s the fun part of this review:  Pinebocks is the music project of a former (I think) Illinois and now Texas resident named Corey Clifford.  I grabbed it out of a pretty big file of music submissions that Sock Monkey Sound writers share on Google Docs.  Pages and pages of people that were like, “Hi. Wanna review my music?” and then were (usually) met with a blanket of crushing silence because many of the staff members sometimes forgot that it exists or started watching Sherlock and didn’t for a while.   I guess I’m only speaking for myself with that last part.

Anyway!

I went digging through it a while back and found the following note:

Hi, my name is Cory Clifford and I have a musical project entitled Pinebocks. To describe my music, I’d say it’s a combination of Orange Juice and The Clean, and it could easily fit into NME’s C86 compilation.

I like all of those signifiers so I decided to have a listen.

Let’s first examine the claims made in Clifford’s self designation.  C86 this is definitely not.  The music is far to sparse and haunting to be confused for the relatively full and sunny sounds of early Pastels or Primal Scream.   This is much more rough shod music. The guitar sounds like Clifford found it in an abandoned basement and decided to record there instead of taking it home. There is a constant hiss and digital reverb makes it all bouncy and tinny. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing because it fits the actual songwriting and performances to a tee.  The Orange Juice comparison does hold up well as there is an obvious Edwyn Collins influence on Clifford’s demented croon.  It’s a cartoonishly sinister vocal style that is adds a sense of ironic comedy. That is very helpful because these songs are fucking dark.  “Flee,” finds a man having abandoned his roots and absconded south, all the while regretting his choices. He sings,

“I’ve never felt so bad about myself as I do now. I’m chronically cursed with a furl in my brow.”

and there is a real fun sense of hyperbolic jokiness.

I hope.

The sinister tone returns in the second song, “My Unfunny Valentine,” a dirgey ode to a dysfunctional romantic connection. Clifford goes at it like a Lynchian lounge act. The song ends with the repeated figure, “My unfunny valentine, you make life so asinine.”  Then I start laughing because I’m kind of fucked up.

Pinebocks are the dark side of Twee.  If you’re into that sort of thing, you’ll probably enjoy Flee/My Unfunny Valentine. Make sure to check out the Bandcamp page for other singles and EPs, or like them on Facebook if that is more your style.

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B.durazzo

When I first took a look at a video of B.Durazzo playing a beat live on two MPCs, I thought to myself, “Damn, this isn’t just some kid playing around with Fruityloops and a sampler. Dude’s talented.” Over the course of the video, Ben played each machine like it was a part of a larger instrument. This is something which defies the notion that most hip-hop isn’t “real music” because of the lack of live instrumentation involved in the creative process. Sure, The Roots have been playing live instruments for to make their music for years, but the vast majority of people that make hip-hop do not. Even the turntable has been questioned as a legitimate instrument but if you’ve ever watched a DMC level DJ, you can see that there really shouldn’t be much of a question. Is Ben using other people’s music to make his? Yes, but you could argue that any musician does the same through their influences. As they say, “There ain’t nothin’ new under the sun.”

Not only was watching Ben play interesting, but the beat which he composes is pretty ill. The instrumental has a haunting quality reminiscent of RJD2′s earlier work and that classic boom-bap feel that really gets your head nodding.

As I listened to each track off of Ben’s album, that reminscence of RJD2 was further reinforced. While he does remind me of RJ’s older work, it’s not in a way that is offensive or “biting” as they call it in hip-hop. Durazzo’s music has an intelligent sound that doesn’t need an emcee to make it interesting. Instead of making his music just a background for another person’s words, each track has a voice of its own. His instrumentals are laden with horns and flutes that carry each track from beginning to end and function to give the album a cohesive feel. The album could use a bit of diversity just to provide a break from the norm but overall, it’s a hella solid effort.

Would I listen to it again? Hell yeah mos def I would. My favorte tracks are probably “Monkey Bars” and “Arsenal”. The drums hit hard as fuck in the intro of “Monkey Bars” and really set the tone for the track. ”Arsenal” just has that quality to it that makes you wanna do something ignorant, like paint graffiti or slap a Wal-Mart greeter. It’s rare to find producers in hip-hop who respect their craft enough to learn the tools of their trade like any other musican would. Unlike most producers, Brandon could even perfom this material live as the process of making it is pretty cool to watch and allows for improvisation. Overall, B.Durazzo has a sound that is well crafted and intelligent. You can listen to Ben’s album and also purchase it HERE.

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The Decemberists

The music industry and politics often overlap due to business interests, SOPA/PIPA, presidential endoresments; but rarely does a decision hit as close to home for a band as this one has for The Decemberists.

Accordions for the Cure

On May 3, 2011, it was announced on The Decemberists official site that Jenny Conlee had been diagnosed with breast cancer and would miss most of the band’s 2011 tour dates while recovering [Wikipedia]. The band started raising funds by selling “Team Jenny” t-shirts on their website shop and donating proceeds to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. That changed today as the band released this statement via The Decemberists website:

The Decemberists are deeply troubled by Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s recent decision to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood, a vital resource in the battle against breast cancer. Providing cancer screenings to low income women is integral to the prevention and defeat of breast cancer and it is unconscionable that Komen should politicize this very important issue by bowing to the fear campaign being waged against PP by the right. We’ve decided to redirect the proceeds of the Team Jenny t-shirts and buttons away from Komen for the Cure. 100% of the net profits of these items will be instead donated to Planned Parenthood’s Breast Health Emergency Fund

Please help to support this essential institution. And, if you’ve supported the Team Jenny effort in the past, please write to Komen for the Cure via their site (http://ww5.komen.org/contact.aspx) or via twitter (@komenforthecure) and let them know that undermining women’s health for political reasons is unacceptable.

In a related story, the Komen for the Cure was hacked and changed to display this amazing message.

HACK YOU!

All this publicity has donations to Planned Parenthood soaring.

There you go. Rock and Roll!

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Los Campesinos! at Metro | ©Shelby Mongan

The first birthday I had as a resident of Chicago was celebrated with tickets to see a band that I had just started listening to at a place I had never seen before. I was hooked on the music and the venue almost instantly. Fast forward two years and I was back at the Metro in Wrigleyville to see Los Campesinos! again. The Cardiff-based seven piece band are currently touring behind their newest album, Hello Sadness. Between a solid record, the fuel from lead singer Gareth’s break up with twee darling Rebecca Taylor (from Slow Club), and a band that is known for energetic live performances, the Friday night show promised to be something special.

Parenthetical Girls (with Los Campesinos!) at Metro | ©Shelby Mongan

Before LC! took the stage, I was treated to Parenthetical Girls as an opener. I had never heard of the band before that night, let alone listened to them, so I didn’t know what to expect. The band is inevitably from Portland and has been making music for about eight years. Their music was the perfect experimental indie pop appetizer to LC!, but I would have just as easly loved them as a main course. A nice touch to the set was the screen hung behind the band playing vague clips from various movies and videos. Vocalist Zac Pennington played the engaging frontman with a tendency for jaunts into the crowd. I found myself laughing along with his stage banter, a trait not necessarily required but certainly appreciated. All in all, I was quite impressed but not surprised to see a solid set from a seasoned band.

Los Campesinos! at Metro | ©Shelby Mongan

people, thanks in large part to their accents. On stage, though, LC! is anything but quaint. Even the slowest and most poignant of their songs are emphatic and full-bodied. There isn’t joy in their performance so much as there is energy. Each lyric is sung with as much emotion as it had when it was first written. It also doesn’t hurt that their catalogue as a whole, especially as their live staples, are characteristically danceable.

Los Campesinos! at Metro | ©Shelby Mongan

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When: Sunday, January 22, 2012

Where: Subterranean in Chicago, IL

Will this review be filled with familiar faces? Yes it will.

Here’s the deal with the Sunday evening shows that occasionally happen at small bars and clubs.  I’m tired, yo.  I’ve usually spent the previous two days burning candles in every direction with chain free, V.I.P. type bottle service celebrations of life and other peoples’ bodies.  I am a familiar face in various high end hotel lobbies.

What I’m trying to say is that I would usually prefer to spend Sunday on a couch, drinking tea from a mug that has my picture on it, and watching pretentious television or old PBS documentaries.

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Ten Thousand Saints cover

To Positive Youth, To Positive Growth.

Ten Thousand Saints, the debut novel by Eleanor Henderson, is essentially a story of three teens thrust into adult responsibilities. The novel takes place in 1980s Vermont and New York; a setting which is defined and made believable by the almost insane amount of subtle details in Henderson’s writing. Far from dry exposition, Henderson brings locations to life with seemingly inconsequential descriptors that add up to create a very real world, rather than a sterile or nostalgia-tinted one.

Equally well-developed are the characters in the story. You empathize and languish with not only the teens (Jude, Johnny, and Eliza) in the novel, but the adults as well. It’s a fairly somber (but not entirely humorless) tale of teenagers faced with death, pregnancy, broken homes, drug addiction, and well-meaning, but oftentimes incompetent and selfish parents. Without stable home lives, the teens find strength and belonging in the companionship of each other, religion (Hare Krishna), and a music scene (the burgeoning straight edge hardcore movement of the time).

Music is the one constant in Jude and Johnny’s lives. It gives them something to be inspired by, something to be a part of, but perhaps most importantly, something to do. The straight edge scene keeps the boys clean and distanced from their drug-addicted pasts. However, as with any extreme belief system, there is a darker side to the “positive” straight edge movement the teens become a part of.

On the surface, members of the youth crew appear to be paragons of virtue, but beneath there is judgment, dishonesty, prejudice, and violence. How the characters attempt to reconcile and rationalize what is both literally and figuratively tattooed on themselves is maybe the greatest struggle in the novel.

Poignant and purposeful, Ten Thousand Saints challenges the reader to join the characters as they question their convictions, whatever they may be. In this sense, it’s a truly punk rock novel, yet written to be relatable and accessible to any reader. You don’t need to have grown up on Minor Threat and skateboards to enjoy the book, but it definitely helps.

P.S. As I was reading, I was constantly getting songs stuck in my head. Some of the songs were overtly mentioned in the book, others simply because of the subject matter. Think of the following playlist as a fan-created mixtape companion to the book (which should be copied to cassette for maximum effect).

Side A

Slayer – Show No Mercy

Misfits – Violent World

Black Flag – Six Pack

Fifteen – Front

The Hold Steady – How a Resurrection Really Feels

Side B

Minor Threat – Straight Edge

Youth of Today – Youth Crew

Warzone – Don’t Forget The Struggle, Don’t Forget The Streets

Project X – Straight Edge Revenge

The Hold Steady – Barely Breathing

Against Me! – I Was A Teenage Anarchist (Acoustic)

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El Oso performing on Radio Milwaukee 88.9's 414 Music show

Jim Hanke, Jeff Grabowski and Jasen Kinart of the band El Oso sat down for a performance and interview on the Radio Milwaukee 88.9 show 414 Music to promote Saturday’s January 28 concert for the Pablove Foundation at Turner Hall Ballroom. You can stream or download the show at the Radio Milwaukee website. Do it NOW!

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I legitimately had this poster on my wall for years.

I was a strange child in middle school.

Like so many of my pop culture obsessed friends, the roots of my current interests grew early. I had all the form and grace of a quarter Japanese potato who was far too interested in classes. While the other seventh grade girls were dipping their toes into the dating pool for the first time, I was bonding with the Prince and rolling my Katamari around like my twelve year old life depended on it. (If you don’t get that reference, your childhood had a PlayStation 2 sized hole in it.) Needless to say I didn’t exactly fit in, and I felt it was only right for me to look at alternative culture for somewhere I belonged.

In suburban mall culture, if you are looking for alternative, look no further than Hot Topic. I wish I could say that the dimly lit chain store ushered in a period of devotion to The Clash, The Sex Pistols, and The Ramones. Unfortunately it actually meant the growth of my obsessions with bands like Good Charlotte and Yellowcard. (Green Day was my only saving grace at this point.) My fixation on these bands was in no way ironic. Their liberty spikes and male eyeliner spoke to me, and I loved them for it.

Running parallel to my love for all things Warped Tour and studded belts was my love for musical theatre. Seeing professional theatre was a religious experience for me. There was a period in my life where I listened to the soundtrack of Rent at least once all the way through daily. Combine these two worlds and you get a remarkably strange thirteen year old.

I will offer a disclaimer here that there were good foundations at work at that time in my life. Thanks to my parents, my two biggest influences when I was a kid were James Taylor and Frank Zappa. One of the first dates my parents went on was to see Little Feat live, and my dad has been attending blues festivals regularly as long as I can remember.

Nevertheless I dove into a combination of cheesy musical theatre and what can only be considered bad pop-punk. This was a hefty chunk of my foundation as a tween.

I spent many years ashamed of my musical heritage. I could willingly admit to being a Spice Girl fan when I was eight, but any reference to my pseudo-punk phase was spit with distinct scorn. I was not proud. I’ve recently gone so far as to turn off my last.fm while taking a trip down memory lane and listening to Fall Out Boy.

But why? Where does my shame come from? Why do we feel ashamed of the things we loved, and even of the apparently shameful things we love now? I’ll come out and say it. I’ve listened to Ke$ha more times than I’m necessarily proud of. I’m a sucker for the pop beats. Why do I feel embarrassed about that? I don’t think my love for deliciously awful music takes way from the so-called good music that I love too.

There seems to me to be a perpetual need to validate my tastes. Listening to “good” music is more than just statement; it serves as my credentials. Appearance is more important than the preference itself. In the world of carefully crafted internet profiles taking the place of real life first impressions, it all makes sense. The prepackaged list of my favorite bands is carefully crafted not just to reflect what I love, but to act as a perfect snapshot of my personality. It’s meant to clue you into to who I am and to whether or not I’m worth your time. God forbid I commit a faux pas and admit loving Hellogoodbye to a music snob.

Honestly, though, I’m finding it more and more exhausting. I’m much more interesting and certainly more complicated than my iTunes play count. Yes, it’s more difficult to explain, and yes, it may be a challenge to see how I blend deep love for Bon Iver and LMFAO, but I’m sick of apologizing. I’m proud of the “Riot Girl” tank top I wore in support of those good ol’ Maryland punks. I’m proud of still knowing all the words to all of A Chorus Line by heart.

Shame and irony are so 2011.

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Iron Reagan Demo 2012 cover

Let’s Open Up This Pit (Of Horrible Memories).

If you were in a hardcore band during the 80s, you probably had a song about then-president Ronald Reagan, and for good reason. Reagan, while somewhat charming in a Hank Hill sort of way, built his presidency on Bible/chest-thumping rhetoric and borderline racist, anti-poor policy.

With the (moral) majority of Americans seemingly under his spell, it was up to punk rock to step up and form a united opposition. And punk rock delivered, resulting in some of the most memorable songs and bands of that era.

Iron Reagan is a nostalgic throwback to that period of political hardcore, in both aesthetic and sound. With members of Municipal Waste and Cannabis Corpse, it may be assumed that Iron Reagan is a “joke project,” but fortunately, this is not the case. The band shows a great affinity for the artists they are emulating; this is definitely homage, not parody.

While some metal riffs sneak their way in, these four songs are pretty much straight hardcore/thrash in the vein of Cro-Mags or DRI. All four tracks are solid and fun; and coming in at just around the five minute mark (total) makes this demo lend itself to repeated listens.

By the end of the 80s, everything that could possibly be said (or sung) about “The Gipper” had been. But there is always a place for hardcore in the vein of those who were leading the opposition. Maybe this band will even inspire others to do the same. It’s never too late (or too soon) to make an anti-Dubya record, ya know.

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In retaliation to the shutdown of Megaupload, hackers from Anonymous performed DDoS (denial-of-service) attacks on the websites of the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America), and the freaking Department of Justice. While mainstream media will have you assume that the takedown was orchestrated by the entire Anonymous group, WIRED reports that a sub-group within the hacktivist organization created a different version of their LOIC (Low Orbit Ion Canon) program that unwittingly directed bystanders to attack these sites. Not everyone in the organization agrees with this tactic, stating that what they “consider to be the modern-day equivalent of a sit-in (denial-of-service attacks leave no lasting damage)” was ethically corrupted by the new version.

“Preying on unsuspecting users is despicable,” said one anon, speaking to Wired in an online chat. “We need to fight for the user, not potentially land them in jail.” via WIRED

St. Vincent has announced new tour dates

The Flaming Lips and Bob Mould are set to The Soft Bulletin and Copper respectively at the Noise Pop Festival

Opponents of SOPA and PIPA (including this site) took part in a blackout Wednesday to protest these bills in congress. Ars Technica reports that SOPA has been pulled and is going back to the drawing board. PIPA on the other hand has just been postponed. There were tons websites that “blacked out” in protest this week, Wikipedia being the most reported, and many that showed support by posting in depth news and analysis of the bills. Check out their reporting on SOPA and PIPA, it’s damn good.

Bruce Spingsteen will be releasing his 17th studio album March 6th on Columbia Records.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre are going out on tour in 2012, a world tour to be exact. Their new album Aufheben drops May 1  via ‘a’ Records.

West Coast Dates 2012

Fri April 27 Dallas @ Granada Theatre
Sat April 28 Houston @ Fitzgeralds
Sun April 29 Austin @ Psych Fest
Thu May 3 Vancouver @ The Venue (To Be Confirmed)
Fri May 4 Seattle @ Neptune Theatre
Sat May 5 Portland @ Wonder Ballroom
Tue May 8 Denver @ Bluebird Theatre
Wed May 9 Salt Lake City @ Urban Lounge
Fri May 11 San Francisco @ The Fillmore
Sat May 12 Los Angeles @ The Wiltern

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Singer Etta James passed away this morning due to complications of leukemia in a California hospital. While the versatile songstress’ biggest hit “At Last”, may arguably be the most popular first dance song at weddings around the world, she recorded other songs too! She signed to Chicago’s Chess Records in 1960 and spent much of her career there singing on hits such as the aforementioned ”At Last”, “All I Could Do Was Cry”, and “Trust In Me”.

Along with a stunning voice came addiction issues as well with heroin, cocaine, and probably some marijuana and booze; through it all Etta certainly delivered the goods a rose above her personal demons to provide awesome music for fans . She ended up in both the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame and the Blues Hall of Fame and won 4 Grammy awards during her lifetime.

Instead of posting a video of “At Last”, I figured it would be interesting to include A Sunday Kind of Love above instead.

Former guests of the Sock Monkey Sound podcast Heather Hladish, Marky Hladish, and Dustin Currier (Venna, The Felix Culpa) performed a killer version of “At Last” for Jim and Jen Hanke at their wedding. Check it out below.

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Although this news has been circulating for a week since Ted Leo made mention of it on his website, punk label Lookout! Records has made an official announcement on their blog about shuttering it’s doors. Here is the announcement re-printed for your ease of perusal:

So that’s it.

What are your thoughts about Lookout folding? Is punk dead? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

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theHELL – Sauve Les Requins cover

One issue I have with side projects is that oftentimes they involve drastic genre-changes that artists are not always capable of making relevant to their fans. The cycle usually goes like this: a musician in a punk or indie band makes a statement announcing the project such as “I’ve always enjoyed juke joint blues, so we’ve decided to make a juke joint blues record.” Then the record comes out and all of the hardcore fans of the musician’s “main” band buy it and are like “well this is neat, I guess,” listen to it for a week, then shelve it for eternity. In an interview a few years later, the musician will apologize for the record, calling it “a bit of a misstep,” then announce his new reggae fusion project, and the cycle begins again.

Thankfully, The Hell does not fall into this trap. This side project from singer/guitarist Matt Skiba (Alkaline Trio) and drummer Atom Willard (Angels & Airwaves, Rocket from the Crypt) has each musician doing what they do best, which is constructing excellent pop punk songs. By bringing their talents together, they have created a record that sounds different enough from their current bands to justify its existence as a separate product, but not so far removed that it alienates fans.

This is unmistakably a straight-up punk rock record. The four tracks on this EP all come in under the 3 minute mark, and the production is far less pronounced than on Angels & Airwaves and more recent Alkaline Trio releases. The vocal delivery and lyrical content also invoke memories of early-to-mid-career Alk3, with f-bomb laden blasphemous songs primarily about well, Hell. However, the EP is not merely a rehash of Matt’s output in that era of Alkaline Trio. The song construction is tight and focused, but more driving, with some more traditional punk “whoa-ohs” and “1, 2, fuck yous” thrown in which also serve to differentiate this record from Alk3 releases.

Given my general suspicion regarding side projects, I went into this EP cautiously optimistic. Less than 45 seconds into the opening track “Gasoline,” I was sold. This EP greatly exceeded my expectations and is exactly what I want from a side project – a record that plays on the musicians’ strengths and does not alienate fans, but is different enough to separate it from the artists’ principal bands. I hope that this was not just a one-time deal and that we’ll see more from The Hell in the future, even if it takes until the members finish their alt-country/Eurobeat/visual kei record.

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As you approach the age of thirty, punk rock shows begin to feel like kisses in a rocky relationship – any one could be your last. As 2012 is the year that my friends and I reach that frightening age many of us thought we’d never even make it to, there is an unspoken pressure to replace youthful pursuits of enjoyment with more adult endeavors.

Tonight was not that night though. A friend and I drove down to Dekalb for the show and arrived at Otto’s a good half hour before it started to a nearly empty venue. The opening band, Lord, played a style of chugging metal that was almost jam band-esque in its execution to a fairly sparse crowd. They had a very tight, technical sound, but as someone with a child-like attention span, Lord’s 5+ minute, predominantly instrumental songs had me daydreaming, only to be abruptly woken by occasional silence and the realization that I should be clapping.

The Holy Mess

The opposite was the case when The Holy Mess played. THM are a-band-you-should-be-listening-to from Philadelphia who play raucous pop punk about drinking and stuff in a manner similar to Off With Their Heads and Dillinger Four. I was really excited to see these guys and definitely wasn’t the only one. During their set there was a cluster of super-fans up front and center pogo-ing and singing. THM’s set was great, consisting of songs from their excellent Ep and 7″ (which is now available as a full length) and some new material as well.

The Lawrence Arms

By the time The Lawrence Arms went on, the venue was pretty full. Despite the mass of people, it never felt oppressive in the way shows in Chicago sometimes do, and I was still able to comfortably reside near the front of the stage, a huge reason why I love seeing bands at Otto’s. One of the best things about a Lawrence Arms show is the Brendan Kelly onstage banter, and it definitely delivered tonight, with talk of “Juggalo shoes” (a reference to a sneaker that was thrown on the stage with a goofy single zebra stripe lace) and dudes’ dick sizes (a reference to, well, you had to be there). The set was really solid, with a mixture of old material and new-ish classics like “The Slowest Drink at the Saddest Bar on the Snowiest Day in the Greatest City.”

The crowd responded in turn and with fists in the air, they sang out every word. It was an almost transcendent experience to be a part of, the kind you can only get at these kind of shows, and one that I don’t see myself or my friends giving up any time soon.

This is our year for sure.

The Lawrence Arms

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There are two types of Lawrence Arms shows: the shows where Brendan Kelly is already so drunk that he’s slurring when he gets on stage, and where he gets progressively drunker throughout the show.

The second type of show is usually the one that goes better, and that’s what the Lawrence Arms gave a sold-out (or nearly so) crowd Saturday night at the Metro.

To strangers, it probably wasn’t the best show. There was rambling conversation and too much time between songs. Most favorites were played, but some got skipped. For me, though, it was perfect.

Details really are irrelevant. I love Brendan’s energy combined with how still Chris is when he’s singing. I love both their voices. I love songs about Chicago because it makes me feel like I belong here. A music snob may complain about this show. I will not.

It’s no big secret that I go to most shows alone. However, there’s something about standing in a group of people all singing the words to your favorite songs that makes you feel a part of something bigger. It makes me feel not so alone.

And for all the Larry Arms fans, the live DVD of the anniversary show (filmed 10/24/09 at the Metro) should be out this year–it’s only taken them 3 years.

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Aaron Freeman ditches Gene Ween

Aaron Freeman (website), better known as Gene Ween of Ween, has ditched his pseudonym in favor of his given name to record his first-ever solo record, ‘Marvelous Clouds’ (Partisan Records). Out April 10, the album features 13 heartfelt interpretations of songs written by 20th century poet/songwriter, Rod McKuen.

For those unfamiliar with McKuen, the dude lived some life. After running away from home in the 1940′s at age 11, Rod McKuen (wikipedia link) emerged from the influence of the San Francisco Beat scene to become one of the most prolific and top-selling poets and songwriters of the 20th century, earning two Oscar nominations, one Pulitzer nomination, and selling tens of millions of books and records. His songs have been recorded by everyone from Frank Sinatra to Johnny Cash to Madonna (WTF?).

Having sold over a million albums with Ween worldwide, Freeman’s use of McKuen’s work to articulate one of his most personal efforts to-date marks a new milestone in a career well known for its use of a wide range of vocal styles and song characters.

‘Marvelous Clouds’ reunites Freeman with Ben Vaughn, who produced Ween’s classic ’12 Golden Country Greats.’

I’ve had the chance to listen to the title track and As I Love My Own off the forthcoming LP and I must say that, having been a Ween fan, that Freeman’s presentation is looking to be very, very cool indeed with more of a straightforward approach with a couple Ween-ian style flourishes thrown in.

Keep an eye out for an upcoming interview with Aaron… or is it Gene? Or Mister Freeman…I’m f@#king confused!

‘Marvelous Clouds’ track list:

1. As I Love My Own
2. Jean
3. Marvelous Clouds
4. A Man Alone
5. The Beautiful Strangers
6. Doesn’t Anybody Know My Name
7. One By One
8. Pushing The Clouds
9. The Lovers
10. Mr. Kelly
11. Love’s Been Good To Me
12. Lonesome Cities
13. The World I Used To Know

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The Mediocre Fight – We Are Enablers cover

Jacks of All Trades, Mediocre at None.

One striking aspect of The Mediocre Fight’s bio is the band members’ diverse musical backgrounds. The group consists of “a jam-band drummer, a jazz pianist and an indie-rock bassist, guitarist, and lead singer,” not to mention the other rotating members of the ensemble who bring the total number of Mediocre Fighters to twelve (a number which may or may not include the violin talents of Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s Erik Kang). Each one of these backgrounds surface on these eight tracks, resulting in a record that has something for everyone, but will appeal most to those with a diverse palate of musical tastes.

We Are Enablers opens with “The Circus,” an upbeat track that showcases many of the best aspects of the record: a full and intricate ensemble sound, excellent professional production, and pleasant vocal delivery. The next song, “Bored and Young” is comparatively scaled down, but one of the highlights on the album with its infectious melody and amusing lyrics. Other standout tracks include “Alright to be Alright,” a positive love song that settles at just the right spot on the sappiness spectrum and the brief, rollicking, all-over-the-place “The Girl Who Steals.” While the last track, “Passing Time” is the longest with the most varied parts and changes, “All Things Go” stands out to me as the most ambitious song on the record. It’s a brilliantly arranged ballad that, with its strings, choruses, and sincere delivery of the lyrics, really shows off the musical talents and songwriting chops of the band.

This excellent debut album succeeds in showcasing where each of the members are from. I, for one, am curious to see where this diverse and talented group of musicians will go in their very bright future.

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THE NEWS DUMP IS BACK IN 2012!!!

Every Friday we give a rundown on some of this past weeks music news and other crap.

• The Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney took a dump on Nickleback in the pages of Rolling Stone.

It’s funny cuz it’s true!

You can check out more of the cover story excerpt here.

• Dave Grohl has collaborated with members of 80′s hair metal and Aquanet spokesmen RATT  for a new project. (NME)

• Kanye West is apparently the next Steve Jobs. Or at least he likens his new company Donda to Apple. WTF? (Mashable)

• Lana Del Rey signed with Next Model Management. Who the hell is Lana Del Rey? (Billboard)

I looooove Van Halen!!!

• Van Halen has announced a massive new tour and a new album. Steve from Minotaur is excited about this but is anyone else? (CoS)

• Björk is bringing her multimedia extravaganza Biophilia to New York City for a 10 night residency. It’s educational too! (AltSounds)

• EMI is suing Grooveshark… again. (Digital Music News)

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Panorama Cotton title screen

From playgrounds in the early-90s to message boards today, there has been a longstanding argument raging regarding which 16-bit system was better, the Sega Genesis or the Super Nintendo (while a lone TurboGrafx-16 fan gently weeps in the distance). Sega loyalists would cite the near-perfect ports of Sega arcade titles, a lower priced system, the “better” versions of EA Sports games, and maybe even Blast Processing if they were desperate. Nintendo fans would probably talk about the incredible RPG library the system boasted (thanks mainly to Squaresoft), their amazing first-party exclusives, the extra buttons on the controller, and the fact that the Super Nintendo was simply a more powerful system. This last fact was an unfortunate reality to Sega supporters. In colors, processing power, and sound, the SNES was simply the superior machine. However, some games released on the Genesis (known as the Mega Drive in the rest of the world) pushed the system’s limits to extremes that blew away many titles on the more powerful Super Nintendo. One of these titles was Panorama Cotton.

One of the early staples of the “Cute-em-up” genre (twitch shooters with cute girls or animals rather than spaceships), the Cotton series began in 1991 as a 2D sidescrolling arcade shooter. For the 1994 Mega Drive version, series developer Success completely flipped the script. While keeping the cute and colorful aesthetics, Success brought Cotton into glorious sprite-scaling 3D for a Space Harrier-esque romp. While impressive in screenshots, the game looks unlike anything seen on the Mega Drive in motion. If your 10-year-old self thought the 3D stages in Sonic 2 were mind-blowing, Panorama Cotton would have made you crap your JNCOs. The game also sports a better-than-average quality soundtrack, despite the limitations of the Mega Drive sound chip.

Panorama Cotton looked absolutely incredible in 1994.

In the game, you control the eponymous heroine Cotton, a pink-haired witch who fires energy bolts and has a limited amount of powerful magic spells, which can often clear the screen of enemies. These spells are gained by collecting corresponding colored crystals. The crystals, depending on their color (which can be changed by shooting them), can also provide Cotton with extra life or experience. Yes, Panorama Cotton has an experience system, complete with an EXP bar in the lower left corner of the HUD. When the bar is filled, Cotton gains a level and her attacks become stronger. Gaining levels is essential in Panorama Cotton because, well, the game is pretty damn difficult. There are oftentimes many enemies on the screen at the same time and it gets pretty tough to avoid their attacks, not to mention walls and other physical obstacles. Cotton can move at three different speeds, and while the fastest speed may look cool with the world racing past (and most likely into) you, it’s tantamount to suicide to play at that setting.

Donkey Kong would have been stoked, but he was too busy starring in his ugly pre-rendered side-scroller at the time.

Regardless of its brutal difficulty, Panorama Cotton is a massive technical achievement that oozes charm and personality. It’s unfortunate that the game was never released in the West, because the visuals would have certainly turned heads and Panorama Cotton could have served as an excellent introduction to an under-appreciated series and developer.

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This is a few days late, but here’s my top ten hip-hop and rap albums from over the last year. This is a list of records I found myself listening to more often than everything else that dropped in 2011. Enjoy.

Action Bronson – Dr. Lecter

Any emcee that can correctly use the term amouse bouche on a track deserves some recognition. Action Bronson has been one of the breakout successes in indie rap this year. Blending his penchant for the finer things in life with grimy lyrics about street shit like guns and drugs, Bronsalino consistently kills it on every track. The former gourmet chef and graffiti artist proves he’s more than just a obese white guy that sounds a lot like Ghostface. Check out his follow up with Statik Selectah “Well Done” for further rhymes about prosciutto and other ill shit like that. Listen to the tracks “Get off My P P” and “Larry Czonka” to get familiar.

Random Axe – Self Titled

Random Axe is a group comprised of emcees Sean Price & Guilty Simpson and producer Black Milk. Sean and Guilty’s raps about drugs, guns and other cool stuff work well with Black Milk’s production. Both heavyweights on the rap scene with in their own right, P and Guilt consistently deliver well conceptualized rhymes full of gritty content. With guest appearances by Danny Brown & Rock (of Heltah Skeltah), the album is well rounded effort. Check out “Jalphy Joe” and “Chewbacca” for proof.

Danny Brown – XXX

Detroit native Danny Brown is a weird cat. I dig that. More comfortable in skinny jeans and a haircut suitable for an indie rocker, Danny is a comic book character that loves violence, drugs, women and more drugs. Reminiscent of Cage, Danny has a talent for delivering some of the illest similes I’ve heard in a mad minute. This follow up to his previous mixtapes is a concerted effort to further showcase his drug crazed personality. Danny’s voice might not be for everyone, but tracks like “I Will”, “Radio Song” and “Adderal Admiral” are sure to have you nodding your head.

ASAP Rocky – Live, Love, ASAP

I waited a while for this album to drop and it was worth it. Since dropping, it’s been on steady rotation. The album seemed a bit over-hyped on the blogosphere but in my opinion, it exceeded expectations greatly. Rocky’s ability to use trademark aspects of different regional hip-hop influences makes the record an interesting listen. Who says that just because you’re not from Houston you can’t get trashed on codeine syrup and chop and screw your tracks, certainly not ASAP Rocky. Check out “Peso” and “Trilla” to get better acquainted with his sound.

Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Gonna Eat That?

This is another great “supergroup” album from three underground staples. Hail Mary Mallon is Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic and DJ Big Whiz and they kick ass together. I kinda thought that Rob Sonic was a bit of an Aesop Clone but on this record, he even seems to outshine the king of weird rap on more than just a couple of tracks. The videos they’ve put out for “Breakdance Beach” and “Grubsteak” are nothing short of hilarious.

Pusha T – Fear of God

Following the success of the Clipse’s sophomore effort, Pusha T puts out this solid effort. Rather than just being a half-assed reminder of his existence to Clipse fans, Fear of God is a record that stands on its own. The single, “My God” is dope and frankly so is the rest of the record. With some other bangers out this year such as his collaboration with Tyler, the Creator for “Trouble on My Mind”, Pusha’s had a solid year musically. Yeeeeeeach.

Wu-Tang Clan – Legendary Weapons

What’s to say? The Wu is back like they never left. Longevity in the rap game is something that is to be admired when most rappers, let alone groups are good for only one hit single. This record proves that Shaolins’s finest can still be not only relevant but reinvent the idea of what good rap music is. Plus, this album has the highly anticipated collaboration between Ghostface Killah and Action Bronson, “Meteor Hammer”. Bronson’s been criticized for sounding too much like the Wallabee Champ, but this track is a banger that proves otherwise.

Clams Casino – Instrumentals

Clams Casino makes even the shittiest rappers sound good. Whether it’s Lil B or Soulja Boy, Clams’ beats are the silver lining to the ignorant cloud that many artists he works with are floating on. Rather than having to listen to Lil B say “swag” fifty times just to hear some really ill production, pop on this record. His ability to sample a wide variety of music and pair it well with hip-hop drums makes this worth a few listens. Peep “Motivation” and “Realest Alive” for futher proof of his adeptness with production.

Ghostface Killah – Apollo Kids

Technically, this album came out in 2010 but it was like 10 days before 2011 started so that doesn’t count. Ghostface is consistently one of Wu’s most productive members and proves that it’s not just to stay in the spotlight. With each solo release, Ghost solidifies his place as one of the greats. Featuring dope collaborations and slick production, this record still is on heavy rotation over a year later. Check out his track with Black Thought of the Roots, “In tha Park” for some nostalgia about the golden era of rap.

Doomtree – No Kings

This came out a bit later in the year, so I haven’t been able to give it as many listens as I would like. However, the Doomtree camp out of Minneapolis has proven that more that “Minnesota Nice” applies to more than just the overly friendly residents. Both the production and lyrics are well above par. Tracks like “Bolt Cutter” and “Bangarang” showcase the group’s ability to work each individual’s talents into a cohesive sound. While POS may seem to be the standout of the crew on most tracks, Dessa is displays star quality throughout the entire album. I’ll be listening to this well into 2012.

Now, I know you’re thinking “Where in the hell is Watch the Throne?” Pfffffft, Jay did the whole collab album thing with R. Kelly for “Best of Both Worlds” years ago and frankly did it better then. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice but not top ten material in my opinion. You’re probably also thinking The Roots should’ve made this list too. As far as I’m concerned, it didn’t get much better than “Things Fall Apart”. Honorable mention goes to Das Racist for their weirdly awesome sophomore album, “Relax”. My favorite song of the year probably has to go to Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire for his underground rap all-star line up on his “Huzzah” remix. That’s it.

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Bedroom Sons – Father EP cover

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Best 10 of 2011 List- no order (per usual- I’m bad with rankings)

• St Vincent – Strange Mercy
• Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
• Algernon Cadwallader – Parrot Flies (my review)
• Radiohead – King of Limbs
• James Blake – James Blake
• Wilco – The Whole Love
• William Elliott Whitmore – Field Songs
• Amy LaVere – Stranger Me
• Tyler, the Creator – Goblin (my review)
• The Decemberists – The King is Dead

Best Shows of 2011-

•  Steely Dan, Riverside Theater (Milwaukee), August 28th
• Algernon Cadwallader/Snowing, Strangelight (Chicago), June 18th

Most Overrated of 2011

Maroon 5 – Moves Like Jagger

Zooey Deschanel

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Abuse of lens flare effect has been cited.

A few years ago, I stumbled across I Fight Dragons opening up for MC Chris. At the time, they were that quirky little band that would do well in Chicago, but would probably stay there.

Oh how things have changed.

Between the MC Chris tour, Bamboozle, and now the band has matured tremendously. They are truly a local band done good, and I can’t wait to watch them explode.

From the original songs (of which they played all my favorites), to the Mario theme, to the Jonathan Coulton cover, the show was all fun. Especially the Coulton cover. Every single song sounded fantastic. It really blew my mind. And it wasn’t just the crowd enjoying the show–the band looked like they were having the time of their life. Their energy was contagious and you couldn’t help but dance your ass off.

Ok, here’s how I sell the band to my friends:
Me: They’re so good. They play this great pop-punk, but the coolest part is… they play game controllers!
Friend: (looks at me like I’m insane) Ok, Lindsey.
Me: NINTENDO CONTROLLERS! AS INSTRUMENTS!

At which point my friend either pats me on the head or walks away. They don’t really have the same appreciation for clever musical devices as I do.

I am really impressed by the controller factor in their music. I mean, they write good songs anyway, but then they throw this really unique factor into it. How many other bands play the power pad mid-show?

I know I said this about the album too, but I do think the show, the band and everything sends a good message that is so subtle that it’s missed on a lot of fans. Their songs, their show everything is so different, and the band seems so shamelessly proud of themselves. They should be. And I hope that they’re showing more than a few fans that it’s ok to be happy with who you are.

I don’t say this often enough: You’re a dumbass if you don’t like this band.

Credit also goes to opening bands The Kickback and Protomen who were both talented and very interesting.

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Staff Picks: Best of 2011 – Ryan Grove from Sock Monkey Sound on 8tracks.

Favorite Records of 2011

1. Bomb the Music Industry! – Vacation

(My Review)

2. Bright Eyes – The People’s Key 

While Oberst’s songwriting and lyrics may have lost some of their rawness and intensity over the years, they have also evolved and grown. An incredibly interesting and listenable record throughout. (SMS Review)

3. The World Inferno/Friendship Society – The Anarchy and the Ecstasy

Ragtime! Punk! Ska! Jazz! Antiestablishmentarianism! Everything you could want from a WIFS record, plus some legitimately pretty songs as well.

4. Angels & Airwaves – Love Part Two

(My Review)

5. The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck

Of course it’s great. (SMS Review)

6. Saves the Day – Daybreak

(My Review)

7. Okkervil River – I Am Very Far

Typically great songwriting and some of the most ambitious production the band has ever had.

8. Andrew Jackson Jihad – Knife Man

Funny, sad, offensive, raw, and honest rock. Oh, and kazoos.

9. Toh Kay – Streetlight Lullabies

Yeah, it’s “just” an album of acoustic versions of Streetlight Manifesto songs, but the format really gives the lyrics and pretty damn impressive guitar work a chance to shine through in these tracks.

10. VA – Muppets: The Green Album

The Weezer/Hayley Williams version of “Rainbow Connection” and the Alkaline Trio cover of Movin’ Right Along are the highlights to me, but the whole album (even the Amy Lee song!) is pretty solid.

Best Video Game Soundtrack of the Year: 

Shadows of the Damned

When you get composer Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill series) to do a soundtrack for a game from Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil) and Suda 51 (No More Heroes, Killer 7), it’s obviously going to be something special. From haunting and beautiful piano melodies to pounding and thrashing industrial rock, this soundtrack has everything that makes a Silent Hill soundtrack great, but somehow sounds completely different.

Favorite EPs of 2011 (This list is short, like EPs)

1. Minotaur – S/T

2. Cobra Skulls – Bringing the War Home

3. Less Than Jake – Greetings From Less Than Jake (SMS Review)

Album I may have really liked but couldn’t bring myself to purchase due to its uncomfortable title:

Arctic Monkeys – Suck it and See

Record that would be considered a “guilty pleasure” if I had even an elementary understanding of the concept of shame:

Patrick Stump – Soul Punk

Best New Discovery:

The Wild – Set Ourselves Free (2010)

Favorite Songs of the Year:

1. “Vocal Coach” – Bomb the Music Industry!

“Oh, I get so embarrassed when my voice pops out and it’s not like in my head. If I got a new vocal coach and I could hit the notes, you’d fall in love again…”

2. “I Am Sick of People Being Sick of My Shit” – The World/Inferno Friendship Society

“I know you’ve tried so hard to package joy. You try so hard to sell us things that are already ours, like the bones in my ears, like the air in my lungs, which whistle songs so carefree..”

3. “Jejune Stars” – Bright Eyes

“Any expression of love is a way to return to that place that I think of so often but I never mention. The one the voice in the back of my head says that I don’t deserve…”

4. “Hanging From a Hit” – Okkervil River

“A day she spends the night and I can hear her sighing. As she’s almost asleep on one side, I lie back on my pillow and ask what her husband is like…”

5. “For Charles Bronson” – The Mountain Goats

“Keep the heart of a champion. Never let them see you’re weak. And whatever they say on your page three mention, focus on the parts that make you feel good. Be grateful for the attention…”

6. “American Tune” – Andrew Jackson Jihad

“If I see a penny on the ground, I leave it alone or fucking flip it. I’m a straight white male in America, I’ve got all the luck I need…”

7. “My Heroine (It’s Not Over)” – Angels & Airwaves

“A bit like love and heroin…”

8. “Living Without Love” – Saves the Day

“We’re lost, we’re torn, we praise, we scorn, we’re stuck and we’ll stay the same…”

 Best Worst Song of the Year:

“Get Up” – Korn feat. Skrillex

“Shut the fuck up, get up.”

Favorite Video Game of the Year:

Super Mario 3D Land (Nintendo 3DS)

A colorful and challenging game with brilliant classic Nintendo design that permeates everything from the level designs to the character animations. Super Mario 3D Land is pure blue sky platforming joy and represents (to me) everything video games should be.

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In a lot of cases, a female indie singer producing peppy love songs could be infinitely annoying. Especially since this is not generally my favorite genre of music.

Surprisingly, Cathy Heller‘s latest EP You’re Home to Me doesn’t get on my last nerve. In fact, I really like it. I’ve been a little bitter and down on love lately, but this album makes me believe in happy endings again.

There’s not one thing about the lyrics or melodies that I can pick out that makes this album not work for me. The songs are simple, pretty, and just sweet. Even when there is more production put into the final song–”You’re Home to Me” the simplicity shines through and highlights Heller’s natural talent as a singer.

This album is definitely worth a listen. Cathy’s songs will be featured in the American Girl movie, and she is working with the Jim Henson Company on her own music-driven series (via her website)

On an unrelated note: Cathy’s song “Gonna Be Happy” was also featured in One Tree Hill. Between her, and Wakey! Wakey! I might have to start watching the show for musical influences alone!

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Top Bands You Probably Aren’t Listening To (But You Should)

7) Gold Motel
6) Wakey! Wakey!
5) The Usual Things (previously Apparently Nothing)
4) Nightmare of You
3) Locksley
2) I Fight Dragons
1) Mannequin Men

Mannequin Men

My Prediction: Mannequin Men are going to blow up this year. I’m not just saying that because they are my favorite twitter friends. I really think they are one of the most talented bands I’ve seen in Chicago in the last few years. You can see them at Schuba’s on January 15th.

Top Album of 2011

Kaboom! — I Fight Dragons
Try as I might, I just can’t get sick of this album. I’ve had it for months and I have yet to get sick of it. It’s well written. It’s fun. I just love it.

Best Show of 2011

Suicide Machines — AAA (Riot Fest)
Some shows go right to heart, and this was one of those for me. Every once in a while, I forget what started me on this whole concert thing. Shows like this one remind me who I am.

Favorite Movies of 2011:

11) Win Win
10) Cowboys & Aliens
9) Super 8
X-Men: First Class
7) Fright Night
6) The Muppets
5) Captain America
4) 50/50
3) The Adventures of Tin Tin
2) Attack the Block
1) Hanna

Favorite Movie of the Year:

This was a really really close call. I loved Attack the Block. A LOT. The special effects were amazing. It was funny and exciting at the same time. I really am surprised more people didn’t notice it.
However, Hanna still wins by a landslide. It was a movie that exceeded all my expectations, which were very low. On the surface, it looked like this simple movie about a child assassin. In reality, it was a complex fairy tale with a kick-ass soundtrack. It is one of the best movies that I’ve seen in years.

Worst Movie I Saw This Year

Insidious
For sure, this one just was not good. It started out fairly creepy, but then became some sort of mash-up of horror clichés. It could have been cool–without the added comic relief of the ghost hunters, and the ridiculous-looking demons.

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Top 10 Favorite Releases of 2011

note: This is not necessarily a list of the best albums of the year; I’m not nearly qualified enough to make that list. Instead, this is my list of what I’ve listened to and loved the most.

1. Bon Iver, “Bon Iver”
   It’s hard not to put the new release from Justin Vernon and co. at the top of my list. While I used to be Team Emma when it came to Bon Iver’s music, I’ve slowly become a convert. Vernon stepped away from the guitar and into the studio, invited more collaborations, and apparently got wistful for the 80’s.
2. Island of Misfit Toys, “Bear Hair”
   This album is close to my heart not only because it’s a fantastic first release, but because some of my dearest friends and favorite people are behind the sound. Exploring the trouble with growing up and using every inch of their then-8 piece band (seriously, they have two drummers… who does that?), the album begs for singing along. It’s a favorite to crank in my car while driving.
3. Doomtree, “No Kings”
   The most recent release from Milwaukee rap collective Doomtree (boasting familiar face P.O.S. among others) has practically been on repeat since it came out. While each member boasts strong releases of their own, there’s something perfect about the music they make when the come together. The album’s solid beats and clean flow feels effortless and is infinitely listenable.
4. The Antlers, “Burst Apart”
   Thank God, not another album that makes me want to give up on life. Coming off of critically acclaimed “Hospice”, The Antlers built on what they created before. “Burst Apart” is lush and beautiful, and it lends itself to your full attention. It isn’t an album for all seasons, but man, is it wonderful.
5. Johnny Foreigner, “Johnny Foreigner Vs. Everything
   Some albums call for you to sit and listen and concentrate. Some are good background music and some are good for driving. Johnny Foreigner’s newest is made to jump around the room to. JoFo has never disappointed before and they don’t here. They hit notes all over the board, both musically and emotionally. I find new things to love about this album every time I listen to it.
6. Peter Bjorn and John, “Gimme Some”I like my albums fun. “Gimme Some” gladly delivers on that. With a sound that feels pulled from another time, the band has released an album that is catchy, which in this case isn’t a dirty word. I found myself wanting to continuously revisit this release and it puts a smile on my face every time I hear it. Turns out you can have fun and listen to quality music.
7. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, “Hysterical”
   Whether you classify CYHSY as indie, alternative, or twee (or you skip classifying them because you don’t feel like saying their entire name), there is no confusion about what a great listen their newest is. It’s a versatile album that I’ve been able to visit in different occasions and different moods. The band has been consistent in producing quality music and “Hysterical” keeps with tradition.
8. Childish Gambino, “Camp”
   Quadruple threat Donald Glover seems to be enjoying his newest creative endeavor. He gained quite a bit of buzz thanks to two LPs and an EP (among other remix albums and B-sides) that he produced and released himself. His releases featured not only rhymes by Glover, but also his beats and hooks. He teamed up with Glassnote for his first major label release that was well-received by critics and fans alike. Gambino raps with wit and self-awareness, peppering reflections on being famous and being black (among other things) with pop culture references. It’s animpressive step into the professional arena.
9. Adele, “21”
   What can I possibly say about Adele, arguably the queen of pop music, and her most recent release that hasn’t already been said? It is a beautiful work on honesty, power, and talent. There is no autotuning to be found here. As a note, this album would be worth including if only for the presence of the song “Someone Like You” (and, of course, the Saturday Night Live skit it spawned).
10. The Black Keys, “El Camino”I just cannot get enough of The Black Keys. They seem to be a band that attracts fans from all walks of life and all music styles… probably because they consistently make quality music that is easy to listen to. I listen to “El Camino” and I forget that there are only two people in the band because the sound is so full. I also love hearing a band that plays rock, pure and simple, that plays timelessly. This is an album you’ll love, and your dad probably will too.

Honorable mentions: Explosions In The Sky, “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care”; Los Campesinos!, “Hello Sadness”; Fleet Foxes, “Helplessness Blues”; Slow Club, “Paradise”; The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, “Belong”; Childish Gambino, “EP”

Top 8 Songs of the Year (in no particular order)

1. “Towers”, Bon Iver
   No, “Beth/Rest” is not my favorite song off this album. Every single time I hear the horn riff, I grin. If that’s not a favorite song, I don’t know what is.
   
2. “Freaks and Geeks”, Childish Gambino
   While I think Gambino’s major label debut is wonderful, I think this single off his EP is a near perfect song.
   
3. “Someone Like You”, Adele
   If I need to explain this, you don’t have a heart.
4. “Bolt Cutter”, Doomtree
   As my friend so eloquently-and-succinctly put it, “Bolt Cutter is a fucking jam.”
5. “Hello Sadness”, Los Campesinos!
   This album was received with mixed feelings, but I think the title track off “Hello Sadness” gets at all the things I love about LC!
6. “Beginnings of a Beard”, Island of Misfit Toys
   The song that starts the album and started IMT’s live shows gets me pumped every time.
7. “(Don’t Let Them) Cool Off”, Peter Bjorn and John
   Fun. What more can I say? It’s the epitome of the album.
8. “Two Cousins”, Slow Club
   Brilliant single off of a good album.

Top 10 Discoveries of Old Releases (in no particular order)

1. Tullycraft, “Disenchanted Hearts Unite”
2. Dessa, “A Badly Broken Code”
3. Camera Obscura, “My Maudlin Career”
4. Anathallo, “Canopy Glow”
5. Johnny Foreigner, “Waited Up Til It Was Light”
6. Owen, “New Leaves”
7. Matt and Kim, “Sidewalks”
8. The Mountain Goats, “The Sunset Tree”
9. Justin Vernon, “Hazeltons”
10. Gayngs, “Relayted”

Top 5 Songs I’m A Little Ashamed To Love

1. LMFAO, “I’m Sexy and I Know It”
2. Glee Cast, “Rumor Has It/Someone Like You”
3. Beyonce, “Girls”
4. Nicki Minaj, “Super Bass”
5. Maroon 5 (feat. Christina Aguilera), “Moves Like Jagger”

Sock Monkey Sound

Records:

• 

  Beady Eye by Steve Gullic

  Beady Eye, ‘Different Gear, Still Speeding’

• Foo Fighters, ‘Wasting Light’
• Pink Floyd, ‘ALL Remasters’
• Eddie Vedder, ‘Ukelele Songs’
• Arctic Monkeys, ‘Suck it And See’
• They Might Be Giants, ‘Join Us’
• Noel Gallagher, ‘High Flying Birds’
• The Black Keys, ‘El Camino’

Songs:

• Beady Eye: The Roller
• Foo Fighters: Arlandria
• Pink Floyd: Echoes
• Arctic Monkeys: Don’t Sit ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair
• Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds: The Death of You and Me
• The Black Keys: Gold on the Ceiling
• They Might Be Giants: Can’t Keep Johnny Down
• Eddie Vedder: Longing to Belong

Sock Monkey Sound