CLEMENTINES!
Best Fruit of 2009
CLEMENTINES!
Category Archives: Lists
CLEMENTINES!
Best Band Blog of 2009
NO AGE! (http://noagela.blogspot.com)
Not because they included one of my horrendous cover videos in a post of theirs, but because they consistently post tidbits (pictures, news, etc) from their tours (and beyond) that allows your average die-hard (or casual) fan to have a look at what it’s like to be in a really awesome band.
Top Web Discovery of 2009
Nu Rave Brain Wave – nuravebrainwave.com
Description: Two girls that have an awesomely similar taste in music (read, Black Lips addiction) as I do post great shit about said music.
Recommended?: Highly
Most Disappointing LPs of 2009
No order.
1. The Thermals – Now We Can See – Before listening to this, I was exposed to just a few Thermals songs. That said, I’ve held this band in high regard. This LP was rather disappointing mainly because it was filled to the brim with pop-punk songs that weren’t eccentric enough for me.
2. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest – For me, a lot of what made Grizzly Bear “epic” was nowhere to be found on here. Okay, there are a few songs that I really dig from this LP, but in general I’d say Grizzly Bear changed their direction to a more prim and proper baroque-pop style with less experimental flair than ever before.
3. Lovely Feathers – Fantasy of the Lot – Hind Hind Legs (2006) was an amazing disc. So amazing that I don’t think Lovely Feathers could ever out do it, even if they tried really really hard. This LP has some really strong points, but it kind of has a weird pace that’s all over the place. I just thought Hind had an immaculate flow. This really doesn’t.
4. Flaming Lips – Embryonic – Considering I’ve only listened to the “hits” from these guys, I sort of had a gut feeling that this album would be filled with catchy songs! Was I ever more disappointed? Save maybe one or two songs, this wasn’t memorable for me at all. It was mainly sound.
5. Japandroids – Post-Nothing – This thing is shockingly similar to Now We Can See. I’d say it’s straight up noise rock with a strong pop-punk undertone. Based on the initial reception of this album, I was excited! Then I actually listened to it and was mildly disappointed.
Top 10 Concerts of 2009!
By: Glen
1.
Bands: Black Lips/Gentleman Jesse & His Men/Mean Creek
Venue: Middle East Downstairs
Date: March 7, 2009
Grade: A+
Comment: Meeting Cole before the gig. Getting handed beers from Ian. My favorite band playing all my favorite classics. Great mix of moshing and positive crowd interaction.
2.
Bands: King Khan & The Shrines/Mark Sultan/Homosexuals
Venue: Paradise Rock Club
Date: May 14, 2009
Grade: A+
Comment: Khan is a legend of a performer. He really got the entire room energized. Everybody was grooving and singing along to his sexually provocative lyrics. It’s too bad that I wasn’t able to appreciate Mark as much as I wish I could have at the time.
3.
Bands: No Age/The Beets/Lemonade
Venue: Wellesley College
Date: April 2, 2009
Grade: A+
Comments: Met Randy and Dean before the show. Hugged them after the show. The show itself? Fantastic. By the end, I was all sweaty from jumping around like crazy in between Dean’s drum-kit and Randy’s guitar set-up. A plus was that I recognized every single song that they played.
4.
Bands: KK+BBQ/Dum Dum Girls/Downbeat 5
Venue: Middle East Downstairs
Date: October 29, 2009
Grade: A+
Comments: Like I said before, Khan is a legendary performer. BBQ is a master at all three of his crafts: vocals, guitar, and drums. Combine the two and what do you get? A thing of beauty. Rockin’ out and singing along, always.
5.
Bands: Jay Reatard/Nobunny/Hunx and His Punx/Box Elders/Useless Eaters
Venue: Harpers Ferry
Date: October 2, 2009
Grade: A+
Comments: Quite the freaking bill, huh? I witnessed the greatest overall opening experience at this gig because garage-pop has that sort of effect. And what about Jay? His music was tight and this time around I really was able to connect with a greater majority of his songs than before. F-U-N times.
6. Walkmen/Here We Go Magic/The Dig – Middle East Downstairs – September 19, 2009 – Grade: A+
7. Arctic Monkeys/Screaming Females – House of Blues – December 13, 2009 – Grade: A
8. Pixies/Jay Reatard – Wang Theatre – November 27, 2009 – Grade: A
9. Sonic Youth/The Feelies – Wilbur Theatre – November 22, 2009 – Grade: A
10. The Rifles/Mike Fiore – Great Scott – September 23, 2009 – Grade: A
Favorite Discoveries of 2009
Cool bands (in alphabetical order?) that I discovered for the first time in 2009. Rule: they must not have been formed in 2009/must not have released their first record in 2009. Anything questionable, I didn’t include. And no doubts that I forgot some.
– Atlas Sound
– Black Moth Super Rainbow
– Bloodshot Bill
– Bobby Ubangi
– Box Elders
– Galaxie 500
– Mika Miko
– Portugal. The Man
– Thee Oh Sees
40 Things Popular At Beginning of ’00s, Now Not Anymore
I don’t deserve to steal the spotlight of this great list, so go to the website and check it out:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/40-things-that-were-popular-at-the-beginning-of-th/
Songs of the Week: Country Edition
George Jones- Walk Through This World With Me (1964)
Johnny Cash and June Carter- Jackson (1969) For all the pretty prsioners at San Quentin
Hank Williams- I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive (1952)
Patsy Cline- Crazy (1962)
The Statler Brothers- Flowers On the Wall (1965)
Meat Puppets- Lost (1984)
Those Darlins- The Whole Damn Thing (2009)- Dayem, so hot!
Chris
MY Top Songs of 2009
1) Animal Collective- Summertime Clothes
2) The Almighty Defenders- Cone of Light
3) Deerhunter- Disappearing Ink
4) Jay Reatard- Rotten Mind
5) King Khan & BBQ Show- Anala
6) Girls- Lust For Life
7) Uninhabitable Mansions- Speed Is Deceiving
8) Box Elders- Atlantis
9) Black Lips- I’ll Be With You
10) Strange Boys- Woe Is You and Me
11) Waaves- So Bored
12) Mika Miko- I Got A Lot (New New New)
13) No Age- You’re A Target
14) The Pains of Being Pure At Heart- Come Saturday
15) Bobby Ubangi- Greasers’ Lament
16) Arctic Monkeys- Secret Door
17) Those Darlins- Red Light Love
18) Sunset Rubdown- Idiot Heart
19) Sonic Youth- What We Know
20) Vivian Girls- Before I Start to Cry
Chris
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 