The Antlers + La Blogotheque

Les dejo lo que hizo Vincent Moon con The Antlers (uno de nuestros grupos favoritos del 2009) para la blogotheque amigos. Saludos a todos.

The Antlers - Shiva - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

The Antlers - Two / Epilogue - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

BEACH HOUSE & YEASAYER

Amigos, dos discos para empezar bien el año. Los dos saldrán durante los primeros dos meses del 2010 y creo que ambos serán bastante bien criticados. Beach House (Teen Dream) con su sonido suave y amigable, bastante melancólico en ocasiones. Yeasayer (Odd Blood) con lo que podría ser el tipo de sonido que predomine durante la próxima década. Disfrútenlos. Les dejo un par de videillos y sorpresa en los comments.

Discos del 2009 (Musical Soulmate)

Amigos... primero que nada gracias a todos por compartir un año más de música y amistad. El veredicto final de Musical Soulmate se tomó considerando las votaciones de 2 de los miembros externos autorizados, Tiba y Ale, y de los tres escritores, Paquirri, MM y Amarillo. El primer lugar de cada quien ganaba 10 puntos, el segundo 9, y así sucesivamente hasta llegar al sexto, séptimo, octavo, noveno y décimo, a quienes por pertenecer a la lista se les otorgaron 5 puntos. Sin más preámbulo, sigamos rindiendo tributo a esas obras que nos hicieron vibrar durante el 2009, de atrás para adelante los discos del año son:

10. The Whitest Boy Alive - Rules

9. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion

8. Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures / Twilight Saga - New Moon Original Soundtrack / Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Up From Below / Noah & The Whale - First Days of Spring

7. Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk

6. Girls - Album

5. The xx - xx

4. Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum

3. The Antlers - Hospice

2. Yeah Yeah Yeah's - It's Blitz! / Fanfarlo - Reservoir

1. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

10 discos 2009 Ale

Amigos:

Esta es mi lista… es en lo que he andado este año, lo que he escuchado, me ha acompañado cuando me tengo que concentrar, cuando voy en el coche, cuando me quiero poner de buenas, llorar, bailar, recordar... aunque la neta “me quitaron mucho tiempo” los Dears, Bon Iver y Radiohead con el In Rainbows, pero bueno oooobvio no podían entrar en la lista!!!!!

Cabe mencionar que eso de ponerlos en un orden específico no es lo mío (le dije al Amarillo que una sopa de letras no hubiera estado mal!! Jjajjaja), pero bueno al final me basé en la cantidad de escuchadas que le dí, en lo que significó en el año y por supuesto en lo que me gusta!!...

Ahí les va…

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

Kasabian - The west ryder pauper lunatic asylum

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It´s blitz!

The whitest boy alive - Rules

Girls - Album

Papercuts - You can have what you want

Fanfarlo - Reservoir

Monsters of folk - Monsters of folk

Devendra Banhart - What will we be

The XX - XX

Por cierto, no podría poner los demos de Shine??? Jajajjaja la neta los escuché un buen y estuvieron conmigo en gran parte de la fiesta de este año!!, como olvidar las n veces de noches en el Rioma!, cumpleaños, etc…. pero bueno, ya si mencionamos fiesta no cabe duda que estos disquitos estuvieron presentes en muchos lugares como el 3-19, Imperial, carreteras, viajes, conciertos!... ufff… increíble.

Fue un gran año amigos!! los quiero!!

Ale

10 Discos 2009 Tiba

Les paso mi lista enjoy!!!

1. Twilight Saga: New Moon Original Soundtrack: Si bien es una recopilación, este disco reúne lo mejor de lo mejor que hemos estado escuchando últimamente, es por eso que lo coloco en número 1 ya que además de los grandes artistas que conocemos las demás rolas del disco lo complementan perfectamente.

2. Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum: A huihui que quisiera pertenecer a este manicomio ,pura fiesta con bastante variedad de ritmos, por eso está en el 2 antes que otros grandes discos, me gana esa piernita que se mueve al ritmo de los beats de cada rola.

3. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest: Me tarde en aceptar a esta banda (efecto Porter) y miren en qué lugar termino, gran disco, sin querer me fui dando cuenta que no dejaba de escucharlo o al menos algunas de sus rolas.

4. The Antlers – Hospice: Si, tanto dolor puede ser bueno. A pesar de que no es un disco que escucho muy seguido siempre lo tengo en la mente y recuerdo con bastante agrado.

5. Dizze Rascal – Tongue N´ Cheek: Este señor nos hace continuar con el reventón, no paras desde la primer rola hasta la última, tiene grandes colaboraciones y su labor como MC es destacable.

6. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic: Creo que no hay nada más que decir después de escuchar el nombre del grupo, el disco más experimental (confieso que adelanto un par de rolas) de lo último que han hecho y a pesar de eso es una enorme producción musical

7. Yeah yeah yeahs – It´s Blitz: Este disco es una gran evolución del grupo a través del tiempo, y si por ahí se pensara que ya no es tan rocker la mismísima Karen O con sus actuaciones y outfits nos restriega en la cara que son todo un grupo de rock

8. Fanfarlo –Reservoir: Gran descubrimiento, muy buena música, se escucha sin problema de principio a fin, su problema: Casi al mismo tiempo me presentaron a Blind Pilot que se me hacen un poco lo mismo pero mejor.

9. Local Natives: De todos los grupos nuevos de este año, estos señores destacaron para mí ya que su música no es algo que digas suena a:, me parece que tienen su sonido muy particular, bien hecho y que me gusta.

10. Them Crooked Vultures: Alineación llena de rockstars en toda la extensión de la palabra y lo mejor, lo que tienen de rockstars lo tienen de buenos músicos, esto pone a hacer headbanging a cualquiera, gracias por hacerme recordar que un guitarrazo y batería enfermos pueden sonar tan bien.

Por último mis queridos amigos mis menciones especiales a tres discos que coquetearon para entrar en la lista pero desafortunadamente no lo lograron.

· Passion Pit – Manners

· Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

· Kings of Convenience – Declaration of Dependece

10 discos 2009 Paquirri

Hola Amigos,

Este es mi top 10 de 2009. Se los envío de atrás hacia adelante, es un tanto ecléctica, pero de eso se trata no?

Besos a todos.

Paco

10.- Them Crooked Vultures: Como dice bien mi primo Ze, una alineación llena de Rockstarsotototes, con su álbum homónimo, Josh Homme (Queens of the stone age), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana) y John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), pueden hacer rockear a todo lo que da.

9.- Yo la Tengo - Popular Songs: Como saben es una de mis bandas favoritas del indie rock y como dejar fuera este gran disco que me late de inicio a fin.

8.- Fanfarlo - Reservoir: Muy buen disco de 2009, llegando a "sustituir" el descanso de Arcade Fire. Que gran portada no Chapa?

7.- Various - Dark Was The Night : Una de mis compilaciones favoritas con grandes bandas y cantautores que hacen del indie algo digno de escuchar.

6.- The Antlers - Hospice: Un disco en su mayoría conceptual o al menos así lo percibo, esa mezcla entre sonidos tan pequeños mezclados con estridentes sonidos al momento de un coro me hace pensar en influencias como Sonic Youth quizá. Disco digo de escucharse todo.

5.- Monsters Of Folk: Al igual que Them crooked vultures uno de los grandes supergrupos que se hicieron este año, en los 60´s se hizo algo similar en cuanto al folk se refiere, y en 2009 vemos a 4 supergrandes reunidos para hacer esta obra.

4.- The xx - XX: Esas conjugaciones de armonías perfectas con voces melodiosas hace que me guste el pop. Pop inglés de gran calidad.

3.- Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion: Cuando salió este disco decían que era el disco del año y la verdad que se mantuvo, muchas listas todavía lo consideran en su top 10, incluso en esta esta en el lugar numero 3. Definitivamente un disco que llegó a no ser tan experimental como los que acostumbraba esta banda hacer anteriormente y lograr meterse en el mainstrean de una forma muy chida.

2.- Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!: Que podemos esperar mas de esta señorona, Karen O y compañía crean un disco de gran calidad, con mas pureza que sus discos anteriores, en mi opinión un disco digno de escucharse en su totalidad. (Anteriormente iba a dejar este grupo en 3er lugar pero creo que se ganó el numero 2 en mi lista)

1.- El gran ganador del año!! y mi banda favorita del año! los buenísimos Grizzly Bear con su Veckatimest! Neta que gran disco, me hizo recordar esos tiempos en donde escuchabas un mismo disco durante el día por varias veces de principio a fin, la gente lo consideró postrock indie muy experimental en su momento pero creo que el Veckatimest logró romper con esa barrera y poder dejar huella en 2009. Felicidades a Grizzly y a todos sus fans que tuvimos chance de verlos dos veces este año en Austin y lo mejor de todo uno de los mejores shows de postrock que he visto.

Hay 6 discos que también coquetearon estar en la lista, pero no los pude meter:

Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse - Dark Night Of The Soul A pesar de que tuvo grandes colaboraciones, no logró llenar a full las expectativas.

Dan Auerbach - Keep It Hid Al ser miembro del dueto Black keys y hacer este disco mas folk se merece una mención.

Passion Pit - Manners Una de las grandes promesas en la parte electrónica pero se metieron grandes bandas después, sorry Passion Pit

Bat For Lashes - Two Suns: A esta mujer me quedé con ganas de verla en Berlín y creo que habrá sido muy bueno su show....ni modo ya será para la otra.

Beirut - March of the Zapotec Ya saben que soy gran fan de Zach Condon, sin embargo este album no me lleno al 100% como de costumbre.

Best of 2009 – MMusic

The music you hear pretty much says who you are. And, looking back at the music we heard in a period of time always allows us to remember those moments that changed us, moments that have made us who we are and sometimes define our direction, our dreams and aspirations. We will remember for instance, when we first heard a song, a great concert, or that wonderful night out with friends, and even sometimes, that terrible moment we have struggled to forget or the happiness we felt on a glorious day.

Picking your favorite albums is nothing more than selecting the playlist of your life. It’s rediscovering your ambitions; it’s living your dreams again and celebrating your victories. Sometimes though, it is also remembering the sadness you felt, the loneliness of a moment that has passed and the uncertainty of what comes next. Looking at your music allows you to discover something about yourself, something that perhaps although you have known for a while becomes more evident at the moment you hit the PLAY button.

This year, my list diverges from others, probably telling the story of a busy but exciting year, one that although kept me apart from friends and family was able to provide me with wonderful personal and professional moments, all of them accompanied by great music often being the only fuel I had to moving on.

Looking at Amarillo’s list, my true Musical Soulmate, I realize our experiences in 2009 were different, our hearts and souls moved in multiple directions, and only some of them intersected at a common place. This, however, is all good…these differences offer us a way for sharing our experiences and talking about the laughs and tears we lived this year. It also reminds us that although similar we differ, but that in the end, we will always have music to bring us together.

This is my list for 2009, with a video of a live performance, which as you know it's what I like the most..

Enjoy, and all the best for 2010.

MM


01. Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros - Up from Below



02. Fanfarlo – Reservoir



03. Grizzly Bear-Veckatimest



04. The Antlers- Hospice



05. The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love



06. Phoenix- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix



07. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s blitz!



08. The Felice Brothers - Yonder is the Clock



09. Metric - Fantasies



10. Noah and the Whale - First Days of Spring



And my extra five...

11. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career

12. Dark Was The Night - Various Artists

13. The Swell Season - Strict Joy

14. Beirut - March of the Zapotec

15. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

Mis 10 discos del 2009 (Amarillo)

Amigos, nuevamente fuimos objeto de la censura, la DMCA bajó mi post alegando que los links a los discos del año infringían los derechos de autor de algunos artistas. La publico nuevamente sin los links, pero la lucha por la libertad musical continuará. Good night friends...

1. Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear

The Onion (A.V. Club)

Veckatimest offers more than just an inventive exercise in collage: It’s like hearing the past few centuries of music playing in symphony, which sounds--thrillingly and reassuringly--like the future.

2. Hospice by The Antlers

Hot Press

Brooklyn's latest greatest deliver heartbreaking concept album.

3. Reservoir by Fanfarlo

New Musical Express

London-based collective Fanfarlo’s debut is a carefully orchestrated treat.

4. xx by The xx

Delusions of Adequacy

The xx have made a debut that sounds utterly flawless; it’s the kind of album that bands take years to create.

5. Album by Girls

Pitchfork

The canniness of Album's production choices and the scuzzy depression of the lyrics and the gut-level songwriting instincts, along with everything else about the record, add up to something elusive and fascinating--maybe even heartbreaking.

6. Primary Colours by The Horrors

New Musical Express

Time will tell how Primary Colours stands up to the likes of "Loveless" or "Psychocandy," but right now, this feels like the British art-rock album we’ve all been waiting for.

7. It’s Blitz! By Yeah Yeah Yeah’s

Q Magazine

So let any indie bands planning a trip to the keyboard shop take note: this is how it's done, with a desire to surprise and be surprised.

8. The First Days of Spring by Noah And The Whale

New Musical Express

They have done a hell of a lot of growing up. An immense album.

9. Sigh No More by Mumford & Sons

New Musical Express

Angst-ridden indiscretions aside, Sigh No More is a fine debut from a band that’s patiently picked up the tools of its trade, and chosen the right moment to give them full rein.

10. West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum by Kasabian

Uncut

A world away from their ladrock roots, you might say.

Best Music of 2009 according to NPR Listeners

As they do every year, folks at NPR's All Songs Considered have recently released their results for their yearly ballot asking their listeners to select the best music of the year. Their list is attached below, displaying the best 50 albums for 2009. You could agree or disagree (and feel free to submit your comments directly to NPR here), but certainly Bob Boilen and his crew at NPR have consistently demonstrated to be a reliable source for original and good quality music.


01. Grizzly Bear: Veckatimest
02. Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion
03. Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
04. Neko Case: Middle Cyclone
05. Andrew Bird: Noble Beast
06. The Decemberists: Hazards Of Love
07. Wilco: Wilco (The Album)
08. Bon Iver: Blood Bank
09. The Avett Brothers: I And Love And You
10. St. Vincent: Actor
11. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: It's Blitz!
12. Regina Spektor: Far
13. M. Ward: Hold Time
14. The Swell Season: Strict Joy
15. Monsters Of Folk: Monsters of Folk
16. The Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca
17. Passion Pit: Manners
18. Various: Dark Was The Night
19. Camera Obscura: My Maudlin Career
20. Metric: Fantasies
21. Beirut: March of the Zapotec
22. The xx: XX
23. Bat For Lashes: Two Suns
24. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros: Up From Below
25. Modest Mouse: No One's First, And You're Next
26. The Dead Weather: Horehound
27. U2: No Line On The Horizon
28. Norah Jones: The Fall
29. Pearl Jam: Back Spacer
30. Lily Allen: It's Not Me, It's You
31. The Low Anthem: Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
32. Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band: Outer South
33. Fever Ray: Fever Ray
34. The Antlers: Hospice
35. Bob Dylan: Together Through Life
36. Heartless Bastards: Mountain
37. Patrick Watson: Wooden Arms
38. Sonic Youth: The Eternal
39. Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse: Dark Night Of The Soul
40. Girls: Album
41. Jay-Z: The Blueprint III
42. K'Naan: Troubadour
43. Silversun PIckups: Swoon
44. Antony and the Johnsons: Crying Light
45. Moby: Wait For Me
46. Mos Def: The Ecstatic
47. Franz Ferdinand: Tonight
48. Noah And The Whale: First Days Of Spring
49. Dan Auerbach: Keep It Hid
50. Fanfarlo: Reservoir

In addition, yesterday's edition of All Songs Considered (Dec 14), includes discussion of the year in music for 2009. Host Bob Boilen, Monitor Mix blogger Carrie Brownstein, NPR Music editor Stephen Thompson and All Songs Considered producer Robin Hilton talk about what 2009 left for us in terms of musc, best surprises, best new bands and the best songs, etc. You can find the link to that show here.

Yes, it is that time of the year, so make sure you make your own list and share it with everyone...they could be 5, 10, 15, you name it...the point is to share the music that made us laugh, cry, smile or dream during the year...
Enjoy,

MM

Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros – First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia- Nov 15, 2009

On Sunday night I think I saw the best live performance I’ve seen this year…and trust me, I’ve been around.

Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros’ live performance was simply magnificent. After hearing reviews of the type of things they do live, I was really eager to see them play. In the end, I was not disappointed. The band is more awkward than you would expect even from an unconventional indie group. But, regardless of their looks, their clothing or even their personal hygiene, these guys know their stuff. Front-man Alex Ebert is as close as it gets to an “environmentally friendly rock star”…a guy that shows all the traits you associate with a true idol, but at the same time, someone that seems too approachable and laid down that trying to marry both ideas would certainly get you confused. His biblical image is impossible to remove and he knows this and plays it along, making you believe that a modern Jesus Christ has come to rescue us…from what?...boredom, musical repeatability, social regulations, god knows what…but in the end the music from this shirtless Jesus and his band transports you to that place where you find yourself singing, dancing and shaking every piece of your body, trying to follow him on his attempt to remove the “bad vibes” as he would call them.


The stage’s leading role is always shared with the amazingly beautiful Jade Castrinos, a girl with a voice that although strong is half as impressive as the energy she puts on every song. In addition, you have a collection of characters adding strings, percussions, guitars, keyboards, accordions, trumpets, etc., making it simply impossible to decide who’s playing what, and at the same time almost inviting you to forget about it, play along and enjoy the moment.


Their show has moments hard to decipher…moments where a laugh, a tear and a sight blend into a composite that spells nothing else but happiness. On Sunday, they played all their “Up from Below” album and a couple of new songs not included on this record. The intimacy of the First Unitarian Church once again contributed to the success of a wonderful night and the band seemed certainly impressed with the Philly crowd.


At some point, Alex’s excitement drove him all the way to the top of a huge speaker from where he delivered a song almost from the ceiling of the room…moments after, he asked the engineers to kill the light of the venue for them to play “Black Water” in complete darkness…at the end, during their encore the band crushed any musical etiquette asking everyone to sit down, and those of us lucky enough to be up front were asked to join them on stage, sit down and close the night with the sweet tune “Brother”.


But the story did not stop there…Alex decided to stick around after the show and personally thank almost everyone from coming…I knew I had to say something, so I approached him and said “thanks for a great show, come back soon”, he simply said “No problem man, you guys were awesome…”…I walked away.


Coming out the First Unitarian Church everyone seemed shocked, perplexed, confused, but certainly satisfied. This band is one that no one should afford to miss…and this concert was certainly one I will remember for a long, long time.

MM

Extra:

Video of their recent appearance in NPR's Tiny Concert series.

The Swell Season at The Merriam Theater – Philadelphia Nov 08, 2009

A beautiful concert was offered by The Swell Season last Sunday November 8 at The Merriam Theater in Philadelphia. The duo comprised of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová selected the impressive Merriam Theater to offer a delightful collection of tunes from their new album “Strict Joy” and the well-acclaimed 2007 soundtrack from the film “Once”. The venue, part of the Kimmel Center complex in Philadelphia certainly enhanced the beauty of the night, and contributed significantly to the romantic atmosphere that the group offered.

In addition to Glen and Markéta, most of the concert was supported by Hansard’s original group “The Frames” bringing a different perspective to some of the songs, which in my opinion provided and enhanced rock sound to the concert. The song selection offered a well-balanced collection of rock and Irish folk songs mostly performed by Hansard along with romantic compositions from Once and the new album where Markéta’s voice certainly made everyone in the audience shiver.

A must see concert and one that would be perfect for a first, second or even an anniversary date.

MM

Below a clip from “Low Rising”, another song that describes a well-known feeling…