(31) Days of Good: Day 31

Just one day left of GOOD...and seeing as how it's New Years Eve, here are my favorite tracks from 2010 that make the perfect additions to any Rockin' New Years Eve Party playlist.

Be sure to check out 35mmBeats for more NYE essentials.

12 Chiddy Bang - The Opposite Of Adults by Tomce16

Chromeo - Don't Turn The Lights On by Crossfire Music

Girl Talk - All Day - Let It Out by Hypetrak

(download all of All Day here.)

Hot Chip - I Feel Better by HOTCHIP

Drugs by mu200_ratatat

Sleigh Bells x Soulja Boy - Donk Rhythm (Immuzikation Blend)

Shutterbug Swing Tree - The White Panda by GravityBeatz

(31) Days of Good: Day 30

Vacation fun + Laziness = Extra short post today (but you can always find more GOOD over at 35mmBeats)

Frankie Rose (Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls) went out on her own this year and the results were fantastic. I fell in love with this track back when I first listened to the self-titled debut and it's still in heavy rotation on my pizzle. More Frankie Rose & the Outs here.

Frankie Rose and the Outs - Little Brown Haired Girl by Ragged Words

So, this song by Savoir Adore was originally released in 2009, but the EP was released this year and it's too good not to include here.

Savoir Adore - Bodies by musicmule


KCRW, LA's only good radio station, introduced me this wonderful Mexican, singer/songwriter, Carla Morrison. I haven't heard a song by her that I haven't liked, but Una Salida (enjoy the acoustic version below) from Mientras Tu Dormias... is my favorite.

Carla Morrison - Como es Acustico by carlamorrisonmusica

(31) Days of Good: Day 29

Indie folk duo, Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, were back this year with She & Him's Volume Two.

I really enjoyed this album, especially the cover's of I Can Here Music and Gonna Get Along Without You Now, as well as the first single, In The Sun, but my favorite track is Don't Look Back — a song about love that parallels the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.

 She & Him - Don't Look Back by voxmood

Purchase on iTunes.

Magic Kids is an indie pop rock band from Memphis.  They released their debut album, Memphis, this Summer and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I'm really digging these guys right now and can't wait to hear more, probably because they remind me of one of my all time favorite bands — The Beach Boys.  In fact, The Guardian says "says their songs are so Beach Boys 1963-64, they should only be heard in a Duece Coupe."

 The Magic Kids - Superball by plastiquenouveau

Purchase on iTunes.

Even more GOOD, courtesy of 35mmBeats.

(31) Days of Good: Day 28

First up, congrats to my sis!  She's getting married today and i'm super happy for her.  Second, i'm officially on vacation as I write this and it feels GLORIOUS!  So, in celebration of both occasions, i've got two extra good picks for today's edition of GOOD.  

Phantogram is a "street beat, psych pop" duo from NY.  Although active since 2007, the duo had a big 2010.  Earlier this year, they signed with Barsuk Records and also released their latest, Eyelid Movies, which has been a staple on year end lists this year.

Phantogram - Mouthful of Diamonds

Purchase on iTunes.

Next up, TV on the Radio bandmember/producer Dave Sitek's solo-side project, Maximum Balloon.  

This record was another favorite of mine and barely missed out on a spot on my top 10 of 2010 list.  The record includes contributions by a ton of guests (pretty much every track), including David Byrne, Karen O, Aku, Theophilus London, and Little Dragon.  There's really not a bad song on the record, but the Little Dragon collaboration is my personal favorite.

 Maximum Balloon-If You Return (feat. Little Dragon) by Tyler Flatt 

Purchase on iTunes.

Still in need of more GOOD?  35mmBeats has you covered.

(31) Days of Good: Day 27

One of my favorite covers of 2010 comes to us from the indie rock, husband/wife, duo Mates of State.  This year the duo released Crushes (The Covers Mixtape), which includes covers of other indie rock acts, including Tom Waits, Belle & Sebastian, The Mars Volta, and Girls.

You can download two tracks, Laura (Girls cover) and True Love Will Find You in the End (Daniel Johnston cover), for free at matesofstate.com.

Next up, Girls, an indie rock band from San Francisco that have been compared to Elvis Costello, Buddy Holly, and The Beach Boys.  This year they released the Broken Dreams Club EP.



 Girls - Heartbreaker by Hypetrak


Even more GOOD over at 35mmBeats.

(31) Days of Good: Day 26

I'm on the road for the next week, so the remaining posts will be short and sweet.  My goal was to have these all done way in advance and just set up auto-post, but procrastination got the better of me...but be sure to check out 35mmBeats for even more GOOD.


Japandroids is a two piece band from Vancouver, BC.  Tired of being forced to pick a label for their music, Brian King (guitar) and Dave Prowse (drums) decided that their sound was simply "post-nothing".

2010 saw the re-release Japandroids' two-pre-Post-Nothing EPs — LullabyDeath Jams and All Lies — compliled together as No Singles.  The EPs have been out of print ever since the original pressings (500 copies each on CD-R) quickly sold out.

Polyvinyl Records has a free sampler, which includes Younger Us, and a whole lot more.  Download the sampler here.



The New Pornographers is a Canadian indie rock band formed back in 1997.  The band released their fifth album, Together, back in May, and features guest appearances by musicians such as Zach Condon of Beirut, Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent), Will Sheff of Okkervil River, and the horn players from Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings.  I thouroughly enjoyed this record and it barely missed being in my top 10 albums of 2010.

 New Pornographers - A Bite Out of My Bed by rslblog.com   The New Pornographers "Your Hands (Together)" by Frontside

(31) Days of Good: Day 25

Here are some of my favorite Christmas songs from 2010. I know a few of these songs were not released in 2010, but who cares...It's Christmas! Light up that yule log, drink some egg nog, enjoy the jams!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

A B & The Sea - Christmas (Baby Please Come Come) feat. The She's (Darlene Love Cover)

Brad Walsh - Poppin' Around the Xmas Tree (courtesy of A Heart Is A Spade)

I LIKE TRAINS - Last Christmas

Maps - Stay Another Day

Mayer Hawthorne - Christmas Time is Here

Ormonde - Blue Christmas

Parker Lewis & Matilda Berggren - All Alone on Christmas (Darlene Love cover)

Thunderskank & Trufix - Merry Christmas

The White Panda - Feliz Hustlin'

Zambri - Xmas Ooh (courtesy of A Heart Is A Spade)

This last track is my favorite. It's an original Christmas ditty from my 5th favorite album of the year, by the incredible a cappella sextet, Sonos. It's amazing what they can do with nothing but their voices... and it's even more amazing watching them do it live. More Sonos here.

 Sonos - Come December by Concrete Opinions

Be sure to checkout 35mmBeats for even more GOOD.

(31) Days of Good: Day 24

Here's some of 2010's best rock for your Christmas Eve listening pleasure.  And be sure to check out what GOOD 35mmBeats has to offer this fine day.

This Rockin' Ramrods cover by Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti is a bit of pop justice.  The original should have been a hit, so consider this a second chance for a first-rate song.



 Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Bright Lit Blue Skies by Concrete Opinions

More Ariel Pink here.

Purchase on iTunes.


The Black Keys are an American blues-rock music duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney.  The duo's sixth album, Brothers, was released this year and is all over year end lists.



 The Black Keys - Tighten Up by musicmule

More Black Keys here.

What started as an impromptu get-together with friends —Jack White, Alison Mosshart, Dean Fertita, and Jack Lawrence — has blossomed into a full-blown alt-rock supergroup for their generation.  Sea of Cowards continues the momentum captured on Horehound, plunging deeper into its electric blue and sleazy rock foundations and exploding in different, surpising directions. (courtesy of iTunes)



 The Dead Weather - Hustle And Cuss by amelbret

More Dead Weather here.

High Violet is the fifth studio album by The National.  This albums marks the band's highest charting effort yet and is well deserved.  There's not a bad song on this record and it's no surprise that it's on so many year end lists.



 The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio by musicmule

More of The National here.

Titus Andronicus is a punk/indie rock band from New Jersey and takes its name from the Shakespeare play of the same name.  2010 saw the release of The Monitor — a concept album loosely based on themes relating to the American Civil War.

 TITUS ANDRONICUS // A More Perfect Union by influxmusic 

More Titus Andronicus here.

(31) Days of Good: Day 23

Crystal Castles is an experimental electronic music band from Toronto, consisting of producer Ethan Kath and vocalist Alice Glass. Known for their chaotic live shows and their melancholic lo-fi home productions, they have been a favorite of mine since the release of their first full-length, Crystal Castles, back in 2008.

The band's second album, also titled Crystal Castles but known as Crystal Castles II, was released this year and was one of my favorites of 2010. This is another one where it's hard for me to pick just one. I really love Violent Dreams and Celestica, but I can't resist the single version of Not in Love, for which Robert Smith lends his one-of-kind vocals.

Crystal Castles - Not In Love (ft. Robert Smith)

More Crystal Castles here.

Purchase on iTunes.

I stumbled upon this next pick very recently, thanks to the oh so great Hype Machine.





















Amos the Transparent is a Canadien rock band from Ottawa and the brainchild of songwriter Jonathan Chandler. The band just released the Children's EP, A is For Amos, which includes a fantastic, Fisher-Price meets Playskool instrumentation, version one of my favorites, Lemons (aka BigFishLittlePond).

Amos the Transparent - Lemons (aka BigFishLittlePond)

More Amos the Transparent here.

Purchase on iTunes.

As always, even more GOOD over at 35mmBeats.

(31) Days of Good: Day 22

Canadian musical collective, Broken Social Scene, were back this year with their latest, Forgiveness Rock Record.

The album features guest appearances by Feist, Emily Haines (Metric), Spiral Stairs (Pavement), and Sebastien Grainger (Death from Above 1979), and also marks the first time Amy Shaw, Haines, and Feist have been recorded on the same song (Sentimental X's). My favorite track from the record (right now) is All to All, which iTunes describes as a weightless female vocal and synth dancetrip.

Broken Social Scene - All to All

More Broken Social Scene here.

Purchase Forgiveness Rock Record on iTunes.

Casiokids is a Norwegian electro-pop ensemble from Bergen, formed in 2005. NME described the band as "the best thing to come out of Norway since black metal" and have been compared to fellow Norwegian artists The Whitest Boy Alive, Royksopp, and Annie.




2010 saw the release of Topp stemning på lokal bar, which included the hit single Fot i hose. While Fot i hose is a great track, my favorite track from the album is most definitely Finn bikkjen!

Casiokids - Finn bikkjen!

More Casiokids here.

Purchase Topp stemning på lokal bar on iTunes.

(31) Days of Good: Day 21

Time flies when you're having fun...only 10 days left of this year's GOOD!

2010 saw the latest release from 2D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel...better known collectively as Gorillaz. I'll be the first to admit that I didn't think Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett's animated-musical project would last this long...and i'll be the first to admit I was dead wrong. As far as i'm concerned, Gorillaz keep getting better.

Plastic Beach built on the foundation set by Demon Days and then some. I really enjoyed this album, (especially the collaborations with Lou Reed, Little Dragon, Mos Def and obviously, De La Soul) and the Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour was one the best live shows I saw this year (if not ever).



Be sure to visit the GORILLAZ ADVENT CALENDAR each day for special treats (especially Christmas morning, when you can stream the new album, The Fall, which was recorded and mixed entirely on Albarn's iPad).

Purchase Plastic Beach on iTunes.

I was also lucky enough to see N.E.R.D. open for Gorillaz and while their set was a little underwhelming, I instantly fell in love with the Daft Punk produced Hypnotize U, from their latest album, Nothing.

N.E.R.D. - Hypnotize U by blackskywhite

Purchase Nothing on iTunes.

Even more GOOD courtesy of 35mmBeats.

(31) Days of Good: Day 20

Blue Hawaii tells the story of a lush paradise. The way begins ambient and uncertain, but beautiful white shell beaches and carefree sunshine parties await and nourish those travelers with love in their hearts; their peace thus raised above the arguments found along the rocky road. The duo consists of Raph and Agor; they use voice, guitars, synths, drum machines, and other electronics to create a kind of tropical-pop with love ache melodies and experimental club rhythms. (courtesy of Arbutus Records)

Blue Hawaii - Blue Gowns

Brooklyn-based duo, Matt & Kim, released their third full length this year. Like the past two albums, Sidewalks is complete with simplistic lyrics, synth melodies, shouty singing, and the band's gleefully spazzy sound...everything we love about Matt & Kim.

Matt & Kim - Block After Block

Even more GOOD over at 35mmBeats

(31) Days of Good: Day 19

It's pretty much raining all over California for the next couple of days and while I thoroughly enjoy this weather, I know a lot of people can't stand it. I say, take this time to sit in, relax, and listen to today's GOOD — the perfect additions for any lazy Sunday soundtrack.

...and since my beautiful, incredibly fantastic, and perfect in every way wife surprised me with a birthday/graduation/ugly Christmas sweater party last night, today's post is short and sweet.

Enjoy!

(be sure to check out 35mmBeats for more GOOD)

Blackbird Blackbird - Float On (Modest Mouse cover)

More Blackbird Blackbird here.

Purchase Blackbird Blackbird via Bandcamp or iTunes.

Tennis - Marathon

More Tennis here.

Purchase Tennis via Amazon or iTunes.

Warpaint - Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie cover)

More Warpaint here.

Purchase Warpaint via Amazon or iTunes.

(31) Days of Good: Day 18

Baths is LA music-maker Will Wiesenfeld — a eclectic combination of lush melodies, ghostly choirs, playful instrumentation, and stuttering beats.

Over the last six years, Wiesenfeld has gainfully explored the intersections and out reachers of both electronic and acoustic music. Baths had a big 2010. The debut album, Cerulean, was released in July, the blogosphere couldn't stop talking about Bath's appearance at this year's CMJ, and being featured on The Hype Machine Radio Show is never a bad thing.

Baths - Aminals

More at myspace.com/baths.

Bikini is Nigel Diamond and Olivier Olivier and not since The Postal Service, have I heard of a more interesting way to produce a record.

Olivier composes all the melodies in the fall of each year, drawing his inspiration from the poetry he writes during the summer. He records vocals, exports all his drafts without titles of form to Diamond, and Diamond spends the following spring arranging Olivier's melodies, rhythm sequences, and vocal treatments — adding his own lines. The result is a finished record. Nothing is sent back to Olivier. The songs are sent from Diamond to be mastered and released. (courtesy of RCRD LBL)

Bikini - American Mourning

More at biikiinii.com.

And as always, there's even more GOOD, courtesy of 35mmBeats

(31) Days of Good: Day 17

I've been a big fan of movie soundtracks and scores since I first saw Edward Scissorhands back in 1990 (still my favorite movie score...and probably my favorite album overall) and in honor of today's highly anticipated and hyped release of TRON: Legacy, i'm proud to present my favorite movie tunes of 2010.

(be sure to check out the soundtrack edition over at 35mmBeats for more good cinema tunes)

First up, one of the best comic book adaptations and probably the most underrated movie of 2010—Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World.

Radiohead producer Nigle Godrich, Beck, Metric, Broken Social Scene, Cornelius, Dan the Automator, Kid Koala, and David Campbell all contributed to the film's soundtrack. Not bad, right? But even better, Beck composed the music played by Sex Bob-omb (Scott Pilgrim's band in the film) and Broken Social Scene wrote all the songs for another one of the film's bands.

Sex Bob-omb (Beck) - We Are Sex Bob-omb by Concrete Opinions

This next film was anything but underrated. Inception will most likely end up being my favorite film of 2010 and the score is equally impressive.

Once again, Hans Zimmer proves why he is one of the most sought after and best film composers of all time. His score to Inception is the perfect companion to Chris Nolan's dream caper and I instantly fell in love with today's featured track when I first heard it the film.

(As a little bonus, i've also included the We Plants Are Happy Plants remix)

Hans Zimmer - Time by Concrete Opinions

Hans Zimmer - Time (We Plants Are Happy Plants Remix) by Concrete Opinions

I don't even think living under a rock could keep you from knowing that Disney has finally resurrected TRON.

I haven't seen a movie hyped this much since Lord of the Rings. It seems like everywhere you look is another TRON: Legacy poster, the TV commercials are a plenty, and Disney's Calfiornia Adventure even turns into ElecTRONica—a nighttime dance party with live DJs, dancing, sneak peaks of the new film, a recreation of Flynn's Arcade, and TRON even takes over the new light show, World of Color.

But it's not just the film that's getting all the hype. When word spread that Daft Punk would be composing the film's score, music blogs blew up. I've been listening to the duo's score a lot since it was released earlier this month and it definitely lives up to the hype. The balance of electronica and orchestra works perfectly and proves there's more to these French boys than synths and beats (had to post two tracks so you could see the range).

Daft Punk - Adagio For TRON by Concrete Opinions

Daft Punk - TRON Legacy (End Titles) by Concrete Opinions

And real quick, I haven't had a chance to listen to any of Clint Mansell's score for Black Swan, but if it's anything like his previous works (Pi, Requiem For a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler), i'm sure it will be fantastic and end up on my iPod. Check it out if you get the chance.

(31) Days of Good: Day 16

The first of today's GOOD was brought to my attention by Spike Jonze's robot, love story, I'm Here. Mr. Jonze knows good music and sprinkles it throughout the film (you'll hear Sleigh Bells and Animal Collective...just to name a few), but it's this song that I really enjoyed the most.

ASKA's song, There Are Many of Us, is heavily featured throughout the film and serves as the perfect theme for one of the best love stories of the 2010!

ASKA - There Are Many of Us by Concrete Opinions

Next up, a tune from the the sisters Bianca "Coco" and Sierra "Rosie" Casady.

Grey Oceans is the fourth full-length studio album by CocoRosie and the band's Sub Pop Records debut. The sound is a little different in comparison to former releases (the production's a bit more clear and the instrumentations brighter and less electronic), but it's still very much the CocoRosie I love.

CocoRosie - Lemonade by subpop

Even more GOOD courtesy of 35mmBeats

(31) Days of Good: Day 15

Today's GOOD comes from three upcoming 2011 releases that i'm super excited about.

First up, the Swedish songstress Lykke Li.

Back in October, Lykke Li dropped her latest EP-project Get Some/Paris Blue. The A-side track, Get Some, has been getting most of the love (you can download the Beck remix here), but my favorite of the two is the B-side, Paris Blue. (Lykke Li's new album, Wounded Rhymes, will be out sometime 2011)

Lykke Li - Paris Blue by Concrete Opinions

Next up, probably my favorite noise-pop band these days, Deerhoof.

Deerhoof's 10th studio album is set to be released in the US on January 25th, 2011, but back in early October, the band released the new track, The Merry Barracks, and if the rest of the album is anything like this, we're in for quite the treat.

Deerhoof - The Merry Barracks by Concrete Opinions

Lastly, one of my absolute favorite bands, The Go! Team.

The Go! Team's last album, Proof of Youth, came out way back in 2007 and i've been patiently waiting for something new from the Brighton-based sextet since then. Their latest, Rolling Blackouts, is set to be released sometime next year and will feature collaborations with the likes of Satomi Matsuzaki (Deerhoof) and Bethany Cosentino (Best Coast). Needless to say, Rolling Blackouts is the album i'm most excited to hear in 2011 and without further ado, the lead-off track, T.O.R.N.A.D.O.

The Go! Team - T.O.R.N.A.D.O. by Concrete Opinions

and be sure to check out 35mmBeats for more GOOD

(31) Days of Good: Day 14

What does a lo-fi, beach pop trio have in common with a British wonky pop artist? The man on the moon himself, Kid Cudi.

Both of today's artists have done more than well for themselves, but there's no denying the impact Cudi had when he collaborated with Best Coast and Rostam Batmanglij for the converse produced (yes, the shoe company) track, All Summer, and teamed up with Dan Black on the Symphonies EP and the deluxe edition of UN.

Along with the Cudi collaborations and some epic "photobombing", Mr. Black has been super busy. He released Symphonies in the US at the end of 2009 and this year he toured the US and Canada, including stops at SXSW, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits.

2010 also saw the release of Black's Weird Science mixtape. Like me, you probably associate mixtapes with hip hop, but Black proves pop artists can hang with the best of them. Check out my favorite from the tape below and then download the rest here.

Dan Black - Spank the Cure Till Brooklyn by Concrete Opinions

More at danblacksound.com

Next up, one of the biggest buzz bands of 2010, Best Coast.

I'll probably never understand why people long for LA, but I still dig Bethany Cosetino's story and inspiration. While Ms. Cosetino attended college in NY, she would spend her days longing for the life she left behind in sunny LA. This longing created Best Coast and the debut full-length, Crazy for You, best described as beach blanket lo-fi pop songs about "summer and the sun and the ocean and being a lazy creep"

Best Coast - Each And Every Day by Concrete Opinions

[BONUS]

Kid Cudi, Best Coast, & Rostam Batmanglij - All Summer by Concrete Opinions

More at bestycoasty.blogspot.com.

Need more GOOD? 35mmBeats has you covered.