Showing posts with label sleigh bells. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sleigh bells. Show all posts
Friday, December 31, 2010
(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.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Top 10 Albums of 2010
I've said it a million times, and i'll say it once more, 2010 was an impressive year for music. But as much as enjoyed all the good music, trying to narrow down my favorite albums of the year to only 10 was quite the task. I went back and forth on some of these, but I eventually came to a decision and i'll stand by these picks. So without further ado, i'm very pleased to present my top 10 albums of 2010. Enjoy!
10. Yann Tiersen - Dust Lane
Grief channeled brilliance from one of the all-around most talented musicians out there.
9. Los Campesinos! - Romance is Boring
Noise-pop at its best!
8. Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer
Contemporary, confident conception of soul music, with one of the best cover songs of the last 10 years (if not more).
7. Freelance Whales - Weathervanes
Odd collection of instruments + bandmates found on Craigslist + a quality rarely found on debut albums = one damn good record!
6. Beach House - Teen Dream
Dream pop gem from a duo that should be a household name among music fans.
5. Sonos - December Songs
Talent wise, this a cappella sextet is number one. It's absolutely amazing what they do with nothing but their voices. More at sonosings.com.
4. Jónsi - Go
Sigur Rós frontman proves once again that his vocals and production quality are one-of-a-kind.
3. LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
Synth-pop, new wave, punk-funk at it's best!
2. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Best live show I went to this year...and maybe ever. Not a bad song on this ambitious, and pretty much perfect, album.
1. Sleigh Bells - Treats
I've been in love with these noise rock newcomers since the first time I heard the demo for Crown on the Ground. Treats is the perfect combination of synth-rock, lo-fi, power chords, and visceral pop.
The rest of my 2010 favorites (11 — 100, but in alphabetical order):
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo
Band of Horses - Infinite Arms
Baths - Cerulean
Belle And Sebastian - Write About Love
Best Coast - Crazy For You
Big Boi - Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
Blackbird Blackbird - Summer Heart
The Black Keys - Brothers
Broken Bells - Broken Bells
Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record
Caribou - Swim
Carla Morrison - Mientras Tu Dormias
Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM
Chiddy Bang - The Preview
Childish Gambino - I Am Not A Rapper (1 & 2)
Chromeo - Business Casual
Clint Mansell - Black Swan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
CocoRosie - Grey Oceans
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (II)
Daft Punk - TRON: Legacy
Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
Delorean - Subiza
The Drums - The Drums
Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be
The Fall - Your Future, Our Clutter
Field Music - Measure
Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
Foals - Total Life Forever
Four Tet - There Is Love In You
Frankie Rose and the Outs - Frankie Rose & the Outs
Future Islands - In Evening Air
Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks
Games - That We Can Play
Girls - Broken Dreams Club
Girl Talk - All Day
Glasser - Ring
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
Grinderman - Grinderman 2
Hans Zimmer - Inception (Music from the Motion Picture)
Hoodie Allen - Pep Rally
Hot Chip - One Life Stand
Hurts - Happiness
Janelle Monae - Archandroid
Jenny and Johnny - I'm Having Fun Now
Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
Kate Nash - My Best Friend is You
Kele - Boxer
Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon Part 2
Klaxons - Surfing The Void
Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can
Les Savy Fav - Root For Ruin
Liars - Sisterworld
Local Natives - Gorilla Manner
Magnetic Man - Magnetic Man
Marina & the Diamonds - The Family Jewels
Matt & Kim - Sidewalks
Magic Kids - Memphis
Manic Street Preachers - Postcards From A Young Man
Massive Attack - Heligoland
Maximum Balloon - Maximum Balloon
MGMT - Congratulations
Miami Horror - Illumination
Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More
The Mynabirds - What We Lose In the Fire We Gain In the Flood
Mystery Jets - Serotonin
The National - High Violet
The New Pornographers - Together
New Young Pony Club - The Optimist
The Radio Dept. - Clinging to a Scheme
Rapdragons - Featuring Baltimore
Ratatat - Lp4
Rjd2 - The Colossus
Robyn - Body Talk Pt 1
Royksopp - Senior
She & Him - Volume Two
Snow & Voices - Anything That Moves
Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky
Teen Daze - Four More Years
Theophilus London - I Want You
These New Puritans - Hidden
Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History
Underworld - Barking
Vampire Weekend - Contra
Warpaint - The Fool
Wavves - King of the Beach
Yeasayer - Odd Blood
You Say Party - XXXX
Friday, December 3, 2010
(31) Days of Good: Day 3
(FYI, realized there was too much good music released this past year to only cover one artist/band a day. I'll be featuring 2 or 3 a day from now on)
What do you get when you combine a former hardcore guitarist with a schoolteacher/and one-time member of a teenpop group? Just about the best American noise pop/lo-fi duo Brooklyn has to offer.
Sleigh Bells is composed of Derek E. Miller (songwriter, guitarist, producer) and Alexis Krauss (vocals). After a breakout year consisting of huge showings at music fests, such as CMJ and Coachella, tours with the likes of Yeasayer and LCD Soundsystem, a feature in Spike Jonz's robot love story I'm Here, and signing with M.I.A.'s N.E.E.T. label, the duo released their debut full-length Treats. I'm still hashing out my best albums of 2010, but I can guarantee Treats is at least in the top 3 (I haven't been as excited about a new band since The Go! Team released their first album).
The first Sleigh Bells track I heard, which still happens to be my favorite (actually it's a tie between this and Rachel), is Crown on the Ground (as a little bonus, i've also included the Jane Bang remix). I hope you enjoy it as much as I have the past year, and definitely check out the rest of Treats if you haven't already.
More Sleigh Bells @ myspace and infinitybells.com
LCD Soundsystem is anything but new to music blogs, so i'm going to keep this relatively short. This year, Mr. James Murphy released his third, and once again critically acclaimed album, This is Happening. Another definite addition to my best of 2010 list, this album is another must listen.
I'm trying to pick only one song per artist, which has proven to be much harder than expected, but I can easily say that Dance Yrself Clean is my favorite track from this album. I was lucky enough to see Sleigh Bells and LCD (and Hot Chip) share the stage this year and when LCD opened with this track, the crowd exploded (brace yourself for the 3:07 mark).
I can't post the track (sorry), but you can listen to and preview tracks at lcdsoundsystem.com, myspace, & the hype machine
More LCD Soundsystem @ lcdsoundsystem.com
More (31) Days of Good @ 35mmBeats
Sunday, November 21, 2010
1 Year Down
Over the past year, I've learned that managing a music blog is a whole lot harder than people think. Other than the few collaborations with Brendan over at 35mmBeats, I've been at this by my lonesome, while at the same time working my day job and finishing up grad school.
There have been (more than a few) times when I've dropped the ball and posted pure rubbish and/or wasn't able to make frequent or regular posts, but for the most part, I'm really proud of what I've accomplished in such short time. I know there's still a lot more to the music blogsophere I have yet to grasp, but I really feel like I've got some good momentum going and I look forward to the future of this little creative outlet of mine.
Thanks to Brendan/35mmbeats, I wouldn't have started this blog, had you not started yours. Thanks to all/any of my readers (I think I have few out there) for thinking my thoughts and ramblings about music are worth a mouse click. And a big THANKS to all the bands/musicians/artists that continue to create music that excites, interests, and inspires me to write about it.
Here's to many more years!
~ Billy/Concrete Opinions
There have been (more than a few) times when I've dropped the ball and posted pure rubbish and/or wasn't able to make frequent or regular posts, but for the most part, I'm really proud of what I've accomplished in such short time. I know there's still a lot more to the music blogsophere I have yet to grasp, but I really feel like I've got some good momentum going and I look forward to the future of this little creative outlet of mine.
Thanks to Brendan/35mmbeats, I wouldn't have started this blog, had you not started yours. Thanks to all/any of my readers (I think I have few out there) for thinking my thoughts and ramblings about music are worth a mouse click. And a big THANKS to all the bands/musicians/artists that continue to create music that excites, interests, and inspires me to write about it.
Here's to many more years!
~ Billy/Concrete Opinions
p.s. since this is a music blog, here are some of the songs i've listened to the most since Nov 21, 2009
[mp3] The Big Pink - Velvet
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
sleigh bells - infinity guitars
I'm super excited about the upcoming LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, & Sleigh Bells show at the Hollywood Bowl, so for the last couple of days I've been listening to their music and watching videos on youtube. Last week, Sleigh Bells released their first official music video, and I absolutely love it! Without further ado, here's Infinity Guitars from Sleigh Bells. Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
CONTEST: Hot Chip//One Life Stand
So I just scored tickets to the LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip, and Sleigh Bells show at the Hollywood Bowl on October 15th. Needless to say, i'm super excited. So excited, i'm giving away a free copy of Hot Chip's most recent release, One Life Stand. (wish i could giveaway tickets to the show, but this is better than nothing right?)
If you want a free copy of One Life Stand, leave a comment on this post with your favorite Hot Chip song(s).
One winner will be randomly selected on 8/20 @ NOON
Friday, July 30, 2010
favorites of 2010...so far
(disclaimer: i've been trying to put this list together for quite some time, but new music keeps being released that is too good to pass up...but that's really not a bad thing)
Hope you enjoy and be sure to stick it out and see how this list holds come December. Plus, all month long in December, "(31) days of good" will chronicle my favorite tracks of the year.
Stay tuned!
Arcade Fire//The Suburbs
Beach House//Teen Dream
Best Coast//Crazy For You
Big Boi//Sir Lucious Left Foot...The Son of Chico Dusty
Broken Bells//Broken Bells
Crystal Castles//Crystal Castles
Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse, & David Lynch//Dark Night of the Soul
David Byrne & Fatboy Slim//Here Lies Love
The Dead Weather//Sea of Cowards
Delorean//Subiza
The Drums//The Drums
Flying Lotust//Cosmogramma
Freelance Whales//Weathervanes
Future Islands//In Evening Air
Gorillaz//Plastic Beach
Hot Chip//One Life Stand
Jónsi//Go
LCD Soundsystem//This is Happening
Los Campesinos!//Romance is Boring
The New Pornographers//Together
Phantogram//Eyelid Movies
She & Him//Volume 2
Shout Out Louds//Work
Sleigh Bells//Treats
Vampire Weekend//Contra
Wavves//King of the Beach
Yeasayer//Odd Blood
Friday, April 30, 2010
weekend recommendations #6
I know I just wrote about Sleigh Bells earlier this week in the DSCRVY #7, but this song is too good to not recommend for your weekend festivities.
more at: myspace.com/sleighbellsmusic
This next artist was just recently brought to my attention. Brett Gleason is Brooklyn based artist whose first solo effort, The Dissonance, is a unique fusion of alt-rock and electronica, combining the piano based approach of a singer/songwriter with dark electronica. Think White Lies, but a little darker, a little more electronic, and heavier on the piano (which I always enjoy).
more at: brettgleason.com & www.itunes.com/brettgleason
This last track is a brand new one from Crystal Castle's sophomore release. I love this track. It's definitely my favorite off the new album. Enjoy!
more at : crystalcastles.com
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