Predictably Me

Great movie, even better scene… if you haven’t seen Spinal Tap then put that one at the top of your New Years Resolution’s list. But as far as music goes I’d like to take a bit of time and let you guys know exactly what bands I feel “went to eleven” this year. These are in no particular order, because my head could explode with trying to pick only the top few… much less with trying to rank them against each other!

Mayer Hawthorne – How Do You Do
I had the great fortune of seeing Andrew Mayer Cohen and his band open for Chromeo a few months back… it BLEW. MY. MIND. These Detroit raised boys really captured the essence of motown in every way that matters. This isn’t their first record but it’s the first released with Universal Republic and I’m happy to see that this one is finally getting them the attention they deserve.

Marksmen – Oh Sister Of Mine
No, I haven’t seen them play live… but it’s a sore subject and I don’t want to talk about it ok. If another person tells me, “Oh my gosh if you think you love the album now just WAIT until you see them live!” I might explode. But I know they have some exciting tours planned for 2012, one of which is with Eisley this spring, so I’ve already marked the date on my calendar, I suggest you do the same! All in all, I love this album and this band… they certainly go to eleven.

Manchester Orchestra – Simple Math
This album got quite a few terrible reviews… a fact that nearly lost me my faith in humanity. I think this is one of their best albums to date, with the exception of Mean Everything To Nothing. I’ve decided to give Simple Math a place on this list because a) it’s fantastic and b) I want to spite all of the fickle-fan reviewers who tend to jump ship as soon as band gains some popularity (aka may actually be able to make a living). The music video for the title track was also pretty bad ass… check it out.

The Black Keys – El Camino
It hasn’t been out long, but I know well enough to know that this album isn’t just a flash in the pan. The way I see it, I could spend thousands of dollars on surgery to look like a super model… or I could listen to El Camino and feel like one. Done.

Eisley – The Valley
This isn’t some sort of family promotional stunt I assure you. This is genuinely one of my top listened to albums this year and it has earned every right to be on this list… I even considered listing it twice. The Valley was a long time in being released due to label complications (that I’m sure all of you are tired of hearing about) but 2011 will always be remembered as the year the amazing team from Equal Vision Records really came through and made things happen. It’s been a great year, for a great band, with a great album.

Feist – Metals
Even if feminine indie vibe music isn’t your genre of choice I expect any sane music lover to at least be able to appreciate how sick this chick’s voice is. She uses her voice as a complex instrument in a way that very few people would think to, much less be able to. The only critique I have on this album is that it’s too good to sing along to… in comparison my own voice sounds like a beached fish trying to hit notes that are octaves out of it’s range.

Ben Howard – Every Kingdom
Mr. Ben Howard is a 23 year old from Devonshire, England with an educational background in journalism who just so happens to also be a sick musician and song writer… some people have all the luck. This is his debut album and I’d classify it as British folk… light on the folk. It hasn’t had much recognition here in the US but it did peak at #7 on UK charts, not bad for a first album right?

Mutemath – Odd Soul
Yeah… they did it again. Who’s shocked? Well, I’m certainly not. They maintain about a 200% energy level throughout the album… just listening to it is like getting a work out, or it actually is a work out if you’re like me and find yourself unable to sit still while listening to it. I get to see them live in just a few weeks and I have a feeling that it’ll be a night to remember fo’ sho’… or should I say “fo’ show”.

The Envy Corps – It Culls You
This album has been too long in coming. And a tour that comes through Texas looks to be even longer in coming. I’m telling you, when they finally make it down here they’re going to have to have a pretty good excuse for staying away for so long. But aside from my deep rooted annoyance at their tour schedule (or lack there of) I am exceedingly stoked to finally have this album. There wasn’t a whole lot of promotion for the album but it truly is an astounding album. It’s very very Radiohead-esque but it’s far better than King Of Limbs, so I hope their giving themselves a pat on the back for that!

Blind Pilot – We Are The Tide
ZOMG… I love this album. It’s a great back porch album/driving with the windows down album/I’m down on my luck and need some comfort album/I don’t know exactly what I want to listen to album. It’s soothing and uplifting yet it still avoids the extremes of either of those and wont put you to sleep nor is it annoyingly peppy. It’s a well rounded album and overall a delight to listen to.

Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
This album has been owning the sh** out of top album lists this year… but I think Mr. Vernon has earned it.

City & Colour – Little Hell
His voice woos me at the deepest level of my soul. I thought for sure that this album could not be better than Bring Me All Your Love but I love it just as much. How could one man write two such albums? This album may have gone to 12… it just may have.

Cold War Kids – Mine Is Yours
This album has made my year a far more enjoyable one… plain and simple.

The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow
Considering how HUGE they’ve gotten this year I’m amazed at how many sites have omitted them from their best of ’11 lists. I think their new found popularity has lost them their indie/underground appeal for many people. But I think their quick rise in popularity only confirms that they deserve a little recognition!

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Whether or not you know every song of Buddy Holly’s tragically short career or you only know every word of Weezer’s hit song referencing this musical legend, this is a cover album you should be excited about…

First of all I want to thank my friend Ryan Hargrave for the heads up about this one! I’m absolutely thrilled about it! You can read Ryan’s far superior post HERE but I wanted to make sure all my fellow music lovers are aware and anticipating it’s release on June 28th. Take a gander at the track listing and join me in my school girl giddiness!

1. Dearest – The Black Keys
2. Every Day – Fiona Apple & Jon Brion
3. It’s So Easy – Paul McCartney
4. Not Fade Away – Florence + The Machine
5. (You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care – Cee Lo Green
6. Crying, Waiting, Hoping – Karen Elson
7. Rave On – Julian Casablancas
8. I’m Gonna Love You Too – Jenny O.
9. Maybe Baby – Justin Townes Earle
10. Oh Boy – She & Him
11. Changing All Those Changes – Nick Lowe
12. Words Of Love – Patti Smith
13. True Love Ways – My Morning Jacket
14. That’ll Be The Day – Modest Mouse
15. Well…All Right – Kid Rock
16. Heartbeat -The Detroit Cobras
17. Peggy Sue – Lou Reed
18. Peggy Sue Got Married – John Doe
19. Raining In My Heart – Graham Nash

Yeah that’s right…this is going to be off the proverbial chain.

Paste magazine has Dearest by The Black Keys up for streaming HERE.

And here is a video of Florence + The Machine’s cover of Not Fade Away

P.S. If you are only familiar with “Buddy Holly” by Weezer please take a break from the catchy “oh-we-oh’s” and immerse yourself in the original Buddy Holly versions of the tracks listed above BEFORE you hear these cover versions. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life it’s “Don’t watch the movie first if you plan on reading the book.” and “Don’t listen to the cover if you ever want to appreciate the original song.”

**EDIT**
You can also listen to/download She & Him’s version of “Oh Boy” HERE. Thanks to  Adam S. for sending me this link!

The weight of choosing my proverbial favorite child has been upon me lately…which auditory love shall I devote a post to next?? I thought I was getting the blog-o-vibe for Mos Def…but that left me jonesing for K’naan and then The Black Keys…which reminded me of BlakRoc…which reminded me of, so on and so forth. So, in an attempt at focusing, being productive, and preventing my psyche from buckling under the weight of indecision…I’m officially naming it Triple Coupon Day!

Mos Def – Black on Both Sides

His first solo album–smooth but intense. Listening to the album feels like you’re really getting to know Mos Def (who’s real name is Dante. Seriously.) It’s like an hour-long hang out session, but with a good beat. And as with any great album (“album” can also be read “relationship”), Mos Def delivers a perfect blend of social commentary, booty, and a healthy dose of soul. Fan. tas. tic. (esp check out “Rock N Roll”, “Ms Fat Booty”, “Mr. N***a” and “Mathematics”). Once you’ve gotten to know Mos via Black of Both Sides, be sure to check out The New Danger (has a rock edge, but still stays true to who he is. Two words: “Ghetto Rock”).

The Black Keys – Magic Potion

As the Keys’ 4th studio release, Magic Potion tends to get buried in the mix of all the other great albums they’ve released. While I’ve been obsessed with Brothers this year, Magic Potion still stands out to me as one of their most solid, clean, straight-up albums. They channel Zeppelin pretty hard core on this one, but hey…since when is that ever a bad thing? It’s hard to recommend tracks here, the album really fits together as a unit. No fuss, a little cleaned up, but still just two guys being awesome.

BlakRoc – self titled

The hardcore/happy/speakstomysoul love child of The Black Keys, Mos Def, and a plethora of other artists (Jim Jones, Mos Def, Q-Tip, Pharoahe , Nicole Wray). A lot of times,  big collaboration albums like this end up being the musical equivalent of your mom making you eat leftovers for dinner. However, thanks to The Black Keys crafting the musical base for all the songs, the album is no longer a collage of different styles, but a beautiful melding of genres into a hybrid r&b/blues/rap/rock casserole of awesomeness. (you can watch “making of” videos for every track on the Blakroc project site here: http://www.blakroc.com/)

“Mathematics” – Mos Def

“Just Got to Be” – The Black Keys

“Ain’t Nothin Like You (Hoochie Coo)” – Blakroc

And since I mentioned K’naan earlier, I’ve gotta show him a little love, right? (And yes, he’s done more than the World Cup theme song)

“T.I.A.” – K’naan

It’s a Thursday night. 8 o’clock. I’m already in pajamas. And yet I’m feeling like a total bad ass. Why you ask? Because I’ve got my boy Marshall’s new album blastin’, and suddenly life is good. Ok so I know that being a fan of Eminem is hardly considered ‘cool’ in most indie music groups, but I’m just going to be honest here and tell you that I luhhhh me some white boy rap. word, k-k-keep it real…

After listening to the first track, Cold Wind Blows, I was worried that the whole album was going to be weak as a whole with one or two goodies thrown in there for radio purposes, but I’ll cut to the chase and say that ol’ Slim Shady’s really created a masterpiece this go ’round.

Talkin’ 2 Myself and On Fire are good but the third track, Wont Back Down featuring Pink, is among my favorites on the album. Of course pink brings some intense female vocals and over all the track reminds me slightly of The Black Keys in it’s blues rock vibe. I know a lot of rappers try to be versatile in their style but a lot of the time I wish they’d just stick with the traditional drum loops because so much of the time the rap parts feel like they were slapped over some random karaoke track… but this one was done well, reeeealll well.

W.T.P. – great for blasting in the car, good beat, over all good vibe.
Going Through Changes – nice change in dynamic  instrumentally as well as some cool vocal layering, which makes sense since it was cowritten with the some of the Black Sabbath fellas.
Not Afraid –  Good choice for the single, fairly epic, I’m also glad to see a rap artist unitize the concept of actually having a distinguished bridge in the midst of a verse chorus world.
Seduction – not my favorite but not bad… I kept expecting to hear Snoop’s ‘Sensual Seduction’ to be looped in but he tried to keep it original… no worries, i’m sure someone will do a remix soon enough.
No Love Ft. Lil Wayne – I missed the Lil Wayne fan band wagon but I’m not surprised to see he made it on the album. They used sample tracks from Haddaway’s “What is love” and you may notice the use of  Justin Timeberlake’s line “what goes around comes around”. It’s cool at first but I don’t think it’s original enough to have much staying power in my most listened to. I dunno, the jury’s still out on it.
Space Bound – Some of the rapping on this is just down right impressive… He makes the “rocket man” connection with some Elton John references, and it made me wish Elton had actually be featured on it. Eh, a lot of people buying this album probably wouldn’t appreciate it.
25 To Life – The angry track… love it.
So Bad – middle of the road in the grand scheme of things but I’d still say I like it.
Almost Famous – Sort of a creepy vibe… I want to know who the secret female vocalist is.
I Love The Way You Lie ft. Rihanna – Incredible, incredible, incredible. Ri’s voice is incredible as usual and it’s awesome to hear Em go back to his older rap style. Dare I even say his parts are almost Lose Yourself-ish?
Never Over – one of the only tracks I’ll say I don’t really care for… in any way.
Untitled – Certainly good enough to have a title… some odd rendition samples of the Leslie Gore original “You Don’t Own Me”.  Fairly crude but it still deserved to have a name.

That’s probably more than any of you cared to know about it but there you go anyway! Of course he throws in his typical lyrical slams throughout the album, generally directed towards Kanye, critics, or at times him self. But unlike most of his tracks from Encore that’s not the ENTIRE point of the album.

If your like me and can only buy one album this pay period… I fully support you getting this one, no matter how much the cover reminds you of something a cheeseball christian rap artist from the 90′s would put out.