The 11 Best Side Project/Solo albums of 2011 (so far)

This week another project from the Dispatch family comes out.  Chad Urmston under the moniker Chadwick Stokes has a very strong solo release hitting the digital shelves.

Dispatch is a very interesting band considering their huge popularity on the east coast...while out on the west coast nobody even knows who they are.  It's rare to see a band whose popularity is regulated to a region of the country.  Even in today's digital world where everything should be equal, Dispatch still remains an east Coast legend while on the west coast they might as well be a unsigned act.  On the east coast they have a legion of die-hard dedicated fans and on the west coast they wouldn't even be on the guest list to their own concert.

This year, Chad isn't the only one branching out from his main band to go out on his own.  Here's a list of the best side projects and solo albums so far.

Here are the 11 Best Side Project/Solo albums of 2011 (so far):

1.  Middle Brother - Middle Brother (Dawes, Deer Tick, Delta Spirit) - Daydreaming live
2.  Radical Dads - Mega Rama (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah)
3.  David Lowery - The Palace Guards (Cracker)
4.  The Elected - Bury Me In My Rings (Rilo Kiley)
5.  Chadwick Stokes - Simmerkane II (State Radio, Dispatch)
6.  Panda Bear - Tomboy (Animal Collective)
7.  Eddie Vedder - Ukelele Songs (Pearl Jam)
8.  Fruit Tree Foundations - First Edition (Idlewild, Twilight Sad, Frightened Rabbit)
9.  Graham Wright - Shirts vs. Skins (Tokyo Police Club)
10.  Miracle Parade - Hark and Other Lost Transmissions (Everyday Visuals, Rilo Kiley)
11.  Alex Turner - Submarine EP (Arctic Monkeys)

Buy Chadwick Stokes - Simmerkane II now!

The 11 Best Songs By Animal Collective

The music industry has been on a roller coaster ride for the past decade, and no one, not fans, not the artists, nor the industry insiders have any clue where it's headed...or for how long.  Right now, all we can do is throw our hands in the air, scream, and hang on for the ride.  This weekend we witnessed the bi-polar yet beautiful chaotic mess that is music.

On Saturday, the old school music dinosaur that I am, pulled myself out of bed at the unGodly hour of 9AM to go stand outside a record store for 2 hours.  I was 10th in line, which made me nervous initially that I wouldn't get the over-priced 7-inches on colored vinyl containing tracks I already owned digitally.  But I was more relieved when the line ballooned to about a 100-rabid music fans, knowing I was in slightly better shape than them. No one waits in line to buy music anymore, which made this moment so much more fulfilling. Walking out of that store with my 4 top choices and 11 total pieces of an ancient art form felt like a victory. I got albums I really wanted (Foo Fighters, Decemberists, Ryan Adams, Fucked Up, and White Flag), some I didn't know I wanted (Regina Spektor, Mumford and Sons, Fistful of Mercy).  I didn't get Pinback or Deftones...but I did get the uber rare Kode9.  I went home to listen to my spoils...but something distracted me along the way...

I learned early Saturday morning that I could watch the big acts at Coachella streamed live via youtube channel.  Dubbed by the online community as "Couchella," I found myself glued to my computer enjoying my favorite bands without the obnoxious screaming of the shirtless drunk guy.  Showstealers would have to go to Mumford and Sons, The National, Arcade Fire, Cage the Elephant, and Kanye West, which made wish I had been there.  Then of course, there were the letdowns like The Strokes, Kings of Leon and She Wants Revenge...who made me glad I could just switch to another channel.

This weekend celebrated the past, the present, and the future of music.  From the record, to the outdoor festival, to the streamed live feed of the show for those too broke and without the time to spend three days in the blazing desert.  There's no telling if Record Store Day will last or the internet will eventually render it meaningless.  But for the moment...for today, they both exist in a beautiful harmony.

Animal Collective hit the tri-fecta this weekend.  A slot at Coachella...an new album by lead singer Panda Bear...and an exclusive Record Store Day release.  We may not know where the industry is headed...but it looks like Animal Collective will be definitely be one of the first to get there.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Animal Collective:

1.      Did You See The Words? (Feels)
2.      Bluish (Merriweather Post Pavilion)
3.      Summertime Clothes (Merriweather Post Pavilion)
4.      Banshee Beat (Feels)
5.      What Would I Want? Sky (Fall Be Kind EP)
6.      My Girls (Merriweather Post Pavilion)
7.      Prospect Hummer (Prospect Hummer EP)
8.      Peacebone (Strawberry Jam)
9.      Turns Into Something (Feels)
10.   Water Curses (Water Curses EP)
11.   Kids on Holiday (Sung Tongs)

Buy Panda Bear's new solo album, Tomboy...now!!!