The 11 Best Songs By Beach House

This week, theworld has been going Beach House crazy. Okay, just the music world. Well, really just the music blogger world. I've seen the new album called this year's Merriweather Post Pavilion. That's a pretty bold statement. Even Merriweather was running a distance 2nd to Bruce Springsteen's Working On A Dream this time last year. But the power of an album is really its staying power. It's draw to want to listen to it over and over after the novelty has worn off. We've yet to see how this new Beach House will hold on despite is rabid start. On the other hand, I've also read that the new Beach House is this year's Cracked Rear View. Not really sure I understand that one. Any thoughts?

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Beach House:

1. Master of None (Beach House)
2. Wedding Bell (Devotion)
3. Heart and Lungs (Beach House)
4. House on the Hill (Beach House)
5. Home Again (Devotion)
6. Tokyo Witch (Beach House)
7. Play the Game (Dark Was The Night)
8. Gila (Devotion)
9. Heart of Chambers (Devotion)
10. Lovlier Girl (Beach House)
11. Holy Dances (Devotion)

Buy the new album, Teen Dream, here!

The Unknown: The Can't See

First came Built To Spill. They came to Seattle to fill the void that Nirvana left.

Next came Modest Mouse. They came to Seattle to fill the void when Built To Spill wasn't around. Everyone called them Built To Spill Jr. And if you actually said this to Isaac Brock, he'd punch you in the face. I swear. I saw it happen.

Next came 764-HERO. They came to Seattle to fill the void when Modest Mouse wasn't around. Everyone called them Modest Mouse Jr. Unlike Isaac & Co., the band couldn't shake the nickname and broke up.

Next came the Magic Magicians. They were formed with John Atkins, lead singer of 764-HERO. They came to fill the void that 764-HERO left...only everyone claimed they didn't sound as good as 764-HERO. So they broke up.

And now...John Atkins introduces his new band...The Can't See. And he wants you to like them...so much...that he's giving you the album for FREE. Yes...free.

Check out the Track: November December Whenever

Pick-up the Album for free here!

The Unknown: Spoon - Get Nice!

I had a good response from my fans picking up the Spoon album this week. You can still get it from my Amazon store although the $3.99 offer has ended.

So, as promised, I'm posting Spoon's very rare "Get Nice." A bonus CD of demos included on some copies of GAx5. But there's a catch. Sorta. I'm asking everyone to donate some money to the victims of the Haiti quake.

Below are FIVE ways to donate money to Haiti relief and get free music out of it. I'm asking everyone to please give something. You can only download Spoon's "Get Nice" if you donate. I'm not going to check and see...so it's on the honor system.

1. Music For Relief - This is a charity run by Linkin Park. Donate whatever you want...and in return you'll get a compilation of free music, featuring new tracks by LP, Dave Matthews, Slash, All American Rejects, Hoobastank, Lupe Fiasco, and more.

2. Paste Magazine - Again, donate what ever you feel comfortable doing and get access the Paste Vault, featuring over a hundred tracks (some rare) by artists like She & Him, Andrew Bird, Ben Folds, Emmylou Harris, Passion Pit, Jason Isabel, The Avett Brothers, Jayhawks, Low Anthem, String Cheese Incident, and many many more.

3. Hope For Haiti Now - This is the full concert from Friday's benefit show on TV. This will only run you $7.99. Featuring artists like Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keyes, Justin Timberlake, Coldplay, Jay-Z, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Shakira, Sting, Bono & The Edge, Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, and others.

4. WilcoWorld - Wilco is offering two full concerts for a $15 donation to Doctors Without Borders or Oxfam. Both shows are from 2009 and are pretty epic.

5. Eddie Vedder - My City of Ruins - Eddie's live cover of Bruce's song. Only .99 cents and it goes to Haiti relief.

Thanks for your support.

The 11 Most Exciting Acts to see at Coachella 2010

The lineup for the 2010 Coachella show is out. And some strange headliners. Jay-z the first night...okay, I can see it. Muse the 2nd night...yeah, I guess...may be too commercial for the show...but okay. Gorillaz the 3rd night. Gorillaz? Headliner? Aren't they just a novelty act? Considering you have Thom Yorke (a previous headliner) and the Pavement reunion on the same night...you went with Gorillaz as the headliner...okay...

These aren't necessarily the best bands playing at the show. These aren't the bands who might put on the best performances. And these aren't even the bands that I think everyone else would be excited about seeing. These are the bands that I, personally, am excited to see at the show. Some big reunions (Pavement, FNM, PIL, and SDRE)...and some of 2009's breakout sensations (Phoenix, the XX, Grizzly Bear). Should be an awesome show...too bad I can't go.

The 11 Most Exciting Acts I'm Most Excited to see playing at Coachella 2010:

1. Pavement (April 18)
2. Faith No More (April 17)
3. Sunny Day Real Estate (April 18)
4. MGMT (April 17)
5. Phoenix (April 18)
6. the XX (April 17)
7. Grizzly Bear (April 16)
8. Sly and the Family Stone (April 18)
9. Vampire Weekend (April 16)
10. LCD Soundsystem (April 16)
11. Public Image Ltd. (April 16)

Check out the entire list for yourself.

The 11 Best Songs By Jay Reatard

Last week, Jay Reatard was found dead in his home. He was 29. I just learned about his death today. I'm not sure if that's a statement on my life. Two sick kids can keep you pre-occupied from breaking news. Or is it a statement on the current state of the music industry? Here is a very talented music maker, with a solid reputation for one hell of a live show and rabid following. Many people are comparing him to Cobain. And there were a lot of simularities in their music. The only difference...Cobain made music at time when people cared about good music.

But the news of Jay's death is overshadowed by bigger news (Teddy Pendergrass's death) and the death of good pop music (American Idol returns). I think Simon Cowell's exit from American Idol got more press than Teddy's death...and that's just shameful. Jay's death shouldn't have been something I read about in Rolling Stone. (Yeah...I learned it from a print magazine.) I should have known it sooner. I partly blame myself for not knowing. But I put the bigger blame on the media for not knowing what is truly important. Jay's music will live on. Cowell will be the answer to a bar napkin trivia question...at best.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Jay Reatard:

1. My Shadow (Blood Visions)
2. Wounded (Watch Me Fall)
3. See/Saw (Matador Singles 08)
4. Always Wanting More (Matador Singles 08)
5. Blood Visions (Blood Visions)
6. Waiting For Something (Blood Visions)
7. It Ain't Going To Save Me (Watch Me Fall)
8. Oh, It's Such A Shame (Blood Visions)
9. Night of Broken Glass (Singles 06-07)
10. No Time (Matador Singles 08)
11. You Were Sleeping (Matador Singles 08)

If you haven't listened to Jay's music...pick up Singles 06-07 for only $5.00 to get started.

The 11 Best Songs By Spoon:

The death of the CD store is coming. But for the moment...many used CD stores are actually booming in business. The reason: everyone is turning to computer-based listening. They're uploading their CDs and then selling them off. And the used stores are reeping the benefits. As convenient as it is to buy an album online, there's something to be said for walking through the wooden aisles of a CD store. That musky smell hanging in the air. And finding that CD you've been looking for. Or even finding a CD you didn't know you wanted. Then, taking that treasure home. Listening to it while holding the case in your hands. Buying a CD made the purchase more personal. You were more indebted to it. You listened to it more...because you felt like you had to. And mostly, because that case made you feel like you owned a piece of the band. A tiny sliver. But it was your tiny sliver. And no matter the band, every purchase left you with that feeling of inclusion, even if the album sucked. It was a reliable feeling. There's something to be said for consistancy.

One of the last decade's most consistant bands (Spoon) kicks off the new decade with a sharp new album, Transference. It's only $3.99 at our store...but go buy it at a real store if you can.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Spoon:

1. The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine (Gimme Fiction)
2. Rhthm And Soul (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga)
3. I Summon You (Gimme Fiction)
4. The Way We Get By (Kill The Moonlight)
5. Quincy Punk Episode (Series of Sneaks)
6. You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga)
7. Me and the Bean (Girls Can Tell)
8. Laffitte Don't Fail Me Now (Series of Sneaks)
9. The Beast and the Dragon, Adored (Gimme Fiction)
10. The Underdog (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga)
11. Jonathan Fisk (Kill The Moonlight)

Buy Spoon's new album, Transference! Only $3.99 this week!!

The Unknown: Spoon - And The Dish Ran Away

Last night I re-watched the first act to Full Metal Jacket. Easily one of the best first acts in a modern film. In fact, the first scene in the barracks may be one of the best scenes written for film...ever. The dialogue is so sharp, it would make Swearingen from Deadwood blush. As brilliant as this film is...when it comes to war films, it seems to never get the wide recognition it deserves. Rabid cinemaniacs adore it...but I can never understand why the mainstream tends to rank it low on the list.

This week sees the release of Spoon's new album Transference. A band who is very well respected...and loved by audiophiles...but never seems to get the mainstream recognition it deserves.

Below is a B-side collection of Spoon's rare tracks from the 00s. Not included are songs from EPs, digital singles, and Britt Daniel's solo work. But this should be everything else. Enjoy...and go buy the new album, you won't be disappointed.

Here is Spoon - And The Dish Ran Away:

1. The Book I Write
2. Carryout Kids
3. All I Got Is Me
4. It Took A Rumor To Make Me Wonder
5. Is This The Last Time
6. Decora
7. Well-Alright
8. Monkey Feelings
9. Shake It Off
10. Tear Me Down
11. Sunday Morning, Wednesday Night
12. Deep Clean
13. I Am The Key
14. In The Right Place The Right Time

Bonus Internet Track:

15. Telamon Bridge

Buy Spoon's new album Transference for only $3.99. That's nothing...that's less than a ringtone. And if I get a good response...I'll post Spoon's super rare demos album "Get Nice" at the end of the week.

The Unknown: Bad Lieutenant - Never Cry Another Tear

For those who don't know. Bad Lieutenant is basically New Order minus Peter Hook. It's Summer on vocals. Morris on drums, and Cunningham (who replaced Gilbert) from Siren's Call. The only new addition is for Hooky's bass.

How unknown is this band? Well...I didn't know they existed and I'm a huge New Order fan. I knew the band broke up...but didn't know the others had reformed. My early review is that this is a solid release. It sounds more like their 80s material than their more recently "electronica-dancy" material. It's not as great as their 80s material...but a solid first step.

Now I can't wait to hear Hooky's new band Freebass.

Track: Twist of Fate

Buy Here: Bad Lieutenant - Never Cry Another Tear

The Unknown: Vampire Weekend - Daytrotter Sessions

My kids love new toys. In fact, the newer the toy the better. In fact, the anticipation of getting the toy is almost better than actually getting the toy. In fact, looking at the toy in the store with the anticipation of buying it may be the best feeling to them. About a year ago, my daughter saw this toy in Target and squealed just to see it. So I let her play with the box. She stared at it. Giggled at it. Screamed with excitement. She wanted to open and play with it so bad, I thought she might just explode. Of course, being the loving father, I am, I bought her the toy. She held it in the car the whole way home. Talking to it. Smiling at it. Then we got home. I opened it, took it out of the box. Gave it to her. She looked at it for about 5 seconds, then went to play with something else. She's never touched it again.

What is our obsession with new things? Even as adults we are constantly searching out the next best thing...when at the end of the day...we'd rather go back to an old favorite.

Vampire Weekend's second album, Conta, is out today. Buy it now at our store for only $3.99.

Here is Vampire Weekend's Daytrotter Session:

1. Bryn
2. I Stand Corrected
3. M 79
4. Oxford Comma

Buy Vampire Weekend's new album, Contra. (Only $3.99 this week only! Only!)

The 11 Most Anticipated Albums of 2010 (July-Dec)

No, these are not official. But based on the rumors...the updates...even a couple tweets...this is likely what the end of the year should look like.


Here are The 11 Most Anticipated Albums of 2010 (July-Dec):


1. Outkast (Big Boi/Andre 3000 solo LPs) - (Sept)
2. Dr. Dre - Detox (Nov)
3. Radiohead - TBD (Oct)
4. Soundgarden - TBD (Oct)
5. The Strokes - TBD (August)
6. Interpol - TBD (July)
7. The Klaxons - TBD (July)
8. Tom Petty - TBD (Nov)
9. The National - TBD (Sept)
10. No Doubt - TBD (Nov)
11. R.E.M. - TBD (Sept)

The 11 Most Anticipated Albums of 2010 (Apr - June)

This 3-month period reads like it could be the top albums of the year...

Here are The 11 Most Anticipated Albums of 2010 (Apr - June):

1. The Shins - TBD (May)
2. Arcade Fire - TBD (May)
3. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee (June)
4. LCD Soundsystem - TBD (May)
5. She & Him - Volume 2 (Apr.)
6. MGMT - Congratulations (Apr.)
7. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach (Apr.)
8. Against Me! - White Crosses (June)
9. Jonsi - Solo (Apr.)
10. Minus The Bear - TBD (Apr.)
11. Eminem - Relapse 2 (June)

The 11 Most Anticipated Albums of 2010 (Jan-Mar)

It's amazing how much busier I am during the holidays than I am during the regular part of the year. Here's a quick list of what's to come.

Here are The 11 Most Anticipated Albums of 2010 (Jan-Mar):

1. Spoon - Transference (Jan. 19)
2. Vampire Weekend - Contra (Jan. 12)
3. Hot Chip - One Life Stand (Feb. 9)
4. Midlake - The Courage of Others (Feb. 2)
5. David Byrne & Fatboy Slim - Here Lies Love (Feb. 23)
6. Massive Attack - Heligoland (Feb. 9)
7. Johnny Cash - American VI (Feb. 23)
8. Drive By Truckers - The Big To Do (Mar. 16)
9. Liars - Sisterworld (Mar. 9)
10. Priestess - Prior To The Fire (Feb. 2)
11. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless Remastered (Jan. 26)