The 11 Best Songs By The Gaslight Anthem

It's been three days since the Dark Knight tragedy.  Not only has this type event become a common American staple...our reactions have become even more typical.  Blame guns...blame culture...blame the media...blame the parents.  It's like the blame will solve the grieving.  If we can point out the fault and find the reason why this happened, then we can rationalize it.  We convince ourselves that somehow at another time...we could control it.  And...that will somehow help the grieving.  That may help...but only for the people who are not grieving.  In the movie, Bowling for Columbine...Marilyn Manson had the wisest comment of everyone in the movie.  He said that in that situation, all he would do is listen.  Because that's what the grieving needed.  As humans we share a common bond that we all suffer in some ways.  And when we're at our lowest point...what we need...is just to be heard.


The Gaslight Anthem taps in that American struggle that sometimes everyone needs to be heard.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Gaslight Anthem:

1. American Slang (American Slang)
2. We're Getting A Divorce, You Keep the Diner (Sink Or Swim)
3. The Patient Ferris Wheel (The '59 Sound)
4. Stay Lucky (American Slang)
5. The '59 Sound (The '59 Sound)
6. Boomboxes and Dictionaries (Sink Or Swim)
7. Old White Lincoln (The '59 Sound)
8. I Coulda Been A Contender (Sink Or Swim)
9. Boxer (American Slang)
10. Orphans (American Slang)
11. Bring It On (American Slang)

Buy the Gaslight Anthem's new album, Handwritten...now!

The 11 Best Songs By Jeff The Brotherhood

Back in the days of Dazed and Confused when teenagers hid in their parents' wood-paneled basements with green shag carpets, smoking pot and staring at lava lamps...they imagined bands making music that stretched their minds whether they were actually listening to music or still just staring at the lava lamps because side one of their record ended and no one was sober enough to get up and move the needle.  JTB is a band that was born 30 years too late.   For Record Store Day they put out an album that split a 20-minute jam over two sides.  They didn't have to do that.  They could have put the whole song on one side.  They didn't choose not to do it because it didn't make sense...they didn't it because it was the perception that they didn't give a shit.  You may think that JTB doesn't give a shit.  Sometimes music shouldn't give a shit.  When you give a shit...you get hair gel.  When you don't give a shit you get naked babies in swimming pools.  But moves like this aren't careless...they're calculated.  Image is everything.  If you want to look like you don't give a shit...you have to work hard at not giving a shit.  That's why they split up their song.  Because every person who bought the vinyl sat back and thought to themselves how bold it was for them to do it.  Despite it seeming like they're playing the game (and they kind of are) this is how great leaps and bounds are made.  By making conscious efforts to portray their image in the way people want to perceive them...you keep your audience's attention...you keep them sitting up and wanting more. 


Here are the 11 Best Songs By Jeff The Brotherhood:

1. Shredder (We Are The Champions)
2. Cool Out (We Are The Champions)
3. Bone Jam (Heavy Days)
4. Heavy Days (Heavy Days)
5. Stay Up Late (We Are The Champions)
6. I'm a Freak (Upstairs at United)
7. U Got The Look (Heavy Days)
8. Mellow Out (We Are The Champions)
9. Wastoid Girl (We Are The Champions)
10. Extra Good (Castle Storm)
11. In Space No One Can Hear You Sceam Parts 1 & 2 (Upstairs at United)

Buy Jeff The Brotherhood's new album, Hypnotic Nights...now!!

Free Music Fourth of July Weekend: The 11 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2012 so far

Rap and Hip-Hop still struggle to be taken seriously.  It sounds like a crazy statement like I'm completely out of touch with the pulse of the culture.  But it's true.  Rock has grown up and is finally being universally accepted as a relevant art form.  Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney and Bono are as respected and appreciated as much as stodgy elder statesmen and unlearned politicians.  Hip-Hop still has a way to go.  Jay-Z may own all the money in world...and may even have the ear of the President... but by most people he's still not revered as anything more than a rap mogul.  Rap may dominate the dance charts, the sales charts, and line the MP3 playlists of every teenager in America...but there's a giant part of country...who still thinks it's nothing more than a passing fad. They're wrong...but they're the ones who are still in charge.  It will change.  Eazy-E may have hung out with President Bush Sr. (but that was the exception...not the rule)  Rap will take over...and it will be them who are thumbing their noses at electronica music. Just you wait.  Until then...

Here are the 11 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2012...so far:

1. Schoolboy Q - Habits and Contradictions
2. Joey Bada$$ - 1999
3. El-P - Cancer 4 Cure
4. Killer Mike - R.A.P.
5. Chiddy Bang - Breakfast
6. Big K.R.I.T. - Live From The Underground/4Eva N A Day
7. Meek Mill - Dreamchasers 2
8. Plug 1 & Plug 2 - First Serve
9. Wiz Khalifa - Taylor Allderdice
10. Oh No - Ohnomite
11. Nicki Minaj - Roman Reloaded

It's 4th of July weekend...so enjoy the free mixtapes...all legally free.

Have a free mixtape that should be noticed??  Add it and let us all know.

The 11 Best Songs By The Crocodiles

This week I got an email from Linkin Park about an amazing new release that they had.  I was thinking maybe they were pushing out another music release to go with their new album...maybe a live EP/DVD/Remix/Mash-up/Cover/Duet.  Nope...not even close.  Linkin Park is releasing their very own Dell-themed computer.  True story.  Just a couple of weeks ago, I praised Linkin Park for not being sell-outs...then I get this email.  I don't even know what to think...

Here's the thing, are these guys sell-outs?  Is having your own computer stepping over the "gimme more money" line?  I mean...the Beatles had clothes, games, lunch boxes, toys, kitchenware, hairbrushes, even video games.  Kiss takes it to a whole other level...they sell Kiss-themed coffins.  If a coffin isn't selling out...then a computer is far down on the list.

I guess I can't blame any band for just being business-savvy.  At the same time, it nice to hear bands as they still struggle their way to the top.

Here are the 11 Best Songs by The Crocodiles:

1. I Wanna Kill (Summer of Hate)
2. Mirrors (Sleep Forever)
3. Soft Skull (In My Room) (Summer of Hate)
4. Hearts of Love (Sleep Forever)
5. California Girls/Groove is in the Heart (Sleep Forever)
6. Neon Jesus (Neon Jesus)
7. Sleep Forever (Sleep Forever)
8. Refuse Angels (Summer of Hate)
9. All My Hate and Hexes Are For You (Sleep Forever)
10. Jet Boy, Jet Girl (Hearts of Love single)
11. Flash of Light (Summer of Hate)

Buy The Crocodiles new album, Endless Flowers now!!

The 11 Best Albums of 2012...so far

As you probably know from my rantings this year, finding great music has been in short supply.  I feel like I want to like more music than I actually do.  I follow the new releases pretty religiously...to the point that Tuesday is as sacred in my house as Sunday is in most of middle America.  I'm always looking for the next Bon Iver, the XX, or Arcade Fire.  But with the mediocre batch of releases this year...I'll settle for the next Motion City Soundtrack at this point.  (Okay, maybe not that)

This batch of releases is actually fairly solid...just nothing mind blowing...not yet.  Great music does have to grow on you.  And maybe some of the highly-touted releases (The Men, Torche, Kelly Hogan, Sharon Van Eten, Liars, Father John Misty, Ceremony, Daughn Gibson, Pallbearer, Dexys, Screaming Females, or The Walkmen) will grow on me.  Until then...this is what we have to work with.

Here are the 11 Best Albums of 2012...so far:

1. The Big Pink - Future This
2. Jack White - Blunderbuss
3. Schoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions
4. Silversun Pickups - Neck of the Woods
5. Lana Del Rey - Born To Die
6. The Cribs - In The Belly of the Brazen Bull
7. The Shins - Port of Morrow
8. Japandroids - Celebration Rock (only $2.99...limited time!!)
9. Joey Bada$$ - 1999  (this one is free!!)
10. Alabama Shakes - Boys and Girls
11. Jay Farrar - New Multitudes

What are your favorites this year?