Best Of 2011

Been compiling my list of the best albums of the year and i decided to pic my top 10 songs. So here they are:

10.) Do You Remember by Ane Brun



9.) Cop Car by Heypenny



8.) Dirty Things by Telekinesis



7.) Safari Disco Club by Yelle



6.) Bury Us Alive by Starfucker



5.) I Don't Want To See You Like This by The Joy Formidable



4.) Generation by Liturgy



3.) Silver And Gold by City and Colour



2.) Gang (Starting Never Stopping) by And So I Watch You From Afar



And my favorite song of the year?

1.) Sunlight by The One AM Radio

VIII - Amazing Chicks Rocking The Fuck Out

VII - Been Forever...

It took me literally a few hours of trying really really hard to remember and searching up and down youtube to find this video. Something inside of me needed to hear this song and see this video again. Alas, I found it! Enjoy and repeat:




And for those who desire the download of this version, click here.

VI - OZZZZ

SLUTBATTLE I::



VS.

V - Pretty Damn French

IV - Acoustic as fuck

III - What? The fuck.

I put my entire music library on random and took some choice selections and did a youtube search. This is what I came up with:

Apparently I can't embed this video, so click this fucking thing to see it. I guess.

And again? What the fuck youtube???

I guess something got fuckler'd up. This sure is an awesome video though...

REGGIE AND THE FULL EFFECT!!! p.s. i'm a little drunk...yep.

Wow. This would be so much better if these videos were embeded.



The  next morning: youtube changed their format for embedding videos and I completely over looked the changes. Here are the videos listed above:

II - Shit Cracks Me Up

and the classic:

I - Crazy Awesome

Daughters:

one more for good measure

Monogrenade:

Oh Land:

Changing it up. This is going to be a collection of random as fuck videos i find on the internet. Yeah, this should be fun.

Pretty much...

I began posting for a new blog.

http://sometimesigetdrunk.blogspot.com/ 

I probably won't be posting here very often. Maybe someday I'll resurrect this idea, but for now, check out SIGD. Some seriously tasty jams.

-Ap

Past Vol. 1

I've been neglecting posting for far too long. My entire intent of this blog is to develop my voice through diligence and experimentation, and in doing so, share music which is meaningful to me. Also, I am open to suggestions as to how to improve the aesthetic and content, as well as my writing. Please post comments if you have them.

I am implementing a series format to my posts. It began with documenting the shows i attended/played in the Portland Music posts, and I will now give you some insight into where I come from as a musician and lover of music.

February 2000 is when I was introduced to Modest Mouse for the first time. After I heard The Lonesome Crowded West music changed forever. What appealed to me was the atmosphere that was created and the apparent emotion that was poured into crafting that record. It was also the first time that I listened to music and heard the flaws and character exhibited in an "indie" recording. From my deep seeded love of Modest Mouse came exposure to the band Built To Spill and Elliott Smith. I remember making a weekend trip to Portland with my dad in the early summer and going to Music Millenium and purchasing, at the same time, Either/Or by Elliot Smith, We Have The Facts and We're Voting Yes by Death Cab For Cutie, and Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Rós. Little did I know at that time how important that day would become.

Late in 2000 I was introduced to three bands that would have an equally important impact in shaping my music tastes and interests. those bands were: Sunny Day Real Estate, The Anniversary, and The Get Up Kids. Quite an interesting diversion from the Pacific Northwest indie rock that I was getting into at the time. On my list of top 5 albums that I will always love is SDRE's debut LP, Diary. This entire release is quintessential to the fabric of my humanity. This album taught me to love music. If you have not heard anything from this band, stop reading instantly, scroll down to the links section of this post and check them out.

Another band that I will always love is The Anniversary. This band was capable of creating some insanely catchy electro pop and infusing it with the distinct "emo/pop/punk" sound that Vagrant records helped to usher in (The Get Up Kids, Dashboard Confessional, Saves The Day, Alkaline Trio, The New Amsterdams, Hey Mercedes, Face To Face etc...). The track "Vasil and Bluey" has a chorus that will always put a smile on my face. I was devastated when they decided to stop making music together, but after later releasing a 2 disc album of B-sides and rare tracks in 2008 I feel this band ran it's course and, thankfully, didn't start to suck. I make the analogy frequently between bands and Arrested Development; they both ran their course and were perfect for what it was, without the need to "jump the shark".

And from there came my introduction to Hardcore. But let's keep that for later. Here are some phenomenal videos from all the bands mentioned.

Modest Mouse:



Built To Spill:



Sunny Day Real Estate:



The Anniversary:



And here are some download links:

Modest Mouse: Discography, The Lonesome Crowded West
Sunny Day Real Estate: Diary
Elliott Smith: Either/Or
The Anniversary: Designing A Nervous Breakdown
Death Cab For Cutie: We Have The Facts and We're Voting Yes

-Ap

New Design

Pointless post, but I spent a little time updating the aesthetic to DTF. Super-mega-jumbo post coming soon with lots of goodies to keep you entertained.


-AP

Seattle

Traveling to Washington tomorrow and I've noticed myself listening to a lot of music from Seattle lately. Here are a few choice selections:

Telekinesis

Armed With Legs

This is a fairly bad quality video, but live this duo is incredible. I saw them at the Ash Street Saloon downtown back in December and they tore it up. Check out their Facebook page for better quality songs.

Rooftops
I already posted this band, but i've listened to this album almost 3 times consecutively today and just love it.

Pocket Panda
This band rocks. Look them up on Facebook and see them live.

-AP

Portland music Vol. III

This last week was a very fun filled week of shows and music. It all started with my birthday on Sunday in which The Dirty Words Performed our first show at the Hawthorne Theatre. We shared the bill with our good friends, The Autonomics, as well as new Portland band, The Neverdowells. Birthday shows are always so much fun, and this was no exception. Hawthorne Theatre is outfitted with a very large stage, complete with drum riser and multiple LED lights illuminating the stage. TDW played second and after some minor technical difficulties rocked a solid set combining material that is on our upcoming sophomore album, Cain, and some brand new tracks. After that, The Neverdowells took the stage. These guys create a very layered and intricate soundscape blending mellow indie rock and folk with just enough dance and rock influence to get people moving. We look forward to sharing another bill with this talented group of guys originally from Colorado. Headlining the night was The Autonomics, who put on an amazing set as usual and it was a genuine treat to see them on such a large stage.

Wednesday marked the second show of the week. This was my first time at The Know, a punk rock dive on Alberta St, and it was a Rock and Roll show to the fullest extent. Performing that night was Dark Country and Company. Dark Country opened and they played a solid set of tracks bordering on hardcore punk, but with the attitude and riffs of west coast flavored Rock and Roll. Their stage presence was entertaining and made you feel out of place if you weren't rocking out with them. Complete with funny/awesome banter, this is a band I plan on following for a long time to come. Check out their bandcamp profile below and download their free demo. It fucking slays and will have you proclaiming "This is...Dark Country!!!" for days!

Bandcamp free download

Company is a four piece rock outfit that fit in with and also complemented the set played by Dark Country. They incorporate more of a garage rock sound than that of the hardcore punk styling of DC, but they do it with and added dose of the punk rock mentality and approach to their songwriting. Check them out and keep an eye out for an upcoming release sometime in the near future.

Company's Facebook Page

Friday night marked another great night of live music. Two shows going on simultaneously in my neighborhood, St Johns, The Autonomics shared another bill with The Neverdowells at one of my favorite bars in North Portland, Slim's. Both bands played amazing long sets and kept everyone's interest throughout the entire evening. And, literally, right across the street was the "St. Johns Theme Song Competition". My good friends in the band Tall As Rasputin sported more members and a completely different line-up with drummer Andy taking center stage and rocking the guitar and vocals. Calling themselves Andy Bro and The Lombardians they played a heartfelt song embodying the spirit of Portland's newest up and coming neighborhood, St. Johns. Also competing that night was The Filfs. The competition went on for two nights and I am, as of yet, unsure as to the official winner of the St. Johns Theme Song Competition.

Saturday marked another show by The Dirty Words, our technical 100th gig, and we pulled out all the stops at the Twilight Cafe and Bar on SE Powell. Joining us at this gig were Seattle based Pocket Panda. Pocket Panda plays a unique blend of synth driven pop with upbeat and melodic indie rock. Featuring female vocals and an electric violin, Pocket Panda creates beautiful and layered songs and carry a baseline groovyness. Check out their debut EP through their Website or below:

Pocket Panda on Reverb Nation

And to close out the week, I attended another Pocket Panda performance (alliterations...allll right!) at the Ash Street Saloon. Arriving late, I missed the opening band, but did manage to catch all of Pocket Panda's set, which, minus the violin, proved to be more rocking than their set the previous night. The Ash St. is one of my favorite venues in Portland at the moment due to the size of their stage and the (really loud at times, I mean REALLY LOUD) awesome house sound system. It was a treat to see these guys on that level and be able to feel every hit from the kick drum in my bones. The true surprise of the evening was the headlining set from All The Apparatus. This group featured one of the best live performances I've seen in Portland to date and they incorporated up to 10 people on stage playing a range of instruments from two accordians and and electrified ukulele and cello, to a trumpet duel, trombone player, keyboardist, bass, various other percussion, and finally drums. AtA plays a very unique and danceable blend of what I would call Arcade Fire meats Gypsy folk. Check out their Facebook Profile below and see them live. You will dance harder than you thought; I did.

Facebook | Bandcamp | Proper Website

-AP

Awesome Bandcamp find:

Download available from their bandcamp page. This shit slays. some of the 6 tracks remind me a lot of earlier Fall Of Troy, a la Doppelganger era. Check it out, especially the tracks "Miles Davis", and "Then/Than"

Download/stream

-AP

This is just too awesome not to share.

The group's name is Le Corps Mince De Françoise and they are from Helsinki, Finland. This is by far the poppiest music on my computer and I love it. Here is a link to another video for the track "Future Me". Both of these tracks are off their upcoming release out February 21st.

Soundcloud | Facebook

-ap

Portland music Vol. II

Indeed, this post will seem a little bit like self promotion, but this is what happens. Check out my band, The Dirty Words. We play Rock and Roll and you can check out our music through bandcamp:

The Dirty Words

We also have a real website, The Dirty Words dot com. If you like our music, connect with us on Facebook, it would mean a lot to us.

Another band that we have had the joy of sharing the stage with as of late, is Portland based animal r&r. This quintet creates expansive alternative indie rock and their debut EP entitled Watch The Stars Come Down exemplifies the use of atmosphere to create an impressively layered soundscape. Check out this 5 song EP, released earlier this year, on bandcamp and throw them a few bucks. They're good people doing what they love most: creating meaningful, good, and original music.

Download Watch The Stars Come Down on Bandcamp

animal r&r on Facebook

The Autonomics are another band that we have been sharing the stage with lately. This trio creates indie rock with a good portion of throwback 1960s British Rock and Roll added to the mix. This band never ceases to astonish me as they are all in their early 20s. and I mean early; 2 of the members, twin brothers Evan and Vaughn, drums and bass respectively, are still minors. But don't let this seem as a disadvantage, they can rock with as much ferocity as seasoned veterans, and do it with a cohesion that reflects focused ambition and deep seeded love of all things rock and roll. The Autonomics have a 5 track EP available in physical format at their live shows, as well as a super spiffy newly designed t-shirt. If you get the chance to see them live, do it! You will not regret it. As a matter of fact, we are sharing a bill with them at the Hawthorne Theatre on Sunday, 2/13/11, which happens to coincide with my birthday. Rock and roll and drinks will both be flowing in ample amounts and everyone is invited! More info here.

Here are a few links to check out from The Autonomics:

Official Website

Facebook

And they have their debut EP, Good Luck and Medicine,  available on itunes (sorry, no link)

Finally, our good friends, Tall As Rasputin are currently working on releasing their debut EP. While still in production, this release along with a new line-up promises to launch Tall As Rasputin to new heights. But for now, you can check out their music through the dreaded myspace. Also, check out their Facebook Page. 

I will add more links for Tall As Rasputin once they become available. Keep checking back!

-AP

math rock

Noodley emo bands hold a very special place in my heart. here are a few you should check out:

Artist: The Bulletproof Tiger

Album: Stab The New Cherry EP

Hometown: Toronto, Canada

Facebook | Download

The Bulletproof Tiger offer a unique and unusual blend of Mathy Emo and Indie Rock. All tracks are instrumental and every one of the 5 songs on this EP stand out on their own as a beautiful journey through fields of melody. What amazes me the most about this band is their coherency as an ensemble. I have come across amazingly talented groups that simply sound like shit because everyone is competing with each other and the music simply doesn't mesh well. Thankfully, this is not the case with Bulletproof Tiger. Each note is perfectly crafted to give resonance to the whole atmospheric vibe of the group, and the arrangements are done in such a way that you hardly notice the absence of vocals. If you have read this far, you should probably download the EP and check them out on facebook, if nothing else, for their banter.

Here is a video for the track Sometimes I Feel So Sick At The State Of The World I Can't Even Finish My Second Apple Pie

Artist: Rooftops

Album: A Forest Of Polarity

Hometown: Bellingham, Washington

Facebook | Download

A Forest Of Polarity is composed of 10 tracks of pure math-rock genius. This Washington based quartet really brings the nerd in me out to go dancing. Weaving in and out of odd structures and timing, Rooftops achieves dynamically in one track what most bands attempt in an entire LP. I listen to this album when I am getting pumped up to go see live music, when i am cleaning the house, and most recently when i am reading. Sonically, Rooftops create a very intricate fabric of melody and form without it seeming forced, something that is actually very hard to do. Also, every song title is an anagram. Fairly nerdy, i admit, but i love it even more.

This is a teaser video for A Forest of Polarity.

-ap

Listen to more rock and roll.

do it. it's good for you. trust me.

Pulled Apart By Horses

-ap

Women in music.

Lately I have noticed myself growing in appreciation for female vocals in bands. I found CocoRosie online a few weeks ago and I am still unsure as to what exactly to think. I enjoy it, I really do; it's different, weird, atmospheric, and certainly one-of-a-kind. The full bio can be found here, but i am going to give you a cliff notes of sort:

Coco Rosie is made up of two sisters, Bianca and Sierra, who do most of the arrangement and vocals, and two guys, Gael and Tez, who pretty much do everything else. The genre i've heard is "Freak Folk" which makes sense as far as genres go. Below is a link to a song performed on a French television show. This song really demonstrates their diversity in sound and arrangment.

Werewolf


Another inspiring group is Nico Vega, who are a trio based in LA consisting of two guys playing guitar and drums and female singer, Aja. more information found here. Nico Vega's 2009 self titled album has been in heavy rotation lately, but what impresses me the most is a series of acoustic videos they have on their YouTube account. included below are two of my personal favorites:

Medicine Man


and Gravity


Latly, Here is a UK band that i cannot get enough of: The Joy Formidable. The album "The Big Roar" is set to be released in March 2011 in the US and is phenomenal release from start to finish.

Whirring


links:
CocoRosie on Facebook
Nico Vega dot com
The Joy Formidable

-ap

SMD

Here is a band that i have been developing a fondness of lately. St. Louis, MO based So Many Dynamos. For those lit nerds out there, yes, that is in fact a palindrome. I was first turned on to SMD through their 2006 release, Flashlights. Flashlights starts out with the airy and uneasy track Saturday Night, Sunnday Morning. This is a perfect example of what a first track should do for the listener: set the stage. from the dynamic growth of the guitar and vocals to the very minimalist choir at the end, this track rings of intention. The rest of this album demonstrates the tightness of the ensemble and their ability to switch dynamics, key, tempo, and time seamlessly.

Then I decided to seek out their 2009 release, Loud Wars. This album ushers in a more refined and sonically crafted sound for the band. The production on Loud Wars is very apparent in that it helps bring a greater nuance to the already intricate arrangements. This album concludes with one of my favorite tracks at the moment, The Formula, a 6:18 epic romp through indie-electro rock heaven. the catharsis brought on by the conclusion of Loud Wars is hard to rival. Especially with the whole band chanting the final chorus:

"There's a place in the atmosphere,
Where the sound waves go when they disappear
Where the words you speak, no one should know,
Where'd you think that your prayers go?"


here is a live studio video of this track:


and to gain some insight to their writing process:



Check out their Website and Facebook Page.

-ap

Portland music Vol. I

Living in Portland is a truly unique experience. especially when referring to music. and specifically when referring to culture, but for now i am going to focus on music. i highly recommend you support:

Girlfriends.

Girlfriends has been described as a one-man (Jerry Joiner), three-piece band. confused? check out their (his) bandcamp page to get an idea. both albums are available for free download.

Girlfriends

I had the chance to see Jerry play his awesomely original blend of math rock, dance, indie, and electronica at the Ash Street Saloon on 1/1/11. due to it being new years day, there were only a few people brave enough to attempt a two-day hangover, but i was determined to be there. here is a video of Jerry rocking his sweet tasty jams live in Spokane Wa. just ignore the douche in the front row. college kids. damn them.




Check out Girlfriends' Facebook Page. become a fan, 'like' his page, and throw him a couple bucks on bandcamp if you can swing it. he is a really nice guy.



-ap

Music.

My goal with this is to create something of a place where i (read: YOU) can come to see what is going on that is original and interesting. self-indulgent, a little bit, but this is a blog after all...

so to start things off, i figure i'll talk about what holds the most gravity in my life: Music. i love music. playing it, listening to it, and seeing it take shape. i even dream of music. so here i will include links and videos of some really neat music. if you are a copyright holder and do not want your music displayed here, feel free to email me and i will remove said content ASAP. note: no piracy is intended, simply offering insight into various forms of media i find appealing and wish to promote/review/discuss.

so onwards to content!!!

here is a video that i find very groovy:



this is a band called Awesome New Republic, or ANR for short. they are a 3 piece electro-indie band out of Miami and you can find more info here.

i found this band from Music Inside Of Us, a terrific blog with a lot of really cool music.

and in the same vein, i have been really enamored with Portland based Electro Pop band, Starfucker.

check out a couple of tasty jams from Starfucker's upcoming album, Reptilian

-ap

First post.

boom.

-ap

TDW