Archive
* Favorite Instrumental Albums of 2011 *
As I start this post, I will say that this is all very subjective and really put together for my own purposes. I’ll also state that, yes, some of the music below does have some vocals (i.e.- the Goddamn Electric Bill & Mike Patton CDs). For the most part, it’s sequestered to a track or two on a long CD of mostly instrumental goodness. My list, my rules, and/or my breaking of the rules. With that being said, all of the artists below tend to be in the jazz and instrumental frame of reference anyway.
As said before… I’ve been buying less music… or, at least a lot less mainstream (major label) music. This is also my fourth year now that I bought more instrumental CDs than vocal CDs. I think as I get older, I am drawn more towards jazz and other instrumental forms of expression. Hopefully my spilling out of music that I like finds interest with someone else. But if not, thanks for stopping by… check out the artists’ webpages, Facebox pages, yadda yadda yadda. Some of these also made it on to my 2011 Mix CD (free streaming/download).
OK, now on to the best of what’s hit my ears this year…
Note: Ric Hordinski’s Arthur’s Garden (which made it on my 2011 Mix) is technically a 2012 release, hence its absence above.
Where do I get most of these jazz and other instrumental releases? My #1 favorite source for jazz is Downtown Music Gallery in New York. Manny and Bruce and their great staff are superb… and being the official distributor for John Zorn’s Tzadik doesn’t hurt my affection for them. I usually do a monthly Tzadik order (if the releases strike my fancy), and they have a ton of other non-Tzadik jazz and avant-garde releases as well.
And, no, I’m not affiliated, I don’t get a commission, and beyond my initial “big tax refund / gotta get caught up on Zorn order of 2005,” I haven’t gotten a discount with DMG. I just love and support what they do.
Enjoy the New Years’ weekend!! Be safe! See you in 2012.
My Other Favorites of 2011 Recaps:
- Fave Concerts & Photos of ‘11 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave EPs/Vinyl/Live/DVDs/more of ‘11 are *HERE*
- Fave Vocal Albums ‘11 are *HERE*
- Old Years:
- 2010: Instrumental, Vocal, EPs/etc, Concerts,
- Best of the 2000s Decade (1-10, 11-20, 21-25)
- 2009: Instrumental, Vocal, EPs/etc, Concerts
- 2008: Instrumental, Vocal, EPS/etc, Concerts
- 2007: Vocal, Instrumental, Concerts
- 2006 & 2005
~Dan – np: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
why the spinning…
* Favorite Vocal Albums of 2011 *
I’ve been buying less music… or, at least a lot less mainstream (major label) music. This is also my fourth year now that I bought more instrumental CDs than vocal CDs. I think as I get older, I am drawn more towards jazz and other instrumental forms of expression. For that reason, the favorite vocal albums list goes first this go ’round. Hopefully my spilling out of music that I like finds interest with someone else. But if not, thanks for stopping by… check out the artists’ webpages, Facebox pages, yadda yadda yadda. A lot of these also made it on to my 2011 Mix CD (free streaming/download).
OK, now on to the best of what’s hit my ears this year…
Honorable Mentions: Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean, Tres Mts – Three Mountains, Pomplamoose – The Album You Bought At Our Show (Thanks for That), MC Frontalot – Solved and The Roots – Undun.
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Check out the 2011 Mix for some samples, click the Amazon buttons for other samples, and support the music if you like what you hear!
My Other Favorites of 2011 Recaps:
- Fave Concerts & Photos of ‘11 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave EPs/Vinyl/Live/DVDs/more of ‘11 are *HERE*
- Fave Instrumental Albums ‘11 are coming soon
- Old Years:
- 2010: Instrumental, Vocal, EPs/etc, Concerts,
- Best of the 2000s Decade (1-10, 11-20, 21-25)
- 2009: Instrumental, Vocal, EPs/etc, Concerts
- 2008: Instrumental, Vocal, EPS/etc, Concerts
- 2007: Vocal, Instrumental, Concerts
- 2006 & 2005
~Dan – np: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
* Favorite EPs / Vinyl / Live Albums & more of 2011 *
This is sort of a precursor to my “official” Favorites of 2011 blogs. Up later this week, I’ll post my favorite vocal and favorite instrumental albums of 2011. Anyway, on with the music pimping…
Favorite EPs of 2011
- Savanna Coen – Strength
- Auragami – everything. Now.
- Works Progress Administration – 4×4
- Amanda Palmer/Ben Folds/etc – 8in8
- Celldweller – Wish Upon A Blackstar 4
Favorite Vinyl-only Release of 2011
- Secret Chiefs 3 (FORMS & Ishraqiyun) – Saptarshi / Radar 7″
- Chamberlain/Krauss/Phelps – Modular: Sonic Explorations 12″
- John Zorn’s The Dreamers – The Christmas Song/Santa’s Workshop 7″
fave non-vinyl-only issue: My Brightest Diamond – All Things Will Unwind 12″ (is luscious)
- Fantômas – The Director’s Cut Live
- Kevin Smith – Red State
- Morgan Spurlock – POM Presents the Greatest Movie Ever Sold
- Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
- Sigur Rós – Inní
Favorite Internet Only Releases of 2011
- Derek Webb – Democracy Vol 2 (monthly series from March to December)
- Sigur Rós – Inní
- Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstasy – United Front (live at Newport)
- Damien Jurado – Live at Landlocked
- Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood – In Case the World Changes Its Mind
Favorite Podcasts in 2011 (they’re free, yo! Search for them on iTunes)
- George Hrab – Geologic Podcast
- Keith Olbermann – Countdown on CurrentTV
- Rachel Maddow – The RM Show on MSNBC
- Bill Maher‘s New Rules
- Adam Carolla – The Adam Carolla Podcast, Ace on the House and CarCast
- Kevin Smith & Scott Mosier – SModcast
- Kevin Smith & Ralph Garman – Hollywood Babble On
- The Skeptics Guide to the Universe
- CNN’s Political Notebook
- Marc Maron – WTF Podcast
- Dan Savage – Savage Lovecast
Best Cover Art & Packaging in 2011
- Steven Wilson – Grace For Drowning (special edition)
- Chamberlain/Krauss/Phelps – Modular: Sonic Explorations 12″
- Over the Rhine – The Long Surrender (special edition)
- My Brightest Diamond – All Things Will Unwind (colorful, lovely cover art)
- Mike Patton – The Solitude of Prime Numbers (stunning die-cut leaf design)
- John Zorn’s The Dreamers – A Dreamer Christmas (vinyl, designed by Chippy)
Favorite Indie Releases in 2011 (DIY all the way)
- Jason Ludwig – Lost in Love and Tanglings (Cincinnati/Austin-based, former Noctaluca frontman)
- Savanna Coen – Strength EP (13yo Eugene singer with a voice beyond her years)
- Dream Theater – Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory (on vinyl)
- Ben Folds – Best Imitation of Myself (hits w/ some new BFF songs)
- Toad the Wet Sprocket – All I Want (hits, rerecorded)
- Various Artists/Sufjan Stevens – On Joyful Wings (tribute album to Seven Swans)
Worst Music News in 2011 (for me at least)
- Faith No More‘s reunion tour didn’t hit the U.S. proper, again… and the promised Mondo Cane U.S. Tour didn’t happen.
- Dream Theater not wanting to take a short break/hiatus, and thus kicking out Mike Portnoy, one of the best parts of that band…
Best Late-Getter in 2011 (something that came out before 2011)
- Florence + The Machine – Lungs (from 2009)
Best Musical Novelty / Ingenuity in 2011
- F*ck That! Erin McKeown’s Anti-Holiday Album
- Weird Al Yankovic – ALpocalypse
- Kevin Moore – Shine (for Küçük Kıyamet)
- The Book of Mormon
So, yeah, this was the catch-all post… check back later this week for the more traditional year end wrap-up festivities…
My Other Favorites of 2011 Recaps:
- Fave Concerts & Photos of ‘11 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave Vocal Albums ‘11 are coming soon
- Fave Instrumental of ‘11 are coming soon
- Old Years:
- 2010: Instrumental, Vocal, EPs/etc, Concerts,
- Best of the 2000s Decade (1-10, 11-20, 21-25)
- 2009: Instrumental, Vocal, EPs/etc, Concerts
- 2008: Instrumental, Vocal, EPS/etc, Concerts
- 2007: Vocal, Instrumental, Concerts
- 2006 & 2005
2011 mix
Time for this year’s mix CD, except I decided to go CD-free this year. It’s still formatted to stay contained on one CD (20 tracks ~77 mins); so if you want to download the whole shebang and burn to a CD – go for it!
Check out 2009’s mix over here and 2010’s mix over here. No major theme this time like some of my prior mixes (4 Elements & A-to-Z mixes)… the only rule I placed before myself was that everything is current (i.e.- released in 2011). This year’s mix ended up mellower than most mixes from me. There are a few rock songs, but whilst re-listening, it’s definitely less rocky. I hope you enjoy.
The following songs were put on the mix from mostly lossless sources where possible and for promotional purposes only (read: free direct market advertising to people who decidedly love music). Most of the artists on this compilation are independent (put out the music themselves) or signed to smaller, independent labels. If you like what you hear, check out their music / support them with your wallet if you are able. The artists’ Webpage, Facebook, and Amazon links are available for each song below. I’ve also included concert review links if I’ve seen the artist recently.
Download the ZIP File (136M) available *HERE*, extract then drag & drop the mp3 files to your iTunes (or other playback software).
All Songs Streaming Playlist (click arrows to skip back & forth… for individual songs find them below. Note: Track 20 has explicit content.)
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01 Puscifer “The Green Valley” from Conditions of My Parole
Tool / A Perfect Circle frontman Maynard James Keenan makes wine and makes other music in his time off from Tool and APC. I loved Puscifer’s debut and the subsequent EP, but this album tops it all. It’s a brilliant record, recorded in one of his wine cellars with his friends – featuring backing vocals from Carina Round. It’s self-released by Puscifer music with a small distribution partner (available in indie shops, primarily). While there are some rockers (maybe 1/3 of the album), this song is fairly representative of the feel of the album. It’s my #1 album in 2011.
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02 My Brightest Diamond “Be Brave” from All Things Will Unwind
Shara Worden (aka My Brightest Diamond) took some time off since her last album – 2008’s A Thousand Shark’s Teeth. She put out some stunning collaborations in the past three years (including her first kiddo); so the lapse in studio work was a-OK. On this album, Shara teams up with NYC-based ensemble yMusic to create a lush backdrop for her gorgeous voice. It’s my #2 album in 2011. I can’t praise it enough!
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03 Ric Hordinski “My Pretty Bagatelle” from Arthur’s Garden
Guitarist extraordinaire Ric Hordinski (formerly of Over the Rhine – in their rockier days) has been a favorite of mine for a LONG TIME. He’s the kind of guitarist who is subtle and unassuming in his approach, but you end up wracking your brain how he gets such lush and complex sounds out of the frets. This album was part of a Kickstarter campaign, and while the physical manifestation hasn’t hit my mailbox yet, I was happy he sent it out to Kickstarter funders early. It’s such a great record… you can get it now on bandcamp!
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04 Goddamn Electric Bill “Sin” from Jazz
GdEB is the one-man brainchild of Jason Torbert. He hits the spot for organic electronic meets post-rock for me. Ambient at times, melodic other times. His latest work has featured some vocals, but he’s primarily a groove-induced soundscape kind of guy. Chirps and glitches, too. Excellent stuff!
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05 Radiohead “Codex” from The King of Limbs
I could probably put the “indie” icon next to Radiohead, too… I think technically they put TKOL out by themselves. But they’re a huge superpower of a band. I like this record, but I’ll admit that it’s still sinking in… I need to give it some more spins. This album spawned a seven 7″ vinyl remix set. The video for “Lotus Flower” also spawned a silly “Thom Yorke dancing” meme… one of my favorites being the tennis/fish and the “Single Ladies” editions.
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06 Garage A Trois “Assault on Precinct 13” from Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil
Skerik, Stanton Moore, Marco Benevento (who replaced Charlie Hunter) and Mike Dillon make their way through Oregon quite a bit. They are a sight to see – you don’t know exactly what kind of show you’ll get, but it’s definitely a fun time. Fun, groove-oriented “new jazz.”
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07 dredg “The Tent” from Chuckles and Mr. Squeezy
I love this band. I hate the album title, but I love the band. Modern progressive rock, tons of talent, thoughtful lyrics, none of that “prog wankery” that is generally detestable. While it’s hard for them to follow-up the stunning The Pariah The Parrot The Delusion, this new album does a hearty job of maintaining their quality rock standards.
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08 Tres Mts. “Makes Me Feel” from Three Mountains
Supergroup made up of dUg Pinnick of King’s X, Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam, and Richard Stuverud of the Fastbacks. They jangle through about an hour of solid rock tunes… more closely resembling a soulful King’s X trajectory vs. Pearl Jam – mainly due to dUg’s vocal duties. This is a great trio that I hope isn’t a one-off. With King’s X on tour in 2012, I doubt we’ll hear more from Tres Mts for a while, though.
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09 Chamberlain/Krauss/Phelps “Everest” from Modular: Sonic Explorations
Gorgeous soundscapes from Matt Chamberlain, Viktor Krauss, and Dan Phelps. The Modular Project is the collaboration of the aforementioned musicians working together to “discover what the spontaneous and organic manipulation of sound can yield. Inspired by the world around them, they set out to discover what it might sound like when continents shift, clouds form, and roots push through soil.” This track, “Everest,” features one of my favorite cellists – Eyvind Kang (who has worked with Secret Chiefs 3, John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Mike Patton). It’s a great mix of cello, vibes and soaring atmosphere. It’s only available digitally or on vinyl (it’s a luscious triple-gatefold!)…
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10 Jeffrey Foucault “Passerines” from Horse Latitudes
Jeffrey Foucault is a favorite Americana artist that I got turned on to by singer-songwriter/storyteller Peter Mulvey. Jeffrey and Peter work together in the band Redbird (with David Goodrich and Jeffrey’s wife Kris Delmhorst). I didn’t pick up Jeffrey’s albums until the past year and a half. He’s definitely more on the cusp of country than I tend to traverse, but I dig his authenticity, poetic wit and charm. He’s a delight on stage and a fantastic Prine-esque songwriter for the new generation.
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11 Peter Mulvey & David Goodrich “Drumlin Trail” from Nine Days Wonder
Peter Mulvey has toured all over the US and the world for about 2 decades. Some of the first times I saw him in concert, he had “Goody” with him on backing guitar. They don’t get a chance to tour together much lately, but they did find some time to hole-up inside a studio to write and record some instrumental guitar duets. While I love Peter’s vocal storytelling, it’s nice to hear his and Goody’s instrumental interplay tell a different story.
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12 Steven Wilson “Home in Negative” from Grace for Drowning
Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson is a hard worker. Whether he’s producing albums for others or making albums & touring with PT, Blackfield, No-Man, Storm Corrosion, or solo – he’s always busy each and every year.
This year brought his second solo album and a small tour. The album is a bit more stripped down from his other projects. It is reminiscent of Pink Floyd in spots – specifically this song “Home in Negative.” He also rocks out a bit in the almost two hour double album… check out the video for “Track One” here (it’s a bit bleak then startling). Gorgeous work.
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13 Wussy “Pulverized” from Strawberry
Well, I was super happy when I found out that Wussy was putting out their fourth full-length studio album this year. They’re a fantastic rock quartet made up of Chuck Cleaver, Lisa Walker, Mark Messerly, and Joe Klug. They write catchy, poppy choruses and meld it perfectly with Midwest Americana-meets-indie-rock grit (or “Midwestern drone” as their press says). Vocal duties are traded off with Chuck (of Ass Ponys) and Lisa (of Magic Words).
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14 Pomplamoose “Telephone” from The Album You Bought At Our Show…
This is the song that got me into Pomplamoose. It’s a cover of the collaboration between
Lady Gaga and Beyoncé (whose ridiculous but still kind awesome original video has 129 million hits as of Dec 2011). Pomplamoose does “video songs,” and this was the hook to lure me in. Click the image at the left to see their video of the song. The CD came out this year as part of their first tour ever… which I caught in Portland. Excellent, fun band!
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15 David Bazan “Wolves at the Door” from Strange Negotiations
Continuing in his solo expressions after the official ceasing of Pedro the Lion, David Bazan manifests wit, a sharp tongue, and a questioning mind into his DIY-indie rock. This year, he toured quite a bit, solo and with a band. An album last year (Curse Your Branches), an album this year, and another on the way. He’s slogging away, trekking all over the country, and making some great music on the way.
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16 John Zorn “Song of Experience” from At the Gates of Paradise
“Channeling the work of Romantic visionary William Blake and ancient Gnostic writings from the Nag Hammadi archives, At the Gates of Paradise is the newest installment in Zorn’s ever growing catalog of mystical works. The music is filled with bright light and a childlike innocence, and ranges from long form compositions with constantly shifting time signatures that unfold with a compelling inner logic to mysterious ballads and hypnotic moods.” The album features a quartet that I know and love from many jazz/avant outfits: drummer Joey Baron (Masada and many more), bassist Trevor Dunn (Mr Bungle, Fantômas, Nels Cline Singers), keyboardist John Medeski (Medeski Martin & Wood) and vibraphonist Kenny Wollesen (Sex Mob, Electric Masada, etc).
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17 Over the Rhine “Days Like This” from The Long Surrender
For those that don’t know Over the Rhine, they started out as a four piece in Cincinnati in 1989 and put out their “post-nuclear, pseudo-alternative, folk-tinged art-pop” indie debut ‘Til We Have Faces in 1991. After about a decade as a four-piece, Ric Hordinski (guitars) & Brian Kelley (drums) left. Karin Bergquist (vocals) & Linford Detweiler (keys) carried on the Over the Rhine flame throughout the years… moving away from a rockier feel to a more folky-pop-Americana thing. What I like about Over the Rhine is they continually change and evolve into a different band with each album and each outing. I’ve seen them rock out, I’ve seen them jazz it up, I’ve seen them happy, I’ve seen them somber, I’ve seen them celebratory, and I’ve seen them tell stories that will make you laugh and cry. This tune was written by fellow Cincinnati singer-songwriter Kim Taylor (it originally appeared on her 2008 EP The Greatest Story). I’d highly recommend checking her out as well.
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18 Elysian Fields “Sleepover” from Last Night On Earth
Brooklyn-based sultry art rockers Elysian Fields don’t really tour outside of NYC often. Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow find their way to Europe on occasion, but most U.S. fans only really have their studio albums to sate their musical desires. This is their sixth full-length album in their near 16-year career. Well crafted, well produced, lush vocals and folk meets dusky jazz.
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19 Kevin Moore “Hypnogogic” from Shine
This is a little palette cleanser for the mix CD – right before the end. Kevin Moore’s main projects are the trippy/sample-heavy Chroma Key & heavier prog collaboration band O.S.I. (with Jim Matheos). Shine is the soundtrack to the 2006 Turkish film Küçük Kiyamet (“Little Apocalypse“). It came out in early 2011 after a successful Kickstarter in 2010. The next album from O.S.I. comes out in February 2012 on Metal Blade. I can almost guarantee it will be my Top album of 2012, and I haven’t heard a shred of it yet.
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20 Childish Gambino “Heartbeat” from Camp (warning: explicit content)
I first heard of Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover) like many people – via television. Donald plays Troy Barnes on NBC’s Community. I’ve heard a few of his albums, but this was his first full-length with a wide release. This song almost didn’t make the cut, but the melody in the chorus and the grinding keyboards just made it to difficult to ultimately cut from the mix. Brilliant song about the messiness of dating. If you’d like the “clean” version of the song, there is a “clean” version of the whole album on Amazon.
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Near misses from the mix: something from Earth’s Angels of Darkness Demons of Light 1 & Opeth’s Heritage (songs are too long) and Azealia Bank’s “212” (infectious as hell)… plus songs from several other albums that’ll still be on my Best of 2011 lists (coming soon).
Let me know what you think… If you enjoyed what you heard, please support the music. Definitely feel free to pass the link the mix along:
~Dan – np: Florence + the Machine – Ceremonials
there are no torrents, free mp3 or other downloads available
ha’fway 2011
Happy belated 235th birthday, United States!
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So, here are my faves of the first half of 2011… it’s all bound to switch around by year’s end (click album art for sound samples):
Artist – Album (style)
- Murat Eyuboglu & My Brightest Diamond – Letters to Distant Cities EP featuring the words of Mustafa Ziyalan (spoken word/indie rock)
- Over the Rhine – The Long Surrender (folk-americana)
- Radiohead – The King of Limbs (anti-radio rock)
- David Bazan (of Pedro the Lion) – Strange Negotiations (indie rock)
- dredg – Chuckles and Mr Squeezy (modern progressive)
- Earth – Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1 (drone metal)
- Tides from Nebula – Earthshine (postrock)
- Garage A Trois (Skerik & Co) – Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil (groove jazz)
- Kevin Moore – Shine (Küçük Kıyamet Soundtrack) (movie score)
- Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (postrock)
- Reptet – At the Cabin (horny jazz)
- Goddamn Electric Bill – Jazz (organic electronic)
- Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will (postrock)
- Yoshie Fruchter’s Pitom – Blasphemy and Other Serious Crimes (instrumental klez-rock)
- Tres Mts (Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam & dUg Pinnick of King’s X) – Three Mountains (rock supergroup)
- Eisley – The Valley (modern rock)
- Michael Kelsey – Submerged (Midwest guitar virtuoso)
- Trey Parker & Matt Stone / Original Cast Recording – The Book of Mormon (sacrilegious broadway)
- Elysian Fields – Last Night on Earth (lusty indie-pop)
- Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean (whispy indie rock)
I didn’t get a few that already came out this year (yet)… the new Hiromi, Gangpol & Mit, and whatever “et cetera” that the cool kids are listening to these days; but they may make it to the list at the end of the year.
The 2nd half of 2011 promises to bring some potential great ones, too… a few more from John Zorn, (including The Dreamers Xmas CD & the Rovo Sax Quartet collaboration), Secret Chiefs 3 Book of Souls (maybe), Maynard James Keenan’s Puscifer (2nd album), some digital releases from A Perfect Circle, the doomy Bohren & Der Club of Gore, Opeth‘s 70s throwback album, Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson‘s 2nd solo album, My Brightest Diamond is wrapping up one in the studio (will it be out in 2011?), Ani DiFranco always has something coming out (it’s been a while though), probably something from one of Mike Patton‘s other bands (Fantômas live DVD, Tomahawk’s 4th album, more?), and I’m sure another dozen or more that I’ll dig from Tzadik.
Favorite concerts of 2011 (so far):
- Erik Friedlander plays John Zorn’s Masada Book Two – The Shedd, Eugene, Jan 8th
- Reptet – Luckey’s, Eugene, Jan 14th
- The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (Sean Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl) – The Woods, Portland, Jan 28th
- Nels Cline Singers – Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, Jan 30th
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Crystal Ballroom, Portland, Feb 18th
- U2 – Qwest Field, Seattle, Jun 4th
- A Perfect Circle – The Schnitzer, Portland, Jun 29th
(click pictures below for review links)
Coachella 2011’s underwhelm-athon
Goldenvoice just revealed the full details for the 2011 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival.
The 12th annual Coachella Festival is set for Friday, April 15, Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17 at the beautiful Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA and the 2011 line-up includes headlining performances from Arcade Fire, Kanye West and Kings Of Leon. While music serves as the centerpiece for Coachella, this year’s festival will feature an expanded commitment to art, culture and community via a unique partnership with The Creators Project, a global initiative that supports leading and emerging artists.
The 2011 lineup of bands also features: Animal Collective, Arcade Fire, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Best Coast, Big Audio Dynamite, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 77, Bomba Estereo, Brandon Flowers, Bright Eyes, Broken Social Scene, Cage The Elephant, Cee-Lo Green, Chromeo, Cold Cave, Cold War Kids, Crystal Castles, CSS, Cut Copy, Daedelus, Death From Above 1979, Delta Sprirt, Duran Duran, Elbow, Empire Of The Sun, Erykah Badu, Fistful Of Mercy, Flogging Molly, Gogol Bordello, Good Old War, Health, Interpol, Jack’s Mannequin, Jenny And Johnny, Jimmy Eat World, Kele, Klaxons, Leftfield, Mariachi El Bronx, Marina And The Diamonds, Menomena, Moving Units, Lauryn Hill, Mumford & Sons, Nas & Damian Marley, Neon Trees, OFF!, Omar Rodríguez López, One Day As A Lion, Ozomatli, Paul Van Dyk, PJ Harvey, Raphael Saadiq, Ratatat, Robyn, Rye Rye, Scissor Sisters, She Wants Revenge, Tame Impala, The Aquabats, The Black Keys, The Chemical Brothers, The Henry Clay People, The Joy Formidable, The Kills, The Morning Benders, The National, The New Pornographers, The Pains Of Being Pure at Heart, The Presets, The Strokes, The Swell Season, Titus Andronicus, Wiz Khalifa, !!!, and a bunch more.
I know… many of you will say how can that line-up be underwhelming? Well, outside of a few acts that would pique my interest, it’s just underwhelming to me.
2011 anticipated albums
So, the year end recaps are in process (instrumental list maybe later today or Friday) … I needed something to fill the gap… here are some artists who are expecting to release new material in 2011 (some are carryovers from 2010’s anticipation), all of which I’m looking forward to…
Kevin Moore‘s Shine (digital out now, CDs en route), dredg has one due at the end of March, Over the Rhine‘s The Long Surrender, Earth‘s Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1 (in February), Iron & Wine‘s Kiss Each Other Clean, Mogwai‘s Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will, Reptet‘s At the Cabin, My Brightest Diamond‘s as of yet untitled (she’s in the studio), a bunch of new stuff from John Zorn, Derek Webb‘s Democracy Vol 2 (10 cover songs for 2011), maybe the Secret Chiefs 3 will finally release Book of Souls (it’s their “Chinese Democracy”), Eisley‘s The Valley, Jelly Jam with Ty Tabor of King’s X/John Myung of Dream Theater/Rod Morgenstein of Dixie Dregs, Goddamn Electric Bill‘s Jazz, A.N.M. featuring Doug Pinnick of King’s X and Jimi Hazel of 24-7 Spyz, Ken Andrew and Co’s Digital Noise Academy (maybe), Silverchair are working on one (didn’t hit in 2010), Radiohead have put in studio time in 2010 (maybe something out by year’s end), Glen Phillips likely has a few in the hopper (RemoteTreeChildren #2? new Toad? new WPA? new solo?), Opeth is in the studio, Steven Wilson with Mike Portnoy & Mikael Akerfeldt (of Opeth) too, Sufjan Stevens tribute album (due out in March), more chapters from Celldweller‘s Wish Upon a Blackstar, new tracks from Billy & Maynard’s A Perfect Circle, Mike Patton‘s electronic Fantômas or Peeping Tom #2, and… Ani DiFranco – I mean, it’s inevitable… right? Well, not always, she totally missed 2010 (as of now, no studio albums out in 821 days / 257 since a live EP on Record Store Day 2010).
Plus many more great albums due out in 2011, I’m sure.
REPTET ::West Coast CD Release Tour 2011::
Seattle jazz sextet REPTET is at it again, following up their 7″ vinyl single Agendacide from late 2009 with a new full-length album – entitled At the Cabin. It’s set for release on the Artists Recording Collective on January 11, 2011.
They’re hitting the road in support of the new CD, and Eugene is the first stop! Yippie! http://reptet.com/
Friday, January 14 10:00 pm
Luckey’s Club
Eugene, OR, United States
Monday, January 17
The Press Club
Sacramento, CA, United States
Tuesday, January 18 6:00 pm
Live Culture
Santa Barabara, CA, United States
Wednesday, January 19 10:00 pm
Taix 321 Lounge
Los Angeles, CA, United States
http://www.taixfrench.com/321lounge.html
Thursday, January 20 8:00 pm
ResBox – The Steve Allen Theater at The Center For Inquiry
Los Angeles, CA, United States
http://steveallentheater.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=318543
Friday, January 21 8:00 pm
CODA
San Francisco, CA, United States
http://www.codalive.com/
Saturday, January 22 9:00 pm
Cafe Van Kleef
Oakland, CA, United States
http://www.cafevankleef.com
For more info, check out http://reptet.com/