Speakers in Code

One of the best "Best Of" lists I've seen yet. Many favorites, from Josh Ritter to the Mynabirds to the National to Frightened Rabbit to Brandi Carlile to Jason Isbell to Ha Ha Tonka to the Tallest Man on Earth, etc. etc.

Lately

So much good music lately, including Courtney Barnett, Lord Huron, Death Cab, Laura Marling...I'm feeling more optimistic that this year's music will be as good as two years ago.

Today: listening to Lower Dens, Death Cab, and probably more Laura Marling. 

Music Lately...

I've been enjoying...

Banks' Begging for Thread
the new Delta Spirit and Justin Townes Earle
Spoon
Tennis
The War on Drugs

AV Best Thus Far

AV Club has a good roundup of some of the best songs of the year this far, including Slow Club's "Complete Surrender" (and I am really enjoying this album),  Wye Oak's "Glory," The War on Drugs' "Burning," St. Vincent's "Digital Witness," and Beck's "Blue Moon" (which is up there as one of my very favorite songs of the year). This is the best compilation yet, I think. 

Wish I Was Here Soundtrack

Zach Braff has a knack for compiling catchy soundtracks, and he does it again with "Wish I Was Here." Favorites including Bon Iver, the Head & the Heart, the Shins, and the Weepies are featured. You can stream some of it on Spotify now.

Free on iTunes: Crate & Barrel Playlist

Crate & Barrel's Get the Download has occasional awesome iTunes free playlists. Their new "Patio" mix has some great artists like Brett Dennan, Maria Taylor, Grace & Tony, Said the Whale, and Riley Etheridge, Jr. Check it out here.

How to Listen to Music

Will Sheff writes:

In my late 20s, I started noticing that I didn’t listen to music in the way I used to. Specifically, nothing about music felt satisfying to me anymore. Like all my friends, I’d gotten an iPod and ripped most of my CDs into it, so now every album I’d ever owned was suddenly sitting in my pocket, ready to be called up at any time, but I didn’t feel like listening to any of it. I could shuffle my way through every song that had ever moved me, but somehow once it came on all I wanted to do was skip to the next random song in the order. That song wouldn’t satisfy me either, so my finger would hit that “skip” button again, almost as an impulse....

So that’s where I started, with my memories of putting on a record (or, later, a cassette) as a kid and then sitting back on my bed and listening to the whole thing — and then playing it again, and again, until I had integrated it into who I was. I decided the first step in creating a system that replicated this effect on an iPod (because I didn’t have a place to live at the time, my iPod was my only way of listening to music) would be to listen to whole albums, in order to immerse myself in a musical world and not lose concentration. Secondly, I noticed that my relationship to an album changed with repeated listens; sometimes an album I thought I hated on listen one became a new musical obsession by listen three, while at other times an album that impressed the hell out of me on listen one gradually revealed itself, after repetition, to be trite or cloying, dazzling me with easy tricks but lacking in actual substance. I started creating playlists — each containing three albums plus miscellaneous songs I’d picked up here and there — and listening to them three times in a row. These playlists were all I’d allow myself to listen to unless I was with other people, and I treated them like homework; usually the albums would be related to music I was working on at the time. I would take care always to work in a mixture of music by new bands and older music that was new to me, and I would actively seek out genres of music with which I previously hadn’t been familiar.

Valentine's Day II

Last year, I selected some of my favorite Valentine's Day tracks. Here's another playlist.

"I and Love and You" by the Avett Brothers
"Sweetest Thing" by U2
"Love Will Never Do Without You" by Janet Jackson
"Such Great Heights" by the Postal Service
"She Lit a Fire" by Lord Huron
"1993" by Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers
"Stay with Me" by Amos Lee
"Just Like Heaven" by the Cure
"Signal Fire" by Snow Patrol
"Forever" by Shout Out Louds
"Always on My Mind" by anyone..Willie or Bahamas
"Head Over Feet" by Alanis Morisette
"Under You" by Better than Ezra
"You and Me" by Lifehouse
"Lucky Man" by the Verve
"Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane

Sweetheart 2014

NPR Music has had a handful of good streams this year, including Damian Jurado and Jeremy Messersmith. Now "Sweetheart 2014"

Some of the artists on Sweetheart 2014 — the fifth installment in a series dating back a decade — sync up naturally with the source material they've chosen. & The Dap-Kings and 's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" fit together seamlessly, for example, while serves up a brief but terrific take on the Carter Family classic "Happy or Lonesome." Other pairings are more surprising, in a your-methods-may-vary sort of way, as attempts a faithfully drowsy take on Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You" and sings in Italian for "Time to Say Goodbye (Con Te Partirò)," a song popularized by Andrea Bocelli.

 Um, Brandi Carlile and the Head & the Heart and Vampire Weekend and Thao? Yes, more, please.

Peter Gabriel Tribute Album

The list of contributors to this Peter Gabriel tribute album--Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Joseph Arthur, Feist, Regina Spektor--looks very worthwhile. Check it out September 23.

Newport Folk Festival Preview

I'll be headed on vacation, but I will certainly tune in later to catch some of the streams from the Newport Folk Festival on NPR Music. My favorites? Feist, Phosphorescent, JD McPherson, the Mountain Goats, Hey Marseilles, the Avett Brothers, Father John Misty, the Lone Bellow, Langhorne Slim, Sarah Jarosz, Shovels & Rope, the Lumineers, Andrew Bird, the Felice Brothers, Lord Huron, Black Prairie, Cold Specks, Tift Merritt, John McCauley (Deer Tick), Jason Isbell...well, it's a great line-up. Someday...

Best Albums Ever?

Entertainment Weekly came out with their greatest albums ever list. Not sure there's much to like. Kanye West and Adele in the top 20. Really? I'll give it credit for U2's Achtung Baby (#23). But no Joshua Tree? No National? Hole's Live Through This is included? No Pearl Jam or Whitney Houston  Hmmm...Though I guess it could be worse.

100. Ramones, Ramones
99. Erykah Badu, Mama’s Gun
98. Queens of the Stone Age, Songs for the Deaf
97. Dusty Springfield, Dusty in Memphis
96. Dixie Chicks, Home
95. Various Artists, Saturday Night Fever
94. Beyonce, B’Day
93. N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton
92. Elliott Smith, Either/Or
91. Sly and the Family Stone, There’s a Riot Goin’ On
90. The White Stripes, White Blood Cells
89. Sleater-Kinney, Dig Me Out
88. New Order, Power, Corruption and Lies
87. Dolly Parton, Coat of Many Colors
86. PJ Harvey, Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
85. Tom Waits, Rain Dogs
84. Patti Smith, Horses
83. James Brown, In the Jungle Groove [anthology]
82. Pavement, Slanted and Enchanted
81. Pixies, Doolittle
80. Elton John, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
79. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV
78. Bjork, Post
77. My Bloody Valentine, Loveless
76. Talking Heads, Remain in Light
75. Elvis Costello, My Aim is True
74. Amy Winehouse, Back to Black
73. Various Artists,The Harder They Come
72. Beastie Boys, Paul’s Boutique
71. The Kinks, The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society
70. Iggy and the Stooges, Raw Power
69. Sonic Youth, Daydream Nation
68. Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
67. Neil Young, After the Gold Rush
66. Hole, Live Through This
65. Love, Forever Changes
64. Nine Inch Nails, The Downward Spiral
63. Television, Marquee Moon
62. The Replacements, Let It Be
61. De La Soul, 3 Feet High and Rising
60. Beck, Odelay
59. Metallica, Master of Puppets
58. Dr. Dre, The Chronic
57. Alicia Keys, Songs in A Minor
56. Arcade Fire, Funeral
55. Nas, Illmatic
54. R.E.M., Lifes Rich Pageant
53. The Flaming Lips, The Soft Bulletin
52. A Tribe Called Quest, The Low End Theory
51. Chuck Berry, The Great Twenty-Eight [anthology]
50. The Smiths, The Queen is Dead
49. LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
48. Outkast, Stankonia
47. The Cure, Disintegration
46. The Beatles, Rubber Soul
45. Radiohead, OK Computer
44. Michael Jackson, Off the Wall
43. Madonna, Madonna
42. AC/DC, Back in Black
41. Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP
40. John Lennon, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
39. The Who, Who’s Next
38. The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground & Nico
37. Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon
36. Jay-Z, The Blueprint
35. The Rolling Stones, Some Girls
34. David Bowie, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
33. Wu-Tang Clan, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
32. Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction
31. The Notorious B.I.G., Ready to Die
30. Otis Redding, Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul
29. Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
28. Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
27. Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited
26. Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced
25. Bob Marley and the Wailers, Catch a Fire
24. Daft Punk, Discovery
23. U2, Achtung Baby
22. The Beatles, Abbey Road
21. Stevie Wonder, Innervisions
20. The Rolling Stones, Beggars Banquet
19. Al Green, Call Me
18. Paul Simon, Graceland
17. Adele, 21
16. Elvis Presley, Sunrise [anthology]
15. Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run
14. Johnny Cash, At Folsom Prison
13. Marvin Gaye, What’s Going On
12. The Beatles, The White Album
11. Joni Mitchell, Blue
10. Nirvana, Nevermind
9. The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds
8. Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
7. Aretha Franklin, Lady Soul
6. Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks
5. The Clash, London Calling
4. Michael Jackson, Thriller
3. The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street
2. Prince, Purple Rain
1. The Beatles, Revolver

Starbucks Sampler

Check out the latest long-awaited summer 2013 Starbucks sampler. The Olms (with Pete Yorn), Phosphorescent, Washed Out, and the Postal Service are all featured.

Summer Mix

NPR has a fun mix of summer tunes. My favorite tunes are from back in the day of the 80s and early 90s...Will Smith's Summertime, Ace of Base (though should be the Sign), Lisa Loeb's Stay, UB40's Can't Help Falling in Love, Boys II Men's End of the Road, Red Hot Chili Pepper's Under the Bridge, Bryan Adams' Everything I Do, EMF's Unbelievable, Martika's Toy Soldiers, and the classics from Heart, Madonna, U2, Whitney, Peter Cetera, and Cyndi Lauper. "Best" song on the list? U2's With or Without You or Cyndi's Time after Time. Sigh. Too bad the more recent stuff won't stand the test of time.

Today's Tunes: Americana

Awesome spotify list from Americana, found here. Black Prairie, the Lone Bellow, JD McPherson, Sons of Fathers, Lindi Ortega, the Stray Birds, and other fun discoveries await.

Valentine's Playlist

Some of my favorite Valentine's Day romantic tunes...

"Hanging by a Moment" by Lifehouse
"January Wedding" by the Avett Brothers
"Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol
"Desperately Wanting" by Better than Ezra
"All I Want is You" by U2
"Crush" by Dave Matthews Band
"Cannonball" by Damien Rice
"The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra
"Collide" by Howie Day
"You Got What I Need" by Joshua Radin
"Have I Told You Lately" by Van Morrison
"Mint Car" by the Cure
"I've Been Waiting" by Matthew Sweet
"Into Your Arms" by the Lemonheads

It's Been A While....

In previewing upcoming music for 2013, I mentioned some bands that are due for a new album. NPR Music covers artists who have really waited a while between projects. A couple of his picks, like Damien Rice and Postal Service, are hugely missing. Modest Mouse was mentioned in the comments; that would be another stellar pick.

I was thinking Counting Crows, but apparently they've released a new album this year. Maybe Sarah McLachlan? But Laws of Illusion came out in 2010. Beck sort of is releasing music this year, but not really.  I guess Damien Rice is the best answer, if it's been nearly a  decade.

What artist's music are you missing?

Election Day Mix

Borrowed from the Fix. But using "Miss Ohio" and "Bloodbuzz Ohio." Two great ones I suggested!

Listen to it here via Spotify.

But seriously...no Kid Rock?

New in 12...

I've been listening through my new in 2012 mix and keep finding acts that I really like, but never remember to listen to their full album. Or albums I've forgotten have come out this year. Both Tennis and Hospitality caught my ear as fun, bouncy alt-pop.

Also Dry the River, Delta Spirit, Scars on 45, Hey Rosetta!, and Sara Watkins. Lots of great music, actually. I have a feeling there will be more to add to the list in the next ten weeks or so.

Americana Mix

NPR is streaming a terrific mix of Americana music...all the great folk that is so easy to listen to. Jason Isbell, Justin Townes Earle, Gillian Welch, Dawes, Brandi Carlile, Alabama Shakes, et. al.

And here would be my award picks:

Album of the YearHere We Rest, Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive, Steve Earle
The Harrow & The Harvest, Gillian Welch
This One's For Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark, Various Artists

Artist of the YearGillian Welch
Hayes Carll
Jason Isbell
Justin Townes Earle

Emerging Artist of the YearAlabama Shakes
Dawes
The Deep Dark Woods
Robert Ellis

Song of the Year
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, "Alabama Pines"
Sarah Jarosz, "Come Around"
Patty Griffin, "I Love" (Written by Tom T. Hall)
Steve Earle, "Waitin' on the Sky"

Duo/Group of the YearCarolina Chocolate Drops
The Civil Wars
Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
Punch Brothers