The Best Albums of 2011

I fully understand that my best of the year list is usually published far after many of the hip new kids.  The World Forgot has long been a dessert blog, if you will, that might not provide enough sustenance on a day to day basis to get you through life, but I do provide a sweet finish.  On top of that I’ve been able to listen through all of the albums I heard in 2011 for an extra month.  In all reality this is the definitive list.  Enjoy the music.

01 : Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

Fleet Foxes crafted a pitch perfect sophomore album that cleverly showcases all of their strengths.  There really isn’t much you could change about this album.  It’s the perfect soundtrack for a long drive and is very enjoyable to sing along with tales of Montezuma or of owning an orchard.

mp3 : Fleet Foxes – Montezuma
mp3 : Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

02 : Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Bon Iver came out swinging with his sophomore album as well.  In fact he almost topped the chart (and depending on the weather outside my window when writing this he probably could).  His second album proved beyond a doubt that he has a bright and long future ahead.

mp3 : Bon Iver – Holocene
mp3 : Bon Iver – Hinnom, TX

03 : I Break Horses – Hearts

I fell in love with this album as soon as I heard the first two tracks.  There is something overwhelmingly captivating about their synth heavy crescendos.  (And as icing on the cake they’re supposed to tour with M83 in 2012).

mp3 : I Break Horses – Hearts
mp3 : I Break Horses – Empty Bottles

04 : Foster the People – Torches

Somewhere between becoming extremely radio friendly (with their single Pumped up Kids) and having songs featured in the video game Fifa 12 as well as on Nissan commercials I feel like a lot of bloggers and critics wrote them off without listening to their entire album.  Let’s face it, this is a great pop/indie album; this is the kind of album we all wanted MGMT to make.

mp3 : Foster the People – Helena Beat
mp3 : Foster the People – Miss You

05 : Death Cab for Cutie – Codes and Keys

And just like that roughly 80% of you have stopped reading this list.  Get over it.  Yes, I know that this isn’t as good as Transatlanticism (or maybe even Plans).  But this is a solid album with signature Death Cab moments sprinkled throughout.  It keeps the hope alive that the man who brought us the Postal Service album Give Up and the aforementioned Death Cab masterpiece Transatlanticism in the same calendar year still has what it takes to create amazing songs.

mp3 : Death Cab for Cutie – Underneath the Sycamore
mp3 : Death Cab for Cutie – St. Peter’s Cathedral

06: Cults – Cults

Clever indie for the entire album.  It’s the type of album that’s hip enough for you to love, but if you threw it on a scratchy record player you might convince your parents it’s a band you can all enjoy together.

mp3 : Cults – Go Outside

07 : Hooray for Earth – True Loves

Maybe I’m addicted to shoegaze and synth (or maybe I’m finally starting to like this so called 80’s revival), but whatever the reason I fell in love with the Hooray for Earth album over the past five weeks.

mp3 : Hooray for Earth – Last Minute

08 : M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

Easily their most well received and easily accessible album to date this album by french artists M83 brought to light the fact that many artists have been perfecting shoegaze and synth (notice a theme here) for more than the past eighteen months.

mp3 : M83 – Midnight City

09 : Radiohead – King of Limbs

It’s hard for me to listen to a studio album from Radiohead and not immediately compare it to two things.  First, their live show is unbelievable.  Second, Kid A and OK Computer are still the peak of their recordings for me.  Also, to be fair, at times while listening to this album you’re thinking “I really wish every song was as good as Bloom.”

mp3 : Radiohead – Bloom

10: Adele – 21

A, her voice. B, her voice on the song Someone Like You. (that should be enough to be in a top ten).

mp3 : Adele – Someone Like You

That is my list for 2011.  We had a decent year as far as music goes.  Foo Fighters and Coldplay played true to their sound (although Rihanna tried very hard to ruin Coldplay).  Beastie Boys released an album that was, essentially, in homage to their former selves.  In addition to more established acts there were solid efforts by other bands like The Kills, We Were Promised Jetpacks, New Villager, Josh Garrels, and The Dodos.  This, however, is my list and I’m sticking to it.

For previous years just follow this link.

+ more music @ twf hype elbows amazonmp3 itunes

Wedding Music vol 04 : Reception

And so it continues, the endless supply of awesome songs that I was allowed to play at my wedding.  This section, played as background music during the cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and dinner at our reception, was left entirely up to me to arrange.  To keep the list coherent I gave my self a few limiting factors.  Mostly all of the songs conform to the following criteria; a) songs must be music I would be willing to admit I listen to and enjoy, b) most of the music is to be by singer-songwriters, c) the music needs to span a variety of artists, eras, and genres so that literally everyone at the reception will hear at least one song they recognize, and d) all of the songs must sit well in the background of dinner, drinks, and conversations.

In the end I was thrilled with these songs.  I was ecstatic.  After going back and forth over literally every song we played for our dance section of the reception (an upcoming post series) it was really fun to be given complete freedom to play whatever songs I desired.  Listening through this list today there are still some tracks that jump out and beg the question, “You played that track at your wedding?”  Well of course I did, it’s a great song.

mp3 : Andy Williams – Happy Heart
mp3 : Radiohead – Fog (Again) (Live)
mp3 : Dean Martin – I’ll Always Love You
mp3 : Donovan – Catch The Wind

There are 34 songs, just over 2 hours of music, that make up the entire backdrop to our reception.  Stay tuned for the remainder of these volumes.  If you would like to see all posts about my wedding music  click here.

+ more music @ twf hype elbows amazonmp3 itunes
add this post to del.icio.us / digg / facebook / twitter

Radiohead track Fog

I was listening through my TWF archives the other day (I’ve posted about 1000 tracks now) and one song kept playing through my head and I realized that I simply didn’t have a copy on any of my drives.  Thankfully the internet still exists and I was able to find another version of this track which has become one of my all time favorite songs by one of my all time favorite bands.

mp3 : Radiohead – Fog (Again) (Live)

In my original post, way back in April of 2006, I had this to say.

“Radiohead never fails to impress. And this track is no different. Included below is one of their finest live reworkings of a song. The song, Fog, first appeared on the album Knives Out after being launched as “Alligators in New York Sewers” in Caesaria on July 9th, 2000.

From that first play, where Thom Yorke introduced it as “kind of a silly song, it has matured and grown into something at once melancholic and beautiful.”

+ more Radiohead @ twf hype elbows site amazonmp3 itunes
add this post to del.icio.us / digg / facebook / twitter

BOTR vol 12

It has been a full year since the BOTR series graced this humble page.  And I do apologize.  I apologize.  But it is far better to apologize than to eulogize.  And in the end it is far better to actually post music than to take months off (sorry mates, but deadlines at work and real life adventures are simply dominating my time).

I started this series, and the BOTM series, because in my previous life I had much more free time than anyone else on the face of the planet.  Literally.  Well since then I landed a fairly demanding (and rewarding) job, a car, a girl, a life, a etc.  So I’m not sitting flush with free time anymore, but I still care.  Honestly, I still care.  So enjoy the remixes, witches.

mp3 : Bloc Party – Hunting for Witches (Crystal Castles Remix)
Imagine if you took Bloc Party and strained their music through a Nintendo soundtrack.  Then you added a grungy bass line and called it a remix.  Brilliant.

mp3 : Busta Rhymes – Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See (Valerna Remix)
Everything about this mix is perfection.  Busta spits like usual except this time the backing beats and remixed nature perfectly complement his nasty flow.  Rappers today wish they could drop lyrics like Busta.  This track is so good I’m tempted to simply stop now and publish this post.

mp3 : Chromeo – Destination Overdrive (DFA Remix)
This remix reminds me of Kill Bill.  Just when you start to think “OMG, is this ever going to end” you’re immediately stunned into silence at the beauty of the following moment.  Yes, it’s over seven minutes.  Yes, it’s worth it.

mp3 : Fenech Soler – Lies (The Phantoms Revenge Remix)
If anyone out there is looking to edit a sweet ass parkour video I highly recommend this song.  I don’t know why they should be lumped together, but it makes sense.

mp3 : Fever Ray – Seven (The Twelves Remix)
Hello 2009, welcome to 1974.  Or a Guy Ritchie film.

mp3 : Florence & The Machine – You Got The Love (The XX Remix)
I love the bass line in this remix.  It sets the perfect subdued mood and lets the string plucking float along like it was meant to.

mp3 : Ladyhawke – Paris is Burning (Cut Copy Remix)
This is another track that feels like it’s never going to reach a point worth caring about.  If you turn it off in the first minute you’re missing out.

mp3 : Major Lazer – Keep It Goin’ Louder (Feat. Nina Sky & Ricky Blaze) (Diplo Remix)
I honestly should not have to sell you on this track.  Look at the group name.  Major + Lazer = Win.  This track = Massive Win.

mp3 : Major Lazer – Pon de floor (Chewy Chocolate Cookies Remix)
Oh colonial era drum beats, oh trumpet fanfare, oh crazy twisted drum and bass synth that cuts in after thirty seconds.

mp3 : Passion Pit – Sleepyhead (Ring Trick Remix)
Remember when everyone was claiming Passion Pit was going to be huge?  Remember when everyone was wrong?  Dead wrong?  Well guess what, no one cares anymore, because this remix is great.

mp3 : Peaches – I Feel Cream (Proxy Remix)
The opening of this remix could easily qualify as the essential ‘film noir’ of remixes.  I’m not quite sure if I’m supposed to think that is a good thing or a bad thing.

mp3 : Phoenix – 1901 (L’Aiglon Remix)
The first of three remixes of one of the most popular tracks of the year.  This takes a straightforward pop/rock track and makes it even more straightforward.

mp3 : Phoenix – 1901 (Pete Herrs Symphonic Remix)
If the previous remix was straightforward then this remix is literally so far out in right field it’s playing cricket.  It begins spread out and sparse but soon enters the realm of angels.

mp3 : Phoenix – 1901 (The Tremulance Remix)
I’m including this remix to round out the trifecta of what a remix can be.  We had a straightforward pop remix, followed by a minimalist symphonic remix/re-imagining, and this is a frenetic blip filled mix.

mp3 : Phoenix – Lisztomania (Redial Remix)
I know you’ve all be wondering what this track would sound like it was sped up and played frantically with more reverb than a live Prince show.  Well wonder no more.

mp3 : Radiohead – Videotape (Ring Trick Remix)
You can almost never go wrong with a Radiohead remix.  Especially one centered around the impressive track Videotape.  Ring Trick simply nails this remix.

mp3 : The Sounds – No One Sleeps When I’m Awake (La Dolce Vita Remix)
Sugar coated remix covered with whip cream, chocolate sauce, and sprinkles.  Bring your own cherries.

mp3 : Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix)
A fitting, wailing end, to this installment of BOTR.  The repeated “off, off, off, off, off” is what remix dreams are made of.

I hope it’s been worth the wait and we’ll all keep our fingers crossed that it’s not another year before BOTR returns.  Enjoy the music.

+ more @ twf hype elbows amazonmp3 itunes
add this post to del.icio.us / digg / facebook / twitter

BOTR vol 11

Alright, enough of my hollow words.  No matter how clever I aim to be you’re just here for the music.  I’ve got you figured out, especially all you who read via my feed.  Scalawags.  This is the Best of the Remix series.  Each month I scour the interwebs for what I think are the best remixes.  Here they are presented in an easy to read and easy to listen to format.  If you’d like to check out the entire BOTR series you simply click here.  Enjoy the music.

All the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click)

mp3 : Coldplay – Talk (Junkie XL Remix)
This is an epic elongation of a fine Coldplay track.  Before you download and listen be warned that this baby stretches past eleven minutes.  It’s worth it, but plan accordingly.  This is my favorite remix of the bunch.

mp3 : Daft Punk – Something About Us (EASTAR Remix)
This remix, which I believe hails from about five years ago, reminds me a lot of seventies funk smashed up against standard Daft Punk.  Interested?

mp3 : Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out (Remix)
Who made this remix?  This is an official request for the hyper informed and well connected bloggers and blog readers alike to give me an answer.  Until I get it I’ll just keep listening to this destructive mix.

mp3 : Grafton Primary – She Knows It (Kap10Kurt Remix)
Simply gorgeous.  If you’re looking for a chilled out remix in this bunch of fun then look no further than what Kap10Kurt has come up with on this remix.

mp3 : Justice – Genensis (Chewy Chocolate Cookies Remix)
I think I prefer chocolate chip to chewy chocolate when it comes to selecting an afternoon snack, but when it comes to remix heaven I’ll stick with Chewy Chocolate Cookies.  I think a futuristic robot ate this song.

mp3 : Lupe Fiasco, Pharrell, Q-Tip, Sarah Green – Paris Tokyo (Remix)
This is yet another anonymous remix.  Anyone got the name of the remixer?  Anyway, if we were playing “one of these things is not like the others” this would be the track you should choose.  Where the rest of this month is filled with typical dance/electric/minimalist styles, this track is as smooth and fluid as we allthought Boyz II Men used to be.

mp3 : MGMT – The Youth (MMMathias Remix)
If you’ve been reading blogs over the past six months, or if you’ve ever stopped by to check out a past volume in the BOTR series, then you know that MMMathtias hits it out of the park each and every time.

mp3 : Moby – Ooh Yeah (Kris Menace Remix)
It’s a slow build for the first minute of this track but then it hits exactly the place you were all hoping this track would get to.  To be honest I’m not sure how much of the Moby original survives inside this new home, but it’s good.

mp3 : p e a c e FIRE – Sapphire (GRUM Remix)
Does the opening minute of this track remind anyone else of every single Final Fantasy game ever made?  There’s just something so overbearingly uplifting about the opening segment.  In a good way.

mp3 : Radiohead – Reckoner (Chark Mu Remix)
Radiohead + Chark Mu = enough said.  Download away.

mp3 : Snow Patrol – Take Back The City (Lillica Libertine Remix)
This remix takes a fairly solid single and mods it until it’s something not of this world.  It’s a brilliant reimagining of what Snow Patrol originally made.  Forget any acoustic guitar, this is poptronica.

mp3 : The Kills – Last Day of Magic (James Rutledge Remix)
If you’re stingy on filling up your harddrive this is the only track you should download and listen to.  This is exactly what a minimalistic atmospheric remix should sound like.

mp3 : Thieves Like Us – Drugs In My Body (The Bang Gang Deejays Remix)
The louder you listen to this remix the more you’ll like it.  Trust me, it’s meant to be moved to.  Even if you can’t dance this track will make you want to try.  And just wait until the vocals start.  Easily the best vocal effect I’ve ever heard in a remix.  Hands down.

Peace out home skillets.  That’s all I have for you this time around.  Tell your friends, check back often, and keep searching out great music.  {This concludes the regularly scheduled BOTR broadcast, thanks for reading}.

+ twf hype elbows amazonmp3 itunes
add this post to del.icio.us / digg / facebook

The Best Albums of 2007

At long last here are my top ten albums released during the past twelve months. Download all the tracks and play them loud, support the artist by buying their albums, merchandise, or concert tickets, and most of all continue to enjoy great music. This list was ridiculously hard to create due to the amount of talent in the musical realm, but, these are the albums that I was most excited about in 2007. {note : in the list below the artist name links to their website, the album title links to the album on amazon, and the iTunes link will open iTunes to the appropriate information}

All the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click}

01 : Cloud Cult – The Meaning of 8 (iTunes)

Easily the most cathartic album I’ve ever heard the general storyline of this album chronicles the path frontman Craig Minowa took while coming to terms with the death of his son. Most of the tracks on this album have to do with what little Kaidin’s life would have been like {he would’ve turned eight this year} or how he inspired his father and those he met with the joy of life. It was a very close call between Cloud Cult and The Weakerthans for album of the year, but this band from Minneapolis pulled it out in the end. From beginning to end there is not a single note that I would change about The Meaning of 8.

mp3 : Cloud Cult – Take Your Medicine
mp3 : Cloud Cult – Your 8th Birthday
mp3 : Cloud Cult – Purpose

02 : The Weakerthans – Reunion Tour (iTunes)

Second place, and by a very slim margin, goes to one of my favorite bands of all time, The Weakerthans. Coming a full four years after their previous effort, this studio album had a lot of fans wondering if rust and age would tamper with the signature lyrical and melodic brilliance of The Weakerthans. All fears were laid to rest after one listen, though, with the only complaint being it clocks in under forty minutes. John Samson tells these wonderful vignettes about empty rooms, curling tournaments, and runaway cats that are filled with a sense of forlorn truth. Something in this album rings true on every listen. If you’ve never heard The Weakerthans their newest disc is easily a wonderful starting point.

mp3 : The Weakerthans – Tournament of Hearts
mp3 : The Weakerthans – Virtue the Cat Explains Her Departure
mp3 : The Weakerthans – Sun in an Empty Room

03 : Radiohead – In Rainbows

Not much else could be written or said about this album other than what has already been said. Radiohead tops many of the best of lists across various publications and blogs. They released their album completely on their own, with their own website, and charged nothing for the music if that’s what you chose to pay. They bucked convention with this release, just as they’ve continually created new and innovative sounds on each of their albums. This, their seventh studio album and first in four years, is an amazing musical achievement even without the marketing {or lack thereof} hype.

mp3 : Radiohead – Reckoner
mp3 : Radiohead – Videotape

04 : Arcade Fire – Neon Bible (iTunes)

Although many a rabid fan and critic balked at the slightly new direction Arcade Fire went on their sophomore effort I challenge you to find another band that made this interesting, layered, and talented a second studio album. Moving away from stories involving apocalypse and funerals this album instead finds its voice in a social commentary of sorts {which is perfect when you’re influenced by Bruce Springsteen}. I thought this album was a perfect follow up to Funeral. Yes, it is different, but so are we.

mp3 : Arcade Fire – (Antichrist Television Blues)
mp3 : Arcade Fire – Intervention

05 : Bishop Allen – The Broken String (iTunes)

Throughout 2006 Bishop Allen, which is a collaborative effort between Justin Rice, Christian Rudder, and various backing musicians, released twelve EP’s; one for each month. It was with much anticipation, then, that I awaited their first proper studio full length this past July. And Bishop Allen did not disappoint with The Broken String. From start to end the storytelling, the music, the melodies, and the undeniable fun of the album had me playing it for anyone who would listen. Over five months later it still amazes me that this amount of quality music was put on one album.

mp3 : Bishop Allen – The Monitor
mp3 : Bishop Allen – The Chinatown Bus

06 : Foo Figthers – Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (iTunes)

Foo Fighters released their most mature and grounded album to date while finding a way to showcase Dave Grohl’s massive talent without the use of a sprawling double album. From start to finish this album shows the diversity of the entire Foo Fighter’s cannon while always keeping you on the edge of your seat, anticipating what song is coming next. From a pure rock anthem like Come Alive, to the bombast of The Pretender, down to the the ecstasy found on The Ballad of Beaconsfield Miners, there is no stone left unturned on this, the best rock album of the year.

mp3 : Foo Figthers – The Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners
mp3 : Foo Fighters – Come Alive

07 : Sigur Ros – Hvarf/Heim (iTunes)

Sigur Ros is easily my favorite band that I cannot seem to describe to others. Or for that matter get other people to listen to. They’re a band out of the great land of Iceland and lead singer Jonsi sings in one of the most beautiful falsetto voices I’ve ever heard. If the angels from on high sang in Icelandic then this is what the music backing them would sound like. This release was a double album with the disc labelled Hvarf containing studio versions of previously unreleased tracks and the disc called Heim containing acoustic versions of previous favorites.

mp3 : Sigur Ros – Heysatan
mp3 : Sigur Ros – Staralfur

08 : Beirut – The Flying Club Cup (iTunes)

Originally scoring much higher in my list Beirut fell to number eight after repeated listenings. Although this album didn’t have the staying power I thought it would have it still is a solid effort from Zach Condon throughout the mix as he brings his particular ecclectic/gypsy/folk/balkan style of music and makes it a true edition to the great new American Folk wave. There’s something in his music that cannot be found anywhere else. Due most likely to his extensive traveling throughout eastern Europe during his developmental years and the fact that a wrist injury keeps him from playing the guitar properly.

mp3 : Beirut – Guyamas Sonora

09 : Band of Horses – Cease to Begin (iTunes)

The critics who hated and/or panned this album when it was released have almost nothing in common with me. I, for one, cannot fathom what they were looking for in the second studio album from Band of Horses. Cease to Begin showcases a sound and style that are uniquely theirs; from the driving guitar rhythms to the unique crooning style of frontman Ben Bridwell. I thought this album was solid from start to finish with the inclusion of a few incredible tracks like Island on the Coast and Is There A Ghost. Band of Horses is one of the best bands in the past couple of years and I’ve been excited about their music since their first release.

mp3 : Band of Horses – Island on the Coast

10 : Sea Wolf – Leaves in the River (iTunes)

Rounding out the top ten albums of 2007 is this little gem by Sea Wolf. This band is the brainchild of Alex Brown Church, who formerly played with the band Irving, and he incorporates a variety of devices and sounds to tell his stories. Although at times the record can sound like a smooth amalgamation of various sources, in the end it is a blissful thirty five minute mosey through Alex’s life, music, and stories.

mp3 : Sea Wolf – Leaves In The River

Download all the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click}

And there you have it. In my humble opinion those were the best albums of 2007. Other noteworthy albums that didn’t quite make the top ten include In Our Bedroom After The War by Stars, Wednesdays by Wakey!Wakey!, From Here We Go Sublime by The Field, Sawdust by The Killers, Magic by Bruce Springsteen, B Sides Live by Zach Williams, Graduation by Kanye West, and We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank by Modest Mouse. As talented and wonderful as this past year has been I’m looking forward to 2008 when there will be new albums by my favorites Sufjan Stevens, Cloud Cult, the Magnetic Fields, the Postal Service, and Weezer.

For those of you who just found my blog take a minute a peruse other posts here at The World Forgot. I hope you enjoyed yourself this year, 2008 is sure to bring something amazing to everyone.

+ twf hype elbows amazon itunes

BOTM vol 01

I did this style of mix a couple of times in the past but now they’ll hopefully become a regular part of the lineup here on The World Forgot. So welcome to the first of many Best of the Month compilations. Basically I do a lot of random reading, listening, searching, finding, digesting, etc. of all the music that I can possibly get my hands on. And let’s be honest, I probably have a bit more free time than you do. Judging from the fact that I’m writing this extensive explanation and you’re simply skimming through it looking for the mp3 links I would say that’s a fair assessment of our relative free time to work time ratios. But in this case when I win, with more free time than you suckas, you end up winning with more good music.

Here listed below are tunes I randomly sampled and loved from across the interwebs this past great month of October. By no means is it a conclusive list of who’s who and what’s what, but it is a small smattering of great music that you might have missed as you carried on with your fascinatingly involved thing some people call a “real life.” Seeing as how I haven’t had one of those since I graduated from college and failed to find a “real job” I guess it’s only fair.

As with all future BOTM volumes I recommend each and every track listed here below. They’re all worth a moment of your time. Cheers, and enjoy the first volume of BOTM.

mp3 : Arcade Fire – Poupee de Cire, Poupee de Son (Serge Gainsbourg Cover)
mp3 : Bishop Allen – You Ain’t No Picaso
mp3 : Bright Eyes – Southern State
mp3 : Feist – Mushaboom (Postal Service Remix)
mp3 : Jeff Tweedy – Simple Twist of Fate
mp3 : Nada Surf – See These Bones
mp3 : Radiohead – Faithless the Wonder Boy
mp3 : Sufjan Stevens – Ring My Bells

Is it just me or does Jeff Tweedy sound like a young Bob Dylan on this track. And I might be reaching here but this Radiohead track I swear would fit in perfect as a b-side for Weezer’s Pinkerton. Maybe I’m crazy, you be the judge. And for once can Nada Surf make an entire album that lives up to their full potential for a full length? Please.

+ hype elbows itunes

Radiohead

Well it’s officially here, the newest Radiohead album. And I must say that it sounds great. Again, though, I might be biased as I’ve loved them since the moment I first heard OK Computer. I’ve seen them in concert and I would hands down say that they put on the best show on the planet. I would bet that most of their appeal in concert comes down to the golden rule they follow when recording a new album. And that rule is that they will not put anything on a studio album that cannot be replicated in a live environment. With Radiohead what you hear on an album is what you get in concert. Only in concert it’s exponentially more awesome. And I realize the word awesome is dumbed down and watered down and anything else downed. It’s overused and misused and often abused, but here, in reference to a Radiohead concert, the word awesome begins to reclaim some of it’s old patina.

All that mishmash aside here’s a track that doesn’t actually appear on the new digital download of Radiohead’s newest, In Rainbows, which they decided to release on their own without the pressures [err, help] of a label. As many, if not most, of you already know they have two versions of their latest endeavor both available exclusively from the aforelinked website. You can order the digital download and pay them whatever you want to pay. If you want to pay nothing you can download the songs for free. And I’m pretty sure they’d accept more than nothing if you’d rather go that route. The other option is a special edition of the album which includes the digital download as well as; the new album on CD and on two 12″ vinyl pressings, a CD with more new songs, digital photographs, and artwork, lyric booklets and Radiohead stylized packaging. All of this for about eighty USD or forty pounds.

And like I said, this track doesn’t appear on the new digital download. Enjoy.

mp3 : Radiohead – Cuttooth

For those of you who are curious as to what the songs are on the new album I’ve included the track listing below. Some of you are lazy. Be grateful I am not.

Radiohead – In Rainbows
01 : 15 STEP
02 : BODYSNATCHERS
03 : NUDE
04 : WEIRD FISHES/ARPEGGI
05 : ALL I NEED
06 : FAUST ARP
07 : RECKONER
08 : HOUSE OF CARDS
09 : JIGSAW FALLING INTO PLACE
10 : VIDEOTAPE

+ hype elbows new album site

One Stop Shop

For the next couple of days, maybe even weeks, my life is going to be extremely busy. Therefore the frequency of my posting will probably drop a bit and for this I apologize. I’ll still try to throw up some music and some lovin for you all, but don’t expect anything spectacular.

All that being said I do have this one spectacular post for you all to enjoy. About every six weeks I get a little bored with the music I’ve been listening to. And when that happens I troll the internet to find what’s getting buzz, who the kids are listening to, and who deserves a mention on this blog. And after I’ve sampled hundreds of tracks I select the music I think you all should listen to.

So here it is, the first installation of what I hope will be a long series of posts. Because I find these files in various and sundry places, and then compile them all into one hopefully convenient post, I’ve dubbed this series One Stop Shop.

Here you go, and merry Christmas.

mp3 : Belle and Sebastian – Christmas Time is Here
mp3 : Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Satan Said Dance
mp3 : Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Underwater (You and Me)
mp3 : Coldplay – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
mp3 : Death Cab for Cutie – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
mp3 : Explosions in The Sky – Welcome, Ghosts
mp3 : Goldspot – Float On (Modest Mouse Cover)
mp3 : Radiohead – Down Is The New Up
mp3 : Regina Spektor – Fidelity
mp3 : Regina Spektor – Samson (original version)
mp3 : The Postal Service – Grow Old With Me
mp3 : The Strokes (feat Regina Spektor) – Modern Girls & Old Fashioned Men
mp3 : Thom Yorke – Videotape

All tracks come highly recommended.

+

Radiohead

Radiohead never fails to impress. And this track is no different. Included below is one of their finest live reworkings of a song. The song, Fog, first appeared on the album Knives Out after being launched as “Alligators in New York Sewers” in Caesaria on July 9th, 2000.

From that first play, where Thom Yorke introduced it as “kind of a silly song,” it has matured and grown into something at once melancholic and beautiful. The version posted here comes from a single entitled Go To Sleep #1 and is a nice stripped down acoustic version with just Thom and Jonny.

mp3 : Radiohead – Fog (Again) (Live)

lyrics :

there’s a little child
runnin’ round this house
and he never leaves
he will never leave
and the fog comes up
from the sewers
and glows in the dark

baby alligators in the sewers
grow up fast
grow up fast
anything you want it can be done now
how did you go bad?
did you go bad?
did you go bad?
some things will never wash away
did you go bad?
did you go bad?