BLVCK CEILING and Jenna Garcia have come together to remix (remake?) Feel So Close by Calvin Harris, and their version, which features her crystal clear voice winding through their dark fuzzy noise, is way more interesting than the original.
Check it:
New FBFY for you all!
“It’s a New Year! It’s a new curator (@BoogieStudio22)! It’s a new mixtape! We are starting afresh, in 2013, by looking back on 2012. Our motley crew of malcontent, miscreant, ne’er-do-well music lovers have chosen their favorite songs, their “Choice Cuts”, of 2012. Crank up the volume and check out 20 cuts from a variety of artists and genres.”
1. Title: All Over You
Artist: Dead Exs
Album (year): Resurrection (2012)
Submitted By: tincanman (http://tincanland.wordpress.com)
Comments: Rock and roll doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it rarely should. Guitars. Attitude. Mud (see song video: http://bit.ly/Wcnsod). The Dead Exs (http://thedeadexs.com) are my favourite new band of 2012; what the Black Keys would be if Dan Auerbach didn’t have his head so far up his own ass.
2. Title: I Gotta Get Shorty Out of Jail
Artist: Andre Williams & The Sadies
Album (2012): Night and Day
Submitted By: @popa2unes
Comments: Canada’s soul singer/cult legend Andre Williams with The Sadies’ Jon Langford, long-time line-up of Dallas Good on guitars and keys, his brother Travis Good on guitars and fiddle, Mike Belitsky on drums, and the mighty Sean Dean on the bass, Matt Verta-Ray of Heavy Trash, Danny Kroha of Detroit’s own gutter-blues The Gories, featuring fabulously retro cool back-up vocals by Sallie Timms and Kelly Hogan and directed by Jon Spencer
3. Title: Impossible Sky
Artist: Woods
Album: Bend Beyond (2012)
Submitted by: Erschen
Comments: This is a sunny power pop gem. “without looking up, I can see the most impossible sky”. They can make a gloomy line like that so optimistic.
4. Title: Everyone
Artist: Ancient Whales
Album (year): Ancient Whales Birthing (2012)
Submitted By: The Mad Mackerel music blog
Comments: This track comes from a six track album released right at the beginning of 2012, which may mean it didn’t garner the attention it truly deserved. Everyone is anchored by a huge, catchy, insistent riff and a simple lyric while drums clatter away behind it. An absolute sonic treasure!
5. Title: People Of This Land
Artist: Lincoln Durham
Album: The Shovel vs. The Howling Bones (2012)
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: I discovered this song by listening all the way to the end of one of Bill Frater’s great Freight Train Boogie podcasts (ftbpodcasts.com) early in 2012. Great track in my opinion.
6. Title: Teenage Gravity
Artist: Kasey Anderson & The Honkies
Album (Year): Let The Bloody Moon Rise (2012)
Submitted by: Simon (Beat Surrender)
Comments: Love this version of the track from the 2012 album Let the Bloody Moon Rise, it first appeared on Kasey’s album Nowhere Nights that was released in 2010, I was in two minds whether to submit this track or one of the versions of his song Exit Ghost that’s also a big favourite of mine too, links for the Daytrotter version and with Star Anna. The man himself his currently on a hiatus – hope to hear from him sooner rather than later.
7. Title: Some Kind of Devil
Artist: Flint Hill Specials
Album (year): The Wigg EP (2012)
Submitted By: TheOtherBrit
Comments: This project from Jeff Moore of National Grain is pretty awesome, especially when you throw a few District Attorneys into the mix for the live show.
8. Title: Turn Away
Artist: forgetters
Album (year): forgetters (2012)
Submitted By: scratchedsoul
Comments: This record was the long awaited return of Blake Schwarzenbach (Jawbreaker, Jets to Brazil). He had last been heard from in 2012 with an (excellent) 4 song single and this full album is a real treat. Blake’s quality songwriting is throughout the record, this song being a highlight for me. The record was produced by J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Office of Future Plans) and his crisp production just adds to the enjoyment of the record. Only a full-length Paul Westerberg record would have been more exciting for me in 2012. There’s always 2013 for that.
9. Title: As Close As I Came to Being Right
Artist: Rhett Miller (w/Roseanne Cash)
Album: The Dreamer (2012)
Submitted by: Gorrck
Comment: Rhett played an opening set for the Old 97s shows in Phoenix and played some of his solo work. This is my favorite off his latest solo effort.
10. Title: Museum of Flight
Artist: Damien Jurado
Album (year): Maraqopa
Submitted By: Beldo aka @TheSecondSingle
Comments: I had never really gotten into Jurado, but starting with this song (maybe my favorite of the year) and working backwards through his catalog, I’m starting to think he might make a damn fine successor to Neil.
11. Title: House Carpenter
Artist: Lonesome Sisters with Riley Baugus
Album (year): Lonesome Scenes (2012)
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: The Lonesome Sisters were a fantastic discovery for me this year, doesn’t hurt to have Riley Baugus on banjo either, but what really blew me away the first time hearing this album was this hauntingly beautiful rendition of House Carpenter. Also called The Demon Lover and other titles, House Carpenter is one of those timeless english ballads (this one a warning to women about the dire consequences of temptation and infidelity) that have survived the ages thanks to the tenacity of appalachian ballad singers. In this tradition, I think the Lonesome Sisters have done a damn fine job.
12. Title: Nostalgic For….
Artist: The Wind-up Birds
Album (year): The Land (2012)
Submitted By: April @ Now This Sound Is Brave
Comments: I first heard the Wind-up Birds’ first full-length album, The Land, back in May, and it still holds a prominent place in my personal listening rotation. The band are writing songs right now, so I’m excited about more charged and charging songs from the Leeds quartet.
13. Title: One Of Every Color
Artist: Browan Lollar
Album: For The Givers & The Takers (2012)
Submitted by: Corey Flegel (This Is American Music)
14. Title: A Few Towns More
Artist: McDougall
Album (year): A Few Towns More (2012)
Submitted By: Bryan Childs (ninebullets.net)
Comments: Favorite song from my favorite album of the year.
15. Title: Here Comes My Baby
Artist: Mic Harrison And The High Score
Album (year): Still Wanna Fight (2012)
Submitted By: annieTUFF
Comments: When I found out the theme this month was Choice Cuts I knew right away that I wanted to choose a song from this album…then I had to double check that I hadn’t already submitted a song from it this year. THEN my problem was which song from the album was I gonna choose! This was actually really hard, because I love all the songs, and it was a hard choice between this song and “This Is A Notice” (so check out that song too). I might be a little bit partial to these fellers, Mic Harrison and The High Score are as nice and genuine group of guys as you can ever meet. They’re road warriors, going out on to play shows just about every weekend, and then back to their jobs during the week. That’s dedication. Do yourself a favor and download/order this album, and check out their website and see when they’re rolling thru your town. www.micharrison.com
16. Title: Wrecked
Artist: Turnpike Troubadours
Album (year): Goodbye Normal Street (2012)
Submitted By: Rockstar Aimz
Comments: One of my favorite songs of the year from one of my favorite albums of the year!
17. Title: Wined And Dined
Artist: Men On The Border
Album (year): Shine! [2012]
Submitted By: hoosier buddy
Comments: This song is from an album of songs by Syd Barrett, as interpreted by Men On The Border. The band chose to emphasize the positive aspects of Syd’s spirit and music, and the resulting music is bright, breezy, and slightly psychedelic. Wined And Dined is a lovely sonic vacation to the countryside. Try the psilocybin tapenade!
18. Title: Movement and Location
Artist: Punch Brothers
Album (year): Who’s Feeling Young Now? (2012)
Submitted By: @philnorman
Comments: No album I listened to more in 2012.
19. Title: The Descent
Artist: Bob Mould
Album (year): Silver Age (2012)
Submitted By: Verbow
Comments: So I had about 12 songs I thought about using, but in the end I went the simpleton’s route and chose my favorite song off my favorite album of 2012. This song is classic Bob all the way – and after hearing this song you will not be able to get it out of your head for days. Rock on Bob!
20. Title: Guttersnipe
Artist: Bhi Bhiman
Album (year): Bhiman (2012)
Submitted by: BoogieStudio22
Comments: This is singer/songwriter Bhi Bhiman’s second album, but I first learned about him on Noisetrade earlier in 2012. I keep coming back to this album and this song in particular. This song ‘spoke’ to me while I was making some changes in my professional life. I love the last two lines of the song (felt like my mantra for a while in early- to mid-2012):
I never heeded the signs
But I’m well on my way to feeling fine
A little Italian garage rock for you today.
Wild Lignu – Drunkula by SMFSP
Wild Lignu is actually the amalgamation of Wildmen and Capputtini ‘I Lignu, and this song, “Drunkula”, is the B side of their split 7″. Side A contains Capputtini ‘I Lignu’s “He Never Tells” and Wildmen’s “Born After Midnight”. You can order the vinyl here and the digital here. Then keep an ear out for the Wildmen’s debut full-length next month.
What struck me most early on in listening to Leticia Rodriguez’s album La Americana is how close and warm her voice is. Not only did it sound as though Rodriguez was in the room with me, but it also felt like she was singing to me in the tenderest way, as a mother might sing to her young child. The clearness, of course, can be attributed to top notch recording engineering, but the warmth is all Rodriguez.
It makes sense that this album should be imbued with such warmth as it serves not only as Rodriguez’s debut album, but it is also a tribute to her family, especially to her aunt, Decca recording artist Eva Garza. Though Eva Garza’s name is all but forgotten here in the United States, she enjoyed worldwide fame as one of Decca’s first crossover artists. Many of the songs on La Americana, an album of covers, have also been sung and recorded by Garza.
Estoy Como Nunca – Leticia Rodriguez
One of the aspects I love most about Latin music is that it is music of celebration. The songs of La Americana are full of joy and life, celebrations of the world, but also celebrations of self, as in the above song, “Estoy Como Nunca”. I am better than ever, Rodriguez is saying. People/conditions have tried to beat her down the song tells us, but she keeps her head high and her eyes looking forward. Pretty damn good song to start off a new year, I’d say.
Leticia Rodriguez Official Website
Our men from Sheffield, the Payroll Union, are preparing to release their first full-length album and have offered a preview in the form of the rousing “Peggy’s Tavern” (available for free download).
A reading of singer/guitarist/songwriter Pete David’s blog (a read I definitely recommend) indicates more fascinating stories of early American history will be coming our way, set, of course, to the fine stomps and dirges we’ve come to expect from the Payroll Union. If you’re in the Sheffield, UK, area, you can help the men welcome their new album, The Mule & the Elephant, into the world at their album launch show at Club 60 in Sheffield on January 19.
You know the best thing to do on Christmas day? Stay home and watch horror movies. May I suggest choosing titles from this fine holiday-centric list?
But if you need a weightier excuse for foregoing Christmas activities than a Bartlebian “I prefer not to”, the Wind-up Birds have a suggestion (and the song is available at a “name your price” rate).
Or, if you can’t find it in your heart to be festive this year because some cold, selfish lover stole that heart and then tossed it like so much discarded wrapping paper, Daniel Knox has set his warm baritone to work on a love-torn carol some of you may recall from that foreign land known as “The ’80s”.
“Last Christmas” – Daniel Knox (Wham! cover)
From 1999 into 2002, Joe Strummer had his own radio program on the BBC World Service, called “Joe Strummer’s London Calling”. This show epitomizes why Joe is the patron saint of NTSIB. Joe spun everything from Harry Belafonte to Thu Zahina, from Eddie Cochran to Francoise Hardy. He drew from all over the timeline and all over the world. For Joe, music had no boundaries.
Below are a series of podcasts that collected most1 of Joe’s half-hour broadcasts. Hosted by musician and artist Jon Langford, the series is bookended by two half-hour segments featuring Langford presenting interview clips.
Enjoy
1To find all the broadcasts, sans the podcast framework, click here.
An assortment of Christmas songs I have recently listened to and enjoyed. Some light, some heavy, all festive.
The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl, Fairytale of New York – In honor of its 25th birthday this week, and because it is a holiday song I listen to year ’round.
August Burns Red, Carol of the Bells– There’s very little I like better than heavy metal Christmas carols. Unless it’s hardcore Christmas carols where the band gives the drummer free reign. This is my #1 favorite rendition of this song. It’s heavy and orchestral and amazing.
Six Shooter, Carol of the Bells – Be sure to watch this one before you hit the egg-nog. I’m not sure I would have filmed it quite the same way, but I’ll forgive a lot because there are heavily tattooed dudes in black Santa hats shredding, and Santa himself sitting in with the band.
The Lost Brothers with Bill Ryder-Jones, St. Christopher – This one is both dark and light, sweet and melancholy at the same time. It’s available for sale on The Lost Brothers website, and proceeds will go to the Peter McVerry Trust, which supports the young homeless in Dublin.
https://soundcloud.com/thelostbrothers/st-christopher
Picardy III, O Holy Night, from Rainboot Christmas: Volume Two – Also in the category of “both dark and light”, Picardy III’s version of one of my favorite carols is a highlight of Rainboot’s second annual Christmas compilation record. Proceeds from the sale of this song/the record will go to Save the Children.
The Candle Thieves, When Santa Clause Comes To Town – And now, for some light. This is a bouncy little tune, excellent for trimming the tree or shoveling snow or drinking alcoholic hot chocolate and having a Kitchen Dance Party.
https://soundcloud.com/thecandlethieves/when-santa-claus-comes-to-town
Time again for the groovin’ internet sensation that all the hip kiddies are talking about, the Feel Bad for You mixtape!
“Hello my little red-nosed reindeers! It’s the last Feel Bad for You mixtape of 2012! And good riddance 2012, and don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. Please welcome The Mad Mackerel from Charlbury, England, as our newest contributor! (FYI: If you accidentally Google “The Mackerel” instead of “The Mad Mackerel,” the top hit is a disturbing Picasso painting.) Thanks to TooMuchCountry for the artwork. Although, after tonight’s game, maybe we should Feel Bad For the Texans.”
Feel Bad for You, December 2012
1. Title: The Money Goes
Artist: The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
Album (year): Between The Ditches (2012)
Submitted By: hoosier buddy
Comments: I saw this band at the 8×10 in Baltimore. It was a transformative experience, standing in the middle of a crowd of screaming, stomping, whiskey-fueled, wild-eyed music fans. The Reverend, who hails from Brown County, IN, could teach Jack White a few things about playing guitar…and about performing. I’m completely serious. Catch ‘em if you can.
2. Title: Molotovs
Artist: Dorado
Album (year): Anger, Hunger, Love And The Fear Of Death (2013)
Submitted by: Corey Flegel
Comments: This is a side project by Birmingham badasses Through The Sparks. The Dorado full length will be released 1/5/13 via This Is American Music.
3 Title: I’m Going Back
Artist: Kitty, Daisy & Lewis
Album (year): Smoking in Heaven (2011)
Submitted By: BoogieStudio22
Comments: I was recently directed to this fun, retro-50s group consisting of multi-instrumentalist siblings. Just good fun.
4. Title: Stupa
Artist: District Attorneys
Album (year): Jr. (2012)
Submitted By: TheOtherBrit
Comments: These guys have my favorite album of the year but this is off their just released free EP from thisisamericanmusic.com!
5. Title: Endeavor
Artist: Timo Räisänen
Album (year): Endeavor (2012)
Submitted By: @philnorman
Comments: Fizz bop Swedish pop! A friend posted this on the tweeters a week or two ago and the damn hook won’t get out of my head. Bonus saxophone solo!
6. Title: Get Me In A Room
Artist: Hallelujah the Hills
Album (year): No One Know What Happens Next (2012)
Submitted by: Simon
Comments: Thanks to everyone who’s contributed and given their time to creating the posts and artwork, so much music, so little time – you filter the great from the mediocre. This is an ear-worm of a track and the video features our erstwhile collator and editor-in-chief Amy https://vimeo.com/38678429.
7. Title: The Cigarette Song
Artist: The Patinettes
Album (year): Bliss (2011)
Submitted By: @popa2unes
Comments: I’m sure like me, this monthly exercise always gets you rooting deep into all the music you’ve accumulated and saying Oh yeah haven’t heard this album in a while! The Patinettes only album Bliss is filled with retro surf rock flair, beautiful vocals and a catchy bluegrass/country vibe and it just found it’s way back onto my pod. They are a five piece crew from Zaragoza, Spain.
8. Title: In Pacific Time
Artist: Micah Schnabel
Album (year): How to Quit Smoking/In Pacific Time CDR (2012)
Submitted By: scratchedsoul
Comments: I travel a lot for work which can be shitty sometimes and sometimes it’s great. At the end of the summer I found myself in Buffalo for work and went and saw Two Cow Garage open for Lucero. Micah and Shane were selling their wares after the show and this is from a CDR Micah was selling. Both songs are ridiculously good.
9. Title: Little Mystery
Artist: Todd Thibaud
Album: Little Mystery (1999)
Submitted By: toomuchcountry
Comments: Thibaud was one of the early artists introduced to me by the randomness of Pandora. Not terribly edgy – yet this Boston singer has some solid, creative pop tunes. I revisited Little Mystery for FBFY and realized the multiple meanings of that song title this time of year. The song itself tells the story of the girl about town who craves the return of a little mystery in her life – but who is resigned to know it ain’t happenin’. But don’t we all crave the return of a little mystery? Hell, is mystery even possible in a world of Facebook, Twitter and iPhones? Whacked relationships. Gender-known deliveries. Loathed gift cards vs. wrapped presents bought with intent and a smile. The mystery of Santa that recedes with each generation more quickly than any glacier melts. Those damn Mayans. The journey to Bethlehem and the everlasting impact of the events that may have happened there. But hey, Merry Friggin’ Christmas y’all. Thanks for listening, downloading, sharing and/or ignoring my submissions this year. Have a drink on me, kiss the ones you love and pray for the ones you don’t.
10. Title: To Sir With Love
Artists: Lulu
Album (year): To Sir With Love (1967)
Submitted By: Rockstar Aimz
Comments: I’ve been listening to Steve Earle’s SiriusXM radio show, and he recently discussed the work of producer Mickie Most. This track stands out among his many, many great recordings.
11. Title: I Wanna Live
Artist: The Ramones
Album (year): This version is from the “Hey! Ho! Let’s Go: The Anthology [Disc 2]” (1999) but it’s originally on “Halfway to Sanity” (1987)
Submitted By: annieTUFF
Comments: I’ve been on an 80′s Ramones kick in between surf music and crazy Christmas music…so…here ya go.
12. Title: Keep the Boy Alive
Artist: Sebadoh
Album (year): Secret EP (2012)
Submitted By: Ryan (verbow over at altcountrytab.ca)
Comments: I guess the successful Dino Jr reunion has inspired Lou Barlow to revive Sebadoh. They snuck this EP out earlier this year, a teaser for a forthcoming full album in 2013. This is the first song off that EP – and I love the hell out of it. I’ve always dug Lou’s stuff – I wish I had a bunch of enlightening things to say about it, but I don’t. Its just a base instinct I guess. Viva la Sebadoh!
13. Title: God Damned the Rain to Fall
Artist: Horsehead
Album (year): Sympathetic Vibrations (2012)
Submitted By: Trailer
Comments: If you’re gonna do an impression of The Black Crowes, you might as well do it this damn good.
14. Title: Black Tar Carpet Ride
Artist: The Lollipops
Album (2012): Pop Narcotics (2012)
Submitted By: The Mad Mackerel
Comments: “We’ll shoot some heroin, and take to the skies.†Told over a simple acoustic strum, this is an unapologetic, woozy, hypnotically brilliant paean to the delights of chasing the dragon. The best addition to the Sex and Drugs and Rock’n’Roll mantra we’ve heard all year. The only apology? For “the times we almost died.†It comes from The Lollipops sublime May release, Pop Narcotics – available as a Pay What You Want deal from their Bandcamp page.
15. Title: Blood, Sweat & Murder
Artist: Scott H. Biram
Album (year): The Dirty Old One Man Band (2005)
Submitted By: Bryan Childs (ninebullets)
Comments: My father was a HUGE Scotty Biram fan. I’m glad he got to see him live before he got sick. This was one of my dad’s favorite SHB songs.
16. Title: Beer Cans
Artist: Old 97’s
Album (year): Too Far To Care (Bonus track, 2012 reissue)
Submitted By: Gorrck
Comments: Sums up my existence these days.
17. Title: Letters Home From the Garden of Stone
Artist: Everlast
Album (year): Love, War, and the Ghost of Whitey Ford (2008)
Submitted By: tincanman
Comments: A soldier ponders his place in the battlefield. Masterfully crafted lyrics and production. And that voice is so seductive!
18. Title: Dead Souls
Artist: Joy Division
Album (year): live (1980)
Submitted By: April @ Now This Sound Is Brave
Comments: This is from a show Joy Division played at the University of London Union on February 8, 1980, recently remastered by audio engineer Drew Crumbaugh. I’ve been listening to Joy Division since I was in my early teens, and everytime I listen to them, I still think it is some of the greatest music I’ve ever heard.
19. Title: Armegideon Time
Artist: Willie Williams
Album: Armegideon Time (1978)
Submitted By: Truersound
Comments: Dec. 21, 2012: Armegideon Time
The lost album is lost no more.
Conventional Weapons is composed of the 10 songs My Chemical Romance made – and shelved – in the space between The Black Parade and Danger Days. I titled this post “Conventional Weapons (to date)” because they’re eschewing a traditional album release and instead putting the songs two at a time over the course of several months, and so far only four have been released. Two more will emerge in mid-December, and the last four will surface in early January and February.
Not going to lie, this is maddening.
I want the whole thing, all of the songs, and I want it right now, so I can lie down on my kitchen floor with my iPod and crank it up and plunge in.
But I cannot have it, so I must be patient, and absorb them as they arrive.
So far my reaction is: This is very interesting.
The songs contains their evolution, as a band, and are an aural fork in the road, the point where The Black Parade finally shambled to a halt, and when it came time to choose their adventure, they walked briefly down a simpler (and so far, angrier) path before turning towards a candy-colored apocalypse.
The seeds of the bouncier, dance-inflected world of Danger Days are there, but the more I listen to the songs, the more I think some of them could have come directly after Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge.
The following are some more detailed observations:
1A: Boy Division: Propulsive and soaring; whenever they go on tour again, the pit will be screaming along with lines like I’m not dead / I only dress that way and Take me out there / far away / save me from my self-destruction/ Hopeless for ya /Sing a song for California. Extra points to anyone old enough to get the pun-reference in the title!
1B:Tomorrow’s Money: You fell in love with a vampire / A torch-song for the empire / So say hello to the brush-fire. Well, yes, Mr. Way, we did. But being a teen idol, even (especially?) the freak-show teen idol, it takes a toll. I sympathize with your urge to light it all on fire even as I walk closer to warm myself by the pyre.
2A: Ambulance: Honestly, this is the one that I can’t decide how I feel. I like it a general I like My Chem sort of way, but I also think it’s sort of muddled and incomplete. Essentially, though, it’s a coda to Tomorrow’s Money‘s commentary on being the freak-show teen idol. File under: Hmmm.
2B:Gun.: Naturally the one that is explicitly about an actual weapon is the one they release with cover art that has nothing to do with the weapon in question. Oh My Chem, never change. Also, it’s an anti-war song. Again, I like it in a general sort of way. I’m not going to flip past it when it comes up on shuffle but I’m also not going to seek it out to listen to it obsessively as I totally did with Boy Division.
