Tag: music
Shuffled No.6 | R.E.M.
posted: 04.06.2008 3:47 pm tags: music, r.e.m., shuffled
So, my all-time favorite band, R.E.M., put out a new record this week. I’m sure I’ll post more on the fantastic Accelerate in the future, but I thought I’d take this chance to do something different with my little Shuffled experiment.
One of my favorite things about getting new music from the artists I love is that it becomes an occasion to go back and listen again to the rest of their catalog. Often times I will go a long while without listening to a particular artist (as is the case when you have a 14,000+ song library), but R.E.M. is an exception to that rule. Even so, there are some things in this edition of Shuffled that surprised me. I guess it shouldn’t be that shocking though, considering that I’ve got 421 tracks to choose from.
Shuffled No.5
posted: 03.24.2008 8:21 pm tags: ipod, music, songs
I’m up to 14,700 songs, and it’s been about a month since my last effort, so it feels like as good a time as any for another edition of Shuffled. Plug in my headphones to the ol’ iPod and press play.
Shuffled No.4
posted: 02.16.2008 5:14 pm tags: music, shuffled
Today felt like one of those days to put the iPod on and see what popped up. The following is a completely random selection of 13 tracks from my iPod (which currently holds 14,453 songs), followed by my comments. Given the fact that I have so many tracks to choose from, there are bound to be surprises, even for me.
Best Live Art of 2007
posted: 02.09.2008 7:33 pm tags: best of 2007, comedy, music, theater
I saw some amazing performances in 2007, more than 30 in all. That may not sound like much, but when you’re seeing movies, watching tv, listening to music, reading books and playing games, time fills up. I used to just list my favorite concerts of the year, but I thought that was short-changing all the other forms of live art: theatre, comedy, spoken word, dance, and so on. So this year’s list is about the best in live art of all kinds.
Shuffled No.3
posted: 01.27.2008 6:28 pm tags: music, shuffled
It’s that time again. The following is a completely random selection of 13 tracks from my iPod (which currently holds 14,358 songs), followed by my comments. Given the fact that I have so many tracks to choose from, there are bound to be surprises, even for me.
Shuffled No.2
posted: 01.15.2008 10:35 pm tags: music, shuffled
I’m back for a second installment of Shuffled, an idea which I’m basically stealing from the Onion’s AV Club has this great and their almost-weekly feature called Random Rules in which they ask some actor/musician/hyphenate to put their iPod on shuffle and see what comes up. It benefits from the interview structure a little, but I’m going to try and go it alone and see what happens. The following is a completely random selection of 13 tracks from my iPod (which currently holds 14,228 songs), followed by my comments.
Shuffled No.1
posted: 01.04.2008 9:26 pm tags: music, shuffled
One of my favorite pop culture websites, the Onion’s AV Club has this great almost-weekly feature called Random Rules in which they ask some actor/musician/hyphenate to put their iPod on shuffle and see what comes up. It benefits from the interview structure a little, but I’m going to try and go it alone and see what happens. The following is a completely random selection of 13 tracks from my iPod (which currently holds 14,228 songs), followed by my comments.
Best Albums of 2007
posted: 12.31.2007 3:33 pm tags: best of 2007, lists, music, pop culture
None of the albums released this year were strong enough to make my all-time top 40, but that doesn’t mean this was a weak year for the album. Sure, digital sales and single-track downloads made huge inroads, and people bought even fewer CDs than they did the year before.
But I am not one of those people. I heard more than 100 albums this year, and am still dying to hear more. Most everything I heard was at least good and much of it was great. Here’s the giant list, starting with an in-depth look at the top 13 albums of 2007. Oh yeah, and if it’s not on here, it simply means I haven’t heard it.
Best Songs of 2007
posted: 12.21.2007 8:02 pm tags: best of 2007, lists, music, pop culture, songs
I came across some amazing songs this year, so I’ve taken the time to list a full 100 of them. This is no Pitchfork list either—I’ve got pop songs, country songs, rap songs and yes, indie rock songs too. All irony- and snobbery-free. The first of many year-end best-of lists, here then are my top songs from the year that was: 2007.
Proper Alphabetization in the Digital Age Redux
posted: 03.05.2007 7:08 pm tags: itunes, music, tech
Just two weeks ago I whined about the lack of proper alphabetization in an iTunes/iPod world. The folks at Apple must’ve heard my cries.
Top Albums of 2007 (ongoing)
posted: 02.28.2007 11:16 pm tags: best of 2007, music
Sure, it’s only February, but I’ve already heard a ton of albums worth mentioning, and there are plenty more coming down the pipe.
This is a list I’m going to keep updating throughout the year as I hear new albums. It could be interesting, or a total waste of time. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
UPDATE: added Bright Eyes, Timbaland
Gomez / Ben Kweller
posted: 02.17.2007 6:40 pm tags: live, music, reviews
Where: The Showbox, Seattle, WA
When: February 15, 2007
Who: Gomez and Ben Kweller
Two of my favorite artists in recent years, Gomez and Ben Kweller played the Showbox Thursday night, and I was there.
Proper Alphabetization in the Digital Age
posted: 02.10.2007 3:04 pm tags: itunes, music, tech
I have succombed. After eight years of forcing proper alphabetization of my now-massive digital music collection, I have moved to the defacto standard of first name/last name artist listings. I do it begrudgingly. Two big questions stuck in my head as I spend about five hours retagging files: is proper alphabetization even necessary? And why didn’t someone think up a solution for this a long time ago?
Top 100 Songs of 2006
posted: 12.31.2006 12:58 pm tags: best of 2006, lists, music, pop culture, songs
This list can’t be held to just 13. With all the great songs of 2006, I can’t really pare down. There were great singles from pop stars and alternative rockers alike; fantastic album tracks from folk-rockers, countrified ladies and dance producers. When it comes to a great song, I don’t discriminate. Here are my Top 100 songs of the big ’06:
Top 13 Albums of 2006
posted: 12.27.2006 3:53 pm tags: best of 2006, lists, music, songs
2006 was a really strong year for music, although as far as I’m concerned there weren’t any truly great records released. None of these albums will break my top 30 or maybe even top 50 all-time, but they’re still solid through and through.
I can’t listen to everything that was released in 2006, so at the bottom you’ll find the complete list of eligible albums. We start though, with the ten runners-up, listed from 14 to 23: Duper Sessions — Sondre Lerche & the Faces Down, Rabbit Fur Coat — Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins, How We Operate — Gomez, At War With the Mystics — The Flaming Lips, The Garden — Zero 7, Everything All the Time — Band of Horses, We the Vehicles — Maritime, Time Without Consequence — Alexi Murdoch, Half the Time — Pablo, Putting the Days to Bed — The Long Winters
Top 13 Live Shows of 2006
posted: 12.27.2006 2:36 pm tags: best of 2006, comedy, concerts, lists, live, music
I saw more than 30 live performances this year, and nearly all of them were excellent. Here’s the best of the best in both music and comedy. First, as usual, the ten runners-up:
Ben Harper at Sasquatch, Ben Folds at The Paramount, Gomez at Easy Street, Guster at Easy Street, Spoon at Bumbershoot
Top 31 Songs of 2005
posted: 12.31.2005 12:17 pm tags: best of 2005, lists, music, songs
If you thought my Top Albums list was eclectic, just check out this wildly diverse two-cd set of my 31 (13 inverted, of course) favorite singles, b-sides and album cuts of the great year for music that was 2005. I had only one rule for this playlist: no repeat artists (this made it quite hard to pick my favorite song from Sufjan’s Illinois, which featured 5 of my favorite tracks of the year). More on that later. For now, the list, in order of appearance:
Top 13 Concerts of 2005
posted: 12.17.2005 3:52 pm tags: best of 2005, concerts, lists, live, music
In a year which I saw nearly 3 times as many live music performances (31) as movies in the theater (11), this was a tough list to put together. Much like my movie list though (which will probably show up sometime mid-2006), this list features a swell of repeat viewings. I managed to see many of my favorite acts multiple times this year, and my list will reflect that. My list also reflects not only the performers and performance, but the extraneous details of the show. When you get down to it, going to a live show you always want to see something spontaneous, original and unique. The list reflects that as well. So with the exposition out of the way, here we go with another list of the Top 13/Best of 2005.
Top 13 Albums of 2005
posted: 12.15.2005 1:43 pm tags: best of 2005, lists, music
I have a blog, therefore I am required by law to publish my annual best-of list for the year in music. Rest assured I will follow some, but not all, of the rules of year-end lists. Also, please note that while I hate commercial radio and much of what is played on it, I am no indie yuppie or music snob. I like what I like, from the mainstream to the obscure, and my list reflects that. So here we go, counting down from 13 to 1.
Death Cab for Cutie
posted: 11.20.2005 10:35 am tags: concerts, live, music, reviews
Where: The Paramount, Seattle, WA
When: November 19, 2005
Who: Death Cab for Cutie with Stars
Seth Cohen’s favorite band has finally made it. Even in its hometown, it took Death Cab four years to make the natural progression from small club (the Crocodile) to big theater (the Paramount). But with the groundbreaking Transatlanticism, and this year’s major-label debut, Plans, DCFC has gained star status, and deservedly so.
Ben Lee
posted: 11.13.2005 11:24 am tags: concerts, live, music, reviews
Who: Ben Lee with New Buffalo
When: November 12, 2005
Where: Chop Suey, Seattle, WA
This was my third time seeing Ben Lee this year, and while it may not have been the best performance I’ve ever seen from Ben, it may have been the most memorable. Featuring two excellent covers, a bar-top acoustic encore performance of “Naked,” and a fan’s onstage proposal to his girlfriend, this was one show I won’t soon forget.
Mike Doughty's Band
posted: 10.04.2005 11:50 am tags: concerts, live, music, reviews
Who: Mike Doughty’s Band
When: October 3, 2005
Where: The Showbox, Seattle, WA
After seeing Mike & Handsome Dan perform May, followed by a short solo set by Mike at Bumbershoot, I had high hopes for a full-band show. With a diverse set that included covers, solo work and old Soul Coughing tunes, Doughty & the boys did not disappoint.
The Arcade Fire
posted: 09.22.2005 11:53 am tags: concerts, live, music, reviews
Who: The Arcade Fire with The Belle Orchestra
When: September 21, 2005
Where: The Paramount, Seattle, WA
Sasquatch Festival
posted: 05.31.2005 11:57 am tags: concerts, live, music, reviews
Who: The Pixies, Modest Mouse, Wilco, Kanye West, The Arcade Fire, Ray LaMontagne, Jem, Matisyahu, Smoosh, Bloc Party, U.S.E., Aqueduct, AC Newman & more
When: May 28, 2005
Where: The Gorge Ampitheatre, George, WA
I have been meaning to get to this mini-festival since its first year of existence, but never before could I scrounge enough motivation (or accompanying friends) to make it to the Gorge on Memorial Day weekend. Even the stellar lineups of past years weren’t enough to get me there. This year, however, I had no excuse. With a bill as strong (and as eclectic) as this was, I had to get to lovely George, Washington for what has quickly become a nice little younger brother to the bigger, better Northwest summer festival, Bumbershoot.
Mike Doughty
posted: 05.18.2005 3:39 pm tags: concerts, live, music, reviews
Who: Mike Doughty with Kelly Buchanan
When: May 17, 2005
Where: Neumo’s, Seattle, WA
My friend insisted that we get there when the doors opened at 8. I was not very interested in doing so, but obliged all the same, expecting to sit in total boredom for 2+ hours until Doughty came onstage around 10:30. We actually go there before eight, which made me all the more frustrated. Then, while standing in line (waiting for the doors to open!!), there was a bit of commotion, and out walked the man himself, Mike Doughty, guitar in hand.
Josh Rouse
posted: 04.18.2005 10:22 pm tags: concerts, live, music, reviews
Where: The Triple Door, Seattle, WA
When: April 18, 2005
Who: Josh Rouse with Tim Seely
Always one of my favorite artists, the pop-country Nebraskan Josh Rouse writes songs that are perfect for those lazy summer days where you can just enjoy the day slowly creeping into twilight. I finally saw him perform live tonight in support of his excellent new album, Nashville. He’s finishing up his tour right now, but lucky for us in Seattle and Portland, he came by himself. The crowd at the luxurious Triple Door, a sort of cabaret room that hearkens back to old-time dinner entertainment, was treated to a top-notch performance by one of today’s most underrated singer-songwriters.
Ben Lee
posted: 04.12.2005 8:56 pm tags: concerts, live, music, reviews
Where: The Crocodile Cafe, Seattle, WA
When: March 30, 2005
Who: Ben Lee with Har Mar Superstar and Zykos
Wednesday night’s show at the Crocodile was a bit surreal for this lifelong Ben Lee fan. The last time I had seen Ben headline a show at the Croc he played to maybe 100 devotees, introducing a batch of new songs that would become his 5th album, Awake Is the New Sleep.
Sure, it was a tour between albums, but the crowd then was like most of the Ben Lee shows I have attended over the years: knowledgeable fans who knew Ben as something more than “Claire Danes’ rocker boyfriend.” That’s about all people seemed to know of Ben. He got little mainstream press or radio airplay, and his constantly evolving musical style (befitting an artist who recorded his first (solo) album at age 15.
My 130 Favorite Albums of All-Time
posted: 03.20.2005 6:17 pm tags: lists, music
Heady title, no? I specifically chose the word “favorite” instead of the usual “greatest” because by no means do I think these are the greatest albums of all time. These are simply the ones I like best. I think it’s a crucial distinction that many fail to make.
So why 130? Well, I’m eschewing the typical top 100 list for two reasons: a) I wanted to head further down my ranked albums list to show a bit more diversity, and b) 10×13=130. Ten thirteen is my birthdate and therefore a good number combination.
One more note…this list changes frequently, and the final results will be shown accordingly. It may change monthly or annually, but it will change. So without further adieu, I present a constant work in progress…
[editor’s note: last updated 3.29.2005]
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine
posted: 03.20.2005 3:38 pm tags: music, reviews
Released: March 2005
Artist: Fiona Apple
Guests: Jon Brion
There’s something about March that makes it a good time for shelved albums to find their way to the public. Four years after Dave Matthews Band’s unreleased masterpiece The Lillywhite Sessions exploded onto the internet, Fiona Apple’s long awaited, much talked about follow-up to her 1999 sophomore album When the Pawn… has finally seen the light of day.