Triggers Vol. 2

More free music to fill the lull between Christmas and New Year's eve. Check out some bass-y goodness from Sub Swara. These guys have been making moves, doing shows all over the place. Here's the second installment of their Triggers mixtapes.

 

For the Record

If you're an artist interested in taking some old records and turning them into art, now is the time...For The Record will debut at Studio 2-Ten in Feb. 2011 and feature recycled art made from records and a bunch of all-vinyl DJ sets from some of the Vinyl Appreciation crew, among others.The deadline for record pick up runs through mid-January, so if you're interested, email thebrainchild(at)mac(dot)com for more info.

Extra gifts under the tree pt. 2

The best of list is probably as good as its going to get without devoting more time than I can give it right now...so the rest of the week will be devoted to music that is both free and good. The 12 days of Christmas doesn't actually start until Dec. 25, and while I'm not going to go the distance with five golden rings and leaping lords, etc (btw, I heard on NPR that the contents of the song cost over $23,000 in 2010)...
I hope you were good this year and Santa gave you everything you asked for, or your celebration of light was particularly bright, or you've found all the values of Kwanza manifested inside yourself...
But whether the holidays have been good or bad, you should drive around listening to this awesome mixtape.

Get a copy here.

Extra gifts under the tree

Didn't get what you wanted this year? Well it's not too late to salvage the last few days with a live album from Yeasayer - Live at Ancienne Belgique - and you get to name your price (get the album for free or whatever you've got to give to the cause of good music).

Merry Christmas

 And a happy New Year. Thanks for checking out the blog - whether you've been reading all year, or just happened to stop by for the first time recently.


My acupuncturist tells me that 2011 will be a good year. Peace and prosperity. Let's hope so.

Best Albums of the Year

It's that time of year - the end of it - when we all take a look back at all the stuff, in order to figure out what was good and what was bad. If the time capsule were getting filled with all the albums I've been seeing on Top 10 lists, I'd feel pretty bad about how the future viewed us musically.
I'm not mad at a lot of what's on everybody's list: Kanye's album, for example, is praiseworthy - although I don't think it's his best work to date (and it has the least of his creative input of any of his releases - like not making most of the beats, for example). However, the critical world's obsession with Vampire Weekend I fail to see eye to eye with...I digress...
So, in no particular order, with no claims of being exhaustive or final, and with no particular focus on an exact number of total albums, I give you: My list* of albums from 2010 that were really good, and which I would recommend picking up if you don't already own. [*With help from my wife]

Malachai's The Ugly Side of Love - a mix of thrusting garage psych and spaced out trip hop.
*It was released in the UK in '09, but I didn't hear it until it was released stateside in 2010.


Blockhead's The Music Scene - a listening adventure along a road paved in beats.


The Black Keys' Brothers - the gut bucket blues rocking duo blossoms into a beautiful flower


The Chemical Brothers' Further - the big beat team returns with something interesting and unexpected


Daedelus' Righteous Fists of Harmony- The crazy victorian drops a gorgeous electronic concept album


Flying Lotus' Cosmogramma- the future-beat prophet delivers a masterpiece in quick, eclectic bursts of energy

 
Gorillaz Plastic Beach - this is definitely one of the best albums of the year, and one of the best Gorillaz albums yet



Gold Panda's Lucky Shiner - eclectic results of micro-sampling and textured walls of sound


Lorn's Nothing Else- if you wanted beats that bordered on John Carpenter scores with sub-bass frequencies


Caribou's Swim - a departure from his earlier stuff, which took a few listens to adjust to, but clearly an exceptional piece of work.

If I think of any others, I'll be sure to add them...I know there are some that I'm forgetting.

Soda Pop

If you want to get your retro-lo-fi pop groove on at some point...or you're a fiend for smooth french girl music sung in English...or you know who France Gall is...then you'll be into this track from Soda Pop.

Soda Shop - Farewell from Drew Diver on Vimeo.

Niceguys

 The Niceguys are on some real sh*t. If you know the difference between hip hop and rap (and tend to choose hip hop) then you'll enjoy this.
Check out their new track "Good Shepherd"

You can also get a free download of their album The Show by clicking here. 

Kidstreet remixes Caribou

You can listen to this while running errands and feel better about the world.

Charles Bradley

I'd tell you to get me the Charles Bradley album for Christmas, but it won't be out until January 25. This video will have to hold us all over until then. Another amazing project from the geniuses at Daptone. Well done gentlemen (and ladies).

Throwback time

If you listened to hip hop from the east coast in the 90s then this will take you back. A new joint from DJ Premier, KRS-One and Grand Puba. Seriously.

Mr. Brady

 [To the tune of The Brady Bunch theme.]
Here's the story...of a west coast emcee/ who is putting out a jam with Diamond D/ There's also a cameo...from that guy Blu/ who can rap some pretty ill shit from what I've heard. The song's called "Get Choze"/ and it's a smooth jam/ that is sure to get you vibing in your car...

I'm probably not the first person to make that obvious allusion...but maybe I'm the first to try and slaughter the cadence of the theme.

Check out the track here. (right click to 'save as')

Grab the whole album here.

Marsha, Marsha, Marsha...