hearsay

Manchester has a long and storied musical history – especially in terms of of bold, groundbreaking music. I can’t help but be excited (from afar) at the Stay+, Moses Gold & Espher sounds I hear vicariously through the internet. While I understand them as collaborators, I have no idea if there is a community that is feeding off each other – from what I can tell there is no one label serving as a vehicle as Factory Records did in the 70s and 80s. Wait is Stay+ actually a London act? Oops. In my mind I had sorta lumped them into Manchester, along with Halls.

That said, I discovered Kult Country via Moses Gold last week, and I just love this song, “Slowburn”. Out in late April via Sways Records, it seems a really good mix of darker reverb-heavy guitar, alluring vocals, and poppy touches to keep your attention. I can’t wait to hear what else they have in store for us.

Everything about this. Everything.

I don’t know whether to take it as an outsider fantasy, social commentary on professional sports, or an expansion-of-brand idea for Medieval Times. Any way you slice it it is fantastic. More of this. And a turkey drumstick, thank you.

Directed by Eric Wareheim of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! fame.

I never got around to mentioning, but for anyone who looks at my mixes over at 8tracks, I finally got around to a “Best Of 2012″ mix and put it up there, instead of the Opentape thing I had been doing for the last few years that I doubt anyone ever used. Here’s the tracklist for 2012:

01. Moses Gold – Powder and Blood
02. Grimes – Oblivion
03. Serengeti feat. Yoni Wolf – Geti Life
04. Sean Born – Pour Out Liquor
05. Divine Fits – Shivers (The Boys Next Door cover)
06. Cloud Nothings – No Future No Past
07. Daughn Gibson – Lookin’ Back on ’99
08. Trailer Trash Tracys – You Wish You Were Red
09. Tashaki Miyaki – Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings (Father John Misty cover)
10. Jai Paul – Jasmine (Demo)
11. Japandroids – The House That Heaven Built
12. Earl Sweatshirt – Chum
13. Chromatics – Back From The Grave
14. Beach House – Irene
15. COOLRUNNINGS – The Fool
16. The Walkmen – Song For Leigh
17. Oddisee – Slow It Down
18. Dark Dark Dark – Patsy Cline
19. Moonface – Lay Your Cheek On Down

While I was posting it up, I put up all the old Hearsay end of year mixes since 2005, plus 3 mixes that I made for the same occasion in the pre-blog era 2001-2003, plus a mix that was sorta faked for the year between, which happened to be an awesome year for music.

Past year mixes:
2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011

If anyone is keeping tabs (and I doubt that anyone is), the effect that the mid-90s DC indie scene had on me is probably pretty obvious. Artists from Simple Machines, Dischord, and Teenbeat find their way onto the monthly mixes from time to time; besides having played a significant role in my life (often literally), much of that period sounds as relevant today as it did then.

Teenbeat records was one of my absolute favorites. I was borderline obsessed with their NYC-based offering, Versus, and loved exploring music pre-internets via their affordable priced sampler series, which are all awesome and well worth the low price, if you were wondering. Through Teenbeat, I even developed my first (and to this date only) crush on girl that I had never seen or met based only on her handwriting in mailorder correspondence. Just thinking about Teenbeat, I put on Versus’ 1995 singles collection, Dead Leaves and am overcome with nostalgia.

So anyway, back in 2005, Teenbeat organized a series of shows to memorialize the label’s 20th anniversary, and reunited mainstays of their catalog — many of whom had not performed together for 5-10 years. I would have liked to have motivated myself for a DC trip to enjoy this moment, but alas my NYC>LA move was poorly timed. But then today I randomly stumbled over live recordings from the anniversary shows by the incredible Boston-based archivist music blog, Bradley’s Almanac:

Night 1: Unrest, Larry Crane (of Vomit Launch), Tracy Shedd
Night 2: Unrest, Eggs, +/-, True Love Always, The Fontaine Toups
Night 3: Versus, Tuscadero, Flin Flon, Aden, Hot Pursuit (+ Versus set continued)

Selected highlights:
: Unrest – Make Out Club (live) :
: Versus – Blade Of Grass (live) :

Hip-hop seems to go over well at (new) work, so I figured I’d do my first all-hip-hop mix since October 2011. Inspired by a Dynospectrum track that didn’t even meet the cut, Headphone Static is an homage to rough, Fondle ‘Em-era 90s hip-hop production.

March 2013 Mix – “Headphone Static”

01 Juggaknots – Troubleman (1996)
02 El-P – Tuned Mass Damper (2002)
03 Joey Bada$$ – Waves (2012)
04 Serengeti feat. Yoni Wolf – Geti Life (2012)
05 ANTWON – LIVING EVERY DREAM (2012)
06 The Cenubites feat. Bobbito – Kick A Dope Verse (1995)
07 Sean Born feat. Kaimbr – DrugsAlcoholSex (2012)
08 Grap Luva – COllector’s Item (2003)
09 Pac Div – Pac Div (2009)
10 Slum Village – Fall N Love (2000)
11 The Dynospectrum – Southside Myth (1998)
12 CMA – Overall (1998)
13 Illa J feat. Debi Nova – Sounds Like Love (2008)
14 Bored Stiff – Explainin (1995)
15 Oddisee – Slow It Down (2012)
16 Siah & Yeshua Dapoed – Gravity (1996)
17 Company Flow – Silence (1997)
18 Mystik Journeymen – Velocity (2000)
19 Kev Brown – Work In Progress (2005)
20 Frank N Dank – Keep It Coming (2003)

: FULL MIX DOWNLOAD (.ZIP) :

(Streamable version of the mix)

Exile has to be one of the most consistent producers around right now. I really feel like everything he touches is gold. After exceptional albums with Blu (2007, 2012) and Fashawn (2009), Exile’s latest collaboration is with L.A./S.D. rapper Johaz as Dag Savage. The EP features a pseudo-reunion of Emanon, with Aloe Blacc providing the hook on “When It Rains” (below), and rapping along with L.A. local (rather than “Living”) legend, Murs on “That’s Just Life.” Only an EP, but it’s quite an early highlight for hip-hop in 2013. I can’t believe I missed the release party.

Also, don’t miss Exile’s free mixtape of rarities, Cassette, HERE.

A follow up to my last odds & ends/hip-hop breaks-inspired mix from May of last year.

[cover image by Diego Gravinese]

February 2013 Mix – “Scramble 2″

01 Jeremy Steig – Howlin’ For Judy (1969)
02 Shuggie Otis – Inspiration Information (1974)
03 Shoes – Do I Get Shy (1976)
04 Lefties Soul Connection – Organ Donor (DJ Shadow cover) (2006)
05 Willie Mitchell – Groovin’ (1967)
06 Donnie & Joe Emerson – Baby (1979)
07 Ernie K-Doe – A Certain Girl (1961)
08 Chicha Libra – El Borrachito (2008)
09 The Soul Lifters – Hot Funky And Sweaty (1972)
10 Mel Robbins – Save It (1959)
11 The Spotnicks – Take Me To The Mardi Gras (1976)
12 Eddie & Ernie – Time Waits For No-One (1965)
13 Lashio Thein Aung – You Got What You Got (197?)
14 Roland Alphonso with Clue J & His Blues Blasters – Proof Rum (1958)
15 Black On White Affair – Bold Soul Sister, Bold Soul Brother (1974)
16 Ken Boothe – Ain’t No Sunshine (1972)
17 Ebony Rhythm Band – Vanilla Fudge (1969)
18 O.V. Wright – Drowning On Dry Land (1973)
19 Absolute Everywhere – Future Past (1976)
20 Dionne Warwick – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (1969)

: FULL MIX DOWNLOAD (.ZIP) :

(Streamable version of the mix)

Buzzmediogum posted a thoughtful and well-considered list of the best Les Savy Fav songs, but which was somehow devoid of anything pre-ǝɯoɹ. Plus, Mr. DeVille posted all Spotified-album cuts rather than videos/live versions. LSF are performance art, my man! Here’s my list, let’s argue about it, but stay friends.

10. Our Coastal Hymn (from Our Coastal Hymn/Bringing Us Down, 1998)
A Les Savy Fav epic. Is it weird to hope for LSF lead singer, Tim Harrington, to write my obituary? Good; cuz, yeah.

09. Reformat (from The Cat And The Cobra, 1999)
My favorite song to rock on the cheap boombox I bought while living in Rome in 2000 to rock Les Savy Fav to. “In Brooklyn, we stay home.”

08. The Sweat Descends (from Inches, 2004)
Live favorite, record favorite. The perfect vehicle for Tim to put his hands down an audience member’s pants and make them either the happiest or most uncomfortable person at a show.

07. Scout’s Honor (from 3/5, 1997)
I don’t know about the re-release of 3/5, but there were no lyrics listed in the original CD release I have. I have to admit, embarrassingly, that when I listened to “Scout’s Honor,” I thought the lyrics at the end were something like, “Ellie, you’re so savey while you’re gravy.” I even sang along like that. This, coupled with a moratorium on playing the song during the 7 year period that the band was a 4-piece made it all the more worthwhile when they brought it back in 2007. EL-EY-ESS-ESS-AY-VEE-WHY-EFF-AY-VEE!

06. Tragic Monsters (from Go Forth, 2001)
When “Go Forth” came out, I actually found it hard to listen to because it was difficult to not hit repeat after being destroyed by the opening track.

05. Asleepers Union (from ǝɯoɹ, 2000)
I’ve always felt this was one of LSF’s most approachable songs, but that doesn’t mean it is any less awesome. You don’t even have to like apocalyptic plague stories to love this song. If there was some life play count on how many times I’ve listened to “Asleepers Union,” I’m fairly confident it’s up to 4 figures.

04. Meet Me In The Dollar Bin (from Inches, 2004)
True story.

03. Dishonest Don Part II (from The Cat And The Cobra, 1999)
“It’s skipping. IT’S SKIPPING!”

02. Appetites (from Root For Ruin, 2010)
Les Savy Fav start off pretty much every album with a slap in the face to remind you who’s boss, and this is the best one so far. This is an extremely dangerous song.

01. Je T’aime (from 3/5, 1997)
I don’t think I’ve ever heard LSF perform “Je T’aime,” their great composition about falls from grace, broken dreams, and conquering love (well, that’s my reading, at least). Straddling the line between punk and ballad, the heartfelt and the tongue-in-cheek; it is the song that first got me into LSF, and will forever remain their greatest in my mind.

These guys!

I’m really happy with this mix, a bit of an homage to the new music from Manchester that the internet is so good to allow me a window into from afar. And damn it, it should be a good mix. It’s a new year, I’ve been switching between new and vintage themed mixes, all of which are the result of a good deal of research and noodling. I hope you enjoy this one too, awkward, painful, and torn love letter that it is.

[cover image from the internet k-hole]

January 2013 Mix – “You Are Loved”

01 Espher – U R Loved (2012)
02 Neon Indian – Polish Girl (2011)
03 Gold Panda – You (2010)
04 Moses Gold – Powder And Blood (2012)
05 Blue Hawaii – Lilac (2010)
06 Halls – I Am Not Who You Want (2012)
07 Mint Julep – To The Sea (2011)
08 Lali Puna – Safe Tomorrow (Odd Nosdam Remix) (2012)
09 Jesse Ruins – Dream Analysis (2012)
10 M83 – Raconte-Moi Une Histoire (2011)
11 Minus Story – Gravity Pulls (2004)
12 Schneider TM & KPT.Michi.Gan – The Light 3000 (The Smiths cover) (2000)
13 Modeslektor feat. Thom Yorke – The White Flash (2007)
14 Blackbird Blackbird – Float On (Modest Mouse cover) (2010)
15 Stay+ – Young Luv (2012)
16 True Gold – Undulate (2012)
17 Craft Spells – For The Ages (2011)
18 Beach House – Turtle Island (Live on KCRW) (2012)
19 Eddie Lang – A Little Love, A Little Kiss (1927)

: FULL MIX DOWNLOAD (.ZIP) :

(Streamable version of the mix)