Howdy!

I’m excited to share the next mixtape with you all. There’s no theme, no background, no nothing this time around, so I’ll just let the music speak for itself. I’ve got loads of other things swirling, and I hope to be able to bring you some big news in the not-so-distant future. For now, plug in your headphones and rock out with me!

<3 / ∑>

1. Beach House - “Zebra”

“They did it. What we were talking about. That ‘Zebra’ track is a killer rock song.” This was my friend Jim’s reaction after returning from a Beach House show a couple weeks ago, having yet to hear the full Teen Dream record in full. Our discussion had been around how long it had been since someone wrote a serious banger of a rock song (a la “Float On,” which he gets to play every night on tour and loves it every time). I’m not quite ready to put it on that level, but man is it ever a jam.

2. The Phoenix Foundation - “Buffalo”

This gem comes courtesy of New Zealander friend Jessie. Can’t thank her enough for sharing this tune that’s as beautiful as the country it comes from. Almost as great as the song is the fact that when you order the CD, they send paper and instructions for folding your own origami buffalo.

“I’m on the sea floor / I am the mammal you adore”

3. Jonsi - “Animal Arithmetic”

I absolutely adore the playfulness of this song, and just about fell to giggles when Jonsi came out on stage at the live show with a full headdress dancing around stage like a wild child (something that the rest of us would totally do in our own bedrooms). Even independent of the rest of the album, this track makes me wonder how much better Where The Wild Things Are would have been had Jonsi done the soundtrack.

4. The Ruby Suns - “Cranberry”

I’ll admit, the new Ruby Suns record kinda pissed me off at first. My first reaction was “oh, great, they heard the Animal Collective and Toro Y Moi records and decided they should jump on that bandwagon.” While that still holds true to some extent, I’m glad I didn’t write them off entirely, as there are actually some really well-written songs mixed in (like this one).

5. First Rate People - “Girls’ Night”

This track showed up in my inbox last week from a friend. Awesome. Love when that happens.

6. The Kindness - “Gee Up”

I can’t really tell you much about The Kindness. Really, nothing. I know what you can find here, and also that this song is awesome.

7. Fang Island - “Life Coach”

The lastest Fang Island record was something I slept on, even through all the SXSW buzz, and in the last two weeks it has become one of my most listened to records. Don’t be silly like me. Get it NOW! Or distract yourself with the totally awesome video for this song.

8. Generationals - “Faces In The Dark”

Generationals have a lot of different types of songs in their arsenal, and this one definitely gets filed under “drunken campfire songs sung with friends.” Check out some of their other sounds here.

9. Turin Brakes - “Sea Change”

Yep, you guessed it, another band I slept on. I had had their record in my inbox for a year before a notice that they were playing Popscene in San Francisco finally got me to have a listen. Turns out it’s quite lovely — quality songwriting, beautiful harmonies, and a good amount of thunderous thumping to drive the beat forward.

10. Lissie - “Bad Romance (Lady Gaga Cover - Live)”

What do you get when you take a really well-written but horribly overproduced song and give it to a girl with a downright earth-shattering voice to play live just for the sake of posting on YouTube? Brilliance.

11. The Wailing Wall - “Speak Not Its Name”

This is the first track off The Wailing Wall’s debut The Low Hanging Fruit. Twenty seconds in, I was about to move the album to the trash. Two minutes in, I had already sent the record to a friend, and I wouldn’t leave my chair until the album had finished. Check a live performance of two other tracks (coming on future mixtapes) here.

12. Born Ruffians - “What To Say”

Look for Born Ruffians to “come out of nowhere” (you know, except those last few records and years of touring) with their latest album, if only as a result of this song blowing up. As has become their style, they craft absolutely masterful and soulful songs from as few pieces as possible.

13. The Benjamins - “Wonderful”

While The Benjamins are now defunct, I still listen to their record at least once a week. Perhaps because it reminds me of Milwaukee, but more likely because of songs like this that are snarky gems of brilliance.

“I’m your Einstein on acid / your Superman, if you will / if you would / think you could do a lot worse than me”

14. Facing New York - “Cops On Bikes”

A far cry from their usual guitar shredding, Oakland’s Facing New York have created a suburban delinquent’s anthem of epic proportions. They’re playing some west coast shows with Dredg, and I hear they’re bringing four guitars. Watch out.

15. 1, 2, 3 - “Confetti”

Challenging Girls, The The, and !!! for worse SEO in a band name, 1, 2, 3 write some dangerously catchy tunes. And after 20 minutes of searching, I finally found a place to point you to more :)

Hi there :)

To say I’m humbled would be an extraordinary understatement. I just returned from beers with men whom I consider to be geniuses, and had no idea they paid any attention to this blog. Turns out they do, and so do you, and that that means the world to me. That sentiment fits wonderfully with this week’s theme, which is hope and love. Sure, there’s a bit of timidness involved, but on a whole the tunes are optimistic and full of love. This past week has been full of excitement and anticipation for me, and I think this mix is reflective of that. Hopefully it greets you with the same optimism!

<3 / ∑>

1. Jónsi - “Boy Lilikoi”

I was lucky enough to see Jónsi last Friday and was blown away. It was an incredible piece of genre-bending art that words can only struggle to describe. Be sure to check the conceptual pieces here, and see the show when it comes to your town. Please.

2. Annuals - “Loxtep”

I had no idea Annuals were putting out new tunes til i found this track online. I’m excited about their growth in terms of song structure and depth of melodies, and I think this track is a prime example — a simple melody turned into a glorious track.

3. James Yuill - “No Surprise”

Ok, I’ll admit to sleeping on this one. I’ve been fed this track for an entire year before catching on. Only in the last week did I receive the full album from a friend, and within a minute of beginning to listen, another friend from Germany noticed my status message and felt the need to call out just how awesome the record was. Yes, it’s more than a little great, and this track is just the tip of the iceberg.

4. Hey Champ - “Neverest”

Chicago’s Hey Champ reengineered their two leading tracks, “Cold Dust Girl” and “Neverest,” but there’s a reason these tracks have been out over a year and continue to gain momentum. They freaking rule. Can’t wait to hear a full record from these dudes.

5. Steel Train - “Turnpike Ghost”

I’ll admit I hadn’t kept up with guys after absolutely adoring their previous album, Trampoline. Turns out they’ve continued to write infectious tracks that undoubtedly translate magically live. They’re playing a number of festivals this spring, so don’t miss them!

6. The National - “Bloodbuzz Ohio”

A friend recently said that The National sets the standard for indie rock, and I tend to agree. There’s little I can say about this song except that it’s their next release in a longstanding stream of deep yet catchy tracks that nearly everyone should be able to relate to.

7. Stornoway - “You Don’t Know Anything”

Stornoway, like Annuals earlier on this mix, are borderline guilty pleasure — their songs are not necessarily anything new or innovative, but they’re so infectiously beautiful that they’re impossible to ignore.

8. Dr. Dog - “Jackie Wants A Black Eye”

I’m still confused as to how this is such an incredible song, but I think it has to do with the melding of the infectious melody with the catchy lyrics. The fact that everyone can sing the ”you can say that we’re alone, but we’re lonely together” and ”we’re all in this together now as we all fall apart” bits without straining any sort of vocal chords, but truly mean it, is amazing to me.

9. A B & The Sea - “Down and Around”

I am unabashedly a fan of these dudes and their simple yet beautiful pop songs, and the latest song they’ve unlocked is no exception. 

10. The Wailing Wall - “Dandelion”

“You sing to me like a nightingale, and I sing to you like a humpback whale.”

Nuff said, methinks :)

11. Freelance Whales - “Generator ^ 2nd Floor”

This is one of those bands that keeps coming into my life in the most random of situations, the most recent of which being this song being given away for free via Topspin (the drummer also used to live with one of my friends, among other connections). One way or another, you need this album.

12. Lissie + George Stanford - “Don’t Be The One”

Chalk this up as the best track I’ve downloaded directly from Twitter in a long time. Tis beautiful. Thanks Lissie :)

13. Blitzen Trapper - “Heaven and Earth”

This is the first single off Blitzen Trapper’s new album, and it certainly lives up to the last, if not lyrically then at least musically. More please :)

14. Generationals - “When They Fight, They Fight”

Every song on this record is a 7-9 on a scale of 10, but each are infectious enough to fool you into loving them completely and dearly. This is one of those tracks that is particularly infectious. I ignored it until I started humming it to myself walking down the street. Touche, Generationals.

15. Foxy Shazam - “Oh Lord”

It’s been a while since a rock band has broken out based on their ability to simply project the “over the top” sensation that rock n roll has traditionally embodied — I would stake The Darkness to be the most recent example — but Foxy Shazam does a helluva job to re-plant that stake and hold onto it for dear life.

Howdy y’all!

Ok, so it’s been a little while since South By Southwest, but life’s been hectic (I haven’t even unpacked) and blahblahblah. Hopefully I can make it up to you with appropriate assloads of good tunes from bands who played at the Austin-based annual proving ground for bands we call SXSW. 

Those tunes come in two chunks:

• A mixtape made of bands I saw, or otherwise felt their presence, while at SXSW
• A compilation of the top tracks I hadn’t previously heard from the unofficial SXSW torrent

My own experience at SXSW was a bit out of the ordinary — I spent the vast majority of the time holed up in a corner of our demo space working away. I did get to see a few bands, but unlike past years I didn’t have a chance to really discover new music. Sad. Thankfully I did get to see some friends and meet some famous-ish blogfriends and designers, which made the whole experience worthwhile.

Luckily, through the magic of the interwebs, I can do my music discovery by digging through a multi-gigabyte mass of music. Last year I made it through all the thousand plus songs, but you’ll have to forgive me this year for only getting through a little over 400. I put the torrent playlist on random, and it wound up spitting out a lot more loud rock gems than anything else. Hope that’s ok with you :)

Ok, enough chit-chat, let’s get to the music!

<3 / ∑>

1. Wallpaper - “T-Rex”

I was actually intending not to see Wallpaper while at SXSW (I go to almost every show in SF), but it seemed unavoidable. First I ran into them on the street as they were about to go all funky dinosaur (wear a dinosaur mask, play saxophone, make it rain — yes, really) on some unsuspecting people in line for shows, then I found myself with badgeless friends and spotted a tweet for a free Wallpaper show across the freeway with free beer. Sold. We danced our asses off, and even got some metalheads to get down with the jams. Speaking of jams, they’ve got a new track out for free that’s DEFINITELY worth your time.

2. Hesta Prynn - “Can We Go Wrong (RAC Remix)”

Longtime readers know I love me some Hesta, but surprisingly enough this was my first show. It won’t be my last. She absolutely slayed, and had a really freaking cool dress(?) on. 

3. Fitz & The Tantrums - “Breakin’ The Chains Of Love”

LA’s Fitz & The Tantrums have only been around a short while, but have almost instantly joined the elite of the white boy soul movement. This was my first time seeing them live, and they truly delivered. I also got my hands on their forthcoming full-length while I was down there, and all I can say is wow — not a bad track on this record. Watch out suckas!

4. Magic Wands - “Black Magic”

Big thanks to my friend Austin for being willing to have our meeting at a show — I desperately needed to get out of the office and had two wristbands to a private daytime showcase that featured Magic Wands. Already a fan, I gained a ton of respect for this trio for rocking straight through any musicians nightmare (and par for the course at SXSW, where venues vastly outnumber competent sound engineers) — pedals broke, guitar cables went in and out, and they had to play to a tiny group of hand-selected folks earlier in the day than they’re used to waking up. They got through it totally unphased by anything, rocking the crap out of guitar solos that the audience had to imagine they could hear.

5. Chew Lips - “Play Together”

File this one under band I heard a lot about and wish I had gotten to see. There are definitely tones of Little Boots, which I understand the live show also echos.

6. The Golden Filter - “Thunderbird”

Yes, I know this track has been on past mixtapes, but the force with which they played it live compelled me to pick it again over some of the other tracks on their wonderful debut album. I first saw this band at SXSW last year at a HypeMachine party and was blown away. This year they stepped up the energy even further, sending swirling synth sounds through the audience, accented by double drums and Penelope’s airy-yet-stunningly-powerful voice leading the crowd in chants and dance.

7. Bear In Heaven - “Lovesick Teenagers”

Another band I didn’t actually get to see, but man did I hear about them a lot. Even Metric was all about them!

8. Miike Snow - “Silvia”

The last time I saw Miike Snow, I was dancing my butt off with some friends in a small bar shortly after moving to SF last summer. Now they’re selling out far bigger venues and headlining the KCRW showcase at SXSW. Well deserved. Heck, even Mark Ronson was hanging out for their set. That said, I can’t totally agree with the changes they’ve made to their set — it seems like they’re incredible songwriters trying to also be great musicians. Most obvious example: the lead singer now picks up a guitar and attempts to shred when he’s not singing, overpowering all the delicate intricacies of the electronics that make Miike Snow what they are. As my friend Kron kept repeating “Put the guitar down!” It was still a great show, but I’d love to see them again without the guitar. (Big ups to my friend Brad for this epic 9 minute version)

9. Surfer Blood - “Take It Easy”

File this under didn’t see at SXSW because I’ve seen them and was going to see them again shortly. Thankfully, I did get to see them on Friday in SF. They still look ridiculously young, but they are definitely more comfortable with their songs and themselves than on their first tour. I also have to give them a virtual fist pound for giving out their hotel room info on Twitter and telling folks to come get free beer.

10. Tanlines - “Real Life”

Yet another I didn’t see but wish I had. 

11. Ozomatli - “Can’t Stop”

From an informal survey of friends from around the globe, I am the last person in the world to see Ozomatli live. As promised, they delivered a really high energy performance. They were victims of the SXSW sound curse as well, though, as their microphones cut out with about 10 minutes left in their set. Being the pros that they are, though, they didn’t skip a beat in grabbing the nearest drums and horns and dancing out to the middle of the audience, leading the audience in impromptu song and dance. Awesome.

12. Get Busy Committee - “I Don’t Care About You”

Another group I wish I saw. Unfortunately hunger had the trump card and I wound up sitting down to dinner for the first and only time (seriously — one sit-down meal the whole week) while these dudes jammed.

13. White Denim - “I Start To Run”

White Denim was the first band I saw this year, and I think it was technically still during the Interactive (tech) part of SXSW. They ALWAYS put on a great show, so of course this was no exception. The audience was another issue, though — the mix of nerds and local drunk pseudo-punks didn’t exactly mesh, making things a little awkward for everyone.

14. Lissie - “Little Lovin’”

Hoooooly crap. I think I fall a little more in love with Lissie every day. First she put this track out on a wonderful EP. Then she did a killer Yours Truly session. Then I saw her at SXSW, putting on easily the best show I’ve ever seen in a church (plus she apologized to me on Twitter after Jakob Dylan & posse kicked me out of my seat). Then she covered (probably not a strong enough word) a Lady Gaga song, turning into a musical masterpiece. Wow. 

15. Sleepy Sun - “New Age”

This was my first show of the music side of SXSW, and it was a helluva way to kick things off. Not only is the band incredible, they also brought about a dozen kids from the Austin Children’s Choir on stage to accompany the second half of the set. Just to cap things off, they closed their set with a riotous version of The Guess Who’s “No Sugar Tonight.”

16. Local Natives - “Wide Eyes”

Another band I didn’t see at SXSW, but didn’t intend to — I’ve seen them so many times I didn’t feel compelled to compete with the throngs of fans who clamored for every opportunity to see them. That said, I would see these guys every night of my life if I reasonably could.

17. Rogue Wave - “Lake Michigan”

Rogue Wave was the last (and most unexpected) band I saw. They played after The Middle East around noon my last day in a big room in the conference center. They played a lot of their new stuff (which is ok) and closed with this classic (which is awesome). It was a nice way to ease out of SXSW.

18. The Middle East - “Blood”

I was ready to chalk these guys up as “most disappointed to have missed” until I was on my way to see my CEO’s panel and saw that they were about to play to a big, largely empty room in the conference center. Score! I swung open my laptop to do work (as I was planning to do at Ian’s panel) and was both soothed and mightily impressed by their smooth sounds.

19. Dark Dark Dark - “Bright Bright Bright”

I had made a note to myself not to miss this band at SXSW, and yet still managed to. Very sad. I’m hopeful they’ll make their way out west soon.

20. Marina And The Diamonds - “I’m Not A Robot”

Sadly, I missed this band as well, but at least they were the last folks I saw as I checked out of my hotel (Lemmy from Motorhead was the first person I saw when I arrived). Someday I will get to see them, and it will rule. Someday. In the meantime, I’ll just keep singing along…

Bonus Tracks!

I’m not going to break these down or put them in any sort of order, but here are the my top tracks I had never heard before from my sampling of approximately 2/5 of the SXSW artists.

And So I Watch You From Afar - “Set Guitars To Kill”

The Coal Porters - “No More Chains”

Cosmo Jarvis - “She’s Got You”

Diamond Rings - “All Yr Songs”

El Ten Eleven - “Hot Cakes”

The Ghost of A Thousand - “Bright Lights”

Hieroglyphics - “Proper Aim”

High On Fire - “Frosthammer”

Le Loup - “Forgive Me”

Lost In The Trees - “Fireplace”

Magic Magic - “Sleepy Lion”

Neon Trees - “Animal”

Soko - “How are you ..?”

Solillaquists of Sound - “New Sheriff in Town”

Venus Flytrap - “Shoot The Breeze”

The Wave Pictures - “Come On Daniel”

And just for good measure…

Thought I’d mention my favorite up-and-coming bands that WEREN’T at SXSW this year:

• A B & The Sea
• Beloved Rogue
• Your Nature
• Tune-Yards
• When Saints Go Machine

Howdy peeps!

I’ve had this mixtape fairly well organized for a week or so, but hadn’t fully realized its glory until a weekend trip to Muir Woods. On the way out, we rocked our way through the first eight and a half tracks, then chilled out to the second eight and a half on the ride home. It was almost as glorious as the woods themselves. As you may have noticed on some of the other mixtapes, my taste can be quite eclectic. The first half of the mix is fairly heavy on female singers, falsettos, and heavy beats, whereas the second half favors more traditional guitar rock. One of the coolest parts (ok, maybe I’ve just listened to it too much) is that it sounds great on a loop :)

Anywho, hope you enjoy as much as I do. As always, don’t be afraid to let me know what you think!

<3 / ∑>

1. Jonsi – “Go Do”

This song has been blowing my mind the last few weeks. Jonsi is the lead singer and creative driver behind Sigur Ros (who I’ve honestly never been a huge fan of), and he’s now releasing his first solo record, supported by what appears to be an incredible tour. This track, like the rest of the record, features vocals and instruments meant to invoke nature as a driver of the same emotions music evokes. Even without thinking of it in such detail, the song is flat out marvelous.

2. Marvin Gaye – “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)”

I jumped in my cousin’s car last weekend just as this track started and immediately asked who it was. Marvin Gaye? Really? It sounds so fresh! I guess the tastiest grooves never go sour.

3. Wild Beasts – “We still got the taste dancin’ on our tongues”

I got to see these guys at The Troubadour a couple weeks ago and got everything I was hoping for out of the show – I had struggled to get into their recordings precisely because they’re so complex and out there, but putting a human face to it and watching them construct the sounds was truly magical. As the name might suggest, they sound like what might happen if Mew lived with wolves for a year.

4. Evan Voytas – “I Run With You, Spirit Animal”

More great space-pop from Silverlake, CA’s Evan Voytas. He’s been on so many mixtapes I’m running out of things to say, except that the video for this song is freaking nuts (in a good way).

5. The Blow – “True Affection”

My friend was drunkenly spinning records after a night on the town recently, and out of nowhere this track came on. All conversation stopped, and a new level of afterparty erupted. Catchy, soulful, clean – does it get any better?

6. Wildbirds & Peacedrums – “Doubt/Hope”

The first few times through this song I definitely failed to realize that what feels like a full-bodied track is actually just a single girl singing alongside a drummer. Rarely is so much done with so little. Color me impressed.

7. Sleigh Bells – “Ring Ring”

This one comes in by request from my big brother, who recently heard another Sleigh Bells track on the radio. Sure enough, they’re blowing up (apparently working with MIA, among others), and rightfully so.

“Wonder what your boyfriend thinks about your braces. / What about them? / I’m all about them”

8. Hesta Prynn – “Can We Go Wrong”

Hesta Prynn has probably been on as many mixtapes as Evan Voytas, and I’m running out of things to say about her as well. Suffice to say I’m stoked to finally catch a live show at SXSW.

9. A B & The Sea – “Yellow Haired Girl”

Things are going well for the A B & The Sea guys, as they unlocked this second track off their EP within a week of launching a cool campaign where they’ll give away more music as more people join their mailing list. They also recently played an awesome set to close out Noise Pop with Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. More goodness on the way.

10. Say Hi – “Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh”

Seattle’s Say Hi (formerly Say Hi To Your Mom) have been around for the better part of a decade, and gems like this are almost expected at this point. Don’t believe me? Listen to more.

11. Dr. Dog – “Shadow People”

Like a lot of people, I am unbelievably excited for the new Dr. Dog record. They rightly draw comparisons to The Beatles, and I’ve only heard allegorically of their magical live show – hoping to change that next month :)

12. Tame Impala – “Half Full Glass Of Wine”

Discovered this one through the inimitable yvynyl. Heavy guitar rock from Perth, Australia. I think my head might explode if I saw these guys share a stage with fellow Australians The Drones.

13. The Appleseed Cast – “On Reflection”

This track is pulled from the soundtrack to 72 Musicians, an incredible film (which you can get free for at least another couple hours) made by my friend and coworker Bob and designed to answer the eternal question of why we sacrifice and do stupid things for the sake of music. It’s a moving documentary with interviews of, well, 72 musicians in Kansas, and also includes some amazing music like this.

14. Beloved Rogue – “Daysleeping”

Beloved Rogue has to be my favorite music to magically appear in my inbox since starting this blog. I never really counted myself as a fan of shoegaze, and barely of ambient music, but there’s something really cohesive and heavy about this EP that I just can’t get enough of. You can get the EP free from their website.

15. Rodriguez – “Inner City Blues”

No, this isn’t a cover of the Marvin Gaye song from earlier on the playlist, just a happy coincidence of names. I got this track from a mixtape my friend at Ears Of The Beholder put together and dig it’s bluesy vibe. He’s somewhat of a mythical figure, forgotten by a generation of Americans but a cult favorite in South Africa. Check out more of his tale here.

16. Portugal The Man – “The Dead Dog”

Alaska’s Portugal The Man have evolved somewhat from haunt-rock into a more traditional rock sound, and their songwriting continues to improve as well. They were part of the first show I ever saw at The Troubadour, and I would love to see them again. Their newest record, American Ghetto, is a favorite in our office.

17. Band Marino – “Every Time I Make A Girl Cry I Know I’ve Done My Job”

Yes, that is the title of the song, and yes, it is one of the best titles ever. Sadly, the band is no more, but this gem lives on. I probably played this song more than any other when I had my radio show in college, and I’m still not sick of it – the concept is hilarious, and the songwriting impeccable. What more can you want? Check out more of their tunes, in memoriam.

Hey all -

I’m not sure quite what to say about this mix — it’s definitely all over the place. Then again, I have been, too. I’ve been out of town two of the last four weekends, and had friends in town the other two (to say nothing of work and helping on the A B & The Sea campaign). This mix has been traveling with me, though — I wrote half of the below descriptions while on a bus heading the wrong way after the Noise Pop Pre-Party, then had to stop at the end of the line (which happened to be on the opposite side of the city from home, right next to the ocean…oops). At any rate, I hope you enjoy as much as I do!

<3 / ∑>

1. The Golden Filter – “Hide Me”

After a couple years of leaked demos and remixes blowing up the blog scene (numerous #1s on Hypem, three of the top 50 downloads of 2009 on Stereogum), The Golden Filter have finally announced their debut full-length, Voluspa, which arrives April 14^th. This is the lead single and can be downloaded free for an email or a tweet on their website.

2. Marina and the Diamonds – “I Am Not A Robot” (Penguin Prison Remix)

Penguin Prison is back with another killer mix, this time of a Marina and the Diamonds song that is beyond catchy in its own right. Stuck somewhere between trance, dance, and straight up pop, this song is perfect for nearly any situation.

3. Get Well Soon – “5 Steps / 7 Swords”

I’m not shy about being a sucker for horns, and there are plenty of those in this dark tune.

“If we set sail now / we’ll make it to heaven or hell before dawn”

4. Givers – “Up Up Up”

Borrowing very heavily from Vampire Weekend’s afro-pop influences, Givers write catchy yet soulful tunes with both male and female vocals offering playful harmonies. Don’t be fooled by the first couple minutes – these kids aren’t shy on the guitars, either.

5. Micachu – “Calculator”

I’ve been struggling for a year to find an accurate way to describe Micachu, and I still haven’t come up with anything. They’re mathy, playful, jazzy, and outright ridiculous, yet somehow wind up back at catchy pop. How? I’m not quite sure, but that’s what fascinates me about them. Their live show consists of everything from ukuleles to vacuums to racks of empty bottles and trash can lids.

6. Chapeau Claque – “Das Karussell”

Lalala French circular madness lalala

7. Rye ‘n Clover – “Black Hoodie Dreams”

Another one for the “should’ve been on the Juno soundtrack” files.

8. Lissie – “Everywhere I Go”

I have been harboring a not-so-secret obsession with Lissie the last couple months. There’s just something so earnest about her (incredible) voice and songwriting. Cannot wait for her debut LP this Spring.

9. Dawes – “When My Time Comes”

My best friend and I went to a Dawes concert a couple weeks back and perhaps the most apt description of the experience came from my friends mouth: “I think I get how people in older generations can like Bruce Springsteen.” We weren’t the only ones there getting excited either – I spotted members of Port O’Brien and A B & The Sea amidst the mixed crowd. They closed with this track and the entire venue erupted in song together. The experience has since made me feel like the production on this track falls flat, because it really is a song for a community to shout at the top of their lungs together.

10. Cloud Control – “Gold Canary”

This song has been growing on me since my first listen, to a point I find myself humming it repeatedly throughout the day. Sydney’s Cloud Control write a lot of uptempo songs, so the song is already a bit of an anomaly. The chanting juxtaposed with the howling vocals creates incredible textures in an otherwise simple song.

11. Josiah Wolf – “The Trailer And The Truck”

Xylophones, muted horns, and a whole lotta percussion. Need I say more?

12. Wakey! Wakey! – “Twenty Two”

I’ve been getting emails about these guys for months, but hadn’t given them the time of day til recently. Turns out this song is a jam, and the rest of the record ain’t too shabby either. It’s definitely an easy and familiar sound, but the use of a single word for the chorus is pretty damn cool.

13. Darwin Deez – “Bad Day”

The first couple times you hear this song, you’ll laugh along with it. After a few more listens, you’ll be singing along to every word, possibly even with someone in mind (or not — I cannot get enough of this track, and I harbor no spite for anyone).

14. Anders Ponders – “Slowest Motion Miracle”

I think what drew me into this song was the concept of “pacifists on the attack” and the ideal of “bring(ing) another golden age.” Naturally, such change doesn’t happen quickly, hence “the slowest motion miracle.” For now, they sing.

15. Caribou – “Odessa”

Ontario’s Caribou are back with a new record and an even more polished sound. Something about the beat reminds me of the early nineties, or at least what they must have felt like to a twenty-something back then. That may be totally misguided, but I mean it as a positive.

16. The Tindersticks – “Falling Down A Mountain”

I was browsing through recent Topspin releases a few weeks back and stumbled upon this gem. Everything about it is just so smooth, in spite of its driving tempo. Oh, and HORNS!

17. Erik Hassle – “Nothing Can Change This Love”

Add another name to the list of outstanding white male soul singers seeming to emerge in the last year or so. Sweden’s Hassle croons with the best of them, and I’ll let him say the rest.

And so it begins…

We had a great release party last night for A B & The Sea, and now it’s time to get the music out there to the masses. For free! We’ve designed a campaign to reward fans for the spread of the band’s music. How?

Easy: The more fans who sign up for the band’s mailing list, the more tracks the band will give all the email list subscribers for free. In other words, if you get your friends to sign up, you both get more music.

We’ve set up thresholds, so the first song will be free to anyone entering their email, the second song will be unlocked at 500 emails, the third at 1000, the fourth at 2000 (and maybe a bonus or two after that, who knows). Fans also have the ability to share and embed the widgets just like a YouTube video to maximize the spread. Want to do that? Use the <share> button above, or copy and paste this code onto your blog or web page:

<div class=”topspin-widget topspin-widget-email-for-media”><object type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” height=”400” width=”400” id=”TSWidget14723” data=”http://cdn.topspin.net/widgets/email2/swf/TSEmailMediaWidget.swf?timestamp=1266533918” bgColor=”#FFFFFF”> <param value=”always” name=”allowScriptAccess” /><param name=”allowfullscreen” value=”true” /><param name=”quality” value=”high” /><param name=”movie” value=”http://cdn.topspin.net/widgets/email2/swf/TSEmailMediaWidget.swf?timestamp=1266533918” /><param name=”flashvars” value=”widget_id=http://cdn.topspin.net/api/v1/artist/1683/email_for_media/14723?timestamp=1266533918&amp;theme=white&amp;highlightColor=0xFF0A22&amp;playMedia=true” />
</object>
</div>

As always, be sure to let us know what you think.

<3 / ∑>

PS - New mixtape coming SOON! Just been busy getting everything together for this :)

stg mixtape #13

Well hello there!

Sorry to keep you waiting so long for the next mixtape, but hopefully it will be worth the wait. It’s been raining a bunch in San Francisco, so I’ve spent a lot of time indoors and being introverted, and this mix is reflective of that. It’s generally a little slower and softer than the last (with occasional ROCKYOURSOCKSOFF just to purge any sort of “comfortable” feelings you may have felt coming on), but hey, we can’t always go out and party (or can we?). I found these songs to take me on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, both musically and lyrically, and I hope I’m not alone in that.

Like what you hear? That’s what the “Embed” and “Share” links on the streaming player are for. Go ahead, they don’t bite. And if you don’t like what you hear (or if you just want someone to talk to on a rainy day), drop us a line.

Oh and don’t forget to click the “Download Now” link on the top-right side of the page to get the MP3s.

<3 / ∑>

1. Field Music - “Measure”

This is the title track off Field Music’s newest album, and brings out their best qualities with textural layer of strings, guitars, bass, and drums.

2. My Robot Friend - “By Your Side” (feat. Dean Wareham)

New York’s My Robot Friend is something of a mysterious character, apparently performing in an elaborate light-up suit and possibly involving pyrotechnics. Beyond that, all I can tell you is that the music is damn good. More here.

3. Faded Paper Figurines - “North By North”

I was going to write that this Postal Service-esque band should blow up among the Grey’s Anatomy-watching crowd, then I noticed they’ve had songs on the show twice. Regardless of whether or not you fall in that demographic, this song is just plain lovely. More here.

“To islands on the sea / lands I’ve never seen / things will get calmer—follow me.

4. Beloved Rogue - “Capital Sense”

These guys sent me their EP a few weeks back and it’s been in constant rotation ever since. They seamlessly meld elements of shoegaze with heavier rock, and even a hint of pop sensibilities leaks in. If this came out in the early to mid 90s, it would blow up. I’m hopeful it still will. Get the EP free here.

5. Your Nature - “Sands”

Long time listeners know how strongly I feel about this band — pretty sure this is the fifth track to be featured in mixtapes. For those who haven’t been listening as long, you can now catch up quickly as the band just released their debut EP for free from their website.

6. Free Energy - “Dream City”

Philly’s Free Energy are due for a big bump in the blogosphere pretty soon — their classically-styled rock’n’roll songs are just flat out catchy. Listen to some more here and look out for their debut record soon.

7. Modest Mouse - “Satin in a Coffin”

I had largely ignored this song until seeing Modest Mouse in Dublin in December. They absolutely slayed it. They’ll be writing and recording a new album pretty soon, and I, for one, can’t wait.

8. Librarians - “Hard To Unwind”

This one comes courtesy of our friends at Ears Of The Beholder. They’re proof that good things can actually come out of West Virginia! Listen to more here.

9. Small Black - “Despicable Dogs” (Washed Out Remix)

We alluded to this remix when we posted the original back in October, but it just seemed to fit here. They’ve since done a remix in return, and made iTunes list of artists to watch in 2010. Rightfully so.

10. The Smiles and Frowns - “The Echoes of Time”

Simple and beautiful, this two-piece creates incredibly intimate songs. If one just isn’t enough, listen to more here.

11. Summer Dregs - “Bones”

I was going to write something about how this sounds like an opening credits song for one of those nerdy romantic comedy shows you secretly like, but then I noticed their MySpace only has about a thousand plays, and that needs to be rectified immediately. GO! PLAY! LISTEN!

12. Angus & Julia Stone - “And The Boys”

Tender tunes from down under, as Angus & Julia Stone will break and mend your heart all day long. Check out much more goodness here.

13. Said The Whale - “Holly, Ontario”

At first I was turned off by the incredibly simplistic guitar that pervades through the song, but then I realized it actually serves to amplify the lyrics. Oh, Canada. More here.

14. The Low Anthem - “Charlie Darwin”

This track stuck out when I was trolling through all the artists attending SXSW last year, and I can’t believe it’s taken this long to find a proper spot for it on a mixtape. They recently played a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR, which played perfectly into their intimate feel. Watch that here.

15. Isbells - “As Long As It Takes”

Don’t know that I’ve posted about a Belgian act before, but hey, here ya go. I don’t even know how to pronounce any of the cities on their tour. But at least there’s more music here.

16. EELS - “In My Younger Days”

EELS tunes are strange and powerful beasts — they’re depressing nearly to a breaking point, yet at the same time there’s an overwhelming optimism that pervades. In this little ditty, E laments growing old, losing a love, etc, but still manages to come through a-ok, a testament to human fortitude.

17. Real Estate - “Beach Comber”

Whoa, since I last checked in with these guys, they’ve blown up. But rightfully so. Clean guitar riffs, plodding drums, and lovely vocals make for a pretty swell package. Check em out here.

18. All Smiles - “Fall Never Fell”

Jim Fairchild was in Grandaddy for over a decade, then when they broke up he began his own project called All Smiles. He now also plays in Modest Mouse, but continues to write, record, and play as All Smiles, often with help from famous friends. This track comes from his latest EP of the same name, which you can stream and buy here.

sum the greater mixtape #12

Howdy!

Welcome to a brand spankin’ new year full of wonderful music that we’re more than happy to bring you. In the spirit of spreading the love, we’ve decided to try something new. See that playlist up there? It’s got “Embed” and “Share” buttons on it, so you can share it allllllll over the internets. Plus, when you and your friends click the “download mixtape” button in the right column of the blog, you’ll instantly get all the mp3s for free. How does that sound? Good? Ok, let’s party.

<3 / ∑>

1. Douster - “King of Africa”

I love what Radioclit is doing in bringing African sounds to the dance halls of the world, from their work in The Very Best to the Saga Africa EP this track comes from. How can you go wrong with a brilliant remix of the theme from The Lion King? Makes me want to dance every time.

2. The Very Best - “Get It Up”

More tribal/dance hall fusion from Radioclit and Esau Mwamwaya, this time with the help of M.I.A. and Santigold.

3. Yeasayer - “ONE”

This is very quickly becoming my favorite track on Yeasayer’s new album, Odd Blood.

4. Vampire Weekend - “Cousins”

I was admittedly a bit concerned that “Horchata” was a sign that the rest of the new Vampire Weekend record, Contra, was going to be contrived and just plain annoying, but I’m happy to tell you it’s not. This track brings almost a surf-punk feel to the table, and the rest of the album doesn’t disappoint (though it doesn’t blow you away either). You can stream the whole record here.

5. Darwin Deez - “Radar Detector”

New York’s Darwin Deez describes himself as “indie rock with a side of calisthenics,” and that description seems pretty apt.

“you and i buy star maps and drive my car around los angeles / you and i buy star maps and ding dong ditch a televangelist”

6. Ellie Goulding & Starsmith - “Sleepyhead” (Passion Pit Cover)

Ellie Goulding is pretty much a lock at this point for breakthrough artist of 2010, with help from stars like Lily Allen, but that in no way means we should stop enjoying every beautiful sound out of her mouth. I really enjoy this cover precisely because it feels more organic than the original, and that’s something of a departure for the girl who is generally known for electronic-heavy dance tracks.

7. Dirty Projectors - “Ascending Melody”

This song, along with another, was on the blog this week as a free download. It was recorded at the same time as Bitte Orca, but didn’t fit the storyline of the record. It has everything you’ve come to know and love about Dirty Projectors (the somewhat jagged girls’ voices, the jangly guitar interspersed at somewhat awkward intervals) plus a kinda funky breakdown.

8. Rogue Wave - “Good Morning”

I hardly recognized this as Rogue Wave the first time I heard it, and it’s taken a few listens to sink in, but there’s no denying it’s a quality track.

9. Free Energy - “Free Energy”

Yes, this song was written in 2009, not the 1970s. Yes, it still rules.

10. Wolf Gang - “The King And All Of His Men”

London’s Wolf Gang brings an undeniable catchiness to this and their other singalong-ready tracks. Appropriately, there are undertones of Queen mixed in as well. Tune into a few other tracks as well here.

11. Screaming Lights - “Champagne Socialist”

More catchy (but slightly heavier) brit-rock? OK! More here.

12. Old Canes - “Little Bird Courage”

Lawrence, KS has to have one of the most consistent small-town music scenes in America. Old Canes continues in that tradition. Lead singer Chris Crici is also in Appleseed Cast, who are well worth your time. More here.

13. Meeting Of Important People - “Brittney Lane Don’t Care”

I “leaked” this mix to my friend Britti (real name “Brittany Layne”), who immediately picked up on this track and was baffled by their ability to write a song about her without knowing her. So, er, this one goes out to Britti.

14. The Golden Filter - “The Hardest Button To Button” (The White Stripes cover)

Yes, I do very much love The Golden Filter, but perhaps most impressive about them is their ability to break the mold of electro/disco/dance-rock and cover/remix pretty much any song known to man and truly make it their own. Big things coming from this band.

15. Truman Peyote - “New Wife New Life”

Not quite sure what to make of the fact that they’re “sold out” of a CD-R release of their first record, but there’s no denying this band’s potential. This track is like a dance version of a sea chantey. How can you go wrong?

16. Boy Omega - “Black Metal Fairies”

They’re from Sweden. If you follow this blog, that’s pretty much all you need to know.

17. Monarchy - “Gold In The Fire” (demo)

Okay, so maybe the whole second half of this playlist was dedicated to a desire to find myself late at night in a deep, dark, underground London dance hall. Anyway, you can keep the party going with more Monarchy here.

18. Oh, Mountain - “Bear’s Beat”

Arguably the best interlude in recent memory. Don’t listen to me, just breathe for a second.

19. Fyfe Dangerfield - “When You Walk In The Room”

You may (but probably not) recognize Fyfe from The Guillemots, but he’s breaking out on his own in style with his debut LP, of which “When You Walk In The Room” is a shining example of the mix of pop and soul. Tune in here.

20. Sister Suvi - “American”

Sister Suvi will go down as the practice grounds for the brilliant bands that now are Tune-Yards and Islands. We love the ashes of the band, so how could we not love the (unfortunately now-defunct) band?

“I’m an American / I want to rip you to shreds just to make sure you love me”