Buy your music, and don't use Spotify or Rhapsody...

And this is why: http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/2010/how-much-do-music-artists-earn-online/

Updated: I talk a lot more about this here.

Best of 2011, halfway there...

Started on this post in May, and it is now two months later, so going to publish it with less comments than I had originally intended.

1. Death Cab For Cutie- Codes and Keys. It's about time! After two albums with some good songs, but mostly boring ones (Plans and Narrow Stairs), Death Cab finally releases another great ALBUM. Key word, album, as this is terrific all the way through. Much more mellow than Narrow Stairs, and much more experimental. Lyrically also very refreshing and positive; which I guess is what happens when you marry Zooey Deschanel!

2. Manchester Orchestra- Simple Math. I have to be honest, I didn't think Manchester Orchestra was capable of this. I became a fan quickly with their debut, I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child, and that progressed with Mean Everything to Nothing (huge step forward musically, step backwards lyrically). After seeing them in concert in 2010 and being bored and disgusted with their performance, I thought I might even stop following them. Then they release this. It is a radical departure, and shows tremendous maturation, both musically and lyrically. Andy Hull's Built to Spill influence is shining through (understandable considering the b-side of the Simple Math 7" is Built to Spill's The Plan), and parts of it even remind me of Pink Floyd. Hopefully their live show has also improved.

3. Mogwai- Hardcore Will Never Die, but You Will. Took me years to really get into this band, now they are by far my favorite post-rock outfit. Yes, the album is as good as it's title.

4. Eisley- The Valley. Most mature album musically by this family band, but I do miss the innocence of their older, mystical lyrics. Pretty depressing stuff, but it rocks.

5. Blindside- With Shivering Hearts We Wait. Incredible return to form 6 years after their previous album. Probably the most melodic Blindside yet, but still with an edge.

6. Over the Rhine- The Long Surrender. Been a huge fan of this band for almost 15 years and was so disappointed with their previous album, The Trumpet Child. Pretend this is the great follow-up to the fantastic Drunkard's Prayer.

7. Sleeping at Last- Yearbook. They have released a 3-song EP a month for the last 10 months, and there are 2 to go. The EPs keep getting better, hard to even pinpoint my favorite.

8. Josh Garrells- Love & War & The Sea In Between. Easily the best album I have ever downloaded from NoiseTrade, and that is saying a lot. Vocally not really my cup of tea, but lyrically outstanding and musically diverse. Oh, and by the way, it is FREE.

9. R.E.M.- Collapse Into Now. My favorite of theirs since 1998's Up.

10. Explosions in the Sky- Take Care, Take Care, Take Care. Pretty much exactly what you would expect, but I have to admit I was hoping for more. However, they are still beautiful post-rock and the packaging of the double vinyl LP is worth the price alone.

EPs:
1. Appleseed Cast- Middle States
2. Derek Webb & Sandra McCracken- Tennessee
3. Pinback- Information Retrieved Pt. A 7"

Most anticipated for the rest of the year:
Thrice- Major/Minor; September 20 on Vagrant. Free MP3
Mates of State- Mountaintops; September 13 on Barsuk. Free MP3
Burlap to Cashmere- s/t; out now but haven't bought it yet. Free MP3
Fountains of Wayne- Sky Full of Holes; August 2 on Yep Roc.
Rosie Thomas (complete but no release date yet)
Nada Surf (complete but no release date yet)
Sixpence None the Richer (complete but no release date yet). Finally released a couple of new songs on their Myspace page. As you probably know this album has been mixed and shelved for over a year.
Sarah Jaffe (EP complete but no release date yet)
Paper Route (complete but no release date yet)

New Thrice song "Yellow Belly" (free mp3)

Stream or download below!

Thrice - Yellow Belly by VagrantRecords

Megan Rapinoe, midfielder and musician

Turns out my favorite player on the the USWNT is also sings and plays guitar! Anyway, nothing groundbreaking, but in honor of the Women's World Cup Final coming up Sunday, here you go...

The Spirit That Guides Us

I plan to write a lot more about this band soon. The Spirit That Guides Us is a hardcore band from the Netherlands that has now been around for a decade. The track above is from their new album that is being released in August. Hard to find much of their music in the United States, but my favorite album of theirs is available digitally on Amazon. Highly recommended!

Poor Old Lu Reunion Show 2011!

Poor Old Lu & Mates of State mp3

1. Poor Old Lu is working on a new song! Scott Hunter and Jesse Sprinkle both mentioned it on Facebook. This would be the first activity from Poor Old Lu since playing shows the summer of 2002.

2. Free download of the new single from Mates of State:

 
(if the widget doesn't work go to matesofstate.com)

New Mates of State video/song debut!

Mates Of State - "Maracas" from stereogum on Vimeo.

Wow. I have been a fan of Mates of State for a decade and they even surprise me! Sonically sounds like something they could have done years ago; of course the song-writing is much better now. Almost like this song was orchestrated in direct response to all the people that criticized the band's switch from organ to piano on their last album. Can't wait for the full album!

Sarah Jaffe

I saw Sarah Jaffe in concert last night, the video above I shot along with two others. I embedded Even Born Again because it is the most indicative of the three to what you should expect with most of her music. It is the title track of her 2008 EP, which was recently reissued digitally and on CD. I was thrilled to pick up a vinyl copy of the EP, because (1) I had never heard the EP and had considered buying it on Amazon, (2) had no clue it even existed on vinyl, and can find no mention of the vinyl anywhere online, and (3) it is a limited edition dated 2009 and hand-numbered 251/500. The vinyl itself is a gorgeous earth-tones marble swirl.

I became aware of Sarah Jaffe last spring with the released of her debut LP, Suburban Nature. I ranked it my #10 album of 2010. She blew away my expectations of what her concert would be like, as I assumed she would play solo with an acoustic guitar. Her studio tracks are relatively mellow, but live she rocked, partially due to a full backing band. She had a keyboardist, bassist, and drummer, all of whom also sang background vocals. I was surprised to see Jaffe switch instruments; first for the bass (as you will see in this video I filmed) and then for drums! (as you can see in this video I shot). I found an interview today from about six months ago about how last year she bought a bass and drum set with the intention of incorporating them into her live show.

Not only did the show rock more than I expected, it was much more quirky. The song she played drums on was a Harry Nilsson cover, Me and My Arrow. And then a couple of the newer songs she played were far more up-tempo and experimental than what she has released thus far. A Sucker for Your Marketing will be on an upcoming EP, set to release in August. (...Arrow and ...Marketing are the two other videos I shot.) Jaffe worked her own merch table and I was able to talk to her after the show. She said they are working on the finishing touches of the artwork for the new EP and then will have a release date.

Sarah was gracious, humble, and funny. She was able to perform for about 40 minutes as the opener for Centro-Matic. She played her most well-known song, Clementine, and here is a terrific live video of that song from earlier this year: Paste at SXSW: [Video] Sarah Jaffe :: Featured Videos

Lastly, I had not been the Earl since 1999, when I saw Luxury there. The venue leaves a lot to be desired. Number one, it is almost impossible to identify from the street. Secondly, after you find it, when you walk in, you assume you are in the wrong place because all you see is a restaurant. After you make your way to the back you will find yourself in a small, smoky room with poor lighting and poor sound. The Gum Creek Killers opened. I had never heard of them, they were good musicians but not my style. The crowd was surprisingly small, but did grow a little by the time Jaffe started. It was apparent that most of the people there were huge Centro-Matic fans. I had never even heard of the band until a month ago when I was researching this show. They have been around for over 15 years and have more than one release per year during that time. I was curious but only stayed for the first song as it was already 11:15 p.m.

Watch some other excellent Sarah Jaffe videos on Kirtland Records' Vimeo page.

Paranoid Android

Wow.