Monday, January 4th:
Beauty Bar: Major Major Major
Emo's: Free Week, Outside: Literature, Bear Claw, Cowabunga Babez, JC & Co., The Carrots; Inside: Scrabble Robot, Hoodrats, Flash Boys, Dolls from the Crypt, Children in Heat
Lucky Lounge: the Malakani Movement
Mohawk: Baron Grod
Saxon Pub: Meggan Carney, Nelo, Jeff Plankenhorn
Tuesday, January 5th:
Antone's: Derek O'Brien, Malford Milligan
Beauty Bar: Free Week w/ EZ Action!, SuperLiteBike, The Always Already, Planet Rye co, The Criminal Kind, & DJ Scorpio
Emo's: Free Week, Outside: Coma in Algiers, Elvis, Low Red Center, Diagonals, Mutating Meltdown; Inside: Horse+Donkey, The Gospel Truth, No Mas Bodas, Pataphysics
Evangeline Cafe: Brennen Leigh (6pm), Kevin Gallaugher (8pm)
Flipnotics: Lost & Nameless Orchestra, Erik Hokkanen's Laboratory
The Ghost Room: Nic Armstrong
Momo's: World Music Night w/ Austin Piazzolla Quintet, Kiko Villamizar (of Xemilla), Ahmed Arbab
Mohawk: Free Week w/ Ovenbirds, String, Obsolete Machines
Red 7: Free Week w/ the Anchor, O Pioneers!, Lemuria, Cruiserweight
Red Fez: Benmused Showcase, Twist Up w/ DJ Manny
Wednesday, January 6th:
Beauty Bar: Free Week w/ Stereo Is a Lie, Strange Attractors, She Sir, New Roman Times
Club de Ville: Free Week w/ Mobley, Vinhomudeh, Honky
Continental Club: Gallery: Jon Blondell, Trube, Farrell & Sniz; In the Club: Lisa Marshall
Emo's: Free Week, Outside: Oh No Oh My, Ovenbirds, the Laughing, Brothers and Sisters; Inside: 13th Victim, the Bulemics, Born to Lose, New Disaster
Flipnotics: George Carver, Matt the Electrician, Nicole Reynolds, Danny Malone, Graham Wilkinson
The Parish: Free Week w/ Wine & Revolution, Hollywood Gossip, Politics
Red 7: Free Week w/ Opposite Day, Frantic Clam, The Gary, Midgetmen, La Snacks
Saxon Pub: the Nortons, Monte Montgomery, Douglas Jay Boyd, Ouachita
Thursday, January 7th:
Beerland: Free Week w/ Black Panda, John Schooley & His One Man Band
Emo's: Free Week, Outside: Heart & Soul Sound System, the Sandworms, Nick Curran & the Lowlifes, Skeletons, the Jungle Rockers; Inside: the Eastern Sea, Haunting Oboe Music, Red Leaves, YellowFever, Moth Fight
Lambert's: John Pointer, Chris Hawkes
Lucky Lounge: Ian McLagan & the Bump Band
Mohawk: Free Week, Outside: the Great Nostalgic, TV Torso; Inside: Many Birthdays, Daniel Francis Doyle, Transmography, Ume
Momo's: Phil Marshall, Noelle Hampton, Javi Garcia & the Cold Cold Ground, Nathan Hubble
The Parish: Free Week w/ Sounds Under Radio, Suzanna Choffel (full band), Zookeeper, Wiretree, DJ Markus with a K
Red 7: Free Week, Inside: Get Action; Outside: Flowers, Cowabunga Babez, the Strange Attractors, Shapes Have Fangs, Hacienda
Stubb's: Free Week w/ Jessi Torissi, White Dress, the White Hotel
Friday, January 8th:
Antone's: the Wailers
Club de Ville: Free Week w/ Candi & the Strangers; She, Sir; Corto Maltese
Jovita's: Cover Girl and friends - Happy Birthday David Bowie Hoot Night
Mohawk: Free Week, Outside: Motel Aviv, Low Line Caller, the Laughing; Inside: Cartright, the Tunnels, Headdress, Christian Bland & the Revelators
The Parish: Free Week w/ L.A.X., Auto Body, Freshmillions (with members of The Sword), GOBI, DJ Thibault
Saxon Pub: Earl Poole Ball & the Cosmic Americans
Saturday, January 9th:
Club de Ville: Free Week w/ Haunting Oboe Music, Watch Out for Rockets, Burning Hotels
Flamingo Cantina: Don Chani, the Melodians
Mohawk: Free Week, Outside: the Hi-Tones, the Ugly Beats, the Carrots, T Bird & the Breaks; Inside: the Clouds are Ghosts, No Mas Bodas, Death Is Not a Joyride, Missions
Stubb's: Free Week w/ Danny Malone, the Pons, Leatherbag
Whip In: Lee Barber, Scrappy Jud Newcomb (7pm)
Sunday, January 10th:
Artz Rib House: Friends of Traditional Music Records Nite
Ginny's Little Longhorn: Dale Watson
Sengelmann Hall: Holub Polka Band
Speakeasy: Tavana
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
TraceInvader's Favorite Albums of 2009
This is one of the most fun, self-indulgent things I do all year. Revisiting all of the music I enjoyed (and discovering a few things I wasn't listening to) is like going back to every stellar meal I had and getting a re-do without having to count calories... mmm... the escargot and fig martinis of tuneage.
I like to call this a "favorites" list instead of a "best of" list because music, like all art, is so subjective. What touches, titillates, inspires someone all depends on personal preference and what is happening in your world at that moment. For my own reasons, these are my top 13 albums of 2009 in no particular (ok, alphabetical) order.
1. Bat for Lashes - Two Suns: I loved Fur and Gold. I think Two Suns surpasses it. Natasha Khan (aka Bat for Lashes) is a true artist whose music is tough to categorize. Expansive, orchestral, dramatic and beautiful.
2. Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse - Dark Night of the Soul: You have to dig a little bit to find this in a place you can still download it. Here's a hint. This album is a collaboration between Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse with featured singers you may have heard of like The Shins, Frank Black, Julian Casablancas, and Vic Chesnutt. It's designed to accompany a photo book by David Lynch. (Anyone remember the mysterious posters that were displayed around Austin during SXSW last year?) It's a little bit dark, multilayered and pretty.. go get it.
3. El Perro del Mar - Love Is Not Pop: It's no surprise that El Perro del Mar has collaborated with Lykke Li. Her sound is very similar and, like Lykke Li, her lyrics may not always be deep but this album is really listenable and loveable. (Unintentional use of alliteration there..Lordy!)
4. Florence + the Machine - Lungs: I shouldn't have waited so long to get this- I mean, it's been out since July. Florence Welch has a voice that can definitely fit in among the other British soul crooners like Adele and Amy Winehouse but she adds extra layers of instruments and unexpected twists that remind me more of My Brightest Diamond than Lily Allen.
5. The Grouch & Eligh - Say G&E!: First heard this album thanks to a Paste Magazine download and was immediately hooked. West Coast members of the Living Legends crew (including Aesop and Scarab) with positive lyrics, kickass hooks and production. Really, really fun to listen to from start to finish with no hos or snow.
6. Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3: It's HOVA. He's back. I mean, Empire State of Mind is worth the price of admission alone. Enough said.
7. Lissie - Why You Runnin' I have a friend over at Nettwerk who introduced me to Lissie and I heard her play live on KCRW shortly afterward. This is her debut album and, if it's any indication of where she's going, we'll be hearing a lot more about her. Stellar songwriting - beautiful, at times heart-wrenching, songs.
8. Metric - Fantasies: Emily Haines' of Broken Social Scene's "side project" - I've listened to this over and over again. I wouldn't necessarily say it's a breakthrough album but it is really solid and manages to tow that thin line between gloomy and danceable, which is a kind of bipolar I can always get behind.
9. Miike Snow - s/t: Thanks to RCRDLBL, I heard some of this album (and remixes of the original songs) pretty early on. Always liked it but it's continued to move up in my '09 rankings the more I listen to it. Swedish guys with a knack for pop with a fuzzy edge.
10. Mos Def - The Ecstatic: I've got an enormous amount of respect for Mos Def but can't really say I've ever wanted to put on one of his albums and listen to it all the way through. Not so with this one. It's the Mos Def you know who writes meaningful, inspiring poetry but it's hooky and makes you want to bounce.
11. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Pt. 2: No shocker that this is stylistically similar to Ghostface Killah since they are both part of the Wu-Tang Clan. It's a sequel to Raekwon's solo debut back in 1995 and, although I never listened to the '95 album, I'm tempted to go back and get it now that I'm hooked on Pt 2. It's predictably dark but it's good.
12. Regina Spektor - Far: Always a big fan of Regina Spektor's, I expected I would enjoy Far but I was surprised just how much. She is consistently amazing - lyrically, musically, and magical-vibe-ly.
13. Various Artists - Dark Was the Night: Featuring a top-notch cast of artists including David Byrne, Bon Iver, Grizzly Bear, Sufjan Stevens, Jose Gonzalez, and Dave Sitek, this compilation is one of the few I've heard that goes to a good cause (Red Hot Organization, raising awareness for HIV/AIDS) and is actually a killer album. It's a 31-song set and there aren't many throwaways on here.
And now, for the Runners-Up:
Amadou & Mariam – Welcome to Mali
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Antony & the Johnsons – The Crying Light
The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
Billy Harvey – The Everlasting War
Bon Iver – Blood Bank
Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Drake – So Far Gone
Elvis Perkins In Dearland – s/t
Fanfarlo – Reservoir
Girls – Album
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
Harlem Shakes – Technicolor Health
Heartless Bastards – The Mountain
Japandroids – Post-Nothing
Loch Lomond – Night Bats
Micachu – Jewellery
Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – s/t
Passion Pit – Manners
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Silversun Pickups – Swoon
St. Vincent – Actor
Tegan & Sara - Sainthood
Wale – Attention Deficit
The XX – XX
I like to call this a "favorites" list instead of a "best of" list because music, like all art, is so subjective. What touches, titillates, inspires someone all depends on personal preference and what is happening in your world at that moment. For my own reasons, these are my top 13 albums of 2009 in no particular (ok, alphabetical) order.
1. Bat for Lashes - Two Suns: I loved Fur and Gold. I think Two Suns surpasses it. Natasha Khan (aka Bat for Lashes) is a true artist whose music is tough to categorize. Expansive, orchestral, dramatic and beautiful.
2. Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse - Dark Night of the Soul: You have to dig a little bit to find this in a place you can still download it. Here's a hint. This album is a collaboration between Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse with featured singers you may have heard of like The Shins, Frank Black, Julian Casablancas, and Vic Chesnutt. It's designed to accompany a photo book by David Lynch. (Anyone remember the mysterious posters that were displayed around Austin during SXSW last year?) It's a little bit dark, multilayered and pretty.. go get it.
3. El Perro del Mar - Love Is Not Pop: It's no surprise that El Perro del Mar has collaborated with Lykke Li. Her sound is very similar and, like Lykke Li, her lyrics may not always be deep but this album is really listenable and loveable. (Unintentional use of alliteration there..Lordy!)
4. Florence + the Machine - Lungs: I shouldn't have waited so long to get this- I mean, it's been out since July. Florence Welch has a voice that can definitely fit in among the other British soul crooners like Adele and Amy Winehouse but she adds extra layers of instruments and unexpected twists that remind me more of My Brightest Diamond than Lily Allen.
5. The Grouch & Eligh - Say G&E!: First heard this album thanks to a Paste Magazine download and was immediately hooked. West Coast members of the Living Legends crew (including Aesop and Scarab) with positive lyrics, kickass hooks and production. Really, really fun to listen to from start to finish with no hos or snow.
6. Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3: It's HOVA. He's back. I mean, Empire State of Mind is worth the price of admission alone. Enough said.
7. Lissie - Why You Runnin' I have a friend over at Nettwerk who introduced me to Lissie and I heard her play live on KCRW shortly afterward. This is her debut album and, if it's any indication of where she's going, we'll be hearing a lot more about her. Stellar songwriting - beautiful, at times heart-wrenching, songs.
8. Metric - Fantasies: Emily Haines' of Broken Social Scene's "side project" - I've listened to this over and over again. I wouldn't necessarily say it's a breakthrough album but it is really solid and manages to tow that thin line between gloomy and danceable, which is a kind of bipolar I can always get behind.
9. Miike Snow - s/t: Thanks to RCRDLBL, I heard some of this album (and remixes of the original songs) pretty early on. Always liked it but it's continued to move up in my '09 rankings the more I listen to it. Swedish guys with a knack for pop with a fuzzy edge.
10. Mos Def - The Ecstatic: I've got an enormous amount of respect for Mos Def but can't really say I've ever wanted to put on one of his albums and listen to it all the way through. Not so with this one. It's the Mos Def you know who writes meaningful, inspiring poetry but it's hooky and makes you want to bounce.
11. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Pt. 2: No shocker that this is stylistically similar to Ghostface Killah since they are both part of the Wu-Tang Clan. It's a sequel to Raekwon's solo debut back in 1995 and, although I never listened to the '95 album, I'm tempted to go back and get it now that I'm hooked on Pt 2. It's predictably dark but it's good.
12. Regina Spektor - Far: Always a big fan of Regina Spektor's, I expected I would enjoy Far but I was surprised just how much. She is consistently amazing - lyrically, musically, and magical-vibe-ly.
13. Various Artists - Dark Was the Night: Featuring a top-notch cast of artists including David Byrne, Bon Iver, Grizzly Bear, Sufjan Stevens, Jose Gonzalez, and Dave Sitek, this compilation is one of the few I've heard that goes to a good cause (Red Hot Organization, raising awareness for HIV/AIDS) and is actually a killer album. It's a 31-song set and there aren't many throwaways on here.
And now, for the Runners-Up:
Amadou & Mariam – Welcome to Mali
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Antony & the Johnsons – The Crying Light
The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You
Billy Harvey – The Everlasting War
Bon Iver – Blood Bank
Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career
Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Drake – So Far Gone
Elvis Perkins In Dearland – s/t
Fanfarlo – Reservoir
Girls – Album
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
Harlem Shakes – Technicolor Health
Heartless Bastards – The Mountain
Japandroids – Post-Nothing
Loch Lomond – Night Bats
Micachu – Jewellery
Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – s/t
Passion Pit – Manners
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Silversun Pickups – Swoon
St. Vincent – Actor
Tegan & Sara - Sainthood
Wale – Attention Deficit
The XX – XX
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Austin Music Picks for the Week - Dec 28-Jan 3
After what feels like a long hiatus, we had to come back for show picks this week. With the New Year just around the corner, there's some kickass music going on in Austin.
Stay tuned for TraceInvader favorites of 2009...
Monday, December 28th:
Antone's: The Happen-Ins, Sideshow Tramps, Hayes Carll
Club 1808: Hotel Hotel, Bryce Eiman, Andrew Weathers
Frank Erwin Center: Trans-Siberian Orchestra
The Ghost Room: Paul Green School of Rock Music, Red Corner Rhymers
Momo's: Rebecca Pronsky, Beckham Bros., Dustin Welch, Brandon Jenkins, Rich O'Toole
Paramount: Woody Allen & His New Orleans Jazz Band
Saxon Pub: Matt the Electrician, Bob Schneider, Jeff Plankenhorn
Tuesday, December 29th:
Continental Club: Gallery: Ephraim Owens Experience; In the Club: Toni Price (6:30), Alejandro Escovedo, the Frank Mustard Project
Elephant Room: Brannen Temple Quartet
Emo's: Go Action Team, Fit for Rivals, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Momo's: World Music Night w/ Naga Valli, the Batikum, Austin Piazzolla Quintet
Wednesday, December 30th:
Antone's: the Scabs
Continental Club: Lisa Marshall, Jon Dee Graham, James McMurtry
Gruene Hall: the Trishes, Band of Heathens
Momo's: Kacy Crowley, Greg Schroeder, Drew Smith, Jessi Torissi, Deadman, Suzanna Choffel
Palmer Events Center: Duke Ellington Orchestra, Austin Symphony Orchestra
Saxon Pub: Monte Montgomery, Carolyn Wonderland
Thursday, December 31st:
Antone's: Dale Watson, Joe Ely & the Reunion Band
Austin Music Hall: the Band of Heathens, Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Robert Earl Keen
Continental Club: Gallery: Jimmie Vaughan, In the Club: LeRoi Brothers, Jade Idol, T Bird & the Breaks
Elephant Room: Ephraim Ownes
Emo's: Darren Hoff & the Hard Times, the Beaumonts, Scott H Biram
Flamingo Cantina: Reggae Bash w/ Dr Dubbist, Mau Mau Chaplains, Grimy Styles
Greune Hall: The Belleville Outfit (1pm); Clay McClinton & Delbert McClinton (8pm)
Hole in the Wall: Soul Track Mind, PJ & the Bear, Lost Soul Review
The Independent @ 501 Studios: YMCA Benefit w/ The Gourds
Mohawk: Peligrosa, Brownout, Grupo Fantasma
Momo's: Warren Hood & the Hoodlums, the Belleville Outfit
Palmer Events Center: Duke Ellington Orchestra, Austin Symphony Orchestra
The Parish: Markus with a K, Prepmode, White White Lights, Missions, Zeale
Saxon Pub: Sideshow Tragedy, Guy Forsyth
Seaholm Power Plant: Matt Shiv, Car Stereo (Wars), Flosstradamus
Stubb's: Proof Afrobeat, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
TX Federation of Women's Clubs: Blues Ball w/ Little Elmore Reed, Leeann Atherton
Friday, January 1st:
Antone's: Lou Ann Barton, Pinetop Perkins
Hanover's: the Weathermen
Saxon Pub: Earl Poole Ball & the Cosmic Americans
Saturday, January 2nd:
Antone's: Marcia Ball
Central Market North: Dan Dyer
Club de Ville: Free Week w/ Blase Faire, the Tunnels, the Happen-Ins
Mohawk: Free Week, Outside: Eagle Claw, Vinhomudeh, Lions; Inside: December Boys, PJ & the Bear, In Dudero
Sunday, January 3rd:
Lamberts: Black Red & Black
Stay tuned for TraceInvader favorites of 2009...
Monday, December 28th:
Antone's: The Happen-Ins, Sideshow Tramps, Hayes Carll
Club 1808: Hotel Hotel, Bryce Eiman, Andrew Weathers
Frank Erwin Center: Trans-Siberian Orchestra
The Ghost Room: Paul Green School of Rock Music, Red Corner Rhymers
Momo's: Rebecca Pronsky, Beckham Bros., Dustin Welch, Brandon Jenkins, Rich O'Toole
Paramount: Woody Allen & His New Orleans Jazz Band
Saxon Pub: Matt the Electrician, Bob Schneider, Jeff Plankenhorn
Tuesday, December 29th:
Continental Club: Gallery: Ephraim Owens Experience; In the Club: Toni Price (6:30), Alejandro Escovedo, the Frank Mustard Project
Elephant Room: Brannen Temple Quartet
Emo's: Go Action Team, Fit for Rivals, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Momo's: World Music Night w/ Naga Valli, the Batikum, Austin Piazzolla Quintet
Wednesday, December 30th:
Antone's: the Scabs
Continental Club: Lisa Marshall, Jon Dee Graham, James McMurtry
Gruene Hall: the Trishes, Band of Heathens
Momo's: Kacy Crowley, Greg Schroeder, Drew Smith, Jessi Torissi, Deadman, Suzanna Choffel
Palmer Events Center: Duke Ellington Orchestra, Austin Symphony Orchestra
Saxon Pub: Monte Montgomery, Carolyn Wonderland
Thursday, December 31st:
Antone's: Dale Watson, Joe Ely & the Reunion Band
Austin Music Hall: the Band of Heathens, Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Robert Earl Keen
Continental Club: Gallery: Jimmie Vaughan, In the Club: LeRoi Brothers, Jade Idol, T Bird & the Breaks
Elephant Room: Ephraim Ownes
Emo's: Darren Hoff & the Hard Times, the Beaumonts, Scott H Biram
Flamingo Cantina: Reggae Bash w/ Dr Dubbist, Mau Mau Chaplains, Grimy Styles
Greune Hall: The Belleville Outfit (1pm); Clay McClinton & Delbert McClinton (8pm)
Hole in the Wall: Soul Track Mind, PJ & the Bear, Lost Soul Review
The Independent @ 501 Studios: YMCA Benefit w/ The Gourds
Mohawk: Peligrosa, Brownout, Grupo Fantasma
Momo's: Warren Hood & the Hoodlums, the Belleville Outfit
Palmer Events Center: Duke Ellington Orchestra, Austin Symphony Orchestra
The Parish: Markus with a K, Prepmode, White White Lights, Missions, Zeale
Saxon Pub: Sideshow Tragedy, Guy Forsyth
Seaholm Power Plant: Matt Shiv, Car Stereo (Wars), Flosstradamus
Stubb's: Proof Afrobeat, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
TX Federation of Women's Clubs: Blues Ball w/ Little Elmore Reed, Leeann Atherton
Friday, January 1st:
Antone's: Lou Ann Barton, Pinetop Perkins
Hanover's: the Weathermen
Saxon Pub: Earl Poole Ball & the Cosmic Americans
Saturday, January 2nd:
Antone's: Marcia Ball
Central Market North: Dan Dyer
Club de Ville: Free Week w/ Blase Faire, the Tunnels, the Happen-Ins
Mohawk: Free Week, Outside: Eagle Claw, Vinhomudeh, Lions; Inside: December Boys, PJ & the Bear, In Dudero
Sunday, January 3rd:
Lamberts: Black Red & Black
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Hey Champ Remix Album- free download!
Hey Champ from Chicago, on Lupe Fiasco's 1st & 15th label, just released a free download of their remix project with a stellar cast of artists involved including Mike Posner, The Cool Kids, Passion Pit, The Sounds, French Horn Rebellion, 80's Kidz, Priors, Moneypenny, and more. Enjoy.
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