fill-in show this morning (Walter Goldberg Hours)

Solo Pan Knights - For your Love
Stevie Wonder - For your love

Travis - J. Smith
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood
the Black Keys - Wanted

Dan Auerbach - Whispered Words
Ray Charles - I'm gonna move to the outskirts of town
Elbow - Grounds for Divorce

Viex Farka Toure - Dounia (Cheb i Sabbah's Africa Unite Remix)
Andrew Bird - Oh No
the Shins - Australia
Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
Ravi Bal & Daljit Mattu - Captain Bhangra Da

the books featuring Jose Gonzalez - Cello Song
Ben Sollee - A Change is gonna come
Rasputina - Rock and Roll
Yo Yo Ma - Ecstasy of Gold

Mike Doughty - Looking at the World from the bottom of a well
Matthew Loiacono - Modest Birds
the Avett Brothers - Backwards with time
She and Him - Why do You Let me stay here
Ra Ra Riot - St. Peter's day Festival

Stevie Wonder - Send One your love
Tropical Angel Harps - Celebration (that's what the CD case said but it's a live performance and you can hear the announcer introducing the band as "St. James... " and I'm pretty sure the song sounds like a sound I'm familiar with Barry White doing that I can't remember the name of right now. Anyhow the album is the Art of Pan II: Pan in the 21st century)
the National - You're so far around the bend

the National - Green Gloves
Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
Mates of State - Get Better

Dan Auerbach - My Last Mistake

Ambient Signal - 3/3/09

WRPI 91.5fm!
http://www.wrpi.org/ for webcast
Tuesdays 6-8pm

Bright Eyes - Southern state
Neva Dinova - A man and his dream
Art in manila - Set the woods on fire
My Milky way arms - Soft alarm
My brightest diamond - The diamond
The Velvet Teen - Penicillin (It doesn't mean much)
World's end girlfriend - The octuple personality and eleven crows
Bell orchestre - Icicles/Bicycles
Youth group - Two sides
Appleseed Cast - Like a locus
Neko Case - People got a lot of nerve
Maria Taylor - Lady luck
Here we go magic - Everything's big
Mirah - Gone are the days
Last days - Run Home
Asobi Seksu - In the sky
Laura Gibson - Glory
Mum - Weeping Rock, Rock
Gregor Samsa - Ain Leuh
Kashiwa Daisuke = Stella (First 7 minutes)
Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook
The Books - Tokyo
Camera obscura - My Maudlin Career

pinkie swear with Emelie

artist - song

Tittsworth - 12 Steps Set
Boy 8 Bit - 21 minutes mix
Animal Collective - My Girls
Tobacco - Little Pink Riding Hood
Late of Pier - Space and the Woods
Architechture in Helsinki - That Beep
Yelle - Ce Jeu
Broken Spindles - I've Never Been This Afraid
John Tejada Fabric Mix

Emelie
15989

Weird Noises 3/2/2009

Here's today's playlist from the Weird Noises show:

Jacques Berrocal - Rock and Roll Station
Cornelius Cardew - Memories of You (performed by Apartment House)
Suicide - Frankie Teardrop
William Basinski - Disintegration Loops 4
Morton Feldman - The Viola in My Life I (performed by Ensemble Recherche)
Luciano Berio - Sequenza VII for Oboe (performed by Jackie Leclair)
Heiner Goebbels - Die Wiederholung (performed by Marie Goyette and John King)
Jurg Frey - Ohne Titel (performed by Clemens Merkel and Joanna Becker)
Sightings - Anna Mae Wong
Christian Clozier - Lettre a une demoiselle
Giacinto Scelsi - Canti del Capricorno (performed by Michiko Hirayama)
Captain Beefheart - Ella Guru
Cornelius Cardew - Material (performed by Apartment House)

Gold Sounds 2/25/09: Brought to you by the letter A

So I was wondering what it'd be like to have a show that was like Sesame Street, so here's my attempt: songs and artists that start with A. If the song and artist both start with A, it's worth two points! Anyway, new stuff in red. Songs with identical titles are in "All My Friends" gold.

Animal Collective "Also Frightened"
These Are Powers "Adam's Turtle"
Architecture in Helsinki "That Beep"

Los Campesinos! "All Your Kayfabe Friends"
O Pioneers! "The Architect of Disney World"
Spoon "All the Pretty Girls Go to the City"

Rock Block - Hello Sir Records
Cinemechanica "Antsinjapants"
We Versus the Shark "As Good As it Gets"
A.Armada "The Dam Was Split but the City Was Saved"

At the Drive-In "One Armed Scissor"
Appomattox "Either Way"
Archers of Loaf "Audiowhore"

And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead "Another Morning Stoner"
Jawbreaker "Accident Prone"
Pavement "And Then (The Hexx)"

Defiance, Ohio "Anxious and Worrying"
Fugazi "Argument"
Deer Tick "Ashamed"

Devendra Banhart "Autumn's Child"
The Dismemberment Plan "Automatic"
Dntel "Anywhere Anyone"

Radiohead "Airbag"
Faunts "Alarmed/Lights"

Menomena "Air Aid"
Minus the Bear "Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse"
Mott the Hoople "All the Young Dudes"

The Smiths "Ask"
Hello Seahorse! "Atardecer en Parapent"
Ozma "Apple Trees"

The Books "All Our Base Are Belong to Them"
Pinback "AFK"
The Avalanches "Frontier Psychiatrist"
The Beatles "Across the Universe"

Broken Social Scene "All My Friends"
LCD Soundsystem "All My Friends"
Pavement "All My Friends"

Aphex Twin "Windowlicker"

WG Hours (filled in for Hello Pretty City this morning)

Weezer - My Name is Jonas

the Neville Brothers - Shake Your Tambourine
the Mighty Shadow - Bassman

the Weakerthans - Civil Twilight
Lykke Li - I'm Good I'm Gone
Santogold - Lights out
Foals - the French Open

the Apples in Stereo - Energy
Nicole Atkins - Together we are both alone
Matthew Loiacono - Modest Birds

Krosfyah - Pump Me up
Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Noel La Pierre - Have I told you lately
Jeneric - After the Great Flood of Troy
She & Him - Sentimental Heart

Tightrope - Yeasayer
Fleet Foxes - Ragged Wood
Matthew Loiacono - Inside my grin

TV on the Radio - DLZ
Oasis - Don't Look back in anger
the Avett Brothers - Shame
the Walkmen - Red Moon

Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - Inspiration Information
Atlantik (vocals by Tony Prescott) - All aboard
Budos Band - Chicago Falcon

Yo Yo Ma & Diana Krall - You couldn't be cuter
Mike Doughty - the Only Answer
Albert Hammond Jr. - Gfc
Why? - These Fews presidents
Travis - Sing

Chuck Mangione - Feels So Good.

Ambient Signal - 2/24/08

WRPI 91.5fm!
http://www.wrpi.org/ for webcast
Tuesdays 6-8pm

Anathallo - Cafetorium
Azure Ray - November
Margot and the Nuclear so and so's - Dress me like a clown
Gregor Samsa - The Adolescent
Johann Johannsson - The Rocket Builder (Io Pan!)
Bitcrush - Every ghost has its spectre
Mono - Burial at sea
Here we go magic - Tunnelvision
Faunts - Das malefitz
Asobi Seksu - Sing tomorrow's praise
Neko Case - This Tornado loves you
Laura Gibson - come by storm
Marissa Nadler - Heart paper lover
N.A.S.A. - Strange enough
La Strada - Flying
Love Language - Lalita
World's end girlfriend - Birthday Resistance
The Books - That right aint shit
Phantogram - Bloody Palms
Beck - Girl (Octet remix)
Grizzly Bear - Little brother
The Helio sequence - The Captive mind
Ambulette - I've got more
Forget cassettes - Ms. Rhythm and blues

So Many Dynamos - The Loud Wars release announced

It's official: So Many Dynamos' new album The Loud Wars will be released by Vagrant Records on April 28th, 2009.

1	Artifacts of Sound
2	Glaciers
3	The Novelty of Haunting
4	New Bones
5	If You Didn’t Want To Know
6	Oh, The Devastation
7	Keep It Simple
8	Friendarmy
9	It’s Gonna Rain
10	The Formula

Oh yes, this will be a big one. Best of 2009? Place your bets.

Watch: So Many Dynamos "The Novelty of Haunting" live

Deer Tick at WRPI 2/16/09 pt 2: songs and interview!

Hey everyone,

So as I mentioned before, Deer Tick stopped by WRPI on Monday to play some songs and interview with yours truly. I'm happy to post the songs and interview here:

Deer Tick "Dirty Dishes"

Deer Tick "These Old Shoes"

Deer Tick "La, La, La"

Deer Tick - Interview (includes some details on their two 2009 releases, among other subjects)

Deer Tick's set at Madison Grille in Albany that night was awesome as well! They packed the place and put on a great performance. If you haven't yet seen them live, be sure to rectify that next time they come around the area. You can keep up with Deer Tick's music and intense tour schedule by checking their official website or myspace page.

Gold Sounds 2/18/09 - New, longer timeslot. Also, robots!

Hey everyone! So I have a longer timeslot now, 11am-2pm instead of 12pm-2pm. I also really like eagles. Finally, I'm going to play at least an hour's worth of songs that somehow involve robots! Sweet.

We had Deer Tick stop by a couple days ago to record some songs and interview. I'll be posting the songs and interview here within the next few days.

New stuff in red. Requests in blue.

Deer Tick - Live at WRPI, 2/16/09
Deer Tick "Dirty Dishes"
Deer Tick "These Old Shoes"
Deer Tick "La, La, La"

Deer Tick "Ashamed"
Jessica Lea Mayfield "I Can't Lie to You, Love"
The Black Keys "Things Ain't Like They Used to Be"
Dan Auerbach "Keep it Hid"

Pavement "Date w/ Ikea"/"Fin" (Peel Session 8/21/97)
Mike Bones "What I Have Left"
Clem Snide "Hum"

Delta Spirit "Strange Vine"
Other Lives "Matador"
Here We Go Magic "Tunnelvision"

The Ergs! "Hey Jealousy"
Bomb the Music Industry! "25!"
O Pioneers! "The Architect of Disney World"

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart "Contender"
Asobi Seksu "In the Sky"
The Appleseed Cast "The Summer Before"
La Strada "Orphan"

Conceptual Rock Blocks - ROBOTS
Nada Surf "Robot"
Mathematicians "Robotic Voices"

Radiohead "Paranoid Android"
Arling & Cameron "Dirty Robot"

The Dresden Dolls "Coin-Operated Boy"
They Might Be Giants "Robot Parade"
The Phenomenauts "I Am Robot"

The Misfits "We Are 138"
The Dismemberment Plan "Memory Machine"
Mr. Bungle "None of Them Knew They Were Robots"
Black Sabbath "Iron Man"

Tokyo Police Club "Citizens of Tomorrow"
The Flaming Lips "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1"
The Flaming Lips "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 2"
Was (Not Was) "Anything Can Happen"

Flight of the Conchords "Robots"
Clutch "10001110101"

Ghostland Observatory "Robotique Majestique"
Daft Punk "Robot Rock"

Back next week! Robot requests are radical.

Happiness Is All The Rage - 02/17/09

artist - song
requests in blue

mock orange - payroll
hey mercedes - knowing when to stop
piebald - long nights
cap'n jazz - take on me
propaghandi - rock for sustainable capitalism
the appleseed cast - forever longing the golden sunsets
the promise ring - everywhere in denver
the get up kids - ten minutes
fugazi - bed for the scraping
texas is the reason - nickel wound
braid - jimmy go swimmer
american football - honestly?
no knife - riot for romance
knapsack - thrusday side of the street
hot water music - rooftops
rainer maria - long knives
christie front drive - long out

Ambient Signal - 2/17/09

WRPI 91.5fm!
http://www.wrpi.org/ for webcast
Tuesdays 6-8pm

Remember! I am playing video with Phantogram (aka Charlie Everywhere) at Revolution hall tomorrow night at 8pm! They are playing with the New Deal..should be fun!

Notwist - Consequence
Husky Rescue - Summertime Cowboy
Mirah - La Familia
Port O' Brien - I woke up today
Morning Recordings - We loved the city years
High places - Visions the first
Mono - Everlasting light
Faunts - Explain
Animal Collective - Summertime clothes
Here we go magic - Frangela
Laura Gibson - Funeral Song
Vetiver - Another reason to go
Appleseed Cast - Summer before
Love Language - Graycourt
Psapp - Fix it
Asobi Seksu - Layers
My Brightest Diamond - Inside a boy
Maria Taylor - A Good Start
Land of talk - It's Okay
Panda bear - Comfy in nautica
The Album leaf - MP
Sigur Ros - Hijomalind
Nico Muhly - Skip Town

pinkie swear | Emelie

artist - song

Tujiko Noriko - Vinyl Words
Brighton Port Authority - Seattle - feat. Emmie the Great
Cassius - Toop Toop
Cloud Cult - Transistor Radio
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Scattered Pearls
Death Cab for Cutie - No Sunlight
Domestic Blend Compilation Album - Frowning
Michna - Triple Chrome Dipped
Minus the Bear - Hooray [Dark Baby Remix]
Minus the Bear - Ice Monster
Modest Mouse - Never Ending Math Equation
Modest Mouse - Gravity Rides Everything
The Notwist - Good Lies
Mates of State - The Re-Arranger (by request)
Santogold - I'm a Lady
Teddybears - Punkrocker
Yelle - Ce Jeu
Blake Watson (of Attractive and Popular) - Rooftops in New York City
Kyle Andrews - Sushi
Kylie Minogue - Can't Get Blue Monday Out Of My Head
Maroon 5 - This Love (Cut Copy Galactic Beach House Mix)
Tobacco - Little Pink Riding Hood
The Knife - Silent Shout
The BPA - Toe Jam
Tearglass and Plateglass - Plague Burial (featuring David Hykes)
Lali Puna - Flowchart - Fast Forward Remix
Ladytron - Cracked LCD

Emelie
[15546]

Deer Tick at WRPI 2/16/09

Hey everyone,

So WRPI had the pleasure of having Deer Tick play some songs and participate in an interview for us in the studio today! If you'd like to hear the songs and interview I conducted with Deer Tick, listen to WRPI today at 6pm and Wednesday at 11am. I'll be posting the songs and interview here within the next week or so.

I'd also like to add that tonight, Deer Tick will be playing at Madison Grille in Albany at 7pm. Check it out:

Walter goldberg hours - feb 16th 2009

Miles Davis - So What
Warren Zevon - Johnny Strikes up the band
Elvis Costello & the Attractions - the greatest thing
the Fugees - Killing me Softly with his song

Grateful dead - Candyman
the Specials - Ghost town
Weakerthans - Civil Twilight
Weezer - Island in the Sun
the Who - Behind blue eyes

Yardbird Suite - Charlie Parker
Gravity - John Mayer
the Avett Brothers - Pretty Girl from Chile
Cream - I'm So Glad
Cake - Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps

Mates of State - Middle is Gold
the Shins - Turn on Me

the Black Keys - She Said She Said
the National - Secret Meeting
Wolf Parade - Soldier's Grin

Osibisa - Sunshine Day
Santogold - You'll find a way
Ra Ra Riot - Dyin is fine
Cut Copy - Lights & music
Bela Fleck & the flecktones - Space is a lonely place
the Avett Brothers - the ballad of love and hate

blitzen trapper - furr
another world - antony and the johnsons
aerosmith - sweet emotion
the hold steady - sequestered in memphis

the apples in stereo - energy
machel montano - J'ouvert morning
Gipsy Kings - Volare

TV on the radio - Golden Age
Tina Turner - What's love got to do with it
the BPA feat Emmy the Great - Seattle
the Black Keys - thickfreakness
the Walkmen - In the new year
Tito Puente - Prelude to a Kiss
Spoon - the Underdog

David Rudder - Bahia Girl
Gregory Isaacs - Love is Overdue
St. Vincent - All my stars aligned

Michael Jackson - Human Nature
Moldy Peaches - Anyone Else but you
Ben Sollee - A Change is Gonna Come

Gold Sounds: Bomb the Music Industry! - Scrambles review

Bomb the Music Industry! - Scrambles

Here's a big ol' review of an album I just listened to a couple hours ago, the anticipated new release from Bomb the Music Industry!

Musically, Bomb the Music Industry! has greatly evolved since its inception, gradually eschewing the breakneck speed, electronic punk/ska of their earlier albums (mostly recorded solely by BTMI! mastermind Jeff Rosenstock on his laptop) in favor of a full-band sound first displayed in their previous album, 2007's Get Warmer. Scrambles continues the full-band sound and makes it even fuller, with most songs having numerous things going on. Besides their obvious punk/ska influences, other musical influences are more apparent as well: "Cold Chillin' Cold Chillin'" opens the album with a lo-fi sound reminiscent of Neutral Milk Hotel, and the beginning of "Wednesday Night Drinkball" even borrows the melody of "History of the Defeated" by the Weakerthans. However, don't accuse these songs of being retreads: both retain an original sound, "Cold Chillin'" with its surprising (for BTMI!) restraint and unique vocal work/instrumentation (sleigh bells!) and "Drinkball" with its ominous backup chanting and unexpected, glorious 15-second burst of noise segueing perfectly into "25!". BTMI! has always strived to make ALBUMS rather than a set of songs, and nowhere is that more true than in Scrambles, with the ending of each song cleverly leading into the beginning of the next.

So what are these songs about? Besides, you know, throwing bombs at the music industry, Rosenstock is mainly concerned with the ups and downs of growing up in contemporary American society. Prior BTMI! albums have dealt with this theme, but Scrambles brings it to a different level. Instead of just lamenting the tough times of life, Rosenstock seems to be brushing off the negative in favor of embracing the greater good, that good being to pursue happiness. In "Fresh Attitude, Young Body," Rosenstock pairs lyrics like "If you don't find a steady job now/If you don't find someone to love now/You will die freezing cold and alone" with uplifting music: Dig that piano! Dig those hand claps! Yeah, there are a lot of pressures put on us to settle down and bring home the bucks, but what's the point if you're sacrificing what you love? In Scrambles, Rosenstock acknowledges the negative aspects of dream chasing (job searching, rent owing, and moving, among other things) but never attempts to dissuade the listener from pursuing whatever they wish to accomplish and never forgets that, hey, life is pretty great and full of awesome moments. As final song "Sort of Like Being Pumped" puts it, "I saw the sunset from the front of the J train tonight/The subway stopped and stammered and I couldn’t get my footing right/I tied my scarf for the walk home the sun went down by 5:45/But I saw the sunset tonight": Keep doing what you want to do because, even though life may throw you through the ringer, those little things will always be there to put a smile on your face and keep you going.

You can download this album for free from Quote Unquote Records. Seriously, you have no excuse not to check this album out. If you really dig it, donate some money to Quote Unquote (they make all their albums available digitally for free, including the rest of the Bomb the Music Industry! catalog) or grab a physical copy (CD or LP) from Asian Man Records, which is, for a limited time, accompanied by a zine created by Rosenstock and his friends.

Happiness Is All The Rage - 02/10/09

artist - song

requests in blue

the get up kids - valentine
764-HERO - terrified of flight
the casket lottery - what i built last
american football - but the regrets are killing me
texas is the reason = the magic bullet theory
samiam - mud hill
the promise ring - why did ever we meet
christie front drive - dyed on 8
boys life - tucked in
braid - never will come for us
knapsack - shape of the fear
hey mercedes - playing your song
jawbreaker - shield your eyes
hot rod circuit - radiation suit
cap'n jazz - yes, i am talking to you
pop unknown - b-sides
sunny day real estate - round
owls - what whorse you wrote id on
the appleseed cast - marigold & patchwork
death cab for cutie - debate exposes doubt
coldplay - viva la vida
the anniversary - all things ordinary
dag nasty - minority of one
the new amsterdams - hanging on for hope
no knife - the red bedroom
weezer - across the sea
jets to brazil - perfecting loneliness
cross my heart - it doesnt take that many pills to sleep forever
mineral - gjs

Gold Sounds 2/11/09: New music and female singers

I have so much new music today! It's in red. Requests are in blue.

Other Lives "Speed Tape"
Dan Auerbach "Heartless, in Disrepair"
Mike Bones "One Moment's Peace"
Clem Snide "A Beard of Bees"

Vetiver "Sister"
M. Ward "Epistemology"
Beirut "El Zocalo"/"La Llorona"

Hot Panda "Afraid of the Weather"
Hello Seahorse! "OK!...Lobster"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart "Young Adult Friction"
Sonic Youth "Silver Rocket"

From Monument to Masses "Beyond God & Elvis"
Franz Ferdinand "Turn it On"
Yeasayer "Tightrope" (from the Dark Was the Night compilation)

CONCEPTUAL ROCK BLOCK(S) - Ladies Croon, Fellas Swoon
She & Him "This Is Not a Test"
Neko Case "Favorite"
Norah Jones "Wish I Could"
Jessica Lea Mayfield "You've Won Me Over"

Kate Nash "Mouthwash"
Handsome Boy Modeling School "I've Been Thinking (ft. Cat Power)"
Regina Spektor "Ghost of Corporate Future"

Beach House "Gila"
Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton "Winning"
Eleni Mandell "Right Side"

Feist "Sealion"
Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Our Time"
Laura Stevenson and the Cans "Landslide Song/The Dig"
Siouxsie and the Banshees "Kiss Them for Me"

One hour of ladies who make fellas swoon = awesome. I think next week, I'm going to try to make at least an hour of my show consist only of songs with lyrics about or titles alluding to robots. Any ideas for songs? Then let me know here!

Ambient Signal - 2/10/08

WRPI 91.5fm!
http://www.wrpi.org/ for webcast
Tuesdays 6-8pm

Phantogram - Lucy's underground
Emily Haines and the soft skeleton - The maid needs a maid
Denali - Hold your breath
Battles - Tras 2
The Velvet teen - We were bound (to bend the rules)
Cursive - Sink to the beat
Mono - Ashes in the snow
Animal Collective - Bluish
Psapp - Part like waves
Faunts - Out on a limb
Love language - Stars
Lily allen - 22
Laura Gibson - Come by storm
P.O.S. - Never better
Vetiver - Sister
Antony and the Johnsons - Kiss my name
Dent may - Oh Paris
Conor Oberst - Cape Canaveral
DNTEL - Rock my boat (ft. Mia Doi Todd)
Radical Face - Welcome home
Why? - Simeon's Dilemma
Stars - Set yourself on fire
Young galaxy - Swing your heartache
Neva Dinova - On/Off

pinkie swear and the beat with emelie and tim

HOUR ONE: Pinkie Swear w/ Emelie

artist - song

Death Cab for Cutie - Grapevine Fires
Modest Mouse - 3rd Planet
Cloud Cult - Happy Hippo
Mogwai - Acid Food
Emmie the Great - Seattle
Brighton Port Authority - Toe Jam (feat. David Byrne + Dizzie Rascal)
- Sleep
Tilly and the Wall - Alligator
The Mae Shi - Lamb and Lion
------
Late of the Pier - Space and the Woods
Mochipet - Girls and Boys and Toys
Michna - Believe in It
Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes
Tobacco - Backwoods Altar
?

Emelie
[15278]

HOUR TWO: THE BEAT w/ Tim (new music in red)

Target Market "The Beat"
So Many Dynamos "The Pros of Being a Con Artist"
Tokyo Police Club "Graves"
French Miami "All on Fire"

Hot Panda "Whale Headed Girl"
Handsome Furs "What We Had"
Talking Heads "Once in a Lifetime" (request)

Why? "By Torpedo or Crohn's" (remix by DNTEL)
Handsome Boy Modeling School "The World's Gone Mad"
El-P "Smithereens"

Radiohead "Idioteque"
Faunts "Feel.Love.Thinking.Of."

the walter goldberg hours

this was my playlist from my show (the Walter Goldberg Hours) this morning:

[it's not all indie but I'm always looking for stuff to play so feel free to suggest anything]

Special Rider Blues - Corey Harris with Ali Farka Toure
Money - Pink Floyd
The Ghost of You Lingers - Spoon
White Room - Cream
Everyday I write the book - Elvis Costello & the Attractions
Only Man - Buju Banton
Nervous in the Alley - Less than Jake
Rock and Roll - Rasputina
Now, Now - St. Vincent
Koko - Charlie Parker
When I Say Go - the 1900s
The Distance - Cake
Aerosmith - Dream On
Satta Dub - Augustus Pablo
Ghost under Rocks - Ra Ra Riot
Up from the South - the Budos Band
Big Chief - Dr. John
the Coffee Song - Osibisa
Mount Wroclai (Idle Days) - Beirut
Oh Albany We Hope - We are Jeneric
Mercedes Benz - Janis Joplin
Blowin' in the Wind - Bob Dylan
Bassman - Shadow
Viva La Vida - Coldplay
Psychotic Girl - the Black Keys
Spade - BPA featuring Martha Wainright
For the Good Times - Al Green
Guitars need a sinner's touch - Computer vs Banjo
Chemtrails - Beck
this is not a test - she & him
Maybe Tonight - Nicole Atkins
Fitz and Dizzyspells - Andrew Bird
Wolf like me - tv on the radio
Friend of the Devil - Grateful Dead
One step forward - Max Romeo
A-punk - Vampire Weekend
Much Smarter - the meditations
Grounds for Divorce - Elbow
Blood Bank (Radio Edit) - Bon Iver
you're wondering now - the specials
I just called to say I love you - Stevie Wonder
the french open - antidotes
Santa Clara - the National
Swept Me Away (sentimental Version) - the Avett Brothers
Dig Lazarus Dig - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Feeling Good - Nina Simone
I'm Good, I'm gone - Lykke Li
these few presidents - Why?

Gold Sounds 2/7/09: Fill-in edition

'Sup? I'm filling in from 3 to 5pm today. Playing mostly loud, long, guitar-focused songs. New stuff's red.

Sonic Youth "Teen Age Riot"
A.Armada "Fall-Triumph"
Explosions in the Sky "Snow and Lights"
Animal Collective "Banshee Beat"

Hum "I'd Like Your Hair Long"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart "Gentle Sons"
We Versus the Shark "Mountaineering"
Colour Revolt "Mattresses Underwater"
Neil Young & Crazy Horse "Cortez the Killer"

Built to Spill "Randy Described Eternity"
Ozma "Continental Drift"
Snapcase "Ten A.M."
Piebald "Grace Kelly with Wings"

Television "Glory"/"Days"
Pinback "Montaigne"

Modest Mouse "Ohio"
Red House Painters "Katy Song"
Yo La Tengo "Autumn Sweater"

The Decemberists "California One Youth and Beauty Brigade"
The New Year "Seven Days and Seven Nights"
The Notwist "One with the Freaks"
The Walkmen "Red Moon"

Gold Sounds 2/4/09

Oh hey, music! New stuff (and lots of it!) in red

Pavement "Fin" (from Brighten the Corners reissue)

Animal Collective "Daily Routine"
A.C. Newman "Like a Hitman, Like a Dancer"
Miniature Tigers "Octopus"

Los Campesinos! "Miserabilia"
Matt & Kim "Cutdown"
Nous Non Plus "Loli"

We Versus the Shark "X-French T-Shirt (Shudder to Think cover)"
Ida Maria "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart "Everything with You"

So Many Dynamos "It's Gonna Rain"
Golden Boots "Easy Lie"
St. Vincent "The Apocalypse Song"
Spoon "I Summon You"

Conceptual Rock Block - RAC Nintendo vs. Sega EP (really cool remixes of old videogame songs. Download it for free on RAC's website: http://theremixcompany.co.uk/?p=85)
RAC "Super Mario Bros (RAC Mix)"
RAC "Sonic Labyrinth Zone 5 (RAC Maury Mix)"
RAC "A Link to the Past (RAC Mix)"
RAC "Sonic: Spring Yard Zone (RAC Maury Mix)"

Fever Ray "If I Had a Heart"
Alias "Oakland Morning"
Faunts "Input"
Bon Iver "Beach Baby"

Other Lives "Speed Tape"
Laura Marling "Tap at My Window"
Matt Sharp "Goodbye West Coast" (request!)

Glassjaw "The Gillette Cavalcade of Sports"
The Wrens "She Sends Kisses"
Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton "The Maid Needs a Maid"

Interpol "NYC"/"PDA"

Definitely pleased with the flow of this show! Back next week.

Happiness Is All The Rage - 02/03/09

Unfortunately I could only be on air for an hour because of my IEA test, but don't fret, I will be on the full 2 hours next week. Here is my playlist for this show:

artist - song

Sunny Day Real Estate - Pillars
Rites of Spring - Deeper Than Inside
Smashing Pumpkins - Today
The Get Up Kids - Out of Reach
The Promise Ring - Red & Blue Jeans
Knapsack - Katherine the Grateful
No Knife - Academy Fight Song
Texas Is The Reason - Johnny on the Spot
The Casket Lottery - Code Red
Weezer - Tired of Sex
Cross My Heart - Dornier
Christie Front Drive - Turn
Pop Unknown - The Invisible Complex
Mineral - Unfinished
Jets to Brazil - Crown of the Valley
Hot Water Music - Remedy

Ambient Signal - 2/3/09

WRPI 91.5fm!
http://www.wrpi.org/ for webcast
Tuesdays 6-8pm

Cut Copy - Hearts on fire
M83 - Teen angst
Doves - Jetstream
Cortney Tidwell - Our time
Amiina - Hilli
Bend Like Branches - Snowroom
The Books - Be good to them always
Dntel - Why I'm So Unhappy
Animal Collective - Also Frightened
Faunts - Feel. love. thinking. of.
Love Language - Lalita
Antony and the Johnsons - Kiss my name
Dent may and his magnificent ukelele - Girls on the square
Audrye Sessions - Turn me off
A. Armada - If only you knew what the lost soldiers did to me
Pains of being pure at heart - Hey Paul
Ethan rose - Fortunate
Late at the pier - Space and the woods
William elliott whitmore - Hell or high water
Falcon - Sad Truth
Bright Eyes - Cleanse Song
Brendan Canning - Been at it so long
The Velvet Teen - Red like roses
Erik Satie - Gymnopedies 1
Talkdemonic- CSJ9
Sufjan Stevens - Chicago

pinkie swear

artist - song
pink skull - take me out riding (feat. mirah)
cut copy - out there on the ice
ghostland observatory - dancing on my grave
adventure - 3
mochipet - girls and boys and toys feat. Jahcoozi
yelle - ce jeu - the twelves remix
maroon 5 - this love (cut copy galactic beach house remix mix) - cut copy
kylie minogue - i just can't get blue monday out of my head
the bravery - an honest mistake
santogold - lights out
the ting tings - that's not my name
calvin harris - the girls
tobacco - truck sweat
Lykke Li - Breaking it up
late of the pier - space and the woods
minus the bear - let's play clowns
modest mouse - never ending math equation
emmie the great - seattle
teddy bears - different sound
talking heads - genius of love
brighton port authority (BPA) - toe jam feat. david byrne and dizzie rascal
tilly and the wall - jumbler
shiny toy guns - le disko - tommie sunshine remix
Takamasa - last night
tortoise and bonnie prince
takka takka - monkey forest road
matt & kim - daylight
animal collective - my girls
take - black space & tangerines
take - monopoly money

Emelie
[15069...daaaamn]

15000 hits!

Yeaah.. 15000 hits to this blog..definitely an accelerated rate of visits since 10,000 visits a while ago..a scant 7 months ago..it took 2 years to get to 10000 hits..thanks for all of your support..it makes the airwaves a little less lonely when we know people are coming to the blog but not always calling our shows

Happiness Is All The Rage - 01/28/09

Tuesdays 1AM - 3AM (Wednesday morning)

Sorry for the delay, but I finally got a new show up, called Happiness Is All the Rage. It will be playing every Tuesday from 1AM - 3AM (technically Wednesday, but on Tuesdays schedule). What I normally play is emo from the 90s, but I am always open to requests. Requests for this show are labeled in blue.

song - artist

happiness is all the rage - the promise ring
first day back - braid
its been a blast - hey mercedes
change is all the rage - knapsack
song about an angel - sunny day real estate
palisade - Mineral
hope for us - the jealous sound
never meant - american football
chinatown - jets to brazil
little league - cap'n jazz
the sound - further seems forever
losing touching searching - the appleseed cast
golf hill drive - boys life
don't hate me - the get up kids
disciple - slayer
instant romance - christie front drive
another holiday - pop unknown
chesterfield king - jawbreaker
american hearts - piebald
everyone is my friend - owls
ears ring - rainer maria
el scorcho - weezer
ordinary life - samiam
the quiet things that no one ever knows - brand new
the heart is a lonely hunter - the anniversary
from california - the new amsterdams
the pharmacist - hot rod circuit
you were a party - 764-HERO

Gold Sounds 1/28/09: A Split Decision

I didn't know if I should play mellow music that amplifies the effect of snowfall or poppy music to help forget about how annoying snow is...so I did both! New music in red, requests in blue

Disasterpeace "Press Start - Prelude to an Unfolding Conflict"

Matt & Kim "Daylight"
The New Pornographers "Mass Romantic"
Talking Heads "Once in a Lifetime"

Loney Dear "Airport Surroundings"
The Smiths "There Is a Light that Never Goes Out"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart "Young Adult Friction"

Cut off Your Hands "Turn Cold"
Miniature Tigers "Octopus"
Fake Problems "There Are Times"

The Go! Team "Ladyflash (Hot Chip remix)"
Broken Social Scene "Our Faces Split the Coast in Half"/"Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day)"
The Futureheads "Decent Days and Nights"

Animal Collective "Also Frightened"
The Dismemberment Plan "Spider in the Snow"
The Priddle Concern "Believe What You Want to Believe"

El Goodo "Feel So Fine"
The New Pornographers "Letter from an Occupant"
Oh No Not Stereo "Let's Get it Started"

A.Armada "The Dam Was Split but the City Was Saved"
Charles Spearin "Vittoria"
The Decemberists "The Engine Driver"

Nada Surf "What Is Your Secret?"
Spoon "The Underdog"
Golden Boots "Country Bat High II"

Mates of State "Get Better"
The Anniversary "The D in Detroit"

So maybe I lied about the mellowness... oh well! Maybe next week. Thanks for listening.

Ambient Signal - 1/27/09

WRPI 91.5fm!
http://www.wrpi.org/ for webcast
Tuesdays 6-8pm

Son Lux - Throw
Falcon - Birds and mice
Menomena - Air Aid
Alias and Ehren - Eman Ruosis Iht
Azeda Booth - Big Fists
High Places - The tree with the lights in it
Foxhole - A series of springs and falls
Gregory Alan Isakov - The stable song
Midlake - Young Bride
Animal Collective - In the flowers
Charles Spearin - Vittoria
Dent may and his magnificent ukelele - Meet me in the garden
A. Armada - The moon shifts the sea...
Pains of being pure at heart - Gentle Son
Son Lux - Speak
Antony and the johnsons - Epilepsy is dancing
Andrew Bird - Oh No
Matt and Kim - Cut down
Ethan Rose - Scenes from when
The Helio Sequence - Can't say no
Art in manila - Time gets us all
Neva Dinova - Dances fantastic
Lymbyc Systym - Astrology Days
Mum - Marmalade fires
Never - On a mountain

pinkie swear

artist - song
david byrne feat dizzie rascal - toe jam <---fucking love this song
misha - weatherbees
modest mouse - blame it on the tetons
mogwai - acid food
yelle - ce jeu - remix
maroon 5 - if i never see your face again feat cross - swiss beatz remix
brazilian girls - all about us
astrud gilberto - bim bom - psapp remix
tobacco - hair candy
lykke li - breaking it up
the chemical brothers - eclectronic battle weapons
kylie minogue - can't get blue monday out of my head
the chemical brothers - galvanize
justice - DVNO
simian mobile disco - fabric live
emmie the great - seattle
minus the bear - drilling
david byrne + dizee rascal - toe jam
teargas and plateglass - plague burial

Emelie
[14888]

Gold Sounds new music reviews: Charles Spearin and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Tim of Gold Sounds here, presenting two great new albums that are sure to cure your Merriweather Post Pavillion hangover.

Charles Spearin - The Happiness Project

Charles Spearin is a member of Do Make Say Think and Broken Social Scene, two bands known for their sometimes dreamy, sometimes abrasive, always epic music. Shades of both these bands exist on The Happiness Project (the second half of "Mr. Gowrie," the Kevin Drew-provided keys of "Mrs. Morris (Reprise)"), but the album's concept, music based on interviews Spearin conducted with his neighbors about happiness (with each track named after the subject), is entirely original and innovative. Each song contains music unique to the person being interviewed: Listen to the soulful horns of "Mrs. Morris" match up with the melody of her voice. Listen to the jubilant, fun music of "Vittoria," which perfectly fits the carefree nature of youth. Aside from the music, the album's worth listening to just for some of the interviews, especially the ones in "Vanessa" and "Mr. Gowrie," where the subjects describe happiness while overcoming deafness and poverty. If only all psychology experiments sounded this good.

The album will be released February 14th on Arts & Crafts records.

Read about and listen to some of the album here.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - s/t LP

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart may be from New York, but they sound like they'd be more at home in the United Kingdom. Their mix of shoegaze and twee, not to mention that album cover, brings to mind greats like The Smiths, Belle and Sebastian and My Bloody Valentine. Songs like "Young Adult Friction" and "A Teenager in Love" recall the first two respectively, with the latter even including an 'I-never-saw-it-coming' religious theme. On the other end of the spectrum, opener "Contender" is a beautiful swirl of guitar sounds and final track "Gentle Sons" is an absolute triumph, combining the best qualities of the previous nine tracks into one huge, stomping anthem. The album may recall music of the past, but The Pains of Being Pure at Heart makes use of some great musical styles and combines them into something totally their own, resulting in an impressive debut.

The album will be released February 3rd on Slumberland records.

Listen to some songs from the album here and download some mp3s from their official website.

Gold Sounds 1/21/09

Okay, so this is the real time slot I'm in this semester: 12-2pm on Wednesdays. Here's the playlist, with new songs in red and requests in blue

The Organ "Even in the Night"
Animal Collective "Brother Sport"
French Miami "Science Fiction"
Ozma "No One Needs to Know"

Neil Young "A Man Needs a Maid + Heart of Gold Suite" (from Live at Massey Hall 1971)
Destroyer "Looters' Follies"
Arcade Fire "(Antichrist Television Blues)"

A.C. Newman "Like a Hitman, Like a Dancer"
Gang Gang Dance "House Jam"
Matt & Kim "Spare Change"/"I Wanna"

Longwave "Secrets Are Sinister"
Morrissey "I'm Throwing My Arms around Paris"
Jeff Buckley "Mojo Pin"
Chop Chop "Damascus"

ROCK BLOCK - Friends Play Together, Friends Stay Together
Charles Spearin "Vittoria" (the 'wtf cd2 stopped halfway through' edition)
Broken Social Scene "Fire Eye'd Boy"
Do Make Say Think "End of Music"

Swervedriver "Blowin' Cool"
Hum "The Inuit Promise"
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead "Another Morning Stoner"

Built to Spill "Stop the Show"
Failure "Pillowhead"
Explosions in the Sky "Time Stops"

Ambient Signal - 1/20/09 the Change Show

WRPI 91.5fm!
http://www.wrpi.org/ for webcast
Tuesdays 6-8pm

Tonight's show theme is: change ..mostly has songs with abrupt or noticeable changes that occur within..enjoy

My Brightest Diamond - Pluto's moon (Son Lux Remix)
Stars - The Big Fight
Faunts - Parler de la pluie et du beau temps
The Album Leaf - Malmo
Annuals - Brother
Neva Dinova - At least the pain is real
Battles - SZ2
Animal Collective - My Girls
Charles Spearin - Anna
Matt and Kim - Daylight
Cotton Jones - Up a tree
The pains of being pure at heart - young adult friction
Ethan Rose - Grand marcher
Glasvegas - Geraldine
Slow Six - The River between us (Live at GZ)
A Northern Chorus - The Shepard and the Chauffeur
Colour Revolt - Mattresses underwater
Menomena - The Pelican
Forget cassettes - Venison
Radiohead - Weird Fishes/Arpeggi

pinkie swear

artist - song

modest mouse - baby blue sedan
minus the bear - the game needed me - oktopus remix
the notwist - the devil, you & me
lali puna - Micronomic - boom bip remix
casiotone for the painfully alone - a normal suburban lifestyle is a near impossibility once you've fallen in love with an international spy
chairs in the arno - input delay
glomag - pocket calculator (Kraftwerk original)
sbach - 03
yacht - see a penny (pick it up)
caural - hallucination broadcast
caribou - melody day
caribou - sandy
bittersweet - the mating game
maroon 5 - she will be loved - pharrell williams remix
cassius - toop toop
cassius - eye water
yelle - ce jeu - st. andrews remix
the chemical brothers - electronic battle weapons 1-3
Wax Poetic - U & I
Justice - we are your friends (reprise)
d.byrne - dizzie rascal - toe jam

Emelie
[14734]

Spring Semester Schedule

Hey everyone!,

As of today, the new WRPI schedule is up on WRPI.org. These are the new times of shows represented on this blog.

WRPIwave with Leon: Mondays 10pm-midnight

Pinkie Swear with Emelie: Tuesdays 4pm-6pm

Ambient Signal with Blar: Tuesdays 6pm-8pm

Gold Sounds with Tim: Wednesdays 12pm-2pm

Fifty/Fifty with The Shanghai Revolutionary: Fridays 2pm-4pm

Look for more interesting news items and music reviews to be posted this semester along with the usual playlists. We hope you'll enjoy another semester of quality music programming!

Justice

GENESIS † HOUSE from PLANDA on Vimeo.

Gold Sounds 1/14/09

I'm back, baby. New time this semester, Wednesdays 4-6pm 12-2pm on Wednesdays, sorry for being misleading. Starting this show upbeat and then slowwwwing down. New stuff in red.

Between the Pine "Coca-cola"
Shudder to Think "X-French Tee Shirt"
Los Campesinos! "Ways to Make it through the Wall"
Les Savy Fav "Reformat"

The Go! Team "Feelgood by Numbers"/"The Power Is On"
We Versus the Shark "Head Over Heels" (Tears for Fears cover)
Gang Gang Dance "First Communion"
Marnie Stern "Ruler"
Mates of State "Middle Is Gold"

Chairlift "Garbage"
Van Morrison "Ivory Tower" (request!)
Murder By Death "Comin' Home"
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds "Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!"
Bomb the Music Industry! "Fresh Attitute, Young Body"

ROCK BLOCK - God Builds Like Frank Lloyd Wright (check it out this Friday at EMPAC. http://www.empac.rpi.edu/events/2009/spring/green/ for information)
Califone "Don't Let Me Die Nervous"
Giant Sand "Without a Word"
Fugazi "Smallpox Champion"

So Many Dynamos "Saturday Night, Sunday Morning"/"Search Party"
Pattern Is Movement "Trolley Friend"
Dirty Projectors "Depression"

Charles Spearin "Mr. Gowrie" (more information about this album here: http://www.happiness-project.ca/)
Do Make Say Think "The Landlord Is Dead"

Dismemberment Plan "Spider in the Snow"
French Kicks "Said So What"
Centaur "Wait for the Sun"
Joey Cape "Errands"

Dub Trio "Not for Nothing"
Deerhoof "The Tears and Music of Love"

Back next week!

Ambient Signal - 1/23/09 The 2009 Album Anticipation show

WRPI 91.5fm!
http://www.wrpi.org/ for webcast
Tuesdays 6-8pm

For tonights show I am playing songs from artists who will either be releasing a new album in 2009 or aritsts that i hope will be releasing a new album in 2009 *fingers crossed*..this list is basically repeated in my top 10 list of 2008 *see below* but may have additions

Amina - Fjarskanistan (No word on recording..on my wishlist..last album was in early 2007)
The Album Leaf - Into the Sea (Recording..Fall 2009)
Doves - Caught by the river (recorded? releasing mid 2009?)
Cat Power - Maybe not (Recorded..Releasing in March)
Emily Haines and the soft skeleton - Our Hell (On my wish list)
Feist - My Moon My Man (Grizzly bear remix) (On my wish list)
Animal Collective - Fireworks (Released..will be playing new album next week)
Grizzly Bear - Knife (Recorded..releasing in March)
The Velvet Teen - Noi Boi (Recording..Fall 2009)
Mono - The Flames beyond the cold mountain (Recorded..Releasing in March)
Charles Spearin - Marisa
Arabeske for piano In C Major Op 18 (From Benjamin Button Soundtrack)
BPA - Seattle
Bright Eyes - I must belong somewhere (Recording.. Fall 2009)
Menomena - Rotten hell (Recording.. Fall 2009)
Camera Obscura - If Looks could kill (On my wish list)
Sunset Rubdown - The Taming of the Hands that came back to life (On my wish list)
Battles - Atlas (On my wish list)
Charlie Everywhere - Mouthful of diamonds (Recorded..releasing soon?)

pinkie swear

track - title

misha - losing
casiotone for the painfully alone - bobby malone
the dead science - the ghost integrity
death cab for cutie - champagne in a paper cup
arliss parker - besos
pinback - victorious d
kieran hebden and steve reid - between b & c
the chemical brothers - galvanize
atmosphere - shoulda known
cut chemist - what's the altitude
lcd soundsystem - us vs them (go home productions remix)
hercules and love affair - blind
justice - intro, genesis, phantom pt 1, phantom 1.5, D.A.N.C.E., D.A.N.C.E. PT 2, DVNO
digitalism - pogo (digitalism's pogo robotic remix)
minus the bear - drilling
her space holiday - the weight of the world
modest mouse - little motels
the notwist - gloomy planets

-Tim & Emelie
[14619]

Ambient Signal 12/30/08 - Top of the year show

WRPI 91.5fm!
http://www.wrpi.org/ for webcast
Tuesdays 6-8pm

Tonight I played some of my top songs/albums/artists etc..see top 10 list below..happy new yeaar

Pre show: Mono/World's end girlfriend - Untitled 5 and then Excerpts from Johann Johannson's Fordlandia

Margot and the Nuclear so and so's - Tall as cliffs
Annuals - Always Do
The Falcon - The Sandfighter
Land of talk - Some are lakes
Wolf Parade - Language City
Brendan Canning - Hit the wall
Starfucker - Florida
Dosh - Kit and Pearls
Sigur Ros - Med sud i eyrum
Son Lux - Raise
Why? - By Torpedo or Crohns
Helio Sequence - Hallelujah
Talkdemonic - Black wood crimson and March movement
School of seven bells - Half Asleep
Anathallo - The River
Why? - Fatalist Palmistry
Annuals - The Confessor
Hammock - Three Sisters
Chad VanGaalen - Willow tree
Fleet Foxes - Blue Ridge Mountains
The Helio Sequence - Lately
Death Cab for Cutie - Grapevine Fires
Notwist - Good lies
Alias - Weathering
Azeda Booth - In Red
Son Lux - Stand

Engaged!

Ben Gibbard (Death Cab frontman) and Zooey Dechanel (She & Him) are engaged!


Congrats!

[14422]

Gold Sounds: Top Ten Albums of 2008

Tim of Gold Sounds here, presenting the top ten albums of the year. 2008 saw an influx of many new artists, a fact that is reflected by this list, more than half of which consists of debut albums from these new artists.

10) French Miami - s/t

The musical climate of the past few years has been absolutely littered with dance-oriented rock/electronic bands, most of which are mediocre at best. French Miami's debut album could be best described as dance rock, but they manage to separate themselves from their dance rock contemporaries by injecting some interesting qualities into their music - the constant time changes of "God Damn Best" and the technical, Minus the Bear-esque guitar work of "Science Fiction" are good examples of this. However, this is still a very listener-friendly album with shouting vocals and fun songs that will get stuck in your head for days ("Lil' Rabbits," "All on Fire"), and this combination of complexity and exuberance results in one of 2008's most pleasant surprises.

Listen: French Miami

9) Lykke Li - Youth Novels

Swedish songstress Lykke Li begins her debut album with the entrancing "Melodies & Desires," where she sings, "Love is the harmony/Desire is the key/Love is a symphony/Now play it with me." This statement sets the tone for the rest of the album, where Li explores the feelings and complications of love, from noting, "I'm a little bit in love with you/If only you're a little bit in love with me," to later teasing, "I'll let you think that I'm yours when I'm not." Maybe she's just being cruel, but more likely she's just trying to wrap her head around love, and who hasn't ever been confused by that feeling? Besides, who could hate that cooing voice (especially enticing in "This Trumpet in My Head") and those melodies, ranging from cute ("Let it Fall") to driving and aggressive ("Breaking it Up")? From lyrical content to musical arrangements, Youth Novels delivers and is yet another impressive new artist debut.

Listen: Lykke Li

8) Monroe Mustang - Monroe Mustang, the Imaginary Band, Regretfully Declines

If this were a 'Top Ten Relaxing Albums of 2008" list, this album would be king. Several years in the making, slowcore (e.g. Low, early Death Cab, The New Year) artist Monroe Mustang has released the perfect Sunday morning album, calm, lazy and contemplative. That's not to say the album can't be enjoyed during other times: Little moments like the piano outro/intro of "Found Out"/"R.O.W." and the sudden dynamic shift of "Consequence" keep the listener intrigued and provide more incentive to continue listening. As a result, the album is rewarding as well as relaxing.

Listen: Monroe Mustang

7) Tobacco - Fucked Up Friends

2008 was a banner year for the anticon. collective, with Tobacco's (member of Black Moth Super Rainbow) solo debut among one of their best releases. One of 2008's most ridiculous albums, Tobacco creates music that can best be described as the aural equivalent of getting drunk; it's a woozy and somewhat sloppy instrumental hybrid of electronica and hip-hop. As a result, listening to it might elicit drunken dancing behavior despite your sober state during the day, and any album that causes one to lose their inhibitions about dancing so quickly no matter their level of intoxication can't be bad. With the seriousness most artists display toward their work these days, it's refreshing to see an artist just having fun with their music and whose main goal is making people dance and grin uncontrollably.

Listen: Tobacco

6) Miniature Tigers -Tell it to the Volcano

The debut album from Miniature Tigers proudly displays the band's affinity for traditional pop/rock. Singing about the highs and lows of relationships with a sense of humor, the band mixes poppy melodies reminiscent of bands past (The Beach Boys) and present (Fourth of July, The Flaming Lips) with relatable lyrical content about college and twenty-something life ("I don't want to move too fast/I don't want to scare you off/I don't want to move too slow/Someone's gonna snatch you up", "Tell me how you feel about me/Do you like or like like me", and "Washing off last night's fake blood/From an even faker cut" are prime examples). Despite the obvious poppy influences and familiar lyrical content, the melodies remain original and the lyrics (especially in relation to their song title metaphors) are clever enough to warrant multiple listens.

Listen: Miniature Tigers

5) Jessica Lea Mayfield - With Blasphemy So Heartfelt

19 year old Jessica Lea Mayfield first gained national exposure when she provided vocals on the Black Keys' newest album, and her debut has that band's bluesy feel. Though the album lacks some of the Keys' finer musical moments (excepting the guitar in "I Can't Lie to You, Love") it more than makes up for it with Mayfield's incredible, haunting voice. Her singing lends every song, most of which deal with feelings of love, a certain mystical quality that 99% of female singers could only hope to duplicate. When you hear her sing, "Is this it baby, are you out of my life?" on "Is This Love?," you feel as though she's either singing directly to you or on behalf of one of your personal lost loves. Also, the endearing lyrical content, such as "If you want, you can call/I will stay awake for you" and referring to a man's shallow love interests as "girlies" would only turn up on an album from someone so young, another way of separating Mayfield from her contemporaries. A truly unique album from a truly unique singer.

Listen: Jessica Lea Mayfield

4) Los Campesinos! - Hold on Now, Youngster

Welsh septet Los Campesinos! released two albums in 2008, both of which were gloriously loud and unrestrained. However, it's their debut full-length, Hold On Now, Youngster, that proves to be superior. Full of poppy singalongs such as opener "Death to Los Campesinos!," one can't help but shake their feet to the rhythm of these twelve songs. It's these melodies along with the band's clever, relatable lyrics (especially to those privy to the current technological age, which most likely includes you if you're reading this) and unabashed enthusiasm so seemingly rare in music these days that keep listeners coming back for more.

Listen: Los Campesinos!

3) We Versus the Shark -Dirty Versions

Simply put, this album (We Versus the Shark's second) slays. From the opening sonic onslaught of "Hello Blood," where both guitars seem to be racing to an unknown finish line, to the ever-changing structure of "Practical Animals," each song possesses razor-sharp guitar parts and a punishing rhythm section. However, there's more charm to the album than the raw, powerful musicianship. The varying lyrical content (from war and the economy in "I am the President of the World" to a friend's foray into the wild world of werewolves in "Keep it Wolf") keeps things interesting on multiple fronts, and like the album title (make no mistake, these songs are gloriously dirty), some song titles manage to accurately depict its contents. For example, "Mountaineering" slowly builds to a very epic climax, making the listener feel as though they are participating in the titular hobby. This is the rock album of 2008.

Listen: We Versus the Shark

2) Why? - Alopecia

Despite the plentiful amazing releases of anticon. in 2008, none were as compelling as Why?'s third full-length, Alopecia. The album is lyrically puzzling, including the absurd refrain of opener "The Vowels pt. 2" ("Cheeri-a, cheeri-e, cheeri-i, cherri-o, cherri-u"? What?) and really all the lyrics in general (it's impossible not to laugh or balk at some of the lines in "Good Friday"). The album is musically puzzling as well, a goofy mix of hip-hop and indie rock with Yoni Wolf's slightly nasally vocals at the foreground. However, the strange lyrics and music work together exceptionally well, especially in "By Torpedo or Crohn's," where Yoni laments puking behind Whole Foods, and "Fatalist Palmistry," the closest thing the album has to an instantly accessible song (and also lyrically the album's best, with clever lines like "I know a psychic who reads her own palms and her findings are personal"). The most interesting thing about the album, however, is its many moods and feelings; from the utter depression of "Song of the Sad Assassin" and the frustration of "The Fall of Mr. Fifths" to the hopeful unrequited love of "Simeon's Dilemma," the album's fourteen songs all have a different, unique feel. This will be an album put on repeat for years to come.

Listen: Why?

1) Pattern Is Movement - All Together

Chalk this one up to consistency. All ten songs are not only good, but standouts; "Right Away" was chosen as the first single, but any other song would have served just as well. Each track consists of several repeated movements (staying true to the band's moniker), with the impressive musical talents of the band's two members creating a full, lush, orchestrated sound. Simple lyrical declarations such as, "How I just love the sound of your voice," accompany these complex arrangements; musically precise like Pinback but with a bizarre mixture of almost opera-style singing and pop that mostly sounds like it was created in a dark dungeon, the album isn't instantly welcoming. However, after a couple listens, an appreciation for these unique musical stylings, from the wistful, longing atmostphere of "Peach Trees" to the bounding, enthused feel of "Jenny Ono," develops. In addition to this, unlike the other albums of 2008 (which are all to some degree hit-or-miss), this album is consistently great and inventive, features often prominent when discussing great albums, All Together being part of that class.

Listen: Pattern Is Movement

Honorable mention:
Talkdemonic - Eyes at Half Mast
The Walkmen - You and Me
Alias - Resurgam
Pegasuses-XL - The Antiphon
Appomattox - AO
We Versus the Shark - Murmurmur (the pure rock of Dirty Versions in the form of cover songs. Download it for free from Quote Unquote Records.)

Some anticipated albums of 2009:
So Many Dynamos - The Loud Wars (recorded with Chris Walla way back in July 2007 and finally getting released on April 7th by Vagrant Records. This will be one of the year's best albums; look for them to get the same sort of exposure the Hold Steady got upon releasing their first album on Vagrant)

Bomb the Music Industry! - Scrambles (finished recording, no info on a release date but it probably won't be too long now. Looking forward to see how the full band setup introduced on Get Warmer is developed)

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (comes out next month. Always curious about whatever Animal Collective comes up with)

Charles Spearin - The Happiness Project (comes out in February. Do Make Say Think/Broken Social Scene member creates an album in hopes to answer the question: What is happiness? Listen to a song and learn more here)

Ambient signal's Top 10 Albums of 2008 and other enumerations

This was a year of great triumphs and great let downs..not quite sure if this was a year to beat but I seemed to have an unusually high volume of highly anticipated releases this year. We'll start off with the Top 10 or so best albums, best songs, then biggest let downs, and most anticipated releases of 2009.

Top 10 or so albums of 2008:

1. Son Lux - At War with Walls and Mazes

This was a landmark year for the record label anticon in my opinion. They became even more removed from the sort of fringe electronic/hiphop label I had associated them with a few years ago and released some albums that really pushed some boundaries. The debut album from Son Lux is certainly no exception. I was completely addicted to this album when it came out, not for its hooks, but for its deep musical structures and innovations. Part hip hop drums, part classical (opera samples anyone?), part something else entirely. A clear line runs through the whole album, and many musical themes pop up in different forms in different songs. When first listening to the whole album I found myself going "What??? You can't do that!" and its outbursts like that that made me realize I was dealing with something really special, and it has been #1 in my mind ever since it came out in March.
Key Songs: Stay, Raise, Stand

2. Why? - Alopecia

Again, you can see why I called this a landmark year for anticon...I really thought this was going to be #1 of the year before Son Lux came along. This third Why? effort feels extremely cohesive but with each song having an identity of its own. Handling topics like death and palm reading with an odd but amazing combination of hiphop and indie pop. Yoni Wolf's lyrics dance around from topic to disconnected topic with a certain sense of humor and weirdness that I think everyone needs every once in a while.
Key tracks: By Torpedo or Crohns, Fatalist Palmistry, These Few Presidents

3. Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

I can't resist a good ol' fashioned Sigur Ros album. Luckily for me I hadn't been anticipating this album for months or years, which I think led to it being much more satisfying (unlike other albums..see below). It came out in the summer, which I don't normally associate with icelandic post-rock but this album made me change my mind. While not quite as solid as their last two releases, it definitely has its share of innovations and great songs.

Key Tracks: Með suð í eyrum, Inni mer syngur vitleysingur, Festival

4. Helio Sequence - Keep your eyes ahead
I was a little dismayed to hear my favorite song on this album being played during an episode of The Hills, but I guess dem's da brakes. I hadn't been into the Helio Sequence before this album, but this was a really solid offering with many hits and very few misses. They are great live too.
Key tracks: Lately, Hallelujah, Back to this
5. Talkdemonic - Eyes at half mast
6. Annuals - Such Fun
7. Azeda Booth - In Flesh Tones
8. Johann Johannson - Fordlandia
---Not really sure of the order after this
Starfucker - Starfucker
This Will Destroy You - This Will Destroy You
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - Not Animal
Alias - Resurgam
Brendan Canning - Something for all of us
The Falcon - EP
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
Dosh - Wolves and Wishes
Flight of the Conchords - s/t
School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms


Best songs (no order):
School of Seven Bells - Half Asleep
Chad Vangaalen - Willow Tree
Son Lux - Raise
Annuals - Always Do
Brendan Canning - Hit the wall
Land of talk - Some are lakes
Azeda Booth - In Red
Wolf Parade - Language City
Cut Copy - Hearts on fire
Dosh - Kit and Pearls
Why? - By Torpedo or Crohns
Margot and the Nuclear so and so's - As tall as cliffs
The Falcon - The Sandfighter
and more!

Biggest letdowns:
---Neva Dinova - You may already be dreaming
I had been anticipating this album for a long time and unfortunately there just wasn't a song I could really gravitate towards and the lyrics weren't quite at the same level as other albums. Oh well..keep it up guys!
---Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
I'm not sure what I was expecting from Oberst's solo debut, but it wasn't quite up to snuff for me when compared to Bright Eyes stuff, but I'm glad he took the chance to stretch some other muscles.
---Margot and the Nuclear so and so's - Animal/Not Animal
Although there are some great tracks on this album, it didn't come close to 2006's Dust of Retreat (which was my #1 album that year) but I guess you can't improve much on perfection...I had also been anticipating this album for over a year and its hard to deliver on that much anticipation
---Hammock - Maybe they will sing for us tomorrow
Unfortunately my favorite ambient artist Hammock has been veering more towards beatless ambient soundscapes rather than the more song minded light post rock that drew me to them in the first place..this album just didn't do it for me like some of their earlier ones

Most anticipated releases of 2009 (in no order of course):
Animal Collective - Merryweather post-pavilion (January)
Grizzly Bear (March/April)
Charlie Everywhere (done recording, shopping for a label)
Menomena (Recording now, Fall 2009)
The Velvet Teen (Recording now, no telling)
The Album Leaf (Recording now, Fall 2009)
Cat Power (Done recording? no telling
Bright Eyes (Recording now, no telling)
Doves (Done recording? Anytime now?)
Hopes and wishes: Sunset Rubdown, Camera Obscura (might be recording..I forget), Feist, Amiina, Battles

Fifty/Fifty {12/11}

Surprise! One last show before I go home....

[artist] - [track]
belle and sebastian - christmas time is here   
Kitty Hoff & Forêt-Noire - Toc-Toc-Toc   
Passion Pit - Sleepyhead (Mummers remix)   
Bishop Allen - Click Click Click Click   
Bell - Brown Bear   
The Sweet Serenades - Mona Lee   
The Knife - Na Na Na
Dreamend - If Only for a Day   
Little Joy - No One's Better Sake   
Young Marble Giants - Brand New Life
Theresa Andersson - Birds Fly Away   
Future Clouds and Radar - Feet On Grass   
Love Is All - Wishing well    
Terry Callier - You Miss Your Candyman   
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Beggin' (Pilooski Edit)   
Cornershop - Candyman   
Stetsasonic - Stet Troop '88!   
M.I.A. - O... Saya    
Clipse - Intro   
Meursault - the furnace   
Ladyhawke - Back of the Van (Dj Lapse remix)   
Hot Chip - Hold On   
Jackson 5/Naughty By Nature - I Want You Back   
Ace Of Base/Timbaland - Cruel Summer/Give It To Me   
Celia Cruz/Pitbull/DJ Sizzahandz - Guantanamera/Culo   
Timbaland/Starpoint/DJ Bling - The Way I Desire   
Daft Punk/Kanye West/A-Trak - Harder, Better, Stronger   
Jay-Z/Led Zepplin/Crooklyn Clan - I Just Wanna Whole Lotta Love
Cut Copy - Sands of Time   

pinkie swear

daedelus - remix of nothing
cassius - cactus
noisia - fabric live mix
alias - weathering
the annuals - springtime
death cab for cutie - sound of settling
tilly and the wall - jumbler
lykke li - breaking it up
death cab for cutie - i will posses your heart
teddy bears - cobrastyle
casiotone for the painfully alone - bobby malone
the dead science - drrrty magneto
lali puna - clear cut
mylo - sunworshiper
georgie james - need your needs
bloc party - flux
chemical brothers - do it again
sbach - 03
mogwai - travel is dangerous
modest mouse - fire it up
misha - weatherbees

Take - Tuesday Never Comes
Glen Porter - Intrid
ILL Padre - Theif of Tranquility
Milfod Reynolds - Building 453
Glen Porter - Image of You
Unknown Source - Frowning
Glen Porter - Prolong
Glen Porter - Memoirs
Urban Quilt - This Rhythm
Akello Uchenna - Been So Good
Milford Reynolds - Lowe's Market
ILL Padre - ILL Padre Theme Part 2
Tsunchoo - Stutsja
ILL Padre - Cielo

Emelie
14036

Gold Sounds 12/9/08: 2008 Retrospective + songs that make me feel good

The year's almost over, so I've decided to play lots of the best stuff from 2008, some very recent stuff and some older songs I really like. For variety's sake, songs that aren't from a 2008 release are in red.

Talkdemonic "Ending the Orange Glow"

The Walkmen "Red Moon"
Pinback "Walters"
French Miami "All on Fire"

Brendan Canning "Churches Under the Stairs"
Ra Ra Riot "Dying Is Fine"
Land of Talk "Young Bridge"

Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks "Wicked Wanda"
Mono in VCF "Escape City Scrapers"
Pattern Is Movement "Trolley Friend"

Glassjaw "Ape Dos Mil"
Why? "Song of the Sad Assassin"
Pegasuses-XL "The Big Haunt"

We Versus the Shark "Hello Blood"
Appomattox "Either Way"
Pavement "Date w/ Ikea"/"Fin" (from the Brighten the Corners reissue...1997 Peel Session)

Wallpaper "Pop Rocket"
Secret Dakota Ring "Losing Eyeballs"
Deerhoof "Basket Ball Get Your Groove Back" (rebound rebound rebound rebound)

Marnie Stern "Prime"
Death Vessel "Bruno's Torso"
Calexico "House of Valparaiso"

Longwave "No Direction"
sBACH "08"
Hum "Green to Me"

Rivers Cuomo "Oh Jonas"/"Please Remember"/"Come to My Pod"
Sebastien Grainger "I Hate My Friends"
Starfucker "Mike Ptyson"

Bomb the Music Industry! "Ghost of Corporate Future" (Regina Spektor cover)
Los Campesinos! "Ways to Make it through the Wall"
caUSE-coMOTION! "Only Fades Away"/"Baby Don't Do It"

Johnny Foreigner "Eyes Wide Terrified"
Brazilian Girls "Good Time"
Dungen "Det Tar Tid"

Miniature Tigers "The Wolf"
Hearts of Palm UK "Trust"
Margot & the Nucleaer So and So's "As Tall As Cliffs"

Noah and the Whale "Two Atoms in a Molecule"
The New Year "My Neighborhood"
Annuals "Springtime"
Pinback "Tres"

Rock Block: The evolution of Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie "Your Bruise"
"Title and Registration"
"Grapevine Fires"
The Postal Service "Against All Odds"

The Decemberists "Record Year"
Belle and Sebastian "Judie and the Dream of Horses" (wtf CD 2? cut off)
Spoon "Paper Tigers"
Jessica Lea Mayfield "I Can't Lie to You, Love"
Pavement "Range Life"

Mates of State "Open Book"
Lykke Li "I'm Good, I'm Gone"
Alias "I Heart Drum Machines"/"Well Water Black"

This is my last show of the semester! Sad, but I'll be back next semester, though at a time TBD. I'll keep you posted once next semester starts (Jan 13th, I believe is the day). Happy holidays!