Top Five: April 12, 2010- the mp3-less edition

If you saw the post on our mainpage, we got shit on for post mp3s.  I blame Huey Lewis and the News.  However, we won't stop sharing our current listenings with you, the faithful reader.  Since the weather is amazing outside, I will be posting songs from the playlist I've been listening to non-stop.  It's my Super Happy Fun Summer Go Driving Mix, Yea!.

1) Free Energy- Stuck on Nothing


I heard this band after reading reviews from SXSW.  Their song, "Free Energy," is one of the best rock songs I've heard in a while.  It's very approachable, very mainstream, but very fantastic.  Check em out here.

2) Happy Birthday- Happy Birthday


Every Wednesday I listen to WONY Indie.  One of the shows, I can't remember which of the top of my head, played this band a few weeks ago, specifically the song "Girls FM."  It's very garage rock meets surfer rock.  They're signed to Sub-Pop, which might as well mean I'm gonna love this band.  Check em out here.

3) Taking Back Sunday- Tell All Your Friends


As I'm sure you've heard by now, Taking Back Sunday is back!  With that amazing news, I've been listening to their first full length over, and over, and over again.  John Nolan is, was, and always will be amazing, and I'm incredibly glad he's back.  Even though I doubt you need to, check em out here .

4) Good Old War- Only Way to Be Alone


I first heard of this band this past summer.  A friend of mine invited me to a Straylight Run show at some bar back home on Long Island, and he was pumped because Good Old War was opening.  I heard them, and I fell in love.  They make these folky rock songs.  They're also the former backing band of Circa Survive's Anthony Green.  Good Old War is playing here May 1st.  Check em out here.

5) Belle and Sebastian- Dear Catastrophe Waitress


Every trip I make to and from school, I pick a band to listen to the whole way.  This past trip's lucky band was Belle and Sebastian.  It's such great happy indie-pop summer music.  Listen to this album and try not to smile.  I dare you.  Check em out here.

Top 5 Records: Sorry-For-Not-Posting-In-So-Long Edition

College is really starting to bend me over the table. But, I decided to take time away from the academic abuse and let you guys, and girls, know what I have been listening to lately. Most of these songs are old favorites but when you are on the run you need some familiarity to keep you grounded. Hope you enjoy!

LCD Soundsystem- Daft Punk is Playing at My House

I am really looking forward to James Murphy and co's newest album due out in May, but in the mean time I'll have to settle for some old classics. Daft Punk is Playing at My House or, as I like to call it, DPIPAMH, a true hipster delight!

Daft Punk Is Playing At My House

Here We Go Magic- Collector

If it hasn't been clear through some of my previous posts, I'll tell you now: I love bands from Brooklyn. The first track from Here We Go Magic's new album Pigeons gives me a lot of confidence that it is going to be one of the better albums of 2010.

Collector

Dirty Projectors- Stillness Is The Move

Stillness Is The Move

The Pixies- Debaser

Debaser

Radiohead- Fog (Again) [Live]

Fog (Again) [Live]

Currently Listening to: 3/23/10

Hey there everyone.  Today is Tuesday and, with Tuesday's, come new lists!

1) Fang Island- Fang Island
After an incredibly successful trip to SXSW, you can expect to see and hear more about Fang Island in the near future.  I think of them as a Fleet Foxes for the springtime.  I highly recommend this song, "Life Coach."  There's a video for it here.  

2) Beach Fossils- Live at WNYU

This isn't an official release from the band, this is what my girlfriend had that I stole from her computer. I wasn't sure how I would like them because I wasn't fond of their songs on Myspace, but this live version is great, and I'm looking forward to (hopefully) see them live.

3) Music Go Music- Expressions
I first heard Music Go Music on some Urban Outfitters free mix they offered up on their site...LSTN or something like that. This song, "Light of Love," is very Phil Spector/wall-of-sound, and it sounds just like it was lifted from some AM radio station that exclusively plays 1960s pop.

4) Huey Lewis and The News- Sports
If you read my Best Spot in Oneonta post in our other blog, you would know that I recently purchased this 80s masterpiece on vinyl. It's so great. It's perfect cheesy 80s pop-rock, and Huey Lewis is just so fantastic. The album is called Sports. It's just so....so....white.

Ben Folds- Chatroulette LIVE

By now, I'm sure many of you have either been on Chatroulette or at least heard of it.  Recently, a video has surfaced of this guy, Merton, playing an improvised piano song over Chatroulette.  The video for that is here.  Well, last night, awesome piano singer-songwriter Ben Folds caught wind of this and did his own rendition: an ode to Merton.

Top Five: March 16, 2010

Hey all.  Sucks that this shitty weather creeped back suddenly but hey! it's going to be incredibly nice Wednesday.  One album I've been looking forward to all year comes out next Tuesday but NPR is streaming the entire She and Him album, Volume Two, right now!  That album, along with four others are making up my weeks top five.  Here they are:  

1) She & Him- Volume Two
I have a gigantic crush on Zooey Deschanel.  When I first saw her in Almost Famous I was smitten.  That being said, when I found out she was going to start releasing albums along with M. Ward, I was excited.  The first album, Volume One, was feel-good 1960s pop.  The second one is just as great. 

She & Him-In the Sun

2) Electric Tickle Machine- Blew It Again
After going to the show last Friday (and the after-party), I got to see and hang out with Electric Tickle Machine for the first time.  Cool guys, even cooler band.  Their music is incredibly approachable indie rock.  Very catchy, and very good.  I hope they stop by again soon.

Electric Tickle Machine- Part Of Me

3) The New Pornographers- Mass Romantic
Driving in the car with my (wonderful) girlfriend, this band came up on her iPod.  I've never really listened to them before for no reason other than I just haven't.  The song "Letters from an Occupant" came on and I instantly took out my phone to Song ID it (Verizon is great).  The whole album is great, and this song is a standout.

The New Pornographers- Letter From an Occupant

4) Bright Eyes- Lifted, or The Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
The reissue of the split between Bright Eyes and Neva Dinova (One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels) is coming out next week (March 23, 2010).  Until then, I have been revisiting old Bright Eyes records.  Lifted was the first one I've ever listened to, and I forgot why I loved it so much.  There are very few singer-songwriters as great as Conor Oberst was back in the day.  I hope he comes back to vintage Bright Eyes soon.

Bright Eyes - Bowl Of Oranges

5) The Promise Ring- Very Emergency
In the 9th grade, I decided to learn more about emo music, because I always felt it was more than skinny jeans and whiny guys.  I discovered the book Nothing Feels Good by Andy Greenwald (named after another Promise Ring album).  The book taught me a lot about the roots of emo, but it also taught me a lot about real emo bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbreaker, Mineral, Braid, and, the reason you're reading this, The Promise Ring.  It's so poppy and happy and I love that you can hear Davey's lisp when he sings.

The Promise Ring- Happiness Is All The Rage

Mid-Semester Woes

The past couple of weeks have been so crazy here at Oneonta that I haven't been able to listen to music let alone make a Top Five of songs I am currently listening to. However, I stumbeled across a live radio performance of Alligator by Grizzly Bear. Now, this song was originally featured on the album Horn of Plenty which was written and recorded solely by Grizzly Bear singer and guitarist Ed Droste. Many songs off Horn of Plenty are not performed live for numerous reasons but I am really glad to see that the band decided to arrange this song for full band performances. Hearing this song makes up for not having listened to music the past two weeks. I really encourage you to take five minutes out of your life and listen to this song, because it is fantastic!

This Week: Ah, Spring

Yes, spring is in the Oneonta air, faithful readers.  And, when the birds are a-chirping and that sweet smell of spring flutters through my slightly-opened window the songs I become excited, and I cannot hide it.  That being said, here is a slightly longer list of music I am currently listening to.  To be honest, I don't want to write reasons why I recommend these songs, because they're all just songs that get me in the spring mood.  Listen to the songs on the side, and let me know what you think.  What are your spring songs?  Enjoy.


Reel Big Fish- Beer

Cursive- The Great Decay

Los Campesinos!- My Year In Lists

Bishop Allen- Rain

The Decemberists- The Sporting Life

The Explorers Club- Do You Love Me

Midtown- Like a Movie