Top 50 albums of 2011

Well, I feel I start off my blogs like this everytime I FINALLY get around and write one, but sorry it's been months since I have wrote a blog. A lot has been going on with my wife getting a promotion, my daughter starting 3rd grade, and well my always busy job.

I have seen a ton of great shows over the past year, and recently saw Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and the Watch The Throne tour as well. On Top of that I did take my daughter to her first concert and we went to see Death Cab for Cutie, and they were great. Plus finally taking Kristen to Austin City Limits Festival for the first time which was awesome. I do have to say, once again this year has flown by.

With that said here is my list of my top 50 albums of 2011. I do have about 20 albums that I have to mention, that will make up my honorable mention list. So to start off my list of 2011 albums that I have enjoyed, here is my honorable mention list.

Honorable Mention top albums for 2011:
1. Yuck- Yuck, 2. Kendrick Lamar-Section.80, 3. Holy Ghost-Holy Ghost, 3. TuNe-YaRdS- Who kill, 4. Smith Westerns-Dye it Blonde, 5. Kate Bush-50 Words for Snow, 6. STS-The Illustrious, 7. EMA-Past Life Martyred Saints, 8. Iceage-New Brigade, 9. Washed Out-Within and Without, 10. The Vaccines-What did you expect from the Vaccines, 11. Kasabian-Velociraptor!, 12. Toro Y Moi-Underneath the Pine, 13. St. Vincent-Strange Mercy, 14. Noah and the Whale-Last Night on Earth, 15. Childish Gambino-Camp, 16. Tyler the Creator-Goblin, 17. Bombay Bicycle Club-A Different Kind of Fix, 18. Battles-Glass Drop, 19. Girls-Father, Son, Holy Ghost, 20. Wiz Khalifa-Rolling Papers, 21. Manchester orchestra-Simple Math, and 22. The Head and the Heart-Self Titled

Now it’s time for my top 50 albums for 2011. As you can tell by my 22 honorable mention albums, it was hard for me to come up with 50 albums that made my list. Of course when buying these albums, splurge….buy a record player and buy vinyl!

50. Foster the People-Torches
49. Frank Turner-England Keep My Bones
48. The War on Drugs-Slave Ambient
47. Drake-Take Care
46. Real Estate-Days
45. Mister Heavenly-Out of Love
44. Cut Copy-Zonoscope
43. Ryan Adams- Ashes and Fire
42. Lykke Li- Wounded Rhymes
41. The Low Anthem- Smart Flesh
40. The Antlers- Burst Apart
39. The Cool Kids- When Fish Ride Bicycles
38. Cults- Cults
37. The Civil Wars- Barton Hollow
36. Danger Mouse-Rome
35. The Roots- undone
34. Explosions in the sky-Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
33. M83- Hurry up, we’re dreaming
32. Destroyer- Kaputt
31. Red Hot Chili Peppers-I’m With You
30. Gary Clark Jr. – The Bright Lights EP
29. Portugal. The Man- In the mountain, in the cloud
28. Panda Bear- Tomboy
27. Frank Ocean- Nostalgia, Ultra
26. Elbow- Build a Rocket Boys!
25. The Kills- Blood Pressures
24. The Joy Formidable- The Big Roar
23. TV on the Radio- Nine types of light
22. Radiohead- The King of limbs
21. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks- Mirror Traffic
20. Florence + the Machine- Ceremonials
19. Kurt Vile- Smoke Rings for my Halo
18. Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues
17. Das Racists- Relax
16. Big K.R.I.T. - Return of 4eva
15. Death Cab for Cutie- Codes and Keys
14. Adele-21
13. Wilco- The Whole Love
12. The Decembrists- The King is Dead
11. Iron and Wine- Kiss Each Other Clean
10. Beirut- The Rip Tide
9. The Black Keys- El Camino
8. Kanye West and Jay-Z- Watch The Throne
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - It’s a corporate World
6. Foo Fighters- Wasting Light
5. Arctic Monkeys- Suck it and See
4. The Beastie Boys- Hot Sauce Committee part 2
3. The Strokes- Angles
2. My Morning Jacket- Circuital
1. Bon Iver- Bon Iver

Yes I am alive.

Well, I have fallen out of the loop as far as blogs go for a very long time, so I decided today that I should write a blog. The most exciting concert event for me of the year has came and went and I am still wishing I was in my lawn chair in Austin watching some great bands play. Austin City Limits Festival was once again a great time, I even got to bring Kristen this year and that added to the experience. We both got to knock off Kanye West on our bucket list of people to see perform. All I can say it people can call him an A-hole all they want, but I have always loved Kanye and after seeing him live, he is an amazing performer. I got to see a lot of hip hop over the weekend, and I got to see one of my favorite rappers of all time Big Boi perform on Friday and the fact that he did a lot of Outkast songs made me very happy. Friday was probably the best day of ACL for the whole weekend.

The other top act I got to knock off the bucket list was My Morning Jacket and Iron and Wine. I love both of these bands and they didn't disappoint seeing them live on Saturday. Kristen and I also got to see Ray LaMontange on Friday and he was great. I have to give it up to Kristen, she should get some sort of wife of the year honor for going to ACL and having a bum foot the whole time. She also stuck with me on some of the bands I wanted to see that she could careless about. Of course that is why I love her, I got to races on the weekend with her, and she will go to a music festival with me. Somehow I feel she gets the better end of the deal, for the simple fact that while we are cheering for a band we don't know you can atleast drink alcohol, not the same at races cheering for people running completely sober on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

Now I am plotting my next concert of the year, and on the horizon in December the two of us can knock someone else off the bucket list and that would be one rapper named Jay-Z. I think that this will probably be one of Kristen's Christmas presents that I am sure she will enjoy very much. Speaking of my bucket list of bands/musicians I want to see I feel this is an appropriate time to put this list down so everyone can see. Of course some of these bands I have seen, and will run at the chance to see them again.

1. Pearl Jam (seen them twice now and I will see them as long as I am alive, pardon the pun)
   
2. Arcade Fire
   
3. Arctic Monkeys
   
4. The Rolling Stones (seen them once and will see them again before they are gone.)
   
5. Kanye West
   
6. My Morning Jacket
   
7. Iron and Wine
   
8. Ray LaMontange
   
9. Jay-z
   
10. Phish (seen them twice now)
    
11. The Avett Brothers
    
12. Band of Horses
    
13. The Flaming Lips (best experience ever, got to be on stage with them)
    
14. Beastie Boys
    
15. Beck (saw him in college, would see him again)
    
16. The Roots (saw them with Beck, want to see them again)
    
17. Beirut
    
18. Ben Harper (have seen him way too many times, but amazing live)
    
19. Big Boi (now I just need to see him with Outkast)
    
20. The Black Crowes
    
21. The Black Keys (Have to see them again)
    
22. Bob Dylan
    
23. Bon Iver
    
24. Bruce Springsteen
    
25. Cake
    
26. Cold War Kids
    
27. Death Cab for Cutie
    
28. The Decemberists
    
29. Dinosaur Jr.
    
30. Eminem
    
31. Fleet Foxes
    
32. Foo Fighters (have seen them once, but have to see them again)
    
33. Red Hot Chili Peppers (seen them once, but have to see them again)
    
34. Frightened Rabbit
    
35. The Gaslight Anthem (seen them once, love to see them again)
    
36. Girltalk (seen him twice, go if you can)
    
37. Green Day
    
38. The Hold Steady (see them, will go again)
    
39. Ice Cube (saw him when he was still gangsta)
    
40. Jane's Addiction
    
41. Soundgarden
    
42. John Butler Trio
    
43. John Mayer (seen him, amazing on guitar)
    
44. The Strokes
    
45. The Killers
    
46. The Kills
    
47. Kings of Leon
    
48. Kiss
    
49. LCD Soundsystem (thank god I got to see them)
    
50. Lil Wayne
    
51. Lou Reed
    
52. Metallica
    
53. Metric
    
54. Mumford and Sons
    
55. Muse (amazing live, will go again)
    
56. The National (seen them, will go again)
    
57. Neil Young
    
58. Phoenix
    
59. Portugal. The Man (seen them, will go again)
    
60. Queens of the Stone Age
    
61. Radiohead
    
62. Smashing Pumpkins (seen them twice, broke up on stage last time I saw them)
    
63. Sonic Youth (saw the legends rip it up in Austin)
    
64. Spoon (seen them, will go again)
    
65. Tom Petty (seen him twice)
    
66. Weezer (saw them and I love them)
    
67. Wilco
    
68. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
    
69. 50 Cent
    
70. U2
    

Well, this is a still growing list as I find new bands every day. I have a lot of new music to write about next week, but I thought I would let the few of you that check this (1 person last time I looked at the tracker) know that I am alive and well.

Top 5 bands (at this time)

Well, it's been a long long time since I have written anything. I have been on vacation for a little while, and I got to go through the Nirvana exhibit in Seattle, and it was amazing. It was nice to see things in a museum that actually came from me being young. Of course does that make me old? Seeing things from my childhood and teenage years are now popping up in a museum. Oh well, it was amazing to see everything from a band that not only changed my way of thinking, but also put popular music on it's ear and started a revolution. On top of that we got to hang out in Portland and see Kristen's brother get married.

Well, I saw a quick tweet and facebook post from The Granada about me being able to write about my top 5 favorite bands. Of course me trying to get a foot in the door with them decided to write my favorite bands and see if I can get on their blog, then hopefully that leads into other things, but can't quit my day job anytime soon. Any person that loves music as much as I do, know that pinning down five favorite bands is a task, but I pulled out the iPod and gave it a look and here are the five bands that I came up with today. (As I am sure some of them will change by tomorrow morning)

Pearl Jam

Things get better with age, I can justify that. As things get better, Eddie Vedder and the boys are hands down one of the best rock bands in the past 20 years. Deciding early as a band to not make music videos for MTV (when MTV actually played music), taking on Ticketmaster, starting Monkey Wrench Records, and playing their own music, they have prevailed as a band that made it out of the early 90's still intact from the Seattle scene. If you claim you are a fan of music and don't own Pearl Jam 10, you should give up your tickets to the next show you go to. They were one of the first bands of my generation that played music that didn't feel stolen from another generation. They are back in the studio about to drop a new album this year, and when they go on tour, I will be front and center ready to get my socks rocked off.

Frightened Rabbit

With everyone getting on the Mumford and Sons kick, some have overlooked and missed this band from Selkirk, Scotland. Although at the moment they are opening up for Death Cab for Cutie, I feel they could have the chance to be the next band from across the pond to make it big. At this point they have three albums that have been released with their most recent album The Winter of Mixed Drinks. I have to say that if there is one album that is in constant rotation for me is their album The Midnight Organ Fight, it is an amazing album and can get you through the happiest or saddest times. Plus there aren't many bands that can say they added their current keyboardist after a drunken New Year's Eve night in Glasgow.

A Tribe Called Quest

To me, when the tribe broke up, it was just like the lyric from Don McLean's American Pie, it felt like "the day the music died" for hip hop at the time. I have to say I am a little of a hip hop junkie, not overboard, but I do like some good lyrics and beats throughout the day. When I heard my first Tribe album (The Low End Theory), the sound of Q-Tip and Phife's voice and their thoughtful lyrics had me hooked for life. I am hoping that Michael Rapaport's documentary will spark the Tribe to put away differences and get back together for one last hoorah. This group had more to say and had lyrics with feeling, a lot different than flowing about how much gold, girls, and money they had. I have to say we probably won't see a group like Tribe for a long time.

Portugal. The Man

Portugal. The Man has been around for a few years now (since 2004), and they are finally starting to get some play on indie stations. Based out of Portland, originally from Wasilla, Alaska (don't hold it against them) finally signed with Atlantic in 2010 and has put out 7 albums in the course of their career. I got the chance to see them at the Austin City Limits Festival last year and they put on a great show. I love their newest album In the Mountain, In the Cloud, but my favorite album by them is probably The Satanic Satanist. If you get the chance check them out when they are in Austin in October, you won't be disappointed.

The Flaming Lips

Being from Oklahoma, I always hold them close to the heart, plus you have to love the loveable freaks, it's hard not to. I can remember their earliest days in the late 80's and early 90's when they played obscure clubs in Norman and OKC, and me being too young and not being able to see them. That soon changed when I got to go on stage with them dressed as DJ Lance Rock and got to rock out at Austin City Limits Festival last year and I have to say it was marvelous. They put on the best live show I have been at, and they make it a point to get everyone involved at their shows. I love the fact that Wayne Coyne and the Lips make a point to push the boundaries of art and music and combine the both at their shows. With the Flaming Lips you get great music, amazing visuals, and take nothing for granted. They are rock pioneers and legends, and we have got the luxury of having them in our backyard in Oklahoma.

This week's Music:

Well seeing that is has been month's since I wrote anything, my music has piled up as well as what I have been listening too. So here are my top 5 albums that I have been listening to the past few months.

1. Kanye West & Jay Z- Watch the Throne. I have been waiting for this for a long time, and the wait is over and this album is awesome. Check out the tracks Otis and Gotta Have It.
   
2. Beirut- The Rip Tide. I have recently been listening to Beirut and I love this band. Check out the song Santa Fe.
   
3. Grouplove- Grouplove EP. This is the first EP of Grouplove, check out the song Naked Kids.
   
4. Battles- Gloss drop. This is the second album from Battles, after a few listens it gets me through a long day of work, check out the song Ice Cream.
   
5. Cults-Cults. Love this band, very laid back and chill. Great for listening to at home on a lazy Sunday. Check out the song Go Outside.
   

Another Week, another Blog

Well, here I am once again back at writing a blog. I go back and forth each week on what to write about. Of course I wish I was better at it much like My Old Kentucky Blog, Aquarium drunkard, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, and many other music blogs. Then I also have to realize that they do have many more people writing for them than just little ol' me. But I digress into my blog in hopes that someday soon I catch someone's eye or ear and I (at my advanced age) will become the next great music writer.

It seems like forever ago that I saw Weezer at the first of the month, and with July coming up I need to find another concert to go to, just to keep up with my new year's resolution of seeing a concert a month for a year. The prospects of a show in July are looking a little thin. So hopefully while we are in Portland or Seattle we can catch a small show somewhere cool, of a band that I have never heard of. Isn't that what you are supposed to do anyway? So those of you that live in Portland or Seattle know of anything good going on during the last week of July let me know.

Now on to more important things that interest me in my spare time and that is music. So I have hit my wall (or should I say my external hard drives wall) and reached capacity of my "tiny" 150 GB drive that is now housing the majority of my ever evolving music library. I have taken on the hard task of now being music god to what bands I feel are worthy enough to keep space and those that are hogging space that needs to go off into virtual heaven. This hasn't been too much of a difficult task as I thought, but it has also been a blessing as far as reminding myself I have those albums or I need to actually listen to some of the music. (Once again I would love to get paid for my side hobby, Spin or Rolling Stone if you are reading this, I will listen to music for you guys) It's funny when you have over 8,000 songs on your iPod you can still figure out an album or song that somehow has been left off when you have to upgrade to a larger iPod, which I never thought I would have to, but I did. On a lighter more exciting note, I did win an iPod at a convention I attended for work, but now the question is should I add music to it?

Well I guess I don't have much as far as concerts go for this week, hopefully I can catch something live this week. I do need a live music fix at some point. I guess I can go through some music reviews of my own to give something on this blog today.

 

New Music for the past few weeks:

Bon Iver-Bon Iver

I have been a big fan of Justin Vernon (a.k.a Bon Iver) for a few years now. I got lucky and picked up his newest album on Father's Day with my wonderful family at a great record store in Dallas called Good Records. Along with the record I also got a bonus disk of songs with the purchase. This album is great from the first song to the last, and he actually covered I Can't Make You love Me/Nick of Time on the bonus disk that is very amazing. Vernon's falsetto voice is always great to hear, and his songs match perfectly with his voice. If you haven't picked up this album, do so quickly.

Arctic Monkeys- Suck it and See

This is the fourth album from the Arctic Monkeys, and I like this one much better than Humbug. Although I wish it was a little more upbeat like their first two albums, but you can tell with Suck It and See that they are starting to find their way with their music. This one is a little more slower, but it has some great songs on it. I became a fan of the Monkeys after seeing them live at Austin City Limits Festival. I really like the song She's Thunderstorms.

Bell X1- Bloodless Coup

This is the sixth album from the band from Ireland. I have in the past few years started listening to Bell X1 after listening to Blue Lights on the Runway (it's a great album). Which this is a great follow up to the 2009 album. This one I have had to get a few listens in before really liking it, check out the song Velcro.

Friendly Fires- Pala

This is the second album from this band from England. If I had to classify them, I guess you could say they are a dance/punk band, which is a horrible lable. They always have some great beats to get you moving. They are really starting to gain some ground in England, and I am sure you will start seeing a little more of them over here in the US. Their first album was received well, and once this one gets some play it will as well. Check out the song Live Those Days Tonight.

The Limousines- Get Sharp

Well, hopefully by now you have heard of this bay area band, their catchy indie song Internet Killed the Video Star is getting much play. They also had an early hit called Very Busy People as well. I have to admit when I first heard both of these songs I really liked them a lot and couldn't wait to pick up their debut album. So far it hasn't disappointed, and if you haven't heard either of these songs check them out.

Ben Harper-Give Till It's Gone

This is Ben's 11^th studio album, and I have been a huge Ben Harper fan since the first time I saw him blow me away when he had to take over the main stage at The Horde Festival in 1998 when the Smashing Pumpkins literally broke up and had a melt down about three songs into their set. I got lucky and picked his newest album up on vinyl and it is really good. Check out the songs Don't Give Up on Me Now and Rock N' Roll is Free.

 

Bucket List Band to see live- Weezer……..check.

Well, I try to be as faithful to my blog as I am with the New York Mets, which is 50-50 at best. As I am sitting here still coming down to reality after seeing one of my bucket list bands last night in Austin, and if you were wondering that would be Weezer. To top it off, they played the Blue Album in its entirety on Monday. Which if I had to choose my top albums of my life, the Blue Album is in the top ten if not top five of all time for me. I can remember getting that album my freshman year of college and I think I still own my first copy that I bought. There aren't many albums I can sing every song to, but that one I can sing word for word every song.

I was not alone as this being my most favorite album, you could tell by the 2,000-3,000 people that came to the small venue to see Weezer in Austin at Stubb's BBQ. On Monday was another first for me, as I was standing in line to get in, I was talking to a brother and sister, fellow Weezer fans, and they mentioned they got to see them live in 2005. I thought that was cool, as I was telling them this was my first time to see them, then out of nowhere they felt the need to let me know that they were in 5^th grade at the time, and they just started listening to them. The story goes on to let me know that their uncle (I am guessing my age) gave them the Blue Album, and Pinkerton to get them started. At this point I decide to not let them know that I actually bought the Blue Album and Pinkerton when they first were released in 1994 and 1996. I decided to let this one go, as we were getting our tickets scanned and one of them getting an underage wristband on, and me getting called "young man" by the security guard and the "of age" wristband attached to my wrist. Some things are better left unsaid, and this was one of those times to just be happy so many people still love Weezer as much as I do.

I have often read many articles about musicians and bands going out to perform famous albums in their entirety for their fans (still hoping Pearl Jam does that with No Code), so I didn't know what to expect. I had read that The Knux was opening for them at some of their shows, but that did not happen last night, it was all Weezer for about two hours. They came out and ran down each album and played their "hits" off of each, and even threw in a cover of Paranoid Android by Radiohead to mix it up; I have to add it was a spot on cover as well. Then a quick intermission, which was cool, because one of their guys that has been with them on tour since they began did a quick slide show/history of Weezer before they came back out. I thought that was a really cool touch to the whole night. Well then they came back out and played every song off the Blue Album, and it sounded amazing, so worth the 106 degree heat, standing in lines, and having to go solo to the show. It was one of the Top 5 shows I have seen in my life, and much of it had to do with me getting to hear them play a great album live. So much fun.

My Picks for music for the week

1. Death Cab for Cutie- Codes and Keys
   
2. Eddie Vedder- Ukulele Songs
   
3. Arctic Monkeys- Suck It and See
   
4. The Cars- Move Like This
   
5. City and Colour- Little Hell
   
6. Explosions in the Sky- Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
   
7. Frank Turner- England Keep My Bones
   
8. The Vaccines- What did you expect from the Vaccines
   
9. Awolnation- Megalithic Symphony
   
10. Beastie Boys- Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
    
11. My Morning Jacket- Circuital
    

Austin City Limits Line-up is here!

Well, as of midnight on Monday the folks at C3 concerts released this year's ACL line-up to the masses that care. Of course I am part of that mass that wanted had to know who was playing this year, since Kristen and I made the commitment to go to the festival together this year, which will also mark the first concert we have gone to since we saw John Mayer about five years ago together. So I am very excited to go back to ACL for the third year in a row, but very excited that Kristen is coming with me on this adventure. I get to see some great bands and mark them off my bucket list, and by the looks of the line-up see some band that I have never heard of which is always a great experience. Also I have to toot my own horn and let the few of you that read this know that I picked 14 bands that are going to be there. So that makes me still feel I could be a rock writer in my later years in my life. So I am thinking that I should give some of you a quick list of bands I want to see after my first look at the line up, of course I have a whole summer to listen to the bands I have never heard of, so this list will be a lot longer when September rolls around.

So let me start with Friday of ACL:

1. Kanye West- He is on my bucket list and I can't wait to see him live, I have heard he puts on a great show.
   
2. NAS & Damian Marley- That album is a great mash up of Hip Hop and Reggae.
   
3. Bright Eyes- I just want to see the hype about Conor Oberst. I actually do like the new album a little.
   
4. Ray LaMontagne- Kristen and I both can't wait to see him live. I am very excited about this one.
   
5. Santigold- I really love Santigold and this is her one Festival appearance this year, so hopefully she brings her A game.
   
6. Big Boi- Outkast has always been one of my favorite hip hop groups, also on my bucket list. If I get ½ of Outkast I will be happy.
   
7. Old Crow Medicine Show- I hear they are great live, so I have to check them out.
   
8. Cold War Kids- I have been loving this band for a while, and so excited to see them live.
   
9. Delta Spirit- Just got their new album, and also watched them live on TV, so I am excited to see them live.
   
10. Foster the People- I love the song Pumped Up Kicks, hopefully they don't pull a Cage the Elephant and suck live.
    
11. Smith Westerns- I am starting to really like their album, so the same feeling above, hope they translate well live.
    
12. Mavis Staples- who doesn't love an old school R&B singer?
    
13. Theophilus London- Very interested in seeing how he is live.
    
14. Ha Ha Tonka- They made big waves at SXSW, so I am very interested to see them.
    
15. Pretty Lights- I am not usually a big electro person, but I keep hearing good things about this band.
    

Saturday at ACL:

1. My Morning Jacket- I cannot wait to see them live, they put on amazing live shows. Sorry Stevie Wonder, but I am catching MMJ for a little while, but don't worry I will try to come over and see you before we leave.
   
2. Cee Lo- Kristen and I are both pumped to see him. I am hoping for some type of outrageous costume when he comes on stage.
   
3. Cut Copy- I do love their new album, so I am hoping for a good show from them.
   
4. TV on The Radio- I am very surprised to see them in the lineup after their bassist passed away, but I am very stoked to see them live. Bucket list performer #6 is being marked off now.
   
5. Iron & Wine- This is one of the bands I really can't wait to see. Bucket list performer #7 on the weekend.
   
6. Fitz and the Tantrums-Just by listening to their first single, this should be a very fun time watching them.
   
7. Young the Giant- Really love their new album.
   
8. J. Roddy Walston and the Business- They play some great music, should be a good time.
   
9. Preservation Hall Jazz Band- how can you go wrong with some New Orleans Jazz?
   
10. City and the Colour- A nice mellow time.
    

Sunday at ACL:

1. Arcade Fire- Amazing live show can't wait! Bucket list performer #7.
   
2. Fleet Foxes- I have loved their first two albums, also ready to see them live.
   
3. Social Distortion- How do you not want to see some rock legends on stage?
   
4. Empire of the Sun- I have heard their live show is very theatrical, so this should be fun to watch.
   
5. Broken Social Scene- to be honest I haven't heard much of their stuff, but people keep telling me how great they are.
   
6. Death from Above 1979- I have heard their live show is chaotic, crazy, and the past spring involved riot police and tear gas. YES……Sign me up!
   
7. The Airborne Toxic Event- I have really liked their first two albums, so I will have to catch them on Sunday.
   
8. Elbow- love their new album, hope it translates well live.
   
9. The Walkmen- have liked them every since they were on the O.C. (yes I own the O.C., everyone has a guilty pleasure), so I am ready to see them live.
   
10. Chiddy Bang- one of the best new hip hop acts out, and I do love my hip-hop.
    
11. Gomez- kristen and I love this band, and they have a new album coming out soon.
    
12. AWOLNATION- love their single Sail; really hope they are good live.
    
13. Hayes Carll- yes, he is country music, and yes I have him on my list. I will listen to country at times, and Hayes is actually really good.
    
14. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.- I keep hearing good things about this band, so I will check them out.
    
15. The head and the heart- I have listened to them a little, so I will go check them out.
    
16. MONA- I keep hearing their first single and think Kings of Leon, so I will be interested to see them live.
    

Well that is my list and it gives those of you that are interested in listening to some new music a jumping off point. Of course this list will change about a million times before September.

The Austin City Limits Festival Hints begin today

I wanted to start off the week with a blog on Tuesday, but as soon as I found out that Austin City Limits Festival and C3 were going to start giving their usual hints on headliners starting today I figured I would wait (sounds better than being lazy) and do my blog today. On another note, this weekend will mark the first ever concert that I am taking Sloan too, it's a festival in Dallas called the Homegrown Festival, and it looks like the weather should be amazing on Saturday. I would love to stay all day seeing that School of Seven Bells and Neon Indian at the headliners, but I think that would be too much for our first time concert/festival girl, and I do love my wife and would like to see her when she gets home from work.

Well since we are hopefully going to start finding out who is going to play at ACL starting today, I figured that I should share what I have dug up doing some research on who should be there and who is on the rumored list. So let's start out with the expected/confirmed list.

Expected/Confirmed:

Cee Lo Green- He accidentally posted it on his tour schedule, and I am sure C3 asked him to remove it.

Fitz and the Tantrums

Iron and Wine- logical since Samuel Beam is from Austin.

Theophilus London- He tweeted it the other day.

Alison Krauss & Union Station

 

And now it's time for the long list of rumored and probably not coming but everyone wishes they would (Radiohead) bands for ACL.

Rumored:

Soundgarden (not going to make it, Matt Cameron will be recording new PJ album)

Arcade Fire

Kanye West (could happen C3 does love some Kanye and Kanye does love some Austin)

Buffalo Springfield (possible, will make all the older hippie crowd happy, but will Neil Young make it that long?)

Young the Giant (they were on the confirmed list, but Consequence of Sound took them off their list)

Hayes Carll (he is on tour, and just like Iron and Wine, he is from Austin)

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Ray LaMontagne

The Cars

Duran Duran

Paul Simon

Wilco (They did skip Austin on their recent tour)

TV on the Radio (doubtful since their bassist just passed away from cancer)

Fleet Foxes

Patty Griffin

Lucinda Williams

Trombone Shorty (doubtful he played last year at ACL)

My Morning Jacket

Bright Eyes

Best Coast

Smith Westerns

Local Natives (doubtful they played at ACL last year)

Pains of being pure at heart

Jay-Z

Beastie Boys (they should since they had to back out 2 years ago)

CSS

Queens of the Stone Age

Mumford and Sons

Willie Nelson (it would be a sham if he doesn't play at the 10 year anniversary)

Tool

Death Cab for Cutie

Yes that is a long list, but as soon as I find out I will start posting them on my blog. I have a ton of music I have been listening to, but I will get back to that next week.

Concert #5- The Decemberists with the Other Lives, and other random things

Well, on the concert resolution I have now been to 5 shows this year. The fifth show was The Decemberists with the Other Lives at Stubbs in Austin. The concert was in their outside venue, and it was the perfect size for a Decemberists show. The opening band the Other Lives were very good. They also released a new album this week, and on top of that they are from Oklahoma, which is really awesome. The concert was great, and sometimes you listen to music all day long, but until you see them play it live it doesn’t hit you how amazing musicians they are. Plus learning how to play the guitar is also a very humbling experience, but it also gives you a little look at how much time and effort it takes to play an instrument. I have to say both the opening band the Decemberists are both amazing musicians.

On top of going to the concert I did get to have a little time to myself to do a little record shopping at Waterloo Records. I love going to Waterloo when I am in Austin, you never know what you might find looking through the records there. On this particular day I did get a great record which was Led Zeppelins soundtrack to their movie The Song remains the Same. I was very pumped when I came across it, and I also got an old Iron and Wine record. I am really starting to become a big fan of Iron and Wine, so when I see anything by him on vinyl I usually snatch it up rather quickly. I think my next big purchases will be the White Stripes catalogue (album by album), and anything I can find by Pearl Jam and Led Zeppelin.

So now it is time for a few albums I have listened to this past week:

1.Beastie Boys- Hot Sauce Committee Part 2- This was the 2 year delayed release of the Beastie Boys due to MCA’s fight with cancer. I am a HUGE fan of the Beasties and Licensed to Ill was probably one of the first albums that I have ever bought. So I am always stoked to get any music from them. I have to say that this album goes back to the old school Beasties. I love the first single of the album, check out Make Some Noise.

2.Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues- This is the second album from the Fleet Foxes. I liked their first album, and so far after a few listens this one seems to be better than the first. Check out the song Helplessness Blues.

3.The Airborne Toxic Event- All at once- This is also their second album. I got to see them at ACL a few years ago, and really liked them live. After a couple of listens to this album I think this album is going to be good for them. Check out the song Changing.

The Decemberists are coming, the Decemberists are coming!

Well it has seemed like months since I have picked up the proverbial pad and pen to write anything about music. Don't worry, that does not mean I haven't been listening to music, I think I might go crazy if I didn't listen to music every day, maybe even going postal to a point. Well the past month has been crazy busy, especially having to work a real job, but the best thing is that the sports season is starting to grind to a halt and that means a summer of fun, music, and relaxing. I have had my interest peaked a little about this blog thing seeing that The Granada Theater is having a little contest for people to write a blog for them. I figured I might as well throw my hat in the ring and see if I get lucky enough to write for them, why not. (selfless promotion is not above me, I love music and would love to write for you guys)

Well, keeping up with my New Years resolution of a concert a month the next show on the horizon is The Decemberists in Austin. I am three days out from seeing them, and with each set list posting from them I am getting more and more excited. I have seen some local shows here and there in Waco, but to see some great professional musicians play live is what life should be about. You can forget your worries and get lost in music. So I am getting very excited for this show, The Decemberists are an amazing band, so I can imagine that this show should be really great. Of course I will let you know how the show is next week.

The next exciting news is Austin City Limits Festival finally sent out the first round of emails for festival tickets. After looking at their other festival Lollapalooza, I have a feeling that ACL will be just as good with their line-up. I am still searching the internet to see if anyone has any leaks for more bands for the line-up. I am very pumped for this, I get to hang out with some friends and by beautiful wife is going to go with me this year. So it should be a blast. Of course the speculation still is Radiohead at ACL, but now I am hearing a possible Soundgarden sighting as well. I am hoping for a Foo Fighters show, that new album is amazing, buy it now if you haven't yet. Now a few folks from Austin are calling Mumford and Sons, Kanye, Buffalo Springfield, Paul Simon, Wilco, and MMJ. I love the thought of Buffalo Springfield or Paul Simon, but two heavy hitters like that I doubt it would happen in one weekend. So let all the speculation begin, tickets go on sale next week, and I hope to have two three day passes in my little hands by the end of the day.

The past months music listens:

Ok, so it's been a while, and now it's time for all the little music nuggets that I have been listening to. Some are new, and some are albums that I have started listening to again. So here is a little list of everything I have listened to over the past month.

1. Foo Fighters- Wasting Light. Some people love the Foo Fighters, some people hate them. I say give into the love, this album is amazing from start to finish. It is the most true rock album I have bought in a long time. I love it so much that I am going to buy it on vinyl. Check out the songs Walk and These Days.
   
2. Bell X1-Bloodless Coup- I have been a semi-fan of Bell X1 for a couple of years. Sometimes I really like hearing them and sometimes not so much. I picked up their new album and I have really enjoyed it. Check out the song Velcro.
   
3. Cold Cave-Cherish the Light Years- I admit I haven't listened to much from Cold Cave, but I have been wanting to check them out. So far after a few listens I am really liking this album. Check out the song Confetti.
   
4. Elbow-Build A Rocket Boys!- I have been hearing a lot about this band, so I figured I should give it a go. Another album that is really good, I am hoping they come somewhere around Texas soon. Check out the song Lippy Kids.
   
5. The Go! Team- Rolling Blackouts- This is a nice mix of indie music and hip-hop is probably the best way to describe The Go!Team. Check out the song T.O.R.N.A.D.O.
   
6. The Kills-Blood Pressures- I started loving Alison Mosshart with the Dead Weather, and hadn't really started listening to The Kills at that point. Of course my rock crush took over and I had to give the Kills a listen and fell in love with them. Check out the song Satellite.
   
7. Lykke Li-Wounded Rhymes- I have had a few people keep telling me to listen to her, but was very slow to getting around to it. I am glad that I did get her new album, it is really good. Check out the song Get Some.
   

Also, if anyone knows where to pick up a needle for a record player, I really need one ASAP.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not

So, it has been a while since I wrote this thing. I have been way too busy with life and work and honestly haven't had much to write about. I have been sticking to my guns and doing a concert a month, and it has been hard to squeeze in a show with my schedule of athletic events, running Sloan all over, and helping out Kristen as much as possible. Since we are close to the end of the school year, I am starting to be a little less busy than I have been which is great.

It didn't hit me this week, until I was sitting at work and something popped up from Rolling Stone about it being the week that Kurt Cobain committed suicide. I am still blown away that a) someone so talented would do something like that, and b) its been 17 years ago this week. For me it makes me think of what I have done in those 17 years (and how old it makes me feel), and it also makes me wonder if anyone else remembers how important Kurt Cobain and Nirvana was to music.

I was a young kid with a million dreams working my way through a very eye opening first almost second year of college. Of course one of most famous stories I have is the "I will catch them when they come back through" story about Nirvana. One of my friends from back home had an extra ticket to the In Utero tour, and I passed on the extra ticket because I would "catch them when they came back through". Famous last words (pardon the pun) I know, but I did catch them. It was just minus Kurt Cobain and Krist Novaselic, and it was also in the form of the Foo Fighters when they opened up for the Red Hot Chili Peppers on the 2000 Californiacation tour. Although to this day I still regret not taking that ticket to see Nirvana for one last time. To this day I now base my concert decisions on that fateful day, and I try to see any band that could or may break up.

Cobain was just 27 years old, very young. At 27 I just met Kristen and was on my way of starting my life, not finishing it. I couldn't imagine missing everything I have done since turning 27. Did he have his problem? Of course, drugs, depression, anxiety of being famous, he had a ton of problems. To me he helped move music to where it is now, he was the catapult to move music out of the 80's and push it into another whole direction. It seems like over night music when from hairspray and tights, back to loud and rebellious. He single handedly flushed hair metal down the toilet. He let my generation have a voice, granted it was a voice no one was ready for, but a voice for us none the less. It's just amazing just over those 17 years I went from an awkward 18-19 year old to a father with a daughter that at some point will be introduced to Nirvana when she gets older. Like I said, it's sad to see someone so young and talented go so soon.

And the rumor mill begins for the 2011 Austin City Limits Festival

Well kids, very soon the tickets for ACL will go on sale, and I am sure that not only myself but thousands of others will gobble up those three day passes without knowing what bands will be playing. I guess that is the fun of going to a festival is not only seeing some great established acts, but seeing that unknown band or singer before they blow up, for example:

2002-Ryan Adams, Wilco, G. Love, and String Cheese Incident.

2003-Bright Eyes, Drive-By Truckers, Spoon, Ben Harper, Kings of Leon, and Jack Johnson

2004-John Butler Trio, Dashboard Confessional, The killers, Ray Lamontagne

2005- Jet, Arcade Fire, Death Cab for Cutie, The Black Keys, The Decemberists

2006-Muse, Cat Power, Wolf Parade, Nada Surf, Phoenix, The New Pornographers, Gomez, TV on the Radio

2007- LCD Soundsystem, M.I.A., Cold War kids, The National, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Manchester Orchestra

2008- Band of Horses, Silversun Pickups, Vampire Weekend, MGMT, Yeasayer, The Kills

2009- Dr. Dog, Blitzen Trapper, School of Seven Bells, The Low Anthem, Deer Tick, The Henry Clay People, Girl Talk, Mike Posner

2010- Miike Snow, Those darlins, First Aid Kit, Two Door Cinema Club, Local Natives, Blind Pilot

You can see the progression of ACL over the years by the smaller acts that have at this point either became very popular or as of the last two years about to be popular. I guess it will be time for me to give you guys a few rumors and confirmations for this year's festival.

Confirmed/Expected Acts: CeeLo Green, Young the Giant, Hunx and his Punx, Iron and Wine, Ha Ha Tonka

The Rumor Mill: Hayes Carll, Jay Z, Red Hot Chili Peppers, My Morning Jacket, Arcade Fire, Animal Collective, Mumford and Sons, MGMT, Wilco, Sublime with Rome, Tame Impala, The Drums, Weezer, R.E.M., Buffalo Springfield, Explosions in the Sky, Odd Future Gang Kill Them All, and the biggest speculation out there for the reason that ACL moved to September is to get RADIOHEAD.

Well so far with the confirmations, I am starting to get a little excited for a CeeLo Green/Gnarls Barkley set, plus I really love Iron and Wine. And if the tweet above is correct, I am so ready to see Radiohead it's not even funny, let's just say something would be crossed off the bucket list by the end of ACL is that is true.

Music for the past month:

Well it's time for what I have been listening to either old or new, but I guess since it's the end of March I might as well just throw everything together, for an end of the month album list. Hopefully you check these bands out that I throw out, some you might like and others you might hate, but they great bands to me, I will take it easy and give you t0 bands/albums to listen too now.

1. Odd Future Wolf Gang kill Them All- this is a hip-hop group out of LA that has 12 members in OFWGKTA. Each member has put out his own albums over the past two years. Most of them are skaters in LA and have been featured in Thrasher magazine at some point. This group is a very acquired taste for most, but they are the next big thing in Hip-Hop.(Here is the link to their site, PARENTAL ADVISORY, go at your own risk http://oddfuture.com/)
   

   
    

2. Peter, Bjorn, and John-Gimmie Some- Just got the album over the weekend and after the first listen, I really like this third album Swedish indie band. They will be in Austin and Dallas in June.
   
3. Big K.R.I.T.- Return of 4Eva- This is his second mixtape that I have downloaded and if there is a next big hip-hop star that is coming up, I feel that Big K.R.I.T. is it. I have listened to this album a few times since getting it, and I love it.
   
4. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart-Belong- This is their second album, and I was sort of a fan of their first album, but then going into a recording studio and refining their sound made this album so much better than their first.
   
5. Wiz Khalifa-Rolling Papers- I am a big fan of his single "Black and Yellow". His first studio released album is good, but if I had to choose between him and KRIT, I still go KRIT.
   
6. Paper Tongues-self Titled- I have been a little reluctant of getting this album. To me some of the singles I have heard were a little too popish for me. After listening to this album, I will be interested to see what they can do for a sophomore follow up.
   
7. Jessica Lea Mayfield-With Blasphemy So Heartfelt- This is her first album that she released, she is currently working on her studio album with Dan Auerbach from the Black Keys. Her first album is good, and she has an amazing voice, I am very excited to see what she does with Auerbach from the Black Keys.
   
8. J Macias-Several Shades of Why- I love Dinosaur Jr. and I love this solo album from J. Go get this album.
   
9. Das Racist-Sit Down, Man- This is another Hip-Hop act, and they are quickly moving up to as Rolling Stone put it "25 Best New Bands in the World", which is a big thing. This is their 2010 mixtape they put out, and I really enjoy listening to it.
   
10. The Joy Formidable-The Big Roar- This is a three piece indie band from England. This is their first album they have released and from what I have heard a really great band live at SXSW. I would suggest getting this album.

Crazy Vivid Dreams

The title of this blog should sum everything up. I have been having the most vivid, detailed, oddly specific, and a detailed dream the past few days. It's almost been like I am in a movie and when I wake up early in the morning I try to rush back to sleep to find out what happens. I know it is a strange way to start off my blog (that I still suck at), but I feel I should leave a pad and pen at the side of my nightstand to write this dream down, because there is a heck of a love story of sorts going on in my dreams at night. With that odd way to start off this whole blog thing, I now get back to reality to write a little, if anything crazy happens in my dream I will be sure to let you know.

So after about two weeks of anticipation I finally got my ticket to the Weezer concert in June. This is probably one of my top 10 bands that I love, and on top of that they are going to play my most favorite album the Blue album from first song to last song and then play some greatest hits after. That has the potential to be an amazing concert. So I have that and I really can't wait to see the Decemberists next month, I am really excited about this one as well. Of course both shows are in Austin and both are at the famous Stubb's, and both shows are sold out. I am mostly excited because it is a smaller venue that you get to see two really great bands live.

So I have been a little bummed the past week, I love my job and I love baseball, but sometimes it sucks when such an amazing event like SXSW is the same week as the most busiest month of the year for me. I have counted it up and so far I am on my 15^th straight day of work due to 15 games of baseball scheduled for this month. You may think I am crazy, but this is still easier than working in Minor League Baseball. Well I was bummed to find out that I missed shows by The Strokes, Odd Future, Kanye West and Jay-Z, Bon Iver, Yuck, Sharon Van Etten, Big K.R.I.T., Dinosaur Pile-Up, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Fences, The head and the Heart, Queens of the Stone age, The Joy Formidable, Jeff The Brotherhood, and Gayngs. So needless to say there were a lot of bands there I really wanted to see. Hopefully some of those bands might make it back for ACL in September.

I have been listening to a ton of new music, one the albums I couldn't wait to hear came out Tuesday, of course that is The Strokes new album. Plus Sloan has been keeping me busy with her turning 8 this past week, and she is becoming quite the fashion eye when it comes to her clothes. She seems very trendy for her age and definitely has her own style. I think it's great that she is confident enough to dress how she wants. I do have to say she is growing up too fast, but I do have a blast with her when we are together hanging out.

Well I guess it's time to catch up on what I am listening to for the past few weeks. Some are old, and it shows how lazy I am at writing this blog, and some are new.

Maximum Balloon-Self Titled

This is the solo debut of David Andrew Sitek from TV on the Radio. I have been listening to this album for a while now and it was on the Rolling Stone's list of the 30 best albums of 2010. I am a big fan of TV on the Radio so I was interested in listening to his solo project. On top of being in two bands he is also an accomplished producer for other bands. You can tell his roots with TV on the Radio in this album, but it is a very catch album that reminds me of catch electronica or indie-pop. It has an 80's feel to the album. It is a great album that everyone should pick up. Check out the song Groove Me or Absence of Light.

Superchunk-Majesty Shredding

Superchunk has been around since the early 90's and has put out albums all the way to 2001 and then took a bit of a break until releasing Majesty Shredding. I have always liked Superchunk and have listened to them, but only had a few albums back in college (until they got stolen at one of our many house parties). Their newest album was well received by critics and fans alike. This album was also on Rolling Stone's 30 best of 2010. I am really starting to like these bands from the 90's coming back with some new music to let everyone know they are still alive and putting out amazing music. The whole album is great and is something you should pick up. Check out the song Rosemarie.

Teenage Fanclub-Shadows

Here is another band from the 90's that is putting out a new album this past year. I guess I needed to catch up with my last few albums of 2010 before I get into 2011. I would have to say Teenage Fanclub is closer to Dinosaur Jr (one of my favorite bands of all-time). They were lumped into the Alternative Rock genre in the 90's but I would have to say they are all over the place when it comes to their music. I really love this album , and I love their album Bandwagonesque, which is on many lists as one of the top albums to own. Check out the song Sometimes I don't need to believe in anything.

Austin City Limits Lineup Wish list

As summer approaches and the anticipation of Austin City Limits tickets and their line-up looms the next month. I have to say the concert scene in Austin and surrounding cities are looking promising. I am however keeping up with my new year's resolution and I have bought tickets for The Decembrists in April, and so far the show I can wait to see is Weezer in June, which they are playing the Blue album in its entirety.

I have been waiting to see if the rumor mill starts up with the ACL line-up, and as of yet I have heard nothing and it's been very quiet for that matter. Of course you have the outlandish rumors of David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, etc. but those are just unrealistic. Taking a look at Coachella, Lollapalooza, Sasquatch and some other festivals you have to think a few of those bands will make the festival circuit this summer.

With that said here is my wishlist/possible bands that we could see at ACL for 2011. I will start off with the bands and end with the possible headliners.

Ryan Bingham, Band of Heathens, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Crystal castles, Cut Copy, The Hold Steady , Interpol, Klaxons, Sleigh Bells, The Drums, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Titus Andronicus, The New Pornographers, The Tallest Man on Earth, Wiz Khalifa, Broken Social Scene, Freelance Whales, Scissor Sisters, Best Coast, Fistful of Mercy, Foster the People, Neon Trees, Iron and Wine, Bassnectar, Tokyo Police Club, Girl Talk, Wavves, Cold War Kids, Wolf Parade, Young The Giant, Das Racist, J. Macias/Dinosaur Jr, Cotton Jones, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Florence + The Machine, Steve Earle, Fleet Foxes, Fiona Apple, White Lies, and Sharon Jones and the Dapkings. (I am sure my list will grow by the time they announce the line-up, but this would be my wishlist/possible bands to play at ACL in 2011)

Now on to the possible headliners for this year, with this year being the 10 year anniversary I know that one of the main stages will have Willie Nelson at some point, if they don't I might be a little disappointed with ACL for not having the person that played the first ever Austin City Limits TV show not play at the 10 year anniversary of their festival. Now I weigh more of what big bands have albums coming out over the spring and summer to headline at ACL. So with that said here is a list of my possible headliners for this year.

Arcade Fire, Willie Nelson, Mumford & Sons, Kanye West, Bright Eyes, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, Foo Fighters, Death Cab for Cutie, Wilco, The Decemberists, R.E.M., Soundgarden, Radiohead, Lady Gaga (it kills me to put this, but we all know it could happen, we did get the Eagles last year), My Morning Jacket, Phoenix, and Snoop Dogg. Of course this is just my wishlist/possible headliners for this year, but we can all admit these are all good possibilities. If I go with a huge Sunday closer I am putting my guess with a band like Radiohead. For years people have wanted them at ACL and this year looks like the best to get those crazy Brits over here to party with everyone in Texas. Let's keep our fingers crossed this happens.

Now it's time for a few music reviews. I have to admit I am getting a little piled up with all the music I am listening to that is new or old to some, but here are a few that I will get too this week.

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals-Self Titled

GPN is a roots rock/soul band from Vermont. This band is definantly going to be getting more popular over the next year. They have been on the rise for the past few years, but their newest album is very good. Grace Potter has a very soulful voice, and they have a great sound. Her sound can win over the biggest music snob and the hardest rocker. She has a great 70's soul sound to her vocals and song writing. Check out the song Paris (ooh la la).

Smith Westerns-Dye it Blonde

This is a band that is getting a lot of attention lately. They will be playing at Stubb's during SXSW, and have supported the likes of MGMT, Florence and the Machine, Belle and Sebastian, Girls, and Passion Pit on tour. So this young band from Chicago has had some help from some great indie bands while coming up. This is their second album, but with some better financial backing to make this album sound more refined than their first one. If I had to describe their sound it would be more of an indie/dream pop sound that is coming out here lately with Real Estate, Wavves, and Best Coast. So far this is one of my favorite albums that has came out this year so far. Check out the song Weekend.

White Lies-Ritual

This is the second album from the alternative band from Ealing, London. I got to see them live at ACL in 2009, and they blew me away live. They were a great live band that day, and I go hooked on their first album To Lose My Life. So I was excited to hear they would be releasing an album this year. The White Lies sound a lot like The Killers and MUSE. They don't have the killer sound like those two bands just yet, but I feel they will. They didn't stray too far from their sound of the first album, but over all this is a good album, not great, but not bad either. The way is sounds is a safe album to not stray too far from what made the first album so good. Check out the songs Strangers and Bigger Than Us.

Avi Buffalo-Self Titled

This is the indie-pop bands first album that they have released. Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg is the lead singer and main song writer for Avi Buffalo. What makes the songs so infections is the lyrics that he gives the songs. They are almost so innocent and sweet that is makes the gushy indie-pop songs long for your long lost innocent sex starved teens. Out of all the genre's of music that is coming out now, the indie-pop scene is one of my favorites. The dreamy melodies and song writing makes you want to move to LA and sit on the beach and listen to it all day. I guess this album is a great album to put on a lazy spring Sunday morning and hang out on the back porch enjoying the sun. Check out the song What's In It For?

Destroyer-Kaputt

This is a Canadian indie rock band that has been around since 1995. Lead singer Dan Bejar has often called their style "European Blues", and is often compared to David Bowie, and there are some influences of Pavement and Guided by Voices is some of their sound. This is the bands ninth studio album that they have released, and this album would fall into the same dreamy indie music that is coming out right now. Dan Bejar has a very mellow way of singing and the melodies accompany him very well. Check out the songs Chinatown and Kaputt.

 

Crazy Last Week

Well, I have been extremely busy at work this past week. ESPN came to town and did College GameDay live from Waco. It's was really cool they came, but it caused a lot undue stress as well. I do love my job, and I am lucky to do what I do though. So as I am writing this, I will have to do two blogs for this week.

It's a new month, and another month for me to see a live show. On top of that it is a very very busy month for me, so squeezing a show in is going to be very difficult. Thank god a good friend of mine is actually putting on a show this month at Beatnix Burger Barn on March 26^th. The Band is called Beat To a Pulp and they are putting on a night of Pink Floyd. If you are a Pink Floyd fan, tickets are on sale now at Beatnix Burger Barn here in Waco. Stop by and pick up some tickets to the show and help out a local business here in Waco.

I don't have much as way of music experiences to write about this week. There is a good month of music that is going to be released this month. Here are a few anticipated releases for the month:

March 1:

Lykke Li- Wounded Rhymes

Beady Eye-Different Gear, Still Speeding

Telekinesis-12 Desperate Straight Lines

March 8:

Lupe Fiasco-Lasers

Raekwon-Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang

R.E.M.-Collapse Into Now

Wye Oak-Civilian

March 15:

J.Macias-Several Shades of Why

March 22:

Green Day- Awesome As F**K (Live)

Soundgarden-Live on I-5

The Strokes- Angels

March 29:

Boxer Rebellion-Cold Still

Florence + The Machine- Between Two Lungs

The Mountain Goats- All Eternals Deck

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart- Belong

Snoop Dogg- Doggumentary

Wiz Khalifa- Rolling Papers

 

That is a huge laundry list of music, but those are the ones that I can't wait to listen too. Some might even make the list of vinyl that I will buy. So with this short blog, I will put together a better one to post in hopefully a few hours, but knowing me probably a few days.

 

 

 

Back on track, sort of

Well, I am starting to fall back on getting a new blog up every Tuesday. Not much happened over the past few weeks, I did however keep my resolution alive this past week with a local show here in Waco. I have for some reason got writers block, maybe my writers block stems from the artificial light I am exposed to on a daily basis in my office. Whatever it is, I am at a loss of what to write this week.

I have started guitar lessons as of two weeks ago, and have learned six new cords, hopefully I can piece them together to make a strange sounding slow song (seeing I can't play very well yet). So resolution #2 is under way, this is a big step for me. I don't think I can even think of a time I stuck to any new years resolution. So now I need to keep practicing and hopefully my playing will improve, or becoming a rock star in my mid-30's may never happen. Hopefully Rolling Stone or Spin will save me and I can become a music writer, however I am not holding my breath for either, but if Bob Dylan can survive with horrible singing skills, so can I.

I want to apologize again for being a slacker with my blog, you have to give it to me I started well out of the gate, But I guess if this is my only outlet (other than pounding my friends over the head with what music is good and what music basically sucks) I figure that I should at least give it a go and give some better reviews of music and some of the shows that I have seen. So to keep some of you knowing what shows I have seen to keep my quest of seeing a show a month up. I have seen Girl Talk in January, which I wrote about in my last blog, and I got to go to Beatnix Burger Barn here in Waco (great hamburger and atmosphere for those of you that aren't enough Baylor in Waco to go to Scruffy Murphy's). I got to see a local band called Spore 333 and a few other local acts that went on before them. Another great thing about Beatnix is the fact that it is BYOB so you get to get in cheap, eat a great burger and fries, and not spend an arm and a leg on drinks to get in some music for an evening.

One of the early musicians that really stood out to me was Kat Dixon and Dan Cole on drums. Kat did an amazing acoustic rendition of It's Getting Hot in Here by Nelly. I know what you must be thinking, and it was one of the coolest covers I have heard in a long time next to the newest cover of 99 Problems by Hugo (if you haven't heard the Jay Z cover, go download it on iTunes). The early acoustic acts were really good as well Divad Nedloh played and if I had to compare him to someone it would be Citzen Cope. Also another great acoustic set by Andy Maguire.

I didn't know much about Spore 333 other than two friends telling me about them before hand, so I was interested in seeing something different. I don't know how to explain them, they would be a large cross section of 311, Alien Ant Farm, and many other bands from that genre. They also had a nice visual experience to go along with their show. All in all it was a great evening of live local music here in Waco. If you are from Waco and want a great burger and some local feel from something other than the Baylor crowd take a drive to 1700 Colcord in Waco, you shouldn't be disappointed.

Music Reviews:

Well here is my attempt to do some music reviews, or atleast what I am listening to at the moment. If any of you have some music to recommend me, that would be great, I am always looking for new stuff to listen too.

Young The Giant-Young The Giant

My favorite thing about my obsession with music, is discovering bands that have just came out. (don't worry I am not the hipster guy that heard of that band before everyone else did…..ok maybe I am, but I am not a hipster.) Young The Giant is out of Irvine, California, they got their start by winning an online contest to open up for Kings of Leon in Chicago. From there they went on to SXSW and did a few shows there. They are out on tour now, and if you get a chance go see them. I really love the way indie music is going right now with bands like Young The Giant, Tokyo Police Club, The Whigs, etc. It feels like music is turning back to a more fun way to rock out. This is a great album to see how indie music is back on the rise, and with bands like Young The Giant, the rise is going to be good. Check out the songs My Body and I Got.

Radiohead-The King of Limbs

Radiohead is one of my more favorite bands, and when they release an album I make a note to pick it up the day it releases. Like more and more established artists and bands, Radiohead is releasing their own music from their own label/website. Of course Thom being Thom, he not only releases the album months early, he also releases it a day early to keep every Radiohead fan on their toes. King of Limbs is a short album for Radiohead, it only has 8 tracks that span about 37 minutes. You can tell that the guys in Radiohead, once again wanted to push boundaries on this album, like most of their other albums. This album leans a little more to the electronic side for them. After a few listens to the album, I think I am going to enjoy this album, much like I did with Kid A and Hail to the Thief. Check out the songs Morning Mr Magpie and Separator.

The Crystal Axis-Midnight Juggernauts

This is the Melbourne,Autralia trio's second album after their breakthrough album Dystopia in 2007. This is the first time I have listened to The Crystal Axis. They are very much like MGMT and Pink Floyd mixed together, more of an electronic progressive rock band. This album has taken me a few listens to know if I like it or not, and I am still listening so that must be a good sign that I kind of like their album. Check out the songs Lara vs. the savage pack and This new Technology.

The Naked and Famous-Passive Me, Aggressive You

This is an up and coming band from New Zealand, and their first album that they have released. I would have to say they are more of the indie pop scene that is coming out, much like Passion Pit. I am really starting to like this genre of indie music that is starting to hit the "airwaves" here lately. The Naked and Famous are really starting to get praise in Europe and on their home continent of New Zealand, where their single Young Blood debuted at #1 on the charts. Check out the songs Young Blood and Punching in a Dream.

Yelawolf-Trunk Muzik 0-60

Well, it wouldn't be me, if I didn't have an hip-hop album to review on my blog. Yelawolf just signed to Shady Records (Eminem's Label), and is now in the studio finishing his first album with Eminem and is also on tour right now. I have read that he could be the next big hip-hop artist to come out in 2011. He is from Alabama, and you can hear the influence of the "dirty south" music in his beats. This was his first "mix-tape" he released before being signed by Eminem, I have to say his rhymes are really good, and now since he is hooked up with Eminem, he has the potential of being big. Check out the songs Daddy's Lambo and I Just Wanna Party.

Mother Nature is a cold Son Of A B…………

Well, I know it's been a few weeks since I last wrote a blog. In one week my xbox crashed, then my computer crashed, let's just say I haven't had the best luck with electronics. Now Mother Nature decided to join the party as of today with the weather.

Well so far my new year's resolution has started off well with me going to a concert a month started off like a champ. My first show was Girl Talk in Austin, and Greg Gillis did not disappoint. However the opening Band Penguin Prison did. They were a bad, very bad 80s band with a lead singer that was off pitch. Hopefully it was a band night for them, I do hate to talk bad about bands (well most bands), but this one was bad. At least sitting through them was worth waiting for Girl Talk to hit the stage. If you get a chance make sure to watch him live, there is no other experience like it, very high energy and very fun.

Well as I am sitting home on the rare snow day as an adult, I am enjoying my day with Sloan, but I am also a little upset. Seeing that Mother Nature had decided to rain or should I say Ice and Snow on my parade. I should be on my way to Dallas to see Tokyo Police Club, but it is snow and ice in Dallas, and however much I love music, I do love being alive to listen to it. So now I am on the lookout for a new concert to go to this month. I do have on my radar TPC for tomorrow in Austin, the Flaming Lips Thursday in Dallas, or Robert Randolph and Family Friday in Austin. So three solid choices.

Well, I got the smack down put on me this weekend by Kristen and was told to make my guitar lessons solid or she will do it for me. So a little embarrassment along with a good talking to by my wife, and I guess I better get those lessons planned this week.

I have listened to a lot of great music so far this year. Here is what I have been listening to the past two weeks. Hopefully I can post another blog up this week after I go to a show, keep your fingers crossed.

Cold War Kids- Mine Is Yours

I am a big fan of the Cold War Kids, so I was excited to her their new album. I have to say this album did not disappoint me. I am very excited to see them in Austin in April. It took me a few listens to really appreciate the Cold War Kids at first, but I love Nathan Willet's vocals, he has a great unique voice. Check out the song Louder Than Ever.

Corey Chisel and the Wandering Sons-Death won't send a letter

I got to see Cory Chisel open up for Blind Pilot last fall in Austin. He is a great up and coming musician. I finally broke and bought his album a few months ago and it is a great album. I am starting to go down the indie folk road, but right now I feel that is some of the best music coming out. Check out the first song on the album Born Again.

The Decemberists- The King is Dead

This is the sixth studio album from the band from Portland. I have to say by far this is one of my favorite albums of 2011. It is great from beginning to end, if you haven't picked this up yet, do so now. Check out the song Down by the water.

Iron and Wine-Kiss each other clean

Sam Beam basically makes up Iron and Wine, and this is probably one of my most favorite bands (singers) to date. His newest album ventures away from his usual acoustic albums and adds an electric element to it. This is another great album of 2011, if it stays this way there is going to be a great year in music. Check out the song walking far from home.

First concert of the year……..Girl Talk

Well trying to keep at least one of my three resolutions going, I am about to see my first show of the year in Austin, and I get to take Kristen with me. I think that in 7 years of marriage that Kristen and I have only gone to two shows, Tom Petty and the second was John Mayer. Not too bad, but I need to get her out more. Well, Friday’s show should open her up to a whole new experience in Girl Talk. Gregg Gillis is the mastermind behind Girl Talk. He is to some a “DJ”, but those that know he is a genius and a mash up artist. In his newest album All Day (which you can get for free here), he uses over 372 samples of various songs from rock, to hip-hop, to soul, to alternative. The way he puts all these samples together it forms an entirely new song . His songs and shows are high energy, just like he is when he gets on stage. If you ever get a chance to see him live, please go do so without thinking twice. This will be my second time seeing him, the first in a festival setting, so I am excited to see him in a small venue for this show, and I am really excited that Kristen is coming, don’t worry pics and video will capture her awesome dance moves.

To keep those of you updated on my other new years resolutions, for the golf one, well winter finally came to Central Texas, so I have not been able to play golf or even hit golf balls yet. So still working on that one. As of today, I think I may have found a place to take some guitar lessons. I am very excited about this and I will keep you posted on how this adventure goes. I am thinking it will be fun, but exhausting and frustrating at times, so let’s hope the teacher has some patience with me. I want to, like most things I try, I want to jump in with both feet, but I don’t think I will be able to play “I will follow you into the dark” by Death Cab for Cutie after the first lesson. Don’t worry, voice lessons aren’t next, I will torture Sloan and Kristen with my singing.

Well as I promised I will get to a few more albums this year, so I have had a busy weekend and week of listening to some new music. Here are a few albums I have listened to this week, with my thoughts about the album.

Mystery Jets-Serotonin
The first album up is Mystery Jets’ album Serotonin. I came across this album from reading another blog by Paul Shirley. (Check out the site flip collective for some great blogs) So, from him recommending me some music a few years back, I decided to give it a listen. This is the five piece English bands third studio album, it has got much acclaim since it’s release. This has been one of my favorite albums to listen to this week, and will be in rotation on my ipod for a while. Check out the single Flash a Hungry Smile.

Middle Class Rut- No Name No Color
This duo from Sacramento has been getting some air plan on XM radio for a few months, and after reading about the album I decided to give it a listen. I have to say after listening to them a few times they have an almost 90’s alternative feel to their music. This is their first full LP they have released and it sounds good. I will be interested to see what they do with their sophomore effort. Check out the song New Low.

Drive-By truckers- Big to do
Well, once again I find a band that is on the fence between alternative and alt-country. I have to say the Drive-By Truckers flirt with country a lot more than they do with rock. It took me convincing myself to listen to them, I have hear a lot of good things about them, but the country aspect is what kept me away for a long time. This is their 8th studio album and I have to say it isn’t too bad. There are some really good songs on the album. The one song that has stood out to me on the album is the song You Got Another with is one of their slow songs on the album.

Cake- Showroom of Compassion
Well, I am and always have been a Cake fan. I was actually excited to see they were coming out with a new album. I have to say, being a fan of their music, I was a little disappointed with this album. They have a few more slow songs on this album that I would have wanted, but the patend guitar and horns are still in the mix on this album. Check out the song Mustache Man (wasted) for some good old school Cake.

Cage The Elephant-Thank You Happy Birthday
Well this is the second album from the Bowling Green, Kentucky band that blew up the summer festival circuit last year. I really liked their first album, so I decided I wanted to listen to their sophomore effort. Well, I have to say this album fell far below their first album. I didn’t find too many songs off this album that I just had to listen to again. I feel they moved to far away from what made the first album good. The one song that has stuck out to me on this album is Aberdeen.

Free Energy-Stuck on Nothing
I am really starting to like Indie-Pop, or whatever you want to call it. Free Energy is a band from Philadelphia (I won’t hold that against them, unless they are Phillies fans), and they have a nice 70’s sound much like The Cars. They have been included in the Best Bands of 2010, and Stuck on Nothing was released to critical acclaim. I have to say, this album is awesome, and easily one of my favorite albums I have heard in a while. Every song seems to put you in a good mood. Check out the song Bang Pop.

Another New Year, and more resolutions, music, and a new start

Well, I haven’t finished strong with my blog this past year, I started out great, and fell behind at the end. With a new year also begins a new blog and incentives for me to be better at this whole thing. I am thinking of expanding a little and have tabs for concerts and albums. I guess just streamline this thing a little.

Well, as with most of the world I have made some New Year’s Resolutions. I try to keep them simple, and most of the time I forget them or they fall to the side like everyone’s usually do. This year I have decided to make three goals and stick to them. So here are my three resolutions:

1. Learn to play the guitar. (Kristen got me a guitar for my birthday and my goal is to be able
to do something other than playing a cord or two by the end of the year.)

2. Play golf/ hit golf balls once a week. ( I really like playing golf, and like most golfers I am
not that great at it, but I want to do that more often during the year.)

3. Go to a concert a month for the year. (This is probably my hardest and biggest resolution,
but I have concerts planned for January, February, and April. I need to find something for
March, and once the summer hits, I have my eyes on a few things……..Pearl Jam’s 20th
Anniversary Festival for one)

So, I have to say that I have had my ups and downs during the year, but overall it was a good year. I got to knock a few things of my life list, one being on stage with the Flaming Lips at a major rock show/Festival. I did break a 100 playing golf, and I have a great marriage to a very vibrant, dorky (at times), beautiful wife, now college coed. I also have a very amazing, funny, full of life daughter. I can’t ask for too much more than those two things.

I am sure some are wondering my concert schedule for the upcoming year and some albums I am excited to get. So here are some future ones coming out and my list of shows I am going to see in the next few months, also if you get a chance before it’s gone check out Wick-It the Instigator and his album the Brothers of Chico Dusty, an amazing mash up of the Black Keys Brothers album and Big Boi’s newest album. Hope everyone had a great Christmas and a very awesome New Year.

My concert calendar so far:
· Friday, Jan. 14th- Girltalk in Austin, Tx at Austin Music Hall
· Tuesday, Feb. 1st- Tokyo Police Club in Dallas, Tx at the Granada Theater
· March- Still looking for a show
· Friday, April 1st- Cold War Kids in Austin, TX at Stubbs BBQ

2011 anticipated Albums:
· January: Cage the Elephant, The Decembrists, Smith Westerns, Iron & Wine, Cold War
Kids, Cake, Pearl Jam-Live on Ten Legs
· February: Telekinesis, The Low Anthem, The Boxer Rebellion, Bright Eyes,
· March: Lupe Fiasco, R.E.M., Mountain Goats, Peter Bjorn and John,
· Re-release of Pearl Jam Vs. and Vitalogy

My anticipated albums for 2011:
· Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee Part 2
· Blakroc- Blakroc 2
· The Cool Kids- When Fish Ride Bicycls
· Fleet Foxes
· Franz Ferdinand
· Ben Harper and Relentless7- Give Til It’s Gone
· Santigold
· The Strokes
· Death Cab for Cutie
· Dr. Dre- Detox
· Foo Fighters
· Jay-Z & Kanye West- Watch The throne
· Jane’s Addiction
· My Morning Jacket
· Outkast
· The Pains of Being Pure At Heart
· Radiohead
· Wilco
· The Flaming Lips