Thursday, November 28, 2013

Anita's Favorite Tunes from 2013

My friend Dana challenged me to come up with a best of 2013 list, so I will.  The rules I set for this list are that the song must have been released in 2013 (or re-released) and I still have to like it as of today. Since I'm fickle and don't like to listen to songs for very long, that means some of the first half of the year releases were judged with more scrutiny than the more recent releases. Here's my very unscientifically scored Anita's Favorite Tunes from 2013 in no particular order.

Chvrches - We Sink - I picked this one because I've been hearing it a lot recently, but I could have picked almost anything they put out on their last 2 albums. They are amazing. I predict they will fully cross over to mainstream from indie. Saw this show and loved the singer's elven look.

The Orwells - Who Needs You - Great punkish tune with youthful iconoclastic lyrics. Saw them live and enjoyed the on-stage train wreck presented by the drug-addled singer. I was also surprised by his voice, in a good way.

Typhoon - Young Fathers - I didn't love this band live the only time I saw them, but recorded, the lead singer/songwriter is an emotional powerhouse. Really raw and moving. Lots of people in this band.

San Fermin - Sonsick and Casanova - I couldn't make up my mind, so I picked two songs by this band, one featuring each of the two main vocalists. This was one of my favorite shows of the year, and I can't wait to go see them again in a couple weeks at Strathmore. I'd shelve this with chamber-pop and movie scores.

Phosphorescent - Song for Zula - This song stands out on the 2013 album as a song craft masterpiece. This tour's live show didn't do much for me, but the one before was excellent. I'll keep my ears open for new stuff from him.

RAC, Kele, MNDR - Let Go - I'm not plugged into mainstream music to know if this indie/EDM dance tune has crossed over, but if it hasn't, it should. I predict mainstream appeal.  I can't get the song out of my head, but in a good way.

M.I.A. - Y.A.L.A. - I wish there were a clean version of this song (without the curse word at the very end), because both Natalie and I love it. It's primitive and makes us dance while driving to and from school. We look like fools, but LOVE it. Great beat.

The Mowgli's  - San Francisco - This fun bunch of hippies makes you smile and love your neighbor, even if it's just for the span of a show. Loved seeing them live in an Austin parking lot.

Charlie XCX - You Ha Ha Ha - This wunderkind from the UK was behind Icona Pop's hit single and has some really fun pop songs herself. I think she will get bigger in the US.  Addictive pop.

FIDLAR - No Waves - This smart punk band was entertaining live, and this song gets to me at a gut level.

New Politics - Harlem - This one's plenty mainstream after the multitude of tours Harlem did opening for big mainstream acts. It's still one of my favorite feel-young songs of the year.

Lucius - Turn It Around - Love these beautiful female harmonies and the unexpected "heh"s in the composition. This duo was the original female vocals on the San Fermin debut.

ALARMs - Hold My Head - atmospheric electronic music with haunting, beautiful voice and lyrics begging for forgiveness.

Little Green Cars - The John Wayne or  Angel Owl - This act is amazing live for their incredible, powerful, beautiful vocal harmonies.

Mikal Cronin - Shout It Out - I'm surprised Mikal isn't bigger on the indie scene. He's Ty Sygall's friend and bandmate. This song is raw and emotional. I love the way the chorus swells.

Sir Sly - Gold - Has this one crossed over to mainstream yet?   I'm guessing not based on only 11,000 Facebook likes right now.  If not, I predict it will. Such an earworm.

Daft Punk, Panda Bear - Doin' It Right - Daft Punk owned the summer, and the strange thing was, there was something to appeal to everyone on that album. This one was my favorite.

Said the Whale - I Love You - Loud bounce-up-and-down pop tune with an entertaining message for a love song.

Walker Lukens - Lover - This one's odd, but different than anything else I listen to, so it stands out to me as novel. Natalie hates it and makes me turn it off, but there's something haunting about it.

Son Lux - Easy - This one is such a recent addition to my favorites that it really might not stick, but it too has a haunting, interesting quality that I find refreshing.

Primal Scream - Walking With The Beast - I would have guessed that this is a cover of a quasi-religious song, but a quick internet search says no - it seems to be original. This song is quiet and haunting, very moving.

Wild Child - Crazy Bird - This duo has an old-fashioned, bango-loving vibe, but it's the wonderful vocals that win me over. It's an Austin-based band.

Luke Lalonde - Undone - This one is untypical for me.  Luke sounds like a boy band.  But I love the sweetness of this tune. I especially like the line "You could call me honeybun." The guy is just so lost in his crush. Too cute.

Swim Deep - King City - The lyric that kills me for this one is: " Fuck your romance, I wanna pretend
That Jenny Lee Lindberg is my girlfriend." Jenny is the bassist for the band Warpaint, and she is hot and super talented, so I can see why the singer Chewy Marzolo would want her so much. This is a fun low-key pop tune that makes me smile.

Los Campesinos! - Avocado, Baby - Apparently , I have a soft spot for twee. I certainly love this band, and have for a long time. I love the way their lyrics are so naked - and the arrangement of this song appeals to me.

Sleigh Bells - Bitter Rivals - I have a soft spot for this loud band because they are the reason I started going to more live shows a few years ago. Seeing them from the front row of a tiny sold out show immediately after they got big was a rush. Loved the first album, hated the second. This third album is much more promising.











Sunday, November 24, 2013

Chris Cornell w/Bhi Bhiman at Lincoln Theatre, Nov 23, 2013

Eric and I went to the historic Lincoln Theater on U Street last night to see Chris Cornell of Soundgarden in an acoustic show.

We were blown away.

If you had asked me to name a single Soundgarden song before the show, I wouldn't have been able to do it, so I wouldn't call myself a fan. You know me: I am anti-nostalgia, always looking for the new music, not trying to relive my college years insisting that grunge was the pinnacle of rock. I should not be raving about that show, but I am. Chris Cornell was incredible live. Even if you don't recognize the name, if you lived through the 90s, you recognize the voice. It's distinctive and powerful. Listen to 5 seconds of a tune and you'll say "oh yeah, that guy." Thing was, Mr. Cornell is also fantastic with a crowd. His banter left everyone in that 1,225 seat venue thinking they felt a personal connection to the man.

As a said, his voice was fantastic. Wikipedia cites his 4-octave vocal range as what he's known for. Eric told me that at some point in Cornell's career, he shredded his vocal chords and had to have surgery, but I didn't see that mentioned in the article, so I think Eric might be confusing him with another singer. If you know, set us straight. Cornell does not sound like someone who's had vocal problems, so much so that Eric suggested he could have had a bionic voice installed in the surgery. I sincerely doubt that is possible :-)

Anyway, the other part of the show that was fantastic was the covers. He did Billy Jean, Hotel California, and Metallica's One set to the tune for U2's One. Eric and I both felt they were extraordinary-like they brought new meaning to the songs. They where all new arrangements, and I honestly liked each of them much better than the original. Cornell could make money releasing them - I would buy them - me - anti-nostalgia, new indie music girl would buy them and listen to them on repeat. That good.

Only bad part of the show was our location in the theater. We were in row N on the upper balcony. We couldn't see Cornell's face at all from that distance. My fault for forgetting to buy tix on presale day, but a big mistake. Take my advice and try hard for floor seats at Lincoln. I have no photos because of the distance and a photo ban by the artists. If you look at Chris Cornell's website, that was the stage set up: seven guitars, a turntable, some amps, a stool, a coat rack, and a mysterious red phone on a little table. He put down the guitar and used a vinyl LP to back him up for two songs.

The opener Bhi Bhiman was a great guitarist, and a horrible lyricist. I closed my eyes during his performance and almost fell asleep. I did like his guitar playing during the Hotel California cover, though he should not have tried to sing backup. Not a great singer.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Black Lips with Subsonics at Black Cat on Nov 2, 2013

Subsonics, Black Cat, 11-02-2013

Black Lips, Black Cat, 11-02-2013


Eric and I went to this Saturday night show that I've been looking forward to for a couple years. I missed Black Lips the last couple times they came to Baltimore (on weeknights, grrr), so I was very excited to discover they were coming to DC on a Saturday night! I love several of their songs, and I had heard that they were kind of crazy live. I thought I read somewhere that they'd been banned from some Asian country for their rowdy shows. So I was intrigued, and even though James Blake was playing the same night at 9:30 Club (and James Blake is awesome live), I bought these tickets.

I regretted that choice.

First, I just wasn't in a punk-ish kind of mood that night. I was tired and just wanted to chill. Eric and I sat in the far back on the riser for the entire opener (Subsonics) and half of the main act.

Second, while both acts had tons of energy on stage, both suffered from the same two problems: samey-samey song writing, and lack of engagement with the audience. When you can't tell one song from the next and the only thing that differentiates the songs is a slight pause in playing, it gets dull. Even more dull when the artists, who were VERY energetic, didn't acknowledge the audience a few feet in front of them.

So we left early and went back to our rock-star parking spot on 14th street, just two blocks from Black Cat. At least the parking space was fantastic, as was the vegan brownie I had at Busboys and Poets before the show.

The Lone Bellow w/Greg Holden, Nov 16, 2013 at 6th and I Historic Synagogue

Greg Holden, 11-16-13, 6th and I

Lone Bellow, 11-16-13, 6th and I



Eric and I went to this show because Bob Boilen of NPR All Song Considered said it was one of the best live acts he saw last year. I like the music, and you can't beat 6th and I Historic Synagogue as a venue, and it was a Saturday night, so no brainer - definitely worth going!  Helpful hint: the venue is only 2 blocks from the Chinatown metro station, and parking sucks near the Verizon Center, so metro is the way to go. I recently learned that metro is staying open until 3 am on weekends now, which is even better!

The opener, Greg Holden, was extremely personable, but Eric and I didn't care for his music which sounded very Nashville-country, even though he's originally from the UK. My big critique for him was that he only said his name one time, and he mumbled that! It's an opener's job to make sure the crowd remembers who you are. Since his name wasn't even on Songkick or the 6th and I website (at least after the show started), that was a big mistake.  It took some digging around on the internet to put his name in this post.

The Lone Bellow was extraordinary live. They are technically a trio, though there were 5 people on stage. It's vocal-driven American folk, but mostly uptempo. The harmonies are beautiful. If they had just been gifted musicians, that would have been fine. I would have felt I got my money's worth. Thing was, they were also engaging performers. They came into the audience to sing unplugged twice. There were stories about a crazy uncle from White, Georgia. There was jumping up onto the bannister rail at the end of the stage. There was excitement and energy on stage--I understand why it was one of Mr. Boilen's best of the year. They absolutely deserve that label. EXCELLENT live show.

Side note: There was one VERY enthusiastic man in the front row who annoyed me and Eric by jumping around like a maniac, motioning to the crowd to get up and jump with him, trying to soak up the band's attention for himself. The advantage of 6th and I is seats. Standing means that short people (like me!) can't see anything. I was very happy with the band for encouraging people to sit back down several times. It made a huge difference in my ability to enjoy the show.