Author Archive

Posted on March 3, 2009 - by Jon

Spin 20 - March 2009

Here is the latest SPIN 20 courtesy of Spin Magazine from the February 2009 issue. For those who don’t know SPIN is an amazing music magazine that I have been supporting since 2001. If you love music, it’s definitely a magazine to look into. I highly recommend it and you should look into it!

Furthermore, if you want to read SPIN online please go to www.digital.spin.com

Posted on February 14, 2009 - by Jon

Spin 20 - February 2009

Here is the latest SPIN 20 courtesy of Spin Magazine from the February 2009 issue. For those who don’t know SPIN is an amazing music magazine that I have been supporting since 2001. If you love music, it’s definitely a magazine to look into. I highly recommend it and you should look into it!

Furthermore, if you want to read SPIN online please go to www.digital.spin.com

Posted on January 25, 2009 - by Jon

A Good Crossover Cover is Worth…..

Crossover covers are awesome. When you hear somebody place an interesting spin on a familiar song it’s going to get your attention. So when somebody decides to cover a song and place it into a totally different genre (thus a cross over cover) it can be even more interesting. So here are some interesting  / good covers (you can make the decision for yourself):

All American Rejects covering Britney Spears’ ” Womanizer”… in Pirate Rock Style:

Milow covering 50 Cent’s “Ayo Technology”:

Boyce Avenue covering Wyclef Jean’s “Sweetest Girl”:

Posted on January 24, 2009 - by Jon

Best of…The Ultimate 2008 Music Guide List

Compiled here is the ultimate guide to the best albums of 2008 (arguably).  Basically, it has been compiled by the most popular magazines / music sites / blogs on the internet. The following lists are listed alphabetically by publication:

Enjoy!!!!

Amazon Top 50 Editors Picks: www.amazon.com

1.  Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
2.  Santogold - Santo Gold
3.  Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
4.  Al Green - Lay It Down
5.  Adele - 19
6.  Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
7.  Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)
8.  Estelle - Shine
9.  Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind
10. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
11. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
12. Joan as Police Woman - To Survive
13. REM - Accelerate
14. Johnny Flynn - A Larum
15. Duffy - Rockferry
16. Throw Me the Statue - Moonbeams
17. Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
18. Portishead - Third
19. Metallica - Death Magnetic
20. She & Him - Volume One
21. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
22. Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim
23. TI - Paper Trails
24. Beck - Modern Guilt
25. M83 - Saturdays=Youth
26. Roy Hargrove - Ear Food
27. Ashton Shepherd - Sounds So Good
28. BB King - One Kind Favor
29. Esperanza Spalding - Esperanza
30. Coldplay - viva La Vida
31. Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
32. Thao - We Brave Bee Stings and All
33. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
34. The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing
35. The Magnetic Fields - Distortion
36. Little Jackie - The Stoop
37. Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer (Dig)
38. Destroyer - Trouble in Dreams
39. Dr. John - city That Care Forgot
40. The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
41. Think of One - Camping Shaabi
42. Juno - Original Soundtrack
43. The Mighty Underdogs - Droppin’ Science Fiction
44. JJ Grey - Orange Blossoms
45. CSS - Donkey
46. Katy Perry - One of the Boys
47. The Raconteurs - Consolers of The Lonely
48. Calexico - Carried to Dust
49. Jamie Lidell - Jim
50. Jeff Healey - Mess of Blues

Blender Magazine: www.blender.com

1.  Lil’ Wayne - Tha Carter III
2.  Girl Talk - Feed The Animals
3.  TV On The Radio - Dear Science
4.  Metallica - Death Magnetic
5.  Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
6.  Robyn - Robyn
7.  Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
8.  Randy Newman - Harps and Angels
9.  Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
10. Fall Out Boy - Folie A Deux
11. Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
12. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
13. Al Green - Lay It Down
14. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
15. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
16. Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward
17. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
18. Ponytail - Ice Cream Spiritual
19. Katy Perry - One Of The Boys
20. Wale - The Mixtape About Nothing
21. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah: Pt. One (4th World War)
22. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
23. The Cool Kids - The Bake Sale
24. The Roots - Rising Down
25. Santogold - Santogold
26. Usher - Here I Stand
27. Mariah Carey - E=MC²
28. Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
29. Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It
30. Young Jeezy - The Recession
31. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
32. Taylor Swift - Fearless
33. Hayes Carll - Trouble In Mind

Filter Magazine: www.filter-mag.com

1. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
3. Dr. Dog - Fate
4. TV On The Radio - Dear Science
5. Foals - Antidotes
6. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
7. She And Him - Volume One
8. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
9. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colors
10. The Dears - Missiles

Hype Machine Blog: www.hypem.com

1.  Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
2.  TV On The Radio - Dear Science
3.  Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
4.  Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
5.  MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
6.  Portishead - Third
7.  Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
8.  Sigur Rós - með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
9.  M83 - Saturdays=Youth
10. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
11. Deerhunter - Microcastle
12. Santogold - Santogold
13. Frightened Rabbit - The MIdnight Organ Fight
14. Girl Talk - Feed The Animals
15. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
16. The Walkmen - You & Me
17. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
18. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
19. No Age - Nouns
20. The Dodos - Visiter
21. She & Him - Volume One
22. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
23. Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
24. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
25. Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak
26. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
27. Beach House - Devotion
28. Department Of Eagles - In Ear Park
29. Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
30. WHY? - Alopecia
31. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
32. Foals - Antidotes
33. The Black Keys - Attack & Release
34. Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
35. Lykke Li - Youth Novels
36. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
37. The Gaslight Anthem - The ‘59 Sound
38. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
39. of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
40. Beck - Modern Guilt
41. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
42. Sun Kil Moon - April
43. Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
44. Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
45. R.E.M. - Accelerate
46. Shearwater - Rook
47. Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation’s Dark
48. Glasvegas - Glasvegas
49. The Kills - Midnight Boom
50. Mates Of State - Re-Arrange Us

LastFM: www.lastfm.com

1. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
2. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
3. Portishead - Third
4. NIN - Ghosts I - IV
5. Ting Tings - We started Nothing
6. The Kooks - Konk
7. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
8. Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
9. Jack Johnson - Sleep Through Static
10. Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

Metacritic: www.metacritic.com

1.  Amadou & Mariam - Welcome To Mali
2.  The Bug - London Zoo
3.  Plush - Fed
4.  TV On The Radio - Dear Science
5.  Shugo Tokumaru - Exit
6.  Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
7.  Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
8.  Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
9.  Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
10. Robyn - Robyn
11. Steinski - What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective
12. Randy Newman - Harps And Angels
13. Fortress by Protest The Hero
14. Bob Dylan - Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8
15. Shearwater - Rook
16. Harvey Milk - Life…The Best Game In Town
17. Portishead - Third
18. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
19. Fucked Up - Chemistry Of Common Life
20. Kasai Allstars - In The 7th Moon, The Chief Turned Into A Swimming Fish And Ate The Head Of His Enemy By Magic
21. Paavoharju - Laulu Laakson Kukista
22. Scarface - Emeritus
23. The Music Tapes - Music Tapes for Clouds & Tornadoes
24. Neil Young - Sugar Mountain: Live At Canterbury House 1968
25. Titus Andronicus - The Airing Of Grievances
26. Black Milk - Tronic
27. Teddy Thompson - A Piece Of What You Need
28. Sam Phillips - Don’t Do Anything
29. B.B. King - One Kind Favor
30. Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal

Mojo Magazine: www.mojo4music.com

1. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
2. The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age Of The Understatement
3. Paul Weller - 22 Dreams
4. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
5. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
6. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
7. Glasvegas - Glasvegas
8. The Week That Was - The Week That Was
9. The Bug - London Zoo
10. Neil Diamond - Home Before Dark
11. Portishead - Third
12. Don Cavalli - Cryland
13. Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation’s Dark
14. British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?
15. Eli “Paperboy” Reed & The True Loves - Roll With You
16. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)
17. Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
18. Pete Molinari - A Virtual Landslide
19. Beck - Modern Guilt
20. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
21. Amadou & Mariam - Welcome to Mali
22. Mercury Rev - Snowflake Midnight
23. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
24. Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life
25. Randy Newman - Harps and Angels
26. Peter Broderick - Home
27. M83 - Saturdays=Youth
28. Neon Neon - Stainless Style
29. Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals
30. The Night Marchers - See You in Magic
31. Duffy - Rockferry
32. Seasick Steve - I Started Out With Nothin’ and I Still Got Most of It Left
33. Kasai Allstars - In the 7th Moon, the Chief Turned Into a Swimming Fish and Ate the Head of His Enemy by Magic
34. Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing
35. Our Broken Garden - When Your Blackening Shows
36. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
37. Gavin Bryars & Philip Jeck & Alter Ego - The Sinking of the Titanic
38. Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree
39. Abe Vigoda - Skeleton
40. The Black Keys - Attack & Release
41. The Fall - Imperial Wax Solvent
42. Juana Molina - Un Día
43. Aimee Mann - @#%&*! Smilers
44. Goldmund - The Malady Of Elegance
45. Metallica - Death Magnetic
46. James Hunter - The Hard Way
47. Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
48. AC/DC - Black Ice
49. The Neil Cowley Trio - Loud… Louder… Stop
50. Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul

NME Magazine: www.nme.com

1.  MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
2.  TV On The Radio - Dear Science
3.  Glasvegas - Glasvegas
4.  Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
5.  Foals - Antidotes
6.  Metronomy - Nights Out
7.  Santogold - Santogold
8.  Mystery Jets - Twenty One
9.  Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
10. Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires
11. Neon Neon - Stainless Style
12. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
13. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
14. Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim
15. Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of Understatement
16. Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke
17. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
18. Late Of The Pier - Fantasy Black Channel
19. Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life
20. Spiritualized - Songs in A and E
21. Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off The Lavender Bridge
22. Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul
23. Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head
24. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
25. Portishead - Third
26. Verve - The Forth
27. Hercules And Love Affair - Hercules And Love Affair
28. British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?
29. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
30. Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
31. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
32. Mogwai - The Hawk Is howling
33. Deerhunter - Microcastle / Weird Era Cont.
34. Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
35. Cass Mccombs - Dropping The Writ
36. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight
37. Primal Scream - Beautiful Future
38. Beck - Modern Guilt
39. Chairlift - Does You Inspire You
40. The Kills - Midnight Boom
41. These New Puritans - Beat Pyramid
42. School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms
43. Black Kids - Partie Traumatic
44. Lykke Li - Youth Novels
45. Black Keys - The Attack & Release
46. Blood Red Shoes - Box Of Secrets
47. The Gaslight Anthem - The ‘59 Sound
48. Ida Maria - Fortress Round My Heart
49. Bloc Party - Intimacy
50. Heartbreak - Lies

Pitchfork: www.pitchforkmedia.com

1.  Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant EP/Fleet Foxes
2.  Portishead - Third
3.  No Age - Nouns
4.  Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
5.  Deerhunter - Microcastle / Weird Era Cont.
6.  TV On The Radio - Dear Science
7.  Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
8.  M83 - Saturdays=Youth
9.  Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair
10. DJ/rupture - Uproot
11. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
12. Lindstrøm - Where You Go I Go Too
13. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)
14. Air France - No Way Down
15. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
16. Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls
17. Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life
18. The Mae Shi - HLLLYH
19. The Walkmen - You & Me
20. Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing
21. Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak
22. Santogold - Santogold
23. Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
24. Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna
25. Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances
26. Atlas Sound - Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
27. Max Tundra - Parallax Error Beheads You
28. Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
29. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
30. Los Campesinos! - Hold on Now, Youngster…
31. Fennesz - Black Sea
32. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
33. Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight
34. Arthur Russell - Love Is Overtaking Me
35. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
36. Wale - The Mixtape About Nothing
37. Grouper - Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill
38. The Bug - London Zoo
39. Times New Viking - Rip It Off
40. The Very Best - Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit are the Very Best
41. David Byrne and Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
42. Bonnie “Prince” Billy - Lie Down in the Light
43. Shearwater - Rook
44. Marnie Stern - This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That
45. Lykke Li - Youth Novels
46. Beach House - Devotion
47. The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave
48. High Places - High Places
49. Crystal Stilts - Alight Of Night
50. Ponytail - Ice Cream Spiritual

Q Magazine: www.qthemusic.com

1.  Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
2.  Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
3.  Coldplay - Viva la Vida
4.  Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
5.  Glasvegas - Glasvegas
6.  Duffy - Rockferry
7.  TV On the Radio - Dear, Science
8.  Elbow - Seldom Seen Kid
9.  Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
10. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!
11. Sigur Rós - Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
12. Keane - Perfect Symmetry
13. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
14. Kaiser Chiefs - Off With Their Heads
15. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
16. Hot Chip - Made In the Dark
17. Adele - 19
18. British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?
19. Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree
20. Gaslight Anthem - ‘59 Sound
21. Razorlight - Slipway Fires
22. Killers - Day & Age
23. Beck - Modern Guilt
24. Last Shadow Puppets - Age of the Understatement
25. Metallica - Death Magnetic
26. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
27. Neil Diamond - Before Home
28. Paul Weller - 22 Dreams
29. AC/DC - Black Ice
30. Portishead - Third
31. Black Mountain - In the Future
32. Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul
33. Hercules & Love Affair - Hercules & Love Affair
34. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
35. Hold Steady - Stay Positive
36. REM - Accelerate
37. Lykke Li - Youth Novels
38. John Mellencamp - Life, Love, Death & Freedom
39. Santogold - Santogold
40. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
41. Lindsey Buckingham - Gift of Screws
42. Liam Finn - I’ll Be Lightning
43. Joan As Police Women - To Survive
44. Black Kids - Partie Traumatic
45. Jack Johnson - Sleep Through Static
46. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
47. Verve - Forth
48. Randy Newman - Harps & Angels
49. Emmylou Harris - All I Intended To Be
50. Dido - Safe Trip Home

Rollingstone Magazine: www.rollingstone.com

1.  TV on the Radio - Dear Science
2.  Bob Dylan - Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8
3.  Lil’ Wayne - Tha Carter III
4.  My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
5.  John Mellencamp - Life, Death, Love and Freedom
6.  Santogold - Santogold
7.  Coldplay - Viva la Vida
8.  Beck - Modern Guilt
9.  Metallica - Death Magnetic
10. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
11. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
12. Guns n’ Roses - Chinese Democracy
13. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
14. Ryan Adams and the Cardinals - Cardinology
15. The Black Keys - Attack & Release
16. Randy Newman - Harps and Angels
17. B.B. King - One Kind Favor
18. Lucinda Williams - Little Honey
19. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah, Part 1 (4th World War)
20. Kings of Leon - Only by the Night
21. Kaiser Chiefs - Off With Their Heads
22. Jockson Browne - Time the Conquerer
23. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
24. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
25. The Magnetic Fields - Distortion
26. Mudcrutch - Mudcrutch
27. Brian Wilson - That Lucky Old Sun
28. The Knux - Remind Me in Three Days…
29. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
30. Duffy - Rockferry
31. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
32. Jamey Johnson - The Lonesome Song
33. Ne-Yo - Year of the Gentleman
34. Stephen Malkmus - Real Emotional Trash
35. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
36. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
37. Nine Inch Nails - The Slip
38. Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
39. Taylor Swift - Fearless
40. Jonas Brothers - A Little Bit Longer
41. AC/DC - Black Ice
42. David Byrne and Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
43. Nas - Untitled
44. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
45. Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward
46. The Academy Is… - Fast Times at Barrington High
47. Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
48. Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It
49. Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
50. No Age - Nouns

Spin Magazine: www.spin.com

1.  TV On The Radio - Dear Science
2.  Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
3.  Portishead - Third
4.  Fucked Up - The Chemistry Of Common Life
5.  Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
6.  Santogold - Santogold
7.  Deerhunter - Microcastle
8.  Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
9.  Coldplay - Viva La Vida
10. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
11. Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
12. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Pt. 1: 4th World War
13. No Age - Nouns
14. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
15. Beck - Modern Guilt
16. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
17. The Roots - Rising Down
18. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
19. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
20. Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
21. Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
22. Black Kids - Partie Traumatic
23. Kate Nash - Made Of Bricks
24. Duffy - Rockferry
25. Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
26. R.E.M. - Accelerate
27. The Streets - Everything Is Borrowed
28. Metallica - Death Magnetic
29. Nas & DJ Green Lantern - The Nigger Tape
30. Lucinda Williams - Little Honey
31. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
32. The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia
33. El Guincho - Alegranza
34. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
35. The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely
36. Lykke Li - Youth Novels
37. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
38. Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul
39. Guns N’ Roses - Chinese Democracy
40. Chairlift - Does You Inspire You

Uncut Magazine:www.uncut.co.uk

1.  Portishead - Third
2.  Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
3.  TV On The Radio - Dear Science
4.  Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
5.  Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
6.  Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
7.  Neon Neon - Stainless Style
8.  Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!
9.  Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
10. Paul Weller - 22 Dreams
11. Drive-by Truckers - Brighter Than Creation’s Dark
12. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
13. James Blackshaw - Litany of Echoes
14. Randy Newman - Harps and Angels
15. Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
16. Wild Beasts - Limbo, Panto
17. Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree
18. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
19. Shearwater - Rook
20. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
21. Howlin Rain - Magnificent Fiend
22. The Raconteurs - Consolers of The Lonely
23. Black Mountain - In The Future
24. Glasvegas - Glasvegas
25. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
26. Lucinda Williams - Little Honey
27. MGMT - Orcular Spectacular
28. The Felice Brothers - The Felice Brothers
29. Robert Foster - The Evangelist
30. Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
31. White Denim - Workout Holiday
32. Flight of The Conchords - Flight of The Conchords
33. Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
34. Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing
35. Toumani Diabate - The Mande Variations
36. Earth - The Bees Made Honey In The Lions Skull
37. Lambchop - OH(Ohio)
38. Endless Boogie - Focus Level
39. Beck - Modern Guilt
40. That Week That Was - That Week That Was
41. James Yorkston - When The Haar Rolls In
42. Metallica - Death Magnetic
43. Joan As Police Woman - To Survive
44. REM - Accelerate
45. The Fall - Imperial Wax Solvent
46. Pete Greenwood - Sirens
47. Sic Alps - USEZ
48. David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
49. Brian Wilson - That Lucky Old Sun
50. Mercury Rev - Snowflake Midnight

Posted on December 7, 2008 - by Jon

SPIN 20 - December 2008

Here is the latest SPIN 20 courtesy of Spin Magazine from the December 2008 issue.  For those who don’t know SPIN is an amazing music magazine that I have been supporting since 2001.  If you love music, it’s definitely a magazine to look into.  I highly recommend it and you should look into it!

Furthermore, if you want to read SPIN online please go to www.digital.spin.com

Posted on November 29, 2008 - by Jon

Coldplay - Prospekts March EP Review

It seems odd that one of the largest bands in the world like Coldplay decided to release an EP.  Not so much that they released an EP but that they choose to release one this late into their careers.  Most bands release a EP early in their careers to generate buzz or to garner some attention to fuel their full length album.  However, on Prospekts March Coldplay just wanted to show off a body of songs that wouldn’t have fit on Viva La Vida, it’s not that the songs weren’t good enough - they just didn’t fit the concept of Viva.

As it stands Prospekts March has quite a bit of value to it.  This album is more then just a B-sides or a disc of extra’s, Prospekts March stands as more of a companion to Viva La Vida then anything else.   Many of the songs on this album are departure in some sense or manner from the classic Coldplay that most know and love.  This isn’t a problem as Coldplay shows a different side to their musicality while never sounding awkward or forced.  “Rainy Day”  is a pop song with quirky undertones as Coldplay does some light experimenting with their sound, the song  bops along from bar to bar and it’s the most “fun” sounding song that Coldplay has released.  “Glass of Water” is a strong song that wasn’t placed on Viva as it sounds more upfront and immediate than any other song on Viva La Vida.  The opener “Life in Technicolor II” adds vocals and loses the lo-fi sound quality that had many confused when first listening to Viva La Vida. Elsewhere on the disc, “Lost+” is one of two remixes on the album (the other being Osaka’s Suns remix of Lovers in Japan) and has had the industry buzzing as it features an unlikely pairing with Jay-Z.  Jay-Z  however is a perfect complement on the song in which he provides a strong verse capped off with one of the best lines ever featured on a Coldplay Song “And the question is, is to have had and lost better than not having at all? / Because I’m…”.  It’s a great song that sounds like the collaboration was planned rather than just tacked on.

In total Prospekts March features 8 songs which include two remixes and six tracks that were the left overs from the Brian Eno produced “Viva La Vida Sessions”, this should fool most listeners as the EP sounds more like a main course then anything else.

Rating: 7.5/10

Notable Tracks:Glass of Water, Life in Technicolor ii, Lost+

For Fans of: I think everybody by now knows what Coldplay sounds like

Released on: November 25, 2008

Posted on November 28, 2008 - by Jon

Ryan Leslie Videos

So my co-worker Andrew who is quite into Hip-Hop and R&B showed me these videos and I thought that they were so good that I needed to throw them up here.  The videos are by a producer named Ryan Leslie who’s written and created songs for everybody.  Just look at what he’s done here.

So here are some videos of him creating the beats and making the songs up in what seems like a matter of hours (or probably less).  I think you’ll get a kick out of it, and if not his crazy “i’m in the groove” movements will make you laugh or at least entertain you. You’ve probably heard these beats somewhere on the radio or in the club or something of the sort so check it out!

Ryan Leslie Creates “I Get Money”:

Ryan Leslie Creates Cassie’s “Sometimes”:

Ryan Leslie Creates “Gibberish”:

Posted on November 23, 2008 - by Jon

The Killers - Day & Age Review

For a band there’s nothing worse then having a hit debut album and then falling short on the second.  But this is exactly what happened with The Killers and their first two albums Hot Fuzz and Sam’s Town. Hot Fuzz made the Killer’s indie-pop darlings while Sam’s Town had many believing that the Killer’s were a one album wonder.  The Killers had strayed far from what worked on Hot Fuzz and their popularity steadily declined.  With Sam’s Town the Killer’s had a desire to appeal to their fans emotionally.  They wanted to have that same emotional connection with their fans that U2 and Springsteen have enjoyed throughout their careers.   Sadly, the fans did not respond in the way that the Killers had hoped and the album failed in that regard.  Now with the release of Day and Age the Killers are looking to show that they are still relevant and that they can connect with their listeners.  The real question is whether the Killers have done it and revived their music careers in the process or whether they have finally sealed their fate.

I can say without doubt that from the strength of Day & Age that the Killers are back.  Thankfully, this band doesn’t resemble the bourbon soaked quartet of Sam’s Town but they don’t exactly resemble the 80’s laden synth band seen on Hot Fuzz either.  They are instead a hybrid of these styles and they pull this off elegantly.  The Killers are definitely influenced by the 80’s and there’s nothing  wrong with it as this album sounds great.  For once the Killer’s don’t take themselves so seriously - the Killers finally sound like they are having fun.

The album starts with “Losing Touch” which will catch many listener’s off guard as the song is laced with 80’s inspired horns ala David Bowie. It’s a strong opener telling the listener that there’s much more to come.  “Human”, the first single from the album took a few listens before it became enjoyable as their are some clearly weak lyrics, I’m not sure exactly what “Are we human or are we dancer?” means.  Maybe, lead singer Brandon Flowers is trying to sound more sophisticated then he really is or the phrase is some existential statement.  If you can overlook the lyrics,  “Human” is a strong song and very listenable.  “Joy Ride” (which really reminds me of the Clash’s “Rock the Casbah” for some reason), “Spaceman” and “I Can’t Say” are all fun songs and should have listeners bobbing their heads.

The real gems on this album are “A Dustland Fairytale” and “This is Your Life”.  “A Dustland Fairytale” shows the Killer’s literary / story telling sensibilities as Flowers sings his vocals with a sense of fragility backed over a delicate piano intro.  The song eventually climaxes as Flower’s triumphantly sings about a poor girl trying to find her way.   “This is Your Life” begins with tribal like African chanting and eventually becomes the most anthem like song on the album.  With lines like “You gotta be stronger then the stories don’t let it blind you” you can’t help but be drawn into the song.

Day & Age is definitely a strong album and one of the better albums to end 2008.  If you’ve been a fan of the Killer’s from the beginning you’ll be delighted with their evolution. The Killer’s finally sound like they care and this should endear them to listeners.  The Killer’s are back and they want to reclaim their throne as indie-pop darlings.

Rating: 8 / 10

Notable Tracks: A Dustland Fairy Tale, This is Your Life

For Fans of:

Released: November 25th 2008

Posted on November 22, 2008 - by Jon

Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns Review

Say what you want about Irish rockers Snow Patrol but they definitely know how to appeal to listeners.  While they are never ground breaking they are always consistent.   They are unequivocally an arena rock band and aren’t scared to show it.  They are basically the Irish version of Coldplay without the pianos and without the world wide acclaim (I do say this lightly as their last album Eyes Open did go platinum) and they don’t make their own costumes.  Frankly, they write songs for mass appeal and they excel at it.

Songs such as “Take Back the City”, “Please Just Take These Photos from Me”, and “Crack the Shutters” rest on power rock choruses that have instant appeal and beg the listener to sing along.  While ballads such as “Set Down Your Glass” and “The Planets Bend Between Us” (a more sophisticated and evolved version of “Chasing Cars” from Eyes Open) show a sincerity that defeats all notions of cheesiness.  The only deviation from their successful formula is the 16 minute melody “Lighting Strike” which combines three distinct parts into one epic arena rock track.  If you can sit through the whole thing I’d recommend it.

Lyrically, there are a few minor hiccups as Gary Lightbody sings lyrics such as “cool your beans my son, you look a fucking mess” and “hit that button there, the one that just says wrong” from the track “Disaster Button” as they sound forced.  However, I doubt that listeners will pay much attention to these minor flaws.

I have to admit that it’s disappointing that Snow Patrol’s most popular song is “Chasing Cars” which gained massive publicity for the band after airing on the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy.  They clearly have better songs in their catalogue and the casual listener should take more time to explore it.

While Snow Patrol may never be Coldplay it seems that they’d be fine taking second place to them.  A Hundred Million Suns is easy to listen to and easy to digest and if you’re looking for a solid and sincere rock record then this is it.

Rating: 8 / 10

Notable Tracks:  Take Back the City, Lighting Strike, The Planets Bend Between Us

For Fans of:  Coldplay, Travis, Stereophonics

Release Date: October 28th 2008

Posted on November 22, 2008 - by Jon

Coming Soon!

We’ll soon be featuring Guest Bloggers from the Calgary’s local music & entertainment scene!

They may be funny, informative or really anything!

Stay Tuned!