Top 10s 2011 Archives — San Francisco Bay Guardian Archive 1966

Nite Trax: Techno wizard Never Knows’ 11 from ’11

Jesse Hawthorne Ficks

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January 5, 2012

Nite Trax: Techno wizard Never Knows’ 11 from ’11

Local techno producer and live performer Marc Kate, a.k.a. Silence Fiction, a.k.a. Husband, a.k.a. Never Knows comes to us from the future with this heady emendation of the recent musical past, replete with technicolor shadows, tripped-out mixtape passings, overdue redos, shapeshifting pop sublimity, fortunate live distortion, and bass hauntology. Check it.

>>Young Galaxy, “Shapeshifting”

I can’t imagine pop music being more sublime than this.

>>Trish’s Mind Bending Motorway Mix

On January 14th, we lost Trish Keenan, vocalist of Broadcast, one of the most beautiful and haunting voices of our time. Before she passed, she made this bizarre, tripped-out mixtape for a friend.

01 Mind Bending Motorway Mix – Single Track by Abandapart

>>The Horrors, Skying

They’ve traded their Prayers on Fire and Tago Mago for Madchester and Ultravox. My favorite retro-synthesists.

>>The Soft Moon live at Milk

The worst live sound I’ve ever heard. As if someone treated the speakers to violent stabbings at soundcheck. Somehow, the torrential force of the Soft Moon through that PA created a gorgeous, terrifying squalor.

>>Simon Reynolds, Retromania

A great diagnosis for the current cultural trap we’re all in – reveling in the past rather than evolving towards an unknown future. Too bad it doesn’t come with a repair kit.

>>My Bloody Valentine, Loveless Remastered

This release was delayed several times in 2011. And at this rate, it may never come out. Sometimes perfection takes a little time. Or sometimes an endless amount of silence before the sensuous scream.

>>Blondes live at Public Works

Tabletop electronics that fuse techno with Krautrock. I love their recordings, but live, they created an even more technicolor density.

>>Kangding Ray – OR

My favorite raster-noton release in a long time. It’s austere and lush and a bit EBM and a bit techno and even skirts the edges of hauntological dubstep.

>>Bear in Heaven – I Love You, It’s Cool streaming preview

This album doesn’t come out until April 2012, but it’s streaming from the band’s website. However, it has been time-stretched to take four months to play beginning to end. Go there now. I’m sure it’s still droning on.

>>Honey Soundsystem

I don’t make it down to the Holy Cow every Sunday night for the HSS party, but I’m always thankful when I do. Favorite weekly.

>>Occupy

What’s more compelling than people vocalizing their righteous discontent? I’m excited to hear what’s next.

Top 10 of 2011: Moombahton DJ Mr. Lucky’s favorite tracks

Andrew Lam

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January 3, 2012

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DJ Mr. Lucky will Moombahton you. The dashing deej (who gracefully took a face full of pinot noir on the cover of our Beer and Wine Issue) held down the weekly Monday night Skylarkin’ reggae smokeout in 2011, and added a roster of other regular nights to his retinue: Showdown’s monthly Urban Tropic tropical bass-electro cumbia sweat session and Fresh Greens, the Sixth Street bar’s hip-hop-dancehall night. He took the time to write out his favorite dancefloor fillers of the year that was, so we figured we’d best pass them along to you and yours.

10. Laza Morgan ft. Movado – “One By One”. This track was the sure fire selection on any dancefloor. So much crossover appeal and a fun track to dance and hold yuh gal to.

9. Juvenile ft. Rick Ross – “Power”. Did anyone else pay attention to this track? It’s been years since Juvenile broke out nationally and this track shows he’s still got it, even with a little help from the Teflon Don (who had a number of tracks that killed this year too).

8. Boogat – “Esa Mujer”. Reggaeton meets the sample from Dawn Penn’s “No No No”? Yes yes yes please. This was a secret weapon for me this year.

7. Keys + Krates – “Ring the Alarm”. A track off an excellent release from this live-remixing group outta Toronto. Flips Tenor Saw’s track by the same name and takes it to outer space.

6. Kelly Rowland feat. Lil Wayne – “Motivation” (Diplo Remix). The original version of this song is hot, easily one of the sultriest tracks heard in popular media all year. But when Diplo touched on it this track took on a whole new feel, a throbbing dubby beast that was sure to shake loins!

Kelly Rowland Ft Lil Wayne – Motivation ( Official Video ) from GrillzHipHopTv on Vimeo.

5. Vybz Kartel – “Summertime/Go Go Wine”. It’s kind of a cheat on my part, since I’m naming two Kartel songs but lets face it: The World Boss put out so many tunes this year it’d be hard to pick just one. “Summertime” really caught the essence of a summer beach party and got play well into winter. “Go Go Wine” was the perfect pairing of classic Vybz lyricism and Dre Skull’s more traditional dancehall sound.

4. DJ Shadow feat. Little Dragon – “Scale It Back”. I always have my eyes and ears on Shadow, he’ll always be a hero to me. “Scale it Back” shows the continued growth of the MPC master and paired with Yakumi Nagano’s tender vocals make this tune feel both melancholic and hopeful. Cool video too!

3. Kanye West and Jay-Z – “N*ggaz in Paris”. The highly anticipated Watch the Throne album may have been a bit of a let down, but it definitely yielded some solid tunes. For as much as “Otis” may have been the go-to single, this track was the sleeper track that really blew the shit apart on the dancefloor.

2. Goapele – “Play”. She’s always had an enchanting voice that has spoken to the soul, but with “Play” this East Bay songstress took it to another place. The song drips sex, and her singing and lyrics seal the deal. The baby-making anthem for 2011.

1. (Drumroll please) Riot Earp – “Should I Care”. Without a doubt, this song got the most play from me in 2011. Moombah has been a drug of choice for me since I first laid ears on it, and seeing its progression has been exciting. With the release of Moombahsoul V.3 I was introduced to this beauty of a song that samples Isley Bros. “Footsteps in the Dark” and flips it into a cumbia infused dancefloor bomb.

Riot Earp – Should I Care by RiotEarp

Nite Trax: DJ Pickpocket’s top 11 parties of 2011

Jesse Hawthorne Ficks

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December 29, 2011

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Nite Trax: DJ Pickpocket’s top 11 parties of 2011

Wily DJ Pickpocket of the invaluable roving Donuts parties — which combine forward-thinking, often experimental live acts with crazy-fun dancing and DJs, plus donuts! — offers some of her best party experiences from a busy year spent on the local scene. She’s got a wild night planned for us tomorrow, Fri/30, at SF’s Public Works for the Donuts anniversary-birthday party with Gavin Russom, LA Vampires, and Magic Touch. Here are her Pickpocket ’11 party picks:

1) Icee Hot with Anthony Shakir at Public Works
“Detroit legend Anthony “Shake” Shakir has been making techno music for more than 20 years, and I think this was his first time in SF. He played an epic set and Brooklyn’s Creep opened up.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fxtNfszImI

2) Sunset Campout with Larry Heard, Steve Summers live, Miracles Club live in Belden, CA
“Imagine an entire town on a river turned into a house music party zone for an entire weekend. Cabins, tents, a crazy soundsystem, floaties, live acts, and the legendary Larry Heard, a.k.a. Mr. Fingers. It was unreal!”

3) No Way Back & Honey Soundsystem with Virgo Four (live!) at Public Works
“Merwyn Sanders and Eric Lewis (a.k.a.Virgo Four) put out a seminal house album in 1989 straight out of Chicago. in 2011, they put out Resurrection, a massive batch of previously unheard and unreleased material from 1984 to 1990. This legendary duo played a memorable live set in the intimate Oddjob Loft at Public Works.”

4) Omar Souleyman at Mezzanine
“Coming all the way from Syria, Omar Souleyman played a sweaty party with his funky folk and boogie pop sounds of Syria. The whole crowd was bobbing up and down in a sweaty craze.”

5) Sweaterfunk with Dam Funk at Li Po Lounge
“Dam Funk got really intimate with old friends and fans to a free party in the basement of Lipo Lounge on a Sunday night. Playing obscure boogie tracks and MCing on the mic, he won everyone’s hearts and got the whole crowd dancing til they turned the lights on at 1:30am.”

6) Donuts and No Way Back with Optimo and Mi Ami at Public Works
“JD Twitch and Jonnie WIlkes of Glasgow are better known as Optimo, the duo not only are amazing DJs but are known for throwing their crazy Optimo Espacio parties in Glasgow with live acts. Mi Ami (who have actually been a guest at Optimo Espacio in Scotland) opened up for them, playing a dancey live set to a sweaty crowd in the Oddjob Loft at Public Works.”

7) As You Like It, Donuts, and No Way Back with Mike Huckaby, Steffi, and Beautiful Swimmers at Public Works
“All-star lineup, two floors, about 900 people dancing until almost 4am. Need I say more? Beautiful Swimmers killed it in the Oddjob Loft with their mix of everything from disco to italian house, Mike Huckaby opened up for Steffi in the main room–and the crowd wouldn’t stop dancing even when the lights came on.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNzzkL_0Psk

8) Sunset Boat Party with Magic Touch live at Sunset Boat Party
“Sunset has been throwing amazing parties in the woods, on boats and in underground spacessince the 90’s. If you’ve never experienced one of the boat parties it’s something you have to experience at least once. Imagine dancing to live or DJed dance music on the upper deck while floating underneath a full moon or swaying on the main dancefloor with views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge through the windows.”

9) Icee Hot with Omar S and Jackmaster at Public Works
“Detroit legend Omar S played an amazing set of classic house and Detroit techno in the sweaty upstairs Oddjob Loft Halloween weekend.”

10) Donuts with Legowelt, Miracles Club, Xosar, Tres Lingerie at Public Works
“Donuts presented a night with numerous live electronic acts. Tres Lingerie opened up with their boogie disco songs fronted with vocals by the charismatic James Anthony, Miracles Club delivered a 90’s era house performance complete with stage dancer Ryan Boyle, and to top it off the dark synth debut live set by Xosar, as Clone describes as “occult-tinged public access house music”. Dutch electronic genius Danny Wolfers, aka Legowelt joined her and ventured off into his solo live set which closed the night.”

11) L.A. Vampires at High Fantasy, Aunt Charlie’s Lounge
“High Fantasy is one of the most fun and unique weekly parties in San Francisco. Hosted by the infamous Alexis Blair Penney and Myles Cooper, this night brings together drag queens, gay boys, straight music lovers, and hot girls to the dance floor for some of the most underground dance music. LA Vampires is the solo venture of Amanda Brown. Amanda is also the founder of 2011′s most talked-about labels 100% Silk. The impact and influence of 100% Silk, was huge this year. 100% Silk harked back to a time in club music when energy and attitude were more important than polished production.”

***BONUS! The Beat Electric Dance Show 2 at Mezzanine
“What is actually 2011 footage of San Francisco’s club night “The Beat Electric Dance Show 2″ looks like found footage from golden disco’s past, not just thanks to the added VHS grain, but because of what appears to be totally unbridled nightlife bliss at Mezzanine. The Beat Electric dance show had live VHS video taping of dancers on the stage, on the dancefloor to Beat Electric DJs and an epic live set by Magic Touch with a crazy guitar solo by Josh Anzano. Tres Lingerie and Corinne also played, and HOTTUB and Jihaari T were MC’s for the night.”

Nite Trax: Nebakaneza’s top 10 dubstep tracks of 2011

Jesse Hawthorne Ficks

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December 20, 2011

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Nite Trax: Nebakaneza’s top 10 dubstep tracks of 2011

DJ Nebakaneza of the always raging Ritual Dubstep weekly (every Thursday, 9pm-3am at Temple) has one of the finest ears on the dubstep scene and a generous taste when it comes to the often narrowly defined genre. The Anonymous-like masked mixer has definitely turned us on to some great tunes this year. Here’s his tops in the wobble department for 2011:

10. Natty Freq, “Luna Obscura,” Wizard Piss EP

Natty Freq – Luna Oscura (SB004 Clip) by Natural Frequency

9. Gomes, “Lower State,” Lower State EP

GOMES LOWER STATE EP MINI MIX by Gomes aka G-Man

8. Bratkilla, “Underworld,” Deathstep

7. TKR, “Cluster Bomb,” Divergent Paths Vol. 2

[PL017] _ TKR – Cluster Bomb – Out now on Divergent Paths Vol2! by ParadiseLostRecordings

6. Silkie featuring Truth, “Feel,” City Limits Vol. 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF3G8GkYcyI

5. Genetix, “Stealth,” Beast Mode EP

Genetix – Stealth by Genetix Dubstep

4. Vinja, “Bombassador,” Bombassador/Flute Loop EP

Vinja – Bombassador by Vinja

3. Disonata, “Evoke,” Form Your Path/Evoke EP

Evoke / Form Your Path OUT NOW on DiaMind Records on 12″ and WEB by Disonata

2. 501, “White Lies,” Dubstep Dubplates Volume 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rVODO7sUFs

1. Aya, “In Too Deep,” Not Here To Mingle EP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9UcX9Ct0q8

BONUS! Check out Nebakaneza mixing blindfolded:

Laura Gravander’s top 10 live bands of 2011

Tony Robles

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December 17, 2011

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For so many more year-end music lists, click here and pick up this week’s paper.

Dirty Cupcakes’ Laura Gravander presents a totally nepotistic list of the top 10 live bands of 2011:

1. ELECTRO: This is the band of 8-year-old girls I mentored this summer as a volunteer at Bay Area Girls Rock Camp. After learning two chords from scratch, they wrote a droney, unintentionally avant-garde five-minute anti-bullying opus with a rap breakdown that blew my mind at their July showcase at the Oakland Metro. This is the future.

2. Uzi Rash: Swamp reptile Max Nordile and his band of trashy weirdos play music that is both grating and catchy, and deceptively complex. See them live and they will freak you out, and possibly hit you in the eye socket with an empty 40 oz. (it happened to me).

3. Shannon and the Clams: Seeing the Clams live feels like being magically reunited with your childhood dog — happy and nostalgic, a little bit sad. This metaphor is especially apt if you and your childhood dog loved to DANCE! 4. Younger Lovers: Killer guitar parts, dance-crazy beats, and singer-drummer-songwriter Brontez’s onstage bitching makes Younger Lovers’ shows unpredictable and exciting. Plus, their guitarist is super-cute!

5. King Lollipop: Elfin hillbilly plays bubblegum rockabilly (or something like that!) backed by six drummers who sound like a marching band meets drum circle, minus the lame.

6. Human Waste: Freaky spacesuited dystopian moog-punk from the Moon. Rumored to consist of members of Uzi Rash, Shannon and the Clams, and Dirty Cupcakes. More space waste to come in 2012.

7. Glitter Wizard: Intricate, impressive glam rock. And once, mid-song, I saw frontman Wendy Stonehenge light his hand on fire!

8. PIGS: This three-piece plays metal for people who love metal. Ripping it up soon in a scummy warehouse near you.

9. Knifey Spoony: Oakland punk rockers with impressive live show and unexpectedly melodic hooks. Singer-guitarist Steve Oriolo studied music in college but uses his powers for good (rock), not evil (anything that doesn’t rock).

10. Sweet Nothing: I’m a sucker for two-piece bands and girl drummers, and Ian and Melissa always rock my face off.

Shannon and the Clams bring it live:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zET182UnfNo

Marco De La Vega’s top 10 substances that have influenced music in 2011

Tony Robles

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December 16, 2011

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For so many more year-end music lists, click here and pick up this week’s paper.

120 Minutes’ Marco De La Vega (@S4NTA_MU3RTE) lists his top 10 substances that have influenced music in 2011:

1. Adderall: Not just because Bay-local comeup, Kreayshawn, spits bout slangin’ em (“gnarly, radical, on the block I’m magical… see me at your college campus baggie full of Adderalls” or even because of Kendrick Lamar’s thoughtfully spaced out track “A.D.H.D.” but mostly because of its association with hyperactive, creative, and willfully scattered children. Odd Future blew up, Tyler the Creator dropped Goblin, A$AP Rocky put out one of the strongest releases of the year with LIVELOVEA$AP. All kinds of kids were spittin’ up mixtapes right outta high school and then signing multimillion dollar contracts.

2. DMT: Dimethyltryptamine is some fucked up shit, and I mean that in the most complementary way possible. A small glimpse behind the fabric of reality. There were a few releases this year that resemble and reflect this completely alien and confusing greater truth. Oneohtrix Point Never’s Replica, James Ferraro’s Far Side Virtual, and Laurel Halo’s flawless EP, Hour Logic (Hippos In Tanks).

3. Nitrous Oxide: whippets are back and that shit makes everything sound like you’re living in a vacuum cleaner. As much as I despise the hyperwobbly, fist pumpin’ sounds of brosteppers like Rusko, and (cringe) Skrillex, I can’t deny that that shit is selling cars; dubstep car commercials. Also, to be fair, real dubstep and what is often called post-dubstep is some amazing music and some of its less commercially viable/more critically acclaimed artists have put out some beautiful work. Zomby dropped Dedication this year on 4AD and that shit is sick. James Blake’s debut album is also impossibly good.

4. Pills: maybe it’s just the kids I roll with, but I assume that most sensitive, well thought, independent rock is made by people on pills (think old Brian Jonestown Massacre or Jesus and Mary Chain). The second I heard that track “Vomit” off of friends and local heroes Girls new album Father, Son, Holy Ghost, I had to raid my own medicine cabinet, take a couple Vicodin, and listen to a stack of records including that, Tamaryn, King Dude, Chelsea Wolfe, and Zola Jesus.’Bout as close to heaven as a guy like me can get.

5. Coke: coke always has and always will rule the dancefloor. It goes further than that though; coke rap is alive and well. Trap rap (rap about drug dealing) in general is continuing to run shit. And when you got Lex Luger droppin’ some of the illest beats around for songs that are 90 percent chorus, how can you go wrong? This is a very serious statement — the Ferrari Boyz (Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame) mixtape that came out about a week before that overhyped, tired, abomination that is Watch the Throne, has some of the best tracks this year.

6. K: club drugs in general are back, and nothing says party like as strong debilitating dissociative. I mentioned this album earlier when I was talking about DMT, but it’s good and weird enough that it needs to be mentioned twice. James Ferraro’s Far Side Virtual.

7. Acid: my favorite substance. LSD is an extended barrage of overwhelming sensory input, particularly sight and sound, and should therefor be discussed in those terms. Sight: this year has been all about projections, lasers, and smoke — there are a lot of amazing producers playing live right now, and a dude with a laptop ain’t a show, so it’s important to add some flare. Sound: from mixtapes like White Ring’s tranced out Chaind and Nike7up’s crazy melted-pop gem 33:33 to Araabmuzik’s breathtakingly unfuckwithable album Electronic Dream, this has been the strongest showing dosed out music has had since the mid ’90s.

8. MDMA: like I was saying earlier, club drugs are huge right now. Best part about the ecstasy thing though is that we’re not talking pressies here, just pure crystalized love. You can hear it in the work of groups like Sleep 8 Over and (of course) Pure X. But I think it’s most evidenced by song’s like The Weeknd’s “High for This” and on Pictureplane’s brilliantly positive album Thee Physical (Lovepump United).

9. Weed: not that weed ever goes away, but it’s had a really strong year. Seems like everybody’s smoking blunts and flipping pounds these days. Wiz Khalifa, A$AP, Lil B, Lil Wayne, Miley fucking Cyrus. and of course Zip and a Double Cup himself, Juicy J., which brings us to our big winner…

10. Promethazine: Lean, purple drank, double cup, sizzurp — codeine cough syrup has a lot of names, and it’s been an important factor in rap, particularly Southern rap, for a very long time. But that influence is spreading. Bands like Salem have created whole new subgenres of music built off applying the late great DJ Screw’s production sensibilities as liberally as possible. New York Rappers like A$AP Rocky are singing the praises of Screw and Pimp C while repping Harlem and putting New York back on the map. I think 2012 is gonna be all about double cup dinner parties and art walks. Do yourself a favor, call your doctor and fake a cough, pop in Clams Casino’s Instrumental mixtape and/or LIVELOVEA$AP and chill for a bit.

“Vomit” blew minds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze6rg4ixjOI&ob=av2e

Frances Capell’s top 10 self-released albums of 2011

Tony Robles

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December 16, 2011

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For so many more year-end music lists, click here and pick up this week’s paper.

Guardian intern Frances Capell’s list of the top 10 self-released albums of 2011:

1. WU LYF, Go Tell Fire To The Mountain Recorded in an abandoned church, the full-length debut from British heavy pop quartet WU LYF was funded by membership fees for the band’s deviant fan club, the Lucifer Youth Foundation.

2. Death Grips, Ex Military The sinister debut mixtape from Sacramento’s Death Grips is an explosion of dark, twisted shout-rap and noisy, industrial beats.

3. Nick Diamonds, I Am An Attic Former Unicorn and current member of Islands and Mister Heavenly, Nick Diamonds (a.k.a. Nick Thorburn) released his understated, haunting solo album via Bandcamp.

4. Clams Casino, Instrumental Mixtape Clams Casino’s collection of swirling, synth-laden instrumentals crafted for the likes of Lil B and Soulja Boy reveals the genius of this visionary New Jersey producer.

5. Big K.R.I.T, Return of 4Eva Of all the exciting rap mixtapes released in 2011, Southern heavy-hitter Big K.R.I.T.’s Return of 4Eva is my favorite.

6. Frank Ocean, nostalgia, Ultra. This R&B pop gem presents Frank Ocean as, perhaps, the only member of the OFWGKTA family who proved worthy of the hype in 2011.

7. Fort Lean, Fort Lean (EP) Though it’s only 12 minutes long, Fort Lean’s infectious, summery debut EP is a promising glimpse of things to come for this indie five-piece from Brooklyn, NY.

8. Friendzone, Kuchibiru Network II I chose East Bay duo Friendzone’s Kuchibiru Network 2 over Main Attrakionz’s 808’s & Dark Grapes II, as it showcases Main Attrakionz at its best along with tasty selections from Oakland’s Shady Blaze and Finally Boys, Japanese producer Uyama Hiroto, and more.

9. Small Black, Moon Killer In addition to some of Small Black’s catchiest electronic pop songs to date (like the Nicki Minaj-sampling “Love’s Not Enough”), this mixtape features two appearances by Das Racist’s Himanshu Suri, and some inspired remixes from Star Slinger and Phone Tag.

10. The Weeknd, House of Balloons This is a no brainer. Canadian-Ethiopian R&B prodigy the Weeknd’s debut mixtape House of Balloons is the best album of the year, period.

Big K.R.I.T’s Return of 4Eva theme:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2cVHk9ZTuo

Marc Ribak’s top 10 records during Thanksgiving week

Tony Robles

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December 16, 2011

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For so many more year-end music lists, click here and pick up this week’s paper.

Total Trash Fest’s Marc Ribak’s list of the top 10 records during Thanksgiving week:

1. The Fall, Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall (particularly the tape that includes singles)

2. The Spits, Kill the Cool (demos and rarities, LP on In the Red)

3. Reigning Sound, Time Bomb High School and Too Much Guitar (LPs on In The Red)

4. The Ronettes, Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes featuring Veronica, and Phil Spector’s A Christmas Gift for You.

5. Devo, Workforce to the World (early live bootleg)

6. The Marvelettes, Greatest Hits (LP on TAMLA)

7. Coachwhips, Bangers Versus Fuckers (LP on Narnack)

8. South Bay Surfers, Battle of the Bands (LP on Norton)

9. Tav Falco and the Unaproachable Panther Burns, Panther Phobia (In the Red Records)

10. Jonathan Richman, Rockin’ and Romance (LP on Twin/Tone)

The stunning Marvelettes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFap3uwPYtU

Kush Arora and the INgrooves staff’s top 10 releases of 2011

Tony Robles

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December 15, 2011

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For so many more year-end music lists, click here and pick up this week’s paper.

Kush Arora and the INgrooves staff’s top 10 releases of 2011

1. Los Rakas, Chancletas Y Camisetas (Soy Raka Inc.)

2. Am and Shawn Lee, Celestial Electric (ESL Records)

3. People Under The Stairs, Highlighter (Piecelock 70 )

4. Toddla T, Watch Me Dance (Ninja Tune)

5. Boris, New Album (Sargent House)

6. Kendrick Lamar, Section.80 (Top Dawg Entertainment/Section 80)

7. Youth Lagoon, The Year of Hibernation (Fat Possum)

8. Little Dragon, Ritual Union (Peacefrog Holdings Ltd)

9. Jay Rock, Follow Me Home (Strange Music)

10. Vybz Kartel, Colouring Book EP (Tad’s Records)

The title track from Little Dragon’s Ritual Union:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK4v0CT3Hv8

Jhameel’s top 10 songs for 2011

Tony Robles

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December 14, 2011

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For so many more year-end music lists, click here and pick up this week’s paper.

Jhameel‘s list of top 10 songs for 2011

1. “Cruel” by St. Vincent

2. “Don’t Fuck with my Money” by Penguin Prison

3. “Holocene” by Bon Iver

4. “Bam Bam” by King Charles

5. “King of Diamonds” by Motopony

6. “Don’t Move” by Phantogram

7. “5 O’Clock” by T-Pain

8. “White Lie” by Jhameel

9. “Love U More” by Sunday Girl (RAC Mix)

10. “Imprint” by Amtrac

T-Pain (featuring Lily Allen and Wiz Khalifa:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noLrCDzAp5M&ob=av2e

Bonus video: Jhameel covering another T-Pain tune (“Buy You a Drink”) last year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPLYLsVDG8w

Josh Cheon’s top 10 new releases of 2011

Tony Robles

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December 14, 2011

2

For so many more year-end music lists, click here and pick up this week’s paper.

Dark Entries Records‘ Josh Cheon submits his list of the top 10 new releases of 2011:

1. Container, S/T LP (Spectrum Spools)

2. Staccato du Mal, Sin Destino (Weird Records)

3. Bronze, Copper (RVNG Intl.)

4. Grouper, Dream Loss/Alien Observer (Yellow Electric)

5. White Fence, Is Growing Faith (Woodist) 6. Belong, Common Era (Kranky)

7. Widowspeak, S/T LP (Captured Tracks)

8. Total Control, Henge Beat (Iron Lung)

9. Iceage, New Brigade (What’s Your Rupture?)

10. Brotman & Short, Heights (Cold Dick)

The dark synth of Staccato du Mal:

George Chen’s list of things that didn’t suck in 2011

Tony Robles

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December 13, 2011

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For so many more year-end music lists, click here and pick up this week’s paper.

Musician and writer George Chen says, “2011: man, most of it was shitty, but here were the good things:”

1. Helm. Luke Younger from Birds of Delay, Halloween weekend in London. Best noise set I’ve seen in a while, it helped that there was a fan blowing his bangs out of his hoodie. He has an album called Cryptography out on Kye.

2. White Lung. Youngins from Vancouver B.C. playing sick, straight forward punk. Saw them in a bowling alley.

3. Village of Spaces’ Alchemy and Trust album. It took a village to put this out, or at least four labels working in conjunction. Dan Beckman’s (Uke of Spaces Corners) quiet folk masterpiece.

4. Divorce. A band from Glasgow that exists in kind of a cultural vacuum there, a bit like the early ’00s trapped in amber, but then cracked open and given adrenal supplements. They are coming to America in July 2012.

5. Trash Kit put out an album in 2010, but I only got to see them once in 2011. Sadly, they have broken up. Finger-picky jaunty punk with weird rhythms.

6. Andrew W.K. This was not particularly “good”, but distinct encapsulation of the zeitgeist. My band played a show with him at Dem Passwords. He didn’t actually watch us or anything, he showed up right before going on with an entourage. Fans started force-feeding him bananas, Redbull, and whiskey and it turned into a freakish spectacle. I took a nap during his set, came back in, and he was still going for like two and a half hours, driving his fans away. Respect, the modern Andy Kaufman.

7. This Invitation. Chen Santa Maria went on a California tour with Warren in April and it was sparsely attended, but perhaps we’re to blame for that. It’s nice to see one of your oldest friends get some recognition for their work, which Aquarius did by giving their stamp of approval to his three (!) double CDs.

8. Cacaw from Chicago, a few ex-Coughs peeps project. They are now broken up, but this summer they came through and it was a monstrous sludge engine. Dark and fierce.

9. Anika. Technically a 2010 release, but she played at the Independent in October. The lady herself has a passive stage presence, but the music of the whole group (members of Portishead and Beak>) is best described as “Nico fronting PiL” (someone at the LA Times can claim that one).

10. SF Comedy. I still feel like an outsider at all this, but holy shit, there’s good stuff going on right now. Perhaps it is a national, even international renaissance in comedy, but the energy and talent going on here feels as exciting to me as the music scene used to feel. I actually don’t want to name names although the free show at the Rite Spot is a good place to start. I also noticed that none of the music I put on this list has anything to do with the Bay Area. Sorry, music. I just listen to podcasts now.

Young Canadian punk band White Lung: