Fitz and the Tantrums - "Out Of My League" [single] (2013)

Fitz and the Tantrums' new record, More Than Just A Dream, is upon us and I couldn't help but share this single because it's catchier than mononucleosis.  Maybe it's Fitz's anachronistic hair cut.  Maybe it's their stylish and colorful music videos.  Maybe it's the frenetic way Noelle always shimmies around on-stage while banging a tambourine on her gyrating hips (especially eye-catching when done Tina Turner-style in sequins dresses).  Maybe it's the fact that they were and still are, perhaps, one of the most dynamic live bands I remember seeing at SXSW 2011, let alone at the entire Dangerbird Records showcase.  Maybe it's my fascination with their refusal to feature guitar in their songs, almost as a personal band challenge to separate themselves from every other band on the planet and to find creative ways to fill out their sound.  Or maybe, it's simply all of the above.  "Out Of My league" sounds like a bit of a departure from some of their previous efforts that were dripping wet with retrosexuality and I'm not quite sure about this indie-poppish direction in which they're headed.  Is this a reinvention of sound, image, concept, quality?  Noticeably absent: the blue-eyed neo-soul elements or even a modicum of that brass section I became accustomed to from the "MoneyGrabber" days.  Who knows, but for now I really dig this track.  Not enough to move to Los Angeles and start my own tantrum, but enough to recommend "Out Of My League" to you.

Savages - Silence Yourself (2013)

Blimey!  There is sense of urgency.  And then there is Savages and their post-punk musical bullet to the brain.  Dark, rapturous, exciting, intriguing, lush, jagged, unapologetic as hell.  Fans of late-era Sleater-Kinney: brace yourself.  Someone somewhere, perhaps a Siouxsie and The Banshees fan, is listening to this record right now having their mind-blown over and over again.  Or a Joy Division die-hard just got handed this recommendation from a trusted music friend and can't stop air-drumming to Silence Yourself.  Then there's me, a huge fan of both of the aforementioned bands, who cannot shut up about Savages and happily allowed them to bring me out of my quasi QuickCrit posting retirement.

Did I mention Savages is comprised of an all-girl 4-piece band from England?  As much as I love chicks with attitude, there's something inexplicably cooler to me about British chicks with attitude.  And don't even get me started on some of the best "don't fuck with me" basslines I've heard in recent memory.  I don't even know what else I could possibly say except listen to this album and draw your own conclusions.  It's just... ridiculous.  In the best way possible.  If you should perhaps, post-listen, feel the sudden urge to grab the first person who annoys you by the lapels and tell them to "sod off," I cannot be held responsible for what could potentially ensue.  As always, listener discretion is advised.

"Shut Up" and "She Will" are great too.  Then again, so is every other song on the album.

Top Albums of 2011 - QuickCrit Music Survey Results

Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey, especially those who took the time to comment.  Here are our top albums, or at least the 43 that we could agree upon. There are many more great albums, singles, and comments on our individual lists.

43. U.S. Royalty – Mirrors
    
    Although the gorgeous harmonies caught my attention, their live show made me love their heavy rockers. -Awmercy
    
    
    
    
    
    
42. My Morning Jacket – Circuital
    
    Solid album. -NightraiN
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
41. Givers – In Light
    
    Many Saturday morning dance parties have gone down when throwing this album on. A couple of late night ones too. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    It's hard to resist the compelling beats and rolling ten-track fun that this album represents. -Jeremiah
    
    
    
    
40. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
    
    I love when she gets back to the dark and dirty places in her mind and churns out music that's all kinds of raw and moody. Plain and simple, the woman can do no wrong. -Mona
    Great modern anti-war album. -Tex
    
    
    
    
39. The Strokes – Angles
    The fact is that this band writes damn good songs and they're tight as hell. Does anything else really matter? -Lucas
    
    
    
    
    
38. Yuck – Yuck
    Yuck harkens back to the good old days when Superchunk and Sonic Youth reigned supreme. -Mona
    Totally reminds me of all my favorite high school years bands creating one super group. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    
    
    
37. Zola Jesus – Conatus
    Opera Babe. -Justin Slaughter
    Hey, you know what? Sometimes shit's rough. Have some Zola Jesus. -Tex
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
36. Blind Pilot - We Are the Light
    
    Glad they got off their bikes and back into the studio. I know it's only been a few months, but can't wait for the next album. -Brasilliant
    An anticipated album and a feel-good one at that, it can be forgiven its saccharine nature by its sheer infectiousness. It gets ya out of bed in the morning! -Jeremiah
    
    
    
    
35. Generationals – Actor-Caster
    An excellent, hand-clap-y album to listen and dance around to. -TheCraneWife
    Generationals put out a steadily rocking true-blue pop album with modern sensibilities. -Tex
    
    
    
    
    
34. William Elliott Whitmore – Field Songs
    Connected with this album more than any other this year. Great, emotional song writing and vocals. -NightraiN
    
    
    
    
    
33. The Streets – Computers And Blues
    He wraps up his career as being The Streets with a song about it being his last day of work! It works on multiple levels!! Well played Mike Skinner. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    
    
    
    
    
    
32. The Cave Singers – No Witch
    
    Great live show. Great album. -NightraiN
    Like Fleet Foxes, Cave Singers are to be applauded more for what they do in the middle of songs than for the entirety of their songs themselves. -Jeremiah
    
    
    
    
    
31. Wilco – The Whole Love
    
    Not since Being There has the band offered up such a variety of songs on one album. Experimental, beautiful, fun, and moving. -Max
    If you hang around long enough you'll hear a few Wilco albums you fall in love with and couple you can't wrap your ears or brain around. This is the band's strongest lineup to date, giving adventurous strength to a quality set of Jeff Tweedy songs. -Lucas
    
    
30. Waters - Out In The Light
    So packed with fantastic emotionally raw and exuberant songs, I turn up one jam, only turn up the next even louder. -Awmercy
    Nothing like some unleaded rock fuel to fill up your spiritual tank. -Nesto
    
    
    
    
29. Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
    It's hard not to love a band who so clearly loves its T. Rex and Bowie as much as I do. -Mona
    Some of the catchier melodies I've heard all year. -Max
    
    
    
    
    
28. The Drums – Portamento
    
    Darker offering from these sugar coated popsters. The fantastic vintage synth tones, unmatched tightness, and unforgettable melodies kept this album on repeat in my house for weeks on end. -Max
    For anyone who doesn't like the production on this record, wait til you hear these tracks live. They're stripped down and sound great, much like their Visiomento sessions. Yeah, there's a reason why I saw them three times on this tour. -Mona
    
    
27. The Vaccines - What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
    
    Young and fun soundtrack for summer. Fulfilled my lust for Surfer Blood. -Awmercy
    Some of my favorite songs this year are off this album, and it remains in heavy rotation. -NightraiN
    
    
    
    
    
26. Devotchka - 100 Lovers
    
    A melting pot like DevotchKa could only happen in America. From mariachi to gypsy, Parisian folk to chamber pop there's nothing they won't add to the mix. It's refreshing to hear a band that is so unconcerned (or unaware) with the leanings of popular indie music yet land smack in the middle of it. -Lucas
    Gypsy fun times. -ve1cro
    
    
    
25. Real Estate – Days
    
    I love these guys. Call it wake and bake, call it lo-fi, call it hazy surfadelic. Whatever you call it, it's fucking awesome and a superb follow-up to their previous debut. -Mona
    Such an effortless laidback-ness to this album. I was put completely at ease the very first time I heard it. Fans of early Stone Roses might enjoy the hints of Ian Brown in Martin Courtney's voice. -Max
    
    
    
24. Wu Lyf – Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
    
    WU-LYF sounds like The Murder City Devils and Mogwai had a little English baby. They rock hard and also mellow, and you can make up your own lyrics, because they're pretty unintelligible. -TheCraneWife
    I like a song called "We Bros"??!! Fuck yea. And I like it a lot. These guys shred. I don't really recommend following them on Facebook as they kind of come across as idiots but I don't even care cause these guys write tunes man! -Ancient Indian Wizard
    
    
23. Adele – 21
    
    She has an amazing voice. -Katie
    Sad but empowering. -Julia
    
    
    
    
    
    
22. Priory – Priory
    
    “Lady of Late” made me give the album a second listen and it turned out to be great. -Brasilliant
    Damn catchy indie pop. Great live show too. -Awmercy
    
    
    
    
    
21. Washed Out – Within & With Out
    
    Within & Without is atmosphere music, it ebbs and flows with layer upon layer of textured synth and Greene's hypnotic vocals. -Lucas
    Atmospherically grandiose yet incredibly intimate. -Max
    A successful major sophomore effort if sometimes a bit innocuous. -Tex
    
    
    
    
20. Dolorean - The Unfazed
    
    “Unfazed by pain, unfazed by love, unfazed by rain that won’t let up.” I wish. -Awmercy
    I really need to ditch the kid and go see these guys live. -Brasilliant
    An intensely thoughtful album. This album anchored my bar prep. -NightraiN
    
    
    
    
    
19. Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire
    
    My man-crush for Ryan is still undying! -Ancient Indian Wizard
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
18. Portugal, The Man - In the Mountain, In the Cloud
    
    Another great album, all the way through. -Nesto
    Not as solid as American Ghetto, but still super fun. -NightraiN
    3rd year in row on my list. Can’t fight it. I love this band and how each album adds a new twist. -Awmercy
    
    
    
    
17. James Blake - James Blake
    
    If this list were based on potential talent alone James Blake would surely sit near the top. Soulful and sparse, Blake crafts his ballads with alien rhythms, processed vocals and soulful pianos. Bon Iver fans take notice - James Blake is a kindred spirit and a great playlist companion. -Lucas
    A pleasant surprise overall, especially since I don't typically like this kinda music. -Mona
    Stunning... I expect great things from him as an artist and producer. -Tex
    
    
16. The Black Keys - El Camino
    When it comes to "rocking out" this duo does not disappoint. -Julia
    Ever wonder what a $30 Sears guitar would sound like run through $100,000 worth of equipment? Here's your chance. El Camino’s insanely glossy production seemingly veers away from every obvious strength of the musicians involved. The results are... another excellent Black Keys record. -Lucas
    I have no interest in attending stadium tours, so I’ll probably never see them live again, but I still love their pounding grooves and huge bad-ass riffs. -Awmercy
    
    
15. M83 - Hurry Up We'r Dreaming
    
    Anthony Gonzalez's songs mix the optimism, immediacy and heartbreak of teenage romance with sonic imagery that Jim Henson and Frank Oz would be proud of. Hurry Up is a grand achievement. -Lucas
    More poppy than my usual M83, but I'm into it. -Justin Slaughter
    Apart from stand-out track "Midnight City," I wasn't nearly as excited about this album. -Mona
    
    
14. tUne-uArDs - W H O K I L L
    
    Perhaps the tightest album of the year, this album has a big, pounding sound minimally done. An album that knows what it is but an artist who has leveled out the consistency of her sound. -Jeremiah
    I had a dream that there was a muppet show for adults and that this was the soundtrack. It was perfect. -Rain
    My vote for this year's most unique album. -Max
    
    
13. Tennis - Cape Dory
    
    Life can be complicated and scary. This album is simple and beautiful. Life can be too. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    Tennis is so good I thought that they were Swedish! -TheCraneWife
    Even though I'm writing this in my cold ass house in the middle of December, Tennis manages to always make it feel like summer. -Max
    
    
    
12. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
    
    It is incredibly delightful to watch Annie Clark grow as a songstress; strange, beautiful, enticing. -Tex
    Like a really good Tori Amos, this album is laced with acerbic narrative that paints a picture of a cracked soul starving for connection. -Jeremiah
    At first glance Strange Mercy appears to be a set of shockingly confessional songs. Digging deeper you realize that she is 'the actor' and that these are in fact roles. The emotional potency of these performances make them all the more impressive. -Lucas
    
    
11. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
    
    At the end of the day, simple songs always win in my book. Kurt Vile's songs are short, sweet, and completely addictive. Mix that in with fully flushed out layers of acoustic brilliance and you have one exceptional album. -Max
    This album really hit me as I was toiling, with headphones in, under full rain gear at work, digging drainage trenches in the pouring rain. If you imagine that tableau while listening, I think you'll see where I was at. -Tex
    
    
10. Destroyer – Kaputt
    I've always had a huge soft spot for Destroyer and when I saw the floating whales with backing saxaphone in the Kaputt video I knew Dan Bejar had done it again. It's so so good. Unless you hate saxophones. then you're bummed. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    Reliably bizarre, yet still totally ruling, album. Good use of saxophone (and I don't use that phrase lightly). -TheCraneWife
    Dan Bejar is about as eery and cryptic as fuck as his music. As it just so happens, I love every bit of it. -Mona
    
    
9. The Antlers - Burst Apart
   Just an all around amazing album. Some of it sounds a little like Destroyer. Best song/extended metaphor about putting a dog to sleep I've heard all year (all my life, really). -TheCraneWife
   Great sleepy-time album. -ve1cro
   I sure do love their sad bastard way. "Putting The Dog To Sleep" though??!! Fuck... -Ancient Indian Wizard
   
   
8. Tom Waits - Bad As Me
   
   Tom still makes the best soundtrack for anytime of the day/night whiskey drinking. I found myself looking in the mirror, across from me in the parlor, and thinking that this album playing made me, somehow, just a little bit more sexy, in a gritty way. -Rain
   Took a few listens for the whole album to really get under my skin, but “Chicago” hit me from the start. -Anon
   
   
7. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
   
   Tough deciding who to put first, but if I just count the number of plays, they must be the winner. Best work yet. -Nesto
   This record is like non-stop multiple auralgasms perfect for a rainy day. -Mona
   While Peckhold's lyrics have become a little more concrete and he has taken a turn toward storytelling, the band it commended for making a richer musical landscape and for offering fascinating turns in their songs. -Jeremiah
   Really liked it when it first dropped; kinda forgot about it down the stretch. -NightraiN
   
   
6. Youth Lagoon - The Year Of Hibernation
   A remarkable young talent who hopefully hasn't just produced a wonderful one-off, this album is low-fi goodness with music that cuts around and through lyrics that otherwise tend to be forgettable. -Jeremiah
   Relax. Listen to Youth Lagoon. -Ancient Indian Wizard
   
   
   
5. Light For Fire - Light For Fire
   
   Romanticizing and ultimately celebrating heartbreak by diving into a whiskey bottle has never sounded so necessary. -Awmercy
   Liked this when I first heard it late last year, still love it today. -NightraiN
   I really enjoyed this album and can't wait to hear more from them. -Katie
   If this top ten list were for albums about drinking and self-loathing and regret, then this album would top it. The appeal of this album is a direct reflection of a man's draw toward his own miserable past. -Jeremiah
   
   
4. Foster The People – Torches
   This album kicks ass. -Graham
   I saw them live for the first time this year. Absolutely stellar. -Julia
   Another song that was constantly played on the radio and I bought the album out of curiosity of what the rest sounded like. -Katie
   The EP songs were so solid that the rest of the album seemed a little meh. -NightraiN
   
   
3. Beirut - The Rip Tide
   
   I love Zach Condon and his mix of Southwestern indie rock meets mariachi band whateverness. -Mona
   Everything Beirut is pretty amazing. Creative, unique and unbelievably skilled. -NightraiN
   I could be angry that Zach Condon is so young and talented but that would be akin to being angry at the sun for giving everything life. -Rain
   Bummer love letter music. Loved it. -Justin Slaughter
   I seriously have a hard time not liking anything this guy does. Nothing groundbreaking (for Beirut) here, but it's another solid group of melodic, horn filled, pop gems. -Max
   
   
2. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
   Bon Iver's sophomore effort is one for the ages. These arrangements spring from Vernon's sublime falsetto and keyboards and branch out with strings, horns, pedal steel and chimes. They bleed wild originality and ambition while still having a feeling of strange familiarity. -Lucas
   Good for wistful times when you just wanna plop down on your bed, not talk to anyone, zone out, and kick back to something mellow. -Mona
   I knew it when I heard it. #1. Fantastic effort, Mr. Vernon and company. Keep it up. -Tex
   Beautifully mellow. No, Bon Iver's music has not gotten old. -NightraiN
   Pretty... very pretty. -Graham
   Killer. -Brian
   
   
1. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
   I've liked the Decemberists for a long time, but the direction they're moving in now makes me love them - just fantastic. -Anne
   Not only did they produce an album that didn't make me want to gouge my eyes out, they knocked it out of the park. Well done, Decemberists. I you rekindled my love. -Brasilliant
   This straight ahead approach (with some fairly obvious R.E.M. worship) suits them well. It hit the spot early in the year and is holding on strong into another winter. The King Is Dead has more heart, less brains and it's better for it. -Lucas
   A little more folk, a little less shanty, all around great. -TheCraneWife
   I instantly became enamored with this album. -ve1cro
   The standout tracks on this album are amazing. -Jeremiah
   It's a love-hate relationship. Today? Love. -Nesto
   Stripped of pretension, the band seems like it’s having fun. -Awmercy

Adele - "Rumour Has It" (single)

Hey QC dudes! Sorry I've been crazy M.I.A. for the last few months ever since I up and left the East and took my longass time getting to the Left Coast... but that doesn't mean I haven't been immersing myself in goodass tunes and shows along the way. I have much to share and post (and I swear I will eventually!), but in the meantime I had to write up a little sumthin' sumthin' on Adele who is utterly awesome and gratuitous in the least annoying way possible in the world of pop music today. There's been much ballyhoo over her latest record's hit single "Rolling In The Deep" which I definitely recognize is a great fiery song and all, but I honestly dig this one so much more particularly due to the percussion and backup vocals. Sing it, sistah.



Oh, and if loving her for the music alone wasn't enough, then there was all that hysterical drama with her lameass ex-boyfriend who feels he's due royalties since their breakup was the inspiration behind her hit songs. I would love to see that argument in a courtroom ;)

Sharon Jones!

Thanks Mona for hooking me up!

Fitz & The Tantrums - "MoneyGrabber" (single)

I learned fairly quickly that when Fitz throws a tantrum, you best stop, drop, and listen. Fresh off the heels of their Songs For A Break Up Vol. 1 EP (still lovin' that album art), I heard "MoneyGrabber" (free mp3) off of their new full-length Pickin' Up The Pieces and instantly dug it... hard. F&TT have this quasi neo indie retro soul thing going on that's utterly refreshing, makes me want to chair-dance and shimmy-shake at my computer, and is such a nice stark contrast against all the downer music that usually rules my wintry airwaves. This single particularly held my interest long enough to want to check out the rest of their LP. To say this shit is Motown-influenced is only partially accurate. I'd rather say it borrows from Motown, but then takes it one step further in another direction adding a little sumthin' sumthin' of their own. Plus, I really love the colors in this stylish music video. It all works and temporarily distracts from Fitz's anachronistic hairstyle.

Upon first listen, two things came to mind. 1) The first thing I said to myself was "Man, these guys must be from L.A. or something." Lo and behold I was right, except this time I didn't half-jokingly roll my eyes like I usually do at the thought of La La Land-based bands. 2) The next thing I thought was how I wanted to immediately share this "new find" with Awmercy because it totally reminded me of something I suspected he especially would go nuts over. I was feeling particularly cocky and it was high-time I recommended something new and awesome to him first for a change (instead of the usual other way around). Much to my consternation, I did a search and, of course, that jerk has already mentioned Fitz a zillion times before on QuickCrit. What was I thinking?! My musical hubris rests indefinitely until next time.

Postscript: If there is a slight chance that this music falls under QuickCrit's ever-exclusive and much ballyhooed "stripper soul" genre, I am not entirely certain. Nightrain, please do feel free to advise.

Casiokids - "En Vill Hest"

I'm the farthest thing from a morning person. In fact, my stubborn refusal to ever become a coffee drinker only makes things that much more difficult and grueling sometimes. Perhaps the one thing I don't mind is kicky music for when I crawl out of bed and need help getting through my morning routine with minimal mooditude. Fuck campy morning TV shows, enter Norwegian electro-pop wizards Casiokids with their vintage beats, cheery falsetto vocals, Afro-funky indie pop jams and indecipherable lyrics. Oh yeah, wait, they don't sing in English, so don't even bother trying to sing along. Their tunes straddle the fine line between absurd and adorable, almost like Vampire Weekend hooked up with Boy Eats Drum Machine on uppers while forming a conga line, drawing crowds, getting their dance on, slapping hands and kissing babies during a ticker tape parade through the streets of South Africa. And for QuickCrit's lazier readership, Casiokids is danceable enough to make even mundane tasks like brushing one's teeth that much easier. Half the time, I just stand in front of my bathroom mirror and don't even have to move my hands from side to side... I simply place the brush in my mouth and the music inspires dance moves that kind of do the job for me. Brilliant! These guys give me good vibrations when I need it most and just enough of a decaffeinated jolt to start my day right, with or without the 7 a.m. one-woman conga action.

Them Jeans (Remixes) - The xx and Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Turning some of my favorite indie music into danceable jams is mind-blowing enough to get me to do what I tend to hate doing most, which is, well, dance. Still buzzed from a year of fantastic electro-dream pop releases and still reeling from this week's Leonid Meteor Shower, I was reminded of Jason Stewart, better known as Them Jeans, who is a Los Angeles-based DJ/Producer with whom I'm pretty much obsessed. Last winter he did a 6-month DJ residency at L.A.'s Natural History Museum playing "First Fridays," an institution we also have at some of NYC's cooler museums, where the first Friday of every month they transform the space into all-out dance floors so that hot paleontologists can talk nerdy to their music-loving friends while getting their swerve on next to dinosaur fossils. I wish Them Jeans would bring his magic to the East Coast to resuscitate the now defunct Starry Nights Jazz and turn the AMNH into one uber-romantic, uber-stellar cosmic dance party kissed ever so gently by the shimmery intergalactic lighting from the planets in the Hayden Planetarium. Not only is his great taste in music varied, but he also manages to remix lots of indie songs in upbeat ways so you can actually not feel weird playing them during appetizers for non-indie music loving guests at your indie rock dream wedding or during your house party in hopes the music will create the type of ambiance that will get your guests groovin' and movin' about the place... except, in a chill, loungey, downtempo "let's make out in the dark corner against the wall" sort of way, and not a coked out, riotous, Girl Talk "let's do some blow in the bathroom" kind of way. Either way could be fine, but I guess it really just depends on the mood.

In his reportoire, he's reimagined songs for the likes of Beach House, Yeasayer, Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Ratatat, and even Snoop Dogg. But the following two remixes are absolutely stunning interpretations and, of course, totally danceable versions of songs I already love. These should help get your party started right... and quickly, at that.

The xx - "Shelter" (Them Jeans Drum Edit) - [original]

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Soft Shock" (Them Jeans Acoustic Remix) - [original, acoustic]

Mumford And Sons - "The Cave" (Acoustic Bookshop Sessions)

Sigh no more! My much-anticipated Mumford and Sons show is this week and I am beyond excited to finally see these Brits get their banjo on, even if it's at the less-than-intimate NYC monstrosity otherwise known as Terminal 5 (a venue that seriously needs to accidentally burn down already, as I've requested many moons ago). QuickCrit is no stranger to loving Mumford hard this year, so where's the harm in gushing a little more? I serendipitously stumbled upon some baller acoustic versions of M&S playing their tracks at Treadwell's Bookshop in London. Oh please, please, please play similarly stripped-down versions at T5 and maybe I'll refrain from jig dancing. They even called this performance the "Bookshop Sessions." Flawless acoustic Mumford... in a bookshop? Blimey! I think I just had a tiny musical orgasm.



"Little Lion Man" sounds great too, no surprise there.

Atomic Tom - "Take Me Out"

I made a resolution this year to get back into researching NYC-based bands, so I'm happy to say I'm kinda staying true to it. Of course it helps that some of the best music to come out this year just so happens to hail from the greater NYC area. Enter one of the coolest things I have ever seen happen on a NYC subway train, let alone one on the way to the BK. So apparently, Atomic Tom had their instruments stolen recently. In the spirit of impromptu shit, they decided to hop on the B train en route to Brooklyn and film "Take Me Out" (album version) in one take using nothing but their iPhones as instruments much to the surprise of random commuters. I'm not an iPhoner, so I'm not entirely sure if what you're about to see is mind-boggling to the point of WTF, but I think the whole thing is pretty sick. "Take Me Out" is definitely one of my favorite "Top 'Getting Ready' Songs of 2010" already, so this video just makes this 100% live clip 100% more awesome. The only thing that's missing is the obligatory crazy homeless guy rocking out in the corner... or an Apple representative handing them a big fat check post-performance for the shameless iPhone plug and a half. (Oh, and to the band member on the farthest right... have you ever worked at Endless Summer Tacos in Williamsburg? I think you or your doppelganger gave me extra salsa verde once.)

Ray LaMontagne - "For The Summer" & "Beg Steal or Borrow"

Hello. My name is Mona and I'm a pogonophile. I think the only thing better than a 5 o'clock shadow is an 11 o'clock one... preferably from the night before. In fact, I prefer my musicians the way I prefer my men: scruffy as hell. If you can shower daily yet still manage to look like you haven't showered in a week, things will be explosive between us. Or at the very least, I will laugh at all your jokes, bake you cookies, and/or check out your band. Pleased to meet you. In the immortal words of Bob Slydell, "...the pleasure is all on this side of the table. Trust me."

Enter Ray LaMontagne and his lovely beard that inspired my little musical due diligence. All silliness aside, I always assumed he was just some Starbucks pick of the week and never bothered to do the research. On second thought, he probably is and I would never truly know because I rarely patronize the establishment let alone even drink coffee. Regardless, I heard "For The Summer" off of God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise (2010) and it definitely piqued my curiosity for other aurally pleasing, non-beard-related reasons. Who knew he was legitimately talented? And if you did in fact know, how come no one told me? I feel like I'm listening to snippets of my favorite Van Morrison, Ryan Adams, Stephen Stills, and Nick Drake elements all at once. Ahh, it's essentially one-stop shopping for the ears... and I don't even like shopping!

Well hey hey, my my! I also love another track: "Beg Steal or Borrow." I really dig this guy's voice and his folk leanings. So much so, his music makes me want to get a spread of land with him, buy some chickens and tend to them. Then, I would bake us a fresh apple pie and leave it on the kitchen window sill to cool as I adoringly watch him from the porch wrangle horses out back just before sunset. There's something to be said about artists who can borrow from their influences without complete and utter replication, put out something relatively watered-down in comparison yet still respectable in its own right. Case in point: here LaMontagne demonstrates that he knows how to channel his inner Neil Young without going too overly Neil Young on your ass. And hey, I love my nasaly Neil Young just as much as the next guy but sometimes I feel like even he himself needs to tone down the Neilness a smidge when he's rocking the mic. No disrespect intended of course, Mr. Young. I am loving that sexy rasp in LaMontagne's voice, it's almost slightly more pleasurable to me than the tiny joy and actual sensation of going in for a nuzzle and feeling that nice, sharp stubble against your nose, lips and cheeks*. But as far as knowing for sure if it really is "better to burn out than to fade away?" ... Neil Young, that one is still very much all you.

*Who are we kidding. Nothing feels better than that... unless maybe it's with Ray LaMontagne after he sings these songs, perhaps.

Crystal Castles - "Not In Love" (featuring Robert Smith)

and we were lovers, now we can't be friends, fascination ends, here we go again. oh oh oh cause it's cold outside, when you coming home. cause it's hot inside, isn't that enough.

I love me some electronica, but I can be incredibly picky about which bands I let into my life. I've never even been the hugest fan of Crystal Castles, nor did I ever anticipate writing a QuickCrit post about them, but I'm pretty sure enlisting the help of Cure front-man Robert Smith for a refurbished "Not In Love" may just be an excellent exception. A depressing song high on uppers, this danceable track sounds like a long lost 80s song that would be perfect for the end credits of a long lost 80s movie. Or, at least one I'd want to watch. It's a melange of 80s downer, new wave, electronica and definitely gets its synth on in all the right places. In fact, it's synthly wonderful. I'm not even sure if I'd love this song as much if Robert Smith didn't lend his earnest vocals meets five seconds away from an emotional breakdown signature that he does so well, but "Not In Love" perfectly complements the gloominess I always feel whenever Indian summer ends, November rain hits and a wintry East Coast is imminent. I am not in love with the aforementioned, but I am in love with "Not In Love."

Paul Simon, Chris Rock & Tracy Morgan - "Scarborough Fair"

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme... a pocket full of rubbers and just a hint of autotune?

If you're like me and you were raised on Simon & Garfunkel's music, then you'll enjoy this. If you're like me and you are a big fan of Chris Rock and/or Tracy Morgan, then you'll friggen love this. My parents were bent on teaching us that Art Garfunkel always reigned supreme, while Paul Simon came in at a very distant second. After this video, I think it just might be a tie.

Katy Perry - "Teenage Dream" (single) [2010]

Don't worry, I actually hate myself a little for admitting this to the blogosphere... but I kinda sorta love Katy Perry's new single "Teenage Dream." (See the official video here) With pop music being, for the most part, formulaic, contrived, unimaginative, and just plain annoying, it can be refreshing to come across rare songs like "Teenage Dream" that don't instantly make you reach for the barf bag (see: Selena Gomez), want to bang your head against the wall (see: Rihanna) or kill yourself (see: Ke$ha). I also find this admission super hysterical considering the scathing review I did for her ridiculously awful debut. If it means anything, up until now "Waking Up In Vegas" was the only KP song I actually didn't mind and would sometimes find myself taking the longer way home in my car just to hear it in its entirety (of course, only during moments when I was alone). So it's safe to say "Teenage Dream" just may be a true watershed moment, even though the most intellectually stimulating lyric of the song is "Ima get your heart racing, in my skin-tight jeans, I'll be your teenage dream tonight." But I'm learning that's okay. Sometimes you need something mindless, fun, harmless and not to be taken seriously... especially if it gets your motor running a tad. The song (and its completely literal video) speaks of youthful love, gallivanting on the beach, amorous drives up the coast in a convertible, cheap motel nookie, and all the associated cliche "been there, done that" rites of passage this country was founded upon, except... she chose a boxer guy instead of the typical football jock as her love interest (plus, he's not even cute, really?). If she was gonna go gaga over some muscular video dude, she may as well have commissioned Channing Tatum for the job because isn't he the boxer-type du jour with all the right moves? First Russell Brand, now this guy? I definitely question her taste in men. But at least the song's great and it will make my commute a little brighter until I get home and blast something in my collection that will restore any, if not all, of my music credibility... any suggestions?

Delorean - "Stay Close" (single)

Resident dreamer here, back with your daily dose of music-related fantasy and whimsy. Do you ever look out the window, close your eyes, and pretend you've just been transported to a life of infinite tranquility and beauty on the Balearic Islands of say, I dunno, Majorca? Ibiza, mayhaps? No? Oh... yeah, umm, me neither. In case the cold hand of reality just kicked your ass and perpetually precludes you from jetsetting, thankfully Spanish alternative dance band Delorean makes gorgeous synth pop soundscapes that temporarily delude you into thinking you're already there in your mind everytime you turn up their new [and my current favorite] record, Subiza (2010)... a stunning album that tastes like summer and plays like a neverending sonic dream. I find my affinity to this band hysterical, considering I've never been the discotheque-frequenting type, I don't summer in Europe, and I dislike dancing with anyone anywhere outside of the bedroom. But Delorean makes me want to hop on in, steal Plutonium from some angry Libyans, speed up to 88mph, and kickstart that flux capacitor to transport me back to a mid-'90s all-night house party slash rave off the coast of Spain. Such is the magical power of Delorean for making me nostalgic for a time and place I never even experienced, or thought I'd ever miss. While I absolutely adore the sweet shimmer of "Real Love" and the entrancing beat of "Warmer Places," the euphoric "Stay Close" is, hands-down, my favorite track and I'm utterly beguiled by it, much like I would be with the nonchalant delivery of an unintentional witticism a crush makes when we're talking on the phone. Like those last few bites of a really great dessert, I enjoy slowly savoring the melody of "Stay Close" in my head. I also find myself still remembering how the song makes me feel long after I'm done listening to it. In fact, if I were to make a mix CD for my boy-du-jour, I would strategically place "Stay Close" as the final track... with the hopes that after listening, he too would find himself doing the very same about all things me.

I can't seem to get enough of the official video for "Stay Close." Getting frisky on the beach, swimming, frolicking, cute animals, hues of clear blue water and endless sunshine... it's pretty much a 4:33 long video clip of everything I love in life, set to a killer nostalgic soundtrack. Jump in and get wet:



Awesome live clip here. I'm really digging the colorful stage set-up. Another great live clip from SXSW 2010 here.

Mona's Summer Short List (2010)

Welcome to my half-year hootenanny...

5) Lady Gaga's Ego Reaches Bieber-Fever Levels
Hey folks, so what's the deal with Lady Gaga? Thanks to Nightrain's list, it's great to know I'm not the only person who feels she is dying a slow, miserable death every time I see her smug mug, well, everywhere. I hate her megalomaniacal fantasy, I hate the hype, I hate her songs with confusing lyrics (fine, you're saying goodbye to "Alejandro", but then who the hell is Roberto? Fernando?), and I hate how she never seems to wear pants (is this an F-you! to those pesky wang rumors?). On slaying her self-doubt: "When I wake up in the morning, I feel just like any other insecure 24-year-old girl. Then I say, 'B*tch, you're Lady Gaga, you get up and walk the walk today.' " Before I could even bring up my own Gag(a) reflex, Jerry Seinfeld beat me to it: "You take one 'A' off of that and you've got gag." Zing!

4) The Dresden Lounge in Hollywood

When I was in Los Angeles, I wanted to check out the Silver Lake/Sunset Junction area, aka the supposed "Williamsburg of the West," to see if it was every bit as hip as I'd read. It was... not so much on that late Sunday night, but at least I was able to pop by The Dresden on the way home with the hopes of catching jazz sensations Marty & Elayne (of Swingers fame). My impromptu trip lead me there on their off-night, but awesomely washed-up resident country/classic rock cover trio The Drinks was there to purvey all of my favorite requests with very little wait time, such as "Night Moves," "Take It Easy" and "Sister Golden Hair." It was like a cover song jukebox and I was the only person who kept feeding it quarters. One of the sweet waitresses even had the brilliant idea of requesting Talking Heads' "Life During Wartime" and they just busted it out on the fly. I've found my new favorite hangout next time I'm in L.A. and I'm looking for more low-key fun with real, everyday people. This place is so money and it doesn't even know it. Or maybe it does?

3) Folk Me Up: Banjo and Whistling Edition

Again, Nightrain beat me to this mention of ubiquitous folk-rooted rock revival all over the airwaves these days, but two specific tracks have captivated my apparently banjo-lovin' heart in ways I couldn't begin to ignore... even when I tried.

Mumford and Sons - "Little Lion Man"
Retrosexual to the max, these guys look like Leonardo DiCaprio's "working class" pals in Titanic who threw that killer dance party in the lower decks and pretty much drowned because the stupid rich people took over all of the lifeboats. "Little Lion Man" caught my ears' attention and has never let it go. I love the way they all chant along with increasing intensity as the song begins to climax, it's definitely my vote for epic breakdown of my half-year (starts at 2:35 mark).


Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - "Home"
Hi. My band runs ten-deep and we travel around the country in vans like dirty hippie rockers. So irritating, so intoxicating, man I can't stand this song... so then why can't I shut it off? "Alabama, Arkansas, I do love my ma and pa, not the way that I do love you..." Sure, she may be singing about her brother at this rate but who knew the banjo could be so damn romantic and set the mood for this year's campfire sing-along love song? "Ahh home, let me go ho-oh-home, home is wherever I'm with you..." With the catchy whistling and a chorus as gosh-darn-cute as that, I'm willing to overlook the fact that ES&TMZ's are completely insane. By the way, what the heck are you guys on (particularly the female lead singer here)!? And don't say "life" because the Polyphonic Spree already used that excuse. Either way, feel free to send some this way whenever you're done singing "Kumbaya."


2) The Gaslight Anthem
Why have I been so late on the ball getting into this band? The first song of theirs I ever heard was "Old White Lincoln," and I damn near got into a minor traffic accident because it was so good and I knew I needed to hear more. But it took the first few lines of "American Slang" to officially reel me in. "Look what you started, I seem to be coming out of my skin..." By far, my favorite intro of this half-year, but the real tingles happen when he sings "I've got your name tattooed inside of my arm" -- I know Brian Fallon isn't singing about me, but the personal, emotive nature of his delivery temporarily humors me. If you think I'm kidding about their effect, last month I "accidentally" fell asleep with "American Slang" on loop, only to wake up in the middle of the night from a dream where a Born In The U.S.A.-era Bruce Springsteen picked me up for a date (he beeped, I found him outside leaning against a red Chevy Camaro), we went to a drive-in movie theatre, came home, and then we made out in the backseat of his neighbor's car. And when it was over, I woke up alone in a state of delusional happiness. Do I really need to say more?


1) Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner's Enigmatic Partnership

After recently seeing Wolf Parade for the 5th time, I can't help but wonder... is it the musical bromance of the century? Or do they secretly despise each other? Spencer Krug once mentioned in an interview how there's little room for egos in the studio since he and Dan Boeckner barely get to see each other and this is only proof that long distance musical relationships can make the hearts grow fonder... and the music only better. These guys manage to stay prolific in respectable side projects (specifically, Krug's Sunset Rubdown and Boeckner's Handsome Furs), yet each undeniable life force still has time for their bread-and-butter indie rock super-group Wolf Parade, both bringing something unique and different to the song-writing table. There's "Krugs' songs" and "Boeckner's songs" and some fans prefer one to the other, but I think it's a toss-up because the sum of this pairing's musical capabilities is greater than its individual parts. Yes, the theory of musical emergence in action. When it comes to their live shows, I love the equality as they insist on switching off vocals every other song to a T. And on songs where they share frontman duties (usually one sings, while the other ignites the song further by filling it out more), its a musical synergistic explosion on stage for all to see. The way they go back and forth on stage is like an insane ping-pong match where I'm left rooting for both members... I'm the ball, of course. Hit me! But since words can't do it justice, I urge all to witness their raucous musical romp in person and I promise you will be reeling for days.

Ra Ra Riot - "Boy" [single] (2010)

Ra Ra Riot is always quick to remind me why Barsuk Records has always been home to so many of my favorite indie artists. RRR's new album, The Orchard, comes out on August 24th and this first single does nothing but set my already eager anticipation on fire, like for wow. I'm usually such a sucker for their unabashedly cutesy videos, so I'm curious to see what they do for this delightful and charming little single that makes me want to get up and go... somewhere, anywhere. Earnest, syrupy sweet vocals, infectious and energetic drumming, a punchy bass line, smatterings of well-placed cello and violin, and some of the most adorable guitar licks I've heard this year, "Boy" is just brimming with all the excitement of the drive home after a great date. In short, the perfect palate teaser for what I hope is a stellar sophomore follow-up to that which was/is their solid debut The Rhumb Line. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go listen to "Boy" another 50 times...

Hear it here, free mp3 download here.