Jesse's Winter Favorites

Algiers - There Is No Year

The soul punk album you need right now. And they're coming to Portland this month!

Saturday, March 28 @ Polaris Hall

Eyelids - The Accidental Falls

Top to bottom, their best collection of songs to date. A great album of PDX paisley indie pop.

En Attendant Ana - Juillet

Fantastic indie pop. Fans of Heavenly and Sarah Records need to check them out.

KaiL Baxley - Beneath The Bones

A delicious mix of soul, blues and Americana.

The Orielles - Disco Volador

Taking their experimental pop collages to new heights. Playing Portland the same night as Algiers! WTF! Saturday, March 28 @ Bunk Bar

Top 10 Parenthood Songs

My friends, Ashley and Aron, just had a baby boy, so I decided to help them out with their baby blog, Baby Mine, by writing a guest post. While I was tempted to list my top 10 songs my toddler son and I listen to in the morning during our rock n' roll breakfast, I figured not everyone would agree that LMFAO's "Champagne Showers" was a song about parenthood (although it could be about changing diapers). Instead I came up with a list of my favorite songs from the perspective of parents. Since I focused on songs I already loved, I am sure I missed a ton of other good alternatives.

Top 5 Drunkabilly Tracks of 2010

Lately I have been listening to some really good Rockabilly bands form Europe. Specifically from Britain, Germany, and Belgium. These were my top five discoveries in 2010. Not all are signed to Rockabilly Records, but can can be seen featured on their website. I would be stoked to see what other people have been listening to from across the pond, and whether or not they dig these jams!

1. The Booze Bombs - "Funnel of Love" - Highly Intoxicating!

I'm pretty sure everyone knows how much I love this band by now. You can check out the video here.

2. Nigel Lewis & The Zorchmen - "I Wanna Be Someone" - Ladies and Gentlemen Attention Please..

Awesome fucking song, reminds me of old school Iggy Pop. You can sample it here.

3. The Hellsonics - "Adrenaline" - Demon Queen

This band is pretty epic, and the album is very good with Adrenaline as the stand out track. Couldn't find a sample of this song available, so you can check out "Demon Queen" here, which is also good, just to get a taste of their sound which is more metal/punk.

4. Nitro 17 - "Soft Like Velvet" - On To The Other Side

This band rips and is more on the punkish side. I had a tough time choosing between "Soft Like Velvet" and "Better Times".

5. The Delmonas - "I Feel Like Giving In" - Archive from 1959 The Billy Childish Story

This song is awesome! It is in French although I think the band is British, go figure. It makes me want to smoke a cigarette, and start holding it in a very lame way. Also, if you find yourself fortunate enough to have this song playing when you get out of the shower, congrats. Naked towel dancing is the best way to start your day, fuck breakfast.

Sorry no sample website off hand. You will have to listen to it on iTunes.

Top 5 Black Keys Songs

This has been a good year for The Black Keys. Judging from how fast their shows sell out, it seems like they're finally being rewarded for consistently recording and performing bad ass blues and rock n' roll. Releasing their best album in years must have had something to do with it, since they always have been flat-out fantastic live. While they've easily released enough great songs to fill out a top 10, or even a top 25, I finally narrowed it down to my top 5.

5. The Breaks (The Big Come Up)
   The song that made me a fan. Plus, the guitar struts and squawks like a chicken.
   
   
4. Remember When (Side B) (Attack & Release)
   Side A is solid, but the destructive riffs set Side B apart.
   
   
3. Tighten Up (Brothers)
   This hit off Brothers pulses with a yearning and soulful beat. It downright swings.
   
   
2. 10 AM Automatic (Rubber Factory)
   A blistering rock n' roll single that dares you to stand still from the very first note.
   
   
1. Hard Row (thickfreakness)
   His howl alone seals its spot at the top, but the buzzing and slashing guitar doesn't hurt.
   

Top 5 Favorite 2010 Bay Area Garage Rock Albums

The Bay Area appears to be the epicenter for a kick ass garage rock scene that encompasses the full range of sloppy rock n’ roll, from fuzzy and hazy pop to loud and psychedelic jams. Even though the year isn’t over, there are already way too many albums to include all the great releases. So let’s go see who’s playing at Thee Parkside, knock back a couple tallboys, and argue over who I missed.

5. Kelley Stoltz - To Dreamers (San Francisco)
   Damn catchy retro pop nuggets.
   
   
4. Hunx and his Punx - Gay Singles (San Francisco)
   A wild and hilarious dude fronting a glammy girl group band. Think gay Ramones.
   
   
3. Nobunny - First Blood (Oakland)
   Dude wears a bunny mask and tosses off blistering garage punk hooks. Hell yeah!
   
   
2. The Fresh & Onlys - Play It Strange (San Francisco)
   Seamlessly integrate country chug and classic stroll into fun psychedelic pop.
   
   
1. Bare Wires - Seeking Love (Oakland)
   Like all great garage bands, they only lift from the best and have Seeds-like attitude to spare.

Top 5 Lucero Songs

I loved the hell out of Lucero's 2009 release, 1372 Overton Park, and recently was reminded at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass how amazing they can be live. I've always enjoy the gritty, imperfect vocals, occasionally roarin' southern rock guitars, and Ben Nichols' willingness to be both tender and rancorous in his lyrics, but it was the addition of increased production and horns that took them to the next stratosphere and made me appreciate their older tracks even more. With over 10 years on the road and 80 songs to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow the list down to a top 5... but here we go, a nice tight list of favorites...

1. "Smoke" (1372 Overton Park)
2. "Tears Don't Matter Much" (That Much Further West)
3. "Nights Like These" (Tennessee)
4. "I Can't Feel A Thing" (1372 Overton Park)
5. "San Francisco"(Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers)

"north to santa rosa and south to santa cruz / the humboldt house, the boardwalk, and the homemade tattoos"

Top 5 Portugal. The Man Songs

This list is for a friend who, although she reads this blog, has never listened to Portugal. The Man.

While I had heard a couple Portugal. The Man songs before The Satanic Satanist, that album made me a fan. I liked it so much, I was sure I was going to be disappointed by American Ghetto. I was wrong; it's just as awesome. I could have chosen 5 songs from either of those albums.

5. "Lay Me Back Down" (Censored Colors)
This is the sole representative from their earlier, wilder and darker sound. Like two songs pasted together, psychedelic visions and hard metallic riffs are juxtaposed against a light and bouncy piano.



4. "60 Years" (American Ghetto)
The song drifts in a funky haze until it is lifted out of the sludge by the sweet and lilting chorus.



3. "Do You" (The Satanic Satanist)
A perfect merging of fuzzed-out classic rock riffs and soulful, imploring vocals. So good.



2. "The Dead Dog" (American Ghetto)
Funky electronic swirls surround dark musings on America's economic divisions. It makes bottoming out sound bad ass.



1. "People Say" (The Satanic Satanist)
A couple sweet guitar lines and a great sing along chorus raise what could be a dour meditation on war and loss into a killer lead single and what should be a future rock anthem.

Ted Leo - "The Mighty Sparrow" (single)

Ahh, I love killer first singles off upcoming albums. "The Mighty Sparrow" has plenty of raditude and now I can't wait for the new record. But hey, you don't have to take my word for it. You can listen for yourself to the awesomeness here while I get ready to shoot an obnoxious "I told you so!" in your face. Considering the fact that I usually see Ted Leo about 16 times a year, chances are I'll see you at one of those tour dates. And judging from the track alone, Ted Leo is still very much the fucking man. Has he ever disappointed anyone you know? 'Cuz he sure as hell never disappoints me. Ditto for the Pharmacists.



In honor of this joyous day, here is my Top 5 Ted Leo Tracks for your listening pleasure:
5) "Under The Hedge"
4) "Bridges, Squares"
3) "Counting Down The Hours"
2) "Little Dawn"
1) "Heart Problems"

Honorable mentions: "Dial Up," "Hearts Of Oak," and "Timorous Me."

Top 5 Michael Jackson Songs

Kevin says: The greatest musical entertainer since James Brown has passed away.

Here is a list of what may be his top 5 songs. Who knows, most of them were pretty good.

1. Billie Jean
   probably his most popular song as a solo artist and for good reason. He had already established the template that folks like Justin Timberlake and Usher continue to follow, but this is him at his strongest and most confident in terms of dancing, singing and composing.
   
2. Don’t Stop till You Get Enough
   I’m struck by the coy sexiness of his vocals and not just in the spoken word intro. There’s real feeling to his phrasing that makes the song swing on top of an absolutely brilliant Quincy Jones arrangement. A great marriage of pop, disco, soul, latin, and R&B styles. Listen to this song with headphones and pay attention to Jackson’s own call and response vocals and his counter-harmonies in the refrain. There’s so much going on in this piece it’s hard to take.
   
3. Never Can Say Goodbye
   Probably not the best Jackson 5 tune, but a fantastic display of his amazing power with ballads that continued to impress even after his voice changed. Real soulful stuff here, no wonder Issac Hayes covered it.
   
4. Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)
   When this came out, it’s safe to say that Jackson sounded like no one else on this earth. You’ll immediately notice the vocal “hiccups” and his brilliant falsetto switches, but the song, which relies on a pretty standard pop riff really swings quite effortlessly due to his absolute mastery of melody.
   
5. Rock With You
   This is the moment before the absolute supernova of the Thriller years occur. Really narrative singing here, with vocals that never overpower the sort of calm beauty of the song.

Eccentric? Hell yes. Bizarre Freakazoid? Sure, at times. The undisputed King of pop and modern R&B? Absolutely, no question.

Top 5 Sam Roberts Songs

Tonight at Berbati's Pan, I finally get to see Sam Roberts, four years after I picked up We Were Born In A Flame and instantly became a huge fan. Although I like about 90% of his songs, I'll try and narrow it down to just my top 5.

"End Of The Empire"
"Start a little fire in your best attire / You can blame the gin for the mess you're in"

"The Gate"
The best song off my third favorite album. Still a tough choice.

"Where Have All the Good People Gone?"
This is one of those songs I find myself singing along a little louder than I intended, or than my wife appreciates, especially when I'm wearing headphones.

"Love At The End Of The World"
The title and lead song from his newest album and worthy of its status.

"Don't Walk Away Eileen"
Probably the first song of his I heard, and it is still my favorite.

Top 5 M. Ward Songs

In honor of last night's M. Ward concert at the Aladdin, here are my top 5 favorite M. Ward songs as of today. He played 3 of them. Not bad.

5. "Four Hours In Washington"
   I love the way this song captures that desperate intensity of late night sleeplessness.
   
   
4. "Magic Trick"
   I've always been a fan of boisterous sing-alongs.
   
   
3. "To Save Me" (featuring Jason Lytle)
   And Beach Boys' do do do's.
   
   
2. "Chinese Translation"
   This song reminds me of my buddy's wedding.
   
   
1. "Vincent O'Brien"
   The tortured artist, so sad and romantic. Lenka does a pretty good version too.