My Favorite Albums of 2011

I’ve been dying to update my blog! As 2011 comes to an end, I figured what better way to close the year and kick off the new one than to look back on my favorite releases of 2011? I’m making it my New Year’s resolution to update my blog more frequently! Here goes:

10. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
 

 

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9. Portugal. the Man – In the Mountain in the Cloud

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8. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring for my Halo

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7. Real Estate – Days

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6. The Antlers – Burst Apart

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5. The Decemberists - The King is Dead

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4. The Black Keys – El Camino

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3. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

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2. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost

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1. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honorable Mention

My Morning Jacket – Circuital
I’m embarrassed to say  that I wasn’t really a MMJ fan until’ I saw them at Bonnaroo this past year. They put on one of the best lives shows I’ve seen to date. I immediately fell in love with them and this album.

Adele – 21
This album came VERY close to making it into my top 10. Adele’s songwriting and vocal chops are miles beyond what most female artists dream about. Is “Someone Like You” not one of the best, most passionate pop ballads you’ve heard in the past two decades?

The Strokes – Angles
The Strokes have always been a pretty consistent band. This album is a lot of fun to listen to but I just didn’t think it was top 10 material. Because my list is so elite right?

Thrice – Major/Minor
Thrice has been one of my go-to bands since I became a fan of rock music a few years ago. So, it was with a heavy heart that I learned about their indefinite hiatus from touring and making music earlier this year. M/M isn’t their best by a long shot but it’s a solid progression and definitely helped Thrice go out on a positive note. Gonna miss these guys.

Protest the Hero @ the Blender – NYC (5/3/11)

A few weeks ago (5/3/2011) I went to see Protest the Hero at the Blender in NYC courtesy of my lovely girlfriend. She got the tickets for me on my birthday in March…so the fact that I didn’t pay anything for this show just made it that much more awesome! What can I say? I love free shit.

This show marked the second time I’d seen Protest at the same, exact venue. Here’s what I had to say about my first experience seeing PTH if you’re so inclined. I love the Blender because it’s a really intimate venue but there’s also steep, theater style seating with a perfect view for those times when I’m not in the mood to get destroyed in the pit. After weeks of bugging my friends I couldn’t find anyone who could tag along, so I ended up flying solo for the evening. I’m no stranger to going to shows alone so I didn’t really mind; it just sucks I had to waste a ticket :\

Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Tesseract and Ultrageist were the openers. Rudely, I got to the show pretty late because I didn’t feel like sitting through all of them. I breifly checked them out prior to the show and just wasn’t feeling it if I’m being quite honest. I did get to see a little bit of Tesseract and all of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster’s set. I didn’t pay much attention to Tesseract but Maylene weren’t half bad; kind of a southern/metal infused style of music. I haven’t really heard too many other bands with this interesting combo so it was actually quite intriguing.

I’ve been so caught up trying to familiarize myself with so many Bonnaroo bands that I didn’t even get a chance to really dive into Protest’s new album, Scurrilous, before the show. I’d listened to the lead-off single, “C’est la Vie” quite a few times and really liked it. Unfortunately, this show snuck up on me super quickly so needless to say I was unprepared. After giving it a few spins I am enjoying the album but I’m still trying to form a solid opinion. I was a little more excited (for lack of a better term) to see Protest my first time around because I was obsessing over the music like it was a drug and I needed my fix. 

Rody and the guys were slaying as usual, so even though a lot of the newer songs sounded the same to me, I still had a great time listening to them. From the first couple of songs I noticed that there was something a little off with Rody. Nothing too monumental to bitch about, but just something a little different. It finally made sense when he admitted that he was having some vocal problems – which was a bit of a bummer for me since I’m a HUGE vocal guy and not many hardcore singers are as versatile and dynamic as Mr. Walker! He seemed to be in good spirits, though, and didn’t let that little issue deter his energy. And, do I even need to comment on the guitar work? If you know Protest the Hero you know that they f*cking RIP. It was a complete eargasm. This show made me realize that I’m not listening to enough technical music lately.

The highlight of the night for me was definitely, “Turn Soonest to the Sea.” My God do I love this song…and live?! :O I didn’t get to see it the first round seeing PTH so this was something extra special for me. I’m a sucker for cheesy gang vocals and this song has some of the best I’ve ever come across. When the crowd joined in for the breakdown it was so epic that it sent massive cold chills up and down my spine.

Even though I wasn’t too familiar with the new songs, they sounded fantastic live as well. I remember the last time I’d seen Protest play some of the more technical passages in their songs they came off just the slightest bit sloppy at times; which is understandable given the damn near impossibility of pulling them off perfectly. This time around I could tell that Protest had definitely improved. They ripped their older songs a new one and the newer songs were just as tight!

As show #2 of 4 of my self-proclaimed concert season ended, I was thoroughly satisfied, way too pumped up, and realized how much I’d missed listening to this band. After I get through these show reviews I want to revisit Scurrilous more thoroughly and maybe give it a review on here. Hopefully, it will have grown on me by then and I’ll be able to praise it just like I did Fortress! 

The World Contamination Tour Review!

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for me as far as concerts are concerned. The farewell LCD Soundsystem show marked the beginning of my own little concert season, if you will. I know it’s a really late pass but I still wanted to verbally commemorate some of the shows I’ve attended recently – more for my own personal documentation than anything else. Plus, I don’t really like to sit and take pictures/videos at concerts, so mental photographs and reflections are really all I’ve got! So, in order of attendance I’ll start with show #1 of 4, My Chemical Romance’s World Contamination Tour stop at Terminal 5 (4/23).

I’ve always had a very special relationship with this band. I’ve said it plenty of times before, but for me My Chem’s The Black Parade really sparked an interest and obsession with rock music that literally changed my life. No matter how much I feel I’ve outgrown these pop-punk heroes I’ll always consider myself a huge fan and support them “to the end.”

I originally though I’d be hitting up this show alone but luckily I dragged my best buddy Neall with me. I had little to no interest in seeing the two openers, The Architects and Neon Trees. Hence, this why we arrived about 30-45 min after the doors opened and caught the end of The Architects set. We were mostly walking around trying to find a good spot to stand during that time so I honestly can’t even remember what they sounded like. We did, however, get to see all of the Neon Trees set. I did like their song, “Animal” for a hot second but that’s about the extent of my relationship with this band. They were pretty fun to see live though. Their music was catchy enough to keep my interest and it was difficult to tear my eyes away from the lead singer with his unorthodox dance moves and bright yellow blazer. On to the main event…

Energy is never something that you’ll wish you had more of at a My Chemical Romance show. Gerard Way is a true frontman and the showmanship is always through the roof. It doesn’t hurt that he also has one of the more interesting voices I’ve heard over the past few years! The way he jumps around on stage never fails to get my adrenaline pumping! They played a tight set that highlighted mostly songs from the new album with a few of my favorite oldies thrown in as well. It was really interesting to see them play some of their slightly more melodic, dance-oriented songs from Danger Days in comparison to dark, heavier songs like “Vampires Will Never Hurt You.” I was SUPER excited they played “Mama,” which is my all-time favorite My Chemical Romance song. When they play this song live it’s more of a roller coaster ride than it is on the studio version. Party Poison, I’m Not Okay, and DESTROYA were also highlights for me.

The only instance I felt the show momentum was interrupted happened toward the end of the show when they played , “Sing.” I love the studio version of this song, but while he still sounded fantastic I think this is the one and only instance ever where I felt the vocals were a little too much for Gerard to handle alone. The harmonies are what really help carry the chorus of this song and you could really feel their absence when the Killjoys played this song live.

All in all it was an awesome night full of  dancing, head banging and epic sing-alongs. My Chemical Romance have not only crafted some of the best pop/punk songs over the past few years, but they also have the live chops to give their audience those same sensations you feel when you blast their songs through your headphones plus that something extra that only comes with a great live band.

Farewell, LCD Soundsystem.

Now that I’ve had a few days to regroup and collect my thoughts, I thought that I should definitely document a pretty monumental (well, monumental in my own, personal scope) musical happening that I just recently experienced.

Sunday night at Madison Square Garden (4/2/2011) marked the end of a decade long career for LCD Soundsystem, a band who I’d gotten to know only a year ago. It was my first time seeing them live and inevitably my last. I didn’t realize how special Sunday night was until I had time to sit back, re-listen to their records, and reflect on the fact that I was lucky enough to be a part of something truly great.

I couldn’t have asked for a better setlist. They played all of my favorite songs and then some.The night started with the subdued beginnings of “Dance Yrself Clean.” By the time the synths/percussion really kicked in about 3 minutes into that song, I knew exactly what the night was going to be…an all out dance party! I honestly can’t put into words the feeling that overcame the Garden during that song – it’s like the arena just EXPLODED! People were in the aisles going nuts the entire show and I absolutely loved it. A few of my favorite moments from the show were the aforementioned opener, “Too Much Love,” “Get Innocuous,” “North American Scum,” and “Tribulations.” Arcade Fire even crashed the party and screamed their lungs out to the chorus of North American Scum…talk about EPIC. I hadn’t noticed until a few songs into the set that there was an all male choir backing the band, and when they finally made their presence known I was BLOWN away. Particularly, toward the end of “Too Much Love” the choir layered with James’ vocals and created such a beautiful dissonance that it sent chills up my spine.

I was looking forward to really throwing down when they played “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House.” However, I was slightly disappointed to find that the band had traded the original, funkier arrangement of the song for a faster tempoed one which relied heavily on the influence of brass instruments. I’m not saying it was a bad arrangement in the least, but compared to what I was expecting this less danceable (for lack of a better term) interpretation left my expectations slightly unsatisfied.

The band also played  virtually their entire 45:33 EP. This was the only section of the show with which I was unfamiliar. I hadn’t taken the time to acquaint myself with these songs beforehand so, to my loss, I wasn’t able to appreciate them like I wanted to. In all honesty, about 25 minutes into that portion of the show I had to sit down and take a break. The EP is a bit much too take in all at once, especially if you’ve never heard it and have already been dancing for hours.

Even with a few very minor qualms, there is hardly anything bad that anyone could say about this show – It was emotional, it was exciting, it was intense, it was over-the-top, everything that you could want in a show. At the time I was bitching about the show being so long. But, it’s their last show ever…what do you expect?

LCD Soundsystem put on the concert of their life. I tried to snap a few pictures with my iPhone but since we were so far away from the stage they didn’t really turn out. I’m still overjoyed and SO thankful that I made the last minute decision to buy tickets, and I’m pretty sure my musical partner in crime, Jared, feels the same way. Now every time I listen to them, I can look back on the fact that I got to share one of the most important nights of the band’s career with them and one of my best friends. The power of music is the most beautiful thing in the world, and being a part of their farewell show was one of many instances that reinforced that notion for me. Thank you, LCD Soundsystem.

Check out the last song of the their last concert, an emotional “New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down.”

Para-less

I can’t believe they really hung it up, whoa-oh-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh-oh. I was actually pretty disappointed when I heard the news that drummer Zac Farro and lead guitarist Josh Farro, brothers, were both leaving the group. I know that Josh was a huge part of songwriting process and Zac is seriously one hell of a drummer. It must’ve been the hardest decision of their lives to walk away from such a gold mine of a group. I hope they have a serious backup plan.

I can’t say I didn’t see this coming though. I’ve always thought that in every single Paramore performance I’ve seen, Josh has looked completely uniterested in what he was doing. He’s the only one on stage that NEVER moves around. If I were him I’d be all over the place. Yet, he just puts in his few chords like it’s no big deal.

The more I think about it the more this seems to be less of a big deal. I’m sure a band of Paramore’s caliber will have no problem finding replacements. I don’t think they’re the most difficult of shoes to fill anyway if I’m being completely honest :\ And, let’s be real…we all know there’s only one person this band NEEDS to survive.

Here’s Paramore performing my favorite song of theirs, “Let the Flames Begin.” Not the best vocal in the world, but still an unbelievable performance and one of the more intense ones you’ll see any pop band doing today. When I listen to the AMAZING intro/outro it makes me think the band might actually hurt a little bit without Zac. He’s banging the hell out of those drums!

My Favorite Albums of 2010!

Welp, 2010 is coming to a close. One of my favorites parts about the end of the year is when all the big sites get their Best of the year lists posted! Normally I keep the list of my favorite albums of the year on my Rate Your Music profile. But, I haven’t really been keeping that site updated like I should.

Overall I’d say it was a pretty solid year for music. It’s tough to top 2009 as there were SO many great releases. I do think that I’ve missed the boat on a few albums from this year that I still have yet to listen to – but based on what I did listen to here are my favorite albums of 2010!

10. Contra – Vampire Weekend

I started out the year really hating on this album. I debated for a while whether or not it would make the list. I was never a huge fan of Vampire Weekend, but “Giving Up the Gun” is a great song and it really opened me up to them and this album in particular. I still think “Holiday” is somewhat unbearable, but Contra‘s a super fun album.

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9. American Slang – The Gaslight Anthem

American Slang was one of the more anticipated albums for me this year. I had very high expectations and was a little bit disappointed after the first few listens. It doesn’t quite stack up to their sophomore album, ’59 Sound, but I did thoroughly enjoy it. Mr. Fallon also showed off a little more vocal range on some of these songs that I thought was pretty impressive. The breakthrough, though, came while I was walking through Chelsea listening to “Queen of Lower Chelsea.” Hehe.

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8. Expo 86 – Wolf Parade

This came out of nowhere. I hadn’t listened to Wolf Parade a day in my life and I got invited to go to a show of theirs this past July at Terminal 5. Needless to say I was thoroughly impressed with their live show and went home and immediately downloaded their discography. I found myself listening to this album a lot more than I thought I would. “What Did My Lover Say” was definitely one of my jams this year!

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7. Illuminations – Josh Groban

I’ve been a Josh Groban fan from Day 1. No matter how drastically my musical tastes change over the years, his voice will always remain a wonder to me. As a baritone myself, he gives me hope that there is a chance for us lower voices! I thought Illuminations was a really great transition for him. Everyone knows that he’s got a booming baritone that can move mountains, but with this album we get to see a little bit of his softer side. “L’Ora Dell’Addio” blows me away every time I listen to it.

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6. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West

Never thought I’d see the day that Kanye West would make a yearly list of my personal favorite albums. Though I’ve always thought he was extremely talented, I absolutely depise his arrogance and virtually everything about him that is extramusical. For some reason though, this album really stood out to me more so than any of his others. I heard “Dark Fantasy” at the gym one day and it gave me chills upon first listen. Love him or hate him, I can’t deny that he makes great music. That’s all there is to it. Kanye knows how to sample unlike any other. As one of the smarter hip hop artists, he is amazing at borrowing from various musical places and creating something that is truly inspiring.

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5. This Is Happening – LCD Soundsystem

LCD Soundsystem was a newcomer to my music library this year. I downloaded their discography and started listening to them in anticipation of possibly seeing them at Bonnaroo. As much as I like dancing, I was never really into electronic/dance music to any great extent. Between this album and the sudden urge to get down, I’ve definitely opened up to it a lot more! I’ve danced to “Drunk Girls” alone in my bedroom on way too many occasions this year. Not to mention I’m huge fan of the album cover as well.

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4. Sea of Cowards – The Dead Weather

If you’ve visited my blog before then it’s no secret I’m a huge Jack White fan. He could probably fart on the mic and I’d shake my head like , “Okay, Jack!” However, of his side projects the Dead Weather is definitely my favorite. He and Allison Mosshart are so awesome when they’re trading vocals back and forth. For their sophomore album, they’re rocked a little harder this time around and I couldn’t be happier with the product. The Dead Weather was one of the highlights for me at Bonnaroo this year so I have a lot of memories with these songs!

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3. Brothers – The Black Keys

This album really took the Black Keys to the next level. They BLEW UP this year and I couldn’t think of a band who deserves it more. This album is drenched with soul and is the epitome of great rock music. I remember hearing “Tighten Up” for the first time on 101.9 RXP and as soon as the breakdown kicked in toward the end of the song, I knew that Brothers was going to be a tour de force. That song still remains one of my favorite (if not my favorite) songs of 2010. I’m lucky enough that I was able to see them perform at Bonnaroo as well – of course it was an intense dancefest.

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2. The Suburbs – Arcade Fire

This album took me so many places emotionally. It’s like Arcade Fire took everything that I loved about their first two albums, and expanded on it to make this monster of record. From start to finish it’s absolutely beautiful. This was one of those albums that I devoured and literally took in every aspect as if it were an integral part of my existence. There are a myriad of intricacies and musical subtleties that keep me coming back for more. With each listen I hear something new.

One of the reasons I gravitate toward this band so strongly is their ability to take a song, allow it to really pull you in one direction, and then completely shift gears to bring about an entirely new set of emotions that just push you over the edge. “Suburban War” is a great example of this. The ABA section could very well stand alone as it’s own song, but then the C section kicks in with those pounding drums and it takes you higher than you ever thought possible. This is probably my favorite musical moment on any album of 2010. Arcade Fire are Indie Rock’s darlings and the band that snobs like to let everyone know they love. However, their music really resonates with everyone as they’ve nabbed a few Grammy nomations and even got themselves a number 1 album! So there’s no denying by anyone that this album is the real deal!

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1. High Violet – The National

When I think of the year in music, I immdiately think of The National’s High Violet. This album was my everything in 2010. A year and a half ago if you would’ve asked me who The National was, I probably would’ve rolled my eyes and said, “It’s the Nationals with an “s”, and it’s a baseball team. Duh.” But, I can’t tell you how quickly the National have become one of the most important bands in my collection. High Violet has everything a great album should – beautiful accompaniment, stimulative lyrics, lasting impressionability, dynamics, and intoxicating vocals. Once again, I’m repping the lower voices as hard as I possible can! There aren’t many of them really making an impact on music today, sadly!

Matt Berninger’s deep croon effectively delivers lyrics that will make you uncomfortable, make you scratch your head, and pull at your heart strings. Lyrics like “I was afraid I’d eat your brains” are so uncomfortably beautifully that they have no choice but to get stuck in your head and haunt your dreams. I can’t get enough of the orchestral instruments that have sort of become a defining characteristic of The National’s music. During the last few choruses of one of my personal favorite songs, “Runaway” you can faintly hear the trombone and trumpet soaring above while Matt’s weeping this brilliant chorus; it’s enough beauty to bring a tear to anyone’s eye. The dynamic between his lower vocals and high intensity accompaniment on songs like “Terrible Love” also make for a unique and amazing listening experience. Even with it’s mostly somber tone, this album can rightfully take it’s place as one of my favorites of all time.

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Honorable Mention

Blue Sky Noise – Circa Survive

“Get Out” is a staple in my running playlist. And, Circa put on one of the best lives shows I’ve seen EVER at Bonnaroo this past year.

Treats – Sleigh Bells

I was actually introduced to Sleigh Bells by my girlfriend. We typically don’t pay attention to what each other are listening to but I was shocked that she was into them when she played them in the car one day. They’re not something I’d listen to every day but their debut album was definitely worth mentioning.

Come Around Sundown - Kings of Leon

I wasn’t really expecting much from this album. Other than a few songs, I wasn’t into their previous album, Only By the Night, nearly as much as I was its predecessors. Yet, I still found myself listening to this album on occasion. I think the lead singer (Caleb) has a FANTASTIC voice so even though the songs are kind of whatever, he’s still really great to listen.

Infinite Arms – Band of Horses

I got into this album kind of late in the year. I actually really liek this album, I just think it didn’t have enough time to click like some of the aforementioned releases did. If I would’ve given it a few more spins it may have actually made my top 10.

My Grammy Predictions for 2011!

The Grammy nominations were released to the public tonight. I didn’t get to watch the concert special but I just read through the list of Grammy noms. Now the Grammy’s don’t really mean much to me anymore, but when I was growing up watching Grammy performances was like my Super Bowl, oddly enough. Most artists pull out all the stops for music’s biggest night. So whether or not you’re a fan of the music the Grammy’s promote, there is always the possibility that one or two special performances will be legendary.

However, it seems as though I’ve been listening to the radio a little more than usual because I recognize and can intelligible speak about most of the nominations this year! For what’s it’s worth, here are my predictions on a few of the categories about which I’m a little more knowledgeable. I’ll throw in a little commentary on a few of the categories that compel me to do so.

Who I Think Should Win

Who Will Win – *If I agree

Song of the Year
‘Beg, Steal or Borrow’ – Ray LaMontagne
‘Forget You’ – Cee-Lo
‘The House That Built Me’ — Miranda Lambert
‘Love the Way You Lie’ — Eminem Feat. Rihanna
‘Need You Now’ — Lady Antebellum

–This song is the worst but I just have a really weird feeling about it. I think it’s going to clean house. ‘Love the Way You Lie’ should definitely win though. I’m not even going to act like I wasn’t obsessed with that song all year. Eminem’s rapping is so intense and when he’s not being a douche he can be pretty powerful. I can’t stand Rihanna’s ANNOYING voice but almost anyone could’ve made that chorus sound good.

Album of the Year
‘The Suburbs’ – Arcade Fire
‘Recovery’ — Eminem
‘Need You Now’ — Lady Antebellum
‘The Fame Monster’ — Lady Gaga
‘Teenage Dream’ – Katy Perry

–As much as I love to hate on her, this year in mainstream music was basically defined by Lady Gaga alone. I’m going against my better judgement and sticking with who will probably win this award for my prediction. I love that Arcade Fire was nominated. I would give anything for Suburbs to win but that’s not likely.

Best New Artist
Justin Bieber
Drake
Florence and the Machine
Mumford and Sons
Esperanza Spalding

–Tough call, but Drake had a great year. And, I can’t in my heart of hearts believe that the Academy will give Justin Bieber a Grammy. It just shouldn’t happen.

Record of the Year
‘Nothing on You’ — B.o.B. Feat. Bruno Mars
‘Love the Way You Lie’ — Eminem Feat. Rihanna
‘Forget You’ — Cee-Lo
‘Empire State of Mind — Jay-Z Feat. Alicia Keys
‘Need You Now’ — Lady Antebellum

–I’m telling you, I have a feeling in my gut that this song is going to do some damage.

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
‘King of Anything’ – Sara Bareilles
‘Halo (Live)’ – Beyoncé
‘Chasing Pirates’ – Norah Jones
‘Bad Romance’ — Lady Gaga*
‘Teenage Dream’ — Katy Perry

The Academy loves B. But again, this is Gaga’s category to lose.

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

‘Haven’t Met You Yet’ — Michael Bublé

‘This is It’ — Michael Jackson

‘Whataya Want from Me’ — Adam Lambert

‘Just the Way You Are’ — Bruno Mars*

‘Half of My Heart’ — John Mayer

–I’m really pulling for Bruno Mars. Ignoring the elephant in the room (RIP Mike), I think he really should win this. He’s one of the few current pop artists whose vocals I actually respect.

Best Pop Performance By a Group or Duo with Vocals
‘Don’t Stop Believin’ (Regionals Version) — Glee Cast
‘Misery’ –Maroon 5
‘The Only Exception’ — Paramore
‘Babyfather’ — Sade
‘Hey, Soul Sister (Live)’ — Train

–There was no escaping this song this year. The only thing that scares me is that it’s a live recording being nominated. I would love for Paramore to win, but they really don’t deserve it for “The Only Exception.” If it weren’t for Hayley’s EXCEPTIONal vocals this song would’ve ended up sounding like a Taylor Swift knock-off. That being said, their song is still the only one in this category I could listen to in its entirety.

Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
‘Airplanes, Part II’ — B.o.B., Eminem & Hayley Williams*
‘Imagine’ — Herbie Hancock, Pink, India.Arie, Seal, Konono No 1, Jeff Beck & Oumou Sangare
‘If it Wasn’t for Bad’ — Elton John & Leon Russel
‘Telephone’ — Lady Gaga & Beyoncé
‘California Gurls’ — Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg

–I may be a little biased but the hook to this song haunted my dreams. So, I’m assuming it impacted the Academy the same way it did everyone’s Facebook status.

Best Pop Vocal Album
‘My World 2.0′ — Justin Bieber
‘I Dreamed a Dream’ – Susan Boyle
‘The Fame Monster’ — Lady Gaga
‘Battle Studies’ — John Mayer
‘Teenage Dream’ — Katy Perry

–Gaga should have this one in the bag. I’d be pleasantly surprised if Mayer hit this category with a left hook and walked away with the Grammy. 

Best Rock Song
‘Angry World’ — Neil Young
‘Little Lion Man’ — Mumford & Sons
‘Radioactive’ — Kings of Leon
‘Resistance’ — Muse
‘Tighten Up’ — The Black Keys

–I’m still not sure why ‘Resistance’ was nominated over ‘Uprising.’ Either way Muse and the Black Keys respectively put out two of my favorite songs this year. I’ll be happy with a win by either of them. I’m overjoyed that they’re both nominated! ‘Radioactive’ isn’t anything great at all and KOL had their time last year. This is a REALLY tough decision but I’m going to go with Neil Young. ‘Little Lion Man’ should win for Most Annoying Song By A Duo or Group w/ Vocals.

Best Alternative Music Album
The Suburbs — Arcade Fire
Infinite Arms — Band Of Horses
Brothers — The Black Keys
Broken Bells — Broken Bells
Contra — Vampire Weekend

–It’s The Suburbs vs. Contra, two indie albums that debuted at #1 this year. Arcade Fire should definitely win this one but I’m predicting a Vampire Weekend win. Let it be known I love the Black Keys and they put out one of my favorite albums this year. But I think the competition is a little too stiff for them.

Best Rock Album
‘Emotion & Commotion’ — Jeff Beck
‘The Resistance’ — Muse
‘Backspacer’ — Pearl Jam
‘Mojo’ — Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
‘Le Noise’ — Neil Young

–Neil Young’s Le Noise was critically acclaimed and he’s a classic, which leads me to believe he’s going to take this one home. ‘Resistance’ was pretty ambitious but I don’t think it accomplished what it set out to do.

Best Rap Song
‘Empire State Of Mind — Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
‘Love the Way You Lie’ — Eminem & Rihanna*
‘Not Afraid — Eminem
‘Nothin’ On You’ — B.o.B & Bruno Mars
‘On To The Next One’ –Jay-Z & Swiss Beats

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
‘Nothin’ On You — B.o.B & Bruno Mars
‘Deuces’ — Chris Brown, Tyga, Kevin McCall
‘Love the Way You Lie’ — Eminem & Rihanna
‘Empire State of Mind’ — Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
‘Wake Up! Everybody’ – John Legend, The Roots, Melanie Fiona, & Common

Best Rap Album
‘The Adventures of Bobby Ray’ — B.o.B
‘Thank Me Later’ — Drake
‘Recovery’ — Eminem*
‘The Blueprint 3′ — Jay-Z
‘How I Got Over’ — The Roots

–I truly believe this is Em’s year.

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
‘Crazy Heart’ — Various Artists
‘Glee: The Music, Volume 1′ — ‘Glee’ Cast
‘Treme’ — Various Artists
‘True Blood-Volume 2′ — Various Artists
‘The Twilight Saga: Eclipse’ — Various Artists.’

–These kids are breaking records n’ sh*t. The Eclipse soundtrack was rock solid. Such a waste.

Best Score Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture,Television Or Other Visual Media
Alice In Wonderland – Danny Elfman (composer)
Avatar – James Horner (composer)
Inception – Hans Zimmer (composer)*
Sherlock Holmes – Hans Zimmer (composer)
Toy Story 3 – Randy Newman (composer)

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical
Rob Cavallo
Danger Mouse
Dr. Luke
RedOne
The Smeezingtons (Bruno Mars, Phillip Lawrence, Ari Levine)

Terrible Love (Alternate Version)

I love this alternate version of The National’s “Terrible Love.” There’s so much more clarity to it and you don’t get lost in the wall of sound like you do on the album version. I can actually hear each of the instruments! Normally I think re-releases are pointless but I’m all about anything new from this band.

The video is actually pretty fun too. It’s good to see the band goofing around. They usually seem like they’re taking themselves a bit too seriously.

Lilac Wine – The Cinematic Orchestra

This is beautiful. The Cinematic Orchestra covering one of my favorite Jeff Buckley songs.

This video comes to you courtesy of Dr. Martens as a part of their 50th Anniversary celebration. Check out their YouTube channel for 9 other great covers by different bands. You can also download all of the tracks for free if you want!

Happy Birthday, Kid A!

Today is the 10th Anniversary of one of my favorite albums of all time! ! 10 years ago on this very day, Radiohead unleashed their 4th studio album, Kid A, on the world. It’s not so much an album as it is one of the most creative and emotive collections of art that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing. Even though it wasn’t until YEARS after its release that I’d actually heard it, it single-handedly helped mold my musical tastes into what they are today and ultimately changed my life.

A modern masterpiece, this album challenged everything I thought I knew and loved about music. It’s made me cry, laugh, and sit in silence bewildered at how listening to a handful of songs can create such vivid, beautiful imagery. I can still remember lying in my bed in my dorm, listening to this album for the very first time. I still have yet to find a record that can match that experience!

So, for Kid A, I say thank you to Radiohead for instilling in me an interest, an appreciation and an obsession for music that completely turned my world upside down.

I leave you with the music video for the most hauntingly beautiful songs every created; quite possibly my favorite song of all time, “How to Disappear Completely.”

/Fanboy rant out of system.