As we continue our year end house cleaning around these parts, I thought I’d chime in once again with a list of my own. As has become the half yearly tradition around these parts, in lieu of a traditional top ten list we opt to do something a little different with our Top 6 of both halves of the year.
While my Top 6 Of The First 6 seemed to have some pretty obvious choices, the second half of the year’s list is mostly dominated by debut records – so let’s get on with it…
6. Fanfarlo – Reservoir
I’ve had Fanfarlo’s debut album for so long, that I almost forgot that it officially got released this September. Loaded with orchestral folk-rock that has become all the rage in recent years, the album features everything from saws and clarinets to cellos and ukuleles to melodicas and thermins that all combine with lead singers Simon Balthazar’s booming vocals to produce a cacophony of melodic noise that doesn’t fall far from the Neutral Milk Hotel/Arcade Fire tree.
READ ON for the rest of my Top 6 Of The Last 6…
It’s been awhile since we last wrote about Thao Nguyen and her band The Get Down Stay Down. It was the San Francisco-via-DC act’s fantastic 2008 release We Brave Bee Stings and All that blended Nguyen’s introspective lyrics with their brand of bouncy indie-pop that first hooked me. Nguyen & Co., who really impressed me during their daytime set at NPR’s SXSW showcase, have just released Know Better Learn Faster
their second album for venerable indie label Kill Rock Stars.
The band’s latest record expands on their quirky upbeat jangly sound, but lyrically make no doubt about it this is a break up album laced with Nguyen’s ruminations about the ups and downs of being in a relationship. You’d never know that they were covering such heavy topics after watching the playful beach party with their first video from the album for When We Swam…
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down are in the midst of their fall tour, that brings them to New York City’s Bowery Ballroom on November 4.
Previously On HT:
A few months back, our very own Ryan Dembinsky headed over to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame’s New York City Annex for a great profile on the relatively new outpost. On May 12 the Annex will debut its second feature exhibit – John Lennon: The New York City Years, which will focus on the former Beatle’s time in the Big Apple. According to the press release “the show will feature numerous Lennon artifacts – including items representing his inimitable fashion statements – as well as iconic photographs, legendary instruments, original handwritten lyrics and artwork”.
The folks at the museum have also announced that they will be extending their hours of operation during the exhibit’s stay. The Annex will now be open until 10 PM during the week and until midnight on the weekends.
Finally, have you ever had the urge to own your very own rock club? Well, that dream could come true as Live Nation is currently looking for someone to take over the lease at the soon to be former Blender Theater at Gramercy. The 600 person bi-level space is “centrally located near all major subway and transportation hubs, has 186 fixed loge seats, lowerl level lounge with LCD TVs and an existing liquor license” – sounds good to us, so who wants to help raise some cash for the Hidden Track Theater?
On May 17, Sub Pop will release a 2 disc/3 LP collection of rarities, including out-of-print and unreleased tracks from Iron & Wine called Around The Well. In conjunction with the release, the bearded folk-rocker has put together a special intimate five-city, ten show tour. Each show will feature a unique set list, determined by fan voting, beginning March 6 and running through March 30. The shows will be made available after the tour is completed on Iron and Wine’s official live recording site, Played Last Night.
If you’re not into Sam’s singer-songwriter stylings than maybe you’ll want to check out one of these recently announced tours…
Finally, Brit indie-rock act Gomez will hit the road this Spring in support of their sixth studio album A New Tide which hits stores on March 31 – the same night they will play a record release party at New York’s Bowery Ballroom. The band will kick off their tour at SXSW before heading to the East Coast where they will team up with former BtN act Josh Ritter for a handful of co-headlining dates as well as show with new HT fave Blind Pilot. In anticipation of the release Gomez is currently offering up a free download of Airstream Driver via their website, so head on over and grab it today.
Summer officially arrived last Friday night around 7:40 or so – don’t ask me how they determine that, it seems kind of arbitrary to me. While you may have already been hard at work preparing your perfect beach music mix, I’ve got one more track for you that needs to be included – it’s bouncy, catchy and mentions ice cream – how much more summery can you get?
The song comes from Thao Nguyen and her fantastically named band the Get Down Stay Down. Check out the video for Bag Of Hammers (which looks like it cost less to make then an episode of Mr. Bill)…
Thao and her band recently wrapped up a tour opening for Rilo Kiley and has already lined up a number of summer dates. Be sure to see ‘em!
From there comes one from the rediscovered Rodriguez with Sugar Man from the re-release of his brilliant debut album 
Next up is former BtN act Okkervil River with Singer Songwriter from quite possibly the 
Then, we’ve got the song that I’ve been obsessed with for the last few weeks Margot & The Nuclear So & So’s – Tall As Cliffs – which is featured on both 
and 
We continue with the amazing Dr. Dog and the very last track on their latest effort 
– My Friend - that vaguely reminds of The Beatles’ A Day In The Life. Finally we close things with Campus from Vampire Weekend infectious 
