Mango Nebula 2010 :: According to Last.fm

In searching for other ways to arbitrarily quantify music, I started thinking about all the different subjective influences on "lists" and that it might be a good idea to isolate each one and note the qualifier. So, here is my list of albums from 2010 that I listened to the most, according to last.fm (which is irrefutable).

10. The National :: High Violet
The National :: "Bloodbuzz Ohio"

9. The Whitehaus Family Record Family Record
The Whitehaus Family Arkestra :: "Maple Syrup Moon"

8. Villagers :: Becoming a Jackal

Villagers :: "Home"

7. Woods :: At Echo Lake
Woods :: "Suffering Season"

6. Sufjan Stevens :: The Age of Adz
Sufjan Stevens :: "Age of Adz"

5. Nana Grizol :: Ruth
Nana Grizol :: "Cynicism"

4. Titus Andronicus :: The Monitor
Titus Andronicus :: "A More Perfect Union"

3. No Age :: Everything In Between
No Age :: "Fever Dreaming"

2. Wavves :: King of the Beach
Wavves :: "Super Soaker"

1. Greg Mullen :: The Hungry Ocean

Greg Mullen :: "Ten Thousand Years"

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Bright Eyes Track :: Shell Games

Bright Eyes :: "Shell Games"

First track released from The People's Key due out 2:15:11. There's a few things in this song that rub me the wrong way, primarily the chorus...and the 80's synth. Although, everyone needs a sing-a-long every once in a while. From personal experience, I can understand why: introspection is exhausting. There are many, many other redeeming lyrics: "Death obsessed like a teenager. I sold my tortured youth, pissed in vinegar. I'm still angry with no reason to be." At his best when he's self-referential (/critical) and poking fun at himself. It's a pretty diverse song and the tempo change lead by the drums is addictive as well. As was the way with Cassadaga, there were certain songs that were extremely underwhelming, but there were more that were mind blowing ("Four Winds" is one of the most cleverly penned and subtlely biblical, apocalyptic and politcal songs Conor has written) . I guarantee the latter will be present on The People's Key.

I'm sure it'll be a hoot and a holler.

Interview with Spinner about the album.

CONSUME :: Saddle Creek page

myspace.com/brighteyes

thisisbrighteyes.com

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Bright Eyes Interview with Billboard

***UPDATE :: Another interview with interview magazine

Bright Eyes Interview with Billboard here.

Bummed that I narrowly missed doing an interview with Conor Oberst (literally by seconds, via e-mail), I found some of my questions answered on Billboard no less. It's weird to see Bright Eyes working with big music corporations like Billboard and Live Nation, after he was so vehemently against it in earlier days. Maybe he's obligated to.

Some key information in this very brief interview is that The People's Key ::

• It uses sound collage from Danny Brewer of Refried Ice Cream, a Texan psychadelic grampa group on Conor's label Team Love.
• There will be no acoustic instruments. Looks like possibly a return to more Digital Ash days. Conor says, "We're over the Americana, rootsy, whatever that sound is. People say country, but I never thought were very country at all. But whatever that element is or that aesthetic is, I guess it's worn a little thin for me these days." One of the minor criticisms I've always had was that the band tends to segregate their sound instead of fusing their interests (only minor, because every one of the aforementioned albums has been great). It'd be cool to see this rock and roll digi album that they're making with a few of their favorite Americana touches, like lap steel battling keyboards.
• Seems like the album is more socially than politically conscious. Conor breaks out this gem, which is a very weird thing, "There's this future that's coming that's really trying to, I think, divide us more and in a lot of ways strip us of our human nature in the sense that now when you walk into a room it's like 20 people all staring down at this little screen in their hands, typing away, not looking at each other." A strange occurrence which I think a lot of us have seen. 'I feel awkward, don't know who to talk to, I'll just whip out my phone.'

Interview

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Christmas Mixtapes

Here's a couple of mixes that I made of original Christmas songs, for when you want to get into that magical wintry spirit, but don't want to listen to garbage.

Slow:

Fast:

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Flyers are Illegal in Boston

Dear Boston,

I thought you were cool. Graffiti and posters nowadays are mostly art. Sure, if someone is going around spray painting penises on buildings, by all means give them a fine (read notice from The Middle East below). But real graffiti actually improves the atmosphere, culture and arguably value of a city. Not only are posters art, but are vital (although not quite viral) to the promotion and well-being of artists. I say, no taxation without representation. For a city populated by high numbers of students and artists, there sure are a lot of laws that make it hard on said demographics (see also: bans on 18- in venues). WORST of all, you are now depriving me of my favorite means of decorating my apartment. FOR SHAME. They should just go ahead and ban fun, merriment and tomfoolery while they're at it. I thought you were cool (shakes head in defeat and cries one single tear).

Sincerely,

Mango Nebula

P.S. ::

Another interesting implication of this is our constantly digitizing world and its effect on the music industry and promotions. It's a theme that keeps popping up as I've recently seen many friends go on tirades about things like ebooks. The music industry is really good fodder for observing the effect of the digital world, as they were it's first victims. I can't even fathom a time when the only means of promotion was concert flyers. Or the only was to find out about a show was through said rectangles. The Middle East says they offer a "digital workflow" now, which isn't really anything new. But, imagine a world where no one makes posters any more, except $50 screen prints to sell at Newbury Comics. I do like their grass roots suggestion of handing out quarter pages with the info. It's something that I've seen at the Whitehaus a lot and have used myself to promote shows. It's classy.

Angry letter in response to this from the Middle East and friends ::

December 16, 2010

All Bands

Playing The Middle East & ZuZu

in the Near Future

Any Town, MA 02139

Dear Bands,

As of today, until further review, The Middle East Nightclub’s official stance on posting flyers is this: We do not in any way endorse or encourage the posting of bills anywhere in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  Any posting of bills with “Middle East Upstairs, Middle East Downstairs, ZuZu, Middle East Nightclub, Middle East Club” or any variation thereof are not sanctioned, nor deemed necessary, by the Middle East Nightclub.

The Middle East Nightclub promotion has moved to a digital set up. Online marketing and social media outlets (twitter.com/mideastclub, fb.me/mideastclub, ticket links on ticketweb.com & many more) are to be the focus of promotion for your shows.

Why are we making such move? Fines. Hefty fines. Fines that we accept no responsibility for. Fines that will be charged to any band or promoter cited by law enforcement. Fines that will keep your band from being booked at the Middle East. Fines that could pay for your space rental for a month. Fines that could buy a nice guitar. Fines that could pay rent at your apartment.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts deems your show flyers as graffiti. That stinks. There’s some beautiful art being created on your flyers! Cambridge has it’s own strict subset of these laws. Your community does, too (We’re looking at you, Allston!). Recent citations are not less than $300 per violation. If you put up two of the same flyer in the same neighborhood, that equals $600. Law enforcement must stop there, right? No. Fines are per instance. Imagine having to pay $1500 for 5 flyers! That, sadly, could be you.

What can you do? Reach out to me, I’ll give you a digital workflow to promote your show. It works. Send me a .jpg of that flyer, I’ll get it on our web properties. Get us 4-6 nice 11x17 flyers to hang up on our walls, they are pretty! Color or black and white. No reason to print 1000 of these. Just a couple for us and one for your practice space wall. Make a hundred or so 1/4 page flyers. I can help you set that up and you’ll know how for life! Spark a conversation, shake a hand, get a phone number and hand them one of these little guys. Making friends is awesome. Making enemies of city officials and venues is not quite as awesome (not awesome at all).

Sincerely yours,

Clay Fernald

Middle East Nightclub and ZuZu Publicity
mideastclub.com
@mideastclub
@zuzubar
fb.me/mideastclub
fb.me/zuzubar

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Music Tapes Caroling in Allston 2009

Merry Christmas!

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She and Him Video :: Singing with Conan O'Brien

Below the jump, a video of She & Him playing tunes with Conan O'Brien.

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Dans les Rêves, les Émotions Sont Accablants Mixtape

This is a mix I made to listen to whilst sauntering around Paris.

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