Best albums of 2012

December 21, 2012 by 12 Comments

10-Best-Albums-of-2012Subscribe to our Spotify Playlist “Best Albums of 2012.”

2012 has been a rich year for music, and our consensus top 10 albums show diverse musical selections. Each Showbams contributor selected their top 10 albums from 2012, and we averaged them together to create Showbams’ Best Albums of 2012:

1. Tame Impala – Lonerism
2. Passion Pit – Gossamer
3. Kendrick Lamar – Good kid, m.A.A.d city
4. Jack White – BlunderBuss
5. The xx – Coexist
6. Father John Misty – Fear Fun
7. Frank Ocean – channel ORANGE
8. The Presets – Pacifica
9. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
10.Tanlines – Mixed Emotions

Honorable Mention:
Dr. John – Locked Down
Hot Chip – In Our Heads
Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill

Take a look at our contributor’s favorite albums of 2012 below:

Tame ImpalaMike Frash – San Francisco
1. Tame Impala – Lonerism
It’s rare to find an album that grabs you from the very beginning and compels you to listen beginning to end, the first time you spin it. Lonerism is timeless; you could convince someone that it’s from the late 1960s if they didn’t know better. “Apocalypse Dream” sets a masterful psychedelic-sad tone, “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” is the type of song people dreamed Oasis would create 10 years ago, and “Elephant” just flat out rocks.

2. The xx – Coexist
Coexist grew on me more than any album in recent memory. It’s about love, regret, angst, pain, and forgiveness. “Angels” begins the album with one of the best love songs ever (no hyperbole), and after 30 minutes of intense back and forth emotion, “Our Song” brings our two characters back together. Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim are the two main characters in the this story, and they play off each other even better than their first record. Jamie xx brings it all together with his subtle beats and sounds. This album is a love story for the ages.

3. Sun Kil Moon – Among The Leaves
Mark Kozelek’s fifth studio album under the name Sun Kil Moon combines masterful lyricism and captivating cadence to the point where it becomes addictive. The songwriting is creative and pretty out there at times, and is mostly self-reflexive and literal. The instruments are kept to a minimum – most of the album is Kozelek singing over acoustic guitar, but this minimalist approach just works for me.

4. Frank Ocean – channel ORANGE
5. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
6. Passion Pit – Gossamer
7. John Talabot – Fin
8. Chromatics – Kill For Love
9. Wild Nothing – Nocturne
10. Delicate Steve – Positive Force

Honorable Mention:
The Presets – Pacifica
Purity Ring – Shrines
Father John Misty – Fear Fun

Neil-YoungPete Mauch – Los Angeles
1. Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill
When someone as legendary as Neil Young puts out an album with timeless songs like “Ramada Inn,” “Walk Like A Giant,” and “Twisted Road” there is absolutely no other album I can put in front of this list. Psychedelic Pill may be Neil Young’s best effort since the 70’s.”

2.Tame Impala – Lonerism
This sophomore album oozes with psychedelic-laced pop tunes that are very reminiciant of The Beatles, especially after they experimented with mind altering drugs. From the opening track of “Gotta Be Above It,” you know you’re in for quite the mystical journey.

3.Father John Misty – Fear Fun This Fleet Foxes outcast may have one-upped his former band with this debut album. “Hollywood Forever Cemetary Sings” is quite possibly my favorite song of the year as well.

4. Kendrick Lamar – Good kid, m.A.A.d city
5. Dr. John – Locked Down
6. Jack White – BlunderBuss
7. Gary Clark Jr. – Blak and Blu
8. Alabama Shakes – Boys and Girls
9. Grizzly Bear – Shields
10. Lumineers – Lumineers

Honorable Mention:
Animal Collective – Centipede Hz
Django Django – Django Django

The xxMolly Kish – San Francisco
1. The xx – Coexist
Coexist was an extremely strong and highly anticipated sophomore effort. I was so excited
about this that I listened to it immediately when it became available. Coexist continues the journey
initially set out on the band’s debut album and brings the music to an even more provocative
soundscape, highlighting Jamie xx’s production skill and minimalistic dance beats.

2. Stars – The North
“The North” is Stars’ 7th studio album and it delivers an infectious and comprehensive survey of
the band’s 12 year discography. The lyrical collaboration of Torquil and Seligman remains
at the forefront of the songs and it exhibits a maturity in both range and content. Stars have set the indie rock standard on everything from synth heavy pop songs to piano rock ballads, and they continue to lead and influence.

3. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel…
Fiona Apple’s “The Idler Wheel…” was an album I have wanted to hear since 1999”s
“When the pawn.” Along with exhibiting her talents as a pianist and blues rock vocal ingénue,
Apple’s inclusion of samples and entrancing drum beats brings her work to a whole new level.
The album is one you could play on repeat for days without realizing it, and you might continue
playing it anyways.

4. Yeasayer – Fragrant World
5. Dr. John – Locked Down
6. Passion Pit – Gossamer
7. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
8. Tanlines – Mixed Emotions
9. The Presets – Pacifica
10. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Here

Honorable Mentions
Animal Collective, Centipede Hz
Hot Chip, In Our Heads
Bloc Party, Four

Tame-ImpalaKevin Raos – San Francisco
1. Tame Impala – Lonerism
Tame Impala has created the definitive psychedelic rock album of 2012. Taking what they did with their debut album, Innerspeaker, and infusing it with more fuzzy guitar and Beatles-esque vocal style, Lonerism takes the listener on a mind-altering, hallucinatory, psychotropic exploration that is unlike anything in 2012. Flashbacks to this album will be frequent and intense.

2. Passion Pit – Gossamer
Another sophomore success, Passion Pit’s Gossamer is an electro-pop marvel. I think this album will remain one of the more memorable albums beyond 2012 for its pure pop and danceability. Catchy hooks and upbeat melodies make this one of the best indie pop albums of the year.

3. Jack White – Blunderbuss
Everything Jack White touches turns to gold, and this time is no different. It’s hard to think that with as much as we’ve heard from Jack White, that this is his solo album debut. I have the feeling that Jack White is going to be around for a long time, and this is only the beginning of a successful solo career.

4. Grimes – Visions
5. Sigur Ros – Valtari
6. John Talabot – Fin
7. Step Dad – Wildlife Pop
8. Electric Guest – Mondo
9. The Big Pink – Future This
10. Kishi Bashi – 151a

Honorable Mention:
Memory Tapes – Grace/Confusion

Passion-PitEric Shaden – San Francisco
1. Passion Pit – Gossamer
For me, a great followup to Manners. This avoids the sophomore slump with a good mix of tracks. My favorite of the year.

2. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
With so many hip hop albums released annually it takes something special to rise above the fray. Kendrick Lamar does this on good kid, m.A.A.d city. My best hip hop album by far.

3. Jack White – Blunderbuss
Great to hear such a solid rock album, especially in 2012. This reminds me of the White Stripes while still sounding fresh and new. I knew after one listen that this would be one of the top albums of the year.

4. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
5. Miike Snow – Happy to You
6. Hot Chip – In Our Heads
7. Santigold – Master of My Make Believe
8. Frank Ocean – Channel ORANGE
9. Chairlift – Something
10. Purity Ring – Shrines

Father-John-MistyKevin Quandt – San Francisco
1. Father John Misty – Fear Fun
Josh Tillman left his post as drummer for Fleet Foxes only to create his best solo material to date under the moniker, Father John Misty. This rousing tale of drinking, womanizing and tripping his way down the West Coast is full of catchy hooks and twisted lyrics that are perfect for an easy escape from the norm. Don’t sleep on seeing Tillman and his merry pranksters live as he commands a stage with the best of them.

2. Tame Impala – Lonerism
This sophomore effort from the lads down under takes their already stellar formula, utilized on InnerSpeaker, and polishes it even further. A wider breadth of sound is the result on Lonerism, as Kevin Parker gains more confidence as witnessed in more robust melodies brought up in the mix, larger crescendos and bolder subject matter in his lyrics. A deeper range of sound has also come through as these guys continue to only get better with age.

3. DIIV – Oshin
Beach Fossil’s Zachary Cole Smith released a whopper of a solo effort this year under the aquatic-name, Diiv(Dive). Heavy on the reverb and not lacking any quality of pop shoe-gaze mentality, this album has a way of grabbing you and holding on for a few months as the infectious guitar hooks play over and over in your skull. Though they may not break the mold for a certain brand of Brooklyn meets hip ocean beachside sound, they certainly put out one of the better records in that style.

4. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
5. The Walkmen – Heaven
6. Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, m.A.A.d City
7. Pond – Beard, Wives, Denim
8. Jack White – Blunderbuss
9. White Fence – Family Perfume Vol. 1
10. Dr. John – Locked Down

EPS
How to Destroy Angels – An Omen
TNGHT – TNGHT
Captain Murphy – Duality

PresetsSean Little – San Francisco
1. The Presets – Pacifica
I have to admit the first time I heard it I was a bit let down. I was expecting something more akin to Apocalypso and wasn’t sure if I was into the fact it wasn’t a very indie dance forward album. The more I listened though the more it grew on me, and the more I started to appreciate the way they took chances and pushed boundaries. Songs like Ghosts and A.O. are a far departure from their last album, but still have an infectious quality to them that is at home in headphones or on a dance floor. The more I hear this the more I like it making it my number `1 album.

2. Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City
An all-around amazing album. Most rap now is so over produced and homogenized it’s great to see someone make an album that reminds you of the old days, where beats were thoughtful and albums had an overall story arc, not just one single after another. Kendrick is going to be doing big things and holds the torch as the only real west coast rapper pumping out thoughtful tracks that make you pay attention to the lyrics as much as move. Probably the only rap album I listen to regularly these days.

3. Godspeed You! Black Emperer – Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!:
Trippy, heady stoner metal that you can listen to pretty much anywhere and vibe to. It isn’t for everyone, but the way the craft songs that stretch and grow creating a real atmosphere is unique and not seen as often in a world where few have the attention span for a 25 minute song. Few others know how to build on just one note and continue to grow a vibe until it crashes like a wave, taking the listener with it. A great album to listen to no matter what your mood, just hit play and let it take you wherever you want it to.

4. Tanlines – Mixed Emotions
5. Lindstrom – Small Hans
6. Cat Power – Sun
7. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
8. Hot Chip – In Our Heads
9. Scuba – Personality
10. Scissor Sisters – Magic Hour

Filed Under: Best of, Best of 2012, Featured Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Best tracks of 2012

December 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Some of our favorite tracks in 2012 are from The Lumineers, Tame Impala, Japandroids, Father John Misty, & Electric Guest.

The Lumineers, Tame Impala, Japandroids, Father John Misty, & Electric Guest created classic songs in 2012.

Showbams contributors have listed their favorite tracks of the year.
What were your favorite songs in 2012? Leave a comment below.

View our Best Shows of 2012
View our Best Albums of 2012

Mike Frash – San Francisco @MikeFrash
Subscribe to Mike’s “Best Tracks of 2012” Playlist on Spotify.

1. Sun Kil Moon – “Among the Leaves”

When a song get’s it’s 50th play and just gets better, you know you’ve found something special. This song showcases Mark Kozelek’s voice and songwriting perfectly, and is so good he named the album after it. With every spin the descriptive lyrics evolve in the mind of listener. Kozelek tells the tale of a girl he sees around town and wants to help. And when the wind instruments kick in, the song takes off and flies.

2. Tame Impala – “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards”

This track might me the most simple song from Lonerism, but it is also the most memorable. It’s plenty trippy like the rest of the album, and it’s also the most catchy song – the one that’s still bouncing around your head a day later. “It feels like we only go backwards, but every part of me says go ahead.” This refrain so basic yet effective, and Kevin Parker’s familiar vocals blend seamlessly into Tame Impala’s psychedelic fuzz rock.

3. Passion Pit– “It’s Not My Fault, I’m Happy”

Once Michael Angelakos’s bi-polar disorder disorder and attempted suicides were made public, this album and track worked on a higher level. It may be the most biographical song on Gossamer (that says a lot), and the penultimate track steps into anthem territory with confessional optimism. It’s like Michael is telling himself, repeating over and over, that he’s going to make it. Knowing the context of the song makes it more effective, but the biographical background is not needed to know this song is great.

4. Japandroids – “Fire’s Highway”
5. Frank Ocean – “Pyramids”
6. The xx – “Angels”
7. John Talabot – “Destiny” feat. Pional
8. Fiona Apple – “Every Single Night”
9. Tanlines – “Brothers”
10.House – “Kindness”

Honorable Mention:
Killer Mike – “Reagan”
The Presets – “Fall”
Wild Nothing – “Paradise”

Pete Mauch – Los Angeles @PeteMauch

1. Father John Misty – “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings”

2. Neil Young – “Walk Like a Giant”

3. Trey Anastasio – “Scabbard”

4. Tame Impala – “Apocalypse Dreams”
5. Neil Young – “Ramada Inn”
6. Kendrick Lamar – “Swimming Pools”
7. Alabama Shakes – “Hold on”
8. Lumineers – “Ho Hey”
9. Gary Clark Jr. – “Numb”
10.Jack White – “Freedom at 21”

Molly Kish – San Francisco @MollyKish

1. Lumineers – “Ho Hey”

Due to the incredible commercial success of the Lumineers self-titled debut, you couldn’t escape this song in 2012. Infectiously simple both in lyrics and structure, this song’s basic pop composition grabs it’s audience’s attention immediately and has you singing along from the first listen. An instant crowd pleaser and multi-format radio hit, I still have yet to change the dial.

2. Azealia Banks – “212”

A Hard hitting hip hop club hit, this song’s dirty beat and even filthier flow is an immediate dance party call to arms. Bursting onto the scene with this track produced by Lazy J, Azaelia Banks jumped into the female rap game spitting fire. Incorporating the repetitive use of the word cunt into a chorus and making it contagiously catchy and not crude: genius.

3. The Presets – “Youth in Trouble”

The Presets came back to the EDM scene after a four year hiatus and did so with authority. Starting off one of this year’s best dance albums, this standout track is a club banger. With its extreme builds, relentless bass line and scream along party lyrics, the Presets win my “drop of the year” award in this bar setting track.

4. Electric Guest – “This Head I Hold”
5. Fiona Apple – “Hot Knife”
6. The xx – “Reunion”
7. Kishi Bashi – “Bright Whites”
8. Dr. John – “Locked Down”
9. Yeasayer – “Reagan’s Skeleton”
10.Bloc Party – “Octopus”

Honorable Mentions
Passion Pit – “I’ll be Alright”

Kevin Raos – San Francisco @kevinraos

1. Tame Impala – “Apocalypse Dreams”

Best track on the best album of the year. The more I listen to this album the more my opinion of it morphs and shifts. That’s one of the best things about an album like this – you hear something new every time you listen.

2. Electric Guest – “This Head I Hold”

This song sounds like it could have been written 50 years ago. Classic sound, classic song. One of my favorites of the year.

3. Lana Del Rey – “Born to Die”

I put this in my top 3 simply because I want to comment about my love/hate fascination with Lana Del Rey. Lana Del Rey’s fragile demeanor and futile resistance towards fame make her one of the most interesting artist of 2012. I’m not a giant fan of her music as a whole, but I LOVE this song.

4. alt-J – “Fitzpleasure”
5. Stepdad – “My Leather, My Fur, My Nails”
6. Django Django – “Default”
7. Passion Pit – “Carried Away”
8. Memory Tapes – “Thru the Field”
9. Trey Anastasio – “Scabbard”
10.Matthew Dear – “Her Fantasy”

Eric Shaden – San Francisco @3ricShaden

1. Major Lazer feat. Amber of Dirty Projectors – “Get Free”

2. Kendrick Lamar – “Swimming Pools (Drank)”

3. Passion Pit – “Constant Conversations”

4. MIA – “Bad Girls”
5. Santigold – “Disparate Youth”
6. Hot Chip – “Motion Sickness”
7. Purity Ring – “Lofticries”
8. Frank Ocean – “Thinkin Bout You”
9. Chairlift – “Sidewalk Safari”
10.RAC feat. Penguin Prison – “Hollywood”

Kevin Quandt – San Francisco @KJQuandt

1. TNGHT – “Higher Ground”

The duo of Hudson Mohawke and Lunice brought their unique brands of production into one insanely big release this year. This highlight track, among others, features chopped vocals, a plethora of hand-clapping and a massive bass tuba beat that has been destroying dance floors the better part of 2012. Higher Ground begs to be properly rhymed over, but in the meantime the production is the shining light of the year.

2. Pond – “Eye Pattern Blindness”

What an epic rock track these Aussies churned out this year. Taking notes from Floyd and Zeppelin equally have helped these lads write and perform a rock masterpiece full of twist and turns, not to mention it clocks in at a rare 6 minutes. Syd Barrett is smiling down from above.

3. Japandroids – “House That Heaven Built”

From the distorted wall of guitar to the infectious chorus, epitomizing the sound of Brian King and David Prowse, this track has angst and energy slathered all over it. These guys don’t write typical rock and roll songs, and it is refreshing to see their hard work paying off in dividends. A true rock gem for the ages.

4. Father John Misty – “Hollywood Cemetery Forever Sings”
5. The Allah-Las – “Tell Me What’s on Your Mind”
6. How to Destroy Angels – “Keep it Together”
7. Cloud Nothings – “Wasted Days”
8. Jack White – “Love Interruption”
9. Clark – “Secret”
10.Woods – “Size Meets Sound”

Honorable Mentions:
Liars – “No. 1 Against the Rush”
Thee Oh Sees – “Lupine Dominus”
Chromatics – “Kill For Love”

Sean Little – San Francisco @splittle

1. Nikki & The Dove – “Mother Protect” (Goldroom Remix)

Nikki & The Dove are great as is, but what Goldroom does with this track is reinvent it in a way that’s thoughtful and massive all at once. It’s one of those rare remixes that you hear after the original, and never listen to the original again. It’s that good. Goldroom has really blown up over the last year, touring the globe and this is the track that arguably started it all as it was supported by Aeroplane and The Magician among others giving it, and him, serious credibility. Keep him on your radar and expect more of this for a long time to come.

2. Bicep – “Vision of Love”

This is stripped down, essential house. This track could be thrown into any 90’s house set and not skip a beat, which is a testament to Bicep and how they hone their craft. Two dudes from Ireland that just seem to constantly pump out hits and push the party and boundaries. This is the song that shows less can be more, and stripped down production can have a big impact especially when compared with many of today’s overproduced tracks. When the pianos come back in at 3:39 it’s all over.

3. Moonlight Matters – “Come For Me” (Might Mouse Remix)

This is huge. It’s just euphoria in a song. I’ve ended more than a few sets with this and hands are in the air, drinks are being tossed around and people are just losing their shit. Don’t sleep on this stellar remix as many people have and it’s a shame. Words don’t do it just so just listen and wait for it to kick in.

4. Waze & Odyssey – “Love that (Burns Hot Enough)”
5. ColeCo – “Rickey Smiley”
6. Moon Boots – “Off My Mind”
7. Presets – “Ghosts”
8. Van She – “Jamaica”
9. Lykke Li – “I Follow Rivers” (The Magician Remix)
10.Chris Malinchak – “The Fourth”

Filed Under: Best of, Best of 2012, Featured Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Treasure Island Music Festival: 10 best sets

October 17, 2012 by 6 Comments

Treasure Island Music festival has a lot going for it. It’s smack dab during the nicest time of year in San Francisco, and the weather obliged this year. No sets overlap – you can see every single there if you can manage to get there in time – and the two stages are right next to each other. The view of the city by the bay never gets old, and many artist rightfully pointed out how great the view is. And the music curation delivered, as this year was a bit of a sleeper.

Scroll down to view the 10 best sets of the weekend, along with 10 more great sets.
What was your favorite set of the weekend? Leave a comment below.

1. The xx

Sunday was more crowded than Saturday, which is a testament to the rising worldwide power of The xx. Their newfound headline status was re-confirmed, as they were anything but mellow or boring. From the first notes of “Angel,” the festival crowd was rapturously involved. They were loud during the blasts & dance parts, and quiete during the subtleties. And the fan girls – The xx now has a screeching contingency of fangirls as if we were watching The Beatles or Justin Bieber.

The surprisingly respectful crowd added to a mind-blowing live show. Jamie xx has had a clear impact on The xx’s live show. Mid-set there was a string of songs that included “Reunion,” “Sunset” & “Swept Away” and was bridged by Jamie xx’s micro-house beats. A 20-30 minute dance sequence was not expected but certainly invited. And Romy Croft & Oliver Sim have such great voices live, and they play the parts well that they have invented in their songwriting. They were worth the price of admission Sunday.

2. The Presets

Aussie-Pop dance duo The Presets returned the US friday to play an epic show at The Independent. They were just as entertaining the second night in a row at TIMF. Their new live show melds dance beats and drops, live instrumentation, apocalyptic Aussie-charm vocals, and a killer light and video show that will satisfy most contemporary music fans. Their live show, which featured many new songs from Pacifica, turned into a dance party in no time.

They proved they are ready for the festival circuit just as it wraps up in the northern hemisphere. They’ll return come 2013 to headline Coachella, Bonnaroo, and everywhere in between if they’d like. After putting out one of the best albums of the year and showing the Bay area this past weekend that they put on a stellar show that plays both to small and large audiences.

3. M83

M83 has been touring on “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming” forever. And why not, it’s one of the best albums of the last decade. The best part about the epic touring schedule is that they’ve gotten much better live. Last November at the Mezzanine they performed “Midnight City” without a saxophone solo and killed the momentum of the set with a poor performance of the wonderful slow song “Wait.”

About a year later, they have crafted a spectacular festival set that features songs that turn into dancey remixes of themselves and no slow songs. The group’s energy was infectious sunday, with Anthony Gonzalez, Yann Gonzalez & Morgan Kibby blasting off with kinetic energy nonstop. The 50 minutes passed by and the show ended with Anthony spraying the crowd with champagne as if they’ve reached the finish line. M83 indeed has come a long way in a year.

4. Matthew Dear

Matthew Dear put on a rock & roll set that showed off his dance moves, voice & stage presence. He stays away from adding many effects or relying heavily on digital music with his live group, and the super bassy vocal effect he uses on his voice on the newest LP was almost missed on tracks like “Headcage” & “Her Fantasy.” But their reconstruction of digital-sounding dance tunes worked well live, even though the crowd was sparse and Matthew Dear’s set would play better at night or inside (with lights).

5. araabMUZIK

AraabMUZIK is a beat machine. The thought “this guy is so completely unique and talented” crept into thought at least 5 times during this set that flew by Saturday. Abraham Orellana is a button pusher but damnit he’s probably the best there is (sorry Girl Talk). He controls and performs every live sound live on the fly with his MIDI pads and collection of mixers and effects. AraabMUZIK is pioneering a subgenre of spinning that micromanages the sound and adds a higher level technical proficiency needed to execute in the live setting. And by putting more on the line, it actually feels like a live performance because it is.

6. Los Campesinos!

7. Divine Fits

8. SBTRKT

9. Tycho

10. Youth Lagoon

10 more great sets

Public Enemy

Toro Y Moi

K Flay

The Coup

Grimes

Girl Talk

Wild Belle

Gossip

Joanna Newsom

Best Coast

Filed Under: Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Treasure Island Music Festival: 10 best-looking sets

September 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Looking at the artist lineup for the sixth annual Treasure Island Music Festival, a couple things are obvious right away. Saturday’s lineup resembles the Sahara Tent with DJs dominating the bill, and the first day lacks a true headliner. And Sunday’s lineup looks slightly more upbeat and dancey than in past years with the inclusion of M83 and Gossip, but Best Coast and The xx will help keep a mellow tone to Sunday.

As usual, TIMF will offer 26 sets of music over two days and stages, with no music overlapping. And as TIMF begins to adapt to changing live music & festival trends – namely that beats sell out shows and rock generally doesn’t anymore — let’s examine the 10 best-looking sets from artists that perform with instruments, computers and both.

10 best looking sets

The xx

The xx recently released their second album “Coexist,” and it’s been listend to a lot. The new album provides many songs that should have an interesting live interpretation (Reunion, Swept Away), and this is the first time the bay area gets a chance to see The xx support their sophomore album. One could argue M83 should be the Sunday headliner, but The xx are certainly deserving of the top spot after releasing two albums of stellar material.

The Presets

The Presets released their new album “Pacifica” in mid September, and it’s compulsively listenable. It’s catchy, diverse from track to track, and loaded with Aussie desperation and charming apocalyptic undertones. The Presets kick off their tour at home down under, headlining a handfull of shows at the Parklife tour. Then it’s off to TIMF. But before sub-headlining in the bay, the electronic duo of Julian Hamilton & Kim Moyes will play the 450-pax capacity The Independent in SF the night before TI. That should be a loud, intimate affair.

M83

M83 has been on tour supporting “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming” for over a year, and they must be close to wrapping it up. Only Bon Iver has toured longer on a recent album. M83 will be visiting the bay area for the 3rd time on this tour, but the good news is they’ve been getting better live as the tour goes on. They are playing different setlists from show to show, utilizing slick transitions, and extending songs into drawn out dance jams.

Matthew Dear

Matthew Dear is a DJ, dance-music producer, & live musician. He’s produced microhouse & electronic music for a decade, and he leads a band when performing live. As his bio states, “He maintains four aliases (Audion, False, Jabberjaw, and Matthew Dear), each with its own style and distinct visual identity.” So is Matthew Dear a character or the man himself? One certain thing is Matthew Dear’s new album, “Beams.” Most of the tracks are electro-house pop gems, built on repetition but get more addictive with each listen (See “Her Fantasy,” “Headcage,” & “Up & Out”). It’s all weird in a very good way.

Grimes

Claire Boucher, or Grimes, has had a busy year. News of her Tom Sawyer-like adventure established her as a free spirit, and as someone unafraid to be different. Her synthed-out beats have a weird syncopation, and the vocal delays make Claire’s voice seem angelic. It’s all oddly pretty and pretty innovative. In her music video for “Oblivian,” it’s hard to take eyes off of her, even with all the distractions in the video. Grimes recently toured on a train through Canada with Skrillix & Diplo, and Diplo tweeted a photo claiming to show Claire on MDMA. When the year began, it looked like Lana Del Rey would be the breakout female star of 2012. It’s now looking like a toss-up between Grimes & Azealia Banks. Matthew Dear should come out & perform with Grimes to see how weird Saturday can get.

Divine Fits

They’re not a supergroup, but Divine Fits is a new band that consists of Britt Daniel from Spoon, Dan Boeckner from Wolf Parade/Handsome Furs, Sam Brown of New Bomb Turks, and keyboardist Alex Fischel from Papa. They sound like a super-charged Spoon, and that’s fine because Spoon was sounding pretty stale on their last tour. Their album “A Thing Called Divine Fits” provides a strong listen the first time, as the songs are well crafted and ooze with personality.

araabMUZIK

Ladies and gentlemen, araabMUZIK is the hardest working DJ in show business. He spins for AS$P Rocky and over-uses the “this is araabMUZIC” sexy audio stamp. And while he’s technically a button pusher, look at him push those buttons! This man is the current king of MIDI. Abraham Orellana, aka araabMUZIK, exhibits serious skill and utilizes crafty editing of his video feed in a live festival setting. At Coachella this year, the video feed cut to different cameras shots exactly when he taps a new button. This creates a dizzying and overwhelming feeling which enhances the beats and overall experience.

Toro Y Moi

Chazwick Bundick is Toro Y Moi, and he gained success in 2010 with his chillwave sensibilities. But since last year, Chazwick has beefed up his band, and their live sound today is much closer to progressive rock. Treasure Islands will be an ideal setting for this psychedelic and spacey set.

Gossip

Gossip will surely pick up the tempo Sunday. Singer Beth Ditto once proclaimed, “Our mission is to make you dance, and if you’re not gonna dance, just stay at home and listen to the oldies station.” We’ll see if Gossip can get the Sunday indie crowd dancing. This would be an impressive feat following a Best Coast set.

Sbtrkt

SBTRKT (subtract) is the stage name for Aaron Jerome, a musician and producer from London. When performing live, he brings frequent collaborator Sampha along to belt out live vocals, play keyboards, & trigger vocal loops. Jerome plays drums while triggering samples and mixing elements live.

5 More not to miss:
-Public Enemy
-Los Campesinos!
-Tycho
-Best Coast
-The Coup

NIGHT SHOWS
Thursday October 12th
•Shigeto ~ California Academy of Sciences
•Willie Nelson ~ The Fillmore
•Anders Osborne ~ The Independent

Friday October 13th
•The Presets / K. Flay ~ The Independent
•The Raveonettes ~ Bimbo’s 365 Club
•Das Racist ~ DNA Lounge
•The Oh Sees ~ Great American Music Hall
*Housse de Racket ~ Rickshaw Stop

Saturday October 14th
•Araabmuzik / Five Knives ~ The Independent
•SBTRKT (DJ Set) ~ Mezzanine
*Elite Gymnastics ~ Monarch
•Juno What?! ~ Boom Boom Room

Sunday October 15h
•Jamie xx / John Talabot ~ Public Works

Subscribe to the Treasure Island Music Festival Spotify playlist.

Filed Under: Festivals, This Wkend Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

New Music Tuesday: Bob Dylan • The xx • The Avett Brothers • The Presets • The Raveonettes • Calexico • Chris Robinson Brotherhood • David Byrne & St. Vincent

September 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Bob Dylan - Tempest

Every Tuesday, we focus on new music releases by naming our top tracks and supplying the latest videos for select albums.

Bob Dylan – Tempest

Top Track: “Duquesne Whistle”

Listen to the album on Spotify.

The xx – Coexist

Top Track: “Swept Away”

Listen to the album on Spotify.

The Avett Brothers – The Carpenter

Top Track: “Live & Die”

Listen to the album on Spotify.

The Presets – Pacifica

Top Track: “Youth in Trouble”

Listen to the album on Spotify.

The Raveonettes – Observator

Top Track: “Observations”

Listen to the album on Spotify.

Calexico – Algiers

Top Track: “Splitter”

Listen to the album on Spotify.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood – The Magic Door

Top Track: “Vibration & Light Suite”

Listen to the album on Spotify.

David Byrne & St. Vincent – Love This Giant

Top Track: “Who”

Listen to the album on Spotify.

Filed Under: New Music Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Best tracks of 2012: August

August 31, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Showbams presents the best tracks of 2012 ➜ updated daily, through August 31st. We’ll be updating this list weekly, and the list will surely change significantly by the end of September.

Notable September releases include Animal Collective, Cat Power, Bob Dylan, A$AP Rocky, St. Vincent & David Byrne, The Avett Brothers, The xx, The Presets, Band of Horses, Mumford & Sons, Calexico, Django Django, Grizzly Bear and many more.

Subscribe to this Spotify playlist and follow along until the final ranking at year’s end.

Filed Under: Best of, Best of 2012, Featured Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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