Top Albums for Nathan

Honestly, I thought about foregoing a year-end list this year. I mean, if you read our site, you know what we love. But, list making can be fun, especially if you really really love music. My criteria was simple, and not based on what I think is “best,” but rather looking at the stuff I listened to the most, and eventually bought (or was gifted). Popular locals for my Nathan Wrapped have me living on an island in between San Francisco and Australia; label of the year would be Trouble in Mind (congrats to Bill and family!); genre would be: most awesome. Again, this is one man’s personal tastes, take it for what its worth.

Read more

Last Week’s Jams (10.2 – 10.6)

Kind of a hectic week on my end over here, with RayRay being out of town, B.Gray getting ready to fest, and well, the usual life goes on. Managed to squeeze in a couple of phenomenal shows, so that’s a bonus, catching both Lewsberg and the Walkmen. Tons of fun songs hit last week, though admittedly, it seemed a bit thin in comparison to weeks gone by. Still, Onyon dropped fresh tunes, and Lower Plenty finally dropped their marvelous new No Poets LP. Loved that English Teacher bop, so chose it to start off the playlist. Unfortunately, one of my favorite tunes was that new Lightheaded, but it wasn’t streaming yet, so be sure to check in with Slumberland Records on that note. Monday is here. So is the music.

Show Preview: Lewsberg @ Hotel Vegas (10.5)

If you’re one of the three people in Austin reading this site, might I encourage you to join me tomorrow night over at Hotel Vegas? Dutch outfit Lewsberg, who we’ve been covering for a few years, are headed to our town, fresh on the back of their excellent Out and About LP (12XU). I know there are tons of folks in the greater city limits who love “post-punk,” or the like, so this is certainly a show you’ll want to catch; it’s like if you were taking the modern trends and styles and spinning it through the wheels of Calvin Johnson’s DIY joy-machine, with some mixtures of Broadcast/Stereolab thrown in to be cool. Plus, Hotel Vegas got it right, with the band playing at 11, so you can still get home in a reasonable hour, though I suggest sticking around to catch Cast of Thousands, the new band fronted by Max of Flesh Lights. Tickets are HERE. Heard Mark from THEMM will be there too; he always brings boxes of sliders!

Last Week’s Jams (8.21 – 8.25)

There continues to be an unreasonable amount of great music coming out nowadays, and I’m absolutely baffled at how it just never ceases; there’s been nothing but week after week of tunes for me to fawn over. This week’s a little all over the place, with a little bit of rock, a little bit of pop, a little bit of songwriter and back again. Wanted to begin with the great cover of “Rock n’ Roll” by the Feelies, then jump right into some of my favorite tracks of the week. I mean, new Tony Jay and Red Pants make all of us winners. Plus, there’s a new Lewsberg tune floating about, which I definitely have included in other playlists. And, I got back on that review game with a track by track breakdown of Holy Wave’s latest. So spend some time looking back at last week!

Lewsberg Share An Ear to the Chest

One of the albums I’m most excited about hitting this next month is the fresh LP from Lewsberg. I’ve been following the band thanks to 12XU the last few years, and this new single ups the ante on the band’s sound, kicking in a joyous bit of bounce. Arie’s matter-of-fact delivery has a similar style to Stephen Malkmus or maybe even Bill Callahan, which is given this buoyancy by the chiming guitar work. Those riffs are razor sharp, encircling you as the drums push on with a snappy kick that’ll have your head bobbing in no time. This will be a release the cool kids at your lunch table, or water cooler, are talking about for the next few months. Plus! They’re coming to the US in September and October, with a October 5th date in Austin. Out and About hits on September 15th.

Last Week’s Jams (6.19 – 6.23)

It was a pretty busy week around these parts, though on a personal level, the next two weeks are going to be a bit of a shit show. So, it was good to settle into that ride with some great new jams. New music from Colored Lights and Lola Tried got me super excited, so we’re kicking off last week’s jams right there. B. Gray shot some great photos of Love and Rockets, which you can scroll back into and find, thus their inclusion. RayRay ran a review of the latest from Elder Jack Ward, so you can get your soul fix in. I probably played it safe and close to home with new songs from Snooper, Swansea Sound and Film School, among a bunch of others. Unfortunately, the new Lewsberg tunes are streaming yet, so those aren’t here, but go back and listen, please!

Lewsberg Announce Out and About

If you have not purchased your tickets for the Lewsberg train, might we invite you to grab one now, as they’re sure to be one of your favorite bands…plus it’ll make you feel cool for telling your friends you were into it first. Anyways, the Dutch band announce their new LP Out and About today, dropping mixes of two of the tracks that will appear on the record. “Without a Doubt” has this spritely nature to it, just shuffling in the mix as the vocals keep things joyously grounded; it’s the precise brand of no-rock pop that the group excels at crafting. Meanwhile “Communion” feels like a pastor’s sermon delivered by someone who grew up listening to all those early Flying Nun records. Can’t say enough wonderful words about this group; Out and About is out in September; self-released, but US folks can order through 12XU.

Last Week’s Jams, Today (1.24 – 1.28)

It’s always great to start out the week by looking back upon the week that was, and while perhaps not an abundance of tunes like there was the previous week, there was definitely great musical news. Papercuts announced a new LP, with two new songs from the record, and both are here for fun below! Plus, Finnish outfit Rules dropped a new single, and I just can’t stop raving about Lewsberg and Apollo Ghosts. And somehow it all gets wrapped up with a new Ducks Ltd single? I’ll take it. Revisit last week with us!

Lewsberg Join Speedy Wunderground Single Series

Lewsberg have been on our radar pretty consistently since we were first introduced to the group by their work with 12XU. But, they just announced they’re joining on with Speedy Wunderground to be part of the label’s marvelous Single Series, which are always super limited. After last year’s sneakily strong In Your Hands, the group return with a bit more pace, pushing the rhythmic pulse that provides a backbone for everything in between. I love the way the vocals change between a sort of spoken call-and-response and overlapping commentary. Plus, the band are never afraid to ride that train and let the sonic exploration lead the way. The new single drops on Friday digitally, so hear the A-side now!

Last Week’s Jams, Today (10.25 – 10.29)

Hopefully you’re all waking up a little groggy from celebrating Halloween with your neighbors and friends…or your kid. So we’re here to ease you into the week by offering up a quick little playlist to recap what came our way last week, in case you missed it. Be sure to give a listen to new music from Rachel Love (Dolly Mixture) and Lewsberg, both who released great albums last week. We start off with the recent banger from Clear History, so make sure your speakers are adjusted appropriately. Happy Monday!

1 2