The Sky Report - EP's of the Year

1. Washed Out - Life of Leisure
2. Warpaint - Exquisite Corpse
3. Animal Collective - Fall Be Kind
4. Memory Cassette - Call & Response
5. Pure Ecstasy - Future Nostalgia
6. Small Black - s/t
7. Bullion - Young Heartache
8. No Age - Losing Feeling
9. MillionYoung - Sunndreamm
10. Air Waves - s/t

FULL YEAR-END COVERAGE HERE

Best of 2009 - Guest List - BEACH FOSSILS

As a precursor to our impending year-end list, we've asked some of our favorite artists to select their five favorite releases of 2009. Kicking off the series is Christopher Burke of Beach Fossils, an up and coming Brooklyn band who are recording their debut LP for release in 2010. Beach Fossils have two of the greatest tracks of the year. If you're unfamiliar, please do yourself a favor a stream the tracks "Vacation" and "Daydream" on myspace. Burke is also a member of Psychic and Kegs of Acid.

CHRISTOPHER BURKE (BEACH FOSSILS/PSYCHIC/KEGS OF ACID)

In no particular order:

PC Worship - NYC STONE AGE
Lo-fi weirdo friends of mine who make truly bizarre music. Designed to be challenging, absurd outsider shit that also has its moments.
Check out "So Denied" and MAYBE you'll get what I mean.

Woods - Songs of Shame
Really good songs, really cool people.

The Beets - Spit In The Face Of People Who Dont Want To Be Cool
Awesome ultra-short pop jams played on buzzy acoustic guitars by three shouting Queens natives. Cool with a good sense of humor.

Air Waves - EP
Five gems.

Rainbow Bridge - Big Wave Rider "7
This is only a single, but everything about it came together well. Executed by some Bay Area kids.

WHOO! There were also good releases by Prince Rama of Ahodhya, Gary War, Real Estate etc. etc.


Chocolate Bobka: Beach Fossils - 'Vacation' from Ray Concepcioñ on Vimeo.

THE NORTHSIDE MUSIC FESTIVAL

photos by Jessi Bautista
Last weekend's Northside Music Festival was a melting pot of musicians converging on various venues in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. Of the many great artists who played over the four day festival, I managed to see 6 solid acts who proved they are worthy of their buzz. Sharon Van Etten's wistful, captivating presence struggled at first to silence the semi-rowdy 5 o'clock crowd at Trophy Bar on Saturday. But with a voice like Van Etten's, it was only a matter a minutes before the bar quieted down and paid witness to her astonishing talent.

The night prior, I headed over to Death By Audio, where I caught great sets by Air Waves and Real Estate. I had never heard of Air Waves before, but they impressed me with their easy-going sing-song tunes, reminiscent of lighter Yo La Tengo fare when Georgia's at the mic. Real Estate delivered their psychedelic progressions to a suddenly packed house. They sounded great and their catalog is developing nicely.

Next, headed over to Spike Hill to catch Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers. Wow! This show was fantastic! If you ever have a chance to catch their live set, don't hesitate.

Saturday at The Shank in Greenpoint, buzz band Woods lived up to the current hype. The smoke-hazed warehouse grew increasingly crowded when the band went on, but it was the ideal venue for their potent set. I was particularly impressed with Lucas Crane, the bands electronic mad scientist.

We rounded out Saturday night at Studio B to catch the Daedelus set. Oh my God this guy is brilliant. Part DJ, part composer, part conductor on acid, Daedelus creates a schizophrenic menagerie of samples, beats and sounds. The highlight was definitely the sped-up, meth-crazed reversion of a Beirut track. I was a bit sauced, but I believe the track was "Elephant Gun". This was so awesome I wish I had a copy for myself!
All in all it was six for six in my Northside Music Fest experience. I'm impressed and really hope the festival returns next year.