2010!!! Happy New Year!

REWIND FAST FORWARD

The Ten Most Promising Acts of 2010

Toro Y Moi - Debut LP Causers of This, due February 2 - PREORDER HERE



Bullion - new 2-track single "Say Goodbye To What" shipping January 25th/digital available now.



Dum Dum Girls - Debut LP I Will Be due March 30th on Sub Pop.



Beach Fossils - "The debut album is now completed, it will be released by Captured Tracks and Woodsist collectively in the near future. Also watch out for two 7" singles coming out soon on each label individually. Release dates to come!" Word has it, the album will be released in March.



Class Actress - Debut ep Journal of Ardency due February 9th via Terrible Records.



Asa Ransom - Just released The Gold Ep and are riding high, recently landing gigs with Fool's Gold and Hockey. Get the free ep here.



Teengirl Fantasy - Debut LP due sometime in 2010 on True Panther. Things haven't been updated over there for a while, so let's hope this happens!



Glasser - Debut lp likely out in 2010.



Tanlines - Something new in 2010?



Pure Ecstasy - Hopefully, a full-length, like asap!


Also look out for anything new from these guys as well:

Walls
Shahs
Rainbow Arabia
Small Black
ShadowBox

The Sky Report - Videos of the Year

Fever Ray - When I Grow Up (dir. Martin de Thurrah)

When I Grow Up from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

The Horrors - Sea Within A Sea (dir. Doug Hart)


Depeche Mode - Wrong (dir. Patrick Daughters)

Depeche Mode - Wrong Video Clip
Uploaded by Mightybaut. - See the latest featured music videos.

Rainbow Arabia - Omar K (dir. Keith Musil)


The Flaming Lips - Watching the Planets (dir. Wayne Coyne & George Salisbury) (NSFW)

Watching The Planets
by paulqaz

Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks (dir. Patrick Daughters)


Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll (dir. Richard Ayoade)


Lady Gaga - Bad Romance (dir. Francis Lawrence)


Matt & Kim - Lessons Learned (dir. Taylor Cohen and Otto Arsenault)


Fever Ray - If I Had A Heart (dir. Andreas Nilsson)

If I Had A Heart from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

Best of 2009 - Guest List - Class Actress

As the year winds to an end, we've asked some of our favorite artists to select their five favorite releases of 2009. Class Actress is the brainchild of Brooklyn based artist Elizabeth Harper, and she is poised to breakout in a big way in 2010. Her debut ep Journal of Ardency is scheduled for a February 9th release on Terrible Records, the new offshoot from Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor. If you haven't yet, get the leadoff track "Careful What You Say" below. Harper took time out from her busy schedule to share her favorite things of the year.

2009 In no particular order.

Girls - "Lust for Life" (single)
A warm, honest hug from the friend you wish you had who'd admit they were as fucked up as you.

Mariah Carey - "Obsessed" (single)
Nobody does it like Mariah, she just makes hooky, bitchy, diva pop hits.

Cass McCombs - "You Saved My Life" (track from Catacombs)
Epic love song. Seeing him play this live at the Bowery Ballroom was beautiful. I have a crush on him.

Patrick Cleandenim - "Telephone Song" (track from Orange Moonbeam Floorshow)
I listened to this song for a month straight. Maybe because I had a crush on him, maybe not.

Chairlift - "Evident Utensil" (video)
I was tied up limb for limb to a tree in the woods, whipped by Victor (Boy Crisis/Das Rascit) and then baptized in a river.

Bat for Lashes - "Daniel" ( live on David Letterman).

Das Racist - "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell" (track)
Kinda genius.

Major Lazer - "Pon De Floor" (Video)

Robert Pattinson

Girl Crisis

Let the Right One In (film)
still and romantic

FULL YEAR-END COVERAGE HERE

2009 Highlights - Bat For Lashes

Bat For Lashes perfectly translated their track "Daniel" to the small screen, making their television debut on Late Night with David Letterman. The song almost sounds better than the Two Suns version.

The Sky Report - New (Old)/Reissues of the Year

1. Ghana Special - Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Ghanaian Blues (1968-81)
2. Nirvana - Live at Reading (1992)
3. Kraftwerk - The Catalogue
4. Warp 20 - Various artists
5. Pisces - A Lovely Sight (1969)
6. U2 - The Unforgettable Fire
7. The Beatles - Stero Box/In Mono
8. Legends of Benin - Various artists
9. Nigeria 70: The Definitive Story of 1970’s Funky Lagos
10. Strange Breaks & Mr. Thing Vol. II - Various artists

New JULIAN CASABLANCAS Video - 11th Dimension

Julian Casablancas' "11th Dimension" came in at #23 on our Best Songs of 2009 list yesterday and now the track has an official video. Check out the Tron-esque clip below.

The Sky Report - Songs of the Year

1. Animal Collective - My Girls
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero
3. Phoenix - 1901
4. Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
5. Washed Out - Feel It All Around
6. Pure Ecstasy - You're In It Now
7. The XX - Crystalised
8. Radiohead - These Are My Twisted Words
9. Atlas Sound (ft. Laetitia Sadier) - Quick Canals
10. Bat For Lashes - Daniel
11. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Young Adult Friction
12. St. Vincent - Actor Out of Work
13. Fever Ray - When I Grow Up
14. Girls - Hellhole Ratrace
15. PJ Harvey & John Parish - Black Hearted Love
16. Wavves - So Bored
17. Dirty Projectors - Stillness is the Move
18. Florence + the Machine - You've Got the Love (XX Remix)
19. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll
20. Thom Yorke - Hearing Damage
21. The Flaming Lips - Watching the Planets
22. Gossip - Heavy Cross
23. Julian Casablancas - 11th Dimension
24. Neon Indian - Should Have Taken Acid With You
25. JJ - Ecstasy
26. Memory Tapes - Bicycle
27. Atlas Sound (ft. Noah Lennox) - Walkabout
28. Discovery - Orange Shirt
29. Sharon Van Etten - For You
30. Woods - Rain On
31. Beach Fossils - Vacation
32. Natureboy - Heart to Fool
33. Neko Case - This Tornado Loves You
34. Dirty Projectors & David Byrne - Knotty Pine
35. White Denim - I Start To Run
36. The Antlers - Bear
37. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - Home
38. Real Estate - Beach Comber
39. Warpaint - Billie Holiday
40. Taken By Trees - Watch the Waves (Memory Tapes remix)

Pop songs of the year...

1. Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
2. Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
3. Jay-Z (ft. Alicia Keys) - Empire State of Mind
4. La Roux - Bulletproof
5. Miike Snow - Animal

FULL YEAR-END COVERAGE HERE

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

The Sky Report - Albums of the Year

1. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

2. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

3. The Antlers - Hospice

4. Fever Ray - s/t

5. The Horrors - Primary Colours

6. Atlas Sound - Logos

7. Natureboy - s/t

8. The Fiery Furnaces - I'm Going Away

9. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic

10. PJ Harvey & John Parish - A Woman A Man Walked By

11. Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport

12. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns

13. The XX - XX

14. Sharon Van Etten - Because I Was In Love

15. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

16. The Raveonettes - In and Out of Control

17. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!

18. Nite Jewel - Good Evening

19. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - s/t

20. Real Estate - s/t

21. JJ - n° 2
22. Memory Tapes - Seek Magic
23. Bear In Heaven - Beast Rest Forth Mouth
24. Antony & the Johnsons - The Crying Light
25. Girls - Album
26. Woods - Songs of Shame
27. White Denim - Fits
28. Ganglians - Monster Head Room
29. Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs
30. Lotus Plaza - The Floodlight Collective
31. Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms
32. Dark Was the Night (compilation) - various artists
33. Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue
34. Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer
35. St. Vincent - Actor
36. Royksopp - Junior
37. Masterface - Freedom Tower
38. DâM-FunK - Toeachizown
39. Cold Cave - Love Comes Close
40. Telepathe - Dance Mother
41. Wavves - Wavvves
42. Gossip - Music For Men
43. The Sandwitches - How To Make Ambient Sadcake
44. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
45. Jeremy Jay - Slow Dance
46. Discovery - LP
47. Here We Go Magic - s/t
48. Micachu - Jewellery
49. Kurt Vile - Childish Prodigy
50. Night Control - Death Control

FULL YEAR-END COVERAGE HERE

Brittany Murphy (RIP)

I loved her, so sad. Here's one of her few forays into music, with Paul Oakenfold.

Best of 2009 - Our List Coming on Monday

This has been one of the most challenging years to decide on 50 albums, but we're almost there! Check back on Monday for our full list! This will be followed by our best ep's, pop songs, and new (old) music, as well as a list of the most promising acts for 2010 - all next week. See you then!

FULL YEAR-END COVERAGE HERE

LADY MAGMA Release Debut LP

The hard-edged underground Bushwick band Lady Magma wowed us last summer when they headlined our very first showcase. Just check out their performance of "Bangkok" below" for evidence. Now the five-piece band have just released their first album, produced by Wharton Tiers who has worked with Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., and Laurie Anderson. Wow. The album perfectly captures everything that is great about Lady Magma. Potent punk songs interwoven around a sort-of theatrical cabaret center, which undoubtedly stems from lead singer Andrea Mersits' theatre background in Australia. The result is a complexly multi-layered punk album, the kind of which we haven't heard in a long time.

Support independent music and buy their album today!

New WASHED OUT Video - Belong

Washed Out - Belong (Music Video) from Blake Salzman on Vimeo.

Best of 2009 - Guest List - The Antlers

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. The Antlers have quietly become the breakout band of the year. Their third album Hospice has shown up with high placing on year-end lists such as The Music Slut, Stereogum and NPR's All Things Considered. And just last night they headlined a sold-out Bowery Ballroom. I think you get the point - the album is amazing!

Here are The Antlers' six favorite songs of the year, according to drummer Michael Lerner:

(In no particular order)...

Bon Iver - "Bloodbank"

Justin Vernon's soul/folk picked up right where he left off with For
Emma, Forever Ago. Beautiful melody and imagery here.

Sharon Van Etten - "I Wish I Knew"

Can a song be both fragile and powerful at the same time? Absolutely!
Just a gorgeous song. Sharon's live shows are also a must see.

Phoenix - "1901"

I feel like I heard this song everywhere this year and it still
continues to dominate my iPod. It completely succeeds in striking the
perfect balance between pop and rock.

Grizzly Bear - "While You Wait for the Others"

Such a great song! The verses slyly creep along before exploding into
the soaring chorus. The harmonies in that chorus are amazing! Also
great is the way the downbeat is dropped and lands on the 2 - Love
that!

Dirty Projectors - "No Intention" / "Stillness is the Move"

Ok, maybe I am breaking the rules by choosing both of these songs here
instead of just one, but I don't care - they are both that good!
2 of the best songs you'll never hear on Hot 97 but totally could/should.

FULL YEAR-END COVERAGE

Best of 2009 - Guest List - Frankie Rose

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. As a past member of bands like Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts, and Dum Dum Girls, Frankie Rose has quite the midas touch. Now she blazes ahead with her new band Frankie & The Outs, just another vivid chapter in the Frankie Rose saga. The new band plays "Beach Party" on New Years Eve at Cameo Gallery with fellow "Guest List" band Beach Fossils, as well as Surfer Blood, and We Are Country Mice. Flier and Frankie Rose track below.

Here are Frankie's picks:

Moon Duo - Killing Time (ep)

Grass Widow - s/t

Pearl Harbor - Something About the Chapparals (ep)

Best song - Atlas Sound (ft. Laetitia Sadier) - "Quick Canal"

Best new NY band - STARRING

FULL YEAR-END COVERAGE HERE

DAM-FUNK - Mirrors

Lately, I've been really getting into Dam-Funk's 80's obsessed synth/drum machine, groovin' g-funk-induced, crazy savvy-soul vibe. If you like what you hear in this video, then you absolutely must check out his insanely prolific catalog, conveniently pared down and packaged into the brilliant 24-track opus Toeachizown, available now via Stones Throw.

Best of 2009 - Guest List - Lauren Flax

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. Worldwide DJ sensation Lauren Flax adds her two cents to our year-end "Guest List" series. Flax as DJ has spent the last few years, spinning with or alongside acts like Fischerspooner, Moby, The B-52's, and Yelle. Her picks here are sparse and abstract, not unlike say, minimalist techno? Some picks are spot on, some fantastic, but not 2009, and others are just left to interpretation.

1) Azari & III
2) Burial
3) Telepathe
4) Classic House
5) Brooklyn

Lauren Flax recently released her debut single "You've Changed", featuring Sia on vocals:



FULL YEAR-END COVERAGE HERE

BROADCAST AND THE FOCUS GROUP - I See, So I See So

"In anticipation of their own full-length album due next year, Broadcast are back with a new collaborative mini-album Broadcast & The Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age" -Warp

This video is absolutely gorgeous.

New Artist Alert - MILLIONYOUNG

Add another name to the growing list of so-called "glo-fi"/"chillgaze" artists making the rounds these days - Washed Out, Small Dogs, Neon Indian, Memory Tapes, etc. Florida native MillionYoung creates beautifully nostalgic songs that transport you into a bittersweet coastal fantasy. "Glo-fi" and "chillgaze" are both quite silly names, but whatever you want to call this genre of music, I'll take more please!

Download the entire Sunndreamm ep here.

A second ep, Be So True is due January 19th on Arcade Sound Ltd.

New HOT CHIP Video - One Life Stand

Hot Chip - One Life Stand (MySpace Exclusive)

Hot Chip | MySpace Music Videos

New PORTISHEAD - Chase the Tear

Portishead follow-up their stunning Third LP with this one-off single that is so good, I'm completely taken aback. You can buy the track for 99 cents at 7digital - all proceeds go to Amnesty International. I think it would be money well spent. Watch the band perform the track live in a studio below.


Portishead - Chase The Tear from Mintonfilm on Vimeo.

Best of 2009 - Guest List - Callers

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. Today we have Sara Lucas, lead singer of Western Vinyl band Callers. Callers have toured with Here We Go Magic, Glass Ghost, and have the luxury of a 7.8 rating for their debut album on Pitchfork.com. The band has just completed their follow-up, due early-mid 2010 and from their performance at our last showcase, we're really excited about this release. Sara's not above it all, though. In fact, she of all the contributing artists here, is by far the most meticulous. She hit me up multiple times to make adjustments to her picks. This, I love, and fully respect! Here are Callers' well thought out picks:

Light Asylum - myspace.com/lightasylum
As of yet they are "unreleased"- it's only a matter of time. Shannon and Bruno are incredible. I saw them live this summer and it was one of the best shows i've seen in New York. Shannon is also in A Rose Parade and toured with !!!.

Here We Go Magic - Here We Go Magic
Some of the most original songwriting and transcending live performances. Not categorizable and always gorgeous.

Dark Dark Dark - Remix 7" - (check out Snow Magic from Blood Onion Records/Supply and Demand Music, 2008) These are remixes of songs off of their full-length, Snow Magic, released last year. Lovely people, lovely music. Look out for the film, "Flood Tide," (for which they compose the music and act) filmed during their Swimming Cities of the Switchback Seas days.

Tim Wehrle - Howler, self-released LP, vinyl only
Also goes by the name Blonde Ramone. Lives in Burlington, IA and makes beautiful art. I've been listening to his music for years.

Stagger Back Brass Band - LP Pattysounds - They are an exploding circus blender of horns, accordion and drums. The writing by Patrick Farrell sounds like nothing else out there. If a filmmaker were to create a visual manifestation based on their compositions, every motion of the human experience would be encapsulated without ever digressing from their sound.

Also (there are too many!) releases from: Javelin (Thrill Jockey), Why Are We Building Such A Big Ship? (Domino Sound), and Midnight Masses - Rapture Ready.

FULL YEAR-END COVERAGE HERE

Callers at the "Secret Garden" from hoovesontheturf on Vimeo.

TAKEN BY TREES - Anna

Victoria Bergsman and her band Taken By Trees perform the track "Anna" in a studio somewhere. It's amazing how gorgeous her voice is! "Anna" appears on the recent album East of Eden, available now on Rough Trade.

via PSL

NITE JEWEL + DAM FUNK = NITE FUNK

Recent "Guest List" contributor Nite Jewel has been working with Dam Funk and Haunted Graffiti's Cole M Greif-Neill on a new project, appropriately titled Nite Funk. XLR8R TV has a great "making of" segment that really shows you the process of collaboration and recording. Good, good stuff.

The first track to emerge from the collaboration is "Am I Gonna Make It". Check it out:

Nite Funk - Am I Gonna Make It [mp3]

Best of 2009 - Guest List - Luiza Sa of CSS

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. Today we have Luiza Sa, guitarist for Brazilian band CSS. We're a longtime fan of Luiza's - she gave us our very first interview back in 2007. Since then we've kept close tabs on our girl. CSS are currently writing songs for their third LP, due next year.

Fever Ray - Fever Ray
Who doesn't love The Knife? I can't believe these people are this talented. It feels like a new sound. The future is in Sweden, maybe it always was. The show is a life experience. And the videos...

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Yellow House (2006) was a pretty good record, but I have to say Vecaktimest is even better. The production is perfect, the right amount of acoustic vibe. And I don't know many bands that could make this unique, beautiful, unexpected music and play it live perfectly. The voices are something. The video for "Two Weeks" is amazing.

GIRLS - Album
This band brings us back to the truth of the simple songs. Songs like Velvet Underground's songs. San Francisco feeling. Just makes me happy to listen to this band, but real happy - not phony happy. I wasn't paying much attention and I got addicted.

THE XX - XX
This is a beautiful combination of things that maybe we've seen, before but not together. Lovely guitars that can remind one of a Portland scene mixed with New Order's sounds and topped with nicely spoken vocals. Maybe dark, but just a bit. Very good for a first record.

Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster (ep)/Bad Romance (single)
I could speak of Beyonce's not so great double album (maybe good if it wasn't a double!), yet amazing "Single Ladies" video, or the really good Jay-Z track with Alicia Keys, "Empire State of Mind" - but if I'm gonna pick the pop song of the year, I have to pick Lady Gaga. Her album is a good one and I'm not sure if it's going to last or be a 2009 thing, but her "Bad Romance" single that followed - it's even better. So, as much as anyone would like to forget about her, there's just no way.

FULL YEAR-END COVERAGE HERE