Our Favorite Records of 2012

As usual, we're behind the curve on this but better late than never, right? 

Without further ado, here are our favorite records of this last year.  They're even in reverse order to help make it suspensful.  We're pros like that.

10.  Bear Driver -S/T
9.   Gary B & The Notions - How Do We Explode
8.   Eastern Anchors - Drunken Arts & Pure Science
7.  Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits
6.  Cheap Girls - Giant Orange
5.  Guided By Voices - The Bears For Lunch
4.  Screaming Females - Ugly
3.  Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy
2.  Bob Mould - Silver Age
1.  Karl Hendricks Trio - The Adult Section

So that's that.  On to 2013!

Yours,
AA

New Year's Resolutions

We hope you all had a great holiday season.  For us, this is the dark time of year where we basically count down the days until Spring Training.  Sure, not everyone likes baseball, we get that.  But who doesn't like warm summer nights or drinking beer?  Put those two things together and you've already got a winning formula.  Add some baseball and well it's damn near perfect.  But I digress...

We've been lax here, we know it.  I could give a long list of excuses as to why, but there's no point in doing that.  All I can promise you is that we will try harder in 2013 to cover more bands and update this much more frequently.  Hopefully you'll help spread the word and like us on Facebook or share this blog with your friends. 

Anyway, best of luck to you in the new year.  We hope you keep coming back.

Yours,
AA

Gary B & The Notions - "How Do We Explode"

I've been a fan of this Baltimore band since happily discovering their previous record 2009's "New Twist And Shout". Back now on the Brooklyn based Modern Hymnal Recordings, The Notions have offered up another excellent collection of songs, delivered with their signature blend of sharp Nerves' style power pop and garage rock. Gary Barrett delivers the songs with authority and The Notions play with a road-earned swagger reminiscent of Costello's early Attractions (minus Nieve's farfisa, of course). But the real stars here are the songs, and they're all way above average - witty, concise and full of unexpected twists and turns. Picking a favorite would be pointless.

Yours,
AA

Hear Bear Driver's S/T Debut Album

The fantastic UK music blog The Line Of Best Fit is running a preview of Bear Driver's self titled debut album.  We've been looking forward to ths one ever since we first heard "Big Love" and it does not disappoint. 

Check it out at TLOBF

Yours,
AA

Pete & The Pirates - "One Thousand Pictures"

Another favorite around here, we've been enjoying Pete & The Pirates ever since "Jennifer" (the video is pretty awesome to).  It's hard to put our finger on exactly what it is that makes P&TP so good - there's so much to choose from; great songs, intelligent and clever lyrical turns, clanging guitars, flawless harmonies - all wrapped up in a sound that is distinctly English. 

Through two extremely consistent and excellent albums of completely relentless and sublime pop gems, they've remained understated in their delivery.  Maybe that's the secret. 

Really hope they make it over the pond sometime soon.

Pete & The Pirates - Official Site



Yours,
AA

"Amazing Guns" by Hard Nips

I've been enjoying this four-some ever since I listened to their live set from Brooklyn's DIY venue Shea Stadium.   Unfortunately, I missed their record release party last night, but their new record "Amazing Guns" is streaming on SoundCloud.  In fact, I haven't had a chance to see them live at all yet, but it's hard not to love the early punk/power-pop sound mixed with the all Japanese girl-group aesthetic.   And yes, it's cliche, but there's something appealing about girls who play guitars, as Maximo Park pointed out.

 

Hard Nips Website

Hard Nips Facebook Page


Yours,
AA

"Meltdown" by Mind Spiders

Here's another very good album currently streaming online courtesy of the good people at SPIN.






Thanks to SPiN Magazine


I first came to discover Mark Ryan's previous band The Marked Men when I was an eMusic member and downloaded the Ghosts LP based on their recommendation - but it was Jon Solmon's always excellent radio show that led me to Mind Spiders. 11 blistering tracks in 31 minutes, this one doesn't stick around long enough or ever stop to take a breath. Go on, give it a listen - surely you have thirty minutes to kill.

Yours,
AA