Mid Summer Playlist

1. On Top (feat. T.Shirt) - Flume
You may remember Flume from that song I posted of theirs earlier, "Insane" which I loved. You can hear the similarity in the back, but this song comes alive with T.Shirt.




2. Dark Star - Jaymes Young
This is the first Jaymes Young song I've gotten. This song needs to be listened to with good headphones. Your computer speakers will not do it justice

3. Tennis Court - Lorde
This girl is 16 years old. Incredible job done by anyone, let alone a 16 year old.






4. Gun - CHVRCHES
I hadn't really gotten into CHVRCHES until this song. I really like how sweet Lauren Mayberry sounds but she's actually spitting fire.




5. Jubel - Klingande
If you like listening to saxophone solos, this song is best I can ever off you on this blog.
 
 



6. MYD - Evian Christ
This guy knows how to make a great beat. Listen to him with moderation. For me, he can be too much at times. 




7. Girlfriend - Icona Pop
For those of you who loved Jay-Z's song "03 Bonnie and Clyde" you're in luck. Icona Pop took parts of that jam and converted it into a summer pop anthem.




8. Rivers - Bipolar Sunshine
 Bipolar Sunshine's debut EP Aesthetics just dropped a few weeks ago. They sound like a poppier version on the Neighbourhood.




9. Miasma Sky - Baths
I really enjoy the opening of this song and I love how 40 seconds in or so, theirs actually no sound. What an interesting song.





10. I Need My Girl - The National
When first listening to The National's new album Trouble Will Find Me, this song doesn't stand out as much as "Sea of Love" or "Don't Swallow the Cap", but give it time.





11. Recover - CHVRCHES
Chvrches has an album coming out this fall which I now suspect will be one of my favorites of the year. 

Mid-Year Top 15

Now that June just ended, I like to reflect at the year so far. One of the ways I reflect is by ranking my favorite songs so far from this year. Below is that list. Compared to previous years, this list is very deep. I already have 50 songs I would happily place on my 2013 Top 50 playlist that I will make in January. But for now, I will show you my top 15 so far (you'll have to wait until January for the full list).  For you devote readers, none of these songs will be new, but to those of you who check periodically, this is the blog post to actually listen to all the songs. Enjoy!

Red - Pop
Blue - Electronic
Green - Alternative
Yellow - Hip hop
Pink - R&B


1. Oh Sailor - Mr. Little Jean




2. Play by Play - Autre Ne Veut




3. Bo Peep (Do U Right) [feat. Jeremih] - Shlohmo




4. Open - Rhye




5. Mute - Youth Lagoon




6. Fool of Me (feat. Chet Faker) - Say Lou Lou




7. Pumpin Blood - NONONO




8. I Will Wait For You (Everybody Wants To Be a Cowboy) - Lowing




9. Disappear - Mikky Ekko




10. Warm In The Winter - Glass Candy




11. Pyramidspeak (Purity Ring vs Frank Ocean) - The Hood Internet




12. Grammy - Purity Ring




13. Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams) - Daft Punk




14. Entertainment - Phoenix




15. PMW (All I Really Need) (feat. Schoolboy Q) - A$AP Rocky

Ryan Hemsworth

As previously mentioned, I've gotten really into Ryan Hemsworth recently. He's going to Pitchfork and if anyone has the chance to go they should. He remixes some of my favorite songs and he also makes original tracks that have so much going on without many words. Below are my favorite Ryan Hemsworth songs, some of which I've already posted.

1. BasedWorld




2. Three Hours In
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3. Summertime Sadness (Ryan Hemsworth Remix) - Lana Del Rey
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4. Proto
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5. Cold & Tempted
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6. Perfectly
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7. Thinkin Bout You (Ryan Hemsworth Remix) - Frank Ocean
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8. Colour & Movement
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9. Open (Ryan Hemsworth Remix) - Rhye
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10. Pull Me Down (Ryan Hemsworth Remix) - Mikky Ekko

June 2013

No need for an introduction. These are all fantastic songs. There are a few band's I've posted about before, but the band I'm most excited about from this playlist is NONONO. They're going to be fun to watch.

Red - Pop
Blue - Electronic
Green - Alternative
Yellow - Hip hop
Pink - R&B

 1. Pumping Blood - NONONO
NONONO is another fantastic Swedish indie-pop band. This trio has made some of the catchiest songs I've heard so far this year. Watch out for their album, it should drop this summer.



2. Bleeding For Your Love - Suvi
As if I hadn't posted about enough Swedes: add Suvi to the list. "Bleeding For Your Love" is the third song she has released and by far the most popular. I love how dramatically she uses the bass in this catchy track.



3. Julian - Say Lou Lou
 Why stop now, here's another Swede! You may remember Say Lou Lou from my last post where I reviewed their other great track "Fool of Me". The duo defines their sound as Dream Pop. The duo sounds a lot like Bat for Lashes and Chromatics.



4.  Warm In The Winter - Glass Candy
Speaking of Chromatics, Glass Candy is part of Johnny Jewel's Italians Do It Better label. The song is on a new compilation album After Dark 2.  You can absolutely here his influence in this song. I love this track. It may be a bit longer, but the line "You came down to this place to fill up the dark corners with your everlasting light, and that's why, I love you" makes it all worth while.



5. Down Under - NONONO
Down Under is the second song released by NONONO. It's a bit slower and serious than "Pumping Blood" but I'm glad the band isn't just sticking to a formula.



6. White Lies - Max Frost
The next two songs should be listened back to back. The first is about a paranoid boyfriend who thinks his girlfriend is cheating on him. I love how I really don't know how to define this song. It's an indie rock song, but he talks so fast and rhythmically  it sounds like a rap.



7. Nice and Slow - Max Frost
As in the title, Max Frost moves away from White Lies and slows down his tempo. This track is also about dating girls although here he's much less committed.






8. Perfectly - Ryan Hemsworth
Ryan Hemsworth is becoming one of my new favorite artists. I love how much the song can feel so full without having many words.



9. Fantasy - MS MR
 This is the first single from their new album Secondhand Rapture.

Beginning of Summer 2013

I hope everyone's enjoying their summer so far. The weather in Chicago since I've been home has been colder than Claremont in February, so I'm excited to finally get some warmth. The beginning of the summer is always a big music time for me. I have more free time and I  have a mid-year crisis where I realize I haven't gotten nearly enough music so far this year. I shoot for about 700 songs a year. So this is my second playlist in a little over a week and expect a third coming soon. There are some new artists on this playlist like Lowing and Gilbere Forte, but mostly this playlist consists of songs added to the catalog of previously blogged about bands. My favorite tracks are "I Will Wait For You", "Disappear", and "Pilgrams (MS MR Remix)". Enjoy!


Red - Pop
Blue - Electronic
Green - Alternative
Yellow - Hip hop
Pink - R&B


1. Graceland - Paul Simon
While obviously this isn't a new song, I've been listening to this classic 80s album a lot recently and I just want to make sure everyone else who reads this has it too. So if you don't, GET IT NOW!



2. I Will Wait For You (Everybody Wants To Be a Cowboy) - Lowing
 Beautiful whistiling. Reminds me something a child of Edward Sharpe and Bon Iver would make. This is the first single released from Lowings forthcoming album this fall. Also, he's Swedish. I don't know what more to ask for. This song is the anthem for all you in long distance relationships right now.



3. Disappear - Mikky Ekko
"Disappear" is Mikky Ekko's newest track. He calls it a ruff demo, but it sounds like the best thing he's produced so far excluding his collaboration with Ryan Hemsworth "Hold Me Down". I love how dramatically dreamy this song sounds.



4. Dance - Rebecca & Fiona
This track is spectacular. I love the consistent deep baseline exemplifying the intensity of the experience they're trying to describe. The baseline combined with the powerfully soft vocals and the strings creates an awesome sound.



5. Chain Smoker - Chance the Rapper
"Chain Smoker" is the last song on Chicago native Chance the Ripper's new mixtape Acid Rap. I love his flow. This guy is on the rise.



6. Waste of Time - MØ
Danish native, Karen Marie Ørsted, better know as MØ, is another indie pop artist on the rise. While she still is far from releasing her first album, songs like this get us really excited for whenever it drops.



7. Pilgram (MS MR Remix) - MØ
 MØ released "Pilgrams" back in February. MS MR sped the song up. Watch the video below to understand to understand the mind of MØ. Also, MS MR released their first album a few weeks ago called Secondhand Rapture.  



8. Separations - Diarrhea Planet
I've heard of a lot of weird band names in my time, and Diarrhea  Planet definitely joins some Fuck Button on the list of the weirdest. I love this short 2 minute rock song. This Nashville band has gained the reputation for throwing some great live concert.



9. Nolita (feat. Active Child) - Gilbere Forte
I love this slow hip hob jam. The voice over from Active Child adds a great spooky feeling to the track that really goes well with Philly native Gilbere Forte.  Gilvere Forte's recently came out with a mixtape called Pray.



10. Good Ass Intro (feat. BJ the Chicago Kid) - Chance the Rapper
I'm very partial towards intros and Chance just added another one to my collection. It reminds me of something Kanye would have put on College Dropout. This track leads off Chance the Ripper's new mixtape Acid Rap.
 



11. Cocoa Butter Kisses (feat. Vic Mensa & Twista) - Chance the Rapper
I love how Chance uses a cough in this other track he raps about the impact of smoking cigs on his new mixtape Acid Rape. Chance's voice on this track sounds so relaxed and combined with the lyrics, the message sounds very genuine. 



12. LA Calling - Crystal Fighters
On a very different note, this is another song from Crystal Fighter's new album Cave Rave. Like "You & I", LA Calling sounds like a solid poppy alt/rock summer jam. Be sure to catch them on their tour this summer!



13. Runaway - Mr Little Jean
If you can't tell, I've gotten really into Mr Little Jean. This was one of the first (and only) tracks she released last year in 2012. I love how complex this song sounds but still keeps an element of pop. The accompanying video released with the song just adds to the awesomeness to the track.



14. Tongues (feat. KOPPS) - Joywave
 Joywave to me sounds like a more mainstream version of Hot Chip. It's in the voice and the catchy electronic hook. Their new mixtape 88888 revamps already made music from their previous EP Koda Vista. 
 

May 2013

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Now that I am home for the summer, I will have a lot more time to devote to updating the blog. Expect two more playlists pretty soon. This playlist is very deep with great songs. I was very impressed with what I found. If you're looking for full albums and haven't found these already, get Daft Punk's Random Access Memories and Vampire Weekend's Modern Vampires of the City.

Red - Pop
Blue - Electronic
Green - Alternative
Yellow - Hip hop
Pink - R&B

1. Lose Yourself to Dance (feat. Pharrell Williams) - Daft Punk
The sixth track on Daft Punk's new album Random Access Memories, "Lose Yourself to Dance" like "Get Lucky" combines Pharrall Williams' falsetto with Daft Punk's cool funky beats. Even though the lyrics don't really change throughout the song, every time I listen to this, I hear something I hadn't before.



2. Doin' It Right (feat. Panda Bear) - Daft Punk
Like "Lose Yourself to Dance", "Doin' It Right" is based on the repetition of just one line, something both Daft Punk and Panda Bear are used to composing. This time Daft Punk used Animal Collectives' Panda Bear (aka Noah Lennox) choir like voice to create the albums' most simplistically pretty song.



3. Step - Vampire Weekend
I wasn't sure what to expect with this new album. Vampire Weekend coincidentally has developed as I have.  I loved being 17 and dancing around to the youthful Vampire Weekend, then at 18, enjoying the band's experimentation with Contra. Now, with Modern Vampires they sound like a developed band. "Step" exemplifies their progression. It sounds like what they were trying to make when they wrote "I Stand Corrected" on Vampire Weekend.




4. Obvious Bicycle - Vampire Weekend
"Obvious Bicycle" leads off their new album. The lead off role has a lot of pressure: especially for an album as anticipated as this one. I love how soft they begin but still has an element of spunk. If there's one thing that we should get from this song it's that they really want us to listen to the rest of the album. 



5. Operate - ASTR
ASTR is a virtually unknown NYC duo. One of the catchiest chorus' I've heard this year. I love how this pop song combine a simplistic hip hop beat with a solid bass line and a chorus that I can't get out of my head.



6. Suburbs - Mr Little Jean
Mr Little Jean, singer of my favorite song so far this year, "Oh Sailor", came out with a cover of Arcade Fire's "Suburbs". She didn't change the organization of the song, just the instrumentation: adding a simplistic electronic beat and changing the voice to her own.



7. Sea of Love - The National
The second song I've posted from The National's new album Trouble Will Find Me. It is my favorite album they've written so far. For whatever reason, I feel much more captivated by these hits than those in the past. Also, I love the little kid stealing the show in this music video.




8. Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe Refix (feat. The Clubcasa Chamber Orchestra) - IAMNOBODI
This is not a typical song I would post, but I heard it a few days ago and fell in love. BDKMV was one of Kendrick's best songs off his latest album and IAMNOBODI transforms it into an orchestral piece. If anything, it shows off how great Kendrick and his production team is at creating a beat.



9. Fool of Me (feat. Chet Faker) - Say Lou Lou
 Say Lou Lou is a pair of Swedish twins, Miranda and Elektra Kilbey, who just recently graduated college. This song is the B-side of their single "Julian" (stay tuned for later this week). The duo added a third to the mix by incorporating Australian Chet Faker for this dramatic track.



10. Zion Wolf - Jai Paul
For you Jai Paul fans out their, "Zion Wolf" was released as part of that mysterious record that leaked a few weeks ago. Probably just a demo for his full length album, which hopefully will come out later this year, but still "Zion Wolf" exemplifies Jai Paul's original take on the future of electronic music.



11. #Beautiful (feat. Miguel) - Mariah Carey
"#Beautiful" does not take much to love or understand. This hit sounds anxiety free and easy.  "You're beautiful, and I can't pretend that doesn't mean a thing to me." Also, in the video, Mariah Carey looks incredible.



12. Out of The Blue - Prides
Between artists like S-Type, CHVRCHES, and now Prides, a lot of new great artists are coming out of Glasgow. They have a catchy synth riff similar to Little Daylight's "Overdose" but still has lyrics deeper than the usual pop song.



13. You & I - Crystal Fighters
Get ready to feel happy! Crystal Fighters, the band that came out with last years gem, "At Home", are coming out with a new album tomorrow called Cave Rave. They are on tour this summer, so check out their tour dates! They're in Chicago June 14th.



14. Love Like This - Kodaline
"Love Like This" is from Kodaline's album out June 17th called In a Perfect World. This Irish band has a great folkly, indie pop sound.



15. So High - Ghost Loft
The second released song by Ghost Loft after last month's "Seconds". The LA artist produced a melancholy ambient hit.

Late April 2013

Hola, Coachella was incredible. Everyone who can should go at least once in their 20s. It's better than Lollapolooza, and I assume it's better than all the others. There are too many amazing bands, celebrities, and surprises all in one place at once to handle. If you ask anyone who went if it was worth it, I doubt you could find many people who would say they wouldn't go again. Anyways, this playlist is a bit different. It's a combination of songs I forgot about until Coachella and new gems. I decided to go back to the old format since it's a bit shorter. If there's one thing you remember from this post its that Mr Little Jean (actually a girl) is a goddess.
 
Red - Pop
Blue - Electronic
Green - Alternative
Yellow - Hip hop
Pink - R&B
 
1. Oh Sailor - Mr Little Jean
Oh Sailor is my favorite song of the year so far. I love her deep voice, super catchy chorus, the choir, and the lyrics. Absolute gem.
 



2. Retrograde - James Blake
Hit song from James Blakes new album Overgrown. It's actually one of the only songs from the album I like. This sounds like the older stuff I like, but the rest is too much for me.




3. Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams) - Daft Punk
The hit of every party I've been to (including Coachella), Daft Punk released their first single from their upcoming album Random Access Memories featuring producer and singer Pharrell Williams. You might recognize Pharrell from N.E.R.D. or as Esquires Best Dressed man of 2005. I love how Daft Punk combines the sounds of the past with the future.
 



4. Pizza Guy - Touch Sensitive
Great name for a song, "Pizza Guy" has a fantastic build up. I usually don't like songs without words, but Touch Sensitive has enough going on in this song that words would just ruin it.




5. Sleeping In - The Postal Service
This song is not actually new. Well, it was re-released this year for the 10th anniversary of Give Up.  The Postal Service killed it at Coachella. I forgot how good their soft angsty electronic sound was.




6. Alive - Empire of the Sun
Empire of the Sun sounds like an amazing party. Also, this song could not be named anything else. Listening to it makes me feel as alive as it's trying to describe.




7. Ignition (1901 Remix) (R. Kelly vs Phoenix) - The Hood Internet
For those of you under a rock, during Phoenix's show R-Kelly showed up and sang a 1901 and Ignition mashup. It was this years Tu-Pac hologram. I was only a bit less surprised to see R-Kelly show up only became he's still alive. Regardless, his appearance was a spectacular surprise.




8. Don't Swallow the Cap - The National
The Nation are coming out with a new album later this spring called Trouble Will Find Me. This is their first release since High Violet. "Don't Swallow the Cap" sounds like a classic National song which most fans will happily accept.




9. West Coast Slide - Work Drugs
On their website Work Drugs describe themselves as "Philadelphia's premier Bat Mitzvah and Quinceanera party band." I wish they were around in 2005! Keep an eye out for their new album Mavericks due out this summer.




10. Ghost And Creatures - Telekinesis
This song is from Telekinesis's third album Dormarion. Unlike the last two albums, "Ghost and Creatures" sounds much more moody and atmospheric.  But we still know it Telekinesis because he ties it in with a catchy alt pop chorus.




11. Skyscraper - Elephant
This song sounds very dreamy although it keeps its footing with a catchy bass line and steady beat. Solid track.  

April 2013

I hope everyone had a great spring break. I know I did. Let's get to it. I started off with this smooth R&B hit with Shlohmo (great name) making the beats for Jeremih's falsetto voice. I like The Colourists poppy alt/rock sound especially in anticipation for the summer. Last year Adrian Lux came out with "Teenage Crime" which I loved and "Damaged" is his first big song since then and he killed it. I can't wait to see him at Coachella. Ryan Hemsworth is a guy I should have gotten into a lot sooner. He's mostly a producer, but he lays down a few beats and when he does they're great. Also in anticipation for the summer, Young Galaxy came out with a new song called "New Summer". It's so soon! Chicago native, Chance the Rapper's mixtape Acid Rain comes out soon and his first track has already surfaced: I can't wait to hear the rest. This might not be new, but I just heard a Hood Internet mashup of "Belispeak" and "Pyramids". They couldn't have picked two better songs. Also at Coachella, Phoenix came out with their first single from their up coming album Bankrupt!. If it's all like Entertainment, they're gonna have an amazing show. Wavves and Smith Westerns have albums coming out soon and these tracks were some of their first to surface. Finally, I don't know why it took me so long, but I finally listened to all of Miguel's Kaleidoscope Dreams: unbelievable album. I put my two favorite tracks below not including "Adorn". Enjoy!


Red - Pop
Blue - Electronic
Green - Alternative
Yellow - Hip hop
Pink - R&B


1. Bo Peep (Do U Right) [feat. Jeremih] - Shlohmo



2. Little Games - The Colourists



3. Damaged - Adrian Lux



4. Proto - Ryan Hemsworth



5. Young - Air Review



6. New Summer - Young Galaxy



7. Acid Rain - Chance the Rapper



8. Another Day - Carousel



9. Pyramidspeak (Purity Ring vs Frank Ocean) - The Hood Internet



10. Entertainment - Phoenix



11. Demon To Lean On - Wavves



12. Lies - Fyfe



13. Oblivion (feat. Susanne Sundfør) - M83



14. Varsity - Smith Westerns



15. Red - Phoria



16. Use Me - Miguel



17. Kaleidoscope Dreams

March 2013

 Happy March everyone. Autre Ne Veut came out with his album Anxiety including his hit "Counting" (look at December 2012) and a new hit "Play By Play". I love the build up for this song and then the poppy chorus that follows after it climaxes at 2:50. On a very different level, Rhye sings a very simplistically smooth sound.  I put two different versions of the song "Pretty Boy" on this playlist. Usually I don't like remixes, but Peaking Lights extended the 4 minute pop song into 7 minutes of gold. Purity Ring came out with a cover of Soulja Boy's "Grammy" where Megan James raps over  typical Purity Ring synths. It works! Finally, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs came out with their first song on their upcoming album later this spring called "Sacrilege". Should be a good one.


Red - Pop
Blue - Electronic
Green - Alternative
Yellow - Hip hop



1. Play By Play - Autre Ne Veut



2. Open - Rhye

3. Overdose - Little Daylight



4. Pretty Boy (Peaking Lights Remix) - Young Galaxy



5. Sleeping (feat. Jezzabell Doran) - Flume



6. Grammy - Purity Ring



7. Pretty Boy - Young Galaxy



8. Mute - Youth Lagoon

9. Sacrilege - Yeah Yeah Yeahs



10. Falling - Haim



11. Bring You Back - Beacon



12. Close Enough (feat. Noosa) - Ghost Beach



13. Freedom - Emma Louise



14. We Are Golden - Black Light Dinner Party



15. Amsterdam - YesYou



16. Attracting Flies - AlunaGeorge

January 2013

Welcome to 2013! This year started off with a bang with the release of A$AP's new album LONGLIVEA$AP. One of the songs on the album which I particularly liked, LVL, was produced by Clams Casino, a guy who I've heard of but never really explored, but his style is so unique. He's a terrific producer and electronic musician so I posted two of his songs below.  Youth Lagoon also came out with a new album. This one sounds more manufactured to me and not just the doing of Trevor Powers: still great though. Finally, I had never heard of Soko until this month, but "First Love Never Dies" sounds like a something a female version of Bright Eyes would have made.


Red - Pop
Blue - Electronic
Green - Alternative
Yellow - Hip hop

1. To You - Young Wonder



2. I'm God - Clams Casino



3. First Love Never Dies - Soko



4. Dropla - Youth Lagoon



5. Friday Night - The Last Royals



6. 1 Train - A$AP Rocky



7. Losing You - Solange



8. Laura - Bat For Lashes



9. I Belong In Your Arms - Chairlift



10. Heartbreak (feat. Chela) - Clubfeet



11. Be My Wife - Simian Ghost



12. Waterfall - Clams Casino



13. Dust and Bones - Night Terrors of 1927



14. PMW (All I Really Need) (feat. ScHoolboy Q) - A$AP Rocky



15. Northern Lights - Kate Boy



16. Tonight - Saint Etienne

Coachella 2013 Lineup

The lineup is finally here! After waiting almost a month more than usual the people at Goldenvoice have posted the lineup Coachella 2013. I've attached the link below and tickets go on sale TUESDAY JANUARY 29TH AT 10:00 AM PT. So if you haven't already purchased your ticket like me, be sure to be at your computer exactly at 10 am if not earlier setting up. For those of you who don't get tickets, don't fret! Many of the bands tour around Southern California during the week between the festivals. But if there is a year to go, it's this year. This might be my favorite festival line up I have seen since I've started following them.
Below are 22 songs from the 22 bands I wish I could all see at Coachella, but I know conflicts will crush those dreams. The songs are listed in order of how excited I am to see them live and the songs I picked are mostly ones I haven't posted here yet but I still love. Some of the bands are lowered because I have already seen them a lot (Danny Brown and Cloud Nothings). From older rock bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Modest Mouse to newer bands like Youth Lagoon and Purity Ring, this Coachella is bound to be an amazing experience.

http://www.coachella.com/lineup

1. Dramamine - Modest Mouse
I've wanted to see Modest Mouse ever since I didn't go to their show in Chicago my junior year of high school. They don't tour as much anymore so any opportunity to see them live must be taken! Modest Mouse has so many great songs and albums, but I especially love the bridge in Dramamine.



2. Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The YYYs are back. Since It's Blitz! came out in 2009 they have been MIA from the music industry, but Karen O and company are in the middle of making a new album that will be out this spring which I'm sure will be heavily incorporated in their set.



3. Clawlersout - Purity Ring
Purity Ring is a fun band to see live. They have these glowing orbs that change colors depending on the pitch. One could think that Purity Ring wouldn't sound good live, but their performance last summer at Pitchfork throws that theory out the door.



4. Limit to Your Love - James Blake
James Blake live and James Blake on record are not the same. For those of you fortunate enough to have good headphones or a bass heavy speaker system, you have heard the subtleties in James Blake's songs.  Now imagine a more explosive version of that and that is what you will feel seeing James Blake live.



5. Younger Us - Japandroids
For those moshers out their, a Japandroids show is for you. Not only are the fans yelling every line of every song, but the massive mosh pit is an amazing way to experience Japandroids.



6. Afternoon - Youth Lagoon
Youth Lagoon will also be amazing to see, but for very different reasons. Trevor Powers is making a new album that will be out this spring and I'm sure that between his first album, The Year of Hibernation and this new one, he will play a stellar show.



7. 1901 - Phoenix
Another band with a new album coming out this year. These Frenchmen will throw a great late night dance party on the second night.



8. O.N.E. - Yeasayer
Yeasayer has this crazy electronic vibe. While I didn't like their new album as much as Odd Blood, they will throw a really funky show.



9. Islands - The xx
I haven't seen The xx live since 2009 and I don't know how well their sound will translate in an open venue. This show could be really hit or miss.



10. Fall In - Cloud Nothings
This show will have a very similar vibe and crowd to the Japandroids show.



11. Weekend - Smith Westerns
For those of you reading this in Chicago, these kids graduated from North Side College Prep in like 2008.



12. Other People - Beach House
One of the most pretentious sounding indie bands out now, but who cares they rock.



13. Scar Tissue - Red Hot Chili Peppers
They were really fun at Lollapolooza and I can only assume they'll be just as good here.



14. Cry Like a Ghost - Passion Pit
Both of their albums have been fantastic. Seeing them live will be a fun party with a bunch of 16 year olds.



15. Grown Up - Danny Brown
Danny is such a very unique rapper. His show will be the funniest hip hop show of the weekend.



16. Take Me to the Riot - Stars
This Toronto based band came out with a great new album in 2012 called The North. 



17. Dark Star - Polica
In an interview Bon Iver's Justin Vernon told Rolling Stone that "they're the best band I've ever heard." So maybe you'll think so too.



18. Help I'm Alive - Metric
Also a Toronto based band, Metric, lead by singer Emily Haines, reinforces that New Wave is not only a man's game.



19. Oxford Comma - Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend has not had many shows in the past year. Their show at Pitchfork was great, so I assume their Coachella show will be great too.



20. Earl - Earl Sweatshirt
Don't be surprised if some of the OFWGKTA crew makes an apearence during the show
 



21. Back In Your Head - Tegan and Sara
They have a new album Heartthrob coming out in 2013



22. Teenage Crime - Adrian Lux
I'm only going to see him for this song. It's that good

Intros (First Tracks) Playlist

With the beginning of the new year, I thought I would write a blog post that also had to do with beginnings. When making an album, every artist needs a stellar first track to get the listener hooked. Here, I have ranked some of my favorite first tracks from some of my favorite albums. Qualifications for the placement varies from developing a great build up (Sleeping Lessons), to starting off with a bang getting the listener excited for more (What Ever Happened?). Enjoy!

1. Intro - The xx - xx



2. Intro (feat. Zola Jesus) - M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming



3. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - Arcade Fire - Funeral



4. Montezuma - Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues



5. King of Carrot Flower Part 1 - Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea



6. Perth - Bon Iver - Bon Iver



7. Sleeping Lessons - The Shins - Wincing the Night Away



8. Need You Now - Cut Copy - Zonoscope



9. Dark Fantasy - Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy



10. L Y F - Wu Lyf - Go Tell Fire To The Mountain



11. Be (intro) - Common - Be



12. What Ever Happened? - The Strokes - Room on Fire



13. High For This - The Weeknd - House of Balloons



14. Crawlersout - Purity Ring - Shrines



15. 3rd Planet - Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica



16. No Future / No Past - Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memories



17. Lisztomania - Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix



18. Favourite Food - Tokyo Police Club - Champ



19. Long Live A$AP - A$AP Rocky - LongLiveA$AP



20. Zero - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz