Boxfire Press just posted the cover art for the re-release of “Happiness, USA”, a 2008 Puschcart Prize nominee. Check out the cover below. The story should be available for purchase within the next couple of weeks.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists advanced the hands of the Doomsday Clock by one minute. My most recent short story, “Resetting the Armageddon Clock”, is based on this frightening marker that depicts how close we are to worldwide destruction.
5 minutes to midnight. . .
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,700 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 45 trips to carry that many people.
BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Artist: We Are Augustines
Title: Rise ye Sunken Ships
Label: Turnout/Oxcart Records
Think of Bruce Springsteen laced with punk while boasting pathos-induced lyrics and you’ll have a rough composite of the unique We Are Augustines’ sound. This three piece rock group isn’t reinventing the wheel, or even trying to do something remotely different, they’re simply making great music that resonates in a cathartic way. With an unparalleled backstory and a true commitment to the craft, I’m expecting the trio to make the jump into the mainstream shortly.
CHECK OUT MY INTERVIEW WITH FRONTMAN BILLY MCCARTHY BY CLICKING HERE.
#2
Artist: Adele
Title: 21
Label: XL Recordings
I haven’t always been a big Adele fan, and, truth be told, I’m not really one at the moment either, but it would simply be irresponsible to ignore this album. Randy Jackson recently stated in an interview with Esquire that if not for music’s digital age, Adele never would have ascended to such heights since critics have such a difficult time categorizing her. Is her music rock? R&B? Easy listening? Pop? It truly engages all listeners in innumerable ways.
#3
Artist: Foo Fighters
Title: Wasting Light
Label: Roswell Records
The Foo Fighters are one of the few American alternative bands that still have a global influence, and their best work is still ahead of them. Touting an exciting live show along with a slew of singles on their latest LP, there were few releases this year that were able to parallel the Foo Fighters in terms of energy and actual composition.
#4
Artist: PJ Harvey
Title: Let England Shake
Label: Vagrant Records
PJ Harvey has been consistently good for years, and this might be the best piece in her entire catalog. It has a true indie feel to it, which will likely be a turn off to most, but she deserves credit for experimenting with her sound and somehow pulling out songs that are sonically precise, engaging, and thought-provoking.
#5
Artist: The Static Jacks
Title: If You’re Young
Label: Fearless Records
One of the best young bands on the underground circuit today. Described as an American punk-alt band with Brit-punk influences, the Static Jacks have developed pieces with detailed compositions yet maintain a clear pop-sensibility.
CHECK OUT MY INTERVIEW WITH THE STATIC JACKS BY CLICKING HERE.
#6
Artist: The Black Keys
Title: El Camino
Label: Nonesuch Records
Feeling the newfound pressure that comes with national success, the Black Keys have openly discussed how they felt El Camino needed to be infused with greater energy and poppier sound to please their fan-base. The LP does just that, but the duo refused to sacrifice the quality of each track to simply appeal to the proverbial masses. Fans old and new should be pleased with this record. It’s the band’s best yet.
#7
Artist: Fleet Foxes
Title: Helplessness Blues
Label: Sub Pop Records
For a while, I believed the Fleet Foxes were going to become one of the most popular rock bands in America. Obviously, this hasn’t happened in the way you’d expect, and it’s largely due to the group’s commitment to their cornerstone sound, which is layered with swooning vocals and three part guitar melodies. Overall, they’re so polished and so precise I had a hard time not placing them in the top 5, but their influence is waning and they are becoming more of a “musician’s group” than a mainstream draw.
#8
Artist: Xylos
Title: Xylos
Label: 1000x Records
I first saw Xylos a couple of years ago at the Mercury Lounge when they were still defining their sound. Their recent debut mixes 80s new wave with a soft-serve modern-rock vibe. The album makes for a great listen and betrays the musical skills of the young group quite well. I’m surprised they haven’t garnered a larger following.
CHECK OUT MY INTERVIEW WITH THE BAND BY CLICKING HERE.
Album #9
Artist: Chuck Ragan
Title: Covering Ground
Label: Sideonedummy Records
Ragan eschews modern-rock conventions by putting forth a gritty voice with the acoustic melodies of Mumford & Sons, leading to what one could only call acoustic punk. The LP will take you on a weird ride, but I guarantee you’ll be a Chuck Ragan fan by the end.
Album #10
Artist: Blink-182
Title: Neighborhoods
Label: Interscope
Blink-182′s “Damnit” is what made me an avid music fan. I heard that single back in 1998. Thirteen years later, the so-cal punks are still around and attempting to redefine their once sophomoric sound. Many might be critical of placing a Blink album in the top 10 spot, especially since it received luke-warm reviews, but the more I listen to it the more gems I find. Despite the critics’ consensus, I believe it’s one of Blink’s best albums and I’m looking forward to seeing where they go from here.
If you don’t like this song, from one of the best singers in the world, you’re not human.
#2
Artist: Kina Grannis
Title: “In Your Arms”
Label: One Haven Music
Kina Grannis is an interesting story. After being anointed the unlikely winner of a national contest, she walked away from a recording contract with Interscope and decided to self-release her material via the Internet. The gamble initially paid off as Grannis found herself able to make a living off of touring and constant self-promotion. She truly crossed over into the mainstream, however, with the video for this engaging pop-tune, now referred to as the “jelly-bean video”.
CHECK OUT MY INTERVIEW WITH KINA GRANNIS BY CLICKING HERE.
#3
Artist: Cloud Cult
Title: “You’ll be Bright”
Label: Earthology/The Rebel Group
Cloud Cult is defined by a bizarrely beautiful mix of strings, aggressive drums, and the high-pitched vocals of Craig Minowa. Always obscure and experimental, this track is no exception. Originally finding a home on 2010′s Light Chasers, the song, and its video, found new life on the web this year. It’s one of the band’s best.
CHECK OUT MY INTERVIEW WITH CLOUD CULT FRONTMAN CRAIG MINOWA BY CLICKING HERE.
#4
Artist: Seasick Steve
Title: “You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks”
Label: Third Man Records
Seasick Steve’s recent LP was a bit of a disappointment, but this track captures the southern-rock and blues elements that made him such a draw at music festivals throughout the country.
#5
Artist: We Are Augustines
Title: “Book of James”
Label: Turnout/Oxcart Records
An interesting amalgamation of emo, modern-rock, and minimalism that shows listeners everything this band is and can be.
CHECK OUT MY INTERVIEW WITH WE ARE AUGUSTINES’ FRONTMAN BILLY MCCARTHY BY CLICKING HERE.
#6
Artist: The Black Keys
Title: “Lonely Boy”
Label:Nonesuch Records
There are few bands skilled enough to transfer the energy of their defining live performances into the studio (Phish and Pearl Jam come to mind as unfortunate failures), but the Black Keys found a way to do it with El Camino, and it rings true with their lead single. If you haven’t been to a Black Keys’ show, listen to “Lonely Boy”. It’s the next best thing.
#7
Artist: The Static Jacks
Title: “My Parents Lied”
Label: Fearless Records
This is actually one of the first songs the Static Jacks wrote and it served to set the band’s musical direction, which is why it made it onto their debut album. Infused with relentless energy and dynamic tempo changes, the track is one of the most interesting and unique you’ll hear in 2011.
CHECK OUT MY INTERVIEW WITH THE STATIC JACKS BY CLICKING HERE.
#8
Artist: Blink-182
Title: “After Midnight”
Label: Interscope
Blink’s best single since “Feeling This”.
#9
Artist: The Front Bottoms
Title: “Maps”
Label: Bar None Records
The Front Bottoms are a pop-punk duo who have been struggling to find an audience for the last two years. “Maps”, a narrative about a boy wanting to leave home to pursue his dreams, is their best work.
#10
Artist: Gold Motel
Title: “Cold Shoulders”
Label: Good as Gold Records
Gold Motel is promoted as a “summer band”, and this is a summer song that’s best listened to while driving down the California coast in a red Mustang convertible with the top down. Yet, I often myself cranking this in my Camry on the coldest of days. It’s a great tune.
So, Examiner.com launched a promotion last month, asking its writers to produce an article about an inspirational individual. I nominated Craig Minowa, lead singer of Cloud Cult and founder of the Earthology Institute. He’s overcome a great deal of adversity and somehow finds a way to stay positive and impact those around him. Check out the article by CLICKING HERE. If Craig wins, Examiner.com will award him with up to $50,000.
New article discussing the ever-changing face of the music industry that features an interview with Static Jacks drummer Nick Brennan. Read the story by CLICKING HERE.
I know, I know. 90% of my recent posts have been about Kina Grannis, but she’s blowing up! Check out her performance on the Ellen DeGeneres show below, and be sure to read my exclusive interview with her by CLICKING HERE.
Kina Grannis’s new music video, “In Your Arms”, is garnering a great deal of media attention due to a very interesting, and painstaking, production process coupling jellybeans with frame-by-frame animation. The end-result is truly remarkable and one of the more visually engaging videos to be released in the last five years.
Check out the video for “In Your Arms”, as well as the making of “In Your Arms”, below.
To check out my recent interview with Kina Grannis, CLICK HERE.
Critics have been abuzz about the Static Jacks after their riveting performance during NYC’s CMJ music festival. With a surprising mix of energy and dynamic compositions, this indie darling is quickly rising in terms of popularity and prominence.
Listen to “My Parents Lied” below. Great track. To learn more about the band, CLICK HERE.
If you have an iPod touch, iPad or iPhone, you can now download “Resetting the Armageddon Clock” for $0.99 by CLICKING HERE. Enjoy!
