litlblog: Music in an age of plenty

Favorite albums of 2011

litlfrog — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:51:37 +0000

It’s done! I need to either start getting paid for this or rethink my strategy. I spend a significant amount of time listening to new music. At the end of the year, I spend more time reviewing the lists that I’ve made, thinking about the past year and sometimes changing my opinions. I’m not seeing many patterns in the past year’s music, maybe because it’s all still too close. Last year’s predictions were pretty spot-on I think, so at least that’s gratifying. This year I decided to link to a YouTube playlist of best videos; if you want to hear more from these bands, I highly recommend grooveshark.com. I have plenty of playlists saved there as well. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL50BFDBB7146B858E&feature=mh_lolz

Songs of 2011

litlfrog — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 02:42:00 +0000

This is just a SLIGHTLY modified collection of my quarterly playlists for the year. I’ll have more regional playlists and a look at some music videos soon. Next up, though: favorite albums of the year. You knew it was coming. All the obsessive middle-aged college radio veterans are doing it.

http://grooveshark.com/#/playlist/Songs+Of+2011/65563486

Regional playlist: New Orleans 1

litlfrog — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:02:12 +0000

Professor Longhair

When I got the idea for this series of playlists, I figured it’d be one longish playlist per city. After working on this one, it became clear that NOLA would take two or three. I don’t know if that’s because I know the city’s music so well or if it’s just that awesome, but enjoy my first set of music from New Orleans.

Regional playlist: Boston

litlfrog — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 22:17:35 +0000

Music from Boston

Haven’t been posting much for a while; just haven’t been FEELING it, you know? A chance conversation at work led me to decide to set a challenge for myself: playlists showcasing good music from different cities around the U.S. We’re starting off with the nearest “big city” to me, Boston, Massachusetts. It’s weighted toward the late 80s and early 90s, the periods of music I know best. For more recent acts, use the Google to check out Mellow Bravo, the New Collisions, the Organ Beats, Bad Rabbits, Swaggering Growlers, John Shade, the Effective Dose, Sea Monsters, and the Nate Wilson Group.

Umm . . . some songs I like

litlfrog — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 21:49:33 +0000

No particular purpose to this playlist. I just queued up some things I felt like listening to at work. Maybe you will too!

Work playlist, Nov 2011

Current playlist: 2011, Quarter 3

litlfrog — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:11:59 +0000

Took a little longer than usual with Suri’s illness, but I’m driven, I tells ya–DRIVEN!! Here’s my favorite songs of the last few months.

Joe W’s 2011, Quarter 3

Veronica Falls, a late-80s tribute

litlfrog — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:55:19 +0000

Veronica Falls doesn’t re-invent the wheel. They’re not trying to do something original here: this is a faithful interpretation of the Sarah Records/C-86 sound. I’m good with that.

Electro-swing from gay Paris

litlfrog — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:14:18 +0000

Caravan Palace is fairly new group, and my impression is that they’re better known in Europe than in the States. They combine modern electronic dance beats with Quintette du Hot Club-era European jazz for driving, insistent party tracks. The lyrics are forgettable, but the music combination works together well–and check out the cool, steampunky video!

New Tori Amos album, listen while you can

litlfrog — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:39:15 +0000

Tori Amos is one of the first artists I remember getting excited about when Little Earthquakes showed up at KNWD. I’m unapologetic about loving the arty garrets of pop music. So few people get it right. For every great piece from Brian Eno or Godspeed, You Black Emperor! there are embarrassing, overblown indulgences from musicians with just enough education to be dangerous. In her 20-year solo career Tori Amos has been all over that spectrum. I’m glad to say that Night of Hunters is a resounding success. The songs here are inspired by European composers like Satie and Schubert. The whole album is simultaneously21s-century lieder (it’s even released by Deutsche Gramophon) and the best sort of college radio chamber pop. NPR Music has the album streaming for a limited time check it out at the link.

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/11/140261371/first-listen-tori-amos-night-of-hunters

A nonmusical update

litlfrog — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 21:56:56 +0000

I live in Waterbury, Vermont. The community was hit particularly hard by Tropical Storm Irene. Our place was without electricity for a couple of days, but many neighbors have it SO much worse. North Main Street is a line of houses with their owners’ ruined possessions on the lawn, the stink of mold coming out of every open window. A thin, shifting layer of brown dust covers everything outside; once the storm passed, the sun came out and quickly baked the mud that had been left on the street. We have our problems, certainly; Suri’s workplace was destroyed and we might have trouble paying some bills until her income gets restored. But mostly I’m grateful that we, our cats, and our property are safe and sound.