Merry X-Mas From NMTM!

Merry Christmas to all and happy birthday to Jesus. Bring on the booze, discomfited family parties, and warm clothes that finally fit my awkward, lanky frame. Thanks, Santa!

Julian Casablancas - "I Wish It Was Christmas Today"

Top 10 Albums of 2009 (Part 2)

2009 was a big music year for me. On top of attending a few concerts and our radio show being nominated for an award, I reached a personal milestone this year: 25,000 songs in iTunes. As ridiculous as it may seem, I'm a bit of a collector, and I hope to hit 30,000 soon. But here are my top ten records of the year. One was recommended by a friend of my brother, one was sitting at the top spot for months before being unseated, and one involves an MTV Best Kiss Award Winner.

Jim Adair's Top Ten Albums of 2009

10. Dead Man's Bones – Dead Man's Bones

On top a spectacular live show, and the ambience of the album, the gothic doo wop of Ryan Gosling and Zach Snyder is hard to ignore. At times sounding like the zombified Temptations and a baby Tom Waits, his album was easily the biggest surprise of the year for me. The group's self-titled debut spent a lot of time being hummed and whistled around my apartment. The children's choir adds an amazing extra layer to the music and the songwriting, though often simple, never sounds forced or stale.

Recommended Tracks: Pa Pa Power, Paper Ships, My Body's A Zombie For You, Dead Hearts

9. The Mountain Goats – The Life Of The World To Come

John Darnielle may just be the world's best living songwriter, and he proved it once again with this record. I spent a good chunk of this year listening to Mountain Goats live bootlegs, and falling in love with much of their earlier stuff, but the music John is putting out now is no less realized or beautiful.

Recommended Tracks: Psalms 40:2, Ezekiel 7 And The Permanent Efficacy Of Grace, Romans 10:9, Genesis 3:23

8. The Thermals – Now We Can See

Following up their spectacular 2006 record The Body, The Blood, The Machine couldn't be an easy task for Hutch and Kathy, but they have proved themselves now to the some of the most consistent musicians around. "The world has ended and the Thermals have the soundtrack to your post-apocalyptic kegger," I wrote down in a notebook on first hearing this record, and the words still hold true all these months later.

Recommended Tracks: Now We Can See, I Let It Go, We Were Sick, When We Were Alive, When I Died

7. Discovery – LP

One of only two crossovers from Mike's list and mine, this album is one of the most heard ones on my list. The standard, go-to party soundtrack of the semester, the Ra Ra Riot/Vampire Weekend collaboration definitely worked some magic. Starting with a mid tempo synth-jam, following with more of the same, hitting a guest vocal from Dirty Projectors' Angel Dreadoorian, and one from VW's Ezra Koening, and even tackling a Jackson 5 cover, "LP" keeps variety in mood and theme while not doing so in sound.

Recommended Tracks: Orange Shirt, Swing Tree, Osaka Loop Line, I Want You Back (In Discovery)

6. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca

One of the only albums in a while where I can say I really haven't heard anything else like it this year. There really is no other band like the Dirty Projectors, and the success they have achieved this year was well deserved. Even having a song covered by Solange Knowles couldn't ruin their momentum (it would've crushed mine). They also released an EP and played a brand new song of Jimmy Fallon (one of my favorites of the year).

Recommended Tracks: No Intention, Cannibal Resource, Stillness Is The Move, Remade Horizon

5. Passion Pit – Manners

Probably the biggest explosion of the year, Passion Pit's rise from blog sweethearts to mainstream success happened overnight for some people, but to those who had Manners early on, we could see it coming. Hailing from Boston, (not Brooklyn) the band put together a collection of jams both slow and fast, but almost completely infectious. This is a band who's future I will be watching closely, and I doubt this is the last we've heard from them.

Recommended Tracks: Eyes As Candles, The Reeling, To Kingdom Come, Little Secrets

4. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

I don't care who you are or what song you topped your end of year lists with, 1901 was undeniable THE JAM of the year. Without question, 1901 and Lisztomania were a 1-2 punch the caliber of which very few albums or artists had this year. Sounding just as good on record as live, the Parisian group's sudden rise to success after years of toiling away in the indiesphere was well earned. Also as a side note: it's "Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold iiiiit"

Recommended Tracks: 1901, Lisztomania, Rome, Love Like a Sunset, Fences

3. Bat For Lashes – Two Suns

The beautiful, Björk like music on Natasha Khan's second release hit me early on in the year, and Daniel sat as song of the year until two weeks ago. Even without understanding the overarching storyline or theme or whatever, the music is just good. And in a year filled with low-fi, no-fi, and all other shitty bullshit genres, Natasha Khan was unafraid of effects, layering, production, and singing out.

Recommended Tracks: Daniel, Moon And Moon, Good Love, Sleep Alone, Two Planets

2. St. Vincent – Actor

Annie Clark, my love, how you were able to top your debut Marry Me is beyond me, but you did it. The songs on Actor are layered, loud, and beautiful. From the sting accompanied The Bed to the raucous Actor Out Of Work, Annie Clark was able to craft an album that is both raw and refined. This album sat in the number one spot from the first listen until September, when it was dethroned.

Recommended Tracks: The Bed, The Party, The Neighbors, Laughing With A Mouth Of Blood, The Strangers

1. The Antlers – Hospice

From the first time I heard this record, I knew it was something special, but it wasn't until after a few months that I even considered it for the top spot. An overall theme of hospital life carries throughout the record (morgues, abortions, cancer wards) that keeps it human. The album is both heartbreaking and beautiful, fragile and powerful, mystical and tangible. Lyrically, this is the best record on this list, vocally it is in the Top 3, and musically it is number one by a mile. This is the only album from this year that has a chance at making the top ten of the decade list coming up next week. Do yourself a favor, no matter how you listen to music, put some headphones on, close your eyes, sit in the dark, and listen to this record from beginning to end, you will not regret it.

Recommended Tracks: Wake, Bear, Sylvia, Two, Kettering, Shiva, Atrophy

Honorable Mention: Bon Iver – Blood Bank, Various Artists – Dark Was The Night, Strand Of Oaks – Leave Ruin, Cursive – Mama, I'm Swollen, Jamie T – Kings And Queens, Leonard Cohen – Live In London, and The Avett Brothers – I And Love And You

Top 10 Albums of 2009

2009 was a surprisingly awesome year for music. And not just for alternative rock and music created by independent artists, but even some of the biggest bands in rock put out albums this year that cemented their legacy. Also, we're all witness to how pop music is acquiring more experimental, electronic and dance backgrounds. I like to think the biggest surprise of 2009 was music generated out of Brooklyn, NY, a music-scene that exploded early in the year and propelled young bands into the mainstream, thanks to the TV, film, and the hipster army. With all of this happening in 2009, I’m very much looking forward to the next year and the decade to come. Here are my favorite albums put out this year:

Mike Pop's Top 10 Album of 2009:

10. M. Ward – Hold Time
M. Ward’s songwriting, in my opinion, is like a knowledgeable elder retelling stories to young people and his voice is cordial and soulful. Hold Time is his follow up to 2006’s breakthrough Post-War. And though he commonly works along side Zooey Deschanel in indie folk duo She & Him, it’s great to hear him go it alone (even if Mrs. Zooey Deschanel Gibbard did contribute on two songs; it’s good to have friends).

Suggested Tracks: For Beginners (AKA Mt. Zion), Jailbird, Rave On (Feat. Zooey Deschanel), and Epistemology

9. The xx – xx
Pitchfork media nailed the band’s gimmick on the head when staffer Andrew Gaerig wrote of the band's debut record, "The xx are four 20-year-olds from South London who make predominantly slow, furtive pop music, mostly about sex". This band is young and brilliantly basic, as silence becomes the band's 5th instrument. Though they lost keyboardist-guitarist Baria Qureshiduring during the demanding fall tour, I'd say The xx had one of the best debuts of the year.

Suggested Tracks: VCR, Crystalised, Basic Space, and Night Time

8. Matt & Kim – Grand
A lot can be said for the sound a duo can put out in the 2000s. I like to think it began with The White Stripes and ends with Matt & Kim. If the torch was indeed passed, then Matt & Kim truly elevated the assumption that two musicians using infectious keyboard beats, sing-a-long chants, and a steady percussion section, can turn out a great record. The lead single may have risen to fame due to a recent hip-hop mash-up, but I’ll remember Grand, as a whole, as one of the most likable albums of the year.

Suggested Tracks: Daylight, Cutdown, Lessons Learned, and Don’t Slow Down

7. Discovery – LP
Mark my words, with the critical acclaim this indietronic collaboration of Rostam Batmanglij from Vampire Weekend and Wes Miles from Ra Ra Riot received this year, the duo will put out another record before long. Things seemed to click for these two on LP: the songs are catchy, fun to move to, and haven't been ruined by the media (yet). I think Jim would agree that this album is addicting and quickly becomes the life of any party once cued up.

Suggested Tracks: Osaka Loop Line, So Insane, Swing Tree, and Carby (Feat. Ezra Koening)

6. Arctic Monkeys – Humbug
Once hailed as England’s next big thing, this alternative rock band took a dark turn in 2009. Not for any particular reason other than perhaps reflecting on growing up hopelessly hopeful and in love, in Sheffield during the late 90s and early 00s. The songs on Humbug are more personal, deeper, and sulkier than in any past effort, but it works well for the quartet. Some would say a band’s third album is a make-or-break release, but I believe the Arctic Monkeys already made it to the big times with their first album in 2006.

Suggested Tracks: My Propeller, Crying Lightning, Cornerstone, and Pretty Visitors

5. Big D & The Kids Table – Fluent In Stroll
One of many bands that appear on this list that I witnessed live this year, Big D & The Kids Table took on the subject of love and relationships with the summer’s coolest ska record. I usually enjoy my ska tunes focusing around topics like binge-drinking or attending the hippest party on the east coast, but I am not fighting the direction of this album. Picking up a dub style and female-backing vocals, while dropping the in-your-face punk rock edge, gives us an intimidate take from Boston’s finest.

Suggested Tracks: Doped Up Dollies On A One Way Ticket To Blood, Not Fucking Around, A Kiss A Week, and I,I,I

4. Sonic Youth – The Eternal
Sonic Youth is a band that is eligible for The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and without a shadow of a doubt, I know they'll get in one day. What the band does for alternative music, as well as guitar rock and sound distortion, will be praised further in the future. They've been putting out records since the early 80s, and in the late 00s, they’ve definitely proven a point: if a band can somehow stay true to a form that’s worked in the past and can channel creativity through experience, then an older band can compete with any young guns on the scene today.

Suggested Tracks: Sacred Trickster, Antenna, Malibu Gas Station, and No Way

3. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Dirty Projectors had the biggest breakout of the year and I claim this for many reasons. One is the band's connections. I think David Byrne sees a lot of early Talking Heads in this group and that’s why he’s so compelled to work with them. Another is the band’s stage presence. They've hit up all major late night shows and wow the audience every time with their uncanny vocal stylings. Lastly is the 2009 record that brought the band undeniable success at the mainstream indie rock level and should prompt respect from every other band making music today.

Suggested Tracks: Cannibal Resource, Temecula Sunrise, Stillness Is The Move, and Useful Chamber

2. Bruce Springsteen – Working On A Dream
How could you not hop on The Boss's train this year? The Working On A Dream tour will go down, in many fans' hearts, as one of the best tours in recent history. The later 00s finds Bruce Springsteen reflecting on a simpler life. It’s glorified, but reasonable. The man and his band have done it all in the world of rock and continue to silence doubters. I will forever kick myself for not seeing him when I had the chance. I just hope to God that their will be another tour, to coincide with another brilliant Boss record, in the years to come.

Suggested Tracks: Working On A Dream, What Love Can Do, Life Itself, and The Wrestler

1. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
The tiny, red-headed songstress put out her 2009 record in March and solidified her reign as queen of alternative-country rock. In a year where country music's spotlight shined on female vocalists, Neko Case added the most powerful voice to the obscure genre all year. Her album is an easy-listen, from start to finish, released in a year and time when most people could benefit from a deep breath. Her tunes are conversations, reflections, poems, and prose. She can do all of this on her own and once again, I kick myself for getting hooked onto this record late and not seeing her live at All Points West in August. Middle Cyclone is a concentrated record that hits deep and leaves you floating. And that's why it’s my album of the year.

Suggested Tracks: This Tornado Loves You, People Got A Lotta Nerve, I'm An Animal, and Red Tide

Close Calls:

Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King
Jay Reatard – Watch Me Fall
Pearl Jam – Backspacer
Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It's Blitz!

Wish I Heard More...:

Japandroids, Grizzly Bear, Major Lazer, Passion Pit, and Tegan & Sara

Next Week: Top 30 Songs of the Decade

Top 30 Songs of 2009

It's finally time for NMTM to jump on the bandwagon. All the other music blog sites in the known universe have posted their "Best Of" lists and now it's our turn. 2009 was a great year of breakout artists, return-to-forms, and indie anthems that will be debated on and praised for years to come (here's looking at you, Animal Collective). Low and behold our favorites. We'll have a new list every Monday until January 4th. This week, it's our Top 30 Songs of the year. Let us know your thoughts; do you agree of disagree? Enjoy:

Mike Pop's Top 30 Songs of 2009:

*Note: Here are MY rules: Can't repeat a band or artist and all songs must have been released either on CD, as singles, or as free downloads in 2009. Jim's list is coming shorty.

30. Julian Casablancas – 11th Dimension
29. Discovery – Swing Tree
28. The xx – Crystalised
27. M. Ward – Epistemology
26. The Books (Feat. José González) – Cello Song (Nick Drake Cover)
25. Echo & The Bunnymen – Do You Know Who I Am?
24. Major Lazer (Feat. Mr. Lex & Santigold) – Hold The Line
23. Franz Ferdinand – No You Girls
22. The Drums – Let's Go Surfing
21. Editors – Papillon
20. Bon Iver – Brackett, WI
19. Matt & Kim – Lessons Learned
18. Sonic Youth – Antenna
17. Dirty Projectors – Cannibal Resource
16. Animal Collective – My Girls
15. Death Cab For Cutie – Meet Me On The Equinox
14. Big D & The Kids Table – Not Fucking Around
13. Dave Matthews Band – Why I Am
12. Pearl Jam – The Fixer
11. Silversun Pickups – Substitution
10. Vampire Weekend – Horchata
9. Imogen Heap – First Train Home
8. Jenny Lewis – See Fernando
7. Phoenix – 1901
6. Wilco – Wilco (The Song)
5. Neko Case – This Tornado Loves You
4. The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition
3. Arctic Monkeys – My Propeller
2. Coldplay – Life In Technicolor II
1. Bruce Springsteen – Life Itself

Jim Adair's Top 30 of 2009:

*Note. Same rules as Mike.

30. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll
29. Asobi Seksu – Familiar Light
28. A.A. Bondy – I Can See The Pines Are Dancing
27. Say Hi – Hallie And Henry
26. Strand Of Oaks – End In Flames
25. The National – So Far Around The Bend
24. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Young Adult Friction
23. The Thermals – When I Died
22. Discovery – So Insane
21. Justin Townes Earle – Can't Hardly Wait (The Replacements Cover)
20. Grizzly Bear – While You Wait For The Others
19. Dead Man's Bones – My Body's A Zombie For You
18. Wale (Feat. Lady GaGa ) – Chillin
17. Wild Light – California On My Mind
16. St. Vincent – The Strangers
15. The Mountain Goats – Psalms 40:2
14. Morrissey – Something Is Squeezing My Skull
13. Bon Iver – Blood Bank
12. Wilco – Wilco (The Song)
11. Dirty Projectors (Feat. David Byrne) – Knotty Pine
10. Cursive – From The Hips
9. Company Of Thieves – Oscar Wilde
8. Passion Pit – To Kingdom Come
7. Phoenix – 1901
6. Beirut – My Night With A Prostitute From Marseilles
5. Jamie T. – Sticks N Stones
4. Pela – Juarez
3. The Antlers – Bear
2. Bat For Lashes – Daniel
1. Yeasayer – Ambling Alp

News For Radio Heads (...Radiohead)

The year is 2009. Worldwide panic is not at a Cold War level yet, but things are getting a little crazy. Old people complaining about health care, soldiers dying overseas in what many people believe to be a senseless war, and the world almost destroyed due to swine flu, which was really just a bad cold that people blew out of proportion. But what else? This: an innovative rock band from England, known as Radiohead, continues to cause a stir in the music business. Because they are such legends and have such a mass following, that they have the power to trick and tease and plug and unplug new music.

Those cheeky bastards.

Of course, Radiohead is one of the most dominant bands in the world, even after their early 90's debut, and they continue to amaze and astonish audiences around the world. It seems as though they'll never hit a "prime era", because they've been great since their beginnings. And now, after seven records, many world tours, and being hailed as the future movers and shakers of the world, the band has released two songs that signal debate: a new record? just singles? merely songs? TRIBUTES? RADIOHEAD, PLEASE TELL US YOUR INTENTIONS!

"Harry Patch (In Memory Of)" came out last week. No big buzz beforehand, just a song released on Stereogum with millions of comments and Internet quarrels that follow the post. It's a slower tune about the last surviving WWI veteran, Harry Patch. He died recently, you know. What a war. And I'm not just saying that just because it was a "war". I've done my research. When I can't sleep at night I watch "The Great War In Colour" on YouTube. History buff, right here. Anyway, here you go:

Radiohead - "Harry Patch (In Memory Of)"

The next: "These Are My Twisted Words". Thom Yorke's vocals kick in about 3/4's of the way through, but the instrumentals are what reigns supreme throughout it. Again, a Stereogum hot post. Here you go.

So what's to be said about Radiohead in the later years of this decade? Mischievous? Obscure? Just in so much power, and so aware, but so humble, that they can rule the world with their wit? This is madness. But if it's so wrong, then I don't want to be right.

New Music, Familiar Faces

(Pretty much, courtesy of Stereogum. Duh.)

This week, randomly, out of all the weeks in the year, I decided to finally get into 2009 music. Finally. I felt the urge to check out what all the hubbub was about with some of these newer bands, artists, and songs. It was time to push pause on Springsteen, Heads, and The Mats. It's like learning to ride without training wheels...

I think it's because I'm realizing how much of the year is flying by. I can still remember New Years! (Parts). Maybe it's because a lot of other bloggers out there are starting their midway lists of "Best Of's"; kind of like what we've been doing recently here on NMTM. Whatever set it off for me - good. Because I'm liking what I'm hearing.

I'm doing many a-downloads and being optimistic about some of this, while throwing others out the window without a fair shake (Who/what is/are Wavves?). Here's some newbies, but surprisingly, from some of modern rock's highest rollers. Enjoy:

Arctic Monkeys - "Crying Lightning"

A bit of a darker side of the Monkeys on this one, but still cool and I'm still looking forward to seeing them at All Points West in a few weeks.

Foo Fighters - "Wheels"
Still kickin'. Plus, they're cool with the White House.

Imogen Heap - "Last Train Home"

She's back and this, her first single off her latest album Ellipse, is wonderful.

Wilco - "Wilco (The Song)"
A song you need and band you need to be acquainted with immediately.

*And here's some semi-old stuff (but it's new for me, so back off!):

Cage The Elephant - "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked"
Thanks 101.9 RXP for drilling this into my brain.

Dinosaur Jr. - "I Want You To Know"
Proving that grey-haired men can still rock.

Dirty Projectors - "Knotty Pine (Feat. David Byrne)"
Can't get too far away from Talking Heads this summer. Not sure why, but maybe it's because I finally watched Stop Making Sense.

Ganglians - "Hair"
Another MMJ/BoH type band, but worth a listen.

Major Lazer - Hold The Line (Feat. Mr. Lex & Santigold)

Great music video, great teamwork. Nuff said.

Neko Case - "This Tornado Loves You"

This blogger likes you.

What else should I be hearing? Help me out, people! Peace for now.

We Got Our Schedule! Same As Before! Repitition!

Believe it or not, this little number was a painstakingly long process.
I need to hire someone to do legit Photoshop jobs for us.
Wait: Blurry, too? Fuck this...

Okay, so some important things happened today:

1. President-elect Obama got sworn into office.
C-ya later, Bush. You were absolutely horrendous.


2. Ted Kennedy's health is sinking fast.
Another dead Kennedy. Not good.


3. Oh, and NEVER MIND THE FUCKING MAINSTREAM IS BACK!!!

!!!

We're excited. Can you tell? You know what's also sweet? I don't have to re-write too much, because we're on at the same time and day as last semester! Lucky us. But more importantly, luck you. What a momentous day. Fun posters and music news to come. People, nation, citizens, rock lovers, enjoy this hand-me-down post while I go grab a beer:

We got a pretty solid time slot and we're going to use it to the best of our advantage. Now, we're only on once a week, so get your alternative and indie rock dosage when you can. Here it is:

Every Friday: 6-8 PM!

Wanna know how to listen? Of course you do. Here are all the fascinating ways you can do so:

88.3 FM & 1670 AM (If you're in the Kutztown, PA area)
Service Electric Channel 24 (Kutztown, PA)
Hometown Utilicom Channel 41 (Kutztown, PA)
On The Web (via our web stream) @ http://kur.kutztown.edu

For more information and other fun stuff, head over to KUR's official website here.

We're excited. We're pumped. We're going to rock. And we're going to be on the air on...

JANUARY 30, 2009 (6-8 PM)!

You do not want to miss this. More to come. Peace.

David Bowie - DJ

We are DJs. We are what we play.