2012 Review: Top 50 Songs (10-1)

And finally, we've reached the top 10 songs of 2012. There was a lot of great music released this year and of all of those songs these are the 10 best. Take a listen, leave a comment and most of all enjoy.

2012 Review: Top 50 Songs (20-11)

This is where things start to get really good. Out of the tens of thousands of songs that came out this year, over the next two days the 20 best will be revealed. If you missed any of the previous days go back and check them out (50-41, 40-31, 31-21) and be sure to come back tomorrow for the definitive top 10 songs of 2012.

2012 Review: Top 50 Songs (31-21)

Due to a slight oversight, in my original making of the list, everything has been moved back one spot and this list has become the top 51 songs of 2012. Whoops. Anyway, go back and check out 50-41 and 40-31 from Friday and Saturday and keep checking back for the top 20. 

2012 Review: Top 50 Songs (40-31)

The top 50 continues with #s 40-31. Be sure to look back at 50-41 from yesterday if you missed it and check back tomorrow as the list continues.

2012 Review: Top 50 Songs (50-41)

December is always an exciting time for media lovers and list lovers alike. Its a time to revisit all those things (albums, books, films, concerts, plays, etc.) that we loved and obsessively turn those things into lists. So during this relative dry period, in terms of new music releases, go back and revisit the best that 2012 had to offer. I will be revealing my top 50 songs of the year over the next few days. Once again, I've followed my rule of one song per artist to give the most complete possible picture of music in 2012.

Listen: Titus Andronicus' New Album, Local Business

"Okay, I think now that we've established everything is inherently worthless, and there's nothing in the universe with any kind of objective purpose."

I cannot think of a line that better encapsulates what Titus Andronicus is all about. Lyrically, "Local Business" has a lot of similar themes to their previous albums (minus the whole civil war plot of course) but musically this is a much different record from their brilliant sophomore album "The Monitor". "Local Business" has substituted many of the overly dramatic (in the best way possible) elements from "The Monitor" for a more straight forward and raw rock n' roll record. Follow the link below to stream the album in its entirety over at NPR's First Listen.

Titus Andronicus - Local Business

American Freedom Defense Initiative Post Anti-Jihad Ads in NYC Subways

It is rare that I ever feel the need to speak about things going on in the world. Normally, I take everything that happens with a massive grain of salt and reconcile with the fact that the world is fucked and go on living. However, every now and again something irritates me to the point where I feel a burning desire to say something. Anything.

If you aren't familiar with the situation, a pro-Israel group, the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) have recently postered the NYC subway system with signs comparing Jihadists to savages and calling for the support of Israel. The MTA originally tried to block the ads but the AFDI won the ensuing court and as a result the signs were posted yesterday.

Before I get to talking about my main issue with the signs, I feel that I should make two things clear. First, I am in no way trying to say the AFDI are not well within the constitutional rights to post these ads. They rightfully won their court battle with the MTA and should be allowed to post these signs according the United States Constituion. Second, I wholeheartedly disagree with the message put forth by these posters. To relegate any group of human beings to that of a savage is wrong no matter the atrocities they may have committed. Doing so is counterproductive to the goal trying to be accomplished by this organization and takes away any credibility this organization has with the "civilized" people they are trying to appeal to.

Now to the main point of my writing this.

How simpleminded and obtuse can this organization possibly be? If these people are the "savages" you suggest, then how does publicly antagonizing them serve any purpose? The ads have been posted in the aftermath of violent reactions to an anti-Islam YouTube video that ridicules the Prophet Mohammed. The AFDI claims they are trying to protect innocent people from "the tens of thousands of rockets going into Southern Israel from Gaza. The blowing up of a bus of Jewish women and children in Bulgaria." While these are undoubtedly abhorrent acts that deserve retribution, how do these ads do anything but exacerbate the situation? The answer: "they don't".

The only purpose the ads serve is to potentially endanger the millions of innocent people that ride the subway every single day. We have already seen the reaction to the YouTube video in the middle east and now with these signs, it feels as though its only a matter of time before there is a reaction in New York City.

Its extremely disconcerting that this organization cannot see the fundamental flaws in this ad-campaign and have gone ahead despite the public outcry. The executive director of the AFDI, Pamela Geller was quoted as saying "I will not sacrifice my freedom of speech so as not to defend a savages." It is this kind of short-sighted fulfillment of constitutional rights, without internalizing the potential consequences, that endangers the American way of life conservatives like Pamela Geller work so hard to protect.

Titus Andronicus - "In A Big City"

Patrick Stickles and co. are back with their follow up to 2010's The Monitor. The new album, due out October 22nd via XL recordings, is entitled Local Business and you can now listen to the first single "In a Big City".

Judging by the first song, we're all in for another brilliant album and more hilarious commentaries on the current state of the world. "I grew up on one side of the river, I was a distrubed dangerous drifter. Moved over to the other side of the river, now I'm a drop in a deluge of hipsters," is just one of the gems from this great new track. I, for one, am very excited!

Stream the new Grizzly Bear album over at NPR

The most handsome band in indie rock is back with a follow-up to their universally acclaimed 2009 album Veckatimest. The album, which featured the band's breakthrough song "Two Weeks" and the heartbreakingly beautiful "Foreground", provided the listener with beautifully crafted vocal harmonies and picture-perfect production values. In other words, the album could not have sounded any better.

You can now stream the new album, Shields, over at NPR by following the link below. Enjoy!

Grizzly Bear - Shields

Touche Amore - "Whale Belly"

I can't believe a band with this kind of touring schedule had any time at all to write and record a new song, but somehow, Touche Amore have gotten in the studio and created an absolute beast in the form of "Whale Belly". The song comes from an upcoming 7" split with The Casket Lottery. The split will feature one original song and one cover from each band. Touche Amore will have this song and a cover of "Unsatisfied" by The Replacements (Rad!). The Casket Lottery's new track will be called "White Lies" and they will tackle a cover of "Myth" by Beach House (Double Rad!). Could this be any more awesome!?!??  Check out "Whale Belly" below via NPR!


  Touche Amore - "Whale Belly"

Throwback Thursday

While in the beautiful city of Minneapolis this summer, I was reminded what it was like to have a quality local radio station. I was lucky enough to be introduced to Minnesota's Public Radio station, 89.3 The Current. Enjoying the tunes as a few friends and I rode around the city, my attention was grabbed as the radio waves pummeled me with a song that was so overwhelmingly 80s, it brought an instant smile and head nod. Everyone in the car's face underwent the exact same transformation.

The song was the 1985 masterpiece, "The Whole of the Moon" by The Waterboys off their album This is the Sea. As soon as I returned home, the first thing on my list of things to do was acquire this song and since then I've listened to almost nothing else. 

Enjoy!

Stream the new album by The xx

The xx follow up their universally loved, self-titled debut with Coexist which will be out a week from today, September 11th. For now, you can head over to NPR and stream it before you buy. Just follow the link below.

The xx - Coexist on NPR's first listen

Throwback Thursday (on Friday)

After a recent eviction, a bout with homelessness/couch surfing and a summer of travelling around New England and the Midwest, A Brief Intermission is back! And seeing as its a Thursday, I'm coming back with a throwback for ya'll.

It had been a while since I listened to Rumours by Fleetwood Mac and then somewhere on the backroads of Northern Pennsylvania, we popped it on the iPod. Recorded amid personal turmoil, "Dreams" documents Stevie Nicks' tumultuous relationship with guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. The song is based on a dancey drumbeat, ambient instrumentation and beautiful vocal harmonies, especially during the powerhouse chorus.

Enjoy!

2011 Review: Top 10 Albums

I still can't get over how incredible 2011 has been in terms of music. There were so many exciting new artists bursting onto the scene (WU LYF, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Yuck, ASAP Rocky) while many other well already established artists expanded on and experimented with their sound to create something completely different (The Antlers, Bon Iver, Toro Y Moi).

And while its already been noted in various other publications, one can't help but draw parallels between the current climate of the music world to the current climate of the world. With exciting, democratic uprisings occurring the world over (Arab Spring, Occupy Movement), the people are joining together in search of change. Similarly, the "underground" has seemingly taken over the established norm and the major, corporate labels no longer rule the music industry. With all of the social networking devices, artists can build a brand for themselves without any need for the big budget that comes with a major label contract. As long as their willing to work, artists can find some sort of audience and without the meddling of big businesses worried about sales figures, the art is more pure and the listeners are reaping all of the benefits.

And now, without further ado, out of all the hundreds of albums and all the thousands of songs, here are the top 10 albums of 2011!

2011 Review: Top 50 Songs: Top 10!

After a 4 day journey through 40 songs, we've arrived at the top 10. Thanks for reading and listening and make sure you take a look back at the other songs in the top 50 if you missed them. Enjoy!

2011 Review: Top 50 Songs (20-11)

And we're down to the home stretch with the top 50 songs of 2011. Be sure to take a look back at the previous 30 songs and come back tomorrow for the top 10! Enjoy!

2011 Review: Top 50 Songs (30-21)

We're 20 songs into the top 50 of the year and with some very slight adjustments after a listen to the entire list last night, here are the next 10 songs (30-21). Make sure you check back at numbers 50-41 and 40-31 if you missed them and keep checking back for the top 20!

2011 Review: Top 50 Songs (40-31)

Yesterday marked the beginning of a 5 day quest to reveal the top 50 songs of 2011. If you missed it follow the link to check out numbers 50 -41. Today, I will be revealing the next 10 (40-31) and from the look of it we have a very eclectic mix of songs ahead. Enjoy!

2011 Review: Top 50 Songs (50-41)

The 2011 year in review continues with the top 50 songs. Over the next 5 days I will be revealing my top 50 songs of this year 10 at a time. In making this list I only followed one real rule; one song per artist. When I started making it, I had over 200 songs in contention and in a painstaking process (actually it was kind of enjoyable revisiting all the songs) whittled it down to the 50 you will see over the next few days. Now without further ado, here are numbers 50-41.

2011 Review: 25 Great "Rock" Releases (The Honorable Mention)

This year had so many great albums that a singular top 10 was just not quite enough; too many other albums deserved at least a mention. There was the Top 10 hiphop/R&B list posted earlier this week and this here is essentially an extended honorable mention for the other rock albums this year. An overall top 10 is coming later this month with proper write ups and in an effort to preserve the suspense, none of those albums will be included. In the meantime, enjoy this list and give a listen to some of these excellent albums if you haven't already.