Staff Recommendations: February 26th, 2012
 

So it's Sunday, late Sunday -- and I haven't gotten the Sunday recs up (yet). That's what happens when you eat too much and get distracted watching cartoons on Netflix. Yes, that's exactly what I was doing. Judge me all you want - it was awesome. Here's what that staff recommend this week; add yours below.

Jason Tate

I spent the week listening to Eve 6 to prepare for their upcoming album (Horrorscope is a long time favorite that I think holds up really well), and of course I was telling everyone I know to listen to the new fun album. So do that too. I am shouting down the hall to ask the wife what she recommends you check out. She says: Geographer, The Big Pink, and Matt and Kim. She's my guest for the day - check it out. I enjoyed the movie "Conversations with Other Women" on Netflix streaming the other night - so, if you're looking for something different to watch - very dialog driven - check that out.

Christian Wagner

Stray From The Path released such an amazing record in Rising Sun. Also got to see the new Warped Tour documentary and will have my thoughts up in the next couple of days on that. Check out a very catchy pop rock band called Catch Me If You Can that remind me of Cartel and old Hit The Lights. Now giving Race The Sun some love on my iPod...

Blake

Basement released an album late last year called I Wish I Could Stay Here that is very good. They are a Run For Cover band, so that should give you a hint at their sound, but it's pretty much well-done, 25 year-old pop-punk. I also spun The Hold Steady's Stay Positive this week, and was once again reminded how fun it is to listen to Craig Finn just tell stories. It always reminds me a lot of the lifestyle I lived in college (which maybe is an indictment I shouldn't make, but whatever). Visit that again if life is feeling a bit bland. Go out and make a bad decision or (if you're me this weekend) ten.

Adam Pfleider

Haven't rec'd in a while. Been rocking fun.'s Some Nights a good bit. Also loving the new The Forecast record. Nothing's drastically changed, just another solid record by the quartet. Catchy hooks both lyrically and vocally. For a heavier side of things, Narrows' Painted is living up to my expectations. I find something new I love about it with every listen. Really glad Ryan Frederiksen is playing guitar in something again. Also rocking all the old Evergreen 7" records I found this week (now if someone will just sell me Seven Songs at a REASONABLE PRICE. Yes, I do know the back story as to why that record is expensive.)

Ryan Gardner

Nice and warm in Dallas this week. Therefore, I've been rocking Man Overboard and Handguns - saw them both last night - Every Avenue, and some good ol' Fall Out Boy.

Alex DiVincenzo

I spent the last week or so going through Bright Eyes' discography.

Wife digs good music. impressed.

Just got into Mo Mo. Highly recommend Waves and Pneuma.

Some Nights
Given to the Wild
All Things Must Pass

Damien Jurado

Been a Frightened Rabbit kind of week for me.

Vanity score is a jam

Fuck these music recommendations, I want to know what cartoons you were watching.

Matt and Kim is always good. I listen to Grand quite frequently.

fun. - Some Nights
Lovedrug - Wild Blood
Fall Out Boy - From Under The Corked Tree

Ridgeway

Iron man. I am a giant child.

fun. - Some Nights
Hit The Lights - Invicta
La Dispute - Somewhere at the Bottom

Sooooommmeeee Niiiiiiiiiiights!

Adventure Time.

Streetlight Manifesto - Somewhere In The Between,
Future Idiots - Love and Murder,
Driver Friendly - Bury A Dream,
Lovedrug - Wild Blood,
fun. - Some Nights,
Ambassadors - Litost


The Flinstones and the original Pokemon series. :D

Digimon Season 1 and The Walking Dead.

Ben Howard: Every Kingdom

Ben Kweller: Go Fly a Kite

Rosebuds: Loud Planes Fly Low

Travis: The Man Who

Teenage Fanclub: Grand Prix

Sullivan-Hey, I'm a Ghost

Is it the one that showed on UPN on Saturday mornings? Please tell me it is.


Do you watch Regular Show?

Hipster cat never gets old.

Horrorscope is so good.

Jason, I promise not to try to fuck with yooouurrrr, MIND.

REGULAR SHOW OR GTFO

x

Blake or Adam may or may not like John Mayer.

Check out forward by them. You'll dig :)

Matt and Kim are really good live

ISIS & Crystal Castles.

hahaha. here's my thing about John Mayer. he's an EXTREMELY talented guitarist. you can't deny that. I really hate that first record, and it took me til that TRIO! record for me to give him credit where credit's due. that said, at least he's showcasing his talent in the best way and giving the major airwaves some much needed talent.

I love that marvel put all those early 90s cartoons up. too good.

I did watch a bit of Street Sharks on Netflix. It was jawesome!

I guess I am the only one on this site that was not really impressed with the new Fun. album. I will give it more listens this week and see if it can grow on me. I think it is a solid album but the songs just don't feel memorable and I even find myself skipping songs. I want to like Some Nights more but I will have to just settle for considering it solid at very least. I understand why people are hyped about it and what not. Some Nights intro and then Some Nights are some of Fun.'s best songs but from there it is really hard for me to pick out favorites. We Are Young grew on me. It Gets Better and Stars are just not fun for me to listen to. I wish the band as much success as possible but also hope that the next records sounds new and fresh again so I might be able to enjoy. I am not close minded I just don't really care for hip hop or its production (I have tried to like lots of forms of music and don't like everything).
Also the kanye west influences also sorta kill it for me because I just think he has bad character as much as I don't care for his music. Not trying to come off as pretentious as I respect fun. greatly and hard working artists in genres that I don't even listen to. I just found Some Nights to be a let down overall. I will come back to it when I have had time to listen to other good new music.

You don't have to apologize for not liking an album. I'm not a big fan of Some Nights either.

I personally feel bad about it cause I wish them the best with the album. I wanted to enjoy it a lot more than I did. I actually liked We Are Young and was stoked for the album. The band is incredibly talented and the the album still has some all star songs but I am surprised I could not get into this. Reminds me when everyone loved the new album by The Cab and I could not get into any of that despite wishing them the best.

Saw this band open for O'Brother and Junius in Grand Rapids on Thursday, and I was beyond impressed. RIYL: Typhoon, Fleet Foxes, Her Name Is Calla


Facebook page

Basement needs more love around here.

ALL THE LIGHTS ARE OUT IN YOUR HOUSE, YOU'RE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND

women- public strain. still can't believe chris passed away this week. such an amazing guitarist.

Also, I just spent an hour walking around barefoot in the freezing cold, listening and singing along to music that reminds me of my best friends. Made me so happy.

Finally got a chance to listen to Evening by Mae and wow what a beautiful record

This week:

Islands
fun.
Spiritualized
Air
Brother Ali

Tamers is where it's at.

Really like Some Nights a lot, but it definitely didn't blow me away, as some seem to feel. Either way - there's no denying the amount of talent on that record or in that band. Just great stuff.

What's really taken me by surprise is the new Menzingers album On the Impossible Past. First time giving these guys a listen, and really love this album. Highly recommend you check it out...it really has that feel of a "lasting" album that will always be meaningful and real, even years down the road.

Can't recommend them enough either. It's so tragic he's too young. With him being dead Public Strain has a whole new feeling to it. That album deserves so much more praise than it gets.


And....
Burn the Boats- Farewell Republic

No love for No Trigger on here? Their new album is killer.

New Cheap Girls is awesome. Same with Nada Surf.

Sims - Bad Time Zoo
Above and Beyond - Group Therapy
fun. - Some Nights
Feed Me - Escape From Electric Mountain
Doomtree - No Kings

My girlfriend also had our first child on 2/22. That was pretty awesome.

Watched the entire second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender the other night. I seriously can't think of a child's cartoon with better writing. So good.

frank turner kind of night right now

http://toonamiaftermath.com

That instrumental piano piece is so wonderful.

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UNRELATED:
Am I missing something? Wasn't there supposed to be a huge update to AP.net last fall? The only thing that looks like it's changed since is the homepage (and only slightly. It's just mirrored.) Where is this supposed new version of AP?

Adam has the new Forecast album already? Extremely jealous. I can't wait to hear it!