Harry Styles - "Aperture"

"Aperture," the first taste of Harry Styles' upcoming record Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally, shows Styles leaning into a more dance-centric direction. Borrowing from the LCD Soundsystem playbook, the track starts with a low throb, and slowly builds on more and more layers. It's intriguing, and makes me excited to hear the rest of the album.

Hard-Fi - "Don't Go Making Plans"

UK indie-rock act Hard-Fi made a splash in the mid-2000s - early 2010s with their infectious, funky sound. Their first new song in over a decade is the bass-heavy, disco rocker "Don't Go Making Plans." It has a Blur/Happy Mondays/LCD Soundsystem party vibe.

Tatyana - "Down Bad"

Tatyana's debut album It's Over is a strikingly assured collection of avant-pop bangers. "Down Bad" rides squelchy synths over LCD Soundsystem-like dance-punk beats.

IDLES ft. LCD Soundsystem - "DANCER"

Muscular post-punk meets dance-punk on this intriguing collaboration between IDLES and LCD Soundsystem. The track will be included on IDLES' upcoming album TANGK. 

Jam of the Day: The Juan Maclean - "Feel Like Movin'"

More euphoric house music perfection from The Juan Maclean and Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem. This is the perfect song to get you amped up for the weekend.

Jam of the Day: Cherry Glazerr - "Time to Get Away (LCD Soundsystem Cover)"

LA indie rockers Cherry Glazerr take on LCD Soundsystem's funky minimal classic track "Time to Get Away." You can listen to it here.

Jam of the Day: Low Island - "In Person"

If you love LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip, you will adore this upbeat dance track from UK quartet Low Island.

2017 Favorite Albums (Numbers 30-21)

And my countdown continues:

30.  Lomelda - THX

Completely gorgeous collection of songs that would perfectly soundtrack a cross-country trip; cinematic, rustic, haunted, and lonely. A true gem.








29.  Kllo - Backwater

Melbourne electronic duo Kllo hold up to the promise of their earlier singles and EPs with their debut full-length Backwater. What surprises me most about this LP is how you think you know where their songs are going, but they end up finding their own path.







28.  NOVAA & LO - Lights

This collaboration between electronic artists NOVAA and LO merges their sensibilities together into one of the most cohesive albums of the year. It flows seamlessly between deep house cuts, bass heavy explorations, and downtempo soundscapes. NOVAA's voice has never sounded so lilting and lovely.






27.  Four Tet - New Energy

With New Energy, Four Tet doesn't reinvent himself again, or charge forth in new, unexpected directions. Instead, he takes a breather, a momentary victory lap to reflect over his career, and makes some of his most intimately rewarding electronic compositions.






26.  Jaws of Love - Tasha Sits Close to the Piano

This solo project from Local Natives' singer Kelcey Ayer, brings his haunted voice into full focus on these elegant ballads.









25.  Beach Fossils - Somersault

Intricate guitar work, killer melodies, lush harmonies, jaunty strings, and a general sun-kissed warmth infect these songs from Beach Fossils. They will never be avant-garde or experimental (I hope), but they get more and more solid with each record. They are that dependable friend who always is fun to hang out with.






24.  Cut Copy - Haiku From Zero

Front to back, this was one of the most solid dance-rock records this year; full of subtle, fun touches that catch you off guard.









23.  LCD Soundsystem - American Dream

With the country hurled into the shitter with Trump as President, we needed a sign that things would get better, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  LCD Soundsystem came back roaring to life.  It's a pretty bright light.







22.  Grizzly Bear - Painted Ruins

I will admit the first few times I listened to Painted Ruins I was not overly impressed. It seemed too "clean" and too "neat and tidy." It wasn't until my fifth and sixth listens that the whole work came into being. It can't be compared to the brilliant song cycle that was Veckatimest, the raging beast folk of Yellow House, or even the angular oddities of Shields, because it is its own work of art. It is Grizzly Bear simply being Grizzly Bear, and I appreciate that.




21.  The National - Sleep Well Beast

Adding more electronic elements and even, gasp, a guitar solo here and there, does not fundamentally alter what makes this a great record from The National. You get a band that knows each other intimately, and how to push their sound without total reinvention each time. You also get more beautiful lyrics from Matt Berninger, who catalogs the day-to-day musings, hopes, loves, and fears of the generations of men and women lost in this journey called life.

Jam of the Day: LCD Soundsystem - "tonite"

Throbbingly sexy dance track from LCD Soundsystem that will have you dancing so quickly you won't realize the song is about death.

Jam of the Day: LCD Soundsystem - "Call the Police"

LCD Soundsystem come roaring back to life with with this blistering track full of signature LCD sounds: chugging bassline, sparkling synths, wailing guitars, and James Murphy's wry vocals.

Non-Sequiturs

Sexy man.

Grrrr.

Beautiful stomach.

Damn.

Nice and fit.

Yum.

Nothing to complain about here.

Or there.

A little lower next time.

Beef!

Something very sexy about a man in a white shirt and tie.

Lovely beard.

Woof.

Daddy!

Amazing body.

Sexy fur.

SBJ.

Adorable.

Gorgeous.

Wow.

Very hot.

I want to bury my face in that fur.

Grrrrr.

Solid.

Damn hot.

Anyone can call themselves a photographer or a DJ, however, both are an art form and not just anyone can call themselves an artist.

I really don't like it when people I don't know invade my personal space.

Seriously, where is my damn red panda!

The new album from Dutch Uncles is growing on me, however, you can tell they were listening to the Arcadia album an awful lot.

The people we left Europe to get away from are now here.

Note to self, don't rub eyes after putting Purell on your hands.

My thoughts exactly.

A day on Venus lasts longer than a year on Venus.

My Coachella envy is at maximum impact.

On Easter Sunday I managed to ask two separate people about their other halves and discovered that their relationships were not doing well. That created some awkward silences.

I find it funny that whenever I tell someone I am a lawyer most people assume I am super rich or something.

I didn't think I liked my latest haircut, but this morning I am starting to like it better.

LOL.  I love the look on the cat's face in the next to last frame.

The other day I almost said some words I thought I would never utter, that a man was too hairy. Thankfully, I stopped myself.

It would be nice if there was at least a month where there were no professional or college sporting events.

I hate when one project ends and I have to do the mad scramble to find something else. Thankfully, it appears I won't have too big a gap between my next project.

I am really looking forward to Provincetown this summer.

Did Van Halen really need to get back together again?

This makes me feel old.

It is dangerous being within walking distance of both Dairy Queen and Zaxby's.

Either I am getting Alzheimer's or I am just getting older, but I can't remember anyone's damn name anymore.

Is it just me, or is chunky Chris Pratt hotter than buff Chris Pratt?

I have been practicing E-Discovery law for over 7 years now and it never ceases to amaze me how many people think they know how to do my job because it is just "document review." To my satisfaction, it always comes back to bite them in the ass, and after I clean up their unholy mess of things, they never make the same mistake again.

So cute.

Why yes, I do give a fuck about an Oxford comma.

I don't understand the appeal of guns.

If you have horrible music taste, there is absolutely no way I could date you (if I was single that is).

A partner on my floor practically races down the hallway at top speed no matter if he is actually in a hurry or not. Watching him exhausts me.

Christians need to stop hiding behind their "faith" as an excuse for discrimination. Just own up to being a bigot.

In this new job, I have definitely figured out that when things are going smoothly, a speed bump is always coming up.

Your cute for the day.

Lyrics Rattling Around My Brain

"You said we should look out further
I guess it wouldn't hurt us
We don’t have to be around all these coffee shops

Now we've got that percolator
Never made a latte greater.
I’m saving 23 dollars a week

We drive to a house in Preston
We see police arresting
A man with his hand in a bag.

Hows that for first impressions
This place seems depressing
It’s a Californian bungalow in a cul-de-sac

Its got a lovely garden
A garage for two cars to park in
Or a lot of room for storage if you've just got one

And its going pretty cheap you say
Well it’s a deceased estate
Aren't the pressed metal ceilings great?

Then I see the handrail in the shower
A collection of those canisters for coffee tea and flour
And a photo of a young man in a van in Vietnam

And I cant think of floorboards anymore
Whether the front room faces south or north
And I wonder what she bought it for

If you've got a
Spare half a million

You could knock it down
And start rebuilding

If you've got a
Spare half a million

You could knock it down
And start rebuilding

If you've got a
Spare half a million

You could knock it down
And start rebuilding

If you've got a
Spare half a million

You could knock it down
And start rebuilding."

Courtney Barnett
"Depreston"

"Everybody makes mistakes
But I feel alright when I come undone
You are not making me wait
But it seems alright as long as something's happening
I try to make you late
But you fighting me off like a fire does
You try making me wait
But it feels alright as long as something's happening

Get your payments from the nation
For your trials and tribulations

You try to make me wait
You come around when it's come undone
Everybody makes you late
And it's never you because you're always thinking
I try making you wait
And give you me some like you give it good
Everybody makes mistakes
But it seems it's mine that always keep on stinging

Get your payments from the nation
For your trials and tribulations
Get your payments from the nation
For your trials and tribulations

You try making me wait
But you come undone when you come undone
Everybody makes mistakes
But it's always mine that seem to keep on sticking

Get your payments from the nation
For your trials and tribulations."

LCD Soundsystem
"Tribulations"

Appealing Things

Cheap Uber rides
Spring days in Atlanta
Getting back into the show Revenge
Stuffed bell peppers
Hanging with friends on Easter Sunday

Annoying Things

Pollen
People who overly pronounce foreign words when they come up in everyday English conversation
Being given an unreasonable deadline
People who are not "ready"