Blushing - "Sugarcoat"

The title track off the Austin, TX shoegaze/dream pop quartet Blushing's new record gives serious Lush/Warpaint vibes with its reverb-drenched guitars, oceanic bassline, and ethereal harmonies. The entire album is like a blast from the 90s-alt rock realm. I dig it.

Mint Field - "Antes de Que Se Acabe el Año"

"Antes de Que Se Acabe el Año" is the atmospheric closing track to Mexican dream pop duo Mint Field's third album Aprender A Ser. Haunting, Warpaint-like harmonies flicker over pillowy synths and echoing drum machines.

Warpaint - "Hips"

After a 6-year absence, Warpaint returns with their new record Radiate Like This. "Hips" is a slinky, groovy, moody track that hits all of Warpaint's signature high points.  

Jam of the Day: TT - "Safe"

Warpaint’s guitarist and vocalist Theresa Wayman has released her first solo album under the name TT. The album leans more towards the electronic elements of her band's output, with Wayman crafting intricately complex sounds. Standout track "Safe" builds off a loping drum loop and samples, adding Wayman's dreamy vocals in multiple layers. You can listen to it here at Spotify.

Jam of the Day: TT - "I've Been Fine"

Warpaint's Theresa Wayman is set to release her first solo album LoveLaws, under the moniker TT. "I've Been Fine" is a dreamy yet sinister track that slowly builds into a maelstrom of industrial textures.

2016 Favorite Albums (Numbers 10-1)

Without further ado, here are my top ten albums of 2016:

10.

Warpaint - Heads Up

Perfect mixture of their first album's driving post-punk and their sophomore album's murky electronics.

9.

Porches - Pool

Water themes abound in this haunting collection of synth pop masterpieces.

8.

The Weeknd - Starboy

The Weeknd is now firmly entrenched as a pop star, and he takes it to the next level with this deliciously varied set of R&B, pop, and electronic tracks.

7.

James Blake - The Colour in Anything

Yes, it is way too long and needed some judicious editing. With that said, the jewels here far outnumbered the duds. Further exploring that wonderful voice, Blake married it to the most richly textural electronics in recent memory. Each song is deeply felt, and is akin to aural sculpture.

6.

Beyonce - Lemonade

Only someone of Queen Bey's stature release an album about her husband's infidelity (with his assistance) and come out stronger and better than ever. This is a ferocious record that has Bey trying on all sorts of different musical looks, and making them all work for her.

5.

Solange - A Seat at the Table

While her sister's album has garnered a lot of attention, it wasn't enough to overshadow this stunning record. For me, Solange just barely edges out Bey, more because this album felt more like a cohesive cycle of songs about what it means to be black and a woman in these times. It also skyrockets Solange into the upper echelons of songwriters. A truly amazing experience.

4.

Beacon - Escapements

Ice cold synths and whispered vocals propel these tracks, reflecting on time, love, and memory. While to some this minimalism may be off putting, but for me, this duo expertly keeps you focused on their intricate productions. As the album journeys forward, the intensity rises, and by album's end, you are taken aback by how they have added more acoustic elements into the mix, showing that there is a beating heart at the center of things.

3.

David Bowie - Blackstar

What more there is to say about Bowie? It is likely that we will never ever see anyone like him every again. He left this world a fitting epitaph to his life and work, the stunning Blackstar. For an album that is mostly about ruminations on death, there is a creative vitality to this work that shows the life still emanating from this great man. RIP David Bowie. My life has been better for having had you exist in it.

2.

Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

Aside from "Burn the Witch," A Moon Shaped Pool is Radiohead's quietest record, full of ballads and lullabies. There is a despondency in these songs that is heartbreaking. Thom Yorke's haunting, very human voice gives the album its center and keeps it from being too morose. Radiohead are never satisfied with doing things the same way each time. It's a testament to their career, that they keep pushing the envelope, and A Moon Shaped Pool is certainly no exception.

1.

Haelos - Full Circle

I am sure most people are like, who? And, why this album? At the beginning of this year, I was tasked with taking the California bar exam, and this record was basically my life-line back to reality. I had very little free time while going through that experience and I would pretty much listen to it early in the morning when going to the gym and through getting to and from work. There is nothing ground-breaking about their sound. It's an update on 90s trip-hop, but there is a wonderful, warm glow beneath the sounds. The harmonies especially are magical. While the songs all touch on the hardships of love, and the hardships of existing in this insane world, that underlying warmth provided hope. We all need hope. That is why this is my record of the year. It's gorgeous.

2016 Favorite Songs (Numbers 20-11)

Getting closer to the top:

20. Frank Ocean - "Nights"

I am not a huge fan of his album Blond, and I think I must be one of the few that was immune to it. With that said, this song was what I wanted the album to be, emotionally grounded and yet experimental. This track can be listened to here on Spotify.

19. A Tribe Called Quest - "We the People..."



So glad these guys are back. And this song speaks to the times we live in.

18. Ariana Grande - "Thinking About You"



I went with this song because it showcases her amazing vocal range and, also, it is a fucking killer ballad.

17. Beacon - "Escapements"



Icy synth pop that still has a human heart beating underneath.

16. Totemo - "Prime"



Totemo has a way of making her songs feel like inhabitable dwellings. You feel the creak of floors, the shutting of doors. This song feels like a journey from dark corners into the light of day.

15. Róisín Murphy - "Thoughts Wasted"



Amazingly quirky pop song from the incomparable Ms. Murphy. The spoken word interlude is devastating.

14. The Weeknd - "Secrets"

This track can be listened to here on Spotify.

One of the best pop tracks of the year. I love how he keeps his voice in a lower register. And the sample of Tears for Fears' "Pale Shelter" is killer.

13. Local Natives - "Fountain of Youth"



This song gives me goosebumps every time.

12. Warpaint - "New Song"



"Because of you/I am where I belong."

11. Alicia Keys - "In Common"



Alicia Keys definitely makes a dysfunctional relationship sound sexy.

Jam of the Day: Warpaint - "Dre"

From their brilliant new record Heads Up, Warpaint crafted this tribute to one of their influences Dr. Dre. You can listen to it here.

Jam of the Day: Warpaint - "New Song"

Whirling rush of a song from the upcoming new Warpaint record Heads Up.

My Favorite 25 Albums of 2014: 10-6

And we've reached my top ten records of the year. Here's 10-6, with my top 5 records coming up tomorrow:

10.

Hercules and Love Affair - The Feast of the Broken Heart

What do you do when you release a near-perfect debut album? With Hercules and Love Affair you release Blue Songs and attempt to marry your House music explorations with arty flights of fancy that tend to sink the ship rather than propel it forward. After this slight misstep, Andy Butler and company almost go back to square one, stripping things back to their essence, and joining these tracks with vocalists who neither overshadow the songs or get crushed under their waves. The Feast of the Broken Heart is a massive return to form, and with deep-voiced singer John Grant, they have almost found someone to transcend their work with Antony Hegarty, which is no mean feat in and of itself.

9.

Arca - Xen

Venezuelan producer Arca, born Alejandro Ghersi, has made a name for himself doing high profile work with artists like Kanye West, FKA twigs, and soon to be Bjork. After a couple of shape-shifting, genre bending EPs, Ghersi finally releases his debut, the quite frankly jaw-dropping stunner Xen. While it is not an easy listen, Ghersi is never more than fully in control of the fractured beats, pitch shifted samples, and go-for-broke synthetic overload. There are times when the proceedings feel like they are pushing back at you, demanding that you succumb to their tyranny, however, these tactics merely serve to bring you closer in to their avant-garde womb. Throughout the blazing display of technical virtuosity, there are always touchstones to bring you back to earth, as on the liquid bath of "Thievery," the staccato mind fuck of the title track, or the haunting strings of "Wound." And like a ray of light sneaking its way through the depths of dark waters, a track as simple and devastating as "Held Apart," reminds you that there is always a soul and heart behind the machines.

8.

FKA twigs - LP1

FKA twigs teased her otherworldly sound in a series of EPs, coming across as the love-child of Aaliyah and Bjork. Her voice, dance moves, and image all fall distinctly into R&B, however, it is all enveloped in music that is forward thinking, sometimes aggressively obtuse, but always the perfect vessel for her breathless cries. Whether it is the harder edged dissection of image in "Video Girl," or the dizzying skycraping on "Two Weeks," twigs is always in command of her voice, not letting it get lost in the almost tsunami like crash of instrumentation. And when the music is but a whisper, she truly shines, as on the standout track "Pendulum," where her fragility is open, raw, and heartfelt.

7.

Wild Beasts - Present Tense

Wild Beasts have made the decision to follow bands like Talk Talk and Slowdive down their own rabbit hole, staking their claim on their own musical territory, without fear or regret. The songs on Present Tense float in and out of each other, anchored by the phalanx of synthesizers and the dual vocals of Hayden Thorpe's malleable falsetto and Tom Fleming's evocative baritone. Where in the past, the band chose to highlight one or the other on tracks, here, the band wisely chooses to incorporate the yin and yang of their complementary approaches to great effect on most tracks. Present Tense finds Wild Beasts at the height of their game, with the songs all working beautifully as individual gems, but working together to form a gorgeous piece of interconnected art. Staking their own claim on their sound and moving it in directions once thought impossible, Wild Beasts further move into their own territory, almost peerless.

6.

Warpaint - Warpaint

Warpaint's debut record The Fool was on many best of lists for 2010, and rightfully so, it's driving combination of icy, post-guitars, languid vocals, and the propulsion of a secret weapon, its formidable rhythm section, made for an intoxicating listen. It's been almost 4 years since that release, and after a lengthy tour schedule along with working on these tracks during sound checks, Warpaint have returned with their sophomore record. There is no seismic shift in sound on this record, the rhythm section is still potent and the driving force behind the tracks, vocals are hazy and dream like, and the guitars still drip like icicles, however, this go-around there is far more atmosphere present, lots of foreboding electronics and hints of drum programming. Produced by Flood (Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins) and mixed by Nigel Godrich (Radiohead), Warpaint is more polished and slick, but the better production helps define their sound better rather than overcompensating. They leave the rhythm section front and center, while the dual guitars flicker in and out of the mix as punctuation. It's funny that a band with two guitarists puts out music with seemingly so little guitar. Warpaint is a record that takes time to insinuate itself in your head. I will admit that on first listens I was underwhelmed, as the record doesn't have the same intense energy as its predecessor. While The Fool was an African rhino charging its way through the brush, Warpaint is the coiled snake in the grass, full of menace, ready to snap at any moment and strike.

Jam of the Day: SBTRKT ft. Warpaint - "War Drums"

Intriguing collaboration between SBTRKT and Warpaint.

New: Warpaint - "The Chauffeur (Duran Duran Cover)"

Atmospheric take on the equally atmospheric classic from Duran Duran which appears on Making Patterns Rhyme: A Tribute to Duran Duran, curated by Manimal Vinyl. The album benefits Amnesty International.

Non-Sequiturs

Nice chest and tatts.

Hello abs.

I don't think I would mind seeing him come out of the ocean.

Hey Daddy!

Big beef.

Lean beef.

Drool.

If I had a (sledge) hammer.

Take it off.

UNF.

Hmmmm.

Chest and door knockers.

Wooof.

Gorgeous.

Bear belly.

Sexy man.

Amazing body.

Those eyes.

That fur.

Beautiful.

Ditto.

Yes, please.

Wow.

Hey!

In a lot of ways, friends are truly your real family.

And oddly enough, sometimes your blood family will actually surprise you.

I want to go back to the beach.

You can diss Moby all you like, the truth of the matter is, he is one of the best remixers out there.

Speaking of remixes, I typically enjoy Four Tet's remixes over his original material.

Sadly, people still don't get this.

Egg whites taste like skim milk.

I can't believe it is June already.

Tequila is not my friend.

Sign me up.

I am very meticulous with keeping my eyeglasses clean and free from scratches, until now. After having these glasses for 2 years, I now have this massive scratch on the left lens. The OCD in me is at Def Con 4.

If you are constantly changing cities where you live, and are constantly complaining about how the men in each one, methinks the problem might just be you.

You know it's a fun conversation when you and your partner are trying to argue who is the skankiest.

I love this.

Do us all a favor, and stay over there.

A typical conversation that annoys the hell out of me:
Me: You were at Bear Week last year? Sorry we didn't get to meet.
Him: I saw you at the pool a lot.
Me: Why didn't you introduce yourself?
Him: I didn't think you would talk to me.
Me: *facepalm*

I am really looking forward to Sia's new record.

In this day and age, there is no excuse for having a blurry profile picture; and if you have one, it means you are hiding something.

Pretty much.

Short guys are magically delicious.

Andrew and I are on a workout diet where we are eating every three hours and we are starving all the time. We keep having to adjust it so that we are not having stomach pains. So far, the adjustments seem to be working.

If you have some weird alias name on your FB page, for whatever reason, if I meet you in person and start hanging out you need to tell me what your real name is.

Funny quote: "Beauty on the inside doesn't get you free drinks."

After he cancelled not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 shows in Atlanta in 18 months, this is how I feel about Morrissey.

If you are going to send me pictures of "your" junk on Scruff, don't be stupid and send me pictures of my partner's junk and say it's yours.

I would be very happy if I never heard "Summertime Sadness" again.

When someone asks me my opinion about someone (and I know that they either want to date or sleep with said person), I know their mind is already made up and my opinion is not really wanted, only my approval. Generally, I just don't say much of anything and just let it play out to whatever end. But man, sometimes, I really want to speak my mind.

Nothing like making an accounting error when paying bills at the worst time of the month, and leaving yourself with barely enough to make it to the next paycheck.

Your cute for the day.  Hell, that's so damn cute, it will last for a week.

Lyrics Rattling Around My Brain

"Blue
The color of my native skin
Colored into a color I’ve never seen
A sun so full and rising

True
The feeling runs across my chest
In my silence
There’s a color I’ve never seen
The sunrise is finding me

Other worlds are spinning
Dance above the clouds
Hold my word to something
Let it make a sound
I felt it
The words that I want
I believe in love

Blue
The color of my native skin
Caught up between myself
But it’s drawing me in
Into the color that you’re making it
There’s a world that I’ve never seen
Shining full and lightning

Made of a lover."

Warpaint
"Biggy"

"There's gonna be some trouble
A whole house will need re-building
And everyone I love in the house
Will recline on an analyst's couch quite soon
Your father cracks a joke
And in the usual way
Empties the room

Tell all of my friends
I don't have too many
Just some rain-coated lovers' puny brothers
Dallow, Spicer, Pinkie, Cubitt
Rush to danger
Wind up nowhere
Patric Doonan, raised to wait
I'm tired again, I've tried again, and

Now my heart is full
Now my heart is full
And I just can't explain
So I won't even try to

Dallow, Spicer, Pinkie, Cubitt
Every jammy Stressford poet
Loafing oafs in all-night chemists
Loafing oafs in all-night chemists
Underact, express depression
Ah, but Bunnie I loved you
I was tired again
I've tried again, and

Now my heart is full
Now my heart is full
And I just can't explain
So I won't even try to

Could you pass by?
Could you pass by?
Could you pass by?
Could you pass by?
Could you pass by?
Oh

Now my heart is full
Now my heart is full
And I just can't explain
So so
So so so so so."

Morrissey
"Now My Heart Is Full"

Appealing Things

Jade Blue
Rufus
Sensing the excitement of someone going to NYC for the first time
Lance Toasty Crackers

Annoying Things

People who won't answer a direct question
People who don't RSVP to an event, even after several prompts