Dream City

7/20/09 Show
Of particular note this week:

- I love this song, which is almost a given because it comes out on DFA records. In a wonderful change of pace, however, its not a danceable electro song, but instead a classic 70s rock throwback that makes me want to drive nowhere in particular with someone in particular. Free Energy - Dream City

- Hadn't heard of Mark Mulcahy until this week, but I can tell I've been missing out on his expert songcraft for far too long (I'm downloading one of his albums on iTunes are I type). What looks to be an awesome tribute/compilation record comes out in September, featuring a long list of prominent artists that are all in it for a heartbreakingly good cause. Listen to songs and read more about the story & artists after the jump. There's two of his original tracks, and an excellent cover by the National included (and you can stream the Thom Yorke cover too!). This will be one of those albums you have to buy (instead of, you know, downloading it for free).

- There's a new Spoon single, which is always cause for celebration: Got Nuffin

- Richard Swift hit up the Daytrotter studios this week, and its all good: Richard Swift @ Daytrotter

- The interwebs are certainly abuzz about this collaboration between artists who, in my opinion, are fairly overrated. Still, its a good song: Atlas Sound w/ Panda Bear - Walkabout

- Have been getting a good rash of positive phone calls lately during my shows, which always buoys my spirits when I start to feel uninspired about doing this every week. This week requests for Iron & Wine and the Clash made it onto the show.

View the Full Playlist

The Sun is Out

7/15/09 Fill-In Show
Charging ahead with the updates and new format... I switched shows with my friend and softball colleague Kelly Jensen last week, which allowed me more time to hang out with my parents while they were in CB. His Wednesday show is similar enough in format to mine that I didn't feel any pressure to change the normal routine, as you'll see below. There are certainly some promising links this week.

Of particular note this week:
- The Brooklyn band Suckers continue to catch my ear. When will they get around to releasing a proper full length? Check out their Daytrotter Session, which features several new & fantastic songs.

- The new Jay Reatard album comes out on August 4th, and I couldn't be more excited. The second track we've heard from Watch Me Fall is this little gem: Wounded

- This could almost be another Jay Reatard track: A Grave With No Name - Sofia

- Can't stop playing this equally sad and joyous new track from Local Natives: Airplanes

- Another terrificly dusty, lo-fi summer jam by a band with a wonderfully nostalgic name: Reading Rainbow - The Sun is Out

- Cheery & slightly funky new song from The Clientele: I Wonder Who We Are

View the Full Playlist

Computer Blue

7/06/09 Show
Yep, I'm way behind in posting this, but July has been a remarkably busy month. I'm going ahead and tweeking the post format a bit, so I won't have to waste time retyping all of my playlists. Instead, a link is provided below to the full playlist on the KBUT website. MP3 links from each week will be posted, allowing me to spend more time on those than on needless retyping of playlists. Let me know what you think.

Of particular note this week:
- Be sure to check out the Generationals, who share a label and some sonic qualities with Dr. Dog. All of the tracks available are really enjoyable and worth downloading.
The Generationals - Angry Charlie, etc.

- Of Montreal cover Prince! Computer Blue

- Promising new single from this Austin quartet, who have already made some solid tunes in recent years: The Octopus Project - Wet Gold

- Part tropicalia pop, part epic indie songwriting with a dash of electro = I like it: Daestro - Spritle

- Played it on the show, but you can probably skip this one unless you are really in the mood for an overly poppy/cheesy Cat Stevens soundalike: The Voyces - Kissing Like It's Love

- And finally, a fitting and very worthwhile MJ tribute: Erykah Badu w/ The Roots - I Wanna Be Where You Are

View the Full Playlist

Halfway There

6/29 Show
I find it hard to believe that half of 2009 is in the books, but so it is. With this in mind I tried to play some tracks from some of my favorite albums of the year so far. A short list of said albums is below, but I shall resist putting them in numerical order until the end of the year.

In No Particular, Space-Consuming Order...

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

Dan Deacon - Bromst

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Cotton Jones - Paranoid Cocoon

Richard Swift - The Atlantic Ocean

Handsome Furs - Face Control

Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer

The Thermals - Now We Can See

Here We Go Magic - Here We Go Magic

Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career

Papercuts - You Can Have What You Want

Vetiver - Tight Knit

Dark Was the Night Compilation

Suckers - Suckers EP


the Playlist
Artist / Song
Generationals / Angry Charlie
Generationals / When They Fight They Fight
Little Joy / The Next Time Around
Little Joy / Brand New Start
Richard Swift / Lady Luck
Richard Swift / Would You
Grizzly Bear / Cheerleader
Cotton Jones / Blood Red Sentimental Blues
AA Bondy / When the Devil's Loose
Megafaun / Kaufman's Ballad
Vetiver / Everyday
Yo La Tengo / Periodically Double or Triple
Wilco / Wilco (the song)
Wilco / Bull Black Nova
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart / The Tenure Itch
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart / Young Adult Friction
Handsome Furs / All We Want, Baby, Is Everything
Sunset Rubdown / Idiot Heart
Papercuts / Dictator's Lament
Camera Obscura / French Navy
Here We Go Magic / Tunnelvision
The Thermals / Now We Can See
Phoenix / Girlfriend
Dan Deacon / Snookered
Jonathan Richman / Time Has Been Going By So Fast
Jonathan Richman / Old World
The Modern Lovers / Ride on Down the Highway
Jonathan Richman / Dodge Veg-O-Matic
The Modern Lovers / The Mixer (Men & Women Together)