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4 months ago on
8 February 2013

Our 24th birthday bash couldn’t have had a better headliner. Long-time friends Frontier Ruckus played a wonderful homecoming set and had us along for the ride. Catch a couple tracks from their new double album, Eternity of Dimming.

5 months ago
27 December 2012
Reblog

Emanuele AKA Dj BubblesAbout me: Hello, I’m the news and Exposure director at the Impact. I love my job, but it also makes me a little crazy and means I don’t spent as much time tuning into music, as I do news. So, I’m doing this list my way. No new music. My list is the top five songs I never knew existed until 2012. Got it ? Good. Let’s begin.The Moon Looks Down and Laughs- Billie Holiday What can you really say about Billie beyond perfection. This song is sweet and slow and heartbreaking. Pure Billie. Pure blues. (Plus it’s in my range so I can annoy others with it). Black Dialogue- The Perceptionists LyricsAkrobatik and Mr Lif drop knowledge on this track. Not only are the lyrics and rhymes hot, but man does the beat groove. “Yo, martin and malcolm knew it Black dialogueGrandma moses drew itBlack dialogueStevie wonder seen itBlack dialogueMany games to steam withBlack dialogueJim brown, ran withBlack dialogueCubie nukem ??? had a plan with Black dialogueChuck d took a stand forBlack dialogueKrs is the man withBlack dialogueThe whole world is afterBlack dialogue”Sometimes I Rhyme Slow- Nice-n-SmoothHeartbreaking and poignant, underscored by a sample of Fast Car by Tracy Chapman. Smooth beat. Too good.Maar Dala - DevdasMuch to the displeasure of my co-workers I listen to a lot of Hindi music. This track is from the film Devdas. I love it. Everything about it.Whole Wide World -Wreckless Erik This track is flawless, with a Buddy Holiday sensibility Wreckless Eric rocks out for all 2 minutes and 53 seconds.

5 months ago
26 December 2012
Reblog

Kyle – Office Manager/Engineer/Basement Host

I like music, space, and other things.
11. Breton – Other People’s ProblemsGreat Album. Great Band. ‘Nuff said.
10. Minus The Bear – Infinity OverheardDie hard fans of MTB might disagree with me, but I think Infinity Overhead proved that Snyder & Co. are determined to find a different sound with each record. Haters will hate on Omni, but relax, it was just one album. While Infinity Overhead may have kept some of the same attributes as Omni, it also mixed in some of their earlier, mathier stuff, showing true experimentation at it’s finest.

9. Oberhofer – IIOberhofer discovered the perfect formula for indie rock and displayed it proudly on II. Sheer bliss bursts from the album and cheers up any situation. It’s impossible not to at least start tapping your feet, let alone bursting out into a full-on white-boy dance as soon as the first song starts.
8. Alabama Shakes – Boys & GirlsOooooh. Holy chapped ass is this album raw. This is throwback music at its finest. Alabama Shakes does a great job of capturing that dirty-yet-positive sound and packing it full of soul. Boys & Girls is a perfect album to roll down your windows and blast in your car. Throw on some aviators, put on your best badass face, and start randomly nodding at people; they’ll nod back, and you’ll both know that everything’s going to be alright.

7. 13 & God – Own Your GhostThough it may not be comparable to their self-titled debut release, 13 & God’s sophomore effort doesn’t disappoint. As is to be expected from an indie-hop hop supergroup, every pluck, snap, and ring is perfectly coordinated to create an aesthetic effect not known of any other group. It might be a little weird hearing them at first, but if you put the time in, you’ll be rewarded. The beats have definitely stepped up, but remain as shrill and uneven as ever.

6. Dr. Dog – Be The VoidA perfect example of indie-tinged rock, Dr. Dog is seemingly able to create sunshine out of nothing. The catchiest album to date, Be The Void honed Dr. Dog’s sound to the raw essentials. Fairly basic instrumentation is bolstered by some of the best vocals that side of the Mississippi. Put it on your iPod, walk down the street, and count how many people you fall in love with.

5. Pinback – Information RetrievedPinback, in the infamy of their own, finally came back with their first album in five years with Information Retrieved. It’s a straight-up Pinback sound, though they seem to have retreated to the slower tempos of their older releases. They also stopped basing entire songs off of one piano melody, which is a nice surprise because they have some of the most inventive guitar riffs of late. Dueling vocals continue and remain awesome. Information Retrieved is their chillest album since Blue Screen Life, making it easy to space out to.

4. Menomena – MomsWhen I found out that Brandon Knopf had left the band after Mines came out, I was pretty worried about how the band would continue. Of course, they’re a lot smarter than I am and weren’t even worried. Moms sounds just like any other Menomena album. Quirky, sporadic, yet fluid in a way that many bands strive for. Menomena have been able to create a new genre of music that I like to call prog-indie. Crazy instrumentation, often-strange vocals, and creative rhythm sections drive the album to perfection. You’ll find yourself amped up, rocking out, a tad confused, and sexually satisfied all at the same time.

3. The Heavy – The Glorious DeadThe Glorious Dead is all over the place. They span from balls-out rock to acoustic-indie paradise to soul-driven Motown stylings all in the span of three songs. Though the album can get a little weird at times, most of the songs will fill you with so much testosterone you’ll grow a second penis (women may experience a reduction in breast size and an increased sex-drive). The Glorious Dead is a very creative way to translate a certain type of music to the masses.

2. J.D. McPherson – Signs and SignifiersOklahoma native J.D. McPherson’s debut album Signs and Signifiers is chocked full of rhythm, blues, soul, and rock. His retro sound is reminiscent of early Beatles, Muddy Waters, Little Richard, etc. Perfection is literally achieved in every song; even the lyrics will take you back to a time before you were born, i.e a better time. I’m not quite sure what the Charleston is, but you can’t help but do it to this album.
1. Alt-J – An Awesome WaveAmazing new band from the UK, Alt-J is the keyboard shortcut for the Greek letter Delta on Apple OSX keyboards (don’t worry, you can still listen to them on Windows.) Downtempo and pseudo-lo-fi, the wailing vocals and strange guitar riffs create a kind of indescribable sound. Inventive, creative, original, and new; something you don’t hear often nowadays.

Honorable Mentions:

Bad Books - II

My Morning Jacket - Circuital

Band of Skulls – Sweet Sour

Infantree – Hero’s Dose

Every Time I Die – Ex-Lives

Maps & Atlases – Beware and Be Grateful

Alpine – A is for Alpine

Unfortunate Disappointments:

Shins – Port of Morrow

Matt & Kim - Lightning

Fun. – Some Nights

Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan

5 months ago
21 December 2012
Reblog

Marie Steinbock- Training DirectorAbout Me: Why Hello. My name is Marie. I will not only respond to my name, but also any derivative of it such as Maria or Mary. I am the Training Director at the Impact and I also DJ on-air every week. I love every single vegetable ever grown and I am the happiest when I’m listening to good music on a road trip to nowhere. I rarely wear anything besides earth tones.Disclaimer: Three of my albums did not come out in 2012. But I just started listening to them this year.10. Frightened Rabbit- State Hospital EPTheir thick scottish accents make me want to cheers a beer with my peers and start a revolution! But seriously, I feel oddly content when I hear their explicit meaningful lyrics accompanied by deep repetitive melodies. Their lyrics are deep and true. They tackle a lot of issues that young people face today. Every song starts with a slow build and finishes with an exploding upbeat sound. Each track sounds like an old Scottish anthem, which inspires the listener to go out there and do it, whatever it may be. 9. Chiddy Bang- Breakfast It’s Chiddy Bang and Breakfast, my two favorite things about the Hip-Hop world… 8. Niki and The Dove- Instinct This odd electronic band opened for Miike Snow when I saw him in London in June. Usually it takes a lot for an opening band to intrigue only some of the audience. But the moment Niki and The Dove stepped on stage, everyone couldn’t look away. The lead singer was wearing an outfit similar to what Lady Gaga would rock and waving a pom pom around during their whole set. This album has an electronic pop sound to it, but there’s something more, there’s something that sets it a part. There seems to be this dark, erry, ironic presence to the music.7. Dirty Projectors- Swing Lo Majellan Dirty Projectors are considered to be experimental rock. However, I think I loved this album so much because it somehow reminded me of listening to Simon and Garfunkel with my mom when I was growing up. I know it’s a weird connection to make but all of the songs have a similar slow hush melody, perfect for relaxing. They just throw in a few electronic scratches and techno beats. They’re music is strangely simple. It’s the perfect combination of old and new. 6. Smoke & Jackal- EP No.1 This EP was created in the dark basement of Nick Brown Mona who is the lead singer of the band Mona. This is a duet between Nick and Jared Followill—the bassist for the Kings of Leon. The Kings of Leon were taking a break during the time this EP was being recorded after canceling their whole US tour the previous summer. That’s what I like about this EP all together. It was made during each of their bands “in between” periods. It’s damp and dismal, yet inspiring. Inspiring enough to leave every thing behind and create what’s right.5. M83- Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (2011) This album has a fervent searching quality about it. Each song is wondering and wandering about housed in an other-wordly electro age. It’s an album for large city dwelling, speeding trains and thoughts of a person coming of age. Even the more upbeat songs are weighted. A lot of the songs also have a poppy 80’s feel to them that bring out my inner Molly Ringwald.
4. Like Crazy- Soundtrack (2011) It plays a heavy longing while wavering between fragile and blissful love. The lightened piano keys give the listener hope. And youthful elctronic pop songs dance with the characters passion. It features artists like M83, Paul Simon, Fool’s Gold and the amazing pianist Dustin O’Halloran. These songs mirror exactly what each character is feeling in the movie and let you to imagine the story when you listen to the music on its own.
3. Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend (2008) I don’t need to say again that this album is primed for collegiate party dancing…It’s an onrush of spunky life. I am drawn to their raw drums and simple guitar melodies. I also saw them live at Pitchfork. They were scheduled to go on stage around 9pm. Only Vampire Weekend’s music could lift the spirits of thousands of people that were tired and worn out from a humid day of festivities. Their humility and thankfulness for the audience brought energy that radiated off stage. Their songs just make you happy! Everyone has to have that one uplifting, go-to album.
2. Sigur Rós- Valtari This album completely speaks for itself. Compared to previous Sigur Rós albums it may not be the best, but it still makes it on my top ten of the year. I had ‘Fjögur Píanó’ on repeat for at least seven days straight. These songs resonate with your inner self allowing you to think clearly no matter what is going on in your life. It’s almost a type of hypnosis. Once you being listening to this album, you’re into it until the very last note.1. Beach House-Bloom This album is a travelogue. It takes you somewhere else and reminds you of where you’ve been. It’s shadowy and a strange sort of pop music, not for every body. You can level with this kind of music, mellow and free of competition. All of these songs were ones that I listened to in between my travels this past summer. I saw Beach House at Pitchfork in Chicago after I returned home with the album. The main singer was mesmerizing with her dark eery presence— her naturally low raspy voice made the whole album that much better.

6 months ago
20 December 2012
Reblog

Aaron Young - Station Manager/Radio Dad
About Me: I’ve been working at Impact89FM for several years on multiple levels and am currently the Station Manager. I’ve been playing the drums since 7th grade. Because of the drums (and now Impact89FM), I have been extremely open to giving music, from all walks of life, a chance to please my ears. I firmly believe one must be open to hearing (trying) different music if one wishes to say their “in to music”. I’m no music connoisseur and I will I never claim to be one.
10.          Crosses - EP 2 Crosses is the side project of Deftones singer Chino Moreno, Far guitarist Shaun Lopez and Scott Chuck. This is their second EP. I thoroughly enjoyed their first EP and enjoyed this one just as much. It’s not for everyone, but it works for me on multiple levels.
9.            Alabama Shakes - Boys & GirlsIt’s great to hear bands like Alabama Shakes continue to write music similar to what one might have heard back in the 40’s, 50’s and/or 60’s. This album is wonderfully written and features raw and energetic vocals. It’s a gem.
8.            Metric - SyntheticaI’ve liked all of Metric’s albums. Some more than others. I wasn’t sure how they would follow up their lovely 2009 release of Fantasies, but Synthetica may be just as good. Emily Haines has an extremely beautiful voice and the band knows how to put everything together to have her vocals shine.
7.            Stepdad - Wildlife PopThere isn’t a track I don’t like. It’s fun, serious and catchy. Easy formula.
6.            Kitten - Cut It Out EPNot much to say. She has a lovely voice and this short 5 song EP flows smoothly. It was a hell of a surprise for me and I keep coming back to it.
5.            Now, Now - ThreadsI’m not sure how to describe this one. The instrumentation seems simplistic, but the songs are far from it. There seems to be a deepness and sort of darkness to them. The vocals feel very raw which adds a very personal touch. Put all that together and you get a great album which I am having difficulty putting down.
4.            Patrick Wilson - Adventures in Your BackyardPatrick Watson has one hell of a voice. It’s beautiful and raw and so is this album.
3.            Gojira - L’Enfant SauvageIt’s hard, heavy and wonderfully crafted from start to finish. If you are a metal fan, which I am, look no further.
2.            Sigur Ros – ValtariPut in on. Turn it up. Close your eyes and think of someone you love. Beautiful, emotional, and moving.
1.     Deftones - Koi No YokanMostly everyone has at least heard of the Deftones. If you haven’t, then you aren’t listening to any form of Rock/Metal music. They have put out two albums within about a two year frame. Diamond Eyes was released in 2010 and received critical praise from fans and critics. Koi No Yokan follows with even greater praise. They have yet to release a “bad” album and this is the best album they have released in their career.

6 months ago
19 December 2012
Reblog

Farooq - Program Director/King of The DJ’s
About me: I’ve been with the Impact for a while now and I’ve worked on strategies for radio stations both here and abroad (and by abroad I mean 5 min away from the American border in Canada). I was nominated for best radio personality in the Lansing area last year. I plan to make my comeback this year and go for the gold! I enjoy long walks on the beach and peanut butter covered oreos, etc. etc.
10. The Offspring - Days Go BySolid title track and the rest of the album was a great throwback reminiscent of some of the band’s older material.
9. Metric - Synthetica It’s Metric doing what they do best. I love Emily Haines’ vocals.
8. Tenacious D - Rize of The FenixTenacious D, ‘nuff said.
7. Blue Stahli - UltranumbAn artist out of Detroit who has an interesting electronic and hard rock mix. I have a lot of love for Michigan based bands so I had to check them out and for a solid part of my summer it was my go to album when I went to the gym. The album has just the right amount of intensity.
6. Shinedown - AmaryllisIt was a different kind of mix for Shinedown this time around but what I like about Shinedown is that they have good mix of both rock and some softer ballads. That going along with the music video for Unity which was one of my favorites this year made it a solid addition to 2012.
5. Motion City Soundtrack - GoSame classic Motion City Soundtrack sound, it had a feel that I can only describe as electric on some tracks (not to be confused with electronic). These guys know how to make a fun album.
4. Passion Pit - GossamerI don’t think I have to explain this one, the album was a huge hit and it’s pretty clear why. Passion Pit really opened themselves up a little more here to appeal to a larger audience and for a while you couldn’t walk down the street without hearing “Take A Walk” blaring from some window. Also the album had a track that went in to a Taco Bell commercial, need I say more?
3. Linkin Park - Living ThingsGreat album with a few really solid singles. I love how every one of their albums brings a distinct new flavor while keeping the core feel of Linkin Park. “Lost In The Echo” had to be my favorite track and it helped even more that shortly after the release of the album Linkin Park shot the music video for the song right in Detroit!
2. Three Days Grace - Transit of VenusI don’t know if it’s actually my number two album of the year but it’s definitely fresh in my mind. I love the grittiness of the guitar in the first single “Chalk Outline”.
1. Thousand Foot Krutch - The End Is Where We BeginThere have been a lot of great albums this year but this is the one I keep finding myself going back to over and over again. This was something different from them as they did it completely self produced and the result was powerful. The album has a great range and it employed some strong sequencing. It’s an album you have to listen to start to end!
Most anticipated in 2013:
Not really a ton of stuff I’ve been thinking about lately but I’m excited to hear the new A Day To Remember album, Common Courtesy that they started recording earlier this year! Also this should go without saying but I’m excited about new stuff coming from Electric Six!

6 months ago
18 December 2012
Reblog

Samuel Riddle – Marketing Director/Hip-Hop Director/DJ/Sex Kitten About Me: You will soon learn by reading my list of my favorite albums of 2012 that the only new music I listen to usually is hip-hop…or at least my favorite is hip-hop. This isn’t a ‘best of’ list because opinions are like buttholes. 10. Kilo Kish – Homeschool EP    The only thing sweeter than Kilo Kish’s voice is her personality. I got to ask her a few questions on The Vibe over the Summer, and hearing her talk about her own music really made me appreciate her often simple but adorable singsongy lyrics. 9. Bad Bad Not Good – BBNG 2    Bad Bad Not Good is a group of Canadian kids who primarily make instrumentals and covers. With a full band and an incredible ear for improvising they made my favorite lyricless album of the year.8. Alchemist – Russian Roulette    Alchemist has been creating his lane in hip-hop as long as I’ve been alive, with 2012 being one of his most productive years. Alan The Chemist put out projects with Curren$y, Domo Genesis, Action Bronson, and with Oh No under the name Gangrene. Russian Roulette featured a slew of 2012’s hottest rappers and was built entirely from old Russian music samples. Dude never fails.7. House Shoes – Let It Go    When Detroit hip-hop royalty, House Shoes, moved to L.A. after the death of his lifetime friend J. Dilla he was re-inspired to work and produce great new material. Let It Go has been a long time coming and is House Shoes’ biggest release to date, yet it still captured the integrity and emotion of underground Detroit Hip Hop. 6. Joey Bada$$ - 1999    When 1999 dropped Joey Bada$$ was 17 and just finishing up his Junior year in high-school. Since he has been featured in the New York Times, on Jimmy Kimmel and nearly every music blog the Internet has to offer. 1999 captured they lyricism that you would expect from a kid out of Brooklyn, but also brought a classic hip hop feel that no one would expect from a kid younger than Illmatic. 1999 was Joey Bada$$’s welcome party.5. ScHoolboy Q – Habits & Contradictions    Habits & Contradictions was the first project I heard from the L.A. MC and Top Dog Entertainment affiliate. Q manages to infuse drugs raps, social commentary, and slick talking to the ladies so well that I actually was rapping along thinking those rhymes were about me. If you’re not sold on the former Hoover Crip and college football player listen to ‘Blessed’, then smoke and listen to it again. 4. Nas – Life Is Good    Growing up I never was a huge Nas fan, always favoring Hov and Takeover to Either, but when Life Is Good dropped I couldn’t deny Nas made a great album. From front to back, excluding the wretched Mary J. Blidge track, Nas paints a beautiful picture of how life has turned out for the Queensbridge native who will be turning 40 next year. Nas was able to turn his divorce from Kelis to another great album, telling the story from start to finish on the track Bye Baby. 3. El-P – Cancer 4 Cure    I realllllly wanted to name this album #2, but couldn’t bring myself to it. Cancer 4 Cure was years in the works, and finally saw the light of day in 2012. If El-P’s lyrics weren’t impressive enough, dude also managed to produce each track on his release, something dearly missing in modern hip hop. If all that wasn’t enough of a reason to check this CD out, El-P also puts on one of the greatest live shows I’ve witnessed in my entire life. He refuses to half-ass anything, and you can hear it in each track. 2. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d. city    I don’t think is much left for anyone to say about this album. Kendrick put out hip hop’s most anticipated album of the year, and also hip hop’s best album of the year. I haven’t heard an album tell a story this well in years, giving it an incredible cinematic feel. Kendrick Lamar has ‘it’. 1. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange    Frank Ocean not only put out my favorite CD of the year, he also changed hip hop/urban music culture forever. When Ocean released a heartfelt statement about a past love he had with another man the same day Channel Orange leaked, Frank Ocean was under the media’s strongest telescope of the year. His album and character stood the test of the media, with his love songs about men and women becoming less of an issue than how incredibly genuine Channel Orange sounded. As a product of major label exile until Ocean broke free in 2011, Frank has been creating his own lane in R&B/Pop making it acceptable for an African-American male to be himself no matter who that person is. Most importantly Channel Orange proved to us that it’s the music that matters above everything else.
Honorable Mentions:
Mr. MFN eXquire – Power & Passion EP   This couldn’t make the list by my own criteria because it wasn’t a full-length release, but really got me excited for eXquire to release something that will make this list in 2013.
Toro Y Moi – June 2009   This was released in full-length in 2012, but was made in 2009…so didn’t fit for me, but was still great!
Wavves – Life Sux EP    Too short to make the cut, still sounded great!

Stumbled upon in 2012:Kendrick Lamar – Section .80
A$AP Rocky – LoveLiveA$APDanny Brown - XXX

Most anticipated in 2013:
Dr. Dre – DetoxDaft Punk - ?

6 months ago
17 December 2012
Reblog

Colin Marshall – Video Director
About Me: Even though I can’t play a tune on any instrument, music has always been super important to me, particularly live music. That’s why I’m bringing my skill set to the music industry–filming and sharing live performance videos. Music’s therapeutic, soulful, reflective, it’s anything you want it to be, really. To me, the best music evokes an experience, so that’s what I look for in albums from 2012. I’m no connoisseur, but here’s what stuck with me this year:
10. Nada Surf - The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy
http://youtu.be/b5mjSYGbqzk This album is solid from start to finish. After writing and recording music for ~20 years, these guys still bring it. Nothing too flashy here, but therein lies the merit–pop rock in its essential elements. With just a guitar, a bass, and some drums (the fills are killer), Nada Surf clearly has songwriting down to a science. I’d never call these jams groundbreaking, but the album as a whole delivers consistently quenching hooks. It’s exactly what you’re looking for.
9. Passion Pit - Gossamer
http://youtu.be/1LqcgNVaPHo
A great sophomore release from these guys. Following Manners must have been extraordinarily difficult. Nearly every song on that album showcased perfect hooks paired with synth melodies that had you rolling down the windows and turning up the dial. Gossamer’s not much different. A bit slower than their debut LP, but you can still count on catchy and uplifting choruses throughout. I bet we’ll see these guys touring and playing some big festivals this summer.
8. Now, Now - Threads
http://youtu.be/YBogwJLZLL4
You’d never guess from looking at them, but Now, Now cranks some major noise. Threads calls up frustrating relationship issues, delivered just as you’d want to digest them: raw, noisy, and gritty. Cacie Dalager’s voice fits the mood just right, as if you’re on the other end of the conversation empathizing with her every word. Not to mention the guitar riffs will pull you into a pleasantly grim mood. This album’s best spun on a rainy day, or if you just feel bummed out.
7. Vacationer - Gone
http://youtu.be/UzOaKcuAFnc
These guys have mistakenly invented a genre. Frontman Kenny Vasoli (previously of The Starting Line) describes Vacationer as “New Hula,” which comes through in their breezy, tropical sounds. Getting lost in this album means fantasizing about the quintessential vacation: palm trees, good buddies, and a go-with-the-flow attitude. This album carries you the way a hammock sways back-and-forth. Nothing creeps up and catches you off-guard, so it’s perfect for turning on and tuning out. Great for pensive road trips.
6. Walk the Moon - Walk the Moon
http://youtu.be/98jijv5-xOg
Right out the gate, this album riles up with percussive shouts and bass hits fit for a colosseum. Take all the hilariously embarrassing stuff you do with only your closest buddies and translate it to song. That’s what these guys sound like. Loads of friends have given me the classic, “Who is this?” and you should know, too.
5. Blu & Exile - Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them
http://youtu.be/SRVg8cfFl_Q Blu is perhaps the most transparent rapper I’ve ever listened to. His latest release covers a struggling relationship with religion, living with hypocrisy, and even the nuances of waking up late or having no money. It’s as if we’ve caught a glimpse into his private journal, as the confessions and questions addressed in Blu’s lyrics are ones most of us would keep locked away. Not to mention Exile’s production wonderfully compliments the soul-bearing nature of each track. Don’t sleep on this one, you could learn something.
4. GRiZ - Mad Liberation
http://youtu.be/xvtNnCs6EFY An East Lansing legend, GRiZ is blowing up fast. After spinning his first full-length release, it’s no surprise GRiZ shares the stage with EDM icons like Bassnectar and Pretty Lights. At just 21 years old, this dude is making waves with funk/soul/jazz/hip-hop influences, including sax overlays during live shows. If you haven’t heard of him, you will. Furthermore, GRiZ smashes the stigma that electronic music repeats itself. An active ear will notice that no four-count repeats itself. There’s a serious attention to detail here, and the album keeps you tuned in until the last note. Did I mention he released it for free download?
3. Electric Guest - Mondo
http://youtu.be/t40FwMjDZu4
If you need me, I’ll be in my room prancing and singling along to Mondo for the next 40 minutes. This album begs for participation, and I’m usually serving up the same the hand claps and choral hooks sprinkled throughout when it’s on. I could identify Mondo as indie gospel-pop with a dash of reggae, but maybe you should be the judge.
2. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
http://youtu.be/AzQs550NLcc
The album starts with fireworks–tame by comparison. These dudes bring fast, heavy rock anthems, so grab your unruly comrades and take the night. We’re young and invincible, and Celebration Rock well…it glorifies precisely that. You stressed? Throw this on, shotgun a beer, yell because it feels fucking awesome, and don’t regret a minute of it.
1. Brother Ali - Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color
http://youtu.be/2IY4qOx4Kwk Ali makes explicitly clear where America’s got it wrong. Rich suits click buttons while millions suffer from a lack of healthcare, racism still exists prevalently in our backyards, and we’re too wrapped up in our smartphones to do anything about it. We all struggle–with whatever–but we can celebrate community at any time and give thanks for what we’ve got. That’s Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color in a nutshell. Plenty more takeaways, but I’ll leave you with these lyrics:
“We can shine brighter, sing bigger, love louder,
We can dream farther, hope harder, work smarter.
This is that moment sand flowing through the hour,Glass is our only opponent that we have.”

13 notes
6 months ago on
10 December 2012

Rocky Votolato performs “Little Spring” off his record “Television of Saints” live in-studio at the Impact 89FM studio.

2 notes
6 months ago on
7 December 2012

Little Hurricane chats to us about how they met, playing festivals vs. indoor venues, and food. Definitely food.