Blogs

After helping promote Bowie by Keenan Duffty, Kansas Citian Harley Sears became manager for St. Louis musician Kristeen Young, who toured with Morrissey earlier this year. Here's what homeboy dug in '07, which is ABOUT TO BE OVER WOOO!!!.

Harley (center) with Kristeen Young (right) and Baby Jeff White.

Nicholas Megalis, The Holder
Semi Precious Weapons, Time Zones
Mary Cigarettes, Keep Your Powder Dry
Morrissey, "All You Need Is Me"
Glasvegas, Daddy's Gone
Slinky Vagabond, Glitterbug
Jonny Chan, All About Me
Kristeen Young, Kill The Father
The Eons, Kosmonot
The Charlatans, You Cross My Path

Annie Zaleski, music critic at the Riverfront Times in St. Louis, had this to contribute to our year-end discussions.

Ten Albums I Liked This Year, in No Particular Order
maximo park, our earthly pleasures
idlewild, make another world
the national, boxer
the twilight sad, fourteen autumns and fifteen winters
lcd soundsystem, sound of silver
airiel, the battle of sealand
jon hardy and the public, working in love
rilo kiley, under the black light
a sunny day in glasgow, scribble mural comic journal
band of horses, cease to begin

Six More Albums I Liked Quite a Bit
Fall Out Boy, infinity on high
Bat for Lashes, fur and gold
Modest Mouse, we were dead before the ship even sank
Pinback, Autumn of the Seraphs
Blonde Redhead, 23
New Young Pony Club, Fantastic Playroom

Five Albums Everyone Loves That I Totally Spaced On in 2007
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, 100 days, 100 nights
Feist, The Reminder
The Field, From Here We Go Sublime
MIA, Kala
Miranda Lambert, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Top Ten Songs I Liked This Year, in No Particular Order
Mew "Am I Wry? No"
silversun pickups "Lazy Eye"
queens of the stone age, "Sick Sick Sick"
the ponys, "1209 seminary"
timbaland ft. keri hilson, "The Way I Are"
justin timberlake, "Summer Love"
Fields, "Charming the Flames"
Winterkids, "Tape It"
scotland yard gospel choir, "I Never thought i could feel this way for a boy"
Battles "Atlas"

Split Lip Rayfield
Saturday, 12-29-07
The Bottleneck
Better than: Ezra
By RICHARD GINTOWT

Is there any band that means more to Kansas than Split Lip Rayfield? Oh yeah – Kansas. But since Kerry Livgren long ago traded in his long hair and axe for a pastor’s robe, I’m gonna have to go with Split Lip Rayfield.

For twelve years, these guys have been blowing gaskets with a superfast bastardization of bluegrass. If you locked Yngwie Malmsteen in a cave for a year with a mandolin and a banjo, you might get something like SLR. It’s a nifty trick, but it’s backed up with great songs about boogan escapades and Batman.

The trio kicked off a three-night stand at the Bottleneck last night with a Tall Boy-sized set that spanned two hours and a decade’s worth of material. Banjo man Eric Mardis dedicated the show to Kirk Rundstrom, a founding SLR member who lost his courageous battle with cancer last February. Rundstrom’s passing initially seemed to signify the end of SLR, but the remaining trio of Mardis, Wayne Gottstine (mandolin) and Jeff Eaton (one-string gas tank bass) returned to the stage this summer and decided to honor Rundstrom’s memory the best way they knew – playing music.

More

Mr. Grant Snider's list, comments ... and portrait.

I don't want my Best of 2007 list to imply that I've heard every single album and formed my own unbiased opinion about it. Therefore, I've included two categories: a list of albums I've listened to completely, thoroughly, and repeatedly, and a list of albums I've heard very promising pieces of, e.g., the songs that are on MySpace. For my second list, I've extrapolated from a handful of songs and drawn the conclusion, "Given the financial means to buy or the effort to download illegally, this album would be pretty damn good."


Best Albums of 2007, List 1

LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver - The best album of the year.

Andrew Bird, Armchair Apocrypha - Andrew Bird's performance complemented Wilco's when he opened for them at the Crossroads. However, Armchair Apocrypha makes Sky Blue Sky look embarrassing.

Radiohead, In Rainbows - Radiohead is way overrated. I love them.

The Shout Out Louds, Our Ill Wills - Critics say this Swedish band sounds like The Cure. I'm too young to remember what The Cure sounded like - except for that song 311 covered.

Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - So clean and blue-eyed-soulful, I have to tuck in my shirt to listen to it.

Okkervil River, The Stage Names

Jens Lekman, Night Falls on Kortedala

Lewis and Clarke, Blasts of Holy Birth

Best Albums of 2007, List 2

Against Me!, New Wave - I'll forgive the fact that they played on the Warped Tour.

Fourth of July, Fourth of July on the Plains - Now no one can complain that I didn't include a local act.

Wu-Tang Clan, 8 Diagrams - Not sure if it contains a posthumous verse from ODB.

Deerhoof, Friend Opportunity - I can't listen to Deerhoof without picturing Yoko Ono.

The Weakerthans, Reunion Tour

The Bowerbirds, Hymns for a Dark Horse

The National, Boxer

Aesop Rock, None Shall Pass

Once, Original Soundtrack

Andrew Miller is the archbishop of Kansas City music critics. His cat is the duke. Here's what they liked this year.

METAL-ONLY BIN

10. Dillinger Escape Plan, Ire Works (Relapse)
9. Death Breath, Let It Stink (Relapse)
8. Pig Destroyer, Phantom Limb (Relapse)
7. Xasthur, Defective Epitaph (Hydra Head)
6. Machine Head, The Blackening (Roadrunner)
5. Baroness, Red Album (Relapse)
4. Yakuza, Transmutations (Prosthetic)
3. Wolves in the Throne Room, Two Hunters (Southern Lord)
2. Horse The Band, A Natural Death (Koch)
1. Between the Buried and Me, Colors (Victory)

FRESH FEMALE VOICES

10. Arch Enemy, Rise of the Tyrant (Century Media)
9. Feist, The Reminder (Cherry Tree)
8. Dri, Smoke Rings (Range Life)
7. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, 100 Days, 100 Nights (Daptone)
6. Charlotte Gainsbourg, 5:55 (Vice)
5. Tiny Vipers, Hands Across the Void (Sub Pop)
4. Bat for Lashes, Fur and Gold (Caroline)
3. Electrelane, No Shouts, No Calls (Too Pure/Beggars)
2. Shannon Wright, Let in the Light (Quarter Stick)
1. Amy Winehouse, Back to Black (Republic)

HEAD EXPLODERS (Prog, Experimental, Noise, Instrumental, Epic, etc.)

10. Jesu, Conqueror (Hydra Head)
9. Sigur Ros, Hvarf/Heim (XL)
8. Isis, In the Absence of Truth (Ipecac)
7. Gonzales, Solo Piano (Sunny Side)
6. Grails, Burning Off Impurities (Temporary Residence)
5. Battles, Mirrored (Warp)
4. Black Dice, Load Blown (Paw Tracks)
3. Explosions in the Sky, All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone (Temporary Residence)
2. Minsk, The Ritual Fires of Abandonment (Relapse)
1. Hrsta, Ghosts Will Come and Kiss Our Eyes (Constellation)

TOP 10 LOCAL SONGS

10. Carmine Red “Orchid”
9. Ghosty “A Good Customer”
8. White Flight “Deathhands” (Superargo Remix)
7. Anti-Crew “Keep Talkin’”
6. Minus Story “Come into My Arms”
5. 4th of July “Bad Dreams Are Only Dreams”
4. Republic Tigers “The Drums”
3. Mac Lethal “Rotten Apple Pie”
2. Dri “Smoke Rings”
1. Pendergast “Almighty Dollar”

Gotten enough Tigers yet? Yes? No? Well here's a belayed review of their latest show in Los Angeleeeeeeees.

The Republic Tigers
Monday, December 17
Spaceland, Los Angeles
Photo & Review by BERRY ANDERSON

Just east of Hollywood, Silver Lake is a hotbed of indie-rock goings-on. It has been called home at some point or another to the likes of Karen O, Perry Farrell and Elliott Smith. Spaceland, an inconspicuous club three blocks off of Sunset Boulevard, is at the epicenter of this scene. On the evening of Monday, December 17, it was the stage for Kansas City's Republic Tigers, Chop Shop Records newest it band.

More

Oz McGuire was one of KC's most popular eclectic-spinning DJs before moving to San Francisco last year. Tonight, Dec. 27, Oz returns with his brother Joe, aka Pleasuremaker, to drop the grooves at Nara (1617 Main St) from 10 p.m. to close as guests of DJ Kiko De Gallo. Oz and Joe are also playing tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 28, at the Eighth Street Tap Room in Lawrence. Included with Oz's lists below are some live DJ sets and exclusive Pleasuremaker cuts -- Joe's got a live afrobeat-style band that's making waves out in SF, as we knew he would.

Oz Top Ten-ish list of 2007 in no order:

Casbah 73 - Pushin' 40 (Hi Top)
DJ Bitman - Latin Biman (Nacional)
Balkan Beat Box - Nu Med ( Jdub records/Crammed Discs)
Pimps of Joytime - High Steppin (Wonderwheel)
Zeb - Stop the Earth, I Want to Get Off! (Wonderwheel)
Chico Mann - Manifest Tone (Kindred Spirits)
Gecko Turner - "AfroBeatNik (Seiji Remix)" - (Quango)
Sharon Jones - "How Long Do I Have to Wait (Ticklah Remix)" - (Scion)
Hot 8 Brass Band - Rock with the Hot 8 - (Tru Thoughts)
Pinker Tones - More Colours! Million Color Revolution Revisited (Nacional)

Reissues:

Numero Label - Everything they touch is gold, and they are including remixes on the vinyl reissues.
Fania - The Louie Vega re-edit of his uncle, Hector Lavoe's cut "Mi Gente" was a stomper.

Dancefloor Burners (Tops from my DJ sets):

Orgone - "It's What You Do," from The Killion Floor (Ubiquity) [This was the cut I played out the most and got the most response from.]
Beatfanatic - "African Rockers"
AIFF - "The Seduction"
Wunmi - "Keep it Rockin'"
Ohmega Watts - "Platypus Strut"
Pleasuremaker - "Watch Dem Die" MP3

ZShare: Oz and Pleasuremaker Live at the Elbo Room, San Fransico LINK
ZShare: Señor Oz Live at B Bar LINK

Bonus Track: Pleasuremaker, "A Dream of Peace" MP3

Did Santa bring you exactly what you wanted today? If not, light up a spliff and console yourself with this warm rendition of "Deck the Halls," performed by locals the Republic Tigers.

The Republic Tigers, "Deck the Halls" MP3

Merry Christmas from all of us here to all of you there.

Please enjoy this classic, and don't get drunk and hit anyone like last year.

Resident Pitch cartoon-maker Josh Ziegler submitted his list today, with the following additional comments.

My list of music of 2007. Yeah, yeah, I know, it's popular acts. So sue me. I thought the local music this year was pretty bland. I'm still cool, right?

And I counted two for Radiohead because their B-sides that came with the deluxe discbox was separate.

Wilco, Sky Blue Sky
Arcade Fire, Neon Bible
Radiohead, In Rainbows & In Rainbows B-Sides
Band of Horses, Cease to Begin
Bright Eyes, Cassadaga
Rilo Kiley, Under the Blacklight
The Shins, Wincing the Night Away
Feist, The Reminder
Lily Allen, Alright, Still

Our Best Online Radio Personality, Chronic the Hedgehog of Pop Free Radio, thinks you should know about the following.

Top 14 Songs from Local Artists That Played On Popfreeradio.com in 2007
(even if the songs are older)

14. Change Me - Kill.Pop
13. Convict's Lullabye - Select Five
12. Liking You - Pedaljets
11. 10,000 Black Eyes - National Fire Theory
10. I Wish I Believed - Rockesh
9. Be Still, Be Cool - Abracadabras
8. One In A Million - The Belated
7. The Scramble - Shudder
6. Examples Of The Cataclysmic - Walter Alias
5. The Badge - The Architects
4. Corporate's Ladder - Tripp Algiers
3. Back Burner - Caesura 2012
2. Road To Omaha - Distance To Empty
1. Made Concrete - The Republic Tigers

Top 10 Local Bands to See Live, as Voted by Popfreeradio.com Staff

10. Caesura 2012
9. Blackpool Lights
8. New Amsterdams
7. The Architects
6. Reggie And The Full Effect
5. Action Figure
4. Last Of the V8s
3. National Fire Theory
2. Shudder
1. Select Five

Top 10 National Releases with Songs That Aired On Popfreeradio.com in 2007:

10. Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
9. Silver Sun Pickups - Pikul
8. Serj Tankian - Elect The Dead
7. LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
6. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
5. !!! - Myth Takes
4. Ted Leo And The Pharmacists - Living With The Living
3. Pinback - Autumn Of The Seraphs
2. The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine (2006)
1. Cloud Cult - The Meaning of 8

John Hulston, owner of Anodyne Records (home to the Architects, Roman Numerals, Meat Puppets et al), sent in his list, too. Find out below how to join in on the listmania fun.

The Besnard Lakes - Are the Dark Horse (Jagjaguwar)
Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends (French Kiss)
Sunburned Hand of the Man - Fire Escape (Smalltown Supersound)
Karen Dalton - Cotton Eyed Joe (Delmore Recordings)
The Sterns - Sinners Stick Together (Omnirox)
Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover (Jagjaguwar)
Various Artists - First Blood (OxBlood)
Drakes Hotel - Tell Me Everything (Reverb)

And of course..
Meat Puppets - Rise to Your Knees (Anodyne)
The Hearers - Flowers and Flames EP (Anodyne)

GOT A LIST, HOMIE?
Send your list of favorites, least favorites, etc. of 2007 to Jason.Harper@pitch.com, Re: Peep My List. We'll be publishing lists from just about anyone -- at editor's discretion -- through the first week of January. Please include a photo of either yourself or something that illustrates your list in some way. Best of 2007 albums lists should contain at least 10 items in order to be considered for publication.

By CHRIS PACKHAM

The hitherto unrecognized obsessive compulsive streak in the Jungian collective unconscious is apparent in the tendency of internet folk to compile lists. The whole unfunny fucking output of Cracked.com consists of nothing but Digg-bait lists of things they saw on TV. Note to Cracked.com editors: Making jokes about your own site’s tendency to compose every article in the form of a list does not excuse you from doing it. Believe me – if I went around all goddamn day making jokes about my compulsive peeping behavior, the state wouldn’t all-of-a-sudden start letting me live near parks or schools.

Therefore, this won’t be a list of the year’s best songs -- not just because I hate lists, but also because I can only think of one song that I’ve listened to over and over again that actually came out in 2007. And you won’t hear it on the radio, unless your radio magically picks up the transmissions of soundly defeated video game boss monsters.

More

By MEGAN METZGER

13 Records I Like That Came Out in 2K7:
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings: 100 Days, 100 Nights
Various Artists: A Date with John Waters
ESG: A South Bronx Story, Vol. II
Jay Reatard: Blood Visions
The Capstan Shafts: Environ Maiden
LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
Wire: Read and Burn EP
Field Music: Tones of Town
Les Savy Fav: Let's Stay Friends
MIA: Kala
Shout Out Louds: Our Ill Wills
Low: Drums and Guns
Republic Tigers: The Republic Tigers EP

Nine Concerts I Attended in 2K7 in the Kansas City Area That Didn't Suck Ass:
Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem at Starlight
Meatpuppets & the Hearers at the Record Bar
Battles at the Record Bar
Radio Birdman at the Record Bar
TV on the Radio at the VooDoo Lounge
Flaming Lips at the Uptown
Morrissey at the Uptown
Erasure at the Uptown

Four Trends I Hope Not to See Continue in 2008:

More

By BEN WESTHOFF

1. Worst Album: Arcade Fire, Neon Bible

This cerebral garbage entertained about 100 people, none of whom didn’t either live in Canada or work as a music critic. Speaking of critics, it’s hard to agree with Sasha Frere-Jones about anything, but he was right that Arcade Fire lacks soul. This is true in both the musical and metaphysical senses.

2. Worst Single: Bow Wow & Omarion, “Girlfriend”

Worse than Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend” and much worse than ‘N Sync’s “Girlfriend,” this slow, pandering drivel is the kind of thing that makes you wish Bow was still a pup and Omarion was still with B2K.

3. Worst Wu-Tang Clan Song: “Sunlight.”

Wu’s new album is amazing, and I support RZA’s production on it, but on “Sunlight” he falls off the deep end. And as you play all day like the grasshopper who work and toil like armies of ants carrying stones of soil, he chants in a series of run-on sentences, building a home for themselves and storing food. At night we praise Allah and adore the moon in sync like the flow of the Nile, the growth of a child. Cool!

4. Worst Concert: White Williams

White Williams tries his hardest to avoid melody in his songs, and in his concerts he tries his hardest to avoid playing music. This was the case, at least, at his December 10 show at New York’s Bowery Ballroom, in which Williams’ inane, hipster banter dominated the set. During long pauses between songs, we were treated to views of (what I believe was) his MySpace page.

More