LCD Soundsystem - 45:33 (2007)

I saw LCD Soundsystem last weekend at the Treasure Island Music Festival. Apparently this is James Murphy's last tour as LCD Soundsystem and I implore you to see them live. The show was sick-nasty/bittersweet. Sick-nasty because they completely rocked the house and bittersweet because all I wanted was more.

This album was commissioned by Nike as an album to jog to. We'll I haven't jogged to it but I can assure you it can accompany a host of other activities, most of which don't require so much movement and energy. You'll notice the nascent version of Someone Great as a theme throughout, thanks Nike!

LCD I love you but you're bringing me down.

LCD I love you but you're bringing me down.

Like a rat in a cage, earning minumum wage.

LCD I love you but your giving me FLAC

Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun (2000)

One of the most psychedelic albums ever made and another one of my all-time favorites. Be warned though, most of the brain-altering is done in the form of quite loud fuzzy noise that descends into chaos from time to time. It always comes back, however, returning to waves of bliss and tribal percussion. Another warning: listening to this while operating a motor vehicle may result in excessive speeds and volume.

Get it in FLAC.

Let's try this once more with FLAC.

The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt

So a few months ago I was listening to this college radio station called WRMC 91.1, have ya heard of it?

There was this guy named David spouting his mouth off about some folk singer who kinda sounded like Bob Dylan but had a voice ten times better than Dylan could've even dreamed. Needless to say, I curiously acquired the album.

Turns out, The Wild Hunt by The Tallest Man on Earth is really, really good.

It's even better in FLAC.

Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela (2006)

So I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Rodrigo y Gabriela last weekend at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA. Rod Gab has been one of the acts I have wanted to see most for the past 3 or 4 years and finally that desire came to fruition. Some people say that things are better when you are forced to wait. I think that's bullshit. If I could consistently see Rodrigo y Gabriela every weekend I would be one happy motherfucker.

Their stage presence is amazing. It's so blatantly obvious that these two grew up metal heads. Every time Rodrigo or Gabriela took a solo they would get on the edge of the stage, throw a foot up on a monitor, and shred right in the faces of the audience. Luckily enough, I was two people from the stage and got to experience the full brunt of their mastery.

My only criticism from the show: turn those speakers up to 11, dammit!

In FLAC.

Tame Impala - Innerspeaker (2010)

I heard these guys on the radio of all places and immediately was struck by how much the lead singer, Kevin Parker, sounds like John Lennon. I'm not sure if he achieves this through skillful effects manipulation or it's just a similarity, but no matter what I dig these guys. They've got psychedelic sounds straight out of Abbey Road, yet remain poppy enough to be opening for the likes of the Arcade Fire or Yeasayer. Definitely a band to keep an eye on.

Get it in FLAC.

Equal parts slacker non-sequitur and existential burden (eg: "I wanna think what I should know.") And some good old-fashioned overdriven guitars. One of my favorites of all time.

Get it in FLAC.