NYC Popfest, I have to thank you for being one of very few reasons that BOAT actually leave the comfort of their beloved pacific northwest and come all the way out to New York City to play some music.
People who have been following the Great Pumpkin know that BOAT’s amazing album of up beat post-twee pop music titled Setting the Paces was one that I loved last year (my rave review can be found here), and their performance at Bruar Falls back in November was one of the live performance highlights of 2009 for me…it included: posters, signs, dancing, jokes, baseball, but no confetti (supposedly Tim Harrington came and took it…lots of videos of this show can be found below).
But this time around BOAT is in town for Pop Fest, and are playing not one, but two Pop Fest shows, and another special appearance this Thursday at Bruar Falls! Here are the dates/details:
I highly recommend catching BOAT while they are here…they can pick up your spirits, put you in the presence of good people, and give you a great time…even if you don’t know the words you will be singing along. If you need more convincing check out the mp3s, videos, poster, and dog below. See you at Bruar Falls!
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Mr. David Crane of BOAT was nice enough to send over this wonderful poster that BOAT did for the upcoming show at Bruar Falls…for more of BOAT’s art click here.
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When BOAT was here back in November I shot a bunch of video at Bruar Falls…here are a couple, and there will be more after the jump (an mp3 after the jump too!):
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I would also like to take the chance to congratulate David on the new addition to his family…meet Boom (named after The Sonics’album), a Sharpei mix who was adopted from the Tacoma Humane Society!
If Boom is anything like my Cooper he has quickly become David’s new best friend.
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More on BOAT here.
More videos (and an MP3) after the jump!
Last year I did a list of twenty five albums, and I began to think that the rank ordering no longer meant anything once I hit a certain number. This year I thought I was going to do a top ten with a not so short list of other albums, but then I decided that would be the same thing as a top twenty five.
I feel like I settled in the middle. I was able to narrow 2009 down to fifteen albums, and no short list. These are my favorites. If you haven’t heard them check out the mp3, and if you like it buy the album…you won’t be disappointed. Cheers.
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The Great Pumpkin’s favorite albums of 2009.
15.) Screaming Females- Power Move
Hearing this record for the first time was like the first time I heard Dinosaur Jr. Power Move was released by Don Geovanni Records.
13.) Alex Bleeker and the Freaks- Alex Bleeker and the Freaks
Classic Rock for my generation. This record gets more powerful with each listen. Released via the wonderful Underwater Peoples Records. Their cover of “Animal Tracks” is just as good as the original.
Sonny and the Sunsets made the perfect warm weather pop album that it transcends seasons. I find that even on a morning as cold as today Tomorrow is Alright can make me feel warm inside. Sonny is part of the Endless Nest Collective, and if you know what is good for you should have your eye on the nest…so many great records came out of this group in 2009. Tomorrow is Alright was released by Soft Abuse Records.
This is an album of psychedelic dance jams and not necessarily the dance music you would hear in a club, but more what you want to chill out with at the end of the night. This record was released by Human Ear Music / Gloriette Records.
9.) Julie Doiron- I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day
While she is known for her sad songs this album shows her lighter side, and that is something that I really enjoy…and she can totally wail on that guitar too. Released by Jagjaguwar Records.
As far as I’m concerned these two should have been a double album. I have a hard time thinking about them separately. Ducktails in a sense gave birth to Real Estate, and possibly this whole thing chillwave thing. Ducktails came out via Not Not Fun and Lanscapes via Olde English Spelling Bee.
This man is a constant inspiration to me. This record is just one of three albums that he made this year that I fell in love with. Released by K Records.
The first full length form this Sacramento band, and it was pretty much perfect. The LP was released by Weird Forest and CD by Woodsist (who will be repressing the LP).
4.) TOM: WFMU’s the Best Show’s Tribute to Paul McCartney’s RAM (various artists)
The Best Show put together the best tribute album ever. If you are unfamiliar with RAM it is the only album I have ever heard of by Paul McCartney refered to as dirty (and that is a very good thing). Released as a DJ Premium for donating to WFMU… Sad that it was so exclusive. The moral of this story is…DONATE TO WFMU!
I haven’t really listened to Danielson over the past couple albums, but this cover makes me want to rethink that…one of my favorite tracks from this album, and one of the best covers I have heard in a long time.
Oh and if you don’t already have it…buy Paul McCartney’s Ramhere (or used on LP here).
3.) Mount Eerie- Wind’s Poem
I am a long time fan of Phil Elverum, and on this album he took me to a place I never imagined I’d go. Dark and beautiful…seeing it performed live gave me the best halloween I’ve had in years.
After this record I will be on the look out for anything Julian Lynch ever releases. Orange You Glad has moved me. Released on Olde English Spelling Bee.
more on Julian Lynch (mp3s, video, pictures, reviews, more) can be found here.
1.) So Cow- So Cow
By far the record I listened to most this past year. The pop catches you, but the guitar and lyrics keep you. I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to Tic Tac Totally Records. If you didn’t catch So Cow when they were in the states last year their 2010 American Tour starts in less than two week! Tour dates can be found here.
more on So Cow (reviews, posters, mp3s, pictures)can be found here.
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Thanks for reading my best of lists. I’m pretty sure this is the end of it…my goal was to get it up by February 1st, but I ended up one day late…I’m ok with that.
You can find more of mine, and some of my special guests, best of lists here.
BOAT came into my life, and shortly after that I took the GRE…I totally bombed the first time I took it, but Setting the Paces was something that could always bring a smile to my face. There is just something about these not-so-sloppy-pop / post-twee song-smiths that resonates deep in my brain, and bring to mind indie pop of yesterday…but with lyrics that make me want to press repeat over and over again.
I got to meet David Crane of BOAT when they played Bruar Falls in Williamsburg, and he was a super nice guy…so nice that he contributed his best of 2009 lists to the Great Pumpkin!
David Crane of BOAT’s Best of 2009
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I have been obsessed with these albums and researching dogs. I am getting one in June….I am getting new albums all the time. I am either searching Insound or the Humane Society website pretty much daily.
I’m really behind on posting videos that I have shot, and my videos of BOAT from Bruar Falls will surface sometime in 2010, but in the mean time Jenn of the Pelly Twinsshot this amazing acoustic video of BOAT at Coney Island. And guess what…they cover “A Salty Salute” by Guided by Voices and go straight into “Lately”!!! It’s totally rad, and I wish I could have been there. Way to go Pelly Twins!
BOAT- “A Salty Salute (Guided By Voices cover)” & “Lately” Live at Coney Island
More video from the PellyTwins (including more BOAT) here.
I also discovered BOAT’s older, but still extremely wonderful album this year called Let’s Drag Our Feet… and while this song resonates in a different part of my indie pop past it still hits hard…I’ve really fallen in love with their entire catalog:
A couple weeks ago I got a copy of BOAT‘s new album Setting the Paces. It’s not unlike me to get obsessive over an album, but it has been damn hard to get Setting the Paces out of my headphones (literally at least once a day since I got it).
BOAT make up beat indie pop with catchy hooks, and lyrics that are borderline twee (and as you probably know I have no problem with this) that latched on to my brain. When some bad things started happening around me lat week I was really glad to have BOAT to help pull me out of the sadness.
Setting the Paces is BOAT’s 3rd LP, but the first that I am hearing…and if it is any indication of their other work there is a strong chance I might end up with all of them.
BOAT was one of those bands that didn’t initially sink in, and “Name Tossing” was the first track that I heard (and this was long before I heard the whole album). It ended up on a mix I made out of tracks I downloaded. At first I was indifferent, then I kept going back to it, and then I played it on repeat…it was a slow but gradual progression to obsession. At that point I snagged a couple more tracks from The Finest Kiss and Soundbites, two blogs that have been championing BOAT for quite a while.
There is something intensely personal about BOAT. Their songs aren’t just songs…they are stories about friends, family, life, and fantasy. BOAT is a band that indie pop fans will probably fall in love with, and if the musicians are anything like their music…people you would want to be friends with as well. When a band writes a description of their own music…I am typically skeptical…but I think BOAT’s is true to form:
Reptile boy vocals being sung in the same room with many guitars, a bass, two drumsets, a Wurlitzer, several keyboards, mediocre talent, fragile egos, some soft tacos, a piece of pizza, and several Diet Cokes. (via)
Besides the diet cokes, this sounds pretty much amazing…and Setting the Paces is the product of this. And from this description you can only expect lyrics about eating nachos, hanging out with the family, friends of past and present, and stories of sadness and success. You will probably find yourself singing along with lines like “I knew you when your mini van was up on cinder blocks” (from “Reverie”) or “I was eating nachos, sitting with my mother, talking bout nothing, talking about growing….up in New Jersey, a state without a hero…who could be our hero? Drive into the City!” (from “Lately”). It’s very seldom that a band can write lyrics like this, and not sound cheesy…but rather completely honest and sincere, and from what I can tell…BOAT does this better than anyone.
11/14/09- Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY @ Bruar Falls
If you can make it to any of these shows I’m pretty sure that it is guaranteed to be an energetic fun filled night. I don’t know about you, but I think I can use one of those. Setting the Paces appears to be BOAT’s first album to be put out on LP, and I can’t wait to pick one up on Saturday at Bruar Falls. BOAT claims that their line up for this East Coast tour knows 23 BOAT songs, and all will be played…I predict good things to come of this.
the white lodge is a photography collaboration between klk and myself. We specialize in analog photography using both 35mm and medium format film. Please check out our flickr.
i occasionally post mp3s and videos on this blog for the sole purpose of promoting artists that I believe deserve attention. all songs are for sampling purposes only, if you like it there will be a link to buy music from the artist (or tour dates...go see them!). if by chance I post an mp3 or video with audio that you own, and you would like me to take it down please let me know. you can reach me at:
(tom at gprecs.com)
in this instance i am very sorry.
it's a slippery slope. RT: @mattlemay: This whole "hit the 'like' button to access this content" thing on Facebook is incredibly obnoxious.about 14 hours agofrom Echofon
