Well it’s not exactly a battle for outer space, but in a sense it is…my hometown of Charleston is going to be faced with the same decision that I have to make tomorrow night.

Tomorrow Saturday March 6th there are two amazing shows happening right here in Brooklyn, and Wednesday March 10th very similar shows are happening in Charleston, SC

First up is everyone’s favorite, Underwater Peeps Proprietors, and all around rad dudes Family Portrait who will be appearing with none other Alex Bleeker and the Freaks…and a too be named Special Guest (supposedly very special).

These New Jersey via DC and back to New Jersey rockers will be playing in full force for the first time in a very long time.  If you have seen Family Portrait over the past 6 months or so you saw various forms with Ari and Brody, but now that Sawyer is back from his journey out East they are back in action in the form we all know and love.  I was looking through my music, and I found a track that I grabbed back in September…. “On The Floor” is a retro pop jam full of fuzzy psychedelica.  Backed up with Brody’s crooning vocals and the type of beach vibe you expect to get from a New Jersey basement or garage party rather than the Jersey shore.

[mp3] Family Portrait- “On The Floor”

• Buy their split 7″ with Andrew Cedermark here.

Rock this one, and then go check out Family Portrait….they are touring down to SXSW!

• Tomorrow, March 6th @ 59 Jefferson St, #402 (21+ $8)
  • Family Portrait, Alex Bleeker, and very Special Guests!
    • This show is presented by Pixelhorse, Microphone Memory Emotion, and Visitation Rites.
      • Proceeds from this show go toward playing the bands playing their awesome SXSW showcase in Austin.  Get all the info on the Austin Show here.
• Wednesday, March 10th @ Outer Space! in Charleston, SC
  • Family Portrait, and fucking Castles Underground!!!
• Check out all of Family Portraits’ tour dates here (lots in between and after these two dates).

The Sandwitches are three ladies from San Fransisco making awesome 50′s/60′s throwback rock and roll.  Their album How to Make an Ambient Sad Cake has been getting tons of play at my house, and on my headphones.  It started with their single “Fire,” and it has slowly infected my head.  And now “The Revisionist” has had me singing “God ain’t no friend of mine” all morning.  I was curious about the lyrics of this song, and I thought I would check out what a revisionist actually was: “a movement in revolutionary Marxian socialism favoring an evolutionary rather than a revolutionary spirit”  and in a sense I guess I fall under this category.  Not a bad thing at all…and a really wonderful song.

[mp3] The Sandwitches- “The Revisionist”

• From How to Make an Ambient Sadcake, buy it here.
• The Sandwitches are part of the Endless Nest Collective.

As much as I love Family Portrait, both as musicians and people, I’m going to have to hit this Sandwitches show.  These ladies are coming from a long way, and who knows when they will be back.

• Tomorrow, Saturday March 6th @ Monster Island Basement
  • Golden Triangle, The Sandwitches, Coasting, and Girls at Dawn
    • All Ages, $8
      • They are also playing tonight, but very little info is available.
• Wednesday March 10th @ The Tin Roof in Charleston, SC
  • The Sandwitches, and Teenage Owl.
• See all of the Sandwitches’ tour dates here (lots in between and after these two dates).

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If none of these things work for you…. go see Twin Sister at CoCo66 tomorrow night (March 6th).  More info about Twin Sister can be found here.

And this weekend pregame for everything at Mugs Ale House’s  Split thy Skull Festival!

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The photo of Family Portrait was taken on January 29th, 2010 at Bruar Falls, and is from the White Lodge. If you would like to use this photo please link back to the flickr page, and credit the White Lodge.

• more posts featuring photos from the White Lodge can be found here.

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• More on Family Portrait here.
• More on Underwater Peoples Records here.
• More on the Sandwitches here.
• More on the Endless Nest Collective here.

Sonny and the Sunsets‘ Tomorrow is Alright came out toward the end of 2009 (If you haven’t checked out my best of 2010 list Sonny is on it…read that here.), and it was my fear that I would have to wait another 12 months to get new tunes from the popsmith that is Sonny Smith.  But just six weeks into twenty ten we get Sonny’s new single The Hypnotist out on Future Stress Recordings.

Act fast because the first 100 mail orders come with a limited edition comic booklet written and illustrated by Sonny! And if you are a colored vinyl dork like me you can get your hands on the limited blue/yellow swirl wax edition.

Sonny’s lyrics will have you singing along in no time.  This four song 7″ of Sonny’s signature acoustic pop features one track from Tomorrow is Alright, and three new songs.  I’ll leave you with “Stranded” so that you can ruminate on the track for a minute, and then hopefully make your way over to Future Stress to pick up a copy of this limited 7″ before it’s sold out.  ”Stranded” is on the b-side of this record, and I feel is a perfect representation of Sonny’s music and his honest and hilarious lyrics are why I’ve fallen in love with his songs.

[mp3] Sonny and the Sunsets- “Stranded”

Sonny is a very talented man, and if the comic booklet that came with the long sold out Love and Death 7″ is any indication I’m almost as excited about the comic as I am about the record….so now let me direct you to this link:

Buy Sonny’s The Hypnotist 7″ from Future Stress here.

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• more on Sonny & the Sunsets can be found here.
• more on the Endless Nest collective can be found here.
• thanks to always wonderful RSTB for the tip on this one.

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.

[mp3] Screaming Females- “Bell”

• buy it here.
• more on Screaming Females can be found here.

14.) Desolation Wilderness- New Universe

When I saw the cover and title of this album I hoped it would sound like it looked.   And it did.  A shoegaze master piece released by K Records.

[mp3] Desolation Wilderness- “Boardwalk Theme”

• buy it here.
• more on Desolation Wilderness can be found here.

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.

[mp3] Alex Bleeker & The Freaks- “Animal Tracks (Mountain Man cover)”

• buy it here.
• more on Alex Bleeker can be found here.

12.) Sonny and The Sunsets- Tomorrow is Alright

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.

[mp3] Sonny and the Sunsets- “Too Young To Burn”

• buy it here (the LP is sold out…maybe get it here?).
• Sonny’s website
• Endless Nest’s website.

11.) Nite Jewel- Good Evening

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. 

[mp3] Nite Jewel- “Weak for Me”

• buy it here.
• Nite Jewel’s website// myspace

10.) BOAT- Setting the Paces

If there has been one album this year that can bring me out of dark times it is Setting the Paces.   Released by Magic Marker Records.

[mp3] BOAT- “Prince Of Tacoma”

• buy it here.
• more on BOAT can be found here.

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.

[mp3] Julie Doiron- “Spill Yer Lungs”

• buy it here.
• more on Julie Doiron can be found  here.

8.) Ducktails- Ducktails// Landscapes

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.

[mp3] Ducktails- “Landrunners” (off of Landscapes)

• buy Ducktails here // buy Landscapes here.
• more on Ducktails can be found here.

7.) Karl Blau- Zebra

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.

[mp3] Karl Blau- “Dark Sedan”

• buy it here.
• more on Karl Blau can be found here.

6.) Pains of Being Pure at Heart- Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Like a time machine to the late eighties //early nineties.  Another great album from Slumberland.

[mp3] Pains of Being Pure at Heart- “Come Saturday”

• buy it here.
• more on Pains Of Being Pure at Heart can be found here.

5.) Ganglians- Monster Head Room

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).

[mp3] Ganglians- “Crying Smoke”

• buy it here.
• more on Ganglians can be found here.

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.

Danielson- “Monkberry Moon Delight”

• The Best Show// WFMU
• Oh and if you don’t already have it…buy Paul McCartney’s Ram here (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.

[mp3] Mount Eerie- “Between Two Mysteries”

• buy it here from P.W. Elverum and Suns.
• more about Mount Eerie  can be found here.

2.) Julian Lynch- Orange You Glad

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.

[mp3] Julian Lynch- “Rancher”

• buy it here.
• 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.

[mp3] So Cow- “Casablanca”

• Buy it 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.

Welcome to Vol. 2 of Speed Dating.

This is something I’m going to try to keep up with even while my other posts slack off over the holiday season (yes, my posts are going to dwindle to just a couple a week)…but that’s ok. I’m probably going to stop doing my weekly recs post because I would rather have actual posts on the blog rather than out dated event listings…but other than that content will remain the same…just less of it.

I’m pretty excited to post about these three bands being that they all have been running around in my head for a while. I hope you enjoy too.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Named after two things that I really like sandwiches and ummmm anything paranormal I have to say these ladies would have made it on to my iPod independently of the fabulous scene that surrounds them…but the fact of the matter is that The Sandwitches roll in the same scene as Thee Oh Sees, Tim Cohen, and Sonny and the Sunsets, as well as share members with Fresh and Onlys, and Brilliant Colors… this only points to good things. Twangy riffs coming out of the head phones totally caught me off guard, but I kept on listening. From the twangy bluesy guitars to the chorus-ey, at times doo-wop esque, vocals the Sandwitches seem to be bringing some fresh new sounds that actually sound pretty old with hints of blues, country, and a hint of rhythm and blues.   Look forward to seeing what is on the horizon from them…if their cohorts are any indication we should expect to be bombarded with Sandwitches vinyl in 2010.  The Sandwitches have  already started with the release of an LP on Endless Nest, titled How to Make an Ambient Sad Cake, this year that I’m beginning to think I should be tracking down.

[mp3] The Sandwitches- “Fire” (via rstb)
from How to Make an Ambient Sad Cake
buy it here.

Magic Kids have been spinning quite often on my turntable since I picked up the Hey Boy 7″ at the WFMU record fair (and for only $2 at that!), and again more music being made today that feels like it could have been many many years ago. Magic Kids are putting their own touch on a throwback to ’60s pop, and I don’t think it can get any catchier. Magic Kids are on Goner Records in the US, and Rough Trade picked them up in the UK…here is what sparked my interest:

[mp3] Magic Kids- “Hey Boy”
from Hey Boy 7″
buy it here.

I thought that it could only go down hill with a debut single as strong as “Hey Boy,” but the second single hit the interweb a couple weeks ago…called “Superball” it is also a really strong showing in the same vein as the first single and b-side. I’m glad a got the first single, and can’t wait to see what they do with an LP. Rough Trade is proclaiming “Hey Boy” to be the best song of 2009.

[mp3] Magic Kids- “Superball”
from their upcoming split with Smith Westerns on Fat Possum
it will eventually be available here

klk has been telling me to listen to Field Music for years (probably literally), and for some reason it has never happened until now. I downloaded the the track “Measure” from their to be released album, and all I have to say is that I don’t know why I waited so long.   I’m pretty sure there is an album or two lurking on our hard drive, and I think it’s time to dig them out.  I can’t wait to see what I have missed from the past couple of years from David and Peter Brewis, who seem to be a phenomenal song writing duo.  Overall just really well done indie pop, and that is just the type of thing that I have been in the mood for lately…maybe I need to catch them when they play the Bell House on December 3rd (tickets here)?

[mp3] Field Music- “Measure” (via mbv)
from their forth coming album due out 2/16/10
more info on it at Memphis Industries.
buy Field Music’s other releases here.

This is it for Speed Dating this week…hope to have another installment up next week.

Links:

• more Speed Dating here.