[Last Night’s Playlist] REARVIEW 2010: My Fave Songs of the Year
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 11:40 am | No Comments
Ok, so it wasn’t technically last night, but hey, I’m not going to abandon my traditional playlist title due to tardiness. Indulge me.
Last Thursday was the first ever REARVIEW 2010, a special DJ night at River Gods in Cambridge, MA where Ashley from Boston Band Crush and I played our favorite songs released in 2010. Ash focused on Boston-area music, while I did the national thing – although I sprinkled my fave local songs in my set as well.
So, in anticipation of my eventual favorite albums post (because I know you’re all just dying for that one), here’s my full playlist – the songs that soundtracked what was one of my worst years on this particular planet. The songs that got me through.
(scroll down for more related comments and links, and have a look here for Ashley’s kick-ass local playlist)
01. Standard Fare – “A Night With A Friend“
02. Land of Talk – “Quarry Hymns“
03. Gregory & the Hawk – “For The Best“
04. Kristin Hersh – “Flooding“
05. John Shade & the Neave Quartet – “Lullaby” (live in Somerville)
06. Travels – “Smile“
07. The Drums – “It Will All End In Tears“
08. Beach Fossils– “Face It“
09. The Radio Dept – “The Video Dept“
10. Cuffs – “You Can Come True” (demo)
11. Chris Page – “Slideshows“
12. Darren Hanlon – “Modern History“
13. Dylan In The Movies – “The Girl With The Black Tights“
14. Fauxbois – “Carry On“
15. Versus – “Scientists“
16. The New Pornographers – “What Turns Up In The Dark“
17. Ted Leo & the Pharmacists – “Bottled In Cork“
18. David Bazan + his band – “Magazine” (live at EA))
19. Telekinesis – “Car Crash“
20. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – “Heart In Your Heartbreak“
21. Tokyo Police Club – “Breakneck Speed“
22. Field Music – “Effortlessly“
23. Sky Larkin – “Kaleide“
24. Film School – “Still Might“
25. Pomegranates – “50’s“
26. Girlfriends – “Gov’t Seizure“
27. Superchunk – “Learned To Surf“
28. Serena Maneesh – “Reprobate!“
29. Young Adults – “Impression“
30. Blood Red Shoes – “Don’t Ask“
31. Ghost Box Orchestra – “Oh, The Moon Hangs Low“
32. Bottomless Pit – “38 Souls“
33. Standard Fare – “Dancing“
Some notes on my set…
There were a few songs I should mention that sadly got cut for time – Tim and Sam‘s – “Choices“, Wye Oak‘s “My Neighbor“, and School of Seven Bells‘ “Babelonia“. Those cuts might not be listed above, but they’re on my list o’ faves. Yeah, I began and ended with Standard Fare, as I simply couldn’t bring myself to cut either of those tracks. Perfect bookends. I’ve said this elsewhere, but 2010 was a banner year for Boston music. The Beantown-area bands above are John Shade (who has since defected to Brooklyn), Somerville duo Travels, Cuffs (carrying the Pants Yell! flame), Dylan In The Movies (ok, Brian’s in San Fran, but Tanya Donelly guests on that fantastic song), blistering garage-rockers Girlfriends, the mighty Ghost Box Orchestra, and powerful post-punk trio Young Adults. While most of the songs naturally came from full-lengths, there are a lot of teases that bode well for 2011: Both the Telekinesis and Wye Oak songs are from excellent Merge-released EPs that held us over until the imminent release of their new full-lengths. That Cuffs demo (one of three you can grab here) promises greatness to come from planned studio time, during which they’ll lay down songs for an upcoming 7-inch. Speaking of 7-inches, the two cuts on the Girlfriends’ “Gov’t Seizure” vinyl simply weren’t enough, and I’m anxiously awaiting the full-length that should happen this year. Definitely out soon is the new album from The Pains of Being Pure At Heart (“Belong” in March from Slumberland), with “Heart In Your Heartbreak” being the advance single. Lastly, fingers remain crossed that we will, at long last, see a full-lengther from Brian Sullivan’s Dylan In The Movies this year, with “The Girl With The Black Tights” joining “Josephine, If You Only Knew” as assurances that it will be something truly special. Keep an eye on the American Laundromat site for the hopefully-sooner-rather-than-later album announcement. The John Shade track I played was recorded early last year at a magical Somerville Armory show with the Neave Quartet, and you can find the non-strings version of it on his site, along with a strings-version of the non-album “Here I Am
On the way: My list of favorite long-players from 2010. This I do solemnly swear.
[Tomorrow @ River Gods] BBC & the Nac present: REARVIEW 2010
Posted on January 12, 2011 at 11:35 am | No Comments
If you’re here in Boston, then you’re buried under a blanket of blizzard at the moment – but you should have yourself uncovered in plenty of time to make this very special DJ night tomorrow, Thursday the 13th, at River Gods…
Ashley from Boston Band Crush and I will be sharing booth duties at my favorite Cambridge bar for an event we’ve dubbed “REARVIEW 2010“. Starting at 9pm, we’ll be playing four hours of our favorite songs released during the just-ended calendar year, with Ashley focusing on Boston-area bands, and me doing the national thing (although I’ll be playing a few of my local faves as well, just ‘cuz). We’ll also be giving out four pairs of tickets, a pair each hour, to upcoming shows at the almost-open Brighton Music Hall (formerly Harper’s Ferry) in Allston.
The BMH shows we’ll be handing out tix to are…
March 5th: Rival Schools (during the 9pm hour) March 7th: Wild Flag, Yellow Fever, & Shepherdess (10pm hour) Feb 16th: Kingsley Flood & Bobby Long (11pm hour) Jan. 29th: Mean Creek, Taxpayer, Girlfriends, & Dirty Dishes (midnight hour)
So come hang out for the whole night, or arrive just in time for your giveaway of choice, but be prepared for aural goodness either way. My overly-thought-out playlist is still under construction, but I’ve already seen Ashley’s, and it couldn’t do a better job of showcasing what a standout year 2010 was for locally-made songs. Can’t wait to hear her play ’em all.
So, in summary: You. Me. BBC. Thursday. River Gods. REARVIEW 2010.
First annual? Here’s hoping.
RSVP on Facebook, if you do that thing most of us do. And while you’re at it, RSVP to this Friday’s free Brighton Music Hall opening night party. Then start shovelin’.