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Realizing The World Is Asleep

Download the entire Realizing The World Is Asleep zip file here.

Gentleman Jesse And His Men

“Take It Easy On Me” - mp3

“Take It Easy On Me” is my favorite track from Gentleman Jesse And His Men‘s latest album Leaving Atlanta which slightly strips away the punk edge that originally attracted me to their sound back in 2008, leaving the spotlight on a strength of song structure and a nearly impossible sound not to sing along with.

“Take It Easy On Me” was meant for an 80′s montage or 2012 summer nights full of cheap beer and good friends, I’m stoked for the later.

Make friends with Gentleman Jesse And His Men – Facebook

Father John Misty

“Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings” - mp3

Two things should be stated up front; Father John Misty is in itself one awesome band name, the second being the fact that J. Tillman chose to use it as a moniker rather than riding his own name and its attachment with Fleet Foxes for further solo success is commendable to say the least.

Until recently I’ve felt that J. Tillman was just creative enough as a solo artist to justify leaving his former band as they were just beginning to make the unfortunate jump from scene to mainstream, all of that has changed completely with the birth of Father John Misty.

I’m not sure what caused it but something big has happened within Tillman, there is a new crystallization of creativity that has me more than stoked to jump on the FJM bandwagon. This is great music, for the first time I’m actually excited not only for what he has laid out in front of us but more-so for what absolute potential this new shift shines a light on.

Welcome to the spotlight J. Tillman you’ve sure as hell earned it.

Upcoming Austin Show:

Mohawk - May 26 w/Har Mar Superstar and Dana Falconberry.

Make friends with Father John Misty – Facebook | Tumblr

1,2,3

“Some Kinda Hate” (Misfits Cover) - mp3

Have you guys heard the 1,2,3 Mifits Cover album? If not, you should!

As both a fan of 1,2,3 and The Misfits this combination of the two still amazes me each time I press play.

I’m not sure why I dug up this release from last Halloween but it has been finding itself onto daily mixes these last few weeks. If you happen to be a die-hard Misfits fan and you don’t appreciate this more than likely it is from closed-minded biases rather than any real discrepancies with the sound, sure some of the piss and vinegar is lost in translation yet what we gain makes the loss justifiable.

The band has a kickstarter up to help get a new van due to how many shows they’ve had to cancel from their current van breaking down. These guys create incredible music and if you missed one of their many sets during this years SXSW you should definitely pencil them in at the top of your must-see live list, it wouldn’t hurt to throw down a few bucks to help make it happen.

Make friends with 1,2,3 – Facebook | Tumblr | Twitter | Kickstarter

Sin Fang

“Only Eyes” - mp3

“Only Eyes” is the first release from Sin Fang‘s new EP Half Dreams which will be here in less than a month… just in time to soundtrack yet another summer with his upbeat electronic gems.

Make friends with Sin Fang – Website | Facebook

Lydia

“Best Nights” - mp3

I was a bit weary about how Paint It Golden would sound when it came out last fall. The thought of the band lacking Mindy White‘s perfectly fitting vocals and the chemistry they helped create within the band’s sound left me without an ounce of optimism for Lydia‘s future. So often in the past I’ve found myself wishing she sang more rather than typically working as an accompaniment, the few songs where she takes the lead were some of their best to date and the presence it brought to their albums was an absolute cornerstone to what made them great.

The dirt that all parties were throwing in each others direction didn’t help bare the loss much either. At the point of their hiatus things seemed bleak with enough drama to fill an MTV reality show, all members seemed to have something negative to say about the band as a collective . So now Mindy is out and the two founding members Leighton Antelman and Steve McGraw are all bro’d-up once again, I’m not sure what happened, I guess sometimes friendship trumps creative differences.

Enter Paint It Golden and the complete shock I had upon finally listening to it last week. This album is better than good, it could quite possibly be their best album yet. There is confidence, there is style, it’s a even a bit more grown-up (for a band I previously would have full-on labeled Emo this is important), and yet the engaging lyrics feel as personal and engaging as ever. All things considered I’m left wondering if White had stayed with the band and they continued on their previous course would I have liked it? Probably not, my sulking-in-emotion drowning-in-depression days are a ways behind me.

There’s a line in the sand between maturing and selling out and thank god Antelman and McGraw chose the side that allows me to continue cheering for them and having great music to coincide with my own life and the memories they have/will attach themselves too.

At this point the only thing I’m not thankful for when it comes to things Lydia related is the fact that they are still touring in support of crap bands like The Maine (I’m sure the guys are good people and all but I’ve seen them live and it sounds like an auto-tuned pre-mixed prime example of all that destroyed a thriving important scene I once held so close), grow some balls guys! Wouldn’t it be better to play shitty bars in dive towns than ride the Alternative Press pre-pubescent bandwagon? I’m not a supporter of business decisions rather than artistic ones and Lydia‘s current tour seems to follow the first route.

At the end of the day, with my judgements on touring decisions aside, I’m glad I hadn’t written these guys off, it definitely would have been my loss. My fingers are crossed they keep it together this time.

Make friends with Lydia - Facebook

Alamo Race Track

“Apples” - mp3

I was sitting up last night listening to the new Said The Whale album and this song came to mind. I can now say that Little Mountain has shifted from being an album I chose to hate for unimportant hopes that they would have gone a different direction with their sound to one of the main albums I’m listening consistently to. I’ll say this and move on; why do bands never strip things back? It’s always more production, more production, more production with each album until they are undeniably fitting into the clear-channel playlist void of complete sell-out garbage. That’s what bothers me about Little Mountain, sure it’s a great album but it’s a small step towards the dark side, just for once I want a band to get heavier or folkier or go from clean to lo-fi rather than the complete reverse, seriously if Springsteen sat down in his kitchen and recorded a new album by four-track as he did with Nebraska it would most likely be the greatest album he’s made in thirty years, I would much rather hear an artist with all their flaws than hear how well a producer can polish over them.

“Apples” is what I was hoping for when I download Little Mountain because it would have been a step forward in songwriting strength for the guys without losing that swing your mug backyard campfire vibe that made songs like “The Light As You” kick the door to my heart open. That’s enough of STW.

Alamo Race Track are a band who have been creating a homogenous sound of music for ten+ years. Their the perfect mixture of Bishop Allen and the aforementioned Said The Whale without losing their own distinct sound, standing out within all comparisons.

Make friends with Alamo Race Track – Website | Facebook | Soundcloud Twitter

Old Gray

“Ryan Mitchell Made Me Do It” - mp3

It is only April and I have included Old Gray on three mixtapes already. If “Ryan Mitchell Made Me Do It” wasn’t one of the best song I’ve heard since uncovering “Belly Of The Best” last December and before that “Wilderness Eyes” last summer I wouldn’t continue inundating you with their music, after all you can lead a horse to water or some shit.

This song comes from their Demo‘s EP (free through their bandcamp link below) and fully embodies, without missing a single aspect, each and every quality that makes me passionate for music and keeps me shuffling through band pages and blogs all night.

It’s like Fat Mike once said, “the record player spinning the best times I never had, so why do my old records make me sad? Cause they’re so bad and no one seems to understand the glory of guitar when out of tune, the off timing, the singers who can’t sing, the beauty of flaw.” Those few lines define what it is that makes me hold onto the music I LOVE with such closeness as to occasionally lose sight of the fact that a specific song and I as an individual are not one and the same when it feels for those few endless minutes that we are.

Sure I appreciate all types of music, I understand (or at least think I do) the indefinable characteristics that makes the difference between what is good and what is not, like how I can confidently say that Wilco are generic but Whiskeytown were great, but it’s the music that goes beyond labels and definitions that truly bonds with me and causes everything to fall into place, to clear away the chaos and confusion that has become my day to day life and for those brief moments help everything to just make sense. “Ryan Mitchell Made Me Do It” is one of those rare but important songs.

“We live in a dream and, when our lives are over, we’ll finally wake up and realize the world is asleep. We’ll empty our lungs and strum out our heartstrings; we’ll simply wake up and realize the beauty in life. One day we’ll scream and get rid of our demons- we’ll empty our souls, take the world off our backs. And as for me, well, I’ve been through some bad times, but I’ve kept my head up and imagined a place with just you and me. Some day the world will stop and so will our hearts. I love you so.“

Bonus: NOFX – “Jaw Knee Music” – mp3

Make friends with Old Gray – Facebook | Bandcamp | Tumblr

Bryan John Appleby

“Duncan” (Paul Simon Cover) - mp3

It’s been a while since I’ve mentioned I Am Fuel, You Are Friends – what is probably the best website in the world for music. Heather Browne has an ear for music which I can merely strive for and an elegance to her writing I could never even attempt. It was awesome to see her venture out in a very organic way when she began Chapel Sessions last year, much of the phenomenal acoustic music in my library has come out of those sessions.

Bryan John Appleby‘s take on the lyrically-sound Paul Simon song “Duncan” is quite possibly my favorite that has come out of the Chapel Sessions. It’s odd how close to the original Appleby keeps his version yet there’s something about it that feels brand new with a deep underlying sadness. Sure that has been a staple of Simon’s songs but this is a fresh sadness, individualized rather than all-encompassing as with all of Simon’s work especially with Garfunkel. I would dare even say that somehow that somber nearly melancholy semblance is what Garfunkel brought to the music which people so often overlook. It’s easy to see Art as just standing there and singing along, and sure Paul Simon was able to go on to define what it means to be a singer-songwriter on his own but it’s those early tracks that stand out, not for the structure but for the spirit they embody, many nights I’ve spent trying to figure out why. What changed? For much of my life I thought it was maturity, taking his approach from passion to professional yet it was when I first heard JBA’s version that this new notion came to me. It’s early in development as a theory goes so I can’t quite expound upon it but the question now is, how is it that Bryan John Appleby accomplishes what Paul Simon never could quite do on his own?

I’m not saying that BJA could write a song of this caliber, that is yet to be seen (we’ve still got time), but he sure as hell can breathe a whole new life into “Duncan” and that is commendable in itself.

Check out the entire Fuel/Friends Chapel Session here.

Listen to the difference for yourself – Paul Simon – “Duncan” - mp3

Make friends with Bryan John Appleby – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp

Hosannas

“The People I Know” (Copy Remix) - mp3

The best remixes, as with covers, are the ones that can take a great song and change it without losing any of the originals integrity. Copy‘s remix of this formerly chill Hosannas song moves “The People I Know” in more of the direction the original only hinted at in its development.

Nothing over the top is added or tweaked but “The People I Know” now has a drive to it which makes the experience feel more passionate. Marius Libman‘s eight-bit key addition is rather fantastic in itself though, I could listen to those ten second breaks sampled on repeat for an hour and never grow tired of it.

Make friends with Hosannas – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter

Make friends with Copy – Myspace | Last.fm

Hundred Visions

“Last Cab From Tunis” - mp3

Let’s get back to something a little more visceral.

“Last Cab From Tunis” has a sound that I can only describe as a spot on mix of Real Estate and The Talking Heads, a combination I wouldn’t believe if I hadn’t heard for myself.

These guys are out of Austin, I’m yet to catch them live since moving here but I’m hoping that changes in the very near future. A new album is due out in the next month or so, I haven’t seen an official date for it yet, if it’s anywhere near as good as what they’ve put out so far go ahead and count on seeing more of them on Heycoolkid!.

Make friends with Hundred Visions – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Twitter

The Orwells

“Lays At Rest” - mp3

There’s much that can be taken from what is being said in “Lays At Rest.” Since we are all at liberty to make our own interpretation, I can’t help but hear a statement being made throughout this song that embodies the mindset of all those twenty-somethings I consider my peers. The whole burn it all down to build it back up, self-evaluation vs. self-destruction, the standing-still disguised as forward progress and the reality that sometimes we have to defend our decisions after the fact even when we’re not sure ourselves what we are doing, all of that is possibly in “Lays At Rest“. Then again this could just be an indie-pop break-up song.

Make friends with The Orwells -Facebook | Tumblr

SNOWMINE

“Piece Of Your Pie” - mp3

I’m feeling like I should end this week in a bit more upbeat fashion than usual.

Most SNOWMINE songs stand within their own unique psyche-pop sound so it’s more of a compliment than just an average reference when I mention how “Piece Of Your Pie” feels very similar to another of my Brooklyn favorite’s Bear Hands, only with more space and a little more swagger, yet the definitive difference lies within how this song is fueled by confidence and just enough experimentation to keep things original.

I really hope to catch these guys live this year. They keep sending me invites to shows in New York, it sure would be nice to have something more within biking distance, sure Lance Armstrong could make a trip out of it but for a half-pack-a-day smoker like myself it’s a little bit unrealistic.

I promise that next week’s post will have more new faces, I’ve been spending much of my time this year actually soaking in entire albums from bands rather than falling in line with A-typical hipsters who only know one or two songs from a band and pretends like they are a passionate fan. I felt somewhat like a fake when compiling my Best Albums of 2012 list when I was actually hearing a few of them in there entirety as I was typing up the post. There has to be a balance for continually finding new worthwhile music while at the same time getting to enjoy the incredible art which has already been found, I’ll let you know if I ever figure it out. SNOWMINE create great art, so it’s only a half-assed apology I offer up. I may be lowering my chances of new followers, it’s worth the loss, what’s more important, them or me… not all self-centered decisions are bad ones, right?

Make friends with SNOWMINE - Website | Facebook | Twitter

All songs are for promotional purposes only. If you or an artist you represent would like some content removed email me at Heycoolkid@yahoo.com.

Tags: 123, Alamo Race Track, And His Men, Apples, Art Gafunkel, Atlanta, Austin, Bearhands, Belly Of The Beast, Best Nights, Bishop Allen, Brooklyn, Bruce Sprinsteen, Bryan John Appleby, Chapel Session, Copy, cover, Dana Falconberry, Download, ep, Fat Mike, Father John Misty, fleet foxes, Gentleman Jesse, Half Dreams, Har Mar Superstar, hey cool kid, heycoolkid, Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings, Hosannas, Howth, Hundred Visions, J Tillman, Jaw Knee Music, Last Cab From Tunis, Lays At Rest, Leaving Atlanta, Leighton Antelman, listen, Little Mountain, Lydia, Lyrics, Marius Libman, Mindy White, mix, Mixtape, Mohawk, mp3, Nebraska, New York, NoFX, Old Gray, Only Eyes, Paint It Golden, Paul Simon, Piece Of Your Pie, playlist, Real Estate, Realizing The World Is Asleep, remix, Ryan Mitchell Made Me Do It, said the whale, simon and garfunkel, Sin Fang, Snowmine, Some Kinda Hate, Steve McGraw, Stream, Take It Easy On Me, The Misfits, The Orwells, The People I Know, The Talking Heads, whiskeytown, wilco, Wilderness Eyes, Zip

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Categories mp3 mix

Heycoolkid!’s 100 Best Songs Of 2011

22 Dec

Heycoolkid!’s 100 Best Songs Of 2011 (56 – 75)

75.Oregon Bike Trails – “Cayucas”

Oregon Bike Trails has created the ideal soundtrack for any summer. If “Cayucas” doesn’t get you in the mood for warmer weather, open air, some polluted water-way, and good friends I can’t help but wonder what is wrong with you.

74. Oupa – “Forget”

After seeing Yuck play Radio Radio this year I’m at a stalemate between an intense love for songs like “Automatic“/ Oupa’s “Forget” and the absolute energy of the more upbeat songs like “Cousin Corona” and “Georgia” which develop into a whole other animal on-stage.

This song stirs emotions hiding in the back of my consciousness that occasionally need to be brought to the surface like a realized musical accompaniment to Bukowski‘s “Bluebird“. There’s a time and place for every great song. When the moment comes for this one to be fitting you’re thankful as you listen that a friend has created something to sing along with which aligns perfectly with those feelings.

73. Bright Eyes – “Jejune Stars”

The People’s Key is an album that grew on me gradually this year. I’m not sure what I was expecting but what at first felt like a let down developed into an absolute returned love for an artist that will always seem underated to me. Conor Oberst is the catalyst for an entire shift from mainstream to indie in the collective psyche of all things brilliant and “cool.”

The way he expresses himself in each song on The People’s Key was fashioned more along the lines of Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band than it was traditional Bright Eyes in that the lyrics are personal yet more metaphoric than personally descriptive but the same message is there, “Jejune Stars” is probably the best example.

72. 1,2,3 – “Riding Coach”

“[Riding Coach] further expands the band’s musical palette. They’ve rocked out plenty thus far, and they’ve done the retro-soul vibe remarkably well, too. With ‘Riding Coach‘, Sickels pounds out a slow, steady beat and Nic Snyder’s near-falsetto vocals massage the ears with rhythm and soul. About two-thirds of the way through, there’s a funky little guitar riff before the pair chill out again. Absorb the cool … “- The Wounded Jukebox

71. Messy Sparkles – “Newblessings (Selfish Ghost)”

“Catchy melodies blend and come apart in a swirling psyched-out pop frenzy. Seeing two colors together and apart at once. Happy, frustrated, and sad all at the same time. Messy Sparkles not only make sense of such calamity, it seems to be their essence.” – Zen Tapes

70. Lana De Rey – “Video Games”

If Lana Del Rey sticks with the sound she’s given us in 2011 I confidently believe our generation may have it’s new Sinatra. She’s got the sound, she’s got the look, and she followed the ideal format this year in laying the groundwork for a shift towards huge commercial success. Who knows how we’ll feel about Lana Del Rey in a few years time but for now it’s hard to find anyone whose opinion I appreciate that doesn’t respect the songs she put out this year. “Video Games” was the song that took me from listening timidly to becoming a fan.

69. Nathan Bell – “Rust”

Unless it’s Merle Haggard there isn’t much “country” that I get into, which is what caught me off guard with “Rust“. I’m not even sure which blog I picked it up from when I downloaded this track yet I clearly remember when it came up on shuffle just stopping what I was doing and listening so intently that I played it three times in a row. There’s no doubt in my mind the place Nathan Bell was at when he wrote this song, although I may be wrong, I get the feeling that this song must have been a huge release for him when it was finished.

“Rust” reminds me so much of coming home from shows I’d play six hours away and driving all night to make it to work at 8 in the morning, wondering about the kind of things you wonder about on rides like that. One show in Michigan in-particular stands for me.

Late night, the window down, I had a cigarette lit and Blake Skidmore‘s “August Breeze” was playing on my 5th generation. I remember being overwhelmed by that feeling of age and time, the way those things feel when you are young, and just wondering if anything we ever do is worth the effort. It was one of the best shows I’d ever played and still there was an emptiness in me that I thought a show like that would dissolve. Each time I hear this song I’m so vividly transported back that I can feel the fall night wind and the uneasiness inside all over again. There’s definitely a reason for songs like this to be important…that’s mine.

68. Scott Orr- “Nobody’s Someone”

When I posted the Best Albums Of 2011 list I added a link to it on Scott Orr‘s Facebook page he left a comment saying ” Thanks, very honored. But there’s no way I should be ahead of that Real Estate record. “

This was my response, ” If you go by lyric content and which artist feels more honest you should.”

For the same reason as the Nathan Bell track “Nobody’s Someone” deserves a place on this years list. Although this song is much more present than “Rust,” like a snapshot of the here and now looking towards the future as a response to the past rather than the inverse.

67. The Tao of Con – “Yr Memory”

“More beauty in minimal pop simplicity courtesy of Boston’s Conor Maier who recorded his debut Memory EP under The Tao of Con moniker.

There is an unmistakable stripped-down fragility which pours through both his music and his vocals — an element that takes this bedroom pop to an entirely new wavelength. It’s sincere, it’s raw and it comes across as completely genuine. While the EP may play on the short side, it’s best to enjoy this as a single entity as the tracks all flow seemlessly together as one.”- Birp!

66. The Submarines – “Shoelaces”

There’s something about songs giving an upbeat feeling to downbeat lyrics that gets me every time. This song makes me think of the Lewis Black skit about George Jr. always talking about the war with a smile on his face. Only in the case of “Shoelaces” it’s a welcome alignment of mixed feelings.

The Submarines deserve much more accolades for what they’ve done this year. I can only hope that 2012 is the year they finally reach a level of recognition fitting for their ability. They are so talented (and catchy) that it’s hard for me to grasp how little buzz has gone their way this year.

65. Princeton – “Clamoring For Your Heart”

Princeton continues to give us new music two tracks at a time. This is the title track from the 7″ they just put out. I love their style of minimalistic brit-rock, especially since they sound like they could be Morrissey‘s younger brothers and yet they are from Santa Monica.

Princeton has always had a sixth sense about knowing how to keep from doing too much and everything fits and falls into place without it feeling empty. This is my favorite Princeton track as far as lyrics go but in all honestly it would be worth the listen just for the use of the word “clamoring” in a song.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that it’s long overdue for Princeton to give us a full length. Don’t get me wrong, having this as the second 7″ this year has been nice but it’s been nearly three years since “Cocoon Of Love,” and that’s way too long. – My post on Listen Before You Buy

64.Dawes – “Little Bit Of Everything”

My father was always a big Jackson Browne fan growing up which has carried over into a life long love on my part for his music. Each time I listen through one of Browne’si songs I find myself asking, “Why isn’t anyone doing this NOW,” thanks to the new Dawes album I can confidently say someone is.

There’s a big shift in music going from that folk sound that’s been up front over the last few years to a more seventies sound; Bands are bringing in larger sounding solo’s and traditional storytelling lyrics are making a comeback. Outside of being a great stand alone track, “Little Bit Of Everything” is a prime example of what I’m saying. Change is always good… even if I did hate the new Blitzen Trapper album Dawes has shown us the sound can be done well.

63. Hi Ho Silver Oh – “Showers Without Warning”

Hi Ho Silver Oh brilliantly wrote Showers Without Warning based on the Friday The Thirteenth moves. I’m both a huge fan of this song and those movies (half of them anyways, some are unwatchable ie Jason X). So if the lyrics seem a bit psychotic it’s good to understand what they are about.

62. Fleet Foxes – “Helplessness Blues”

If I didn’t hear this song everyday at work would I think higher of “Helplessness Blues” and for Fleet Foxes In General?

I ask myself this often. I mean, it’s not like the band has control over who does or does not like their music. Yet we live in a time when the reality is that your current fans and the amount of radio play you get is just as important as the music itself. It’s the masses that want a single song played ten times a day for months on end and unfortunately the same people who destroyed Kings Of Leon, The Black Keys, Mumford And Sons and Florence And The Machine have been swaying towards Fleet Foxes.

Kings and Florence brought it on themselves so I have no sympathy for them, I’m not sure about Mumford until their next album comes out, but Fleet Foxes and The Black Keys haven’t really done anything other than play a lot of shows to get where they are. Hard work should work for you not against you, unfortunately that’s not how things go anymore. So for those of us who still want to stay on board we might as well get use to getting chaffed at their shows from rubbing against Hollister polo’s and being asked if we’ve ever heard of Arcade Fire.

61. Real Estate – “Out Of Tune”

“Out Of Tune” is by far my favorite Real Estate track. It’s the perfect balance between chill-wave surf rock and early 90′s garage alternative. This song is one of the main songs I plan on listening to next month when I leave Indiana behind and finally move out to Austin. This is a side-one track one when soundtracking that sort of moment.

60. Beirut – “East Harlem”

“This is a new song slash really really old song, because I think I wrote this when I was 17,” Zach Condon said when introducing “East Harlem” during a 2009 performance at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg. Of course, the songs Condon makes as Beirut, while fresh and new to most audiences ever since he debuted with 2006′s Gulag Orkestar, also happen to be at least partly rooted in European folk traditions reaching back to who knows when. What’s been more interesting to watch, though, is how the handful of years since 2007′s The Flying Club Cup have made that still relatively recent record’s songs come to sound like old, familiar friends, even to those of us who didn’t quite know what to make of them at first.

As recorded for a new Beirut single, “East Harlem” looks poised to undergo a similar sort of ripening as it becomes more and more familiar. The lyrics are sparse and rooted in classic, instantly communicative tropes: “Another rose wilts in East Harlem,” Condon croons, as he wastes no words in vividly describing an intra-Manhattan relationship that feels like it’s separated by “a thousand miles” (have you tried getting from downtown to East Harlem lately?). The stately backing is what we’ve come to expect from Beirut, with swaying accordion, rich brass, lively piano, and trebly strums, all in all more like a 2010 Williamsburg performance. By the time Condon switches things up, repeating, “Oh, the sound will bring me home again,” over wordless backing vocals, he might as well be describing the warm, cozy but still distinctive feeling “East Harlem” has achieved. – Pitchfork

59. Yourself And The Air – “Sickdays”

… It seems every time I’m about to go out I’m throwing this on the playlist to set my mind right. YATA’s the first band coming out of Chicago in quite some time that has impressed me. I think what is so damn attractive about Yourself And The Air is that they come across like a band that allows themselves to just play and are solid enough to do it anywhere.

Their being from the midwest does get me excited since it makes it much more likely for us in Indy to get a chance to sweat with them, my fingers are crossed. (Via)

58. Bright Eyes – “Shell Games”

“Shell Games” is the first Bright Eyes song I can ever remembering wanting to hear while around other people. Normally the music is so personal the idea of experiencing it without headphones on while participating in my own existence just feels off, maybe “Lover I Don’t Have To Love” comes close but it’s a different kind of collective cognizance when that one comes on.

The Guitar/Key combo throughout this song is such a change of pace for Conor and company it’s still hard for me to believe the shy emo kid I fell in love with years ago has developed into a presence and confidence that is put on display in “Shell Games.” Not to mention, for how epic sounding this song is the lyrics are more revealing than just about every other song on the album… you just have to follow along.

57. Netherfriends – “Full of it (Nillson Cover)”

I could easily pretend like I’ve been a lifetime fan of Nillson, that his influence over modern music is constantly in the back of my mind with every new band I hear, but that wouldn’t be true. What’s the point of what I’m doing here at Heycoolkid! if I’m not being honest. If it hadn’t been for the documentary Who Is Harry nillson (And Why Is Everyone Talking About Him), and if Dodge over at My Old Kentucky Blog hadn’t posted a link for it on facebook I would still be as clueless as I was a year ago, more importantly I never would have given the Netherfriends cover album as much of a chance as I have.

As a huge Netherfriends fan I feel almost ashamed about this being my favorite song he has put out, I’m not though and one listen through you’ll understand why.

56. Hurricane Bells – “Possibilities”

Certain songs just hit home and this is a perfect example. Having the days pile up one on the other, the looking back and seeing where I thought I would be at this point in my life, remembering the friends and the hope, feeling that weight and stepping back from the moment and just saying there’s still a chance, there’s still possibilities, let’s live for tonight, let’s live for a change and forget about the past, I understand this, I connect with it. Hurricane Bells definitely did this one right. (Via)

All songs are for promotional use only. If you or an artist you represent would like content removed email me at Heycoolkid@yahoo.com

Tags: 123, arcade fire, august breeze, Beirut, Best Songs 2011, blake skidmore, bright eyes, Bukowski, Cayucas, Clamoring For Your Heart, conor oberst, Dawes, Download, East Harlem, fleet foxes, Florence And The Machine, forget, Full Of It, Helplesness Blues, Hi Ho Silver Oh, Hurricane Bells, jejune stars, Kings Of Leon, Lana Del Rey, listen, Little Bit Of Everything, Merle Haggard, Messy Sparkles, nathan bell, netherfriends, Newblessings, Nillson, nobody's someone, Oregon Bike Trails, oupa, Out Of Tune, Possibilities, princeton, Real Estate, Riding Coach, rust, scott orr, Selfish Ghost, shell games, Shoelaces, Showers Without Warning, The Black Keys, the submarines, The Tao Of Con, Video Games, Yr Memory, yuck

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Categories Best Of ..., mp3 mix

Heycoolkid!’s 100 Best Songs Of 2011

21 Dec

The Best Songs Of 2011 (76 – 100)

Making the Best Albums list was relatively easy compared to nailing down the 100 best songs of 2011. The level of incredible music to surface this year is unbelievable. What’s more difficult is trying to create some sort of order when laying these songs out, what makes one great song better than another great song? Nothing. Keep that in mind as you go through this list, hopefully there will be a few new tracks you haven’t heard before and if a song stands out to you which should have been included, make use of the comments section If I haven’t heard it before or haven’t given my full attention to a song that may have been lost in the midst of the unorganized shuffle that is my “new music folder” know I will take full advantage of the opportunity to check it out.

I’m going to space these out in hopes that the artists get more of a focus per song than if I put them all up at once, with art as good as this they deserve it.

100. Lord Huron – “She Lit A Fire (Rollo And Grady Session)”

This Rollo And Grady Session was the first I’d ever heard of Lord Huron. These Michigan via L.A. natives are killing it with potential, I can’t imagine anything other than HUGE things from these guys in 2012.

99. White Denim – “Street Joy”

The strength of “Street Joy” lies in the fact that it’s a nice change from what we’ve come to expect from an A-typical White Denim track which is precisely why it stands out as being worthy of this year’s list over the other solid tracks off of “D” .

98. Real Estate – “It’s Real”

Real Estate seem poised for scene domination in the wake of the incredible “Days.” Without a doubt they’ve got the sound and talent yet it’s the band’s universal acceptance from every demographic other than mainstream that allows me to write that with full confidence, which would probably seem blasphemous to the hipster crowd but they seem to be staying loyal which is a feat in itself. “It’s Real” was the first single from the new album and is just chill enough to remind us these guys are from Brooklyn but clean enough to make those of us in the mid-west not feel neglected by their coolness.

97. Biblio – “K Is For Kelson”

“K Is For Kelson” sounds like a dance party taking places in a Swiss Family Robinson style treehouse. -I Guess I’m Floating … Exactly!

96. Cicero – “Barely Legal (The Strokes Cover)”

I’ve always felt the conviction that if a band or artist is going to do a cover it should be an entirely new take on it. Any thirteen-year-old with some free time can learn to play a song identically with the original, if you need proof just look at forty percent of the videos on youtube.

Needless to say this take on “Barely Legal” may go down as my favorite cover of the year. Brazil’s Cicero strips this song completely back and has rebuilt it in a way that feels as if I’ve never heard it before. For some it may seem blasphemous but I truly like this version better than the original, sorry Julian.

Real Estate put out there own version of this track earlier this year and although the two re-envisioned versions are similar Real Estate was able to keep the arrogance that IS The Strokes still slightly attached where Cicero is able to discard it completely and make this song actually sound like a soul baring piece of acoustic indie. As a fan of The Strokes the fact that they never wrote a song that didn’t sound pretentious is basically the underlying theme of the band we once loved, for someone else to take the exact same song and deliver a feel that is anything but impresses me.

( Via )

95. Parenthetical Girls – “A Note To Self”

The line “these places your therapist fears to tread, well I bet you knock em dead” is an ideal example of the clever and surprisingly original lyrics that set this song up for necessary repeat listening. (Via)

94. Jhameel – “Waves”

There have been a few times this year when I’ve had to ask myself whether I’m writing music reviews or heading the Jhameel fanclub (Example 1, Example 2) . If you haven’t noticed lately, I’m not the only one getting all band-crush on his music either. “Waves” is the more “pop” style track he’s put out this year and shows why it’s the title track from his most recent project.

93. YACHT – “Dystopia”

“…Dystopia is their supercharged, post-apocalyptic anthem, virtually a warrior’s cry warning of the impending inferno of mother earth; all the while beating the drums of self-empowerment in the face of doom and leading the listener towards the kinetic potential within. It’s a tall order, but these dance-punk emissaries have an intergalactic belief system to back up their call to the altar of their disco floor…” – My Old Kentucky Blog

92. Oh Land – “Perfection”

“I caught a video a few weeks ago from Oh land and immediately was attracted to what this band is doing. Like a chill Florence and the Machine or Coco Rosie with pop sensibility. Each song breathes exceptionally well ‘Perfection‘ is a solid example of that.” (Via)

91. Blood Diamonds – “Dreams”

“Mike Tucker is Canadian video game design student who goes by the name of Blood Diamonds when he turns to music production in his spare time. Recent track, “Dreams” is an explosive cocktail of R&B-inspired high pitch vocals, dreamy synth melodies and repetitive beats that sounds something like Beach House with a hint of The Weeknd and a little Animal Collective” - Onomatopoeia

90. Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan – “Girls Gatther ‘Round”

Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan (a.k.a. The Milk Carton Kids) have made one of the most sing-alongable songs with Girls, Gather Round. This one shows what strengths these two troubadours are working with. A tinge of classic bluegrass that makes you want to swing a mug and belt along with the chorus and what’s even better is that such a full sound is created by two guys playing live. (Via)

Although I think for most people “Girls Gather Round” is the more worthy songs for this list, I’m starting to think I should have included the haunting “Michigan” higher up on the list, here’s a video for it if you haven’t heard it yet.

89. The Rural Alberta Advantage – “North Star”

And while some of the imagery has drawn specifically on Alberta, from where frontman Nils Edenloff hails, Cole loves the universality of the music. “I’m from a small town, too, and I feel an emotional connection to the themes cause I think it’s something everyone goes through,” she says. “Like, you leave your small town and move to the big city, leaving things behind, ending relationships. You don’t have to necessarily come from Alberta to understand it.”

“North Star” finds Edenloff singing about driving in a friend’s car, with the north star guiding them home. He croons over sparse electric piano and a skittish drumbeat, before the song finally swells into a organ-led crescendo that comes on like the first hints of a sunrise after an all-night adventure. – Spin

88. Destroyer – “Kaputt”

“Kaputt“ has shown us once again how phenomenal Dan Bejar is. It’s not like he had anything left needing to be proved but he took his art to a whole other level this year. He’s so relaxed in his delivery we can’t help but turn the volume up in awe of the ease he portrays.

87. Active Child – “When Your Love is Safe”

Pat Grossi first came onto the scene last year with his highly praised “Curtis Lane EP” that bloggers couldn’t get enough of, myself included. When Active Child’s debut album “You Are All I See” came out it basically perpetuated what he started a year ago. This is how good electro-pop can be and indie at it’s finest.

86. Kites With Lights – “Cosmonauts”

Every day this week when riding my bike to work I have started off with “Cosmonauts”. This may not seem like something worth mentioning but it really is because I never repeat listen. My ride to and from work is the only time I get to relax while listening to the songs that i’ve enjoyed each day, the only chance I get to really experience them. I noticed on day one that this song gives off that eighties movie vibe that is in the action/music scene which is a great way to get you motivated about going into work (think Iron Eagle when Pappy gets told to shove his rules “I’m doing it my way” and slips the cassette in, the opening scene with the feet from footloose, or I’m trying to think of a good dirtbike/bmx scene from a movie but have drawn a blank- you get the idea though). I guess what i’m trying to say is Kites With Lights have created a song which is a perfect track for doing shit.(Via)

85. Glowbug – “The Shows”

With how incredible Mr. Plastic was I’m practically offended by the lack of hype going towards Glowbug. The album was the most addicting of any to come out in 2011. Secrets aren’t always good to keep and Glowbug is the ideal example, so quit keeping them to yourselves and start mixing up some cd’s for your friends, these guys are too good to be floating this low under the radar.

84. Library Voices – “Generation Handclap”

Try “Generation Handclap” — a track from Canadian indie-poppers Library Voices. It features just the right doses of New Order guitar freakouts, surfy drums, power pop harmonies and even those saxophone accents that make you do a twisty dance without caring what others think. – Rcrd Lbl

83. Slothpop – “Kokoro”

Slothpop are the best local export we have here in Indy. As with most great bands you really need to see them live to grasp the fire to understand all the smoke surrounding them in this town. “Kokoro” comes close very close to delivering on the hype but given the chance to see them sweat on stage in the coming year make it point number one not to pass it up.

82. Generationals – “Greenleaf”

If the feel-great lyrics and handclaps don’t bitchslap a smile across your face, perhaps the punchy piano and crip-walking bassline will. This is like that random Cults song meets Panda Bear’s collab with Atlas Sound, except not something you’re ridiculously sick of hearing at Urban Outfitters. Savor it, folks, before it winds up in a Nissan commercial. - I guess I’m Floating

81. Mother Falcon – “Fireflies”

Like an upbeat Quick Said The Bird, Mother Falcon are incredibly talented musicians who understand the importance of being part of a whole. Nothing escapes from the ether yet at the same time every note in this song is astonishingly fitting. The vocal round-about does me in more than any other aspect of “Fireflies” reminding me of a mature Lydia who at one point in time I was obsessed with. (Via)

80. Elvis Depressedly – “Crazier With You”

The best news I’ve heard in the last few weeks is that Mat Cothran will be continuing on with his recently acquired Elvis Depressedly moniker.I’m a huge fan of artists who place art before self. By putting out music under a band name it throws all pretensions aside and allows us to take in the music without the unnecessary distraction that comes with solo artists.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from following Cothran’s musical endeavors is that this guy has absolutely no clue what he’s going to do next. One day Coma Cinema is done the next day he’s saying it’ll be around until his death and pretty much copying the same format at the same time with Elvis Depressedly.

His work as Elvis Depressedly feels more truthful than what he’s given us before reminding me immensely of early Bright Eyes with its raw honesty and unrelenting emotional heart-on-sleeve sound.Wherever Cothran chooses to take his music I’m sure we’ll be thankful for it and thoroughly enjoy whatever sounds he gives us, I’m hoping for much more Depressedly it’s too real to just throw to the way side. (Via)

79. Inspired And The Sleep – “While We’re Young”

“While We’re Young” is the new single from Californian musician Max Greenhalgh, who has recently finished the recording of a solo album dubbed ‘Teenager’. Yeah, there’s a bit of a trend here. Naturally, the song is a melodic lofi pop number, but instead of being cliched it’s actually a fantastic example of summer music done right. With the warmer weather obviously on its way, we could all do with a bit more music like this. -And Pluck Your Strings

78. The Speed Of Sound In Seawater – “The Huge Wheel”

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The Speed Of Sound In Seawater is one of the bands that, after taking some time to grasp, have worked their way into just about every personal playlist I’ve made this year. Something about their Maps And Atlases meets early 2000′s emo mixture elevates them from being merely another overly talented band to one of the key lines of defense I use to defend the state of music when combating friends who believe there hasn’t been instrumental talent since the seventies, those friends are also idiots.

77. Teenagers – “Let’s Take a Ride”

For how much I enjoy promoting new songs and great bands I feel a confession is called for; I have a secret stash . With the ease that artist get tossed around and discarded (I’m part of the problem), with terms like “buzzband” often times doing more damage six months down the road than it helped, and the way that “great music” can become “generic music” just through album sales and the amount of people we are crammed between when going to a show I feel justified in having a few secrets.

I love the feeling of having a band to myself as much as anyone else, to know that a song I love is “my” song instead of everyone’s song. That amazing feeling that lingers all night after standing in some small sweaty basement with thirty-five people when there is only room for about ten with that constant fear of knowing if there is one spark, one faulty wire in an amp, we will all burn to our death before we have a chance to react. These are the things that I love about music and sure it’s not fair to the bands I choose to keep to myself but I need that personal connection and sometimes I make a conscious effort to keep certain bands that way.

I got nervous when the whole surf rock thing started trending that Teenagers would get chewed up and spit out by the hype machine (the actual machine and not the blog) so I kept my mouth closed. Unfortunately/fortunately the music which Travis Keymer creates using the Teenagers moniker is far too great to keep hidden beneath a bushel…. (Excerpt from my Listen Before You Buy post)

76. Ducktails – “Killin’ The Vibe (feat Panda Bear)”

The opening guitar lick to this track just radiates sunshine, immediately transporting me to the top of a sand dune watching a hazy sunset fade away into the horizon. Featuring Mississippi’s premiere ukulele-maestro Dent May and Woods’ Jarvis Taveniere as guests, this song is a case of beer and a few mermaids away from a summertime blast. If you’re suffering from seasonal depression or need a good soundtrack to watch sea turtle babies crawl back to the ocean, spin “Killin The Vibe”! – I Guess I’m Floating

All songs are for promotional use only. If you or an artist you represent would like content removed email me at Heycoolkid@yahoo.com

Tags: 2011, A Note To Self, active child, Barely Legal, Best Songs, Biblio, Blood Diamonds, Cicero, Cosmonauts, cover, Crazier With You, destroyer, Dreams, ducktails, dystopia, Elvis Depressedly, Fireflies, generation handclap, Glowbug, greenleaf, Inspired And The Sleep, It's Real, jhameel, K Is For Kelson, Kaputt, killin the vibe, Kites With Lights, Kokoro, Let's Take A Ride, library voices, Lord Huron, Max Greenhalgh, Michigan, Mother Falcon, north star, oh land, Parenthetical Girls, Pat Grossi, perfection, Real Estate, She Lit A Fire, Slothpop, Street Joy, Teenagers, the generationals, the huge wheel, The Milk Carton Kids, the rural alberta advantage, The Show, The Shows, the speed of sound in seawater, The Strokes, Waves, When Your Love Is Safe, While We're Young, White Denim, yacht

Categories Best Of ..., playlists

Heycoolkid!’s Best Albums Of 2011

17 Dec

If you haven’t been downright impressed with the overflow of incredible genre crossing music this year you are either a huge Nickleback fan or you are Amish, there’s no other logical excuse to complain about the status of music.

Last year when I put the “Best Albums” list together it was one of the first Heycoolkid! posts ever and with all honesty I was ill-prepared. This year I’m putting these albums up with complete confidence. Sure there’s an album or two that should have the made the cut and somehow was overlooked but all excuses aside here are the albums which I thought were the best of 2011:

29 Real Estate – Days