Tunefind may be the best site you don’t know about yet — that is if you are commonly wondering ‘What is that song playing on this TV show?’ You can go to their home page and look up any TV show or film to find a song list, or you can also click here for a shortcut to my projects. It’s fan-friendly, you can ask questions, get help from other fans, and Music Supervisors are directly plugged in for the official final word on what song was heard where. Wonder no longer!
2014 Brave Songs: Tricia's Top 35
It was, after all, a wonderful year for music. Which you wouldn't know from the hundreds of discarded CDs littering my office right now. But when they were good, they were very, very good. I was in a radio kind of mood this year so I did a top songs list instead of top albums, but rest assured there is an outstanding album behind each and every one of these songs. I'm even pretty confident in the forthcoming Sleater-Kinney album, and so pleased that picking songs instead of albums allowed me to include their single and say how excited I am about their reunion, album, and upcoming tour. Which brings me to the point that it was a very good year for the ladies. Last year I struggled to include five female singers in my Top 35, but this year no less than eleven gals made my list, easily. Go, girls! Anyway, enough talk, start clicking, and listening, the best way is on Spotify, in order just like a radio show, right here:
2014 Brave Songs: Tricia's Top 35 on Spotify. Or you can look them up on your music player of choice, here they are in alphabetical order by artist
[table colwidth="200|200|200"]Artist,Track,Album, Beautiful Small Machines,Paper Planes,The DJ Stayed Home Aloe Blacc,Chasing,Lift Your Spirit Bishop Allen,Start Again,Lights Out Black English,Leave The Door Wide Open,El Prado BØRNS,10000 Emerald Pools,Candy Rosanne Cash,A Feather's Not A Bird,The River & The Thread Deerhoof,Last Fad,La Isla Bonita Embrace,Follow You Home,Embrace Ex Hex,Waterfall,Rips Fink,Green and the Blue,Hard Believer Flip Grater,Diggin for the Devil,Pigalle Glass Animals,Gooey,Gooey Greyhounds,Whats On Your Mind,Accumulator Jolie Holland,The Love You Save,Wine Dark Sea In-Flight Safety,Blue Flares,Conversation La Sera,Kiss This Town Away,Hour Of The Dawn Hamilton Leithauser,Alexandra,Black Hours Luluc,Small Window,Passerby Stephen Malkmus,Lariat,Wig Out At Jagbags Steve Mason,A Lot of Love,Monkey Minds in the Devils Time The New Pornographers,Brill Bruisers,Brill Bruisers Patrick Park,My Holding Hand Is Empty,Love Like Swords Protomartyr,Ain't So Simple,Under Color of Official Right Sea Wolf,The Waters Wide,Song Spells No.1:C Sleater-Kinney,Bury Our Friends,Bury Our Friends single Spoon,New York Kiss,They Want My Soul Chris Staples,Hold Onto Something,American Soft Strand of Oaks,Goshen '97,HEAL The Sugar Stems,Baby Teeth,Only Come out at Night Tacocat,Alien Girl,NVM Tobacco,Eruption,Ultima II Massage tUnE-yArDs,Wait for a Minute,niki nack TV On The Radio,Right Now,Seeds Tweedy,High As Hello,Sukierae The War On Drugs,Lost In The Dream,Lost In The Dream [/table]
U2's Latest Charity: You
from CNET / Joan E. Solsman & Share Tibken: "Apple's iTunes scores U2's new album. You score it free. Every iTunes customer -- more than 500 million people, but who's counting? -- get the band's new album free in what CEO Cook calls the largest record release in music history."Full CNET article here.U2 "Songs Of Innocence"iTunes | Artist Site
This is too big of a story to ignore -- U2 and iTunes are literally giving the entire new U2 album away free to anyone with an iTunes account. Not just a single, no email list signup required, no messy zip file downloading from a band site, no recursive bandcamp authorization emails. I completely see the benefit from U2's side - they can launch a massive tour later this year for their fans that didn't have to think twice about obtaining the new album. Also, they're getting press in publications like Forbes, CNET & WSJ that normally wouldn't cover a new U2 release. For iTunes, I guess its just a huge loss leader to get people to the store. Or maybe U2 even paid out some version of the profit that Apple would otherwise collect on such a huge release. Maybe Apple thinks this will bring in those remaining few holdouts that don't yet have an iTunes account, or maybe they just did it so Amazon wouldn't do it. Hmm that last one seems the most likely!
Here's a Wall Street Journal article that reveals some more of the machinations behind this free release. U2, Apple and the Deal Behind Getting ‘Songs of Innocence’ Free of Charge They mention U2's major label, Universal, but not the publisher, I'm curious what deal was struck there to pay the publisher for the mechanical licenses. Is this a new model for album releases? Only a few bands have the market power to pull this off, and persuade their major label, their publisher and an online distributor to go along with it. Regardless of how much money/benefit all parties made off of the deal (per the WSJ article), I'm impressed that these entities so entrenched in the standard music business model were brave enough to try it. I do think this model can work for baby bands, especially those that are unsigned and retain the rights to their publishing, and many smaller bands do give their music away free on their sites or bandcamp, hoping that translates to fans that will buy tickets and merch when they come to town.
A few last thoughts/notes:
I downloaded the album with surprisingly little hassle--from the front page of the iTunes store, click on the link that says 'Purchased' under the QUICK LINKS menu on the far right side. Then you'll see the album with a little cloud symbol in its top right corner. When you click on that the album will download into your iTunes library. I'm listening to it right now and it's good --better than their last few by a long shot.
The album liner notes have a nice dedication to Paul McGuinness, their long, longtime manager who they parted ways with last year. That's sweet.
Anybody else find it ironic that the liner notes are formatted and typed as though they were done on an old-fashioned typewriter font? That's so dissonant with the most high-tech album release of all time that I've got to think its on purpose.
Since U2 engineered such an impressive feat, can the next thing on their to-do list be to make Tim Cook fix iTunes so that album digital booklets can be viewed within the app? It's so awkward to look at it in a separate Acrobat window. Should be child's play to Apple after pulling this release off.
Remastered Sleater-Kinney Discography, YUM!
From www.sleater-kinney.com: On October 21st, Sub Pop Records will release 'Start Together,' a 3,000-copy limited edition deluxe vinyl box set comprised of remastered editions of Sleater-Kinney's seven studio albums spanning 1995 to 2005. The set will include all seven albums pressed on colored vinyl and is accompanied by a 44-page hardcover book featuring never-before-seen photos of the band, as well as a limited edition print. The remastered albums will be released individually on CD and black vinyl on the same day. All are available digitally today as of September 2nd. Full announcement on the remastered releases here.
This is one of my all-time favorite bands and any fan would want this box set I'm sure! The combination of these three musicians was magical, and the fact that they were women that rocked just like the men made it that much more satisfying. I think I might want the vinyl ... although the CDs would be great too ... cannot wait to browse the photo book!
Sleater-Kinney "Start Together"iTunes | Sub Pop Mega Mart (Fans who pre-order the box set from Sub Pop will receive immediate access to download high-quality remastered files of all the albums.)
Hamilton Leithauser = The Walkmen
Excerpted from NPR's First Listen: Hamilton Leithauser, "Black Hours" by Stephen Thompson: "The singer largely tones down the briskly jangled rush of The Walkmen's sound throughout Black Hours, as he steers many of its songs toward a slow-burning seethe that suits him well. But there's still a looseness to the record that allows Leithauser to play around on new terrain ...". Read the rest of NPR's review here.
I've said before in this very space, don't get too bummed out when your favorite band breaks up because it might lead to something delicious. After seven fine albums with the Walkmen and 10+ years, I don't blame Mr. Leithauser for wanting to try something different. Much of what I loved about The Walkmen is still found in his new work, but its also more intimate and allows for a more profound listen if you give it a chance.
Dig in! Hamilton Leithauser "Black Hours"Amazon | iTunes | Artist Site
Festival Couch Surfing - Reading & Leeds This Weekend
Arctic Monkeys
There's a fine festival taking place in L.A. this very weekend, FYF Fest with Phoenix, Interpol, The Strokes, Slowdive (what?), Slint (whaaaat?) . But on the chance that you just had surgery and are laid up in bed, out of funds, hate crowds or can't find a babysitter for the tots, here's a great alternative: watch the British classic Reading & Leeds festival from home this weekend. Vampire Weekend, Arctic Monkeys, Jake Bugg and QOTSA? I'm in. No plane ticket or tent required. Here's a handy guide from NME as to set times. Reading & Leeds Festival 2014 - NME's Guide To What To Watch From Home
New Album Coming From Ryan Adams
From NY Times/Dave Itskoff "ITSKOFF: You’re known for being a prolific songwriter, yet your new album, “Ryan Adams,” is your first in three years. What took so long? ADAMS: Some of that time was life, like yardwork, walking the dogs. I made a record with Glyn Johns, and we spent a bunch of money on it too. Then I had to go sit at a dinner table with my manager and the head of Capitol Records and say, “Hey, man, you can’t put this out.” It was about losing my grandmother. It was too sad."
Nice interview with Ryan Adams in the NY Times (his new album comes out Sep 9), although it's clearly sensationalist of them to highlight the weed comment. Ryan mentions that he lost his grandmother which even makes me sad because I read about her in his introduction to "Our Noise", the book about Superchunk and Merge Records. His introduction to that book was so eloquent, heartfelt, and unexpected that it remains lodged in my memory like a shiny penny. Here is an excerpt, which I typed in by hand, (apologies copyright gods) but maybe a few of you will get interested in the book. It's a must for 90's indie rock fans. You know who you are.
Your Noise-My Noise
by Ryan Adams
All my favorite records and your records crackle like summertime crackles like fried eggs stove-side or accidental fireworks backyard heavy in North Carolina on the coast--mid-day it gets so hot even inside, in the cool, the blazing waves of electric orange light pant like a litter of starving dogs just outside the gate--yeah, sometimes you need comics or records to get you through until the dust settles and the damp evening can cool your brains down enough to see past your own stupid face. That was me. Me looking at my first 7-inch record. I was all "what" and "huh," you know ...
Merge 7-inch singles came packaged like candy. They also looked a little like comics, which was good because I liked both and I liked girls so much they scared me so it all seemed like the perfect distraction, at least to me, and surely to my grandmother, who would patiently listen with me on our portable record player in the wood-paneled kitchen while she baked this or that cake or whatever--she liked how much cymbal crashing was going on--somehow overlooking the melodic weirdness or angst, how forgiving and awesome those moments--in fact before I had money for records she would write the checks and mail them for each PO-boxed 7-inch I desired in exchange for however many times the lawn got mowed but I did that anyway so really she funded my habit, embarrassingly.
He goes on it great detail about what receiving these 7" records in the mail meant to a young South Carolina misfit. Eventually he met Mac (of Superchunk) at a show and everafter pestered him with questions about his record label, making 7"s, the record business, etc. It's really a sweet story. And that's all just an introduction to the book that goes on to relate the story of Superchunk and Merge Records and many more stories of music in the 90's. You really should Buy The Book!
Cat Power and the School Of Doodle
From NME.com: "Last week something really exciting happened in the world of music. Musicians Cat Power, Kim Gordon, Yoko Ono and Courtney Love joined with artists such as Marina Abramovic and Pussy Riot and other creative people to support a new revolutionary venture in the form of an educational platform for teenage girls."
Read the rest of this article where Cat Power rips on the current system of education in the U.S.
She also has a solution -- she's helping a lot of other creatives start an online imagination school for girls called The School Of Doodle. You can see their Kickstarter video here, the school is just in the beginning phases but currently being tested by the people it was designed for, teenage girls. I love that the internet can be used for something this awesome. I'm reminded of a wonderful book I just read called "The Diamond Age", a postcyberpunk novel by Neal Stephenson which details a future in which a certain set of teenage girls get creatively educated and basically get set up to take over the world. I know you can leap to a stereotype of a shallow, annoying, frivolous teenage girl but that's not what these girls are like. They're thoughtful, resourceful, strong, caring and resilient. And I think Cat Power and her buddies are on the right track to harness the imagination and determination of teenage girls. I'd rather be with them than against them, that's for sure!
"Sold-out Burger a-Go-Go Fest celebrates girl punk in Santa Ana," I love it!
from the LA Times/Randall Roberts:
"It takes only a couple of dedicated people to build a music scene. If what they do is righteous and resonates, listeners searching for community will gather. If, like Burger Records, what they envision becomes reality, fans will pack clubs to pogo, slam, stage-dive and sing along.
As proved by the scrums of believers dancing at Saturday's sold-out Burger a-Go-Go, a wild, celebratory, festival of girl punk centered on Fullerton's electrifying Burger label and record store, they'll share, support and spread the word. They'll even help revive a dying recording format, the cassette, by buying tapes at five bucks a pop to play in the TEAC deck that Dad never threw away.
Starring a team of underground bands bent on injecting fresh fuel into catchy three- and four-chord power jams, Burger's fest offered a deft, joyous, seamlessly delivered lineup of acts including Shannon and the Clams, the Coathangers, La Sera, the Muffs, Bleached, Dum Dum Girls and Best Coast. Each ripped through quick songs within quick sets on three different stages at the Observatory in Santa Ana and set the dance floors aloft.
That every band on the roster was fronted by a woman seemed both beside the point and exactly the point. Most rock festivals, after all, are default guy-rock gatherings, because fellas with guitars have run the scene, the biz and the studios. So a focus on the female perspective stands to reason."
Read the rest of the article here.
I love love love what Burger Records is doing out of Fullerton - my birthplace by the way! It is easy to find examples of music getting more and more mainstream and commercialized, labels and record stores going under. But this proves that there will ALWAYS be a place for independent thinking that will appeal to music fans. It makes me happy.
Take Me To The Augustines' Cruel City Anytime
Once upon a time there was a band called Pela. Pela captivated me with their 2007 album Anytown Graffitti, regrettably released just when my show at KCRW was ending or I would have played the hell out of it there. As it was, I included their song "Lost To The Lonesome" on my "Best of May 2007" list and told anyone who would listen all about it. In October of 2007 I attended the College Music Journal convention in NYC and was lucky enough to catch them at the Bowery Ballroom. The show was memorable to me not only for their amazing performance but because the lead singer Billy McCarthy looked more like a highschool quarterback than an indie rocker. Not to mention a voice that could either be raspy and energetic like Bruce Springsteen or gorgeous and haunting like Gary Lightbody. Lush guitars that were engaging but not overly grand. Their influences, Bloc Party, Springsteen, Interpol were apparent but combined in such a non-conventional way, and with such a distinct sound of their own that it was only appealing. They were indie for sure and I was hooked. I was bummed when I heard that Pela were breaking up in 2009 after just one album and one EP. But looking on the bright side, I thought that maybe the breakup would eventually lead to more wonderful music, like when Uncle Tupelo morphed into Wilco and Son Volt. Or Minneapolis' Lifter Puller became Brooklyn's The Hold Steady. Luckily, my wish came true. By 2011 Billy McCarthy and his Pela bandmate Eric Sanderson had formed a new band called We Are Augustines, recorded a bunch of songs they had been working on when Pela broke up, and released an album titled Rise Ye Sunken Ships that painfully (but beautifully) dealt with the death of McCarthy's mother and the suicide of his brother. Three years later (they don't rush things, do they?) we have what is already a 2014 highlight, the new Augustines album, self-titled. (Slight name change for the band from We Are Augustines to just The Augustines) It has all the qualities I loved about Pela and they've settled into themselves with a confidence that makes it even more appealing. It opens with a beautiful instrumental and the next song, Cruel City, should convert you if you are not already a fan. If you are tired of The National because their songs all sound the same or feel like The Arcade Fire is just a bit overwrought, The Augustines' passionate restraint (I know that's an oxymoron) might be just the ticket for you. And with about 50 U.S. and international dates coming up, they are sure to be near you soon!
The Augustines - The Augustines: Amazon :: iTunes :: Official Site
Another Indie Rocker Gets His Due On Mainstream Awards Show
Alex Ebert, Edward Sharpe | Golden Globes
You might have missed it since Bono and his moving words about Nelson Mandela were next up on stage, but longtime Los Angeles indie rocker Alex Ebert won the Golden Globe last night for Best Original Score for Robert Redford's film "All Is Lost". Alex was the genius behind Ima Robot from 2003 to 2010 and more recently one of my favorite bands, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (Edward Sharpe being a ficticious character). If I had made a best of list for 2012 (blame that on the twins), his album "Here" would definitely have been on it. I also love 2009's "Up From Below", it was a slow burner with me but came on strong. We featured the song "40 Day Dream" from that album in the final episode of NBC's much overlooked TV series "Mercy", which starred a then-unknown Taylor Schilling who also received her due last night as a nominee for best actress in a comedy series for her role in "Orange Is The New Black". I wonder what I'm working on now that will show up in Golden Globes in a few years ?!?!
You won't be sorry if you spend some time with Alex Ebert's music, easy links below:
Best Albums Of 2013
Some people spend December making lists of gifts ... I spend it making lists of albums. First a "definitely best of" list ... then a "possibly best of" list ... then a "better listen to that" list. Many headphone hours later, I always arrive at a clear cutoff point between the albums I am willing to go to the mat for and the albums that, although good, don't quite measure up to my absolute favorites of the year. I don't pad out the list to make a nice round number, I just let it lie wherever it naturally falls. This year the cutoff came at 35 albums. Now that might seem like a lot of records to you, but I estimate that 5000 albums, at least, passed through my office this year. That means these 35 were not just in the top 1%, but in the top .7% of albums released in 2013. So I think you should check them out. Chances are you'll find something good. Peace, ~tricia P.S. you can easily sample each album by using the Amazon or iTunes links below the artwork - I spent a ridiculous amount of time embedding these links so I hope you use them! Also, here is a BEST OF 2013 SPOTIFY PLAYLIST but be warned that several artists are missing from Spotify, including Thom Yorke's Atoms For Peace, Wildlife, and only two tracks are available from the excellent Storyman album.
P.P.S. They're in alphabetical order by artist name. Adding rankings to this list is futile when I love them all in their own unique way. There would be a different #1 every day!
Iron & Wine, Laura Marling, The Vaccines
I didn't go to Sundance this year and I think I might skip SXSW as well but thats okay because every week is a music festival when you live in LA! Last night I saw a double bill of Laura Marling and Iron & Wine at the Wiltern. Laura Marling is truly stunning, not just another gal singer-songwriter but a powerful presence and voice reminiscent of Joni Mitchell or an acoustic Patti Smith. Sam Beam of Iron & Wine upped the ante on this new album with a horn section that accompanied him on tour so it was a lot more lively than your average Sam Beam presentation. I ADORE the new Iron & Wine album, by the way. The show finished in plenty of time for me to skip on over to Spaceland and see The Vaccines, who had a ton of energy and a lot of very short songs, all the indie rockers were there and so was Jake Gyllenhaal! Pictures below of the Spaceland festivities. Iron & Wine: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes
Laura Marling: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes
The Vaccines: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes
vaccines
th closeup at vaccines
The Frames "Rise" on Castle
It's a great pleasure of mine to place one of my favorite bands of all time in the episode of Castle titled "Knockdown". The Frames song "Rise", from their 2007 album "The Cost", is heard at the end of the episode as Beckett vows to make weekly visits to the sniper she put in prison until he reveals her mother's killer. The angelic voice of Glen Hansard leads The Frames, and he is also one half of the duo know as The Swell Season, who won an Academy Award for their song "Falling Slowly" from the film Once. This episode first aired on Jan 24, 2011
The Frames: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes
A Castle Proposal To Amos Lee "Flower"
amos lee mission bell
Castle 312
Although most Castle fans would love to see Beckett and Castle get engaged, they settled for a sweet proposal scene between Detective Ryan and his girlfriend Jenny to close the episode titled "Nikki Heat". She happily accepted to the romantic song "Flower" by Amos Lee, from his new album Mission Bell. This episode originally aired Jan 3, 2011.
Amos Lee: official site :: Amazon :: iTunes
Coveting … Fresno?
coveting fresno
I rarely find myself dreaming of Fresno (no offense, Bulldogs) but The Miss Alans are playing a reunion show there tonight (20 years, seriously?) and I do wish I was there.
The Miss Alans: Facebook :: Trouser Press bio
Big C Is Golden!
As the Big C Music Supervisor, I'm THRILLED with our show's Golden Globe nomination and Laura Linney's Best Actress WIN in the comedy/musical TV series category. I've watched hours and hours of footage of Laura Linney acting in our series and she is, honestly, flawless. To The Big C creator, Darlene Hunt, and the talented producers Jenny Bicks, Michael Engler and Vivian Cannon who brought the show to life, congratulations on your nomination and thank you for making such a rewarding show that I am privileged to work on. The Big C: official site
Tricia's Top 27 CDs of 2010
The 88 - The 88
belleandseabastian
aloeblacc
blackkeys
broadcast 2000
basia bulat
dr dog
extra lens
fitzandthetantrums
folchen
freelance whales
frightenedrabbit2010
gold motel
This year was a little more chaotic than most, but despite that I did manage to find plenty of good music to listen to. I found 27 truly wonderful records, that number might seem random but why pad it out? Listed below in alphabetical order.
gold panda
The 88 - The 88 Amazon :: iTunes Belle & Sebastian - Write About Love Amazon :: iTunes Aloe Blacc - Good Things Amazon :: iTunes The Black Keys - Brothers Amazon :: iTunes Broadcast 2000 - Broadcast 2000 Amazon :: iTunes Basia Bulat - Heart Of My Own Amazon :: iTunes Dr Dog - Shame Shame Amazon :: iTunes The Extra Lens - Undercard Amazon :: iTunes Fitz & The Tantrums - Pickin' Up The Pieces Amazon :: iTunes Fol Chen - Part II: The New December Amazon :: iTunes Freelance Whales - Weathervanes Amazon :: iTunes Frightened Rabbit - The Winter Of Mixed Drinks Amazon :: iTunes Gold Motel - Summer House Amazon :: iTunes Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner Amazon :: iTunes Hold Steady - Heaven Is Whatever Amazon :: iTunes Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can Amazon :: iTunes Josh Ritter - So Runs The World Away Amazon :: iTunes Rogue Wave - Permalight Amazon :: iTunes The School - Loveless Unbeliever Amazon :: iTunes Sally Seltmann - Heart That's Pounding Amazon :: iTunes Shout Out Louds - Work Amazon :: iTunes Adam Haworth Stephens - We Live On Cliffs Amazon :: iTunes Angus & Julia Stone - Down The Way Amazon :: iTunes Stornoway - Beachcomber's Windowsill Amazon :: iTunes Tired Pony - The Place We Ran From Amazon :: iTunes Vampire Weekend - Contra Amazon :: iTunes Warpaint - The Fool Amazon :: iTunes
hold steady
lauramarling2010
josh ritter
roguewave2010
sallyseltmann2010
shoutoutlouds2010
aw stephens
angusjuliastone2010
stornoway2010
the school
tired pony
vampireweekend2010
warpaint
Making Frames Fans
I really couldn't say how many times I've seen The Frames (more than any other band, definitely) but it's never less than brilliant. I always try to bring along someone that hasn't seen them, because it's a guaranteed conversion. I'm proud to say I made two new Frames fans tonight at The Avalon!
The Frames: Official Site :: Live at the Avalon Nov 2011
Matador Me
I am in recovery from a three day orgy of indie rock aka The Lost Weekend, aka Matador at 21. Highlights: Yo La Tengo, Superchunk (featured at the left), Sonic Youth, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Guided By Voices, Cat Power, but it was all soooo divine! Then there was also lounging by the pool with all the Beggars/Matador folks, eating at yummy celebrity chef restaurants, and, well, not so very much sleeping. So I'm in extended nap mode today shh! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Matador Records: Website :: Wikipedia