Campo by Toro Y Moi

New Year's Eve jammin' with Toro Y Moi.

I'll pick it up...

Started From The Bottom by Drake

I'm not a huge Drake fan but I do love this track. It's been stuck in my head for days! I just avoid singing it aloud in public since the lyrics aren't exactly appropriate :-/

Started from the bottom...now we're here.

Let Go by RAC featuring Kele & MNDR

RAC's 2nd ever original track (since they primarily remix other artists' songs) features vocals by Kele (of Bloc Party) & MNDR & has been on constant repeat in my boring office today.

Thanks for introducing me, Lindsey Fisher! Your holiday rockstar mix CDs are the BEST!

I'm Aquarius by Metronomy (NEW!!!)

I can't wait for Metronomy's new album Love Letters to be released on 3/10/14! I've only seen Metronomy 1 time before (at El Rey Theatre in June 2012) so I'm hopeful a new album means another tour because they were/are phenomenal live! Their chest lights were my fave :)

Shades by Yellow Ostrich (NEW!)

I'm super pumped for new material from Yellow Ostrich! I hope I can make their 3/18/14 show in LA!

Stay Alive by Jose Gonzalez (from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty)

This new Jose Gonzalez track from The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty soundtrack just got me EXTRA excited to see the film as soon as it's released on Christmas Day. From what I've heard, Gonzalez provided quite a few new songs for the movie which is awesome because I've been a big fan of both him & his band Junip for years. His voice is BEAUTIFUL.

Reverend Tall Tree Album Release Party @ Sassafras Saloon in Hollywood Last Night 12/12/13

Last night, I visited Sassafras Saloon in Hollywood (on Vine just south of Fountain) for my 1st time & saw my 1st Reverend Tall Tree show. The venue was super cool (it doesn't hurt that they sell $5 well whiskey!) & the band was fantastic! I forgot how much I love the harmonica!

Reverend Tall Tree plays Sassafras on a regular basis so I'll definitely be back & I recommend you do the same!

The Mall & Misery by Broken Bells

Because I'm getting so excited for the new Broken Bells album, I can't stop listening to the debut album. The entire record is brilliant. This is 1 of my favorite tracks...

Fall In Love by Phantogram (NEW!!!)

Phantogram's 2nd full-length album doesn't come out until February 18th 2014 but, luckily, they just today released the 1st single!

Biggy by Warpaint

Only 1 more month until Warpaint's new album is released! In the meantime, they were kind of enough to release the 2nd single :)

Instant Crush by Daft Punk Featuring Julian Casablancas (OFFICIAL VIDEO!)

Daft Punk's brand new video for the track Instant Crush (featuring Julian Casablancas) tells the tragic tale story of 2 mannequins in love. I guess some people might be into the sort of thing? It's a bit creepy if you ask me but that's because I hate dolls & mannequins are basically just giant dolls. I'm happy they melted...lol.

Don't Wait by Mapei

I was turned onto this track yesterday by 1 of my Canadian, Sasquatch-going friends & now I can't get enough of Rhode Island-born, Stockholm-based singer Mapei!

Mondo Taurobolium by Devendra Banhart Featuring Rose McGowan (OFFICIAL VIDEO!)

The brand-new, trippy, official, animated, Galen Pehrson-directed video for Devendra Banhart's track Mondo Taurobolium features Devendra & Rose McGowan as pair of drugged-out ducks.

Devendra Banhart: Mondo Taurobolium on Nowness.com

Pilgrim by MØ

I just discovered this rad track from 2012 by Danish singer/songwriter Karen Marie Ørsted aka MØ & now I can't stop listening to it!

hh

Pearl Jam @ Los Angeles Sports Arena - 11/24/13

How I adore Eddie Vedder, let me count the ways (for the purposes of this particular post, based solely on his performance with Pearl Jam on Sunday night at Los Angeles Sports Arena).

For one, the man is incredibly limber. He can practically do the splits mid-jump while singing (I'm not exactly sure what they call it but let's go with the "rockstar splits kick") & he can do a backbend & hold it for a long time while STILL singing! He often acts like a big kid climbing around on equipment, swinging back & forth on a large hanging lamp, crowd-surfing, etc. He drinks wine straight from the bottle on stage & even makes trips down into the crowd to pour wine for people! He does incredible covers of songs most people wouldn't dare try to replicate including tracks originally by Pink Floyd, Velvet Underground, Neil Young & The Who. He & Pearl Jam don't stop playing until the venue shuts them down. 

Eddie worries about & tries his best to protect his fans. When it looked like someone was in trouble in the crowd on Sunday night & that person was escorted by security to somewhere away from the main floor, Eddie asked everyone to enjoy an extended electric guitar solo while he left the stage for several minutes to go check on the person. I also heard he kicked a rowdy concert-goer out of the show completely on Satruday night because the asshole was causing such a disruption.

Eddie Vedder is the epitome of ROCK STAR. He is 1 of THE most talented, charismatic, consistently relevent & genuinely honorable musicians I've ever been lucky enough to see perform live.

Last Sunday night was only my 2nd Pearl Jam show ever (the 1st was 5 years ago at Outside Lands) & I now realize why there are people who follow them all over the country. 3+ hours, 33 songs (including the song George wanted to hear most, Daughter, the song I wanted to hear most, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, & 5 amazing covers) & it still didn't feel like enough. I guess there's no getting enough of Pearl Jam live. I hope I get to see them again &/or Eddie perform solo because I'm obsessed.

Corduroy


Daughter


Mother (Pink Floyd cover)

Hip To Be Square by Huey Lewis & The News (Featuring Joe Montana & Ronnie Lott)

I have always associated this song with the San Francisco 49ers becaue Joe Montana & Ronnie Lott provided backup vocals on it & it was what my dad & always used to listen to in order to get pumped up for 49ers game so...that's what I'm doing right now!

Monday Night Football begins in 40 minutes! It's all or nothing, Niners! If we don't win tonight, our hopes for snagging that wild card spot are as good as gone. PLEASE beat the Redskins!!!

Bullet Train by Gardens & Villa

A fun, new track from Gardens & Villa...

Afterlife by Arcade Fire (NEW OFFICIAL VIDEO!)

Have I mentioned how much I love Arcade Fire before? Oh I have? :) Well then I'll just leave you with the BEAUTIFUL, brand new, official video (written and directed by Emily Kai Bock) for AF's 2nd single off their latest album Reflektor.

OutKast (ALMOST 100%) Confirmed for Coachella 2014!!!

The news that OutKast might be reuniting for Coachella 2014 began to break yesterday &, as of this morning, it's being reported as ALMOST 100% confirmed. This now means both Arcade Fire AND OutKast are most likely headlining my 10th (& intended-to-be final) Coachella!

That's cooler than a polar bear's toenails ;-) OH-YAY-YER!!!

ATliens


SpottieOttieDopaliscious


The Whole World

B.O.B.

Players Ball

Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town by Pearl Jam

Here's a little old school, classic Pearl Jam for your Tuesday afternoon because...I'm seeing Pearl Jam on Sunday night & praying they play this song!!

Know Bout Me by Timbaland Featuring Drake, Jay Z & James Fauntleroy

I love that the 1st new single from Timbaland in what feels like forever features both Jay Z AND Drake plus a guy named James Fauntleroy who I've never heard of but, knowing Timbaland, Fauntleroy is probably the next big thing.

Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High? by Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys must get a lot of drunk dials (per the lyrics of Do I Wanna Know) but, on the flip side, it sounds like they only call certain ladies when they're high so...maybe it's just 1 giant wasted wash? :-P

25 Bucks by Danny Brown Featuring Purity Ring

Nine Inch Nails @ Staples Center - 11/8/13

Last Friday night, I saw Nine Inch Nails perform live for my 3rd time ever but it was my 1st non-festival NIN experience & it was NIN-CREDIBLE!!!

The icing on the cake was 1 of my dearest Coachella friends, Lyndsey, who I hadn't even seen in about 3 years flew down to LA from Portland just so she could attend the show with me (& also so we could play the rest of the weekend of course). Lyndsey couldn't have picked a better artist to make a special trip to LA to see because NIN boggled the mind of every single person inside the Staples Center for a solid 2 hours & 15 minutes. It was breathtaking.

Touring with How To Destroy Angels (Trent Reznor's most recent side project) clearly influenced NIN's comeback tour. The technology used to create NIN’s visuals is unlike anything I’ve ever seen (EXCEPT for the 1 time I saw HTDA perform at Coachella this past April). It's 1 thing to throw some cool stuff up on a screen behind a band but it's entirely another to fully engulf the band in screens layering images & lights on top of the members while they play.

Also, as far as I know, NIN has never integrated female vocals into their music but, this time around, Trent had 2 very talented female backup singers adding a gorgeous, new element to already super solid NIN material.

Finally, it must be said…Trent Reznor’s hips don’t lie. The man has got MOVES. I love him :)

Terrible Lie

Disappointed

The Hand That Feeds

Satellite ("borrowed" footage because it was just TOO good not to post!)

While I'm Still Here (also "borrowed" footage :-P)

Für Hildegard von Bingen by Devendra Banhart

Not only is Devendra Banhart a super hot hottie (who used to date Natalie Portman!) but he's also an unbelievably talented artist & visionary. I finally got to see him live for my 1st time at FYF Fest last August & he was FANTASTIC.