PLEASE NOTE: There is no particular order to these records. They all make themselves stand out records for different, but equally great sounding reasons.

Joyce Manor- Joyce Manor

Favorite track: Beach Community

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I really like music that tells a story not only lyrically, but also in the way that the sound progresses, songs that feel like they are moving, songs that ebb and flow, swell and crash from verse into chorus.Besides having this perfectly rough vocal that walks the line between yelling and singing, that is what Joyce Manor’s self titled release does for me.

Mansions- Dig Up the Dead

Favorite track: City Don’t Care

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 When I used to see Mansions in high school, I somehow pegged him as a wannabe Chris Carraba with an acoustic guitar and a backpack full of self hatred. He is anything but. That backpack is more like a suitcase, and it’s full of all all the hatred he’s got for everyone else. Let’s face it, everyone fucking sucks.

Dig Up The Dead is ten tracks of everything you’ve ever resented in everyone articulated almost too perfectly. When I saw Mansions perform at Piano’s in October, I almost had to leave halfway through the set, because I got so upset hearing him perform….which was everything I was supposed to feel, and everything his performance was supposed to do to me.  Now hows that for Emo?

I Am the Avalanche- Avalanche United

Favorite Track: You’ve got Spiders

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I already wrote this record up here, but straight up it is solid and everything you’ve been waiting the past 6 years for. You should listen to it, simply because.

Lemuria – Pebble

Favorite track: Pleaser

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I am generally not huge on bands with female vocals, but Lemuria plays on their dueling male/female vocals in a way that that remains playful all while still being punk.

The Front Bottoms- The Front Bottoms

Favorite Track : Swimming Pool

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Listening to this record kind of feels like you’re watching a rain soaked teenager peel his clothes off, song by song to reveal an awkward bony kid with pruned fingertips and holey socks. It’s honest, and infectious, and you should listen to it.

Into It. Over It. – Proper

Favorite track: Write it Right

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A really solid debut LP from the king of EPs. Evan Weiss tells stories through his songs, and although he mostly tours acoustic, the full band brings so much depth to his music.

Balance And Composure- Separation

Favorite Track: I Tore You Apart In My Head

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This record is just solid emotional punk. Its not to heavy, but heavy enough. At first it didn’t stick out to me as a top 10 record, but then I realized how often I listen to it, and how it has made itself the soundtrack to my every day life.

Touché Amoré- Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me

Favorite Track: Condolences

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This record is a frontrunner in the resurgence of punk and hardcore  that happened in 2011. It is heavy, it is fast, the songs are short, and MAN it is self loathing. Every song has a handful of quotes you want to scribble on your trapper keeper, as you think about how much everyone in your town fucking sucks. If you could wear out an mp3, I would have worn this record through at least a month ago.

“If you fantasize about your funeral, I understand I’ve been there before.

 If there’s more importance in the music played, than who’d attend, we are the same.”

Little Comets- In Search of Elusive Little Comets

Favorite Track: One Night In October

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Little Comets were my favorite surprise of SXSW 2011. They put on performance that warmed me up and out of my hangover, many thanks to their clothesline of percussion. Like many UK  indie pop bands that I love, they drop girls’ names like wildfire, and pine away. Although this is technically a much awaited re-release. I’m countin’ it!

Grouplove- Never Trust A Happy Song

Favorite Track: Tongue Tied

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Infectious, bouncy pop that’s just hip enough to be acceptable. Despite having a girl rap in the middle of Tongue Tied, and being incredibly jingly, Never Trust A Happy Song never gets too cheesy.

What are your favorites from last year? Was there anything that I missed?

Lets hope your holidays and new year go a little something like this…

Happy Holidays y’all!

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-SKRIPT.

If you thought tickle me Elmo was all the rage a few years back then just wait until you hear CHRISTIAN DUBSTEP~! Even a drug fueled culture can be cleansed by the lord! If you don’t believe me, check out the hilarious comments below! Yes folks, this is real and available online here.

THIS IS THE WORLD’S WORST DUBSTEP I HAVE EVER HEARD. THE CREATORS OF THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE CONDEMED TO HELL AND ALL THOSE TRYING TO FOLLOW THIS AWFUL,TERRIBLE,POOR,UNCONSIDERATE, style. SHOULD DIE. Jesus told me that in my prayers.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Not only is this not dubstep, but the gratuitous use of horrible autotune, terrible composition, and unedcucated mastering makes this an awful, awful creation. If jesus was real he’d tell you not to listen to this garbage. A word of advice to those who put out this ‘album’: seek another hobby.

For a long time, I’ve been talking with friends about the lack of Christ in rave culture. This album, and all of WOW records catalog, fills that void. As ravers, we party non stop til the break of dawn. We get a little sideways (sometimes a lot), but we do it all in honor of our lord and savior, JC. So, having a catalog of fresh dubstep anthems that share that feeling of salvation is a major blessing. When we’re rolling or trippin, we often talk about JC, his life, his love. We talk about our lord who art in heaven, and all of the angels, and saints, and our man in the Vatican with his killer wardrobe and hat collection. And, as I’m sure many ravers have done for a long time, we talk about the lack of Christ in Rave. Now, we don’t have to wait. We can party on, and give praise to the lord. Amen.

Ladies, if you learn one thing from this video it is not to pick up a sexier than thou hitchiker with your boyfriend.

I was as giddy as a school girl when I heard that Blackstar was making a new album. I played the first album on my discman till that shit cracked in half. Finally coming back from their 1998 WE ARE BLACK STAR, Yasiin Bey (Mos Def’s new name) and Talib Kweli are back at it and set to release their new mixtape Aretha sometime in the near future. They have already made some appearances on tv and have released a few songs. Let me tell you, they have lost absolutely not steam.

Here is a song they did for Colbert.

The Fix Up

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They have also offered a free download of one of my favorites I have heard, You Already Knew.

HERE.

Look out for tour dates to be added, they have already started to hit the road.

_SKRIPT.

THIS VIDEO IS CRAZY!!! These Euro house sluts are DOPEEEEEE!!!!!

“You’re my favorite rapper now. Ohh yea dude I better be, you can my kiss my fucking ass… Human Centipede.” With a line like that how can you not like Childish Gambino?! Dude is flat out awesome. You might know him as the dude from community. He is also the son of Danny Glover, star of the classic Lethal Weapon movies. Childish has a way with the words and with dipping into different music genres that seem fresh to me. On Tuesday he released CAMP to the masses. I have been playing it on my 45 minute commutes for the past few days. Sets my mornings off RIGHT!

Here are a few of the standouts, even though they are all pretty dope.

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_SKRIPT.

Mates of State have been a huge part of Leslie and my relationship. After starting my first vintage shop in Texas, I used to meet with bands I admired and swap clothing for merch. I became friendly with Josh Berwanger of The Anniversary, and chilled with him every time he came through Austin, and on one of those tours his opening band was Mates of State. I was instantly hooked as was Leslie and I don’t think we’ve missed a tour since. The music is energetic and the stage presence of the husband and wife duo can’t be beat. Here’s a few live videos I shot that night, plus their recent appearance on David Letterman. It’s good to see them moving up in the ranks; after 14 years I would say they have paid their dues and then some.

I Am The Avalanche’s new video for “Brooklyn Dodgers”, directed by Michael “Yoshi” Jasionowski.

I really get a kick out of seeing music videos where I recognize the scenery, and walk down all the same streets, and go to the same bars (if you live in NYC, Pearl’s Social and Billy Club is a must). By means of being a part of a musical subculture, I’m breathing the same air as everyone else, wether it’s from the cold Brooklyn street or through my headphones.

I Am The Avalanche’s first full length record in 5 years , Avalanche United is available now through I Surrender Records. I’d ask you to give it a spin, but not-giving it a listen really isn’t even an option.

-x

I don’t know if I can forgive lo-fi group Gauntlet Hair for having their Myspace page as their first hit on Google, but I’m really into the music. Their new self titled record is out there, floating around on the internet. It’s in your best interest to listen to it.