November was a month full of shows, packed in around a few days of travel for Thanksgiving. December has proven to be even more hectic, so I’m posting this mix without further ado before I scatter to multiple cities for the holidays. May yours be bright and full of love, and I’ll be back in a few weeks with December’s mix.
Or stream here.
1. The Local Strangers – Uptown
I was sent an early mix of this song in August, only a few nights before moving to Seattle. I sat in my car, listening, repeating, listening, feeling a swell of pride in my chest for Matt and Aubrey. I heard many variations of this song while they were recording their album, and this one just captured everything I loved about it. Also, this video from their CD release show (shot by the amazing photographer Jason Tang) makes me grin ear to ear every time:
2. Benjamin Gibbard – A Hard One to Know
He was positively charming playing the Showbox solo. Also, he played “Blacking Out the Friction” which is probably my favorite Death Cab song that I hadn’t seen live yet. Thanks, Ben.
3. Dearborn – Otherlands
This was part of a Protosong playlist that focused on Seattle bands. I’m eagerly awaiting more music from this band.
4. Lost Lander – Through Your Bones
We missed them opening for Typhoon, and I need to fix that soon.
5. Sleep Lady – Someone Has to Win
Some dear friends in San Diego released their second album in November, and it is killer.
6. Bon Iver – Blood Bank
Tony Kevin Jr covered this song at the Wintersong show at the Crocodile, and it stunned me. The imagery is so striking, and it had been awhile since I’d gone back and listened to it, so I was thankful for the reminder.
7. The Lonely Forest – I Don’t Want to Live There
It’s all about finding the home that feels like home. I’m still working on it but it feels a lot closer here and now.
8. Big Sur – It Don’t Feel Right
I desperately need more recorded music from this band. Desperately.
9. Damien Jurado – Ohio (Daytrotter version)
I’m still playing catch-up on Damien’s work, and this song has been recommended to me many times over by friends, and rightfully so.
10. Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes – Cardinal Wings
They shared the stage with Big Sur at a Seattle Living Room show, and were an amazingly fun band.
11. Telekinesis – I Cannot Love You
I’ve had a hell of a time seeing Telekinesis over the years. The first show at the Casbah, Michael was losing his voice (he cancelled the next night’s show in Arizona) so he played an abbreviated set and asked for help on some of the vocals. The second time, there was a massive power outage in San Diego so the show was cancelled. I’ve since seen him play short sets at a beer festival and then at a Rock the Vote event for Jay Inslee. Someday, there will be a real Telekinesis show. Someday.
12. Shelby Earl – Under Evergreen
I had the pleasure of seeing Shelby sing at the Wintersong benefit at The Croc, and this song caught my ear and didn’t let go for several days.
13. Eef Barzelay – Put It Down
I supported his kickstarter campaign for this album, then completely forgot about it until it dropped into my inbox as a surprise one morning. I love that feeling.
14. Tony Kevin Jr – Don’t Tell Mama
Tony doesn’t play much, in Seattle or elsewhere. I would love for that to change. He played this song around a campfire one night at the Doe Bay Music Festival, and it was magic (as are most things at that place).
15. The Mynabirds – Body of Work
“Yesterday happened just exactly as it did/you can’t go back and undo it/you’re not a knot, you’re not a dead end/don’t ever forget/you’re a living thing.” YES.
16. Typhoon – The Honest Truth
This song, this band. Seeing them live (finally) was amazing, and closing out with this song, with me singing my heart out, was perfect.
November was a month full of shows, packed in around a few days of travel for Thanksgiving. December has proven to be even more hectic, so I’m posting this mix without further ado before I scatter to multiple cities for the holidays. May yours be bright and full of love, and I’ll be back in a few weeks with December’s mix.
Or stream here.
1. The Local Strangers – Uptown
I was sent an early mix of this song in August, only a few nights before moving to Seattle. I sat in my car, listening, repeating, listening, feeling a swell of pride in my chest for Matt and Aubrey. I heard many variations of this song while they were recording their album, and this one just captured everything I loved about it. Also, this video from their CD release show (shot by the amazing photographer Jason Tang) makes me grin ear to ear every time:
2. Benjamin Gibbard – A Hard One to Know
He was positively charming playing the Showbox solo. Also, he played “Blacking Out the Friction” which is probably my favorite Death Cab song that I hadn’t seen live yet. Thanks, Ben.
3. Dearborn – Otherlands
This was part of a Protosong playlist that focused on Seattle bands. I’m eagerly awaiting more music from this band.
4. Lost Lander – Through Your Bones
We missed them opening for Typhoon, and I need to fix that soon.
5. Sleep Lady – Someone Has to Win
Some dear friends in San Diego released their second album in November, and it is killer.
6. Bon Iver – Blood Bank
Tony Kevin Jr covered this song at the Wintersong show at the Crocodile, and it stunned me. The imagery is so striking, and it had been awhile since I’d gone back and listened to it, so I was thankful for the reminder.
7. The Lonely Forest – I Don’t Want to Live There
It’s all about finding the home that feels like home. I’m still working on it but it feels a lot closer here and now.
8. Big Sur – It Don’t Feel Right
I desperately need more recorded music from this band. Desperately.
9. Damien Jurado – Ohio (Daytrotter version)
I’m still playing catch-up on Damien’s work, and this song has been recommended to me many times over by friends, and rightfully so.
10. Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes – Cardinal Wings
They shared the stage with Big Sur at a Seattle Living Room show, and were an amazingly fun band.
11. Telekinesis – I Cannot Love You
I’ve had a hell of a time seeing Telekinesis over the years. The first show at the Casbah, Michael was losing his voice (he cancelled the next night’s show in Arizona) so he played an abbreviated set and asked for help on some of the vocals. The second time, there was a massive power outage in San Diego so the show was cancelled. I’ve since seen him play short sets at a beer festival and then at a Rock the Vote event for Jay Inslee. Someday, there will be a real Telekinesis show. Someday.
12. Shelby Earl – Under Evergreen
I had the pleasure of seeing Shelby sing at the Wintersong benefit at The Croc, and this song caught my ear and didn’t let go for several days.
13. Eef Barzelay – Put It Down
I supported his kickstarter campaign for this album, then completely forgot about it until it dropped into my inbox as a surprise one morning. I love that feeling.
14. Tony Kevin Jr – Don’t Tell Mama
Tony doesn’t play much, in Seattle or elsewhere. I would love for that to change. He played this song around a campfire one night at the Doe Bay Music Festival, and it was magic (as are most things at that place).
15. The Mynabirds – Body of Work
“Yesterday happened just exactly as it did/you can’t go back and undo it/you’re not a knot, you’re not a dead end/don’t ever forget/you’re a living thing.” YES.
16. Typhoon – The Honest Truth
This song, this band. Seeing them live (finally) was amazing, and closing out with this song, with me singing my heart out, was perfect.
You guys. I’m blogging. PHOTOS, not just a mixtape. It’s a holiday miracle.
I have more show photos on my hard drive that I want to share here eventually, but I wanted to get these up first because WOW did Charles Bradley put on a great show last night at Neumos. I went in with high expectations, and he surpassed them. The Screaming Eagle of Soul possesses more than a touch of James Brown’s flair, but what really struck me, more than the spangled jacket and the earth-shattering, give you shivers down to the soles of your boots voice, was his humility. He’s encountered harder times than most, and is truly, sincerely grateful to get to do what he does every night in front of sold-out crowds. That sort of attitude, in a day and age where musicians routinely complain publicly about bad reviews or gripe about not getting enough recognition, was a dose of much-welcomed perspective. Side note: all performers should end their sets by wading through the audience, giving out hugs to anyone who wants one.
Oh yeah, and some folks got engaged in the front row, and Charles called them up onstage to sing them a song. If anyone knows these folks, I’d love to get them copies of these photos!
Full set:
[flickr-gallery mode=”photoset” photoset=”72157632191620985″]
Listening to this mix earlier, it struck me that there’s a subconscious theme in the majority of songs on this mix – a theme of digging in, of figuring out what’s essential, of stripping away the excess and bullshit. It’s a mix constructed in the grip of my first autumn in 9 years, staring into a dark winter. But don’t take that in a depressed or morbid way. I’m overjoyed to be experiencing seasons again, to be huddled in a blanket with my hands wrapped around a hot mug of cider spiked with bourbon, to have weather that just feels so damn seasonally appropriate. To be able to mark the passage of time again with seasons seems like a privilege. There is much good and usefulness in paring down to the necessities only, of settling in for survival of the winter. And here’s some tunes to help you do so (because music is most definitely a necessity).
Or stream here.
1. Admiral Fallow – Isn’t This World Enough???
I like the idea of living for this lifetime, for making this world better. It’s the only one we can be absolutely positive about, so it strikes me as a wise decision. Also, when we saw them live, the backup singer caught by complete surprise and it was AWESOME.
2. The Mountain Goats – Amy aka Spent Gladiator 1
“Seek out the hidden places where the fire burns hot and bright…and stay alive, just stay alive.”
3. Kris Orlowski & Andrew Joslyn – All My People Go
Beautiful music by some fantastic people that I got to see put to life in October. I love the sentiment of freeing yourslf from labels and just BEING.
4. The Oh Hellos – Second Child, Restless Child
I happen to be a second child, so my ears perked immediately upon hearing this song. Also, this band figured out how to appeal to all the things I like in music – handclaps, stomps, harmonies, joy.
5. First Aid Kit – Emmylou
This song got stuck in my head the first time I heard it on one of my friend Adam‘s mixes. It’s perfect.
6. Neil Young – My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue) (Live Album Version)
Every time I see Noah Gundersen and family, he plays a different cover that just digs into the core of me. First it was Joni Mitchell’s A Case of You. Then it was this song, in a cathedral, joined by several other local musicians.
7. Ryan Adams – In My Time of Need
And then Noah’s brother sang lead on this cover, and I died.
8. The Shivers – Beauty
I saw The Shivers at the Casbah a year or two ago, and remember talking to Joel from The Tree Ring before the show. He told me how important this band was to him, and therefore I was pleasantly surprised to see them opening for The Tree Ring’s CD release show. They played a short but fantastic set, including this song.
9. Vic Chesnutt – Degenerate
The guitar line of this song caught my ear just as Vic Chesnutt’s life story did. I’m looking forward to digging more into the many albums he left behind.
10. Divine Fits – What Gets You Alone
I love the production on this track. Everything is a perfect piece of the whole.
11. Sufjan Stevens – The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts
I meant to post this track after seeing a Sufjan Stevens tribute show by local Seattle musicians shortly after moving to Seattle. “We celebrate our sense of each other/We have a lot to give one another.” Yes.
12. The Tree Ring – The Rainshadow
I struggled for a long time with learning to love the desert landscape in San Diego. Nothing was green that wasn’t artificial. I mentioned to Joel shortly before moving to Seattle that I was looking forward to all of the greenness in the Pacific Northwest because of this, and he mentioned that the album he was working on would have a lot of elements of that coming to terms with the desert, and seeing the different kind of beauty it held. And right here in this song, he nails it. “Now the violet hands of the May jacarandas are blossoming/There were days that I may not have made it if they weren’t lining Granada street/Every spring they recover the colors in me.”
13. Frightened Rabbit – Music Now
I was lucky enough to see Frightened Rabbit twice on their most recent tour – once in Seattle, and once in San Diego. Both towns have been hugely supportive of them since they started out, and in Seattle, they dedicated this song to KEXP.
14. The Local Strangers – Mr. Blackberry
The first rollicking single off of their first full-length album. They made a nice little video for it too. I might be slightly biased.
15. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Thrift Shop
This song is just so. much. fun. I love it so. And of course there’s a fantastic video to go along with it.
So…it’s November. And I’m just getting around to posting my September mixtape. Whoops. I’m gonna keep this short so I have at least a small chance of posting the October mixtape before November is finished. Enjoy!
Or stream here.
1. Dan Mangan – Road Regrets
2. Neil Halstead – Wittgenstenis Arm
3. Frightened Rabbit – State Hospital
4. Sondre Lerche – Domino
5. The Mountain Goats – Harlem Roulette
6. AgesandAges – No Nostalgia
7. These United States – The Angel’s Share
8. Jordan Cook (aka ReignWolf) – Electric Love
9. Curtains for You – What Good Am I To You Now?
10. Field Report – Incommunicado
11. Ghosts I’ve Met – Blackwoods
12. Lucy Wainwright Roche – Statesville
13. Jens Lekman – The World Moves On
14. Matt & Kim – Much Too Late
15. Hot Bodies in Motion – Whiskey Drive
16. The Tallest Man on Earth – Revelation Blues
Oh. Hello there. It’s been a while, huh?
I’m finally feeling settled up here in the Pacific Northwest, despite everyone looking at me like I’m a crazy person when I tell them I moved from San Diego. After a whirlwind drive (we made it from San Diego to Seattle in a mere 36 hours, which included a good night’s sleep) and several whirlwind weeks including three music festivals, two Ikea trips, and a LOT of furniture building, I feel like this is home. I miss San Diego, and I can’t wait to visit in October, but I’ve been incredibly happy here and excited to explore all the things that this new city has to offer. It’s a good challenge, after so many years in one town, to have to learn another.
But enough about me, let’s get on with the tunes! With everything going on in my life, I ran out of time to make a July mixtape (and almost ran out of time for an August one, at that). So I’m offered up one mixtape to serve both months, and hoping that after this, I’ll be back on schedule with this monthly mixes.
Or stream here.
1. Kithkin – Ampersand
The beginning of this song reminds me of Fever Sleeves, and their set at Doe Bay Music Fest was incredibly high energy and fun.
2. Freelance Whales – Locked Out
I’ve been anticipating their second album ever since I was introduced to Weathervanes. October 9th is the release date, but enjoy this single while you wait.
3. The Last Bison – Tired Hands
Another band I was introduced to at Doe Bay Music Fest this year. I love the line “24 hours of waiting is not that long.”
4. The Mountain Goats – Cry for Judas
This album comes out on Tuesday. Stream the new record here, or do what I did and preorder to vinyl back in July and then forget about it until it shows up on your doorstep.
5. Tyler Lyle – Free (I Am)
I loved Tyler Lyle even before he played my going away party in San Diego. I love him even more since he played “Things Are Better” for just me and Matt, standing back by the merch table while the Casbah employees shut down the bar. One of my favorite moments in my life.
6. Land of Pines – Exploring
Land of Pines played a super energetic Doe Bay set, and their joy at being at the festival was written all over their faces. They gave away free download cards for their EP to the first 100 people to say hi to them at the festival, and I love that idea.
7. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Same Love
“I might not be the same, but that’s not important. No freedom ’til we’re equal, damn right I support it.” Love is love, and I support love.
8. The Cellar Door – Spring
I had the pleasure of seeing The Cellar Door twice in August – once at The Round, and once at Bumbershoot. Both times they blew my socks off.
9. Ben Fisher – Stars Like Bears
Ben was everywhere at Doe Bay Fest, and the weekend after the festival, we saw him at The Round, and then again busking at the Ballard Farmer’s Market. This song makes me think of the Glow-in-the-Dark Constellations book I had as a child.
10. The Long Winters – Seven
I’m not a person who requests songs at shows. My voice doesn’t carry in a crowd and I don’t like being the center of attention. However, when I’m sitting in a dark grove in the woods at midnight with a handful of other people and John Roderick asks for requests, maybe this song title slips out immediately and carries crisply through the still air. And maybe it’s magical.
11. Cold Specks – Steady
I’ve been meaning to put Cold Specks on a mixtape for a few months. The album was $5 on Amazon for the month of September, so I probably should have written this post sooner, but I highly recommend grabbing it anyway.
12. Radiation City – Winter Blind
Last official Doe Bay band on here, I swear.
13. Ten-Speed Music – Swing State
Ten-Speed Music is Isaac Pierce. One night at Doe Bay, he stumbled upon our group playing and singing songs and joined in to play this one for us. It was absolutely gorgeous accompanied by shooting stars overhead.
14. Mike Mangione & The Union – Wear My Name
Matt played this song for me on his last visit to San Diego before helping me move to Seattle. I have a distinct memory of listening to it in my car, exiting the 5 North toward the airport and the Casbah. It will forever be connected with that last time we had to say goodbye at an airport, and those final two weeks before taking a giant step together. Love, love, love.
Two and a half weeks until I move. Wow. It’s been especially summery and beautiful in San Diego these last few weeks, and I’ve been doing my best to spend the fleeting time with close friends and soak up every last second of it. Apologies for the (as usual) late mix. I swear at some point, several months down the road, things will settle down and I’ll get back into the habit of posting more frequently…
Or stream here.
1. Japandroids – Adrenaline Nightshift
I can’t wait to blast this album while driving north up the 5. It reminds me of the best of the Henry Clay People and The Hold Steady.
2. Bound Stems – Cloak of Blue Sky
Old favorite, thanks to Lucas.
3. Rogue Wave – Chicago x 12
Another one from a few years back. I fell heavy in love with this album.
4. These United States – Two Gods
Go pick up their new album, it’s really just gorgeous.
5. Joe Pug – The First Time I Saw You
An incredibly sweet love song, despite the unhappy ending.
6. Justin Townes Earle – Christchurch Woman
I put on “One More Night in Brooklyn” while doubling back to pick Matt up at the airport after he missed his flight due to an accident on Harbor Drive (pro tip: when walking a mile to the airport terminal due to stalled traffic, exchange your boots for sneakers to avoid massive blisters). While playing through the album, I stumbled on this particular song that had escaped my notice previously.
7. Okkervil River – Black
My favorite Okkervil River song.
8. The Hold Steady – Constructive Summer
“We’re gonna build something this summer.” Indeed. Like a new home.
9. Father John Misty – I’m Writing a Novel
I find it hard to marry this musical incarnation with J Tillman’s previous solo work, but it works on its own level. Also, the imagery of that first line cracks me up every time.
10. Ivan & Alyosha – I Was Born To Love Her
I’m getting excited to see them at the Doe Bay Music Festival.
11. Noah Gundersen – Middle of June
Oh, how pretty is the middle of June…
12. Metric – Clone
New album that I’m slowly digesting. It’s not sticking as well as Fantasies yet, but we’ll see.
13. Lemolo – Letters
Absolutely stunning full length from this duo. I’ve been waiting for this one for almost a year.
14. Tyler Lyle – California
This is one of those songs that takes me immediately back to a transitional period of my life (2004, in this case), and it’s perfect to have stumbled upon it right before beginning the next transition. Also, he’s playing my going-away party at the Casbah on August 1st, which is even more perfect.
15. Mrs. Magician – You Can’t Be My Man
A local band that I’ve just gotten around to checking out, at the recommendation of many a friend. Also, perfect summer music.
16. Superchunk – This Summer
And speaking of perfect summer music, you can’t go wrong with Superchunk. I feel like listening to their entire discography on my way up the West Coast…
17. Joel P West – We Sleep On The Porch
And here’s a song for those wistful summer nights. I miss fireflies, and the breeze stirring as the night falls over the lawn and you grasp the first hint of relief at the end of a long, humid day.
I finally got around to editing my fireworks photos from last year, so it seemed appropriate to share them today.
This mix is late because things are ramping up in earnest for my move to Seattle in August. I’ve been packing and shipping boxes, as well as trying to pare down my belongings to what is really necessary. Eight years in one town with only 3 moves means there’s a lot of extra stuff that has accumulated, so I’ve been spending my days brushing off the dust, opening up forgotten boxes, and pondering what makes something important enough to move 1500 miles north. May’s mixtape is a sampling of the music that is helping to push this process forward.
Or stream here.
1. Good Old War – Coney Island
This song never gets old, and it always sounds like summer.
2. Shenandoah Davis – Proof
Shenandoah is amazingly unique in both her voice and piano playing. I had the opportunity to see her again at the Park Gallery a few weeks ago.
3. The Magnetic Fields – Asleep and Dreaming
One of the byproducts of iTunes’ strange search function. I was looking for another song/album entirely, but the search terms also appeared in this song. I kind of love it when you rediscover a song that way.
4. Kevin Long – Dance
I met Kevin about 6 months ago, but earlier this month was the first time I’d had a chance to see him play.
5. Kelli Schaefer – Gone in Love
While spending a few days in the PNW for my 30th birthday, a group of us went back over to Doe Bay and saw Kelli and Jeremiah play an intimate set in their yoga studio. This song gives me chills every time I listen to it.
6. The New Pornographers – The Slow Descent Into Alcoholism
Another oldie but goodie.
7. Against Me! – The Ocean
Shooting this band was my first (and hopefully not last) photo assignment for Rolling Stone. I’m so incredibly impressed by Laura Jane Grace’s fearlessness and openness, and simultaneously overjoyed by her fans’ support.
8. Coconut Records – Nighttiming
Again, Coconut Records is the sound of summer, especially summer on the west coast.
9. AgesandAges – Souvenir
Went straight from SEATAC to a venue in Tacoma to see these folks and their fantastic harmonies.
10. Pretty Broken Things – Our Story
Katie Costello also played a set at Doe Bay, and wow, her voice. Just, wow. Full album please!
11. JBM – Ferry
A recommendation from Adrian, who is always spot on.
12. Belle & Sebastian – A Summer Wasting
Another iTunes rediscovery.
13. Blur – Girls and Boys
A friend’s husband killed this song at karaoke one extremely silly night.
14. Jukebox the Ghost – Good Day
Friends of mine saw this band open for another band years ago, and couldn’t stop talking about them. I go back to this album every once in awhile, and it always holds up.
15. Hip Hatchet – Small Demons
A recommendation from Adam. The whole album is fantastic.
16. The Silent Comedy – River Rolls
An older tune from this hard-working San Diego band. They just played Bonnaroo, and I couldn’t be more proud of their chance to represent this town that I love.
17. Lee Fields & The Expressions – Faithful Man
Another of Adrian’s recommendations. See? The man has amazing taste in music.
18. Ben Kweller – Jealous Girl
Flash back to 2004. I saw Ben and Death Cab for Cutie play a co-headlining show at the 9:30 Club in DC (after seeing Bob Dylan play earlier in the evening – it was a weird night). I bought a poster (designed by Small Stakes) and my boyfriend and I decided to hang around to see if Ben would show up to sign it. He never did, we missed the last metro train back to Arlington, and a friend of ours had to come pick us up. Earlier this month, I found out a friend was photographing Ben’s tour, and told her that story. She, in turn, told it to Ben, and long story short, I got an autographed LP of his latest album for my birthday. Hooray!
19. Hey Marseilles – Rio
Really looking forward to seeing these guys play at Doe Bay Music Fest this year. Also, really looking forward to going home after the Doe Bay Music Fest this year – to Seattle, to an apartment shared with one of the most amazing people I know. I will miss San Diego greatly, but I am really excited about this new adventure!
My friend Kevin Long is currently on tour opening for Rocky Votolato for most of this month, and of course I had to stop in at the Casbah to see him last week. Despite knowing Kevin for a few months through mutual friends in Seattle and becoming familiar with his music, I had not yet seen him play live. I was definitely impressed. He currently has a Kickstarter going to fund his second album, so if you have a few dollars to spare, I’d suggest sending them his way.
I’ve been fairly lax on the concert photography front this year, choosing sometimes to simply enjoy a Casbah show instead of worry about shooting. However, when Joe Pug came through town the week his new album The Great Despiser was released, I grabbed a few shots of the superb songwriter.
Sidenote: I’ve been playing around with my black and white processing. These photos were processed with a Lightroom preset made to look like Ilford HP5 400 film, which worked quite well in this situation.
April was a month full of music for me, specifically Coachella. I ended up shooting all three days of weekend one, and two days of weekend two. All told, it consisted of 5 days, 57 bands photographed, 26 miles walked, and I survived both rain (in the desert?!?) and record-setting heat. I’m still going through all my photos from both weekends (aside from the ones posted on Pitchfork) and hope to upload them someday, but until then, let’s skip to the music.
Or stream here.
1. Givers – Saw You First
Givers put on a stunning performance the first weekend of Coachella, and made me sad that I skipped out on their Casbah show last year.
2. Oberhofer – I Could Go
I had planned to shoot them the second weekend of Coachella, but with temperatures hovering around 107 degrees, I missed them. I guess I’ll have to catch them at Bumbershoot later this year…
3. Field Report – I Am Not Waiting Anymore
I really really cannot wait for them to release more material.
4. Joe Pug – The Great Despiser
I was going back and forth on which song from Joe’s new album to include on the mix, when I stumbled across this interview. Read the whole thing – it’s short but full of wisdom. One of the things that jumped out at me was his explanation of the album (and song) title, “It’s a character in one of the songs…I think this particular character in the song finds a lot of things to despise, but I think it’s because he has such a love and such expectations.” I read that and got chills, as I used to suffer from the same sort of reaction to unmet expectations. It’s amazing to hear someone else describe and know that feeling so well.
5. We Were Promised Jetpacks – Quiet Little Voices
This song jump-started the first Saturday of Coachella for me.
6. Luna – Tiger Lily
Luna soundtracked some late-night editing sessions. It’s always fun to hand your iPod over to a friend and see what they pull out of the archives.
7. Theresa Andersson – January
I helped fund this album via Kickstarter, and it is always a great feeling to know you had some small part in making something so good.
8. Of Monsters and Men – Little Talks
I love the back-and-forth vocals on this track, although the whole album is a keeper. Go buy it if you haven’t already.
9. The Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen in Love?
The thing I love about shooting Coachella is you get to see new bands back to back with older bands, and the older bands still hold their own, or better. I’ve noticed that older bands tend to play it up for photographers more – which is always appreciated!
10. Beirut – Goshen
Because Zach Condon is dreamy and so is this song, and I could have shot his perfectly lit set in the Mojave tent all weekend long.
11. Pulp – Pencil Skirt
Except Jarvis Cocker is more dreamy, and somewhere along the way my brain made a connection between him and Will Sheff (of Okkervil River) and now I can’t shake it. Also, hands down the most fun set to shoot at Coachella.
12. The Barr Brothers – Lord, I Just Can’t Keep From Crying
Everyone I know is posting “Beggar in the Morning” on their mixtapes, so I went with the other end of the Barr Brothers’ spectrum.
13. Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s – Talking In Code
I’ve never included a Margot song on one of my mixtapes, and that needed to be resolved post-haste.
14. Dry the River – Weights and Measures
I saw them open for the Bowerbirds at the Casbah early in the month, and the melody from this song has been in my head every since.
15. Neutral Milk Hotel – Holland, 1945
It’s hard to separate any song from In The Aeroplane Over the Sea from the album as a whole, and maybe I shouldn’t have, but I needed something to represent how amazing it was to see Jeff Mangum live, with thousands (yes, thousands) of folks singing every single word out into the desert sunset. Magical, I tell you. Magical.
16. Bon Iver – The Wolves (Act I and II)
See also: even more thousands of folks singing “what might have been lost” in the desert night.
17. Spiritualized – Hey Jane
Sure, let’s end the mix with an almost 9 minute long multi-part song that 3 minutes in dissolves into chaos and noise but then comes back making you THINK it’s a separate track but nope FOOLED YOU.
In case you missed it via Facebook or Twitter, my photos from Coachella weekend one were published on Pitchfork last weekend.
I’m a nerd, so I kept a pedometer on me to see how much ground I covered during those three days. All told, I walked 36,650 steps in those three days. Based on a conversion of 2000 steps to a mile, I walked over 18 miles while shooting 43 bands. And I FINALLY rode the Ferris wheel.
Since I’m a sucker for punishment – or so it seems – I’m heading out to the desert again tonight to shoot Saturday and Sunday all over again. I’m hoping to have more photos of both weekends edited and posted on my Facebook page next week, so keep your eyes open.
Last month I had to keep my mixtape post short because I was heading out of town for a family vacation. This month my excuse is the first weekend of Coachella rapidly approaching. I have a feeling that the next few months will follow this trend of brevity, as certain things are getting sorted out and I’m making some changes around here. However, the songs will continue to be here through it all. Here’s a snapshot of what I was listening to this past month:
1. Grandaddy – A.M. 180
Sometimes the iPod random shuffle knows best. Sometimes you think you’re listening to a Rentals song until the vocals kick in. Sometimes everything is amazing.
2. The Shins – Simple Song
I’ve heard mixed reviews of their new album, but it works for me, and I challenge anyone to listen to this song and not try to sing along, making up the lyrics as you go.
3. The Magnetic Fields – Andrew In Drag
One of the more hilariously tragic songs that I’ve heard in awhile. The Magnetic Fields always do it right.
4. White Rabbits – I Had It Coming
5. Bowerbirds – In The Yard
6. Andrew Bird – Eyeoneye
7. Wye Oak – Remember, Above (Daytrotter session)
“The life that you make/is the life that you chose.” Indeed.
8. Horse Feathers – Fit Against the Country
9. Damien Jurado – Working Titles
This was the song on his new album that all my friends gravitated towards first, whereas I fell towards Museum of Flight. I’ll still claim Museum as my favorite of the bunch, but this one has become a close second.
10. The Civil Wars – Poison and Wine
11. The Jane Austen Argument – Silver Suit
I was blown away by them when they opened for Amanda Palmer back in October. However, in my rush to finish February’s mixtape, I left them off of it. With two grandparents in poor health these days, this song drills into a particularly vulnerable piece of me.
12. Admiral Fallow – Beetle in the Box (Daytrotter session)
13. The Lumineers – Dead Sea
I’ve been posting a lot of The Lumineers lately, I know – and with good reason. Their album (which I picked up after their Casbah show) is a front-runner for my favorite of the year right now. There’s a particular story attached to my personal experience of this song that makes it all the more special for me, but isn’t there always?
14. Marching Band – Something Stops
Again with the shuffling of the iPod. I should do that more often.
15. Delta Spirit – California
16. Bombay Bicycle Club – Lights Out, Words Gone
17. Hospitality – The Right Profession
18. Alabama Shakes – I Ain’t The Same
You should go run and get this album NOW.
I spent the first week of March on a boat, cruising from Tampa to Honduras to Belize to Mexico with my family. About two weeks before I left, I was discussing underwater photography with Stacy, futzing about wanting to get photos but not wanting to deal with the expenses and gear for dive photography. Also, I hadn’t been diving in 8 years, so I didn’t want to worry much about the camera when there was so much else that required my attention. She suggested I check out the GoPro HD Hero2. I quickly picked one up, along with a modded housing and a red filter.
I was impressed. The video quality on that tiny camera, even in lower light at 70 feet below the surface, is amazing. I can’t believe this entire rig cost me less than $500. And the still photos from the surface aren’t bad either…
