For all of you ragers out there that might be going to a house party, or even hosting your own New Years sha-bang, now you have some ballin' tunes to rock to while you bring in the new year. Or maybe you just want a little pre-game, pumper-upper while you get ready for your big night out. Well, now you got it. Jam on, jammers. All night long.
Jam: Putting The Dog To Sleep
Good to jam when: Slow dancing
This might be my new favorite song, like in the world. It's one of those songs that somehow brings you to the present amongst all the chaos that might be encompassing to the raw beauty that transcends. There's not many words that can do this one the justice that comes from kicking back and cranking the volume. I think we should all find a moment from our busy lives this holiday season, grab that special someone, and give this one the twirl that it deserves. Happy holidays everyone.
Download "Putting The Dog To Sleep" for free here.
Good to jam: With friends, in a pub and surrounded by cheer/beer
Just in time for those last minute Christmas gifts and endless winter break nights spent with old, hometown buds in bars to retreat from nonstop family gatherings, the new EP "Into the Woods" from the six-pieced, Icelandic group Of Monsters and Men is finally released to the U.S. and Canada after much anticipation. If you've been patiently awaiting the return of Mumford & Sons to provide you with those comforting, wintery hymns for the holiday season, then you are in luck because this folk-set group is certain to tide you over, if not even have you shouting for more. We can expect the full album release of "My Head is an Animal" out early next year. Until then, relish in these savory moments away from the books, have a few brews, and be jolly. Tis' the season, isn't it?
As the year comes to an end, let's take a minute to look back on the musical standouts from 2011. While I believe it's almost impossible to create these standout lists that will appeal to almost everyone's tastes, these are ones that made the year extra special for me, and I hope that by providing you with this that they may do the same in return.
In no particular order, we have the Top 10 Albums of 2011:
Austra- Feel It Break
Foster the People- Torches
James Blake- James Blake
Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues
Gauntlet Hair- Gauntlet Hair
Givers- In Light
M83- Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
The Weeknd- House of Balloons
Theophilus London- Timez are Weird These Days
Youth Lagoon- The Year of Hibernation
Here are some sample tracks from the best albums above:
This year's most played track is a remix done by RAC off of the original single "Stay Close" by the Spanish band Delorean. This song will forever be associated with my semester in Barcelona in 2011 and will simultaneously remain as one of my favorite songs held dearly to my heart. I honestly don't want to know how many times I played this in the past year. Might be embarrassing, but this song is so good that I can do nothing but full-handedly own it.
Most Memorable Video:
Rihanna- We Found Love
I know. It's the "main" of "mainstream." It's Rihanna. I get it. But it also has over 85 MILLION views on YouTube, somehow gets the non-music lovers conversing about music, and it completely encapsulates today's nonchalant youth. What it is that makes being young and carefree and having zero priorities so envious and awesome is all conglomerated into this video from 2011, and you just can't deny the goodness in that... even if it is Rihanna.
What have you been listening to to get you through your year?
Jam: Cannibal Dinner
Good to jam when: Lettin' loose
Meet Bigott, the English-singing, Spanish band from Zaragoza that will have you questioning your allurement due to the silly nature embedded in almost every song. Maybe it's his inherently goofy tone, or the chick with the long brown hairs' sweet moves in the "Cannibal Dinner" video... but either way, I'm listening on repeat and most definitely enticed. It might be the current school overload that makes this video doused with chillers lettin' loose seem so normal and fun (and so much what I'd rather be doing than studying), but regardless of life's unfair priorities and the poor fate of us college kids' weary minds, if you aren't moving by the end of this, then I'd probably find a way to get in touch with the nearest doctor...
"The Original Soundtrack" - Released in October 2011
His jams "I'm little retarded" and "Dead Mum Walking" from his previous album, "This is the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship" provide further evidence of Bigott's jocular disposition and are destined to keep your spirits up this week.
And for one last study distraction, we have "She is my man" from Bigott's first album, "Fin" for your viewing pleasure... adios muchachos!
Well jammers, it's that time of the year again where you spend just about every waking hour hyped up on ungodly amounts of coffee with your faces shoved in your books to prepare for those bloody finals. If your finals week is anything like mine, then you will definitely be needing some jammable tunes to stomach through the next few weeks until that obscure, yet wondrous winter break falls graciously onto your calendars, freeing you from your haunting and reappearing visions of material that dance maliciously through your head. Any-who, since I have now sufficiently spent a substantial amount of time away from my own studies to create this playlist, I must get back to the grind.
My hope is that this playlist may bring you at least an ounce of happiness throughout your future-gloomy weeks to come. I tried to stick to mostly instrumental, so as to avoid you from distraction, and some songs may be repeats of past posts, but they were simply just too good to leave out. Happy studies, jammers.
P.S. if this one gets old after a while, Stereomood always has great studying playlists for guaranteed productivity. Check it!
This might be my new favorite song, like in the world. It's one of those songs that somehow brings you to the present amongst all the chaos that might be encompassing to the raw beauty that transcends. There's not many words that can do this one the justice that comes from kicking back and cranking the volume. I think we should all find a moment from our busy lives this holiday season, grab that special someone, and give this one the twirl that it deserves. Happy holidays everyone.
Well jammers, it's that time of the year again where you spend just about every waking hour hyped up on ungodly amounts of coffee with your faces shoved in your books to prepare for those bloody finals. If your finals week is anything like mine, then you will definitely be needing some jammable tunes to stomach through the next few weeks until that obscure, yet wondrous winter break falls graciously onto your calendars, freeing you from your haunting and reappearing visions of material that dance maliciously through your head. Any-who, since I have now sufficiently spent a substantial amount of time away from my own studies to create this playlist, I must get back to the grind. 