Tumgik
hermitologist · 3 months
Text
MY FAVORITE RECORDS OF 2023
Tumblr media
Hey. We're doing the thing again!
This year I picked fifteen of my favorite records, tried to rank them, failed, tried to rank them again, failed, tried to rank them again, failed ... and then I decided this is all kinda silly anyway and I ranked them one final time and just let it be.
I also made a list of a bunch of other records I liked and listened to a good amount this year, and a list of stuff that didn't come out this year but got a lot of play, and a list of EPs I loved, and even a list of podcasts I listened to regularly. If you're following me on Instagram and pay attention to stories at all, you're probably familiar with a handful of these records already. As usual, it leans heavy (maybe more so than previous years), but there are some outliers peppered in there, so I think there's a little something for everyone.
Each record has link to the band/label’s Bandcamp or website, so if you like what you hear, PLEASE support the artists you love beyond just streaming their music.
Playlists with a song from each record are below. And yeah, I know four hours is a lot of music, so I’d suggest at needle-dropping through the entire thing, earmarking some stuff to check out, and then diving into some records when you can really dedicate your attention to them. That tends to work for me. 
Which records did you dig this year?
Hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season. See you next year!
-rb
PLAYLIST LINKS
Spotify
Apple Music
Tidal
THE TOP TIER
Tumblr media
1 // Pile - All Fiction
Soulful, angular, weird rock with bonkers production that will totally envelop you (see: Radiohead's Kid A and Low's Double Negative). Highly recommend throwing this on with headphones and letting it take you on a trip. I've listened to it about fifty times and I uncover something new every time. It's a masterpiece.
Tumblr media
2 // FACS - Still Life In Decay
Big nasty riffs, hypnotic loops, and absolutely stellar drumming. This one would have been one of my favorites of the year even if it was a drums-only mix. Speaking of mixes, the tones and clarity on this mix are about as good as it gets.
Tumblr media
3 // Ex Everything - Slow Change Will Pull Us Apart
Imagine if Drive Like Jehu, Botch, and Kowloon Walled City got thrown in a blender with a sixer of Yerba Mate and lit on fire. Ferocious and weird and packed to the gills with riffs. Jon Howell (Kowloon Walled City, Less Art, Tigon) is one of my favorite guitar players on Earth and this is his brain in its full, unedited glory. It's incredible.
Tumblr media
4 // END - The Sin of Human Frailty
Preposterously heavy, rage-filled metal. It's like staring into the barrel of a flamethrower and letting it rip. The production on this beast is larger than life (which is usually not my thing), but it's perfect here because it totally steamrolls your skull. Listened to this one at obscene volumes an unhealthy amount this year and probably have the hearing loss and high blood pressure to prove it.
Tumblr media
5 // Rile - Pessimist
Dark, nasty heaviness fueled by some monstrous drumming, with a killer mix by Kurt Ballou. A perfect dynamic balance of wall-of-sound sludge, spacey leads, and palm-mutes/chugs. Highly recommend this one if you're a fan of Cult Leader, Botch, KEN Mode, et al.
Tumblr media
6 // Fiddlehead - Death Is Nothing to Us
Super hooky, no-filler, hardcore-adjacent rock that hits me in the same way that Small Brown Bike used to back in the day. I'm particularly drawn to how tasteful, musical, and rock solid the drumming is. Good stuff.
Tumblr media
7 // Great Falls - Object Without Pain
Fifty-four minutes of pure chaos delivered in equal parts mathy intensity and chest-caving sludge. It's a Grade-A facemelter. Like getting hit by a runaway freight train one minute and slowly dragged fifty miles by it the next.
Tumblr media
8 // Militarie Gun - Life Under The Gun
Anthemic hooks galore. Nick Cogan of Drug Church on guitar. A super catchy punk/hardcore record that sounds like actual humans are playing it. What's not to like? Spun the crap outta this one this year.
Tumblr media
9 // Oavette - LP
Absolutely bonkers, meditative, polyrhythm-fueled, instrumental post/math-rock (?) from Japan. Spent a lot of time with this one humming in my headphones this year, both as a meditative thing and as a [insert Zach Galfianakis from The Hangover meme] "what the hell am I hearing and how are they doing this?!" kinda thing.
Tumblr media
10 // The Japanese House - In the End It Always Does
Hazy, poppy, incredibly catchy "rock" jams that lean far enough towards true pop to truly sink their claws into you but don't go so far that they're cloying. My kids loved this record, so it was requested and played a bunch this year and I didn't mind a second of it.
Tumblr media
11 // Sleep Token - Take Me Back To Eden
Honestly, the schtick and the over-the-top production would be a total red flag for me 999 out of 1000 times, but I started listening to these guys before I knew about any of that stuff and found the songs undeniably catchy, the drumming super tasty, and the breakdowns spicy. This is more of those things with MORE of the other stuff, and I'm still onboard.
Tumblr media
12 // Loma Prieta - Last
I had a soft spot for the chaotic energy of true screamo (like pageninetynine, Orchid, Majority Rule, et al) back in the day, and have always loved Loma Prieta for reminding me of that. This record is a step up though. The fusion of that chaos with a healthy dose of emotive melody makes it my favorite LP record ever. It's perfect.
Tumblr media
13 // Explosions In The Sky - End
Shocker. Another amazing record from one of the best post-rock bands ever. This one might have ranked higher for me, but it came out right in the middle of a two month period where I was home for like four days and wasn't listening to much of anything at all. (Yes, I'm listening to it as I wrap this up and getting my mind blown again. Why do you ask?)
Tumblr media
14 // slowdive - everything is alive
Another dreamy, woozy masterpiece from the UK's post-rock /shoegaze royalty. I needed a break from all the heavy stuff I listened to this year and this fit the bill perfectly. It's also a damn fine in-flight companion for those of you who hate flying as much as I do. Serenity now.
Tumblr media
15 // Codeseven - Go Let It In
Bands have no right to disappear for like 20 years and come back to drop music that's this good. These guys were one of my favorite bands back in the early 2000s, so I'm thrilled they're back and blown away by how triumphant a return to spacey post-hardcore/rock this is. If this had dropped a little earlier in the year, I'm pretty sure it'd be ranked higher on this list. It rules.
OTHER STUFF I DUG (ALPHABETICAL)
beurre - Oxt to Anyone
Big Brave - Nature Morte
Chamber - A Love To Kill For
Colonial Wound - Easy Laugh
Covet - Catharsis
Crosses - Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.
CZARFACE - CZARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Death Engine - Ocean
Eyes - Congratulations
Facet - S/T
GoGo Penguin - Everything Is Going To Be OK
Harms Way - Common Suffering 
Helios - Espera
Herod - Iconoclast
Jaaw - Supercluster
Joe Vann - For Everyone
KEN Mode - VOID
MS Paint - Post-American
Night Verses - Every Sound Has A Color In The Valley Of The Night: Part 1
OK WAIT - Signal
Portrayal Of Guilt - Devil Music
QOTSA - In Times New Roman
Remote Viewing - Modern Addictions
Saver - From Ember and Rust
Shida Shahabi - Living Circle
Sigur Ros - ATTA
Slow Pulp - Yard
Storm{o} - Endocannibalismo
Traindodge - The Alley Parade
U SCO - Catchin’ Heat
Viral Sun - S/T
Weite - Assemblage 
Yusef Dayes - Black Classical Music
’68 - Yes And … 
FAVORITE RECORDS OF 2023 THAT DIDN’T COME OUT IN 2023
Shutups - I can’t eat nearly as much as I want to vomit (2022)
Half Majesty - Bitumen (2022)
The Hellocentrics - Infinity Of Now (2020)
Leon Bridges - Gold-Diggers Sound (2021)
FAVORITE EPs OF 2023 (ALPHABETICAL)
B. Hamilton - I would give songs numbers instead of names
B. Hamilton - Saigon Market
Capsule - Ferox
Downward/Trauma Ray - Split
Great Falls - Funny What Survives
Inventory - Memory Is A Plow
Lifeguard - Dressed in Trenches
Manchester Orchestra - Valley of Vision
Moses Yoofee Trio - OCEAN
PUP - How To Live With Yourself
Teeth - A Biblical Worship of Violence
The Supervoid Choral Ensemble - S/T
FAVORITE PODCASTS OF 2023
Office Hours Live (humor, music)
The Distraction (sports, humor)
Effectively Wild (baseball)
The Roundtable (baseball)
Five & Dive (baseball)
Fever Dream (patreon feed of This Week In Atrocity - life, humor)
The Downbeat (music, drums, humor)
If Books Could Kill (garbage literature, humor)
16 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 1 year
Text
My Favorite Records of 2022
Tumblr media
Hi. I made another list.
First thing’s first. I apologize for the lack of music recommendations and runs on my Instagram this year. Thrice had a pretty busy touring schedule, and with the kids back in school the local virus carousel was BRUTAL. Seemed like we got to sample a new strain of the crud literally every other week. It’d rip its way through the house, we’d send the kids back to school, they’d bring a new batch of snot home a few days later, and it’d start up all over again. Rinse and repeat. It was hard to get out there and run with all that going on. Also: Blame where blame is due ... I got a little lazy when I wasn’t picking up goopy Kleenex or horking up some crud of my own. I”ll be back next year. (Hopefully.)
An-y-waaaaay ... 
I did manage to listen to a lot of new music despite "the circumstances”, and I have compiled all of my favorites for you here. There's a pretty clear cut Top 5 this year based on play counts, but the rest of the list didn’t really make sense to rank because this shit’s really all subjective anyway. I broke the list into categories that made sense to me, at the time, for organization’s sake. Each record has link to the band/label’s Bandcamp or website, so please please PLEASE support the artists you love beyond just streaming their music.
Playlists with a song from each record are below. I know it’s a lot of music. I know it’s all over the place. I know you don’t have time to listen to five-and-a-half hours of music. At the very least, I’d suggest at needle-dropping through the entire thing and earmarking some stuff to check out. That’s how I find a good chunk of this stuff. 
And please let me know what you dug this year and think I should check out!
Hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season. See you next year!
PLAYLISTS
My Favorites of 2022 Playlist (Spotify)
My Favorites of 2022 Playlist (Apple Music)
My Favorites of 2022 Playlist (Tidal)
THE TOP 5
Tumblr media
Elder - Innate Passage
No contest here. This is a clear cut #1 for me. Fifty-four minutes of absolutely glorious, wholly transcendental, life-affirming, dreamy/heavy metal-adjacent prog. As a musician, I can tell you firsthand how hard it is to write a long song that doesn’t *feel* long. These fellas routinely crank out high-quality 10-minute-plus jams that you’ll hope never end. Queue this up and take it for a run, a long walk, or a long drive and you’ll see what I mean. It’s magical. And yes, it came out late in the year, but I haven’t been able to stop listening to it or thinking about it since, and I don’t see that changing for a long while.
Tumblr media
Meshuggah - Immutable
It’s damn near impossible to find the right words for this band, let alone this record, but this is absolute wizardry, yet again, from the best metal band that has ever existed. Pure face-melting heaviness. They routinely reset the bar for what heavy music can and should be, and Immutable is no exception. It might even be my favorite Meshuggah record ever.
Tumblr media
Museum of Light - Horizon
Ultra-heavy, sludgy, dynamic, meditative, push vs. pull, melody vs. dissonance post-rock in the vein of Kowloon Walled City, Shiner, Traindodge, and Torche. The songwriting is so clean and efficient, and the record as a whole is just a gorgeous, perfectly crafted arc. It’s perfect.
Tumblr media
Holy Fawn - Dimensional Bleed
The heaviest, prettiest, most infectious batch of post-rock/metal I’ve heard in a long while. Dynamic shifts that are pure catharsis. A band that has the ability to give you euphoric chills one minute, and bring you to tears the next, headbanging all the while. Their first LP blew me away, and I wasn’t sure they could top it, but they totally have.
Tumblr media
The Beths - Expert In A Dying Field
This record was an instant pick-me-up this year. A much-needed salve amidst all the stress and anxiety and depression the world can throw your way these days. Twelve preposterously hooky jams, that will put a smile on your face and a bounce in your step (even when the lyrical content dips into darker themes). It totally rules.
15 OTHER RECORDS THAT STAYED IN HEAVY ROTATION (in no order)
Tumblr media
PLOSIVS - S/T
Tumblr media
Drug Church - HYGIENE
Tumblr media
Tvivler - Kilogram
Tumblr media
Birds In Row - Gris Klein
Tumblr media
gospel - The Loser
Tumblr media
Cult of Luna - The Long Road North
Tumblr media
Russian Circles - Gnosis
Tumblr media
Conjurer - Pathos
Tumblr media
Anxious - Green House
Tumblr media
SPICE - Viv
Tumblr media
PUP - The Unraveling of PUP The Band
Tumblr media
The Smile - A Light For Attracting Attention
Tumblr media
Pianos Become The Teeth - Drift 
Tumblr media
Cloakroom - Dissolution Wave
Tumblr media
Stray From The Path - Euthanasia
OTHER RECORDS I ENJOYED (also in no order)
Architects - the classic symptoms of a broken spirit Pedro the Lion - Havasu And So I Watch You From Afar - Jettison Mass Worship - Portal Tombs Rival Consoles - Now Is  Fleshwater - We’re Not Here To Be Loved Abraham - Debris de Mondes Perdus Norna - Star is way way is Eye Dan Mayo - Greenhouse Silvan Strauss - FACING Vein - This World is Going to Ruin You Author & Punisher - Krüller Black Thought/Dangermouse - Cheat Codes Cave In - Heavy Pendulum Square Peg Round Hole - Reservoir  Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers Pete Rock - Petestrumentals 4 Pet Fox - A Face In Your Life Swami John Reis - Ride the Wild Night Heriot - Profound Morality  Bastions - Majestic Desolation Wake - Thought Form Descent Inclination - Unaltered Perspective Momma - Household Name Hot Water Music - Feel The Void KEN Mode - NULL Animals As Leaders - Parrhesia Mark Giuliana - the sound of listening Meat Wave - Malign Hex Haunted Shores - Void Blessed - Circuitous Celeste - Assassine(s) Louis Cole - Quality Over Opinion Grivo - Omit Wonder Years - The Hum Goes on Forever A Hope For Home - Years Of Silicon Mountaineer - Giving Up The Ghost Norma Jean - Deathrattle Sing for Me Lamb Of God - Omens Psychonaut - Violate Consensus Reality Callous Daoboys - Celebrity Therapist Easy Prey - Unrest 84 Tigers - Time in the Lighthouse  Codespeaker - S/T Colonial Wound - Easy Laugh Thousandaire - Ideal Conditions
THE NEW BOTCH SONG I LISTENED TO LIKE 247 TIMES IN 3 DAYS
Botch - One Twenty Two
10 FAVORITE EPs
Downward - The Brass Tax  Cult Leader/End - Gather & Mourn  Irist - Gloria  Gleemer - Here at All  GoGo Penguin - Between Two Waves Lockstep - Lockstep 2  Portico Quartet - Next Stop  Be Well - Hello Sun  Chamber - Carved In Stone  Waldo’s Gift - Improvisations Vol. 2 
1 RECORD FROM 2019 THAT DIDN’T “CLICK” UNTIL 2022
Car Bomb - Mordial
2 RECORDS THAT DIDN’T COME OUT IN 2022 BUT GOT A LOTTA SPINS
Low - Double Negative Pile - Green and Gray
3 PODCASTS THAT I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT
Office Hours - humor, music, pure joy The Distraction - sports and social commentary/humor Effectively Wild - baseball analysis/humor
18 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 2 years
Text
My 21 Favorite Records of 2021
Tumblr media
It’s been ... a year. Another year, in fact. Contrary to how things may seem at the present, we are not actually closing out the 24th month of an interminable 2020. 2021 came and went, and thank sweet baby jeebus that it brought a ton of great music with it. 
For those of you who might be new here. I try to get out and run 3-5 days a week, listen to something new (to me), and share it with you on Instagram. It’s been great -- I get to listen to new music, share it with people who appreciate it, and get some exercise in the process. I can’t really express how beneficial and life-transforming the combination of a steady influx of great new tunes and hypnotic morning runs has been for me. Doing something repetitive enough to get your heart rate up to the point where your brain can kinda idle, and then filling that buzzing grey matter with music is magical. Maybe that something is cycling, rowing, throwing heavy  things around at the gym, or just walking -- whatever will give you the space to fill your head with music. IT RULES. 10/10. Highly recommended. 
A couple things before we get to THE LIST. 
I’m not gonna rank any of these records, because: a) who cares, and b) I’ve done this enough over the past couple decades to know that my rankings changes literally every time I look at it. (I’m not very good at knowing when things are Actually Done.) 
There will also be no blurbs for each album this year because I ran out of adjectives by doing those record recommendations on Instagram. I’d encourage you to just LISTEN to these artists instead of reading about them and then decide whether or not you dig it. Spin my 21 For 2021 Playlist or click on an album for song samples and needle-drop through a record, whatever it takes. I’d hate to discourage you with the wrong pile of words, and don’t want to overhype anything. It was was pretty damn good year for music (all things considered) and whittling my picks down to a Top 21 was as hard as it’s ever been. There’s a good chunk of these records that I’m certain I’ll have in heavy rotation for the remainder of my days on this rapidly decaying orb. Good job, music!
And now ... let’s do the damn thing.
PLAYLISTS
21 For 2021 Playlist (Spotify)
21 For 2021 Playlist (Apple Music)
21 For 2021 Playlist (Tidal)
21 For 2021 Playlist (YouTube Music)
Other Records I Liked - 2021 (Spotify)
Other Records I Liked - 2021 (Apple Music)
Other Records I Liked - 2021 (Tidal)
Other Records I Liked - 2021 (YouTube Music)
Big thanks to Jeremy Fagundes for the Tidal  playlists, and Adam Planas for the YouTube Music playlists. If anyone wants to make me playlists on Deezer, YouTube Music, Google Play, or whatever, it’d be greatly appreciated.
21 RECORDS I REALLY LOVED THIS YEAR
Tumblr media
Kowloon Walled City - Piecework
KWC Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Low - HEY WHAT
Low Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Genghis Tron - Dream Weapon
Genghis Tron Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Joe Vann - Found In The Smoke
Joe Vann Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Trade Wind - The Day We Got What We Deserved
Trade Wind Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Every Time I Die - Radical
Every Time I Die Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Madlib - Sound Ancestors
Madlib Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Manchester Orchestra - The Million Masks of God
Manchester Orchestra Bandcamp
Tumblr media
IDLES - CRAWLER
IDLES Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Delving - hirschbrunnen
Delving Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Yautja - The Lurch
Yautja Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Cloud Nothings -  The Shadow I Remember
Cloud Nothings Bandcamp
Tumblr media
The Armed - ULTRAPOP
The Armed Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Architects - For Those That Wish To Exist
Architects Bandcamp
Tumblr media
BLACKSHAPE - S/T
Blackshape Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Shy, Low - Snake Behind The Sun
Shy, Low Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Portico Quartet - Monument
Portico Quartet Bandcamp
Tumblr media
shame - Drunk Tank Pink
shame Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Fiddlehead - Between the Richness
Fiddlehead Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Big Brave - Vital
Big Brave Bandcamp
Tumblr media
Lantlos - Wildhund
Lantlos Bandcamp
-----------------------
33 OTHER RECORDS I LIKED A WHOLE LOT
Hammock - Elsewhere
Frontierer - Oxidized
Ovlov - Buds
Tonstartsbandht - Petunia
Rival Consoles - Overflow
Kollapse - Sult
Tanner Merritt - Cyrus I: The Weight of Reflection
GLASWING - I’m in the Checkout Line of my Life EP
Frequency Eater - Engulf
Zao - The Crimson Corridor
Concrete Ships - In Observance
Sarin - You Can’t Go Back
Quicksand - Distant Populations
Heiress - Distant Fires
Gojira - Fortitude
Portrayal of Guilt - We Are Always Alone 
Floatie - Voyage Out
Dvne - Etemen AEnka
Foxing - Draw Down The Moon
ZAHN - S/T
The Bronx - VI
Horte - Ma antaa yön vaientaa
MONO - Pilgrimage of the Soul
DFA 1979 - Is 4 Lovers
Angel Du$t - YAK
Glassing - Twin Dream
Blanket - Modern Escapism
Bummer - Dead Horse
Sleep Token - This Place Will Become Your Tomb
LLNN - Unmaker
FACS - Present Tense
Jonsi - Oblivion
Såver - Emerald (Split with Psychonaut)
10 EPs I LIKED A LOT
Drug Church - Tawny EP
Structures - None of the Above EP
Fange - Pantocreator EP
Blessed - iii EP
Clams Casino - Winter Flower EP
Glassjaw  - Coloring Book EP
Dan Mayo - Broken Roots EP
Luggage - Happiness EP
Cult of Luna - The Raging River EP
Militarie Gun - All Roads Lead To The Gun 1 & 2 EPs
3 RECORDS THAT DIDN’T COME OUT IN 2021 BUT GOT A TON OF SPINS
Literally all of the Mew
Yusef Dayes & Tom Misch - What Kinda Music
Snooze - Still
8 PODCASTS I HAD IN MY QUEUE ALL YEAR
Office Hours Live - humor, music, 
The Distraction - sports, culture, humor
Chin Music - baseball, music, culture
Effectively Wild - baseball
In The Bubble - COVID, public health
No Plus Ones - music
Hang Up & Listen - sports
Big Fat Five - drums
What’d I miss? Let me know in the comments.
5 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 3 years
Text
HORIZONS/EAST DRUM NOTES
Tumblr media Tumblr media
I’ve shared my drum set-ups from the recording sessions for our past two records and my fellow drum geeks seemed to enjoy it, so I’m stoked to do it again for Horizons/East. 
I’ve gotta say, it was really nice being able to record ourselves again. I usually feel a lot of pressure during drum sessions because they’re the bedrock of a record. They’ve gotta be done (and done well) first, and (in most cases) time is money. As a result, I usually freak out and stare at the clock and feel awful if I need to do another pass or ten on a song to get it right. This time around? Not so much. I felt really comfortable tracking with Teppei at the helm, and without a daily rate at a fancy studio hanging over my head. Teps did an amazing job engineering, and Scott Evans’ mix is far and away the best my drums have ever sounded on a recording. It’s wild. I really couldn’t be any happier.  
I’ve also gotta thank my good friend, Jeremy Berman, for not only making amazing drums for Q Drum Co., but for driving down to the studio from Idyllwild to hang and tune everything up for me. He’s a hero.
Enough babbling. Here are the details. I’m always happy to talk shop on Twitter or the Thrice Alliance Discord, so hit me up if you have any questions!
All drums are Q Drum Co, and all cymbals are Zildjian.
THE COLOR OF THE SKY
Galvanized Steel Kit - 24/13/26
5.5 x 14” Cast Bronze Snare (with bronze die cast hoops)
14” K Special Dry hats
19” K Special Dry Crash
22” K Special Dry Crash
21” K Special Dry Trash Crash (R)
SCAVENGERS
Galvanized Steel Kit - 24/13/16
5.5 x 14” Cast Bronze Snare (with bronze die cast hoops)
15” Avedis hats
20” Crash Of Doom (L)
24” K Light Ride
21” Avedis (R)
BURIED IN THE SUN - cymbals tracked separately
Galvanized Steel Kit - 24/13/16
5.5 x 14” Cast Bronze Snare (with bronze die cast hoops)
15” Avedis hats
21” K Special Dry Trash Crash (L)
24” K Light Ride
21” Avedis (R)
NORTHERN LIGHTS
Galvanized Steel Kit - 24/13/16
5.5 x 14” Cast Bronze Snare (with bronze die cast hoops)
14” K Special Dry hats
21” K Special Dry Trash Crash (L)
24” K Light Ride
21” Avedis (R)
SUMMER SET FIRE TO THE RAIN
Galvanized Steel Kit - 24/13/16
8 x 14” Brass Plate Snare
15” Avedis hats
20” Crash Ride (L)
24” K Light Ride
21” Avedis (R)
STILL LIFE
Galvanized Steel Kit - 24/13/16
8 x 14” Brass Plate Snare
15” Avedis hats
20” K Crash Ride (L)
24” K Light Ride
21” Avedis (R)
THE DREAMER
Galvanized Steel Kit - 24/13/16
8 x 14” Brass Plate Snare
15” Avedis hats
20” Crash Ride (L)
24” K Light Ride
21” Avedis (R)
ROBOT SOFT EXORCISM
Galvanized Steel Kit - 24/13/16
(Vic Firth Fleece beater on kick for “dry” takes)
5.5 x 14” Cast Bronze 
(BFSD donut on snare for “dry” takes)
14” K Special Dry hats
20” Crash of Doom
21” Avedis
24” K Light Ride
DANDELION WINE
Mahogany/Poplar Kit - 24/13/16 
(Vic Firth Fleece beater on kick for all but outro)
Gents Copper 
(BFSD ring for all but outro)
14” K Special Dry hats
21” Avedis  (L)
24” K Light Ride
22” K Special Dry Crash (R - alt ride)
22” K Light Ride (outro)
UNITIVE / EAST
N/A
Tumblr media
10 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 3 years
Text
My 20 Favorite Records of 2020
Tumblr media
Welp. It’s certainly been a year.
One of my favorite writers, David J. Roth of Defector and The Distraction Podcast, described 2020 as a record player skipping and playing the same shitty part over and over and over. His description and the incessant, downtempo honk of that record player have been clanging inside my skull ever since. Thankfully, there’s a way to drown it out.
Music saved me (again) this year. I listened to a ton of it because I was home and running a lot to try to keep my brain from spinning out amidst the full spread of uncertainty, frustration, and repetition that 2020 kept spewing. It ended up being awfully helpful from a psychological and physical standpoint, and I discovered a bunch of great records and artists in the process. It’s also been incredibly helpful to be home, to be able to spend a lot of time with my wife and kids, and to make home actually feel like HOME. Touring has a knack for making everywhere feel transitionary, so being home indefinitely has been comforting.
And now, about the list ... 
I didn’t rank anything, because doing that seemed especially trivial this year. If it’s on the list, I liked it a lot. It doesn’t matter whether Kirby Nerfling’s Fart Vacation was #3, but you think it should have been #7, and you actually can’t believe it was even on the list because you didn’t see the Mørbid Størk & Damp Wizard split LP anywhere.
No blurbs for each record either, because I’m all out of adjectives.
Spotify playlists for all three of the lists I made are available below. If some industrious soul with an abundance of free time wants to create playlists for Apple Music, Deezer, Tidal, YouTube Music, or whatever else, please do ... I’ll post them here with credit.
SPOTIFY
20 Favorites
42 Other Records I Also Liked A Lot
12 More Records That Didn’t Come Out In 2020, But Got A Ton Of Spins
TIDAL (made by Jeremy Fagundes)
20 Favorites
APPLE MUSIC (made by Toby Sterret, @takeo on Twitter)
20 Favorites
I’m sure I missed a few records here and there, so please hit me with recommendations. 
Hope this finds you safe, healthy and happy this holiday season. May 2021 be a step in a better direction for all of us.
- Riley
Tumblr media
20 FAVORITES IN 2020
Alpha Male Tea Party - Infinity Stare
Be Well - The Weight & The Cost
Heads. - PUSH
Circus Trees - Delusions
Clams Casino - Instrumental Relics
Cloudkicker - Solitude
Deftones - Ohms
Elder - Omens
Exhalants - Atonement
GoGo Penguin - S/T
Kairon; IRSE! - Polysomn
Luo - Unspoken
METZ - Atlas Vending
Moses Sumney - græ
O’Brother - You and I
Seer Believer - Bent
Stormlight - Natoma
The Ditch And The Delta - S/T
Tigon - Animals In The Walls
Yashira - Fail to Be
Tumblr media
42 OTHER RECORDS I ALSO LIKED A LOT
Barishi - Old Smoke
Bartees Strange - Live Forever
Bob Mould - Blue Hearts
Boneflower - Armour
Caspian - On Circles
Cloudkicker - Loops
Coriky - S/T
Dogleg - Melee
DRAIN - California Cursed
Emma Ruth  Rundle & Thou - Let Our Chambers Be Full
END - Splinters From An Ever-Changing Face
EYES - Underperformer
Fawn Limbs - Sleeper Vessels
Gleemer - Down Through
Gulch - Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress
Holy Fawn - The Black Moon EP
Hum - Inlet
IDLES - Ultra Mono
Jaga Jazzist - Pyramid
Jeff Rosenstock - NO DREAM
Lesser Glow - Nullity
Loathe - I Let It in and It Took Everything
Mammal Hands - Captured Spirits
Moses Boyd - Dark Matter
Mountaineer - Bloodletting
NØ MAN - Erase
Nothing - The Great Dismal
Oneohtrix Point Never - Magic
Poisonous Birds - We Can Never Not Be All Of Us EP
PUP - This Place Sucks Ass EP
Run The Jewels - RTJ 4
Shell of a Shell - Away Team
Shiner - Schadenfreude
Spook The Horses - Empty Body
Square Peg Round Hole - Silo Songs EP
Strangelight - Adult Themes
Svalbard - When I Die, Will I Get Better?
The Beths - Jump Rope Gazers
Thundercat - It Is What It Is
Touche Amore - Lament
Unconditional Arms - Formation
Wren - Groundswells
Tumblr media
12 RECORDS THAT DIDN’T COME OUT IN 2020, BUT GOT A TON OF SPINS THIS YEAR
Breach - Kollapse
Drug Church - Cheer
Facet - Duck
Kowloon Walled City - Container Ships
Kiasmos - Blurred
Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep Of Reason
Mimicking Birds - Eons
Moses Sumney - Aromanticism
Nerver - Believer’s Hit
NYOS - Now.
Pile - Green & Grey
Raketkanon - Rktkn#2
PODCASTS I LOVE
Office Hours Live (humor)
The Distraction (sports, culture)
Chapo Trap House (politics, humor)
Effectively Wild (baseball)
Beyond The Scrum (baseball)
Hang Up & Listen (sports)
The Rich Roll Podcast (health & wellness)
The Daily (news)
The Gist (news)
The Trap Set with Joe Wong (drums)
The Downbeat (drums)
Radiolab (science, politics, history)
Tumblr media
14 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 4 years
Text
My 20 Favorite Records of 2019
Tumblr media
Lists! Everyone loves them. Here’s another one.
These are the records I liked the most this year. That doesn’t mean they’re the *best*, that means I liked them. You might not. That’s fine! You might be livid that Porpoise Corpse’s neo-classical folk prog double LP isn’t on my list because it’s an easy top 5 record for you, but maybe electric mandolin solos, blast beats, and harpsichord runs aren’t my thing. That’s fine too! It’s infinitely cooler and far more productive to let people enjoy the art they enjoy rather than wasting precious minutes of your life trying to convince the entire internet to have the exact same taste in music.
That said ... 
This years list is chock full of the usual, if you’re familiar with my taste at all -- tons of super heavy bummer jams, a handful of Radiohead-adjacent mid-tempo rock of the indie or emo variety, some hearty post-rock, some tried-and-true vets doing the thing they do very well ... again, and a few outliers. The honorable mentions list gets considerably more eclectic if you’re looking for stuff that sounds less like a soundtrack to various stages of the apocalypse.
As always, I welcome your suggestions for records and podcasts I might’ve missed the boat on. There’s way too much good stuff out there to keep up with, so PLEASE help me out.
Also: When I am not being a lazy pile of crap, I try to haul my dadbod around town for a run a few days a week and will listen to/briefly review a record in the process. Almost every record on this list has been a part of one of those posts, so if you’re interested in such a thing, please check out my Instagram.
BONUS: I put together a playlist on Spotify of my favorite song from each of my top 20 records, and a separate one for the 51 other records I liked this year, so if you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, just needle drop a little and see if anything grabs you. And if anyone’s feeling productive and has time to do an Apple Music playlist, I’ll link and credit you.
Top 20 Spotify Playlist
Top 20 Apple Music Playlist -- Thanks, Austin!
Other Faves Spotify Playlist
But before we get to the Top 20, a couple of records that deserve a nod ... 
Record I Listened To The Most In 2019 Whether I Wanted To Or Not
Tumblr media
Angel Du$t - Pretty Buff
This is my four-year-old son’s favorite record, and while I’m trying to round out his musical palate by throwing on all sorts of different bands while we’re hanging out, he insists on either “no music” or “The Basketball Song” (which is “Big Ass Love”). I have no idea how or why his little amazingly weird brain equates the song with basketball (a sport he doesn’t really play or watch or think about ever, to my knowledge), but it does. He LOVES IT. I’ve got to admit, I didn't care for the song all that much when I first heard it, but it’s an earworm, and some 3000 plays later, I love it, and I love the record. Funny how that works out.
Record That Came out in 2009, But I Didn’t Discover Until 2019
Tumblr media
Self-Evident - Endings
Endings was neck-and-neck with my favorite record of 2019 for spins this year. Coincidentally, the it was recommended by someone from the band who made my #1 record, and it has moments where it sounds a whole hell of a lot like my #1 record. Blows my mind that a band that was/is so incredibly in my wheelhouse sonically, that has released nine LPs over an 18 year career, and operates in circles incredibly close to a ton of bands I love and respect and nerd out about music with somehow managed to elude me for the better part of two decades. At any rate I’m incredibly stoked to have finally found them, absolutely love them, and honestly might’ve listened to this LP 20 times in a matter of a few days when I got my first taste. It’s that good. 
And now for the list ... 
Tumblr media
20) Remote Viewing - It’s Better This Way
Super nasty, dark, sludgy, well-crafted noise rock out of London that fits somewhere in between KEN Mode and early-Kowloon Walled City sonically. You’d think it was pretty crazy to have a band be so locked in and fully formed as early as LP2, but then you find out they’re ex-members of Palehorse, Million Dead, and I Want You Dead and it all kinda makes sense. Unfortunately, the song on the playlist is from a previous LP (because the new one is inexplicably not on Spotify), but you can and should get the new record on Bandcamp.
Tumblr media
19) From Indian Lakes - Dimly Lit
I’ve been a big fan of FIL for years, but have always been at a bit of a loss when it comes time to describe them. It’s hazy and dreamy, but not quite shoegazey ... it’s insanely infectious and pleasing to the ear, but not really poppy ... it’s forward-thinking and experimental, but not quite art-rock or groggy at all. It’s just excellent. Full stop. If you dig anything from Tycho, to Radiohead, to The Cure, to Slowdive you’ll enjoy this.
Tumblr media
18) Stray From The Path - Internal Atomics
Furious, mathy, riff-heavy hardcore from Long Island that sounds like a reformed Rage Against The Machine had spent the past two decades doing steroids, mainlining Red Bull, and studying the finer points of Moshology. The breakdowns are massive, the drumming absolutely mental, and the vocals pissed as hell. At my advanced age, it’s rare that a record makes me want to pit and/or try to deadlift cars, but this one’s got that magic.
Tumblr media
17) Glassing - Spotted Horse
Mostly spazzy, occasionally dreamy, black-metal sprinkled post-hardcore that fits in very well with bands like Portrayal Of Guilt and Respire in the rebirth of traditional screamo. It’s fits and starts of chaos and beauty, and it all sounds and feels like it could completely go off the rails at any time which is what made bands like Orchid and Majority Rule and Saetia so great back in the day. 
Tumblr media
16) La Dispute - Panorama
It’s no secret that I’m a big La Dispute fan (Thrice has toured the US with them twice in the past decade), and I love all of their records, but I’m pretty sure I can say with full confidence that this is the best record they’ve ever made. Everything is firing at peak performance, and the way the record is arranged and sequenced makes it feel more like a film score than a collection of songs. It’s a complete work -- meant to be listened to as such, which is a daunting artistic task, but they pulled it off in grand fashion.
Tumblr media
15) Russian Circles - Blood Year
This band has been in the upper echelon of post-rock bands for as long as I can remember, and Blood Year is another incredible addition to their already stellar discography. These guys are all absolute monsters at their given instruments, and one of the best live rock bands on the planet, so getting to hear them do their thing on a record that manages to actually capture that live energy and ambience really does the trick for me. 
Tumblr media
14) Greet Death - New Hell
This one kinda came outta nowhere for me, as I (ashamedly) was not familiar with them prior to giving New Hell a spin. It blew me away. I’m a total sucker for bummer jams, and this record is full of top-quality sludgy, sad, shoegazey goodness. If you dig Cloakroom, O’ Brother, or Pianos Become The Teeth this is gonna be right up your alley.  
Tumblr media
13) Sleep Token - Sundowning
Another record that came out of nowhere to knock me on my ass. I downloaded it before a transatlantic flight on a whim (after hearing about 30 seconds of the opening track), hoping that it would be a nice, mellow companion to ease my in-flight anxiety. And it was, but whoa was it so much more than that. It kinda sounds like a collab between Active Child and Deftones -- poppy, melancholic piano ballads, brought to crushing crescendos via super heavy drop-tuned sludge -- which sounds like a mess, but it works so well. It’s a killer record and probably would’ve landed higher on this year’s list if it hadn’t come out so late in the year.
Tumblr media
12) Big Thief - UFOF
This one’s a bit of an outlier, and a damn good one at that. I came across UFOF via a friend’s recommendation before the hype train had left the station, and honestly didn’t know what to expect. Said recommendation simply said that it was good and infectious and probably a few other things that I can’t recall, but didn’t mention the folk thing (which is great because I probably would have passed). The friend was right. It’s good (maybe even great), incredibly infectious, and gave me a nice reprieve from the heavy stuff I tend to listen to on the regular.
Tumblr media
11) Cave In - Final Transmission
I’m beyond thankful we got any new music from Cave In after Caleb passed. They owed us nothing, and had every right to walk away, but managed to rally to release a killer record that is heavy both sonically and conceptually, and still manages to give me chills despite being live demos recorded in a rehearsal room. There are few bands on the planet who’ve inspired me like Cave In have, and seeing them pull together to grieve and forge ahead to continue to build their legacy is even more inspiring. What a band.
Tumblr media
10) Pedro The Lion - Phoenix
My favorite singer/songwriter of my generation decided to revive the project that made me a fan of his in the first place. That project put out a record for the first time in 15 years, and I had unreasonably high expectations for it. Phoenix delivered and then some. I remember sitting at my kitchen table, weeping into my cup of coffee the first time I heard Phoenix, the same way Control used to make it seem like the inside of the Thrice van was getting a little dusty during cross-country drives back in the early 00s. It blows my mind that David Bazan can be such a prolific artist, write such insanely powerful music, and seem incapable of writing a dud song. 
Tumblr media
9) Coilguns - Watchwinders
This Swiss noise-rock band kicks unbelievable amounts of ass. Their Millenials LP made my favorites list last year, and when I heard they had a follow up coming out a little over a year later, my gut reaction was to worry they’d blow it with a new record that was either rushed and/or half-assed, or lose the plot and take a hard left turn and make something markedly un-Coilguns. They did neither. The made an absolute monster of an album, that was apparently written in the studio, and is full of live energy in rawness that is pretty tough to capture in a sterile atmosphere like a studio. Watchwinders dropped in late October, and if I’d had a bit more time with it, I could see it moving up to my Top 5. It’s that good. I find myself going back to it constantly.
Tumblr media
8) Blessed - Salt
This record kinda defies description, but it reminds me of everything from Pile to Menomena to Interpol to La Dispute to Devo at times. As scatterbrained and incongruent as that might sound, I assure you it rules. It was in verrrry heavy rotation this year -- mostly for the utterly filthy drum groove on the final track. If you like your music catchy, but slathered in weird, this is definitely gonna do the thing for you. It’s an incredible record.
Tumblr media
7) Herod - Sombre Dessein
I hadn’t heard of this band before they popped up on a Spotify playlist early this year, and when “Reckoning” hit, it absolutely flattened me. You know that nuclear apocalypse scene from Terminator 2? That’s what “Reckoning” did to me. It was undoubtedly my favorite ultra-heavy track of the year, and while it’s my favorite song on the record by a pretty large margin, the rest of Sombre Dessein kicks ass too. It’s 42 minutes of crushing heaviness that kinda sounds like a blend of Cult Of Luna, Meshuggah, and Gojira. Heavy. Pissed. Unrelenting. And Outstanding.
Tumblr media
6) Pile - Green & Grey
Every time I try to describe Pile to someone I fail. On Wikipedia they’re described as “indie rock”, which ... sure, I suppose? There’s a little post-punk in there, a little post-rock, a little noise-rock, nods to classic rock (maybe?), a little of that southern magic that made Colour Revolt so great (but Pile’s from Boston so hmm ... ), some country even? Do you like weird guitars? Freakish musicians? Melancholic crooning? I dunno. It’s all over the place, but in the best ways possible. They’re a singular band, and so damn good. Green & Grey is stellar addition to a discography that is already full of incredible music ... even if the album cover gives makes me want to fold those blankets and put them away.
Tumblr media
5) PUP - Morbid Stuff
Was this the year that PUP broke? Definitely seems like it, and rightfully so. Morbid Stuff is my favorite thing they’ve ever done, but I’ve absolutely loved everything they’ve ever put out, so that’s saying a lot. Per usual, it’s insanely infectious and anthemic without being traditionally poppy or relying on tropes to burrow into your skull and take up residence there. It’s uplifting musically, but kinda depressing lyrically, which does this weird push/pull thing in my brain that makes it impossible to stop listening to. The musicianship is fantastic, the guitar parts especially -- like the guitar line in “Scorpion Hill” wow. I really needed a record to fill the gaping void between the metal/sludge/noise and the ambient/downtempo electronica I listened to this year, and Morbid Stuff fit the bill perfectly.
Tumblr media
4) Cult Of Luna - A Dawn To Fear
These guys belong on the Mount Rushmore of Post-Rock/Metal with Neurosis and Isis. Nobody has done it better than them over the past two decades, and A Dawn To Fear is arguably their best work to date. It, like any Cult Of Luna requires a great deal of patience, but man if they don’t make the wait worth it. They’re the masters of the slow build to an absolutely crushing climax, the dynamic shifts that leave you feeling like you got hit by a freight train, the nuanced instrumentation that tells a different story each time you listen to a certain section of a song. They’re absolute masters at their craft, and this record is them at their peak. 
Tumblr media
3) Big|Brave - A Gaze Among Them
Another record that came out of nowhere to completely floor me. I hadn’t heard a single note from this band until a friend recommended I check out the opening track, “Muted Shifting Of Space”. I did ... and that plodding drum and bass pulse with dark, swirling, ethereal guitar swells/feedback and soaring vocals building into a huge release of sludgy, drop-tuned goodness checked off all the boxes for me. I was hooked. The atmosphere and dynamics Big|Brave have built their sound around give every song a cinematic feel -- if you close your eyes, can you see drone footage of landscapes too? . If you dig post-rock/metal that is experimental around the edges, moody, absurdly heavy, and has both feet firmly planted in sludge, this is a must-have record. 
Tumblr media
2) Cloudkicker - Unending
If you’ve been following me on social media or reading these year-end lists for a while you’re probably pretty familiar with Cloudkicker by now because any time we get new music I can’t shut up about it and the record invariably ends up on this list. This instance is no different. Unending is the first LP we’ve gotten from Ben Sharp in four years, and it’s worth the wait and then some. He’s managed to pull from every era of CK and turn it into a masterpiece mash-up of styles without it ever feeling rehashed or uninspired. I’d go far as to say this tops Beacons and Fade for me, and comes awfully close to challenging Subsume for my favorite Cloudkicker record of all time and space. There’s soooo much progressive and djenty masturbatory metal garbage floating in the ether right now. Hearing the one of the kings do the damn thing properly is incredibly refreshing.
Tumblr media
1) Town Portal - Of Violence
No surprise here. I’ve been crapping my pants about this band ever since my good friend Scott Evans shared their music with me a couple years ago. I’ve been unhealthily obsessed ever since. The magical progressive rock/metal these three guys are capable melts and massages my brain in a way few bands ever have. Of Violence is incredibly mathy without ever feeling awkward, it’s melodic without being conventional, it’s discordant without being abrasive, it’s heavy as shit without being overloaded with distortion, it’s progressive as hell without ever coming remotely close to devolving into a wankfest, and it’s damn near perfect in every way. Songwriting? Great. Tones? Phenomenal. Musicianship? Otherworldly. Execution? Flawless. Mix? Perfect. Replayability? (Not a word, but ... ) PUT THIS RECORD ON A GODDAMN LOOP AND NEVER TURN IT OFF. Can you tell I like it? You might too, so give it a listen. And if by chance you do not like it, please see a doctor. You’re broken.
OTHER STUFF I REALLY ENJOYED THIS YEAR
HEAVY JAMS
METZ - Automat
Buildings - Negative Sound
Helms Alee - Noctiluca
Minors - Abject Bodies
Periphery - Periphery 4: HAIL STAN
Employed To Serve - Eternal Forward Motion
Elizabeth Colour Wheel - Nocero
Defeater - S/T
Pelican - Nighttime Stories
Spotlights - Love And Decay
Great Falls - A Sense of Rest
Baroness - Gold & Grey
The End of the Ocean - -aire
Vous Autres - Champ du Sang
Brutus - Nest
Torche - Admission
Glose - The Second Best of Glose
Throes - In The Hands of an Angry God
Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind
meth. - Mother of Red Light
SECT - Blood of the Beasts
Kublai Khan TX - Absolute
Seizures - Reverie of the Revolving Diamond
Dead Kiwis - Systematic Home Run
Norma Jean - All Hail
Refused - War Music
Chamber - Ripping / Pulling / Tearing
MIDRANGE JAMS
Jimmy Eat World - Surviving
Elbow - Giants of All Sizes
Raketkanon - RKTKN #3
Bad Religion - Age of Unreason
The Appleseed Cast - The Fleeting Light of Impermanence
DIIV - Deceiver
Idiot Pilot - Blue Blood
Microwave - Death Is A Warm Blanket
Low Dose - S/T
SWMRS - Berkeley’s On Fire
Self-Evident - Lost Inside The Machinery
B. Hamilton - Nothing and Nowhere
MELLOW JAMS
Trade Wind - Certain Freedoms
Square Peg Round Hole - Branches
Great Grandpa - Four of Arrows
Local Natives - Violet Street
Rhone - Leaving State
Shlohmo - The End 
Tycho - Weather
Bon Iver - i,i
Drowse - Light Mirror
Bonniesongs - Energetic Mind
Telefon Tel Aviv - Dreams Are Not Enough
GoGo Penguin - Ocean In A Drop
Bent Knee - You Know What They Mean
THE PODCAST QUEUE
The Deadcast (RIP) - sports, culture
Chapo Trap House - politics
The Rich Roll Podcast - health, wellness, endurance sports
Hang Up & Listen - sports
Effectively Wild - baseball
The Gist - current events
The Downbeat - drums, humor
To Live & Die In LA - true crime
FilmDrunk Frotcast - movies, culture, humor
The Modern Drummer Podcast with Mike & Mike - drums (duh)
The Trap Set - also drums
Song Exploder - songwriting
20 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 5 years
Photo
Tumblr media
Here’s a breakdown of the drums and cymbals I used for each song on the Deeper Wells EP. I’ve been keeping and posting these notes for the last two LPs and my fellow drum nerds seem to enjoy it, so ... here it is again. Thanks to my good friend @qdrumco for letting me borrow so much great gear, making me sound way better than I should, and for being one of my favorite hangs. 🥁🙌🏼 . . . DEEPER WELLS • Q Galvanized Steel - 24/13/16 • Q Gentlemen’s Steel snare - 7x14 • 16” Avedis hats • 19” K Constantinople Crash ride • 19” Special Dry crash • 20” K Custom Dark crash A BETTER BRIDGE • Q Mahogany kick - 24 • Q Galvanized Steel toms - 13/16 • Q Brass Plate snare - 8x14 • 15” Avedis hats • 20” Crash Of Doom • 22” Avedis • 24” Bosphorus ride IN THIS STORM • Q Mahogany - 22/13/16 • Q Brass Plate snare - 8x14 • 16” Avedis hats • 19” K Custom Special Dry • 21” Avedis • 22” Avedis ride STUMBLING WEST • Q Mahogany - 22/13/16 • Q Brass Plate - 8x14 • 16” Avedis hats • 19” K Custom Special Dry crash • 21” Avedis • 22” Avedis (at United Recording) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwM9mKLns0C/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=l489p2n8njyn
3 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 5 years
Photo
Tumblr media
Stoked to release @thrice’s Deeper Wells EP today. These songs were all within inches of ending up on Palms, and after a ton of deliberation, we decided to release them as a supplemental EP later in the record cycle (with @recordstoredayus being the perfect occasion). If you’ve picked up a copy and/or heard these songs, how would you sequence a 14-track record with everything from Palms and Deeper Wells? #thrice #deeperwells recordstoreday (at Fingerprints Music) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwM6DIDnJdx/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=g1cuqwfyq0qs
2 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 5 years
Text
My 20 Favorite Records Of 2018
Tumblr media
Hi. I made a list of my favorite records of the year again. People seem to enjoy these things, and I definitely enjoy tearing my hair out trying to figure out what I liked best, so here we are again.
 This years list is chock full of heavy/sludgy bummer jams, post-rock epics, and super aggressive metal and hardcore, with a few poppier and more adventurous indie records scattered about. The honorable mentions list gets a bit more eclectic if you’re looking for stuff that sounds a little less like it was birthed from the loins of the late-90s/early-00s Hydrahead and Relapse discography.
As always, I welcome your suggestions for records and podcasts I might’ve missed the boat on, no matter the genre. There’s way too much good stuff out there to keep up with, so help me out.
Also: When my aging corpse is not being pissy about being used for something other than child-wrangling, eating, or sleeping, I try to run a few days a week and will listen to/briefly review a record on each run. Almost every record on this list has been a part of one of those posts, so if you’re interested in such a thing, please check out my Instagram. 
BONUS: I put together playlists of my favorite song from each of my top 20 records, so if you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, just throw it on and see if anything grabs you.
Hermitology’s Favorite 20 Records of 2018 - Spotify Playlist
Hermitology’s Favorite 20 Records of 2018 - Apple Music Playlist
Tumblr media
20) Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology
This record is ridiculous in the best ways possible -- insane amounts of shredding, light-speed double bass and blast beats, and lyrics about slugs and other assorted beasts. It’s been ages since I went through my Swedish & Norwegian Metal phase, but this awakened those long-dormant receptors that used to hum when I listened to At The Gates, Opeth, Dimmu Borgir, Soilwork, et al.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
19) Ingrina - Etter Lys
Excellent French doomgaze/post-rock that sounds like it could very easily be the soundtrack to the apocalypse. Etter Lys has a familiar sound/vibe, but a refreshing energy and captivating sense of dark melody that really makes them stand out to me. Highly recommended for fans of This Will Destroy You, Rosetta, God Is An Astronaut, et al.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
18) Beach House - 7
This record was the perfect foil to all heavy stuff I listened to this year, and my go-to in-flight record of 2018. It’s a damn near perfect collection hazy, airy, dreamy, downtempo indie pop. I’d never been a huge Beach House fan, but 7 hooked me and pulled me in. Throw this your headphones on, press play, and melt into your chair or couch.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
17) Culture Abuse - Bay Dream
This record was not what I was expecting, but it ended up being exactly what I needed. (If that makes any sense.) Instead of a grimy, high-energy punk record, I got a fuzzy, bouncy, catchy-as-hell soundtrack to my entire summer. A perfect blend of The Ramones and peak-Weezer, with a vibe all its own.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
16) Deads - LLNN
Roughly forty minutes of insanely heavy and furious drop-tuned, down-tempo, doom-inspired crushers offset by eerie, cinematic synth parts. If you’re a fan of early-Cult of Luna and/or Isis, this record should be a new staple in your diet. There’s also enough atmosphere here to appeal to post-rock fans who might desire a little aggression boost.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
15) Heads. - Collider
Beautifully written sludgy rock that falls somewhere between the heaviness and spookiness of Young Widows and the heroin-soaked atmosphere and melody of Failure. For what it’s worth, I dig Collider more than either of the aforementioned bands’ most recent output. It’s a perfect marriage of influences, killer songwriting, an excellent recording, and a flat out fantastic record from front to back.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
14) mewithoutYou - [untitled]
I’ve been a mewithoutYou fan for ages and love everything they’ve done (so I’m a little biased), but this record is just on a completely different level as far as I’m concerned. It’s the peak of their creativity, songwriting, mood, dynamics, lyrics, production, etc. It’s got the atmosphere and moodiness of post-rock, the angular quirkiness of Fugazi, the energy of Refused (at times), and the all the character of a classic mwY record. It’s phenomenal, and doubly impressive because they made it 18 years deep into an already impressive career.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
13) Foxing - Nearer My God
I was familiar with Foxing before this record came out because they’d toured with many former tourmates, and while I appreciated what I’d heard from them, they never really clicked with me. And then I heard this record and it totally floored me. It’s incredibly ambitious without coming across as super scatterbrained or pretentious and it’s executed flawlessly (production included). This band should be massive, and I’m stunned that I’m not seeing this record on more year-end lists
Listen here.
Tumblr media
12) This Will Destroy You - New Others Part 1 & 2
Somehow TDWY managed drop two incredible full lengths a month apart, and I honestly cannot choose between the two (so I’m combining them into one). These LPs are arguably their best work as a band, the addition of Robi Gonzalez on drums has given their sound new energy, dynamics, and pocket, and there aren’t many bands in post-rock doing it as well as these dudes do. Incredibly impressive to be able to put out this much music all at once and have it be this consistent. 
Listen here.
Tumblr media
11) The Armed - Only Love
Somehow this record manages to be chaotic, energetic, beautiful, delicate, catchy-as-hell, abrasive, and atmospheric all at once. Sometimes it sounds like you accidentally have five different songs playing at the same time. Somehow modular synth-soaked punk/metal works. Clearly I cannot explain exactly what in the everliving hell is happening here, but I can tell you that it’s a wholly arresting record that blew my mind on first listen, and has gotten better with every listen since.  
Listen here.
Tumblr media
10) Hemwick - Junkie (EP)
Normally, I wouldn’t include an EP on this list, but this is one just too good to ignore. It’s 30 minutes of insane riffage and heaviness that sounds like it spawned from the same gene pool that produced Converge, Cult Leader, and Intronaut. It’s got the spazziness and brutality of the former, blended perfectly with the occasional post-rock/metal shift into the epic melody of the latter. Super excited to hear what comes next for these guys (hopefully an LP recorded with Scott Evans or Kurt Ballou?), because this is an incredibly promising “debut”. 
Listen here.
Tumblr media
9) Architects - Holy Hell
As a standalone record, Holy Hell slays. As a follow-up to losing a family/band member to cancer (guitarist, Tom Searle), it’s a fucking triumph. Somehow Architects managed to push through the grief and heartache, and pushed the boundaries of their musical creativity and emotive lyrics to create what is arguably their best record. Holy Hell is packed to the gills with with massive, arena-sized riffs and moshworthy breakdowns, sprinkled with just enough melody and dynamic to keep things fresh without losing its edge. An amazing accomplishment in the face of such adversity.
 Listen here.
Tumblr media
8) Slow Mass - On Watch
An outstanding fusion of mellow(er) post-hardcore, bummer jams, Unwound-inspired post-punk, and shimmery shoegazey goodness. “Suburban Yellow” (see playlist) is one of my favorite songs of the year, falling somewhere between the crushing gloominess of a Kowloon Walled City song, and the somber plod of a classic Pedro The Lion track. I tend to shy away from music with dual lead vocals (because I often prefer one of the voices to the point that I’d rather just hear it all the time), but Dave Collis and Mercedes Webb’s voices are so complimentary and perfectly balanced that they take these songs to another level. Bonus: I’d highly recommend watching their frigid Audiotree session. 
Listen here.
Tumblr media
7) Hot Snakes - Jericho Sirens
One of my favorite bands of all-time put out its first record in 14 years, and it was well worth the wait. It’s Hot Snakes doing what they do best --  ripping 30 minutes of high-energy post-punk jams fueled by the brilliantly weird guitar wizardry of John Reis, and propelled by the dual drummer attack of Mario Rubalcaba and Jason Kourkounis. I’m not entirely sure where I’d rank it in their discography, but having fresh Hot Snakes tracks makes the world a better place. 
Listen here.
Tumblr media
6) Cloud Nothings - Last Building Burning
What did we do to deserve two Cloud Nothings LPs in two years? I was a little worried about whether the band could churn out a record as fantastic as Life Without Sound (which landed at #7 on last year’s list), but they absolutely did. Last Building Burning builds on the catchiness and energy of LWS’s bummer jams, but adds a little extra grit, fury, and urgency. The result is a record that’s damn near peak Cloud Nothings. It’s got hooks for days, an energy that’ll make you want to bounce off the walls, and a nasty edge that brings to mind 80′s Wipers or early Hot Snakes jams.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
5) Cult Leader - A Patient Man
Cult Leader’s Lightless Walk was a Top 5 record for me in 2015, Gaza’s No Absolutes In Human Suffering was in my Top 5 in 2012, so it should be no surprise that they’ve cracked the Top 5 again. I’d be hard pressed to name another HEAVY band who has done it for me the way these guys have over the past six years. A Patient Man hits all the notes -- pure chaos, expansive and melancholic post-rock sections, and the most headbang-worthy breakdowns on the planet. It’d take a miracle to get this 43-year-old geriatric with a bad back to come out of mosh retirement, but the breakdown in “Aurum Reclusa” is seriously making me think about a comeback.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
4) Low - Double Negative
I don’t think I’ve had a record screw with my brain as hard as Double Negative did since I heard Kid A for the first time. It’s a spooky, brain-liquifying journey through sonic textures and ambience, arranged and mixed in a manner that is absolutely enthralling (and a bit unnerving and “wtf are my headphones broken?”at times). If you’re gearing up for a first listen, I’d highly recommend clearing an hour on your schedule, throwing on a good pair of headphones, and letting this have its way with you. If you’ve already heard it, you should listen to it again. It gets better and weirder and more captivating every time. It’s a trip, and a great one at that. 
Listen here.
Tumblr media
3) Daughters - You Won’t Get What You Want
As a standalone record, this is groundbreaking. As a “comeback record” it’s a fucking triumph. Their S/T record (2010) is one of my favorite heavy/noise rock records of all-time, and somehow YWGWYW surpassed my lofty expectations for a follow-up. It’s a dizzying journey for sure. It’s moody as hell. It’s coherent. It’s adventurous without being overly weird. And it’s all of the best things about their previous work distilled into a perfect chunk of musical madness. The best records are the ones that make your brain matter spill out of your ears upon first listen, but it’s the all-time classics that do that and get better with every subsequent listen. Sure, it’s a record for “when the mood is right”, but when I’m in the mood, this hits all the notes for me. It’s a masterpiece. 
Listen here.
Tumblr media
2) Holy Fawn - Death Spells
This record came out of nowhere and absolutely knocked me on my ass. I’m not sure I’ve had a record do that to me since I first heard Cloudkicker in 2009 -- knew nothing of it, had zero idea what to expect and literally had goosebumps for a majority of my first listen. Tempe’s Holy Fawn have created a unique blend of dense, dynamic, and cathartic post-rock, doom, and shoegaze with airy vocals that remind me a bit of Jonsi from Sigur Ros. It’ll be a daunting task to follow up this masterpiece, but I’m incredibly excited to see and hear what the future holds for these guys.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
1) Pianos Become The Teeth - Wait For Love
This was one of my most anticipated records of the year, and it not only lived up to my lofty expectations, but exceeded them. “Bitter Red” was far and away my most played song of the year, and I must’ve listened to Wait For Love 50 times during the month of February alone. It’s no surprise that I found myself going back to it throughout the year, and in revisiting for this list, it gave me chills just like it did 10 months ago. These dudes are doing melancholic and cathartic post-hardcore better than just about anyone these days, and I cannot wait to hear what’s next for them.
Listen here.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Roughly 80% of these records could/should have very easily landed on the Top 20 list (and probably would if I obsessed over this list any further and gave everything a super dedicated re-listen). They’re all absolutely worth checking out.
I know this list might be a little daunting, so I put together a Spotify Playlist of my favorite songs from each record, so you can just throw it on and see if anything grabs you. 
Thanks to my man Zack Hite for helping me out and putting together an Apple Music version of the playlist. 
Hermitology’s 2018 Honorable Mentions Spotify Playlist
Hermitology’s 2018 Honorable Mentions Apple Music Playlist
Baptists - Beacon of Faith
Birds In Row - We Already Lost The World
Boygenius - S/T EP
Candy - Good to Feel
Coastlands - The Further Still
Conjurer - Mire
Death Engine - Place Noire
Drug Church - Cheer
Emma Ruth Rundle - Dark Horses
Failure - In the Future Your Body Will Be ... 
Fiddlehead - Springtime and Blind
Hammock - Universalis
IDLES - Joy As An Act Of Resistance
Jay Jayle - No Trail & Other Unholy Paths
Jesus Piece - Only Self
KEN Mode - Loved
Man Mountain - Infinity Mirror
Mogwai - KIN
Nate Smith - Pocket Change
OHHMS - Exist
Ólafur Aarnalds - re:member
Polyphia - New Levels, New Devils
Portrayal of Guilt - Let Pain Be Your Guide
Prefuse 73 - Sacrifices
Rolo Tomassi - Time Will Die … 
Sectioned - Annihilated
Slow Crush - Aurora
Snail Mail - Lush
SUMAC - Love In Shadow
Svalbard - It’s Hard To Have Hope
Taken - With Regards To (EP)
The Story So Far - Proper Dose
Tides of Man - Every Nothing
Vein - Errorzone
Yashira - Shrine
PODCAST QUEUE
The Deadcast (humor, sports, politics)
Chapo Trap House (politics, humor)
Hang Up & Listen (sports, culture, nerdy)
Effectively Wild (baseball)
The Frotcast (movies, humor)
The Trap Set (drums, psychology)
The Gist (current events, politics)
Song Exploder (songwriting, production)
The Modern Drummer Podcast (drums)
18 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 6 years
Photo
Tumblr media
I did this after To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere was released in 2016, and it seemed to go over well with my fellow drum geeks who follow this blog, so I’m doing it again. Here’s a rundown of my setups during the recording of Palms, which we recorded at United in Studio B.
1) Only Us
Intro/Chorus Bridge
Q Galvanized Steel - 24/13/16
Q Brass Plate snare - 8x14
16” Avedis hats
20” Avedis crash
21” Avedis crash
22” Avedis ride
Verses
Q Mahogany - 24/13/16
Q Gentlemen’s Copper snare - 7x14 (with muffling)
14” K Custom Special Dry hats
20” Avedis crash
21” Avedis crash
22” Avedis ride
2) The Grey
Q Mahogany - 24/13/16
Q Gentlemen’s Copper snare - 7x14
15” Avedis hats
20” Crash Of Doom
22” Avedis ride
24” Bosphorus ride
3) The Dark
Q Galvanized Steel Kit - 24/13/16
Q Brass Plate snare - 8x14
16” Avedis hats
19” K Constantinople crash
22” K Custom Light ride
20” K Custom Dark crash
4) Just Breathe
Q Mahogany - 24/13/16
Q Brass Plate snare - 8x14
16” Avedis hats
20” Crash of Doom
22” Avedis ride
22” K Custom Special Dry Crash
24” K Light ride
5) Everything Belongs
Q Mahogany - 24/13/16
Q Gentlemen’s Copper - 7x14
14” Kerope hats
24” Classic Orchestral Crash Ride
19” K Constantinople crash
20” K Constantinople crash
6) My Soul
Q Mahogany - 22/13/16 (calfskin head on kick)
Q Brass Plate snare - 5.5x14
14” K Custom Special Dry hats
19” K Custom Special Dry crash 
22” Avedis ride
22” K Custom Special Dry crash (as ride)
7) A Branch In The River
Q Galvanized Steel - 24/13/16
Q Brass Plate - 8x14
16” Avedis hats
20” Crash of Doom
21” Avedis crash
24” Zildjian Orchestral ride
8) Hold Up A Light
Q Galvanized Steel - 24/13/16
Q Gentlemen’s Copper - 7x14
16” Avedis hats
19” K Custom Special Dry Trash crash
20” K Custom Dark crash
20” Crash of Doom
9) Blood On Blood
Q Mahogany - 24/13/16
Q Gentlemen’s Copper - 7x14
Q Gentlemen’s Aluminum - 7x14 (w/ ching ring)  
15” Avedis hats
20” K Custom Dark Crash
20” K Constantinople Medium Thin Low crash
22” K Custom Special Dry Crash (as ride)
10) Beyond The Pines
Q Mahogany - 24/13/16
Q Gentlemen’s Copper - 7x14
14” Kerope hats
20” Avedis crash 
21” Avedis crash
22” K Custom Special Dry Crash (ride)
Huge thanks to Eric Palmquist who was a pleasure to record with again, to Jeremy Berman and Q Drums for making me sound better than I deserve to, to John Congleton for nailing the mix, to Kirsten at Zildjian for loaning me some awesome new cymbals (and always keeping me supplied with the essentials), Ben at Vic Firth for the best sticks on Earth, Steven at DW for the hardware and pedals, and the crew at Remo for all the drum heads. 🙌🏽
You can pick up a copy of the record at thrice.net. 
18 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 6 years
Photo
Tumblr media
My brother and my “brothers” and I have been at this for 20 years, and we just put out our 10th LP, Palms. We worked our asses off on it, and would be stoked if you gave it a spin. If you dig it, please tell a friend or five. If you don’t, that’s fine too. We honestly cannot thank those of you who have supported us through any portion of this journey enough, nor can we explain the gratitude we have for the people we work with (and have worked with) who made all of this possible. We’re truly thankful, and feel so lucky to be able to do any of this at all. And we’re not about to stop here. 🙌🏼 #palms (at Orange, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnspyechx_m/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=zrpzcf45cvym
37 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 6 years
Text
My 17 Favorite Records of 2017
Tumblr media
Hello, Internet. Yet another year has passed, and because I’ve made a habit of making year-end lists, this old man has gone and done it again.
I listened to a veritable buttload of music this year on my morning runs, which I decided to post about on Instagram most days in a concerted effort to keep myself accountable bore every last one of my followers to death. I think it’s working.
What follows, is my list of favorites. Not “best”. “Favorite”. *My* favorite. So, spare me the “Your list sucks. WTF. I can’t believe “A Vest For Jerome” by Turd Circus isn’t on there!” comments. I’m sorry we don’t have the exact same taste in music. :)
As usual, I feel like the top 5 or 6 here are pretty carved in stone, but the last 12 and some of the honorable mentions could totally be flip-flopped depending on which side of the bed I woke up on. I actually fiddled with a few spots five minutes before posting this, which is either a testament to that or Exhibit 4,923 in my undiagnosed OCD case.
Anyways ... TL;DR. Here’s what I was into this year. I hope you find something you enjoy.
IMPORTANT: Please let me know what I might missed out on (as I’m sure there’s a ton of it), and share some of your favorites in the comments below. Thanks!
Tumblr media
17) Japandroids - Near To The Wild Heart Of Life
This didn’t quite grab me the way Celebration Rock did, but it’s got a good number of super infectious earworms that got stuck in my brain at the top of the year. 
Listen here.
Tumblr media
16) Sorority Noise - You’re Not As ____ You Think
Excellent “emo”with that feels like it could very easily fit into Brand New’s discography (and I mean that in a very complimentary way). Highly recommended if you’re looking for something to fill that void. 
Listen here. 
Tumblr media
15) Queens of the Stone Age - Villains
This took a little while for this record to sink its teeth into me, but once it did, it didn’t let go. The arrangements are so nuanced that I’ve found little bits of ear candy each time I’ve listened to it, and while the mix is not my favorite, the songs are so brilliantly catchy and drumming so monstrous, I’m hooked. And Jon Theodore is the best drummer on Earth. That’s not debatable either. It’s fact.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
14) David Bazan - Care
It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for anything and everything Bazan. His lyrics and the timbre of his voice cut to my core, and the songs on Care are no exception -- even when they’re delivered over minimalist electronica (which is not my favorite vehicle by any stretch). Another Bazan masterpiece.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
13) Glassjaw - Material Control
This record is perfect in that it is exactly what it needs to be. It’s Glassjaw doing what they do best -- intense, vibey, groovy, heavy post-hardcore that is a logical follow-up to Worship & Tribute, while flexing and pushing enough to make it feel fresh. A tremendous return to form, and a record that was well worth the wait.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
12) Julien Baker - Turn Out The Lights 
Sprained Ankle blew me away and knocked me on my ass, and somehow, some way, Baker has leveled up and topped that. The stripped-down “artist + guitar” intimacy is still there, but the heavy moments hit even harder because of the additional orchestration on this record. Such a promising future for her.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
11) The Life & Times - S/T
Another excellent record from some of one of Kansas City’s best bands. There are few who do airy, melancholic, spacey, dynamic rock better than these guys. And Chris Metcalf is one of the best drummers on the planet right now -- so pockety, tasteful, and effortless. Highly recommended if you dig Failure, Shiner, Hum, Antenna-era Cave In, et al. 
Listen here.
Tumblr media
10) METZ - Strange Peace
This beast is 36 minutes of noisy, nasty, heavy post-punk with stellar guitar and bass tones, and badass drumming that sounds like the best parts of Nirvana and Young Widows had a perfect lovechild. I dare you to listen to this record and not have an overwhelming urge to play it as loud as you possibly can and headbang until your eyes fall out of your skull.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
9) CHON - Homey
I really enjoyed this when it came out, but it wasn’t until we spent five weeks on tour with them and got to see them shred a handful of these songs on a nightly basis that it really grabbed ahold of me. This record is stellar. Sure there are a ton of notes, but they’re all tasteful, never bogged down in painfully long prog opuses, and there’s so much feel here ... which is so rare in the new world of insanely chopped, gridded and sampled prog. The splashes of hip-hop and glitchy Prefuse 73 style electronica are a killer addition to the mix as well. This is the feel good record of the year for me.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
8) Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
There really isn’t another rapper who holds a candle to Kendrick at the moment, and this might be the best work of his career. I haven’t had a hip-hop record hit me like this in at least a decade. I was hooked from the second the beat dropped in DNA., got roped in even more by the slow jam LOVE., and HUMBLE. sealed the deal. What a beast.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
7) Cloud Nothings - Life Without Sound
This record rules, but I’m not sure I can put my finger on exactly why I like it so much. It’s got tiny elements of so many bands I love or used to love without being overly referential. It’s got a melancholic vibe but never lacks energy. And it is packed with really, really well written and catchy songs without full-blown pop circus. You know you’re listening to a great record when you’re playing a deep cut and uncontrollably blurt, “Fuck, this song is good.” 
Listen here.
Tumblr media
6) Converge - The Dusk In Us
Nobody does it better than these dudes, and it’s been that way for the better part of two decades. The Dusk In Us is yet another record a discography full of bar-setting hardcore/metal/noise records that elevate the ceiling of the genre and make everyone else sound/look bland in comparison. This one slides right into the #3 or #4 spot in that storied discography. So great.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
5) Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile To The Surface
This is one of those rare records that blows you away on first listen, and gets better with each subsequent listen. The former happens when the songs --stripped to their bones -- are stellar, and the latter happens when the arrangements and mix are somehow even more stellar. ABMTTS checks the shit outta both of those boxes and then some. Aaaand it was made with multiple producers, but doesn’t sound disjointed in the slightest, which seems damn near impossible. It’s the perfect Manchester Orchestra record ... “The Gold” was stuck pleasantly in my head for a majority of the year.  
Listen here.
Tumblr media
4) Pile - A Hairshirt Of Purpose
Disclaimer: I am a late adopter of the majesty of Pile, but I am happy to announce that I am hopelessly hooked on their soulful, noisy, schizophrenic, (occasionally) dreamy, fusion of post-punk, blues, and all sorts of other good things. My entry point was Dripping, but A Hairshirt ... cemented my love for this band. It’s weird, it’s beautiful, it’s energetic, it’s heavy, it’s ethereal, and the musicianship is frustratingly good. If you know, you know ... if you don’t, just trust me. Spin it with an open mind and meet one of your new favorite bands.
Listen here.
Tumblr media
3) Propagandhi - Victory Lap
I grew up on Epitaph and Fat Wreck Chords punk rock in the 90s, and these guys (and gal) are legitimately the only band of that era that continue to excite and inspire me. I look forward to every release, and they manage to deliver every. single. time. It’s not a nostalgia thing with Propagandhi. Chris Hannah’s lyrics, melodies, and guitar playing continue to push the boundaries of what can be done in that genre. You might expect a group of 40-year-old punks to decline or at least plateau, but they’re still on an upward trajectory and it’s  inspiring as hell. Bonus points if you’re a parent and can listen to “Adventures In Zoochosis” without tearing up. Victory Lap is outstanding -- one of their three best records without question. 
Listen here.
Tumblr media
2) Cloakroom - Time Well
If you’ve been following me here, on Twitter, or Instagram, it’s no secret that I’ve got a massive soft spot in my heart for bummer jams -- especially bummer jams of the heavy variety. Time Well is a damn near perfect in those regards. It’s shoegazey without being tired or overly jangly, mildly doomy without being mind-numbingly boring, and fuzzy without sounding like it was recorded inside a sleeping bag. I’m pretty sure I listened to this record more than anything else this year, and after probably a hundred spins, it hasn’t lost any of its luster. It’s outstanding (and it’s got some damn tasty drumming on it too).
Listen here.  
Tumblr media
1) Elder - Reflections Of A Floating World
My buddy Scott Evans (Kowloon Walled City vocalist/guitarist, Antisleep recording engineer/producer, multi-talented human, generally outstanding dude, recommender of many amazing bands) turned me on to these guys earlier this year by sharing 2015′s Lore with me. That record f-ing floored me. Riffs for days. Heaviness. Prog vibes. Stoner rock goodness. Dynamics. Space. Sabbath-y vocals. It checked all of the boxes. Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to hear Reflections Of A Floating World. 
ROAFW dropped in June, and it’s even better than I could have imagined. I’d wager that there are more sick riffs on this record than your favorite band has in their entire discography. I dare you to listen to this and not get a twitch to start a play air guitar. Also: How the shit do you write 15-minute songs that don’t bore people into catatonia? This is how. Just like this. Parts never drag, parts never feel like they’re just filler, and there isn’t a wasted moment in 64 minutes of music. That’s a remarkable feat in and of itself. This is a goddamn timeless record, and there’s no doubt I’ll have it in heavy rotation for the rest of my life.
Listen here.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
The Effects - Eyes To The Light
Brutus - Burst
Nate Smith - KINFOLK: Postcards From The Edge
Employed To Serve - Warmth of A Dying Sun
God Mother - Vilseledd
Slowdive - Sugar For The Pill
Hundredth - RARE
Mutoid Man - War Moans
Grizzly Bear - Painted Ruins
Quicksand - Interiors
Death From Above - Outrage! Is Now
Power Trip - Nightmare Logic
Health - DISCO3
Vince Staples - Big Fish Theory
All Them Witches - Sleeping Through The War
Code Orange - Forever
Blis - No One Likes You
Bjork - Utopia
Less Art - Strangled Light ;)
MY FAVORITE RECORD OF 2015 THAT I DIDN’T HEAR UNTIL 2017
Town Portal - The Occident
MY FAVORITE RECORD OF 2004 THAT I DIDN’T HEAR UNTIL 2017
The Stella Link - Mystic Jaguar... Attack!!!
CURRENT PODCAST QUEUE
Chapo Trap House (Grey Wolf Feed)
The Trap Set
Song Exploder
Slate’s The Gist
Slate’s Hang Up & Listen
INTERCEPTED
The FilmDrunk Frotcast
Deadcast
How I Built This
Freakonomics Radio
Radiolab
This American Life
27 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 7 years
Photo
Tumblr media
(via Less Art) 
Hi, all. We just wanted to give you a little post-holiday/pre-apocalypse update on what’s going on with us. If you didn’t catch the news that leaked out amidst the holiday noise, our debut LP will be called Strangled Light, and it is scheduled to come out on Gilead Media in late spring or early summer. Scott Evans (Kowloon Walled City, Ghoul, Puig Destroyer) is mixing the record now and Jacob van Loon (Explosions in the Sky, Some Stranger) is working on the design. We're really excited about how everything is coming together, and can’t wait to start sharing music with you. We should have a firm release date, pre-order details, and a first taste of the record fairly soon.
Thanks for your support and your patience!
— LESS ART
photo by Scott Evans
31 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 7 years
Text
My 16 Favorite Records of 2016
Tumblr media
Hi. Another year has passed, so (because it is my civil duty as a musician) I made another year-end list. 
Disclaimer: I have to admit that my music-listening was down on average this year. Having four billion podcasts to chose from (some of which are listed below), and a one-year-old kid who only wants to listen to the “Bubble Guppies” and “Hey Duggee” theme songs and “The Boo Boo Song” by King Coleman will do that to the best of us. The music I actually did get around to listening to was awesome and inspiring on so many levels, and I don’t think there was a single record on my radar that let me down. Maybe my standards are dipping, but (and I feel like I say this about every year) 2016 was a damn good year for music (which is great because it sucked pretty hard in the musician deaths, global catastrophes, and “future of our country” way).
What follows is my list of favorites. I feel like the Top 5 are pretty carved in stone, but the last 11 and some of the honorable mentions could definitely be switched out depending on my mood. In total, I thought 34 LPs and 2 EPs were really fucking great, and I even tacked on a record from 2015 that blew my mind a bit. I hope you find something you dig.
Here’s a Spotify Playlist of the Top 16.
Here’s a Spotify Playlist of the Honorable Mentions.
IMPORTANT: Please let me know what I might have missed out on (I’m sure there’s a ton of it), and share your favorites in the comments below. It’s hard to keep up with everything, no matter how hard I try. Help a tired dad out. Thanks!
Tumblr media
16) Difficult - To Heal
A great recommendation from Scott Evans of Kowloon Walled City / Antisleep that fired up my Small Brown Bike receptors, and grew on me with each listen. The songs are well-crafted, the guitar tones are outstanding, and I love the interplay of the male and female lead vocals. Highly recommended for fans of SBB, Jawbox, and 90s indie rock.
Buy To Heal here.
Tumblr media
15) Neurosis - Fires Within Fires
Another masterpiece from the godfathers of incredibly heavy dynamic sludge, filled with the most apocalyptic-sounding peaks, and the most delicate atmospheric valleys. There’s really nobody better. 
Buy Fires Within Fires here.
Tumblr media
14) Spotlights - Tidals
Incredibly well-written heavy shoegazey post-rock that reminds me of Isis and/or Deftones at times, with occasional nods to Failure-inspired space rock. There’s a sense of melody on this record that keeps the plodding tempos from feeling like they drag, and makes the songs awfully infectious for this type of project.
Buy Tidals here.
Tumblr media
13) Basement - Promise Everything
This record reminds me a bit of early 2000s emo-inspired rock in the vein of Recover or Jimmy Eat World, but with a bit of grunge and shoegaze elements that keep from feeling like a rehash of the old. Something about the juxtaposition of feel-good indie rock with not-so feel-good lyrical themes really resonated with me, and kept this record in heavy rotation for a good part of the year.
Buy Promise Everything here.
Tumblr media
12) Balance and Composure - Light We Made
I was a big fan of the last two records BalCo put out, and have to admit that the lead single (”Postcard”) from Light We Made made me worry that they might have lost the plot a bit. The single grew on me, and the rest of the record proved that these guys made a stylistic leap and landed squarely on both feet. It’s a refreshing take on their brand of alt-rock, and a record I’ll be listening to for years.
Buy Light We Made here.
Tumblr media
11) Every Time I Die - Low Teens
This is arguably the best record these guys have ever made. It’s got all the hallmark characteristics of your favorite ETID joints -- riffs upon riffs upon riffs, huge breakdowns, unadulterated fury, outstanding lyrics, and zero bullshit -- and it’s all been elevated to another level. That these dudes are still able to bring it this hard after all these years of bringing it so hard (on all fronts) is impressive as hell. Respect.
Buy Low Teens here.
Tumblr media
10) Deftones - Gore
Gore was a slow grower for me, but once it clicked, it never let go. I’ve legitimately had the hook to “Prayers / Triangles” stuck in my head since February, but surprisingly it’s the deep cuts from Gore that I keep going back to -- “(L)MIRL”, “Phantom Bride”, and the epic closer “Rubicon”. This is the Deftones doing what they do just about as well as they’ve ever done it.
Buy Gore here.
Tumblr media
9) Tycho - Epoch
Another fantastic effort from the brainchild of Scott Hansen. He’s found a way to tap into a brand of downtempo, semi-ambient, electro-pop that is the perfect soundtrack to any late-night drive. Epoch proved to be a perfect counterpart to all the heavy music I listened to this year. Highly recommended to anyone who needs to decompress. (Read: all of us)
Buy Epoch here.
Tumblr media
8) Explosions In The Sky - The Wilderness
Sometimes a record just needs the right “moment” to cement itself in your brain. When The Wilderness was released I was super busy listening to Thrice playlists for our first headline tour in years, was probably spending the few quiet minutes I actually have in a day listening to podcasts, and I ended up buying it stashing it in my iTunes and forgetting about it. Then, in the fall I had my “Holy shit, EITS put out a record? How the hell did I forget about it?” So, long story short, I took The Wilderness on a run on a beautiful fall morning, caught a runners high, watched the sun rise with it as my soundtrack, saw god, tastes shapes, smelled sounds, and fell in love with the record. The end.
Buy The Wilderness here.
Tumblr media
7) Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason
As the djent they inspired slowly morphed into the wanky heavy prog-rock that has provided an audio bed for every musical instrument instructional video ever, these dudes just kept doing what they do, and put out what is arguably the best record of their career. This level of brutally heavy, tasteful shredding, and perfect syncopation doesn’t seem like it could be created by mortals. It’s an excellent soundtrack for the next time you want to try running through a brick wall.
Buy The Violent Sleep of Reason here.
Tumblr media
6) A Tribe Called Quest - We’ve Got It From Here ... Thank You 4 Your Service
I grew up on ATCQ songs, so the 18 year gap between LPs had me pretty worried, but this record delivered and then some. Maybe the timing of the release (three days after the most depressing election result in our nation’s history) played a big part in how much this record moved and lifted me, but I think it’s a stellar effort regardless of the circumstances. It’s a timeless record, and one hell of a high note for Tribe to go out on.
Buy We’ve Got It From Here ... Thank You 4 Your Service here.
Tumblr media
5) SUMAC - What One Becomes
There isn’t a record on this list that has a single moment that gets me hyped as the 8:40 mark of “Rigid Man” does, except for this one. What One Becomes has several of my favorite music moments of the year on it ... it just takes some patience to get to those moments. There’s a part of me that realizes that the wait makes the payoff that much more gratifying, but there’s also a part of me that just wants to fast-forward and binge listen to those moments and headbang until my neck snaps. That’s not a bad thing. And holy shit, is Nick Yacyshyn (drums) an animal.
Buy What One Becomes here.
Tumblr media
4) Nothing - Tired of Tomorrow
Some might say that the nü-gaze trend has jumped the shark, and maybe it has, but I’m a sucker for some reverb-drenched bummer jams. While there’s a ton of bands offering that vibe these days, I’ll reach for Tired of Tomorrow before I reach for anything else. I loved their first LP, Guilty of Everything (it was my #10 record of 2014), but this crushes it -- so many memorable songs, and not a bit of filler.
Buy Tired of Tomorrow here.
Tumblr media
3) Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
I have to admit that the lack of guitar-driven stuff on this record threw me for a bit of a loop when I first heard it. The orchestral stuff, while excellent, just wasn’t what I was hoping to hear. As a result, I filed it away for a few months after the release and vowed to return to it once I’d silenced those expectations. My favorite Radiohead record (Kid A) took quite a while to grow on me, and ended up being one of my favorite records of all-time. I think I’m headed in a similar direction with AMSP. There’s just so much to digest, such nuance to the arrangements, so much ear candy. It gets better with every listen, and is a key piece of the Radiohead canon. 
Buy A Moon Shaped Pool here.
Tumblr media
2) David Bazan - Blanco
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that the man who I consider to be the best singer-songwriter of my generation managed to hang a sharp stylistic left turn and pull it off flawlessly. The guitar takes a backseat on this record, and in its place are some incredibly well-crafted and well-arranged synths and drum samples. Normally I’d worry that an artist’s first foray into the downtempo electronic world might result in some hamfisted programming and that the songwriting would suffer as a result, but there’s absolutely none of that here. And maybe it’s because (like Bazan) I’m a husband, a father, and a guy who has struggled with faith, but he’s found a way to gut me musically and lyrically with just about everything he’s ever put out, and he’s done it again. Blanco is a close #2 to Control in the Bazan canon, as far as I’m concerned.
Buy Blanco here.
Tumblr media
1) O’ Brother - Endless Light
No surprise here. I’ve made it painfully obvious over the years -- whether it be that their last two LPs were amongst my Top 5s in 2011 and 2013, or that Thrice has taken them out on tour a few times, or that I gawk and post photos of them whenever I get a chance to see them live -- that I love this band like few others. They just keep getting better as musicians and songwriters. I thought they might have peaked with Disillusion, but I was so wrong. This record is flat-out phenomenal. I can’t wait to see where they go from here. Can they top it? Probably, and that’s scary.
Bonus note: Mike Watts’ mixing job on this record is unreal. I’ve got a new go-to reference record for whenever a producer asks me “What would your ideal drum sound be?” 
Buy Endless Light here.
HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)
Jimmy Eat World - Integrity Blues
Helios - Remembrance
Russian Circles - Guidance
Oathbreaker - Rheia
Architects - All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us
Helms Alee - Stillicide
From Indian Lakes - Everything Feels Better Now
Touché Amoré - Stage Four
Mouth - Deathroll
Emma Ruth Rundle - Marked For Death
SWMRS - Drive North
PUP - The Dream Is Over
Periphery - III: Select Difficulty
The Hotelier - Goodness
Hammock - Everything and Nothing
Planes Mistaken For Stars - Prey
Aeges - Weightless
Zao - The Well-Intentioned Virus
FAVORITE EPs
These two EPs would have landed on one of the lists above if they were LPs. They’re that good.
Maple Stave - V -- (RIYL: Fugazi, slightly mathy angular rock)
Wren - Host -- (RIYL: Neurosis, Converge, The Jesus Lizard)
THE BEST RECORD OF 2015 THAT I DIDN’T HEAR UNTIL 2016
Tumblr media
Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
For shame. In my defense, this record didn’t come out until late October, but it’s fucking outstanding. Full stop. Baker is nearing David Bazan’s level of emotive, downtempo, minimalist, “endearingly open human with a guitar who’s gonna crush your heart”. And she’s so young, with such a bright future ahead of her. It’s incredibly impressive and wholly inspiring.
Buy it here.
2016 PODCAST QUEUE
Chapo Trap House - politics
Slate’s Hang Up & Listen - sports
How I Built This - business, entrepreneurship
The Trap Set with Joe Wong - drums, life
Radiolab - stories, science
Song Exploder - music, songwriting
Effectively Wild: The Daily Baseball Prospectus Podcast - duh
The Ringer MLB Show - also: duh
Sportswriters Blues - baseball, music
The Six Hundred Dollar Podcast feat. Justin Halpern, Tommy Johnagin & Patrick Schumacker - life, parenting, marriage
Slate’s Political Gabfest - and again, duh
Waking Up with Sam Harris - religion, politics, psychology, sociology
22 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 8 years
Text
My 15 Favorite Records of 2015
Tumblr media
Because the world needs another year-end list.
I know your time is valuable and the Internet is a sprawling chaosphere of gifs, listicles and comment sections clamoring for your attention, so I’ll keep this as short as possible. There will be no long-winded album descriptions this time around, just quick little poorly crafted blurbs. I’m not asking for much from you this year, just that you check out anything on this list that you haven’t heard before, and that you don’t judge a band by its name or album art, oh ... and that you use the comment section to suggest a few records I might have missed out on this year. 
OK, that was like three things. Whoops.
Anyway, these were my favorite records of 2015.
Tumblr media
15) mewithoutYou - Pale Horses
This is far and away my favorite record these guys have ever written. The songs are so well-crafted, and Aaron’s lyrics are the most relatable they’ve ever been.
Listen to “Watermelon Ascot” here.
Buy Pale Horses here.
Tumblr media
14) Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
"The Only Thing” reduced me to tears when I first heard it, and that was before I’d read about the inspiration for this record. I’m not sure there was a song that moved me more this year. Just a total f-ing heartbreaker.
Listen to “The Only Thing” here.
Buy Carrie & Lowell here.
Tumblr media
13) Title Fight - Hyperview
The whole nü-gaze movement is reaching (or has reached) critical mass, but it seems like these guys are the cream of the crop. I had this record on repeat for months at a time this year.
Listen to “MRAHC” here.
Buy Hyperview here.
Tumblr media
12) Loma Prieta - Self Portrait
Part of me wishes this had been recorded better, and part of me thinks that the sketchy recording is a big part of why I like it as much as I do. I wish there was a bit more clarity, but the songs and melodic sense are so damn good it doesn’t matter.
Listen to “Roadside Cross” here.
Buy Self Portrait here.
Tumblr media
11) Chelsea Wolfe - The Abyss
This record blew my mind. It’s unconventionally heavy, the melodies are haunting and beautiful, and the production is incredible. I went into this one not really knowing what to expect, and ending up getting blindsided by something that sounds like Bjork, Portishead, PJ Harvey and O’ Brother got thrown in a blender.
Buy The Abyss here.
Tumblr media
10) Torche - Restarter
This is what happens when Torche takes their game to an elite level by injecting a little extra aggression into their well-honed uber-heavy, semi-poppy catchiness. I feel that there’s an energy on Restarter that the band hasn’t had in a while, and as a result they’ve made what is arguably their best record to date.
Listen to “Blasted” here.
Buy Restarter here.
Tumblr media
9) METZ - II
If you’re into outstanding tones, Nirvana’s Bleach record, headbanging, and super infectious noise rock, this record is like a dream come true. I highly recommend mixing it with a pot of coffee to peel your eyelids back in the morning.
Listen to “Acetate” here.
Buy II here.
Tumblr media
8) Yautja - Songs of Lament
One of the best three-piece bands on the planet right now, regardless of genre. They’re capable of so much heaviness, noise, and chaos, it’s seems like they’ve gotta be a five-piece. At times they remind me of Burnt By The Sun, and at others, a maniacal offspring of Converge. I haven’t had a chance to see them live yet, but I’ve heard they’re "pick your jaw up off the floor between songs” good. And damn, Tyler Coburn (drums) is a monster.
Listen to “Breed Regret” here.
Buy Songs of Lament here.
Tumblr media
7) Cloudkicker - Woum
Woum definitely wasn’t what I was expecting, but it grew on me and stayed in heavy rotation this year. It’s heavily layered in rhythm, texture and melody, and as a result, every listen reveals a new nuance. I’ve been listening to it for months and I’m still finding little gems in the details. That bodes awfully well for longevity. 
Listen to “Dovetail” here.
Buy Woum here.
Tumblr media
6) Failure - The Heart Is A Monster
I can’t imagine the pressure and band might feel after a 19 year gap between LPs. I can’t imagine the pressure a band might feel having to follow up an LP as good as Fantastic Planet. And I definitely can’t imagine being able to push that pressure aside and making a record as good as this. It’s my favorite dark, gloomy, riff-driven rock record since Cave In’s Jupiter.
Listen to “Counterfeit Sky” here.
Buy The Heart Is A Monster here.
Tumblr media
5) Helios - Yume
This was my go-to record when I needed to zone out and decompress this year. Keith Kenniff is a wizard. His ability to blend downtempo electronic feel with organic instrumentation and atmosphere is flawless. It’s inspiring me to write more solo instrumental songs.
Buy Yume here.
Tumblr media
4) Cult Leader - Lightless Walk
This is an absolute fucking monster of a record. I think I listened to it on repeat (and nothing else) for a full month after it came out, which would explain the crippling post-headbang neck pain, high blood pressure, and tinnitus I had for much of November. The breakdowns on this beast are ridiculously heavy, the spazzy/grindy parts make me want to run through a brick wall, and Kurt Ballou’s production makes me wonder if we can figure out a way to clone him so he can make every heavy band’s record(s) forever.
Listen to “Sympathetic” here.
Buy Lightless Walk here.
Tumblr media
3) Mutoid Man - Bleeder
Ingredients: Riffs and riffs and riffs. Unreasonable amounts of shredding. Steve Brodsky unhinged. Batshit crazy, brain-melting drumming from Ben Koller. Insanely catchy melodies over music that doesn’t necessarily lend itself to such a thing. Songs that feel like they’re about to fly completely off the rails. Breakdowns that will kick your teeth in. 
It feels dumb as shit to describe a record as “fun”, but that’s exactly what this is. And the live show takes the whole thing to another level.
Listen to “Dead Dreams” here.
Buy Bleeder here.
Tumblr media
2) Baroness - Purple
Recency bias alert! I’ve only had this record for a week and a half, but I’ve already listened to it in its entirety about 50 times. I can’t stop. It’s fucking outstanding. Huge choruses, super heavy riffs, nods to old-school prog-rock, with some The Flaming Lips-esque grandiose production. I thought it’d be nearly impossible to top Yellow & Green (#7 on my 2012 list) but this is a massive step up.
Listen to “Kerosene” here.
Buy Purple here.
Tumblr media
1) Kowloon Walled City - Grievances
I had very high hopes for KWC’s follow-up to Container Ships – my favorite record of 2012 – and they managed to exceed those expectations and then some with Grievances. I’ve always been very moved by the gloomy, sludgy dissonant heaviness of their bummer jams, but there’s a refined somber, delicate, melodic sense that runs through this new record that (when juxtaposed with said heaviness) totally crushes me in a way very few bands ever have. Combine that with some glorious bass and guitar tones, stellar production by guitarist Scott Evans, the band’s knack for making the most of “the space between the notes”, and some of the best and most cathartic song endings I’ve heard in heavy music, and you’ve got one hell of an album. 
Listen to “Grievances” here.
Buy Grievances here.
Tumblr media
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
A stellar record from the best MC on Earth. I didn’t listen to it as often as I thought I would, but I’ve heard that if you don’t include this on your year-end list, someone comes to your house and cuts your ears off.
Listen to “Institutionalized” here.
Buy To Pimp A Butterfly here.
The Story So Far - S/T
This is, without question, the biggest outlier on this year’s list, but I’m a sucker for a catchy pop-punk record, and this one found a way to bury its hooks in my ears and stay there for weeks at a time.
Listen to “Smile” here.
Buy S/T here.
The Wonder Years - No Closer To Heaven
These guys have managed to slide very nicely into the Brand New of the 2010s spot, both stylistically and popularity-wise. This is a damn good record.
Listen to “Cardinals” here.
Buy No Closer To Heaven here.
Turnover - Peripheral Vision
I needed a shimmery “driving with windows down on a summer evening” record this year, and this fit that bill pretty nicely.
Listen to “Dizzy On The Comedown” here.
Buy Peripheral Vision here.
Superheaven - Ours Is Chrome
We had a chance to play with these dudes in Chicago earlier this year, and they were outstanding. They pay homage to 90s in a refreshing way that few others who are doing the same are able to.
Listen to “Blur” here.
Buy Ours Is Chrome here.
Birds In Row - Personal War
Pleasantly scratching my “Why isn’t Majority Rule a band anymore?” itch. Pissed off, semi-melodic noise in the vein of Code Orange, Touché Amoré, and heavier La Dispute.
Listen to “Snakes” here.
Buy Personal War here.
Intronaut - The Direction of Last Things
My favorite Intronaut record since Prehistoricisms. Dany Walker is one of the best (and most underrated) metal drummers on the planet.
Listen to “Pleasant Surprise” here.
Buy The Direction of Last Things here.
He Whose Ox Is Gored - The Camel, The Lion, The Child
Very solid post-rock from the Pacific Northwest. 
Listen to “Omega” here.
Buy The Camel, The Lion, The Child here.
SUMAC - The Deal
I can’t not like anything that involves Nick Yacyshyn (Baptists) on drums and Brian Cook (Botch, Russian Circles, These Arms Are Snakes) on bass. 
Listen to “Hollow King” here.
Buy The Deal here.
Coliseum - Anxiety’s Kiss
It feels like these guys figured out the band they want to be on Sister Faith, and this is them taking that vision and actualizing it perfectly.
Listen to “We Are The Water” here.
Buy Anxiety’s Kiss here.
BEST RECORD OF 2001 THAT I DIDN’T HEAR UNTIL 2015
Tumblr media
Unwound - Leaves Turn Inside You
I’m so ashamed that I’m so late to the party on this. I hadn’t heard it until Jon and Ian from Kowloon Walled City asked me if I’d heard it when we started writing for Less Art. I bought it that day, listened to it on repeat for two weeks straight and took a break only to put my brain back into my skull. This record is fucking incredible. (It got a 9.0 on Pitchfork, so you know it’s true.) It’s probably the biggest mindbender/expander for me since Radiohead’s Kid A.
Listen to “Scarlette” here.
Buy Leaves Turn Inside You here.
40 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 9 years
Audio
Album of the Day: Puig Destroyer, S/T
Because blasting the crap out of this record is a great way to get yourself ready for today’s games.
BASEBALL IS BACK!!!
Listen/purchase: S/T by Puig Destroyer
16 notes · View notes
hermitologist · 9 years
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Baseball is back! And to celebrate that, this sweet tee (and a digital download of the most recent Puig Destroyer LP) can be yours for about $15 + shipping.
Order via No Sleep Records.
19 notes · View notes