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maxfieldparrishes · 4 years

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intro to genevieve, pt. 4

Getting close to the end now!!! Only a few more to go!!! @ocelotsflatass it’s almost done!!! Here’s the reference post!!!

S: Streets 1. Viv is not particularly street smart, mostly because she’s never needed to be, but she’s pretty cautious and not dumb enough to believe everything somebody told her. That said, the streets are not her scene. 2. She’d give money to someone on the street, no question, but she sometimes wonders why there’s not a better social safety net, or why the available services are not better promoted. 3. She’s never gotten into a fight, but could be provoked enough to throw hands. Harassing her or assaulting her or her friends and not taking the hint when she tells you to stop is usually a surefire way to blow every single one of her fuses. She’s not big, but god is she pissed and when she goes feral, she goes feral. Anger at your own risk. 4. Nothing physical aside from one dude trying to grab her in a club, but she has been verbally harassed, catcalled, and followed multiple times. Definitely has one of those lipstick knives or cat-ear knuckle-duster things. Would like to take a self-defense class. Dante is more than happy to help train her. 5. Overall, yeah. Viv isn’t a big risk taker by nature and the only times she’s done something Not Smart is if she’s under the influence, but she’s pretty level-headed and at least tries to be aware of her surroundings and the people around her. But she’s usually pretty good. Even Not Smart for her is still pretty smart overall.

T: Truth 1. Is she honest? Yes, almost to a fault. Almost to bluntness, which can be aggravating for quite a few people. It’s usually not out of meanness, she just believes in being direct. 2. She can usually tell when people are lying, or if they’re hiding something at the very least. She’s very perceptive, and very persistent if she feels someone’s not being upfront with her, which can be annoying. 3. Viv is usually honest about most things, so people don’t really think of her as someone who lies, which means she can get away with quite a few. 4. She has, but she can’t change the past. And she does believe that sometimes lies are kinder than the truth, even if keeping the lie up or telling it to begin with upsets her own conscience. 5. I’m... not really sure what this means. Has she spread rumors, or has she had rumors spread about her? Yeah, middle school sucked. She was kind of known as the weird girl in high school, but that didn’t bother her too much.

U: Underdog 1. The bullying she experienced was mostly the bullying-by-exclusion, behind-the-back stuff that happens in middle and high school. She had enough pride to snap back at people if they insulted her to her face, which happened, but very infrequently, and people did learn quickly not to go at her directly because she would fight back. 2. She may have gone along with people who bullied other people, or taken sides in group/clique fights, but she wasn’t tormenting people in the hallway or taking their lunch money or anything. She was very sensitive and reactive in middle and high school, though, and could be a bit high strung. Viv wasn’t exactly the easiest person to deal with back then, but she has mellowed out considerably. 3. She’s never been physically attacked by a bully. She did kind of rough up some other kids as a young child, but it was mostly done out of a sense of rambunctious fun and not meanness, and she stopped when most people got bigger than her. But she does still feel bad about it. She feels that she was kind of a mean kid, which... she kind of was, but also wasn’t? It’s kind of weird. 4. Has she ever been doubted??? Uh... she has historically been dismissed about her concerns or complaints, which, for the most part, were valid and justifiable. She’s mentioned things to her parents before and been ignored, and unfortunately those things grew to be much bigger problems than they should have been. Viv fell through the cracks of her family for a long time, and she’s kind of got a chip on her shoulder about it. 5. Viv is surprisingly good with children and enjoys math as a subject, even if she sucks at actually doing it. She’s interested in a lot of activities and wants to learn a lot of practical things, like woodworking or knitting or how to fix her own car. Learning new things, however, is one area of her life where she is not particularly patient.

V: Vomit 1. She can, particularly if she eats something that doesn’t agree with her, or during a migraine, which she gets more often than she likes. 2. She doesn’t really get a lot of stomach aches per se, but she can get nauseous pretty easily. Motion sickness is one of her nausea triggers, especially in a moving car, which is why she prefers to be the driver the majority of the time, or at least ride shotgun. 3. Viv is a mother hen to the max. She will make you soup, tea, run to get you crackers or whatever it is you need, force medicine down your throat, you name it. It makes sense, because one of her strongest love languages is caretaking and acts of service. 4. When she’s ill, Viv generally likes hot tea, a dumb movie marathon, taking as many drugs as she can stand, but mostly she likes sleeping it off. She also finds hot baths to be very soothing, if not always helpful. 5. Viv can get indigestion so her stomach can gurgle because of all the acid, but she mostly retches and coughs when she vomits. It’s very intense, and it sounds awful. Dante thought she was legit dying when he heard her vomiting for the first time during a migraine, and absolutely flipped his shit when he saw how awful she was feeling. It’s horrible to hear.

W: Water 1. She tries to, and she’s always yammering about how important it is to stay hydrated, but she can slip up with this. She’s also constantly bitching about single-use plastic, so you won’t find any plastic water bottles in DMC, and if you somehow do, she didn’t put them there. 2. She does know how to swim, but she’s no competitive swimmer. She could probably keep herself afloat long enough to get back to the boat, as long as it wasn’t going too fast or wasn’t too far away, or for someone to rescue her, but if it’s long-term survival in the ocean that you’re talking about she’s kind of fucked. 3. She doesn’t really enjoy swimming per se, she enjoys being in water as long as it’s relatively safe. Viv is actually kind of afraid of deep and open water, because she’s also kind of afraid of drowning... or any kind of death by suffocation, really. 4. She’s an... okay diver at best. She’s never gone scuba diving or snorkeling, but she does think that doing so would be fun. Viv would also like to swim with sharks, because she likes sharks. Also alligators. 5. She’s not good at rationing her oxygen, which is something her brother--who was very good at swimming--tried to help her with. Her breath control needs work.

X: Xylophone 1. Viv likes indie music, rock music, and folk music in particular, but she’s not absolutely married to any single genre. She does not like stadium country, however, with only a few exceptions. Can roll with Dante’s metal, although she prefers symphonic metal herself. 2. She doesn’t have a single favorite song, but she does have a few long-lasting faves or songs that personally mean a lot to her. Viv will go through periods where she’ll be intensely into a few specific songs and listen to them ad nauseam, then move on to something else or have her interest in them die down. 3. She has a few fave bands and artists--Joanna Newsom, the Mountain Goats, the Decemberists, Led Zeppelin, Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, or whatever passes for them in the DMC world. 4. It’s not her talent, and she can only sing some songs well, but her voice won’t make your ears bleed. In the right circumstances it’s actually almost pretty. However, she is pretty good at piano and would like to learn guitar and cello. Again, Dante is happy to oblige, but they differ because he’s self-taught and Viv can read music... but they find a middle ground and jam together, though not without some Shenanigans. Zoe can play ukelele and guitar, and she and Viv used have some jam sessions. 5. This is one of her most closely-guarded secrets, but she does actually like some rap and hip-hop. One of her favorites comes on at a party? She’s spitting. Everyone is shocked.

#oc: genevieve #oc stuff #writeblr #my writing #i actually have no idea if dante is self-taught musician or not but i'm not sure how he would have taken guitar lessons as a kid #i'm so excited to get this done i'm forgetting things whew

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avaliveradio · 5 years

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9.9 New Music Monday

Explore some exciting new music from creators all over the world recently discovered by our host Jacqueline Jax as she searches the far corners of the globe for talented songwriters and music creators who are telling their truth to bring the listener a unique experience.

SUBSCRIBE to our broadcast here: www.wavve.link/avaliveradio

Listen to the show across all broadcasts: https://anchor.fm/ava-live-radio/episodes/9-2-New-Music-Monday-Release-Radar-with-Jacqueline-Jax-Mixed-Genre-Playlist-e56pi7

Anchor FM: https://anchor.fm/ava-live-radio Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/2toX0f3dPmI8gmUSOKZicx?si=TGb4QHaSRSu-JIcfWZ_WHQ

iHeartRadio station page : https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-AVA-Live-Radio-Musi-29336730/

FEATURING:

Artist: Chris Driver

New Release: Transparent Hearts

Genre: Folk-Country-Pop / Singer-Songwriter

Located in: Brighton, UK

'Transparent Hearts' is about my Dad. He passed when we were all in the room. It was one of the toughest and most powerful experiences I've ever had. The song references the process of grieving through to now and reminds us of the importance of remembering the good times and laughing about the amazing memories you have. We all have these memories to keep with us as a family.

He always encouraged me with all aspects of my love for music. He was an amazing guitarist, arranger, teacher and all-round musician. His overall knowledge of music from classical, jazz, blues, folk, opera, musicals, rock'n'roll, and pop was insane.

Music, love, and laughter can get you through the toughest of times, and make the best of times truly incredible.

So big man this one's for you. Thanks for the music, love, laughter, and the amazing memories x ❤️ x

Note from the artist: This song is the final release before the EP. This collection of songs captures the last 15 years of my life. A celebration of past and present and moving on.

Right now I am in the process of preparing the release of my first EP at the end of the year. This includes the three singles I have released already and an exclusive track. I am also in the process of writing for my new album.

LINKS: https://open.spotify.com/track/64SsViMuxgMLIfSHNyxjdO https://www.facebook.com/chrisdrivermusik https://www.instagram.com/chrisdrivermusic https://twitter.com/ChrisDriverMus1

Artist: Ryan Whooley

New Release: Same Dream

Genre: Rock / Alternative

Located in: New York, New York

This song is a commentary on the anxiety that many people share about the current state of events in the world and the way information is shared and abused these days.

"Mixing heartfelt singer/songwriter themes with driving grooves and thoughtful guitar playing, Ryan evokes hints of Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and The War on Drugs. Ryan writes songs that have a timeless, slightly haunted dimension and his voice and guitar playing are raw and so rich. Ryan completed his debut EP, Same Dream, in the Fall of 2019 after working on it at various spaces (and his apartment) around New York City." Right now I am planning an EP release show in New York City and writing songs for a full album.

LINKS: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/6fi5k2C2nCMsLqHnOFwnhG?si=qyNbDM32S9myeL-iSiJ6TQ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_whooley Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanWhooleyMusic

Artist: Fedras

New Release: Breathe

Genre: Indie Pop, Singer-songwriter

Located in: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Life gets overwhelming for everyone sometimes, "Breathe" is about finding that inner voice that simply tells you to take a step back and take a deep breath. “Breathe” celebrates life, the strength to live through tough and hard times and embracing the ray of hope. There is always sunshine after the rain, light after the dark, happiness after the pain and dark times. The Fedras music falls into the singer/songwriter and adult contemporary style.

We are currently in the process of recording the third track for our project and are working closely with our team on a few more tracks and are excited and looking forward to completing our first EP.

LINKS: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StefaniFedra Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afedra Twitter: @stefanifedra (Stefani Fedra) Twitter: @fedrasmusic (Alex Fedra) Instargram: https://www.instagram.com/stefanifedra YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMiDsxx5khLuONl8nWGmGvw Breathe YT video LINK: https://youtu.be/Jkc6SGj9uyQ SC: https://soundcloud.com/user-840470175/tracks

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2voZ6k25ZbWZyShwU4kTom Breathe: https://open.spotify.com/track/5NWMJXTJViRDY11mXLOkQD

Artist: ChinoTB3

New Release: O.N.E.S ft. Michael Christmas

Genre: Hip Hop

Located in: Boston, MA

Running with the pack isn’t easy, people change it up so much but this Hip Hop song is for my Homies and Day 1's who never change on supporting my grind. You’ll hear some cultural references and real talk about career focus. At the end of the day, you only want to slide with your Day 1’s.

This is my first Big Feature with a huge artist out of the Same City. Planning a New Project "The Hitlist" which will have some of Boston's biggest artists.

LINKS: http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1475441965?ls=1&app=itunes https://soundcloud.com/chino_tb3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ippi1gJ8dk https://open.spotify.com/track/05SvVJtwKwfbVlFpIqdMxm?si=POX4I88STOaha3cdcFlBFg

Artist: Cabela and Schmitt

New Release: Thankful

Genre: Alternative Rock

Located in: Colorado and Nebraska USA

Sounds like: 80's rock: The Smiths, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Chameleons

We are an inspirational classic rock alternative band. A trio of friends and collaborators of music from over 4 decades. THANKFUL is our expression of gratitude to all who have helped us recognize and utilize our abilities and reach higher levels of excellence.

The music we are creating is generally about life experiences and how we interpret the inspirations that wander into our heads at any given time.

Right now we are putting the final touches on our newest album DANCING SHOES to be released on October 1st. We will release singles from the album before that time. THANKFUL is the 2nd single release in this series.

LINKS: https://open.spotify.com/track/5ckT7zFeCNHZcLkcmj4mfw?si=Il2SD-2GRWOtUNwep1KRPQ http://www.cabelaandschmitt.com/index https://twitter.com/CabelaSchmitt https://www.facebook.com/cabelaschmittmusic https://www.instagram.com/cabelaandschmitt

Artist: Terra Nova

New Release: Be Who You Are

Genre: Classic Rock / AOR

Located in: Grubbenvorst, Netherlands

Too many people change their behavior the minute they are in the company of others. These are strange times we live in and our Instagram culture seems to promote a false sense of self. A lot is happening in the world and things are moving quickly so as the song says, ‘Be yourself, Be Who You Are!’

Terra Nova is a rock band from Grubbenvorst, Netherlands writing Classic Rock songs influenced by the iconic bands we grew up with.

Our Influences can be heard in our music. Listen for elements of Journey, Foreigner, Styx, Reo Speedwagon, Bon Jovi, Boston, and Van Halen.

Right now we are writing our 8th Terra Nova album. Follow us on Spotify to enjoy all the current music and to access the new releases once they are finished.

LINKS: https://open.spotify.com/track/5pjurk2MsURy3IfpcCv1fB?si=Sbuhc6ytSH6WX8edakD0Vg https://www.facebook.com/terranovapage

Artist: Dave Molter

New Release: Foolish Heart

Genre: Rock

Located in: Pittsburgh, PA USA

A contemporary rocker with amazing guitar work from Steve Dudas (original member of Ringo Starrs band The Roundheads), "Foolish Heart" features lyrics that anyone who has loved in vain can relate to.

After a 55-year career in music, "Foolish Heart" is the title track of his debut EP of the same name.

Dave's first full CD "Mid-Century Man" will be released in early 2020. The music is an assemblage of eclectic influences, everything from Tin Pan Alley to British Invasion, psychedelia, and pop.

LINKS: Reverbnation: https://www.reverbnation.com/davemolter/song/31091465-01-foolish-heart Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1TKrXQIkeko9qqgIa7ihms Twitter: molter_Dave Facebook: www.facebook.com/davemoltermusic Instagram: dave_molter_music Website: www.davemoltermusic.com Follow our Playlist for even more New Music discoveries

Release Radar New Music Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2JOBcgSYgGmV2g27N1CUXx?si=tQ2p_FZ9RDqqaF3Y8fC4gw

Now Broadcasting Across all channels:

Radio Public: https://radiopublic.com/ava-live-radio-music-6913mD

Overcast Fm: https://overcast.fm/itunes1307621014/a-v-a-live-radio-music

Pocket Casts: http://pca.st/0Skw

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/a-v-a-live-radio-music-marketing/id1307621014

Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Ixl4ww7zxmhv2mfymrzj3abikja

Apple CarPlay: https://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/

Android Auto : https://www.android.com/auto/

Podbean: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/5x3w7-61273/A.V.A-Live-Radio-Music-Podcast

Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/ava-live-radio-music-marketing

Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/a-v-a-live-radio-music-marketing/id1307621014

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xNmUxNWY4L3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz

#Dave Molter #Terra Nova #Cabela and Schmitt #ChinoTB3 #Fedras #Ryan Whooley #Chris Driver

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ictoldskool · 6 years

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Favorite Music of 2017

Happy New Years everybody!

After living under a rock for the last two years I was able to escape the confines of nursing school and I made a concerted effort to dive into my musical love with a vengeance. I was lucky enough to see Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar, Bonobo, Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, Thrice, and Circa Survive in what was one of my most successful live music years in ages. I’ve once again compiled a list of my favorite music of the last year in the hopes you discover a few gems you may have missed out on. Let me know any recommendations of your own as I’m clearly missing so much and I love to know what you enjoyed from 2017. I look forward to another fruitful year in music in 2018 and hope the same for you as well, cheers!

Apple Music Playlist Of My Favorite Music of 2017

25) Iman Omari - Ihy

Los Angeles native Omari has already collaborated with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Ty Dolla $ign, and Mac Miller and continues to push his trademark sound through his latest release. Neo-R&B, trip hop, soul with plenty of sampling, it’s difficult to explain this album (which is a good thing). The result is at times hypnotic like the track 'Heaven', or one of the best chill/hang out tracks to play with friends 'Move Too Fast'. The perfect album to listen to on a lazy day still in bed with some headphones.

Listen to 'Move Too Fast (feat. Anna Wise)'.

24) Fleet Foxes - Crack-Up

Robin Pecknold and company return after a six-year absence with an expansive soundscape full of intricate and ambitious layering. There’s so much going on and you can tell every spacious and reverb-soaked piece has been painstakingly assembled. It’ll take some patience and multiple listens to peel back the layers, but discovering another little nuanced gem you hadn’t noticed before is one the the great things about this gorgeous album.

Listen to 'Cassius, -'.

23) Oddisee - The Iceberg

It’s refreshing to have Amir Mohamed (aka Oddisee) help navigate the angst of the political and socially charged climate of this last year. The prolific artist uses his blend of hip hop, funk, and soul with his insightful commentary on oppression and injustice to the forefront while still reflecting on his personal struggles and dreams. While he demonstrates a sense of pessimism with the turn of events, this album still pushes forward with hope and optimism for better days to come.

Listen to 'Like Really'.

22) The Life and Times - The Life and Times

The pride of Kansas City, this three piece delivers loud and spacey post-rock akin to Jawbox, Failure and Cave In (Antenna-era). Heavy guitar-driven hooks with booming drums, its loud and gets the job done.

Listen to 'Dear Linda'.

21) Fyfe - The Space Between

Paul Dixon always finds ways to fuze together electronic sampling, great keys, and guitar work with his trademark falsetto to create another pop masterpiece. Dixon also develops some sweeping darker tones reminiscent of James Blake but always knows when to rein it in with subtleness, maintaining his unique and impressive sound.

Listen to 'Cold Air'.

20) Sannhet - So Numb

Hailing from Brooklyn, this three piece has come back with a vengeance after 2015′s amazing release Revisionist. Instrumental post/black-metal, think of Deafheaven and Jakob with some Red Sparowes sprinkled in for good measure. It’s sweeping, heaving, and builds up to epic crescendos. Damn, what I would give to see these guys live.

Listen to 'Way Out'.

19) Bonobo - Migration

UK producer Simon Green takes us on a trip around the world incorporating many global sounds in a more accessible and nuanced release. I was lucky enough to see Bonobo at the Granada in Lawrence earlier this year and was surprised how blown away I was by the live set list based primarily on this album. It’s a great change of pace album and rewarding with every listen.

Listen to 'Kerala'.

18) Julien Baker - Turn Out the Lights

Ooh wee, a stripped down set up of a guitar and keys is all this singer/songwriter needs to deliver an emotional tour de force. Baker manages to bring me to my knees once again as a follow-up to the superb Sprained Ankle. It’s a soul crushingly beautiful and intimate journey, I’m excited to see how this young artist continues to grow and develop her amazing sound.

Listen to 'Turn Out the Lights'.

17) Laura Marling - Semper Femina

It’s crazy to think that it’s been ten years since Marling released her debut Alas, I Cannot Swim as a teenager and now on her sixth solidifies why she is one of my favorite singer/songwriters. Marling’s commanding voice and blend of folk, understated electric guitar, or sweeping orchestral set pieces create an intimate ambience and great ear candy. Listen with headphones and you get a great sense of the spacing and interactions of all the instrumentation used throughout.

Listen to 'Wild Fire'.

16) Tyler, The Creator - Flower Boy

Holy shit, I was pleasantly surprised by the direction Tyler headed for with Flower Boy. It’s definitely a more nuanced and less abrasive approach to the always thoughtful hip hop artist. The album doesn’t lack from an ensemble supporting cast and some of my favorite sampling/beats that Tyler has introduced. Don’t sleep on this album, one of the best rap releases of the year.

Listen to '911/Mr. Lonely (feat. Frank Ocean and Steve Lacy)'.

15) Glassjaw - Material Control

No, you’re not tripping balls or huffed too much spray paint, Glassjaw really did finally release a new album. It’s been a long 15 years since Worship and Tribute but Daryl Palumbo and Justin Beck didn’t skip a beat with this punishing behemoth of distortion, feedback, noise and groove laden riffs. It’s a worthy successor and a breath of fresh air to have one of my favorite bands from high school return to kick the shit out of my eardrums. Abso-fucking-lutely worth the wait.

Listen to 'cut and run'. The 01:24 mark is pure sonic bliss and make me want to run through a brick wall, so fucking good.

14) Spotlights - Seismic

If you were a fool and didn’t listen to Spotlight’s last album Tidals, go do that then check out this new beauty. Seismic delivers a wall of epic drone-metal with plenty of atmosphere and refreshing melody to keep it dynamic and engaging. If you’re a fan of Deftones, Panopticon era Isis, and Cave In you are in for a treat.

Listen to 'What Is This? Where Are You?'.

13) Cloakroom - Time Well

Ok, if you listened to some Spotlights as I mentioned above and you’re thinking what if there was something with a similar doom-metal sound but was also part shoegazing and emo? Well you hit the sonic lottery, my friend. The new Cloakroom creates a perfect harmony of the three to create a hauntingly loud, sad, and overwhelming experience. They also add in the acoustic track 'The Sun Won’t Let Us Go' to change things up, and goddamn is it a soul crusher in the best possible way.

Listen to 'Big World'.

12) Less Art - Strangled Light

This one is one of my dream team lineups that somehow just came into existence to my delight. Ian Miller and Jon Howell of Kowloon Walled City, the Breckenridge brothers of Thrice, and Mike Minnick of Curl Up & Die unleash an aggressive and biting post-hardcore juggernaut. It’s incredibly tight and replaces the measured and patient approach heard on Kowloon’s albums with a sense of urgency and desperation. Heavy music fans, this is a must listen.

Listen to 'Pessimism as Denial'.

11) Pile - A Hairshirt of Purpose

I’m a pretty big dummy for sleeping on this band for so long but I’ve remedied that by checking out A Hairshirt of Purpose. It’s a weird kind of post-punk, taking one on a tour of sonic peaks and valleys through loud aggressive pieces while juxtaposing it with mellow detours. I hear influences from Neutral Milk Hotel, Stnng, and Q and Not U. It’s all over the place, but that works to disarm the listener and blow them away with some amazing build-ups that pay off beautifully.

Listen to 'Leaning On a Wheel'.

10) Turnover - Good Nature

Turnover’s last album, Peripheral Vision, was one of my favorite albums of 2015 so expectations were pretty high for Good Nature and it didn’t disappoint. Clean, catchy, and dreamy pop-laden riffs along with Austin Getz’s warm vocals make this the perfect album to listen to while road tripping in the summer with the windows down.

Listen to 'Breeze'.

9) Mogwai - Every Country’s Sun

Mogwai return with a proper album release following last year’s documentary score to Atomic. This new album strips a lot of the vocals and electronics (especially in the second half) to deliver a more grungy, loud, and distorted edge reminiscent of their early works. They sound rejuvenated and I was lucky enough to watch them live in Omaha in November. It was an overwhelming experience and further cemented Mogwai as one of the three or four most important and influential bands in my life. Stewart Braithwaite and company deliver another solid addition to their storied musical cannon.

Listen to 'Old Poisons'.

8) Circa Survive - The Amulet

Hot damn, there’s something about Circa that keeps these guys getting better and better with each new release. They just seem to play even tighter and the effects-driven guitar interplay between Ekstrom and Frangicetto on tracks like 'Tunnel Vision', 'Stay', and the chorus of 'The Amulet' is so fucking satisfying to listen to. I was able to catch Circa on tour with Thrice in December at the Uptown in KC and they once again slayed it.

Listen to ‘The Amulet’.

7) Hundredth - RARE

Hundredth is an example of when a band completely changes its sound and musical identity and knocks it out of the fucking park. Previously a melodic hardcore band, their last release Rare would make it impossible to guess this was the same band. In it’s stead you get a shoe-gaze style post-punk vibe that still has a great driving drum attack keeping most tracks punchy and aggressive. Chadwick Johnson trades in screams for a Jeremy Enigk vocal style that makes this one of the more surprising and fantastic additions to my year end list.

Listen to ‘Neurotic’.

6) Willow - The 1st

Who would’ve thought Will Smith’s 17 year old daughter would’ve been one of my top recommendations of this last year? Mixing alternative-rock, grunge, and impressive acoustic guitar work with hypnotic and commanding vocals; Willow further establishes herself as a singer/songwriting force to be reckoned with.

Listen to ‘Israel’.

5) Frequency Eater - Finite States

Hailing from Belgium, Owen Swerts created a monster of an album. It’s instrumental mathy post-metal akin to Cloudkicker, Animals As Leaders, and Scale the Summit. It’s loud, complex, and everything I love about heavy music.

Listen to ‘End All, Be All’.

4) David Bazan - Care

David Bazan has always been able to pierce my soul with his masterful lyricism and storytelling abilities. The minimalist electronic backdrop through which his vocals are delivered make for an impactful and beautiful dichotomy. I already bought my tickets to see Pedro the Lion in February, a great way to bring in the new year by seeing my favorite singer/songwriter of all time.

Listen to ‘Lazerbeams’.

3) Elder - Reflections of a Floating World

The sunnava bitches from Elder have done it again, proggy stoner-rock or whatever you want to call it, just make sure you add masterpiece at the end. There’s riffs on riffs and sick-ass licks and hooks for days. Vocals sound like some sweet metal band from the 70′s and the album clocks in at over an hour with just six songs. The songs are epic in scale and there’s so much crammed in but they do an incredible job with pacing, you won’t get bored listening to one of their 13 minute long songs. Each song is an incredible feat of engineering, there’s at least two or three instances per song that are head-banging moments of the year. And goddamn flutes, yes, flutes in there, too. This is the shit you play while riding your flaming ship straight to the halls of Valhalla.

Listen to ‘The Falling Veil’.

2) Sampha - Process

After collaborations with the likes of SBTRKT, Solange, Frank Ocean, Drake, and Kanye West; British artist Sampha Sisay released his own debut back in February and it’s been in heavy rotation ever since. Sampha creates a lush electro-R&B soundscape for each track on the album and demonstrates masterful use of his vocals by breaking his falsetto with heavy breathing on tracks like “Blood On Me” to convey a sense of desperation and paranoia I haven’t felt since At The Drive-In’s ‘Metronome Arthritis’. Then you have the raw and stripped tracks ‘(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano’ and ‘Take Me Inside’ featuring just vocals and piano that are just fucking gorgeous. It’s in the upper echelons of emotional masterpieces with the likes of Blonde, A Moon Shaped Pool, and Early Riser; this album is timeless and will be a regular staple in my rotation for a very long time.

Listen here.

1) Kendrick Lamar - Damn.

Who would’ve guessed that my top pick goes to Kung Fu Kenny, aka Black Turtle on his quest for the Glow? The fury unleashed by Kendrick during the bass drop in ‘DNA.’ is my favorite musical moment of 2017 hands down. This translated to a religious experience when I got to see Kendrick live in KC last summer where tracks like ‘GOD.’ and ‘FEEL.’ left me floored and contemplating how can someone be that good at anything.

To go along with all the conspiracy theories regarding the release of DAMN., the one that came true was the fact that Kendrick intended for the listener to play the album backwards as he released the Collector’s Edition that has the track listing in reverse. It’s mind blowing how well starting with ‘DUCKWORTH.’ (which is also one of my favorite closing tracks of all time) works well as an intro to this musical experience. As Kendrick explained an in interview, “It plays as a full story and even a better rhythm. It’s one of my favorite rhythms and tempos within the album. It’s something that we definitely premeditate while we’re in the studio. I don’t think the story necessarily changes, I think the feel changes. The initial vibe listening from the top all the way to the bottom is ... this aggression and this attitude. You know, ‘DNA,’ and exposing who I really am. You listen from the back end, and it’s almost the duality and the contrast of the intricate Kendrick Lamar. Both of these pieces are who I am.”

I can’t think of an artist that’s been on such a creative streak that’s on a near mythical status at this point, but at the same time it’s really not that surprising coming from the greatest rapper of our generation.

Listen to ‘Element’.

Honorable Mentions

Code Orange - Forever

Vince Staples - Big Fish Theory

Death From Above - Outrage! Is Now

Quicksand - Interiors

Mutoid Man - War Moans

Slowdive - Slowdive

Converge - The Dusk In Us

Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile To The Surface

The War on Drugs - A Deeper Understanding

Amber Coffman - City of no Reply

Toro y Moi- Boo Boo

Wren - Auburn Rule

Phoenix - Ti Amo

Kelela - Take Me Apart

Zola Jesus - Okovi

Singles Too Good Not To Mention

Frank Ocean - ‘Biking (Solo)’

InTechnicolour - ‘Doomer’

dijon - ‘Violence)’

Charlotte Day WIlson - ‘Doubt’

#music #end of year lists #recommendations

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