Monthly Mix: The Playlist, December 2011

     As the last Playlist of the year rolls in, it's nice to take a step back and think about all the joyous tunes that came to us in 2011. There seemed to be a shift in indie rock, from beards & strings to sunglasses & synths. December was no different, and the tone of the music really held ground. The month started out with the return of LA rockers Silversun Pickups. Their track "Seasick" is a haunting, eerie piece of mellow rock that makes for a great way to kick things off. The rest of the mix plays out smoothly, with familiar big name acts like the Black Keys and Foster The People making return appearances. Colorado husband-wife duo Tennis debuted a new tune "Origins" which will appear on their next album Young & Old, scheduled for February. All in all, we were impressed with this months offerings as they bounced off the Christmas lights and made us bob our heads. It was indeed a fitting end to a banner year in the alternative music world.


December 2011 Playlist


1.  Silversun Pickups - Seasick

2.  Pontiak - Lions Of Least

3.  Foster The People - Call It What You Want

4.  The Black Keys - Gold On The Ceiling

5.  Bombay Bicycle Club - Lights Out Words Gone

6.  Tennis - Origins

7.  Grouplove - Tongue Tied

8.  Snakadaktal - Air

9.  ASAP Rocky - Peso

10.  The Parlor Mob - Into The Sun

11.  Cloud Nothings - Stay Useless

12.  Miike Snow - Devil's Work

IN THE BONUS:
The Top 5 Tracks of the Year:


5. M83 - Midnight City
4. Neon Indian - Polish Girl
3. The Black Keys - Gold On The Ceiling
2. Toro Y Moi - Still Sound
1. Social Distortion - Diamond In The Rough

There you have it folks, 2011 is in the books. We're looking forward to a huge 2012.


Check in every month for the latest in alternative/indie music.


For more, follow Steve Ferris on twitter @s_ferris.  

Best Albums of 2011

    This year brought us a lot of quality music from all over the musical landscape.  We started out with an influx of indie rock and chillwave that made even the metalheads feel all bubbly inside.  As the year matured, radio rockers and mellow synth-pop seemed to come to the forefront.  2011 was a great time for up-and-coming bands, as well as established alternative rock staples.  After sifting through the pile of albums we've acquired over the months, it was hard to narrow it down to only 10.  Here is a look at some of the best albums of the year.


Best Albums of 2011


10. Washed Out - Within and Without

9. My Morning Jacket - Circuital

8. Foster the People - Torches

7. Radiohead - The King of Limbs

6. TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light

5. Rubblebucket - Omega La La

     Brooklyn indie-dance band Rubblebucket made a huge splash in 2011. The band seeked Eric Broucek (LCD Soundsystem) for production on their latest release Omega La La.  Their album-supporting tour garnered the attention of the jamband scene, making stops at Gathering of the Vibes, North Coast, and moe.down.  With peppy dance numbers such as "Worker," and "Silly Fathers," it looks like these indie-jammers are here to stay.

4. Toro Y Moi - Underneath the Pine

    It is safe to say that Chaz Bundick is still the undisputed king of chillwave after his 2011 Underneath the Pine release.  The Toro Y Moi frontman weaves in and out of synth bliss on this sophomore studio effort.  Danceable tracks like "New Beat" and "Still Sound" mix perfectly with the mellowness of "How I Know" and "Go With You."  The band's EP Freaking Out is also worth a listen.

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - It's A Corporate World

     Other than Foster the People, perhaps nobody made a bigger splash in 2011 than Detroit's Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.  The indie-pop duo dropped their first album It's A Corporate World in June and has been catching the ears of the music world.  With catchy tracks galore such as "Morning Thought," "An Ugly Person On A Movie Screen," and "We Almost Lost Detroit," this record has one of the freshest sounds of the year.

2. The Black Keys - El Camino

     How do you follow up the 4-time Grammy nominated Brothers if you're The Black Keys?  Drop an equally as impressive album one year later, that's how.  Their newest effort is jam-packed with radio goodness and rock chops for days.  A raunchy dance party from the opening "Lonley Boy" all the way to the closing "Mind Eraser."  El Camino finds the 'Keys at the peak of their songwriting and brings back a rock-n-roll swagger to the music world.

1. Portugal. The Man - In The Mountain In The Cloud

     Portland Oregon's psychedelic rock outfit Portugal. The Man continues to pump out amazing record after record.  This year was no exception as In The Mountain In The Cloud blends a seemingly perfect mix of rock and pop into one masterful piece of ear candy.  From the opening chords of "So American," to the psychedelic "Sleep Forever," there isn't a dull moment on the album. Defying genres has never been a problem for these indie rockers, look for them at a festival near you next year.

Other albums of note this year (Honorable Mentions):
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Gauntlet Hair - Gauntlet Hair
New Mastersounds - Breaks From the Border
M83 - Hurry Up We're Dreaming
The Antlers - Burst Apart
Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
The Horrors - Skying

There you have it folks, Feerock's World Best Albums of 2011.  Agree, disagree? Feel free to leave your comments.


Check in later this month for the December Playlist.


For more of the latest music out there follow Steve Ferris on twitter @s_ferris.

Monthly Mix: The Playlist, November 2011

     In a word, the vibe for the month of November can be described as "mild."  We were treated to some enjoyable weather which made it easy to soak up the mix of tunes that came down the recent pipe.  The beginning of the month featured Ohio rockers The Black Keys releasing the first single "Lonely Boy" from their upcoming El Camino (out 12/6). Not to mention the reemergence of indie songwriter, and former Soul Coughing frontman, Mike Doughty back in action and getting consistent college radio play with his track "Na Na Nothing."  The rest of the cuts that came in followed the trend this year (or so it seems) exploring shoe-gaze pop, and psych-rock themes.  The November mix cannot compete with the gems of the summer, but there is nothing wrong with that.  It is fairly mild, and hey, we're fine with that.


November 2011 Playlist


1. The Black Keys - Lonely Boy

2. Mike Doughty - Na Na Nothing

3. Washed Out - Call It Off

4. The Big Pink - Hit The Ground (Superman)

5. Fort Lean - Beach Holiday

6. Rare Monk - Shoot Me Down

7. InkShips - Cassettes

8. Swimming - Neutron Wireless Crystal

9. The Big Sleep - Ace

10. Tycho - A Walk

Check in every month for fresh new tracks. Stay tuned for "Feerock's World: Best Albums of 2011."


Like the music on this month's Playlist? Agree, disagree? Feel free to leave your comments! 


For more of the latest music out there, follow Steve Ferris on twitter @s_ferris

Monthly Mix: The Playlist, October 2011

   The landscape in the fall is often one of great beauty. Although underneath we all know change is not far in the future. As the weather and tone shift toward the dark days, the music tends to follow suit. This year was no exception as an erie array of echoes and synth mash-ups came to the forefront. Ranging from experimental duo Gauntlet Hair dropping their first studio album, to appearances by Radiohead on SNL and The Colbert Report, the alternative music world was not forgotten.


October 2011 Playlist


1.  Gauntlet Hair - Keep Time

2.  Mutemath - Blood Pressure

3.  Phantogram - Don't Move

4.  M83 - Midnight City

5.  Ricky Eat Acid - Only Girl

6.  Chevelle - Face To The Floor

7.  Radiohead - Staircase

8.  Feist - How Come You Never Go There

9.  The Ting Tings - Hang It Up

10.  Outfit - Two Islands

11.  Toro Y Moi - I Can Get Love

12.  Portugal. The Man - Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujahs)

Check in every month for fresh music tracks.


Follow Steve Ferris on twitter @s_ferris

Monthly Mix: September Music Picks

     The last days of summer blending in with the first colorful days of autumn produced a quality amount of cuts spanning from different realms of the music world. As the days grew colder, some darker themes emerged and made for a healthy mix alongside the friendly dance grooves. Although the September Playlist may not stand up against the rest of the year, there are still enough choice tracks that shouldn't get overlooked.


September 2011 Playlist


1. Purity Ring - Belispeak
2. Absofacto - Feathers (Don't Change Me)
3. Miami Horror - Holidays

4. Toro Y Moi - All Alone
5. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Monarchy of Roses
6. City and Colour - Fragile Bird

7. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - We Almost Lost Detroit

8. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Yellow Missing Signs
9. DOM - Things Change

10. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Ffunny Ffrends
11. The Antlers - Parentheses
12. Air France - It Feels Good To Be Around You

Check in for fresh new tunes every month.


Follow Steve Ferris on twitter @s_ferris

New Music: The Playlist, August 2011

     The fresh music keeps rolling along. Like in years past, August provided us with a healthy amount of indie-rock to satisfy all of our needs. Light synthy numbers, as well as some mainstream radio favorites, found their way onto the latest edition of the Playlist.

1. The Airborne Toxic Event - Changing

2. The Joy Formidable - Whirring

3. Carousels - Here To Me

4. Future Islands - Balance

5. Vetiver - Wonder Why

6. Deerhoof - Super Duper Rescue Heads

7. Mother Mother - Baby Don't Dance

8. Scattered Trees - Four Days Straight

9. Twin Sister - Gene Ciampi

10. Kites With Lights - Cosmonauts

11. Woodsman - In Circles

12. The Horrors - Moving Further Away

Look for fresh new songs every month.

Follow Steve Ferris on twitter @s_ferris 

Hot Tracks: Summer Playlist, Part 2

     The second leg of the summer features a sizzling array of synth-pop, alt-rock, as well as some pop gems to keep the beats going all night long.  Here are a couple more tunes to round out this year's Summer Playlist.


1. Boy + Kite - Think in Stereo:  Go Fly, out 7/26


2. Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie:  I'm With You, out 8/30


3. Portugal. The Man - All Your Light (Times Like These):  In the Mountain, In the Cloud, out 7/19

Portugal. the Man has been invited to Hangout, Lollapalooza , and Langerado this summer. 

4. Rubblebucket - Worker:  Omega La La, out 6/7 

5. Neon Indian - Polish Girl:  Era Extana, out 9/13

6. Katy Perry - E.T. (feat. Kanye West):  Teenage Dream, out 8/24/10

7. Bush - The Sound of Winter:  The Sea of Memories, out 9/13

8. Jane's Addiction - Irresistible Force:  The Great Escape Artist, out 9/27

9. Gauntlet Hair - Top Bunk:  Gauntlet Hair, out 10/18

Denver indie rockers Gauntlet Hair drop their self/titled album of dance-pop in October.

10. Bjork - Crystalline:  Biophilia, out 9/27

11. LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem:  Sorry for Party Rocking, out 6/21

12. Bombay Bicycle Club - Shuffle:  A Different Kind of Fix, out 8/29

13. Wooden Shjips - Lazy Bones:  West, out 8/15

14. Sun Airway - Wild Palms:  Wild Palms 7", out 7/19

15. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Otis:  Watch the Throne, out 8/8

The Autumn Playlist will be out in a couple weeks with fresh songs as always...

Follow Steve Ferris on twitter @s_ferris

Fresh Meat: NFL's Impact Rookies

     With the lockout finally over, it's nice to be able to start looking towards the start of the 2011-2012 NFL Football season. As always, there already has been a plethora of cuts and trades. Sometimes adding just the right pieces can vault a team from a midlevel competitor to a title contender. Aside from adding free-agents and making trades, teams can also elevate their status by looking to their newly drafted rookies to come in and make an immediate impact. The NFL draft was once again loaded with talent this year, here are some of the players that will step right in and start contributing right away on Sundays.


15. Christian Ponder, QB - MIN: Even though Leslie Frazier brought in Donovan McNabb to be the starter, Ponder is waiting in the wings and has a proven history of working his way into a starting role.


14. Aldon Smith, LB - SF: The 49ers grabbed a pass-rushing specialist who will pair quite nicely with Patrick Willis. Smith should be with the first team right away and looks to stock-pile stats all year.


13. Mikel Leshoure, RB - DET: A solid draft this year for the Lions, this pick upgrades their running back depth. Leshoure has great pass catching abilities and should be a factor in Detroit's screen game.


12. Cam Newton, QB - CAR: Drafting a quarterback at #1 is always a gamble. More often than not they haven't lived up to expectations. Newton will get thrown into the fire early, we'll see if his college game can transfer to the pros.


11. Jimmy Smith, CB - BAL: Smith is a true shutdown corner and will fit nicely into John Harbaugh's scheme. Interceptions and tackles are commonplace for Smith, who will start from day one.

Jimmy Smith will be in the hunt for defensive rookie of the year.

10. Leonard Hankerson, WR - WAS: By default, Hankerson will be the 'Skins #1 or #2 receiver heading into the season. A good combination of speed and good hands will make it easy for him to fit right in.


9. Greg Little, WR - CLE: Colt McCoy now has a great all-around weapon in Little.  Expected to start right away, he has great hands and his run-after-catch abilities are the best of this year's WR draft bunch.


8. Ryan Williams, RB - AZ: Williams could be the best back of the draft class. Huge upside and figures to challenge for the starting role from day one.  He will get a ton of carries for Ken Whisenhunt this season.


7. Patrick Peterson, CB - AZ: Another Cardinal who will be having an impact off the bat.  Peterson has excellent size and speed and figures to be a major threat on kick returns as well.


6. A.J. Green, WR - CIN: Out with the old, in with the new in Cincinnati. Green will give the Bengals a top-notch redzone target and field stretcher all in one. The best WR in the draft, look for him to put up big numbers.

A.J. Green will be scaring defenses all season long for Cincinnati.

5. Daniel Thomas, RB - MIA: Had this come out last week, Thomas would have been higher on this list. The addition of Reggie Bush will take down some of his carries, but Thomas is a workhorse back and will share the load for Miami this year.


4. Von Miller, LB - DEN: A speedy pass-rusher who will be terrorizing QB's all year in the AFC West. He will have no problem fitting into the Broncos 4-3. Miller is a tackling machine and will be counted on to jumpstart Denver's defense.


3. Julio Jones, WR - ATL: Jones already has all the pro tools. He will be reaping the benefits of Roddy White's double-teams and Matt Ryan's accurate arm all season long. A perfect fit for Atlanta, Jones will have no problems adjusting to the pro game. 


2. Nick Fairley, DT - DET: Pairing him up with Suh is almost unfair to opposing offenses. Fariley will step in right away for Jim Schwartz and will be a premier pass-rusher from day one. Look for him to rack up tackles and sacks all season long.


1. Mark Ingram, RB - NO: The Saints have a thing for drafting Heisman running backs. Ingram, who runs a lot like Emmitt Smith, will now be the feature back in New Orleans and has the size and durability to put up numbers all year. With the addition of Ingram, the Saints may have the piece they need to get back to the Super Bowl.

Mark Ingram plans to run amuck on the NFC South this year.

Next week, Feerock's Preseason Power Rankings will be unveiled...


Follow Steve Ferris on twitter @s_ferris

Hot Tracks: Feerock's Summer Playlist, Part 1

     So far the summer has given us a wave of radio-friendly rock as well as a barrage of indie tunes to keep our ipods busy on all these hot nights. After sifting through many quality cuts, only 20 were selected for the first installment. Without further ado, here are some of the summer's hottest songs:


1. Black Keys - Howlin' For You
2. Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks
3. 1, 2, 3 - Riding Coach
4. Gomez - Options

5. The Naked & Famous - Young Blood
6. 311 - Sunset in July
7. Social Distortion - Diamond in the Rough
8. My Morning Jacket - Holding on to Black Metal
9. Young the Giant - My Body
10. Arctic Monkeys - Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair
11. Incubus - Surface to Air
12. Blueprint - So Alive
13. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jr. - An Ugly Person On a Movie Screen
14. Toro Y Moi - Saturday Love
15. Washed Out - Eyes Be Closed

16. YACHT - Dystopia
17. Butcher The Bar - Bobby
18. Pepper Rabbit - Murder Room
19. Bibio - All Their Sisters
20. Cassettes Won't Listen - Night Shines


Stay tuned for Part 2, featuring new cuts from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Portugal. The Man, and more...


Follow Steve Ferris on twitter @s_ferris

My First Blog: Sweet Blahg, Brah.

so yeah, i finally caved-in and started up a blog. not sure which direction this place is going to go, but i'm thinking mostly music reviews, music playlists, sports takes, and maybe some pop-culture references. i know, sweet blahg, right?  -fee.