Monthly Mix: The Playlist, January 2012

     Welcome back, friends. Another year of music is upon us and the early offerings were pleasantly soaked up with headphones under our stocking caps. The first month of the year brought us a few wintery gems spanning from radio favorites to laid back indie-pop melodies. It started off with Jane's Addiction releasing their second single off of The Great Escape Artist, the massive "Underground" which finds Perry Farrell back at the top of his game. Jam-rockers moe. delivered the alt-country thrasher "Downward Facing Dog", a tune off their brand new What Happened to the La Las where the band shows off their impressive slide-guitar skills. This month also featured the return of James Mercer's indie-rock outfit The Shins. They are back in action with the first single off their upcoming Port of Morrow entitled "Simple Song." If this is just a taste of what's to come this year, it looks like we are in luck as the alternative music world spins into a new year.


January 2012 Playlist


1. Jane's Addiction - Underground

2. The Naked And Famous - Punching In A Dream

3. moe. - Downward Facing Dog

4. The Black Atlantic - An Archer, A Dancer

5. Plants and Animals - Lightshow

6. The Shins - Simple Song

7. POLICA - Lay Your Cards Out

8. Nada Surf - Waiting For Something

9. White Rabbits - Heavy Metal

10. The War On Drugs - Don't Fear The Ghost

11. Radiohead - The Daily Mail

12. Airbird - We Used To

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


For more, follow Steve Ferris on twitter: @s_ferris.

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