Weezer @ Bumbershoot, Seattle, 9/5/2010

First, a VK announcement:

I'm still a bit overwhelmed from the 3-day musicfest here in Seattle, and have many more awesome concerts on deck in the next month. Reviews will trickle out as my brain sees fit.

Upcoming reviews:
Joanna Newsom,
Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes),
The XX,
Sufjan Stevens,
Vampire Weekend,
Ra Ra Riot,
The Decemberists,
Neko Case,
Bob Dylan,
Plants & Animals,
The Flaming Lips,
Neutral Uke Hotel
Broken Social Scene

ONTO WEEZER!

=W=

I mean, I could spit vague platitudes like "it was so awesome" but I'm gonna let the Setlist say that for me:

Epic Intro
Hash Pipe
Troublemaker
Undone - The Sweater Song
Surf Wax America
Memories
Perfect Situation
Dope Nose
Say It Ain't So
Brian's Theme
Island in the Sun
El Scorcho
My Name Is Jonas
Beverly Hills
--
Hot for Teacher (Van Halen cover)
Pork and Beans
Kids (MGMT cover)
Poker Face (Lady Gaga cover)
--
(If You're Wondering If I Want You to) I Want You To
Buddy Holly

Rivers Cuomo, adorably gymnastic, spent much of the set climbing the stage like a jungle gym and just giving it all to the enormous, grateful crowd. He donned an appropriately blond wig for the Lady Gaga cover. The band was at the top of their game, and took some liberties with songs.

Recent covers aside, this could have been a show from a time machine... imagined by someone who idolized early 90's Seattle as a place of grungy, devil-may-care, flannel-bedecked crowd surfers. Weezer's set followed Hole, for Chrissakes, and an chilly late summer evening under the Space Needle added to the ambiance that it really could have been 1994.

...I mean, did I mention the crowd surfers? And Moshing? (seriously, who's moshing at a Weezer show. Get with the times).

Top albums & songs of 2009 (June edition)

Here's a rundown on my year in music:

Best/favorite albums:

Mountain Goats - The Life of the World to Come
Philippians 3:20-21.mp3


A.C. Newman - Get Guilty
Falling Over.mp3


Andrew Bird - Noble Beast/Useless Creatures (Deluxe Edition)
You Woke Me Up!.mp3


Flaming Lips - Embryonic
The Sparrow Looks Up At The Machine.mp3


Various Artists - Weezer: The 8-bit Album
OxygenStar - In the Garage.mp3


Islands - Vapours
Disarming the Car Bomb.mp3


Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster
Teeth.mp3


Morrissey - Years of Refusal
Morrissey - I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris.mp3


Sufjan Stevens - The BQE
.mp3


The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Higher Than The Stars EP
.mp3

Perhaps no surprises here, but it's been such a busy year for me that I've barely had time for my ears to catch much more than this.

Contestants for the Annual "Sincey" Award:
Jeremih - Birthday Sex.m4a
Lily Allen - 22.mp3
Soulja Boy - Gucci Bandanna.mp3
Shakira - Loba.mp3
Spanish versions are ALWAYS better than the English versions.

"Party in the U.S.A." will instead be represented in the category of "best mash-ups of 2009":
Hathbanger - Party and Bullshit (In the USA) (Notorious B.I.G. vs. Miley Cyrus).mp3
Tor - I Like The Tallest Man (Grad Puba vs. Sufjan Stevens).mp3

Excited for upcoming:
Peter Peter Hughes' "Fangio, Juan Fangio" album
Sufjan's new album to be out "early next year." (Nope, not a state album!)
Whatever Jens Lekman can do with two turntables and a microphone

Keeping with the theme of cover albums

Though this came out in July, I am ashamed to admit, dearest readers, I did not know it existed until just this morning. It is absolutely incredible, and it is now your imperative mission to download this FREE album in its entirety.

Here's a link to the page! Go nuts!!
Weezer: the 8-bit cover album

That's right, it's a compilation of your favorite Weezer tracks. Covered by great, unknown artists. Who only work in the same musical format as your favorite old-skool Nintendo soundtracks.

My favorite:
Bit Shifter - The World Has Turned And Left Me Here.mp3

It'll get you dancing for sure, and keep an ear open for the "Wave of Mutilation" lyrics thrown in as well. EPIC WIN!

June's Top Songs of 2008, pt. I

My favorite songs released this year, in no order:

Cut Copy - So Haunted.m4a
buy In Ghost Colours
Addictive and hypnotizing.

Coldplay - Lost!.m4a
buy Viva La Vida
An enthusiastic backbone with power pop lyrics.

Reynaldo - Brothers Forever.mp3
The only good thing to ever come out of American Idol.

Lykke Li - Little Bit.mp3
buy Youth Novels
Swedish with a light voice, a lovely sweet song.

Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa.m4a
buy Vampire Weekend
Why be "A-Punk" when you can lean into this floaty Caribbean beat instead?

Besnyo - No!.m4a
buy Worry
Another great exclamation-point song, from a fab band out of Buffalo NY.

The Hood Internet - The Year This Club Broke (My Heart) [Usher (feat. Young Jeezy) vs Los Campesinos!].mp3
The year's best mash-up.

Flight of the Conchords - Bret, You've Got It Goin' On.mp3
buy Flight of the Conchords
This isn't from the album, but the best song from the show.

Islands - Vertigo (If It's a Crime).m4a
buy Arm's Way
11 minutes of sheer epic awesomeness.

the Mountain Goats & Kaki King - Black Pear Tree.mp3
The Black Pear Tree EP is SOLD OUT so instead buy Heretic Pride
A wistful, sadder song.

Weezer - Pork & Beans.mp3
buy Weezer (The Red Album)
Too obviously catchy and lovable to not theme your summer.