Join us and Dr. Dundiff for the first Tuesday Vinyl Nite of 2019 on January 8th at Butchertown Social as we ring in the new year spinning our favorite records and yours! FB Event Page.
Dr. Dundiff's new album, Cool, with Otis Junior has just been released on Jakarta Records.
Often times a tumultuous or even disastrous year politically can bring a fountain of artistic delights; and even though in a lot of ways 2018 was disappointing; musically it was exciting all the way through. This year much of the ripples in the musical pond came from relatively smaller acts rather than big time names; creating an exciting wake of fresh and unique work.
Topping our list of favorite full length albums this year is the Brit-Punk outfit IDLES' album Joy As An Act Of Resistance and Car Seat Headrest, who topped our Favorites list in 2016. Both of these groups have released completely unique albums this year, that may have gone completely unnoticed in years past; or at least the messages in them would have been; but the climate was right in 2018 for new voices and new perspectives; albeit completely unlikely ones to top Best Of Lists.
Car Seat Headrest's newest, and 11th album, Twin Fantasy (Face To Face), is a complete re-recording of their 6th album Twin Fantasy (Mirror To Mirror), originally released in 2011, that helped frontman Will Toledo gain a cult following for his lo-fi gritty pop bandcamp recordings. One might argue that it isn't technically a new album but this new clearer recording helped Toledo grab a larger audience for his technically apt musical work as well as his unique take on heartbreak and healing. Had the larger world been listening in 2011 when the original Twin Fantasy was released, the world might have been stuck on the fact that it is an unabashed tale of a homosexual relationship, but hopefully in 2018 the world was ready to see it for what it truly is; a remarkable album both musically and lyrically as a heartbreaking work about love and love-lost, and the road to reclamation no matter who it is in the driver's seat.
If Twin Fantasy is remarkable for it's multi-layered complexity, IDLES' Joy As An Act Of Resistance is remarkable for it's blunt, and at times, brash sound and upfront political message; like a good natured European football hooligan spitting outrage over State sponsored violence, racism, and open homophobia. If Car Seat Headrest has spent the last 8 or 9 years releasing a dozen or so albums slowing amassing a loyal audience; IDLES spent much of the last 8 or 9 years hidden from view working on an attack plan; after releasing a lack luster radio-pop EP in 2012 they re-emerged in 2017 as a mutant beast of its former self with the aptly named well received Brutalism LP before completely shattering all expectations with Joy all the while paying homage to pop music's past; with not-so-subtle nods to everyone from Pavement to Nancy Sinatra with singer Joe Talbot as rambling ringleader barking about the weight of social traditions anchored in power grabbing hatred. Talbot's howling and circus-like showmanship is a perfect amalgamation of Jon Spencer and David Yow wrapped in a Bristol street poet paper bag that might have been under appreciated in years past; but if 2018 has taught us anything, it's that extreme behavior politically needs to be met with extreme opposition socially.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg of our top 50 favorite musical moments of 2018; including a mountain of great work from Louisville artists including Baby Bones, Barrel & Biscuit, and Brenda; as well as a slew of great soundtracks, singles and reissues including John Carpenter's Halloween soundtrack, Young Widows rarities collection, and the Satellite Twin/Mutts split single; and a whole lot more. Full Length Albums:
20- MC HIJACK "Tender Pieces" LP
19- Black Moth Super Rainbow "Panic Blooms" LP
18-Spiritualized "And Nothing Hurt" LP
17- Hot Wires "Dark Energy" LP
16- State Champion "Send Flowers" LP
15- Dr. Dundiff & Otis Junior "Cool" LP
14- La Luz "Floating Features" LP
13 - Planetary Overdrive "Boneyard" LP
12- Jaye Jayle "No Trail And Other Unholy Paths" LP
11- Shannon and the Clams "Onion" LP
10- Frankie Cosmos "Vessel" LP
9- Dr. Octagon "Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation" LP
8- Charles Bradley "Black Velvet" LP
7- The Breeders 'All Nerve' LP
6- Vive La Void S/T LP
5- Egyptian Lover "1985" LP
4- Oh Sees "Smote Reverser" LP
3- Lala Lala "The Lamb" LP
2- IDLES "Joy As An Act Of Resistance" LP (37FLOOD Approved)
1- Car Seat Headrest "Twin Fantasy" Face to Face LP (37FLOOD Approved)
Cover Albums, Compilations, & Live Albums:
5- Will Oldham "Songs Of Love And Horror" LP
4- OCS - Live In San Francisco LP
3- Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds "Distant Sky" Live LP
2- Young Widows "DECAYED: Ten Years of Cities, Wounds, Lightness, and Pain" LP
1- Louisville Is For Lovers 2018 valentine's Album (37FLOOD Approved)
Soundtracks/Reissues:
5- ESG "Come Away With ESG" Reissue
4- Z Nation "The original Score Soundtrack Seasons 1-4" LP by Jason Gallagher
3- Car Seat Headrest Twin Fantasy (Mirror To Mirror reissue) LP
2- TRAFOZSATSFM: A Louisville Is For Lovers Tribute To Ziggy Stardust 2CD Reissue
1- Halloween Soundtrack by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, and Daniel Davies (37FLOOD Approved)
Tuesday April 10th is Vinyl Nite at Galaxie (732 E. Market) with special guests Yons (playing with Joann + The Dakota at the WCHQ Grand opening Sunday April 15th at Apocalypse) and Dr. Dundiff; and we'll be giving away 2 tickets to Dr. Dundiff & Touch A.C.'s album release show Saturday, April 24th, at Zanzabar with Otis Junior.
Bring a record to play every Tuesday from 8pm to Midnight, and join us and invited special guest DJs from the local music and art scenes. Every week we give-a-way tickets to music events sponsored by Vectorone.
This Tuesday, April 3rd the special guests are local favorites Joann + The Dakota and we are giving away 2 tickets to Reverend Horton Heat & Unknown Hinson (4/4 at Zanzabar) and 2 tickets to Circuit Des Yeux (4/7 at Zanzabar) as well as a Joann + The Dakota Prize box (Stickers, Buttons,T-Shirt, & CD)!
Tuesday, April 17th, is 80s Video Nite, with 80s music, VHS videos, DJ Trish, and we'll be giving away 2 tickets to see Bit Brigade perform Legend Of Zelda at Zanzabar on April 22nd.
Tuesday, April 24th, is Visual Art Nite with special guests Matt Weir and Michael Powell and we are giving away art prints and silk screened show posters.
From 3pm to 8pm on April 15th Louisville's all local radio station, WCHQ, will be hosting a “Meet The New WCHQ 100.9 FM” Grand Opening Celebration of WCHQ’s New Broadcast Studio, located at 1641 Mellwood Ave, Louisville, KY. with Live music across the street at Apocalypse Brew Works (1612 Mellwood Ave) with music by Cut Family Foundation, Joann + The Dakota, Yons, and others.
Yons
Joann Jene and her band Joann + The Dakota will be the special guest DJs at Vinyl Nite at Galaxie bar on Tuesday 4/3 from 8pm-12am. Details Here.
Yons and Dr. Dundiff will be the Special Guest DJs at Vinyl Nite at Galaxie bar on Tuesday 4/10 from 8pm-12am.
I am going to go out on a limb (before the festival has ended) to say that the big Surprise hit of Forecastle 2015 was local hip hop act Dr. Dundiff (billed as Dr. Dundiff and Friends, which may have been an understatement with every inch of the stage covered with dozens of 'friends' including the very talented Tyler from 1200 music) who hit the Ocean Stage from 4:15-5:30. Dr. Dundiffs various mixtapes of patchwork 90s style beats such as Alphabeats vo.1 or verse heavy stylings of Page of Cups do not at all represent the electrified energy Dr. Dundiff delivered onstage on Saturday afternoon; as if 1980s era Beastie Boys and double ought era Andrew W.K. hosted the biggest house party that could fit under an expressway overpass.
Speaking of overpasses, I truly love that Forecastle has a dedicated Hip Hop stage, But I can't think of a worse genre to put under a concrete block than hip hop. The natural reverb could work if it was an acoustic folk or Americana stage, but for hip hop it destroys the sound too much.
Dr. Dundiff and Friends and concrete overpass
This distortion was barley noticeable during Dr. Dundiff due to the excitement onstage, especially during the last song when surprise guest Jim James appeared onstage to supply vocals to a very enthusiastic crowd. The natural distortion of the underpass was much more noticeable for the next act, california's IloveMakonen, which began around 6:45 to many false starts and half songs (including The Next Episode from Dr. Dre's Chronic 2001). All these false starts and half songs may have been due to the sound quality being poor, but Makonen kept at it, with his patented off-the-cuff style of raping over treble heavy beats. I was surprised he didn't play "Wishing You Well" but he managed to play his hit single Tuesday (albeit in 2 segments spliced into the set) as well as brand new unreleased tracks.
Crowd at My Morning Jacket
The real draw on Saturday was, of course, hometown heroes My Morning Jacket, who played for an electric 2 hours to end the day. The band kicked off the set with Believe (Nobody Knows) the first track from their new album The Waterfall to a very enthusiastic crowd and continued on a romp through their impressive catalogue including 2005's Off The Record as well as their new single Spring (Among the Living). The band ended their set just after midnight to a packed crowd with the explosive One Big Holiday from 2006's Okonokos album. It was great finale to Day 2 of Forcastle 2015!
I get so excited every time Forecastle comes around. Here's some of the bands I'm particularly excited for this year:
Friday-
Cold War Kids.
I haven't kept up with this band since their second album, but I was really into those first two when I was in High School so it'll be really cool to see what these guys have been up to these past few years.
Big K.R.I.T.
That dirty south hip hop. This is a weird one for me because Houndmouth is playing at the same time as KRIT so I'm gonna' be bouncing back and forth. Seems like a good problem to have.
Saturday-
Dr. Dundiff and Friends.
I've been telling everyone for the last few years to keep an eye on Louisville hip hop and all my northern friends look at me like I'm crazy. Hyped to see another local act after Jalin Roze last year. I'm also curious who's gonna' be with him.
Twin Peaks
Some feel good summer music. I haven't had a chance to see these guys yet, and I feel like I'm in the minority...
Sunday-
Fat Tony.
White Reaper.
So proud of these guys. Excited to see what they do with an audience this size.
After that it's kind of tough because everyone else I want to see on Sunday is overlapped with someone else that I want to see.
