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beautiful

-Stag

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My only wish in life is that I will someday get to attend one of these soirees de poches.

Stag

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Best of 2012 - first draft

It's that time of year again folks! As soon as I get Spin's email with their top 50, I know it's time to sift through my itunes library and find the gems of the past year. As always, I have several beefs with Spin's list, and as always, I've only heard about one eight of the albums on this list all the way through. First off, I want to give a shout out to all the music made this year, near and far, jazz and rap, live and recorded; It's been a hard year, ravaged by tropical storms as well as political storms and the world hasn't seemed completely united through it all, but if there's one thing that can bring us together, it's music. So let's get to the first draft of my best of 2012 (over the next month I'm going to be eating through a ton of music made this year that I didn't get a chance to listen to so this is an evolution taking place here, people).

As it stands:

1. Frank Ocean - Channel ORANGE

What can I say?! Great lyrics, great beats, love it.

2. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do

The title's a mouthful and so is the album. But damn, is that a yummy mouthful and I'm definitely still chewing it. Estimated digestion time is... a while. As we've heard on the past three albums, Fiona has the ability to really let loose, but on this one she keeps it pretty contained and does so very beautifully. A very relatable album.

3. Grizzly Bear - Shields

Really diggin' this. Who knew these introspective bears could rock so hard?!

4. Robert Glasper - Black Radio

Super dope mix of hip hop and jazz with some great artists. And, of course, we've got Robert G. serving up the licks like champagne, Casey Benjamin rockin' the keytar, and my personal fave Chris Daddy Dave holding it down solid on traps.

5. Sharon Van Etten - Tramp

Shit I love this album so much. Great rainy day music.

6. Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan

Great as always. Sick enigmatic lyrics, brilliant harmonies, rhythms, etc.

7. Sigur Ros - Valtiri

I'm a sucker for Sigur Ros. Always have been, always will be. Can't wait for the April show in sf.

8. Beach House - Bloom

Dude.

9. The XX - Coexist

I prefer to utilize the small bite strategy with this one. Caught a great set by them at Treasure Island this year, made me enjoy the album all the more.

10. Efterklang - Piramida

Great sounds coming from the far north.

11. Flying Lotus - Until The Quiet Comes

Great textures.

12. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city

sick. really great combo of old school and new school with a really distinct sound.

More to come but for the time being, enjoy!

Stag

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So in a complete departure from my previous posts, I present to you , Grimes. 

Oblivion - Grimes

I will let this one speak for itself, Lytt

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I might be on a folksy kick. Who knows? What I do know is that this song is simply divine and just so beautiful both lyrically and in its instrumentation. 

Your Rocky Spine - The Great Lake Swimmers

Lytt

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I have to say the I am completely on board with Stag in the renewed or more replenished love for Sufjan. It has been my mainstay for this past week. Age Of Adz is a godly creation that will never cease to impress and amaze me. Every year in the fall and winter I return to that album and each time I gain new understanding from listening to it. All this aside I do love some good ol' sad and lovely Sufjan strumming softly away on a banjo and mummering heart wrenching tales. So when Stag showed me the Sufjan Stevens Take Away show, I fell head over heals for it. In the video he hesitantly climbs on top of a rook in Cincinnati and plays a cover of The Lakes of Canada. It is so beautiful and simple, but still so meaningful. Enjoy!

All the best, Lytt 

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With the first listen to Joanna Newsom’s newest album, “Have One On Me”, came great surprise. On the first track legato piano lines are combined with what sounds like pounding tribal drums, something unheard of on her earlier album, “Y’s”. Not only do these new experimental additions create...

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Age Of Adz

Bringin' it back from 2010:

In contrast to early works of his, Sufjan Stevens' new album "Age Of Adz" bubbles with electronics creating the effect of someone blowing raspberries in your ear. As with all of his other recordings, when I heard the new record I was slapped in the face with the pure brilliance that Sufjan Stevens exhibits in his alt folk indie music. With the new project also came a new Sufjan. The same old lovable aspects are still there, but now he's taken an air of closer intimacy as he sings about love in a completely different way than he did on songs like "Casimir Pulaski Day" and others off of "Illinois" and "Michigan". On "Age Of Adz" Sufjan brings together a totally different sound that seems to exercise a new muscle of the ear that had been sitting stiff for a long time. The new sound almost felt as if it was quenching the thirst of this newly discovered nerve end. And after listening to the closing track "Impossible Soul", encompassing within 25 minutes, artfully auto tuned vocals, synthesizers, blaring horns, and crashing symbols, I was further convinced of the shear talent Sufjan Stevens possesses. Even though I've been listening to his works for most of my life and have always loved his stuff, I am now an even bigger fan. Overall, the whole album is very well thought out and the poetic lyricism is beyond genius, leaving you to ponder over mysterious and catchy lines you're unsure that even Sufjan himself understands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnycQL6UTow&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0g7R3xqdcM

Yours musically,

Stag

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Gaga by Ernst Reijseger

This song is part of the soundtrack to the amazing documentary Cave Of Forgotten Dreams directed by Werner Herzog. The documentary is about an cave in France that is filled with the oldest known cave painting in the world. It is an absolutely breathtaking film and the music is divine. Enjoy!

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this is one cool music video. simple, not too much going on, beautiful piece of art.

-Stag

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Lazy Sunday - Infra by Max Richter 

My lazy sundays inevitably turn into cram time to finish any left over school work for the week ahead. I have found that the best tunes for this much dreaded and tedious activity is some sweet and slow instrumental string music. Max Richter's music fits the bill completely and in his infra series he projects a image of carelessly floating though the depths of the cosmos. Have a wonderful sunday and enjoy!

-Lytt 

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Re: Hap's brilliant idea

just read Hap's enlightening post of a few weeks after this long hiatus from blogging and I experienced true satori. I think that having themed days is a brilliant concept! thank you to Hap for the great idea!

-stag

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such a cool video!

-stag

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Stevie Wonder's "Visions" performed by SF Jazz Collective

-Stag

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Gretchen Parlato is my new obsession ever since a friend introduced her music to me a few weeks ago. Her voice is a soft, clear beam of moonlight projected peacefully on a deserted hillside. This collaboration is just that on steroids after adding to the mix Esperanza Spalding's ever mesmerizing ability to play insane, dynamic, and melodic bass lines over her buttery smooth voice that carries just the right amount of grit like a smoothy that has been blended to just the right consistency. Her voice is dirt that's been sifted through enough to remove the rocks but still leave that rich, earthy essence behind. Together these two women create something really special that is captured in this five minutes of bliss.

-stag

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one of the best soul tracks ever recorded. "Playa Playa" by D'Angelo

-stag