How Many TImes Do I Do?

There came a point a couple of years ago when I was very disappointed in new music today. Nothing good seemed to be coming out, and everything new sounded like everything old. It was at about this point that I decided that I would buy almost exclusively new music each year, and try to find some diamonds in the rough, and then put them into a playlist labeled the corresponding year.

So, it's halfway through the year, and already I've heard a lot of great music that's come out. I've really been tempted to just put every new song I hear that I really like into my year mix. But it's only June! How do I narrow down what's most deserving, and what I'm gonna forget about by December? Maybe if I make a top ten list for the year thus far, and then another list for the rest of the year... (Of course, my opinion may change about the other songs that didn't make it. An entire TMBG album, and none of their songs are here...)

10. Take or Leave It by Authority Zero. Apparently this band has been around since the early 90's and I'd never heard about them before this album. I was in the mood for some skate punk, but I was afraid of buying something that would be generic and fade on me. Well, "The Tipping Point" just might be my favorite album of the year thus far. This track is a great track, and a great example of the energy that flows throughout the whole album. Why isn't it higher? Well... It is a touch generic skate punk. Ah wells. They also do some reggae type bs!

9. Bring Back the Fight by BoySetsFire. This is an interesting band. Half of their music is kinda like this-skate punkish with a bit of screaming-and the other half... is screaming. I'm quite a fan of their songs that are more like this, and can tolerate okay the screaming tracks, I guess. Also worth noting is that this was like their first release in 7 years or something, and also the first song that made me take notice of them (I'd always stayed clear because of the screaming before.)

8. An Impression by All People. Really, this is a very interesting project, and apparently a super band of sorts, though I don't think I know any of the members or the bands they come from. This track is really cool, and I like it mostly for the first half with just the percussion and the rhythmic yelling. The second half is a little more generic slow ska, so that drags it down a bit for me. Kinda wish they'd made the two halves separate tracks, but ah well.

7. Nothing's Funny by The Dillinger Escape Plan. I bought "One of Us is the Killer" because I decided I liked them randomly. I remembered their collaboration with Mike Patton and liked that, so maybe I'd like their other stuff as well. They definitely sound like they're a bit influenced by Faith No More during the King for a Day, Fool for a Lifetime era (and possibly somewhat from Tomahawk too). While I think their stuff can be really complicated and interesting, sometimes I think stuff like this gets overcomplicated to the point where now it's just organized noise with barely any melody. This is one of the tracks where they're a bit more melodical, and thus I can appreciate it much more than their other stuff.

6. I'm In Love by The Dirty Royals. This is a really simple, kinda generic pop song about love, but I don't give a ****, it reminds me of Julie and I like it a lot. I discovered this band earlier this year because their EP was titled "Star Burrito," and I like burritos. Gave it many listens and decided these guys were great. Initially there was another song off this album I liked more because it was so angry and I like angry songs, but then I changed my mind. I will say that their EP from like 2004 or 2005 is much better than this one, and I wish they had more songs like the ones from that one. Still, this is a pretty catchy alternative pop EP.

5. Akira by Anamanguchi. Yay, chiptune! These guys are really awesome. If you played the Scott Pilgrim video game, you were listening to them when you listened to the soundtrack. Apparently they put this album out via a kickstarter campaign (everyone's doing that these days.) I had no idea they were unsigned or whatever. They oughtta be getting more exposure than they have. Anyway, I love how this song builds on itself. Just an explosion of emotions throughout, makes me feel really happy. I didn't get the whole album because I chose the Dillinger Escape Plan album over them, and I kinda wish I didn't, because I'm sure I would've enjoyed this much more. Oh well.

4. Sugarcane by New Order. This group goes way back with me to my childhood, taking my first extended road trip to North Dakota, riding in the front of my grand parents' motor home with my big bro. Bizarre Love Triangle is still my favorite song ever. Does this song reach Bizarre Love Triangle levels? Eh, not really, but it was an unreleased B side of their final album, so maybe that's why. It's still really good, I think.

3. Tattered Line of String

I have to admit I never really got into The Postal Service when they first came around. I liked Such Great Heights, but the rest of their stuff didn't really strike a chord with me. Then one day I was listening to a live stream of 94/7 from back home, and this song came on. I was like "Whoah, this is really good. Too bad it's probably really old, or else I'd put it on my best of the year playlist." And then the dj said it was brand new, and I was like "" and bought it from amazon on the spot. The Postal Service has also rereleased their first album "Give Up," which includes new material, including Tattered Line of String. GOOD STUFF.

2. Little Blimp

Back when I was still in Oregon and listening to 94/7 when I was driving between Portland and Salem (about the only place it comes in; it doesn't come in in Albany ) I would occasionally hear The Joy Formidable's song "Whirring," and it really grew on me. Still, didn't buy the album because it was from the year before. HOWEVER, this year, Wolf's Law came out, and I was like "OH JAM!!" and bought it. With anticipation for finding this year's "Whirring," I listened to the new album... and none of them really matched up. However, this song stood out as my favorite track. Either this one or the following track, so a tie breaker via Julie was called upon. She liked this one better. I really wish this track was longer, because it's awesome. So full of energy, so bitchin'. Maybe they just couldn't keep that up for longer than 3 minutes. Ah well.

1. Toe to Toe

So my favorite song this year thus far... is a slow ska song. But it's so good. The lyrics are so amazing to me. It touches me right here, and almost makes me tear up sometimes. Really, when I found out that Streetlight was coming out with a new album, I got really excited for it. I knew whatever they did was gonna be awesome. The Hands That Thieve did not disappoint. It's a great album from start to finish, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes third wave ska.

That's my story of 2013 thus far. Will the second half be more memorable? With new offerings from Five Iron Frenzy, Relient K, Reggie and the Full Effect, and Less Than Jake still to come, I'd say there is a pretty strong chance the answer is yes. Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom