January 2012
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Megaupload: The "Mega Conspiracy"
On January 19th, the United States Department of Justice seized and shut down Megaupload and its sister sites. After protests successfully ended SOPA, PIPA, and the threat of squelching information online, the federal government exercised a power that the would-be bills were supposed to grant to the government. As a result of the site’s shutdown and what was considered to be a total breach...
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Nothing Sounds 8
Hey there, strangers. It has been too long. This week’s mix was created with a rather relaxed guiding hand. A mix of punk and hardcore, with an intermission of sorts dividing the fun and angry halves. It’s short and sweet, comprised of some of my favorites. Next week I’ll be back to a more comprehensive, detailed theme. [link]
Tracklist:
The Thermals - Everything I Want
Ted...
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Other News of Note
An Horse have release a video for “Airport Death,” a track off their massively enjoyable 2011 album Walls. I’d tell you about the laundry and paper airplanes, but that would be spoiling it. Whoops [link]. They’re also touring with Nada Surf and doing a few headline shows, which would make me happy because that Michigan venue is really cool - but I can’t go. Sing...
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Other News of Note
A somewhat abbreviated post this week.
AraabMuzik has announced Instrumental University for release on January 31st, an album compiling a number of his instrumental works that have been used by such artists as Raekwon, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Fabolous, and many more [link]. This is in addition to his recent announcement that he was in the studio with A$AP ROCKY [link].
Gift of Gab has announced...
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Neutral Milk Hotel - Ferris Wheel On Fire
Review: Kyle Minton
Oh how lucky we are, to be present in a time where the name Jeff Mangum is less myth and more man. Drawn out of his reclusive presence for whatever reason, Mangum has kept himself busy under the public’s eye in his reemergence by fashioning his brand to a well-dressed website (link), putting a hefty price tag on a brand new vinyl box set of Neutral Milk Hotel’s work,...
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Nothing Sounds 7: Danger Days
You remember, once upon an autumn eve when these playlists first began, I mentioned that there would occasionally be themed mixes. Well today, it’s finally happening. This is Danger Days, a celebration of Brian Burton, more commonly known as Danger Mouse.
Danger Mouse is a superstar, and for good reason. He’s a producer with a tremendous signature style, traversing and melding both...
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“Simple Song” - The Shins
If you happen to be a part of The Shins’ mailing list, you’ve received a pleasant surprise in the form of a first taste of their upcoming album Port of Morrow, their first one in over five years. Despite the hiatus and the reconstructed band surrounding James Mercer, I’m happy to say it still sounds much like the same band. With Mercer...
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Other News of Note
Our email accounts are back with a vengeance, the news is poring in, and I still have so very much to do. Some of these things might get their very own posts, if they grow on one of our writers enough (that Quiet Americans track was especially tantalizing).
Action Bronson and Party Supplies are currently teaming up on the full-length Blue Chips. While you wait for that, chew on a sample-laden...
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“Two Against One” ft. Jack White - Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi
Weird music videos from Danger Mouse are no surprise, and I quite enjoy the batshit approach here. I wasn’t sure the music of our favorite spaghetti western revivalists would pair well with the zany animation. Note to self: didn’t you learn a long time ago never to question Danger Mouse?
- Tyler Hanan
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Most Anticipated Albums of 2012
Now that we’re done with our coverage of 2011 [link], it is time to turn our eyes to 2012. Our writers took some time to pick out those releases that they are most excited for and to jot down a few thoughts on each. I must say, it’s a pretty nice list - but I can’t wait to find out how badly we screwed it up by not including what will prove to be amazing albums.
The Appleseed...
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The Minds Behind Braveyoung Start Side Project...
What do drone/post-rock artists do when overcome with the urge to start a “punk” band? North Carolina’s Braveyoung provided the desperately needed answer to that question with this statement: “If you wanna find hell with us, we can show you what it’s like.” [link] Now while that may be the sexiest thing I’ve heard from a band all year, the guttural...
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Nothing Sounds 6
After a week off, Nothing Sounds returns! Make sure you check out our end of the year coverage if you haven’t already [link], and keep an eye out for our 2012 coverage that will be up soon! Here’s a little mix of electronic and hip hop tunes that I’ve been jamming - enjoy! [link]
Tracklist:
SBTRKT - Wildfire
Janelle Monae - Dance or Die ft. Saul Williams
Zomby - Digital...
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Other News of Note
It’s been something of a slow week, at least relative to the normal flood of news, but there were still a number of especially exciting items. What better way to ring in the new year than with a short list of great music?
Blu & Exile unexpectedly released the album give me my flowers while i can smell them via Bandcamp. It’s a bit expensive for digital-only, but you should...
December 2011
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Recommended Release (Dec. 27th)
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Soundtrack
Another title-in-progress segment, the Recommended Release section is something we’ll get up every Tuesday (preferably earlier), where we will look down our noses and snidely insinuate that if you aren’t listening to what we recommend, you’re listening to the wrong fucking music. This will usually be...
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2011: The End
We are just about at the end of 2011 - in a few days, we’ll be sending it off with ball drop kisses and obscene amounts of alcohol. We’ve all been making our lists, scouring our favorites (and, in the case of some lists, least favorites), and throwing as big a bash as we can. Has it been as fun as a Girl Talk show? I wouldn’t know - one of you should take me to one sometime...
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2011: The Underexposed
We here at Nothing Sounds Better understand how hectic the holiday season can be to music loves, what with End-Of-Year lists bombarding you at every angle, and your own familial duties and seasonal occupations getting in the way of musical research, it can be difficult to sift through and find the smaller impacts music has made on our lives in 2011. That’s why we have come together as a collective...
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Other News of Note
Apparently we don’t quite catch everything with our regular coverage, so every weekend we try to catch up on all those important recent events that we haven’t covered. Sometimes we use twitter for this as well.
Arcade Fire have released a traditional video and an interactive video for “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains). [link]
A new track from Atmosphere, featuring Kill...
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“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” - The Mountain Goats
Happy holidays from you biggest fans at Nothing Sounds Better! To celebrate, we’ve been keeping this little cover by The Mountain Goats, brought to you by the A.V. Club, on repeat! So take a listen (even if you already have), and then head over to the band’s twitter, where John Darnielle, Ted Leo, John...
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2011 According to... Kevin Tappin
Read the rest of our end of the year coverage as well:
2011 According to… Tyler Hanan [link]
2011 According to… Nick Le [link]
2011 According to… Eric Kossina [link]
2011 According to… Kyle Minton [link]
2011 According to… Joe Brown [link]
EPs of the Year
Ricky Eat Acid - Like I Was Floating
Belle Adair - Belle Adair
Phantogram - Nightlife
Fonda -...
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2011 According to... Joe Brown
Read the rest of our end of the year coverage as well:
2011 According to… Tyler Hanan [link]
2011 According to… Nick Le [link]
2011 According to… Eric Kossina [link]
2011 According to… Kyle Minton [link]
I have always been someone who is unabashedly and irreconcilably susceptible to emotion. Overwrought, cheesy, saccharine emotion endlessly fascinate me. It is a...
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2011 According to... Kyle Minton
Read the rest of our end of the year coverage as well:
2011 According to… Tyler Hanan [link]
2011 According to… Nick Le [link]
2011 According to… Eric Kossina [link]
There is nothing I am more tired of in this season of lists than the arbitrary proclamation of having learned something in 365 days’ time, that seething need to present yourself as a changed or revolutionized...
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2011 According to... Eric Kossina
Read the rest of our end of the year coverage as well:
2011 According to… Tyler Hanan [link]
2011 According to… Nick Le [link]
Songs of the Year
These are in no particular order, I just wanted to make a mix that would flow and sound good from track to track. It is not a representation of my favorite songs but the following is a mix of songs that defined certain areas of my year....