PLAYLIST: Twilight Concert Series in SLC

I give you this year's Twilight Concert Series. Remember, all of these concerts are outdoors and FREE.

July 9:
Bon Iver - mp3: For Emma (from The Myspace Transmissions)
Jenny Lewis - mp3: Acid Tongue

July 16:
The Black Keys - mp3: Wicked Messenger (Bob Dylan cover)
Human Highway

July 23:
M. Ward - mp3: Chinese Translation
Land of Talk

July 30:
Sonic Youth - mp3: Sacred Trickster
Awesome Color

August 6:
Q-Tip
B.o.B.

August 13:
Toots & The Maytals - mp3: True Love is Hard to Find (w/ Bonnie Raitt)
N.A.S.A.'s Intergalactic Circus

August 20:
Iron & Wine - mp3: The Devil Never Sleeps (demo)
Okkervil River - mp3: Pop Lie

August 27:
Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Black Joe Lewis & The Honey Bears - mp3: Sugarfoot

Too bad I have to be at school, in INDIANA, on July 7th, two days before all this amazing-ness starts. Talk about bad planning.

ALSO: The Iron & Wine song I included above is from an EP of acoustic demos he's giving away for free on his site. Go grab it.

PLAYLIST: A Beach Boys Tribute

I made this playlist a while back, and I've enjoyed it way too much not to share it. It's made up completely of modern tunes that are, to my ear anyway, in some way inspired by the Beach Boys. In some of them, it's just the percussion that does it for me, in others its the harmonies or the production techniques - some are more overt than others (The Explorer's Club and Panda Bear), but a few of the subtler ones are real stand-outs as well (the breakdown in "Quiet Houses"). This started out as a sort of novelty playlist but it's turned into one of my favorite mixes from last year - I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

mp3: The Explorer's Club - Do You Love Me?
from the album Freedom Wind (iTunes)
mp3: Death Cab for Cutie - You Can Do Better Than Me
from the album Narrow Stairs (iTunes)
mp3: Department of Eagles - No One Does It Like You
from the album In Ear Park (iTunes)
mp3: Magnet - Wish Me Well
from the album On Your Side (iTunes)
mp3: Panda Bear - Bros (edit)
from the album Person Pitch (iTunes)
mp3: Animal Collective - Derek
from the album Strawberry Jam (iTunes)
mp3: Fleet Foxes - Quiet Houses
from the album Fleet Foxes (iTunes)
mp3: Okkervil River - John Allyn Smith Sails
from the album The Stage Names (iTunes)
mp3: The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
from the album Pet Sounds (iTunes)

ALBUM: The Stand Ins

I had virtually the same experience over the Christmas break with Okkervil River as Chris did with Dr. Dog.
I had been meaning to really devote some time to them (ever since May actually), but with everything else that was on my plate at the time I just couldn't find the little space needed to squeeze in Okkervil River and since finding their 2008 release, The Stand Ins, sitting in the used section of a favorite store, I regret that I waited so long.
It quickly became the soundtrack over the break and in between commuting between my apartment, my parent's home, and my girlfriend's home, The Stage Names and I spent a lot of time together. Not enough time really.

There is only one thing wrong with this album, and allow me to get that out of the way first: It really only has eight songs.

Everything else is near perfection.

Musically and lyrically I have never quite fallen so fast for a song as I did when I heard Lost Coastlines. Beautiful. Simply amazing.
And as I prepare to graduate this coming April and continue the job hunt (could I ask for a better time to be looking for a job in this country?) I only think this song will become more poignant

Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines
from the album The Stand Ins (Amazon/iTunes)