Sunday, November 25, 2012

Newb...I mean NEW Countdown

I realized when recording this one that there are a lot of bands that are either touring in support of, or in the process of making, their debut albums. It'd be fun to see a show with all of them together. And I think it would work, genre-ically. If I win the lottery, I will host an annual year end concert with all of the bands that made the countdown, but have only released one album (LP) at most. What would I call it?

ANYways....

Countdown #130

***Featuring***
Alex Clare
Atlas Genius
AWOLNATION
The Black Keys
Imagine Dragons
The Lumineers
Mumford and Sons
Muse
Passion Pit
R.E.M.
Youngblood Hawke

Friday, November 23, 2012

Festive Fifty 2011 Top Ten

Each day this week, in anticipation of the deadline for voting on the Festive Fifty 2012 Shortlist, I'll be listening to the Contrast Podcast Festive Fifties of yore (2012's will be the 6th!) and trying to track down the videos of the Top 5!

The big drama of last year was the battle for the #1 spot between the HUGE POP HIT and the underground indie rocker. It worked out the way these things usually do, but it was so close for most of the voting period. We have something similar going on this year. It's a real nailbiter. :)

You can listen to the 2011 Festive Fifty here: (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3)

10. Wilco - I Might
9. M83 - Midnight City
8. Half Man Half Biscuit - Fun Day in the Park
7. Wooden Shjips - Lazy Bones
6. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

5. Dawes - A Little Bit of Everything


4. Radiohead - Lotus Flower









Thursday, November 22, 2012

Festive Fifty 2010 Top Ten

Each day this week, in anticipation of the deadline for voting on the Festive Fifty 2012 Shortlist, I'll be listening to the Contrast Podcast Festive Fifties of yore (2012's will be the 6th!) and trying to track down the videos of the Top 5!

This was a big year for me. It was the first year that I assumed my role as "Statman". I was so stoked to do this one and it came out pretty well. It's absolutely a coincidence that both of the years that I've done the stats, the winner has been a mainstream pop hit... :-D Seriously, though. It's a coincidence.

Oh! Also, definitely listen to the intro for #1. It's, in my mind, a CP classic.

You can listen to the 2010 Festive Fifty here: (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3)

10. Caribou - Odessa
9. Broken Bells - The High Road
8. LCD Soundsystem - Dance Yrself Clean
7. Kings of Leon - Radioactive
6. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Home

5. Mumford & Sons - Little Lion Man


4. Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land


3. Arcade Fire - Ready to Start


2. The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio


1. Cee-Lo Green - Fuck You


Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Festive Fifty 2009 Top Ten

Each day this week, in anticipation of the deadline for voting on the Festive Fifty 2012 Shortlist, I'll be listening to the Contrast Podcast Festive Fifties of yore (2012's will be the 6th!) and trying to track down the videos of the Top 5!

The 3rd year was the first year where I had a guess for what would be #1. My pick made it to #4 and I got to introduce it! This was also the beginning of the several years where there were lots of songs from 1 or 2 albums. Oh! And my wife made her CP debut introducing #10!

You can listen to the 2009 Festive Fifty here: (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3)

10. Lily Allen - The Fear
9. Phoenix - 1901
8. Morrissey - Something Is Squeezing My Skull
7. Fanfarlo - I'm a Pilot
6. Meursault - William Henry Miller, Part 1

5. Camera Obscura - French Navy


4. The Decemberists - The Rake's Song


3. Withered Hand - Religious Songs


2. Animal Collective - My Girls


1. Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks


One More Shortlist song!

This is a song that was nominated and made it to the shortlist....BEFORE IT WAS RELEASED! The person who nominated it heard the band play it in concert this summer and was so confident that it would translate to the studio version that he put it on his list. So here it is, to complete your research of the songs on the list.

The North Sea Scrolls - Witches in the Water

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Festive Fifty 2008 Top Ten

Each day this week, in anticipation of the deadline for voting on the Festive Fifty 2012 Shortlist, I'll be listening to the Contrast Podcast Festive Fifties of yore (2012's will be the 6th!) and trying to track down the videos of the Top 5!


By the 2nd year of the Festive Fifty, I was ready. I had my list set to go before the call came for submissions and I even knew a lot of the songs on the shortlist! This was the year when I actually found new bands to love having only heard them on the Festive Fifty. I'm thinking specifically of Frightened Rabbit.


You can listen to the 2008 Festive Fifty here: (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3)

10. Portishead - The Rip
9. MGMT - Electric Feel
8. British Sea Power - No Lucifer
7. Flight of the Conchords - Business Time
6. British Sea Power - Waving Flags

5. Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma


4. Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines


3. Elbow - Grounds for Divorce


2. MGMT - Time to Pretend


1. Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal


Monday, November 19, 2012

Festive Fifty 2007 Top Ten

Each day this week, in anticipation of the deadline for voting on the Festive Fifty 2012 Shortlist, I'll be listening to the Contrast Podcast Festive Fifties of yore (2012's will be the 6th!) and trying to track down the videos of the Top 5!

My snapshot impression of this inaugural edition of the Festive Fifty was that I hadn't paid ANY attention to what had come out in 2007 and I was also very unfamiliar with a lot of the nominees on the shortlist, so I just voted for names I knew! Oh, how times have changed....sort of. ;-)

You can listen to the 2007 Festive Fifty Here: (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3)

10. Bjork - Earth Intruders
9. Wilco - Impossible Germany
8. Okkervil River - Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe
7. Arcade Fire - Intervention
6. Iron & Wine - Boy With a Coin

5. PJ Harvey - When Under Ether


4. LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends


3. The National - Fake Empire


2. Spoon - The Underdog


1. Los Campesinos! - You, Me, Dancing!



Sunday, November 18, 2012

Super-nerdy-link-post. Not worth reading :)

This post is to serve as a link to the post that I just made with this week's countdown. There were bonus songs I wanted to label, but I blew past the character limit. So, here's a link to that post. More content to come soon :)

New Countdown: Thanksgiving Bonus Edition!

Yeah I went kind of crazy on the bonus songs, but I'm very thankful for all of you listeners and I will not apologize! I'm sorry, but that's just who I am ;-)

I'm very interested to see if I can remember all of the artists featured on this episode. Let's find out together, shall we?

Countdown #129

***FEATURING***
Alex Clare
AWOLNATION
The Black Keys
The Deep Vibration
Descendents
Grouplove
Imagine Dragons
Led Zeppelin
The Lumineers
Mumford & Sons
Muse
My Morning Jacket
Passion Pit
Sly and the Family Stone
Third Eye Blind
Youngblood Hawke

Sunday, November 11, 2012

New Countdown: Strong Start. And then it was after midnight :)

Yeah, I really shouldn't do these podcasts so late. I really let myself spool out the ramble on this one. But I think it's actually ok. Just make sure you listen to it at like 12:30 am. :)

Countdown #128

***Featuring***
Alex Clare
AWOLNATION
The Black Keys
Grouplove
Imagine Dragons
The Lumineers
Mumford & Sons
Muse
Passion Pit
R.E.M.
Youngblood Hawke

Thursday, November 8, 2012

What We Did During the Storm: A Podcast

So, last Monday (not LAST Monday, the LAST last Monday...the Monday when....it was October 29th) Sandy was hitting the east coast and my sister and I were bored. So we decided to make a podcast over the phone. I think it went pretty well. We had a very eclectic mix of songs and had a fun time talking about lots of different things related and unrelated to music!

Off the Charts #6: Sister/Rain

***Featuring***
Beach House
The Beatles
Gogol Bordello
No Use For a Name
P.O.S
Panda Bear
Smashing Pumpkins
Sufjan Stevens
Wu Tang Clan

Festive Fifty Shortlist Voting

It's that time of year again. Time to vote for the Contrast Podcast Festive Fifty!!! Rather than trying to find new words to explain what to do, here's an email I sent out last night:

Alright everyone! Here's the shortlist. We're 1/3 of the way there and the steps only get easier! 

Here's what's next:

1. From the list below, pick your 10 favorite songs
2. Arrange them in order from 1-10 with 1 being your most favorite.
3. If you choose to, you can give a negative vote to any one song.
4. Share the list! Get more people to vote! Facebook! Blog! Twitter! Tumblr!

Please do all of the above by Sunday, November 25th


Thanks,
Happy Voting!

James


A.C. Newman - I'm Not Talking
Adele - Skyfall
Alabama Shakes - Be Mine
Alabama Shakes - Hold On
Amy Cook - Getting to You
Anais Mitchell - Young Man in America
Antlers - Drift Dive
Bat For Lashes - Laura
Beach House - Myth
Beach House - Other People
Ben Folds Five - Do It Anyway
Bill Fay - Cosmic Concerto
Bright Light Bright Light - Cry at Films
Brother Ali - Mourning in America
Bruce Springsteen - Land of Hope & Dreams
Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe
Cat Power - Ruin
Chromatics - Kill For Love
Chuck Prophet - Play That Song Again
Crocodiles - Endless Flowers
Curtis Stigers - Things Have Changed
Daughter - Candles
David Byrne & St. Vincent - Who
Dexy's - Free
Dexy's - Nowhere is Home
Divine Fits - Would That Not Be Nice
Django Django - Default
Father John Misty - Hollywood Forever Cemetary Sings
Field Music - A New Town
Fiona Apple - Every Single Night
First Aid Kit - Emmylou
First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
Frank Ocean - Thinkin Bout You
fun. - Some Nights
fun. - We Are Young
Giant Giant Sand - Forever and a Day
Gotye - Somebody That I Used to Know
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Never Go Back
Grimes - Genesis
Grimes - Oblivion
Grizzly Bear - Sleeping Ute
Grizzly Bear - Yet Again
Harmed Brothers - A Letter to Lisa
Isaiah Toothtaker - LA Nights
Jack White - I'm Shakin
Japandroids - Continuous Thunder
Japandroids - The House That Heaven Built
Jason Lytle - Department of Disappearance
Kanye West et al - Clique
Kendrick Lamar - Backseat Freestyle
Killers - Runaways
Lana Del Rey - Video Games
Linden - If I Had Wings
Lumineers - Ho Hey
Magnetic Fields - Andrew in Drag
Metric - Breathing Underwater
METZ - Wet Blanket
Meursault - Flittin'
Meursault - Settling
Muse - Madness
Muse - Survival
Mynabirds - Generals
North Sea Scrolls - Witches in the Water
Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
Offspring - Secrets From the Underground
Offspring - The Future is Now
P.O.S - Fuck Your Stuff
P.O.S - Get Down
Passion Pit - Constant Conversations
Perfume Genius - Hood
Phantom Limb - The Pines
Ponderosa - For Here I Am Born
Psyched - Cut the Chord
Purity Ring - Fineshrine
Purity Ring - Obedear
Raul Midon - Sunshine "I can fly" (Live)
Richard Hawley - Leave Your Body Behind You
Santigold - Disparate Youth
School of Seven Bells - The Night
Sharon Van Etten - Serpents
Shearwater - Dread Sovereign
Shins - Simple Song
Sigur Ros - Ekki Mukk
Sigur Ros - Varud
Tallest Man on Earth - 1904
Tame Impala - Elephant
Tender Trap - Love is Hard Enough
Ting Tings - Hit Me Down Sonny
TNGHT - Higher Ground
Trampled By Turtles - Alone
Triggerfinger - I Will Follow (live)
Twilight Sad - Another Bed
Underworld - And I Will Kiss
Very Best - We Ok
Vespers - Better Now
Walkmen - Heaven
Wedding Present - Deer Caught in the Headlights
White Rabbits - Heavy Metal
xx - Angels

Sunday, November 4, 2012

New Countdown: Hey! I can't find nothin on the radio!

So. Now it's November, huh? Well that means we have a new Best Alternative Album Grammy Winner to start poring over. And it's a good one. You'll see :)

This is a fun one, you guys.

Countdown #127

***Featuring***
Alex Clare
AWOLNATION
The Black Keys
fun.
Imagine Dragons
The Lumineers
Mumford & Sons
Muse
Passion Pit
R.E.M.
Youngblood Hawke

Thursday, November 1, 2012

November 2012 Media Update


Ok! I'm not late! Hooray! I am tired, though so I'm just going to get right into it.

Last Song/MP3 I listened to: On my drive home I put on the My Chemical Romance album Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge. And my daughter and I listened to it all the way home. I think she enjoyed it! We stopped in the middle of Track 10...which is...."Hang 'em High". A very enjoyable song from a very enjoyable album!

Last TV show I watched: I wanted to make sure that my last show that I watched WASN'T Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. So I watched last night's Halloween episode of The New Girl which was funny and touching as usual :)

Last Movie I watched: Last night, K and I watched PART (a very small part) of Hocus Pocus (because it was Halloween) but the last full movie we watched was Aladdin which we showed to L. She paid attention almost through the whole thing which was sweet.

Last Written Work I read: I'm about 3/4 thorough a book recommended to me via Twitter. It's called So Much Pretty by Cara Hoffman. It's like a whodunit and a psychological thriller and a portrait of a rural town all in one. Very much enjoying it!

I can't believe I only have one more of these! It may be that I'll do a 2012 wrap-up post, too. We'll see.