All posts by Concrete Opinions

2015, 31 days of good, best of 2015, music

(31) Days of Good//12.18.15

December 18, 2015 Concrete Opinions Leave a comment

I’m shocked Telekinesis isn’t more popular…but more than happy to keep the music all to greedy little self. Four LPs strong and still one of the finest crafters of “indie pop.” Michelle Geslani (via Consequence Of Sound) sums up this particular track quite perfectly – “…a rich and sweeping pop number outfitted with synths that soar, groan, and fizzle.”

♩ Telekinesis – Sleep In [from Ad Infinitum]

[telekinesismusic.com]

“Diet Cig’s driving, percussive ‘Dinner Date,’ from the duo’s limited edition 7″ single, is the ideal anthem for any arm-wrestling contest (as the recently released video proves). Don’t be fooled by singer Alex Luciano’s powerful, childlike voice — she’ll bend your wrist and bring you down.” (via All Songs Considered)

♩ Diet Cig – Dinner Date [from Sleep Talk/Dinner Date]

[dietcig.bandcamp.com]

“Ten years from now, when she’s 40, I Want to Grow Up will be the moment Colleen Green made anti-cool en vogue again – like Kurt Cobain singing “I rather be dead than cool” back in 1991.” (via Noisey)

♩ Colleen Green – Deeper Than Love [from I Want to Grow Up]

[colleengreen.bandcamp.com]

#31days2015

2015, 31 days of good, best of 2015, music

(31) Days of Good//12.17.15

December 17, 2015 Concrete Opinions Leave a comment

A few of my favorite covers from this past year…

One of my favorite tracks + one of my new favorite artists. So good.

♩ Torres – Special (Garbage cover)

[torrestorrestorres.com]

CHVRCHES took the Bieb’s best track and made it better.

♩ CHVRCHES – What Do You Mean (Justin Bieber cover)

[chvrch.es]

Ryan Adam’s 1989 cover album got all the press, but Screaming Females rendition of Swift’s infectious “Shake It Off” deserves it. Frontwoman Marissa Paternoster’s vocals are one-of-a-kind and she fucking shreds at the 2:54 mark. You’ll either love this or hate it. I for one can’t get enough.

(p.s. If you’ve never checked out The A.V. Club’s Undercover series, what the heck are you waiting for?)

♩ Screaming Females – Shake It Off (Taylor Swift cover)

[screamingfemales.com]

♩ Chromatics – Girls Just Want to Have Dub (Cyndi Lauper cover) [from Girls Just Want to Have Dub]

[facebook.com/CHROMATICSBAND]

#31days2015

2015, 31 days of good, best of 2015, music

Favorite LPs of 2015: Part 1

December 15, 2015 Concrete Opinions Leave a comment

Another year of fantastic tunes. Not sure why, but it was a bit easier to nail my favorite LPs down than the last couple of years (favorite EPs was a bit more work this year). Enjoy and tune in later today for Brendan’s favorites.

15 – Will Butler//Policy

♩ Take My Side

[butlerwills.com]

14 – The Go! Team//The Scene Between

♩ Blowtorch

[thegoteam.co.uk]

13 – Youth Lagoon//Savage Hills Ballroom

♩ Highway Patrol Stun Gun

[savagehillsballroom.com]

12 – White Reaper//White Reaper Does It Again

♩ Make Me Wanna Die

[whitereaperusa.com]

11 – Colleen Green//I Want To Grow Up

♩ TV

[colleengreen.bandcamp.com]

10 – Dean Hurley//Days of Thunder & Rain

♩ How Can Love Grow From Pain?

[dean.teamhurley.com]

9 – Dan Deacon//Gliss Riffer

♩ Learning to Relax

[dandeacon.com]

8 – CHVRCHES//Every Open Eye

♩ Never Ending Circles

[chvrch.es]

7 – Sufjan Stevens//Carrie & Lowell

♩ Should Have Known Better

[music.sufjan.com]

6 – Beach House//Depression Cherry

♩ Space Song

[beachhousebaltimore.com]

5 – Emile Haynie//We Fall

♩ Come Find Me (ft. Lykke Li & Romy)

[we-fall.com]

4 – Hot Chip//Why Make Sense?

♩ Need You Now

[hotchip.co.uk]

3 – Telekinesis//Ad Infinitum

♩ In a Future World

[telekinesismusic.com]

2 – Father John Misty//I Love You, Honeybear

♩ I Love You, Honeybear

[fatherjohnmisty.com]

1 – Jamie xx//In Colour

♩ Gosh

[jamiexx.com]

What are your favorite LPs of 2015?

#31days2015

2015, 31 days of good, best of 2015

(31) Days of Good//12.15.15

December 15, 2015 Concrete Opinions Leave a comment

A handful of my overall favorite tracks of 2015. Tune in later today for my favorite albums of the year.

Doo-wop vocals, playful keys, and swaying sax all come together to create this fun and energetic diddy.

♩ Ezra Furman – Lousy Connection [from Perpetual Motion People]

[ezrafurman.com]

I want to be a videographer just so I can use this song in everything I produce. Pure cinematic brilliance. Easily my number one track of the year.

♩ The Chemical Brothers – Wide Open (ft. Beck) [from Born in the Echoes] (via Spotify)

[bonus]♩ The Chemical Brothers – Wide Open (ft. Beck) (Kölsch Remix) [single]

[thechemicalbrothers.com]

Music is special. There’s nothing quite like discovering a new favorite song for the first time. I probably listened to this track ten times in a row when it first came across my desk. This track is truly mesmerizing and I for one can’t wait to hear more from this New York-based songstress.

♩ OKAY-KAYA – I’m Stupid (But I Love You) [single]

[okay-kaya.com]

Too hard to pick only one from my favorite album of the year. But since these tracks are so different, and SO GOOD, i’ll make the exception.

♩ Jamie xx – Gosh [from In Colour]

♩ Jamie xx – I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times) (ft. Young Thug & Popcaan [from In Colour]

[jamiexx.com]

Haynie’s debut full-length was jam packed with big names, including Romy (The xx), Lykke Li, Devonte Hynes, Julia Holter, Father John Misty…just to name a few. But it’s the leadoff track with Mike Snow’s Andrew Wyatt and the one and only Brian Wilson that I can’t get enough of. Seriously though, this entire album is great and deserves a proper listen from beginning to end. Doo-wop vocals, playful keys, and swaying sax all come together to create this fun and energetic diddy.

♩ Emile Haynie – Falling Apart (ft. Andrew Wyatt & Brian Wilson) [from We Fall]

[we-fall.com]

#31days2015

2015, 31 days of good, best of 2015, music

(31) Days of Good//12.14.15

December 14, 2015 Concrete Opinions Leave a comment

Watch the teaser for The Fourth Phase and I dare you to not be mesmerized by this track.

♩ Return to the Sky – The Ever Bending Light [single]

[facebook.com/Return2TheSky]

I REALLY want/need to attend CMJ one of these days. Bucket list adventure for shiz. “Stolen Jars was one of Bob’s favorite discoveries from the CMJ Music Marathon this year. ‘Wreaths Rakes’ is full of hand claps, galloping percussion and staccato guitar licks that build on themselves to create a lush, lively tune.” (via All Songs Considered)

♩ Stolen Jars – Wreath Rakes [from Kept]

[bayonnemusic.com]

“Car Seat Headrest signed to Matador this year, and then promptly remastered and re-released some older material. So, technically, this song is only partially from 2015. Regardless, I think it’s a very inspired tune and I love the angsty lyrics – ‘I want to sing this song like I’m dying.’” (via Side One Track One)

♩ Car Seat Headrest – Something Soon [from Teens of Style]

[carseatheadrest.bandcamp.com]

#31days2015