Our Annual Orgy of Self-Congratulation, Grandstanding & Overconsumption : Matador Artists & Staff Select Their 2020 Favorites

December 22nd, 2020 at 4:41 pm by Gerard

(Congratulations to the landslide winner of the Matador Artists & Staff Poll for Person Of The Year 2020 to Clorox Scentiva Wipes.)

(Around this time every year, your underappreciated editor attempts to coax a list of favorite recordings, books, television programs, life events, etc. out of the label’s artist roster and our entertainment business cronies. In the past, this exercise has been an exacting process, fraught with nagging, GUILTING and no shortage of reluctant participants, some of whom actually changed labels or places of employment or their identities/physical appearances to avoid the chore. Even worse, we sometimes overlook persons currently recording for or working for the record label (either that or they saved their list for Brooklyn Vegan)

Keep in mind, we're about to close the books on the WORST YEAR EVER and perhaps persons with some sense of perspective or empathy have other things on their mind than shouting from the rooftops about their cultural cachet.  Thankfully, none of those persons can be found below or it would be a really short list.

For some historical perspective, here’s last year’s selections. Questions or comments about our predictable tastes and/or inexcusable omissions are welcome (but not so welcome that we’re inclined to comment or reply).  Last year, industry titan Mike Sniper correctly predicted that such lists would be broken down thusly, “half hugely famous commercially viable things that TMZ would report on, the other half off-kilter and ‘weird.’ McDonalds Weird. Like The McRib.”,  but in 2020 I am happy to report that all participants had some much extra time to bask in new creations, we're no longer confined to a Carly Rae / McRib dichotomy.  That's what passes for progress, at least in list-compilng land.

On behalf of Matador's owners, investors, legal representatives and  street team (none of whom are allowed on the actual street any more due to liability issues, so we just pay them to make crank calls to Sub Pop), here's wishing you, your families and friends a safe & happy holiday and thank you, as always, for putting up with us.  And without further ado, let the coronoation of 'Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley Chapter One : Snake Oil' commence. – Gerard Cosloy)

Mikey Coltun, Mdou Moctar
2020 favorite albums

-Jeff Parker - Suite For Max Brown
-Bill Nace - Both
-Horse Lords - The Common Task



-Kiko Dinucci - Rastilho
-Kate NV - Room For The Moon
-Tidiane Thiam - Siftorde
-Duma - Duma
-J. Zunz - Hibiscus
-Mary Halvorson’s Code Girl - Artlessly Falling
-Deerhoof - Love-Lore
-Maghreb K7 Club - Synth Raï, Chaoui & Staifi
-Raven Chacon - ‘An Anthology Of Chants Operations’
-Hiroshi Yoshimura - Green (reissue)
-Moor Jewelry - True Opera
-Black Myths - Birth Of A Nation
-DJ Diaki - Balani Fou
-T. Gowdy - Therapy With Colour
-Mary Lattimore - Silver Ladders
-Meitei - Kof?
-Curved Light - Vita Ex Machina
-METZ - Hail Taxi

Steve Gunn


Don Cherry - Om Shanti Om Black Sweat Record
The Sadies - Union Pool
Black Unity Trio - Al-Fatihah reissue Gotta Groove
Johnathan Richman & Will Oldham Town Hall
FIrst Cow - Kelly Reichhardt director/William Tyler Soundtrack



Marc Orleans - RIP
Patrick Amory on mixcloud
Complete films of Agnes Varda Criterion
Steve Potts - Musique Pour Le Film D'un Ami - Aguirre Records
Mary Oliver - Devotions
How to with John Wilson
How the River Ganges Flows - Sublime Masterpieces of Indian Violin 1933-52 Third Man Records

Georgia Hubley, Yo La Tengo
Lee Tesche, Algiers
Top 5 staff 2020, in order
1. Gerard
2. Lombardi
3. Josh
4. Rian
5. Alex
Honorable Mention: Patrick

Jean-Paul Aline, Beggars Group
Albums
What’s Your Pleasure ? – Jessie Ware
b7 – Brandy



souvenir – Jonah Yano
All The Time – Jessy Lanza
Regresa – Buscabulla
Roisin Machine – Roisin Murphy
3.15.20 – Childish Gambino
Sin Miedo – Kali Uchis
Untitled (Rise) – Sault
Circles – Mac Miller
Will This Make Me Good – Nick Hakim
Miss Colombia – Lido Pimienta

Bonus : Le Jeune (EP) - Quinzequinze

Shows
Madonna – Madame X Tour / Lisbon
Algiers – Paris / La Maroquinerie
Roisin Murphy – Live On Mixcloud

TV SHOWS


Small Axe : Lovers Rock
I may Destroy you
The Crown

Book :
Where The Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens

Nabil Ayers, 4AD

JYOTI Mama, You Can Bet!
Keeley Forsythe Debris
Kelly Lee Owens Inner Song
SAULT Untitled (Black Is)



Alan Braufman The Fire Still Burns (the family biz)
Alabaster DePlume To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1
Mourning [A] BLKstar The Cycle
Grimes pausing her New York Times interview to talk about Raisin Bran
Dry Cleaning’s NYC shows in March… my last
U.S. Girls at The Dance
Post Malone’s Nirvana live stream

Chris Bithell - Beggars Group


Gerard Cosloy, Matador Records

Saint Abdullah - In God's Image (Psychic Liberation)

Amani + King Vision Ultra - An Unknown Infinite (PTP)
No Home - Fucking Hell (d/l bandcamp)
Chronophage - Th' Pig Kissed (Cleta Patra)
Felicia Atkinson - Everything Evaporate (Shelter Press)
Still House Plants - Fast Edit (Bison / Blank Forms)
Model Home - One Year (Disciples)
Sofehso - A Record (First Terrace)
Claire Rousay - Both (Second Editions)
Soft Shoulder - Contextual Depreciation (Gilgongo)
Dr. Pete Larsen and His Cytoxic Nyatti Band - s/t (Dagoretti)
Dean Roberts - Not Fire (Erstwhile)
Armand Hammer - Shrines (Backwoodz Studioz)
Rian Fossett, Matador Records



Jonathan Gold, Beggars Group
Albums
Arca – KiCk i (XL)
Caribou – Suddenly (Merge)
Dehd – Flower of Devotion (Fire Talk)



Desire Marea – Desire (Izimakade)
Eartheater – Phoenix: Flames Are Dew Upon My Skin (PAN)
Jessie Ware – What’s Your Pleasure (PMR/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope)
Kelly Lee Owens – Inner Song (Smalltown Sound)
Naked Roommate – Do the Duvet (Trouble In Minds)
Perfume Genius – Set My Heart on Fire Immediately (Matador)
Popcaan – FIXTAPE (Unruly/OVO Sound)
Special Interest - The Passion Of (Night School/ Thrill Living)
Yves Tumor – Heaven to A Tortured Mind (Warp)

EPs
Deaton Chris Anthony – BOOGY WOOGY (Self-Released)
Meth Math – Pompi (In Real Life)

Park Hye Jin – How Can I (Ninja Tune)
Moonchild Sanelly – Nüdes (Transgressive)
Shygirl – ALIAS (Because)

Songs
BbyMutha – “Cocaine Catwalk” (Self-released)
Bicep – “Apricots” (Ninja Tune)
Blake Mills – “Money Is The One True God” & “Vanishing Twin” (New Deal/Verve)
Creams – “DIE 4 U” (Self-released)
Jeannette Ndiaye – “Makom Ma Bobe” (Kalita)
Julie Byrne, Jefre Cantu-Ledes – “Love’s Refrain” (Mexican Summer)
keiyaA – “Hvnli” & “Rectifya” (Forever)
Koraal – “Vuurdin” (Nous’klaer Audio)
Lorenzo Senni – “Dance Tonight Revolution Tomorrow” (Warp)
Mary Lattimore – “Pine Trees” (Ghostly)
Maurice Fulton, Peggy Guo – “Jigoo” (Gudu)
MOTHERMARY – “Catch Fire” (Italians Do It Better)
Pop Smoke – “Shake The Room (feat. Quavo)” (Victor Victor Worldwide/ Republic)

Pam Garavano, Beggars Group
15 new & 10 reissues albums I loved this year. I strive to never list albums I work on, but if I did, plum by widowspeak and clot by wax chattels along with the reissue of OXZ’s catalog are all aces.

new releases:
adrianne lenker - songs (4ad)
ana roxanne - because of a flower (kranky)
constant smiles - control (living waters)
cut worms - nobody lives here anymore (jagjaguwar)
kate nv - room for the moon (rvng)
katie gately - loom (houndstooth)



le volume courbe - fourteen years ep (honest jons)
mary lattimore - silver ladders (ghostly)
lucrecia dalt - no era sólida (rvng)
modern nature - annual (bella union)
perfume genius - set my heart on fire immediately (matador)
psychic ills - never learn not to love 7-inch (sacred bones)
snowy - audio commentary (spunk)
tomberlin - projections ep (saddle creek)
westerman - your hero is not dead (partisan)

reissue:
dadamah - this is not a dream (grapefruit)
loscil - coast/range/arc (kranky)



priscilla ermel - origins da luz (music from memory)
hiroshi yoshimura - green? (light in the attic)
pole - 1, 2 & 3 (mute)
pale saints - comforts of madness 30th anniv. (4ad)
pylon - pylon box (new west)
the sound - physical world 7-inch (reminder)
neil young - homegrown (reprise)
various artists - ak79 (flying nun)

Matt Harmon, Beggars Group
ALBUMS
Modern Nature - Annual EP (Bella Union)
Brigid Dawson and The Mothers Network - Ballet of Apes (Castleface)
Irreversible Entanglements - Who Sent You (International Anthem)
Sunwatchers - Oh Yeah! (Trouble in Mind Records)
CS + Crème - Snoopy (The Trilogy Tapes)
Beatrice Dillion - Workaround (Pan)
Lingo Seini et son groupe - Musique Hauka (Sahel Sounds)
T.V Sun - Mosses (Anyway)



Quin Kirchner - The Shadows and The Light (Astral Spirits)
Roomful of Teeth - Michael Harrison: Just Constellations EP (Amsterdam)
Penelope Trappes - “Eel Drop” EP (Houndstooth)
Omar S - You Want (FXHE Records)
Oneohtrix Point Never - Magic Oneohtrix Point Never (Warp)
Nazar - Guerilla (Hyper-Dub)

SONGS
HAAi “Head above the Parakeets” (Mute)
Les Sins & Acemo “C’mon Les’ Go” (Company Studio/Sonic Messengers)
Dave Harrington + Nate Mercereau “Things Move Quickly When They Feel Right” (How So Records)
AceMoMa, AceMo & Moma Ready “Revolutionary” (HAUS of ALTR)
Jenny Hval “Bonus Material” (Sacred Bones)
Mdou Moctar “Ibitan” (self-released)
Sault “Free” (Forever Living Originals)
Dan Matz “Now Lucifer” (Assumed Identity)

REISSUES



Rashied Ali + Frank Lowe - Duo Exchange (Survival Records)
Anthony Moore - “Out” (Drag City)
Various Artists - Guasá, Cununo y Marimba. Afro-Colombian Music the West Coast (Gertudis Bonilla)

Noam Klar, Matador Records
my top 5 Mad Men episodes as viewed during lockdown 1&2:


Valentina Magaletti, Marlene Ribeiro - Due Matte (Horn of Plenty)
Kübler Ross - Kübler Ross (Akashic Records)
Sarah Davachi - Cantus, Descant (Late Music)
Alan Braufman - The Fire Still Burns (Valley of Search)
Vladislav Delay - 500 Push-Up (feat Sly and Robbie) (Sub Rosa)
Beatrice Dillon - Workaround (Pan)
Ambrose Akinsmusire - on the tender spot of every calloused moment (Blue Note Records)
Cindy Lee - What's Tonight To Eternity (W.25th)
Crazy Doberman - Illusory Expansion (Astral Spirits)

EPs, singles, collections, and archive releases:

Don Cherry - Om Shanti Om (Black Sweat Records)
Charles Curtis - Performances and Recordings 1998-2018 (Saltern)
Nkisi - Initiation (Initiation)
Neutrals - Personal Computing (Slumberland Records)



Xylitol - I’m Pretty Sure I Would Know If Reality Were Fundamentally Different Than I Perceived It To Be (Thrilling Living)
Alvin Lucier - String Noise (Black Truffle)
Coil - Musick To Play In The Dark (Dais)
Harry Pussy - Superstar (Palilalia)
Model Home - One Year (Disciples)
Marika Politissa - All Parts Dark (Olvido Records)

Annette Lee, 4AD
Top 10 discoveries / things that have kept me sane during lockdown:
1. Schitts Creek
2. I May Destroy You



3. Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge (Book)
4.East cookbook by Meera Sodha
5.Perfecting a gut-busting pork ramen
6.Ruth Rogers’ Sausage Ragu recipe (thanks to Patrick Amory)
7. Calcarius orange and Kindelli Luna Nueva Blanc wines
8. Lagman from Karamay Urghur restaurant
9. NTS Radio
10.Lockdown Parenting Hell podcast

Aaron Leitko, Matador Records
Ryan Naideau, Rough Trade
new stuff:
theo parrish - wuddaji
the microphones in 2020
gillian welch - boots, all the good times
lil uzi vert - eternal atake
21 savage - savage mode II
mike - weight of the world



dj blackpower - king of the night
necrot - mortal
malokarpatan - krupinské ohne
after - life repeats
lady ehepr - gloatre
straw man army - age of exile
twisted thing - sacred cement
jeff rosenstock - no dream
cadenaxo - lenguas podridas
chronophage - th' pig kiss'd
blair - nothing helps



ippei matsui & aki tsuyoku - natsu no zenbu
domenique dumont - people on sunday
v/a - equiknoxx music in 2020

old stuff:
world standard - asagao
v/a - still in my arms comp
don cherry - om shanti om
valium aggelein - black moon
shirley scott - one for me
v/a - la locura de machuca 1975-1980

Abby Rubin, Beggars Group
2020 Favorites
Lamb Rabbit- Heart True



Dominique Dumont - People On Sunday
Against All Logic - 2017-2019
Fiona Apple - Fetch The Boltcutters
Tara Clerkin Trio - S/T
Oneohtrix Point Never - Magic Oneohtrix Point Never
Neil Young - Homegrown



The Soft Pink Truth - Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase?
Waxahatachee - St. Cloud
Caribou - Never Come Back
SAULT - Untitled (Rise)
Burna Boy - Twice as Tall
Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song
Mary Lattimore - Silver Ladders
Gia Margaret - Mia Gargaret
Moodyman - Taken Away
Loma - Don’t Shy Away
Marie Davidson - Renegade Breakdown
Ela Minus - Acts of Rebellion
Art Feynman - Half Price at 3:30
Yves Tumor - Heaven To A Tortured Mind
Yves Jarvis - Sundry Rock Song Stock
The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You

Josh Turner, Matador Records
Favourites
John Carroll Kirby - My Garden
Mil-Spec - World House



Vein - Old Data In A New Machine Vol. 1
Jamael Dean - Ished Tree
Yves Tumor - Heaven To A Tortured Mind
Bib - Delux
Mary Lattimore - Silver Ladders
Jay Electronica - A Written Testimony
Chubby & The Gang - Speed Kills

Great Music For Terrible Times : 25% Off Holiday Sale

November 19th, 2018 at 10:16 am by Gerard

As we reach the end of 2018, it would not be an exaggeration to say we’re in the midst of many difficult moments in human history.  The icecaps are melting.   America is on the brink of a constitutional crisis.  You can’t walk 15 feet in any major metropolis without breaking your neck on a discarded scooter.  Your personal data (including everything we collect in this campaign) is being used for nefarious means. Nearly 15% of the public believes we actually told someone to “sound more like Adele.”  Nearly $40 million was spent to produce “The Hurricane Heist”

All of that said, there is still beauty, mystery, and grandeur in what’s left of the fine arts.  And when you’re done with the fine arts, there’s Matador's incredible array of 2018 titles from Belle and Sebastian, Body/Head, boygenius, Car Seat Headrest, Lucy Dacus, Iceage, Interpol, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Liz Phair, Snail Mail, Kurt Vile and Yo La Tengo.  Will these records help you sort out a world gone mad? hey, they’re great, but not THAT GREAT.  Almost certainly, and that’s why your friends at Matador —a label as magnanimous as it is humble — are offering an unprecedented 25% OFF when you use the code, “terribletimes” thru December 13. Orders of $40.00 and above receive a free tote bag and take it from me, a tote bag skeptic, you’re way less likely to drop shit all over the sidewalk when you have a stylish bag.



(moon art : James McNew)

MATADOR HOLIDAY SALE : 25% w/ code "terribletimes"

Our Annual Orgy of Self-Congratulation, Grandstanding & Overconsumption : Matador Artists & Staff Select Their 2015 Favorites

December 15th, 2015 at 11:54 am by Gerard

(above : 2nd annual Tidal board of directors meetings addresses burning issue #1 : failure to manipulate Matablog Year-End results. Guy in the helmet has a solution but nobody can hear him thru that thing)

Around this time every year, your long-suffering dedicated very good-looking editor attempts to coax a list of favorite recordings, books, television programs, life events, etc. out of the label’s artist roster and our show business cronies. In the past, the exercise has been an trying process, fraught with nagging, teeth-gnashing and no shortage of hesitant participants, some of whom actually changed labels or places of employment or their identities to avoid the task. In more recent times, however, people can’t wait to tell you everything. Too much, in fact. Why should the blitzkrieg of oversharing be limited to social media when we still have a label blog that attracts nearly a dozen 3 readers a week?

For some historical perspective, here’s last year’s selections. Questions or comments about our predictable tastes and/or inexplicable omissions are welcome (but probably not appreciated). And without further ado, let the coronations of Kendrick Lamar, Dick DIver and "The Leftovers" begin :

Erika M. Anderson, EMA

EMA 2015 TOPS



Fostering a kitten with a huge bolt coming out of his leg to fix a broken bone. He looked super cyberpunk and his name was Warboy.



Fronting a cover band for my dad’s 60th birthday party and having my mom sing back up.



Doing Virtual Reality / hybrid musical performances at both the Barbican and PS1 MoMA.
Performing at the New Museum as part of Deep Lab.
Interviewing William Gibson.
Getting really stoned on legal weed and watching “Green Inferno” followed by a “Best Of Leprechaun” montage on YouTube.

Books —
“In Preparation For The Next Life” by Atticus Lish
“White Girls” by Hilton Als

Music —
Force Publique — “Bloom”
Nicki Minaj — “Pinkprint”

Film—
Heaven Knows What
Green Inferno

TV --
South Park Season 19

Anthony Anzaldo, Ceremony

5 Records
-Tony Molina bedroom demos
-Best Coast - California Nights
-The Weeknd - Beauty Behind The Madness



-Loma Prieta - Self Portrait
-Marilyn Manson - The Pale Emperor

5 Shows
-Lights Out, September 25 at The Metro Oakland, CA
-Culture Club, July 25 at The Greek Theatre Berkeley, CA
-Noel Gallagher, May 18 Warfield SF, CA
-Jesus And Mary Chain, May 16 Warfield SF, CA
-The Chameleons, September 21 at The Elbow Room SF, CA

Jehnny Beth, Savages

Best record : Kendrick Lamar - To pimp a butterfly
Best film: Mommy with Anna Dorval by Xavier Dolan
Best exhibition: 'Recording In progress' PJ Harvey at Somerset House recording her new album in front of an audience
Best TV series: Veep (with Julia Louis-Dreyfus on HBO)
Best cartoon: The Regular Show on Cartoon Network



Best book: I'll never write my memories by Grace Jones
Best gig: Nick Cave and the bad Seeds in Paris, Le Grand Rex
Best radio show: The Alligator hour by Joshua Homme on Beat 1
Best Jewel maker: Jennifer Tull Westberg
Best clothes designer: Minimarket (Swedish brand)
Best shoe maker: KMB (handmade in Spain)
Best moment: learning to ride a motorcycle!

Ross Farrar, Ceremony

Radical Opening Bands of Tour
1) Perverts Again: Cleveland. Yes, so good. The front man had a really cool marching thing he was doing throughout the set, and the music was simple, primitive and catchy–sort of reminded me of The UV Race–most interesting / radical band of tour.
2) Night Club: Atlanta. I loved this band, very lonely sounding, very sparse, very dark. For lovers of Slint.
3) Perverted Justice: Montreal. This band tripped me out in a very good way. Old and new friends were formed that night. I've never seen anything like their setup. Five people formed a horizontal line behind Josie, lead vocalist. Starting from far right: Christine on vocals and synth, an electronic drummer next to her, another synth player next to him, and another dude next to him, but I forget what he played exactly. Each of them looked different. Cartoons playing instruments. They also covered GG–Don’t Talk to Me. Fantastic.
4) Mushmind: Tampa. Chaotic at times, but also a bit funky. Time Square was said to be a scary, grimy place in the 70's. This music could be an interesting soundtrack to that time in history. For more inquiry look for the track "Substance Control."
5) Brother Beast: NC. Vengeance against society. They are putting out a record called "Pregnant God" which I believe will be their last. Phenomenal drumming. Watch out.



6) Olivia Neutron-John: DC. Whoa. Beautiful music that conjured the new wave, the groove wave, the darker waves and the water waves all together–forming a synthetic punk version of rainbow light.
7) False Punk: Orlando. Rippers who are ripe on the scene, filled with angst, and look cool on stage. A lot of punks don’t think about how they look on stage, and that’s cool, but these guys look good. Members of Gross, who also played the show, and who also played with us the previous year. Good dudes, good tunes.
8 ) Triage: Toronto. This band really ripped. Female fronted thrash punk metal. The kind of shit you listen to driving fast through the night in New Jersey, flashing by nuclear waste dumps where Toxic Avenger was inspired.
9) VCR: Toronto. Second band in Toronto. Danger House vibes. Young kids with bad attitudes who like to play fast and freaky. Greg from S.H.I.T put out their EP, and had some funny shit to say. The singer and I spoke a bit while doing merch. Two quotes: "We're playing with Sheer Mag soon" which he was very excited about, and "We played this show to get money for tour." Best quote of tour yet so far.
10) Hide: Chicago. Extremely powerful Goth beautification. The sound was huge. The people were huger.

Samuel Fogarino, Interpol

Live:
Robert Plant - Lollapalooza, Buenos Aires
Robert Plant/Jack White - The Lemon Song - Lollapalooza, Buenos Aires
Shellac - Primavera, Barcelona
Run The Jewels - NME Awards, London
Failure - Irving Plaza, NYC
Swervedriver - The 40 Watt, Athens, GA



*Sparks/Franz Ferdinand - At some festival somewhere in Italy
*Cypress Hill - At some festival somewhere in South America
Health - They opened for Interpol on a US leg of the El Pintor tour, and destroyed it nightly.
*Sleaford Mods - At some festival in the UK or EU....
*The lines that divide and define have long since faded. I could simply reference the many tour books or the webnet for specific dates/places, but so could you.
Random:
Daniel Kessler's Milan: A Night Of Food & Drink
Interpol's live configuration hit the streets of Milan for drinks, dinner, dessert, at DK's fav haunts. I may possess the Italian surname, but Kessler will always be the Don of Milan in our camp.
Film:
Creep
Cruel And Unusual
Goodnight Mommy

Thurston Moore



1. Boredoms epic colour-coordinated drum circle of program Barbican London
2. Deb Googe & Aaron Dilloway duo noise gig at Hanson Records, Oberlin Ohio
3. The acknowledgement of transgender roles in society via bathroom signage, runway models, political prisoners et al. Cheers Chelsea Manning, Rhyannon Styles....



4. Sun Ra ephemera exhibit curated by John Corbett at contemporary art museum Nottingham UK.
5. Sonic City Festival in Belgium same week as Paris attacks (whilst other gigs were cancelled and promoters were "re-thinking" an appropriate evening out during this crises;) Sonic City festival maintained calm and celebrated free jazz/first-thought-best-thought/understanding with an unsurpassed and universal line-up of musicians from around the globe coming together for the solace that comes natural to this Independent music scene.
6. Final full year of US President Obama, savouring the last moments of clarity from the anti-gun, pro-socialised medicine Grammy Award winning Prez and fingers crossed for the future of his policies staying in place.



7. Blek Metal fest in Bergen Norway with a focus on legends and newcomers alike along with tattoo impresarios and an exhibit of Gaahl's strange-mind paintings.
8. I wasn't there, but I heard it and felt it: Hong Kong student protesters all over social media. Go, you beauties!
9. Tour in New Zealand & OZ this month, with unforgettable visits to M?ori dances and the rest a new collection of recordings of Aboriginal music. Listening to the soul of both of these nations and their respect to the Land. Also seeing their hemisphere of stars at the Meredith Festival in rural Victoria I realise how small we all are in this vast universe.
10. Duo with Jack Callahan at Shredded Fleshtival 2015. Noise never lies/dies.

Bill Nace, Body/Head, Open Mouth Records

Jake Meginsky Vandals LP (open mouth records) Halloween Dj set and live at Pencil Factory Northampton MA
Coathangers @ Sled Island Fest
Gashrat live @ Elevens Florence MA
Myriam Gendron and Ruth Garbus live @ Montague Bookmill Montague MA
Fountainsun LP on Gnome Life
David Rees paper airplane making workshop with James Tenney blasting in background MassMoca North Adams MA
NAS performing Illmatic at Sugar Mountain Festival Melbourne Australia



Xylouris White Melbourne Australia
Laying eyes on all of the original art/pages for Charles Burns Black Hole
Gwen Welliver "What a Horse" at La MaMa
Ksiezyc LP Reissue on Penultimate Press
Silk Purse live @ Max Fish

Bob Nastanovich, Pavement

I had a quiet year and didn't get around as I probably should have done But, Des Moines is happening and I was fortunate enough to stumble upon the following excellent things:

(Not in any particular order)
1. Schwervon! --Great Kansas City two piece rock band.



2. Shovels and Rope --Great Charleston, SC two piece rock band.
3. The Local Pig and Pigwich--Top butcher shop/sandwich builders in KC.
4. Easy Fruit
5. Karen Meat and The Computer
6. Ramona and The Slimdudes
7. Odd Pets
8. Tires
(.4 through .8 --Good tuneage that the cool kids of Des Moines are churning out.)
9. The Other Brothers
10. Dosh --Moniker employed by Minnesota's Martin Dosh for his mesmerizing one man act.
(EDITOR'S NOTE : Mr. Nastanovich is available for DJ bookings)

Andy Nelson, Ceremony

Albums
Dawn Of Humans - Slurping At The Cosmos Spine
Dick Diver - Melbourne, Florida
Floating Points - Elaenia
Future - 56 Nights
Lower Dens - Escape From Evil



L.O.T.I.O.N. - Digital Control And Man's Obsolescence
Max Richter - SLEEP
The Necks - Vertigo
Sneaks - Gymnastics
William Basinski - Cascade

Singles
C.C.T.V. - self-titled
Galcher Lustwerk - Parlay
Jack J - Thirstin'
Kassem Mosse / Simone White - Three Versions
Lime Crush - self-titled
Rat Columns - Fooling Around
S.H.I.T. - Feeding Time
Sheer Mag - II
Terry - Talk About Terry
Vexx - Give And Take

Reissues
Agnostic Front - No One Rules
Family - Casete
Man Is The Bastard - The Lost M.I.T.B. Sessions
Mariah - ??????? / Utakata No Hibi
Oppenheimer Analysis - New Mexico
Rose McDowall - Cut With The Cake Knife
Shackleton - Archive Series: #1
Shinichi Atobe - Ship-Scope
Uranium Club - Human Exploration
Velvet Underground - The Complete Matrix Tapes


Carl Newman, The New Pornographers

Albums:
Protomartyr - The Agent Intellect (+Under Color Of Official Right, belatedly)
Katie Von Schleicher - Bleaksploitation



The Butterscotch Cathedral - The Butterscotch Cathedral
Car Seat Headrest - Teens Of Style
Primitive Parts - Primitive Parts
Destroyer - Poison Season
Thee Oh Sees - Mutilator Defeated At Last
Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
Miguel - Wildheart
Tame Impala - Currents

TV:
With Bob And David, Difficult People, The Leftovers, Fargo, Les Revenants, The Last Man On Earth, Nathan For You, Drunk History, Silicon Valley

Books: (I know, a couple are from 2014, but close enough)

A Brief History Of Seven Killings by Marlon James
The Book Of Strange New Things by Michel Faber



Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins
You Too Can Have A Body Like Mine by Alexandra Kleeman
Fortune Smiles by Adam Johnson
Robo-Sauce by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri

Lego:
Death Star Troopers - a budget priced Star Wars set with 4 minifigures and a bad-ass laser cannon that feels more integral and well-designed than other small builds.
Black Manta Deep Sea Strike - a sleeper set from DC Comics that has had enduring appeal in this house. 2 undersea vehicles and what seems to be Aquaman's house (?). Don't count out the robo-shark (exclusive to this set)! Scuba Batman a great addition to our 4 other Batmans.
Lego City Deep Sea Explorers Starter Set - Have to give some love to the unlicensed product. A great cheap ($10) entry point to a world that becomes immediately way more expensive. See what happens when the shark takes on robo-shark from Black Manta Deep Sea Strike!
Hulk Lab Smash - featuring Hulk, Falcon, Modok

Lee Tesche, Algiers

Top 5 staff 2015, in order
1. Patrick
2. Blue
3. Natalie
4. Rian
5. Lombardi
Honourable mention: Robby

Jean-Philippe Aline, Beggars France

favorite city
Paris (75011)

favorite videos



JMSN - Addicted
Kendrick Lamar - Alright
Justin Bieber - Sorry
Tinashe - All hands on deck

favorite gigs
JMSN - Boule Noire
SAVAGES - La Route du Rock / La Maroquinerie
SUFJAN STEVENS - Le Grand Rex
BONNIE BANANE - Le Point FMR

favorite albums
KENDRICK LAMAR - To Pimp A Butterfly
PNL - Le Monde Chico
MADONNA - Rebel Heart
CARLA MORRISON - amor supremo
BOMBA ESTERO - amanecer
BJORK - Vulnicura
ALABAMA SHAKES - Sound & Color
LANA DEL REY - Honeymoon
LA PRIEST -Inji
JULIETA VENEGAS - Algo Sucede
SUFJAN STEVENS - Carrie & Lowell
NATALIE PRASS - Natalie Prass
IBEYI - Ibeyi
US GIRLS - Half Free

favorite restaurants
Tannat - Paris
Soon - Paris
Les Enfants Rouges - Paris
Longman & Eagle - Chicago

Dean Bein, True Panther Sounds

Albums
Abra - Roses XOXO (Awful)
Arca - Mutant (Mute)
Beach House - Thank Your Lucky Stars (Sub Pop)
Bing & Ruth - City Lake (RVNG, Intl.)
Björk - Vulnicura (1 Little Indian)
Bryson Tiller - Trapsoul (RCA)
D'angelo - Black Messiah (RCA)
DJ Richard - Grind (Dial)
Earl Sweatshirt - I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside (Columbia)
Eartheater- RIP Chrysalis (Hausu Mountain Records)
Floating Points - Elaenia (Pluto)
Freddie Gibbs - Shadow of a Doubt (ESGN)
Future - DS2 (Freebands)
Jack Ü - Jack Ü (Mad Decent)
Jamie XX - In Colour (XL Recordings)
JME - Integrity (BBK)
Julia Holter - Have You in My Wilderness (Domino)
Julio Bashmore - Knockin' Boots (Broadwalk)
JT The Goon - King Triton (Oil Gang)
Kamasi Washington - The Epic (Brainfeeder)
Kuedo - Assertion Of A Surrounding Presence (KNIVES)
Levon Vincent - Levon vincent (Novel Sound)
London O'Connor - O?
Mariah - Utakata No Hibi (Palto Flats)
Mas Ysa- Seraph (Downtown)



M.E.S.H. - Piteous Gate (PAN)
more eaze - Accidental Prizes
Prequel Tapes - Inner Systems (R’Coupd)
Rabit - Communion (Tri Angle)
Tame Impala - Currents (Modular/Interscope)
The Internet - Ego Death (Columbia)
Various Artists Gqom Oh! The Sound of Durban Vol.1 (PAN)
Young Thug - Barter 6 (300)

Loosies/Footlongs/EPs
Dark0 - Solace (Rinse)
Elf Kid- Golden Boy EP
Galcher Lustwerk - Parlay (Lustwerk Music)
Jack J - Thirstin' (Future Times)
Kamixlo - Demonico EP (PAN)
Kowton Glock & Roll (Whites)
Lechuga Zafiro - Aequs Nyama (Salviatek)
Nao -February 15 EP (Little Tokyo)
Nidia Minaj - Danger (Principe)
New the Pharaoh - Big Tymin
Playboi Carti - Broke Boi
Section Boyz - Lock Arff
Stormzy - everything
Tate Kobang - Bank Rolls Remix (300)

Mixtapes
Bankroll Fresh - Bankroll Fresh
Bricc Baby Shitro - Nasty Dealer
Future- 56 Nights
J HUS – The 15th Day
Lil Herb - G Herbo
Lil Simz - Age 101 : Drop 4
Lil Uzi Vert - Luv Is Rage
Wiki - Lil Me
MPA Wicced - In The Mean Time
PNL - Que La Famile
Shy Glitzy - For Trappers Only
Various Artists - N.A.A.F.I Pirata 2 (N.A.A.F.I.)
Young M.A. - Sleepwalkin'
Young Thug - Slime Season

Adam Bohl, Matador Direct

As is becoming tradition, i've waited until the last minute to try to assemble my year end list. Instead of looking back at the whole year i've decided i'll just look at the records covering my desk. Here are a few i've happened to enjoy playing over the last few weeks.

Peacers - S/T
Jeffrey Cowell - Lucky Strikes And Liquid Gold
Shannon And The Clams - Gone by Dawn
Kelley Stoltz - In Triangle Time
The Intelligence - Future Vintage
Fuzz - II
Ork Records boxset



To make up for my half-assed list I would like to bless everyone with this amazing jam I recently discovered on Youtube. You're welcome.

Stephen Burhans, Matador Direct

New Releases:
1. Dean McPhee - Fatima's Hand LP (Hood Faire)
2. Ultimate Painting - Green Lanes LP (Trouble In Mind)
3. Meg Baird - Don't Weigh Down The Light LP (Drag City)



4. Daniel Bachman - River LP (Three Lobed)
5. Masami Kawaguchi - The Mad Guitar LP (Black Petal)
6. Mdou Moctar - Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai O.S.T. LP (Sahel Sounds)
7. Flying Saucer Attack - Instrumentals 2015 2xLP (Drag City)
8. Dick Diver - Melbourne, Florida LP (Trouble In Mind)
9. The Mantles - All Odds End LP (Slumberland)
Three way tie for 10th place. Obnox - Boogalou Reed LP (12XU)
Obnox - Know America LP
(Never/Ever)
Obnox - Wiglet LP (Ever/Never)

Reissues:
1. Clay Allison - Live At The Electric Banana LP (Boot) *This may have
been a 2014 release
2. Dredd Foole - In Quest Of Tense LP (Feeding Tube)
3. David Westlake - Play Dusty For Me LP (Captured Tracks)
4. Daniel Bachman - Miscellaneous Ephemera and Other Bullshit LP (Feeding Tube)
5. Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments - Straight To Video LP (Straight To Video)
6. Les Rallizes Dénudés - Live! '77 2xLP (Victory UK) *No relation to
the Chicago label
7. Tommy McCook - The Sannic Sounds of Tommy McCook LP (Dub Store Japan)
8. Dusty Rhodes - Dusty On The Stick CS (American Dream Tapes)
9. Lilys - Eccsame The Photon Band LP (Frontier)
10. Ork Records 4xLP Box (Numero)

Steve Cross, Remote Control

20 Things I Enjoyed This Year
Angharad Drake – Majesty



The Apartments – No Song, No Spell, No Madrigal
Bill Fay - Who Is the Sender?
Bob Dylan - The Bootleg Series Vol. 12: The Cutting Edge 1965–1966 Collector's Edition



Chris & Cosey – Trance
Cockney Rebel – Cavaliers
Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
Emmanuelle Parrenin – Maison Rose
Heroin In Tahiti – Sun and Violence
Hot Chocolate - Put Your Love In Me
Iggy Pop - Don’t Look Down
Jackson C Frank – Kimbie
James Ferraro - Skid Row



John Carpenter - Lost Themes Remixed
Known Ocean – Known Ocean
Kurt Vile - b'ieve i'm goin (deep) down…
Mbongwana Star – Kala
Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass
The Orbweavers - Poison Garden
The Paradise Motel – Aeroplanes

Rian Fossett, Matador Records

Music -



Jenny Hval - Apocalypse, Girl
Floating Points - Elaenia
Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
Mbongwana Star - From Kinshasa
Fluoride - Material
Deaf Wish - Pain
Salad Boys - Metalmania
The Weather Station - Loyalty
Dungen -Allas Sak
Royal Headache - High

Movies -
Mustang, Victoria

Books -
M Train, My Struggle (Book2), 10:04

TV -



Mr. Robot, The Affair, Death Parade

Al Harmon, Beggars Group

Albums
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
Jamie xx – In Colour
Adele - 25 - I bought the Target Exclusive CD with the bonus tracks. I can’t recall the last time I purchased an actual cd. So glad the Beggars’ office MACs still have a slot for cds. (no shade) Also it was the first time that I have ever been in a Target store. And get this! I play the album a lot but never listen to the bonus tracks.
Hamilton: An American Musical – Lin Manuel Miranda (and cast)



Janet Jackson - Unbreakable – Total fan bias here. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for the win again!

Individual Tracks
Missy Elliot – “WTF (Where They From)”
Kirk Franklin - “When” featuring Kim Burrell and Lalah Hathaway from Losing My Religion
Dr. Dre featuring Anderson.Paak “Animals” from Compton
Jill Scott – “Jahraymecofasola” from Woman
Lapsley – “Falling Short” from Understudy (EP)
Lianne La Havas – “Good Goodbye” from Blood

Concert
Stevie Wonder – “Songs In the Key of Life Tour” – November 24, 2015. – Amazing! Incredible! Diverse crowd of all ages jamming and singing along. And Stevie played for 4 hours and his voice is still golden.

Other random thoughts:
Wimbledon 2015. Finally made it to the All England Club. WOW! Just WOW! Bonus: Serena won (and I saw her first round match!)
Jessica Jones and Daredevil (Netflix) - Not a huge comic book fan but I am loving these Marvel Shows on Netflix.
The Wiz Live didn’t suck.
And the NY Mets made it the World Series.

Matt Harmon, Beggars Group

Destroyer - Poison Season (Merge)
Rat Columns - Fooling Around (Blackest Ever Black)
Royal Headache - High (What’s Your Rupture)M.E.S.H. - Piteous Gate (Pan)



Josh Abrams - Magnetoception (Eremite)
Byron Westbrook - Precipice (Root Strata)
Mikal Cronin - MCIII (Merge)
Dan Melchior / Russell Walker - In Durham LP (Kill Shaman Records)
Anna Caraagnano & Donato Dozzy - Sintetizzatrice (Spectrum Spools)
Helen - The Original Faces (Kranky)
Julia Holter - Have You In My Wilderness (Domino)
Natural Information Society & Bitchin’ Bajas - Autoimaginary Drag City)
Metabolismus und Fifty Fifty - A Circle Inside a Square Inside… (Black Sweat Records)
Ellen Fullman - The Long String Instrument (Superior Viaduct) re-issue
A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (Legacy) 25th Anniversary
Sun City Girls - Torch of the Mystics (Abduction) LP reissue
Stars of the Lid - The tired sounds of… (Kranky) LP reissue

Natalie Judge, Matador Records

Top 10 Instagram accounts for 2015



1. earlboykins
2. al_english (#goodmorningbam)
3. chrissimpsonsartist
4. snoopygrams
5. gifs
6. baloublue
7. fatherjohnmisty
8. miguel
9. goatsofanarchy
10. ziggylepiggy

Blue Kirkhope, Matador Records

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2015

Travelling on a Megabus from London to Glasgow and receiving a phone call from none other than Natalie Judge offering me the role at Matador. Best Megabus journey EVER.
Visiting America for the first time - NYC for CMJ. So much fun with the most amazing people.
Meeting Henry Rollins.
Going home to Scotland for my 23rd birthday and exploring the Isle of Skye.
Drinking lots of whisky.
Discovering this video of David Bowie and Mick Jagger (extremely late to the party I know)

SHOWS OF 2015

Nick Cave @ Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Suicide @ The Barbican
Deerhunter @ Shepherd’s Bush
Philip Glass @ The Barbican
Le Guess Who Festival in Utrecht (best festival ever just FYI)
Built To Spill @ Bi Nuu in Berlin

ALBUMS OF 2015 (in alphabetical order)

Algiers - Algiers
Empress Of - Me
Girls Names - Arms Around a Vision
Jenny Hval - Apocalypse, girl
Julia Holter - Have You In My Wilderness
Kurt Vile - b'lieve i'm goin down
Marching Church - This World Is Not Enough
Miguel - Wildheart
Nils Frahm - Solo
Ought - Sun Coming Down
Protomartyr – The Agent Intellect
The Soft Moon - Deeper
Viet Cong - Viet Cong



Widowspeak - All Yours
Young Fathers - White Men Are Black Men Too

TRACKS OF 2015

David Bowie - Blackstar
Ought - Beautiful Blue Sky
Deerhunter - Snakeskin

ANIMAL(S) OF 2015

This lizard playing leaf guitar.



Sonya Kolowrat, Beggars Group

My best "stuff" of 2015
-seeing Low Cut Connie cover Harry Nilsson at SXSW
-diving deep into Harry Nilsson



Down Down The Deep River
-Seeing FKA Twigs in Sunset Park and then schooling myself about the amazing word of ball culture/finally watched Paris is Burning
-Documentary: Deli Man
-Kirin J. Callinan's instagram
-Seeing Warpaint in Toronto and catching up with many friends, some I hadn't seen in years
-Capri Social Club
-going back in time and seeing Billy Idol + Culture Club this year
-Tracy Helsing, Rich Roll, Mishka Shubaly - people that inspired me this year
-Prurient at Output



-Superiority Burger

Shira Knishkowy, Matador Records

albums i loved this year and listened to a lot, in no particular order, aside from being alphabetical:

beach slang - the things we do to find people who feel like us



dave rawlings machine - nashville obsolete
dungen - allas sak
floating points - elaenia
hop along - painted shut
kacey musgraves - pageant material
lower dens - escape from evil
jamie xx - in colour
jim o’rourke - simple songs
moon duo - shadow of the sun
royal headache - high
ryan adams - 1989
sleater kinney - no cities to love
sannhet - revisionist
the internet - ego death
the very best - makes a king

Charlie Masure, Beggars France

1. Romare - Projections (Ninja Tune)
2. Algiers - Algiers (Matador)
3. Ivy Lab - 20/20 (20/20 LDN)
4. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly (Top Dog Entertainment / Interscope)



5. Glenn Astro - Throwback (Tartelet Records)
6. Contact Field Orchestra - Volume 2 (Hit+Run)
7. Chassol - Big Sun (Tricatel)
8. Kahn.Commodo.Gantz - Volume 1 (Deep Medi Musik)
9. Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color (Rough Trade)
10. STUFF. - STUFF. (Buteo Buteo)

Emmaline McCourt, Matador Records

Ten Eleven Great Albums of 2015
1. Royal Headache - High (What’s Your Rupture?)
2. Jamie xx - In Colour (Young Turks)
3. Protomartyr - The Agent Intellect (Hardly Art)
4. Gun Outfit - Dream All Over (Paradise of Bachelors)
5. S. Araw “Trio” XI - Gazebo Effect (Drag City)
6. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Style (Matador)
7. Black Time - Aerial Gobs of Love (Forbjudna Ljud)
8. Baba Commandant and the Mandigo Band - Juguya (Sublime Frequencies)
9. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell (Asthmatic Kitty)
10. Thee Arcadians - We Have Come For Your Parents (Feeding Tube)
11. Personable - New Lines (Peak Oil)

Five Comically Tragic Moments of 2015
1. The Chipotle E-Coli Outbreak
2. Losing my Dick Diver pin at a Majical Cloudz show



3. The great Pitchfork record fair flood
4. Deciding to name my bowling team Dolphin Pizza Gutz
5. Doing my taxes the day my wisdom teeth were removed

Five Memorable Show Experiences of 2015



1. Road tripping to Boston to see my friends Boom Said Thunder and Ghost Box Orchestra play with Major Stars at the Middle East Upstairs
2. (Most likely) being the youngest person in attendance for Lilys at Baby’s All Right
3. Complete playing Hoogie-Boogie Land before my very eyes at Union Pool
4. Those few months I pretty much only saw Australian bands (The Cannanes, Deaf Wish, Courtney Barnett…to name only a few)
5. Running into my high school physics teacher at The Ex and Ken Vandermark show at Bell House

And finally...Top Three Moments Celebrating Other People’s Life Events in 2015



1. Being a Groomsmaid in my roommates’ wedding...



2. Watching a couple people I went to college with become priests…



3. Catching this bouquet…

Hana Mogulescu, Beggars Group

Julia Holter - Have You In My Wilderness
Natalie Prass - S/T
Jamie xx - In Colour
#DrakeAlwaysOnBeat
D’Angelo - Black Messiah
Justin Bieber - “What Do You Mean?" (s/o to Matt Harmon)
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell



Lower Dens - Escape From Evil
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Multi-Love
Christine & The Queens - “Jonathan" (feat. Perfume Genuis)
Kurt Vile - b’lieve i’m going down…
Bjork - Vulnicura
Ryan Adams - 1989

Robby Morris, Matador Records

dick diver,
floating points,
nicolas jaar,
oneohtrix point never,
ought,
royal headache,
kamasi washington,



the weather station

Angelica Pasquini, Beggars Group
Top 10 Anonymous Complaints & Questions of 2015:

10. “Ugh…. Why is the maintenance guy is always cleaning the bathroom when I have to use it?”
9. “Do you have any other kinds of candy? I don’t like this kind.”
8. “Can you stop buying this candy? I eat it too much.” (same person as #9)
7. “What should I have for lunch?” *gets a suggestion* “Mmm…No….”
6. “Ugh…Wow…This driver is an idiot. I have to walk around the corner to get to the (free) Uber.”
5. “Could you look up what kind of pen this is and order it? *hands over a pen*
4. “Where can I find an ATM?”
3. “It’s really dark above my desk. Thanks.”
2. “What is my password?”
1. “Is this PR consulting?”

Gonzalo Schiafinno, Everlasting Popstock

Albums
SEASICK STEVE - Sonic Soul Surfer
COURTNEY BARNETT - Sometimes I Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit
HOUNDMOUTH - Little Neon Light
ALABAMA SHAKES - Sound And Color
JIM O’ROURKE - Simple Songs
BILL FAY - Who Is The Sender
MIKAL CRONIN - MCIII
FAITH NO MORE - Sol Invictus
CHRISTOPHER OWENS - Chriss Baby Forever
RICKIE LEE JONES - The Other Side Of Desire



RYLEY WALKER - Primrose Green
MARK LANEGAN - Houston: Publishing Demos 2002
KURT VILE - B’lieve I’m Goin’ Down
JOSEPH ARTHUR - Days Of Surrender
KEITH RICHARDS - Crosseyed Heart
TEN COMMANDOS - Ten Commandos
JOSH RITTER - Sermon On The Rocks

Albums From Spain
KIKE SUAREZ Y LA DESBANDADA - Sueño A La Vista
GUADALUPE PLATA - Guadalupe Plata (2015)
CHRISTINA ROSENVIGE - Lo Nuestro
CRUDO PIMENTO - Fania Helvete

To Discover
MONOCERO - https://soundcloud.com/monocero
DOBLE CAPA

Reissues
ROLLING STONES - Sticky Fingers
MARK LANEGAN - One Way Street (Box Set)
VELVET UNDERGROUND - Loaded



BOOK

Catálogo Irracional - Ignacio Juliá (Best book ever written about Lou Reed)

Gabe Spierer, Beggars Group
These are my favorite records of 2015, in no particular order except to say that Dick Diver made (by far) my favorite record of the year:

Dick Diver - Melbourne, Florida
Jim O’Rourke - Simple Songs
The Weeknd - Beauty Behind The Madness



Future - DS2
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
Dr. Dre - Compton
Mikal Cronin - MCIII

Claire Taylor, Beggars Group

Albums:



Meg Baird - Don’t Weigh Down the Light
Dungen - Allas Sak
Chris Forsyth / Koen Holtkamp - The Island
Moon Duo - Shadow of the Sun
Jim O’Rourke - Simple Songs
Ty Segal - Ty Rex
Ryley Walker - Primrose Green

TV:
Bloodline
BoJack Horseman
The Great British Baking Show
The Leftovers
Mr. Robot
Peaky Blinders
Show Me A Hero
Silicon Valley
Veep

Patrick Amory, Matador Records

Greatest 1980s Hardcore Songs:

10. The F.U.'s - C.E.T.A. Suckers
9. Raw Power - Don't Let Me See It
8. The Middle Class - Out Of Vogue (even though it's from 1979)
7. Negative FX - Might Makes Right fragment
6. Discharge - Doomsday
5. Sorry - cover of Minor Threat Filler from last show cassette



4. The Fix - No Idols
3. Angry Samoans - Steak Knife
2. SS Decontrol - Nothing Done
1. Government Issue - Blending In


Gerard Cosloy, Matador Records



Sleaford Mods - Key Markets (Harbinger Sounds)



75 Dollar Bill - Wooden Bag (Other Music)
Golden Pelicans - Oldest Ride, Longest Line (Total Punk)
Dick Diver - Melbourne, Florida (Trouble In Mind)
Obnox - Wiglet (Ever/Never)
Life Stinks - You’ll Never Make It (S-S)
Institute - Catharsis (Sacred Bones)
Joan Shelley - Over & Even (No Quarter)
Spray Paint - Punters On A Barge (Homeless)
Ultimate Painting - Green Lanes (Trouble In Mind)
Stickmen With Ray Guns - Grave City (End Of An Ear)



Salad Boys - Metalmania (Trouble In Mind)
Video - The Entertainers (Third Man)
Thee Speaking Canaries - Platter Base Must Be Constructed of Moon Rock (Chunklet)
Scharpling & Wurster - The Best Of The Best Show (Numero)
Protomartyr - The Agent Intellect (Hardly Art)
Waxahatchee - Ivy Trip (Merge)
Destruction Unit - Negative Feedback Resistor (Sacred Bones)
The Lloyd Pack - A Tribute (Amish)
Mint Mile - In Season & Ripe (Comedy Minus One)
Icepick -Amaranh (Astral Spirits/Monofonus Press)
Power - Electric Glitter Boogie (Cool Death)



Diãt - Positive Energy (Iron Lung)
Motherfucker - Confetti (Sick Room)
Anthony Pasquarosa - Morning Meditations (Vin Du Select Qualitite)
The Barreracudas - Can Do Easy (Oops Baby)
Black Time - Aerial Gobs Of Love (Förbjudna Ljud)
V/A - We're Loud (90's Cassette Punk Unknowns) (Slovenly/Black Gladiator)

7"'s



Black Panties - "Prophet Of Hate" b/w "Violence" (Total Punk)
Girls Pissing On Girls Pissing - "Nine Of Swords" b/w "Ng." (Crane Fortune)
Savoy Motel - "Souvenir Shop Rock" b/w "Hot One" (Official Memorabilia)
Mystic Inane - "Eggs Onna Plate" 7" (Lumpy)
Dan Melchoir & Russell Walker - "Sad Son-In-Law" b/w "I Could Sit Here Forever" (Kill Shaman)
Uranium Orchard - "Unchurched Shitheads" (Cold Vomit)

tapes


ISS - s/t (Loki)
Rik & The Pigs - s/t (Lumpy)
Homostupids - sleepy time music man tape (Outsider Tapes)

live : Flesh Eaters, Great American Music Hall, January,



Deaf Wish, Trailer Space, Austin, October
Golden Pelicans, Will's Pub, Orlando, March,
Xylouris White, Bowery Ballroom, February
Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes, over and over again, various Austin locations
Wrekmeister Harmonies, The Owl, Chicago, April
Sissy Spacek, Elk's Lodge, Cambridge, July
Mordecai, Ace Of Cups, Columbus, July
Big Zit, Mohawk, Austin, June
Watery Love, Rickshaw Stop, SF, July
Musk, Hi Tone, Memphis, September
The Grifters, Beerland, Austin, November

big screen : "The Entertainment", "The Overnighters"|



small screen : "Rick & Morty", "The Leftovers", "Nathan For You"

book : Richard Price - "The Whites" (Holt & Company)

2016 look out below dept : Lung Letters (Austin), Borzoi (Austin), Wet Ones (K.C.), Slimy Member (Dallas), Dalton Castle (Catalina Island)

Who Amongst Us Has Not Projectile Vomited Upon Seeing David Coverdale Perform?

August 16th, 2012 at 5:38 pm by Gerard

(because you've already heard far too much Whitesnake in your lifetime, here's The Sickness, instead)

I'd make a pretty good Lionel Huntz, but more importantly, the South Wales Argus reports a Whitesnake concert goer is suing after slipping in a pile of puke at a show last December.

Lindy Butcher, 39, went to the gig with her friend Caroline Burns and was walking to the Loft Bar in Newport Leisure Centre when she said she slipped and her feet went from under her, causing her to fall and land on both knees.

She said she was helped up by a man at the gig, on December 7, 2011, who told her she had fallen in sick.

Ms Butcher, who was not drinking as she was driving them both home that night and had flat-soled Converse trainers on, said: “It was horrifying, you don’t expect to fall in someone’s vomit.”

Ms Butcher, landlady at the Cwmcarn Hotel,was cleaned up with disinfectant, she says. She missed the start of the concert as she had to go to the first aid room and spoke to the front desk to explain what had happened. She then sat down to let Miss Burns enjoy the concert. Ms Butcher’s tickets were refunded as a goodwill gesture.

A claim filed against Newport council said she suffered bruising and soreness to her knees as well as pain through her neck and shoulders and muscle spasms between her ribs.

Damian Abraham on TV, every Wednesday at 10 PM

January 10th, 2011 at 3:07 pm by Patrick

photo by Jess Baumung

We are excited to announce that Damian Abraham of Fucked Up has his own TV show. That's right, he'll be appearing on Canada's MuchMusic network every Wednesday night at 10 PM, as host of the relaunched Wedge. The Wedge is all original music programming, and Damian's encyclopedic knowledge of underground music history (and indeed mainstream music history) is sure to make the show engrossing and entertaining in equal measures.

“The Wedge played a huge part in my musical development,” said Damian Abraham, host of revamped series The Wedge. “I’m honoured to be able to have the same impact on a new generation of music fans.”

Full press release here.

Gremlins say that FU might be recording a new studio album for release this year.

Pitchfork.tv coverage of Matador at 21 continues!

November 23rd, 2010 at 5:26 pm

photo by Reuben Cox

Pitchfork's been chronicling a sneak peek into the experience that was Matador at 21: The Lost Weekend. Check out some behind-the-scenes action by heading over to Pitchfork TV where they're rolling out documentary footage from "The Lost Weekend" as we speak. Right now you can watch Chris Lombardi and Fucked Up's Damian Abraham take you on a tour of the concert grounds (from the Pearl Ballroom to the Hardwood Suite) , Girls' Christopher Owens performing new tracks in a bathtub, Fucked Up and Ted Leo & The Pharmacists engaging in a legendary battle of the bands, and most recently:

Damian on The Old Strip:


Bob Nastanovich - The Gambler:


Kurt Vile - "Hunchback" (at the Palms Ballroom):


Times New Viking - "Natural Resources, I Love Mine" (at the Palms Ballroom):


The Clean - "Anything Could Happen" (at the Palms Ballroom):


Keep up with Pitchfork for Matador at 21 videos.

Myspace Music also covered the event with live concert highlights from Pavement, Come, Chavez, Fucked Up, The New Pornographers, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Shearwater, Guided By Voices, Liz Phair, Sonic Youth and more.

Shearwater take a trip to Europe

May 27th, 2010 at 12:21 pm

Not wanting to feel left out of the summer fun, Shearwater will be heading over for a visit to Europe in July and August with visits to some rather intimate UK venues and to play as part of a special show at London's (amazing) Barbican Theatre featuring 13 of Andy Warhol's screen shots being accompanied by live music.

They'll also be spreading some peace and love/playing songs from their most recent and most excellent album The Golden Archipelago at a bunch of festivals around mainland Europe.

To be even more helpful, here's a full list of all the shows that I've just been hinting at...

Oh indie retail... how we love thee...

September 8th, 2009 at 4:40 pm

Because just when we thought you couldn't go and get any better, you go ahead and do something totally awesome like making this killer Yo La Tengo window display to celebrate today's release of "Popular Songs."



So if you find yourself in Bloomington, Indiana and you happen to pass by Landlocked Music be sure to stop in and tell them that we love them... very, very much.

Rage Against The Cage

June 18th, 2009 at 1:05 pm

Hailing from the post-authenticity capital of America, Rage Against The Cage answers the age old question - "What do you get when you boil down the absolute essentials of STP, Candlebox and Collective Soul?"



Full streaming action and lyrics - http://www.myspace.com/rageagainstthecage

The Chelsea Arts Club

February 28th, 2009 at 9:19 am by Patrick

Patrick Hughes "Sunlight"

When Chris comes to London, he stays at the Chelsea Arts Club, for some ridiculous rate like £36 a night. He does get a tiny garret room with the bathroom down the hall, but it comes with original Patrick Hughes works hanging next to the bed, and an incredible bar with a massive snooker table, and full of eccentric English types getting totally hammered.

The club was founded by James McNeil Whistler in 1891 as a reaction to the stodgy Arts Club in Mayfair, and cultivates a generally raffish, no dress-up personality. It is crammed to the gills with amazing artwork. Members include Peter Blake (who designed Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band), Glen Baxter, Gerald Scarfe, and others. It's in a low, unpretentious white stucco building on a side street in Chelsea, with a small and inconspicuous door.

Taxpayers Oughta Know - How Much Of Our Defense Budget Is Spent On Dry Ice?

December 26th, 2008 at 10:30 pm by Gerard

Much as I hate to poke fun at the brave men and women who constitute our nation's armed forces, Max Impact --- a self-described combination of "today's hip-hop, pop and urban sounds-and everything in between" --- might be the first entry in a genre I like to call, "Bands That Can Form The Basis For A Future Earles & Jensen Phone Call".   From the M.I. bio  (link swiped from Wired)

Max Impact answers the call to motivate and inspire the newest generation of professional Airmen. To achieve maximum results Max Impact stays on the leading edge of the ever-changing pop music scene while projecting the highest standards of Air Force professionalism. Optimal delivery is the name of Max Impact's game when it comes to serving its audience. With innovative style and boundless energy, Max Impact commands the stage encouraging every Airman to embrace the spirit and join the fun. 

2008 - The Year In <strike>Self Congratulation</strike> Music : Matador Artists, Staff & Pals Feel The Need To Share

December 17th, 2008 at 3:04 am by Gerard

(work crews feverishly prepare for the announcement of just what we've been watching and eating in 2008)

Every December I send out a rambling, somewhat desperate electronic message to the Matador artist roster (well, most of 'em) along w/ label staff and our Beggars' colleagues, begging for their favorite people/places/things/records/memories from the year about to conclude. We've got our longest list of best-of's so far, though keep in mind, if Gabe and Dave's submissions were edited, we'd be back to our mid '90's brevity all over again. Read 'em and weep, after the jump - G.C.



Jonah Falco, Fucked Up

Top Ten times I wished I was dead on tour this year:

10 - Zurich: Band mates spread false rumours on the internet about my other band breaking up right before a 2.5 week tour of the UK. Rash of confused emails from every promoter arrives, wine spills all over my brand new shirt. The stain is in the shape of Lake Eerie.
9 - Glasgow: I send our driver to the wrong airport to pick us up and as a result we have to sneak into T in the Park festival and almost miss our set. Walked into Rage Against the Machine's backstage area but no one would play me at Ping Pong.
8 - Anytown: Damian tucks his penis between his legs to make a Mangina while facing the drums, but it pops out like springy snakes in a fake can of Cashews and I drop my sticks in the middle of "Crusades."
7 - New York City: Hour 6 and onward at the 12 hour gig. My joints are all the size of grapefruits from playing so long....my hands still haven't recovered. Playing a show the next night and having a bouncer advise me to "Do Well" because his friends "The Hell's Angels" were there.
6 - Buffalo: We actually found a portion of Buffalo that didn't look like the scene in Dresden from the film version of Slaughterhouse 5, but ate Chinese Food that was about the equivalent taste to a condom filled with mealworms.
5 - Playing a house show, I get hit in the face with a firm object and start to bleed. I look at my snare and it's a sneaker, I look up and some rotten faced, scabby bastard is smiling at me giving the finger.
4 - Madrid: Developing a cold, bloated, and sitting backstage eating pieces of Salami, Sandy says "look behind you" and there are 5 cockroaches descending on me like the tarantulas in "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
3 - Basque Country: Playing with the Adolescents and shouting "WHERE ARE THE ADOLESCENTS????" at the dinner table as they all quietly dined RIGHT BESIDE ME. Casey Royer threw me into a black hole later.
2 - Philadephia: Invited to do a DJ set, I basically drag the whole band to some shit bar in downtown Philly, play some songs, drink lots, and get REALLY into it, dancing etc...A few weeks later I find out the entire band had been calling me "Carlton" since.
1 - Over the past year: Ben pukes blood, Sandy gets a kidney stone, Mike gets a lightbulb in the face, Josh nearly dies from getting dosed with Crack, Damian nearly bleeds to death in Calgary.......I lie in wait.

Andrew Earles’ personal highlights of 2008…in no order.

1. Reading, or finally reading, Brock Yates’ Cannonball! The World’s Greatest Outlaw Road Race, Josh Alan Friedman’s Tales of Times Square, When Sex Was Dirty, and Tell The Truth Until They Bleed, various writers’ The Best American Crime Reporting 2008, James Lee Burke’s The Neon Rain and Jesus Out To Sea, current and back issues of the excellent Stop Smiling magazine, various writers’ A Prisoner of Memory, various writers’ The Blue Religion, Bill Buford’s Among the Thugs, Robert S. McNamara’s In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam, Joe Carducci’s Enter Naomi: SST, L.A. and All That…, Mirielle Silcoff’s Urban Animals: A Comic Field Guide, Jim Harrison’s A Good Day to Die, James Crumley’s The Last Good Kiss and Dancing Bear, Thomas Berger’s Who is Teddy Villanova, Don Herron’s Willeford, and Bill Pronzini’s Gun in Cheek: An Affectionate Guide to the Worst in Crime Fiction.
2. Boris “Smile” (the 2LP version…stateside, Southern Lord).



3. Torche “Meanderthal” (Hydra Head)
4. Geisha “Die Verbrechen der Liebe” (Crucial Blast)
5. Ian Christie’s Bazillion Points book publishing imprint.
6. TAD: Busted Circuits and Ringing Ears – A no-bullshit look at what happened to four guys who were not overly eccentric, psychotic, schizophrenic…this films distance from the uninspired, wallowing, contrived and unending parade of documentaries about musical “outsiders”…probably one big reason I dug it so much.
7. Metallica “…And Justice for All” (half-speed masters, 45 RPM, 4x12” reissue box set…Warner Bros.) - My ears are closed to the resounding protests of the misguided masses, for THIS is the best Metallica album.
8. Finding my once-lost copy of The Embarrassment’s 2 CD compilation “Heyday: 1979 – 1983” (Bar No…well, eBay or Amazon)
9. Making some serious headway with on my collection of Charles Willeford titles (a financially-backhanded thanks to alibris.com and eBay)
10. Surviving a particularly brutal and terrifying bout of appendicitis.
11. Pyramids s/t (Hydra Head)
12. The Crucial Blast label.
13. The 3 CD Big Dipper anthology (Merge)
14. The release of “Earles and Jensen Present…Just Farr A Laugh Vol. 1 & 2 (The Greatest Prank Calls Ever!)”
15. My new (for 2008) Schwinn “Trail Way” dual-purpose/hybrid MULTISPEED bicycle.
16. Neil Hamburger “Sings Country Winners” (Drag City)
17. My sincere and deep enjoyment of the following movies and TV shows: Shooter, There Will Be Blood, UKM: The Ultimate Killing Machine, Role Models, Dan Aykroyd Unplugged on UFO’s, Season 5 of The Wire, UFO Files, MonsterQuest, the hilarious Burn Notice, and The Strangers (a simple and mostly non-violent horror film that scared and troubled me to the core…this is the way it should be done). I’m forgetting so many….
18. Becoming a hermit or at least cutting the social activity by about 75%

Ben Cook, Fucked Up

1. Hooking up with the little guy from Set Your Goals in San Fran, and not telling anyone.
2. Being so close to Beyonce @ BBC I could smell her.
3. Asking the singer of Hercules & Love Affair to go on a rollercoaster with me in Holland. I love you. Call me ?
4. Copenhagen
5. Scootie/D.T.F
6. Mariah E=Mc2
7. Newcastle, Where's my leather jacket? Eff you.
8. Stephen Ireland
9. Smoking Crack in Barcelona
10. Valentina

Thurston Moore, the sonik-youth

1. Eight Miles High (Das Wilde Leben) - German movie about Uschi Obermaier,
super 60s Rolling Stones groupie who was a commune radical in Berlin.
2. Let the Right One in (Låt den rätte komma in) - Norwegian movie about a
12 yr old boy who is bullied and meets a friend - a 12 yr old vampire girl.
Sweet and sticky.
3. The Savage Detectives - Robert Bolano - fiction book. 18 year old Mexico
City poet dude falls in with weirdo literary gang who call themselves the
Visceral Realists. Funny, strange, sexy - kickass book - looking forward to
his next one (Bolano's dead) - just came out, titled: 2666
4. Noise Nomads - solo noise dude runs the Bonescraper cassette label and is
killer artist. His performances are surreal disconnections of true noise
physicality. A lot of heart.
5. Uneven Universe - duo from Michigan using saxophones and junk sound. Dan
“Dude” Dlugosielski and Hellfire Holly. Dan runs the ExciteBike (EXBX)
label. Both are also in Cardboard Sax with Wolf Eyes' John Olson. Check it:



Rock City Sixteen - Lunette Noires Nuits Blanches 7" (Cigarette Music)
Box Elders - "Hole In My Head" 7" (Grotto)
V/A - Messthetics Greatest Hiss, Vol. 1 (Hyped 2 Death)

live :
AH Kraken, Beerland, Austin TX
Marked Men finale / Wax Museums / Bad Sports, Rubber Gloves, Denton, TX
The Notwist, ULU, London,
Black Time, Hi-Tone, Memphis
Tyvek / The Homosexuals, The Crofoot, Detroit
Los Llamarada, Spiros, Austin,
Dikes Of Holland, everywhere, everytime, Austin
Awesome Color, Mohawk, Austin
Wire, Irving Plaza, NYC
Witch Hats, Santos Party Haus/ Cake Shop, NYC
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, James Dolan's Party Barn, NYC
Fucked Up w/ special guest John Rzeznik performing the latter's cover of "Mommi, I'm A Misfit", Bowery, NYC (5am approx. everyone had gone home. Including Fucked Up)
Total Abuse, not often enough, Austin

non music : The Guardian setting David Mitchell and Russell Brand loose on the sports pages, Hai KY (e. oltorf st., Austin, TX), "Pineapple Express" and the continued ascent of Gary Cole, election night 11/04/08, Austin's taco trailer population explosion,, "Peep Show" season 6, "The Best Show On WFMU", Derek Erdman.

Bad stuff : Mets bullpen, Mets relievers, the guys who pitch for the Mets after the starters leave the game. Mets closers, set up men, mop up men, their families and friends. Prop 8. Twitter/F-book pests. Not necessarily in that order.

A sea of CD sleeves...

October 9th, 2008 at 4:14 pm by Patrick

Carefully stamped by diligent interns. If you're lucky, you might find one at a record store near you.

Shred Yr Face : The Skinny

September 30th, 2008 at 1:46 pm

So we already brought you a teaser of info about the forthcoming triple-fun-shot-fest that is SHREDYRFACE. Now here's the full lowdown :

WEBSITE:
SHREDYRFACE.COM
This will be regularly updated on the road by all bands, showing you exactly what goes on on tour. So keep heading back there for updates and exclusives.

LOGO:


INFO:
Times New Viking, No Age and Los Campesinos! travel across the UK in a big old bus, singing show tunes and making noise. Often individually, occasionally together. We're pretty sure a bit of Kumbaya will be going down.

DATES :
October
14 Brighton, England - Komedia
15 Liverpool, England - Academy 2
16 Leeds, England - Irish Centre
17 Dublin, Ireland - Whelans
18 Glasgow, Scotland - School of Arts
19 London, England - Pure Groove (in-store) (3 p.m.)
19 London, England - Beyond Retro (in-store) (5 p.m.)
19 London, England - Rough Trade East (in-store) (7 p.m.)
20 London, England - Electric Ballroom
21 Bristol, England - Fleece

7" ACTION :
The three bands have got their collective heads together for a limited edition tour 7" that will be available from the Coalition group of indie stores in the UK.
Tracklisting :
01 Los Campesinos!: "Death to Los Campesinos! (Napoleon III Remix)"
02 No Age: "Revolving Credit for Kitty"
03 Times New Viking: "Anything Could Happen" (The Clean cover)

INSTORE(S) :
As well as all this, there's gonna be some super hot instore action where you can get up close and personal with each band. Maybe you'll even get sweated on by Beth?

October
14 Brighton Resident - No Age
16 Leeds Crash - Times New Viking
19 London Pure Groove (3pm)
19 London Beyond Retro (5pm)
19 London Rough Trade East (7pm)
22 Manchester Piccadilly - Los Campesinos!

So this is where it gets a little confusing. You'll already get TNV up at the Leeds Crash store, but as well as that, all three bands will play a store of their choice around London on October 19th. They'll hit Pure Groove at 3 p.m., Beyond Retro at 5 p.m., and Rough Trade East at 7 p.m., but its currently a big secret as to who plays where. So why not go to all?

ONE LAST THING :
Seattle artist Carlos Ruiz has designed a t-shirt and a limited edition silkscreened poster for the Shred Yr Face tour, both of which will be available at the shows and at Coalition stores. So get down there early and bag your own piece of history.

The Factor - <strike>Crunked</strike> Chopped & Screwed

September 12th, 2008 at 1:00 pm by Gerard

video swiped from Boing Boing. Had someone done it at 78rpm, at least the clip would be over faster.

If You Want To Have A Great 4th Of July, Don't Watch This Video

July 2nd, 2008 at 5:03 pm by Gerard

Pretty awful, sure, but no worse than whatever Steve Perry's cooking up. 

 

While We're Sitting Around Waiting For The New Jaguar Love Video...

June 18th, 2008 at 3:45 pm by Gerard

...it occurs to me there's little point in purchasing the entire Soul Train library if it doesn't include Don Cornelius' finest performance.

I saw Times New Viking in London and all I got was this

May 22nd, 2008 at 1:25 pm

I found this pinned to the wall of the Beggars flat. A parting gift from Times New Viking in the form of a ponytail sported by the formerly-long-haired Beth Murphy.

Not being one to pass up on any opportunity to make some drinking money on the sly, I'll flog this to the highest and most foolish bidder. Cash preferably please. Sterling, not dollars (this is London after all).

Dead Meadow get got.

January 28th, 2008 at 1:44 pm

Every Sunday at midnight, or at least first thing Monday morning, I On-Demand (my verb) the next Wire episode. So, this morning while I've been trudging through other concerns, the 2/3 episode has played twice in the background. I won't give anything away, but let's just say that McNulty offers his critical take on Dead Meadow. No, let's just say that Marlo's people make a buy at a Dead Meadow show. No, let's just say that Dead Meadow play a secret show at the mission. No, let's just say that Senator Clay Davis rocks some Dead Meadow in the car. No, let's just say that I'm more than a little stressed about this Just Farr A Laugh legal problem. For real.

I'm Like, "Hey Bitch, You Wanna See Mid-Life?"

January 19th, 2008 at 7:36 pm by Gerard

NSFW. Unless you work at home or a piercing shop.  From the inexplicably delayed Earles & Jensen presentation 'Just Farr A Laugh, Vol. I & II'.