Every year I think about posting a ‘best of’ or favorites for the year but I rarely get around to doing it. I received a couple emails recently asking what some of my favorites were so I figured I could just gather those and put ‘em up here. I’m not spending a ton of time organizing these, unless there are a few things that stand out. For music, I pretty much just clicked on ‘Plays’ in iTunes. It is strange to think I’ve listened to Plants and Animals‘ La La Land five times more than Arcade Fire’s Suburbs. So…here we go.
Most Listened to Albums of the Year
Beach House – Teen Dream – Far and away the album I listened to most.
Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record – Naturally.
Fang Island – Fang Island – That’s a surprise.
Yeasayer – Odd Blood – I was waiting for this for a while.
Like Pioneers – Piecemeal – A lot of folks that used to be in Bound Stems, love both bands.
White Denim – Last Day of Summer – Free album from their site.
Plants and Animals – La La Land
Envy – Recitation – New Envy record! Get the vinyl double colored vinyl here while they last.
Papercuts – You Can Have What You Want – From last year but I got into them mostly this year.
Menomena – Mines – I want them to go on tour, and play, with Helio Sequence.
Futurebirds – Hampton’s Lullaby – Something like a drunken southern version of BSS.
Pepper Rabbit – Beauregard – ‘Tis new and I’ve really been diggin’ it.
Gayngs – Relayted – Bummed I missed them at ACL. Hoping they play Sasquatch.
Amiina – Puzzle – I love music I can listen to over and over and not get tired of.
Most Listened to Singles/EPs of the Year
Yeasayer – “ONE” – Ever since hearing it live at Bonnaroo in ’09 I’ve been into this song.
Crystal Antlers – “Little Sister”/”Dead Horses” single.
BSS – Lo-Fi for the Dividing Nights EP – Great mostly-instrumental music to work to.
Rich Aucoin – Public Publication EP – Download it here.
Girls – Broken Dreams Club EP – Still pretty new but I like the direction they’re headed.
Think About Life – “Having My Baby” – From 2009 but rocked it a ton, especially around SXSW when we filmed this.
Best Shows of the Year
Guided by Voices at the Wiltern in LA – My favorite. Times New Viking opened up too and I ended up with the setlist. What a great night of smiles, dancing around, and singing along
AA Bondy at Mississippi Studios in Portland during Musicfest Northwest – My buddy Dustin and I ended up stumbling in right as they took the stage at this tiny venue. We ordered up some good beers then lost our minds. And he didn’t even my play my favorite song, “Pines are Dancing.”
Gories at Dante’s in Portland during Musicfest Northwest – This show started ON my birthday and I’m a huge Gories fan (we filmed with them in Memphis for their first shows in 15 years). Those Memphis shows were fun but the show in Portland was awesome all around.
Pavement at Sasquatch Festival – I got to sing “Happy Birthday” to Stephen Malkmus by myself in front of 15,000 people then rock my face off and pogo the whole set.
Breeders at All Tomorrow’s Parties in New York – It was really the trifecta of Breeders>Explosions in the Sky>Sonic Youth that made it so great but it was the first full, indoor set I had seen from the Breeders and I really like them.
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion at the Troubadour in LA – Blues Explosion! Get Down!!
The Strokes at Lollapalooza and Outside Lands – I was never a fan of The Strokes until I heard them live at Lollapalooza. They were loud, gritty and rockin’, I was very impressed
Our Xmas party with Still Flyin’, Crystal Antlers and Hasselhoff Curtainrod – Dance Party!!!
Modest Mouse acoustic at Bridge School Benefit – Please, do an acoustic Modest Mouse tour and play nice theaters. Please….
Envy at Cafe du Nord in San Francisco – I got the very last ticket to get in. they had great beers on tap and the screamo bands that opened were all good too; Touche Amore, La Dispute and So I Watch You From Afar.
Broken Social Scene – Hmm… not sure what my favorite set was between Fonda in LA, Sasquatch and Treasure Island. Maybe Treasure Island cuz they had an extra female vocalist who smoked.
Dean Wareham plays Galaxie 500/Papercuts – Double whammy of a show
Favorite Web Streams
BSS on KCRW
AA Bondy at Newport
Gayngs on Daytrotter
Favorite Food
Oh man… I have no idea where to begin here. Maybe I should keep better track of what I eat and love. Here’s some random things off the top of my head:
Shepherd’s Pie at Family Wash in Nashville, TN
Lobster Corn Dogs by Graham Elliot at Lollapalooza
Austin! I do love Hoover’s but I also love Threadgill’s, Hill’s, and more.
Jam on Hawthorne in Portland, Oregon
I know I’m missing a bunch more, sorry I can’t come up with it right now.
Favorite Beer
The Publick House outside of Boston – Canadian Breakfast Stout from Founders was something I’ll be looking for… forever. Larry IPA from Wachusettes Brewery is a good pickup when you’re there too.
Russian River Brewery in Santa Rosa, CA – Pliny the Elder and so many other good beers.
All kinds of good beer in Louisville – It was the first time I had Three Floyds, a bunch of rare Bells beers from Louisville Beer Store, and Backwoods Bastard from Founders. I love Bourbon Barrel aged.
Favorite Roller Coasters
My #1 coaster in the country is The Voyage at Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN. You can see some video in Road Trippin’.
#2 is El Toro at Six Flags in New Jersey. Got to ride it again this year and it’s awesome. Here’s vid from the first time I rode it with Kate a couple years ago.
Tremors at Silverwood in Idaho was a great coaster.
Another one I really liked is Ravine Flyer II at Waldameer Park in Erie, PA.
Favorite Arcade Game
Panic Park at Avalon Nickel Arcade in Portland
Big Buck Hunter – anywhere it’s cheap
Favorite Places to Play Pinball
The Standard in Portland, Oregon – Four hours playing mostly Black Rose and Doctor Who with cheap beers.
Pacific Pinball Museum – Alameda, CA – Really nice selection of machines. Heard you used to be able to brown bag it there.
Silverball Museum in Asbury Park, NJ. Really liked the place but I needed a lot more time to make the most of it
Favorite New Town I Went To
Louisville, Kentucky – who knew this place was so cool? And… who knew this was such a beer town. Whole Foods has numerous taps as does the local value mart.
Favorite Episodes/Performances on Road Trippin’
That’s like a trick question. Really… you should just go flip around at www.babelgum.com/icecreamman and find a band you like or are curious about and watch an episode. Almost all the performances from this year have stand alone music tracks too, which I’m a big fan of.
Lobster corn dogs at Lolla! mmm