[playlist] Hump Day Power Play (2-20-2013)

Back From the Dead Mix

For those of you that are still with me, I salute you and your enduring patience. It's been a long while since I've put together an HDPP, but hopefully this one will fill the gap. There are some exciting albums on the way, and notably, there's some debut LPs dropping that you should check out - Atoms For Peace's Amok on February 25 (via XL) and Cayucas' Bigfoot on April 30 (via Secretly Canadian). Also, feast your ears on the Local Natives newest album Hummingbird (via frenchkiss) if you haven't already.

Stream the playlist below (or by clicking here).

:: Hump Day Power Play (2-20-2013) ::
01 ::"Breakers" – Local Natives
02 ::"Cayucos" – Cayucas
03 ::"Speaking In Rounds" – Grizzly Bear
04 ::"Judge Jury And Executioner" – Atoms For Peace
05 ::"Swin and Sleep" – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
06 ::"Revival" – Deerhunter
07 ::"High School Lover" – Cayucas
08 ::"Windshield Smasher" – Black Moth Super Rainbow
09 ::"Fingers Never Bleed" – Yeasayer
10 ::"Take It Easy" – Surfer Blood
11 ::"Exactly Nothing" – Real Estate
12 ::"The Base" – Paul Banks

:: Get Spotify ::

[playlist] Hump Day Power Play (1-2-2013)

Year-End Mix, 2012 Edition

Well that was fun! Over one full year of Hump Day Power Plays, and we've compiled 53 mixes to date! Since 2012 is officially in the books, I figured I've give a sample of my year-end list for best albums of 2012. I picked a song from some my favorite albums of 2013. I'm still working on the actual list, so pay no mind to the order in which these songs appear. Just sit back, listen, and enjoy the sounds of '12.

Stream the playlist below (or by clicking here).

:: Hump Day Power Play (1-2-2013) ::
01 ::"Fitzpleasure" – alt-J
02 ::"Flaggin a Ride" – Divine Fits
03 ::"Money" – The Drums
04 ::"Five Seconds" – Twin Shadow
05 ::"Why Won't They Talk To Me?" – Tame Impala
06 ::"Temporary" – White Rabbits
07 ::"Alphabet Song" – Lower Dens
08 ::"Not The Same" – Tanlines
09 ::"Oblivion" – Grimes
10 ::"Myth" – Beach House
11 ::"Dark Star" – Poliça
12 ::"Serpents" – Sharon Van Etten
13 ::"It All Began With A Burst" – Kishi Bashi
14 ::"We Got It Wrong" – St. Lucia
15 ::"The Man Who Lives Forever" – Lord Huron
16 ::"Chained" – The xx
17 ::"Yet Again" – Grizzly Bear
18 ::"Everyone Knows" – Vacationer
19 ::"I'm Not The Phoenix Yet" – Moonface
20 ::"No Future/No Past" – Cloud Nothings

:: Get Spotify ::

[playlist] Hump Day Power Play (12-12-2012)

Now That's What I Call 2009!

I had so much fun making the 2008 HDPP, I figured it was only fitting to follow up with my favorite hits from 2009. There were so many great albums to choose from, but as I discovered during this exercise, it is very hard to put together a cohesive mix as it seems my favs were quite an eclectic collection of styles. Since today is 12-12-2012, I really tried hard to reduce this list down to 12 songs... but 15 is as close as I could get (you can see what I left off the playlist here). While listening, I hope this mix evokes as much nostalgia for you as it does for me.

Stream the playlist below (or by clicking here).

:: Hump Day Power Play (12-12-2012) ::
01 ::"Ephemeral Artery – Neon Indian
02 ::"1901" – Phoenix
03 ::"The Lady Vanishes" – White Rabbits
04 ::"Stroke Their Brains" – Spoon
05 ::"Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!" – Sunset Rubdown
06 ::"Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh" – Say Hi
07 ::"Two Weeks" – Grizzly Bear
08 ::"Officer Of Hearts" – Handsome Furs
09 ::"The Akara" – Beirut
10 ::"Skyscraper" – Julian Plenti
11 ::"Day By Day" – Taken By Trees
12 ::"Basic Space" – The xx
13 ::"Seven" – Fever Ray
14 ::"Beijing" – Patrick Watson
15 ::"Day Glo" – Brazos

:: Get Spotify ::

[playlist] Hump Day Power Play (9-19-2012)

Fall Mix

Fall is officially here this week, and what better way to welcome the brisk autumn breeze by listening to this airy compilation of HDPP jams? There simply isn't a better way. Period.

Stream the playlist below (or by clicking here).

:: Hump Day Power Play (9-19-2012) ::
01 :: "Dead End" - The Whitest Boy Alive
02 :: "Tropical Birds" - Miniature Tigers
03 :: "Foreign Room" - Telekinesis
04 :: "Speak In Rounds" - Grizzly Bear
05 :: "Young Bride" - Midlake
06 :: "One More Time" - French Kicks
07 :: "Vaporize" - Broken Bells
08 :: "Waiting For A War" - The Morning Benders
09 :: "Blue As Your Blood" - The Walkmen
10 :: "When They Fight, They Fight" - Generationals
11 :: "Vapours" - Islands
12 :: "Heart it Races" - Dr Dog
13 :: "The Next Time Around" - Little Joy
14 :: "Click, Click, Click, Click" - Bishop Allen

:: Get Spotify ::

[playlist] Hump Day Power Play (8-15-2012)

Daniel Rossen Mix

Daniel Rossen has one of the most distinct voices in the indie music community, and he's contributed his equally beautiful songwriting skills to Grizzly Bear, Department of Eagles, and even some solo work. This week's HDPP may lack some of the pizzazz that one usually needs to get through a slow day, but I think the power in these songs should do quite well regardless. Notably, Rossen didn't join Grizzly Bear until Yellow House, so I intentionally left off the band's earlier work. By the way, GB's newest album Shields is set to drop September 18!

Stream the playlist below (or by clicking here).

:: Hump Day Power Play (8-15-2012) ::
01 :: "Yet Again" - Grizzly Bear
02 :: "No One Does It Like You" - Department of Eagles
03 :: "Two Weeks" - Grizzly Bear
04 :: "On A Neck, On A Spit" - Grizzly Bear
05 :: "While We're Young" - Daniel Rossen
06 :: "Romo-Goth" - Arcade Fire
07 :: "Knife" - Grizzly Bear
08 :: "Golden Mile" - Arcade Fire
09 :: "Shift (Alt Version)" - Grizzly Bear
10 :: "Little Brother" - Grizzly Bear
11 :: "While You Wait For The Others" - Grizzly Bear
12 :: "He Hit Me" - Grizzly Bear
13 :: "Ready, Able" - Grizzly Bear
14 :: "In Ear Park" - Department of Eagles
15 :: "Silent Song" - Daniel Rossen

:: Get Spotify ::

[playlist] Hump Day Power Play (5-9-2012)

Spirit Animal Mix

One of my favorite questions to ask random strangers is, "What's your spirit animal, and why?" I'm more interested in the "why", since it's always interesting to see how one personifies their chosen animal. In almost all cases, their animal is somehow wise (e.g., elephant, owl, lion, eagle). If one were to image search "spirit animal" in Google, you'd find awesome pictures like the one above. If one were to ask me, I'd probably tell you the wolf is my spirit animal. Why? Well according to this quiz, it's because I'm loyal, devoted, and passionate... At any rate, it turns out I also happen to like a lot of bands named after animals, so I figured putting my favorite of those bands into this week's Hump Day Power Play was only fitting.

Hear it by simply clicking here. Playlist is below.

:: Hump Day Power Play (5-9-2012) ::
01 :: "Sea Ghost" - The Unicorns
02 :: "Modern World" - Wolf Parade
03 :: "What The Stars Have Eaten" - Deadboy & The Elephantmen
04 :: "No One Does It Like You" - Department of Eagles
05 :: "Revival" - Deerhunter
06 :: "Melody Day" - Caribou
07 :: "Sing It Softly in a Sigh" - Halcyonaire
08 :: "Little Brother" - Grizzly Bear
09 :: "Mykonos" - Fleet Foxes
10 :: "All Fires" - Swan Lake
11 :: "You're a Wolf" - Sea Wolf
12 :: "Revolving Doors" - Gorillaz
13 :: "Qui Dorm, Només Somia" - Deerhoof
14 :: "505" - Arctic Monkeys

Get Spotify (if you don't already have it).

[video] Grizzly Bear - "While You Wait for the Others"

Sean Pecknold's latest piece

This should be filed under old news that I somehow missed, but Sean Pecknold has created another fabulous stop-motion animation video for Grizzly Bear's "While You Wait for the Others." I just love how Pecknold finds such beauty in the simplest of things, and I respect the patience and discipline involved in stop-motion projects. The song appears on GB's latest album, Veckatimest, which is available at all fine record stores.

And in related news, it appears that Pecknold is currently working on a Beach House video. More news on that to follow. What an awesome job that must be!

Buy :: Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

[video] Grizzly Bear w/ Victoria Legrand on Conan

Grizzly Beach Bear - "Two Weeks"

Last night on the Late Show with Conan O'Brien, Grizzly Bear performed my favorite song off their latest LP Veckatimest. Aiding the band with her amazingly beautiful pipes, Beach House's Victoria Legrand sang some eerie back-up vocals on this rendition of "Two Weeks".

What is it with female vocalists enhancing Grizzly Bear tracks? I loved when the boys broke out Horn of Plenty's "Service Bell" for Dark Was The Night and hired the help of Feist. Hopefully we'll get to see more tunes with this new collaborative combo of Grizzly Bear/Beach House, perhaps...