Music Mixes and Best Of Lists

Kristen’s 2012 Mix – Track 4 – Queen Caveat

Posted on by Kristen

I spend all year going to shows and collecting songs and pictures and stories. I’ve spent the last month or so compiling some of my top musical memories into a music mix with accompanying booklet (my favorite little crafting project). So, here I share with you my top tracks of 2012.

Enjoy!!

Queen Caveat

There are few bands I enjoy more than Queen Caveat. This year, they put out an EP, Slap On The Wrist,  that included my fave QC song, “Bullet”. They also embarked on their first major nation-wide tour. My most memorable Queen Caveat moment is a tie between being on stage with them at The Roxy and our time at SXSW. I miss one little show and guitarist Ben is doing Kristen impressions. This band makes me feel loved.

~ Kristen

Kristen’s 2012 Mix – Track 3 – Biffy Clyro

Posted on by Kristen

I spend all year going to shows and collecting songs and pictures and stories. I’ve spent the last month or so compiling some of my top musical memories into a music mix with accompanying booklet (my favorite little crafting project). So, here I share with you my top tracks of 2012.

Enjoy!!

Biffy Clyro

Biffy Clyro spent most of the year recording their forthcoming double album so they did not play many shows. I spent a ridiculous amount of money importing their Revolutions//Live at Wembley box and an equally ridiculous amount of time watching that DVD. My year was absolutely made when the band played an intimate LA show at The Satellite and I got the opportunity to interview singer, Simon Neil. Oh, and let’s not forget about the run-in I had with Simon outside The Roxy, which will absolutely go down as a life highlight.

~ Kristen

Kristen’s 2012 Mix – Track 2 – Ed Sheeran

Posted on by Kristen

I spend all year going to shows and collecting songs and pictures and stories. I’ve spent the last month or so compiling some of my top musical memories into a music mix with accompanying booklet (my favorite little crafting project). So, here I share with you my top tracks of 2012.

Enjoy!!

Ed Sheeran

My album of the year award goes to Ed Sheeran’s +. Each song is worthy of hit status. This singer-songwriter who can freestyle with the best of them, started the year playing an intimate Hotel Cafe gig and ended it announcing headlining dates at The Palladium and an opening slot with Taylor Swift, so…good year for him. My favorite Ed Sheeran moment was seeing him at SXSW. I also got the opportunity to interview him. Want to know why his emblem is a cat paw? The man simply likes cats…

https://soundcloud.com/mmmusic/ed-sheeran-lego-house

 

~ Kristen

Kristen’s 2012 Mix – Track 1 – Imagine Dragons

Posted on by Kristen

I spend all year going to shows and collecting songs and pictures and stories. I’ve spent the last month or so compiling some of my top musical memories into a music mix with accompanying booklet (my favorite little crafting project). So, here I share with you my top tracks of 2012.

Enjoy!!

Imagine Dragons

I knew the first time I heard this song that it would be the lead off track of this mix. I’m so proud of Imagine Dragons and the meteoric rise they have experienced this year (and not just because I picked them as my first “band on the rise” piece for High Voltage Magazine). With placement on radio, TV shows, movie trailers, etc., they are getting some much deserved recognition. Although they are now “too big” for me to see on a regular basis, I can always say that I knew them when…

https://soundcloud.com/igapromotion/imagine-dragons-radioactive

 

~ Kristen

 

New Music Tuesday 12/18/12 featuring Matt Duke

Posted on by Kristen

Matt Duke has new music out today. This is quite notable. The EP, Love on A Major Scale, has been on heavy rotation on my music player and I fall more in love with each listen. It’s been a few years since this Philly singer-songwriter has released an acoustic album and this effort does not disappoint. You can preview the entire EP here. Or just buy it from iTunes.

 

Other CDs out in the last few weeks that I’m still trying to check out (you may notice a trend…ha!):

 

~ Kristen

New Music Tuesday 11/6/12 Featuring Sad Robot, Makeshift Prodigy, Mrnorth

Posted on by Kristen

I’m a bit behind on all of this, but hey, better late than never, no? Here’s the new music I’ve been listening to this last week or so…

Sad Robot – 1.0 

I wasn’t able to post about this when it came out, but I’ve been listening to this debut album from LA rockers, Sad Robot for a couple weeks now and I am loving it! With traces of Nico Vega, this female-fronted power trio takes rock to another level, reaching out beyond the tunes to convey a message of hope and strength that is much needed in my life right now. After an October residency at The Silverlake Lounge and song placement in the TV show, Bones, this band seems to be picking up some steam. I am really looking forward to seeing where they will go next.

Makeshift Prodigy – Illuminate EP 

Chicago’s Makeshift Prodigy made an impact on me a couple years ago with their stirring single, “Alive” off their 2010 album, mathematica.  The band had a new EP come out this week and from what I’ve heard of it, they seem to deliver on the rousing rock anthems that initially caught my ear.

Mrnorth – This Isn’t Just Lightening 

In 2007, Mrnorth’s album Fear & Desire blew my mind. I think I had “Sleeping Dogs” on repeat for weeks. A couple weeks ago the now NYC-based rock band released a live double album.   I haven’t heard much from this band lately, but I was tickled to see that they had so much new music for me to digest in this double disc live album recorded form. Easy download decision.

 

Also to look into:

  • Mike Doughty – The Flip is Another Honey
  • Rumer – Boys Don’t Cry
  • Kate Rusby – 20
  • Joshua James – From The Top of Willamette Mountain
  • Aerosmith – Music From Another Dimension!
  • Skye –  Back to Now
~ Kristen

Watch This: The Silent Comedy’s Blood On the Rails

Posted on by Kristen

In case you’ve been living under a rock and are somehow unaware and not in love with The Silent Comedy, you’ve been missing out. Their newest exploit includes another pairing with The History Channel after ‘Bartholomew’ was used in the trailer for the Emmy winning “Hatfields & McCoys” mini-series. This time it’s The Silent Comedy’s ‘Blood On The Rails’ with History Channel’s new show “The Men Who Built America” which chronicles the lives of the titans of American industry; John D. Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford and J.P. Morgan.

Below is a snazzy new music video for ‘Blood On The Rails’ which is intercut with some footage of the new show to give you a tease. Enjoy!