Book of James

Kristen’s Top 5 Reasons To Attend Coachella 2012

Posted on by Kristen

Yesterday the Coachella line-up was announced. I want to go. Especially on Saturday. If you haven’t heard, Coachella is two weekends this year, April 13-15 and April 20-22 with the same lineup each weekend. For the entire list of performers, tickets, and other like information, go to the website.

I don’t know all the performers announced, but after a quick scan of the list, here are the ones that give me most reason to buy that ticket:

 

1. St. Vincent

I’ve been a St. Vincent fan for several years now, but last year I got the unexpected opportunity to see the explosive Annie Clark live and she vaulted to another level in my estimation. Strange Mercy is one of my favorite albums that came out in 2011 and I cannot WAIT to see her again.

 

2. The Big Pink

After recently reviewing the forthcoming album, Future This, I am very much looking forward to the return of The Big Pink to the States. With new offerings like the catchy fist pumping “Hit The Ground (Superman)”, I am more than ready to party it up in The Big Pink tent!

 

3. The Head and The Heart 

I’ve seen them at just about every major festival I’ve attended in the past year and they always put on one of the most enjoyable sets of the event. I expect The Head and The Heart at Coachella to be no different. They are the perfect festival band.

 

4. Laura Marling/We Are Augustines

Festivals are great for checking out all those bands that you’ve been enjoying but just haven’t gotten around to seeing live. Laura Marling and We Are Augustines are both at the top of that list for me. Thank you Coachella for giving me this opportunity to see them!

[vimeo 29334190]

5. Radiohead

umm…I believe this one is self-explanatory.

 

And 5 more for good measure:

  • The Shins – another one I’d love to see but just never have
  • Gotye– that song is just so damned catchy…must.see.live
  • Fitz and The Tantrums– they put on the best dance party in town and Coachella is all about the dance parties
  • Band of Skulls– their face-melting new record will be out by then. I’m always down for a good face-melting
  • Arctic Monkeys – so I can dance electro-pop like a robot from 1984!

 

~ Kristen

New Music Tuesday! 8/23/11: Gabe Dixon, The Muppets, We Are Augustines

Posted on by Kristen

Here are the albums I’m going to check out this week.  If you’re looking for some new tunes, read onward!

 

Gabe Dixon – One Spark   

Last week I downloaded Ten Out of Tenn’s Volume 4. One of my favorite tracks of the album is the contribution from Gabe Dixon. I immediately did some research into this Nashville based artist and discovered that he had his own CD, One Spark, coming out today! If the rest of the album is anything like “On a Day Just Like Today,” it will be well worth adding to your collection. You can listen to the entire album on Gabe’s website and buy the album there, on ITunes, or Amazon. Gabe has a couple Nashville dates (8/24 FREE at Grimeys, 9/4 at 3rd and Lindsley) before hitting the road with Ten Out of Tenn.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/one-spark/id455907522

http://www.amazon.com/One-Spark-Gabe-Dixon/dp/B004YAS9NW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1314125034&sr=8-2

This video makes me even more excited about this album…so many fantastic artist collaborations (James Walsh/Starsailor, Iain Archer, Alison Krauss, and my very favorite songwriter Dan Wilson)

 

 

Various Artists – Muppets: The Green Album

I love the Muppets. I also love OK Go, Weezer, The Fray, Alkaline Trio, My Morning Jacket, Amy Lee, Sondre Lerche, The Airborne Toxic Event, Brandon Saller, Andrew Bird, Matt Nathanson, and Rachel Yamagata…ALL the artists covering classic Muppet songs  like “Rainbow Connection,” “Bein’ Green,”  and “The Muppet Theme Song.” What is not to love about this whole concept?!? Also, any project that can bring about video collaborations between OK Go and The Muppets deserves recognition and flattery.

Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Muppets-Green-Album-Various-Artists/dp/B002YICN7O/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1314125456&sr=1-3

or here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/id452905746

stream it here: http://www.npr.org/2011/08/14/138984517/first-listen-muppets-the-green-album

And watch this…over and over again:

 

 

We Are Augustines– Rise Ye Sunken Ships

I saw a poster for We Are Augustines last night promoting their upcoming performance at The Bootleg in Silverlake. Some kid was quite enthusiastic about stealing said poster. Since there were a couple bands I enjoy at Bootleg last night, I figured this kid could be on to something so I went home and googled We Are Augustines. Seems like this was perfect timing as they have a CD coming out today! I listened to the tracks they have streaming on the page and my ears were pleased. You can download one of my favorite tracks (thus far), “Book of James” for free on their website and judge for yourselves.  This Brooklyn-based band starts touring at the end of August and will be in LA at The Bootleg September 13th.

http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Sunken-Ships-Are-Augustines/dp/B005BDZL2I/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1314131150&sr=1-1

 

 

Happy New Music Day!!

~ Kristen