A former intern of mine from Ohio University sent me an email a few months back. Andrea explained that her school was on the quarter system and she had an extended break from December into January. Andrea asked if it would be possible for her to do a winter internship at a company in New York then.
So the end of 2010 is upon us – that means it is time for the top 10 of the year – well it is interesting – enjoy!
Mia Crow, Manager/Partner
(In no particular order)
1. Laura Marling- I Speak Because I Can
2. Joanna Newsome- Have One On Me
3. Jonsi- Go
4. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti- Before Today
5. Best Coast- Teen Dream
6. Andrew Bird- Useless Creatures
7. Freelance Whales- Weathervanes
8. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes- Up From Below
9.The Black Keys- Brothers
10. The Weepies- Be My Thrill
Michael Dutcher, Manager/Partner
The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story – Bruce Springsteen
This Is Happening – LCD Soundsystem
Future Sons & Daughters – AM
We Are Dios – Dios
Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma
Superchunk – Majesty Shredding
Tracy Bonham – Masts Of Manhatta
Warpaint – The Fool
Of Montreal – False Priest
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Singles worth mentioning: Fuck You, Cee Lo Green – Soul Sista, Train – Blame Game – Kanye West, Tracey Thorn – Hormones
Tracy Bonham
not in order
Black Keys – Brothers
Spoon – Transference
Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Beach House - Teen Dream
LCD soundsystem – This Is Happening
Gil Scott-Heron – I’m New Here
Superchunk – Majesty Shredding
Broken Bells – Broken Bells
Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone
Lauren O’Connell
Here are my top ten in no particular order:
The National- High Violet
The Black Keys- Brothers
Sam Amidon- I See the Sign
Beach House- Teen Dream
Kaki King- Junior
Josh Ritter- So Runs the World Away
SPORTS- SPORTS
Vampire Weekend- Contra
Rogue Wave- Permalight
Blitzen Trapper- Destroyer of the Void
Simon Steadman, London To Tokyo
OK here’s my list. It’s more of an old albums I listened to and enjoyed over and over again in 2010 list. Happy Holidays or as we say in England, Happy Christmas!
Radiohead – The Bends
Coldplay – X&Y
David Holmes – Oceans 12 soundtrack
Kings of Leon – Only By The Night
People in Planes – As Far As The Eye Can See
The Swell Season
Countless 60′s Exotica, Lounge and Hawaii Albums including:
Further In Flight Entertainment
Sergio Mendes – Brazil 66
Henry Mancini – Martini’s With Mancini
The Enchanted Sound of the Islanders
AM
My top records of 2010 that actually came out in 2010:
1. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
2. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today
3. The Black Keys – Brothers
4. Broken Bells – Broken Bells
5. The Budos Band – The Budos Band III
My top records that I discovered in 2010, but that didn’t actually come out in 2010:
1. Arthur Verocai – Aruther Verocai
2. Aavikko - Back From The Futer
3. Shogun Kunitoki - Vinonaamakasio
4. Sven Libaek - Inner Space: The Lost Film Music of Sven Libaek
5. Sylvain Chauveau - Nuage
Krissy Wolff, Assistant Manager
(in no order)
Mumford & Sons: Sigh No More
Future Islands: In Evening Air
The National: High Violet May
Local Natives: Gorilla Manor
Weekend: Sports
The Walkmen: Lisbon
Twin Sister: Color Your Life
The Shout Out Louds: Work
Spoon: Transference
Frightened Rabbit: The Winter of Mixed Drinks
Ellie Brennen, Intern
1. Beach House- Teen Dream
2. Dum Dum Girls- I Will Be
3. The National- High Violet
4. Beach Fossils- Beach Fossils
5. The Black Keys- Brothers
6.The Dead Weather- Sea of Cowards
7. No Age- Everything In Between
8. The Drums- The Drums
9. Best Coast- Crazy For You
10. Perfume Genius – Learning
The council consists of 80-plus business owners across the country, ages 17 to 33. Members include Scott Becker, 23, co-founder of Invite Media, an advertising technology firm recently acquired by a Google unit; Lauren Berger, 26, founder of theIntern Queen, a site that connects college students with internships; Aaron Patzer, the 30-year-old who sold Mint.com to Intuit for $170 million; and Josh Weinstein, 24, who startedCollegeOnly.com, a social networking site that is backed by a PayPal founder.
Read More Here: http://nyti.ms/eHlr7t
DESIGN MEETS MUSIC
Razorfish, one of the world’s largest interactive agencies, created a contest for our client AM to connect with graphic designers and artists around the world through Creative Allies. Check out the winning poster here which was created by Richard Gregory of South Carolina.
Throughout the contest, AM shared some of his favorite submissions on www.facebook.com/am and www.twitter.com/amsounds and gave direct feedback to designers. Fans also got involved in leaving comments and voting on their favorites. Over 90 poster designs were submitted to the contest. The winner, Richard Gregory will be awarded a $150 licensing prize, a prize package from AM and a Blue Microphone Snowball and you can check out his work at www.gregorybaston.com. Check out the runners up and listen to AM’s album Future Sons & Daughters at www.amsounds.com . Here is an interview with the designer Richard Gregory:
1. When you were putting this art idea together what was your process?
I started by listening to the music and I felt like it was very textured, comparable to Wilco or Sufjan Stevens but definitely it’s own thing. So I felt like the art should be textured as well.
The process I use for designing posters vary. Sometimes a single song or theme will dominate, but in the case of AM’s poster I listened to the entire album on repeat while designing. This gives me a good feel for the music and I’ve noticed that it gives me more abstract ideas and solutions.
2. What song of AM’s inspired this design?
Not really any one song, but more of a cumulative effect from the entire album. My favorite track though is definitely “The Other Side” it’s a great one.
3. Can you tell us what this design represents?
This design represents AM’s distinct sound. I wanted the kaleidoscope effect to show AM’s vibrancy and I also used slight distressed texture to the poster to represent the texture used in the album. This design was intended to be more an emotional window to the album and AM rather than a literal interpretation.
4. Why do you think that design and artwork is important to the imaging of a musician?
If done right, gig posters can capture the artist’s sound and act as a conduit to reach a new medium. It also gives fans a window into what the artist is about and can be a great souvenir from the show they attended.
I just would like to thank all the companies involved but especially AM for this opportunity.
Here is the winner!
This is translated (Italian) but you get the idea – the new record is one of the best of 2010 and best of the band’s long career! READ – Original post HERE
“Maximum Rock’n'Soul:” this is the formula that Californians The BellRays always defined by their stylistic. The band from Riverside, California, led by the pair formed (in life) by Lisa Kekaula and Bob Venuumdespite several line-up, arrives today at the seventh round.In great shape.
To the point that “Black Lightning“seems to be the most mature and complete record so far made by the American quartet. Without even a bit withdraw ‘from the fair soul and punk attitude with which they have always characterized their moves on stage and in studio, the BellRays distils ten new songs that bring a focused sense of their beliefs sound.
From the title track that opens the album: an outline of the great rock sound and emotional impact that the band knows how to build guitars with saturated, high volumes, a rhythm section that does not miss a beat and the voice, hot and aggressive, Miss Kekaula.
On the shields well deraglianti “Hell On Earth“and”Living A Lie“, two songs that spin like a train shot at full speed and sweep away anything that gets in first. The tension subsides with “Sun Comes Down“, a wonderful episode of school Stax / Motown, with a successful string arrangements and female choruses that make it even more than the charisma of the singer and the voice of color.
“On Top“does not betray the title that brings, as the creative peak of” Black Lightning “: a fine example of high-energy rock’n'roll the twenty-first century, a perfectly oiled sports car in every gear, not skidding in curves and goes straight to the objective.
With “Anymore“the BellRays are also still in the territories with a black piece, based on painful and intense voice of Lisa, that touches the most sensitive chords of our soul. While “Power To Burn“episode is the most straightforward of the album, a classic rock’n'roll than two minutes, simple but effective.
“Everybody Get Up“is even more hard in terms of instrumental, but with a hoarse voice and powerful Kekaula miss a solo and other times to make a difference. Power which is also found in the superb “Close Your Eyes“which opens toward solutions before flowing lyrics in”The Way“, a song inspired by the soul of a” girl group “of the Sixties that closes the grooves of” Black Lightning ” .
An album that, along with the explosive “Let It Blast” (1998) and the more thoughtful “Have A Little Faith” (2006), represents the pinnacle of the record production of the fabulous Californian quartet. In addition to being without fear of contradiction, one of the best album of the 2010 draws to a close.
Back from famous Canal+ tv show L’Album de la Semaine in front of a small audience of a 100 people. WATCH HERE
This time we have a real Rock’n Roll band with balls and everything…
The Bellrays have a new album out: ”Black lightning” with the most horrible cover I have seen in a long time. Fortunately the album’s fucking great.
They are here to play songs from the new album and only the new one, it started very nicely and quietly with two cool, groovy and soulfull songs ( “Sun comes down” & “Anymore”) and then it’s The Bellrays’ tornado for the rest of the gig, Take-no-prisoners attitude , each song played one after another, no time to breath.
Pure rock’n roll from start to finish with soulfull vocals.
A short break and they’re back to play, again, a couple of songs and extras ” Detroit Breakdown” & ” Blues for Godzilla”.
One of the best gig we’ve seen these last few months, sound was neat and not too loud, heavy & groovy.
Perfect conditions.
Although Have a Little Faith was an important milestone, Hard, Sweet & Sticky, the album released in 2008, marked a before and after in the career of The BellRays. The Riverside facing a new stage without their guitarist Tony Fate, one of the leading composers, Bob Vennum taking the baton from the six strings, and coming Justin Andres on bass.
The dirty rock & roll, some would call punk of The BellRays with that point soul of vocalist Lisa Kekaula was in a story, at least as concerned with the work under study, and the soul side entered fully into the equation the band captured in a nicer part of the repertoire.
In Black Lightning The BellRays are situated halfway between its last stage and his latest album.Even when they had, there is much soul and the quartet is still rocking hard, but the whole is more polished and clean, and therefore more accessible to all audiences.
Where once the voice of Lisa Kekaula power was faced with the burden of decibels, it now seems that music is subject to the voice, always above that. They now have control of your career and Vennum & Kekaula alliance, which signed all the compositions, opened a second youth of the band.
Black Lightning, which is available in a beautiful edition vinyl 12 “issued by 2fer Solid Gold Records in Series in partnership with promoter Ruta66 and Heart of Gold, containing 10 tracks, five per side, which become shorter after listening and invite replace the needle into the first cut.
‘Black Lightning’ is the title track to the disc and it BellRays show us how to do rock & roll high-octane, rhythm and a chorus house brand. No doubt live, and we’ve found, makes a lot of integers.
‘Hell on Earth “follows the trail of the previous, more speed if possible, and Lisa Kekaula screaming. For its brevity and urgency could be linked to the material of The Red, White & Black (Poptones, 2003), but production of the couple and Matt Rodosevich have updated to the current concept of the band.
‘Sun Comes Down’ is a perfect theme. Motown Soul pure, amazing vocals, a part-time who does not lack anything and a rhythm section giving it the mystery you need.
‘On Top’ refers to Hell on Earth and one that was on the previous album called “Pinball City”, a one hundred percent rock riff and boogie, crushing riffs and a guarantee for the live show. One of my favorites of Black Lightning. ”Someday I’ll Be On Top”, says Lisa with her throat leonina.
‘Anymore’ ( GoEar ) closes side A of the vinyl. A soulful ballad that shows what can the singer, capable of the most aggressive records and suddenly facing a fresh issue, housing, a delight in sum and Bob Vennum only a work of art.
The pert ‘Power to Burn “opens side B with energy and optimism, a song to sing it live also. Live Rock & roll with a chorus Pussydelic signed by: Jenn, Natty, Maya and Mimi.
The BellRays stepping up the pace with another great song, ‘Living a Lie’, with a family structure that without such a perfectionist production could find us eg Have a Little Faith.
Link to ‘Everybody Get Up’ other track with the chorus to remember: “Everybody Get Up, We’re Gonna Have a Good Time.” Classic rock & roll records concomitant with AC / DC signed the soundtrack to Maximum Overdrive.
‘Close Your Eyes “borrows from the composer and musician Todd Westover Angeleno, and is the only one without connection with other material, but The BellRays make his passing by crushing rock, live is more extreme than they have in its current repertoire. Finally, ‘The Way’closes the album with soul sixties, female vocals and print classic The BellRays are now more versatile and more accessible than ever.
Mia Crow, a founder of Visionworks Music and Management, says she’s surprised by the negative comments she still hears about artists who place songs on TV. “I have read some writers making disparaging remarks like, ‘This sounds like another crappy song off ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ she says. “These writers have no clue how difficult it is to get a song on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ or one of these other TV shows.” And, she adds, “They don’t realize that this is why artists are able to continue making music.”
Crow’s client AM has been luckier than most, placing songs on more than 100 films and episodes of TV including “Friday Night Lights” and “Brothers and Sisters.” Maintaining a balance between art and commerce, the “indie lounge pop” artist also opened for the French group Air on their North American tour this spring. When it was over, AM was invited to continue the tour in France, an opportunity that wouldn’t have been possible without a song placement.
“Literally, a song placement wiped out the bill to get his whole band to France,” Crow says.
Of course, it helps to be in the right place at the right time. “Every artist team is having to be very strategic in trying to work with television shows,” notes Crow, who also works with Tracy Bonham and The BellRays. “We make sure they get the music ahead of time, before the album comes out. It’s one of the first things we do.”
link to the whole thing is here: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118027273
French Blog Le Perisien “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll” says:
The pub bragging recent weeks: “The California gang book the best album of his career.” I put it on the stroke of enthusiasm and emotion Fargo, not a little proud to sign the legendary BellRays. But the Parisian label did not lie. Their new album, in stores this morning and on stage tonight in Bordeaux (see gigs below), is a killer, a huge slap! “Black Lightning” (Black Lightning) is THE classic was expected of them since 2002, since this excellent “Meet the Bellrays” which was revealed by us. Maybe even though already the best album of pure rock’n'roll year.
He gets carried away, he gets carried away, you might think. In this case, it must explain why I’ve listened to more than ten times in ten days and came close two road accidents during plays at unreasonable volume. This “Black Lightning” is a drug of the sweetest, the strongest addiction. It is the strength of the interpretation which makes it a unique band on stage, headed one of the greatest voices of rock and soul of the decade, Lisa Kekaula, combined with the wealth of compositions that glimpsed on their albums – especially “The red, white & black”, but here is an exceptional flawless.
Listen after listen, “Black Lightning” became fascinating. It is nothing less than the great history of rock cooked in spicy sauce of BellRays. Tornadoes “Black Lightning” and “Hell on Earth” sign the summit meeting between the Stooges and Aretha Franklin, “Sun Comes Down” gives the “Fever” by Peggy Lee unexpected intensity, fishing and recklessness of the first titles AC / DC reborn in “On Top” and “Everybody get up”, the Ramones back pogoter us in “Power to Burn,” “Anymore” and “The Way” end up with the best girl groups of Rhythm ‘sixties blues, punk energy and more.
Ten songs and it is just over half an hour. But do not bother to make albums extension when there is nothing to throw. The songs are simple demonic, the sound is huge, the guitars explode in all directions, the rhythm section is firing on all cylinders, the body of Lisa Kekaula has never been so hot, screaming, pushed breaking point, but also seductive, silky when the violins and choirs dictate (juror, there!) Damn, but it of course. Lightning Black, is she!
The French tour:
16 November: Bordeaux (Krakatoa)
November 18: Villeneuve d’Ascq (Festival Tower Heater)
November 19: Paris (La Machine Moulin Rouge)
November 20: Creil (La Grange Music)
November 21: Bretigny-Sur-Orge (Rack’am)
November 24: Besancon (Passenger Zinc)
November 26: Tarbes (La Gespe)
November 27: Auch (The Screaming)
November 28th: Montpellier (Secret Place)
November 29: Lyon (CCO Villeurbanne)
30 Nov: Strasbourg (La Laiterie)
December 4: Istres (Factory)
