J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 24th November 2010

[Welcome to the annual tradition that is a J's Indie/Rock Mayhem Thanksgiving. While what I do on this particular show changes from year to year, it usually involves theme sets of me being 'thankful' for certain things and playing songs that reflect that. This year is no different, and I was thankful for so much that, sadly, it meant no "Alice's Restaurant Masacree" this year. But that's okay. Let Arlo rest for once. I'm really fond of this year's show - or at least, I had a ball putting it on tonight. So here's hoping you enjoy it as much.

If you follow me on Twitter you already know this, but I officially announced the dates for the upcoming year-end shows. Wednesday, December 8th is the annual Top Singles of the Year show; Wednesday, December 15th is the 9th annual J's Indie/Rock Top 25 Albums of the Year show; Wednesday, December 22nd is the Holiday Spectacular. Glad to have that back on the air as opposed to last year when it had to be relegated to merely a podcast and no broadcast. Next week will be the last regular show of the year, so you better enjoy it, because things are about to get crazy the rest of the month. I mean that in the best of ways.

Now, onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 24th November 2010 show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Brian Eno - "Horse" [from small craft on a milk sea. this record has been getting pretty solid reviews from various places, but this is my first time playing it on the show. i'm a huge fan of eno's first three albums - the pre-ambient stuff - and have a ton of respect for him as an artist in general. we'll have to hear more. this first block was me being thankful for great, new music.]
Belle and Sebastian - "Come On Sister" [from write about love. this song sounded odd to me at first listen, but by the time the song was through, i was won over by the keyboard effects. pretty catchy song.]
the Corin Tucker Band - "1,000 Years" [the title track from her latest. so, according to an interview tucker did over at eMusic, this song was originally written and pitched for the soundtrack to the film twilight. i guess that explains the thousand years part..]
Abe Vigoda - "Crush" [the title track from their latest, a thoroughly enjoyable album that i'm having a hard time getting enough of.]
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the Alcazar Hotel - "Suicide King" [these next two sets were themed around being thankful for great north carolina music. thus, the alcazar hotel who were on my show earlier this year and put out this fantastic 7" single this year.]
Lake Isle - "Wake Up" [the title track from this greensboro band's new EP. enjoy seeing them live just about every time i have this year.]
Gray Young - "Ten Years" [from their new album staysail. saw these guys play a fantastic show this past weekend along with jews and catholics and north elementary. bought the new album on (white) vinyl and it comes with a download code if you do. that's the way to sell music, folks. seriously.]
James Marshall Owen - "Nashville" [from gate city get up. we bade goodbye to marshall as he moved to austin, texas earlier in the fall, but he's back home for thanksgiving this week and is playing two shows friday night: the early show, 7 PM, at the green bean, and a late show with his band the subterranean bums, 11 PM, at the blind tiger.]
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Filthybird - "Pick Me Up" [from songs for other people. i really enjoy this song a lot - the chorus is pretty infectious. we'll hear some more off this before the end of the year.]
Megafaun - "Lazy Suicide" [from bury the square. even though my reason for including them is the heretofore EP, i've played it so much recently and, well, obviously it's going to get play on the upcoming year-end shows, so i decided to play something off their debut LP. thus, this song, an old staple of the show.]
the Foreign Exchange - "Everything Must Go" [from authenticity. fantastic news - the foreign exchange will be playing at the carolina theatre here in greensboro next wednesday, december 1st. i would really love to go. here's hoping.]
Adam Thorn and the Top Buttons - "Through That Hallway" [from the new self-titled record. i enjoy the word play in this song (as i do in a lot of adam's stuff) and the closing line of the song makes me smile every time.]
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Sharon Van Etten - "Save Yourself" [from epic. these two sets had the theme of great live performances i saw this year. not only did i see sharon knock 'em dead on her own at the hopscotch festival, but she also was part of the fantastic sounds of the south performance with megafaun, fight the big bull and justin vernon. truly awesome. did anyone see her with junip this monday at the cat's cradle?]
the Posies - "Love Letter Boxes" [from frosting on the beater. yes, they have an excellent new album out, but when i saw the posies last week, they pulled this out, my favorite song from their 1993 album. it was a highlight of a really fantastic show.]
Doomtree - "Game Over" [from their self-titled 2008 album. i went and saw the doomtree collective this past sunday at local 506 in chapel hill and was floored. i literally loved every moment of the show and every member of the group performed with great flare, but admittedly, this banger was one of the highlights.]
Twin Sister - "All Around and Away We Go" [from color your life which is bound for year-end glory as well. saw these guys open for bear in heaven in chicago; i had no clue who they were. 40 minutes later they had completely won me over. amazing.]
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Active Child - "I'm in Your Church at Night" [from curtis lane. more of the live shows that made me thankful for live music this year - another hopscotch stand out. plus there's a new video for this song. looking forward to the full length next year.]
Titus Andronicus - "A More Perfect Union" [from the monitor. to say they tore the afternoon apart at pitchfork festival is no small statement, but completely accurate. really one of the most energetic and raucous shows there.]
Bear in Heaven - "Wholehearted Mess" [from beast rest forth mouth. the three times i saw them perform this year were each a wonder. and if you've seen them live, you know what i mean.]
Lower Dens - "Hospice Gates" [from twin-hand movement. when we brought this band in for a show at guilford, i had no clue who they were. now they're one of my favorites of this year; in no small part because of their live show.]
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Conrad Plymouth - "Metamora" [from their self-titled EP. this set was a tribute to bands i got hipped to through blogs and friends this year that i might not have heard otherwise. this band is simply astounding and i have ryan at muzzle of bees to thank for that. thanks, man.]
R. Stevie Moore - "California Rhythm" [from phonography. this is a record i got turned on to via a post at aquarium drunkard. mid 70s self-printed records. gotta love it.]
Stornoway - "Zorbing" [from beachcomber's windowsill. this is a record i was introduced to via the greensboro record club and man, what an album. i'm still thoroughly enjoying it even this many months in.]
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Jay Reatard - "There Is No Sun" [from watch me fall. this last set was about me being thankful for the lives of musicians who passed away this year. in the case of reatard, all too soon. he is missed.]
Sparklehorse - "It's a Wonderful Life" [so is mark linkous. this is the title track from his band's 2001 album. i would have included vic chesnutt here, but he did technically die last year, but his death no less colored the tone of this year as it seemed to kick off an unfortunate chain of deaths of great musicians who meant a lot to me. linkous' suicide was another one of those.]
Big Star - "Thank You Friends" [from third/sister lovers. and of course, probably the biggest looming deaths of 2010 proper, alex chilton and andy hummel of big star. i cannot wait for the third/sister lovers tribute shows at the cats cradle on december 9th and 10th. they're going to be ridiculously awesome.]

That'll do it for this week. I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving and I will see you again next week. Until then, Go Panthers!, and take care.