Most Listened To Song On My iPod
Sky Ferreira "Everything is Embarassing"
This track is like a warm fuzzy blanket. Its not amazing but it gets 1 vibe right and stick with it throughout the entire song. The arena rock production on the snare sample was off-putting at first, but it turns out to be the only part of the song that dares reach the upper frequencies. Every single goddamn thing in it was squeezed through a low pass filter, and the result is a murky haze that sounds "80s", whatever people think the 80s sounded like (it was mostly tin can drums, harsh digital mixing, and producers trying to use equipment they didn't know how to).
Most Listened To Discography
Kid606
Dude's been doing this ultra-melodic synthesizer thing for a while, dropping the drum n bass but keeping the smartass song titles. Since I listen to music at work, it's gotta be fairly ambient stuff, and his last handful of records hit that sweet spot between disruptive and audio wallpaper.
Most Listened To Double Album Of Ambient Techno
The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld
After years of hemming and hawing (and hoping the deluxe edition would get a domestic release), I finally laid down my money for... a Columbia House copy. Amazon sent me the liner note-less, minimal packaging, cheaper-to-ship record club copy they must have had in the basement next to unsold Chris Gaines CDs.
Most Listened To Punk/Metal Album
Coalesce Give Them Rope
A couple years back the band had their whole discography up for super cheap (the singer owns Blue Collar Distro) and I snatched it up. They, along with the Dillinger Escape Plan & Converge, informed what little I knew about technical complicated metal back in high school. I'd say Coalesce is more of a hardcore band, at least in production and attitude, but those grinding riffs are just complicated enough to give them that dragged-across-broken-glass feeling.
Most Listened To In The Car
Propagandhi "Cognitive Suicide"
I slept on Failed States really bad. High school was all about Less Talk More Rock and How To Clean Everything, but after Today's Empires I kept buying them and rarely listening to them for more than a week. This song magically popped up on iTunes and listen: the bassist who used to bark can kind of sing now. The intro riff starts out simple enough then enters this seasick off-time place before snapping back into place. The lyrics are a lot of "you" and "they", but nobody said railing against the man was easy.
Most Sung Along To Song
Shearwater "This Year"
Yes its from their covers album (which is about 90% good) and yes its that Mountain Goats song that I'm sure people hate but they don't want to tell anyone. But get a guy who can really sing it, and it opens up all new dimensions to the song. Nobody will ever hear my bellowing, vibrato-laden attempt at singing along, because I only do it in the car alone, but trust that it's intense.
Most Involuntarily Listened To Song This Year
Jeremih ft YG "Don't Tell 'Em"
The car stereo is on a hip hop station when I don't have my iPod, and I swear to God this song was played at least once an hour. "Latch" may actually take this top spot, but I always changed the station when it came on. I hated this one at first too, but it grew on me, along with the ubiquitous DJ Mustard all over it (and the rest of radio).
Most Listened To Tape With A Picture Of A Sex Act On The Front That Took Me Months To Notice
Cex Manumit Me
This was on top of my stereo for a long time, facing me when I was on the computer, before I saw it and yup, there it is. Oh shit this came out this year? Whoops.
