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Active Child – Subtle (Feat. Mikky Ekko)

activechild

Active Child, one of indie music’s biggest success stories of 2011 built in great part because of the strength of his “Playing House” single and You Are All That I See LP, unveils a new sound with the Mikky Ekko-featuring “Subtle”. The beats are beefed up and more muscular, the vocals fuller, the prevailing sound of the track starker and definitely influenced by current trends in mainstream & major indie hip hop and pop (Clams Casino, A$AP Rocky, etc). “Subtle” is taken from Active Child’s upcoming “Rapor” EP for Vagrant that’s coming out October 22.

Active Child california (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
09-10-13

Hannah Cohen – Crying Game (Active Child Remix)

hannahcohen

Active Child turns in this blissed out, dream pop rework of NYC songwriter Hannah Cohen’s track “Crying Game”. AC’s mix selects for twinkling keys and guitars, and a plodding pulse. The way the mix cooks down, it almost sounds countrywestern at times; like some kind of spaced out neo-Patsy Cline. Give this one your attention.

Active Child california (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
03-14-12

Active Child – Sweet Dreams (Eurythmics)

activechild

Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams” is one of best pop songs of all time. Heavy is the song that wears a crown like that, as it’s often that the most iconic of songs are the most often targets of (really bad) covers. Active Child cut this version of “Sweet Dreams” while in Australia this week and while it’s maybe not our favorite all time version of the track, AC’s go does stand well enough on its own to merit a spin.

Active Child – Sweet Dreams (Eurythmics)

Active Child california (Facebook)

Rating 7.8

brown71

reviewed by
02-03-12

Active Child – Playing House (Feat. How to Dress Well) (Chad Valley Remix)

activechild

Active Child tourmate Chad Valley just finished up this new remix of “Playing House”. It’s a little R&B, it’s a little ____wave, it’s a little 2011, its also A LOT awesome. We are loving it.

Active Child – Playing House (Feat. How to Dress Well) (Chad Valley Remix)

Chad Valley england (Facebook) (Tumblr)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
09-09-11

Premiere: CRUISR – Don’t Go Alone

cruisr

CRUISR is the latest find of the excellent Vagrant Records (The 1975, Active Child, Ben Leftwich, James McMorrow, etc). The Philly band traffic in forward-thinking and innovative indie pop as evidenced by the infectious but stylistically interesting “Don’t Go Alone”. CRUISR have an EP “All Over”, their debut, due next week on Vagrant (Sept. 23) and you can sample the B3 premiere of “Don’t Go Alone” below.

CRUISR pennsylvania: (Facebook) (Pre-Order ‘All Over’ EP)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
09-18-14

Danger Village: SPRING BREAK NINETY-NINE!!! (April 2013 Mix)

Spring Frog

B3SCI has teamed up with the good peeps at Danger Village to drop this exclusive mix of their choice Spring 2013 worthy jams. Owner Beth Martinez curates the mix track by track below. Hibernation doesn’t stand a chance.

1) holychild “Best Friends”

This song sets the tone perfectly for what I want to come across in this mix. For spring we’re looking to brighter, organic sounds threaded through with good feelings of friendship and laughter. Shifting away from the electronic-heavy vibes of the last mix, this song feels like all things lovely and light while still twisting in the confrontational vocal edge.

2) Denai Moore “Gone”

In February I put a British songstress, Laura Mvula, on the mix. Denai Moore comes from the same city, and this stripped down rendition of this ballad reveals how stringently gorgeous her vocals are without embellishment. I obviously love high-produced material, but nothing goes straight to your heart like these soulful vocals.

3) Rainy Milo “This Thing of Ours”

We can’t stop listening to Rainy Milo. The tone of her voice is lovely and this song is excellent.

4) Autre Ne Veut “Counting”

One of my favorite bands I saw at SXSW and one of my favorite albums of the year so far.

5) Jagwar Ma “The Throw”

Convoluted textures and excellent progression. Somehow Jagwar Ma is the only Australian band on this mix.

6) Freedom Fry “Friends and Enemies”

A breezy song about Frenemies. I love how Freedom Fry is able to make intelligent songwriting sound simple.

7) Mystery Skulls “Ghost”

If you want to get pumped up for anything, put this song on. Pay attention to this guy.

8) Mikael Cronin “Weight”

It’s a melodic and bombastic cocktail. I wish more rock bands were able to write songs like these.

9) Shelter Point “Braille”

Shelter Point makes delicately ardent music. The alien sounds in this song keep making me think my phone is ringing.

10) Shlomo ft HTDW “Don’t Say No”

I love everything about How to Dress Well and this Shlomo collab is so fab. Tom Krell’s vocals lead well into the next artist…

11) Justin Timberlake “Mirrors”

This is probably the most adult-contempo song I’ve ever truly loved. It feels like such a progression in his career, and lyrically I think it’s a very mature assessment of the evolution of a “grown-up” relationship. It feels like a true love song to me, which is always my favorite thing.

12) Sigur Ros “Brennistein”

I’m loving the weightier sound of this song. Leave it to Sigur Ros to make “heavy” sound “gorgeous.”

13) Phospherescent “Song For Zula”

I love how this song encapsulates the feeling of entrapment that comes with being broken in love. The epic lyrics here feel so out of place in modern pop music, it made me realize we don’t see many oathey songs these days. When did epic songwriting go the way of Homer?

14) Cloud Boat – “Youthern”

Been loving everything out of the Cloud Boat camp lately.

15) Active Child “Evening Ceremony”

Stunning church-wave at its finest.

16) Beach House “Troublemaker”

Like Real Estate, Beach House is a paradigm of a band that has the ability to continue refining their craft while retaining their singular sound. “Troublemaker” is a song I’ve had on repeat- the airier sounds fit well with spring’s breezes.

Danger Village (Official)

reviewed by
04-10-13

B3SCI TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2011

pullmantop50albums

Although we’ve come to the end of the road, still Adele we can’t let you go. We’ve reached 2011’s closing hour and now it is time: b3sci presents it’s Top 50 Albums of 2011. No one’s even come close to having the year Adele’s had. The most albums sold in a single year since 2004, two of the biggest singles of the year, etc, a truly international breakthrough both commercially and critically on a level we haven’t seen in a long time. Adele, our girl, the crown is yours. 21 is b3sci’s Album of the year.

So where the fuck is Adele on many of these respected-indie-press-dude best of lists? That period between Nov 2010 when “Rolling in the Deep” first broke and the lead up to the album’s release in late January, Adele ruled the blogosphere, the fold was united. Then “RITD” got overplayed to the point of absurdity, your mom bought the record, probably your grandma bought it too; those bros that listen to Foo Fighters and Deadmau5 started bumping “Someone Like You” out their trunk. Soon, the “wrong people” liked 21 and Adele’s brief moment atop the indiesphere was over. Right.

Thanks for reading this year, y’all. We’ve got some big plans for 2012. Stay tuned. Much love.

adele-211
01. Adele – 21 (Buy It) (Read)

the-weeknd-house-of-balloons
02. The Weeknd – House of Balloons (Buy It) (Read)

drake-take-care
03. Drake – Take Care (Buy It) (Read)

james-blake-james-blake
04. James Blake – James Blake (Buy It) (Read)

kendrick-lamar-section-80
05. Kendrick Lamar – Section.80 (Buy It) (Read)

gil-scott-heron-and-jamie-xx-were-new-here
06. Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx – We’re New Here (Buy It) (Read)

wu-lyf-go-tell-fire-to-the-mountain
07. WU LYF – Go Tell Fire on the Mountain (Buy It) (Read)

jay-z-kanye-west-watch-the-throne
08. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne (Buy It) (Read)

the-horrors-skying
09. The Horrors – Skying (Buy It) (Read)

m83-hurry-up-were-dreaming
10. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (Buy It) (Read)

wye-oak-civilian
11. Wye Oak – Civilian (Buy It) (Read)

girls-father-son-holy-ghost
12. Girls – Father Son, Holy Ghost (Buy It) (Read)

real-estate-days
13. Real Estate – Days (Buy It) (Read)

aap-rocky-live-love-aap
14. A$AP Rocky – Live Love A$AP (Buy It) (Read)

sepalcure-sepalcure
15. Sepalcure – Sepalcure (Buy It) (Read)

pj-harvey-let-england-shake
16. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake (Buy It) (Read)

the-war-on-drugs-slave-ambient
17. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient (Buy It) (Read)

charles-bradley-no-time-for-dreaming
18. Charles Bradley – No Time For Dreaming (Buy It) (Read)

metronomy-the-english-riviera
19. Metronomy – The English Riviera (Buy It) (Read)

sbtrkt-sbtrkt
20. SBTRKT – SBTRKT (Buy It) (Read)

oneohtrix-point-never-replica
21. Oneohtrix Point Never – Replica (Buy It) (Read)

the-vaccines-what-did-you-expect-from-the-vaccines
22. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From the Vaccines (Buy It) (Read)

destroyer-kaputt
23. Destroyer – Kaputt (Buy It) (Read)

the-antlers-burst-apart
24. The Antlers – Burst Apart (Buy It) (Read)

tune-yards-whokill
25. tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l (Buy It) (Read)

beyonce-4
26. Beyonce – 4 (Buy It) (Read)

wild-flag-wild-flag
27. Wild Flag – Wild Flag (Buy It) (Read)

noel-gallaghers-high-flying-birds-noel-gallaghers-high-flying-birds
28. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (Buy It) (Read)

big-krit-return-of-4eva
29. Big K.R.I.T. – Return of 4eva (Buy It) (Read)

clams-casino-instrumentals
30. Clams Casino – Instrumentals (Buy It) (Read)

gillian-welch-the-harrow-and-the-harvest
31. Gillian Welch – The Harrow and the Harvest (Buy It) (Read)

low-roar-low-roar
32. Low Roar – Low Roar (Buy It) (Read)

araabmuzik-electronic-dream
33. AraabMUZIK – Electronic Dream (Buy It) (Read)

active-child-you-are-all-that-i-see
34. Active Child – You Are All I See (Buy It) (Read)

fleet-foxes-helplessness-blues
35. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues (Buy It) (Read)

raphael-saadiq-stone-rollin
36. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’ (Buy It) (Read)

cults-cults
37. Cults – Cults (Buy It) (Read)

radiohead-the-king-of-limbs
38. Radiohead – The King of Limbs (Buy It) (Read)

florence-the-machine-ceremonials
39. Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials (Buy It) (Read)

alex-clare-the-lateness-of-the-hour
40. Alex Clare – The Lateness of the Hour (Buy It) (Read)

nicolas-jaar-space-is-only-noise
41. Nicolas Jaar – Space Is Only Noise (Buy It) (Read)

jhene-aiko-sailing-souls
42. Jhene Aiko – Sailing Soul(s) (Buy It) (Read)

the-stepkids-the-stepkids
43. The Stepkids – The Stepkids (Buy It) (Read)

freddie-gibbs-cold-day-in-hell
44. Freddie Gibbs – Cold Day in Hell (Buy It) (Read)

gardens-villa-gardens-villa
45. Gardens & Villa – Gardens & Villa (Buy It) (Read)

laura-marling-a-creature-i-dont-know
46. Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know (Buy It) (Read)

kurt-vile-smoke-ring-for-my-halo
47. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo (Buy It) (Read)

foster-the-people-torches1
48. Foster the People – Torches (Buy It) (Read)

explosions-in-the-sky-take-care-take-care-take-care
49. Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (Buy It) (Read)

friendly-fires-pala
50. Friendly Fires – Pala (Buy It) (Read)

reviewed by
12-27-11

B3SCI TOP 50 SONGS OF 2011

blankfeintop50tracks

2011. What wasn’t to love? The rise of weirdo R&B, the fall of chillwave, the end of R.E.M. We started the construction of this list over a month ago. One truly epic and extensive Google spreadsheet later, we arrived at this Top 50. We sorted and sorted and sorted, listened through a TON OF STUFF, “traded jabs” on whether James Blake or Jamie Woon put on the tougher persona, etc. Thanks for reading and we hope y’all enjoy the list!

james-blake-the-wilhelm-scream
01. James Blake – The Wilhelm Scream (Buy It) (Read)

the-weend-the-morning
02. The Weeknd – The Morning (Buy It) (Read)

lana-del-rey-video-games
03. Lana Del Rey – Video Games (Buy It) (Read)

gotye-somebody-that-i-used-to-know
04. Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (Feat. Kimbra) (Buy It) (Read)

britney-spears-till-the-world-ends
05. Britney Spears – ‘Till the World Ends (Buy It) (Read)

maverick-sabre-i-need
06. Maverick Sabre – I Need (Buy It) (Read)

drake-marvins-room
07. Drake – Marvin’s Room (Buy It) (Read)

beyonce-party
08. Beyonce – Party (Feat. Kanye West & Andre 3000) (Buy It) (Read)

jamie-woon-lady-luck
09. Jamie Woon – Lady Luck (Buy It) (Read)

michael-kiwanuka-i-need-you-by-my-side
10. Michael Kiwanuka – I Need You By My Side (Buy It) (Read)

kendrick-lamar-adhd
11. Kendrick Lamar – ADHD (Buy It) (Read)

the-alabama-shakes-i-found-you
12. The Alabama Shakes (formerly The Shakes) – I Found You (Buy It) (Read)

nneka-my-home
13. Nneka – My Home (Buy It) (Read)

rihanna-we-found-love
14. Rihanna – We Found Love (Feat. Calvin Harris) (Buy It) (Read)

dj-khaled-im-on-one
15. DJ Khaled – I’m On One (Feat. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil’ Wayne) (Buy It) (Read)

adele-rumour-has-it
16. Adele – Rumour Has It (Buy It) (Read)

labrinth-earthquake
17. Labrinth – Earthquake (Feat. Tinie Tempah) (Buy It) (Read)

jay-z-kanye-west-otis
18. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Otis (Buy It) (Read)

flo-rida-good-feeling
19. Flo Rida – Good Feeling (Buy It) (Read)

bon-iver-towers
20. Bon Iver – Towers (Buy It) (Read)

azealia-banks-212
21. Azealia Banks – 212 (Buy It) (Read)

big-black-delta-huggin-kissin
22. Big Black Delta – Huggin’ & Kissin’ (Buy It) (Read)

florence-the-machine-what-the-water-gave-me
23. Florence + The Machine – What the Water Gave Me (Buy It) (Read)

flight-facilities-foreign-language
24. Flight Facilities – Foreign Language (Feat. Jess) (Buy It) (Read)

cults-abducted
25. Cults – Abducted (Buy It) (Read)

raphael-saadiq-good-man
26. Raphael Saadiq – Good Man (Buy It) (Read)

spector-never-fade-away
27. Spector – Never Fade Away (Buy It) (Read)

marina-and-the-diamonds-radioactive
28. Marina & the Diamonds – Radioactive (Buy It) (Read)

afrojack-lionheart
29. Afrojack – Lionheart (Buy It) (Read)

noel-gallagher-if-i-had-a-gun
30. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – If I Had a Gun… (Buy It) (Read)

active-child-playing-house
31. Active Child – Playing House (Feat. How to Dress Well) (Buy It) (Read)

m83-midnight-city
32. M83 – Midnight City (Buy It) (Read)

radiohead-lotus-flower
33. Radiohead – Lotus Flower (Buy It) (Read)

madlib-freddie-gibbs-thuggin1
34. Madlib & Freddie Gibbs – Thuggin’ (Buy It) (Read)

the-rapture-how-deep-is-your-love
35. The Rapture – How Deep Is Your Love (Buy It) (Read)

no-ceremony-hurtlove
36. NO CEREMONY/// – Hurtlove (Buy It) (Read)

ifan-dafydd-no-good
37. Ifan Dafydd – No Good (Buy It) (Read)

bombay-bicycle-club-shuffle
38. Bombay Bicycle Club – Shuffle (Buy It) (Read)

tokimonsta-little-pleasures
39. TOKiMONSTA – Little Pleasures (Feat. Gavin Turek) (Buy It) (Read)

colleen-green-cujo
40. Colleen Green – Cujo (Buy It) (Read)

foxes-youth
41. Foxes – Youth (Buy It) (Read)

jacques-greene-another-girl1
42. Jacques Greene – Another Girl (Buy It) (Read)

grouplove-gold-coast1
43. Grouplove – Gold Coast (Buy It) (Read)

family-of-the-year-st-croix
44. Family of the Year – St. Croix (Buy It) (Read)

lucy-rose-middle-of-the-bed
45. Lucy Rose – Middle of the Bed (Buy It) (Read)

lips-everything-to-me
46. LIPS – Everything to Me (Buy It) (Read)

trophy-wife-wolf
47. Trophy Wife – Wolf (Buy It) (Read)

dev-in-the-dark
48. Dev – In the Dark (Buy It) (Read)

john-west-lovely
49. John West – Lovely (Feat. Pusha T) (Buy It) (Read)

anchorsong-ghost-touch
50. Anchorsong – Ghost Touch (Buy It) (Read)

reviewed by
12-26-11

B3SCI STAFF PICKS: Top 10 Albums of 2011

b3scistafftop10s

2011, it’s been real! To kick off our b3sci 2011 year end coverage, we start with Top 10 albums lists from each of b3science’s seven contributors. (We’ll detail our overall site picks in the next few days). 2011.

troyalbums

Troy:

01. Drake – Take Care
02. The Weeknd – House of Balloons
03. M83 – Hurry Up We’re Dreaming
04. Metronomy – The English Riviera
05. A$AP Rocky – Live Love A$AP
06. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
07. James Blake – James Blake
08. Kendrick Lamar – Section.80
09. SBTRKT – SBTRKT
10. Active Child – You Are All I See

mikealbums

Mike:

01. WU LYF – Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
02. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From…
03. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne
04. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
05. Low Roar – Low Roar
06. The Weeknd – House of Balloons
07. Wye Oak – Civilian
08. Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
09. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
10. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’

chrisalbums

Chris:

01. WU LYF – Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
02. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
03. Giraffage – Comfort
04. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From..
05. Washed Out – Within and Without
06. James Blake – James Blake
07. The War On Drugs – Slave Ambient
08. The Postelles – The Postelles
09. Harrison Hudson – American Thunder
10. Caveman – CoCo Beware

trevalbums

Trevor:

01. James Blake – James Blake
02. A$AP Rocky – Live Love A$AP
03. Wale – Ambition
04. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’
05. Harrison Hudson – American Thunder
06. Fiore – Fiore
07. Benjamin Francis Leftwich – Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm
08. M83 – Hurry Up We’re Dreaming
09. Mike Higbee – Secret Life
10. Chris Wollard & The Ship Thieves – Chris Wollard & The Ship Thieves

erinalbums

Erin:

Let’s be honest. I probably didn’t listen to ten complete LPs this year that I would somehow deem “best” – it just isn’t in me anymore, maybe. I did, however, have enough musical bests paired with actual full records I loved to complete a top ten. Let’s review my 2011 faves: there are ten, they are not ranked.

tUnE – yArDs, W H O K I L L (4AD)
If someone forced me to name my best record of the year, I’d bet this would be it. While I’ll never get over the late 90s stylization of her musical pseudonym, Merrill Garbus made songs that said things I wanted to hear couched in melodies and harmonies that push me from Africa to doo-wop to “America.” There is true joy in the music she makes, even if she’s talking about eating disorders or inner-city violence. High up on the “things I danced to alone in my room” list of this year.

turntable.fm/Spotify
While I’d consider turntable.fm mostly dead in my day to day life, it ruled my world for a few weeks over the summer. I heard more great stuff I know I would’ve never come upon on my own, but I guarantee you it wasn’t in dubstep rooms. I spent time chatting and playing jams with friends I wouldn’t see for months. Turntable gave me all of the plus factors of a 1996 chatroom backed with a way better soundtrack than I would’ve had then. Spotify swooped in a few weeks later, and now I find myself listening to nearly anything I want at any time while creating playlists with friends throughout the day. Not as immediate as turntable, but somehow less of a time suck. I don’t love the ads, but I know I can get rid of them if I want.

PJ Harvey, Let England Shake (Island/Vagrant)
Overwrought concept albums can be a drag. (Confessional: I am a long-time PJ Harvey fan, guilty of knowing all of the words to “Rid of Me” by heart at a very young age.) If someone had told me a concept album by Harvey about England, bloodshed and warfare would be one of my favorite releases this year, I might have been a bit perplexed. The melodies, language, and instrumentation around this record, however, do more to transport listeners rather than alienate them. “Inaccessible” is a word often used to describe records, and I could see how some of Harvey’s records may be that way. This, however, works magic.

Jay-Z & Kanye West, “Why I Love You” (Roc-A-Fella/Roc Nation/Def Jam)
I know this record is on everyone else’s list, and that’s fine, but only one of its tracks got repeat plays with me. The production on Watch The Throne is amazing, I can’t deny it, but nearly nothing about that record sticks for me. I revisited it months after it leaked and I still couldn’t get into it as a whole. Jay-Z and Kanye West are two of my all-time favorites and I thought this record would be my dream. It wasn’t. “Why I Love You”, though, is a jam. Great sample, great chorus, okay-enough rapping.

Iceage, New Brigade (What’s Your Rupture?)
There will never be a time in life that I don’t like channeling my inner teenage dude. I know he’s there, just waiting for me to listen to the Stooges for another few hours or cackle while watching episodes of Beavis & Butt-head. 24-ish minutes of gothy punk energy (the longest track at 3:08), Iceage are my Ramones for 2011.

Drake, Take Care (Young Money/Cash Money)
I can’t stop playing this record. Merrill Garbus and Drake might have to duke it out. I thought Thank Me Later was lackluster – too much bravado and cameo, not enough actual persona. With Take Care, though, I feel like Drake is getting back to a place where he’s comfortable: an introspective, lonely look in the mirror at fame and alienation from where he thought he was a few years ago to now. On hip-hop records I’m usually disappointed if they’re not full of bangers but this one tempers enough production with the same amount of restraint.

Willie Mae Rock Camp & Kelly Clarkson, “Since U Been Gone” (RCA)
Over the summer, I volunteered for the first time at Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls in Brooklyn. I spent an exhausting and fulfilling week making sure a bunch of 8 & 9 year olds made it to their instrument class, ate their lunches, and sort-of listened during workshops about the blues, gender, and other topics regarding women in music. Every counselor had her musical kryptonite and everyone very quickly found out Kelly’s jam was mine. I danced & sang to it all week when it played during various end-of-day dance parties, and one of the campers and I shared it as our best memory of the week from songwriting class. At the showcase wrapping up camp, the volunteer band played it as their song for soundcheck. I belted it just as I had every other day.

Party of Helicopters at Death By Audio, Williamsburg, February 13, 2011
I got my knees slammed into the stage all night long at this show, with terrible bruises to show the next day, but it was well worth it. They are my favorite band from my most formative years, the one whose album art my body will carry to my grave; every opportunity to relive that time while seeing them live is worth it. Even though they’ll never play “A New Kind of Power” for me no matter how many times I request it, I don’t care. I love them. Forever.

Björk, Biophilia (One Little Indian/Polydor)
There was a time growing up that I spent most hours lying on the floor in my room listening to records. Bjork was always a part of this ritual, and listening to this record sends me back to that time in my life (I am full of memories this year). “Crystalline” is a perfect hybrid of Telegram-style remixes and Vespertine vocals. “Cosmogony” hearkens back to the antics of Medulla. Everything is nostalgic, but everything is new. The David Attenborough-narrated companion iPhone app is an excellent companion if you can’t make up your own visuals in your mind.

Sharon Van Etten, “Serpents” (Jagjaguwar)
Seeing her play this live last Tuesday only further got me stoked for her record next year. Her voice is the most haunting to me, and this is that quality at its finest. Percussion and expansion of her sound into what it is on this track alone (I hear you, Aaron Dessner) bode well for the rest of Tramp. Can’t wait.

brucealbums

Bruce:

01. The Kills – Blood Pressures
02. Elbow – Build A Rocket Boys
03. The Airborne Toxic Event – All At Once
04. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect…
05. Foster The People – Torches
06. TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light
07. The Black Keys – El Camino
08. Sleeper Agent – Celabrasion
09. The Rapture – In The Grace Of Your Love
10. The Wombats – This Modern Glitch

11. Honorable mention to My Morning Jacket and Teddybears

elliottalbums

Elliott:

01. Alex Clare – The Lateness of the Hour
02. Nero – Welcome Reality
03. Thievery Corporation – Culture of Fear
04. SBTRKT – SBTRKT
05. Tyler, the Creator – Goblin
06. Bassnectar – Divergent Spectrum
07. Dave Nada – Blow Your Head Presents: Moombahton
08. James Blake – James Blake
09. M83 – Hurry up, We’re Dreaming
10. Crookers – Dr. Gonzo

reviewed by
12-21-11

B3SCI Best of 2013: Staff Top 20’s

2013stafftop20s

It takes a village to build a B3SCI. That, and an exceedingly dope team of music mavens and cool bros & bras (girls). Check out Team B3’s favorite tracks and albums from 2013.

2013mikealbums

*Mikey C.

Albums:

01. Disclosure – Settle
02. The National – Trouble Will Find Me
03. The 1975 – The 1975
04. Kanye West – Yeezus
05. FOALS – Holy Fire
06. Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
07. HAIM – Days Are Gone
08. Jake Bugg – Shangri La
09. Lorde – Pure Heroine
10. Drake – Nothing Was The Same
11. The Neighbourhood – I Love You
12. Arcade Fire – Reflektor
13. Tom Odell – Long Way Down
14. Rudimental – Home
15. London Grammar – If You Wait
16. Phoenix – Bankrupt!
17. PAPA – Tender Madness
18. Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience
19. David Bowie – The Next Day
20. FIDLAR – FIDLAR

Songs:

01. Daft Punk – Get Lucky
02. BANKS – Before I Ever Met You
03. Disclosure – White Noise
94. Lana Del Rey – Young & Beautiful
05. Jungle – Lucky I Got What I Want
06. Rihanna – Stay
07. James Blake – Retrograde
08. Mausi – Move
09. Justin Timberlake – Suit & tie
10. Sam Smith – Money On My Mind
11. The Orwells – Other Voices
12. Phosphorescent – Song for Zula
13. Jaymes Young – Wondering
14. Mapei – Don’t Wait
15. John Newman – Love Me Again
16. James Vincent McMorrow – Cavalier
17. Little Daylight – Overdose
18. Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me
19. Josef Salvat – This Life
20. London Grammar – Wasting My Young Years

2013troyalbums

*Troy Meyer

Albums:

01. Kanye West – Yeezus
02. Disclosure – Settle
03. Pusha T – My Name Is My Name
04. Volcano Choir – Repave
05. Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels
06. David Bowie – The Next Day
07. Darkside – Psychic
08. The National – Trouble Will Find Me
09. Iceage – You’re Nothing
10. Drake – Nothing Was the Same
11. My Bloody Valentine – mbv
12. Danny Brown – Old
13. Oneohtrix Point Never – R Plus Seven
14. James Blake – Overgrown
15. HAIM – Days Are Gone
16. A$AP Ferg – Trap Lord
17. Phosphorescent – Muchahco
18. Arctic Monkeys – AM
19. Jon Hopkins – Immunity
20. King Krule – 6 Feet Beneath the Moon

Songs:

01. Banks – Warm Water
02. Lana Del Rey – Young & Beautiful
03. Kanye West – Blood on the Leaves
04. Daft Punk – Get Lucky
05. James Blake – Retrograde
06. Drake – Hold On, We’re Going Home
07. Rihanna – Stay
08. Phosphorescent – Song for Zula
09. Disclousure – You & Me
10. HAIM – Falling
11. Ariana Grande – The Way
12. MS MR – Fantasy
13. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Sacrilege
14. Sam Smith – Money On My Mind
15. Josef Salvat – This Life
16. Phantogram – Fall in Love
17. Jungle – The Heat
18. Raleigh Ritchie – Stay Inside
19. Pusha T – Numbers On The Board
20. MO – Waste of Time

2013brucealbums

*Bruce Rave

Albums:

1. Arctic Monkeys – AM
2. Johnny Marr – The Messenger
3. St. Lucia – When The Night
4. Frank Turner – Tape Deck Heart
5. Of Montreal – Lousy With Sylvianbriar
6. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City
7. Bastille – Bad Blood
8. Muse – Live At Rome Olympic Stadium
9. Foals – Holy Fire
10. Beady Eye – BE
11. Tribes – Wish to Scream
12. Soft Swells – Lifeboats
13. David Bowie – The Next Day Extra
14. Savages – Silence Yourselves
15. Fidlar – Fidlar
16. Portugal the Man – Evil Friends
17. Cage the Elephant – Melophobia
18. Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside – Untamed Beast
19. Jake Bugg – Shangri-La
20. The Virginmary – King of Conflict

Songs:

1. Frank Turner – Four Simple Words
2. Tribes – Englishman on Sunset Blvd.
3. Temples – Shelter Song
4. Pet Shop Boys – Love Is A Bourgeoisie Construct
5. Everything Everything – Duet
6. Teleman – Christina
7. Bastille – Flaws
8. Local Natives – Ceilings
9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Mosquito
10. Vampire Weekend – Step
11. Champs – My Spirit’s Broken
12. Moby – The Perfect Life
13. The Jim Jones Revue – Where da Money Go
14. Foals – Providence
15. The Record Company – Feels So Good
16. Placebo – Too Many Friends
17. The Strypes – Blue Collar Jane
18. Cage the Elephant f/ Allison Mosshart – It’s Just Forever
19. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Let the Day Begin
20. St. Lucia – Call Me Up

2013brianalbums

*Brian Litwin

Albums: (no particular order)

SAVAGES – SILENCE YOURSELF
TORO Y MOI – ANYTHING IN RETURN
CHRVCHES – THE BONES OF WHAT YOU BELIEVE
THE 1975 – THE 1975
DISCLOSURE – SETTLE
ARCTIC MONKEYS – AM
DAFT PUNK – RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES
KANYE WEST – YEEZUS
AUTRE NE VEUT – ANXIETY
DRAKE – NOTHING WAS THE SAME
HAIM – DAYS ARE GONE
CHARLES BRADLEY – VICTIMS OF LOVE
VAMPIRE WEEKEND – MODERN VAMPIRE OF THE CITY
DANNY BROWN – OLD
BEACON – THE WAYS WE SEPARATE
LORDE – PURE HEROINE
BOARDS OF CANADA – TOMORROW’S HARVEST
ODDISEE – THE BEAUTY IN ALL
FUCK BUTTONS – SLOW FOCUS
A$AP FERG – TRAP LORD

Songs: (no particular order)

STEP ROCKETS – KISSER
CHRIS MALINCHAK – SO GOOD TO ME
JUNGLE – THE HEAT
WAVE RACER – ROCK U TONITE
THE CHAIN GANG OF 1974 – SLEEPWALKING
FRACTURES – TWISTED
JAI PAUL – ANYTHING OFF THE LEAKED ALBUM
THE 1975 – CHOCOLATE
KANYE WEST – BOUND 2
TORO Y MOI – HARM IN CHANGE
KEEP SHELLY IN ATHENS – RECOLLECTION
WALLA – NATURE
MAJOR LAZER – BUBBLE BUTT
CHRVCHES – GUN
PHOSPHORESCENT – SONG FOR ZULA
MOUNT KIMBIE – YOU TOOK YOUR TIME (FEAT KING KRULE)
RYAN HEMSWORTH – AGAINST A WALL
VALENTINA – LADDERS
BANKS – THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE
HOLY GHOST! – DUMB DISCO IDEAS

2013desiree

*Desiree Autobee

Albums:

1. Mansions – Doom Loop
2. Small Black – Limits Of Desire
3. Haim – Days Are Gone
4. The 1975 – The 1975
5. Sombear – Love You In The Dark
6. Tegan And Sara – Heartthrob
7. Jessie Ware – Devotion
8. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman
9. Kisses – Kids In LA
10. Ms Mr – Secondhand Rapture
11. Caroline Smith – Half About Being A Woman
12. Guards – In Guards We Trust
13. Wild Ones – Keep It Safe
14. Nathaniel Rateliff – Falling Faster Than You Can Run
15. Blood Orange – Cupid Deluxe
16. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires Of The City
17. Sharks – Selfhood
18. Joywave – 88888
19. Flagship – Flagship
20. Robby Hunter Band – Magic City Hippies

Songs:

1. The Chain Gang Of 1974 – Sleepwalking
2. Shy Girls – Second Heartbeat
3. Body Language – The Chasing
4. Wild Cub – Thunder Clatter
5. The Limousines – Love Is A Dog From Hell
6. Donora – Under The Lights
7. Gauntlet Hair – Human Nature
8. Phantogram – Celebrating Nothing
9. Ra Ra Riot – Dance With Me
10. Sky Ferreira – You’re Not The One
11. Shout Out Louds – Blue Ice
12. Tennis – Mean Streets
13. Wet – Dreams
14. Josh Ritter – New Lover
15. Glacier Face – Last Days
16. Best Coast – This Lonely Morning
17. Kate Boy – Northern Lights
18. Andrew Belle – Dark Matter
19. Kitten – Graffiti Soul
20. Lazerhawk – The Video Craze

2013joanne

*Joanne Lam

Albums: (no particular order)

Quadron – Avalanche
Bill Callahan – Dream River
Rhye – Woman
Julianna Barwick – Nepenthe
Nils Frahm – Spaces
Tim Hecker – Virgins
King Krule – 6 Feet Beneath The Moon
Mount Kimbie – Cold Spring Fault Less Youth
Forest Swords – Engravings
Theo Parrish – Black Jazz Signature
Julia Holter – Loud City Song
Hiatus Kaiyote – Tawk Tomahawk
Oddisee – The Beauty In It All
Lubomyr Melnyk – Corollaries
Joomanji – Manj
Jackson C. Frank – Forest of Eden
Grouper – The Man Who Died In His Boat
Derrick Hodge – Live Today
José James – No Beginning, No End
Georgia Anne Muldrow as Jyoti – Denderah

Songs: (no particular order)

Tim Hecker – Black Refractions
José James – Make It Right
Bill Callahan – The Sing
Jungle – Drops
Quadron – Crush
Moonchild – All The Joy
Thundercat – Tenfold
Rhye – The Fall
Diggs Duke – Cause I Love You
James Blake – Our Love Comes Back
King Krule – Ocean Bed
Nils Frahm – Says
Hiatus Kaiyote – Nakamarra
Joomanji ft. Lindsay Olsen – Spread Too Thin
Derrick Hodge – Night Visions
The Spandettes – Sweet and Saccharine
Danny Brown – Lonely
Blu – Keep Pushinn
Shintaro Sakamoto – Don’t Know What’s Normal
Omar ft. Pino Palladino – There’s Nothing Like This

2013eliana

*Eliana Segal

Albums:

1. We Are the Same – Tallhart
2. Talon of the Hawk – The Front Bottoms
3. Common Courtesy – A Day to Remember
4. Save Rock n’ Roll – Fall Out Boy
5. Pythons – Surfer Blood
6. You Are Here – Magic Man
7. What You Don’t See – The Story So Far
8. Magnolia – Turnover
9. The Hands That Thieve – Streetlight Manifesto
10. The Greatest Generation – The Wonder Years
11. Ordinary Silence – Mixtapes
12. Adding up the Wasted Hours – The Lonely Forest
13. Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die – Panic! at the Disco
14. Tape Deck Heart – Frank Turner
15. Selfhood – Sharks
16. Doom Loop – Mansions
17. Youth – Citizen
18. Jar – Daylight
19. The Hurry and the Harm – City & Colour
20. True Trans – Against Me!

Songs:

1. Four Simple Words – Frank Turner
2. Twin Size Mattress – The Front Bottoms
3. Passing Through a Screen Door – The Wonder Years
4. City of Ocala – A Day to Remember
5. Lovric’s – The Lonely Forest
6. Paris – Magic Man
7. Follow Your Arrow – Kasey Musgraves
8. Clairvoyant – The Story So Far
9. Young Volcanoes – Fall Out Boy
10. I Was Wrong – Surfer Blood
11. Still Into You – Paramore
12. Roam the Room – Citizen
13. A Ring a Reason – Tallhart
14. Carry You Over – Tigers Jaw
15. A Life Less Ordinary – The Bronx
16. Cannonball – Diamond Youth
17. Conventry – Old Gray
18. Climbers – Mansions
19. Vegas Lights – Panic! at the Disco
20. It’s About Time – Young the Giant

2013charlie

*Charles Walker

Albums:

1. A Color Map of the Sun – Pretty Lights
2. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
3. Unorthadox Jukebox – Bruno Mars
4. Magna Carta…Holy Grail – Jay Z
5. Corsicana Lemonade – White Denim
6. Smoke and Mirrors – Brett Dennen
7. good kid m.A.A.d city – Kendrick Lamar
8. The 1975 – The 1975
9. The Marshall Mathers LP 2 – Eminem
10. Like Clockwork – Queens of the Stone Age
11. Yeezus – Kanye West
12. The Bones of What You Believe – CHVRCHES
13. Love Lust Faith + Dreams – Thirty Seconds To Mars
14. The Paradigm Shift – Korn
15. The Electric Lady – Janelle Monae
16. Free The Universe – Major Lazer
17. Random Access Memories – Daft Punk
18. Reflektor – Arcade Fire
19. Amok – Atoms For Peace
20. Disclosure – Settle

Songs:

1. Royals – Lorde
2. Radioactive – Imagine Dragons
3. Get Lucky – Daft Punk
4. Fuckin Problems – A$AP Rocky, Drake, and 2 Chainz
5. Wrecking ball – Miley Cyrus
6. Bubble Butt – Major Lazer
7. Holy Grail – Jay Z
8. Safe and Sound – Capital Cities
9. Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke
10. Bezerk – Eminem
11. Chocolate – The 1975
12. So Many Details – Toro Y Moi
13. The Mother We Share – CHVRCHES
14. Who Got It – Break Science
15. The Lottery – The Stepkids
16. Afraid – The Neighbourhood
17. Ashtrays and Heartbreaks – Snoop Lion and Miley Cyrus
18. Falling – Haim
19. Happy – Robert DeLong
20. City Of Angels – Thirty Seconds To Mars

reviewed by
12-17-13

Review: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Vic Theatre. Chicago, IL. 5/17/13

brmc vic chicago copy

On Friday, fans gathered at Chicago’s Vic Theatre to see Black Rebel Motorcycle Club hit the city for an epic 22 song set as they promoted their seventh album, Specter At The Feast released on March 18th.

Thenewno2 (pronounced “the new number two”) opened with a performance worthy of their Rolling Stone endorsement as one of The 10 Must-See Acts at Lollapalooza in 2012. The band, best known as the brainchild of Dhani Harrison (son of the late George Harrison), opened the night promptly at 8 pm. Their music is a multi-layered amalgamation of genres: indie, rock and psychedelia mixed with synthesizers, hip hop, electronica, and pretty much anything else you can think of. Reminiscent of Radiohead at times, thenewno2 has a distinctive sound all their own and live, oozes hard rock. Their set culminates with the shirtless, mohawk-sporting drummer, Frank Zummo, giving the audience the bird, as he stands behind the drumset before walking off stage.

Harrison spoke only twice, once mentioning the warmth of Chicago’s welcome inspiring a night of musical experimentation. There were no pauses as sprawling music covered the audience the entire set. Harrison preceded their last song saying, “We’ve got only one song left, but we’ll see you again soon. Probably at Lalapaloo-ta or some-ting.” Gotta love the cheerful mood that inspires end-ting word-ts in t’s.

After half an hour’s break, the venue blacks out. Slowly, dim lights shine on the drums and the audience cheers loudly as Leah Shapiro descends behind the kit. With production in full swing, Peter Hayes and Robert Levan Been walk on stage with badass aloofness reminiscent of James Dean.

Keeping in line with their role models, Been wears a black leather jacket over black t-shirt and ripped jeans. Hayes wears a button-down long sleeved shirt–black, of course. His hair is slicked back, exposing his long sideburns. Been’s hair has been dishevelled to stand voluminously on end. His sideburns also scream of another era. Both men wear leather boots. Drummer Shapiro wears a short sleeved gray shirt.

Named after Marlon Brando’s motorcycle gang in 1953’s The Wild One, the trio does Brando proud as they stand solidly on stage, seeming to contain their emotion before it explodes into chorus. Opening with the track “Let the Day Begin” from their new album, the band either close their eyes or stare at their instruments as they play, seeming to focus on the music itself and ignore audience interruption. They ooze the rock spirit, touching the essence of badassness and showing a seasoned skill that comes with years of touring and music-making.

The consistent percussives leaves Shapiro’s drums perpetually active; Hayes works the strings of his guitar expertly while looking like the rebel your mom warned you about. But Been; Been steals all attention. One moment he’s stationary, sipping water; the next, he’s throwing himself into his bass, propelling himself vivaciously across the stage. His silhouette shows sweat drip from his hair as he propels into a rift.

BRMC lyrics and persona encompass the rebellious spirit. With their leather boots, classic haircuts and emotionless faces singing, “We’re not the righteous, we’re not the innocent, we’re just a sign it’s all gone wrong” as they rock passionately across stage, they’re the rebels your mom warned you about. They revel in their status as the spiritually damned, the morally debased. There’s just something about lack of facial expression, black clothes and aloofness that draws you in every time.

Forty minutes into the two hour set, Hayes and Been swop instruments and stage placement for one song, giving each side of the crowd a little love. Been’s presence is constantly known on stage, while Hayes sinks into the background unless singing. Midway through the set a spotlight shines on Been and an acoustic guitar, encompassing the stage in darkness as the band disappears for a well deserved break. With the expressionless face he’s worn all evening, Been approaches the mic, “I wanted to play a song I usually don’t, but Chicago is especially welcoming. So, this is for you.”

Been strums the chords to The Call’s “You Run,” in honor of his late father, a member of the popular 80’s band. However, two lines in, Been stalls to a halt. For the first time that night there’s a crack in the aloof shell, revealing the deeper humanity behind. He smiles as he steps back from the guitar. “Sorry, it’s been a few weeks,” he jokes as he continues to strum and remember the lyrics. After an interlude he returns to sing.

Hayes returns to perform “The Fault Line” from the band’s 2005 album Howl, as Been escapes the stage for a moment’s break. He plays harmonica as he strums the guitar, resurrecting memories of their blues inspired roots, something the band has wandered away from. A stillness falls over the room as they listen to the lone singer on stage. As Shapiro and Been rejoin him for “Fire Walker,” anticipation awakens for the livelier songs which subsist within BRMC.

The middle of the two hour set served almost as an intermission as the audience listened to the band play through their slower, contemplative songs “Returning,” “Love Burns,” “You Run,” “Fault Line,” “Fire Walker” and “Windows.” The hungry crowd bears with it only so long, becoming somewhat disgruntled as they wait for the band’s characteristic hi-temp rock to return.

Yet, life and experience have reshaped the band since their last record, clearly seen in the pensive, slower pace of Specter at the Feast. The album is a more contemplative record in remembrance of Michael Been, Robert’s father, who was so integrally involved in BRMC that he was deemed the unofficial fourth member of the band, filling roles from co-producing to running sound on tour. Been died backstage of a heart attack at Belgium’s Pukkelpop Music Festival in 2010. The new album clearly reflects the band’s emotion as they work through their pain and memorialize someone so important in their lives.

After this emotional interlude (and, more practically speaking, a jogging break for their marathon set), BRMC broke the sombre mood with “Conscience Killer.” Hayes and Been look at each other as they began the first chords, smiling mischievously. A happy crowd responds with fists in the air and head bangs as Been theatrically points his guitar out to the audience like a gun looking for consciences to kill. Scary, scary.

As the show breaks the hour and a half mark, Hayes pulls out a cigarette between vocals. The red embers shine through the darkness and production, hanging from his mouth as he plays. The badass spirit deepens.

“Well, goddamn,” Been says after the song “Six Barrel Shot Gun.” “How about another one?”

Fans scream as the band launch wildly into their close, playing “Spread Your Love,” with sensual intensity and ferocity that reverberates through the crowd. The strobe lights flicker so much that all you can see is Been’s silhouette as he propels himself from stage left to right. While lights settle, he returns to his mic and with the third smile of the night, dramatically presses his hand through his hair and reaches out for an invisible vixen. Strobe lights make a resurgence, and he walks to the edge of the stage, throwing himself into his guitar–fingers flying, head pumping. As the lights calm, Been huddles over the crowd with his head on his bass, almost caressing it to sleep before waking it violently for the close. And then he walks away, without looking back.

As lights blacken and tech’s return to stage to prepare for the encore, a fan exhales a “god damn!” seeming to release the emotion of the entire room.

For encore they play, “Sell It,” a song which retains the high momentum fans so much hoped would be their go-home gift. And yet, as their final goodbye BRMC ended with the pensieve lyrics and melodies of their new album’s concluding song “Lose Yourself.” With it’s epic sweep, the song conveys the spirit of a band transformed by life and shows BRMC as they are now, not as they were five years ago.

Overall, the night was a BRMC statement of rock n’ roll. The aging men (with young lady Shapiro in the background), continue a persona, a spirit, a culture of an age gone by. The classic leather-wearing rockers, so often subject of fantasy, inspire a well-needed nostalgia for the rock that needs a re-emergence. And if it also inspires me to watch Sons of Anarchy, I’m ok with that too.

Review and Photo by Jessica Greene

The badass trio are are on tour with thenewno2 for the next two weeks in the US before venturing abroad:

May 20 – Gothic Theatre, Englewood, CO
May 21 – Belly Up Aspen, Aspen, CO
May 24 – Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC
May 25 – Sasquatch Festival, Sasquatch Festival
May 26 – Wonder Ballroom, Portland, OR
May 27 – Knitting Factory, Reno, NV
May 29 – Marquee Theatre, Tempe, AZ
May 30 – The Rialto Theatre, Tucson, AZ
May 31 – Vinyl at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV
June 1 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA
June 2 – The Observatory, Santa Ana, CA

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (Official)

reviewed by
05-20-13