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B3SCI TOP 50 SONGS OF 2011

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!

01. James Blake – The Wilhelm Scream (Buy It) (Read)

02. The Weeknd – The Morning (Buy It) (Read)

03. Lana Del Rey – Video Games (Buy It) (Read)

04. Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (Feat. Kimbra) (Buy It) (Read)

05. Britney Spears – ‘Till the World Ends (Buy It) (Read)

06. Maverick Sabre – I Need (Buy It) (Read)

07. Drake – Marvin’s Room (Buy It) (Read)

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

09. Jamie Woon – Lady Luck (Buy It) (Read)

10. Michael Kiwanuka – I Need You By My Side (Buy It) (Read)

11. Kendrick Lamar – ADHD (Buy It) (Read)

12. The Alabama Shakes (formerly The Shakes) – I Found You (Buy It) (Read)

13. Nneka – My Home (Buy It) (Read)

14. Rihanna – We Found Love (Feat. Calvin Harris) (Buy It) (Read)

15. DJ Khaled – I’m On One (Feat. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil’ Wayne) (Buy It) (Read)

16. Adele – Rumour Has It (Buy It) (Read)

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

18. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Otis (Buy It) (Read)

19. Flo Rida – Good Feeling (Buy It) (Read)

20. Bon Iver – Towers (Buy It) (Read)

21. Azealia Banks – 212 (Buy It) (Read)

22. Big Black Delta – Huggin’ & Kissin’ (Buy It) (Read)

23. Florence + The Machine – What the Water Gave Me (Buy It) (Read)

24. Flight Facilities – Foreign Language (Feat. Jess) (Buy It) (Read)

25. Cults – Abducted (Buy It) (Read)

26. Raphael Saadiq – Good Man (Buy It) (Read)

27. Spector – Never Fade Away (Buy It) (Read)

28. Marina & the Diamonds – Radioactive (Buy It) (Read)

29. Afrojack – Lionheart (Buy It) (Read)

30. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – If I Had a Gun… (Buy It) (Read)

31. Active Child – Playing House (Feat. How to Dress Well) (Buy It) (Read)

32. M83 – Midnight City (Buy It) (Read)

33. Radiohead – Lotus Flower (Buy It) (Read)

34. Madlib & Freddie Gibbs – Thuggin’ (Buy It) (Read)

35. The Rapture – How Deep Is Your Love (Buy It) (Read)

36. NO CEREMONY/// – Hurtlove (Buy It) (Read)

37. Ifan Dafydd – No Good (Buy It) (Read)

38. Bombay Bicycle Club – Shuffle (Buy It) (Read)

39. TOKiMONSTA – Little Pleasures (Feat. Gavin Turek) (Buy It) (Read)

40. Colleen Green – Cujo (Buy It) (Read)

41. Foxes – Youth (Buy It) (Read)

42. Jacques Greene – Another Girl (Buy It) (Read)

43. Grouplove – Gold Coast (Buy It) (Read)

44. Family of the Year – St. Croix (Buy It) (Read)

45. Lucy Rose – Middle of the Bed (Buy It) (Read)

46. LIPS – Everything to Me (Buy It) (Read)

47. Trophy Wife – Wolf (Buy It) (Read)

48. Dev – In the Dark (Buy It) (Read)

49. John West – Lovely (Feat. Pusha T) (Buy It) (Read)

50. Anchorsong – Ghost Touch (Buy It) (Read)

reviewed by b3

12-26-11

B3SCI Interviews Lucy Rose + New Track, Driving Home for Christmas

Interviews Videos!

Lucy Rose let loose on this festive take on the Chris Rae classic “Driving Home for Christmas.” It’s sure to put you in the holiday mood. And for perfect reading while you’re listening, B3SCI recently had the chance to catch up with the budding songstress to talk about her musical wish-lists as well as gathered some insight on her writing, the evolution of the Lucy Rose sound and what the future might hold. Lucy had a big 2011 and no doubt is positioned to have a major 2012. So preview “Driving Home for Christmas” and get a little piece of the mind from the artist herself below… ’tis the season!

Q: Do you ever dream of plugging in an electric guitar and wreaking absolute havoc?

A: Oh definitely…. but not sure I’d be able to pull it off! I’ve tried a couple of times but think at the moment I’ll be sticking to sitting down with an acoustic guitar.

Q: I’ve read you’re all about the drums, and that you began writing with a piano, how deep does your multi-instrumental and writing pallet range?

A: I used to play drums in the school orchestra and the kit is 100% the most fun instrument to play, but I find writing much easier on the guitar. Instruments like the piano that I learnt to play I find more difficult to write with, unlike the guitar because I self taught myself I have no idea what I’m playing and therefore find it more exciting.

Q: What do you hope to pick up one day?

A: The dream would be to be able to play the trumpet but in reality I’m pretty sure it would be impossible.

Q: Were you at all surprised by the success that has come from some of your songs like “Middle of the Bed” and “Scar”? How do you feel they represent you as an independent artist now and moving forward?

A: Of course, I expected nothing to come of them, I was just at a stage I really wanted them to be available for people to buy because I’d been writing and gigging for so long. I like to think they represent me well, and the fact we self released them both made people’s support so much more important. Moving forward I have no idea what will happen, but hope that word of mouth will continue.

Q: Is there anything in particular that you feel you learned or gained as an artist by self-releasing your own material and do you see a record label’s role in the future of Lucy Rose?

A: I’ve learnt that it’s possible… that record labels are important but not an necessity to make your music available and for people to hear about you. I worry that too many bands and artists starting out are aiming for a record deal and not enjoying building up a fan base organically. It’s so hard to know what will happen in the future, I’d like to work with a label, but I’m a little stubborn.

Q: You’ve mentioned that as you began creating music, you took some time in finding and developing your sound. What were some early visions of your sound and how do you ‘dispose’ of those ideas? Are there any new visions for your sound that you are eager to explore?

A: It’s so difficult at the beginning to find the right sound and work out what is the best route to go down. My songs could go in many directions, I didn’t know what I wanted it to sound like but knew exactly how I didn’t want it to, so kept narrowing down the options until my vision became very clear and I could create the music I wanted. I hope my sound from album to album will develop and change, this excites me a lot.

Q: Where does your writing process typically begin? Is there a time of day that you like to write?

A: It normally begins at home, maybe in front of the TV, when my mind can finally turn off. Normally the chords come first and the lyrics and melody come together after. I takes me a while to work out what a song is about but all of them mean a lot to me.

Q: Rumor has it that you like numbers, do you believe in hit song science, or the idea that songs and melodies can pragmatically be constructed and arranged to become hits?

A: I love numbers but I don’t believe there is a formula for a hit song.

Lucy Rose – Driving Home for Christmas

Lucy Rose (Facebook) (Twitter)

reviewed by b3

12-23-11

SHOW REVIEW! CAVEMAN w/ RACES @ the Echo, LA. December 8th, 2011

Live Show Reviews Rock

Contributed by Chris Gedos

Industry bees were buzzing Thursday Night, December 8th, for Caveman and Races at the Echo. Sponsored by Stereogum and the 2012 Chevy Sonic, there was a certain excitement for the free show w/RSVP, held on the eve of the Echo’s 10th anniversary.

Caveman capitalized on their CMJ momentum with the triumphant CoCo Beware, sure to make many a year end list, that increasingly rare LP which actually requires a wire-to-wire listen in order to uncover its nuance. By switching the set list dramatically from the album sequence, Caveman was able to create a live experience which was no less enjoyable and gave everyone in attendance a greater appreciation for the Brooklyn five piece.

With All Things Must Pass as the DJ preset, Races started their soundcheck. Their demurely rebellious style is KROQ ready with a San Fernando stamp of approval. “Can you pull the guitar out of the monitor? This vocal isn’t right.” Wade Ryff, the band’s vocalist, knows that there’s a lot of potential converts in attendance, and the LA industry contingency always lurks in the shadows. Eventually they get into their first song. It’s an instrumental with a great 60’s sensibility, not from their current EP, and possibly the opener on their upcoming LP, slated for March to coincide with the SXSW season. After about two minutes of guitar solos over bass, drums and red nord electric 3, everyone in the joint was fucking slayed by the majesty of the shredding. We applauded as the vocals commenced.

There’s a lot of buzz surrounding Races. They’re worth every droplet of it. I went in with high expectations and was still blown away by their set. They can go big and emotive like Arcade Fire (their most immediate influence), a quality that not even Arcade Fire continuously possesses. The mic for singer/percussionist Devon Lee was only at 50% capacity, but her back-up vox on “Big Broom” were magical. And I even love “All for You” and its moog filched from a still lost Pinkerton b-side. Like, love and follow Races before 2011 punches its time card, because these cats might be the ones to watch for 2012.

In between sets: I stared at the Chevy Sonic light projection on the wall and contemplated the infamous “Pink Moon” Cabrio ad, the first time a compact car married an “indie” sound and aesthetic. “Some of Them Are Old” by Brian Eno also played (no more Quiet Beatle) as a perfect prelude to Caveman’s set. However, during the second soundcheck, it was revealed by the sound guy that the backing mic would only continue to work at 50%. As a result there were mic problems later on during Caveman’s set, somewhat on “Thankful” and especially during “Great Life”, where the mic feed was especially unfortunate. Other snippets sounded grainy and distorted. So much of Caveman’s music is defined by its gentle undulations, which sounded perfect through the amps for about 87% of the set.

The fact that Caveman was able to rise above these minor sound snafus speaks miles about their innate professionalism. From the set’s first song, album opener “A Country’s King of Dreams”, one of the only songs played in order, with its “There There” hyper percussion techniques, it became apparent that Caveman‘s uniqueness is their most impressive quality. Even “My Time”, a single if there could be one, is a song driven by its uniqueness, a downbeat Feelies for the 21st C. I’d rather not rack my brain to come up with another apt comparison. CoCo Beware sounds so 2011, but it’s one of the least representative LPs of the year. They’re louder than most bands and they’re softer than most bands as well. They played the entire album and one new song with a slightly more populist vibe.

I left the venue equally impressed with both Caveman and Races. Walking out, The Kink’s “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” plays over the PA, originally the B-side to “Sunny Afternoon.”

Caveman – Thankful (Facebook)

Races – Big Broom (Facebook)

Rating 9.0

reviewed by b3

12-12-11

THROWBACK TUESDAYS: 1910 Fruitgum Company – Simon Says

In the Mix Throwback Saturdays

By Chris Gedos

The New Jersey bubblegum band oh-so-ironically named 1910 Fruitgum Company was not a one hit wonder. “Simon Says” made it to #4 in March, 1968; “1,2,3, Red Light” and “Indian Giver” both reached #5 in ‘68 and ‘69, respectively. So why are all three songs so scarcely heard on OBG stations today? All three records sold over a million copies upon release, so where’s the love? My only thesis is that overtly saccharine songs associated with the period between The Summer of Love and the devastation of ’68 are seen as historical aberrations and therefore discarded as irrelevant. (Examples supporting this theory are “Green Tamborine” by The Lemon Pipers and, to a lesser extent, “Incense and Peppermints” by Strawberry Alarm Clock. Both of these songs made it to #1.) “Simon Says” is a bit gimmicky, but it’s also important to remember that the Milton Bradley game Simon wasn’t released until 1978. The saying Simon says can be traced to Simon de Montfort, who led the barons against Henry III of England during the Second Barons’ War, way back in the 1260’s! I think all this culturally and historically juicy information is enough to give 1910 Fruitgum Co. some much deserved airplay.

1910 Fruitgum Company – Simon Says

1910 Fruitgum Company (Official)

reviewed by b3

11-14-11

SHOW REVIEW: The Peach Kings / Ryan Traster @ Bootleg Theater, Los Angeles 10/24/2011

Live Show Reviews Rock Songwriter

By: Chris Gedos

Upon arriving to the Bootleg Theater I stepped out immediately to make a phone call and missed the first several minutes of Ryan Traster’s set. According to my friends, he started playing as a four piece before his band retired due to technical difficulties. He continued solo. We preferred his material stripped down and acoustic, how he wasn’t out of step with the best of 90’s college rock. Ryan is a Minneapolis native currently stationed in Brooklyn and has a song which was featured on Keeping Up With The Kardashians (!) that was “hijacked by Starbucks without him knowing”. Seeing him live while never having heard of him before reminded me of that never-ending cycle of talented unknowns which take a ride on the LA carousel night after night. Fortunately for Mr. Traster, this isn’t his first rodeo – his songs are too well-developed for him to still be wet around the ears. He can croon like Elvis Costello and sing from the throat like Matt Sharp. I’m also reminded of some of Ian McCullough’s solo work (especially Candleland, sans dated synths producing wind noise). Like him on Facebook and you can stream several deep cuts. His new record, Good Hearts, was released yesterday and celebrated with an online concert which was streamed to all. #toogoodtogounnoticed

Ryan Traster – Gutter Truth (Facebook)

We next caught The Peach Kings. It’s surprising they haven’t received more buzz since their EP, Trip Wop, is fierce and available for free download via their website. I guess trip wop is a valid enough oxymoron. Per their website: “It’s a new breakthrough in The Peach Kings’ hypnotic science of sound that fuses the melodic and vocal elements of doo-wop with the droning thump and choked up percussion of a trip-hop beat.” Singer Paige Wood’s powerful voice hits a wide array of cadences, emotions and decibel levels. Because she doesn’t go big constantly, it’s even more effective when she does. Also interesting is that she doesn’t conform to typical gender roles i.e. she isn’t dressed like Kesha or even play the emotional leverage card like Feist. Her singing approaches this feeling of androgyny which is highly sexualized and genderless at the same time. The guitarist, Steven Trezevant, provides classic licks and a capable back-up / secondary vocal. The instrumentation is rambling and sloppy and that’s how they like it, but Wood’s vocal is so strong I think it could be maximized more. All they need is a little time, and maybe a bit more urgency. But they’ve already proven they can make a record.

The Peach Kings – Thieves and Kings (Official) (Facebook)

reviewed by b3

10-27-11

REVIEW: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Tape Club

Rock Track Reviews

How many great songs does SSLYBY have to release before they become a regular part of that Best American Bands of The 2000’s conversation? Tape Club is a triumph. By deliberating staying away from their most popular tracks, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin has released a compilation equally representative of their talents, proving that their B and even C-sides are of great merit. The first half of the collection (through the Cobain meets bubblegum “Not Worth Fighting”) will be very familiar to fans of the group, mainly consisting of cuts from their first two pre-Broom EPs, Gwyn and Grace and Someone Still Loves You Michael Holt. “Let’s Get Tired” and “Song W & Song L” reside among their best work. “Lower The Gas Prices Howard Johnson”, an angsty yet innocent love song, could most easily have been inserted onto Broom. The Wilmington Demo of “Dead Right” is probably better than the original Pershing version on account of the warmer production and harmonies. “Cardinal Rules”, about the Springfield, MO minor league baseball team, and “We Can Win Missouri” explore the same issues of autochthony and personality of place as on “Yellow Missing Signs”. It would’ve been cool to see a live cut (they’ve been known to cover “Mr. Wendal”) or something from Daytrotter at least, but fortunately the collection has much of interest for even the most avid devotee. As for the SSLYBY neophyte, new bands will form on both sides of the Mississippi after listening to the 26 choice gems which comprise Tape Club. Contributed by Chris Gedos

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Dead Right (Wilmington Demo)

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Cardinal Rules

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (Official) (Bandcamp)

RATING: 8.8

reviewed by b3

10-05-11

LIVE SHOW REVIEWS: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. / Gossip Culture / Trade School @ Grog Shop, Cleveland 09/26/11

Electronic Live Show Reviews Rock

It was a Midwestern affair on Monday Night at the Grog Shop, with Trade School (Minnesota) and Gossip Culture (Cleveland) opening for super-fresh Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (Detroit). To be from the Midwest is to embody a certain mindset or philosophy that it’s OK to be the underdog, i.e. we don’t care about our forgotten industry because we’re really the backbone of this hackneyed American Dream.

The Grog is small and intimate with no strange corners for the sound to get trapped in; the beer selection is impressive and the prices reasonable; with a max capacity likely less than 300, it’ll rock with 75-80 people inside; really an ideal place to see a show. After a bout on the infamous Ms. Pac-Man machine, Minnesota’s Trade School took the stage — a guy and a girl playing synths with warmth and emotion, strong beats and stronger melodies. According to their singer, the other band mates are in rehab and prison, a tidbit he related with brilliant deadpan if he was indeed joking. Information’s scant beyond this – to give you a sense of their talents. With a full lineup they could be a force to be reckoned with.

Gossip Culture (Ryan Sheridan) is from CLE, and us Northeast Ohioans love to promote a homegrown product. I’d say there were 15-20 devotees who had seen him a few times before. Surely they would like Gossip Culture regardless of their place of origin. The music is fun and danceable, at times obscure but never pretentious. The bassist was an old pro and the drummer was proof that a wide variety of sound can erupt from an 8-piece kit. Their cover of “Maneater” by Hall and Oates was a highlight of the set. I loved the Pere Ubu / Devo influence, (two of the area’s most notable exports.) Fans of The Avalanches and Caribou must keep an ear to the ground for news of Mr. Sheridan’s whereabouts. In addition to an occasional Youngstown show (a.k.a. Steeltown, U.S.A.), Gossip Culture has an EP release show set for October 22nd at The Beachland Tavern.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. made their presence known between sets by carrying out a J & an R bedazzled with 100 watt light bulbs, easily an A+ shop class midterm. It helped brighten the dimly lit stage for a few moments at the beginning of the set. The letters embody D.I.Y. mentality, which is the ethic of the entire rust belt. The name of their acclaimed LP says it all: It’s A Corporate World. In a world where corporate greed has destroyed the American Dream, only a D.I.Y. ethic will allow the stomped-upon individual to cut his/her little slice of destiny. Daniel Zott and Joshua Epstein took the stage wearing Detroit Tigers warm-up jackets with synths blaring and their fists pumped to the sky before opening with “Morning Thought”, and in that moment the drastic population flight from Cleveland and Detroit became moot. The 75-80 people in attendance rocked out with the fury of 200. As they played through their LP and made it to their cover of “God Only Knows”, those once-heralded titans of rock radio, CKLW and WMMS, still held sway in Michigan and Ohio. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.’s saccharine melodies are instantly relatable (think Wayne Coyne circa ’95), but a pervading world-weary wistfulness is only detectable by us fellow natives of the Midwest. There was witty banter full of site-specific references and irreverent swinging from the Grog’s creaky ceiling plumbing, which capped a night replete with an authenticity rarely found on the NYC / LA culture farms.

Contributed by Chris Gedos

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – Morning Thought (Official)

Gossip Culture – Horses Run Wild (Facebook)

Rating: 8.5

reviewed by b3

09-29-11

Tom Waits – Back in the Crowd

Songwriter Track Reviews

Old man Waits has a new LP (Bad Like Me) due soon (October 24) which should have you super psyched. Anytime this legend takes a break from being one of the coolest people on the planet just long enough to get in a studio and cut a record, you need to be listening. “Back in the Crowd”, the album’s second single is a slightly island-y Spanish guitar-backed love song. The gritty, gravely, gruff Waits can write some seriously dark shit, but the usually candid Tom can also pen the sweetest songs of devotion. With Waits it’s always been about emotive honesty and connectivity, his ability to precisely point into the whole vast continuum of emotive quality is what really elevates (and keeps) him into the sphere of the best songwriters.

Tom Waits – Back in the Crowd

Tom Waits (Official)

Rating 8.7

reviewed by b3

09-27-11

FIRST THOUGHTS: Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost

Track Reviews Videos!

I’ve had Girls’ 2nd LP, Father, Son, Holy Ghost, on repeat since last weekend. I knew after hearing the single, ‘Vomit’, that it wouldn’t be a sophomore slump, but I wasn’t expecting all eleven cuts to be of a similarly uniform quality. Father, Son, Holy Ghost doesn’t have the extreme polarity of Album, their debut, but a devotion to songwriting and slightly warmer production values make for an equal if not superior listening experience.

If the sonic point of reference on Album was Joe Strummer, the muse on Father, Son, Holy Ghost has to be Elvis Costello. Lead singer Christopher Owens’ highly publicized upbringing in the Children of God facilitates an influence that’s ostentatious but not heavy-handed. He retains a 1950’s moral compass, grasping onto those last vestiges of innocence. Like Costello, Owens plays 50’s rock with proto-punk panache.

Owens is a master amalgamator and takes the best from his other primary influences, Neil Young, Eric Carmen and Alex Chilton, all of whom, like Costello and Strummer, also hit their creative peak during the 1970’s. ‘How Can I Say I Love You’ and ‘Magic’ are deep cuts that shine through on this album of deep cuts. Probably my favorite American band right now. Catch them at the FYF Fest in LA on September 3rd; they’ll be touring a smattering of American cities from September 14th until October 9th. Contributed by Christopher Gedos

Girls – Magic

Girls – How Can I Say I Love You

Girls (Facebook)

Rating: 9.08

reviewed by b3

08-25-11

Night Moves – Headlights

Track Reviews

Night Moves are three-piece from Minneapolis that play big 70’s/glam inspired rock and roll. Like as big as it gets rock and roll without devolving into some sort of Emerson Lake (Greg we still love you!) and Palmer shiz or summat. No this is expansive, glacial, rock and roll that still maintains a rudder of proficient pop songwriting. The melodies are really really good. Listening to “Headlights” is some trip.

Night Moves – Headlights (IGIF)

Night Moves (Myspace) (Bandcamp)

Rating 8.5

reviewed by b3

08-18-11

LIVE SHOW REVIEWS: WU LYF w/ Crystal Antlers @ The Echo, L.A. July 26th, 2011

Live Show Reviews

I tried not listening to WU LYF before their show @ The Echo on Tues, 7/26. Resistance was futile. To quote Alice Walker’s The Color Purple: “we are the ones we have been waiting for.” WU LYF’s debut Go Tell Fire To The Mountain channels this ineffable feeling of a universal consciousness, an evolved spirituality for the disaffected youths of the early 2000’s. If you haven’t given WU LYF’s LP a spin by this point, do yourself a long overdue favor. Songs like “Heavy Pop” and “Concrete Gold” (both of which have been on the Superhighway for 18 months now) gain a greater meaning when heard within the album’s overarching concept: a prodigal son kills his father the king then is turned away when he attempts to assume the throne.

You get more bees with honey than with vinegar. WU LYF’s reticence to speak to the media has officially begun to overshadow their music. Their recent Radio 1 interview is quite hilarious, but I could see the casual listener turned off by their caustic demeanor and not give the tunes a proper spin. Transparency is the only answer to speculation. With a level of popularity comes great public expectation, which none of us can control, for such is the nature of human epistemology.

Crystal Antlers’ impassioned set tided fans as they streamed into the venue. Although they weren’t originally listed on the bill, a solid majority of attendees were inside by the third song from the Long Beach, CA natives. We initiated a spirited discussion RE: idea bands vs. song bands – it’s only fitting that an idea band like Crystal Antlers would open for fellow idea band WU LYF. Such distinctions, while often counter-intuitive, prove extremely helpful in this case. By this I mean WU LYF would never tour with The Vaccines or The Arctic Monkeys, for example, since they operate on opposite ends of the indie spectrum.

I was afraid that WU LYF might sound a little sloppy live, since they’ve only played about three dozen shows. I was quite surprised by their tightness and how true they stayed to the LP. This speaks volumes for their unique sound which, despite paying homage to SST, early Modest Mouse, The Pixies, Tom Waits etc., could never be classified as derivative.

I can’t say anything negative about their live performance. Absolutely phenomenal! Their music is imbued with this creative imperative i.e. they make music not because they want to but because they have to. Every measure is joyously cathartic. Those who know the lyrics sing along; everyone else stands transfixed, bobbing to the backbeat. If only they’d done a cover of “Flip Your Wig” or “Teeth Like God’s Shoeshine”, I would rate their performance a perfect 10, but maybe that’s asking too much. Let us hope that WU LYF tour more of America next time around, so they can share their talents with more disenfranchised youths, the listeners who need their music the most.

WU LYF could be the biggest band on the planet if they wanted, but they already are in the hearts of their most devoted followers. – Chris Gedos

WU LYF – Dirt (BBC Radio 1 Session 20/7/11)

Wu Lyf : (Official) (Myspace) (Facebook)

July 26, 2011 @ Echo Set List:
LYF
Cave Song
Summas Bliss
Such A Sad Puppy Dog
Spitting Blood
Dirt
14 Crowns For Me And Your Friends
Concrete Gold
Heavy Pop
Scissors For Your Hair
We Bros

RATING: 9.9

reviewed by b3

07-27-11

Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside – Cage

Track Reviews

Sallie’s got soul. Her new Dirty Radio LP is a hit here at b3sci HQ. Somewhere between Stax soul, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, and Tom Waits (some seriously illustrious company, indeed) Sallie & Co. will rip you a new one on the gritty “Cage”, which is our pick from Dirty Radio. Catch a little holy ghost or at least a bit of the devil below.

Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside – Cage

Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside : (Official) (Myspace) (Facebook)

Rating: 8.4

reviewed by b3

06-15-11