Category archive for Music

Top Ten Albums of 2011

This year I listened to much, much more music than I have in past years. Whereas in ’09 and ’10 there weren’t that many to cut, in 2011 I listened to many more albums than could fit in a Top Ten. Honorable mentions should definitely go to (in no particular order): Wilco Florence + The …

III — Songs of 2009

I see this project really as really having hit its stride in 2009, for some reason. Maybe as the third, charm-like time around, or maybe due to my having listened to a lot more new music in that year than previous years, I think the album as a whole feels cohesive, despite featuring 13 different …

II — Songs of 2008

Welcome back for Songs of 2008. The Roman numerals — eh, honestly I could take ‘em or leave ‘em, but at least up until now they’ve helped keep things organized in an iTunes playlist alphabetizing kind of way. Like the first, I set up this mix on Spotify, and I welcome you to check it …

I – Songs of 2007

Since the end of 2007, a year-end tradition of mine has been to make a mix CD of songs I’ve listened to often and enjoyed throughout the year. My friend Jeff inspired me — I got his 2006 mix as a gift and decided the next year I would start doing the same. It’s addictive, …

“Tuesday Night” – First Single from Voicemails

Back in January, I released an album of voicemails I had received throughout 2009 and 2010 from a friend, titled, appropriately enough, Voicemails from a Friend. Now, every two weeks for a while, I’ll be releasing singles from the album, along with cover art and B-side tracks. The first single is “Tuesday Night,” the 20th …

Las Vegas is Girl Talk

Gregg Gillis is a musician who samples the work of other artists and, juxtaposing or “mashing up” the music snippets, creates new pieces from them. He uses a lot of popular songs getting recent airplay (pop, rock, and hip-hop hits). His albums, the most recent two of which play through seamlessly, are very danceable, very …

Against Americana

Despite the many available, I listen to basically one Twin Cities radio station in the car: 89.3 The Current. As with any station, if you listen too much, you’ll hear the same songs a lot. But I like most of the music they play, and the programming exposes me to enough new music on a …

Voicemails from a Friend

Google Voice is amazing. I have a friend who calls me a lot. When I don’t pick up the phone, he has a lot to say. With Google Voice, I’ve had over a year of voicemails saved from him. And they’re pretty entertaining. So I decided to release them online — in one 51-track, full-length …

T.J.’s Best of 2010

Guest post by T.J. Matzen. So I’m pretty sure all of Scott’s albums made it onto Pitchfork’s Top 50 or Honorable Mention list. On mine you will find some as well, but you will also find a couple that are not. You may also find a few books to read while you are listening to …