Comments

The new Snowbird album 'moon' is phenomenal. Definitely my choice. Otherwise, really liking the Morgan Delt. And ceo next week (though I've already heard it several times). A damn good couple weeks for my tastes.

I'm pretty sure Carles of HRO fame coined that almost 3 years ago at least.

They've simply achieved a level of blog-fame wherein it's assumed that all who read are familiar with who they are to be able to pull the cutesy name stuff off. That's actually a pretty major compliment. They are the Vampy Weeks to Beyonce's 'Bey' or Lil Wayne's 'Weezy', etc. I'm sure Ez, Rost, CTom and CBai are all super psyched at the level of ubiquity they continue to achieve in 2014 blog circles. Perhaps they saw this coming and so are pushing their own take on this 'name familiarity' stuff with dubbing themselves (pun absolutely intended) 'the dubs'. OR, maybe the blog really has been taken over by tweens and twinks (I know that's not PC, but alliteration is just so dang nice sometimes). Regardless, another watershed moment in music history.

We are in the midst of a very important moment in music history. When my grandkids ask 'where were u when Macklemore apologized to Kendrick Lamar 4 stealing his Grammy Gram?' the flashbulb memory I've stored to commemorate this watershed moment will still be fresh in my mind. I <3 rap music AND hip hop. Such amazing forms of art and such brilliant individuals involved. Our culture is really going to the next level of brotherhood and spiritual awakening in the midst of these gospel-like verses. So happy to be part of this.

If this is whine time, I have a major problem with 'Because ____' (e.g., 'Because music', 'Because winter', 'Because taxes' etc.) and especially 'Because of course he/she/it/they do/does'. Internet publication cliches to the max. Because easy, and because of course they are.

Cool to see Tame Impala as a nominee. They obviously won't win, but it's something.

Guess none of you appreciate 'Freaks and Geeks'.

Although I don't agree with this statement, it has to be said (although I don't think it's too relevant any longer): "Grateful Dead - Music sucks, chicks are hot!"

That was awesome!

The Real Estate song was much better than that Childbirth crap. Give me a break.

Wow, 5 downvotes for basically advocating non-violence. Ok morons.

Hardly a progression, but in this case that suits me fine.

Nope

So is he basically calling "Grand Theft Auto-Tune" on the whole hip hop world?

Oh, and the ceo song too. That album's gonna slay. January/February's going to have a glut of good stuff.

Not sure why you guys failed to create a post on the new ex-Cocteau twins project Snowbird song, "All Wishes Are Ghosts" (http://soundcloud.com/bella-union/snowbird-all-wishes-are-ghosts), but it's another ultra-beautiful number. I'm thinking that album is gonna be amazing based on the two "singles" and my own aesthetic proclivities. Otherwise, my vote goes to that new Woods song.

That was great. They are definitely getting better with each release. Can't wait for this.

This stuff is so weird and so fully realized aesthetically based on the 3 tracks he's put out recently. Very psyched for the album.

This is real nice. Never heard of this guy, but will definitely check out the s/t in a couple weeks based on this.

Dude just wanted to get to the top LVL and be actin' Wild For the Night but now he's got some serious F**kin Problems.

Ezra's rapping on the original was way better.

I more or less agree with your analysis and your analysis of my analysis and the way you treat Buddhism and Christianity. I do stand by the belief that ego-strengthening, no matter how well-intentioned, will be of no help at the time of death as it increases attachment as it reinforces YOU, whereas ego destroying is pure, undistilled preparation for the end of 'you' which is impermanent and fleeting no matter how you look at it. I do think reincarnation is a fairly logical concept, and while it may be the same essence we carry from body to body, the ego is completely different and completely based on the computer program of our DNA being affected by random experience (physical and mental) and shaping us into what we are at this moment in time. Happy New Year, I'm out.

It kind of is semantics to me (words are never perfect and everyone has their own interpretation of them), but I'll take the bait once again. I believe the ego and the veil of maya that obscures what's really, truly there (e.g., what's beyond the gross physical senses) are one and the same, and I think only by letting go of it (the ego) and moving beyond it to your true soul/essence that animates you and existed before your ego was formed by your experiences in life (and to some theorists, existed billions of years ago at the source of creation from whence all things came) can you attain anything approaching supreme awareness/consciousness (e.g., pure being/interbeing). I agree with Huxley's 'Doors of Perception' interpretation that we can normally only experience a small fraction of what's really there because, for survival purposes, everything we experience has been honed down to what's absolutely necessary for survival, and everything else is extraneous nonsense from an envolutionary perspective. Any system/religion, eastern or western, teaches that deliverance/enlightenment/salvation/samadhi/moksha/ecstasy, etc. are found through giving up the ego/self and immersing yourself in either the care of a benevolent and omnipotent god, or in simply immersing yourself in something that is not you and your problems, desires and memories and fully surrendering and entrusting yourself to whatever that abstract concept is. I feel fortunate to have had what I believe to be direct experience of what 'isness' really is, and do not base my beliefs fully on blind faith/theory as I think direct experience is pretty invaluable and is certainly what motivates me to dedicate so much of my time/life to pursuing something greater than what society/culture promises us if we're good boys and girls. However, I'm a puny human with a past I'm not proud and am forever atoning for/attempting to purge myself of, and a mind clouded by contradictions and with my spiritual aims at constant war with the grosser aims that nature reminds me of at every turn. I just feel that transcending this life and all its crappiness is possible, but it's certainly at a cost, and certainly not encouraged by western society (and increasingly eastern society as well).

I won't lie and say they aren't part of what keeps me sane and moderately fulfilled at this juncture, but I wouldn't say that they make life worthwhile in and of themselves. Non-attachment is important, and putting your happiness in the hands of others is a dangerous game, because no one is perfect, and you set yourself up for lots of disappointment when you rely on things outside of your control to keep you fulfilled. It's easy to find flaws with anything I say (especially what I say as it all borders on extremism) and with anything you say and I in no way in my callowness and immaturity profess to have all the answers, especially as I'm a slave to capitalism like every other North American and am getting while the getting's good. I just feel like my life is on a good path toward awareness, understanding, and a semblance of peace, and as I cut away all the unneeded excess (which has proven to be a whole lot), the simpler things get, the easier it is to enjoy what little I have to the fullest extent possible. To me, knowing that I am heading toward a consciousness and awareness beyond what I have now and closer to the 'ultimate' makes it worthwhile at the moment.

Well in your opinon what's the deeper (non-shallow) meaning, and how is life worthwhile? Just asking. I try to make use of it as much as I can and experience it as much as I can in its purest form (which is amazing), but really thinking about anything I can do externally that is of any real benefit in the long term just seems pointless and trivial as the whole 'and you're really only very small and life flows on within you and without you' seems to loom pretty large in my life. Not that I don't engage in pointless and trivial things all the time, I just really don't see them as anything more than a waste of time and truly believe that meditation and complete spiritual awareness are the only aims really worth pursuing with the time we have while the mortal coil is infused with the small piece of light that keeps it going for the blink of an eye that is our existence. I do a good deal more (meditation) than most (4 hours a day, seriously, which coupled with full-time work leaves time for virtually nothing else during the week), but the fact that I'm here saying all this crap and engaging in a discussion on it via my ego proves my hypocrisy. Oh well. Luckily I'm really only very small and life flows on...

I feel extremely fortunate to have had that all immersive, non-being experience where the recognizable self dissolves and merges with the infinite and the peace that passeth all understanding and ecstasy beyond belief is felt. It was achieved (multiple times) through a combination of extreme focus, and complete loving surrender (to god? to the void? to infinity? pure human-created semantics). To me, that is the essence of what death/god/the answer is (loving surrender/ego death), and I spend a lot of my time trying to get back into that space. I have the very eastern belief that all suffering is attributed to the ego and to fulfilling the never-ending needs of the ego (which takes an infinite number of forms, and which I am completely enslaved and subject to like everyone else). The paraodixcal problem is that the ego is fully necessary for survival from the outset, and except for a very few dedicated individuals (or for those who get an easy, very brief taste via some chemical assistance), the only time you can expect to experience true bliss and peace is when the ego dies along with the body, because when the ego is there, there will never be any true peace. As for what happens after the body dies, I sure as heck don't know, but reincarnation makes by far the most sense to me (though not necessarily confined to this planet/galaxy/universe, but possibly). Meditate. Screw your petty wants and needs. Life is such a shallow and worthless thing when you really get down to it, and memories and desires are nothing but sentimental illusion. The moment is all that's real, so live in it if/when you can. Reading my beliefs I sound like such a douche, but when you get down to the true essence of any belief, it's a very extreme thing, because all beliefs tie back to death and the nature of existence, which are not to be taken lightly (or are to be taken very lightly depending). #PARADOX

That right lateral incisor be blingin in that first pic.

Meh. This is just the first verse from the Ne-Yo collaboration 'We Can't Stop' they did for adult swim a couple years ago with some extended filler BS at the end. Make with the 'V'.

It's a shame and a waste of time because that things blows from what I heard.

Ah sweet. Gem Club, Deradoorian, Mac Demarco, Riff Raff, maybe Christopher Owens. Lots happening.

CARIBOU! And JJ? And SZA? But yeah Beck, Fleet Foxes, Grimes, The War on Drugs, Real Estate, Amber Coffman, FKA Twigs, ceo, Empress Of and tuneyards are all ones I'll at least Soulseek.

Ugh, I hate repeating myself with tired adjectives like 'awesome' within a couple of sentences. Cool/dope/sweet/killer. Bro.

I thought the Steve Buscemi-featuring hype buildup for the Vampire Weekend album was hilarious and awesome. Surprised that wasn't mentioned as I found that pretty unique and awesome.

Elliott Smith's ghost? Dude may've had to come back and be like 'I can't have my award cheapened by this' (even tho Miss Misery is very low in my picks of his songs).

It's amazing how prescient Bound 4 (The Floor) by Local H was. Who knew what they would birth in their aftermath?

People that can't skate. Zing!

Tell that to Faulkner bro

I kinda feel like had Foxygen not been airing all of their dirty laundry and acting like the immature kids they are in the last several month, people would be loving on that album a lot more as a 2k13 favorite. It really is a solid one and I still rock it steadily. Glad to see it at least acknowledged here, as most lists I've seen have completely ignored it, despite previous high praises. In full agreement with Vampire Weekend on top, though Kurt Vile could just as easily be # 1 for me.

Kurt Vile - Goldtone/Wakin on a Pretty Day Vampire Weekend - Step/Ya Hey Toro y Moi - So Many Details/High Living SZA - Ice Moon/Julia Washed Out - It All Feels Right Blue Hawaii - Sweet Tooth/In Two Daft Punk - Instant Crush/Get Lucky The Knife - A Tooth for an Eye Way Yes - Macondo/Colerain A$AP Rocky - Wild for the Night A$AP Ferg - Work (Remix) Ducktails - Honey Tiger Eyes/The Flower Lane Foxygen - On Blue Mountain/No Destruction

The Gorguts album is immensely superior to Deafheaven and more or less every other album on this list IMO. I miss the days of being an extreme metal fanboy and posting on lambgoat.com/mb all day. Although not really.