My Favorite Daytrotter Sessions of 2011 (so far)

I have been a fan of the site Daytrotter for several years now.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with Daytrotter, it is a music site that has a little studio they call The Horseshack in downtown Rock Island, IL.  They invite bands to stop by in between shows while they are on tour to record a short little session, which is then put up on the site for free download along with a cartoon drawing of the artist and a short essay on the band and their music. Often the sessions are nothing more than spontaneous re-workings of songs on their previous records.  But every once and a while an artist will use this opportunity to unveil an unreleased song they’ve been working on or to give us a cover of somebody else’s tune.  Either way, they are a fun way to get introduced to a new band or to gain some fresh and unique songs from an old favorite to add to your collection.  Over the years they have become pretty popular and are now pumping out several sessions a week.  So I decide to take the time to share with you some of my favorite sessions of the year  (so far).  You can listen to one song from each session that I chose to give you the feel for the artist, and if you like it, I encourage you to head over to Daytrotter so you can listen to and download the full session.

11. Junip – Without You

If you don’t recognize the name Junip, you may be more familiar with their frontman, Jose Gonzalez, as I have mentioned him on here in the past.  This is a great session with two songs off of last year’s Fields and one from the Rope and Summit EP.

Listen: Junip’s Daytrotter Session

Purchase: Fields

10. Pete Yorn – Stronger Than

Surprisingly this is Yorn’s first Daytrotter session and it is a great one, with four songs off of last year’s Pete Yorn.  He is starting to reach veteran status in the music world, and his songs are really showing it.  I really like the maturity in his sound and songwriting.  It is showcased reallly well in this session.

Listen: Pete Yorn’s Daytrotter Session

On sale for $5.99: Pete Yorn

9. The Belle Brigade – Sweet Louise

I am falling more and more in love with this group the more I listen to them. I shared with you last week their excellent single, “Losers.” There is a great stripped down version of that song in this session.  These guys remind me of Simon and Garfunkel in the best of ways.  The whole session is four songs from their self-titled debut.

Listen: The Belle Brigade Daytrotter Session

Purchase: The Belle Brigade

8. Hurricane Bells – The Cold Has Killed Us

These guys came in and played a monster of a session with 8 songs from several different records.  This is a great introduction these southern rockers if you are unfamiliar with their catalog.

Listen: Hurricane Bells Daytrotter Session

Purchase: Tonight Is The Ghost (Deluxe Edition)

7. Guster – That’s No Way To Get To Heaven

Here’s another indie mainstay that is just now getting around to recording their first session and it’s a great one with 5 songs from 3 different albums.  My three favorites all coming from last year’s Easy Wonderful.

Listen: Guster’s Daytrotter Session

Purchase: Easy Wonderful

6. Frontier Ruckus – The Upper Room

These guys were actually back this year for their second Daytrotter session and I really wish I had taken the time to listen to them last year. I just recently found these guys via one of the last Paste Music Sampler CD’s.  His voice is a little off-putting at first, but I have actually grown to love it and now find it very endearing.

Listen: Frontier Ruckus Daytrotter Session

On sale for $5.99: Deadmalls And Nightfalls

5. Rosi Golan – Come Around

I wouldn’t know this girl from Eve if it weren’t for my lovely wife putting her on continuous rotation in our house.  I would’ve written her off as just another throwaway female pop singer, but that would’ve been a mistake. This girl can really sing and this session shows off how great she is live. I can’t wait to hear the follow up to her 2008 debut, The Drifter and the Gypsy.

Listen: Rosi Golan’s Daytrotter Session

Purchase: The Drifter and the Gypsy

4. The Low Anthem – Dreams Can Chase You Down

If you haven’t gotten the chance to hear their new album, Smart Flesh, this is a great introduction to it.  They play several songs from it, including the excellent “Dreams Can Chase You Down” which until now could only be heard on the deluxe edition of the album.

Listen: The Low Anthem’s Daytrotter Session

Purchase: Smart Flesh [+Digital Booklet]

3. Rooney – Holdin’ On

I bought these California rockers’ debut album about 8 years ago now based solely on the cover.  Boy was that a great decision.  Well fortunately for you, you don’t have to buy their new one based on the cover, you can just listen to their recent Daytrotter session and decide with your ears rather than your eyes.

Listen: Rooney’s Daytrotter Session

Purchase: Eureka

2. Best Coast – In My Room

These surf rockers actually recorded this session about a year and a half ago, before their debut album, Crazy For You, was even released. And for one reason or another it is just now being released for our listening pleasure.  It is another large collection of songs, none of which ended up on Crazy For You, which makes this session even more fun.

Listen: Best Coast’s Daytrotter Session

On sale for $3.99: Crazy For You

1. Sarah Jaffe – Clementine

I have already posted one song from this session as my second favorite song of the year (so far) and I’m wondering if I sold it short.  I can’t say enough about how much I love this girl.  The control she has over her voice is absolutely incredible.  Her live show was completely enthralling.  I can’t stop listening to Suburban Nature and am dying for her to give us something new. This session has definitely helped tide me over til that day.

Listen: Sarah Jaffe’s Daytrotter Session

Purchase: Suburban Nature

RW: Satellite (Astronaut’s Remix)

Who is this Cody fella and why is he writing on here? I know! It’s been that long! I’ve been busy administrating the site and even exploring some new projects for IHYEB, but I’ve also kept my ear close to the ground. During one of my routine visits to the administration panel of the site I noticed that traffic to one of our posts had skyrocketed! I was taken aback, what had Nathan written this time. But it wasn’t Nathan at all! It was something I wrote six months ago!

So I’ve returned for the first remix of the week in SIX MONTHS! It’s also kind of an excuse to talk about Guster, one of my favorite bands. The remix I’ve brought with me today is the Astronaut’s remix of Ganging Up On the Sun classic “Satellite”. I can vividly remember the first time I heard the original version of this song, and it kind of gives me chills just picturing it. Why the chills? It was a moment when I realized that what just happened to me is a permanent and life altering change.

Is this remix going to change your life? NO. It most certainly will not. But, if you’re willing to stick yourself out there a bit and be vulnerable, Ryan Miller and his sweet sweet voice will pick you up and give you a giant musical hug. Brian will play you the softest hand drum solos, Adam will write you a beautiful lullaby, and maybe, just maybe, Joe will let you crash on his couch.

Guster is love! Maybe I’m getting carried away. Just maybe. But I can’t contain my excitement! The group has finished the recording process of their album coming out this september, and this quickly spells another word.

T – O – U – R

My favorite live show I’ve ever been to was Guster! I’ll be attending the Conan O’Brien live show this saturday, but he can eat his irish heart out. Nathan and I both attended that show in all it’s ping-pong ball throwing glory, and I’d do it over and over again if I could.

I’m getting off point.

Well, this new album will be the newest thing since the Satellite EP which included this remix. This is also the last song from that EP if you don’t count two live cover songs of The Beatles and Bonnie Tyler.

What I’m trying to say is, if there were a “Previously on Guster…”, this is it.

Someday Soon – A Mix for February

I’ve been quite lazy in my posting around here lately. I’ve been shooting down idea after idea in my head, until something magical just kinda fell into my lap. Before I just endlessly spill the details of my personal life, let me just get right into why I’m back and what I’m bringing with me. Last fall I had this idea of making weekly mix-CD’s; some for myself and some for others, but at least one a week. The plan kinda fell through after only a month and a half, but I did get a great mix or two out of it. One of the mixes was for my friend Courtney, and I told her that I was going to make her an amazing mix-CD just because I wanted to. So I set to work, and I put it together in about a day. I took me a few listens to make sure I was happy with, but it was still the same songs.  After a couple days of trying to catch each other, I gave her the mix-CD in a white cd-envelope with the track-listing scrawled in the blank space. She loved it. Now, fast forward to three days ago. She texts me out of the blue at 11pm to tell me how she still loves the mix. I hadn’t spoken with her in over a month, nor did we ever text each other much. I knew she was serious. I told her it’s time I made her another one.

And that’s how I got here. So I got to work one more time. I worked real hard to fill the CD the first time; with a whopping 23 tracks and 78 minutes of music, that sucker was chock full of goodness. I decided that this time around, I was going to go for quality over quantity.

Track 1.  I’m Actual – The Format

While this song is the second track, of The Format‘s album Dog Problems, I found it a good opener to my mix for two reasons. First, was the opening line, “Can we take the next hour / And talk about me / Talk about me, and we’ll talk about me/ Talk about me, and we’ll only talk about me”. I liked this, because from the end of this song, the mix is approximately an hour long. The second reason is that I just love this song. It sets a tone of beautifully orchestrated music, preparing your palate for what is to come.  It’s like the hostess seating you at the table, and handing you the menu.

Track 2.  To the Dogs or Whoever – Josh Ritter

The transition between songs is perfect. The guitar comes in from out of nowhere, and before you know it you’re right in the middle of the song without even noticing that it really changed. This song doesn’t really follow a theme from the first song, it’s just here because I like it. It’s fun to sing in the shower, and in the car. It’s a good mix-cd song, so it’s on here.

Track 3. Float On – Goldspot

I don’t want to diss on Modest Mouse, but I really love this cover. Now this song is a spring-ish kind of song. The full name of this mix is Someday Soon Spring Shall Surface So Sing Some Songs, so this is the first song that starts to set the theme of the mix. This is the shortest “song” on the mix, and ends almost as abruptly as it starts. It’s an enjoyable listen, and is a great addition to the mix.

Track 4.  I Can See The Pines Are Dancing – A.A. Bondy

This one goes off theme, for almost a complete change of pace. Had I not already burned a few copies, and made fancy artwork/cases, I might reconsider the placement of this song. This song feels more… fall or winter to me than spring. But that’s almost the point of it all, that someday spring will come, but as for now we must enjoy the winter while it lasts. Or maybe not. Do pines dance in spring? I guess you just have to listen and decide for yourself.

Track 5. Remain – Tyrone Wells

Back on track with more spring-ness now. I first heard Tyrone on the internal Starbucks radio CD/mixer, and went home and bought his album on iTunes. His voice reminds me of a musician from Tulsa named Ben Kilgore, and the people familiar with both artists seem to agree with me. A solid track, and another great mix-CD song.

Track 6. Ramona – Guster

I think it should be a law that every mix-CD contain at least one Guster song. Nathan (our site founder and editor-in-chief) introduced me to them years ago, and I have since fallen in love. This song works well for this mix in both the sound/feel department as well as lyrically. I live in Oklahoma, as does the recipient of this mix, so when I found a great Guster song that mentions this great state I got a little giddy. “Ramona, you’re Miss Oklahoma /and you miss Oklahoma.” It’s a great line, and a great, great, GREAT song. Perhaps my favorite song on the mix, and the one I really wanted to leave an impact with.

Track 7. Life in Disguise – The Slip

This song pairs wonderfully with Ramona, and is great in it’s own right. A great spring-time night-driving song if I ever knew one. It finds great company between tracks six and seven, serving as the proper transition between the two. This song is amazingly soothing, and always makes me feel better.

Track 8. Cartwheels – The Reindeer Section

If you listen to this track, you’re probably going to say, “Hey that voice sounds familiar!” Well you’re right! You’re hearing the voice of Gary Lightbody, front-man of alt-rock band Snow Patrol along with some other Irish indie rockers as part of the super-group The Reindeer Section. It’s a great song. Just beautiful. This is the kind of night-driving song that WILL make you start day-dreaming. Consider yourself warned.

Track 9. Pills – The Perishers

I really loved the album Let There Be Morning by The Perishers. I mean, really love. I probably listen to at least one song off it every day. But enough about me, and more about this song. It’s kind of dark, talking about being dependent on substances to be able to sleep because a relationship is going so poorly, but not telling their significant other the truth about the root of it all. I just like how it sounds. Oh well. Next song

Track 10. Somerville – The Pernice Brothers

I was gifted this album by a friend, and I love it. This song is about being stuck in a dead end town and getting out of it with the person you care about. While I’ve never been there, Courtney is from a small town in Oklahoma called Harrah, so I figured why not have a song about small towns. It has a spring-y feel to it. It feels good. This is the kind of song you sing when you’re driving down the highway with the windows down. It’s cathartic and simple, but I love it.

Track 11.  Life is Beautiful – Vega4

This track is another key song of the mix. I was really aiming this one at her tastes, and I hope I got it right. The song is magnificent, and paints a beautiful picture in my mind. The pre-chorus just sucks you in, and then when the chorus hits that first time you just explode with wonder. When the song finally climaxes, your mind is doubly blown. This is the kind of song that needs to be at about the the halfway mark of a mix, and that’s just where you find it. The song keeps my listener hooked, and will surely keep listening after such a great song.

Track 12. You Do – Until June

Now we slow it back down. This song starts soft, light vocals and the sound of train cars. The piano and heavily-fx’d guitar wash over the audial canvas in a motion that will relax every thought in your mind. The song’s lyrics are christian based, but at it’s root appeals to the higher notion of just being able to understand the unexplainable. I like to imagine the night sky, stars and satellites overhead as I sing the hook over and over to myself.

Track 13. Julia – The Beatles

I love how delicate this song is. It sets up the mix for a much bigger song to follow, and The Beatles just really rock the subtly of this one. I suppose this song could have been better place if Courtney’s name was actually Julia, or if I was in love with her, but neither are true so we just take it at face value.

Track 14. I Ran Away – Coldplay

This next treasure is a rare Coldplay b-side to their hit single The Scientist. It’s a shame that it got lost amongst the hype of it all. For Coldplay haters, this song follows a predictable structure that can grow tiresome as it continues. If you like Coldplay, this is a great rare track; otherwise, skip it.

Track 15. Middle Distance Runner – Sea Wolf

This band is on my list of artists that belong on every mix I make. I wish more people were aware of their stupendous awesomeness. In retrospect I should have chosen a song off their newest album, but this one just kinda stood out to me. I’ve dangerously danced in the shower to this one a few too many times. This song sounds a bit like musical raining. I had the chance to listen to it in the rain a week ago, and it was awesome. Perfect rainy songs are perfect spring songs. Done and done.

Track 16. Morning Light – Graham Colton Band

Here’s the climax of the mix! You finally made it! This is such an appropriate song for the climax because of the first line, “Sometimes I think I pass you walking on the street, and I believe it.” What does this have to do with me or Courtney? Well, Courtney moved back home to Harrah and I had no idea. I had thought for the last three weeks that she was still living on-campus at my school. So I guess the song was true in that aspect that I thought I was seeing her on the street when I really wasn’t. This was merely coincidence, I found this out after I had made the mix. Trust me, its a better story than the real one.

Track 17. One Last “Whoo-hoo!” For The Pullman – Sufjan Stevens

Seven seconds of Sufjan. Are you ready?

Track 18. Within You – Ray LaMontagne

AAAAAaaaaaannnd that wraps it up. This great track from Ray is a brilliant close to his album, and now to my mix. This song is beautiful and just does a great job of tieing up all the musical loose ends, leaving the listener with a feeling of completeness as the song fades into empty sound.

And that’s it! I was so proud of it that I had to come share. I want to come back and share my greatest playlists more often, as well as get back into the remix saddle very soon. So be on the lookout for more great posts coming your way.

Until then, I hope your ears bleed someday soon. Ω

Guster Celebrates 10 Anniversary of “Lost and Gone Forever”

Guster has become my favorite contemporary artist for one reason and one reason only.  They put on the most enjoyable live experience imaginable.  Not only do they have phenomenal setlists every night with experimental and extended versions of many of your favorite tracks, but they also know how to engage the crowd. And more importantly than that, they enjoy doing it.  After watching them live for the first time I was hooked.  Not only did I have a hard time staring at Brian’s amazing percussive theatrics, but I was also blown away at how obvious it was that these guys were loving what they were doing.  They all had this look of sheer joy upon their face throughout the entire show and it was completely contagious.  I have seen Guster perform live 5 more times since then.  None quite as amazing as the first (it was also my first date with my now wife), but each one has been an amazing and awe-inspiring experience.

My only disappointment with Guster’s live performance has been the absence the song that first convinced me that they were a band worth listening to.  No matter how many times I annoying shouted in the silences between the songs for them to play it, I have yet to hear them play “Two Points For Honesty” live.  Although at the last concert I attended, I was at least given a reason for my consistent let down.  As I mentioned in my last post about Guster, Brian had shared with me after their Fayetteville show that they would be doing a 10 year anniversary tour celebrating the release of their critically acclaimed Lost and Gone Forever, where they will be playing the entire album live from beginning to end. Well I have just recently received official news on the happenings of this tour.  And as I suspected each show is a thousand miles away and would cost me a fortune to attend. Tickets for these shows went on sale this past Friday, so if you are anywhere near any of these, I suggest you get on right now to try and snag a ticket, cause I can gaurantee you they will not last long.

Guster – Two Points For Honesty