Jesus Christ, it’s almost March. I hope nobody had developed hope that I’d forgotten about this just-a-little-overly-long countdown, as I hate to disappoint. But in any case, after a long, chaotic month, I’m pleased to continue with this Best-of-2011 list according to some random guy you’ve never met. As we all know, however, the only thing better than reading pointless pop culture countdowns is not having to read the even more pointless paragraph that precedes it. So… let’s continue, shall we?

75. Amon Tobin – ISAM

When a guy can not only make an album out of random samples he put together himself (and we’re not talking vocal hooks from old, obscure R&B songs, I mean shit as random as electrical feedback and painstakingly recorded movement of insects), but make it absolutely phenomenal as well, you know there is some ridiculous talent on your hands. Or in your headphones, rather. With ISAM, Amon Tobin has toned it down just a bit, keeping the adventurous, wild beats but with a bit less of the eccentricity. Which is not to say that the random nature has been completely thrown out the window of course (this is still about as leftfield as it gets), simply that it’s just a bit more accessible. And leave it to someone this clever to pull the juggling act off without a hitch.

Recommended Tracks: Kitty Cat, Dropped from the Sky

74.  Skindred – Union Black

It only took seven years and more than a few iffy efforts, but Skindred have finally mastered their reggae-metal blend, and sounds as good as anybody could have hoped. The Welsh quartet haven’t lost any of their aggression or heaviness to achieve this, either; just some serious tightening in the songwriting department, and having a few more tricks up their collective sleeve this time around, particularly their dabbling with electronics. The fist-pumping choruses of stompers like Cut Dem and Bad Man Ah Bad Man are tremendously rousing, not just in how animated the music is, but how much soul is behind it.

Recommended Tracks: Warning, Living a Lie

73. Ulver – Wars of the Roses

Probably the most diverse band in existence with such consistent success, and albums embracing genres as disparate as trip-hop and black metal, Ulver has proven themselves to be impossibly good at just about everything they try their hand at, and this time around Garm and co. have got their fingers in a few different pies. From the unexpected poppiness of opener February MMX to the haunting ambience of closer Stone Angels, Wars of the Roses is a thoughtfully crafted piece of work, not only with shades of nearly everything they’ve done up to this point, but making a cohesive unit of it all to boot. Even without the beautiful songs, that alone is a massive triumph.

Recommended Tracks: Providence, Island

72. Youth Lagoon – The Year of Hibernation

Something about The Year of Hibernation feels as if it should be permeating sadness. And indeed, melancholy is abound in the dreamy waves, but there’s just something so life-affirming about Trevor Powers’ debut under the Youth Lagoon moniker; just how gentle and fragile this album is. Lines like “When I was seventeen, My mother said to me, ‘don’t stop imagining, the day that you do is the day that you die’” can be found up and down the eight stellar tracks, and one can’t help but smile at the charming innocence behind it all. Powers has an endearingly childlike wonder in how he expresses himself, both lyrically and musically, and that is what makes this such an audible treat.

Recommended Tracks: Cannons, Montana

71. Loss – Despond

As heavy with its guitars as it is with its melancholy, funeral doom act Loss’ long awaited follow-up to 2004′s Life Without Hope… Death Without Reason has proven more than worthy of its predecessor (as well as the teasing splits released over the past seven years). Taking a bit more of a melodic path without sacrificing any of the unyielding bleakness, Despond is a cohesive and pitch-black slab of sorrow, yet with songwriting and production so sharp that aurally speaking, it’s tremendously enjoyable. Like taking a trip through the nether regions of the soul with excellent in-flight service.

Recommended Tracks: Cut Up Depressed and Alone, The Irreparable Act

70. Deaf Center – Owl Splinters

Cleverly blending neo-classical with ambient, Owl Splinters places gorgeous piano pieces alongside captivating soundscapes to create a downright haunting package. Then there are moments where the two elements are combined, namely on the wonderful The Day I Would Never Have, with its astonishingly powerful build-up and fiercely morose atmosphere. This isn’t rainy day music so much as it is end-of-the-world music; at times it practically paralyzes the listener in its tenebrous beauty. Sounds a bit dramatic, I know, but… fuck, just listen to the thing.

Recommended Tracks: Time Spent, Close Forever Watching

69. The Kills – Blood Pressures

2008′s Midnight Boom was a certainly an enjoyable affair in its own right, but Blood Pressures finds the duo back at what they do best; good old fashioned gritty, bluesy rock. This is the dirtiest and most aggressive Jamie Hince’s guitars have sounded in a while, and it’s a large part of why The Kills came out head and shoulders above The Black Keys this year. Not to mention that Alison Mosshart’s vocals are as venomous and sexy as ever; maybe it was their time apart, maybe it was Mosshart’s time with The Dead Weather, but whatever the reason, the duo is back at the top of their game.

Recommended Tracks: Satellite, Pots and Pans

68. Arms and Sleepers – The Organ Hearts

Like so much of the trip-hop of old, Arms and Sleepers’ latest has a sweetly dark way about it. The charm doesn’t lie so much in traditional hooks or melodies nearly as much as in how alluring it all sounds. At times it can be a bit despondent and at others a bit swelling, but there’s never too much of one thing going on at any given time to disrupt the cool, wispy air about it. Everything is smooth and controlled, with just enough liveliness to keep things from getting dull.

Recommended Tracks: A Smile in Sofia, Airport Blues

67. Bill Callahan – Apocalypse

A sardonic baritone can make just about anything (in this case, “Oh America!” comes to mind) sound brilliant, but Bill Callahan’s witty lyrics and laid back delivery already do that to the man’s music all on their own. Not to mention the masterful subtleties sprinkled throughout Apocalypse‘s delightfully americana-drenched brand of folk, from seemingly random tempo changes to startling musical progressions, all of which can be found on early album highlight Baby’s Breath alone. Callahan’s soothing voice is enough, but the broad instrumentation and gentle sound brings it all together quite nicely. A lovely listen.

Recommended Tracks: Baby’s Breath, Riding for the Feeling

66. Jehst – The Dragon of an Ordinary Family

As he asserts on the closing Two Point Four, “Yeah the kid spits flames, you’ll have to call the fire brigade to fix this place.” With his latest, Jehst places himself comfortably alongside Orphans of Cush and Klashnekoff as the premier voices in modern UK hip-hop. Clever line after clever line fly from this guy’s mouth, the least of which off the top of my head is how he uses A Tribe Called Quest’s infamous call-response “Can I Kick It?” only to respond “no, you can’t” on The Illest just to illustrate how lyrically untouchable he is. And really, any listener would be hardpressed to disagree.

Recommended Tracks: Zombies, England

65. Wormrot – Dirge

One of the joys of listening to grindcore is that if you’ve got eighteen spare minutes, you can listen to a fantastic album in its entirety. Which is exactly what Singapore based trio Wormrot give us with their second full-length; eighteen blistering, screaming minutes. More importantly, however, is the (relative) versatility shown. Yeah, it’s harsh and in your face and all that, but the mere fact that these guys don’t have to limit themselves to simply thrashing away as fast as they possibly can for the entire duration of the album says more than anything else – after all, when you can tell the songs apart on an album like this, that alone is a huge step forward! As the shortest song here not to be a Napalm Death reference proclaims, “Fucking fierce, so what?”

Recommended Tracks: Overpowered Violence, Principle of Puppet Warfare

64. Austin Peralta – Endless Planets

Despite the lack of electronic influence, Endless Planets fits right in on the label that Flying Lotus calls home; the meticulous layering, the prodigious songwriting, and that knack for capturing a mood and not letting go until the album’s dying strains. As stunningly clean and beautiful this smooth, jazzy affair is, it’s all the more impressive when you consider the fact that the man behind the piano leading this lovely music was a tender twenty years of age at the time of recording. When I was twenty, I remember (vaguely) writing term papers, waiting tables, and finagling alcohol by whatever means were available to me; not exactly much of a comparison there.

Recommended Tracks: Capricornus, Ode to Love

63. 2562 – Fever

From the get-go, Dave Huismans shows off a remarkable skill with manipulating samples on the third release under his 2562 moniker. Playing almost like a dubstep equivalent of a Pollack painting, Fever takes a good few listens to digest; there’s a constant sense of familiarity, yet without being able to easily place the origin. The styles implemented range from disco to eighties pop to nineties rave along with numerous others, and Huismans makes them all work together far better than anyone would ever expect. As scattershot as the overall album feels, everything begins to make sense in its own way, and all while keeping the listeners nodding their heads.

Recommended Tracks: Aquatic Family Affair, Brasil Deadwalker

62. Septic Flesh – The Great Mass

The Philharmonic Orchestra, the Choir of Prague, and gothic death metal, a combination which normally spells out an overly bloated, symphonic mess. And to write off Septic Flesh’s latest as such would be completely understandable, but a gross oversight as well. Not only does the band avoid the cheesiness that bands like Cradle of Filth (I’m a fan, but let’s be honest here) are infamous for, but there is such attention to detail in balancing the metal, neo-classical, and melodicism, and fantastic interplay among all these elements. Too often do extreme metal bands’ efforts collapse with overwrought ambition, but here it’s quite possibly been done as well as it’s ever going to be.

Recommended Tracks: Five-Pointed Star, Apocalypse

61. Nicolas Jaar – Space Is Only Noise

Another absurdly talented young man, Nicolas Jaar’s debut album takes funky basslines, garage rhythms, chopped up samples, and a harrowing ambient feel to create an atmosphere entirely his own. The middle portion of the record alone, from the gloomy, Ray Charles sampling I Got a Woman to the strangely danceable-yet-unsettling Space Is Only Noise If You Can See, exhibits just about everything Jaar has to throw at the listener, all bundled up in a tasteful little package. It serves as a great sample of its parent album, as it’s probably the best ambient music of the year to not even really be ambient at all.

Recommended Tracks: Colomb, Keep Me There

60. Ash Borer – Ash Borer

The mere fact that forty minutes of black metal crammed into three densely packed tracks doesn’t get old after the first five minutes is proof enough that Ash Borer’s self titled debut LP is something special. But beyond that, there’s so much going on here; for one, the raw, ear-scraping production lines up perfectly with the intense emotion driving the music, as opposed to the poor production so many black metal acts fall victim to, presumably under the impression that that’s simply what it’s supposed to sound like. The music is crushing, the vocals are piercing, and everything is just so fucking loud. As nature intended.

Recommended Tracks: In the Midst of Life We Are in Death, My Curse Was Raised in the Darkness Against a Doomsday Silence

59. Steffi – Yours & Mine

Quite possibly the best love letter to early house music since Zomby’s near-classic Where Were U in ’92?, Steffi’s first full-length release has a delightful no-frills approach. Both pretty and fun, while being deliberately dated to the point of sounding modern, Yours & Mine is too inoffensive to dislike, yet carries none of the boredom that an adjective like “inoffensive” often carries. This is just an extremely adept DJ doing her thing, spinning modestly crafted house music that wriggles its way into your ear and gets you dancing before you even have a chance to think about how inherently lovely it is.

Recommended Tracks: Yours, Mine (yes, I realize this looks like a lame joke)

58. fLako – The Mesektet

Trippy, and almost sad. Almost, because you can just imagine the half-baked freestyle sessions that this album has likely played host to since its release. A charmingly mixed bag of instrumental hip-hop, The Mesektet is something that any J Dilla fan would do well to give a listen; a hodgepodge of thirty mini-tracks, all with their own allure yet unquestionably all parts of the same entity. With all the different styles and moods that fLako visits here, nothing ever feels out of focus or forced, but rather a smooth, fun trip through the imagination of its creator.

Recommended Tracks: Wedjit, Shake It Harder

57. A Winged Victory for the Sullen – A Winged Victory for the Sullen

In a word, breathtaking. Ordinarily, music that sounds as tragic as this is only able to convey so much beauty, but A Winged Victory for the Sullen’s self-titled debut exceeds overwhelmingly on both counts. The music is so delicate, so fragile, and almost seems to tell a tale so heartbreaking that it could only be told through something this arrestingly gorgeous. It’s no surprise that half of the duo which crafted this ambient work of art hails from Stars of the Lid; in fact, what would be a surprise would be if it had been produced by two no-names just putting out their first piece of music. There is so much emotion, so much power behind Sullen that, well to be perfectly frank, I wouldn’t judge you if it made you weep a little bit.

….pussy.

Recommended Tracks: We Played Some Open Chords and Rejoiced for the Earth Had Circled the Sun Yet Another Year, Requiem for the Static King, Part One

56. Dela – Translation Lost

Mainstream hip-hop isn’t quite as bad as many purists would have you believe, however it’s undeniable that there are a few too many so-called MCs getting by with simply mumbling like an idiot over bad techno, calling it rapping, and collecting a paycheck. A source of frustration, to be sure, but when a guy who grew up listening to all the right hip-hop comes along and does it right, it’s all the more rewarding. On Transition Lost, Dela employs the best things about the nineties east coast sound: impeccably placed samples, a smooth, jazzy sound, and gentle melodies with an upbeat presentation. The tracks that don’t already feature somebody on the mic are begging to be rapped over, underlining one of the most important qualities one can have in the game, whether a rapper or producer – just being hungry.

Recommended Tracks: Lucy’s&LooseLeaves, Jay Electropietricus

55. Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972

Where A Winged Victory for the Sullen seems to mourn the loss of beauty, Ravedeath, 1972 seems to revel in its destruction. So much of this album is warbled, distorted, and with more than a hint of menace, yet with the strains of a sense of longing dying underneath it all. And with as densely packed as this ambient tour de force is, the imagery conjured up by these sounds is hardly set in stone; several people I’ve discussed this album with have walked away with something entirely different. This is largely what makes Ravedeath so remarkable, that there is so much being said here, yet not enough to cleanly define it. Not exactly, anyway. And really, that’s one of the best things a piece of music can offer.

Recommended Tracks: Analog Paralysis 1978, In the Air: II

54. Roman Flügel – Fatty Folders

Rarely is such adventurous house music this lovely. Everything about Roman Flügel’s first full-length is an absolute pleasure to listen to, from the laid back moments awash with gentle synths to the more complex tracks ridden with almost haphazardly paired melodies. Then there are the most aggressive moments, particularly The Improviser, a bass-heavy number with a definite animosity bubbling just beneath the surface, yet subdued enough to keep it fitting in smoothly with the rest of the album. Everything ties together quite nicely on Fatty Folders, and its greatest strength is that gentle sound woven into the music’s inherent ability to make you want to dance.

Recommended Tracks: How to Spread Lies, Krautus

53. Demdike Stare – Tryptych

A compilation of three vinyl-only releases from the previous year (though it does contain a fair amount of bonus tracks), including Tryptych is probably cheating just a tad, but the dark ambient here in this sprawling set is just too good to be excluded. This isn’t haunting so much as it is downright frightening; there are horror films with scores that have nothing on the Forest of Evil disc alone, much less Tryptych in its entirety. And while there’s over two and a half hours of meandering, uneasy ambience, there’s always something new being thrown in to keep it from growing stagnant… though to be honest, the music has such a presence to it that it probably wouldn’t have been necessary anyway. Fun trick to play on your roommate #427: just as they’re drifting off, put this on, then in the morning listen to them go on about the weird dreams they had.

Recommended Tracks: Forest of Evil (Dusk), A Tale of Sand

52. Maybeshewill – I Was Here for a Moment, Then I Was Gone

Maybeshewill has always been a band who does post-rock that gets right to the point, without sacrificing any of their intensity in the process. Their ability to condense ten to fifteen minute songs to a length of about five has always been a calling card, and with as rapidly as this band has progressed, it’s great to see that they haven’t lost this. While I Was Here for a Moment isn’t perhaps the largest leap forward, it finds them honing their skills just a bit more, with the only real loss being the movie samples which popped up rather frequently in the past. Those were always a nice touch, but when compared to a superior flow and song layers that compliment one another better, it’s hardly much of a loss.

Recommended Tracks: Farewell Sarajevo, To the Skies from a Hillside

51. Radiohead – The King of Limbs

The King of Limbs has drawn quite a bit of flak from fans old and new, what with its brevity and somewhat minimalist sound. And following the somewhat sprawling In Rainbows, it’s not a complete surprise. But if this band has taught us anything, isn’t it to not expect the same thing twice? No first listen to a Radiohead album has ever bored me; I remember loving trying to wrap my head around the uncompromising bizarreness of Everything in Its Right Place and Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box, getting a little startled when the distortion kicked in halfway through 2+2=5, and finding my head bobbing along to the infectious rhythm of 15 Step. So when the shuffling piano and drums against that pitch-black backdrop of Bloom filled my headphones, there was only one thing I expected: another great album, and that’s exactly what we got. At the end of the day, Limbs is a flat out fantastic record. Yes, even by Radiohead standards.

Recommended Tracks: Little by Little, Lotus Flower

Judging by the article’s somewhat less-than-ambiguous title, and the fact that anyone reading this is more likely than not a music nut well-versed with wandering around the net, there’s not much need for a wordy introduction here. But let’s do that anyway! 2010 set the bar staggeringly high, and it’s nothing short of a marvel that 2011 measured up with such apparent ease. From artsy pop sirens to dubstep wunderkinds to old hip-hop favorites, the year was dominated with heavy hitters, to say the least.  So let’s stop rambling and survey the year’s wreckage with an another needlessly large countdown, shall we?

100. Grouplove – Never Trust a Happy Song

There’s something to be said for music with such an infectious catchiness to it that any lack of originality is completely forgiven. Which is not to call Grouplove’s debut derivative or unoriginal at all; while this lovely slice of summery indie pop goodness is sprinkled all throughout with familiar sounds and influences, everything fits wonderfully with the band’s own individual stamp. Not only does Never Trust a Happy Song give off such an absurdly good and energetic vibe, it puts 2011 indie contemporaries Foster the People and The Drums to shame with its impressive consistency.

Recommended Tracks: Lovely Cup, Love Will Save Your Soul

99. Little Scream – The Golden Record

Laurel Sprengelmeyer (who painted the cover art herself) proves to have quite the Midas touch with her debut, the aptly titled The Golden Record. While the bulk of this album’s material points to folk, Sprengelmeyer tries her hand at incorporating a number of different styles, resulting in a surprisingly effective blend. The mood ranges from sad and wistful to restless with not just a startling lack of difficulty, but such a genuine nature that the music doesn’t once feel as if crafted by an overly eager musician trying too hard, which can be a tremendously difficult pitfall to avoid with such ambition, and that could well be Little Scream’s greatest strength.

Recommended Tracks: The Heron and the Fox, Black Cloud

98. The King Blues – Punk & Poetry

Not to say that I’m the biggest fan of The Clash, but honestly, they’re just one of those bands where you’d be hardpressed to find someone who doesn’t at least respect them. Enter The King Blues, who carry the same spirit of playing with punk rock not just in how it can sound, but what it can say, and they do a marvelous job with their third LP. Outspoken vocalist Jonny “Itch” Fox’s subject matter ranges from tender love songs to taking fierce socio-political stances at the drop of a dime (and sounding just as passionate every time) while the band behind him toys with styles as disparate as dancehall and doo wop. And with as long the gamut they run is, the band makes it feel as if it shouldn’t be any other way.

Recommended Tracks: The Future’s Not What It Used to Be, Five Bottles of Shampoo

97. Cass McCombs – Wit’s End

As bleak as Wit’s End can come across, it’s admirable just how damn mesmerizing it is. McCombs has such a knack for emanating his influences (Syd Barrett and Nick Drake, to name a few) while making his melancholic songwriting his own. The songs express themselves by way of storytelling, venting, and even at times rambling, and each one is like a successful, dark little experiment. And Wit’s End is a dark listen, even unbearably so at times, but there is such attention to detail and such a feel of authenticity behind it that it’s unimaginable for a fan of any folk between 1965 and today to not find something they would like here.

Recommended Tracks: The Lonely Doll, Buried Alive

96. Tombs – Path of Totality

For an album stumbled upon simply because it shares its title with Korn’s latest misguided attempt at reclaiming relevancy, Tombs’ fourth full-length is a find and a half; as intelligent as it is blistering, and a great direction in which to send someone who wonders where the hell Neurosis has been hiding. Totality has got a serious kick to it, sludging and thrashing its way through impressively intricate progressions and building up to downright explosive peaks. Booming, raging, and even morose at times, Tombs exhibits a depth in metal that just isn’t as common as it used to be.

Recommended Tracks: To Cross the Land, Cold Dark Eyes

95. DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers

One of the most culturally rich bands around, DeVotchKa (don’t you DARE leave out that typeset!) returned this year with essentially more of the same; an album that may not be as cohesive as it could, but songs that absolutely nail any aspect of world music they attempt, incorporating it seamlessly with their gentle brand of indie rock. With such a unique style, and what with how every Devotchka record (see? Doesn’t that look HORRIBLE?) takes its listener on a such a convincing musical journey around the world, it’s hard to fault the band for the few flaws they do show.

Recommended Tracks: All the Sand in All the Sea, Exhaustible

94. Necro Deathmort – Music of Bleak Origin

Utterly bizarre. Music of Bleak Origin couldn’t possibly have a more appropriate title; pitch black from start to finish, with so many heavy and dark genres thrown together to create something that’s soul crushing in its own special way. It pounds like industrial, it deafens in the same way that drone does, and it maintains a barely concealed beauty underneath all the ugliness in a way that shoegaze always has. Bleak grabs you immediately, and holds your attention as only something mildly disturbing can. To put it plainly, there’s an extremely good chance that you’ve never heard anything quite like this.

Recommended Tracks: For Your Own Good, Blizzard

93. Banner Pilot – Heart Beats Pacific

Banner Pilot’s third effort finds the quartet doing what they do best, crafting catchy pop punk with just enough edge to keep it interesting. And like the best outfits in this scene, Banner Pilot has a way of making the most silly and every day things sound absolutely brilliant by merely singing about it with a soaring poppy chorus. ”So if you wanna stay up all night, we can hit the record shops or just stay in bed drinking Spanish Reds, waiting for the rain to stop.” A band this good can make just about anything sound great.

Recommended Tracks: Forty Degrees, Spanish Reds

92. The Horrible Crowes – Elsie

It doesn’t really come as a surprise that something so bluesy, dirty, and downright raw could come from a side project of The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive. Fallon is known for his outstanding storytelling abilities and lyricism, and these truly take the stage on Elsie; loneliness, anguish, and frustration are evident in even the most raucous numbers, but they’re no more prevalent than the hope and resilience that are able to register in the saddest and most pensive of the tracks. As direct as it is complex, Elsie is quite the emotional trip.

Recommended Tracks: Sugar, Ladykiller

91. Sims – Bad Time Zoo

Yet another obscenely talented MC on the Doomtree roster, Sims’ sophomore record boasts incredibly catchy and seemingly radio-tailored beats that are too fun to not get your head nodding. On top of this, however, is an impressive flow expressing quite a few ideas and protests that almost don’t fit the music’s unbridled merriment; politicians, technology, ignorance, greed, solipsism, and several more topics make up quite the conversational buffet that is Bad Time Zoo‘s lyrical platter. The great thing is, though, that the music and lyrics balance each other out perfectly, and you can be in the mood for only one and still enjoy the shit out of this.

Recommended Tracks: Burn It Down, Weight

90. Jenny Hval – Viscera

In a word, sexy. Not many singers can let their looming voice carry the brunt of an album, much less blurt out words like “clitoris” or “erection” so offhandedly yet with such profound effect. Viscera is just that, a woman embracing her sexuality from the inside out and expressing it with music and vocals that are thoroughly dripping with lust. Hval manages a peculiar balance musically as well, keeping her melodies and instrumentation with a strong variance yet with an unmistakable uniform sound to the album as a whole. As engaging as it is challenging. And as you may have guessed, quite thought provoking as well. Ehm… if you’ll excuse me, I need to regain my focus.

Recommended Tracks: Blood Flight, This Is a Thirst

89. Thrice – Major/Minor

Seeing the ever-evolving Thrice on an end-of-the-year list isn’t exactly a shocker, is it? Thrice is that rare beast in music who never sounds like anybody but themselves, though gives you something new every time, and Major/Minor is of course no exception. And while the atmosphere and melodies are more than enough to carry this album, it’s is a stunner if only for that voice. Dustin Kensrue’s rasp has so much character in it that the “singing the phone book” cliche most definitely applies here, making the already stripped down affair sound even more raw and pack even more of an emotional punch. Thrice, you’ve done it again.

Recommended Tracks: Yellow Belly, Treading Paper

88. Sarah Fimm – Near Infinite Possibility

Let’s pretend for a moment that Dredg and their god-awful “dark pop” doesn’t exist for a moment, and simply embrace the notion of a pop-rock singer/songwriter embracing a bit of a dark edge to their somewhat radio friendly approach, and this is roughly what you get. Sarah Fimm has got more than just a touch of Sarah McLachlan in her, but she is far more daring and eclectic, and on this outing she is wearing her heart on both sleeves. There may be a bit of a streamlined sound here, but make no mistake – the emotion boiling underneath the surface is very real. Dredg may have coined the term referring to dark pop, but this is the real thing.

Recommended Tracks: Invisible Satellites, Disappear

87. Modeselektor – Monkeytown

Perhaps, for whatever reason, the German duo feared that their already staggering collection of electronic styles was in danger of growing stale, and that could be why Monkeytown is so eclectic (even more so than their flooring first two albums). In any case, one can only assume that Modeselektor wanted to go even more all out this time around; more guest spots, a more dizzying array of genres blended together, and more densely packed tracks. There is so much going on here that it can take a while to digest; which isn’t to suggest that Monkeytown isn’t concise, of course. In fact, it’s an absolute joy to feel growing on you.

Recommended Tracks: Berlin, This (feat. Thom Yorke)

86. Onry Ozzborn – Hold On for Dear Life

The vocal half of Dark Time Sunshine (who released the tremendous Vessel just last year) returns with his fourth solo album, and it’s loaded with great beats and smart rhymes, both of which come with an extremely dynamic delivery. Alternately fun and gripping, it’s not how much he has to say (and there is quite a lot) so much as how he says it; Onry Ozzborn is extremely inventive with his wordplay and with how he stacks the rhymes in his flow. Absolutely relentless.

Recommended Tracks: All to Herself, Electric Dreams

85. Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know

Fresh off the heels of  last year’s spectacular I Speak Because I Can, Laura Marling churns out yet another excellent piece of folk, forcing me to gush for the second consecutive year about the twenty-one year old with a beautiful, textured voice which spouts out words that sound like they once belonged to a poet of old. It’s astounding how not only can she pour her soul to such a complete degree into her gentle music, but how eloquently she does it. And she’s just getting started.

Recommended Tracks: The Beast, Rest in the Bed

84. Givers – In Light

For better and for worse (depending on your taste, of course), Givers’ debut In Light debut LP more than made up for the absence of a Vampire Weekend release in 2011. All the bright, bubbling melodies, the worldly influences, and that cheerful attitude are present, though it could be argued that Givers offer even more eclecticism and dynamism. These guys seem to go through so many different modes (check out the seemingly random celtic jam on Atlantic and how startlingly well it fits) but don’t lose their focus once.

Recommended Tracks: Meantime, Noche Nada (A Lot from Me)

83. Sebastian – Total

Given how watered down the electro house scene has gotten with knob twiddlers getting by on bells, whistles, and bass farts, it’s become easy to forget that it doesn’t have to be complex to sound great; you can mess around with random noises all you want, but for fuck’s sake, give it some melody! Thankfully, French producer Sebastian has got the balance down pat. As abrasive as the music can be, there’s not only a pounding beat demanding you to stop whatever you’re doing and to just have fun and fucking dance, but the melodies are too damn catchy to ignore. And this, my friends, is what good dance music is all about.

Recommended Tracks: Embody, Tetra

82. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient

It’s an amazing thing when an album can tell you “yeah, I’ve been there.” Slave Ambient gives off this feel not just in how worn and genuinely destitute it sounds, but simply because the way it embraces its influences is so satisfyingly honest. Vocalist Adam Granduciel doesn’t resemble Bruce Springsteen or Bob Dylan so much as he happens to be in the same boat; an everyman who just wants his story to be told and has extraordinary means with which to do so, backed by a band which is every bit as capable. With so many nods to the past, the mere fact that Slave wouldn’t be at home in any other era is mesmerizing alone.

Recommended Tracks: I Was There, Your Love Is Calling My Name

81. Amatorski – TBC

Sometimes something can sound very fragile at first, and lures you in with the gentle sound it initially projects, but underneath the surface it’s a crisp, and at times menacing beast. Belgian act Amatorski pulls this off with remarkable ease, resulting in what many have dubbed a hybrid of Portishead and Sigur Rós, a description which is a tad more accurate than one might expect. Delicate and beautiful, yet with a strong sense of foreboding, and the different sensibilities harmonize wonderfully.

Recommended Tracks: Never Told, 22 Februar

80. Toxic Holocaust – Conjure and Command

No self-respecting metalhead in this day and age is unfamiliar with any given band trying to replicate the thrash sound from the days of old. However, there is certainly something to be said for a band that takes the basic sound and runs off in their own direction with it. Throwing in just a touch of black metal, Toxic Holocaust really sets themselves apart from their thrash contemporaries on Conjure and Command just in how uncompromising it is. The band is not interested in following a template so much as using it for a stepping stone; Conjure may thrash harder than just about anything else in 2011, but it truly is something all on its own.

Recommended Tracks: Agony of the Damned, I Am Disease

79. Samiyam – Sam Baker’s Album

As doomed as this already was to J Dilla comparisons (prior to release, even), the slightly melancholic nature lying just beneath the surface of the funky boom bap beats was bound to grab at least a few on their own merit. Thankfully, Samiyam is a more than capable producer, and molds all the influences into his own brand of instrumental hip-hop, from the wonky bass to the 8-bit synths. Even more crucially, the tracks never go longer than they need to; While an album having seventeen songs can give off a bit of a daunting feel, no idea is pushed any more than is necessary, and everything flows to a spectacular degree.

Recommended Tracks: Where Am I?, My Buddy

78. Thursday – No Devolución

One of the finest swansongs in recent years. Thursday have always had quite the flair for the dramatic, and it makes all too much sense that (what seems to be) their final release pushes it to the furthest edges possible without coming across as over the top. With aggression and utter beauty meeting halfway, No Devolución strikes an incredibly new sound for the band without ever sounding like anybody else. As vocalist Geoff Rickly said of the drive behind the album’s writing process, “You know what? Who cares? Let’s say our career is over tomorrow, who fucking cares? Let’s make something beautiful.” Only a fool would say that the band didn’t accomplish exactly this…

Recommended Tracks: Darker Forest, Empty Glass

77. Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two

An issue that often arises for a band which has experienced twenty-plus years of consistent success is relentless fanboy-isms regarding anything they may put out. Well, as a rabid Beastie fan who didn’t care much for To the 5 Boroughs (or The Mix-Up, for that matter), I can honestly call bullshit. The Beasties may not be in completely top form here, but anyone who denies that Hot Sauce finds them firing on all cylinders in a way they haven’t in over a decade is lying to themselves. Everything our beloved New York based trio has excelled at (rapid fire trade-offs, random bursts of punk, making sure to have fun above all else, etc.) is here in spades. What’s not to love?

Recommended Tracks: Nonstop Disco Powerpack, Lee Majors Come Again

76. Russian Circles – Embros

What makes Russian Circles’ latest such a fascinating listen isn’t so much those usual post-rock (or post-metal, if you like… you know how we music nerds love to tack “post” onto the front of things) conventions with their boxes checked as it is its remarkable ability to explore the best parts of a metal song six to eight minutes at a time. This could very easily come across as a random and pointless exercise, but the Chicago three piece are so good at making it all flow. Atackla alone goes from a brooding somber mood to aggressively pounding away to a startling sense of serenity; it’s not so much a build-up as it blindly following its muse, and Embros is all the better for it.

Recommended Tracks: 309, Batu

The fourth annual HARD Haunted Mansion will return to the SHRINE EXPO HALL in downtown L.A. on Friday and Saturday, October 28-29th, 2011.

Purchase TICKETS now at GROOVETICKETS.

WHERE?

SHRINE EXPO HALL
700 West 32nd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90007
VIEW GOOGLE MAP

HOURS: 6 PM – 2 AM.

AGE LIMIT: 18+ to enter, 21+ to drink.

Rain or shine.

HARD HAUNTED MANSION 2011 LINEUP

This past weekend, we made our way to the Verizon Wireless Ampitheater for 2011’s Rock Festival; Epicenter Music Festival. This year brought the return of Limp Bizkit to the main stage, among many other rock heavy-weights.

But this article is a bit different than most festival posts we at BTH usually do. Why? This year, we didn’t have access to take pictures on the main stage, so we focused our sights on the Monster Energy stage. Shall we?

As years before have been, the crowd was host to black hair dye, tattoos, cleavage, and thick leather, despite the high temperatures and little shade. Fortunately, Shock Top put their Mohawk on to fit in, and keep the masses proper cool.

We arrived early on in the day, as this stage’s acts went from 11-4PM. First on my list was a band that I had the pleasure of first hearing during their opening set for Them Crooked Vultures last year.

MIDDLE CLASS RUT

Middle Class Rut, the power duo that made me think immediately of the days when AFI and The Offspring reigned supreme.

Guitarist and vocalist Zach Lopez screamed of shitty relationships, and corruption in the world around us. As I did, the crowd also ate it up. Most people would cry bullshit to their stance on worldly affairs, but with Sean Stockham’s permanent message on his chest, it made it hard to argue. These guys are great, and if you haven’t listened to their debut album, No Name No Color, I highly recommend it. The album is almost at its one year anniversary, but still remains relevant.

DRIVE A

I missed the set of Drive A unfortunately, but what I did see when I met up with them at their booth was more important. As I watched bassist Taylor Knowles (no relation to Beyonce) sign autographs for fans, it was clear that he truly gave a shit about his fans.

I took the time to speak with him, and learned about how he dropped out of college to trek from Wisconsin to be a part of his dreams. Its interesting to see how level-headed young musicians from other states can be. Not to discount anyone else, but his heart was truly in the right place, and the genuine energy should be something that all musicians should follow. Plus, ladies love him. Win.

ASKING ALEXANDRIA

The name sounded familiar, but I had never had the chance to listen to British hardcore crew; Asking Alexandria. We asked, and they screamed. To give you an idea of the energy during their set, I actually started laughing. Not because they weren’t great live, but at the fact at how cartoonishly hardcore this band is. AA made it seem like they were doing it for years, with synchronized head banging and haircopters.

They aren’t all for show though, the musical talent was definitely there. Since seeing them, I’ve listened to their recent album, Reckless and Relentless. If you’re into hardcore, it’s great. Not to mention, these guys were great to shoot.

POD

I admit, I can recite maybe a couple POD songs, but I never thought they were megastars. Epicenter taught me that POD is insanely live. Someone will have to inform me, but it seems like they are trying to make a comeback in a big way. Were they always this kick ass live? Front man Sonny Sandoval made sure we knew just what was really good. The pictures speak for themselves.

Life on the Monster Stage was great, and we’re happy to have been there. See you next year, and don’t forget to see the chiropractor about that sore neck.

Until next time my friends,

~Flak

If you remember last year we talked about Fillligar, a band from Chicago that will be the next Kings of Leon. No? Fine, read this. The band is coming back October 5th to the Roxy in Hollywood, but first they wanted to share some new tunes with you from their upcoming album.

Check out Knock Yourself Out and Dead Wrong at their website, and I’ll see you at the Roxy.

Press Release:

Tour dates below with more dates to be announced.

Oct 13 – The White Rabbit – San Antonio, TX
Oct 14 – Trees – Dallas, TX
Oct 15 – Scout Bar – Houston, TX
Oct 17 – The Rock – Tucson, AZ
Oct 18 – Martini Ranch – Scottsdale, AZ
Oct 19 – House of Blues – Anaheim, CA
Oct 22 – Oakland Metro Opera House – Oakland, CA
Oct 24 – Wow Hall – Eugene, OR
Oct 25 – The Venue – Boise, ID
Oct 27 – Club Sound – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 29 – Manny’s – Billings, MT
Nov 3 – The Hayloft – Mt Clemens, MI
Nov 6 – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA
Nov 8 – The Studio at Webster Hall – New York, NY
Nov 10 – Mr. Smalls Theatre – Milwale, PA
Nov 11 – The Canal Club – Richmond, VA
Nov 12 – Amos South End – Charlotte, NC
Nov 13 – Exit / In – Nashville, TN
Nov 15 – The WorkPlay Theatre – Birmingham, AL
Nov 17 – Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
Nov 18 – The Varsity Theatre – Baton Rouge, LA
Nov 19 – Floyd’s Music Store – Tallahassee, FL
Nov 20 – State Theatre – St Petersburg, FL
Nov 23 – Freebird Live – Jacksonville Beach, FL

More on The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Art often thrives in the aftermath of adversity, and since we last heard from The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, there have been plenty of variables that the five-piece alternative rock act had to endure. But for the Middleburg, Florida-based band, hardships eventually ironed out thanks to unrelenting perseverance, paving the way for the band’s incredibly ambitious (and aptly titled) The Hell Or High Water EP in 2010, followed by its third and highly anticipated long player Am I The Enemy(bowing in August 2011).

Lonely Road (which debuted in the top twenty of the Billboard 200). Reconnecting with its DIY roots, Am I The Enemyfinds the guys sounding more on fire than ever before, exuding confidence at every razor sharp turn of the amplifier or bellowing vocal execution from impassioned front man Ronnie Winter.

Tour dates below with more dates to be announced.

This weekend, music fans of all types will convene at the (probably) fog-covered Golden Gate Park in San Francisco for the Outside Lands Festival. There are a slew of notable headlining acts, including Arcade Fire, Muse, the Black Keys, the Roots, Phish (with 2 sets!), the Shins, Girl Talk, and Deadmau5, but the undercard at this year’s fest is no slouch itself.

Don’t forget to Follow Cheese Sandwich (@adriangarro) and Flak (@Flak_BTH) on Twitter for what we’re gettin’ into. Flak will be running around with his camera in the photo pits, so look for that photo snapping black dude. Come say hello!

What follows is BtH’s list of the smaller bands you should make sure to check out this weekend.

The Joy Formidable – Friday, August 12 – 1:10PM – Sutro Stage

The Joy Formidable blew us away at Coachella a few months back (as they have with their great album The Big Roar) and we’re definitely looking forward to their Outside Lands spot. Unfortunately, they play pretty early on Friday, the day that will likely keep some attendees away until later, due to work obligations and things of that nature.

For those who will enjoy the set, expect the London trio to blow you away with their walls of sound. Front woman/guitarist Ritzy Bryan is more than just an awesome name. She dominates the stage, packing enough emotion and passion into each song and thunderous guitar riff to likely attract a sizable crowd of wanderers who end up completely enthralled by what’s going on onstage. That’s what happened to us at Coachella, and it’s likely to happen this time too.

Expect The Joy Formidable to be one of the “surprise sets” of the weekend, only remember that we pointed that out ahead of time.

The Stone Foxes – Saturday, August 12 – Sutro Stage – 1:25 PM

If you’ve ever paid attention to BtH, you’ve come across our posts about the Stone Foxes. They’re local Bay Area dudes, playing an irresistible type of Southern-styled bluesy rock that belies their young age. They got an early slot on Saturday, but just like the Joy Formidable they’re a good option for “surprise set” of the weekend themselves. This is one of their highest-profile gigs as of yet, and they are sure to bring the ruckus this weekend.

Junip – Sunday, August 13- 1:30 PM – Twin Peaks Stage

Junip, led by guitarist/singer Jose Gonzalez, know their way around gorgeous guitar melodies and understated instrumentation. Hopefully, their set on Sunday won’t be drowned out by any of the noisier, more amplified acts going on at the same time, because they’re pretty low-key. The band will undoubtedly play some songs from their great 2010 album Fields, as well as material from their earlier EPs. Don’t miss out on Junip if you’re at the Park on Sunday afternoon.

Just get out and have a great time everybody! Don’t forget to bring layers. Gets cold down there!

Ken Weinstein:  Hello everybody. We got Mark Foster here. And we’re very excited to have him with us today. And thanks for your patience all you journalists. So let’s get going. Hit star 1 and we can ask Mark Foster questions.   Mark Foster:  (I’m excited).   Operator:  And we’ll go first to Wendy Oakes with examiner.com.   Wendy Oakes:  Oh hi. Thank you for…   Mark Foster:  Hey. How are you?   Wendy Oakes:  Oh, I’m great. How are you?   Mark Foster:  How you doing?   Wendy Oakes:  I’m wondering about – I see you’re going to be taking part on the do good bus coming up for a month starting in September – from about a month, September 13 to October 20. Would you let people know a little bit about that and why you’re going to be taking part in that?   Mark Foster:  Yes. You know, when we started the dance – I mean doing charity work was something that was important to us and it’s going to be like the first thing that we get to do, you know, as Foster The People.   So the do good bus is the – is existing already in LA. The girl who came up with the idea and runs it is Mark Pontius our drummer’s sister. And it’s basically – well we’re trying to raise money right now to – have to fund the project to follow us around on tour in the fall and stop in every city that we stop in and team up with local charities, you know, in that community and basically, you know, pick up volunteers from that city and go do a project.   It could be building a house. It could be, you know, going to a school and like teaching, you know, kid music or – it could be anything, feeding the homeless, could be anything. So it’s just, you know, kind of a cool idea. Something that we really like.   Wendy Oakes:  That sounds awesome. Thank you so much. And I’m very excited to see you at Outside Lands.   Mark Foster:  Thank you.   Operator:  We’ll go next to John Duah of Behind the Hype.   John Duah:  Hey Mark. How’s it going?   Mark Foster:  Hey, good. How are you?   John Duah:  Good man. First, congratulations on all the success that you guys are getting. You guys are great. One of our writers got me into you guys and we’re all excited to see you guys next weekend. I just wanted to ask who come to – who do you guys come to see at the festival?   Mark Foster:  Well, there’s so many good bands playing.   John Duah:  Yes, I know, yes.   Mark Foster:  We’re playing on Friday. So I haven’t seen Ellie Goulding. I’d like to see her.   John Duah:  All right.   Mark Foster:  And ((inaudible)). I haven’t seen them either.   John Duah:  Right.   Mark Foster:  I’d love to see ((inaudible)). But and I don’t think that we’re going to be – I think that’s – (I mean) because we’re on tour right now. I don’t think we’re there the whole weekend. But, you know, looking at the lineup, I mean I really want to see Dead Mouse…   John Duah:  Right.   Mark Foster:  …on Sunday. If we were around, I’d definitely – I’d be there. And Little Dragon, I don’t know if you’ve seen them but we’ve played with them a couple times and I mean they’re brilliant. They’re one of my favorites. ((inaudible)).   John Duah:  I’ve heard them but never seen them live so that should be good.   Mark Foster:  Yes. It’s really – it’s a really good show.   John Duah:  Great. Well thank you. Hopefully I’ll run into you guys at the festival and we’ll get some pictures or something.   Mark Foster:  All right. Cool. Sounds good.   John Duah:  Great. All right. Thanks.   Operator:  We’ll go to Gary Graff of billboard.com.   Gary Graff:  Mark, how are you today?   Mark Foster:  Good. How are you?   Gary Graff:  Good. Just wondering just what you make of everything that’s happened here with the band since Torches came out and of course since Pumped Up the Kicks has been out. What is your sense of everything?   Mark Foster:  It’s starting to settle in for the first time. It’s like, you know, my head’s been kind of spinning for a long time I guess because the band’s just, you know, been growing so quickly. But really just the last like two weeks it started to sink in and feels really good.   You know, I struggled for a long time as a starving artist and worked countless odd jobs and the other guys did too. And, you know, so to be able to be creative full time now and see the world, you can’t really ask for anything more than that.   Gary Graff:  All right. Well good luck with everything.   Mark Foster:  Thank you.   Operator:  Well go to Julia Keim with Free People.   Julia Keim:  Hey Mark. How are you?   Mark Foster:  Hey, good.   Julia Keim:  So really excited to you. A lot of the girls that I work with are huge fans of you guys. And I know this has been an amazing year for you. And I just wanted to ask if there’s a certain moment or time that really stands out as a highlight that’s like a really wow moment for you guys and you realized that you’re actually making it?   Mark Foster:  Yes. That just happened a couple days ago actually.   Julia Keim:  Yes.   Mark Foster:  And it was kind of – it was the first time that I – gosh I don’t want to say that’s the first time I felt like a rock star…   (Crosstalk)   Mark Foster:  Like I pictured myself as an anti-rock star but like I, you know, we played Splendour in the Grass in the Australia, a big festival in Australia.   Julia Keim:  Yes, yes.   Mark Foster:  There was like 15,000 plus people singing like every word to our songs and loud.   Julia Keim:  (That’s really good).   Mark Foster:  Yes. It was the loudest crowd I’ve ever heard sing back to us. So, you know, it’s just – it was an emotional moment. It was…   Julia Keim:  Yes.   Mark Foster:  Yes. Yes. It was wild.   Julia Keim:  That’s awesome. Great. Thank you.   Mark Foster:  Thanks.   Operator:  We’ll go to Nick Decicco of the Daily Republic.   Nick Decicco:  Hey Mark. How you doing?   Mark Foster:  Hey, good. How you doing?   Nick Decicco:  Pretty good thanks. I was wondering what particularly drew you and the band to the Outside Lands festival in particular?   Mark Foster:  Well, you know, it’s a great festival. You know, it’s such a good lineup and we’ve been playing a lot of festivals this year. I mean I think that it’s just – it’s a really, you know, good way to – for other people to see your band for the first time that, you know, may have, you know, got a ticket to see someone else that they like and kind of stumble into your set or whatever.   And, you know, there’s a lot of great bands play on the Outside Lands. I love coming to San Francisco – Northern Cal. I was born in the Bay area.   Nick Decicco:  Okay.   Mark Foster:  And, you know, so yes. I have a strong affinity for San Francisco.   Nick Decicco:  Great. Thanks. I appreciate your time.   Mark Foster:  Thanks.   Operator:  We’ll go to David Joseph-Goteiner with the Metropolitan Jolt.   David Joseph-Goteiner:  Hey Mark. Thanks for speaking with me.   Mark Foster:  Absolutely.   David Joseph-Goteiner:  So I work with a music blog so it’s sort of related to how – your interaction with online community. Music blogs and aggregators like Hype Machine are a major source of free promotion and have really helped foster the popularity and the visibility of your group.   So it also cut into revenues with free downloads. Considering this, how do you think that your relationship with blogs and the blogger community has changed since the release of Torches?   Mark Foster:  That’s a good question. I really don’t know the answer to that question because I stopped reading – tried to stop reading articles about us a long time ago so my head didn’t get big or get small. That can go either way.   So yes. I’m not really sure. You know, it’s – I feel like there’s a lot of mystery about the band before, you know, when we only had three songs out and the three songs they put out were pretty different from each other. And after, you know, Torches has been out I feel like we have established more of our identity and that feels good. I thing people, you know, understand more of who we are and, you know, just have a better picture of what we do.   David Joseph-Goteiner:  Thank you.   Mark Foster:  I’ve noticed that in the blogs.   David Joseph-Goteiner:  What’s that?   Mark Foster:  I said I’ve noticed that in the blogs that I have read.   David Joseph-Goteiner:  Sure.   Mark Foster:  Gives a good feeling.   David Joseph-Goteiner:  Great. Thanks.   Mark Foster:  Thanks.   Operator:  We’ll go to Ben Irwin, Pinpoint Music.   Ben Irwin:  Hey Mark. So we’re out here in LA too and I was just kind of wanted to focus on what it’s like to go from – you guys did a residency at Echo at the beginning of the year and then a couple months later Coachella, now Outside Lands.   What that process like to go from doing a residency at a place where the capacity is a couple hundred to, you know, being out in front of huge festival? And what do you do for, you know, mental preparation for that change?   Mark Foster:  Yes. That’s a great question. Coachella was the most shocking – one of the most shocking experiences I’ve ever been through because we had – basically it was at the very end of our first U.S. tour and we’re playing to 300 to 400 capacity rooms. And then we walked out on stage and there was, you know, I don’t know, 14,000 people or something. I mean it was just packed.   So the learning curve was huge. And, you know, I just get – I get really quiet before shows like that. I, you know, I remove myself from everybody. I didn’t drink anything at all. You know, didn’t have a beer or anything to take the edge off. I just really wanted to be able to focus and I just – yes. I just kind of sit there and get into I don’t know – I just – I prepare myself for war.   Ben Irwin:  Interesting choice of words. Well, it should be fun to see you up there.   Mark Foster:  Well thank you.   Operator:  We’ll go to Sam Davis with Relix Magazine.   Sam Davis:  Hey, how are you.   Mark Foster:  Hey. How you doing?   Sam Davis:  Good. Just a quick question about the lineup here. I know you mentioned some bands you’re excited to see. But like a lot of the other festivals, this fest has a lot of (split ND)/ jam band groups on the lineup. Are – what’s your background in the jam band scene and are you a fan of any of these bands like Phish or Warren Haynes or any of those types of bands?   Mark Foster:  Yes. I’ve, you know, I’ve never owned a Phish record but I’ve always heard amazing things about their shows. So I’m looking forward to seeing them for sure.   I think it’s amazing, you know, the musicians shift when a band can go up and, you know, they never play the same set twice. And they just kind of breathe their instruments. So I – yes. It’s, you know, I think if, you know, in terms of jam band world if someone does it well, it can be really magical and if someone doesn’t do it well, then it’s – I just want to slit my wrist.   Sam Davis:  That I can definitely understand. So I guess you don’t have much of a background. But I find like in every one of these bands there’s always one guy who is like a closet Phish fan or like a big Phish fan in college. Is there someone like that in your band or you guys jam band free?   Mark Foster:  No I think Cubbie – probably Cubbie Fink the base player, he’s probably the most in that world. I don’t know if he’s a Phish fan but yes. I was – I’ve never been a good enough musician to be in a jam band. I’m not that great a guitar, piano. I just – I like to, you know, I’m a songwriter. So, yes. I’m in over my head when I step into a situation like that unless I’m on the microphone singing.   Sam Davis:  Well I wonder what they think about you guys if you were to ever reverse the tables. But thanks very much. I really appreciate it.   Mark Foster:  All right. Thanks.   Operator:  Peter Kane, MSN.   Peter Kane:  Hi. How are you?   Mark Foster:  Hey, good. How you doing?   Peter Kane:  Good. I just wanted to know what, you know, you referenced here sort of dizzying success in the last few months. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned?   Mark Foster:  That’s a good question. Biggest lesson. How to eat well on the road. Yes, yes. I’d like to give you a deeper answer. I’m still kind of sifting through everything that I’ve learned and that we’ve learned. You know, I think don’t talk the crowd. But I kind of knew that before but I did that on this last tour in one show.   I didn’t really – it was 120 degrees on stage. And I had been up since 8:00 am doing promo and I think we played four altruistic sets that day before the show. And I was trying to get the crowd involved and part of the crowd, you know, in the back of the room were just kind of watching and stuff and I talked to them a bit and I stopped myself before it got bad.   Peter Kane:  Banter gone horribly awry.   Mark Foster:  Yes. That’s I mean – that’s just like just, you know, performance 101. I was just in a really bad mood. But yes, never do that. ((inaudible)).   Peter Kane:  Cool. Thanks a lot.   Operator:  We’ll go to David Onigman of Hidden Track.   David Onigman:  Hey man, how’s it going? This is obviously, you know, jacking up the Bay area gig and I was just wondering if you remember the first time – not necessarily with this band but the first time you ever had a live music gig in the Bay area and what it was like.   Mark Foster:  Let me think about that. Yes. It would have to be with the band. And where did we play? Well, I don’t know. We haven’t played in – we’ve played it was at – we were at the End of Time in San Francisco. And it was for I think (Aaron), what’s his last name, (Axle) – you know that – you know that one; you know what I’m talking about? The DJ on one radio station.   David Onigman:  I don’t off the top of my head though. But what was it like playing San Francisco?   Mark Foster:  ((inaudible)). Right, right. It was great. It was – we were still like, you know, really rough around the edges at that time. It was pretty early on. So, you know, I think we learned a lot from – that was like our first regional tour. We came up there and, you know, it was – yes, it was a night at the Independence that they do every week. It’s been going on for a long time.   And, you know, so it was a cool – it was a really good vibe, good hang. And yes. I mean, you know, San Francisco is my favorite city in the country. And it’s just full of charm, so. Anytime we come up there it’s a pleasure.   David Onigman:  Cool man, thanks.   Mark Foster:  Thank you.   Operator:  Gary Graff with billboard.com.   Gary Graff:  Yes. You’re still at the beginning of this obviously but what are you thinking about in terms of future things? What kind of touring is on the horizon and is it too early to think about a next album?   Mark Foster:  No, I think about our next record every day. I haven’t got to really put pen to paper yet but, you know, just been conceptualizing it and just – I just – yes, I think about it all the time. Kind of obsessing over it. I can’t wait to get in a – this is the longest I’ve gone without writing a song I think in like 16 years. Just being on tour. So it’s been, I don’t know, eight or nine months since I’ve written a song and it’s driving me nuts.   But in terms of touring, yes. It’s going to be, you know, a lot of fun things coming up. We’re playing Japan in January. We’re – looks like we’re going to be doing some South America dates next year – early next year and also New Zealand. And we’re doing like our first (proper) European tour this fall.   So really looking forward to that, you know. And then the states, you know, we’re getting ready to do our third tour of the states and starting in September, so, yes.   Gary Graff:  Do you have any idea what day – you say you’re starting to conceptualize. You have a sense of where you might go?   Mark Foster:  Yes. I mean I want to experiment with a lot of things. Honestly I, you know, a lot of this record I wrote, you know, just kind of in my home studio. So on the computer and, you know, I’d really like to start writing in a bigger space, a bigger room and just use more analog instruments – more, you know, analog synthesizers.   And, you know, I definitely want to push the envelope of, you know drums on this record, just percussion in general. I think that’s something that – there’s a taste of it on Torches but live that element has really been brought out and given life. It’s become an integral part of our live show. So, you know, I think really, you know, tribal heavy drums and just something super creative.   Gary Graff:  Excellent. Well good luck with that.   Mark Foster:  Thank you.   Operator:  Andrew Greenstein, Metacafe.   Mark Foster:  Hello.   Operator:  And if you’ll check your mute button.   Andrew Greenstein:  Hey. Sorry about that. How’s it going Mark?   Mark Foster:  Hey. Hey, good. How are you?   Andrew Greenstein:  Good thank you. So there’s been a lot of tools that have popped up in the last few years in the startup space. Tools to listen to music, tools to explore new music and also a lot of tools for bands to help market and manage their band community. Just wanted to know if you have a few music startups or music apps that has really helped you as a music fan or as a band.   Mark Foster:  Shazam. I mean I love Shazam. You know, it’s an app – iPhone app if you didn’t know but you probably do.   Andrew Greenstein:  Yes. ((inaudible)).   Mark Foster:  I’ve discovered a lot of music with that. What else?   Andrew Greenstein:  Well do you guys use any specific tools as a band? Are you on, you know, Topspin or SoundCloud to transfer files, anything like that?   Mark Foster:  Yes. Yes. We’re on Topspin. And I love Topspin. I have – it’s such a deep program that I haven’t even scratched the surface of how it all works. But yes, it’s super. It’s really integrated with our Web site and our email list and I think, you know, our Facebook and our Twitter and everything.   It’s kind of ties it all and for one it gives you a lot of information about you fans and the demographic of who likes you and just, you know, it simplifies, you know, it makes it really simple to contact your fans if you’re sending out, you know, an email blast or want, you know, want to sell them merchandise or whatever. So I mean it’s a pretty powerful program.   And then, you know, obviously, you know, Twitter, I have a ton of fun on Twitter. And I pretty much just tweet, you know, do all the tweeting for the band. And yes, I’ve fallen in love with Twitter. Keeps me occupied when I’m bored at night, can’t’ sleep.   Andrew Greenstein:  It’s the – yet it’s so evil at the same time.   Mark Foster:  Yes. It’s just – it’s good – it’s like it’s – I just need to be careful if I’m like, you know, have a couple drinks after a show, I need to stay off Twitter. Because it’s like there really is a such thing as drunk and tweeting. If you follow certain people you can tell. You can find the patterns and all of a sudden you’re like oh, yes, they’re drunk and they’re saying crazy shit right now. And I think you’ll see that too, so. But it’s so fun.   Ken Weinstein:  No comment from the publicist. Let’s take one more question for Mark and then we’re going to set him free to go about his day and – since we went a little early I feel badly. But I know you’re traveling too. So let’s take one more and all right. Let’s go.   Operator:  Wendy Oakes, examiner.com.   Wendy Oakes:  Oh hey again.   Mark Foster:  Hey.   Wendy Oakes:  Hey. I was actually going to ask you something similar to what (Gary) from Billboard asked you and that was about any upcoming recordings that might be coming into play. So I see that you’re on tour pretty much non-stop. Your shows are selling out everywhere you go at least a month in advance.   And, you know, I’m curious if that left you any time to think about – I know you just released Torches obviously. But I’m curious if that’s left you any time to think about a new album and if it’s – now it’s probably a lot easier with your success to get in a do some recording the way you want to do it.   But my question was really pretty much the same about if you’re – if all this touring and this newfound success is making it a little easier to move forward into net recording.   Mark Foster:  Yes. I’m not sure yet. You know, it’s interesting because the whole dynamic has changed…   Wendy Oakes:  Yes.   Mark Foster:  …mentally for the writer. Even though I haven’t written any songs, I can just feel this change because I know that the songs that I’m writing now are going to be heard whereas before there was a freedom of just writing songs in my bedroom that without really thinking about, you know, a large audience, you know, listening to them.   So it’s going to be – it’s going to be an interesting thing with our second record, you know, for that reason. But, you know, something that’s really important to me and it’s really it’s not going to start until next year but I don’t want to come off of this tour in the middle of this album cycle and be left with seven or eight months or whatever to write the second record and, you know, in one big block time. I don’t really write like that.   Right now, you know, the most important thing for me is just planning out next year and taking a month and a half, you know, writing in that month and a half, going on tour, you know, for six weeks, coming back, taking another month writing again. So I can kind of marinate my ideas and let them grow over time as opposed to just trying to do it in one fell swoop.   Wendy Oakes:  Oh for sure. And, you know, basically what you were doing before writing those songs the way you had is what got you this huge audience anyway. So I guess, you know, you already (had that) success.   Mark Foster:  Yes. I had this like really good conversation with Isaac Brock from Modest Mouse a week ago, we played a ((inaudible)) together and ended up hanging out for a couple hours talking about songwriting and stuff and he had some really good advice to use like, you know, lock yourself in a room a few days a week for an hour and during that period of time write songs that nobody’s ever going to hear. Write songs, you know, just for yourself and have no boundaries.   And just doing that as a mental exercise I think is really going to free me up because that’s where the gold comes from when you don’t think about it too much and you really let yourself be vulnerable and be free and be, you know, weird and wacky and take changes. You know, that’s very exciting ((inaudible)), you know, comes out, so…   Wendy Oakes:  Yes. That’s what…   Mark Foster:  …yes, I like that. He put me at ease when he said that. It makes perfect sense.   Wendy Oakes:  I think, you know, being natural and yourself is what ultimately touches people, you know, so. I agree…   Mark Foster:  Absolutely.   Wendy Oakes:  Yes. Well thank you.   Ken Weinstein:  Good question. Good conversation there. And Mark, thank you so much for being a part of this press conference today. We look forward to seeing you in the park next week.   Mark Foster:  All right. Thanks a lot everybody. It was a pleasure.   Ken Weinstein:  Excellent. Congrats on everything. And great questions everybody and hang tight. We’re going to go and get Nate Query from the Decemberists. Felicia, (Michael), how we looking there?   Operator:  And if you’ll stand by, we’ll return momentarily with Nate Query. And Mr. Weinstein, you’ve rejoined.   Ken Weinstein:  All right. Everybody we’re back. This time we have Mr. Nate Query from the Decemberists. Without further ado, let’s go right to the questions. Hit star 1 to make it happen, get in line and Felicia, take it away.   Operator:  We’ll go to Brian Nowakowski of Joonbug.   Brian Nowakowski:  Brian Nowakowski, Joonbug. How you doing?   Nate Query:  Great. How are you?   Brian Nowakowski:  Good man. So the Decemberists shows are this amazing intimate experience. You know, it’s like you really get into it with the audience and everyone’s a part of it. How do you feel that playing a festival with such a vast audience and people would only particularly go to see you? How do you feel like you guys pan out there and do you like that experience more or less than you would a show on your own?   Nate Query:  I think it’s something we’ve grown into. It depends on the festival a little bit. Some have more of a hectic feel. You can hear the other stages and there’s people just walking by all the time. And some – like when each stage feels like a world unto it’s own.   So it seems like – I haven’t been to Outside Lands but it seems like this will be a good place to have that kind of vibe because they can spread the stages out pretty good.   But I think it’s something we’ve grown into. I mean there is an element of making – it’s a little bit harder connecting. It’s a more hectic atmosphere. But there’s also, you know, there’s always like our fans upfront and it’s fun to – you know, we have some parts of our show that we’ve done a bunch of times and at a festival we know there’s a lot of people seeing it for the first time. So that makes it exciting too.   Brian Nowakowski:  Cool. Thanks man.   Nate Query:  You bet.   Operator:  Gary Graff, billboard.com.   Gary Graff:  Nate, how are you today?   Nate Query:  Great. Thanks.   Gary Graff:  So what was it like to be the object of a rumor that the band was about to be no more or where this year?   Nate Query:  You know, that – it was a pretty short lived rumor and it really just came up because we’ve been planning this time off. And then, you know, when – and then we talked about it to the press or call – specifically call into Rolling Stone. And I think that it just seems like such a big deal like all this big hiatus that’s going to be long and whatever.   But, you know, I don’t know. It didn’t really feel like it got a whole lot of traction because it really is just a break. And it’s not like it’s that uncommon for a band to take a couple years between records especially, you know, we’ve been around ten years now more. So I don’t know. It didn’t really feel like that big of a deal because it did really get much traction.   Gary Graff:  Is that still the game plan because you guys do have a lot of stuff going on and even coming out?   Nate Query:  Yes. No, we’ve been really busy this year. And, you know, we’re trying to work hard on well, you know, this year while this record is out. But yes, we’re planning on a really long break starting at the end of August. We have a couple shows in Portland in a few weeks and those will be out last ones for, you know, probably a couple years. I mean who knows? We’ll see how it goes. But the plan is that we’re really going to let the Decemberists be on the back burner for a little bit.   Gary Graff:  All right. Well we’ll definitely look forward to talking to you on the comeback tour.   Nate Query:  Awesome.   Gary Graff:  Take care.   Operator:  Peter Kane, MSN.   Peter Kane:  Actually my question was just asked. I guess after you do come back from hiatus, you know, you guys have worked with so many amazing people in the past, who would you – if you could have a few dreams of guests, who would they be?   Nate Query:  Oh guests on our next record?   Peter Kane:  Yes.   Nate Query:  Well it’d be nice, you know, immediately to start thinking about like some – getting some heroes and stuff, you know, like – not that we haven’t done that already by be fun to get guys like Neil Young or Willie Nelson or people that seem to be excited about playing with lots of different people.   We’ve performed on stage with Mavis Staples before and she’d probably be up for it. Who knows if you can incorporate those guys into the whatever record we make next. But, you know, sky’s the limit. You (never think) to ask.   Peter Kane:  Cool. Well, you know, give her a buzz. She’ll be at Outside Lands too.   Nate Query:  Yes. I know. I’m going to go see her.   Ken Weinstein:  I think you and Mavis – Decemberists and Mavis did the Weight at Bonnaroo.   Nate Query:  Yes. She sat in with us at – for the Weight at Bonnaroo like 2007 or something. And then Colin just sat in with her at Newport Folk Festival to do the same song.   Ken Weinstein:  Oh wow.   Nate Query:  Yes.   Operator:  We’ll go next to Julia Keim at Free People.   Julia Keim:  Hi Nate. How are you?   Nate Query:  Great. How are you?   Julia Keim:  I’m good thanks. So as the band has played a lot of festivals, but you’ve never played Outside Lands, what are you most looking forward to about this particular festival?   Nate Query:  I am most looking forward to the fact that it’s San Francisco and that – and the food. I lived in San Francisco for like five years and kind of recently and I just – I’m real excited to be down there. I have my family down and spend a few extra days and then I’ve been Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in Golden Gate Park and it’s just amazing.   Julia Keim:  Yes. That’s a good one too.   Nate Query:  Yes. It’s an amazing place for a festival. Such a good vibe. And then the fact that it’s – I mean it’s like, you know, foody nerd heaven. So I’m excited.   Julia Keim:  Awesome. Thank you.   Nate Query:  Yes.   Operator:  Ben Irwin, Pinpoint Music.   Ben Irwin:  Hey Nate. How you doing?   Nate Query:  Great. Hi Ben.   Ben Irwin:  Just wanted to ask you guys, you know, you had talked about spending some times in San Francisco. I also know you spent a lot of time in Portland and actually you guys played Treasure Island – that’s a little couple years back. So you’ve got that…   Nate Query:  Yes.   Ben Irwin:  …you know, under your belt too. What’s the difference, you know, in the crowds and kind of the vibes and similarities between when the Portland shows you guys constantly do and San Francisco if there is any?   Nate Query:  Well, you know, I think the biggest difference is that since Portland is our home town, it’s kind of more of a social scene because we have so many like musician friends and stuff. And sometimes we’re able to like sort of get some other musicians on stage to do like a horn section or just extra stuff.   And but San Francisco from very early on has been – we’ve had a great response in the Bay area and so – and it’s – I think it’s almost more like – well at least to us it feels especially early on like really exciting to have this other city that we are going so far out of our way to go to be really excited about us and having it be one of our favorite cities, but I don’t know if…   Ben Irwin:  Do you think that…   Nate Query:  Oh, go ahead.   Ben Irwin:  Sorry about that. No. I was going to say do you think that there’s anything to take from the Treasure Island experience and bring to Outside Lands?   Nate Query:  Yes, I don’t know. I mean we just kind of – we’re playing a pretty different show now than we were then because that was Hazards of Love tour which is, you know, was like playing this one rock opera all the way through. And now we’re just kind of doing a show with a bunch of new songs and some old ones.   And so there’s more talking in between which I – which is fun at festivals whereas the Hazards of Love tour we like pretty much didn’t talk to the audience at all.   Ben Irwin:  Well thanks so much. Look forward to seeing you.   Nate Query:  Great. Thanks.   Operator:  Sam Davis, Relix Magazine.   Sam Davis:  Hey, how you doing?   Nate Query:  Great. Hi.   Sam Davis:  Just as you’re earlier with like collaborations that were going on this weekend in Newport, going to Outside Lands and looking at the lineup, are there any artists that you’re excited to collaborate with or…   Nate Query:  Well those things are hard to make happen. So I’m not really sure if – I’m not sure what kind of collaborations we’ll end up doing. But we do know – but we could very do something with Mavis again. She’s always up for it. And then we’re playing right before Arcade Fire. You know, maybe we’ll have a few extra drummers on a song or something. I don’t know.   But there’s not as – there’s not a ton of people on our day that we know personally. But you never know what can happen while everybody’s hanging out, goofing around before the show.   Sam Davis:  Aside from some of the people that maybe have collaborated with you in the past, are there other artists that, you know, you’re interested in going to see that you would either want to go out on stage with or vice versa?   Nate Query:  Well one person I really want to see is Charles Bradley. I just kind of found out about him recently and he’s part of the whole Daptone family or whatever. But man he’s incredible. I’m rally excited about that. And then Beirut is pretty cool. They’re on our day. And I’m always game to go on stage with people but as a base player it’s not usually appropriate to have me guest.   Sam Davis:  And then just lastly, a couple years ago I remember before the Hangout Festival I think it was, Trey Anastasio said he was going to ((inaudible)) you guys. I know you share a management company but do you share feelings? Are you a big fan of Phish? Or were you ever a big fan?   Nate Query:  I don’t’ know if I was ever a big fan but I was certainly, you know, certainly – I guess I was when I was younger. And then – and I’ve seen them a couple times. And I’m totally – I think they’re totally amazing. I saw them ((inaudible)) recently.   And actually I used to play in a band that was more of a – more of a – in the more of the jam band world and stuff and so we crossed paths a little bit back then too.   Sam Davis:  Very cool. All right. Well thank you. Have a great time.   Nate Query:  Thanks a lot.   Operator:  Nick Decicco, Daily Republic.   Nick Decicco:  Hey Nate. Thanks for joining us all today.   Nate Query:  No problem.   Nick Decicco:  We appreciate it. A question I had for you was you talked about playing Hazards of Love for festival crowds and I was wondering how that experience playing a whole record or playing a whole rock opera through like that is different for a festival crowd than what you’re kind of back to doing now and playing different songs and things like that.   Nate Query:  Well it’s – it was kind of – in some ways it’s really challenging because there’s parts of that show that are really quite or really mellow. And at a festival like that I think it was – I forget which festival. There’s at least a couple times where we’d have like this really quiet moment and you could hear like the Roots across the field being ten times louder than us.   So it’s easier to – but it also was really cool to just do that show which was really unique I think at a festival instead of everybody trying to play their most upbeat and popular stuff. So it did have its benefits doing the Hazards of Love show at festivals.   I think the – it’s definitely easier to sort of cater a set list to maybe a slightly more distracted listener…   Nick Decicco:  Right.   Nate Query:  …when you have your whole catalog to pick from instead of just doing the new record straight through. So…   Nick Decicco:  And at festivals you tend to get shorter time limits than you would in a headlining gig for something…   Nate Query:  Yes. It’s true. We usually…   Nick Decicco:  …((inaudible)).   Nate Query:  Yes, we have a much shorter show. So it’s nice to just sort of I mean just make a different flow with the set list.   Nick Decicco:  Right. Well hey, thanks again.   Nate Query:  You bet. Thank you.   Operator:  Wendy Oakes, examiner.com.   Wendy Oakes:  Oh hey. Thank you for being here today. I wanted to ask you about August you’re going to be touring quite a bit and then you said you’re going to be taking a little bit of a break. I was wondering if following that break or, you know, shortly thereafter you might be doing some work with Black Prairie, which is of course the band that you started with a couple other members.   Nate Query:  Yes. Yes, no we’re actually already working on that right now. We’re – Black Prairie is going to kick into high gear in September. We’re working on songs for a new record that we’re going to try to record this winter. And then we’re scoring a – we’re scoring a stage production of a play based on this book Storm in the Barn which is sort of a graphic novel aimed at younger readers.   So and then we’re also might be putting out a series of EP collaborations with other singer songwriters so Black Prairie is going to be really busy. And I think that’s kind of the way that our break’s going to go is everybody’s sort of having these other projects that usually don’t get to be the focus of their time and energy that are going to become the focus for a while.   Wendy Oakes:  Right. Thank you. I look forward to seeing the results of all that.   Nate Query:  Thanks.   Wendy Oakes:  Thank you.   Operator:  Gary Graff, billboard.com   Gary Graff:  Yes Nate, we would be remiss if we didn’t ask about the iTunes session that just came out yesterday.   Nate Query:  Oh yes.   Gary Graff:  Talk a little about doing that and about the very interesting covers you guys have on there.   Nate Query:  You know, the – I didn’t really know exactly how that whole session was going to work. But, you know, you end up just spending half a day. You plug into a studio like super amazing pro studio in LA that, you know, is like crazy rock star studio compared to what we usually work in.   And then, you know, just play everything live and just get good takes. It went really fast. And it was really, really fun. Worked with a really cool engineer. And we’ve been doing – we’ve done that – both of those covers before live and stuff. And they just seemed like really, you know, like one really upbeat fun one to do.   And then that Leonard Cohen song, Colin started playing at Soundcheck recently and we just all started playing with him and it’s such a beautiful song. It was a really fund one to arrange that way.   Gary Graff:  If it’s appropriate how – can you give us an update on how Jen’s doing?   Nate Query:  You know, Jenny’s doing all right. She’s right in the middle of, you know, of months and months of chemo treatment, which really sucks. But she has good weeks and bad weeks. And she is going to be joining us in Texas for ACL – both a ACL live show at Stubb’s and then a ACL TV taping. And then she’s going to play our Portland shows with us.   So when she’s feeling good, she can do shows and she, you know, stays busy and then – but certainly she’s spending a fair amount of time just kind of dealing.   Gary Graff:  Okay. Well thanks for that.   Nate Query:  Yes, you bet.   Operator:  Benjy Eisen, AOL Spinner.   Benjy Eisen:  Hi Nate.   Nate Query:  Hi there.   Benjy Eisen:  You mentioned that you want to see Beirut when you guys play Outside Lands. And the interesting thing about that is that because it’s a festival they are actually overlapping with you.   Nate Query:  Oh, okay.   Benjy Eisen:  And I was wondering – they overlap with you and also Sound Tribe Sector 9 overlaps with you. And not to cause trouble or anything but is there anything you could say to fans of those bands to try to get them to check out your sets instead?   Nate Query:  I have – well, we probably crossover a little bit more with Beirut than the…   Benjy Eisen:  Sound Tribe.   Nate Query:  …yes, Sector 9. So I bet people will have made their decision already. So I’m not going to chime in on that one. Although a lot of times at – since we’re right before the headliners, since all three bands are probably – I don’t know. Are there late bands at the other ones too because I bet people by then will have camped out based on the, you know, who they want to see after us too.   Like we’ll have a front row – not that we don’t cross over with our Arcade Fire a lot but I’m sure that the front row will be a bunch of people that camped out for the best spot for Arcade Fire.   Benjy Eisen:  Right. I’m sure. You also mentioned earlier that because of Bay area in San Francisco which is where I live by the way a good area. You’ve been – you lived her for five years and you have, you know, friends coming out. I know that when you do your own show it’s a different (circus) backstage than at a festival. A festival is kind of by design meant to be more social.   Nate Query:  Yes.   Benjy Eisen:  So do you have friends coming down from Portland, family maybe coming to the festival especially like Outside Lands even though you’ve played many festivals before it’s like graduation almost. It’s like…   Nate Query:  Yes.   Benjy Eisen:  …you know, something important that ((inaudible)) close to you (want to shout out). And if they – if you do have them coming down, how much time do you get to really hang out with them? Do you get more time at a festival than at your own show?   Nate Query:  Yes you do get – our – the band schedule at a festival is pretty mellow because you don’t really sound check. Our schedule is pretty mellow anyway. But yes, you have up until basically show time and then right afterwards to hang out. So it makes it – it’s nice to be able to go see stuff.   I do have my family coming down. I think most people don’t. It’s kind of the end of a 3-1/2 week leg for us so I think everybody’s just kind of eager to get home. But we actually have a day off. We have Saturday off in San Francisco and then play Sunday. So I’m sure some of us will end up getting gout there Saturday too.   Benjy Eisen:  Very cool. Well thank you. I appreciate it.   Nate Query:  You bet. Thanks.   Operator:  David Joseph-Goteiner, Metropolitan Jolt.   David Joseph-Goteiner:  Hey. Thanks for speaking with us today.   Nate Query:  Yes, no problem.   David Joseph-Goteiner:  Well I had a question and I’m just going to preface it with this introduction. It think that the Decemberists are a real prime example of how the genre of folks music has sort of become popularized among young people because I see a lot of my friends and ask them about folk music and college students. And they mentioned your band but not many others.   So I’m wondering how the Decemberists have changed the paradigm of the genre and successfully appealed to those younger listeners who really don’t, who haven’t historically listened to that type of music.   Nate Query:  Well you know I think their, I think though I think that there actually have been times where folk music, like especially in the ‘60s and stuff like where folk music really was as popular as anything else practically, you know, and so young people really were listening to it, but I do think that now it’s kind of you know we sort of incorporate folk and sometimes have stuff that’s really folky but you know, use it as a jumping off place.   It does seem like right now there’s a lot of people getting really excited about folk music, like at Newport Folk Festival I mean there were two other Portland bands there including Typhoon that’s, there were two other Portland bands there and Typhoon is one that’s like taking the folk to a whole another level because you know they have like 13 people on stage, three horns, three strings.   I think that yes I don’t know how much of it’s us or just sort of like it’s in the air right now and you know over the last bunch of years like there’s been more accepted to play lots of weird folky instruments and then dabble in these sort of more traditional genres and then, but turn them into pop music.   Male:  Well I definitely think you’re at the center, that your group is definitely innovating in that respect so thank you.   Nate Query:  Yes. Thanks.   Operator:  Julia Keim, Free People.   Julia Keim:  Hey again. I wanted to get back to you having lived in San Francisco and I was wondering what some of your favorite spots are in San Fran if you had time off, like what would be the first place you would go.   Nate Query:  Well I already know the first place I’m going to go…   Julia Keim:  Yes.   Nate Query:  …because I go there on Saturday morning so I’m going to go down to the farmer’s market and buy a bunch of dried chili’s from the chili lady there. She has a farm I think out near Davis or something and like, you know grows all these crazy varieties of like Mexican chili’s and dries them herself and they’re totally insane. Sometimes she has like heirloom bean varieties and stuff like that.   But I love the farmers market so I’m excited to be there on a Saturday and then I think Saturday afternoon I’m going to go to Bi-Rite Creamery and then hang out at Dolores Park.   Julia Keim:  Nice.   Nate Query:  That’s my other like most favorite thing to do in San Francisco.   Julia Keim:  Yes. It’s beautiful. Awesome. Thank you.   Nate Query:  Yes.   Operator:  Andrew Greenstein, Metacafe.   Andrew Greenstein:  Hey how’s it going?   Nate Query:  Great. How are you?   Andrew Greenstein:  I’m good thank you and thanks for joining us. I just was wondering what tool do you use to communicate with your fans to interact with them possibly in a greater way, what sort of technology have you guys as a band embraced to help shorten that gap between San and band?   Nate Query:  Kind of everything available. We early on we had a, we started a message board on our Web site that we’ve kept the same for a long time and that’s been a really good way to sort of, I mean our fans do most of the work on it and do most of the talking on it but we keep an eye on it and sometimes chime in on things or answer questions.   And then also people can write private messages, you know they can write me an e-mail and be like I wanted to bring some of my homemade beer to your show can I, is there any way I can get it to you, that kind of thing.   Andrew Greenstein:  Do you answer those?   Nate Query:  Yes. I always answer them. In fact that was a real one in Atlantic City that I actually answered him, I didn’t see it until too late but anyway, but he did, he had brought me his home brew once before and was trying to get a hold of me to see if he could bring me some more.   But then you know now days it’s like Twitter is probably the easiest thing to do all the time and kind of like post little tour updates and, or just goofy things from the road and even sometimes Chris and Colin and I even like communicating with each other through Twitter, not very often, every once in awhile.   But Colin, you know Colin has, he got picked as you know like you should follow this guy on Twitter and he has I don’t know two million followers or something so that’s pretty, a pretty good way to let people know about stuff.   But yes I think all, you know that all of it’s you’re always trying to find ways to let people know what’s going on and connect to them so we kind of use them all.   Andrew Greenstein:  And what about for sharing music files, swapping perhaps between band members or maybe releasing a, some song for either one of your side projects or for the Decemberists?   Nate Query:  Yes you know it’s funny it seems like that the way you release music to people changes all the time. So like the you know last couple records and I think Black Prairie might have done this to, but you can do the you know you try to get NPR to put you on the first listen thing where a week before the record comes out you can listen to it through that.   Or try and get you know you always post a couple singles on your Web site or get try and release a free one on iTunes or you know there’s a million ways to do it but it’s amazing how fast it changes all the time and now you know like once Spotify takes over like is anybody ever going to buy a record again? I don’t know.   So I don’t know just always trying to find ways to give people teasers and then get them excited about whatever the new thing is you got coming out.   Ken Weinstein:  Cool. Well good question, good answers. Nate I appreciate your time today. I’ll set you free and let you get back to your day.   Nate Query:  Okay. Thanks.   Ken Weinstein:  Excited to see you in the park.   Nate Query:  Yes I’m really excited to come and thanks to everybody for doing this crazy ((inaudible)) thing, it’s worked pretty well it seems like.   Ken Weinstein:  You should do tour press like this.   Nate Query:  It’s awesome.   Ken Weinstein:  (Jim), I know you’re out there so I thank you as well for making this happen and members of the media I have invited Allen Scott onto the call from Outside Lands, you know the Planet Entertainment. I’m not sure if he’s on the call?   Operator:  And he’ll be joining momentarily.   Ken Weinstein:  Oh great. Awesome. So Nate, you can hang up. Thank you.   Nate Query:  Okay. Thanks a lot. Hanging up.   Ken Weinstein:  All right. See you later.   Nate Query:  Right.   Male:  ((inaudible)).   Ken Weinstein:  And Allen?   Operator:  And he’ll be joining us momentarily.   Ken Weinstein:  Okay great.   Allen Scott:  Hey Ken.   Ken Weinstein:  Hey Allen?   Allen Scott:  How’s it going?   Ken Weinstein:  Good. Great. Are we all on the call together or is, are we in the sub?   Allen Scott:  I don’t know…   Operator:  And you’re with the audience.   Ken Weinstein:  Oh great. Hello everybody. Want to introduce Allen Scott from Another Planet Entertainment, co-founder, co-promoter of the festival, Superfly Productions, Superfly Presents rather. Feel free to ask Allen questions, we’ve had a great time here with Mark Foster from Foster the People and Nate Query from the Decemberists just hung up so Allen it’s been going real well.   Allen Scott:  Great.   Ken Weinstein:  And great journalists on the call. So anybody have any questions for Allen hit star 1.   Operator:  We’ll go to Ben Irwin, Pinpoint Music.   Ben Irwin:  Hey Allen how you doing?   Allen Scott:  Hey, how’s it going Ben?   Ben Irwin:  It’s good. You know last year when I was at Outside Lands I was struck by something that normally I don’t really notice about a festival too much and just how clean it was and how you basically the grounds were spotless throughout the entire thing and I just wanted to hear from you, you know, how much effort you guys are putting into be green while you’re in San Francisco.   It seems like last year everything was compostable, not only recyclable and just kind of the decisions and the things that you guys do in that front.   Allen Scott:  Well I’m glad you noticed that, we do spend an inordinate amount of time and money to be as green as possible out on the, at the festival. Our cleaning or excuse me our cleaning crew is called Clean Vibes and they’re out of North Carolina and they work with our partners on Bonnaroo and they do a great job.   We compost, recycle and do trash out on site. We have very clear labeling on all of the trash bins and last year I believe 75% of the refuse of the festival was diverted from landfills, either composting or recycling.   Ben Irwin:  That’s cool.   Allen Scott:  Which is a pretty great number.   Ben Irwin:  Is there anything additionally that you’re doing this year over what you guys did last year in that regard?   Allen Scott:  We’re doing a lot of the similar things; we have the eco-lands section of the festival where we have a solar powered stage. We also are doing our refillable water program again; I believe this is the third year. We’re bringing out, what else are we doing?   We’re continuing with the valet bike parking. We’re really urging our fans to take alternative modes of transportation, whether that’s biking in the festival we’re expanding the valet parking this year. We’re also increasing our shuttle program, which we bus people from the Civic Center of San Francisco to and from the festival and those numbers are the best we’ve ever had out there.   Ben Irwin:  That’s great. I’m sure, you know that definitely fits in well and up in San Francisco I’m sure it’s, the environment appreciates it a bunch too.   Allen Scott:  Definitely, thanks.   Ken Weinstein:  Cool. Good question. Thanks Allen. Hit star 1 to ask questions if you have any don’t be shy, it’s what makes it a press conference, you have to ask questions to get answers. Felicia let us know if anyone’s on the call for Allen.   Operator:  I will. That is star 1 to ask a question. And we’ll go to David Joseph-Goteiner, Metropolitan Jolt.   David Joseph-Goteiner:  Hey. Thanks for being with us.   Allen Scott:  Hey. Good to talk to you.   David Joseph-Goteiner:  What’s that?   Allen Scott:  Good to talk to you.   David Joseph-Goteiner:  Good. All right. I just saw that Friday and Saturday are sold out, congratulations. Why do you think Sunday is holding up though?   Allen Scott:  Well Sunday is not too far behind so that should be going pretty soon. We do have three-day tickets still available as well as some VIP, so that’s important to know, so if you do want to go you can still buy three-day tickets.   David Joseph-Goteiner:  Got it, thanks.   Operator:  We’ll go to Nick Decicco, Daily Republic.   Nick Decicco:  Hey how’s it going?   Allen Scott:  Fine. How are you doing?   Nick Decicco:  Good thank you. I was wondering what kind of challenges you face in putting together this festival that are different from others?   Allen Scott:  Well it’s a major project putting on a festival in a city like this. I mean we’re creating a city within a city…   Nick Decicco:  Right.   Allen Scott:  …out at Golden Gate Park. You know you’re doing everything from you know creating infrastructure with phones and then the Internet and the staging and security and vendors and that sort of thing, but you’re also doing a festival in a city so there are community concerns as well. So we…   Nick Decicco:  Right. And this festival has a really distinct San Francisco flavor and vibe to it.   Allen Scott:  It does. It does. We’re from San Francisco and that is Another Planet, and so it’s really important to us to celebrate San Francisco and Northern California and we do that, you know, by doing this festival in you know, the greatest urban oasis in the United States in Golden Gate Park.   But also you know naming stages after landmarks in the area, the food is 99% of the food is that we serve out there are from local restaurants then celebrating the wine in the region with Wine Lands. Over 20% of the artists on the festival are local as well. So we definitely want to celebrate San Francisco.   Nick Decicco:  Great. Thank you.   Allen Scott:  You’re welcome.   Operator:  And again that’s star 1 if you’d like to pose a question.   Ken Weinstein:  Anybody out there. All right well Allen we got a few done.   Allen Scott:  Great.   Ken Weinstein:  No questions is good news.   Allen Scott:  Okay.   Ken Weinstein:  We’ve answered them all through our press releases and all the messaging we’re doing on our calls and e-mails so.   Allen Scott:  Great. Is there another artist that’s coming on or is that it?   Ken Weinstein:  We did two today.   Allen Scott:  Okay.   Ken Weinstein:  Yes. We did two today.   Allen Scott:  Great.   Ken Weinstein:  And everybody the daily schedule has been put up on the Outside Lands Web site so you can now see who’s playing and when they’re playing. And we’ll see everyone back at Outside Lands next week, our fourth year, very exciting and thanks again for all your hard work today and look forward to seeing the stories and ((inaudible)) when you can. And Allen thanks for your time.   Allen Scott:  Thank you.   Ken Weinstein:  All right everybody.   Allen Scott:  Bye.   Ken Weinstein:  Felicia and (Michael) thank you.   Operator:  You’re welcome. Thanks everyone. Thanks for your participation.

As has no doubt been observed countless times, the ever-changing face of dubstep is continually seeing new figures pop up with astounding new takes on the genre (Burial, Boxcutter) or refinements (iTAL tEK, Swarms), and Bristol’s Phaeleh seems poised to join the ranks of the heavy hitters. Fresh off the heels of last year’s Fallen Light, an album so close to classic status that it could smell its eyeballs, Matt Preston returns with The Cold in You, an EP which finds the DJ expanding on his hypnotic, ethereal style in a number of different directions.

One of the EP’s first distinguishable traits is its different progression; while Fallen Light’s tracks flowed together almost a little too well sometimes, here Phaeleh has managed to make everything mesh without sounding too similar to anything else; the listless guitar leading In the Twilight, for example, co-exists quite harmoniously alongside the somewhat aggressive 2 step beat that drops in Think About It. Phaeleh also makes more effective use of bass here, to such an extent that some tracks, like the menacing Caustic Storm, or in particular dub creeper Perlious, are on the verge of feeling out of place.

This is not to suggest a departure of any sense, however; all the hallmarks which made Phaeleh’s last two full-lengths great are still here in spades. Soundmouse once again shines on the brilliant title track, with its haunting piano-led hook, and all the lush, beautiful harmonies he is becoming known for are as vibrant and prominent as ever, namely in the sweeping closer Should Be True, which swells gorgeously all throughout its seven minute length. Ghostly vocal samples, fantastic synths, and especially the broad instrumentation are woven together expertly with the beats, which almost act as a light yet persistent slap to keep you alert in the midst of all the hazy beauty found here.

The Cold in You hints at great things in Phaeleh’s future output. There is a great improvement as far as variety is concerned, with an excellent blend of his older and newer ideas, and most impressive is the fact that it comes without any sort of dip in quality. Preston has mentioned that he will probably drop off the radar for a bit while he works on his next LP, which is a shame, but with all the anticipation that is undoubtedly going to follow the man’s output between Within the Emptiness and this, it’s for the better. It’s going to be a complete monster if this EP is any indication, and once it drops the dubstep community just might find itself saying, “Burial who?”