Gypsy Boombox's LIVE SHOWS of the YEAR

5. ALBERTA CROSS - Electric Factory / Philly / 11-5

4. FREELANCE WHALES / Fanfarlo - TT the Bear's / Boston / 12-17

3. PHISH - Wachovia Center Philly 11-24 & MSG 12-4

2. PHOENIX - Electric Factory / Philly / 0-28

1. TV on the RADIO/Grizzly Bear - Tabernacle / Atlanta / 6-13

Gypsy Boombox's ALBUMS of the YEAR

20. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone         

19. Regina Spektor - Far
18. Pearl Jam - Backspacer

17. St. Vincent - Actor 
16. Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk
15. Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros - Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros
14. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt 2

13. Here We Go Magic - Here We Go Magic
12. Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures
11. Sonic Youth - The Eternal

10. Russian Circles - Geneva
9.   Passion Pit - Manners
8.   Jay Z - The Blueprint III
7.   Alberta Cross - Broken Side of Time
6.   Girls - Album
5.   The xx - The xx

4.   Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

3.   Freelance Whales - Weathervanes

2.   Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs

1.   Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Music Video of the Year

Even in a year where music videos began to resemble porn more and more, Yeasayer melted our face, and Beyonce made "one of the greatest videos of ALL TIME",  the Boombox award for video of the year was a no-brainer... Wu-Tang is here forever, muthafuckas!
Raekwon: House of Flying Daggers Official Music Video HD from Chain Gang Productions on Vimeo.

Gypsy Boombox's Best Records of 2009

25. St Vincent - "Actor Out of Work"

24. Neon Indian - "Deadbeat Summer"

23. Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - "Relator" 

22. Raekwon - "House of Flying Daggers"

21. Jay Z feat. Drake - "Off That"

20. Charlotte Gainsbourg & Beck - "Heaven Can Wait"

19. Yeasayer - "Ambling Alp"

18. Yo La Tengo - "Periodically Tripled or Doubled"

17. Monsters of Folk - "Dear God"

16. Neko Case - "I'm an Animal"

15. Animal Collective - "My Girls"

14. Them Crooked Vultures - "Gunman"

13.  Karen O & The Kids - "All is Love"

12. The Dirty Projectors - "Stillness is the Move"

11. The Avett Brothers - "I and Love and You"

10.  Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - "40 Day Dream"

9.  The Dirty Projectors - "Cannibal Resource"

8.  Passion Pit - "Little Secret"

7.  The Big Pink - "Dominos"

6.  Fanfarlo - "The Walls Are Coming Down"

5.  Girls - "Hellhole Ratrace"

4.  Phoenix - "Lisztomania"

3.  Jay Z - "Empire State of Mind"

2.  The Limousines - "Very Busy People"

1.  Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - "Home"

The Boom Box Bike

Introducing Broken Bells

Danger Mouse is at it again, this time teaming up with The Shins' lead songwriter James Mercer on a project they're calling Broken Bells.  The two play all the instruments on the self-titled debut, with the exception of a full string section arranged by Daneile Luppi. The album was recorded in LA, and will be released on March 8th.  The group will release a single, "The High Road", on its website December 21rst, so keep an ear out for that.

RIP Chris Feinstein

Bassist Chris Feinstein has passed away. While details remain scant, it is believed he passed away at his Manhattan home in the early hours of Monday morning. He was 42.

Feinstein was most recently known for his role in Ryan Adams & The Cardinals which he joined in 2006, replacing original bassist Catherine Popper. As a member of the Cardinals, Feinstein appeared on Adams' releases Easy Tiger, Follow the Lights and Cardinology. It was Adams who dubbed Feinstein "Space Wolf." (Jambands)

Yeasayer World Tour

Yeasayer have kept the anticipation high lately for the February release of Odd Blood, with the lead single "Ambling Alp" and its insane video, nothing has been as exciting as the massive list of tour dates released today.  They will play two shows in the US the week of the album's release, then crisscross Europe through February and March, before hitting every American market in April, with the venues ranging from larger music halls to intimate clubs.  Full dates after the jump!

New Yeasayer Album Art

Yeasayer are set to release Odd Blood on February 9th, and as the anticipation rises, things just keep get weirder.  As if the video for "Ambling Alp"(NSFW) wasn't insane enough, today they released some rather psychedelic, ocularly challenging artwork for the new album.  You've been warned.                                                                        

Jonsi from Sigur Ros Readies Solo Debut

Jón "Jónsi" Thor Birgisson, lead singer and guitarist from my favorite band, Sigur Ros, will release his solo debut album on March, 23rd.  Go will consist of nine songs, most of which will be sung in English, a revelation that has me on the verge of hyperventilation.  The key collaborator on the project is pianist and composer Nico Muhly, who arranged the brass, woodwind, and strings along with piano on each of the album's tracks.  Jonsi is expected to tour extensively throughout 2010.  


I'd also like to take the opportunity to post one of my favorite photographs of all time, taken at a Sigur Ros show in Iceland a few years back.  Cheers!

Also love this one... Thank God for Sigur Ros

Beck's Record Club with Feist & Nels Cline

Record Club: Skip Spence "Weighted Down" from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

As previously reported by the Boombox, Beck's latest Record Club installment covers Skip Spence's 1969 folk album, Oar, and Mr Hansen recently posted this video of his version of "Weighted Down (The Prison Song)" which features Leslie Feist on lead vocals, and Nels Cline getting celestial on acoustic guitar.  Great stuff here... can't wait for the whole project to be released.  Enjoy! 

Volume Two from She & Him

She & Him, the collaboration between M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel, will release their second album on March 23rd, 2010.  In a bold move, they will title the disc Volume Two, since the sophomore effort follows 2008's Volume One.  Eleven new original tunes written by Deschanel (Mmmmm), and covers of NRBQ's "Ridin in my Car" and Skeeter Davis' "Gonna Get Along Without You" will comprise the album.  The first single "In The Sun" also features guest vocals from Tilly and the Wall.  The only question now is How many great bands can M. Ward be in at one time?

Arcade Fire!!

Canada's indie darlings Arcade Fire are finishing up a new album, and will hit the road in the summertime for a string of dates, Billboard reports.  The album is being produced by Markus Dravs, who engineered Arcade's 2007 gem Neon Bible.  Let's keep our fingers crossed.  Read the Billboard article here.

Listen to "Wake Up", easily one of my favorite records of the decade.  Enjoy.

More Phoenix

My Parisian obsession, Phoenix, were nominated for the Best Alternative Album Grammy last week for the consistently great Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.  The band recently hit the streets of the city of love to perform as part of filmmaker Vincent Moon's concert series La Blogotheque's "Take Away Shows".  Check out the performances of "Liztomania" and "One Time Too Many" below.  And if for some reason you don't have this album yet, run.
Phoenix - Lizstomania / One time too many - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

North American Air

French duo Air will tour the United States in March. This will be the first time the group, JB Dunckel and Nicolas Godin, have performed in North America in 3 years.  Their recent album, Love 2, is a dreamy blend of dance pop and atmospheric electronica, somewhat akin to Thievery Corporation's mellow side.  Tickets for the US shows go on sale this Saturday, December 12th. 

Full list of Air tour dates after the Jump

Back from Manhattan

I'm back, and fully recovered from Phish's three night run at Madison Square Garden last week.  The shows were fantastic, but as usual the city stole the show.  Highlights of the "weekend" included the first cover of Zappa's "Peaches en Regalia" since '99 on the first night, a ridiculous run in the second set of night two to that included "Fluffhead", "Cities" into "Free", and "Halley's Comet" into "2001".  The final show included rarities "Glide" and "Dinner and a Movie", while the second set featured a fierce "Mike's Song" and gigantic "You Enjoy Myself".  The quartet closed out the run with an encore of The Rolling Stone's "Shine A Light", ending the week on a note of bliss.

Phish begin their New Years Eve run at Miami's American Airlines Arena on Dec 28th.

A shout out to the employees at The Local for taking such good care of us, as well as Lisa for the Harlem accommodations,  Vlad for the security detail, Jim from Georgia for the entertainment and Johnny Walker, and Erin for, well, everything.  What a band.. What a venue.. What a city.... Street Food for Life!

Taking a Few Days Off...

The Boombox is going on vacation for a few days.... but I'll be back soon, with stories to tell no doubt... Forward my calls to

Sign of the Apocalypse

 

Sorry this is priceless.  Does this photo have absolutely everything or what?  A ginger man with  a driveway full of boomboxes, wearing jorts and white tennis shoes.  Amen.

Talib Kweli & Mos Def collaborate with Dirty Projectors and Roots on Fallon

 A few nights ago, Amber Coffman and Haley Dekle from the Dirty Projectors joined Mos Def and Talib Kweli for Def's song "History" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.  House band The Roots provided the rhythm and beats as always, the ladies sang backing vocals, and the two BK MCs did their thing, offering a small glimpse into the fact that both are still some of the best around, though I prefer Kweli any day.  This collaboration comes a week after The Roots joined Dirty Projectors on stage at their show in New York.  Future collaboration?  Spread love, it's the Brookly way.

Alberta Cross Headlining Dates

Our favorite London/Brooklyn transplanters Alberta Cross will finally get their due at the end of the year, hitting the road in the US for a headlining tour that rolls through early February.  Their recent opening set at the Electric Factory was amazing, proof that they are more than deserving of their own audience.  There are some great, intimate venues on the list too.  New Years Resolution:  See this band.... Full tour dates after the jump

The Answer to Thanksgiving Noise is....

...more noise, in the form of the Russian Circles latest album Geneva.  Whether your fantasy football team lost or your lover is a pillow, this shit is therapeutic.  Sometimes the low-end rumble and 3-4 drum beats sound like a bad dream slowly coming true, but wait it out and there are moments of euphoric emotional beatdown that beg your attention.  Never before has this Chicago trio been more concise or attack minded, and I like it.  Imagine Sigur Ros getting beat up by a glacier over a slice of Chicago deep dish.  Atmospheric grieving at its solemn metal best.



See Russian Circles on tour now.  I am, bitches.

Hear "Fathom"

Philly Phish

Nothing better than Fall Phish in the Northeast.  This may as well be submitted as fact for the Encyclopedias of tomorrow. It's funny and amazing what 9 years away from the table can make you forget, and what half an hour back can make you remember.   

Phish playing at the Wachovia was like finding a phone number under the pillow, too tempting not to call back.  10 miles from my desk.  I had to go.  And I went in blind, expecting nothing more than the slight buzz I made sure swirled in my Broad Street appropriate plastic cup.  Foolish. 

"Chalkdust Torture" kicked off the evening, the band all-smiles and Trey sporting a Flyers jersey, and soloed it's way to a "Bathtub Gin" that had the effect of both parts, warming and intoxicating the crowd.  Then, bananas.  In response to an upfront fan wielding a giant sign, Phish dropped into "Cities", the rare Talking Heads gem, that included altered lyrics "Do I smell home cooking... it's only Thanksgiving."  "Camel Walk" stunned the already stunned, and issued the 'buckle up' statement to the entire room, all of whom were having way too much fun to heed.  The band was visibly enjoying themselves, riding the wave of simple swagger that perfection of these seldom played tunes offered. 

Full Review After the Jump.... Get Some

Sorry Kids....

Doctors, hippies, turkeys.... a lot going on in my neighborhood lately.  Sorry for the holes in musical bliss.  Hopefully you took the time away from your computers to enjoy family, football, loose women or men, and whatever nectar whatever God you prefer prefers....

Now, where were we....

Box of the Week: Country With An Attitude!

Mindbending New Videos from Charlotte Gainsbourg & Beck, Vampire Weekend

Check out this bizarre new video for "Heaven Can Wait" from the upcoming Charlotte Gainsbourg/Beck project IRM, due January 26th.  That would be MRI in French, and after watching this video, I can only imagine the brain power behind this album.  Enjoy.


And then there is this little nugget from Vampire Weekend.  As if "Horchata" wasn't already stuck in our heads, the band has released a video for the second single "Cousins" from Contra, out January 12.  Enjoy the ride, literally.

Officially Excited for BLACKROC Project

BlackRoc, the Black Keys new hip-hop project, hits stores on Black Friday aka the day after Thanksgiving, and even though rushing to the record store will fall a distant fourth to leftovers and football and booze, I'm still very excited for this album's release.  Guests on the project include Raekwon, Jim Jones, Pharoahe Monch (below), RZA, Q-Tip, Curren$y, and of course, Mos Def.  There is also a continuous series of vids on YouTube documenting the recording sessions of the album.  Nice, and hilarious, to see Akron, Ohio's finest toasting Hennessy with some rap giants.  Check those out here.

Watch and hear Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo) featuring Mos Def & Jim Jones

Hear Raekwon's collabo "Stay Off the Fuckin' Flowers"