The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music...

Happy post-Thanksgiving to all! Ugh, I failed again faithful readers, I didn't get the list all done before today's releases and now... now it's all buried. Because it's Black Friday Record Store Day and... well, Here's the link to find out what's out for that. You know, special releases, fun colored vinyl, rereleases, etc. Or just go to your favorite record store today and buy yourself something. Browse. Do it the old way before we had all this information at our fingertips.

All I know is that comedian H. Jon Benjamin has out a musical album today titled, Well I Should Have... *learned to play the piano. And I'm happy I found it. I'm not going to say much more in hopes that Josh will agree to talk about it for next week's podcast. Also, They Might Be Giants have a new kids album today, Why?. So I'll be popping that one on as well.

Okay, between the H Jon Benjamin album and my son refusing his nap by making funny noises with his mouth - I think I have to call it. This place is loony. And holy sheets- it's only a little after nine in the morning!?!? Oh man... This is going to be a day. Good luck everyone. Support your record stores! Buy vinyl for Christmas! Happy Listening!

The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music...

Happy Prethanksgiving Thanksgiving Feast everyone! Now, I know, it's popular to call it Friendsgiving but I think that is not nearly as amazing as Prethanksgiving Thanksgiving Feast. So it's tomorrow, and I have so much to do. So head over to csicon.net to listen to this week's episode of Half Pints Whole Notes.

And the List

Okay. Today is the day that Adele's 25 hits shelves. Oo, and Enya releases Dark Sky Island. And if you're readiing honey, Guided By Voices is releasing another one of those Suitcase 4: Captain Kangaroo Won the War. Your welcome. You know that's really the biggest stuff besides a bunch of remastered and live albums. Because it's that time of year.

So I'm getting ready to host around 30 people tomorrow, and I've been thinking music. I'm pulling from the past, not really last weeks' list. Sorry, back to that next week. Anyway, First off

Cleaning Music

I mentioned this yesterday but that new Grimes album, Art Angels is pretty awesome

Girl Talk. Just any of it. Totally works for me.

LCD Soundsystem, LCD Soundsystem

Dinner Music

I was trying to think of somethign new and earth shattering but you know, it's just the best to put on

Stan Getz and João Gilberto, Getz/Gilberto

Maybe some Velvet Underground. It's odd but it kinda has that good groove.

Here's a new one: Raluca Stirbat's collection of George Enescu: Complete Works for Piano Solo. I'm really digging this classical album and pretty much determined that I need to learn every piece.

A little depressing perhaps but maybe that new Made of Oak album, Penumbra

Post Dinner Party Time

Phil Collins. Yeah, some Phil Collins is pretty awesome.

The Electric Peanut Butter Company, Trans-Atlantic Psych Classics Vol. 1

Habibi, Habibi

Maybe you need some accordion cumbia, Gregorio Uribe Big Band, Cumbia Universal

Well I hope that gives you a few ideas, some old, some new to try out this holiday season, and Happy Listening to all and to all a good gobble gobble!

The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music...

Welcome back to the Friday Refrain! It's been a crazy week. The weather is making everyone act crazy I think. We had honest to goodness thunder/lightning storms on Wednesday. It's really off putting to experience that in November. But it could've been worse - could've been like the old Armistice Day Blizzard. Anyway. Music. That's what it's all about.

You put a band name in, you get a genre out, you put a band name and shake it all about, you do the hokey pokey and turn it all about, it's THE LIST.

This week, well well well... the Biebs takes on One Direction. Some have been looking forward to this for months, who will reign supreme? We'll find out soon enough. But yeah, Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber released Purpose and One Direction is out with Made In The AM. Was it just a band of the moment thing or will Parquet Courts hold the fickle eye of critics again with Monastic Living? Jam band JEFF the Brotherhood has Global Chakra Rhythms for your soul today. And yes, you will read it right, ELO has Alone in the Universe. And Jeezy (because he's not that young anymore) released Church In These Streets today.

But what about last week? Well, I can tell you it's probably going to be a heavy Josh picked episode next week because I had a hard time getting a chance to listen to anything between sharing and caring.

Missy Elliot, "WTF (Where They From)" - I like this single. I know, it dropped yesterday adn so it's more this week than last but whatever.

The Foxymorons, Fake Yoga - Fuzzy rock stuff like I like.I called it toothy. I think that means it's got a little edge or bite to it. Toothy might be one of my new descriptors. I like it. I mean, if something can be cheeky, why not toothy?

Room 306, "Tomorrow" - Good single. Not as into the remixes.

Khruangbin, The Universe Smiles Upon You - Prog/psychedelic/jam stuff.

Now get outside and play before it gets any more winteryier. Happy Listening!

The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music...

Okay. I have ten minutes. And then I have to go back to stuff. So here we go. What can we do in ten minutes?

Half Pint Whole Notes week so check out our latest episode at csicon or on your favorite podcasting apparatus.

Watch out, it's a big one - THE LIST

Holy release day, Batmusicaman! (Wow, just looked it up, no actual Batman musical? Hm... It'd be way less dangerous than a Spiderman musical I'm guessing. Oh crap. Time's a-wasting) This week, I just can't even. It's too much. it's well here goes... Seal is back with 7. I'm going to have that rose song in my head now. Let's stick with the 90s, Natalie Merchant rerecorded her album Tigerlily and it is out today titled, Paradise is There: The New Tigerlily Recordings. Speaking of rerecording, Björk made an acoustic version of her January album and calls it Vulnicura Strings. Drifting back in time - Mr. Bob Dylansir's bootleg series is out with The Cutting Edge 1965-1966. Adding yet another thing I can't afford or really have room for currently to the list of things I want. Speaking of veteran awesome musicians, Billy Gibbons & The BFGs have Perfectamundo out today. Bouncing to the current popular scene - Ellie Goulding's album Delirium hits shelves today as well as CeeLo Green's Heart Blanche. Country megastar Tim McGraw released Damn Country Music. And if you like Sylvan Esso, check out Made of Oak which is the dude's new project and it is more electronic and not really vocal, so just heads up. There we go.

Turns out I get a bit more than 10 minutes thankfully. That means I can give you a few things from the week of release past:

Grupo Fantasma, Problemas - Currently pouring out of my speakers right now, this is lively and tight Latin music. Good for a pick-me-up or to dance around your space.

Greys, Repulsion - I'm really liking my rock this week and I appreciate a good little 3 song set, and that's what these guys deliver.

Alan Lee, An Australian Jazz Anthology - I didn't check out the details on what this is but I put it on and it's enjoyable.

Emmi, "60 Minutes" - Good little single.

Schmu, Come Into My Arms - Little fuzzy playground of rock action right here. I'll take it.

Younghusband, Dissolver  - A little more psychedelickish rock action

Harmonia, Deluxe - So this is a reissue. Coming from the same time as Kraftwerk but hasn't gotten the popularity and it should. This is a solid album. I love it. Listened to it several times and even almost made the Half Pints list. But we try to stay away from reissues. Anyway, if you like Tame Impala or that other band that came out around the same time but people seemed to like more but I didn't, then you should check this out.

All right, more than 10 minutes of writing but I got lucky. THANK GOODNESS. (napping kid - a napping kid who is going to be over the 1 year mark by next week's Friday Refrain! Crazy) Which is why I need to get going. Got to get the party decorations going. Figure out the party food. Do some dishes, dust some shelves, vacuum some rugs. Really I need to sweep the floors because that scoundrel likes to eat random discarded food. I'd be giving him too much credit to think he dropped food from his chair on purpose for later. I feed him snack. Don't worry. He's just crazy. All right. Go forth and Happy Listening!

The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music...

Happy Halloween! And due to the impending holiday, I will be cutting this short in order to construct a wee costume from the magic of my crafty room. When the coffee kicks in.

On with The List

Today we have Bryan Adams and Get Up!. Of Phish, Trey Anastasio is running on Paper Wheels. Dillatronic is a posthumous release of previously unheard material from rapper and producer J Dilla. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings have a holiday album this year, It's A Holiday Soul Party. I haven't been mentioning holiday releases because I'll be putting all in one special holiday edition, but I just love Sharon Jones and had to mention it. Steve Martin & Edie Brickell team up for So Familiar. Maynard (of Tool) and his band Puscifer are back to shanigans with Money Shot. Not for the timid of ear that band. You know, NSFW if you work in the standard cookie cutter American dream job. Almost done, one more celebrity who can actually do music with Seth Macfarlane's No One Ever Tells You album of jazziness.

Okay, so last week, let's see...

need something to work out some aggression? Try Some Nerve, Sense of Control

A little playful Halloweenesque music? (it's kinda Jarvis Cocker on the first one, and then other things later but odd and weird are definitely good descripters) The Mystery Fax Machine Orchestra, Supernatural Aid

It's one of those weeks I didn't take good notes so

Things I'll be giving further listens

Born of Osiris, Soul Sphere - metal

Petal, Shame - Sparse but interesting. Singer-songwriter maybe? I haven't looked to see if it's one or many. Anyway, that's why it's on the to-listen

Sidony Box, Here Comes A New Challenger - Jazz. I think it's been a week or two, about when I throw one onto the pile to spice up my life.

Dexter Story, Wondem - It's interesting. I don't know what to think yet. I'm listening. And thinking it might be one (read on to finish sentence)

I bet Josh picks for Half Pints next week

(he doesn't read this anymore, so I feel like this is kind of funny to do.)

Chic Gamine, Light A Match

Seinabo Sey, Pretend

Those are another two I bet he picks. We'll see. Oh I hope I'm right. But then I also feel like he may not know these happened, so I feel like I should tell him but then that would influence him.... Conundrum. Ih, it's time to go make costumes happen! And happen they shall. The coffee didn't kick in but I just gotta do it. Well I hope you have fun getting candy and enjoying the awesomeness that is a Halloween on a Saturday. Happy Listening!